The Wastrel Prince Becomes Ruthless Chapter 55
The one-armed Orc chieftain, who had lost his left arm to Yuwon, snorted violently and glared at him.
From the cleanly severed cross-section of its arm, green blood poured like a waterfall, yet its savage aura remained unbroken.
At the sight of the enraged creature, Yuwon let out a faint chuckle.
“Right. You and I have unfinished business first.”
As if it understood Yuwon’s words, the one-armed beast roared furiously.
“Kuwoooaaargh—!”
The ground trembled as the Orc charged. With a body so large one could mistake it for an ogre, it swung a massive arm befitting that enormous frame, striking at Yuwon.
Swoooosh—!
In the blink of an eye, a hand the size of a human torso came right before Yuwon’s face.
“Hup—!”
Even as Yuwon stomped his foot and leapt backward, the fierce gust that followed ruffled his hair violently.
‘This is an Orc?’
The agility and power radiating from that massive body were entirely different from the Orcs Yuwon had only read about in books. Monsters stepping foot in the southern lands of the Empire was strange enough, but this creature’s strength defied belief. Everything about it was suspicious.
‘If I could talk to you, I might have spared you...!’
Without hesitation, Yuwon, who had dodged the attack by retreating earlier, dashed back in. The failed strike had left the beast’s defense wide open.
This time, Yuwon aimed for its legs. The creature tried belatedly to shake him off as he dove in, but it was already too late. The White Dragon Sword carved a wide horizontal arc.
Slash—!
The blade sliced straight through the creature’s leg. A chilling sound of tearing flesh followed as one of its legs was severed.
Behind a spray of green blood, the three-meter-tall creature collapsed in an instant. Now, Yuwon and the Orc stood at eye level.
“Gwaaargh—!”
Having lost both an arm and a leg, the creature let out a scream that was somewhere between agony and rage. But even faced with that fierce hostility, Yuwon didn’t blink once.
His blue eyes, now cold and lifeless, pierced through the creature.
The remaining arm that had been secretly aiming for Yuwon’s blind spot was caught mid-motion.
“Where do you think you’re—!”
Shwip—!
Following Yuwon’s gesture, the White Dragon Sword swung once more. The creature’s arm was cleanly severed. Now, only one leg remained intact among its limbs—rendering it incapable of either fleeing or fighting back.
Yuwon walked calmly into its reach and plunged the White Dragon Sword straight into its chest.
Crunch—!
A chilling sound echoed as the blade shattered its ribs.
The White Dragon Sword, splitting bone and flesh, drove deep into the Orc’s heart.
Thud—!
Even with its heart pierced, the creature did not fall. Green blood bubbled up from its mouth as it glared at Yuwon, as if still intent on devouring him.
“Kh… Krkk…”
“…I’ll end your pain.”
The creature would die soon enough, but Yuwon chose to ease its suffering.
The White Dragon Sword traced a light arc—then the Orc chieftain’s head fell to the ground.
Thud—
In less than two minutes since Yuwon’s appearance, the chieftain’s head hit the earth. Only then did Yuwon take a brief breath and turn around.
“…?”
Hundreds of eyes were on him—practically the entire subjugation force. Shock, awe, and relief at their survival all mixed in those gazes, every one of them fixed on Yuwon alone.
Then, someone among them shouted first.
“All hail Prince Yurion—!”
That cry became the rallying call. Voices echoed across the field, chanting Yuwon’s name.
“All hail His Highness! Long live Aphahiel!”
“Long live the White Dragon—!”
The morale of the subjugation force, rescued from the depths of despair, now pierced the heavens. Among those shouting the Fifth Prince’s name were even the ones who had once whispered curses behind his back.
“Ah…”
The sight sent shivers down Yuwon’s body. For once, even he couldn’t suppress an exclamation of awe. It was that moving.
‘So my choice wasn’t wrong after all.’
A fulfillment Tang Yuwon, the Sichuan Tang Clan’s hunting hound, had never felt in his life.
In the distance, Yuwon caught sight of Marquis Carson’s face. Their eyes met briefly.
‘Now’s the moment to end this battle. There’s no way a capable man like Marquis Carson will miss this chance.’
Reading the unspoken message in Yuwon’s eyes, the Marquis gave a nod. As if waiting for that signal, Marquis Carson raised his voice.
“Full charge—! Advance! Their commander is dead—now’s the time! Sweep them all away—! The master of the White Dragon Sword, the White Dragon himself, fights with us—!”
“Uwoooaaah—!”
Yuwon gripped his sword once more. He had taken down the chieftain, but countless enemies still remained.
Turning back, Yuwon set his gaze on the enemy ranks.
Standing alone at the center of the battlefield, Yuwon sprinted straight toward the deepest part of the enemy lines. Behind him, the roars of the subjugation force thundered through the air.
Just hours ago, Marquis Carson had looked down on Yuwon, finding him irritating and bothersome. But now, he elevated Yuwon as a hero, placing him at the forefront to rally the troops. The effect was extraordinary.
“Waaagh—! For Aphahiel!”
“For Aphahiel—!”
United under the hero named Yuwon, the subjugation force struck hard at the disoriented Orcs who had lost their leader.
Yuwon, far ahead in the heart of the battlefield, was slaughtering Orcs as though cutting through bundles of straw.
He swung the sword in silence—each strike merciless and efficient.
As though he meant to draw all attention to himself, Yuwon cut down Orcs with terrifying ferocity, lessening the burden on his allies.
Thrust—!
With a flick of his hand, one Orc fell. The White Dragon Sword pierced diagonally upward, impaling an Orc through the nape.
“Gkkk—!”
The Orc let out a sound that was neither a scream nor a growl before the blade ground through its skull, reducing its brain to pulp.
Even as the dying Orc swung its club in futile desperation, Yuwon never left an opening.
His power distribution was frighteningly precise. He used just enough mana to slice through the creatures without overexerting, and he minimized wasted motion to conserve his stamina.
To the untrained eye, his swordplay might have seemed crude—like someone who had never formally studied the blade. But it was different.
It was a sword devoted solely to killing the enemy—a sword that existed only to fulfill its purpose as a weapon.
Slash—
One strike, one kill. For the Yuwon who had so easily felled the Orc chieftain, these lesser ones posed no obstacle at all.
The mana-clad White Dragon Sword cut through necks and torsos alike. Amid the Orcs, Yuwon looked like a wild beast set loose among sheep.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he executed his enemies. That sight inspired and empowered the subjugation force charging behind him.
Before long, Terrien and the Third Prince arrived at the battlefield behind Yuwon.
“It’s just as His Highness said—an actual battle is happening here.”
“I thought he was exaggerating, but… the main force really was fighting? How in the world did he sense that?”
As soon as the three had arrived in the vicinity through teleportation magic, Yuwon had dashed off at a speed they couldn’t possibly match. The two had rushed after him at full speed—only to finally arrive now.
Yuwon’s overwhelming presence stood alone.
He was deep within enemy lines, not a single ally nearby, cutting down foes one after another. Even then, Yuwon continued to step forward—one step, then another—deeper into enemy territory.
‘His Highness is fighting all alone like that…! I must hurry and go to assist him.’
Watching that scene, Terrien’s blood boiled.
Shiiing—
“I’ll be right behind you.”
Terrien proudly unsheathed his sword.
The blade Yuwon had bestowed upon him gleamed brightly as it caught the light.
Behind him, Third Prince Bernid grumbled as he gathered his mana.
“Tch, if he gets himself killed by some stray sword, who’s supposed to make my medicine then…?”
Though his tone was one of annoyance, Bernid steadily readied himself for battle. In truth, neither of them showed a hint of fear.
“Then I’ll carve a path to His Highness. Please provide covering fire, Your Highness the Third Prince.”
“Save your breath. Just make sure you don’t die to my magic and stay out of the way.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. It’s not often I get a chance to earn my keep.”
“To think someone would talk back to a prince so shamelessly… Yurion really has a fine subordinate in you.”
At Bernid’s remark, Terrien smiled faintly.
“You honor me.”
“That wasn’t praise, it was sarcasm. Hah, forget it. Let’s just go—save your master or whatever. Not that he’s someone who needs saving…”
As the Third Prince spoke, his gaze swept over the subjugation force fighting desperately and bleeding on the field.
“Well, I am an Aphahiel, after all.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At that moment, mana flowed from Bernid’s fingertips and wrapped around Terrien’s body.
“Mm? What is this?”
Bernid replied casually.
“Oh, nothing much. It’s not quite the blessing of a wind spirit, but it’ll lighten your body a bit. You’ll move faster. Let’s finish this quickly and rest—I’ve got medicine to take soon.”
“You take medicine, Your Highness? Are you ill…?”
“…Something like that. Just leave it be.”
“I seem to have asked something I shouldn’t have. Understood.”
“Preparations are done. Let’s move.”
“Yes, sir!”
The two joined the battlefield, heading toward where Yuwon fought.
Flames and blades of wind swirled in Bernid’s hands, and wherever they pointed, Orcs were blasted aside.
When Bernid opened a wide path with his magic, Terrien calmly followed behind, finishing off the wounded Orcs.
“Fall back behind me. A big one’s coming.”
“Yes!”
Terrien quickly moved back. Just as Bernid said, this spell was on a much larger scale. He halted and focused his mind.
At that moment, an Orc in the distance noticed the unguarded Bernid. Taking advantage of the opportunity, it hurled a piece of metal at him mid-cast.
Shwip—!
Clang—!
Terrien, who had been keeping watch just in case, swiftly swung his sword and deflected the flying dagger. About twenty seconds later, Bernid unleashed his signature lightning-type magic.
Crackle—Crack!
Electricity and dark clouds gathered around Bernid’s hands before he cast the spell.
“Burn to ash—every one of you!”
Bzzzt—!
The Orcs blocking the path were struck and collapsed together.
Those who had taken the spell head-on rolled their eyes back, frothing at the mouth as they burned alive. Sparks leapt from their bodies, setting others aflame.
“Damn it, almost got stabbed. This is why I hate spells with long casting times.”
“Think nothing of it, Your Highness.”
“Huh? Did I thank you just now?”
“No, but that’s how it sounded.”
Terrien replied playfully. Despite fighting together for the first time, their coordination was surprisingly natural. With the path now clear, Bernid took a brief moment to observe the scene, speaking lazily.
“By the way, what time is it?”
“Your Highness, you’re asking the time in the middle of a battlefield…?”
“Eh, forget it. My fault for asking.”
Bernid waved the question off and checked for himself, pulling a small pocket watch from his coat. His expression shifted after glancing at it.
“About thirty-five minutes left…”
He drew in mana once more, his robe rippling from the surge of power.
“We’ll finish this within twenty minutes.”
The man hailed all his life as a Genius of Magic unleashed his full strength.
“Hyah—!”
Having been informed of the situation by Renania and the vanguard, Count Valaris arrived at the battlefield with reinforcements.
Crossing a small ridge, the plain where the battle had raged unfolded before him.
“Hah… by the heavens… seems we were a bit late.”
Count Valaris let out a heavy sigh at the horrific sight before him. The ground was soaked with blood, littered with corpses—a scene of slaughter.
“If we’d only come a little sooner, we might have reduced the casualties….”
The battle, which had cost dearly on both sides, was drawing to its end. Everywhere but the foremost line, soldiers were retrieving the dead and tending to the wounded. Amid that chaos, someone caught the Count’s eye.
“What in the world… is that?”
At the far end of the field, where the fiercest fighting had taken place, a lone figure stood out. Behind that figure stretched a path—but it wasn’t a normal path.
It was a road made of corpses.
The bodies of Orcs were piled thick like a carpet, and that road was painted only in green.
“Who could that possibly be? He looks… oddly familiar.”
“I’m not sure, my lord. If there were such a figure, word would’ve spread long ago… It’s certainly not the Second Prince, nor the child of Bradman or Curington….”
The Count’s adjutants couldn’t give a clear answer. Having served alongside the Count for decades guarding the South, they were equally out of touch with such rumors.
“That is Yurion… His Highness the Fifth Prince.”
The voice came from behind—it was Renania Valaris, who had called for reinforcements.
“What…? That man—His Highness the Fifth Prince?”
“Yes, that is indeed His Highness the Fifth Prince.”
“That can’t be… that man, that Fifth Prince?”
The refined, efficient movement of that sword—was that truly from the notorious wastrel prince?
Count Valaris couldn’t believe his daughter’s words.
Even now, Yuwon was cutting down the retreating Orcs without pause. That sight made it all the harder for the Count to believe.
“No, Father. It’s true. That man is none other than the Fifth Prince of Aphahiel—Yurion Aphahiel.”
That statement sealed it. And at that very moment, Yuwon struck down the last surviving Orc straggler.
Slash—!
The battle had finally ended. With that final stroke, Yuwon personally brought an end to the long, grueling fight.
As he turned his gaze across the battlefield, no Orcs remained alive.
Only the soldiers of Aphahiel’s subjugation force still stood upon their two feet.
‘It’s finally over.’
Just as Yuwon looked upon the troops, they in turn looked upon him.
There, at the center of the battlefield, stood the hero who had led them to victory—a result no one could deny.
“All hail His Highness the Fifth Prince! Glory to Aphahiel!”
“All hail Prince Yurion! Glory to Aphahiel!”
Without anyone prompting them, the subjugation force raised their voices together, praising Yurion Aphahiel.
From afar, Terrien dropped to one knee in Yuwon’s direction.
‘At last…!’
Tears welled in Terrien’s eyes as emotion flooded him.
The cheers that thundered across the battlefield were not his voice—they came from those who had once mocked and cursed Yuwon.
Now, they all shouted the Fifth Prince’s name in unison.
At last, the White Dragon had taken flight.