Youngest on Top - Chapter 179

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 179

Enrik: How did Misa get here?!
Kailros: How dare he meet my brother before me!!
Anakin: Is that really the problem right now?
Anakin: Don’t you know how vicious that bastard is?

Misa tilted his head in confusion.

[Misa?]

He soon broke into a bright smile as understanding dawned.

[Ah, you mean crazy love?]
“You’re insane!”
[I know. My darling, my love. Our love is crazy. How else could we be so madly in love without losing our minds?]
“That’s completely wrong!”

Misa hesitated.
He looked utterly confused and pondered before asking.

[Then is it bewitching love? I suppose you are so enchanted by love that you can’t think straight.]
“You’re a psychotic, perverted stalker!”

At my words, Misa laughed.

[You’re still so petulant. How adorable.]

Sigh.
A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head.
My body was still that of a child, yet I was developing high blood pressure.
If this was Misa’s strategy to weaken my power, it was working perfectly.

Misa glided smoothly to my side.

[I missed you so much. You have no idea how lost I’ve been since you disappeared.]
“So you pulled this stunt? What is this? Possession?”
[I wish I could descend directly into the Human Realm to meet you. But that would take too long. Why does the world insist on interfering with our love?]

Misa’s hand gripped my cheek.

[It’s unpleasant having another’s hand touch my darling.]
“Then get it off!”
[But it’s kind of thrilling. I hate it, yet I like it.]

What a pervert!

Enrik: I should’ve beaten that bastard back then!
Kailros: How dare you touch my precious, precious brother’s cheek!!
Anakin: ♪♬♩♩! Don’t stop me.
Anakin: Right now I’m gonna ♪♪♬ that ♬♩♪♩ and ♪♬♪♩♬ him!
Anakin: What the ♪♩♬ does that ♬♪♬ bastard think he’s doing ♪♩♬♪♪♩?

[Notice] Anakin’s conversation has been temporarily suspended due to frequent use of profanity.
[Notice] We kindly request that all users utilize our service in a manner befitting an angel’s dignity, with courtesy and order. Thank you *^^*

Kailros: For once, I understand Anakin’s behavior.
Enrik: Grrr! Grrrrr!

The chat window before my eyes was in chaos, but my situation was even worse.

Smack!
The moment I knocked away Misa’s hand, it grabbed me again.

He’d prepared well, controlling the possessed body like his own limbs.
Moreover, the realm itself was tainted with turbidity, giving him the advantage over me.
And on top of that, my body was already corrupted because of the Demonic Realm’s flower….

‘But I can’t escape from here.’

Ilay, Dmitri, Edmund, and Roana.
My family was inside the lake.
Misa surely knew they were there.

[You’ve grown weak, Saelika. The Saelika of old would have broken free from this in an instant.]
“Shut up.”
[Is it because you’re in a human body?]
“Yes. So stop paying attention to me.”
[Hmm—.]

Misa tilted his head and looked down at me.

[I thought you’d be boring now that you’re weakened.]
“….”
[So it really is insane love.]
“….”
[Even the way my darling trembles helplessly is adorable.]

He was truly a deranged psychotic stalker.
That description fit him perfectly.

[When others do such things, I only feel disgust like looking at insects. Is this what bewitching love feels like?]
“Get lost!”

Misa laughed as if amused.
And the next moment.
His playful expression vanished completely.
A low voice whispered near my ear.

[Then you won’t be able to resist if I drag you to hell like this, will you?]

Shiiiiiver—!
Goosebumps erupted across my entire body.

I rolled my eyes to look at Misa.
Black eyes stained with madness stared at me without blinking.

‘This might actually be dangerous….’

Red warning lights flashed in my mind.
This had never happened since I regressed.

[Perfect. With a human body, there will be fewer restrictions when moving to the Demon Realm.]

I clenched my fists and drew forth my sacred power.
Because of the corruption, internal shocks erupted constantly as I gathered the sacred force.

‘Compared to my fury, this is nothing but a tickle!’

I endured the internal injuries and wielded my strength.
Immense sacred power began to condense into my fist.

[We truly are destined for each other.]

Not yet.
A little more.

[In the end, everything circles back so you can be with me, doesn’t it?]

Just a bit more.
My insides churned and twisted.
But I silently continued condensing my sacred power.

[Darling will love this too. She was so happy when she visited the Demon Realm before.]

Now!

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

BOOM!
With an explosive sound, my fist crashed directly into Misa’s face.

I spat out a mouthful of blood.
It connected perfectly.
There’s no way Misa’s possessed body—not even his real flesh—could withstand such a blow.

And my prediction was correct.
Misa’s face was completely crushed as he staggered backward.
A state where instant death wouldn’t be surprising.

‘It worked!’

My chest felt completely relieved.
Once the possessed body’s breath ceased, the connection would inevitably sever as well.
It was the moment I let myself relax.

Ssshhh, ssshhhhh—
An ominous sound accompanied a dark crimson aura rippling across Misa’s face.
And when that dark crimson aura vanished.

[Ah, truly my Saelika.]

Misa grinned with a perfectly intact face.

[To wield such power in a human body, even in such a corrupted state. I’ve reinforced this flesh considerably.]
“….”
[There’s no way I’d possess just any ordinary body to meet my darling. It’s been so long—I had to prepare with utmost care.]

The corruption burrowed deeper.
I’d drawn upon sacred power before fully purifying it.
If I forcefully operated sacred power here, my body would be destroyed.

‘I have to do it anyway.’

I steeled my resolve.

‘Otherwise the children will get hurt.’

My brothers’ chat window flickered dizzily before my eyes.
So many characters scrolled upward so rapidly that I couldn’t read them properly.
I ignored it all.

[Come into my arms at once, darling.]
“Stop calling me darling! Who’s your darling!”

I raised my fist, gleaming with golden light.
Misa laughed.

[Did you just call yourself darling? I’m thrilled.]

If I’m going to lose my mind, I might as well do it with grace.
I threw my fist forward without hesitation.

[Love—.]
BOOM!!!

The deafening explosion drowned out Misa’s crazed voice.
I snapped my eyes open.
That attack hadn’t come from me.

‘Who on earth?’

Smoke billowed from the explosive force that erupted between us.
Through the haze, a smooth voice emerged.

“There’s nothing more pathetic than someone who keeps clinging when they’ve been rejected.”
“…!”

That voice was familiar.
It was the kind of voice that, once heard, could never be forgotten—beautiful enough to captivate.

‘Shuri…!’

Kaishurit.
The Crown Prince of the Empire.
He had positioned himself between Misa and me.

* * *

As my vision cleared, Shuri’s face came into focus.
For the first time, Misa’s expression twisted in displeasure.

[Who are you?]
“Well, the Sacred Maiden’s partner?”
[What?]
“First dance partner?”
[What do you—.]
“Regardless, I’m closer to her than some creep who keeps pestering someone who clearly despises him.”

Misa chuckled wickedly.

[Amusing, isn’t it?]

But in the next instant, his dark eyes, stained with murderous intent, flickered with cruel brilliance.

Kwaaaang—!!
Without hesitation, the two attacked each other simultaneously.
The shockwave from their collision flattened grass and toppled trees.

Flashing light.
Bodies moving like lightning.
Each time the two figures collided and separated, the forest shrieked.

‘Shuri….’

The raging gale made my eyes sting.
But I kept my eyes wide open, tracking Shuri’s movements.
Behemoth was no easy opponent, despite his psychotic nature.

“Well now, little Sacred Maiden.”

Shuri’s subordinates pulled at me.

“Please come this way.”
“But Shuri—.”
“Shuri?”

I caught myself and closed my mouth.
Shuri’s subordinates grinned with inexplicable satisfaction.

“Our master will be fine. He’d hate it even more if you kept struggling like this.”
“Goodness, are you certain? How can you channel holy power in this state….”

Shuri’s subordinates were mostly ability users.
They hastily began extracting the peculiar energy dwelling within my body.

“Your internal organs are completely damaged.”
“Don’t you know you shouldn’t overuse sacred power when contaminated!”
“It’s only this bad because you’re naturally so strong. Other priests would have collapsed bleeding from their nose, mouth, and ears.”

Sacred power and tainted energy were fundamentally incompatible.
Just as sacred power was fatal to monsters, tainted energy was fatal to priests.

I let the men’s words pass over me as I watched Shuri’s battle unfold.
The men tried to speak to me a few times, but seeing my expression, they fell silent.

Boom!
How many times had the forest cried out in agony?
The densely wooded surroundings were now so devastated that the trees’ forms were barely recognizable.
The grass was charred black, and the ground was covered with scars and ravines.

And upon that wasteland.
A single figure stood alone.
It was Shuri.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

I rushed toward Shuri without hesitation.

[That’s too much, darling.]

Misa, sprawled on the ground, chuckled mockingly.

[Calling another man’s name while running to him.]

Crack!
Black lightning pierced through Misa’s chest.
The possessed body began to scatter as black dust.

Shuri watched that sight unfold, then asked me something.
For some reason, his eyes looked sharp and pointed.

“Who was that guy just now?”
“…I’m not really sure. He seems like a madman.”
“They seemed to know each other.”
“Because he’s crazy, he acts friendly with complete strangers too.”

Shuri narrowed his eyes and stared at me, then muttered.

“Last time too—the moment you look away for a second, all sorts of insects swarm around you.”
“Am I some kind of flytrap?!”

I was dumbfounded.

“When did I ever watch you that carefully anyway?”

I grumbled.
Honestly, the Empress and the Emperor watched me far more closely than Shuri ever did.

“You didn’t even watch the desert subjugation broadcast that other nobles were watching.”
“….”
“And you didn’t come to the Order branch establishment ceremony where everyone in the Order supposedly attended.”

Shuri, who had been staring at me intently, asked.

“So you were disappointed?”
“…! Disappointed?!”

I jumped up.

“It’s just—that’s what I mean. You said something happens the moment I look away. I was just correcting the facts.”
“It seems you kept watching whether I was coming or not.”
“That was….”

I had been watching to see if there might be another chance to reseal Shuri’s curse.
Since he was suffering in pain when I saw him at the park.

‘He made himself a concern and now…’

Anything more I said would only put me at a disadvantage, so I changed the subject.

“Thank you for your help anyway, Your Majesty. But what brings you to this place?”
“…I’m looking for something.”
“Looking for something?”
“And what brings the Sacred Maiden here?”
“It’s only natural for a Sacred Maiden to visit a contaminated area.”

Above all, it was a solid excuse.
Shuri nodded in understanding.
Then he extended his hand to me.

“Come.”
“…?”
“Since you’re the Sacred Maiden of the Flytrap, I’ll escort you so no more insects swarm around you.”
“….”

Should I thank him for this or not?

* * *

Kaishurit brought Saelika near Ilay’s group.
Saelika hesitated as he greeted her.
She seemed worried whether it was alright to part ways like this.

Shuri smiled crookedly.

“Why, do you want to stay together longer?”
“No!”

The child answered quickly and hurried away with brisk steps.
Kaishurit watched her retreating figure.

“Master, are you alright?”
“We return to the military camp.”

Just then, Saelika joined up with the priests.
Confirming her safe arrival, Kaishurit turned away without hesitation.

Kaishurit arrived at the military camp and removed his shirt.
His sculpted body, covered in muscle, was riddled with deep crimson scars.
They were wounds from the battle that had just concluded.

“Master….”
“Leave.”
“But the curse is spreading further….”
“It seems this is no ordinary demon. The curse has been agitated.”

Beyond the scars, a dark curse swelled across his body.
The men stood helplessly, their mental fortitude eroding merely from witnessing it.

“I said leave.”

Kaishurit’s gaze turned toward the men.
Those who met his eyes shuffled awkwardly and departed the barracks.

“Will the master be alright?”
“He will be. He’s always overcome such trials with strength, hasn’t he?”

The men huddled together, their worried eyes fixed on Shuri’s barracks.

“…If only Ricardo were here at a time like this.”
“What in the world is that fellow doing that we can’t find him no matter how hard we search?”
“The fortune teller said we could meet Ricardo here, so we came.”
“But it’s another dead end.”

The burly men let their shoulders sag heavily.
Someone spoke up, as if to dispel the oppressive atmosphere.

“But isn’t it true that the master’s attitude toward the little Sacred Maiden is rather special?”
“That’s not something we should be interjecting about.”
“Even after the battle ended—well, he’s not one to show pain normally, but still.”

Shuri fundamentally disregarded others.
He neither complained of pain nor concealed his lack thereof.

“But that just now….”
“I was just pretending to be strong.”
“Yeah, I was pretending to be strong.”
“That’s such an uncharacteristic word for my real master.”

Pretending to be strong in front of an actually strong monster.
But I really was just pretending to be strong.

“When healthy, you act sick. When actually sick, you act strong.”
“Are you going through puberty?”

The men tilted their heads with puzzled expressions.

* * *

Thanks to Shuri’s Subordinates, my contaminated body had nearly recovered.
I drove out the lingering contamination like residue and checked on the children.
Fortunately, they were far away and in the water, so they didn’t seem to have been affected much.
It didn’t look like they’d been attacked either.

“Why are you suddenly saying we should return to the city?”
“I thought you’d make us stay in the water for several more days.”

The children tilted their heads.
They’d been so reluctant when entering the water, but now they seemed disappointed that I was pulling them out so quickly….

‘Their bodies are honest.’

I gave a brief assessment and made up some excuse.

“The monster was too weak. Doesn’t seem like it would be much help.”
“Really?”

The children who were about to respond paused.

“Honeybread, what’s wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?”

I asked nonchalantly while praying inwardly.
We had lived together for several years, rubbing shoulders.
They couldn’t help but be sensitive to my condition.
Just as I was sensitive to theirs.

‘Please, just this once, let it pass.’

Fortunately, my prayer seemed to work—Ilay shook his head.

“It’s nothing. Let’s head to the city.”
“Okay.”

I went with the children to the great city we had first visited.
Throughout the city, I could feel the sacred power emanating from branches of various temples.

‘This place is safe.’

Roana spoke to me.

“Since we’re here, should we eat something delicious?”
“Something sweet that Sae likes.”
“Yes, that sounds good. There’s a large peach farm near here—.”

The children stopped their animated chatter.
And they turned to look at me.

“Honeybread?”
“Why aren’t you coming?”
“You all go enjoy the sweets together.”
“What about you?”
“I have something to do.”

Whether it seemed suspicious or not didn’t matter.

‘I can’t leave Shuri like that.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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