Chapter 870
The fourth prince to die was the Thirteenth Prince, Marayam.
He and the first princess to die, the Twelfth Princess, shared the same mother. But the difference between them was clear—Momoze was not favored by the Seventh Queen. She did not assign her a single private guard. In fact, even the private guards that were originally hers were reassigned. The Seventh Queen diverted all available resources to protect Marayam instead.
It could be said that all the support meant for both princes had been concentrated entirely on Marayam. The Seventh Queen had placed her highest hopes on him.
And yet, even under such circumstances, Marayam was killed—so quickly.
Momoze's death had a psychological impact on Marayam. In response, Marayam's Guardian Spirit Beast began to evolve in the direction of self-preservation.
At first, it had taken the form of a dragon-like magical beast that could fly midair. Later, its body expanded in size, and its expression grew more ferocious. Spikes began to grow along its body.
By the third form, the beast had shrunk in size but grown in intensity. Its body sprouted appendages resembling thorn-covered tendrils. Its overall appearance now resembled a blend between an amphibian and a feral creature.
Its ability focused almost entirely on defense. Inside Marayam's quarters, the beast generated a hidden room. From the outside, this room could not be seen. It also functioned as a one-way exit—those inside could leave, but no one outside could find the entrance.
By any measure, this Guardian Spirit Beast was built purely for defense.
However, compared to the original events, Marayam was missing several capable Nen user bodyguards. Biscuit Krueger hadn't boarded the ship. Hanzo was still investigating Momoze's death.
The death of the Thirteenth Prince was not entirely unexpected. After all, for the lower-ranked princes, surviving the Succession War was always a near-impossible task. Dying was merely a matter of time.
The Seventh Queen was devastated. She had loved this son dearly. She had even pulled her daughter's bodyguards to bolster his protection. But her son had still died—and died so quickly.
Sevanti lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot.
"Why?"
A seed of hatred had sprouted in her heart. Fueled by rage, it grew rapidly.
"My daughter, my son… they're both gone. Don't think any of you will have peace."
"I'll kill you all!"
She summoned all of her remaining guards.
"Your Majesty," the guards said, exchanging looks, unsure of what she planned.
"In the Succession War, if we had to pick a single target to kill… who would be best?" she asked.
Her question only deepened their confusion. The Succession War? The Twelfth and Thirteenth Princes were both dead. From Sevanti's point of view, what Succession War was left? All of her children were gone. What meaning was there in continuing?
And besides, a Queen without a prince—was it even allowed for her to target the remaining princes?
If that were permitted, then wouldn't it mean that eventually not a single prince would survive?
One guard tried to persuade her. "Your Majesty, the prince's death is truly heartbreaking. But please try to endure the grief. Surely your children would wish for you to stay strong."
Sevanti's face turned cold.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I've gone mad?"
"I'm telling you—I've never been more clear-headed."
"I don't care about this Succession War. All I know is that my children are dead, and I want revenge. Why should they get to live happily?"
"So now, I want you to pick a target."
"Or are you planning to disobey my orders?"
The guards exchanged glances. One by one, they began to offer suggestions.
Eventually, several potential targets were named.
The Fourteenth Prince. The Eleventh Prince. The Tenth Princess.
Unbeknownst to them, the Tenth Princess was already dead. Her Guardian Spirit Beast had camouflaged the truth so well that even the Eleventh Princess hadn't noticed. As of now, only Nasubi and Ron were aware of it.
"The Fourteenth Princess," Sevanti said, making her choice.
She was furious, but not entirely irrational. Among all the princes, she chose the one who appeared to be the weakest—a newborn infant. Furthermore, the Eighth Queen had virtually no power.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards replied and gradually dispersed.
However, not a single one of them actually carried out her orders. Compared to Sevanti, they were far more rational. Without a living prince to back her, there was no reason to remain in her service. Her family's influence didn't extend this far, and on the Dark Continent, the odds of surviving were slim.
Why continue serving someone with no future?
Normally, Sevanti would have sensed this shift. But consumed by grief and rage, she failed to notice. Days passed before she realized that none of her subordinates had made any progress. No one had even reported back.
Her brows furrowed. She summoned her maids for an update.
The maids informed her that those guards had long since left. They were no longer on the first level. Some had descended to the second or even lower floors. Others had defected to the service of other princes.
Sevanti's expression turned ashen.
"Get out. All of you, get out!"
...........
.....
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Elsewhere, another catch had taken the bait—but this time, the situation was slightly different. A smaller fish was biting down hard on the tail of the larger one.
It was entirely red, gleaming like a gem.
Ron raised an eyebrow slightly. "After so many days of fishing, this is the first time I've seen one like this. The aura it gives off… it's already at the level of an A-rank Nen user."
Cell stepped forward and grabbed the gemstone fish.
Ron didn't hesitate. He raised his blade and struck.
"Shu!"
Soon, under Erina's hands, the fish had been turned into a meal.
After eating it, a gentle warmth spread from Ron's lower abdomen.
Ten days passed in a flash.
For Ron, those ten days were uneventful.
But aboard the Black Whale, everything had changed.
More princes were dead.
And the war had already reached the lower decks.
The death toll had climbed into the hundreds.
At that moment, Ron turned to the crystal orb before him.
A golden light entered it, filling the orb completely.