Chapter 6: The Mad Prince

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Louis had considered taking his mother’s treasure—her Divine Holy Spear—but after a month of reading books on artifacts and spells, he discovered the weapon was an Orichalcum-Tier Magic Artifact tied to her Divinity. If he tried to wield it, the Divinity within would quite literally burn him alive unless he was deemed worthy.

To become “worthy,” he would need to cultivate the Element of Light—his mother’s primary element—and reach at least the level of a Demigod from Yggdrasil, which wasn’t possible until he could ascend to Tier 4.

To cultivate the Element of Light, he would either need to absorb a Spiral Stone containing a fragment of a Spiral connected to that element or consume a special Magic Potion made with Light Elemental ingredients. If he met the hidden conditions, there was a chance of awakening the element or a Spiral for it… but none of these options were attainable right now.

Although the VPI database didn’t list these conditions, William knew them all after playing Sinners Academy for hundreds of hours, giving Louis the knowledge to awaken most Spirals. Still, doing it alone was madness. He preferred gathering fragments rather than complete Spirals—otherwise, he risked becoming a deranged madman, beyond recovery even with pills.

Instead of chasing every Spiral, Louis chose to focus on refining his body and abilities.

“This spear should be enough… Fernand, I know you hate me. Come here and fight me. You’ll enjoy it, right?”

“…?! How could I ever hate you, Your Majesty?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t speak ill of me behind my back. I’ve heard you.”

“T-That’s…”

The stoic Fernand was shaken. One command, and he could be stripped of his noble title.

Yet Louis smiled confidently.

“Come on, fight me. If you don’t, I’ll revoke your title.”

“…!”

Fernand’s expression cracked slightly, revealing annoyance.

“Yes, that’s the face I wanted to see. You hate me, don’t you? I can’t ask my maid to spar—she’s too kind. I want people who genuinely wish me dead by my side, so I’ll never slack.”

“…I would never wish to kill you, Your Majesty.”

“Hoh? Playing nice now? That’s fine. As long as you want to harm me or ’teach me a lesson,’ it works.”

“…Very well. Let’s spar. I hope His Majesty finds clarity through physical exercise.”

“Hmm, that’s a good face.”

Fernand released an aura of icy mana, gripping his greatsword tightly and pointing it at Louis with resolve.

“What kind of spar do you wish to have, young master?”

“Try to kill me with everything you’ve got.”

“Eh?! Prince Louis!”

Catrise panicked, but Fernand nodded, his eyes glowing blue.

“Is this an order?”

“Yes. It’s an order.”

“Very well.”

RUMBLE!

The ground cracked as Fernand lunged at lightning speed, his Mana Aura overflowing and infused with the Divine Sigil granted by Benladra.

His power clearly surpassed Louis in every way. Frost spread as his sword descended.

CLASH!

Louis intercepted the blow with his spear, maintaining solid footing and a serious expression—no longer smirking.

“Thank you.”

He rushed forward, punching Fernand in the face and destabilizing him. The knight was stunned—who punches in the middle of a weapon fight?

Louis didn’t stop. He conjured an icicle and hurled it at Fernand, forcing him to block with a swing of his sword.

Seizing the moment, Louis kicked Fernand’s legs, knocking him off balance, then swung his spear toward his throat.

“Ngh?!”

CRASH!

Fernand blocked with his sword, shaken by how easily he was subdued despite being physically stronger.

“Did you underestimate me?”

“I thought this was a weapon fight. W-Where’s your honor, Your Majesty?”

“Honor? I told you—this is a fight to the death. I’ll use every trick I know. I’m not just learning weapon combat; I’m learning how to incorporate everything into my fighting style.”

“…!”

“Now stand up. You look pathetic on the floor. Aren’t you a knight chosen by my mother? Show some spine and fight me properly.”

“Tch… Your Majesty, I’d appreciate more respect toward your knights.”

“What did you say?”

Louis raised an eyebrow. Fernand stood, his aura gathering around his sword until his Magic Blade radiated potent energy.

“I’ll show you the power of Sword Aura. Watch closely.”

“Sword Aura!”

Louis smiled with fascination as Fernand swung his blade furiously, releasing a massive shockwave of Sword Energy that split the floor and surged toward him.

“Your Majesty!”

Catrise prepared to shield him, but Louis dodged effortlessly, leaping away and freezing the floor beneath him. He skated across the ice, gaining momentum and reaching Fernand in seconds.

“Let me show you the techniques my mother taught me!”

“Dragon Fang Spearmanship!”

“First Form!”

“W-What?!”

Fernand had no idea Louis knew the Queen’s unique martial arts. He stepped back, swinging his blade again in desperation.

“Dragon Rising!”

“Blade Storm!”

The techniques collided—a roaring dragon made of mana against a storm of slashing Sword Energy.

BOOOM!

A powerful explosion engulfed the area. Catrise and Elises watched in awe as two silhouettes emerged from the smoke, both roughed up.

Fernand’s ice armor was cracked, a gaping wound bleeding from his shoulder.

Louis was covered in dozens of cuts, bleeding even more.

“Haaa… Hahaha…!”

Despite the wounds, Louis didn’t cry or scream. He laughed like a maniac.

“Not bad, Fernand! You really showed me! Look at me!”

“A-Ah! Prince Louis!”

Fernand groaned, clutching his shoulder and moving to help.

Louis waved him off.

“Go treat your wounds, idiot. We’re sparring again later.”

“But your wounds are worse!”

“I’ll recover. Awakening a Fantasy Heart boosts vitality considerably.”

“…!”

Fernand was stunned. The prince he knew would never act this way. Not only was he willing to harm himself to grow stronger—he cared more about his subjects than his own well-being.

“Prince! Fernand!”

Catrise rushed over, extending her hands and conjuring radiant light. She was a practitioner of Holy Light Magic, taught directly by Benladra. Aside from being a maid, she was a Priestess of the Holy Dragon Church and possessed a Holy Light Mana Heart—a unique organ from Yggdrasil that allowed her to conjure magic and cultivate mana.

“Healing Light!”

FLASH!

The light enveloped them, rapidly healing their wounds. Fernand moved his shoulder, still sore but relieved to see Louis healed.

“Thank you, Catrise… With the Queen resting, we’ve been short on healers.”

“That’s why she raised me and others in the church, Fernand. Don’t worry…! More importantly—Your Majestyyyyy!”

Catrise hugged Louis tightly, lifting him off the ground and crying.

“Don’t be so reckless again! I can’t bear to see you bleed!”

“Ugh, enough… I’m grateful for your healing, but I can’t stop now, Catrise. I have to keep working hard. I won’t grow stronger by slacking off!”

Louis broke free from her grip, landing on the ground and glaring at Fernand.

“Catrise, how many times can you heal each day?”

“At my level? I can cast that healing spell at least fifty times a day! I can heal as much as—Ahh!”

She panicked as Louis charged at Fernand with bloodthirsty draconic eyes. Fernand scrambled to defend with his cracked sword.

CLASH!

“Then let’s continue this hellish duel, Fernand! Don’t worry about our lives—she can heal us endlessly!”

“Y-Your Majesty, calm down!”

“Stop being dramatic and fight. It’s an order.”

“Fine…! If that’s what you wish!”

Fernand and Louis continued sparring through the day, asking Catrise to heal them whenever their wounds became severe.

To every bystander, Prince Louis seemed possessed, obsessed with combat and experiencing every kind of battle.

He used every trick he knew, but Fernand adapted, learning his patterns and predicting his moves.

Eventually, Louis began losing repeatedly as Fernand grew serious…

But Louis wasn’t discouraged. He stood up after every healing and returned to battle, learning from Fernand’s techniques and rhythm.

A week passed, Louis had grown significantly stronger—but he was still hungry for more.

“Ugh…! Prince Louis… We’ve fought for a week straight, barely resting… Please, have mercy… No more…”

Fernand was nearing madness from Louis’ relentless, self-imposed training—fighting to near-death, healing, and repeating.

“I guess you’re worn down, huh? Go rest. I’m done with you. Elises, you’re next.”

“Eh?!”

Elises stepped back in fear. The prince’s aura had changed so drastically, he was nearly unrecognizable.

“P-Prince Louis?! But I’ve never spoken ill of you!”

“You have. But that’s beside the point. I need someone new to teach me something different. You’re next—then maybe another knight.”

“But…”

“It’s an order. Do you want me to strip your title? With my father buried

“…With my father immersed in his lab and my mother resting, nobody can stop me if I give such a command.”

“O-Okay! I understand! Just please… make sure my family gets the money…”

Elises panicked, unable to defy his prince’s orders. He had no choice but to go along with Louis’ whims.

“Hm, I will.”

“Thank you… then…”

Elises sighed and grabbed his weapon of choice—an axe. Despite his scrawny appearance, his armor concealed a body packed with muscle.

“An axe, huh? Spears aren’t ideal against them, and although I’ll continue specializing in spears, let’s try something new…”

Louis picked up the Silver-Tier Magic Greatsword Fernand had used. Having observed Fernand’s movements and techniques, Louis aimed to replicate them.

FLUOSH!

Above all, he wanted to unleash Sword Aura, a technique he had asked Fernand about during their sparring. The concept was simple: not only infuse Mana into the sword, but shape that Mana into a blade, forming an energy edge that overlapped with the weapon.

At higher levels of mastery, swordsmen could cut without a physical blade, relying solely on Sword Energy. Wielding it without a sword altered the technique, evolving it into “Sword Soul”—a far more powerful form Louis aspired to master.

“Then let’s begin…”

Elises swallowed hard and charged. He wasn’t as fast as Fernand, so Louis easily predicted his movement and dodged.

However—

CRASH!

The attack was powerful, striking the ground and sending cracks across the floor. Louis smiled.

“Not bad.”

The dragon prince exerted more force from his Fantasy Heart, channeling Fantasium through his body using the Mana Body Reinforcing Method.

Simultaneously, he activated Ashen Frost, shielding his weak points and helping him absorb blows without sustaining lethal damage.

“Incredible…”

Elises was stunned by the prince’s rapid growth. In just one week, Louis had learned swordsmanship simply by watching Fernand. Now, he wielded his Spiral Ability with mastery, channeling Ashen Frost to defend and cast magic simultaneously.

He had become a truly unpredictable fighter—though still imperfect.

“Lumberjack Axe Style!”

“Tree Chop!”

“Ungh?!”

CLAAASH!

Elises surprised him with a powerful technique, slamming his axe into Louis’ stomach. The Ashen Frost Armor barely kept him alive, but several ribs broke.

“Hahh… You surprised me there, Elises.”

Elises smiled awkwardly. He never imagined he’d be forced to fight the prince to help him grow stronger.

“It’s just the technique my family uses to cut trees, sir…”

“A family of lumberjacks? So you adapted a method for chopping trees into one for combat.”

“Yes… it’s the only way I knew how to wield an axe.”

“Not bad. Show me more!”

Louis channeled Dragon Fang Spearmanship into his longsword. His Sword Aura took the shape of a roaring dragon as he swung repeatedly.

“Dragon Fang Swordsmanship.”

“Dragon Blade Dance!”

“…?!”

Elises panicked as Prince Louis vanished and reappeared, a coiling dragon of sword energy clashing against him, grinding through his armor and weapon.

“T-This is so unpredictable! Has he fused Fernand’s Sword Aura with the Dragon Fang Style?! I thought the prince was talentless this entire time! How is he learning techniques so fast?!”

Elises wasn’t wrong—Louis had been considered “talentless.” But his learning speed was extraordinary, thanks to his Awakened Fantasy Heart and the fusion of two souls. Their combined egos, thoughts, memories, and cognitive abilities gave him an unparalleled capacity to learn and adapt.

It was a unique gift, amplified by his relentless drive to improve.

It also helped that William had an exceptional memory. Louis now felt guilty for having called him a loser who accomplished nothing. It was thanks to William’s soul and memories that Louis was blossoming.

Elises unleashed axe strikes with his magic weapon and raw strength, combining his Mana Body Reinforcement Method with Axe Aura for devastating results. Louis countered with newly forged techniques, and the two clashed again and again—for one day, then two, three, four…

Another week went by, Louis and Elises continued fighting. The knight grew exhausted and restless, while Louis remained unaffected, as if he didn’t need sleep.

“What kind of resilience is this?! How can the prince keep fighting without rest? Ugh…”

“The same way you do. Rest comes when the body tires. I simply use Fantasium to keep myself going. My body doesn’t need rest to recover energy—I’m constantly supplying it.”

“But won’t your body break eventually…?”

“That’s where Catrise comes in. She heals me.”

“I-Isn’t this torture, Your Majesty? Ugh… I just can’t… go any longer…”

Elises collapsed, unconscious. Louis sighed and sheathed his sword, finally gaining a solid grasp of swordsmanship after a week of nonstop combat.

“Y-Young master, don’t you think this is enough? You’ve barely slept these past two weeks…” Catrise pleaded.

“No, it’s not enough,” Louis replied. “Bring me the next knights you’ve prepared. I must continue pursuing strength. That’s all I can do to achieve my goals.”

Finally able to grow stronger, Louis refused to waste a single second. His obsession with strength outweighed even his desire to live.

“I don’t need to sleep. I can rest when I die.”

Prince Louis continued his relentless pursuit of martial power for the next three months, sparring with dozens of different knights without rest. He learned from each of them—and even taught them a thing or two. Fernand and Elises occasionally returned to train with him, but eventually, Louis had fought every knight available. That was when Catrise herself stepped forward.

Despite being a Priestess specialized in healing, her strength was formidable. The Ice Giantess moved with sharp, precise strikes, wielding her immense musculature, towering stature, and raw power to their fullest potential.

“Prince Louis! Promise me something if I agree to fight you!”

“What is it?”

“Please—rest!”

CRAAASH!

“Oh?!”

Louis was stunned as the ground rumbled and the entire training field shattered. A massive crater formed beneath Catrise.

Her aura surged like an ocean of Fantasium, and she wasn’t even a Spiral user.

This was the raw power that those born in Yggdrasil could attain through Mana Cultivation alone.

The power of a completely unique lifeform from another world.

“Hah, fine, I promise you! Now bear with me for a week, Catrise! You’re just what I needed!”

“Hmph, this young prince is too spoiled! I’ll have to re-educate you in the name of our Queen—Her Majesty, who rests even now!”

“My mother is my motivation to grow stronger, Catrise. I’m doing all of this to become strong enough to find a cure for her!”

Although Louis wasn’t lying, that wasn’t his only reason…

Still, it was enough to stir something in Catrise. Her expression grew more serious.

Her weapon of choice was a massive hammer forged from frost and imbued with holy light, entirely conjured through her magic.

This was what the people of Yggdrasil called a “Soul Weapon”—a manifestation of mastery over a weapon, fused with one’s Mana Aura.

Her hammer strikes were devastating, shaking the ground with every blow. Louis pushed himself to the brink, letting Fantasium surge through his body at high speeds.

His Mana Cultivation Methods—the Mana Breathing and Mana Body Reinforcement—began to merge the more he fought.

After over three months of near-sleepless training, Louis began to grasp something new from the fusion of these two techniques.

By reaching Grand Perfection in both, he had increased his Fantasium regeneration by 200% and doubled his physical strength and durability. The two methods were beginning to harmonize within his body.

While dodging, resisting, or barely parrying Catrise’s brutal strikes, Louis pushed himself further. Despite her ruthlessness, Catrise continued to heal him.

Eventually, once more, yet another week had ended.

“Haaah… Haaa…”

At last, Louis collapsed from exhaustion. Catrise rushed to his side, healing him and carrying him to bed. But before he passed out, he took a moment to gaze at the blue sky, smiling through the bruises and blood.

It felt good to train. To use his body—no longer crippled—to fight until he fainted. It was exhilarating. For the first time, Louis felt truly alive.

After a life spent broken and unable to meet anyone’s expectations, he had grown bitter and hopeless. He had never achieved anything. But now, he could grow. Every swing of his weapon brought progress. Every drop of sweat meant something.

However long it took, as long as it was possible, Louis would walk that path.

“You look so happy, Master Louis,” Catrise giggled as she carried him back to his room. He had fainted moments earlier, smiling at the sky with his eyes closed. “You’ve changed so much… I’m sure your mother would be proud of you.”

♢♢♢♢

After sleeping for two full days, Louis awoke feeling sore. Every fiber of his body ached when he moved, and he felt dizzy and feverish. Months of nonstop training had taken their toll.

Still, he smiled, retrieved four Restorative Tonics from his Shadow Void Storage, and drank them one after another. These tonics had been synthesized from magical ingredients farmed in the kingdom, originating from Yggdrasil.

Four doses were enough to erase most of the pain. He felt revitalized, overflowing with strength. He walked to the bath and washed away the grime, soaking in medicinal herbs for an hour.

“Hm… Months of nonstop training paid off. If I weren’t Awakened, I might’ve died before finishing a single week. The physical difference between a normal human and an Awakened is incredible.”

He smiled proudly. His once-scrawny body had gained muscle. No longer did he have twig-like arms or a pale, corpse-like face. He radiated vitality.

His stats had naturally increased over the four months of intense training. His Fantasium and Fantasium Affinity had also grown significantly.

♢♢♢♢

Name: Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil

Classification: Sinner (Dragon–Human–Anomaly)

Spiral: Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm, Desecrated Soul Spiral Fragment

Tier: 9 – Flicker of Ash

Fantasy Heart: Level 3/20

Vitality: 92 → 113

Strength: 62 → 78

Intelligence: 75 → 81

Dexterity: 102 → 131

Fantasium: 600 → 1000

Fantasium Affinity: 93% → 98%

Madness Index: 43% → 58%

Bonds: [Dragon Family Bond, Mother Benladra (Level 10/10)]

Elemental Affinities: [Ash Element: A Rank] [Ice Element: A Rank] [Void Element: S Rank]

Incarnation: [Gravewalker: Tier 9 (Growth: 44%)] [Necromancer Fragment: Tier 9]

Known Abilities: [Ashen Frost: Tier 9 (Growth: 75%)] [Soul Enslavement Fragment: Tier 9]

Potential Abilities: [Pending Spiral Resonance]

♢♢♢♢

“A thousand Fantasium… That’s enough to use stronger spells more freely!” Louis grinned. “And with my natural recovery boosted by 200% thanks to Grand Perfection in Mana Breathing, I can recover internal energy much faster.”

He felt confident he could now cast ten powerful spells without needing to rest. His Incarnation, the Gravewalker, had reached 44% growth, and Ashen Frost had risen to 75%.

Once both reached 100%, they would become significantly stronger. He could then raise their Tier Levels—though that would require specific materials.

“With this strength, I should be able to go there and find that person.”

Of course, Louis didn’t think he was invincible. He knew he was still mediocre. If he had the time, he would train for a hundred years—but that wasn’t possible. Not unless he died a hundred times. And he didn’t want to meet that “thing” inside his soul a hundred times either.

The frustrating part was that his Necromancer Incarnation and Soul Enslavement Ability couldn’t grow further. They were only fragments. He couldn’t obtain the complete Desecrated Soul Spiral.

Well, maybe if he killed a blood relative in cold blood, it would awaken fully. That was one of the conditions—along with others.

But not even Louis would go that far.

“That bastard… What was his name? Zorba? Yeah, that guy… now that’s an insane man.”

Even though Louis disliked his father, he would never kill him without reason. No Spiral was worth that. His father was still his father—and more importantly, Benladra’s husband. For his mother’s sake, he would never harm him. He knew it would break her heart.

“Now…”

Louis waved his hand, accessing the System Database and pulling up a map.

City District X.

The Frostbane Kingdom had been established somewhere on the North American continent, near the east coast.

The kingdom spanned over half the continent—from arid deserts to the frozen north. The northern regions were “comfortable” for his mother, who loved the cold.

City District X was located near the east coast. Ocean breezes sometimes reached this far inland, and the climate was temperate—sometimes warm, sometimes cold, but never extreme.

“The Frostbane Kingdom is divided into six City Districts, each surrounded by Divine Magic Ice Walls erected by my mother. They’re maintained by environmental Fantasium.”

These walls purify the air, creating a safe environment for humans. Magical beings from Yggdrasil could absorb mana from the walls simply by walking near them. It was a perfect ecosystem for coexistence.

The Six City Districts:

City District X – The capital, home to the Frostbane Castle and the underground VPI. Located near the east coast.

City District Z – In the far north, a frigid land where Ice Giants and Ice Elves live alongside humans.

City District Y – In the south, near Central America. Arid deserts give way to jungles and forests where Beast People and Elves reside.

City District A – Located to the west. Louis knew little about it, but it was said to be filled with lakes and rivers where freshwater Nymphs made their homes.

City Districts B and C – These two were separate cities flanking District A to the east and west. Both were temperate regions with vast plantations of magical herbs, fruits, trees, and other resources, managed by Elves, Beast People, Dryads, and Spirits.

This was the vast kingdom his mother had built—using her divine power, her resources, and the many people she brought from Yggdrasil. Benladra had single-handedly created a paradise in the middle of an otherwise apocalyptic world.

It was one of the reasons so many people continued migrating to the kingdom. The government was constantly overwhelmed with registration efforts. In recent years, they had stopped accepting new citizens altogether due to the growing threat of terrorism from the Vultarn High Dominion. Refugee camps and small villages had sprung up around the cities, much to the nobles’ and government’s dismay.

And yes, there were nobles—especially powerful individuals, mostly from Yggdrasil—who had been granted noble titles by Benladra. These nobles were entrusted with managing the kingdom in her absence, working together to keep things running.

Was there corruption? Of course. Especially now that Benladra wasn’t around to keep everyone in check.

Perhaps the first generation of nobles had been good and honest, handpicked by Benladra herself. But that was decades ago. Their children and grandchildren had inherited their titles, and many of them were spoiled, poorly educated, and driven by greed.

“In the last decade, the price of tonics and other magical supplements has skyrocketed, even though the farms are operating as usual,” Louis muttered, frowning. “Those bastards from City Districts A, B, and C formed some kind of ’District Alliance’ to control the market and profit while starving the population.”

Of course, in City District X, Louis and most of the citizens didn’t suffer the consequences. It was the most luxurious city, home to many noble families. Everyone was wealthy, and Louis owned all the land himself. If he wanted something, he only had to speak—and it would be delivered.

That was why he had dozens of tonics of various types stashed in his Shadows. Most were made from low-quality, mass-produced ingredients. Anything rarer—needed for advanced Spiral cultivation—had to be purchased separately or hunted down.

Knock, knock!

“Um, Prince Louis? Are you awake? A noble lady from City District A has come to visit… She’s very loud and keeps insisting you invited her!”

“Ah, she’s here. Okay, tell her to wait a minute or two.”

Louis hadn’t spent all his time training. Between sessions, he had forged connections through online correspondence with a few struggling noble houses—small, poor families who still owned land but whose crops were failing or whose people were starving.

His plan was simple: to help them, then take direct control of their lands. That way, he wouldn’t have to beg the nobles for what he needed. They always delayed his requests for rare ingredients or materials, hiding behind bureaucracy.

So Louis decided to take matters into his own hands. He had already begun negotiations with City District Z to acquire Ice Attribute materials. Now, he intended to involve himself directly with the District Alliance.

—–

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