The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne

”Hahaha! You’ve lost, Orion!”

The Cardinal of Wrath laughed heartily.

However, his condition was far from good. His right arm was severed, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Half of his mask was shattered, leaving the lower part of his face covered in scars.

The cloak draped over his body was also half destroyed, revealing a muscular frame riddled with cuts and wounds.

Meanwhile, Orion was in much better condition. He had only a few cuts, though his face was pale, as if he had lost a great deal of blood.

Still, a black mark had appeared on his stomach, spreading across his body.

The mark pulsed like a heart. Each time it throbbed, Orion felt his strength being slowly drained away.

”Damn it...” Orion growled. His gaze turned cold as he stared at the black mark on his stomach. ”The Corrosion Heart Curse! I was careless!”

The Corrosion Heart Curse was a forbidden technique used by high-ranking members of the Underworld Gate.

Those afflicted by it would have their strength drained, slowly but relentlessly.

What made it even worse was that the curse could only be removed by the one who cast it.

Even for him, the Celestial Mage, lifting the curse was impossible.

”Hah... Hah... Hah...” The Cardinal of Sloth gasped for breath, pointing at Orion with a trembling finger. ”Stop talking, Wrath! Kill him quickly!”

The battle had completely shattered the Cardinal of Sloth’s common sense.

Orion, despite fighting alone, was monstrously strong. He had suppressed them—no, he had nearly defeated both her and the Cardinal of Wrath.

If not for Orion’s carelessness in failing to realize that the Corrosion Heart Curse had already been planted in his body, the two of them would have been dead.

The Cardinal of Wrath straightened his posture and smiled faintly.

”Why are you in such a hurry? Don’t you want to torture him first?”

The Cardinal of Sloth was stunned for a moment, then broke into a grin.

”You’re right. How could I overlook that? Let’s torture him!”

Her gaze locked onto Orion, brimming with killing intent.

Just as the two were about to launch their attack, a violent explosion rang out from above.

The black barrier enveloping the imperial palace began to emit an intensely bright black light.

The Cardinals of Wrath and Sloth froze in surprise, then smiled broadly.

”Hahaha! Is the ritual complete? Hahaha! Wonderful!” The Cardinal of Wrath could not hold back his laughter.

The Demon Emperor they had been waiting for had finally returned to life.

”The day this world falls into our hands is close! Hahaha! Orion, you and your empire will be the first sacrifices to welcome the Demon Emperor’s arrival!” The Cardinal of Sloth laughed wildly.

Orion’s face grew even paler. His body trembled as he stared at the blazing barrier.

’Is this the end for us?’ He muttered weakly.

Who did not know the Demon Emperor’s cruelty?

In the past, that existence had nearly flattened the entire continent. If not for the combined efforts of all factions to summon two heroes from another world, this world might have already been destroyed by his hands.

And now, that same figure was about to return. Orion could not afford to stand by and let them succeed.

”It seems there is no other choice,” Orion muttered, gritting his teeth. ”For the glory of the Great Velmora Empire, I will sacrifice myself!”

He bit his thumb and smeared the blood onto his left palm.

”I, Orion—”

Before he could finish, screams rang out from ahead.

”Argh! No! Don’t drain my demonic power! No!”

”It hurts! It hurts so much! Demon Emperor, don’t do this! I am your worshipper! Argh!”

Startled, Orion looked up and saw the Cardinal of Wrath and the Cardinal of Sloth writhing in agony, clawing at their own faces.

A black aura poured out from their bodies, surged into the sky, and was sucked into the barrier above.

”No! I don’t want to die!”

Their unwilling screams echoed as their bodies were torn apart, reduced to bloody fragments that were pulled into the barrier and vanished from sight.

Orion stood dazed, unable to believe what he had just witnessed.

”They... died just like that? What exactly... happened...?”

Before he could make sense of it, a terrifying shockwave erupted from the barrier in the sky and slammed into him.

His body was driven into the ground, cracks spreading outward for fifteen meters.

Orion felt his bones shatter on impact. Blood poured from his ears, nose, and mouth.

He tried to scream, but the blood choking his throat stopped the sound.

At last, his consciousness faded, and his vision sank into complete darkness.

***

Above the sky, Cassian—no, Zerathos—stood with his arms outstretched.

Black light from the barrier swirled around him, enveloping him like a cocoon.

The immense pressure from the absorption of demonic energy tore the imperial palace apart.

The evacuation hall shook violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Ragan rose to his feet, staring at his son with a mixture of despair, disappointment, anger, and sorrow.

”Why did it have to come to this? Why did he ally with the demon?!” Ragan ground his teeth.

Not only had Cassian turned the guests into demons, but he had also slandered Elina and joined forces with a demon.

As a father, the pain in his heart was unbearable.

Suppressing his overwhelming anger, he turned to Lyra. ”Call the guards immediately. Evacuate all guests from the hall. The concubines and members of the imperial family—get them to the safest place! Now!”

Lyra nodded without hesitation and vanished from sight.

”Father!” Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen called out from behind.

Ragan turned to them. ”Go—don’t stay here. Your brother, Cassian, is about to unleash an all-out attack. Take your supporters to safety. Now!”

The three didn’t hesitate. The situation had spiraled out of control; staying any longer would be suicide.

Without a second thought, they quickly led their noble supporters away from the danger.

”Princess Elina, we should go too,” Gustav said seriously.

Orlan, Rudy, Duke Austin, and the others nodded in agreement.

They were relieved that Elina wasn’t the culprit.

But after Cassian had turned into a demon, the situation had grown far more dangerous. They had to save themselves as well.

”No, I won’t go. You all should leave,” Elina refused.

Orlan opened his mouth to persuade her, but Gustav patted his shoulder.

”Since you’ve made your decision, we won’t argue. Take care of yourself, Your Highness.”

With that, Gustav turned and headed toward the safe zone Lyra had prepared.

The others bid their goodbyes before following him.

Orlan, Rudy, and Duke Austin finally gave up trying to convince Elina. They exchanged a few words with her, then departed.

Only Elina, Mikazura, Shion, and Rafine remained.

”Go, Rafine. It’s too dangerous for you to stay,” Elina urged.

”No, I’ll stay by your side,” Rafine replied firmly, eyes locked on Elina.

Elina swallowed her words and glanced at Mikazura and Shion, both showing steadfast determination.

”Hahaha! At last, my power has returned!”

The thunderous voice echoed from the sky.

Malverna stepped beside Elina, her gaze locked fiercely on Cassian.

”Ignis... So you’ve finally shown yourself.”