SSS Class Infinite Regression: Ascension of the Mad Dragon Prince-Chapter 178: The Countryside Hero [2] — The Noble

"Maybe you'll be more talented than me… so you have to live until then…"

With a bitter smile, Timothy wrapped his arms around her, barely leaping in time and rolling across the ground.

"Uagh! B-Big bro?!"

Her eyes widened as she saw her brother shielding her with his body while dozens of sharp vines whipped mercilessly across his back.

"Aaaaahh! Nnngh…! R-Run…! Run, Alicia! RUN!"

"Big bro! Nooooo! Buaaaahhh!"

But the child refused to flee. She clung to him, trying to drag him with her.

Then another vine coiled around her legs and began pulling her toward the creature's maw.

"Wait…! WAIT!"

Timothy clenched his teeth. His back bled profusely; deep wounds covered his entire body. Yet he stood, grabbed his sister, and seized the vine holding her.

"Uuuaaahhhhh!"

With every ounce of strength left, as his hands bled and blood poured everywhere, his muscles swelled unnaturally and tore the vine apart.

"GYAAAAAHHHH!"

The Entity shrieked in agony as black blood sprayed. Alicia was freed, but Timothy's hands were ruined—shredded and useless.

"Big bro!"

"I told you to RUN!!!"

"Hyeee! Aahhh!"

Unable to contain her terror any longer, Alicia finally ran, sobbing as she fled.

While he heard her crying and running away, Timothy faced the monster alone, blood streaming from every wound.

He knew.

He wasn't going to survive this.

"Hah…"

He smiled faintly at the monstrous beast as its vines coiled around his body, slowly dragging him toward its gaping maw.

"So this is how I die…"

His eyes stared into the abyss of the creature's stomach.

Memories flooded his mind—how ordinary he had always been, how dull and meaningless his life had felt.

Until now—when he finally had something worth protecting, but no power to fight back.

Was he really going to give up?

Was he just going to let himself be eaten?

"If I'm going to die anyway… I'll fight tooth and nail!!!"

With a furious roar, he pulled a small shovel from his pocket and stabbed it into the monster's vines. Black blood splattered everywhere.

"Haaaahhh!"

Eyes bloodshot with rage, body slowly being crushed, Timothy fought with everything he had left—piercing the monster over and over.

But it wasn't enough. He was only delaying the inevitable.

"Why am I so weak?! Why?! WHY?! WHY— Ah?"

And then he saw it.

As he was about to be devoured, he saw it.

FLASH!

His shovel glowed with a mysterious green aura. He felt a strange, spiritual connection to it.

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

His heart pounded faster and faster. Something deep inside him began to awaken.

A faint silhouette emerged behind him.

But it was too weak—flickering, fading.

He had no strength left, after all…

"Hah… ahah… so I had something, huh?"

As he lamented, he smiled faintly, realizing he truly did possess some kind of talent.

But it was far too late.

Death was closing in.

"Why did it have to awaken now… of all times…"

The maw was about to close. Timothy, numb to pain and fading from blood loss, prepared to pass out.

CRAAASH!

…

And yet—even after hearing the sound of something being crushed—he was still alive.

"What?"

Timothy opened his eyes wide, then narrowed them against a blinding white-pale light.

And the silhouette of a man.

That man.

"T-The noble…? Eh?"

It was the noble he had envied so bitterly, standing right in front of him, wielding a golden spear blazing with soul fire.

Wings of bright pale light spread behind his back. He turned his gaze toward Timothy.

"I finally found you, Timothy."

"What?"

Timothy was utterly confused. Why would someone like him come looking for him of all people?

"It was truly difficult to locate you; you hadn't yet awakened your powers as a Sinner, after all…" the noble sighed. "And then Entities began swarming the village. I had to deal with them alongside Mirai. My apologies—I might have been almost too late."

"...!" Timothy noticed the monster slowly crawling toward them, its body riddled with bleeding holes. "When did he…?"

The noble stepped forward. His aura surged—blinding light, ice, and ashes manifesting around him.

His spear gleamed, absorbing spiritual energy and soul essence in equal measure.

Then he shifted his stance, pointing the spear forward.

"I suppose I should finish you off. A Level 3 Entity… If you survived fighting this thing, Timothy, you're really strong."

"...!"

As Timothy watched in awe, the Entity hissed and charged. Hundreds of long vines studded with red blooming roses and eyes surged forward, firing beams at the noble.

But the noble simply took one step.

"Holy Dragon Lance Style."

"First Form—" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Radiant Fang!"

In that instant, Timothy witnessed the true meaning of overwhelming strength.

A radiant, piercing thrust shattered everything in its path.

In a single second, a colossal dragon fang crushed the Entity's entire body. Blinding holy light consumed it completely.

BOOOM!

Amid the light, Timothy saw three crystalized hearts shatter. The Entity died instantly from a single strike.

"Are you okay?"

The noble turned back to Timothy with calm, golden eyes. He extended an open palm. Ashes gathered over Timothy's wounds, transforming into holy light that burned away the miasma while slowly healing him.

"Healing Light and Purification—basic Light Spells that mend a little. It took me longer than expected to learn them from Catrise, but… they work," the noble said. "Can you stand?"

"E-Eh? Yes… Wait—my sister! Is she okay?!" Timothy looked around frantically.

"She's fine," the noble assured him. "Don't worry about her…"

"...?"

Timothy glanced back at the noble, slowly calming down. Then he asked the question burning in his mind.

"Who are you?"

The noble gave a light smile.

"Can't you recognize your prince when you see him? I suppose not much can be expected from country folk."

"...! P-Prince— Wait!"

Timothy had heard stories—about Queen Benladra, about dragons from Yggdrasil, and occasionally news that reached even this remote village: the Prince who had returned from the Dimensional Labyrinth stronger than anyone and saved the kingdom from a massive joint assault involving the Vultarn High Dominion, rebellious noble families, and a rogue Grievance.

Prince Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil—the infamous "mad prince" who had become a legend.

"Yes, I am that prince—Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil!" Louis declared proudly. "Timothy! I have come here to cordially invite you to Sinners Academy. You are a talented individual. Well… your answer doesn't actually matter. It has already been decided that you will accompany me as my subordinate."

"...?!" Timothy could barely process the words. "Talented? Me? Sinners? Sinners Academy?! What… WHAT?!"