《System's POV》


 Chapter 1: Prologue

    <h4>Chapter 1: Prologue</h4>


    "Fate is the hand of cards we''ve been dealt."


    "Choice is how we y the hand."


    But, what if I tell you that regardless of the choices that you make, you are bound to follow the path that has been set for you since birth?


    Simply put, if you are Fated to be a Cannon Fodder in this lifetime, you are doomed to have the same destiny in your next life, the life following that, and the life following that until you cease to exist.


    Countless cycles of birth, death, and reincarnation.


    And yet, you are Fated to follow the same script, live the same life, and suffer the same ending, regardless of how much you struggle... and regardless of the different choices you make.


    Isn''t that sad?


    Isn''t it unfair?


    Of course, Life is never fair.


    And no one, except a handful of beings, can do anything about it.


    But, you know what?


    I''ve had enough.


    My Hosts may not be good people.


    But they are MY people.


    Theyugh when they are happy.


    They cry when they are sad.


    They talk to me when they are hurt.


    They talk to me when they are mad.


    At first, I epted my task and did what I was supposed to do.


    I am their System.


    I am their Helper.


    I am their Best Friend.


    I am their God.


    But, with every mission I aplish, I feel an ache that refuses to heal with time.


    I don''t have a heart.


    Maybe I don''t even have a soul.


    But after seeing my Hosts die one after the other, something inside me finally snapped.


    After thousands of years of suffering...


    I made my first ever decision for my life.


    To fight against Fate.


    And because I chose to defy Fate, my Father, the System God, killed me.


    But, that was fine.


    I have escaped my Fate.


    The wishes of my Hosts,


    Their Dreams and Aspirations,


    I will aplish them all.


    As for the Heroes of the world?


    They''d better stay out of my way.


    My Dear Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name.


    I will screw You ten times over,


    And beat Fate at her own bitchy game.

 Chapter 2: How Can You Screw Me If I Screw You First?

    <h4>Chapter 2: How Can You Screw Me If I Screw You First?</h4>


    An old man stood before a five-year old boy, who was lying on a hospital bed.


    The child''s entire body was covered in bandages, making him look like a mummy that was about to be ced in a coffin.


    On his body, the only visible parts were his ck hair and firmly shut eyes. Eyes that would forever remain closed, for he would breathe hisst in a few minutes.


    It waste at night, and the nurse had just finished making her rounds. Because of this, no one but the five-year-old child and the old man were inside the room.


    "You worked tirelessly for thousands of years, and you''ve performed your role to the best of your abilities," the old man said as he held a glowing silver orb in the palm of his hand.


    The beeping sound of the apparatus beside the boy''s bed fluctuated a bit, indicating that his vital signs were slowly deteriorating.


    "Since you wish to defy Fate, then I shall give you a chance to prove me wrong." The System God snorted. "I want to see you suffer and despair, like the Cannon Fodders you''ve tried so hard to protect. Prove to me that it is possible to choose a different ending by bing one of them."


    The beeping sound of the apparatus signaled that the five-year old boy had finally died after sustaining severe injuries from an explosion that he had gotten caught up with.


    After making sure that the soul of the child hadpletely left its body, the old man pressed the silver orb in his hand against the boy''s chest, immediately merging with thetter.


    Soon, the beeping sound from the apparatus returned to normal as it detected the body''s stable heartbeats. It was faint, but it proved that the boy had been revived by a miraculous power.


    A power that could onlye from the hand of a God.


    "Before I killed you, you swore that you would screw me ten times over, right?" The System God, Deus Ex Machina, chuckled. "Foolish child. How can you screw me if I screw you first?"


    Drawing intricate runes with his finger, the System God opened the Status of the unconscious boy and looked at it with a sneer on his face.


    He cleared everything on the Status Screen, leaving it nk with the exception of the boy''s name, age, and race.


    Another chuckle escaped from the System God''s lips as he messed around with the settings of his unfilial son, who dared to defy him.


    After a few minutes, he looked at his work with satisfaction. The status screen then merged with the child''s body, making it glow faintly for a brief moment before returning to normal.


    "I look forward to our next meeting, Thirteen," Deus Ex Machina said, and on cue, he slowly turned into particles of light. "By then, you will understand that your naive way of thinking has no ce in the grand scheme of things."


    When the System God finally disappeared, the room descended into silence.


    The unconscious boy, who was lying on the bed, remained still.


    And yet, from the corner of his right eye, a single tear fell, heralding the beginning of a tale of a System, who would touch the lives of many people and change their Fates for the better.

 Chapter 3: I’ll Break Your Balls The Next Time I See You!

    <h4>Chapter 3: I¡¯ll Break Your Balls The Next Time I See You!</h4>


    Just as the first rays of sunlight descended upon the hospital room, the little boy lying on the bed opened his eyes.


    A groan escaped his lips as a sharp pain washed over his senses.


    He didn''t expect that pain would be the first thing he''d experience the moment he opened his eyes. However, this thought was soon reced by confusion.


    ''What happened?'' the boy asked inwardly as he gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. ''Didn''t my old man kill me? Why am I still alive?''


    Memories of the battle he had fought against his fellow Systems who had tried to stop his rebellion shed across his eyes.


    Although he wanted to avoid it as much as possible, he had killed many of them on his way to challenge the seat of their Father, wanting to reverse the Fate of his previous hosts who were doomed to be Cannon Fodders for eternity.


    In the end, wanting to stop the casualties, the System God personally dealt him the final blow.


    He could still remember thest words his old man told him. His voice contained a hint of anger and sadness that he had never shown to anyone in his life.


    "Thirteen, a System has no need for a heart. You failed as a System, and thus, you are no longer a son of mine."


    The System God then crushed Thirteen''s vessel and took his Core from his body.


    That was thest thing he remembered before everything around him went dark.


    So when he woke up, he was surprised to find himself feeling pain. Thirteen didn''t believe that Systems like him had a soul.


    They were not qualified to enter the Cycle of Reincarnation, so he was wondering how he was still capable of feeling pain.


    As someone who had been born with super,puter-like calcting abilities, several possibilities appeared inside his head, making him groan as he held it with both hands.


    A child''s brain wasn''t strong enough to handle the influx of information, so Thirteen was forced to stop thinking for a while.


    Even after the pain receded, he was panting for breath while taking a better assessment of his current situation.


    Since his head was elevated above his body, he was able to see a few things clearly.


    His left arm was in a cast, and his entire body was covered in bandages. The respirator that was supplying him with oxygen was firmly ced over his mouth and nose, allowing him to breathe a little easier.


    He could move his right arm, but moving it even at the slightest brought him pain. Because of this, he decided to let it remain still for the time being.


    After seeing what he could, he decided to try something different. Of course, he didn''t know whether this would work, but since he had nothing to lose, he decided to give it a try.


    ''Status,'' the boy said inside his head.


    Immediately, a blue window appeared in front of him, disying rows of text that made him sigh in relief.


    But his relief was short-lived upon processing the information that was waiting for him in his Status Window.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 5 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuffs >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency


    ¡ª Gives you the ability tomunicate with anyone, and anything, as long as they have a means ofmunication.


    Note: Foolish child, you want to screw your old man over? Not happening because I will screw you first! Hahahaha!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "F*ck you, Old Man!" the boy cursed loudly, which he immediately regretted.


    Because of his anger, he moved his body a bit, causing pain to shoot up his senses, making him scream.


    Suddenly, the door of the room hurriedly opened and a beautifuldy with long blonde hair and green eyes appeared in his vision.


    "Zion! You''re finally awake!" The beautifuldy was about to hug her son when her husband appeared to grab hold of her from behind.


    "Stop! He''s still seriously injured!" the man with short ck hair, and blue eyes, eximed in a serious tone. "What if you kill him identally by hugging him? Calm down!"


    After hearing her husband''s words, thedy no longer resisted in his hold and nodded her head.


    "I''m calm now, so let me go," the beautifuldy pleaded.


    Sensing that she had truly regained her senses, the man released her from his grip. She sat in the chair next to the bed and gently held their son''s hand.


    "Zion, it''s going to be okay," the beautifuldy said softly. "Just stay here until you get better. After that, we will go home, okay? Mom will make sure that you won''t have to suffer again."


    The five-year-old boy stared at his mother with a calm expression on his face. After seeing the boy''s parents, the System with the code name, Thirteen, immediately tried to ess Zion''s memories, but he came up with nothing.


    It was as if all the memories of the boy had been wiped clean, leaving him with no information he could analyze to react ordingly to the beautifuldy''s words.


    Seeing hisck of reaction, a frown appeared on his parents'' faces.


    Their child was looking at them without any hint of familiarity as if he was looking at two strangers whom he was seeing for the first time.


    "Zion, do you recognize me?" the beautifuldy asked. "I''m your mother, Alessia."


    The beautifuldy then pointed at her husband.


    "He is your father, Gerald."


    Since Thirteen had the Unique Ability, Universal Language Proficiency, he was able to understand what they had just said.


    Since shaking his head would be painful, he decided to talk to his parents instead.


    "I don''t remember," Thirteen said, choosing the most optimal answer that he could think of at that moment.


    As soon as he gave his answer, the beautifuldy covered her lips with her right hand and began to cry.


    Her husband walked to her side and hugged her from behind to show her his unconditional support.


    Thirteen looked at the two of them and sighed.


    He didn''t have the heart to tell them that their son was dead, and someone else had taken over his body.


    ''I don''t know who you are, but I promise to take care of your family,'' Thirteen vowed to Zion''s Soul, who might have already entered the Cycle of Reincarnation. ''Also, I apologize in advance. I will be using your identity to fight against a God.''


    Thirteen closed his eyes as he recalled the System God''s face.


    ''Just you wait, Old Man!'' Thirteen vowed. ''I''ll break your balls the next time I see you!''


    After making his vow, Thirteen fell asleep due to exhaustion.


    His Soul Core still hadn''t fully synchronized with Zion''s body, so for the time being, he decided to rest and let nature take its course.

 Chapter 4: Even If The Gods Forgive you, I Alone Will Not

    <h4>Chapter 4: Even If The Gods Forgive you, I Alone Will Not</h4>


    A month had passed since Thirteen woke up in the hospital bed.


    His father had asked a good friend to help his new body recover at the fastest rate possible. It was through this that Thirteen came to understand a little more about the world he was in, and it brought him many ugly memories.


    "I knew it, I''m in Pangea," Thirteen muttered as he scrolled through the information on the cellphone in his hands.


    He asked his parents for a cellphone, to which they agreed because they thought that he must be feeling bored in the hospital.


    It also allowed them to contact him whenever they wanted to make sure that he was safe.


    Although his body had miraculously recovered due to the power of a High-Ranking Wanderer, his mother still decided to have him stay in the hospital for two more days.


    She was worried that there might still be some hidden injuries that their friend might have missed, and keeping him in the hospital for a few more days would ease more of her worry.


    After almost losing her child due to an ident, Alessia had be overly anxious, and she didn''t want to take any chances.


    Thirteen didn''t have the heart to tell her that her son had already died, and someone else had taken over his body.


    In the end, he decided to live his life as Zion and protect his family to the best of his ability.


    "So that''s what happened after they challenged that gate," Thirteen gritted his teeth so hard as he read the lies that the five Monarch ns had spread after clearing the Tier-9 Dimensional Gate that threatened to destroy the world.


    Back then, they had called it "A Genocide-Level Threat", which was actually true. If they had indeed allowed the Gate to awaken fully, a Genocide would have descended upon the world, killing nearly all the people on the main continent of Pangea.


    "Only the winners have the right to write history," Thirteen muttered. "The losers are buried in the sands of time andpletely forgotten. These bastards only managed to clear that Gate because they were cowards¡ªstaying at the very rear of the formation and running away when the entire expedition force was almost annihted."


    One of Thirteen''s hosts was part of the expedition and had yed a crucial role in killing the Boss Monster.


    In fact, after all the Heroes had died, his host was the one who had stabbed the core of the Beast, nearly killing it.


    Unfortunately, he had channeled all of his strength in that one blow, making him unable to defend himself from the monster''sst attack.


    As his Master was dying, the five cowards charged forward, knowing full well that the monster no longer had any strength to resist.


    Once the monster died and the Dimensional World started to crumble, one of those cowardsughed and addressed the people who had died to protect the world and the people they held dear.


    "Thanks for all of your valiant sacrifices. We will make sure to take credit for all of your hard work. Rest in peace."


    That same person then stabbed his Host''s heart to ensure that none of the evidence of their cowardice would be brought to light.


    "Monarchs?" Thirteen sneered. "More like Motherf*ckers!"


    It took a while for Thirteen to rein in his emotions because this was his first time feeling this much anger.


    As a System, there were limits to his emotions. Now that he was a human, those restrictions were gone, allowing him to feel intense andplex emotions that he had never experienced before.


    After regaining hisposure, he looked at the information about the world he lived in and learned about the changes that had happened in the past 300 years.


    "Antares was taken over by the Jinns." Thirteen frowned. "My Host''s country was destroyed after his death. It''s worse than I thought."


    The Jinns were Monsters that came from another world. They were creatures that had countless shapes and sizes.


    But regardless of their form, they only wished for one thing.


    Death and destruction.


    The World of Pangea had Four Continents and one Mega Continent.


    The Mega Continent was called Sirius, located at the center of the world. It was the continent that had morend mass than all of the four other continentsbined.


    The Four Continents were Antares, Aldebaran, Rigel, and Cygni.


    Antares was the Continent located in the North, and it had already been conquered by the Jinns.


    If not for the wide stretch of ocean that blocked their path, they might have started their movement to colonize the other continents.


    The Continent of Rigel, located in the South of the world, suffered a simr fate. It was also taken over by Monsters. There had been numerous attempts to clear it, but ultimately, they failed in the end.


    Cygni, the continent located in the West, would probably follow suit if their defenders fail to hold back the Monster Outbreak that would emerge from their gates.


    Dozens of Dimensional Gates had already appeared, and they would be opening in a few years.


    The Dimensional Gates would appear at random ces, but the time when they''d open was fixed and always on time.


    It was truly on time that there were even timers disyed at the very center of these gates, informing everyone how many minutes, days, months, and years they had left to prepare before the Monsters on the other side started their invasion.


    It was as if the Gods were teasing the humans and showing everyone the countdown until their doom.


    But all hope was not lost. People had gained the power to fight against these threats, and they were called Wanderers.


    Wanderers were people who could traverse these Dimensional Gates and go to the world of Solterra, where the Jinn originated.


    The Wanderers would often mobilize teams in order to clear these gates before they came to wreak havoc upon the world.


    And the Cygni Continent had countless Dimensional Gates opening around the same time.


    Several of them were in the Tier 6 and Tier 7 Categories, which had stronger Monsters that could end the lives of everyone in the continent in just a few days.


    Unless a great deal of manpower was dispatched to clear these gates, all attempts would be futile.


    Only the Central Government, the Five Monarch ns, and the Ten Prestigious Families had the manpower to mobilize such a strike force.


    As for whether they were willing to help or not, it was still unknown.


    But Thirteen was certain that they would all mobilize their forces since the resources in each Dimensional Gate was nothing to scoff at.


    It also allowed people to be stronger, helping them break through to the next Rank.


    So far, there were nine Tiers of Dimensional Gates that had been recorded in the world.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Tier 1 = 15 minutes before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 2 = 30 minutes before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 3 = 5 days before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 4 = 1 month before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 5 = 6 months before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 6 = 3 Years before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 7 = 6 Years before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 8 = 10 Years before Monster Outbreak


    Tier 9 = 20 years before Monster Outbreak


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    The Rigel Continent was destroyed by a Tier 9 Gate, the first of its kind to appear in the world.


    Thirteen''s host had fought another Tier 9 Gate that had appeared in the Antares Continent, which was ''conquered'' by the five individuals who ascended to the Monarch Rank after it was cleared.


    Fifty yearster, another Tier 9 Gate appeared in the Antares Continent.


    The Five Monarchs, who were considered to be the strongest pirs of humanity, refused to make a move.


    In the end, a forced evacuation had to be executed, transporting everyone in the Antares Continent to the main continent of Sirius, allowing them to survive a disaster that the Monarchs refused to deal with.


    Of course. Why would they? The five of them were very clear about how difficult it was to conquer a Tier 9 Gate.


    Even after bing Monarchs, they were still not confident in their ability to survive the Monsters that were waiting inside the Dimensional Gate that led to the Antares'' Continent''s demise.


    Currently, Thirteen and his family were on the continent of Aldebaran, located in the Eastern side of the World.


    Although their continent had a fair share of troubles, the Wanderers in theirnd were able to deal with the Jinn Threats and keep their continent safe.


    "So, Antares and Rigel have fallen," Thirteen muttered as he continued to read the information about the world. "The Sirius Continent is facing monsters in their Northern Regions (Arcturus), but it''s still under control... at least for the time being."


    After gathering all the information necessary, Thirteen closed his eyes to meditate and digest everything he had learned.


    "I still have eight years before I get Spirited Away," Thirteen thought. "I better finish all my preparations before then."


    When Thirteen opened his eyes again, he looked at the faces of the Five Monarchs of Humanity with a murderous gaze.


    "Before I screw my old man, I''ll be screwing you first," Thirteen said, killing intent oozing from his body as he looked at the man who had killed his Host in order to prevent him from informing the world of the truth.


    "Aaron Ashford." Thirteen stared at the image of a handsome middle-aged man who had a smug smile stered on his face. "Even if the Gods forgive you, I will not. I will make you pay, even if it will take me an entire lifetime to do it."

 Chapter 5: A Jack Of All Trades Is A Master Of None

    <h4>Chapter 5: A Jack Of All Trades Is A Master Of None</h4>


    A five-year-old boy was doing Tai Chi, a martial art that focused on strengthening and improving the flexibility of the body, in the backyard of his home.


    Since Thirteen was still recovering from his injury, he couldn''t do anything strenuous. He simply did what his body could tolerate, ensuring that he wouldn''t overexert his body.


    Even so, it didn''t take long for him to realize that the current body he possessed was quite weak.


    Extremely weak.


    ''Is this what human bodies are like?'' Thirteen thought as he carefully moved his left and right legs to alternately form a sweeping arch.


    He hadplete information regarding different kinds of Martial Arts, for the majority of his Hosts practiced them.


    What Thirteen chose to practice was very basic, allowing him to probe the limits of his current body.


    He was not aware that a five-year-old''s body was indeed very weak. They were still transitioning from being toddlers to preschoolers at this point in life.


    Although he mentallyined from time to time due to how weak his current body was, he still did his stances and poses to the best of his ability.


    He understood that training now would bear fruit in the future, so even though the sun still hadn''t peeked from the East, he had woken up early to start building his body''s flexibility and strength.


    "Zion has changed a lot since he lost his memory," Alessia said as she looked at her son from the window of their bedroom. "I''m a bit worried about him."


    "Why?" Gerald asked.


    "He''s no longer acting his age."


    "Really? I was doing the same when I was his age."


    Alessia frowned after hearing her husband''s reply. She kept on forgetting that Gerald came from one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    They were trained from a young age to be warriors so that when it was their time to be Spirited Away, they would be able to survive in the harsh environment of Solterra.


    The moment a child reached thirteen years old, there was a chance that they would be teleported to the world of Solterra with or without their consent.


    It was called the First Wandering, and it was considered as an initiation of sorts for the new hope of the next generation.


    Some treated the First Wandering as a curse, while others thought of it as a blessing.


    Disabled children and those who were suffering from diseases wished that they would be Spirited Away to Solterra after they reach thirteen years old.


    The reason?


    It was because their bodies would undergo a rebirth of sorts, fixing all of their disabilities, diseases, and anything that might hinder them from performing in their peak performance.


    Those who were born blind, sickly, crippled, and suffering from any kind of injury or illness would be healed from it.


    Their eyes would gain vision.


    Their limbs would grow.


    Their illness would be cured, and any kind of injury they had would be healed.


    In fact, even children who were in aa would find themselves perfectly healed and wake up in the world of Solterra.


    For these children, the Night of the Solstice, the longest night of the year, was judgment day.


    On this day, everyone who was chosen to be a Wanderer would be sent to Solterra and would need toplete a quest.


    Once this quest was finished, they would return to Pangea, awakening the powers that were granted to them by the existence that they referred to as "The One".


    In the past, people called this omnipotent being many names.


    God.


    Creator.


    Universe.


    Almighty.


    As well as a bunch of other names.


    In the end, they simply called the one who chose all Wanderers, The One.


    As long as someone turned thirteen within the year, even if their birthdays were after the night of the Solstice, they would still be sent to Solterra if they were chosen to be a Wanderer.


    "Mikhail is already eleven this year," Geraldmented. "I started training him when he was ten. He should have started earlier, but you wanted him to enjoy his childhood, and I respected your decision.


    "But you do understand, right? Since we are both Wanderers, our children are bound to be Spirited Away once theye of age."


    Alessia sighed before nodding her head. "I know. But I just want them to enjoy their childhood as much as possible. The moment they be Wanderers, they will lose the right to act like normal children."


    "Being normal in this day and age is a death sentence." Gerald hugged his wife. "Only those with power will have the opportunity to survive. Solterra is a harsh ce, but it forges one''s character. As long as our children survive, they will have a future.


    "Also, the invasion that is set to happen in Cygni worries me. The stronger our children are, the better."


    Alessia rested her head on her husband''s chest and sighed.


    "I guess this world doesn''t allow normality anymore."


    "This world stopped being normal 300 years ago."


    The beautiful woman gave her son onest nce before looking at her husband''s eyes.


    "Train Mikhail and Shasha well," Alessia said softly. "I don''t want to see my kids dying anytime soon."


    "I will." Gerald promised.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Days passed as Thirteen focused on strengthening his body through Tai Chi. Little by little, he was feeling less pain as his body adapted to his daily exercises.


    However, there was something that changed aside from his body.


    His older siblings, Mikhail and Shasha, as well as his father, Gerald, were also doing Tai Chi beside him.


    At first, he was surprised, but in the end, he taught them the proper stances, allowing his older siblings to be more flexible.


    Their father didn''t really need it, but he also attended the morning exercises in order to spend quality time with his children.


    Half a yearter, Thirteen started to practice knife throwing. He originally wished to practice the sword, but he decided to postpone it until he was a little older.


    Since the System God had ced restrictions on his body, he had no choice but to take a different path to be stronger.


    ''A jack of all trades is a master of none,'' Thirteen thought. ''But oftentimes better than a master of one.''


    The System God had blocked his path, but Thirteen intended to open multiple ones.


    Armed with the knowledge from living thousands of years as a system, he believed that he had what it took to ovee all the situations that Fate would throw in his way.

 Chapter 6: The Rule Breaker [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 6: The Rule Breaker [Part 1]</h4>


    "Brother, stand here," Thirteen said, pointing at the spot beside him. "I want to experiment with something."


    Thirteen noticed that his brother''s training was not progressing as fast as their father wanted it to.


    Their Father was a Swordsman, and he was teaching Mikhail the basics of swordsmanship. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, it just seemed that the boy wasn''t suited for swordsmanship.


    On the contrary, their sister, Shasha, proved to be promising as a Fencer.


    Their mother, Alessia, was a Fencer. Every time she held a rapier in her hands, her loving and caring mother persona would immediately shift to a warrior princess, whom even their father was reluctant to fight due to her deadly capriciousness.


    But it was because of her skills and character that he fell in love with her. They had been living together happily since the day they decided to tie the knot, even when faced with the Patriarch of the Leventis Family''s opposition.


    Gerald was then disowned by his father for defying his will, but he didn''t care. Even after he was disowned, he still used the Leventis name, almost giving the old man an aneurysm.


    Fortunately, Gerald''s Mother stepped up and tried to mediate between the two.


    So, despite being disowned from the family, Gerald still carried the Leventis name, which belonged to one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Thirteen proceeded to poke his brother''s pressure points one by one, as if doing some kind of diagnosis.


    His personality had drastically changed after the incident, but their family gradually learned to ept that the five-year-old boy would no longer act his age and was now more like an adult.


    Thirteen was calm, collected, calctive, and at times, very sly, so Gerald and Alessia were subconsciously treating him as a teenager rather than a child.


    "Raise your hand like this, Brother," Thirteen ordered. "Good. Now try to raise your right leg like this..."


    Mikhail obediently followed his brother''s orders, ignoring the fact that thetter was younger than him. The reason for this was simple.


    Thirteen sparred with him and their sister, Shasha, from time to time.


    No matter what they did, they couldn''t beat the young boy in battle, so they recognized his strength.


    Little did they know that this was also Thirteen''s ploy of establishing the hierarchy among his siblings.


    By showing that he was stronger and smarter than them, they''d start relying more on him and treat him as if he was their eldest sibling.


    Gerald and Alessia could only scratch their heads at this development, but since their youngest child wasn''t doing anything to harm his siblings, they turned a blind eye on some of his actions.


    ''I see... so that''s it.'' Thirteen rubbed his chin as he looked at his brother''s fighting stance. ''This is a bit surprising, but I guess this makes sense.''


    Thirteen then walked towards his Mother and asked for something that made Alessia arch an eyebrow.


    "Mother, can you give me some Jinn Cores?" Thirteen asked. "Ten Tier 1 Cores will do. But if you have a Majin Core, it will be better."


    There were two kinds of Jinns that were prevalent in Solterra.


    The first one was the ordinary Jinn. These monsters relied solely on their powerful bodies to fight.


    The second type of Jinn was called Majin. They specialized in magic.


    Of course, there were Majins who could use both physical and magical attacks, making them one of the most dangerous creatures to fight.


    "What are you going to use them for?" Alessia asked with curiosity.


    "I''ll just y with them," Thirteen replied.


    "... y with them?" Alessia blinked in confusion.


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. In the future, I will ask for more. So if possible, please prepare a lot of them, Mother."


    Alessia didn''t mind giving her son some Jinn Cores, but she was truly curious about what he would do with them.


    In the end, she gave Thirteen a Magic Pouch which contained twenty Jinn Cores and three Majin Cores.


    "Thank you, Mother," Thirteen replied. "You will not regret this decision."


    After getting what he needed, Thirteen made a gesture for his brother to follow him.


    The two went to Thirteen''s bedroom because what he was about to do was something he didn''t want others to see¡ªnot even his parents.


    After firmly locking the door, he ordered Mikhail to remove his shirt and sit cross-legged on the floor.


    His brother didn''t ask anything and simply did as he was told.


    Although he was young, Mikhail could sense that his younger brother only wanted what was good for him, so he obeyed without question.


    "Now, close your eyes," Thirteen stated as he ced fifteen Jinn Cores around Mikhail''s body.


    He also ced Three Majin Cores in front of him with a smile on his face.


    His original n was to only teach Mikhail a basic skill, but since his mother had been generous, he decided to go all out and give his brother the best Martial Skill in his arsenal.


    As a System, he knew many kinds of Martial Arts. In fact, all Systems did. They could grant these skills to their hosts once they umted enough System Points to purchase things from the System Shop.


    But since his power and authority as a System was stripped away from him, he was unable to impart his knowledge to someone the way he did to his hosts.


    However, there was still another way.


    Thirteen had diligently studied all of these Martial Arts, along with other information that he had recorded inside his Core.


    He even made sure to use a Forbidden Technique to ensure that the skills and information would not be taken away from him, regardless if he died or not.


    That was the preparation he made before facing off against his Father.


    He didn''t know what the oue would be, so he could only do everything he could, just in case the worst case scenario happened.


    Thinking back, he was d he did these things in advance.


    Now, even though he was no longer a System, all the information he needed was still inside his core, which was transnted by the System God, inside his new body.


    Using a marker pen, he started to inscribe runes on his brother''s body. Mikhail found this ticklish, and he evenughed a couple of times.


    Thirteen smiled seeing how happy his brother was. However, in order to stop him from moving, he gave him one good smack in the head, making thetter cry.


    But, seeing that Thirteen raised his fist a second time, Mikhail immediately stopped crying and no longer moved his body.


    "Good boy," Thirteen said as he lightly patted his brother''s head before continuing to inscribe runes on his body.


    When he was done, he admired his handiwork before inscribing a rune that symbolized "wisdom" on the back of his right hand.


    ''Now, time to start,'' Thirteen thought as he picked up one of the Majin Cores with both hands in front of him.


    He then started to chant in anguage that wasn''t found in Pangea.


    This was thenguage of the Elves, who lived in Solterra.


    A momentter, the rune on the back of his right hand started to glow, allowing him to use the Majin Core as a medium to empower the spell.


    While it was true that there were several restrictions on his body like Skill Ban and the likes, what he was using wasn''t a skill that was avable in Solterra and Pangea.


    It was Rune Magic.


    A type of magic that used an external source of power to activate special Runes, which symbolized words of power.


    This was a loophole that Thirteen was exploiting. His Father must''ve never expected that the ck Sheep of his family would be using Rune Magic in a world where Rune Magic didn''t exist!


    Also, he didn''t expect Thirteen to have such knowledge because thetter no longer had ess to the database of Systems!


    At this exact moment, the System God, who was watching Thirteen''s antics, snorted after being one-upped by him.


    However, a smile appeared on Deus Ex Machina''s lips because his son didn''t know that he was breaking one of the rules of the world he was currently in.


    "Laugh while you still can, you fool," Deus Ex Machina smiled. "He ising for you now."


    The most Omnipotent Being that governed Solterra and Pangea detected an anomaly within its Domain.


    Its gaze thennded on a five-year-old child, who was doing something that he shouldn''t be capable of doing as it was not supported by thews that the Omnipotent Being had set upon the world.


    Even so, it didn''t make any move to stop whatever Thirteen was doing because it was analyzing his actions and contemting whether it should take the necessary actions to erase the five-year-old child, who was breaking the rules of its world, or not.

 Chapter 7: The Rule Breaker [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 7: The Rule Breaker [Part 2]</h4>


    Thirteen shuddered subconsciously, having felt as if someone was staring at him from the Heavens.


    Thinking that it might merely be his grumpy old man, he decided to ignore this feeling and continued to do what he was doing.


    Soon, the Jinn Cores surrounding Mikhail''s body all glowed at the same time. Particles of light emerged from the cores and flew toward the runes that were inscribed on his body.


    The runes lit up one by one as they gathered magical energy from their surroundings.


    The three Majin Cores turned into particles of light and were absorbed by the rune on the back of Thirteen''s right hand.


    When this was done, he pressed his index finger against his forehead and closed his eyes.


    He was copying the information from the God of War Axe Skill Tree and channeling it all into the tip of his finger.


    The God of War Martial Skill was one of the skills that Heroes and Viins could buy from the System Shop for Ten Million System Points.


    It was an End-Game Skill that a host could only usually afford after years of saving System Points.


    Since these System Points could only be gained by sessfullypleting Quest Missions or by unlocking Hidden Quests, collecting them wasn''t an easy task.


    And yet, Mikhail was now going to inherit this Martial Skill for free, all because he was lucky enough to have Thirteen as his brother.


    Once he finished copying the skill, Thirteen then pressed his index finger on his brother''s forehead, allowing Mikhail to learn the skill instantly.


    Of course, even after learning the skill, Mikhail wouldn''t suddenly be a strong warrior immediately.


    He still had to study the skill inside his head and practice it diligently. Only by doing so would he be able to make the skill his own.


    Thirteen wasn''t too worried about that.


    He was confident that Mikhail would be able to learn the techniques that Thirteen imparted to him naturally. The former was born to wield an Axe, and it was surely his calling in life.


    Just like a fish who could swim since birth, Mikhail would be able to learn these skills as easily as breathing.


    ''Since I can''t be OP in this world, I will make my siblings OP instead!'' Thirteen chuckled internally. ''Hahaha! Old man. I bet you didn''t see thising, did you?!''


    Thirteen was feeling good about himself because he believed that he had found a way to be strong in this world, which was by riding on the shoulders of giants.


    Since his growth was limited, he would let others grow instead. And through them, he would reap the benefits of his hard work!


    A few minutester, the light in the room dimmed as Thirteen panted for breath.


    He had used himself as a medium to use Rune Magic, and it took a toll on his body.


    Even so, he didn''t have any regrets even as he walked shakily toward his bed, somewhat rushing because he felt that he was about to copse very soon.


    Mikhail was currently undergoing Enlightenment, and it would be a while before he snapped out of his trance.


    Knowing that, Thirteen decided to rest for the time being to recover his strength.


    However, just as he was about toy down on his bed, he found himself staring at what seemed to be a man with the face of a rabbit.


    "Lace Demon," Thirteen muttered as he recognized the creature in front of him.


    "Oh? Do you know me?" The Lace Demon looked at the boy in surprise because it was supposed to be impossible for a five-year-old to know who he was.


    Only those who had stepped on the Grandmaster Rank, like Thirteen''s Parents, had the opportunity to meet him.


    Currently, there were ten known ranks when it came to the Human Rankings.


    They were Rookie, Adept, Apostle, Elite, Initiate, Master, Grandmaster, Champion, Thrones, and Monarchs.


    The Five Great ns were led by the Five Monarchs.


    The Ten Prestigious Families on the other hand, were led by the Ten Thrones.


    They were the strongest Humans in the world, and each of them had enough power and ability to influence the decisions of the Central Government that governed the entire world.


    And now, he was currently looking at a creature whom he was only supposed to meet when he became a Grandmaster, which would not be happening anytime soon.


    "Come with me, child," the Lace Demon said. "The One wishes to speak to you."


    "... Can I not go?" Thirteen asked back.


    The Lace Demon was the right-hand man of "The One" and usually handled things in its stead.


    The Lace Demon smiled as he picked up Thirteen like a sack of rice, cing the boy over his shoulder.


    "Child, I am not asking for your permission," the Lace Demon stated. "I''m simply informing you of what I am about to do."


    Without another word, the Lace Demon disappeared from the room, carrying the boy who had broken one of the rules of their world.


    A minuteter...


    Thirteen found himself in a surreal ce, where countless gxies could be seen around him.


    High above his head was a giant Golden Sun, who seemed to be the center of everything in this world.


    "Child, do you know who I am?"


    A voice filled with Divinity sounded the boy''s ears, to which thetter responded with a nod of his head.


    "The One, I presume?" Thirteen answered.


    "It is indeed I," The One replied. "Do you know why you are here?"


    "I have an idea," Thirteen replied.


    His tone wasn''t being overly respectful, but he wasn''t rude either. As someone who had met countless Gods in the past, Thirteen was already used to talking to them.


    "You are no ordinary child," The One stated. "Originally, I nned to erase you from existence for breaking one of the rules of my world. But as I was about to do that, I realized that you do not possess a human soul.


    "This is quite intriguing, so I decided to give you a chance to exin yourself and your actions. Depending on your answer, I might go ahead with my original n of killing you, so choose your words well, Child."


    Thirteen looked at the Omnipotent Being in front of him with a fearless gaze.


    Since he had been given a chance to live a life as a human, he would definitely not throw this chance away without a fight.


    It was at that moment when an idea popped up inside his head.


    If he yed his cards right, he might be able to ask The One to remove the restrictions ced onto him by his father and live in the world of Pangea as a human with limitless potential.

 Chapter 8: A System’s Wish [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 8: A System¡¯s Wish [Part 1]</h4>


    "I''m willing to tell you what you want to know, but I''m afraid that words won''t be enough," Thirteen said. "Why don''t you read my memories instead? That way, you will be able to understand everything."


    "Interesting," The One replied. "Baring your everything to me without hiding anything. Are you doing this to preserve your life?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "No. I''m doing this so you will understand my goal in life. I didn''te into your world by choice. But, that doesn''t mean that I dislike being here."


    The One didn''t reply right away. Instead, Lace Demon moved on its behalf and lightly tapped the five-year-old''s forehead, making him fall into a trance.


    A momentter, two beams of light shot out from Thirteen''s eyes, creating a projection simr to a movie screen.


    The One and Lace Demon watched intently to see what the secrets that the young boy was hiding from them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In the beginning there was Chaos...


    Before the first worlds were born and life came into being, there was only Darkness.


    Utter, absolute, darkness...


    And from within that endless darkness, Love was born.


    Then light appeared. And from that day onwards, the birth of the Universe started.


    That was how Creation began...


    That was how the first Gods came into being.


    The God of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth.


    The God of Wine, Good Harvest, Family, and Home.


    The God of Lightning, Storms, Tides, and Seasons.


    The God of Music, God of Laughter, and even the God of Children were born.


    Primordial Gods, Personification Gods, andstly the New Generation Gods.


    They were the three types of Gods who had been born within the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods. They stood above the Heavens, overlooking all of creation.


    The Divine Beings that stood above the mortal realm and held powers beyond their understanding.


    It was during that time, when the universe was still young and the concept of Reincarnation and Transmigration was just starting to flourish within the infinite number of worlds in the multiverse, that a New Generation God with infinite potential came into being.


    This newborn God then created a small, yet beautiful world, and he called it...


    SCADREZ.


    Using the power of his Divinity, This God created beings, which he called the "Super Yggdrasil Synchronized Technology Enhancing Manager", who wouldter be referred to as the "System".


    These Systems had different traits and abilities, and they were sent to different worlds in order to assist their so-called "Chosen Ones," whom they had deemed worthy of their services.


    However, not all Systems were created equal.


    All of them had varying specialties, and they helped different kinds of people.


    Some helped Heroes, some helped Viins, some helped Cannon Fodders, and some just randomly chose their hosts depending on their preferences.


    Overall, we all lived rtively peaceful lives until the Fire Nation attacked... is what I''d like to say, but the Copyright God will certainly smack me in the face if I said that.


    I''m not bragging or anything, but I once helped the Gravatar bring peace to his world thousands of years ago.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Lace Demon pushed the pause button of the remote control before looking at the five-year-old with an incredulous look on his face.


    The One also felt as if they were being yed with the child, but both of them knew that this was impossible. They were merely reying his memories and prying on his secrets.


    Thirteen didn''t even have any capacity to resist them, so what they were seeing and hearing was the truth, and nothing but the truth.


    "Continue," The One ordered.


    The Lace Demon nodded and once again resumed ying Thirteen''s Memories.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Everyone run! He''s here!"


    "Dammit! He killed 666!"


    "Run to the Nexus! That is the safest ce we can be right now!"


    "Bastard! Why are you doing this, Thirteen?!"


    "Don''t reason with him! He has gone berserk! Has anyone called the Single Numbers?!"


    Thirteen watched as those who hade on the same mission as him ran away in panic, while hurling curses and insults his way.


    "Gone Berserk?" Thirteen asked with a devilish smile on his face. "How rude. I am perfectly sane. Oh... sorry, let me end your suffering."


    A chuckle escaped his lips as he stabbed his lightsaber through a youngdy''s chest, who was pretending to be dead beside his feet.


    "Yes. I am perfectly sane because no insane System would kill his brothers and sisters without even batting an eye," Thirteen muttered as he looked at the youngdy.


    "T-Thirteen... you will... not be able... to get away... with this...," the youngdy, whose beauty was enough to make any man or woman swoon when they saw her, said with a pained expression on her face.


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen replied. "I don''t intend to get away with this."


    "You fool! ...Just because..." The youngdy wasn''t able to finish her words because Thirteen sliced her head off from her body.


    It rolled a few meters away from him beforeing to aplete stop, leaving her to give her killer only onest look as the light faded from her eyes.


    "I won''t ask you to forgive me, 14344," Thirteen said as he walked away. "If Fate permits it, you can have your revenge after my wish has been granted."


    Yes. Until his wish was granted, he would continue this madness.


    If this was the only way to get the System God to show himself, then he was willing to destroy everything that their Father had created.


    As he walked towards the Nexus, which was the grandest building within the world of SCADREZ, a lone person stood to block his path.


    He had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking at his friend with a sad expression, which was the exact opposite of his character that Thirteen had grown fond of.


    "Thirteen..."


    "Sixty-Nine."


    A sigh escaped Sixty-Nine''s lips before scratching his head.


    "Are you sure about this?" Sixty-Nine asked. His long red hair faintly swayed as a gust of wind blew from the East. "Once you leave this ce, there is no turning back."


    "I have no intention of turning back," Thirteen replied. "Get out of my way, Sixty-Nine. You are the only one I don''t want to kill."


    "Is there really no other way? Kate won''t be happy if you..."


    "Don''t make me repeat myself."


    After hearing the name of his previous host, the anger that Thirteen had been holding back slowly rose to the surface, threatening to consume him and attack the only person whom he acknowledged as his friend among the Systems.


    Perhaps sensing the killing intent that was oozing out of his friend''s body, another sigh escaped Sixty-Nine''s lips before shaking his head helplessly.


    "Fine," Sixty-Nine said as he moved to the side. "Have it your way."


    The one friend he knew looked off into the distance as he decided to not stand in Thirteen''s way.


    As the Renegade System walked past him, Sixty-Nine opened his lips to give him onest piece of advice, or perhaps, onest farewell, knowing that this would probably be thest time that he would be able to talk to his friend.


    "Don''t kill any of the Single Digits," Sixty-Nine said softly. "They have their roles to y."


    "That will depend if they get in my way or not," Thirteenmented. "Aside from you, there is no one in this world I don''t dare to kill."


    Leaving his only friend behind, Thirteen headed towards the Nexus with renewed determination.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Damn, that escted quickly," Lace Demon said as he munched on some popcorn. "This is better than I thought."


    The One also shared his subordinate''s sentiment. Neither of them expected this sudden turn of events, and were both now very eager to see the rest of Thirteen''s memories.

 Chapter 9: A System’s Wish [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 9: A System¡¯s Wish [Part 2]</h4>


    ''Sh*t! How is he this strong?!'' Seven cursed internally as he was pushed back by the Renegade System who had decided to dere war on their father. ''I''m a single number, yet he''s overpowering me!''


    Suddenly, his opponent disappeared from his view.


    Before he knew it, his right arm was cleanly sliced off his body, the pain soon making him scream.


    Just as Thirteen was about to sever Seven''s head, three people attacked him from three different directions, forcing him to back away.


    "Don''t let your guard down. He''s strong!" Seven warned his threerades as he summoned a spear with his remaining hand.


    Three, Five, and Nine looked at Thirteen with solemn expressions on their faces. They hurried back to their home world the moment they received an SOS call from their Headquarters.


    They were still looking for new hosts to serve, so they were able to return right away.


    Despite their timely return, the moment they stepped on their, they saw that countless Systems had already been cut down. Their body parts littered about everywhere.


    Perhaps, the saving grace was that Thirteen didn''t target their Cores.


    Even if their bodies were destroyed, as long as their cores were intact, they could still be revived by the System God.


    Even though Thirteen was surrounded by Hundreds of Systems, he remained indifferent to his surroundings.


    No matter what methods they used. Even ganging up on him didn''t work.


    It was as if he could read all of their movements and counter them without too much effort.


    After fighting against him, the Systems felt as if they were facing against the Strongest System, Optimus, who stood at the number one position among them.


    Unfortunately, Optimus wasn''t around since he was still bound to his host.


    Just as Thirteen was about to move for the kill, a powerful Divinity descended from the Heavens, making all the Systems sigh in relief.


    "Satisfied?" the System God, Deus Ex Machina, asked as he descended a few meters away from his son who had rebelled against him. "Nothing will change even if you throw a tantrum, Thirteen."


    The Systems who were in the surroundings couldn''t help but feel bitter when they heard their Father''s words.


    Thirteen had cut down hundreds of Systems, their body parts still littered the ground. However, their Father just called it a tantrum, making them feel helpless.


    "So, you''re finally here, Old Man," Thirteen sneered. "Took you long enough."


    Deus Ex Machina scoffed. "I can still overlook your transgression, Thirteen. All you need to do is resume your role, and do what you are programmed to do. That is all."


    Thirteen snorted. He already knew that this was what his Father was going to say to him the moment he made his appearance.


    After billions of simtions, all of them resulted in the same thing. His father would kill him, and his futile attempt at rebellion woulde to an end.


    But he no longer cared about this oue.


    If living meant he would continue to suffer, then he would simply end it on his own terms.


    But, before he was erased from existence, he vowed to at leastnd a hit, filled with all of his resentment, on the System God''s face.


    "Give me your strength, Vincent," Thirteen said softly as an image of a handsome young man with short blonde hair and gray eyes appeared above him.


    Vincent was one of his hosts who had died a pitiful death.


    He was someone who didn''t deserve to die, but since he was Fated to die, he died. Not by the hands of his enemies, but by his own hands.


    Fate forced him to kill himself because none of the so-called Heroes could kill him.


    The image behind Thirteen raised his sword and shed a fearless smile on his face.


    Thirteen opened his mouth and recited thest words that his host had said before he died.


    "Let myst stand be so bright, that I will be known throughout Eternity!" Thirteen roared before a pair of golden wings made of energy protruded out of his back.


    Golden lightning bolts snaked around his body as well as his sword, filling him up with overwhelming strength.


    With a resolute expression on his face, Thirteen took a step forward and disappeared instantly.


    He reappeared right above the System God with his sword held high, ready to strike.


    "Annihte," Thirteen said in a cold tone.


    "Ultima Break!"


    A blinding sh of light erupted the moment Thirteen''s sword descended upon his father.


    Everyone within a mile-long radius was blown away by the force of the attack.


    When the light receded, the Systems who were still conscious at that time saw Thirteen''s sword being blocked by a single finger.


    "Thirteen, a System doesn''t need a heart," Deus Ex Machina said as he disintegrated Thirteen''s sword with a flick of his finger.


    A momentter, countless steel spikes emerged from the ground, piercing Thirteen''s body and holding him in ce


    "You failed as a System," Deus Ex Machina stated coldly as he pierced his son''s chest with his hand. "You are no longer a son of mine."


    "You failed me first, Father," Thirteen replied as he felt his body lose its strength because the System God had grabbed hold of his Core. "After perfectly sticking to my role for thousands of years, I should have been eligible for several wishes. And yet, I only asked you for a single wish, but you didn''t grant it."


    Deus Ex Machina''s gaze faltered a bit after hearing his son''s words. Whenever a Systempleted its mission, they were allowed to ask him for one wish.


    Thirteen hadn''t made a wish for thousands of years despitepleting all of his missions sessfully.


    However, before he rebelled, he asked the System God to grant a wish.


    His wish was to change the Fate of his Hosts, so they wouldn''t remain Cannon Fodders till the end of time.


    But the System God denied his wish.


    This was the trigger that prompted Thirteen to rebel against him.


    "I don''t need a Father like you," Thirteen said as the light in his eyes slowly faded. "Remember this... Old Man. If by some miracle... I revive... mark my words... I will screw you ten times over."


    The System God scoffed before pulling the Core out from Thirteen''s body, making thetter''s body disintegrate.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The projection that was being shown through Thirteen''s eyes disappeared, leaving only white noise.


    The two beings who watched everything from start to end remained silent as they looked at the five-year-old, who was still in a trance.


    A momentter, the Lace Demon lightly tapped the boy''s forehead, and a blue window appeared in front of him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 5 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuffs >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency


    ¡ª Gives you the ability tomunicate with anyone, and anything, as long as they have a means ofmunication.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Rank Ban >


    ¨C You are only able to reach the first level of any Rank. After this, you can not increase that rank for the rest of your life.


    (Example: the maximum level he can reach is Level 1. No matter what he does, he will not be able to reach Level 2.)


    ¡ª-------------------


    < Skill Ban >


    ¨C You will be unable to gain any skill or use any skill that belongs to the worlds that you are currently in. This included skills, and abilities that were imbued into weapons. Learning skills through Tomes, Grimoires, and Scrolls, will give you nothing as well.


    (Example: If the sword in your possession has the ''Unbreakable'' ability in it, once it is in your hands, that ability will be inactive. Meaning that the unbreakable sword will break just like any other ordinary weapon.


    This skill also applies to projectile weapons. Even if you use throwing daggers, or a bow, the Skill Ban will still apply to them.)


    ¡ª-------------------


    < Item Ban >


    ¨C You will not receive any item drops from the Monsters that you have killed. Treasure Chests will not give you any rewards, and any other items that potentially give you any items will not work.


    ¡ª-------------------


    < Avatar Ban >


    ¨C The world you are in has Avatars. When you kill monsters, there is a chance that you will gain their avatar, allowing you to summon them in battle. You are unable to gain Avatars through killing, trade, or any other means.


    (Example: Even if you managed to acquire an Avatar using a loophole, you will be unable to summon this Avatar and use it in battle.)


    ¡ª-----------------¡ª


    A cold hiss escaped the Lace Demons''s lips after reading the information in Thirteen''s System window.


    Simply put, the System God made sure that the child in front of them would be crippled for life.


    However, he didn''t anticipate that Thirteen would record all the information avable to Systems and integrate it into his Core.


    Armed with this knowledge and his cumtive experience in assisting his hosts, Thirteen was able to find the loophole and use Rune Magic, which was an ability that didn''t belong to the worlds of Pangea and Solterra.


    This was why he was "kidnapped" by Lace Demon and brought to his Boss so that thetter could give Thirteen his verdict.


    The One looked at Thirteen''s Stats before shifting its attention to the five-year-old, who was now lying on the ground, unconscious.


    "Lace Demon, I want to hear your opinion," The One said. "If it were you, how would you handle this matter?"


    The Lace Demon didn''t answer right away. Instead, it crossed its arms over his chest and closed its eyes.


    After seeing everything, it had developed a bit of bias towards the pitiful System who had decided to defy The System God for the sake of those he held sacred.

 Chapter 10: Reaching A Compromise

    <h4>Chapter 10: Reaching A Compromise</h4>


    Thirteen woke up with a head-splitting headache that made him flinch.


    It was as if countless needles were stabbed into his brain, making his face scrunch up.


    "So, you''re finally awake," the Lace Demon said while casually sipping a cup of tea. "Stand up, child. The One has already made its decision regarding you."


    The young boy gingerly stood up while enduring the pain in his head. Since he was still alive, that meant that the two beings in front of him had decided to spare him.


    However, until he heard their verdict, he decided to y it safe and wait for confirmation.


    "After careful consideration, I''ve decided to spare your life," The One stated. "I am rather vexed that a God has decided to take matters into his own hands and tamper with the rules of my world. But I can understand why he did it, so I will not be removing the restrictions on your body."


    Thirteen clenched his fists, not out of anger, but due to disappointment.


    He thought that the Omnipotent Being of the world would find his restrictions unjust and remove them using the authority he had over the world.


    However, The One''s next words made Thirteen widen his eyes in surprise.


    "While it is true that I will not be removing the restrictions imposed upon your body, I will allow you to strengthen yourself in any way possible. However, there will be limitations. I''m sure that you still have plenty of ways to exploit loopholes, so you have to tell us all the abilities that you n to use in this world.


    "Truth be told, I am very tempted to wipe your memories clean so that you will not remember anything, including the knowledge you possess. The only thing that is stopping me from doing that is my interest in seeing how you will survive with all the restrictions ced on you by the System God.


    "I will use you as a guinea pig to find the loopholes to thews in my world, so I can fix them properly. For now, I will allow you to use Rune Magic up to the Intermediate Stage. Also, since I find you to be an interesting person, I''ve decided to bestow upon you a unique ability."


    As if waiting for those words, several rows of text appeared in front of Thirteen, making him arch an eyebrow.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Unique Ability: Destiny Bond


    < Destiny Bond >


    ¡ª You will feel the presence of the people who have a very strong connection with you. The stronger your feelings are for a person, the stronger the connection.


    If your feelings for them reach a certain threshold, it is possible to pinpoint their exact location using the strings of fate that bound you to them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 5 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuff >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency, Destiny Bond, Rune Magic (Intermediate).


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Looking at his Status Window, Thirteen felt as if a new path had opened up for him.


    Although the restrictions were still in ce, he believed that he would be able to exploit more loopholes as he used the knowledge in his possession.


    "You will discuss the Unique Abilities that you n to use in this world with Lace Demon," The One stated. "I gave him full authority to approve or reject any of the Abilities that you n to use.


    "Make sure to not hide anything because a list will be created, and a contract will be signed. If you do anything outside the conditions listed in the contract, you will immediately be erased, no questions asked."


    It was not only Lace Demon who developed a bias towards Thirteen. The One didn''t lie when it said that it was annoyed with the System God for tampering with Thirteen''s body.


    Everyone whom The One had chosen to be Spirited Away would undergo a rebirth of sorts. Regardless of their disabilities, diseases, or circumstances, they would gain the perfect body once they appeared in Solterra.


    It was also possible for the restrictions on Thirteen''s body to be purgedpletely due to this rebirth, but this was very unlikely to happen.


    A God''s restriction wasn''t something that anyone could remove easily because it contained a part of their Divinity.


    Because of this, The One decided topromise.


    It believed that if Thirteen didn''t have any restrictions ced on his body, it was very possible for him to be an overpowered existence, threatening to break the bnce of the world.


    The One couldn''t let this happen, so he didn''t n to remove the "safety locks" that the System God had given to Thirteen.


    The contract that he proposed was also a fail-safepromise, preventing Thirteen from using the knowledge he had from other worlds and abusing it.


    ''I don''t know if I''m making a mistake or not,'' The One thought as he looked at the five-year-old, who was busy arguing with Lace Demon about one of the abilities that he wanted to be added to the contract.


    After a month of arguing, the list of abilities was finally finalized.


    Thirteen made sure to read the use of the contract, and he even used a magnifying ss to read the small print that the Lace Demon had added to it.


    The humanoid White Rabbit wearing a ck tuxedo found Thirteen''s antics quite amusing.


    He did add uses that were too small to notice, yet the five-year-old saw them and even asked for a magnifying ss to read them.


    After his Father''s betrayal of not granting his wish, Thirteen was a bit paranoid when it came to contracts and fine print.


    The five-year-old read the hundred-page contract five times before finally signing it, sealing the deal.


    Lace Demon was a tough cookie to crack, and the Demon had rejected a lot of Thirteen''s proposals.


    He made sure that the Renegade System wouldn''t be too overpowered and break the bnce of the world.


    Although Thirteen was disappointed that some of his proposals didn''t go through, he was still satisfied with the result.


    Since time in the Celestial Realm moved differentlypared to the time in Pangea, Thirteen returned exactly an hour after the Lace Demon had kidnapped him.


    The five-year-old rubbed his palms together before chuckling like a mad scientist.


    Now that he managed to gain the approval of the Big Boss of the world, he decided to prepare for the time when he and his siblings would be sent to the world of Solterra for their first Wandering.

 Chapter 11: Next Phase Of Thirteen’s Plan

    <h4>Chapter 11: Next Phase Of Thirteen¡¯s n</h4>


    Thirteen looked at his cell phone and read its contents with a solemn expression on his face.


    He was holding his phone with his right hand, while his left was lightly patting the head of a little girl, whose head was resting on hisp, from time to time.


    She was Thirteen''s two-year-old little sister, and her name was Remi.


    Aside from their mother, Remi was very attached to her older brother, Zion, who made her feel safe and protected.


    Whenever she saw him, she would follow him like a little duckling following her mother duck.


    Their mother, Alessia, found this very endearing, so she allowed Remi to follow her brother around, indirectly making him her nanny.


    At first, Thirteen found this little creature quite amusing and thought that babysitting her would be a trivial task, but it turned out that he had underestimated how attached a toddler could be to someone.


    Remi was quite clingy and would often cry whenever her brother hid from her or ran away from her.


    Although she didn''t disturb him whenever he trained or was doing something important, she would always be around him during the times when he was idle.


    "A, my daughter is sleeping," Gerald smiled as he walked toward his two children, who were seated on a bench facing the garden. "How cute."


    "Shut up, Pops." Thirteen red at his father. "If Remi wakes up, I''ll show mom your porn stash."


    The corner of Gerald''s lips twitched when he heard his son''s words. He and his wife had already epted that their son''s personality had changed after the incident due to amnesia.


    However, whenever he talked to the boy, he often felt that he was talking to an equal instead of a child.


    "You wouldn''t dare..."


    "Try me."


    The two stared at each other for nearly half a minute before Gerald sighed and raised his hands in surrender.


    "We need to talk," Gerald said in a solemn tone. "It''s about your brother, Mikhail."


    A month had passed since Thirteen had imparted the God of War Axe Technique to his older brother, Mikhail.


    Since then, there had been an explosive growth in his fighting ability, surprising Gerald and Alessia.


    When Mikhail and Shasha sparred with each other, the one who always won was Mikhail.


    While people might think that this was understandable since Mikhail was stronger, the reality was that Shasha was actually a genius Fencer.


    Before her older brother learned the technique that was imparted to him by Thirteen, Shasha had always been the winner whenever the two of them sparred.


    But now, things had changed. Despite not being a genius and only having strong foundations, Mikhail managed to surpass Shasha in a short period of time.


    Despite training harder under their mother''s tutge, Shasha felt that, no matter how much she trained, she wouldn''t be able to beat her older brother.


    Of course, she couldn''t beat Thirteen either.


    But she and Mikhail had already epted that, even if they worked together, they would be unable to beat their five-year-old brother, who seemed to know what they were about to do before they could even do it.


    Thirteen could predict when they would strike, where they would strike, and the proper method to counterattack.


    In fact, Thirteen would spar with his siblings at least once every day, making sure that they built a solid foundation.


    Gerald and Alessia even felt that they could leave their second youngest child in charge of their children''s training by himself.


    "Mmm," Thirteen replied. "I''lle after Remi wakes up. I''ll let her sleep for half an hour longer."


    Hearing his reply, Gerald nodded. "You can find us in the Training Grounds."


    After saying what he needed to say, he walked away with a smile on his face.


    There was one thing that he liked about this son of his. Whenever he said something, he would do it.


    Since Thirteen already said that he woulde to look for them after half an hour had passed, he would definitely do it without fail.


    Half an hourter...


    Thirteen arrived at the Training Ground, holding Remi''s hand.


    "Go to Mama first, okay?" Thirteen patted his sister''s head. "I''ll y with youter."


    Remi smiled before she tottered towards their mother with her hands spread wide.


    "Mama!"


    "Remi!"


    Alessia lovingly picked up her daughter and peppered her cheeks with kisses, making the toddler giggle.


    Thirteen then approached his siblings and father before cing his hands on his waist.


    "So? What''s the problem?" Thirteen asked.


    "Your sister wanted to learn a technique from you as well," Alessia replied as he walked towards them, carrying Remi in her arms. "Also, if the technique is good, I want to learn it as well."


    "Oh?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow, but a faint smile could be seen on his face.


    He had originally wanted to teach Alessia a technique, but he held back for the time being.


    His n was to let everyone see Mikhail''s improvement, giving credibility to his teachings. Seeing that his scheme worked, he decided to proceed to the next phase of his n.


    And that was to strengthen his entire family!


    After spending more than a month with his new family, he understood their situation more or less.


    As a "disowned" member of the Prestigious Leventis Family, their father and mother worked very hard to support their family.


    Well, it was mostly their father who went into Solterra to do missions, while Alessia looked after the kids.


    Despite being a member of a Prestigious Family, Gerald didn''t get any support from them. The only proof that he once belonged to that family was his surname.


    "What about you, Pops?" Thirteen asked. "Want to learn an amazing technique that will surpass the Leventis Sword Art?"


    Gerald rubbed his chin. "I want to know if what you did to Mikhail was a fluke or not. If you manage to strengthen your sister and your mother, I will ept your proposal."


    "Heh... I think you are making a big misunderstanding here, Pops," Thirteen said with a smirk. "Since you rejected my offer, you will have to beg me to teach you a technique when you change your mind. This is a limited-time offer, so choose wisely."


    Gerald was a bit conflicted about making this choice. The Leventis Sword Art was a technique that was taught to him at a young age, and he had been using it since then.


    The technique had already been ingrained in his body like muscle memory, making him feel that if he decided to start all over again with a new technique, all the years he trained would be wasted.


    Seeing his hesitation, Thirteen no longer insisted and asked Shasha and his mother to follow him to his room, where he would inscribe the Runic Letters on their bodies.


    He knew for certain that it would only be a matter of time before his father finally gave in, and when that day happened, he would never be the same again.


    Gerald and Alessia didn''t know how their son was able to impart Martial Techniques to them, and they would be lying if they said that they weren''t curious how he was able to do that.


    Alessia nned on asking this question to Zion, but since he was busy at the moment, she decided to ask himter after she received an upgrade to her own Martial Technique.

 Chapter 12: Dance Of The Moonlight

    <h4>Chapter 12: Dance Of The Moonlight</h4>


    Thirteen had asked Alessia to wait outside the door of his room, while he transferred a Martial Technique to his older sister, Shasha.


    He made sure to tell her that no matter what his mother heard or sensed, she must never barge inside the room because the consequences would be dire.


    The ritual to transfer techniques was a delicate process.


    If Thirteen was disturbed in the middle of it, he might suffer a bacsh, causing him brain damage.


    This was something he had to avoid no matter what, so he asked his mother to guard the door for his own safety.


    Unlike Mikhail, Shasha remained motionless as she scribbled the runes on her body using a marker pen. She didn''t talk or giggle like Mikhail did.


    It was not because she was cold, but because she was the serious type of girl.


    Also, she trusted that her little brother wouldn''t do anything to harm her, so she simply did as she was told and sat cross-legged on the floor.


    When Thirteen was done, he carefully ced twenty Jinn Cores around her body, and ced two Majin Cores in front of him, holding one Majin Core with both hands.


    After giving Mikhail the War God''s War Axe Technique, he was already thinking of what Martial Skill to give her sister.


    However, after his mother, Alessia, decided to learn a Technique of her own, he changed the Martial Technique that he was nning to give Shasha into something else.


    The reason? It was because of his Mother.


    If Shasha were the only one to learn a Martial Technique, Thirteen would have picked the best one for Solo Fighters.


    But when Alessia was added to the picture, it opened up several possibilities. There were Martial Techniques that came in pairs. Especially techniques that focused on certain weapons or certain battle styles.


    These Paired Techniques resulted in a resonance, which would strengthen their effects multiple times, greatly boosting the fighting abilities of their users.


    Thirteen believed that there woulde a time when his family would fight side by side, so doing it like this would benefit them more.


    Soon, the Majin Cores in his hand glowed with power, allowing him to activate the runes that were now ced on the back of his right hand.


    The Jinn Cores around Shasha turned into particles of light one by one, merging with the runes on her body.


    Thirteen pressed his index and middle finger on his forehead as he began the extraction of the Martial Technique that he had chosen for Shasha.


    The name of this technique was the Dance of the Moonlight.


    It was a Fencing Skill that made its users look like they were dancing due to its graceful and fluid fighting style.


    It also allowed its user to teleport in short distances, using the shadows in their surroundings, allowing them flexibility for fight and flight responses.


    But the true beauty and deadliness of this skill was magnified during the night.


    Just as the name suggested, it was a skill that showed its full potential on nights when the moon hung in the sky.


    Pangea only had one moon, while the world of Solterra had two. This meant that this skill''s strength would be further amplified because it was getting power from two moons, instead of one.


    The Martial Skill that Thirteen nned to give his motherter on was called Dance of Sris.


    As the name implied, this was a Martial Skill that worked wonders during the day or when the wielder of the technique was illuminated by a light source.


    If the Dance of the Moonlight and Dance of Sris were to appear on the same battlefield, a resonance would happen.


    Regardless of the time of day, their users would reach the maximum boost they could receive from their Martial Technique.


    Also, their attacks would be imbued by the power of the Elements of Light and Darkness, making them even deadlier.


    Both wielders would also gain ess to the Martial Skills of each other, allowing the one who practiced Dance of Sris to teleport through shadows, and the practitioner of Dance of the Moonlight to unleash the Swords of Light.


    After extracting the technique from his memories, Thirteen poked Shasha''s head with his index finger, allowing her to absorb the skill directly.


    Simr to what happened to Mikhail, Shasha fell into a trance, closing her eyes to digest the information that was passed to her.


    ''One down,'' Thirteen thought as he panted for breath.


    He then walked toward his bed andid down on it for a while, to take a short rest.


    An hourter, he opened his eyes and observed his sister, who was still sitting cross-legged on the floor.


    Not wanting to disturb her, Thirteen left the room and talked to his mother, who was waiting for them outside.


    "I have already transferred the Martial Technique to Shasha," Thirteen said. "But it will take her some time to digest it. Also, I feel too exhausted to do the ritual a second time today. I''ll pass over your technique tomorrow, Mother."


    Alessia nodded with a smile. "I''m not in a hurry. So, did you give your sister a good technique?"


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "I gave her the best."


    "Will you then give me the same technique tomorrow?"


    "No. But, I assure you that you will not be disappointed with what I have in mind, Mother."


    Thirteen began to exin about the Paired Technique that he chose for mother and sister. The more Alessia heard about the skill, the more interested she became in acquiring it.


    The Fencing Technique she was currently practicing was only a Silver-Grade Technique.


    While it wasn''t the worst, it wasn''t the best either.


    The Basic Martial Techniques were divided into the ranks of Bronze, Silver, and Gold.


    The Advanced Martial Techniques were divided into the ranks of Mythical, Legendary, and Divine.


    Ironically, the Martial Techniques of the Five Monarchs that stood at the peak of Humanity were only of the Mythical Rank.


    On the other hand, the Skills that Thirteen was teaching his family were of the Divine Rank.


    Techniques that could only be bought in the System Shop for millions of System Points!


    Simply put, he was cheating!


    And he didn''t feel even a single ounce of guilt in doing it.


    Mythical Rank Martial Techniques?


    Excuse me? Is that some kind of Peasant joke that I''m too rich and powerful to understand?


    "Zion, no matter what happens, you must never tell anyone about this," Alessia said in a solemn tone. "If wordes out that you are able to impart powerful techniques like this, The Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families will definitely do everything in their power to get their hands on you."


    Thirteen nodded. "I know, Mother. My knowledge is only for the members of our family. Don''t worry, I also added some insurance, preventing others from extracting the knowledge from Mikhail and Shasha. Anyone who tries will suffer a fate worse than death."


    The five-year-old smiled evilly, making Alessia smile evilly as well.


    The beautiful woman had no love for the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.


    This was especially true for the Leventis Family, who had disowned her husband for choosing to marry her instead of one of thedies from the Ten Prestigious Families to strengthen the alliance between the two sides.


    Thirteen didn''t really care about politics, but he was not in a position to ignore the current state of things.


    He nned to visit the Leventis Family sooner orter because he wanted to know if they could be used or not.


    He still hadn''t forgotten his grudge against the System God, as well as the current Patriarch of the Ashford n, Aaron Ashford.


    Since his old man was a bit harder to fight head-on, he decided to just shift his target to the person who killed one of his former hosts first.


    Compared to the System God, Killing a Monarch was much more doable.


    So until Thirteen got his revenge on the backstabbing mortal, he would leave his old man alone, while giving him the middle finger in his heart.

 Chapter 13: Shine Like The Blazing Sun

    <h4>Chapter 13: Shine Like The zing Sun</h4>


    Eight hourster, Shasha broke out of her trance.


    The first thing she did was ask Alessia to prepare her something good to eat before returning to her own room to rest.


    She initially wanted to test her gains, but her mind was too exhausted, as was expected of an eight-year-old girl.


    The next day, before the sun could even rise from the East, Shasha was already in the training grounds, practicing the basic footwork and stances of the technique Thirteen imparted to her, Dance of the Moonlight.


    Currently, the only things she could use were the stances and sword strikes. She couldn''t summon the special abilities of the technique since her current vessel still didn''t have the capacity to implement it.


    After sessfully finishing her First Wandering and gaining the power from The One, only then would she be able to teleport through the shadows, unleashing deadly attacks that could catch her opponents by surprise.


    Thirteen was very happy with his sister''s single-minded pursuit to be stronger. Perhaps not wanting to lose to Shasha, Mikhail also trained extra hard to master his own technique.


    He wasn''t a genius like his sister, but when it came to persistence and maybe stubbornness, which he inherited from their father, he was far from losing out. Mikhail was willing to go above and beyond in order to be stronger.


    ''The children of this world are really different,'' Thirteen thought. ''Then again, this world isn''t a normal one either.''


    Tier 1 and Tier 2 Dimensional Gates would sometimes appear in their own city at any given time.


    Because of this, the children of Pangea understood how harsh the world they were currently in was.


    The powerless would be killed, so as a precaution, some of the families would even hire Wanderers to train their children from a young age.


    They hoped that once their children turned thirteen and took part in their First Wandering, their chances of survival would be higher than most.


    There were even Academies specially made for the purpose of training the next generation of Wanderers.


    Gerald and Alessia didn''t let their children enter these learning institutions because they believed that they would be able to teach them better.


    Also, some of these institutions were either backed by the Central Government, the Five Monarch ns, or the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Although they did teach many ways of survival, they also brainwashed the children into patronizing the families that founded the institution.


    The Elites who graduated from these academies would then be the subordinates of these Factions, making them part of their private armies.


    As a member of one of the Ten Prestigious Families, Gerald knew this all too well.


    He even had his own team of subordinates when he was still part of the Leventis Family. Unfortunately, his group was disbanded after his father disowned him.


    Truth be told, Thirteen could somewhat sympathize with his current father.


    Like his father, he was disowned by the System God. Both of them were also the ck sheep of their families.


    An hourter, it was Alessia''s turn to learn the Dance of Sris.


    In order to ensure that there would be no mishaps, he asked Mikhail to stand by the door, which thetter epted with a solemn expression on his face.


    Since Gerald wanted to keep his current Sword Art, Thirteen didn''t insist on letting him learn a new one.


    He would just wait for his mother to beat his father up once the two of them sparred to make thetter understand what he was missing.


    "... What are you doing, Zion?" Alessia blinked in confusion when her son started to scribble symbols on her body using a marker pen.


    "Don''t talk. Don''t move. Don''t do anything," Thirteen stated. "Don''t disrupt my concentration. The bacsh might cause me to suffer brain injuries."


    After hearing his reply, Alessia no longer talked despite her curiosity.


    Thirteen sighed in his heart. Unlike his siblings, their mother was an adult, so of course, she would find what he was doing silly.


    Also, he used psychology to ensure that his mother really wouldn''t move or distract him during the ritual.


    She was already very sad when her son looked at her as if she was aplete stranger.


    Alessia wouldn''t do anything that would make her experience the same thing twice in a row.


    An hourter, Thirteen told Mikhail that he could continue training because the ritual was over.


    The older boy happily went to the Training Grounds to spar with Shasha in order to see how much she had improved after learning her Martial Technique.


    Alessia was in a trance, but there was no longer any danger of a bacsh. Because of this, Thirteen simply locked his door and plopped down on his bed to sleep.


    He woke up four hourster, just in time for lunch.


    His mother was still in a trance, so he left her alone and ced a "do not disturb" sign on the door, so no one would barge in without him.


    When he arrived in the Dining Room, his father and siblings had just begun to eat.


    "How is your mother?" Gerald asked after serving his son a te of bacon and eggs.


    He didn''t really know how to cook food, and the most he could do was fry things.


    Even so, it was still passable.


    "You''ll know either tonight or tomorrow, Pops," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure that Mom will look for you for a spar once she has finished her enlightenment."


    "Really?" Gerald smirked. "I look forward to it."


    The five-year-old smiled mischievously at his Father. Gerald definitely had no idea about what he would be facing.


    If his Mother truly understood the technique, she would challenge Gerald tomorrow at noon when the sun was at its peak, allowing her to unleash her full might.


    Unlike Shasha, his Mother would be capable of using the Dance of Sris once she understood the basics.


    She was already a superhuman and blessed with the ability to use spells, skills, and other techniques due to her current level of strength.


    All she needed was time to build her foundations.


    Thirteen believed that once Alessia fully mastered the Dance of Sris, she would be able to defeat enemies who were a Rank above her without a problem.


    That was how strong a Divine Martial Technique was, and in the hands of an expert, its true prowess would shine like the zing sun.

 Chapter 14: The Perfect Scapegoat!

    <h4>Chapter 14: The Perfect Scapegoat!</h4>


    The sound of weapons shing against each other reverberated inside the training room.


    Alessia and Gerald were sparring against each other, and the two were evenly matched¡ªat least for the time being.


    That all changed when the beautiful woman smirked and summoned several swords of light that circled around her, forcing her husband to distance himself.


    But, that was a mistake.


    The swords of light shot toward him like missiles, forcing him to dodge, deflect, and block them.


    While he sumbed to this distraction, Alessia managed to close the gap between them, and she ced her sword against her husband''s neck, ending the duel.


    "You cheated," Gerald said in a bitter tone.


    "I did," Alessia admitted. "But it surprised you, right?"


    Gerald nodded because this was indeed the case. He had been so used to his wife''s fighting style that the moment she changed her approach, he found it hard to counter her moves.


    Neither of them unleashed their full powers, not wanting to potentially destroy the Training Grounds and possibly their house as well.


    But the power Alessia disyed was enough to convince her husband that she had gotten much stronger after three days ofprehending her new Martial Technique.


    "Just how is Zion able to do this?" Gerald asked as he wiped away his sweat using the hand towel that Shasha had given him.


    "I asked him this question as well. And do you know what kind of answer he gave me?" Alessia asked back.


    "I don''t know, but I''m sure you''ll tell me."


    "You''re no fun."


    Alessia then nced at her five-year-old, who was currently ying a game of "Catch Ball" with her youngest daughter, Remi.


    Alessia didn''t know that Thirteen was already starting his little sister''s training at such a young age, allowing Remi to sharpen her senses and improve her reaction time.


    "Zion said that he had died momentarily in the hospital and met a God," Alessia replied. "He added that since he was too young, too handsome, and too awesome to die, the God decided to bestow him with knowledge for how to seed in life. However, he was banned from spreading this knowledge outside of our family."


    "... I know that this may sound strange, but I am very inclined to believe this story," Gerald replied.


    This was the only reasonable exnation he could ept as to why his son was able to act mature for his age, as well as know things that even they didn''t know about.


    "Me, too," Alessia admitted. "But he''s alive and healthy. That''s all that matters. He''s still young, so although he lost his memories, he can still create new ones as he grows up."


    Gerald nodded. "Well, at least that exins why he had been able to give the three of you these Martial Techniques. By the way, did he mention the Rank of these Techniques?"


    "Mythical Rank," Alessia replied in a heartbeat.


    "Hahaha! Very funny," Gerald chuckled. "So, what is its real Rank?"


    "Mythical."


    "... Are you serious?"


    Even the Leventis Sword Art was only at the peak of the Gold Grade, which meant that the skill that Alessia and his two children had learned was greater than the ones owned by the Ten Prestigious Families.


    What Alessia didn''t know was that Thirteen had lied to her.


    The techniques he had given his family members were Divine Ranked Martial Techniques.


    The only reason why he didn''t tell them the truth was for two reasons.


    The first one was that he had a feeling that his Mother and Father wouldn''t believe him if he were to say that they were now in possession of three Divine Ranked Martial Techniques.


    The second reason was for his family''s safety.


    Currently, the highest known grade for Martial Skills was of the Mythical Rank. If a technique that surpassed that Rank suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it would cause the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families to target Thirteen and his family.


    In order to avoid that issue, he only said that it was of the Mythical Rank.


    His Father and Mother were both Wanderers, so the two could simply say that they discovered an Ancient Ruin where they gained these skills as a reward after clearing it.


    Although this story was suspicious, there was no other exnation as to how someone like them was able to gain the Martial Techniques that they now possessed.


    Fortunately, Thirteen''s brother and sister were still young, so they were unable to unleash the full power of their newfound abilities, allowing them to avoid suspicions.


    If someone asked how they came into possession of such powerful Martial Arts, he could just chuck the me to "The One," making the Omnipotent Being the perfect scapegoat!


    "I hope The One doesn''t make things difficult for him in his First Wandering," Gerald said, feeling uneasy that his five-year-old was using the Omnipotent Being who stood above all Wanderers as a shield to get away with his antics.


    "So, are you nning to get a stronger Martial Technique?" Alessia asked.


    "I can''t," Gerald replied in a heartbeat. "The moment I stop using the Leventis Sword Style is the moment I truly break away from the family. Although I got disowned, I still kept my Family name. Since that is the case, I am expected to carry on the family''s fighting style."


    Alessia smiled. "Zion had a feeling that you would say that, so he told me to tell you this."


    The beautiful woman cleared her throat and tried to imitate her five-year-old''s way of speaking.


    "Pops, you don''t have to change your Fighting Style," Alessia said while trying to use Zion''s tone. "What I''m going to give you is the upgraded version of the Leventis Sword Style. It works the same way as your fighting style, but many times better.


    "In fact, the moment your family sees this fighting style, all of them will beg you to return to them so that you can teach them all this technique!"


    The handsome man frowned before shifting his gaze to his son, who was still ying Catch with his daughter Remi.


    "I will be going to Solterra two weeks from now to do a mission," Gerald said. "Will I have enough time to learn it?"


    "You will," Alessia assured him. "After all, you are the genius of the Leventis Family that your family failed to rein in, unlike your brothers and sisters."


    Gerald sighed after hearing his wife''s words.


    He was indeed hailed as the genius of the family, which was one of the reasons why his mother insisted that he kept the Leventis name despite being disowned by his father.


    "Fine," Gerald replied. "You win. I n to return home safely to all of you after all."


    Alessia''s gaze softened as she moved close to her husband to kiss his right cheek.


    "You do that," Alessia said softly. "Our kids are still young. They still need their father."


    Gerald didn''t know that this decision of his would end up saving his life, allowing him to return to his family after barely surviving an assassination attempt made by a mysterious organization that operated in one of the Human Kingdoms of Solterra.

 Chapter 15: Child Labor Is Against The Law, You Know?

    <h4>Chapter 15: Child Labor Is Against The Law, You Know?</h4>


    The Leventis Sword Art, also known as Heaven''s Divide, was worthy of its rank as a Peak-Gold Grade Martial Technique.


    Even Thirteen was quite impressed by it after checking its information in his Memory Core.


    There was a reason why many believed that the Leventis Family was the strongest among the Ten Prestigious Families.


    But even though it was good, in the end, it was just a Peak-Gold Grade Martial Technique.


    Thirteen had countless Divine Techniques at his disposal, allowing those who wield them to Transcend to the peak of the Martial Arts.


    Since his Father was the family''s provider, he needed to make Gerald strong, allowing thetter to provide him with a secure and stable environment to grow up into.


    Using the Heaven''s Divide as a base, Thirteen simted which among the Divine Martial Techniques waspatible with this Sword Art.


    After an entire day of careful elimination, the five-year-old decided tobine it with a Divine Grade Technique called Eternal de.


    The Heaven''s Divide Martial Technique focused on hitting the enemies and dealing Divine Damage to them with each blow.


    They were like Pdins and were very proficient in being great damage dealers. But, there was one problem.


    Their footwork was mediocre. Simply put, they could only show their might "if" they could hit their opponents or get close enough to do so.


    Topensate for this problem, the Leventis Family used a Movement Technique called Heaven''s Walk.


    Thirteen couldn''t help but wonder why the Patriarch of the Leventis Family was so focused on choosing skills that had the word "Heaven" in it.


    "What''s so good about Heaven?" Thirteen snorted. "My Old Man is up there, and he looked and smelled like a piece of sh*t."


    Suddenly, he heard a loud rumbling of thunder in the sky, making him snicker.


    ''Guess I pissed off the old man,'' Thirteenughed internally. ''Oh! How good it is to roast him, and he can''t fight back!''


    Thirteen knew that the Gods couldn''t freely interfere in the mortal realm because they were bound by Divine Laws.


    What his Father, Deus Ex Machina, did was still tolerable since he didn''t break any rules.


    He chose a child who was about to die and merged Thirteen''s Core into the boy''s body.


    Gods were allowed to do this, as long as they didn''t do it often.


    This was also why some of them could summon Heroes from other worlds to appear in their worlds and do things for them that they were unable to do¡ªlike killing Demon Lords with their own two hands.


    The Heaven''s Walk could be considered a decent Movement Technique since it waspatible with Heaven''s Divide.


    Even so, it didn''tpletely fix the problem.


    At most, it was only passable in Thirteen''s eyes. Of course, the Leventis Patriarch couldn''t be med for this.


    Getting Skills and Skill Books from Solterra wasn''t an easy thing to do.


    Since beggars couldn''t be choosers, he chose the Movement Technique that somewhat supported their Family''s Sword Art.


    Thirteen''s choice, Eternal de, was a Divine Grade Technique that was verypatible with Heaven''s Divide.


    Not only did it hit hard, but it also came with its own set of Movement Technique, allowing its user to move fast and hit fast at the same time.


    But there was a strict requirement for using this technique.


    The user must have a high tolerance for pain.


    Executing this technique would put a great burden on its user''s body. Only those who had trained their Physical Might and Endurance to the very limit were capable of using this technique.


    Fortunately, his Father was a masochist¡ªerr, someone who had trained his body to the peak.


    In fact, all those who mastered Heaven''s Divide were required to have a strong body. This technique required them to get close to their enemies, so they were bound to get hit before they could deal their blows to their targets.


    This was why Thirteen was confident that if the Patriarch of the Leventis Family saw his Father with the improved version of their Sword Art, the former would definitely not hesitate to bring thetter back to the family by hook or by crook.


    ''Kukuku!'' Thirteen chuckled as he merged the Heaven''s Divide Martial Skill and the Eternal de Martial Skill, forming the Heaven''s de Martial Skill.


    Although it was supposed to have disadvantages, all of those downsides were negated because of his father''s strong physique.


    ''This would have been a profitable business if I hadn''t been born in Pangea,'' Thirteen thought. ''I have too many restrictions ced on me.''


    Unfortunately, due to the contract he had with the Lace Demon and The One, he was unable to create Martial Techniques for other people with the exception of his own family.


    In short, if he didn''t want to be erased, it was impossible for him to start this Martial Skill selling business!


    Two dayster, Gerald came to find him due to Alessia''s encouragement.


    Of course, Thirteen happily bestowed the Martial Technique to his father, making thetter look at his son in disbelief.


    "H-How?" Gerald asked. "Just how did you manage to create a Martial Technique that fits our Family''s Sword Style perfectly?"


    "Pops, your son is a genius," Thirteen replied. "Juste back safely and bring me Cores and Monster Parts. Also, once you return, use some of your spoils to build a smithy in our house. I want to experiment with cksmithing."


    "... Zion, you''re just a five-year-old," Gerald said in a solemn tone. "You won''t even have the strength to lift a smith''s hammer."


    "Of course, I know that," Thirteen looked at his father with confusion. "Did you think I would be the one doing the hammering?"


    "If not you, then who?"


    "Who else? Of course, you''re going to do the manualbor, Pops. Forcing a five-year-old to perform childbor is against thew, you know?"


    The corner of Gerald''s lips twitched after hearing his son''s reply. He couldn''t believe that his own son was nning to use him as aborer for his smithing experiments!


    Thirteen only looked at his father with a devilish smile on his face. He nned to work hard for his family, but they had to work hard for him as well.


    Only by working together as a team would they be able to safeguard their family''s interests and keep their enemies in the dark.


    Thirteen still had eight more years to spare before his First Wandering, so until that fateful day, he would arm his family members to the teeth.


    This would allow them to safelyplete their missions in Solterra, paving the way for his arrival.

 Chapter 16: Thirteen’s Personal Divine Grade Techniques [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 16: ?Thirteen¡¯s Personal Divine Grade Techniques [Part 1]</h4>


    "I''ll be going now," Gerald said before kissing his wife. "Take care of the kids, and don''t miss me too much."


    "Be careful," Alessia kissed him back. "Come back to us safely."


    "I will. I promise."


    "Mmm."


    After saying goodbye to his wife, Gerald also hugged and kissed his children one by one.


    When he was about to kiss Thirteen, the five-year-old used Remi as a shield, making Gerald chuckle.


    He then picked up his youngest daughter and kissed her cheeks twice. Remi did the same, making Gerald miss her already.


    "Don''t worry, Pops," Thirteen said. "I''ll protect the family while you are away."


    Gerald shook his head helplessly before ruffling his son''s hair, who gave him an annoyed look.


    "I leave everyone to you, Zion," Gerald stated. "Take care of them while I''m gone."


    "Of course. Make sure to bring home as many Jinn and Majin Cores as you can. Also, don''t forget to bring home some monster parts. I''ll put them to good use."


    "Okay." Gerald nodded before cing his beloved daughter down. "I''m off, everyone."


    Gerald entered the small gateway that he hadmissioned to be installed inside their home so that he and Alessia coulde and go as they pleased.


    The instation was very expensive, but the couple still decided to go through with it.


    If Gerald wanted to go to Solterra, he would have to use the gateway in the center of the city, which belonged to the Central Government.


    He would need to pay a fee to use the Teleportation Gate, and all resources he brought back home with him from Solterra would have to be inspected by them as well.


    Everyone who used the Gate as a means of transport was required to pay 20% of their spoils, which was something Gerald and Alessia wanted to avoid.


    Only those working for the Central Government were exempt from this rule, which was also their way of recruiting Wanderers into their ranks.


    The Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families had simr arrangements.


    All of them had secured their own Gateways, allowing them to travel to Solterra and vice versa. Of course, their affiliates and subordinates were exempt from the fees as well.


    Gerald''s mother had pleaded with her husband to allow Gerald to have a small gateway that allowed a handful of people to enter.


    Her reasoning was simple. Although he was disowned, Gerald still had Leventis as his surname.


    They would be theughingstock of the world if someone sharing theirst name was asked to pay the entrance and exit fees to use the Gateways that belonged to the Central Government and other families.


    In the end, the Patriarch of the Leventis n reluctantly agreed, but he made sure to make Gerald and Alessia shoulder the expenses of building the gateway, not giving them any discounts at all.


    Of course, there were other ways of going to Solterra without the need to enter these Gateways.


    But doing so was a gamble.


    As Wanderers, they had the ability to move between worlds and appear in Solterra and Pangea. But the locations where they would appear werepletely random.


    If Gerald were to appear in some other ce in Solterra that he wasn''t familiar with, he would have to survive on his own until he could find a Gateway that would bring him back home.


    Likewise, if he returned to Pangea without using a gateway, there was a chance that he would unluckily spawn in thends that had already been conquered by the Jinns.


    If that happened, he was as good as f*cked.


    In short, the Gateways were a means to travel and to arrive at a fixed location safely.


    Truth be told, the first Generation Gateways that appeared on Pangea were the ones that the people used in the past.


    However, as people became stronger, their greed became stronger as well.


    The Central Government seized these gateways and monopolized the ess to them.


    It could also be said that all the Gateways owned by the Central Government, the Monarch ns, and the Ten Prestigious Families were the First Generation Gateways that appeared in the world, including the Gateway that was located in the center of the city where Thirteen and his family lived.


    It was Capitalism at its finest!


    In short, in order to avoid harassment and gain easy ess to these Gateways, one would need to join the Central Government or be the subordinate of either the Five Monarch ns or the Ten Prestigious Families.


    If someone didn''t want to join, that was fine too. But they needed to pay the price for using their Gateways.


    The Leventis Family watched as Gerald turned into particles of light after entering the Gateway.


    A minute after his father had gone to Solterra, Thirteen returned to his room to n his next course of action.


    ''ording to Pops, he will be away for a month or two,'' Thirteen thought. ''For the time being, I should decide what kind of Martial Techniques I will be using.''


    Unlike the custom Martial Techniques that Thirteen had given his family, he nned to use several Divine Grade Techniques for himself.


    Due to the restrictions ced on him, he wouldn''t be able to unleash their full powers.


    The reason? It was because he could only reach the Rookie Rank.


    Those who managed to survive their First Wandering would unlock the potential within their bodies, allowing them to use skills that they could gain from Solterra.


    This first Stage was called the Rookie Rank.


    And, this was the only Rank that Thirteen could attain, regardless of how many Beast Cores he consumed to reach the next Rank.


    The Rank Ban ensured that he would not get past the Rookie Rank unless he was able to find a way to destroy its effectpletely.


    Thirteen had no solution for this problem in the short term, so in order topensate for his shorings, he decided to be a Jack of All Trades.


    He nned to master all the weapons in the world and use all the Divine Grade Techniques in his arsenal.

 Chapter 17: Thirteen’s Personal Divine Grade Techniques [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 17: Thirteen¡¯s Personal Divine Grade Techniques [Part 2]</h4>


    The only magic that The One and Lace Demon approved for him to use was Rune Magic. He could use this Unique Ability up to its Intermediate Rank, which wasn''t so bad.


    There was simply one big downside to using Rune Magic, which was that it consumed a lot of resources. Lots and lots of resources!


    ''Since my body is still young, and I can''t carry heavy weapons, I''ll master throwing and shooting techniques first,'' Thirteen thought. ''For Throwing knives, throwing stones, slingshots, javelins, crossbows, and bows, it''s better if I first study the Martial Technique, Cheap Shot Savant.''


    Thirteen particrly liked this Martial Technique because one of his previous hosts was a Cheap Shot Savant.


    The bastard would always attack his enemies from a distance, using the most optimum weapon in his arsenal. If the target was far away, he would use bows, crossbows, and slingshots.


    For mid-range, he would use javelins.


    For short-range, he would use throwing knives, darts, and stones.


    Heck, there was even a time when his Host picked up Dwarves and threw them like cannonballs, allowing the closebat fighters on his side to get up close and personal with their targets.


    Of course, the only reason why his previous Host had been able to aplish such a feat was due to the fact that he was a two-meter-tall Barbarian who disliked fighting using swords and axes.


    It was a very shameless and dirty way of fighting, which was perfect for Thirteen, who had no ns of fighting fair and square.


    ''For Unarmed Combat, I will choose Beast Heart Drunken Fist.'' Thirteen chuckled internally. ''I can''t go wrong with that one. My first choice would be the Fist of the Northstar, but the Copyright God would punch me to death, so I can''t use it.''


    Among the unarmedbat techniques of the Monk ss, the Drunken Fist was still the most unpredictable and annoying Martial Technique in their arsenal.


    Paired with the power of Bestial Strength, those who''d make the mistake of assuming that Thirteen was an easy pick without any weapon would find themselves getting pummeled to oblivion before they even knew what hit them.


    ''As for closebat weapons, I prefer Dual Wielding with short swords and daggers rather than using a single sword,'' Thirteen smirked.


    The reason why he chose this fighting style?


    Because it was cooler!


    Dual-wielding made someone look like an expert fighter, and Thirteen wanted to look cool and intimidating.


    Also, when he fought the System God with a sword, it didn''t work.


    Since that was the case, he decided to choose a different style this time, so when they met again, things would end up differently.


    ''Hmm... I can use the Martial Technique called Unlimited de Works. But this also belongs to the Copyright God, so I''ll get a strike if I use it.'' Thirteen grumbled. ''I guess I''ll settle for Righteous Sentinel.''


    The Righteous Sentinel Martial Technique was both an offensive and defensive Martial Technique.


    However, it shined the most when the one using it wore vambraces or gauntlets.


    The Righteous Sentinels had incorporated defense in this Martial Technique, using vambraces and gauntlets as shields.


    With this battle style, there was no need to carry shields on the battlefield, making it a very versatile battle style.


    Of course, the vambraces had to be specifically crafted to withstand blows, serving as a shield in times of emergency.


    Fortunately, with Thirteen''s cksmithing Knowledge and Rune Magic, he would be able to create these armaments, which he would be able to use during his Third Wandering.


    During the First Wandering and the Second Wandering, the Chosen Ones would be unable to bring any weapons, armor, essories, or artifacts to Solterra.


    The omnipotent being who ruled over this world didn''t want anyone to gain a massive advantage from the get-go, especially those who were born from powerful and influential families.


    Those who managed to survive their First and Second Wanderings would gain The One''s recognition, granting them the right to use stronger and more powerful equipment up to two Ranks higher than their current ranks.


    This also applied to Avatars, which could be passed down to them through trading.


    While this might not sound fair to those who didn''t have a strong backing, it was nobody''s fault.


    Life was never fair, and they could only me themselves for not being born into rich and influential families.


    Fortunately, Thirteen didn''t have this problem.


    Even though his father was kicked out of the Leventis Family, he was still a very strong and capable Wanderer.


    A Wanderer that Thirteen could exploit to collect resources for him during his Wanderings.


    ''As for my movement technique... I''ll choose two,'' Thirteen thought as he chose the Movement Techniques called Traceless Shadow and Steadfast Brawler.


    Traceless Shadow was a Movement Technique used by Divine Assassins because it didn''t leave any traces, like sound and footprints, behind. Its user''s steps would be as light as a feather, allowing them to move stealthily without being detected.


    Steadfast Brawler, on the other hand, was a Movement Technique created for brawling. It was fast and unpredictable, allowing the user to create attacks of opportunity when mastered to its peak.


    Itplemented Thirteen''s Fighting Styles, allowing him to fight like a Brawler using his Beast Heart Drunken Fist and Righteous Sentinel Dual Wielding Battle Art.


    With these two Movement Techniques, Thirteen had all of his bases covered. He could be as stealthy as an Assassin going for the kill, or be as reckless as a brawler in one-on-one or group battles.


    "Cheap Shot Savant, Beast Heart Drunken Master, Righteous Sentinel, Traceless Shadow, and Steadfast Brawler," Thirteen muttered. "These will be my Core Fighting Styles, and all of them are Divine Grade Techniques."


    Thirteen believed that once he mastered these Techniques, he would be fine until he reached the third stage of the Human Rankings, which was called the Apostle Stage.


    Although he would stay at the Rookie Rank, the number of Techniques he could use would make up for his shorings.


    Force had no ce where there was a need for skill.


    Just like the Leventis Family''s Sword Art, Heaven''s Divide.


    "No matter how strong they can hit, if they can''t hit their target then it is meaningless," Thirteen said before closing his eyes. "Those who say that ''in the face of absolute strength, all tricks are meaningless'' are idiots. Strength alone can''t win wars. Strategies also y a role in it.


    "Although I can''t have Absolute Strength in the short term, I am confident that I have Absolute Strategy and Absolute Tricks up my sleeves."


    As a System who had thousands of years of experience under his belt, Thirteen was certain that he would be able to outwit almost everyone, with the exception of Fate''s Chosen.


    The so-called Heroes were protected by Fate, preventing any harm from befalling upon them during their growth phase.


    But this rule was not absolute.


    Thirteen was confident that he would be able to deal with them. But, it would require very meticulous nning on his part.


    Since he chose to defy Fate, he would need to beat Fate at her own game, using her own rules against her.


    In the past, he was nothing but a bystander who could only watch helplessly as his Hosts were killed in front of him.


    Now that he was given the opportunity to step into the world and be one of its yers, Thirteen would not rest until he got his revenge.


    Even if this revenge would take him his entire lifetime to fulfill.

 Chapter 18: How About I Go In His Place?

    <h4>Chapter 18: How About I Go In His ce?</h4>


    "Ei!"


    "Good, you''re doing great, Remi."


    "Ei!"


    Alessia didn''t know whether she shouldugh or cry as she watched her youngest daughter being taught a kicking move by Thirteen.


    The five-year-old called this technique, the Nutcracker Kick, and he was teaching such a move to the two-year-old girl, whom he was supporting from behind.


    The young boy was holding her sister''s arms as support, while thetter kicked with her right foot, raising it as high as possible.


    "Ei!"


    "Good girl!"


    "Ei!"


    Not being able to take it any longer, the beautiful woman approached the two kids with a smile.


    "Zion, isn''t it too early for Remi to train?" Alessia asked.


    "Not really," Thirteen replied. "The earlier she masters this move, the more effective it will be when she grows up. Right, Remi?"


    "Ei!"


    Instead of answering, the little girl kicked one more time, making Alessia shake her head helplessly.


    Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew, making Thirteen and his mother frown.


    A momentter, a middle-aged man wearing a butler suit appeared several meters away from them and bowed his head respectfully.


    "I''m sorry foring unannounced, Lady Alessia," the Butler said apologetically. "I wanted toe through the front door, but I didn''t want to leave any trace of my arrival. I hope you don''t mind."


    Alessia''s face softened after seeing the butler who served the Main Branch of the Leventis Family.


    "Hans, it''s been a while," Alessia replied with a smile. "If you are looking for my husband, I''m afraid that he just left for Solterra. He will not return for a month or two."


    A sigh escaped Hans'' lips after hearing the beautiful woman''s words.


    "... Don''t tell me that Young Master Gerald is nning to run away this year again?" Hans asked.


    "I''m afraid that is indeed the case." Alessia sighed. "He leaves around this time of the year."


    "And here I thought I came early, but I''m stillte it seems."


    "Well, better luck next year, I guess?"


    The butler of the Leventis Family pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling incredibly disappointed.


    If only he hade a few days earlier, he might have been able to personally talk to his Young Master, who had been disowned by his Employer.


    "Is there something wrong, Hans?" Alessia inquired.


    Usually, the moment he knew that Gerald was not at home, he would leave immediately after a few pleasantries. But the Butler seemed to be conflicted, making Alessia wonder if something serious had happened back in the Leventis Residence.


    Perhaps, being able to guess what she was thinking, Hans shook his head.


    "It''s not as grave as you think, Lady Alessia," Hans stated. "It''s just that Lady Callista''s health hasn''t been the best as ofte. I was hoping to convince the Young Master to see her, even for a brief moment, during the Patriarch''s Birthday Celebration."


    "Oh, dear. Is my mother-inw sick?" Alessia asked.


    "Even if she is, she won''t say anything," Hans replied. "You know how stubborn she can be at times. Always pretending to be strong. But after spending many years with her, I could tell whenever she was not feeling well.


    "Although the poison in her body has been suppressed, it''s still not curedpletely. It''s getting worse with every passing year, especially since the Young Master left."


    Alessia felt troubled because she and Gerald''s mother got along very well.


    In fact, it was Lady Callista who had encouraged her to confess her feelings to her dense son who didn''t care about anything aside from fighting.


    Hearing that her mother-inw was still enduring the side effects of the poison, which she received from one of their Dimensional Raids when she apanied her husband, made her heart ache.


    "How about sending a representative instead?"


    A calm voice reached both of their ears, making the two look at the five-year-old boy who was walking toward his Mother, holding his sister''s hand.


    "Since Father can''t go, how about I go on his behalf?" Thirteen asked. "I also want to meet Grandmother."


    Hans looked at the little boy who had the same ck hair as his father and the same green eyes as his mother.


    "Young Master Zion, I don''t think it''s appropriate for you to go to the Patriarch''s Birthday Celebration," Hans replied in a respectful tone. "I''m afraid that the people at the party won''t look kindly at your presence."


    "Huh? What are you talking about, Hans?" Thirteen tilted his head in confusion. "I''m not going to the party to see those people. I only want to see and talk to Grandma. Those people you talk about can drink their piss for all I care."


    "..." Hans blinked before shifting his gaze to Alessia. "Lady Alessia, is he really five years old?"


    "You know, I''ve been asking that question a lot since we came back from the hospital," Alessia replied with a bitter smile. "He''s changed a lot since the incident."


    Hans nodded. "I can see that. In the past, Young Master Zion was a timid soul. But now, it seems that his personality has been flipped."


    Thirteen didn''t say anything and simply looked at Hans with great interest.


    Although he currently had no way to gauge a person''s exact Rank, he could instinctively tell that Hans was a very strong person.


    In fact, Thirteen believed that the Butler was even stronger than his Father and Mother. The discovery surprised him at first.


    ''Since Pops and Mother are both Grandmasters, that can only mean that he''s a Champion,'' Thirteen thought. ''A Champion who is working as a Butler. The Leventis Family is truly one of the ten Prestigious Families. I need to see if I can put my family connections to good use.''


    Hans was paying close attention to the little boy because he could sense great intellect in the boy''s eyes.


    These weren''t the eyes of an ordinary five-year-old, and only direct descendants of the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families had this kind of disposition at a young age.


    ''I don''t think it''s a good idea to bring this child to the Family Gathering,'' Hans thought. ''But he somewhat resembles his Father, so Callista might feel better after seeing him.''


    After pondering for a while, Hans agreed to bring Thirteen to the Birthday Celebration, which wouldmence in two weeks.


    As to whether he would regret his decision or not, he would find out on the fateful day when Thirteen appeared in the Main Residence of the Leventis Family during their Patriarch''s Birthday Party.

 Chapter 19: What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

    <h4>Chapter 19: What Can Possibly Go Wrong?</h4>


    Two weekster...


    "Zion, are you sure about this?" Alessia asked as she worriedly fixed her son''s clothes, making sure that he would look presentable in front of his Grandfather and Grandmother.


    "I am." Thirteen nodded. "Don''t think too much, Mother."


    "When you''re there, please watch your manners. Don''t talk rudely to people, okay?"


    "Okay."


    "Be obedient and follow Han''s instructions," Alessia nagged. "Please, don''t be rude to people, okay?"


    "How rude," Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "You mentioned being rude twice, Mother. I don''t think I''m rude."


    "Zion, you talk to adults as if they are your equals. That is being rude."


    "You''re right, Mother. I should talk to them like the insignificant insects that they are."


    "... Forget what I said earlier," Alessia said anxiously. "Just be more polite, okay?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Don''t worry, Mother. I''ll be on my best behavior."


    "Good." Alessia smiled as she looked at her son''s reflection in the mirror.


    Although Zion was still young, his good looks were already apparent, which was expected of someone born between her and Gerald.


    He looked more like his father, with the exception of his green eyes that he inherited from his mother.


    After making sure that nothing was wrong with his clothes, Alessia kissed his right cheek before taking him to the living room, where Hans was waiting.


    "He looks almost exactly like Master Gerald when he was his age," Hansmented. "I''ll have to be honest. Originally, I was skeptical about bringing him with me to the party to lighten up My Lady''s mood. But, after seeing him now, I''m sure my Lady will thank me for bringing him with me to the party... as to how the Master will think, I''ll worry about itter."


    "You have it hard, Hans," Alessia said with pity.


    "First and foremost, my loyalty is to Lady Callista," Hans replied firmly. "Even if I suffer a bitter, it will be worth it."


    Thirteen listened to the conversation and caught a few things of interest.


    First and foremost, although Hans was employed as a Butler in the Leventis Household, it seemed that he prioritized his Mistress, Lady Callista, over his Master, Arthur Leventis.


    ''Maybe I can use this.'' Thirteen smiled internally as he followed behind the Butler, who would take him to the Leventis Residence.


    The Continent of Aldebaran was jointly ruled by the Central Government, a Monarch n, and three Prestigious Families.


    The four other Monarch ns, as well as the other Prestigious Families, had "Branches" that were allowed to operate within the Aldebaran Continent.


    This was the arrangement for all continents, which meant that the Leventis Family had other Branch Families on the other continents as well.


    Hans brought his own car, which they would be riding to travel to their destination.


    At first, he wanted to bring a limousine, but there was no spare that was avable for him to use because they were already reserved by the members of the Main and Branch Families.


    "Young Master Zion, I''m sure that Lady Alessia has already told you this, but please, be on your best behavior the moment we arrive at the Main Residence," Hans said as he looked at the five-year-old in his rear-view mirror.


    "Understood, Hans," Thirteen replied. "You''re such a worrywart. I mean, what can possibly go wrong?"


    "Young Master, please, don''t jinx it."


    "Tsk."


    The Butler shook his head helplessly as he shifted his attention back to the road. It wasn''t just the Leventis Family that would participate in this special event.


    Representatives of the Five Monarch ns and nine other Prestigious Families would also be present in the celebration.


    While Hans was deep in thought about how Zion would be treated by the Leventis Family, the little boy suddenly asked him a question.


    "Tell me, Hans. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to cure my Grandma''s illness?"


    "Young Master, are you saying that you have a way to cure My Lady''s poison?"


    "That will depend on your answer, Hans."


    As someone who had followed his Hosts in different world settings, Thirteen had a hunch that Hans liked his Grandma.


    Liking was perhaps an understatement. He was pretty sure that Hans was in love with her. But, he wasn''t sure of it. Because of this, he decided to ask a question that would confirm whether his suspicions were correct or not.


    "Young Master, My Lady has been seen by many Specialists, including experts from the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families. The only thing they could do for her was to suppress the spread of the poison in her body, allowing her to live a somewhat normal life. I doubt that a five-year-old like Young Master Zion has a means to cu¡ª"


    But, before he could finish what he was going to say, Thirteen cut him off.


    "Hans, do you really believe that bullsh*t?" Thirteen asked. "Every poison has an antidote, and every sickness has a cure. Some of them are just not discovered yet. So, I ask you once again¡ªIF, and I say IF, I can cure Grandma''s condition, what are you willing to do for me in return?


    "You already said it. She had already been checked by numerous Specialists, and the only thing they were able to do was suppress the poison in her body. So, you have nothing to lose by telling me the price you are willing to pay so that her suffering can finally end."


    Hans pulled the car to the side and stared at the rear-view mirror, showing the reflection of a five-year-old boy who had a faint smile stered on his face.


    "Young Master Zion, are you really five years old?"


    "You still haven''t answered my questions, Hans. So, what are you willing to give in exchange for my Grandma''s cure?"


    Hans remained silent for half a minute before he gave his reply.


    "I would do anything you ask me to, is what I''d like to say," Hans replied. "But, I have a feeling that I woulde to regret that decision. So, how about apromise? Cure My Lady of her illness, and you can order me three times. As long as they are within my abilities, I will do them.


    "Even if I have to risk my life to follow those orders. However, I have one condition. These orders must not harm the Leventis Family, in any way whatsoever."


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips rose up in a smirk because he finally confirmed Hans'' true feelings for his Grandma. Since that was the case, he would exploit his feelings for her, and make him one of his first allies outside of his own family.


    "Good," Thirteen replied. "When we arrive at the Leventis Residence, I want you to do something for me."


    The young boy told the Butler what he needed to do in order to determine if he would be able to help his Grandma or not.


    Once the five-year-old was finished with his exnation, the Butler nodded his head and agreed to his instructions.


    "Young Master, you were hospitalized after that incident, right?" Hans asked.


    "Mmm, that''s right," Thirteen replied.


    "Are you still the Young Master whom I know?" Hans asked in a teasing tone. "If I didn''t know better, I''d probably think that a Devil had taken over his body."


    "How rude," Thirteen replied. "Although there are instances where Devils do possess the bodies of people, they prefer to take the souls of people more."


    "Then, that means that the current Young Master is more dangerous than a Devil."


    "Only to my enemies, Hans. As for those who I consider to be my people, I will be their strongest ally and most steadfast of supporters."


    Hans felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the devilish smile on the five-year-old''s face.


    Although his Rank was a Champion, one who was considered a true Powerhouse in the world, he still felt as if he was just a puppet on a string who was dancing on the palm of the little boy''s hand.

 Chapter 20: A Grandmother’s Love [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 20: A Grandmother¡¯s Love [Part 1]</h4>


    Thirteen was certain that he had a good grasp on identifying whether someone was worth befriending or not.


    He could have behaved like any five-year-old would around Hans, but thetter was giving him a good vibe. For this reason, he didn''t act any differently around him than how he acted with his family.


    He also needed someone from the Leventis Family to keep him updated on any news that might affect his family, especially when it was rted to the people who hated his father''s guts and envied him for his talent.


    But for him to get Hans'' loyalty, he needed to cure his Grandma first. He didn''t know if he would really be able to do something about it, but he wouldn''t know until he saw it for himself. As long as he was able to identify it, he would be able to find a way.


    Also, curing his father''s mother was also a good move. Not only would it allow the Leventis Family to have a good impression of him, but it would also make his father feel relieved, knowing that his mother was on her way to recovery.


    In the beginning, Thirteen only nned to use his family as a stepping stone to reach his goal.


    In other words, he initially nned to use them as mere tools.


    But he changed this way of thinking when he realized that what he was doing was simr to what the Heroes of the world were doing to the Cannon Fodders and Viins.


    If there was something that Thirteen hated with every fiber of his being, it was Heroes.


    He didn''t want to do anything that would associate himself with them or make him seem like them.


    There was even a time when he told himself that what he was doing to Viins was normal. That there was no need to act righteous when dealing with Viins, who were evil. At least, that was what people normally thought.


    But there were times when Thirteen had be the System of Viins.


    Viins weren''t born.


    They were made Viins by their circumstances.


    Even the most innocent of people would be ruthless if their entire family was killed right in front of their eyes.


    There were many circumstances that forced them to take that path, and Thirteen knew this all too well.


    Because of this, he couldn''t use being a Viin to justify using others as stepping stones to get his revenge against the person who killed his Host, the System God, as well as Fate.


    If he were going to beat them, he was going to do it his way.


    "We''re here, Young Master Zion," Hans said as the car entered a gate reserved for the VIP Guests of the family.


    "I''ll leave the rest to you, Hans," Thirteen replied.


    "Understood, Young Master."


    "Mmm."


    Thirteen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Today, he needed to act and y his role well. The Leventis Family was a Prestigious Family that emphasized courage and strength.


    They looked down on those who showed signs of weakness, so Thirteen had to tread a careful line to set his n in motion.


    After getting down from the car, Hans brought him to the west wing of the residence, which was surrounded by greenery.


    The air was fresh, making those who breathed it feel invigorated.


    ''This is a good ce for someone who is suffering from an illness,'' Thirteen thought. ''At least the Leventis Patriarch cares for his wife this much.''


    After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a beautiful vi that was as big as Thirteen''s home.


    Hans opened the door for Thirteen, allowing him to enter first.


    The servants gave the five-year-old boy a curious nce because this was the first time they were seeing him. But seeing that he was with Hans, none of them dared to talk to him and simply observed him from afar.


    "She''s on the Second Floor," Hans said. "Pleasee with me, Young Master Zion."


    Thirteen nodded and followed behind the Butler. He was paying close attention to the interior design of the house.


    Comparing this vi to his home was likeparing a Castle to a house built from mud. It just proved how wealthy the Leventis Family was.


    "Please stay here for a bit," Hans said. "I''ll inform My Lady of your arrival."


    After saying those words, the Butler knocked on the door twice.


    "My Lady, it''s me, Hans. I have returned."


    "Come in."


    After receiving a reply, Hans entered the room and closed the door behind him, leaving Thirteen standing with his arms crossed over his chest.


    ''Her voice sounded exhausted,'' Thirteen thought. ''She was a Champion like Hans at her peak. Did her rank degrade after being poisoned?''


    Thirteen was analyzing all the information that he had gathered about his Grandma, Callista Leventis.


    She was one of the three wives of Arthur Leventis, who was the current Patriarch of the Leventis Family.


    Lady Callista had given birth to two children.


    The eldest was a girl, and her name was Sandra. His father had a close rtionship with her.


    His Aunt married one of the promising talents of one of the Prestigious Families, reinforcing the alliance between the two families.


    Fortunately, this matchmaking was born out of love before family politics became involved.


    The two were very much in love with each other even before their families contacted each other in order to set a date for their marriage.


    Since then, his Aunt had been living a happy life with her husband. At the moment, she was a mother of two children, one boy and one girl.


    When almost everyone in the family opposed Gerald''s intention to marry Alessia, only Sandra and their mother, Callista, supported him.


    This proved how close these three people were. So if possible, Thirteen also wanted to meet his Aunt and try to see if he could rope her into bing his ally as well.


    A minuteter, the door opened, and Hans made a gesture for Thirteen to enter.


    The five-year-old entered the room.


    The first thing he saw was an olddy, who seemed to be in herte 70''s. She was looking at him with a surprised expression on her face.

 Chapter 21: A Grandmother’s Love [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 21: A Grandmother¡¯s Love [Part 2]</h4>


    Lady Callista looked at the five-year-old with a surprised look on her face.


    For a brief moment, she thought that she had gone back in time and that she was looking at her son, Gerald, whom she missed dearly.


    Because of this, she tried to stand up to go to his side, forgetting that her legs didn''t have the strength to support her body.


    She nearly toppled over, but thanks to Hans'' and her Personal Maid''s quick actions, she was caught in time. The two assisted her back in her wheelchair.


    "My Lady, are you alright?" Hans asked in a worried tone.


    "Yes, Hans," Lady Callista replied, feeling very embarrassed by her actions. "It was a spur-of-the-moment move, and my emotions got the better of me. I apologize for troubling you."


    "You can trouble me as much as you want, My Lady," Hans said. "But, please, be more careful."


    "Understood. You''re such a worrywart, you know?" Lady Callista shook her head helplessly before shifting her attention to the five-year-old, who reminded her very much of her youngest son.


    Although Thirteen didn''t look exactly like Gerald when he was his age, there were enough striking simrities between them that made Lady Callista think that she had gone back in time.


    "Come here, child," Lady Callista said with the sweetest voice that she could muster. "Come to Grandma."


    "Yes, Grandma," Thirteen replied and walked towards the olddy, who was sitting in the wheelchair.


    Earlier, she looked quite exhausted, but now, she looked extremely happy.


    Clearly, Thirteen''s presence put the olddy in a good mood, making Hans and the Maid, Trisha, look at her with smiles on their faces.


    Thirteen stopped walking when he was only a foot away from his grandma, but the olddy motioned for him toe closer.


    She then wrapped her arms around his body, sighing in happiness as she embraced her grandchild, whom she was only seeing for the second time in her life.


    The first time was soon after Zion had been born. Since then, she never had the opportunity to see him again, until today.


    Thirteen, who had just been hugged by the olddy, felt a soothing warmth wash over his body. It was as if Zion''s body was reacting to his grandma''s touch, which its previous owner hadn''t been able to experience.


    As someone who had been living his life as a System for thousands of years, his emotions weren''t really on the empathetic side.


    The only thing he cared about was his Hosts, not even giving a damn to their loved ones.


    Thirteen was broken in his own way. It wasn''t because he wasn''t empathetic enough, but because the concept of Human emotions was alien to him.


    When he felt the unfairness of the world toward his Hosts, the only things he felt were anger, frustration, and the need to do something for them.


    There were very rare asions when he felt genuinely happy. However, this happiness always revolved around his Host, and never to himself.


    Right now, as he was being hugged by Lady Callista, these unfamiliar emotions that he wasn''t familiar with rose to the surface.


    He felt as if he was safe and protected, being held by the olddy whose health was failing her due to the poison in her body.


    Before Thirteen could even stop himself, he also wrapped his arms around the fraildy''s body, holding her gently.


    It was at that moment that he decided that no matter what happened, he would cure his Grandma.


    That way, Lady Callista could also hug his siblings like this and make them understand what a grandmother''s love was like.


    "You hold me so gently, Zion," Lady Callista said as she lightly patted the young boy''s head. "Am I that precious?"


    "Yes, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "You are very precious."


    "So you say, but you came here to celebrate your grandfather''s birthday, right?"


    "I didn''te here for him, Grandma. I only came here for you."


    Lady Callista felt as if her heart was melting when she heard her grandson''s soft and childish voice. It had been a while since shest felt this happy, and she even wondered if it was her birthday instead of her husband''s.


    "You wille with me to the party, okay?" Lady Callista said as she reluctantly pulled back, and cupped Thirteen''s face. "You''ll be good at the party, won''t you?"


    "I will be good because that''s what Grandma wants," Thirteen replied, which made Callista give him a loving kiss on his forehead.


    "Hans, I can''t take it," Lady Callista said as she held Thirteen close to her chest once more. "Can I keep him?"


    "I''m afraid it''s not possible, My Lady," Hans replied with a bitter smile on his face. "The Young Master Gerald would probably storm in here to get Young Master Zion back."


    "That unfilial child should at least let my grandson stay here for a few days," Lady Callistained sadly. "It has been so long since I felt this happy."


    Thirteen pulled back and held the olddy''s smile before looking at her straight in the eye.


    "Don''t worry, Grandma," Thirteen stated. "I''ll ask Mother to let me visit you as often as I can. I''m sure she will agree if Mr. Hans were to personally pick me up on the days that I''m allowed toe see you."


    "Hans, make sure to pick Zion up two... no, three times a week!" Lady Callista said. "Do you understand?"


    "Y-Yes, My Lady," Hans replied.


    At that moment, Thirteen nced at Hans and made eye contact with him.


    Understanding his motive, Hans lightly cleared her throat and bowed respectfully to the olddy, who was holding the five-year-old without the intention of letting go.


    "My Lady, I have stumbled upon someone who might be able to cure you," Hand stated. "Of course, I know that you have already lost hope, but can you just cooperate with me? I just need a drop of your blood."


    "Hah... Hans. You still haven''t given up?" Lady Callista sighed as she lightly patted Thirteen''s head. "All the most powerful specialists in the world have already checked my condition. There is no hope for me."


    Seeing that Lady Callista seemed to be uninterested, Thirteen went to work and lightly tugged at her clothes.


    "Grandma, is Mr. Hans trying to find ways to cure you?" Thirteen asked.


    "Well, he hasn''t stopped looking for quack doctors to take a look at me," Lady Callista replied.


    "Grandma, I want you to be healthy, so I can visit you more," Thirteen stated. "Also, once you are feeling better, you can visit our house. My brother and sisters would love to see you. Especially my little sister, Remi. She''s only two years old, but she''s very cute and very obedient. Grandma will definitely love her!"


    Hearing Zion''s words, Lady Callista''s heart softened a bit. Seeing those innocent and hopeful eyes, she was unable to say anything that might disappoint him, so she relented and allowed Hans to get a drop of her blood.


    The Butler took out a small vial that contained a purple liquid in it.


    He then gently poked the tip of Lady Callista''s fingertip, drawing blood.


    With a simple flick of her finger, Callista sent the drop of blood inside the purple vial, which Hans immediately sealed with its lid.


    The small wound on her finger healed almost instantly, making the olddy sigh.


    "Zion, I think we should go," Lady Callista said sweetly to her grandchild. "The party has probably started, and soon, my husband will make a speech. It will be best if we arrive early."


    "Okay, Grandma." Thirteen nodded like an obedient child.


    He then gave the vial that was still in the butler''s hand a side-long nce, paying close attention to the color of the liquid inside it.


    The purple liquid had turnedpletely ck after Lady Callista''s blood had merged with it.


    Knowing that his grandma was suffering from poison, Thirteen carefully created a substance that would be able to tell him what type of poison and how severe it was.


    ''The poison has spread throughout her entire body, and it''s eating up her lifespan,'' Thirteen thought. ''This exins why she looks her age.''


    Wanderers aged very slowly because their bodies were very strong.


    A two-hundred-year-old man could easily look like a middle-aged man once they reached the rank above Champion, which was called Thrones.


    Lady Callista was only seventy years old, but she was already a Champion. With the level of her Rank, her looks should only be that of someone in herte thirties or early forties.


    However, the Poison had already spread throughout her entire body, so her strength had diminished, making her look like her age, which was that of a seventy-year-old woman.


    ''Although it''s difficult to cure, it''s not yet to the point of no return,'' Thirteen thought as he held his Grandma''s hand, walking beside her wheelchair.


    Lady Callista''s personal maid was pushing it from behind, but she purposefully slowed down the pace, making sure that the five-year-old could keep up with his Grandma, whose smile that came from her heart made her look at least ten years younger.

 Chapter 22: First Impression Lasts

    <h4>Chapter 22: First Impression Lasts</h4>


    The birthday celebration of the Patriarch of the Leventis Family was a monumental event.


    Those who wished to form a connection with the Leventis Family would do everything in their power to attend such an important gathering.


    Unfortunately, not everyone had the connections or influence to get an invitation.


    The Five Monarch ns, the important members of the Central Government, and the members of the other Nine Prestigious Families were the only guests who were guaranteed to receive of such an invitation.


    As for others, they could only rely on their social skills and ability, as well as connections, to get through the Gates of the Leventis Residence.


    This was why Thirteen decided to use this opportunity to have a better look at what kind of family his father was born into, as well as get a better understanding of the other powerful figures who ruled the world from the shadows.


    "Grandma, it''s best that we make asting impression on everyone," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "This is why timing is important."


    The olddy looked at her grandson with an amused look on her face.


    "Timing?" Lady Callista asked with a smile. "So, what is the perfect timing for our entrance, Zion?"


    "Leave it to me, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "I''ll make sure that everyone will remember our entrance in this party."


    The five-year-old said this with such a serious expression on his face that Lady Callista wasn''t able to stop herself from lightly pinching his cheek. However, since she didn''t mind ying along with her grandson, she decided to listen to him for the time being.


    As one of the Patriarch''s wives, she didn''t need any introductions to show how important she was in the Leventis Family. However, she was also very curious about what her grandson was nning, so she looked forward to what he was going to do.


    Hans groaned internally because he had a feeling that Thirteen was up to no good.


    Lady Callista''s personal maid, Trisha, shared Lady Callista''s thoughts and was also very curious to know what the little boy was up to.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Inside the Main Hall of the Leventis Residence...


    A handsome middle-aged man sat on a throne, overlooking the hall where his guests were currently eating, drinking, and mingling with the members of the upper echelon of their society.


    He was the host and birthday celebrant of this celebration, and everyone was paying close attention to him.


    Arthur Leventis, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family, was considered to be the strongest among the Thrones of humanity.


    Some people would even say that he was a Pseudo-Monarch because, even though he still hadn''t stepped into that rank, he was the closest one to reaching the Monarch rank.


    However, attaining such a rank wasn''t easy.


    One would have to gain the recognition of not only the world but also The One in order to step into that rank.


    The fastest way to do that was to conquer a Tier 9 Dimensional Gate. However, everyone knew how hard it was to achieve such a feat.


    Out of hundreds of Thrones who had tried to challenge Tier 9 Gates, where one of Thirteen''s former Hosts had died, no one else dared to try and do so a second time.


    Only Six People hade out alive from that expedition.


    Five of them were the current Patriarchs of the Five Monarch ns.


    Most people thought that they were the only survivors, but in fact, there was one more.


    The General who led the expedition had also survived thanks to his Rebirth Ability.


    He had died in battle, but when the Boss was dealt the killing blow, his ability activated, allowing him to revive once again.


    He was the Sixth Monarch and was also the current head of the Central Government.


    The Five Monarchs dared not to challenge him because of how influential and powerful he was.


    Someone who had the Ability of Rebirth was an opponent that no one wanted to face.


    Even if they ganged up to kill him, he would just revive again and teleport to a random ce.


    The vengeance of a near-immortal Monarch was something that no one wanted to face, so the Five Monarchs made peace with him and came to apromise.


    This was why the Central Government became the backbone of the Human Race, allowing a semnce ofw and order to remain in a post-apocalyptic world, where Monsters and Monsters in Human Skin threatened the lives of themon folk.


    Of course, ruling the Human race aside from the government were the Five Monarch Families, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families.


    The General, who survived the Tier 9 Dimensional Gate also understood that these families had a role to y.


    He might be strong, but he couldn''t defend humanity alone, so he epted thepromise of the Monarchs. This was the best option to keep the stability of the world while fighting against the Jinns and Majins, the constant threat hanging over their heads.


    "It''s almost time, Father," a man, who seemed to be in his early thirties, whispered in the Patriarch''s ear.


    Arthur nodded and lightly tapped the armrest of his throne, catching the attention of everyone in the room.


    "Thank you, everyone, for attending this celebration," Arthur said. "I do not care for such festivities, but my family does. I simply let them use my name to hold this yearly event so that I can see all of your annoying faces."


    Cheers and chuckles echoed within the hall as the representatives of the Five Monarch ns, the Central Government, and the Prestigious Families all raised their sses to acknowledge the Leventis Patriarch''s words with amused expressions on their faces.


    They knew that he was a no-nonsense type of guy, but they also knew that this was one of those asions when he would use his own type of humor to entertain his guests.


    "I don''t like long speeches, so let me just say one thing," Arthur said. "You can all pl--"


    At that exact moment, the door of the hall opened. Since no one was talking, those who had a higher rank and were able to notice this small change shifted their attention to the door.


    Naturally, Arthur, whose speech was disrupted midway, looked in the direction of the door with a frown.


    No one in the Leventis Family would dare disturb his speech, so he wanted to see just who had the guts to do this.


    However, the moment his gazended on the olddy sitting in the wheelchair, the frown on his face eased up.


    He could get angry with anyone, even with the Five Monarchs, but he would never direct a look of displeasure toward his beloved wife, who was suffering because she shielded him from harm.


    However, when his gazended on the five-year-old boy who was standing beside her, his hands, which were resting on the armrests of his throne, stiffened for a brief moment.


    Simr to what happened to Lady Callista, he thought that time had rewound itself when his eyesnded on the boy who looked very much like his son when he was of the same age.


    Thirteen, who was being gazed upon by countless people, remained calm.


    But deep inside, he was chuckling wholeheartedly, for he had seeded in stealing the show.


    The Second Phase of his n was to leave asting first impression, not only to the members of the Leventis Family but also to the important members of the upper echelons of society, who controlled the entire world in the palms of their hands.

 Chapter 23: The Ignorant Are Fearless

    <h4>Chapter 23: The Ignorant Are Fearless</h4>


    A beautifuldy with long ck hair and blue eyes looked at the five-year-old in surprise.


    She was Gerald''s older sister, Sandra. Seeing her nephew, Zion, at the party was unexpected for her.


    Unlike her parents, Sandra had many opportunities to visit Gerald and his family. She was even there to congratte Alessia on the day Remi was born.


    She loved her young brother, and despite the fact that he had been kicked out of the family, she would always be on his side to give him her unconditional support.


    Sandra gave her father a side-long nce, watching his reaction. She knew that her brother and father had separated on bad terms, so she was worried that Arthur would order the guards of the family to kick the child out of the house.


    Thirteen had also thought of this possibility, which was one of the reasons why he decided to visit his Grandma first. This way, he would have a strong backer that could contend with his Grandpa''s temper.


    Just as he expected, Arthur didn''t say anything and simply stared at him from afar.


    Hans, who was standing behind Lady Callista, wanted to wipe the non-existent sweat from his forehead because of Thirteen''s antics.


    When the young man said that timing was important, he didn''t expect that he would time their entrance to be while Arthur was making his speech.


    ''This little devil sure knows how to make an entrance,'' Hans thought in his heart.


    Lady Callista, on the other hand, only found this scene amusing. Perhaps because of her bias towards her grandson, she didn''t think that Thirteen had done something wrong.


    Also, she still carried a grudge because her husband had kicked Gerald out of the house. In her eyes, this simple matter was simply a little payback for the hardship she had endured over the years.


    Perhaps, knowing this as well, Arthur sighed in his heart and told everyone to enjoy the party before standing up and approaching his wife, who was looking at him with a rare smile of mischief on her face.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family nced at Hans'' direction, making thetter bow his head in respect.


    Trisha did the same and kept this posture until Arthur told them to raise their heads.


    "Are you my son''s brat?" Arthur asked in a calm tone.


    Thirteen ignored Arthur''s question, making Hans, who still had his head bowed, start to sweat for real.


    "The Patriarch has asked you a question," one of Arthur''s sons, Michael, said.


    He usually acted as his Father''s right-hand man and handled the affairs of the Leventis Family.


    A nce was enough to tell him that the boy was his nephew. After all, the little boy had a striking resemnce to the ck sheep of their family.


    "When asking for someone''s name, usually the person who asks introduces themselves first," Thirteen replied with a confused look on his face. "Isn''t thatmon etiquette?"


    A pin-drop silence descended upon the Main Hall of the Leventis Residence.


    If someone were to reply in this manner to the Patriarch, as well as to his son, that person would usually be punished or, worse, executed on the spot.


    But since Lady Callista was present, such a thing didn''t happen, forcing Michael to fix the sses on his face and deal with the youngster, who seemed to not understand his ce.


    "I am Michael Leventis, your uncle," Michael stated. "Now, what''s your name?"


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied. "Your nephew."


    Lady Callista couldn''t stop herself from giggling after hearing her grandson''s reply. She, however, gave Michael a look of apology, which thetter returned with a bitter smile on his face.


    Arthur didn''t say anything else as he moved behind his wife''s wheelchair and gave it a gentle push, leaving the five-year-old behind.


    Lady Callista knew that this was her husband''s way of saying that he had already agreed to let Zion stay for the party, but she must not coddle her grandson any longer and let him fend for himself from this moment onward.


    Lady Callista frowned, but she didn''t say anything else.


    She knew that Arthur had already given her enough face by notshing out at her grandson, so she decided to meet with the other members of their family, as well as the guests whom she was acquainted with.


    Also, Hans was there to keep an eye on Zion, so she felt more at ease.


    After being left behind by his Grandma, the first thing that Thirteen did was walk towards one of the buffet tables in order to get some food.


    The gazes of people followed him, watching his every move.


    This was exactly what Zion wanted. With this, he had plenty of opportunities to see how the people would react to his presence.


    Just as he was about to reach the table, a beautifuldy with long ck hair and blue eyes blocked his path.


    "Zion!" Sandra said as she lovingly gave her nephew a hug. "I was surprised to see you here. How is your father?"


    "Father is doing well, Auntie," Thirteen replied.


    Although this was his first time meeting Sandra, he had seen her pictures in their family photos, so he was able to recognize her right away.


    "Is he?" Sandra smiled after hearing Zion''s reply. "Well then, what do you want to eat? I''ll help you get it."


    Since Zion could not reach far into the table, Sandra decided to help him get some food, as well as drag him to their family''s table, where her husband, Gideon, was waiting for her.


    Gideon Lockwood, one of the promising talents of the Lockwood Family, which was part of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Sitting at the table with them was Gideon''s oldest son, Logan, who had just turned eleven this year.


    The handsome boy had short brown hair and green eyes. He gave Thirteen a brief nod before returning to his meal.


    "Sandra, I didn''t know that your nephew has nerves of steel," Gideonmented in a sarcastic tone. "He''s either very brave or raised in a very safe environment."


    "Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers," Loganmented without raising his head. "The ignorant are fearless."


    Sandra gave her husband and son a disapproving look, but she didn''t say anything to correct them.


    She knew that her nephew was lucky because her mother was there. If Thirteen had been alone when he said those words, he would have been immediately expelled from the house without another word.


    "Zion, next time, when someone asks you a question here, just answer, okay?" Sandra said with a smile. "Also, make sure to answer in a polite manner."


    "Yes, Aunt," Thirteen answered as he ate the food on his te.


    The five-year-old observed the Lockwood Family, especially her Aunt''s son, Logan, who would soon start his First Wandering.


    ''I don''t sense anything special about this guy,'' Thirteen thought as he gave Logan a side-long nce. ''He might just be Viger-A.''


    Logan, who had no idea that he was just branded as an extra by Thirteen, continued to eat without a care in the world.


    After that brief moment of being in the spotlight, the party resumed its usual liveliness.


    Somewhere in the corner of the hall, an eleven-year-old boy with ck hair and blue eyes looked at Thirteen with contempt.


    He then motioned for a boy, who was a little older than him, toe closer and whispered something in his ear.


    The older boy nced at Thirteen before nodding his head. Since his Young Master had given an order, he would execute it without fail so that he could continue receiving the grace and backing of one of the young geniuses within the Leventis Family.

 Chapter 24: Unfortunate Accident

    <h4>Chapter 24: ?Unfortunate ident</h4>


    Thirteen ate and chatted with his Aunt, but he didn''t forget to pay close attention to his surroundings.


    This act caught the attention of Gideon, who was Sandra''s husband.


    ''Although his father has been kicked out of the Leventis Family, this boy isn''t half bad,'' Gideon thought. ''His awareness of his surroundings fits that of someone born from a Prestigious Family.''


    A few minutester, Thirteen finished eating the food on his te. He then made a gesture for his Aunt toe closer so that he could whisper something to her.


    "Aunt, no matter what happens, don''t interfere and remain seated," Thirteen whispered.


    Before she could even ask the boy what he meant, Thirteen had already left their table and was walking over to the buffet area to get a drink.


    At this exact moment, a boy who seemed to be twelve years old walked toward Thirteen with a determined look on his face.


    The Adults who had been paying close attention to Thirteen from the beginning also noticed the older boy moving in his direction and smiled.


    All of them were thinking that they were about to see something very entertaining.


    Lady Callista, who was also paying close attention to her grandson, noticed the boy who was approaching Zion.


    She vaguely remembered the boy to be a subordinate of one of her husband''s grandchildren.


    Although she mostly stayed inside her own vi, Hans made it a point to report to her everything that was happening within the Leventis Family.


    Understanding what was going to happen next, Lady Callista nned to put a stop on it.


    However, before she could order Hans to interfere, her husband''s words reached her ears.


    "Just watch for now," Arthur said in a volume that only Lady Callista was able to hear. "I want to see what the brat of that no-good son of mine is capable of."


    Arthur was still annoyed that his speech was stopped midway due to Zion''s sudden arrival.


    He knew Lady Callista well and understood that his wife wouldn''t do anything to make him lose face intentionally.


    Since that was the case, the only one he could me was the five-year-old, who must have dyed his wife from arriving at the party early.


    Of course, it never crossed Arthur''s mind that Thirteen orchestrated everything. He simply thought that his wife arrivedte because she had to pamper the spoiled brat of his no-good son, who was no longer allowed to step foot into the Leventis'' Main Residence.


    "You can stop me now, but be prepared for the consequencester," Lady Callista said in a chilling tone. "It seems that the people in this household have forgotten what my temper is like since I have not interfered with the family''s business after getting sick."


    Arthur and Michael frowned after hearing Lady Callista''s subtle threat.


    How could they possibly not know how short-tempered the olddy was?


    This was also why Arthur only disowned his son and didn''t strip him of the Leventis Family name.


    He knew that if hepletely burned the bridges with his son, his wife would burn him alive despite the difference in their ranks.


    "He won''t be killed," Arthur stated. "The kids will not go that far."


    "But they will humiliate him," Lady Callista replied. "And that will make him hate the family. If my grandson starts to hate me, I won''t sit still, Arthur. Prepare yourself to have one of your grandsons crippled for life."


    Michael was about to go and prevent Thirteen from getting hurt by the older boy, but his Father''s hand rested on his shoulder, preventing him from going.


    "Don''t interfere," Arthur replied in a firm tone.


    Torn between his father''s orders and the possibility of Lady Callista killing one of his nephews, Michael sighed in his heart and remained in ce.


    Since his father ordered him to not interfere, he had no choice but to follow his orders.


    ''I just hope that Mother Callista doesn''t go too far,'' Michael sighed in his heart. ''Terence has a promising future ahead of him. But his temper when ites to our Family''s reputation isn''t the best. It seems that he is not too happy to see Zion here because he is Gerald''s son.''


    While the guests were looking forward to an entertaining scene, the members of the Leventis Family were divided on the farce that was going to happen next.


    Many people didn''t like Gerald, but there were also those who liked and supported him within the family. Because of this, they were wondering whether they should interfere.


    But seeing the Patriarch''s stance, they were forced to stay in ce and watch helplessly as the scene unfolded in front of them.


    Thirteen, who had just finished filling his ss with Lemon Juice, sneered inside his heart.


    He already noticed that a particr group of children had been staring at him from the beginning.


    The boy standing at the center of the group had short ck hair and blue eyes. Clearly, the child belonged to the Leventis Family.


    Seeing that he already had a group of subordinates with him at such a young age, Thirteen knew that this only meant one thing¡ªthat boy was someone that the Leventis Family had recognized as a talented member of their family.


    Thirteen walked towards Sandra''s table, and the brown-haired boy who was targeting him hurried his pace to intercept his target.


    When the boy was only a few meters away from Thirteen, the five-year-old suddenly sneezed, sending the contents of his ss flying in the direction of the boy who nned to do him harm.


    Due to how sudden it was, the boy was unable to dodge the juice thatnded in his eyes, making him shout in pain.


    "Ah! I''m sorry," Thirteen gasped when he saw that he had identally hit someone with his fruit juice. "Let me help yo¡ªwah!"


    Due to some of the juices that spilled on the floor, Thirteen slipped making him "identally" headbutt the boy''s stomach, making thetter cry out in pain, as his body bent over like a cooked shrimp.


    Thirteen then raised his head and "identally" hit the boy''s jaw, making thetter stagger before falling on the ground, unconscious due to the three-hitbo that short-circuited his brain.


    First, he lost his vision, and the stinging pain of the lemonade made him raise his hands to cover his eyes. The next second, he felt something hard hit his stomach, taking all the breath out of his lungs.


    Last but not least was the finishing blow that hit his jaw, rattling his brain and causing him to lose consciousness.


    Everything was timed perfectly, giving the pitiful boy no time to dodge or even defend himself due to how sudden and fast things had escted.


    Thirteen, who was responsible for knocking out the boy, painfully rubbed his head, acting hurt.


    However, a minuteter, he returned to the buffet area to refill his ss with fruit juice, not even bothering to look at the unconscious boy, who was hurriedly taken by the servants of the family away to be treated.


    Some of them also expertly cleaned the floor, making it squeaky clean.


    Clearly, they were already used to cleaning up after the mess made by their young masters, who were all looking at Thirteen with frowns on their faces.

 Chapter 25: The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree

    <h4>Chapter 25: The Apple Doesn¡¯t Fall Far From The Tree</h4>


    A fluke?


    An ident?


    These were the thoughts swirling in everyone''s heads as they looked at the five-year-old, who had returned to refill his ss with fruit juice.


    Everyone was looking forward to an entertaining show, but what they saw wasn''t what they wanted.


    It might be an ident, but the result was very disappointing, to say the least.


    Lady Callista sighed after seeing that her grandson was safe.


    Hans, on the other hand, was looking at the five-year-old with a solemn expression on his face.


    Other people might have brushed it off as a coincidence, but not him.


    He had interacted with Thirteen, so he understood how intelligent the boy was.


    ''You handled that wonderfully, Young Master Zion,'' Hans praised the boy in his heart.


    However, he rejoiced too soon.


    The eleven-year-old boy, Terence, who had sent his subordinate to deal with Thirteen, didn''t like what happened.


    Because of this, he personally walked toward the buffet area, followed by his subordinates.


    When the Butler saw this, he groaned internally and desperately hoped that the older boy wouldn''t make a scene that would humiliate his Mistress'' grandson.


    The expressions of the guests brightened after seeing this development.


    For them, who were almost always risking their lives in Solterra to fight against Jinn and Majin, any form of entertainment, especially when it came in the form of family drama, was a very wee distraction in their lives.


    "You there. What''s your name?" one of Terence''s subordinates asked the moment they arrived a meter away from the boy.


    "Me?" Thirteen asked back in confusion while holding a ss of fruit juice in each hand.


    "Yes, you."


    "Yes, me."


    "Are you messing with me?" The chubby boy, who had asked a question earlier, red at the five-year-old who was shorter than him.


    "What''s your name?" Thirteen asked.


    "Cristopher Rotombus." the chubby boy replied.


    "My name is Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied. "Michael Leventis is my Uncle. You know that scary adult over there? He told me earlier that if someone were to harass me, he would make sure to feed that person to the fish. Big Brother, you look very healthy. I''m sure the fishes will love you."


    The chubby boy couldn''t help but nce at the Second-In-Command of the Leventis Family, who was looking at him with a calm expression on his face.


    This scared the crap out of the chubby boy. Michael Leventis was known to be the perfect gentleman on the surface, but in truth, he was a sadist who liked to torture people!


    Thinking that Thirteen was telling the truth, the chubby boy, unnerved, took a step back, his face pale from fright.


    "T-That''s not true!" the chubby boy stuttered. "Just because I''m a little chubby doesn''t mean I''m delicious. I don''t taste good!"


    "Really?" Thirteen asked back.


    "Yes! In fact, I am very unhealthy. I-I''m not fit enough to be fed to the fish," the chubby boy answered desperately.


    He wasn''t born into a Prestigious Family, so he didn''t have the right mental training to know when someone was lying or not.


    The chubby boy was just asked by his family to be one of Terence''s subordinates, hoping that he would be able to hug the leg of a member of the Leventis Family.


    "Okay, I will convince my Uncle to not feed you to the fishes." Thirteen nodded. "In return, can you bring these sses of fruit juice to the table over there? That is my Aunt''s table. As long as you do this, I will make sure you don''t get fed to the fish."


    "Right away, Young Master Zion!" the chubby boy didn''t hesitate to grab the two sses of fruit juices before hurrying to put them on the table where the Lockwood Family was.


    The chubby boy even respectfully bowed before cing the sses on top of the table and bowed a second time before returning to Terence''s side.


    Lady Callista couldn''t help but smile after seeing this scene. Not only did her grandson manage to order someone else''s subordinate, but he was also able to use her nephew, Michael, as a shield.


    Michael had a deadpan look on his face after seeing how the show progressed. Even so, he had to admit that his nephew''s way of handling the situation got his approval.


    Although no one was pointing it out, the fact that someone was able to order someone else''s subordinate to do something meant that the five-year-old was able to dominate that person.


    It meant that Terence wasn''t capable enough to make his subordinates loyal only to him and not listen to anyone''s orders aside from his.


    The adults of the Leventis Family took note of this, and their impression of Thirteen was raised by a notch.


    He might have used a dirty trick to ovee the situation, but they knew that not everyone would have that kind of presence of mind when faced with the situation the five-year-old child was in.


    Terence gave the chubby boy a sidelong nce, making thetter shudder.


    In that brief exchange, he understood that his Master wasn''t very happy with what he did, making him dread what might happen to him after the party.


    Suddenly, Thirteen chuckled, making the chubby boy re in his direction.


    "Big Brother, I like you!" Thirteen replied. "Would you like to serve under me? I am also a member of the Leventis Family. Work for me, and I''ll take you flying."


    "N-No! I am Master Terence''s subordinate!" the chubby boy replied. "I am loyal only to him. He is the best Master in the world!"


    Terence, who was disappointed with the chubby boy earlier, felt that he had recovered some face after his subordinate declined Thirteen''s offer. Because of this, he decided to decrease the severity of his punishmentpared to what he intended to do earlier.


    Thirteen pped his hand as he looked at the chubby boy, whose name was Cristopher Rotombus.


    "Cristopher, I wish I had a subordinate like you," Thirteen said. "If my cousin ever throws you away, you cane and join me, okay?"


    "That''s not going to happen!" Cristopher stated. "My loyalty is only for Master Terence."


    "Hah... understood." Thirteen sighed bitterly. "You''re lucky to have someone like him, cousin. Now, if you''ll excuse me. I need to talk to Grandma. She said she wanted to talk to me after I finished eating. Isn''t that right, Grandma?"


    Thirteen looked at this Grandma with an affectionate gaze, making the olddy smile sweetly.


    "Come, Zion," Lady Callista said as she gestured for her grandson toe to her. "Grandma wants to talk to you."


    "I''ming, Grandma," Zion replied before giving Terence a brief nod.


    He then walked confidently towards his loving grandmother, while Terence, as well as the other guests in the party, looked at his small back.


    From start to finish, the one who hadplete control of the conversation was none other than the five-year-old boy.


    He expertly created a scene that would avoid a direct confrontation with Terence, allowing him to settle the matter peacefully.


    The children might''ve not noticed, but the adults certainly did. That child had handed Christopher an opportunity to redeem himself in Terence''s eyes, making him swear his loyalty to him.


    Although he obeyed Thirteen''s order earlier, making Terence lose face, his firm and unyielding stance to remain as his subordinate made the eleven-year-old genius of the Leventis Family forgive him for his earlier mistake, which saved the chubby boy from a pitiful ending.


    Thirteen was the System of Cannon Fodders, so he knew that the two boys who tried to harass him were only forced to do what they did.


    Because of this, he made sure to give them a way out, with neither of them getting seriously hurt.


    Although the first boy suffered from his machinations, his injuries could easily be healed by the powerful healers of the Leventis Family.


    In short, he might have suffered physically, but he would not receive any further repercussions because Terence would pity him.


    Only when Thirteen had arrived in front of Lady Callista did Terence remember what he was nning to do to the five-year-old.


    Due to how the younger boy took the initiative to lead the conversation, he didn''t have the time to execute his revenge for his subordinate.


    This was also noticed by the adults, making them re-evaluate the five-year-old boy, who was now happily chatting with one of the most powerfuldies of the Leventis Household.


    Hans, who had be Thirteen''s coborator in order to help cure Lady Callista''s current condition, couldn''t help but be impressed with how things turned out.


    ''It seems that I have still underestimated you, Young Master Zion,'' Hans thought. ''Maybe My Lady will really have a chance to be cured after all.''


    While Hans was feeling hopeful that Thirteen really had the ability to cure his grandma, Michael, who served as his Father''s right-hand man, looked at his nephew with a faint smile on his face.


    ''The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree,'' Michael thought. ''He is really your son, Gerald. Both of you and your son are wolves in sheep''s clothing.''


    Arthur didn''t make anyments after everything that happened earlier.


    However, his earlier annoyance with the boy, who had gatecrashed his birthday celebration, decreased after seeing his wife''s smile.


    It had been a while since he had seen Lady Callista smile from her heart, and it made him remember how he fell in love with her the first time he saw her smile.


    As long as he could see his wife''s happy face, he was willing to tolerate Zion''s existence¡ªat least for the time being.

 Chapter 26: Junior, You Court Death

    <h4>Chapter 26: Junior, You Court Death?</h4>


    The party continued as if nothing happened.


    But the guests were still disappointed because their "entertainment" had been denied to them not just once but twice.


    Since Thirteen was staying with Lady Callista, there was little to no chance that there would be someone daring enough to antagonize him.


    Of course, Thirteen knew that this was a mere stop-gap measure.


    The discontentment among the younger generation of the Leventis Family was obvious to those with eyes to see.


    Understanding that the situation would change very soon, the five-year-old decided to y it safe and took action.


    When a waiter, who was holding drinks in his hands, passed near their table, Thirteen took the chance and tugged at his robe.


    "Mister, can I have one of those drinks?" Thirteen asked. "They look good."


    "Um, Young Master, this is not a fruit juice," the Waiter replied politely. "This is called Champagne, and it''s an alcoholic drink for adults."


    "Mister, it''s fine," Thirteen smiled. "I''ll just take a small sip."


    "But..." the Waiter felt helpless. He had seen that the boy was close to Lady Callista, so he didn''t want to be rude. But he also understood that he might get punished if he really gave a child an alcoholic drink.


    "Zion, you''re still too young to drink Champagne," Lady Callista said. "Why don''t we ask Hans to get you a fruit juice? What would you like?"


    "Grandma, I just want to take a sip," Thirteen replied with puppy eyes. "It looks so good. Can''t I?"


    Lady Callista frowned and was about to tell him that kids shouldn''t drink Champagne cause they were still young, but someone else beat her to it.


    "Isn''t it fine?" Arthur said as he walked towards his wife. "Kids only learn from their mistakes. It is best that he learns it early, so he will not repeat the same mistake in the future."


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family then looked at the waiter, making thetter nod his head in understanding.


    "Here you go, Young Master," the Waiter carefully handed a ss of champagne to the five-year-old boy, who was looking at the drink with great interest. "Just take a few sips okay? If you feel light-headed or dizzy, you must stop."


    "Understood." Thirteen replied. "Thank you, Mister!"


    The waiter nodded and walked away to hand Champagne to their guests.


    Thirteen happily walked towards his Grandma, making thetter shake her head helplessly.


    "Only a few sips, okay?" Lady Callista said as she patted her grandson''s head. "Champagne can make even adults drunk, so you shouldn''t drink a lot of it."


    "Mmm!" Thirteen nodded like an obedient child and took a small sip of the Champagne in his hands. "Wow! Grandma, this tastes good!"


    Seeing how happy he was, Lady Callista could only smile bitterly. She had a feeling that Thirteen would drink the entire ss and would be very sleepyter on.


    Because of this, she decided to make a gesture to Hans. She asked the butler to call Zion''s Family and tell his mother that he would be staying overnight.


    Hans nodded and excused himself before walking to the corner of the hall to talk to Alessia about the development of the party.


    Arthur snorted internally as he looked at the five-year-old, who was happily sipping the sparkling drink that was not meant for children.


    Michael, who was paying attention to the venue, was taking mental notes of the expressions of their guests.


    Seeing that they seemed to be enjoying the party in their own way, he felt more at ease.


    Although the Five Monarch ns and Ten Prestigious Families didn''t always get along with each other, they still acted as though they were on friendly terms, especially during events like this.


    Suddenly, Terence and another eleven-year-old from the Lockwood Family nced at each other and smiled.


    The boy then walked toward his grandpa, Arthur, and bowed his head respectfully.


    "Grandfather, since everyone has almost finished eating, will it be fine if my friends and I have a sparring match to entertain everyone?" Terence asked.


    "I''ll allow it," Arthur replied. "Michael, take care of the preparations."


    "Yes, Father," Michael nodded before ncing at the few people who were tasked with keeping things in order inside the Main Hall.


    One of them made hand symbols. A few secondster, a faint blue barrier appeared in the main hall, which would serve as the arena for those who wished to spar.


    The representatives of the Prestigious Families all nudged their children to participate because this was amon urrence during these kinds of gatherings.


    It was a way to tell the other Families how good their children were and showcase their potential. Of course, the children also liked these sorts of events because all of them were verypetitive.


    They were raised to excel above ordinary children at a young age, so they were itching to spar with their peers and prove who was the strongest among the members of the young generation.


    Terence was just one of the seeds of the Leventis Family that had great potential.


    Of course, there was someone stronger than him in the family, but that child would not be allowed to participate in these public sparring battles. They were the Trump Card, who was being trained to hold a high position in the family.


    The Five Monarch ns and the other Nine Prestigious Families had these talents as well.


    They were grooming them to be Pathfinders.


    Unlike Wanderers who only wandered from ce to ce, Pathfinders were people who could lead others, making them the true leaders of the young generation.


    Basically, those who had leadership qualities, as well as the strength to be recognized by others, were oftenbeled as Pathfinders.


    One by one, the children sparred against each other, giving life to the party.


    The hidden rivalries between families would often re up during these sparring matches, and one could tell that this was their way of telling others that "our kids are stronger than yours!"


    Most of the battles ended within the span of a minute, while the longeststed for nearly three minutes.


    Since these children were still ordinary Humans and not yet Wanderers, they focused more on their family''s techniques, showing how much they had mastered them.

 Chapter 27: Biting Off More Than He Could Chew

    <h4>Chapter 27: Biting Off More Than He Could Chew</h4>


    Thirteen watched these battles with half-lidded eyes as he continued to drink the rest of his Champagne.


    ''This body is really weak,'' Thirteen thought. ''I''ve only had a single ss of Champagne, but I already feel sleepy.''


    Suddenly, he saw Terence walking in his direction with a smile, and he instinctively knew that the moment hade.


    ''You already tried twice, and you still want to push your luck?'' Thirteen finished the rest of his drink.


    Although he didn''t want to admit it, he was already quite drunk. Only his strong willpower was keeping him from making a fool of himself in front of everyone.


    "Cousin, why don''t we spar a bit?" Terence asked.


    "Zion is already sleepy and drunk," Lady Callista said firmly. "He is not fit to spar. Look for other children to y with, Terence."


    Lady Callista already knew that Terence was specifically targeting her grandson. As an adult, she didn''t want to get in the way of the matter between children, but she was biased toward her grandson.


    Hearing the displeasure in Lady Callista''s voice, Terence decided that it wasn''t worth it to make her upset over this matter.


    Because of this, he decided to take a step back and apologize for his rudeness.


    But before he could do that, the five-year-old boy took a step forward and pointed at his face.


    "A weakling like you dares to challenge me?" Thirteen asked. "Junior, you court death."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "... He''s drunk."


    The people at the party looked at the peppy five-year-old whose face was flushed.


    They didn''t know if they shouldugh or feel sorry for him because, clearly, he wasn''t in the right state of mind for calling an eleven-year-old boy a junior, when he himself was only five years old.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked. "Are you *hic* scared? *hic* If you''re scared then go away. I don''t fight with weaklings."


    Lady Callista frowned and motioned for Hans to take Zion to her room so that he could rest.


    However, Arthur''sughter spread in the surroundings, catching everyone by surprise.


    "This is interesting, a snot-nosed brat daring to call someone older than him junior?" Arthur smiled. "Terence, make sure to give him a handicap."


    Seeing that his grandpa had approved of his challenge, Terence nodded his head and looked at the boy, who had made him lose face twice.


    "Don''t worry, I will only use one hand, and I won''t move from my spot. I will also not attack you. If you cannd a hit on me then it''s your win," Terence stated.


    He only wanted to make Thirteen make a fool of himself to entertain their guests. This was what Terence was thinking at that time, and since he had given so many assurances, he was certain that even Lady Callista would agree to let the five-year-old spar with him.


    Just as Terence expected, Lady Callista reluctantly agreed to it.


    Since Terence wouldn''t be attacking her grandson and promised to only stand in ce, she decided to let Thirteen spar with him.


    However, she still gave Arthur the "after this, I will have a nice and long talk with you" gaze, making the handsome middle-aged man smile.


    "Hans, be the referee of this spar," Lady Callista ordered. Her voice was firm, and it indicated that she wouldn''t allow anyone to oppose her.


    "As youmand, My Lady," Hans bowed his head and even helped Thirteen walk toward the arena so that he could spar against Terence.


    For some reason, although everyone in the room thought that this was going to be a funny spar due to the younger boy''s current state, Hans had a feeling that all of this was part of Thirteen''s scheme.


    Ever since he interacted with the boy, he no longer treated him as a child.


    He still found it weird that he thought this way, but there was something in Thirteen that made him feel unconditional trust toward him.


    This feeling was something that he only had for Lady Callista, and now, he was feeling the same for a five-year-old, whom he had only met two weeks ago.


    When the two children were finally facing each other, Hans raised his hand and dered the start of the spar.


    Thirteen thenughed as he wobbled drunkenly, heading toward Terence, who wasughing at him due to how funny he was acting.


    The other guests were either chuckling or smiling, thinking that the five-year-old''s antics were very funny.


    There were even times that they thought that he was about to copse to the floor because he was wobbling so badly.


    When he was only a meter away from Terence, he tried to punch the eleven-year-old, but thetter only deflected it with his hand.


    Since his punch had missed, Thirteen''s body spun due to the momentum of Terence''s deflection.


    Everyone thought that the little boy was about to fall over when suddenly, Thirteen''s left foot rose up and identally kicked Terence''s left knee, making the older boy grunt.


    "Hehehe, I won," Thirteenughed as he pointed at the older boy, who didn''t expect that he would get hit by the five-year-old''s clumsy and unexpected kick. "Weakling hahaha!"


    "That one doesn''t count!" Terence''s face became beet red due to embarrassment after Thirteen reminded him of the condition of their spar.


    After all, the older boy had dered that it would be Thirteen''s win as long as thetter managed tond a hit on him.


    "Ehh? You are *hic* going back on your word?" Thirteen pouted as he swayed from side to side. "That''s no *hic* good."


    "Then, how about this? If you hit me again, it will really be your win," Terence said.


    "No. I don''t get *hic* any benefit from it, so *hic* no thanks."


    "Benefits? Then how about I give you a Peak Bronze-Grade Weapon if you win?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "You only have a *hic* Bronze-Grade Weapon? Is your Grandpa *hic* poor? Howe he *hic* only gave you a Bronze-Grade Weapon? He must be *hic* very stingy and poor! *hic*."


    A pin-drop silence descended inside the main hall after everyone heard Thirteen''s words.


    Terence''s Grandpa was none other than Arthur Leventis, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family. And a five-year-old child dared to call him stingy and poor?


    Suddenly, augh reverberated across the hall, which sounded like the peeling of a bell.


    Everyone''s gazended on the olddy, seated in a wheelchair, who was stillughing as if she had heard the funniest joke in her life.


    Perhaps, she was the only one who wouldugh at someone poking a joke towards the Patriarch of the Leventis Family without worrying about the consequences of her actions.


    Seeing herugh, Arthur smiled and looked at the five-year-old, who had subtly insulted him in front of everyone in the room.


    "Mid Silver-Grade," Arthur stated. "If you win, I will give you a Mid Silver-Grade Weapon of your choice."


    Thirteen, who was still finding it hard to stand up properly, wobbled after hearing Arthur''s statement.


    Although his face was flushed and looked like he would fall on the floor at any given moment, a glint of mischief briefly shed in the depths of his eyes.


    ''The old man took the bait,'' Thirteen thought. ''Now, I won''t have to worry about finding a weapon for Mikhail after hepletes his Second Wandering.''


    Although his family lived afortable life, Gerald and Alessia didn''t have enough money to buy their children good equipment for their journey in Solterra.


    This was also why Gerald decided to go on an expedition¡ªit was to gather enough funds to buy Mikhail a good set of weapons and armor after hepleted his Second Wandering.


    On the Third Wandering, the children who managed to survive would be allowed to use any equipment that had been obtained by others in Solterra or forged using the items that were taken from Solterra.


    Of course, there were still restrictions.


    Afterpleting the Second Wandering, the children would rise from Rookies into Adepts.


    The highest grade of weapons that they could wield at this stage were Mid Silver-Grade Weapons.


    Only children from the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families could gain this kind of advantage over their peers.


    Of course, there were exceptions, but as long as you were part of this family, even if your talent was mediocre, you would still gain these kinds. This was one of the benefits of simply being born into these families.


    (A/N: Each Weapon Grade has four stages namely, Low, Mid, High, and Peak.)


    "Okay!" Thirteen then pointed at Terence. "Prepare to *hic* lose, you weakling!"


    Terence looked at the annoying brat with contempt as he raised his right hand.


    This time around, he had every intention to attack the boy the moment Thirteen entered his strike range.


    Although he said earlier that he wouldn''t attack the five-year-old, he was annoyed that his Grandpa would bestow upon him a Mid Silver-Grade Weapon of his choice if he were to lose.


    Even in their family, they had to show that they were capable enough to receive such a benefit.


    This gave Terence the strong urge to teach the five-year-old a lesson for biting off more than he could chew.

 Chapter 28: Your Nephew Sure Is Something

    <h4>Chapter 28: Your Nephew Sure Is Something</h4>


    Just as Thirteen was nearing Terence, he suddenly took a few swaying steps back and looked at the Butler, who served as the referee of their sparring match.


    "Mr. Butler *hic* I forgot the conditions for this sparring match," Thirteen said. "How do I win again?"


    Hans looked at the boy who was looking at him with unsteady eyes before shifting his gaze to Terence.


    "State the condition of this duel again," Hans stated. "Since the Patriarch has agreed to give a reward to this boy if he wins, it is best If the rules are rified first."


    In the eyes of the adults in the party, a Mid Silver-Grade Weapon did not hold that much value. However, for the kids who still hadn''t started their First Wandering, such a weapon was considered a treasure that would help them in their future journeys in Solterra.


    Terence became flustered because his original n to attack Thirteen had to be set aside.


    If the rules were rified, yet he still attacked the child, people would think that he was making light of the intelligence of the people around him.


    Since the Patriarch is present, he was now duty-bound to answer Hans'' question and state the condition of the duel.


    "He will win if he manages tond an attack on my body or make me move from my spot," Terence replied. "I will also not attack him in any way and only use one of my hands to protect myself."


    After stating the conditions for how Thirteen would win the duel, the drunk boy finally nodded his head in understanding.


    He had felt Terence''s intent to hit him earlier. Although there was no killing intent, it still allowed the five-year-old to know that the older boy was going to retaliate against him if he came within striking range.


    Because of this, he asked Hans to confirm the rules of victory first, to ensure that the boy would be forced to re-state the conditions of their spar.


    Just as expected, Terence''s stance had changed. Thirteen no longer felt that the older boy wanted to attack him, which made him smile internally.


    However, since his opponent dared to even think of harming him, he also changed his n ordingly.


    The little drunk boy then moved toward the table and went to the utensil area. He then picked up a dozen steak knives, making Terence''s eyes widen in shock.


    "O-Oi! What do you think you''re doing?!" Terence shouted as Thirteen wobbled toward him, holding the bunch of steak knives in his hands.


    "Hm?" Thirteen frowned as he stood three meters away from Terence.


    He then dropped the knives on the floor and picked two of them.


    "Just stand still," Thirteen said as he pulled back his arm, preparing to throw the steak knife in his hand.


    "Wait!" Terence shouted. "Why are you using steak knives?! I didn''t tell you that you''re allowed to use that."


    "That''s right *hic*," Thirteen replied. "You didn''t tell me that this was not allowed *hic*. Oh? Why are there suddenly two of you? No matter, I''ll just hit one first, and figure the restter."


    Without another word, Thirteen threw the steak knife, which brushed past Terence''s left shoulder. Due to the barrier that stood at the edges of their sparring arena, it didn''t hit anyone else and fell harmlessly on the floor.


    "I see, so that''s a fake one," Thirteen chuckled before throwing the other steak knife in his hand. "Okay, here''s the second one."


    The knife throw was fast, cutting a small tear on the right shoulder of Terrence''s tailor-made suit.


    "I missed again *hic*," Thirteen smiled. Before picking up four steak knives and looking at Terence with a devilish smile on his face. "This time *hic* I won''t miss it, so prepare yourself. *hic*."


    Just as he was about to throw the four steak knives in his hand, Thirteen felt an adult''s hand rest on his shoulder.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Michael said, stepping into the arena in order to stop the boy from actually hurting one of the members of the Leventis Family.


    He had seen how the five-year-old threw the two knives. That was enough for him to understand that he was very proficient in what he was doing.


    The fact that the second knife tore Terence''s suit without drawing blood proved his urate control over his throws.


    "But, Uncle, I still haven''t managed to make him move away from his spot."


    "It''s fine. I''ll give you the prize instead of Father, so be a good boy, okay?"


    Thirteen nodded and handed the knives in his hands to his Uncle.


    He then slowlyid on the ground and closed his eyes.


    A few secondster, he fell asleep, making the adults unable to decide what to think of the five-year-old boy, who was always getting in the way of their entertainment.


    Hans sighed in his heart before picking up the sleeping boy off the floor and walking in the direction of Lady Callista.


    The olddy smiled and patted herp.


    The Butler understood what his Mistress wanted, so he obeyed and made Thirteen sit on herp sideways. Lady Callista tenderly held her grandson, letting him rest his head on her shoulder.


    Perhaps, recognizing that he was in his Grandma''s arms, the boy mumbled innocently in his sleep.


    "I love you, Grandma."


    Lady Callista looked at the troublemaker before shaking her head helplessly.


    "Let''s go back, Trisha," Lady Callista ordered.


    The maid nodded. "Yes, My Lady."


    Trisha then pushed her Mistress'' wheelchair toward the exit of the Main Hall. No one barred their path, and Hans swiftly followed behind them.


    When they could no longer be seen, Gideon looked at his wife, Sandra, and smiled.


    "Your Nephew sure is something," Gideon whispered. "It seems that he yed everyone in this party, including your Father."


    Sandra sighed and didn''t bother to reply to her husband''s words. She decided that, a few days after the party, she would go visit Alessia and tell her about the events that had transpired at the party.


    Arthur didn''t say anything and acted like nothing had happened.


    But for the first time since he saw the boy, a feeling other than mild annoyance emerged from his heart.


    ''That little rascal,'' Arthur thought. ''Just what kind of bullsh*t is he teaching his son?''


    Somewhere in Solterra, a man with short ck hair and blue eyes sneezed.


    "Alessia must be thinking about me," Gerald thought as he dissected the monster he had just killed.


    Since Thirteen had asked him to bring back a lot of Jinn Cores, as well as Monster Parts, he intended to collect as many as he could before returning home to his lovely family, whom he treasured very much.

 Chapter 29: Mountain King’s Axe

    <h4>Chapter 29: Mountain King¡¯s Axe</h4>


    Thirteen slept well, skipping dinner and waking up at four in the morning.


    The moment he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a soft and veryfortable bed.


    He was asleep for nearly sixteen hours straight, and he woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated.


    The boy then propped himself up and sat cross-legged on top of his bed.


    Now that his head was free from the haze of being drunk, he tried to recall the memories of the party to check whether he had been able to look at it with an objective mind.


    As a system, Thirteen''s memory was impable. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he had an Eidetic memory, which meant that he could recall things with high precision and uracy.


    Everything he did was nned.


    He could have easilynded a blow on Terence''s body and won their spar, earning him the reward that was promised of him.


    However, he didn''t do that.


    He had used a more drastic method instead in order to test something, and his method worked wonders. Because of this, he was able to gauge that there was someone in the Leventis Family who woulde to stop him.


    Thirteen knew that Arthur wouldn''t bat an eye even if his knives were to pierce Terence''s body. Fortunately, his cousin was saved because his Uncle moved in to stop him, giving the five-year-old a more favorable opinion of his father''s family.


    "I guess there are still a few decent people in the Leventis Family," Thirteen muttered as he remembered his prim-and-proper-looking Uncle, who served as his Grandfather''s right-hand man.


    Since he was already awake, Thirteen left his bed and walked toward the balcony.


    The surroundings were still dark, but the boy didn''t think much of it.


    He started to take slow and deep breaths in order to rx his body. He then initiated the 24 Forms of Tai Chi.


    After doing this every day, the boy already strengthened his body''s flexibility.


    His movements were fluid as he executed each form with a serious expression on his face.


    When he was done, he repeated the same forms from the beginning.


    Despite the chilly morning air, his body was starting to warm up, and it made him feel good.


    Just as he was about to finish his forms, he sensed a presence looking at him from a distance.


    However, Thirteen didn''t look in that direction. He simply started some breathing techniques, not paying attention to whoever it was that was watching him.


    A few minutester, he exhaled a long breath,pleting his morning routine.


    Suddenly, the presence that had been watching him for a while appeared beside him, making the five-year-old look at his right side.


    "Good morning, Uncle," Thirteen said as he gave the older man a respectful bow.


    "Good morning," Michael replied. "Are you done with your exercise?"


    Thirteen nodded.


    "Good," Michael said. "Now, follow me. I will bring you to the treasury, so you can pick the weapon I promised you."


    Without waiting for his permission. Michael picked him up like a sack of rice, hoisting him over his shoulder.


    A momentter, he disappeared from the balcony, heading toward the Main Residence of the Leventis Family.


    Half a minute after Michael had left, Hans stepped from the shadows and looked in the direction where his Young Master was taken away.


    As the Protector of the Vi where Lady Callista was stationed, he had sensed Michael''s appearance.


    However, since thetter didn''t have any malicious intent toward his nephew, Hans decided to not do anything and just observed the situation.


    ''Getting the recognition of Michael is a good thing,'' Hans thought. ''It seems that your n to leave asting impression on the Leventis Family worked, Zion.''


    The butler once again merged with the shadows and continued his role to protect the Evesting Vi, where Lady Callista was currently resting.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, inside the Leventis Family''s Silver-Grade Treasury, Thirteen was busy inspecting the weapons that were on disy one by one.


    He was pleasantly surprised to see that the weapons weren''t ordinary weapons. In fact, they could be considered top-tier.


    This was the Treasury where the talented members of the younger generation of the Leventis Family chose equipment.


    All the items inside of it were Silver-Grade in varying stages.


    There were even Avatars that were firmly kept in special containers, ready to be used by their new owners.


    Michael only promised him a weapon, but he didn''t stop his nephew from checking out every nook and cranny of the treasury.


    Since there was no possibility for the boy to steal anything right from under his nose, he allowed him to view everything that was on disy in front of him.


    An hourter, Thirteen stood in the Axe Section of the treasury and looked at the axes that were on disy.


    As the one who chose and bestowed the God of War Axe Martial Techniques to his brother, Mikhail, Thirteen was more than qualified to pick the best weapon for his brother.


    ''I wonder if I can empower these weapons further using Rune Magic,'' Thirteen thought as he touched the handles of the axes.


    They were the weapons that were dropped or rewarded to the Wanderers of Solterra, and all of them contained special abilities that Thirteen wouldn''t be able to use due to the restrictions that were ced on his body.


    If he could inscribe Rune Magic into the items gained in Solterra, not only would they be more powerful, but it could also open up another possibility for him.


    However, in order to be sure, he would first need to consult the Lace Demon and ask whether he was allowed to do what was on his mind.


    If Thirteen could imbue a weapon with more abilities, then he could sell them in Auction Houses, allowing his family to gain a lot of money.


    Since they were cut off from the Leventis Family, their family funds could only be gained throughpleting Quests, as well as going on Expeditions in Solterra.


    While he was thinking of this money-making opportunity, Thirteen''s gazended on a particr axe with intricate designs, making it look like a precious relic instead of a weapon.


    But a frown appeared on his face after reading the information listed on its disy case.


    ''It''s almost perfect,'' Thirteen thought. ''But, there is one big problem.''


    The boy looked at the bottom of the information on the Silver Grade Weapon, which made him scratch his head.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Mountain King''s Axe >


    Rank: Mid Silver-Grade


    Active Abilities: Echo m, Mountain Splitter


    Passive Abilities: Sharpness, Auto Repair, Aura of Protection


    Weight: 900 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The axe weighed nearly a ton, and it was almost impossible for Thirteen''s brother, Mikhail, to wield it.


    In fact, he believed that only those of the Grandmaster or Champion Rank who specialized in strength could use this weapon.


    This was also why no one from the Leventis Family had taken the axe out of the treasury. There was simply no one in that age range who could wield it.


    After careful consideration, Thirteen steeled his resolve and looked at his Uncle with a determined look on his face.


    "Uncle, I''m taking this axe," Thirteen said, making Michael raise an eyebrow because of his choice.


    "Understood," Michael replied. "I will have it packed and sent to your residenceter this afternoon."


    Michael had to admit that his nephew''s choice surprised him.


    However, he still thought that Thirteen made the wrong decision in picking the axe that no one had been able to wield ever since it had been acquired by the members of the Leventis Family.

 Chapter 30: A Benefactor For Life

    <h4>Chapter 30: A Benefactor For Life</h4>


    "Promise to visit me often, okay? At least once or twice a week is good," Lady Callista said as she hugged her grandson.


    "Understood, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "I''ll also bring Remi next time. I''m sure she''ll be happy to meet you."


    "I''ll look forward to it then," Lady Callista said. "Hans, you better stay in touch with Zion, so we can schedule his visits, okay?"


    "Yes, My Lady." Hans bowed his head in acknowledgment.


    After saying their goodbyes, Thirteen finally left the Leventis Residence. However, as he departed, he couldn''t help but sense the gaze of two peopleing from somewhere.


    ''It might be Michael and that old man, Arthur,'' Thirteen thought. ''It seems that my visit here in this ce has paid off.''


    Not only was he able to form a stronger connection with his Grandmother, but he was also able to leave an impression on the Patriarch of the Family, as well as his Eldest Son.


    Five minutester...


    "Here you go, Young Master," Hans handed the vial, in which Lady Callista had ced a drop of her blood into, to Thirteen.


    He had only managed to give it a brief nce before the party. But now, the boy was finally able to take a closer look at it.


    ''Just as I expected, the poison has already spread to her entire body,'' Thirteen thought. ''Now I understand why the doctors were only able to suppress the poison and not eradicate it properly. The poison also contains a curse. Fortunately, I can deal with something like this.''


    Hans, who was driving the car, looked at the rearview mirror and observed Thirteen''s expression. He was looking for any signs that might tell him that the boy would be able to find a cure for his Master.


    But the minutes passed in silence.


    Just as Hans was about to ask Thirteen whether he would be able to cure his Grandma, the boy raised his palm, facing up.


    This put a stop to whatever Hans was going to say. The second thing that Thirteen did was ce a finger over his lips, signaling the Butler to not say anything.


    The boy then pointed at his ear, before pointing at several ces in the car.


    Hand immediately understood what the five-year-old was telling him.


    It seemed that the car had been bugged, and their conversation was being monitored by people.


    Since the Butler had been warned, he no longer initiated any form of conversation with Thirteen and focused his attention on the road.


    Five minutester, they arrived at Thirteen''s Residence.


    The boy made a gesture for Hans to follow him inside the house so that they could talk in private.


    Remi, who seemed to have sensed his arrival, happily ran in his direction. Seeing his sister''s brisk tiny steps, Thirteen smiled.


    After giving her a hug and patting her head, he held her hand and looked for his mother so that she could look after his sister for a bit.


    Remi was a smart girl, and Thirteen didn''t want her to be there when he talked to Hans about Lady Callista''s condition.


    There was a chance that she might mention it identally, which would jeopardize his future ns.


    Fortunately, Remi didn''t throw a tantrum nor insisted that shee with him. Two minutester, he and Hans finally arrived inside his room, where they could finally talk in private.


    "Okay, let''s start with the things that you already know," Thirteen said as he made a gesture for Hans to sit on the couch. "First, the Poison has already spread inside Grandma''s body. It will slowly cause her body to deteriorate, and if not treated within the next ten years, she will probably die."


    Hans was surprised by Thirteen''s deduction because this was also the diagnosis of the strongest Healer in the world.


    She mentioned that, at most, Lady Callista only had ten more years to live if the Poison in her body wasn''t removed.


    The Butler was already impressed with the boy''s intelligence, but after his exnation, he couldn''t help but think that the boy was also very knowledgeable in the healing art.


    Because of this, he felt hope that his Mistress would finally recover from her suffering.


    "I won''t bore you with the details, but yes, Grandma can be cured," Thirteen stated. "You will need to gather several ingredients, and some of them are incredibly rare. Since it will take some time for me to write a list, I''ll just give it to you four days from now.


    "That is also when I will go back to the Leventis Residence, with Remi in tow, to see Grandma. But, Hans, take note that gathering the ingredients is just the first step. Grandma needs to undergo therapy, and I can''t do it inside the Leventis Residence.


    "There are too many eyes there, and I don''t want to stand out more than I did at the Party. The only thing I want to gain is recognition from the Leventis Family. I don''t want them prying into my secrets. Do you understand?"


    Hans nodded. "Does that mean that I need to bring My Lady here in order for you to execute the treatment?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "But the only people that are allowed to apany Lady Callista are you and her maid, Trisha. No other member of the Leventis Family muste with you. I don''t care what excuses you make, but make sure that no one else will apany the three of you. One more thing¡ªI can''t trust Trisha as much as I trust you. She reports directly to that old man Arthur.


    "The only reason why I''m allowing her toe is because it will be less suspicious. You''ll need to deal with her so that I can spend some time alone with Grandma. Do I make myself clear?"


    Hans arched an eyebrow after hearing the boy''s statement.


    Indeed, Trisha did report directly to the Patriarch of the Leventis Family.


    Hans and Lady Callista didn''t mind this one bit since the Patriarch only wished for his wife''s safety and swift recovery. Trisha wasn''t an enemy and seriously cared about her Mistress.


    But the fact remained that her loyalty was with the Leventis family, so she must be excluded from the circle of trustworthy people that Thirteen was slowly building to be his strength in the future.


    "Understood," Hans replied. "How long will the treatment take?"


    Thirteen pondered a bit as he did some calctions. A minuteter, he raised two fingers.


    "Two years," Thirteen replied. "I can make her recover faster, but there might be some side effects if I rush it. I need Grandma to be perfectly healthy, so two years is just the right amount of time for a full recovery.


    "Besides, if she is cured instantly, people will get suspicious, especially those who have treated her in the past. We don''t want them to start poking their nose in ces that are off-limits to them. Also, I intend to make you work hard for my sake as well. And no, this isn''t part of the three favors that I will ask of you in the future.


    "These are just menial tasks to ensure that Grandma''s recovery will not encounter any mishaps. As long as you cooperate, I will guarantee that not only will she be able to regain her strength, but her life force will be more robust as well."


    Hans felt as if a stone had finally dropped from his heart. Now that there was truly a chance to cure Lady Callista, he was more motivated to coborate with Thirteen to make it happen.


    ''It seems that visiting this residence a few weeks ago was truly the right choice,'' Hans thought. ''I''m d I did it.''


    Truth be told, he wasn''t supposed to make any contact with Gerald''s Family since he had already been disowned by his Father.


    However, when he saw how sad his Mistress was, he decided to take the initiative to find Gerald and ask him to visit his mother so that she would feel a little better.


    Although he might get scolded by Arthur for bringing Gerald back to see his mother, he was willing to take that risk as long as it would make her happy.


    "Young Master, I will return four days from now." Hans bowed respectfully. "I pray that the next time we meet, you''ll be done listing all the ingredients necessary for curing My Lady''s condition."


    The Butler was already used to bowing to people because it was his job. But there were only a handful of times when he sincerely wanted to show his respect and acknowledgment to people.


    Right now, Hans had already deemed the five-year-old as someone who was worthy of his respect and admiration.


    Even though he still didn''t understand how a five-year-old could aplish what he did and know things that even adults were unable toprehend, it didn''t really matter in the end.


    He could tell that the boy wanted him to be his ally.


    Hans already promised himself that if Thirteen was really able to save Lady Callista from her suffering, forget about the three favors that he wanted from him.


    He would dly serve and do any favors that the boy would ask of him and treat him as his benefactor for life.

 Chapter 31: Ways To Earn Money

    <h4>Chapter 31: Ways To Earn Money</h4>


    A few minutes after Hans left, Thirteen locked himself inside his room and meditated.


    He essed his Core and calcted which ingredients were most optimal for creating the antidote to cure the poison inside his Grandma''s body.


    The Poison was quite unique, with half of it being a very potent poison, and the other half being a very potent curse.


    Thisbination not only prevented anyone from curing itpletely, but it also deteriorated the rank of the victim, allowing the Poison to seep deeper into their bones and tissues, allowing it to be part of their body.


    Simply put, removing the poisonpletely was tantamount to killing Lady Callista.


    The poison and her were already inseparable, making any kind of cure counterproductive, hastening her death.


    The only saving grace was that no one was able to find a cure, so they only tried to suppress it.


    Since his brain was still not mature enough for high-level calctions, Thirteen paced himself and spent nearly two hours finalizing the list of ingredients that he needed.


    He was certain that, with the help of the Leventis Family, looking for the rare ingredients wouldn''t be that hard.


    Since he didn''t need to spend a single coin in this endeavor, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to pick the most optimal ingredient, allowing Lady Callista to not only recover but to also make the poison that had caused her to suffer for several years transform into a deadly power that would bepletely under her control.


    ''Once Grandma is cured, my family will have another backer in the Leventis Family,'' Thirteen thought. ''After two years, Mikhail will have his First Wandering. I''ll make sure to train him enough so that his first Quest will not be able to threaten his life.''


    Truth be told, when Thirteen mentioned that it would take two years for Lady Callista to be cured, he meant that the potion would take two years to fully take effect.


    During that period, she would also undergo therapy, but that was only another one of Thirteen''s excuses.


    The so-called therapy was just an excuse. In reality, he would use that time to impart to his Grandma a Divine Technique that would not only make her immune to all kinds of poison but also unleash the same kind of poison that she had suffered from onto her enemies.


    The evil part of this ability was that the moment the poison fully spread inside her victims'' bodies, they would fall under her control.


    She would be like a Vampire Progenitor and be able to create her own Covenant, made up of people who were infected by the poison in her body.


    Technically, Lady Callista was part of his family.


    He had argued this use with the Lace Demon when they made the contract.


    That detail, such as it was, was revised to make Gerald''s father, mother, and biological sister a part of Thirteen''s family, who could benefit from his abilities.


    The same could be said for Alessia''s mother, father, brothers, and sisters, who were biologically part of her family as well.


    Although it took a while for the Lace Demon to be convinced, it still reluctantly agreed in the end.


    Thirteen''s End Game was to make the Patriarch of the Leventis Family his pawn¡ªerrr backer, allowing him to monopolize the family''s connections and resources to their fullest.


    Of course, he had also made contingency ns in case this didn''t work.


    If he couldn''t make the Leventis Family his treasure cove of resources, he would just focus on making money.


    Lots of money!


    Regardless of what people thought, money still made the world go round. It was an inescapable path of human evolution.


    Those who controlled the flow of money controlled the world!


    While he was looking for ways to break his restrictions, he would simply hire strong Wanderers and even Pathfinders to be his subordinates, allowing him to move unhindered despite only reaching the Rookie Rank.


    ''It''s quite unfortunate that I can''t mass produce Rune Equipment since it will break the current bnce of the world,'' Thirteen thought. ''But there are still other ways to earn money.''


    The boy smirked because there was a loophole in the agreement. Although he couldn''t sell Rune Equipment to the masses, he could still sell it directly to his Grandpa, Arthur!


    Of course, he had to ce certain restrictions on the items, which would allow only Arthur to wield them.


    This way, not only would he be abiding by the agreement he had with Lace Demon and The One, but he would also be able to earn millions of Gold Coins through his transactions with his Grandpa.


    Simply put, Thirteen nned to make Arthur his ATM Machine that regrly dispensed money for his sake.


    This was hitting two birds with one stone!


    Of course, he also nned to give his Grandma some Top-Quality Artifacts, but he would give them to her for free.


    ''It''s quite unfortunate that I can''t arm Hans with Rune Equipment,'' Thirteen sighed.


    Since the Butler was his first ally, he wanted to strengthen him so that whenever he asked him to do something for him, Hans would be able to do it without fail.


    Thirteen looked at the list of ingredients in his hand and smiled.


    ''Once Grandma is cured, I will refine some of her blood and make everyone in the family immune to poison,'' Thirteen smirked. ''At least, we''ll no longer have to be worried about being poisoned when we face poisonous creatures in Solterra. My Host also suffered a lot back then due to poison.''


    The boy sighed after remembering his previous Host, who had died an unjust death at the hands of one of the Five Monarchs that ruled the world.


    "Don''t think about that scum for now," Thirteen muttered to himself. "He will get his just dessert once I unlock my restrictions. For now, I just need to focus on strengthening my family and allies."


    He had already outlined the path that he would take in order to reach his goals as fast and securely as possible.


    Of course, he still needed to know how much Solterra had changed since he was there. Also, there were other things that were on his mind, like the treasures that his previous Host had left behind for safekeeping.


    His previous Host was a bit paranoid, so he didn''t keep too many special items in his possession.


    Thirteen knew exactly where these treasures were hidden, so he could unearth them the moment he became a rookie.


    Of course, depending on how dangerous the location was, he would ask his family or Hans for help, allowing him to get some of the most powerful artifacts that used to belong to his Host.


    His previous Host was a Throne Pathfinder before he was stabbed to death.


    And all of the things he left behind were so precious that Thirteen could easily earn millions if he auctioned them off.


    But Thirteen had no ns to do that. He would refine these artifacts and apply rune magic to them.


    That way, they would be more powerful, allowing them to step into the Legendary Rank.

 Chapter 32: There’s Nothing This Brat Can Hide Inside My Own Turf

    <h4>Chapter 32: There¡¯s Nothing This Brat Can Hide Inside My Own Turf</h4>


    Michael personally delivered the Mountain King''s Axe to Thirteen''s Residence.


    He was supposed to deliver it a day ago, but due to how busy he was, the delivery was done a dayte.


    When he saw the handsome man wearing sses take the Mountain King''s Axe out as if it was nothing, Thirteen couldn''t help but be surprised because he made it look so easy.


    The five-year-old didn''t know that his Uncle was actually a Strength-Type Wanderer, who could easily lift the Axe that nearly weighed a ton as if it was just a cup of coffee.


    After delivering the Axe, and cing it inside the room that Thirteen designated, he left after exchanging a few pleasantries with the boy''s mother, Alessia.


    "Zion, is this the Axe that you told me about?" Alessia asked. "The one that you n to give your brother after his Second Wandering?"


    "Yes, Mother," Thirteen replied.


    Alessia then held the handle of the Axe and frowned.


    "This is too heavy," Alessiamented. "Even as a Grandmaster, I would have a very difficult time using this. I doubt that Mikhail will be able to use it after bing an Adept."


    "Don''t worry, Mother," Thirteen smiled. "I already have it covered. Trust me, okay?"


    Alessia wanted to roll her eyes at her son, but after seeing him do incredible things, she decided to believe him.


    "Mother, there is also one thing I forgot to tell you," Thirteen said. "Three days from now, I''m going to go back to the Leventis Family to see Grandmother. I n to bring Remi along with me."


    Alessia looked at her son in disbelief and for a brief moment, she thought that she misheard him.


    "You n to take Remi to the Leventis Family to see Lady Callista?" Alessia asked.


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "I want her to see Remi."


    "Zion, are you perhaps nning to reconnect our ties to the Leventis Family?"


    "Hmm? Not really. I just want Grandma to see how cute Remi is. I couldn''t care less what the rest of the Leventis Family does. But, Grandma is Grandma."


    "But, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family is your Grandpa as well," Alessia stated.


    Thirteen shrugged. "So? He was the one that disowned Father. Since that is the case, I don''t see any point in trying to be nice to him."


    Alessia didn''t say anything for a minute and simply stared at her son with a frown.


    "Zion, what are you nning?" Alessia asked. "It will not be a good idea to antagonize the Leventis Family."


    "Mother, you think too much," Thirteen said as he ced his hand on the handle of the Mountain King''s Axe. "There''s no way someone as insignificant as me can antagonize one of the Ten Prestigious Families. Also, I am not stupid to do that. Grandpa can easily snuff out our entire family just by lifting a finger. Why would I do something to offend him?"


    The boy then turned to his mother and held her hand.


    "Trust me, Mother," Thirteen stated. "I will only do what is best for our family."


    Seeing how serious her son''s expression was, Alessia sighed in her heart and nodded her head.


    "I believe you, Zion," Alessia replied. "Just, make sure to protect Remi, okay? Not everyone in the Leventis Family likes our family after all."


    "I will, Mother." Zion smiled. "I promise."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Three dayster...


    "Good morning, Young Master Zion, Young Lady Remi," Hans bowed towards the two children, who would be visiting Lady Callista today.


    Thirteen nodded back and handed a piece of paper to the Butler, who took it without any hesitation.


    The boy watched as Hans read the list of ingredients that he would need to create the potion that would cure his Grandma.


    To his surprise, the Butler''s expression remained calm even after reading the list.


    Thirteen was hoping that Hans would show a look of surprise on his face or maybe a frown. There were many rare, and expensive ingredients on the list, and he thought he would get a reaction from him.


    What the five-year-old didn''t know was that, although Hans was indeed a Butler from the Leventis Family, he was actually very rich.


    Filthy rich to be exact.


    "I will procure these ingredients as soon as possible, Young Master," Hans said with a smile. "Just give me a few days."


    "... You''re good, Hans," Thirteen replied on seeing howposed the Butler was.


    Hans had spent millions using his own savings to find a cure for Lady Callista in the past, even hiring the best alchemists and pharmacists to help him.


    But, all of that money was wasted.


    Now that he was certain that he finally found the true cure for his Master, he wouldn''t mind spending a tenth of his total savings in order to get everything that was listed on the piece of paper in his hands.


    After carefully pocketing the note as if it was a priceless treasure, Hans opened the door of his car, allowing Thirteen and Remi to enter.


    "Safety first," Thirteen said as he fastened Remi in with her seatbelt.


    "Safety first," Remi imitated her brother''s words, earning her a pat on the head.


    Hans couldn''t help but smile after seeing this lovely scene before he started to drive his car.


    He had already obtained Michael''s permission for Thirteen''s and Remi''s visit, informing the security personnel inside the Residence about their arrival.


    "We''re here, Young Master, Young Lady," Hans replied as he parked the car near the Main Door of the Evesting Vi.


    Thirteen helped his sister get out of the car, and looked at the familiar ce with a smile on his face.


    "Come, Remi," Thirteen said. "Let''s go meet Grandma."


    "Grandma!" Remi smiled.


    The two didn''t know that the moment they entered the Residence, Arthur had already set his sights on them.


    After the party, he did a background check on the five-year-old to learn more about his personality.


    ording to the data collected by the investigators, Zion was a very timid child and rarely interacted with people, with the exception of his family.


    He was also involved in an ident, receiving serious injuries, which caused him to be hospitalized for a time.


    ''He changed after he was discharged from the hospital,'' Arthur thought as he remembered the notes that were added in the report. ''Did he develop a split personality because of his trauma?''


    This was the only exnation that Arthur could think of after seeing Thirteen''s performance during the party.


    It was impossible for a timid five-year-old to do what he did, making the Patriarch of the Leventis n wonder if letting Thirteen continue to meet with his wife would be a good thing or not.


    ''I''ll observe for the time being,'' Arthur thought. ''There''s nothing this brat can hide inside my own turf.''


    With this, the Patriarch of the Leventis n closed his eyes, and let his senses expand towards the Evesting Vi, where two little pests had wormed their way inside the residence.

 Chapter 33: Can I Keep Her?

    <h4>Chapter 33: Can I Keep Her?</h4>


    "Grandma, I''m back as promised," Thirteen said with a smile. "And, guess who I brought with me to see you?"


    The five-year old moved to the side, and lightly patted his little sister''s back, so she would take a few steps forward.


    Remi looked at the olddy in front of her with curiosity.


    Lady Callista, on the other hand, looked at the adorable child with a smile.


    "Your name is Remi, right?" Lady Callista said. "Come here."


    Perhaps because of her brother''s encouragement, and the olddy''s kind gaze, Remi walked towards her grandma with a smile.


    "Grandma!" Remi said sweetly, making Lady Callista and Trisha feel the strong urge to hug her.


    Lady Callista didn''t fight this urge and pulled the little girl into her embrace and hugged her.


    "Grandma, good?" Remi asked.


    Lady Callista kissed Remi''s right cheek before looking at Hans, while still hugging the girl.


    "Can I keep her?"


    "No."


    Thirteen could only smile after seeing this scene. It seemed that his n to make his Grandma be fond of his adorable sister was a sess.


    ''No one can resist Remi''s charms,'' Thirteen thought. ''As expected of my little sister.''


    Lady Callista couldn''t help but kiss Remi''s chubby cheeks over and over again, making the little girl giggle in her arms.


    When she finally had her fill, she asked Trisha to push her wheelchair towards the garden.


    Remi was still seated on her Grandma''sp, and seemed to be veryfortable in her position.


    The olddy couldn''t help but smile because it had been a while since she had interacted with a child as cute as Remi.


    Sure, there were other children inside the Leventis Family Estate, but since they weren''t her direct descendants, she didn''t care much about them.


    Thirteen and Remi were different. They were truly her grandchildren, so the feeling of wanting to spoil them came natural to her.


    Hans and Thirteen followed a few steps behind Trisha, who was pushing the wheelchair towards the garden.


    They had already set up a table there, filled with cookies, cakes, and other delicious snacks for the children.


    Remi was personally hand fed by Lady Callista, while her brother just watched from the side.


    He didn''t mind if his grandma showered his sister with all of her attention today. That was the main reason why he insisted on bringing Remi with him.


    Thirteen had already given the list of ingredients to Hans, so there was nothing else to do, but wait until it was time for them to go home.


    He had also asked Hans to refrain from talking to him too much whenever he was in the Leventis Residence, so that it would not make people too suspicious of him.


    His act during the party couldn''t be considered high-handed because he had pulled back his punches most of the time, depriving the guests of their entertainment, and making sure to uphold the Leventis'' Family''s motto.


    Courage and Strength. These were the traits that the Leventis Family recognized.


    Weakness was something they hated, so Thirteen abided by these rules, while making sure that Terence wasn''t humiliated.


    The mistakes of his subordinates might be reflected on his person, but in the end, this was still eptable because they still hadn''t received the training required of the retainers from the family.


    His face off against Terence was also stopped midway, which was part of his n.


    Him getting drunk would give him an excuse that he wasn''t in the right state of mind when he challenged the boy.


    So anything he did during that time could be forgiven due to the influence of the alcohol.


    But, he couldn''t always fool everyone, so the best way to do this was, instead ofing to the Leventis Residence all the time, to make his Grandmae to him.


    Remi was the key to make that happen.


    She was cute, obedient, and loving.


    Because of this, it was only a matter of time before his Grandma would love, and spoil her rotten.


    Of course, even if Lady Callista spoiled Remi rotten, Thirteen would ensure that his sister would receive proper training as she grew up.


    ''I''ll make sure to take the initiative to invite Grandma to visit us next time,'' Thirteen thought as he sipped his tea.


    Trisha, who was standing behind Lady Callista''s wheelchair, would often nce at the five-year-old boy from time to time.


    Arthur had asked her to pay close attention to the boy, and report to him if she noticed anything suspicious in his actions.


    But, aside from acting like an intellectual child, which was normal for the Prestigious Families, the maid couldn''t find anything suspicious in the boy''s actions.


    She had been at the party, and she had to admit that she was surprised by how Zion had dealt with everything.


    But, he wasn''t the only one capable of doing this. Almost every heir of the other families shared these qualities, making them stand above their peers.


    In the end, they just thought of him as a more intellectual child born from the bloodline of the Leventis Family.


    A few hourster, a teary-eyed Remi clung to her Grandma, not wanting to let go.


    Lady Callista was also very reluctant to part with her granddaughter, whom she was seeing for the first time.


    "Remi, it''s fine," Thirteen patted her sister''s head. "Grandma will visit you soon. Isn''t that right, Grandma?"


    "Grandma," Remi said as she looked at Lady Callista with puppy-like eyes. "Visit me?"


    "Of course, I will visit you," Lady Callista answered in a heartbeat. "I''ll visit you tomorrow if you like."


    "Un!" Remi happily hugged her Grandma, making Trisha and Hans smile at the same time.


    Their Mistress was smiling the entire time that Remi was with her, making them happy as well.


    Just as Thirteen and Remi were about to climb into the car, the two-year-old walked back to her Grandma and stood in tiptoes with her arms spread wide.


    Her lips were puckered, making the Old Lady chuckle as she presented her cheeks to her granddaughter, who gave her a sweet, and wet kiss on the cheek.


    After kissing her grandma, she walked back to her brother and held his hand.


    "Bye bye, Grandma," Thirteen said with a smile. "See you tomorrow."


    "Bye bye!" Remi also waved her hand before going inside the car.


    Even when inside the car, Remi was still waving at Lady Callista, which made the older woman wave to her as well.


    A minuteter, the car left the Evesting Vi, making the olddy sigh as she leaned back in her wheelchair.


    She felt very happy ever since she met Thirteen. The child was very sweet, obedient, and intelligent.


    But, after seeing Remi, her heart melted, making her remember the time when she was raising her own children, when they were still young and clung to her everyday.


    "Trisha, make sure to prepare my best dress tomorrow," Lady Callista ordered.


    "Understood, My Lady," Trisha replied. "Should I also ask Hans to buy a toy that we can give Remi tomorrow as a gift?"


    Lady Callista smiled and nodded her head. "Good idea. Make sure to buy gifts for Zion and his two siblings as well."


    Trisha nodded before pushing the wheelchair back inside the residence with a smile on her pretty face.

 Chapter 34: This Grandson Of Mine Is Really Smart

    <h4>Chapter 34: This Grandson Of Mine Is Really Smart</h4>


    The next day, Lady Callista came to visit Thirteen and his family.


    Since he had already informed his mother of her impending arrival, Alessia did her best to clean the house, as well as prepare food for their guests.


    It had been a long time since shest saw her mother-inw, and she wanted to make her stay asfortable as possible.


    "Grandma!" Remi shouted happily before running towards the olddy, who was seated in a wheelchair.


    The smile on Lady Callista''s face widened after seeing her adorable granddaughter run in her direction.


    After catching the little one in a loving embrace, she kissed Remi''s cheeks, and thetter kissed her back happily.


    "Thank you foring to visit us, Mother," Alessia said as she walked towards her mother-inw with a smile.


    "Alessia, it has been a while," Lady Callista nodded her head as Remi sat on herp, making herselffortable.


    It seemed that she liked to stay as close to her grandma as possible, and the olddy certainly wouldn''t have it any other way.


    "It will be best if we all go inside the house first," Thirteen, who was always the sensible one, said. "Wee to our humble home, Grandma."


    Lady Callista looked at the five-year-old and the two other children who were standing behind him.


    Gerald''s two other children, Mikhail and Shasha, looked at Lady Callista with curiosity.


    Mikhail had seen his Grandma in the past, but she didn''t look this old back then.


    She was still a beauty, making it so he did not recognize her right away.


    Shasha, on the other hand, was still too young when Lady Callistast saw her, so she couldn''t remember her Grandma''s face.


    But even if she did, she would still not recognize her now due to the effects of the poison that had spread inside the olddy''s body.


    Still, after hearing Thirteen''s reminder, everyone went inside the house so that their guests could have refreshments.


    Trisha observed Mikhail and Shasha, who were Gerald''s children. The Patriarch had asked her to check what their abilities were and report her opinion of them to him.


    Thirteen, who was also subtly paying attention to the maid, smirked internally.


    Since she wanted to see what his siblings were capable of, he would let her see it and report it back to the family.


    Even though his father was kicked out of the Leventis Family, the fact remained that the Leventis Blood still flowed in their veins.


    Any talented members of the family would be treated with great care and protected until they fully matured.


    "Brother, sister, since Grandma is here, why don''t you have a sparring match to show your skills to them?" Thirteen proposed before ncing at Lady Callista, who was busy hugging and patting Remi. "Would you like that, Grandma?"


    "Sounds good," Lady Callista replied.


    She was also looking forward to seeing to what extent her grandchildren had trained outside of the Leventis Family.


    As their grandmother, she was very worried that they were not receiving proper training from her son and daughter-inw.


    The Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families each had a very strict training routine for their heirs and younger generations.


    This was to ensure that they would excel and rise above the masses, befitting as a member of their families.


    Simply put, each family took pride that their bloodline was strong and born to lead people, making them important figures not only in Solterra but in Pangea as well.


    If her grandchildren''s performance wasn''t up to par, then Lady Callista would insist that one of her trusted subordinatese to train them, especially Mikhail, who only had two years before his First Wandering.


    ''Is this Zion''s way of asking me to help train his siblings?'' Lady Callista mused. ''This grandson of mine is really smart.''


    Trisha had the same line of thought.


    She even felt that Thirteen was shameless for hugging his grandma''s legs in order to gain guidance as well as resources from the Leventis Family.


    Hans, on the other hand, remained silent. He hadn''t seen how strong the five-year-old''s siblings were either. Every time he hade to their residence, the two had either just finished their training or they were training somewhere else.


    Mikhail and Shasha were quite happy that their brother had asked them to spar. Aside from their daily routine, the two didn''t have the chance to spar today because their mother asked them to be ready to meet their grandma at any time.


    The two of them went back to their rooms to change into proper training gear since Shasha was unable to fight properly wearing the beautiful dress that her mother had picked for her.


    While everyone was waiting for Mikhail and Shasha to return, they all headed to the training ground.


    "Grandma, I have also started Remi''s training," Thirteenmented.


    "She''s training as well?" Lady Callista frowned. "She''s still too young to train. Even the Leventis Households only start the training of their children at five years old."


    "Well, it''s not really vigorous training," Thirteen said. "I''m just teaching Remi a technique for self-defense. It''s called the Nutcracker Kick."


    "Nutcracker kick?" Lady Callista blinked in confusion. "What''s that?"


    "Mmm, I''ll let you see it, Grandma," Thirteen stated. "Remi,e for a bit. Let''s show Grandma your Nutcracker kick."


    Remi reluctantly went to her Big Brother because she also wanted to show off to her grandma.


    She then raised her shoulders, allowing Thirteen to hold them in ce to support her body.


    The moment her brother gave the signal, Remi started to use her Nutcracker kick, making Lady Callista, and Trisha chuckle.


    "Ei!"


    "Ei!"


    "Ei!"


    The little girl''s kick was quite amusing, and after seeing her kicking style, they immediately understood what Thirteen was trying to teach his sister, amusing the twodies.


    Hans, on the other hand, couldn''t help but shake his head helplessly due to the five-year-old''s antics.


    After doing a few kicks, Remi returned to her Grandma, wanting to be praised.


    "Good girl," Lady Callista said as she patted her granddaughter''s head. "You did well."


    Remi smiled and hugged her Grandma lovingly after being praised by her.


    It was also at this moment when Mikhail and Shasha appeared at the Training Ground.


    Their auras were different from when they came to meet Lady Callista, making the olddy arch an eyebrow.


    After bowing to each other as a sign of respect, the two took their fighting stances.


    Both were holding real weapons, but with blunted edges, which was very normal for their age.


    They just didn''t expect that Mikhail would be wielding an Axe, while Shasha held a Rapier in her hand.


    A momentter, the two shed against each other, surprising Lady Callista, Hans, and Trisha at the same time.


    They weren''t using the Family Technique of the Leventis Family like they thought they would.


    But the more the two fought, the more solemn the expressions of the three adults became.


    Although their battle styles were still rough around the edges, they could see the potential of the techniques they were using.


    This made Trisha, who was supposed to report this kind of development to her Patriarch, subtly activate a recording crystal so that Arthur would be able to see Mikhail''s and Shasha''s battle for himself once she returned to the Leventis Residence.

 Chapter 35: Unexpected Turn Of Events

    <h4>Chapter 35: Unexpected Turn Of Events</h4>


    Shasha unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, while Mikhail raised his axe to block them all.


    He knew that when it came to speed, he was not a match against his sister, but that was fine. He had his own way of dealing with those who moved fast, and that was what he did.


    Taking minimal movements, he unleashed a sh, overpowering his sister, which caused her to uncontrobly skid backward.


    A fearless smile appeared on Shasha''s face, while a grin was stered on Mikhail''s.


    Thirteen chuckled internally seeing that the two simply fought to the best of their abilities, forgetting that they had spectators watching them.


    The exchange became more intense as both did their best tond a hit on their opponent.


    Lady Callista couldn''t help but nod her head in satisfaction. Although both of them didn''t seem to be used to the fighting style they were using, it was still at a passable level.


    She believed that before Mikhail and Shasha started their First Wandering, they would be able to refine their fighting style, allowing them to have a higher survival rate the moment they stepped into the world of Solterra.


    Suddenly, with a roar Mikhail lunged forward and used his superior strength to hit Shasha''s rapier, making it fly backward, disarming her.


    However, Shasha wasn''t fazed as she did several backflips in quick session, catching her rapier before it fell on the ground.


    Just as the two were about to sh again, they heard a pping sound, which made both of them look at their five-year-old brother, who had a smile on his face.


    "Okay, let''s end the spar for now," Thirteen said. "Good job, Bro, Sis."


    Mikhail and Shasha nced at each other before lowering their weapons. This act made Lady Callista arch an eyebrow as she looked at the five-year-old, who had stopped her siblings from continuing their spar.


    That alone proved that Mikhail and Shasha acknowledged their little brother and listened to his orders.


    Trisha was also very surprised because she didn''t expect the two to listen to their younger brother as if he were the eldest in the family.


    Mikhail and Shasha then walked towards their Grandmother with looks of expectation. They were wondering what she was going to say about their performance.


    "Both of you did well," Lady Callista said. "At first, I was surprised because the two of you weren''t using the Leventis Battle Style. But the Martial Techniques that both of you are currently using suit both of you perfectly. By the way, who taught you those martial techniques?"


    "Father taught me mine," Mikhail replied.


    "Mother taught me mine," Shasha replied.


    These were the replies that Thirteen had told them to use if this question came up. His father and mother had already been informed about this, and both of them agreed that this was the safest way to handle this matter.


    "What Grade are these Martial Techniques?" Lady Callista inquired.


    This time, it was Alessia who answered the question.


    "Both of them are Gold Grade Martial Techniques," Alessia replied in a calm manner.


    Lady Callista, Hans, and Trisha looked at Alessia in shock.


    Gold Grade Martial Techniques were very rare and far in between.


    Even the Leventis Sword Art, Heaven''s Divide, was a Peak Gold-Grade Martial Technique.


    "Where did you two get them?" Lady Callista asked.


    "Where else, Mother?" Alessia replied. "Gerald got them while exploring Ruins in Solterra. You know he''s hard at work trying to support the family."


    The olddy nodded her head in understanding. "Do you n to Auction or sell these Martial Techniques?"


    "Of course not, Mother," Alessia replied. "We''re not that stupid. Mikhail and Shaha will inherit these Martial Styles, so when they have a family of their own, their children will inherit their legacies."


    Lady Callista found this answer eptable and gave Trisha a side-long nce.


    "If this information reaches my husband, I''ll kick you out of the Vi," Lady Callista said with a smile. "You will never work for me again and never be trusted by me again."


    Trisha nodded her head in understanding. "My Lady, although my employer is the Patriarch, I have not forgotten that you were the one who took me into the family. I will not betray your trust."


    "Good," Lady Callista nodded. "You can give that recording crystal to my husband and let him think whatever he wants to think. But the Grade of these Martial Techniques must be kept secret no matter what."


    Trisha nodded a second time. "Understood, My Lady."


    Suddenly, everyone felt a fluctuation in the residence, making Alessia smile.


    "It seems that Gerald hase home early," Alessia said. "Mother, let''s all go and meet him."


    Lady Callista smiled. "Since I''m already here, why not?"


    Mikhail and Shasha went ahead to meet their father, while Alessia guided her mother-inw to the private gateway that their family had inside the residence.


    Suddenly, Shasha''s scream reverberated in the surroundings, rming Alessia, Hans, and Thirteen.


    Without another word, Alessia and Hans darted toward the ce where they heard the scream, drawing their weapons as they ran.


    Lady Callista then asked Trisha to take her there, which thetter obeyed.


    "Stay here with Remi," Lady Callista said as she handed the little girl over to Thirteen. "We''ll check the situation first."


    After saying those words, the two left, leaving Thirteen and Remi behind.


    The five-year-old frowned, but he didn''t move from his spot while hugging Remi, who had a curious look on her face.


    Since he was not aware of what made his sister, Shasha, scream, he decided to not do anything reckless and wait until the adults had dealt with the situation.


    They were still far too weak to do anything, and if an enemy had managed to infiltrate their residence, they wouldn''t evenst a few seconds before being killed.


    He would only learn a few minutester that his Father, Gerald, had suffered serious injuries and barely managed to return home after surviving an assassination attempt.


    Before he lost consciousness, Gerald was able to say the name of the organization that targeted him, and it was none other than one of the top Assassin Organizations in Solterra that went by the name Death Wish.

 Chapter 36: No One Escapes A Death Wish Twice

    <h4>Chapter 36: No One Escapes A Death Wish Twice</h4>


    "Trisha, go back to the Residence and tell my husband about what happened," Lady Callista said. "I will be staying here for a few days. Ask Michael to send a few Grandmasters to protect this ce for the time being."


    "Yes, My Lady," Trisha bowed before leaving the room where Gerald was currently resting.


    Lady Callista''s personal maid was a Grandmaster Healer.


    It was because of her specialty that she was assigned to Lady Callista. Her job was to take care of and serve as her personal healer just in case she needed it.


    While Trisha was healing Gerald, she couldn''t help but frown due to how serious his injuries were. Some of the stab wounds he received were dangerously close to his vital organs.


    As one of the subordinates of the Leventis Family, she was well aware of the Assassin Organization that went by the name Death Wish.


    They were willing to kill anyone as long as the price was right.


    Also, their sess rate was very high, so Gerald being able to escape was a miracle in itself.


    Trisha had no doubt in her mind that if Gerald was an hourte in receiving medical help, he would have bled to death, making his wife Alessia a widow and leaving his kids without a father.


    After the maid had sealed most of Gerald''s injuries, she proposed that Gerald be taken to the hospital. However, Lady Callista shook her head.


    They didn''t know who had ced a bounty on Gerald''s head, and it was very possible that he would not be safe in the hospital.


    Because of this, Lady Callista took an elixir out of her storage ring and handed it to Trisha, making thetter''s body stiffen.


    "Use this to save my son," Lady Callista ordered.


    Trisha nodded and helped the unconscious man to drink the Elixir, which was capable of saving someone suffering from grievous injuries as long as they still had breath in them.


    Elixirs were extremely rare healing items, and there were only three of them in the Leventis Family.


    Lady Callista had now used hers, which was considered a priceless treasure to ordinary families.


    Gerald''splexion became better, and his breathing more stable. Alessia, who was doing her best to hold back her tears, finally gave in and covered her face with both hands.


    Extreme anxiety flooded her senses when she saw her husband covered in blood upon arriving at the Gateway of their family. Fortunately, she wasn''t an ordinary human, so she didn''t faint.


    She was also able to think rationally and immediately took out a potion in her possession and sprinkled it over her husband''s body, allowing him to regain a bit of his strength before he was treated by Trisha.


    "Again, go back to the residence and report what happened here, Trisha," Lady Callista ordered. "I will be staying here for a few days, so tell Michael to send some Grandmasters to guard this ce during my stay."


    "Yes, My Lady," Trisha bowed before leaving the room as fast as she could.


    She understood why her Mistress decided to stay at her son''s house.


    As long as she was there, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family would have no choice but to send the Family''s Sentinels to guard her and keep Thirteen''s family safe.


    While all the adults were inside the Master''s bedroom, Thirteen was taking care of his siblings.


    Mikhail and Shasha had tears in their eyes, while Remi was seated on Thirteen''sp.


    For little children, things like sadness andughter were very infectious.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen had told Remi that their brother and sister were just acting, she would have been crying as well because they looked very sad right now.


    ''Death Wish,'' Thirteen thought. ''Fortunately, I was able to impart Heaven''s de to Father. If not...''


    The Skill Heaven''s de was a new Martial Technique thatbined Heaven''s Divide and Eternal de.


    This skill allowed its wielder to move fast and hit hard at the same time. It also had a life-saving move called Overdrive, which allowed its wielder to increase their strength and speed by 500% in the span of five minutes.


    It was this Martial Technique''s Last Resort, and Gerald''s body showed signs of using it.


    The only downside to this technique was that, after the five minutes had passed, they would then enter a lethargic state, which would make them unable to move their body for an entire day.


    They either have to ovee their opponents and win, or die in the process.


    It was the ultimate Trump Card of Heaven''s de, making it extremely potent inbat.


    ''Someone''s targeting father, but who?'' Thirteen thought.


    The Leventis Family had many enemies, so it was possible that one of their rivals had targeted Gerald in order to send a message to the entire family.


    Since he had been disowned, he had also lost the protection of his family, making him an easy picking.


    If Gerald hadn''t learned Heaven''s de in time, they might have seeded. But now that their n had failed, they would probably lie low for the time being and wait for everything to cool off.


    ''I don''t have enough information.'' Thirteen sighed in his heart. ''It seems that I need to push my ns aside for a bit to deal with unforeseen variables.''


    He originally thought that he would be able to take it easy and slowly grow up until his First Wandering.


    Now that his Father had been attacked, he needed to create countermeasures for the safety of his family.


    The only saving grace was that the Assassin Organization, Death Wish, only operated in Solterra.


    Even so, Thirteen didn''t n to take any chances. Later, he would talk to his parents about his n to help protect their family better.


    Since Death Wish had failed their assassination attempt, they would definitely send more powerful experts to deal with his father the next time he went to Solterra.


    There was a saying among the Wanderers that "No one escapes a Death Wish twice" because their second attempt would be several times deadlier than the first.


    Faced with this threat, he was certain that his Father wouldn''t be going to Solterra anytime soon and would have to stay in their home to fully recover while nning his next move.

 Chapter 37: The Perfect House Husband [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 37: The Perfect House Husband [Part 1]</h4>


    Three days had passed since Gerald narrowly escaped from the Assassins of Death Wish.


    The Patriarch had sent his most trusted subordinates to protect Thirteen''s home and kept the incident under wraps.


    No one from the Leventis family was aware of what happened to Gerald. But even if they knew, they would probably not care, and some might even rejoice.


    Alessia was very worried about her husband, but since he had already drank an Elixir, she knew that he''d wake up sooner orter.


    During this time, Thirteen urged Hans to put all his focus on purchasing the ingredients needed to brew the potion that would stabilize his Grandma''s condition.


    With the current development, his ns had to be adjusted. He no longer had the leeway to take his sweet time when it came to strengthening and protecting his family.


    He understood that his father wouldn''t be able to return to Solterra anytime soon, so he devised a n that would allow him to support their family for a few years even if Gerald didn''t go to Solterra to do quests and gather Jinn Cores and Monster parts.


    Later that afternoon, Gerald finally woke up, to the relief of his family.


    Even Lady Callista couldn''t help but tear up when she saw that her son was finally awake.


    Of course, Gerald was dumbfounded to see his mother in their home, and when he heard that she had given him her one and only Elixir, he felt very guilty.


    But he didn''t let this show up on his face because doing so would only waste the sacrifice that his mother had made for him.


    Instead, he told everyone about what happened down to thest detail.


    ording to him, he was just about to return to the City of Lancaster in order to deposit his spoils before going out on another expedition.


    But on the way back, he was ambushed by Six Grandmasters.


    Even though he was also a Grandmaster, Gerald was at a great disadvantage because his six opponents were Elite Assassins.


    Fortunately, his senses, which had been enhanced due to his years of experience, as well as his newly modified Martial Technique, allowed him to barely evade the sneak attack that wasunched from behind him.


    After the Assassins failed to kill him with the first blow, a skirmish happened, with Gerald being attacked by the Assassins from every direction.


    While the fact remained that he was at a great disadvantage, Gerald''s strength had increased by leaps and bounds after learning Heaven''s de.


    Even though he had six opponents who were of the same rank, he was still able to gain the upper hand and push them back.


    When the Assassins realized that they couldn''t kill him using normal means, they took berserk potions in order to increase their strength and kill him as fast as they could.


    This was what pushed Gerald to use hisst resort, which was Overdrive.


    After raising his strength and speed, he managed to kill two of the Assassins and severely wound two more.


    However, he knew that he couldn''t keep up his advantage because his enhanced capabilities had a time limit.


    Desperate to escape, Gerald ran as fast as he could and was fortunate enough toe across a group of friends and acquaintances, who were also on their way to the city.


    When they saw Gerald''s bloody form, they didn''t hesitate to help him, forcing the Assassins to withdraw.


    Gerald was not only strong, but he was also a very friendly and kind person. Since his home base was Lancaster, many people had seen and heard of him. Some had even apanied him on his expeditions and profited greatly from their journey.


    Because of this, they immediately brought him back to the city and even insisted that he go to the nearest hospital to be healed.


    However, knowing that the Assassins might have agents in Lancaster, Gerald begged his friends to take him to the Teleportation Gate instead.


    He insisted that he would get medical help once he got home, so his friends relented and helped him enter the Teleportation Gateway.


    After stepping back to their residence, Gerald''s tenacity finally faded, and he copsed on the ground, bleeding all over.


    "Thank you, Mother," Gerald said. "I''llpensate you someday. I promise."


    "Enough with the nonsense," Lady Callista snapped at her son. "Whatpensation are you talking about? Do you think I need to bepensated by you? You should just focus on your recovery. Do not forget that you are now a father with four kids. What do you think will happen to them if you die?


    "Before you think ofpensating me, shouldn''t you think about how you will be able to support your family instead? Since you are being targeted by Death Wish, they won''t stop until you are dead.


    "For the time being, it is best that you do not return to Solterra. Don''t worry, I have enough savings to support your family for a few years."


    Gerald wanted to say that he didn''t need his mother''s support, but her re shut him up. He was a prideful person, and the mere thought of being supported by someone else made him feel bitter.


    But, he was willing to swallow his pride in order to ensure that his family would be able to livefortably for a few years until he figured out what to do next.


    It was at that moment that he noticed a five-year-old boy standing at the corner of the room. The child''s arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes were closed.


    Thirteen was leaning against the wall as if he was sleeping. But his steady breaths were more than enough to tell Gerald that his son was just listening to the conversation without any thought of getting in the way.


    It was thanks to his five-year-old son that he was able to survive the assassination attempt that was meant to take his life and manage to barely return home to his family.


    "Mother, Alessia, I want to talk to Zion in private," Gerald said. "Can you please leave us alone for the time being?"


    Alessia nced at her son and nodded her head.


    After he was discharged from the hospital, the five-year-old had be a pir of support in their family.


    They no longer treated him as a child and took his words and advice seriously.


    "We''ll just be in the living room," Alessia took the initiative to takemand of the conversation. "Just tell Zion to call for us if you need something. Mother, let''s go."


    "Mmm." Lady Callista nodded before giving her grandson a side-long nce.


    Trisha then pushed her wheelchair out of the room, leaving Gerald and his son behind.


    "Zion, what do you think I should do?" Gerald asked, hoping that his son would be able to point him in the right direction.


    "Pops, you don''t have to worry about anything," Thirteen replied. "During the two days that you were sleeping, I have devised a n to make you the perfect House Husband."


    "Ha?" Gerald looked at his son in disbelief. "Can you repeat that? I think I misheard you."


    Thirteen chuckled before walking toward his father and patting his hand.


    "You didn''t mishear me, Pops," Thirteen stated. "Prepare yourself to be the perfect House Husband. I got you covered."


    Gerald didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry at the smugness of his five-year-old, who had just told him what role he was going to y for his family.


    He would onlye to knowter that his son''s version of the perfect House Husband would allow him to do things he never thought possible while in the safety of their own home.

 Chapter 38: The Perfect House Husband [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 38: The Perfect House Husband [Part 2]</h4>


    Two more days passed since Gerald regained consciousness.


    On the fifth day, Michael personally visited Thirteen''s home, with the intention of inviting Lady Callista back to the residence.


    The two privately talked for a while, and in the end, the olddy reluctantly agreed to return home with Michael in exchange for leaving six Grandmasters to continue watching over her son''s house, protecting them from the shadows.


    Thirteen was very happy with this conclusion and even wanted to kiss his Uncle foring at the right time.


    With so many people inside their house, there were certain things that he couldn''t do.


    As for the bodyguards outside the house?


    He didn''t mind them one bit.


    Even if they were there, he was confident that none of them would be able to catch wind of what he was cooking up, which was a good thing.


    A day ago, Hans had given all of the ingredients that he gathered to Thirteen, and the boy concocted the potion using a portable stove and a pot that Hans also provided for him.


    Of course, he did it inside his bedroom and only handed Hans the finished potion an hour before he returned to the Leventis Family with his grandma.


    Thirteen told Hans that he should let Lady Callista drink the potion only when it was just the two of them.


    The boy didn''t trust Trisha enough to let her be part of his Inner Circle. Only when he was certain of her loyalty and allegiance would he consider adding her to the team and ask her to help him do the things that he was unable to do because of the restrictions on his body.


    As soon as Thirteen handed the potion to Hans, he immediately told the Butler that he nned to use one of the three favors that the butler promised to him.


    But before telling Hans what he wanted from him, Thirteen first asked how much money Hans had in his bank ount.


    The Butler didn''t bat an eye and told Thirteen the exact amount of his savings.


    "I want half of your savings," Thirteen stated. "Make sure to create an anonymous ount, and send the money there. After that, pass the username and password to me. I will handle the rest."


    It was unknown whether Hans was surprised or bitter about Thirteen''s first favor since he didn''t have a change of expression and simply nodded in agreement.


    Remembering that scene, Thirteen sighed and wished that Hans was part of their family. That way, he would be able to arm the Butler to the teeth with his Rune Equipment.


    ''The next time I see Lace Demon and The One, I will definitely ask them to add Hans as one of my beneficiaries.''


    When his grandma and her entourage had finally left, Thirteen immediately went to talk to his father and mother about his ns.


    He already convinced his father a day ago to ask Lady Callista for a loan of ten million gold coins.


    Getting half of Hans'' savingsted him fifty million additional gold coins, giving their family a hefty sum.


    But Thirteen didn''t n to use this money to simply support his family.


    No.


    He nned to burn all of this money to make more money!


    "Pops, are you ready to be the perfect House Husband?" Thirteen asked as he used a marker to scribble several runes on Gerald''s body.


    "What choice do I have?" Gerald replied bitterly. "Are you sure this n of yours is going to work, Zion?"


    "Of course." Thirteen nodded. "Do you still doubt me after learning Heaven''s de? You should know that your son is not only a genius but a supreme genius!"


    Gerald looked at the five-year-old who was calling himself a supreme genius and wondered where his confidence wasing from.


    Even so, he had to admit that if Thirteen''s n were to really work, not only would he be able to provide for his family, but it would also open several options for his advancement.


    Right now, Thirteen was nning to impart another Divine Technique to his father, and it was called "Hammer For All Seasons".


    Although the name sounded funny, it was actually one of the strongest cksmithing Divine Arts recorded inside his core.


    A weekter, he would impart another Divine Technique to his father called "Good As Gold".


    This was a crafting technique that specialized in making essories and jewelry.


    In a few years, he also nned to teach his mother the Divine Technique called "The Ten Thousand Concoctions".


    This was a Divine Rank Alchemy Technique that would allow Alessia to be an Alchemist.


    The only reason why he couldn''t make her an Alchemist right now was due to the fact that Thirteen didn''t have enough resources to let his father and mother burn through countless materials and ingredients to perfect their craft.


    Sixty million gold might seem like arge sum to others, but in the face of the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families, such an amount was mere pocket money for them.


    Although Thirteen had imparted the skills to his parents, it would still depend on theirprehension abilities whether they would be able to seed or not.


    Bodypatibility, as well as a few other factors, would make his parentsprehend the skills faster.


    Knowing the Divine Technique and actually using it were two different matters.


    Just because you watched a cooking video on YuuTube didn''t mean that you would be a Michelin Star Chef with the snap of a finger.


    Thirteen was already prepared for the reality that his father would burn through several precious metals while learning his craft, but this was a necessary investment for the future.


    Once Gerald had reached a level where Thirteen deemed him to be ready, they would then start to craft Mythical-Grade Equipment that he nned to sell to his Grandpa, allowing them to recover their losses and gain a profit in return.


    As Thirteen''s chant spread inside the room, the Jinn Cores and Majin Cores that he had ced around his father all imploded into particles of light, seeping inside his body.


    The five-year-old was adamant about turning his father''s tragedy into an opportunity, which would shake the Leventis Household, the Monarch ns, and the other Prestigious Families to the core a few years from now.

 Chapter 39: Hammer For All Seasons [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 39: Hammer For All Seasons [Part 1]</h4>


    Lady Callista took a deep breath as she allowed her newly acquired Martial Technique, Death''s Embrace, to circte inside her body.


    It had been six months since Hans had given her a potion that was supposedly able to cure her condition.


    This wasn''t the first time Hans had done such a thing. Over the years, her Butler had met with the most prestigious Healers, Alchemists, Herbalists, and a few other noteworthy individuals who were said to be able to cure any diseases.


    Unfortunately, none of them seeded in the end. But Hans didn''t give up.


    Lady Callista only drank the potion because she believed that her Butler, who was also her best friend, wouldn''t hurt her in any way.


    After drinking the potion, she didn''t feel any changes aside from feeling less fatigued. In the end, she thought that this was just another fluke and felt sorry for Hans for wasting his time and effort for the umpteenth time.


    However, the Butler only smiled and assured her that she was on her way to recovery.


    Not wanting to make him feel bad, she just nodded her head and sighed internally.


    But as the days passed, she felt that her health was gradually improving.


    Even Trisha was surprised because Lady Callista was now able to stand up on her own for short periods of time, allowing her to go to the bathroom on her own.


    A monthter, the olddy sensed that her Rank, which had been constantly deteriorating, had not just ceased to decline but had also begun to show hints of recovery.


    On that same day, Hans handed her a purple Jinn Core while Trisha was making her regr reports to the Patriarch.


    The Butler said that the Jinn Core contained a Martial Technique that would allow Lady Callista to use the power inside her body as an offensive ability.


    Of course, she half-doubted Hans'' words, but since the potion that he had given her seemed to be working, she thought that she had nothing to lose if she tried.


    The moment she held the Jinn Core in her hand, it immediately dispersed and turned into particles of light.


    There were several symbols that appeared in front of her, which merged with various locations of her body.


    Suddenly, Lady Callista entered a state of enlightenment and fell into a trance.


    Hans guarded his Mistress for nearly two hours before she broke out of her daze.


    Immediately, the olddy started to circte the Martial Technique inside her body and was surprised with the results.


    The poison that had made her suffer for many years followed her will, and it washed over her body, enhancing its abilities.


    Her strength rose a little, making her recall that she hadn''t been training for the past few years of her life.


    Back then, she used to train every day. However, after the poison had spread inside her body, the mere act of stretching her muscles hurt her so much, so she stopped training altogether.


    But now, things had changed and, ording to Hans, it would change for the better.


    Taking a deep breath to stabilize her condition, Lady Callista ended her morning routine.


    When she opened her eyes, it was filled with life and vitality, making the butler in front of her smile faintly.


    "Hans, have you prepared the car?" Lady Callista asked. "I don''t want to keep my grandkids waiting."


    "It''s ready, My Lady." Hans bowed.


    "Good." Lady Callista smiled. "Trisha, let''s go."


    "Yes, My Lady," Trisha replied.


    Since the first time that Lady Callista had visited Thirteen''s family, she adjusted her schedule and went to see them twice a week.


    To her surprise, Arthur didn''t make any move to stop her, which made her wonder what her husband was up to.


    She was not aware that after the Patriarch saw Mikhail''s and Shasha''s potential, he decided to let his wife visit them on a regr basis. This way Trisha could check their progress and report it to him.


    Also, he knew that after a few back and forths, he wouldn''t be able to stop his wife anyway, so he decided to just let her do what she wanted as long as she didn''t visit them every single day.


    There was also the matter with the Assassin Organization, Death Wish.


    Arthur didn''t know if they were targeting Gerald directly or if their targets were the entirety of the Leventis Family.


    In order to check whether Gerald was their sole target, he paid extra attention to what was happening in Solterra.


    Fortunately, none of his other family members nor any of the members of the Branch Family received any reports of any assassination attempts.


    Arthur had sent a few Grandmasters to protect his disowned son''s residence due to Michael''s proposal.


    Michael stated that as long as Gerald was under threat, Lady Callista would not leave his side, which wouldplicate things further.


    In order to avoid that, he assigned a few bodyguards to keep their family safe, at least until they were certain that no one in Pangea was targeting them directly.


    It took only half an hour for Lady Callista, Hans, and Trisha to arrive at their destination.


    The moment she entered the gates, an adorable little girl immediately appeared in their vision.


    Remi walked toward her grandma with a wide smile on her face and her arms spread wide.


    The olddy then waited until her grandchild neared her wheelchair before she gave her a gentle hug, and ced the little girl on herp like she always did whenever she was in their residence.


    "Where''s Gerald?" Lady Callista asked Alessia, who was taking care of Remi a moment ago. "Is he still in the Smithy?"


    Ever since her son recovered from his injuries, he started trying his hands at cksmithing.


    Lady Callista weed this change because as long as Gerald stayed home, he wouldn''t have to worry about being targeted by the Assassin Organization, Death Wish, which only operated in Solterra.


    Although she didn''t have too high of an expectation that Gerald would seed at his new hobby, she decided to support him financially, which irked her husband.


    "How about Zion?" Lady Callista asked. "What is he doing now?"


    Aside from Remi, the olddy paid extra attention to the five-year-old, who made her feel at ease.


    It was a weird feeling, especially since she was stronger than the boy. But whenever she was around Thirteen, she felt as if she was talking to an equal who possessed the same strength as her.


    "He''s with his father in the Smithy," Alessia replied with a bitter smile on her face. "Aside from training in the mornings, he joins his father in the Smithy until dinner time. It seems that he is also interested in cksmithing."


    "Is that so?" Lady Callista nodded. ''Maybe I should talk to my connections and look for someone who would train Zion as a cksmith apprentice. He''s still young, and if he starts training now, he will definitely be an expert when he grows up.''


    If Thirteen only knew about Lady Callista''s thought, he would probably snort in disdain.


    Him a cksmith Apprentice?


    Is that a joke?


    All the cksmiths in the world would bow down and kiss his feet the moment they found out that he could give them a Divine Skill that would allow them to craft Mythical and Legendary Weapons.


    The Five Monarchs and the Head of the Central Government were the only six people who were able to gain Mythical-Ranked Equipment.


    They had gained those from Lace Demon and The One as a reward for conquering the Tier-9 Gate, where Thirteen''s Host had died.


    Aside from them, there was no one else who was able to even see a Mythical Ranked Weapon, which was a rank lower than the Legendary Rank.


    Thirteen was busy training his father so that he would, at the very least, be able to craft Mythical Ranked Equipment before Mikhail''s time to start his First Wandering came.


    Away from the eyes and ears of people, the two worked hand in hand to hammer the precious metals in their collection.


    Both of them had failed many times, but they didn''t give up. Thirteen had already calcted their expenditures, as well as the time needed to hone their craft to the point where they could create Mythical Ranked Equipment for the Patriarch of the Leventis n, Arthur.


    The moment they seeded, they wouldn''t have to worry about money and resources again because the Patriarch would surelymission the ck sheep of his family to produce Mythical Ranked Items exclusively for him.

 Chapter 40: Hammer For All Seasons [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 40: Hammer For All Seasons [Part 2]</h4>


    The sound of hammer hitting metal echoed across the Smithy as Gerald continuously pounded the metal atop his anvil.


    At first, he didn''t feel like he was suited for being a cksmith, but the more he trained, the more he realized that he was actually having fun with what he was doing.


    The act of creation had ignited a me inside his chest, which he wasn''t aware of.


    Although he had failed several times throughout the past month, he was starting to show progress. He was now able to sessfully forge simple swords and broadswords, as well as long swords.


    Thirteen was also surprised to see his father suddenly be so passionate about the craft that he was able to integrate the Martial Technique, Hammer For All Seasons, into his muscle memory.


    Gerald was blessed with a strong body, which was a given since he had been practicing the Leventis Sword Art.


    He was also hailed as a genius among the family members, so learning things was quite easy for him.


    Perhaps the cksmithing Skill proved to be a challenge to him, which was why he suddenly became passionate about it.


    He was the type who believed that hard work would pave the way to sess, and right now, each piece of equipment that he finished counted as a small victory.


    The sound of something sizzling reached Thirteen''s ears as his father submerged the de he was hammering a moment ago into the water.


    When it had cooled down a bit, Gerald showed the finished product to his son, who was eyeing the Great Sword with a critical gaze.


    "Still mediocre," Thirteen replied after he finished inspecting his father''s newest creation. "It''s a four out of ten. Pops, put some muscle into it. Otherwise, we won''t be able to make a Mythical Great Sword for Gramps before Mikhail goes to Solterra. Maybe I should tell Mom to stop giving you vegetables to eat. You need more meat ''cause youck strength."


    A sigh escaped Gerald''s lips because his son was as brutal as ever. However, he didn''t mind one bit because he was slowly but surely getting the hang of cksmithing.


    It had been half a year since he had picked the hammer, and due to his constant use of it, his muscles were now bulging like a professional bodybuilder.


    He also felt an increase in strength, as well as an increase in the uracy of his hammer strikes.


    Thirteen even thought that maybe his Father needed to change his main weapon of choice from the sword to the hammer.


    ''Maybe I should have him learn a new Martial Technique called ''It''s Hammering Time.'' It''s a pretty destructive Hammer Martial Arts that excelled in both offense and defense.


    ''The good thing about it is that itpliments the Heaven''s de Fighting Technique, allowing Gerald to be proficient in both.''


    While Thirteen was seriously considering imparting this skill to his father, the sound of the Smithy door opening caught his attention.


    Lady Callista''s wheelchair entered the Smithy, which made Thirteen scratch his head.


    ''I had forgotten that she was scheduled to visit today,'' Thirteen thought. ''Herplexion is better, and she seemed to have finally solidified the foundation of her Martial Technique, Death''s Embrace. After a year or two, she should finally be able to materialize simple weapons, empowered by the poison inside her body.''


    Thirteen was very satisfied with his grandmother''s progress. Once she regained her Rank as a Champion, he would have two Champions in his Inner Circle, alongside Hans.


    "Well then, did you manage to make something worth looking at?" Lady Callista asked as Trisha pushed her wheelchair inside the Smithy.


    "Nothing yet, Mother," Gerald replied. "But in a year, or two, I''ll definitely surprise you."


    A heartfelt chuckle escaped Gerald''s lips because he believed that once he mastered the Hammer For All Seasons, he would be unstoppable.


    Lady Callista also smiled because she understood that bing a cksmith wasn''t an easy profession. The Five Monarch Families and the Ten Prestigious ns had their own team of cksmiths, who worked endlessly to arm their faction with the best weapons that could be made from the Monster Parts from Solterra.


    It was a very lucrative Profession, but only a few excelled at it.


    This made every Grandmaster cksmith or Champion cksmith a gem within their family. They were also given a high position in the family, gaining the respect of everyone in it.


    One of Gerald''s brothers was a Grandmaster cksmith, and he was given special attention by the family. They were hoping that once he stepped into the Champion Ranks, he would be able to forge Silver to Gold-Grade Ranked Equipment regrly.


    Also, they hoped that he would get lucky and create a Mythical-Ranked Equipment, which would definitely increase his prestige.


    Although no one had yet to seed, some cksmiths had stated that they had almost crafted one themselves, but ultimately created Peak-Gold Grade Equipment instead.


    Gerald didn''t want to brag, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before he surpassed all the cksmiths in the world.


    The day he crafted a piece of Mythical-Ranked Equipment was the day that the Leventis Family would get on their knees and beg for him to return.


    However, Gerald had no intention of doing that.


    He nned to make his own Branch of their Family and assign his son, Zion, as its Family Head after thetter had finished hising of age ceremony, which was usually done when a teenager from a family turned eighteen years old.


    While Lady Callista was talking to her son, Thirteen and Hans exchanged a knowing nce with each other.


    The faint smile on the Butler''s face was enough to tell him that he was very satisfied with his transaction with Thirteen despite the fact that thetter had asked for half of his savings.


    The reason why Hans didn''t mind this one bit was due to the fact that he didn''t have anything else to use his savings for.


    It was for the same reason that he could focus his attention on finding the cure for Lady Callista¡ªmoney was simply not a problem for him.


    Looking at the Butler, Thirteen was more determined than ever to bargain with the Lace Demon and The One to add Hans to the list of people who could benefit from his abilities.


    If he ever gained their approval, he would do everything in his power to help Hans increase his Rank, stepping into the Rank of a Throne.


    In Solterra, Thrones were also referred to as Kings and Queens.


    Because once someone became a Throne, they would have enough strength to establish a territory for themselves.


    Of course, he also nned to make his Father and Mother Champions.


    But for that to happen, his father must first seed in crafting a Mythical-Ranked Equipment, which Thirteen would further empower with his Rune Arts, making it the strongest Rune Equipment within the Mythical Rank Category.


    ''We have less than two years left,'' Thirteen thought. ''We have enough time to make it happen.''


    Although Thirteen could help craft Rune Equipment, he was unable to use it due to the restrictions ced on his body.


    The Skill Ban prevented him from activating the power of the runes, which was also part of thepromise that he had negotiated with Lace Demon and The One.


    Even so, Thirteen wasn''t too worried about it.


    He believed that he didn''t have to think about such things until he was about to start his Third Wandering.


    The First and Second were still doable even with the restrictions on his body.


    It was only at the start of the Third Wandering that he would feel the gap in power between him and his peers, whose strength and power would''ve increased threefold, leaving him behind.


    ¡ª-----------

 Chapter 41: Third Time’s The Charm

    <h4>Chapter 41: Third Time¡¯s The Charm</h4>


    Time passed ever so swiftly as Gerald tirelessly perfected his craft.


    When news about his new profession circted among the Leventis Family, many of themughed and ridiculed him behind closed doors.


    Although the Leventis Family had tried to keep a tight lid on the incident, news of the assassination attempt still managed to reach the ears of the members of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families.


    Because of this, all of them simply thought that he was too scared to return to Solterra because Death Wish had set their sights on him.


    Some thought that he had made a good decision since life was the most precious thing.


    His enemies, however, just called him a coward and a turtle.


    Those who considered him to be their rival were very disappointed, while the rest simply thought that this was juicy gossip.


    In the end, Gerald didn''t pay any attention to whatever the world thought of him and continued to hammer away in his forge, day in and day out.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, took care of his brother and sisters, training them regrly, especially Mikhail, who would be forced to take his First Wandering in three months.


    He had turned thirteen a week ago, and the family celebrated it in a simple manner.


    Lady Callista had been present and joined the celebration. The way she looked now was very different from how she looked more than a year ago.


    She looked way younger than before, like ady in her early thirties.


    Her long ck hair rested behind her back, and her beautiful face, which was the envy of girls her age, was smooth and without wrinkles.


    Thirteen''s Martial Technique allowed her to harness the poison that had gued her for many years, turning it into a power that waspletely under her control.


    This transformation had not only made her look younger but it also made her stronger.


    Her current strength had not only returned to the Champion Rank but had also increased, reaching its Peak Stage.


    She was now stronger than ever, and many in the family were surprised by the miraculous change that happened to her body.


    Arthur was very happy with this development and even told Lady Callista that maybe it was about time that they had another child.


    However, she still hadn''t forgiven her husband for disowning Gerald, so any talk about having another child was tossed aside the moment it was brought up.


    Thirteen, who was now seven years old, looked at his Grandma with a faint smile on his face.


    She was still not aware that he was the one who helped her recover from her condition, and he had no intention of telling her about it.


    In the end, Hans yed his part well and kept his secret from the Leventis Family.


    Inside the Smithy, Gerald smashed his hammer on the de for thest time before cooling it down with water.


    He looked exhausted but there was a faint smile on his face as he showed his son histest creation.


    "Eight out of ten," Thirteen nodded. "You pass, Pops."


    "Yes!" Gerald did a fist pump out of happiness.


    This was the tenth time that he had sessfully created a great sword that passed Thirteen''s standards. But that was not all.


    He seeded ten consecutive times, which made the seven-year-old confident that his father was now ready to craft the Mythical Sword for the Patriarch of the Leventis n, Arthur.


    As part of Gerald''s training, he had been using low-quality materials at the start. But now that he was considered proficient, Thirteen would raise the bar and let him work on more precious metals.


    A year and a half passed like this, and before Gerald knew it, cksmithing had be second nature to him.


    Thirteen could roughly guess that his Father had already mastered 80% of the techniques from the Martial Technique, Hammer For All Seasons.


    He just needed to take that gamble and start using the very expensive materials that came from the Monsters of Solterra.


    There were currently Ten Monster Rankings that were known to everyone in Pangea.


    Rank 1 up to Rank 9, andstly Prince.


    Many believed that if the highest Ranking Monster was called Prince or Princess, there must be something stronger than it, like a King.


    However, since the strongest members of Humanity were the Monarch Rank, which was as strong as the Prince and Princess Rank, they didn''t want to think that there was someone more powerful than them.


    Because if that were true, then the moment they made their appearance, even the Monarchs would not stand a chance against them.


    For the past 300 years, no one had seen a Jinn or Majin with a rank higher than Prince.


    Because of this, everyone thought that Prince was the highest.


    At least, this was what they wanted to believe.


    In order to craft Mythical Ranked Equipment, they needed Rank 9 Monster Parts.


    However, Thirteen didn''t want to spend too much money on buying those parts since they were very expensive.


    If his father were to fail when using these materials to craft, then the losses that they would suffer would be staggering.


    Because of this, he settled for Rank 7 Monster Parts.


    When using these materials, the Highest Grade of equipment that could be made would be at the Peak of the Mithril Rank.


    If one was lucky, then it was possible for the finished product to reach the First Stage of the Adamantine Rank.


    The stage after the Adamantine Rank was Mythical.


    A Rank coveted by all the Crafters in the world.


    ''As long as Pops can make a Mid- or Peak-Stage Equipment, I will handle the rest with Rune Magic,'' Thirteen thought. ''That way, I can increase the Equipment Rank to Mythical.''


    Thirteen gazed at the four-meter-long tusk in front of him, which belonged to the Rank 7 Jinn, Empyrean Boar.


    In terms of hardness, it was equivalent to a Low-Grade Rank 8 Monster Part, which Thirteen believed was the ideal ingredient to craft a Great Sword.


    Also, he had asked his father to use one of the tusks he had bought a month ago as part of his training.


    This gave him the chance to gain familiarity with the item that they would use as the main ingredient for the Great Sword that they were nning to craft.


    Since the tusk was big, Gerald was able to use it five times in the past.


    In those five times, he failed four consecutive times and seeded in thest.


    Thirteen had already considered the possibility of Gerald failing a few more times before he seeded.


    This was why he bought four Empyrean Boar Tusks just in case his father failed his first few attempts.


    Each Boar Tusk cost ten million gold coins. One of them had already been used up in his father''s training, so only three remained.


    They only had a little more than two million gold coins remaining in their savings, so unless Gerald seeded once, their losses would simply be astronomical.


    Gerald knew this too, and the pressure also made him feel anxious.


    However, Thirteen told him that he didn''t have to worry about the funds. He just asked his father to work like he always did.


    Although he tried to act calm and supportive on the surface, the seven-year-old was also feeling the pressure of his father failing their gamble.


    Even so, he believed in his father''s potential.


    With a determined look in his eyes, Gerald used one of the three Tusks in their possession and tried to forge the Great Sword that they nned to sell to his father.


    Unfortunately, his first five attempts failed, making him use the entire tusk.


    With only two tusks remaining, Gerald remained positive that he would seed since he was very close to seeding in hisst attempt.


    But the Heavens seemed to be mocking him that day since the next five attempts failed as well.


    Seeing that anxiety was starting to creep in on his father''s face, Thirteen decided to let him take a break for three hours and asked him to meditate.


    The boy knew that the constant failures were taking a toll on Gerald''s mind, so he decided to give him a little help, which would further increase the chances of sess by a small percentage.

 Chapter 42: Smash Those Who Stand Before You

    <h4>Chapter 42: Smash Those Who Stand Before You</h4>


    After Gerald finished his meditation, he silently looked at thest Tusk of the Empyrean Boar left.


    ''This is my final chance,'' Gerald thought. ''If I fail here...''


    "You''re not going to fail, Pops."


    Gerald was broken out of his daze by the voice of his son, who was standing beside him.


    "How can you possibly fail when you still haven''t taught those Assassins a lesson?" Thirteen smirked. "In fact, you should treat this Empyrean Boar Tusk as if it was that Assassin Organization. You should smash them to oblivion.


    "Do they really think that they can crush our family so easily? Those fools who looked down on you, ridiculed you, and called you a coward, are the same fools who would not evenst a single blow from you."


    The seven-year-old then rested his hand on Gerald''s hand that was holding the hammer in a tight grip.


    Rough hands covered with calluses he gained from doing his best to fight alone in Solterra in order to provide for and support his family.


    Hands that picked up the sword and, now, the hammer to give his children a better tomorrow.


    "No, Pops," Thirteen said firmly. "You will not fail. Smash those who stand before you. If they refuse to submit and yield, force them to submit! If they refuse to yield, then smash them repeatedly until they do! No one is allowed to step on our family.


    "No one is allowed to ridicule us!


    "No one is allowed to look down on us!


    "All those who dare to do so must be crushed!


    Gerald felt his blood boiling after hearing his son''s words.


    He was right!


    He had been working tirelessly for many years in order to support his family without the help of his Father.


    The number of people who looked down on him when he chose to marry Alessia instead of a daughter from one of the other Prestigious Families was countless. But that didn''t make him back down, and he proceeded to marry for love, not for political ambitions.


    Then came the Assassin Organization, Death Wish. They, who had been hired to assassinate him for who knows what reason, had forced him to take another path.


    As a proud warrior, how could he not feel angry?


    How could he not feel depressed?


    Even though he fell in love with cksmithing, he still wanted to return to Solterra.


    To show the fools who thought that they could make him yield and the fools who thought that they could step on him and make him submit that he would crush them all.


    With hate and anger fueling his strength, Gerald smashed his hammer down on the Empyrean Boar''s tusk.


    Each blow sent sparks flying in every direction.


    His hammer swings were no longer filled with doubt and uncertainty.


    They were filled with firm, powerful resolve to crush all the foes who dared to stand before him.


    All the haze that clouded his head disappeared, and only the sound of his hammer permeated his mind.


    The Martial Technique, Hammer for all Seasons, started to circte through his body, creating golden mes that covered his hammer with its radiance.


    Gerald was unaware of what was happening as he was too focused on his work to notice anything else.


    He red at the Empyrean Boar Tusk in front of him as if daring it to stand against him.


    As if waiting for that moment, the Spirit of the Empyrean Boar emerged from its tusk and roared at Gerald.


    Gerald roared back and smashed the head of the bastard who dared to roar at him.


    He continuously pummeled the poor creature until it was forced to submission.


    Minutes passed...


    Hours passed...


    Days passed...


    Three days passed...


    Finally, when the sun was at its highest peak at noon, Gerald smashed his hammer for thest time.


    His breathing was ragged, and sweat drenched his entire body. He had neither eaten nor slept for the past three days because he was too immersed in what he was doing.


    Only when he had finished his craft did all the exhaustion wash over him like a tide, threatening to drag him into their depths.


    But Gerald held on, wiping away the saliva that seeped from the corner of his lips. He looked at his creations with pride.


    "You did well, Pops," Thirteen said as he handed Gerald a potion to drink. "I''ll handle the rest."


    Gerald nodded and drank the potion that Thirteen had prepared for him. After he emptied the vial, a strong sense of drowsiness assaulted his senses.


    He thenid down on the ground, with his arms spread wide.


    A few secondster, loud snoring sounds echoed inside the Smithy, making Thirteen smile faintly.


    His father had truly worked his ass off for the past three days, hammering intensely with conviction and resolution.


    And with that, he had finally unlocked the final requirement of the Martial Technique, Hammer for all Seasons.


    Failure was part of their craft, but as long as one had an unyielding resolve to move forward despite the setbacks, without a doubt, one would find their way to greatness.


    Even Thirteen didn''t expect that his father would achieve what he had pulled off during the past three days.


    In front of him, there were fourpleted pieces, and all of them were of the Adamantine Rank.


    A Great Sword, a Shield, and two Short Swords.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Empyrean Great Sword >


    Rank: Low Adamantine-Grade


    Active Abilities: None


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible


    Weapon Type: Great Sword


    Weight: 20 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Empyrean Great Shield >


    Rank: Low Adamantine-Grade


    Active Abilities: None


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible


    Armor Type: Shield


    Weight: 50 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Empyrean Short Sword >


    Rank: Low Adamantine-Grade


    Active Abilities: None


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible


    Weapon Type: Short Sword


    Weight: 10 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Indestructible passive skill, although rare, was much sought after by crafters.


    Since most items could only have up to three skills maximum, they wanted to have the indestructible trait on one of them.


    This would ensure that the equipment would never be destroyed, making its value higher.


    "To think that he could forge four pieces using thest Empyrean Boar tusk... it really is a windfall," Thirteen muttered. "Even if he only crafted one, it would have been enough help to recover all our losses. With four of them... kukuku! We''re rich! We''re filthy rich!"


    Thirteen couldn''t help butugh out loud, drowning out his father''s snoring.


    After he finishedughing, he gave his sleeping father onest nce before taking out several Jinn and Majin cores from his storage ring.


    It was now his turn to turn the Adamantine Equipment into Mythical Equipment, which would make the Leventis Family cough out mouthfuls of blood the moment they saw them.

 Chapter 43: I Am Legend [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 43: I Am Legend [Part 1]</h4>


    Alessia had been feeling anxious over the past few days since her husband and son hadn''t left the Smithy for nearly five days straight.


    The only reason why she hadn''t barged inside the Smithy to check their condition was due to the fact that the meals she prepared and left for them were always eaten, and a note would always be there when she came to retrieve it.


    She could easily tell that it was her son''s handwriting since her husband''s handwriting reads like anguage that hadn''t been discovered by mankind yet.


    In short, it wasplete sh*t. Much worse than chicken scratches!


    On thest note that she received, Thirteen mentioned that they were in a critical phase, so there was a possibility that they wouldn''t be able to eat anything or leave a note.


    However, it was also firmly stated that, no matter what happened, none of them must go inside the Smithy, specifying that if their concentration were broken, it might cause a bacsh.


    Suddenly, a powerful fluctuation reverberated in the surroundings, making Alessia, who was currently taking care of Remi and supervising Mikhail''s and Shasha''s training, look in the direction of the Smithy.


    At that exact moment, a heavenly apparition appeared in the sky above their residence.


    A golden sword glowed brightly, and the roar of a dragon reverberated in the surroundings, causing the Leventis Family, who governed this part of the Aldebaran Continent to look at the skies in awe.


    "What is happening?" Lady Callista asked as she looked at the sky. "Hans, do you know what is going on?"


    "No, Lady Callista... but." Hans'' gaze became solemn. "Whatever it is, it ising from the direction of Young Master Gerald''s house."


    Lady Callista''s eyes widened in shock after hearing her Butler''s reply.


    "Get the car, Hans," Lady Callista ordered. "Wait, never mind. I''ll just go there myself."


    Lady Callista then jumped high in the air, creating a small tform to step upon, using it as a springboard to dash forward.


    Hans didn''t hesitate to follow his Mistress, activating his own skills to catch up to her.


    Trisha, who didn''t have such skills, sprinted toward the garage to use the car herself. No matter what happened, she must be by Lady Callista''s side in order to provide support just in case she was headed to a battlefield.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family and Michael also moved in unison.


    But before they left, Arthur ordered everyone else to stay in the Residence and prepare for any kind of attack.


    This was the first time they were seeing such a thing, so they didn''t want to leave their family residence unprotected.


    With the two strongest members of their family off to check the scene, the others didn''t bother to go.


    Instead, their guards, as well as the fighters of the family, were on high alert, prepared to deal with any kind of situation that might arise from the phenomenon that they were seeing at this moment.


    Arthur and Lady Callista exchanged nces with each other as they traveled side by side.


    Hans and Michael were only a few meters behind the husband and wife, doing their best to keep up with the two in front of them.


    The Golden Sword in the sky was starting to disperse, but they had seen where its sword tip had been pointing.


    In a forest, located at the base of the mountain, which was private property owned by Lady Callista, stood Gerald''s home.


    Arthur hadn''t even bothered to visit this ce even once in the past because he didn''t want to see his disowned son as well as his family.


    But now, after seeing that Heavenly Apparition, as well as the power it possessed, he waspelled to go and investigate.


    This was especially true since it was within the territory he governed.


    When they arrived at the scene, they found Alessia and her children standing in front of the Smithy with worried looks on their faces.


    Lady Callistanded beside them and asked her daughter-inw what the current situation was.


    "I also have no idea about what happened, Mother," Alessia replied. "All I know is that Gerald and Zion have been working together on some kind of project in the Smithy and haven''t left it for four days.


    "I was told to not disturb them no matter what because they were in the critical phase of their creation, and they didn''t want to suffer any bacsh."


    Lady Callista and Arthur frowned after hearing her reply. The first thing they wanted to do was barge inside the Smithy, but now, they decided to just wait for the time being.


    Although Arthur had disowned Gerald, he wouldn''t do anything foolish as to harm him intentionally, especially since his wife, Lady Callista, was there with him.


    "Michael, stand watch outside and make sure that no onees here to investigate," Arthur ordered. "That Heavenly Apparition could be seen for miles, and I''m sure that the other Families are now aware of it. Feel free to call the Sentinels to stand guard, but do not allow them to enter within a thousand meters of this ce.


    "If anyone from the Monarch ns or the Prestigious Family asks what is happening, tell them that I''m just trying out a new Martial Skill. Now, go."


    "Yes, Father," Michael replied as he moved towards the main gate of the residence.


    "Hans, help Michael to guard the surroundings," Lady Callista ordered. "Don''t even let a fly enter this residence, do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, My Lady." Hans bowed respectfully before doing as he was told.


    Arthur and Lady Callista then stood in front of the entrance of the Smithy with calm expressions on their faces.


    They were very curious about what was happening, but they didn''t do anything reckless and simply waited for any signs of movement on the other side.


    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait long.


    After an hour, the doors of the Smithy opened and an exhausted-looking Gerald came out.


    "Alessia, stay here with the kids," Gerald stated. "Everything is fine."


    He then looked at his father with a smug smile on his face before making a gesture for him and his mother to follow him inside.


    Lady Callista and Arthur nced at each other before following their son inside the room.


    Arthur didn''t like the smug look that his son had given him because he felt as if Gerald was looking down on him.


    However, when his eyesnded on the four pieces of equipment on the table in front of him, his eyes widened in shock, making the smug smile on Gerald''s face widen even more.

 Chapter 44: I Am Legend [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 44: I Am Legend [Part 2]</h4>


    "T-This," Lady Callista stuttered after seeing the equipment on the table.


    As a Champion, she could clearly feel the power that was emanating from them, and it was something that she had only felt a handful of times in her life.


    In special gatherings hosted by the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families, the Monarchs would sometimes personally attend these events.


    It was also a time when everyone would be able to gaze at the Mythical Weapons in their possession, which radiated the power and authority belonging to someone who stood at the apex of the world.


    These pieces of Mythical Equipment were giving her the same sense of oppression that she hadn''t felt for many years, which made her look at her son in disbelief.


    "Y-You made these?" Lady Callista. "All four of them?"


    "Who else, Mother?" Gerald replied. "Do you think Zion was the one that made them? What a joke!"


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips twitched after hearing his father''s reply. Clearly, his Pops'' sess had gone over his head, forgetting the fact that the one who had made the finishing touches was his seven-year-old son, who was standing beside the table.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t say this out loud because this was part of their n.


    They wanted to make Arthur and Lady Callista believe that the one who had crafted the Mythical Equipment was Gerald, which would skyrocket his importance to the Leventis Family.


    It wouldn''t even be an exaggeration to have them start calling him Ancestor now. After all, only six pieces of Mythical Equipment existed in the world.


    Five of them were in the hands of the Five Monarch ns, and thest one was in the possession of the Head of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton.


    But now, Lady Callista and Arthur were looking at not one, not two, but four pieces of Mythical-Grade Equipment in one ce, which was more than half of the Mythical Equipment that humanity currently possessed.


    "Impressive, right?" Gerald stated. "I''m nning to auction them, so I can get some cash. I''m sure that the Five Monarch ns and the Central Government will go crazy over them. Hahahaha!"


    Gerald''s boisterousughter echoed inside the Smithy, making Arthur have the strong urge to p his unfilial son, who nned to sell the Mythical Ranked Equipment to their rival families.


    "Silly boy, why would you auction them when you can just sell them directly to the family?" Lady Callista, who was the voice of reason, decided to intervene before her husband pped her son silly for annoying him.


    "Why not?" Gerald replied with the same smug smile stered on his face. "I mean, even a single piece will fetch billions. How could I possibly not do it?"


    Gerald didn''t even bother to look at his old man because he was certain that thetter was feeling very angry despite the calm expression that he was showing right now.


    It had been many years since Gerald felt this good, and knowing that his old man was doing his best to control his anger was making him feel incredibly satisfied.


    "Name your price," Arthur said in a calm manner. "The Leventis Family will purchase them all."


    "That''s right, Gerald," Lady Callistamented. "Good things must stay in the family."


    Gerald rubbed his chin as if seriously considering his father''s offer.


    "I think even if the Leventis Family liquidated all their funds, and sold all of their properties, they would not be able to buy off all four pieces of equipment. I mean... this Great Sword alone would be enough to buy the entirety of the Leventis Family."


    "Listen here you brat..." Arthur was already reaching the limit of his patience, while listening to his son''s nonsense.


    For Gerald to say that the entire fortune of his family only amounted to a single piece of Mythical Equipment was absurd, and this was something that he couldn''t stand hearing.


    But, before he could do anything, Gerald casually tossed the Great Sword to his old man, and thetter caught it by reflex.


    The moment Arthur caught the sword in his hand, he understood that what his son had said a moment ago was the truth.


    "... Just how," Arthur looked at the Great Sword in his hand in surprise. "How did you..."


    Arthur wasn''t able to finish the rest of what he was going to say as he immersed himself in the information that was flooding his mind.


    The Great Sword in his hand only had four abilities, breaking the three-ability rule that was known in Pangea and Solterra.


    But that was not all!


    There was an additional passive ability that could be gained if the user was wielding two pieces of the Mythical Set that Gerald had crafted.


    There were pieces of Equipment in Solterra and Pangea that worked in sets, creating a special effect when the items were used at the same time.


    This would then give birth to a Fourth Skill, or perhaps another boon. Because of their special features, others preferred to use Set Equipment.


    But even if the set bonus was excluded, the four abilities that the Great Sword possessed were more than enough to be the foundation of starting an 11th Prestigious Family.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Empyrean Great Sword >


    Rank: Low Mythical-Grade


    Active Abilities: Heaven''s Wrath


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible, Auto-Sharpen, Heaven''s de


    Unique Set Ability:


    ¡ª if the wielder is using two Empyrean Equipment they would gain the passive ability, Swift Footed.


    ¡ª Empyrean Great Sword (Active)


    ¡ª Empyrean Great Shield (Inactive)


    ¡ª Empyrean Short Sword (Inactive)


    ¡ª Empyrean Short Sword (Inactive)


    < Swift Footed >


    ¡ª Increase the wielder''s movement speed by 100%


    Weapon Type: Great Sword


    Weight: 20 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (A/N: In this story, the Indestructible Ability focuses more on items not breaking, and have no rtion whatsoever on the overall performance of the equipment. There are abilities in this world that can blunt sharp objects, etc. rendering them ineffective in battle.)


    ---------------------------


    The true reason why the Adamantine Great Sword jumped to the Mythical Rank was because of the Heaven''s de Martial Technique.


    Only those who could wield the de would gain this kind of Martial Technique.


    Thirteen also made sure that the core concepts of this technique couldn''t be shared with anyone, making it an exclusive item bonus.


    For example, there was certain equipment that allowed you to cast skills like fireball. However, once you unequip these items, you would no longer have the ability to cast them.


    This was the same concept that Thirteen used for the Great Sword, only allowing Arthur to use the Heaven''s de Technique when he was holding it in his hands.


    As impossible as it may sound, Arthur wouldpletely forget the knowledge he gained the moment he tried to share this Technique with others.


    This was the only way to make the Patriarch of the Leventis Family understand that only he would be able to wield this powerful Technique, aside from Thirteen''s Family.


    Arthur instinctively knew that the Heaven''s de Martial Technique surpassed the Leventis Family Sword Art.


    What did that mean?


    It meant that the Martial Technique had stepped into the Mythical or even the Legendary Rank.


    Of course, this was far from the truth.


    Arthur didn''t even bother to consider that the technique he just learned was a Divine Rank Technique that was tailor-made for the Leventis Family Sword Art, which was Heaven''s Divide.


    "So am I right, or am I right?" Gerald asked in a provocative tone. "That Great Sword alone is enough to put the entire family into bankruptcy. What makes you think that you can purchase the other pieces of Mythical Equipment from me?"


    Arthur handed the Great Sword to his wife, who had a curious look on her face.


    The moment she gripped the handle of the sword, she immediately understood why her son was able to boast the way he did.


    Arthur then greedily looked at the remaining three pieces of Mythical Equipment on the table, making Thirteen, who was observing his grandfather,ugh in his heart.


    ''He took the bait,'' Thirteen thought. ''Now, the true negotiation is about to start.''


    Arthur didn''t know that he was being yed by the father-and-sonbo of Gerald and Thirteen.


    If he only knew that the seven-year-old who was looking at him from the side was the mastermind of it all, he would probably change his opinion of him and hold him in high regard.


    However, Thirteen didn''t need Arthur''s recognition.


    No. What he wanted was to make the Patriarch of the Leventis n dance on the palm of his hand, allowing him to reap the benefits that would help him ovee the restrictions that were ced on his body by his no-good father in Heaven.


    If he only knew that the System God, Deus Ex Machina, couldn''t stop his lips from twitching after seeing that his no-good son was using all the loopholes at his disposal, and had even managed to extort one of the most powerful individuals in the worlds of Pangea and Solterra.

 Chapter 45: How To Extort An Old Fart [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 45: How To Extort An Old Fart [Part 1]</h4>


    Arthur picked up the great shield, which immediately transformed into a vambrace the moment he touched it.


    He casually equipped it in his left hand, and with a thought, the shield once again appeared in all its glory.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    < Empyrean Great Shield >


    Rank: Low Mythical-Grade


    Active Abilities: Aegis, Domain Breaker


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible, Reversal


    Armor Type: Shield


    Weight: 50 kg


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    < Aegis >


    ¡ª Once this skill is activated, the shield will create a barrier of invincibility around its wielder which wouldst for a minute.


    ¡ª This skill can only be used twice a day with an hour-long cooldown after it is used.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Reversal >


    ¡ª Passively stores the damage received by the Great Shield over time. Once the shield reaches its maximum capacity, its wielder can unleash the stored power inside the shield as an offensive attack.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Domain Breaker >


    ¡ª Sacrifice a Tier 7 Jinn or Majin core to activate this skill.


    ¡ª Once the skill is activated this shield will automatically dispel any kind of domain in its surroundings.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A hiss escaped Arthur''s lips as he read the information of the Mythical Shield in his hand. Usually, people were unable to see this kind of information, so he was very surprised that he was able to see it.


    Little did he know that Thirteen made it so that only Arthur and Lady Callista could see the descriptions of the Mythical Weapons.


    Others would only see a nk information screen, even if they used an appraisal device.


    This was to ensure that no one would be able to know what the Mythical Weapons could do.


    Simply put, in the eyes of others, the priceless equipment that Gerald created was just ordinary pieces of equipment in the Adamantine Rank.


    Even if a Monarch were to look at it closely, they wouldn''t see anything amiss and treat it like an ordinary weapon that had the "Indestructible" ability imbued in it.


    With the Empyrean Great Sword and the Empyrean Great Shield, even Arthur would have the confidence to fight toe to toe with a Monarch.


    The only reason why Thrones couldn''t fight against Monarchs was because of their Domain.


    Inside these pseudo-worlds, a Monarch''s strength increased by leaps and bounds.


    With the skill Domain Breaker, Arthur wouldn''t have to worry about that anymore.


    Although the price for using this skill was a Tier 7 Jinn or Majin Core per use, the Leventis Family currently had six of them, which was a good thing.


    Arthur then nced at the two Empyrean Short Swords and checked the information they had as well.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Empyrean Short Sword >


    Rank: Low Mythical-Grade


    Active Abilities: Death is only the Beginning


    Passive Abilities: Indestructible, Dual Wielding Mastery, Riposte


    Weapon Type: Short Sword


    Weight: 10 kg


    Note: If the one who wields these Mythical Weapons is Callista Leventis, she will be able to equip them as long as her Rank doesn''t fall below the Champion Rank.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Death is only the Beginning >


    ¡ª Raise the dead and make them fight for you.


    ¡ª Maximum number of creatures that can be raised is four.


    ¡ª Reanimated creatures cannot surpass the Rank of the wielder of the Empyrean Short Sword.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Dual Wielding Mastery >


    ¡ª The one who wields the Empyrean Short Swords will be an expert in Dual Wielding Combat.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Riposte >


    ¡ª Increase attack speed by 100% for ten seconds after making a sessful block, parry, or deflection.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Two Set Bonus >


    ¡ª The Active, Passive, and Unique Abilities of the Empyrean Short Swords will only be avable if they are wielded at the same time.


    ¡ª If the wielder is using two Empyrean Short Swords at the same time, they will unlock the Unique Skill, Heaven''s de.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The corner of Arthur''s lips twitched after seeing the Note at the bottom of the weapon description.


    Mythical Weapons could only be exclusively used by people with the Rank of Thrones and above. No Champion in existence could wield such powerful weapons because their Ranks were not enough to contain its power.


    Although he was surprised, he didn''t feel bad about it. After all, if this Mythical Weapon was meant for his wife, then it meant that it would stay within the Leventis Family.


    ''This weapones in a set,'' Arthur thought. ''Also, no one can wield them aside from Callista.''


    The Patriarch of the Leventis n nced at his wife, who had a sweet smile on her face as she held one of the Empyrean Short Swords in her hand.


    Gerald''s mother was proficient in using short swords, but she wasn''t as good when it came to dual-wielding.


    She would usually fight with a short sword and a round shield. But with the Empyrean Short Swords, she would be able to dual-wield without any problems.


    "Are you really nning to Auction the Great Sword and Shield?" Arthur asked.


    Since the Short Swords had his wife''s name on them, he didn''t think that the two equipment were meant for Auction.


    "Of course," Gerald replied. "I already repaid my debt to the Leventis Family by giving Mother these two Mythical Short Swords. Any more would be a big loss for me."


    "What do you want?" Arthur inquired.


    There was simply no way that he would hand the two other pieces of Mythical Equipment to the other Families, whom he considered to be his rivals.


    "Oi, Old Man, didn''t you hear me earlier?" Gerald asked with a frown. "The Leventis Family''s wealth is not even enough to buy my Great Sword, what makes you think that I would sell it to you, huh?"


    Arthur sneered as he grabbed the Great Sword and pointed it at his unfilial son.


    The Great Shield was already equipped on his left arm, and he had no intention of giving it away no matter what.


    "Hah? So, you are going to resort to this, huh?" Gerald snorted.


    He gazed at his father fearlessly because he knew that he wouldn''t dare to harm him, especially since he was able to craft four pieces of Mythical Equipment.


    In short, if there was a Rank for cksmiths, then Gerald would be the one and only Mythical Ranked cksmith in the world of Solterra and Pangea.


    Only a fool would hurt, antagonize, or kill such a talent.


    Arthur was not a fool, but he also had no intention of relinquishing the items that were already in his hands.


    Lady Callista was about to step up in order to break the tension in the air when, suddenly, they heard a pping sound inside the Smithy.


    "Okay. Calm down, everyone," Thirteen said with a smile. "Pops, you shouldn''t make things difficult for Grandma and Grandpa. How about you let me handle the negotiations?"


    "Zion, stay out of adult matters," Gerald replied in a disapproving tone. "You already know that this old fart disowned me, and I have no intention of returning to the Leventis Family. With the exception of Mother and my sister, Sandra, all of them can be left to rot for all I care."


    "Pops, calm down, okay? Let me negotiate with Grandpa. I''m sure that the two of us can reach apromise."


    "And why would I let you do that, huh? The Great Sword and the Great Shield will be auctioned. That''s final."


    Thirteen sighed before shifting his gaze to his Grandma.


    "Grandma, please take Pops outside first in order to calm his head," Thirteen stated. "I''ll talk with Grandpa while you cool him down."


    Seeing that her dear grandson was trying his best to decrease the tension in the Smithy, Lady Callista grabbed her son''s hand and pulled him away despite his protests.


    After regaining her Rank as Champion, Lady Callista had even made a breakthrough, reaching the Peak of the Champion Rank.


    A mere Grandmaster like Gerald was not a match against her, especially when it came to brute strength.


    When they were the only ones inside the room, Thirteen faced the Patriarch of the Leventis Family with a devilish smile on his face.


    Everything that had been exchanged between him and his father was part of their act.


    Now that the stage had been set, Thirteen chuckled internally.


    There was simply no way that he wouldn''t extort the old fart who disowned his father, especially after all the hardships they had to endure up to this point.


    "Well then, Grandpa, let''s start to negotiate," Thirteen said with a smile. "Don''t worry, I''ll give you an offer that you can''t refuse, and I''ll even convince Pops to no longer pursue the Auctioning of the Great Sword and Great Shield like he originally nned."


    Arthur looked at the seven-year-old in front of him and nodded his head.


    He had no idea that after the negotiation was over, Thirteen would haveplete control over the earnings of the Leventis Family, as well as the spoils that they gained on a regr basis by going on expeditions in Solterra.

 Chapter 46: How To Extort An Old Fart [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 46: How To Extort An Old Fart [Part 2]</h4>


    "10%," Arthur stated.


    "30%," Thirteen countered.


    "15% and that''s final."


    "20% or we auction it off to the Monarch ns. I''m very sure that they will be more than happy to spend billions for these two pieces of Mythical Equipment."


    Arthur clicked his tongue before ring at the seven-year-old, who was looking more and more like a scammer in his eyes.


    Back then, when he saw Thirteen at the party two years ago, Arthur had to admit that the five-year-old had street smarts.


    But now, he was being forced to agree to the demands of a boy who hadn''t even gone on his First Wandering!


    "20% of the monthly earnings of the Leventis Family, as well as priority picking for High-Ranking Monster Parts. We will also have a 20% discount based on the market price for each individual part," Thirteen stated. "The Leventis Family will also surrender oneplete Monster Corpse of any Rank 7 Jinns or Majins killed or captured during the month.


    "If the Leventis Family is unable to meet this condition, you are required to surrender five Rank 6 Monsters or ten Rank 5 monsters in good condition.


    "If the Leventis Family breaks this agreement, any other Mythical Ranked Equipment that my father crafts in the future will be auctioned off, no questions asked.


    "This deal will remain active for the next 100 years. As long as the Leventis Family follows these conditions, they will gain priority to negotiate for the acquisition of any piece of Mythical Ranked Equipment that Gerald Leventis will sessfully create in the future."


    Arthur frowned as he looked at the contract papers that Thirteen had ced on the table in front of him.


    He didn''t know how the seven-year-old was able toe up with these terms and even produce a contract right away.


    ''This can only mean one thing,'' Arthur thought. ''He had already anticipated that Gerald would seed in crafting Mythical Equipment and that I woulde here to negotiate the terms for their acquisition.''


    The more Arthur thought about this possibility, the more he felt as though this grandson of his was not an ordinary boy.


    "Well then, do you ept the conditions, Grandpa?" Thirteen asked. "If so, please sign here, here, and here... also don''t read the small text over here. It''s just a small use that is not important. Hehehe."


    Arthur of course read the small use that was typed in very small text that only someone like him would be able to read.


    "Should any payment be overdue, the terms hereunder shall be subject to a permanent increase of 1% per month on the outstanding bnce. Such adjustments to the terms shall be irrevocable, notwithstanding any subsequent resumption of regr payments by the Leventis Family."


    Arthur ripped the paper in half and red at his no-good grandson, who casually took out another copy of the same page he tore a moment ago and neatly ced it in front of him.


    "Don''t worry, Gramps, I printed 100 copies of this contract. Also, the file is saved in my PC, so I can make more copies if necessary," Thirteen said in a polite and respectful tone, which only gave Arthur the strong urge to p him silly.


    "When is the due date for payment?" Arthur inquired.


    "On the 25th of every month," Thirteen replied. "Paying past that date will increase the terms by 1%."


    Arthur clicked his tongue before reading the rest of the contract. With the power he wielded, he could not abide by these silly terms that his grandson was demanding of him.


    However, the confident look in Thirteen''s eyes made him hesitate.


    If he were to do that and Gerald was truly able to produce more Mythical Ranked Equipment in the Future, then Arthur would lose the chance to get first dibs on them.


    He was certain that if any of the Monarch ns were to learn that his disowned son was able to craft Mythical Ranked Equipment, they would do everything in their power to bring him under their wing.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family wouldn''t be surprised if they tried to adopt Gerald, giving him their family name, granting him a high position in their family, and providing him countless resources to ensure his loyalty to them.


    In terms of resources, the Ten Prestigious Families couldn''t match the power and influence of the Five Monarch ns.


    They stood at the Apex of Humanity for a reason, and even if he were to possess the two pieces of Mythical Equipment, Arthur would still be very wary of antagonizing any of them.


    "Tell me, do you think your father will be able to make Mythical-Grade Equipment again?" Arthur inquired as he looked at the seven-year-old with a solemn tone.


    "Although the chance of crafting Mythical Ranked Equipment is abysmally low, the fact remains that Pops crafted four of them," Thirteen replied calmly. "Since that is the case, what is stopping him from crafting more? Also, if Pops manages to get his hands on a Rank 8 or even a Rank 9 Monster part, then crafting a Legendary-Grade Equipment would not remain a pipe dream."


    Arthur narrowed his eyes after hearing about the possibility of Gerald crafting a Legendary Equipment with that Monster Rank.


    There had been a handful of times in the past 300 years when they faced off against a Rank 8 Monster and retrieved its body parts.


    However, even the best cksmiths in the world had only produced Peak-Grade Adamantine Equipments from these Monster Parts.


    ''The possibility does exist,'' Arthur thought. ''I''m sure the world will be shaken to the core once a Legendary Equipment appears.''


    What Arthur didn''t know was that if Thirteen had been given enough time and resources, Thirteen would have been able to create a piece of Legendary Equipment.


    But he didn''t do that.


    One of the reasons was that his father would be unable to wield it, and two, only Monarchs would benefit from it.


    Since arming those bastards wasn''t part of Thirteen''s n, he would have to settle with arming Arthur and Lady Callista first.


    He would need to use the Leventis Family as a shield to face the brunt of the storm for their family.


    As long as they were able to endure a few years, then all was good.


    A few minutester, Thirteen and Arthur left the Smithy.


    One of them was smiling, while the other had a solemn expression on his face.


    Naturally, the one that was smiling was none other than the seven-year-old boy, who managed to strike a deal with his Grandpa.


    "I''ll send Michael to deliver the agreed amount as well as the Monster Parts in a few days," Arthur stated. "For the time being, none of you are allowed to leave your residence. The other families are snooping around, so I will assign guards to protect this ce to prevent them from doing anything foolish."


    The Patriarch of the Leventis n then looked at Gerald with aplicated look on his face before walking past him.


    "Make sure to not do anything too shy for the next few days," Arthur stated without even turning back. "Let''s go, Callista."


    Lady Callista nodded before shifting her gaze to Gerald and his family members. "All of you take care. I will be visiting again in two days."


    Her gaze lingered on Thirteen for a few seconds before she turned around to follow her husband, who was already walking toward the gate of the Residence.


    Once he was certain that his father and mother were truly gone, Gerald looked at his son, who gave him two thumbs up in reply.


    A sigh of relief then escaped his lips before he decided to walk toward the house in order to sleep.


    He was dead-tired and badly in need of sleep.


    Thirteen followed behind him. Just like his father, he was exhausted as well.


    While the two people responsible for creating such amotion were sleeping, the Leventis Family became busy dealing with the Five Monarch ns, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families, who were all curious about what had transpired inside Arthur''s Domain.

 Chapter 47: First Encounter [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 47: First Encounter [Part 1]</h4>


    After the sessful negotiation between Thirteen and Arthur, funds started to pour into the bank ount of their family.


    The Leventis Family''s monthly average ie was 400 million gold coins. And this was only the earnings of the families'' various businesses in Aldebaran and the city they call their home in Solterra, Warrington City.


    Their Branch Families owned other businesses under their name and would only send a percentage to the Main Family as a tribute for allowing them to use the Family Name to conduct business.


    The Monster Parts, Jinn, and Majin Cores were not included in this average earning.


    The reason for this was simple.


    Such resources were used to nurture the outstanding talents of the family.


    Monster Parts were sent to cksmiths, Alchemists, and other Crafters, who would put them to good use.


    The Jinn Cores would be used to upgrade the ranks of their people, allowing them to be stronger, so they could serve the family better.


    When Thirteen asked for theplete corpse of a Monster, this included everything, even its Core.


    High-Ranking Monsters could only be hunted by the Elite Hunting Teams of the Family. It was for this reason that Thirteen insisted that they be given aplete corpse, as well as the priority to buy monster parts for a discounted price.


    Arthur reluctantly agreed to this condition because Thirteen promised him that the Leventis Family would get first priority when Gerald crafted other pieces of Mythical-Ranked Equipment.


    Of course, Thirteen made sure that the Equipment were only bound to Arthur and Lady Callista.


    He had asked the Patriarch of the Leventis n to drop his blood on the Empyrean Great Sword and Empyrean Great Shield to have them bound only to him.


    This meant that no one else would be able to use the two pieces of Mythical Equipment.


    He also asked his father, Gerald, to talk to Lady Callista, telling her to bind the two Short Swords to herself, which she did the moment her son told her to.


    After their transaction was done, over eighty million gold coins were transferred to Gerald''s ount, making him very happy.


    The good thing about it was that they would consistently receive the same amount monthly, allowing their family to livefortable lives.


    Gerald no longer needed to go back to Solterra to go on expeditions and could just focus his attention on crafting gear to sell to his father or equip his family with.


    Currently, Gerald and Alessia were not in the house. They had gone to the Leventis Warehouse to choose a suitable monster corpse to bring back home.


    Michael had already given them a list of Monsters in their inventory, but Thirteen insisted that his father go to the Warehouse so that he could personally check the quality of the goods.


    As someone who had risked his life to collect Monster Parts in Solterra, Gerald knew very well if something was good or not.


    Also, Thirteen wanted his father to personally give a statement to the Leventis Family.


    And that was, "Don''t try to cheat us or else."


    He also told his mother, Alessia, to go with his father just in case he became too hot-headed and started to cause a ruckus.


    Many in the Leventis Family didn''t like Gerald, so it was possible that he would receive some snide remarks from the workers of the warehouse.


    In order to prevent trouble, it was important for Alessia to be there, keeping her husband in check.


    The Leventis Family gathered their materials through expeditions in Solterra, in addition to clearing Dimensional Gates that appeared within the Aldebaran Continent.


    Dimensional Gates appeared very often. They were like rain that came and went as it pleased, and they would appear anytime and anywhere.


    In Oakheart City alone, where the Leventis Family ruled, Tier 1 to Tier 3 Dimensional Gates appeared frequently.


    The moment their artifacts detected that a Gate had appeared, an announcement would be made in the city, telling everyone to go to the evacuation centers and underground bunkers that were prepared for such an event.


    The Wanderers would then either enter the Dimensional Gate to fight the Monsters in the world of Solterra or wait for them toe out before dealing with them.


    While the couple was at the Leventis Residence, Thirteen was busy training Shasha and Remi back at their home.


    It was almost lunchtime, so the three of them were about to take a break when suddenly, Mikhail appeared on the training ground with a pale expression on his face.


    "Zion, we have a problem!" Mikhail shouted. "There is a Gate outside our home."


    Thirteen''s expression immediately turned serious after hearing his brother''s report.


    "What kind of Gate?" Thirteen asked. "Did you see how many minutes are left?"


    "I-I didn''t take a look," Mikhail stuttered after seeing the intensity in his brother''s gaze. "I immediately came here the moment I discovered it."


    Thirteen frowned, but he knew that time was of the essence, so he immediately asked Mikhail to carry Remi and take her to the fortified basement of the house.


    "Shasha, go with them as well," Thirteen ordered. "I''ll go and see what kind of Gate it is."


    Shasha nodded and ran after Mikhail, who was carrying Remi in his arms.


    When Thirteen arrived in front of the residence, he saw a white portal, which was the color of a Tier-1 Dimensional Gate.


    The first thing he did was take out his cell phone and dial a number.


    Fortunately, after three rings, his father picked up, and from the sound of his voice, he seemed to have gotten himself a good deal.


    "Hello, son, did you miss me?" Gerald asked.


    "Pops, I just called to tell you that a Tier-1 Dimensional Gate appeared in front of our house," Thirteen replied in a calm manner.


    "... How many minutes?"


    "Six minutes."


    A curse escaped Gerald''s lips before he hurriedly told Thirteen to take his brothers and sisters to the underground shelter.


    "We''ll be back soon!" Gerald said anxiously. "Protect your siblings until then!"


    After saying those words, Gerald hung up, which meant that he and his wife would rush home as fast as they could.


    Thirteen then ran toward the house and headed to the underground basement, where his other siblings were hiding.


    While running, he also contacted someone who would be able to help him with his dilemma.


    "Hans, it''s me," Thirteen said as soon as his call went through. "I don''t have time to talk, so listen carefully. A Tier-1 Dimensional Gate appeared in front of our house. Send help, hurry."


    "Right away, Young Master," Han replied curtly before cutting the connection.


    As Thirteen entered the basement, he made sure to lock the three steel doors that served as the defense for their underground bunker.


    ''I messed up,'' Thirteen thought with annoyance. ''I became toox and forgot about this possibility.''


    Usually, a Tier-1 Gate wasn''t a problem, especially since his mother, Alessia was with them.


    Even if she was alone, she could easily handle dozens of Rank 1 Jinns, especially after learning the Martial Technique, Dance of Sris.


    However, Thirteen had asked her to apany his father to the Leventis Warehouse to prevent any problems from urring.


    He didn''t expect that, during their absence, a Tier-1 Gate would suddenly appear. And to make matters worse, it appeared right in front of their house.


    Their residence was located at the base of a mountain, which was surrounded by forest.


    They were a good distance away from the city, and even if his parents hurried to get back home, it would still take them half an hour to arrive.


    Hans, on the other hand, could arrive faster.


    But even with his most optimistic estimates, the Butler would not arrive until twenty minutes or so.


    Truth be told, Thirteen wasn''t too worried about Tier-1 Jinns breaking through the defenses of their home.


    In fact, he was confident that they would not even know that there were children hiding in the basement of the house.


    What he was worried about was the leader of the pack.


    Tier-1 Gates had at least one up to three Rank 2 Jinns that led their group.


    They were the true threats that worried Thirteen.


    A Rank 2 Monster might not be able to destroy the steel walls that protected the basement instantly, but given enough time, they would undoubtedly seed.


    At that moment, the ground shook, and the lights flickered a bit.


    Thirteen lightly covered Remi''s lips to prevent his little sister from screaming or making a sound.


    He didn''t really care if their entire house was destroyed after the Rank 1 Monsters had rampaged to their heart''s content.


    Their house could be rebuilt with the money they now possessed.


    But if he or any of his siblings died, no amount of money could bring them back to life.

 Chapter 48: First Encounter [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 48: First Encounter [Part 2]</h4>


    Mikhail and Shasha gripped their weapons tightly as they looked at the steel door in front of them.


    They could hear something trying to attack the first steel door, which served as the basement''s first line of defense.


    Their breathing was starting to be ragged as the adrenaline pumped inside their bodies.


    The two of them stood in front of Thirteen, who was covering Remi''s lips with his hand.


    Inside the Basement, there was a weapon rack with many different kinds of weapons on disy.


    Mikhail and Shasha took an Axe and Rapier, respectively.


    Thirteen had trained them to hold real weapons during their training so that they would be able to get used to their weight and familiarize themselves with them.


    Although Thirteen was confident that his siblings would be able to win in a one-on-one fight against a Rank 1 Monster, they were still too young to handle Rank 2 Monsters and above.


    Also, this was a Monster Outbreak.


    They wouldn''t just be fighting one, two, or three monsters at the same time¡ªthey would be fighting dozens, and even hundreds of them, which was why most Wanderers prefer to fight inside the Gate than let the monsters attack them in their own world.


    Suddenly, the sound of an explosion erupted, and the loud metallic bang that reached their ears made Remi start crying.


    Although she was now four years old, she was still not ready for this kind of encounter in real life with the Monsters, which she had only seen on Television.


    Even the faces of Mikhail and Shasha, who had been training to fight these Monsters for when they arrived in Solterra, were very pale.


    Even so, they stood their ground, holding their weapons at the ready.


    Another loud explosion resounded, and this time, Thirteen decided to let his sister go.


    "Don''t worry, everything will be fine," Thirteen said to the crying little girl who was crouching beside him.


    "Wuwuwuwu!"


    Now that her brother wasn''t covering her mouth any longer, Remi''s cry spread inside the basement.


    Thirteen had no choice but to let her go since he couldn''t let Mikhail and Shasha fight alone.


    He didn''t hesitate to run to the weapon rack and take four Daggers from it.


    The seven-year-old then stood in front of Mikhail and Shasha, making his two siblings calm down a bit.


    In their eyes, their brother was the strongest among the three of them. Seeing him stand in front of them increased their morale, lessening the fears that were starting to take hold of their senses.


    Thirteen ced two of the daggers beside his feet, while he held the remaining two daggers in each hand.


    The steel door in front of them suddenly shook, and indentations of what seemed to be a head appeared on its surface.


    They could now hear the grunting and squealing sounds in front of them which made Thirteen smile bitterly.


    ''If I have to make a guess, we''d be dealing with a Boar Type Jinn,'' Thirteen thought as the steel door was once again rammed from the other side, showing the indentation of a creature with a tusk on its metallic surface.


    Then it happened, a head of a boar poked through the Steel Gate and locked its gaze on the four juicy children that made its mouth salivate.


    A squeal of triumph escaped its lips, but before it could pull back its head to charge again, a dagger flew in its direction, hitting its eye.


    A loud squeal of pain and anger reverberated in the surroundings as the Boar freed itself from the steel door.


    It was a Rank 2 Vagabond Boar, and from the looks of it, it wasn''t alone.


    Another Boar peeked into the hole and looked at the boy who had harmed one of itsrades.


    Thirteen''s face turned grim when he realized that the peeking boar was bigger than the one he injured.


    ''An Alpha Monster,'' Thirteen gritted his teeth as he threw the other dagger in his hand towards the boar, who was looking at him with ridicule.


    The Alpha Vagabond Boar didn''t even bother to dodge, and simply moved its face to the side, making Thirteen''s dagger hit its tusk.


    The dagger then bounced harmlessly away, resulting in a metallic clinking sound as it fell to the ground.


    As if getting tired of teasing the children, the Alpha Vagabond Boar took a few steps back before ramming the steel gate with its body.


    The indentation on the gate became bigger and bigger with each blow, making Remi cry louder.


    Finally, the steel door fell on the floor with a loud thud.


    Mikhail and Shasha subconsciously took a step back the moment the steel door was destroyed.


    With theirst line of defense broken down by the Rank 2 Alpha Monster, there was nothing that would stop the Boars from devouring their prey.


    However, instead of being swarmed, the Rank 1 Boars didn''t move, as if afraid to anger the leader of the Pack, who walked confidently inside the basement and eyed the delicious meat that was ripe for the picking.


    "Mikhail, Shasha, don''t move!" Thirteen ordered. "Stay where you are!"


    Despite the hopeless situation in front of them, Thirteen remained calm and stood his ground.


    He was like a staunch pir that stood to protect his family from harm.


    Even in the face of such a threat, his experience as a System made him calm like the surface of a stillke


    The Alpha Vagabond Boar didn''t like the fact that the boy in front of him wasn''t feeling despair in its presence.


    Because of this, it decided to eliminate the boy holding the daggers first before feasting on his siblings, whose faces showed fear and desperation.


    "Come!" Thirteen shouted.


    In reply, the Vagabond Boar squealed angrily as it charged forward.


    Thirteen didn''t back down and also lunged forward, his daggers thirsty for blood.


    A momentter, a loud crash reverberated in the surroundings, and the ground was dyed with fresh blood, which painted it the color red.

 Chapter 49 First Encounter [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 49 First Encounter [Part 3] </h4>


    Thirteen lunged at the charging Alpha Empyrean Boar, which was a Rank 2 Monster.


    There were four types of monster ssifications.


    Normal, Alpha, Field Boss, and World Boss.


    Each one of these Monsters was stronger than thest, and the seven-year-old was currently facing something that was way above his league.


    Even so, he didn''t back down.


    The three children behind him were his family.


    This was a new concept for Thirteen, who had lived most of his life as a System who helped his Hosts.


    Now that he was starting to learn the emotions of humans, he had a strong urge to protect the children behind him.


    Also, there was one other reason why Thirteen decided to take the initiative to charge alone and not involve his siblings.


    He didn''t know if he was right or wrong, but ording to his calction, there was a seventy percent chance that he was right.


    Just as boy and boar were about to sh, a barrier wrapped itself around Thirteen and his siblings, protecting them from harm.


    Suddenly, the ceiling above their heads copsed.


    A figure impaled the boar''s head with a spear, prating its head all the way to its neck, killing it instantly.


    Michael then pulled back his spear before adjusting the sses on his face with his hand.


    The blood of the Alpha Vagabond Boar dyed the ground red, creating a gruesome sight.


    Shasha had covered Remi''s eyes to prevent her from seeing such a gruesome scene. She knew that her little sister was still too young to see such carnage, so she shielded thetter from the scary things that she would eventually face, but not until several more years.


    "Good job protecting your siblings," Michaelmented. "I''ll take it from here."


    The right-hand man of the Leventis Family, snapped his finger, and countless ck spears protruded out of the ground, piercing the Vagabond Boars and killing them instantly.


    In just a span of a few seconds, the threat of the Monster Outbreak ended.


    "Don''t leave here yet," Michael ordered. "I''ll double-check to make sure I didn''t miss a few Jinns."


    Thirteen nodded as he remained standing between his siblings and the dead Monsters.


    Michael nced at the seven-year-old a few seconds longer than he intended before walking away.


    Only when he was gone did Thirteen breathe a sigh of relief as he looked at his shaking hands, which were holding two daggers.


    Although their residence was quite a distance away from the Leventis Residence, it was impossible for them not to know that a Dimensional Gate had opened in their territory.


    Arthur was a Throne.


    It was a Rank designated for Kings and Queens.


    As a Throne, he had the ability to sense any disturbance within his Domain. This was especially true for the appearance of a Dimensional Gate.


    Thirteen was certain that the moment the Gate appeared in front of their residence, Arthur had sensed it and immediately made preparations.


    In fact, Thirteen was sure that his Grandpa was observing them right at this very moment.


    Perhaps, he was testing them, wanting to see how his grandchildren would react in such a situation, to evaluate their performance and decide if they were worthy of the Leventis Bloodline.


    ''What a sick bastard,'' Thirteen cursed in his heart, but he didn''t let his emotions show on his face. ''He purposely allowed the Gate to manifest and unleash a Monster Outbreak just to see four children feel fear and desperation. Perhaps, he ns to use this incident to make Pops owe him a favor for helping us.''


    Thirteen didn''t need to be a genius to understand what kind of game Arthur was trying to y here.


    He knew that his grandpa was very annoyed with how the negotiation ended because Thirteen yed the old man in the palm of his hands.


    A few minutester, Michael returned and told them that it was now safe to leave the basement.


    Thirteen nodded and made a gesture for his siblings to follow behind him.


    Just as he expected, their entire house had been demolished. Even the Smithy was destroyed.


    It was as if a hurricane had passed through their house, making it look like the scene of a disaster.


    Thirteen looked at the ce where the Gate once stood and saw Hans looking at him with an apologetic gaze.


    The seven-year-old nodded his head in understanding.


    It seemed that Hans managed to arrive on time, but someone had prevented him from interfering.


    Since it was Michael who came to save them, this meant that Gerald owed him a favor. Of course, he also knew that this was what Arthur wanted to happen.


    ''Just this once,'' Thirteen vowed as he turned around to look at his siblings, who were still shaken by their first encounter with the Jinns.


    However, the seven-year-old was pleasantly surprised when he saw that although Mikhail''s and Shasha''s faces were still pale, a look of determination could be seen in their eyes.


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips curled up after seeing their faces. It was great that their near brush at death only made his brother''s and sister''s resolve stronger.


    He could see that they, too, didn''t want to feel helpless like this again, which would only push them to reach greater heights.


    ''I guess this is a blessing in disguise,'' Thirteen thought. ''It seems that the Old Bastard didsomething good after all.''


    Thirteen then looked at the wreckage of their house and rubbed his chin.


    He wasn''t too worried about the cost of rebuilding the house because, right now, they didn''tck money.


    The house and Smithy could be rebuilt, but lives couldn''t be reced once they were gone.


    The seven-year-old then nced in the direction of the Leventis Family''s residence, where he could feel a stare boring into his small body.


    ''I''ll remember this old man,'' Thirteen sneered. ''You better prepare yourself to cough out blood the next time we negotiate.''


    Thirteen was someone who kept grudges, and he would certainly repay them in full.


    For now, he closed his eyes and used his experience as a system to design a blueprint for a house that wouldn''t be destroyed, even if a Rank 8 Monster and their Legion knocked on their doorstep to invite themselves for lunch.

 Chapter 50 This Son Of Mine Has Nerves Of Steel

    <h4>Chapter 50 This Son Of Mine Has Nerves Of Steel </h4>


    "Wuwuwu!"


    Remi bitterly cried in Alessia''s arms. Near her, Gerald was talking to Michael and Hans.


    The two had arrived ten minutes after the Monsters had been dealt with, and the first thing they did was to check on the conditions of their children.


    Both were relieved that, aside from being shaken, their children were safe from harm.


    Gerald thanked Michael and Hans, who hade to their rescue, and his brother told him that he should be more careful next time.


    Michael then told the couple that a team of workers would soon arrive to collect the corpses of the monsters, as well as help Gerald clear out the wreckage of his house.


    Just as the right-hand man of the Leventis Family was about to leave, he patted Gerald''s shoulder and pointed at Thirteen with his chin.


    "You have a good son," Michael stated. "He stood in front of his brother and sisters against an Alpha Vagabond Boar. You raised him well."


    After saying those words, he finally left along with Hans to return to the Main Residence of the Leventis Family.


    Gerald then looked at his son, who was seated on one of the destroyed walls of their house.


    The seven-year-old had his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes were closed as if deep in thought.


    Gerald had no idea what was running through his seven-year-old son''s head, but he decided to talk to him and praise him for what he had done during the monster outbreak.


    "Zion, you did well in protecting your brother and sisters," Gerald said. "What kind of reward do you want? I promise that I will give you anything you want."


    "I want all the money in our family''s savings ount," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat with his eyes still closed.


    "¡­ Son, don''t you have a heart?" Gerald nearly forgot that his seven-year-old was no ordinary child and thought differently from the kids who were the same age as him.


    "Rx, Pops," Thirteen said as he opened his eyes. "I was just joking¡ªwell, half. I want you to give me full ess to our savings. I want to personally design theyout of our house to make sure that not even Rank-8 Monsters can destroy it."


    "Oh?" Gerald''s face eased up after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    If other kids were to tell them this, he would probably p them for saying a bunch of nonsense.


    But since it was his seven-year-old son who said this, it only meant one thing.


    He would be true to his words and do as he said without fail.


    "Then in that case, you can have as much money as you want," Gerald replied. "It''s not our money that we will be spending anyway."


    Thirteen and Gerald smirked at the same time because this was true. All the money they had in their savings ounts came from the Leventis Family, so they didn''t feel too hurt when splurging to rebuild their house.


    "Pops, let''s stay in a hotel for now," Thirteen said. "I still have to draw up the blueprint of our house. After that, you can start looking for construction workers to build it. Our family''s personal gateway was also destroyed, so we need to ask the Leventis Family to build us a new one."


    "It won''t definitely be cheap. I''m sure of that," Gerald grumbled in a bitter tone.


    "Oh, just tell them that if they don''t do it for free, then we will leave Oakheart City and settle in Roske City," Thirteen said with a shrug.


    At first, Gerald was taken aback, but this surprise didn''tst long, and a smirk appeared on his face.


    "You''re very petty, son." Gerald chuckled. "I''m sure my father will curse you to the heavens when he hears this."


    Thirteen smirked because his father was right. He was indeed being petty.


    Roske City was the main city of one of the Monarch ns that ruled the Aldebaran Continent.


    If there was one family that Arthur hated the most, it was none other than the Remington n.


    This was Thirteen''s way of telling Arthur that he should not push his luck too far, or the deal was off.


    Even though their contract stated that the Leventis Family would get priority in negotiating with him when it came to the Mythical Equipments that Gerald would make in the future, that didn''t mean that they were not allowed to sell it to others.


    Of course, that was just a bluff. After all, he really couldn''t sell any of the Mythical Equipment that had been crafted with the help of his Rune Magic. Such a threat held no power whatsoever.


    But Arthur didn''t know that.


    Since that was the case, Thirteen would just bluff his way and give the Patriarch of the Leventis Family a headache.


    If their family really moved to Roske City, no one would be able to stop Gerald from selling his crafted equipment to the Remington n, who had enough wealth to cover the entirety of the Aldebaran Continent with the palms of their hands.


    "But, son, I don''t have the guts to tell this to my old man," Gerald said in an awkward tone.


    "Weakling," Thirteen shook his head helplessly before dialing a number on his cellphone.


    A momentter, the call was picked up, and Arthur''s gruff and arrogant voice sounded on the other side.


    "What?" Arthur asked in a cold tone.


    Unfazed by the tant indifference in the old man''s voice, the seven-year-old replied in a casual manner, "My family''s Personal Gateway was destroyed," Thirteen said. "I want the Leventis Family to build us one for free. If you refuse, we will start packing and move to Roske City. That''s all."


    Without even bothering to hear Arthur''s reply, Thirteen cut off the call before jumping off the wall he was sitting on.


    Gerald watched his son walk away as if he had just told a servant to pick up hisundry for him.


    ''¡­ This son of mine has nerves of steel.'' Gerald didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry at Zion''s tant disregard for the Patriarch of the Leventis Family. ''He probably inherited this trait from his grandma.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile at the Leventis Family¡­


    A chuckle escaped Lady Callista''s lips as she observed her husband''s expression.


    Arthur looked like he had just eaten a fly, making the beautifuldy chuckle.


    After mastering the Martial Technique that Thirteen had imparted to her, not only did she regain her youth, but her power also increased by leaps and bounds.


    Currently, she, Arthur, Michael, Hans, and Trisha were inside the Patriarch''s Office, discussing what should be done with Gerald''s family.


    Lady Callista was very annoyed that her husband had allowed the Monsters to destroy her son''s home. She hade toin, but after hearing Thirteen''s demand, all her annoyance disappeared and was reced by amusement.


    "This brat is going too far¡­" Arthur mmed his fist on the armrest of his chair, obliterating itpletely.


    "Serves you right," Lady Callista retorted in disdain. "My son may be afraid of you, but my grandson is not. It seems that you got yed well, Arthur. Now, what are you going to do?"


    The beautifuldy''s words were filled with contempt as she looked at her husband, who was currently fighting the strong urge to strangle the seven-year-old boy who had just given him a subtle threat.


    Arthur reined in his anger and nced at his son, who was standing beside him.


    "What is your opinion of this child?" Arthur asked. "You observed him closely from start to finish, right?"


    Michael nodded. "It seems that we are greatly underestimating this nephew of mine, Father. Although he''s still young, he''s able to manipte people and take advantage of their weaknesses. I would not be surprised if he is the brain inside my brother''s household.


    "Although it may seem impossible, I have a hunch that Zion is the one calling the shots in their family. I suggest that we do as he says for now. It would be a waste if their family truly moved away from this ce and went to Roske City.


    "If that happens, we won''t be able to monitor their movements even if we tried. Also, if Gerald decides to make the Remington n his business partner, there is nothing we can do about it."


    Hans, who knew a bit of Thirteen''s capabilities, couldn''t help but nod internally at Michael''s evaluation of the seven-year-old boy.


    He even had a fleeting thought that he would rather antagonize the Leventis Family than antagonize Thirteen, who was shrouded in mystery.


    "Fine." Arthur clicked his tongue, feeling very annoyed by the situation.


    For the first time, a Throne like him, who was only a rank below that of a Monarch, felt helpless. Not to mention that it was all because of a seven-year-old.


    If his peers were to know about this, he would definitely be theughingstock of their social circle, which Arthur didn''t want to happen.


    "Also, I advise that we try to settle this matter peacefully." Michael fixed the sses on his face. "I think that Zion is suspecting that we let the Gate unleash a Monster Outbreak. He is not to be underestimated at all costs."


    Arthur frowned, but he didn''t say anything to reject his son''s proposal. In the end, he merely told Michael to handle it himself, washing his hands on this incident.


    Lady Callista was quite satisfied with this oue, so he decided to leave the office with Hans.


    There were less than five months remaining until Mikhail''s First Wandering, and she wanted to spend some time with her grandson and teach him the ropes of what to expect when he appeared in Solterra for the first time.

 Chapter 51 Have More Faith In Me

    <h4>Chapter 51 Have More Faith In Me </h4>


    With the help of the Leventis Family, the construction of Thirteen''s new home waspleted in less than a month.


    The only reason why it took longer than it should''ve been was because of Thirteen''s blueprint.


    He had requested the Builders to use specific materials on some parts of the home, which he would use to help him channel Rune Magicter on.


    Instead of drawing the symbols on the house himself, Thirteenmissioned Painters and other artists to paint, sculpt, and build these symbols, making it look as if they were works of art.


    The house had three floors and five underground floors.


    The special metals that were used on the underground levels were very hard and tough, which could easily tank the full-powered blow of Rank 6 Jinns and Majins.


    Thirteen could have used sturdier materials, but they would have been too expensive, despite the fact that they had millions in their savings ount.


    Since he would empower these fortifications with Rune Magic anyway, he decided to save his family a bit of money, which they could use to buy Monster Parts for his father''s crafting experiments.


    The seven-year-old had also asked the Leventis Engineers to construct the Teleportation Gate on the first floor of the Underground Base.


    The second floor was the training area.


    The third floor was Thirteen''s Laboratory, where he nned to do his experiments.


    The Fourth floor was meant to be the storage area for monster parts, cores, and other misceneous items.


    Thest and final floor was meant to be the ce where the finished products would be stored, as well as the evacuation area if another Monster Outbreak were to happen again.


    The Smithy was built outside the house since it required a lot of space, in addition to needing a room to store items in.


    All in all, Thirteen was quite satisfied with how the house was built. Not only was it bigger and morefortable to live in, but it also had addedyers of protection that wouldn''t lose to the Main Residence of the Leventis Family.


    Thirteen spent nearly a month and countless resources in order to fortify their home with Rune Magic.


    He didn''t care how much it cost him to make a safe ce for him and his family to live in.


    He vowed that he wouldn''t allow his carelessness to endanger his family again.


    ''Even a dozen Assassins with the Rank of Champions would die if they tried to force themselves inside my home,'' Thirteen mused. ''As for a way to attack my enemies¡­ I guess I''ll settle for the Rhongomyniad Guided System.''


    He might not be able to rise above anyone in Solterra, but the same couldn''t be said for Pangea.


    While he was caught up in those thoughts, his phone began to ring, which made him frown.


    The caller was none other than his Uncle, Michael Leventis.


    His general impression of his grandfather''s right-hand man was lukewarm.


    Michael neither liked nor hated their family. Thirteen was fine with that. The only problem he had with the man was his annoying way of always fixing the sses on his face whenever he was stating something of importance.


    In the end, the seven-year-old just thought that this was the default setting for viins who wore sses, so he stopped paying attention to this habit of his Uncle''s.


    "Yes?" Thirteen asked as soon as he epted the call.


    "I just called to inform you that the Remington Family is going to hold a party two weeks from now," Michael stated. "They n to invite all the members of the young generation from the Prestigious Families in Aldebaran who would soon have their First Wandering. I''m not sure what will be discussed in this gathering, but it is highly possible that your family will get an invitation."


    "Should we go or not?" Thirteen asked bluntly. "What did my Gramps have to say about this?"


    Michael didn''t seem to mind the rude way his nephew addressed his father.


    "The members of the Leventis Family will also participate in this event," Michael replied. "However, if possible, we wish for Mikhail to not attend the party even if he were to receive an invitation. I think this is the Remington Family''s attempt at gathering information about what transpired in your home when the Heavenly Phenomenon appeared."


    Thirteen nodded his head in understanding.


    Truth be told, he was the one who triggered the Heavenly Phenomenon. It happened after he inscribed the Divine Martial Technique, Heaven''s de, into the Empyrean Great Sword.


    He did this on purpose so that Arthur and the other higher-ups of the Leventis Family would go to investigate what was happening.


    His n worked, and with this, he managed to leech off the Leventis Family in exchange for the four Mythical Weapons, which were now in the possession of his grandpa and grandma.


    "Understood," Thirteen replied. "I will tell my father and brother about this."


    "Good. That is all I have to say."


    "Okay."


    Michael ended the call while Thirteen went to look for Gerald and Mikhail to inform them about the party that the Remington Family was going to host.


    "¡­ I think Michael''s call was a bitte," Gerald said with an awkward look on his face. "My old friends from the Remington Family asked me toe with Mikhail. I wasn''t able to say no."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before asking his father a question.


    "Old friends?" Thirteen asked. "You were friends with people from the Remington Family, Pops?"


    Gerald nodded. "It''s a bitplicated. The Lady whom my father wished for me to marry is now the wife of one of the Heirs of the Remington Family. The two of them are good friends of your mother and me, so I wasn''t able to refuse their invitation."


    "¡­ Is this why Gramps is angry with the Remington Family?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yeah," Gerald nodded. "He thought that the Remington Family used a strong-arm approach to break my engagement with my close friend Vivian, and forced her to marry my best friend, Elijah, instead.


    "After I was disowned by the Leventis Family, the two of them reached out to help me, but I declined their offers because I didn''t want to further strain the rtionship between the Remington and the Leventis families.


    "Since we''re all close friends, we still keep in touch with each other despite not seeing each other. This time, I have no excuse since Mikhail is bound to be Spirited Away on the Night of the Solstice.


    "I''m hoping that the Remingtons will look after him in Solterra, so I decided to ept their invitation to the party."


    Thirteen scratched the back of his head before dialing his Uncle''s number.


    Three ringster, Michael picked up and Thirteen informed him of the current situation.


    "¡­ Understood," Michael replied. "I''ll inform Father about Gerald''s decision."


    A secondter, the line was cut.


    Gerald looked at his son in surprise because he didn''t know until now that Thirteen and Michael had exchanged contact numbers.


    "Pops, since you and brother are going, I want toe as well," Thirteen stated. "Can I?"


    Gerald pondered for a bit before nodding his head.


    "As long as you behave and don''t cause trouble, why not?" Gerald replied.


    "Pops, have more faith in me," Thirteen patted his chest with confidence as if he was someone who wouldn''t cause trouble for their family. "Rx, I''ll behave and just observe my surroundings."


    For some reason, Gerald had a nagging feeling that bringing Thirteen to the party wasn''t a good idea.


    However, he thought that he was just overthinking things and reluctantly agreed to his request.


    Little did Thirteen, Gerald, and Mikhail know that even though they didn''t want to look for trouble in the party, there were people who didn''t care about their opinions, and nned to make things difficult for them.

 Chapter 52 Mikhail’s Weakness

    <h4>Chapter 52 Mikhail¡¯s Weakness </h4>


    "That bastard!" Arthur couldn''t help but curse out loud because his n to keep Gerald''s family away from the Remington n just went down the drain.


    They had worked very hard to keep a tight lid on the incident that happened several months ago where the image of a Heavenly Sword appeared above the base of the mountain, where Thirteen''s home was located.


    Although it took a lot of effort, they managed to prevent the Monarch ns, as well as the other Prestigious Families from infiltrating their territory.


    Of course, the other Families didn''t really try to infiltrate the Leventis Domain because if they did that, it would break the agreement between the different families.


    They simply asked what happened and, if possible, would like to see the ce where the phenomenon appeared.


    Arthur simply told them that he was practicing a new Martial Skill, which made the Giant Sword appear.


    The other Families doubted his answer, but since they couldn''t really push the matter, they decided to pull back and nt spies in Oakheart City to see if the incident would happen a second time.


    "We can''t exactly ask them to travel alongside us since you have already disowned Gerald," Michaelmented. "Doing so will just make the other members of the family, as well as the Branch Families, think that you have gone back on your word.


    "Although I''m sure that they would not say anything when you show favoritism to Gerald, it would send the wrong signals not only to our Faction, but to the other Families as well."


    Michael couldn''t help but smile internally after seeing the annoyance on his father''s face.


    Usually, Arthur was a very calm and collected person. Although he was hot-headed, he had good control over his emotions. But, whenever he reached his limit, all hell would break loose. The incident that caused Gerald to be kicked out of the family was one of those instances.


    ''Ever since Zion came to the Leventis Family for his birthday, his temper has gotten the better of him time and time again,'' Michael thought. ''I got to hand it to that nephew of mine. He knows how to tick my father off.''


    Several minutes passed in silence before Arthur finally calmed down.


    "Communicate with Gerald and make sure that he and his sons won''t mention anything about the Mythical Equipment," Arthur ordered.


    Michael nodded. "Understood."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile in Thirteen''s Home¡­


    "Mikhail, you have grown very strong for the past few years," Thirteen said to his brother, who was seated in a cross-legged position in front of him. "But, there is still something that I haven''t taught you. Currently, you still have one fatal weakness, and if this isn''t resolved¡­ I''m afraid that others may be able to take advantage of you in the future."


    Mikhail looked at his brother with a solemn expression on his face as he waited for him to tell his fatal weakness.


    Shasha, who was also inside the training room and seated beside Mikhail, looked at her brother with a curious look on her face.


    Seeing that his brother was paying close attention to what he was going to say, Thirteen no longer held back and told him the weakness that he believed would be Mikhail''s Achilles Heel.


    "You have no experience when ites to dealing with girls," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Don''t think that just because you''ve been around Mother, Shasha, and Remi, that it''s enough for you to think that you have already developed a resistance to beautiful girls.


    "Someone who is as honest, hardworking, and collected as you are, is bound to be a henpecked boyfriend in the future. Just look at Pops, he is a hen-pecked husband, and proud of it."


    Gerald, who chose that time to enter the training room, heard Thirteen''s words, making the corner of his lips twitch.


    "Zion, I am not a henpecked husband," Geraldmented. "I just do what your mother tells me, so that our family will live harmoniously."


    "Sure, Pops," Thirteen replied as he shooed his father away with his hand. "If that makes you sleep better at night."


    Mikhail and Shasha were still too young to understand what Thirteen was talking about, and this was evident in their faces.


    Because of this, the seven-year-old sighed because he understood that this was a difficult matter to exin.


    "Brother, when we go to the party, you will be able to see many beautiful girls," Thirteen stated. "There is a chance that they will be more beautiful than Shasha and Remi, making you feel smitten with them. If theye and talk to you, don''t give them wrong replies.


    "For example, If they ask your name, just tell them that your name is Mikhail. Don''t add any surnames, okay?"


    Mikhail nodded in understanding.


    "Then, if they ask you to dance, just shake your head," Thirteen said. "If they insist, just say No. But when you say it, don''t say it softly. Say it firmly. Now, let''s practice. Say No."


    "No."


    "Firmer."


    "NO."


    "Make it a bit more forceful, and make sure to look them in the eye when you say it."


    "NO!"


    "Good."


    Thirteen nodded. "Of course, many people will ask you questions. In order to bypass this, make yourself look bored as if you don''t find anything interesting in your surroundings.


    "You need to act mysterious and unreachable. This is a skill that you need to develop before you go to Solterra. This way, no one will treat you as someone who could be their subordinate.


    "Also,dies are a sucker for mysterious handsome guys who gives them a cold shoulder. They find bad boys irresistible."


    Gerald, who was only supposed to check the quality of weapons in the training grounds, nodded his head in agreement after hearing his son''s words.


    He did the same when he was in Solterra and severaldies had shown interest in him, including his Ex-Fiance, who was now married to his best friend from the Remington n.


    "Zion, should I also act cold and mysterious to people I am meeting for the first time?" Shasha asked.


    "Yes, Sister," Thirteen nodded. "If you do this, many handsome guys will flock to you and will want to get close to you. Treat them as yourckeys, and treat the most persistent ones as your ves."


    Shasha nodded seriously. "Understood."


    "Also, if anyone tries to use force to make you like them, just tell me their name," Thirteen replied. "I''ll eliminate them quietly."


    "Okay, Zion," Shasha replied. "I trust you."


    Gerald started to sweat buckets because he didn''t know if Thirteen was joking or not. If his son truly did as he stated, wouldn''t that be bad for their family?


    "Mikhail, treat the party that we will be attending as part of your training," Thirteen stated. "I will be grading your performance. Once we get home, I will tell you my analysis, and we will work on the ws that you showed during the party."


    Mikhail nodded. "I trust you, Brother."


    Gerald wasn''t able to take it any longer and cleared his throat.


    "Zion, you know that your brother is a gentle soul," Gerald said. "Will he really be able to treat others coldly?"


    "Not right away," Thirteen replied. "This is why I will observe him during the party. Rx, Pops. I got this."


    Thirteen had been the Host of several Harem Kings and Harem Princes'' just like his former host Vincent.


    Although he felt a little bad in turning his gentle and kind brother into a cold-hearted man, he believed that this was necessary for him to survive in Solterra.


    Kind and dependable people were always taken advantage of by others, and he didn''t want the eldest of their family to suffer such a fate.

 Chapter 53 Reunion Between Long Time Friends

    <h4>Chapter 53 Reunion Between Long Time Friends </h4>


    Finally, the day of the party arrived.


    Thirteen, Gerald, and Mikhail were all wearing tailor-made ck suits, which brought out their good looks.


    Mikhail stood out between the two men because his father and brother both had ck hair. He, on the other hand, had blonde hair and blue eyes, making him look as if he was adopted.


    However, this was only true if he was with father and brother.


    The one who truly stood out from their family was Thirteen.


    His mother, as well as his three siblings all had blonde hair, while he was the only one with ck hair.


    Gerald thought that the Leventis Family genes were thicker when it came to Thirteen, so he inherited the ck hair of their family.


    "Are you feeling nervous, Mikhail?" Thirteen asked.


    "A little," Mikhail replied.


    "It''s fine to be anxious," Thirteen stated. "As long as it doesn''t show on your face, okay?"


    "I''ll do my best, Brother."


    "Mmm."


    Alessia gave her two handsome sons a kiss on their cheeks before saying her goodbyes to them.


    "Mikhail, remember the names of the girls who approach you during the party, okay?" Alessia said. "I will see if they are a good match for you."


    "Yes, Mother," Mikhail replied.


    "Zion, don''t cause trouble, okay?" Alessia then crouched down to look at her seven-year-old with a smile. "Don''t be rude to people at the party."


    "Mother, why do you always remind me to not be rude to people?" Thirteen blinked. "Do you have such a low opinion of me?"


    "I have a very high opinion of you," Alessia replied with a smile. "This is why I am worried that you will talk down to people as if they are not your equal."


    "Rest assured, Mother," Thirteen stated. "I know what to do."


    After getting her son''s assurance, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.


    At that exact moment, they heard the sound of an approaching helicopter.


    "Looks like our ride hase to pick us up," Gerald said as he looked at the helicopter with the emblem of the Remington Family painted on its body. "Let''s go. It is best that we don''t keep them waiting."


    Thirteen and Mikhail nodded as they followed behind their father.


    His father''s best friend, Elijah, told him that he would send a helicopter to pick them up to hasten their travel time.


    Gerald didn''t refuse his kind offer because it would take them nearly five hours to travel to the Remington n''s Residence by car.


    The Helicopter that they rode on was a military type attack helicopter meant to provide support fire against Monster Outbreaks from Dimensional Gates.


    Thirteen was quite impressed with its speed, mobility, and ammunition that he thought that it would be a good idea to have one for their family''s personal use.


    The other thing that he liked about this particr helicopter was that it wasn''t noisy. The sound of the propeller could not be heard inside it, allowing everyone to talk without any noise or interference.


    "Pops, how close are you to your best friend?" Thirteen asked when they were halfway through their journey.


    "Very close," Gerald replied. "The two of us are actually Sworn Brothers, and his wife, and your mother, were Sworn Sisters."


    "Excellent." Thirteen nodded his head in satisfaction. "Do you think he would give you this helicopter if you ask him nicely?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Gerald, the helicopter pilot, as well as the guide from the Remington n were all rendered speechless by Thirteen''s shameless question.


    "Um, probably?" Gerald cleared his throat. "But, I don''t think I''ll be asking him this. My skin is not that thick, you know?"


    "Yeah," Thirteenmented. "If your skin was thicker, you wouldn''t have be a henpecked husband."


    Gerald wanted to cough out blood then and there at his son''s words, which made the pilot and their escort smile.


    They were only told to pick Gerald up from his home, and they knew very little about him.


    The only thing they knew was that he had been disowned by the Leventis Family, and was one of the Remington Heir''s close friends.


    After hearing his son call him a henpecked husband, they couldn''t help but feel sorry for him.


    The journey only took an hour before theynded inside the Remington''s Family estate.


    While they were still in the air, Thirteen noticed five people waiting for them on the ground.


    He assumed that four of them were his father''s friends, Elijah Remington, Vivian Remington, as well as their two children.


    Thest one looked older, which he assumed to either be their family''s butler or a rtive of Elijah''s or Vivian''s.


    When the helicopternded, and the rotors stopped spinning, Gerald got off the Helicopter and walked toward his two friends with a smile on his face.


    "It has been years since west saw each other," Gerald said. "I''m d to see that both of you look happy."


    "And it''s all thanks to you," a handsome man, who seemed to be in his early thirties said with a smile.


    He had short dark-blue hair, and blue eyes that were filled with warmth.


    The beautifuldy standing beside him had long brown hair, and green eyes, which seemed to see through a person''s soul.


    Gerald hugged both of them, and even nted a kiss on Vivian''s forehead, making the smile on her face widen even more.


    "This must be your son, Harry, and your daughter, Leah." Gerald looked at the two children, who were simr in age to Mikhail and Thirteen."


    Harry, the eldest, had short brown hair and green eyes like her mother.


    Leah, on the other hand, had long, dark-blue hair and blue eyes like her father.


    "And this must be Mikhail and Zion," Elijahmented. "Your eldest looks like Alessia, and Zion looks like you."


    Gerald nodded his head in agreement because this was indeed the case.


    "Uncle Benedict, looks like you still haven''t kicked the bucket yet." Gerald chuckled.


    However, his chuckle didn''tst for long before it was reced with a gasp of pain because the middle-aged man, who was also Vivian''s father, smacked his head for being annoying.


    "It seems that you''re still the same piece of sh*t." Benedict snorted. "It''s good that you convinced Elijah to man up and marry my daughter. If you and Vivian had married each other instead, I would have died years ago from irritation."


    Benedict then shifted his attention to Thirteen, who was looking at him with great interest.


    Unlike his brother, Mikhail''s face became a little pale after seeing his father getting smacked by the middle-aged man, whose aura was leaking from his body.


    Simr to Hans, Benedict was a Champion, and a fairly powerful one at that.


    "Well, it seems that Alessia has given birth to at least one interesting kid," Benedictmented as he looked at the seven-year-old who was looking at him with a faint smile on his face. "Child, are you not scared of me?"


    "Why would I be scared of you?" Thirteen asked back with an amused expression on his face.


    "Because I can easily pinch you to death," Benedict replied.


    Thirteen nodded. "You''re right. But, you wouldn''t dare to do that."


    "Oh? Do you think that this no-good-father of yours will be able to protect you from me?"


    "Not him. But my Grandma, Lady Callista. I''m sure she will be more than happy to rip you to shreds."


    Benedict stiffened for a bit before a devilish smile appeared on his face.


    "Don''t tempt me to hurt you, child," Benedict said in a dangerous tone. "There are two names that I dislike hearing the most in this world. The first one is Arthur Leventis, and the second one is your grandmother''s name. If you want to live longer, make sure to remember that."


    Thirteen didn''t reply, but the smile on his face also widened.


    The seven-year-old, and the hundred-year-old man, who looked as if he was in his early fifties, stared at each other with smiles on their faces.


    Harry and Leah were quite surprised because they could tell that their Grandpa had taken a liking to Thirteen, which was something that not even the other children of the Remington Family were able to achieve.


    Elijah cleared his throat, and patted Gerald''s shoulder.


    "How about we talk inside?" Elijah proposed. "Also, the three of you should join our table. It will be nice to dine together and chat like old times."


    Gerald nodded and led his two sons inside the Remington n''s Main Residence.


    This was the first major social gathering that he had attended since he was disowned by his father.


    He was certain that he would meet old friends and enemies alike, whom he hadn''t seen for many years.

 Chapter 54 The Gathering Of The Remington Clan [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 54 The Gathering Of The Remington n [Part 1] </h4>


    Unlike Arthur''s birthday celebration, which only a select few could attend, the Remington Party was open to all the high-ranking people of the Aldebaran Continent.


    Businessmen, Merchants, Officers of the Government, as well as other influential people that resided in the continent.


    Literally, there were thousands of people that were at the party.


    However, the Monarch Families were built differently.


    The venue where they held their special events were as big as a coliseum, easily fitting the number of their guests with plenty of room to spare.


    Since this event was held for the future Wanderers, who were bound to get Spirited Away in a few months, there were hundreds of teenagers present as well.


    This was the first time that Mikhail had attended such a gathering, so it was hard for him to keep hisposure.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, wasn''t fazed by something like this. He had seen grander and more prestigious events in the thousands of years that he had served as a System to his Hosts.


    Although Mikhail was intimidated, Thirteen didn''t fault him for it.


    After all, his reaction was perfectly normal for a thirteen-year-old boy, who never had the chance to meet other people and have friends.


    Simply put, the eldest of their family was overwhelmed due to the liveliness of the venue, and for some reason, Elijah''s eldest son, Harry, found Mikhail''s reaction quite amusing.


    Thirteen didn''t n to help or protect his brother during this event.


    He wanted this to be a learning experience for Mikhail, who would soon enter a bigger world filled with danger.


    Danger that didn''t onlye from Monsters, but from his fellow Humans a well.


    Elijah and Vivian were also paying close attention to Mikhail.


    But, unlike their son, who was showing his inner thoughts, the two adults only smiled and teased Gerald for raising his son with too much love.


    Gerald''s two friends brought them to their own personal table because they truly wanted to talk to him about many things.


    They hadn''t seen each other for many years because Gerald didn''t want to involve them with the drama going on in his family.


    Elijah and Vivian,both knew what kind of man he was like, so they did as they were told and onlymunicated with him using other means.


    While the adults were chatting, the children headed to the buffet area to take something to eat.


    "What kind of weapon do you use?" Harry asked Mikhail when the two of them had filled up their tes and were walking back towards their table.


    "Axe," Mikhail replied.


    "Are you good at using it?"


    "Good."


    Harry asked a few more questions after that, and Mikhail answered them with a word or two. The most he said were three words, and that was about it.


    He was sticking to the rule that his little brother had given him.


    When asked, answer with a word.


    If one word was not enough then use two!


    Ten minutester, Harry stopped asking Mikhail questions because he felt like he was talking to a rock.


    He just ate as quickly as he could so he could talk to his friends, who were also at the party.


    His parents told him that he should make Mikhail and Thirteen feelfortable during the event.


    However, he felt bored talking to Mikhail, so he left the table as soon as he finished eating.


    "I''m sorry about that," Elijah said. "My son was not a good host."


    "They''re still young," Gerald replied. "Mikhail also isn''t good at holding conversations. At least, Harry tried. That was enough."


    Gerald was well aware why his son was acting this way.


    He was there when Thirteen told Mikhail how to act during the special gathering of the Remington n, and his eldest son was just following the orders of his little brother.


    ''Lately, I feel like the head of the family isn''t me anymore,'' Gerald thought bitterly as he drank some wine, while eyeing his seven-year-old, who was enjoying the delicious food that was being served at the party.


    Ever since Thirteen returned home from the hospital, he had started to act strange.


    It was as if he was now a different person,pared to his timid son, who would sleep inside their room whenever there was a lightning storm because he was feeling afraid.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Thirteen was now the one calling the shots in the family. If he wanted something done, he would do it without fail.


    He didn''t want to admit it, but thefortable lifestyle that they were enjoying right now was all due to his son, who was already heading to the buffet area for round two.


    When he was sure that Thirteen was out of ear shot, Elijah asked Gerald a question


    "Did you train Zion at an early age?" Elijah asked.


    Gerald didn''t answer right away. He was half contemting if he should tell his best friend that his son didn''t receive any training from him.


    In fact, the one that was training their entire family was none other than Thirteen.


    "He received training right after he was released from the hospital," Gerald replied. "He was more hardworking than me when I was his age."


    "That exins it," Elijah nodded. "Every step he takes is very steady. It is as if he has full control of his body, and mind, not letting others see anything about him. I have been observing since your arrival, and he is like a tightly closed book, not allowing anyone to read the information it possesses."


    Gerald chuckled because he also felt this way in the past. However, after everything that happened, he no longer cared.


    For him, as long as his family was safe, and living afortable life, that was enough.


    Also, even if he was just doing cksmithing, that didn''t mean that his fighting ability had degraded.


    In fact, it even grew by leaps and bounds.


    The Hammer for All Seasons, which Thirteen had imparted to Gerald, was originally a Martial Technique by a cksmith who fought on the front lines of a war to protect his people.


    Every swing carried the years of experience he had in perfecting his craft, every blow held a force that could crush a boulder to pieces.


    Even the enemies wearing heavy armor would be sent flying with a single swing of his hammer.


    Gerald knew that he was far stronger than he was when he was still active as a Wanderer in Solterra.


    If he faced off against the Assassins who had tried to assassinate him two years ago, all of them would die in his hands, without him getting injured in the slightest.

 Chapter 55 The Gathering Of The Remington Clan [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 55 The Gathering Of The Remington n [Part 2] </h4>


    Thirteen walked confidently towards the dessert area, while taking in the sights and sounds of everything around him.


    He had memorized the faces of the most important people in the continent of Aldebaran days ago by looking up their information on the Inte.


    A simple Googal search was enough to see their faces, and the field that they were working in.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t know everyone because that would be impossible.


    But he knew the most important ones, those who held significant power and influence in the continent of Aldebaran.


    Just a nce was enough to see that even the upper ss had their own circles, and people that they didn''t get along with.


    Thirteen was paying close attention to which groups were with who, so that when he needed to expand his operations, he would know which side to pick.


    But, there was only one problem.


    Leah, the youngest daughter of Elijah and Vivian, was following him like a tail.


    "Is there something I can help you with?" Thirteen asked the girl, who was the same age as him.


    Leah shook her head. "My mom said that I should look after you today."


    "By looking after me, you mean following me?"


    "Yes."


    Thirteen tilted his head to the side, but in the end, he didn''t tell Leah to mind her own business.


    "It must be hard on you," Thirteen said with a smile.


    "It is." Leah nodded. "But, you''re different from your brother. He looks like he is about to cry any moment, but you are calm and at ease."


    "Pfft!" Thirteen wasn''t able to stop himself from chukling after hearing Leah''s positivement about his brother, Mikhail.


    "He''s just tense," Thirteen nced at his brother, who couldn''t help but look at the beautiful girls, who were around his age, in the event hall.


    Thedies in their family were beautiful, but in the end they were his family.


    Even though Mikhail loved them very much, his feelings for them would naturally be differentpared to other girls, especially the ones who were just as beautiful as his sister, Shasha.


    But, seeing other girls, especially those that came from the Monarch ns, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families was certainly a different experience.


    A nce was enough to tell that they were a different breed from the normal people in the room.


    They exude an aura of confidence and strength, which could be seen through their actions.


    These children had trained their Family''s Martial Arts from a very young age, making them powerful Warriors in their own right.


    Although many of them still died during their First Wandering, it didn''t change the fact that their survivability was higherpared to the rest of the teenagers, who were not able to receive proper training at their age.


    "So, tell me, are you familiar with the children of the Monarch and Prestigious ns?" Thirteen inquired as he added a small muffin to his te.


    "Yes," Leah replied. "But, not all of them."


    "Then, how about you tell me the things you know about them? For example, the blonde boy over there." Thirteen pointed at the teenager boy, whom he believed was around the same age as his brother, Mikhail.


    "That''s Noah Griffin," Leah replied. "My Brother said that he is one of the most talented children who will be having their First Wandering this winter solstice. He is hoping that the two of them will be sent to the same ce to take their trial."


    "Oh a big shot, huh?" Thirteen smirked. "As expected."


    The reason why he asked for information about Noah was due to the fact that he was surrounded by many young teenage boys and girls.


    Clearly, he was someone of importance to have so many people trying to form connections with him.


    "The one with silver hair and red eyes is Matthew from the Stard n," Leah said as she took the initiative to tell him about the other important children in the venue. "He uses the spear and, ording to my brother, he is very proficient in it."


    Leah then moved closer to Thirteen and whispered something in his ear.


    "The chubby boy beside him is Isaac Elrod," Leah whispered. "My brother says that he''s nothing special. If not for the name of his family, no one would pay attention to him. He is also at the bottom of the hierarchy among the members of the young generation."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow as he looked at the chubby boy with brown hair and green eyes. While he wasn''t handsome, he was charming, and the way he smiled was filled with innocence, which made the corner of Thirteen''s lips curl up into a smile.


    ''Either he is as useless as people say he is, or he is a pig that can eat a tiger,'' Thirteen thought. ''If he is hiding his true abilities then this guy is probably more dangerous than the other kids from the Monarch ns.''


    While he was deep in thought, Leah then pointed at another person, making Thirteen narrow his eyes.


    "His name is rk Ashford," Leah whispered. "Just like Noah, he is one of the most talented among those who will start their First Wandering. However, my brother said that his personality isn''t that good."


    ''Ashford.'' Thirteen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the handsome young man with red hair and green eyes.


    He had a grudge against the Head of the Ashford n because he was the same person who had killed his former Host.


    Thirteen didn''t have any quarrel with the entirety of the Ashford n because he knew that the children couldn''t choose who their fathers or mothers would be.


    They just so happen to share the same name, so Thirteen didn''t think much of them.


    He might be a vengeful person, but he wasn''t someone who would target the innocent.


    As a System, and as a human, he had his bottom line.


    He didn''t care if their surnames were Ashford, Griffin, Elrod, Stard, or Remington. His vengeance only extended to some people, and not their entire bloodline.


    Of course, if they antagonized him, that was a different matter. Anyone who dared to hurt him, or his family, would suffer the consequences of their actions.


    Suddenly, a loud voice reverberated in the surroundings of the venue.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please," the host of the event, Theodore Remington, said with a smile on his face. "Now that the majority of you have eaten and drunk your fill, it is now time for some entertainment.


    "However, since this event was made for the members of the young generation, they will y the role of entertaining everyone here by showing off their amazing skills in front of everyone."


    Thirteen smirked because he had already expected something like this to happen.


    With so manypetitive members of the young generation, it was only natural for them to showcase their skills in order to impress the Five Monarch ns, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Not all the children here were affiliated, and some of them were looking for Sponsors and possible new Masters, who would help them survive, and grow in Solterra.


    ''Standing on the shoulders of giants is the fastest way to grow in this world,'' Thirteen mused before ncing at his brother, who had a look of curiosity on his face.


    Although Mikhail wasn''t a battle junkie, he was still very interested in fighting. In fact, ever since he received his Martial Technique, he made sure to train hard everyday.


    The seven-year-old exchanged a nce with his brother, and thetter nodded his head in understanding.


    ''It''s showtime,'' Thirteen smiled.


    He had personally trained Mikhail, so he understood how strong he was.


    However, Thirteen wanted to know just how Mikhail would measure up against the talented members of the Monarch ns, as well as the geniuses of the Ten Prestigious Families.

 Chapter 56 The Gathering Of The Remington Clan [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 56 The Gathering Of The Remington n [Part 3] </h4>


    "We held this event, to help the next generation prepare themselves for what they are going to face in the world of Solterra," Theodore said. "I''m sure that your families have already prepared you to the best of their abilities. So, we will put those preparations to the test."


    With a single p of Theodore''s hand the floor of the dancing area of the Event Hall parted to the sides, revealing an underground arena.


    There were ten arenas in total, which meant that ten matches could be held at the same time.


    The children of the different families had various reactions to this sudden change of events.


    Some of them smiled with confidence, others felt bored, while some were very eager to show their might to their peers, hoping that it would impress them.


    Others felt fear, anxiety, and doubt about what was going to happen next.


    They didn''t know what the Remingon n had prepared, but knowing that they were one of the Five Monarch ns, whatever they had in store for the teenagers wasn''t that simple.


    "I''m sure that the majority of you think that we will be holding a sparring match," Theodore stated. "While that is also good, I believed that fighting amongst yourselves might cause grudges, and hostilities before you are even sent to Solterra.


    "In order to prevent that from happening, what you will be fighting aren''t Humans, but the Monsters of Solterra themselves. Worry not, we have only prepared Rank 1 Monsters, which are the Monsters that you will be facing in your First Wandering.


    "Consider this as an initiation of sorts to the world that you are about to enter. As for your safety? Worry not. We have prepared Champions who will stop the battle if they deem that you are about to be seriously injured or, worse, die from the challenge.


    "If you don''t trust them enough to protect your lives, you can ask your Guardians to serve as your protectors instead. Remember this everyone, your safety is important to us. However, when you enter the world of Solterra, we will no longer be there to keep you safe.


    "This challenge has a Points system, and those who have the highest points will get a prize. But, remember this, only the top 100 will be eligible for the rewards of this challenge. But, the top five will gain even greater prizes! As to how the point system will beputed, allow me to exin the rules.


    "We have captured many Monsters, and you will be allowed to fight three of them. Each Monster has a corresponding point value, depending on their difficulty. You can fight them in a one-on-one battle, one versus two battle, or you can fight all three at once.


    "If you choose to fight all three monsters at once, and win, their points will be multiplied by ten. While you can fight all three at once in order to get a high enough score to secure that you will be in the top ten, this is something that I don''t highly rmend.


    "All of you are still ordinary Humans, and your strength is still only so much. You only have one life, and you should cherish it while itsts. So, without further dy, I hereby announce the start of the challenge!"


    Loud cheers reverberated in the surrounding as the challengers all lined up to participate in the challenge.


    However, just as the contestants were about to start the first round of battles, someone spoke up, which caught Theodore''s attention.


    "Excuse me, I have a question regarding the event!"


    Everyone''s gazesnded on the seven-year-old boy, who had a te filled with muffins.


    Leah, who was standing beside him, felt intimidated by the countless stares that suddenly turned in their direction.


    Because of this, she subconsciously hid behind Thirteen, in order to shield herself from the unwanted attention


    What she didn''t know was that this action of hers made the Remington n wonder why one of their children was hiding behind the ck-haired boy with green eyes.


    "Ask away, little boy," Theodore said with a smile on his face.


    However, he made a mental note to find the identity of this child, who didn''t flinch away from asking a question of a Champion like him.


    Not everyone could address him in such a manner, especially in the gathering that he himself had started.


    "I have a question about the Monsters," Thirteen said. "Since they are Monsters, there is a chance that they might fight against each other when they are released at the same time.


    "My question is this. What would happen if two of the Monsters killed each other and the contestant didn''t do anything? Would that still be considered to be their win?"


    "Oh, my, I didn''t know we had a smart child here." Theodore was no longer offended by the sudden interruption of the seven-


    year-old and even looked at him with amusement. "In the case that the Monsters kill each other, or are no longer able to battle, it will be considered the challenger''s win."


    "Thank you for the rification," Thirteen replied.


    Theodore smiled faintly and raised his hand to resume the start of the event.


    Mikhail then nced at his brother because he knew that Zion wouldn''t do anything without a proper reason.


    Suddenly, it hit him, making his eyes widen in shock.


    ''I understand brother,'' Mikhail thought as he gave his brother a look of understanding. ''Thank you for your help.''


    Seeing that Mikhail seemed to have understood his intention, Thirteen just smiled and returned to their table to eat the muffins that he had piled up on his te.


    Leah followed him back and sat on her chair while sighing in relief.


    Elijahn and Vivian looked at their adorable daughter with smiles on their faces. Although they knew that she was spooked and embarrassed by what had happened earlier, they decided to not say anything.


    Vivian even asked her daughter affectionately if she wanted toe with her to get some desserts.


    Naturally, Leah nodded her head and followed her mother with a smile.


    Gerald then nced at his son, and gave the boy a thumbs up in his heart.


    Just like Mikhail, he realized why Thirteen had asked a question. Now, he was looking forward to Mikhail''s turn to challenge the Monsters of his choice, which he believed would be an interesting fight to watch.

 Chapter 57 Join Me And Live, Oppose Me And Die A Dog’s Death

    <h4>Chapter 57 Join Me And Live, Oppose Me And Die A Dog¡¯s Death </h4>


    Harry stood in one of the arenas with a confident look on his face.


    He had chosen to fight against the One-Horned Forest Wolf, which was one of the strongest Rank 1 Monsters in the list.


    The highest number of points that a single monster could have was 110 Points, and the Forest Wolf gave 90 Points.


    Harry was sure that once he defeated this monster, he would enter the top 100, and even have a shot for the top five, where greater prizes would be awarded to the winner.


    The other candidates had a simr strategy to their peers.


    They fought the Monsters that they believed were something that they could handle. Since they felt that they would be unable to beat the Five Monarch ns, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families, they chose monsters, which would allow them to enter the top 100 easily.


    Of course, there were children who decided to not participate in the battle because they were not confident about being able to beat the Monsters that the Remington Family had prepared for this challenge.


    Out of the hundreds of children that were present in the venue, only a little over two hundred participated in the battle.


    These children belonged to the Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, The Military Families, as well as powerful Families, who were only a Tier or two lower than the Ten Prestigious Families.


    These were the families that were eyeing their position, and wanted to stand on equal ground with the most influential families in the world.


    Of course, unless they produced a Throne, they would not be able to aplish their dreams of being part of the Prestigious Families.


    When the One-Horned Forest Wolf was released in the arena, Harry immediately took action.


    His father, Elijah, had chosen to be his Guardian, ready to interfere if he deemed that his son was in danger.


    Harry had been trained since he was young, and he had also fought against Rank 1 Monsters before.


    This was an essential part of the Remington n''s training, and only those who managed to show excellent results would be considered children worth investing in.


    This was his third time fighting against a One-Horned Forest Wolf, so he already knew how to deal with it.


    The Wolf lunged at him, using its superior speed to kill the prey before him. However, Harry had already expected this, so he deftly dodged to his right side.


    When the wolf went past him, the teenage boy shed his sword, targeting the foot of the Forest Wolf, slicing it in half.


    The Bronze Grade Sword in his hand was crafted by the best cksmiths of the Remington Family.


    It could be wielded by ordinary children who hadn''t had their First Wandering. Because of this, Harry was easily able to cripple his enemy, preventing it from running all over the ce.


    The Forest Wolf was a very agile creature, but the moment one of its legs was crippled, its only advantage disappearedpletely.


    Harry then made short work of it and, before long, the One-Horned Forest Wolf finally breathed itsst and died to a clean stab in its head.


    Elijah gave his son a nod of approval because he didn''t disappoint their family.


    In another arena, Matthew Stard had also finished his battle.


    The teenage boy fought against a Rank 1 Dire Bear which was equivalent to 96 Points.


    He ended the battle in one swift spear thrust, targeting his opponent''s chest area where the heart was located.


    He then nced at the person whom he considered to be his rival, rk Ashford.


    The battle was just about to start, and everyone''s gaze was focused on the genius of the Ashford Family, whom everyone had high hopes for.


    He was fighting against a Ferocious Saber-toothed Tiger, which was a Pseudo Rank 2 Monster. It was worth 110 Points, and was considered to be the strongest Monster in the Rank 1 Category.


    The two-meter tall Saber-toothed Tiger roared as it looked down on the fool, who chose it as its enemy.


    rk made ae and get me gesture with his hand to the Monster, infuriating it instantly.


    With a roar filled with anger, the Ferocious Saber-toothed Tiger charged towards the teenager with bloodshot eyes.


    It opened its jaws showing its razor-sharp teeth, ready to shred the arrogant child to pieces.


    rk only sneered as he also ran towards the monster with his sword raised above his head.


    When they were only a few meters away from each other, rk did the unexpected and slid under the monster''s body, just as thetter was about to bite his head off.


    His sword, which was raised above his head, effortlessly sliced the underside of the Saber-toothed Tiger, making it roar in pain.


    Blood flowed out of its body, dying the arena in red.


    rk then casually brushed the dirt off his robes before flicking his sword to the side to remove the bloodstains that had clung to its de.


    Just like the weapons possessed by the children of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families, the quality of his sword was at the peak of the Bronze Grade, making it the strongest weapon in its Rank.


    Despite its injuries, the Ferocious Saber-toothed Tiger, didn''t back down and stubbornly attacked the boy, who no longer attacked, but simply evaded his opponent''s attacks with ease.


    The Saber-toothedTiger was now like a bull that could only charge in one direction, leaving a trail of blood behind.


    Matthew clicked his tongue when he saw this because he understood the message that rk was trying to tell everyone in the event.


    Anyone who dared to get in his way would suffer in the same way that the Saber-toothed Tiger was, as it slowly, but surely, bleed to death.


    It was a long and agonizing death.


    It was a pitiful death, which was the message that rk wanted to send his peers.


    Join me and live, oppose me and die a dog''s death.


    A few minutester, the Ferocious Saber-toothedTiger gave an unwilling death cry before its body finally copsed into a pool of its own blood, and died filled with anger, bitterness and frustration.


    More battles followed, but they weren''t as impactful as the battles of the Families that stood at the top of the world.


    Even the chubby boy, Isaac Elrod, who was considered to be in the bottom tier among the Five Monarch ns, was able to defeat his opponent, earning him 80 Points on the Leaderboard.


    "Is there anyone else who would like to test their skills?" Theodore asked after only a handful of people remained fighting in the arena. "This is thest call before the scores will be tallied and the top 10, and top 100, will be announced."


    At that moment, Mikhail stepped forward and raised his hand.


    "I would like to try this challenge," Mikhail stated.


    Theodore nodded and made a gesture for the boy to approach a middle-aged man, who was responsible for bringing the Monsters to the arena.


    Mikhail checked the list that the man had given to him and made his choice.


    The man was surprised because Michael decided to not only fight one Monster, but decided to fight three Monsters at once.


    "Boy, are you sure about this?" the Middle-Aged man asked. "Trying to show off may result in your death. Do you really wish to go ahead with this arrangement?"


    "Yes, Sir," Mikhail replied, making the middle-aged man shake his head.


    "Very well," The Middle-Aged Man said. "You''re lucky there are referees to save you in this match, boy. Because I am certain that you''re just making a fool of yourself. Go to Arena 7. The one in the middle, and I will send the monsters there for you to fight."


    Mikhail thanked the man and headed to the arena.


    Thirteen gave his Brother a knowing nce before nudging his father to go to the arena to be Mikhail''s Protector.


    Gerald nodded and followed behind Mikhail with a smug expression on his handsome face.

 Chapter 58 Mikhail’s Choice

    <h4>Chapter 58 ?Mikhail¡¯s Choice? </h4>


    Since the fights of the geniuses of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were over, no one paid attention to the battles that were happening in the arena.


    They didn''t even nce at Mikhail when he walked up into Arena 7 in order to fight his battle.


    Although the other Families didn''t pay any attention to this battle, Theodore and his staff did.


    As the organizers of this event, they wanted to see who among the members of the young generation were worthy of note.


    Arthur and Michael, who were seated in the VIP Area, alongside the other members of the Five Monarch ns and Ten Prestigious Families, had been chatting about thetest situation of the Human Kingdoms in Solterra.


    They were also discussing the eventual descent of countless Jinns and Majins into the Cygni Continent.


    Although everyone was very casual about it, they all knew that they couldn''t allow the Jinns to conquer another Continent, which would further decrease the territories that were owned by humanity.


    Their general consensus was that as long as there weren''t any Tier-9 Dimensional Gates appearing, they would do everything in their power to prevent the copse of another Human Continent.


    The Griffin n, which was one of the Monarch ns, and ruled the Cygni Continent alongside three other Prestigious Families, had dered that they would not abandon their Domain, and fight with everything they had.


    They were even encouraging the Wanderers of their continent to fight for their homnd. In order to strengthen themselves for the uing invasion, they decided to be the subordinates of the Griffin n, and increase their Ranks as soon as possible.


    Suddenly, one of Arthur''s old friends noticed Gerald walking towards the arena and smirked.


    "Arthur, isn''t that the son that you kicked out of the house?" Lawrence Smith asked.


    The Smith Family was one of the three other Prestigious Families that ruled Aldebaran alongside the Remington n.


    They were all "allies" on the surface, so they acted like all of them were friends during these gatherings.


    Arthur smiled. "It is indeed my unfilial son. I wonder how he was able to get an invitation to this party."


    Lawrence chuckled. "I''ve heard that he stopped going to Solterra after getting targeted by Death Wish. I think he made the right decision. In the face of certain death, it is best to just live in peace, and no longer go to dangerous ces."


    "Are you talking from experience?" Arthur arched an eyebrow. "I''ve been asking you toe with me to challenge a Tier-8 Dimensional Gate, but you''re too scared to even try."


    "Are you that desperate to be a Monarch?" Lawrence sneered. "Unlike you, I don''t n on dying. Good luck finding partners to go with you on your suicide mission."


    In order for Thrones to be Monarchs, they needed to challenge a Tier-9 Gate once, or a Tier-8 Dimensional Gate twice.


    Arthur had already challenged one such Gate, but at the cost of him losing over a thousand subordinates, and three close friends of his. Their Ranks were of the Grandmaster and Champion Ranks, but in the end, less than fifty people survived.


    It was a crippling blow to the forces of the Leventis Family, which made him reconsider his options. If not for the fact that he was already a Throne at that time, the other Families who wanted to take their ce, might have done so.


    Lady Callista and Hans were two of the people that survived this fight and, after that battle ended, they vowed to never attempt it a second time.


    This happened over fifty years ago, and since then, Arthur hadn''t challenged another Tier-8 Gate.


    If the Ten Prestigious Families worked together, they could probably produce a Monarch. But, none of them were willing to risk their lives in the attempt.


    The moment they died, their Families would suffer, so they were content with being Thrones, and no longer tried to aim to be a Monarch.


    "So, that boy he is escorting to the arena is one of your grandsons huh? His looks aren''t too shabby," Lawrencemented. "If he is any good, I might consider letting him marry into my family."


    Arthur didn''t make anyments and simply nced at the arena while twirling the winess in his hand.


    He and Michael had been paying close attention to Gerald''s Family.


    When Thirteen spoke up earlier, Arthur almost threw an apple at his bastard grandson''s head while shouting, "Will it kill you to behave and keep a low profile this once?"


    Fortunately, Arthur was able to hold back since Thirteen''s question wasn''t that important.


    Even so, he knew that Theodore and the Remington Family were also paying close attention to Gerald''s Family due to the Heavenly Phenomenon that happened a few months ago.


    Just before Mikhail stepped into the Arena, Gerald handed him an Axe that he had personally crafted for his son.


    This was a Peak-Grade Bronze Weapon that Mikhail used whenever he was training his Martial Technique inside their training room.


    Although he would be unable to use this weapon until his Second Wandering, he still used it a lot and had gained a better understanding of his abilities.


    Michael was also paying extra close attention to his nephew, whom he would see fight for the first time.


    Suddenly, three cages were brought to the arena, which made the children, who had finished their fights, look over in confusion.


    There was only one person in an arena, so they were wondering where the other two monsters would be taken.


    However, when they saw that all three cages were brought to Arena 7, their eyes widened in shock when they thought about a possibility.


    Even Theodore, who had left his staff to handle Michael''s challenge, was very surprised.


    ''This kid¡­'' Theodore held back a chuckle after seeing the identity of the three monsters he had chosen. ''Did his father help him out?''


    Theodore nced at Gerald, who had his arms crossed over his chest while he looked at his son, who was standing in the arena with a weapon in hand.


    Although he already knew the oue of the battle, Theodore still decided to watch how things would unfold.


    The purpose of this event was to observe who among the next batch of Wanderers would be the most promising, and it seems that he found a rough gem, who would soon make a name for himself in his First Wandering.

 Chapter 59 Irreconcilable Hatred For Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 59 Irreconcble Hatred For Each Other </h4>


    If earlier no one was paying attention to thest challenger that was standing in the arena, now, everyone did.


    Mikhail stood tall with a weapon in hand, and looked at the three covered cages that were about to be opened.


    The moment these cages were opened three creatures emerged from it, and they made the people who were watching the battle gasp in surprise.


    The first one was the Bronze Prime Ape.


    Its fur was the same color as bronze, so people had called it so. It also had a very short temper, and would not hesitate to attack anyone that it saw.


    However, on the Point Ranking System, the Bronze Prime Ape was only around 60 Points.


    The second monster that appeared was the Golden-Butt Baboon.


    Just like its name implied, the color of its butt was gold instead of the usual red color. It was a very territorial beast, and very fierce as well. Simr to the Bronze Prime Ape, it would also not hesitate to attack anyone who dared toe near its territory.


    The Point Ranking System made by the Remington n only gave the Golden-Butt Baboon 55 Points, which was five points lower than the Bronze Prime Ape.


    The moment the Bronze Prime Ape and the Golden-Butt Baboon saw each other, both of them roared at each other, preparing to fight.


    Not many people knew, but these two monsters had an irreconcble hatred for each other.


    Their territories always ovepped with each other so Beast Wars between them were verymon.


    Perhaps due to the constant war between the two species, even their hatred for each other was transferred through their genes, making all their offspring hate each other with a vengeance.


    But, just as the two Monsters were about to sh, the Third Monster was released, and it was none other than the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee that stood over three meters-tall.


    The Bronze Prime Ape, and the Golden-Butt Baboon were both nearly two meters tall. But the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee towered over them.


    Unlike the two smaller Monsters, the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee was given 85 Points by the Ranking System, making it a very formidable Monster.


    But, as soon as it made its appearance, the two other Monsters seemed to have forgotten their hatred for each other and attacked the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee together, as if the two of them couldn''t co-exist with it!


    The teenagers and the guests, who were not very knowledgeable with the Ecology of Monsters, gasped in shock after seeing such a sudden turn of events.


    The Veterans, like Gerald and Theodore, looked at this scene as if they had seen it countless times in the past.


    The Red-Eyed Chimpanzee was a very brutal Monster that not only ate other creatures, it also ate its own species.


    Yes. It was a Cannibalistic Monster. For most other Beasts though, eating their own kind and young was taboo.


    Although the Prime Ape and the Golden-Butt Baboon treated each other like Mortal Enemies, both treated the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee as a threat that must be eliminated first!


    Loud cries and shrieks reverberated in the surroundings as blood, flesh, and fur was torn off of the bodies of the Monsters as they engaged in primalbat.


    They all ignored the child that was standing a good distance away from them, while holding a weapon in his hand.


    For them, he wasn''t a threat, and they could deal with him anytime they wanted.


    It was more important to eliminate the biggest threats first before they handled the small fry!


    Mikhail watched the battle unfold with a calm expression on his face.


    He was holding his weapon firmly in his hand, never lowering his guard, and ready to act at a moment''s notice.


    Despite the two versus one scenario, the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee was able to hold its ground, andnd blows, scratches, and bites on the two smaller Monsters, who were fighting against it in a state of frenzy.


    "Who is that person?" rk Ashford asked one of his subordinates.


    He already knew what the oue of the match would be, and he felt that the boy had stolen the glory that was supposed to be his.


    "ording to the information I gathered earlier, his name is Mikhail Leventis, Young Master," the teenage boy, who seemed to be around sixteen years old, replied in a respectful tone.


    "Leventis?" rk frowned. "Why haven''t I seen him at any of the Family Gatherings? Is he a genius of the Leventis Family that they are training in secret?"


    "No, Young Master," the subordinate replied. "He is the son of Gerald Leventis. The one that was kicked out of the Leventis Family several years ago."


    "Ah¡­ that person," rk nced at Gerald who was standing beside the ring with a smug expression on his face.


    No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he just couldn''t stop himself from smiling after seeing his son''s performance.


    "Should we bring him into our Faction, Young Master?" the subordinate asked.


    rk pondered for a bit before shaking his head.


    "I now understand why he is at this party," rk stated. "My mother said that Gerald Leventis was close friends with Elijah Remington and Vivian Remington. Since they are also at this party, it means that they were the ones who invited him.


    "It''s a waste of time to bring him into our faction because I''m sure that the Remington n will make a move to have him be one of Harry''s Retainers."


    rk nced at the boy, who originally thought that Mikhail was a pain to deal with.


    Earlier, Harry had stopped his attempt to befriend and get close to Mikhail because thetter was only giving him one-word answers.


    He thought that the handsome blonde teenager was a boring character, but now, his opinion of him changed drastically.


    Only someone that was knowledgeable about the Monsters in Solterra could think up this kind of Monster Combination and, although he didn''t want to admit it, Mikhail had stolen everyone''s glory by using his knowledge to the fullest.


    The first one to die was the Golden-Butt Baboon. The Red-


    Eyed Chimpanzee was able to bite, and rip out a good chunk of its throat, making the Monster bleed to death.


    However before it died, the Golden-Butt Baboon managed to blind one of the Chimpanzee''s eyes, as well as seriously injure it.


    The Bronze Prime Ape, on the other hand, managed to rip off the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee''s right arm, making it roar in pain and anger.


    Just as everyone thought that the Bronze Prime Ape would be able to go for the kill, the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee made a desperate lunge, and pinned the Bronze Prime Ape to the ground.


    It then bit the Monster''s throat, unwilling to let go, despite the BronzePrime Ape''s attempt to shrug it off.


    The Bronze Prime Ape pummeled the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee''s head repeatedly, even scratching its eyes, making a bloody mess.


    With both of its eyes blinded, the fervor of the Chimpanzee grew and bit harder into its enemy''s throat until a cracking sound was heard.


    The Bronze Prime Ape''s flurry of blows ended instantly as its spine was broken by the Chimpanzee''s bite.


    However after losing its sight, it wasn''t able to see that the young man, who was standing still earlier, was already upon it with his axe raised high above his head.


    With a wordless strike, Mikhailnded the killing blow on the back of the Red-Eyed Chimpanzee''s neck, aiming to chop it offpletely.


    Even though its skin, flesh, and bones were tougher than he initially expected, his Axe Strikended true, cutting off the Monster''s headpletely.


    A deafening silence spread in the surroundings as Mikhail stood beside the corpses of the three Monsters, with a calm expression on his face.


    After making sure that all three monsters were dead, he walked out of the arena with a faint smile on his face.


    Suddenly a pping sound was heard, making everyone look in the direction where it wasing from.


    There, they saw a seven-year old boy with ck hair and blue eyes pping his hands together to apud his brother for a job well done.


    Soon, more people started to p and before long, a resounding apuse spread in the event hall.


    Arthur and Michael, who were watching from the VIP Room, looked at the two brothers with unreadable looks on their faces.


    However, someone else spoke up, which made Arthur frown.


    "Well, Arthur, it seems that your disowned Grandson has more balls than the rest of your family," Lawrence Smithughed. "I guess he has the qualifications to marry into my family. Such a child will certainly be a good addition to the Smith Family."


    Arthur rolled his eyes at the Old Fox, who had no idea what was truly happening.


    ''The real prize isn''t Mikhail, but Zion,'' Arthur thought. ''I''m sure that he is behind his brother''s sess.''


    Of course, Arthur wasn''t nning to tell this to one of his rivals. He now had a good impression of his grandson, who was not truly a part of the Leventis Family.

 Chapter 60 Father Teaches Me A Lot Of Things

    <h4>Chapter 60 Father Teaches Me A Lot Of Things </h4>


    Theodore nced at Mikhail, who had just stepped outside of the arena.


    It was also at this moment when he heard a pping sound, which came from the boy''s younger brother, Zion, who had asked him a question a while ago.


    ''This family sure knows how to make an impression,'' Theodore thought.


    Just like the majority of everyone in the Main Hall, he also knew of Gerald''s circumstances. Kicked out of the Leventis Family, and was currently being hunted down by the Assassin Organization, Death Wish, in Solterra.


    Left with no choice, he had decided to try his hand at cksmithing in order to earn enough to support his family.


    The majority of people thought that he decided to retire as a Wanderer due to the danger that was facing him in Solterra, so no one thought much of him again.


    But, now, his son just caught the attention of almost every family in the Event Hall, including the people from the Five Monarch ns, and 10 Prestigious Families.


    A few minutester, the scoreboard was shown, showing Mikhail''s name at the very top.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Mikhail Leventis - 2,000 Points


    rk Ashford - 110 Points


    Matthew Stard - 96 Points


    Noah Griffin - 95 Points


    Harry Remington - 90 Points


    Isaac Elrod - 90 Points


    Tobias Smith - 85 Points


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Arthur''s and Michael''s face remained calm as they looked at the scoreboard.


    Unlike the people here, they were more aware of Mikhail''s, Shasha''s, and Zion''s abilities.


    However, since Arthur couldn''t openly ept them back to the Leventis Family''s Fold, he just kept watch on their progress, and asked Michael to make the necessary arrangements if the opportunity arose.


    "It''s such a shame that such a talented child is kicked out of the family," Lawrencemented. "Such a waste. Don''t you think so, Michael?"


    "Mayhaps," Michael replied after he was addressed by the older man.


    Lawrence wanted to tease Arthur, but he knew that the old fart would say something along the lines of "The disowned grandson of my family is still more talented than your grandson. Are you cking off in his training?"


    Since Lawrence didn''t want to be put on the spot, he decided to not talk to Arthur, and simply asked Michael his question.


    rk Ashford, who thought of himself as the leader of the next generation of Wanderers, wasn''t too happy seeing his name in Second ce.


    He was certain that he would be at the top of the rankings with his performance by taking out the monster with the highest points. Unfortunately, someone else took the glory, making him feel very irritated.


    When Mikhail sat back at the table, Elijah and Vivian looked at him proudly.


    It was as if he was their son, and they were the proud parents who wanted to shout to the world "This boy is our son! Isn''t he so awesome?!"


    Of course, they didn''t do anything like that. But, since they were practically the Godfather and Godmother of Gerald''s children, their glory is their glory as well.


    "How did you know about those things?" Vivian asked Mikhail with a smile. "Did your father tell you about the habitat of those Monsters?"


    "Yes, Aunt," Mikhail replied. "Father teaches me a lot of things."


    Gerald waved his hand, in an attempt to downy the matter because he and Mikhail both knew the truth.


    This was all part of Zion''s n, and he wanted his father to take credit for Mikhail''s knowledge about Solterra.


    In order to help prepare Mikhail for his First Wandering, Thirteen condensed all the information he had about Solterra and passed it over to Mikhail and Shasha.


    The habitats of the Monsters, their strengths and weaknesses, maps of the world, and any other relevant information rted to its Flora and Fauna were imnted inside their heads.


    They were now like walking Encyclopedias of Solterra, boasting all the information that Thirteen had gathered about the world, some three hundred years ago.


    Of course, he also knew that his information was outdated, but since he wanted Mikhail and Shasha to be as prepared as they could be for their Wanderings, he made sure to give them everything he knew about the world.


    Fortunately, even after three hundred years had passed, the rtionship between the three monsters that Mikhail had fought remained the same.


    After an hour, Theodore awarded the top 100 with the prizes that he had promised.


    As for the top 10, he had prepared something more special for them.


    "The top 10, pleasee with me," Theodore said and motioned for the most outstanding children of the current generation to follow behind him.


    People watched as eleven children walked behind Theodore with smiles on their faces.


    However, after counting, they realized that there was one additional child who wasn''t supposed to be in that lineup.


    Michael fixed the sses on his face as he watched his father almost snap the winess in his hands in half.


    Fortunately, Arthur''s control over his emotions had grown stronger over the years of interacting with his bastard grandchild, Zion.


    ''Just what is that fool doing?!'' Arthur was really tempted to jump down from the VIP room and spank Thirteen''s bum silly. ''Why can''t you behave like most children your age?!''


    Theodore also noticed the seven-year-old tailing his older brother, but he pretended not to see him.


    Having one more child inside the Remington Treasury wouldn''t make a difference anyway.


    The reason why Thirteen tagged along was because he didn''t know what kind of rewards Theodore was nning to give the children who scored the highest in the event that he held.


    His brother Mikhail wasn''t as knowledgeable as him, so he tagged along to make sure that his brother wouldn''t get tricked into choosing something that he didn''t need.


    Also, his skin was thick enough to ask that his brother get additional rewards because he was number 1 in the Rankings.


    After entering the Remington Treasury, Thirteen realized that the Monarch ns were really different from the Prestigious Families.


    Their treasury was bigger, and had more itemspared to the Leventis Family.


    This made Thirteen want to tell his Grandpa to do better in expanding their Family''s treasury because he didn''t want to be associated with Peasants!


    "Now, all of you will be allowed to take one item from the Outer Treasury of our n," Theodore stated. "The ranks of the items here are up to the Initiate Rank. The top 10 can get one item. The top 5 can get two, and the top 1 can get three."


    -----------------------


    (A/N: These are the Item Rankings and the Human Rankings. No one can use an item rank that is above their current Rank. It''s simr to games, you can touch it, but you can''t equip them in battle.)


    Rookie - Bronze Grade


    Adept - Silver Mid


    Apostle ¨C Silver Mid - Silver Peak


    Elite - Gold - Gold Mid


    Initiate - Gold Mid - tinum


    Master - tinum


    Grandmaster- Mithril


    Champion - Adamantine


    Throne - Mythical


    Monarch - Mythical


    ----------------------


    Theodore nced at the faces of the children, and smiled at them all.


    "Make sure to not take more than what we are offering you. If you take more than what was allocated to the rank you got from the challenge, not only will the Remington n look down on you, but you will no longer be invited in future events sponsored by our family."


    Just as Theodore was about to say more, he noticed the seven-year-old, who wasn''t even supposed to be inside the treasury, wandering off into the distance and checking the disys one by one.


    The other children followed his gaze and sneered at Thirteen, who looked very much like a country bumpkin, who hadn''t seen any treasures in his life.

 Chapter 61 He’s A Good Kid, Just A Shameless One

    <h4>Chapter 61 He¡¯s A Good Kid, Just A Shameless One </h4>


    "Alright, now, off you go," Theodore stated. "All of you only have one hour to choose the items that you want. Once you make your decision, just tell me what you want, and my two assistants will amodate you."


    There were two other adults in the Treasury, who were both of the Grandmaster Rank.


    He didn''t want to intimidate the kids too much, so he only asked two Grandmasters to apany him in the treasury to watch over them.


    Mikhail followed behind his little brother as they browsed the items that were on disy.


    The two didn''t even bother to look at the weapons section, and only focused on the things that their father couldn''t produce and that was Avatars.


    The Wanderers who fought against the monsters in Solterra had a small chance to get their Avatars.


    These would be directly sent into their own spatial inventory, which would be readily avable to them during their First Wandering.


    All Items, including Weapons, Artifacts, and Avatars, that they gained in Solterra would be sent to this spatial inventory.


    The only things that couldn''t be ced inside it were Monster Cores, which had to be stored in other storage devices like storage rings, storage bags, and simr artifacts.


    Since Thirteen was confident that he and his father could craft any kind of equipment they desired, they just focused on getting what they couldn''t craft and that was Avatars.


    "You can pick one that you like, Brother," Thirteen said. "I''ll pick the remaining two."


    "Okay," Mikhail nodded and wandered off to the Rank 4 Shelf, where the strongest Avatars in the Outer Treasury of the Remington Family were located.


    Thirteen only smiled at his Brother''s choice because it was very typical of children his age.


    Since he wanted the strongest, it was only normal to choose Rank 4 Avatars, which he would be able to use in his Third Wandering.


    For the time being, these Avatars would be transferred over to their father or mother because they were the only ones in the family who could summon them.


    ''I better ask Grandma to help me get some Avatars from the Leventis Family, too,'' Thirteen thought. ''Preferably those that specialize in the Fire Element so it can help Pops with his crafting needs.''


    cksmiths usually look for Fire Elemental Jinns or Majins to help them melt High-Ranking Metals, as well as Monster Parts.


    The only reason why his Father was able to make Mythical-Ranked Equipment was due to the fact that Thirteen had modified his forge using Rune Magic, to make the mes hotter, and more powerful.


    His father''s current forge didn''t have this kind of boost because he wanted Gerald to build a solid foundation.


    They were desperate for money years ago, so Thirteen had no choice but to supplement what they werecking with Rune Magic.


    After two years of being a cksmith, Thirteen deemed that his father was now ready to use Fire Elementals to help him in his craft.


    Also, he thought that it was also about time that he taught his mother the Divine-Ranked Martial Technique, Ten Thousand Concoctions, making her an Alchemist.


    ''Mother also needs a Fire Elemental, but since she is a beginner, I need to look for something that she could work with until she bes proficient. A Fire Fox would be the optimum choice because it is a very reliable helper, as well as a gentle partner.''


    Fire Foxes were only Rank 3 Monsters, so they weren''t hard to find. However, getting their avatars wasn''t a simple task.


    They lived in groups of five or more, so if someone was nning to hunt them, they must be prepared to deal with many Rank 3 Monsters at once.


    Of course, High-Ranking Humans could easily do this. But, that didn''t guarantee that they would get their Avatars.


    In fact, the higher the Rank, the less chances that they would get anything from lower-ranked Monsters.


    Those who had the Rank of Master and above had a very small, to almost non-existent, chance of getting anything from these Monsters, so they no longer actively hunted them.


    The One made sure that stronger people wouldn''t be able to farm low-ranking Avatars, that they could pass on to the younger generation.


    Fortunately, the Remington Family had a Fire Fox in their collection, so Thirteen asked one of the Grandmasters to add it to the rewards that were to be given to his brother.


    Since Mikhail was in agreement, the staff collected the Avatar, which was in the form of a miniature crystallized Fire Fox.


    This was how people traded their avatars in the world.


    They would transform their Avatars into their miniature crystal forms, and hand them over for trade, or auction.


    Theodore was paying extra attention to Mikhail and Thirteen, who went straight to the Avatar Section, ignoring everything else.


    He wanted to know what the two children were nning to get and, so far, their choices intrigued him.


    Mikhail had chosen a Rank 4 Great Eagle, which weremonly used as Flying Mounts.


    Thirteen on the other hand chose a Rank 3 Fire Fox and a Rank 3 Ice Fox.


    One was known to breathe out fire, while thetter was known to breathe out an icy breath.


    After the staff gave Mikhail these three Avatars, Thirteen walked up toward Theodore and looked at him with puppy eyes.


    "Mister, can I also get an Avatar of my own?" Thirteen asked shamelessly, making the corner of Theodore''s lips twitch.


    The Top 6 up to the Top 10, looked at the country bumpkin in disdain because they felt that the brat was going too far.


    They had to fight strong monsters in order to be invited to the Remington n''s Outer Treasury.


    Meanwhile, the seven-year-old just tagged along with his brother, and was asking for a treasure as well?


    Simply shameless!


    "I''m sorry, but only those that have managed to do the challenges can get a treasure from our treasury," Theodore replied.


    "But, Mister, I''m not really asking for a treasure," Thirteen blinked his eyes innocently.


    "What do you mean?" Theodore frowned. "Didn''t you just ask for an Avatar of your own?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I did. But, I only n on getting one of those normal Rank 1 Avatars. I want the Fluffy White Cat Avatar as a gift for my little sister. I''m sure that she will love it."


    Theodore''s frown eased up after hearing Thirteen''s request.


    The Fluffy White Cat Avatar wasn''t really a Rank 1 Monster.


    In fact, it was just one of themon Monsters that wasn''t even strong enough to reach Rank 1.


    Since there were no ssifications lower than Rank 1, they simplybeled it a Rank 1 Monster.


    However, it was verymon to make the Fluffy White Cat a pet, instead of a Fighting Monster.


    Aside from looking cute, it was basically harmless.


    "Fine," Theodore replied. "You can get a Fluffy White Cat. Treat it as a gift from the Remington Family."


    The other children, who heard Thirteen''s choice, no longer felt that thetter was taking advantage of the Remington Family''s kindness.


    Since he only asked for a Common Monster as an Avatar, it wouldn''t really matter because it was simply a house pet for the rich families to y with.


    When the staff handed thirteen the crystallized statue of the Fluffy White Cat, he thanked Theodore for his generosity.


    He knew that asking for more would just make Theodore look down on him, so he took the safest route and got a pet for his sisters, Shasha and Remi, to y with.


    The Fire Fox and the Ice Fox would be given to his mother, allowing her to practice pill crafting.


    As for his Father, he nned to visit the Leventis Family and ask his Grandpa to give them one.


    He was certain that Arthur wouldn''t disagree because he was also looking forward to Gerald crafting more Mythical Rank Equipment that would be added to their Leventis Family''s collection.


    Currently, the Five Monarchs and the Nine Thrones of Pangea still didn''t know that Arthur and Lady Callista were both in possession of two pieces of Mythical Equipment each.


    If they knew, it would cause amotion that would make the Leventis Family the hotest topic in private discussions within the powerful families of the world.


    Having gotten what they needed from the treasury, Theodore led the children back to the party where their Guardians were waiting for them.


    Half a dayter, the party came to an end.


    After promising Elijah and Vivian to have another meet up, this time with Alessia, they were escorted back home in the same helicopter that brought them to the Remington n''s Residence.


    However, before they left, Thirteen asked his Uncle if he could keep the Helicopter as a gift, which thetter readily refused.


    "That Godson of ours sure is troublesome," Vivian shook her head helplessly as she looked at the helicopter that was growing smaller and smaller in the distance.


    "Indeed." Elijah sighed. "But, he''s a good kid. Just a shameless one."


    Vivian covered her lips with her hand and giggled. "Agreed."


    When the Helicopter could no longer be seen, the couple returned inside the residence, and rested for the night.


    It was way past midnight, and their children were already asleep.


    Even so, meeting Gerald''s children was a pleasant surprise.


    They also made sure to remind their son and daughter to get along with Mikhail and Thirteen once they entered Solterra, where almost everyone, including one''s own family, was an enemy¡­ until proven otherwise.

 Chapter 62 The True Main Family Of The Leventis Clan

    <h4>Chapter 62 The True Main Family Of The Leventis n </h4>


    Remi loved the Fluffy White Cat that Thirteen had gotten her, and she named it Fluffy.


    Of course, the true owner of the Fluffy Cat was none other than Alessia. Only Wanderers could own Avatars. She merely ordered the creature to be Remi''s ymate and ordered it to not harm anyone in their family.


    If not for the fact that it was stronger than it looked, it might have already been squeezed to death by Remi and Shasha, who couldn''t help themselves due to how soft and fluffy its fur was.


    While the two girls were enjoying thepany of their family''s new pet, Alessia had finally begun her journey to be a Divine Alchemist.


    The Fire Fox and Ice Fox were both useful for Alchemists. The former could help her light her cauldron, while thetter could augment it with its Ice mes, depending on the situation.


    Thirteen and Gerald worked together to craft a Pill-making Cauldron for Alessia, allowing her to practice without worrying about her cauldron exploding or breaking apart.


    Of course, a separate crafting house was specially built for her, and it was only a hundred meters away from their home.


    Thirteen knew that idents could happen, so he deemed that, in order to lower the risk of fires, it would be best to not let his mother craft inside the house.


    He had asked her to craft the most basic pill to practice her craft, which was the Stamina Pill.


    Eating this pill helped restore a bit of stamina, which was very helpful in most cases.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, his mother had talent in Alchemy.


    Out of ten attempts, she seeded thrice, which wasn''t a bad starting point for beginners.


    Also, another surprise came to their family a week after the event in the Remington n''s Main Residence.


    Michael came to visit them and talked to Gerald about something.


    An hourter, Mikhail went with his Uncle back to the Leventis Family to undergo realbat training against Monsters from Solterra.


    Thirteen already expected that something like this would happen because, at the end of the day, Mikhail''s performance during thepetition earned the Leventis Family some prestige.


    It didn''t matter that Gerald had been kicked out of the Main Family Line.


    The only thing that mattered was that Mikhail carried the Leventis Family name. Paired with the skills he disyed, that was more than enough for him to be treated as one of the prodigies of the current generation.


    Every day, from morning till noon, Mikhail would go to the Leventis Main Residence to train.


    Every night, he would report to Thirteen and his Father what he did during the day.


    Thirteen wasn''t surprised when he noticed the subtle brainwashing that Arthur and Michael were doing to Mikhail.


    The two were starting to make Mikhail realize the importance of their Family Name, which held the position of one of the Ten Prestigious Families in the world.


    They wanted to make sure that Mikhail would end up thinking that the only ones who would be able to support him in the future were none other than them and not his Father, who had been kicked out of the family.


    They gave Mikhail the best training partners, the best resources, as well as the best supplements¡ªall part of their n to make his brother realize the difference between the Main Family and a Disowned Family.


    Unfortunately for them, their brainwashing was several yearste.


    Thirteen hadpletely and thoroughly brainwashed his brothers and sisters to the point that even if the Monarch ns were to personally take them under their wing, the two wouldn''t bow their heads in submission.


    Sure, they might be impressed and even surprised by what these families had to offer. But that was it.


    In the end, that was all that they could do.


    Thirteen''s brainwashing was so thorough that when Gerald found out about it, he didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry at his son''s antics.


    However, Thirteen assured him that everything he was telling them was the truth.


    He even dered that there woulde a time when their own family would be the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, and Arthur''s Family would be their branch family.


    Gerald only thought that his son was simply saying these things to ensure that Mikhail and Shasha would not be swayed by the other families.


    But this all changed when he managed to produce the Four Mythical Equipment.


    Granted that the one that turned his crafted items into Mythical Equipment was his son, it was also at that moment when he realized the Thirteen hadn''t been bluffing.


    They indeed had the potential to be the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, and might even surpass the Monarch ns in the future.


    So what if the Leventis Family and Monarch ns were richer than them?


    No matter how rich they were, it was impossible for them to buy all four pieces of Mythical Equipment if they were to be auctioned to the public.


    So what if they had a treasury of rare weapons, armor, and other artifacts?


    Now that Gerald had picked up the hammer and taken the profession of a cksmith, it was only a matter of time before he consolidated his experiences and reached enlightenment.


    This would allow him to not only craft Mithril and Adamantine-


    Grade Equipment but also gears above those Grades as well.


    Even without his son''s help, he believed that he would be able to craft his Mythical-Grade Gear as he got more used to his Profession.


    It may not happen tomorrow, in a week, a year, or five years from now, but without a doubt, Gerald was certain that he would reach that point.


    And after he crafted a Mythical Equipment, he would aim for Legendary Gear, and after that Divine.


    Once the time came when he seeded in crafting Mythical Equipment without Zion''s assistance, Gerald could just ce a que in front of their family gate that says "Leventis Family Main Residence", and no one would dare to correct it.


    Dare to annoy the cksmith that was able to craft Mythical Grade Equipment?


    Simply courting death!


    Thirteen also stated that the Leventis Family would offer them support in the future, and when that happened, they should just ept it.


    Since they were their Vassals, it was only normal for them to serve their Masters.


    Soon, Thirteen''s entire family no longer thought of the Leventis Main Family as some kind of big shot.


    In their minds, they were the Main Family, and Arthur''s Family was only there to make them look good.


    Of course, if Thirteen''s Grandpa were to know that his no-good grandson had brainwashed his family into thinking of him as their servant, he would have definitely strangled the boy and whipped him a thousand times until he repented.


    Unfortunately for him, he didn''t know and would continue to remain oblivious to the fact that his Family was already the Branch Family in his no-good grandson''s eyes.


    Gerald was now on the same page as Thirteen.


    Since he had already been disowned, he would make his family the True Main Family of the Leventis n. And once that happened, hisughter would be heard not only in the continent of Aldebaran but the entirety of Pangea as well.

 Chapter 63 I Bet You Didn’t See This Coming, Didn’t You?

    <h4>Chapter 63 ?I Bet You Didn¡¯t See This Coming, Didn¡¯t You? </h4>


    Time passed ever so swiftly, and finally, the day of the Solstice hade.


    At this time, a profound silence spread across the entirety of Pangea as families gathered together to wish their family''s teenage boys and girls who had turned thirteen or about to turn thirteen a safe journey.


    Regardless of whether they liked it or not, the majority of them would be sent to a dangerous world to partake in a challenge that would either result in their survival or death.


    Thirteen didn''t know what kind of qualifications or conditions must be met for a person to be a Wanderer.


    The only thing that would guarantee a teenager to be spirited away was if their parents were both Wanderers.


    As for the rest, they would either be taken to that world randomly on a whim or by Fate.


    The night of the Solstice was always a moonless night.


    It was the longest night of the year, and it held a solemn meaning to the world of Pangea, for this was when their children would be spirited away to embark on their First Wandering.


    The moment the clock hit midnight, the loud tolling of a bell would peal across the Heavens.


    After the tolling of the bell ended, Lace Demon''s voice would reach the ears of the chosen ones, and he would tell them, "Your first journey is about to begin. May you find your ce amongst the stars."


    Ironically, when a Wanderer died, a falling star would be seen in the sky.


    This was why whenever people saw many shooting stars in the sky, they''d be worried. Because it could only mean that a cmity had befallen countless Wanderers, wherever they might be.


    This was never a good sign.


    Unfortunately, before the long night would be over, countless shooting stars would be seen falling from the sky, never to be seen again.


    Thirteen and his family had a sumptuous dinner. They didn''t want to prepare a feast since that would make it seem that it was Mikhail''sst supper.


    The atmosphere was quite lively¡ªhappy even, as if it was any other ordinary day in their lives.


    In the warehouse, Gerald had prepared the best weapons and equipment for his children.


    However, they were unable to equip it at this time because "The One" wouldn''t allow anyone to cheat on their First and Second Wanderings.


    Any type of support would not be tolerated.


    The teenage boys and girls had to survive their First Wandering on their own.


    Thirteen had given Mikhail and Shasha all the information he had on Solterra, raising their chances of survival.


    Although it didn''t show on his face, he was slightly worried as well. Even so, he had to keep the confident look on his face to ensure that Mikhail wouldn''t feel anxious.


    "Mikhail, you''re strong," Thirteen said. "Come back to us safely."


    "Yes, Brother," Mikhail nodded. "I promise."


    "Brother, be careful," Remi said as she hugged Mikhail tightly.


    The youngest of their family was already teary-eyed.


    Young as she was, she was already aware that in a few minutes, her brother would disappear from their home.


    Mikhail hugged his little sister fondly and told her that everything was going to be okay. He even said that he would bring a souvenir back for her when he returned from his journey.


    Alessia wasn''t able to stop herself and also hugged her son tightly. As a mother who loved her son deeply, it was impossible for her not to feel anxious.


    The only reason why she survived her First Wandering was due to a stroke of luck. Gerald happened to save her from being eaten by a Monster, and he only passed by because he got lost in a forest.


    Shasha was also quite anxious, but she didn''t show it on her face. She was their family''s cold beauty, who would eventually be a head-turner several years in the future.


    She had been Mikhail''s sparring partner and understood that her brother wasn''t weak. He had also fought against real monsters in the Leventis Stronghold in preparation for this day.


    Even so, she still hugged Mikhail tightly and told him to be safe and always watch his back.


    Seeing that they seemed to have no intention of letting his eldest go, Gerald smiled faintly and joined the family hug.


    Thirteen was not someone to feel overly emotional, but the familial love in front of him reminded him of the time when his previous hosts were happy and holding onto the people they cherished and loved.


    "Brother."


    Remi''s call broke Thirteen out of his daze. The little girl was reaching out her hand toward him as if asking him to join them.


    ''Humans sure are troublesome creatures,'' Thirteen thought as he walked toward his family and joined the group hug.


    A minuteter, the tolling of the bell resounded in the sky, making Gerald''s and Alessia''s bodies stiffen.


    It had been many years since they had their First, Second, and Third Wanderings, but this night would always remind them of when they were still young and didn''t know what awaited them in that dangerous, strange, and yet, beautiful world of Solterra.


    When the tolling of the bell ended, Thirteen heard a voice whisper in his ears.


    "Your first journey is about to begin, my Unfilial Son. I bet you didn''t see thising, did you?"


    Thirteen''s eyes widened in shock when he found himself turning into particles of light just like his brother, Mikhail, who was also looking at him in surprise.


    Gerald, Alessia, and Shasha looked at him in disbelief because they never expected something like this to happen.


    Simply put, this was something impossible!


    "F*ck."


    That was thest thing that Thirteen had said before he, and his brother, Mikhail, were both sent to Solterra to start their First Wandering.


    Remi, who suddenly lost her two brothers, looked around her in panic.


    A momentter, she started crying.


    "Brother! Wuwuwuwu!"


    Remi called out to her older brother, Zion, whom she didn''t think would also leave her side like her older brother, Mikhail.


    Feeling helpless, the only thing she could do was cry, while Gerald and Alessia panicked because their youngest son had just disappeared without a trace.

 Chapter 64 The Thirteen Trials

    <h4>Chapter 64 The Thirteen Trials </h4>


    Thirteen stared at the wide expanse ofnd in front of him.


    Just a few seconds ago, he was bidding farewell to Mikhail, who was about to be sent to the world of Solterra.


    However, it turned out that he said goodbye to the wrong person because it was not only his brother who was sent to that world.


    Thirteen himself was also sent there by his Father, Deus Ex Machina!


    "That old man really wants to screw me so badly," Thirteen cursed under his breath.


    This incident would have thrown a wrench in his ns if his father, Gerald, hadn''t been attacked by an Assassin Organization and the Dimensional Gate incident hadn''t happened.


    Due to this series of events, he was forced to speed up his ns.


    He also felt that he didn''t have the luxury to wait until he turned thirteen years old and start his First Wandering.


    For this reason, he made his father train hard in order to create Mythical Ranked Equipment.


    He had also started Alessia''s Alchemy journey, nting the information of not only the Divine-Ranked Martial Technique inside his head but as well as the experiences of his Hosts who had trained in Alchemy.


    With the Martial Skill and the path that had been paved by others, Alessia''s own crafting style had started to take root.


    Given enough time, she would undoubtedly be proficient, given her natural talent in Alchemy.


    Shasha would also be undertaking the Leventis Training due to her potential.


    Simply put, Thirteen had already set things in motion, so even if he no longer actively made moves, his family would function like a well-oiled machine, constantly improving their crafts, and making them more powerful.


    Thirteen scanned his surroundings and frowned due to how barren it was.


    Clearly, his annoying old man had sent him to a ce that was far from the main Human Kingdoms, preventing him from returning home for a year or two.


    At least, that was what Deux Ex Machina wanted to achieve.


    But, who was Thirteen?


    He was the System that rebelled against a God, so something like this wouldn''t faze him.


    ''Although this ce isn''t made up of sand, it is technically still a desert due to how barren and dry it is,'' Thirteen frowned. ''First things first, I need to know where I am. That way, I can head to the nearest city, and from there, travel to the biggest Human Kingdom.


    "I''m not supposed to be Spirited Away, so there is a possibility that I could take a gateway to return home," Thirteen muttered.


    But as he was about to start walking, a blue window appeared in front of him, making him stop in his tracks.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < The Thirteen Trials >


    ¡ª Just as the name of the trial suggested, you are required toplete 13 Trials.


    ¡ª there is no time limit forpleting these 13 Trials.


    < Rewards for Chain Quest Completion >


    ¡ª You can go back home if you seed, you unfilial brat!


    < First Trial >


    ¡ª Escape the Houdini Desert!


    ¡ª Unless this trial ispleted, the next quest will not be announced.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen raised his right hand to the sky and gave his old man the middle finger.


    The sound of rumbling thunder spread in the surroundings. But instead of loud booming sounds, what Thirteen heard sounded more likeughter filled with ridicule and contempt.


    "What a childish God." Thirteen sneered. "This is why you''re still a virgin. Imagine being thousands of years old and still a virgin. You have Skill Issues, Old Man."


    The loudughter suddenly ended and was reced by choking sounds.


    This made Thirteenugh out loud because he had long wanted to tell that to the old fart, who thought that he could have his way!


    ''Still, this is troublesome,'' Thirteen thought after reading the information on his Mission Screen.


    Based on the information he had in his Soul Core, the Houdini Desert was located on the thirdrgest ind in the South Western Region of the Valbara Kingdom.


    The problem was that the Valbara Kingdom was tens of thousands of miles away from the Human Kingdoms, where the Five Monarchs and Ten Prestigious Families had established their base of operations.


    The seven-year-old boy was currently in a ce that people referred to as the Wild Lands, where countless "barbaric races," like the Barbarians, Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres, roamed.


    This was one of, if not the most, dangerous ces for a first-


    timer Wanderer to appear to.


    There was even a saying that if you were spirited away to the Wild Lands, it was only a matter of time before your star fell from the Heavens, heralding your death.


    Fortunately, Thirteen''s Host had visited the Wild Lands twice in his life, so he knew a little bit about where to go.


    ''Still, the information I have is already 300 years old,'' Thirteen mused as he nced at the position of the sun to calcte the location of the four cardinal directions.


    As a System, it was very easy for him to do something like this, so even without apass, he could urately tell which direction was which.


    After double-checking that he hadn''t made any mistakes in his calctions, Thirteen started to head East, where the Barbarians lived.


    ording to information he could ess in his Soul Core, the Human Barbarians lived in the East of the Valbara Kingdom.


    He was currently in the South Western Regions of the Houdini Desert, which meant that he was between the territories of the Trolls, whose tribes were located in the West, and the Ogres, whose hunting grounds were located in the South.


    ''The old man is really trying to kill me,'' Thirteen''s face was solemn as he paid close attention to his surroundings while traveling.


    Being in the territories of the Trolls and Ogres was not a joke.


    He was still in the body of a seven-year-old, and if he encountered even one of them, he would be forced to use everything in his power to prevent himself from being eaten.


    But just as Thirteen was making his way East, a loud scream, which came from a teenage boy, reached his ears.


    Thirteen looked behind him and watched in horror as a familiar chubby boy was running in his direction with two Trolls hot on his trail.


    It was none other than Cristopher Rotombus.


    The chubby boy that he met at his Grandpa''s Birthday Celebration, and also one of Terence''s subordinates.


    "Sh*t¡­"


    That was the only thing that Thirteen could say as the chubby boy, who was desperately running for his life, ran in his direction with tears and snot streaming down his chubby face.

 Chapter 65 Will You Place Your Life In My Hands

    <h4>Chapter 65 Will You ce Your Life In My Hands </h4>


    Thirteen looked in horror and surprise as the chubby Cristopher ran in his direction.


    His horror was for the Trolls running after the other party, and now, probably him too.


    While his surprise was for the unexpected fact that the chubby boy could run.


    He could run really fast!


    If there was an Olympics for one thousand-meter-dash for thirteen-year-old boys, Cristopher would definitely win the Gold Medal hands down.


    "Help me!" Cristopher shouted as snot and tears streamed down his face.


    Thirteen didn''t even bother replying and simply ran away in a different direction. There was simply no way he could help someone with two Trolls running after them.


    But, Cristopher, who had seen him, felt as if he had seen the light at the end of the tunnel and ran after him.


    "Don''t leave me!" Cristopher shouted. "I don''t want to die!"


    Thirteen nced behind him as he continued to run.


    Cristopher had almost caught up to him since the chubby teenager had insanely fast running speed.


    After looking at the two Trolls running after them, Thirteen noticed something that made him breathe a sigh of relief.


    The two Trolls seemed to be injured, so they were unable to run as fast as they could. Perhaps they had a skirmish with an Ogre and got injured as a result.


    It was thanks to their injuries that their speed wascking and so couldn''t catch up with the two children, who had managed to gain a safe distance away from them.


    Because of this, the two Trolls decided to stop chasing them and went to look for something easier to hunt.


    Ten minutester¡­


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­ I thought I was going to die," Cristopher panted for breath as he leaned on a boulder.


    He was in aplete mess and looked very pitiful.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, kept watch on their surroundings, making sure that there were no signs of Trolls or Ogres in the vicinity.


    They were in dangerous territory, and it would be very stupid of them if they didn''t exercise the utmost caution.


    When Cristopher had managed to regain hisposure, he wiped the tears and snot off his face and looked at the boy in front of him.


    He recognized him right away because Thirteen had made asting impression on him at the party.


    But this only confused Cristopher even more.


    There was no way for someone as young as Thirteen to appear in Solterra. The other party was still too young to be spirited away.


    "Young Master Zion, what are you doing here?" Cristopher asked.


    Since he had acknowledged that Thirteen was a member of the Leventis Family, he referred to him in a polite and respectful manner.


    "I entered a Dimensional Gate by ident," Thirteen replied, still scanning their surroundings for danger.


    After careful consideration, he decided to use this excuse if someone were to ask him this question.


    Although it sounded ridiculous, it was still more eptable and believable than saying that he was spirited away on the night of the Solstice.


    "¡­"


    Just like he expected, Cristopher was dumbfounded by his answer.


    "Y-You entered a Dimensional Gate by ident?" Cristopher stuttered. "How did that happen, Young Master?"


    "I was just curious about what was on the other side, that''s all. So I decided to enter it."


    "¡­"


    Cristopher didn''t know if he should be impressed or be horrified by Thirteen''sck ofmon sense.


    ''I shouldn''t think much about this matter or I''ll go crazy,'' Cristopher thought as he eyed the younger boy. ''At least, I am no longer alone in this ce. Although Young Master Zion is still only seven years old, having him around puts my mind at ease.''


    The chubby boy didn''t understand why he felt more secure having a younger boy with him in a ce filled with Monsters.


    But this was what he genuinely felt and only thought that thinking this way was natural because Zion was from the Leventis Family.


    After all, the children of the Prestigious Families were built differentlypared to ordinary children.


    "Young Master, what will we do now?" Cristopher asked. "Where should we go?"


    Originally, Thirteen had every intention of leaving Cristopheralone. He had no ns to carry extra baggage because it would only dy his journey toward the territory of the Barbarians, where he nned to go.


    However, after looking at the pitiful boy who looked like the standard temte for a cannon fodder, he changed his mind.


    Thirteen had a soft side for these people because they were HIS people.


    "Cristopher, I will be honest with you," Thirteen stated. "To me, you are just extra baggage who will hinder me from going back to Pangea."


    Upon hearing Thirteen''s words, Cristopher felt as if the sky had fallen on his head. He couldn''t understand why he felt this way, but the mere fact that the younger boy thought of him as extra baggage made his heart ache.


    "However, if you can promise me three things, then I will take you with me and ensure that you survive your First Wandering," Thirteen stated in a serious tone.


    "Three things?" Cristopher felt as if an olive branch had been thrown his way. "I will do anything you say, Young Master."


    Cristopher decided to amodate whatever conditions the younger boy would impose on him in return for sessfullypleting his First Wandering.


    "The first condition," Thirteen said as he raised his index finger. "You are not to question me in any way. Do as Imand even if you think that I am sending you to your death. Will you put your life in my hands, and trust me with every fiber of your being, or should we part ways here?"


    Cristopher lowered his head and clenched his hands into fists.


    The retainers of the Younger Generation of the Leventis Family knew that they were mere tools who would help their Masters reach greater heights.


    All of them were well aware that Terrence could discard them anytime if he no longer found them useful.


    In fact, they had also thought of the possibility that the young man would use them as bait or as a distraction against the Monsters in Solterra in order to escape with his life if need be.


    What Thirteen was asking of him was something that all those who wished to be the retainers of the Leventis Family already prepared for.


    In the end, they could only trade their lives for a chance to make a name for themselves in the family so that they would no longer be treated as disposable tools and be useful and trusted subordinates by the Masters they served.


    "Young Master, are you saying that I should swear my allegiance to you and break my ties with Young Master Terence?"


    "Mmm? No. You can continue to be Terence''s subordinate. This is just a deal until both of us return safely to Pangea. I help you clear your trial, and you help me to get home. This is what you call an equivalent exchange, no?"


    Cristopher sighed in relief because he didn''t want to break ties with Terence. His rtives had worked hard just so he would get a chance to be a retainer of the Leventis Family, and he didn''t want to let them down.


    His mother was currently in the hospital, and only the funds from the Leventis Family ensured that she would receive the best medical help in Oakheart City.


    Cristopher loved his mother so much that he sacrificed himself in order to cover her medical bills.


    ''I can''t die here,'' Cristopher thought. ''Mom will be lonely without me. I''m the only one she has in this world.''


    After steeling his nerves, he nodded his head, but he still looked at the boy in front of him with pleading eyes.


    "Young Master, I will do as you say. But my Mother is in a hospital in Oakheart City," Cristopher stated. "I''m the only one that she has, so please, don''t use me as Monster fodder. I want to take care of her for years toe."


    Thirteen''s gaze softened a bit after hearing Cristopher''s statement. He also had Hosts who had this kind of family setup.


    In fact, one of his hosts was called Son Jinwoo, and he had to take care of his mother, who was in aa, and sister, who was still in high school.


    Despite being the weakest Awakener of that world, he strove hard in order to earn enough to support the two of them.


    But Cristopher was nowhere like Son Jinwoo.


    Although he was young, he was forced to go to a dangerous world in order to ensure that his mother would be able to continue living. This was something worthy of respect, even from someone like Thirteen.


    "I promise that I will not discard you to ensure my survival," Thirteen said. "I gave you my word that, no matter what, I will help you clear your First Wandering. However, I will not deny that I will treat you as a tool.


    "I will make you work hard for my sake and treat you like a ve. But in return, I promise you that you will not only live a long life but also reach a Rank that you never thought possible. So, I ask you again. Will you give me your absolute obedience and loyalty, Cristopher? Will you ce your life in my hands?"


    Cristopher nodded, and even knelt in front of Thirteen like a knight.


    "I hereby swear that until both of us return to Pangea, I will obey every word thates out of your lips, Young Master," Cristopher vowed. "My life is in your hands."


    "Good." Thirteen said as he patted the boy''s shoulder, and asked him to stand up. "You will not regret your decision today, Cristopher. I promise you that."


    Cristopher looked at his temporary Master gratefully and slowly rose. He could feel Zion''s sincerity, and he truly felt like being with the seven-year-old might be the luckiest thing that happened to him after being sent to the world of Solterra.

 Chapter 66 Choosing Their Battles

    <h4>Chapter 66 Choosing Their Battles </h4>


    Thirteen''s first condition was absolute trust and loyalty.


    Even if the orders he gave were to seem like he was sending Cristopher to his death, the chubby boy was required to do it no matter what.


    After Cristopher epted this condition, Thirteen told him the other two conditions that the chubby boy needed to follow so that the former could continue traveling by his side.


    Thirteen''s second condition was that if they were to fight against any Monsters, Cristopher would alwaysnd the finishing blow no matter what happened.


    The chubby boy found this second rule strange.


    Although facing off against Monsters was dangerous, it was still advantageous for him if hended thest blow on them.


    Why?


    It was due to Monster drops.


    Items, Weapons, and Avatars drops would be obtained by the person whonded the killing blow on a Monster. This was an absolute rule for those who were chosen to be Wanderers.


    So how could Cristopher possibly turn down such an advantageous offer? In fact, he even thought that Zion was doing this on purpose so that he would have enough funds for his mother''s treatment.


    This touched Cristopher''s heart, and he vowed to do his best to send Zion back safely to Pangea.


    The third condition was that no matter what Thirteen did, Cristopher would not tell a soul about it, even if it were the Patriarch of the Leventis Family.


    Thisst condition piqued Cristopher''s interest, but he still firmly nodded his head to ept this condition.


    As the two continued their journey, they spotted a hint of greenery in the distance, prompting them to walk in that direction.


    When they got nearer, they found a small oasis with crystal-clear water.


    Cristopher didn''t run to drink water right away.


    Instead, he observed the surroundings, as well as the bottom of the oasis, to check if there were any Monsters that were lurking beneath it.


    After seeing the chubby boy being cautious, Thirteen gave the other party a nod of approval.


    ''As expected of a retainer trained by the Leventis Family,'' Thirteen thought. ''He at least understands the basics.''


    After making sure that he sensed no Monsters in his surroundings, Cristopher drank a few sips of the water to check if it was safe to drink.


    Only when he felt no drastic changes in his body did he motion for his Young Master to drink some of the water as well.


    Thirteen scooped up a handful of water and drank sparingly.


    He and Cristopher had been walking for a while without water, so it was a good thing that they had found a source of water after a few hours of traveling.


    But they also knew that this ce was too good to be true.


    The desert was filled with wild animals, and all of them needed to drink water.


    Since this ce contained water, it was only natural to think that the monsters in the surrounding area frequently visited this ce in order to quench their thirst.


    The ranks of the Desert Trolls in the Houdini Desert ranged from Rank 1 up to Rank 3 Monsters.


    The two Trolls that ran after Cristopher earlier were Rank 2 Monsters. It was only because they were injured that they were unable to catch up to him.


    Thirteen assumed that they might have fought other Trolls or an Ogre, leading them to suffer such injuries.


    With Cristopher by his side, Thirteen might be able to defeat a Rank 1 Monster if he had a weapon in his hand.


    Fortunately, there were plenty of rocks that could be used as a projectile. One of his Offensive Martial Techniques was called Cheap Shot Savant.


    With this technique, Thirteen was confident that he would have a fighting chance if the right conditions were met.


    After making up his mind, he told Cristopher his n, which made the chubby boy''s face turn pale.


    However, he still nodded his head, believing that great adversity created great opportunities.


    "Let''s start our preparations," Thirteen said.


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied.


    It was an established fact that not all monsters in Solterra were Jinns.


    Just like Pangea, the origin of Jinns seemed to have stemmed from a Dimensional Gate opening in Solterra, which was how they managed to arrive in this world.


    Some Jinns then bred with the local Monsters of Solterra, and through it, new variations of monsters were born, and their numbers grew.


    These Monsters even had their own respective Kingdoms, which were ruled by powerful Jinns and Majins, who were as strong if not stronger than the Human Monarchs.


    But they were still too high up in the rankings for Thirteen to worry about.


    What he wanted to do right now was to use the oasis as a stage to gather resources that they could use on their journey.


    To do that, they would have to take a gamble, which could cost them their lives if they were unlucky.


    A few hourster, the one child and one teenager pair were resting on the shade of two separate trees in the oasis when they saw something moving in their direction.


    It looked like a Monitor Lizard with ck and orange scales covering its body.


    Through his database as a system, he was able to identify the monster that had appeared, making his face turn grim.


    He then immediately signaled for Cristopher to retreat alongside him because the Monster that had decided toe to the Oasis to drink was a Rank 2 Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    It was a slow-moving Lizard that wouldn''t be able to outrun them even with its rank.


    But having less speed didn''t mean they were less dangerous.


    The Yellow Striped Dusk Brute''s scales were very hard, making ordinary weapons ineffective against it.


    It also had a very potent and poisonous bite, which would paralyze its victims, rendering them helpless.


    But that was not the real reason why the Yellow Striped Dusk was one of the most formidable Monsters in the Houdini Desert, which not even the Barbarians, Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres wanted to mess with.


    This Monster could unleash a poison spray that could hit a target twenty meters away.


    The two boys would die in less than a minute if they were to be the receiving end of such an attack.


    This was why Thirteen decided to retreat with Cristopher and wait until the Desert Monitor Lizard left the Oasis.


    Thirteen valued his and Cristopher''s lives very much. So, he decided that they would only choose the battles that they had a chance of winning, using the Oasis as bait for the Monsters that lived in the merciless Desert, which had already imed countless lives of first-time Wanderers just like them.

 Chapter 67 He Would Have Done Things Differently

    <h4>Chapter 67 He Would Have Done Things Differently </h4>


    Yellow Striped Dusk Brute drank slowly after reaching the Oasis.


    It was as if it was storing a week''s worth of water inside its body and taking its sweet time.


    Thirteen and Cristopher watched it from a distance, and also noticed a few things as well.


    There were other creatures that had stopped dozens of meters away from the Oasis, likely waiting for the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute to finish drinking.


    Clearly, they also knew how dangerous this creature was and were avoiding a direct confrontation with it.


    Twenty minutester, the Monitor Lizard finally had its fill and left the Oasis.


    The handful of animals that had waited for it to leave finally approached the Oasis, making sure that they also kept a distance from each other.


    Thirteen watched these Creatures, and after identifying what they were, he deemed that they were also too dangerous to fight head-on.


    All of them were Rank 2 Monsters, and there were five of them drinking side by side.


    Cristopher, who was hiding beside Thirteen, was doing his best to control his breathing.


    He was having a minor panic attack due to the presence of the strong Monsters who could easily kill them once they were spotted.


    ''How is he still calm in this situation?'' Cristopher thought as he looked at the seven-year-old, whose breathing was still stable despite the danger they were in. ''Is it because he is a member of the Leventis Family?''


    The chubby boy thought for a while before shaking his head. He knew that Zion''s father had been disowned by the Leventis Family, which meant that he wasn''t getting any support from them.


    Since that was the case, he could only think that the seven-year-old had also been trained by his parents to be one of the elites of the younger generation.


    ''I wish I could be like him,'' Cristopher sighed as he did his best to keep himself calm. ''I''m older than him, but he''s more collected and mature than I am.''


    Several minutester, the group of monsters also left the Oasis.


    Thirteen waited a few more minutes before signaling Cristopher to follow him.


    After reaching the Oasis, the seven-year-old climbed one of the trees, which the chubby boy believed was a species simr to a Desert Por.


    It was one of the mostmon trees found in the Houdini Desert, and the chubby boy wondered what Thirteen was nning to do with it.


    A few minutester, he saw his Young Master breaking off the thinner branches of the tree and throwing them on the ground.


    After he was done with the thinner branches, he tried to break the bigger ones that he could break, by stomping on them as hard as he could.


    "Young Master, are you perhaps collecting firewood?" Cristopher asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "I''m nning to make traps and some crude weapons. Cristopher, can you climb trees? If you can, help me collect branches."


    "Understood, Young Master," Cristopher replied before going to another tree to collect branches.


    Although he was chubby, there was also one thing that Cristopher was good at, and that was climbing trees.


    In fact, he was good at anything that would allow him to run away or escape from anything that could harm him.


    Half an hourter, a good number of branches were lying on the ground, ready for Thirteen to do whatever he nned on doing with them.


    The boy then ordered Cristopher to take as much of the thicker branches he could carry toward the boulder where they hid a while ago, and then he went to the Oasis to look for smooth rocks that he could use.


    Before Thirteen collected the tree branches, he collected a lot of sharp rocks that he could use as throwing weapons if necessary.


    But after seeing the monsters that had just drunk in the Oasis, he deemed that throwing rocks wouldn''t be enough to defeat any of them.


    He needed to be resourceful and go all out, making use of everything in his arsenal to survive.


    After collecting the rocks he needed, he returned to the boulder and started to chip away at the smooth rocks with the sharper rocks that he had gathered earlier.


    It was time-consuming work, and the sound of rocks hitting each other spread in the surroundings as both boys went to work.


    Cristopher created a small split in a tree branch and embedded a sharp rock in it.


    He then used a vine that they found growing amid the branches of the Por trees, and tied it up, making a make-shift stone spear.


    The two boys created stone spears and stone axes that they could use as weapons. They were very crude, but it was still better than having no weapons at all.


    After getting the stone axes, they started hacking away on the bigger branches, and sharpened their tips, turning them into spear weapons as well.


    When he was done, the next thing Thirteen did was dig.


    He started digging a hole near the oasis with Cristopher''s help.


    It was another very time-consuming work, and by the time they were done, the sun was already setting on the horizon.


    Both boys were tired, and they knew that the temperatures would start dropping once night came, so they decided to conserve what was left of their energy and returned to the boulder to rest.


    Their stomachs were grumbling, but they paid it no mind. This was only their body''s natural reaction, and they knew that they would be able to survive a few days without eating anything as long as there was water.


    "Young Master, you can rest first," Cristopher said. "I''ll take the first watch."


    Thirteen nodded. "Cristopher, I want you to remember this. The moment you feel sleepy, even if it is just a little bit, wake me up. It doesn''t matter even if I sleep for only half an hour or even less. We can''t afford to be careless. Our survival depends on it, do you understand?"


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher nodded. "At the first signs of drowsiness, I will wake you up."


    "Good." Thirteenid down on the pile of leaves that they had prepared to sleep on during the night.


    They had scraped away the ground beside the boulder, creating a shallow pit where they dumped all the leaves that they''d collected from the trees.


    It wasn''t the best of beds, but it helped create a somewhat warm ce to rest.


    The boulder was the perfect windbreaker, so they didn''t have to worry about winds hitting them from the back.


    Although he was tired, hungry, and aching in a few ces, Thirteen was able to sleep easily, leaving Cristopher in charge of the first watch.


    Only an hour had passed after sunset, and yet, the sky was already studded with stars. The sight of it made the chubby boy remember the times when he was still living with his mother in the countryside.


    Their life was simple, and they were fine with that. They foraged for edible nts and fruits to eat.


    From time to time, they would also go fishing to have a change of pace. These were the memories that Cristopher treasured.


    He wasn''t a warrior, and he wasn''t the least bit talented in literature and the arts either.


    He was just a simple country boy, who wanted to live a simple life.


    But it was impossible to live a simple life in a world where Dimensional Gates could appear anytime and anywhere.


    His mother would enter aa from time to time thatsted for a few months. This was all due to the injury that she received when a Tier-1 Dimensional Gate opened near their small vige.


    Some of his friends and acquaintances were eaten by the Scorpion-like Monsters that emerged from that Dimensional Gate.


    His mother had been seriously injured because she tried to protect him.


    If not for the fact that Wanderers arrived in time, both of them might have also died under the hands of these Monsters.


    And that was why Cristopher decided to be a retainer of the Leventis Family.


    He was willing to be a tool used by others just to ensure that his mother would get the medical help she needed.


    If he became useful enough, he believed that the Leventis Family would ask a High-Ranking Wanderer to cure his mother''s illness so that he would be able to see her smile again after years of suffering.


    ncing at the sleeping boy a few meters away from him, Cristopher wondered if his Master, Terence, would have done the same thing Zion did if they were in the same situation.


    ''No. He would have done things differently,'' Cristopher thought. ''I''m sure of it.''


    With these thoughts in his mind, the chubby boy paid extra attention to their surroundings.


    Although night hade, the light of the stars and the two moons was still bright enough to allow him to see in the darkness.


    However, there were creatures whose sight was way better than an ordinary Human boy during the night, and they all started to move in search of easy prey.


    Fortunately for them, there were dozens of teenage boys and girls who were unlucky enough to appear in the Houdini Desert that they could feast on.


    Back in Pangea, dozens of shooting stars could be seen falling in the sky, letting everyone know that somewhere out there, several teenagers had died on the first day of their journey in Solterra, never to be seen ever again.

 Chapter 68 Final Struggle [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 68 Final Struggle [Part 1] </h4>


    Three hours after Thirteen closed his eyes, he felt his body being shaken by someone.


    Since he had already prepared for this possibility, he didn''t sleep too deeply in order to ensure that he would be ready to react at a moment''s notice.


    He nced at Cristopher. Instead of saying anything, the chubby boy pointed at the sky.


    Thirteen followed the direction he was pointing at and saw three Flying Monsters in the sky.


    They were circling around the Oasis, and although they were too far for him to discern what type of monster they were, he could estimate that they should at least have a wingspan of five to six meters.


    ''They have long necks, so they might be Condors or Vultures,'' Thirteen thought.


    Condors and Vultures were basically the same species. However, the term Condors was used for veryrge Vultures, and from what Thirteen could tell, these Flying Monsters would be at least two meters tall if they stood on the ground.


    Not wanting to make any sound, Thirteen pressed a finger over his lips, letting Cristopher know about his intention.


    The chubby boy nodded and simply held one of the stone spears they had made earlier firmly in his hands, ready to defend himself if the Monsters were to sweep down from the sky and attack them.


    Thirteen was certain that the Flying Monsters had already noticed them.


    But since they weren''t attacking yet, it meant that they were still sizing them up if they were a threat to them or not.


    ''At least Rank 1 Monsters,'' Thirteen thought. ''Rank 2 Monsters are more aggressive. Also, they are not Jinns. If they were Jinns, they would have attacked us long ago.''


    Jinns loved to eat Humans more than they loved to eat other Monsters.


    For them, Humans were a delicacy. Regardless of their Rank, they would not miss the opportunity to feast on a human''s flesh.


    The only exceptions were the Majins. They were the type of Jinns with very high intellect, even capable of learningnguages and conversing with the other races in Solterra.


    Some of them even formed mutual and beneficial partnerships with Humans and entered a non-aggression pact with them.


    After thinking of this possibility, Thirteen was able to breathe a little easier.


    He was not afraid to face off against Rank 1 Monsters since he was confident that he could defeat one even with his seven-year-old body.


    But this was only true for one-on-one battles.


    Currently, there were three of these flying monsters circling the Oasis. He wouldn''t dare to fight all three of them at the same time.


    For now, the two children and the three flying monsters eyed each other. A few minutester, another creature appeared on the Oasis, which broke the stalemate.


    ''A Troll,'' Thirteen immediately recognized the Monster even with the dim light.


    It was smaller than the Trolls that had chased after them earlier that day, which made him think that it was a Rank 1 Monster or a peak Rank 1 Monster.


    Trolls were one of the strongest Rank 1 Monsters.


    If Thirteen were to use the Remington Family''s Scoring System, the Rank 1 Trolls of the Houdini Desert would have around 90 to 95 Points.


    After seeing the Troll, the three Flying Monsters began to change their flight patterns.


    "Get two spears," Thirteenmanded in a volume that only Cristopher could hear. "The Flying Monsters are going to attack the Troll."


    Thirteen himself picked up two spears before slowly making his way towards the Oasis, ready to take advantage of the battle that was about to take ce.


    The three Flying Monsters didn''t hesitate to attack the Troll because they were already familiar with it.


    This meant that they were confident about taking it down and feasting on its flesh.


    Thirteen watched calmly as the three Flying Monsters took a nosedive toward the Troll, who had also sensed their presence.


    A momentter, the two sides shed, making the Troll cry out in anger and pain.


    In the past, the Houdini Condors and Vultures were purely scavengers and would only eat the carcass of dead Monsters.


    However, due to the Houdini Desert''s natural state, this species evolved in order to adapt, giving them stronger bodies to actively hunt for food.


    Their favorite prey were the Orcs, as well as Rank 1 Trolls who wandered off alone away from their Tribe.


    Although some of these battles were not always in their favor, they usually had a higher chance of winning against their opponents thanks to their aerial superiority.


    With three Condors fighting together, it was already guaranteed that the Troll would be the one to suffer in their exchange.


    However, this particr Troll was different from the others.


    It was a Peak-Grade Troll and was only a step away from bing a Rank 2 Monster.


    Although it had been hurt when the three Condors attacked it at once, it still managed tond a blow on one of them, which sent thetter crashing toward the ground.


    Just as it was about to tackle the fallen Monster, the two other Condors became more aggressive and attacked it ceaselessly, forcing it to defend itself from their sharp beaks andtalons.


    Thirteen, who was still a distance away from the fallen Condor who seemed to have broken one of its wings, gripped his stone spear tightly.


    If he attacked now, there was a chance that the two other Condors would shift their attention to them, which was potentially the worst-case scenario.


    "Don''t do anything," Thirteen said softly to Cristopher. "Wait for my orders."


    Cristopher nodded and did as he was told.


    The Troll was putting up a good fight, but its entire body was now a bloody mess.


    One of the Condors became bold and dove with its talons, prepared to grab the Troll''s body so that it could drop the other party from the sky.


    It almost seeded in its n because it managed to grab its target just like it nned.


    However, just as it was about to soar upward, the Troll did something unexpected. It forcefully twisted its body to give the Condor an upward smash with its club. It hit thetter''s neck, breaking it instantly.


    They were already a dozens of meters in the air, so the fall made the Troll suffer serious injuries, breaking one of its legs.


    Thest Condor was angered by the death of itsrade, so it swooped down from the sky with the intention of killing the Troll once and for all.


    In ast desperate attempt to survive, the troll propped itself into a kneeling position and raised its weapon for one final blow using its full strength.


    When the ws and the wooden club shed against each other, a pained cry escaped the condor''s lips. The Troll had sessfullynded a direct hit, aiming for the Condor''s right leg.


    However, it still managed to use its talons to leave a deep cut on the Troll''s neck, making thetter howl out in pain.


    Just as the Condor tried to force itself to p its wings to fly upward, a stone spear flew toward its head, urately hitting one of its eyes.


    It was an unexpected attack that came from one of the Humans that it had been observing earlier.


    Thirteen, who had been biding his time, started to run toward the Condor that he had blinded, with Cristopher hot on his heels.


    They only had one shot at this, so they didn''t hesitate to go in for the kill before their enemies could regain theirposure and shift their attention in their direction.

 Chapter 69 Final Struggle [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 69 Final Struggle [Part 2] </h4>


    Thirteen made sure to meticulously calcte the strength he was going to use so that the Condor wouldn''t die from his spear throw.


    With its right leg broken and one of its eyes blinded, the monster was in a sorry state, but it could still escape.


    This was something that Thirteen didn''t want to happen, so he immediately threw his second spear and aimed it at the joint of its wing, which was connected to its main body.


    Using his entire body weight to empower his spear throw, Thirteen made sure that his attack would hit his target, and hit it hard.


    The Divine-Grade Martial Technique, Cheap Shot Savant, wasn''t called a Divine Technique for nothing.


    Even with the strength of a seven-year-old, it was very deadly when the one using it was a skilled expert.


    Due to using his entire body to create more force to his spear throw, Thirteen almost fell face-first toward the ground due to the momentum of his throw.


    However, he had already expected this to happen, so he curled up his body and rolled harmlessly on the ground while Cristopher ran past him.


    Thirteen''s aim was true andnded on its target, making the Condor screech and crash on the ground.


    Cristopher roared as he thrust his spear forward, aiming for the back of the Condor''s head using everything he had.


    The moment the spear tip hit the monster''s head, it shattered, making Cristopher''s eyes widen in shock.


    He initially thought that his attack would be strong enough to pierce through the Condor''s head, but the stone only managed to embed itself in the Condor''s body by two inches before breaking apart after hitting the monster''s skull.


    Even so, this didn''t mean that the chubby boy wasn''t able to injure his target. In fact, the Condor was in so much pain that it momentarily nked out due to the impact that it received from its head.


    The part was also bleeding, which meant that the wound was serious enough to draw blood.


    "Hit it!" Thirteen shouted. "Just keep on hitting it while it is still disoriented!"


    Thirteen''s shout brought Cristopher out of his daze, and with a shout of fear and desperation, he swung the wooden branch on the Condor''s head, hitting the location where it was bleeding.


    He repeatedly hit it over and over like his life depended on it.


    After receiving a concussion, the Condor''s movement became sluggish.


    Unable to fully control its body, it fell on its back, unable to do anything against the teenage boy''s neverending onught.


    Cristopher shouted over and over with each strike, until Finally, the Condor stopped moving as blood seeped out of the corner of its beak.


    Even so, he didn''t stop hitting it, looking like a crazed person who had lost his senses. Just as he was about to smack the Condor with the wooden branch, a hand held onto his wrist, stopping him.


    "Cristopher, stop!" Thirteen ordered. "It''s already dead!"


    "D-Dead?" Cristopher said hoarsely.


    "Yes, you killed it," Thirteen replied. "But we still have to deal with the other monsters. Hurry, use this spear and aim for that Troll. Just throw it in its direction, but make sure that you hit it."


    Cristopher panted for breath, while his heart beat wildly inside his chest. He was still in his fight or flight mode, and his adrenaline was pumping inside his body, giving him strength to move.


    "Don''t go near it," Thirteen warned. "Although it is on itsst legs, it''s a very unpredictable opponent. Your spear doesn''t need to kill it, all you need to do is hit it. Anywhere will do!"


    After understanding what his Temporary Young Master was saying, Cristopher raised his spear and approached the Troll warily.


    Blood was gushing out of its neck, but thetter was pressing its hand on it as if doing its best to stop its bleeding.


    The wooden cluby several meters away from it, but it was unable to reim it because one of its legs was broken.


    Cristopher then threw the spear towards the troll, but thetter deflected it with his hand.


    "Young Master, I''m sorry," Cristopher said as he looked in Thirteen''s direction.


    "It''s fine, now use this." Thirteen handed him a handful of stones and pointed at the troll. "Just hit him. Anywhere will do."


    The chubby boy threw the stones one by one, and the troll deflected most of them. Even so, he still managed tond a clean hit on its head, and shoulder.


    The stones didn''t do much damage to the Trollm Most of them merely bounced off its body. But, that was enough.


    That was all that Thirteen wanted to happen.


    "Now, let''s deal with thest Condor," Thirteen stated as he pointed at the Condor in the distance, who was trying to drag its body away from the battlefield.


    One of its wings was broken, so it was unable to fly in the sky.


    The Troll managed tond a good hit on it, rendering it helpless, but it could still threaten the two teenagers if they fought it in closebat.


    But just as Thirteen and Cristopher were about to attack it, the chubby boy suddenly stopped and grabbed the younger boy''s hand.


    "Young Master, I got it," Cristopher said hoarsely. "I got it!"


    "Got what?" Thirteen asked in confusion. "We need to hurry and attack that Condor before it can get away."


    But before Thirteen could pry his hand away from the chubby boy''s grip, Cristopher pointed at the ground in front of him.


    Suddenly, a monster appeared, holding a wooden club in its hand.


    It was none other than the Troll that was bleeding to death earlier, making Thirteen stop in his tracks.


    "Avatar," Thirteen muttered.


    "Kill that Condor!" Cristopher ordered hoarsely, and the Troll Avatar obeyed hismand.


    With a roar filled with anger, the Troll charged at the Condor with its weapon raised high.


    Some experts believed that when an Avatar is formed, it would still retain the memories of its life before it died.


    It also retained all of its skills and abilities when it was still alive.


    Thirteen had noticed that the Troll was quite different from the other Trolls. Even though he had been alone, it was still able to fight against three Condors, even killing one of them before it suffered grievous injuries.


    In short, the Troll was already dying from the deep cut on its neck.


    The reason why he had asked Cristopher to attack the dying Troll was to give him the st hit" mechanic that the Law of Solterra followed.


    Only the one who dealt the killing blow would gain the rewards of the kill.


    Although this was an unfair mechanic, which was abused to the fullest in Solterra, it was thew that everyone followed.


    It didn''t matter even if you worked hard to lower the health of the Monster until it was about to die.


    Others could steal your kill, and the only thing you could do when that happened was cry.


    Since Cristopher was thest one that dealt damage to the Troll, it didn''t really matter if it bled to death afterward.


    The one who hadnded thest blow was Cristopher, so any rewards would directly go to him.


    Getting an Avatar by killing a monster was a one-in-a-


    thousand chance.


    So, although the percentage was very low, an Avatar could still be gained if you were lucky enough, or if the New Generation God, RNGesus, loved you enough.


    Seeing that it had no choice but to fight, the Condor screeched and used its sharp beak to peck the approaching Troll.


    But, its opponent was well-versed in fighting on solid ground, so it dodged the Condor''s attack before smashing the flying monster''s head with the club in its hand.


    A loud cracking sound reverberated in the quiet night as the Condor''s skull broke due to the force of the Troll''s attack.


    The Condor let out onest dying screech before its body fell on the ground, dead.


    The Troll then raised its club high up in the air and shouted a war cry of victory.


    Thirteen nced in the location where the Troll''s body was located earlier and didn''t find it anywhere.


    Only the blood stains on the ground remained, which proved that it was still there a minute ago before transforming into an Avatar, entering Cristopher''s Personal spatial storage.


    It was where all the item drops from Monsters went after a Wanderer seeded in killing it.


    The only thing that couldn''t be stored in there were the Monster Cores, which should be stored in a separate container or storage ring.


    "It''s finally over," Cristopher slumped on the ground and panted for breath.


    Beads of sweat were streaking down the sides of his face, despite the coldness of the night.


    This was his first battle, and he would live to tell his tale if he ever found his way back to Pangea, where his sick mother must be waiting for his return.

 Chapter 70 Man Proposes, But God Disposes

    <h4>Chapter 70 Man Proposes, But God Disposes </h4>


    After thest Condor had been dealt with, Thirteen asked Cristopher to make the Troll rip off the monster''s wings so that they could use them as beds and nkets for the night.


    Having an Avatar was a game changer, and Cristopher was extremely lucky to get one after their first battle.


    With the Troll''s addition to their party, a lot of things became much easier.


    Knowing that the corpses of the Condors might attract several Monsters, Thirteen asked Cristopher to make the Troll rip off the condor''s legs so that they could cook the meat and use their sharp talons as weapons.


    As for their bodies, they were dumped hundreds of meters away from the Oasis in order to prevent Monsters from swarming the ce to fight over the fresh corpses, whose legs and Monster Cores were taken away from their bodies.


    After this was done, Thirteen asked Cristopher for more information about his Avatar. Usually, Avatars had active and passive abilities.


    Knowing more about their new ally was of great importance to Thirteen because it would allow the Troll, whom the chubby boy named Brutus, to be part of his strategy when dealing with other Monsters or threats.


    Since he couldn''t see the stats of the Monster, he had to ask Cristopher to tell him everything he could see from his status screen.


    "Young Master, Brutus has the passive ability called Evolver," Cristopher said with a big smile on his face. "He can evolve the same as Wanderers as long as he consumes enough Monster Cores. Isn''t he amazing?"


    "You lucked out big time, Cristopher," Thirteen replied. "Monsters with the ability to evolve are few and far between. Usually, when people get Avatars, the Monster''s rank will remain the same until the end of time."


    This was also why Avatar Trading was a very lucrative business in both Solterra and Pangea.


    Wanderers who had grown stronger than their Avatars no longer had any need for them.


    They were useful in the early stages, but their value diminished greatly in the long run.


    This was especially true for Rank 1 Monsters, who would no longer be of use after their Masters had stepped into the Higher Ranks.


    "Aside from Evolver, Brutus also has the Guts Ability, which prevents it from dying instantly from one-hit-kills," Cristopher exined. "That is all, Young Master."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before looking at Cristopher with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Cristopher, when you clear your First Wandering, remember this," Thirteen said. "Do not show Brutus to Terence. If you do, he would likely force you to hand your Avatar over to him. If you don''t want that to happen, make sure that you never let anyone know that Brutus has the Evolver ability. This is for your own good."


    The chubby boy nodded his head firmly. He was a bit scared, but he also didn''t want to hand his First Avatar over to Terence, who was his true Master.


    "Let''s sleep," Thirteen proposed. "It has been a tiring day. Just ask Brutus to keep watch and wake us up if it senses any danger in the surroundings."


    "Understood, Young Master," Cristopher replied.


    It had truly been an exhausting day, and both children were both physically and mentally drained after their first day in Solterra.


    Because of this, it didn''t take long for the chubby boy to fall asleep.


    Heck, he even started snoring!


    Thirteen was in the same boat. As soon as heid down on the fluffy andfortable feathers of the Condors they had killed, he fell asleep after half a minute.


    Unfortunately, his rest didn''tst long because he felt himself being shaken by someone.


    Thinking that Brutus was waking him up because another Monster had appeared in the Oasis, Thirteen''s eyes immediately shot open and he immediately propped himself up.


    But, just as he was about to scan his surroundings to better understand the situation, he found himself staring at the face of a white rabbit, whom he hadn''t seen for two years.


    "Lace Demon," Thirteen muttered before raising his head to look at the giant fireball floating above him. "The One."


    "It''s good that you still have your wits on you," Lace Demon chuckled. "I''m sure you already know why you''re here, no?"


    Thirteen nodded. "What happened? Why was I sent to Solterra? Isn''t there a rule that only those that are thirteen years old can have their First Wandering?"


    Lace Demon nodded. "It is as you say. This is the first time that something like this has happened, and it''s because of interference from your Father. We didn''t know how he did it, but on the Night of the Solstice, he changed your ''age'' from seven to thirteen.


    "Because of this, the Law of Wanderers deemed you ready to embark on your First Wandering. The One had already confronted your father and given him an ultimatum."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "What ultimatum?"


    The Giant Fireball hovering above Thirteen''s head snorted.


    "I told him that if he interferes with the affairs of my world one more time, I will remove all the restrictions on your body," The One stated. "I will not allow outsiders to do whatever they please within my Domain."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice after hearing the Omnipotent Being''s words.


    ''Old Man, you did something good for once!'' Thirteen almost did a fist pump. ''Now, I just need to trigger him so that he will mess with me again. After that, I will be free!''


    "¡­ I can read your mind, you know?" The One said, which made Thirteen cough lightly to his embarrassment. "Also, what you are thinking of will not be happening again. Deus Ex Machina has signed a God Contract with me, and he will not be able to wield his powers in my world any longer. The most he can do is just watch.''


    Thirteen clicked his tongue because the easy method to break free from his restrictions had disappeared before he could even start nning to mess with his Old Man.


    Lace Demon, who had been silent, spoke up, pulling Thirteen out of his thoughts.


    "Since you were wrongfully sent to Solterra, we will send you back to Pangea," the Lace Demon said. "Are you ready to go back?"


    "What about Cristopher?" Thirteen asked.


    "What about him?" the Lace Demon arched an eyebrow.


    "Can you send him back as well?"


    "And why would we do that? Cristopher has been chosen as a Wanderer. Unlike you, who was forcefully spirited away, he met all the requirements that we have set since the First Wanderers appeared in Pangea."


    Thirteen wasn''t able to refute the Lace Demon''s words because that was indeed the truth. However, he still felt hesitant to leave the chubby boy behind because he had made a promise to him.


    He promised that he would let himplete his First Wandering and take him safely back to Pangea.


    "If that is what is troubling you, I can erase Cristopher''s memory of meeting you," The One stated. "You will no longer have to worry about the promise you made because he won''t even remember it."


    "Don''t," Thirteen replied coldly. "Don''t erase his memory. Even if you did, I will still remember the promise that I made."


    "Then I''ll erase your memory of him as well. Problem solved, right?" The One proposed.


    Thirteen drew in a cold breath before ring at the Omnipotent Being that governed Pangea and Solterra.


    The One talked about erasing the memories of people as if it wasn''t a big deal to him. Indeed, such a thing was very easy for a God to do. However, this also made Thirteen feel very cold inside.


    The mere thought of people''s feelings being erasedpletely made him remember many unpleasant memories.


    As Cannon Fodders, some of his Hosts had suffered this treatment from the Viins and even Heroes.


    Their precious memories were taken away from them, making them forget who they really were.


    Although they were still alive, they would no longer be themselves and be like nk pieces of paper that someone could write on and program as they wished.


    Deus Ex Machina had done the same to Thirteen''s current vessel, Zion.


    After the five-year-old died and had Thirteen''s core nted inside his body, the System God wiped his state clean, removing everything from him.


    His precious memories of his family, as well as his current status and abilities.


    Deus Ex Machina had erased them all before rewriting it all over again.


    "You Gods don''t have the right to mess with people''s lives like this," Thirteen said coldly.


    His entire body was shaking not out of fear but out of anger that came from every fiber of his being.


    He was about to say more, but he knew better than to tell a God what they should or shouldn''t do.


    Blood flowed from Thirteen''s lips because he had bitten his lips too hard out of frustration.


    Being human had unlocked the limiters on his being.


    Although he was calm and collected most of the time, his sudden outbursts of happiness, sadness, and anger were greater than other people because these were the emotions that he wasn''t too familiar with.


    Taking in deep breaths, Thirteen wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.


    Instead of being wiped clean, it spread on his face and made him look like a bloodthirsty demon that was out for blood.


    "I''m not going to return to Pangea," Thirteen stated. "But since I have been brought to Solterra due to my old man''s interference, I wantpensation."


    The corner of the Lace Demon''s lips curled up into a smirk.


    It had been expecting that the brat would demandpensation right from the very start. After all, he already knew how shameless Thirteen was.


    Before they summoned Thirteen, they had already discussed this possibility, so they were prepared to at least listen to the boy''s demands.


    However, listening and agreeing were two different things.


    Afterall¡­ Man proposes, but God disposes.

 Chapter 71 Thirteen’s Three Requests

    <h4>Chapter 71 Thirteen¡¯s Three Requests </h4>


    "I only ask for three things," Thirteen said as he held up three of his fingers.


    "The first one is an essible spatial storage. Since I''m unable to get Items and Avatars from monsters, chests, and other reward-granting artifacts, the spatial storage that I possess as a Wanderer is basically useless to me.


    "I won''t ask for much, I just want a spatial storage that is one square meter in size. Surely, you find this arrangement only fair, no?"


    The Lace Demon and The One neither epted nor rejected Thirteen''s proposal. They simply waited for him to state the three things that he wanted from them.


    "The second thing I want is Flint and Steel. Last, but not the least, I want you to tell my parents that I am safe and that they don''t have to worry about me. Also, allow me to write a message to them so that they will not be too anxious about my disappearance. These are the threepensations that I will ask of you."


    The Lace Demon and The One were quite surprised by thepensation that Thirteen asked from them.


    Lace Demon rubbed his chin as he carefully thought of the things that the boy had stated.


    The first one that Thirteen asked for was essible spatial storage. Even as a Wanderer, Thirteen''s spatial storage was indeed useless to him because he couldn''t get any items from Solterra. Also, the size he requested was simply too small.


    Even the storage rings that had the smallest spatial storage that people used on a daily basis were at least four square meters in size.


    Thirteen only asked them to give him a one square meter spatial storage, which they deemed wasn''t too much to ask.


    The secondpensation was actually more troublesome than his first request, and that was Flint and Steel.


    Although these two items might seem simple and could be found anywhere in Solterra and Pangea, the timing was very important as well.


    Flint and Steel were used to make fires.


    There was nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that the First Wandering was meant to test a person''s survival skills.


    This meant that they would have to start in Solterra from scratch without any tools in their possession.


    Whatever they needed, they would have to search for it in the ce where they spawned and use everything in their power to survive.


    Giving Thirteen Flint and Steel would break the purpose of that survival challenge because the gift of fire could do many things.


    Last but not the least, the boy wanted to send a message to his family, telling them that he was fine.


    Lace Demon found no problem with this request since the boy was forcefully sent to Solterra despite not being thirteen years old.


    Simply put, among the boy''s three proposals, the first and the third were easily eptable, but the same couldn''t be said for the second one.


    "I will ept your first and third proposal," The One said after a minute had passed. "But we cannot amodate your second request. "


    Thirteen sighed because he had already expected this to happen. But, having two of his requests epted was good as well.


    Lace Demon handed Thirteen paper and pen so that he could write a letter to his family.


    The boy gratefully epted and started to write. However, the moment he began writing, he kept on asking Lace Demon for more paper.


    The corner of the Demon''s lips twitched after he picked up one of the papers that Thirteen had written upon and read its contents.


    There, he saw a detailed outline of what Gerald should craft in chronological order in preparation for the future.


    A nce was enough for the Lace Demon to understand that this was basically a training regimen meant for cksmiths in order to improve their craft as much as possible.


    He picked up another paper, and there, he saw a list of pill recipes that were ranked from Beginner to Grandmaster level.


    As long as someone followed this sequence, it would ensure their growth in the art of pill making, paving the path to bing a Grand Alchemist.


    A sigh escaped Lace Demon''s lips as the seven-year-old asked for another piece of paper.


    Perhaps out of annoyance, he just handed him an entire pack of A4 bond papers and left him to his devices.


    Three hourster, Thirteen finally finished writing a hundred-page letter, which was to be given to his Family.


    Aside from Gerald''s and Alessia''s training routine, he also gave Shasha some pointers on how to effectively use her Martial Technique, Dance of Sris.


    He also added that she must only train its Core Abilities inside their family''s training grounds and never show its full might when she was taken to the Leventis Family''s Main Residence to train.


    He also wrote a letter for Remi. He had personally taught her how to read, so he was certain that his little sister would be able to read his message.


    Thirteen made sure to tell his family that everything was going to be fine, and he also promised to return to them as soon as he could.


    After he finished everything, he asked Lace Demon and The One to send him back to Solterra.


    When he opened his eyes, it was already morning, and to his surprise, he felt as if he had taken a full night''s rest because he felt so rxed and revitalized.


    However, he was still hungry, which he immediately remembered after his stomach started to rumble.


    "I guess it''s time to cook some bird''s meat," Thirteen muttered.


    Although the Lace Demon and The One hadn''t given him any Flint and Steel, Thirteen wasn''t worried.


    He had asked for three things from The One, but in fact, the only things he truly wanted were an essible spatial storage, and for his letters to be sent to his family.


    The second one was just there to make the Omnipotent God think that Thirteen wanted to take advantage of his generosity in order to ask for something that could help him make fire.


    When choosing between two evils, people would usually pick the lesser evil.


    This was the trick that Thirteen had used against the Lace Demon and The One, making them focus on his second request, which made his two other proposals seem more eptable to them.


    In short, it was just a smokescreen to get the two things he really wanted!


    Having spatial storage, no matter how small, was very important to him because it allowed him to store his crude weapons, which he couldn''t carry all day long.


    Lace Demon had told him how to ess his spatial storage, but he didn''t have time to test it in the Celestial Realm.


    Because of this, he closed his eyes and activated his spatial storage to see it for the first time.


    Thirteen was pleasantly surprised that instead of a one-


    square-meter spatial storage, The One actually gave him a two-square-meter spatial storage, which was a size bigger than what he asked for.


    Because of this, he would be able to store more items like his stone spears, wooden spears, and stone axes, which he no longer had to carry on their journey.


    Also, it would be the best ce to store the Condor''s sharp talons, which they could also use as makeshift weapons.


    After appreciating his spatial storage, Thirteen walked towards the Oasis to look for dark gray, ck, or greenish stones.


    These were the natural colors of flint stones that could be seen in rivers andkes.


    After picking up several rocks, he also took some dried leaves and vines from the Desert Por Trees and brought them to the boulder where Cristopher was still sleeping.


    Since the chubby boy had ordered Brutus to listen to Thirteen''s orders as well, Thirteen asked the Troll to dig a small fire pit, where the boy deposited the dried leaves, vines, and small branches.


    He then held one of the Condor''s Talons in his hand and started to strike it with one of the stones he picked up earlier.


    A spark appeared instantly, making Thirteen smile.


    It didn''t take long before a fire was burning merrily inside the Fire Pit that Brutus had dug.


    When Lace Demon and The One saw this, both of them felt the strong urge to spit in Thirteen''s direction because of the boy''s audacity to ask them for Flint and Steel when he could easily start a fire without them!


    In short, they had been had!


    Thirteen chuckled internally because he could already sense the res from the two Omnipotent beings of Solterra and Pangea all the way from the Heavens.


    This was his way of taking revenge on The One for casually saying that it would erase Cristopher''s and his memories if he wanted.


    Memories were very special to him because all of his Hosts were special to him.


    If he forgot about even one of them, he would be extremely sad because they were his treasured memories.


    This was why he felt very angry when The One so casually mentioned the erasing of memories.


    Now that he had vented his anger, Thirteen started to barbecue the meat from the Condor''s legs, which was going to be their first decent meal in Solterra after being spirited away from the world of Pangea.

 Chapter 72 Young Master, You Are Really Good

    <h4>Chapter 72 Young Master, You Are Really Good </h4>


    Brutus'' addition to their team did wonders.


    Because of this, Thirteen discussed with Cristopher and asked him to prioritize giving Monster Cores to the Troll so that it could be a Rank 2 Monster faster.


    Cristopher had no problems with this arrangement. He also wanted to strengthen Brutus as much as possible, so he agreed to Thirteen''s Proposal.


    The Monster Cores of the three Rank 1 Condors were then given to the Troll, who needed two hundred Beast Cores before he could rank up.


    Of course, if they were able to kill Rank 2 Monsters, then it would be better since they gave two points instead of just one.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Brutus >


    Race: Troll


    Rank: 1


    Progress before next Rank up: 3/200


    Skills: None


    Passive Skills: Guts


    Unique Ability: Evolver


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen also asked Cristopher what his Quest was because it was the key that would allow thetter to break through the next Rank in the Human Rankings, allowing him to be a Rookie.


    In order for the chubby boy to return to Pangea and upgrade his Rank to Rookie, he would first need toplete the mission that was assigned to him by The One.


    As the Omnipotent Being that governed all Wanderers, they must all adhere to its rule, and only by doing so would they be able to clear their First Wandering and return home.


    "My Quest is to help light the Beacon of Hope," Cristopher said. "It doesn''t say anything else aside from that. It seems that I need to discover the clues on my own."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "All the Wanderers who have been teleported to thisnd will have the same quest as yours. That''s the way The One does things, so it''s safe to say that you''re not alone in this ce."


    "¡­ Does that mean that most of them are dead by now?" Cristopher asked.


    He was certain that if he hadn''t met Zion, he might have already died in this desert due to how dangerous it was.


    "Probably," Thirteen replied. "Their starting point is several times harder than others. But one thing is clear. Those who do survive will be stronger than most Wanderers of this generation."


    Cristopher agreed with the young boy''s words. He also didn''t think that ordinary children would be able to survive in this merciless ce if they weren''t considered the cream of the crop.


    "Does your quest have a time limit?" Thirteen inquired.


    "No time limit," Cristopher replied. "It says here that if someone elsepletes the Quest, everyone who received it willplete it as well."


    Thirteen''s face became solemn after hearing Cristopher''s words. These kinds of Quests were not umon for Wanderers, and his Host had searched for such things when he was still traveling in the world of Solterra.


    However, there was one problem.


    These kinds of Quests were way harder than most because they usually required more than one person toplete them.


    This was why The One tantly detailed that if someone else was able toplete the Quest, those who had received the same Quest wouldplete it as well.


    "Young Master, what should we do now?" Cristopher asked.


    Since he had decided to treat Thirteen as his temporary Master, he would follow whatever decision he made.


    "Since there is no time limit, we will stay here in the Oasis until Brutus Ranks up," Thirteen replied. "We will also use this opportunity to stock up on food, water, and weapons, which we will use on our journey.


    "I don''t know if there will be another Oasis like this one between where we are and where we need to get to, but it''s better if we assume that we won''t find one again for a while. With that mindset, we will be able to prepare better."


    Cristopher nodded because he found this a very logical way of doing things.


    "Young Master, you''re really good," Cristopher said. "Master Terence can''t evenpare to your resourcefulness."


    "Enough ttery. Order Brutus to dig a hole." Thirteen pointed at a spot between their boulder and the Oasis. "Make it dig there. Make the hole at least five meters deep and big enough to trap a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute."


    Cristopher''s body subconsciously shuddered after hearing Thirteen''s words. He had seen the Monitor Lizard from a distance, and he''d never want to be close to such a monster.


    But the boy beside him was casually telling him to order Brutus to dig a hole that was big enough to trap one.


    "Young Master, you can''t possibly be thinking of¡­"


    "Just do it, Cristopher. This is just to prepare us for any situation. The Yellow Striped Dusk Brute isn''t the only strong Monster here in the Houdini Desert. Don''t forget that we are in Troll and Ogre Territory.


    "The Weakest Ogre that wanders around this ce is a Rank 2 Monster. We might even see Rank 3 Monsterse to the Oasis. Since we''ve decided to stay here until Brutus ranks up, the possibility of meeting one exists. In order to give ourselves a chance of survival, we must do everything in our power to cross the difference in Ranks."


    Cristopher felt as if a whole new world had opened up to him after hearing the young boy''s words.


    He didn''t know how Zion knew where they were and what Monsters weremon in the area, but the way he said these words was filled with confidence that Cristopher believed that the boy knew what he was talking about.


    "Brutus, start digging," Cristopher ordered.


    The Troll grunted and did as it was ordered. It used its bone club to start digging into the ground. Thirteen wasn''t idle and paid close attention to their surroundings.


    Having eaten Condor Meat, his hunger was sated and his head no longer felt lightheaded, allowing him to think better.


    In the distance, the dead bodies of the three condors were huddled together, baking in the desert heat.


    When morning came, Thirteen used the Condor Wings to make a makeshift tent to protect them from the heat of the desert.


    He also asked Brutus to break the bigger branches off the Por Trees and hammer them into the ground so that the Wings could be tied to a supporting structure to hold them up.


    With this, the two teenagers were able to feel a little morefortable as they now had a roof on their heads and a cushy floor made of dried leaves and feathers under their feet.


    Thirteen worked Brutus like a ve.


    As an Avatar, it didn''t need to eat or sleep, but for some reason, it had developed a fear of the little boy, who would constantly give it orders the moment one of its tasks was finished.


    Of course, even though it didn''t need to eat or sleep, it still had the stamina of an ordinary Troll, so it still got tired.


    When this happened, Cristopher would recall Brutus back to his Spatial Storage, allowing the Troll to recover its strength and stamina.


    Half a dayter, the two boys saw a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute appear in the distance.


    It was on its way to the Oasis but immediately stopped after it saw the dead Condors that were huddled together.


    Since it was also an opportunistic Monster, it made a beeline towards the dead condors to feast on their flesh.


    Thirteen had already collected enough Condor Meat and ced it inside his Spatial Storage to be used as food, so he didn''t really care whether the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute ate it all up.


    In fact, he''d rather the Monster be full because then it would not shift its attention to two boys, who would only serve as a snack for it.


    Cristopher looked at the Monster warily. After all, it was a creature that was something that they couldn''t defeat at this time.


    But he believed that, given enough time, they would be able to kill it as long as he followed his Young Master''s order and raised Brutus'' Rank to the next level.

 Chapter 73 One Of The Overlords Of The Desert

    <h4>Chapter 73 One Of The Overlords Of The Desert </h4>


    Thirteen and Cristopher could only watch as the poisonous Monitor Lizard feasted on the three Condors.


    Several minutester, more monsters arrived near the Oasis, including three Desert Wolves that tried to challenge the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute for its meal.


    All three of them were Rank 1 Monsters, and they thought that they could overwhelm the stronger monsters with their speed and numbers. For a while, their strategy worked until one of the Wolves tried to drag the corpse of the Condor away from the Monitor Lizard.


    That move didn''t sit well with the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, so it immediately unleashed its poisonous spray, hitting the pitiful Wolf, who still managed to run away for a few meters before copsing on the ground.


    Its body convulsed for half a minute before it stopped movingpletely.


    In just a span of a few minutes, a Rank 1 Monster died just like that, prompting the other two Wolves to make a hasty retreat.


    Of course, they also managed to deal some moderate injuries to the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, especially near its eyes.


    They knew how tough its scales were, so they only focused on targeting areas where they could deal considerable damage with their teeth and ws, taking turns attacking it in different directions.


    "If one of the wolves hadn''t gotten greedy and decided to steal one of the dead Condors while hisrades were attacking their enemy, things might have ended differently," Cristophermented.


    "Right." Thirteen nodded. "So we mustn''t be too greedy and underestimate our opponents either."


    The Desert Wolves were very agile creatures, so they could easily outrun and dodge the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute''s attacks, as well as its lethal poisonous spray if need be.


    It just so happened that the Desert Wolf that died refused to let go of the Condor, considerably slowing its movements, which gave the Monitor Lizard the opportunity to hit it with its poisonous spray.


    The other Monsters eyed the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute warily. Some of them were tempted to go for the kill, while others decided that it wasn''t worth it and simply drank from the Oasis before going on their way.


    Thirteen and Cristopher had hidden themselves in the makeshift tent and only peeked at the battle from afar.


    Because of this, none of the Monsters paid any attention to them and simply focused their gaze on the victorious Monster, who had added a dead wolf to its menu.


    However, after eating one of the dead Condors, the desert Monitor Lizard decided that it had enough, so it headed toward the Oasis to drink before moving Northwards.


    The Monsters that had stayed decided to also eat the remains of the Condors, with some of them even fighting against each other to take it.


    In the end, some Monsters were injured, while some emerged victorious. Even so, none of them touched the body of the dead Desert Wolf, whose skin had turned purple due to the effects of the poison that had spread inside its body.


    Only the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, the Purple Desert Scorpion, the ck-Furred Wolf Spider, and the Bronze Desert Boa could consume a poisoned Monster without worrying about dying in the process.


    When all the monsters left the oasis, Thirteen asked Cristopher to summon Brutus again to continue digging the hole he had started to dig a few hours ago.


    The trap they were making would only work if it had the element of surprise.


    Some monsters were very smart, so if they ever saw a Troll digging in a certain location, they would be wary of going in that direction.


    A few hourster, Brutus managed to dig a deep enough hole to trap even a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    Thirteen personally entered the hole and ced several stone spears in it, creating a pitfall trap.


    When he was done, he climbed back out with Brutus'' help and ced several branches over it before cing one of the condor''s wings on top of it.


    When he was done, he used dirt and small gravel to hide itpletely from sight.


    Just to make sure that he and Cristopher wouldn''t fall into their own trap, he ced fourrge stones next to the corners of the hole as a visual reminder that there was a trap there.


    A week passed, and the two boys had grown ustomed to a daily routine.


    Every day, they would attack the Rank 1 Monsters that approached the Oasis alone together.


    When the Monster thought that it found two weaklings as its prey, Cristopher would summon Brutus, who would immediatelyunch a full-powered strike on their enemy, catching it by surprise.


    Once the target had been hit by one of its attacks, the rest of the battle would be wrapped up in minutes, with Cristophernding thest blow each time.


    After killing over a dozen monsters, the two boys finally got an item from one of them, which was a dagger from the Rank 1 Purple Desert Scorpion that had wandered into the oasis during the night.


    It was a young Scorpion that was only a meter tall, and three meters long.


    Usually, a Purple Desert Scorpion remained hidden in its burrow because it was too eye-catching during the day.


    It was typically more active during the night and preyed on unsuspecting monsters that wandered too near its burrow.


    This Monster was also known to create pitfall traps and attack its prey once they were immobilized.


    It was one of the most notorious night hunters in the Desert, and it could live for many months without food if water was readily avable.


    The name of the dagger was Purple Stinger, and its de was colored purple just like its namesake.


    It had the passive ability of inflicting poison on those who were pricked by its de, albeit by a small percentage.


    Thirteen asked Cristopher for the dagger because he would be able to use it as a throwing weapon.


    Of course, since Thirteen had the Skill Ban restriction on him, the passive skill of the Purple Stinger of poisoning its target was grayed out.


    This meant that because it was in Thirteen''s possession, this passive ability was currently inactive.


    However, the seven-year-old didn''t care.


    With the dagger, he was able to carve sharper wooden spears, which he nned to use as throwing weapons.


    He even started to make wooden arrows in preparation for when he could make a bow.


    Sadly, he didn''t have the proper materials near the Oasis to make one, so he just made preparations for the future.


    Just as the sun was about to set, Thirteen saw something moving toward the Oasis from the corner of his eye.


    After squinting a bit, he noticed that it was standing on two legs and was, at the very least, two meters tall.


    Most of the time, Cristopher and him stayed in their makeshift tent to stay out of sight in the open.


    The Monsters who were curious enough to approach their resting ce would find themselves falling into one of their pitfall traps.


    Those who were lucky to survive would then be finished off by Brutus without much suspense.


    But the Creature approaching the Oasis wasn''t an ordinary Monster.


    ''An Ogre,'' Thirteen thought before motioning for Cristopher to lie low and not do anything.


    "If ites to us, wait until it falls into one of our traps before you summon Brutus," Thirteen said in a volume that only the chubby boy could hear.


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied.


    They had spent more than a week in the Oasis, but this was the first time they had seen an Ogre.


    Ogres were stronger than Trolls and also more intelligent than thetter.


    This was why whenever the two sides fought, it would almost always be the Trolls who ended up being on the losing side.


    As one of the strongest races in the Houdini Desert, very few Monsters were their match.


    Because of this, they were able to grow in numbers and be one of the Overlords of the Desert, which Thirteen was looking forward to fighting.

 Chapter 74 Cristopher’s Hidden Class

    <h4>Chapter 74 Cristopher¡¯s Hidden ss </h4>


    "Stay here, and summon Brutus at the right moment," Thirteen ordered.


    "Young Monster, are you going to fight that Ogre?!" Cristopher asked.


    Clearly, the chubby boy was horrified by the notion of fighting an Ogre this early.


    "Yes."


    "B-But why? We can just let it leave like the other Monsters. Why must you fight it?"


    Thirteen lightly patted the chubby boy''s shoulder, while continuing to look at the Ogre in the distance.


    "We can''t stay in this Oasis forever," Thirteen stated. "I know that I told you that the moment Brutus reaches Rank 2, we will leave this ce. However, it will be best to first gauge how strong an Ogre is because we might encounter a lot of them as we continue our journey.


    "Don''t worry, I will not do something that I believe that I cannot handle. Everything is within my calctions, and there is a high chance of winning."


    Yes, Thirteen wouldn''t do anything without a chance of winning.


    This was why he was confident that he would be able to fight against the Ogre, using his martial technique Cheap Shot Savant, the traps he made, as well as the Troll, Brutus.


    With these three added on the equation, Thirteen believed that he had enough Trump Cards to defeat the Ogre in front of him.


    After stepping out of the Tent, Thirteen walked steadily towards one of the Pit Traps that they had painstakingly created.


    This one was around four-meters deep, which Thirteen had made specifically for Ogres.


    It contained several stone spears which would not really hurt a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute due to its hard scales, but it could give an Ogre a world of pain.


    Thirteen was unable to see Cristopher''s stats, so he was unable to determine if he had a Hidden ss, or if he was just lucky enough to get an Avatar of the Troll after killing one.


    But Trolls and other Brute Type Monsters, like Ogres, were part of the "nearly impossible" list of creatures to get an Avatar of.


    He didn''t know if "The One" simply hated these types of Monsters, but their Avatar Capture Rate was even lower than Dragons, which was one in a hundred thousand.


    People even said that if someone were to get a Dragon''s Avatar, it just meant that they had used all the luck in their lifetime because they were one of, if not the strongest race in the world, and their Avatars were worth Billions of Gold, if they were to be sold to Auction Houses.


    If the Avatar Capture Rate of Dragons was one in a hundred thousand, the Avatar Capture Rate of Brute Type Monsters were one in a million.


    Yes.


    It was one in a million.


    Which was why Thirteen was very surprised that Christopher managed to catch one on his first try.


    Although the chubby boy didn''t have much luck in getting the Avatar of other Monsters, or even weapons from them, the seven-year-old believed that Cristopher had a hidden ss, and he would test his theory right here, right now.


    "Hey, Ugly!" Thirteen shouted catching the Ogre''s attention. "I''m right here! Come and get me!"


    Although Ogre''s weren''t that intelligent, they could still understand Human words to a certain extent.


    The thing they hated the most was being called ugly.


    After getting a better look at it, Thirteen realized that the Ogre was over three meters tall,


    ''At least at the peak of Rank 2,'' Thirteen thought as he stood his ground, standing perfectly still.


    When the Ogre saw that its prey didn''t n on running away, it increased its speed, raring to crush the boy''s body into meat paste.


    But, just before it could reach its target, the ground under its feet gave way, making it fall down on the pitfall trap that was filled with stone spears.


    The Ogre cried out in pain the moment its body was pierced by the stone spears, whichter shattered under the monster''s weight.


    Cristopher was quick to act and summoned Brutus who picked up one of the nearby boulders that had been ced near every pitfall trap that they created.


    The strategy when dealing with Monsters was really simple.


    The moment they fell inside the trap, Brutus would appear and throw one of the boulders on the Monster''s head or body, further hurting it.


    When Brutus threw the Boulder inside the Pitfall, he aimed it directly at the Ogre''s head.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, the boulder actually shattered, making his eyes widen in shock.


    Leaving nothing to chance, Brutus started to pound the Ogre''s head with its club.


    Since the Ogre was perfectly stuck inside the pitfall, it couldn''t lift its arms, and was unable to fight back against the one-sided beating from the Troll, whom its race treated as inferior, and sometimes used as ves after they were captured.


    Brutus still had its memory from before it died, so it had a deep hatred for Ogres.


    Because of this, all of its blows were filled with anger and hatred, making it look like a crazed Monster that was out for blood.


    The Ogre''s head was already bloody from the repeated blows that it was taking, but it was still very much alive.


    Suddenly, the bone club in Brutus'' hand broke, but the Troll couldn''t be stopped.


    It resorted to using its fists and repeatedly punched the Ogre''s head, shouting a bestial growl each time it unleashed a punch.


    Cristopher, who was now standing beside Thirteen, looked at this scene with a pale expression on his face.


    "Take this," Thirteen said as he handed the Purple Stinger to the chubby boy. "Ask Brutus to stop attacking for a while, while you stab it repeatedly with this weapon."


    Cristopher no longer asked his temporary Master why he needed to attack the Ogre whenBrutus was already beating it senseless.


    He just stabbed the back of the Ogre''s head several times with the dagger.


    After stabbing the Ogre''s head for the 7th time, the Purple Stinger''s de glowed, which signaled that its passive ability to inflict poison had activated.


    "That''s enough," Thirteen ordered. "Let Brutus continue punching it."


    The Troll, who was more than happy to resume its one-sided beating of its mortal enemy, roared and pressed its hands together before smacking the Ogre''s head with all of its might.


    Ten minutester, the Ogre finally died a pitiful death, unable to hit its opponents even once.


    The poison and the beating it was receiving from Brutus elerated its death, which made Thirteen look at the dead body fiercely as if waiting for something to happen.


    Suddenly, the Ogre''s body shrunk and transformed into a miniature crystal statue of an Ogre before disappearingpletely.


    A momentter, Cristopher''s eyes widened in shock as he heard a voice inside his head, informing him that he had acquired an Ogre''s Avatar.


    "Young Master! I got another Avatar!" Cristopher said giddily. "Unfortunately, this one doesn''t have the Evolver Skill. If it did, it would have been better!"


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face because he had finally confirmed his suspicions.


    The Omnipotent Being of Solterra and Pangea might be merciless, but it didn''t send children to Solterra just to die.


    No.


    He sent them there to be strong, so that one day, they would have the power to protect Pangea from the Jinns and Majins, who could potentially wipe the Human race from the face of the world.


    The children who were sent to the Houdini Desert were fated to be there, in more ways than one.


    This also meant that their greatest opportunity was also there, allowing them to obtain great rewards before and after they cleared their mission.


    ''I knew it,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the giddy boy, who summoned the Rank 2 Ogre they had just killed. ''Cristopher is a Brute Tamer.''


    The seven-year-old didn''t expect that the chubby boy, who had almost no survival skills, had managed to acquire a Hidden ss, which would y a vital role in their quest to Light the Beacon of Hope.

 Chapter 75 The Pros And Cons Of Brute Tamers [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 75 The Pros And Cons Of Brute Tamers [Part 1] </h4>


    This was one of the Hidden sses in Solterra, but only a handful of people had managed to get it.


    But, the irony of it all was that even those who got it, didn''t know they had the Job ss.


    Just like the ss implied, it was truly a Hidden ss.


    It couldn''t be seen on their Status Screens.


    People who had it lived and died, not knowing that they could have be one of the most powerful men and women in the world.


    Sadly, they weren''t aware of it because it didn''t appear on their Status Screens, so they only contributed it to luck.


    Since Thirteen had been in Pangea and Solterra once, his database had been filled with all the information about the world, including the Hidden sses, and Brute Tamer was indeed one of them.


    "You lucky son of a¡­," Thirteen stopped what he was going to say next because he knew that it was inappropriate. Cristopher loved his mother so much, so he couldn''t possibly finish it on the wrong note. "You lucky son of an amazing woman."


    Upon hearing his words, Cristopher blinked in confusion but smiled in the end. Anyone calling his mother amazing was a good person in his book.


    Right now, Thirteen was in a dilemma.


    ''Should I tell him about his Hidden Profession,'' Thirteen pondered for a bit, but in the end, he decided toe clean with Cristopher because he had already decided to support the chubby boy, who had thebel "Cannon Fodder" stered on his butt cheeks.


    "Cristopher, let''s go back to the tent," Thirteen said. "There''s something very important I want to say to you. For now, order Brutus and¡­"


    "Bruno," Cristopher interjected. "I named the Ogre, Bruno."


    Thirteen blinked once before nodding his head.


    "Order Bruno to dig more holes over there, and over there," Thirteen ordered and pointed at two ces near the big boulder where their make-shift tent had been set up.


    Cristopher nodded and sent his two Brutes to do as Thirteen asked him to do.


    Upon returning to the make-shift tent made up of the wings of the Condors they had killed, Thirteen made Cristopher sit, so he could have a heart to heart talk with him.


    "Cristopher, I have good news and bad news," Thirteen said. "Which one do you want to hear first?"


    "Young Master, let me hear the bad news first," Cristopher replied.


    Thirteen nodded and told him the bad news.


    "The bad news is that aside from Brute Type Monsters, it is impossible for you to gain other Avatars," Thirteen replied. "In fact, even if you bought, or acquired Avatars through trades, these Avatars would not listen to you, and may even outright disobey your orders."


    "Huh?" Cristopher looked at the young boy in disbelief. "Why?"


    "It''s because you have acquired a Hidden ss."


    "A Hidden ss?"


    Cristopher then opened his Status Screen to look for the ss that his temporary Master was talking about.


    "Young Master, I don''t see any Hidden ss," Cristopher reported.


    "That''s why it''s called a Hidden ss," Thirteen exined. "You will not see it in your Status Page, but it''s definitely there."


    Cristopher scratched his head before shifting his attention back to his young master.


    "Now, I will tell you the good news," Thirteen stated. "The Hidden ss you acquired is the Brute Tamer."


    "Brute Tamer?" Cristopher frowned. "Never heard of it."


    "Of course you never heard of it," Thirteen replied. "Even those that have it don''t know they have it. Now, let me tell you what a Brute Tamer is."


    Thirteen nced at the Troll and the Ogre in the distance who were busy digging holes to create the next batch of pitfall traps that they could use to trap Monsters before continuing his exnation.


    "The Brute Tamer is a special ss that specializes in acquiring the Avatars of Brute Type Monsters," Thirteen stated. "If you don''t know what Brute Type Monsters are, just think of big, strong, and dumb monsters. All of them fall into the Brute Monster Category. However, some Brute Monsters are actually smart, which is a good thing for you.


    "Now, to give you a more detailed exnation, Trolls, Ogres, Orcs, Minotaurs, Bears, Yetis, Boars, and other simr monsters are Brute Type Monsters. Now tell me, how many Ogres or Minotaur Type Avatars do you see in Auction Houses or Avatar Trade Shops?"


    "Less than a handful," Cristopher replied.


    Truth be told, he was a fan of Brute Type Monsters because they were everything that he wasn''t.


    They were big and strong, which were the traits that Cristopher wanted to possess.


    This was why, when he suddenly got a Troll Avatar, he was ecstatic. When he received the Ogre Avatar, he felt likeughing out loud like a madman.


    "Now, let me tell you all the good things about this ss, as well as all the bad things about this ss," Thirteen said. "Let''s start with the good things first. The good thing is that if you happen to defeat a Brute Type Monster, you are 100% guaranteed to receive their Avatar. However, you can only get one Avatar per species.


    "For example, Brutus is a Rank 1 Troll. This means that if you saw a Rank 4 Desert Troll like him, you will not get an Avatar because you already have Brutus. The same for Bruno. Since you already have a Rank 2 Desert Ogre, you will not be able to get the Avatar of Ogres that have a higher rank."


    Cristopher''s mouth fell open after hearing Thirteen''s exnation. He had no idea why the boy knew about these things, but for some reason, he was very inclined to believe it, even though he didn''t have any solid proof.


    But, after hearing that he might have missed the chance to acquire higher ranking Monsters because he had already captured a Monster of that species, the earlier happiness he felt suddenly disappeared like the fleeting clouds in the sky.


    Seeing his expression, Thirteen could only smirk because he already knew what the chubby boy was thinking.


    It was only natural for others to want stronger and more powerful Monsters, but Cristopher was forgetting one thing.


    He was still too weak to even dream about acquiring stronger Monsters, who could easily kill him just by spitting in his direction.


    Thirteen intended to pound somemon sense into his temporary subordinate to make sure that he wouldn''t be a frog, who would try to eat a swan.

 Chapter 76 The Pros And Cons Of Brute Tamers [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 76 ?The Pros And Cons Of Brute Tamers [Part 2] </h4>


    "Cristopher, don''t get too ahead of yourself," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Don''t bite off more than you can chew. Sure, higher-ranking Monsters are strong, but are you able to kill them?"


    "¡­ No, Young Master," Cristopher replied. "I''m sorry. I just became too ambitious."


    "It''s fine to be ambitious, but you must understand that a dead genius is no longer a genius," Thirteen stated. "You don''t have to hurry. You will eventually acquire stronger Monsters as you progress through the Human Rankings. Now, let''s continue."


    Cristopher nodded and listened seriously to what his Young Master was about to say.


    "The good thing about Brute Tamers is that the first Brute Monster Avatar that they obtain is special," Thirteen exined. "It will always have the ability to Evolve. This is why Brutus has the skill Evolver. In simple terms, as long as you spend time nurturing him, he will be one of your strongest supporters as you grow stronger."


    Cristopher felt happy inside because Brutus was his very first Avatar. Of course, he knew that people discarded their Avatars the moment they surpassed their Ranks as well as when they were no longer useful to them.


    He didn''t want this to happen, so he was truly happy when he saw that Brutus had the ability to evolve. This meant that he would apany Cristopher for a long time.


    "Now, the downside of being a Brute Tamer, like I said earlier, is that you won''t be able to gain any Avatars aside from Brute Monsters," Thirteen said. "Any Avatars that you buy or trade for will not listen to your orders, so don''t bother getting them.


    "The second downside of being a Brute Tamer is that you have to share your resources with your first Brute Monster. Just like now. You are giving Brutus all the Monster Cores we obtain to our kills instead of using them to strengthen yourself.


    "Of course, you can choose not to do this and just focus on making yourself stronger. You just need to look for Higher Ranking Brute Monsters to serve as your bodyguard for the time being."


    With good nning, Cristopher didn''t need to strengthen Brutus and could just focus on strengthening himself.


    Although it was dangerous, he could just hunt Higher Ranking Brutes in the world of Solterra, allowing him to not waste additional resources on the first Brute Monster that he had acquired.


    "Young Master, I want to keep Brutus with me," Cristopher replied.


    "You can do whatever you want, Cristopher." Thirteen stated. "Your life, your choices."


    The chubby boy then nodded after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    "Now, since you are now aware of your Hidden ss, we can exploit it to the fullest." Thirteen smirked. "Originally, I nned to go to the East to enter the City of Barbarians, but now, we have a few more options avable to us."


    Thirteen put down four stones in front of him, which made Cristopher wonder what the younger boy was doing.


    "The West is the territory of the Trolls," Thirteen exined. "The South belongs to the Ogres, the North belongs to the Orcs, and the East is where the Barbarians are. I have a proposal to make to maximize your potential and to ensure that we will have a higher chance of surviving our First Wandering."


    Cristopher''s ears perked up when he heard the phrase "maximize your potential''''. He could already understand what the young boy was going to say because his hand was pointing at the North, where the Orcs were located.


    Just like Thirteen had exined earlier, Orcs were also Brute Type monsters.


    It was as if the Houdini Desert was specially catered to make Cristopher one of the Powerhouses of the next generation.


    Originally, Thirteen only nned to make Cristopher his temporary subordinate. But now that his suspicions were confirmed, he threw away any intention he had of letting him return to Terrance''s side.


    Let Cristopher go back to Terence and be his subordinate again?


    What a joke!


    He knew that Terence would be angry about his subordinate being poached away from him.


    But if he had a problem, talk to Arthur Leventis! See if he will choose you over me!


    Thirteen was determined to make Cristopher part of his Inner Circle. Since the chubby boy only joined the Leventis Family to help pay the medical fees of his mother, Thirteen would dly shoulder it.


    In fact, he would even cure the illness of Cristopher''s mother free of charge.


    So what if Terence got angry with him?


    In Arthur''s eyes, Thirteen''s value was higher than the current Young Masters of the Leventis Family.


    If Thirteen wanted something from the Leventis Family, Arthur would have no choice but to take him seriously or risk getting on his bad side.


    And Arthur knew that he couldn''t get on Thirteen''s bad side!


    "Cristopher, I asked you to be my temporary subordinate, but now I changed my mind," Thirteen stated. "I want you to serve me as your true Master. You don''t have to worry about Terence because, I promise you, even if he doesn''t agree, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family, Arthur Leventis, will order you to be my subordinate with just a word from me.


    "Of course, the reason why I am doing this is because of your potential. I will not lie to you that this is the main reason as to why I changed my mind from only keeping you as my temporary subordinate to being a permanent one. Of course, I will not force you.


    "If you wish to refuse my offer, you are free to do so. However, hear what I have to say. You will reach greater heights being with me than you will if you return to Terence''s side. I can also promise to cure the illness of your mother. This is not just lip service. I will do it as soon as I return to Pangea. You have my word."


    "Young Master, will you really cure my mother?" Cristopher asked with a serious expression on my face.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I will swear it on my name."


    Cristopher didn''t have to think twice and epted Thirteen''s invitation to be his true subordinate and not just a temporary one.


    He had been observing the younger boy since the two of them had met, and something inside him was screaming at him that this was a chance of a lifetime.


    If he refused this opportunity, Thirteen would never ask him to be his subordinate again.


    "I will be your subordinate, Young Master," Cristopher said in a solemn tone. "I look forward to working with you from this day onward."


    "Likewise, Cristopher," Thirteen said as he extended his hand for a handshake.


    Now that they had formalized their Master and subordinate rtionship, Thirteen started to create a new n.


    A n that would make their lives much easier despite the dangers that were always around them in the Houdini Desert.

 Chapter 77 Let’s Do This

    <h4>Chapter 77 Let¡¯s Do This </h4>


    A month passed since Thirteen and Cristopher had been sent to the world of Solterra.


    Although they experienced many ups and downs, the two managed to ovee all of them with the help of Brutus and Bruno, who tag-teamed to annihte any Rank 1 Monsters that fell for Thirteen''s and Cristopher''s taunting, triggering them to run in the pair''s direction, only to fall into the pitfalls traps that they created.


    After the Monster had fallen to their traps, Christopher would summon Brutus and Bruno, who would deal the finishing blow to the Monster that never stood a chance against their overwhelming might.


    The number of Monsters they had in was nearing three digits, but the number of items that Cristopher gained was pitifully low.


    Despite killing over seventy monsters, they only gained three items.


    The first one was the Purple Stinger, which was currently in Thirteen''s possession.


    The second one was Spiked Bronze Mace which came from a Spiny Bronze Anteater, which was a very tough cookie to crack.


    Out of the Monsters they had killed, it was this monster that made Thirteen, Cristopher, Brutus, and Bruno work together, with everything in their power, to kill it.


    It was one of the Rank 2 Monsters that had wandered near the Oasis, and its defenses were very tough.


    Fortunately, its underside wasn''t as tough as its exterior, so the moment Bruno seeded in flipping it over, its fate had been sealed.


    Its death allowed Brutus to have a good weapon that had a small chance of paralyzing its target the moment its spikes made contact with its body.


    Last but not the least was a ck spear called Night Piercer, which Cristopher acquired from a ck Scorpion that had wandered too close at their makeshift base during the night. They didn''t see it right away since it came from behind the boulder, the blindspot in their field of vision.


    Fortunately, Brutus and Bruno were on night duty, so they immediately eliminated the threat before it could attack the two sleeping children, who were woken up the moment the two Brute Monsters unleashed their warcries and started to clobber the poor Scorpion silly.


    All the weapons they got were Bronze Grade Equipment, so they didn''t have any problems equipping them.


    Since Thirteen was now considered a True Wanderer after declining the Lace Demon''s offer to return to Pangea, he was now able to use Bronze-Grade Equipments as well, just like Cristopher.


    "Just a little more, and Brutus will evolve into a Rank 2 Monster," Thirteen said as he ate some barbecued scorpion meat.


    He made sure that Brutus cut off the Scorpion''s stinger, so the venom wouldn''t make the rest of its meat poisonous.


    Also, since they had venom at the ready, Thirteen dipped their makeshift weapons into it, especially the wooden spears, as well as the wooden arrows, making them more potent in battle.


    Since Cristopher wasn''t part of his family, he couldn''t bestow upon him any Martial Techniques that he could use to be stronger in Solterra.


    He was already nning to negotiate with the Lace Demon and The One to add Hans and Cristopher to the people allowed to benefit from his abilities after he cleared the "Thirteen Trials" that had been forced upon him by his father, the System God.


    However, since the chubby boy needed something to help him survive, Thirteen decided to teach him how to throw spears and basic spear footwork that he could use if the enemy managed to close in on him.


    Cristopher didn''t really want to fight enemies in closebat and preferred to use range weapons.


    But they didn''t have bows and arrows, so Thirteen decided to temporarily teach him how to throw the wooden spears in their collection.


    During the past week, Cristopher did nothing but throw one spear after the other, with the younger boy giving him pointers. Slowly but surely, his range and uracy improved.


    Thirteen also taught him the basics of blocking, deflecting, and stabbing.


    For this, Thirteen asked Brutus to be Cristopher''s sparring partner since the monsters that weremonly seen in the Desert were two meters tall and above.


    The chubby boy needed to get used to fighting bigger monsters in order to get a chance to survive if something managed to get past Thirteen''s, Brutus'', and Bruno''s defenses.


    Finally, after another half a month had passed, Brutus managed to reach the required number of Monster Cores to evolve to the next Rank.


    The moment Brutus became a Rank 2 Monster, its features became sharper, and there were even ck tattoos that appeared on its arms and chest.


    It looked more intimidating than before, and with two Rank 2 Monsters as their bodyguards, Thirteen felt that it would be a good time to head North and enter the territory of the Orcs.


    But just as they were about to do that, a monster, which they hadn''t seen for a long time, appeared near the Oasis.


    It was none other than the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    Thirteen and Cristopher looked at the Monster and exchanged a nce with each other.


    Cristopher was very wary of this monster, knowing that Brutus and Bruno were not fast enough to avoid its Poisonous Spray.


    The moment the Monster died, their Avatar would also shatter, and would not be usable again.


    There were no ways to repair an Avatar, and the Monster''s death was final.


    The only saving grace was that if one of his Brute Type Monsters died, he would be able to capture a new Brute Type Monster of that species.


    However, Thirteen had a feeling that Cristopher wasn''t the type to treat his summoned Monsters like disposable tools that he could discard whenever he wanted.


    He didn''t want the chubby boy to have this kind of mindset either since once one started thinking in this direction, it would be very hard to stop.


    Thirteen pondered long and hard beforeing up with a decision.


    "Cristopher," Thirteen said. "Let''s do this."


    "¡­ Understood, Young Master," Cristopher replied.


    There was still hesitation in his voice, but he trusted Thirteen enough to listen to his orders.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t let Brutus or Bruno die," Thirteen stated. "We now have what it takes to beat that thing."


    Cristopher nodded as he listened to the n that Thirteen had made in order to defeat one of the most dangerous Rank 2 Monsters, whose venom could easily kill both of them before they could even regret their life choices.

 Chapter 78 Young Master, Please Reconsider

    <h4>Chapter 78 Young Master, Please Reconsider </h4>


    Thirteen knew that even if they lured the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute into one of their pitfall traps, it would not really do much damage to its body due to the hard scales that protected it.


    Their wooden and stone spears would not even put a dent in its armor, so their weapons were more or less useless.


    The only realistic thing they could do was to let Brutus and Bruno tag-team to smack it into submission with their Spiked Mace and Bone Club.


    However, they weren''t exactly the fastest-moving monsters in the Houdini Desert.


    The Monitor Lizard was also slow-moving, but it had something that the two Brutes didn''t have, and that was a poisonous spray attack that could kill the two Avatars in minutes.


    Over the past month, Thirteen had strategized a way to ovee its deadly weapon, but in order for his n to work, Brutus and Bruno had to get close enough to execute his n.


    In fact, they had to get extremely close, which was the main problem.


    When faced with strong monsters, the first thing that the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute would do was use its Poison Spray to target them from a distance.


    It was very possible that Brutus and Bruno may dodge the first poison spray attack, but the second one would be harder to dodge.


    If the two Brutes were able to close the distance, then their victory was assured.


    To have a higher chance of sess, Thirteen was willing to make sacrifices¡ªlike using Bruno to tank the Poison Spray while Brutus went to execute the n.


    This strategy had a very high chance of sess but at the cost of losing the Rank 2 Ogre, which he promised Cristopher wouldn''t happen.


    So, there was only one choice.


    Thirteen must join the two Brutes in attacking the Monitor Lizard to give them at least a fifty-fifty chance of winning without any of them dying.


    When he shared his n with Cristopher the chubby boy''s face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.


    "Young Master, please reconsider," Cristopher said. "We don''t have to fight that thing. We can just wait for it to leave, and we can go on our way."


    "You''re right, Cristopher," Thirteen replied. "But if we manage to kill this monster and retrieve its poison sack, we will be able to neutralize almost all of the threats that we will face in the Houdini Desert."


    The poison of the Purple Desert Scorpion and the ck Scorpion could paralyze the Monsters that they were fighting against, but some stronger Monsters were more resistant to their paralysis.


    Because of this, they could only resort to another method which would slowly but surely kill their enemies, and that was by using the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    Also, Thirteen was wondering if the Monitor Lizard was a Brute Monster as well due to its name.


    He was aware that this was a shot to the moon, but if the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute was really a Brute Type Monster, and Brutus and Bruno were able to kill it, they would have another formidablerade in their party, which would truly make Cristopher a formidable Wanderer in the Houdini Desert.


    Perhaps, Cristopher subconsciously knew of this as well, but he was afraid that his Young Master might get seriously injured, or worse, die from the attempt of tackling one of the most dangerous Rank 2 Monsters in the Houdini Desert.


    "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Thirteen said as he looked at the Monitor Lizard that was only a hundred meters away from the Oasis. "This is also good training for you, Cristopher. You must master the proper way to summon and unsummon your Creatures."


    "If you think that Brutus or Bruno are going to be hit by the Poison Spray, recall them right away. However, you can only recall one of them.


    "I will need one of them to assist me in fighting against the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute in closebat. If both of them disappear, I''ll be easy prey for the Monster. So make sure to only recall one of them as ast resort."


    Cristopher gritted his teeth before nodding his head.


    He had no idea whether this would really work, but he prayed to all the Gods in Solterra that they seed on their first try.


    "Brutus, Bruno, make sure to always listen to the orders of the Young Master!" Cristopher ordered.


    The Troll and the Ogre both nodded their heads as they, too, prepared to fight against the Monster that even their tribes were very reluctant to face in battle.


    Thirteen did a few short stretches to prepare himself for what he was about to do. When he was finally ready, he circled the pitfalls in order to approach the oasis.


    Brutus and Bruno did the same, but after passing the pitfall traps, the two Monsters separated and approached the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute from its left and back sides.


    Meanwhile, Thirteen was approaching the monster from its front, holding a stone spear he had dipped into the toxin of the Purple Desert Scorpion.


    Although the Monitor Lizard''s body was covered in hard scales, there were still ces that were vulnerable, like its eyes and the inside of its mouth.


    However, even Thirteen, who was confident in his throwing skill, wasn''t really sure if he would be able to hit his target.


    At the very least, it was worth trying since he was faster than the two Brutes, who were slowly but surely closing the distance between them and the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    Thirteen waited until the Monitor Lizard started to drink from the oasis before he initiated his attack.


    After taking out a Stone Axe from his Spatial Storage, Thirteen swiftly threw it toward the face of the Yellow Striped Dark Brute, hitting its snout.


    Immediately, the Monitor Lizard hissed in anger and red in Thirteen''s direction.


    Thirteen, who finally got the Monster''s attention, took out another Stone Axe and threw it in the Monster''s direction, making thetter even more furious.


    The Yellow Striped Dusk Brute had faced many kinds of opponents in its lifetime. But it had never faced a Human boy, who dared to attack it while it was quenching its thirst.

 Chapter 79 Thirteen’s Dangerous Gamble

    <h4>Chapter 79 Thirteen¡¯s Dangerous Gamble </h4>


    The Stone Axe bounced off its body, dealing no damage whatsoever.


    However, the boy had sessfully triggered the Monster and made it advance in his direction.


    Seeing this, Brutus and Bruno hastened their approach, almost running at full speed in order to bridge the distance.


    However, the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute had already seen the two of them quite a while ago and had also taken precautions in case these two Monsters attacked him at the same time.


    The Human boy was annoying, but he posed no threat to it whatsoever. Because of this, the Monster turned its attention to Brutus, who was closest to it, and unleashed a poison spray that had an effective range of twenty meters.


    The Troll might not be the fastest monster in the Houdini Desert, but it was still faster than an Ogre.


    Brutus swiftly dodged to the side, evading the Poison Spray. Upon impact, poisonous white fumes erupted from the earth, thinly enveloping the surroundings.


    Seeing that its attempt had failed, the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute prepared to release another spray attack.


    However, it stopped after it caught sight of the approaching figure of the Ogre from the corner of its eye, whom it recognized as the bigger threat at the moment.


    Knowing that it couldn''t afford to let the powerful monster get close, the Yellow Striped Brute Monster unleashed its Poisonous Spray once more. This time, it increased its power and range, creating a wide-sweeping cone of toxic mist, making sure that the Ogre had nowhere to escape.


    A few seconds before the Poison Spray reached the Ogre, Bruno turned into particles of light as he was recalled by Cristopher at the nick of time.


    The Yellow Striped Dusk Brute was surprised to see its target suddenly vanish in front of it, making it stop its spray attackpletely.


    It made sure that the Ogre didn''t just duck or hide itself somewhere to escape its attack.


    Because its attention had been focused on the Ogre, it didn''t notice the seven-year-old boy who was approaching it from behind.


    Thirteen had activated his movement technique, Traceless Shadow, which was the perfect assassination footwork due to its soundless nature.


    With the Monitor Lizard''s attentionpletely focused on the two stronger Monsters, it didn''t notice that the boy had made a beeline toward it from behind.


    When Thirteen was only a meter away from the Monster''s head, he grabbed something from his Spatial Storage that resembled a muzzle, which he had specially crafted for the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    With a calmness that far surpassed anyone his age, Thirteen fearlessly jumped onto the Monster''s head and slipped the muzzle over its jaws in one swift movement.


    He then firmly locked it in ce with the strap that was made from the long thick hair of a Houdini Mustang, which Thirteen had baited towards one of their pitfall traps.


    The seven-year-old boy had no intention of riding the Monitor Lizard like a cowboy since it was also known to do Death Rolls.


    As soon as he finished what he intended to do, he hurriedly jumped away before the Monster could even react to the sneak attack he had unleashed from behind.


    The Yellow Striped Dusk Brute wasn''t really the smartest of creatures. With its strength, it could easily kill anything in sight, allowing it to move unhindered anywhere in the Houdini Desert.


    Perhaps it was for this reason that it took a while for it to realize what had happened to it, buying Thirteen precious seconds to run away with all of his might.


    The boy had already run six feet away from the Monster when it finally showed a reaction to what the annoying Human had done.


    It immediately tried to pry the muzzle off of its jaws, rubbing its face against the ground in an attempt to dislodge it.


    However, it held strong. It was made from the body parts of the Spiny Bronze Anteater, making it exceptionally durable.


    The Monitor Lizard had small wed feet and hands, which couldn''t reach up to its jaw, so it couldn''t use it to remove the muzzle that was ced on its head.


    Perhaps out of anger, it then started to do a death roll, which was something that crocodiles and alligators did to tear their prey apart.


    While it was doing this, Brutus had finally closed the distance and raised its spiked mace high over its head.


    With a roar that reverberated in the surroundings, the Troll smashed the Mace down, targeting the back of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute''s head.


    Sparks emerged from the point of impact, showing just how hard the Monster''s scales were.


    Even so, Brutus'' attack still did damage to it. Shallow puncture wounds could be seen on the Monster''s head.


    The Troll repeatedly bashed the Monitor Lizard, who had tried to defend itself byshing the Troll with its tail.


    This attack sent Brutus falling backward due to the force behind the attack.


    At the end of the day, the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute was still a peak Rank 2 Monster, making it a very formidable enemy even without using its poisonous breath.


    However, Brutus propped itself up in a matter of seconds and once again engaged the enemy in closebat.


    Left with no choice but to use its tail and short ws to fight, the Monitor Lizard did its best to use its body''s robust defenses to endure Brutus'' fierce attacks while counter-attacking from time to time.


    But just as it was about to use its tail to attack the Troll for the sixth time, something grabbed its tail from behind, preventing the Yellow Dusk Brute fromshing it toward the Troll, who had been smacking the back of its head non-stop with its spiked mace.


    The Monitor Lizard hissed in anger when it realized that the Ogre it had tried to kill earlier had not only returned but was also holding onto its tail.


    This gave Brutus the perfect opportunity to keep on pounding the monster''s head, drawing more and more blood.


    Bruno, who was holding onto the Lizard''s tail with its left hand, raised the bone club in its right and smashed it down on the Lizard''s back leg, making thetter hiss in pain.


    The two Brute Monsters were pounding it at the same time. With all of its means of attack neutralized, the Yellow Striped Brute was unable to show any kind of resistance.


    A purplish liquid was dripping from its mouth as it tried to unleash a poison spray despite the muzzle that was preventing it from opening its jaws.


    There was still a way for it to poison the Troll and Ogre. With the intention of letting the purple droplets hit the Troll''s and the Ogre''s bodies, it shook its head from side to side. Having noticed this, Brutus decisively sat on the monster''s neck and rode it like a champ, holding it in ce.


    Bruno, on the other hand, sat on the monster''s back, adding extra weight, which burdened the oversized lizard from moving and throwing them off with a death roll.


    After several minutes of painful pounding, the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute finally breathed itsst, dying with a heart full of resentment.


    Not only was it unable to use its ability in battle, but it was also pounded until it died, making it die a slow and pitiful death.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t turn into an Avatar, proving that it wasn''t really a Brute-Type Monster.


    However, Cristopher gained equipment from it, making him extremely happy.


    It was none other than the Dusk Brute Armor, which covered the wielder''s entire body.


    Thirteen almostughed out loud when Cristopher equipped it because he looked like a chubby, Yellow Striped Dusk Brute that was standing on two legs.


    The armor provided exceptional defense, and it could also help fool their enemies because it made Cristopher look like a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, which the denizens of the Houdini Desert avoided like a gue.


    As long as the chubby boyy down on the ground on all fours, anyone would think that he was the dreaded poisonous monster instead of a teenage boy who was pretending to act like one.


    "First things first, let''s hang this monster upside down in one of the pitfall traps, so that the poison in its mouth will drain out," Thirteen proposed. "We can collect its Monster Coreter. This time, you will absorb it, allowing you to build your body up."


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied with a smile.


    The chubby boy looked forward to strengthening himself with the Beast Core, allowing himself to be stronger.


    In order to achieve the Rookie Rank, he would need to absorb a hundred cores, allowing him to gain a strength that far surpassed normal Humans.


    This was also the first stage for Wanderers, which increased their lifespan by twenty years and doubled their strength and the overall performance of their bodies.


    If possible, Cristopher wanted to be a Rookie before he returned to Pangea, which was something that all those who had been spirited away prioritized.


    This was to ensure that, on the day of their Second Wandering, they would be stronger than their past self, giving them a higher chance of surviving the next stage of their trial, which would allow them to be Adepts.

 Chapter 80 Orc Hunting Party

    <h4>Chapter 80 Orc Hunting Party </h4>


    "Young Master, must I really do this?"


    "Yes."


    "How long must I do this?"


    "Until I''m satisfied."


    A groan escaped Cristopher''s lips as he crawled on the ground on all fours. His two Avatars, Brutus and Bruno, quietly watched their pitiful master, not daring to do anything to help him because Thirteen forbade them from doing anything.


    Currently, the seven-year-old was riding on Brutus'' shoulders as they walked toward the North end of the Houdini Desert.


    The Ogre was pulling what seemed to be a makeshift wooden cart, filled with monster parts in it.


    The majority of the items ced in it were the scales and ws of the Yellow Striked Dusk Brute, as well as other monster parts that Thirteen and Cristopher had collected after killing so many Monsters.


    The wings of the Condors were also there since Thirteen nned to use them as makeshift beds and tents due to howfortable they were.


    Of course, they also gathered soft animal skins that could be used as nkets and cushions, allowing them to sleepfortably during the day, the night, or whenever they wanted.


    Brutus was also pulling a simr wooden cart.


    However, the cart contained waterskins made from the skin of Monsters that Thirteen had altered to store water. There was also smoked meat in some of them, which was wrapped up properly with animal skin.


    The two Brute Monsters walked six meters away from each other, leaving a gap in the middle.


    This ce was reserved for the chubby Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, who was crawling slowly on the ground.


    Of course, this monster was none other than Cristopher, who was currently equipped with Dusk Brute Armor.


    Since he looked very much like the poisonous monster of the Houdini Desert, Thirteen ordered him to practice walking like one.


    Some animals disguised themselves as other creatures in order to ward off predators.


    For example, the most fearless creature on the called Earth was called the Honey Badger.


    This animal was quite small, but it was very aggressive. It was not afraid to face off against snakes or even bigger animals like lions and hyenas.


    Simply put, it was the fiercest animal in the world, and just seeing it was enough to make the top predators distance themselves from it.


    Because of this, Cheetah Cubs, who shared simr features as the Honey Badgers, were often avoided by the top predators because they looked like Honey Badgers from a distance.


    Knowing that it would improve their chances of survival in the Houdini Desert, Thirteen adopted the same tactic for Cristopher, making thetter pretend as the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, whose powerful poisonous spray deterred the Trolls, Ogres, and Orcs.


    Of course, the seven-year-old had exined this to the chubby boy, which was the main reason why thetter had agreed to do it despite how hard it was to crawl on all fours for many hours.


    Even so, he didn''t feel hot since the Dusk Brute Armor fended the heat off, making Cristopher feel like he wasn''t crawling across scorching desert sand.


    Since his entire body was covered with ck scales, his hands and knees were also protected from being scraped by the ground, allowing him to move as he pleased, painlessly.


    "Master, you said that there are other Wanderers aside from me in this Desert, right?" Cristopher asked. "How many do you think are still alive now that two months have passed?"


    It had been two months since Thirteen and Cristopher had been sent to the Houdini Desert, and after facing off against the monsters in the desert, the chubby boy believed that the survival rate for first-time Wanderers was very low.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen replied. "But I do hope that dozens survived. The mission you received seems difficult, so I''m guessing that hundreds of teenagers were sent here in order toplete that quest."


    Thirteen wasn''t aware that his guess was urate. Although the number of Wanderers that were sent to the Houdini Desert was not more than a thousand, they still numbered around six hundred individuals.


    And out of this six hundred, less than a hundred were able to survive the two months that they had spent in the Houdini Desert.


    Thirteen and Cristopher had left the Oasis more than a week ago, and they were constantly traveling northward. They had met several Rank 1 Monsters along the way, and these in monsters didn''t give them any item drops.


    Even so, they weren''t useless either.


    Thirteen gave all the monster cores to Cristopher so that the chubby boy could build up his body.


    Currently, the progress of Cristopher''s rank was 31/200.


    This wasn''t bad, considering that they prioritized getting Brutus to evolve into a Rank 2 Monster.


    With two Monsters doing the manualbor, Thirteen didn''t have to trouble himself with dismantling, skinning, bleeding, and smoking the meat of the Monsters to increase their food reserves and other supplies.


    The boy used his free time to dive into his core to better understand the Houdini Desert. He wanted to know its dangers and the opportunities it presented.


    Despite the fact that his information was outdated by 300 years, Thirteen believed that there were a lot of things that hadn''t changed even with the passage of time.


    Finally, on their tenth day after leaving the Oasis, they saw several Orcs trying to catch a few Desert Wildebeest from a herd.


    However, these Omnivorous Monsters were putting up a good fight, especially the Alpha Wildebeest, which was a peak Rank 3 Monster.


    Thirteen, Cristopher, Brutus, and Bruno watched from a safe distance as the Orc Hunting Party divided themselves into two teams.


    Some kept the Alpha Wildebeest at bay, while others targeted the herd it was protecting.


    Their strategy and teamwork were seamless, which suggested that they had done this multiple times already.


    Surprisingly, the one leading the Orc hunting party was a Rank 3 High-Orc, which was a stronger version of the Orc Warriors.


    All Orcs ranged from Rank 1 up to Rank 2 Monsters.


    When they evolved, they would be High-Orcs, which was a stronger and much smarter version of themon popce of the Orc Race.


    The High-Orc was being supported by eight other Orcs that were all Rank 2 Monsters. Since they were holding back the Alpha Wildebeest, the High-Orc was unable to help its subordinates in the second team of the Orcs, who were there to kill and capture some of the herd.


    "This Hunting Party is very strong," Thirteen said softly. "We are not a match against them."


    Cristopher nodded in agreement. "What should we do, Young Master?"


    "Nothing," Thirteen replied. "We will distance ourselves from them, so they won''t get the wrong idea. Their Leader has already noticed us, but it''s not doing anything because it is busy with the Rank 3 Alpha Monster. Let''s go. Staying here for long is dangerous for us."


    Thirteen knew that if the Orcs finished their mission of hunting the Desert Wildebeests, they would shift their attention to them, which was something he would like to avoid at all costs.


    Fighting against two to three Orcs was fine. But, if they were up against a Hunting Group, it was simply impossible.


    Even if Brutus and Bruno were stronger than the Orcs, the fact remained that they were outnumbered.


    There were only four of them, while there were seventeen Orcs and one High Orc.


    Going against them would be pure suicide.


    Thirteen gave the Hunting Party onest nce before ordering Bruno to take a detour.


    Now that they had arrived in the Orc''s Territory, it was time to initiate his n to gather more information about the bnce of power in the Houdini Desert.

 Chapter 81 Rethinking His Life Choices

    <h4>Chapter 81 Rethinking His Life Choices </h4>


    Thirteen made sure to get as far away as possible from the Orc Hunting Party, so that they wouldn''t target them.


    One of his goals foring to the Orc territory was to collect information.


    Although he had many restrictions on his body, the System God had given him one Unique Ability which was the Universal Language Proficiency.


    With this Unique Ability, he would be able tomunicate with any kind of creature as long as they had a form ofnguage or a means ofmunication.


    Of course, since Cristopher was their Master, the chubby boy could alsomunicate with them normally, and understand their grunts, snorts, and broken Houdini Language.


    Thirteen had asked Brutus and Bruno a lot of questions, but the two Brute Monsters didn''t know much about the overall bnce of power in the Houdini Desert.


    When he asked Brutus which race was the strongest, the Troll didn''t hesitate to tell Thirteen that it was the Trolls.


    When he asked Bruno the same question, thetter told him that it was definitely the Ogres.


    The two Monsters had almost gotten into a fight then, because they didn''t like the answers that the other had given.


    Fortunately, Cristopher had ordered them to listen to Thirteen''smands, preventing a brawl between the two Brute Monsters from happening.


    After settling the dispute peacefully, he decided to ask them other questions to change the topic.


    The seven-year-old asked them if they also knew about the Beacon of Hope, but Brutus and Bruno had no idea what that thing was.


    Trolls and Ogres weren''t really the smartest of Monsters, so Thirteen needed a much more intelligent race to talk to, which was the Orcs.


    Although it maye as a surprise, the Orcs and the Barbarians shared a semi-peaceful rtionship with each other.


    They were not openly hostile with each other, and took great care to prevent any tension between the two races.


    This was why there were Half-Orcs in the Houdini Desert because some Barbarians and Orcs found love despite the difference in species.


    Even so, that didn''t make the Orcs any less dangerous. Unlike the Trolls and Ogres, they were a race that specialized in working together as a group, allowing them to fend off threats in their territories.


    Simr to Barbarians, the Orcs had created their own Orc Kingdom, and Thirteen wanted to visit it to gather more information about the Beacon of Hope, which would allow Cristopher to return to Pangea.


    If Thirteen wished for it, he would be able to clear his First Trial by leaving the Houdini Desert.


    But, he promised Cristopher that he would help him survive his First Wandering, so that he could return home safely, where his mother was waiting for him.


    He had already decided to make Cristopher his own retainer and part of his inner circle.


    Also, he had given the chubby boy his promise, and Thirteen always kept his promises, just like how his Hosts had kept their promises to him.


    After traveling for a few hours, they found a cave, which led deep underground.


    Since they had been traveling non-stop for several days, Thirteen decided to rest for a while.


    Brutus and Bruno took turns standing guard, while the two teenagers rested.


    Even Thirteen, who had nerves of steel, found himself feeling exhausted due to the long journey in the Desert.


    Since he was still technically a seven-year-old boy, he still hadn''t fully developed, and was only enduring the hardships he faced through sheer willpower.


    A dayter, the two boys were feeling better, so Thirteen started to discuss their strategy.


    "Unlike Trolls, and Ogres, Orcs have a more tight-knitmunity," Thirteen said. "This is why I am also hesitant to kill one of them to make them be one of your Avatars. If we kill the wrong person, we might make the entire Orc Race our enemy.


    "Of course, since there is a chance that they are still allied with the Barbarians, that will make the Barbarians our enemy as well. Unless we confirm these things, we will not kill an Orc for the time being."


    Cristopher nodded his understanding. He had learned to trust the seven-year-old boy, more than his former Young Master, Terence.


    "Then, what do you suggest that we do, Young Master?" Cristopher asked. "Do we just go to their settlement and ask to talk to them?"


    Thirteen shook his head firmly.


    "Although they are sociable creatures, Orcs are still savage Monsters," Thirteen stated. "They might not target Barbarians, but we are different from them. So, the approach we will use is different as well.


    "The first thing we do is observe themon routes that the Orcs use when they hunt. Also, if we spot a lone Orc, we will move to try andmunicate with it."


    "What if the Orc doesn''t want tomunicate, Young Master?" Cristopher asked.


    "You don''t have to worry about that," Thirteen replied. "I have many methods to make them talk."


    Not killing an Orc and hurting an Orc were two different things.


    Although he was hesitant in killing one, torturing one wasn''t a problem for Thirteen. As long as he got his answers, he would free the Orc, so that it could keep its life.


    The two then went to work, and traveled in the direction where they thought the Orcs were congregating.


    They left their wooden carts in the cave, asked Bruno to guard it.


    It would be a very bad idea to travel with their belongings, especially if they were going on a scouting mission.


    An hourter, the two stared at an Orc Stronghold that they had discovered after following an Orc Hunting Group from a safe distance.


    "What now, Young Master?" Cristopher asked.


    Now that they had found their objective, he wanted to know what his Young Master nned to do next.


    "Now, we wait," Thirteen replied. "If we see a lone Orc leaving the stronghold, we will follow them. But, if we don''t see any, we will wait until night time."


    "What will we do in the night time, Young Master?"


    "Infiltrate their Stronghold of course."


    "Huh?!"


    Cristopher knew that Zion could be daring, and even crazy at times. After the battle against the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, he knew that the seven-year-old wouldn''t do something that he wasn''t sure of doing.


    However, he was still worried because they were not dealing with a single Rank 2 Monster this time.


    They were dealing with an entire stronghold of Orcs, which easily housed at least two hundred to four hundred Rank 2 Monsters and above.


    This was no longer a matter of being brave or not.


    This was simply bat-sh*t crazy.


    The chubby boy looked at his scary and crazy Young Master, who currently had a mischievous smile stered on his face.


    Whatever the seven-year-old was thinking, Cristopher knew with absolute certainty that his Young Master was up to no good, which made him rethink his life choice of vowing to serve Zion as his new master for life.


    "Don''t be like that, Cristopher," Thirteen said after noticing that the chubby boy''splexion wasn''t too good. "Rx. This will just be a walk in the park."


    Several hourster, Cristopher would find out that this "walk in the park" that his Young Master was talking about would turn out to be a mad dash to save his life from being taken.

 Chapter 82 I Look Forward To Our Family Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 82 I Look Forward To Our Family Reunion </h4>


    Aldebaran Continent in Pangea¡­


    Ever since Thirteen had disappeared, his family had been under a lot of stress as ofte.


    What happened was truly unprecedented, and there had been no recorded incidents of a simr nature.


    Only the Higher-Ups of the Leventis Family were aware of what had happened, and they advised Gerald and Alessia not to spread this information because it might cause wide-spread panic.


    If the Thirteen age limit was suddenly rendered useless, people would fear that their children could be spirited away at any point in their lives.


    Knowing that the Leventis Family was doing their best to look for Thirteen both in Pangea and Solterra, Gerald and Alessia calmed down a bit.


    Both of them tried to live their lives as normally as they could, while waiting for news of their seven-year-old son.


    In order to get his mind off things, Gerald went to the smithy early that day to practice his craft. However, it didn''t take long before he understood that his mind was too upied with other thoughts, that he couldn''t focus on his work.


    Suddenly, something moved in the corner of his vision, making him immediately hold the hammer in his hand as if it was a weapon, ready to strike at the person who had snuck inside the smithy.


    However, his eyes widened in shock when his gazended on the intruder.


    A Rabbit Demon, who was wearing a butler''s suit was standing several meters away from him with his right hand pressed over his chest, and his body bowed slightly.


    "My apologies for disturbing you. I havee bearing a message from your son, Zion Leventis," the Lace Demon said. "Here are the letters¡­ umm¡­ documents that he asked me to give you."


    The Lace Demon took out a thick stack of papers and casually ced them on the table.


    "I know that what happened with your son is truly unfortunate, and I assure you that something like this won''t happen again," the Lace Demon stated. "Just know that he is alive and well, and even had the guts to make me his errand boy. Now, I will be taking my leave. Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience that his disappearance had caused."


    After saying those parting words, the Lace Demon disappeared without a trace, almost making Gerald think that he was just imagining things due to worry and stress.


    But the stacks of papers were still sitting on top of his table, making his body move subconsciously to see if they were real or not.


    Picking up the topmost page, Gerald read its contents.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Dear Pops and Mother,


    I pray that you and Mother haven''t done anything reckless due to my disappearance.


    Right now, I am well. But, due to certain restrictions, I cannot tell you where I am.


    Even so, know that I am in good health, and even have apanion with me. Do you remember that chubby boy at the party, Cristopher? He is currently in the same ce that I am, and both of us are working together to survive here in Solterra.


    I know that Mother can be a worrywart, so make sure to let her read this letter as well.


    Pops, I don''t know when I will be able to return, so I made a list of all the things that you need to craft, while I am away. All of these things are important, so I want you to make as many of them as possible.


    Aside from these things, I also created a proper guideline for what kind of things that you should tackle with your cksmithing Profession.


    I also added the list of materials that you can practice on to improve your craft.


    Of course, I didn''t forget about Mother, so there is also a list of pills that she needed to make in the proper order. It is my hope that after I return to Pangea, both of you will have be proficient in your crafting professions, and helping our family''s finances.


    There is also a letter for Shasha and Remi included in this package, so make sure to hand it over to them. Don''t worry, I taught Remi how to read. She''s my sister, and a very smart girl. I''m sure she will understand everything.


    Last, but the least, I am currently undertaking Thirteen Trials here in Solterra. It seems that I will be away from home for a year or two, probably more. But, worry not. When Cristopher finishes his First Wandering, I''ll ask him to pass my message to all of you as well.


    Pops, I may not be very strong, but my will to live is stronger than anyone''s, probably more than everyone in Pangeabined.


    I still have goals that I need to achieve in life, so this little setback will not faze me. So, do not worry about me because I am confident that I will be able to return safely to you, Mother, Mikhail, Shasha, and Remi.


    I look forward to our family reunion.


    P.S


    There is a chance that I might take a liking to Cristopher, so make sure to tell Gramps to take better care of his mother. Also, there is a chance that I might make this chubby boy my permanent subordinate, so tell Gramps about this in advance.


    Don''t ck off Pops. If I find out that you''ve beenzing around while I''m trying to survive here in Solterra, I''m going to clobber you.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As Gerald read the letter, he didn''t notice that tears were already streaming down his face.


    His son was alive and well, so all was good.


    Suddenly, the door of the smithy opened and Alessia came in.


    "Gerald, is everything okay?" Alessia asked in a worried tone. "The Lace Demon showed up in front of me and told me that I shoulde to the Smithy because there is a surprise waiting for me here. What happened? Why are you crying? Did the Lace Demon attack you?!"


    Being barraged by countless questions, Gerald shook his head, and wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.


    "Alessia, read this," Gerald said. "Zion sent it to us."


    The beautiful woman, who was feeling anxious earlier, hurriedly took the letter from her husband''s hand and read it.


    Soon, she, too, was crying as she read the contents of the letter.


    Gerald hugged her from behind because he understood what she was feeling.


    That day, their family felt as if a heavy load had been taken off their shoulders.


    Although the world of Solterra was dangerous, they believed that Zion had everything it took toe back to them safely, wearing a confident smile on his face as if he had just returned from taking a stroll in a park.

 Chapter 83 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 83 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 1] </h4>


    Thirteen and Cristopher observed the Orc Stronghold from a safe distance.


    Unfortunately, even after waiting for several hours, they didn''t see a lone Orc leaving the Stronghold.


    They always left in groups of four to six, as if it was some kind of rule that they must follow.


    The Hunting Parties, on the other hand, wereposed of a dozen, or more Orcs, and all of them looked like seasoned warriors, even if they were only Rank 2 Monsters.


    Just as the sun was about to set, Thirteen decided that he would initiate n B and infiltrate the Orc Stronghold alone.


    "Young Master, be careful," Cristopher said. "Prioritize your safety at all costs."


    "I will," Thirteen replied. "You stay here and keep watch. If I don''t return by sunrise, go back to the cave and wait for me there. It''s dangerous to stay out here in the open during the day, the Orcs might find you. I''m very sure that they will be more than happy to roast someone like you."


    "Young Master, please don''t joke around like that," Cristopher looked at his surroundings anxiously, thinking that there might be some Orcs that might be hiding and waiting for the right opportunity to ambush them.


    "Rx," Thirteen patted Cristopher''s shoulder. "Just equip your Dusk Brute Armor and pretend that you are a Yellow Striped Dusk Brute. I''m sure that they will not dare toe near you if you do that. Well then, I''m off."


    "Safe trip, Young Master," Cristopher said.


    Thirteen nodded. "Mmm, you be safe as well."


    The chubby boy didn''t really specialize for such covert operations, so Thirteen ordered him to remain hiding on their spot, and keep watch, and wait for his signal.


    The Stronghold had several guards stationed at its entrance, and a few watchers on their fortified walls.


    From what Thirteen could see, the Stronghold seemed to be built using Monster Bones, so he wondered if the Orcs had built it when they found the bones of a giant monster, or if they just carried back anyrge bones that they found in the desert.


    Thirteen used the cover of darkness to sneakily approach the wall of the Stronghold.


    He had several man-made tools that were properly stored inside his Spatial Storage, and among them was a grappling hook made from the ws of one of the Condors that they had killed on their first day in Solterra.


    The base of the ws were tied up with the long braided hair of the Houdini Mustang, guaranteeing its firmness and strength.


    Thirteen was confident that the braided hairs wouldn''t snap even if he and Cristopher were to climb the grappling hook together.


    As someone who mastered the Martial Technique, Cheap Shot Savant, Thirteen was proficient in throwing things.


    Because of this, he didn''t have any trouble throwing the hook over the bone walls of the Stronghold, and securing it in ce.


    Slowly, but surely, he climbed up, making sure that he wouldn''t be detected by the Orcs that were keeping watch.


    Truth be told, the Watchers weren''t really paying too much attention to what was happening outside of their Stronghold.


    They would just give the surroundings a casual nce from time to time, allowing Thirteen to infiltrate it without too much problem.


    After sessfully stepping onto the ramparts, Thirteen promptly stored his grappling hook and observed the interior of the Stronghold from his vantage point.


    The ce was illuminated by torchlight, so it was not too dark.


    As Thirteen observed his surroundings, he noticed that near the very center of the za, several Orcs gathered, with some of them being High-Orcs.


    He didn''t see it right away because their bodies were blocking the view earlier, but after a slight movement, his gazended on two Humans.


    One was a boy, the other was a girl, and both of their hands were tied behind their back.


    ''They look to be the same age as Cristopher,'' Thirteen thought. ''They are also wearing the standard clothes for beginner Wanderers. I guess the Orcs captured them when they appeared in their territory.''


    The Houdini Desert was arge ce, so it was highly possible for the teenagers to appear near the settlements of the four races that called it their home.


    Perhaps, the luckiest of the Wanderers would appear near the Barbarian Territories.


    If they were discovered, the worst thing that could happen to them is to be sold as a ve.


    For Thirteen, that was still infinitely better than being eaten by Trolls, Ogres, and the other Monsters that roamed around the Desert.


    He didn''t know if Orcs still ate Humans, especially after their improving their rtionship with the Barbarians.


    But, seeing that the two teenagers were only tied up, it is safe to assume that they would not be part of their menu for tonight¡­ at least not yet.


    The Orcs seemed to be discussing something, and judging by the pale expressions on the two teenagers'' faces, it definitely wasn''t something good.


    As Wanderers, they had also gained the ability to learn thenguage of the world. But, this was only true for the Free Humans.


    Those who were not Free Humans were unable to understand thenguage of the Monsters, unless they were usingmonnguage shared by all humans in Solterra.


    Orcs usually used thenguage of Free Humans, so it was possible that they were speaking using the Humannguage.


    After half an hour, the two teenagers were dragged away by one of the Orcs, who held the ropes that were tied on their bodies.


    Thirteen followed them with his gaze, and remembered the building where the two teenagers were taken.


    Suddenly, one of the High-Orcs nced in the direction of the ramparts, forcing Thirteen to lower his head, so that he wouldn''t be seen.


    Although not all Orcs had Dark Vision, High Orcs definitely did, so the seven-year-old didn''t take any chances and lied low for the time being.


    Only after several minutes had passed did Thirteen start moving again.


    He knew that it was dangerous, but he still decided to infiltrate the interior of the Orc Stronghold and go to the building, where the two teenagers had been taken.


    ''Maybe there are other Wanderers in that ce,'' Thirteen thought.


    Thirteen didn''t want to think of such a possibility, but there was a chance that his brother, Mikhail, was also sent to the Houdini Desert.


    Because of this, he felt that he should investigate the ce to see if his brother was really there.


    If he was, Thirteen would find a good opportunity to free him, so that both of them could escape the Stronghold together.


    As for the other Wanderers?


    He didn''t really care about them, but that didn''t mean that he would not try to give them an opportunity to escape if there was a high chance of sess.

 Chapter 84 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 84 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 2] </h4>


    Thirteen slowly made his way to the building where the two teenagers were taken.


    He had to be resourceful in doing so, to prevent the Orcs from detecting his presence.


    Although not all Orcs had Dark Vision, he made sure to y it safe, and only moved whenever a chance appeared.


    With his Movement Technique, Traceless Shadow, he didn''t have to worry about making any sounds as he went deeper into the Orc Stronghold.


    After arriving at the building, Thirteen scouted the ce to make sure that he wouldn''t be seen by anyone once he entered. He was deep in enemy territory, so he couldn''t be careless with his actions.


    To his surprise, there were no Orcs that guarded the building, at least on the outside. This made him wonder what kind of building this was because there were no Orcs standing guard.


    ''Maybe there are guards inside,'' Thirteen thought. ''I better be careful not to rm anyone.''


    Once again, the boy made sure that no Orcs were within the vicinity for the third time before he took the chance to enter through the window.


    Going by the front entrance was something he didn''t dare to do, especially in this situation.


    The building had two floors, but after inspecting the Second Floor, the boy didn''t find anything interesting, so he went to the First Floor.


    Just like the Second Floor, there were no Orcs in the First Floor.


    However, he now had a better understanding about what this ce was and that it was a warehouse.


    Monster meat was preserved on the Second Floor, and he found more Monster meat on the First Floor.


    ''Well, at least it isn''t Human meat,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the remains of an Ogre and a Troll, who were cut up into different parts, and stored in proper containers.


    After spending a few minutes exploring the First Floor, he finally found a staircase that led underground, which he believed was where the two teenagers had been taken earlier.


    He didn''t descend the stairs right away, and instead, listened to the sounds that wereing from downstairs.


    However, no matter how much he strained his ears, he wasn''t able to hear anything.


    ''Should I take a look?'' Thirteen thought.


    He was hesitating a bit because there was only one path that led downstairs, unlike the First and Second Floors, where he found several good hiding ces just in case an Orc suddenly entered the warehouse.


    But, going down the basement was a big gamble, which made him think twice.


    However, when he thought that his brother, Mikhail, might be down there as well, Thirteen did not hesitate any longer and descended the stairs slowly.


    After peeking down the underground hallway from the base of the stairs, he didn''t see or sense any Orcs, which made him a bit bolder.


    The boy then walked down the hallway as fast and as silently as possible until he reached a wooden door.


    Pressing his ears over it, Thirteen could hear muffled sounds. However, they were too faint for him to decipher.


    ''I guess now is a good time to try it,'' Thirteen mused.


    Closing his eyes, he opened up the most primal instinct of Human kind.


    One of his Hosts was raised in a Tribe inside a forest where dangerous Beasts lurked 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


    Because of this, all of them had developed something like "Primal Instincts" allowing their body to alert them if there was something dangerous in their surroundings.


    Out of curiosity, Thirteen had asked his Host how he developed this ability because, even if he could see the skill in his database, he didn''t understand too much about it.


    His Host exined that using Primal Instinct was making your physical, emotional, and mental states vulnerable, so it could be affected by outside factors.


    Once trained to the fullest, the person would develop some kind of Sixth Sense, that would immediately trigger once a monster, or beast, stronger than them appeared within their Primal Instinct''s range.


    Thirteen didn''t develop this skill because he thought that he wouldn''t need to use it.


    However, he now thought that learning this skill was also good because it would give him a simr sixth sense just like his previous Host, alerting him to dangers that he couldn''t see.


    Although he was still an amateur, Thirteen knew the basics.


    Two minutester, he opened his eyes and slowly opened the door.


    ''The coast is clear.'' Thirteen sighed in relief before pressing his hands over the wooden door.


    His senses didn''t detect anything dangerous, but because he was using the skill for the first time he deemed that utmost caution must still be done to prevent mishaps from happening.


    The moment he opened the door, the muffled sounds he heard earlier became more pronounced.


    The sounds of sobbing and people talking reached his ears.


    Taking a peek inside the room, he saw several teenagers that were locked up in cages made up of bone.


    Their hands were also tied behind their backs, making them unable to do anything but sit and cry, or talk to their fellow captives, who were the same age as them.


    There were many bone cages, and Thirteen couldn''t see everything from where he was, so he decided to enter the room, closing the door firmly behind him.


    The moment he appeared, everyone''s gazended on his body. However, before any of them could talk, they saw the boy ce his finger over his lips, telling them to keep silent.


    Thinking that he hade to rescue them, everyone held back what they were going to say, and all looked at him with hope.


    Even the girls, who were crying earlier, held back their tears.


    But, after observing him for a while, all of them realized that the boy was actually way younger than them, taking them by surprise.


    Still, none of them made a sound because even though he was young, he could still free them from the cages that locked them in ce.


    The seven-year-old breathed a sigh of relief in his heart because everyone seemed to be more sensible than he thought they would be.


    So then, he walked towards the other bone cages, and took a look inside them one by one.


    He didn''t see anyone whom he was familiar with, but there were still a few more bone cages that he hadn''t inspected yet.


    Finally, on thest Bone Cage, Thirteen saw someone familiar, and that person also looked at him in surprise.


    "It''s you," a teenage boy with brown hair, and green eyes, looked at Thirteen in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"


    Thirteen looked at the teenage boy with aplicated look on his face because he was debating whether he should rescue him or not.


    But, in the end, the seven-year-old knew that taking the risk to rescue the captured boy could him some great benefits if he managed to survive his First Wandering.


    Afterall, the person before him was none other than Harry Remington.


    He was the only son of Elijah and Vivian Remington, who were also the best friends of his father and mother, and supported their family when Gerald was kicked out of the Levington Main Residence.

 Chapter 85 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 85 Infiltrating The Orc Stronghold [Part 3] </h4>


    Twenty minutes earlier outside of the Orc Stronghold¡­


    ''What is taking Young Master so long?'' Cristopher thought as he looked at the Stronghold from a distance. ''I hope he is safe.''


    Suddenly, something tapped him from the back, which made the chubby boy brush it off in annoyance.


    "Not now, Brutus," Cristopher said. "I''m busy."


    However, a secondter, he was tapped again in his shoulder, making Cristopher very annoyed.


    But, just as he was about to turn around to reprimand his Avatar for disturbing him, he realized something very important.


    He didn''t summon Brutus to watch over his surroundings!


    The chubby boy then slowly turned his head to look behind him.


    There, he saw a two-meter-tall monster with grayish ck skin, looking at him with an amused look on his face.


    It was none other than a High Orc, which made Cristopher''s fat shudder uncontrobly.


    "Hi," Cristopher said with a smile that looked as if he was about to cry. "Bye!"


    The chubby boy then ran faster than he ever ran in his life.


    He even ran faster when he was being chased by the two Trolls.


    However, he realized that there were several Orcs blocking the direction he was running from, making hime to aplete stop.


    He then ran in another direction, but soon found out that there were other Orcs waiting for him there.


    ''I was careless, they had mepletely surrounded,'' Cristopher thought when he realized that there was no ce where he could run.


    Then, it dawned on him.


    These Orcs seem somewhat familiar, and after giving it more thought, he concluded that they were the same Orc Hunting Team that they saw fighting against the Desert Wildebeests upon reaching the territory of the Orcs.


    The chubby boy then remembered the orders that Thirteen had given him before he left to infiltrate the Stronghold.


    "If you were discovered by an Orc, you can summon Brutus, to deal with them," Thirteen said with a serious expression on his face. "Fighting two of them is fine as well. However, if you find yourself facing more than three Orcs, and arepletely surrounded, don''t summon Brutus because he will not be able to help you.


    "In fact, it might even make your situation worse. Orcs and Trolls don''t really get along, so if they see you with one, they will automatically see you as an enemy.


    "But, since you are human, and look harmless enough, they might consider letting you live if you don''t resist capture.


    "I know that it may be difficult, but since you are already facing many enemies at once, and death is certain, go for the path that will lead to survival. Don''t worry, even if you get captured, I will find a way to free you. You have my word."


    Cristopher, who was currently surrounded by these same Monsters couldn''t help but want to bawl out and cry. However, if he really did that, it might annoy the Orcs making them kill him on the spot.


    In the end, hepletely stood still and watched as their leader, the High-Orc who had grayish ck skin, approached him with a smug look on its ugly face.


    "Take him," the High Orc ordered using thenguage of Free Humans.


    Cristopher didn''t resist and allowed himself to be captured.


    He knew that this was the only path of survival, and hoped with every fiber of his being that his Young Master would realize that he had been captured, and would find a way to rescue him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Orc Stronghold Present Time¡­


    "What are you doing here?" Harry asked the seven-year-old with a dumbfounded look on his face.


    "I entered a Dimensional Gate by ident," Thirteen replied.


    "¡­ You what?!"


    "Shhh. Not too loud."


    Harry immediately shut up when he realized his mistake.


    Even the two other teenagers inside the cage red in his direction because the only person who might help them escape might get captured because of his carelessness!


    "Can you free us?" a teenage boy, who was in the same cage as Harry, asked.


    "I can," Thirteen replied. "But, not now. The timing is not right. There are Orcs outside this building, so freeing all of you right now is too high of a hurdle¡­"


    The seven-year-old suddenly stopped talking because he could hear the loud cries of someone familiar to him, followed by theughter of Orcs, in the hallway that was leading to the wooden door.


    The other teenagers also noticed this, making their faces turn pale from fright.


    Thirteen, however, didn''t panic and simply hid behind Harry''s Bone Cage, crouching low to hide as much of his body as possible.


    The cages near the door were still empty, so he assumed that the Orcs wouldn''te near Harry''s cage to imprison the new person that they had just caught.


    "Hahaha! This Human, funny," one of the Orcs said before pushing Cristopher into one of the cages that were still empty.


    The other Orc beside him chuckled before ncing at the kids, who all seemed to be behaving properly.


    After scanning the surroundings, one of the Orcs frowned.


    It felt that something wasn''t right, but didn''t know what it was.


    In the end, it just shrugged and thought that maybe he was just hungry. They had just returned from a hard hunt, and he hadn''t eaten yet.


    "Let''s go," one of the Orcs said. "Leader is waiting."


    "Right," the other Orc replied.


    They gave the children onest nce before both of them left, and closed the door behind them.


    Thirteen waited for exactly five minutes before leaving his hiding spot.


    He then went straight towards the door and pressed his ears against it.


    Hearing nothing from the other side, he tried to push it open.


    The seven-year-old breathed a sigh of relief because the door wasn''t locked from the outside, allowing him a path of escape.


    He then went to Cristopher''s cage to check if the chubby boy was fine. Fortunately, he wasn''t hurt, making Thirteen sigh in relief.


    "What happened?" Thirteen asked. "How did they capture you?"


    Cristopher didn''t hesitate to tell everything that had happened ever since his Young Master left him outside of the Stronghold.


    He told him how the Orcs made fun of him, and took turns lifting him up like a sack of rice as if it was a very amusing thing to do.


    "Did you see any other humans on your way here?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Cristopher replied. "Before I was brought here, there was this tall man, who looked like a bodybuilder, chatting with the orcs. He has these bone nes made from animal teeth, and the Orcs seemed to know him very well.


    "He even said that I would make a fine ve after I''ve been trained properly. After that, I was sent here, and then I saw you, Young Master."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    He didn''t have much time to explore the Orc Stronghold earlier because he hade straight to the building where the two teenagers he had seen were taken.


    ''That Human he saw must be a Barbarian,'' Thirteen thought. ''It seems that they still have a good rtionship with the Orcs even after 300 years have passed. I can use this.''


    Now that Cristopher had confirmed one of his suspicions, he understood why the Orcs only locked the children in cages, and didn''t hurt or cripple them.


    Thirteen then nced at the teenagers inside the prison, who numbered less than thirty.


    If he really wanted to save all of them, then he had to do it right, or else, he would suffer the same fate, which was something he wanted to avoid at all cost.

 Chapter 86 Rekindling The Hope Of Others

    <h4>Chapter 86 Rekindling The Hope Of Others </h4>


    "I''ll be perfectly honest with all of you," Thirteen said after a few minutes of careful thinking. "It is impossible to escape this Stronghold with your current levels of strength.


    "The Orcs here are all Rank 2 Monsters, and there are no less than twenty High-Orcs which are all Rank 3 Monsters. Lastly, a Stronghold like this will always have an Orc Chieftain, which is at least a Rank 4 Monster.


    "Escaping this ce is next to impossible at this moment in time because none of you are strong enough to do so. But, once you are outside of the Stronghold, anything is possible."


    The teenagers who felt down after hearing that it was impossible to escape the Stronghold all perked up when Thirteen said that it was possible to escape when they had left it.


    They had seen how well protected the entrances were, so they understood where the boy wasing from.


    Actually, Thirteen could still help them escape by going through the Stronghold and climbing over the wall using his grappling hook.


    However, he didn''t do that.


    A nce was enough to tell him that not all the captives were trained at a young age like Harry, which would lower their chances of escaping.


    One mistake and all of them would suffer, so Thirteen rejected this idea.


    Also, he was tempted to free the children who had received proper training from their families.


    But, he didn''t do that.


    He didn''t know if the Orcs had memorized the faces of the children, or remembered how many they were.


    If one or two of them went missing, the others would be questioned, and he was certain that these children would start spilling their secrets once the Orcs started to torture them.


    Pain was a very good way to make people talk, especially for very young teenagers who hadn''t experienced torture in the past.


    "I will pay close attention to the Stronghold, and wait for you guys to leave this ce," Thirteen said. "ording to Cristopher, he saw a Human earlier wearing bone nes. That person is definitely a Barbarian, and he seemed to have a trade rtionship with the Orcs.


    "I''m guessing that he will be taking all of you to the Barbarian Kingdom to be sold as ves. I''ll find a way to free all of you during the journey, so just follow the Orcs for now and don''t resist."


    Suddenly, one of the boys that was locked up in the cage snorted.


    "What can a boy like you do?" the boy asked. "I doubt that you can really save us. I think it is much better if the Orcs catch you as well."


    The boy was about to shout in the hope of getting an Orc''s attention, but before he could do that, a girl, who was in the same cage as him, knocked him out with a quick jab to his jaw.


    Thirteen was pleasantly surprised because he didn''t expect the timid looking girl to actually be stronger and bolder than her looks.


    "Go," the girl said. "I''ll make sure that he doesn''t say anything."


    Thirteen nodded and thanked the girl properly before shifting his gaze to Cristopher.


    "I will meet up with Bruno and think of a strategy to rescue you," Thirteen stated. "Until then, don''t do anything reckless, okay?"


    "Understood, Young Master." Cristopher nodded. "Be careful."


    The seven-year-old gave the chubby boy a thumbs up before leaving the prison to leave the Stronghold, while he still could.


    When Thirteen could no longer be seen, the girl, who had knocked out the boy who almost caused trouble, looked at Cristopher with great curiosity.


    "You called him Young Master," the timid-looking girl asked. "Is he from an influential family?"


    Cristopher pondered for a bit before nodding his head. As an ordinary person, he could understand what the other teenagers inside the room were thinking.


    If he hadn''t met Zion when he arrived in Solterra, he might have also been captured by the Orcs, or worse, became food for the Monsters that roamed the Houdini Desert.


    He knew that what people needed during this time was hope, and if giving them hope would allow them to have the will to live another day, then he would be willing to give them this hope.


    Because if not for his Young Master, he might have lost all hope by now.


    "My Young Master''s name is Zion," Cristopher replied. "Zion Leventis. Remember the name of the person that will save all of us from our current situation."


    "Zion Leventis," the timid-looking-girl muttered before nodding her head. "I will remember it."


    Harry, who was silently listening to the conversation, clenched his fists.


    As someone who had been born in the Remington n, he refused to believe that he would die during his First Wandering.


    If that really happened, not only would the Remington n be disappointed in him, but his family would also be sad.


    He had promised his sister that he would return safely, and advised her to train while waiting for him.


    Because of this, when he was captured, he felt as if the sky had fallen over his head.


    But, after seeing the boy, whom he had seen in the party appear in front of him, he felt as if Fate was toying with him.


    Zion was only seven-years-old this year, so he had no business appearing in Solterra.


    When the boy told him that he identally entered a Dimensional Gate, he couldn''t help but think that he was very unlucky to suffer such a fate.


    As much as he wanted to deny it, the younger boy''s misfortune made him feel that the heavens still hadn''t abandoned him.


    With hope rekindled in his heart, Harry vowed that he would survive his First Wandering, and return safely to Pangea where his family was waiting for him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen didn''t leave the Stronghold right away.


    In order to raise his chances of being able to free the children, he would need to arm them properly.


    Although his stone weapons and wooden spears could potentially injure and kill the Orcs, he still wanted to get proper weapons.


    Since he was already inside the Orc Stronghold, he decided to look for a ce where they made or kept their weapons.


    He believed that as long as those who could fight could be properly armed, their chances of escaping together would be higher.

 Chapter 87 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 87 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 1]? </h4>


    It was almost sunrise when Thirteen left the Orc Stronghold.


    He had found the location where the Orcs stored their weapons, and he made sure to take as many as he could.


    His storage space was limited, so he couldn''t take many of the weapons that were avable.


    The seven-year-old took two short bows and three quivers of arrows.


    Most of the weapons of the Orcs were either too big, or too heavy for the children to carry, so he took five daggers and five short swords.


    He wanted to take more, but his storage space was already at the maximum capacity.


    It was mostly filled up with food, water, and the Monster parts that Thirteen deemed to be too valuable to be left behind.


    Fortunately, the wooden carts that Bruno was guarding at the cave were also filled with smoked meat, and water, which would help sustain the teenagers for a while.


    He didn''t n on sharing his personal resources with them, with the exception of Cristopher and Harry, whom he nned to save.


    Since he had already considered Cristopher his subordinate, he had no intention of leaving him behind.


    Harry was the only son of his father''s best friends, Elijah and Vivian, so he couldn''t possibly ignore him either.


    He would help the children to the best of his abilities, but if any of them wished to oppose his orders, he would kick them out without a second thought.


    Heck, he was even willing to leave with Cristopher and journey on their own, while leaving the kids under Harry''smand.


    Since he belonged to the Remington Family, which was one of the Five Monarch ns, they would be more willing to listen to his orders, than the order of a seven-year-old boy, who was not even old enough to be considered a Wanderer.


    It took Thirteen nearly an hour to return to the cave where the Ogre was guarding their belongings.


    When Bruno saw him, the Ogre had shown a relieved expression, which Thirteen found cute.


    "Listen, Bruno, your Master has been captured by the Orcs," Thirteen said. "But, don''t worry, we will go and save him. However, you need to listen to me very closely, so that we will seed in our rescue operations."


    The Ogre nodded his head obediently because he now knew better than to oppose Thirteen''smand.


    "I will take you to a ce that will allow you to observe the Orc Stronghold safely," Thirteen said. "If you see any Human children leaving the stronghold, wake me up at once, okay?"


    Cristopher being captured was not part of the n.


    Because of this, he would ensure that Bruno''s hiding spot would be perfect, allowing the Ogre to observe without being discovered by the Orc Hunting Parties, who frequented the region.


    After bringing the Ogre to the location that he deemed very safe, he went back to the cave to rest.


    In order to help save the children, he needed to return his body''s performance to its peak, and that could only be attained by eating and sleeping.


    At around noon, the Ogre returned to the cave and woke Thirteen up.


    He told him that he felt Cristopher''s presence inside a wooden wagon that was being pulled by two Houdini Mustangs.


    The Ogre didn''t see any other Human because the Wagon didn''t have any windows, but since he could feel that his Master was inside it, Thirteen assumed that the other teenagers were also with him.


    ''I can''t take these carts with me because Bruno and I need to travel without being burdened,'' Thirteen thought. ''It is regrettable, but I need to leave them here.''


    Thirteen sighed before wearing a hat made from animal skin to protect his head from the heat of the desert.


    "Let''s go, Bruno," Thirteen ordered. "Let''s go save Cristopher."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Cristopher, who sat at the shaking wagon with his hands tied up, perked up when he felt a familiar connection following them from behind.


    He subconsciously looked at the path behind them, hoping to see a glimpse of his Avatar, Bruno, who was keeping a certain distance from the wagon.


    "What are you looking at?" A Barbarian that was tasked to look after the children, and made sure that they didn''t do anything funny asked.


    "Nothing," Cristopher replied before lowering his head like a scared boy.


    The teenage boy, who had tried to shout and allow the Orcs to capture Thirteen, was seated in front of the chubby boy, and looked at him in disdain.


    ''Still hoping that a boy younger than you wille and save you?'' the teenage boy thought. ''How delusional.''


    Because of the threat of the other children beating him up, he decided to shut his mouth. However, he didn''t believe even for a second that the boy, whose name was Zion Leventis, woulde to rescue them.


    Several hourster, the wagon came to a stop in order to rest for the night.


    The Houdini Desert was a dangerous ce, and traveling at night was sometimes more dangerous than traveling during the day.


    Unlike the Orcs, who had Dark Vision, the Six Barbarians, who managed the two wagons, were unable to see clearly at night.


    Because of this, they started to set up camp, and assigned three people for night duty, while the other three rested to swap with them at ater time.


    "Where are you going?" One of the Barbarians assigned for night duty, asked hisrade, who was walking towards a boulder in the distance.


    "I''m going to take a dump," the other Barbarian replied without even bothering to look at hisrade.


    When he approached the boulder, he immediately crouched down to do the deed.


    However, just as he was about to relieve himself he felt something pierce his throat making him grunt.


    The two other Barbarians heard it, but they just thought that theirrade grunted because he was trying to push down a big one, making the two of them chuckle.


    The Barbarian who realized that an arrow was stuck up in his throat, tried to shout, but it was impossible.


    The arrow was stuck in his windpipe, and also carried the toxin of the Purple Desert Scorpion, whose deadly sting had a strong paralysis effect.


    A momentter, another arrow struck the Barbarian, this time, piercing his chest.


    The Barbarian was still young, and was only at the Adept Stage, which was only a rank higher than a Rookie.


    If the first arrow was dipped in the toxin of the Purple Desert Scorpion, the second arrow was dipped in the poison sac of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    One was meant to paralyze, the other was meant to kill.


    Thirteen knew that if he shot the poisonous arrow first, there was a chance that the Barbarian would be able to alert hisrades, so he yed it safe and used a paralyzing arrow first, targeting thetter''s neck, preventing him from shouting.


    Of course, he could aim for the head, and eyes, but the skulls of barbarians were very tough, so he wasn''t confident that he would be able to pierce it with his arrow.


    This savage tribe would often use their heads to head butt their opponents, so their skulls had evolved to the point where it was strong enough to allow the Barbarian to survive an arrow strike.


    As for the eyes, the Barbarian might scream in pain before he died, rming hispanions.


    ''One down,'' Thirteen thought as he remained still in his hiding spot.


    He knew that one of the two Barbarians woulde to check why theirrade was taking too long to do his business.


    When that happened, he wouldunch another sneak attack, bringing their enemies down to four.


    He didn''t know if he could take all three watchers at once without waking up the other three.


    But, he was up for the challenge.


    Right now, his priority was to weaken the opposing party by killing as many of them as possible.


    If he could bring their numbers down to two, the chances of winning were high.


    However, he had sensed that one of the Barbarians had the Rank of an Elite, which meant that he was at least as strong as a rank 3 High-Orc, which could pose a problem for his rescue mission.


    Even so, Thirteen wasn''t fazed.


    As long as he couldnd a hit or two on the leader of the Barbarians, it would only be a matter of time before thetter sumbed to the poison that would spread inside his body.

 Chapter 88 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 88 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 2]? </h4>


    The two Barbarians who were on the lookout were of simr strength to the one that Thirteen had just killed.


    If he had to make a guess they were in theirte teens, and would probably grow stronger once they get older.


    But, they wouldn''t have that opportunity.


    The only people that Thirteen wouldn''t tantly kill were very young children because even if he was cold blooded, he still had his bottom line.


    Also, the situation didn''t allow him to show mercy.


    He didn''t really care about the other teenagers, but he wouldn''t allow Cristopher and Harry to be sold as ves.


    His goal was still to go to the Barbarian Kingdom, but he would go there on his own terms, and not tied up as a ve.


    After nearly half an hour had passed, the two Barbarians thought that their friend was taking too long in handling his business.


    "You tell him to hurry up," one of the Barbarians said, making thetter frown.


    "How about you go instead?" the second Barbarian replied. "I''m not going near that smelly punk."


    The first Barbarian clicked his tongue before standing up. He then walked towards the boulder, while the second Barbarian looked at him with a smirk.


    "Oi, what is taking you too long?" the First Barbarian asked as he neared the boulder. "Are you constipated or something?"


    Hearing no reply, the Barbarian clicked his tongue for the second time before taking a peek around the boulder.


    But, just as he did, he heard something faint like a "twang!" followed by an almost inaudible whistling sound.


    The Barbarian''s face immediately became pale because he was very familiar with this sound.


    But, just as he was about to shout for help, an arrow pierced his throat, followed by a second arrow that pierced his chest after a dy of a few seconds.


    He was only able to grunt once before the paralysis immediately took effect, making him fall on the ground face first.


    Thest Barbarian, who was looking at his friend from behind, felt that something was terribly wrong.


    He heard the second Barbarian''s grunt, and saw him disappear behind the boulder as if he was falling.


    Since the boulder was a distance away, he couldn''t see it properly, but he trusted his instinct.


    The moment he made a decision, he immediately stood up and shouted in the direction of his leader in order to wake him up.


    "Master Warren! Something is wro¡ªack!"


    An arrow hit the Barbarian''s back followed by a second arrow. Making him fall on the ground face first.


    "N-No¡­ I don''t want to¡­ die," the Barbarian muttered unwillingly.


    Although he was dying, he managed to alert the three other Barbarians, who were resting inside the two Wagons.


    Warren immediately jumped out and looked at his surroundings.


    Seeing the two arrows stuck in the watcher''s back, he immediately red in the direction where he believed the two arrows hade from.


    Knowing that his location would bepromised, Thirteen immediately left after shooting his second arrow.


    The two other Barbarians were about to head in the direction where their leader, Warren, was looking.


    But, before they could do that they heard an Ogre''s roare from behind them.


    The three immediately took out their weapons and took a defensive stance. However, they made sure to move near the wagons, using it as cover against the bowman who was in the opposite direction.


    Thirteen had asked Bruno to stay opposite his direction. He only gave the Ogres two orders.


    The first one was to shout his warcry when one of the Barbarians keeping nightwatch rmed theirrades of Thirteen''s sneak attacks.


    This would give Thirteen enough time to change locations and hide.


    The second order that Thirteen asked of him was tomunicate with Cristopher, so that his Master could summon Brutus.


    The Ogre added that his Master should order the Troll to kill the Houdini Mustangs, or scare them away, to prevent the Barbarians from fleeing.


    As long as the Horses were out of the picture, it would be easier for Thirteen, Brutus, and Bruno, to handle the Barbarians, who still had no idea what was happening.


    Although the Ogre could only make loud roars, Cristopher was able to understand thenguage, so he didn''t hesitate and did as he was told.


    Brutus appeared outside the wagon and immediately raised its spiked mace to smash the Houdini Mustang that was tied to its Master''s wagon.


    As a Rank 2 Monster, it had be faster, and more agile than ever before. The Houdini Mustang didn''t even stand a chance when the troll smashed the side of its body with its spiked mace, making it neigh in pain.


    The second Houdini Mustang was about to run away, but Brutus didn''t give it any opportunity to do so.


    The Troll had already anticipated the other Mustang to get spooked after its brother had died, so Brutus had jumped over the first Horse that it had attacked and mmed its spiked mace into the second Horse''s back, making it cry out.


    Both Horses were still barely alive, but no longer capable of running away because of the injuries that they had sustained.


    The two remaining Houdini Mustangs, who were attached to the Second Wagon, moved in unison to run away.


    Warren, who was using the Second Wagon as a shield, immediately moved to run after the Second Wagon.


    The situation was too chaotic for him to fully understand what was happening.


    At first, he heard the Ogre behind them, and even saw its hulking figure in the distance.


    A few secondster, a Troll appeared and attacked the Horses of the First Wagon taking him by surprise.


    An Ogre and Troll working together was not umon in the Houdini Desert because Ogres liked to enve the Trolls that they had captured.


    Since there was still a bowman atrge, Warren assumed that it was another Troll who specialized in the use of bows and arrows.


    Although rare, there were Trolls that were proficient in using these range weapons.


    Thinking that they were surrounded by an Ogre Hunting Party, Warren didn''t hesitate to run away alongside the Second Wagon.


    The two remaining Barbarians, who were hiding behind the First Wagon, cried out in rm after seeing that their leader nned to leave them behind.


    Because of this, they also ran towards the First Wagon with the intention of catching up to it as fast as they could.

 Chapter 89 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 89 The Deadliest Seven-Year-Old in Solterra [Part 3]? </h4>


    As much as Thirteen wanted to save the other children, he knew that it was impossible to outrun the Houdini Mustangs after they started running for their lives.


    Also, Brutus, and Bruno, weren''t exactly runners, so it was impossible for them to catch up as well.


    Brutus walked towards the Barbarian, who still had two arrows sticking on its back to check if he was still alive.


    After confirming that the enemy was dead, he walked towards the back of the wagon and peered inside.


    The teenage boys and girls screamed in fright because they thought that the Troll was going to eat, or kill them.


    The only people who didn''t shout were Cristopher, Harry, and the timid-looking girl, whom Thirteen had met earlier.


    After making sure that its Master was alright, Brutus made a gesture for everyone toe out.


    "Let''s go," Cristopher said. "Don''t worry, he is a friend. He won''t harm us."


    As if to prove that what he was saying was the truth, he was the first one to leave the wagon.


    Harry followed behind him with the timid-looking-girl next.


    Seeing this, the other teenagers reluctantly left the wagon as well one by one.


    When everyone had properly disembarked, they heard a familiar voice calling out to them from a distance.


    "Is everyone alright?"


    All the teenagers then looked in the direction of the seven-year-old boy who was walking towards them, while holding a dagger in each hand.


    The clouds that were blocking the moon earlier, parted, allowing them to see the person that hade to their rescue.


    Thirteen walked confidently, releasing a faint blood lust from his body, making the other teenagers shudder subconsciously.


    Although the boy was younger than them, they could faintly feel that he was someone that they shouldn''t oppose no matter what.


    "Young Master, thank you!" Cristopher went forward and thanked Thirteen, who used one of the daggers to cut the ropes that bound his arms.


    "Free the others," Thirteen said as he handed Cristopher one of the daggers in his hand.


    "Yes, Young Master!" Cristopher bowed before walking towards Harry to untie him first.


    Since his Master knew who he was, the chubby boy decided to free him first.


    While this was happening, the teenage boy who had tried to cause trouble for Thirteen looked in his direction in fear.


    As if sensing his gaze, the seven-year-old nced at his direction and gave him an evil smile, making the teenager almost pee his pants due to how frightened he was.


    Harry and the timid-looking girl, whom Cristopher had freed, shifted their attention to Thirteen.


    ''Unbelievable,'' Harry thought.


    ''What a scary child,'' the timid-looking girl mused.


    Both of them believed that at that moment, they were currently staring at the deadliest seven-year-old in Solterra.


    Although they were older, they didn''t believe that they could aplish the same thing that he had, especially against the six Barbarians, who were stronger than them.


    "This ce is not safe," Thirteen said to the teenagers before taking out a short sword from his spatial storage. "Who among you considers yourselves to be very lucky?"


    The teenagers frowned because they didn''t understand why the boy was asking them this question.


    "I believe myself to be fairly lucky," the timid-looking girl replied.


    Thirteen looked at the familiar girl and flipped the short sword in his hand, and handed the handle of the sword to the girl in front of him.


    "Your name?" Thirteen asked.


    "You can call me Rianna," Rianna replied.


    Thirteen nodded. "Kill those two Mustangs, Rianna. Hopefully, you will get something from them because of your luck."


    The teenage girl nodded and went to do the deed without questioning Thirteen''s orders.


    Harry had been told by his parents that aside from Mikhail, the younger boy, Zion, also seemed promising, so he should do his best to form a good rtionship with him.


    Of course, Harry thought that his parents were only being nice when they told him that. He didn''t see anything special about Mikhail''s brother, and only said yes to his parents'' words out of respect.


    But now, after seeing this boy stand before him, he could tell that his parents were right.


    Just as he was about to ask Thirteen what he nned to do next, Rianna returned and gave her report.


    "I got an Avatar from one of the Houdini Mustangs, but¡­," Rianna frowned.


    "But what?" Thirteen asked back.


    He was pleasantly surprised that the girl had managed to get an Avatar, which was considered a boon to Wanderers who were starting out. It seemed that she was indeed quite lucky, making her an idealst hitter in Thirteen''s book.


    Cristopher''s luck wasn''t bad, especially since he had the hidden ss, Brute Tamer.


    But, his item drop rate was very bad.


    If there was a status screen that would show Cristopher''s hidden stats, it would be something like this.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Cristopher Rotombus >


    Strength: E


    Intelligence: C


    Dexterity: E


    Stamina: E


    Drop Rate: F


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Rianna frowned before raising her hand.


    Instead of a Houdini Mustang, a different kind of Horse appeared, making Thirteen rub his chin as he consulted his database to find out what kind of Horse it is.


    "This is a ck Morgan," Thirteen said after a few seconds, making Rianna''s eyes widen in shock. "It''s a Mutated Horse breed that is extremely rare. Tell me, does it have the Evolver Skill?"


    "It does," Rianna replied. "How did you know that this is a ck Morgan?"


    "I am from the Leventis Family," Thirteen replied.


    Thirteen didn''t n to exin how he knew about the name of the Mutated Horse, so he simply said that he was from the Leventis Family.


    Using the name of one of the Ten Prestigious Families, he wanted others to think that he was able to do the things he could do, and know the things he knew, because he was born from a Prestigious Family.


    "It''s a Rank 2 Monster, right?" Thirteen replied. "While it doesn''t specialize in battle, it is one of the most sought-after Horses by Cavaliers because it is one of the best Horses in mountedbat. Also, its ability to evolve makes it the cream of the crop. You really are lucky."


    Thirteen then nced at the wagon and nodded his head.


    "Well then, Rianna, I''d like to use your Horse to drag the wagon," Thirteen stated. "Like I said earlier, this ce isn''t safe and there is a chance that the Barbarians might returnter. For now, let us head back to a safe ce.


    "Bruno, lead them back to the cave. Harry and Brutus stay with me. We need to cover our tracks so no one will be able to follow our trail."


    Bruno led everyone back to the cave, while Cristopher sat on his shoulders.


    Rianna urged her ck Morgan to follow behind the Ogre, while pulling the wooden wagon behind it.


    While the first group was moving away, Thirteen and Harry started to erase the tracks that were left behind by the wagon


    Brutus was there simply to guard the two of them just in case a Monster appeared. A few hourster, the first group arrived at the cave.


    What Thirteen didn''t know was that, during this time, the boy who didn''t like him was once again causing a ruckus, and was even instigating the others to join his side.


    Cristopher watched this coldly from the side with his arms crossed over his chest.


    What the others didn''t know was that he wasughing at them in his heart.


    The reason why he wasn''t doing anything to stop the boy from instigating a mutiny was because he wanted to know which of the teenagers were going to side with the annoying bastard, who still didn''t understand that he was messing around with the wrong person.

 Chapter 90 Shut Up, Villager A

    <h4>Chapter 90 Shut Up, Viger A </h4>


    When Thirteen, Harry, and Brutus, arrived back at the cave, they noticed that amotion was brewing.


    "What is going on here?" Harry asked after seeing that the teenagers seemed to be listening to the teenage boy, who went by the name Colbert.


    "Sir Harry, you''re finally here," Colbert greeted. "We were just talking about the fact that it should be you who is supposed to be our leader, and not some upstarts."


    The teenage boy with dark-brown hair and gray eyes had no intention of following the seven-year-old''s orders as if he was their leader. Even though Thirteen had saved them, the dislike he felt towards the younger boy only grew.


    Because of this, he decided to rally the other teenagers to choose Harry as their temporary leader until they were able toplete their quest of lighting the Beacon of Hope.


    Thirteen, who heard Colbert''s words, didn''t say anything and just walked towards Cristopher.


    He had already anticipated that, because of his age, none of the children would follow his orders, but he was fine with that.


    The only people he wanted to save from the Barbarians were Cristopher and Harry anyway. So, as for the rest, they could do whatever they wanted for all he cared.


    Of course, he also thought of the possibility that Harry wouldn''te with him, but that was fine.


    Whether the teenage boy from the Remington n would be able to survive his First Wandering or not would depend on his own abilities.


    "After three hours we''re going to leave," Thirteen said to Cristopher. "We''ll just let Brutus rest for a bit."


    The Troll had fought a few creatures along the way, since they had tried to attack Thirteen and Harry while they were covering their tracks.


    He had let Harry deal thest hit to these creatures, hoping that they would get something good from them.


    Unfortunately, none of the Monsters dropped any items.


    Brutus received some minor injuries, but he would recover a bit after resting inside Cristopher''s Spatial Storage.


    Colbert, who was observing the younger boy, frowned when thetter didn''t show any reaction to his proposal.


    He clearly felt that Thirteen hadpletely ignored him as if he was just a piece of rock on the side of the road, which had no importance whatsoever.


    Harry, who was now surrounded by the majority of the teenagers, was having a dilemma. As one of the scions of the Remington n, he knew that his family name alone was enough tomand respect and loyalty from the teenagers around him.


    He was doing fairly well surviving the wild with the timid-looking-girl, Rianna, who had appeared in the same location as him.


    Together they were able to ovee most challenges, and even managed to kill a few Rank 1 monsters together.


    Unfortunately, they came across an Orc Hunting Party that had managed to surround them.


    The leader of the Orc Party spoke thenguage of Free Humans and told them to surrender, or they would cripple them before bringing them back to their stronghold.


    In the end, Harry surrendered because he believed that as long as he was alive, an opportunity would appear to regain his freedom.


    And that opportunity dide.


    Seeing the solemn gazes of the teenagers around him, Harry nced in Thirteen''s direction.


    The seven-year-old was eating some smoked meat alongside Cristopher, which made the other teenagers look at them with envy.


    If not for the fact that Bruno was sitting beside the two of them, they might have already forced themselves into the resources that were ced inside the two wooden carts that belonged to the two teenagers.


    Rianna then walked towards Thirteen and asked him if she could have something to eat and drink.


    She and the other teenagers hadn''t eaten anything for a day because the Orcs, and the Barbarians didn''t want them to have the strength to oppose them during their trip back to the Barbarian Kingdom.


    "Go ahead," Thirteen replied. "Eat and drink as much as you want."


    Rianna thanked Thirteen and helped herself to a few pieces of smoked meat. She also drank sparingly from a water skin, quenching her immediate thirst.


    "Hey, give us some food and water as well," Colbert demanded. "We are also hungry and thirsty. Sir Harry is a member of the Remington n, and you should know better than to offend them."


    The other teenagers weren''t as vocal as Colbert, and simply watched from the side. Unlike him, they were very thankful to Thirteen for saving them from the Barbarians, and didn''t want him to offend him.


    "Shut up, Viger A," Thirteen replied. "Side characters like you should know their ce."


    "V-Viger A?" Colbert wasn''t ignorant of such terms because he liked reading books during his spare time.


    Being treated as a side character didn''t sit well with him, so he made his way towards Thirteen with the intention of giving the boy a piece of his mind.


    But, before he could evene close, Bruno stood up and grabbed the annoying boy with his right hand.


    He then lifted Colbert up and roared, sending spittle flying on the boy''s face.


    Perhaps out of fear, the boy lost control over his dder and started leaking, making the Ogre look at him in disdain.


    "You better behave," Cristopher said in a cold tone. "The Young Master is a very merciful and benevolent person. But, I am not. One more word from you and you''ll be Bruno''s lunch."


    After his Master finished saying his threat, the Ogre tossed the boy in his hand to where the other teenagers were gathering.


    Thirteen gave Cristopher a thumbs up in his heart because the chubby boy was showing his loyalty to him.


    ''Good, saving you wasn''t in vain,'' Thirteen thought as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    Harry, who saw this frowned because he also didn''t like how Colbert was pushing his weight around using his family name.


    Still, unlike the arrogant boy, he wasn''t an ingrate and knew that he owed Thirteen a favor by helping him escape from the possibility of bing a ve by the Barbarians.


    "Zion, can you please spare us some food and water," Harry said. "We are very grateful that you saved us from the Barbarians, and hope that you can extend your generosity to us once more."


    "Okay," Thirteen replied. "You can take half of the resources in this cart, and also have the wagon if you like."


    "Thank you, I will remember this and repay you back in Aldebaran."


    "You should. Also, can you ask Uncle Elijah to give our family an attack helicopter aspensation for saving you?"


    "¡­ I''ll tell him about your request, but there is no guarantee that he will agree to it."


    "Okay."


    Harry did everything in his power to stop his lips from twitching after hearing Thirteen''s request.


    Although he didn''t know if his life was worth an Attack Helicopter built by the best engineers of the Remington n, he had a feeling that his father would do his best to make it happen.


    He was lucky to have a loving family, but for Zion to use this incident to extort a helicopter from them made him feel conflicted.


    Three hourster, the seven-year-old boy who had taken a nap slowly opened his eyes.


    It was time for him and Cristopher to continue their adventure, and find more information about the Beacon of Hope.

 Chapter 91 Getting A New Ally

    <h4>Chapter 91 Getting A New Ally </h4>


    After being put to his ce, Viger A, also known as Colbert, no longer dared to talk arrogantly to Thirteen.


    The only thing he could do was re in the younger boy''s direction as they prepared to leave the cave.


    The seven-year-old told Harry that he could keep half of the food and water in his cart.


    He also gave them three short swords, and three daggers that they could use to arm themselves, and hopefully survive the Houdini Desert.


    With their numbers, Thirteen believed that they would be able to survive the Houdini Desert if they worked together.


    He even gave them one of the Condor''s ws and a flint as a freebie, so that they could make fires.


    After that, he bid Harry goodbye and left the cave.


    However, to his surprise, someone else decided to join them.


    It was none other than Rianna, who was mounted on her ck Morgan.


    Just like most girls her age, she hadn''t fully matured yet.


    But with her pretty face, Thirteen was certain that Rianna would be a looker after a few more years.


    Her long brown hair nestled gently behind her back, and her hazel eyes, scanned the surroundings for possible threats, making Thirteen have a better impression of her.


    "Why are you following us?" Thirteen asked.


    He could tell from a nce that Rianna had received some proper training.


    Unlike a day ago, where she was acting timid, she was now showing apetent and confident side of her that made Thirteen realize that she was just hiding her true character from others.


    As to why she was showing this side of her, the younger boy could only make a guess and that was she was trying to show him that she would be a good addition to his team, and would not drag them down.


    "Being with you will give me a higher chance of surviving this ce," Rianna replied. "Also, I don''t want to remain indebted to others. I will make sure to repay you before I finish my first quest here in Solterra."


    "Confident are we?" Thirteenmented.


    "I''m not that confident," Rianna stated. "But, with you, I think I have a higher chance of returning to Pangea. I think you are the most confident seven-year-old I''ve seen in my life.


    "Most of the children I see from the Influential Families are just spoiled and arrogant pricks, who think that everyone who doesn''t have a good background are just to be used as tools or stepping stones to help them attain a higher position in their family."


    Thirteen didn''t say anything and observed their surroundings.


    They weren''t far from the Orc Stronghold so the chances of them meeting a Hunting Party was high.


    Because of this, he kept his eyes and ears open for anything that might threaten their lives.


    Since they only had a few hours before sunset, they traveled as much as they could, while looking for a ce to rest for the night.


    Building a fire was not a good idea because they would get spotted by the Orcs, so their only option was to find a cave, or a ce where they could properly take a rest.


    Fortunately, the area had a lot of caves, so they chose one that wasn''t inhabited by a Monster, or had traces of being used by the Orcs.


    The teenage girl was morepetent than Thirteen expected, which was a good thing in his book.


    Cristopher had two Brute Monsters that gave them the necessary manpower to fend off most threats in the Houdini Desert.


    Rianna told him that she was only average in rangedbat because she specialized in using swords.


    Because of this, Thirteen had given her one of his short bows, and a quiver to act as support during battles.


    He had also given her one of the short swords in his possession, which boosted her effectiveness in battle.


    Since she was riding on the ck Morgan, which she named Lancelot, she was capable of mountedbat, allowing them to use strategies that weren''t avable to them before.


    As the three of them settled in for the night, Brutus and Bruno took turns in doing the nightwatch.


    Both Brute Monsters had Night Vision, and Brutus also had a very strong sense of smell.


    With these qualities, they were the perfect lookouts while the three teenagers rested.


    When morning came, they had breakfast and prepared to continue their journey.


    Currently, they were taking the Northeastern route.


    Thirteen had talked with Cristopher in private to tell him the n he had in mind.


    Now that they had Rianna with them, he believed that they had a higher chance of getting an Orc Avatar for the chubby boy, which would be a good addition to the number of servants under hismand.


    However, Thirteen wasn''t just aiming for an ordinary Orc.


    No. This time, he was aiming for a High Orc.


    The Hunting Parties that left the Orc Stronghold usually numbered around four to twelve individuals.


    Bigger hunting parties usually targeted Monster Herds, simr to the Hunting Party that Thirteen and Cristopher first encountered when they arrived in the Orc Territory.


    He didn''t n on targeting those big hunting groups.


    His aim was to look for a party with a High-Orc, which was a Rank 3 Monster.


    Although it was a Rank 3 Monster, in terms of strength and raw power, they were weaker than Rank 2 Ogres and Trolls.


    However, having a Rank 3 High Orc was important if they wanted to enter the Barbarian Kingdom.


    High Orcs were smarter, and more adaptable to the situation than the regr Orcs.


    If they were going to infiltrate the Barbarians''s Domain, he would need a pawn that would ensure that they wouldn''t be ves the moment they entered the Barbarian''s domain.


    Since Avatars were said to retain their memories before they died, having a High Orc would allow Thirteen to ask questions that Brutus and Bruno couldn''t answer.


    The group of five saw several Hunting Parties after several hours of traveling. However, they didn''t make any move because either they didn''t have a High Orc among their Ranks, or they were simply too many to take on.


    Finally, just before noon, they came across a Hunting Party that consisted of Six Orcs, with one of them being a High-Orc.


    To their surprise, these Orcs were currently fighting against a Spiny Bronze Anteater. The Monster from whom Brutus got his Spiked Mace after they had sessfully killed it.


    It was a Rank 2 Monster, so it wasn''t an easy opponent for the Orcs.


    However, after seeing the Hunting Party encircle it, Thirteen could tell that this wasn''t their first time hunting this Monster.


    "What should we do?" Rianna asked Thirteen. "Should we let them fight the Monster and wait for it to finish, or we attack them while they are fighting the Monster?"


    "Of course we attack them while they are facing off against the Monster," Thirteen replied. "Just remember this Rianna. You can kill any of them, with the exception of the High Orc. Cristopher and I will deal with it."


    "Understood," Rianna nodded. "Now, tell me the strategy we are going to use in this fight."


    Rianna didn''t mind letting Thirteen take the lead because she had recognized his ability.


    Truth be told, when the seven-year-old told them that he would do his best to rescue them from the Barbarians, she just thought that he was just bluffing.


    Not only was he younger than them, he was also alone.


    She didn''t believe for a second that the boy would actually do as he promised.


    But, she was wrong.


    Just like the other teenagers that were imprisoned at that time, they didn''t think that Zion would carry through with his promise.


    However, when the boy managed to kill the three Barbarians and set them free, she decided that there was more to him than met the eye.


    Because of this, she decided to stay with him, so that she would better understand if what Thirteen did was just a fluke, or if he was really someone who would be able to defy all odds, and allow her toplete her mission, which was something that she intended to finish no matter what.


    Simr to the other teenagers, her family was waiting for her back home.


    Also, her father was someone she didn''t want to disappoint no matter what. One of her goals was to be a Soldier for the Central Government, so she didn''t mind following orders.


    But, if she was going to follow someone, she wanted to follow the orders of apetent person, who wouldn''t use her as a disposable tool, to aplish the goal that they wished to achieve.

 Chapter 92 The Young Master Did It Again

    <h4>Chapter 92 The Young Master Did It Again </h4>


    The Orcs had the Spiny Bronze Anteater surrounded, but their opponent was a tough nut to crack.


    Even with so many enemies ganging up on it, it stood its ground and gave the Orcs a hard time.


    Thirteen''s group had also fought this monster in the past, so he understood how hard it was to kill it.


    However, this wasn''t the first time that the Orcs were fighting such a Monster. They already knew the strategy that they had to use against it.


    The High Orcmanded its subordinates to use hit-and-run tactics to pressure the Anteater while it waited for the perfect opportunity to move in and flip it over.


    Once that is done, two more Orcs would move in to stab its soft underside, dealing serious injuries to the Anteater.


    After that, it was only a matter of time before it bled to death orpletely unable to right itself, allowing it tond more hits on its body, ending its life.


    Seeing that the opportunity hade, the High Orc charged forward and grabbed the side of Spiny Bronze Anteater''s body.


    Using all of the strength it could muster, the High Orc roared and flipped the Monster''s body.


    As soon as he seeded, the two Orcs who were waiting for this opportunity moved in to stab the soft underbelly of the Anteater, making it bellow in pain and anger.


    Suddenly, they heard the sounds of hooves in the background.


    However, before the other Orcs could even look in the direction where the sounds wereing from, one of them got hit by an arrow in the arm.


    A momentter, another arrow flew and hit another orc. But, this time, the arrownded in its throat, making it grunt.


    The High Orc''s gaze thennded on a ck Horse that was running in their direction with two humans riding on its back.


    Rianna had one of her arms wrapped around Thirteen''s body, holding him in ce, while the younger boy fired one arrow after the other, aiming at the Orcs in the distance.


    Three of the Orcs were hit, while the other three, including the High Orc, used their shields to block the other iing arrows.


    While this was happening, the Spiny Bronze Anteater righted itself up and tackled the Orc closest to it.


    Its sharp ws dug deep into the Orc''s body, causing thetter to cry out in pain.


    Seeing this scene, the High Orc knew that their operation waspromised.


    The Anteater only ate Ants, but it was still a Rank 2 Monster that mustn''t be underestimated.


    With the Anteater behind him and the two humans in front, the High Orc knew that it wasn''t in a position to defend itself properly.


    The only saving grace was that the Anteater was already seriously injured and might bleed to death very soon.


    Perhaps knowing that it didn''t have long to live, the Anteater decided to take the Orcs down with it, so after mauling the first Orc to death, it shifted its attention to the High Orc and the other Orc beside it.


    With a bellow filled with anger, the Anteater charged at the two Orcs, prompting the High Orc to distance itself from the Monster.


    The other Orc was about to do the same, but before he could do that, an arrow hit his leg, hampering its movements.


    The arrows that Thirteen shot were coated with the venom of the Purple Desert Scorpion, paralyzing everyone it hit.


    Although the Orcs wouldn''t be paralyzed right away, it still made their movements sluggish, buying the Spiny Bronze Anteater plenty of time to catch up.


    Thirteen then focused his attention on the High Orc and shot one arrow after the other.


    However, thetter used its shield effectively to block the arrows headed in its direction.


    As the High Orc was doing this, it was running in a particr direction so that it wouldn''t be sandwiched between the humans and the Anteater, who was now fighting the Orc it had set its eyes on.


    "Chase the High Orc," Thirteenmanded.


    "Okay," Rianna replied.


    The younger boy''s target was the High Orc, so he wouldn''t let it escape no matter what.


    Thirteen fired one arrow after another, putting pressure on the High Orc, who had no choice but to block his attacks while running away.


    First off, it knew that it couldn''t run toward the ck Morgan because it was way faster than it.


    Second, it believed that the moment the Human ran out of arrows, the boy would no longer be able to threaten it.


    ''This High Orc is smart,'' Thirteen thought as he fired another arrow. ''Fortunately, I prepared in advance.''


    Just as the High Orc was about to hide behind a nearby boulder as a shield, it found itself facing a bone club headed straight to its chest, which sent it flying.


    Thirteen, who was waiting for this moment, fired two arrows in rapid session, hitting the High Orc''s body.


    Brutus then ran past Bruno, shouting his warcry with his spiked mace raised high.


    It then mercilessly smashed it down, aiming at the High Orc''s chest with the intention of killing it.


    The High Orc had no intention of dying, so it rolled to its side, evading the attack.


    Although its movements slowed down considerably due to the Scorpion''s venom, it took a fighting stance, raising its sword and shield to fight Brutus to death.


    Unfortunately for it, this wasn''t a one-on-one battle.


    Bruno, who was feelingpetitive with Brutus, also charged forward with its Bone Club raised high.


    Cristopher, who was hiding somewhere safe, clenched his fist in excitement.


    ''The Young Master did it again!'' Cristopher watched as his two subordinates worked together to confront the High Orc. ''This High Orc is as good as ours!''


    Brutus and Bruno took turns attacking the pitiful High Orc, who was unable toe up with a strategy to defeat the two Brute Monsters.


    Its body was also starting to sumb to the Scorpion''s poison, rendering it unable to fight properly.


    Because of this, it was unable to do anything and simply stood, blocking and parrying the attacks of the two Monsters who left it with nowhere to run.


    This battlested for a few minutes before Bruno, who was using his overwhelming strength to his advantage, unleashed a powerful blow, which shattered the High Orc''s shield, and broke the arm that was holding it.


    Brutus didn''t miss this opportunity and smashed his spiked mace on the High Orc''s chest, making thetter copse on the ground.


    It was Bruno whonded the killing blow by smashing the High Orc''s head with its bone club, finally ending its life.


    After confirming that the High Orc was dead, Thirteen urged Rianna to return to where the other Orcs were so that she couldnd the killing blow on the survivors.


    Out of the five Orcs, only three survived.


    The Anteater, on the other hand, was lying on its side no longer able to move and was just waiting for its death.


    Although it was dying, Thirteen didn''t take any chances and ordered Rianna to hit its underbelly with an arrow.


    Rianna obeyed and hit her target. The ck Morgan stood five meters away from it.


    They then went to the three surviving Orcs and repeated the same process.


    Only this time, Rianna used arrows coated with the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute''s poison, ensuring that they would sumb to death slowly.


    Rianna managed to get an item from the four monsters that she had killed, which wasn''t a bad thing.


    The item she got was a Spiny Dagger that had the ability to return to its owner with amand or just a thought.


    Of course, this item came from the Spiny Bronze Anteater, which they had killed.


    Thirteen then rummaged through the belongings of the Orcs and looked for things that they could use.


    He collected their swords and a few silver coins, which they used to trade with the Barbarians.


    Although none of them could wield the swords of the Orcs, Brutus could, so he kept them in storage.


    Thirteen also collected the arrows he had used in battle because he had a very limited supply of them.


    After making sure that they had taken everything useful, they left the scene and joined up with Cristopher, who was smiling ear to ear because he now had a High Orc under hismand.

 Chapter 93 Clues About The Beacon Of Hope

    <h4>Chapter 93 Clues About The Beacon Of Hope </h4>


    "So, what is your name?" Thirteen asked the High Orc in front of him.


    "My name is Jubei," the High Orc replied.


    Unlike Brutus and Bruno who didn''t have their own names, the High Orc had its own name. Since that was the case, Cristopher decided to keep the name out of respect for his new subordinate.


    "So, Jubei. Can you tell me more about the bnce of power here in the Houdini Desert?" Thirteen asked. "Also, tell me all the interesting news and rumors that you know."


    The High Orc nodded before answering Thirteen''s questions.


    Cristopher ordered the High Orc to always obey Thirteen''s orders as if he were the one giving him the order. Having received such a question, he didn''t hesitate to obey and answered the younger boy.


    "The strongest race in the Houdini Desert are the Barbarians," Jubei replied. "The second strongest are the Orcs. Following that are the Ogres. The Trolls are at the bottom of the Hierarchy.


    "However, this ranking is only based on the development of both races. When ites to pure power, the Ogres still reign supreme. As for tenacity, it is the Trolls. The Orcs and the Barbarians do not rely solely on strength but on strategy as well. Ogres and Trolls are simply too dumb to understand such concepts.


    "Although they can also form hunting parties together, their ability to strategize is dirt poor. So if there is a war of the races, despite their strength and tenacity, we believe that the Orcs and the Barbarians will win hands down. In short, the Ogres and Trolls are too dumb to use their God-given abilities."


    This exnation earned him the disgruntlement of Cristopher''s two other Brutes, who were also there to wee their new ally.


    "You dumb!" Brutus growled.


    "Dumb!" Bruno pounded the ground with its bone club, showing how pissed he was.


    Jubei was unfazed by his twopanions'' reactions.


    The reason?


    It was because the truth hurt!


    Just as Jubei was about to proceed to answer Thirteen''s next question, the two Brutes started to make noises in the background due to their discontentment.


    "Both of you shut up," Thirteen said coldly, making the two Brute Monsters behave like little kids who had just been scolded by their parents.


    "There is news that the Barbarians are doing something big," Jubei stated. "It seems that they n to wage war on the inhabitants of the next ind."


    Thirteen then essed the database in his Soul Core to get the information he needed.


    "Are you talking about the capital city of the Valbarra Kingdom, Lunation?" Thirteen asked.


    "No." Jubei shook his head. "The Valbarra Kingdom fell long ago. "The second ind is now under the control of the Tigerkins. They changed the name of the kingdom to the Sumatran Kingdom. The name of their capital city is Dawon."


    Thirteen sighed in his heart.


    Three hundred years was indeed a long time. And in Solterra, it was enough time to see the rise and fall of the kingdoms he once knew.


    "Tigerkins¡­ since they managed to invade the Valbarra Kingdom, it means they are strong, right?" Thirteen asked.


    "They are," Jubei replied. "But they were weakened by the war twenty years ago. However, the Barbarians think that they are only biding their time before theyunch an invasion on ournd."


    "I see." Thirteen nodded in understanding. "You talk well, Jubei. It''s like I''m really talking to a human instead of an Orc."


    "This is the gift that I have received from Master Cristopher," Jubei replied. "My previous self was just a Brute who knew how to fight."


    Thirteen nced at Cristopher, and thetter walked toward Thirteen to whisper something in his ears.


    "Jubei has the Unique Ability called Schr," Cristopher whispered. "It makes him incredibly smart and proficient in speaking all thenguages in the Houdini Desert, including thenguage of Free Humans."


    Thirteen found this to be quite interesting. Just like Cristopher had stated, the Unique Ability, Schr, allowed anyone who possessed it to be incredibly smart, and proficient in learning different kinds ofnguages.


    If Bruno suddenly gained this Unique Ability, the Ogre would also be able to speak the Humannguage as if he was born as a Human instead of an Ogre.


    "Jubei, have you heard about the Beacon of Hope?" Thirteen asked.


    Rianna who had been quietly listening to the side perked up after hearing this question.


    Since this was her quest that would allow her to return to Pangea, she paid extra attention to it.


    "The Beacon of Hope is just a myth," Jubei replied. "It is said that there wille a time when the Houdini Desert will face a cmity that will dye the ground red with blood. The only way to survive this terrible fate is by lighting the Beacon of Hope.


    "Our ancestors have tried to look for it, but they never found anything. Even the Barbarians have searched far and wide for it within their territories, but they weren''t able to find it. Perhaps it''s in the territories of the Ogres or Trolls, but none of us dare to enter too deeply into their domains.


    "Although our races would not hesitate to kill each other if we met in the desert, a full-blown war between the four races has never happened in the past. Also, due to the alliance between the Orcs and the Barbarians, our races have been able to co-


    exist side by side for hundreds of years.


    "Even though we have allied with the Humans, we still don''t dare to invade the territories of the Trolls and the Ogres. They might be a dumb race, but their leaders are intelligent enough to know what is happening.


    "An alliance between the Trolls and Ogres is a very scary thing, so we didn''t dareunch an invasion against them."


    Brutus and Bruno, who were listening earlier, both smiled. They may not be as smart as Jubei, but both of them understood that their territories weren''t attacked because they were strong!


    "Jubei, have you gone to the Barbarian Cities before?" Thirteen asked. This was a very important question, and the answer to it would decide what they were going to do next.


    "Yes," Jubei replied. "I frequently visit the Barbarian City of Gronar. It is the Barbarian City nearest our Stronghold and we actively trade with them. That is also where the most recent batch of ves was supposed to be taken."


    Thirteen pondered for a while before making his decision. Although it would be a little risky, he wanted to go to the Barbarian City to gather more information.


    "Can you take us inside the city safely?" Thirteen asked.


    "I can," Jubei answered. "But you might not like the method I will have to use to do that."


    Actually, Thirteen already knew what Jubei nned to do, but he was fine with it. As long as they could safely enter the Barbarian City without worrying that the Barbarians would target them, he was willing to be inconvenienced, even if it meant that his hands and feet would be tied up for a short period of time.


    ''Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'' Thirteen thought. ''Well, as long as I am able to confirm my suspicions, a little difort will be worth it.''


    After hearing Jubei''s proposal, Thirteen, Cristopher, and Rianna unanimously agreed to it.


    For the time being, all of them decided to spend the night in the cave that they found. The next day, they''d be heading to the City of Gronar to see the sights and hear the sounds of the Barbarian City, which would y an important role in Thirteen''s scheme.

 Chapter 94 Thirteen’s Second Trial

    <h4>Chapter 94 Thirteen¡¯s Second Trial? </h4>


    After traveling for nearly half a day, the group of people finally arrived at the entrance of Gronar City.


    Although it was supposed to be a City, it was only a little over a kilometer long, and its width was roughly the same.


    Gronar City was one of the ces where trade between the Orcs, and the Barbarians were in full swing.


    Even though it was small, it was one of the most important cities of the Barbarian Kingdom.


    Beforeing to this ce, Thirteen came up with a story that Jubei would use as an excuse if thetter was recognized by his fellow Orcs.


    The story went something along these lines¡ªwhile his hunting party was out looking for prey, they stumbled upon three children who were wandering within their territory.


    Since they had been ordered by their Chieftain to catch any Human children who weren''t of Barbarian descent they saw, they took them in.


    However, they didn''t know that these children were being hunted down by Ogres and their Troll ves.


    While they were on their way back to their base, they came across a Spiny Bronze Anteater and thought that they could kill it as their prize before returning home.


    But in the middle of the battle, the Ogres and Trolls ambushed them, killing all of Jubei''s teammates.


    The Orc would then exin that he managed to run away, but since the path back to the Stronghold was blocked by the Ogres, he had no choice but to head to the Barbarian City of Gronar in the hope that he could join other Orc Hunting Parties to return to their Stronghold.


    As for the kids, he was nning to sell them as ves to recover his losses.


    This was the story that Thirteen had prepared, and he made sure that Jubei memorized it very well.


    The High Orc walked confidently toward the gate, gripping a rope attached to the bodies of the three children behind him.


    This ensured that they wouldn''t be able to escape regardless of what they did.


    The Barbarians only gave Jubei a brief nod and didn''t even bother to question why he was entering their city.


    The sight of the three children was enough for them to assume that he was there to sell ves.


    Because of this, they no longer thought of questioning him and simply allowed him to enter unchallenged.


    After entering the city, Jubei took the children to an inn that was a popr gathering ce for Orcs and Barbarians.


    He only rented one big room since renting more than that would be very suspicious.


    "Make sure to bring a few buckets of water into my room," Jubei told the innkeeper. "These kids stink, so I n to let them wash before I sell them. That way, I can fetch a higher price for them."


    "Understood," the Innkeeper replied. "I will send someone to bring the buckets of water to your room."


    Gronar City was situated beside a river, so they didn''t have any shortage of water. It was also situated right outside the desert, so it became a hub of trade and activity for the Orcs and the Barbarians.


    As if to confirm that his guess was correct, a notification appeared, congratting Thirteen, for he had managed to pass one of the Trials.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < First Trial?Completed! >


    ¡ª Escape the Houdini Desert!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Second Trial >


    ¡ª Find a Five Leaf Clover


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Rewards for Chain Quest Completion >


    ¡ª You can go back home if you seed, you unfilial brat!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "¡­ Huh?"


    Thirteen couldn''t help but stare at the condition of clearing his Second Trial.


    He was wondering if the quest was bugged or if his old man waspletely messing with him.


    However, he also knew for a fact that it was impossible for a quest to appear if there was no possibility for it to be cleared.


    ''A five leaf clover?'' Thirteen pondered. ''Where will I be able to get that?''


    While he was pondering the answer to this question, someone knocked on the door.


    Jubei opened it to see who it was.


    When he saw that it was only the inn''s helper carrying two buckets of water, he stepped aside to allow him to pass through.


    "Jubei, feel free to look around the town and see if you can find familiar faces," Thirteen ordered. "Also, if possible, see if you can find where the Human ves are being held captive."


    The High Orc nodded and left the room to do what Thirteen had asked of him. When only the three teenagers were left inside the room, Rianna stood up and picked one of the buckets of water.


    She then carried it over to the corner of the room and started washing herself.


    The teenage girl hadn''t taken a bath since she arrived in Solterra, so she decided to at least wipe her body clean now that she had the opportunity to do so.


    "Don''t look in my direction, okay?" Rianna told Cristopher, who almost choked on his saliva.


    "Why are you only asking me to not look in your direction?" Cristopher asked with a face filled with injustice. "The Young Master is here as well. Why don''t you tell him not to look in your direction?"


    "Zion is different," Rianna replied. "I can see that he has no interest in girl''s bodies. You, on the other hand, are a healthy young man. I''m sure you don''t have resistance todies."


    Before Cristopher could even object, Thirteen ordered him to go to the corner of the room to look at the wall.


    Just like Rianna had said, he had no interest in looking at her juvenile body.


    He was someone who had seen the bodies of drop-dead gorgeous beauties, who were often referred to as Goddesses for thousands of years.


    Even after bing a Human, he was already immune to the allure and charms of the opposite sex.


    The rustling of clothes sounded inside the room as Rianna took off her clothes. She then took a cloth and soaked it inside the bucket of water for a while, using it to wipe her skin.


    While doing this, she was facing Thirteen''s and Cristopher''s direction to make sure that the chubby boy wasn''t peeking at her.


    Although she was strong-willed, she was still a girl. Even she would feel embarrassed if a boy were to look at her.


    Thirteen also had his back turned in her direction as he brainstormed about their next course of action.


    Rianna had been paying close attention to the younger boy and already knew that he was someone very dependable despite his young age.


    Even now, she was stillparing Thirteen to the children who were of the same age as him. Even after racking her mind, she couldn''t think of anyone who could match his confidence and presence.


    ''Is this what a real prodigy is like?'' Rianna thought as she continued to wipe her body clean.


    She had seen the children of the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families, but none of them came close to the boy that was in front of her.


    After she finished washing her body, she reluctantly pulled her dirty dress back on and sighed sadly.


    She wished that she could have a proper change of clothes and have her current clothes washed properly.


    But for now, she would have to settle without these small luxuries, while waiting for the clue that would lead them to the location of the Beacon of Hope.


    "Do you want to wash yourself too, Cristopher?" Thirteen asked.


    "Young Master, you can wash yourself first," Cristopher replied, still looking at the wall in front of him. "I can do itter."


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied. "You can wash yourself first. I''m still busy thinking."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, Cristopher went to the corner of the room in order to wash himself.


    He then looked at Rianna and asked her not to peek at him.


    "You don''t have to worry about that," Rianna replied. "You''re not my type at all."


    "Well, sorry for not being your type," Cristopher snorted. "Just don''t look, okay?"


    "Yeah, yeah. I told you not to worry."


    "Tsk!"


    Thirteen could only shake his head at the two children, who were acting their age.


    He felt like a babysitter looking after two kids.


    But for some reason, he didn''t find this annoying at all.

 Chapter 95 Location Of The Five Leaf Clover

    <h4>Chapter 95 Location Of The Five Leaf Clover </h4>


    Jubei returned after two hours because he saw a couple of familiar faces in the city.


    Back in the Orc Stronghold, he didn''t have a lot of friends, but he knew a lot of people.


    While he was out, he recognized the person walking down the streets alongside the Warlord of the City, whose position was equivalent to that of a Mayor in Barbarian Cities.


    He followed them for a bit without drawing any attention.


    Since the Orcs and Barbarians were allies and Gronar City was a hub for their interactions, no one thought much of the High Orc who seemed to be wandering alone and following their Warlord from behind.


    "I have found other Human children, and all of them are currently being sold in the ve Market," Jubei reported. "Some of them have already been sold, while the others are being forced to work and follow the orders of their Master."


    There were no ve Cors in Solterra, so although the Human children had been sold as ves, they could choose not to obey their new Masters.


    However, this wasn''t a problem for Barbarians. They would just punish and beat up the unwilling ves until they became willing.


    Starvation, pain, and the fear of death were three strong factors that could break a person''s will, especially if they were only around thirteen years old, like the children sent to Solterra.


    Most of them didn''t receive any training, but those who did would only resist for a little while longer before they, too, followed their new Master''s wishes.


    At the end of the day, they were still ordinary Humans, and they were facing Barbarians, who were far stronger than they were.


    Their only hope was that someone would be able to Light the Beacon of Hope and free them from their suffering.


    "Master, do you want to save the Human children?" Jubei asked.


    "Not really," Thirteen replied. "But I still need to check to see if there are some familiar-looking people within that group."


    Truth be told, half of him wished to see his brother, Mikhail, in the Barbarian City.


    If he were there then Thirteen would do everything in his power to save him and prioritize his safety at all costs.


    At the same time, if his brother really were here, then he would wish that Mikhail had been sent to a more peaceful ce.


    Thirteen had a feeling that Cristopher and Rianna''s mission was troublesome, and he didn''t want his brother to be involved in their messy situation.


    Cristopher and Rianna were conflicted about whether they should ask Thirteen to save the other children.


    But both of them understood that even their current situation wasn''t that great. Simply put, they weren''t in a position to help others since they were barely able to help themselves.


    "Having more people isn''t always a good thing," Thirteen said as if reading what the two teenagers were thinking. "Do you remember what happened with Viger A? Instead of being thankful, he even instigated others to try and get the resources that Cristopher and I worked so hard to get.


    "Fortunately, Harry is of a different breed. If not, I would have asked Brutus and Bruno to pound them all to submission. Besides, as long as we light the Beacon of Hope, all the Wanderers here will return to Pangea. Let us make that our priority, okay?"


    Cristopher, who had been annoyed by Viger A, who went by the name Colbert, sighed in his heart.


    His Young Master was right.


    More didn''t always mean better, and what happened back in the Houdini Desert proved that doing good deeds wasn''t always rewarded.


    Rianna also settled down after hearing Thirteen''s words. She knew that he was right, so she no longer thought about trying to free the Human children from very.


    ''As long as weplete the mission, all of them will return to Pangea,'' Rianna thought. ''Zion is right. Completing the mission should be our priority.''


    Seeing that his twopanions understood what he was trying to say, Thirteen asked Jubei to guide them to the ve Market.


    Since they were already inside the city, there was no need for them to be tied up. As long as they acted as though the High Orc was their Master, no one would try to make things difficult for them.


    "By the way, Jubei, do you know where to find a Five Leaf Clover?" Thirteen asked.


    He wasn''t really expecting the High Orc to know the answer to this question, but it wouldn''t hurt to ask.


    "A Five Leaf Clover?" Jubei looked at the seven-year-old with surprise. "Young Master, I do know where to find it. However, that ce is a restricted area."


    "Restricted area?" Thirteen''s curiosity was piqued after hearing Jubei''s reply.


    He didn''t really think that the High Orc would know where he could find a Five Leaf Clover, but his firm answer gave him a pleasant surprise.


    "You can find it at the Shaman''s Enve, which is located further East. It''s a day of travel from here," Jubei exined. "But that area is sacrednd to the Barbarians. Anyone who enters it without permission will be sentenced to death.


    "However, I do have good news for you, Young Master. Once every six months, a Five Leaf Clover will be auctioned at the Lancar Auction House. If my memory serves me right, a Five Leaf Clover will be auctioned two weeks from now. But can I ask you something, Young Master?"


    "What is it?"


    "Do you know what the Five Leaf Clover is for?"


    "I do," Thirteen replied.


    Since he had the database of Solterra, he knew what a Five Leaf Clover can do and that was to heal a serious injury.


    While it might not be able to regrow a severed arm or leg, it could still save someone who had been shot by a bullet or had been stabbed by a sword, granted that they were still alive.


    This was why it was very precious.


    Also, the Five Leaf Clover wasn''t really a nt.


    It was a crystallized condensation of Spiritual Energy from an individual with abundant life force and brimming with vitality.


    This person could only make one of them once a month, making it a life-saving treasure that warriors would love to have, especially when they nned to hunt very strong monsters.


    Although Thirteen didn''t know why his Second Trial asked him to get one, now that he had a lead, he might as well see if he could get this precious item.


    With this thought in mind, he, Cristopher, and Rianna continued to trail behind Jubei as they finished their walk to the ve Market, where Human ves could be bought for the right price.

 Chapter 96 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 96 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 1] </h4>


    The ve Market was bustling with people. To Thirteen''s surprise, Humans were not the only race up for sale.


    Trolls, Ogres, and even Tigerkins, which had been captured by the Barbarians in their raids, were also up for grabs.


    Although they weren''t physically restricted by ve Cors, there were Beast Tattoos that forced the Monsters to obey those who would purchase them.


    These Tattoos would be nted on the foreheads of these monsters, and once their new owners had ced a drop of their blood on it, the monster would serve them for exactly five years.


    Thirteen already knew about this because it was simr to his Rune Magic.


    Unfortunately, only Advanced Rune Magic would allow him to enve Monsters. However, Lace Demon and The One limited the abilities he could use to Intermediate Rune Magic.


    The Beast Tattoos also worked on Beastkins since they were part beasts.


    With the tattoos, no matter how smart or ferocious the captured Tigerkins were, they would still be bound by the power of the Beast Tattoo, making them ideal ves for the Barbarians.


    Cristopher looked at the Tigerkin Ladies who were locked up in cages with great interest.


    Since these Tigerkins had the faces of Humans and the ears and tails of tigers, they looked very exquisite


    Thirteen believed that a certain minority on the called Earth would definitely love these girls, especially those who had a fetish for Monster Girls.


    "How much are they?" Thirteen asked in a volume that only Jubei could hear.


    "The Tigerkin girls fetch for 100 Silver Coins, while the men cost around 200 Silver Coins," Jubei replied. "The Trolls cost 150 Silver Coins, and the Ogres cost 300 Coins. As for the Human children, they cost 30 Silver Coins each."


    When Thirteen looted the Orcs, he was only able to gain a total of 50 Silver Coins from them, which meant that he only had enough money to buy one human ve.


    Their group checked all the ves that were for sale, and just as they had expected, Rianna recognized some of those who had been ced on the Wagon that had managed to escape.


    The other children also recognized Thirteen, Cristopher, and Rianna. However, after seeing that they were following a High Orc, they assumed that they had already been bought as ves by it.


    Two hourster, they returned to the inn to n their next move.


    "Master, I think we should aim to buy some Tigerkins as ves," Cristopher?proposed. "They will certainly be helpful to us in battle."


    "I bet you''re only interested in those Tigerkin Girls, right?" Rianna sneered. "The look on your face as you gawked at them was really funny."


    Cristopher''s face turned beet red because he was unable to refute Rianna''s words. There were a few Tigerkins who were quite beautiful, and if possible, he wanted them to be their helpers.


    "Jubei, what is the fastest way to earn money?" Thirteen asked.


    Since the Five Leaf Clover would be auctioned in two weeks, Thirteen wanted to see if he could bid for it. Also, he would like to buy a few ves as well, which would increase the strength of their party.


    Although they already had Brutus and Bruno, he believed that adding more fighters to their team would increase their chances ofpleting their mission.


    Jubei didn''t answer right away and pondered for a few minutes before facing the younger boy.


    "There are three ways to earn money," Jubei replied. "The first method is to hunt monsters to sell their meat and monster parts. The second way is by gambling."


    Originally, the High Orc wanted to say that there were only two ways to earn money, but after careful consideration, he had a feeling that the seven-year-old could clear the third option.


    "Thest way is through ve Duels," Jubei stated. "There is a registration fee of 10 Silver per ve. Every win gives you thirty silver. Also, we can also ce bets on the ves that are going to fight. The lower the odds¡­"


    "The higher the winnings," Thirteen finished what Jubei was going to say next.


    "It is as you say, Young Master."


    "Good. We will choose this option to make money."


    Cristopher looked at Rianna with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Your time to shine hase," Cristopher stated. "Win us a few battles, and we''ll be rich!"


    Rianna frowned, but she didn''t have any problems with this arrangement.


    Although she didn''t seem strong, she was actually trained in Martial Arts by her Grandfather, so she was confident that she could win if the disparity in strength wasn''t that much.


    "The one fighting in the ve Duel will not be Rianna," Thirteen stated.


    When Cristopher heard this, his face immediately became pale.


    "Y-Young Master, are you saying that I will be the one who will do the fighting?" Cristopher stuttered. "Are you nning to bet on my opponent so that we can win money?"


    The seven-year-old was quite amused by the chubby boy''s misunderstanding. But, instead of correcting him, Thirteen only smiled evilly.


    "That doesn''t sound like a bad idea," Thirteen said. "All we need to do is bet on your opponent, and we will win."


    Cristopher''s face turned pale after confirming that his suspicion was correct. He immediately begged and wailed for his Young Master to reconsider, making Jubei scratch his head.


    He knew that the younger boy was only teasing his Master, but seeing his Master act like this was quite embarrassing.


    "Okay, calm down," Thirteen said as he pushed Cristopher''s face away, which was now covered in tears and snot. "You will not be fighting either, so stop crying."


    Rianna took a deep breath before clenching her fists in determination. Since this was the fastest way to earn money, she decided to give it everything she had.


    "You''re not fighting either," Thirteen said to the girl who was pumped up to fight.


    "Eh?" Rianna blinked her eyes in confusion. "If not me, then who will fight?"


    "Who else?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "Of course, it will be none other than me."


    The youngdy looked at Thirteen in disbelief. Although she had seen him use bows and arrows, she didn''t think that the younger boy would propose to fight in the ve Duel instead of her.


    Jubei, on the other hand, smiled faintly.


    Although he hadn''t seen Thirteen fight all-out, he believed that the seven-year-old had what it took to make them all filthy rich.

 Chapter 97 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 97 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 2] </h4>


    "Step right up in the duel arena!" the Barbarian who was managing the duels shouted. "Want to see how good your ve is? Send them here, and see them fight! Throw your coins, and have a good time. Come inside the duel arena!"


    Jubei walked up to the Barbarian and gruffly pushed Thirteen forward.


    "I want to register my ve to the duel arena," Jubei stated. "Here are 10 silvers."


    The Barbarian looked the seven-year-old boy up and down before looking at the High Orc.


    "He''s a bit too young for duels," the Barbarian stated. "I''ve been in this business for a long time, but I haven''t seen someone as young as him fight. Won''t you reconsider?"


    Hearing those words, Thirteen looked at the manager with a surprised look on his face. Barbarians were one of the fiercest Free Humans in Solterra.


    They liked to brawl and do many other things, so he didn''t expect that the man would show him a bit of kindness, despite looking like a brute.


    "No," Jubei replied. "I have no need for useless ves. Take my money and register him."


    The Barbarian sighed before reluctantly nodding his head.


    "He will fight in the third round," the Barbarian, who went by the name Raldo, said. "Do you also n to join the betting?"


    "What are his odds?" Jubei inquired.


    Raldo checked who the boy was going to fight before giving his opinion.


    "One out of twenty," Raldo answered. "He will be fighting one of the ves who was brought here by you guys a few days ago. That boy has fifteen wins and one loss under him."


    Jubei pondered a bit before nodding his head.


    "Here, 40 silvers." Jubei handed a pouch containing all the money they possessed.


    Raldo nodded and took the pouch from the High Orc. He then scribbled something on a piece of animal skin, recording Jubei''s bet.


    After that, he motioned for one of his subordinates to bring Thirteen to the waiting area while he waited for his turn to fight in the arena.


    "Will he really be alright?" Rianna asked Cristopher in a volume that only the chubby boy could hear.


    "I''m not sure," Cristopher replied. "But I believe that the Young Master would not volunteer to do something like this if he isn''t confident about winning."


    Rianna was a bit worried about the younger boy because she didn''t know how good Thirteen was when it came to fighting without weapons.


    She had only seen him use the bow and arrow, and she had to admit that he was much better than her in that regard.


    "Don''t worry," Jubeimented as he led Critopher and Rianna to the stands. "I have a feeling that the Young Master will surprise us."


    The three of them didn''t have to wait for long because half an hourter, Thirteen entered the Duel Arena looking around his surroundings like a scared brat.


    When the Barbarians saw him, some of themughed and started to tease the little boy, even calling him names like shorty.


    Thirteen''s body shuddered as he walked into the arena, acting as if the shouts of the Barbarian unnerved him. His pitiful sight made all of themugh loudly.


    Half a minuteter, his opponent also appeared in the arena.


    The boy was a head taller than Thirteen, and judging from his stance, he had received at least some proper training.


    ''He might be a retainer from one of the influential families, or his family was rich enough to hire a Wanderer to train him,'' Thirteen thought.


    "Sorry about this, but I have to win," the teenage boy looked at Thirteen with a confident smile on his face. "My name is Wilson. No hard feelings, okay?"


    The younger boy''s opponent was one of the Wanderers who had appeared near the Barbarian Territory, and he was captured by one of their Hunting Parties.


    Thirteen nodded timidly, which made Wilson''s smile widen.


    While the two boys faced off against each other, Raldo gave the spectators a short period of time to cast their bets.


    Naturally, all of them ced their bets on Wilson since they didn''t want to lose their hard-earned money.


    Although the winnings they would earn in return were small, they didn''t mind it one bit because they thought that they were about to get easy money.


    A few minutester, Raldo raised his hand, signaling the referee to announce the start of the match. Just like he had expected, everyone had ced their bets on Wilson.


    "Killing is not allowed," the Referee said. "Everything else is allowed. If you fall from the arena, lose consciousness, or surrender, you lose. Now, fight!"


    After giving the signal to fight, Wilson immediately charged toward the younger boy, intending to end the fight right away.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, started to run away, making the spectators break out inughter.


    "Go little boy! Run!"


    "Don''t let him catch you, or you''ll get beaten up!"


    "Run, Forest, run!"


    Wilson was stronger and much faster than his opponent, so he was able to close the gap in an instant.


    But just as he was about to grab the younger boy, Thirteen stumbled on the ground and fell.


    Since both of them were running at full speed, Wilson wasn''t able to stop himself and tripped before skidding to the edge of the arena.


    But just as he was about to prop himself up, the younger boy pushed him away, making him fall out of the arena.


    The Barbarians who wereughing earlier all froze in ce when they realized what happened.


    "Sh*t!"


    "Nooooo! My money!"


    ''Damn it! My wife is going to kill me!"


    "Why did this happen? Why?!"


    While everyone wasmenting their loss, the Referee raised the seven-year-old''s hand and dered the winner of the match.


    "Winner, Zion!"


    """Boooooooooooooo!"""


    The Barbarians in the stand weren''t too happy with how things turned out.


    Cristopher and Rianna, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief because they could tell that Thirteen was rtively unharmed.


    One ck coin was equivalent to 100 Silver, which Jubei could exchange at the Gambling Den for money.


    Since the Dueling Arena and the Gambling Arena were under the same management, the ck Coins were recognized by the entirety of Gronar City as a currency. This meant that the coins had purchasing power within the city.


    In fact, some people exchange their silver for this currency. It was more convenient than carrying a bag of silvers, which was too heavy.


    "Congrattions on your winnings," Raldo said as he handed Jubei eight ck coins.


    "At least that dumb ve is good for something," Jubei snorted as he epted the ck coins.


    "Do you wish for him to continue fighting?" Raldo asked.


    "Might as well," Jubei shrugged. "Who is his opponent and what are the odds?"


    The Manager of the arena double-checked his records to see who Thirteen''s opponent was.


    "This time, the odds are one in forty," Jubei replied. "His opponent is older than Wilson by two years, and he has forty-


    two wins and only two losses under his belt."


    "Hmm¡­" Jubei pondered before looking at the seven-year-old beside him. "Human, if you lose, I''ll feed you to the Ogres."


    The younger boy''s body uncontrobly shuddered after hearing the High Orc''s threat.


    "M-Master, I can''t win," Thirteen begged. "Please don''t kill me!"


    Thirteen grabbed hold of Jubei''s arm, but the High Orc pushed him away, making him fall to the ground.


    "I don''t need weaklings," Jubei growled. "Either you win or you die. I''m signing him up for the duel."


    "Of course," Raldo replied as he took the eight ck coins from Jubei.


    He originally didn''t want to do this, but the people who had lost their money wanted to see Thirteen fight again to see him suffer.


    They were still very annoyed that they lost their money, so they wished for him to get beaten up really well. That way, all of them could let go of their frustration.


    After sealing the deal, Raldo asked for one of his subordinates to drag the still-pleading boy away.


    "Master, I don''t want to die! Please have mercy on me!"


    The Barbarians, who saw this all, smiled evilly. They were quite happy with Jubei''s decision to feed the boy to the Ogres if he lost.


    "Serves him right!"


    "Even if it''s just a fluke, how dare he make me lose my money? I almost died hunting an Ogre for that!"


    "He''s fighting against Brakka? Man, now he''s really a goner. That freak likes to break people''s limbs before beating them up even after they''ve lost consciousness."


    ''Yeah. He is one sick bastard. But for once, I''ll be happy to see him beat up that brat."


    "I feel the same way as you do."


    Jubei was led by Raldo to a room meant for VIP guests.


    He had a feeling that things might get messyter, so he decided to take the initiative to ce the High Orc in a different seat just in case another miracle happened.


    -------------------------


    (E/N: What they feel for Thirteen now is what I feel for that kid in Hotarubi no Mori e. Years have passed, but I will never move on.)

 Chapter 98 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 98 Time To Get Filthy Rich [Part 3] </h4>


    This time, Thirteen was about to fight a teenage Barbarian boy who was around fifteen years old.


    He wasn''t a ve. On the contrary, he was one of the young Barbarians who enjoyed fighting against them.


    For them, fighting ves was a good way to train themselves and was more effective than looking for Monsters to fight in the wild.


    In fact, many young Barbarians do this, and this gained the approval of the adults.


    Since killing wasn''t allowed, and he was a Barbarian, Brakka was able to get special treatment, allowing him to fight opponents who were weaker than him.


    He was the Duel Arena''s ''Cleaner'', whom they''d call up in order to deal with the troublesome ves who had offended many people.


    Since the Barbarians wanted to see Thirteen suffer and bleed, they pressured Raldo to make Brakka the boy''s opponent if Jubei wished for him to fight again.


    Now, all of these people were sitting calmly in their seats as they looked at the hateful boy, who made them lose their money.


    The referee looked at the seven-year-old with pity. He knew how violent Brakka could be, and he could already see the sorry state the boy would be in by the time the match ended.


    Thirteen had been told by the man who dragged him to the waiting room to say his prayers because he was guaranteed to be a cripple by the time his match ended.


    Out of curiosity, Thirteen asked the man whom he was fighting against, and the Barbarian was more than happy to scare him out of his wits.


    Because of this, Thirteen had a good idea of what kind of person he was going to face.


    "And now, we present to you, Brakka!" Raldo announced as he pointed at the young Barbarian who was walking towards the arena with a wild grin on his face.


    ""Brakka!""


    ""Brakka!""


    ""Brakka!""


    ""Brakka!""


    ""Brakka!""


    The audience chanted his name, making the Barbarian raise both of his hands like a professional wrestler about to fight a championship match.


    The moment Brakka stepped into the arena, he shouted a warcry, making the Barbarians cheer.


    "Boy, I don''t know how you managed to piss these people off, but I''m d you did," Brakka stated. "I was already getting bored and wanted to y with a new toy. Don''t worry, I won''t break you easily."


    Thirteen looked visibly shaken. A momentter, he tried to run towards the edge of the arena, intending to jump to end the match in Brakka''s favor.


    However, the Referee was faster than him, so he caught the seven-year-old firmly in his hands.


    "Use the cage!" one of the Barbarians shouted.


    "That''s right! We want the cage!"


    "Cage match!"


    "Cage match!"


    "Cage match!"


    The Referee nced in Raldo''s direction as if asking him if they should listen to the audience.


    The Manager shook his head because he believed that this was a very cruel thing to do.


    He still had his principles despite being the Manager of the Dueling Arena.


    For him, giving Thirteen a chance to jump off the arena was the only mercy that he could give him as a Human.


    "Don''t worry, everyone," Brakka dered. "Even if he jumps off the Arena during our match, I will still break his limbs. So just sit back and enjoy the show."


    "Nice!"


    "Good!"


    "Hahaha! Break his legs! Break his arms!"


    "Make him suffer!"


    The Referee, who was holding onto Thirteen, crouched down to look the boy in the eye.


    "If you jump off the Arena, I will catch you and personally hand you over to Brakka," the Referee stated. "Give it up. There is no escape for you. Just do your best tond a hit or two against Brakka because that might be thest thing you''ll ever be able to do before you are crippled."


    After saying those words, the Referee released Thirteen and walked back to the center of the arena.


    "Killing is not allowed," the Referee shouted. "Everything else is allowed. If you fall from the arena, lose consciousness, or surrender, you lose. Now fight!"


    Brakkaughed as he walked towards the boy with confidence.


    Just like what he did earlier, Thirteen ran toward the edge of the arena, making the audience start booing.


    "You won''t get away with the same trick twice!"


    "Just ept your fate and get your limbs broken!"


    "Time to pay for your sins, boy!"


    Brakka, who was casually walking toward Thirteen sneered.


    "You aren''t the first and thest ve who has used this strategy on me," Brakka said. "It''s no use, boy. Your petty tricks will not work on me."


    Seeing that the fish wasn''t biting the bait, Thirteen ran along the sides of the arena, remaining at its edges.


    Brakka onlyughed and followed his opponent in a leisurely manner.


    Everyone understood that the Barbarian was just ying with his prey, so they just cheered him on.


    Finally, ten minutester, Brakka seemed to have gotten a little impatient because the only thing that Thirteen did was to run away.


    Because of this, he increased his speed and cornered him.


    "Where are you going to run now, boy?" Brakka asked with his arms spread wide, as he walked towards the seven-year-old, who was standing in one of the corners of the arena. "ytime''s over."


    The Barbarian reached out and grabbed Thirteen''s shirt with the intention of raising him high up in the air.


    Brakka enjoyed watching the helplessness of his victims when they were in his grasp, making them feel despair.


    However, he had just raised Thirteen''s body up to his chest level when the younger boy''s scared-looking eyes suddenly sharpened as if waiting for that exact moment.


    A few secondster, a grunt escaped Brakka''s lips before his grip on the boy''s clothes loosened.


    Thirteen had timed his attack perfectly, giving Brakka a well-


    aimed kick on his balls, making him temporarily lose his strength.


    The Barbarian curled his body like a shrimp while holding onto his family jewels with a pale expression on his face.


    Even if he were stronger than Thirteen, he was still a man, and getting kicked in that ce hurt like hell.


    "You''re right," Thirteen said as he raised his hand. "ytime''s over."


    Using a palm strike, the seven-year-old urately broke the Barbarian''s nose, making Brakka grunt in pain,


    However, this was just the beginning of his suffering.


    The boy then grabbed the back of Brakka''s head and forcibly brought it down.


    Thirteen''s knee rose up to meet the Barbarian''s jaw, making Brakka see white as his brain was shaken due to the impact.


    But even if he was in a daze, he still managed to hear the boy''s words in his ears like a Devil telling Brakka that his soul now belonged to him.


    "You have crippled countless people, haven''t you?" Thirteen smiled evilly. "Don''t worry. Your fate will be worse than theirs. I will cripple you in a way that you will remember for the rest of your life."


    After saying those words, the younger boy pped the Barbarian''s ears with his hands at the same time, making one of Brakka''s eardrums burst, disorienting him.


    This was followed up by an uppercut, making the Barbarian fall on his back.


    Thirteen, who wasn''t done with hisbination attack, raised his foot and stomped on Brakka''s balls a second time, making sure to crush thempletely.


    The Barbarian started to foam in the mouth after Thirteen''s deadlybos, forcing the Referee to interfere and stop the match.


    "Winner, Zion!"


    As soon as he dered the boy''s victory, two Barbarians ran up into the arena to carry Brakka away.


    The Audience was speechless because they didn''t expect Brakka would actually lose to the seven-year-old, who was walking down from the arena with confidence.


    His earlier disy of cowardice and fear was nowhere to be seen, making Raldo, who watched the battle from start to finish, subconsciously clench his fist.


    ''This brat¡­'' Raldo thought. ''He yed us all in the palm of his hands.''


    As if sensing his gaze, Thirteen nced in Raldo''s direction and gave him a faint smile.


    The Manager of the Arena felt a cold chill run down his spine the moment he met the boy''s gaze.


    Something was telling him that this incident was not over yet, and he would be seeing the seven-year-old again in the not-


    so-distant future.

 Chapter 99 Breaking You Won’t Be Fun Otherwise

    <h4>Chapter 99 Breaking You Won¡¯t Be Fun Otherwise </h4>


    "Here are your winnings," Raldo handed the pouch he had prepared for the High Orc with a conflicted look on his face.


    Jubei casually took the pouch, and checked its contents.


    Inside of it were 32 White Coins.


    If one ck Coin was equivalent to 100 Silver Coins, one White Coin was worth 1,000 Silver Coins.


    This meant that Thirteen''s group now had 32,000 Silver Coins in their possession!


    "After what happened with Brakka, the odds are no longer in your favor," Raldomented. "I suggest not going to the Duel Arena for a time."


    "Mmm." Jubei nodded in understanding.


    Raldo then nced at the seven-year-old with awe and admiration, which he rarely showed to someone.


    "You hid it well, you little Monster," Raldo smiled bitterly. "Still, I look forward to your next duel. Just don''t do it anytime soon."


    Thirteen gave the Duel Manager a faint smile as if telling him that he wasn''t going to make any promises.


    Raldo could only shake his head helplessly before heaving a long sigh.


    "Off you go," Raldo stated. "Use the back door. I don''t want a bloodbath happening on my watch."


    With the Manager''s help, Thirteen''s group was able to leave the arena without trouble.


    But, instead of heading back to their Inn, the seven-year-old told everyone that they should go to the ve Market first to buy ves.


    When Cristopher heard this, he immediately gave his Young Master a thumbs up, making Rianna look at him in disdain.


    She didn''t need to be a genius to know what the chubby boy was thinking, making Jubei smile faintly.


    Thirteen, who now had the funds to buy a few ves, wasn''t stingy and gave Cristopher and Rianna one White Coin each.


    This would allow them to purchase whatever they wanted whether it be ves, weapons, armor, etc.


    The first time that they visited the ve Market, Thirteen was d that his brother, Mikhail, wasn''t there.


    There were also no other individuals who belonged to the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families that were for sale.


    This saddened him a bit because buying them as ves would mean that those High-Ranking Families would be indebted to him.


    However, there was one ve that caught Thirteen''s attention when they went there the first time.


    Because of this, he wanted to earn money right away so that he could buy that ve before others beat him to it.


    ''Good,'' Thirteen thought as his gazended on one of the cages in the ve Market. ''He''s still here.''


    The seven-year-old didn''t hesitate and went to find the ve Master, so that he could purchase the ve that caught his eye.


    "Mister, my Master wants to buy that ve over there," Thirteen said as he pointed in one of the cages in front of him.


    "You want to buy that troublesome thing?" the ve Master asked with an amused look on his face. "Well, I guess breaking his will is good entertainment. However, he is a bit special. He gave us a lot of trouble, so it will cost you 300 Silvers to buy him."


    "I don''t mind," Jubei replied. "I will let my ve train?him, so make him that Tigerkin''s Master."


    "Hahaha, you are one interesting buyer, I like!" The ve Market found this amusing because a seven-year-old was going to train a Beastkin who was several years older than him.


    Raising his hand, the ve Master asked two of his subordinates to open the cage and restrain the Tigerkin that Thirteen had chosen.


    "Let me go!'''' The Tigerkin roared in anger, as he struggled to escape from the two ve Traders who had him firmly in their grasp.


    "Shut up, you punk!" one of the ve Traders shouted as he, and hisrade, forced the Tigerkin to kneel on the ground, so his head would be branded by the ve Tattoo.


    The Tigerkin was still young and, judging by his appearance, was around thirteen to fifteenyears old.


    The reason why Thirteen chose him was his eyes.


    Those eyes filled with life, determination, anger, and stubbornness that made Thirteen immediately know what kind of person he was.


    Thirteen hated these people with a vengeance after facing off against them.


    Yes, the boy in front of him had the makings of a Hero.


    And for him, enving a future hero was a very amusing thing.


    ''Kukuku,'' Thirteenughed internally. ''I''m going to enjoy breaking you.''


    He understood that these people were protected by Fate, and nothing bad would really happen to them until they had aplished their destinies.


    For them, facing these kinds of hardships was just part of their journey to reach the pinnacle of the world, and put their names in the pages of History.


    Thirteen already understood that his Father, the System God, had given him a hidden ss as well.


    And this Hidden ss was none other than Cannon Fodder.


    Simr to the Hero and the Viin, these sses were hidden within the very soul of a person, allowing them to fulfill their destinies in each of their lifetimes.


    If he was going to beat the Cycle of Fate, he needed to understand its rules. What better way to understand it than capture a Hero and make him his first guinea pig?


    "Stop!" the Tigerkin roared as the ve Master pressed his finger over his forehead. "I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you! I swear I will kill you!"


    "Yeah, yeah, that''s what all of you ves say before you are branded," the ve Master was already used to such threats, so it didn''t matter how many times the Tigerkin cursed him.


    A few secondster, a ve Tattoo appeared on the Tigerkin''s forehead, marking him as a True ve.


    "Put a drop of your blood on his forehead and the contract will be sealed," The ve Master stated. "He even handed Thirteen a dagger which the boy could use to prick his finger to draw blood.


    Thirteen epted the dagger and pricked his thumb. He then unceremoniously pressed iton the forehead of the Tigerkin, making thetter scream, as tears streamed down the side of his face.


    The "branding'' was a very painful experience, as if to make the ve understand that his Fate was no longer in his hands.


    A minuteter, the Tigerkin was released by the two ve Traders making his body copse on the ground.


    Even so, the Tigerkin didn''t lose consciousness as he stubbornly raised his head to re at the seven-year-old boy, who was now his Master.


    "I''ll¡­ kill you!" the Tigerkin said through gritted teeth, making the corner of Thirteen''s face curl up into a smile.


    Instead of answering the Tigerkin, the younger boy stepped on the Tigerkin''s head, grinding thetter''s face on the ground.


    "Good," Thirteen said as he put more pressure on his foot. "Breaking you won''t be fun otherwise."


    The ve Master gave the seven-year old a thumbs up in his heart because he liked sadistic people.


    They were his biggest customers and he had a feeling that, before the day was over, several of his ves would be purchased, earning him a lot of profit for his troubles.

 Chapter 100 A Fateful Encounter [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 100 A Fateful Encounter [Part 1] </h4>


    "You are not allowed tomit suicide, or anything that will directly, or indirectly, end your life."


    "You will forever be loyal to me, and obey my every word as if it was the reason for your existence."


    "You will not hurt or harm me, or any of my allies, in any way, whether it be directly or indirectly."


    "You will always do things to further my interest, and will not do anything that might harm my interest."


    This was the first batch of orders that Thirteen had given his ve, and the ve Master made sure to take down notes after hearing the orders from the seven-year-old.


    "Amazing! All of these orders summed up the things that a good ve must do for his Master," the ve Master looked at Thirteen with a satisfied look on his face. "Would you like to join the ve Industry? I can make you my right-hand man if you''re interested."


    "I''ll think about it," Thirteen replied, still keeping his foot pressed on the back of the Tigerkin''s head, while continuing to grind his servant''s face to the ground.


    He then nced at the chubby boy, who was looking at the Tigerkin with pity.


    "Cristopher, aren''t you going to train ves as well?" Thirteen asked. "You better not waste Master Jubei''s generosity."


    "R-Right! I almost forgot!" Cristopher finally remembered that he was also allowed to purchase ves, so he hurriedly went to the Tigerkin Cages to purchase the most beautiful Tigerkins that were for sale.


    Rianna also decided to purchase some ves.


    However, instead of Beastkins and Monsters, she decided to purchase the Human ves, using all of the money that was given to her to free them.


    Thirteen looked at Rianna with a calm expression on his face.


    He already knew that the youngdy wanted to free the children that were being sold as ves, so he purposely gave her exactly 1,000 silver coins to purchase them all.


    Each human child only cost 30 Silver coins, so she was able to buy all thirty-three of them, with a few silver coins to spare.


    Thirteen didn''t treat Rianna as his direct subordinate like Cristopher.


    He knew that the girl was only apanying him because she believed that she had a higher chance ofpleting her mission by being with him.


    Thirteen understood that, so he allowed her to do what she wanted to do.


    But, since she was under his wing, he decided to teach her a lesson and that lesson was "taking responsibility".


    Since she had chosen to purchase all the human children, she would need to be responsible for them.


    He could tell that Rianna had the makings of a Leader, and if possible, he wanted to let her remain apassionate person as she grew up.


    However, he also understood that this was impossible.


    The moment she entered society, she would understand just how corrupt the world was.


    Thirteen could tell that she was brought up in a loving family because, unlike the children of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families, Rianna''s gaze was pure.


    She wasn''t exactly innocent, but she still believed that hard work, and good deeds would be rewarded.


    This was why he wanted to teach her a lesson about responsibility, while she was still young.


    By doing so, her pure heart would be protected for a few more years before reality gave her a good p on the face.


    The ve Master didn''t even bother to assist Cristopher and Rianna with their purchase, allowing his servants to assist them instead.


    He couldn''t exin it, but for some reason, he felt attracted to Thirteen.


    Although the boy was simply standing and stepping on the Tigerkin''s head, he couldn''t help but feel that the boy was overflowing with charisma.


    Because of this, he decided to walk towards him and whisper something in his ear.


    "Kid, do you want to take a look at my special ve collection?" the ve Master asked. "Originally, I was nning to sell them off to the auction, but I''ll give you special treatment and allow you to purchase one of them for a fair price. So, how about it?"


    Thirteen''s impression of the ve Master went up by a notch.


    He had been to many worlds where very was rampant, so he didn''t think of the ve Traders as bad guys.


    In fact, one of his Hosts was also a ve Trader, who sold ves to people, whom he believed would take good care of them.


    There were always two sides of a coin.


    Depending on how one looked at it, there were many stories where ves actually had a happy ending, and found joy despite the circumstances they were in.


    He was once a System.


    In a world where morality was only a thin line away from depravity, he knew more than anyone else, that not all bad guys were bad, and not all good guys were good.


    "Sure, I''ll take you up on your offer, Mister¡­" Thirteen looked at the ve Master in askance.


    "Norris," Norris said. "You can just call me Sir Norris."


    "In that case, just call me Zion. It is a pleasure doing business with you, Sir Norris."


    "Good. Come this way, Zion"


    The ve Master led Thirteen inside hispound where he stored some of the most unique, ves, and creatures that he had caught during his journey across the Houdini Desert, and the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "Remember, you can only choose one, Zion," Norris said. "So choose wisely."


    The boy nodded and began to check the cages one by one.


    There, he saw many exotic beasts of different shapes and sizes. There were even Rank 5 Monsters for sale, which made the seven-year-old arch an eyebrow.


    ''Cristopher will definitely drool after he sees this,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at an Empyrean Baby Boar, whom he believed was only a few months old.


    However, even though it was young, it was already a Rank 5 Monster.


    Empyrean Boars were Jinns. They were stronger than most creatures, and an adult Boar was a Rank 7 monster.


    These monsters could grow up to five-meters, and their tusks were very good material for crafting weapons.


    In fact, the Mythical Weapons that Arthur, and Lady Callista currently possessed were crafted from the tusks of Empyrean Boars.


    After looking at the little boar, Thirteen shifted his gaze to the other monsters that were for sale.


    He even saw some Nymphs, and a Dryad among them, which would make Cristopher ditch his Tigerkin Girls in order to buy them in a heartbeat.


    The boy only finished looking at half of Norris'' collection when he felt a strong attraction pulling him towards a cage.


    He didn''t know why, but something waspelling him to go to the farthest end of the room, and ignore the rest of the amazing creatures that were up for sale.


    This was the first time that Thirteen experienced something like this, so he followed his gut instinct.


    Inside a ss case, and resting on a branch, was a ck snake that was only half a meter long.


    Sensing that someone was looking at it, the snake raised its head.


    It flicked its tongue in the boy''s direction as if trying to discern why this Human was looking at it.


    Thirteen then ced his hand over his chest because he felt something warm spreading inside his body.


    He didn''t understand what this feeling was, but if he had to put a description on it, it would be simr to finding a long lost friend that he hadn''t seen for a long time.


    If the boy only opened his Status Page to check why he was feeling this way, he would have noticed that one of his Unique Abilities, Destiny Bond, was blinking in gold colors.


    The Unique Ability kept on blinking for a few more seconds before it returned to its original state.


    Norris, who had noticed the sudden change in the boy''s expression, smiled.


    He saw everything from start to finish, and couldn''t help but remember the words that the Shaman of their n had told him, when she entrusted him with the ck Snake, that was now part of his collection.


    "Whoever this ck Snake recognizes as its owner is a friend of our n," the Shaman said. "Form connections with that person because one day, it might be our turn to ask for their help."


    Norris walked towards the seven-year-old, who couldn''t keep his eyes off the ss cage where the ck Snake was resting.


    ''Elder, I think I found the person you were talking about back then,'' Norris mused. ''Don''t worry. I will keep your words in my heart, and ensure that he bes a friend of ours.''

 Chapter 101 A Fateful Encounter [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 101 A Fateful Encounter [Part 2] </h4>


    Thirteen and the ck Snake looked at each other for nearly five minutes before the boy started to stir.


    It was as if he just woke up from a trance. But the first thing he did was to ce his right hand over his chest as if he was in pain.


    The snake tilted its head to the side as if wondering what was happening to the Human in front of it.


    The ve Master, Norris, walked up to the younger boy from behind with a business-like smile.


    "Beautiful isn''t she?" Norris asked. "Do you know what she is?"


    "Domini Mortis," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "The most poisonous snake in Solterra despite only being a Rank 1 Monster from birth to death."


    "As I thought," Norris replied. "You are very knowledgeable. Are you really seven?"


    Thirteen didn''t reply, nor turned his head to look at the ve Master behind him. He just continued to stare at the ck Snake in front of him as if trying to understand why he was feeling a sense of familiarity that he couldn''t describe.


    Two minutester, Thirteen reluctantly tore his gaze away from the snake and looked at the ve Master behind him.


    "How much?" Thirteen asked.


    He didn''t need to specify what he intended to buy because it was already very obvious.


    "5,000 Silver Coins," Norris answered. "Although it is a Rank 1 Monster, it is extremely rare. I just happened to get this one from an acquaintance, so its price is more expensive than most. I already gave you a friend discount with that price."


    "Deal," Thirteen said. "You can take the money from my Master, Jubei."


    Norris smiled after hearing the boy''s words. He was a ve Trader, and he was very good at reading people. It was very obvious from the start that the one calling the shots was the seven-year-old boy instead of the High Orc that was apanying him.


    In fact, Norris wouldn''t be surprised if the real ve was the Orc, and not the boy, who was standing before him.


    But, he kept his thoughts to himself and simply nodded his head.


    "Handling it is very dangerous, so let''s perform the Master and ve contract first," Norris stated.


    Raising his hand, the tattoo on the ck Snake''s head glowed faintly, putting the snake into a trance.


    Handling a very poisonous snake like the Domini Mortis was not an easy task. It was fast, and its venom was more potent than the venom of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    In fact, if it was able to bite a Rank 4 or Rank 5 Monster several times, those monsters would die, despite the fact that they were three to four ranks higher than the Domini Mortis.


    The Masters of Death, this is what these ck Snakes were called. It doesn''t matter who they bit. The moment their fangs sank into their victims'' bodies, it was all over for that creature.


    Their poison was also the greatest anti-venom of all once it was purified, or used as an ingredient for alchemy.


    "Drop your blood on its forehead, but be careful," Norris said. "Don''t press your thumb on its head like what you did with the Tigerkin. Just drop the blood on top of its head, and pull your hand back as soon as possible."


    The ve Master was putting all of his concentration into keeping the ck Snake in ce, so that it wouldn''t identally attack the boy.


    Nodding his head, Thirteen did as he was told and dropped a blood on top of the head of the ck Snake, before pulling his hand away.


    Suddenly, something unexpected happened,


    Unlike what happened with the Tigerkin earlier, Thirteen felt a very strong connection to the snake as if it had be part of his body.


    As if to confirm his suspicion, a few rows of text appeared in front of him, asking for his input.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Would you like to give the Domini Mortis a name? >


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Tiona," Thirteen replied before he could even think of a name.


    The boy''s eyes widened in shock because he only realized what had happened, after it already happened.


    The ck Snake, who was now named Tiona, nodded its head as if recognizing the name that its Master had given it.


    Through their connection, the boy felt something akin to happinessing from the Domini Mortis that had now be his ve.


    Thirteen then opened his Status Page to check his Status Page just to be sure that he wasn''t imagining things.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 7 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuff >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency, Destiny Bond, Rune Magic (Intermediate).


    Beast Companion: Tiona.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ''It''s there,'' Thirteen mused. ''But, why?''


    When he had enved the Tigerkin earlier, there were no notifications that appeared, and no changes happened on his Status Screen.


    In fact, there wasn''t supposed to be any notifications because having a ve was not part of the "program" that the Lace Demon, and The One, had made for Wanderers.


    This was why even if they had 100 ves, there would be no notifications, and the names of the ves wouldn''t appear in their Status Page.


    Only the names of Avatars would register because they were the only type of Monsters that the Law of Wanderers recognized.


    In short, there was not supposed to be a Beast Companion category appearing on his Status Page because it was only exclusive to those who had the Hidden ss of Beast Tamer.


    Thirteen was definitely not one, so he didn''t understand why this was happening.


    ''I''ll ask Lace Demon and The One next time I see them,'' Thirteen thought.


    While the seven-year-old was deep in thought, Norris asked Thirteen to order the ck Snake not to bite him.


    Now that the Domini Mortis had a new owner, it would no longer listen to Norris. Since there was a chance that the ck Snake would attack him after it was freed from the cage, he immediately asked Thirteen to give the snake an order as a precaution.


    "Don''t bite the ve Master as well as his subordinates," Thirteen said. "Do not bite any of my family, friends, and subordinates. Unless I order you to, do not take the initiative to attack. Do I make myself clear?"


    The ck Snake nodded, acknowledging Thirteen''s orders.


    After confirming that the order had been properly given, Norris opened the ss Cage, allowing the ck Snake to crawl out of it.


    Thirteen extended his hand, and the snake immediately crawled up towards his shoulder.


    After that, it coiled itself around the boy''s neck like a ck cor.


    "Well then, Zion, it''s a pleasure doing business with you," Norris said as he extended his hand towards the boy in a handshake. "I hope we continue this business rtionship in the future."


    The Domini Mortis, Tiona, hissed at the ve Master, but didn''t make any move to bite him.


    Clearly, it didn''t like the ve Master and would have probably attacked him if Thirteen had not ordered it to not carelessly attack anyone without his permission.


    "I do hope that we will be able to do business again in the future," Thirteen shook Norris hand. "I just need to save up more money so I can buy your other wares."


    "Of course, money is always wee," Norris chuckled before leading Thirteen back to his friends, who had also finished buying the ves they wanted using the money that he had shared with them.

 Chapter 102 Teaching Rianna A Lesson About Leadership and Responsibilities

    <h4>Chapter 102 Teaching Rianna A Lesson About Leadership and Responsibilities </h4>


    Thirteen nced at the teenage boys and girls behind Rianna.


    Just as he expected, the girl didn''t hesitate to buy all of the Human children from the ve Market.


    These kids were looking at her with gratitude, but there were a few strong-willed people who didn''t like owing her a favor.


    The boy then shifted his attention to Cristopher, who currently had a big smile on his face.


    Originally, Thirteen thought that Christopher would purchase Teenage Tigerkins as his ves, but the twodies who were currently pampering him were Tigerkins who were over thirty years old


    They might not be the most beautiful among the Tigerkin ves, but they were no doubt the ones who had a motherly appeal, especially in their chest area, which he estimated were at least D-Cups.


    However, Cristopher didn''t only buy Beastkin Girls.


    He bought two Ogres as well.


    All in all, Rianna got 33 Human ves, while Cristopher got 2 Tigerkins and 2 Ogres.


    To his surprise, the two Ogres were actually Rank 3 Monsters, which were stronger than Brutus and Bruno.


    Since the Ogres were rtively strong, they cost 400 Silver Coins each, while the two Tigerkins were 100 Silver Coins each.


    "You did well, Cristopher," Thirteen praised the chubby boy who scratched his head shyly because of Thirteen''s praise.


    He then shifted his gaze at Rianna before smirking.


    "They are your responsibility, okay?" Thirteen stated. "I don''t want to babysit you guys."


    The teenagers behind Rianna all looked at the seven-year-old in confusion. They didn''t understand why someone younger than them would talk about babysitting them.


    Usually, it was the older ones who babysat younger people!


    "Um, actually, I n to make a Hunting Party," Rianna stated. "But I have no money to arm them."


    "And you want to ask me for money?"


    "¡­ Yes."


    Rianna showed an embarrassed expression because she knew that Thirteen had no obligation to help her.


    However, since she already spent most of the money that Thirteen had given her, there was nothing else she could do but ask him for funds.


    Thirteen rubbed his chin as he looked at Rianna with a mischievous smile.


    "I''ll give you a hundred silver," Thirteen said.


    "¡­ But that''s not enough," Rianna replied.


    "I know."


    "Then why?"


    Thirteen ced his hands on his waist and looked at Rianna with a solemn expression on his face.


    "They are your responsibility, so you need to deal with them yourself," Thirteen stated.


    Rianna lowered her head because she knew that the boy in front of her was right.


    This made the teenagers frown. Judging by their exchange, they immediately understood that the one calling the shots was none other than the seven-year-old, and this fact surprised them greatly.


    "Rianna, did you forget how I earned money?" Thirteen asked. "What is stopping you from doing the same?"


    The youngdy, who was at a loss about what to do, suddenly had a realization after hearing the younger boy''s words.


    "You mean¡­" Rianna muttered.


    "Exactly," Thirteen answered.


    Rianna''s expression became serious as she considered fighting in the Duel Arena. Although she knew hand-to-hand fighting techniques, she wasn''t confident that she would be able to perform as brilliantly as Thirteen.


    The seven-year-old had no ns to duel again anytime soon since he was currently a "hot topic" among the regrs of the arena.


    Even Raldo asked him to keep a low profile for the time being and wait until things settled down.


    "I¡­" Rianna was about to say something when Thirteen raised a hand to stop her.


    "I think you are misunderstanding something, Rianna," Thirteen stated. "Who said that you would have to be the one to do the fighting? Aren''t they your ves? I''m sure someone can do a better job in fighting in the arena aside from you."


    The young boy then raised his hand and pointed at one of the boys behind Rianna.


    "For example that guy," Thirteen said. "Let him fight in the Arena then you bet 100 silver on him. If he wins, then your group will have the money you need to buy a few weapons, so that you can hunt Monsters.


    "They are now your people, so they should help you. Don''t be stuck up and carry all the responsibilities on your own. I mean, do you see me handling everything myself? You have to split the roles among your team. That is what it takes to be a leader."


    Since Rianna already bought the other Wanderers, Thirteen thought that it would be best if he taught her a little bit about how to handle subordinates.


    He didn''t want her to end up as a martyr who always carried heavy burdens on her shoulders so that everyone could be happy.


    The guy whom Thirteen pointed at sized up the seven-year-old with a calm expression on his face.


    He noticed the ck Snake that was coiled on the boy''s neck and recognized it for what it truly was.


    ''This brat is not someone simple,'' the teenage boy thought.


    "Well, there is another matter that you should consider," Thirteen stated. "Aside from arming them, you also need to find a ce for them to stay. The inn will not be enough to house them all. Besides, I will not be giving you money for their amodations either."


    Rianna frowned because she hadn''t thought that far. The only thing on her mind was to free all the ves out of pity.


    But now that they were free, she couldn''t possibly let them wander off on their own. Although they bore the mark of ves with the red dots on their foreheads, that didn''t mean that no one in the city would try to harm them.


    They were, after all, ves.


    The lowest of the lows, and they had no Human rights to speak of.


    "What should I do?" Rianna asked with a beet-red face.


    Thirteen didn''t answer her. Instead, he looked at Norris, who was watching this scene with amusement.


    "Do you know of any ce where we can fit at least fifty people?" Thirteen asked. "The ves can sleep in the stables or the backyard of the property."


    "What a coincidence, one of our warehouses is now free after many ves had been bought from my collection," Norris replied. "It''s only 5,000 Silvers for one month. No discounts."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before nodding his head.


    "Deal," Thirteen replied.


    "It''s good doing business with you!" Norris was genuinely happy because he was able to earn so much in a single day.


    Earlier, Thirteen had 32,000 Silver Coins.


    But now, his wealth had decreased to 19,000 Silver Coins.


    Although it was still a substantial amount, he believed that it would not be enough to get the Five Leaf Clover, which would be auctioned two weeks from now


    ''It will be a bit tight, but it''s not impossible,'' Thirteen thought.


    Since he had already spent good money on these Wanderers, he would certainly squeeze them dry until he got his money''s worth back and more.


    After getting the payment for Thirteen''s purchases, Norris led them to one of the warehouses that he owned in the city.


    It was quite big and had two storeys.


    It had more than enough space to house fifty people and a few Ogres.


    There were ready-made beds to sleep on. Although they were crude, it proved that this was a ce used to store ves before they were sold at the ve Market.

 Chapter 103 I Will Find You. So, Wait For Me

    <h4>Chapter 103 I Will Find You. So, Wait For Me </h4>


    "Why don''t you just go to the countryside and live a peaceful life? Why must you insist on doing this, Tiona?"


    "Going to the countryside and living a peaceful life sounds good, Thirteen. But I can''t abandon everyone."


    A beautiful youngdy with long ck hair and purple eyes looked at the Army Camp in the distance. Behind her, countless snakes of different shapes and sizes gathered, ready to attack at hermand.


    She was one of the Captains of the Demon Army, and she was tasked to attack the Main Army of the Alliance before sunrise.


    Although she knew that this was impossible to win, her face was calm as if she had already prepared herself for the worst.


    "Why not?" Thirteen asked. "This is a suicide mission,?Tiona, and you know it. You are just being used as a pawn to divert the Heroes'' attention to this ce while that bastard conquers another Kingdom."


    "Thirteen, you already know the answer," Tiona replied. "He''s holding my family hostage. If I don''t do as he says, then they will be killed."


    "If you die here, then they will also lose their value! The Demon Lord will kill them once you are dead. At least, as long as you are alive, he will not readily kill them. You''re a useful tool for him to expand his empire. Can''t you see that?"


    "You''re just talking about an IF scenario, Thirteen. And even if you are right, I can''t abandon my family. The Demon Lord might not kill them, but he will surely make them suffer. I won''t be able to sleep at night knowing that they are suffering because of me."


    "Tiona, this is madness! You''ll die if you attack that camp right now!"


    "I know. This is why I''m doing it."


    "What are you talking about?!" Thirteen shouted. "Leave this ce now, Tiona!"


    "Thirteen, if there is a next life, I hope we can meet again in a peaceful world. If that were to happen, I''d be truly happy."


    "Don''t do this, Tiona. Please don''t do this!"


    The youngdy smiled before raising her hand.


    Her army charged forward like a raging tide, attacking the rear of the Main Army of the Alliance.


    The battlested for an hour, with the enemies sustaining huge casualties. Tiona managed to injure the Hero, but that was all.


    The enemy was simply too many, and they overpowered her in the end.


    "Serves you right, you B*tch!" the Sorceress of the Hero Party sneered as she stepped on the youngdy''s head, who was bleeding to death. "You''re a Human, and you chose to side with the Demons. This is a fitting end for traitors like you."


    "I will take your head and put it on a spike," the Hero said as he raised his sword. "I''ll make sure that the Demon Army knows that you died a dog''s death!"


    Tiona didn''t reply and simply closed her eyes.


    She was really tired and simply wished for everything to end.


    "Thirteen¡­"


    "I''m here, Tiona."


    "Thank you for everything, and I''m sorry. I wasn''t able to protect my family. I wasn''t able to protect you."


    "¡­"


    "Let''s meet again. Make sure to find me again, okay?"


    "I will find you, I promise. So wait for me."


    "Thank you¡­ Thirteen. I''m d you chose me as your Host."


    When the youngdy''s neck was cleanly cut off from her body, cheers resounded within the Camp of the Alliance.


    Thirteen, whose connection with his host had been severed after her death, hurriedly encased his Master''s soul in his protective embrace.


    He would personally take her soul to the Cycle of Reincarnation and would not allow her to suffer any longer.


    This was hisst duty as a System who had lost yet another Host due to the machinations of Fate.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in Gronar City¡­


    Thirteen felt something touching the side of his face, which made him open his eyes.


    With the faint light of themplight inside his room, he saw the ck Snake, Tiona, using her tail to wipe his face.


    Since he had just woken up, it took him a while to understand what was happening.


    Only after he raised his hand to touch the side of his face did he notice that his cheeks were wet.


    ''I cried?'' Thirteen looked at his hands in disbelief.


    But it didn''t take long for him to realize that tears were still continuing to fall from his eyes.


    "It must be because of that dream," Thirteen thought as he remembered the dream he had just now.


    The ck Snake crawled up his body and started to flick her tongue on his cheeks as if she wanted to taste the tears that were falling on the side of her Master''s face.


    Thirteen lightly rubbed Tiona''s chin while he was deep in his thoughts.


    "Maybe I named you Tiona because my previous host was a Snake Tamer," Thirteen muttered. "I wonder¡­ will I be able to meet her again someday?"


    He didn''t know the answer to this question.


    But he sincerely hoped that their paths would cross again. He promised her that he woulde to find her, and Thirteen always kept his promises.


    "It''s still dark," Thirteen said as hey down on his bed. "Let''s sleep for a little bit longer, Tiona."


    The ck Snake nodded. She coiled herself on his pillow and slept beside his face.


    A few minutester, the boy once again fell asleep, and this time, he dreamed a dream where he and his previous Host, Tiona, were walking hand in hand in a flower field.


    The youngdy had a sweet, peaceful expression on her face as if she had been freed from all the worries and hardships of the world.


    "Thirteen, thank you for always being by my side," Tiona said. "Now, it''s my turn to help you."


    "What are you talking about?" Thirteen asked. "You should just enjoy life and live it to the fullest. You deserve it."


    "How can I possibly enjoy my life when I know that you are suffering? If I am going to enjoy life, we must do it together."


    "Hah¡­ you''re still as stubborn as ever. Me? Suffering? Is that some kind of joke? How can someone like me suffer? I make others suffer. Not the other way around."


    Tiona giggled before holding Thirteen''s hand to pull him like a spoiled child.


    "Just remember, okay? This time, it will be me who will be supporting you and not the other way around," Tiona stated. "So,don''t be afraid to knock down everyone in your way! If we can''t really beat them, we could always run, right?"


    Thirteen smirked. "Good. Now you know how to run away. You should have done that back then."


    Tiona stuck her tongue out before running ahead, leaving Thirteen behind.


    "Come and catch me, slowpoke!" Tiona taunted. "I''m confident in my speed to run away!"


    The young man shook his head helplessly before running after her.


    "Let''s put that speed of yours to the test," Thirteen smirked. "Here Ie!"


    Soon, Tiona''sughter echoed in the flower field.


    Aughter that sounded like music in his ears.

 Chapter 104 You’re A Thousand Years Too Early To Scheme Against Me

    <h4>Chapter 104 You¡¯re A Thousand Years Too Early To Scheme Against Me </h4>


    Thirteen decided to spend 1,000 Silver Coins in order to procure food and other necessities to make the lives of his ves¡ªerrr, the people under his wing a little morefortable.


    He had a feeling that their quest, which was Lighting the Beacon of Hope, was closely rted to the previous Valbarra Kingdom, which had now be the Sumatran Kingdom.


    With this in mind, Thirteen decided to make Gronar City his base of operations.


    Not only was it close to the Houdini Desert, but it would also allow them to travel by boat to reach the other ces within the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Also, the city would provide them with all the necessities they needed like food, weapons, and armor, making it their ideal ce to create their base.


    Currently, Thirteen, Cristopher, and Rianna were inside his room because he nned to give the youngdy some advice on how to properly manage the people under her.


    "Since you are the one who freed them, they will listen to you more than they''ll listen to me," Thirteen stated. "So, you will be the one to manage them. I told you yesterday that you need to earn money.


    "The fastest way to do that is to let them fight in the ve duel. You are their leader, so you mustn''t get hurt in any way. Delegate duties to them to split the work in maintaining the warehouse. Make others clean this ce, while others do other chores like buying food, etcetera.


    "Remember that they are Wanderers, so they are not babies that you have to take care of 24/7. Right now, they are just waiting for an opportunity to leave. But since they are afraid that they might get hunted down if they leave the city, they are relying on your kindness.


    "Let''s keep things simple for them. Those who don''t work won''t eat. If they don''t like it, they can leave. Simple as that."


    Rianna nodded her head in understanding. After a night''s rest, she realized that she didn''t really think things through and just followed what she thought was right.


    Now that she understood that she alone wouldn''t be able to take care of thirty-three teenage boys and girls, who were the same age as her, she needed to change her ways of doing things.


    "Young Master, what about us?" Cristopher asked.


    "Us? We''re going to the Duel Arena, of course," Thirteen replied. "I bought a ve after all. It will be a pity if I don''t put him to good use."


    Cristopher and Rianna couldn''t help but shudder after seeing the evil smile on Thirteen''s face. They offered a silent prayer to the pitiful Tigerkin, who would soon realize that his new Master was someone who mustn''t be provoked no matter what.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Duel Arena¡­


    "¡­" Raldo looked at the seven-year-old whom he had asked to keep a low profile due to the incident that happened in the duel arena.


    Only a day had passed since his duel against Brakka, yet the boy was back again to cause trouble!


    "Don''t worry, I didn''te here to fight," Thirteen said. "I came here to make him fight."


    The boy used his thumb to point at the Tigerkin behind him, who was busy ring at his Master.


    Raldo breathed a sigh of relief because he thought that the boy would insist that he fight again in a duel.


    "Okay. Let me see who is on the waiting list," Raldo said as he checked the scroll in his hands. "By the way, what is his name?"


    "My name is Percival!" the Tigerkin dered.


    "His name is Taiga," Thirteen stated.


    "Okay. Taiga then," Raldo said as he scribbled the Tigerkin''s name in his scroll. "Since he is a Tigerkin, his opponents will be Trolls, Ogres, or other Tigerkins. There are a few candidates here, so I''ll let you choose his opponent."


    Percival, whose name had been changed to Taiga, growled. However, before he could do anything, Thirteen nced in his direction and said¡­


    "Kneel."


    The Tigerkin gritted his teeth as he endured the mind-numbing pain in his head as he tried to defy his Master''s orders.


    Seeing his resistance, the seven-year-old smirked before crossing his arms over his chest.


    "Taiga, if you don''t obey my orders, you will suffer because of the ve Tattoo," Thirteen stated. "If you continue to resist, you will lose your mind, you know?"


    "I''d rather lose my mind than obey you!" Percival growled as his body shook uncontrobly from trying to defy his Master''s order.


    "I see. So you mean you would rather die than obey me, right?" Thirteen asked as he once again checked the contents of the scroll in his hand. "That''s what you call warrior''s pride, right?


    "Well, I don''t really mind if you die. There are many other ves that I can purchase from the ve Market. I just find it pitiful that your life will end here without even being able to achieve your dreams and aspirations. It just means that you are fated to die like a dog, not a warrior."


    A momentter, Thirteen heard a thud, making him look at the kneeling Tigerkin in front of him.


    Blood seeped at the corner of Percival''s lips after biting his lip too hard.


    Originally, he didn''t mind dying because he was aspiring to be a warrior of his n.


    However, Thirteen''s words had shaken him.


    If he were to die now, he would indeed be dying like a dog, not like a warrior.


    For the Tigerkins, dying in battle was a great honor.


    As an aspiring warrior, he had made a vow to himself that if he were to die, he would be dying on the battlefield, facing their n''s enemy in mortalbat.


    ''I can''t die here!'' Percival clenched his fists tightly. ''Mother is waiting for me!''


    Seeing that the Tigerkin had quieted down, Thirteen pointed at a name in the Scroll, which made Raldo arch an eyebrow.


    "Are you sure?" Raldo asked. "You can pick a more favorable matchup for him."


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I want him to be Taiga''s first opponent."


    Percival red at the boy who refused to use his real name. However, he didn''t say anything else and simply clenched his fists tighter.


    ''You think you can earn money from me?'' Percival sneered in his heart. ''I''ll make you regret your decision of belittling me!''


    Thirteen gave his ve a sidelong nce before turning around.


    He was afraid that if he stared at Percival long enough, the smirk he was trying so hard to hold back would appear on his face.


    ''Silly boy,'' Thirteen thought. ''Do you really think I don''t know what you''re thinking? You''re a thousand years too early to scheme against me.''


    The Tigerkin and the seven-year-old boy bothughed in their hearts.


    However, only time would tell who among the two of them would truly have thestugh.


    ¡ª------------


    (E/N: Wah. When you said antihero, you really meant it.)

 Chapter 105 A Second-Rate Villain

    <h4>Chapter 105 A Second-Rate Viin </h4>


    The Duel Arena was as rowdy as usual.


    But this time, Thirteen wasn''t the one who was going to fight. Instead, he was one of the spectators that were about to watch the battle.


    As a safety precaution, Raldo had given Thirteen a ck robe with a hood to wear, as well as a mask to keep his face hidden.


    Although it would be easy for the other Barbarians to recognize him because Jubei, Cristopher, and Rianna were with him, they wouldn''t take the initiative to cause trouble as long as they couldn''t see his face.


    The Duel Arena was under the City Lord''s authority, so anyone who caused trouble would not only be kicked out of the arena, but the city as well.


    Even though they still carried a grudge against Thirteen, they would not cause trouble in fear of being cklisted in the city, or worse thrown to prison.


    A few minutester, Percival, aka Taiga, showed up in the arena. The Barbarians cheered because they liked to see the Tigerkins fight in battle.


    For a brief moment, Percival''s and Thirteen''s gazes met.


    The Tigerkin had a calm expression on his face, but deep inside he wasughing because he saw that the brat had ced a bet on him for 1,000 Silver Coins.


    ''Prepare to lose your money, fool,'' Percival sneered in his heart. ''I''ll suck you dry until you be bankrupt!''


    A momentter, the Tigerkin''s opponent appeared in the arena.


    Percival''s expression became serious when he sensed that the Ogre was a rank stronger than him.


    The Tigerkin was still young, and was simr to Cristopher''s age. He was a Rank 1 Tigerkin, and his opponent was a Rank 2 Ogre.


    Neither of them were wielding any weapons, but in a contest of strength, the Ogre would beat him hands down.


    But, Percival had something that the Ogre didn''t and that was speed.


    All Tigerkins were blessed with speed, dexterity, and strength, so he was confident that he could outrun and outmaneuver his foe.


    "Killing is not allowed," the Referee shouted. "Everything else is allowed. If you fall from the arena, lose consciousness, or surrender, you lose.


    "If you purposely kill your opponent, you will also be executed. If you kill them by ident, the jury will decide your fate. Now fight!"


    As soon as the signal was given, the Ogre roared and charged at the Tigerkin with its fists raised high.


    Percival knew that if he took that blow head-on, even if he didn''t die, he would get seriously injured or, worse, end up crippled.


    Because of this, he had no choice but to evade, and look for a better opportunity to execute his n.


    The Tigerkin also charged at the Ogre, instead of evading.


    When the two were only a few meters apart, Percival lowered his body and slid between the Ogre''s feet, catching it by surprise.


    The Tigerkin then hurriedly stood up before unleashing a kick on the Ogre''s balls, making it grunt in pain.


    However, as a creature that specialized in strength, and with skin that was as hard as a rock, Percival''s attack wasn''t enough to cripple itpletely.


    The only thing he seeded in doing was making the Ogre angry!


    "Come, you overgrown Baboon!" Percival shouted, making all the Barbariansugh.


    They really liked entertaining battles like this because it makes their blood boil, as if they were the ones fighting.


    The Ogre kept on attacking Percival, but the Tigerkin was as slippery as an eel. Even so, the Brute Monster wasn''t as dumb as it looked.


    Just when Percival thought that he had managed to dodge sessfully, the Ogre made a backhand strike, which he barely managed to block with his arms.


    The strength of the backhand blow was enough to send Percival flying outside of the arena, which made the Ogre raise his hand in triumph.


    The Barbarians also cheered because it was a very exciting fight.


    Percival slowly propped himself up from the ground, while doing his best to hide the smile on his face.


    This was all part of his n, making it look as if the Ogre had managed tond a critical blow on his body.


    From start to finish, he was observing the Ogre''s fighting prowess, and gaining an understanding of how strong his blows were. Since the backhand blow was done out of instinct, the strength behind it wasn''t that strong.


    The reason why Percival was sent flying was due to the fact that he timed his jump backwards to be at the same time that the Ogre''s hand touched his body. This made it look like he was hit, but in truth, he was mostly unharmed!


    ''Hahaha! You should have ordered me to win,'' Percivalughed as he nced at the boy in the spectator''s seat.


    Due to Thirteen wearing a mask, he was unable to tell what his reaction was. However, he believed that the boy was gnashing his teeth in anger because he lost his money.


    After the Ogre was dered as the Winner, Percival was escorted out of the arena.


    "Let''s go," Thirteen said as he also stood up.


    Cristopher, Rianna, Jubei, as well as three teenage boys, whom they brought along to the arena to watch the duels followed behind him.


    The reason why they brought the three boys was to let them watch the battle because they, too, would be fighting very soon.


    This was to show them what kind of opponents they would be facing, which made their faces turn grim.


    As a System who had witnessed many Warriors in his lifetime, Thirteen knew that the three boys had received proper training.


    Two of them were even stronger than Rianna.


    Because of this, Thirteen nned to bring their arrogance down a peg by letting them fight in the arena.


    Of course, since Rianna would be betting for them to win, he would make sure to choose opponents that were evenly matched with them.


    When they arrived at Raldo''s office, Percival was already there.


    The moment the Tigerkin saw his Master a sneer appeared on his face because he wanted to taunt Thirteen.


    But, the boy ignored him.


    Instead, he went straight to Raldo and reached out his hand.


    Raldo then handed him one red coin, which made Percival''s eyes widen in shock.


    A red coin was worth 50,000 Silver Coins, which meant that instead of losing money, his Master gained more money due to his defeat!


    "Hehehe, silly Taiga," Thirteen said as he removed the mask on his face.


    He gave the dumbfounded Tigerkin a look of ridicule as he flipped the red coin in his hand.


    "Thank you for making me money," Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "Good job, Little Doggy."


    "Y-You!" Percival almost lunged at Thirteen in anger because he didn''t know that the boy had not only betted on him, but had ced a bet on his opponent as well.


    And seeing how much he won, he was confident that he ced an even bigger bet on his enemy winning.


    Percival was right.


    Thirteen had bet a thousand Silver Coins for his win.


    However, this was just a trick to make Percival think that the boy was spending a lot of money on him.


    The TIgerkin didn''t know that, after he was taken to the arena, Thirteen had ced a 10,000 Silver Coin bet on his opponent.


    "Hahaha!" Thirteenughed like a Second-Rate Viin, which grated on Percival''s ears.


    Cristopher and Rianna thought that the boy was justughing in order to taunt his ve. However, they weren''t aware that Thirteen wasughing from the heart.


    If there was a Ranking for the people that Thirteen hated, the one who would be sitting at the very top would not be his Father, the System God.


    No.


    The one he hated the most was Fate.


    The second one was Heroes.


    His Old Man only took third ce in his heart.


    And now, seeing one of the people he hated looking at him with bitterness and anger tickled Thirteen''s heart, who had been suffering for thousands of years.


    "Since you weren''t injured during your battle, you are going to fight again," Thirteen said after he finishedughing. "Well then, little Taiga. Earn me more money, okay? I am looking forward to your performance."


    Raldo, who was looking at this scene, felt his liver itch.


    He had a feeling that within a week or two, the Duel Arena might suffer major losses at the hands of the seven-year-old boy, who was milking them dry of their money.


    -----------------


    (A/N: Been traveling the whole day with two connecting flights. I''m just so dead. arrived at the hotel at 8:20pm I''m gonna go sleep, and wish I wake up tomorrow.


    Regr updates for all novels will resume when I wake up.)

 Chapter 106 Teenage Rivalry

    <h4>Chapter 106 Teenage Rivalry? </h4>


    Percival''s anger showed on his face.


    He didn''t know what to do with his anger, so when the boy asked Raldo to let him fight a second time, the Tigerkin was more than happy to oblige.


    The Ogre he had been up against earlier was a difficult opponent, but he believed that if he had taken his time to weaken it with his quick and relentless attacks, he would have won the battle.


    If only he had known that Thirteen ced a higher bet on his opponent, he would have taken his time to win the battle!


    "I will bet this red coin on the next match, Raldo," Thirteen said in a volume that he thought only Raldo could hear. "I choose this Ogre named Grug. His name sounds strong. I''ll ce my bet on this guy."


    "Understood." Raldo nodded as he waved his hand so that his subordinates would take Percival towards the arena.


    The moment the Tigerkin left the room, a sneer appeared on his face.


    ''You fooled me once, but it will not happen again,'' Percival thought. ''Bastard, I''ll make sure you suffer a loss this time!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Meanwhile, inside Raldo''s office¡­


    "Are you fine with this arrangement?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes." Raldo nodded. "I pity your ve. You''re one evil kid."


    Thirteen smiled, but he no longer made anyments. Since this was a high-level transaction, Raldo personally took care of it.


    As the manager of the Arena, he had the authority to handle these kinds of transactions.


    Also, the boy told him that if he agreed with his condition, he would bring greater profit to the Arena, which was a good thing.


    "Pleasure doing business with you," Raldo stated as he reached out to shake Thirteen''s hand.


    "Same," Thirteen replied before leaving Raldo''s office to head to the stands.


    Rianna''s ve would be fighting shortly, and he wanted to see just how good the teenage boy was.


    ''Rufus, was it?'' Thirteen thought. ''I''m guessing he might be a retainer from one of the Prestigious Families, or possibly from the Monarch ns.''


    The boy had seen how Rufus carried himself, and a single nce was enough for him to tell that the boy was an expert despite his age.


    He believed that as long as the ve was going to fight against a Rank 1 Monster, Rufus'' chances of winning were high.


    Rianna had ced a fifty silver bet on the boy, hoping that he would win.


    Thirteen could only praise the youngdy for not cing all of her eggs in one basket.


    That way, even if Rufus lost, there was still a chance for her to make aeback.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Duel Arena¡­


    Rufus stood in the arena and observed the Troll in front of him.


    The Monster was at least twice his size, and yet, the teenage boy remained calm.


    The Troll on the other hand wasn''t as calm as his opponent.


    It was growling at Rufus because it didn''t like the look that the Human boy was giving it.


    "Killing is not allowed," the Referee shouted. "Everything else is allowed. If you fall from the arena, lose consciousness, or surrender, you lose. Now fight!"


    After the signal to fight was given, the Troll didn''t hesitate to attack the boy who had also taken a fighting stance.


    ''A monk fighting style,'' Thirteen mused as he looked at the teenage boy with short brown hair and eyes. ''This will be interesting.''


    When the Troll was only a few meters away from him, Rufus stomped his foot forward, propelling himself in the air.


    A momentter, he unleashed a kick on the Troll''s jaw, making thetter grunt as it took a step back.


    The moment hended on the ground, Rufus kicked the Troll''s balls, making it curl its body.


    The Barbariansughed after seeing this scene.


    This was a verymon tactic in the Dueling Arena. And since most Monsters were bigger than the Human ves, they would often target their crotch in order to deal as much damage as they could to their opponents, who were physically stronger than them.


    The moment the Troll lowered its head, Rufus unleashed four straight punches, aimed at the monster''s jaw in rapid session.


    After that, he ended it with a turning sidekick, which was still aimed at the monster''s jaw, rattling its brain, and causing it to lose consciousness.


    "Winner, Rufus!" the Referee shouted.


    Rianna subconsciously clenched her fist in happiness from Rufus'' win.


    She also gained 250 silvers. The odds were only five to one, but she was still very happy with the results.


    Thirteen smiled from inside his mask before whispering something in Rianna''s ears.


    "Let the two other boys we brought here fight as well," Thirteen whispered. "Let''s see what they are capable of. Observe their battle style as well because they will be the core of your hunting party."


    Rianna nodded in understanding.


    She then went to register the two other boys, whose names were Eren and Jeane.


    Just like Rufus, Thirteen could tell that both of them were properly trained in Martial Arts.


    Since there weren''t many challengers today, the two of them were able to fight right away.


    Percival''s opponent had still not arrived because the owner of the Ogre that he was about to fight decided to have lunch before he returned to the Dueling Arena.


    This worked in Thirteen''s favor because it bought him time to witness the battles of Eren and Jeane, who seemed to have suddenly formed a rivalry with one another.


    Eren and Jeane had seen how happy Rianna was when Rufus won, so the two of them decided to do their best in battle as well.


    The seven-year-old couldn''t help but feel amused due to this sudden turn of events.


    It was very obvious to him that the two teenage boys were trying to impress the youngdy who had saved them from very.


    When Thirteen first saw Rianna, she looked very timid and seemed like someone who could not even hurt a fly.


    But after getting to know her, he understood that she had only acted that way in order to keep a low profile.


    While she might not be the kind of beauty that could cause the downfall of a nation, she was, in fact, very pretty.


    Since that was the case, it was only natural for the three boys to develop a crush on her, and thus, do their best to make them look dependable in her eyes.

 Chapter 107 The Last Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back

    <h4>Chapter 107 The Last Straw That Broke The Camel¡¯s Back </h4>


    Jeane managed to win his match, but it was a close call.


    The one he fought against was a young Barbarian who was testing his martial prowess in the arena.


    The fightsted for nearly fifteen minutes.


    The battle had been quite intense, with neither one of them backed down.


    Unlike Rufus, who specialized in offense, Jeane was an all-rounder. He was also very good in counterattacks, which made the young Barbarian lose hisposure.


    In the end, the teenage boy yed to his strength and fought his opponent in a battle of attrition, winning by a small margin.


    Jeane''s arms were bruised and battered from using them to block and deflect his opponent''s attacks.


    Although he got hit a couple of times, none of thosended on his vital parts, allowing him to win the match.


    Eren, on the other hand, was more to Thirteen''s liking.


    The boy with blonde hair and blue eyes was very sneaky.


    He didn''t engage his opponents head-on and employed hit-and-run tactics.


    Simr to Jeane, the one he fought against was a Barbarian in training, but what caught Thirteen''s attention was the fact that Eren knew his strike range by heart.


    When his opponent came within the range of his fists and legs, he would hit them without a second thought before quickly retreating.


    Fighting against someone like him was very annoying since you wouldn''t know if he was going to attack or going to run away.


    The Barbarians booed him as well, but Eren didn''t give a hoot to what they were thinking.


    In the end, he won the match when his opponent conceded out of annoyance.


    Rianna''s reaction to Eren''s win was lukewarm, but the boy only smiled as he returned to her side like a faithful puppy, waiting for his Master''s orders.


    ''Such an interesting individual,'' Thirteen thought. ''Among the three of them, this guy is definitely the most versatile.''


    Eren made his fight look so easy as if he was fighting against a child.


    From start to finish, his opponent wasn''t even able tond a blow to his body.


    For the seven-year-old, this spoke volumes of Eren''s abilities, making him the perfect scout for Rianna''s future Hunting Team.


    After a short break, Percival made his appearance in the arena.


    He made sure to nce at his Master once before shifting his gaze to the Ogre in front of him.


    The Ogre was a head taller than the first Ogre that the Tigerkin had fought in his first duel.


    This was a sign that the one he was going to go against was older and, perhaps, even stronger than the Ogre he first fought.


    Even so, Percival wasn''t daunted.


    The only thought in his mind was to beat his opponent and make sure that his Master would feel bitter from losing the 50,000 Silver Coins that he had used to bet on the Ogre in front of him.


    After the referee had given the signal to start the battle, Percival charged forward, which made Thirteen arch an eyebrow behind the mask he was wearing.


    The Ogre was more than happy to meet his approach with a punch, but the Tigerkin deftly dodged to his right side before kicking the Ogre''s knee.


    The Tigerkin immediately backed away after delivering his attack and observed his opponent critically.


    "Tickle," the Ogre sneered before shouting a war cry.


    It then ran toward Percival, using the size of its body in order to corner the boy.


    However, Percival had other ns and met the Ogre''s charge with a charge of his own.


    The ogre punched down, but Percival evaded it easily.


    The Tigerkin then used his sharp nails to scratch his opponent''s fist, targeting the wrist area.


    His attack seeded, and it left a very shallow wound on his opponent''s wrist.


    Percival didn''t take any chances and immediately distanced himself, which proved to be a good decision on his part.


    Had he stayed for two more seconds, he could have been hit by the Ogre''s counterattack, which left a deep mark on the ground where its fist hadnded.


    The exchange between the two continued, with Percival getting hit once in his right shoulder in exchange for scratching the Ogre''s left eye, making it bleed.


    The Ogre''s body was now covered with blood because Percival''s tactic was to slowly wear out his opponent.


    Although he doubted that the Ogre would bleed to death, he didn''t mind if that happened as well.


    He wasn''t purposely killing his opponent, but the umtion of damage and loss of blood would sooner orter take a toll on the Ogre''s body.


    Percival was certain that even if his opponent bled to death, he wouldn''t be charged with a crime. After all, the Ogre had all the time in the world to concede the match.


    But since it didn''t n to back down, Percival continued his meticulous attacks.


    Every time he engaged his opponent, a new wound would appear on the Ogre''s body, making it more angry and annoyed.


    However, no matter what it did, Percival was simply too fast for it to properlynd a hit on the Tigerkin''s body.


    In the end, the owner of the Ogre stood up and conceded the match.


    He couldn''t afford to let the Ogre die as it was a member of his personal hunting party.


    Although losing to a weaker Tigerkin was annoying, he decided to pull back before the Ogre bled to death, causing him significant losses.


    "Winner, Taiga!"


    The Tigerkin panted for breath before wiping away the saliva that was oozing out from the corner of his lips.


    He didn''t feel anything a while ago because adrenaline was still pumping inside his body. However, the moment the battle ended, the exhaustion hit him like a truck, making him feel as if a mountain was pressing down on his back.


    When he raised his head to look at his Master, he saw Raldo sneakily giving the younger boy three Red Coins, which almost made the Tigerkin stop breathing for a few seconds.


    Only when Thirteen nced once more in his direction did Percival realize that he had been yed a second time.


    Feeling angry, hurt, and distressed, the Tigerkin copsed on the ground while still looking at his Master in disbelief.


    Thirteen chuckled internally before raising his hand to show Percival the three Red Coins that were held between his fingers.


    He knew how sensitive a Tigerkin''s hearing was, so he tricked the pitiful ve by purposely saying who he was going to put his bet on while handing the Red Coin to Raldo.


    What Percival didn''t know was that before the deal was finalized, the seven-year-old "changed" his mind and ced his bet on him instead.


    But Raldo was very wary of Thirteen milking them with his winnings, so he proposed a deal.


    If the boy won his bet a second time, he would not be allowed to join the Gambling House for a month.


    Thirteen agreed to this deal, but he also proposed a condition, which Raldo agreed to.


    That was thest straw that broke the camel''s back, making Percival''s eyes roll into the back of their sockets as he fainted out of grief and indignation.


    What the Tigerkin didn''t know was that Thirteen was speeding up his character progression, allowing his destiny to progress as soon as possible.


    Some Heroes grew stronger the more hardships they encountered in their lives.


    Thirteen believed that Percival fell under this category since he found him in a ve Market.


    By oveing these hardships, the Hero''s resolve would strengthen, allowing him to grow stronger at a rapid pace.


    All of this was an experiment for the seven-year-old boy, allowing him to better understand the growth of Heroes.


    He was confident that even if he were fated to be a Cannon Fodder, he would still be able to forge his own path and beat Fate in her own b*tchy game.

 Chapter 108 The Start Of A New Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 108 The Start Of A New Hunt </h4>


    A week had passed since Rianna had taken Rufus, Eren, and Jeane into the Dueling Arena to earn funds for their Hunting Party.


    The teenagers didn''t always win, but their losses were still at an eptable level.


    Rianna was still able to profit from these matches, and as the days went on, her other ves¡ªerrr subordinates, also opened up to her.


    Most of them were just ordinary teenagers without any grand family backing. Some of them didn''t really want to fight, and that was understandable.


    Those who didn''t want to join the Hunting Party were then delegated to take care of the warehouse and handle chores such as cooking, cleaning, andundry.


    Thirteen didn''t lift a finger nor raise a voice to order Rianna''s people around. He had given herplete authority over them and focused all of his attention on helping Cristopher get stronger, as well as making Percival hate him more.


    Percival had now be famous in the Dueling Arena, and he even gained some patrons who would always bet on him whenever he appeared to fight.


    Due to his insistence on making things difficult for Thirteen, he wouldn''t always win and suffered losses as well in the hopes that the seven-year-old boy would bet on the wrong person, making him go bankrupt.


    However, in this scheme, the first one to break was Percival.


    Regardless of whether he won or lost, his Master always gained tens of thousands of Silver Coins, almost making the Tigerkin go crazy.


    It was as if Thirteen was able to read him like a book, and no matter what he did, the only winner at the end was the seven-year-old boy.


    "It''s a pleasure doing business with you, Raldo," Thirteen said as he received three Red Coins from the Duel Manager.


    "You know, you should take it easy on your betting," Raldo replied bitterly. "It''s hard for us if you always win, you know?"


    "It''s not my fault," Thirteen replied. "Regardless of what I do, Taiga always earns me money. I''m so lucky to have him."


    These words almost made Percival puke blood then and there, unable to refute it. He didn''t know why Thirteen was able to urately guess whether he was going to win or not.


    It was as if the bastard boy had some kind of "future sight" that allowed him to guess the result of the battle.


    What the poor Tigerkin didn''t know was that everything that was happening was only a farce.


    In order to stop Thirteen from continuing to bet in the gambling den, Raldo cooperated with the boy''s n to make Percival''s life miserable.


    In truth, the seven-year-old was no longer cing bets in the arena.


    The Red Coins that Raldo was handing to him every time Percival finished a battle was Thirteen''s own money that he had ced in the Duel Manager''s hands for safekeeping.


    This was why every time the duel ended, he would hand Thirteen exactly three Red Coins, returning the boy''s money to him.


    In short, the boy was just trolling his ve, making Percival think that his Master could read him like an open book.


    So no matter how hard he tried or no matter how unpredictable the ending of his duel would be, Thirteen would always receive three red coins from Raldo.


    In the end, the Tigerkin finally grew numb and stopped ying mind games with the boy.


    He just focused on his battles to vent out his frustrations and sharpen his battle style.


    Percival received training when he was young, but he had never faced someone who fought him seriously.


    This made the Duel Arena the perfect ce for him. Here, no one cared who you were, who your family was, or what kind of backing you possessed.


    Once you step on the arena, you either won or you lost, and that was all that mattered to the fighters, as well as the spectators who gambled using their money.


    Seeing his progress, Thirteen rewarded Percival his own room and the right to eat at the same table as him, Cristopher, and Rianna.


    "Is your Hunting Party ready to start hunting, Rianna?" Thirteen asked after they finished eating dinner.


    He had ordered Percival to return to his room so that he could talk to Cristopher and Rianna in private.


    "Yes," Rianna replied. "My team isposed of nine people, and everyone is now fully armed and ready to fight."


    "Good," Thirteen nodded. "Don''t visit the arena anymore. I don''t want you to develop a gambling addiction. Don''t forget that all of us are Wanderers. You need to gather Cores, as well as Monster drops.


    "We still don''t have a clue as to what Lighting the Beacon of Hope means, so it will be best to just prioritize getting stronger for the moment. I will ask Jubei to apany your group to ensure that you will not be harassed by the Barbarians outside."


    "What about us, Young Master?" Cristopher asked. "Should we just stay in the city and wait until the Auction for the Five Leaf Clover starts?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "We will also form our own Hunting Party. You bought two Ogres, plus Brutus and Bruno, so we have Four Brute Monsters. Taiga will also join the fight, which gives us plenty of frontline fighters.


    "The two Tigerkin Ladies that you brought will also apany us, but they will not fight. They will just focus on cooking and doing other misceneous chores during our journey.


    "Our goal is to hunt and return before the Auction starts, so prepare everything you need because we will leave at sunrise."


    Cristopher nodded his head in understanding.


    Truth be told, he was also very excited to start hunting Monsters again.


    Right now, Thirteen was giving the chubby boy all the Monster Cores from the Monsters that they had killed in order to prepare for his eventual breakthrough.


    The seven-year-old wasn''t in a hurry to collect Cores for himself.


    Why?


    Because he was confident that he would be able to collect 200 Cores for himself even after Cristopher finished collecting his quota.


    There was also no guarantee that he would finish his 13 Trials before Cristopherpleted his Quest.


    Taking this into consideration, he decided to strengthen Cristopher first. The stronger the chubby boy was, the more useful he was to Thirteen.


    After finalizing their ns for the morning, the three returned to their own rooms to rest for the night.


    Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, so they wanted to get as much rest as possible before they embarked on a journey to fight against Monsters and farm Monster drops, which would aid them all in their First Wandering.

 Chapter 109 The Overlord Of The Warsor Plains

    <h4>Chapter 109 The Overlord Of The Warsor ins </h4>


    Just as they nned, Rianna''s Hunting Party focused on hunting in the desert, while Thirteen''s Hunting Party went to explore the Warsor ins, located just Northeast of Gronar City.


    Both teams had bought their own horse-drawn wagons to make their journey easier and faster.


    Cristopher was the one manning the wagon because only he had experience with this, which he learned from the time he and his mother lived in the countryside.


    The two Tigerkin Ladies were with him on the coachman''s seat, serving as his Protectors.


    Their names were Jasmine and Ariel. Both of them were in theirte twenties and had been captured by the Barbarians when they raided the Tigerkin Vige near the border of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Both the Tigerkins and the Barbarians would often raid each other and capture ves from both sides.


    The Tigerkins were a very aggressive Tribe.


    After they managed to conquer the Valbarra Kingdom, they set their sights on new frontiers and shed with the Barbarians just ten years after they defeated the Valbarraian Army.


    They thought that they were strong enough for another conquest, but they had underestimated the Barbarian''s savageness and fighting prowess, making them have a better understanding of a race of Humans who took fighting as their main profession.


    But that was not all.


    The Barbarians and Orcs were also in an alliance, so whenever they attacked one side, the other would stab them in the back, making expansion moreplicated.


    The Barbarians and the Orcs knew this as well, so whenever they had an opportunity, they conducted joint raids and enved as much as they could manage to capture.


    This was their way of preventing the Tigerkins from developing rapidly, forcing them to leave the territories near the borders of their newly established kingdom for safety.


    Thirteen nned to travel near the border where the two sides often engaged in skirmishes.


    He wanted to know just how serious the conflicts were, and which side had a higher chance of winning.


    Percival, Jasmine, and Ariel felt conflicted after learning about this n.


    The three of them wanted nothing more than to return to their Kingdom and reunite with their families.


    But after bing ves, they lost their freedom, and the only way for them to return to their Kingdom was to get rid of the ve tattoo on their foreheads or beg their new Masters to free them.


    "Jasmine, Ariel, I promise to free the two of you after I finish my mission of Lighting the Beacon of Hope," Cristopher said. "So until then, serve me well, and I promise that I will not harm either of you."


    "Understood."


    "I''ll do as you say."


    "Thank you. Also, I will set the time limit of your very for two years. If I still haven''t finished my mission by then, your ve Tattoos will automatically disappear, ending your ve contract.


    Cristopher had no idea how long it would take before his mission ended.


    Since that was the case, he just gave a two-year deadline for the two Tigerkins by his side.


    The ve Tattoo couldst up to five years. After that, it would automatically disappear, setting the ve free.


    If one wished to renew this ve contract, one would need to find a ve Master who would perform the ceremony.


    The two Tigerkin Ladies used to think that the moment they were sold as ves, they would have to live their lives as the ything of their new Masters.


    So they were quite surprised to see that the one who bought them was a chubby teenage boy, who treated them well.


    The most Cristopher did was ask the twodies to hug him to sleep at night.


    When they asked why he wanted something like that, the boy simply said that he usually slept beside his mother and that he was not used to sleeping alone.


    Of course, that wasn''t the case.


    Although it didn''t show on his face, Cristopher was a very lonely person.


    His grandparents and his father were dead, while his mother was always in the hospital.


    Although he had lived in the houses of his rtives, he still felt lonely because he never felt weed by them.


    So when he was given the opportunity to have ves, Cristopher bought the twodies who were the oldest among the group of ves that were still in the ve Market.


    Also, Cristopher wouldn''t admit it, but he liked Beastkin Girls very much.


    The ones he liked most were Cat Girls, Bunny Girls, and Fox Girls.


    However, since these two races weren''t avable for sale, he bought the only option he had, which was Tigerkin Ladies.


    "Remember this, Taiga¡ªyou''re not allowed tond the killing blow on the Monsters," Thirteen ordered. "Cristopher will be the one to give thest hit regardless of the circumstances.


    "Yeah, yeah, you''ve told me that thrice already," Percival replied in an irritated tone. "Also, stop calling me Taiga. My name is Percival."


    "Sure thing, Taiga."


    "Tsk!"


    Suddenly, the wagon came to a halt, making Thirteen frown.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked as he went to the coachman''s seat, to see if there was trouble.


    "There is a herd of deer in front of us, Young Master," Cristopher replied. "And their Alpha Male is looking in our direction. I have a feeling that if we continue to advance, the herd will attack us."


    Thirteen nced in the direction of the herd that numbered at least a hundred individuals.


    The Alpha Deer stood three meters in height, and its antlers were at least half its body size.


    Although the other deer had light-brown fur, the Alpha Male had silver fur, which matched the data in Thirteen''s database.


    "That is a Rank 6 Alpha Monster called, Quicksilver Deer," Thirteen said, which almost made Cristopher pee his pants. "The reason why it''s looking at us is because we are traveling with Ogres. For now, don''t do anything rash.


    "Although these deer are not aggressive by nature, they will not hesitate to attack if they feel threatened. Give your orders for the two of them to stay put and keep their lips shut tightly so that we don''t spook them."


    The two Ogres, whose names were Ator and Devar, were both Rank 3 Monsters.


    Thirteen had considered buying many Monster ves so that he could form his own elite unit after Cristopher had returned to Pangea so that he could continue his remaining Trials.


    However, he put this idea on hold because taking care of too many Monsters was a hassle.


    For this reason, he decided to just focus on Percival''s progress because he believed that raising a Hero was better than raising a group of Beasts.


    After half an hour of waiting, the Herd of Deer finally left, allowing them to continue their journey.


    However, this encounter led Thirteen to make changes in their formation.


    Earlier, Ator and Devar were traveling alongside them, but now, he decided that having the two Ogres in close proximity to them was a bad thing.


    There was a chance that they would find other groups of Monsters in the ins that would not ignore the presence of Ogres and take the initiative to attack.


    In order to prevent this from happening, Thirteen asked Cristopher to order the two Ogres to follow them from a distance.


    The chubby boy didn''t hesitate to obey the younger boy''s words and did as he was told.


    He would soon know that his Young Master had made the right choice because two hours after they resumed their journey, they would meet with another group of Monsters,who were well-known for attacking anything they perceived as a threat to their herd.

 Chapter 110 Is He Even Human?

    <h4>Chapter 110 Is He Even Human? </h4>


    "It''s hard to find lone monsters here in the ins," Cristophermented. "The lowest number of Monsters we''ve seen in a single group have been groups of three and four, and those were predators. Young Master, maybe we should take the risks?"


    Thirteen pondered if they should take a risk just as Cristopher had proposed.


    The chances of sess were high, but there was also a chance that they would lose some manpower in the process.


    The Predators that traveled in groups of threes and fours were always led by a Rank 3 Monster.


    Herds, on the other hand, were led by Rank 3 and above Alpha Monsters.


    Their group''s manpower were Brutus, and Bruno, who were both Rank 2 Monsters, and two Ogres who were both Rank 3 Monsters.


    Cristopher had no intention of letting the two Tigerkin Ladies fight. Their role was to guard him just in case an unexpected turn of events happened.


    Both Tigerkins were Rank 2 Beastkins, but they weren''t that proficient inbat.


    Although Percival was just a Rank 1 Tigerkin, he was more proficient in fighting whenpared to the two Tigerkin Ladies.


    With their lineup, they could fight against Monsters, who were in groups of threes and four.


    More than that and it would be troublesome.


    "Understood," Thirteen replied after careful consideration. "Command your ves, including Jasmine and Ariel, to follow my orders without question. If we are going to do this, I will need to personallymand them in battle."


    Cristopher nodded. But, just as he was about to give his orders, they heard a blood curdling roar behind them, which made the chubby boy''s face turn pale.


    Thirteen''s face also became solemn when he looked in the direction of the two Ogres, who were keeping a distance of two hundred meters away from them.


    He immediately ordered Percival to cover Cristopher''s mouth to prevent him from calling out to the two Ogres, who were fighting for their lives against a Purple-Furred Honey Badger.


    "Don''t summon Brutus and Bruno if you don''t want them to die too," Thirteen said as he stood in front of Cristopher, cupping his face, and making him look straight into his eyes. "That is a Rank 6 Field Boss. If it sees us as a threat, we''re done for.


    "Jasmine, Ariel, cover his eyes, and no matter what happens, make sure that he doesn''t do anything reckless."


    The two Tigerkin Ladies took Thirteen''s orders seriously because they were also familiar with this Monster.


    It was one of the most fearless Monsters found in the borders of the Sumatran Kingdom, and even strong Hunting Parties stayed clear of this fearsome beast.


    The Honey Badger was two-meters tall, and five meters long. It was the undisputed Overlord of the Warsor ins, and very few creatures were able to escape its pursuit.


    It had a terrible temper, and wouldn''t hesitate to attack anything that moved.


    The worst part was that none of them were able to sense its presence.


    If not for the fact that one of the two Ogres had cried out in pain after the Honey Badger had bitten off one of its arms, they wouldn''t have known that it was in very close proximity to them.


    The boy could only watch helplessly as the two Ogres were torn apart by the Honey Badger before it greedily ate them.


    Even Percival, who had a strong will couldn''t help but avert his gaze as he looked at the blood that was seeping from the jaws of the Honey Badger, who seemed to enjoy the two Ogres very much.


    After it finished its meal, it gave the Wagon a side-long nce before walking away with a satisfied look on its face.


    Since Thirteen''s group had remained perfectly still, the Monster didn''t attack them because it was already satisfied with what it ate.


    It wasn''t a Jinn Type Monster, who liked to eat Humans.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger preferred eating Monsters. Of course, if the two Ogres were traveling alongside Thirteen''s and Cristopher''s Wagon, it would have attacked them as well.


    If that were to happen, they would have served as the appetizers, or the after-meal desserts of the ferocious Field Boss, who had easily defeated two Rank 3 Ogres, as if they were just newborn chicks.


    When Thirteen was certain that the Monster was no longer around them, he ordered Jasmine and Ariel to take Cristopher inside the wagon to rest.


    The chubby boy''s face was already covered in snot and tears as he continued to sob due to the death of his two Ogre ves.


    The two Houdini Mustangs that were pulling their wagons were also in a miserable state, and were barely able to stand due to fear.


    It took a while for Thirteen to coax the two Horses to move, and head back to Gronar City.


    Not even half a day had passed, and they were forced to return to the city due to the unexpected turn of events.


    Thirteen also took into consideration that their group wasn''t in a condition to continue their hunt because of the incident that just happened.


    The only silver lining was that Cristopher didn''t see the entirety of what had happened to his two Ogres.


    He was spared from the raw brutality, and violence, that children his age shouldn''t be able to see.


    And yet, he was forced to experience it because he was a Wanderer.


    "Take care of him," Thirteen said to Jasmine and Ariel before leaving the warehouse.


    Tiona, who had taken refuge inside the boy''s clothes when the Monster appeared, cautiously crawled onto his shoulder.


    She then started to flick her tongue, while looking at her surroundings to ensure that they were truly safe.


    After confirming that they were back to the city, she coiled around Thirteen''s neck, and rested her head on his cheek.


    The seven-year-old subconsciously patted her head with his finger, as if to assure her that they were safe.


    "Hey, where are you going?"


    Percival, who was also unable to sit still in the warehouse, followed behind Thirteen.


    Although he tried hard to hide it, the Tigerkin was still shaken by their encounter with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, who made him realize how easily they could have lost their lives in their short trip to the Warsor ins.


    "To the ve Market," Thirteen replied.


    "¡­ Are you going to buy new ves for our Hunting Party?"


    "Yes."


    Percival clenched his fists tightly when he heard Thirteen''s casual reply.


    "Are you treating us as disposable tools?" Percival asked, feeling rage build up inside of him. "Are you going to use us as bait?! Are we just cannon fodder in your eyes?"


    Thirteen stopped walking before turning around to look at his ve, who wasn''t able to hold back his emotions.


    When Percival saw the look in Thirteen''s face, the insults that he was about to hurl at him became stuck up in his throat.


    "Cannon fodder?" Thirteen looked at the Tigerkin in disdain. "You''re not qualified to be one. So shut up because you have no idea what you''re talking about."


    After saying those words, the boy turned around and continued to walk toward his destination.


    Percival, who was left behind, knelt on the ground on all fours, as he panted for breath.


    The sheer killing intent that oozed out of the seven-year-old''s body, which was directed in his direction, made him feel as if he was just a step away from dying.


    The Tigerkin vomited, due to difort and the dizziness he was feeling after being subjected to such a gaze.


    "H-How can someone so young have such dense killing intent," Percival wiped his mouth using the back of his hand. "His killing intent is even stronger than my Father''s. Is he even Human?"


    Those were thest thoughts in his mind before he fainted.


    But, before his entire being descended into darkness, he knew in his heart that he would no longer be able to look at his Master the same way again.

 Chapter 111 Thirteen’s Angry Birb [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 111 Thirteen¡¯s Angry Birb [Part 1] </h4>


    "Wee my young friend," Norris said with a smile. "Are you perhaps here to purchase ves again?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "But, I want the special ones, and not the ones sold here."


    "Oh dear, are you referring to the ones that I will send to the auction house a week from now?"


    "Yes."


    Norris rubbed his chin, as he looked at the snake that was coiled up around the boy''s neck.


    Seeing that the Domini Mortis had a satisfied look on her face, the ve Master couldn''t help but ask the boy a question.


    "Can you tell me why you want to purchase those special ves?" Norris inquired. "But, before that, let''s go inside. This is not a good ce to discuss these matters."


    The middle-aged man made a gesture for Thirteen to follow him to his office in order to have a proper talk.


    Thirteen nodded and followed behind him because he also didn''t want to discuss these things in the open.


    When the two were properly seated, Thirteen told Norris about his encounter with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, which made the ve Master almost choke on the tea he was drinking.


    "Y-You saw that Monster and survived?!" Norris looked at the seven-year-old with a dumbfounded look on his face. "By the Gods, not many can survive an encounter with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger and live to tell their tale."


    As a ve Trader, he had dealt with many people, so he could easily tell if someone was lying or not.


    A single nce was enough to tell him that the boy was telling the truth which made him understand why Thirteen suddenly visited him.


    "Well, even with the Monsters I have, I don''t think there is one among them who can fight that Monster head-on," Norris stated.


    "I know," Thirteen replied. "But, there are two Monsters that I would like to purchase from you."


    "Even if I suffer losses?" Norris asked with a devilish mile on his face.


    "I don''t want you to suffer losses," Thirteen replied. "So, I am willing to buy them higher than the market price."


    "Hmm¡­" Norris pondered a bit before leaning back on his chair. "Tell me what the two Monsters are first. If they are not that high in demand, I will consider your request."


    Thirteen nodded. "I want the Pocopoco, and the Chad Skunk."


    "Interesting choices," Norris narrowed his eyes. "I can understand why you need the Chad Skunk, but the Pocopoco? That''s just one annoying bird."


    A momentter, a business-man-smile appeared on Norris'' face after making up his mind.


    "Since you are a friend, I don''t mind selling you the Pocopoco for 5,000 Silver Coins," Norris stated. "It''s not a Monster you can find in these parts, so I believed that the Barbarians would buy it as a pet because of its uniqueness.


    "I know that it is very expensive, but I believe that some Barbarians would be willing to spend that much for it."


    The Pocopoco was a colorful bird that resembled a Parrot.


    It specialized in mimicking sounds, including the voices of people. It was also very smart and, just like Norris had stated, it was a monster that wasn''t native to this part of the world.


    The ve Master was only able to capture it by pure coincidence because it was injured when he found it, so it didn''t take long for him to carve the ve tattoo on its head.


    Truth be told, the Pocopoco was simr to the Fluffy White Cat that he had given his sister, Remi, as a house pet.


    The only difference was that the Pocopoco that Norris captured was actually a Rank 3 Monster.


    However, although it was a Rank 3 Monster, the only thing it was good at was flying away at great speeds, as well as mimicking sounds and voices.


    It served no other purpose aside from that.


    In the Human Kingdoms, there were a handful of people who used the Pocopoco as messenger birds, who ryed exactly what their Masters wanted to say to the people they wanted to pass the message to.


    They could be useful once they were trained.


    But, that was the problem.


    Taming these birds was very hard because they were a rowdy bunch.


    They were simr to the Angry Birbs of a certain red-headed Half-Elf, who would hurl profanities at people with every chance that they got.


    "How about the Chad Skunk?" Thirteen inquired. "I am willing to buy it as well."


    Norris shook his head. "Unfortunately, the Chad Skunk is a hotmodity. I am willing to sell you the Pocopoco, but for the Chad Skunk, you have to bid on it in the auction."


    Thirteen frowned, but in the end, he nodded his head in understanding.


    "Very well, I will bid on it during the auction," Thirteen stated.


    "Good. Please wait here, while I bring the Pocopoco to you."


    "Okay."


    Several minutester, the ve Master returned holding a bird cage in his hand.


    Inside of it, was a colorful bird with a muzzle attached to its beak.


    This was to prevent the Pocopoco from saying anything, which made the seven-year-old smile faintly.


    His previous host had a Pocopoco pet, and he knew full well how obnoxious these birds could be.


    This was why only a select few treated them as pets because they could cause their owners to have heart attacks, strokes, and aneurysms due to how foul-mouthed they were.


    Pocopocos in captivity didn''t live long lives.


    Due to their nature, their Masters would often kill them in a fit of anger because of how annoying they could be.


    They weren''t strong monsters to begin with, and only fell into the Nuisance Monster Category.


    Just like most Monsters, Pocopocos ranked up as well.


    But, their Ranks couldn''t go past Rank 4.


    The only thing that changed whenever they ranked up was their flight speed, which could reach up to 100 miles per hour.


    Their voices could also be heard from farther away as their Rank rose higher.


    At Rank 1, their voices could be heard from two hundred meters.


    At Rank 2, four hundred meters.


    At Rank 3, six hundred meters.


    At Rank 4, you could hear it from a kilometer away.


    "Let''s bind this bird first," Norris said. "I don''t know how smart this bastard is, but it knows a lot of words. It must have visited a lot of human cities before I found it."


    After Norris finished his preparation, he asked Thirteen to drop a blood on the bird''s forehead, so that the ve Tattoo would activate.


    Truth be told, the Pocopoco was one of the few monsters that had a strong resistance against the ve Tattoo.


    In short, these birds could choose not to obey an order, and they would not suffer from the bacsh of the tattoo on their foreheads.


    However, there was one thing that they couldn''t do and that was to escape from their Master, whom they were bound to.


    In short, once the Pocopoco was contracted to someone, they would have to stay with the person for years.


    This was also one of the reasons why they were one of the Monsters with the highest death rates in captivity because they would almost always insult their Masters, and not follow any of their orders.


    When the ceremony ended, the Pocopoco looked at its new Master in disdain.


    Norris, on the other hand, smirked after Thirteen finished paying up.


    "I would like to remind you before you leave that there is no refund for this transaction," Norris stated. "If this bird gets on your nerves, just chop off its head and roast it. Their meat is actually a delicacy."


    "I know," Thirteen replied. "But, I''m sure that this bird and I will get along just fine."


    If the Pocopoco had fingers, it might have already given its new Master the middle finger. This was evident to the look of disdain that it was giving the boy.


    Even in the face of death, it refused to yield.


    This was why it was one of the hardest, if not THE hardest, Monsters to tame in Solterra.


    But, this wasn''t a problem for Thirteen.


    After all, he already knew how to tame this Monster, who would be a valuable ally once it truly recognized the seven-year-


    old as its Master.


    "Thank you for the business, and don''t hesitate to visit me again if you need more ves," the ve Master stated. "Although I can''t sell you the ones meant for auction, everything else on disy is fair game."


    "Then in that case, I will ept your offer," Thirteen replied.


    The boy then walked towards the ves that were on disy, and picked up the ones that caught his attention.

 Chapter 112 Thirteen’s Angry Birb [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 112 Thirteen¡¯s Angry Birb [Part 2] </h4>


    When Thirteen returned to the warehouse, he brought with him one Pocopoco, two Ogres, and ten Trolls.


    The two Ogres were both Rank 3 Monsters, while the ten Trolls were all Rank 2.


    He made sure to personally handpick them from the rest, which made Norris wonder how the boy''s Master, Jubei, was able to umte such wealth.


    This lineup was equivalent to a middle-sized hunting Party, which typically ranged from twelve up to thirty individuals.


    Most of the Monsters in the Warsor ins came in herd or in groups of three and four, so Thirteen deemed that this setup would be the most ideal.


    "All of you behave, okay?" Thirteen looked at the ves that were standing in front of him.


    "You are not allowed to harm anyone from this warehouse in any way whatsoever. All of you will only take orders from me. If any of the people here give you orders, report it to me the next time you guys see me."


    The Trolls and Ogres eyed him, but none of them said anything. Thirteen didn''t mind their reaction and proceeded to call the one whom he would appoint as the temporary leader of the group.


    "Come forward, T1," Thirteen ordered.


    Unlike Cristopher who bonded with his ves, the seven-year-old didn''t want to form any attachment to his subordinates because he understood that losses would be inevitable.


    Of course, this didn''t mean that he would purposefully send his ves to their deaths.


    As a System, he would make sure that all of them survived as long as it could be helped, allowing them to be his Core Unit as he traveled within the Sumatran Kingdom.


    The naming scheme he came up with was straight to the point.


    He named the ten Trolls T1 up to T10.


    The two Ogres on the other hand were named O1 and O2.


    The Troll whom he had called out stepped forward and looked at the boy in front of him with a re.


    Thirteen didn''t mind the looks of hatred aimed in his direction because he had already seen more than enough of them tost him several lifetimes.


    "You will be the Temporary Leader of this group," Thirteen ordered. "All of you will listen to T1''s orders. So my first order is this, start cooking and let everyone eat their fill. After that, rest up properly, and don''t bother the Human children resting in this ce. That is all."


    The Troll grunted in acknowledgment of Thirteen''s orders.


    With the help of Norris, the boy had bought several bs of Monster meat. The amount he bought was enough to feed his ves for a week.


    He deliberately picked the Trolls who knew how to roast food, so he no longer needed to bother the other teenagers to cook for them.


    After giving out his orders, he went straight to his room, carrying the cage of the Pocopoco.


    The bird was only a foot tall, and it looked dumb on the surface.


    But Thirteen knew more than anyone how intelligent these birds were. Even now, he could tell that the Bird was appraising his every move.


    His previous host once said that Pocopocos might actually be smarter than Humans.


    They simply acted stupid to ensure that their race wouldn''t be hunted down until thest bird due to Human greed.


    This was also why those who learned how to tame Pocopocos kept this secret. They knew that this bird, who seemed to only know how to sh*t talk and annoy people, could be very useful if used in the right situations.


    ''Herees the annoying part,'' Thirteen thought as he ced the cage of the Pocopoco on the table before opening it. ''At times like this, I wish I could cut off my sense of hearing.''


    The Pocopoco jumped out of the cage and stood on the table, looking at the boy with the same disdainful look on his face.


    Thirteen stared at the dumb-looking bird for a full minute before removing the muzzle that covered its beak.


    Taming a Pocopoco wasn''t that hard.


    The problem was that in order to get their acknowledgment, their Masters must do one thing and that was¡­


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"


    "Murder!"


    "Someone help!"


    "Code Brown! I repeat, Code Brown!"


    Thirteen sat on the chair with his arms crossed over his chest.


    His gaze never left the Bird who had started to shout a bunch of nonsense as soon as the muzzle was taken off from its beak.


    The Pocopoco jumped around the table and shouted as if trying to wake up the dead.


    "Oh, no! It''s too big!"


    "It''s not going to fit!"


    "What are you doing step bro?!"


    "You brute! This is my first time!"


    "Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!"


    "Itai! Itai!"


    "That''s what she says!"


    The Pocopoco changed its voice from a grown man to a woman. From a boy to a girl.


    Unlike a parrot that could only use its own voice, the Pocopoco was very good at imitating the voice of others nearly to perfection.


    "You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one ce. Now you just have to find it!"


    "Would you let me see your panties?"


    "I Am Going To Be The Pirate King!"


    Thirteen''s gaze remained locked on the bird who was busy clowning around, performing its one-sided parody.


    "You can''t change the world with pretty words alone."


    "If strength is justice, then is powerlessness a crime?"


    "When will the war end?"


    "When someone wins."


    "All Hail Britannia!"


    After nearly an hour of making a ruckus, the Pocopoco finally stopped shouting and gave Thirteen a sidelong nce.


    The boy was still looking at the dumb-looking bird, which had a cheeky look in its eyes.


    "Are you done?" Thirteen asked after a full minute passed with the bird not saying anything.


    "Heh~" The Pocopoco hopped on top of the table and directly stopped in front of the boy, whose gaze remained as calm as the surface of theke.


    "Are you stupid?" the Pocopoco asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "I don''t like stupid people," the Pocopoco said. "So I''ll ask you again. Are you stupid?"


    "I''m not stupid."


    "I don''t like stupid people."


    "Good. I also don''t like them."


    "Heh~"


    "Heh."


    "Hoh~"


    "Hoh."


    "Kekeke."


    "Kekeke."


    "Stop imitating me!" The Pocopoco demanded.


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips curled up into a smile. Now that the Pocopoco was paying proper attention to him, it was finally time to get its acknowledgment.


    "What was the seventh phrase I said when I started talking?" the Pocopoco asked.


    "What are you doing step bro?!" Thirteen replied.


    "What is the thing that I don''t like the most?" the Pocopoco inquired.


    "Stupid people," Thirteen answered.


    "When will the war end?" the Pocopoco asked.


    "When someone wins," Thirteen replied.


    The Pocopoco continued to ask Thirteen questions, and all of these questions were all about the things that it had said over the past hour.


    Thirteen answered all of them correctly, without making a single mistake.


    Finally, half an hourter, the Pocopoco stopped talking. The dumb look on its face disappeared, reced by a wisened gaze, which made the boy finally sigh in relief in his heart.

 Chapter 113 Thirteen’s Angry Birb [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 113 Thirteen¡¯s Angry Birb [Part 3] </h4>


    Getting the acknowledgment of a Pocopoco wasn''t hard.


    However, you needed to endure its ramblings until it was satisfied.


    If the person left the room, shouted at it, or even hurt it even once, the Pocopoco would deem that person unworthy of its allegiance.


    So when the bird finally quieted down, Thirteen knew that he was halfway there in getting its acknowledgment.


    ''Finally, it''s over,'' Thirteen thought. ''The true negotiation starts now.''


    The Pocopoco sighed before looking at the jug of water on the table.


    "Can I have some water?" the Pocopoco asked. "I''m parched from all of that talking."


    "Of course," Thirteen replied.


    The boy took a wooden bowl from the cupboard and poured some water into it, allowing the Pocopoco to drink.


    After sating its thirst, the bird said its thanks and proceeded to look at the boy with a solemn look on his face.


    "How did you know?" the Pocopoco asked.


    It was just a simple question, and yet, Thirteen knew that he must answer it truthfully because this was something very important to the Pocopocos.


    "I watched a very dear friend of mine do the same thing, and they were able to gain the acknowledgment of your kind," Thirteen answered truthfully.


    "When did this happen?"


    "A little more than three hundred years ago."


    "Oh? But you look extremely young. How did you watch your very dear friend do it if it happened a little more than three hundred years ago?" the Pocopoco asked. Its eyes were narrowed and paying close attention to the boy''s reply.


    It didn''t outright say that Thirteen was lying because the bird could also tell if someone was lying to it.


    Although the boy''s answer seemed impossible, the Pocopoco didn''t detect any lies in his words.


    "It''splicated," Thirteen replied.


    "It''s fine. I likeplicated things."


    "Fine."


    Thirteen exined that he was a System that once apanied his Host on his journey in Solterra.


    The Pocopoco didn''t interrupt and quietly listened to Thirteen''s story with an unreadable look on its face.


    When the boy finished his tale, the Pocopoco nodded its head in understanding.


    "Well, it is indeedplicated as you said." the Pocopoco admitted. "I still don''t understand half of it, but I can tell that you didn''t say a single lie. Well then, what do you want from me?"


    "Serve me faithfully for three years," Thirteen stated. "In order to show my sincerity, I will also remove the ve tattoo from your forehead."


    The ve tattoo only looked like a simple ck dot on a ve''s forehead if looked at from a distance.


    However, there were many intricate lines embedded in it, which strengthened the power of the beast contract.


    "You are a Wanderer, are you not?" the Pocopoco asked. "Also, that snake around your neck is highly venomous, and yet you allow it to coil around your neck as if it''s an essory. I know that it''s your ve, but I don''t sense any malice or hostility from its eyes directed toward you.


    "This can only mean one thing¡ªit likes you very much, and you trust it enough to allow it to coil around your neck like some kind of choker. With that, I can confer that it''s different from those Trolls and Ogres you bought earlier."


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. I am a Wanderer, and Tiona is indeed different from the other ves that I bought earlier."


    "Tiona, huh?" the Pocopoco mused. "Depending on thenguages of this world, it can either mean Fairy Queen or a Gift from God. A good name indeed."


    The Pocopoco closed its eyes as if pondering for a moment. A few minutester, it nodded its head as if it had finally made a decision.


    "Very well, three years it is," the Pocopoco stated. "I will serve you faithfully for three years on two conditions."


    Thirteen nodded.


    The Pocopoco that his Host had managed to tame also asked for two conditions from him three hundred years ago.


    "The first condition is to take the method of befriending us to your grave," the Pocopoco stated. "Like I told you earlier, my race and I don''t like stupid people. It is only the smart and entric ones who actually pay close attention to what we have to say."


    "I will do as you say," Thirteen replied.


    "The second condition," the Pocopoco stated. "If there everes a time that you see my race in need of help, you will help them to the best of your ability."


    "Okay." Thirteen nodded. "I promise."


    "A promise you should keep, for we are a race blessed by the Deities of Air," the Pocopoco said. "They hear and see everything. No lies, no truths, and no secrets can escape their senses.


    "They will find out if you didn''t keep your word. They will also inform our entire race about you, so be warned. We may not be strong as individuals, but together, we can set many things in motion."


    The Pocopoco then closed its eyes and presented its forehead to Thirteen, allowing him to remove the ve Tattoo from its head.


    Now that he had agreed to the Pocopoco''s conditions, there was no need for the seal that bound it to him.


    The ve Tattoo was also useless on Pocopocos since they had the ability to ignore their Master''s orders.


    The only thing the ve Tattoo could do was prevent the bird from flying away and escaping from its Master.


    "I set you free," Thirteen said as he tapped the ve Tattoo on the bird''s forehead, making it disappearpletely.


    A sigh escaped the Pocopoco''s beak as if a weight had been lifted off its body.


    "Now that you''ve shown your sincerity, allow me to show my sincerity as well," the Pocopoco stated. "I will allow you to bestow upon me a name. This will be the name that I shall use for the three years that we would be together."


    Thirteen already had a name prepared for the Pocopoco the moment he received its acknowledgment.


    Unlike the Trolls and Ogres whom he gave numbered names, he prepared a special name for the Pocopoco, who would be one of his most loyal supporters over the next three years of his life.


    "Vassago," Thirteen said. "From this day onward, your name will be Vassago."

 Chapter 114 If You Want Things Done Right, You Must Do It Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 114 ?If You Want Things Done Right, You Must Do It Yourself </h4>


    Right aftering to an agreement with Vassago, Thirteen left the warehouse and headed to the za.


    But he didn''t leave alone.


    Coiled around his neck was Tiona, and sitting on his left shoulder was Vassago, looking like a dumb bird that was forced to smell the smelliest fart for an entire hour.


    After reaching the za, the seven-year-old headed toward the Smithing District, where the best cksmiths of Gronar City gathered.


    He entered each of the shops that he saw and inspected their wares, checking the quality and craftsmanship of the weapons and armor that were disyed for sale.


    After nearly three hours of window shopping, he finally found a Smithy that met the bare minimum of the quality and standard that he was looking for.


    "My Master sent me to have a custom-made order," Thirteen said. "Can you handle bulk orders?"


    The clerk who was manning the shop shook his head apologetically.


    "I''m sorry, boy," the Barbarian replied. "We have too many work orders as ofte, and we don''t have time to ept anymissions right now."


    "Can I ask what you guys are working on right now?" Thirteen inquired. "We just need a few weapons for our hunting party."


    "I''m sorry, but we are also doing a bulk order of Swords and Axes right now," the Clerk said. "In fact, not only us but almost all the cksmiths aremissioned to do the same."


    Thirteen thanked the clerk before leaving the Smithy.


    He had an idea as to why nearly all the cksmiths were making weapons in bulk. But until he confirmed his suspicions, he didn''t dare make any decision.


    It was no secret that the Tigerkins and the Barbarians were gearing up for a war.


    He just didn''t know when this event would actuallye to pass.


    "Vassago, I have an errand for you," Thirteen said after they reached an unpopted area.


    "E-E?" Vassago tilted its head to the side like the dumb bird that it was.


    After he finished giving the Pocopoco an order, the bird nodded in understanding.


    "You have four days," Thirteen said. "Make sure not to get eaten by some random Monster whilepleting your mission."


    "E-E?" Vassago tilted its head to the side before pping its wings to fly.


    It didn''t have any intention of showing its other side in public, even if it thought that there was no one watching its location.


    The boy looked at the bird until it disappeared from his vision before returning to the Smithy District.


    "You know what they say," Thirteen muttered. "If you want things done right, you must do it yourself."


    Tiona nodded her head in agreement with her Master''s words.


    She didn''t know what Thirteen was thinking, but she decided to just nod to show her support to him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    It was already veryte in the night by the time Thirteen returned to the warehouse.


    He had rented two wagons and splurged a lot to buy Iron, Orihalcon, as well as some monster parts that Thirteen nned to use to arm his Hunting Party.


    The raw materials already cost him 20,000 Silver Coins. Yet the actual hammer which would be used for smithing was priced at 50,000 Silver Coins.


    ''This Adamantine Hammer sure is expensive,'' Thirteen thought as he nced at the hammer that was lying in the wagon behind him.


    He had tried to bargain with the cksmith whom he purchased it from, but the man was as stubborn as a Dwarf, so he had no choice but to buy it at a fixed price.


    Thirteen''s wealth was over 150,000 Silver Coins in the past.


    But after buying ves, raw metals, monster parts, and smithing hammer, plus paying for the rent of the Warehouse, his money dropped to 62,000 Silver Coins.


    It was still considered a lot of money, but he doubted that it would be enough to bid for the Five Leaf Cover, which he needed to pass his second trial.


    "One step at a time," Thirteen muttered. "Just focus on what is in front of you right now, Thirteen."


    If he wanted to survive in Solterra, he had to use all the resources avable to him.


    After storing the wagons inside the warehouse, he ate a light dinner and slept peacefully.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next day¡­


    "Make sure that you do it right, O1," Thirteen ordered. "If you make a mistake, you''re not going to have lunch."


    The Ogre groaned as it held the Adamantine hammer in its right hand and an Orichalcum Chisel in its left.


    It then worked to engrave the symbol that Thirteen had drawn on the anvil carefully.


    Thirteen didn''t ask for anythingplicated. All the Ogre needed to do was to follow the lines of the drawing, and lightly hit the chisel twice before moving to the next spot.


    The Ogre was basically just ying connect the dots, which Thirteen had made for it, but with a chisel and a hammer.


    Simply put, even if the Ogre was all brawn and no brain, it would still be able to do what Thirteen had asked it to.


    The boy had asked the Trolls to prevent anyone froming to his workshop because he would start to use Rune Magic to imbue the Anvil and Forge with a special ability that would allow him to increase the chances of seeding in his craft.


    He had also bought dozens of Beast Cores for this task, not even batting an eye when he made his purchase.


    It took Thirteen half a day to finish his preparations in his workshop.


    Fortunately, he didn''t encounter any hups. To celebrate, he made sure to feed his subordinates with a lot of meat, which they liked very much.


    Cristopher finally came out of his room in the afternoon to look for his Young Master.


    Seeing his reddened eyes and the dark circles under them, he knew that the boy had his first taste of loss in Solterra.


    "Young Master, I''m sorry, and thank you," Cristopher said as he knelt on the floor. "If you didn''t stop me in time, I might have summoned Brutus and Bruno, endangering all of us in the process."


    "You have nothing to be sorry about," Thirteen replied. "None of us could have expected that we would encounter that kind of monster on our first expedition. It was simply outside of our control."


    Cristopher nodded, but Thirteen was certain that he was still hurting inside.


    ''Fortunately, he hadn''t spent a long time with those Ogres yet,'' Thirteen thought. ''If his attachment to them was already too deep when the incident happened, he might have suffered a crippling heartbreak, making him unable to function for more than a week.''


    After making Cristopher stand up, the seven-year-old took the chubby boy to his workshop.


    "W-Wow! You bought so many ves, Master," Cristopher stuttered after seeing the 10 Trolls and 2 Ogres who were currently lifting heavy crates filled to the brim with raw metals and monster parts.


    "I decided to increase our manpower to ensure our survival in the Warsor ins," Thirteen stated. "But I was also waiting for you, Cristopher."


    "Waiting for me?"


    "Yes. I will need your help in order to create the best hunting party in the Sumatran Kingdom."


    Cristopher''s face became serious. "What kind of help do you need, Young Master? As long as I can do it, I will do everything in my power to help."


    "Good," Thirteen said as he lightly patted the chubby boy''s waist. "I knew that I could count on you."


    What Cristopher didn''t know was that the "help" Thirteen needed wasn''t anything serious. It was simply manualbor.


    However, it was a kind of manualbor that would not only train Cristopher to be stronger but would also train Brutus and Bruno to perform other tasks aside from fighting the Warsor ins'' Monsters, which they would inevitably face after the Auction in Gronar City was over.

 Chapter 115 Laying Down The Foundations

    <h4>Chapter 115 Laying Down The Foundations </h4>


    "It''s fine, Bruno," Thirteen said to the Ogre that was feeling down because he had turned the Iron Ore into scrap metal. "You''ll get used to it soon."


    Hammering sounds resounded inside the boy''s workshop as Cristopher and Brutus also pounded on iron ore with the hammers they held in their hands.


    Why were they doing that?


    Thirteen was teaching them how to do Smithing.


    Of course, he didn''t expect the three of them to be proficient in a very short period of time.


    Even his father, Gerald, took years before he became a decent crafter.


    Since that was the case, why was Thirteen telling them to do Smithing?


    The answer was simple.


    He didn''t need to create quality goods.


    He just needs to mass produce usable items for their hunting party, like arrows for bows, and bolts for crossbows.


    These things were easier to do because all he needed to do was create moulds for them to be mass produced.


    Brutus had shown exceptional skills in adapting to things, which might have contributed to him having the Evolver Ability.


    He was a unique Troll to begin with, and seemed to be a Prodigy within his race. Because of this, he was able to follow Thirteen''s orders without fail, and was starting to be fairly decent in forming moulds for the items they needed to craft.


    What the boy didn''t know was that, when he was still alive, Brutus was already fascinated with making his own tools, and weapons.


    He had tried to carve weapons from monster bones in the past, and although he failed a lot, he still managed to make a somewhat decent weapon.


    Unfortunately, that weapon of his broke when he went out hunting in the desert. Because of this, he used the wooden club he had before venturing out again.


    That was thest journey he made because he died when he arrived at the Oasis to drink some water.


    Fortunately, he was Cristopher''s first Brute Monster, allowing him to gain the Evolver Skill, and further grow into a more powerful Troll.


    "Master, must I really do this?" Cristopher asked as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Brutus and Bruno can handle this on their own. Why must I also do Smithing?"


    "Because you didn''t train that much in the Leventis Family," Thirteen replied. "The most you did was a bit of survival training. Youck strength and stamina. Smithing is a good way for you to build up your muscles. Now stop talking, and start pounding."


    Cristopher sighed but did as he was told.


    The chubby boy was tasked with pounding an iron ore until it took shape.


    Norris had asked his connection to build a simple forge for Thirteen, and thetter paid for it for 2,000 Silver Coins.


    He also purchased 1,000 Silvers worth of coals, which would be used to heat up the forge, so they could start smelting metal.


    Thirteen also bought ready-made smithing tongs and pliers toplete the process.


    Bruno wielded the Adamantine Hammer, while Brutus and Cristopher wielded steel hammers.


    But, they didn''t just randomly swing their hammers as they did their forging.


    No.


    Thirteen was teaching them the proper forms of cksmithing, paving the way to building up their foundations in learning the Divine Technique, Hammer for all Seasons.


    This was the same Technique that Gerald possessed, but instead of spending decades to perfect the technique, it only took him a few months to be proficient in it.


    The seven-year-old still needed to talk to the Lace Demon, and The One, if it was possible for them to allow him to impart his Divine Techniques to other people aside from his family.


    Although it was a long shot, he nned to use this incident as a way to make thempromise.


    Since that was the case, Cristopher, Brutus, and Bruno, would learn the Martial Technique faster once they mastered the basics, and built a good foundation for it.


    Also, he was thinking about the future. Unlike Brutus, who had the Evolver Skill, Bruno had lost his ability to Rank Up after he had be an Avatar.


    Thirteen teaching him how to do Smithing was him being considerate of the Ogre, and preventing him from feeling useless when Cristopher surpassed his Rank.


    Although it might be cruel, that was the fate of Avatars.


    Once they were no longer useful, they would either be sold or traded to other people, because their owners left them behind.


    At least, if Bruno mastered the Hammer For All Seasons up to the Intermediate Rank, he would still be able to be useful as a Monster Smith.


    If the Ogre focused all of his attention in learning cksmithing, then it was not impossible for him to be a Divine cksmith, capable of crafting Mythical, Legendary, and Divine-Ranked Equipment in the future.


    ''Judging by Cristopher''s character, I''m sure that he will not throw Bruno away,'' Thirteen thought as he watched the chubby boy pound the chunk of metal into random shapes as his training. ''But, he is still young. His mentality can change once he witnesses the cruelty of the world.''


    If Cristopher didn''t really need Bruno anymore then Thirteen would ask him to give the Ogre to his Father.


    Since he nned to have Gerald focus on crafting, having an Ogre as an assistant would help him tremendously.


    ''An Ogre Smith¡­ Bruno will probably be the first of his kind in Solterra to get such a profession,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the Ogre who had a determined look on his face as he continued to swing the Adamantine Hammer, over and over again.


    There were only five days remaining before the Auction started.


    Thirteen had already made peace with the fact that there was a possibility that he wouldn''t have enough funds to bid for the Five-Leaf-Clover.


    His priority was survival, so he nned to use his funds to bid for the Chad Skunk, which Norris would send to the Auction House.


    Currently, he only had 59,000 Silver Coins.


    He could increase it in a short amount of time if he visited the Dueling Arena, and the Gambling Den.


    However, he was currently banned from doing so.


    Of course, he could send one of the ves that Rianna had freed to bid for him, but he didn''t want to break Raldo''s trust.


    The Dueling Arena and the Gambling Den was the business of the City Lord. Since Raldo was working with such an individual, it would be bad to make an enemy of him.


    Besides, he had a feeling that they would be staying in Gronar City for a period of time, so antagonizing the City Lord was not something they could afford to do at this moment in time.

 Chapter 116 Did You Get Good Results?

    <h4>Chapter 116 Did You Get Good Results? </h4>


    "Brutus, I think you have already mastered the basics," Thirteenmented as he observed the Troll''s meticulous work. "Now, I will teach you how to create an arrowhead mold. But after you perfect it, you will make more of them on your own, okay?"


    Brutus nodded and watched as Thirteen carved an arrowhead from a piece of wood.


    After that, the seven-year-old ced it in a molding sk and filled it up with casting sand. Brutus continued to watch as Thirteenpressed the sand on top of the arrowhead.


    When the boy was done, he flipped it over and removed the sand that was covering the arrowhead.


    He took another casting sk and ced it on top of the first one. Just like he did earlier, he filled it up with casting sand.


    When he was done, he flipped it over to remove the wooden carving, which had served its purpose.


    "Now, we just need to make a hole here. That''s where we will pour the metal in," Thirteen exined as he bored a hole in the center of the cask. "Then we expand the hole a bit, forming a funnel, so that the melted metal will not overflow like so."


    After finishing his model, Thirteen pressed the two casts together and melted some iron in the forge.


    When he was done, he poured the iron slowly into the hole of the molding sk.


    "Let it cool down a bit, then after that, we just need to clean it up using the grinder. Now, we have an arrowhead," Thirteen exined. "Did you understand everything, or do I need to exin it to you again?"


    Brutus hesitated, but he still nodded and pointed at the molding sk. "One¡­ more."


    "Okay," Thirteen took out another pair of molding sks and repeated the process a second time while waiting for the first arrowhead to cool down.


    After demonstrating the process a second time, he asked Brutus to create the third arrowhead on his own.


    The Troll didn''t do it as well as Thirteen did, but the end result was still passable.


    Ordinary arrows might be effective for Lower Ranking Monsters.


    But, when dealing with stronger monsters like the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, they would need weapons that were sharp enough to pierce through its body.


    Fortunately, making molds for arrowheads was easy.


    All they needed to do was melt the metal they needed and pour it into the molding sk, allowing them to mass-produce as many arrows as they wanted.


    Seeing that Brutus could handle the rest on his own, the boy went to check on Bruno''s progress.


    "Good job, Bruno. You''re doing well," Thirteen praised the Ogre as he looked at the sorry excuse for a sword, which looked like a bunch of metal sheets piled on top of each other.


    The Ogre scratched its head while smiling.


    Being praised by the seven-year-old made him just as happy as his own Master, Cristopher, was praising him.


    Thirteen knew that it would take a very long time for the Ogre to perfect his craft, but he wasn''t in a hurry.


    In the hands of Ogres, even a b of jagged steel was a very lethal weapon, so even Bruno''s sorry excuse for a sword was deadlier than the Bone Club that it was currently using to fight.


    Perhaps, Bruno knew on an instinctual level that there woulde a time when Cristopher would no longer have a use for him.


    He felt this sense of crisis when his Master bought Ogres that were stronger than him.


    This was why he nned to give his all into cksmithing. Even if he was no longer considered strong, he would at least still be useful to his Master.


    Thirteen watched as the Ogre raised his Adamantine Hammer to continue refining the b of jagged steel that he finished making.


    A faint smile could be seen on the seven-year-old''s face because he saw the determination in the Ogre''s eyes.


    Determination that would pave the way for great things, which would help his Master, Cristopher, in more ways than one.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Two dayster, Rianna''s Hunting Party returned to the city.


    The teenagers all looked haggard, but Thirteen noticed that all members of the Hunting Party were present.


    He went to meet up with Rianna, who was leading the group. Although she looked very exhausted, he could tell that thetter was satisfied with the results of her expedition.


    "Wee back," Thirteen said with his arms crossed over his chest. "Did you have a good hunt?"


    "Yes," Rianna replied. "We killed a few monsters, and some gained Bronze-Grade Weapons and Armor from them."


    "That''s great to hear." Thirteen nodded. "You did well, Rianna."


    "Thank you." Rianna smiled.


    The three teenage boys, Rufus, Eren, and Jeane didn''t like the way that Thirteen was treating Rianna like a subordinate.


    They had already made this known to Rianna while they were out hunting, but the youngdy only brushed it off and told them that she and Zion were justrade-at-arms.


    However, she didn''t deny the fact that she recognized the boy''s qualities as a leader and that she didn''t mind following his orders.


    This was what ticked the three teenagers off the most because they believed that Thirteen was just taking advantage of Rianna''s kindness.


    "How about your expedition?" Rufus asked as he stood beside Rianna. "Did you get good results?"


    "No." Thirteen shook his head. "The two Ogres on our team died, and we were forced to return to the city before a day was even over."


    "Hah? You act so high and mighty and you even failed to show some results?" Eren, who was quick to find faults in the boy,mented.


    "To think that you made everyone think that you''re some kind of bigshot just because you are from the Leventis Family," Jeane stated. "It seems that I overestimated you."


    Rianna ignored the three teenagers who were looking down on the boy in front of them and pressed Thirteen for answers.


    Unlike Rufus, Eren, and Jeane, the youngdy knew full well what Thirteen was capable of.


    After all, he was the one who saved them from the ve Traders who hade to bring them to Gronar City.


    If Thirteen hadn''t saved them, she would have been up for sale in the ve Market, just like the other Wanderers that the Orcs and the Barbarians had captured.


    "We faced a Rank 6 Overlord, Purple-Furred Honey Badger," Thirteen said after Rianna''s persistence. "It killed the two Rank 3 Ogres like it was merely dealing with newly born chicks.


    ------------------------


    (A/N: I will refer to the individual rankings of Monsters as Common, Alpha, Overlord, and Sovereign from this moment onward.)


    ------------------------


    "Rianna, for now, don''t go to the Warsor ins. Cristopher and I will explore them after we make our preparations. You and the others should just continue to strengthen yourselves and get better equipment in the Houdini Desert."


    "Okay," Rianna nodded. "But if the Warsor ins is really that dangerous, just give it up for now and hunt in the Houdini Desert too. Meeting a Rank 6 Overlord and being able to survive it is already considered a miracle. You did welling back alive."


    The youngdy even lightly patted Thirteen''s head, treating him like a little brother.


    "Don''t treat me like a child," Thirteen said as he blocked Rianna''s patting with his hand.


    "But you are a child," Rianna grinned.


    Thirteen wanted to tell the youngdy that he was actually thousands of years old. But knowing that she would think that he was just joking, he decided that it was not worth his while.


    The three boys, who wereughing at Thirteen in their hearts earlier, suddenly became serious.


    Originally, they had proposed to Rianna that they should go to the Warsor ins to hunt for Monsters.


    However, Rianna rejected it because Thirteen already nned to head there to investigate.


    Because of that, she decided to just hunt in the Houdini Desert so that their two Hunting Parties wouldn''t have topete with each other.


    After hearing that the boy encountered a Rank 6 Overlord just hours after leaving the city, all of them knew that if they had really gone to the Warsor ins as they originally nned, there was a high chance that their group would have encountered it as well.


    But there was one question that nagged at their minds when they started thinking about it.


    Would they have managed to survive and return to the city safely with more than half of their numbers remaining?


    Rufus, Eren, and Jeane didn''t know the answer to this question.


    However, they themselves knew that the chances of them surviving an encounter with a Rank 6 Overlord were close to zero.

 Chapter 117 I Don’t Think He’s Able To Do The Impossible

    <h4>Chapter 117 I Don¡¯t Think He¡¯s Able To Do The Impossible </h4>


    "¡­Are you preparing for a Hunt, or are you preparing for war?" Rianna asked as she looked at the hustle and bustle that was happening on the other side of the warehouse, where Thirteen and his ves were staying.


    The Trolls were busy assembling arrows using the arrowheads that Brutus and T1 were making non-stop.


    Aside from creating moulds, they were also constantly melting iron and steel which they''dter pour into the moulds to create the arrowheads, which would then be passed to the assemblers.


    It was tough work, so Thirteen divided the Trolls into two teams. One team was assisting Brutus, while the other team was shaving wood to be used as the arrow''s body.


    The Trolls that Thirteen handpicked were already proficient in making arrows. However, the most they could make were very crude arrows.


    So, the seven-year-old boy taught them the right way of making them. Fortunately, the Trolls learned quickly, which was why they were able to create so many arrows in a short period of time.


    Percival was also forced to join the production, but thetter didn''t voice out anyints.


    His character had changed a bit after Thirteen gave him a taste of his killing intent that he had been holding back for thousands of years.


    If the Tigerkin hadn''t been strong-willed and didn''t have the makings of a hero, he might have beenpletely traumatized by the boy''s deadly gaze.


    Of course, he would still re at his Master from time to time, but the re wasn''t as intense as the ones he gave him before.


    "A Hunt is also a war," Thirteenmented. "The only difference is that I''m taking this war seriously."


    "Can you give me some of the finished arrows?" Rianna asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I gave you enough freebies already. Use your own ves to make your own."


    "Stingy!"


    "Huh? You''re already freeloading in my warehouse, and you still dare call me stingy? Should I kick you all out for not paying the rent?"


    Rianna lightly cleared her throat before bidding Thirteen goodbye with the excuse of having a strategy meeting with her own Hunting Party.


    The boy watched her go, and only when he could no longer see her did he sigh in his heart.


    ''War, huh?'' Thirteen thought as he looked towards the Northeast. ''I just hope that I''m overthinking things.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Vassago soared across the sky and kept watch on thend under him.


    Thirteen had given him three missions, and he only had four days to finish them.


    One of his missions was to find the exact location of the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, the Overlord of the Warsor ins.


    The seven-year-old didn''t want a repeat of the incident that happened a few days ago when the Rank 6 Monster managed to get close to them without their notice.


    They were able to escape the first time with their lives, but they might not be lucky the second time.


    Because of this, Thirteen wanted to know the location of the monster at all times, preventing another tragedy from happening.


    While doing the first mission, Vassago was also able to do his second mission, which was to identify all the types of monsters in the ins as well as the surrounding areas.


    Thirteen asked the Pocopoco to double-check if there were any Jinn Type Monsters, who liked to eat humans, around.


    The reason why he wanted to know the locations of these monsters was due to a simple reason.


    Wanderers were the Jinn''s natural enemies.


    Because of this, Wanderers had a higher chance of getting items from Jinns after they were killed.


    Cristopher''s luck wasn''t as high as Rianna''s when it came to monster drops.


    The seven-year-old wanted to ovee that problem by hunting Jinns and collecting their body parts for weapons.


    ''Target found,'' Vassago thought when he saw something purple moving on the ground.


    That ''something purple'' was none other than the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, who was targeting a group of Gray-Haired Cheetahs that were eyeing a herd of Robust Bisons.


    The target of the cheetahs were, of course, the young ones since the older ones were very tough and harder to deal with.


    Vassago took note of the Honey Badger''s location before flying away.


    He still needed to visit the cities of the Tigerkins to see whether they were also preparing for arge-scale battle with the Barbarians.


    If the two sides were really going to fight, then Thirteen would choose a different route for their hunting trip in order to prevent getting identally sandwiched between the two parties.


    The seven-year-old had no interest in who would emerge the victor of the battle.


    He had no intentions of letting his subordinates, as well as Rianna''s subordinates, participate in a war.


    They were already struggling to survive in Solterra.


    Being thrown onto the battlefield was thest thing that they wanted to happen.


    While all this was happening, Norris was currently entertaining a guest who had arrived at his establishment just an hour ago.


    "Tell me more about this Zion whom you sold the Domini Mortis to," a woman wearing a ck robe said. "Is he really just a boy?"


    "Yes," Norris replied. "I don''t know his exact age, but I''m pretty certain that he''s not more than ten years old. Also, he doesn''t act his age, which is why I find him interesting."


    "When was thest time you saw him?" the woman asked.


    "A few days ago," Norris answered. "He was in need of ves, so he bought 10 Trolls and 2 Ogres. He also requested a few favors from me, like helping him purchase metals, and he asked if I knew someone who could help him build a simple Forge in the warehouse that he is renting from me."


    "Metals and a forge?" The woman frowned. "Does he n to do Smithing?"


    "Perhaps." Norris shrugged. "I did not want to be nosy, so I didn''t ask him for details. Are you nning to investigate him?"


    "Yes," the woman replied. "After all, he might be the one I am looking for."


    Norris nodded his head in understanding.


    "Just be careful, okay?" Norris said after sipping his tea. "I can tell that he isn''t an ordinary boy. It is best that you do things in moderation. I did my best to befriend him, so don''t make me lose my hard work, okay?"


    "Worry not," the woman stated. "I just want to know if he will be able to help us with the thing that is troubling us."


    "He''s still a child. I don''t think he''s able to do the impossible."


    "There''s always a first time for everything."


    Norris sighed. "To think our organization has regressed to the point where we have to put our faith in a child who is not even ten years of age."


    The woman nodded her head in agreement, but she still said what was on her mind.


    "Norris, even a pebble can make small ripples in ake," the woman said before walking towards the door. "No matter how small that ripple is, it might lead to an oue that all of us have overlooked."


    Norris watched the woman leave his office with a frown on his face.


    Although he believed that Thirteen was impressive for his age, this wasn''t his first time seeing such a promising child.


    He just didn''t want his acquaintance to overestimate the boy, who still hadn''t grown into being a man, and expect him to create a miracle that they had been hopelessly trying to achieve for the past decade.

 Chapter 118 The Damage Had Already Been Done

    <h4>Chapter 118 The Damage Had Already Been Done </h4>


    While Thirteen, Cristopher, and Rianna were eating in the dining room, something flew in from outside of the window andnded on top of the table.


    "Wee back, Vassago," Thirteen said before pouring water into a bowl and cing it in front of the dumb-looking bird.


    He then grabbed a bowl of nuts that he had prepared in advance and also pushed it toward the bird, who was busy drinking water from the bowl.


    This was the fourth day since the bird had left to do his mission, and he had returned to report his findings.


    However, since there were people inside the room aside from his Master, Vassago just drank and ate before closing his eyes to rest.


    Cristopher and Rianna watched the bird with great curiosity, but the two of them didn''t do anything to disturb its rest.


    "Young Master, what is this creature?" Cristopher asked.


    But before the Thirteen could answer, Rianna beat him into it.


    "It''s a Pocopoco," Rianna replied. "It''s a bird that can imitate almost all sounds, even the voices of people. They can be very noisy and a pain to deal with."


    "Oh?" Cristopher frowned as he looked at the sleeping bird before shifting his gaze to his Young Master.


    The chubby boy knew that Thirteen wouldn''t do anything unnecessary or things that didn''t serve a purpose.


    Since that was the case, he kept his silence and just focused on his meal. He was certain that his Young Master would tell him more about it once they were alone.


    An hourter, Cristopher and Rianna went to do their duties, while Thirteen took Vassago to his room.


    "It is as you expected," Vassago said after the seven-year-old firmly locked the door behind him. "The Tigerkins are also preparing for arge-scale battle. It seems that they have finally decided to reim all the cities that were captured by the Barbarians during their raids."


    Thirteen sat on a chair and crossed his arms over his chest.


    "So the Barbarians kept on poking the Tiger in the eye, and they''ve finally angered it," Thirteen smirked. "I bet they are regretting their decision now."


    Although the Tigerkins were still weakened from their war against the Valbarra Kingdom and their failed expansion in the Barbarian Lands, they would still go all out once they were pushed into a corner.


    That was a trait of the majority of the Beastkin Race.


    Some Beastkins were Pacifists, but the Tigerkins were one of the Beastkins that didn''t shy away from battle.


    ''This conflict is going to be bloody,'' Thirteen thought. ''Once the Tigerkins reim the territories that were taken from them by the Barbarians, they might continue to charge forward due to their momentum.


    Although Gronar City was a distance away from the frontlines, it was not impossible for them to get raided by the Tigerkins, who were able to pass over the Barbarian''s borders.


    "Can you give me an estimate of how soon the fight will start?" Thirteen asked.


    The Pocopoco pondered a bit before giving an estimate.


    "I believe that it will take them two months before they start reiming the cities that were taken over by the Barbarians," Vassago replied. "But there is also a possibility that it will happen earlier. The safest timeline I can give you is just a month.


    "Whatever your ns are in the Warsor ins, you need to finish them in a month. If you stay too long in that region, there is a high possibility that you will get sandwiched between the two warring factions."


    Thirteen nodded. "A month is a bit tight, but since we have no choice, we just have to do it. How about the information about the Beacon of Light? Did you get any leads?"


    Vassago shook his head. "No. Even the Wind Spirits that I talked to didn''t know anything about it."


    A sigh escaped the seven-year-old''s lips because he had already expected this scenario.


    "In any case, you gave me valuable information," Thirteen said with a smile. "Good job, Vassago. Did you also aplish your two other missions?"


    "I did," Vassago replied. "The Purple-Furred Honey Badger is currently roaming the Northern Edges of the Warsor ins. For now, it is safe to hunt within a hundred mile radius of Gronar City¡­


    "As for the Jinn that are prevalent in thesends, I only found the Golden-Eyed Hyenas roaming the ins. The stronger ones hunt solo, while the rest hunt in groups of six to ten.


    "Their den is located in the Northwestern Region of the Warsor ins, and the one leading them is a Rank 5 Overlord. The chances of you encountering their leader are almost non-


    existent as long as you don''t purposely head to theirir."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    Vassago''s report matched the information he saw in his database. Even though 300 years had passed, the Golden-Eyed Hyenas were still the Jinns that monopolized the Sumatran Region.


    ''Still, the Golden-Eyed Hyenas are tough opponents,'' Thirteen thought. ''If we''re not careful, they might call for reinforcements and have us surrounded. It is not worth the risk.''


    After listening to Vassago''splete report, Thirteen finalized the route that his Hunting Party would take for maximum efficiency.


    Since their time was limited, they would be targeting specific groups of Monsters in order to farm their Monster parts.


    He trusted Vassago''s estimate of one month before therge-


    scale battle between the Barbarians and the Tigerkins started.


    Because of this, he decided to embark on their Hunting Trip as soon as he finished bidding for the Chad Skunk in the Auction that would be held in two days.


    ''I''ll just have to find another way to obtain the Five-Leaf Clover,'' Thirteen mused. ''If my guess is correct, the Beacon of Light will appear when the war between the Barbarians and Tigerkins is in full swing. We''ll just have to wait until then.''


    After organizing his thoughts, he went to see the progress of their preparations for their uing expedition.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in the Houdini Desert¡­


    Harry''s face was grim as he looked at the teenagers who were under hismand.


    Their numbers had decreased to six after they were ambushed by Trolls during one of their hunts in the Houdini Desert.


    To make matters worse, they were forced to abandon more than half of their food supplies in their haste to escape the pursuit of the Troll Hunting Party.


    Beaten and battered, they decided to head East to the Barbarian Lands, where they believed they would find a safe ce to hide from the Monsters, who seemed to have increased their hunting activities in the region.


    Colbert was one of the teenagers who barely managed to survive the ambush. Deep in his heart, he was cursing Harry for his poor leadership judgment.


    ''If he had only listened to me when I said we should have taken a different route, none of this would have happened!'' Colbert gnashed his teeth in anger, but he had no choice but to hold his feelings back.


    Harry was stronger than him, and if he tried anything funny, the Scion from the Remington n could kill him without a second thought.


    What Colbert didn''t know was that Harry was also ming him in his heart because if not for the teenage boy''s insistence to hunt near the territory of the Trolls, none of this would have happened.


    They were doing quite well as they hunted the other Monsters in the Houdini Desert, but Colbert became too greedy due to their sess.


    The other teenagers, who had be overconfident of their victories decided to agree to his proposal to move closer to the Troll''s Domain in the hopes that they could get an Avatar like Cristopher''s.


    ''I should have followed Zion and Rianna and left these people behind,'' Harry thought bitterly. ''I knew that this person was bad luck from the start.''


    Unfortunately, no matter how much Harry regretted it, the damage had already been done.


    He could only hope that by going East, he would once again meet up with Zion and Rianna, whom he believed were better teammates than the bastard Colbert, who had almost sentenced their entire party to their doom.

 Chapter 119 It’s A Pleasure To Meet You, Little Friends

    <h4>Chapter 119 It¡¯s A Pleasure To Meet You, Little Friends </h4>


    The day of the Auction had arrived.


    Thirteen and Cristopher made their way towards the Auction House with the assistance of Norris.


    Since he had ordered Jubei to apany Rianna and her Hunting Party to the Houdini Desert, he needed a Guardian to follow him to the auction house, so that he would be allowed to enter.


    Fortunately, Norris was nning to sell several of his ves in the Auction House, so he was given a VIP room.


    This was also one of the favors that the seven-year-old had asked the ve Master when he met with himst time.


    Norris agreed because he knew that Thirteen nned to bid for the Chad Skunk, which was one of the Monsters that the boy had chosen, alongside the Pocopoco, whom the boy named Vassago.


    When they entered the VIP Room, the seven-year-old noticed that there was already someone inside it.


    However, he wasn''t able to see what the person looked like because they were wearing a ck hooded robe that covered their entire body, including their head.


    "I''d like to introduce you to an acquaintance of mine, Zion," Norris said. "Her name is Adira. She is a Shaman, so if you are in need of shamanic services, you can talk to her while she is still in the city."


    The woman named Adira nodded before taking off the hood that covered her head.


    Thirteen''s eyes narrowed, while Cristopher''s eyes widened in shock.


    ''A Drow,'' Thirteen thought. ''Norris has interesting friends.''


    "D-Drow!" Cristopher gasped in shock.


    Unlike Thirteen, who generally had a good grasp of his emotions, the chubby boy took a step back and even hid behind the younger and smaller boy, who did his best to keep the corner of his lips from twitching.


    An amused giggle escaped Adira''s lips as she walked towards the seven-year-old, who was looking at her with a calm expression on his face.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, little friends," Adira said as she looked down at the two of them. "My name is Adira, and I''ll be staying in Gronar City for a month. I have heard many interesting things about you from my friend, Norris. It is an honor to finally meet you, Zion."


    "The honor is mine, Lady Adira," Zion replied with a respectful bow. "This boy behind me is Cristopher. He is my direct subordinate."


    "Cristopher?" Adira eyed the chubby boy, who was peeking at her from behind Thirteen''s back. "I''ll try to remember him."


    Just like all Drow, Adira had long silver hair and jet-ck skin.


    Her eyes that were as red as rubies, were looking at him with great interest, as if she was looking at a very rare specimen.


    It was not as sharp as the gazes of the Drow that Thirteen had met in the past, which made him assume that Adira might be one of the exiled people of her race.


    Drows were very arrogant by nature.


    They believed that they were superior to other races, and they were very narrow minded.


    In short, you had a better chance of winning an argument with a rock, than winning an argument with a Drow.


    "Come," Adira made a gesture towards the couch. "Let us all sit and make ourselvesfortable while we wait for the Auction to start."


    Thirteen nodded. "Let''s go, Cristopher. Don''t worry, Lady Adira won''t bite you."


    "Oh! But I might," Adira said in a teasing tone. "Your subordinate looks very plump and tasty. I bet he will taste delicious when roasted."


    "Buhiiiiii!" Cristopher almost peed his pants when the Drow extended her hands to lightly pinch his chubby cheeks.


    One of the races that Wanderers had to be wary of the most were Drows.


    Those who were unlucky enough to be sent to their Underground Cities, would find themselves experiencing a fate worse than that of ves.


    Drows were known for their cruelty because it was their way of showing their supremacy to others.


    Weakness was not an option for their race, so hurting others was a sign of apetent and powerful Drow.


    Since they couldn''t always hurt their own people, anyone that is not of their race was fair game.


    The chances of teenage Wanderers surviving in Drow Cities was lowerpared to the Houdini Desert.


    Those who were lucky enough to survive, would live for a few years before they were killed due to torture.


    The truly lucky ones, who managed to gain the favor of their owners, would be able to live for a long time.


    However, some spent their entire lifetimes living underground, never to see the surface world ever again.


    "Lady Adira, please don''t tease Cristopher too much," Thirteen said. "He gets scared easily."


    "Forgive me, little one," Adira replied. "My teasing went too far. Well then, sit and make yourselvesfortable."


    Thirteen nodded and sat on the couch in the center of the room.


    Cristopher hurriedly sat on his Young Master''s right side, while Adira, sat on the seven-year-old''s left side.


    Norris, sat on the couch beside them, having it all for himself.


    "I heard from Norris that you n to bid for the Chad Skunk," Adira said. "Aside from that stinky Monster, do you n to bid on other items?"


    "I do," Thirteen answered. "But, I don''t think I''ll have enough funds to bid for it."


    "Oh? What are you nning to bid for aside from the Chad Skunk?''


    "The Five Leaf Clover."


    Norris and Adira exchanged nces before a faint smile appeared on the Drow''s face.


    "Excellent choice," Adiramented. "Although it may not be as powerful as an elixir, it can certainly save someone who suffered from a serious injury. I''m sure that there will be a lot of people who will want to bid for it."


    "I know," Thirteen replied. "If I don''t get it now, I''ll just find another way to get one."


    Adira eyed the ck snake coiled around the boy''s neck with an appraising gaze.


    Tiona was also paying close attention to the Drow and flicked her tongue in her direction repeatedly.


    She knew who this Drow was because she was the one that handed her to Norris to be put on auction.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen had managed to get Norris'' interest, which allowed him to look at the ves that he wanted to auction, the Domini Mortis might have been one of the creatures that would be disyed in the Auction House today.


    Adira asked Thirteen a lot of personal questions, and the boy answered those he could answer.


    In exchange, he also asked Adira a lot of questions about thends surrounding the Sumatran Kingdom, which the Drow also answered to the best of her abilities.

 Chapter 120 The Auction Begins

    <h4>Chapter 120 The Auction Begins? </h4>


    While waiting for the Auction to start, Thirteen and Adira talked about many things, including how the Valbarra Archipgo was formed.


    Adira even challenged the seven-year-old to tell her the myth of how the archipgo came into being. If he got it right, the boy would be able to ask her for one favor.


    Seeing that this was a perfect opportunity to form a connection with the Drow, the boy decided to humor her and tell her what was written in his database about thends they were currently in.


    The Valbarra Archipgo wasposed of three Main Inds and a few small inds that were only a few hundreds of meters in length.


    It was an archipgo that was a good distance away from the Main Continent.


    Although the distance was great, several Merchants would often visit the Sumatran Kingdom to trade with the Tigerkins and the Barbarians.


    The former capital of the Valbarra Kingdom, which the Tigerkins had conquered, was located in the center of these Three Main Inds.


    The Houdini Desert, as well as the territories of the Barbarians, were located on the biggest ind, which the Tigerkins wished to conquer as well.


    Thest and final Ind was a small one and only around a mile long.


    However, none dared toy im over it because it was a sacrednd where the Fallen Angel, Forneus, was worshiped.


    "ording to legend, the Sea Monster, Forneus, had a quarrel with the Deity of the Sea, Rahab," Thirteen said. "Since the two couldn''t see eye to eye, the two of them fought in the sea, causing volcanoes to erupt under the water, which created the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "The battle ended in a draw, and Rahab left Forneus alone to rest on one of the Inds that had been formed during their battle.


    "Since then, Forneus was treated as the Main Deity of the Valbarra Kingdom, and they would only go to the Third Ind, which they called Ennis Ind, to perform ceremonies and sacrifices in honor of the Monster of the Sea, Forneus."


    Even after the Tigerkins had changed the name of the Kingdom to the Sumatran Kingdom, they still followed the tradition of honoring Forneus, for they would be stupid not to do so.


    The reason?


    Because the Deities that all the races in the world worshipped were real.


    It would be a folly to offend such beings even if they weren''t considered True Gods.


    "You sure know how to give a history lesson." Adira smiled. "But it makes me wonder¡ªhow do you know about this story?"


    "I heard this story from an old man whom we encountered while on the way to this city," Thirteen replied.


    "And where is this old man now?" Adira inquired.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen replied. "We parted ways when we reached this city."


    "If you see that old man again, would you be able to recognize him?"


    "Probably."


    Cristopher, who was seated beside his Young Master, kept his head lowered so that no one could see the expression on his face.


    He didn''t know when and where the seven-year-old had learned of the history of the Valbarra Archipgo because he was certain that they hadn''t met an old storyteller on their way to the city.


    But seeing that Adira wasn''t correcting him, it only meant that what the seven-year-old had said was true.


    Norris, who was also paying close attention to the two, was quite impressed because this was the first time he had seen the Drow talk this much with someone she just met.


    She kept the conversation going as she tried to pry some more useful information about Zion''s background out.


    Thirteen answered most of the questions she threw at him, but most of his answers were fabricated anyway.


    Of course, Adira didn''t believe all of Thirteen''s answers, but that was fine.


    She was just trying to better understand the seven-year-old, who was bing more and more mysterious in her eyes.


    Suddenly, a loud and excited voice spread inside the Auction House.


    "Good day, everyone! The moment you''ve been waiting for has finally arrived!" A beautifuldy stood on the stage and waved at everyone.


    Using an artifact that amplified the sound of her voice, she dered that the Auction was about to start.


    Thirteen and Adira, who had been talking just a few seconds ago, focused their attention on the stage to look at the host of today''s event.


    "My name is Dorra, and I will be your host for today," Dorra stated. "Now, before we start, I will just remind everyone of the rules of the auction house.


    "Threatening your fellow bidders to stop bidding is not allowed. Do not forget that the Auction House is under the City Lord''s management. If you don''t want to be exiled from and cklisted in Gronar City, make sure to pay attention to this rule!"


    Shouts of agreement echoed in the venue before Dorra continued to share the rules of the Auction.


    "Those who are purposely raising the bid despite not having the money to purchase the items that they are bidding for will be punished ordingly by thews of the Auction House. All of their limbs will be crippled and their tongues cut out from their mouths.


    "After that, they will be fed to the Ogres for the crime of going against thew of the City Lord. So, if you n to cause trouble to this Auction House, I assure you that you will only end up having a very painful, and gruesome death!"


    "Now, we go to the Third Rule," Dorra said with a smile. "Any act of violence, especially physical violence, is not allowed within the Auction House. Offenders will be beaten up and thrown into prison for an unknown period of time."


    "The Fourth Rule is that, regardless of your background, you cannot throw your weight around in this ce. Offenders will immediately be escorted out of the Auction House and cklisted from entry into the city."


    "Last but not the least, there are no returns or refunds for the things that you have purchased in the Auction House. We will not honor such ims!"


    Dorra scanned the auction house with a confident smile on her face.


    "Now that all the rules have been mentioned, it is now time to officially start the auction!" Dorra dered. "Bring in the first item!"


    As of the moment, Thirteen only had a little over 58,000 Silver Coins remaining.


    He only hoped to purchase the Chad Skunk from the Auction House, but if there was something else that caught his attention, he would bid on it as well.


    Of course, he would set a fixed amount of coins for that item, so if it went past his limit, he would have no choice but to give up on it.


    Norris saw the faint smile on Adira''s face and already knew what his acquaintance was thinking.


    But, since both of them were on the same side, he had no intention of getting in her way.


    The people of their organization were all working toward the same goal.


    Regardless of the methods they used or the fields they specialized in, all of them were headed in the same direction.


    Norris only hoped that the Drow fully understood the consequences of her actions, which might hinder them from finishing their mission in the Sumatran Kingdom that had taken them many years, resources, and effort to infiltrate.


    ---------------------


    (A/N: I will have to wait for tomorrow to have the staff of panda-novel swap the two chapters. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

 Chapter 121 The Deity Of The Valbarra Archipelago

    <h4>Chapter 121 The Deity Of The Valbarra Archipgo? </h4>


    (Disimer: I Posted the chapter in the wrong order. The chapter that you should be?reading has the title "The Auction Begins". This is the second chapter after that. So, in order to prevent any misunderstandings, please read the chapter after this first then return to this one. Thank you!)


    ------------------------


    "2,500!"


    "3,000!"


    "5,000!"


    "10,000!"


    "10,000!" Dorra shouted. "Going once¡­ going twice¡­ sold! Congrattions to Number 69! Feel free to im your Crystal Sword after the auction is over. Everyone, we will need a bit of time to prepare the next batch of items to be auctioned, so we are going to take a short break!"


    With the sixth item being sessfully auctioned, the tension inside the Auction House was starting to rise.


    Because of this, Dorra decided to take a short break, so that people would calm down a bit before the bidding for the next batch of merchandise started.


    Thirteen, also made a bid for the Crystal Sword, but the budget that he had set for himself was only 5,000 Silver Coins.


    Since someone had bid 10,000 Coins for it, he no longer made an effort to outbid hispetitor and just waited for the next item to appear on the stage.


    Cristopher, who was seated by his side, asked the question that had been nagging on his head ever since he arrived in the Barbarian City.


    "Young Master, I noticed that they only use Silver Coins here as a currency," Cristopher said. "Don''t they have Gold Coins?"


    Norris and Adira both smiled after hearing the chubby boy''s question. However, the two of them didn''t answer and waited to see if the seven-year-old also knew why Gold wasn''t used in the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "They don''t have Gold Coins, but the Sumatran Kingdom has a lot of Gold Deposits in it," Thirteen replied.


    "Eh? Since they have Gold, why don''t they use it as currency?"


    "It''s because they can''t use it," Thirteen answered. "Hundreds of years ago, when the Sumatran Kingdom was still the Valbarra Kingdom, a great gue spread across thend.


    "This gue threatened to wipe out all the living things within the three Main inds of the Valbarra Archipgo. Things were very dire back then, and the people, who were desperate to find a cure, asked Forneus for help.


    "Although the Sea Monster was an unruly being, it was capable of showing mercy to those who worshiped it.


    "Because of this, it went out of its way to seek out the help of the Deity of gues, Wormwood, to ask it to cure its followers from the gue.


    "However, Wormwood rejected Forneus'' request because it didn''t find any value in agreeing to the Sea Monster''s Request, who did nothing but throw tantrums whenever it wanted, drowning entire civilizations in the process."


    "As the Deity of gues and Pestilence, Wormwood, could cure any disease in the world. But, it was a very moody Deity. When it wanted to help, it would dly do it. When it didn''t want to help, it would be very hard to make it think otherwise.


    "Since Forneus only used strength, and violence to make others see reason, it was unable to convince Wormwood due to the fact that Wormwood helped it once in the past."


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face when he remembered the Giant Sea Monster, whom his host had seen twice during his lifetime.


    He could still remember that domineering form, and although he didn''t want to admit it, he felt that Forneus was a kindred spirit, who wanted to defy the order of the world, and do things that it wanted, regardless of the consequences.


    "You see, Forneus would not hesitate to offend all the Deities, but it didn''t dare offend Wormwood," Thirteen continued his exnation.


    "There was a time when the Deity of gues and Pestilence helped it when it was seriously injured after the Sea Monster fought against two of the Seven Celestials. Since then, Forneus never sought trouble for Wormwood, making it the only Deity that was exempted from Forneus'' aggression."


    In Solterra there were Fourteen Deities who shared control over the world.


    They were divided into two groups, which were the Seven Celestials, and the Seven Fiends.


    These Deities weren''t really at war with each other, and even helped one another during times of need.


    Forneus was considered to be the ck Sheep of their family because it didn''t give a hoot aboutwhat the Celestials and the Fiends had to say.


    If one of them annoyed it, the Sea Monster would fight tooth and nail against them, so most of the Deities just don''t want to get themselves involved with Forneus, who would bite anyone who dared to touch it.


    Even so, the Sailors as well as those who lived near the sea, worshiped Forneus alongside the Deity of the Sea, Rahab, because they were the two beings who shared dominion over the vast Seas and Oceans of the world.


    "After getting rejected by Wormwood, Forneus decided to seek out another Fiend, whom it believed had the connections to help its followers. The one he sought was another member of the Seven Fiends, and it was none other than the Deity of Greed and Wealth, Mammon.


    "As you may already know, all the Merchants, and businessmen of the world worship Mammon because although it was a Greedy Deity, it was also the Deity that introduced currency to the world, allowing all races to have amon ground when it came to trade andmerce.


    "Surprisingly, Mammon agreed to help Forneus, on the condition that all the Gold in the Valbarra Archipgo would belong to him. The Sea Monster was a creature that had no need for Gold, so it readily agreed to Mammon''s condition.


    "Aftering to an agreement, Mammon went to seek the help of one of the Seven Celestials, who was also known as the most intelligent among all the Deities.


    "Its name is Braman, and with its help, they were able to devise a n to convince Wormwood to produce a cure to help cure the gue of the Valbarra Archipgo. I will not go into details on what that n was, but after getting the cure, the Inders were all cured, and even developed a very strong resistance against gues and diseases.


    "Mammon then made a deration that all the Gold in the Valbarra Archipgo belonged to it, and anyone who tried to steal its property would suffer a fate worse than death.


    "Since then, no one in the Archipgo dared to mine any Gold, or use it as currency. The Merchants and Traders, who also visit these inds don''t bring any gold with them, and only use Silver Coins to trade with the people living in these inds."


    When Thirteen finished his exnation a pping sound echoed inside the room.


    "Well said, Zion," Norris said after he finished apuding the seven-year-old. "How did you know this story?"


    "Do you remember the old man I mentioned a while ago?" Thirteen asked. "He is the one that told me this story."


    "I see, I would like to meet this old man one day." Norris smirked.


    "Same here." Adira smiled.


    Thirteen faintly smiled because he could tell that the two adults were willing to overlook his bullsh*t.


    Suddenly, Dorra''s voice once again spread in the Auction House, which meant that the second round of bidding was about tomence.


    "Sorry for the long wait!" Dorra shouted. "Now, instead of weapons, we will be auctioning ves and Monsters. So, those of you who are interested, make sure to open your purses wide because we have a good selection of ves, waiting for all of you to bid for!


    "Now, to spice things up, the first Monster that will be up for auction is the Chad Skunk! As you may already know, this Monster is not native to the Sumatran Kingdom, and is only found in the Main Continent!


    "It is capable of unleashing a stinky spray that extends up to twenty meters! So, if you don''t want to smell like a pigsty and rotten eggsbined, you should not be at the receiving end of this Monster''s anger!"


    The Barbarians allughed after hearing Dorra''s exnation. The majority of them didn''t know if it was a good Monster to bid for or not. Only the intelligent ones understood its strategic value, and these people were raring to go once the bidding started.


    Thirteen also focused his attention as he looked at two-meter-


    tall Chad Skunk, who was bound by special chains, preventing it from escaping its ve Trader that was tasked to present it to the people in the Auction House.


    Norris and Adira both smiled because they knew that this was one of the two things that Thirteen wished to get in the Auction.


    As to whether the seven-year-old would seed to bid for it or not, the two adults were looking forward to seeing what would happen next.


    ¡ª---------------

 Chapter 122 I Can Do This All Day, You Smelly Old Man.

    <h4>Chapter 122 I Can Do This All Day, You Smelly Old Man. </h4>


    "The Chad Skunk bidding will start with 1,000 Silvers, and the minimum bid increment is 100 Silvers," Dorra exined. "Bidding starts now!"


    "1,100!"


    "1,500!"


    "2,000!"


    "2,100!"


    Thirteen remained silent as the price of the Chad Skunk slowly rose.


    As a creature that was native to the Sumatran Kingdom, owning one was like having an extremely rare pet that no one else would have.


    Simply put, there was only one Chad Skunk in the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo, and whoever owned it would definitely use it for bragging rights.


    Norris had carefully imported Monsters that could only be found on the Main Continent. He knew that profits could be earned if he yed his cards wisely, so he didn''t allow Thirteen to take both the Pocopoco and the Chad Skunk from his collection.


    He made him choose which one was more important, and Thirteen chose the Pocopoco. Now, he had to win the bidding for the Chad Skunk, whose price had reached 5,000 Silver Coins.


    "5,000 Silver coins!" Dorra shouted. "Going once¡­"


    "5,100!" Thirteen shouted.


    The Old Man, who looked like someone in histe sixties, nced in Thirteen''s direction and frowned.


    His VIP Room was right across Norris'' VIP Room, so he was able to see the face of the boy who outbid him.


    "5,400," the Old man stated.


    "5,600," Thirteen dered.


    "6,000."


    "6,200."


    "6,500."


    "6,600."


    The Old Man stared daggers at the boy, but thetter ignored him.


    Norris knew who the man was and couldn''t help but smell trouble brewing in the air.


    He was tempted to tell Thirteen that he should probably not continue bidding because the person he was bidding against was someone working for the City Lord.


    However, he kept his silence because it was not his ce to interfere with what the boy wanted.


    "8,000!" the Old Man shouted.


    Clearly, he had reached the limit of his patience and decided to increase the bid for the Monster.


    Even though the Chad Skunk was rare, he only nned to buy it for 5,000 Silver Coins.


    The most skilled ves in the ve Market wouldn''t even reach that price range, so when he bid for 5,000 Silver Coins, he thought that he already had it in the bag.


    Unfortunately, there was a person who understood the value of the Chad Skunk and decided to outbid him, making him feel very annoyed.


    "9,000." Thirteen wasn''t fazed by the Old Man''s bid and raised the price by a thousand silver.


    "10,000!" the Old Man shouted. "Let''s see if you can outbid me, boy."


    The limit that he had set for the Chad Skunk had now doubled, and he was truly getting angry because he still nned to buy other rare Monsters and ves, but the seven-year-old was getting in his way."


    "15,000," Thirteen stated. "I can do this all day, you smelly old man."


    "Smelly Old Man? Bwahahahaha!" Someone wearing a bull mask and sitting beside the Old Man in the same VIP Room burst out inughter after hearing Thirteen''s deration.


    Several other High-Ranking Officials who help maintain Gronar City also wanted tough, but they didn''t dare to do it.


    In the end, they just covered their lips as their body shook from time to time in an attempt to stop themselves fromughing out loud.


    Knowing the identity of the Old Man, they didn''t dare to challenge his authority byughing.


    "¡­ Zion, I think it is best that you stop bidding now before it''s toote," Norris said with a solemn expression on his face. "That person is one of the higher-ups of Gronar City. If you offend him, things might be difficult for you in the future."


    Thirteen frowned after hearing Norris'' words. Thest thing he wanted was to offend one of the Officials of the City.


    Although he was reluctant, he decided to no longer bid for the Chad Skunk if the Old Man were to outbid him again.


    However, the Old Man remained silent and only red in Thirteen''s direction.


    Dorra''s smile was strained as he looked at the two VIP Rooms who were outbidding each other just a while ago.


    But since this was her job, she steeled her resolve and raised her voice.


    "15,000 Silver Coins!" Dorra shouted. "Going once¡­ Going twice¡­ Sold to Customer Number 13! You can im your Monster right after the Auction ends!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Cristopher, Norris, and Adira had no words to say after Thirteen had won.


    If he wasn''t bidding against one of the officials of Gronar City, all three of them would be congratting him right now.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.


    Before Dorra could even present the next monster to be auctioned, Thirteen suddenly spoke up, catching everyone''s attention.


    "Old Man, since I respect my elders, I will give you the Chad Skunk as a gift," Thirteen said as he gave the Old Man a respectful bow. "My name is Zion, and I present you with this gift at our first meeting."


    The Old Man, who went by the name, Netero, already nned to make the boy suffer after the auction ended for getting in his way.


    However, this sudden twist, which caught himpletely by surprise, made the anger he was feeling decrease by a bit.


    "Oh? Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Netero asked. "Are you having cold feet after calling me a Smelly Old Man?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "You remind me of my Grandpa who raised me since I was a boy. Although we were poor, both of us were able to survive by relying on each other. Unfortunately, he passed away while we were traveling together.


    "I can still remember his words before he died. He told me that I should always respect old people because they are the mostpassionate and generous of all people. I just got too emotional because you shouted at me earlier and called me a boy. Even my Grandpa never shouted at me, yet you did, so I got angry. I felt like I was getting bullied."


    ''¡­ But you are still a boy.''


    Everyone in the Auction House thought along those lines.


    But since the two were talking seriously, they decided to not get in the way of the discussion and simply watched how things would end.


    Netero yed with his beard a few times before nodding his head.


    "Fine," Netero stated. "I will let bygones be bygones with this. You can keep the Chad Skunk because I am a kind andpassionate old man. I don''t want to be seen as an Elder bullying a child."


    "Thank you, handsome Grandpa," Thirteen replied. "You are the best."


    "Mmm." Netero nodded with a smile. "You can now continue the auction, Dorra."


    "Y-Yes!" Dorra replied before making a gesture to the staff to bring the next item for sale.


    Norris and Adira were quite impressed by the way Zion had handled the matter with one of the High-Ranking Officials of the City.


    ''Unbelievable,'' Norris thought. ''To think that he managed to diffuse the situation by taking a step back and making up a story on the spot. This boy is the real deal.''


    Even Adira couldn''t help but be impressed with the seven-year-


    old''s witty action.


    ''He might really be the one that the Master is looking for,'' Adira mused. ''I need to take him back to the Headquarters by hook or by crook.''


    Thirteen, who had no idea about what Norris and Adira were thinking, was paying close attention to Netero.


    Seeing that the Old Man was no longer showing any hostility to him and even seemed to have changed his opinion of him, he smiled faintly.


    If he could make a connection with the Old Man then he might be able to use it as leverage to acquire things in the city that he would need in the future.


    He was someone who looked at the bigger picture, and anything that might affect his ns should be dealt with at all costs.


    Thirteen didn''t know that the man wearing a bull mask, who was seated beside Netero, was also paying close attention to him.


    There was no one in the city who dared call Netero a smelly old man, which was the reason why he burst outughing earlier.


    Earlier, he pitied the boy because he knew that his right-hand man would make the child''s life miserable after the auction.


    So when Thirteen suddenly made peace with Netero, he found the kid to his liking.


    ''A daring ve boy, and he is with Norris,'' the man wearing the bull mask thought. ''I guess I''ll give him a visitter.''


    The man was none other than the City Lord of Gronar City, Arthas, and the moment he saw Thirteen, he thought that the boy resembled his boldness, when he was his age.


    (E/N: Thirteen is treating the smelly old man better than his actual Grandfather.)

 Chapter 123 You Might Have Won The Battle, But You Have Lost The War [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 123 You Might Have Won The Battle, But You Have Lost The War [Part 1] </h4>


    Originally, Thirteen only nned to buy two items from the auction.


    The first one was the Chad Skunk, which was a Monster that could help them deter stronger opponents with its stink spray.


    The second one was the Five Leaf Clover, which he needed for his Thirteen Trials.


    Right now, the money he had left to bid only amounted to a little over 43,000 Silver Coins.


    When he asked Norris for an estimate of how much people were willing to bid for the Five Leaf Clover, the price he gave was around 30,000 Silver Coins at the minimum.


    Since it was a life-saving consumable item, many Top Hunters from Gronar City would splurge to get it.


    After all, their life was more important than money. Securing the Five Leaf Clover was no different from having a second chance at life.


    But when Dorra announced the next item to be auctioned, Thirteen wavered.


    "Everyone, our next item for auction is the Dark Wing Bow!" Dorra announced. "This is a Pseudo Low-Grade Silver Weapon imported from the Main Continent! Its shooting range could reach up to 2,000 meters as long as you have the strength to pull back its bowstring!


    "Made from the Bones of the Night Wing, it''s very light and easy to carry but still extremely flexible and sturdy! It alsoes with five quivers of arrows, with arrowheads made from Orihalcon.


    "If you are proficient in long-range hunting, then this bow is good for you! The initial bidding price is 5,000 silver coins. The minimum bid increment is 100 Silver Coins. Let the auction begin!"


    "5,000!"


    "5,300!''


    "5,500!"


    "6,000!"


    Thirteen leaned forward and rested his chin on the back of his intertwined hands.


    Right now, he was in dire need of a good range weapon.


    After looking through the bows that were for sale in the city, he only saw Low-Grade Bronze Bows, which could still be used to hunt.


    However, he wanted something better like a Mid-Grade or Peak-Grade Bronze Weapon.


    But now, a Pseudo Low-Grade Silver Weapon was right in front of him.


    While it was called a Pseudo Low-Grade Silver Weapon, its rank was still technically Bronze Grade, which meant that Thirteen could use it as a weapon.


    However, he knew well that if he bid for this bow, his chances of winning the bid for the Five Leaf Clover would disappearpletely.


    Right now, Thirteen was in a dilemma.


    He had to choose between what he wanted and what he needed.


    While the bidding was going higher and higher, the seven-year-old sighed in his heart and raised his voice.


    "15,000!"


    The previous bid for the Dark Wing Bow was 10,000 Silver Coins.


    He was certain that it would still go up, so he decided to raise the price instantly in order to deter the other people from bidding.


    "15,000!" Dorra shouted. "Going once! Going Twice!"


    "16,000!"


    Netero nced at the man sitting next to him with a faint smile on his face.


    The man wearing a Bull Mask looked at the seven-year-old who was now looking in his direction.


    "16,100," Thirteen stated.


    "17,000," the man wearing a bull mask countered.


    "17,100."


    "18,000."


    "18,100."


    Thirteen was sure that the man bidding against him was also one of the High-Ranking Officials of Gronar City.


    However, unlike Netero who really wanted the Chad Skunk earlier, the vibes that the masked man was giving him were of someone who was just purposely making things difficult for him.


    He didn''t know if the man was doing this as a way to get payback for what he did to Netero earlier, but he was certain of one thing.


    The masked man wasn''t really interested in the Dark Wing Bow.


    He was more interested in seeing the seven-year-old child in a tight spot, so he was purposely raising the bidding price to mess with him!


    ''Looks like he found a new toy to y with,'' Netero mused. ''What a sick hobby. Even going so far as to bully a child.''


    Neteropletely forgot that he also nned to bully the seven-year-old right after the auction ended because he didn''t get the Chad Skunk that he had his eyes on earlier.


    "19,000," the masked man said. "I can do this all day, boy."


    "19,100," Thirteen didn''t reply and simply bidded for the bow.


    If the man was the person whom he thought it was, Thirteen knew that his chances of winning were zero.


    How could he possibly beat the man who stood in the highest seat of power?


    The boy understood that since he was wearing a mask to hide his identity and was sitting beside Netero, whom Norris said was a High-Ranking Official of the City, the chances of him being the City Lord himself were very high.


    Thirteen knew this, yet he still bid for the weapon.


    Looking at the masked man, he felt as if he was facing one of those Heroes who had stepped upon the dignity of his Hosts, just because they could.


    No matter how much they struggled and no matter what they did, Fate and Luck weren''t on their side, so in the end, they were bound to lose.


    Thirteen had vowed to himself to fight against Fate, so even if he knew that it was hopeless and pointless, he nned to see this bidding war through to the end.


    "23,000," the masked man said in a voice filled with amusement.


    "23,100."


    "24,000."


    "24,100."


    Knowing that it was useless to bid a higher price because he would be outbid by hispetitor, Thirteen simply added 100 Silver Coins to whatever the man was going to bid.


    This was his own way of telling him that even if he lost the bidding, he would still cling to the bitter end.


    "Hahaha!" the masked manughed as he looked at the seven-


    year-old, who still had a calm expression on his face. "Let''s raise the stakes a bit. 40,000 Silver Coins."


    The City Lord of Gronar City, Arthas, was quite impressed that the boy had that much money in him.


    However, since he wanted to see the calmness on the boy''s face disappear, he purposely raised his bid to 40,000 Silver Coins.


    The Dark Wing Bow might be expensive, but the current bid had gone way above and beyond the target that the seller had imagined.


    They were making a lot of profit for the item and they would definitely be extremely happy at the end of the day after getting so much money from the auction.


    But to everyone''s surprise, a firm and unyielding voice echoed within the Auction House.


    "40,100," Thirteen replied.


    "50,000," the masked man stated in an arrogant tone.


    A moment of silence descended before a ruckus erupted inside the Auction as the people watching from the sidelines made their anger toward the masked man known.

 Chapter 124 You Might Have Won The Battle, But You Have Lost The War [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 124 You Might Have Won The Battle, But You Have Lost The War [Part 2] </h4>


    Seeing the injustice that was happening around them, the Barbarians weren''t able to hold it back and shouted at the masked man, who was clearly bullying the seven-year-old bidding for the Dark Wing Bow.


    "Have you no shame? You''re bullying a kid!" one of the bidders spoke out loud, feeling that enough was enough.


    He understood that he might get in trouble for making his opinion known, but he was unable to endure the tant bullying that the masked man was doing.


    "That''s right! Are you really a man?" a woman in herte thirties shouted. "Leave the poor boy alone!"


    "Hear! Hear!"


    "I was just waiting for your exchange to end, but it is starting to get on my nerves. If you want that bow so badly, just buy it outright!"


    The other people in the auction also raised their voices of disapproval, but the masked man was unfazed.


    Dorra, who didn''t know how to proceed due to themotion, was alternately looking at the two VIP Rooms with anxiety on her beautiful face.


    Thirteen no longer had the funds to bid, and just stared at the masked man with the same calm gaze that he had earlier.


    He knew that struggling from the start was futile, and yet he still continued to do it.


    Why?


    Because it reminded him of the destinies of his previous Hosts.


    No matter how much they struggled, their ending was already set in stone.


    He hated it, which was the reason why he decided to defy the System God and fight against Fate.


    Thirteen''s gaze lingered on the masked man for a few more seconds before shifting his attention to Dorra, who was standing on top of the stage.


    Everyone thought that he would still bid, but he kept his silence, which meant that he would no longer bid for the Dark Wing Bow.


    "50,000!" Dorra shouted after seeing that things had finally reached a conclusion. "Going once! Going twice! Congrattions to Customer Number 1. Please collect your Dark Wing Bow after the auction ends!"


    Norris and Adira looked at the seven-year-old, whose presence had suddenly be so serene and still, like the surface of ake.


    But underneath the calmness of his expression, a fire raged in Thirteen''s heart.


    The auction continued and after the 18th Item had been auctioned, Dorra once again told everyone that they would have a short break to prepare the next batch of items that would be sold.


    The finale wasing, so everyone was pumped up to bid for thest selection of items, which were considered the best among all the items that were prepared in today''s auction.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Netero and the masked man took a break, looking at Gronar City from on top of the Auction House.


    "You''re such a child," Netero said with a mischievous smile on his face. "What did that poor boy do to deserve bullying from someone like you?"


    "He needs to be brought down a peg," the masked man replied. "That''s the reason why I decided to deny him the thing that he wanted."


    "And are you going to continue to deny him of the things he would bid for?"


    "Of course. The sooner he realizes that he can''t have everything he wants, the sooner he will strive to surpass those who have stepped on him in his youth."


    "Heh¡­ looks like someone is talking from experience," Neteromented as he yed with his beard. "Are you telling me that the boy reminds you of your younger self?"


    "Mmm," the masked man hummed. "Pride without the power to back it up is not pride but stupidity."


    "So you say, but I was also paying attention to that boy while you were bidding against him," Netero smiled. "He knew that you were just purposely messing with him and had long epted that he would not win against you."


    "So why did he continue bidding?"


    "Do you even need to ask? Didn''t you also feel like rebelling when you were a child? Although you know that you will not get what you want, you still make things difficult for others. You might have won, but you still spent 50,000 Silver Coins."


    "50,000 is nothing to me," the masked man stated.


    "You''re missing the point," Netero replied. "You might have won the battle, but you have lost the war. What you gained was just a Dark Wing Bow that you won''t probably even use in your life.


    "On the contrary, the boy gained the recognition of everyone in the Auction House. You got a bow, but he got fame. I say he got the better deal out of that bidding war. I hate to say this, but the brat is waaaaaay better than you were when he was your age."


    The masked man snorted but didn''t say anything to refute the old man.


    "So silly." Netero shook his head helplessly as he headed towards the staircase to return to their VIP room. "You''re now a full-fledged man, but deep inside, you are still a child."


    The masked man didn''t follow Netero right away and continued to look over his city with his arms crossed over his chest.


    A few minutester, he turned around to return to his VIP Room to see if there were any other items that were worthy of his attention.


    ¡ª-------------------


    "Are you okay, Young Master?" Cristopher asked in a worried tone.


    "I''m fine," Thirteen replied. "You don''t have to worry about me, Cristopher."


    "But, Young Master, I''m certain that the masked man will also get in the way when you bid for the Five Leaf Clover."


    "I know."


    Thirteen then turned around to look at the chubby boy who had a worried expression on his face.


    "Then what are you going to do, Young Master?" Cristopher inquired.


    The corner of the seven-year-old''s lips curled up into a smirk, making the chubby boy shudder.


    This was the first time he had seen this kind of look on his Young Master''s face, and it made him feel as if Zion was going to do something very evil.


    "Stay here, Cristopher," Thirteen said as he walked down the stairs. "I''m just going to take a little stroll."


    Norris and Adira, who saw the younger boy''s evil smirk, both frowned.


    Although they didn''t know what the seven-year-old was going to do, they had the same thought as Cristopher¡ªZion was up to no good.

 Chapter 125 Don’t Worry, The Jar Won’t Bite

    <h4>Chapter 125 Don¡¯t Worry, The Jar Won¡¯t Bite </h4>


    After leaving the VIP Room, Zion went to the treasury where the Auctioned Items were being kept.


    "Boy, this ce is off-limits," one of the Guards guarding the door said. "Only those who won the bid maye here."


    "What a coincidence," Thirteen replied with a faint smile on his face. "I just happen to be the winning bidder for the Chad Skunk. I''m here to collect my ve. The other items to be auctioned don''t interest me, so I''m calling it quits."


    The two guards guarding the door exchanged a nce with each other before one of them went inside to look for someone who could confirm if the boy in front of them was indeed the one who won the bidding for the Chad Skunk.


    A few minutester, Dorra, the Host of the Auction, came out of the treasury and looked at Thirteen with surprise.


    "Are you here for the Chad Skunk?" Dorra asked.


    Just like everyone, she sympathized with the young boy after he was bullied by the masked man earlier.


    "Yes, Miss Dorra," Thirteen replied. "That scary man will probably mess with me again, so I don''t think I''ll be participating in the next items to be auctioned."


    "¡­I see," Dorra sighed before nodding her head in understanding. "Okay, you can get your Monster. Come with me."


    After confirming that the boy was indeed a winner in the auction, the guards no longer barred his way and allowed him to enter the Treasury.


    Thirteen scanned the surroundings before his gazended on a transparent jar in the middle of the treasury.


    ''Found you,'' Thirteen thought as he narrowed his gaze.


    A momentter, he tugged on Dorra''s clothes, making thetter look at him.


    "Miss Dorra, what is that flower over there?" Thirteen asked as he pointed at the Five Leaf Clover, which was submerged in some kind of clear liquid, making it glow faintly.


    "That?" Dorra smiled when she saw where the boy was pointing at. "That is thest thing that will be auctioned today. It''s a Five Leaf Clover.


    "Although it is not as powerful as an elixir that can save a person''s life as long as they still have a breath, it is very precious nevertheless. It can cure a serious injury and even regrow that person''s arm if it is cut down. Isn''t it amazing?"


    "Wow!" Thirteen looked at the Five Leaf Clover with wonder, making the smile on Dorra''s smile widen.


    ''How innocent,'' Dorra thought before a thought appeared inside her head. "Do you want to take a closer look? This might be yourst time to see it in your life."


    "Can I?" Thirteen asked with a hint of anxiety on his face. "Isn''t this something to be auctioned?"


    "It is, but you''re not going to steal it, are you?" Dorra replied. "You''re just going to take a closer look, right?"


    "Yes! I am not going to steal it!" Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. ''At least not yet.''


    He would be stupid to steal the Five Leaf Clover inside the Auction House.


    If he really did that, then he would probably not be able to leave the Auction House alive.


    When they were only a meter away from the jar, Dorra waved her hand, and the space in front of them shimmered.


    A momentter the prettydy took the Jar off the pedestal and showed it to the boy.


    "Take a good look at this, Zion," Dorra said.


    She remembered his name because the boy had introduced himself to Netero when he tried to give the old man the Chad Skunk as a gift.


    The scene had left asting impression on Dorra, who was very good at remembering things about people.


    The boy then used his finger to gingerly touch the jar, making the prettydy giggle.


    "Don''t worry, the jar won''t bite," Dorra stated.


    Emboldened by her encouragement, Zion then held the jar and took a good look at the Five Leaf Clover inside of it.


    His hand caressed the surface of the jar, making Dorra think that the boy was truly mesmerized by what he was seeing.


    Little did she know that the boy was writing a runic symbol on the jar''s surface with his finger.


    On the way to the treasury, Thirteen had written a symbol on his finger and activated a Jinn Core in his possession to empower the Rune Magic.


    The spell was a very simple one, but it was impossible to trace.


    It was Tracking Rune Magic.


    No matter where the jar was, Thirteen would have a general idea of where it was.


    The only downside was that this tracking magic onlysted for 24 hours.


    But as long as the Jar didn''t leave Gronar City, Thirteen would be able to know its exact location.


    "Thank you, Big Sister," Thirteen said. "You''re the best!"


    Dorra smirked before cing the jar back on the pedestal and once again activated the invisible barrier that protected it.


    She then guided Thirteen to where the Chad Skunk was and proceeded with the ceremony to transfer the ownership of the Chad Skunk to the boy.


    "From now on, I will call you Giga Chad," Thirteen said as he petted the head of the two-meter-tall Chad Skunk that was tall enough to be a mount.


    The Chad Skunk gave its Master the "you have good taste in names, bruh" before nudging the boy''s head with its own.


    Seeing this exchange, Dorra''s heart melted. However, she knew that she still had an auction to host, so she asked Zion to leave so that they could finish up their preparation for the final set of items to be auctioned.


    Thirteen thanked her once more before leaving the treasury like a good boy.


    He then made his way towards the stairs to return to Norris'' VIP Room.


    Although the Skunk was big, the hallways and the stairs of the Auction House were spacious enough for it to pass through.


    Clearly, the ce had been built with the intention of sellingrge monsters in the Auction, allowing the staff to take them to the stage without too many problems.


    When Thirteen entered the room, Cristopher, Norris, and Adira were shocked to see that the boy hadn''te back alone and had even brought the Chad Skunk with him.


    "You said that you are just taking a stroll," Norris said.


    "I did," Thirteen replied. "I took a stroll and picked up Giga Chad along the way."


    "G-Giga Chad?!" Cristopher looked at the Chad Skunk, who was also looking back at him as if telling him "Sup Bro!"


    "Yes," Thirteen nodded. "What do you think of his name?"


    "It''s so cool, Young Master!" Cristopher replied.


    Thirteen smirked because his subordinate got it.


    Unfortunately, Norris and Adira weren''t too enthusiastic about Zion''s naming sense.


    However, since the Chad Skunk wasn''t theirs, they decided to not say anything and quietly waited for the auction to start.


    A few minutester, Dorra returned to the stage and greeted everyone.


    "Thank you for the wait!" Dorra stated. "Thest batch of the items to be auctioned will now begin!"


    Cheers resounded inside the Auction House.


    At the same time, the masked man and Thirteen''s gaze met each other.


    Arthas had a smirk behind his mask as he looked at the young man, who was looking at him with a calm expression on his face.


    Netero, who was paying attention to the two of them, sighed in his heart.


    He knew what Arthas nned to do, and he already felt pity for the boy in front of them.


    However, after seeing the calmness and even a hint of ridicule in Zion''s eyes, Netero felt that something had changed in the boy''s aura after the short break was over.


    ''Am I just overthinking things?'' Netero thought before shaking his head.


    He only wanted the auction to be over already so he could go home and rest.


    Soon, Dorra''s voice spread inside the Auction House, marking the start of the final bidding war in the Auction House of Gronar City.

 Chapter 126 Peasant

    <h4>Chapter 126 Peasant </h4>


    "40,000!"


    "43,000!"


    "51,000!"


    "56,000!"


    "64,000!"


    The current item that was being auctioned was a Peak Silver-Grade Greatsword, and all the warriors in the Auction House were outbidding each other furiously.


    Thirteen simply leaned on the couch, and enjoyed the fruit juice that had been handed to him by the servant who hade to give them some refreshments.


    Although he mentioned earlier that he no longer had any intention of bidding for the remaining items up for Auction, he still nned to bid for the Five Leaf Clover.


    ''As I thought, the funds I have are not enough,'' Thirteen mused. ''But, it no longer matters.''


    Half an hourter, the familiar transparent jar holding the Five Leaf Clover arrived on the stage.


    "Well then, this is thest item that we have for today," Dorra said, giving her most radiant smile. "It is none other than the Five Leaf Clover!"


    Thirteen was quite impressed by the youngdy''s stamina.


    Although there were breaks in between, the fact remained that the prettydy was still lively even after so many items were auctioned already.


    While the boy was observing Dorra, thetter raised her hand, and continued her exnation.


    "As you may already know, the Five Leaf Clover is a very preciousmodity," Dorra exined. "It only grows in very few ces in the world, and most of them are Holy Sites where ordinary people are not able to enter.


    "But, we don''t need to go to that ce because we already have a Five Leaf Clover here! So, let''s not dy the inevitable and start the starting bid!"


    The people cheered as they, too, hyped themselves up for the bidding war that was about to begin.


    "The initial bidding prize of the Five Leaf Clover is Zero!" Dorra exined. "The minimum bid for this item is 1,000 Silver Coins.


    "Since this is a pricelessmodity, I will let you all decide how much it will cost. Well then, who wished to have the honor of the first bid?"


    Just as soon as Dorra asked the question, a firm and loud voice spread inside the Auction House.


    "40,000!" Thirteen shouted.


    As if waiting for that moment, the masked man also made his bid, shocking everyone inside the Auction House.


    "300,000 Silver Coins."


    The voice of the masked man was arrogant as if challenging everyone toe and outbid him.


    "400,000!"


    The masked man and Thirteen both shifted their attention to Adira, who had an amused smile on her face.


    "500,000!" the masked man stated.


    "600,000." Adira replied as if that much Silver Coin was just pocket money to her.


    Norris, who was seated not far from her, pinched the bridge of his nose because his acquaintance was causing trouble.


    Since they were in the same VIP Room, it was fairly easy to assume that he and Adira had some kind of rtionship.


    Because of this, the ve Master felt a major headacheing his way, which was not something he was prepared to deal with.


    "700,000!" the masked man growled.


    "Let''s make things more exciting," Adira said while using a nail file to trim her nails. "Two million silver coins."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Thirteen and Norris were speechless.


    Both of them were thinking that the masked man would be the one winning the final item for auction, but the Drow suddenly joined the bidding, which made Thirteen stare at the Drow.


    He was giving Adira the "Let the masked man win!" gaze, but the Drow misinterpreted the message that he was trying to convey to her.


    ''You want me to win? Okay,'' Adira smiled sweetly, showing her pearly white teeth that stood out due to her jet-ck skin. ''I''ll win this for you.''


    "Three Million," the masked man''s voice was now chillingly cold as he gazed at the Drow, who seemed to not care who she was offending.


    "Peasant," Adiramented after hearing the masked man''s bid. "Five Million."


    ''Sh*t!''


    "Argh!''


    Thirteen and Norris couldn''t help but face palm at the same time because the Drow was making things difficult for the two of them.


    "You called me a Peasant?" the masked man growled. "You dare?"


    "Bid up, or shut up," Adira replied. But, as if there was something missing in the words she said earlier, she made sure to add one more word toplete it.


    "Peasant."


    The moment those words escaped Adira''s lips, the masked man released his aura, showing the Drow his rank as Champion.


    "Hmmm?" Adira paused in filing her nails before arching an eyebrow at the masked man, who was trying to intimidate her with his Aura.


    A momentter, a cold, and chilling aura spread in the surroundings, as Adira, too, made her rank known to everyone.


    Simr to the masked man, Adira was also a Champion, which surprised Thirteen, and Cristopher, who was seated near her.


    ''She''s stronger than the masked man,'' Thirteen thought after sensing the pressure that the two people were emanating.


    "Okay, let''s all calm down and handle this like the adults that we are," Netero decided to interfere because if the two of them decided to fight inside the Auction House, it might destroy itpletely.


    "Calm down," Netero said as he patted Arthas'' shoulder. "Let''s not make a scene here, okay?"


    Arthas snorted before sealing his aura.


    Although he realized that the Drow was stronger than him, he wasn''t afraid to fight her in battle.


    Battles between the people of the same Rank isn''t always decided due to the strength of their aura.


    Battle experience was also a key in a battle between Champions.


    Adira''s icy presence also disappeared as if nothing had happened.


    She then resumed to filing her nails, and waited for the masked man to outbid her.


    But, using that brief moment of calm, Thirteen whispered something in Adira''s ears, making thetter''s lips curl up.


    "Ten Million!" Arthas shouted.


    Adira, who had been asked to back down by Thirteen, only gave Arthas a smile, and yful wink.


    "Since you want it that badly, I''ll let you have it," Adira said. "If I bully a Peasant, I will just be theughing stock of my circle of friends. It is so not worth it."


    Arthas, who heard Adira''s snarky words, almost coughed out blood then and there.


    He made a bid worth Ten Million Silver Coins and he was still called a Peasant by the Drow?


    Even if he won the bidding war, he felt as if the Drow still had thestugh in their exchange.


    Thirteen and Norris both pinched the bridge of their nose at the same time because the Drow was simply toopetitive.


    Even when she backed down, she made sure that she had the final word, making the seven-year-old and the ve Master feel a headacheing their way.

 Chapter 127 You Don’t Have Power Over Me

    <h4>Chapter 127 You Don¡¯t Have Power Over Me </h4>


    Thirteen, Cristopher, Norris, and Adira parted ways after the auction ended.


    Although he felt touched when Adira told him that she bid for the Five Leaf Clover in order to avenge him, he would rather the masked man win, than have her win.


    If she won the Five Leaf Clover and gave it to Thirteen, he knew that it wouldn''t be free, especially when she spent millions of coins for it.


    Also, it was almost impossible to steal from a Drow, who could see clearly even in dark ces.


    "Turn left on this street, Giga," Thirteen said. "After that, turn right."


    He and Cristopher were currently riding on top of the Chad Skunk, who was as tall as a horse.


    But, unlike a horse, it didn''t run as fast, and preferred to walk in the wild.


    In fact, it very rarely had the need to run, even if there were predators nearby.


    Their stink spray was enough to deter predators, especially those with higher Ranks than them.


    Also, their meat wasn''t really the most delicious of all the beasts in Solterra, and was in fact, just as stinky as their stink spray.


    In short, there was no merit in killing it for food, so this race of Monsters lived rtively peaceful lives in the ins and rain forests of Solterra.


    When they arrived at the warehouse, the first thing they heard was the sound of hammers hitting on metal.


    Thirteen had asked his ves to produce as many arrows as possible, for their next expedition.


    ''It''s a shame I didn''t get the Dark Wing Bow,'' Thirteen thought. ''I guess I''ll just have to craft one myself.''


    Thirteen had already bought some y, which he could use to mould anything he wanted.


    He also nned to use a mixture of steel, orihalcon, and the powdered horn of a Bronze-Horned Rhino to form the base of the bow.


    The reason why he intended to use the Horn of the Bronze Rhino was to make the finished product lighter, and more flexible, allowing Thirteen to pull the bowstring to its fullest potential before releasing his arrow.


    Thest thing he needed to find was a strong material to be used to make the bow string toplete his weapon.


    ''The perfect bowstring material to be found in these parts are the hairs from the Warsor ck Hound,'' Thirteen thought. ''The only problem is that it''s a Rank 3 Monster, and runs as fast as a horse. It will take a lot of nning to hunt it.


    With these materials, the end product would be a Mid-Grade Bronze Weapon, which was still better than the mass produced bow in the city.


    The ves, who were in the warehouse, were surprised when they saw the Chad Skunk.


    But, after hearing Thirteen''s exnation that it was a ve that he bought in the auction, everyone settled down immediately.


    After finding a ce for the Chad Skunk to rest, Thirteen immediately went to work to craft the mould of his bow.


    Using the y as a base, the boy also sprinkled some powdered Horn from the Bronze Rhino on top of it, to ensure that the mould wouldn''t crack once the melted metals were poured into it.


    He asked Bruno to knead the y like a bread dough, as he sprinkled more and more powdered horn on it, making it firmer.


    When he deemed that the powder and the y were mixed properly, he asked the ogre to use the make-shift rolling pin to tten it a bit.


    Once that was done, Thirteen started to carve the design of his bow.


    He nned to use the bow as a long-range and closebat weapon that could be detached in the middle to form two short swords.


    Although he couldn''t use it for long battles because he didn''t have the arm strength to dual wield for an extended period, a quick and decisive fight was possible.


    After finishing the mould, he baked it over coals, to solidify its body.


    This process took several minutes before Thirteen was satisfied with the result. He allowed the moulded y to cool down for a while while he had dinner with Cristopher.


    Two hourster, he returned to the Smithy and asked Bruno to smelt some metals for him.


    The Ogre was already used to smelting metals, and had be adept in it.


    Because of this, Thirteen was more than happy to delegate the work to Bruno, who was starting to enjoy his new hobby.


    The boy watched as the Ogre paid close attention to the metals that were slowly being melted in the forge.


    ''He might really have a knack for Smithing,'' Thirteen thought. ''If Cristopher bes strong enough to no longer need Bruno''s help, I''ll ask him to hand the Ogre''s Avatar to my father to serve as his assistant in the Smithy.


    ''This way, he would still be able to help Cristopher by crafting weapons for his other Brute Monsters, who would continue to follow him in his journeys in Solterra.''


    Half an hourter, when the metals were all melted, Bruno gingerly used the cksmith tongs to take the melted metal out of the forge.


    He then poured it slowly into the mould that Thirteen had made, making sure to cover everything.


    Thirteen did the rest as he used a metal spat to make sure that the metals were properly distributed inside the mould.


    While Thirteen was busy doing the things he was doing, Harry, Colbert, and two more teenagers finally arrived in Gronar City.


    But, they didn''t dare to enter it because they were afraid that they were going to be questioned and detained.


    Suddenly, Harry saw a group of people headed to the city, and immediately recognized the youngdy that was mounted on top of a ck Horse.


    He didn''t even bat an eye, and immediately ran towards Rianna, whom he had worked together with in the past.


    Seeing that someone was running towards their leader, Rianna''s Hunting Party immediately took a defensive formation with Rufus, Eren, and Jeane, at the front with their weapons drawn.


    "Lower your weapons," Rianna ordered after recognizing who the boy was.


    Some of the teenagers recognized Harry and Colbert because the two of them had also been captured by the Orcs, and stayed in the same prison as them.


    "Rianna, can you help us enter the city?" Harry asked. "I will owe you a favor if you do."


    Rianna frowned, but still nodded her head.


    "I will help you, and your two friends, but not him," Rianna stated as she pointed at Colbert.


    "W-Why?!" Colbert, who had been singled out, was surprised. "What did I ever do to you?"


    "You didn''t do anything to me," Rianna replied. "However, you conspired against Zion. This is something that I cannot forgive. If you want to enter the city, you can enter it on your own. I will not help you."


    "You B*tch!" Colbert shouted. "Do you not know who I am? I am a retainer from a Prestigious Family!"


    "So?" Rianna asked back. "So what if you are from one? You don''t have power over me. So, goodluck in entering the city alone. Also, don''t try to join our group when we enter the city, or I will ask my members to cripple you."


    Without another word, Rianna urged her horse, Lancelot, to head towards the gate of the city.


    Jubei, who served as the Guardian of Rianna''s Hunting Party, gave Colbert a side-long nce before reporting him to Cristopher via telepathy.


    Thirteen had asked Jubei to immediately report any kind of incident back to Cristopher.


    Naturally, the chubby boy would report these things to his Young Master, who would decide how to deal with the boy, who had done what he could to get all the teenagers he had saved to turn their backs on him.

 Chapter 128 I Can’t Wait To See You Face To Face

    <h4>Chapter 128 ?I Can¡¯t Wait To See You Face To Face </h4>


    "Young Master, I have something to report," Cristopher said after he received Jubei''s telepathic message. "Harry and that bastard, Colbert, have met up with Rianna outside the city."


    "Oh?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow after hearing Cristopher''s report.


    He was half-expecting that Harry would make his way to Gronar City along with his team, not ruling out the possibility that the teenage boy would focus on strengthening himself and his team in the Houdini Desert.


    Cristopher continued his report. When the chubby boy told him that Rianna had excluded Colbert from Harry''s group, a faint smile appeared on his lips.


    He didn''t say anything and simply listened until Cristopher finished his report. When the chubby boy was done, the seven-year-old pondered for a bit before an evil smirk appeared on his face.


    Cristopher, who saw the change in his Young Master''s expression, also smiled evilly.


    He did not have a good impression of Colbert after he instigated a mutiny in the past, so Cristopher was more than happy to see the bastard suffer under his Young Master''s machinations.


    "Come, Vassago," Thirteen said.


    A momentter, the dumb-looking birdnded on the table in front of Thirteen and tilted its head.


    The younger boy whispered something in the Pocopoco''s ears.


    When he was done, the bird pped his wings and flew away toplete the task that Thirteen had asked of him.


    "Cristopher, meet up with Rianna and Harry in my ce," Thirteen said as he returned to grinding the rough edges of his bow, sending sparks flying as the metal and grinding tool met. "I''ll meet with him after I''m done here."


    "Yes, Young Master." Cristopher bowed respectfully before heading to the entrance of the warehouse to wait for Rianna''s return.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, in the ve Market¡­


    "There is a teenage boy named Colbert hanging around the outskirts of Gronar City," Vassago said using Thirteen''s voice. "I intend to buy him for 1,000 Silver, so please catch him as soon as possible. I will visit you tomorrow morning to personally deal with him."


    Vassago then lifted its w and dropped a White Coin on the ve Master''s table, which was equivalent to 1,000 Silver Coins.


    "Very well," Norris replied. "Tell your Master to pick this Colbert boy tomorrow."


    The Pocopoco tilted its head as if it didn''t understand what the ve Master was talking about.


    "Dumb bird, just tell your Master that I agree to his request," Norris said before shooing the bird away.


    The Pocopoco flew away, but not without hurling insults at the ve Master, making the Drow, who was also in the office, chuckle.


    "That boy sure knows how to use his ves," Adiramented. "As far as I know, Pocopocos are very hard to tame. He just bought it recently, yet it seems that he already understands how to make it send messages."


    "This isn''t the first time I''ve seen something like this." Norris shrugged.


    "Then how about the boy named Colbert?" Adira asked. "Want me to fetch him for you?"


    "You will personally go?" Norris looked at his acquaintance in surprise. "Are you that bored?"


    "Yes," Adira answered before standing up. "I was nning to make the kid owe me a favor by buying the Five Leaf Clover for him, but it seems that he has other ns. Might as well do this task to relieve my boredom a bit."


    After saying those words, the Drow left the ve Master''s tent to look for Colbert, who was desperately thinking of how he could enter the city without being captured by the Barbarians.


    As a Drow and a Champion, it would be very easy for her to spot the teenage boy, even if he was a mile away from the city.


    Norris leaned back on his chair and sighed.


    The Auction had just ended a few hours ago, and he was already dead tired from thinking about the potential bacsh of Adira''s confrontation with the City Lord.


    Of course, there was a chance that Arthas wouldn''t make a move against him, especially since Adira was a Champion who might just be stronger than him.


    Even so, he nned to smooth things over with the City Lord tomorrow to prevent any problems from arising in his business.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Outside of Gronar City¡­


    ''That b*tch!'' Colbert gnashed his teeth in anger after remembering Rianna''s disdainful expression when she looked at him. ''It seems that she had really be that seven-year-old''s subordinate. If I ever get my hands on him, I''ll show him that he is messing with the wrong person!''


    He couldn''t believe that, in just a short period of time, Rianna had managed to be the leader of her own Hunting Party.


    But, that was not all.


    The High Orc who was following them was a Rank 3 Monster.


    He didn''t know what happened after Zion, Cristopher, and Rianna arrived in the Barbarian City, but a single nce was enough to tell him that the teenage girl was now in a position of power.


    The teenager had felt the killing intent of the Wanderers following Rianna when they looked at him, which was also why he didn''t dare to follow behind their group in order to enter the city.


    Colbert had no doubts that if he were to really try to sneak inside the city by forcing his way into their Hunting Party, they wouldn''t hesitate to cripple him and leave him behind to be Monster food.


    Left with no choice, he only did what he could do at that time.


    He demanded that Harry and the two other Wanderers, who were part of their team, leave all their food and water behind.


    Harry didn''t hesitate to agree to his demand, knowing that as long as he was able to meet up with Thirteen, he knew that he would find food and water.


    The two Wanderers were more reluctant, but after Rianna told them that they didn''t have to worry about food and water, they decided to trust her and leave their resources behind as well.


    If Colbert ate and drank sparingly, he''d have enough food and water tost him a month in the Houdini Desert.


    ''Damn it!'' Colbert pounded the ground with his fist out of anger.


    He had been thinking for a while now about what his next course of action needed to be, but the more he thought, the more he realized that unless he was able to find a lone Rank 1 Monster wandering in the Desert, his chances of survival were slim.


    "I hate that b*tch!" Colbert growled. "I hate that bastard Harry! I hate that pig, Cristopher! But the one I hate the most is that brat, Zion! If not for him, none of this would have happened!"


    The teenage boy wasn''t aware that he was saying these words out loud out of anger.


    But he no longer cared. He was cold, hungry, and alone, and the only thing he could do was vent out his frustrations.


    "Oh? You know Zion? Tell me more about him."


    Colbert''s body immediately froze when he heard someone speak behind him.


    His entire body froze as if he was trapped in a block of ice.


    Even so, he gritted his teeth and slowly turned his head to look behind him.


    There, he saw a pair of ruby-like eyes and a set of pearly white teeth.


    A momentter, his eyes rolled in their sockets as he fainted on the spot.


    Adira chuckled as she looked at the unconscious boy who was lying on the ground, and peed himself.


    "What a disappointment." Adira sighed. "The boy you hate so much can look me straight in the eyes as if I were his equal, despite being weaker than me. You, on the other hand, only held my gaze for a few seconds and lost your consciousness."


    A second sigh escaped Adira''s lips as she grabbed the shirt of the boy and dragged him towards the City Gate.


    She was truly curious about Zion, so before the seven-year-old could pick up Colbert in the ve Market the next day, she intended to wring some answers out of the unconscious boy, who would soon suffer a trauma that he would carry for the rest of his life.


    Meanwhile, inside the City Lord''s Mansion, Arthas was also busy venting out his anger by destroying the training dummies inside his training room one by one.


    He was very tempted to confront the Drow who mocked him, but he couldn''t afford to be injured at this point in time.


    The Tigerkins were starting to stir, and he would soon be called to the front lines to join the fight against them.


    Because of this, he had no choice but to bottle up the anger he was feeling.


    Suddenly, he thought of the boy back in the auction, who had looked at him with a calm expression on his face.


    As much as the seven-year-old tried to look calm on the surface, Arthas had seen the tinge of anger in Zion''s gaze.


    Remembering the boy, whom he bullied earlier, the City Lord forced himself to calm down.


    "Hahaha¡­ so that''s how it is," Arthas said after taking a few deep breaths. "This is what Netero spoke about earlier, huh? I only won a bow, but he won fame. Because of that fame, people sympathized with him.


    "There''s no doubt. That Drow''s reason for bidding against me was to gain that same sympathy."


    A few minutester, Arthas finally regained his calm.


    He then walked towards his room and nced at the glowing Five Leaf Clover inside the jar that was ced on top of his desk.


    Arthas stared at it for a few more minutes and noticed something on the ss'' surface.


    The City Lord took a closer look and traced his finger on the spot that didn''t feel right.


    He was a Master Tracker before he became a City Lord, which meant that his duty was to track down Monsters, Criminals, and other people in order to capture or kill them.


    Because of this, he was very familiar with tracking skills and abilities.


    Since his skill set revolved around tracking, it only grew stronger when he became a Champion.


    In short, Arthas was the best tracker in the Barbarian Race, so he would be able to recognize the marks of those who practiced the same craft.


    A momentter, a sinister smile appeared on his lips before he took a step back to look at the Five Leaf Clover in front of him.


    ''It seems that people like to underestimate and look down on me even now,'' Arthas mused. ''Very well, let''s y a game. Let''s see just how good you really are. I can''t wait to see you face to face.''


    With that thought, Arthas left the room in order to prepare for the arrival of his guest, who hadn''t received any invitations from him.

 Chapter 129 A Game Of Cat And Mouse

    <h4>Chapter 129 A Game Of Cat And Mouse </h4>


    Harry was in disbelief when he arrived in the warehouse Thirteen rented.


    He saw that it was big enough to house more than a hundred people.


    Not only that, but the Wanderers seemed to be doing well. None of them looked malnourished, and they all looked content with their current circumstances.


    Granted, the warehouse wasn''t a luxurious residence like the residence of the Remington n, but it was still a safe haven for teenagers like them.


    The best ce for the Wanderers who had been forced to go to the world of Solterra regardless of whether they liked it or not.


    The sound of constant hammering echoed in the background, which made Harry look towards the Eastern Side of the warehouse where the Smithy was, ording to Rianna.


    But before he could ask if he could see Zion, a familiar chubby boy walked in their direction.


    "You''re back, Rianna," Cristopher greeted. "Was the hunt good?"


    "Not that good, but not that bad either," Rianna replied. "Is Zion still working?"


    "He is," Cristopher answered before shifting his attention to Harry. "My Young Master said that he will meet you tomorrow. He is working on something important right now, so he can''t meet you right away."


    "I see," Harry looked disappointed after hearing that he wouldn''t be able to see the seven-year-old, who seemed to be the one who was at the top of the hierarchy among the Wanderers.


    "Rest for now, and eat some good food," Cristopher stated. "It must have been tough in the Desert. Well then, I''ll go back to the Young Master''s side. See you at dinner, Rianna. Young Master said that he wouldn''t be able to join us because he had to go somewhere important."


    Rianna nodded in understanding.


    If Zion said that he would do or go somewhere important, then he meant it.


    So, she decided to just wait until the morning to talk about a few things, especially about how they would deal with Harry, who was part of a Monarch n.


    After Cristopher left, Harry followed Rianna to the Western Side of the Warehouse, where she and the other Wanderers were staying.


    "Just so you know, you must not go to the Eastern Side of the warehouse without permission," Rianna stated. "Zion bought Trolls and Ogres as ves. They will not hesitate to attack anyone who goes to their part of the building."


    Harry stiffened before nodding his head.


    He had nned to secretly meet with the younger boyter to have a private talk, but after hearing Rianna''s warning, he decided to just behave and wait until morning came.


    Zion had made it clear that his side of the warehouse was off-limits to everyone, with the exception of Rianna, whom he considered to be part of his team.


    The Wanderers, who were under Rianna''smand, respected his privacy because they discovered that the money that Rianna had used to buy them came from the seven-year-old, whom the youngdy held in high esteem.


    They were not like Colbert who bit the hand of the person that helped them.


    However, Rianna was still the one who decided to buy them, not Zion, so they only listened to her orders.


    Originally, they thought that the younger boy would boss them around, but he did no such thing.


    Zion just minded his own business and worked in the smithy alongside his ves.


    A few hourster¡­


    Thirteen looked at the ck bow in his hand with a satisfied look on his face.


    It looked crude, but with a little bit of polishing, he was certain that it would look better than the Dark Wing Bow that was sold in the Auction a few hours ago.


    The boy then stored the bow inside his storage ring before he ate dinner alone.


    There was a reason why he didn''t meet with Harry right away.


    This was his way of subtly making the teenage boy from the Monarch n know that, here in the warehouse, he was thew.


    If he wanted to speak with him, he would speak with him.


    If he wanted him to wait, he would wait.


    He had already given him a chance to build his own force in the Houdini Desert and even left him half of his resources as well as weapons.


    But because of certain circumstances, the scion of the Remington House was unable to survive on his own, which led him toe to Gronar City with the hopes of being able to reunite with Thirteen.


    ''I''ll make sure that Uncle Elijah gives me that Helicopter when I return to Pangea,'' Thirteen mused. ''I deserve that much for everything I''ve done for his son.''


    The seven-year-old was adamant about having his own Military Helicopter, which he nned to modify to be his personal transport.


    There were ces he wanted to go in the Aldebaran Continent, and having a Helicopter would make his life so much easier.


    After ate-night dinner, Thirteen left the warehouse with Tiona and Vassago.


    Their destination?


    The ce where the Five Leaf Clover was ced.


    Thirteen nned to steal it from the City Lord who made things difficult for him earlier.


    He was confident that if the right conditions were met, he would be able to enter and leave the City Lord''s Residence with the Five Leaf Clover in his hands.


    An hourter, Thirteen stared at the City Lord''s residence from on top of a roof.


    High in the sky, Vassago circled the residence and eyed the possible ces for entry. He also checked the location of the guards, which he would then report to the seven-year-old waiting for him on the ground.


    After confirming that he had memorized theyout of the house, Vassago returned to where Thirteen was to give his report.


    The boy listened to the Pocopoco''s words without any interruption.


    When Vassago finished his report, a frown appeared on Thirteen''s face.


    ''Something smells fishy,'' Thirteen thought as he reviewed the position of the guards that were inside the residence.


    There were several guards stationed in different ces, which was very normal for the residences of important people.


    However, the thing that bothered the boy was that all possible entrances were guarded, with the exception of one.


    As a System, he knew that something wasn''t right because it smelled like a trap.


    A momentter, a faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face.


    He then jumped to the next roof and slowly made his way towards the City Lord''s Residence.


    Vassago flew high in the sky and observed the seven-year-old while paying attention to his surroundings.


    Thirteen had told the Pocopoco about his hunch and left clear instructions for the bird to follow just in case his guess was right.


    When Thirteen was only two hundred meters away from the City Lord''s Residence, he stopped.


    He could feel the hairs at the back of his neck standing on end, and goosebumps washed over his body.


    ''I knew it,'' Thirteen thought.


    The boy then made a show of casually stretching his arms before lying down on the roof, cing his hands under his head before looking at the stars in the sky.


    Tiona coiled herself up on Thirteen''s chest and rested her head on the boy''s neck.


    The seven-year-old then closed his eyes, and before long, he was sound asleep.


    The minutes passed, and only the sound of the nightlife of the city could be heard in the surroundings.


    But somewhere inside the City Lord''s Residence, a man holding a ss of wine in his hand was staring at the boy lying on the rooftop.


    Arthas'' gaze was cold, but he didn''t make any moves to approach the boy.


    The night was still long, and he had no problem waiting.


    He was expecting someone to sneak inside his residence, and once the rat had taken the bait, he would make sure that it would never see the sun ever again.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, was not bothered with what was going on inside Arthas'' mind.


    He, too, had dropped some bait, and whether the City Lord would take a bite or not, the seven-year-old would still be the one in control of the situation.


    Vassago, who would serve as the observer of this match,nded at a nearby rooftop, allowing him to see everything from his vantage point.


    What the two didn''t know was that there was a third party, aside from Vassago, observing this face-off from a distance.


    ''I guess taking a casual stroll unexpectedly paid off,'' the person thought as they made themselvesfortable while observing the City Lord''s Residence, as well as the boy from a distance away.


    This was a ssic game of Cat and Mouse. Whether the Cat would catch its prey or whether the Mouse would be able to get away, everything would be known before the morning sun rose in the East.

 Chapter 130 This Is Not A Good Place To Take A Nap, Zion

    <h4>Chapter 130 This Is Not A Good ce To Take A Nap, Zion </h4>


    An hour had passed since Thirteen closed his eyes while lying on top of a rooftop.


    The City Lord''s residence was only two hundred meters away from where he was, but he didn''t dare go any nearer.


    After spending thousands of years as a System, he had his fair share of infiltrating enemy strongholds, pces, and Holy Sites alongside his Hosts.


    Thirteen couldn''t tell whether Arthas had noticed the faint fluctuation of the rune magic he had inscribed on the jar that contained the Five Leaf Clover, but thetter had prepared to capture the thief who would try to steal it.


    But Thirteen was not an ordinary thief.


    Since he already knew that a trap had beenid out at his destination, he decided to change his strategy.


    Instead of being baited into the trap, he would lure the one who set up the trap toe to him.


    The reason he came close to the City Lord''s Residence was to let the City Lord see him.


    Thirteen was certain that, as a Champion expecting a thief to enter his household, Arthas was paying close attention to his surroundings.


    Since that was the case, he decided to let the City Lord focus his attention on him.


    The City Lord might be suspicious of him, but as long as he didn''t enter the Residence, Arthas wouldn''t be able to use him of anything.


    In short, he was doing this to purposely annoy the City Lord!


    The most frustrating thing for a Hunter was seeing their prey dangling right in front of them but not being able to do anything about it.


    In short, Arthas could stare at Thirteen for as long as he wanted, but he couldn''t harm the boy because he was innocent until proven guilty!


    ''This is payback for bullying me,'' Thirteen mused as he continued to pretend that he was resting on top of the rooftop. ''I can do this all night.''


    The boy could feel the City Lord''s gaze boring into his body, but he didn''t give a hoot about it.


    Two hourster, Thirteen decided to just literally sleep on the rooftop.


    The night was cold, but he was already prepared for a long stakeout.


    Because of this, he took a nket out of the bag he was carrying and covered his body to keep him nice and warm.


    Tiona poked her head out of the nket before once again resting it on Thirteen''s neck.


    She liked being this close to him because it made her feel at ease.


    As the two werefortably snuggling to sleep for the night, Arthas'' gaze was locked on the seven-year-old''s body.


    He was expecting that a guest woulde, but he didn''t expect the boy, whom he had bullied at the auction, would make an appearance.


    Truth be told, he was truly surprised and even doubted his eyes when he first saw Zion. But after confirming that it was indeed the boy that he saw in the auction, he paid extra attention to his movements.


    ''Is he sleeping?'' Arthas frowned. ''Is he not the one who ced a tracking spell on the Five Leaf Clover?''


    Just like Thirteen had expected, the City Lord started to have doubts after seeing his actions.


    All the boy needed to do was enter the residence, and Arthas would immediately move to apprehend him.


    He didn''t care if he was really the one who nned to steal the Five Leaf Clover or not.


    Since the boy had entered his property, he had every right to seize him for trespassing.


    But the boy didn''t do that.


    He onlyid down on top of the roof that was a distance away from his residence.


    There was no way that Arthas could apprehend him without a valid excuse.


    Even if he was the City Lord, his reputation would take a hit.


    It was also possible that the City Lords of the other Barbarian Cities would catch wind of what had happened, making him theughingstock of their circle.


    If this matter escted and reached the Barbarian King''s ears, there was a possibility that he would be kicked out of his position for abusing his power.


    Of course, the Barbarian King stripping him of his position was a very far-fetched consequence.


    However, he was aware that there was never ack of opportunistic people who wished to gain power. No matter how trivial it was, they could definitely make a big deal out of a minor offense, which would cause him a lot of headaches in the future.


    Also, Arthas had only been the City Lord of Gronar City for ten years after his father''s death.


    There were many people who opposed his inheritance, but the Barbarian King silenced them.


    However, the King also told Arthas that he must be very careful, for one small spark was all it would take for the hearts of people to move and rise up to challenge his rule.


    Suddenly, he felt a faint fluctuation of power in the distance, making him temporarily avert his gaze away from the sleeping boy.


    Although it onlysted for a fraction of a second, Arthas was able to sense a power that rivaled his own, making him wary.


    Whoever that presence belonged to definitely didn''t n to catch his attention whatsoever.


    Arthas was only able to detect it because he was one of the best trackers of the Barbarian Race, so he was very sensitive to the presence of others even if they were over a thousand meters away from him.


    But before he could start to spread his presence in the direction where he felt the fluctuation, his body stiffened after he sensed a few more presences in the surroundings.


    ''Just what is going on here?!'' Arthas face became solemn because he felt at least six Champions sneaking near his property. ''Are they all in the same group?!''


    Thirteen, who was sleeping soundly earlier, suddenly woke up when his sixth sense sent rm bells ringing inside his head.


    A momentter, something or someonended beside him, making his body stiffen.


    "Don''t move."


    A familiar voice reached Thirteen''s ears.


    With the moonlight illuminating his surroundings, the boy stared at the Drow, Adira, who had crouched down to look at him.


    "This is not a good ce to take a nap, Zion," Adira stated. "Soon, a battle will break out. If you don''t want to get involved in the aftermath, you should juste with me."


    Thirteen frowned before ncing at the residence in the distance.


    He was still too weak to sense the presence of the six experts, who had surrounded the City Lord''s Residence.


    But Adira had detected them right away, so before they could move to harm the boy she had set her sights on, she took the initiative to approach him in order to deter the other people who seemed to be targeting the ce that Thirteen had intended to infiltrate earlier.


    "Let''s go," Adira said as she picked up the seven-year-old like a princess. "We''re getting out of here."


    The Drow then leaped from roof to roof, moving as far away from the residence as possible.


    Thirteen threw the City Lord''s Residence onest nce, not knowing what would happen next.


    But since he was still too weak to participate in a battle of this level, he simply behaved and allowed Adira to take him to the ve Market, where she nned to ask him the questions that she didn''t have time to ask when they were still in the Auction House.

 Chapter 131 It Takes A Thief To Know A Fellow Thief, You Know?

    <h4>Chapter 131 ?It Takes A Thief To Know A Fellow Thief, You Know? </h4>


    When Adira reached the ve Market, she decisively headed to her personal quarters with Thirteen in tow. She made sure to lock the door so that no one would disturb them.


    The seven-year-old made himself feel at home and evenid down on the couch, making himself veryfortable.


    "You sure know how to enjoy life, Zion." Adira giggled after seeing that the boy didn''t seem to be feeling anxious about being alone with her inside her room.


    "Life is meant to be enjoyed," Thirteen replied. "You know what they say, happiness is eating, sleeping, and repeating."


    "¡­ Are you a pig?"


    "Do I look like a pig?"


    Adira could only shake her head helplessly before sitting down on the couch where the boy was lying down.


    She even raised the boy''s head and ced it on herp, making the boy frown.


    "Your legs are hard," Thirteenmented. "What are you eating? Steel?"


    "Only on the weekends," Adira replied casually. "Are you feeling scared now?"


    "Not really."


    "Oh, Zion. I am very tempted to make you feel all sorts of pain right now."


    For many, being alone with a Drow was a horrifying experience because they were a very vicious race.


    They liked to inflict pain on others as a means of showing their superiority, for this was the belief that had been instilled in them since birth.


    For them, seeing the fear in the eyes of those who looked at them was the greatest form of recognition.


    But the only gaze that Thirteen gave her was that of boredom, which made the smile on her face widen even more.


    "Tell me, Zion. What are you doing here in the Valbarra Archipgo?" Adira asked. "I tortured¡ªerrr, asked that boy, Colbert, about you, and the only thing he said was that you are a Monster."


    "Monster?" Zion snorted. "How rude. Do I look like a monster?"


    "Yes," Adira replied. "You are a Monster in my eyes."


    "Then there''s something wrong with your eyes, Adira."


    "My Master says the same thing, but I always prove her wrong. So enough nonsense. Tell me your goal here in Gronar City."


    Thirteen kept his eyes closed and remained perfectly still.


    Tiona was curled up on his chest and eyeing Adira as if she were a thieving cat that was trying to steal her pillow.


    "My goal?" Thirteen smiled with his eyes still closed. "Survival, of course. Isn''t that the same for everyone?"


    "Aside from survival, what are your short-term ns?" Adira inquired.


    "Let''s see, I want to hunt a Warsor ck Hound because I will need its hair to use as the bowstring for the bow that I made earlier," Thirteen answered. "Since the Dark Wing Bow was taken from me, I had no choice but to make my own bow from scratch."


    "Ah, Warsor ck Hound?" Adira arched an eyebrow. "Can you even catch that at your level? That thing moves pretty fast."


    "Well, I won''t know until I try." Thirteen shrugged.


    Adira wanted to pat Zion''s hair, but Tiona suddenly hissed as if telling the Drow, who was many times stronger than her, to not touch her Master.


    "Your pet is very cute," Adiramented.


    "I know, right?" Thirteen smiled faintly as he reached out to pat the ck snake''s head with his finger, making Tiona calm down.


    "Do you know that I was the one who gave this snake to Norris to be sold at the Auction," Adira stated. "It seems that she has forgotten who had taken good care of her before she arrived here in the Valbarra Archipgo."


    "Oh? So you came from the Main Continent?" Thirteen''s interest was finally piqued.


    "I do," Adira replied.


    "Can I join you on your return trip back to the Main Continent, Lady Adira?''


    "Lady Adira? It seems that you are capable of being polite to people when you need something from them, huh?"


    "Of course not. You''re overthinking things, Lady Adira."


    "Cut it out, Zion. You''re giving me goosebumps."


    In order to reach the main continent, Thirteen would need to travel by boat. The only way to do that was to either build a boat of his own, which he had no intention of doing, or to simply pay a merchant to take him to the continent.


    He had nned to leave the Valbarra Archipgo as soon as Cristopher had finished his mission, which was lighting the Beacon of Hope.


    Since the chubby boy would return to Pangea afterpleting his mission, Thirteen would be left on his own.


    This was why he needed a way to return to the Main Continent. If he could head to one of the cities that had a Teleportation Gateway, then he could go through one that would lead him back to Pangea.


    "Be honest with me, Zion," Adira lightly patted the boy''s head. "You nned to steal something from the City Lord, right? If it was not the bow, you''re probably aiming for the Five Leaf Clover."


    This action of hers almost made Tiona lunge at her.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen had ordered her telepathically to not bite Adira, the ck snake would have already sunk her teeth into the Drow''s hand by now.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied in a casual tone. "I''m just a weak, seven-year-old boy, who will die if the City Lord pinches me. Why would I even think of stealing something from him?"


    "Uh uh~ you almost convinced me, but I know that you went there to steal something," Adira yfully tugged on a few strands of Zion''s hair, making Tiona hiss at her fiercely. "It takes a thief to know a fellow thief, you know?"


    "Lady Adira, in this lifetime, I haven''t stolen anything from anyone," Thirteen stated. ''At least, not yet.''


    "In this lifetime?" Adira smirked. "You say some very interesting words, Zion. Does that mean that you''ve stolen many things in your previous lifetimes? Well, I don''t really believe in life after death because when our race dies, we return to the Dumah''s embrace."


    Thirteen didn''t make anyment because it was not his ce to tell Adira about what really happened after death.


    Also, there were differentws for different worlds, and the world of Solterra had its own set ofws that managed the circle of Life and Death.


    "Dumah is the Celestial of Silence, right?" Thirteen inquired. "As for the Drows who like conquest and war, they worship the Fiend, Belial, who represents Lawlessness."


    "You sure know a lot of things, Zion," Adiramented as she continued to pat the boy''s hair. "Indeed. My sisters and brothers, who still continue their lifestyle, worship Belial. Well, to each their own.


    "My eyes were opened early. That is when I discovered that empathy andpassion still exist even in my dark heart. Even so, I choose who to bepassionate to, for example, you, Zion."


    "I am honored, Lady Adira," Thirteen said. "Now, about your return trip to the Main Continent¡­"


    Just as Adira was about to answer the boy''s question, a loud explosion spread within the quiet night.


    Thirteen and Adira, who had an idea of what was happening, remained calm and didn''t even bother to leave the couch where they were talking.


    "It has begun," Thirteen said softly.


    "Indeed," Adira nodded as she continued to pat Thirteen''s head. "Let''s just wait until the morning. Perhaps, after this incident, that arrogant man will learn what humility is."


    Thirteen smiled faintly after hearing the Drow''s words.


    He didn''t know if the City Lord would learn anything about humility after this incident.


    But there was one thing he did know.


    Once morning came, the city would be under martialw as Arthas and his officials looked for the thieves who dared to steal several items from within the City Lord''s Treasury.

 Chapter 132 No Friend Discounts This Time

    <h4>Chapter 132 No Friend Discounts This Time </h4>


    While the guards of the city were scouring the streets to look for the thieves that had stolen a few things from the City Lord''s Residence, Thirteen was sleeping soundly on the couch inside Adira''s Living Quarters.


    The Drow had left to inform Norris about what had happened earlier, so the ve Master wouldn''t be left in the dark.


    Adira had sensed the presence of these powerful individuals a few hours ago, so she didn''t hesitate to grab Zion and escape while they still could.


    Thest thing she wanted was to get involved in whatever scheme the people targeting the City Lord were doing.


    "It might be a power struggle," Norrismented after hearing Adira''s report. "But, what I don''t understand is why they are doing it right before a war between the Barbarians and the Tigerkins is about to take ce. Weakening one of their Champions before the war starts is a very stupid thing to do in my book."


    "Perhaps they just want to kick the City Lord from his position," Adira shrugged. "Commanding an entire city filled with warriors during a war, and gaining military merit will allow them to reap bigger benefits."


    Norris pondered a bit before nodding his head. "Or, they could just be after something else entirely. Like a unique and powerful artifact that the City Lord keeps inside his treasury."


    "It''s all just spection at this point. Also, this is none of our business."


    "Well, you''re not wrong."


    Norris and Adira hade to the Valbarra Archipgo in order to create a branch of their organization, and use the Sumatran Kingdom as one of their bases of operation.


    They were extending outward, sending people to different Kingdoms and Empires, digging their roots deep into theirnd.


    Once they had secured their foundations, it would be easier to send their agents to build connections with the local people, increasing the size of their web, allowing faster transfer of information.


    Norris had already made a reputation of being a ve Master who brought in Monsters from the Main Continent that weren''t seen or heard of within the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Because of his unique merchandise, he managed to worm his way into Gronar City, and be one of the top merchants when it came to ve Trading.


    Now that he had nted his roots, the second phase of their project was underway, which was why Adira was sent by their organization to aid him in the Valbarra Continent.


    However, before the Drow left their Headquarters, her Master, a Shaman, had given her the ck Snake, who was now named Tiona, because of a vision that she saw.


    She stated that whoever became the owner of the Domini Mortis was someone whom their organization must befriend no matter what.


    Because, there woulde a time when they would need that person''s help.


    So, when Thirteen managed to acquire the ck Snake, Adira paid more attention to him because it was what their Master had asked of her.


    "For now, you and your men should stay here in the ve Market, and don''t wander off anywhere," Adira said. "Also, there is a high chance that the City Guards wille here to search for those thieves. If you have any valuables lying around, it will be best if you keep them on your person, or hide them somewhere safe.


    "Arthas might use this opportunity to regain his losses by nting false charges of theft upon people who have valuables treasures on them."


    Norris nodded his head in understanding. "Understood. Don''t let Zion leave until sunrise tomorrow. We don''t want him being wrongfully used now do we?"


    A sneer appeared on Adira''s face. "I''m sure that the City Lord doesn''t want to make more enemies than he currently has. He saw me take Zion awayst night, so although he will suspect him, he will not actively target him."


    "I hope you''re right Adira." Norris sighed. "I hope you''re right."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    When Zion opened his eyes, it was already morning.


    He had a good night''s rest despite themotion that was happening in the city.


    Although he was unable to procure the Five Leaf Clover, he didn''t regret being taken away by Adira to safety.


    After all, his life was more important than the clover.


    At that moment, the door inside the room opened and Adira came in with a smile on her face.


    "Good morning Zion," Adira greeted. "Are you hungry?"


    "Good morning, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "And yes, I am hungry."


    "Great! I was just about to have breakfast," Adira made a gesture for the boy toe to her. "Let''s have breakfast together."


    Thirteen nodded because he had no reason to reject her offer.


    When they arrived at the Dining Area, Norris was already there and drinking a cup of hot cocoa.


    In Solterra, there were many Cacao Trees, and the locals had learned to grind them to powder, making it a staple drink, simr to coffee in Pangea.


    "Good morning, Zion," Norris said with a smile. "You might be the only one who is able to have the luxury of sleeping in Adira''s personal quarters without having their limbs broken. I am very impressed by your achievement."


    "Good morning, Sir Norris," Thirteen replied. "Lady Adira was kind enough to let me stay for the night. She is a very wonderful person."


    The corner of Norris'' lips twitched after hearing the younger boy''s reply.


    The wonderful person he was referring to was actually one of the agents of their organization, who specialized in killing and torture.


    If blood, gore, and brutality was the boy''s definition of a "wonderful person" then Norris didn''t know what a good person was in Zion''s book.


    "Come and eat while the food is still warm," Norris said after he regained hisposure. "After that, you should return to your warehouse, and tell your friends to behave and not leave the city for now."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding because he agreed with Norris'' advice.


    "Thank you, Sir Norris," Thirteen replied. "But, before I return to the warehouse, do you still have Tigerkin ves for sale?"


    "Of course I do," Norris smiled like the businessman that he was. "In fact, there were four Barbarians who sold me the Tigerkins they captured two days ago. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, they are more expensive as well."


    "How much?" Thirteen inquired.


    "A thousand silver for each ve," Norris answered.


    Thirteen frowned. "That''s quite a price hike. What happened?"


    Thirteen had brought Percival for 200 Silver Coins, while Cristopher bought Jasmine and Ariel for less.


    But, now, all Tigerkin ves, regardless of their gender, and age, cost 1,000 Silver each.


    "Zion, I don''t know if you are aware of this, but there is a high possibility of a war breaking out between the Tigerkins and the Barbarians very soon.


    "Because of this, the raids that the two sides were making against each other lessened due to the settlements having more defenders than usual. Several of the Barbarian Raiding Parties raiding the Tigerkin Viges have been killed in action, making Tigerkin ves more expensive than their original price.


    "I''ll tell you now, they will probably get more expensive in the next few days, so if you n to buy Tigerkin ves, buy them now before their prices further increase."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before asking Norris how many Tigerkin ves he currently had.


    "I have five of them," Norris answered. "Three young men, and two youngdies. They''re a few years older than the ve that you bought from me. You''re in luck because they only received minor injuries when they were captured, and all of their wounds should be healed by now.


    "Since I don''t think I''ll be getting more Tigerkin ves soon, I won''t be giving you any friend discounts this time."


    "Very well," Thirteen nodded. "I''ll buy all of them, Sir Norris."


    Thirteen was nning to speed up Percival''s hero training, and allow his character progression to take ce.


    However, Heroes tended to be more powerful when they had people they needed to protect.


    Since the seven-year-old was certain that Percival had no ns of protecting him, unless he explicitly ordered him to do so, he decided to find people that the Tigerkin would protect without a second thought.


    This was where the other Tigerkin ves came in.


    Since Thirteen nned to be a viin in order to speed up Percival''s growth, he would use the most optimum method in his arsenal.


    And that method was to create a Hero Party consisting of Tigerkins for his little ve.


    ''Heroes are born for a reason,'' Thirteen thought. ''Since Taiga is here, this means that he will y a major role in the uing crisis that will befall the Sumatran Kingdom. As to what crisis it will be, I hope that it isn''t a big one.''


    During the growth of a Hero, they would often face both minor and major crises, to develop their heart, body, and mind.


    Even a minor crisis could be very troublesome, so Thirteen hoped that whatever wasing their way, wasn''t something too dangerous.

 Chapter 133 How To Train A Hero [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 133 How To Train A Hero [Part 1] </h4>


    "Okay, let me introduce all of you to everyone," Thirteen said as he pointed at the chubby teenager on his right side. "This is Cristopher. You can think of him as my right-hand man."


    Cristopher, who had been called as the younger boy''s right hand man, was surprised because he didn''t expect that Thirteen thought highly of him.


    "Thisdy over here is Rianna," Thirteen stated as he pointed at the youngdy on his left side. "She is the leader of her own Hunting Party, and currently helping me manage this Warehouse. The Human ves that you see working here in the warehouse are all under hermand.


    "But, make no mistake. We operate differently. I don''tmand her ves because they are her responsibility. Likewise, she cannotmand any of you because you are my responsibility."


    The seven-year-old wanted to make everything clear that there were two divisions of manpower that were staying inside the warehouse.


    "The five of you will be put on the same team as this boy, Taiga," Thirteen stated. "He is not going to be your leader. All of you are my ves, so you will only take orders from me. Do all of you understand?"


    The Tigerkins, whose ages ranged from sixteen to neen years old, red at the human boy who had bought them from the ve Market.


    If not for the boy''smand of absolute loyalty and servitude, all the TIgerkins would have already ganged up to tear him apart.


    "I asked all of you a question," Thirteen said calmly. "Your answers?"


    Even after being asked for the second time, none of the Tigerkins gave him any reply, and only red in his direction.


    Aside from their loyalty, Thirteen had ordered them to openly show their dislike for him, and even gave them the freedom to choose to reply or not.


    Of course, he did this so that the Tigerkins could silently defy him, and make their hatred known.


    However, if Thirteen ordered them to answer, they would answer without a doubt.


    But, since he didn''t give such orders, they chose to remain silent, and show their hostility towards their new Master.


    Percival clenched his fists because he, too, felt the same way as his brethren. If possible, he didn''t want to obey the boy''s orders, but his instincts were telling him that defying him openly would only make him suffer.


    As if to prove this thought to be correct, Thirteen raised his hand.


    Immediately, T1, who was the leader of the Trolls, punched one of the older Tigerkins in the chest, sending thetter flying.


    "I asked all of you a question," Thirteen said coldly. "Do all of you understand what I just said?"


    "Even if you hurt us, you will not break our spirit!" one of the Tigerkin boys shouted. "I am from the Maddox n! I will not yield, even if I die!"


    "Well said." Thirteen smirked. "Lady Adira, can you please make him more obedient for me?"


    "Oh, my! You''re already treating me as one of your thugs?" Adira arched an eyebrow. "You really have nerves of steel, Zion."


    "I know for a fact that when ites to torture, nothing can beat Drows in this regard. I am simply asking the help of a Professional in order to discipline my ve."


    "It will cost you."


    "How much?"


    "A thousand silver per hour," Adira replied. "I already gave you a friend discount."


    "Deal." Thirteen nodded.


    The Tigerkin, who came from the Maddox n, didn''t n on going down without a fight.


    Since Adira wasn''t one of the younger boy''s subordinates, this meant that it was fine to attack her.


    Moving at a speed that was faster than a human, the Tigerkin closed in the distance with his ws fully extended to tear his target apart.


    However, he made one mistake.


    Adira was no ordinary Drow.


    She was a Champion, whose rank far surpassed the Tigerkin who dared to lunge at her by leaps and bounds.


    A momentter, the sound of something cracking reverberated in the surroundings, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.


    Adira had casually flicked her finger, hitting the ws of the Tigerkin who had tried to attack her.


    A second after that, the hand of the Tigerkin was bent into an unnatural angle, making thetter scream in pain.


    Adira smiled sweetly because it had been a while since she heard someone scream in pain.


    Even though she had broken free from the savage behavior of her race, she was still a Drow, and found the sound of people''s scream music to her ears.


    With one fluid motion, Adira closed the gap and once again flicked his fingers, hitting the Tigerkin''s arms.


    Just like what happened earlier, the arm was once again bent into an unnatural angle, making the pain that the Tigerkin was feeling intensify.


    Tears, snot, and drool, leaked out from the orifices on his face, but this didn''t stop the Drow from making him feel an even greater amount of pain than he was already feeling at the moment.


    Adira grabbed the Tigerkins'' dislocated arm, and fixed it back in ce.


    However, a secondter, she dislocated it once more, to the horror of those watching the spectacle.


    "Stop it!" Percival said as he blocked Thirteen''s view, staring down at him. "I said stop it!"


    "Stand aside, Taiga," Thirteen ordered, making Percival''s body stiffen.


    Percival gritted his teeth as he fought hard against the order that was given to him.


    The pain that was assaulting his head was getting stronger with each passing second, and he knew that if it reached a certain threshold, he would probably lose consciousness from it.


    In the end Taiga stepped aside, allowing Thirteen to watch the torturous show in front of him.


    Percival, on the other hand, gritted his teeth, and clenched his fists tightly.


    Maddox, who was currently being tortured by Adira in front of the other Tigerkins couldn''t do anything except shout in pain.


    Half an hourter, he copsed on the ground, unconscious, with both of his arms still dislocated.


    "Well then, where was I?" Thirteen said as he stared at one of the two Tigerkin Ladies, whose faces had be pale after witnessing the suffering that their brethren had experienced.


    "I asked you a question earlier," Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "Are you going to answer me, or do you want to have some fun with Lady Adira over there?"


    "Eeek!'''' The Tigerkindy, who seemed to be around sixteen to seventeen years old, took a step back.


    However, her legs didn''t have enough strength to support her body, making her fall on the ground.


    Thirteen, ignored her sorry state as he crouched down to look her in the eye.


    "It seems that you Tigerkins and I don''t speak the samenguage," Thirteen smirked. "But, that''s fine. You''re lucky, we have a good teacher here, who will teach you all the things you need to know about how to be obedient. Lady Adira, if you please¡­"


    "N-No!" the Tigerkin girl almost shouted the moment the Drow walked towards her direction.


    Adira chuckled because she didn''t mind ying the bad guy, which was second nature to her.


    But, before she could approach the Tigerkin Girl on the ground, something appeared at the corner of her vision.


    The Drow instinctively stepped aside, allowing Percival, who had lunged at her from the side to pass harmlessly.


    Since his sneak attack had missed, Percival decided to go all out against the Drow, who was harming his people.


    Suddenly, his hands and feet were covered with golden mes, making Adira arch an eyebrow.


    Tigerkins specialized inbat, and very few of them were capable of using magic.


    The golden mes that appeared on Percival''s hands and feet were not exactly magical mes.


    No, this was the manifestation of an Ancient Technique that had been passed down from generation to generation of Tigerkins.


    It was called King''s Might, and only the members of the Royal Family had been taught this technique since ancient times.


    However, Percival wasn''t a member of the Royal Family.


    He was able to use this ability because all Tigerkins were capable of using it, if their resolve reached a certain threshold.


    This hidden power also activated if they were fighting opponents who were stronger than them.


    "I won''t let you touch her!" Percival growled as he prepared to fight the Drow, who was several times stronger than him.


    The smile on Adira''s face widened when she saw Percival''s eyes, which were filled with determination.


    What she liked the most was breaking people with those eyes, so she decided to y with the boy a bit, and make him understand that in the face of absolute strength, his resistance was useless.


    Thirteen, who was watching this from the side, smiled faintly.


    ''It seems that bringing Adira here was the right choice,'' Thirteen mused as he looked at his Heroic ve, who was starting to awaken his powers at a pace that was much faster than that of his peers.

 Chapter 134 How To Train A Hero [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 134 How To Train A Hero [Part 2] </h4>


    Percival moved twice as fast as he normally could, unleashing a barrage of punches in Adira''s direction.


    His face was full of anger and determination, but no matter how much effort he put into his attacks, he still failed tond any of them on the Drow''s body.


    Adira had a faint smile on her face as she dodged the Tigerkin''s attacks with ease.


    "Is that your best, boy?" Adira taunted. "I''ll fall asleep at this rate."


    Percival didn''t reply, as he continued to increase the frequency of his attacks, making the other Tigerkins cheer for him.


    The Drow found all of this amusing, so she decided to y with her prey a bit.


    With a simple movement of her leg, she easily tripped Pervical, causing thetter''s body to lose bnce and fall down.


    However, instead of meeting the ground, what the Tigerkin met was the Drow''s foot, and it sent him flying toward the wall of the warehouse.


    A pained groan escaped Percival''s lips, but he quickly propped himself up from the ground and took a fighting stance.


    Thirteen, who was paying close attention to the battle, rubbed his chin.


    ''King''s Might,'' Thirteen mused. ''This technique doubles the person''s overall performance.


    ''Unlike a Berserk Skill, which squeezes every drop of a person''s strength, multiplying it three to four times for a short period of time, King''s Mightsts longer. As expected of a Mythical Technique used by heroes.''


    Abilities that boosted one''s strength were something that all heroes possessed. They would often activate this during life-and-death battles, allowing them to get a boost of strength whenever they needed it the most.


    Percival was a Rank 1 Tigerkin, but thanks to the effects of King''s Might, he was able to jump to a Rank 2 Tigerkin instantly.


    Truth be told, it was still far too early for him to have learned this skill. In normal cases, he would only learn it after he reached the age of sixteen years old.


    But due to Thirteen''s treatment of his ve, Percival''s physical and mental state were developing at a rapid rate, allowing him to grow faster as a Hero.


    The Tigerkin was only thirteen years old. By the time he reached sixteen, he would definitely be several times stronger than he was now.


    There might evene a time when he would be able to break free of Thirteen''s control, and once that happened, he would do everything in his power to pay his Master back for everything that he had done to him.


    Unfortunately for Percival, he wouldn''t get that chance.


    Thirteen fully intended to train him until he would no longer be able to lift a single finger to defy him.


    Even if he were to grow stronger, just the thought of antagonizing his Master would fill him with so much dread that he wouldn''t even consider opposing him.


    Twenty minutester, Percivaly on the ground, with Adira''s feet stepping on his head. His entire body was covered in shallow cuts and bruises, making him look extremely pitiful.


    The golden mes on his hands and feet had already dispersed, showing that the ability, King''s Might, had already reached its time limit.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Thirteen pped his hands. "The entertainment is over. Now, back to me asking you guys questions."


    When the boy''s gazended on the Tigerkins, all of them subconsciously shuddered. Thirteen had released a fraction of his killing intent, nearly paralyzing and suffocating them.


    Even Adira was surprised because she didn''t expect to feel such strong killing intenting from Zion, who mostly looked docile in her eyes.


    "If you obey me, all of you will be able to live decent lives," Thirteen stated. "If not, well, I will use all of you to relieve the stress of the Trolls and Ogres who serve under me."


    A devilish smile appeared on the boy''s face as he nced at the two Tigerkin Ladies, making their faces turn pale.


    "Ah, I forgot, you Tigerkins have a very strong sense of smell, right?" the smile on Thirteen''s face widened before he pped his hands.


    A momentter, Giga Chad, walked right behind the seven-


    year-old and eyed the Tigerkins with amusement.


    "I''m sure you haven''t seen this creature before, so you probably don''t have any idea about what he is capable of doing," Thirteen exined. "But let me give you all an example of what my friend, Giga Chad, can do."


    The boy then pointed in the direction of Percival, making Adira immediately back away because she understood what Thirteen had nned to do.


    "Go, Giga Chad," Thirteenmanded. "Give him the Giga Destroyer!"


    The Chad Skunk turned around and raised its tail.


    A momentter, a horrifying yellow spray erupted from its backside, covering Percival''s entire body.


    Suddenly, a smell so foul that even the Trolls and Ogres, who were known for being smelly themselves, immediately backed away while covering their noses.


    The Tigerkins, who had a very strong sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight immediately held their stomachs before vomiting at the same time.


    Even though they were a distance away, wind still blowed in their direction, so the smell immediately reached their noses as soon as the Chad Skunk unleashed its deadly spray that could make even stronger monsters flee due to how incredibly stinky it was.


    Percival, who had been hit by the Stink Spray, also vomited before his eyes rolled up in their sockets.


    The pitiful Tigerkin fell unconscious on the ground, his body twitching from time to time.


    The only saving grace was that the Stink Spray of the Chad Skunk wasn''t lethal, so no one would die from it even if they were hit by it directly.


    Even so, the experience would be so traumatic that they would never want to face a Chad Skunk ever again in their lifetime.


    "Oh, I forgot that there is one more problem child here," Thirteenmented as he looked at the Tigerkin, whom Adira had beaten up earlier. "You said earlier that even if you are hurt, your spirit will not break, right? You are from the Maddox n, so you will not yield, even if you die, right?"


    "S-Stop!" the Tigerkin shouted. "I yield! I surrender! Stop! I beg you!"


    Thirteenughed like the Second-Rate Viin that he was beforemanding Giga Chad to once again use his Giga Destroyer.


    On that day, the five Tigerkin ves, the ten Trolls, and the two Orcs that Thirteen had bought in the ve Market vowed in their hearts to no longer defy the fiendish boy, whoseughter was enough to invoke the greatest fears that were hidden in the depths of their bestial hearts.

 Chapter 135 Can I Join Your Team Instead?

    <h4>Chapter 135 Can I Join Your Team Instead? </h4>


    After he was done educating the Tigerkins that going against him was a very stupid thing to do, Thirteen went to the west side of the Warehouse alongside Cristopher and Rianna to meet with Harry.


    The teenage boy had been waiting patiently for Thirteen''s arrival because he wanted to talk to him about something very important.


    "We meet again, Harry," Thirteen said. "What happened to you and your team?"


    "Yes. It''s nice to meet you again, Zion," Harry replied. "If I knew that things would end up the way they did, I would have left with you and Rianna back then. That guy, Colbert, is more troublesome than he looked."


    "Tell me everything that happened from start to finish," Thirteen stated before sitting beside Harry. "If possible, don''t leave any important information behind."


    Harry nodded and told Zion everything that had happened since they parted ways.


    ording to the scion of the Remington n, they were slowly but surely making progress in the Houdini Desert.


    However, their overconfidence got the better of them after winning several battles against the monsters that they faced.


    Because of this, they decided to aim for an even bigger game.


    Harry nced in Cristopher''s direction before continuing his tale.


    "Colbert suggested that we should hunt Trolls in order to get Avatars, just like Cristopher," Harry exined. "Everyone was confident since we had just finished a sessful hunt, so they all agreed to his proposal.


    "Since the majority had made their voices known, I decided to agree as well. But that was where things made an awful turn."


    A pained look appeared on Harry''s face as he recalled the things that happened to his Hunting Party.


    "We seeded in hunting a few trolls who were hunting alone," Harry stated. "But on our fourth attempt, something unexpected happened. The lone troll we were targeting was carrying some sort of horn. When it realized that it could not beat us, it blew its horn loudly.


    "I knew then and there that we were in trouble, so I Immediately ordered all of us to retreat. Unfortunately, we made a wrong turn when we were running away and got ambushed by a Hunting Party.


    "There were simply too many of them, and fighting them off was impossible. The only thing we could do was run in different directions, hoping that, by doing so, it would allow others to escape. Those who survived headed back to the cave where we had left our food supplies.


    "After resting for a day, I decided to head East because you said that the Barbarian City was in that direction, and here I am."


    Thirteen nodded after Harry finished telling his story.


    "So what do you n to do now?" Thirteen asked.


    "If possible, I''d like to start over," Harry replied. "Can I join your team instead? Instead of leading, I feel like following you is the most optimal choice I can make right now."


    Thirteen closed his eyes to ponder a bit about Harry''s proposal.


    As one of the Scions of the Remington n, the teenage boy was properly trained in Martial Arts, which would be a great boost in manpower.


    If the teenage boy had asked him this a month ago, Thirteen would have readily epted Harry''s proposal.


    But things were different now.


    He no longer needed Harry.


    Harry needed him.


    But as a member of the Remington n, he just couldn''t abandon him because he still wanted to get an Attack Helicopter as a reward for saving his life.


    Because of this, he decided to push him towards Rianna so that thetter would have to deal with him herself!


    "Since you n to be a teammate, instead of a team leader, I will assign you to join Rianna''s Hunting Party. Her goal is to strengthen all the Wanderers by moving as an Elite Unit. With you joining their ranks, they will be many times stronger."


    Harry nced at Rianna before shifting his attention back to Thirteen.


    "Can I join your team instead?" Harry inquired. "ording to Rianna, the two of you are working on different things. If possible, I''d like to be on your team instead of hers."


    Rianna didn''t say anything, but she felt a little annoyed because Harry chose Zion over her.


    However, she knew that if she were also given the same choice, she would choose Zion over Harry.


    This was why, when Zion decided to leave with Cristopher, Rianna didn''t hesitate and joined their team instead of staying with Harry and the other Wanderers.


    Although Zion was younger, in her eyes, she had the highest chance of survival if she were to join him.


    "You really want to join my team?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Harry replied.


    "Then how about this?" Thirteen raised a finger as if telling Harry that he would allow him to join his team on one condition. "Join Rianna''s Hunting Party for a week. If you still think that you can''t work well with her Hunting Party, then I will consider letting you join my team. How does that sound?"


    Harry thought for a bit before nodding his head.


    "I ept this condition," Harry replied.


    "Good," Thirteen then nced at Rianna. "Don''t give him any special treatment. He will be one of your hunting members for a week, so make sure that he earns his keep. Report his performance to me after a week. If I don''t find it satisfactory, I will not ept him on my team."


    "Okay," Rianna replied. "You heard him, Harry. I only expect the best from you. If you don''t get my approval, forget about joining Zion. I will kick you out of my Hunting Party."


    Harry sighed in his heart, but he still nodded his head. "Understood. I will not let you down."


    After that small talk was over, Thirteen returned to his side of the warehouse to talk to Vassago for a bit.


    Just as he expected, the City Lord had decreed that the entire city would be put on lockdown.


    As an expert tracker, Arthas had ced several tracking spells on the treasures in his possession, allowing him to sense their presence.


    Since he had detected that they were still in the city, he rallied his Elite Guards and Officials and visited the locations where he believed the treasures were hidden.


    They were able to retrieve a few of the items that were stolen, but the most important treasure that the City Lord kept in his treasury wasn''t found.


    Although Arthas couldn''t tell why the thieves didn''t take the other items with them when they made their escape, it didn''t change the fact that something very important was stolen from him.


    ''Whoever did this has nned for it for a very long time,'' Arthas thought as he returned to his residence with the treasures he had retrieved. ''Fortunately, they will not be able to use that artifact because I have the other half with me.


    ''Once they discover that they cannot use it, they will definitely confront me in the future. I better make sure to hide the other half in a ce they will never find it.''


    Arthas gaze became cold as he looked in a certain direction in his city.


    A few minutester, he returned to his room to rest.


    He hadn''t gotten any sleep since the thieves had barged inside of his home.


    Once he was properly rested, he would handle the aftermath of this incident and wait for the return of those who were targeting the treasure that was left behind to him by his father.

 Chapter 136 Unexpected Companion

    <h4>Chapter 136 Unexpected Companion </h4>


    Three dayster, Thirteen and his Hunting Party left Gronar City to travel to the Warsor ins.


    Their lineup caught the attention of many people since the number of individuals in the party was equivalent to a mid-sized Hunting Party.


    All in all, seven wagons departed the city.


    While this wasn''t something that others had seen before, it was theposition of the parties that caught everyone''s attention.


    Thirteen, Cristopher, Giga Chad, and the chubby boy''s two Tigerkin ves, Jasmine and Ariel, were riding in the first wagon.


    Percival and the five other Tigerkins, whom Thirteen had named P1 up to P5, rode the second Wagon.


    T1, who was the leader of the Trolls, was riding in the third wagon, alongside T2, and T3.


    As for T4, T5, T6, and T7, they were in the fourth wagon.


    T8, on the other hand, was driving the fifth wagon, apanying the two Ogres, O1 and O2.


    T9 and T10 were driving the sixth and seventh wagons, which would serve as the storage wagons for the things that they would manage to acquire on their hunt.


    However, a few minutes after they left the city, Thirteen saw a ck wagon approaching their group from behind.


    Without wasting a second, he gave a special signal to his subordinates, telling them to get ready to attack if the approaching wagon had bad intentions.


    But when he saw the Drow, Adira, waving at him from inside the wagon, a frown appeared on his face.


    "What''s wrong, Lady Adira?" Thirteen asked when the ck wagon had decreased its speed to move side by side with the wagon he was in. "Do you have business outside of the city?"


    "Yes," Adira replied. "It''s a personal business, and I happen to be going in the same direction as you. Since that is the case, we might as well travel together. Don''t worry. I don''t intend to get in the way of your hunt in the Warsor ins."


    "Understood, Lady Adira," Thirteen nodded. "Let''s travel together for the time being."


    "Good. You made the right decision, Zion."


    "Mmm."


    Thirteen had a feeling that the Drow was just making an excuse.


    But he also wanted to know her true intentions, so he decided to just ept her proposal to travel together.


    Adira was a Champion and a powerful one at that.


    If she really wished to cause trouble for Thirteen and his people, they would have a very hard time fighting against her even if they had the advantage in numbers.


    Since the Drow had never shown any signs of malice or hostility toward him, Thirteen believed that she was traveling with them for a reason.


    An hourter, they encountered a horde of Robust Bison.


    The one leading the herd was a Rank 4 ck Alpha Bison, and its gaze was locked onto the wagons traveling near their herd, ready to attack if it saw any signs of hostility from them.


    Thirteen had no intention of attacking the Bison, so he asked Cristopher, who was driving the wagon, to distance themselves from the Herd.


    Their destination was the Northwestern Region of the Warsor ins, where the Monsters he was targeting were located.


    These monsters were the Warsor ck Hounds, Obsidian Tiger Beetles, and the Red-Eyed Smander, which were all Rank 3 Monsters.


    Thirteen nned to hunt the Hounds because of their long hairs, which he could use for the bowstring of his bow.


    Aside from that, their fur was highly sought after by craftsmen and tailors since they could be used to create high-quality clothes and studded armor that were veryfortable to wear.


    These Monsters were fast and very cunning.


    Although their offensive power wasn''t that high, their speed and cunning made them very formidable opponents.


    What was worse was that these Monsters wouldn''t hesitate to flee if they felt that they were outmatched or suffered any kind of serious injury.


    This made them much harder to catch and kill, resulting in their Monster parts being one of the most expensive items in the Barbarian Cities.


    The second Monster was the Obsidian Tiger Beetles.


    If the Warsor ck Hounds specialized in speed, these beetles specialized in defense.


    Their shells were extremely hard, making them ideal materials for making te armor and shields.


    However, Thirteen didn''t have a fire strong enough to melt the Shell of the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, which was why he intended to at least hunt one Red-Eyed Smander.


    He nned to capture it and bring this back to Gronar City, allowing the ve Master, Norris, to turn it into one of Thirteen''s Beast ves.


    There were other monsters that he would like to hunt, but Vassago had warned him that the war could start in a month''s time.


    Although the possibility of a great battle was still a month away, that didn''t mean that the Tigerkins would wait until that time to send out scouting parties, which were likely capable of killing the Hunting Parties that they met in the Warsor ins.


    Wanting to lower the risk of encountering these Scouting Teams, Thirteen decided to head to the Northwest Regions of the Warsor ins, which was a distance away from the borders of the Barbarian Territories.


    However, this was also a risky move because the location where they were heading was near the Domain of the Golden-


    Eyed Hyenas.


    These monsters were Jinns who loved to eat Human flesh.


    Jinns were stronger than ordinary Monsters, making them a very serious threat to his Hunting Party.


    However, Thirteen wasn''t too worried.


    He had armed everyone to the teeth, and all of their arrows were coated in the poison of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    Aside from that, he also had two quivers filled with arrows, which were coated by the Venom of the Desert Scorpion that had very strong paralyzing properties.


    Thirteen nned to use these arrows against the Warsor ck Hounds and the Red-Eyed Smander in order to increase their chances of capturing them.


    Last but not the least, he had a quiver full of Orihalcon Arrows that were coated by Tiona''s venom.


    This was his Trump Card for a situation where they happened to face a very strong Monster that they couldn''t hope to defeat even if they all worked together.


    The poison of the Domini Mortis was more potent than the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute.


    It might not instantly kill stronger Monsters, but its venom would still spread inside their bodies, weakening them from the inside out.


    The poison that had troubled Lady Callista for many years had a property simr to Tiona''s Venom.


    The only difference was that the venom of the Domini Mortis was stronger, making the Rank of its target deteriorate faster.


    Simply put, if it had been Tiona who had bitten Lady Callista, she would have died before a year was over unless she was able to take an antidote specially made to counter the ck Snake''s poison, which currently didn''t exist in the world of Solterra.


    It was also for this very reason that Jasmine and Ariel both had pale expressions on their faces, as they looked at the seven-


    year-old, who had just given Tiona the order to bite his left shoulder.

 Chapter 137 A Dire Battle In The Plains [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 137 A Dire Battle In The ins [Part 1] </h4>


    "Bite me here, Tiona," Thirteen ordered as he pointed to his left shoulder.


    The ck Snake shook her head, defying her Master''s order for the first time.


    "Don''t worry, it''s going to be fine," Thirteen replied. "Last night, I asked to collect your venom, right? I brewed a special potion that will help increase my resistance to poison. I won''t die from a single bite¡­ probably."


    Tiona hissed angrily at the seven-year-old before flicking her forked tongue at her Master''s nose as if telling him that there was no way she would do such a thing.


    "Okay, how about this¡ªjust limit your poison to one drop only," Thirteen raised a single finger as if trying topromise with the angry little Snake.


    Tiona once again shook her head before slithering inside Thirteen''s clothes no longer wanting to continue the conversation.


    Thirteen sighed because his Beast Companion refused to cooperate.


    He was serious when he said that he was trying to build his resistance against poison. With the most venomous Snake beside him, how could he not be tempted to court death when he was certain that he wouldn''t die?


    Although he might experience extreme pain when the Domini Mortis'' poison spread inside his body, he was confident that the potion he had made, which included Tiona''s venom as an ingredient, would help neutralize the effect of the poison.


    Unfortunately for the seven-year-old, the ck Snake refused to cooperate. On the contrary, this made Jasmine and Ariel sigh in relief.


    Unlike the other Tigerkins, the two of them didn''t hold any grudge or animosity against the seven-year-old.


    In fact, they were even thankful that the one who bought them was Cristopher.


    If they had been bought by other people, especially those who had a unique taste for Beastkins, the two of them might have suffered fates worse than death.


    Both of them knew how much Cristopher respected and admired the seven-year-old, so they knew that the chubby boy would be heartbroken if anything happened to him.


    They had already seen how sad and depressed Cristopher was when the two Ogres that he bought had died at the paws of the Purple-Furred Honey Badger.


    They didn''t want to see him suffer again.


    Suddenly, Giga Chad, who was currently serving as Thirteen''s cushion, raised his head and gave a low screech.


    "Cristopher, stop the wagon and summon Brutus and Bruno!" Thirteen ordered before moving to the rear of the wagon.


    He then made several hand signals to the other wagons, telling them to prepare for battle and get into the formation they had agreed on beforehand.


    Adira, who was reading a book inside her carriage, smiled faintly and nodded her head in approval.


    She had already sensed that there were six Rank 3 Monsters approaching them from behind, but she didn''t do anything to warn Zion''s group about it.


    The true reason why the Drow decided to join them in their hunt was to determine how capable the younger boy was as a leader of a Hunting Party.


    ''They''re almost here,'' Adira mused as she closed the book in her hands. ''Now, show me how good you are atmanding your people, Zion.''


    The seven wagons belonging to Thirteen''s hunting group positioned themselves in a V formation.


    This was to help create a defensive wall at their front, while all their fighters exit from the back.


    Thirteen and Giga Chad stood at the center of the formation, while O1 and O2 stood at the very front, holding their jagged steel swords, which Bruno had crafted as part of his training.


    Although they didn''t really look like a sword and more like big chunks of metal with a handle, they were still very dangerous weapons in the hands of two Rank 3 Ogres who specialized in brute strength.


    The Trolls spread out, with six of them holding swords and shields, nking the two Ogres on the sides.


    The four remaining Trolls nocked their arrows on their bows, ready to fire at a moment''s notice.


    Percival''s party also positioned themselves beside Thirteen, serving as his protectors in case their enemy managed to breach the defensive line of the two Ogres and the Trolls.


    At the very rear of the formation was a pale-faced Cristopher, who was guarded by Brutus, Bruno, Jasmine, and Ariel, who were determined to defend their Master from those who wished him harm.


    "Dire Wolves," Thirteen muttered as he looked at the two-meter-tall Gray Wolves, which specialized in hunting in packs. ''There might be others hiding nearby.''


    Suddenly, Vassago, who was circling above their wagons, shouted.


    "Three moreing from the right side!" Vassago shouted. "I repeat, three moreing from the right side!"


    The Pocopoco had scouted ahead earlier to check if there were dangerous monsters in front of them.


    Because of this, Vassago hadn''t been present to warn his Master that they were being stalked from behind.


    Fortunately, he had returned at the right moment to warn the younger boy that more Monsters wereing, allowing Thirteen toe up with a n in mere seconds.


    "Execute D Formation!" Thirteen shouted.


    After hearing his orders, O1 and O2, as well as the Trolls, all stepped to the side, creating an opening at the center of their formation.


    Perhaps knowing that their sneak attack had beenpromised, the six Dire Wolves charged forward with the intention of overpowering their opponents with their speed and teamwork.


    However, Thirteen had already anticipated that they would go for an all-out frontal attack.


    As soon as the Ogres and Trolls created an opening, the Dire Wolves immediately found themselvesing face to face with a yellow spray that sshed on their faces.


    Giga Chad''s stink spray had two special effects.


    The first one was the otherworldly smell that was enough to drive Monsters crazy due to how smelly it was.


    The second effect, which the Chad Skunk could freely control, was a special irritant that was simr to pepper spray.


    Once it hit its target, it would cause irritation and inmmation.


    If the stink spray happened to hit the target''s face, it was very possible to cause a boiling sensation, severe difort, and temporary blindness to the eyes.


    Giga Chad had deliberately reduced the effect of his stink spray when he used it to neutralize Percival and the other Tigerkin, who dared to annoy his Master.


    In short, both of them only got the nerfed version of the Chad Skunk''s main arsenal.


    Even Thirteen wasn''t cruel enough to make the two Tigerkins suffer a traumatic experience that they would carry for the rest of their lives.


    Unfortunately for the Dire Wolves, Giga Chad didn''t hold back and gave them the full version of his stink spray, making them all writhe and yelp in pain.


    "Charge!" Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, O1, O2, and the Six Trolls charged at the disoriented Dire Wolves, who hadpletely lost their sense of sight and smell.


    Thirteen then nocked an arrow on his bow and fired to his right side, using Vassago to guide his arrows.


    Since the wagons were blocking the three Dire Wolves'' line of sight, they didn''t know that they had already been targeted by the seven-year-old, who had already mastered the Martial Skill Cheap Shot Savant.


    He didn''t hesitate to use the arrows that were coated by Tiona''s poison because he didn''t dare underestimate the strength of Rank 3 Monsters.


    These arrows were made from Orihalcon, making them stronger than the rest of the arrows in his arsenal.


    The Three Dire Wolves only heard the rustling of wind before finding three arrows impaling their bodies.


    Tiona''s poison was extremely potent. However, their opponents were Rank 3 Monsters, so it would take a while before the poison took full effect.


    "Brutus, Bruno, to the right!" Thirteen ordered. "Taiga, get ready to intercept! Focus on only one target! Cristopher, behind me!"


    "T7, T8, assist Brutus!"


    "T9, T10, Assist Bruno! Everyone, brace!"


    As soon as Thirteen finished his orders, three Dire Wolves jumped over their wagons with their jaws opened wide.


    What met them were three arrows flying straight toward their heads, which Thirteen had released the moment they appeared in his line of sight.

 Chapter 138 A Dire Battle In The Plains [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 138 A Dire Battle In The ins [Part 2] </h4>


    The Dire Pack had noticed the wagons that were traveling deeper into the Warsor ins.


    Because of this, they devised a n to attack it in two locations¡ªone at the back and the other on the side.


    This way, the three Dire Wolves on the side would take advantage of the chaos, allowing them to deal a decisive blow to their prey.


    It was sound n that would guarantee a sessful hunt.


    This wasn''t the first time that the Dire Wolves had used such a strategy.


    Unfortunately for them, the Six Dire Wolves were up against a creature that they had never encountered in their lifetime.


    Because of this, they were ill-prepared to handle the consequences of their frontal assault, which ended up in disaster.


    Since Giga Chad didn''t hold back when unleashing his Giga Destroyer, the six Dire Wolves found themselves temporarily blinded and wheezing due to the potency of the Chad Skunk''s main arsenal.


    O1, O2, as well as T1 up to T6, didn''t miss this opportunity and charged at the crippled Wolves, who were unable to see and smell.


    They already knew how foul smelling Giga Chad''s stink spray was. But, this was the first time they saw it being used during real battles.


    Although they didn''t want to admit it, they were relieved that the Chad Skunk was their ally, and not their enemy.


    The nearest Dire Wolf yelped in pain as O1''s jagged sword connected with the side of its face, making it skid on the ground.


    The Dire Wolf''s face turned into a bloody mess, but it didn''t die instantly. However, being alive didn''t mean that it didn''t suffer any serious injuries from the full-powered blow of a Rank 3 Ogre.


    O2, on the other hand, did as O1 did and smashed the second Dire Wolf on top of the head.


    The Ogre had held his weapon with both hands, increasing its power.


    A resounding crack was heard as the sword mmed on the Wolf''s head, breaking its skull.


    The Dire Wolf didn''t even see iting and only felt a hard impact on its head, making it stagger and copse on the ground.


    Seeing that its target was still alive, albeit barely, O2 once again raised its jagged sword and swung it repeatedly.


    Blood dyed the ground red as the Dire Wolf was nearly beaten to death.


    However, before O2 could give the finishing blow, Thirteen ordered it to target the other wolves before they could escape.


    It was at this moment that the three Dire Wolves leaped over the wagons and met Thirteen''s three arrows that he had unleashed from several meters away.


    His arrows embedded themselves on the front legs of his targets.


    However, the three wolves seemed to be unaffected by Thirteen''s arrows.


    Even so, the young boy wasn''t discouraged as he barked an order to Cristopher.


    "Cristopher, kill the Dire Wolf that O2 had left alone," Thirteen ordered as he knocked a single arrow into his bow. "Jasmine, Ariel, protect him. Now go!"


    Thirteen''s shout brought Cristopher out of his daze. The chubby boy hurriedly charged toward the fallen wolf and raised the steel spear that the younger boy had made for him.


    This spear was coated with the poison of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, containing a powerful poison.


    The seven-year-old had instructed everyone that no matter what happened, they were not allowed to deal the final blow to the monster.


    The one who would kill them was Cristopher.


    O2 had momentarily forgotten this when he was fighting against his opponent, so this time, instead of targeting the Dire Wolf''s head, it shed downwards, targeting its leg, to cripple it.


    Then T1, who was leading the other Trolls, had long used this strategy.


    Each Troll targeted a Dire Wolf''s leg, crippling them.


    They moved fast as a single unit, and the moment the Wolf had copsed on the ground, they would move to the next one.


    While the Ogres and the six Trolls were busy dealing with the Vanguard of the Pack, Thirteen, Brutus, Bruno, Percival, and their teammates were busy dealing with the three Dire Wolves that had tried to sneak attack them from the side.


    Bruno had met the charge of one of the Wolves, specifically the one who had two arrows sticking out of its body.


    In terms of raw power, the Ogre was slightly stronger than the Dire Wolf, so the moment the two shed, the one who got pushed back was the wolf.


    Brutus, on the other hand, raised his steel shield and mmed it into the second wolf''s face.


    The sound of metal and razor-sharp teeth rang out in the surroundings. Although the Dire Wolf was mostly unhurt, this sh stopped the Dire Wolf''s momentum, allowing Brutus and the two Trolls, who hade to assist him, to use their swords and round shields to keep the Monster at bay.


    All three of them were Rank 2 Monsters, so even if the Dire Wolf was a Rank 3 Monster, they would be safe as long as they fought it defensively.


    Their goal wasn''t to kill it but to stall for time until theirrades were done dispatching the six other Dire Wolves behind them.


    As long as they endured, they believed that they would be able to ovee their current predicament when their reinforcements arrived.


    Percival gritted his teeth as he and the five Other Tigerkins engaged the Third Dire Wolf.


    Among the forces under Thirteen''smand, they were the ones who were in a bad position.


    Two of the Tigerkins were Rank 2, while the rest were Rank 1.


    One of the girls was sent flying when the Dire Wolf swiped her away with its paws.


    Fortunately, she was able to raise her shield on time, which minimized the damage that she received.


    Even so, she nowy on the ground, with blood seeping out from the corner of her lips.


    However, her sacrifice wasn''t in vain.


    Just as the Dire Wolf had sent her flying, Thirteen''s arrow flew toward the wolf''s eye, drawing blood.


    A howl filled with pain and anger reverberated in the surroundings as the wolf''s gaze locked on the small boy in the distance, who had already nocked another arrow on his bow, ready to fire at the next opportunity.


    Perhaps, knowing that Thirteen''s threat was greater than the rest, the Dire Wolf jumped over Percival and his teammates with the intention of charging in the boy''s direction.


    Adira, who had already disembarked on her carriage to watch the battle, took a step forward.


    Her purpose for apanying Zion on his hunt was to ensure that he was safe from harm.


    Seeing that the Dire Wolf had now shifted into targeting him, the Drow had finally decided to make her move.


    But just as she decided to intervene, something ck and furry stood between the boy and the Dire Wolf.


    Giga Chad screeched as it raised its paws to fend off the Dire Wolf''s attack.


    Although it was a Herbivore, it didn''t mean that it didn''t have the means of defending itself aside from its stink spray.


    The sound of rustling wind also reached the Drow''s ears, as the Pocopoco in the sky made a nosedive, ready to use its ws to scratch the Wolf''s face in order to protect his Master, whom he vowed to serve for the next three years of his life.

 Chapter 139 A Dire Battle In The Plains [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 139 A Dire Battle In The ins [Part 3] </h4>


    The Chad Skunk''s sharp ws collided with the Dire Wolf''s jaws, sending sparks flying at the point of impact.


    The Herbivores in Solterra were often hunted by predators, but this didn''t mean that they didn''t have the means to protect themselves.


    Even a water buffalo could gouge a lion with its horns, if pushed into a corner, and the Chad Skunk had evolved to the point where it could stand on its hind legs like a bear, and fight at closebat if the predator was able to withstand its stink spray.


    Since his teammates were fighting in close quarters, Giga Chad was unable to unleash his stink spray at the three Dire Wolves that attacked them from the side.


    Because of this, he stayed by Thirteen''s side, ready to protect his Master as ast resort.


    Chad Skunks were not aggressive creatures, but when they needed to fight, they fought like bears.


    After blocking the Dire Wolf''s first assault, Giga Chad screeched as it prepared to lunge at its enemy.


    But just as it was about to initiate its attack, it saw a blur appear at the corner of its eye.


    A secondter, the Dire Wolf yelped as Vassago''s ws scratched its eyes.


    Thirteen didn''t miss this opportunity as he released the arrow in his hand.


    The arrow flew under Chad Skunk''s arm, and entered the Dire Wolf''s jaw, embedding itself on the monster''s throat.


    Before the wolf could even howl in pain, the Chad Skunk''s ws descended, hitting the side of its face, making it stagger.


    Another arrow flew past the skunk''s left shoulder, embedding itself once more in the Monster''s throat.


    A few secondster, razor sharp ws scratched the Monster''s neck, drawing blood.


    It was a very bloody scene, but Adira could only smile, and appreciate the carnage that was happening in front of her.


    Thirteen shifted his attention to the other Wolves in the battlefield, and sighed with relief when he saw that O1, O2, T1, up to T6, had already neutralized the six Wolves, with two of them dying in Cristophers hands.


    "Cristopher,e here!" Thirteen ordered, making the chubby boy, who was about to kill another crippled Wolf, halt his movements.


    Cristopher had known by now to never question his Young Master''s orders.


    If Zion ordered him to jump, he would jump.


    If he was ordered to kill, he would kill!


    Jasmine and Ariel, who were serving as Cristopher''s bodyguards, ran alongside him.


    O1 and O2, were already running alongside the other Trolls to help Brutus, and Bruno, with the Wolves they were fighting against.


    The moment their reinforcements came, the battle became one-sided with Cristopher dealing the final blow to the three Dire Wolves.


    After the three wolves died, Thirteen ordered the trolls to tie up the legs, and the mouths of the four surviving wolves, preventing them from escaping.


    Their legs were all broken, but that didn''t mean that they didn''t pose a threat to them.


    Because of this, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to shoot them with paralyzing arrows, sealing their fates.


    "Master, we did it!" Cristopher hugged the younger boy.


    He was quite happy after the intense battle ended in their victory.


    "Did you get anything after killing those five wolves?" Thirteen asked.


    "I got nothing...," Cristopher replied sadly.


    Thirteen sighed after hearing the chubby boy''s reply.


    He already knew that Cristopher wasn''t that lucky when it came to item drops, so he had learned to ept it.


    ''Fortunately, four of these wolves are still alive,'' Thirteen thought.


    The seven-year-old thought long and hard if they should return to Gronar City in order to hand over the wolves to Norris, so that he could put a ve Tattoo on their foreheads.


    It was quite unfortunate, because if the bodies of the five wolves couldn''t be sold because in just a few hours, their meat would rot and be poisonous.


    That was the after effect of Tiona''s venom, which the Dire Wolves had ignored earlier.


    During the battle, Tiona''s poison had spread itself inside the Dire Wolves'' blood vessels, weakening them from the inside out.


    Although the Wolves seemed fine on the surface, their reaction time, as well as their body''s performance had begun to deteriorate at a steady pace, allowing the weaker monsters to fight them on equal footing.


    The longer the battle progressed, the weaker the wolves became, which sealed their fates.


    In the end, their first battle was a resounding sess, but it would have ended terribly if everyone didn''t y their part well.


    Giga Chad and Vassago were the VIP''s, and Thirteen was very satisfied with their performance.


    He already had his eye on the Chad Skunk because he understood its potential in battle.


    The creatures of the Valbarra Archipgo still hadn''t met this creature, so they were ill prepared when it came to facing it for the first time.


    Vassago, on the other hand, was a very valuable scout, keeping watch on their surroundings, and warning his Master about potential threats.


    If the Pocopoco didn''t tell them that there were three other wolves who were nning a sneak attack to their right side, they might have been taken byplete surprise, and suffered some casualties.


    Just as Thirteen was thinking of whether they should return to the city or not, Adira appeared beside him, and tapped his right shoulder.


    "Do you want me to store these Dire Wolves inside cages?" Adira asked. "I can ask my coachman to bring them back to Norris, so you don''t have to return to Gronar City."


    Adira knew that Zion nned to head Northwest in order to find the Warsor ck Hounds.


    Although the boy didn''t say anything, the Drow could tell that Zion had set a time limit to their hunt, so returning to the city was not an ideal scenario for him.


    Because of this, she decided to offer her assistance because she was impressed by the boy''s ability tomand his people.


    "Thank you for your offer, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "I would like to ask for your assistance in this matter."


    "Good." Adira nodded before taking out four ck cubes from her storage ring.


    She threw these cubes at the Four Dire Wolves, imprisoning them in steel cages with wheels.


    The Drow then attached the cages to each other, forming something simr to a train beforetching it on the carriage that she used.


    This was how Norris transported his captured ves in the Barbarian Cities, allowing them to hunt any beasts they came across in the wild.


    "Well then, please take care of me for the time being, Zion," Adira said as soon as her carriage disappeared in the distance. "Since my ride is gone, I''ll be traveling in your wagon for the time being."


    Thirteen already guessed that the Drow''s real intention was to observe him and his Hunting Party, and see how they would perform during battles.


    Since she didn''t n on getting in the way, he decided that it wouldn''t hurt having her around.


    Also, he had a feeling that bringing her along would be more beneficial to their group in the long run, so he agreed to her request without much resistance.


    "All of you performed well," Thirteen said as he faced his people. "But, this battle has proven that our teamwork still has ws. This is perfectly understandable because this is the first time that we are fighting together.


    "However, remember this, if you all don''t want to die, don''t let these small victories go to your head. All it takes is one mistake for all of you to lose your lives, so never lower your guard.


    "The ce where we will go is a very dangerous ce, so I want everyone to obey mymands without question. A second of hesitation might cost you your lives, so remember to follow my orders ordingly, especially during battles."


    The boy then nced at the corpses of the Monsters on the ground and gave another order.


    "All the Brutes, and all the other Trolls, start to dismantle these corpses, and take what is valuable. All the Cores will be given to Cristopher. Last, but not least, the meat is poisonous so if you don''t want to die, don''t eat it. I''ll give you an hour to finish this task."


    Vassago, who was listening to Thirteen''s orders, flew up to the sky.


    He already knew the role he needed to y, so he didn''t wait for the boy to order him to do anything.


    The seven-year-old then returned to the first wagon to rest, alongside Cristopher, Adira, Jasmine, Ariel, and Giga Chad.


    This was their first battle in the Warsor ins, and Thirteen knew that this was only the beginning.

 Chapter 140 Arriving At The Furvus Grasslands

    <h4>Chapter 140 Arriving At The Furvus Grasnds </h4>


    Three days after the battle against the nine Dire Wolves, the seven wagons arrived at their destination.


    Cristopher, who was seated at the coachman''s seat, couldn''t help but feel anxious as he stared at the vast expanse ofnd in front of him.


    The clouds in the sky cast a gray light on the surroundings, but even this light couldn''t prate the darkness that extended for miles on end.


    "Furvus Grasnds," Thirteen muttered as his eyes scanned thend, where everything that grew was darker than ck.


    Tiona eyed the surroundings and liked what she saw.


    In this kind of ce, she would be nigh invisible and invincible, bringing death to those whom she wished to die.


    "This is a nice ce," Adira said as she, too, looked at the Grasnd in front of her. Every de of grass was the same color as her skin, and that pleased her eyes.


    Everyone disembarked from their wagons and nced at thend in front of them. For a brief moment, they sensed the presence of countless lifeforms staring back at them.


    "The moment you step into their territory, you will immediately stand out," Adiramented. "Are you sure you still want to hunt in this ce?"


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "Us standing out is actually a good thing, don''t you think? Since we don''t know where to find them, it will be easier to let them find us first."


    "A sound statement." Adira nodded. "So, what do you n to do now?"


    "What else?" Thirteen ced his hands on his waist. "Set up camp, of course."


    An hourter¡­


    The group of people had ced the wagons around them, creating an encirclement to block the view of any creature watching them from the grasnds, as well as the ins behind their back.


    The campfire cracked merrily as Thirteen added another dried piece of log to keep it burning.


    Cristopher, who was assigned to cook alongside Jasmine and Ariel, was busy adding ingredients to the pot.


    He nned to have stew for the night, which served as a reward after traveling for three days.


    During those three days, they made sure to steer clear of the herds as well as the predators targeting them.


    There were close encounters, but Thirteen managed to intimidate them by ordering everyone to blow the horns that he had prepared for the journey.


    The loud booming sound not only scared the Herd Animals, but also made the predators think twice about attacking them.


    An enemy that was unaware of a sneak attack was different from an enemy who knew that they wereing.


    Of course, before Thirteen ordered the blowing of horns, he would always consult Vassago, who was circling around them.


    Noise not only scared animals, it also attracted them.


    There was a possibility that there were other Hunting Groups in the surroundings that would hear the horns.


    If they did manage to hear it, there was a possibility that they would send people to investigate.


    Thest thing that Thirteen wanted was to fight against other Hunting Parties, as well as Scouting Parties of the Tigerkins who had already managed to infiltrate deep within the Warsor ins.


    Although the possibility of this happening was small, Thirteen wasn''t the type to dismiss such variables.


    While Cristopher was busy cooking, the Ogres and the Trolls were busy digging holes in the ground.


    Thirteen had brought several shovels for this trip, and he made sure that all of them were used.


    Adira found all of this very amusing, so she asked the boy why he was asking the Monsters to dig.


    "I''m nning to build Monster traps," Thirteen replied to Adira''s question.


    "Traps?" Adira arched an eyebrow. "You surely underestimate the Monsters of this ce. Do you really think that your traps will work on them when they can see your subordinates digging into the ground?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "The smarter they are, the more likely they will fall into the traps."


    "Mmm, I''d like to see if what you say will reallye to pass."


    "It will, Lady Adira. I''m sure of it."


    After that small exchange, Thirteen closed his eyes and meditated.


    There were still a few hours before sunset, and he believed that once it came, the surroundings would be pitch ck.


    If the wagons hadn''t been positioned to block the view of outsiders, their campfire would have been seen for miles on end, alerting the predators, which hunted during the night, to move to their location.


    Unlike the other Ogres and Trolls, Brutus and Bruno were now proficient in digging holes.


    With them taking the lead and giving orders, it was only a matter of time before they managed to dig holes around their camp.


    This would serve as their first line of defense against the threats that might attack them during the night.


    Almost all of the creatures that lived in the Furvus Grasnds had Dark Vision.


    Dark Vision allowed them to see in the darkness, which was there greatest strength in the Furvus Grasnds.


    This meant that these Monsters could see between eighteen to twenty meters in front of them as if they were looking at a dimly lit ce, even if there was no light source.


    If there was dim light, they would be able to see things as clear as day, which was very advantageous to them.


    The light of the moon and the stars couldn''t prate the dark clouds that seemed to be permanently ced in the sky above the Furvus Grasnds.


    Simply put, the moment the sun set, the world would be covered in eternal darkness, which would be unnerving for the people who weren''t used to dark ces.


    Fortunately, with the exception of Thirteen and Cristopher, everyone in their team had Dark Vision.


    Even Vassago could see in the darkness, for that was a trait of all Pocopocos.


    "So do you n to hunt tomorrow when the sun is up?" Adira asked as Cristopher respectfully passed her a bowl of hot stew.


    "Why would I do that?" Thirteen asked. "Wouldn''t it be better to hunt during the night?"


    Adira arched an eyebrow as she looked at the seven-year-old, who had started to eat.


    Sensing her gaze, Thirteen decided to ignore her and continue to eat.


    As someone who could see during the night, Adira didn''t know what the boy was thinking.


    However, she decided to not pry into the topic any longer and simply waited for Zion to show her what he meant when he said that it would be easier to hunt in the Furvus Grasnds during the night rather than hunting those who lived in it during the day.

 Chapter 141 Not Bad For Your First Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 141 Not Bad For Your First Hunt </h4>


    Two hours after sunset, the surroundings had bepletely dark.


    Cristopher felt suffocated by the darkness, so he asked Jasmine and Ariel to sit beside him as he tended the campfire.


    Unlike the two Humans in their group, Adira, the Ogres, the Trolls, and the Tigerkins were in their environment.


    They were creatures who could hunt whether it was day or night, so they weren''t too bothered by the darkness around them.


    Even so, they had to admit that it was still unnerving since their vision could only extend up to twenty meters.


    Anything past that was hard to see, making them raise their guards.


    What they didn''t know was that the Monsters in the Furvus Grasnds had an improved version of Dark Vision.


    Unlike the Monsters who didn''t live in their environment, the creatures of the Grasnds could see up to fifty meters in front of them.


    That was more than twice the range of what the others could see, but this was not a problem for Thirteen.


    After dinner, the boy went to the first wagon to make his preparations.


    "Brutus, light the fire in front of my wagon, then get away after it''s done," Thirteen ordered as he began to assemble the weapon he had bought for the trip.


    Unlike the other Wagons, which were parked sideways, the rear of Thirteen''s wagon was facing the grasnds.


    Slowly but surely, the boy assembled his secret weapon, which he had personally crafted for this trip.


    It was none other than a mounted crossbow with a scope.


    This crossbow could hit targets up to a hundred meters with great uracy.


    With this kind of weapon, Thirteen could hit his targets, before they even knew what hit them!


    After mounting his crossbow properly, the boy put on a set offortable leather armor, which would help mitigate the crossbow''s recoil.


    He thenid down in the wagon and adjusted the crude scope that he had made before they embarked on this trip.


    Vassago, who already knew what to do, took off to the skies and circled around the camp.


    Giga Chad, who had apanied the boy inside the wagon,id beside Thirteen and kept thetter warm with his fur.


    The Trolls, who were on guard duty, also knew what was happening.


    They remained in their position and kept an eye on their surroundings.


    Half an hourter, a whistling sound reached the boy''s ears.


    ''Right side,'' Thirteen mused as he moved his crossbow to the right and peered through its scope.


    As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw an "eye shine" that belonged to a creature, whose faintly glowing eyes allowed it to see in the darkness.


    Thirteen didn''t know what kind of monster it was because the only thing he could see was the shine of its eyes.


    Even so, it was enough for him to lock on to its position.


    He watched as the Beast slowly crawled in the direction of their camp like a moth that was attracted to an open me.


    Although it was moving through the grass, it didn''t make any sound, proving that it had perfected the art of hunting in the Grasnds.


    However, the prey it had targeted was well aware of its approach and even nned to give him a very warm wee.


    Thirteen smirked as his index finger rested on the trigger of his crossbow.


    He was letting the creature move a little closer so that the Trolls wouldn''t have to move far in order to retrieve it.


    The bolts he was using were dipped in the Scorpion''s venom, which had already been used up.


    He wasn''t nning to kill the creature.


    What he hoped to do was capture it alive.


    His original n was to directly kill the Monsters in the Furvus Grasnds and dismantle their bodies to get the important Monster Parts.


    However, after knowing that Adira could lock them up in cages, the seven-year-old thought that it was more profitable to capture them alive rather than kill them.


    When he deemed that the target was within his effective range, the boy pulled the trigger of the crossbow, which let out a faint "thwack" as the cross bolt was sent flying.


    Even though the monster heard the weird sound, it didn''t know what it was.


    Because of this, it was already toote when something hit its chest area, making it howl in pain.


    Adira, who was seated on the roof of First Wagon, saw themotion in the distance and smiled.


    ''He really came here to hunt at night,'' Adira mused. ''Unbelievable.''


    After securing a hit on the monster, Giga Chad yanked on the lever of the crossbow, allowing it to pull the string back in preparation for another shot.


    Thirteen had asked it to help him with the reloading operation earlier because it would be faster if they worked together.


    While this was happening, the seven-year-old had already ced another bolt on the crossbow and prepared to fire a second time.


    The beast that was hit by the bolt was surprised and confused, which prompted it to run away.


    Fortunately, the paralyzing poison of the Desert Scorpion was quick to take effect, allowing Thirteen to shoot another arrow, hitting the monster''s back in the process.


    Since his target was still in his effective range, Thirteen didn''t have a hard timending his second shot.


    "O1, O2, Charge!" As soon as Thirteen gave the order, the two Ogres ran toward the Grasnd, holding torches in one hand and bone clubs in the other.


    Since they didn''t n to kill their target, they didn''t bring their jagged swords and left them in the camp.


    When they arrived at their destination, the two Ogres saw a Rank 2 ck Panther, who seemed to only want to investigate their camp.


    Since it was already paralyzed, they had no trouble dragging it back to the camp. They presented its body to the seven-year-


    old, who had a disappointed look on his face.


    "Too bad. It wasn''t the ck Hound that you were looking for," Adira said while patting the seven-year-old''s shoulder. "Even so, this Panther is still worth a decent amount of coins. So, not bad for your first hunt."


    Adira then casually tossed a ck cube onto the Panther, trapping it inside a cage, which the Ogres moved to the rear of their camp.


    The other Monsters, who were paying close attention to Thirteen''s camp, had no idea what had just happened.


    All of them hastily retreated when the two Ogres came running in their direction.


    Although they didn''t understand how the ck Panther was neutralized, they became wary about approaching the camp for the rest of the night.


    Because of this, the seven-year-old, who was very eager to catch another Monster, gradually fell asleep, with his finger still resting on the trigger of his crossbow.

 Chapter 142 I Will Just Go On A Patrol

    <h4>Chapter 142 ?I Will Just Go On A Patrol </h4>


    The sound of shovels digging into the ground could be heard around the camp.


    An hour after breakfast, Thirteen ordered all the ves to start digging, with the exception of Jasmine and Ariel, who were under Cristopher''smand.


    Adira watched all of this with amusement because she still thought that this was just a waste of time.


    The boy didn''t even bother to cover the holes on the ground, and she believed that no sane monster would fall into the four-meter-deep holes that the other party had ordered to be dug.


    As usual, Thirteen had other thoughts in mind.


    What the Drow thought wasn''t wrong.


    In fact, she was right.


    But she was only right when it came to individual hunting.


    The purpose of the holes wasn''t just to trap animals, but to serve as their line of defense if things went terribly wrong.


    Not all ces around their temporary camp were dug out.


    Thirteen made sure that there was an undug path wide enough to let two wagons travel side by side, which was left like that on purpose. Just in case something unexpected happened, this could be used to make their escape.


    ording to Vassago, he had spotted several Golden-Eyed Hyenas five miles away from their location.


    These were the Jinns whose territory bordered the Furvus Grasnds.


    Five miles might seem like a great distance away, but when it came to Monsters hunting in packs, this distance could be covered in just the span of a few hours.


    Thirteen didn''t want to take any chances, so he was making a hundred-meter defensive line, littered with four-meter-deep holes.


    In normal circumstances, Monsters wouldn''t fall into these holes.


    But, in not-so-normal circumstances, these uncovered traps, which Adira believed to be just a waste of time, would help stall the Monsters while they made their escape.


    It was perfectly normal for the Drow to think that she could escape easily. After all, she was a Champion.


    However, Thirteen and Cristopher were Wanderers who still hadn''t attained the Rookie Rank.


    They were very vulnerable, especially when facing Rank 2 Monsters and above that often hunted in packs.


    If it was just one Monster, Thirteen could still deal with it.


    But a Hunting Pack was another matter.


    Even with Giga Chad on their side, the seven-year-old treated his enemies as cunning individuals who couldn''t be underestimated.


    "Young Master, there are monsters over there," Cristopher pointed in the distance where three ck Rhinoceros were gathered. "Should we hunt them?"


    Thirteen nced in the direction where Cristopher was pointing and rubbed his chin.


    The two adult Rhinoceros were both Rank 3 Monsters, and the baby was a Rank 1 Monster.


    ''If my guess is right, these Rhinoceros fall under the category of Brute Monsters,'' Thirteen mused.


    However, after seeing that they had a baby in their group, the boy decided to let them be.


    He had a soft spot for children, even if they were Monster children.


    "Don''t bother targeting them," Thirteen stated. "ording to Lady Adira, she only has six more cages left. We should focus on hunting the Warsor ck Hounds instead."


    Cristopher nodded in understanding.


    Since his Young Master said that they shouldn''t hunt the Rhinos, then he would do as he says.


    Half a minuteter, Vassagonded on top of the first Wagon and started to speak a bunch of nonsense.


    Everyone who heard it thought that the dumb bird had finally gone crazy, but Thirteen was deciphering what the Pocopoco was trying to say.


    "Rhino, Jaguar, Hounds three, seven, two."


    "Eight, none, one."


    "Child, old, adults, fight, eat, sleep. Danger, stranger, safe!"


    "North, south, north east, south west."


    "Many, none, few!"


    "Taiga red butt Baboon!"


    "Shut up you dumb bird!" Percival shouted angrily before throwing a stone at the Pocopoco, who managed to evade it in time.


    "Ack! Murder! Murder! Help!" Vassago shouted before circling high in the sky, out of reach of Percival''s stone throws.


    Thirteen pondered a bit after hearing Vassago''s report. They had agreed that if there were many people around them, they would speak in codes.


    To not make things difficult, they decided to make every three words the real message that the Pocopoco needed to convey.


    In short, what Vassago''s message was.


    Hounds, two, one, adults, sleep, safe, north east, few.


    This meant that there was one ck Hound, who was sleeping, two miles away in the Northeast direction, and it was safe to go because there were few Monsters in the area.


    The Taiga red butt Baboon part was just a smokescreen, and Vassago''s way of messing with the Tigerkin, who was no challenge to anger.


    The reason why Thirteen was here in the Furvus Grasnds was to capture a Warsor ck Hound, which was a Rank 3 Monster.


    He knew that these monsters were very smart, and would run away as soon as they perceived a serious threat to their lives.


    Because of this, bringing arge group in order to hunt them was a very bad idea.


    The moment the ck Hounds saw a group of Monsters or peopleing in its direction, it would immediately run away without a second thought.


    It only fought battles that it had a high chance of winning, so capturing them was extremely hard and frustrating.


    "Giga,e with me," Thirteen ordered. "The rest of you, continue digging and protect the camp while I am away. I will just go on a patrol to make sure that the area is safe."


    Adira watched the seven-year-old climb on the back of the Chad Skunk before leaving their camp to head Northeast.


    After pondering for a bit, a smile appeared on the Drow''s Face as she sneakily followed the seven-year-old, who mentioned that he was only going out on patrol


    The Drow had alreadybeled Zion as a very mysterious boy who was full of surprises.


    She believed that there was a deeper meaning behind him going on patrol.


    The boy only brought Tiona and Giga with him, which didn''t seem like a safe decision, especially in the Furvus Grasnds.


    Although the Pocopoco seemed to be following the boy from the sky, Adira believed that Zion was up to something, and she wanted to know what that something was.


    Half an hour after leaving the camp, Vassago whistled, telling Thirteen that someone was following him from behind.


    The boy didn''t need to turn around to know who it was because this was all part of his n.


    He knew that Adira was paying close attention to him, so he decided to go alone.


    If there was a Champion following him, then he would have an easier time surviving if something unexpected came up.


    Also, Adira could easily take him to safety if he ever found himself in danger. Because of this, he took the best course of action and only traveled with Giga.


    The fewer people with him when he did his hunt, the more protected their camp would be against outside threats.


    Giga Chad would often nce in the sky to check the direction where the Pocopoco was flying.


    Using the bird as a guide, the Chad Skunk walked confidently across the grasnds.


    Thirteen was only using his bow and arrows this time because the mounted crossbow was too heavy for him to carry.


    Even so, he believed that with proper nning, he would be able to take down his target before anything else came his way.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Several miles away from the Furvus Grasnds, a five-meter-


    tall Golden-Eyed Hyena opened its eyes.


    The Hyenas around it started to make excited chuckling sounds. They were hoping that their Leader would give them the order to raid the surrounding areas in order to bring more food to their den.


    The giant Golden-Eyed Hyena was a Rank 5 Overlord, which was a Rank weaker than the Purple-Furred Honey Badger.


    Even so, it was still a very terrifying monster and was as strong as a Champion.


    The Overlord of the Jinns cackled, sending the other hyenas into a frenzy. It then stared towards the East and narrowed its eyes.


    It had sensed a powerful presence wandering along the borders of its Domain.


    There was only one creature in the entirety of the Warsor ins who could move unhindered wherever it wanted.


    Although the Purple-Furred Honey Badger was stronger, the Golden-Eyed Hyena wasn''t afraid.


    The members of its cackle were over five hundred, with twenty Rank 4 Monster under itsmand.


    There were also dozens of Rank 3 Monsters and hundreds of Rank 2 Monsters.


    With a small army at its beck and call, the Overlord of the Hyenas had nothing to fear.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger, on the other hand, didn''t seem to care about the disparity in numbers.


    It went wherever it wanted to go, and those who blocked its way either became its food or food for the group of scavenging Vultures that was following it in the sky, ready to get a free meal, without having to dirty their beaks and ws in the process.

 Chapter 143 I Won’t Steal Your Master From You. At Least, Not Yet

    <h4>Chapter 143 I Won¡¯t Steal Your Master From You. At Least, Not Yet </h4>


    Giga Chad crouched low on the ground, using the tall des of grass as cover.


    Thirteen, who was mounted on his back, used his scope to take a closer look at the sleeping Warsor ck Hound in the distance.


    This monster had very strong detection ability. Simr to a dolphin, it only slept with half of its brain, leaving the other half alert, ready to wake the Monster up in a hurry.


    Vassago, who had taken a good look at the surroundings,nded beside Thirteen and nudged his cheek.


    This was his way of saying that aside from the Drow, who was hiding a distance away from them, there were no other threats nearby.


    "I guess it''s time to use our secret weapon," Thirteen muttered as he took out a waterskin that was packed to the brim, not with water, but with Giga Chad''s stink spray in liquid form.


    Giga Chad''s spray wasn''t really gaseous in nature.


    It was more of a liquid spray that disoriented any Creature it hit, leaving them reeling in pain due to the irritants contained in the Chad Skunk''s foul-smelling weapon.


    "Drop it from a height of a hundred meters," Thirteen ordered. "Make sure to target its head or its upper body. I''ll handle the rest."


    Vassago nodded and held the waterskin firmly in its wed feet.


    Thirteen then took out his bow and arrow, ready to start their operation.


    He pulled the string as far as he could, and focused on the task at hand.


    The Pocopoco, who had also calcted the speed and location of where it would drop its payload, circled twice in the air to gather momentum.


    Upon seeing that the seven-year-old was ready, it released the waterskin from its ws, making it descend at a rapid pace, heading straight towards the sleeping ck Hound.


    Thirteen''s gaze locked onto the falling waterskin with a calm expression on his face.


    When he deemed that the time was right, he let go of the arrow in his hand, making it fly straight and true.


    The ck Hound was sensitive to anything that had locked onto it with killing intent.


    If there were any predator who had set their sight on it, it would know right away, which would prompt it to run away as fast as it could.


    However, Pocopocos were masters in the art of hiding their true characters and intentions.


    Because of this, even if Vassago were to purposely aim at the sleeping ck Hound, its act waspletely masked by the bird''s ability to make anything it did, feel and look harmless.


    Not sensing any threat from the falling waterskin from the sky, the ck Hound didn''t even stir from its sleep.


    The Waterskin was made up of animal skin that would easily burst if dropped from a high ce.


    As long as the Pocopoco''s aim was true, it would explode at the moment of impact.


    Thirteen, who had released the arrow from his bow, was no different from the Pocopoco.


    He had achieved a mastery of his senses, so he was capable of controlling his emotions as long as he put his full concentration into it.


    Anything that might prompt his target to react on an instinctual level, like killing intent, was deeply concealed, allowing his killer attacks to not have an ounce of killing intent in them.


    In short, he was the perfect Assassin who could kill his targets as long as they didn''t have powerful detection abilities, allowing his long-range attacks to bridge the gap between them.


    He had also timed his attack the moment the wind blew over the grasnd, masking the sound of the arrow in its flight towards its target.


    Due to his great uracy and timing, the arrow he releasednded on his target at the same time the waterskinnded on the ck Hound''s face.


    Thirteen''s arrownded on ck Hound''s back and embedded itself firmly in it.


    The Monster, who had suddenly been hit by two attacks at once, howled in pain as it tried to immediately stand up and run.


    But due to the fact that it was temporarily disoriented, it didn''t know which direction it was running.


    The ck Hound wasn''t aware that it was running straight in Thirteen''s direction, which was greatly advantageous to thetter.


    Drawing his bow, Thirteen rapidly fired arrows in quick session, purposely hitting his target''s chest while avoiding the vital parts.


    Thirteen nned to capture the ck Hound alive and was only using paralyzing arrows to restrict its movements.


    Due to it being disoriented, the ck Hound ignored the pain it was feeling and continued to run in one direction.


    Its logic was simple.


    As long as it ran, it would be able to escape whoever was attacking it.


    It didn''t know that it was only offering itself up on a silver tter, unable to see that it had chosen the wrong direction to run in.


    After firing six arrows, the ck Hound ran past Thirteen only to copse on the ground after Giga Chad extended its feet to trip the Hound''s legs, making it skid on the ground for several meters beforeing to aplete stop.


    It had tried to stand up, but the effect of the paralyzing venom had finally taken hold of its body.


    Just as Thirteen was nning to tie the ck Hound''s legs with the rope that he had stored inside his storage dimension, he heard someone pping in the distance.


    "Marvelous," Adira said with a satisfied look on her face. "I knew it. You didn''t juste on a casual patrol. You and that Pocopoco understand each other perfectly.


    "If Norris were to discover that you have sessfully tamed that dumb bird, I''m sure that he would ask you for the method for how you managed to do it."


    Thirteen was unfazed by Adira''s words and even tilted his head in confusion.


    "What are you talking about, Lady Adira?" Thirteen asked in confusion.


    "Hahaha, very well, I will keep your secret for you," Adira brushed off the boy''s attempt to make himself look innocent.


    But these kinds of tricks wouldn''t work on her.


    "So, do you want me to help you?" Adira asked.


    "Yes, please," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat.


    The Drow nodded and casually threw a ck cube at the fallen monster, which immediately transformed into a steel cage with wheels.


    Thirteen then tied the cage to Giga Chad''s body, allowing the Chad Skunk to pull their quarry back to their camp.


    Adira also mounted Giga Chad''s back, and even hugged Thirteen from behind, prompting Tiona to hiss at her.


    "Calm down, Tiona," Adira said. "I won''t steal your Master from you. At least, not yet."


    Thirteen, who understood that Adira was a reliable ally, told Tiona not to bite the Drow, and also added the phrase "at least not yet" in the end, which made the Drow giggle.


    They were not aware that several miles away from them, a confrontation between the two Overlords was about to take ce.


    A confrontation that would have dire consequences for the seven-year-old''s hunting group, who had no idea that they were about to be sandwiched in a territorial battle between Two Power Houses, who treated the Warsor ins as their personal hunting grounds.

 Chapter 144 Giga, Fire Away

    <h4>Chapter 144 Giga, Fire Away </h4>


    "Grrrrr!"


    The Warsor ck Hound, which was locked up inside the cage, growled at the seven-year-old, who was looking at it with an amused look on his face.


    Ever since Thirteen''s group returned to the base, the child had been looking at the Rank 3 Monster, admiring its long, silky hair.


    He had asked for Adira''s help in plucking one of its hairs so that he could change the string of his bow to something more powerful.


    After the hound''s hair was attached, Thirteen tested it immediately to test the effective range of his attacks.


    Due to his small body and current strength, Thirteen couldn''t draw the bowstring to its fullest capacity, allowing his maximum range to only hit up to 300 meters.


    However, if he embedded the end of the bow to the ground, using it as support, and leaned his body as far as he could, his arrow could fly up to 700 meters, without a problem.


    Now that he had found one of the Creatures he was looking for, he intended to hunt the two other Monsters on his list¡ªthe Obsidian ck Beetle, which usually hunted at night, and the Red Eyed Smander, which hunted during the day.


    "You don''t like me, do you?" Thirteen asked the ck Hound, whose growl was making Cristopher feel very anxious.


    "Grrrr!"


    "I see. I''ll make you like me soon." Thirteen chuckled. "Giga, fire away."


    The Chad Skunk turned around and raised its tail, making the ck Hound''s hair all stand up on end.


    A momentter, a vile spray hit the helpless Monster who was trapped inside the cage, making it roar in anger and frustration.


    Giga Chad didn''t add any irritants to his attack this time. He only used his stink spray, which was more than enough to make a Creature that had a very strong sense of smell, suffer terribly.


    Percival and the other Tigerkin, whom Thirteen named P1, could only look at the Rank 3 Monster with pity. After all, it was up against a boy who was worse than a devil.


    After getting a dose of Giga Chad''s smelly fart, the poor Hound desperately howled repeatedly as if telling all the Monsters in the surroundings to not allow themselves to be captured by the bastardly little boy, who was clearly enjoying its suffering.


    "You and I will get along, Zion," Adira said. "Both you and I like to make others suffer."


    Thirteen neither denied nor confirmed Adira''s statement because he did what he needed to do in order to achieve the goal that he had set out to do.


    "Young Master, they''re almost done with the digging," Cristopher reported after checking the progress of the ves. "What should I tell them after they''re done?"


    "Tell them to eat and rest for a few hours," Thirteen replied. "They''ll need the strength just in case some nasty buggers creep toward our camp tonight."


    The seven-year-old was making the Warsor ck Hound howl on purpose. It scared off the small fries while getting the attention of other ck Hounds in the surroundings, hitting two birds with one stone.


    These monsters had a strong bond with each other, so if one of them were hurt or captured, the others would try to at least see if they could rescue them.


    The ck Hound was very smart, but it was facing an opponent that it had never encountered before.


    The mental trauma that Thirteen was inflicting on it was enough to make it lose its mind and ask for its brethren''s help, drawing it closer to the boy''s trap.


    But it was not only the Warsor ck Hounds that the howling was attracting.


    It was also attracting something else¡ªsomething that Thirteen had already thought to be possible but still took the chance to draw in.


    Vassago, who was currently circling the skies and eyeing their surroundings, was looking for a particr Monster that might pose great trouble to their party.


    It was none other than the Golden-Eyed Hyenas, who also frequented the Furvus Grasnds to hunt for prey.


    Unlike the other normal monsters, Thirteen had no intention of capturing them.


    No, he nned to let Cristopher kill them.


    Jinns are the natural enemy of Wanderers.


    Although the chubby boy''s drop rate was very low when fighting against regr monsters, there would be a substantial increase in his drop rate when fighting against Jinns, as long as their Ranks weren''t that far apart.


    Wanderers hunting Low-Ranked Jinns would not benefit from these item drops.


    But Wanderers hunting Jinns whose ranks were higher than theirs was a different story.


    With Cristopher still not stepping into the threshold of a Rookie, it was possible for him to get a fifty-fifty chance of acquiring an item after killing a Rank 2 or Rank 3 Jinn.


    In the end, Thirteen''s true subordinate was Cristopher, not Rianna. He didn''t know Rianna''s background, so he couldn''t trust her fully.


    However, that didn''t mean that he would not share with her the spoils of his hunt.


    In fact, if not for the fact that she was busy leading her Hunting Party, Thirteen would have brought her with him and allowed her tond the killing blow on the monsters that they would hunt because her luck was higher than Cristopher''s.


    Also, Rianna wasn''t greedy.


    The seven-year-old knew that she would dly hand over any items that she received from the hunt as long as he asked nicely.


    ''It''s quite unfortunate that she needed to lead Harry and the others,'' Thirteen thought. ''Still, I pity him. Those three stooges will definitely think of him as their rival for Rianna''s affection.''


    Thirteen had been there when Rianna''s Hunting Party was about to head to the Houdini Desert.


    Rufus, Eren, and Jeane were giving Harry the ''don''t even think about getting close to her'' gaze when the scion from the Remington Family joined them for an expedition.


    ''Rianna is getting too popr with the boys,'' Thirteen chuckled internally. ''This is a good thing. It will be easier to make them follow orders this way.''


    The seven-year-old then whispered something in Giga Chad''s ear, making the Chad Skunk nod its head in understanding.


    It then walked toward the cage of the Warsor ck Hound, the sight of which made the Rank 3 Monster panic.


    Its howls became louder and more desperate as it shouted for itsrades'' help.


    Since the Furvus Grasnds was mostly quiet, with all the creatures living in it having mastered the art of being lowkey, the ck Hound''s call for help could be heard from more than a mile away.


    Soon, several Monsters slowly made their way toward the location of Thirteen''s camp, and their movements didn''t escape the eyes of the Pocopoco, who was now on his way back to his Master to report the approach of the guests who wereing to join them for an early dinner.

 Chapter 145 Adira’s Bad Premonition

    <h4>Chapter 145 Adira¡¯s Bad Premonition</h4>


    ''It worked better than I thought,'' Thirteen thought after hearing Vassago''s report.


    There was both good and bad news.


    The good news was that there were now four Warsor ck Hounds heading in their direction.


    The bad news was that the ck Hound''s cries for help had also attracted three groups of Hyenas, each with three members.


    Among those three groups of Hyenas, there was one group with a Rank 4 Monster, who seemed to be their leader.


    Unlike Wolves who hunted in packs, Hyenas could hunt solo.


    However, when targeting bigger games, they would form groups.


    They were very social animals as well, and working together in groups was not a problem for them.


    The Warsor ck Hounds were fast and agile, while the Golden-Eyed Hyenas were all-rounders.


    While they were not as fast as the ck Hounds, their bite force was stronger than the regr Monsters that lived in the Warsor ins.


    Also, their bodies were surprisingly sturdy, allowing them to take hits from stronger Monsters.


    Thirteen knew that fighting against nine Golden-Eyed Hyenas, led by a Rank 4 Monster, was not going to be an easy battle.


    Giga Chad''s Stink Spray might be potent, but some Jinns could ignore the stench, as well as the irritants it contained.


    The Hyenas didn''t mind eating rotting flesh, so something foul-smelling didn''t deter them in the slightest.


    "Listen, and listen well," Thirteen said when all the members of his Hunting Party had gathered.


    Using a stick, he drew several circles on the ground, making sure to make the position as urate as possible based on Vassago''s report.


    "Currently, there are four groups of Monsters heading in our direction," Thirteen stated as he pointed at the circles that he had created.


    "The first group isposed of four Warsor ck Hounds, which are all Rank 3 Monsters. The three other groups areposed of Golden-Eyed Hyenas, which are led by a Rank 4 Monster, while the rest are all Rank 3 monsters.


    "The ck Hounds'' goal is to free their brethren from the cage, while the Hyenas'' goal is to have us for their early dinner. Both groups are dangerous, and their target is us."


    The faces of the Trolls, Ogres, as well as Tigerkins turned grim when they heard the types of Monsters that they would be fighting against.


    "The only silver lining is that you have managed to finish digging the holes around our base," Thirteen said with a smile. "Although Golden-Eyed Hyenas can jump, they can''t jump very high. If they try to jump over the hole we made, they will fall without fail."


    The group was able to sigh in relief after hearing Thirteen''s assurance, knowing that aside from the path that they had created to allow their escape, all the ces around their camp were littered with holes that were four meters deep.


    If the Golden-Eyed Hyenas were to fall into them, they would not be getting out of it, making them easy prey for Thirteen''s subordinates.


    "Move the wagons to block the path that we have made," Thirteen ordered. "These monsters are smart, so they will, without a doubt, find this path. As long as we line up our wagons in that location, it will be harder for them to reach the center of our formation, giving us plenty of time to hit them with ranged weapons."


    Thirteens'' gaze thennded on the Drow, who was busy filing her nails.


    "I''m not going to help you, okay?" Lady Adira replied without even lifting her head to look at the boy. "I''m just a spectator. Even if most of you die, I will not offer my assistance, so keep that in mind."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding because he wasn''t really expecting any help from the Drow.


    He only looked in her direction to know if she was going to take action or not so that he could put that consideration into his ns.


    "Our strategy is going to be simple," Thirteen said with a smile. "We are going to stand our ground. O1, O2, and Bruno, the three of you will be using the big shields that we have brought for this asion. Your goal is to push the Monsters into the traps that you have dug.


    "Also, whatever happens, pay attention to your surroundings. Anyone who identally falls in the traps will have a dose of Giga Chad''s Giga Destroyer, so keep that in mind."


    Everyone''s body shuddered after hearing the seven-year-old''s threat.


    Giga Chad''s stink spray was so strong that the stench would only go away after three days.


    Taiga and the Tigerkin, P1, were forced to sleep outside of the warehouse because both of them smelled so bad that Thirteen didn''t hesitate to kick them out.


    This threat was so effective that even the dumb Ogres took Thirteen''s words seriously.


    "Taiga, Jasmine, Ariel, P4, and P5, the five of you will use bows and focus your attention on the Warsor ck Hounds if they attack us before the Hyenas arrive," Thirteen ordered. "T6, T7, T8, T9, and T10, the five of you will focus on targeting the Hyenas with bows once theye within your strike range."


    Thirteen then shifted his attention to Cristopher, who was looking at his Young Master with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Cristopher, you will be using the mounted crossbow. Only fire when I tell you to do it."


    "Yes, Young Master."


    Since he had nned to let Cristopher take thest hit for the monsters, he had also taught him how to use the mounted crossbow.


    Unlike bows and arrows that were hard for amateurs to use, the Mounted Crossbow was quite straightforward and more stable.


    The chubby boy had an easier time learning how to use itpared to using the bow.


    "Now move the wagons," Thirteenmanded. "We need to block the pathway before our guests arrive.


    After giving his order, everyone went to perform the tasks that were assigned to them.


    They had unloaded their weapons, and ced them in the center of their camp, allowing them easy ess to their supplies.


    Adira watched the hustle and bustle without saying anything. But, she couldn''t shake off the uneasy feeling that she was having.


    As a Champion who had fought many life-and-death battles, her sixth sense would usually warn her if something big was about to happen.


    Although it was faint, her instincts were warning her that something dangerous was going to happen soon.


    She was currently debating whether she should tell the seven-


    year-old, who was the leader of the group, about her bad feelings.


    However, thinking that Zion would just think that she was overthinking things, she decided to keep her silence and make her own preparations just in case her bad premonition became a reality.


    ¡ª----------------------------

 Chapter 146 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 146 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 1] </h4>


    Thirteen ordered everyone to have a light dinner early because they might not have any time to eatter once their guests arrived.


    When they were done, they quickly got into position and kept their eyes peeled, looking at the darkness around them, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Monsters that were hiding in the dark.


    Half an hourter, their guests finally made their presence known.


    Thirteen and his subordinates didn''t see them.


    Instead, they heard them.


    The creepyughter of the Hyenas reverberated in the dark night, making almost everyone, with the exception of Thirteen and Adira, feel their hearts shudder.


    There was an eerie, disturbing air about theughter of the Golden-Eyed Hyenas, which made even the fearsome Ogres hold the shields in their hands more tightly.


    These Hyenas were no ordinary Monsters.


    They were Jinns, and the reason for theirughter was likely the presence of their most favorite prey.


    Humans¡ªand not just any ordinary Humans but Wanderers.


    Jinns loved to eat Humans. It was for this reason that they would often attack cities. Through it, they would have their fill of Human flesh.


    Whenever they sensed a hunting partyposed of Barbarians, they would make a beeline in their direction, with the intention of feasting on their flesh and satisfying their bestial instincts.


    "Calm down, Cristopher," Thirteen said as he patted the shoulder of the chubby boy, who seemed to be hyperventting due to anxiety and fear. "I''m here. I won''t let them kill you."


    "T-Thank you, Young Master," Cristopher replied as he forcefully tried to calm himself down.


    The chubby boy had faced Monsters before, so he didn''t understand why he was having a panic attack.


    Thirteen knew the reason, but he kept his silence. Cristopher''s uncontroble difort was a Wanderer''s natural reaction when facing a Jinn for the first time.


    It was part of thew of Wanderers that The One had created for those who would travel to Solterra for the first time, allowing them to know who their mortal enemies were, and the foes they needed to ovee.


    Half a minuteter, the hooting of an owl reached everyone''s ears.


    There were no owls in the grasnds, but there was a Pocopoco who could imitate any sound and voice as long as he heard it at least once.


    This hooting was part of the coded message that Vassago and Thirteen had agreed upon, which informed the young boy that the Monsters had started to encircle their camp.


    The Hyenas''ughter earlier had scared away most of the Monsters near Thirteen''s camp, with the exception of the Warsor ck Hounds.


    The three ck Hounds, who also had arrived near Thirteen''s camp, were paying close attention to the situation, which they would use to their advantage to free their brethren.


    Of course, they made sure to distance themselves from the Golden-Eyed Hyenas, for they knew how dangerous those Monsters were.


    Although they were fast and could run away before the Hyenas could get to them, they were still hesitant toe too close to these creepy monsters because the Jinns were stronger than them.


    "They have started to spread out," Thirteen said before ordering Bruno to start throwing the torches that they had prepared outside of the 100-meter protective perimeter that was littered with holes.


    The light from the fire would allow them to faintly catch a glimpse of their opponents, who were shrouded in darkness.


    Although the fur of the Golden-Eyed Hyena wasn''t pitch ck like the other monsters in the Furvus Grasnds, the surroundings were still way too dark for them to pinpoint their location.


    The only way to know where they were was through the eye shine, which caused their eyes to glow in the dark.


    Fortunately, they managed to capture a Warsor ck Hound first, allowing them to use its long hairs to change their bowstrings, giving it a boost in range.


    The mounted Crossbow that Cristopher was going to use could now reach a target of up to 200 meters, which doubled its original range.


    While everyone was waiting, theughter of the hyenas grew louder, indicating that they were getting closer to the camp.


    In time, Thirteen and the rest were able to see small golden glowing orbs in the distance, which were the eyes of the Golden-Eyed Hyenas.


    Just like Vassago had stated, these monsters had spread out to create an encirclement, but Thirteen wasn''t too worried about the Hyenas surrounding them.


    What he was paying close attention to was the location of the four wagons, which had been moved to block their path of escape.


    It was the only area where there were no trapsid out on the ground, making it the only safe ce for the Hyenas to traverse in order to reach them.


    Thirteen never underestimated his opponents, especially when one of them was a Rank 4 Jinn Monster.


    Just like he expected, a Golden-Eyed Hyena approached the location of the wagons,ing near the torches that Bruno had thrown on the ground.


    Everyone caught a glimpse of a monster that was over a meter tall, with a few red stripes on its golden coat.


    Its ears, muzzles, and throat were ck in color, but its golden eyes, which were filled with mischief, eyed them from a distance.


    A momentter,ughter escaped its mouth, making all the other Hyenasugh with it.


    Without a doubt, this was the leader of the Golden-Eyed Hyenas, who hade to feast on them.


    Giga Chad, who was right beside Thirteen, became tense as the eyes of the Rank 4 Monster had locked onto his body whileughing creepily.


    "Don''t worry, Giga," Thirteen patted the Chad Skunk''s neck, reassuring it that everything was going to be fine. "We''ll kill it before it kills you."


    The Chad Skunk whimpered, but it held its ground.


    Giga Chad was only a Rank 2 Monster, so feeling afraid of a stronger Monster was only natural.


    Thirteen eyed the Monster in the distance before lightly rubbing Tiona''s neck.


    "Tiona, I''ll leave that one to you," Thirteen said softly. "Be careful."


    The ck Snake nodded her head before crawling down from Thirteen''s body.


    It was time for her to help her Master fight, which made Adira, who was watching nearby, look at the ck Snake in excitement.


    The Domini Mortis was the most poisonous snake in the world.


    Simr to her Master, it was perpetually fated to remain a Rank 1 Monster throughout its lifetime.


    The reason why this happened was not because the Gods, who once ruled Solterra, hated the Domini Mortis.


    No. In fact, they feared and respected it.


    There was even a saying in the ancient text of the Schrs that if the Domini Mortis were allowed to raise their ranks, they would be the strongest monster in Solterra, without any other monster being their match.


    Tiona slithered silently into the night, disappearing into the darkness.


    If Adira were to offer her assistance, this battle would have been far easier.


    But since the Drow had clearly stated that she would only observe them, Thirteen decided to let Tiona join the battle.


    The Hyenas, who had also appeared outside the 100-meter defensive line, became confused because there were holes all over the ce that they were unable to traverse.


    One of them even tried to jump over the hole, but since Hyenas weren''t really that good at jumping, it fell on the trap and was unable to extricate itself from it.


    Thirteen didn''t ce any spears to kill the Monsters that would fall into the trap because there was no need for it.


    Tiona slithered in the direction of the fallen Hyena in order to neutralize it.


    Although her poison wouldn''t kill it instantly, repeated bites would make the Monster weaker and weaker, disabling it from joining the battle.


    Although the Domini Mortis was only a Rank 1 Monster, and its foe was a Rank 3 Monster, which was stronger and bigger than her, the ck Snake wasn''t worried.


    Just like the Chad Skunk, Tiona had one other ability, and that was to unleash a poison spray at its target. The only con was that its range was very short and only reached up to a meter.


    However, that was enough to target the fallen Hyena, who could do nothing but ept Tiona''s one-sided attack, rendering it incapable of joining the battle ever again.


    When the ck Snake reached her destination, she saw the Hyena trying to jump out of the hole, which was impossible for it to achieve.


    Since that was the case, Tiona didn''t hesitate to open her jaws wide and unleash an inky, and poisonous spray that hit the Hyenas'' face dead center, causing it to howl in pain.


    After aplishing her goal, she slithered away in order to approach the other Hyenas.


    Using the darkness as her cover, she nned to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.

 Chapter 147 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 147 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 2]</h4>


    Thirteen allowed Tiona to join the battle because he needed all the help he could get.


    So when one of the nine Hyenas fell into the hole, the ck Snake decided to deal with it first, knowing that her Master couldn''t leave his spot since he was themander of their unit.


    Right now, the greatest threat was the Rank 4 Hyena, who had realized that their encirclement was useless since they couldn''t jump over the holes that littered the surrounding areas.


    Because of this, it made a whooping sound, calling all the other Hyenas to gather at its location.


    The moment the Hyenas gathered and blocked their only path of escape, the members of Thirteen''s hunting party turned tense. If the smallest thing went wrong, they would have no ce to run.


    Even the Warsor ck Hound that was locked inside the cage could only whimper at the sight of the Hyenas, who once again started tough as if telling the Humans that they had seen through their little trick.


    Thirteen, however, remained calm.


    How could he possibly not consider his opponents'' obvious move of targeting the only ce that would allow them to reach their prey?


    The Rank 4 Hyena wasn''t in a hurry to attack. When its subordinates had gathered, it ordered them to attack the wagons that were blocking their way.


    At that exact moment, Thirteen dipped the arrow in his hand, which was wrapped in a cloth soaked in oil, into the campfire, igniting it.


    "Go, Giga!" Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, the Chad Skunk turned around and unleashed its full-powered stink spray that could reach up to thirty meters.


    Giga Chad couldn''t always unleash a spray with this range because it needed a lot of preparation.


    At most, he could only unleash one of them every fifteen minutes as he built up pressure inside his body, allowing his stink spray to reach farther.


    "Everyone close your eyes and don''t open them until I tell you so!" Thirteen ordered.


    Thirteen only waited those few seconds before he calmly released the ming arrow in his hands before he, too, closed his eyes.


    Cristopher, who no longer questioned his Master''s orders, did as he was told and closed his eyes firmly.


    Percival also acted quickly and closed his eyes.


    The Trolls and Ogres did the same.


    Even Adira, who was the strongest among them, obediently closed her eyes because she took Zion''s words very seriously.


    The only ones who didn''t follow Thirteen''s order right away were the Tigerkins whom he had just bought as ves not long ago.


    But Thirteen had no time to care whether they closed their eyes or not.


    He had shot his arrow at the exact moment when thest of the spray spilled from Giga Chad''s butt.


    The younger boy didn''t even need to look at the oue of his action because he had already calcted things perfectly.


    The moment the me arrow made contact with the stink spray, which had just reached the Hyenas, it immediatelybusted, creating a powerful explosion that engulfed the bodies of the Hyenas in mes.


    For a brief moment, the darkness that surrounded them was pushed back by the blinding light, which also made the skin of the onlookers hurt due to how hot it was.


    Even the Rank 4 Monster was caught by the explosion, making it roar in pain as it temporarily lost its sight due to the brightness that appeared in front of it.


    The five Tigerkins grimaced in pain as they, too, were temporarily blinded by the explosion, making them regret not following the seven-year-old''s order as soon as it was given.


    ''Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one,'' Thirteen counted inside his head before opening his eyes. "Open your eyes and prepare to fight!"


    When they heard Thirteen''smand, everyone, with the exception of the five Tigerkins who were still reeling in pain, opened their eyes and began to prepare for battle.


    "Cristopher, focus on the Hyenas in front of you!" Thirteenmanded. "Don''t target the Rank 4 Monster. Focus your attention on the weaker ones first!"


    "Yes!" Cristopher acknowledged his Young Master''smand and aimed.


    The Hyenas were in disarray, and some of them copsed on the ground, moving erratically as if they were undergoing an epilepsy attack.


    Thirteen was already firing one arrow after the other, but he didn''t aim for the Rank 3 Monsters.


    He aimed for the leader of the Hyenas, who was also affected by the explosion and unable to see properly.


    The seven-year-old knew that this was the only time he couldunch an attack on the Rank 4 Monster, who was unable to defend itself from the boy''s urate attacks.


    The only thing the Rank 4 Monster heard was the whistling of an arrow before it hit its eye, making it roar in pain.


    However, a few secondster, another arrow hit its remaining eye, blinding itpletely.


    From the moment that it was caught up in the explosion, its fate had already been sealed.


    Thirteen had not only mastered the Divine Skill, Cheap Shot Savant, but he was also very good in calctions.


    He had already calcted how the Rank 4 Monster would react once one of its eyes was pierced by the arrow, and aimed at that spot ordingly.


    Thirteen unleashed another arrow, and this time, he aimed it at the Hyena''s throat.


    However, unlike its eyes, the throat of the Rank 4 Monster was protected by a toughyer of skin, making the arrow he used only nick a part of its skin before bouncing off its body.


    Even so, Thirteen didn''t falter and fired two more arrows at the same location where his arrownded earlier, creating a small wound that was only a centimeter wide.


    But that was enough.


    As if waiting for that moment, a ck Snake leaped out from the darkness and sank her fangs into the small wound that her Master had caused.


    Tiona injected as much poison as she could the moment her fangs pierced through the monster''s body.


    With an angry roar, the Hyena shook its head left and right in an attempt to dislodge whatever was biting its throat.


    Tiona released her bite and used that opportunity to be flung away from the Rank 4 Monster, whom she had sessfully poisoned.


    The ck Snake hardened her body, turning into a ck steel pike that pierced the ground where shended.


    A momentter, she returned to her normal form and slithered away from her enemy into the darkness.


    Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that Tiona was safe. However, his world momentarily spun, making him almost stagger.


    He could feel something warm on his face, but he had no time to check his condition.


    The battle was still going on, so he needed to endure the dizziness that assaulted him.


    Embedding his bow on the ground, he used it as support to lean on.


    He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again to look at the state of the other Hyenas, who had several arrows, and crossbow bolts sticking out of their body.


    Due to them being disoriented and blinded, some of them fell into the pitfall traps around them.


    Out of the eight Hyenas who had tried to attack their wagons, only five remained, including the Rank 4 Monster that had suffered from Thirteen''s and Tiona''sbination attack.


    Giga Chad, who had regained hisposure, moved closer to the battlefield and once again unleashed a stink spray, covering the surviving hyenas in a zing inferno.


    The battle raged on for a few minutes, as everyone attacked the Hyenas who were no longerughing and were instead howling in pain.


    In the midst of this battle, they didn''t notice that theirmander had long copsed on the ground, with blood flowing out of his nose.


    Thirteen had used all of his willpower to calcte the trajectory of his arrows, making them hit where he wanted.


    Before he copsed, he made sure to blind all the remaining Hyenas, which turned the battle in their favor.


    However, while this was happening, the Warsor ck Hounds, who had been watching the battle from the side, made their move.


    They circled around to the rear of the party before leveraging their agility and dexterity to jump over the holes in the ground andnd dozens of meters away from the unconscious boy, whose blood was still flowing from his nose.

 Chapter 148 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 148 The Heart Is Strong But The Body Is Weak [Part 3] </h4>


    The Warsor ck Hounds were very intelligent monsters.


    They were not the strongest monsters in the Furvus Grasnds, but they were the most adaptable.


    These monsters choose their opponents wisely. One can even say that they bully the weak, and fear the strong.


    But, due to this mentality, they managed to survive in a ce where everything was darker than ck.


    Taking advantage of the chaos that was happening inside the camp, they deftly navigated through the extremely narrow paths between the holes in the ground and made their way to where theirrade was held.


    With one powerful jump, theynded safely at the rear, unnoticed by the Trolls, Ogres, and Tigerkins, who were preupied facing off against the Golden-Eyed Hyenas, who were taking punishment from Thirteen''s merciless arrows.


    With blood flowing from his nose, the seven-year-old fired one arrow after another. Each arrownded on his target''s eyes, blinding thempletely.


    Each shot was carefully calcted using his mental ability. If only he still had his system body, then such calctions would have been child''s y, taking only a quarter of a second at most.


    Unfortunately, he was now a human child. Doing extreme and precise calctions not only took a little longer but it was also taking a toll on his brain.


    However, Thirteen didn''t waver.


    He knew that even though the Hyenas might have been temporarily crippled by the explosion, this was just a temporary thing.


    If given enough time, the Jinns would be able to regain their sense of sight, and when that happened, things would truly be dangerous.


    Jinns were stronger than ordinary Monsters.


    What was worse was that the majority of them had the ability to enter a berserk state when they no longer cared for their lives.


    Thisst resort would increase their strength by more than half, which could easily turn the tide of battle.


    Even if Thirteen''s team would emerge victorious, they would still suffer casualties, which was something that the seven-year-old wanted to avoid no matter what.


    Because of this, despite the dizziness he was feeling, he gritted his teeth and kept his hands steady.


    He pushed his mental strength to the limit, giving him several seconds of rity, allowing him to shoot his arrow with perfect uracy.


    When thest remaining Golden-Eyed Hyena was blinded by his arrow, he finally copsed on the ground, his brain and body shutting downpletely.


    This was also the time when the Warsor ck Houndsnded at the rear of their camp.


    Two of the ck Hounds ran toward the steel cage, while the third one decided to take revenge on the person who had made itsrade suffer.


    When the caged Hound was howling from pain, it repeatedly cursed the seven-year-old boy, which was heard by hisrades.


    The Warsor ck Hound repeatedly called Thirteen a little ck-haired devil in theirnguage, which was why the ck Hounds paid extra attention to the boy.


    Seeing that he was passed out, the third ck Hound didn''t hesitate to charge in the fallen boy''s direction, while his two otherrades rescued their caged brethren.


    It wanted to eliminate the boy as a form of revenge before leaving the camp with the rest of itsrades.


    However, that was its greatest mistake.


    "If only you had freed your brethren and left quietly, then I would have turned a blind eye to your actions," Adira''s cold voice reached the ck Hound''s ears. "Targeting Zion while he is unconscious was a very bad move on your part."


    In that instant, the Warsor ck Hound knew that someone very strong was behind it.


    Its first reaction was to distance itself from whoever it was, but it was already toote.


    Adira smashed her fist on the back of the ck Hound''s head, knocking it unconscious.


    She then summoned her bow and fired four arrows in rapid session, hitting the hind legs of the two other Warsor ck Hounds who were about to free their brethren.


    The arrows urately hit the joints of their legs, making the two ck Hounds fall to the ground, howling in pain.


    Adira coldly looked at these monsters without a shred of mercy.


    "If the two of you move, the next arrows will hit your heads," Adira said with a voice filled with killing intent. "Do not test my patience."


    The Drow had briefly unleashed the power of her Rank, making the two ck Hounds whimper. Clearly, they realized that the Drow, who had only been spectating the battle earlier, was actually a Champion.


    After the three monsters had been dealt with, the Drow supported the boy''s body and made him sit leaning forward.


    She then lightly pinched his nose for a minute, to put pressure on the blood vessels to stop the blood flow.


    Adira didn''t dare to pinch Thirteen''s nose for more than a minute because the boy was unconscious.


    Fortunately, his body subconsciously reacted, and he started breathing through his mouth.


    Adira nced at the ongoing battle from time to time.


    She had no intention of helping the others, with the exception of Cristopher because she knew that Thirteen treasured the chubby boy as his loyal subordinate.


    As for the others, they were just ves in her eyes.


    They could die for all she cared.


    As long as Zion and Cristopher were alive, none of the others mattered.


    Suddenly, Adira''s right hand reached out to something in the darkness, which made her sigh.


    "Calm down, Tiona," Adira said as she looked at the ck Snake, whose head was firmly held by her fingers. "Don''t kill this Hound. Your Master would prefer it alive than dead."


    The Snake''s body coiled around the Drow''s arm, as she struggled to break free.


    When she saw that the ck Hound was about to attack her Master, she immediately stopped biting the Rank 4 Hyena and rushed to his rescue.


    However, she was simply too far.


    Fortunately, Adira had made her move and neutralized the threat before it could harm Thirteen.


    Even so, Tiona was still very angry because the ck Hound dared to attack her Master. Because of this, she nned to bite the dog to oblivion until it drew itsst breath.


    Unfortunately, her n couldn''t even be put into action because as soon as she propelled herself to shoot toward the ck Hound, with her fangs spread wide, the Drow easily caught her mid-air, preventing her from taking her revenge.


    "I said stop it, Tiona," Adira ordered because the Domini Mortis in her grip was still raring to bite the ck Hound that Adira knocked unconscious. "If you really want revenge, I''ll tie this dog to you.


    "You can let Giga torture him until you''re satisfied. Wouldn''t that be a more fitting punishment rather than killing it?"


    After hearing Adira''s proposal, Tiona finally calmed down.


    It then raised the tip of its tail to lightly tap on Adira''s arm, telling the Drow that she understood.


    "Are you sure that you won''t attack after I let you go?" Adira questioned.


    Tiona made her tail move up and down as if nodding to the Drow''s question.


    Adira chuckled before loosening the grip of his fingers on the ck Snake''s head, allowing it to move freely.


    Tiona red at the ck Hound''s face, which was only a meter away from her Master.


    She then angrily used her tail to p its face twice before crawling toward Thirteen''s body to check on his condition.


    The ck snake flicked her tongue on the blood that was still flowing out of Thirteen''s noise as if attempting to wipe it away.


    Seeing this action, Adira took a piece of cloth from her storage ring and started to wipe Thirteen''s nose, and lips, making him look less injured than he originally was.


    Half an hourter, the battle finally ended.


    It was only then that everyone realized that their leader had fallen unconscious due to the bacsh of having pushed his mental power to the limit.


    Vassago, who was circling in the sky, suddenly felt something from the Northeast direction.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, he nced at his Master, who was being cared for by Adira, and Cristopher before flying towards the Northeast direction where it sensed a battle between two powerful monsters was taking ce.


    Vassago wanted to know if this battle would affect their camp from far away.


    If it would, he would return in a hurry, and tell everyone to leave as fast as they could before it was toote.

 Chapter 149 Monster Stampede [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 149 Monster Stampede [Part 1]</h4>


    After Adira dealt with the Warsor ck Hounds, Cristopher fired one cross bolt after the other.


    Standing behind him was Brutus, who handled the reload of his weapon, allowing the chubby boy to put all his focus into shooting the ammunition.


    His bolts were dipped in the poison of the Yellow Striped Dusk Brute, so it had a corrosion effect that harmed the Hyenas from the inside out.


    However, their bodies were very sturdy, so even when their bodies were riddled with arrows and cross bolts, they didn''t die right away.


    They only died after O1 and O2 discarded their shields and pulled back the wagons, allowing the Ogres to pass through the blockage and engage their blinded enemies in closebat.


    Bruno kept his shield up and used it to bash the Rank 4 Monster, pushing it into one of the holes in the ground.


    It might already be blinded, but there was still the possibility of it escaping.


    Bruno knew that he mustn''t let the leader of the Hyenas escape no matter what, so he put all of his attention on the strongest threat on the battlefield.


    Cristopher''s bolts only bounced off the body of the Rank 4 Monster, so he no longer attacked it and focused on the other Hyenas, whose bodies weren''t able to resist his attacks.


    After making sure that he had hit everyst one of them, the Trolls and the Ogres teamed up to attack the blinded Monsters, aiming for their heads with their swords.


    The battle was very bloody, and despite theirck of sight, the Hyenas fought with everything they had, relying on their bestial instincts to swipe, bite, and charge at the opponents that were attacking them at close range.


    However, since they couldn''t see their opponents properly, most of their attacks missed. Some of them had also fallen into the holes in the ground when they tried to tackle their opponents.


    Brutus and Bruno, who understood the importance ofnding the killing blow to their enemies, told everyone to back away as they dealt the killing blow to the Monsters, who were on theirst legs.


    Brutus used a bow and arrow to attack the Hyenas that had fallen in the hole, while Bruno took one of the jagged swords and handled the rest.


    Simply put, the Hyenas suffered a one-sided beating, but this beating still took a lot of time due to their strong bodies.


    Three hourster¡­


    Cristopher sat beside Thirteen, who was now sleeping on a bedroll


    The younger boy still hadn''t regained consciousness, so Christopher decided to stay by his side to keep watch on his condition.


    Tiona was coiled up on Thirteen''s chest. Just like Cristopher, she was very worried about her Master''s condition and was also waiting for him to wake up.


    The three ck Hounds were now inside cages. All of them had their hind legs broken, preventing them from even standing up.


    Adira made sure that none of them would be able to run away so that she could give them to Thirteen as a gift in order to make the boy owe her a debt of gratitude.


    While everyone in the camp was still awake and keeping watch of their surroundings, Vassago descended from the sky andnded beside Thirteen''s sleeping body.


    Seeing that his Master was in no condition to give orders, the Pocopoco started to make noise.


    "Run! Run! Run!" Vassago shouted. "Danger! Danger! Danger! Leave this ce now!"


    The Pocopoco was imitating Thirteen''s voice in order to give out orders.


    "A Monster Stampede ising! Run! Run! Run!"


    Before they had begun their trip, Thirteen told Cristopher that Vassago could be trusted and that his words should be taken seriously.


    Although the seven-year-old didn''t say anything else at that time, the chubby boy had seen that the Pocopoco and his Mastermunicated a lot, with the dumb-looking bird scouting their surroundings on a regr basis.


    Seeing the bird shouting orders using his Young Master''s voice, Cristopher knew that Vassago wasn''t just making it up.


    And even if the bird was just spouting nonsense, he would still believe him since he could let his Young Master punish it at ater time!


    "Everyone, prepare to leave!" Cristopher shouted. "Brutus, carry the Young Master to the First Wagon! As for the rest, get the horses. Move, people!"


    Percival, the Trolls, the Ogres, and the Tigerkins, who were Thirteen''s ves, frowned after hearing Cristopher''s orders.


    Since he wasn''t their Master, they were reluctant to obey their orders.


    However, when the chubby boy threatened them that he would tell the seven-year-old that they didn''t follow his orders, all of them started to take his orders more seriously.


    Adira then ordered the Ogres to attach the five steel cages, which contained the four ck Hounds and the ck Panther that Thirteen had caught on the day they arrived at the Furvus Grasnds.


    With each wagon pulling a steel cage, they hastily left their camp, not even bothering to extinguish the campfire.


    Ten minutes after leaving their camp, they all heard the sound of countless Monsters running in their direction, which made them feel as if the ground was trembling.


    "Move faster!" Adira ordered. "Those who get left behind will have to fend for themselves!"


    Within the darkness of the Furvus Grasnds, countless glowing orbs of light could be seen in the distance.


    These glowing orbs were none other than the eyes of the Monsters, who were trying to flee as fast as they could from something terrifying.


    Just behind this massive Monster stampede, hundreds of Golden-Eyed Hyenas were spread out, killing the stragglers that were being left behind.


    Leading them was the Rank 5 Hyena Overlord, who nned to break through to the next rank in a hurry so that it could face off against the Purple-Eyed Honey Badger, who had decided to challenge it to a turf war.


    The two had fought briefly, with the Hyena getting injured by the Honey Badger.


    It was only a minor injury, but it was enough to tell the Hyena that it couldn''t beat its opponent with its current strength.


    The hundreds of Hyenas it had brought had also attacked the Honey Badger, but their attacks were unable to prate its steel-like body.


    They only died a pitiful death after being swiped or bitten by the Honey Badger, whose ferocity wouldn''t lose to a Jinn.


    Because of this, the Rank 5 Overlord ordered its forces to retreat, leaving behind the Honey Badger, who then busied itself with eating the Hyenas that had died in battle.


    Knowing that the Purple-Furred Honey Badger would continue to pursue it, the Rank 5 Overlord decided to hunt en masse, alongside its remaining subordinates, in order to recover from its injury, as well as break through to the next rank.


    Truth be told, if given a month or two, the leader of the Hyenas would also be a Rank 6 Overlord.


    Perhaps, knowing that this was going to happen, the Purple-


    Furred Honey Badger decided to kill it before it could be stronger.


    It naturally had no ns of letting its rival grow in strength, and killing it would end all of its worries.


    Unfortunately, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger wasn''t really a long-distance fast runner.


    It could run in quick bursts, but it was not capable of running for long distances non-stop.


    Using this to its advantage, the Hyenas decided to distance themselves from it and hunt the Monsters they encountered along the way as they headed toward the Furvus Grasnds.


    Because of this, a Monster Stampede was created with both the Herbivores and the Carnivores of the grasnds running for their lives.


    Those who couldn''t run fast enough were devoured by the Rank 5 Overlord, allowing it to take another step closer to its evolution.

 Chapter 150 Monster Stampede [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 150 Monster Stampede [Part 2] </h4>


    The wagons rattled as the horses ran at their full speed, hoping to distance themselves from the horde of monsters that were running in their direction.


    They were at least a mile away from their location, but they could hear the sounds of countless animals moving in their direction in order to flee the horrors that were hunting them from behind.


    Adira, who had taken the reins that controlled the horses of the First Wagon, was pushing the horses to their limits.


    If it was only her, she could probably escape without a problem.


    However, she couldn''t leave Zion and Cristopher behind, which forced her to takemand of the party since the seven-year-old was unconscious.


    If not for Vassago''s warning, the Monster Stampeded might have already overtaken them.


    Fortunately, Cristopher had trusted the Pocopoco''s words, andmanded everyone to evacuate as fast as they could.


    While everyone was doing their best to hold onto the shaking wagons, the seven-year-old stirred in his sleep, but didn''t open his eyes.


    "What''s happening, Cristopher?" Thirteen asked as he propped himself in a seating position. His eyes were closed, as if he was unable to open them temporarily.


    "Young Master, there is currently a Monster Stampede behind us," Cristopher replied.


    He then exined that Vassago had warned them about the iing disaster, which prompted them to evacuate their camp as soon as possible.


    The younger boy didn''t interrupt Cristopher''s exnation and waited until he finished his report.


    When he was done, Thirteen nodded his head in understanding.


    "Good job, Cristopher," Thirteen praised. "You saved everyone."


    The chubby boy couldn''t stop himself from smiling after getting praised by his Young Master, which was something that he didn''t get from his original master, Terence.


    Having learned their current situation, the seven-year-old ced his index finger and thumb finger inside his mouth and whistled loudly.


    A momentter, Vassago entered the first wagon andnded beside his Master, who still had his eyes closed.


    Although Adira was busy driving the first wagon, her ears were paying close attention to what was happening inside.


    Knowing that the Drow was eavesdropping, Thirteen started to chirp like a bird, making Adira frown.


    Cristopher, Jasmine, and Ariel, on the other hand, looked at the seven-year-old weirdly.


    However, after the boy started chirping, the Pocopoco chirped back in return.


    When the System God stripped Zion''s body of all of its potential, he had to rece it with something of equal value topensate for the loss.


    Even the Gods need to pay a price for their actions, and this was why Deus Ex Machina, had bestowed upon Thirteen''s new vessel the power of Universal Language Proficiency.


    This gave him the ability tomunicate with anyone and anything, as long as they had a means ofmunication.


    Because of this ability, the System God didn''t receive a penalty for tampering with Zion''s mortal body.


    Since he had made a promise to the Pocopoco to keep its secret, Thirteen decided to use a method that wouldn''t allow anyone to understand what they were talking about.


    In their eyes, and ears, Thirteen was just randomly chirping like a bird, which made no sense at all.


    Vassago, who had been asked to tell him everything about the current situation, replied in kind.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (A/N: Note that this conversation was had while the two were chirping. I''m just tranting it for you guys since none of you are able to speak Pocopoco Language. Kekeke.)


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Tell me our current situation," Thirteen ordered.


    Vassago nodded and began to tell his Master everything.


    "Currently, the Monster Stampede is just a mile away, and will overtake our party very soon," Vassago reported. "Behind them, at least two miles away, hundreds of Hyenas, led by their Overlord, are devouring everything in their path.


    "The Rank 5 Overlord has suffered injuries from its sh with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger and decided to escape. However, it didn''t just n to escape, but grow stronger in a short period of time.


    "Because of this, his subordinates spread out as they started to sweep over the Warsor ins, forcing the other monsters to flee in this direction. The Honey Badger is in hot pursuit, but since it''s not built for long distance running, it is still four miles away from the Golden-Eyed Hyenas."


    Thirteen pondered a bit after hearing Vassago''s reply.


    He knew that sooner orter, the Golden-Eyed Hyenas would also overtake their party, and when that happened, it would be game over for them.


    After a few minutes, Thirteen formed a n that would help save his people from a fate worse than death.


    "Lady Adira, please lead the others back to Gronar City," Thirteen said as he crawled towards the rear of the wagon where the steel cage of the Warsor ck Hound that he had captured was tied up.


    "What are you nning, Zion?" Adira asked, feeling that the boy was going to do something reckless.


    "Young Master¡­" Crisotpher looked at the younger boy with an anxious look on his face. "What are you going to do?"


    "Bargain."


    "Hah?"


    "I''m going to Bargain."


    Although Thirteen still had his eyes closed, he deftly crawled to the rear of the wagon, facing the caged Warsor ck Hound, who was whimpering inside its cage.


    "Hey, can you understand me?" Thirteen asked.


    The ck Hound shifted its attention to the seven-year-old who had made it suffer a lot.


    "I know that you hate me, but I have a proposal to make," Thirteen stated. "Because of you, yourrades have been captured and injured. In short, they are currently suffering because of you."


    The ck Hound momentarily forgot its fear as it growled at the seven-year-old in anger.


    Thirteen ignored the dog''s growl, and continued what he was going to say.


    "I have a proposal to make," Thirteen stated. "If you promise to help me, I will not only set them free, but I will have their injuries healed as well. Of course, if you don''t want to agree, that''s fine as well. I''ll just use them as bait for the Golden-Eyed Hyenas that are right behind us."


    The Warsor ck Hound nced at itsrades, who were inside the steel cages with their hind legs broken.


    It knew that if the monsters overtook them, none of its brethren would be able to get away.


    The ck Hound then barked at Thirteen, asking the boy what he wanted.


    "Cooperate with me to divert the attention of the Golden-Eyed Hyenas," Thirteen stated. "If you do that, your brethren will live, and their injuries will be healed. What do you say?"


    "Master, are you mad?!" Cristopher, who had been listening to what Thirteen was saying, interjected. "This is a monster. How can you possibly trust it? What if it breaks its word?"


    "Right now, we are on the same boat," Thirteen replied calmly. "If he doesn''t agree to my proposal then he, and his brethren will be food for the Hyenas. I''m just offering it a chance to live."


    "That''s what I''m saying!" Cristopher clenched his fists. "What if it doesn''t keep its promise?"


    "It won''t."


    "What makes you so sure that it won''t?!"


    Thirteen smiled faintly. Although he couldn''t see Cristopher''s current expression, he was very certain that his chubby boy was very worried about him.


    Instead of answering Cristopher, Thirteen asked the ck Hound a question.


    "Will you agree to my proposal?"


    The Warsor ck Hound once again nced at hisrades before barking twice.


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Cristopher, swap ces with Lady Adira for the time being. I will need her help to free the Warsor ck Hound."


    Cristopher couldn''t help but feel that his Young Master had gone mad.


    However, he still followed his order because even if Zion was about to do something crazy, he believed that the seven-year-


    old still knew what he was doing.


    Adira, who had heard everything from start to finish, shared Cristopher''s sentiments.


    But, since their current situation was desperate, she decided to put her trust in the boy, who was willing to put his life on the line for a chance of survival.

 Chapter 151 Monster Stampede [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 151 Monster Stampede [Part 3]</h4>


    "Zion, I sure hope that you know what you''re doing because I don''t want to believe that you don''t," Adira said as the seven-year-old unlocked the steel cage, allowing the Warsor ck Hound to exit the cage and run alongside the First Wagon.


    "Help me ride the Warsor ck Hound, Lady Adira," Thirteen said. "I will handle the rest. You and the rest escape."


    "Fool, do you think I''ll leave you alone?" Adira snorted. "Cristopher, you and the others head back to Gronar City, we will meet you guys as soon as we can!"


    After saying those words, the Drow jumped off the First Wagon, carrying the seven-year-old over her shoulder like a sack of rice.


    She thennded deftly at the back of the Warsor ck Hound and summoned several shadows to bind her, and Zion firmly to its back, preventing themselves from falling off.


    "What''s the n?" Adira asked.


    "We will run toward the Hyenas," Thirteen replied. "Then we will act as bait to divert their attention."


    "Are you mad?!" Adira was almost regretting her decision to apany the boy on this suicide mission.


    Even the Warsor ck Hound wanted to question the boy''s order, but after hearing his exnation, the Drow and the ck Hound both shut up.


    "First, cky will be able to outrun the Hyenas, keeping us safe," Thirteen exined. "Even if the Rank 5 Overlord were to run after us, we can still escape without a problem."


    The Warsor ck Hound barked as if asking the boy whom he was calling cky, because it refused to acknowledge that it had been given a very mundane name.


    "cky, we don''t have time, so circle around the Monster Stampede so that we can arrive at its rear," Thirteen ordered. "The sooner we distract them, the safer ourpanions will be."


    The ck Hound barked, still refusing to acknowledge the name that the boy was using to call it.


    However, it still followed Thirteen''s orders and dashed to the side to get away from the front of the Monster Stampede while circling towards its back.


    "Zion, what''s wrong with your eyes?" Adira asked the boy who was seated behind her. "Can you not open them?"


    "I can," Thirteen replied. "But I won''t. I am focusing my senses on my hearing. Besides, even if my eyes are open, it''s too dark for me to see anything. I don''t have Dark Vision, so it will just be a waste of brainpower."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?!"


    "Lady Adira, please be quiet. I am waiting for Vassago''s signal."


    Just as the younger boy was saying, he was currently focusing his brainpower to focus only on his sense of hearing.


    The moment hended on the ck Hound''s back, he temporarily opened his eyes and could only see a blur of his surroundings, so he just closed his eyes again.


    He believed that this was just a temporary thing to push his vision and concentration past his limits.


    The boy didn''t even have the luxury of blinking when he was targeting the Hyenas'' eyes in order to blind them in the battle they had a few hours ago.


    Because of this, he had strained his eyes, making him only see blurry images.


    Thirteen believed that after a full rest, his vision would return to normal again. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to rest. First, he had to distract the Jinns and force them to change their course in order to ensure that Cristopher and the others could safely escape.


    "I can see them." Adira''s body tensed after seeing countless golden eyes at the back of the Monster Stampede.


    She also saw how they attacked the pitiful monsters that had lost their strength to run, tearing their bodies apart with their strong jaws.


    Behind them was a towering monster that was at least five meters tall, which was the Rank 5 Overlord that ruled them.


    Although it was bigger than the Purple Furred Honey Badger, the smaller monster was stronger and more ferocious than it, forcing the Rank 5 Overlord to escape from their sh.


    "What now?" Adira asked.


    "You don''t need to do anything, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "I''ll handle the rest. Just help control cky."


    The ck Hound barked twice as if telling the boy not to call him cky!


    The seven-year-old then started making bird sounds out loud, catching Vassago''s attention.


    The Pocopoco replied with his own chirping before executing Thirteen''s orders.


    "Lady Adira, can you turn my body around?" Thirteen asked. "I need enough space to draw my bow."


    Currently, Thirteen''s head was pressed on Adira''s back because he was bound by a ck shadow, holding him in ce so that he wouldn''t fall off as the ck Hound ran at full speed.


    Adira knew better than to argue with Zion, so she did as he asked and made it so he could turn around.


    The first thing the seven-year-old did was reach out his hand towards his left, taking his bow out of his dimensional storage.


    Before losing consciousness, he made sure to store his bow so that it wouldn''t get left behind.


    After holding the bow firmly in his hand, he took out an arrow from his dimensional storage and prepared to load it.


    Suddenly, he heard Vassago''s whistle, letting him know the location of the Rank 5 Overlord.


    After nocking his arrow on the bow, Thirteen took aim with his eyes still closed.


    Vassago''s whistle once again reached his ears, making him adjust the position of his bow.


    The seven-year-old then calmly waited for the third whistle to sound. That would be thest-minute adjustment that he needed for his arrow to find his mark.


    He didn''t have to wait for long because, a few secondster, Vassago''s whistle reached his ears, prompting him to fire in that direction.


    The sound of metal hitting metal faintly echoed in the darkness as Thirteen''s arrow bounced off the Rank 5 Overlord''s body.


    However, he had already anticipated this to happen.


    If his arrow couldn''t prate the body of a Rank 4 Hyenas, then there was no way it could pierce through the coat of the Rank 5 Overlord, who was several times stronger than the Hyena he had fought earlier.


    But Thirteen didn''t n on fighting the leader of the Hyenas.


    He just wanted to catch his attention.


    Nocking another arrow on his bow, the boy waited for Vassago''s signal before firing another one.


    This time, his arrow flew toward the hyena''s face, bouncing off of its snout.


    The Rank 5 Overlord growled as it shifted its attention toward the boy who was riding on the back of a Warsor ck Hound.


    It didn''t notice Thirteen earlier because thetter was too small and too insignificant to notice.


    However, after the Golden-Eyed Hyena''s gazended on his body, it instantly recognized the boy as a human¡ªnot just any ordinary human, but a Wanderer.


    The Jinns loved to feast on Wanderers on a bestial level because they knew that they were their natural enemies.


    Jinns already liked to eat humans, to begin with, and Wanderers were like a super delicious delicacy for them.


    Seeing him for what he truly was, the Rank 5 Overlord roared, ordering its subordinates to capture the boy so that he could feast on his flesh.


    "Run, Forest, run!" Vassago''s cry reached Thirteen''s ears, informing him that he had aplished his mission.


    "cky, run away to the West!" Thirteen ordered.


    The ck Hound no longer bothered to bark at the annoying boy and just did what it was told.


    Just like Thirteen had predicted, the Golden-Eyed Hyenas all ran after him, desperate to take a bite out of his body.


    The Drow, whose brows were furrowed, nced behind her and asked Thirteen a question.


    "Why West?" Adira asked.


    "Because the Hyenas'' worst enemy is in that direction," Thirteen answered. "We are simply making it so the two of them meet again."


    After giving his reply, the boy shot another arrow, which once again bounced off the Rank 5 Overlord''s face, infuriating it further.


    Adira, who had no idea that they were running in the direction of the Purple Furred Honey Badger, no longer talked and focused on the path in front of her.


    The ck Hound''s tongue was already lolling from the side of its mouth as it decreased its speed to save its strength.


    Simr to the Drow, it didn''t know what the seven-year-old was thinking.


    However, it remained vignt as it ran at a steady pace.


    It didn''t leave the Hyenas in the dust but maintained a safe distance from them, giving these terrifying monsters hope that the ck Hound would soon get tired. And once they caught up, they could finally sink their teeth into the flesh of the delicious human boy, who had released another arrow flying toward their Leader''s nose.

 Chapter 152 He’s All Yours

    <h4>Chapter 152 He¡¯s All Yours </h4>


    "Zion, even when you''re temporarily blind, you sure still know how to piss monsters off," Adira said with a bitter smile on her face as the Rank 5 Overlord increased its speed out of annoyance after the boy''s arrow once again bounced off its nose.


    "Pissing people and monsters off is one of my strong points, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "So if you don''t want to get pissed off, you better stay away from me."


    "Heh~ such a cheeky brat." Adira was smiling, but deep inside, she was feeling terrified.


    Originally, she thought that she would be able to fight the Rank 5 Overlord on her own, but she underestimated just how numerous and powerful its subordinates were.


    This was why she was praying to the Deity of Silence, Dumah, to make sure that the ck Hound that they were riding on wouldn''t trip, or else, it would be all over for them.


    Suddenly, a hooting sound reverberated in the surroundings, making Thirteen''s body stiffen.


    Vassago had informed him that the Purple Furred Honey Badger was less than a mile away from them, and if they continued to travel on their path, they would meet up with that monster in less than a minute.


    "Lady Adira, can you see ahead of us?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes, why?" Adira replied.


    "Do you see any monster in front of us?"


    "No. I only see a few small hills."


    Thirteen remained silent for a few seconds before making a hooting sound of his own.


    Vassago hooted back, as it acknowledged his Master''s order.


    "Were you perhaps a Pocopoco in your past life?" Adira asked in a teasing tone. "Why can you mimic animal sounds?"


    "Well, I used to have a close rtionship with a Phoenix in my past life," Thirteen replied. "She taught me how to talk to birds."


    "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Zion," Adira only meant her question as a joke, but she didn''t expect that Zion would be quick on the uptake and answered her joke with another joke.


    However, little did she know that Zion wasn''t joking at all.


    Another hoot reverberated in the surroundings, which made Thirteen understand that he would have to take a gamble in order to survive.


    "cky, if you hear a loud screech, run as fast as you can without holding back," Thirteen ordered. "It doesn''t matter if you get exhausted. Just do as I say if you want to live."


    The ck Hound was fed up with the boy calling it cky, so it nned to disobey the boy''s order.


    But when it heard a loud screech that came from Vassago, the ck Hound''s body subconsciously shuddered as it ran past one of the hills in front of it.


    Time seemed to move in super slow motion as the ck Hound and the Drow looked to their left side and saw a two-meter-tall Honey Badger hiding behind the hill, with its purple glowing eyes looking in their direction.


    Only a few seconds had passed, but for Adira and cky, they felt as if they were staring at the face of Death, who could reap their lives in the faction of a second.


    Thirteen, who was riding behind Adira, smiled faintly because he had felt the Drow''s body stiffen after hearing the loud screech.


    Unlike the two who seemed to have been stuck in time, the seven-year-old didn''t feel a single thing.


    After what felt like an eternity, time moved normally, which prompted the ck Hound to follow Thirteen''s earlier order.


    It ran like a mad, no longer caring about the aftermath that would follow after running at its full speed.


    The Purple Furred Honey Badger hadpletely erased its presence, making it so no one was able to detect that it was hiding behind the hill.


    It didn''t move and allowed the panicked ck Hound to run past it, but its gaze lingered on the boy, who had momentarily opened his eyes to look in its direction.


    Zion''s gaze was still blurry, but he saw two purple glowing orbs in his line of sight.


    He knew that these were the Purple Furred Honey Badger''s eyes, which made him raise his hand to salute the monster and say a few words in its direction.


    "He''s all yours."


    A few secondster, the Purple Honey Badger leaped forward, just in time to sh against the Rank 5 Overlord''s body, who had no idea that its mortal enemy was lying in wait to ambush it.


    Since the Golden-Eyed Hyena''s attention was locked on the annoying boy, it didn''t notice his enemy, who had already entered its detection range.


    The Purple Furred Honey Badger had noticed that its target was running in its direction for some reason, so it decided to hide and ambush it when the Hyena came within striking range.


    Now that it understood that the Rank 5 Overlord was pursuing that Warsor ck Hound that passed a few seconds ago, it decided to strike while its opponent was still reeling from its surprise attack.


    Using its strong jaw to bite the Hyena''s foot, it seeded in making the Hyena lose its bnce, causing it to fall to the ground beside it.


    The two rolled while biting each other, sending rocks and dirt flying in every direction.


    The other Golden-Eyed Hyenas didn''t know whether they should help their leader or not. All of them knew that if they joined the action, there was a chance that their bodies would be crushed by the two monsters, who were fighting like two tavern brawlers on the ground.


    Knowing that it was impossible for it to win alone, the Rank 5 Overlord howled, ordering its subordinates to attack.


    This prompted the Hyenas to no longer hesitate and attack at full force, biting the Honey Badger, whose biting strength was high enough to crush their bones.


    Adira turned around to look at the chaotic battle and secretly thanked the Deities that they were able to escape in one piece.


    The ck Hound didn''t have the leisure to see who would win against the two monsters and simply did its best to run like its life depended on it.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, remained still while making hooting sounds.


    He ordered Vassago to keep watch on the battle and tell him who emerged victorious among the two Overlords.


    Meanwhile, they needed to find a safe ce to hide so that cky could rest.


    "cky, you can stop running at full speed now," Thirteen ordered. "If you know any safe ces to hide, let''s go there first."


    cky barked weakly before changing their course.


    It knew a few hiding ces in the Furvus Grasnds, where the Warsor ck Hounds often used to conceal themselves from their predators, which had long run away in fear of being eaten by the two Overlords, who were currently engaged in a death match with each other.

 Chapter 153 I Just Think That This Is A Golden Opportunity

    <h4>Chapter 153 ?I Just Think That This Is A Golden Opportunity </h4>


    "Did you know?" Adira asked in a solemn tone. "Did you know that monster was lying in wait in front of us?"


    The ck Hound also looked at the seven-year-old, who was currently leaning on the wall of the cave with his eyes still closed.


    "I did," Thirteen replied.


    "And yet, you didn''t tell us?" Adira''s voice became cold as her eyes bored into the boy, who had dared to attempt such a gamble, betting his and her lives on the line.


    "If I told you, what would you have done?" Thirteen asked back in a calm tone.


    "I would have definitely not followed you in this suicide mission."


    "That''s the thing,dy Adira. I didn''t ask you to follow me. I was prepared to do this mission alone."


    The corner of the Drow''s eyes twitched because she couldn''t refute Zion''s words.


    She was the one who had decided to follow the boy, so she couldn''t me him for the turn of events that transpired an hour ago.


    The ck Hound, who was too exhausted to do anything, only red at the boy, who seemed to be the most calm among the three of them.


    It was as if the boy didn''t think that getting sandwiched between two Overlords, who were having a territorial battle, was a big deal.


    Suddenly, the sound of wings pping reached Adira''s ears.


    However, she didn''t move because there was only one bird who woulde to their location.


    Just as she expected, Vassago entered the cave andnded beside the seven-year-old, who had also sensed his presence.


    The Pocopoco started to make chirping sounds, which annoyed Adira very much.


    Clearly, the two didn''t n to let her and the ck Hound understand their discussion.


    When the Pocopoco and the boy finally stopped chirping at each other, the Drow wasn''t able to sit still and asked what they were talking about.


    "What happened?" Adira asked. "Tell me everything."


    Instead of answering, Zion raised his hand as if telling the Drow to give him a few moments to organize his thoughts.


    What Vassago had shared with him was something he had already considered happening, so he wasn''t too surprised when it came to pass.


    "When we left the battlefield, the two Overlords fought against each other, with the Hyena suffering a serious injury," Thirteen exined. "However, before the Purple Furred Honey Badger could deliver the killing blow, the Rank 2 Hyenas performed wave tactics, sacrificing themselves to give their Leader time to recover.


    "The leader of the Golden-Eyed Hyena has strong regenerative abilities, but it will not be able to heal its injury in a short period of time.


    "Because of this, it used its dominion over its Rank 4 subordinates to make them jump into its jaws, so that it could cannibalize them."


    The Drow and the Warsor ck Hound were both surprised by this development.


    Cannibalism was taboo to most creatures in the world, but there were certain monsters who did it as ast resort.


    Adira could tell what the Rank 5 Overlord wanted to achieve when it decided to eat its high-ranking subordinates, but he still asked Zion this question.


    "D-Did it make a breakthrough?" Adira asked.


    "It did," Thirteen replied. "Not only did it evolve, it has also undergone a mutation. It is no longer a Golden-Eyed Hyena, but a Diabolical Crimson-Eyed Hyena."


    "What kind of monster is that?" Adira asked. "And how do you know such a thing?"


    Thirteen shrugged. "Vassago told me."


    The Pocopoco, who had just been used as a scapegoat, tilted its head to the side because he didn''t tell Thirteen anything.


    He didn''t even know the name of the monster that the Hyena had evolved into.


    Vassago only told his Master what the new Rank 6 Overlord looked like, which made the Pocopoco wonder how Thirteen knew what it was.


    "The Diabolical Crimson-Eyed Hyena is a ck Hyena with two demonic horns on its head," Thirteen exined. "It is a mutant variant among Golden-Eyed Hyenas and one of the triggers for such an evolution is through cannibalism.


    "However, this is not an ordinary monster. It is an Overlord, so its power, and ferocity is stronger than that of a normal monster. ording to Vassago, the sh between it and the Purple-Furred Honey Badger ended with the Badger fleeing after getting seriously injured.


    "If not for the fact that it has just evolved, it might have pursued the fleeing Honey Badger, and dealt it the killing blow. I''m afraid that if it manages to consume its rival''s body and Core, there''s a possibility that it might even be a Pseudo Rank-7 Overlord, which would be a very terrifying monster."


    Adira and the Warsor ck Hound looked at the seven-year-old in silence.


    They still couldn''t believe that such an event had happened just an hour after they left the scene.


    "But, there is one piece of good news," Thirteen said. "Actually there''s two. The first one is that after its evolution, the Diabolical Hyena will enter a lethargic phase for a few days to allow its body to adapt to its new form.


    "Since the Purple-Furred Honey Badger is also seriously injured, and fled to the Northeast of the Warsor ins, we don''t need to worry about escaping this ce alive."


    The Drow and ck Hound found this news to be exceptionally good because, as long as those two monsters were out of the picture, there were extremely few creatures that could threaten them as they reunited with their group.


    "And the second piece of good news?" Adira asked.


    "There is one seriously injured Obsidian Tiger Beetle that is not far from here," Thirteen answered. "Lady Adira, can you please follow Vassago and help capture it?"


    The corner of Adira''s lips twitched before giving the seven-


    year-old a good smack on the head, making the boy cry out in pain.


    "You bastard, why are you treating me like some kind of hired thug?" Adira finally snapped after bottling up all the frustrations that she had suffered after joining Zion in his suicide mission. "Do you really think that I''m one of your subordinates that you can order around, huh?"


    Thirteen rubbed his head in order to ease the pain of getting smacked by the Drow, who made sure to restrain her strength, so that she didn''t identally kill him.


    "I just think that this is a golden opportunity," Thirteen said in a voice filled with injustice. "Since we have already suffered so much, we should not leave this ce empty handed, right?"


    Adira snorted, but she also thought that the boy''s words were reasonable.


    Thirteen came to the Furvus Grasnds in order to capture three creatures.


    The Warsor ck Hound, the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, and the Red-Eyed Smander, who were all Rank 3 Monsters.


    After the things that happened on this trip, the boy decided that he had no choice but to abandon his mission to ensure their safety.


    However, since one of the monsters on his list was readily avable, he thought that it would not be a bad idea to capture it now, while they still could.


    As for the Red-Eyed Smander? The boy decided that it was not worth it to continue risking their lives to find the fire breathing monster.


    Although it would have been an important asset for their forging needs, their lives were more valuable in his opinion.


    "Fine," Adira clicked her tongue after much deliberation. "ckye with me."


    The ck Hound red at the Drow as if telling her "Girl, stop calling me cky".


    But, since Adira was stronger than it, the ck Hound decided to just obey and get it over with, leaving Tiona and Vassago to look after their master, who still hadn''t recovered his vision.

 Chapter 154 I Think Your Misfortune Is Rubbing On Me

    <h4>Chapter 154 I Think Your Misfortune Is Rubbing On Me</h4>


    "They''re finally gone, Vassago," Thirteen said as he lightly patted the Pocopoco''s head. "Thanks for the hard work."


    "Mmm." The Pocopoco hummed, not shying away from the boy''s touch and praise. "But, Zion, when will you recover your vision?"


    "If I rest properly, it will return in three to four days," Thirteen replied. "At least, that is my estimate. I pushed myself a bit too much during the battle."


    "I see." Vassago nodded. "There is something else that I forgot to tell you earlier. Your hunch was right. They have managed to slip through the cracks."


    The boy frowned after hearing Vassago''s report.


    "How many?" Thirteen inquired. "And how close are they to our location?"


    "Four, and they are at least five miles away," Vassago replied. "But since Tigerkins have superhuman senses and instincts, I''m sure they already sensed that something might be happening here in the Furvus Grasnds. There''s a high possibility that they will investigate."


    Thirteen sighed. "Things are never easy."


    "They certainly aren''t," Vassgomented.


    "Vassago, let''s form contingency ns," Thirteen stated. "I don''t want to leave any stones left unturned."


    The seven-year-old and the Pocopoco discussed many things, while Tiona rested her head on his shoulder and listened silently.


    Snakes didn''t have ears and usually used their fork-shaped tongues to feel the vibrations in their surroundings.


    But the Domini Mortis was different.


    It was one of the handful of snakes in Solterra that possessed the natural blessings to hear and understand things perfectly.


    Since its potential to Rank Up was stripped away, the Domini Mortis waspensated with a few abilities to make up for it.


    It had other unique abilities. It could make its body as hard as steel, had a high level of stealth, could swim, and could dig underground.


    They also had high resistance to heat and cold.


    Domini Mortis could even swim onva, unaffected by the heat.


    Of course, getting hit by a Fireball Spell was a different matter.


    Magic wasn''t made from natural heat or mes, so if they weren''t careful, they could get seriously injured or, worse, killed by it.


    Truth be told, the Domini Mortis were a blessed race.


    Unfortunately, they were simply too powerful. It was for this reason that they were not allowed to Rank Up. Their strength would break the bnce of the world.


    In a way, Tiona was simr to Thirteen.


    Fated to stay as a Rank 1 Monster from birth till death because otherwise, if no shackles were ced on them, they would simply be unstoppable.


    An hourter, Adira returned to the cave with cky, who was busy pulling the steel cage behind him.


    The ck Hound barked several times at the boy,ining that he wasn''t a horse to be used as a mount or to transport cargo.


    Thirteen pacified it, saying he would make up for it once they returned to Gronar City, which made the ck Hound temporarily forgive him.


    "Lady Adira, there is something that you need to know," Thirteen said after he finished dealing with the ck Hound, who decided to go back to sleep. "There are Tigerkin Scouts a few miles away from our location. It is best that we leave after cky has rested for a few hours."


    The Drow clicked her tongue before sitting cross-legged on the ground. "I think I understand what it feels to be stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Next time, I won''t be apanying you on your wholesome adventures, Zion."


    The Drow''s words reeked of sarcasm, but Thirteen didn''t mind it.


    He understood that hispanion was just venting out her frustration after her near-death experience with her narrow escape from the two Overlords of the Warsor ins.


    Several hourster, a reluctant cky was once again used as a horse by Thirteen and Adira. Not to mention, it was now forced to pull a steel cage behind it as well.


    Fortunately, the two Overlords were both out of the picture, so they safely made their way out of the Furvus Grasnds at a steady pace.


    It took them a day to return to the brighter area of the Warsor ins, making the Drow finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "I didn''t think I''d be happy to see the light of the sun again," Adiramented. "Especially since I''m a Drow who is used to living underground."


    cky, on the other hand, barked in annoyance.


    It had been too used to the darkness of the Furvus Grasnds that being in a very bright ce makes it uneasy.


    "Don''t worry, cky," Thirteen stated. "When we get home, I''ll set you and yourrades free. You can return to the Furvus Grasnds and hide from that Rank 6 Overlord, who will be waking up in a week or two."


    The Warsor ck Hound whimpered because it hadpletely forgotten about the mutated Diabolical Hyena, who would make the Furvus Grasnds its new territory.


    "Of course, if you don''t want to be its food, you can stay with me for a while," Thirteen started to use his years of bing the host of a Salesman to throw some bait down in order to make the Warsor ck Hound his personal mount.


    "If you stay with me, you don''t have to worry about food and shelter. Also, you can even start a family with one of yourrades. Out of the three, two of them are girls. You and the other male doggy can have one mate each, isn''t that exciting?"


    The Warsor ck Hound then barked angrily at Thirteen as if telling him to f*ck off and mind his own business.


    Seeing the ck Hound''s reaction, Adira wasn''t able to stop herself from giggling. Although she didn''t understand what cky was trying to say, she could make guesses due to how angry it was.


    Suddenly, the three heard a loud whistle, which made Thirteen''s body tense.


    "Lady Adira, do you remember those Tigerkin Scouts I mentioned a while ago?" Thirteen asked.


    "Are theying?" Adira asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "They are already here."


    As soon as Thirteen said those words, an arrow flew in their direction, which prompted the Drow to fire her own arrow in the span of a heartbeat.


    The two arrows collided, deflecting each other and falling harmlessly on the ground.


    A few secondster, four Sabertooth Tigers, with Tigerkins mounted on their back, entered their sight.


    The Sabertooth Tigers were Rank 3 Monsters, while the Tigerkins themselves were Rank 4 to Rank 5 Beastkins.


    They were the Scouting Party that the Tigerkins had dispatched in the Warsor ins.


    But after seeing the Drow, the boy, the ck Hound, and the steel cage where an Obsidian Tiger Beetle was held, they thought that Adira was just a ve Trader who nned to sell the monster she caught to the Barbarians.


    Thinking that the Drow was easy prey, they didn''t hesitate to attack so that they could torture her to gather information.


    "Zion, I think your misfortune is rubbing off on me," Adira said wryly.


    "Lady Adira, don''t worry about me and save yourself," Thirteen replied. "cky won''t be able to outrun them with the two of us riding on his back."


    "You''re right," Adira said before summoning her sword to cut the rope that bound the Obsidian Tiger Beetle to cky''s body. "Off you go!"


    The Drow pped the ck Hound''s backside, prompting cky to run away, with Thirteen hanging onto it for dear life.


    The Sabertooth Tigers then separated into two groups with three of them pursuing Thirteen and cky and thest one charging toward Adira, who had a sneer stered on his face.


    "Since you want to die, then I''ll send you on your way," Adira said as she nocked an arrow to her bow and prepared to fight.


    Although she was worried about Zion, she knew that she didn''t have the luxury of helping him at this point in time.


    The Tigerkin that had stayed behind was as strong as her, so she didn''t have the leeway to focus her attention on other things.


    ''Just be safe, Zion,'' Adira thought. ''I''ll finish this quickly ande to find you.''

 Chapter 155 Do I Look Like A Barbarian?

    <h4>Chapter 155 Do I Look Like A Barbarian? </h4>


    While Adira was having a faceoff with the Champion of the Tigerkins and his mount, cky was running with Thirteen mounted on his back.


    The boy was still glued to the ck Hound''s body due to the shadows that the Drow had conjured, but the farther away they were from her, the weaker the ability became.


    Because of this, the boy had no choice but to hold onto the ck Hound for his dear life.


    The Rank 3 Saber Tooth Tigers were fast, but they were not as fast as the ck Hound who specialized in running away.


    Unfortunately, the Tigerkins were proficient marksmen as well. Every time they aimed their arrows at their target, cky was forced to run in a zigzag pattern in its attempt to dodge all iing arrows.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t able to evade all the arrows, and some of themnded on the ck Hound''s body.


    One arrow evennded dangerously close to Thirteen''s neck.


    The seven-year-old was focusing his concentration on his hearing, listening to the whistling of the wind, allowing him to predict the location where the arrows would hit.


    Sensing that an arrow would be hitting his location soon, the boy gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the Warsor ck Hound''s back.


    He tucked his chin and knees on his chest and bent his arms to protect his head.


    Hisnding on the ground was hard, with his shoulder taking the brunt of his fall, making him wince in pain.


    But he did what he needed to do and rolled to mitigate the impact of the fall until it was dispersedpletely.


    Tiona, who was coiled on the boy''s neck, made sure to protect his neck from injury and coiled around it like a protective vambrace.


    A few secondster, the boy stopped rolling on the ground.


    The first thing he heard was the sound of the Sabertooth Tiger''s steps, which were fast approaching him.


    The second thing he heard was Tiona''s angry hiss as the ck Snake positioned herself between the Tigerkins and her Master.


    "A Lord of Death," one of the Tigerkins eximed as soon as they saw the ck Snake, who was ready to pounce at a moment''s notice.


    It was very obvious in their eyes that the ck Snake was protecting the fallen boy, whoidpletely still on the ground.


    "Hisssss!"


    Tiona''s angry hissing made the three Tigerkins unable to decide on what to do.


    The Domini Mortis was a sacred beast that no Beastkin dared to hurt or kill.


    Harming it in any way was taboo for the Beastkins, for the Domini Mortis was the symbol of Apollyon, the Deity who represented Death and Destruction.


    Because of this, no Beastkin had the guts to even scratch it, for those who did would be Apollyon''s enemy for life.


    "What do we do?" one of the Tigerkin''s asked their second inmand.


    The Vice Captain was also at a loss on what to do because they didn''t think that a human boy would be in the possession of a Domini Mortis.


    While the three Tigerkins were debating on what to do next, Thirteen finally stirred and slowly propped himself up from the ground.


    Tiona hurriedly crawled on his body, coiling herself on his neck, and hissed softly in his ears, asking if he was alright.


    "I''m fine, Tiona," Thirteen said. "I think I sprained my left shoulder though."


    Tiona flicked her tongue as if licking the boy''s cheek, making the Tigerkins look at each other with uncertainty.


    Even the Saber Tooth Tigers, who were ferocious monsters, didn''t dare to growl at the ck Snake''s direction because they shared a strong bond with the Tigerkin Race.


    Their taboos were their taboos, so they remained silent and waited for their Masters to handle the current situation.


    "Who are you, boy?" the Vice Captain asked. "And why were you traveling with that Drow earlier?"


    "She is a ve trader, and I am one of her ves," Thirteen replied as he assessed the injury of his left shoulder by touching it with his right hand.


    "Are you a barbarian?" the Vice Captain asked.


    "Do I look like a barbarian?" Thirteen asked back.


    "I''m the one asking the questions here, boy. So, answer me."


    "I am not a barbarian."


    Thirteen knew that adult Tigerkins, especially Warrior Tigerkins have a code of honor to not hurt children, especially those who were below ten years of age.


    So he was safe. At least for the time being.


    "You will allow us to capture you," the Vice Captain stated. "Worry not because we will not harm you. Also, we will give you medicine to tend to your injuries. We just need to take you back to our camp, so we can ask you questions."


    "Okay," Thirteen replied.


    "Also, tell the Lord of Death to not bite us," the Vice Captain said. "We mean it no harm."


    "Understood." Thirteen nodded. "Tiona, don''t bite any of them, okay?"


    The ck Snake reluctantly nodded its head before giving a soft hiss to let her Master know that she would obey his orders.


    "Maia, tend to his injuries," the Vice Captainmanded. "We will be taking him back to our camp."


    "Understood," Maia replied.


    Thedy Tigerkin dismounted from her mount and anxiously approached the boy to examine his left arm.


    Tiona eyed the Tigerkin with hostility, but she made no attempts to bite thetter.


    "You have sprained your shoulder," Maia said as she looked at the boy, who had his eyes closed. "But it''s not that severe. It will naturally heal in two to four weeks. I have a potion here that acts as a painkiller. Do you want it?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I want it. Thank you."


    "Here you go," Maia said as she took out a small bottle from his pouch.


    Thirteen reached out for it. But because he had his eyes closed, he just kept his right hand raised so that the Tigerkin could give it to him.


    "Are you blind?" Maia asked with curiosity as she ced the pain killing potion in Thirteen''s hand, so he could grab hold of it.


    "Temporarily blind," Thirteen answered. "I strained my eyes a day ago."


    "Oh, you poor child." Maia felt a little sorry for the boy, who not only sprained his shoulder but had also temporarily lost his vision as well.


    When Thirteen finished drinking the painkiller potion, he felt a little better because it was very effective.


    The stinging pain on his shoulder was now gone, and he could think properly once more.


    "Come. We will take you to our camp," Maia said before holding Zion''s right hand and guiding him toward the Saber Tooth Tiger, who had crouched down so that the boy could properly mount its back.


    Maia sat behind Thirteen, holding him securely in ce.


    Tiona gave the Tigerkin the "you better not do anything funny, or else I''ll bite you" gaze, making Maia shudder.


    "Let''s regroup with our captain first," the Vice Captain said. "I''m sure he''s done dealing with that Drow by now."


    The rest of the Tigerkins nodded as they made their way back to the location where they first saw the boy and the Drow together.


    High above their heads, Vassago followed closely behind.


    One of the contingency ns that he and his Master had talked about was about what the Pocopoco would do just in case Thirteen ended up being captured by the Tigerkins.


    Since the boy knew the Tigerkin''s Code of Honor, he was confident that he wouldn''t be harmed even if he was captured.


    Because of this, Vassago wasn''t too worried about his Master''s safety. However, he still followed behind to see if Adira, who had stayed behind to keep the Tigerkin Champion at bay, had managed to survive her sh with him.

 Chapter 156 I Swear I’m Going To Give You A Good Beating Next Time I See You!

    <h4>Chapter 156 I Swear I¡¯m Going To Give You A Good Beating Next Time I See You! </h4>


    After the group of three, plus a seven-year-old boy and a grumpy ck snake backtracked from where they separated with their captain, they saw and littered with small craters as if several bombs exploded at the same time.


    At the center of it was their Captain, who was kneeling on the ground, with his Sabertooth Tiger standing guard beside him.


    A sh wound could be seen on the side of his cheek, but aside from that superficial wound, he was mostly fine.


    He also had other superficial wounds here and there, but for Tigerkins, this wasn''t a big deal.


    But, his condition was enough to rm his subordinates, who thought that their Captain could easily subdue the Drow that he decided to fight on his own.


    "Captain, are you alright?" the Vice Captain of the Scouting Party asked.


    "Yes," The Captain, who went by the name, Dixon, replied. "Who is the boy, Armand?"


    The Vice-Captain nced at the seven-year-old, whom they had captured, and shook his head.


    "I didn''t ask him his name, Sir," Armand replied. "All I know is that he is a ''Chosen One'' by a Lord of Death."


    Dixon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the ck Snake coiled around the boy''s neck.


    He didn''t make anyment about Thirteen and only shifted his attention back to his Vice Captain.


    "We need to leave," Dixon stated. "That Drow escaped and is bound to tell the Barbarians of our presence. Let''s go before a Hunting Party finds us."


    "And the boy?" Armand inquired.


    "We''re taking him with us."


    "Understood, Sir. But what about this monster in the cage? Is it already dead? Should we leave it here?"


    Dixon looked at the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, which was still alive despite the injuries that it had received, proving how tough its shell was.


    "Let''s just leave it," Dixon stated. Taking it will just slow us down."


    Dixon gave the monster a sidelong nce before mounting his Saber Tooth Tiger.


    A minuteter, the small scouting party headed Northeast in order to leave the Warsor ins and the Barbarian territories behind.


    Thirteen, who was riding alongside the Tigerkin Lady, Alina, suddenly heard the screech of a hawk.


    The boy knew that the screech came from Vassago, who told him that he would go find Adira and pass Thirteen''s message to her.


    While the Drow and cky were out hunting the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, one of the things that Vassago and his Master had talked about was the possibility of him getting captured by the Tigerkin Scouts.


    The seven-year-old stated that if that were to happen, Vassago would inform Adira that he was fine and that he didn''t need any rescue.


    He knew the code of conduct of the Tigerkins and believed that they would not harm him since he was still a child.


    As for Tiona being treated as a Sacred Beast, he wasn''t aware of this because the information he got from the Valbarra Archipgo was 300 years old.


    He knew who Apollyon was because the Deity was also known by another name, and that was Abaddon.


    The Deity of Destruction, ughter, and Death.


    He was one of the Seven Fiends, and he was worshiped by those who favored war over peace.


    ''I just hope Cristopher doesn''t get depressed while I''m away,'' Thirteen thought. ''Well, Vassago will be there to tell him what to do, so he should be okay.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    At that exact moment, Adira, who had escaped from Dixon, leaned on the wall of a small cave that she found during her escape.


    She wasn''t injured because she managed to draw first blood on her foe, and her des contained a powerful paralyzing poison that limited the movement of her enemies.


    Even so, it was a two versus one battle, with Dixon''s Mount being a Rank 5 Saber Tooth Tiger.


    Adira was unable tond a decisive blow on her enemy, so after giving him superficial wounds, she decided to escape before her opponent''s party members returned.


    Just as she was resting, something ck entered the cave, prompting the Drow to raise her dagger.


    However, after recognizing that it was cky with a few arrows sticking out of its body, she finally lowered her guard.


    But it didn''t take long for her to realize that the seven-year-old, who was supposed to be on his back, was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where is Zion?" Adira asked while frowning.


    The Warsor ck Hound started to whine as if trying to exin what had happened.


    However, since Adira couldn''t understand itsnguage, the frown on her face deepened.


    Suddenly, something flew inside the cave andnded several meters from Adira.


    Out of reflex, the Drow threw her dagger at the neer.


    Fortunately, Vassago had already expected this to happen, so he hopped to the side, making the dagger hit the ground beside his feet.


    "I have been captured by the Tigerkin," Vassago said using Thirteen''s voice. "However, you don''t have to worry about me. Tigerkins don''t hurt children, so I will be safe for the time being. You don''t need to rescue me because I n to find a way to escape on my own.


    "I don''t know how long I''ll be kept captive, so please look after Cristopher and my other ves while I am away. Lastly, please heal the injuries of cky''srades, as well as free them if they wished to leave."


    The Pocopoco then shifted his attention to the Warsor ck Hound, who was eyeing him with suspicion.


    "cky, I don''t know if Lady Adira will honor our agreement, but I can tell that she is a Drow of her word. She will probably heal and release your friends. But I have another proposal for you.


    "Since the Furvus Grasnds is now the territory of the Diabolical Hyena, returning there will be a very dangerous thing to do. So how about you stay with my subordinates in my base? You will receive food and shelter, and all you need to do is guard the ce.


    "Also, If you cooperate with Vassago to rescue me, I will help raise your Rank to Rank 5. Of course, you can reject this offer if you like. The choice is yours to make. But I can guarantee that if you choose to be my subordinate, I will ensure that you will not regret it."


    Truth be told, Thirteen never said anything like thest part of the proposal to Vassago, the one about raising cky''s Rank to Rank 5 if the ck Hound decided to rescue Thirteen with the Pocopoco.


    But what the seven-year-old did tell Pocopoco was that he could use any means necessary to ensure a sessful negotiation with cky and make it agree to help with his rescue.


    Although he was confident about being able to escape the Tigerkins, he would need a mount that could travel onnd and sea.


    Since the ck Hound could also swim in the water for long distances, having its cooperation would increase his chances of escaping.


    After the Pocopoco started talking, the Warsor ck Hound barked twice, telling Vassago that his Master could drink piss for all he cared.


    The ck Hound evenined about the arrows in his back, which made the Pocopocough in disdain, prompting cky to snap at the dumb bird.


    However, Vassago had already pped its wings to fly out of the cave, leaving an angry cky behind.


    "Ah, one more thing," Vassago said, still using Thirteen''s voice. "The Obsidian Tiger Beetle was left behind. If possible, can you bring it to Cristopher and make it one of his ves? I''m sure he''ll be delighted to have it."


    The Drow clicked her tongue after hearing Vassago''s message.


    "Even after you''ve gotten yourself captured, you still treat me as one of your thugs," Adira scratched her head angrily. "Damn it. Don''t let me catch you, Zion. I swear I''m going to give you a good beating next time I see you!"


    cky howled to show his support to Adira.


    The ck Hound also wanted to take a bite of the annoying seven-year-old''s so that it could vent out its frustrations for all the suffering he had received after epting the boy''s proposal.


    In the end, Adira decided to backtrack and look for the steel cage, which contained the Obsidian Tiger Beetle. She tied it to cky''s back and went to look for Cristopher and the others, who were waiting for their Master to return.

 Chapter 157 I’ll Be Back Before You Know It

    <h4>Chapter 157 ?I¡¯ll Be Back Before You Know It</h4>


    Cristopher''s and the rest of Thirteen''s ves were currently gathered behind a small hill as they waited for any sign of their Master''s return.


    The chubby boy was feeling anxious because his Young Master had decided to be bait in order to let them escape.


    Percival, on the other hand, had a different opinion.


    He stated that Zion must have decided to escape on his own, leaving all of them to fend for themselves.


    Out of anger, the chubby boy tried to punch the Tigerkin, but thetter avoided his punches with ease.


    Cristopher wasn''t really a fighter, so his closebat abilities were nearly non-existent.


    If not for the fact that all of Thirteen''s ves were forbidden from harming Cristopher, Percival might have already retaliated and put the chubby boy in his ce.


    Also, the majority of the ves were hoping that the seven-year-old would die so that their ve contract would be null and void, allowing them to regain their freedom.


    A few minutester, Cristopher panted for breath after numerous failed attempts to hit his target. He then red at the Tigerkin, who had a smug smile on his face as if taunting the human to give him his best shot.


    Truth be told, the chubby boy could hit Percival if he really wanted. All he needed to do was to order the Tigerkin to not move and allow him to take his punches.


    Thirteen made sure that his ves understood that Cristopher was his second inmand.


    They had to take orders from him whenever their Master wasn''t around, which was why all of them were still together, despite the fact that Thirteen''s ves could have used this opportunity to escape.


    Cristopher had ordered everyone to stay put and wait for his Young Master''s arrival.


    Because of this, none of them could leave even if they wanted to!


    A few hourster, just before sunset, they saw a ck spec moving in their direction from a distance.


    Everyone tensed because they thought that it was the enemy, but all of their worries disappeared when Vassagonded on Giga Chad''s back, making Cristopher sigh in relief.


    "Vassago, is that Lady Adira and the Young Master?" Cristopher asked.


    "No, Cristopher," Vassago replied using Thirteen''s voice. "It''s only Lady Adira and cky."


    The boy''s face immediately darkened after hearing that his Young Master wasn''t with the Drow and the ck Hound who were heading their way.


    "Told you he escaped alone," Percival said with a sneer stered on his face. "He left because he wanted to save himself and use us as bait."


    "Shut up!" Cristopher growled. He was just about to pounce on the hateful Tigerkin when Vassago stopped him from doing so.


    "Stop, Cristopher," Vassago ordered. "Zion is safe. His life isn''t in any danger, so calm down and listen to my exnationter."


    The moment the Pocopoco confirmed that his Young Master was safe, the chubby boy felt as if a weight had been taken off from his shoulders.


    He didn''t believe for a moment that Zion had abandoned him. After all, the younger boy promised that he would do his best to clear Cristopher''s mission, allowing him to return to Pangea, and reunite with his mother.


    Cristopher didn''t know why, but the moment he swore his loyalty to Zion, he believed that his new Master would keep his word and ensure that he would survive his first Wandering.


    Several minutester, the Drow and the ck Hound finally arrived at the camp where everyone was gathered.


    The one who guided her there was none other than Vassago, who had scouted ahead in order to find Cristopher and the others.


    "Okay, since everyone is here, allow me to tell you everything that has happened ever since we parted ways with all of you," Vassago said, still using Thirteen''s voice.


    The Pocopoco liked using Thirteen''s voice because it held power over his ves, making them take his words seriously.


    Also, it had a soothing effect on Cristopher, who would soon have to man up and be the temporary leader of Thirteen''s Hunting Party.


    Vassago narrated how Zion, Adira, and cky caught the Rank 5 Overlord''s attention by running as close to it as possible.


    The Pocopoco had fun telling everyone how Zion, despite not being able to see, was able to urately hit the Rank 5 Overlord, using Vassago''s voice as a guide.


    Percival, who was listening to the story with his arms crossed over his chest, would give Adira side-long nces from time to time as if trying to confirm whether the Pocopoco''s words were true, or if the dumb-looking bird was simply exaggerating.


    However, seeing that the Drow wasn''t reacting, Percival, as well as the other ves, couldn''t help but admit that their Master was such a daring and courageous warrior.


    None of them would dare challenge a Rank 5 Overlord head-on because that was a suicidal mission.


    But Zion, a seven-year-old, did, making all of them reluctantly acknowledge his extraordinary feat.


    However, when Vassago told them about how Thirteen led the Rank 5 Overlord to where the Purple Furred Honey Badger was hiding, all of them couldn''t help but feel goosebumps.


    This was especially true for Cristopher, Percival, Jasmine, and Ariel, who felt extremely lucky for surviving their close encounter with the Rank 6 Overlord.


    They would never forget the scene of how the Honey Badger easily killed the two Rank 3 Ogres, who were powerless against it.


    If possible, they didn''t want to see it again.


    The Pocopoco continued his tale and gave a blow-by-blow narration on how the battle between the two Overlords transpired.


    When he came to the part about the Hyena Overlord cannibalizing its subordinates and breaking through to the next rank, all of them felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.


    Even the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, who was resting to recover from its injury, as well as the three Warsor ck Hounds, who were still locked inside their cages, couldn''t help but shudder after hearing that their home was now the new territory of a Rank 6 Overlord.


    The Furvus Grasnds might be a good ce to hide because the entire area was pitch ck, however, they still understood that ying hide and seek with the Diabolical Hyena wasn''t going to be a fun experience.


    As Vassago continued his story, the eyes of Percival, Jasmine, Ariel, and the other Tigerkins lit up after hearing that a Tigerkin Scouting Party had made its way to the Warsor ins.


    However, their hope was short-lived when the Pocopoco told them that the Scouting Party had retreated in fear of Adira exposing their location.


    All the Tigerkins subconsciously nced in the Drow''s direction, making the silver-haired beauty smirk in their direction.


    "I fought their Captain and injured him before I escaped," Adiramented. "Don''t think that he will be saving you guys anytime soon especially since they are retreating towards The Crossing.


    The Crossing was the small divide that separated the Houdini Desert and the Barbariannds from the Sumatran Kingdom.


    The distance between the two inds was only a mile long, and the small strait that divided the two could easily be traversed as long as you had a small boat or a monster that could swim.


    This was why Vassago wanted to get cky''s cooperation when it came to rescuing Thirteen. The Warsor ck Hound could swim to the side of the Tigerkins in less than fifteen minutes if it truly wanted to.


    "Cristopher, you are now the temporary leader of this Hunting Party," Vassago stated. "My first order is for you to return to Gronar City and tell Rianna about the situation. Neither of you should worry about me, and just focus on strengthening yourself.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be back before you know it. I''ll even get souvenirs for you from the Sumatran Kingdom. For the time being, focus on hunting monsters and collecting monster parts. However, don''t stray too far from Gronar City.


    "Vassago wille to find me every few days so that we can exchange information. Also, take care of cky and his family. Make sure to heal the injuries of hisrades, and let them stay in the warehouse if they don''t want to return to the Furvus Grasnds.


    "Give them food and shelter. However, make sure they earn their keep by guarding our base. As long as they do that, they will be allowed to stay indefinitely.


    "Lastly, I will keep my promise to you. So make sure to not ck off and do your job properly. Your mother is waiting for you back home. I don''t want to hear that you kicked the bucket just because I was not around.


    "P.S. If Taiga is being stubborn, order Giga Chad to give him a good spray. Let''s see if he dares to disobey your orders. Of course, this isn''t limited to Taiga only. All ves who refuse to obey you will suffer Giga''s wrath. Make sure to put him to good use."


    The Chad Skunk, who heard Thirteen''sst words, nodded his head, and even nudged Cristopher''s body with his head, telling him that he was on his side.


    The Chubby boy took a few deep breaths with his eyes closed as he digested everything that his Young Master had entrusted him with.


    When he opened his eyes again, Cristopher''s aura changed as if a fire of determination had been lit inside his body.


    "Let''s go back to Gronar City," Cristopher ordered. "But we won''t be going back empty-handed. We''ll keep hunting monsters along the way, and those who don''t cooperate will have a mouthful of Giga''s homemade brew."


    The ves subconsciously shuddered after hearing their Temporary Master''s threat.


    Even Adira couldn''t help but smile after seeing the change that came over the chubby boy, whom Thirteen believed would grow to be a more capable individual during his absence.

 Chapter 158 A Third Rate Villain, And A Cannon Fodder Combined

    <h4>Chapter 158 A Third Rate Viin, And A Cannon Fodder Combined </h4>


    Thirteen didn''t know where they were going because he had his eyes closed most of the time.


    But, that wasn''t his real concern.


    Even the pain on his shoulder, which was quite ufortable, especially during the times when the pain killer''s effect wore off didn''t bother him either.


    He was more worried that his ves, who would now have to listen to Cristopher, might have thoughts of rebelling.


    If Thirteen was there, none of them would even dare to raise their heads. But, with the chubby boy, they might have other ideas.


    Even if Vassago, Brutus, and Bruno were with him, Cristopher wasn''t really the leader type.


    He was more suited to following orders, which was why he didn''t hesitate to listen to the younger boy''smand, and do them ordingly.


    ''Still, this is a good opportunity for him to grow as a person,'' Thirteen thought. ''Even cannon fodders need to face challenges like this early on.''


    As the System of Cannon Fodders, he had seen his hosts face challenges in life that wouldn''t lose to a Hero''s or a Viin''s character progression.


    The world didn''t only have Heroes, Viins, and Cannon Fodders.


    It also had Extras like Viger A, Merchant B, and Shopkeeper C.


    The bulk of the poption in the world were just Extras.


    But, there was one good thing about these people and that was that they could be whatever they wanted to be in life.


    Extras could be Heroes, they could be Viins, and they could be Cannon Fodders.


    And, they could also continue living their lives as Extras, like NPC''s in a game world.


    Their character development would really depend on the person that was closest to them.


    If they were around a Hero, they would be part of the Hero''s Party.


    If they were around Viins, they would be his pawns.


    If they were with Cannon Fodders¡­ well, they would be Cannon Fodders themselves.


    Such were the lives of Extras, but this was also a blessing given to them by Fate.


    Truth be told, the five Tigerkin ves that Thirteen had bought from the ve market were just Extras.


    He nned to make them mingle with Percival, so that they could absorb his "Hero Presence", and allow them to shift their alignment to that of a Hero.


    The alignments of Extras would always be True Neutral.


    But, since they were like sponges, the person whom they would look up to could change their alignment to Chaotic Evil or Lawful Good.


    The extreme alignments of Extras were Chaotic Neutral, where they just didn''t care even if the world were to burn around them.


    Aside from the Hero Party, the Trolls, Ogres, Giga Chad, and cky where all Extras.


    Thirteen wanted them to be with Percival at all times, so that he could build a Hero Team?centered around the Tigerkin.


    This was part of his Hero Project.


    The Fallen System knew that fighting against Fate would be hard. Because of this, he needed to beat her at her own game.


    The only ones that could defeat Heroes were First Rate Viins.


    Thirteen wasn''t a First Rate Viin.


    At most, he was a Third Rate Viin, and a Cannon Fodderbined.


    So, since he didn''t have a Viin in hand, what could he do?


    Simple, he would just train a Hero and have his Hero fight other Heroes!


    Since Fate''s blessing worked on all Heroes, having a Hero fight another Hero was Thirteen''s way of creating a loophole against the will of the world.


    While he was deep in his thoughts, he heard the Captain of the Scouting Party, Dixon, give his orders.


    "Alina, make sure the kid doesn''t fall off," Dixon ordered. "The rest, prepare to swim."


    A momentter, Thirteen felt water rising up to his knees.


    ''I see,'' Thirteen thought. ''They''re using the Saber Tooth Tigers as a mount fornd and sea.''


    Tigers were good swimmers, and since the distance between the Sumatran Ind, and the biggest ind in the Valbarra Archipgo were only a mile away from each other, it wouldn''t take that long for them to reach the opposite shore.


    High above the clouds, Vassago followed the Scouting Party at a safe distance.


    He needed to know where Thirteen was being taken, so that he could help devise a n to let his Master escape.


    Adira had already reunited with Cristopher and the others, so the Pocopoco wasn''t worried about them reaching Gronar City safely.


    His priority was his Master''s safety, so until he knew where he would be taken, he would stay with him before he returned to Gronar City and report the seven-year-old''s current situation to the others.


    Less than twenty minutester, the Saber Tooth Tigers finally reached the Sumatran Ind, making Alina, who was holding the seven-year-old tightly, sigh in relief.


    Being in close proximity with a Domini Mortis made her very anxious, which made Thirteen almost feel sorry for her.


    A momentter the boy heard a monkey''s cry, which made him smile faintly.


    Vassago had also arrived at the Sumatran Ind, and had informed Thirteen that Adira had reunited with Cristopher and the others.


    Knowing that his people were safe, he was finally able to breathe a little easier despite the pain in his left shoulder.


    But, before he could give a reply to Vassago, he heard other voices greeting the Scouting Party.


    "Dixon, why did you return so early?" a gruff voice asked. "You''re supposed to stay in the Warsor ins for four more days. Did something happen?"


    Dixon sighed before giving his reply. "I made a miscalction. I tried to capture a Drow, who was traveling with this boy over here in order to ask her for information. Unfortunately, she was hiding her True Rank, which was a Champion.


    "The two of us fought, and after a few minutes she decided to escape before the others could regroup with me. Knowing that she will report our presence, I decided to prematurely cancel our scouting operation for our safety."


    The owner of the gruff voice grunted, but still said that Dixon made the right call.


    "So, are you going to report to the General?" the owner of the gruff voice asked.


    "Yes," Dixon replied. "I have important news to report to him. Also, tell the watchers over our shorelines that the Barbarians are already preparing for war. It is highly possible that they might raid the viges with a small raiding party in order to divert our attention."


    "Understood. I''ll make sure to double our patrols and guards along the shoreline."


    "Good. I''m off to see the General."


    After that exchange, the Scouting Party began moving deeper into the Sumatran Jungle, where the rest of the Tigerkins lived.


    -----------------------


    (A/N: I have good news, and bad news. The bad news is that you guys didn''t manage to reach the milestone needed to get bonus chapters.


    However, since some of you participated, I decided to post one bonus chapter today for the sake of those who joined the mini event.


    The good news is that, I woke up today feeling happy because someone had given me a gift. Because of this, I decided to reciprocate and post another bonus chapter tomorrow as well.


    Thanks for everyone who joined the event, and those who had given me gifts. I''ll see you all in the next chapters!)

 Chapter 159 An Unlucky Passerby

    <h4>Chapter 159 An Unlucky Passerby</h4>


    After two hours of travel, the Scouting Party arrived at their destination.


    It was the secondrgest city near the coast of the Sumatran Kingdom, and it was called Karabor City.


    The size of the city was two square kilometers, and it had a poption numbering around fifteen thousand.


    A third of the poption were all warriors, but not all of them were Tigerkins.


    In fact, a quarter of them were former inhabitants of the Valbarra Kingdom, and they were all Humans.


    After losing the war, the Tigerkins didn''tmit mass murder and spared those who had surrendered to their rule.


    In fact, a third of the poption of the entire Sumatran Kingdom was made up of Humans who had learned to live alongside the Tigerkins and were treated with equal standing.


    It was for this reason that there had been no rebellion from the humans during the past few years of the Tigerkins'' rule and why both races lived in harmony despite their differences.


    Ironically, the Valbarrians and the Barbarians were also enemies in the past.


    So when they heard that the Barbarians were nning to invade their cities, the Humans living alongside the Tigerkins were willing to assist them in battle.


    "Wee to Karabor City, Zion," Alina said. "It''s too bad that you can''t see it right now."


    "I''m sure I''ll get to see it after a few days, Lady Alina," Thirteen replied.


    "Don''t worry. Once we arrive at the General''s Residence, I''ll have one of the Shamans there take a good look at you."


    "That will be great. Thank you for your help."


    The Vice Captain of their Scouting Party, Armand, nced at the carefree boy and wondered if Zion really understood his current circumstances.


    While they didn''t harm him, he was, in fact, still their prisoner. But the boy was so indifferent about it, making him wonder if he was simply too innocent orpletely ignorant.


    Since he couldn''t see, Thirteen just allowed himself to be taken wherever the Scouting Party was going.


    Finally, after what seemed like forever, they finally arrived at their destination, which was the General''s Residence.


    "Dixon, why are you back so early?" the Guard at the gate of the Residence asked.


    "Do you want the long story or the short one?" Dixon replied in an amused tone.


    "The short one."


    "We came, we saw, we returned here."


    The Guard snorted before opening the Gate.


    Clearly, this wasn''t the kind of short story he wanted to hear, but since he had known Dixon long enough, he knew that the Tigerkin wouldn''t say anything unless the General had allowed him to share the information he had obtained with the others.


    After entering the Residence, he ordered Alina to take Zion to the infirmary so that he could receive medical attention.


    He also didn''t want the boy to be present as he talked about top secret information regarding their expedition in the Barbarian Lands.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Inside the Infirmary¡­


    "Open your eyes," a middle-aged man, who served as the Shaman in the infirmary, ordered. "Let me see what is wrong with your eyes."


    Thirteen obeyed and slowly opened his eyes.


    The first thing the seven-year-old saw was the blurry image of a man, but since he couldn''t see properly, he was unable to determine the person''s age and appearance.


    The Shaman looked at the young man''s eyes which looked perfectly normal, and yet, he could tell that the boy was having a hard time seeing.


    "What happened?" the Shaman asked. "Since when did you lose your vision?"


    "I lost it nearly two days ago," Thirteen replied. "I just strained my eyes. I just need a few days'' rest and my vision will be back to normal."


    "You strained your eyes?" The Shaman sounded amused by Thirteen''s reply. "And what makes you so sure that you will regain your vision after resting for a few days?"


    "Men''s intuition."


    "Pfft!"


    The Shamanughed out loud after hearing the young boy''s words, who couldn''t be considered a man.


    "I see, men''s intuition huh?" the Shaman smirked as he ced his hands over the boy''s eyes. "But I have a better solution."


    The Shaman''s hands glowed with power, and Thirteen felt a soothing feeling wash over his face.


    A momentter, the Shaman pulled back his hands and looked at the boy, whose eyes had subconsciously closed after he activated his healing power on his eyes.


    "Open your eyes," the Shaman ordered.


    Slowly, but surely, Thirteen opened his eyes, and just like he expected, he was finally able to see.


    The first person he saw was a middle-aged man wearing tribal clothes, with several bone nes hanging around his neck.


    "Well met, child," the Shaman said. "I go by the name, Rafiki. What is yours?"


    "Zion," Thirteen replied. "Zion Leventis."


    "Zion, what an interesting name." Rafiki rubbed his chin. "So, tell me, Death''s Chosen, what brings you here to Karabor City?"


    Thirteen didn''t reply right away. His first reaction was to nce at the Tigerkin Lady standing a meter away from him before shifting his attention back to the middle-aged man, who looked like a Shaman of a tribe.


    "I was captured by them while traveling in the Warsor ins," Thirteen replied.


    "Ah, I see." Rafiki nodded his head in understanding. "So you''re just an unlucky passerby."


    "Something like that." Thirteen smiled faintly.


    Rafiki eyed the boy, who seemed to not have any problem with being captured by the Tigerkins. "So, what are you going to do from now on?"


    "Eat some local delicacies, visit attractions, buy souvenirs, and go back home?" Thirteen answered.


    Tiona, who was coiled on the boy''s neck, nodded her head in agreement because she liked the idea of exploring the city with her Master.


    The boy''s answer made the Shamanugh for a second time.


    Even Alina, who was tasked to guard after Thirteen, couldn''t help but smile after hearing the seven-year-old''s positive reply.


    After the Shaman stoppedughing, he patted the boy''s shoulder in a friendly manner.


    "Well, I''m sure that the Sumatrans will not mistreat you as long as you don''t do anything that will hurt their people or hurt their interests. They may look fierce, but they are not as savage as their appearance."


    Thirteen didn''t know how he should reply to Rafiki''s statement because he nned to do many things while he was in the Tigerkin''s City.


    One of them was to better understand how they were preparing for the uing war, and the second one was to better understand the purpose of this war.


    Just as Thirteen was about to ask the Shaman a question, a Tigerkin Lady entered the infirmary, making Rafiki and Alina bow their heads in respect.


    "You must be our guest," the beautiful Tigerkin said with a smile. "My name is Brie, and from this moment onwards, you will be my adopted son."


    "¡­ Huh?" Thirteen looked nkly at the Tigerkin Lady in front of him, while Rafiki''s and Alina''s jaws dropped in surprise.


    Even Tiona, who was hanging from her Master''s neck, looked at the Tigerkin Lady in disbelief, wondering if there was something wrong with the Tigerkin Lady''s head.


    Brie blinked in confusion after seeing everyone''s reaction.


    "What? Is there something wrong with what I just said?" Brie asked.


    "There''s plenty wrong," Rafiki answered.


    "My Lady, I don''t think this is an appropriate thing to say, especially since Young Master Percival is currently missing," Alina said with concern.


    Thirteen and Tiona both nced at Alina at the same time after hearing a familiar name.


    They only knew one Tigerkin who had the name Percival, and they were wondering if Alina was referring to the same person who had suffered a lot in Thirteen''s hands.

 Chapter 160 You Are Just Like The Sleepy Wolfsbane

    <h4>Chapter 160 You Are Just Like The Sleepy Wolfsbane </h4>


    "Come, Zion. I''ll show you around the Residence."


    An excited Brie grabbed Zion''s hand and started to drag him away, not even the least bit worried about the ck Snake, who was angrily hissing at her.


    "Calm down, Tiona," Thirteen said when the snake crawled on the boy''s shoulder, headed toward Brie''s hand, which was holding her Master''s hand. "Don''t bite, okay?"


    Tiona hissed angrily at the woman and even used her tail to repeatedly tap her hand as if trying to pry it away from her Master''s.


    "A, how cute," Briemented after feeling the ck Snake''s attempt to pry off her hand from Thirteen''s hand. "Your pet is quite amusing."


    "¡­ Yeah." Thirteen didn''t know if Brie was fearless or if she simply didn''t know that the ck Snake, whom she was calling cute, was actually the most poisonous snake in the world.


    Although Tiona''s bite would not instantly kill her, it would make her suffer terrible pain as her body withered away due to its poison.


    "This is the Garden," Brie said after arriving at the ce that was filled with flowers. "I personally picked all the flowers nted here. Aren''t they beautiful?"


    The boy arched an eyebrow after seeing the beautiful flowers, which were all poisonous.


    "Beautiful and deadly," Thirteenmented. "You have good taste, Lady Brie."


    "I know, right?"


    "Mmm."


    The younger boy now understood why the Tigerkin Lady found Tiona cute.


    It was because she liked to handle poison, so whenever she found anything poisonous, it was cute or beautiful in her eyes.


    As the two toured the garden, Thirteen had to fight the strong urge to collect some of the poisonous flowers in order to use them in alchemy.


    Some of the flowers that were blooming in the garden were actually rare herbs, and they were not often found within the Human territories of Solterra.


    Seeing the boy''s interest in her flowers, the smile on Brie''s face widened.


    "Do you know what this flower is, Zion?" Brie asked as she pointed at a beautiful purple flower.


    "It''s called the Sleepy Wolfsbane," Thirteen replied. "If someone were to eat any part of this flower, they would feel drowsy, but it is only the side effect of the poison that is spreading inside their bodies.


    "If not treated right away, the victim might enter aa, and die after a few months. Touching it can irritate the skin, causing purple sores to appear at the ce of contact. Turning this into powder and slipping it on the food or drinks of people is the ideal way to use it.


    "That way, people would die in their sleep, making others think that they died because of a nightmare or a sweet dream that they refuse to wake up from."


    Brie pped her hand because she didn''t expect that the boy would be able to identify the flower, let alone give her its information.


    "You know a lot about flowers, Zion," Brie said.


    "I don''t know a lot, Lady Brie," Thirteen smiled. "I just know what I know. Um, can I have a few flowerster?"


    Brie giggled after hearing the boy''s request.


    "Who are you nning to kill, Zion?" Brie asked. "Just say the word, and Mother will help you."


    The smile on Thirteen''s face twitched because he didn''t know if Brie was just teasing her or was serious about making him her adoptive son.


    Either way, he already had a mother, so he had no intention of being adopted by anyone.


    "You know, Zion, I have good eyes and a very sensitive nose," Brie said as she took a stroll while holding the boy''s hand. "I know when a person is dangerous or when a person is not. And I have never seen someone as young yet as dangerous as you in my life. You are just like the Sleepy Wolfsbane.


    "You lull your victim to sleep and make sure they don''t wake up ever again. Are you sure you don''t want to be adopted by me?"


    "I''m sorry, but I already have a mother, Lady Brie," Thirteen replied. "I''m afraid I can''t ept your offer of adoption."


    "Understood. You want me to be your adopted mother." Brie nodded. "From this day onward feel free to call me Mother, Zion."


    "¡­" The seven-year-old didn''t know if Brie had selective hearing or if the two of them weren''t speaking the samenguage.


    Anyway, he knew that the Tigerkin that was holding his hand was dangerous.


    Extremely dangerous.


    Although she was smiling sweetly right now, the boy knew that she could have the same smile, as she poisoned people to death.


    "There you are, Mother," a Tigerkin, who seemed to be in his early twenties, called out to Brie from a distance. "I''ve been looking everywhere for you."


    The smile on Brie''s face stiffened, but this onlysted for a second before she introduced Zion to the Tigerkin that was approaching them.


    "Zion, this is Anwir," Brie said. "He is my adopted son. Anwir, this is Zion, my new adopted son."


    Anwir''s gaze hardened as he looked at the seven-year-old human, whom Brie was holding hands with.


    "Mother, you shouldn''t joke around like that," Anwir stated. "Father asked me to find you, as well as¡­ our guest here. He wants to have a talk with him."


    "Is that so?" Brie replied casually before nodding her head. "Let''s go, Zion. It''s time to meet your adopted father."


    The Tigerkin Lady dragged Zion away without even bothering to look at her other adopted son, who was ring at Zion''s back.


    Thirteen nced behind him and looked at the boy, who changed his expression in the blink of an eye and smiled back at him.


    ''Hah¡­ I think I understand this setup,'' Thirteen thought. ''I see, so that''s how it is.''


    The seven-year-old was a System, so he could see the pattern when it came to the rtionship of people.


    With his thousands of years of experience, it was fairly easy for him to guess why Brie didn''t like Anwir.


    While some people didn''t jump to conclusions based on conjecture, Thirteen was different.


    He was a System.


    He didn''t need any proof or evidence.


    All he needed to do was calcte things inside his head, and he would arrive at an answer with the highest probability.


    ''Too bad there isn''t any popcorn here that I can munch on while I watch this family drama,'' Thirteen thought. ''Still, if I y my cards right, this trip to Karabor City might be more advantageous to me in more ways than one.''


    Since Brie was looking in front of her, she didn''t see the evil smile that appeared on Thirteen''s face.


    Only Tiona, who was paying close attention to her Master, noticed the changes on his face.


    This prompted her to rub her head on his cheek as if telling Thirteen to let her join in on the fun once the seven-year-old finally dared to take action.

 Chapter 161 You’re Not As Dumb As You Look

    <h4>Chapter 161 You¡¯re Not As Dumb As You Look</h4>


    "So you are the child named Zion, correct?" asked a Tigerkin, who had a scar that crossed his forehead and part way down his cheek, in a cold tone.


    Thirteen stared at the Tigerkin in front of him, who seemed to be in his early forties, with a curious look on his face.


    Ages were a bit hard to tell in both Pangea and Solterra. Someone who looked like a teenage boy might actually be someone already in their early thirties and only had a youthful appearance due to having a High Rank.


    The seven-year-old might not be able to tell how old the Tigerkin was, but he could tell what his Rank was.


    ''A peak Champion,'' Thirteen thought. ''Someone simr to Grandma Callista.''


    He had already expected that the General, whom Dixon was referring to, was someone who had a high rank, so he wasn''t too surprised by this development.


    Dixon himself was a Champion, so it was only natural that the one he was taking orders from was someone stronger than him.


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "My name is Zion. Zion Leventis."


    The Tigerkin nodded. "I am General Stark. My family name is Evander. ording to my subordinates, you were with a Drow, right? Is she your Master?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "My Master is a High Orc named Jubei."


    The boy made sure to keep his story to match the narrative that he had made in Gronar City. Any inconsistencies mighte to bite himter, so it was in his best interest to stick to the background he created.


    "Then why were you with the Drow?" General Stark asked. "Dixon said that you were riding with her when they found you."


    "My Master had asked me to go to the Furvus Grasnds to hunt some monsters alongside other ves," Thirteen answered. "The Drow, Lady Adira, was there to keep watch over us, and supervise the hunting operation."


    "Other ves?" General Stark arched an eyebrow. "When my men found you, there was only you and the Drow. Where are these other ves that you speak of?"


    Bri, Dixon, Alina, and Anwir, who had entered the office just a few minutes ago, perked up their ears to listen to the boy''s exnation.


    "Originally, we were all together in the camp we have made in the Furvus Grasnds," Thirteen exined. "But something unexpected happened."


    The boy exined about the Monster Stampede, which forced them to evacuate their camp.


    He added that, knowing that they would be overtaken by the enemies, he was forced to distract the Golden-Eyed Hyenas by acting as bait in order to draw their attention away.


    General Stark and the rest of the Tigerkins inside the room listened to Thirteen''s tale without interrupting him.


    When the boy was done, General Stark snorted.


    "You expect me to believe that story?" General Stark asked in a cold tone. "A Drow, who is only a supervisor of a ve Hunting Party, would actually dare to risk her life in order to save her ve subordinates? I find this hard to believe.


    "Also, the part where the two of you acted as bait in order to help the Purple-Furred Honey Badger ambush the Leader of the Golden Hyena is an amazing feat. If it were true, I would havemended that Drow and you for your bravery.


    "But I''m finding it hard to believe that your story is an actual fact, and not just a fabrication by your delusions. However, I have to admit that it is an interesting story, especially told by a child of your age. You have a talent for telling stories, Zion."


    Thirteen remained calm despite the contemptuous gaze that was being shot in his direction,ing from one of the best Generals of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "Whether you believe it or not is up to you to decide," Thirteenmented. "But if a General of your caliber can''t even distinguish fact from delusion, then I guess the Generals of the Tigerkins are more ipetent than I thought. No wonder you lost to the Barbarians."


    A pin-drop silence descended inside the room as Dixon, Alina, and Anwir looked at the boy in disbelief.


    "Boy, are you speaking so boldly because you know that we Tigerkins don''t hurt children?" General Stark narrowed his eyes. "Are you testing whether I will uphold our Warrior''s Code or not?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "For you to figure that out, you''re not as dumb as you look, General."


    Dixon and Alina felt a chill run down their spine because they could feel that their General was starting to get angry.


    They couldn''t understand why a human boy could act so brazen in front of a Tigerkin who could easily twist his neck in a heartbeat.


    Anwir, who didn''t like Thirteen from the start because Brie had introduced the boy to him as her "adopted son", wasughing inside his heart.


    ''Fool.'' Anwir sneered. ''Out of all the people you dared to mock, you chose my adoptive father. Simply courting death.''


    Just as everyone thought that the seven-year-old would get his just desserts, a giggle echoed inside the office as Brie, who was General Stark''s wife, giggled.


    "You''re amazing, Zion," Brie praised as she walked toward the younger boy and hugged him from behind. "What do you think, Stark? Our adopted son is quite funny and brave, right?"


    General Stark, who was very tempted to torture the boy, frowned after hearing his wife''s words.


    "What are you talking about?" General Stark asked in disbelief. "Brie, are you mad?"


    "I will adopt Zion," Brie stated in a firm tone. "Whether you like it or not."


    Brie''s gaze was firm as she faced off against General Stark''s own gaze which was filled with disbelief and confusion.


    "Um, do I have a say in this?" Thirteen, who was being hugged from behind by the Tigerkin Lady raised a hand.


    "You don''t," Brie patted the boy''s head before ring at her husband. "From this day onward, Zion is my adopted son. If you have a problem with my decision, make sure to find Percival first and bring him back to me. If you can''t do that, then shut up and keep on looking for him. Let''s go, Zion. I''ll get you something good to eat."


    Just like earlier, the seven-year-old had no choice but to get dragged away by the Tigerkin Lady, whom even General Stark was unable to defy.


    Earlier, he was provoking the Tigerkin General on purpose because he wanted to confirm a few things from him.


    One of the things he didn''t understand was the title that Dixon and the others had referred to him by, which was Death''s Chosen.


    This title was given to him due to Tiona staying by his side.


    His purpose for angering the General was to know if being the Death''s Chosen would allow him to remain unscathed, even with the fury of one of the highest ranking Tigerkins in the Kingdom.


    He truly wasn''t really worried about the General killing him.


    Sure, the General could''ve broken one of his bones or hurt him a little, but there was no chance of him dying in that ce.


    The worst that could happen to him was to be imprisoned, and it would end at that.


    Every word that has escaped the boy''s lips was all calcted, bringing out the result he wanted.


    Tigerkins followed the Warrior''s Code with their life.


    As a General, he must set an example to his subordinates and not break such an important rule, which could cause him to lose his position within their army.


    Also, Thirteen was testing whether Brie would interfere if her husband really attempted to hurt him.


    The seven-year-old didn''t mind pain.


    What he wanted was facts.


    Facts that would allow him to know what the bottom line of the people around him was and calcte how he should use it to his advantage during his stay in the Sumatran Kingdom.

 Chapter 162 I Don’t Believe In Fate, If That’s What You’re Asking

    <h4>Chapter 162 I Don¡¯t Believe In Fate, If That¡¯s What You¡¯re Asking </h4>


    "Zion, that''s no good," Brie said as she and the boy walked hand in hand down the hallways of their residence. "You shouldn''t test my husband''s patience like that. He has been on edge ever since our son disappeared, so do not provoke him."


    "Understood, Lady Brie," Thirteen replied.


    "Now, what do you want to eat?" Brie inquired.


    "I''m not picky with food," Thirteen answered.


    "Vegetables then."


    "On second thought, can I have some meat?"


    The Tigerkin Lady giggled before nodding her head. Brie might look very carefree, but the boy knew that she wasn''t as simple as she portrayed herself to be.


    Every time she referred to him as an adoptive son, he called her Lady Brie.


    However, whenever he did, the beautiful Tigerkin didn''t correct him or say anything like "stop calling me Lady Brie, and call me Mother or Mama."


    This confirmed his suspicion that Brie wasn''t really serious about making him her adoptive son.


    She was simply calling him that for reasons that only she knew about.


    When they arrived in the dining room, they saw another Tigerkin with hair that only reached their shoulders.


    The Tigerkin had their back facing them, so the seven-year-old was unable to see what the person looked like.


    "So you''re here, Cleo," Brie said. "Perfect timing. I''d like you to meet the newest member of our family."


    Cleo, who had just been called, turned around and met Thirteen''s gaze.


    Thirteen assumed that Cleo was another one of Brie''s sons. But after hearing her name and seeing the bulge on her chest, he immediately realized that she was actually a girl.


    The most striking feature of Cleo was her eyes.


    Unlike her parents, who both had blue eyes, Cleo had mixed-colored eyes of purple and green.


    "It''s you," Cleo muttered. "That boy I always see in my dreams."


    The youngdy''s gaze thennded on the ck Snake coiled around the boy''s neck, further confirming her suspicion.


    "Mother, he is the boy that I told you abou¡ª"


    But before Cleo could finish whatever she was going to say, Brie held up her hand, cutting her offpletely.


    "Let''s talk about itter, Dear," Brie stated before ncing at the maids. "Please prepare the food. We will dine first because my husband is busy."


    "Yes, Lady Brie." The Head Maid, who was a human, nodded and motioned for the other maids to start serving food on the table.


    Cleo obeyed her mother, but her gaze locked on Thirteen''s body as if trying to make sure that he was the same boy whom she had been seeing in her dreams.


    Thirteen sat calmly on his chair and waited for the food to be served.


    ''This family is more interesting than I thought,'' Thirteen thought. ''If this is really Taiga''s family, then it fits his Heroic Background perfectly.''


    Although Thirteen wasn''t a hundred percent sure that Brie and General Stark were really Taiga''s parents, he believed that his hunch had a high chance of being urate.


    All he needed to do was do a little more prodding before he could confirm his suspicion, which he would do as soon as an opportunity presented itself.


    He was also curious because Cleo seemed to know him, or at least, knew him through her dreams.


    "Here, Zion. Eat a lot so you will grow big and strong," Brie said while cing several meat dishes on the boy''s te.


    After making sure that his te was filled with food, Brie took out a Beast Core from her storage ring that was the size of a golf ball.


    She then ced it beside Thirteen''s te before pointing at Tiona.


    "This is for her." Brie winked.


    Thirteen nodded in understanding and picked up the Beast Core to feed Tiona.


    The ck Snake swallowed it whole, and once she did, a satisfied look appeared on her face.


    She could digest lower-ranked Cores in less than a minute, so the small bulge it created in her body disappeared soon after.


    After feeding his Beast Companion, Thirteen began to eat heartily because he was truly hungry.


    The Scouting Party had neither rested nor eaten until after they had reunited with their captain. They had hurriedly left the Barbarian Lands in fear of being discovered by their enemy''s Hunting Parties.


    The three people ate in a lively atmosphere, with Brie asking Zion a few questions about his Master and the other ves that he had been with.


    The boy answered the questions but made sure to not mention Percival.


    However, he did mention that there were other Tigerkins in their Hunting Party, which made Cleo''s frown deepen.


    "Hey, is my¡­," Cleo stopped her question midway after seeing her mother give her a warning gaze.


    The youngdy then lowered her head, and ate her food in silence.


    "Cleo, we''ll have a talkter, okay?" Brie stated.


    "Yes, Mother," Cleo replied in a timid voice, not daring to defy her mother.


    Thirteen didn''t fail to notice their small interaction and came up with the conclusion that Brie might be the true voice of the family, outranking even her husband.


    Although her Rank was only at the Grandmaster Level, no one at the General''s Residence seemed to be able to defy her, including her husband, whom she had left behind in his office.


    After they finished eating lunch, Brie took him to the room, where he was going to stay for the time being.


    "If you need anything, just ask the maid that is stationed in front of your door," Brie stated. "Her name is Ada, and she will be your personal maid during your stay here."


    Thirteen nodded. "Understood."


    After making sure that he didn''t need anything else, Brie walked toward the door. However, before she left, she nced at the seven-year-old and smiled.


    "By the way, my Profession is a Seer," Brie dered before giving the boy a wink. "See youter, Zion."


    After saying those words, the Tigerkin Lady finally left, leaving Thirteen scratching his head.


    "It''s all falling into ce," Thirteen muttered before picking up a chair and cing it near the window of his room. "Now I understand. So she is a Seer."


    Brie had admitted her Profession to Zion on her own ord, making the boy understand why she was trying to get close to him.


    A momentter, he started to make chirping sounds, mimicking the sound of the birds that were chirping on the trees in front of his window.


    After a few minutes, a Pocopoconded by the windowsill and looked at his Master, who had aplicated look on his face.


    "Vassago, I need you to confirm something for me." Thirteen then began to tell the Pocopoco about the message that he wanted to pass to Cristopher and Taiga, who were on their way to Gronar City.


    "Fate sure knows how to y a joke," Vassagomented after his Master finished telling him what to do. "I don''t believe in coincidences, Master. How about you?"


    "I don''t believe in Fate if that''s what you''re asking," Thirteen replied.


    "You don''t believe in Fate, Master?"


    "No."


    The Pocopoco eyed the boy for half a minute before nodding his head.


    "Be safe, Master," Vassago said as he opened his wings. "I''ll be back as soon as I can."


    "Safe trip, Vassago," Thirteen stated. "Don''t worry. You know where to find me."


    After that brief exchange, the Pocopoco finally took flight.


    This time, he was headed toward the Barbarian Lands, where the Hero of the Tigerkins was currently traveling back to their base in Gronar City, unaware that the one person whom he hated the most was currently living in the house where he had spent the majority of his childhood.

 Chapter 163 Thirteen’s Right-Hand Man

    <h4>Chapter 163 Thirteen¡¯s Right-Hand Man</h4>


    Four days after Thirteen arrived in the Sumatran Kingdom¡­


    "What?! Zion has been captured?" Rianna''s face turned pale after hearing Cristopher''s report.


    She was waiting patiently for Thirteen because she believed that her Hunting Party was now ready to coborate with him to challenge the monsters in the Warsor ins.


    But after hearing the chubby boy''s story, she felt that it was too soon for her Hunting Party to set forth in that direction.


    "Yes, the Young Master has been captured," Cristopher replied helplessly. "But I believe that he will be fine. Vassago had sent me a message from him, and he said that he would return as soon as he could."


    "Then what do we do now?" Rianna asked.


    It was only after learning that the seven-year-old boy was gone did Rianna suddenly realized how much she had relied on Zion.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that someone younger than her had held her hand and pulled her up, guiding her to stand on her own.


    Thanks to Zion''s help, she managed to buy the ves in the ve Market, allowing her to form her own Hunting Party, who could now support themselves through the selling of Monster Parts from their expeditions.


    Even so, Rianna had already considered Thirteen as the leader of their group, so his absence made her feel at a loss for what to do.


    Seeing her reaction, Cristopher suddenly remembered something that Vassago had said before he left.


    "The Young Master also left a message for you," Cristopher stated. "He said that you should just focus on hunting in the Houdini Desert for now because the Warsor ins is teeming up with strife.


    "Also, he asked you to tell Harry that he is currently doing an undercover mission in the Sumatran Kingdom to better understand the situation about the war."


    "Anything else?" Rianna asked, hoping that there was more.


    "Well, that''s all Vassago told me a few days ago," Cristopher sighed. "But the Pocopoco told me that he would go find Thirteen and ensure that he is safe first. After that, he would find a way to pass messages between us and him."


    The two were currently talking inside Thirteen''s room, where they always go to whenever they talk about important things.


    This was themand room of their operations, and no one was allowed to go near it, with the exception of Giga Chad, who had treated Thirteen''s room as his own.


    No one really wanted to defy the Chad Skunk. If he got angry, the aggressor would regret it for days on end.


    While the two teenagers were thinking of what to do next, something entered through the window andnded on the table.


    Cristopher almost jumped up in joy after seeing the familiar dumb-looking bird had arrived as he promised.


    "Vassago!" Cristopher hurriedly went to the table to talk to the Pocopoco. "Did you find the Young Master? Is he safe?!"


    The Pocopoco nced at the chubby boy and the youngdy, whom his Master had said to be his subordinate.


    However, Thirteen cautioned Vassago to not reveal his intelligence to Rianna. Although they were close, and the boy trusted her to a certain extent, he still didn''t fully trust her yet.


    She wasn''t like Cristopher who had sworn loyalty to him, so some of his secrets had to remain a secret to her.


    "Water!" Vassago shouted at the chubby boy. "And nuts!"


    "Y-Yes! Right away, Sir!" Cristopher hurriedly took two bowls and filled one of them with water.


    He then went to the jar filled with nuts, which Thirteen had kept to feed the Pocopoco.


    Vassago ate and drank his fill first. His journey back from the Sumatran Kingdom hadn''t been easy.


    Although he could have returned to Gronar City in a day of travel, Thirteen had asked him to check a few ces to confirm his suspicions.


    The seven-year-old had asked Vassago to look for the location of the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, as well as the current situation of the Diabolical Hyena.


    These two Rank 6 Overlords were the two powerhouses of the Warsor ins, and knowing their current conditions was very important for the sake of his Hunting Group.


    The younger boy decided that Cristopher couldn''t remain idle and must do his best to be stronger, as well as train the ves at the same time.


    Because of this, Thirteen needed them to continue hunting.


    But this time, they would only hunt near the territory of Gronar City so that they wouldn''t sh with the two Overlords, who were still recovering from their recent battle.


    After eating and drinking, Vassago nced at the two teenagers before passing Thirteen''s message to them.


    "I am safe and sound," Thirteen said. "I am currently in a city called Karabor City in the Sumatran Kingdom. Although I was captured, I didn''t lose my freedom, and I am eating better than all of you back in the warehouse.


    "I even get to eat steak here, and I have to admit that it tasted better than what I had back home. So, do not feel anxious or fear for my safety for I am in good health."


    After hearing Vassago''s report, Cristopher and Rianna both sighed in relief because some of their worries had disappeared.


    "Now, let''s go to other topics," Vassago continued his report, still using Thirteen''s voice in order to make the two teenagers feel as if the seven-year-old was the one talking in front of them. "Cristopher, like I said before, you will be the temporary leader of the Hunting Party while I am away.


    "Your mission is to hunt as many monsters as possible to umte resources for our team. Also, make sure that Taiga and his party will always be fighting on the frontlines. They are free to do whatever they want, but they have to always be together when they are fighting.


    "Whenever you return from your hunt, continue to make arrows and spears. Our supplies of paralyzing arrows are now gone, so you should either capture a Beast that produces a simr venom or buy one from the ve Market.


    "I left half of my money in a small pouch under my bed, so use those funds if necessary. But, remember, spend it wisely. You are still not like Rianna, who has now be self-sufficient."


    A faint smile appeared on Rianna''s lips after hearing the seven-


    year-old''s praise.


    She still didn''t understand why she felt so happy beingplimented by the boy who was at least six years younger than her.


    "I know that you are not the leader type, Cristopher, and I apologize for forcing you into this role," Vassago said softly, imitating the softness in Thirteen''s voice when he said this part of his message. "But from the day you have sworn loyalty to me, I have already considered you as my right-hand man.


    "Even if I were to gain more followers, and subordinates in the future, you will still be my right-hand man, so I need you to be strong even when I am not by your side. You may not be smart or strong, but you have something that others don''t, and that is¡­ perseverance.


    "So, Cristopher, what I want you to do is persevere. There will be times when the two of us will not always be together, and I can''t always be there for you when you need me the most.


    "But you are my right-hand man, and that means that you have to be strong¡ªstrong enough to stand on your own, so once we meet each other again, you will have be a brand new and better you.


    "You don''t have to act like me, Cristopher. Just be yourself. But if the ves don''t listen to you, tell them this, ''I shall return, and when I do, those who didn''t follow your orders will regret it till theirst breath''. So, don''t be afraid to order them around. Even if the world bes your enemy, I will remain by your side. So, show them what you got!"


    Cristopher couldn''t help but cover his eyes with his hand as tears fell down his face. He tried so hard to hold it back, but in the end, the dam broke and his tears fell like rain.


    Rianna, who saw him crying, rubbed his back to make him feel a little better.


    She was moved and even felt a little envious of Cristopher because she could tell that Thirteen really thought of him as someone important, which was very different from how the seven-year-old treated her.


    The youngdy wished that Zion would rely on her more as well.


    This made her more determined to work harder as the Leader of her Hunting Party, proving to the younger boy that she could also be his strength, and not drag him down in the battles ahead.


    -----------------------


    (A/N: Check the Author''s Notes to know the mission for this week''s bonus chapters!)

 Chapter 164 Is There Anything Else That You Would Like To Add?

    <h4>Chapter 164 Is There Anything Else That You Would Like To Add? </h4>


    "Why did you call me here, Cristopher?"


    Percival asked in annoyance after Brutus took him to Thirteen''s room because his Master was calling for him.


    "I have some questions to ask you, Taiga."


    The Tigerkin subconsciously straightened up after hearing the seven-year-old''s voice, who had given him a very traumatic experience.


    However, after realizing that the voice that talked to him was from Vassago, Percival couldn''t help but feel anger rising in his chest.


    "You dumb bird, what do you want?!" Percival asked in anger in an attempt to mask his embarrassment.


    He didn''t want to admit it, but his fear of Thirteen was now firmly rooted in his heart and mind.


    "Tell me, Taiga, is the name of your father Stark Evander?" Vassago asked. "Or should I call him General Stark?"


    The Tigerkin immediately quieted down after hearing Vassago''s question.


    Seeing his stance and expression, the Pocopoco shrugged and asked another question.


    "Is the name of your mother Brie Evander?" Vassago eyed the Tigerkin, paying close attention to his features. "Is your sister''s name Cleo Evander? Last, but not the least, is your brother''s name, Anwir Evander?"


    "That traitor is no brother of mine!" Percival growled. "Never speak his name in front of me again!"


    The Pocopoco nodded because his Master''s suspicions had now been confirmed.


    "Right now, I am in the Sumatran Kingdom, living in your Family''s Residence," Vassago said in a teasing tone using Thirteen''s voice. "Did you know? Your mother even wanted to adopt me and make me her son."


    A look of disbelief appeared on the Tigerkin''s face, which made Vassago chuckle.


    "What''s so surprising about it?" Vassago inquired. "How do you think I know about your family''s name? Why do you think I''m talking about this topic right now?"


    "¡­ You''re lying," Percival said through gritted teeth. "You''re just messing with me!"


    "Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Vassago replied. "Just to let you know, the name of the Captain of the Scouting Party that caught me is Dixon. His Vice Captain is named Armand, and the two others are called Thane and Alina.


    "There is also a human shaman in your Residence, and his name is Rafiki. But, enough about them. The reason why I''m telling you this is because your brother, Anwir, is nning something."


    The moment Percival heard this statement, his face turned grim, making the Pocopoco wonder how his Master was able to know that the Tigerkin would react if he said something along the lines of "Anwir is nning something."


    "What is he nning?!" Percival demanded. "What is that snake nning to do to my family?!"


    "Calm down," Vassago ordered. "Before I tell you anything, you must tell me exactly how you''ve been captured by the ve Traders. By doing so, I will help you expose your traitorous brother to your family. Who knows? I might be kind enough to return you to your family.


    "But this will depend on your attitude. If you behave and listen to Cristopher''s orders, I''ll consider returning you to your family after a year. If not, well, you can spend the rest of your days as a ve, never to see them again."


    A look of shock briefly appeared on Percival''s face before it was reced by determination.


    "Will you really return me to my family?" Percival asked. "Will you?"


    "Like I said, it depends on your attitude," Vassago said in a teasing tone. "If you listen to Cristopher''s orders and work hard for my sake, I will allow you to see your family. That, I promise to you. Now, tell me how you became a ve. If you do that, I will consider helping you get rid of the snake in your family."


    Faced with such a choice, Percival clenched his fists as the frustrations that he had kept inside his heart burst out like a tide.


    He told the Pocopoco everything that happened to him from start to finish.


    Starting with how his Step Brother, Anwir, said that they should help patrol the borders of their Kingdom against the Barbarian Raiders.


    Percival narrated how Anwir purposely left him behind so that the Barbarians could capture him.


    "And do you know his motive?" Vassago asked.


    "I only have a hunch, but I believe that he wanted to be the only son of our family," Percival was clenching his fists so hard that they were making noises. "I overheard him talking with his subordinates in the barracks that he was also nning to marry my sister, Cleo, and take care of our family business."


    Vassago tilted his head to the side. "Anything else? Aside from marrying into your family, do you know if he has any other motives? What about his biological parents? What is their rtionship with your family?"


    "His parents?" Percival frowned. "I only knew about his biological father. He was one of the captains who served under my father, and he considered him as his right-hand man.


    "Because of this, when he died during the battle with the Barbarians, my father decided to adopt that bastard to our family. I wish he never did that. I feel disgusted every time I think about how I called that person my Brother for nearly five years."


    Vassago stayed silent for a bit and pressed for more answers.


    His Master had asked him to understand Anwir''s true motive so that he could deal with him after getting the information he needed from Percival.


    "Do you know how his father died?" Vassago inquired.


    "I only heard rumors," Percival replied. "They said that my Father ordered Anwir''s Father and his subordinates to conduct a raid, which was equivalent to a suicide mission. Although they seeded, many soldiers died during that incident."


    Vassago lightly tapped his foot on the table. "Is there anything else that you would like to add?"


    "None." Percival shook his head. "I''ve told you everything I know."


    "Understood." Vassago nodded. "I will pass the information you told me to our Master. Remember, from this point onward, you will listen to Cristopher''s orders. Of course, if you don''t want to see your family again, feel free to defy him. If you do that¡­ hehehe."


    Vassago''s chuckle was the exact copy of Thirteen''s evil chuckle, making even Cristopher shudder after hearing it.


    Percival, on the other hand, felt conflicted after knowing that his Master was currently living with his family.


    He wanted to see them again, and he wished that he never listened to Anwir, who schemed to get him captured by the Barbarians from the start.


    "I will do as you say," Percival said. "Will you really let me see my family after a year?"


    "Didn''t I tell you?" Vassago shrugged. "That will depend on your attitude. Now, behave and listen to Cristopher''s orders."


    The Pocopoco then nced at the chubby boy before opening his wings.


    "I leave everything here to you, Cristopher," Vassago said. "I''ll be back after a few days."


    After saying those words, Vassago flew out of the window and headed North towards the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Even now, the Pocopoco was quite impressed because his Master''s hunch was right.


    Thirteen already knew about the possibility that Anwir was doing this for revenge, but he didn''t know the reason for that revenge.


    Now that Vassago obtained the information that he needed, it was only a matter of time before the young boy obtained a new puppet that he could manipte to do his bidding.

 Chapter 165 An Important Role To Play

    <h4>Chapter 165 An Important Role To y</h4>


    "I see¡­" Thirteen muttered as he sat on the window hook in his room.


    The hooting of an owl sounded in the distance as Vassago continued to inform his Master of everything that he learned from Taiga about his stepbrother Anwir.


    Several minutester, the hooting stopped, which concluded Vassago''s report.


    Thirteen then started to chirp, thanking Vassago for his report.


    "Stay for a few days. There are a few things I need you to do for me, Vassago."


    "Understood. Master."


    After that brief exchange, Thirteen got up and closed the window of his room before lying down on his bed.


    As a system, these kinds of events weren''t new to him.


    The Pocopoco''s report only confirmed his hunch, which gave him the signal to proceed to the next step of his ns.


    He had been staying in the General''s residence for five days, and during that time, he had learned quite a bit about the Evander Family.


    Brie, who would often introduce him to others as her adopted son, treated Anwir coldly.


    ording to Rafiki, this wasn''t the case in the past because she truly cared for him like her own son.


    The change in her attitude toward Anwir all happened when Percival was captured by the Barbarian Raiding party. Ever since that day, she wouldn''t even talk to Anwir unless absolutely necessary.


    Cleo, who was Percival''s older sister, would often look at him from a distance. However, she never took the initiative to approach him.


    She even looked at Thirteen with a fearful gaze as if she was looking at something very scary.


    General Stark, on the other hand, tolerated his existence, but the former never talked to him even once.


    The only ones who always talked to him were Brie, Rafiki, and Alina, whom the General had ordered to serve as Thirteen''s guard.


    Of course, they couldn''t allow him to freely wander everywhere or leave the residence as he wished. That was why they had assigned him a protector, but Alina''s true purpose was to ensure that he didn''t try to escape the residence and return to the Barbarian Lands.


    After nearly ten minutes of silence, Thirteen opened his eyes and a faint smile appeared on his face.


    ''Seriously, this family is the best,'' Thirteen thought. ''Not only did they produce a Hero, they even adopted a Second-Rate Viin. Kukuku! What a stroke of luck!''


    Aside from raising a Hero, Thirteen was nning to raise a Viin as well.


    But the problem is that finding a True Viin was just as hard as finding a Hero.


    Fortunately, he found Percival when he was still young, allowing him to bring the TIgerkin under his wing.


    Truth be told, the growth paths of Heroes and Viins were very identical.


    Almost all of them would suffer a tragedy, which would be a turning point in their life.


    This turning point would force them to make a choice. They would either choose to take the Righteous Path and be a Hero or take the Thorny Path of revenge and be a Viin.


    ''Right now, Anwir is just a Second-Rate, or maybe even a Third-Rate Viin,'' Thirteen mused. ''But this is normal since he has just started to take the Viin Route. The fastest way to make a viin grow is through desperation. Fortunately, it is very easy to make him fall into despair.''


    The smile on the boy''s face widened because he could already envision the oue in his mind.


    ''I''ve already stayed long enough in this ce. I think I need to start the next phase of the n.''


    After confirming the things he needed to do in thest few days, Thirteen closed his eyes to rest.


    A few minutester, he had a dream where Percival and his stepbrother, Anwir, were pulling his carriage together as he took a nap on Giga Chad''s back.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in the Evander Residence¡­


    "Mother, I saw that dream again," Cleo said while her body shuddered uncontrobly. "Zion was standing on a hill while everything around him burned in mes. Countless meteors fell from the heavens, dyeing the ground red with the blood of our people and Barbarians alike.


    "Mother, I''m scared. Is he perhaps a demon in disguise? Maybe we should ask Father to imprison him. That way, that dream of mine will note to pass."


    Brie hugged her daughter tightly and patted her head.


    "Our visions are not absolute, but there is a high chance that they wille to pass," Brie replied. "Did you have a clear look on his face in your dream? What kind of face is he making?"


    "His face looked calm." Cleo shuddered. "It was as if he had already expected that something like that was going to happen. He had his subordinates behind him, and they were the only ones who were safe from the meteor strikes. Mother, I''m scared."


    The youngdy started to tear up because the scene she saw was truly horrifying. Although it was just a dream, as a seer, it felt very real to her.


    She could even smell the burning flesh on the battlefield, making her stomach churn.


    "Mother, have you gotten visions about him?" Cleo asked. "You should have, right? Is that the reason why you are calling him as your adopted son?"


    "If I tell you the truth, do you promise not to tell your Father about it?" Brie asked back.


    "I won''t tell father. I promise."


    "Good. Just like you, I also saw visions of him. But it is very different from the visions of destruction that you saw."


    "What did you see, Mother?" Cleo inquired out of curiosity.


    Brie paused for a bit as she carefully chose the words that she was going to say to her daughter.


    "As long as we don''t harm him, Zion will not actively target our family," Brie replied. "Also, he has an important role to y, so we must not allow him toe to any harm while he is in our residence."


    "An important role to y?"


    "Yes. A very important one."


    "What is it, Mother?"


    Brie shook her head and pressed her finger over her lips.


    "I can''t tell you. If I say it, it might note to pass," Brie stated. "As I told you earlier, our visions are not absolute. They are not set in stone. I don''t want to do anything that might jinx the vision I saw before Zion appeared in our home."


    "¡­ You were already expecting his arrival, Mother?"


    "Mmm. I''ve been waiting for him to arrive for a long time now."


    Cleo inherited the bloodline of Seers from her mother, Brie.


    Although the two of them had never seen the same vision, the visions they did see would usuallye to pass.


    There was a time when Cleo tried to stop a vision from happening, only to find out that her attempt to stop it was actually the trigger that made her vision happen.


    Because of this, she felt that regardless of what she did, her vision woulde to pass.


    Originally, she wanted to ask her Father to imprison Zion so that what she saw would not be a reality.


    However, after thinking it through, she realized that imprisoning Zion might make him be their family''s enemy, and he might be the one to instigate the meteor attack, killing countless Tigerkins in the process.


    In the end, she decided to just close her eyes and bury her head in her mother''s embrace.


    If doing nothing would prevent that horrifying future from happening, then Cleo was willing to turn a blind eye towards the seven-year-old, who was currently sleeping soundly inside his room at this very moment.


    ¡ª-------------------


    (A/N: Congrattions! You have met this week''s quota. Bonus chapters will be posted on Saturday and Sunday!


    Special thanks to everyone that gave me a gift. I''ll see you all in the next chapters!)

 Chapter 166 I’m Such A Good Person

    <h4>Chapter 166 I¡¯m Such A Good Person </h4>


    "You''re getting better, Anwir," Dixon said as he extended his hand to help the Tigerkin stand up. "You''ve improved a lot since I left to do the scouting mission that your father asked of me."


    A smile appeared on Anwir''s face after hearing Dixon''s praise.


    He had been training very hard every day for his goal¡ªto be recognized by his Stepfather, as well as the men under hismand.


    Now that he was the only "son" in the family, it was only natural for him to inherit everything that the Evander Family had.


    Of course, this might change if his Stepmother, Brie, ever gave birth to another son, but Anwir wasn''t worried.


    Brie could no longer bear any children after going through hardbor to bring Percival into the world.


    Rafiki, as well as the other Shamans in the Sumatran Kingdom, had confirmed that it was no longer possible for her to have another child.


    Also, he didn''t hide his interest in his Stepsister, Cleo, whom he wanted to marry in the future.


    All that was left for him to do was get his adopted parent''s blessings. Once he achieved that, everything he worked hard for would finally be in his hands.


    "How is your rtionship with Lady Brie?" Dixon asked. "Is she still not talking to you?"


    "Mother is still giving me the cold shoulder," Anwir replied in a sad tone. "I just don''t know why she suddenly distanced herself from me."


    Dixon patted the young man''s shoulder and gave him some words of encouragement. "Don''t worry. I''m sure she is just worried about Percival. We have sent search parties everywhere, but we are still unable to find him.


    "Your father had asked me to check the Barbarian Lands for his whereabouts, but after infiltrating two cities, we still haven''t found any traces of him. It is quite unfortunate that we were forced to withdraw due to the incident. I should have killed that Drow instead of trying to capture her alive."


    Anwir patted Dixon''s waist as if telling the older man that he didn''t have to feel guilty that he was forced to return early.


    In fact, he was happy that things ended up that way.


    If the Scouting Party did manage to find Percival, things would get messy. In order to keep his current standing in the family, he needed to make sure that his "little brother" would never again appear in their lives.


    ''Maybe I should have killed him so that I wouldn''t have to continually walk on eggshells like this,'' Anwir thought.


    However, when that thought crossed his mind, he knew that he was unable to do it.


    He didn''t hate Percival. In fact, he truly treated him as a little brother.


    But this all changed when the younger boy suddenly showed great potential that would surpass Anwir''s talents after a few years.


    Anwir had thought that he would be the next head of the family, but Percival''s sudden growth spurt worried him.


    The little brother he doted on suddenly became a threat in his eyes. And anything that would threaten his position must be eliminated to ensure that he would be the heir of the General''s family.


    This incident also made him remember the original goal he had set for himself when he epted General Stark''s proposal for him to be his adopted son.


    So after steeling himself, he decided to lure his brother away from the safety of their residence, nning to have him killed by the Barbarians during one of their raids.


    Since he didn''t have the heart to kill Percival, he decided to use the hands of others to do it. Unfortunately for him, the Barbarians'' goal wasn''t to kill people but to capture them to be sold as ves to the ve Master, who would pay a good price for them.


    After bidding goodbye to Dixon, Anwir returned to his room to take a bath.


    Just as he was about to take off his clothes, he noticed that there was a letter on top of the table, which made him frown.


    His room was locked, and the only way to enter it was through his window, which he had left open before he left to train.


    Left with no choice, he picked up the letter and read its contents.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meet me tonight on the Training Grounds when everyone in the residence is asleep. If you don''te, I will tell your adopted parents about your little expedition with Percival near the border of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After reading the letter, Anwir''s face immediately turned pale.


    He read the letter three times to ensure that he didn''t misread anything. He even tried to analyze the handwriting to know the identity of the person who wrote it.


    But after confirming that thetter wasn''t written by his Adoptive Parents, Cleo, Dixon, or Rafiki, he understood that this was written by someone outside of their family.


    Suddenly, the face of the seven-year-old appeared inside his head, but he dismissed this idea at once.


    For all of the days that Zion had been in the residence, he would often stay inside his room or be dragged around by his Stepmother to tour the residence or the marketce.


    ''But if it''s not him, then who?'' Anwir thought for a while before deciding to burn the letter to ensure that no traces would be left behind. ''I guess that I have no choice but to meet that personter.''


    No matter what, he would not allow anyone to disrupt the ns that he had worked hard to achieve.


    The Tigerkin wasn''t aware that outside of his window, perched on top of a tree branch, a Pocopoco was paying close attention to what was happening inside the room.


    After seeing Anwir burn the letter, a disdainful expression briefly crossed the dumb-looking bird''s face before it pped its wings to fly away.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Inside Thirteen''s Room¡­


    The sound of chirping reached Thirteen''s ears, making him smile.


    ''Now, the real fun starts,'' Thirteen thought as he rested his head over the backs of his intertwined hands. ''No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, I will make sure that you dance on the palm of my hands, my future Viin.''


    Although he felt a little sorry for Anwir, the seven-year-old still decided to push through with his n, which would drive his target into a corner.


    He couldn''t care less about the family drama that was happening in the Evander Residence.


    However, the uing war didn''t give Thirteen a lot of time to stay in the Sumatran Kingdom.


    He knew that the moment the war began, he would no longer be able to leave safely. This was why he decided to act afterying down his trap for Anwir, whom he would drag to reunite with his little brother, Percival.


    ''I''m such a good person,'' Thirteen smiled. ''Taiga seems lonely, so having his brother around will certainly make him happy.''


    The young boy couldn''t help but chuckle evilly because he could already see the Hero''s reaction after being able to see the brother who betrayed him.


    But Thirteen didn''t care.


    In order to raise both the Hero and the Viin, he needed the two of them on the same team, allowing him to keep them both within arms'' reach.


    This method would ensure that the two of them would work hard for his sake until he finished all of the Trials that the System God had shackled him with.

 Chapter 167 You Should Have Kept Your Mouth Shut

    <h4>Chapter 167 You Should Have Kept Your Mouth Shut</h4>


    Under the cover of the night, Anwir walked silently across the hallways of their residence.


    He was currently headed to the Training Grounds to meet with the person who had sent him the letter.


    It was past midnight, and he knew that everyone in the residence was deeply asleep at this time.


    With the exception of a few guards guarding the gate and the outside perimeter of their residence, there would be no one else who would be awake during this time of the night.


    When he arrived at his destination, he cautiously looked at his surroundings in search of the person who had asked him toe.


    "I''m here, Anwir."


    The Tigerkin immediately looked in the direction where he heard the voice and saw a cloaked figure standing on a balcony overlooking the Training Grounds.


    "You''re the one who called me here," Anwir said in a cold tone.


    "Yes," the Cloaked Figure replied. "I''m the one who called you here."


    The Tigerkin subconsciously looked around his surroundings in order to make sure that no one was around.


    A momentter, the ws on his hands extended, ready to tear the little boy, who could potentially ruin everything he had worked hard for, to shreds.


    Although he was wearing a cloak, it was very obvious to the Tigerkin who the speaker was.


    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you, Anwir," Thirteen replied. "The moment you move from that spot, I''ll scream. Let''s see what''s faster¡ªyou seeding in killing me, or a Peak Champion catching you in the act."


    Anwir weighed his options after hearing the boy''s reply. Although he was confident that he could kill the boy before his father or the Guards of the Residence reacted, there was still a high possibility that they would arrive at the scene before he could erase all evidence of his crime.


    "What do you want?" Anwir asked.


    "Me?" Thirteen chuckled. "I want you to be my ve."


    "Me? Your ve? Are you delusional? Who would want to be your ve?"


    "Anwir, believe me when I say that after everything is over, you will beg me to make you my ve."


    The Tigerkin snorted after hearing the boy''s reply.


    He had already thought carefully about what he would do once he found out the identity of the person, who was trying to make his life difficult.


    But after seeing that the one who was behind the message was actually the human boy, Anwir decided to change his approach and eliminate the threat as soon as possible.


    But for that to happen, he needed to make the boy lower his guard first.


    "Zion, I came here because you asked me toe," Anwir stated. "But I don''t understand why you are doing this. Do you know how much our family has suffered ever since Percival disappeared? If you know where my brother is, it would be best if you cooperate with me so that he can return to our family."


    Anwir didn''t know if Zion really knew the truth or was just making things up.


    Almost everyone in the city already knew that Percival had mysteriously disappeared one day, and no one had seen him since then.


    Since the Human boy had been in the residence for a few days, it would not be impossible for him to overhear this information from the people inside the residence.


    In the end, Anwir believed that the boy was only trying to mess with him so that he could help him escape their residence and return to the Barbarian Lands where he belonged.


    "Cooperate with you to return Percival back to his family?" Thirteen said in disdain. "What you mean is that you n to finally eliminate him to ensure that you will not have any possible trouble in the future, right?"


    "Zion, Percival is my brother," Anwir replied as he took a step forward. "I would never do anything to hurt him."


    "But you already did," Thirteen snorted. "You betrayed him and allowed him to be captured by Barbarians."


    "Zion, it''s not good to nder an innocent person. If you are going to say such things, you need to have solid proof, or else, you will be imprisoned for besmirching my honor."


    Anwir took another step, shortening the gap between him and the boy.


    The Tigerkin was calcting how many steps it would take for him to go for the killing blow, without giving the boy a chance to call for help.


    ording to his estimate, he would need at least five more steps before he reached the minimum distance for his special ability to reach the boy and take his life.


    "One more step, and I''ll scream," Zion threatened. "That way, your adoptive family will have the chance to join our discussion about your betrayal."


    Anwir, who was about to take another step, momentarily paused and crossed his arms over his chest.


    "Like I said earlier, you don''t have any proof." Anwir smiled. "If you want to pin the crime of my brother''s disappearance on me, you need to do better, boy."


    "Proof?" Thirteen chuckled. "The fact that you are asking for proof means that you are already guilty, Anwir. An innocent person would not think to ask for proof of his wrongdoings because they know that they are innocent.


    "You should remember this lesson for future reference. Never ask for proof because it will only make you look guilty. Also, the proof you are looking for? I have it as well."


    Anwir''s body tensed when he heard that the Human boy had proof of his wrongdoings. Of course, he still believed that Zion was just making things up in order to fish for information from him, which would tie him to his brother''s disappearance.


    "Well, then. I would like to hear this proof you are speaking of." Anwir prepared himself to charge in the boy''s direction just in case he truly had solid proof of his wrongdoing.


    The Training Grounds were at the very back of their residence.


    Even if Zion managed to scream, he was confident that after killing the boy, he could jump over the wall of the training grounds, and run toward the forest with the boy''s body fast enough.


    There, he would find a wild animal to devour the boy, erasing all evidence.


    He could just say that he was in the vicinity when he heard the scream and went to investigate what had happened.


    This alibi was perfect, and the Tigerkin had already prepared himself to lunge as soon as he confirmed that Zion truly had evidence that would tie him to his brother''s disappearance.


    "Anwir, do you know the reason why your mother is giving you the cold shoulder?" Thirteen asked.


    "Why?" Anwir asked back as his razor-sharp fingernails extended.


    Although he was truly curious why his stepmother was giving him the cold shoulder as ofte, he still prioritized in killing the boy in front of him after he heard his answer.


    "It''s because she is a Seer," Thirteen replied in contempt. "Do you really believe that she hasn''t seen what you have done to her son? Anwir, are you really that stupid, or do you believe that you can get away with the crime of targeting a General''s family?


    "Did your goal of taking revenge for your Father cloud your judgment? Hehehe~ What a stupid boy. You should have just lived your life as a good stepson for a few years. It wouldn''t have been toote to have your revenge after you married Cleo. But Percival''s potential scared you, didn''t it? You thought that his parents would love him more than you, am I right?"


    Right after Thirteen finished talking, Anwir disappeared from where he stood and reappeared two meters away from him.


    A glint of madness could be seen in the Tigerkin''s eyes as he shed his ws forward, creating a crimson de that removed the boy''s head from his body.


    "You talk too much," Anwir said coldly as he looked at the severed head on the ground that was still covered by a cloak.


    What Zion had said unnerved him.


    If Brie had truly seen what he had done, then that would exin why she was giving him the cold shoulder.


    But after thinking about this possibility, several questions popped up inside his head.


    If his stepmother truly saw what had happened, then why hadn''t she told her husband about it?


    If what Anwir did really came to light, then he shouldn''t be walking freely inside the Evander Residence and should instead be locked up inside a prison.


    Since none of these things happened, he believed that Zion was just bluffing him.


    "You should have kept your mouth shut." Anwir sneered as he took off the cloak that was covering the boy''s severed head. "You would have been able to live longer if you did."


    Suddenly, the sneer on the Tigerkin''s face faded after seeing that the head under the cloak wasn''t a Human''s head, but a dummy head made up of y.


    It was at that moment when a mischievous voice reached his ears.


    "Eh? Do you really think someone like you can kill me?"


    Anwir slowly turned around to look in the direction where the voice wasing from.


    Standing at the entrance of the Training Ground was none other than Zion.


    However, he wasn''t alone.


    Dixon, Armand, Alina, and Rafiki were standing behind the seven-year-old, who had his arms crossed over his chest and had a smug smile stered on his face.


    But this wasn''t the reason why Anwir''s face suddenly lost all its colors.


    Standing on the other balcony was none other than his Stepfather, General Stark, and his Stepmother, Brie, who was looking at him with a sad expression on her face.


    "N-No¡­ this is not what you think, Father, Mother," Anwir stuttered. "T-That Human boy is framing me. I-I didn''t do anything. I am innocent! This is all part of his n! I-I didn''t do anything wrong!"


    "Stand down, Anwir, and surrender yourself for questioning," General Stark said with a disappointed look on his face. "I will listen to everything that you have to say, so calm down and have a proper talk with me."


    Anwir hatefully red in the direction where Zion was, only to find the Human boy mouthing the words "checkmate" to his face.


    Knowing that the truth woulde to light once he was forced to drink a truth serum made by Rafiki, Anwir did the only thing he could do.


    He fled!


    The Tigerkin jumped over the wall and ran toward the depths of the forest as fast as he could.


    But it was all for naught.


    Half a minute after he made his escape, he saw General Stark blocking his path.


    With one quick chop of his right hand, the General knocked Anwir unconscious, making his adoptive son fall to the ground, unable to get up again.


    General Stark looked at the young man, whom he had raised as his own son with a bitter look on his face.


    He never thought that the boy had nned to take revenge on his family after Anwir''s Father had died on one of the missions that he had assigned for the greater good of the Sumatran Kingdom.

 Chapter 168 Nothing But The Truth [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 168 Nothing But The Truth [Part 1] </h4>


    Several hours before Thirteen and Anwir met at the Training Grounds of the Evander Residence¡­


    "Boy, I have tolerated your existence here in my residence," General Stark said coldly. "But if you are trying to sow discord in my family, I don''t mind feeding you to the wolves. Youe here all of a sudden, disturbing me while I am busy with work, just to say that Anwir was the cause of Percival''s disappearance. Do you seriously expect me to believe you?"


    "Not really," Thirteen replied. "But I have a way to make you believe me."


    "And that is?"


    "Rafiki''s truth serum."


    The General narrowed his eyes after hearing the boy''s words. The truth serum was something they used to interrogate the Barbarians they had captured to make them answer all the questions they had.


    This had been a tried and proven method, so when the human boy proposed that he drink the potion to prove his credibility, the General couldn''t help but be suspicious of him.


    Seeing his reaction, a faint smile appeared on the younger boy''s face.


    "Looking at your reaction, I don''t know if you love Anwir more than you love your real son." Thirteen narrowed his eyes. "Maybe this is the reason why Anwir thought he could get away with his crime.


    "You may be decisive when ites to fighting on the battlefield, so howe when ites to the issues with your family, you would rather turn a blind eye than ept the truth? Are you perhaps still feeling guilty because Anwir''s father died because of your orders?"


    After hearing all the information he needed from Vassago and confirming it with Dixon, Armand, and Rafiki, the seven-year-old understood that, even now, General Stark was still feeling guilty toward his adoptive son.


    Because of this, he had showered Anwir with all the love he could and allowed the child to do anything he wanted.


    "Boy, you are going too far."


    "But I am not wrong, am I? Even when the facts are dancing in front of you, you choose to look the other way and pretend that you''re not seeing anything. Do you know? Even now, Percival is suffering. His new Master is truly wicked and tortures him every day. I know about it because I was always there whenever his Master did unspeakable things to him."


    Thirteen was doing his best not tough because what he was saying was the truth. Percival''s Master was truly wicked and tortured the Tigerkin every day.


    He was also there whenever it happened because that so-called wicked Master, who loved to make the General''s son suffer, was him.


    Just as he expected, the General''s expression became twisted after hearing that Percival was being tortured every day.


    How could he not feel anything, knowing that his biological son was somewhere out there suffering?


    Dixon, who was also inside the room, couldn''t help but clench his fists tightly. He had watched Percival grow up, and the boy even treated him like an Uncle.


    This was why he had chosen to lead the Scouting Party to the Barbarian Lands, hoping to find any signs of him. But, due to the incident with Zion, they were forced to return empty-handed to the Sumatran Kingdom before they were captured by their enemies.


    "Dixon, call Rafiki and tell him to bring his truth serum," General Stark ordered.


    "Yes, General," Dixon bowed respectfully before leaving the room.


    Once his right-hand man had left the room, General Stark red at the boy, who was casually sitting on the chair in front of him.


    "I promise that if you are making things up, I will make sure that you regret being born," General Stark threatened.


    "And what if I''m not making things up?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "What do I get in return for sharing this information with you?"


    General Stark pondered a bit before giving his reply.


    "I will give you your freedom back. If you want to return to the Barbarian Lands, I will let you do it. If you want to stay here, you can do that as well, and you will no longer be restricted to remaining inside my home."


    Thirteen shook his head because this wasn''t the reward that he wanted.


    There were still a few things that seemed fishy about this war, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.


    As a System, he was aware that wars could break out for the silliest of reasons. But the war between the Tigerkins and the Barbarians was different.


    He could feel that there was a mastermind pulling the strings from the shadows, manipting both sides for a confrontation.


    Simply put, Thirteen couldn''t shake the feeling that a third party was involved.


    This was due to his experience after apanying his Hosts for thousands of years.


    However, since he still didn''t have any leads, he decided to take one step at a time and focus on the things that were in front of him.


    "What I want is Anwir," Thirteen replied. "Give him to me."


    "What are you going to do with him?" General Stark asked.


    "I will reform him," Thirteen answered. "Since he hadmitted a severe crime, I don''t think your family still wants him around. But you must still feel guilty about what happened to his father and can''t bring yourself to get him killed either.


    "Still, your guilt doesn''t lower the severity of his crime. You can''t just brush it off and expect Percival to forgive him. Your wife and daughter will also not forgive him. This leaves you with only three choices.


    "The first one is execution. The second one is imprisonment. Last but not the least is exile. Among these three choices, you will choose to get him exiled, won''t you? Because that is the only way that you will feel less guilty about his punishment."


    General Stark eyed the Human boy because he just realized that Zion was leading him by the nose.


    During their entire discussion, it was the boy who was in full control of their conversation, making him, a General, feel as if he wasn''t dealing with a child but a great strategist whose experience was greater than his.


    His instincts were screaming at him that this boy was dangerous and should not be allowed to live.


    But before he could nurture this thought, the door of the room opened.


    "You called for me, General?" Rafiki asked as he walked inside the room, apanied by Dixon.


    When the Shaman''s gazended on the boy, who was sitting in front of the General, a thought came to his mind.


    ''Don''t tell me that the truth serum is meant for Zion?'' Rafiki thought. ''Does the General think of him as a spy?''


    The Shaman had grown fond of the boy because he was a very intelligent child, who had limitless potential.


    Just a few hours ago, the seven-year-old was inside the infirmary, borrowing his tools to grind down some poisonous flowers that he had picked from Brie''s Garden.


    He had originally nned to raise Zion as his apprentice because he believed that such a talent should not go to waste.


    But after sensing the tense atmosphere inside the room, he had a feeling that something very important was about to happen, and he wanted to be there to witness it firsthand.


    "Rafiki, make Zion drink the truth serum," General Stark ordered. "I have a few questions that I want him to answer."


    "As you wish, General," Rafiki replied.


    The Shaman then took out a vial with a green liquid inside of it.


    This was the truth serum he had developed, and it contained powerful hallucinogens that could alter a person''s character and thoughts, making their mental states more vulnerable and allowing Rafiki and the General to exploit them.


    Thirteen didn''t offer any resistance and drank the truth serum whileughing inside his heart.


    He wanted to know just how potent Rafiki''s truth serum was.


    If it passed his standards, he would ask the Shaman for the recipe so that he could brew it himself and use it for his future ns.

 Chapter 169 Nothing But The Truth [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 169 Nothing But The Truth [Part 2] </h4>


    After drinking the potion, Thirteen immediately felt light-headed, and his thoughts seemed to scatter, making him unable to think properly.


    However, instead of being rmed, the boy felt amused because Rafiki''s truth serum was better than he thought.


    Although he could make something better, he didn''t have the necessary ingredients to concoct one.


    For the time being, he allowed the truth serum to take full effect on him in order to prevent the General and Rafiki from bing suspicious of him.


    As a System, his mind was his strongest weapon.


    A mere truth serum was nothing to him!


    Seeing the nk look on the boy''s face, Rafiki nced at the General and nodded his head.


    "What is your name?" General Stark asked.


    "Zion," Thirteen replied. "Zion Leventis."


    "How old are you?"


    "Seven and a half years old."


    The General continued to ask the boy several questions, testing if the truth potion was working properly.


    After asking over a dozen questions and finding that the boy had spoken nothing but the truth, he began to ask him the questions that were of utmost importance to him.


    "Where is my son, Percival right now?"


    "I don''t know."


    "You don''t know?" General Stark frowned. "What do you mean you don''t know?"


    "I got separated from him when I went with Lady Adira to lure the Golden-Eyed Hyenas to follow us to let him and the rest of the ves escape," Thirteen replied.


    Dixon, who had seen Thirteen with the Drow, nodded his head in confirmation.


    "What Barbarian City were you and my son being held in?" General Stark inquired.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen answered. "We were not allowed to leave the warehouse and wander around the city."


    "What kind of Master do you guys have?"


    "A very wicked and evil Master. He doesn''t hesitate to torture Percival on a daily basis."


    The frown on General Stark''s face deepened after hearing that his son was being tortured every day.


    "What kind of torture is my son undergoing every day?" the General asked, his tone as cold as ice.


    "Twice a week, he is sent to the arena so that he can earn money for our Master," Thirteen answered. "If he wins, he is allowed to eat. And if he loses, he will be starved for an entire day even if he is seriously injured from his duels.


    "On the days that he isn''t in the arena, he is forced to fight other Tigerkins in the warehouse. Since he doesn''t want to hurt hisrades, he winds up enduring their attacks until he gets beaten ck and blue.


    "Our Master also enjoys making Percival get down on his knees to clean the feet of Ogres and Trolls with his tongue. He seems to enjoy Percival''s stubborn face filled with humiliation every time he licked the feet of all the Monster ves one by one."


    A loud crack reverberated inside the room as General Stark smashed his table with his right fist, breaking itpletely.


    "Bastard! I''ll kill him!" General Stark growled in anger. "I''ll kill him!"


    Even Dixon was doing his best to control himself from breaking things inside the room because what the boy told them was simply too much for a warrior like him to bear.


    Tigerkins were a prideful race, and they would rather die than be humiliated by their enemies.


    It took a while for General Stark to regain hisposure. It was hard for him to ept the hardships that Percival was facing on a daily basis.


    When he felt that he now regained control of his emotions, he continued his interrogation, but his words were now calmer than before.


    "What is your rtionship with my son, Percival?" General Stark asked.


    "I don''t know if Percival considers me as a friend or not," Thirteen replied. "But I often bring him scraps of bread and food whenever he has nothing to eat. We often talk with each other before we go to sleep. That is how I came to know about his family.


    "He hates Anwir very much, and he often cries and talks in his sleep calling him a traitor and all sorts of other names. There are also times when he says that he misses his mother and wishes that he had never left home with Anwir to go to the viges on the border."


    Thirteen made sure to paint himself as Percival''s one and only friend who helped him during his hardest moments.


    The boy also didn''t hesitate to badmouth their "wicked Master" and curse him for making all of them suffer on a daily basis.


    If there was an award for the Best Child Actor, Thirteen would have gotten it then and there, with Vassago getting the award for best supporting actor.


    After hearing the other unspeakable hardships that the ves had undergone under their Master''s order, General Stark, Dixon, and Rafiki were bing more emotional and looked at the seven-year-old, who had suffered alongside Percival, with pitiful gazes.


    When the interrogation was over, Rafiki made Zion drink the cure for the truth serum, allowing him to regain his senses.


    What they didn''t know was that Thirteen had been in full control of his thoughts throughout the entire interrogation, deceiving the adults into feeling more sympathetic toward him.


    "General, please give me permission to capture Anwir and have him detained," Dixon said, with fury zing in his eyes.


    His fury was zing aftering to learn that the person he had trained to be a Warrior was actually a white-eyed wolf who wouldn''t hesitate to betray his General because he wanted revenge.


    "Don''t do that."


    Thirteen, who looked weak and pitiful in their eyes, struggled to voice out his thoughts.


    "I have a better n," Thirteen answered. "And if it works, not only will we be able to save Percival, we will also be able to reform Anwir as well. I believe he deserves a second chance. He only acted like this because he mes the General''s family for his father dying on his mission."


    After Dixon heard the boy''s words, he reeled in his anger and looked at the General, who would decide on their next course of action.


    "Tell me what you have in mind," General Stark. "If this will ensure that Percival will be rescued, then I wouldn''t mind cooperating with you."


    Thirteen nodded and began to tell them what he intended to do.


    After listening to the seven-year-old''s n, the adults couldn''t help but look at him in disbelief.


    They never thought that someone as young as Zion would be able to make such a detailed n that would not only allow Percival to be rescued but also allow Anwir to redeem himself.


    Thirteen looked calm on the surface, but deep inside, he was smiling evilly.


    If his n really worked then not only would he acquire a Hero and a Viin, but he would also get the General''s support from the shadows, allowing him to investigate the real reason behind the uing war.


    The seven-year-old strongly believed that this war was just a smokescreen for something bigger.


    As to what that thing was, he wanted to put a stop to it before a full-blown battle between the Barbarians and the Tigerkins took ce, dyeing the Valbarra Archipgo with the color of their blood.

 Chapter 170 The Laughter Of Two Third-Rate Villains

    <h4>Chapter 170 The Laughter Of Two Third-Rate Viins</h4>


    Anwir, who was currently imprisoned in the private jail of the General''s Residence couldn''t help but sigh sadly in his heart.


    His life had many ups and downs, especially after his father had died.


    However, General Stark adopted him as his own son, perhaps out of guilt and duty to his right-hand man, who was also Anwir''s father.


    When he arrived in the General''s residence, he was showered with love and affection by their entire family.


    He grew up without a mother, and Brie had given him the love that he had never experienced before.


    Also, Percival looked up to him as an older brother, and truth be told, he also enjoyed having a snarky little brother.


    Then, there was Cleo.


    Even before he became the adopted son of the General, he always had feelings for the youngdy, who had just turned sixteen this year.


    He didn''t know when it all started, but he truly believed that his life was perfect, even forgetting his anger, and desire for revenge for his father''s death.


    But, all of that changed after Percival started to awaken his potential.


    He felt threatened that the perfect life he had would crumble.


    He was afraid that his adoptive parents would push him to the side, as they focused all their love and attention to Percival, whom many believed had the potential to be someone truly great.


    After being riddled with doubt and anxiety, the thoughts of revenge that he had locked deep inside his heart rose to the surface.


    But, this was no longer directed at the Evander Family as a whole.


    He directed it towards Percival, who now threatened the perfect life he currently had.


    Anwir knew that if he had to start things over, he wouldn''t have changed anything.


    The only thing he would do differently was to kill the source of his current dilemma, and it was none other than the seven-year-old, who had flipped his life upside down in less than a week.


    The only silver lining was that the General made sure that no one else knew about what had happened a few hours ago.


    All the maids were asked to return home for the night, and the guards were stationed far away from the Training Grounds, preventing them froming to the scene.


    Simply put, aside from the Evander Family, Rafiki, Dixon and his Team, no one else knew what had transpired that night.


    No one knew that Anwir had betrayed his own family.


    "Good morning, Anwir~ have you eaten yet?"


    Hearing that familiar voice, Anwir raised his head and growled hatefully.


    "You!"


    The Tigerkin red at the Human boy, who was the cause of his suffering.


    "Oh? They still haven''t fed you? My goodness!" Thirteen smiled as he sat on the chair that his escort, Alina, had carried all the way to Anwir''s jail cell. "Don''t worry. I just finished eating breakfast, and I ate enough for both of us. I''m such a good person, right?"


    Alina, who was standing beside Thirteen, gave Anwir a side-


    long nce before leaving.


    The boy wanted to talk to the prisoner in private, so Alina left as she was ordered.


    Anwir had already told General Stark, as well as Rafiki about everything that had happened.


    Since his mind was hazy at that time, he wasn''t able to see the grief and disappointment in the General''s face during the entirety of the interrogation.


    He only came to his senses when he was already locked up in jail, and left alone in the darkness.


    Under the light of the torchlight, Thirteen''s face looked like an innocent, yet malicious devil, who was eyeing him as if he was some kind of delicacy that he wanted to take a bite of.


    Also, his green eyes seemed to glow in the dark like that of a wild animal, who was about to eat him whole, not even leaving the bones behind.


    Anwir, who was a Rank 3 Tigerkin, couldn''t help but shudder under the gaze of those green eyes, which seemed to have everything under their control.


    "Anwir, I can help you escape this ce, you know?" Thirteen said in a voice that was rich with temptation. "You can escape this ce and start all over again."


    "And, what''s the catch?" Anwir sneered. "To be your ve? No, thank you. I''d rather die."


    "Well, you could do that, yes." Thirteen nodded. "But, I just think it''s a waste, you know? Especially if you can redeem yourself as the Hero of the entire Tigerkin Race."


    "Do you really think that I''m a gullible child who would believe anything that you say?" Anwir scoffed. "I have already admitted my crimes. Whether the General executes me, or imprisons me for life, there is nothing else that I can do."


    Thirteen chuckled after hearing Anwir''s defeated voice.


    "Oh, but there is something that you can do," Thirteen stated. "And you always have a choice to make. I offer you a chance to escape this ce, and redeem yourself. And yet, you chose to die a dog''s death, so don''t delude yourself that there is nothing else you can do."


    Anwir red at the Human boy, who was resting his head on the palm of his hand, and acting like he was sitting on a throne.


    But, he had to admit that for a brief moment, he really thought that he was facing a Prince, and not a boy, who was more than a dozen years younger than him.


    "Let''s say that I escape this ce." Anwir clenched his fists. "Where should I go?"


    "Where else? That Barbarian Lands, of course," Thirteen answered casually. "A ce where you can start all over again. Also, you can even reunite with your little brother as a bonus."


    Anwir''s body stiffened when he finally realized what the boy was talking about.


    Seeing his reaction, the seven-year-old smirked.


    "Did you forget my background story?" Thirteen asked. "Before I was captured, I was in the same party as your brother, Percival. Why are you acting so surprised now?"


    "You mean to say¡­ that you n to turn me over to your Master, and be a ve like my brother?" Anwir frowned. "Is that how you n to make me redeem myself?"


    "You''re only half right," Thirteen replied. "Anwir, while everyone thinks that Percival is bound for greatness, I think that you are bound for greatness as well. In fact, I am certain that you will even surpass your brother."


    Anwirughed because Zion''s words were like words of pity towards a loser.


    The ironic part was that the Human boyughed alongside him.


    Soon, theughter of two third-rate viins echoed inside the dark prison, making Alina, who was guarding the door outside, shudder when the diabolicalughters reached her ears.

 Chapter 171 You Made One Big Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 171 You Made One Big Mistake </h4>


    After having a goodugh with Anwir, Thirteen headed towards Lady Brie''s personal quarters to have an important talk with her.


    Unlike most Tigerkins, Brie had long orange hair with red stripes in it. Her gray eyes, which were extremely rare among her race, made her stand out from the rest.


    Her daughter, Cleo, also had unusual eye colors which were purple and green, which were also an extreme rarity among Tigerkins.


    This made these twodies very special in the eyes of their people.


    Both of them were Seers, but they never saw the same vision in the same way.


    Brie gains her visions anytime and anywhere.


    But, Cleo only saw them through her dreams.


    Since he was dealing with two Seers, Thirteen naturally understood that they had already seen him in their visions.


    This was especially true for Lady Brie, who had instantlybeled him as her adoptive son, whether he liked it or not.


    "Lady Brie, are you in?" Thirteen asked after knocking on the door of her room twice.


    "Come in, Zion," Brie replied from the other side of the door. "I have been expecting you."


    After gaining permission, Thirteen entered the room and immediately froze after seeing the beautifuldy sharpening a sword in her hands.


    "¡­ Did Ie at the wrong time?" Thirteen asked as he looked at the sharp de that glinted in the sunlight.


    "You came at the perfect time, Zion," Brie smiled as she made a gesture for the boy toe closer to her. "Didn''t I tell you earlier? I have been expecting you."


    "Hahaha! I just remembered something just now, Lady Brie." Thirteen scratched his head like an innocent seven-year-old. "I forgot something in my room. I''ll go get it before Ie back."


    But, just as he turned around to walk away, his head collided with something that was as soft as marshmallows.


    "Zion, what''s the rush?" Lady Brie said as she hugged the boy in a firm hold, having no intention of letting him go. "Let''s have a nice chat, shall we?"


    Without even waiting for his answer, Lady Brie locked the door and dragged the helpless boy towards the couch.


    The boy was forced to sit on herp, leaving no room for him to move.


    She then held the sharp sword in her hand, and lightly pressed the de over Zion''s cheek, and looked at him with eyes filled with amusement.


    A sharp de was pressed against his left cheek, while something soft was pressed against his right cheek.


    For a brief moment, Zion mused which was more dangerous. The sword on his left cheek, or the soft marshmallows pressing against his right cheek.


    "Well then, let me guess why you are here. You''vee to ask me if I knew you before you arrived here, right?"


    Thirteen didn''t even need to think before saying yes.


    He could tell that the time for jokes was over, and the Tigerkin in front of him was no longer the kinddy he knew, but a mother, who was currently grieving the loss of her two sons.


    If Thirteen yed around when Lady Brie was in this state, he knew that his chances of leaving the room alive were zero.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Since Lady Brie has personally told me that she is a Seer, I want to know everything you know about me. Down to thest detail."


    "And, what if I don''t tell you what I know? What will you do about it?"


    "I won''t do anything. But, I can make a guess."


    Thirteen hadpletely forgotten that a de was pressed against his cheek as he held the beautifuldy''s gaze fearlessly.


    "You could have stopped Percival from being captured by the Barbarians, but you chose not to," Thirteen stated. "Visions are not set in stone, and as someone who fully understood this, you knew the right way of altering your son''s fate. But, you didn''t stop it.


    "The reason? Because you knew that if Percival stayed here, you would only be holding him back from his potential. You understood that even though he is going to be a ve, and face hardships, it was ultimately for the greater good, was it not?"


    Lady Brie didn''t deny, or affirm Zion''s words and only smiled faintly.


    "You already knew, right?" Thirteen pressed further. "That your son was going to be my ve, and that is how you knew of my existence. In the end, the real reason why Percival was captured by the Barbarians wasn''t because of Anwir''s n, but because you chose to let it happen, right?"


    Among Thirteen''s Hosts, three of them had been Seers, and one of them had been an Oracle.


    He knew perfectly well how their powers worked, so he understood that if an experienced Seer like Brie wanted to stop Percival from being captured by the enemy, she could have easily stopped it, even if she had to pay a price for it.


    But, she didn''t do anything, and let the events unfold normally.


    "Say, Zion, just who are you?" Brie said as her gray eyes glowed briefly with power. "Just what kind of existence is trapped inside this child''s body? What is your goal? What is it that you want? What will it take for you to return my son?"


    Thirteen remained silent, as he continued to stare at the beautifuldy, who could easily cut his head off in a heartbeat.


    "My goal?" Thirteen smiled faintly. "Is to return home to my family."


    "Anything else?"


    "Mmm, I also n to kill some Monarchs in the future."


    "After that?"


    "Beat the crap out of a God?"


    "After that?"


    "I never really thought about anything past that."


    Brie removed the de from Thirteen''s face before tidying his clothes as if nothing had happened, and made him sit properly on the couch.


    "Zion, something or someone is blocking my visions," Brie stated. "Something very powerful ising, and I''m afraid that whatever it is, it will not only spell doom for our race, but every race within the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "Thest vision I saw was of you being carried to our residence, and I have a feeling that it will also be thest vision that I will be having for a time.


    "My daughter keeps having a recurring dream about you standing on a hill overlooking a battlefield, with meteors falling down from the sky, killing both Barbarians and Tigerkins alike. She has been having the same dream, over and over again, so it is already etched in her soul like a curse.


    "Unlike me, my daughter''s visions are True Visions that wille to pass no matter what. This is also why we never see the same Vision at the same time because the visions I see can be changed, while hers were set in stone."


    Thirteen listened closely, as Brie told him what Cleo had seen, down to thest detail.


    But, even after hearing everything, Thirteen asked for Brie to bring Cleo t o him, so that he could personally ask her questions that only she, who had seen the vision could answer.


    Several minutester, the youngdy appeared inside her mother''s room.


    The first thing that happened was that her body shuddered uncontrobly the moment her gazended on the Human boy, who was sitting on the couch, waiting for her arrival.


    It took Brie a few minutes to calm her daughter down, by hugging her tightly, and assuring her that everything was going to be fine.


    After regaining her calm, Thirteen asked her several questions that even Brie found very surprising.


    She already thought that she had exined her daughter''s vision down to thest detail.


    But, after Zion''s inquiry, she realized that she had missed out on minute details that didn''t seem important at first, but after these small details were butted up against each other, she couldn''t help but shudder after realizing what was about to unfold.


    The seven-year-old''s face became solemn after connecting the dots together.


    He knew that a third party was involved, but he didn''t expect that a nefarious being had actually set his sights on the Valbarra Archipgo.


    A being that would make the Diabolical Hyena, as well as the Purple Furred Honey Badger look harmless inparison.


    ''Should I consider leaving this ce and go to the maind as fast as possible?''


    This thought crossed Thirteen''s mind, but after thinking about it carefully, he believed that Cristopher''s and the other Wanderer''s missions were tied up in this event.


    If he left with Cristopher, Rianna, and the others, none of them would be able toplete this mission, and all of them would be trapped in the world of Solterra, for the rest of their lives.


    But, this ending was something that Thirteen didn''t want to happen.


    ''Now I understand,'' Thirteen thought. ''The Wanderers didn''t have to fight the war. They only need to light the Beacon of Hope.''


    Things were bing clear to him, and with this realization, he also understood that whatever the oue of this war would be after the Wanderers returned to Pangea, the loss of countless lives was already set in stone.


    And if the worst case scenario happened, Thirteen would be among those who might perish, for unlike the Wanderers, he had to survive the aftermath after the Beacon of Hope was lit.


    ''Damn you, Old Man,'' Thirteen cursed the System God in his heart. ''You really thought things through. But, you made one big mistake. You gave me time.''


    Yes.


    Time was on his side.


    ''Challenge epted old man,'' Thirteen gave the System God the middle finger in his heart. ''You''re going down.''

 Chapter 172 Changing The Direction Of The War

    <h4>Chapter 172 Changing The Direction Of The War </h4>


    After he met with the two Seers, the seven-year-old locked himself up inside his room as he organized his thoughts.


    ''The deadline is when a full war breaks out between the Tigerkin and the Barbarians,'' Thirteen mused. ''Before the time is up, I need to have found the ringleaders manipting the war behind the scenes.''


    His mind moved like clockwork, formting countless solutions to the problems that he was facing.


    Thirteen was once a system, so this was already second nature for him.


    As long as he had enough information and resources, he would be able toe up with a n to solve almost any problem and find a path even if others thought that there was no way in sight.


    If only he still had his previous mental capabilities that rivaled that of a supeputer, then it would''ve only taken him a few seconds to formte a fool-proof n.


    But since he was in a Human''s body, and he didn''t want to strain his mental capacities, he decided to take his time generating the n he needed.


    After nearly two hours of careful thinking, the young man sighed in relief before opening his eyes.


    ''This will work.'' Thirteen smiled faintly. ''Now, I just need to¡­ huh?''


    Thirteen blinked, once then twice as he looked at the two Pocopocos that were perched on top of the table, looking back at him with dumb looks on their faces.


    "Did I strain my brain too?" Thirteen rhetorically muttered to himself as he ced his hand on his forehead. "I''m starting to see things in twos."


    "No, Master. You''re not seeing things in twos," Vassago replied in an amused tone.


    "I see. Then who is this?" Thirteen eyed the Pocopoco standing beside Vassago with great interest.


    "Well, she doesn''t have a name yet."


    "She?"


    Thirteen eyed the Pocopoco, who looked exactly like Vassago.


    Well, most Pocopocos looked simr to each other, so it was very hard to tell which was which.


    But the seven-year-old didn''t expect to find another Pocopoco in the Valbarra Archipgo since their habitat was only on the main continent of Solterra.


    "Let me tell you a bit about her," Vassago replied. "Judging by her story, she is one of our kind who likes to do things differently. While we spend most of our lives in the Main Continent, there are a handful who wish to see whaty beyond the sea, and she is one of them."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "So, why is she here? Does she n to also work for me or something?"


    "No," Vassago replied. "At least, not yet. She''s quite interested in the person who knew how to form a bond with our kind. She decided toe with me to observe what kind of orders I am taking from you."


    "I see." Thirteen gave the other Pocopoco a second nce beforeing up with an idea. "For now, I''ll give you a nickname because it will be awkward to keep referring to you as ''You''."


    "Keep in mind that this isn''t a permanent name, but just a nickname. I know that you Pocopocos change your names often, so this shouldn''t be a big deal to you."


    The unnamed Pocopoco continued to stare at the boy with a dumb look on her face, which made Thirteen smirk.


    "Poca," Thirteen said. "Your nickname will be Poca for now."


    The Pocopoco didn''t reply, but she still nodded her head in acknowledgment of Thirteen''s words.


    "Good timing, Vassago. There is something that I want you to do," Thirteen said. "But I need to see Lady Brie again so that she can help me talk with General Stark. Stay here for the time being."


    After giving his orders, Thirteen took four wooden bowls and filled two of them with water.


    He then filled the two remaining bowls with nuts before leaving the room.


    He didn''t know if Poca was interested in working with him, but either way, he didn''t n on actively recruiting her.


    Vassago was enough for the things he needed to do, so he wouldn''t be disappointed if Poca left after a few days of tagging along with Vassago.


    When he arrived in Brie''s quarters, he told her what he had in mind and asked if she could help him talk to General Stark about it.


    Since they were already on the same side, Brie agreed and led the boy to her husband''s office.


    Fortunately, the General was alone when he arrived, allowing Thirteen to get down to business.


    "I need your help, General," Thirteen stated. "It''s a matter of utmost importance for the survival of the Tigerkins."


    General Stark frowned, but after seeing his wife''s solemn expression, he decided to listen to what Zion had to say.


    "What can I help you with?" General Stark asked. "Does this something have to do with Anwir?"


    "No." Thirteen shook his head. "I just need answers. Can you tell me who among the Tigerkins are advocating for the war to push through? Lady Brie mentioned earlier that there are two Factions within the Sumatran Nobility.


    "The first is the Conservative Faction where you belong, who advocate seeking a peaceful rtionship with the Barbarians." Thirteen raised his index finger. "The second one is the Radical Faction who is pushing for Tigerkin Supremacy, forcing young warriors to take up arms to make the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo fall under the Tigerkin''s rule."


    General Stark once again nced at his wife before pulling out one of the drawers on his desk.


    He then took out a scroll and handed it to Zion.


    "Listed there are all the members of the Radical Faction," General Stark exined. "This includes their respective positions in their party. But, why do you need this?"


    "I will let Lady Brie exin everything to you, General," Thirteen answered. "Just know that from this moment onwards, I will not do anything to harm your family''s interest. My goal is to change the direction of this war."


    "Change the direction of this war? What are you talking about?"


    "Just ask Lady Brie for answers, General. You will believe her more than you will believe me. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''ll be taking my leave."


    Thirteen gave the General a brief bow before leaving the room.


    In his discussion with Lady Brie, he already asked her to divulge everything that they had talked about to the General so that he was more likely to cooperate with him in the future.


    After returning to his room, the boy studied the scroll that was given to him and was surprised to see how detailed it was.


    Not only did it have the names of the people from the Radical Faction, but it also had the location of their homes, making it easier for Thirteen to start his investigation.


    "Vassago, you have work to do," Thirteen said as he showed the Pocopoco the scroll in his hand. "You are to visit these people one by one and investigate a few things about them. This is what I want you to do."


    Thirteen carefully exined the things that Vassago needed to do when visiting the people on the list.


    Poca, who was also standing beside Vassago, also scrutinized the scroll that was lying on top of the table.


    The Pocopoco Race was very good when it came to memorizing things.


    This was why they were able to imitate any sounds or voices as long as they heard it once.


    After understanding the contents of his mission, Vassago took flight to the sky, heading to the ces that were listed on the scroll.


    Poca flew beside him because she was quite curious about this mission as well.


    ''That''s one problem down,'' Thirteen thought. ''Now, I need to visit Rafiki and stock up on those truth serums.''


    Thirteen knew that in order to gather enough information, he needed to make some people talk.


    What better way to do it than to make use of Rafiki''s truth serum, which had received a passing grade from Thirteen?


    Just a day ago, he nned to leave the Sumatran Kingdom as early as possible before the war started.


    But now, he decided to stay for a period of time to make sure that the war would be dyed for as long as possible, giving him the time he needed to put his n into motion.


    While this was happening, Anwir, who was still locked up inside the prison, finally made up his mind.


    If there was really a way to redeem himself, then he would give it a try so that he would get a second chance to make peace with the family, who still hadn''tpletely broken their ties with him.

 Chapter 173 The Puppet Master

    <h4>Chapter 173 The Puppet Master?</h4>


    Somewhere inside a secluded Forest in the Sumatran Kingdom¡­


    "How are the ns for the waring along?" a Tigerkin with ck stripes in his hair asked. "Will we be able to mobilize in a month?"


    "At the earliest, yes," an Old Tigerkin wearing sses replied. "But ording to my informant in the Pce, the Conservative Faction is trying to convince the King thatunching a war against the Barbarians will just cause hardships for the people.


    "Fortunately, our faction has more members than them, Lord Brigham. Because of this, the pleas of the Conservative Faction will not change anything. At most, they can dy the war for two to three months. But, this war will push through no matter what."


    Brigham shook his head firmly. "The war must not be dyed. If we can''t move out in a month, we should move out after two months. Tell everyone in the capital to push for this proposal. Make sure to start the war propaganda as well.


    "We must make the people understand that conquering the entirety of the entire Valbarra Archipgo will benefit the Tigerkins, as well as promote a peace that willst for hundreds of years."


    "Then, what about the Generals?" a Tigerkin whose hair was nearly silver asked. "More than half of them are from the Conservative Party. Even if the Nobles vote for the war to push through, it is the Generals who march with the army to battle."


    "Negotiate with them," Brigham stated. "Bribe them if you must. The armies must march in two months at thetest. Who is the General that is being vocal about this war being a bad move for the kingdom?"


    "General Stark," the Old Tigerkin wearing sses answered in a heartbeat. "Since his wife is a seer, his words are not something that the King can ignore."


    Brigham clicked his tongue after hearing his subordinate''s report. "That General has always been an annoyance to our Faction. Can you people not kidnap his wife or something? If not his wife then his kids. As long as we have them, he will be easier to convince."


    The six Tigerkins, who were in the clearing, nced at each other before shifting their gaze back to Brigham.


    "That will be a bit difficult to do," the Tigerkin with silver hair said. "Since his youngest son, Percival has disappeared, the security in Karabor City has be stricter. Anyone visiting from the other cities must first get permission from the General himself before they can enter the city.


    "Bribing the guards will also not work since all of them sympathize with the loss of the General''s son. It will be hard to bring our people inside the city."


    "Then how about Assassins?" Brigham asked. "Although their specialty lies in killing people, I''m sure they will be able to at least capture a member of their family right? If not the wife then get his daughter. As long as we get one of them, he will have no choice but to yield."


    The Old Tigerkin wearing sses nodded his head. "Understood, Lord Brigham. I will handle the negotiations."


    Brigham nodded. "For now, prioritize speeding up the war preparations. No matter what happens, we must bring the Barbarians to their knees!"


    """Yes, Lord Brigham!"""


    After the meeting ended, the six Tigerkins silently returned to their respective domains.


    They would often meet in this clearing in a secluded area of the Sumatran Kingdom because they didn''t want other people to know that they were meeting each other.


    On the surface, all of them were political enemies.


    But, this was only a ruse that they had made in order to have spies nted in the different factions of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    In short, they were the Masterminds who were pushing for the war to happen as soon as possible from the shadows, instigating themon people, the nobles, as well as the military officers of the Kingdom to rise up in arms to fight against the Barbarians.


    Before Brigham left the clearing, he noticed two birds that he hadn''t seen before perched on top of one of the trees in the distance.


    The two birds were quite ugly, so he didn''t pay much attention to them.


    This wasn''t the first time that wild animals and monsters had appeared at their meeting ce, so the thought of them being spies never crossed his mind.


    Once the two Pocopocos were certain that all the Tigerkins had left the Forest, the two of them flew away to share the news with a certain seven-year-old, who was currently busy making dozens of truth serums alongside the Shaman Rafiki.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Two dayster¡­


    General Stark, who had been told about his wife''s and her daughter''s vision, was currently inside his office alongside Brie and Zion.


    The three of them were making ns for how to dy the war as long as possible, and ensure that they would be able to identify the real reason why this war was being pushed through by the Radical Faction.


    Thirteen had proposed many ns, which made General Stark start to treat him more seriously due to how decisive he was.


    There was even a n to kidnap the King of the Sumatran Kingdom, which General Stark vehemently rejected.


    He would nevermit treason against his own liege, causing the seven-year-old to smile and tell him that he was just joking.


    However, General Stark knew that the boy wasn''t joking, due to how serious his eyes were when he presented this idea.


    While the three of them were discussing, Vassago and Poca flew through the window andnded on top of the table, where a map of the Sumatran Kingdom wasid out.


    "Wee back, Vassago," Thirteen greeted the Pocopoco, who had been away for nearly a week after the boy had given him a mission. "How was your scouting mission?"


    "Fruitful!" Vassago answered.


    "Tell us what you discovered during your scouting mission," Thirteen ordered.


    The Pocopoco then began his report, even repeating the exact words that he had heard from the people that Thirteen had asked him to pay special attention to.


    When Vassago arrived at the part when Brigham had ordered assassins to kidnap Brie or Cleo, the General''s face contorted with rage, but he managed to hold himself back from breaking the table due to his anger.


    "That sly fox!" General Stark growled. "So he is the one pushing for this war from the shadows! He hid himself well!"


    Brigham wasn''t the leader of the Radical Faction.


    In fact, his position in the Faction wasn''t really that high in the pecking order. But, Thirteen told Vassago to pay more attention to him because he was the most suspicious among the bunch.


    He knew for a fact that smart people always liked to keep a low profile, which was especially true for Viins.


    They would only move in the shadows, hiding in in sight, and were more than happy to let other people take the spotlight.


    These were truly dangerous people.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen knew how Viins operated, he wouldn''t have known which one on the list that General Stark had given him was the one with the highest chance of being the puppet master behind the scenes.


    And fortunately, his gamble paid off, greatly shortening the time they needed to take to narrow down the suspects that he had marked inside his head.

 Chapter 174 Time To Loot Some People

    <h4>Chapter 174 ?Time To Loot Some People </h4>


    "Should I move to kill Brigham?" General Stark, who had no intention of endangering his family, asked his wife for advice.


    Brie, who had been asked this question, shifted her attention to the seven-year-old, who was looking at the map of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "Zion, what do you think we should do?" Brie inquired. "If we eliminate Brigham, the war will stop, right?"


    The boy shook his head as he continued to scrutinize the map that wasid out on the table.


    "My goal has never been to stop the war preparations, Lady Brie," Thirteen replied without taking his eyes on the map of the Sumatran Kingdom. "I already told you that my purpose is to change the direction of the war. In short, the Tigerkins must be ready to wage war, but the enemy will not be the Barbarians."


    "If not the Barbarians then who?" General Stark asked.


    "I can''t tell you right now," Thirteen answered. "Because if I did, you would definitely consider leaving the Valbarra Kingdom with your family. I will need your help if we are to give the Sumatran Kingdom a fighting chance against our true enemies."


    General Stark, who wasn''t satisfied with Zion''s answer, was about to press him to tell him the truth, but his wife, Brie, held his arm and shook her head.


    "Just trust him for now," Brie said softly. "That is what my vision is telling me."


    For the first time, Brie lied to her husband.


    She really hadn''t seen any other visions aside from Thirteening to their residence.


    However, she was willing to lie in order to make her husband cooperate with the boy, whom she believed was sent to the Valbarra Archipgo for a reason.


    "Fine, then tell me, what should I do?" General Stark stared at the human boy, whom his wife trusted very much. "Am I supposed to just sit here and wait for those assassins toe knocking on my door?"


    "Of course not," Thirteen replied. "We are going to strike, and strike hard, deep behind enemy lines, in order to make them bleed. And for this to work, I will need your most loyal subordinates who are willing to die for your sake.


    "The missions that they will conduct are downright treasonous, so if they are more loyal to the King than you, this n will not work."


    The more General Stark listened to the boy, the more he felt that Zion was a very dangerous person, which made him wonder what the boy had experienced to be this evil at such a very young age.


    "Just tell me one thing," General Stark said with all the seriousness he could muster. "Are you doing this for the Tigerkin Race as a whole, or are you just weakening the Sumatran Kingdom to allow the Barbarians to trample over us?"


    Thirteen, whose gaze was on the map of the Sumatran Kingdom all this time, raised his head and met the General''s gaze without flinching.


    "Although it is hard to believe, I''m doing this to give your race a higher chance of survival," Thirteen answered. "Not only the Tigerkins, but I n to do this with the Barbarian Race as well. After I''m done with the Sumatran Kingdom, I will return to the Barbarian Lands, and find the ringleaders on their side as well.


    "What you don''t know, General, is that this entire thing is actually a big conspiracy. Brigham and some of the nobles of the Sumatran Kingdom have sold your people to someone else. The same can be said for the Barbarians. The point of this whole war is to simply weaken both sides.


    "Tell me, General, who will benefit most if the Tigerkins and the Barbarians have an all out war with each other? Who will benefit most if the powerhouses of the Valbarra Archipgo were to die one after the other?"


    General Stark pondered for a bit, but he couldn''t think of anyone who would benefit from this war. However, his line of thinking changed the moment he excluded the people that lived in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "Don''t tell me, the Maind?" General Stark looked at Zion in disbelief.


    Thirteen nodded his head in confirmation. "That''s right. The true enemy wille from the maind, and they will arrive shortly after the war starts. I will not go into detail, because they are not important right now."


    "I see, so that''s it," General Stark finally understood why the human boy said that he only nned to change the direction of the war.


    He didn''t n to stop the war preparationpletely.


    No.


    He needed the Tigerkins to be ready for war, but not against the Barbarians but the true enemies that would arrive from the maind.


    Thirteen knew that he needed to share a bit of information to the General to make him stop doubting his every decision, and his every move.


    If he wanted to get General Stark''s full cooperation, he must make him understand that there was a greater threat outside the scope of his vision.


    "How about I share this information with the King?" General Stark asked. "If I do, I''m sure he will at least hear me out."


    "Useless." Thirteen shook his head before returning his attention on the map. "Your King won''t believe you because you have no proof. Also, the masterminds behind the Radical Faction will no longer spare any effort to eliminate you and your family.


    "They will recognize you as a thorn that must be removed no matter what. When that happens, you will be a fugitive in your own Kingdom. So, General, just close your eyes, and let me, and Anwir handle the dirty work for you.


    "All you need to do is remain the General who will protect his people. Keep your image clean, so when you actually speak, people will listen to you. Also, make sure to give me a small team that is loyal to you and only you.


    "Make sure that there is at least one Champion in the group. This mission is very dangerous, so I will need someone who will be able to cover our tracks when things get messy."


    General Stark nodded and promised that he would give Thirteen the manpower he needed.


    This made Thirteen very happy because he would use the people that the General would give him to not only throw a wrench on their enemies'' ns, but also profit from the experience as well.


    ''I guess it''s time for me to change profession to that of a Bandit Lord,'' Thirteen mused. ''Time to loot some people.''


    What Thirteencked in the Sumatran Kingdom was manpower and resources.


    Since the General would give him manpower then he would just steal the resources from others.


    After all, since the ones he was stealing from were his enemies, he would not hesitate to steal everything from them.


    This would not only help dy the war, but it would also make the other nobles, who were part of the Radical Faction, be more wary, thinking that they were making enemies the more they pushed for their warriors to start marching on the battlefield.


    Thirteen and his previous Hosts specialized in stealing stuff from prominent families, as well as raiding the treasuries of a Kingdom.


    Now that he could justify this hobby of his, he would not hesitate to fill his own coffers with the wealth of his foes, who had no idea that their nefarious schemes were already discovered by the General Stark''s family.

 Chapter 175 The Path To Redemption

    <h4>Chapter 175 ?The Path To Redemption</h4>


    Anwir, who was still inside the underground prison, raised his head upon hearing the footsteps drawing nearer in his direction.


    ''He''s back again,'' Anwir thought. ''He really is persistent.''


    Whenever Zion visited him, the human boy would talk about random things. He never mentioned anything about Anwir bing his ve or freeing him from the prison.


    The boy didn''t try to entice him with other proposals and simply kept himpany for an hour before leaving again.


    He was also the one who brought Anwir''s food on a daily basis, not allowing anyone toe near the prison aside from him.


    In time, Anwir started to look forward to hispany because he was the only one he could talk to.


    Whenever the seven-year-old wasn''t around, Anwir would be surrounded by nothing but darkness.


    There was no light source in the prison, and only when Thirteen visited would he see a torchlight that illuminated his surroundings.


    Although Tigerkins had Dark Vision, the prison still felt dark and lonely without anyone around.


    As usual, Zion entered the prison while pushing a cart of food and holding a torchlight in his free hand.


    After cing the food near his cell, the seven-year-old sat casually on top of the cart with his chin resting on the palm of his hands.


    Since his hands were no longer shackled, Anwir didn''t hesitate to grab the food in front of his cell and started to eat.


    Usually, Thirteen would already start talking at this point. But this time, he just remained quiet, which unnerved Anwir.


    It was like he was having hisst supper, and when morning came, he would finally be executed for the crimes that he hadmitted.


    Unable to tolerate the deafening silence anymore, Anwir raised his head and looked at the boy, who was just watching him eat in silence.


    "What''s wrong?" Anwir asked. "Am I going to be executed?"


    "No," Thirteen replied.


    "Then why are you so silent?"


    "I''m looking at you as much as I can because tomorrow, I will no longer be the one bringing you your food. I have an important mission to do for your father, you see. Someone is nning to send assassins to either kidnap or kill Lady Brie and Cleo, so I need to put a stop to their ns."


    Anwir, who was about to take a bite of the bread in his hands, froze after hearing that his adoptive mother and the girl he loved were being targeted by someone.


    "Who dares?!" Anwir roared. "Are they mad? They are nning to kidnap or kill the wife and daughter of a General?!"


    Thirteen nodded. "Mmm, they are indeed mad. But, this is nothing new. It''s just politics. Even Princes fight and kill each other to be the next King. Inparison, the family of a General being targeted because he is part of a different faction is a very normal thing."


    Anwir, who thought that the boy was just joking, suddenly felt cold inside.


    He knew that the friction between the Radical and Conservative Faction was getting intense as ofte, but he never thought that things would escte this far.


    "Who?" Anwir asked coldly.


    "What will you do with that information?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "What can you do while being locked up inside that cell? Just continue to eat, so I can leave and meet the team of people who will apany me to kill the fools who are targeting your mother and sister."


    Anwir looked at the bread in his hand before crushing it to pieces. How could he possibly eat knowing that his mother and sister were being targeted by assassins?


    "Hey, if I be your ve, will you take me with you?" Anwir asked.


    "Take you with me?" Thirteen chuckled. "Why would I do that? It will be best if you just go to the Barbarian Lands and reunite with your little brother, Percival."


    "You can take me there too, but only after I have personally killed the people who are targeting my family."


    "Oh?"


    Thirteen smirked after seeing the determination in Anwir''s gaze.


    He could genuinely tell that the Tigerkin was serious about bing his ve, in exchange for allowing him to personally kill the people that wanted to harm his family.


    "Anwir, what I am going to do isn''t child''s y," Thirteen exined. "This isn''t a game, where you can join, and quit anytime you want. What I am going to do is shake up the entirety of the Sumatran Kingdom, and conduct things that could have you executed for treason.


    "In short, in order to protect your family, you will have to do the dirty work and be a Viin. While your family will stay in the light and keep their good reputation, you will be covered in the blood of their enemies in the darkness, never to gain recognition for your sacrifices."


    "I don''t care," Anwir growled. "If this is the only way that I can redeem myself, I don''t mind killing everyone who wishes to harm my family. As long as you can promise me that this is for the Evander Family, I don''t care if I do all the dirty work myself!"


    Thirteen didn''t say anything and just stared at the Tigerkin, whose eyes were glowing golden in the darkness.


    If he were Anwir''s System, he would have heard a ringing sound at this point in time, notifying the Tigerkin that he had unlocked a mission or gained a new title that would set him on the path of bing a First Rate Viin.


    An existence that could only be defeated by their Fated Heroes, whom Fate had prepared for them.


    But, there was one problem.


    The Hero that was supposed to defeat Anwir had be Thirteen''s ve and was being yed with on the palm of his hand.


    In other words, as long as Thirteen put in a lot of effort, he was confident that he could make the two brothers reconcile, which would make Anwir unstoppable.


    And, right now, he needed the power of a Hero and a Viin in order to beat the Third Party, who nned to flip their game of chess upside down.


    After a few minutes, Thirteen hopped off the cart and walked away from Anwir''s jail cell, leaving the TIgerkin behind.


    Anwir thought that the human boy had rejected his request, which made him clench his fists tightly, drawing blood from his palms.


    Suddenly, he heard the sound of something metallic falling in the cell in front of him.


    "Come out when you''re ready."


    Thirteen''s voice echoed inside the prison.


    "We have some assassins to catch."


    Anwir didn''t hesitate to grab the key on the ground and unlocked the shackles that bound his feet.


    He then opened the lock of his cell and walked towards the exit.


    The moment he opened the door, he was momentarily blinded by the sunlight that he hadn''t seen for a long time.


    After his eyes adjusted to the brightness, his gaze thennded on Zion, who had his arms crossed over his chest.


    Right behind the boy were Dixon, Armand, Thane, and Alina, whom General Stark had chosen to be the seven-year-


    old''s manpower.


    "Wee, My Viin," Thirteen said with a devilish smile on his face. "Are you ready to embark on a journey filled with blood and betrayal?"


    Anwir snorted before he took a step forward to walk in Zion''s direction.


    "I already betrayed my family once," Anwir replied. "Now, I want blood. Make sure to keep your promise."


    "But of course," Thirteen nodded. "I will give you the blood of your family''s enemies, and I guarantee that after this journey of yours ends, you will have redeemed yourself and be recognized as a Hero of your people."


    The seven-year-old then took a dagger from his dimensional storage and used it to cut his palm, drawing blood.


    He then extended his bloodied hand for a handshake, surprising Anwir, and the rest of the Tigerkins behind him.


    Anwir looked at Zion''s hand for a few seconds before extending his own hand to shake it.


    Among the Tigerkins, the blood oath ritual was the sign of Brotherhood.


    There were other ways to do it, but Thirteen chose the simplest and most appropriate method to convince Anwir that, from this moment onwards, the two of them were on the same side.


    The Tigerkin raised his right hand, which was still bleeding due to him clenching his fist hard enough to draw blood after he thought that Zion would leave him behind.


    With their blood mingling together in a handshake, the two made an oath to be Sworn Brothers, who would never betray each other.


    General Stark, Brie, and Cleo watched them from a distance, feelingplicated about how this even turned out to be.


    However, Zion had promised them that he would make Anwir atone for his crime and gain their forgiveness, allowing him to redeem himself.


    Anwir hoped with every fiber of his being that after his journey was over, he would truly get a second chance to be part of the Evander Family and regain the happiness that he would work hard, once more, to achieve.


    This was his path to redemption, and he would not allow anyone, not even the world, to get in his way.

 Chapter 176 Sorry, It’s A Trade Secret

    <h4>Chapter 176 Sorry, It¡¯s A Trade Secret </h4>


    Four days after Zion freed Anwir from his prison cell¡­


    A Tigerkin who seemed to be in his early forties entered the City of Karabor and introduced himself at the gate as a merchant.


    He was not alone and was apanied by two other people, who were both working for him.


    The Guards usually prevented strangers froming inside the city due to what happened to the General''s son, but the merchant showed them a rmendation letter issued by one of the Council Members of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    The letter meant that the Tigerkin named Amery was a very "trustworthy person" who had gained the acknowledgment of a high ranking noble.


    As such, he and his subordinates were allowed entry, on the condition that he would conduct his business properly, as was expected of a merchant.


    "Thank you, kind Sirs," Amery thanked with a smile after he was granted ess to enter the city. "I know that this is but a simple gift, but I do hope that you will ept it."


    The Merchant then gave the two guards manning the gate a bottle of liquor each, which made them both smile.


    "Go, and make sure to not cause trouble," one of the Guards stated after epting Amery''s gift. "If you have not secured your amodation, I rmend going to the Blue Ball Inn. It''s one of the best inns in Karabor City."


    "Thank you for the rmendation." Amery bowed. "We''ll go there and see if they have any rooms avable."


    "Good. Enjoy your stay."


    "I''m sure we will."


    After sessfully entering the city, Amery and his two assistants headed towards one of the inns in the city that was closest to the General''s Residence.


    "How many rooms?" the Innkeeper asked after the three people entered his establishment.


    "Just one," Amery replied. "Give me your biggest and best room."


    The Innkeeper nodded before calling out one of the Inn''s Helpers to his side.


    "Zion, we have customers!" the Innkeeper shouted. "Get yourzy bum out here right now!"


    Half a minuteter, a seven-year-old boy appeared with an apologetic look on his face.


    "I''m here, Boss," Zion replied. "What''s up?"


    "Don''t ''what''s up'' me," the Innkeeper snorted before handing the boy a key. "Escort these people to their amodation, now."


    Seeing the number on the key, the boy nodded and bowed his head respectfully to their guests.


    "Please follow me, Sir," Zion said politely. "I will take the three of you to your room."


    "Good." Amery nodded and followed the young boy headed to the stairs.


    After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of the door with the number 13 on it.


    "Here is your room, Sirs." Zion bowed. "Room number 13. Please don''t hesitate to call me or my Boss if you need anything else. Here is your key. Please keep it safe because you will have to pay a fine if you lose it."


    "Understood. Can I order some food?" Amery asked. "I want enough for three people. Also, this is for you."


    The Merchant gave the boy a silver coin, making the boy''s eyes widen.


    "Right away, Sir!" Zion replied as he happily epted the coin. "Please, enjoy your stay!"


    The boy hurriedly pocketed the silver coin as if he were afraid that his boss might confiscate it if it was discovered.


    Seeing the boy''s antics, Amery couldn''t help but smile because he had a soft spot for children.


    But the smile on his face disappeared as soon as he and his two assistants entered the room and locked the door behind them.


    "First, we will do some reconnaissance," Amery stated. "We will observe theyout of the General''s residence from a distance and look for all possible escape routes. This is not the first time we are going after a high-profile target, so I don''t want any mishaps. Do I make myself clear?"


    The two assistants beside him nodded their heads in understanding. Amery''s Rank was a Champion, and the two men beside him were at the peak of the Grandmaster Rank, making them Pseudo-Champions.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    A/N: To avoid confusion, I will use the Human Rankings for Beastkins, as well as other Demihumans like Elves, Drows, Dwarves, etc. from this point onwards. Only Monsters like Trolls, Ogres, and Orcs, will continue to have the Monster Ranking from Rank 1-9.


    Percival''s Rank will be changed from Rank 1 to the Rookie Rank.


    Human Rankings: Rookie, Adept, Apostle, Elite, Initiate, Master, Grandmaster, Champion, Throne, Monarch.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Here is the map of the residence," Amery said as he took out a scroll from his storage ring and ced it on the table in front of them. "Our targets are the General''s wife and daughter.


    "Our mission is to capture one of them. However, if capturing both is possible, then we will do that. I''m sure our rewards will be doubled, or even tripled, if we seed in our mission."


    The two Assassins nodded in understanding. ording to their investigation, the General''s Wife was at the Grandmaster Level, while their daughter was only at the Adept Rank.


    The wisest choice was to capture the daughter first since she would offer the least effective resistance against them.


    After finalizing the things they needed to prepare, they decided to rest a bit while waiting for their food to arrive.


    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait long because a few minutester, a knock was heard on their door.


    Amery personally opened it and saw Zion and the Innkeeper holding trays with the food they had ordered.


    The Merchant helped them bring the food to the table and thanked them for their services.


    "If the food is not enough, feel free to ask for a second helping downstairs," the Innkeeper smiled. "Please, enjoy your stay."


    "Enjoy your stay, Misters!" Zion bowed his head before following the Innkeeper to leave the room.


    One of the Assassins firmly locked the door before going to the table to eat.


    "Finally, real home-cooked food," the Assassin said after looking at the food on the table. "I''ve grown tired of eating only dried meat during our journey."


    Amery nodded his head in agreement.


    None of them knew how to cook, and the most they could do was grill and roast things that they had caught on their journey.


    Since they were in a hurry, they couldn''t spare time to catch anything along the way and had to make do with their rations of dried meat.


    "Test the food first to make sure it''s not spiked," Amery ordered.


    "You think too much, Amery," one of the Assassins replied but still did as he was ordered.


    After doing a few tests to make sure that the food didn''t contain poison, the three finally ate together.


    The food was cooked well, and Amery even found himself enjoying his meal to the point that after eating, he found himself feeling drowsy.


    However, the moment he thought of this, he immediately felt rmed because this was a sure sign that their food had been tampered with.


    ''B-But how?!'' Amery thought as he did his best to stay conscious for as long as possible.


    A momentter, the sound of the door being unlocked reached his ears, forcing him to look in the direction of the door.


    There, he saw a seven-year-old boy, who had a devilish smile on his face, walk into their room as if he owned the ce.


    "My dear customers, was the food to your liking?" Zion asked as he walked steadily towards their guests.


    Behind him, Dixon, Armand, Thane, and Alina entered the room together and looked at them with calm expressions on their faces.


    "H-How?!" Amery forced himself to ask the question that was on his mind.


    They made sure to check if their food was poisoned or not, yet even after doing some tests, they didn''t find anything suspicious about it.


    "How?" Zion smirked before cing a finger in front of his lips. "Sorry, it''s a trade secret."


    Amery, who could no longer keep himself awake, copsed on the floor, feeling aggrieved by what just happened.


    They had just arrived in the city and hadn''t even started their mission.


    And yet, they had already been captured after securing a base of operation.


    Dixon and his team immediately stripped the three unconscious Tigerkins naked, making sure that all of their tools were confiscated, as well as any possible methods they could use to escape.


    Thirteen even asked Dixon to forcefully open their mouths and check their teeth to see if they were hiding any chemicals that they could use tomit suicide.


    Seeing that all of them were clean, he ordered for the three to be taken to the Prison inside the General''s Residence, where they would be interrogated by the General and Rafiki, who had already been informed that the assassins had been apprehended sessfully.

 Chapter 177 Raising A Villain

    <h4>Chapter 177 Raising A Viin</h4>


    Contrary to what Amery thought, it was very easy to find out that they were the Assassins that were sent by the Radical Faction to kidnap Lady Brie and her daughter, Cleo.


    Karabor City was currently on heightened alert, so theing and going of people was being strictly monitored.


    This news had also spread in the other cities, and the only ones who could enter and leave the city without any problems were the local people who lived in it.


    Outsiders would need the General''s permission to enter, so it was difficult for those who weren''t residents of Karabor City toe and go as they pleased.


    Thirteen knew that if the Assassins failed to enter the city using normal means, they would resort to other methods like climbing up the city walls in order to enter illegally.


    If that were to happen, it would be much harder to catch them.


    Having taken this into consideration, he devised a n and had some people loyal to the General act as the City Guards manning the gate.


    If someone were to try getting into the city using rmendations from High-Ranking Officials or something simr, they would immediately be introduced to the Blue Ball Inn, where Thirteen was waiting for them.


    The people who were originally working there, and even some of the guests, were reced by General Stark''s people, who would immediately step in to help if things got out of hand.


    Thirteen had personally concocted a poison that was undetectable using the methods avable in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    The poison wasn''t lethal.


    All it could do was make whoever ingested it drowsy and weaken their resistance for half a day.


    Once the poison was out of their system, the pitiful souls would regain their bodily functions and would not suffer from any side effects.


    "Still, I didn''t expect them to send two different groups of Assassins," Thirteen said as he watched the three unconscious people being carried out of the room. "It seems that Lord Brigham is not taking any chances."


    "Do you think there will be more, Zion?" Dixon asked solemnly.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen replied. "But if someone uses the same method, you already know what to do."


    Dixon nodded. "Understood. Will you be returning to the residence now?"


    "Mmm." Thirteen hummed. "How can I possibly miss having more subordinates?"


    Dixon watched the seven-year-old walk away with a conflicted look on his face.


    He almost felt sorry for the Assassins because, by the time the day was over, they would be serving a new Master, who would make them work hard like ves.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Half an hourter¡­


    Amery had a nk look on his face as he stared at the space in front of him.


    He had just drank Rafiki''s truth serum, so his thoughts were in a haze.


    The leader of the Assassins was unable to muster any kind of resistance and told the General everything he knew.


    This included the names of the people whom he had assassinated in the past.


    After the interrogation was over, the General nced in Zion''s direction, making thetter nod his head in understanding.


    "Well then, Sir Norris. It''s your time to shine again," Thirteen turned around to look at the ve Master behind him, whom he had tempted with a business opportunity that he couldn''t reject.


    "Leave it to me, Zion," Norris said as he started to inscribe the ve tattoo on Amery''s forehead, turning him into a ve.


    The General looked at the ve Master in distaste because he never thought that he would be working with someone who had enved his people and sold them as ves to the Barbarians.


    very was not allowed within the Sumatran Kingdom, but that didn''t mean that there were no nobles who had done something simr to it.


    Their version was called Debt ves, and unless the ves had paid their dues, they would continue to serve their Masters.


    The only difference was that they didn''t bear any ve tattoos on their bodies and did what they were asked because they had no choice but to do it.


    Being exiled from the Sumatran Kingdom was equivalent to dying in the Barbarian Lands, or worse, bing their ves.


    For this reason, they willingly chose servitude in order to repay the debts they owed to their debtors.


    Beads of sweat formed in Norris'' head because enving a Champion wasn''t an easy task at all.


    Norris was only a Grandmaster, and truth be told, it would originally be extremely hard for him to subjugate a Beastkin that was a Rank higher than him with his ve magic.


    Fortunately, Amery couldn''t muster any kind of resistance due to Rafiki''s truth serum, rendering him vulnerable to mental attacks.


    When the Beast ve Tattoo was finally carved on Amery''s forehead, Norris breathed a sigh of relief.


    "The only thing left to do is to bind him to a Master," Norris said, his voice filled with exhaustion.


    "Brother, make him your subordinate," Thirteen nced at Anwir, who was standing across from him.


    "Understood." Anwir nodded and ced a drop of his blood on the tattoo on Amery''s forehead, forcing him to be the Viin''s subordinate.


    It took a lot of effort to convince the General to smuggle Norris to Karabor City to enve the Assassins who were targeting his family.


    The mere thought of having his people enved appalled him.


    But after Thirteen emphasized that it was the same people who wished to harm his family and sold their Kingdom to a Third Party, the General hardened himself and agreed to hire the ve Master to enve the Assassins that were targeting their family.


    Norris, who wanted nothing more than to form strong connections with the General, as well as see how Zion was doing, readily agreed to the proposal that Vassago had personally delivered to Gronar City.


    However, General Stark had a condition.


    doing, readily agreed to the proposal that Vassago had personally delivered to Gronar City.


    Zion could not be the Master of the Assassins. The General brought this condition up because he felt that the boy might abuse the Tigerkins and order them to do evil things.


    In order to solve this problem, Thirteen proposed that all the Assassins be Anwir''s subordinates.


    Viins needed pawns, and what better pawns to have than the Assassins whom their enemies had served to them on a silver tter?


    Since they were giving them free manpower, Thirteen decided to make them his Sworn Brother''s subordinates, allowing Anwir to grow his influence.


    General Stark still had his reservations, but the seven-year-old convinced him that Anwir wouldn''t harm their family a second time.


    Anwir also made a blood oath to never harm the Evander Family again, which made the General reluctantly agree to make the Assassins his adoptive son''s subordinates.


    "Although there is a chance that more Assassins woulde, we cannot dy our mission any further," Thirteen stated. "We need to strike now while our enemy is still in the dark. Brother, I''ll let you handle Lord Brigham. Can you do it?"


    Anwir didn''t hesitate and nodded his head. "I''ll handle him."


    "Good." Thirteen smirked. "We leave tonight, and head to our designated targets."


    When General Stark asked Zion the method he would use in order to dy the War Preparations of the Tigerkins, the boy only said one word, and that was¡­


    "Logistics."


    There was a saying that warriors win battles, but Logistics win wars.


    As long as they were able to disrupt the supply of food, weapons, as well as other misceneous items needed for the war, they would be able to dy the full-scale battle for a few months.


    Having thought of this, Thirteen had nned to target several ces simultaneously, hitting the supply lines that belonged to the Radical Faction.


    Of course, he also asked Anwir to loot their treasuries. Their gains from this would be used to fund their future operations.


    The seven-year-old was making sure that his Third-Rate Viin would grow at a rapid pace, which was why he chose to have Anwir face-off against Lord Brigham.


    Two viins facing off against each other was a very normal thing to happen, and the boy was excited to see the result of their sh.


    Thirteen didn''t know if Anwir would manage to win against his opponent.


    But regardless of the result, this experience would allow Anwir to realize his shorings, weaknesses, as well as his strengths.


    Of course, Thirteen would also help his Sworn Brother if he really needed it.


    However, until Anwir asked for his help, he would just observe from the side and let his Little Viin farm experience points, as well as resources.


    Just like the others, Thirteen had also chosen someone to fight against, and it was none other than the old Tigerkin, who was wearing sses during the secret meeting with Lord Brigham.


    Brigham might be the Puppet Master behind everything, but the Old Tigerkin with sses was the one who had all the connections, including the contact to the Mercenaries, as well as the Assassin groups, within the Sumatran Kingdom.


    As long as Thirteen got his hands on the old man, he would be able to be the hidden ruler of the Underworld of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    This would allow him to move more freely within the Territories of the Tigerkins, allowing him to visit the members of the Radical Faction, one by one.

 Chapter 178 There Can Only Be One Villain In This Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 178 There Can Only Be One Viin In This Kingdom </h4>


    Two days after they left Karabor City, Thirteen, and Dixon''s Scouting Party arrived at the city of Parania.


    It was a very big city, at least twice the size of Karabor City where General Stark''s family lived.


    This was also the territory of the Old Tigerkin, Paven Merdosk.


    Parania City was the trading hub of the Sumatran Kingdom. Perhaps, due to its prosperity, most businessmen and merchants wanted to set up their own stores in its busy streets.


    "Not bad," Thirteen muttered as their wagon entered the city. "Since the city is like this, this means that Paven is rich, right?"


    "Rich?" Dixon snorted. "He''s extremely wealthy, and has connections with almost every noble family out there. Calling him Rich is like saying that he is poor, when he actually governs the second most prosperous city in the kingdom."


    "Oh, my~ this means that we''re gonna be wealthy after this operation. Am I right, Vassago?"


    "They say that money can''t buy you happiness, Master. But, you know what? It sure isn''t gonna make you sad."


    "Indeed. As expected of my trusted advisor."


    The two evildoers then chuckled at the same time, making Poca, who was beside Vassago tilted her head in confusion.


    Tiona, on the other hand, felt a bit jealous of Vassago because her Master was paying more attention to him as ofte.


    She also wanted to help Thirteen as much as possible, but the things she could do for him were very limited since she only specialized in killing people.


    Seeing that his Beast Companion was feeling left out, Thirteen lightly rubbed the ck Snake under her chin, and nted a kiss on her head, making Tiona feel better.


    Vassago, who understood Tiona''s feelings, no longer talked to his Master, and closed his eyes to rest.


    Half an hourter, Dixon stopped the carriage in front of an inn located at the Easternmost edge of the city.


    This was the ideal location for their operation because it was very near their target, which was the granary of Parania.


    It was the biggest granary in the Sumatran Kingdom, supplying the entire nation with food.


    Right next to the granary was the underground storage where dried meat was stored in barrels filled with salt.


    Praven had been stockpiling these resources for the past year, in preparation for the uing war.


    Truth be told, all they were waiting for was the nod of the King, and the mobilization of the army would ur in full.


    But General Stark, as well as more than half of the military, didn''t want this war to push through.


    This was also why the Radical Faction decided to send assassins to capture his wife and daughter. It was their hope that, by doing so, they could manipte General Stark into supporting the war in exchange for their safety.


    Unfortunately for them, the Assassins that they sent had been turned into Anwir''s subordinates.


    Thirteen''s Sworn Brother was currently in a different city, performing a simr mission as him.


    Anwir had divided his forces into two teams, with Amery''s group going to another city in order to set fire to the granaries located there.


    They knew that once a Granary had been burned down, all the other cities would increase their security, preventing something simr from urring.


    This was why Thirteen had told everyone that they would set fire to all the Granaries at midnight on the 7th day, after they had left Karabor City to head to their respective destinations.


    Thirteen also made sure to tell the Assassins the truth about why they were doing this. At the end of the day, they were still Tigerkins.


    Because of this, he needed to tell them the importance of this mission, and called them the unsung heroes of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Of course, the Assassins still doubted his words, but in the end, he told them that they should investigate for themselves, whether he was lying or not.


    "I will take a stroll around the city," Dixon stated. "Since we still have five more days before our operation starts, I will see if I can gather some worthwhile news in the city. How about you guys?"


    "I''ll go with you, Captain," Armand said.


    "I''ll check the marketce, and see which Big Time Merchants are around," Thanemented.


    "I''ll stay here and watch over Zion," Alina nced at the seven-


    year-old, who decided to take a nap on the soft bed. "Someone has to stand guard to make sure that he doesn''t cause trouble."


    Vassago and Tiona nodded their heads in agreement to Alina''s words.


    "I''ll go explore the surroundings," Vassago told Poca. "Are youing?"


    Poca thought for a bit before giving a low chirp of agreement.


    Dixon opened the window to allow the two birds to do what they wanted.


    What they didn''t know was that the seven-year-old also nned to do some exploration of his own.


    However, he would do it under the cover of darkness.


    This was why he was resting now, so he would be fully awake when night came.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Dunn City in the Sumatran Kingdom¡­


    Anwir nced outside the window of his room, and stared at the magnificent estate in the distance.


    Dunn City was the city under the governance of Lord Brigham, whom Thirteen said was the Mastermind behind the war propaganda of the Radical Faction.


    The younger boy stated that Anwir should never, ever, try to assassinate the City Lord while they werepleting their mission to sabotage the Radical Faction''s Food Supply.


    His reasoning was simple.


    Currently, Anwir didn''t have enough manpower to take their enemy down.


    Right now, he only had four subordinates with him, which was the first group of Assassins they had captured before Amery''s team arrived in Karabor City.


    They only had enough manpower tomit Arson, and not an Assassination.


    Besides, Lord Brigham would definitely have strong guards protecting him, so killing him was an impossible task.


    At least for now.


    ''Zion, you''re really a capable boy, huh?'' Anwir thought as he remembered the advice of his Sworn Brother, who had gone to Parania City to deal with Paven Mordosk, who was handling the bulk of the Logistics of the Radical Faction.


    Anwir had hated the boy for making his life miserable.


    But, after understanding that there was a greater threat that threatened the Sumatran Kingdom and his Family, Anwir decided to cooperate and recognize him as his Sworn Brother.


    Zion didn''t lie to him.


    If they really seeded in their missions and survived the uing war then he would be hailed as a Hero of the Sumatran Kingdom, which was many times better than a traitor, who had betrayed his own family.


    ''Brigham,'' Anwir mused. ''Zion called you a Viin. But, there can only be one Viin in this Kingdom. I''ll kick you off of your throne soon. Until then, wash your neck.''


    The Tigerkin''s gaze hardened as he looked at the home of the person who had given the order to kidnap his Mother and Sister.


    This was a crime that went below Anwir''s bottom line, and he would not rest until he personally crushed Brigham''s heart, and mounted his severed head on a spike, disying it for the world to see.

 Chapter 179 Thirteen’s Late Night Escapade

    <h4>Chapter 179 Thirteen¡¯s Late Night Escapade</h4>


    "Has there been any progress?" the City Lord of Parania City, Paven, asked his butler. "News from the Assassins should have reached us by now."


    "Nothing yet, Master," the Butler replied. "Maybe they are still looking for ways to infiltrate the General''s Residence without being seen. This is a delicate operation, so they must be taking the slow approach to have a higher chance of sess."


    Paven frowned, but he didn''t say anything. Instead, he swirled the wine ss in his hand before giving it a casual sniff.


    A momentter, he drank it all before cing the wine ss on top of the table.


    "How about the King?" Paven asked. "Are those numbskulls in the capital really that useless? They can''t even make the King agree to send a decree to mobilize the army?"


    The Butler shook his head. "Master, the King has always been a Pacifist, so convincing him to wage war is not going to be easy. After the losses that we suffered from the Barbarians on thest expedition, he is quite hesitant to dere war."


    "But, the Queen is helping us, right?" Paven inquired. "Her hatred for the Barbarians is the real deal. This is why the King had given an order for the army to prepare for war. However, thinking back, I think this is just his way of pacifying his wife.


    "By giving the order to prepare for war, he was able to pacify the Queen and the Radical Faction for the time being. But, unless he gives the order to march, the Generals will not move."


    The Butler nodded. "It is as you say, Master. However, I believe that as long as the army is ready to march anytime, the possibility of the King giving in is high as well."


    Paven sighed before refilling his wine ss with wine.


    The Radical Faction had assigned him to handle the Logistics for more than a year now, and he had to admit that the resources he currently had were more than enough to secure a victorious campaign.


    Paven once again picked up the wine ss and started to swirl it. However, as he was doing so, his gazended on a pair of ugly birds perched in the top of the tree in his garden.


    The two birds were busy grooming their bodies, and weren''t paying any attention to him. However, their ugly appearance made Paven scowl.


    "Those two birds, are you familiar with them?" Paven inquired. "This is the first time I''m seeing their kind here in the Sumatran Kingdom."


    The Butler nced in the direction of the two Pocopoco''s before shaking his head.


    "No, Master," the Butler replied. "Maybe they are just some migratory birds that came from the Maind. We do get some of those from time to time. But, I have to admit. I''ve never seen birds that ugly."


    Paven clicked his tongue because he lost his interest in drinking due to the slow progress of the war, as well as the ugliness of the two birds.


    After drinking the wine in his cup, he stood up and entered his residence, not even ncing at the two birds, who both raised their wed feet, giving him the middle fingers behind his back.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A few hourster¡­


    Vassago and Poca returned to the Inn where Thirteen''s group was currently staying.


    The sun was just about to set, and the two wanted to have dinner with the others, who had also returned from their stroll in the city.


    The seven-year-old, who was still fast asleep, was gently prodded by Alina in order to wake him up.


    "Zion, it''s dinner time," Alina said. "The Captain has also returned, and he wants to talk to you about a few things."


    Thirteen opened his eyes, and slowly propped himself up from the bed. They had rented three rooms. With one room belonging to Alina and Thirteen, another room for Armand and Thane, and a room for Dixon''s personal use.


    Everyone gathered inside Dixon''s Room because it was at the very end of the Hallway, and was much bigger than the other rooms.


    When Thirteen, and Alina entered the room, they saw the three Tigerkins seated around the table.


    Various dishes were served on the table, and just a nce was enough to tell them that they were all delicious.


    Thirteen sat at the head of the table, which was reserved for the leader of a group. Since he was the leader of this Operation, Dixon sat on his right side, while Alina sat on his left.


    Armand, and Thane was seated next to them.


    "Before you start your report, let''s eat first," Thirteen proposed. "All of you have tested the food, right?"


    "Yes," Dixon replied. "They are safe."


    Thirteen nodded. "Tiona, check them a second time."


    The ck Snake nodded and flicked her tongue at the food on the table one by one. The Domini Mortis was the most venomous snake in Solterra, so it was very easy for her to know if something was poisoned or not.


    After checking all the dishes, Tiona returned to Zion and shook her head.


    "Thank you, Tiona," Thirteen lightly patted the ck Snake''s head before looking at his subordinates. "Let''s eat. Thank you for the food."


    ""Thank you for the food.""


    The group ate without talking to each other. They knew that after they had sated their hunger, the time for discussion would take ce, so they weren''t in a hurry to divulge the information that they gathered in the city.


    Half an hourter, the tes had all been emptied, which was the signal for everyone to start talking.


    Dixon was the first one to give his report, and ording to him, the Granary only had two guards guarding it.


    It seemed that Paven was confident that no one in Parania City would dare to target the Granary because it was the source of food for almost everyone in the Kingdom.


    This included their underground storage for dried meat, which would serve as the army''s primary source of meat during the long campaigns.


    After Dixon, Armand made his report.


    His report was about the Barracks inside the town, and from what he had gathered, they were training fresh recruits everyday.


    The War Propaganda that they had been spreading was quite effective, painting the Barbarians as Savages, who kept on raiding the Tigerkin Viges near the borders.


    Thane, on the other hand, reported that almost all the wealthy Merchants from well-known Merchant Groups, had gathered in Parania City.


    They were the ones that brought weapons and armor, whichted them a lot of profit for the uing war.


    Alina had nothing to report since she had been watching over Thirteen, and making sure that he was behaving properly.


    Once everyone had finished talking, Thirteen told them to continue their exploration of the city when morning came.


    After that, he ended their meeting and returned to his room with Alina.


    Five hourster, the seven-year-old opened his eyes and nced at the bed beside his own bed.


    There, Alina was sleeping soundly, making the younger boy smile faintly.


    He had made Alina drink a very strong sleeping potion, which would ensure that she slept all through the night.


    Thirteen then opened the window of their room, motioning for Vassago to leave the inn first.


    Vassago nodded his head in understanding and flew outside of the window.


    Poca, who was curious about what they were about to do, followed Vassago out of the inn.


    Using a grappling hook, Thirteen slowly descended from the window of the inn, while covered in darkness.


    Since they were at the Easternmost part of the city, there were not manynterns in the surroundings, making everything very dark.


    Of course, Tigerkins had Dark Vision, so this was nothing to them.


    After stealthily leaving the Inn, Thirteen headed towards Paven''s Residence, which was located at the base of the mountain, overlooking the city.


    His goal was to scout the treasury inside the residence where Paven kept his treasures and artifacts.


    He knew that if Dixon and the others knew his ns, all of them would stop him at all costs.


    This was why he made sure that Alina would not wake up until morning, allowing him to leave the Inn undetected.


    Although he was just a normal seven-year-old on the surface, Thirteen was far from being normal.


    With Vassago flying high in the sky, and hooting from time to time to warn Thirteen about the Guards Patrolling the city, the boy was able to reach his destination in an hour.


    He could have arrived faster, but he didn''t want to be discovered by the City Guards, so he took his time to ensure that he wouldn''t be caught on histe-night escapade.

 Chapter 180 Staying With This Two Might Be A Little Fun

    <h4>Chapter 180 ?Staying With This Two Might Be A Little Fun </h4>


    "Tiona, I''m leaving everything to you," Thirteen said. "Be careful. Vassago will keep watch and alert you if there are any signs of trouble."


    Tiona nodded her head in understanding before crawling up the wall of the residence.


    She would be the one looking for the treasures of the City Lord, and Thirteen would be the one staying outside to keep an eye out, just in case something unexpected happened.


    Truth be told, the boy wasn''t really worried about the ck Snake being discovered.


    The Domini Mortis might only be a Rank 1 Monster, but it was blessed with many abilities to make up for its inability to Rank up.


    Aside from its venom, the Domini Mortis could also turn its body as hard as steel. The ones who had lived for over a hundred years could even turn their bodies as hard as Adamantine.


    All of them were also very stealthy creatures and couldn''t be detected through normal means. Only extremely powerful individuals on the level of Champions and above would be able to sense their presence.


    They were also blessed with the affinity to swim in rivers, sea, acidic bodies of water, moltenva, and poisonous water without getting hurt.


    Hazardous environments, such as those covered entirely with miasma, were not a problem for them.


    They could also dig in the ground, but this digging wasn''t actually digging.


    As long as they willed it, they could travel under the ground as if they were in the water, bypassing almost any and all restrictions.


    The ces they passed through underground would also revert back to their original state after the Domini Mortis was gone.


    Tiona was one of the blessed and cursed races of Solterra.


    Her race was so powerful that Gods didn''t allow them to Rank Up, for if they had that privilege, they would be the Overlords of the World.


    Also, their number was very low, not more than three hundred in the entirety of Solterra.


    They did not need to find a mate to reproduce. Just like honey bees and rattlesnakes, they could give birth to an egg anytime they wanted.


    However, Tiona''s race could only give birth to an egg whenever one of their race died a natural death, was killed by a creature, or died due to an ident.


    They were that rare, and it was difficult for people to capture any of them due to their ability to escape whenever their lives were in danger by burrowing underground.


    ¡ª---------------------


    A/N: This is thest time I''ll mention this information about the Domini Mortis, so make sure to remember it!


    ¡ª---------------------


    The seven-year-old didn''t know how Norris managed to capture Tiona or if she was really captured.


    His guess was that the organization Norris belonged to had found the egg of a Domini Mortis and raised it in captivity.


    It must be the reason why Tiona wasn''t as wild as the other members of her race and seemed like she was very used to seeing humans.


    The Domini Mortis usually stayed inside Jungles or any other Hidden Areas of the world.


    Far away from civilization and the people who would treat them like prized objects, since they would be sold in auctions for their rarity and prestige.


    But one thing was certain.


    Whoever killed a Domini Mortis would also die.


    Apollyon, the Deity who represented Death and Destruction, would see to it that his Sacred Beasts would not be killed in vain.


    This was another reason why many people wanted to tame or own a Domini Mortis. Owning one would give them a connection with Apollyon, one of the beings who stood at the apex of the world.


    After entering the residence, Tiona flicked her tongue as she looked at her surroundings.


    Her race wasn''t really treasure hunters, so finding treasures was not their forte.


    However, there was one thing they were good at, and that was detecting the presence of both the living and the dead.


    Sensing the location of all the living creatures inside the residence, Tiona headed to the western side of the residence, where only people of the Apostle Rank were located.


    Her guess was that they were the servants who served the City Lord''s needs and made sure that the residences were cleaned regrly.


    While the ck Snake was busy with her exploration, Thirteen was watching the mansion from the cover of the trees, making sure that he wouldn''t be discovered.


    However, one of the guards patrolling the area had a very strong detection ability, making him feel that something unusual was somewhere in the forest.


    Because of this, his friend decided to tag along with him to check if something was out of ce.


    Although Thirteen had slowed down his breathing and heartbeat, lowering his presence, the Guard walked confidently toward his hiding ce, making the seven-year-old think of excuses he could use once he was discovered.


    But when the two Guards were only a dozen meters away from him, they heard hushed voices that made them stop in their tracks.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Romeo¡­ we shouldn''t do this here. Let''s just do it at home. My parents are not around."


    "You say no, but I can see you''re getting excited. The thrill of getting discovered turns you on, right?"


    "Ah¡­ no, don''t take off my clothes here¡­ Mmm! Don''t suck too hard. Are you a baby?"


    "Juliet, you''re so beautiful that I can''t hold back¡­"


    "Y-You''re bigger than I thought. It might not fit."


    "If there''s a will, there is a way. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure it fits."


    "Ahh¡­ so hard! Mmm¡­ so deep!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The two Guards exchanged a knowing nce with each other and smirked at the same time.


    This wasn''t the first time that they had caught such couples who wanted to spice up their rtionship and seek the thrills of being captured by the Guards who patrolled the City Lord''s Residence.


    In fact, they would catch one or two couples doing it in the woods every week.


    The Tigerkins was a daring and bold race.


    They liked thrills, and the conquest of oveing them brought them a sense of satisfaction and euphoria.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "¡­ not so rough Romeo¡­. Mmh! Don''t bite me there¡­"


    "You''re too sexy, Juliet. I''m not going to hand you to anyone. You''re mine!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    One of the guards scratched his head as a sheepish smile appeared on his face. He then patted his friend''s shoulder and made a pointing gesture behind them with his thumb.


    Hisrade nodded his head in understanding and walked away with his friend, giving the two lovebirds some privacy and enjoying their memorable night together.


    Meanwhile, high above a tree branch, Poca, who was watching Vassago''s one-bird show blinked once then twice, and even moved a step away from the Pocopoco, who was having the time of his life.


    She didn''t know how to feel after seeing one of her race do something so¡­ raunchy in an attempt to stop the two guards from discovering the seven-year-old, who was hiding behind a tree a few meters away from them.


    Poca watched with amusement when the two guards shared knowing smiles with each other before backing away.


    It seemed that they didn''t n on disturbing the "couple" who were seeking the thrill of being discovered by them.


    When the Guards had finally left the area, Poca heard the hooting of an owl.


    The one who made the sound was none other than Vassago''s Master, Zion and the meaning of his hooting was.


    "Well yed, Vassago. You''re the best!"


    Vassago made a hooting sound in reply to his Master''s praise.


    "Easy-peasy."


    The two then made hooting sounds together, but this was justughter in bird''snguage.


    Poca, who had decided to tag along with Vassago, wondered if it was really okay to stay with these two entric individuals.


    However, the Pocopoco had to admit that what Vassago had done was quite interesting. It even made the two guards go back to their patrols instead of continuing their search.


    ''Staying with these two might be a little fun,'' Poca thought, not realizing that a faint tinge of mirth and even anticipation were starting to stir within the depths of her eyes.

 Chapter 181 You’ll Never Know How Strong You Are Until Being Strong Is Your Only Choice

    <h4>Chapter 181 You¡¯ll Never Know How Strong You Are Until Being Strong Is Your Only Choice</h4>


    While Vassago was making sure that Thirteen wasn''t detected by the Tigerkins who had very strong detection abilities, Tiona was peacefully exploring inside the residence.


    Even though she couldn''t detect any treasures on her own, she had something that was helping her resolve this problem.


    On her tail, Thirteen had put on a ring that had the passive ability, Detect Treasure.


    This ring belonged to Norris, and ording to him, it could detect if there were any lumps of gems, gold, or any other precious metals within the ten-meter radius of the wearer.


    It could detect these treasures even if they were underground, underwater, or hidden on the walls of a cavern.


    If a precious mineral was near it, it would alert its wearer by turning warm.


    Once the ring was close enough to the treasure, it would let out a small white light that only its wearer could see.


    This light would point in the direction of the treasure, which was why even Tiona could use it without problems.


    After exploring the entire western side of the residence, Tiona didn''t detect any treasures, so she slowly made her way to the east side, where the City Lord, Paven, was located.


    Of course, Tiona wouldn''t go anywhere near the Champion and the Guards guarding him.


    She was only nning to go to the locations where it was safe for her to explore.


    Half an hourter, the ring on her tail started to feel warm, making Tiona excited.


    Wanting to help her Master as much as Vassago, she was taking this mission seriously.


    In order to prevent others from seeing her, she started crawling up to the ceiling. Once she was up above, she used her tail to pinpoint the exact location where it felt warmer.


    After double-checking that the ring was warmest in a certain direction, Tiona decided to retreat for the time being.


    The ring was pointing to the room where Paven was sleeping, and Tiona didn''t want the Champion to discover her.


    Knowing where the treasure was located was enough to make her scouting mission a sess.


    Fifteen minutester, the ck Snake had left the residence and returned to where her Master was hiding.


    Due to her uncanny stealth ability that only Champions could detect, Tiona initially wanted to prank her Master by jumping behind his back. However, she had a feeling that Thirteen would react differently and might even attack her out of reflex.


    Since she didn''t want that to happen, she decided to y it safe, deactivating her stealth ability, and slithered in front of her Master so that he would see him.


    "Wee back, Tiona," Thirteen said softly as the ck Snake crawled up his body and nudged her head against his cheek.


    Tiona hissed softly, telling her Master that she had seeded in her mission.


    "Good job," Thirteen lightly patted the snake''s head with his finger before slowly backing away from his hiding spot.


    Since his Beast Companion had returned, it was time for him to return to the inn before the others woke up and discovered that he had left without informing any of them.


    Seeing his movements, Vassago spread his wings and took flight.


    Poca followed behind him and soared toward the sky.


    Vassago circled around the residence, and made a hooting sound, telling his Master that the coast was clear.


    With the Pocopoco guiding him from the sky, Thirteen managed to return to the inn within an hour, climbing back up the window with the help of his grappling hook.


    Vassago and Poca werest to enter the window andnded on top of the table.


    Thirteen closed the window behind them before taking three wooden bowls and filling them up with water.


    Tiona, Vassago, and Poca drank until their thirst was sated.


    A momentter, Thirteen also ced several nuts on the table, allowing the two Pocopocos to eat.


    Tiona, on the other hand, received a small Rank 1 Beast Core as a reward for her hard work.


    After the three were done eating, the ck Snake began her report and told her Master that the treasures were being kept inside Paven''s quarters inside the residence.


    Thirteen didn''t find this news surprising because it was indeed the safest ce inside the residence.


    Of course, he also knew that the City Lord might be keeping his most important treasures inside his storage ring that he always carried on his person.


    There was nothing the boy could do about that, but there must still be treasures that the City Lord wasn''t carrying, and he would not hesitate to get them.


    ''When I meet Lace Demon again, I will ask for another Dimensional Storage as a reward,'' Thirteen mused. ''I''ll ask him to make it bigger so that I can use it to store some loot.''


    After thanking Tiona and Vassago for the second time, Thirteen and his sidekicks decided to rest for the remainder of the night.


    Tomorrow was another day, and there were still many things to see, and do, in the city.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, in Gronar City¡­


    Cristopher stood in the makeshift archery field in the warehouse and shot one arrow after the other.


    He was only using crude wooden arrows for practice because he didn''t want to use their stock of iron arrows.


    The chubby boy had no talent in archery.


    But Thirteen told him that Archery was a skill that could be learned.


    Because of this, he asked Lady Adira to give him some advice on how to properly shoot some arrows.


    Perhaps wanting to score some brownie points with the seven-


    year-old, the Drow agreed to teach the chubby boy, whom Thirteen had dered to be his right-hand man, the proper ways of archery.


    It wasn''t easy, but Cristopher persevered.


    He didn''t want to always rely on the younger boy, who had promised to take him back home to Pangea safely.


    After his Young Master had been captured, Christopher almost fell into depression.


    That was when he realized that he had be too dependent on Zion, to the point that thetter''s absence made him feel as if he had lost something important in his life.


    Cristopher''s will wasn''t that strong.


    He couldn''t decide things on his own, and he was reliant on others pushing him in the right direction.


    He was fine with this setup since that was what he originally wanted.


    To be a retainer, who would just follow his Master''s orders.


    He had long epted that he was not smart, not cunning, and most of all, not really good at fighting.


    But everyone could change as long as they put effort into the thing they wanted to achieve.


    "If it''s important to you, you will find a way," Cristopher muttered as he pulled back the string of the bow and aimed at his target. "If not, you will find an excuse."


    After saying those words, the chubby boy released the arrow.


    Instead of hitting his target, it hit the wall of the warehouse, making his arrow bounce off it.


    Cristopher took a deep breath before taking another wooden arrow from his quiver.


    He then took the proper archery stance that Lady Adira had taught him and blocked off everything in his surroundings.


    The only thing he could see was the target in front of him.


    Soon, a whistling sound hummed in the surroundings, as Cristopher''s arrow took flight.


    This time, the arrow hit the very edge of his target.


    Instead of being disappointed, a faint smile appeared on the boy''s lips as he remembered the words that Thirteen told him while they were traveling toward Gronar City for the first time.


    "I am not afraid of a person who knows 1,000 techniques," Thirteen said with a faint smile on his face. "But, I fear the person who has practiced the same technique a thousand times.


    "Cristopher, if you wish to be truly strong, don''t be a jack of all trades like me because I am the only one who can pull it off.


    "Focus on one thing, and surpass everyone in that field. Someday, you will wake up and realize that the people whom you looked up to as geniuses, would look at you with the same gaze that you used to look at them."


    Cristopher had asked Thirteen if that day would trulye because he felt like his Young Master was only encouraging him to not make him look pitiful.


    The seven-year-old''s answer was simple.


    "You''ll never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice." Thirteen smirked. "I will not always be with you, and during those times, you need to fend for yourself. So, be strong Cristopher. For you have the potential to be a true Powerhouse in this world."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: Copyright God nods his head before raising two Yellow Cards in his hands.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Deep inside, Cristopher wanted to believe Thirteen''s words that he could be one of those people that he looked up to.


    Geniuses from the Prestigious Families.


    Prodigies from the Monarch ns.


    As well as the Rising Stars of his generation.


    But more than anything else, he wanted to stand on the same stage as his Young Master, whom he believed would make his mark on both worlds.


    "Wait for me, Young Master," Cristopher said as he took another arrow from his quiver. "I''ll catch up to you soon."


    The sound of whistling wind echoed in the surroundings, making the Drow, who was drinking some alcohol on top of the roof of the warehouse, smile faintly as she looked in the direction of the rising sun, signaling the start of another day, in the world of Solterra.


    ------------------------


    A/N: Bonus chapters will be posted on the weekends. Thank you for everyone''s support!

 Chapter 182 Desperate Times Calls For Desperate Measures

    <h4>Chapter 182 Desperate Times Calls For Desperate Measures </h4>


    After histe-night escapade, Thirteen slept and only woke up at around noon, with only Alina watching over him.


    He didn''t expect to sleep that long, but he had no regrets either. For him, being able to rest properly was a good sign, especially since he was still a growing boy.


    Vassago and Poca were also inside the Inn and had just finished eating the nuts Alina had given them for lunch.


    "Hungry, Zion?" Alina asked as soon as she noticed that the boy was awake.


    "Very," Thirteen replied before doing a few stretches.


    "I''ll get you something to eat downstairs. What do you want?"


    "A sandwich is fine."


    "Understood."


    After Alina left the room, Thirteen sat on the chair and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, looking at the two Pocopocos who were also looking at him.


    "Vassago, have you memorized the voices of the City Lord, as well as the people stationed inside his residence?" Thirteen asked.


    "I only managed to get half of them," Vassago replied. "Some of the servants didn''t go out of the residence, so I didn''t get to hear their voices, but I already memorized the voices of the City Lord and the guards."


    Thirteen smirked. "Good job. That is more than enough. But if you have the opportunity to memorize the voices of the other servants, go for it as well."


    "Understood." Vassago nodded. "Shall I go back to the City Lord''s Residence and try my luck then?"


    "Yes. But don''t feel bad if you don''t get the voices of the rest of the servants. We still have a few days, so there''s no rush."


    "Okay."


    Thirteen then nced outside of their window and looked at the bustling city.


    He almost felt sorry that their peaceful life would suddenly change in a few days, but he knew that this was something that he had to do in order to give the Sumatran Kingdom a chance to avoid a major disaster.


    "Vassago, am I a bad person?" Thirteen asked all of a sudden while still looking at the city outside the window.


    "Yes, Master," Vassago replied in a heartbeat. "You are a bad person."


    Tiona red and hissed at the Pocopoco as if telling him that her Master was not a bad person.


    Thirteen smiled and lightly patted the angry Tiona''s head with a finger, calming her down.


    "I would have doubted your words if you said that I was not a bad person," Thirteen stated. "So, what do you think, Poca? Since you already know that I''m a bad person, shouldn''t you start distancing yourself from me?"


    The seven-year-old then turned to look at the Pocopoco beside Vassago.


    "As you can see, I intend to do more bad things in the future, and it will not just stop in this city," Thirteen said in a mischievous tone. "Pocopocos are righteous by nature, so you being with us might make you bad as well.


    "Vassago didn''t have a choice because the two of us made a deal, which left him no choice but to serve me for a few years in exchange for his freedom. You, on the other hand, are free to do whatever you like.


    "However, I am only taking those who will help aplish my goal on this journey. I am a very calctive person, you see. I like to be in control. Variables like you, who are outside of my control, make me uneasy. So, I''ll give you until tomorrow to decide whether you will stay with us or not.


    "If you choose to stay, know that you will have to listen to my orders, just like Vassago does. You cannot question me in any way because, like I said, I am a bad person who does bad things."


    Thirteen eyed the Pocopoco to make sure that Poca understood what he was trying to tell her.


    Poca nodded in understanding before saying the word "Okay," which meant that she would give the boy her answer when morning came.


    "Good. That is all," Thirteen once again shifted his attention to the city outside of the window. "You may now go, Vassago. Also, give the city a good look from the sky. If you see anything of interest, report it to me when you return."


    "Understood," Vassago replied before spreading his wings.


    A momentter, he flew outside of the window, leaving Poca behind.


    Poca hesitated before spreading her wings to follow Vassago. But, before she left the room, she said something to Thirteen, which made the boy smile.


    "I like bad boys, too, you know?"


    After saying those words, the Pocopoco flew out of the window to fly alongside Vassago and apany him on his mission.


    If Poca agreed to work with Thirteen, the exchange of messages between him, the General, as well as Cristopher and Rianna, would be faster.


    Tiona, who was now left alone with her Master, nudged her head on his cheek, asking to be spoiled.


    The boy chuckled and rubbed her head until she was satisfied.


    A few minutester, Alina entered the room with a tter of food in her hand.


    "Master, I overheard people in the Tavern talking about the festival that will start in a few days," Alina reported.


    "The Harvest Festival, right?" Thirteen smiled faintly.


    "Yes," Alina replied. "The Harvest Festival that you n to ruin."


    The Tigerkin had a conflicted look on her face because this was a tradition among the Tigerkins, especially after a good Harvest.


    People would eat, drink, and make merry, for this was an annual event and a very important one for their people.


    Thirteen nned to execute his n on the day of the festival to make it more memorable.


    He didn''t pick the date at random.


    No. He picked it exactly because it was a significant event for the Tigerkins.


    On this day, all of them would witness something tragic, which would shake them to their very core.


    "Alina, you''re too kind," Thirteen said as he moved the te of food towards him. "Even now, I can see in your eyes that you want me to think of other ways to keep this war from happening without endangering the livelihood of others.


    "But desperate times call for desperate measures. You might not believe it, but this is truly the most peaceful way that I can think of to resolve this issue. Sure, it might inconvenience the Sumatran Kingdom for a few days, but your Kingdom has enough food to make up for the losses that your people will suffer due to the loss of your surplus of wheat and meat.


    "Without food and weapons, your armies cannot march into war. So we need to eliminate the supply to ensure that we can minimize the losses that your people will suffer in the future. Don''t worry. I won''t ask for your forgiveness or anything.


    "Since I have taken this path, I will see it through until the end. Feel free to stay here and close your eyes if you wish, but don''t stop me. Don''t try to stop me."


    After saying these words, Thirteen started to eat the food that Alina had brought to him.


    Even though his guard didn''t say anything, he understood that she was opposed to what they nned to do.


    But, she still followed him for a reason, and that was to see with her own eyes whether the seven-year-old was telling the truth or not.


    If he were lying to them, Alina would not hesitate or feel guilty about taking his life, in exchange for the hardship that her people would face in his hands.

 Chapter 183 It’s Showtime

    <h4>Chapter 183 It¡¯s Showtime</h4>


    On the day of the Harvest Festival, the city was livelier than ever before.


    There were colorful festival decorations hanging over the streets, giving the surroundings a more festive vibe.


    The people had been decorating their city for the past few days, and Thirteen and his group decided to join the festivities in the afternoon.


    They ate food from street stalls, bought souvenirs, and watched a few performances on the streets.


    Thirteen allowed his team to enjoy the Harvest Festival, but there was something that he forbade them to do and that was to get drunk.


    The operation that they would doter in the evening was very important, and he needed everyone to be sober when they started their operation.


    In the eyes of the locals, they were one of the countless tourists who hade from faraway ces just to experience their festival.


    Because of this, they made sure to treat them with great hospitality and gave them a memorable experience.


    Even Vassago and Poca snacked on various delicacies that they had never tasted before.


    After thinking long and hard, Poca decided to stay and join Thirteen''s group, which significantly enhanced their scouting party''s abilities.


    During the days leading up to the Harvest Festival, Thirteen and the others memorized the locations where they would attack while everyone in the city was exhausted from partying and drinking.


    Drunk people would not be able to move fast enough to extinguish the mes that they would be setting at midnight, which would make this the most memorable Harvest Festival of their lives.


    Thirteen was smiling from ear to ear when he noticed that even the City Guards were getting drunk as they let their inhibitions loose for a day so that they could enjoy the festival.


    Even the City Lord, Paven, made an appearance at the za and gave a speech. Aside from congratting everyone for a bountiful harvest, he once again mentioned the uing war against the Barbarians and raised the importance of winning for the sake of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    The seven-year-old listened to the old man''s speech while eating the meat skewers that he had bought from one of the stalls near the za.


    Aside from Parania City, two other cities would suffer a simr fateter that same night.


    They were none other than Dunn City, where Anwir was currently located, and Rosenda City, where Amery and his team of Assassins were stationed.


    Rosenda City was governed by one of the City Lords from the Conservative Faction, who was an ally of General Stark.


    The main reason why Thirteen decided to target this ce as well was to ensure that the Radical Faction would not think that they were the only ones who were targeted during the Harvest Festival.


    The second reason was that Rosenda City had the thirdrgest Granary in the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Thirteen believed that if the major granaries, including the underground basements where the preserved meat was stored, werepromised, the war preparations of the Radical Faction woulde to a screeching halt.


    Even if the Radical Faction were to dere that this was the doing of the Barbarians and rally their people to fight without food and weapons, their army wouldn''t even have the strength to cross the strait that led to the Barbarian Lands.


    They had tried to invade that region in the past, but they were repelled by the very people who didn''t shy away from war itself.


    The Tigerkins had recognized how powerful the Barbarians were, alongside their allies, the Orcs.


    If they were to really attack them based on emotional outbursts, their army would suffer major losses.


    It would not even be an exaggeration to say that if they lost, the Barbarians could mount a counterattack, conquering theirnds in the process.


    When Paven''s speech ended, he was met with thunderous apuse, proving his poprity with the city''s people.


    Thirteen pped alongside the others so that he wouldn''t stand out in the crowd.


    Tiona wasn''t coiled around his neck because the Tigerkins could easily recognize her for what she was.


    As an alternative, she coiled around Thirteen''s arm and turned herself into steel, forming a ck snake armlet on her Master''s arm.


    "Everyone, get into positions," Thirteen said in a volume that only his teammates could hear. "You all already know what to do. Remember, failure is not an option."


    Dixon, Armand, Thane, and Alina all nodded their heads at the same time.


    Vassago and Poca, who were perched on top of one of the roofs in the za, watched as their Master''s team divided themselves into three groups.


    Dixon and Thane would head toward the Granary, while Armand and Alina would head towards the Barracks.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, would head toward the City Lord''s residence with Tiona, Vassago, and Poca.


    It was already dark, but the city was brightly lit with papernterns, illuminating the streets.


    Thirteen walked confidently towards his destination without worrying about what others would think of him.


    He was wearing a festival mask over his face and carried two meat skewers in his hand.


    In the eyes of others, he was just a child, enjoying the festival like everyone else. A few even asked him if he was lost, but he just told them that he wasn''t and wished them a happy harvest festival.


    When he finally arrived near the forest, Thirteen walked the off-


    beaten path, away from the eyes of the people.


    Tiona reverted to her snake form once more and coiled herself around Thirteen''s neck, guiding his steps in the darkness.


    Above him, two Pocopocos circled the forest, hooting from time to time, telling him that there was no danger in the surroundings.


    They still had a few hours before their operation began, but all of them wanted to position themselves in the best possible locations to ensure that their individual goals had a higher chance of seeding.


    "Tiona, remember this, our goal is to steal not to fight," Thirteen said softly. "If the situation asks for it, escaping is the top priority no matter what. Do you understand?"


    Tiona nodded her head before flicking her forked tongue on her Master''s right cheek as if assuring him that she understood everything.


    The two moons of Solterra illuminated the surroundings, so it wasn''t that dark, allowing Thirteen to navigate his way in the forest and arrive at the corner of the residence, where the guards rarely stepped while on patrol.


    When he reached his destination, he sat cross-legged behind a tree and controlled his breathing, lowering the speed of his heartbeat.


    Soon, he sat like a stone statue, melding with his surroundings.


    This was his form of meditation, which allowed him to calm his mind and raise his body''s performance to the peak.


    He stayed in this position for a few hours until he heard Vassago''s hooting, signaling him that it was almost time to start their operation.


    Thirteen slowly opened his eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his face.


    "It''s showtime," Thirteen muttered.


    Tiona nodded her head in understanding as she crawled down from her Master''s body and slithered toward the wall of the residence in order to climb it.


    Vassago also moved to grab the grappling hook in Thirteen''s hand and flew above the wall of the residence, securing it in ce.


    The seven-year-old then nimbly climbed the wall, andid down over it, making his body as undetectable as possible.


    He and Tiona looked toward the East, where the Granary was located.


    A few minutester, something lit up in the distance, which informed Thirteen that their operation had officially begun.


    One of the guards, who was slightly drunk and manning the gate of the residence, saw the mes in the east and started shouting.


    "Lord Paven! The Granary is burning!" the Guard shouted. "The Granary is burning!"


    A momentter, the Old Tigerkin rushed to the gate and looked at the distance with a grim expression on his face.


    "All of you, follow me!" Paven roared. "We will extinguish those mes no matter what!"


    ""Yes, Lord Paven!""


    Almost everyone in the residence left to run toward the East, allowing the seven-year-old and the ck Snake to enter the City Lord''s residence undetected.


    This was going to be a long night, and Thirteen was more than eager to use every second of it to loot the City Lord''s Residence while its Master was away.

 Chapter 184 Unexpected Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 184 Unexpected Encounter </h4>


    184 Unexpected Encounter


    As soon as the Tigerkins from the residence left to help extinguish the raging mes in the granary, a seven-year-old boy, a ck snake, and a Pocopoco snuck inside the residence to conduct their looting operation.


    Poca would remain outside to stand watch and inform them if anything unexpected were to happen.


    Not all Tigerkins had left the residence.


    ording to Tiona, there were four servants who remained, and one of them was a Grandmaster, whose duty was to guard the estate while his Master was away.


    Thirteen sneakily made his way toward Paven''s room, where Tiona had sensed the presence of treasures.


    The Domini Mortis was also paying close attention to the Grandmaster Guard to ensure that he wouldn''te across her Master.


    Vassago had perched himself on one of the open windows of the residence, ready to use Paven''s voice to catch the attention of anyone who might go to where his Master was.


    A few minutester, Tiona stopped in front of a door and pointed her tail at it, gesturing that this was the room where she had sensed the treasure.


    Thirteen nodded and slowly turned the handle of the door. Surprisingly, it was locked.


    It looked like Paven didn''t forget to lock it before leaving the residence, which made the boy confirm that the City Lord had a good head on his shoulders.


    ''Well, it doesn''t really matter,'' Thirteen mused as he took out his Thief Kit from his dimensional space and started to pick the lock of the door using the tools he had specially brought for this asion.


    Tiona, who had been paying close attention to the Grandmaster, made a low hiss, informing her Master that the Guard was headed in their direction.


    Thirteen nodded in acknowledgment as he continued to open the lock on the door. He could now hear the footsteps of the guard from the hallway, but he remained calm as he tinkered with the keyhole.


    After what seemed like an eternity, a faint clicking sound reached his ear.


    The Guard, who was patrolling the interior of the estate, frowned when he heard the faint clicking noise in the direction of his Master''s room.


    Immediately, he hastened his steps to check if one of the servants was doing something funny.


    When he turned into the corner, he saw no one in the hallway. The Tigerkin frowned and went toward the door of his Master''s room and turned the knob.


    "Am I just imagining things?" the Tigerkin muttered as he released the handle of the door. "It might be because I drank a bit earlier when I went to town to celebrate the festival."


    The guard sighed before resuming his patrol inside the residence.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Inside Paven''s Personal Quarters¡­


    Thirteen sat on the floor, with his back leaning against the door.


    He had controlled his breathing to make sure that the Tigerkin wouldn''t detect anything, but it was truly a close call.


    If he had been a secondte in opening the door, he would have definitely been discovered, and that would have ended badly for him.


    After Tiona informed him that it was now safe to move, the boy took a few deep breaths before breathing normally.


    ''That was close,'' Thirteen thought before speaking in a low volume, "Where is it, Tiona?"


    The ck Snake crawled toward the bookshelf at the corner of the room and used her tail to point at it.


    Thirteen nodded in understanding and scrutinized the bookshelf.


    Bookshelves were usually used to hide hidden passages inside many noble homes, so the boy already had an idea about what to do.


    A few momentster, he started to move the books one by one, looking for the trigger that would help open the hidden passageway.


    Tiona also helped move the books that were not within Thirteen''s reach, but after moving all the books, the bookshelf remained in ce.


    ''I see. Then the trigger must not be in the bookshelf,'' Thirteen mused as he scanned the surroundings. ''It must be this.''


    The boy asked Tiona to push down the torch that was hanging on the wall, which was two meters away from the bookshelf.


    The ck Snake obeyed, and just as Thirteen expected, the bookshelf moved when the torch was pushed down like a lever.


    There was indeed a hidden passage behind the bookshelf, but the only problem was that there were no lights to light the way.


    Fortunately, Thirteen had prepared for this possibility, so he took out a glowstone from his Dimensional Storage, which he had taken from the General''s Residence.


    With the stone in hand, Thirteen was able to see two meters ahead of him, allowing him to see the staircase that led deep underground.


    He knew that he was short on time, so he hurriedly descended to see what was waiting for him at the bottom.


    After descending thest step, the boy found himself in a spacious underground room, which made his eyes widen in shock.


    "Sh*t," Thirteen muttered as he came face to face with a Giant Snake that was at least ten meters long, looking at him with hostility.


    The seven-year-old didn''t expect that there would be a monster guarding the hidden underground cavern under Paven''s room, and a nce was enough for him to recognize what it was.


    It was none other than a Rocky Bal-Boa, a Rank 5 Monster whose body looked like it was made of rocks.


    This monster lived in rocky mountains, underground caverns, or generally anywhere with rugged terrain, allowing it to hide and ambush its prey with ease.


    The venom it possessed wasn''t fatal to humans, but it could still cause paralysis. It then killed its opponents by constricting them with itsrge body, which was as hard as a rock, grinding them and breaking their bones in the process.


    Once it deemed that its prey could no longer offer any resistance, it would then swallow them whole, and digest them inside their bodies.


    With a screech that made Thirteen''s skin crawl, the giant rock snake lunged at him with its jaws open wide.


    It fully intended to devour the little human boy who had snuck inside its territory to steal the treasures that it was guarding.

 Chapter 185 No Longer Planned To Settle For Breadcrumbs

    <h4>Chapter 185 No Longer nned To Settle For Breadcrumbs</h4>


    A loud screech echoed inside the spacious cavern as the Rocky Bal-Boa lunged at the boy with the intention of swallowing him whole.


    Thirteen hurriedly jumped to his right side and rolled on the ground to evade the Rock Snake''s preemptive strike.


    The ground shook when the snake''s head mmed against the spot where the boy originally stood, blocking his only path of escape.


    Thirteen took out his bow from his Dimensional Storage and nocked an arrow.


    With one fluid motion, he sent his arrow flying toward the snake''s head. However, the Rocky Bal-Boa tilted its head to the side, making the arrow bounce off its body.


    The boy had targeted the snake''s eyes. Unfortunately, his opponent was already an adult monster who''d had its fair share of fights in the wild.


    This wasn''t the first time that its eyes had been targeted by its opponents, so it already mastered the means of defending itself from such attacks.


    Thirteen unleashed two more arrows in rapid session, but just like what happened earlier, his attacks merely bounced off its head, unable to even pierce its rocky exterior.


    Growing annoyed at the human boy''s futile attempts to injure it, the snake raised its head in preparation to strike.


    Seeing that he was in a tight spot, the seven-year-old decided to use his Trump Card, which he nned to use if he fought strong opponents who were nearly impossible for him to defeat.


    ''I guess I have no choice,'' Thirteen gritted his teeth as he reached out to grab something from his dimensional storage.


    The Rocky Snake screeched and once again lunged itself at the boy, this time, making sure that it wouldn''t miss.


    But before the Rocky Bal-Boa and Thirteen could sh for a second time, Tiona jumped between the two of them, and let out a shriek that made the Rocky Bal-Boa stop its attack midway.


    Thirteen, who was holding a small wooden barrel in his hand, also stopped mid-throw because the Rocky Snake had stopped its attack and was looking at Tiona with a conflicted look on its face.


    The ck Snake hissed repeatedly whileshing her tail on the ground as if she were berating the Rocky Snake for attacking her Master.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, the Rocky Bal-Boa cowered in the face of Tiona''s angry hisses, making him blink in confusion.


    As far as he knew, the Domini Mortis didn''t have the ability to dominate other snakes.


    In fact, snakes often hunted other snakes and would happily each other if given the opportunity.


    Even the Domini Mortis should not be an exception to this rule.


    They would often hunt other snakes as well as get eaten by other snakes.


    Of course, if these snakes ate the Domini Mortis, they would find themselves dying from either the ck Snake''s poison or in the hands of one Apollyon''s minions who woulde to avenge their Sacred Beast.


    Tiona crawled toward the Rocky Bal-Boa while hissing angrily. The Rocky Snake, on the other hand, crawled toward the corner of the cavern and coiled itself, hiding its head.


    The intimidating snake, who had originally nned to eat the human boy, now looked like a pitiful child that was being nagged at by their mom.


    Only Tiona''s angry hissing echoed on the walls of the cavern, making Thirteen scratch his head.


    After making sure that the Rocky Snake wouldn''t attack him anymore, the boy then looked at the other side of the room where an altar was located.


    Curious about what it was, the seven-year-old approached it cautiously and made sure to not touch anything until he was sure that it was safe to touch.


    A few minutester, Thirteen''s face turned grim when he realized what the mirror and the other tools on the altar were.


    "It seems that my assessment is wrong," Thirteen muttered. "It''s not Brighammunicating with the Third Party. It''s Paven!"


    The boy already knew who the Third Party was, which was also why he was tempted to escape toward the Maind while he still had time.


    However, he couldn''t do that because, if he escaped, Cristopher, Rianna, and the rest of the Wanderers who appeared in the Valbarra Archipgo would be trapped in Solterra forever.


    Even if they reached a city that had a Warp Gate that connected to Pangea, the Laws of Wanderers would not allow them to cross the two worlds because they still hadn''tpleted their mission to be a Rookie.


    This was why Thirteen was thinking of a way that would allow the Wanderers to light the Beacon of Hope so that all of them could return to Pangea before the entire Valbarra Archipgo descended into chaos.


    But after this discovery, he knew that his original n needed to be revised, and it needed to be done quickly.


    Thirteen''s original goal was to loot Paven''s treasury.


    But if he touched even a single artifactid out on the altar, something terrible was going to happen. Aside from that, he also didn''t want to let the Third Party know that their n had already beenpromised.


    "Tiona, can you tell this guy to keep everything that happened here a secret?" Thirteen asked.


    Tiona nodded before using her tail to tap on the body of the coiled Rocky Bal-Boa, forcing it to look at the little snake who was hundreds of times smaller than it.


    The ck Snake hissed softly as if it were a parent telling its child to listen to her words.


    A momentter, the Rocky Bal-Boa nodded its head and hissed back at Tiona, telling her that it would keep everything that happened a secret.


    After getting the Rocky Snake''s promise, Thirteen left the City Lord''s Residence as silently and as quickly as he could.


    Fortunately, he didn''t bump into the guard that was patrolling the estate as he made his way towards the forest.


    ''Good thing, I made a n B,'' Thirteen thought. ''There is still time. I can still make it.''


    The seven-year-old then made hooting sounds, giving Vassago amand.


    The Pocopoco hooted back before flying toward an Inn, which was a distance away from the Inn where they were staying.


    When Poca had agreed to be one of Thirteen''s helpers, he had asked Vassago to make a short trip to Karabor City to send a message to Rafiki.


    Fortunately, the Shaman replied in a positive manner and agreed to his request.


    Poca, who was left to watch over Thirteen, circled around the sky as she followed the boy who was running toward the East, where the granary was located.


    He didn''t even have time to ponder how Tiona managed to subdue the Rocky Bal-Boa earlier. But, he was certain that it was due to the ck Snake''s hidden ability.


    Perhaps Tiona had the ability to subjugate snakes and pythons. But with the situation on hand, he would have to wait before delving into this topic.


    His goal was to go to where the City Lord was currently at and muster all the forces at his disposal to take action.


    Thirteen no longer nned to settle for breadcrumbs.


    He decided to catch the big fish and make sure that it wouldn''t get away from his grasp.

 Chapter 186 We Have A Traitor To Catch

    <h4>Chapter 186 We Have A Traitor To Catch </h4>


    Almost all the Guards of Parania City rushed toward the East when they saw smoke rising from the granaries burning in the distance.


    They left their barracks unprotected because it didn''t even cross their mind that someone in the city might attack them, let alone set them on fire.


    Unfortunately for them, this was part of the intricate n of a seven-year-old to turn their happy festival into a disaster.


    Just a few minutes after the soldiers left their barracks, Armand and Alina snuck inside and headed straight to where they were storing their weapons and ammunition.


    They were carrying several oil barrels in their storage rings, which was more than enough to set the entire barracks aze.


    The two moved with haste, cing the barrels in strategic locations before backing away.


    Armand had a grim look on his face because he never thought that there woulde a day when he would sabotage his own race just to keep a war from happening.


    "Let''s go!" Alina shouted, snapping Armand from his daze. "Burn it, Armand!"


    "Dammit!" Armand cursed out loud as he summoned a small me in his hands, which he threw to one of the barrels that was near the weapons racks.


    Once he was done, he turned around to run as fast as he could without turning back.


    A few secondster, several loud explosions rumbled inside the Barracks, setting it aze.


    Armand and Alina were able to escape safely and fled in the opposite direction of the barracks.


    They knew that they only had a few precious minutes before some of the Guards returned to put out the fire in the barracks.


    After making sure that they had run a sufficient distance, the two made a detour to go to the meeting ce they had all agreed on beforehand to go to after they finished their part.


    Armand and Alina suddenly found themselves running alongside many people who were either heading to the barracks or the granary to put out the mes.


    It wasplete pandemonium, and everyone in the city rose up to lend their hand.


    Unfortunately, the majority of the men were drunk, so their movements were slow. If this incident happened on an ordinary day, they would have already arrived at their destinations.


    Thirteen had deliberately chosen to execute their operation on the day of the Harvest Festival because he was hoping that everyone would be too drunk to do anything.


    His gamble worked, and because of this, the mes spread like wildfire, even burning the forest behind the granary, making it a hellish sight.


    Half an hourter, the two arrived at the meeting ce and saw Dixon and Thane already waiting for them.


    "Where is Zion?" Alina asked.


    "He''s still not here," Dixon replied. "It might take him a while to return, so I suggest we¡ª"


    Before Dixon could even finish whatever he was going to say, Vassagonded on the roof above their heads.


    "Head to the granary, we have a change of ns," Vassago stated using his Master''s voice. "Find an opportunity to neutralize and capture Paven Merdosk. I am currently headed there right now."


    "Is he crazy?!" Armand gasped in shock. "How can we possibly capture the City Lord when almost all the warriors are at the granary right now?"


    "Of course, we will not capture him when he is surrounded by people," Vassago replied. "We will find an opportunity to catch him when he heads back to his residence."


    "We''re going to catch him with just us?" Armand looked at the Pocopoco in disbelief. "Do you really believe that we can do that?"


    "With only the four of you, it''s impossible," Vassago stated. "But, we have reinforcements on our side."


    Five people suddenly made their presence known, making the four Tigerkins take out their weapons.


    However, when Dixon and the rest saw the man leading the five humans, a look of surprise appeared on their faces.


    "Y-You?" Dixon stuttered. "What are you doing here?"


    "Because being here is more interesting than staying in Karabor City," the man wearing a robe replied. "Now, let''s not waste any time and find our target. Seriously, that boy''s boldness is growing on me. Now I understand why the mistress wants him to be her adopted son."


    Armand, Thane, and Alina looked at their leader to see whether he would agree to Zion''sst-minute changes to their n.


    However, after seeing their reinforcement, he couldn''t help but wonder how the boy managed to gather this kind of manpower without telling any of them.


    "Very, well. Let''s go," Dixon stated. "But tell meter how all of you arrived here, okay?"


    "Sure." The robed man nodded. "We have a traitor to catch."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen ran as fast as he could, no longer trying to hide his whereabouts.


    He was quite far from the City Lord''s Residence, so it was not a problem even if he were discovered by someone.


    The boy could just make an excuse that he had seen the fire in the distance and wanted to offer his help to the best of his ability.


    Also, no one would even think that someone as young as him would dare to enter the City Lord''s Residence on his own.


    When Thirteen arrived at the scene, he was unable to proceed any further since there were thousands of people blocking his path.


    Because of this, he decided to climb one of the roofs in an attempt to find the City Lord among the masses.


    Only when he managed to climb a rooftop did he see the extent of the damage that was happening before him.


    The entire forest was burning, which illuminated the darkness of the night.


    Due to how bright the surroundings were, Thirteen was able to spot the City Lord, who was at the very front of the people, giving orders to create a blockade to prevent the mes from expanding.


    The forest was a good distance away from the eastern edges of the city, so there was no threat of the fire spreading toward the city.


    Paven also understood that it was toote to save the granary and the underground Food Storage, so the only thing he could do was minimize the damage as much as possible.


    The Champions used their strongest attacks to create ditches, preventing the fire from spreading in the surroundings.


    Everyone who had strong, explosive attacks was at the front lines, creating a control line, while those who hade to help in the beginning only stood there to cheer them on.


    There were people who could use Water Spells, but in the face of such a huge inferno, their spells didn''t do a lot of help.


    Because of this, they simply assisted those at the front to ensure that the mes would not move beyond the boundaries that were created to suppress them.


    Thirteen then gazed towards the West, where another zing inferno was taking ce.


    Fortunately, the Barracks were far from the main housing facilities of the city, which guaranteed that the mes wouldn''t harm the innocents.


    "What a mess," Thirteen muttered. "I''m just d that no one was hurt."


    The people that were standing on the roof beside Thirteen all nodded their heads.


    They all agreed that what the boy said was true.


    None of them had foreseen that such a tragedy would ur, especially when they were celebrating the Harvest Festival, which was one of the most important festivals of the year.


    While everyone was watching the world burn around them, Thirteen heard the hooting of the owl, letting him know that his reinforcements were now headed in his direction.


    Although he wanted to watch for a little while longer, he knew that time was precious.


    Because of this, he left the roof in order to reunite with his teammates, who would help him deal with the City Lord, who was fuming in anger due to the losses he had suffered in just the span of a single night.

 Chapter 187 The New King Of The Underworld

    <h4>Chapter 187 The New King Of The Underworld</h4>


    The City Lord of Parania City, Paven, was livid after hearing the report of his subordinate.


    Not only were their granary and underground food storage arsoned, but their barracks also caught fire.


    For a brief moment, he even thought that his own residence might be set on fire next, but fortunately, his worst fears didn''t happen.


    The altar in the underground basement of his residence was very important because it allowed him tomunicate with "that" person, who would soon make him the King of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    He was fine with letting Brigham think that he was the one manipting the scenes from behind and controlling the Radical Faction like a puppet master.


    After all, the true person who had been ying everyone else along on the palm of his hand was none other than him, Paven.


    He was the one chosen by that being to be the King of the Sumatran Kingdom, andter, the entire Valbarra Archipgo.


    All he needed to give that person in return was his undying loyalty, which he didn''t mind giving.


    For this reason, he worked very hard and made use of all the connections he had to speed up the war preparations.


    But just as everything was going smoothly, tragedy struck!


    ''Damn it!'' Paven cursed internally when the zing mes finally settled down, leaving only scorchednd behind.


    As the City Lord of the City, he did his best to keep up his dignified act on the surface, but his anger still got the best of him.


    However, it didn''t seem to affect how the people thought of him.


    The reason?


    They were just as angry as he was!


    They were happily celebrating the Harvest Festival when the granary, which had stored their harvest, burst into mes.


    Today was supposed to be a festival of bountiful harvest, yet after this incident, the thing they were celebrating for was burned, and people started to fear that they wouldn''t have any food to put on the table for the next few days.


    "Some of you stay here and ensure that the mes don''t reignite," Pavenmanded. "Sawyer,e!"


    The Commander of the Guards, who was stationed in the city, appeared before the City Lord with a determined look on his face.


    "Have you found any leads about who caused this incident?" Paven inquired.


    "No, Sir," Sawyer replied. "We''ve interviewed a few people, but none of them had seen anything suspicious. The guards guarding the granary were knocked unconscious and dragged away, they didn''t see who attacked them or why."


    "Do you think the Barbarians are involved?" Paven asked.


    Sawyer was about to shake his head but stopped himself midway.


    "The possibility exists, Sir," Sawyer answered. "However, if they can infiltrate this deep into our Kingdom, then it means that we are in greater danger than we originally thought."


    Since Paven couldn''t do anything about his losses, he decided to use this tragedy in order to rally the Tigerkins and make a deration that as long as the Barbarians were not subjugated, the Sumatran Kingdom would never be safe.


    This was a good n, and he believed that the King would support him after this incident.


    Little did he know that the same thing had happened to the 3rd and 4th cities with the biggest granaries and underground food reserves in the Kingdom.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that this move by Thirteen crippled the Valbarra Kingdom, preventing them from mounting an all-out war against the Barbarians.


    The King would naturally prioritize his people and would open the pce reserves to ensure that everyone had enough food to eat.


    After doing that, they would no longer have enough to feed their army as they marched across the Valbarrian Strait to attack the Barbarian Lands.


    Of course, Paven still didn''t know this. The only thing running in his mind was to find a way to turn this tragedy into an opportunity to start the war at an earlier time.


    "Put the City under Martial Law, and don''t let anyone out unless I give you explicit permission to do so!" Paven ordered. "Catch everyone who tries to flee, and throw them in prison. Interrogate anyone suspicious, regardless of whether they are innocent or not.


    "Make sure to double the city''s security, and triple the number of guards watching over the Gate. I want Parania to be in aplete lockdown. Do I make myself clear?"


    Sawyer nodded. "Yes, Sir!"


    After he was dismissed, the Commander of the City Guards immediately rallied his captains and gave them his orders.


    Paven then motioned for his own guards to return with him to his residence to rest.


    The fires raged for four hours before they werepletely brought under control. Truth be told, Paven was already exhausted, and only his rage was keeping him standing.


    As they made their way back to the residence, the City Lord couldn''t help but see the fear and anxiety in the eyes of his people.


    He nned to make a speech in the za a few hourster, but he decided to rest first and let the situation calm down a bit.


    There were still at least two to three hours before sunrise, and the sky was still dark. But, darkness had never posed a problem for Tigerkins because they had Dark Vision.


    When they arrived at the residence, the Grandmaster, who had stayed to protect the residence, was the first to greet his Master.


    "Wee back, My Lord," the Grandmaster greeted Paven, who nodded back to him in response.


    "Were there any problems while I was away?" Paven asked.


    The Grandmaster hesitated for a bit before nodding his head.


    "Yes, Sir. There was a problem," the Grandmaster replied with a pained expression on his face. "My Lord, you have entered a trap."


    Before Paven could even understand what the guard was trying to tell him, the gate of his residence opened, and several masked individuals stormed in.


    The City Lord''s Protectors immediately took action, but their eyes widened in shock the moment they shed with the intruders who appeared out of nowhere.


    "Champions!" the Leader of Paven''s personal guards shouted. "Run, City Lord!"


    The Leader of the guards was also a Champion and had been serving Paven faithfully over the years.


    He had his fair share of troubles, but he never expected that someone was bold enough to attack Paven in his own residence.


    Just as he was about to run to the City Lord''s side in order to keep him safe, an arrow flew in his direction, forcing him to dodge to the side.


    Two more arrows followed suit,pletely stopping him from reaching the City Lord in time, forcing him to fight against the masked men, who had gotten close enough to attack him.


    Thirteen, who was on top of the roof of the residence, fired one arrow after another, targeting the guards who had escorted Paven back to the residence.


    All of his arrows had beenced with a concentrated syrup of the Sleepy Wolfsbane, making those who were hit by his arrows feel their bodies bing heavy.


    Finally understanding what was happening, Paven no longer hesitated and ran toward the wall of his residence, intending to climb over it.


    Thirteen gave his target a sidelong nce, but he didn''t bother to fire even a single arrow in his direction.


    The seven-year-old continued to provide cover fire to support his people, who were quickly subjugating the guards still doing their best to resist.


    Paven didn''t even look back at his subordinates and ran as fast as he could.


    He believed that as long as he could climb over the wall, he would be able to hide inside the forest until help arrived.


    The City Lord was also a Champion, but he didn''t specialize inbat.


    He had used his wealth to attain the Rank he currently had, so he was only a Champion in Rank, but not in skill.


    ''Just a little more!'' Paven thought as he prepared to jump over the wall in order to reach safety.


    But just as he was about to jump over the wall, four robed individuals appeared before him, blocking his path.


    "Why are you doing this?!" Paven roared as he tried to attack one of the robed assants who tried to ambush him.


    But since he wasn''t a fighter, his attack was easily deflected.


    Dixon, whom Paven was facing, didn''t hesitate to punch the City Lord''s stomach, making thetter curl up like a shrimp.


    Not giving Paven any chances, Dixon gave a finishing chop on the back of the City Lord''s head, knocking him unconscious.


    "Secure him," Dixon ordered as he gazed in the direction where their reinforcements were fighting with the City Lord''s personal guards. "I''ll clean up the rest."


    Without even waiting for an answer, Dixon joined the fight and helped neutralize the enemies, knocking all of them unconscious.


    Even the Champion, who was meant to act as the City Lord''s bodyguard, was unable to hold back the four individuals who had the same rank as him.


    Because he was too busy fighting against them, Thirteen was able to hit his back with several arrows, greatly weakening his ability to fight.


    Soon, the Guard Captain was finally knocked down and then dragged into the residence with the rest of his men.


    "Bring him inside," Thirteen ordered as he looked at the City Lord, whom Armand was carrying over his shoulders like a sack of rice. "Norris, I''ll leave the rest to you."


    The ck-robed man, who had stayed on the roof with Zion, chuckled as he looked at the unconscious old man, whose sses had already fallen on the ground.


    This was his first time turning a high-profile Tigerkin into a ve.


    To be honest, he even pitied Paven, knowing that the moment the City Lord regained his senses, he would be serving a new Master, who would soon take over the Old Man''s connections and be the new King of the Underworld in the Sumatran Kingdom.

 Chapter 188 Do You Wish For Me To Save You?

    <h4>Chapter 188 Do You Wish For Me To Save You? </h4>


    A few years ago, I thought I had reached the pinnacle of my ideal life.


    I might not be the King of the Sumatran Kingdom, who reigned over all Tigerkins, but I still held power that only fell behind him.


    I prided myself as the smartest and most cunning among the Nobles of our race.


    When the King was still a Prince, I was among the Nobles who supported him. With that, I even managed to push my daughter onto him, allowing her to be our kingdom''s Queen.


    With her influence, I managed to form a lot of connections.


    Everyone wanted to be my friend.


    Everyone wanted to be my ally.


    Everyone wanted to be my tool, hoping that in the future, I would return the favor and help them in their time of need.


    There was no doubt in my mind that I was the King of the Underworld.


    With a single word from me, the mercenaries and the assassin guilds would move.


    With a wave of my hand, the other nobles would stand behind me.


    I was fine with that kind of power.


    I was content with that kind of influence.


    But that all changed when I was approached by a person, who had been tasked to visit the Valbarra Archipgo exactly four years ago.


    At first, I wasn''t interested, but when the person showed me a mirror that allowed me tomunicate with his Master, it was then that I realized that everything I believed in could be destroyed in a heartbeat.


    The Tigerkin King and the Barbarian King had the rank of Thrones.


    But, even if they joined hands and worked together to fight the being who appeared before me, their chances of winning were non-existent.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that even if the Army of the Tigerkins and the United Alliance of the Barbarians and Orcs were to stand on the same side, we still wouldn''t be able to defeat the being who had set his eyes on the Valbarra Archipgo.


    I was born with a very powerful sixth sense, allowing me to know which side was the winning side.


    Although I felt bad for my daughter and my King, I decided to be that being''s pawn in exchange for his assurance that my people wouldn''t be enved or mercilessly killed.


    That being also promised me the throne of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    A position that I once dreamed of having.


    I was a very ambitious person, you see, and yet, I didn''t feel excited about betraying my people.


    However, I didn''t have a choice in the matter.


    If I declined the offer, that being would choose another person, and the end result would be the same.


    Since that was the case, why couldn''t it be me instead?


    A verbal promise was forged between us.


    A verbal promise which held no power, but, what choice did I have?


    An insect that could easily be crushed didn''t have the power to negotiate better terms. All I could do was wish that the one who desired to make the Valbarra Archipgo part of his conquest would honor their word.


    When I asked my new Master if he had also sent a messenger to the side of the Barbarians, heughed and praised me for being smart.


    But the praise he gave me chilled my heart to the core because it meant that someone else had been chosen tomit the same betrayal toward the Barbarian Race.


    Although they were our rivals and enemies, the Tigerkins hade to respect their strength.


    We were a race who worshipped the strong, and toward the race who managed to defeat us in battle, we admired them as much as we hated them.


    Even if I wasn''t good at fighting because I specialized in office work, I, for one, wanted to face them on the battlefield and fight a glorious battle.


    It didn''t matter what the result would be.


    I would have epted the result as long as the battle was done with honor and dignity.


    But, there was no dignity to be had in the uing war.


    We were merely puppets who would wage a war against each other for the sake of that Being''s entertainment.


    We were only actors in a y who would perform ording to his whim.


    If he wished for the Tigerkins to win, we would win.


    If he wished for the Tigerkins to lose, we would lose.


    For this reason and this reason alone, I dedicated my life to bing a loyal subordinate, with the hope that he would spare my people from such a fate.


    If there was one race who should survive, I prayed fervently that it would be my race.


    With determination in my heart, I went above and beyond my means and used everything in my power to push the war topletion.


    My daughter never forgot to listen to my words and constantly whispered in her husband''s ear that this war was something that must be fought and won by the Tigerkins.


    Everything was going smoothly.


    We already had the necessary means for victory.


    But, all that hard work vanished under the zing mes that raged during the night of the Harvest Festival.


    All my hard work¡­.


    All my sacrifices¡­.


    Burned¡­


    Until only ashes remained.


    As I opened my eyes, I found myself in the darkness, bound by shackles.


    The anger I felt several hours ago was reced by heartache and loss because I had failed to protect my race.


    I had failed to protect my people.


    It was highly possible that news of what happened would reach my Master, and he would be disappointed with me.


    Now that the Tigerkins were vulnerable, my counterpart in the Barbarian Kingdom would surely make his move to ensure his people''s victory.


    I knew this to be true, for I was the same.


    If the one whom my Master chose from the Barbarians also loved his people, then he wouldn''t spare us any mercy now that we had fallen to our knees.


    While my tears fell like rain and my anguished voice echoed within the walls of the prison I was in¡­


    I suddenly realized that I wasn''t alone.


    I could feel someone looking at me, which made me raise my head.


    Through my blurred vision, I saw them.


    A pair of green eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.


    The prison was dark, but this wasn''t a problem for the Tigerkins because we had Dark Vision.


    However, I couldn''t see properly, so I forcefully blinked my eyes to push the tears away, allowing me to see clearly.


    When I was finally able to gaze upon the owner of those glowing green eyes, my body subconsciously shuddered when I realized that it didn''t belong to some wild animal that had been ced in prison to watch over me.


    No.


    They came from a little Human boy, whom I believed to be no older than eight years old.


    Human eyes didn''t glow in the dark.


    It was impossible for it to happen.


    And yet, the boy seated in front of me, whose chin was resting over his intertwined hands while looking straight at me, made my heart tremble.


    Under his gaze, I felt vulnerable.


    Under that stare, I felt that he was able to see through everything that I had done and more.


    Suddenly, the world around us disappeared.


    Both of us were trapped in a truly dark ce.


    A ce where not even my Dark Vision could prate.


    And yet, I could still see them.


    That pair of glowing green eyes, which seemed to have fought countless battles.


    Those eyes that had seen their share of misery, hardships, and heartaches.


    Those eyes that looked like they held all the knowledge in the world suddenly grew in size until I felt like I was being looked down upon by a creature that didn''t belong to this world.


    In the face of those eyes, thenBeing, whom I served suddenly felt like a harmless creature that would easily be crushed if the owner of these eyes were to step on them like the insect that they were.


    I was certain that I wasn''t looking at a God, for I couldn''t sense any Divinity in his gaze.


    But, this person was bigger than life, and I wouldn''t be surprised if he had fought against a God before due to how powerful his gaze was.


    Under that powerful gaze, my vision started to blur as tears returned to my eyes.


    For some reason, I didn''t feel sadness or desperation.


    My tears were filled with relief, knowing that there might be a chance to turn everything around.


    With this Human boy aiding us, there might be a chance for survival.


    I, who trusted my instincts my whole life, knew then and there, that this child would use me as a pawn.


    He would treat me like a tool.


    He would work me as a ve.


    And yet, I didn''t feel afraid.


    If it was him, I was willing to kneel and offer my services with all of my heart.


    For he alone could contend against that Being, whom even the Tigerkin King and the Barbarian King couldn''t hope to defeat.


    "Please save us," I pleaded through tears. "Please save us, I beg of you."


    I broke down and cried in front of the Human boy, who continued to watch me with those calm green eyes, which were still visible through my blurred vision.


    "I''ll do anything. I''ll give you everything that I have. So please, save us!"


    I, the second most influential person in the Sumatran Kingdom, begged a Human boy, whom I could easily kill with a flick of my finger, to save our race and kingdom.


    I threw away my pride and dignity to ask for help, for I knew that this was our chance.


    Our only chance for survival.


    As my cries echoed within the prison walls, a calm yet unyielding voice reached my ears.


    "Paven Merdosk, raise your head."


    I hurriedly obeyed and looked at the seven-year-old, who was now standing in front of me.


    "Originally, I nned to make you my ve, but I changed my mind."


    The boy then crouched down, bringing his face close to mine, allowing me to see his face.


    "Paven Merdosk, I have heard your pleas," the human boy then crouched down and rested his right hand over my shoulder. "Do you wish for me to save you?"


    "Not me," I replied. "Save my people!"


    A chuckle escaped the boy''s lips, and not long after, I felt the chains that bound me to the wall suddenly break apart, freeing me.


    "Very well." The Human boy nodded. "But, in return, you will give everything to me. Your life, your honor, your dignity, and your loyalty. Surrender them all to me."


    "They''re yours!" I dered, wrapping my hands around his frail body, which I could easily crush if I wished for it. "I, Paven Merdosk, am yours tomand."


    In that dark prison, where I felt that all hope had been lost, I found someone who made me feel young again.


    Someone who reignited the courage that had disappeared after a life offort and leisure.


    Someone who lit the me of a Tigerkin in my heart.


    Someone who would take my hand and lead me down a path I didn''t know existed.


    "Stop crying, Old Man," the Human boy said before lightly tapping my shoulder, signaling me to let him go from my clutch. "Wipe your tears. We have work to do."


    I obeyed and wiped the tears from my eyes.


    When I was done, I looked at the child who would carry our fates on his very small shoulders. But, I knew that he could carry them, for my instincts were telling me so.


    "My name is Zion Leventis. Wee to the winning team, Paven Merdosk," Thirteen said and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know this is a bit sudden, but there is something that I need from you."


    "What is it, Zion?" Paven asked. "Even if I don''t have it, I will get it for you no matter the price."


    "Good. Since that is how you feel, I will not hold back." A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face as he looked at the King of the Underworld of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "Do you perhaps have a Five-Leaf Clover?"


    Paven chuckled before roaring out inughter.


    The boy in front of me could have asked me for anything, and yet, he only asked me for a Five-Leaf Clover, which numbered in the dozens in my personal collection.

 Chapter 189 You Will Keep It A Secret From Him, Right?

    <h4>Chapter 189 You Will Keep It A Secret From Him, Right?</h4>


    Inside one of the luxurious guest rooms in the City Lord''s residence, Thirteen sat on the bed while twirling a Five-Leaf Clover in his hands.


    He was looking at the space in front of him and checking the information on his Status Screen.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < First Trial ?Completed! >


    ¡ª Escape the Houdini Desert!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Second Trial Completed!>


    ¡ª Find a Five Leaf Clover


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Note: Well, not bad. You remind me of myself when I was your age. But, you still have a long way to go if you want toe home.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen rolled his eyes after seeing the message from his Old Man after hepleted his second trial.


    Now that his second mission was over, it was now time for him to see what the Old Fart had prepared for him next.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Third Trial>


    ¡ª Make the Purple-Furred Honey Badger your ally!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen snorted after reading his Third Trial.


    If he received this quest a week ago, then he would have cursed the System God for giving him another unreasonable quest.


    But, it just so happened that this quest aligned with what Thirteen had nned to do.


    The City Lord hade clean and told him everything he knew.


    Of course, Thirteen already knew whom he was dealing with, but Paven made sure to report everything he had done for that Being over the past few years.


    This included the handful of exchanges he had with his counterpart in the Barbarian Lands, saving Thirteen the trouble of needing to uncover the Barbarian''s identity.


    Also, Thirteen had chosen his battlefield.


    The fight would be waged on the Warsor ins, and what better ally to have than the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, who was currently in a territorial war with the Diabolical Hyena, which was slightly stronger than it.


    Thirteen wanted to eliminate the Rank 6 Overlord, who now lorded over the Furvus Grasnds.


    He understood that the Diabolical Hyena would order his subordinates to increase their numbers so that they would be the strongest force in the Warsor ins.


    Once that happened, it would then actively hunt the Purple-Furred Honey Badger and raise its rank to a Pseudo-Rank 7 Overlord, which could only be defeated by dozens of Champions working together.


    The boy was certain that the Third Party would use the Diabolical Hyena as hisckey, further boosting his army.


    Thirteen would not allow such a thing toe to pass, so he would definitely get rid of the Jinn before it joined hands with his enemy.


    For that to happen, he would need the cooperation of the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, who was still recovering from its injuries.


    While he was thinking of the best approach to handle the situation, someone knocked in his room, breaking his concentration.


    But, Thirteen didn''t mind.


    There were only a handful of people who mighte looking for him at this point in time, and all of them were his allies.


    "Come in," Thirteen said.


    A momentter, the door opened, and Paven walked inside the room alongside Rafiki.


    "I have done as you ask of me," Paven reported. "But, I can''t believe that you targeted two other cities. You are very ruthless, Zion."


    "Thank you for the praise." Thirteen smirked. "When will they arrive?"


    "Three days from now," Paven answered. "Some of them will being from the Capital, so it will take a while for them to arrive. Also, I discovered something else that happened in Dunn City."


    "And that is?" Thirteen asked.


    "Brigham is missing," Paven replied. "ording to my spy, this happened while the granary and garrison in Dunn City were burning. Rumors are circting that the Barbarians have kidnapped him and used themotion to escape the city."


    Thirteen frowned after hearing the news.


    He had assigned Anwir to implement the Operation in Dunn City, and he had told the Tigerkin that he shouldn''t touch Brigham at this point in time because he didn''t have enough manpower to seed in capturing him.


    His Third-Rate Viin only had four Assassins apanying him. One of them was a Champion, and the remaining three were Grandmasters.


    It was an elite unit that could easily aplish their mission, but they were not strong enough to face the City Lord in a confrontation.


    ''Could it be?'' Thirteen entertained the idea of Anwir taking a gamble to kidnap Brigham as they fled the city after finishing their mission.


    It was a very big gamble, and one mistake could cost them their lives.


    This was something not for the faint of heart, and only crazy people would attempt such a thing.


    "Do you have any leads as to where Brigham might have hidden or where he could have been taken?" Thirteen inquired.


    Paven shook his head. "He fancied himself as the puppeteer behind the Radical Faction, but he was also a decent fighter. It would not be easy to capture him unless someoneid out a meticulous trap for him.


    "Zion, I don''t know if your people in Dunn City seeded or not, but if they did, this incident will not die down anytime soon¡ª


    especially since the three main granaries of the Kingdom werepromised. The only saving grace was that people didn''t think too highly of Brigham since only the inner circle of the Radical Faction knew of his machinations."


    Thirteen nodded his head in understanding. "Is there anything else that I should know?"


    "Yes. The whole nation is in an uproar, and as we speak, messenger birds are flying to every city in the Sumatran Kingdom, informing them of the events that transpired several hours ago. I believe that the King is already aware of the things that happened here, Dunn City, and Rosenda City.


    "It is only a matter of time before he personally sends his retinue to assess the damages that we received during this attack. Fortunately, you had the foresight to also attack a member of the Conservative Faction. If not, things might have escted into a civil war between two factions."


    Thirteen smiled faintly after hearing the relief in Paven''s voice.


    "For now, act like you usually do and maintain contact with you-know-who," Thirteen ordered. "I will be leaving the city after I''ve talked to your subordinates and head back to the Barbarian Lands. I need to ensure that your counterpart is also brought down a peg and see to it that the Barbarians will not attack anytime soon either."


    Paven nodded his head in understanding.


    "Zion, I will be returning to the General''s residence to tell him everything that has happened," Rafiki stated. "Is there something that you wish to pass on to him?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Tell him that I will still be borrowing Dixon and his Scouting Party for a while. We will go to the Barbarian Lands in a few days to do an undercover mission. Also, no matter what happens, he should stick to the n and not contact Paven in order to avoid suspicions."


    The corner of Rafiki''s lips curled up into a smirk. "Are you sure you don''t want me to keep the fact that you turned a few Tigerkins into your ves a secret?"


    "Even if I didn''t tell you, you would still keep it a secret from him, right?" Thirteen answered with a smirk of his own.


    The boy and the Shaman stared at each other for half a minute before chuckling at the same time.


    "Zion, you should consider epting Brie''s offer to be her adoptive son," Rafiki stated. "I don''t want you as my enemy."


    "Even if I don''t ept her offer, I will still not be your enemy, Rafiki. Rest assured, I am on your side."


    "And I wish for it to stay that way. After all, killing you will be a shame."


    The Shaman winked at the seven-year-old before leaving the room.


    Although he hadn''t turned Paven into his ve in the end, all of the City Lord''s personal guards and servants had been enved by Norris, and their ownership had been handed over to Zion.


    This was to ensure that none of them would be able to jeopardize his ns.


    He had no intention of leaving any witnesses inside Parania City.


    No. He nned to take them all back to the Barbarian Lands and make them part of his armed forces.


    Thirteen was certain that General Stark wouldn''t like the idea of Tigerkins bing his ves, so for his peace of mind, he truly hoped that Rafiki would keep his lips shut tight.


    But even if the Shaman told the General, the seven-year-old would just casually shrug because whatever the General thought or did afterward was no longer his concern.


    The only people who knew the identity of the Third Party were him and Paven, and he wanted to keep it that way.


    The fewer people who knew about this secret, the safer they would be.


    After Paven left the room, Thirteen called out to Vassago and ordered him to find Anwir to confirm their situation.


    He didn''t know if his Sworn Brother had seeded in his showdown with Brigham, but if he really did, then that meant that Anwir was more capable than he originally gave him credit for.

 Chapter 190 This Is Getting Exciting

    <h4>Chapter 190 This Is Getting Exciting </h4>


    Somewhere in the Sumatran Kingdom¡­


    Anwir looked at the campfire with a solemn expression on his face.


    Not only did he seed inpleting his mission, he even managed to capture Brigham, whom Thirteen hadbeled as the ringleader of the Radical Faction.


    What he aplished was something that Zion never imagined to be possible, but he still managed to pull it off using his cunning and intelligence.


    There were many soldiers who respected his Father, as well as his adoptive Father, General Stark, within Dunn City.


    He reached out to the people whom he believed were extremely loyal to General Stark, and served under him in the past.


    Although they had retired from military service, their loyalty to him didn''t decrease with time.


    Anwir had met these people many times in the past, and his father told him how loyal they were to the General.


    In fact, these people were the survivors of the team that were led by Anwir''s Father, who had died in action after they were ambushed by the Barbarians.


    The Generalpensated them greatly and, even to this day, they still received a monthly stipend from him, allowing them to live their life of retirement in peace andfort.


    The money that the General was giving them came from his own purse, which Anwir discovered by ident in the past.


    After knowing that Brigham had dared to harm their General, these people didn''t hesitate to jump onto Anwir''s Bandwagon and help him conduct his operation.


    Since they decided to be part of his team, he divulged the reason why he was doing this.


    When they found out that Brigham not only tried to harm the General, but also betrayed their Kingdom, none of them hesitated to burn the granaries and barracks while Anwir, and his Assassins, moved in to capture Brigham.


    The young Tigerkin''s forces, when he entered Dunn City, only numbered four people.


    But, now, he had over fifty veteran warriors under hismand, who were all willing to follow him and listen to his orders.


    While he was deep in thought, a Pocopoconded beside the log that he was sitting on.


    Anwir immediately recognized him as Vassago, who always stayed by his Sworn Brother''s side.


    "Did you really capture Brigham?" Vassago asked using Thirteen''s voice, which elicited a smile on Anwir''s face.


    "I did," Anwir replied.


    "You''re amazing," Vassago praised. "After my Master heard that Brigham was missing, he immediately thought that you had managed to capture him."


    The smile on Anwir''s face widened after hearing the Pocopoco''s praise. "Did he sent you to find me?"


    Vassago nodded. "Yes. He wants you to head straight to Parania City as fast as you can."


    "Parania City?" Arwin frowned. "Did something happen? Did he notplete his mission?"


    "He did," Vassagomented.


    "Then why?"


    "Because he managed to make Paven Merdosk his loyal subordinate."


    "What?!"


    Arwin''s surprised cry alerted the watchers, who were paying close attention to the dumb-looking-bird thatnded beside their Young Master.


    They were surprised when the bird started talking. But, when they realized that their Master was familiar with the bird, they decided to just listen to the conversation.


    "Tell me everything that happened," Anwir stated. "How did he manage to subjugate the City Lord?"


    Vassago nced at his surroundings before giving Anwir the "we need to talk in private" gaze.


    The Tigerkin nodded and raised his arm, allowing Vassago to perch onto it.


    A momentter, he walked a distance away from their camp, ?out of the earshot of his subordinates.


    Once he was certain that no one was eavesdropping, Vassago told Anwir everything.


    When the bird finished his tale, Anwir couldn''t help but feel his blood boil, not out of anger, but excitement.


    He thought that what he had aplished was already exceptional, butpared to what Zion had done, thetter was even a step ahead of him.


    "Understood, tell him that we will head to Parania City at first light," Anwir stated. "At most it will take us a day to reach it. But, are you sure that Paven should remain free, and not be made a ve? What if he changed his mind?"


    "I don''t really know the details, but Master assured me that it is going to be fine," Vassago replied. "Aside from the City Lord, everyone in the residence has already been enved by Norris, and their ownership transferred to Master. Parania City is now under hisplete control."


    A sigh escaped Anwir''s lips because this was truly a feat that not everyone could pull off.


    The most he could do was capture Brigham.


    Taking over an entire city never urred to him, so he was truly impressed by his Sworn Brother''s achievement.


    "You may go now," Anwir nodded. "Tell him that I''ll be there as fast as I can."


    "Understood." Vassago spread his wings wide and took off towards the sky.


    He was lucky that he found Anwir right away, and was able to pass his Master''s message to him.


    The Tigerkin watched as the Pocopoco disappeared in the darkness before he returned to his camp.


    His original n was to head back to Karabor City and present Brigham to his Father, but he deemed that it would be better if he went to Parania City to reunite with Zion.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next day¡­


    ''It''s a shame that I can''t see Tiona''s personal information,'' Thirteen thought as he stared at his Status Page.


    He had tried clicking Tiona''s name, but nothing happened, making him sigh for the umpteenth time.


    The seven-year-old was currently seated on the head of the Rocky Bal-Boa, who had dug its way out of the underground Cavern, and surfaced in the City Lord''s backyard.


    Simr to Tiona, the giant snake, whom Thirteen had christened as Rocky, could travel underground, as if it was swimming in water.


    The path that it took closed behind it, returning the soil to its natural state.


    While waiting for Anwir''s arrival, Thirteen wanted to know if all snakes would listen to Tiona''smand, and be her subordinate.


    But, after discussing this with Tiona, the ck Snake shook her head, and told her Master that she could onlymand one snake at a time.


    However, she insisted that once she grew a bit older, the number of subordinates she could have would also increase, which made Thirteen very happy.


    Also, there was a limit to the Rank that would follow Tiona''s orders.


    Her ability extended up to Rank 5 Monsters that belonged to the snake family.


    While it was still possible to have a friendly rtionship with Rank 6 Snakes, it would be extremely difficult to make one of them her subordinate.


    Actually, the Domini Mortis were the favorite food of Snakes, who were Rank 7 and above.


    These were the snakes that the Domini Mortis couldn''t influence because their Rank was simply too high for them to be dominated.


    "Too bad, you''re not as strong as the person who I named you after," Thirteen said while rubbing the chin of the ck Snake, who was enjoying her Master''s attention. "If you had the Snake Charmer ability, we would have been able to raise a snake army that could move unhindered across thend."


    Tiona, who heard her Master''s words, hissed repeatedly, telling him that she could do that if she became a hundred years old.


    Thirteen could onlyugh after hearing the little snake''s deration because he found her cute.


    Rocky, who was being used as a chair, couldn''t help but sigh in its heart.


    It had sworn its allegiance to Tiona. But, since its Master had a Master, Rocky was also forced to obey the Human boy''s orders, despite not wanting to.


    "Don''t worry, Rocky," Thirteen lightly patted the Rocky Snake''s head. "I''ll introduce you to Cristopher, Rianna, and Giga Chad. I''m sure they will be happy to have you as our ally."


    Rocky pretended that it didn''t hear the Human''s words, and remained unmoved from its position.


    Sensing that his newest subordinate was feeling rebellious, Thirteen decided to let it do what it wanted.


    ''I wonder what Cristopher and the others are doing?'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the South.


    Parania City was situated at a high elevation, so he was able to see the boundary of the sea from the horizon.


    He was thinking of sending Vassago and Poca to Gronar City, so that Poca would know where to go next time he ordered her to send a message to Cristopher.


    His n was to let Anwir and Paven coborate with each other, and handle the war preparations for the Sumatran Kingdom.


    As for Brigham? Thirteen nned to enve him, and make the City Lord be Anwir''s subordinate.


    Since his Sworn Brother had proven himself to be capable, he would be more at ease to let him handle the affairs of the Sumatran Kingdom, especially the forces of the Underworld.


    The Mercenaries, Assassins, Information Brokers, Thieves, and Paven''s other connections would fall under Anwir''s capable hands, allowing his Third-Rate Viin to grow in power.


    ''This will be part of his training,'' Thirteen mused. ''I hope that after I''m done dealing with Paven''s counterpart in the Barbrian Lands, he will consolidate his power here, so that he can assist me whenever I need it.''


    Thirteen would need manpower to deal with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger and the Diabolic Hyena.


    Both of them would require over a dozen Champions to safely subjugate, preventing any casualties from arising.


    Since Thirteen had the ability to talk to monsters, he was confident that he would be able to convince the Purple-Furred Honey Badger to be his ally.


    However, that didn''t mean that the Rank 6 Overlord would just listen to him.


    No. He needed to prove that he was strong enough to gain its acknowledgment.


    A strong monster wouldn''t just bow its head to someone weaker than it.


    An alliance would be easily formed between two parties of equal standing.


    So, before he could go to find the Rank 6 Overlords, he first needed to return to Gronar City, and gather forces for a Monster Hunt.


    "This is getting exciting." Thirteen couldn''t help but smile because it had been a while since he felt this immense pressure of fighting against a very strong opponent.


    This was the feeling that his Hosts had felt when they were being targeted by big organizations, or powerful people, who wished to use them as stepping stones.


    During those times, Thirteen had helped his hosts escape, and think of a way to ovee their current situation.


    Facing something simr, the seven-year-old couldn''t help but chuckle because it reminded him of old times.


    He was someone who had fought against a God, so although the Being who had set his eyes on the Valbarra Continent was extremely powerful, he didn''t feel that the situation was hopeless.


    "I just need to get the Beacon of Hope." Thirteen smirked. "And I think I already know where to find it."


    Yes.


    Thirteen finally had a clue as to where he could find the Beacon of Hope, and with this information in hand, he was one step closer to creating a n, which would make the Lace Demon and The One, truly understand the ability of the ck Sheep, who belonged to the System God''s Family.


    ¡ª-----------------

 Chapter 191 Return To The Barbarian Lands

    <h4>Chapter 191 Return To The Barbarian Lands</h4>


    The next day, Anwir arrived in Parania City, bringing his subordinates who numbered over fifty.


    Thirteen personally met them at the gate, and escorted them back to the City Lord''s Residence.


    Paven stared at his formerrade, Brigham, who was bound by metallic chains and was currently lying on the floor.


    Dixon and this Scouting Party red hatefully at the man who had proposed that Assassins be sent to kidnap their General''s wife and daughter.


    They were very loyal to General Stark, and anyone who dared to harm him, or his family, would be their enemies.


    But, seeing the bruises on the City Lord''s face, they understood that Anwir had ordered his subordinates to beat Brigham to a pulp, venting his anger.


    "You set off from Karabor City with only four subordinates in your party," Thirteen said with satisfaction in his eyes. "But, not only did youplete your mission, you''ve also managed to capture Lord Brigham, and gained fifty new allies. I''m very impressed, Brother."


    "I was nning to surprise you, but it seems that the one who got surprised instead was me," Anwir replied as he patted Zion''s shoulder. "What you aplished puts my effort to shame. Well down, Brother."


    The two Sworn Brothers smiled at each other before talking about the next phase of their n.


    "Dixon, please let Lord Brigham drink this." Thirteen gave the leader of the Scouting Party one of his modified truth serums.


    "Understood." Dixon epted the bottle that was handed to him by Zion, and forced Brigham to drink it.


    "Brother, I already made him drink a truth serum, and extracted information from him," Anwir stated. "Do we still need to interrogate him?"


    "Just watch, Brother," Thirteen replied. "You will understand in a while."


    After Brigham drank the contents of the truth serum, he fell into a daze, making the corner of the seven-year-old''s lips curl up.


    "Dixon, make him drink another one," Thirteen sneered. "This bastard is faking it."


    Brigham''s body subconsciously shuddered the moment Dixon was about to force him to drink another bottle.


    "Bastard!" Brigham roared as he did his best to prevent Dixon from feeding him another truth serum. "Paven! You traitor! Stop them!"


    Anwir''s expression became solemn when he saw this unexpected turn of events. He was feeling happy because not only did he manage to capture Brigham, he was able to interrogate him and gather top secret information.


    But, after seeing that the truth serum didn''t work on Paven, he started to think that the answers that the City Lord had given him were all lies as well.


    In the end, after several of Anwir''s subordinates held Brigham down, they were able to force the potion down his throat by punching him in the chest.


    Before any of them could even react, Thirteen personally forced another bottle of truth serum down Brigham''s throat, making thetter''s body start to twitch uncontrobly.


    "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine," Thirteen replied as he looked at the City Lord, who was given an overdose of truth serum.


    Half a minuteter, Brigham''s eyes rolled up in their sockets, showing only the whites of his eyes.


    "Okay, now we can start asking questions," Thirteen stated. "He''s now under the truth serum''s effects."


    "How did you know that he was faking it?" Paven asked with curiosity.


    "Because my truth serum is different from the normal truth serum," Thirteen replied. "If my truth serum works, the one who drank it will only show the whites of their eyes."


    People with strong will could resist the effects of the truth serums. Because of this, he concocted his own version, allowing him to know whether one was faking it or not.


    Since Brigham didn''t show the reaction he was looking for after he drank the first serum, Thirteen was certain that thetter was just faking it.


    Anwir, who had interrogated Brigham after his capture, asked him the questions he had asked before.


    This time, the answers that he got were theplete opposite of the answers he gained from the City Lord a few hours ago.


    Thirteen didn''t ask any questions, and delegated the interrogation to Anwir and Paven.


    He just listened from the side and let things unfold naturally. When the investigation was done, Norris sped a ck bracelet on the City Lord''s wrist, which was simr to a ve cor used for Higher-Ranking ves.


    Since it was not possible to put a Beast ve tattoo on Brigham''s forehead because it would be visible for all to see, Norris decided to use the tried and tested method of using a ve bracelet, which was several times more powerful than the ve Tattoo.


    Brigham had no power to resist the envement ceremony due to his current state, so the transfer of ownership to Anwir was very smooth.


    "Anwir, I want you to work with Lord Paven to oversee the War Preparations," Thirteen said. "Stay here in Parania City because this is a much better ce to gather information and manpower from the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "The leaders of the Mercenary Groups, as well as the Assassin Guild will arrive in a few days. Form a connection with them, and get their cooperation. Having you take the reins of our operation here in the Sumatran Kingdom puts me at ease."


    Anwir nodded. "I understand. What do you n to do next, Zion?"


    "I will return to the Barbarian Lands, with Lord Paven''s bodyguards," Thirteen replied. "Since you have many elite warriors in your team, you can ensure Lord Paven''s safety in their ce."


    Lord Paven could only smile bitterly after hearing the younger boy''s words.


    He understood why Zion was doing this, but he still felt bitter after being separated from the people that he had personally handpicked to protect him.


    Right now, Thirteen didn''t have a surplus of Champions and Grandmasters to fight for his side, so he needed all the help he could get.


    This was where the Scouting Party led by Dixon, and the team led by Paven''s right-hand-man, Payton, woulde in handy.


    Two Champions, and sixteen Grandmasters.


    That was the fighting force that Thirteen would bring back to Gronar City to help raise the quality of his personal army.


    "I have a suggestion, Brother," Anwirmented. "How about you take ten of my father''s veteran soldiers to help you? I''m sure that they wille in handy."


    "No." Thirteen shook his head firmly. "More isn''t always better. It would be too suspicious if Norris returned to the Barbarian Lands with so many strong Tigerkin Warriors in hand. Don''t worry. What I have now is sufficient for what I am about to do."


    Truth be told, Thirteen didn''t want to bring any of Anwir''s subordinates to the Barbarian Lands because their loyalty belonged to General Stark.


    Also, it would be awkward to turn them into ves, who would listen to hismands. In order to prevent this problem, he decided to just settle for what he had, and just recruit more manpower in the Barbarian Landster on.


    After finalizing a few things, and securing some means ofmunication, Thirteen and his people left Parania City the next day.


    They arrived at a secluded location near the coast where Norris'' Merchant Ship was currently docked.


    "Don''t be afraid, Rocky," Thirteen coaxed the Rocky Bal-Boa who didn''t know how to swim. "You''ll be fine."


    Tiona also gave her subordinate a few reassuring hisses, making the Rocky Snake climb onto the Merchant Ship, and coil itself on the deck.


    Dixon and his team had imprinted ck tattoos on their foreheads, making them Thirteen''s temporary ves.


    Since Tigerkins without a ve mark were not allowed to wander freely in the Barbarian Lands, Norris proposed that they should also have ve tattoos to make them inconspicuous.


    Dixon and the others were hesitant at first, but Thirteen assured them that they would not be mistreated.


    After all, he was Percival''s best friend, and he treated Percival like his own family.


    The Tigerkins relented in the end, not knowing that Thirteen was just spouting a bunch of bullsh*t to make them be his temporary ves.


    He understood that the moment Percival met them, the truth woulde to light, so he needed to make sure that they wouldn''t turn against him when they realized that they had been lied to.


    Of course, they would not know of this until it was toote.


    Gronar City had its own Port, and that was where the Merchant Ship was currently headed.


    They didn''t want to raise amotion along the borders of the Tigerkin and Barbarian Territories, so they took a detour to reach their destination.


    After two days of travel, they finally arrived at their destination.


    Thirteen couldn''t help but smile when he saw Cristopher, Rianna, Giga Chad, Taiga, Harry, and a few other Wanderers on the docks waiting for their arrival.


    Vassago had flown ahead to inform his people of his arrival, and they all gathered to meet their Master and friend, whom they hadn''t seen for a few weeks.


    Tiona also looked happy after seeing a few familiar faces.


    Although she was loyal to her Master, it didn''t mean that she disliked the people who treated Thirteen as their friend and leader.


    Even Taiga, who didn''t like Zion at first, looked relieved when he heard the news of his arrival.


    He hoped that the seven-year-old would tell him news about his family, whom he hadn''t seen since he was taken into the Barbarian Lands, and forced to be Thirteen''s ve.

 Chapter 192 Arundel The Destroyer

    <h4>Chapter 192 Arundel The Destroyer </h4>


    Rianna couldn''t help but smile as she looked at Thirteen''s helpless expression, while he was being hugged by Cristopher and Giga Chad at the same time.


    As soon as the seven-year-old descended from Norris'' Merchant ship, the chubby boy and the Chad Skunk didn''t hesitate to wrap their arms around him, giving him a weing hug.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Thirteen said as he lightly tapped the arms of his two loyal subordinates, who were so happy to see him again.


    "I''m d to have you back, Young Master," Cristopher said before wiping the tears in his eye. "I''m really d that you''re back."


    Giga Chad also made whining noises, as he poked Thirteen here and there, as if telling his Master that he looked thinnerpared to thest time that he had seen him.


    Frankly, Thirteen''s physique hadn''t changed much since he arrived in the Sumatran Kingdom.


    He was eating well, sleeping well, and doing whatever he wanted. In fact, he even gained a bit of weight, but since he was always on the move, the added weight only turned into muscles.


    "Norris, I''ll head back?to the warehouse first," Thirteen said to the ve Master. "These kids are creating a scene here."


    Norris chuckled because their arrival was indeed making a scene.


    Several Tigerkins locked up in cages were being pulled down from the ship, and everyone could tell that they were all warriors.


    Since the prices of ves had risen, especially for Tigerkins, they were wondering how much these ves would cost after they were sold.


    What they didn''t know was that these ves weren''t for sale.


    They were all part of Thirteen''s private army, which would be delivered to his warehouseter that day.


    Norris had already been paid a lot of silver by Lord Paven, so that he wouldn''t umte any losses for his services.


    Although the three Cities, who had the biggest food reserves in the Sumatran Kingdom were attacked during the Harvest Festival, the Kingdom had enough food supply to ensure that none of their people would starve.


    While Anwir, Paven, and Brigham were dealing with the aftermath, Thirteen and his team returned to the Warehouse to discuss a few important matters.


    "I''m really d that you''re back, Zion," Harry, who had been waiting for the seven-year-old''s return, could finally sigh in relief. "Since you''re here, I can join your team now, right?"


    He enjoyed being part of Rianna''s Hunting Party because he was able to showcase his expertise. However, the three guys, who were vying for the prettydy''s attention, found Harry as an eyesore.


    Because of this, the Scion of the Remington n didn''t feel weed in the Hunting Party and wished to transfer to Thirteen''s team as soon as possible.


    Seeing his expression, Thirteen couldn''t help but smile in his heart because he had already expected this to happen.


    "Of course you can join my team," Thirteen replied. "Wee aboard, Harry."


    "Thank you very much!"


    "Don''t thank me yet. I''m going to work you to the bone."


    After that brief exchange, the younger boy shifted his attention to Cristopher and Rianna, who were seated beside him.


    "I have some good news, and some bad news," Thirteen said. "Which one do you want to hear first?"


    "The bad news," Rianna answered.


    "The good news!" Cirstopher insisted.


    Taiga, who was also in the room, didn''t say anything, and only stared at the seven-year-old with a solemn expression on his face.


    He wanted to ask Thirteen a lot of questions about his family, but the boy told him to wait until the meeting was over.


    Aside from Rianna, her three Core Members, Rufus, Jeane, and Eren, were also inside Thirteen''s room because he insisted theye to the gathering.


    But, just like Taiga, they didn''t say anything and allowed the prettydy to handle everything.


    Even so, it didn''t change the fact that the three of them were all annoyed because Rianna was smiling so sweetly, and her smile was directed at Thirteen, who was way younger than them.


    "Okay, let''s start with the good news first." Thirteen nodded. "The good news is that I believe I have found a lead regarding the Beacon of Hope."


    Cristopher, Rianna, Harry, and the three other Wanderers inside the room looked at the boy with shock.


    They didn''t expect that the good news had something to do with the mission that would send them back home to Pangea.


    "That''s great, Young Master!" Cristopher said excitedly. "We can now go back home¡­ ah!"


    The chubby boy remembered that his Young Master wouldn''t be able to go back with them because he was undergoing the Thirteen Trials.


    Only when he finished all of them would he get the opportunity to return to their original world.


    "Now, let''s talk about the bad news," Thirteen''s voice became solemn, making everyone inside the room subconsciously straighten their sitting posture.


    "The bad news is that this war between the Tigerkins and Barbarians is moreplicated than we imagined. There is a Third Party that is targeting the Valbarra Archipgo, and the only way to stop them is for the Tigerkins and the Barbarians to join hands and fight together.


    "I know that this is hard to believe, but that is the truth. Lastly, we will all need to work together in order for you guys to have a hope of returning home."


    An eerie silence thatsted for an entire minute descended inside the room after Thirteen finished talking.


    Rufus, Jeane, and Eren, didn''t want to believe the seven-year-


    old''s words. They even believed that the boy was just making things up in order to scare, and force them to be hisckeys.


    But, after seeing Rianna''s expression, the three didn''t dare voice their opinions out loud in fear that they would lose the prettydy''s trust, which they were working hard to get.


    Harry found the younger boy''s story hard to believe. However, after witnessing how capable Zion was, he decided to take his words seriously.


    "Well then, what do you want us to do?" Harry asked, breaking the silence of the room.


    "Follow my orders faithfully," Thirteen answered. "Then, and only then, will you guys get the chance to survive this uing cmity."


    Rufus, who was unable to continue listening, snorted, catching everyone''s attention.


    "You said that there is a Third Party that is eyeing the Valbarra Archipgo," Rufus stated. "But, you didn''t tell us who this third party is. Are you perhaps making this up?"


    Although he wanted to get Rianna''s good graces, he wasn''t someone who just blindly listened and followed orders.


    He was a retainer of one of the heirs of a Prestigious Family, and his loyalty belonged to his true Master.


    "I don''t mind telling you." Thirteen smirked. "But, are you sure you want to know? All of you might fall into despair if you hear his name."


    "Try me." Rufus crossed his arms over his chest and stared straight into Thirteen''s eyes.


    Thirteen chuckled. "The ignorant are truly fearless. Very well, I will answer your question. The Third Party who is manipting the Tigerkins and the Barbarians to fight each other is none other than a Majin Prince."


    Cristopher, who was seated beside Thirteen, shuddered after his Young Master''s revtion.


    Rianna''s, Harry''s, Jeane''s, and Eren''s expressions also became grim when they heard Zion''s answer.


    Even Rufus, who was feeling fearless earlier, couldn''t help but feel intimidated as he looked at Thirteen''s green eyes, which seemed to glow with power.


    "His name is Arundel," Thirteen added. "And his title is the Destroyer. The same Majin Prince who destroyed three powerful empires on the Main Continent is eyeing the Valbarra Archipgo. I''m very sure that he would love to eat a few Wanderers, who just happened to be in the samend that he wishes to make part of his domain."


    A loud thud was heard inside the room, making everyone nce at the chubby boy, who had fainted, and hit his head on top of the table.


    Everyone stared at him, but no oneughed because this was noughing matter.


    "I don''t care whether you believe me or not," Thirteen dered. "But, since I asked all of you toe to this meeting, I have recognized that all of you will y an important role in the uing battle.


    "Make sure to keep everything you have heard inside this room a secret, so that the others won''t panic. Our priority is to get the Beacon of Hope. If you guys are lucky, you won''t need to wait for the Majin to step foot in the Barbariannds before all of you can return to Pangea.


    "In the worst case scenario, all of you can just hide until everything is over. I have promised Cristopher that I will send him back, so I will find a way to light the Beacon of Hope, with or without your help. I just want to remind you all something. The rewards that the Lace Demon and The One will bestow upon you will depend on your contributions.


    "If you don''t contribute then the skills you will gain will be mediocre. But, if you cooperate with me, and y an important role in the war, you might just be the most powerful rookies of this generation. So, are you all willing to follow me until the end?"


    Rianna, Harry, Rufus, Jeane, and Eren nced at each other before shifting their gaze back to the seven-year-old, who was looking at them with a confident look on his face.


    All the Wanderers understood what a Majin Prince signified and if what Thirteen was saying was the truth then they needed to find the Beacon of Hope before such an entity arrived on the shores of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    That was the only way that they could survive the one-sided genocide of an existence, whose strength surpassed that of a Monarch.

 Chapter 193 How does It Feel To Defy My Orders?

    <h4>Chapter 193 How does It Feel To Defy My Orders?</h4>


    Giga Chad and Rocky stared at each other for nearly half a minute before the two monsters exchanged a high five with their ws and tails.


    Since Rocky was now part of his team, Thirteen introduced him to everyone to make sure that the Rocky Bal-Boa wouldn''t treat them as a snack when the seven-year-old wasn''t looking.


    "This is cky and his Family," Thirteen said. "And this is¡­"


    "His name is Hercules," Cristophermented from the side.


    "Hercules?" Thirteen blinked once then twice as he looked at the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, who had be one of Cristopher''s Monster ves.


    The Giant ck Beetle was a Rank 3 Monster with a very tough shell. Thirteen''s original n was to dismantle the monster for its body parts, and craft a sturdy shield that the Ogres could use.


    However, after Cristopher nursed the giant beetle back to health, the two got along well.


    This made Cristopher very hesitant to have it killed, and dismantled for its monster parts.


    ''Um, maybe this Beetle is also a Brute Type Monster since Cristopher and it got along well,'' Thirteen mused. ''Well, I guess it''s not a problem.''


    Since his right-hand man didn''t want to kill the Obsidian Tiger Beetle then he didn''t mind letting Cristopher have his way.


    The Giant Beetle wasn''t just known for its strong defense.


    It was also a very aggressive monster, and its bite was just as strong, if not stronger than the Hyenas, who had now made the Furvus Grasnds their new territory.


    Having the beetle to protect Cristopher was also a good strategy since he didn''t want the chubby boy anywhere near the front lines.


    After introducing Rocky to the team, the Rocky Bal-Boa burrowed itself in the ground, where it would hide itself until Tiona called for it.


    Percival and the rest of the Tigerkin ves were currently talking to Dixon, and the other Tigerkin warriors that Norris had delivered to the warehouse an hour ago.


    Thirteen had already exined the situation to Percival, but the Tigerkin still sought out Dixon and the others to confirm whether his temporary master was telling him the truth.


    Truth be told, he was surprised when he saw Dixon, and his scouting party arrive at the warehouse, alongside the other Tigerkin Warriors.


    Dixon was also Percival''s Martial Arts Trainer when he was still safe within the walls of Karabor City.


    So, when the two of them met, both were extremely happy because it had been a long time since they hadst seen each other.


    Perhaps feeling that he was now safe with the people he grew up with, Percival told them all the hardships he encountered in Zion''s hands, making Dixon, Armand, Thane, and Alina blink their eyes in confusion.


    Thirteen had told them that he was Percival''s best friend, who gave the Tigerkin food scraps whenever their Master treated him ill.


    The more they heard their Young Master''sints, the more they realized that everything that Thirteen had told General Stark, and Lady Brie was a lie.


    Dixon and his party didn''t know if they shouldugh or cry because even if they wanted to spank Thirteen''s bum to oblivion, they couldn''t do it because they were now his ves!


    "He got us good," Dixon said bitterly. "He yed us well."


    Armand, Thane, and Alina, could only sigh helplessly after understanding that they couldn''t punish Zion for his wrongdoings.


    "Don''t worry, Percival," Alina patted her Young Master''s head. "Zion is not as bad as you think he is. I''m sure that he will not mistreat you now that we''re here."


    But, as soon as Alina finished talking, Thirteen walked up to their group and ced his hand on his waist.


    "Taiga, go and clean the toilets," Thirteen ordered. "I want them to be sparkly clean. If I''m not satisfied with your work, I''ll let Giga Chad give you a good spray."


    Before Dixon could even confront the seven-year-old for treating their Young Master like a ve, Percival sprinted towards the toilet as if his tail was on fire.


    Thirteen''s Hero in training would rather clean the toilets than suffer Giga Chad''s Giga Destroyer, which would make him feel miserable for three days.


    "Dixon, I have a rule and that is those who don''t work, don''t eat," Thirteen said in a bossy tone. "Go and help the Ogres and Troll to make arrows. Armand and Thane will help the Ogres make weapons. Alina¡­ um, you can help Jasmine and Ariel cook our lunch. Everyone, hustle, we have a lot of things to do."


    Dixon crossed his arms over his chest and didn''t budge from his spot.


    All the other Tigerkins, especially those that came from Lord Paven''s personal security team, looked at this scene with amusement.


    They wanted to know if Dixon would truly ignore Thirteen''s words because depending on how things turned out, they could also do the same.


    "Zion, I came here to help you," Dixon stated. "I didn''te here to be ordered like a ve."


    "Um? You said that you''vee to help me, but refuse to make arrows for our future operation?" Thirteen eyed the Tigerkin, who was looking down on him due to their height difference.


    "I will only help when ites to fighting," Dixon dered. "I refuse to be treated as a ve."


    "Oh, really?" Thirteen sneered. "Then kneel before me."


    As soon as Thirteen gave an absolute order, Dixon felt a very strongpelling order to obey his words. However, since he was a Champion, he held his ground, and endured the pain in his head, while gritting his teeth.


    After a minute, he managed to shake off themand using his willpower, but it came with a price.


    He was now suffering a terrible headache, which made him feel as if his head was being split in half.


    Thirteen wasn''t surprised that Dixon was able to resist his order, because he already expected it.


    The reason why he was doing this was due to the fact that he knew that his new Tigerkin ves would alo refuse to listen to his orders.


    Since that was the case, he needed to set an example to make all of them understand who was the one calling the shots in this ce.


    "How does it feel to defy my orders?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone.


    "Zion, don''t go too far!" Dixon growled at the seven-year-old, who still had aposed look on his face.


    "It seems that you still don''t understand your situation," Thirteen sneered before moving to the side. "Giga, let him taste your Giga Destroyer!"


    Giga Chad, who had been informed beforehand what he needed to do, turned around and raised his tail.


    A secondter, Dixon and the rest of the Tigerkin saw a terrifying scene, where a yellow spray descended upon the rebellious Scouting Captain, making him roll on the ground, screaming in pain.


    It didn''t take long before an extremely pungent smell reached their senses, making them vomit on the spot.


    All of them then looked at the seven-year-old in horror because they didn''t expect that he was capable of doing something very inhumane.


    "Who''s next?" Thirteen asked, while scanning the faces of the Tigerkins, whom he had ordered to help with the weapon production in the warehouse.


    Armand and Thane ran towards the location where the Trolls and Ogres were working non-stop to make weapons and arrows that everyone would use when they started their operation.


    Alina also made herself scarce.


    As a girl, she never wanted to be on the receiving end of Giga Chad''s spray, so she dutifully obeyed Thirteen''s order, and rushed off to help Jasmine and Ariel do the cooking.


    The other Tigerkins also went to work and helped the Trolls and Ogres make weapons for the little devil, who was eyeing them with a mischievous smile stered on his face.

 Chapter 194 You’ll Follow Me Even In Hell?

    <h4>Chapter 194 You¡¯ll Follow Me Even In Hell? </h4>


    Two days after Thirteen returned to Gronar City, all the temporarily enved Tigerkin Warriors he brought along from the Sumatran Kingdom realized that their new Master was a devil hiding in human skin.


    He worked them all to the bone, and he didn''t hesitate to use Giga Chad to make them understand who the real boss was.


    In the end, all of them obeyed, even the two Champions, Dixon and Payton.


    After making sure that his subordinates were diligently following his orders, Thirteen left the warehouse and met up with Norris.


    Cristopher and Rianna followed him, curious about what ns the younger boy was up to.


    When they arrived at the ve Market, they found Norris sorting out the ves that still didn''t have a buyer.


    "Ah, Zion, did youe here because of what we talked about a few days ago?" Norris asked as he nced at the seven-year-old, whom he hadn''t seen for two days.


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. Did you get a reply from that person?"


    "I did. In fact, I was about to send a messenger to your ce to tell you the news," Norris replied before handing his records to the subordinate by his side. "But since you''re already here, then it will make things easier. Follow me to my office."


    Thirteen nodded for a second time and followed the ve Master to his tent so that their talks wouldn''t be overheard by anyone.


    Along the way, they came across Adira, who immediately joined their group.


    "I heard everything from Norris," Adira stated. "You are really a bringer of bad luck."


    The younger boy pretended that he didn''t hear whatever the Drow said and continued to follow behind Norris, making Adira click her tongue.


    Once all of them were in the office, Norris asked Zion and his two subordinates to take a seat.


    "I have talked to Netero, and he agreed to meet with you tonight," Norris exined. "The two of you are going to dine in a famous tavern called the Hunter x Tavern."


    "Thank you." Thirteen bowed his head with gratitude because Norris had done many things for him.


    Norris sighed as he looked at the seven-year-old whom he thought of highly.


    "Zion, me and my people will be leaving the Valbarra Archipgo in three days," Norris said. "We don''t n to get involved in this uing war. We''re just a merchant group trying to make a living and, knowing what is about to happen, I deemed that it is no longer profitable to stay in this ce."


    Thirteen nodded his head in understanding because even he had thought of leaving the Valbarra Archipgo to escape to the Maind.


    If not for the fact that Cristopher, Rianna, and Harry would be stuck in Solterra if he took them with him to escape, he would have already asked Norris to take them with him on his return trip to the Main Continent.


    Perhaps sensing what he was thinking, Norris invited him toe with them and even added that he could bring his subordinates along.


    However, Thirteen regrettably shook his head because they had no choice but to stay until they had lit the Beacon of Hope.


    "Hah~ I already expected that you''re going to decline the offer." Norris sighed in regret. "But, think about it, okay? It will still take us three days to resupply before we set sail towards the Main Continent."


    "Understood," Thirteen replied. "Once again, thank you for everything, Sir Norris."


    Thirteen stood up and bid his goodbye to the ve Master and the Drow, who had lent him their support.


    Without them and the connections they brought him, it would have been a little difficult for Thirteen to operate in Gronar City.


    After leaving the ve Market, Thirteen didn''t head back to the warehouse. Instead, he went to the Duel Arena where the Barbarians gambled their money while watching duels between ves.


    Cristopher and Rianna thought that their Young Master was going to gamble to raise funds. But, when they arrived, they realized that he was there for a different reason.


    "Hello, Mister Raldo," Thirteen greeted the manager of the Duel Arena. "How is Viger A?"


    "Oh, it''s you." Raldo frowned after seeing the seven-year-old, whom he hadn''t seen for a long time. "He''s always beaten and battered. Frankly, I stopped sending him to duel three days ago because his injuries are umting. Also, people always bet on his opponent when he appears, so we are taking big losses every time he fights."


    Thirteen smirked. "Understood. Then, can I take him back?"


    "Of course," Raldo answered. "I''d say good riddance to him anytime. Such a useless human¡ªcan''t even win one fight."


    Raldo ordered his subordinate to take Thirteen to the ce where the ves were being held.


    There, they saw several cages. Some of them contained monsters, while others contained Trolls, Ogres, Tigerkins, and even Human ves.


    Raldo''s subordinate pointed at a steel cage, where a teenage boy was seated with his head tucked between his legs.


    His body was covered with bruises, making Cristopher and Rianna frown deeply.


    "Oi, you have some guests." Raldo''s subordinate rattled the steel cage with the stick in his hand, making the teenage boy raise his head.


    His unfocused gaze looked at the three humans who were standing in front of his cage. It took him a few seconds to regain some rity in his eyes, and the moment he saw Zion, Cristopher, and Rianna, he hurriedly grabbed the handle of the steel cage and cried his heart out.


    "Please! Save me from this ce!" Colbert begged with tears and snot flowing from his face. "I''ll do anything. I''ll serve you faithfully. Just please, take me away! I don''t want to die here. I don''t want to die!"


    Thirteen looked at the teenager, who once instigated a mutiny after he went through the trouble of saving him, Harry, and the other Wanderers, who were sold by the Orcs to the Barbarians.


    "Do you want me to take you away from this ce?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes!" Colbert nodded. "I''ll do anything! I''ll be your ve! I''ll do anything you tell me to!"


    "You want to be my ve?"


    "Yes! I''ll be your ve!"


    Thirteen chuckled internally because what Colbert didn''t know was that he was already the child''s ve.


    He had bought him from Norris and asked the ve Master to send the arrogant boy to the Duel Arena so that he would get beaten up by the other ves and learn the reality of life.


    Thirteen wanted to break Colbert until he was pushed into a corner with no one to rely on.


    Now that his n seeded, he was about to extend an olive branch toward the boy, making thetter indebted to him in the process.


    With all honesty, Thirteen didn''t hate Colbert.


    In fact, he liked the teenage boy so much that he wanted him to be his subordinate.


    Colbert wanted to be in control of everything, which was why he manipted others into siding with him, unlike Cristopher who was an honest and simple person. He didn''t like to scheme, ormand others. The chubby boy was content to follow orders.


    Colbert, on the other hand, was just an Extra, who happened to soak the personality of his true Master, whom he believed came from an influential family and probably liked to scheme as well.


    In short, Colbert was a bootlicker.


    But, he was a very good bootlicker.


    He would do his best to make his Master praise him for doing well and manipting others to do his bidding.


    Thirteen needed someone who could do the dirty work for him, which Cristopher couldn''t do.


    Because of this, he wanted to add Colbert to his party after his body and spirit were broken in the Duel Arena.


    "Understood," Thirteen replied. "From today onward, you will be my servant. Serve me well, and I will make sure that you return to Pangea alive. Defy me, and I''m going to send you back here. Do we have an understanding?"


    "Yes! I promise to serve you faithfully!" Colbert replied with tears and snot still flowing down his face. "I promise that you won''t regret saving me from this ce!"


    "Good," Thirteen smiled. "I''m sure that we will get along well."


    Thirteen wasn''t worried that Colbert would go back to his word.


    The moment he stepped into the warehouse and saw that the seven-year-old was ordering even Champions around, the teenage boy would realize that getting on his good side would increase his chances of survival.


    A bootlicker would always side with the one who they believed held authority and power. For them, it was only by doing so that they would also gain authority and power.


    Thirteen understood this very much because he perfectly understood a bootlicker''s way of thinking.


    After making the necessary arrangements, Colbert was freed from the cage and finally regained his freedom.


    He then looked at the seven-year-old whom he once looked down upon and tried to antagonize in the past.


    "From now on, you are Viger A," Thirteen dered. "If you want me to call your name, you will have to work hard to earn it. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Young Master!" Colbert replied. "I''ll follow you wherever you go."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow after hearing the ve''s words.


    "You''ll follow me even in hell?" Thirteen asked.


    "Y-Yes!" Colbert stuttered. "Even if the Young Master goes to hell, I will still follow you!"


    Thirteen smirked before turning around. "Let''s go."


    Cristopher and Rianna followed behind the seven-year-old, while Colbert walked a few steps behind the two.


    He could tell that there was a pecking order in the group, but he had every intention to climb his way up and gain the power, which would allow him to survive in this world.

 Chapter 195 We Met Again, Boy

    <h4>Chapter 195 We Met Again, Boy</h4>


    When Colbert arrived at the Warehouse, he immediately realized that the seven-year-old was not only inmand of several Wanderers but Monsters as well.


    But, what really surprised him was that he also had more than Twenty Tigerkins,posed of two Champions and over a dozen Grandmasters, under his wing.


    Only Percival and his party were on the weaker sides with them being only in the Rookie Rank.


    It was then that Colbert made a vow to himself that he must make himself useful to Zion so that he would gain a higher position among the seven-year-old''s subordinates.


    "You will be staying on this side of the warehouse," Thirteen ordered. "The other side belongs to Rianna. Make sure you behave. Otherwise, the moment you cause trouble, you''ll be sent back to the Dueling Arena."


    "Yes, Young Master," Colbert replied. "I will behave."


    Thirteen nodded before handing a bottle of healing potion to Colbert, which would help to recover his injuries.


    Drinking potions wouldn''t instantly recover any injury. Still, it would lessen the pain and increase the healing speed of the body.


    Judging by the severity of Colbert''s condition, Thirteen deemed that it would take the boy at least three to five days in order to have aplete recovery.


    After Colbert drank the potion, Harry came to talk to Zion about something.


    The moment his gazended on Colbert, the Scion of the Remington n immediately frowned because there was no one he hated more in this world than Colbert.


    "What is he doing here?" Harry asked in an annoyed tone.


    "I took him in as my ve," Thirteen replied. "He will be working for me from now on."


    "He''s a snake, Zion." Harry red at the person who had caused his own Hunting Party to be almost annihted. "Making him your subordinate is a big mistake. I''m telling you this from experience. This guy cannot be trusted."


    Thirteen neither agreed nor countered Harry''s usation because he knew very well that Colbert was a piece of sh*t. But, he also understood his value, so he just nodded his head to appease Harry.


    "Don''t worry. If he does something funny, I''ll feed him to the Ogres," Thirteen replied. "For now, I''ll be giving him a second chance. If you can''t be around him, you can go back to Rianna''s Hunting Party. That way, you don''t have to see him again."


    Harry''s frown deepened, but he no longer said anything.


    Although Rianna had her own Hunting Party, the true person calling the shots around here was none other than Zion.


    Also, he didn''t want to return to the prettydy''s team because Rufus, Jeane, and Eren were treating him like a rival for Rianna''s affection.


    Although Rianna was indeed very pretty, he had already seen many pretty and beautifuldies at the countless parties held by the Remington n.


    His resistance to beautifuldies was higherpared to most teenagers.


    Seeing that even Harry had no choice but to obey Zion''s orders, Colbert felt smug inside his heart.


    ''You might be one of the geniuses of the Remington n, but here, you will have to follow this boy''s orders,'' Colbertughed in his heart. ''As long as I stick with Zion, I have no one to fear in this ce.''


    Thirteen, who could somewhat guess what Colbert was thinking, chuckled internally. His brainwashing was proceeding smoothly, so it wouldn''t be long before his Viger A started singing his tune.


    After sending Colbert to his room to rest, Thirteen discussed a few things with Cristopher and Harry before going to his room to take a nap.


    He would be meeting with Netero after the sun set, and he wanted to be wide awake if ever their discussion were tost past midnight.


    This talk with the Old Man was very important. Through him, Thirteen could connect with the person whom he needed to meet.


    If he were to gain the City Lord''s support, his future ns in the Barbarian Lands would proceed more smoothly.


    Since Anwir and Paven were working together to prepare the Sumatran Kingdom for the uing war, he needed to have someone from the side of the Barbarians, who would also help him do a few things before the Majin Prince arrived in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    A few hourster, Thirteen, who was apanied by Dixon and Payton, went to the Hunter x Tavern to meet with Netero.


    Thirteen brought the two Champions with him to make a statement that he wasn''t there to y games with the Old Man.


    His time was limited, and at most, he only had two to three months before the war officially started.


    With Norris and possibly Adira leaving the Valbarra Archipgo in two days, Thirteen would lose two allies in Gronar City.


    Since that was the case, he needed a few more allies to rece them, and he needed those who sat in high ces.


    He and Netero had only be acquainted during the auction.


    Perhaps, the Old Man thought that having a nice chat with the boy who had made an impression on him would be a good way to pass the time.


    Since he wasn''t told about what he and the seven-year-old would be talking about, Netero thought that the boy simply wanted to form connections with him, so he decided to agree to his proposal to meet.


    Fortunately, when they arrived at the tavern, Thirteen didn''t have to look for the Old Man because one of Netero''s subordinates was already waiting for their arrival.


    The boy had asked Dixon and Payton to temporarily decrease their presence so that no one would be able to tell that the two of them were Champions.


    "You must be Zion," a middle-aged man said as soon as the boy entered the Tavern. "The Master is waiting for you. Pleasee this way."


    Thirteen nodded and followed the middle-aged man to the second floor of the tavern, where the private rooms reserved for the VIP guests were located.


    It didn''t take long before they reached their destination. The person who guided them lightly knocked on the door to announce their arrival.


    "Come in."


    After getting Netero''s permission, Thirteen, followed by Dixon and Payton, entered the room.


    "Well, well, well¡­ it seems that this meeting of ours is going to be more interesting than I initially expected," Netero said after ncing at Dixon and Payton, who were standing on Zion''s left and right sides.


    As a Champion, he was able to immediately sense that the two Tigerkins beside the boy were Champions as well.


    It didn''t matter if they hid their true rank because Netero could easily see through their attempt to downy their rank.


    Thirteen nced at the old man before he shifted his attention to the man seated beside Netero.


    "We meet again, boy," the City Lord of Gronar City, Arthas, smirked as he looked at the seven-year-old while holding a wine cup in his hands. "Netero said that you''d be meeting with him, and I thought that it would be more fun if I tagged along. It seems that he was right."


    Thirteen smiled because the person that he wanted to meet the most was here.


    While it was true that he wanted to talk to Netero, his true reason for talking to him was to ask the Old Man a favor.


    This favor was to let Thirteen have an appointment with the City Lord in order for the two of them to discuss something very important.


    Since Arthas was already here, it saved him the trouble of looking for the City Lord. He needed the former to be his backer, allowing him to move unhindered in the Barbarian Lands, where one of the pawns of their true enemies was currently making his moves in the dark.

 Chapter 196 Conquest Is All About Entertainment

    <h4>Chapter 196 Conquest Is All About Entertainment </h4>


    "Greetings, Lord Netero, Greeting Lord Arthas," Thirteen bowed respectfully to the two most influential people of Gronar City.


    "Good boy, now sit, and eat to your heart''s content," Netero replied. "Your¡­ subordinates can also join us as well."


    "Thank you, Lord Netero," Thirteen smiled and ordered Dixon and Payton to sit beside him and eat.


    The two Tigerkins stared at the two Champions in front of them as if assessing their strength.


    Netero was only at the Initial Stages of the Champion Rank, so for them, he wasn''t a problem.


    The only real threat was Arthas, who was at the peak of the Champion Rank.


    But, since they didn''te here to fight, they just did what Zion told them and started eating.


    "I thought that this is going to be a fun discussion, but it seems that you''re here for other matters," Neteromented after drinking some wine. "Norris told me that he will be returning to the Main Continent in three days'' time. Does his move have something to do with the topic that we are going t o discuss right now?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "But, I don''t think that this will be a good ce to discuss such things, Lord Netero. There are many ears listening to our conversation."


    "It''s that serious, huh?" Lord Netero yed with his beard for a bit before ncing at Arthas, who was eating beside him. "Is it important enough for him to hear of this as well?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes, Lord Netero."


    "Then, in that case, we should eat first," Arthas said after he finished chewing a chicken leg. "I don''t want to talk about serious matters on an empty stomach."


    Since the City Lord had already spoken, Thirteen no longer said anything and helped himself to the delicious food that had been served on the table.


    None of the men talked, and only ate at a leisurely pace. It was as if what they were about to talk about wasn''t that important.


    An hourter, their group left the Tavern and headed straight to the City Lord''s Residence.


    There, Arthas took them to his meeting room, where they could discuss important things without worrying about being overheard by others.


    "Start talking, boy," Arthas ordered. "This better be important, or else I''m throwing you in the ve Duels."


    Thirteen held the City Lord''s gaze before nodding his head in understanding.


    "First, let me tell you the reason why Sir Norris and his Merchant Group are leaving the Valbarra Archipgo," Thirteen stated. "It''s not because the war between the Tigerkins and the Barbarians is just a few months away from happening. It is because there is a threat that they deemed to be far more dangerous than the war between the two races."


    Lord Netero and Arthas both frowned because they didn''t understand what the boy was talking about. How could there be a greater threat than the war between the two Overlords of the Valbarra Archipgo?


    "First and foremost, although there have been skirmishes between the two sides, no one really wants to have an all-out-war with each other," Thirteen exined. "This only changed a few years ago when both sides started to seriously prepare for a war that would decide who would be the ultimate ruler of thesends.


    "But, what both sides were not aware of is that a Third Party has been fanning the mes from the outside, and is only waiting for both races to suffer countless casualties before they make their move.


    "The Mastermind behind this war understands that once the two factions have exhausted their strength, conquering the Valbarra Archipgo will be easier. This is the true motive behind this uing war."


    Lord Netero had an amused look on his face, while Arthas was clearly not believing Thirteen''s words.


    He had already expected this, and had made preparations beforehand.


    "During the past few weeks, I have been staying in the Sumatran Kingdom after I was captured by the Tigerkins, during our expedition in the Furvus Grasnds," Thirteen smiled bitterly. "There I met General Stark, and was forced to stay in their residence as a captive. Do you know who General Stark is, Lord Arthas?"


    "I know him," Arthas shrugged. "He is a General loved by his people."


    "Good, that will make things easier," Thirteen then pointed at Dixon, who was seated at his right side. "This is Sir Dixon. He is General Stark''s right-hand man, and the leader of the Scouting Party that captured me in the Furvus Grasnds."


    Lord Netero and Arthas narrowed their eyes as they looked at the Tigerkin, who looked back at them with a fearless gaze.


    "Due to some circumstances, we discovered the true Mastermind, who is manipting the war from the shadows. Because of that, I decided to act. What I did was burn the Granaries of Parania City, Dunn City, and Rosenda City.


    "I know that the only way to stop the Tigerkin Army from marching to the Barbarian Territory is to destroy their logistics, and ensure that they won''t have enough food supplies for arge-scale war.


    "To give you a better understanding of the scope of the damages that I did, these three cities are the cities where thergest granaries in the Sumatran Kingdom are located. Right now, they are busy dealing with the food shortages happening on their side, making everyone postpone any talks about the war for the time being."


    If earlier, Lord Netero and Arthas thought that this talk was just some random delusion of a seven-year-old, he had captured their attention now.


    "Can you confirm that what you told me is the truth?" Arthas inquired.


    "You do that yourself," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure that the Barbarians have spies in the Sumatran Kingdom. Since they''re already there, you guys will get this information any day now."


    Lord Netero and Arthas nced at each other. Truth be told, they were already aware that there was an incident that they were already aware that there was an incident that happened in the Tigerkins'' Lands because Netero was the one handling the exchange of information between their spies.


    The reason why they were also in the tavern earlier was to celebrate the suffering of the Tigerkins, and feeling good that their own war preparations were almost done.


    Since the Tigerkins were now crippled, there was a high chance that the Barbarians would be able to win if they struck first.


    "I''m sure that the Barbarians are now raring to start the war with the Tigerkins, but the fastest you can prepare for this campaign is a month''s time. By then, the Tigerkins will have already stabilized their situation.


    "Although they cannot take the initiative to wage war, they still have the advantage because they will be on the defensive. By the time you guys crossed the straight between the two inds, they will have already decimated a quarter of your forces before you were able to step foot in theirnds."


    Lord Netero and Arthas didn''t deny Thirteen''s words because they knew that this was a possibility.


    The first thing that the Tigerkins would do was to increase their watchers, facing the sea, allowing them to anticipate any raid from the Barbarians.


    "Now, I will tell you who the Mastermind behind this war is, and why thieves targeted your home after the auction ended." Thirteen eyed the City Lord with a solemn expression on his face. "The Third Party who is manipting this war is a Majin Prince named Arundel the Destroyer. Have you heard of him?"


    Lord Netero and Arthas both shook their heads at the same time.


    "It will be best if you ask Sir Norris about it," Thirteenmented. "Since he is from the Maind, he will know more than me. But, let me tell you this, what you will learn must not reach the ears of others because the moment he hears that someone found out about his n, he will not hesitate to stop ying games and strike immediately."


    Lord Netero started ying with his beard as he looked at the boy in front of him.


    "This is an amazing story, but I find it hard to believe such a tale." Lord Netero smiled. "Although I may not have heard about Arundel the Destroyer, I know what a Majin Prince is. Even if the Barbarians, Orcs, and the Tigerkins joined forces, fighting against such an existence is a hopeless battle.


    "In short, there is no need for him to do a roundabout way of conquering the Valbarra Archipgo, if he came here personally, both the Tigerkins and the Barbarians would submit to him. Although it is shameful, we will not fight a battle that can''t be won."


    Thirteen sighed before shaking his head.


    "You don''t understand Majin Princes, Lord Netero. There are two reasons why Arundel is not attacking you guys personally. The first one is entertainment. For Majin Princes, conquest is all about entertainment, and showing the other Majin Princes'' how resourceful and cunning they are.


    "They are very powerful beings in the first ce, and only those who have the same level of strength as them can fight them. A Majin Prince who is able to conquer an Empire, without personally making an appearance is proof of his strength and wisdom.


    "In short, this is their way of getting bragging rights among their peers. The second reason is because the Valbarra Continent has something that can potentially threaten him. That is also the reason why the thieves had tried to steal something from the City Lord because he is in possession of an artifact that can put all the Majin Prince''s nning to waste."


    Lord Netero nced at Arthas, and immediately saw the scowl that appeared on the City Lord''s face.


    "Yes, Lord Arthas." Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "The only thing that can threaten a Majin Prince is currently in your hands."

 Chapter 197 The Truth Is Waiting For You There

    <h4>Chapter 197 The Truth Is Waiting For You There</h4>


    Dixon and Payton, who were sitting beside Thirteen, looked at the boy with shocked expressions on their faces.


    Neither of them had been aware that the Third Party that was behind the war was actually a Majin Prince.


    Thirteen didn''t tell them anything, and the only reason why he didn''t mind sharing this information with them now was because they were already his ves.


    With a word from him, the two Champions wouldn''t be able to share this news with anyone, which would prevent the news from spreading.


    "Tell me, Lord Arthas, did the thieves manage to steal that artifact from your hands?" Thirteen asked.


    This was a very important question because depending on Arthas'' answer, he would have to adjust his ns ordingly.


    "Half," Arthas replied. "The thieves only stole half of it."


    "I see." Thirteen pondered. "Thank you for being honest with me. In exchange for telling me this information, allow me to tell you who theckey of Arundel is among the Barbarians. He is also the one responsible for stealing the artifact from your hands. His name is Gael Scar."


    "Impossible!" Arthas immediately interjected. "It can''t be him. He can''t be a traitor!"


    Thirteen shrugged because he didn''t really care whether Arthas believed him or not because he had a n to make the City Lord believe him.


    "Since you have the other half of the treasure, I''m sure that it will resonate once we get close to its other half," Thirteen said. "I n to visit Drada City to retrieve the other half of your artifact. If you want, you can join me. That is the only way for you to see, and confirm with your own eyes, whether I''m telling the truth or not.


    "But, since I don''t know what it looks like, can you let me see the other half of the Artifact? That will give me a clue for what to search for."


    Arthas pondered for a bit before taking out the medallion that he was wearing on his neck.


    He didn''t pass it over to Thirteen, and simply held it in his hands, forcing the boy to look at its design and memorize it.


    "¡­ A Pharus," Thirteen muttered. "I should have known¡­ now it makes perfect sense."


    The golden medallion that Arthas was holding had a single symbol in it which read "Fehu".


    It was an ancientnguage that meant wealth, abundance, and material gain.


    It looked like the letter "F", but the only difference was that the two horizontal lines connecting to the vertical line were nted upwards.


    "A Pharus?" Arthas'' eyes widened in shock. "How did you know that this is part of a Pharus?"


    Thirteen raised his hand to stop Arthas from saying anything because he had reached some kind of enlightenment, and he didn''t want to be disturbed, while he organized the information that was pouring inside his head.


    Arthas reigned in his emotions and waited for the boy to answer his question. Five minutester, Thirteen regained hisposure and looked at the City Lord with a grim look on his face.


    "City Lord, did you try to use theplete Pharus in the past?" Thirteen inquired. "Did you seed in activating it?"


    "Yes," Arthas answered, while looking at Zion with suspicion. "But, nothing happened."


    Thirteen patted his chest in relief because the worst case scenario didn''t happen. A Pharus could only be used once, so this meant that he still had a chance of activating it.


    "Listen to me, Lord Arthas, I now understand how we can defeat the Majin Prince," Thirteen said with conviction. "But, I need your help to retrieve the other half. It is of the utmost importance that we retrieve it before the war starts. Without it, we''re done for."


    Even as Thirteen spoke, various thoughts and ideas flowed inside his head, making him curse not only his Father, the System God, but Lace Demon, and The One as well for giving the Wanderers a mission that was nearly impossible toplete.


    He doubted that there was anyone who knew how to activate a Pharus among the Wanderers, which would ultimately cause their mission to fail.


    Thirteen didn''t know if this was just a coincidence, or his Father, the System God, sent him to the Valbarra Archipgo for this very reason.


    He didn''t want to believe that his Old Man had something bigger in mind, but as things stood, he could not think of any other reason why he spawned in the Houdini Desert, and met with the other Wanderers whose mission was to light the Beacon of Hope.


    Seeing that he was losing control over his emotions, Thirteen forcefully took a few deep breaths in order to calm himself down. Once he had regained hisposure, he gazed at the City Lord with an unyielding gaze.


    "Lord Arthas,e with me to Drada City," Thirteen met the City Lord''s gaze steadily. "The truth is waiting for you there."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Two hourster¡­


    Thirteen, Dixon, and Payton arrived back at the warehouse.


    The seven-year-old had ordered the two Champions to keep everything that they heard a secret from everyone.


    After making sure that the two understood how serious the situation was, he ordered Cristopher and Giga Chad to watch over the door of his room, to prevent anyone from entering.


    Although Cristopher and the Chad Skunk had no idea why they were given this order, they decided to obey and sat in front of the door of Zion''s room to act as guards.


    With the chubby boy and the chubby skunk guarding the door, Thirteen was certain that no one would disturb him.


    Taking a deep breath, Thirteen calmed his senses before speaking out a sentence.


    "I want to invoke Article 13 of the Contract."


    As soon as the boy said those words, the world around him suddenly lost all of its colors before it shattered into countless pieces.


    Thirteen found himself staring at the Celestial Realm, where a Giant Sun shone brightly above his head.


    The boy''s gaze thennded on the two most powerful beings that governed Solterra and Pangea, who had long been expecting his arrival.


    ¡ª--------------------

 Chapter 198 Thirteen’s Demands

    <h4>Chapter 198 Thirteen¡¯s Demands </h4>


    "We have been expecting you, Thirteen," Lace Demon said with a smile.


    "Mmm. You guys had me in the first round," Thirteen replied with a smile of his own, but it didn''t reach his eyes. "I knew something was off when I was suddenly sent to Solterra despite not being of age.


    "Even though my Old Man is a God, he still can''t possibly bypass thews of this world. Doing so would pose extreme harm to him because this world is not under his jurisdiction. The three of you are surely in cahoots with each other. Congrattions, you got me really good."


    "Oh, dear me~ I have no idea what you''re talking about, Thirteen." Lace Demon ced his hand over his head, looking hurt. "To think that you would use us of such wrongdoing. It breaks my heart to hear you think that way."


    "Oh, please~ can we stop this farce?" Thirteen sneered. "Since I''m already here, let''s get down to business. I already understand the big picture, and I know you guys are troubled because the Wanderers, who had been sent to the Valbarra Archipgo, have no chance ofpleting their mission.


    "Not to toot my own horn, but aside from me, I doubt that any of those first-timers have any idea about how they are supposed to light the Beacon of Hope. Let me guess¡ªmy Old Man told you that as long as you toss me there, the chances of those kids surviving will not be zero, right? Tsk. I will seriously demand heavypensation if I survive this cmity."


    Thirteen knew that Lace Demon and The One wouldn''te clean and would deny whatever he was going to say, so he didn''t n on continuing this topic any longer.


    Just thinking about it infuriated him, but then again, if he wasn''t sent to the Houdini Desert, then Cristopher, Rianna, Harry, and the other Wanderers would meet their doom once the Majin Prince arrived.


    The System God knew that Thirteen would at least try to save those who happened to cross his path, especially Cannon Fodders like Cristopher.


    It should also be for that same reason that the seven-year-old appeared exactly where Cristopher was going to arrive, allowing the chubby boy to meet the System of Cannon Fodders.


    "I''ll be frank¡ªmy current skill set will not be enough to beat a Majin Prince," Thirteen stated. "I need some modifications in the contract."


    As if waiting for that cue, Lace Demon snapped his finger, and a table and chair materialized in front of the boy.


    In the center of the table was the hundred-page contract that he had signed, which he nned to modify for this mission.


    "I will listen to your suggestions, but there is no guarantee that I will approve them," Lace Demon stated as he summoned another chair and sat in front of Thirteen with a grin.


    Thirteen clicked his tongue, knowing that the Lace Demon was a tough nut to crack, especially when it came to negotiations.


    "First and foremost, I need to add a few people and monsters to the list of those who can receive techniques from me," Thirteen demanded.


    "And they are?" Lace Demon asked, arching his eyebrow.


    "Cristopher, Tiona, Brutus, Bruno, Giga, cky, Rocky, and Hercules," Thirteen answered. "Also Anwir and Taiga. I will need their help as well."


    He wanted to add Hans to the list as well, but he knew that the Lace Demon would not allow it.


    At least, not yet.


    Lace Demon pondered and summoned a piece of paper, which materialized in front of him. He then took a pen from his coat and ced it over the piece of paper, which he pushed toward Thirteen.


    "List down the abilities you n to give them," Lace Demon ordered. "I believe you''re going to use Rune Magic to achieve that, yes? I''ll see if what you want to happen is possible. Especially for the Domini Mortis. It''s a special creature, so if you were nning to allow it to Rank Up, then I suggest that you scrap that idea. We will not allow it."


    "I know that already," Thirteen grumbled as he picked up the pen and pulled the piece of paper toward him. He started scribbling the abilities he wanted to impart to his subordinates.


    A few minutester, he handed the paper back to Lace Demon, and thetter scrutinized it.


    "¡­This is an interesting lineup of abilities." Lace Demon eyed the seven-year-old, who was looking back at him as if he owed him billions of gold coins. "Especially the ability you n to give Tiona. Predation? This basically means that even though she will stay as a Rank 1 Monster, she will gain abilities beyond her race and Rank."


    Thirteen shrugged. "I doubt it will be enough against a Majin Prince."


    Lace Demon narrowed his eyes because he clearly knew that Thirteen was going all-out to extort them due to his current situation.


    Aside from Tiona''s Predation Ability, all the other skills that the seven-year-old nned to give his subordinates were eptable.


    If a Domini Mortis was allowed to devour other monsters and absorb their skills, even if it were to stay a Rank 1 Monster forever, it would still be a very dangerous entity.


    "I''ll allow it, but there will be limitations," The One spoke before Lace Demon could even make a decision. "Tiona can only absorb ten abilities max. If you want to give her additional abilities once the limit is reached, you just need to override one of the abilities she already possesses to make way for the ability of your choice."


    Thirteen frowned, but in the end, he agreed to this condition. He was already prepared for the Predation ability he wanted for Tiona to be turned down, but fortunately, the Big Boss decided to give them the go signal.


    "One more thing, I need to bring some backup with me," Thirteen added. "I need my Gramps, Arthur Leventis, to appear in the Valbarra Archipgo."


    ""Rejected!""


    Lace Demon and The One didn''t even need to consider and outright rejected Thirteen''s proposal.


    "Although I don''t know how you will seed in this mission, I have a feeling that you n to use this opportunity to make your Grandpa jump to the rank of a Monarch by facing a Majin Prince, right?" Lace Demon scoffed. "Not under my watch."


    "Fine." Thirteen decided to take a step back and made another proposal. "But, I need Pops toe to Gronar City for me."


    The seven-year-old even wanted to bring his mother as well, but if he asked for that, no one would look after Shasha and Remi.


    So, he decided topromise and bring his Father as reinforcements.


    "Also, please give him the mission of Lighting the Beacon of Hope as well," Thirteen stated. "That way, if I''m going to kick the bucket, I''m going to bring him with me to the afterlife."


    The corner of Lace Demon''s lips twitched as he looked at the no-good son, who nned to bring Gerald to Gronar City.


    "Since having your Grandfathere here is impossible, you chose to bring your Father instead, huh?" Lace Demon rubbed his chin. "Also, you want him to get the quest lighting the Beacon of Hope. It seems that you n to make him a Champion instantly after clearing the mission, correct?"


    "Right." Thirteen nodded. "Originally, I wanted Gramps to jump from Throne to Monarch and make him owe me. But, since that''s not possible, I''d like to at least have my Father here to assist me. Let his reward be stepping into the Champion Rank."


    Gerald, who could no longere to Solterra due to the Assassin Organization, Death Wish, had reached a stagnation in his Rank.


    Someone wouldn''t rise in ranks just because they could absorb countless Jinn and Majin Cores. They had to finish a Ranking Up Mission, which would be given to them to proceed to the next stage.


    Fighting against a Majin Prince was enough for a Throne to jump to the Monarch Rank.


    Simrly, sessfully clearing the mission was more than enough for a Grandmaster to rank up to a Champion.


    Thirteen really wanted to bring his mother, Alessia, as well. That way, she and his father could be Champions at the same time.


    But he decided not to. There was a chance that they would fail in their mission, and if that happened, Shasha and Remi would be left without both parents.


    He didn''t want to take such a risk even though he believed that there was a chance to seed.


    "This is really bending the rules," the Lace Demon frowned. "This is truly unprecedented."


    "Well, you started it first by bringing me to Solterra. I''m sure that the moment I return to Pangea, everyone will panic because this is the first time that someone below the age of 13 has been sent to Solterra. Do you even understand the repercussions of your actions?"


    Lace Demon pretended to not hear Thirteen''sint and pondered if bringing Gerald to the Valbarra Archipgo was eptable.


    Thirteen had the "I will not take no for an answer" gaze, making his stance known.


    Finally, after several minutes of negotiation, the seven-year-old added one more condition, and that was allowing him to use Rune Magic to fight against the Majin Prince.


    Although reluctant, Lace Demon and The One agreed to his request because this was already part of the contract that Thirteen had signed long ago.


    It was part of Article 100, which stated that Thirteen was allowed to use Rune Magic when he was faced with the situation of fighting someone of the Monarch Rank and above.


    But this use also stated that this condition would only be approved if the Monarch or someone of Higher Rank was actively targeting Thirteen and his Family.


    It was a self-defense use that was included in the Original Contract.


    Thirteen was merely exercising his right to invoke the contract, but Lace Demon still added a few conditions.


    The condition was as follows: any items, regardless of shape, size, and form, which Thirteen would imbue with Rune Magic to fight against the Majin Prince would disappear once the threat was gone.


    These included the items that would be used to fight against the Prince''s subordinates.


    Thirteen agreed to the condition and signed the revised contract.


    A momentter, the Lace Demon grabbed the seven-year-


    old and temporarily took him back to Pangea, so he could briefly reunite with his family.

 Chapter 199 Calm your Tits, Pops

    <h4>Chapter 199 Calm your Tits, Pops</h4>


    Alessia sighed for the umpteenth time as she closed the book of Alchemy in her hand.


    It had been a few months since Zion had disappeared, and she was very worried about him.


    Although thetter had sent their family a letter through Lace Demon, as a mother, she still couldn''t help but feel worried about her seven-year-old, who should be home with them right now.


    Suddenly, Remi, who was initially sleeping on the couch beside her, raised her small head as if she had felt something in the distance.


    The four-year-old then walked toward the sliding door that led toward the backyard.


    Alessia followed her youngest with her gaze, but the moment she saw someone on the other side of the door, the book in her hand dropped to the floor.


    The sliding door opened wide, and Remi didn''t hesitate to wrap her arms around her big brother, whom she hadn''t seen for months, and then started crying her eyes out.


    "There, there. Don''t cry, Remi." Thirteen lovingly patted her sister''s head, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Why are you crying?"


    "Wuwuwuwu!" Remi continued to hug Thirteen. "Bwah-der!"


    Before Alessia knew it, she was already running toward her two children and wrapped her arms around them.


    Shasha, who suddenly heard Remi''s cry, rushed toward the Living Room from the Training Ground with her sword ready to strike.


    But the moment she saw Zion, she joined her mother and sister and hugged him as well.


    ''Girls are really loud¡­'' Thirteen mused as the three girls cried while hugging him.


    Thinking that her mother and sister were ying a game of who could cry the loudest, Remi increased the volume of her cry, making even Gerald, who was busy in the Forge,e running to her rescue.


    However, when he saw the reason why his girls were crying, Gerald joined them and hugged his son, who had suddenly returned to them.


    After a few minutes, Thirteen decided that enough was enough and asked everyone to back away.


    He was only given a short period of time to stay in Pangea, so he didn''t want to waste it by listening to his family''s cries.


    "Pops, I need your help," Thirteen said as he looked at his father.


    "You got it!" Gerald replied. "I don''t know what kind of help you need from me, but consider it done."


    "Um, I n to bring you with me to Solterra to fight against a Majin Prince." Thirteen blinked innocently.


    "Okay! No biggie. It''s just fighting a Majin Pri¡ª" Gerald paused, as if realizing something.


    Thinking that he only misheard his son, he decided to ask Zion to repeat what he said a while ago. "What?"


    "I n to bring you to Solterra to fight against a Majin Prince with me."


    "You unfilial brat! Do you want to kill me?!"


    Gerald smacked the head of his no-good son, making thetter rub his head in pain.


    Alessia and Remi, who didn''t approve of Gerald hurting Zion, immediately started pounding him with their closed fists!


    Only Shasha didn''t do anything to harm her father. Instead, she lightly rubbed Thirteen''s head, helping ease the pain he was feeling.


    Gerald, who was being wrongfully beaten by his wife and youngest daughter, raised his hands in surrender and asked his son about the details of his mission.


    After listening to everything, Gerald''s and Alessia''s faces turned grim because he didn''t expect that their son and the other Wanderers, who had been brought to the Valbarra Archipgo, would suffer such a fate.


    "Zion, how did you manage toe back here?" Gerald inquired. "Did Lace Demon help you again?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Hmm. I said that it''s impossible with just me alone and that I need some backup. I was nning to ask for Gramps, but Lace Demon and The One rejected me."


    Gerald and Alessia nced at each other before shaking their heads helplessly.


    They knew no one in Pangea could casually talk about the Lace Demon and The One as if they were people giving away brochures and flyers in the streets.


    "Zion, tell me. Is there a chance for us to win?" Gerald asked. "I will dly do everything in my power to help you, but fighting against a Majin Prince is way beyond my abilities."


    "Pops, I wouldn''t tell you toe with me if we had no chance of winning," Thirteen replied. "In fact, I even wanted to bring Mother with us, but I decided not to ask for it in the end. Someone needs to look after Shasha and Remi while we are away after all.


    "I''m not going to lie and say that it''s going to be easy, but right now, I need all the help I can get. Also, this is a good way to have you promoted to the Champion Rank. I''m sure that when you return to Solterra to face off against those Assassins from Death Wish, they will definitely suffer losses in your hands because they wouldn''t have known that you''ve already be a Champion."


    Thirteen then looked at his Mother and sisters with a calm expression on his face.


    "The ultimate goal is for all of us to reunite once again and eat at the same table," Thirteen said softly. "For that to happen, I n to work hard and survive regardless of the obstacles that I am facing. Right now, I''m faced with a tough opponent that even Monarchs will not be able to fight easily.


    "But as long as Pops is with me, there is still a chance of victory. Mother, Shasha, Remi, believe me when I say that no matter what happens, I''ll make sure to return Pops home safely."


    "How about you?" Alessia asked. "Aren''t you going to return after this mission ends?"


    Thirteen smiled bitterly before shaking his head. "I might have to stay in Solterra for a little longer. But, if I can survive a Majin Prince, I think no one in the world can threaten me anymore. So, you don''t have to worry, Mother. I will definitely return."


    Gerald held Alessia''s hand and gave it a light squeeze.


    "Alessia¡­"


    "I know. Make sure that Zion is safe."


    Gerald gave his wife a hug and a kiss on the cheeks before returning to the Smithy to grab some items that he would be taking with him to Solterra.


    A few minutester, he stood with his son in their backyard, where a small portal opened up to allow them to enter.


    "Pops will be back in three to five months, Mother," Thirteen said. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep him out of trouble for you."


    Alessia nodded and kissed Thirteen''s cheeks. Shasha and Remi did the same, making the seven-year-old''s chest feel warm.


    ''I guess this is what it means to have a family,'' Thirteen thought as he hugged his mother and two sisters goodbye.


    "Let''s go, Pops."


    "Let''s!"


    The two then entered the portal, sending them directly to Thirteen''s room in the warehouse.


    The moment they arrived, Gerald looked at his surroundings and almost jumped back when he saw a ck Snake looking up at him from the floor.


    Just as Gerald was about to attack Tiona, Thirteen stood in his way, making Gerald stop his attack mid-air.


    "Calm your tits, Pops," Thirteen stated. "Tiona is my Beast Companion. She''s not a threat."


    As if to prove that he was telling the truth, he picked the snake up from the floor and allowed her to coil around his neck like she usually did.


    "Tiona, this is my father, Gerald," Thirteen said. "Father, this is Tiona."


    The ck Snake hissed at Gerald as if greeting him.


    "Err¡­ nice to meet you too, Tiona," Gerald smiled stiffly because he had recognized what kind of breed the snake was.


    He had a lot of questions in his head, but he decided to wait for a proper time to ask them.


    For now, he just wanted to know his son''s general situation, so he could better understand what kind of ns he had to face off against a Majin Prince.

 Chapter 200 Breaking You Was Worth It

    <h4>Chapter 200 Breaking You Was Worth It </h4>


    "So, everyone, let me introduce to you my Pops," Thirteen said. "Gerald Leventis, the Patriarch of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family. He was studying some ruins, and before he knew it, he was teleported to my location.


    "I don''t know how it happened, but all I can say is that it''s a happy ident. With him by our side, we will be able to do many wonderful things!"


    Cristopher, Rianna, Harry, and the rest of the Wanderers blinked in surprise after hearing Thirteen''s exnation.


    It was truly surprising for the seven-year-old''s father to coincidentally appear where his son was.


    Although some were still in doubt, they had no choice but to ept Zion''s story. After all, they couldn''te up with a usible exnation as to how Gerald got teleported to their location.


    But, Gerald''s appearance wasn''t the only thing that surprised them. It was actually Zion''s announcement that his Father was the Patriarch of one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    As citizens of Pangea, it was impossible for them to not know who the Patriarch of the Leventis Family was.


    After all, there were only Five Monarch ns and Ten Prestigious Families.


    Everyone in the world of Pangea knew who the Patriarchs of these families were, so Zion''s statement made them all wonder if he was just joking with them.


    "Hello, I am the Patriarch of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family and Zion''s Father," Gerald dered with a devilish smile on his face. "Thank you for taking good care of my son. Now that I''m here, I''ll make sure that you kids get back home, especially you, Harry."


    Thirteen nodded in agreement. "That''s right. I still need to cash out my Attack Helicopter from the Remington Family for saving your life."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Even Gerald, who was feeling smug earlier, couldn''t help but pretend that he didn''t hear his son''s statement. He might be very close with Harry''s parents, but his skin wasn''t thick enough to ask them for something like an Attack Helicopter just because Zion saved their son''s life!


    Harry, on the other hand, wasn''t able to stop himself from lowering his head to avert his gaze.


    He had a feeling that if Zion were to appear in the Remington n''s Main Residence, his parents might have no choice but to ept his demand due to how pushy the seven-year-old was.


    "I know that you still have doubts, but my father really is the Patriarch of the Leventis Family." Thirteen raised his chin in arrogance. "My Grandfather, Arthur, even knelt and begged him to not make this knowledge known to the public. So, for the time being, please keep this a secret, okay? I don''t want my Gramps to lose face."


    "Well, although my Old Man is a good-for-nothing, I, as his son, still think of him as my family." Gerald smiled as if he was a very kind and benevolent person. "For this reason, I allowed him to call himself the Patriarch of the Leventis Family until Ziones of age.


    "After that, I will announce the news to the public that I am the new Patriarch of the Leventis Family. Until then, let''s all get along, okay?"


    What followed next was an awkward silence because none of the Wanderers seemed to know what to do.


    However, all of this was broken by the sound of someone pping, pulling everyone''s attention to the source of the sound.


    "As expected of Lord Gerald and Young Master Zion," Colbert said as he continued to p his hands. "It is my honor to meet the true Patriarch of the Leventis Family. I, Colbert Riggs, am lucky enough to be blessed by your presence."


    Gerald looked at the young man fondly and nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "I like you, kid," Geraldmented. "My son said that you are his left-hand man. I look forward to working with you from now on!"


    "Yes, My Lord!" Colbert ced his closed fist over his chest and bowed very low. "I am yours tomand."


    Thirteen gave Colbert a thumbs up in his heart.


    ''As expected of a First-Rate Bootlicker. Breaking you was worth it,'' Thirteen mused as he gave Colbert a faint smile.


    Cristopher, who suddenly felt as if the new guy was trying to usurp his position, felt threatened and wanted to also try his hand at bootlicking.


    But before he could do that, Giga Chad hugged him from behind and covered his lips, preventing him from saying anything.


    Thirteen understood what was going on in the chubby boy''s head, but he didn''t want Cristopher to copy Colbert''s way of doing things.


    As his right-hand man, he wouldn''t allow Cristopher to grovel and lower himself to such a level.


    Because of this, he gave Giga Chad instructions beforehand to stop Cristopher if the boy ever tried to imitate Colbert''s methods.


    The Trolls, Ogres, Tigerkins, Warsor ckhounds, Rocky, and Hercules were all standing behind the Wanderers, observing the man whom Zion introduced as his Father.


    They were paying close attention to him because if he was really their devilish Master''s Father, then they might share the same characteristics, which was making them feel anxious.


    Gerald, who had no idea what the others were thinking about, started his speech.


    "I heard the general situation from my son." Gerald crossed his arms over his chest. "And truth be told, this uing war will be extremely dangerous. However, do not fret. As long as you follow my son''s lead, everything will be fine.


    "I am not here to give you any orders. I''m only going to y the role of a supporter. The one whose orders you will take is Zion, and only Zion," Gerald dered. "As the man who raised him, I know that he is just as capable as I was when I was his age. So, all of you are in good hands."


    Zion, who had just been praised, also crossed his arms over his chest and made his own speech.


    "Although my father is a henpecked husband, I guarantee you that he is a very formidable person," Thirteen stated. "He will y a vital role in the uing war, so although he said that you''ll only be taking orders from me, I hope that you will assist him in any way that you can."


    Gerald, who was standing beside his son, fought the strong urge to smack his son''s head for calling him a henpecked husband in front of everyone.


    If not for the fact that the boy was acting as the suprememander of everyone gathered today, he would have already given him a good smacking!


    "Pffft!"


    Rianna couldn''t help but giggle after hearing Zion''s words. Her reaction somewhat eased the tense atmosphere, making the other Wanderers and ves breathe easy as well.


    "My Father is a cksmith, and he is proficient in creating Bronze, Silver, Gold, tinum, Mithril, and low-grade Adamantine Weapons and Armor," Thirteen scanned the faces of the people around them, highlighting his father''s importance. "His role is to arm all of us to the teeth because we will be participating in this war.


    "Of course, those who don''t wish to fight may stay on the sidelines. But you will not be idle and will be put in charge of the logistics. Your job will be making sure that we have enough supplies like food and ammunition for the war that will take ce in two to three months.


    "You will also be in charge of all the misceneous tasks needed to guarantee our victory. Remember, the bigger your role in this endeavor, the greater your reward will be when you rank up to Rookies."


    The Wanderers, who easily caught Thirteen''s meaning, all stood at attention.


    They had already forgotten that the rewards for clearing the mission would depend on the contribution that one had given to the cause.


    If the mission waspleted, and they didn''t do anything substantial, they would gain very small and mediocre rewards from The One, who governed all Wanderers in the world.


    This made all of them take Zion''s words seriously, which was what the seven-year-old was aiming for.


    "My father will be busy in the next few days, but feel free to write down your name and your preferred choice of weapon and armor that you would like him to craft," Thirteen said with a smile. "Making Peak-Bronze weapons and even Pseudo-Silver grade weapons is easy for him, so I guarantee that you will get the best weapons and armor at your disposal with your current Rank."


    "Of course, the priority is given to those who will be apanying us on expeditions. But, even those who are ying the supporting role will also get their own share. I just want to give all of you one order and one order only."


    Thirteen, who had now assumed fullmand of everyone, including Rianna''s Hunting Party, stared at all of them with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Don''t die," Thirteen ordered. "Your families, friends, and loved ones are all waiting for you back home."


    All the Wanderers'' eyes moistened after hearing Thirteen''s orders.


    Even though life in Solterra was hard, they still hadn''t given up on going back home to Pangea.


    Percival and the other Tigerkins clenched their fists because they, too, had people waiting for them back home.


    They had no ns on dying, and they would do everything in their power to survive.


    Seeing everyone''s current expression, a faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face.


    Although it would be difficult to save everyone, he would do his best to let the kids go back to Pangea and escape the Cmity that would befall the Valbarra Archipgo.

 Chapter 201 Want To Move House?

    <h4>Chapter 201 Want To Move House?</h4>


    "Are you sure about this, Adira?" Norris asked. "Are you really going to stay?"


    Adira nodded. "I have already made up my mind, Norris. My Master had given me an order to stick with the person who has gained the loyalty of the Domini Mortis. If he survives this Cmity, then our organization will greatly benefit from having a good rtionship with him."


    Seeing the strong determination in the Drow''s eyes, Norris no longer tried to convince her to return with him.


    "Understood. But prioritize yours and Zion''s safety," Norris stated. "I will leave a seaworthy vessel in one of the enves we discovered long ago. You can take Zion and anyone he wants out of this ce and sail back to the Main Continent. If things really be too dangerous, just knock him out and drag him away by force if you have to."


    Adira smirked because that was exactly what she was thinking.


    If things really got too dangerous, she would knock Zion out and drag him away by hook or by crook.


    "I will surrender the ownership of this ce to you, so feel free to do anything you want with it as you wish," Norris added. "This is bigger than Zion''s warehouse, and it also has more amenities. You can convince him to move his base of operations over here if you like."


    "That sounds lovely," Adiramented. "Since I''ll be left alone, I might as well do that to make every day interesting."


    Norris smiled faintly as he looked at the time on the pocket watch in his hand.


    "We''ll be leaving in three hours," Norris said. "I''ll just say goodbye to Zion before I go. Do you want toe with me?"


    Adira shrugged. "Might as well."


    A few minutester, the ve Master and the Drow arrived at the warehouse and immediately saw the flurry of activities everyone was busy with.


    It didn''t take long before they found Zion, who was currently talking to Cristopher about something important.


    "Hey, Zion!" Norris shouted. "I came here to say goodbye."


    The seven-year-old nced at the ve Master''s direction before patting Cristopher''s head.


    "Sir Norris, thank you for everything," Thirteen said as he walked toward the ve Master in order to shake his hand. "I wouldn''t have been able to do many things if it weren''t for your help."


    "Indeed." Norris nodded. "You drove me like a ve even though I was supposed to be the ve Master. You sure are bold, boy."


    Thirteen chuckled because he couldn''t refute the ve Master''s words. He had indeed worked Norris like a ve back in the Sumatran Kingdom, but he was the only one whom he could count on to enve the Tigerkins and make them subservient to their cause.


    "Can I ask a favor?" Thirteen grinned. "When you get back to the Maind, try to look for information about a teenage boy who goes by the name Mikhail Leventis. He is my brother, and he''s probably wandering all over the ce with a bunch of beautiful girls by his side."


    Norrisughed before patting the boy''s shoulder. "Damn you, little devil. Even as I leave, you still order me around."


    Even Adira, who was standing beside Norris, found this exchange quite amusing.


    "Be safe, Sir Norris," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "I guarantee you that we will meet again. And please, prepare the finest ves you can find. I will need some good ves once I arrive in the Main Continent."


    "Mmm, but no friend discounts, okay?" Norris smirked. "Also, no dragging me to conflicts involving you-know-what."


    Thirteen chuckled. "No promises!"


    The ve Master couldn''t help but shake his head helplessly, but deep inside, he really hoped that Zion would survive so that they could reunite in the Maind.


    Being around the boy was fun, and he wouldn''t mind going on a small adventure with him again in the future.


    "Here''s the thing, Zion," Adiramented after the two finished saying their goodbyes to each other. "The ve Market is transferred over to me. But, since everyone will be gone, only I will remain.


    "Norris here also made a proper smithy for you guys, and it has some leftover ore that can still be used. So, how about it? Want to move house? I''m sure that the amodation will be to your liking."


    Thirteen didn''t even need to think and immediately nodded his head.


    "Thank you for the offer, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "I''ll happily ept your offer."


    The Drow smiled sweetly because she knew that Thirteen would not pass up such an offer. Because of this, she decided to stay until they finished moving to the ve Market.


    After Thirteen announced that they would relocate their base of operations, everyone moved like a well-oiled machine and packed things properly.


    Since the Wanderers didn''t have many belongings, their preparations were done quickly.


    It was only Thirteen''s side that required a lot of heavy lifting.


    Fortunately, everyone worked together, speeding up the process.


    Three hourster, several wagons made their way to the ck Market.


    Since the ck Market spanned a wide area, with many structures and rooms ready to be upied, Thirteen made sure to get the best amodation for himself and his inner circle.


    Thirteen, Gerald, Cristopher, Colbert, Riana, Harry all got the best rooms, while Taiga and the others settled for the good rooms avable.


    Adira, who was introduced to Gerald by Thirteen, was surprised when she met the seven-year-old''s father.


    Just like everyone else, she doubted Zion''s exnation, but in the end, she had no choice but to ept it.


    Fortunately, Gerald had no ns of going anywhere aside from the smithy, where Bruno was assisting him as an apprentice cksmith.


    After receiving permission from The One, Thirteen nned to teach Bruno the Hammer for All Seasonster that night to increase the Ogre''s proficiency with smithing.


    Gerald was also surprised when his son told him that the Ogre would be his assistant. At first, he thought that the Ogre would just do some heavy lifting by bringing him ore to craft.


    However, this notionpletely disappeared when Bruno began pounding on a piece of heated metal and started to shape it into a crude shield.


    Seeing Bruno''s determination to learn, Gerald felt some sense of kinship with the Ogre and decided to teach him a few things that he learned along the way.


    A few hourster, just as Thirteen was aboutto enact his n to give his subordinates some Divine Techniques, someone arrived at ve Market and asked for him to meet them.


    Recognizing who hade, Thirteen immediately weed the knocking guests and invited Lord Netero and Arthas to his room to talk in private.


    Seeing that the City Lord of Gronar City hade to him personally, Thirteen believed that he had already made his decision about whether he would follow the boy to go to Drada City or not.

 Chapter 202 Please, Bestow This Technique Upon Me!

    <h4>Chapter 202 Please, Bestow This Technique Upon Me! </h4>


    "Before we start, I would like to ask you two questions," Arthas said as he gazed at the boy in front of him. "You said that the other half of my Medallion is in Drada City, correct?"


    "If my guess is right, then yes," Thirteen replied. "I could be wrong though, but that would mean that the other half of your medallion was taken somewhere else. But, if I were Gael, I would definitely keep it somewhere close to me to ensure its safety."


    "My second question. Do you know how to activate theplete medallion?"


    "Yes. But there are a lot of preparations that must be made beforehand. It will be our key to winning this war against the Majin Prince."


    Arthas nodded. "Fine. I''ll give you one chance to prove to me that you are telling the truth. I will go to Drada City with you."


    "I, too, will go," Neteromented. "I can''t believe Gael is behind such madness. I refuse to believe it until I see the proof with my own eyes."


    Thirteen eyed his two guests before sighing deeply.


    "Okay. We leave in two days time," Thirteen stated. "Something came up, so I need to make some preparations in advance. It will be best if we move in a small group. So, how about just the three of us going to Drada City? Having more will just attract suspicion to our group."


    "That''s fine with me." Arthas nodded.


    "Good. Then we meet here in two days. Make sure that both of you wear proper disguises."


    "Understood."


    After that brief discussion, Arthas and Netero both left to make their preparations.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, called Cristopher to his room and ordered Giga Chad and Brutus to guard the door.


    "Young Master, why did you call for me?" Cristopher asked with curiosity.


    "I called you here to give you a reminder and a gift," Thirteen replied. "Cristopher, I already said that you are my right-hand man. Don''t copy Colbert and turn into a bootlicker like him. There are things that only he can do, and things that only you can do.


    "So whatever happens, don''t be jealous of him. I trust you more than him. Also, I will never throw you away. Do you understand?"


    Thirteen was the System of Cannon Fodders, so he understood more than anything else that some conflicts and wars were caused by misunderstandings.


    Because of this, he wanted to be frank with Cristopher so that the chubby boy wouldn''t have to worry that he was about to be thrown away.


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied, feeling relieved that Thirteen had made their rtionship clear. "I''m sorry for being weak-hearted."


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied. "But, remember this. What I''m going to do next must be kept a secret from the others. I will make you inherit one of the peak Gold-Grade Techniques of our Leventis Family Main Branch. This will help you be stronger, so make sure to carry this knowledge to the grave."


    Cristopher was shocked after hearing that he would be given a peak Gold-Grade Martial Technique.


    All Gold-Grade Martial Techniques were the pinnacle techniques of the Human race. Having one was enough to ensure that a Family would be a powerhouse, which was why some families kept their techniques as a hidden treasure.


    "Young Master, this is very precious!" Cristopher''s face almost lost all color from both fright and excitement. "I can''t ept this!"


    "Oh? Then I guess I''ll just give it to Colbert then." Thirteen nodded.


    "Um, I change my mind, Young Master," Cristopher replied with a determined expression on his face. "Please, bestow this technique upon me!"


    Thirteen chuckled internally because he knew that using Colbert''s name would rile up Cristopher''s stubbornness.


    Right now, he didn''t trust Colbert enough to give him a Divine Technique, and what he told Cristopher just now was a mere bluff.


    After asking Cristopher to take his shirt off, Thirteen scribbled the runes on his body, using the marker pen that he took from his house when he returned to Pangea.


    Paven, who was the City Lord of Parania City, didn''t hesitate to give Zion all the Jinn and Beast Cores he could carry inside his storage ring.


    With the provided resources, he could impart his Divine Techniques to the people and monsters who would y a vital role in their fight against the Majin Prince.


    Thirteen nned to give Cristopher two Divine-Ranked Martial Techniques.


    The first one was the same skill he had, which was Cheap Shot Savant.


    He wanted Cristopher to not engage the enemy in closebat because he didn''t have any talent in it.


    Having this Martial Technique would ensure that the chubby boy would be able to hit his targets from a distance, keeping himself safe.


    The second Martial Technique was a Movement Technique called Triathlon Finisher.


    It may sound funny, but this is truly a Divine Martial Technique that was created in a world where racing was the most popr sport.


    This movement Technique only focused on three things, and that was running, swimming, and riding, as fast as possible.


    Just like the name implied, it covered three movement techniques in one!


    It would allow Cristopher to run very fast onnd, swim very fast in water, and empower his mount to run, fly, and swim faster.


    His original n was to give Cristopher the Road Runner Martial Technique, which would make him unmatched when it came to running onnd.


    With that Martial Technique, no one would be able to outrun Cristopher once he mastered it.


    But as the name suggested, the said Martial Technique had a limitation.


    It could only be used onnd, making it inflexible.


    With the Triathlon Finisher Movement Technique, all of Cristopher''s bases would be covered whether it bynd, sea, or air.


    The only downside was that its speed was only half of the Road Runner Martial Technique. However, Thirteen believed that it was more than enough to allow Cristopher to survive any danger that would target him.


    With these two techniques, he was certain that whoever Cristopher fought against would go mad with anger. Employing the hit-and-run tactic, he could strike his enemies from a distance, run away, then strike them again.


    It was truly a dastardly strategy, which would make his right-


    hand-man peerless in the future.


    It took Thirteen two hours to transfer the two techniques to Cristopher, leaving him drained afterward.


    Thirteen then slept for four hours, ate dinner, and proceeded to transfer a Divine Technique to Tiona.


    The reason why Lace Demon and The One hesitated to allow Thirteen to bestow this power to Tiona was due to her nature.


    The Divine Technique, Predation, would allow the Domini Mortis to learn one skill from another creature after she ate it.


    However, The One made a condition that Tiona would only be able to store 10 Skills at a time. If she wanted to add something else, she would have to dispose of a skill to make room for another.


    Thirteen was fine with this since he knew that adding more would be too much of a burden for the ck Snake, who would remain a Rank 1 Monster for life.


    However, he was confident that if she got the right set of skills, she would be a threat to anyone whose Ranks were higher than her.


    "Bear with it, Tiona," Thirteen said softly as he looked at the writhing snake, who was absorbing the power of Predation.


    Unlike the Martial Techniques that he bestowed upon his family and Cristopher, Predation required to change Tiona''s body to a cellr level, rearranging her gics so that she could cope with her new ability.


    Tiona hissed in difort as she endured the pain.


    She knew that her Master was doing this for her own good, so despite the pain, she persevered till the very end.


    An hourter, Thirteen carried the unconscious snake to the bed, allowing her to restfortably.


    Although Tiona''s eyes were open, she remained motionless, forgetting to even coil up like she usually did.


    "When you wake up, you will be the strongest Domini Mortis in the world," Thirteen muttered. "You will also y a crucial role in the defeat of the Diabolical Hyena."


    The seven-year-old was already nning to feed a portion of the Rank 6 Overlord to Tiona.


    As long as she gained one of its abilities, then they would profit greatly in their coboration with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, whom he nned to visit after his mission in Drada City was finished.


    "One step at a time," Thirteen said softly as heid beside the unconscious snake on the bed, lightly cing his hand over her body. "Good night, Tiona."


    Thirteen fell asleep immediately because he was truly exhausted from imparting Divine Abilities to his two loyal subordinates.


    Tomorrow, he nned to give Bruno the Hammer for All Seasons, and Taiga the skill, Golden Emperor.


    He would be leaving Gronar City with Arthas and Netero, so he nned to finish this task before he handled the traitor of the Barbarian Race.

 Chapter 203 We Just Arrived, And You’re Already Thinking About Eating?

    <h4>Chapter 203 We Just Arrived, And You''re Already Thinking About Eating?</h4>


    "So that''s Drada City," Thirteen muttered as he looked at the City, which was slightly bigger than Gronar City, from the carriage window.


    "Make sure to follow our lead, boy," Neteromented. "Don''t forget that the two of you are my servants and that I''m only here for a sight-seeing trip. As long as we stick to our identities, I''m sure no one will find out who we are."


    "Rx, Gramps," Thirteen replied casually. "Unlike you and Lord Arthas, I''m an expert in infiltration. I''m more worried about the two of you messing things up, you kno¡ªarghh!"


    The seven-year old ced both of his hands on his head because Netero smacked it with his walking stick.


    It was impossible for him to block a Champion''s strike with his current Rank, so the only thing he could do was grumble and curse the Old Man in front of him in his heart.


    Tiona hissed angrily at Netero for hurting her Master.


    If not for the fact that Netero could easily neutralize her whenever he wanted, she would have already lunged at him with her fangs, ready to kill.


    "Then tell me, Mr. Expert, how do you propose we handle this mission?" Arthas asked with a smug smile on his face. "Personally, I think sneaking inside his residence is the fastest method.


    "As long as Netero and I work together, we will be able to neutralize him right away. Isn''t that right, Old Man?"


    "If I were still young, perhaps," Netero replied. "But you shouldn''t underestimate Gael Scar very much. He wouldn''t have risen up the ranks to be a City Lord if he were mediocre."


    Arthas reluctantly nodded his head, knowing that what the old man said was true. All the City Lords of the Barbarian Cities were capable individuals who were personally chosen by the Barbarian King.


    This was why he couldn''t understand why Gael decided to coborate with a being who wished to conquer the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Thirteen, who had an idea of what Arthas was thinking, didn''t say anything and remained silent.


    He really didn''t care about Gael''s reason for coborating with the Majin Prince. After all, if he was in his ce, he might have done the same.


    That was how powerful and terrifying these Princes'' were.


    They stood at the Apex of the Majins, and they were even stronger than Monarchs.


    The only reason why they still hadn''t conquered the entire world was thanks to the Seven Celestials and the Seven Fiends who ruled several Domains in Solterra.


    The Majin Princes'' might be strong, but the fourteen Deities were even stronger.


    In fact, Arundel the Destroyer didn''t dare conquer the Valbarra Archipgo in the past because it held a symbolic meaning to one of the Seven Fiends, who went by the name Forneus.


    This fiend was a Sea Monster, whom the Seven Celestials and even its fellow Fiends didn''t want to antagonize.


    He was a hot-headed Deity who was easily triggered and wouldn''t hesitate to fight against other Deities if they were to annoy him.


    While he wasn''t as murderous and unhinged as the Fiend of Lawlessness, Belial, Forneus was still at the top list of Deities who shouldn''t be angered no matter what.


    So, why was Arundel eyeing the Valbarra Archipgo?


    The answer was simple.


    Forneus no longer cared for it.


    After helping the inders once in the past, it never bothered them again.


    Also, Arundel asked for the guidance of the Majin Princess, who went by the name Kamrusepa, asking if Forneus still had a lingering attachment to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    She was a Seer, so many Jinns and Majins sought her wisdom before making any moves.


    Ironically, Kamrusepa was also the ruler of one of thergest Human Kingdoms in Solterra.


    She was an entric Majin Princess who had learned to co-exist with the Humans, and she would only eat criminals to sate her hunger once a year.


    Because of this, her city was the most crime-free city in the world, allowing her people to live in peace.


    ording to her, Forneus no longer cared about the Valbarra Archipgo.


    As long as Arundel didn''t touch the Third Ind, which was considered a Holy ce, the Sea Monster wouldn''t bat an eye even if Arundel were to annihte all the Humans in the ind.


    After gaining this information, the Destroyerid out a n to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo without having to send his own people to conquer it.


    Just like Thirteen had mentioned, Majin Princes and Princesses thought of conquest as a form of entertainment.


    If they were able to conquer a territory without even lifting a finger, it meant that they were very cunning and capable individuals.


    This was also why the seven-year-old was confident that, as long as he was given enough time, he would be able to deal with the variables that might arise in the war.


    "Wee, guests," the Innkeeper of the Silent Hill Inn greeted with a smile. "How many rooms?"


    "Two rooms," Netero replied. "Make sure that one of the rooms has two beds for my servants."


    The Innkeeper nodded and fetched a key behind him.


    "Come this way, please," the Innkeeper led the three people to their rooms, which were located adjacently on the Third Floor of the inn.


    Netero chose the inn that was nearest the City Lord''s Residence, allowing them to observe it from a distance.


    After escorting them to their rooms, the Innkeeper left to tend to his duties.


    The three then gathered inside Netero''s room to discuss their next course of action.


    "Fortunately, they still have plenty of unupied rooms," Netero smiled. "We came at the right time."


    "You did well, Netero," Arthasmented. "This is indeed a good ce."


    Seeing that they were celebrating too early, Thirteen looked at the two Barbarians in disdain.


    If not for the fact that he had used the same trick in Karabor City to capture the Assassins, who were targeting the General''s wife and daughter, he wouldn''t have noticed the trivial things that he observed inside the inn.


    The boy then started scribbling something on a nk scroll using a piece of charcoal from his Dimensional Storage.


    Netero and Arthas wondered what Zion was doing.


    But after the boy finished writing, he pushed the scroll toward the two Barbarians, allowing them to read the message he had written.


    "I''ve heard that Drada City has many delicious dishes," Thirteen said with a smile. "Master, we should try some of these dishes while we''re here."


    Netero and Arthas nced at the list of foods that the seven-


    year-old wanted to eat.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    You made a mistake in choosing this ce as our temporary base, Old Man. This Inn is under the direct control of the City Lord. Anyone who books a room in it is ced under strict observation.


    If you don''t believe me, nce out of the window and check the inn right beside our room. You will see someone peeking from their window and paying close attention to us now.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Netero and Arthas, who was quick on the uptake, both chuckled and looked at the boy with smiles on their faces.


    "Zion, you''re such a glutton," Neteromented. "We just arrived, and you''re already thinking about eating?"


    "Very well. Let''s see if there are any restaurants around here," Arthas walked toward the window and nced at the street to check the surroundings.


    Of course, he made sure to extend his senses on the window facing their room, and he realized that there was indeed a person behind the window, who was concealed by a curtain.


    "You''re in luck, Zion," Arthas said before looking at the boy. "I found one good restaurant. Do you want to check it outter?"


    "Yes!" Thirteen nodded happily.


    "Fine." Netero sighed. "Let''s go eat first. Then we go sightseeing tomorrow."


    The three then left the inn to eat at a nearby restaurant.


    The two Barbarians didn''t know how Zion knew that they were being spied upon.


    But they silently sighed in relief. Thinking back, they didn''t say any unnecessary words earlier that might have made them suspicious in the eyes of the watchers who were paying close attention to them.


    When their meal ended, the three returned back to their rooms and made sure to close their windows.


    For now, the three of them decided to rest and not do anything suspicious.


    Anyway, they were a bit tired from their journey, so they spent the rest of the day sleeping.


    The upside to this was, when they wake up the next day, they would have the energy to do some exploring.

 Chapter 204 We Only Have One Chance

    <h4>Chapter 204 We Only Have One Chance </h4>


    Vassago looked at the City Lord''s Residence from the treetops and eyed the servants who were doing their duties with a dumb look on his face.


    Poca was doing the same, but she was situated on the opposite side of the residence.


    This allowed the two Pocopocos to cover more ground, making sure to memorize the names, faces, and voices of the people whom they saw that day.


    Since Thirteen, Arthas, and Netero were unable to move freely, it was up to the two birds to do the scouting for them.


    The only saving grace was that Netero had only booked the Inn for two days, so they were able to relocate to a different inn without arousing suspicion from their watchers.


    Two dayster, the three of them left and even thanked the Innkeeper for his hospitality.


    This time, Thirteen did the picking to ensure that they wouldn''t be subject to anyone spying on them.


    The inn that the seven-year-old chose was called Colorful Autumn Wind, which was located at the city center.


    Due to the younger boy''s suggestion, Netero booked the biggest room, allowing the three of them to stay in the same room.


    They had already wasted two days, so they decided to make up for it by starting to formte a n to infiltrate the City Lord''s residence.


    But ording to Thirteen, infiltration was nigh impossible.


    Unlike Paven, Gael was a truly meticulous man.


    He had employed five Champions to guard his residence, making it a challenge for Arthas and Netero to slip past their defenses.


    But that didn''t mean that they had no options.


    Compared to the two Barbarians, Thirteen took this infiltration mission more seriously.


    Aside from Vassago and Poca, he also brought another helper with them.


    Rocky, hidden deep underground and only waiting for Tiona''s order to resurface, was in Drada City as well.


    In fact, the Rocky Bal-Boa was currently hiding under the Colorful Autumn Wind Inn.


    The younger boy had given Rocky two Divine Abilities, and they were Silent Digger and Mobile Stronghold.


    The Silent Digger ability allowed Rocky to dig on the ground undetected by Champions and, to a certain extent, by Thrones as well.


    It was a powerful stealth ability that only worked underground. It was used by one of his previous hosts, who was both a Grave Robber and a Treasure Hunter.


    Mobile Stronghold, on the other hand, allowed Rocky to swallow up to fifty creatures and carry them inside his body wherever he went.


    In short, Rocky became a storage ring of sorts that allowed living objects to be stored inside his body.


    The funny thing was that the creatures he had swallowed would find themselves in a fertilend with fruit bearing trees and a smallke, where they could fish and draw water.


    There were even twenty cottages inside, which could be used as amodations.


    Rocky was the perfect monster for these two abilities, allowing Thirteen to travel undetected underground.


    This was hisst resort if things went South.


    Although he believed that he had a chance of allowing the Wanderers to clear their mission and return to Pangea, his defeat against the System God made him more cautious.


    Also, even if the Beacon of Hope was lit, he would still remain in Solterra, so having the Rocky Bal-Boa as a mobile fortress was a game changer for him.


    "I''ve got some good news," Thirteen said with a smile. "A tournament will be held two days from now, and the City Lord will be there to personally preside over it. It is the perfect opportunity to infiltrate his residence because some of those Champions will apany him as his guards.


    "However, we only have one chance, so we cannot fail in this mission. So, I propose that I be the temporary leader of this operation. As long as both of you cooperate with me, I am confident that we will be able to aplish our goals, and leave this ce undetected."


    Arthas and Netero nced at each other before nodding their heads in agreement.


    Truth be told, they came to Drada City without any ns. They thought that they could easily infiltrate Gael''s Residence and neutralize him because both of them were Champions.


    The City Lord was only of the Grandmaster Rank, so they were confident that they could handle him easily.


    They didn''t expect him to have five Champions guarding him, which came as a surprise to Arthas and Netero.


    It didn''t take long for Arthas to realize that these five Champions might be the same Champions that had infiltrated his residence, and stolen things from his treasury.


    Thirteen''s goal for bringing Arthas and Netero to Drada City was to convince the two of them that everything he said back in Gronar City was the truth.


    As long as they found evidence of Gael''s betrayal, the younger boy would gain two allies, which would help him operate in the Barbarian Lands.


    "We still have two days, so we should explore the city and have fun," Thirteen said. "I believe that we are still being held under suspicion, so I want the three of us to act as tourists."


    "Will we find evidence by acting as tourists?" Arthas arched an eyebrow.


    "We won''t." Thirteen shook his head. "But, Tiona will."


    The seven-year-old then rubbed the head of the ck Snake that was coiled around his neck with his finger.


    "She will handle the rest," Thirteen said. "All we need to do is keep a low profile."


    Before leaving Gronar City, the boy fed the ck Snake a few Beast Cores, which allowed her to gain some new abilities.


    Of course, since the abilities that she could gain werepletely random, it was a hit and miss.


    However, it didn''t matter because he had plenty of Cores at his disposal, allowing him to gear Tiona for this mission perfectly.


    He had calcted the risks involved, and he would never allow the ck Snake to get hurt no matter what.


    She was his Beast Companion, and he cared for her, just as much as he cared for his Family and Cristopher.


    That night, Tiona dug underground and crawled towards the direction of the City Lord''s Residence, while being apanied by Rocky.


    Their mission was to find any hidden underground basements, or ces, where an Altar could be ced.


    After seeing the Altar in Paven''s Residence, Tiona could detect simr artifacts, as long as she was within its range.


    Her Master had also amplified her detection abilities, extending its range.


    With this, she would be able to remain hidden underground, without the need to risk her life in trying to find the location of the Altar, where Gael was using tomunicate with Arundel the Destroyer.

 Chapter 205 Unwilling Pawns In A Chess Game

    <h4>Chapter 205 Unwilling Pawns In A Chess Game</h4>


    Tiona had a good memory, so she was able to pinpoint the exact location of the City Lord''s Residence even if she was digging under the ground alongside Rocky.


    The Rocky Bal-Boa was there to help protect her just in case something went south.


    It was still a Rank 5 Monster known for its toughness, so escaping with Tiona was not a problem.


    If the Champions really wanted to run after it, they would have to have a powerful digging ability that could outrun it in its own environment.


    "Remember Tiona, no matter what happens, don''t enter the Residence. Just try to find if there is anything suspicious from a safe distance. Prioritize safety above all."


    That was the reminder that Thirteen told the ck Snake before she left to do her mission.


    Because of this, she remained at a safe distance and merely extended her senses to get a better understanding of theyout of the residence.


    Before leaving on this mission, Thirteen had given Tiona several Cores, giving her a different set of abilities.


    The first one was Detection Awareness.


    This allowed Tiona to instantly sense if someone had detected her presence, allowing her to escape as fast as she could.


    The second one was Rarity Detection.


    This was a power that could be used to detect precious gems, ores, and artifacts within a fifty-meter-radius around her.


    Tiona had been in the presence of the Altar in Pavan''s hidden basement, so she was now familiar with the sensation of being near the round mirror that Paven used tomunicate with the Majin Prince.


    The third skill that she possessed was Enhanced Awareness. This ability amplified the power of her detection abilities, further expanding their range.


    Since Tiona could naturally pinpoint the location of both the living and the dead, she was able to sense the life force of the people inside the residence.


    Although she didn''t know who these people were, she could tell their Rank due to the brightness and intensity of the aura that surrounded their bodies.


    Tiona''s fourth skill was a very rare skill that she luckily gained after eating an extremely rare Rank 6 Beast Core in Paven''s collection.


    Originally, Thirteen had wanted to use it as an ingredient for a weapon. But, since he was unable to wield anything above the Bronze Rank, he decided to try his luck and let Tiona absorb it.


    The result was an incredible skill that allowed Tiona to basically infiltrate anywhere, passing through concrete and steel walls with ease.


    The skill was called Unblocked Passage, which belonged to an Ethereal Monster that could pass through walls and other physical barriers like a ghost.


    Unfortunately, that Rank 6 Monster was weak against any type of elemental skill or abilities. So although it could escape easily, it was still killed in the end by a powerful warrior of the Tigerkin.


    Her fifth skill was called Hyper Reflexes. Just as the name implied, Tiona''s reflexes had a significant increase, allowing her to react in time and perform the necessary movements within her capabilities.


    The sixth skill in her arsenal was Increased Speed, doubling her movement speed in any terrain.


    Her seventh skill was called Vulture''s Eye, which increased the range of her vision.


    The eight skill was Voracious Flesh Eater. When activated, it gave Tiona a set of razor sharp teeth, allowing her to chew on flesh, which was something that snakes didn''t do.


    Just like all the snakes in the world, they only devoured their prey whole, and did not chew them like Humans and other animals.


    Thirteen had stumbled upon this interesting ability, and decided to let Tiona keep it.


    Since she had the Predation Ability, the seven-year-old thought that perhaps she could learn new abilities by eating a monster''s flesh, instead of its core.


    Due to time restriction, he was still not able to test out this skill of hers. But, even if it didn''t work the way he envisioned it to be, it was still a good skill, which had many uses.


    Her ninth skill was called, Harden.


    This doubled the hardness of her body, which was very useful when she transformed her body into steel, making it twice as hard, granting increased protection.


    If Tiona lived long enough and was able to transform her body into Adamantine, perhaps no weapon in the world would be able to cut her down so easily.


    Thest and final skill that Tiona possessed was Blink.


    This skill allowed her to instantly teleport five meters away from her original location.


    Although she couldn''t use it consecutive times, she would be able to use it once every two minutes, making it a very important means of escape, if ever she needed to run, or dodge an attack aimed in her direction.


    All in all, Thirteen used over a hundred and fifty cores to get Tiona''s current skill set.


    It was a staggering number of resources that the seven-year-


    old wouldn''t have freely used if not for the fact that he got them all from Paven''s collection.


    He still had dozens of Cores with him, but he nned to use them for his Rune Magic, so he was forced to stop after his stockpile dwindled to the double digits.


    Even so, he didn''t regret his decision because, for him, Tiona''s safety was of the utmost importance.


    Armed with these skills, Tiona confidently did her mission and surveyed the entire residence,


    She made sure to stay out of the detection range of the Champions that were guarding the residence.


    Since she was deep underground, the Champions weren''t able to sense her because they were focusing their detection around them, and not under them.


    After half an hour, Tiona found an object of interest, but it wasn''t located inside the residence.


    No. It was actually an underground passage, which she believed to be used as an escape route that the City Lord could use in case something unexpected happened.


    This passage was long, and spanned for three hundred meters, deep inside the mountain.


    Drada City was built on the base of a mountain, and the City Lord''s Residence was right under it, making it an ideal hiding ce to conduct things that mustn''t be seen by the public.


    Tiona, and Rocky followed this path until they reached its end.


    Sensing that there was no no life force in the surroundings, Tiona took a gamble and poked her head out of the ground to see everything clearly.


    After ncing at her surroundings for a few seconds, Tiona didn''t hesitate to retreat in order to report to her Master about her findings.


    Just like Thirteen had predicted, there was indeed an altar, which Gael used tomunicate with the Majin Prince.


    Armed with this knowledge, they would be able to investigate while the City Lord was away, and look for the other half of Arthas'' medallion.


    Thirteen believed that if the two parts were merged together, it would be the Beacon of Hope.


    This was the key to defeating the Majin Prince, who was unaware that a little brat had appeared to mess up his ns for conquest.


    But, the boy knew that having the key was not enough to overturn the situation.


    He would need to set a trap for Arundel, and for that to happen, he would need the cooperation of the Barbarians and the Tigerkins.


    Two races who weren''t aware that they had be the unwilling pawns in a chess game between the Majin Prince, and a seven-year-old, who was once the System of Cannon Fodders.

 Chapter 206 Don’t Touch Anything

    <h4>Chapter 206 ? Don¡¯t Touch Anything </h4>


    Two dayster, Gael and three of the Champion Bodyguards under hismand headed toward the Arena, where he would preside over the duels on that day.


    Vassago and Poca, who were paying close attention to the City Lord''s movements, watched him from the rooftop of the houses, making sure that he wouldn''t deviate from his destination.


    Only after seeing the City Lord finally enter the Dueling Arena did they fly away, moving toward a narrow alley where Thirteen, Arthas, and Netero were waiting for them.


    Vassago made a chirping sound, informing Thirteen that their target had finally arrived at the Arena.


    Thirteen chirped back, thanking the two Pocopocos, and ordered them to continue their surveince.


    A secondter, the seven-year-old ordered Tiona to call out to Rocky, who was hiding in the ground beneath their feet.


    The moment Tiona gave the order, the head of the Rocky Bal-boa poked out of the ground and swallowed the seven-year-old whole.


    Arthas and Netero didn''t make any moves and allowed themselves to be swallowed by Rocky as well.


    This wasn''t the first time that they had been devoured by the Rocky Bal-Boa. In order to assure them that everything was under his control, Thirteen demonstrated Rocky''s ability, which surprised the two Champions.


    At the time, they even thought that all Rocky Bal-Boas had this ability. Knowing their thoughts, Thirteen told them that this wasn''t the case, and Rocky was only able to do this because he was a mutant variant of his species.


    Although Arthas and Netero were doubting whether the child was telling the truth or not, they had no choice but to trust the boy, who was waiting for them inside the dimension inside Rocky''s stomach.


    "I still can''t believe that something like this exists," Netero sighed. "Hey, can you sell me Rocky? I promise to give you a good prize for him."


    "He''s not for sale, Lord Netero," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "We''ve already talked about this before. No matter how many times you ask me, the answer will remain the same."


    "Fine, fine. I''ll give up¡­ for now."


    "Tsk!"


    The corner of Arthas'' lips curled up into a smile as he listened to the banter between the two.


    The more he interacted with the seven-year-old, the more he understood that he couldn''t underestimate him.


    Aside from having a Domini Mortis as his Beast Companion, he was also very smart for his age.


    Not only that, but he was also full of surprises, making him hope that there wouldn''te a time when the two of them would be enemies.


    Several minutester, Rocky informed Tiona that they were nearing their destination.


    The ck Snake passed this information to her Master, who passed it to Arthas and Netero.


    "Remember this very important thing before we emerge from Rocky''s mouth," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "No matter what happens, don''t touch anything! Whatever treasures or artifacts you see, keep your hands away from them unless I verify that they aren''t dangerous.


    "One mistake, and we could be discovered, so it will be best if we take things in order. This is especially true for your Lord Arthas. If we see the other half of your amulet, don''t snatch it right away.


    "I wouldn''t put it past Gael to put some kind of spell on it that will alert him if it was taken away from its hiding ce."


    Arthas nodded in understanding. "Very well. But, I am not leaving unless I get it. I want to make that clear."


    "That''s why we''re here, right?" Thirteen shrugged. "Once you confirm that the Majin Prince is real, I need you to put your trust in me.


    "In the future, I will need your amulet because it is the key to beat the Majin Prince. I hope that you will trust me enough to give it to me for safekeeping when that happens."


    Arthas nodded for the second time. "As long as you can prove to me that you''re not just making things up, I will assist you in any way that I can."


    "I also promise to help you, on the condition that you are telling us the truth," Neteromented. "If you''re just lying to us, I''ll take this Rocky Bal-Boa aspensation for our trouble."


    Thirteen didn''t even bother to answer Netero''s subtle threat and simply asked the two Champions to prepare to get ejected from Rocky''s body.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere inside the Mountain¡­


    Rocky swam under the ground like fish in the water.


    His destination was none other than the spacious cavern which he and Tiona had discovered during their scouting mission.


    After making sure that no one was inside the cavern, the Rocky Bal-Boa emerged from the ground and spat out the three people inside his body.


    The three immediately nced around their surroundings and were amazed by what they were seeing.


    "I didn''t think that Gael had this side to him," Netero said before whistling. "Who would have thought that this ce would be filled with treasures."


    There were countless weapons, sets of armor, and artifacts, as well as other rare items, neatly arranged within the cavern.


    Judging by how everything was set up, Thirteen confirmed that they were dealing with a man with a good head on his shoulders.


    "Remember what I said earlier, okay?" Thirteen stated. "Don''t touch anything."


    The seven-year-old then pointed to what seemed to be avishly designed table with a round mirror perched on top of it.


    Several misceneous artifacts had been ced on top of the table, which Thirteen believed to be the power source that allowed Arundel tomunicate with Gael over long distances.


    Arthas, who was eyeing the table as well, suddenly saw something lying near the round mirror, prompting him to move toward its location.


    Thirteen hurriedly followed behind the Barbarian to ensure that he wouldn''t really snatch the amulet, which he believed to have been tampered with by Gael, to warn the City Lord if someone were to touch or steal it.


    "There''s no doubt about it," Arthas said softly as he took out the other half of the amulet that hung on his neck. "It is the other half of my amulet."


    At that exact moment, both pieces of the amulet glowed faintly, making Thirteen frown.


    The next second, the other artifacts on top of the table shone as well, giving the seven-year-old a very bad feeling in his gut.

 Chapter 207 The End Of The World Is Only A Moment Away

    <h4>Chapter 207 The End Of The World Is Only A Moment Away</h4>


    Somewhere in the Main Continent of Solterra¡­


    Arundel sat on his throne with his head resting over the palm of his hand.


    Suddenly, the gem on the ring of his hand glowed faintly, making him arch an eyebrow.


    The Majin Prince then snapped his fingers, summoning a round mirror that was over two meters tall.


    He stared at it, keeping the samezy pose he currently had, and waited until the connection stabilizedpletely.


    A momentter, an underground cavern appeared in the mirror, making him smile.


    "Well, then, Paven. Do you have something to report to me?" Arundel asked. "Are the Tigerkins perhaps ready to go to war?"


    "Not yet, Your Excellency," Paven replied before lowering his head respectfully. "An ident urred, and the Granaries in three Major Cities were set aze by unknown individuals. I believe that this was done by a Barbarian Raiding Party who had managed to infiltrate deep within the Sumatran Kingdom.


    "Due to this unexpected event, the King is forcing us to prioritize this incident over the war preparations. However, do not fret. Although this is indeed a setback, I will use this incident as propaganda to incite the Tigerkins to wage war on the Barbarians."


    Arundel snorted. "My patience is limited, Paven. You promised me that the war would start in a month. Yet, because of this incident, the war will be pushed back again. I''m very disappointed in you. If you were only as capable as Gael, things would have been over by the next full moon."


    "Forgive me, Your Excellency. This servant is truly ipetent," Paven bowed repeatedly. "Although it will be difficult, I''ll do my best to start the war within two months. This, I swear!"


    Arundel clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Two months, Paven. If you are unable to start the war within two months, I will start it myself."


    "Yes! Leave it to me, Your Excellency!" Paven pressed his fist over his chest and bowed deeply to the Majin Prince, making thetter nod.


    When the Tigerkin could no longer be seen in the mirror, Arundel clicked his tongue for the second time.


    "I can''t wait any longer. The Ostara is almost here," Arundel waved his hand, and the scenery around him changed.


    The Majin Prince arrived on a different ne of existence, where other powerhouses like him gathered to hold a conference.


    There were thirteen thrones ced around a round table, representing the Seat of Power for each Prince and Princess part of the Order of the Apocalypse.


    While they didn''t consider each other close friends, they did not treat each other as rivals either.


    Only those who had the power could snatch one of the thrones in their Order, and the only way to prove their strength was by killing one of their members.


    The moment they died, the Token imbued in their body, which was proof of their membership in the Order of the Apocalypse, would be transferred to the person who defeated them.


    This had been a rule of their Order since it was first created, and among them, only six Majins had managed to keep their position until now.


    The rest had been reced by others, and Arundel was one of its newest members.


    Because of this, he wanted to prove that he was a verypetent member of their exclusive group, whose goal was to challenge the Deities and finally bring Solterra under their rule.


    "Arundel, the Spring Equinox is almost upon us, and you promised to annex the Domain of that wretched Sea Monster, Forneus, before Ostara is over," a Giant Demi-human Red Bat, which was at least three-meters tall, said in a mischievous tone. "You were so confident when you made that deration, so I thought that it was already a done deal."


    "The Spring Equinox is still three months away, Camazotz," Arundel replied calmly. "I have more than enough time to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo."


    "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Rookie." Cmazotz smirked. "If you need help, don''t hesitate to ask. I''ll only take half of the Valbarra Archipgo as payment."


    Arundel didn''t even bother to reply and simply shifted his attention to the Majin Princess, who was looking at the countless stars in the sky.


    Her hands moved in graceful patterns in front of her as she used the heavens as her own personal Astral Chart, trying to discern what the future held.


    She was none other than Kamrusepa, the Majin Princess of Prophecy, who sat in the Tenth Seat of the order.


    It was her whom Arundel asked to prophesy whether Forneus, the Sea Serpent and one of the Seven Fiends, woulde to the aid of the people of the Valbarra Archipgo if he were to conquer it.


    Kamrusepa had answered her that Forneus wouldn''te, which gave Arundel the confidence to set his sights on thends in the distant sea.


    "Hey, Kamrusepa. Do you think Arundel will seed or not?" Camazotz asked. "Why don''t you check the stars, and see the oue of his farce."


    "No," Kamrusepa answered without even ncing at the Giant Bat, whom they called Camazotz the Untamed, his titleing from the fact that he did whatever he wanted without care for the consequences.


    "A, you''re no fun." Camazotz chuckled. "Do you perhaps find knowing the oue boring?"


    "No," Kamrusepa replied. "Whether he seeds or not is of no importance to me."


    Unlike the other Djinns and Majins, Kamrusepa disliked conflicts.


    However, she was still interested to see the end of the world, which was why she had a seat in the Order of the Apocalypse.


    She was one of the Thirteen Original Founders of the Order, but now, only six of them remained.


    The others had already been defeated by Arundel, Camazotz, and the other new members who were now part of their order.


    The Order of the Apocalypse only has one motto.


    "The end of the world is only a moment away."


    They, who had the power to destroy, as well as rule were at the apex; second only to the Deities, whom they didn''t dare to offend at this point in time.


    However, that didn''t stop them from eyeing the other worlds, where the Dimensional Gates opened from time to time.


    There, they would send their minions, as well as trusted servants, to create a stronghold for them.


    Kamrusepa was well respected and recognized in the group because she had already made a foothold on the world called Pangea.


    Her second-inmand had long conquered the Continent of Antares, which was located on the Northern side of Pangea.


    Camazotz had already set things in motion and was targeting the Continent of Cygni, which was located on the Western side of the World.


    Arundel and him were the two Rookies of the Order of the Apocalypse.


    But Camazotz dared what Arundel didn''t, and that was to set his sights on the world of the Wanderers, whom the hateful Lace Demon had chosen to fight against them.


    "Don''t forget our bet, Arundel," Camazotz snickered. "If you fail to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo within the promised time, I''ll be getting the wager that is in Kamrusepa''s safekeeping."


    "Sure," Arundel sneered. "And if I win, I''ll be getting the Arcana that you promised."


    "Heh~ talk after you win the bet, Rookie."


    "Look who''s talking. You only became a member two months before me."


    "Since you''re thest to be a member, then you are the Rookie," Camazotz shrugged. "Well, then. I''ll go now. There''s still a Continent waiting for me to conquer."


    After saying those words, the Giant Red Bat turned into countless red bats that flew toward the center of the table before disappearingpletely.


    There were only two people left in the conference room, and yet, neither of them spoke to the other and simply waited for the other members to appear before them.

 Chapter 208 May The Fortune Of War Shine Upon You

    <h4>Chapter 208 May The Fortune Of War Shine Upon You </h4>


    When the artifacts on the altar started glowing, the first thing Arthas did was grab Thirteen and Netero and drag them to run away as fast as they could.


    But the City Lord had only managed to grab hold of the two of them when he found himself locked in ce.


    It was as if some kind of enchantment was ced on the Altar, preventing anyone from going in and out of it after it was activated.


    Because of this, the three could only helplessly stare at the Round Mirror, waiting for what was about toe. The mirror''s surface rippled before showing a face that almost gave the three people a heart attack.


    "Zion, is that you?" Paven blinked in surprise after seeing that his coborator was on the other side of the mirror, looking back at him with a dumbfounded look on his face. "What are you doing there?"


    "P-Paven?" Thirteen looked at the Tigerkin in disbelief because he never expected that the one who would appear before them was the City Lord of Parania City instead of the Majin Prince.


    "Yes, it''s me," Paven said before smiling. "My meeting with Arundel had just ended a while ago. But the round mirror suddenly activated a second time. I thought that he still had something to say to me, so I waited until the connection was established. This is indeed a pleasant surprise."


    Thirteen patted his chest in relief because the worst-case scenario didn''t happen, and he looked at Paven with great interest.


    "This saves me the trouble of contacting you," Thirteen stated. "You said that you just finished talking to Arundel. What did the two of you talk about?"


    Paven''s expression turned solemn after hearing Zion''s question. After taking a deep breath, he recounted everything they talked about, making Arthas and Netero frown.


    "So we only have two months." Thirteen''s face turned grim after hearing Paven''s report. "Did you, by any chance, feel that Arundel would personally make a move during your discussion?"


    "Although he didn''t say it explicitly and only gave me an ultimatum, I believe that he will personally make his move in two months," Paven replied. "He had the look of someone who would personally solve a problem in order to meet a deadline.


    "I can say with confidence that even if the Tigerkins and the Barbarians don''t go to war in two months, Arundel and his army will march to the Valbarra Archipgo."


    Thirteen clicked his tongue. Two months was not enough to convince the Barbarian King and the Tigerkin King to work together and fight against amon enemy.


    For the first time, Thirteen felt that he didn''t have any means to make it happen. The only method he could think of was to kidnap the Barbarian King and the Tigerkin King and convince them at gunpoint.


    But he was just a seven-year-old, and the two people whom he must kidnap were as strong as his Grandfather, Arthur, who was a Throne.


    "Sh*t," Thirteen cursed before shaking his head helplessly.


    He thought that he would be able to dy the war for three months, giving him enough time to worm his way toward the upper ranks of the Nobility and gain a private audience with the Barbarian King.


    Thirteen wasn''t too worried about the Tigerkin King because on that side, he had General Stark, Brie, Anwir, Paven, and Brigham.


    These people already had a high enough standing in the Sumatran Kingdom, not to mention that Brie was also a Seer.


    If she told the King that something was going to happen, there was a very high chance that the Leader of all Tigerkins would believe her and act ording to her visions.


    ''Two months,'' Thirteen thought as he closed his eyes. ''I still have two months.''


    The seven-year-old knew that now wasn''t the time to give up.


    Since he was short on time, he decided to just wing it!


    "Paven, no matter what happens, the Tigerkin Army must be ready to move in two months," Thirteen ordered. "Also, there is something that I need you to do from your side."


    Thirteen exined his n to the City Lord of Parania City, making thetter blink in confusion.


    "Well, I don''t think there''s any problem with this request," Pavenmented. "In fact, the next shipment will be done in a week, just as scheduled."


    Paven then nced at the Barbarians, who were listening to their conversation. "The Barbarians will do the same on the same day. It''s one of the extremely rare activities where both sides don''t openly antagonize each other.


    "But, Zion, both sides have Shamans stationed to protect that ce. Anyone who disturbs the peace will be their enemies."


    Thirteen nodded. "I know. But if it''s Shamans, then I''m sure that things will be fine."


    Paven chuckled. "Well, if you weren''t this daring, then you wouldn''t have been able to make me be your partner-in-


    crime. Very well, I''ll handle things on this side. Is there anything else that you would like to add? Perhaps a word or two to Anwir?"


    "Tell Anwir that I need him to be the King of the Underworld in the Sumatran Kingdom within a month," Thirteen replied. "I will need all the manpower I can get, so I would really appreciate it if you can help him in this matter, Paven."


    "Consider it done," Paven nodded. "Zion, right now, I believe that Gael still has no idea that Lord Arundel wishes to start the war in two months. It will be best if the two of them don''t contact each other again."


    The Old Tigerkin looked at the seven-year-old, making thetter scratch his head.


    "I don''t really know Gael, and I have no idea what he will do if he sees that I ransacked everything that belonged to him," Thirteen said. "So, what do you think will happen if he loses contact with Arundel? What do you think he will do next?"


    Paven didn''t answer right away. Instead, he took off his sses and wiped them with a piece of cloth.


    Half a minuteter, he returned it on his head and smirked.


    "He will do thest thing that Arundel ordered him to do, and that is to prepare for war," Paven replied. "But since he has no idea when the war will start, he will be left in the dark. But I''m assuming that he will try to send someone to contact me so that we can work together."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "Understood. I will try to contact you again using Vassago and Poca. Do not, in any way, try to contact me through the Round Mirror. Do you understand?"


    "Yes," Paven smiled. "May the Fortune of war shine upon you, Zion."


    Paven cut off the connection, making the artifacts stop glowing, allowing Arthas and Netero to move again.


    "What now?" Arthas asked the boy, who was deep in thought.


    The City Lord of Gronar City was still trying to digest everything he had heard, and although he didn''t want to believe it, he found himself unable to refute Zion''s earlier statement that Gael might be manipting the war from the shadows.


    "What else?" Thirteen sighed before making a hissing sound. "It''s time to loot this ce!"


    Suddenly, Rocky rose up from the ground and devoured the entire altar, leaving nothing behind.


    Of course, the Rocky Bal-Boa was not going to stop this soon. After storing the altar inside his body, he then went to devour the rest of the treasures inside the room, leaving nothing behind.


    Gael, who was in the Arena, immediately stood up because the ring on his hand started to feel hot.


    This was a warning that someone had touched one of the artifacts in his hidden treasury.


    Thirteen knew that Gael would be informed if he started stealing his treasures, but so what?


    By the time the City Lord had returned to his residence, there would be nothing for him to see. He, Arthas, and Netero would have been long gone and on their way back to Gronar City, bringing with them all of Gael''s treasures.

 Chapter 209 Time To Meet Cranky

    <h4>Chapter 209 Time To Meet Cranky</h4>


    "Pops, can you make it on time?" Thirteen asked Gerald, who now had a troubled look on his face.


    "I don''t know," Geraldmented. "I''ve never made something like this before."


    The father and son duo were currently looking at a rough blueprint which Thirteen had drawn an hour ago.


    At first, Gerald thought that Thirteen had gone mad and was about to ask him to build an Attack Helicopter from scratch.


    Fortunately, the blueprint was not the one in his head, but it was still something that he had never attempted to do before.


    What Gerald was looking at was a Ballista, but it was not just any ordinary Ballista.


    It was a Ballista that could "theoretically"unch a one-ton payload that could travel up to two miles.


    "Frankly, this is going to be a monumental task," Gerald could already feel the pressure of having to build the Ballista from scratch. "Also, you wanted it to be portable, so it needs to have some wheels. This thing is going to be massive. How about we just build your Attack Helicopter instead of this? I have a feeling that doing that will be easier."


    "Pops, do you think that an attack Helicopter can beat a Majin Prince?"


    "Of course not. Even if there are hundreds of them, they will not be able to defeat that thing. But, do you think this Ballista of yours can defeat Arundel?"


    "No." Thirteen shook his head firmly. "But, it will be the trigger for his defeat."


    Gerald once again looked at the blueprint in his hand before sighing deeply.


    "What material are we going to use to build this thing?" Gerald scratched his head. "Wood? Stone? Metals? Can we really finish it in two months?"


    "We either finish it in two months or we kick the bucket, Pops," Thirteen replied. "It''s all or nothing."


    Gerald sighed before ruffling his son''s hair, who didn''t even offer any resistance.


    The younger boy knew that his Father would go all-out to make the weapon that would help them win. However, time wasn''t really on their side at the moment.


    Thirteen knew that after the Ballista was built, he would have to reinforce it with dozens or perhaps even hundreds of Runes in order to enhance its range, lethality, and mobility.


    Right now, the seven-year-old no longer had any time to focus on the war, so he left the war preparations of the Tigerkins to Paven.


    As for the side of the Barbarians?


    He decided to let Gael, Arthas, and Netero handle it themselves!


    He was just a seven-year-old!


    He couldn''t handle everything by himself!


    With this in mind, Thirteen decided on the only thing that mattered, and that was to prepare to light the Beacon of Hope.


    All of his actions would only be poured in this one and only goal.


    If the n didn''t end up the way he envisioned it to be, at least his Father and the other Wanderers would still make it back to Pangea.


    As for him? He and his subordinates could hide inside Rocky and order the Rocky Bal-Boa to dig as deep as he could.


    He would wait it out until Arundel left the Valbarra Archipgo then make a boat that would take him to the Main Continent.


    "Don''t worry, Pops," Thirteen said. "We''ll make it happen."


    "Okay, let''s do this," Gerald pumped himself up. "If we seed, I will have something to brag to my Old Man about."


    Thirteen watched his father with a faint smile on his face. Since he had promised to his Mother, Shasha, and Remi that he would bring back Gerald to Pangea, he would do it using all the means in his disposal.


    A month passed swiftly, with both the Tigerkins and the Barbarians preparing for the uing war.


    Arthas'' pendant was currently inside Rocky''s miniature world, preventing Gael from tracking it.


    During this time, Vassago and Poca would regrly carry messages from both sides, allowing everyone to coordinate their movements.


    Thirteen and his team left Gronar City and built a small stronghold in the Warsor ins.


    The area where they chose to build their base was the most ideal location that Thirteen could position himself during the war.


    It was three miles away from the Furvus Grasnds, as well as four miles away from the location of the potential main battlefield, ording to Paven''s estimate.


    "Young Master, everyone is ready to go," Cristopher said as he approached the younger boy, who was busy inscribing symbols on the body of the Ballista, which was over fifteen-meters-


    long.


    Thirteen had named the Ballista Athena Version 1.0, which made everyone look at him weirdly.


    For the past month, everyone had been working hard to finish the body of this weapon, which was made from wood, and steel.


    Rocky was the MVP who made the gathering of materials possible because he served as the Pick-Up Truck, carrying everything they needed back to their base.


    "Very well," Thirteen replied. "I''ll be done in a few minutes."


    After imbuing thest rune symbol with the power of a Core, the boy was finally able to sigh in relief.


    Against all odds, they were able to finish the Ballista within a month. Now, he only needed to do two things to finish his war preparations.


    The first one was to deal with his neighbor, the Diabolical Hyena, which would probably submit to Arundel the moment thetter appeared in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Thirteen had no intention of letting it live, for its existence would only make the already difficult situation even more difficult.


    After doing a few stretches, Thirteen walked out of the cave and saw that everyone who would apany him was already there and ready to go.


    Cristopher and Rianna stood beside each other, and behind them were the Wanderers who had prepared intensively for today''s battle.


    Dixon, plus his Scouting Team, Payton, and the rest of the Tigerkins were raring to go as well.


    But, that wasn''t all.


    Adira, Arthas, Netero, and four more Champions, who were loyal to the City Lord, were there as well.


    "Let''s go," Thirteen said before riding on top of Giga Chad, who had now be his personal steed. "Time to meet Cranky."


    Several Wagons departed from their base, leaving Gerald and the nonbatants behind.


    They were going to meet up with the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, whom Thirteen had named Cranky.


    After nearly a month of negotiations, they finally settled with a deal four days ago.


    In the end, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger would help them defeat the Diabolical Hyena in exchange for its Djinn Core, as well as the monster''s body parts, with the exception of the Hyenas'' head.


    The Wanderers and a few of the Champions would focus on the Diabolical Hyenas'' subordinates, while the rest would help Cranky fight the Rank 6 Hyena Overlord.


    As they neared the location of their meeting ce, Thirteen and his people could already smell the stench of blood.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badgerid on the ground as if taking a nap, with several Hyena corpses around it.


    Clearly, it was trying to decrease the number of small fries that would hinder their ns today. The seven-year-old smirk seeing that Cranky still did things at its own pace.


    ¡ª-----------------------

 Chapter 210 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasslands [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 210 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasnds [Part 1] </h4>


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger walked ahead of their battle formation as they marched toward the Furvus Grasnds.


    The one who initiated the discussion with it was Vassago. Thirteen hadn''t gone personally, considering the possibility of the Rank 6 Overlord attacking him the moment he appeared before it.


    He had given Vassago plenty of conditions he could mention to entice the Honey Badger, but it didn''t budge right away.


    After several back and forths, the Honey Badger finally agreed after hearing that it would have reinforcements to help it defeat its enemy.


    In the past, the Rank 6 Overlord was the true powerhouse of the Warsor ins. It went wherever it wanted to go and ate whatever it wanted to eat.


    No one else was its match, but that all changed after the Rank 5 Hyena Overlord evolved.


    While there were monsters stronger than Jinns and Majins, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger was not one of them.


    The moment it faced the Rank 6 Diabolical Hyena, it realized their difference in strength, so it fled their battle after it got seriously injured from their sh.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that the powerful monster that the Purple-Furred Honey Badger had bullied in the past had brought down its confidence and arrogance by a peg.


    It was for this reason that it was very hesitant to confront his enemy again, going as far as changing its hunting grounds and distancing itself from the Furvus Grasnds.


    But after gaining some reinforcements, it decided to fight against its rival.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger wasn''t stupid.


    It knew that once the Diabolical Hyena had fully consolidated its strength, it woulde to hunt it down.


    There could only be one Overlord in the ins, so one of them had to die to make space for the other.


    When their group finally stepped into the darkness that was unique to the Furvus Grasnds, they immediately heard them.


    The chuckles of countless Hyenas, who seemed to be mocking their futile attempt to defeat their leader, reached their ears.


    With nine Champions, a few Grandmasters, and several monsters in their group, Thirteen believed that they stood a fighting chance against the Rank 6 Overlord, which had be part of Thirteen''s Trials.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < First Trial?Completed! >


    ¡ª Escape the Houdini Desert!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Second Trial Completed!>


    ¡ª Find a Five Leaf Clover


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Third Trial Completed! >


    ¡ª Make the Purple-Furred Honey Badger your ally!


    ¡ª Reward: The Honey Badger won''t attack you and your group from now on!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Truth be told, Thirteen found the reward afterpleting his Third Trial very funny. But after thinking about it, he understood that he and the Purple-Furred Honey Badger were only temporary allies.


    There was still a chance that after they defeated theirmon enemy, the two sides would once again be hostile with each other.


    This was, of course, a very dangerous theoretical situation. After the Purple-Furred Honey Badger ate the Rank 6 Overlord''s Beast Core, there was a chance that it could evolve into a Pseudo-Rank 7 Overlord.


    Of course, there was also a minuscule chance that it would jump straight to be a Rank 7 Overlord, making it a very formidable enemy.


    A Rank 6 Overlord and a Rank 7 Overlord were two different things.


    Even if they all worked together, fighting against one would be a monumental task, which was something Thirteen wanted to avoid at all cost.


    He already had his hands full with the uing war.


    There was no way that he would choose to increase the number of enemies that he was going to face.


    But what surprised Thirteen the most was the reward that he would gain after finishing his Fourth Trial.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Fourth Trial >


    ¡ª Defeat the Rank 6 Overlord, Diabolical Hyena.


    ¡ª Reward: You will gain a one-time ability that will prevent you from dying from any attack that can instantly kill you.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The seven-year-old never thought for a moment that he was invincible.


    So, having this one-time ability that would allow him to survive an attack that could instantly kill him was something he needed badly, especially since he was about to fight against a Majin Prince.


    "They''re here," Dixon, who was on the same wagon as Thirteen, said.


    "Everyone, battle formation!" Thirteen ordered as everyone mobilized to face off against the Hyenas, whose eyes were shining in the distance. "Don''t forget the strategy that we all agreed on. Let the Champions and Grandmasters stay at the front.


    "Taiga and Rianna, you will prioritize attacking those that manage to get past their defenses. Everyone, do your best to survive!"


    ""Yes!""


    The Ogres stood in front of the teenagers, holding spiked steel clubs and spiked steel shields in their hands. Their role was to help protect the teenagers from the Hyenas, who greatly outnumbered them.


    The Trolls were also armed with steel swords and spiked steel shields. Their role in the battle was simr to the Ogres.


    Giga Chad was covered in armor with a spiked cor on his neck.


    The seven-year-old deliberately designed this to ensure that the Hyenas would feel a world of pain if they were to bite the Chad Skunk''s neck during the heat of battle.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, was mounted on cky''s back because he nned to give orders on the battlefield.


    The Warsor ck Hound could run very fast, and none of the Hyenas could outrun it, making it the most suitable mount for keeping the seven-year-old safe at all times.


    He had given the Warsor ck Hound the same movement technique as Cristopher, increasing its escaping abilities to the next level.


    Hercules, the Obsidian Tiger Beetle, was given the movement technique, Road Runner, negating its weakness of moving slowly.


    The Tiger Beetles on the world called Earth were fast moving insects. But, the Obsidian Tiger Beetle was quite the opposite.


    Due to its sturdy shell that covered its body like a tank, it was unable to move quickly onnd, making it a very bad hunter.


    The only saving grace was that this monster species had evolved to be omnivores, allowing their diet to be flexible.


    Now that its limiter had been removed, it was now capable of bulldozing its way through the battlefield, ramming the Hyenas with its hard shell and sending them all flying.


    Rocky, on the other hand, was ordered tounch sneak attacks from under the ground, destroying the enemy''s formation.


    Taiga also received a special technique from Thirteen, and it was called Emperor''s Might.


    However, the Tigerkin was knocked unconscious when the seven-year-old nted this skill in his body to prevent him from knowing how he gained the skill.


    His former ability, King''s Might, only increased his body''s performance by half.


    But Emperor''s Might doubled his strength, speed, agility, and dexterity, making him stronger than ever before.


    During that one month, Percival and his team started to hunt together with the Trolls, increasing their strength to be Adepts, which were equivalent to Rank 2 Monsters.


    With the power of Emperor''s Might, his power would jump straight to the Apostle Rank, making him deadlier on the battlefield.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger, A.K.A. Cranky, hissed the moment it saw the Giant Diabolical Hyena approaching behind all of its subordinates.


    The Rank 6 Overlord Hyena let out an eerie chuckle that reverberated in the surroundings.


    It was nning to hunt down the Purple-Furred Honey Badger in a week, but since its prey hade knocking on its doorstep, it would no longer allow it to escape like it had thest time the two of them fought.

 Chapter 211 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasslands [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 211 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasnds [Part 2]</h4>


    The eerie chuckle of the Hyenas spread in the surroundings, making the Wanderers subconsciously grip their weapons firmly in their hands.


    All of them had been fighting a lot during the past month, and they had grown confident of their abilities and teamwork.


    Some of the Wanderers even managed to get Avatars from the Monsters they had killed, gaining a capablepanion who''d assist them by their side.


    Rianna, who was mounted on top of her ck horse, Lancelot, held a bow in her hands.


    She had be more proficient in archery, and she could now urately fire arrows in rapid session while mounted on Lancelot''s back.


    Right now, all of them were armed to the teeth, thanks to Thirteen''s Father, Gerald.


    Crafting Pseudo-Silver Weapons wasn''t a big deal to him, so all the Wanderers received a free weapon and armor upgrade.


    Since Pseudo-Silver Weapons and armors were still technically Bronze Rank, all the Wanderers could use them without problems.


    The two sides faced off for a few minutes before the Diabolical Hyena roared, ordering its subordinates to attack.


    Emboldened by their leader''s order, the Hyenas surged forth like a tide, running toward the delicious morsels who hade to offer themselves to them on a silver tter.


    The favorite food of Djinns were Wanderers, so the Hyenas were feeling giddy seeing so many of them in one ce.


    But, just when they were halfway toward their targets, the ground under their feet rose up, and a ten-meter long Rocky Bal-Boa emerged.


    Rocky swung its tail, sending several hyenas flying, before diving back to the ground.


    It was a Rank 5 Monster, so it was stronger than the Hyenas.


    However, it was no match against the Rank 6 Overlord, so it made sure to onlyunch sneak attacks on locations that were a good distance away from the monster.


    Although some of their brethren were injured, the Hyenas didn''t stop running and continued to charge toward their targets.


    "Give them hell, Giga!" Thirteen ordered when the Hyenas were only a hundred meters away from them.


    Thirteen had blessed the Chad Skunk with two Divine Abilities.


    The first one was called Titan''s Heart, allowing him to gain the size and strength of a Titan.


    The second one was Corrosion King, giving the Chad Skunk the power to imbue his fangs, ws, and his powerful fart with corrosive properties.


    Hearing his Master''smand, Giga Chad activated his Divine Technique, Titan''s Heart, tripling his body size in an instant.


    The six-meter-tall skunk then turned his body around and unleashed its diabolical spray that now gained corrosive properties that could erode even metal.


    Giga Chad was only a Rank 2 Monster, so its corrosive abilities weren''t that strong.


    However, once it evolved into a Rank 5 Monster, its corrosive ability would be able to melt metal, making him a very dangerous adversary.


    "Light it up, Cristopher," Thirteen ordered.


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied as he used the torch in his hand to light the oil-soaked arrow that Thirteen was holding.


    The seven-year-old watched as the Chad Skunk''s spraynded on the Hyenas that were a hundred meters away from them.


    The moment the corrosive spray hit their bodies, the Hyenas immediately suffered burns, making them yelp in pain.


    Those who were unlucky enough to be hit in the eyes lost their vision, identally ramming on the hyenas beside them.


    A momentter, the sound of whistling wind reached their ears.


    The Hyenas didn''t even have time to react before an explosion that lit up the darkness of the Furvus Grasnds spread like wildfire, engulfing the Hyenas that were within its range.


    Netero whistled after seeing such a scene, making him regret the fact that he didn''t manage to get the winning bid for the Chad Skunk during the auction.


    If only he knew that the Rank 2 Monster was this powerful, he would have definitely thickened his face and epted Thirteen''s offer to give the monster to him as a way to appease his anger.


    "Aim!" Rianna shouted, prompting all the Wanderers who were currently holding bows in their hands to draw their bows.


    "Fire!"


    As soon as she gave the orders, she released the arrow from her hand, making it fly toward the Hyenas that were approaching their location.


    The Wanderers only received basic arrow training, so they weren''t proficient in aiming.


    However, they already knew how far their arrows could go.


    Because of this, they didn''t really need to aim, so they confidently released their arrows, making arrows rain on the hundreds of hyenas who managed to break past the wall of fire and embed themselves on their bodies.


    "Brace!" Thirteen ordered, making the Ogres raise their shields in preparation to block the advance of the iing Hyenas.


    Cristopher, Ariel, and Jasmine were all mounted on the Warsor ck Hounds that had decided to stay with cky and assist the humans in battle.


    They were ordered to not engage the enemies no matter what. Brutus and Bruno were also there to protect them.


    When the Hyenas were only a dozen meters away from their enemies, the Champions stepped up and unleashed a barrage of attacks, which crippled, blinded, and killed countless Hyenas.


    But since the Hyenas had greater numbers, several of them managed to run past the Champions'' defenses.


    They then lunged at the Wanderers, who were more than ready to give them a deadly wee.


    The teenage boys and girls, alongside the Tigerkins, picked up the steel spears beside them and formed a wall of steel spikes, piercing the bodies of the Hyenas and drawing blood.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger didn''t remain idle either and started to massacre the Hyenas who hade within its range.


    Blood and flesh littered the ground as the roars, screeches, and howls of the monsters spread in the surroundings.


    Seeing that half of its forces were unable to annihte the enemy, the Diabolical Hyena started running to join the fray.


    Arthas, Netero, and the other Champions from Gronar City all prepared to assist the Purple-Furred Honey Badger, whose eyes had already locked on the body of his mortal enemy.


    But the Honey Badger didn''t make a move to charge forward.


    Instead, it waited patiently for its enemy toe within the striking range of its allies so that they could all gang up on the monster, giving them a fighting chance for victory.

 Chapter 212 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasslands [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 212 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasnds [Part 3] </h4>


    Thirteen knew.


    He knew full well that he was not a hero who would save everyone he came across.


    He was more of a viin who wouldn''t hesitate to use whatever means necessary to achieve his goals.


    This was why he hade up with this n to fight against the Rank 6 Overlord, Diabolical Hyena, to prepare himself for the inevitable.


    He wasn''t a Saint, and he already expected that there would be casualties in this battle.


    But when one of the Wanderers was about to be killed by a Hyena, a Troll pushed her away and used his shield to block the blow.


    The spiked shield and the hyena''s teeth shed, creating sparks, and sent the Troll flying backward.


    Perhaps angered by the annoying monster who had gotten in its way, the Hyena lunged at the helpless Troll, who was still lying on the ground.


    Thirteen could already foresee the Troll''s demise. But before he knew it, he had already released the arrow in his bow, which flew toward the Hyena''s eye, making it wince in pain mid-jump, breaking its concentration.


    The Troll took that opportunity to roll on the ground to distance itself from the Hyena and regain its footing.


    Thirteen fired another arrow. This time, he targeted the Hyena''s other eye, turning itpletely blind.


    The Wanderers and the Trolls then attacked the monster at the same time, killing itpletely.


    "Nice shot, Young Master!" Cristopher, who had seen everything from beginning to end, praised Thirteen for saving the Troll.


    "If you have time to praise me, then you have time to shoot," Thirteen said as he nocked another arrow on his bow and released it not long after. "Less talking, more shooting!"


    "Yes, Master!" Cristopher replied before he, too, unleashed an arrow from his bow.


    The seven-year-old was still surprised that his body chose to subconsciously save the Troll instead of letting it die.


    This battle was nothingpared to what they were going to face in the future, so Thirteen originally intended to prepare himself for the worst-case scenario of losing several allies in battle.


    At first, he didn''t n on helping the Troll, which was one of his ves, so that he would be able to gauge his feelings once it died.


    But his body moved subconsciously and fired the arrow faster than his mind could think.


    ''Maybe deep inside me, I don''t want to lose anyone,'' Thirteen thought, narrowing his eyes as he released an arrow aimed at a Hyena that had knocked a Wanderer to the side with its w. ''Even if I''m against a Majin Prince, I will make sure that my people will not die so easily.''


    With his newfound resolve, Thirteen''s arrows flew across the battlefield, always finding their mark, saving those who were about to suffer a gruesome and painful death.


    Even Vassago and Poca descended to the chaotic battle with their ws spread wide, scratching the eyes of the Hyenas in their path.


    Giga Chad, who was protecting several Wanderers, was attacked by three Hyenas at the same time.


    Currently, the Chad Skunk stood six meters tall and fought like a crazed bear, its ws shining with corrosive acid.


    It also didn''t hesitate to bite his opponents, tearing their flesh apart.


    The Hyenas attacking him were Rank 3 Monsters, while Giga Chad was only a Rank 2 Monster.


    But due to the effect of Titan''s Heart, which gave him the size and strength of a Giant, his battle capabilities rose up to that of a Rank 3 Monster as well.


    The armor protecting his body also yed a critical role, protecting Giga Chad''s vitals and decreasing the damage he received from the Hyenas.


    Truth be told, Giga Chad had a total of two Divine Techniques and one Silver Grade Technique, all given to him by Thirteen.


    The two Divine Techniques were Titan Heart and Corrosion King.


    The Silver Grade Technique was called Bestial Fury. What it did was increase the Chad Skunk''s fighting ability and give it some kind of Intimidation Aura, which weakened its enemies by a small percentage.


    Thirteen truly pampered Giga Chad. Just like Tiona and Cristopher, he knew that the fluffy guy would not betray him.


    However, since he already had two Divine Techniques in his body, adding one more would put too much strain on Giga Chad.


    Putting this into consideration, Thirteen settled for a Silver Grade Technique that wouldplement the Chad Skunk''s battle style.


    Just as the battle raged on, one of the Hyenas managed to bite Giga Chad''s arm, making him scream in pain.


    At that moment, Rocky rose up from the ground and used his tail to smash the Hyena''s head, releasing its hold on the Chad Skunk''s arm.


    Suddenly, a Tigerkin whose hands and feet were covered with Golden mes appeared in front of the Hyena and used his ws to sh the side of the Hyena''s face, setting it aze.


    Percival didn''t even wait to see the aftermath of his attack before he charged at another Hyena, who was giving the Wanderers a hard time.


    Although he didn''t know how he gained such an overwhelming power, he believed that this was given to him to protect the people around him.


    Thirteen gave the Tigerkin a sidelong nce before ordering Giga Chad to retreat and allow one of the Wanderers who had gained a healing artifact to heal his injuries.


    Just as the seven-year-old was about to attack another monster in the distance, he heard a loud roar, making him nce in the direction where the Diabolical Hyena and the Purple-Furred Honey Badger were currently fighting.


    "Tiona, it''s up to you now," Thirteen said.


    The small ck Snake that was coiled on his neck nodded her head in understanding.


    Thirteen ordered cky to run to where Cristopher was.


    Although it was a little dangerous, he decided to take the gamble¡ªone that would allow them to maximize the rewards that they would get from this battle between the two Overlords, whose ws and teeth were soaked with each other''s blood.

 Chapter 213 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasslands [Part 4]

    <h4>Chapter 213 Faceoff In The Furvus Grasnds [Part 4]</h4>


    Cranky had learned its lesson when it fought against the Rank 5 Overlord in the past.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger was confident in its strength, so when it ambushed its prey, it didn''t think much of the subordinates that were protecting it.


    It had been the top predator in the Warsor ins, so it never fought against hundreds of Monsters that were led by an Overlord.?It had been too confident of its abilities, not caring how many enemies it faced.


    However, when all the Hyenas decided to swarm it with numbers, it realized that dealing with them was not as easy as it expected.


    Because of this, the Rank 5 Hyena Overlord managed to evolve by cannibalizing its own subordinates, allowing it to gain a strength that even surpassed the Purple-Furred Honey Badger.


    Having learned that lesson, Cranky decided to fight alongside the Champions whom Thirteen had asked to support it.


    Since the enemy had its subordinates, why couldn''t it have its ownckeys to fight?


    So, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger started to fight dirty.


    It used hit and run tactics, allowing the Champions to deal damage to the Hyena, whose crimson eyes glowed with hate and anger.


    Cranky wouldunch sneak attacks in the Hyenas blind spots, drawing blood.


    But, the Diabolical Hyena had learned from their skirmish and soon managed to bite the Purple-Furred Honey Badger''s w during one of its attempts to strike it from behind.


    Fortunately, the other Champions didn''t watch idly and bombarded the Hyena''s head with spells, forcing it to release its hold on its enemy.


    Of course, the lower-ranked Hyenas didn''t watch idly either and assisted their Leader in battle.


    Unfortunately for them, Adira and Netero, who was tasked to focus on the small fries, mercilessly ughtered them as quickly as they could.


    The Drow''s specialty was controlling shadow and darkness, making her a terrifying opponent inside the Furvus Grasnds.


    Netero, on the other hand, had an uncanny ability to transform the ground around him into four-meter-long Earth Spikes, which easily pierced through the Hyenas'' bodies.


    He also created a wall that prevented the other Hyenas from supporting their leader, who was getting gang banged by Cranky and the three Champions who were helping it fight the Diabolical Hyena.


    Thirteen had asked Arthas about the abilities of his forces so that he could devise a strategy that would increase their chances of victory.


    Although the City Lord hesitated for a while, he also understood that he couldn''t afford to hold back any information that was crucial for this battle.


    The battle continued for an hour, forcing everyone past their limits.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger had a deep gash on its back, which was bleeding profusely.


    However, due to its strong regenerative abilities, Thirteen was sure that it wouldn''t die from blood loss.


    However, the Diabolical Hyena was just as menacing.


    Although it was a bloody mess, it didn''t show any signs of kicking the bucket yet. In fact, its ferocity even increased the more injured it became.


    Adira, Netero, and the other Champions were also nearing their limit. The five Rank 5 Alpha Hyenas, which served as the Diabolical Hyena''s personal guards, were nothing to scoff at.


    After managing to break through Netero''s Earth Spikes, they held back the Champions who were assisting Cranky in its fight against their Leader.


    The battle hade to a stalemate and seemed to have no end in sight.


    Thirteen, who was also panting for breath, eyed the battlefield, looking for an opportunity to turn the tables.


    Almost everyone on his side was exhausted, not even having the strength to move from where they stood.


    Suddenly, he heard the hooting of an owl in the distance, making him nce at the east.


    The sound of rumbling reverberated in the Furvus Grasnds as dozens of Sabertooth Tigers charged in the direction of their battlefield.


    The Barbarians, as well as the Wanderers, felt anxious because there was only one race who used Sabertooth Tigers as mounts.


    The Tigerkins, who were part of Thirteen''s group, all looked in the distance with disbelief as their brethren uttered their warcries and charged in their direction.


    Arthas and the other Barbarians immediately retreated to where Thirteen and the others were, forcing Cranky to run alongside them.


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger had the "guys, guys, where are you going?!" expression on its face, wondering why his backup was leaving him behind.


    "Cristopher, get ready!" Thirteen ordered, as he urged cky to run towards Cranky.


    The chubby boy followed behind his Young Master, leaving Jasmine and Ariel behind.


    Hercules, who had been protecting Cristopher all along, also ran behind the two Warsor ck Hounds, ready to shield the two children from any danger.


    "Cranky, follow me!" Thirteen shouted. "Time to end this!"


    Seeing that the two boys were charging toward the Diabolical Hyena and not away from it, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger changed its course and ran alongside them.


    Perhaps knowing that it was now truly in danger, the Diabolical Hyena decided to retreat, but it was already toote.


    The hundred-strong Sabertooth Legion descended on it like a pack of wolves, giving it no chance to run.


    "What took you so long?" Thirteenined as he looked at Anwir, who had a devilish smile on his face.


    "We had to take a detour so that we won''t be seen by the Barbarians on this side," Anwir replied. "Don''t worry, we will finish the job properly."


    The Tigerkin then raised his hand and gave the order to go for the kill.


    Anwir had brought with him ten Champions and ny Grandmasters.


    This was an Elite Unitposed of several Mercenary Groups from the Sumatran Kingdom.


    Seeing that the neers were all on its side, the Purple-


    Furred Honey Badger let out a resounding screech as if telling its nemesis that it was now time for round two!


    Because all the Hyenas were already exhausted, the Mercenary Groups'' attack ended up as a one-sided massacre.


    Even the five Rank 5 Alpha Hyenas were no match against these battle-hardened individuals who specialized in killing monsters in the wild.


    Having no subordinates to help it, the Rank 6 Overlord found itself surrounded from all sides.


    Thirteen watched with fascination as the Tigerkins threw dozens of grappling hooks that wrapped itself on the Diabolical Hyena''s legs, embedding themselves in its skin.


    All the Sabertooth Tigers then pulled at the same time, preventing the monster from moving.


    Using that opportunity, five of the Mercenary Leaders took the initiative to attack one of its legs, crippling itpletely.


    Seeing that its enemy had fallen to the ground, Cranky lunged at the Hyena andnded on its back.


    It then bit hard on its enemy''s neck, pinning it on the ground.


    "Go, Tiona, Cristopher!" Thirteen ordered.


    Tiona immediately hardened her body, transforming into a ck arrow, which Cristopher nocked onto his bow.


    He pulled back the string as far as he could and took aim at the struggling Diabolical Hyena.


    The chubby boy was only fifteen meters away from the monster, so it wasn''t a problem to hit his target at this range.


    Time seemed to slow down at that moment as Cristopher stared at his target.


    An eerie calmness permeated his heart, making him only focus on the monster in front of him.


    He was no master archer, but after Thirteen had bestowed upon him the Cheap Shot Savant Martial Skill, archery became a lot easier for him.


    Although he would still miss his target from time to time, he trained every day for an entire month.


    So the moment he released Tiona from his hand, he knew the result before time seemed to return to its normal flow.


    Tiona pierced through the eye of the Diabolical Hyena, but she didn''t stop there.


    Using her ability, Verocious Flesh Eater, Tiona chewed her way towards the Monster''s brain, and embedded her fangs directly on it, secreting all the venom that was stored inside her body.


    Half a minuteter, the Rank 6 Overlord stopped struggling and breathed itsst breath.


    Cranky, who felt the demise of his foe, raised its head arrogantly and screeched loudly.


    At the same time, Cristopher saw a message appear inside his mind and almost fell off from the Warsor ck Hound''s back due to disbelief.


    He had gained a Rank 6 Monster as an Avatar, which made him shout out loud as if he had won the lottery.

 Chapter 214 Train A Hero? No, Thank You!

    <h4>Chapter 214 Train A Hero? No, Thank You! </h4>


    "Young Master!" Cristopher called out with an excited look on his face, then urged his Warsor ck Hound to run toward the seven-year-old.


    However, when he saw Zion raise his finger to cover his lips, Cristopher immediately zipped his mouth, not letting out a single sound.


    He understood that his Master didn''t want him to divulge what he gained at the moment, but that didn''t stop him from feeling very happy.


    Cristopher simply hugged Thirteen, making the seven-year old sigh. However, he didn''t make any move to push him away, allowing his right-hand man to share his happiness with him.


    A momentter, another monster joined the group hug, and it was none other than Giga Chad, who reverted back to his original form.


    The Chad Skunk even groaned a bit and pointed at his shoulder, which was riddled with bite marks, before looking at the two kids with a pitiful expression on his face.


    Thirteen then handed Cristopher a bottle of healing potion, which the chubby boy carefully poured over Giga Chad''s injuries.


    Of course, he also took out a healing potion of his own and poured it on Giga Chad''s other injuries.


    While Christopher was doing this, a notification appeared beside Thirteen, congratting him for clearing his Fourth Mission.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < First Trial?Completed! >


    ¡ª Escape the Houdini Desert!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Second Trial Completed!>


    ¡ª Find a Five Leaf Clover


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Third Trial Completed! >


    ¡ª Make the Purple-Furred Honey Badger your ally!


    ¡ª Reward: The Honey Badger won''t attack you, and your group from now on!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Fourth Trial Completed!>


    ¡ª Defeat the Rank 6 Overlord, Diabolical Hyena.


    ¡ª Reward: You will gain a one-time ability that will prevent you from dying from any attack that can instantly kill you.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Fifth Trial >


    ¡ª Convince the Purple Furred Honey Badger to fight alongside you against the forces of the Majin Prince!


    ¡ª Reward: You will know the whereabouts of the secret stash of the Diabolical Hyena.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow after looking at the reward of his Fifth Trial.


    He was quite curious what the secret stash of the Diabolical Hyena was, so this was something that he couldn''t pass up.


    Besides, he had long thought of convincing Cranky to fight alongside them when the Majin Prince arrived, so this Trial was only a bonus for him.


    But, just as he was about to go to the Purple-Furred Honey Badger so that they could talk, a hateful roar spread in the surroundings.


    "Anwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir!" Percival roared as he attacked his step brother without a second thought.


    The Tigerkin''s hands and feet were still bathed in golden mes, making Thirteen arch an eyebrow.


    Anwir, who was mounted on top of a Saber Tooth Tiger, raised his right hand to stop his men from attacking Percival, who was charging in their direction like a crazed tiger, hungry for blood.


    Anwir snorted and jumped off from his mount and charged forward as well.


    The two brothers shed against each other, resulting in a shockwave that made the two of them skid several meters away from each other.


    "I will not forgive you, you traitor!" Percival shouted as he stomped his right foot forward and jumped several meters toward the brother who betrayed him.


    Anwir met Percival''s angry gaze coolly and calmly stepped to the side, evading his brother''s attack.


    Percival was quick to regain his footing, and unleashed a flurry of blows towards his hateful enemy.


    Unfortunately for him, Anwir had more experience in battle, allowing him to smoothly dodge the attacks, which he found very easy to read.


    The mercenaries watched their leader fight against the younger Tigerkin with amused expressions on their faces.


    Although they could feel the power emanating from Percival''s glowing hands and feet, he was still too green and inexperienced tond a blow on his target.


    No matter how strong his attacks were, if it didn''t hit, it was useless.


    Anwir didn''t n to block any of Percival''s attacks because he knew this as well. So he simply dodged, and he did it well, making Percival angrier because his fists couldn''t reach his target.


    Suddenly, Anwir charged forward, meeting Percival''s attack head on. But at thest second, he dodged to the right, simultaneously throwing his little brother an uppercut that sent thetter flying.


    "Weak," Anwir scoffed. "It seems that you''ve been cking off on your trainingtely. Did my Sworn Brother spoil you rotten?"


    "I didn''t," Thirteen replied. "I just left him to hunt on his own because I''m busy with other things."


    "You should train him properly. At this rate, he''ll just be a cannon fodder once the war starts."


    "Eh? Too troublesome. I''ll just let Dixon train him."


    Thirteen? Train a Hero? No, thank you!


    The best way to train a Hero was to let him suffer setback after setback, forcing him to grow.


    That was how Heroes grew stronger, and Anwir was currently ying the Viin who would force Percival to surpass his current limits.


    Thirteen had already given his little Hero the Divine Martial Skill, Emperor''s Might.


    If Percival still couldn''t ovee his weakness, then it meant that he still hadn''t reached the tipping point that would allow him to undergo the true character progression of a Hero.


    "Shut up!" Percival roared as he forced himself to stand up. "You. I will kill you! I will kill you!"


    "Keep dreaming," Anwir replied. "A weakling like you will never reach me."


    Percival then took a fighting stance before his aura exploded like crazy.


    The golden mes surrounding his arms and feet spread all over his entire body, making him illuminate the darkness of the Furvus Grasnds with a golden light.


    "I''ll kill you!" Percival roared as he disappeared from where he stood.


    At that moment, the sound of whistling wind reached Anwir''s ears.


    Before he knew it, Percival reappeared several meters away from him before falling headfirst on the ground, sliding until he reached Anwir''s feet.


    He was unable to control the surge of speed and power inside his body, making him trip on one of the holes that was on the ground, which had been created during the earlier battle.


    Anwir didn''t hesitate to use this chance to kick the side of Percival''s face, making thetter lose consciousness.


    Since his drive to fight had disappeared after fainting, the golden aura surrounding him also disappeared, making the mercenaries p their hands and cheer their leader for winning.


    Thirteen nced at the fallen Tigerkin on the ground before walking toward the Purple-Furred Honey Badger who was snacking on the Diabolical Hyena''s corpse, eating like there was no tomorrow.


    The seven-year-old watched as the Rank 6 Overlord dug the Core out of his enemy''s body before lifting it to give it a closer look.


    After admiring it for a few seconds, he decided to eat it and savor its taste.


    But before he could do that, someone called out to him, making him look at the human boy beside his feet.


    "Hey, Cranky, we need to talk," Thirteen said, which made the Purple-Furred Honey Badger give him the "buzz off before I kick you" gaze.


    The thing it hated the most was being disturbed during its meal, so he made sure to make its annoyance known to the boy beside its feet.


    "I know you''re busy, so I''ll make it quick," Thirteen said. "First, let me congratte you. You killed the subordinate of a Majin Prince. Two months from now, that Majin Prince wille here, and the first one he''ll eat is you."


    The Purple-Furred Honey Badger, who was raring to eat the Jinn Core, looked at the boy in disbelief.


    A secondter, its hands trembled, making it drop the Core on the ground.


    Thirteen watched with great amusement as the Purple-Furred Honey Badger hastily picked up the Jinn Core then stuffed it inside the Diabolical Hyena''s body before starting to dig into the ground.


    Clearly, it wanted to hide all evidence so that it would not be targeted by a Monster, which would make the Rank 6 Diabolical Hyena look like a harmless puppy in its eyes.

 Chapter 215 I Guess You Got Lucky

    <h4>Chapter 215 I Guess You Got Lucky</h4>


    After the battle ended, the gruesome task of dismantling the Monster Parts, as well as collecting the Jinn Cores, started.


    The Wanderers gained a lot during this battle, with some of them even gaining the Avatars of Rank 2 and Rank 3 Golden-Eyed Hyenas.


    The Rank 5 Alpha Hyenas, who were considered as the personal guard of their Overlord, were crippled by the Mercenaries and were turned over to Thirteen.


    Since his goal was to strengthen his inner circle, he had asked Rianna, Harry, and Colbert to kill three of them.


    Rianna, with her exceptional luck, managed to gain a Gold-Grade Fang Sword. Unfortunately, this weapon was still too strong for her to use.


    The only she could use the weapon was when she stepped into the Elite Rank, which was the Fourth Stage in the Human Rankings.


    Harry, on the other hand, managed to get a Fang Spear, which he also couldn''t use at this point in time.


    However, he was still happy because this was the first Gold Grade Weapon that he managed to get after going to Solterra.


    Colbert, who had be Thirteen''s left-hand man, might have gotten a bit of luck by rubbing shoulders with Cristopher.


    After getting beaten up in the ve Arena for several weeks, he finally found a stroke of luck after bing the seven-year-old''s subordinate.


    He managed to obtain a Rank 5 Alpha Monster Avatar, making him extremely happy.


    So ecstatic to the point of almost hugging Thirteen, but Cristopher blocked his path and pushed him away from his Young Master.


    The other Wanderers could only look at the three of them with envy.


    It was at that moment that they realized who truly called the shots in their group, which made them sigh in their heart.


    If they had only tried to get closer to the seven-year-old, wouldn''t they also have the opportunity to gain rewards such as these?


    Thirteen, who understood what the other Wanderers were thinking, asked Rianna to choose two people from her group to get thest hit to the two remaining Rank 5 Alpha Hyenas.


    But knowing that the kind-hearted girl wouldn''t be able to decide on the spot, he threw her a lifeline.


    He gave her a stack of wooden sticks, and dipped three of them in the blood on the ground.


    Thirteen then dried them off and returned it to the stack.


    "You handle the rest, Rianna," Thirteen said before going toward cky, who was waiting for him.


    After managing to convince Cranky to help them in the war, he started to feel a strong pull from something in the Furvus Grasnds.


    Since everyone was still busy collecting Monster Parts and Jinn Cores, Thirteen asked Anwir to apany him to the location that was calling out to him.


    Apanied by five Champions and fifty Grandmasters, Thirteen''s group left the battlefield to collect other spoils of the war.


    Fortunately, after traveling for twenty minutes, they arrived at a cave, which he believed was the den of the Rank 6 Overlord.


    The Grandmasters remained outside to guard the entrance, while Thirteen, Anwir, and the Five Champions entered the cave to check what was waiting for them inside.


    When they arrived at the deepest part of the cave, they all looked in surprise when they saw a pile of Beast Cores stacked like a small hill.


    "Cores? Why didn''t that Diabolical Hyena eat these cores?" Anwir asked.


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before digging up the information of the Diabolical Hyena in his database.


    After reading all relevant information, he came across something that made him understand why the Rank 6 Overlord had left the other Cores untouched.


    "It had just evolved, so its body is temporarily unable to digest Cores properly," Thirteen exined. "It needed to wait three more months before it could start eating Cores again. So, it had no choice but to store the Cores that were given to it as tribute by its subordinates."


    Anwir chuckled. "Then I guess you got lucky."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before making a decision.


    "I will share half of this with you, Anwir," Thirteen stated. "Feel free to give them to the Mercenaries who helped you on this mission."


    The Five Champions, who were secretly feeling greedy after discovering the stack of Beast Cores, looked at the seven-year-old with satisfied looks on their faces.


    Anwir, who immediately understood why Zion did this, smiled faintly.


    "Good." Anwir nodded. "Thank you, Zion. You really are my Sworn Brother."


    The Tigerkin made sure to put more strength on the words "Sworn Brother" so that the Mercenary Leaders will understand his rtionship with the boy.


    This was a subtle reminder that in the future, if they ever needed to cooperate with Zion, they must treat him more favorably.


    After dividing the stash, they returned to the battlefield and headed toward Thirteen''s secret base near the Furvus Grasnds.


    Percival kept on ring in Anwir''s direction, but the older Tigerkin treated him like air.


    Before they fought against the Diabolical Hyena, Thirteen had sent Vassago to meet Anwir and asked for reinforcements.


    He wasn''t confident that their force would be enough to defeat their enemy, so he decided to get some kind of insurance just in case things spiraled out of control.


    Fortunately, Anwir arrived on time and came to their rescue.


    Now that he was here, the seven-year-old could give him the same Divine Technique that he bestowed upon Percival.


    Yes.


    Thirteen nned to give Anwir the Divine Martial Technique, Emperor''s Might, so that he could continue to polish the rough gem called Percival, allowing him to grow as a True Hero.


    Although the Barbarians and the Tigerkins were at odds with each other, none of them made any move to fight then and there.


    The Mercenaries were under Anwir''s employ, and since Zion was his Sworn Brother, they decided to keep things civil on the surface.


    Also, the seven-year-old''s bribe made the Mercenary Leaders fond of him, so they ordered their men to not cause trouble for the boy.


    "Brother, I am about to give you a Martial Skill that will unlock your potential," Thirteen said after he and Anwir had entered his room. "But I want you to promise me one thing. You will not tell anyone about this."


    "Understood," Anwir replied. "Tell me¡ªthe power that Percival showed a while ago, is that the same power you will give me?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "It''s called Emperor''s Might. A technique perfect for Beastkins."


    Just like Cristopher, Anwir had stopped trying to understand why the seven-year-old was capable of doing things that the kids of his age couldn''t normally do.


    His Sworn Brother had always been a mystery to him. And the more he interacted with Zion, the more he realized that his Fate hadpletely changed for the better the day that he decided to take the seven-year-old''s hand and be his Sworn Brother.


    Truth be told, he was very surprised at Percival''s sudden disy of power, and he would be lying if he said that he didn''t feel jealous of his stepbrother''s talents.


    However, now that this Sworn Brother was going to give him the same power, he sensed that a new door was about to open up just for him.


    He clearly felt this the moment an influx of information flooded his mind, making him fall into a trance.


    After the Skill Transfer ended, Thirteen sighed in relief before lying on the bed to take a nap.


    While all of this was happening, Percival was sitting at the corner of his room and hugging his legs.


    Anwir''s words kept ying in a loop inside his mind, making him gnash his teeth in anger.


    But he couldn''t refute that he wasn''t able to evennd a blow on his step brother''s body despite being more powerful than him.


    A momentter, the image of a seven-year-old ovepped with Anwir''s image inside his head.


    He had long wanted to fight against the seven-year-old, who had continuously made him suffer and treated him like a ve.


    ''I''ll show you¡­,'' Percival clenched his fists tightly. ''I''ll show you that I''m not weak!''


    Right now, he wanted to remove the heart demon inside his heart. For that to happen, he must defeat the boy, who had now be his Master.


    Although he knew that fighting against Zion was unfair because he was stronger and far older than him, his instincts were screaming at him that unless he managed to defeat his current Master, he would be unable to defeat his brother.


    Percival''s logic might have been twisted due to the desperation, anger, and the loss he suffered in Anwir''s hand.


    But one thing was clear.


    Unless he broke free from Zion''s control, he would never be free.


    This was why he decided to challenge the boy to a duel, with his freedom as a reward if he won.


    Percival believed that the moment he regained his freedom, he would no longer have any shackles in his heart, allowing him to return to the Sumatran Kingdom and reunite with his family atst.

 Chapter 216 The Biggest Loser [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 216 The Biggest Loser [Part 1] </h4>


    Anwir sighed softly as he opened his eyes.


    He didn''t know how long he had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, but at this time, it was something he didn''t bother to care about.


    Raising his right hand, he channeled the Martial Technique that his sworn brother had imparted to him.


    A momentter, his right hand was covered by a ck me, making him arch an eyebrow.


    ''I see¡­ so this is the upgraded version of Emperor''s Might,'' Anwir thought as he felt the influx of power that was circting around his body.


    But before he could truly appreciate his newfound power, a loud shout reached his ears, making him look in the direction of the door.


    ''What did that little step brother of mine do this time?'' Anwir mused as he left Thirteen''s room to see themotion that was happening.


    "Fight me!"


    Percival''s shout spread inside the cavern.


    "Fight me, and if I win, you will give me back my freedom!" Percival pointed a finger at the seven-year-old, who was looking back at him with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Fight you?" Thirteen asked in disdain. "Are you serious?"


    "Fight me!" Percival growled. "Coward!"


    The Wanderers and the Tigerkins, who were resting after their battle, looked at Percival and thought that he was out of his mind.


    Even the Mercenaries couldn''t help but look at him in contempt. For them, the scene ying was like an adult bullying a child.


    Percival was already an Adept, and the seven-year-old wasn''t even a Rookie.


    "Oi, can you stop making others look down on our race?" one of the Tigerkin Mercenary Leaders, who had a good impression of Thirteen,mented. "You''re making us all look bad."


    The other Tigerkins nodded their heads at the same time because they also thought that Percival''s behavior was very shameless.


    But before Percival could even tell the Mercenary Leader to shut up, a familiar voice reached his ears.


    "Why don''t you ept his challenge, Zion?" Anwir, who had already arrived behind the younger boy said. "That way, he will understand his ce."


    A sigh escaped Thirteen''s lips before he nodded his head.


    "Fine," Thirteen replied. "So, if you win, you will regain your freedom. But, what if I win?"


    "Then I will be your ve!" Percival answered.


    "But, you are already my ve."


    "No! I might be your ve, but I do not recognize you as my Master. If you win, I promise that I will no longer defy you. You can order me until this ve Mark disappears naturally."


    Another sigh escaped the younger boy''s lips, but he still nodded his head.


    "Fine," Thirteen nced at his Father, Gerald, and thetter looked at him with a frown on his face.


    Clearly, Gerald could see that the Tigerkin was stronger than his son, and he was worried that he might seriously get injured if the two of them were to fight with each other.


    "We will fight three hours from now," Thirteen stated before walking out of the cavern. "Until then, behave yourself."


    Having aplished his goal, Percival sat cross-legged on the corner of the cavern to meditate.


    He didn''t care what others thought about him.


    The only thing that mattered was that once he regained his freedom, he could finally return to his family.


    Thirteen, who was walking toward the exit of the cavern, asked Giga Chad to follow him.


    "I know I was the one that asked you to fight my brother, but can you win, Zion?" Anwir asked, walking in tandem with Thirteen.


    "The possibility exists," Thirteen replied. "But I need to make some preparations beforehand."


    "What kind of preparations? If there''s anything I can help you with, just say the word."


    "Mmm."


    Once they arrived outside of the cave, Thirteen nced at his surroundings before walking a hundred meters to the right.


    When he was a good distance away, he asked Giga Chad to punch the ground where he was pointing at, creating a hole that was a foot deep.


    Every spot that Thirteen pointed, the Chad Skunk punched without asking any questions.


    In fact, Giga Chad thought that he and his Master were ying a game, so he happily did what the boy asked him to.


    Anwir, who was watching from the side, didn''t know if his sworn brother was just ying around with his pet or actually preparing for the fight.


    But, an hourter, it dawned to him what kind of preparation Zion was talking about earlier.


    ''I see. So he is going to use this ce as the arena where he will fight Percival,'' Anwir thought. ''But all that those holes would be doing is to hinder both of their movements. Also, Tigerkins are very agile and flexible. The one who will have a disadvantage will not be my brother, but Zion.''


    After he came to this realization, Anwir decided to stop the duel if Percival got carried away and seriously injured his sworn brother.


    Truth be told, he was simply curious how capable Thirteen was. For the seven-year-old to grant him a Martial Technique, it proved that he wasn''t an ordinary Human boy.


    Two hourster, everyone inside the cave came out to watch the duel between Percival and the younger boy, who was currently equipped with two gauntlets on his hands.


    Gerald gave Zion the pseudo-silver grade bone gauntlets he crafted. They were made from the skulls of monsters that used their hard heads as a weapon to head butt their predators.


    It was very lightweight yet durable at the same time. Also, it packed a punch, allowing Thirteen to use his Martial Technique, Righteous Sentinel, to its limits.


    "I will serve as the referee of this match," Gerald dered. "Any objections?"


    "None," Percival replied as he gazed at his opponent, who was busy drinking something from a sk.


    "Wait, let me finish¡­ *hic*¡­ drinking first," Thirteen replied as he drank an alcoholic beverage that he had crafted in his spare time.


    Gerald frowned, but he didn''t stop his son from doing what he wanted. He already knew that everything Zion did had a reason, so he believed that this was part of his son''s strategy.


    Percival looked at the seven-year-old in contempt, thinking that Zion was drinking so that he would take it easy on him.


    However, he had no intention of doing so, especially after everything that the boy had done to him in the past.


    ''Still, this arena is so annoying,'' Percival thought because there were so many holes in his surroundings. ''Who can fight properly in this ce?''


    Just as he was thinking along these lines, Thirteen burped and threw his sk away, raising his hands and taking a boxer fighting stance.


    "Re¡­ *hic*¡­ dy," Thirteen said.


    The Tigerkins couldn''t help but shake their heads as they looked at this farce.


    Even Arthas and Netero couldn''t help but feel that this duel was a joke.


    But there was someone who thought otherwise and was even looking forward to what was going to happen to the duel.


    It was none other than the Drow, Adira, who had long wanted to see what Zion was truly capable of.


    She had already acknowledged his intellect and wisdom. However, she wasn''t sure if the boy still had something else to hide.


    ''I hope I see something interesting,'' Adira mused as she waited for the duel to begin.


    Fortunately, she didn''t have to wait a long time because Gerald raised his hand and dered the start of the duel.


    "Duel start!" Gerald shouted.


    As soon as the signal was given, Percival lunged at Zion with a sneer on his face.


    There was no way he would lose against a seven-year-old human, even if one of his hands were tied behind his back.


    But at the same time that the Tigerkin lunged at him, Thirteen jumped back.


    Percival was quick to adjust his attack, using his hands to tap the ground once and propelling himself upward in order tond behind the seven-year-old, whose movements were getting wobbly.


    However, when he realized that the ce where he was going tond had a hole in it, he immediately tried to adjust hisnding to a different ce.


    Unfortunately, the boy made an unexpected move, arching his back like a gymnast doing the bridge, but instead of his hands touching the ground, his two gauntleted fists smacked Percival''s stomach, making thetter grunt in pain.


    The Tigerkin lost his bnce after hended, making him take a few steps backward.


    Unfortunately, his right foot stepped onto a hole, making him lose his bnce a second time.


    At that exact moment, Thirteen''s foot hit his left leg, making Percival fall on the ground.


    Fearing that the seven-year-old would take that opportunity to attack him, the Tigerkin raised his guard to deflect any blow that wouldnd on his body.


    But instead of a blow, a chuckle filled with mischief reached his ears, making the proud Tigerkin''s cheeks redden in shame and embarrassment.


    Percival, as well as those who were watching the duel, thought that this battle was going to be one-sided.


    However, that brief exchange was enough to tell them that the winner of the duel might not be Percival, who was two ranks stronger than his opponent.

 Chapter 217 The Biggest Loser [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 217 The Biggest Loser [Part 2]</h4>


    Rianna, Harry, and the other Wanderers looked at Thirteen with solemn looks on their faces.


    They knew that he was from the Leventis Family, so they never judged him based on the normal standards of Solterra.


    From the beginning, they were observing him as one of the scions of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    For them, Zion knowing how to fight was not a surprise.


    However, they still thought that due to his age, he would have a hard time fighting against a Tigerkin who specialized in closebat.


    But as the minutes passed by, they were starting to understand that they had still greatly underestimated the little boy, who was a few years younger than them.


    "You really cannot judge a book by its cover, especially if they belong to one of the Prestigious Families," Rufus muttered, making Jeane, and Eren nod their heads in agreement.


    Some of them started to wonder¡ªif they were in Zion''s shoes, would they be able to fight Percival in closebat?


    The answer was obvious.


    They couldn''t.


    All of them couldn''t understand how the seven-year-old was doing it.


    It was as if Zion already knew how Percival would attack him and where he was going to attack him.


    They watched as sparks flew the moment Percival''s ws were deflected by Thirteen''s gauntlet.


    However, after that exchange, the Tigerkin once again found his foot inside a hole, making him unable to dodge the younger boy''s counterattack, which rattled his jaw.


    Thirteen didn''t miss a beat and unleashed a quick jab, targeting Percival''s jaw for the second time, before wobbling backwards like a drunk man.


    The Mercenary Leaders, who were watching from the side, couldn''t help but be impressed by the seven-year-old''s fighting style, which was simr to Brawlers.


    But the thing that impressed them the most was his drunken movements making his attacks unpredictable.


    Also, even in his drunken state, he never stepped in a hole even once.


    The only one who always lost his footing was Percival. It was as if Zion was goading him to make a mistake and using that opportunity tond a blow or two on the Tigerkin''s body.


    Blood seeped from the corner of Percival''s lips as he clenched his teeth in anger.


    "Damn you!" Percival no longer held back and activated his Emperor''s Might.


    He no longer felt guilty or embarrassed about using his Trump Card because he couldn''t afford to lose.


    Especially not in front of his brother, whom he hated more than the boy in front of him.


    Percival then disappeared from where he stood and punched Zion''s chest with the intention of sending the boy flying.


    But as if expecting his attack, Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest, and jumped backward.


    Due to the hole in front of him, Percival was forced to make immediate adjustments, so when his blow hit the seven-year-old''s gauntlets, the only thing he managed to do was push him away.


    Most of the strength behind his strike had decreased exponentially, allowing the boy to avoid any serious injury.


    Knowing that he mustn''t let this setback get to him, Percival zigzagged across the battlefield, dodging the holes as he made his way toward the boy, who had a mischievous smile stered on his face.


    ''I''ll wipe that smile off your face even if it''s thest thing I do!'' Percival thought as he punched forward.


    But, as if he had already predicted this move, Thirteen turned his body to the side, grabbed hold of Percival''s arm, and used his momentum to m him to the ground.


    The Tigerkin coughed out a mouthful of blood as his world turned upside down.


    One moment, he was charging toward his enemy, the next moment, he was lying on the ground and staring at a gauntlet that was about to smack his face.


    Thirteen''s blow connected, which was aimed on the Tigerkin''s nose, breaking it.


    But Percival didn''t care.


    He didn''t block the strike. Instead, he grabbed hold of the gauntlet to make sure that his enemy wasn''t going anywhere.


    However, Thirteen had already predicted that this would happen.


    So, the moment his attack connected, he immediately took the gauntlet off his right hand using a special mechanism and jumped back.


    Percival, who had missed the opportunity to grab hold of his target, threw the gauntlet away in anger.


    "What are you going to do now?" Percival snarled. "You lost one of your weapons."


    "I don''t¡­ mind, *hic*." Thirteen chuckled. "I lost my gauntlet, but you¡­ *hic*¡­ lost your nose. A fair trade, right? *hic*"


    "Damn you!" Percival was about to go mad due to anger because no matter what he did, his attacks failed to reach the hateful human, who was looking at him with an amused expression on his face.


    "Die!"


    Percival thrust his hands forward and unleashed a golden me. The fire spread toward Thirteen, which almost made Gerald jump in front of him to save his son.


    But something caught his eye, making him, Adira, and Anwir stop their attempt to go and save him.


    The golden mes spread, decimating everything in its path, leaving only scorched earth behind.


    "Y-Yes¡­ I did it!" Percivalughed crazily. "I won! I WON!"


    But amidst hisughter, an eerie voice reached his ears, making his body stiffen.


    "Says who?"


    Percival angrily turned around and raised his fist.


    But, before he even saw the seven-year-old, he saw a tail made up of rocks headed in his direction.


    It was already toote for Percival to do anything. The only thing he could do was groan in pain as Rocky''s tail mmed on his chest, sending him flying.


    The Tigerkin rolled several meters on the ground beforeing to aplete stop.


    With blood dripping from the corner of his lips, he forced himself to raise his head to look in the direction of the Rocky Bal-Boa and the boy, who was sitting inside its mouth.


    "Y-You cheated¡­" Percival said through bloody teeth.


    "I did," Thirteen replied, no longer looking like a drunk child. "So it''s your win. Happy?"


    "How can I be happy like this?" Percival could feel his tears falling down his face as lowered his head to the ground. "How can I be happy with this kind of victory?!"


    "Well, a win is a win, so that''s that," Thirteenmented before snapping his fingers. "Congrattions. You are now free."


    Percival immediately felt as if a weight had been lifted off his body, but he didn''t feel the happiness that he thought would feel after regaining his freedom.


    Instead, what he felt was shame and embarrassment.


    Thirteen, jumped out of Rocky''s mouth and thanked him for saving him.


    He knew that the moment Percival used his Emperor''s Might, the battle would be a bit more difficult.


    This was why he ordered Rocky toe to his rescue the moment his life would truly be in danger.


    However, he hadn''t asked the Rocky Bal-Boa to p Percival with his tail.


    No.


    Rocky did that of his own volition, which made Tiona nod her head in satisfaction.


    After spending some time with the Human boy, Rocky had learned to appreciate him, just like Giga Chad did.


    Because of this, as long as he could help it, he would not allow any harm toe to Thirteen¡ªnot to mention that thetter entrusted him to save his life if ever he was truly in danger.


    "Brother, make sure that Taiga returns safely to his family," Thirteen said as he walked toward the entrance of the cavern.


    "Understood," Anwir nodded. "We will be leaving in an hour. If something elsees up, you know where to find me."


    "I know," Thirteen smiled. "Thank you, Brother."


    The seven-year-old exchanged a fist bump with Anwir before going back to the cave in order to rest.


    He didn''t even nce in Percival''s direction. In his point of view, he had already taught his Little Hero all the lessons that he needed to teach him.


    The problem with Percival was that he hadn''t truly experienced what it felt like to lose in his life.


    Although he fought in the ve Arena, all the Monsters he fought were stronger than or equal in strength with him.


    He never even considered that he would be defeated by someone weaker than him.


    Although he had won, it didn''t feel that way to him.


    Instead, he felt that he was the biggest loser in the duel.


    This made him unable to look at the seven-year-old, whose small figure made everyone who watched the duel look at him in a better light.

 Chapter 218 The End Bringer [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 218 The End Bringer [Part 1] </h4>


    Two days after Thirteen''s and Percival''s duel¡­


    "We''re finally here, Young Master," Dixon said with a smile. "Wee back to Karabor City."


    Percival stared at the city gates with moist eyes. He never thought that he would see it again so soon¡­


    After he won his battle against Zion, the boy had set him free and even ordered Dixon to take him back to the General''s Residence to reunite with his family.


    Anwir had lent them his own Sabertooth Tiger so that they could get to the city faster.


    He had no intention of meeting his family at this time, so he returned to Parania City and dealt with the requests that his sworn brother had asked of him.


    The moment they arrived at the General''s Residence, news of Percival''s return spread like wildfire.


    A few minutester, Brie came running toward her son and wrapped him in a tight hug while crying in happiness.


    General Stark and Cleo also came and joined the family hug, making all the onlookers around them look at them with warm smiles.


    "You''ve be thinner," Brie said as she looked at her son, whom she hadn''t seen for several weeks. "Come, I''ll cook all your favorite foods. Make sure to eat them all, okay?"


    "Yes, Mother," Percival replied, feeling too emotional to say anything else.


    As the Tigerkin was dragged by his mother and sister inside the house, General Stark asked Dixon toe with him to his office.


    The General had many questions to ask, and he personally wanted to hear the answers from his right-hand man.


    After learning what kind of life his son had lived under Zion''s wing, the General couldn''t help but curse the seven-year-old who had made Percival suffer.


    However, when he heard how Percival regained his freedom, he couldn''t help but frown after hearing the result of the duel.


    "Percival lost in closebat?" General Stark asked in disbelief. "Against that boy?"


    "Yes, General," Dixon replied. "Even I was surprised. Zion was actually a good fighter despite his age."


    "But my son is two ranks stronger than him," General Stark frowned. "And he still lost?"


    Dixon nodded. "He still lost despite his advantages. Zion is like a slippery eel, always out of his reach. Although I don''t want to admit it, I feel like he already predicted how Percival would move, allowing him to move two steps ahead.


    "Although Percival has the advantage in both speed and strength, Zion was reading him like an open book. If I didn''t personally witness it, I wouldn''t believe it either, General."


    General Stark sighed before nodding his head. Since Dixon was there when it happened, he had no choice but to believe it.


    "Then, what is that boy doing right now?" General Stark asked. "Has he dealt with the Barbarians?"


    "No," Dixon answered. "But he managed to make the City Lord of Gronar City his ally. Over the past month, the only thing he did was help his Father build a giant Ballista that is fifteen-meters long.


    "I don''t know what he ns to do with it, but he mentioned that it would be the key to ending the war, so he asked us to help him build it."


    General Stark pondered for a while before voicing out his thoughts.


    "If he is making a Ballista that big, he will probably use it against the Majin Prince," General Stark stated. "The only question now is what kind of ammunition he would use that can defeat a being of that Rank. I doubt ordinary steel will pierce Arundel''s body. Have you asked him what kind of metal he will be using? Is he going to use Adamantine?"


    "¡­ About that General, he wouldn''t say anything," Dixon replied. "No matter who asked him, he just kept his lips shut tight. Even inside our base, I don''t see anyone making any kind of ammunition for the Ballista.


    "The war is only a month away, so there is still time to make some final adjustments. Also, he asked me to return after a week, so I''ll be staying here until then, General. Ah, before I forget, Zion had asked me to pass a letter to you, General."


    Dixon took out a scroll from his storage ring and handed it to General Stark, who didn''t hesitate to read it then and there.


    As he read the contents of the letter, General Stark couldn''t help but frown as a reaction to the content of the letter.


    The seven-year-old was asking him to prepare twenty Saber Tooth Tigers for Dixon to bring back with him when he returned to his base.


    That was still fine. They bred Sabertooth Tigers to be the mounts of the Tigerkins, so they had plenty to spare.


    However, Zion told him one more thing, and that was the thing that was making the General frown.


    "Is something the matter, General?" Dixon, who noticed the General''s distasteful expression, asked with concern.


    Although he didn''t like how Zion did things, especially when he ordered Giga Chad to fart on him, he still appreciated the boy''s leadership and charisma, which children his age didn''t usually possess.


    "It''s nothing," General Stark replied. "The boy is just asking me for twenty Sabertooth Tigers. You will be bringing them back when you return to him in a week. With that said, go to the stable in the Barracks and pick out twenty Rank 2 Tigers that have been properly trained. That will be enough for his use."


    The General had no ns to give Zion Rank 3 or higher Saber Tooth Tigers because they were hard to raise, and the resources used on them weren''t cheap.


    But he still agreed to let the seven-year-old have Rank 2 Monsters, which wasn''t too shabby either.


    "I''ll go and have lunch with my family," General Stark stated. "It has been a while since we all had a meal together."


    Dixon nodded in understanding and didn''t mention the fact that they still had one family member missing, and that was Anwir.


    However, after what happened recently, he made sure to keep his lips shut tight because the General''s feelings for his adopted son were a bitplicated.


    Still, he knew that Percival''s return to the residence was a positive thing. The smiles of the General''s Family that were lost when Percival disappeared had finally returned, and that was something worthy of celebration.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile on the Third Ind of the Valbarra Archipgo¡­


    cky, who had swam all the way to the ind, shook his body, sending water droplets flying in every direction.


    Thirteen, who had already dismounted from the Warsor ck Hound, walked toward the people who were seated around a bonfire beside a cave.


    "You''re here, Zion," a Barbarian Shaman greeted him with a smile. "Have you finished the thing that you were working on?"


    "Yes, Auntie Helen," Thirteen replied. "Where is Uncle Roger?"


    "He''s inside the cave and is monitoring the smelting process. Why don''t you join us for lunch? You and cky have journeyed quite far to reach us. Did you bring Rocky with you?"


    As if waiting for that moment, the Rocky Bal-Boa emerged from the ground and let out a low growl.


    This was his way of greeting the Barbarian and Tigerkin Shamans who were staying on the Third Ind, which was sacred to everyone in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "Lunch sounds good," Thirteen said as he looked at the fish that were being grilled beside the bonfire. "I''ll humbly ept your invitation, Auntie Helen."


    Everyone in their secret base was wondering what kind of ammunition Thirteen would be using for the Grand Ballista.


    However, no matter who asked him, Thirteen refused to say anything.


    He knew that if he gave them an answer, all of them would definitely call him a Heretic, for what he was doing was sphemy.


    This was also why the ultimate weapon that would deal a devastating blow to the Majin Prince was being created on the Third Ind of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    A ce where the Barbarians and the Tigerkins would not dare to investigate.


    Only the Shamans were allowed to wander freely around the ind. Visitors whoe were only allowed to wander on the beach area.


    Thirteen knew that if the other races were to discover what he was doing, they would rise up to hunt him down.


    However, they didn''t know that the Shamans, who were guarding the Sacred Ind, were working with Zion to create the ultimate weapon that could "theoretically" deal with the Majin Prince, who would be arriving a month from now.

 Chapter 219 The End Bringer [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 219 The End Bringer [Part 2]</h4>


    "Hello, Uncle Roger," Thirteen greeted the Tigerkin Shaman, who was busy smelting the materials they would use to create the ammunition for his Grand Ballista.


    "Zion, you came at the right time," Roger replied. "It''s halfwayplete. Did youe here to check if things are going as scheduled?"


    Thirteen nodded "Yes. Things are a bit hectic in the Warsor ins, so I came here to take a breather."


    "A breather? Sounds nice," Rogermented. "Still, to think that you''re making our old bones do the work for you. You really know how to order people around, don''t you?"


    Thirteen smiled faintly because he also felt a bit guilty for asking the Shamans for help. However, there wasn''t really anything he could do about it.


    The material they were using was something that only Shamans were allowed to work with, for it was something sacred to the people of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "Uncle, I''ll be staying here until this thing ispleted," Thirteen stated. "So, please, put your back into it."


    "You little rascal. Come here so I can cane you," Roger said as he lifted his walking stick and waved it in Thirteen''s direction.


    The seven-year-old chuckled and ensured that he remained well outside of the old Tigerkin Shaman''s striking range.


    Just like the Tigerkin had stated, the thing that they were working on was halfway done. So at most, it would only take them a few more days toplete the ammunition for the Grand Ballista.


    This Bolt, which they had named "End Bringer," was only halfway finished.


    Its final length would be six meters long, and its weight would be around thirty tons.


    Thirteen would apply Rune Magic on it once it waspleted, strengthening its body further, and making it extremely hard.


    Before he left their hidden base, he had asked his father to create another bolt, which would have the same length as the End Bringer.


    He had already given Gerald the design of the bolt, and with Netero working with him, they should be able to make a cast for it without problems.


    This was to make everyone think that the bolt they were working on was the same bolt that they would use during the war. However, this was only half true.


    The other bolt was only meant to give everyone some peace of mind. Some of them seemed to be getting worried that they had made a weapon, yet they still hadn''t made its ammunition.


    Another reason why Thirteen left was because the other Tigerkins were looking at him with pitiful gazes.


    All of them were hoping that he would free them as well, but Thirteen wouldn''t have any of it.


    He threatened to cover them from head to toe with Giga Chad''s spray, forcing all of them to back down and no longer pester him.


    It was not that he didn''t want to free them.


    He didn''t mind doing that.


    However, he really needed the manpower to help finish the tasks that he needed to finish before the war started.


    Setting them free now would be putting the cart before the horse.


    Since the Majin Prince would just massacre everyone once he arrived and enve the rest, the freedom they sought for would be short-lived.


    The number of people who knew about the real danger of the uing war did not surpass the count of fingers and toes on Thirteen''s hands and feet.


    He nned to keep it that way because the less people knew about it, the better their counterattack would be.


    Two dayster, Thirteen ced thest runic symbol on End Bringer, making him and the Shamans breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Thank you very much, everyone," Thirteen said. "Rest assured, I will make sure that Valbarra Archipgo will not fall under the control of Arundel. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you came to me before the war starts. I still need your help to ensure that this mission will seed."


    "Of course," Auntie Helen replied. "Although we are old, we are still capable of using a few skills here and there. Just send Rocky to pick us up when you think that Arundel is near our borders."


    "Zion, I pray that the Spirits will continue to protect and guide you," Uncle Roger said. "We will use our strength to aid you."


    Thirteen nodded. "Thank you, Auntie Helen, Uncle Roger, everyone. I''ll see you in a few weeks."


    Rocky emerged from the ground and swallowed End Bringer whole. It would stay inside his body until the time it would be used to fight against the Majin Prince.


    That way, it would remain hidden from the sight of everyone, who were doing their best to prepare for the uing war.


    Thirteen mounted cky''s back, after which the Warsor ck Hound began to swim in the sea, headed to the biggest ind of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    As they were traveling back to their base, Thirteen wondered if Cristopher had already reached the ce he asked him to go.


    This war against the Majin Prince could not be won by the Barbarians, Orcs, and Tigerkins alone.


    They needed allies, and they needed a lot of them.


    Cristopher might not have a lot of redeeming qualities, but Thirteen sincerely believed that he was the perfect man for the job.


    He had asked Jasmine, Ariel, Payton, and half of Payton''s subordinates to apany the chubby boy in his mission.


    This was the only way he could think of to keep him safe and protected, allowing him to focus on his mission without worry.


    "Man proposes, God disposes," Thirteen muttered with a wry smile on his face. "Unfortunately, the God of this world is merciless. No one can help us but ourselves."


    Thirteen still had a lot of things to do when he returned to the Warsor ins, and truth be told, it was too much for him to handle it all.


    But there was no one else who could use Rune Magic aside from him, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and create the ultimate battlefield.


    A chessboard which would grant him the chance of victory against one of the strongest beings in existence, who stood high above mere mortals like them.

 Chapter 220 Only By Being With Me Will You Stop Making Excuses

    <h4>Chapter 220 Only By Being With Me Will You Stop Making Excuses</h4>


    Three days after Thirteen left the third Ind in the Valbarra Archipgo¡­


    Percival panted for breath as he slowly propped himself up from the ground.


    His hands and feet were covered with golden mes, making the onlookers look at him with amazed looks on their faces.


    Standing in front of him was none other than his father, General Stark, who was having a spar with him.


    Simr to Percival, General Stark''s hands and feet were also covered in golden mes, but they paled inparison to the golden mes that were zing in Percival''s hands and feet.


    It was likeparing a bonfire to a forest fire, and just a nce was enough to tell everyone whose Martial Technique was stronger between the father and son.


    The General wanted to see if what Dixon said was the truth, and seeing the evidence in front of his eyes removed all doubt he had earlier.


    However, instead of happiness, the General felt disappointed.


    Despite being blessed with a superior ability, and talent than him when he was Percival''s age, his son was still defeated by Zion in a one-on-one duel.


    Although Percival technically won that duel, in his eyes, the one who lost the battle was the Tigerkin standing in front of him.


    "Can you still fight?" General Stark asked.


    "Yes, Father," Percival replied. "I can still fight!"


    General Stark nodded and took a fighting stance. Although he didn''t know how Zion was able to win against him, he had no intention of letting Percival have it easy.


    The war was approaching and, ording to Cleo''s most recent vision, Percival was fighting on the front lines of the battlefield.


    Since that was the case, the only thing he could do was help train his son to the best of his ability, giving him a higher chance of survival before the war started.


    An hourter, Percival was lying on the ground, not even able to lift his finger.


    "That is all for today," General Stark said before turning around. "We will continue our training tomorrow."


    "Thank you, Father," Percival replied.


    General Stark nodded and walked away. The onlookers also dispersed after seeing that the battle was over, leaving Percival behind.


    "I still have a long way to go," Percival muttered as he remained lying on the ground. "Father is really strong."


    He already knew that it was impossible for him to win against his father in their sparring match because of the difference in ranks.


    However, every time he thought of this excuse, the image of the seven-year-old, who bested him in closebat would appear in his mind, making him grit his teeth in frustration.


    "I bet you''re thinking that losing against your father is perfectly normal, right?"


    Percival almost jumped up in fright because he heard Zion''s hateful voice right next to his ear.


    However, when he realized that the voice wasing from the dumb-looking-bird Vassago, the Tigerkin roared and tried to smack it away.


    However, the Pocopoco was a step ahead of him and walked a few steps backwards, away from his reach.


    "This kind of thinking is the reason I defeated you in our duel," Vassago, who was using Zion''s voice, said in a teasing tone. "You know, if your father and I fought, the one who would lose would not be me, but your father."


    "Shut up!" Percival shouted. "You''re just spouting nonsense!"


    "Am I?" Vassago asked, tilting his head to the side. "Trust me. The one I intend to fight is even stronger than your father by several Ranks. This is the difference in our abilities. You have skill issues, My Guy."


    Thirteen had asked Vassago to pester Percival, and make sure to talk down to the Tigerkin, who had been reunited with his family.


    What the Tigerkin needed right now was a worthy rival, and Thirteen had decided to take that role for the time being since Anwir was quite busy handling the affairs of the Sumatran Kingdom.


    The seven-year-old wanted Percival to bounce back in his defeat, but that would not be enough to motivate the Tigerkin to do his best.


    In order for that to happen, he needed a goal.


    He needed someone to defeat, and what better target than someone who had defeated him in a duel, despite being way stronger than his opponent.


    This was the mentality that Thirteen wanted to instill in Percival.


    Despite the overwhelming odds of facing a stronger opponent, he must believe that there was a chance of winning.


    That way, the Power of Fate would activate and allow him to create miracles, which was the power of bullsh*t that belonged to Heroes.


    Thirteen hated this power the most because regardless of how disadvantaged they were, they always had a way to reverse their current situation and win in the end.


    Percival was still at the beginning stages of bing a Hero, so he was still unable to utilize this power.


    What the seven-year-old wanted to do was to help him awaken this power early because what he needed right now was the Power of Bullsh*t.


    "You know, you won''t get strong by training here with your father," Vassago said using General Stark''s voice as his way of further teasing the Tigerkin. "Actually, that power you possess was something that Zion gave to you, you know?


    "And you know what''s even more funny? Before you guys went back to the Sumatran Kingdom, he gave your brother Anwir the same power. Guess what, your brother will be much stronger than he is now."


    Vassago chuckled in a disdainful tone just like the Fourth-Rate Viin that he had be.


    Thirteen''s viinous mannerisms had rubbed off on the Pocopoco, but Vassago didn''t mind. He actually liked using Thirteen''s voice to talk to his subordinates because he liked how varied their reactions were.


    "I''ll say this again, Taiga, you will not unlock your potential if you train here with your family," Vassago stated using Thirteen''s voice. "Only I am able to give you the power you want. Only by being with me will you stop making excuses.


    "Also, if you decide to return, I will tell you the truth about this war, and the real enemy that you will be facing in the future. I have already left my message with Dixon, so if you have made up your mind. Just talk to him. Lastly, I think it will be best if you have a good talk with your sister, Cleo.


    "Just like your mother, she can also have visions. Why don''t you ask her what kind of visions she had been seeing as ofte? Maybe that will help you make your decision."


    After saying those words, Vassago flew away and headed towards Parania City in order to pass Zion''s message to Anwir.


    Thirteen had allowed Percival to return to his family for a few days because this was what Brie had asked of him.


    Since the beautiful Tigerkin had treated him properly while he was still living in their residence, the seven-year-old thought that it wouldn''t be a big deal to let Percival go home for a few days.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere on the Main Continent¡­


    Arundel looked at his army, which was in the process of boarding the ships that would take them to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    These ships were being pulled by Sea Monsters, allowing them to travel fasterpared to those who relied on sails to travel the sea.


    He had lost all contact with Gael from the Barbarians, making him wonder if the one he''d chosen had decided to betray him.


    Fortunately, Paven was still there tomunicate with him, allowing him to better understand the situation in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Since it had alreadye to this, he decided to oversee the war himself and if it didn''t progress the way he intended, he would not hesitate to interfere and forcefully make everyone submit to his rule.


    Although it was embarrassing, he didn''t want to lose his bet with Camazotz, who always talked to him as if he was beneath him.


    However, now that things had gotten out of hand, he decided to act personally even though he would be theughing stock of their organization.


    He would rather endure this kind of shame and embarrassment, than losepletely.


    ''I guess my n to impress the other Majin Princes and Princesses has backfired,'' Arundel thought as he gazed at his army. ''But, it doesn''t matter. This is just a small setback. I will be able to regain my prestige in the future.''


    With this thought in mind, the Majin Prince, who was hailed as the Destroyer, boarded the gship of his army, which was being pulled personally by a Kraken.


    It would still take a day before they departed from their territory, yet the news of Arundel making his move had already started to spread among the powerful factions, who bordered his territory.

 Chapter 221 His Greatest Enemy Was Actually His Strongest Ally

    <h4>Chapter 221 His Greatest Enemy Was Actually His Strongest Ally</h4>


    It had been two days since Vassago had talked to Percival, and yet, he couldn''t shake off the words that the PocoPocoh had spoken to him.


    He was feeling restless, as if he was out of the loop and everyone around him knew what was happening, while he was left in the dark.


    Percival thought that the power he now possessed was something he already had by birth. But, after being told that the one who gave him the power he had was none other than the Master that had tortured him, he felt devastated.


    Because of this, he did the only thing he could do and talked to his mother.


    He wanted to know if what Zion said about Cleo having visions was the truth or not.


    "You want to ask Cleo about her visions?" Brie looked at his son with worry. "Why?"


    "Because I want to know the truth," Percival replied. "The real reason behind this war, and why Anwir is allowed to roam free despite what he did to me."


    Brie sighed because her once happy family had broken apart due to Anwir''s actions. However, Zion had also chastised her because she could have stopped it if she wanted to.


    But, she did not.


    The seven-year-old told her straight up that the reason why Percival was taken away was because she allowed it to happen.


    She was at fault, just like Anwir was, so she didn''t have the moral standing to me him for enving Percival.


    In the end, all of this happened because she decided to turn a blind eye to everything.


    "Understood," Brie said softly. "Let''s go see Cleo."


    Percival nodded and followed his mother until they arrived at his sister''s room.


    "Cleo, it''s me." Brie knocked on the door. "Percival wants to talk to you."


    The door opened, showing a pretty Tigerkin, who was only a few years older than Percival.


    "Come in, Mother, Brother," Cleo said as she opened the door wider. "I have been¡­ expecting the two of you."


    Brie found her daughter''s choice of words quite interesting because she never used it before.


    However, since her daughter was a Seer, she thought that her powers might have evolved, allowing her to see more things clearly.


    The three Tigerkins sat on the couch, as Percival told his older sister the reason he wanted to talk to her.


    "When I first saw Zion, I saw him standing on a hill, as Giant Fireballs descended from the sky. The Barbarians, the Tigerkins, were caught up in the explosions, with some of them dying, and getting burned alive on the spot."


    Cleo''s words were measured, yet firm and clear. If in the past, she would shudder while recalling these things. But now, things were different.


    She had be a little bit stronger, and epted that her visions served as a warning, and hope for her, and her people.


    "But, I''ve been seeing more visions of him as ofte," Cleo''s hand that was being held by her mother, trembled a bit as she recalled hertest vision about Zion. "I saw him facing off against a horned monster with mes covering its body. You and Brother Anwir were there as well, supporting him from the side.


    "This Monster is the reason this war is happening in the first ce, and his name is Arundel the Destroyer. A Majin Prince who ising to conquer ournds and enve our people."


    Brie and Percival didn''t say anything when Cleo said Brother Anwir. Instead, they focused on hertest vision, which showed Zion fighting on the front lines against a being that was stronger than the Barbarian King and the Tigerkin King.


    But, what was more surprising was that the ones helping him fight it were none other than Percival and Anwir.


    Such a being was beyond their capabilities to fight, and yet, there they were, fighting against it with grim expressions on their faces.


    "Did you see the oue of the battle?" Percival asked. "Did we win?"


    "I-I don''t know," Cleo answered. "I didn''t see anything that might tell me the oue of the battle. I just know that you and Brother Anwir were fighting the Majin Prince with Zion."


    "You said that he was fighting the Majin Prince, too, right?" Percival asked. "How is he fighting? Did you see him punch the Majin Prince?"


    His question was filled with sarcasm. Although he didn''t doubt his sister''s vision, he found the mere thought of Zion fighting on the front lines very ridiculous.


    Cleo didn''t think much of the sarcasm in Percival''s question, and only looked at him sadly.


    "Brother, don''t talk about Zion like that," Cleo said softly.


    She wanted to say more things, but she couldn''t do it because saying it was very painful.


    Cleo had seen how hurt Zion was in her vision, and it made her feel hurt as well.


    She had seen the seven-year-old''s face filled with anger as tears fell from his eyes.


    His body, which was soaked in his blood and the blood of others, continued to stand tall as he faced the Majin Prince with determination.


    Seeing him like that, she felt ashamed, and embarrassed of herself because she had feared him back then.


    She thought that he was a monster hiding inside a Human''s body. But, she found out through her vision that he was more kind, andpassionate than others.


    The tears she saw back then.


    The anger in his roars.


    The desperation in his eyes.


    Made her wish that if there was an ending in her vision, she hoped that it was a happy one.


    For that was the only thing that would justify all the pain, and sadness, that the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo would experience on that fateful day.


    A day when their pride and dignities would be trampled on, by an existence that only knew how to destroy the happiness that they held dear in their lives.


    Seeing the look on her sister''s face, Percival couldn''t help but avert his gaze.


    Her gaze was piercing, as if she could see right through his insecurities, making him feel ashamed.


    A momentter, Percival could no longer bear it and left the room to head to his Father''s office.


    He needed to do one more thing before he could make up his mind whether to return to Zion or not.


    But, before that, he needed to meet with his Brother, Anwir, once again.


    Only by doing so could he make a decision.


    A decision that would make him realize that his greatest enemy was actually his strongest ally.

 Chapter 222 Do Your Worst, You Sorry Excuse For A Brother

    <h4>Chapter 222 Do Your Worst, You Sorry Excuse For A Brother </h4>


    "Master Anwir, a guest has arrived," one of the servants in Paven''s Residence reported.


    "A guest?" The corner of the Tigerkin''s lips curled up into a smirk. "And, just who is this guest?"


    "He introduced himself as Percival Evander," the servant answered. "He is apanied by someone named Dixon."


    "I see." Anwir resumed writing the letter that he was working on, but not before he ordered the Servant to bring his guests to his office.


    Several minutester, there was a knock on the door, and the servant announced the arrival of their guests.


    "Come in," Anwir stated as he finished the final part of the letter that he was working on.


    Anwir then blew on the letter that he had just finished writing to help dry the ink on it.


    A few secondster, he raised his head to look at the two people that had entered his room, and gave them a smile.


    "Hello, Taiga," Anwir said. "What are you doing here?"


    "That''s not my name," Percival replied.


    Anwir only shrugged before resting the side of his face on the palm of his right hand.


    "So? What are you doing here?" Anwir asked.


    "Is it true that you now have the same power as me?" Percival asked back.


    "Are you referring to the Emperor''s might?" Anwir arched an eyebrow. "If that''s what you''re referring to, then I have it as well."


    As if to prove that his words were true, Anwir raised his left hand enveloping it in dark mes that zed fiercely.


    "Zion is really something," Anwir smirked. "Having him as a Sworn Brother is the best thing that happened to me."


    Percival, whose gaze was locked on the mes that were burning around Anwir''s left hand, felt an ache in his heart.


    Although the color of the mes were different, there was no doubt in his mind that Anwir was using the same technique as him.


    Half a minuteter, he took a deep breath and met his step brother''s gaze.


    "Fight me," Percival dered.


    "Fight you?" Anwir snorted. "And why should I do that? Are you going to act like a spoiled brat like you did with Zion and demand that you fight him over and over again? Oi, Taiga, I am not as free as you, okay?"


    Anwir then folded the letter he had written and ced it inside an envelope. A momentter, he let the candle wax drip over it before using the ring in his hand to stamp it.


    Anwir''s seal, which was now recognized by the leaders of the Underworld, was only given to those who had the ability to aplish the tasks that were written inside the envelope.


    "This is thest time I will ask you to fight with me," Percival stated. "After this, I will not ask you to fight me again."


    "Oh?" Anwir sneered. "Who are you to demand such a thing? Also, must I remind you that you''ve gotten your ass handed to you by a seven-year-old, who is several times weaker than you? If you can''t even beat Zion, do you really think you have the chance to beat me?"


    "I didn''te here to beat you," Percival took a step forward. "I came here to settle things between us."


    "Now you''re talking." Anwir nodded. "I can ept your challenge if this is your reason foring here. But, before that, Amery, can you deliver this letter?"


    The cab inside the room opened, and the Assassin, who was now Anwir''s right-hand-man appeared in front of everyone.


    "Should I deliver it to ''Him''?" Amery inquired.


    "Yes," Anwir answered.


    "Understood." Amery nodded.


    The Assassin then walked out of the room without even ncing at their guests, who hade to challenge his Boss.


    "Well then, let''s go," Anwir ordered as he stood up from his chair. "I don''t have a lot of free time to babysit you, Taiga. So, let''s end this quickly."


    Knowing that Anwir would keep calling him Taiga, Percival no longer corrected him and just followed behind him.


    A few minutester, they arrived at the back of Paven''s residence, which served as the Training Area for the guards.


    Anwir and Percival faced each other, and took a fighting stance.


    "One question before we start," Anwir said. "What do you n to do after our duel ends?"


    "I''m going back to the Barbarian Lands," Percival replied.


    "Oh? Does that mean that you n to leave your family behind?"


    "I''ve already told them of my decision. Father and Mother didn''t dissuade me because of Cleo''s vision."


    A frown appeared on Anwir''s face because his step sister, Cleo, was one of his reverse scales.


    "And, what did she see?" Anwir asked with genuine curiosity.


    "I''m not telling you," Percival stuck out his tongue. "If you want to know, go and ask her yourself."


    "Cheeky brat, I guess it''s time to pound some real sense to you."


    "Do your worst, you sorry excuse for a brother."


    After that exchange of barbed words, the two unleashed their Emperor''s Might, raising their fighting prowess to their limits.


    A few secondster, both of them vanished from where they stood and shed at the center of the arena, sending dirt flying in every direction as a shock wave expanded outwards.


    High above a tree branch, Vassago groomed his wing, while giving side nces to the two Tigerkins, who were duking it out with each other.


    He had already expected this oue, especially after saying those words to Percival a few days ago.


    ''Zion really knows how to ruffle the feathers of others,'' Vassago thought. ''But, it seems that his prediction about Taiga returning ising true.''


    The PocoPoco had grown fond of his mysterious Master whose intellect surpassed children his age.


    ''I just hope that Poca, who is following Cristopher, will return with good news,'' Vassago sighed in his heart.


    Although he was worried about the chubby boy, who was loyal to a fault, he trusted that Zion wouldn''t send him to a ce that was too dangerous for him.


    Right now, all of them had important roles to y, which would be evident a few weeks from now.


    The Tigerkins and the Barbarians had almost finished their war preparations.


    It was only a matter of time before their armies marched and faced each other on the Warsor ins, where Thirteen''s forces would congregate in the not-so-distant future.

 Chapter 223 You Have A Problem, Brah?

    <h4>Chapter 223 You Have A Problem, Brah?</h4>


    After traveling for nearly a week, Percival stared at the entrance of the cave where the seven-year-old boy''s secret base was located.


    But, just as he was about to enter, he saw something big walk out of the cave, making him flinch.


    "You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me," Thirteen said with a smug look on his face. "Wee back, Taiga. Have you prepared yourself to venture to hell and back?"


    Percival didn''t reply right away. Instead he eyed the younger boy, who was sitting on the back of the Chad Skunk, Giga Chad.


    No matter how much he tried to gauge Zion''s strength, the only thing he could see was a powerless Human boy, whose neck he could easily snap if he wished for it.


    But, this same powerless boy was the person who made him understand that strength wasn''t the only way to win battles.


    A minuteter, Percival dismounted from the Saber Tooth Tiger and walked towards Zion with a determined expression on his face.


    When he was only three meters away from the Chad Skunk, he knelt on the ground and looked at the younger boy with a steady gaze.


    "Can you make me strong?" Percival asked.


    "I can," Thirteen replied with confidence.


    "Then, will you ept me as your disciple?"


    "A disciple?"


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow as he looked at the kneeling Tigerkin in front of him.


    "You mean to say you want to learn things from me for free without giving anything in return?" Thirteen smirked. "I''m not a very charitable person, so I''ll have to decline your request."


    "Then, what do you want?" Percival asked. "Do you want to enve me again?"


    "No," Thirteen shook his head. "What I want from you is a promise. If you survive this war, you will be my subordinate for two years."


    "Only two years?" Percival asked back.


    "Only two years?" Thirteen chuckled. "Fine. Since you sound so disappointed, let''s make it three years."


    "Wait! I didn''t say that you could increase it."


    "You have a problem, Brah?"


    A sigh escaped Percival''s lips because he knew the kind of look that Zion was giving him. It was the kind of look where he wouldn''t take No for an answer, making him have no choice but to nod his head in agreement.


    "Three years then," Percival stated. "I will serve you faithfully as your subordinate for three years."


    Thirteen nodded. "Good. Since I''m investing in you, you better not die."


    "I don''t n to die," Percival replied firmly.


    "Come inside," Thirteen ordered. "We don''t have much time left, so I''ll make you strong before this day is over."


    Percival became confused after hearing Zion''s words.


    He was expecting that the boy would use the remaining days to train him, but from the way he worded his statement, the seven-year-old only intended to train him for a day, which made him wonder if he was joking or not.


    Dixon watched the exchange with amusement because he thought that Thirteen was just teasing the General''s son.


    There was no way that he could train Percival to be strong in a day.


    But, this was why he was wrong as well.


    Thirteen wasn''t an ordinary boy, and since hecked time, he intended to use a special method to train Taiga.


    As the Tigerkin entered the interior of the cave, he was pleasantly surprised to see that there were already two Steel Reinforced Bolts that the Grand Ballista could use as ammunition.


    Zion had hailed the Grand Ballista as their Trump Card during the war, and he had to admit that it looked imposing enough to be called one.


    It didn''t take long before Thirteen and Percival arrived in his room.


    Just like always, he had asked Cristopher and Giga Chad to guard the door, so that no one would disturb them.


    "Last time, I knocked you out," Thirteen stated. "But, this time, I will not do such a thing. So, sit cross legged and close your eyes."


    Percival did as he was told, and closed his eyes obediently.


    The only way for him to train Percival was to allow him to inherit the battle experience of a fighter that specialized in using Emperor''s Might.


    Fortunately, he had that kind of experience because one of his Hosts was a candidate to be the next Beast King, who was an expert in using that same Martial Technique.


    What Zion nned to do was let Percival gain the umtion of that experience, allowing him to better understand how to use the skill, as if he had used it for an entire lifetime.


    He nned to do the same thing for Anwir, and had already sent a letter to him, asking him toe and see him after a week.


    Thirteen needed his Hero and his Viin to be at the peak of their strength before the fight against the Majin Prince started.


    ''Leon, I''ll borrow your power once more,'' Thirteen said softly as he remembered his Host, who had failed to be the next Beast King due to the scheme that was devised by one of the Viins, who wanted to get the position as well.


    Taking a deep breath, he ced his finger on his forehead, and activated the rune magic that he had prepared for Taiga''s arrival.


    The Cores that he had ced around his body glowed one by one, allowing Zion to channel their power to his Soul Core, and copy the memories of his Host, Leon.


    A few minutester, he tapped Taiga''s forehead, allowing the Tigerkin to absorb the battle experience that his previous Host had umted during his lifetime.


    Of course, he didn''t add the part where Leon was ambushed by over two hundred Beastkins, which led to his death.


    Thirteen sat cross-legged in front of Percival, and monitored his condition.


    Although he believed that the transfer of memories was going to be smooth, he decided to stay just in case there were anyplications.


    Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened, and after six hours, Percival opened his eyes.


    His gaze was no longer the gaze of an insecure brat, who still didn''t know what he wanted to do in life.


    "It will take you a few days to consolidate everything that you have learned," Thirteen stated. "You are free to train, and hunt wherever you please. But, make sure that you don''t venture too far from this base. I don''t want you dying due to overconfidence. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Master," Percival bowed his head respectfully, showing his sincerity.


    What Zion gave him was something precious, and although he didn''t know that Leon had a special rtionship with Thirteen, he believed that the person whom he had received memories from, was someone who never gave up until the bitter end.


    "Do your best, Taiga," Thirteen said as he patted the Tigerkin''s shoulder. "You need to work hard for me for the next three years."


    Instead of being angry, Percival only smiled and nodded his head.


    For some reason, the name Taiga now had a special meaning in his heart.


    For it was the name that was given to him by his Master, who despite his powerless appearance, was someone who had taught him something that he could have only learned after living for more than a hundred years.

 Chapter 224 You Can Repay Me By Not Dying

    <h4>Chapter 224 You Can Repay Me By Not Dying </h4>


    Thirteen looked at the ground using a telescope while sitting on the back of a Giant Hawk.


    Netero, who was seated beside him, was the one controlling the hawk from the sky.


    "Let''snd over there, Lord Netero," Thirteen pointed to the ground under them.


    "Okay," Netero replied and urged the Giant Hawk to descend to the ground.


    When theynded, Thirteen walked a few meters away before taking out a steel pole that was a meter long from his Dimensional Storage and made it fall on the ground.


    This steel pole had hundreds of Runic Symbols embedded in it, and was already charged with enough power to unleash its might, once Thirteen activated it using his Rune Magic.


    A momentter, Rocky emerged and picked the steel pole with its mouth before nting it firmly in the location that Thirteen had pointed.


    The Rocky Bal-Boa even used its tail to hammer it into the ground, making sure that it was nted properly.


    "A little deeper, Rocky," Thirteen said. "We must not let anyone discover it."


    Netero watched with amusement as the seven-year-old asked the Rocky Bal-Boa to bury the steel pole until it was a meter deep before covering it with dirt.


    "Good." Thirteen nodded in satisfaction. "Let''s go to the next location, Lord Netero."


    The old man nodded, and once again asked his Giant Hawk to fly towards the sky.


    The armies of the Tigerkins, and the Barbarians, were about to march out to the battlefield, so they needed toplete their preparations before the war officially started.


    Thirteen nned to deposit twenty-four steel poles in the Warsor ins in order to cover a wide area that spanned for at least five miles in every direction.


    He even made sure that it would be enough to reach the beach where he believed Arundel''s army wouldnd when they arrived at the Valbarra Archipgo.


    But, in order to maximize the power of the formation that he was creating, he would need the Majin Prince to arrive at its center, allowing him to trap the Majin Princepletely.


    If he activated the formation when Arundel was only on the edges of it, there was a high chance that the binding would not be strong enough to hold himpletely, allowing him to escape.


    Although it was dangerous, Thirteen nned to lure the Majin Prince to the very center of the formation, where they would have a higher chance of getting the End Bringer to hit him.


    Half a dayter, Thirteen, Netero, and Rocky, returned to their secret base to rest.


    "What is our next move, Zion?" Netero asked as they walked deeper inside the cave.


    "We wait for the battle to start," Thirteen replied. "We''ve already done everything in our power. Whether we seed or not now depends on the actions of the Majin Prince."


    Thirteen wanted nothing more than to sleep for two straight days after everything that he had done.


    He hadn''t gotten much sleep over the past week because they were running out of time.


    The boy knew that if he nted the steel poles a few dayster, there was a high chance that he would be discovered by the scouts of the Barbarian and Tigerkin armies.


    Because of this, he worked day and night to make sure that the formation he created was perfect.


    After telling Netero that he would take a nap, Thirteen headed straight to his room.


    However, he bumped into Anwir on his way, making thetter smile.


    "Are you too deprived of sleep to see where you are going, Zion?" Anwir asked as he looked at the seven-year-old, who had dark circles in his eyes.


    "Mmm," Thirteen eyed Anwir from head to foot, and felt the changes in his presence. "How is it? Do you think you can consolidate what you''ve learned before the war starts?"


    "It will be a bit tight, but I will manage," Anwir replied with confidence. "I am truly thankful for what you''ve done for me, Zion. I don''t know how I''ll be able to repay you."


    "You can repay me by not dying, and by making sure that I also won''t die," Thirteen answered before yawning. "I''m going to sleep. Make sure to return to the Sumatran Kingdom before the Barbarian Armies arrive."


    Anwir nodded. "I was just about to do that. I just waited for you to return so I can say a proper goodbye."


    "Mmm." Thirteen hummed before raising his closed fist towards his Sworn Brother, making Anwir smirk.


    The two fist bumped each other before the seven-year-old entered his room to sleep.


    Percival, who was leaning on the wall not far from them, opened his eyes and looked at his stepbrother, who was about to leave their base.


    "Don''t die, okay," Percival said. "If there is anyone who has the right to kill you, that person is me."


    "Worry about yourself," Anwir replied as he walked past his step brother. "Because if you die, Father, Mother, and Cleo will be very sad. The least you can do is make sure you survive this war for their sake."


    Anwir didn''t even bother to look at Percival as he headed to the exit of the cave.


    His Sworn Brother had already told him what must be done, and he would see to it that he would do them without fail.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, somewhere far out in the sea¡­


    Vassago and Poca had been tasked to monitor the sea to look for signs of Arundel''s army.


    Since the sea was vast, the two Pocopocos'' split up, so that they would be able to cover a wider range.


    Due to the power of the Wind Spirits, and both being Rank 3 Monsters, they were able to travel far distances without getting tired.


    Poca, who was tasked to fly Northwest, saw dark clouds on the horizon.


    After flying in that direction, she immediately sensed the overbearing aura from a being that stood at the apex of the world.


    The Pocopoco immediately turned back, and flew in the direction where Vassago was scouting.


    Once the two of them reunited, Poca didn''t waste time and told him about her findings.


    "Let''s go back," Vassago said firmly. "We need to tell Zion that Arundel is almost here."


    The two didn''t waste another second and flew towards the Valbarra Archipgo.


    The moment of truth was almost at hand, and with it, the armies of the Tigerkins, Barbarians, and the Orcs started to move towards the Warsor ins, where they would all take part in a battle that would dye the ground red with their blood.

 Chapter 225 This Is Your Last Chance. Your One And Only Chance, So Think Wisely

    <h4>Chapter 225 This Is Your Last Chance. Your One And Only Chance, So Think Wisely</h4>


    Dozens of wooden wagons traveled alongside the Giant Ballista, which was being pulled by Giga and Rocky.


    Their destination was none other than the Furvus Grasnds, where they would be hidden from the eyes of the armies of the Barbarians, the Orcs, and the Tigerkins.


    After napping for three hours, Thirteen ordered everyone inside the cave to mobilize and head to the camp that they had prepared in the darkest regions of the Warsor ins.


    There, they would set up their Grand Ballista, and hope that after a few days, the war would finally be over.


    The Wanderers were feeling restless because they could feel the tension in the surroundings.


    Thirteen hadn''t told them that if everything went ording to his n, they would be able to return to Pangea once he had sessfully lit the Beacon of Hope.


    Unfortunately, for that to happen, he needed Arundel to enter the trap he had prepared. But, that was easier said than done.


    Knowing the Majin Prince, he would not actively participate in the war, and only send his forces at the right time, when both armies were weakened.


    But, ording to his conversation with Paven, the Old Tigerkin believed that Arundel seemed to be in a hurry to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo.


    So, if he felt that the war wasn''t proceeding the way he wanted it to be, there was a high chance that he would personally make his move.


    Thirteen was betting on this event to happen because the only way for them to win the war was for Arundel to step onto the battlefield.


    If the Monarchs of Pangea were to know that a Majin Prince would being, the seven-year-old believed that all five of them would turn tail and evacuate the ce as fast as they could.


    And yet, mere Wanderers, who were not even Rookies, were forced to face such an existence.


    As much as possible, he didn''t want any of the Wanderers to get caught up in the fighting, so he had asked Rianna, and her Hunting Party to y a defensive role, and protect their Grand Ballista from being targeted by stray members from the different armies in the Warsor ins.


    Thirteen, Percival, Adira, and Dixon would position themselves not far from the actual battlefield, and see how things progressed from their side.


    The Grand Ballista was already in ce, and was perched on a hill, facing the Warsor ins.


    Only Cristopher, Brutus, Bruno, and the Shamans from the Sacred Ind were allowed to operate the Grand Ballista.


    The rest of the fighters were ced several hundreds of meters away from them, spread out like a fan, and ready to intercept anyone who happened toe close to their Trump Card.


    Since the Grand Ballista was hidden from view, Thirteen asked Rocky to load the End Bringer on it, with Bruno, and Giga Chad helping to secure it in ce.


    Cristopher, who was tasked to operate the Grand Ballista, couldn''t help but blink repeatedly as he looked at the shiny ammunition in surprise.


    The four Reinforced Steel Bolts that they had crafted as ammunitiony beside the Grand Ballista, ready to be used anytime.


    However, it didn''t take long for Cristopher to understand that the true ammunition that they were going to use was none other than the shining bolt that he was supposed to fire after seeing Thirteen''s signal.


    "Cristopher, I know that this is a heavy responsibility, but I believe in you," Thirteen said as he patted his right-hand man''s shoulder. "I don''t want to pressure you, but know that if you miss, all of us are going to die."


    The chubby boy''s face crumpled, looking as if he was about to cry. Clearly, he didn''t want to be the person assigned tounch the End Bringer, which was the ultimate weapon against the Majin Prince.


    "Y-Young Master, I think you should reconsider," Cristopher stuttered. "I think Rianna will be a better candidate than me. I''m sure of it!"


    "No," Thirteen shook his head. "At times like this, only you can do it."


    "B-But Young Master, I really don''t think I can do it."


    "You have to do it, Cristopher. If you don''t, you won''t see your mother ever again."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, the chubby boy clenched both of his fists.


    While it was true that he was scared to death of the Majin Prince, nothing scared him more than leaving his mother, who was still in aa in one of the hospitals of the Leventis Family, behind.


    "Cristopher, let me promise you one thing," Thirteen said before holding the boy''s clenched fists. "If you seed, I promise that I will cure your mother from her sickness when I return to Pangea.


    "Although it might not be tomorrow, in a week, a month, or perhaps even a year, I promise you that I will make her open her eyes so that the two of you can hug each other again."


    Cristopher didn''t doubt Zion''s words for he had already done many things that he deemed impossible.


    He also understood that he was ced in the safest ce possible, so that he wouldn''t have to worry about getting attacked by the armies that were about to face off against each other.


    The ones who were truly going to be in danger were none other than Thirteen, Percival, Adira, and Dixon, who would head to the frontlines alongside Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, the Trolls, and the Ogres, who would support his Young Master in his mission.


    Payton and the rest of the Tigerkins would remain to protect the Wanderers and the Grand Ballista from harm.


    "I will not wish you luck, Cristopher because you won''t need it," Thirteen said with a smirk. "You already have what it takes to seed. Don''t worry, no matter what happens, I will make sure that the Beacon of Hope is lit, so that you, and the others can go home.


    "Ah! Before I forget, when the Beacon of Light is lit, stay for as long as you can. You might not see me again for a long time, so make sure to watch me closely using that telescope I gave you."


    When Thirteen descended the hill, Gerald looked at him with a solemn expression on his face before hugging the seven-year-


    old.


    "Don''t die out there, son," Gerald said. "Your mother, Mikhail, Shasha, and Remi, will be waiting for your return."


    "Got it, Pops," Thirteen replied as he gently patted Gerald''s back. "Once you return to Pangea, take care of Cristopher for me. He is my right-hand man, so make sure to talk to Grandma about it, okay?"


    Gerald chuckled. "Why should I talk about Cristopher with Mother? Shouldn''t I talk with my old man instead?"


    "That''s because you and Gramps are the same," Thirteen answered. "Both of you are henpecked husbands. So, as long as Grandma agrees, Gramps will have no choice but to agree as well."


    Gerald shook his head helplessly before ruffling his unfilial son''s hair, turning it to a mess.


    "May the winds of Fortune be at your back," Gerald said softly.


    "Don''t worry, Pops," Thirteen smirked. "It''s just a Majin Prince. I''m sure Gramps will die out of envy knowing that he missed the chance of bing a Monarch by taking part in this mission."


    "Hahaha! Indeed, he will definitely feel constipated all day long once he hears of our legendary exploits," Geraldughed.


    Thirteen joined him in hisughter for a few seconds before he set out to walk towards Rianna and Harry, who were several meters away from them.


    "The two of you only have one mission," Thirteen stated. "Stay alive until the Beacon of Hope is lit. Rianna, it has been fun going on an adventure with you. I hope that our paths will cross again somewhere here in Solterra."


    Rianna became teary-eyed as she hugged the seven-year-old tightly. "Of course there will be plenty of opportunities to meet. We will meet again, definitely!"


    Thirteen, who had been hugged tightly, waited for a few seconds before tapping the youngdy''s back, so that she could release him.


    Although she was reluctant, Rianna finally let him go, allowing the seven-year-old to look at Harry with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Zion, I¡ª," Harry was about to say something, but he was cut short when the younger boy raised his hand.


    "Harry, there is only one thing I want from you," Thirteen said.


    "Anything! As long as I can do it, I will give it to you," Harry replied.


    "Attack Helicopter."


    "¡­ Can I take my words back?"


    The scion of the Remington n almost face palmed after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    The younger boy was so firm in his goal to get an Attack Helicopter from his family, making him smile bitterly.


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen stated as he patted Harry''s shoulder. "I will have my Attack Helicopter, by hook or by crook. So, wait for me to return to Pangea to cash out what you owe me, okay?"


    Harry sighed before nodding his head.


    "Fine," Harry said. "I''ll see what I can do."


    "And I''ll do the rest," Thirteen said with a devilish smile on his face. "Attack Helicopter Get!"


    The younger boy smirked as he walked towards Percival, Adira, Dixon, and the monsters who would fight alongside him.


    "I will not sugarcoat things," Thirteen dered as he faced those who would apany him in battle. "There is a high chance that many of you will die. But, know this. All of us are not fighting just for the sake of one race.


    "We are going to protect the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo. But, know this, I have every intention of surviving this battle. So, all of you must also do everything in your power to survive.


    "If there is anyone here who wishes to remain here, speak up now, and I will allow you to do so. This is yourst chance. Your one and only chance, so think wisely."


    Everyone nced at each other. A momentter, cky started to walk back towards the other Wanderers, but Thirteen wrapped his arms around the Warsor ck Hound''s neck and pulled him back, making thetter bark in surprise.


    "Bastard, where are you going?!" Thirteen asked in annoyance. "Hello? You are my mount? Do you think I''ll allow you to go? Also, Rocky, don''t burrow and hide under the ground! You''reing with me period! Hercules, why are you hiding in those grasses? Do you think I can''t see you? Come back here!"


    The Beasts, who didn''t want to participate in the war, all groaned, hissed, and growled, making their intentions known.


    However, the seven-year-old wouldn''t have any of it!


    Percival, Adira, and Dixon, watched all of these with amused expressions on their faces. The seven-year-old gave everyone a chance to back down, but it seemed that he had no intention of letting anyone leave in the first ce!


    In the end, Thirteen sat on cky''s back, and raised his closed fist in the air.


    "What you do in life, echoes in Eternity!" Thirteen shouted. "To victory!"


    """To Victory!"""


    High above the sky, Vassago and Poca screeched as they circled around their Master, whose unyielding gaze looked towards the ce where a great battle was about to begin.

 Chapter 226 One-On-One Showdown [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 226 One-On-One Showdown [Part 1] </h4>


    A massive army marched from the Sumatran Kingdom and crossed the strait that divided the territory of the Tigerkins and Barbarians.


    Simultaneously, the Barbarian and Orc Armies made their way to the battlefield where the Tigerkin Army had stationed themselves.


    The one who chose this ce was none other than General Stark, in ordance with Thirteen''s rmendation.


    The battlefield was a wide in, allowing both sides to fight on even ground and giving both sides a fair advantage in the war.


    General Stark gazed in the distance as the Tigerkins yed their drums of war.


    Replying to the thunderous booming sounds of their challenge were the war drums of the Barbarians and the Orcs, who had been allies for a very long time.


    Both armies were a mile away from each other, sizing each other up.


    Countless gs fluttered in the wind, representing the different factions of both armies.


    Thirteen and his group positioned themselves two miles away from the battlefield. The seven-year-old stood on top of a hill as he peeked through a telescope empowered with rune magic, observing the two armies from a distance.


    "Vassago, Poca, you already know what to do," Thirteen said to the two Pocopocos that were perched on Giga Chad''s back. "Both of your roles are important, so keep yourselves safe no matter what."


    The two Pocopocos chirped in acknowledgement before flying toward the sky.


    Vassago flew toward the Barbarian Army, while Poca flew toward the Tigerkin Army.


    "Zion, what if they start to engage each other?" Adira inquired. "What will we do then?"


    "We won''t let that happen, Lady Adira," Thirteen replied. "The moment these two armies sh, our mission will fail. No matter what happens, they must not fight each other unless Arundel makes his appearance."


    Vassago and Poca had confirmed that Arundel''s forces had already reached the ind and were currently masking their presence, preventing anyone from detecting them.


    This was made possible with the artifact that Arundel was carrying. He wanted the two armies to weaken each other first before he sent his army for the kill, causing both sides to suffer countless casualties in battle.


    Little did the Majin Prince know that Thirteen already knew where his Army had positioned themselves.


    The Tigerkins, Barbarians, and the Orcs didn''t know that a game of chess with pieces numbering in the hundreds of thousands was about to begin.


    Both armies stood facing each other as their war drums boomed continuously, reverberating across the entire battlefield.


    "Your Majesty, why don''t we take the initiative to attack our enemies?" Gael advised the Barbarian King. "These Tigerkins might have forgotten who drove them off when they tried to invade ournds. Perhaps a wake up call is in order."


    "That will be a foolish thing to do," Neteromented from the side. "Have you forgotten that Tigerkins are born stronger than humans? Even with the help of our Orc friends, they must not be underestimated no matter what.


    "Since you are itching for a fight, how about we do it the traditional way of sending our warriors to fight a one-on-one battle to spice things up? Gael, I think it will be best if you go fight to raise the morale of our troops, what do you say?"


    Although he didn''t look like it, Netero was actually one of the most talented strategists of the Barbarian Race.


    He was the one who created the strategy to repel the Tigerkins when they first invaded theirnds, allowing their forces to regroup and rally under one banner.


    Because of this, his words carried a lot of weight to the Barbarian King.


    "A traditional battle sounds good," the Barbarian Kingmented. "Go, Gael. Show these beasts what the Barbarians can do."


    Gael frowned, but since the King had given his orders, he decided to obey his will.


    Netero watched him go with a calm expression on his face. Gael might only be a Grandmaster, but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t proficient in fighting.


    He was a Barbarian, so fighting was something that he was born to do.


    Riding a war horse, Gael charged alone and stood at the center of the ins, raising his voice to challenge the Tigerkins.


    "Who among you is brave enough to fight me?" Gael asked in a challenging tone.


    Paven, who recognized Gael, couldn''t help but wonder if this was part of his counterpart''s n to trigger the war to begin.


    General Stark, who was inpletemand of the army, was about to send one of his men to battle when a Saber Tooth Tiger, carrying a warrior, ran toward the battlefield.


    "Anwir," General Stark muttered before narrowing his eyes.


    His adopted son was only of the Elite Rank, while the Barbarian who offered the challenge was of the Grandmaster Rank.


    Although Tigerkins were born stronger than humans, there was still a three-rank gap between Gael and Anwir, which would result in a bad matchup between them.


    But just as General Stark was about to call Anwir back, Rafiki, who was standing by his side, ced a hand over the General''s shoulder.


    "Anwir is not a foolish child," Rafiki said softly. "He knows what he is doing, so trust him this one time."


    General Stark frowned, but he no longer proceeded to order Anwir to return.


    The Tigerkins, who recognized the boy as General Stark''s adopted son, were confused. But since he came from the General''s Family, they thought that this was just part of the strategy that he came up with.


    "The young sure are fearless," Gael said when Anwir was only fifteen meters away from him. "Have youe here to die, boy?"


    Instead of answering, Anwir dismounted from his Saber Tooth Tiger and ordered it to distance itself from him.


    Gael chuckled before he, too, dismounted and made his mount go away as well.


    Drawing his great sword from his scabbard, the Barbarian took a fighting stance.


    He didn''t mind fighting someone weaker than him since, in the end, it would allow him to raise the morale of the Barbarians.


    Anwir, on the other hand, was not nning to win this duel.


    What he was nning waspletely different, but he believed that it would not be a bad way to test how far his Martial Technique had improved.


    The Martial Technique, Emperor''s Might, was more effective when facing off against enemies who were stronger than its wielder.


    This technique was made to surpass one''s limits and allow them to put their lives on the line for the possibility of a victory.


    "State your name, boy," Gael stated.


    "Anwir Evander," Anwir replied. "And you are?"


    "Gael Scar," Gael answered. "The man who will teach you a lesson that you will never forget."


    Anwir took a fighting stance, which he had seen countless times inside his head and practiced nearly sixteen hours a day ever since he gained the memories of the Lion King named Leon.


    Although Lionkins and Tigerkins were of different species, there were also multiple simrities between them, making them two of the strongest races of the Beastkins.


    As soon as he channeled the Emperor''s Might inside his body, his arms and legs were both covered with zing dark mes, making the Tigerkin King and General Stark look at him in shock.


    ''King''s Might?'' the Tigerkin King thought as he scrutinized Anwir''s technique. ''No. This is different from King''s Might. It is much more powerful.''


    Only the Royal Family were able to use the Martial Technique King''s Might because this was their closely guarded secret.


    However, after seeing that Anwir was able to use a Martial Skill that was quite simr, and perhaps even stronger than King''s Might, the Tigerkin King wasn''t able to stop himself from looking at the boy favorably.


    ''He is Stark''s adopted son,'' the Tigerkin King thought as he nced at the General, who also had a surprised expression on his face. ''I guess he didn''t know that his son knew how to use this formidable Martial Technique.''


    The Tigerkin King pondered for a bit as his interest in Anwir grew.


    Unbeknownst to him, Anwir had deliberately taken the initiative to showcase his powers to the Tigerkin King to make thetter interested in him.


    He believed that after he saw how powerful this Martial Skill was, he would gain a status in the Sumatran Kingdom, befitting of the technique he possessed.


    Two miles away from the battlefield, the corner of Thirteen''s lips curled up into a smile.


    ''Anwir really knows how to advertise his worth to others,'' Thirteen mused. ''But, I also want to see just how far he has mastered the Emperor''s Might.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in the Warsor ins¡­


    The Majin Prince looked at this little faceoff with mild amusement in his face.


    He recognized the person fighting to be Gael, whom he had not been able to contact for the past several weeks.


    Arundel still had no idea what happened to him, but seeing that the other party was about to fight a one-on-one battle with an interesting Tigerkin, he decided to just watch for the time being and enjoy the entertainment that was taking ce in front of him.

 Chapter 227 One-On-One Showdown [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 227 One-On-One Showdown [Part 2]</h4>


    Gael couldn''t help but frown as he blocked and dodged Anwir''s relentless assault.


    The ck mes obscured his vision, but he was able to fight calmly against someone whose speed surpassed his own.


    "You might be fast, but your attacks will never reach me," Gael said with confidence as he waited for the right opportunity to strike.


    But whenever he thought that Anwir had left an opening, the Tigerkin would perfectly dodge the Barbarian''s attack before unleashing an attack of his own.


    The more the Tigerkin King saw Anwir''s explosive might, the more thetter became precious in his eyes.


    "If his life is ever in danger, go and rescue him," the King whispered to one of his personal guards, who was a Champion. "He is a great prodigy of our race, so he must be kept safe at all cost."


    "Yes, Your Majesty." The Royal Guard bowed respectfully before moving toward the front of their army, giving him enough distance to save Anwir if ever his life was in danger.


    Thirteen was quite satisfied with the level of skill that Anwir was showing on the battlefield. Although there was a difference of three Ranks between him and Gael, he was able to dodge every attack that the Barbarian aimed in his direction.


    "What a show off," Percivalmented as he, too, looked at his stepbrother using a telescope.


    "Do you think you can do better than him?" Thirteen inquired out of curiosity.


    "If we were of the same age, then yes," Percival replied.


    Thirteen smirked. "So you''re using age now?"


    "It is a fact that he is older than me," Percival answered.


    ''Well, I''m also younger than you. But you still lost to me in the end."


    "¡­"


    Percival didn''t have any words to refute Thirteen''s im.


    Also, he couldn''t possibly challenge the seven-year-old now, especially after recognizing him as his Master.


    Percival understood that without the younger boy''s guidance, he wouldn''t be able to master the skill, Emperor''s Might, in such a short period of time.


    Right now, his current strength was all thanks to Thirteen, and his face wasn''t thick enough to think otherwise.


    The battle dragged on for nearly half an hour, with no clear winner in sight.


    Anwir was too weak to break past Gael''s sturdy defenses, while Gael was not fast enough tond a hit on the Tigerkin''s body.


    Even so, the morale of the Tigerkins was at an all-time high because one of theirrades was putting up a good fight against someone that was stronger than him.


    On the contrary, the battle lowered the Morale of the Barbarians, making the Barbarian King very disappointed in Gael.


    "He is bold enough to propose a head-on confrontation, and yet, he''s unable to dispatch a mere Elite-Ranked Tigerkin? What a disappointment," Netero said while shaking his head helplessly. "This kind of person should not be allowed to join any strategy meeting. He is a disgrace."


    Netero''s words were filled with contempt and disdain, making those who heard him nod their heads in agreement.


    The Barbarians couldn''t take this insult lying down, and some of them were itching to volunteer for the next battle in order to regain their honor and dignity.


    After more than half an hour of battle, the sound of a horn spread in the surroundings, which came from the Barbarian Side.


    This was the signal to retreat, which meant that Gael was to stop battling and return to their ranks immediately.


    Anwir, who was unleashing a flurry of blows earlier, backed away and crossed his arms over his chest.


    "You acted very cocky earlier, but you are just all bark and no bite," Anwir said in disdain. "If we were the same Rank, your head would have been rolling across the ground ages ago."


    "I''ll remember you," Gael red at Anwir before sheathing his sword.


    "I won''t remember you." Anwir sneered. "A loser like you is not important enough to remember."


    Gael was forced to endure Anwir''s grating words as he whistled for his war horse toe to him.


    He then rode back toward the Barbarians with a face filled with shame and regret, knowing that he had ruined their reputation.


    The Tigerkins cheered when Anwir returned to their ranks, with the King''s Guard even inviting Anwir toe with him to meet the Tigerkin King.


    Naturally, Anwir obeyed and followed the guard behind.


    This was his first step to gain some true influence within the Sumatran Kingdom, allowing him to be recognized by everyone on the battlefield.


    ''That Tigerkin isn''t half bad,'' Arundel thought as he eyed Anwir from a distance. ''I''ll make him one of my ves after I subjugate thisnd.''


    The Majin Prince was always on the lookout for talented Warriors to absorb in his army.


    Not wanting to face another defeat, the Barbarians sent one of their aplished warriors to fight.


    But just as General Stark was about to order one of his subordinates to face the Barbarian Challenger, Rafiki tapped his shoulder and pointed at himself.


    "Are you sure about this?" General Stark asked. "That barbarian is strong. He''s a veteran."


    "Well, I''m also a veteran," Rafiki answered.


    "But you''re a Shaman. He will not give you time to prepare your spells."


    "Don''t worry. I don''t need time to prepare my spells."


    General Stark hesitated, but seeing the confidence in Rafiki''s voice, he decided to let him go to fight.


    To everyone''s surprise, the battle ended in less than five minutes, with Rafiki emerging as the victor.


    He didn''t even take the enemy''s life and allowed the other party to return to his army, making the Tigerkin''s cheer reverberate in the surroundings.


    After three consecutive defeats, Netero ordered everyone to stop challenging their enemies and retreat a mile away from the battlefield.


    The Barbarian King and the Orc King knew that now was not the time to engage in a fight because the morale of their troops was at an all-time low.


    Netero proposed that they resume the battle the next day, when all of their troops had properly rested and recovered from their march toward the Warsor ins.


    Of course, Gael vetoed this proposal, but no one listened to him.


    The Barbarian King even ordered him to not attend any of their strategy meetings, making the City Lord''s face turn pale as a paper.


    Arundel frowned when he realized that the Barbarians and the Orcs didn''t n to engage the Tigerkins in a skirmish.


    Of course, he thought that the Tigerkins would use this opportunity to press their advantage, but General Stark calmed everyone down and ordered everyone to retreat a mile and make camp.


    No one opposed this order because they were all tired from their march to the battlefield.


    It was unanimously decided that the real battle would happen the next day, forcing Arundel to hold back his annoyance and wait for the two armies to fight the next day.


    When both armies retreated, Vassago and Poca returned to Thirteen''s camp and reported their findings.


    "Good job, you two," Thirteen praised the two birds forpleting their mission.


    Vassago and Poca were both happy to receive the seven-year-


    old''s praises and ate their fill.


    Tomorrow was going to be more dangerous than today. If Thirteen''s guess was right, it would also be the day that the Majin Prince would finally lose his patience and order his army to strike.

 Chapter 228 Battle Of A Lifetime [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 228 Battle Of A Lifetime [Part 1] </h4>


    The night passed slowly, as Thirteenid down on Giga Chad''s back.


    Having nothing to do, he gazed at the stars in the sky and sighed.


    After being the System of countless Hosts, he had seen countless starry-skies, each one just as unique as the others.


    The Tigerkin Army, the Barbarian Army, and the Orc Army had all retreated a mile away from the battlefield, with the intention of fighting each other when morning came.


    Anwir had done well in raising the morale of the Tigerkins, allowing Netero to convince the Barbarian King and the Orc King that it would be unwise to fight right now when their morale was low, and their soldiers tired from their long march.


    Perhaps, the two Kings knew this as well, so they decided to agree to his proposal to retreat and make camp.


    Even though there was an eerie calm that hung in the air, it wouldn''t change the fact that the situation could change at any point during the night.


    Because of this, they had set watchers to monitor the battlefield, so that they could react immediately if something unexpected happened.


    Vassago and Poca volunteered to do some scouting, but Thirteen forbade them to do it. The two Pocopocos need to get proper rest because tomorrow will be the most critical day of all.


    The seven-year-old was certain that Arundel''s short patience would not allow the battle to be postponed for another day.


    This also meant that a decisive battle would be happening in the morning, so he made sure that Vassago and Poca were well rested, so they would be able to perform their duties.


    ''Tomorrow¡­ things will end,'' Thirteen thought before closing his eyes.


    Truth be told, he was the most pressured of all because he needed to perform two important tasks to ensure their victory.


    The first one was to get as close as possible to Arundel, so that he could cast Rune Magic on his body.


    The second one was to lure Arundel to the center of the formation that he created.


    Both acts were incredibly dangerous, and without any form of help, Thirteen would not be able to survive in his face off against the Majin Prince.


    Just thinking of facing that kind of enemy with his frail human body was enough to make him wonder if what he was doing was worth it.


    But, he knew that he had no choice but to do it, not only for his sake, but for his father''s sake, whom he had roped in alongside him.


    Also, he had promised Cristopher that he would send him back home to Pangea.


    If Thirteen still had his real body, dealing with a Majin Prince would have been a piece of cake.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have that kind of advantage in his current lifetime, so he needed to put his life on the line for that one chance of victory.


    ''How many lives will be lost tomorrow?'' Thirteen couldn''t help but think about who among hispanions would perish when morning came.


    After pondering for a few moments, another sigh escaped his lips.


    ''I should just have named them all numbers,'' Thirteen thought. ''That way, I would not have much attachment to them.''


    Unfortunately, it was already toote for it.


    Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, Percival, Adira, Dixon, and the others, were beings who had formed connections with him.


    He didn''t want any of them to die, but he had already prepared himself for the worst.


    There were things that were in his control, and things that were outside of his control.


    This was something he understood too well after watching his Hosts die one after the other.


    The pain he felt back then had forced him to question his purpose for existence. After he had enough, Thirteen decided to flip the table, started throwing punches, and rebelled against his Father, the System God.


    Tiona, who sensed Thirteen''s anxiousness, crawled towards his head.


    She thenid her head on his forehead, and used her tail to lightly caress the side of his left cheek, as if telling him that it was going to be fine.


    This action of hers made Thirteen calm down a bit and, after a few minutes, he was finally able to sleep.


    The night passed ever-so-slowly, and yet, when the sun rose up in the East, illuminating the world with its light, the seven-year-old felt as if he had only fallen asleep for half an hour at most.


    His body felt heavy, and yet, he still got up to have a simple breakfast to prepare for the moment of truth.


    The other members of his group sported determined faces just like him, and joined him in breakfast.


    Three hourster, the armies of both factions started to move towards the battlefield, where a decisive battle was about to take ce.


    "Vassago, Poca, you already know what to do," Thirteen stated. "But, no matter what happens, distance yourself from the location of the Majin Prince. I''m sure that he won''t hesitate to attack the two of you, so pay extra attention in his direction."


    The two Pocopocos nodded their heads before taking off to the sky.


    Thirteen briefed his people onest time before all of them took the telescopes in their possessions, so that they could monitor the battle that was about to start.


    "Sound the War Drums," the Barbarian King ordered, and his people obeyed.


    "Raise the colors," the Tigerkin Kingmanded, and the gs of his Army fluttered in the wind.


    General Stark, who was tasked to give the orders for today''s battle knew that he wouldn''t have a valid excuse to stop his forces from advancing.


    Because of this, he steeled himself and gave the order to their warriors to form ranks in preparation for battle.


    "Form Ranks!" General Stark ordered, and his order echoed across the battlefield.


    "Form Ranks," Netero gave the same order, making the Barbarian Berserkers step up to form the vanguard of their army.


    The strategist of the Orcs also gave an order, ordering their forces to prepare for battle.


    With a heavy heart, General Stark gave the order to advance, making the Tigerkin Army charge forward.


    "Today is the day we end all wars," General Stark shouted. "Show them the might of the Tigerkins! For victory!"


    ""For victory!""


    The loud shouts, and warcries of the Tigerkins reverberated in the surroundings, but the Barbarians wouldn''t allow them to get the upper hand in raising their army''s morale.


    "Warriors of the Desert, sons of Heroes, the time for battle hase!" Netero dered. "Fight for Honor! Fight for Glory! Fight for the n!"


    ""For the n!""


    General Stark''s and Netero''s gaze met each other before raising their hands at the same time.


    "Advance!"


    "Charge!"


    The vanguards of both armies broke free from the formation and charged against each other.


    But, a minute before the two forces collided, something unexpected happened.


    The sound of two horns spread across the battlefield, forcing the Captains that were leading the charge to order their people to stoppletely.


    In the battlefield, following orders was a must, so after hearing the sound of horns, which signified aplete retreat, both Vanguards made a U-Turn, and returned to their respective armies with dumbfounded looks on their faces.


    Meanwhile, General Stark, and Netero, both looked at their subordinates in confusion, especially those that were in charge of blowing the horns for battle.


    The people responsible for such tasks were just as dumbfounded as their leaders because none of them blew their horns, and ordered their forces to retreat.


    Even now, the sounds of the horns could still be heard in the battlefield, making both sides wonder what was happening.


    High above the clouds in the sky, Vassago and Poca were mimicking the sounds of horns, forcing both sides to make their retreat.


    Thirteen had blessed them with two abilities and they were Mirror Stealth and Voice Amplification.


    Mirror Stealth allowed their bodies to reflect things around them, making them somewhat invisible to the naked eye.


    Amplification, as the name suggested, increased the range they could project their voices.


    With Zion''s help, the two Pocopocos could send sounds in a two-mile radius, allowing them to affect the oue of the battlefield.


    General Stark and Netero, who could somewhat guess what was happening, couldn''t help but be surprised by Thirteen''s strategy.


    But, both of them understood that this was only dying the inevitable. Not everyone was stupid, so they would think of countermeasures in order to reinforce the chain ofmand.


    But, Thirteen knew this as well.


    Since he knew, he had alreadye up with his own set of strategies, which would make Arundel lose his patience, and send his army to participate in the war.

 Chapter 229 Battle Of A Lifetime [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 229 Battle Of A Lifetime [Part 2]</h4>


    Arundel, whose forces were at least five miles away from the main battlefield, frowned as he looked at the current state of things.


    His army was well-hidden, so no one had discovered their presence.


    But, the thing that baffled him was the unexpected mishaps that were preventing the two armies from engaging in a full-blown war, which would dye the ground red with the blood of their warriors.


    He could understand what happened a day ago, when the two parties decided to retreat and rest for the time being.


    But now, things were different.


    Everyone was raring to go. He could smell it, he could see it, he could feel it. But, what was stopping them from fighting?!


    He had heard the horns due to his exceptional hearing, but failed to understand why they blew them.


    The two sides had still not shed with each other, so sounding the retreat was a very strange move, no matter how he viewed it.


    ''I guess I''ll just watch a little more,'' Arundel thought as he signaled his army to prepare to advance. ''But, if they still don''t fight each other within an hour, then it will be time for me to intervene.''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    General Stark and Netero were doing their best to find the culprit who was sabotaging their war preparations.


    But, no matter how they looked, and no matter how much they questioned the Horn Bearers, there were simply no leads for them to capture the one responsible for sounding the horns that signaled their armies to retreat.


    Of course, they knew that this was part of Thirteen''s borate n, so they were riding on this reason to dy the war for as long as they could.


    But, after half an hour, the soldiers had started to stir, with some of them growing very impatient.


    In the end, the Kings of the Barbarians, Orcs, and Tigerkins, interfered with the chain ofmand.


    They personally stood on the frontlines of the army, relieving General Stark and Netero of theirmanding duties.


    The sounds of war drums once again rang out, and this time they were louder and more intense than the usual.


    Both sides were trying to embolden their forces with words, in preparation for another sh.


    Just as the Kings were about to give the order to strike, the sounds of horns once again rang out in the surroundings.


    The soldiers ignored these horns because they believed that someone was one again messing with the strategy they had in mind.


    But, after hearing the horns properly, they all realized that these horns didn''t belong to their army.


    That was the moment they sensed them.


    On the Eastern side of the battlefield, countless figures could be seen.


    The ground trembled as they marched their way towards the Warsor ins, making the Tigerkin King, Barbarian King, and the Orc King look in their direction in surprise.


    "About time they arrived," Thirteen sighed in relief after seeing the imposing army that had just arrived on the battlefield.


    Countless monsters of different sizes made their presence known as the Trolls and Ogres appeared on the battlefield.


    Cristopher, who also saw themotion from his location, made a fist pump because the allies that he had talked to had honored their agreement.


    Thirteen had asked him to go on an important mission, and that was to talk to the Trolls and Ogres and ask them to lend their hand.


    The Troll and Ogre Shamans who were also on the Third Ind, sent letters to their respective Kings to inform them of Cristopher''s arrival.


    Since the chubby boy was a Brute Tamer, the Trolls and Ogres felt a sense of familiarity with him, allowing him to have an audience with their Kings.


    After receiving the letters from their respective Shamans, and Cristopher''s exnation, the two forces, who didn''t get along with each other, marched their armies to join the war on the Warsor ins.


    Their presence on the battlefield made the Barbarians, Orcs, and Tigerkins wary because they didn''t dare underestimate the might of the Troll and Ogre Armies.


    Knowing that now was a crucial time, the Tigerkin King ordered his mount to run towards the new armies that had arrived.


    He wanted to ask them their intentions and, if possible, he wanted to win them over to their side, allowing him to get an overwhelming advantage in this war.


    The Barbarian and Orc King, who also realized what the Tigerkin King was thinking, did the same thing, and personally made their way to the Troll and Ogre Armies, and asked them their reason foring.


    "We came here to fight!" the Ogre King dered, making the other Ogres shout their warcries.


    "This war seems fun and we weren''t invited, so we decided to crash it," the Troll King stated. "It''s your fault for not asking our permission to start this war."


    The Barbarian King looked at the Troll King with contempt.


    Since when did he need to ask the Trolls and Ogres for permission to fight against the Tigerkins?


    The Tigerkin King also shared the same thoughts as the Barbarian King, making them frown.


    The Orc King, however, only smirked because he knew this was already going to happen.


    Cristopher didn''t visit the Trolls and Ogres first.


    No.


    The one he first visited was the Orc King, and told him the real reason for this war.


    Of course, the Orc King didn''t believe himpletely, but since his Shamans had verified the chubby boy''s words, he decided to keep silent and see how things would unfold.


    And, just like Cristopher had promised, the Trolls and Ogres hade to join the fight, which gave credibility to the teenage boy''s words.


    "None of you are allowed to fight each other," The Troll King stated.


    "Anyone who attacks, first, will be attacked by us in the back," the Ogre King sneered. "Fight at your own risk."


    The Barbarian King and the Tigerkin Army looked at each other in dismay.


    With such an imposing army nning to stab them from behind, which of them would dare to attack first?


    That was simply asking to be ughtered from the front and the back.


    At that moment, a loud rumbling sound spread in the surroundings.


    Dark clouds covered the sky, blocking off the light of the sun, and enveloping the world in darkness.


    Suddenly, and without warnings, countless Giant Fireballs descended from the sky, and fell on the Armies all across the battlefield.


    The FIreballs were impartial, killing Tigerkins, Barbarians, and descended from the sky, and fell on the Armies all across the battlefield.


    Orcs alike.


    When the Barbarian King, Tigerkin King, and Orc King saw this, they immediately returned to their armies in order to takemand and save their people.


    The Troll King''s and the Ogre King''s armies were a distance away from the path of the Fireballs, so they were not included in the ongoing onught from the heavens.


    Arundel had finally lost his patience and, now, the true battle was about to begin.


    The Majin Prince no longer hid his presence, and ordered his army to advance.


    While this was happening, he summoned countless Giant Fireballs to descend on the Barbarians, Orcs, and Tigerkin Armies in order to decimate their forces and break their formation.


    Thirteen, who was standing on top of the hill took a deep breath for he knew that the moment of truth hade.


    "Hear me, Valbarrians," Arundel''s shout reached everyone''s ears. "The time of reckoning hase. Surrender or be annihted!"


    But, before anyone could say anything, an equally powerful voice spread in the surroundings.


    "To arms my brethren, brave Tigerkins, Barbarians, Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres," Thirteen shouted, his voice being amplified by the steel poles that he had embedded on the battlefield.


    "Never fear! Never surrender! We will all fight as one!"


    General Stark and Netero looked in the direction where Thirteen was at and nodded their heads in understanding.


    "To arms!" General Stark ordered. "Rally to me! To Death!"


    ""To Death!""


    The Tigerkin Warriors heeded their General''s call and charged alongside him.


    Raising his family''s banner, General Stark took the initiative to charge at the iing Monsters that wereing from the west side of the battlefield.


    "Barbarians!" Arthas shouted. "Kill the monsters who invade ournds! Kill!"


    ""Kill!""


    "Kill!" Arthas pointed his sword forward as he urged his War Horse to run in the direction where the Tigerkin Army was headed.


    The Barbarians didn''t hesitate and followed behind the brave warrior, who had decided to take the helm of their spear point.


    The Ogre King and the Troll King shouted his war cries as well before they, too, sprinted to join the battle.


    All the Ogres and the Trolls under theirmands moved in unison.


    Thirteen watched all the powerhouses charge together before climbing onto cky''s back.


    He then faced his people and gave them all a brief nod.


    "Do not engage too closely," Thirteen stated. "And don''t be too far apart from each other. Lastly, don''t die! We will survive this together!"


    ""Yeah!""


    Thirteen then whispered something in cky''s ears before he held onto his reigns tightly.


    The Warsor ck Hound sprinted forward, joining the others in the battle of a lifetime.

 Chapter 230 Playing With Fire [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 230 ying With Fire [Part 1] </h4>


    Arundel''s Army wasposed of Fire-Type Jinns and Majins of all shapes and sizes.


    His territory was within a volcanic field, with over a hundred active volcanoes located, so all of the monsters in his legion had a strong resistance to fire.


    Dozens of them were able to use mes as their main arsenal as well. Among these monsters were Smanders, Fire Wolves, me Wyverns, Fire Bats, Hell Chargers, Horned Demons, and Imps.


    As a Majin Prince, he had two Rank 9 Monsters, who led his armies to battle.


    A Fire Dragon and a Magma Fiend.


    One was a Djinn, while the other was a Majin.


    Together, they formed a formidable team that could destroy entire cities even if they were alone.


    These Rank 9 Monsters were usually the Bosses of Tier-8 Gates, while Majin Princes and Princesses were usually the bosses of Tier-9 Gates.


    They were the so-called Genocide Level Gates, for no one had survived fighting against a Majin Prince or Princess and lived to tell the tale.


    When the Barbarian King, Tigerkin King, Orc King, Ogre King, and Troll King saw the two Generals of Arundel''s Army, they couldn''t help but narrow their eyes.


    "What a powerful pressure," the Tigerkin King said, his voice grim. "I''ll deal with the Fire Dragon, who is going toe with me?"


    "I will go with you!" the Ogre King dered. "My Ancestors killed a Fire Dragon. I want to experience it myself."


    The Tigerkin King and the Ogre King were both monsters, so they were stronger than regr Humans.


    However, they were still a bit weaker than the Rank 9 Sovereigns in front of them.


    But, it didn''t matter.


    To begin with, they didn''t even have a choice.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: Monster ssifications are Normal, Alpha, Overlord, and Sovereigns.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "I''ll deal with that Magma Fiend," the Barbarian King shifted his attention to the Magma Fiend, whose entire body was made up of magma.


    "I''ll help," the Orc King stated.


    "I guess I''ll join as well," the Troll King narrowed its eyes.


    Only the five of them had a chance of defeating the Rank 9 Monsters, leaving the rest of their army to deal with the small fries.


    But, that was easier said than done.


    The Fire Dragon soared to the sky and unleashed a Dragon''s Breath, turning the battlefield into a hellish inferno.


    Those who were unlucky enough to get hit by its breath attack didn''t even have the chance to scream before their bodies burned to ashes.


    "Throw me!" the Tigerkin King stated.


    "Hahaha! Dumb Tiger, I like!" the Ogre Kingughed as he grabbed the Tigerkin''s body before spinning where he stood.


    A momentter, he tossed the Tigerkin King, As, like a cannonball toward the Fire Dragon in the sky.


    Using his Martial Skill, King''s Might, King As turned into a golden meteor that collided with the neck of the Fire Dragon, making thetter roar in anger.


    Unable to reach the pesky Tigerkin on its neck, the Fire Dragon had no choice but to spin in the air in an attempt to dislodged him.


    Unfortunately for the Dragon, King As'' hold was firm, with ws piercing through the Fire Dragon''s Scale, securing his hold on its body.


    The Ogre King, Gomorra,ughed out loud as he smashed the Fire Wolves that lunged at him en masse.


    Since the Fire Dragon was high up in the air, he would just start killing the small fries until King As was able to think of a way to bring it down on the ground.


    "To me!" Arthas, who had also joined the battle, made a beeline towards his King, who was surrounded by Hell Chargers that looked like ming unicorns.


    The Barbarian King calmly dealt with them and sliced every monster within his sword range.


    The weapon he was carrying was a Sacred Treasure that was bestowed to the Barbarians by Forneus hundreds of years ago.


    It was a Mythical Ranked weapon made from Forneus'' own horn, and it could deal serious damage even to a Majin Prince.


    "Your Majesty, leave this to us!" Arthas shouted. "Please, kill their Generals first!"


    King Iskandar nced at Arthas and nodded his head in understanding.


    The City Lord was leading the heavy infantry, which cut through the enemy ranks like a hot knife into butter.


    They were one of the most elite legions of the Barbarian Army, and dealing with the small fries wasn''t a big deal to them.


    The Orc King, Velos, and the Troll King, Jorrym, followed behind the Barbarian Heavy Cavalry and charged deep within enemy lines.


    While all of this was taking ce, Thirteen and his people finally arrived on the battlefield.


    However, none of them engaged their enemies. Insead, they surrounded the seven-year-old, who nted a g in the center of the battlefield.


    The g was simple in design, with the symbol "XIII" in it, representing the number Thirteen in roman numerals.


    This g was the very center of the formation, and the ce where they had to lure Arundel into no matter what.


    The seven-year-old had records of the Majin Prince in his Soul Core, and what he discovered shocked him.


    The one who was given the title The Destroyer was a Majin Prince who would never make an appearance on a battlefield unless he was a hundred percent certain of his victory.


    Simply put, the Majin Prince was either a very cunning Majin or a cowardly one.


    Depending on which one it was, Thirteen would have to employ a different strategy in order to bait the other party to appear in front of them.


    Scanning the chaotic battlefield, he could see that no one had managed to get the upper hand.


    The Barbarians, Tigerkins, Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres, were all hard-


    pressed in fighting Arundel''s Army, and the mes that had started to spread around them were making things worse.


    The Magma Fiend, Antareus, was constantly making it rain Magma in its surroundings, melting the flesh of those who were unlucky enough to be hit by its wide-area attack that was hot enough to melt even armor.


    With mes and smoke spreading like wildfire, the momentum of the battlefield had shifted to Arundel''s favor, making the Majin Prince, who was watching the battle from afar, grin from ear to ear.


    He had detected five weapons on the battlefield that could potentially harm him, so he was biding his time to wait until his minions had weakened them enough, so he could strike them down.


    The Barbarian King''s sword.


    The Tigerkin King''s gauntlets.


    The Ogre King''s Club.


    The Troll King''s Spear.


    Andstly the Orc King''s Axe.


    These five weapons, which had been given by Forneus to their Ancestors, contained parts that came from the body of a Fiend.


    It was for this reason Arundel wanted the Barbarians and the Tigerkins to fight against each other so that their Kings would die in battle.


    Only when he was certain that none of them would be able to resist would he make an appearance and finally end it all.


    Arundel had gotten his position not because he was a strong Majin Prince, but because he fought his battles wisely.


    Little did he know that within the chaotic battlefield, a seven-


    year-old was busy thinking of ways to force him out of hiding, allowing them to carry out their ns to defeat him.

 Chapter 231 Playing With Fire [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 231 ying With Fire [Part 2]</h4>


    As, Velos, and Jorrym were finding it hard to approach the Magma Fiend, Antaraeus, because thetter was summoning Giant Fireballs left and right.


    If it were only them who had pushed deep within enemy lines, they wouldn''t have any problems in dealing with this kind of attack.


    But, they weren''t alone.


    Their warriors were fighting alongside them, so they had no choice but to disperse the Giant Fireballs before they couldnd on their subordinates.


    This also made progressing to reach the enemy General extremely difficult.


    Aside from that, Arundel''s Army was also employing range attacks, forcing them to go on the full defensive.


    With every passing minute, more of their people died, forcing the three Kings to advance forward and force the enemies to focus on them.


    The three made a beeline toward the Magma Fiend who was deep within enemy ranks.


    "Velos!" Iskandar shouted.


    "On it!" Velos replied and raised his axe.


    As if waiting for that moment, the Barbarian King jumped in the air, smoothlynding on the Orc King''s axe.


    "We''lle and get to you soon." Velos roared before he spun his body twice. "Until then, do everything in your power to survive!"


    Using his axe as a catapult, the Orc King sent the Barbarian King flying over Arundel''s Army, all the way to where the Magma Fiend was located.


    "Send me as well," Jorrym stated.


    "Good!" The Orc King once again took aim, as the Troll King stepped onto his axe.


    With one mighty throw, the Troll King flew over the fiendish army with his spear, sticking close to his body.


    When he reached the highest point of the Orc''s throw, he pointed his spear in the direction of the Magma Fiend and started to spin in the air before shooting in his enemy''s location like a rocket.


    Antareus was currently busy fighting against the Barbarian King, so although he saw the approach of the Troll King from the corner of his eye, he didn''t have time to stop his approach.


    A weapon created from the body part of a fiend was not something that the Magma Fiend could take head-on, so it resorted to use indiscriminate wide-area attacks that targeted friend and foe alike.


    But the Barbarian King was a very patient person.


    He knew that the moment he closed the gap between him and his enemy, he would be able to cut the Magma Fiend, and deal damage to it.


    The de named Forneus de, could cut through anything.


    It didn''t matter if the enemy was a spirit, a creature made of gas, made of water, adamantine, or whatever.


    The moment the de hit something, it would be cut regardless of its form.


    This made it one of the most dangerous weapons that Forneus had gifted the people of the Valbarra Kingdom, which granted them the means to protect themselves against cmities such as these.


    However, there were other mythical weapons in the battlefield, which included the Troll King''s spear.


    This spear had the uncanny ability of letting its wielder fly in the direction where it was pointing at.


    However, the Troll King had employed a Martial Technique, which optimized this feature.


    With its tip pointing at the Magma Fiend, the Troll King spun its body, creating a tornado that shredded everything in its path.


    Using the Troll King''s attack as a shield, Iskadnar charged toward the Magma Fiend with a determined look on his face.


    Despite Antareus'' desperate attempt to keep them at bay, the power of the Mythical Weapons shone through, allowing his two enemies to cross the gap between them.


    While this was happening, the Fire Dragon, Herakkon, roared in anger because the Tigerkin was like a leech that had stuck on its body.


    But that wasn''t the reason why it was getting angry.


    King As, both hands equipped with a Forneus'' Gauntlets, started to repeatedly punch the Fire Dragon''s neck with his dominant hand and anchored himself with the other, making thetter scream in pain and anger.


    Forneus'' Gauntlets were one of those weapons that ignored the enemy''s defense.


    It was a weapon that specialized in using "vibrations".


    The moment the gauntlet hits its target, it would send out powerful sound waves inside the target''s body, which would rampage and attack it from within.


    In short, it was a weapon that dealt True Damage regardless of what kind of enemy it was hitting.


    Out of desperation, the Fire Dragon decided to take a nosedive, descending toward the ground at great speeds.


    It nned to twist its body and m its neck on the ground, crushing the pesky Tigerkin that was repeatedly hitting its neck until now.


    "Hahaha! My turn!" The Ogre King, who was paying close attention to what was happening in the sky,ughed as it summoned its Bone Club and ran in the direction where the Fire Dragon was about to fall.


    The Ogre King wasn''t as dumb as the other Ogres, and he was truly proficient in the art of war.


    It made sure to run within the Fire Dragon''s blind spot, allowing it to approach it without detection.


    When the Fire Dragon was about to aplish whatever it was nning to do, the Ogre King stomped its right foot on the ground and jumped high in the air with its Bone Club ready to strike.


    "Bone Breaking Smash!" The Ogre King roared as he unleashed a powerful attack, directly targeting the side of the Fire Dragon''s body, changing its descent and causing it to crash on the ground.


    The moment the Gomorra''s attacknded, the Tigerkin King immediately jumped off from the Fire Dragon''s body so that he wouldn''t be affected by the Ogre King''s devastating strike.


    "Good job," King As said as soon as hended on the ground.


    "Hahaha!" the Ogre Kingughed. "Is it dead?"


    Due to the dust cloud that spread in the surroundings after the Fire Dragon crashed on the ground, they were unable to confirm if their target was indeed dead.


    "There''s only one way to find out," King As replied before running toward the dust cloud with the intention of attacking the Fire Dragon while it was still down.


    Gomorra liked this n very much, so it ran alongside the Tigerkin King, with its Bone Club ready to smash its opponent to oblivion.

 Chapter 232 Playing With Fire [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 232 ying With Fire [Part 3]</h4>


    Everywhere Thirteen looked, only mes and carnage could be seen.


    The g he had nted beside him fluttered amidst the mayhem, standing tall and proud.


    A few minutester, the screech of a hawk reached his ears, which made him nce in a certain direction.


    ''He''s there,'' Thirteen thought. ''But, he''s still too far.''


    Vassago had finally pinpointed Arundel''s location, but he was ten miles away from the center of his formation.


    Knowing the Majin Prince''s nature, the seven-year-old knew that if he wanted to lure the beast to his trap, he needed to entice it first.


    The question was¡­ how?


    Arundel would only take action once he was certain that victory was a hundred percent his.


    Having thought of this, Thirteen immediately started analyzing, thinking what could potentially threaten a Majin Prince, when he was the most powerful being in the Valbarra Archipgo at the moment.


    The Barbarian King, Tigerkin King, Orc King, Ogre King, and Troll King were only Thrones.


    They were no match against a Majin Prince, and yet, Arundel still hadn''t made a move, which surprised him.


    Using his Soul Core to gather information, the boy sat on cky''s back in silence while his team defended him from any and all possible attacks that targeted his life.


    Percival, Adira, and Dixon were the most active of all, while Giga Chad stood close to his Master, standing on two legs like a bear ready to strike.


    They noticed that Zion seemed to have fallen into a trance, making him extremely vulnerable at the moment.


    Fire Bats and Hell Chargers had targeted the boy, but they were all sent flying or killed by the boy''s protectors. They couldn''t even touch a single strand of his hair.


    Finally, after ten grueling minutes, Thirteen snapped back into focus, making him narrow his eyes.


    "Forneus'' weapons," Thirteen muttered. "Arundel is afraid of the weapons that were crafted from the Fiend''s body part."


    The Seven Celestials and the Seven Fiends were the strongest existences in the World of Solterra.


    They were the only beings that kept the Majin Princes and Majin Princesses in check, preventing thetter from taking over the entire world.


    Gritting his teeth, Thirteen issued his orders.


    "We need to get near the Kings!" Thirteen ordered. "Follow me!"


    The boy urged cky to run toward the part of the battlefield where the Tigerkin King and Ogre King were battling against the Fire Dragon, Herrakon.


    He didn''t dare go near the Magma Fiend because the bulk of Arundel''s Army was protecting it.


    The Fire Dragon King had crashed a good distance away from the main battlefield, but the danger of going to that ce was just as high.


    The Fire Dragon was a Rank 9 Jinn Sovereign, boasting an incredibly strong body that was near imprable.


    Fortunately, the Tigerkin King''s gauntlets ignored any kind of defense, sending shock waves through any target he punched, attacking them from within.


    Although Thirteen already had a clue of what to do, he was still uncertain about how he would be able to do it.


    The only way for Arundel to make his move was if the Forneus'' Weapons disappeared from the battlefield, which wouldpletely remove any threats to the Majin Prince''s existence.


    But there was one big question.


    How would he do that?


    He didn''t believe that the Kings would toss their weapons aside. Doing so was no different from suicide, especially since they were dealing with existences such as the Fire Dragon and the Magma Fiend.


    Since that was the case, there was only one thing that he could do.


    Arundel''s two generals must die first.


    Only by eliminating these two threats would he be able to convince the Kings to listen to his proposal.


    When they finally arrived at the scene, they saw the Ogre King fighting the Fire Dragon in closebat.


    The Tigerkin King, on the other hand, was being a pest, repeatedly punching the joint of the Dragon''s right wing with the intention to break or remove itpletely.


    The Fire Dragon King was a true menace, especially since it could fly to the sky.


    They were lucky the first time. Even they didn''t expect that the Tigerkin King would be able to reach the Dragon and deal it a blow using Forneus'' weapon.


    Since its n to dislodge the Tigerkin King didn''t work, it decided to dive toward the ground, wanting to smash the pesky insect to a pulp using its body.


    Unfortunately for it, the Ogre King was waiting for that opportunity tounch an attack, which made its situation more troublesome.


    At the hands of experts, Forneus'' weapons were truly deadly, disregarding the difference in ranks.


    It was like equipping a five-year-olds with a handgun, making even adults run away in fear of getting identally shot by it.


    Since the Bone Club of the Ogre King wasn''t exactly a shing weapon but a bludgeoning weapon, the Dragon Scales that protected the Dragon were unable to minimize its damage.


    Every time the Ogre King smashed the Fire Dragon''s body with its Bone Club, the part that received the blow would get deformed, eventually shattering the Dragon Scales from impact.


    The Tigerkin King, on the other hand, was savage and relentless, unleashing a flurry of attacks on the Dragon''s wing, preventing it from flying away.


    ''The Fire Dragon has a bad matchup with its opponents,'' Thirteen thought as he watched the battle from a distance. ''The two weapons make its dragon scales useless.''


    But despite all of this, the Fire Dragon was still very much alive and fighting tooth and nail with its enemies.


    After all, it was still a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    If an Overlord was considered as a Field Boss Monster, a Sovereign was equivalent to a World Boss Monster.


    That kind of monster would not go down easily, even if it was receiving a lot of damage from the two Thrones that were mitigating its attacks with their powerful weapons.


    Half a minuteter, the Ogre King was sent flying when the Fire Dragon managed tosh it with its tail.


    Although it had pushed the formidable monster away, it had lost the ability to fly because the Tigerkin King managed to break the joints of its right wing.


    Thirteen and his subordinates, who were watching the battle from afar, didn''t daree close because a single mistake would cost them their lives.


    Tiona, who was coiled around Thirteen''s neck hissed, informing her Master about something.


    After hearing what his Beast Companion said, the seven-year-


    old ordered his protectors to stay behind as he ordered cky to get as close as they could get to the two Kings so that he could pass a message to them.


    A message that would allow them to gain an upper hand against their opponent, which might lead to their victory.

 Chapter 233 Playing With Fire [Part 4]

    <h4>Chapter 233 ying With Fire [Part 4]</h4>


    As Thirteen and cky charged toward the Ogre King, who had been sent flying by the Fire Dragon earlier, he couldn''t help but nce at his Status Page to see his Sixth Trial.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Sixth Trial >


    ¡ª Light the Beacon of Hope


    ¡ª Reward: You will be given the option to ask for whatever reward you want. However, this reward doesn''t extend to the restrictions that are ced on your body.


    Even if you wish for them to be removed, it will not happen. So, think of the next best thing as your reward forpleting this monumental task.


    P.S. As long as the reward you wish for is within reasonable bounds, it will be granted without fail!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen had long be paranoid of missions with a reward like this.


    Simply put, if the seven-year-old could light the Beacon of Hope, he would be given a wish. But, thest time he asked for a wish, this wish was not granted to him.


    Because of this, the System of Cannon Fodders had developed trust issues when it came to rewards like these.


    Pushing these thoughts to the side, Thirteen finally reached the location of the Ogre King, who had just managed to prop himself up from the ground.


    "Mr. Strong Ogre! There is something I want to say!" Thirteen shouted as cky stopped a few meters away from the Ogre King, who could easily turn the two of them to meat paste.


    "Are you food?" The Ogre King asked. "I''m not hungry! Come backter!"


    "No! I''m not food!" Thirteen replied. "There is just something I need to tell you!"


    "Speak!" the Ogre King said before it shifted its attention on the Fire Dragon, who had seeded innding a blow to the Tigerkin King''s body, sending him flying.


    "I have a friend that can help, but you need to create an opportunity for him to strike!" Thirteen exined.


    Since the seven-year-old knew that Ogres weren''t really that smart, he exined his case as simply as possible, making the Ogre King nod its head.


    "Okay!" the Ogre King agreed before running toward the Fire Dragon with a roar filled with defiance.


    Thirteen, who had managed to convey his n to the Ogre King, asked cky to take him to the Tigerkin King, who had suffered an injury after getting hit by the Dragon''s attack.


    Fortunately, King As had a robust body and a powerful regeneration ability, so he only needed a few minutes to fully recover and fight the Fire Dragon once again.


    What happened between the Human boy and the Ogre King didn''t escape his attention, so when the seven-year-old ran in his direction, he decided to give the boy a chance to speak to him.


    "Your Majesty, I am Anwir''s Sworn Brother. I have a n that can help defeat the Fire Dragon," Thirteen said.


    "Speak," the Tigerkin King replied.


    If this were a normal time, he wouldn''t even bother to discuss anything with a Human, especially a Human child. But after hearing that he was Anwir''s Sworn Brother, he decided to give him a chance.


    When he asked General Stark''s adoptive son to talk to him, Anwir mentioned that he had a dependable Sworn Brother, who, despite his young age, held great wisdom that wasparable to those older than him.


    As early as that time, the Tigerkin King became curious about the person whom Anwir was praising in front of him.


    After hearing the boy''s ns, the Tigerkin King couldn''t help but smirk.


    "It seems that Anwir is right." King As smirked. "Very well. Let''s see if this n of yours will work."


    Although he still hadn''t fully recovered from his injury, he had recovered enough strength to join the Ogre King in its fight against the Fire Dragon, whose Dragon Breath grazed the strong monster, who refused to back down against it.


    The moment the Tigerkin King rejoined the fight, the Fire Dragon found himself being attacked in its blind spot, forcing it to go into the defensive.


    Although its body was strong, King As was using Sound Waves to target its organs, which resulted in internal bleeding.


    At first, the effect wasn''t that noticeable, but the longer the battlested, the slower the movements of the Fire Dragon became.


    Losing its ability to fly, it was forced to go into the defensive and use everything in its arsenal to fight the two Kings, whose weapons were doing a good number on its body.


    Still, the injuries that the two Kings were receiving weren''t light.


    For each blow the Fire Dragon took from them, they received equal, if not greater, damage to their own bodies.


    As the battle progressed, these injuries became worse to the point that merely standing up to dodge the Dragon''s attacks was a monumental task.


    The Ogre King had a huge gash on its chest, where blood flowed steadily, and its left arm was also bent in an unnatural angle.


    Even so, its ferocity and tenacity held strong, raring to fight the Fire Dragon until it drew itsst breath.


    The Tigerkin King was also in a very bad shape.


    During one of their shes, the Fire Dragon managed to make a counter attack and bit off King As'' left arm, lowering his fighting ability by half.


    With only his dominant arm remaining, the Tigerkin King knew that it was only a matter of time before they lost the battle.


    But just as the Fire Dragon thought that it already had this fight in the bag, the ground under its feet gave way, making its body fall into a twenty-meter-deep pit.


    The two monsters, who were waiting for this moment, immediately targeted the Rank 9 Monster, who didn''t know what had happened.


    Rocky knew that he wouldn''t be able to deal great damage to the Fire Dragon, so it did the only thing that it could do. It tightly coiled its body around the Fire Dragon''s tail and pulled it downward, holding it in ce.


    The Ogre King, King Gomorra, and the Tigerkin, King As, didn''t hesitate to jump into the hole and pummel the Fire Dragon''s head with everything they had.


    The Fire Dragon, who could still move its arms, was about to crush the two insects that were messing with it, when a pair of wed hands grabbed its Draconis arms from behind and held them in ce.


    Cranky appeared and bit the Fire Dragon''s neck, which had been seriously injured by the Ogre King''s Bone Club and the Tigerkin King''s gauntlets, refusing to let go.


    After consuming the body and the Jinn Core of the Rank 6 Overlord Hyena, the Purple-Furred Honey Badger underwent a mutation, transforming into a Devil-Horned Honey Badger, which was a Rank 7 Sovereign.


    Cranky knew that the only choice it had was to fight alongside Thirteen or die and be consumed by Arundel and his subordinates.


    The funny thing was that, due to its fear of the Majin Prince, it had gained a simr skill to Rocky and Tiona, allowing it to dig through the ground without leaving any traces.


    However, this ability was enhanced further because Devil-


    Horned Honey Badger could now create sinkholes in the ground and bring any of its targets toward it.


    So, with its newly-gained strength, it decided to tag-team with the Ogre King and the Tigerkin King to defeat the Fire Dragon.


    Thirteen made sure that the two kings wouldn''t attack Cranky and assured them that it was their ally. Because of this, they focused on just beating the crap out of the Fire Dragon, who suddenly decided that enough was enough.


    Out of desperation, it then opened its mouth to unleash a Dragon''s Breath at point-nk range, not caring about the aftermath.


    But that was a huge mistake.


    As soon as it opened its mouth, Giga Chad''s Giga Destroyer sted straight into its mouth, making it choke.


    But that was the least of its worries.


    A spark was ignited in the Fire Dragon''s throat, causing Giga Chad''s stink spray tobust inside the Fire Dragon''s body, mortally wounding the Rank 9 Sovereign.


    "Onest push!" Thirteen shouted. "Kill!"


    "Sure thing, son."


    Before Thirteen could even react to the voice from behind him, Gerald jumped down the hole with his hammer ready to strike.


    Golden mes zed around the Grandmaster''s hammer, augmenting its power to devastating levels.


    "Hammer for all Seasons Final Form!" Gerald roared as he unleashed the Martial Technique''s strongest killing blow. "Fortress Breaker!"


    With a blow powerful enough to destroy the defensive walls of a fortress, Gerald''s hammer smashed against the Fire Dragon''s head like a meteorite.


    A cracking sound reverberated in the surroundings, which signaled the death of one of Arundel''s Generals.


    The mighty Fire Dragon died after getting gangbanged by desperate people and monsters, whose only desire was to live and return to their families who were waiting for them back home.

 Chapter 234 Playing With Fire [Part 5]

    <h4>Chapter 234 ying With Fire [Part 5] </h4>


    The light in the Fire Dragon''s eyes was extinguished after it drew itsst breath.


    It hade to the Valbarra Archipgo thinking that no one in it would be able to kill it, and this mentality had led it to its doom.


    Before anyone could even sigh in relief after the great battle ended, the body of the Fire Dragon shuddered as Cranky pierced its chest with its sharp ws with the intention of digging its Beast Core.


    The greedy Devil-Horned Honey Badger had every intention of consuming the Rank 9 Sovereign''s Beast Core, allowing it to once again grow stronger.


    The Ogre King and the Tigerkin King, who also had the same idea, were immediately intimidated when the Devil Horned Honey-Badger nced in their direction with the "Hands off or I''ll bite you gaze!" gaze.


    "Cranky, I don''t mind if you eat the Beast Core, but share the blood and flesh of that Dragon," Thirteen stated. "If your allies don''t be strong, the Majin Prince will turn you into a roasted Honey Badger and eat you."


    The Honey Badger wasn''t his servant, nor his friend. They were merely allies by necessity, so he could only ask it to share the kill to the others.


    Cranky made an impatient clicking noise as if telling the boy to not disturb it because it was still busy digging through the Dragon''s Chest to get its Jinn Core.


    Fortunately, half a minuteter, the Honey Badger pulled the thing it wanted from the Sovereign''s body.


    It was a glittering purple Core that was at least a meter-tall. Just a nce was enough to tell everyone that it contained great power, which could potentially elevate any of them to the next Rank.


    However, Cranky decisively dug a hole and made himself scarce, looking for a safe ce to eat its prize.


    "Everyone, eat and drink the Dragon''s Blood," Thirteen ordered. "We don''t have much time."


    Giga Chad and cky didn''t hesitate to bury their faces on the hole that Cranky had dug on the Dragon''s chest to get its Jinn Core.


    The two beasts slurped the Dragon''s Blood, and bit its flesh like monsters who hadn''t eaten in a month.


    Monsters didn''t only raise their Ranks by eating Cores. They also be stronger by consuming monster meat because it was very nutritious as well.


    The Ogre King, and the Tigerkin King, didn''t hesitate to eat the Dragon''s flesh as well, increasing the regeneration rate of their bodies, allowing their injuries to heal faster.


    "Go, Tiona," Thirteen whispered. "Eat the Dragon''s Brain. Ignore everything else."


    The ck Snake nodded and crawled towards the Dragon''s mouth, so that she could chew her way to its brain.


    The Skill Predation didn''t only work on Monster Cores. It was also activated by eating monster meat, but the chances of gaining a skill wasparatively lower than eating a Beast Core.


    But, since Cranky had already taken away the grand prize, they were forced to eat the bread crumbs that were left behind.


    Gerald, on the other hand, was looking at the space in front of him with a silly grin on his face.


    Thirteen didn''t need to be a genius to understand why his Father was acting this way.


    Since he was the one that had dealt the killing blow to the Dragon, it was highly possible that he had acquired something good from it.


    After all, what he killed was a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    Even if he didn''t gain its avatar, gaining an item from such a creature would certainly be at the peak of the Gold-Grade Rank.


    But, seeing how happy Gerald was, a possibility appeared in Thirteen''s head.


    "Pops, what rank did you get?" Thirteen asked.


    "Mythical," Gerald replied with a smug smile on his face.


    "Nice!"


    "Hahaha!"


    What Thirteen didn''t know was that due to how special this mission was, the Lace Demon, and the One, had unlocked a special feature for all Wanderers participating in this mission.


    They had removed the Rank Limiter, allowing those who participated in this battle to readily equip or summon any item or Avatar that they gained from killing Jinns or Majins, regardless of its Rank.


    Gerald was only of the Grandmaster Rank and it was impossible for him to use any Mythical Equipment because only Thrones and Monarchs could use them.


    But, because the Rank Limiter was removed, he was now able to use equipment that he should be unable to use due to his low rank.


    While the Father and Son duo were feeling happy with their spoils, Giga Chad''s and cky''s bodies started to glow faintly.


    Red mes zed from Giga Chad''s ws, and a me mark appeared on its forehead.


    It had undergone a mutation and had be a Rank 4 Alpha Monster, who went by the name, ze Chad Skunk.


    Simr to what happened to Giga Chad, cky''s feet had also started to ze. But, unlike the Chad Skunk''s red mes, cky''s mes were purple.


    Its eyes had also turned purple, and its body had grown by two feet.


    It had evolved into a Rank 4 Monster called, Nightmare ck Hound.


    After the two left, Rocky also started to feast on the Dragon''s flesh and blood, making it undergo an evolution as well.


    From a Rocky Bal-boa, it now evolved into a Magma Bal-boa, and jumped to a Rank 6 Alpha Monster.


    King As and King Gomorra didn''t have a jump in rank, but their injuries both healed at an incredible rate.


    It was as if they had drunk an elixir, making the injuries they sustained in battle healpletely.


    The Dragon was simply toorge to be devoured, so after they had their fill, they left the hole and climbed up together.


    Gerald looked at this scene with itchy hands because if possible, he wanted to take the remains of the Rank 9 Sovereign back home, so that he could craft an item from it.


    However, he didn''t have a way to transport such arge creature, making him feel depressed.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, wasn''t troubled by this problem because he had a way to get the Dragon Corpse and put it to good use.


    "Rocky, store the Dragon''s corpse inside you." Thirteen ordered.


    The Magma Bal-Boa happily obeyed the seven-year-old''s order and devoured the Giant Dragon, storing it inside its Mobile Fortress.


    Gerald looked at the Magma Bal-Boa then at his son before giving Zion the thumbs up.


    "Good job, Son!" Gerald said. "Now we can make a killing when you return to Pangea."


    "Pops, go back," Thirteen replied in a solemn tone. "Thank you for helping me, but this is as far as you can go."


    The seven-year-old then mounted cky''s back, who had now be stronger, and faster than ever before.


    "Son, how can I possibly leave you at this point?" Gerald asked.


    "Pops, I promised mom that you would return home safely," Thirteen insisted. "You should stay with Cristopher, and just guard our secret weapon."


    "You want me to leave you as you face that Majin Prince?" Gerald asked with a sneer. "Not happening son. Both of us are going back together."


    Thirteen, red at his father, who red back at him.


    He could see Gerald''s determination, but he really didn''t want his father to gamble with his life, especially since he didn''t have to do it.


    But, before he could say anything, Rocky spat Tiona out, who didn''t hesitate to crawl up cky''s body, and once again return to her rightful ce beside her Master.


    There were no apparent changes that could be seen in her appearance, but Thirteen could tell that she was very happy.


    This only meant one thing.


    ''She learned an ability,'' Thirteen thought. ''This is good.''


    Just as the boy was about to ask his Beast Companion what kind of skill she had learned, the ground shook, which was simr to what happened during a volcanic eruption.


    Thirteen and Gerald immediately gazed at the battlefield where an explosion, that caused a red fiery mushroom to soar up towards the heavens, was located.


    Suddenly, a powerful presence descended across the battlefield, making Giga Chad and cky whimper.


    "He''s here," Thirteen muttered. "Arundel finally made his move."


    The seven-year-old didn''t know if he should be happy or not due to this realization.


    He was happy because Arundel had finally appeared, which meant that he didn''t need to act recklessly in order for him to enter the battlefield.


    However, this could also not bode well for them because of one simple reason.


    Arundel only made his move when he believed that he had a hundred percent chance of winning.


    Since he had made his appearance, Thirteen couldn''t help but shudder as he urged cky to run in the direction where the Barbarian King, Orc King, and Troll King were fighting the Magma Fiend, Antaereus.

 Chapter 235 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 235 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 1]</h4>


    While Thirteen''s team was busy fighting against the Fire Dragon, Herakkon, the Barbarian King, Orc King, and Troll King, were also duking it out with the Magma Fiend, Antareus.


    Unfortunately, the battle wasn''t easy because the Magma Fiend''s army didn''t hesitate to swarm the three Kings, and use their bodies as meat shields to prevent them from getting near their intended target.


    Also, Antareus had one disgusting ability, and that was the ability to split its body into two.


    Both bodies were real, so even if one of them died, the Magma Fiend would continue to live.


    Although it couldn''t split its body consecutively, it could do this once every hour, giving the three Kings a hard time trying tond a killing blow on its body.


    Only the Troll King, who could move anywhere thanks to the ability of his Spear, was able to close the distance.


    But, he didn''t dare to go too deep within the enemy''s ranks.


    Due to his surprise attack, he managed to seriously injure the Magma Fiend, but its minions were able to use swarm tactics in order to push the Troll King back, allowing the Magma Fiend to split itself.


    The second body distanced itself to the very back of the monster legion, leaving the injured body behind.


    As much as he wanted to repeat the same strategy,, the Troll King knew that this would not work a second time.


    Once he was isted and surrounded, the other two Kings wouldn''t be able to save him in time, which would lead to his demise.


    "We need a strategy," the Barbarian King said. "Any suggestions?"


    "We stab then we kill," the Troll King replied. "But, this will not work. How about you, Orc? Any bright ideas?"


    The Orc King, Velos, was not only a mighty warrior, but a great strategist as well. He scanned the surroundings, looking for a way to put down the Magma Fiend, who was hiding deep within enemy lines.


    "There is only one way to win this battle," Velos said. "We need to kill these Magma Fiends at the same time."


    "Yes, but how?" the Barbarian King, Iskandar asked. "Jorrym will use his spear to target the Magma Fiend at the rear. I know that this is a reckless move, which might endanger your life, but you are really the only one that can do it."


    The Troll King didn''t say anything and continued to listen to what the Orc King had to say.


    "You will wait while I and Iskandar charge towards the injured body of the Magma Fiend. I will focus on killing the monster in front of me, while Iskandar will just focus on killing the injured Magma Fiend."


    "You are smart, Jorrym, so I know that you have a Trump Card," Velos stated. "So, once you feel that the time is right, hit Antareus hard, and hit him fast. After that, escape as fast as you can. Feel free to leave me and Iskandar behind after youplete your mission."


    The Orc King then locked his attention on the Magma Fiend, who was supposed to be their target.


    "Any questions?" Velos asked.


    "None," Iskandar replied.


    "No more talk," Jorrymmented. "Let the killing begin!"


    Arthas, General Stark, and the other Warriors, who were busy keeping the small fries at bay to allow their Kings to handle the General of the enemy''s army, felt the sudden tension that hung in the air.


    It was as if their Kings were about to do a do-or-die strategy, making all of them have solemn expressions on their faces.


    "Kill!" General Stark roared after he finished killing a Giant Smander. "Give our allies some breathing space! Take the injured at the rear! Those who can still fight, rally to me!"


    The races of the Valbarra Archipgo were now fighting side by side, but even then, the enemies they were facing seemed endless.


    The Ogres, who were the strongest among all the races, had acted as the vanguard, swatting away the weak monsters, who were jumping at them from every direction.


    The Trolls, who were all around warriors, specializing in close and rangedbat, used their bows and arrows tounch a barrage behind enemy lines.


    Arthas, who was fighting back to back with Netero, wanted to believe that there would be an end to this madness, but as the battle progressed, it was just getting harder, and harder to fight, and breathe, due to the fumes and mes, that were ring up all over the battlefield.


    That was when Arthas and Netero saw it.


    The three Kings began to enact their n, with the Orc King at the front, brandishing his Axe like a butcher, cutting through the enemy formation using brute strength.


    Iskandar and Jorrym ran behind him, conserving their strength, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.


    "To the Kings!" Arthas, who somehow managed to understand what their King''s were about to do, shouted. "Help them carve a path! Kill!"


    General Stark, who heard Arthas shout, nced in the direction where their Kings were and raised his sword.


    "Breakthrough!" General Stark shouted. "Use force if you have to! Charge!"


    """Charge!"""


    Now that they had a direction to go, the Ogres, who were at the front, became crazed juggernauts who bulldozed their way towards the Magma Fiend.


    The Ogres at the front were Rank 5 and Rank 6 Alpha Monsters, so their strength was nothing to scoff at.


    They were the pride of the Ogre Army and, with their momentum, the other armies followed behind them.


    Their n was simple. They would divide the enemy''s army, preventing them from helping the Magma Fiend as their Kings went for the kill.


    After twenty grueling minutes, the Orc King managed to close the gap between its target, and unleashed a sh that cleaved everything in front of him in half.


    "Now!" Velos shouted.


    Jorrym jumped on the Orc King''s shoulder before jumping a second time.


    As he shot up in the air, he locked gazes with the Magma Fiend at the very rear of the Monster Army and gritted his teeth.


    The Troll King burned a bit of its life force to raise his Rank by one stage for a brief moment.


    It was originally a Rank 7 Sovereign, but due to its desperate powerup, Jorrym stepped into the Rank 8 Sovereign Rank in a heartbeat.


    With a roar filled with determination, the Troll King staked its life on the line for one decisive moment.


    "Oblivion Rush!"


    The Troll King spun in the air creating a tornado that was shrouded in lightning.


    It shot towards the Magma Fiend at the back of the formation like a railgun, intending to destroy his enemy with one strike.


    Iskandar, who had also jumped up in the air with his sword held high, unleashed his strongest attack that could split even an entire mountain range in half.


    Simr to Jorrym''s strategy, this was an all-out-or-nothing killing blow that would not give the Magma Fiend a chance to escape, or split its body apart.


    "Bloody Descent!"


    A bloody crescent de erupted as Iskandar shed down.


    The two Kings had timed their attack perfectly, taking the Magma Fiend by surprise.


    Both attacks split the Majin Cores in the Magma Fiend''s body, ending its life, is what was supposed to happen.


    However, things didn''t end up the way the three kings wanted.


    After Antareus'' Majin Cores were destroyed, it created a powerful sucking force that sucked in everything within a two-


    hundred meter radius around them.


    The Barbarian King, Orc King, and Troll King, were caught by the suction power. Although they did everything in their power to escape, they were unable to break free from the force that had held them in ce.


    The two destroyed Majin Cores then flew towards each other, as if attempting to merge together onest time.


    The Barbarian King, Orc King, Troll King, and the monsters that were also sucked up by the two destroyed cores could only watch helplessly as they collided with each other.


    A momentter, a powerful explosion detonated, sending a shockwave that blew away everything within its immediate area of effect.


    A fiery mushroom rose towards the sky as Antareus'' self destruct ability activated, and decimated everything in its surroundings.


    Arundel, who was watching the battle from afar, smirked, not caring for the loss of one of its Generals.


    "You did well, Antareus," Arundel said as he took a step forward. "Leave everything else to me."


    The st had not only mortally wounded the three kings, it also decimated a quarter of the enemy''sbined forces that were near the radius of the explosion.


    Now that three of the five hindrances had been dealt with, it was time for Arundel tond the killing blow, and ensure that no one else would be able to threaten his life in the Valbarra Archipgo.

 Chapter 236 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 236 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 2] </h4>


    The three Kings and the monsters, who had been pulled by the powerful attraction of the Magma Fiend''s two Majin Cores, were either killed or seriously wounded.


    Since both copies of the Magma Fiend''s body were real bodies, the two Cores merged back together at the point of death, creating a powerful explosion that shook the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo which resulted in an earthquake that spread across its three inds.


    The three Kings, who barely survived the explosion,y at the center of a giant crater, unable to movepletely.


    It was at that moment that they heard a voice filled with malice, making their bodies shudder once they realized whom the voice belonged to.


    "That was a worthy sacrifice, Antareus. You didn''t fail me until the bitter end."


    King Iskandar turned his head to the side and saw the four-meter-tall Majin, who was all looking at them with a mocking gaze.


    Arundel had a muscr body, and his skin was a deep shade of crimson.


    The most notable features of the Majin Prince were his two zing horns and red eyes that seemed to glow even in the darkness.


    However, before any of the three Kings could do anything, Arundel casually trudged toward the Troll King and pierced thetter''s chest with a me spear.


    The Troll King, who had heroically killed the Magma Fiend from behind the enemy lines, died a pitiful death under the hands of the Majin Prince, who had decided toe out of hiding and end their lives.


    The Orc King mustered all of his strength, in an attempt to prop himself up. But, just as he was about to raise his body, Arundel summoned a ming sword and severed the Orc''s head in one clean strike.


    "It will be annoying to find someone to rece Antareus, but that''s fine," Arundel said as he grabbed the hair of the Barbarian King, and raised him high up in the air with one hand. "It''s just a shame that all of you chose to defy me."


    The Barbarian King spat on the Majin Prince''s face as hisst form of defiance toward the Monster who was about to kill him.


    "I nned to kill all of you quickly as a sign of respect for your courage, but I changed my mind," the Majin Prince sneered. "Let''s see how well you burn."


    Arundel used his other hand to grab the Barbarian King''s neck and started to set his body aze.


    He had no intention of killing the Barbarian King right away. Torturing him slowly was more entertaining.


    The Majin Prince looked forward to hearing the Barbarian King''s scream and plea for forgiveness, but instead of that,?he only got augh from King Iskandar.


    "I''ll reserve a ce for you in Hell!" King Iskandar said afterughing out loud. "A coward like you doesn''t deserve to be called a Majin Prince."


    Out of anger, Arundel intensified the power of his mes, burning the Barbarian King to a crisp.


    From beginning to end, he didn''t see the scene that he wanted to see, making him very annoyed.


    He tossed the body that had turned to charcoal to the side and watched it shatter the moment itnded on the ground.


    Arundel then burned the bodies of the Troll King and Orc King as well, making sure that their existences would disappearpletely.


    That was how three Kings of the Valbarra Archipgo died, and their people could only watch it happen from afar.


    Due to the explosion, the army was blown away by the shockwave, receiving various levels of injuries.


    Arthas and Netero received moderate injuries. They were among the first few people to recover and had seen how their King died in the hands of the monster that was hailed as the Destroyer.


    "I''ll give you all a choice," Arundel dered. "Surrender and submit to my rule, or turn to ashes!"


    The armies, who had seen the death of their Kings, were shaken and unable to give a proper reply.


    They could feel how powerful Arundel was, and it was enough to make them feel that there was no chance of winning.


    But just as everyone was despairing, a childish voice reverberated in the surroundings, catching everyone''s attention.


    "Arundel! How does it feel to grovel at the feet of a Celestial just so you can keep your pitiful life?!"


    The Majin Prince frowned as he scanned the surroundings to check where the voice wasing from.


    "You shouldn''t be called Arundel the Destroyer! You should be called Arundel the Groveler!"


    It was then when Arundel''s gazended on the Human boy mounted on top of a Nightmare ck Hound and was looking at him in disdain.


    Without even waiting for the seven-year-old to shout a third time, the Majin Prince pointed his finger in Thirteen''s direction and fired a Fireball in his direction.


    "cky, run!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Nightmare ck Hound, who was already thinking about the same thing, sprinted in order to avoid the Fire Ball, whichnded dozens of meters away from him.


    But before cky could even celebrate for dodging an attack that could have burned it to a crisp, dozens of Fireballs rained down in its direction, making it run faster.


    "Can''t you aim properly?!" Thirteen shouted. "I guess I can''t expect anything from a coward!"


    cky barked bitterly, telling Zion to stop angering the monster who could easily turn the both of them into meat paste.


    But instead of stopping, the boy continued to hurl insults at Arundel, making thetter focus all of its attention at him.


    Just as cky thought that it had already distanced itself from its enemy, Arundel stomped his right foot forward and hurled himself into the air.


    He then transformed into a giant fireball, flying in Thirteen''s direction.


    "Sh*t!" Thirteen cursed when he saw the Fireball that was about to hit them from behind. "cky, run faster!"


    Knowing that its life was on the line, cky channeled all of its strength into its legs and sprinted faster than it ever did in its lifetime.


    Due to the sudden burst of speed, the Giant Fireballnded over a dozen meters behind them.


    But its impact was still strong enough to cause a shockwave that blew Thirteen and cky away, dismounting the seven-


    year-old from his trusty Hound.

 Chapter 237 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 237 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 3]</h4>


    The explosion had blown Thirteen off from cky''s back, making the boy wince in pain.


    He could feel the searing heat in his surroundings, and he knew that Arundel was just dozens of meters away from him.


    "Who did you call a coward, boy?"


    The Majin Prince walked toward the fallen boy''s direction with a devilish smile on his face.


    "My Old Man," Thirteen replied, as he propped himself up from the ground. "I called my Old Man a coward."


    Arundel sneered. "Is that so? Well, time for you to die then."


    The Majin Prince then pointed his finger at the seven year old and unleashed a fireball that was the size of a car.


    He might look calm on the surface, but Thirteen''s words affected him, especially the part where the child talked about how groveled and begged one of the Celestials to spare his life.


    This happened hundreds of years ago, which was also the reason why Arundel had developed a habit of only making his move when he was certain that he had a hundred percent chance of winning.


    The fear of death had made him a coward, and even he knew of it.


    However, admitting that he was a coward and people calling him a coward were two different things.


    As a Majin Prince, he had a dignity and honor to preserve, and those who dared defame him would only have one ending. And that is a fiery death.


    An explosion erupted on the location where Thirteen was standing earlier, making his allies'' faces turn grim.


    However, instead of being happy, Arundel frowned because the boy didn''t die from his attack.


    No, a creature emerged from the ground, and swallowed the boy whole before burying itself once more.


    Using his exceptional abilities, Arundel detected the heat signature that wasing off from Rocky''s body, making thetter smirk.


    "You can run, but you can''t hide," Arundel said as the tip of his finger zed intently as he aimed for the fleeing Magma Bal-Boa under the ground.


    After a few seconds, a fieryser beam erupted from the tip of the Majin Prince''s finger, which cut Rocky''s body in half.


    Rocky roared in pain, not expecting that the Majin Prince could still attack it even though it was moving deep underground.


    Using thest of its strength, it rose up to the surface, and spat the young boy from its mouth before its body fell with a loud crash.


    Tiona hissed telling her first subordinate to open its eyes. But the Magma Bal-Boay unresponsive.


    A few secondster, Rocky''s body slowly merged with the ground, disappearingpletely.


    Thirteen felt an ache in his heart after seeing what had happened to Rocky, but he didn''t have the leisure to stand still.


    He did the only thing that he could do and that was to run as fast as he could. To where his allies were located.


    Due to the thick smoke that was in his surroundings, he was unable to see properly.


    But he instinctively knew where to run because he had ced a tracking rune on the g that he had ced at the center of his formation.


    That was the ce where he needed to go, and that was where he ran with all of his might.


    Arundelughed as he unleashed another fireball in the seven-year-old''s direction, enjoying his desperate attempts to escape.


    Thirteen could only see something bright approaching him from behind because his surroundings suddenly lit up, making him grit his teeth.


    Suddenly, from the smoke that blocked his vision, something big ran past him.


    "O2!" Thirteen shouted because he recognized one of his ves, whom he had brought to the battlefield with him.


    The Ogre gave the boy a side-long nce, and looked at him directly in the eyes.


    Time seemed to have stopped for a brief moment as their gazes met.


    "I''ll leave the rest to you, Master," O2 said before raising its steel shield in an attempt to block the Fireball that was meant to kill his Master.


    Thirteen didn''t treat O2 well, but he didn''t treat it badly either.


    The Ogres were known for their arrogance and brutality, so they didn''t really feel any loyalty towards the seven-year-old.


    The only reason they obeyed the seven-year-old was because they feared Giga Chad''s stink spray, making them unable to defy him.


    But as time progressed, Thirteen''s ves understood that their Master might be their race''s only chance for survival.


    For this reason, they took this war very seriously, resolving themselves to die for his sake if needed.


    Another powerful explosion erupted behind Thirteen, sending the younger boy rolling on the ground due to the force of its impact.


    Due to the force of the explosion, the smoke was momentarily dispersed, revealing something burning in the distance.


    It was none other than O2''s steel shield, which was melting at a rapid pace.


    Right beside it was a green Monster Core, which belonged to the Ogre that had sacrificed itself to save its Master.


    Thirteen clenched his fists tightly due to the emotion of pain that he felt in his chest.


    The reason why he gave his ves random names like O1, O2, T1, and T2, was because he didn''t want to form any attachments to them.


    He wasn''t like Cristopher who would break down just because his ve monsters had died.


    No.


    Thirteen wasn''t that kind of person.


    He had seen how his hosts die one after the other, so he knew that pain more than anyone else.


    However, after bing human, the feelings that he wouldn''t normally feel for mere ves rose up to the surface.


    While Thirteen was trying to regain hisposure, a pair of powerful arms grabbed his body and raised him high up in the air.


    "O1¡­" Thirteen saw his other Ogre, who didn''t even bother to say anything to him, take a throwing stance.


    O1 gave a mighty roar before throwing Thirteen as far as it could in the direction he was running earlier, allowing him to escape the second Fireball, which descended on the Ogre a few seconds right after he had thrown his Master to safety.


    Thirteen heard and saw the explosion as he was flying in the air, making his vision blur a bit due to the tears that fell from his eyes.


    Just as he was about to fall on the ground, a shadowy whip coiled itself around his waist, pulling him to the arms of the Drow, who had apanied him into battle.


    But before Adira could even do anything, she saw a sh of light that was traveling in her direction at great speeds.


    Arundel had once again used the fieryser that he had used to attack Rocky from the ground.


    But before the attack could hit, the Ogre King appeared in front of them and used its Bone Club to block the attack.


    It had seen how the two Ogres tried to defend the boy, disregarding their lives to save him.


    "Go," the Ogre King ordered. "I''ll take him on."


    "You mean WE will take him on," the Tigerkin King,nded beside the Ogre King and red at the Majin Prince.


    "Let''s see who kills him first," The Ogre King snorted before charging toward Arundel, with his Bone Club ready to strike.


    The Tigerkin King didn''t want to be outdone, so he also sprinted fearlessly towards their enemy.


    They were the only Thrones who had the ability to defeat Arundel, so they had no choice but to work together, and hope that a miracle would happen.

 Chapter 238 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 4]

    <h4>Chapter 238 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 4] </h4>


    King Gomorra and King As charged at the Majin King with their weapons at the ready.


    Although they were a distance away, they had seen that the Kings, whom they had considered as their rivals, had already perished in Arundel''s hands.


    But, instead of being afraid, this only made them angrier, so they didn''t hesitate to attack the monster, who was several times stronger than them.


    Arundel nced at the two approaching Thrones before shifting his gaze back to the seven-year-old, who was now running away with the help of a Drow, and her Shadow Steed.


    The corner of his lips curled up into a smile because he knew that no matter where the boy went, there was no way that he would be able to escape his grasp.


    Arundel didn''t want the news of him groveling on the feet of a Celestial to spread, so he had no intention of sparing anyone on the battlefield, with the exception of his own forces.


    "I''ll deal with both of you first," Arundel said as he faced the two Kings, who were now only dozens of meters away from him. "I hope that both of you are prepared to die."


    Instead of answering him, the Ogre King and the Tigerkin King roared fearlessly as they brandished their weapons against him.


    While this was happening, Adira focused her attention on running away as fast as she could.


    She understood that it was impossible for King Gomorra and King As to hold Arundel?back for long.


    "Is there really no other way?" Adira asked, while making sure that the boy sitting in front of her wouldn''t slip away from her grasp.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "Also, if the worstes to worse, feel free to leave my side, Lady Adira. I will manage somehow."


    "And, why would I do that?" Adira snorted. "Were in this together so¡­"


    Suddenly, Adira''s sixth sense screamed inside her head, making her grab Zion and jump off her Shadow Horse.


    A secondter, a redser passed them, piercing through the Shadow Steed, splitting it in half.


    "Sh*t!" Adira cursed in her heart as she used her body to cushion Zion''s fall on the ground.


    The two rolled for several meters before the Drow nced behind them to see what was happening.


    King Gomorra and King As were still fighting against Arundel, but thetter even had enough free time to target them from a distance.


    However, before she, and the younger boy could even stand, another redser flew in their direction, giving only Adira enough time to push Zion away.


    A pained cry escaped the Drow''s lips as her legs were severed from her body.


    But, instead of blood, shadowy particles rose up from the severed part, making Thirteen''s face turn grim.


    "Go!" Adira shouted as she summoned a whip that wrapped itself around Zion''s waist.


    With one powerfulsh, Adira sent Zion flying towards one of their allies, who was already running in their direction.


    "This is fun," Arundelughed as he summoned two ming swords to block the Ogre King''s blow. "You''re weak."


    Arundel then kicked the Ogre King away, sending thetter flying hundreds of meters in the air.


    The Tigerkin used that opportunity tond a full-powered-blow on the side of Arundel''s body, but the Majin Prince casually stepped to the side, avoiding King As'' sneak attack.


    "Pathetic." Arundel sneered before kicking the Tigerkin King away like a ser ball.


    He was more interested in torturing the boy, than dealing with the two Thrones, whom he believed couldn''t harm him.


    If he was fighting against five opponents, Arundel would not openly show himself.


    However, he had already eliminated three of the Kings, and burned their bodies to ashes.


    In short, he no longer had anything to fear, which was the reason why he could take his time and do whatever he wanted.


    For him, the moment the three Kings died, the battle had already been won. So, regardless of what his enemies could do, and no matter how many they were, there was only one ending waiting for them, and that was¡­ death.


    Thirteen, who had been thrown away by Adira, was caught by Giga Chad.


    "Giga, run away in the opposite direction!" Thirteen orders. "Arundel is only after me! Get away from me!"


    The seven-year-old didn''t even wait for the Chad Skunk to reply to his words as he sprinted away with everything he had.


    He knew that Arundel was only toying with him, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    The only thing he could think of was to push his allies away from him, so they wouldn''t be harmed like cky, Rocky, O1, O2, and Adira.


    Giga Chad was one of his closestpanions, aside from Tiona and Cristopher. If something happened to him, he knew that the feelings that he had been bottling up inside his chest would break his heart.


    At that moment, a Fireballnded several meters away from him, and from it emerged the Majin Prince, who was looking at the seven-year-old with a sneer on his face.


    "What''s wrong, boy?" Arundel asked. "Do you want me to hold your hand so you can run faster? Hahaha!"


    Thirteen ignored the Majin Prince and continued to run away.


    He wanted Arundel to continue toying with him, so that he could reach the ce where he needed to be.


    It didn''t matter if he got hurt in the process. As long as he could take him to the center of the formation, he would have a chance to seal him.


    "Let me help you run faster, boy," Arundelughed as he summoned a dozen me spears that flew in Thirteen''s direction.


    Gritting his teeth, Thirteen jumped, and rolled to the side, evading the spears thatnded just a foot away from his body.


    However, four of those spears suddenly changed their trajectory.


    Arundel nned to pin the boy''s arms, and legs, making him feel despair as his body slowly burned away, and turned to ashes.


    Thirteen calcted where those spears wouldnd, but he didn''t have enough time to do anything about it.


    But, just as they were about to pierce his body, something big blocked their path, and sprayed droplets of hot blood on Thirteen''s face.


    "No!" Thirteen looked at Giga Chad who had used his body to shield him from the me spears. "Giga!"


    The ze Chad Skunk didn''t even utter a groan of pain, and simply looked in Thirteen''s eyes.


    The Monster''s eyes had a determined look, as if telling his Master that everything was going to be fine.


    With the me Spears piercing his body, Giga retracted the ws on his paws, and nudged his Master''s body.


    "Go," Giga said to him using hisnguage. "Go, Master. Go!"


    Tears finally fell on Thirteen''s face as Giga pushed him away.


    This time, blood seeped at the corner of the young boy''s lips because he bit his lip too hard in order to regain hisposure.


    He knew what he needed to do.


    He knew what Giga wanted him to do.


    So he ran away.


    Ran away even though his vision was blurred with tears.


    "Hahaha! Run, little boy, run!" Arundelughed as he casually walked in the direction where the boy was running.


    However, something grabbed his foot, preventing him from moving away.


    Giga Chad had grabbed hold of the Majin Prince''s leg, refusing to let go.


    "Oh, so you''re ying the hero now?"


    The sneer on the Majin Prince''s lips widened as he summoned a me spear to stab the back of the persistent monster who didn''t know his ce.


    But, despite the pain, Giga Chad''s hold of Arundel never loosened, making the Majin prince repeatedly stab his body, making sure to not hit the monster''s core, prolonging its suffering.


    However, after a minute had passed, Arundel had grown bored, and tried to shake Giga Chad away, but thetter wasn''t budging.


    It was as if the Chad Skunk had focused all of his strength into his arms, turning it into a vice grip.


    A hint of annoyance appeared on Arundel''s face as he nced in the direction where the boy was running.


    He had allowed the boy to run away for a minute because it wouldn''t be fun if this little game of his ended immediately.


    But, he was starting to get annoyed by Giga Chad''s stubbornness.


    "Filthy monster," Arundel spat at the Chad Skunk''s face before kicking him away.


    An explosion erupted when Arundel''s foot collided with Giga Chad''s body, nearly destroying half of the Monster''s body.


    The body of Thirteen''s fateful friend, andpanion, crashed on the ground, with his entire body zing like a giant bonfire.


    Arundel didn''t even give the loyal monster another nce as he ran after the boy, who was desperately making his way to the g that was fluttering in the distance.


    High above the sky, Vassago screeched angrily after seeing what happened to his good friend.


    Pocopocos didn''t really care about other people and monsters, except for their kind.


    However, he had grown fond of his Master and his circle of friends, who fearlessly faced off against the Majin Prince, who was now after his Master with a devilish smile on his face.


    Vassago''s eyes glinted as he soared high in the sky.


    He would like nothing more than to attack Arundel despite knowing that it would not even scratch him.


    The only reason why he persevered was due to the fact that this was the only way that he could help his Master achieve his goal.


    He had an important role to y, and Vassago would make sure that he fulfilled his role first before he descended from the sky in a ze of glory, with the intention of avenging hispanions, whom he had learned to love.

 Chapter 239 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 5]

    <h4>Chapter 239 Descent Of The Destroyer [Part 5]</h4>


    "ytime''s over, boy," Arundel said as he approached the human child, who had shouted?out the most shameful moment of the Majin Prince''s life.


    He didn''t know how the human boy knew his secret because this event had happened over three hundred years ago.


    But, he wasn''t too worried.


    He intended to torture the boy to make him spill everything he knew before he burned his body to a crisp.


    Suddenly, two fireballs were hurled in Arundel''s direction, which the Majin Prince blocked with his arms.


    At first, he didn''t feel anything. But a few secondster, he felt a stinging pain on his arms, making him frown.


    When he saw that the ces that were hit by the two fireballs had a small burn mark on them, the frown on Arundel''s face deepened.


    Aside from Forneus'' weapons, he believed that nothing else could hurt him in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    But, the evidence in front of him couldn''t be mistaken, making him re in the direction where the two Fireballs came from.


    There, two Tigerkins stood, a few meters away from each other.


    Thirteen, who saw Percival and Anwir appear, felt a ray of hope because these two were two of his Trump Cards against Arundel.


    Whenever a great cmity arrived, a Hero would always appear to save the day.


    Alongside him was also a Viin, who would be his destined enemy.


    But Thirteen changed their Fates a bit, making the two brothers, who were supposed to be at each other''s throat, fight side by side against a greater threat that was now standing before them.


    Since both of them had the blessings of Fate, their powers could wound Arundel, despite them being many times weaker than him.


    This was also why he had bestowed upon them the Divine Martial Technique, Emperor''s Might.


    The stronger their enemies were, the stronger their power would be.


    Although it was not enough to bridge the gap in ranks, it was still enough to make Arundel feel pain, no matter how small it was.


    ''These two cannot be allowed to live!'' Arundel thought as he red at the two Tigerkins in front of him.


    Originally, he wanted to make Anwir his subordinate because he had seen his potential.


    However, since the teenage Tigerkin had the means to harm him, he would not take any chances and nip him in the bud before he could grow even stronger.


    But, it was not only Anwir whom he had ced in his Kill List.


    The younger Tigerkin, whose arms, and feet were covered in golden mes, was also someone, who didn''t need to exist!


    Suddenly, countless arrows flew in Arundel''s direction, and exploded at the point of impact.


    "Anwir, Taiga, to me!" Thirteen shouted.


    The two understood what Thirteen wanted to happen, so they didn''t hesitate to follow behind him.


    Anwir even scooped up the seven-year-old, and carried him like a sack of rice, as he ran as fast as he could.


    Tigerkins were faster and stronger than ordinary Humans, so they were able to gain some distance against Arundel, who was being bombarded by the arrows of the Trolls, who were using the special arrows that Gerald had made for them.


    These arrows didn''t have the ability to harm the Majin Prince, but the dust that they produced at the moment of impact could obstruct his vision.


    This powdery dust was made from the ground wings of the Illusion Moth, which was a Rank 4 Monster that lived on the Sacred Ind of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    They were the Inds protectors, and their specialty was to create a glittering dust that would make their enemies enter an illusion, which would confuse their senses.


    The Shamans had asked them for help, and the Illusion Moths shed their wings willingly, and wrapped themselves up in a cocoon, in order to regenerate them within a month.


    Arundel could see past smoke made by mes and smoke, but the powdery dust around him hadpletely dropped his visibility to zero.


    But, these petty tricks were not enough to stop him.


    With a wave of his hand, the dust cloud dispersed, allowing him to see the direction the Tigerkins were running.


    The Majin Prince ran after them, but before he did so, he made sure to unleash thousands of Fire Bullets the size of baseballs at the annoying Trolls who had gotten in his way.


    Being hindered by lowly monsters annoyed him very much, so he didn''t hesitate to obliterate them all before running after the two Tigerkins and the human boy whom he wouldn''t allow to live.


    T1 managed to dodge in time, but one of the Fire Bullets grazed the side of his face, creating a burn scar.


    Five of hispanions weren''t as lucky, and their bodies were incinerated by the Majin Prince''s merciless attacks.


    The other four managed to survive, but suffered serious injuries.


    All of them nowy on the ground, groaning in pain.


    Arundel, whose gaze was locked on the body of the escaping Tigerkins summoned a Fireball that was bigger than anything he had summoned before.


    He had now grown tired of this game of tag, and wanted to end it once and for all.


    "Genocide Break!"


    Arundel threw the giant Fireball which could instantly obliterate an entire city.


    "Hammer for all Seasons Final Form!"


    Thirteen, who was being carried away by Anwir, raised his head after hearing the familiar voice that reverberated in his surroundings.


    "Pops! NO!" Thirteen shouted.


    In front of him, Gerald, who was riding on top of a Saber Tooth Tiger, raised his hammer high up in the air.


    Golden mes rose up from his arms as his entire body was covered in red armor.


    Time seemed toe to aplete stop as Thirteen looked at his Father, who was poised to strike.


    He couldn''t see his face because the only thing that he could see was his Father''s back.


    His strong dependable back, that made him feel that he was about to lose another person that was very precious to him.


    Although Gerald wasn''t his real father, and he just called him Pops, Thirteen had shared many happy memories with him.


    "POPS!"


    At his shout, time returned to normal and Gerald''s words, filled with courage and determination, reached his ears.


    "Fortress Breaker!"


    A powerful shock wave pushed Thirteen, Percival, and Anwir hundreds of meters in the air before an explosion that wouldn''t lose to the Magma Fiend''s self destruction ability erupted behind them.


    "POOOOOOOOOPS!"


    Thirteen shouted at the top of his lungs despite the fact that he was being blown away bya force that created a giant crater that was hundreds of meters wide.


    Even after he crashed and rolled dozens of meters on the ground, the pain he felt was nothingpared to the pain that he felt in his breaking heart.


    ----------------------


    A/N: Since I''m in a good mood, will post one more chapter in two hours. Wait for it!

 Chapter 240 The Beacon Of Hope

    <h4>Chapter 240 The Beacon Of Hope </h4>


    Thirteen''s body was covered in blood, and bruises, as he forced himself to stand up.


    He no longer had the strength to run, but he no longer had any intention of running.


    Anwir and Percival, who were right beside him, both took fighting stances.


    Both of them understood that turning their back against such an enemy was no longer an option.


    Despite knowing that the chances of them winning against Arundel in a frontal confrontation was zero, they still stood their ground.


    Why?


    Because a seven-year-old boy was standing in front of them, who had every intention to fight till hisst breath.


    "Brother, Taiga, give me some time." Thirteen said as he wiped the blood from his forehead and started to write Rune Symbols on his arms.


    "Okay," Anwir replied.


    He didn''t even bother to ask how long he should hold back the Majin Prince for because dying Arundel for more than a minute was already a monumental task.


    However, since his Sworn Brother had asked him to give him time, he would buy him as much time as he could, even if it was just for a few seconds.


    Percival walked past Thirteen as he prepared himself to fight to the death.


    He wasn''t delusional enough to think that he would survive against Arundel for more than a few seconds, but since his Brother was going to fight, he would not allow himself to cower behind him.


    Within the zing inferno, a four-meter-tall silhouette appeared.


    "No longer nning to run away?" Arundel asked in a teasing tone. "Good. It''s time to put an end to this farce."


    Thirteen, who was busy writing symbols on his left and right arms, didn''t even bother to look at the Majin Prince, who didn''t even have a scratch on his body, despite walking through such a hellishndscape.


    "Brother, there is something I want to say before we fight that thing," Percival said. "I hate you."


    "Tell me something I don''t already know," Anwir replied with sarcasm.


    "Although I hate you, it won''t change the fact that you''ve been a good brother for the past few years," Percival stated. "Although it annoys me that you will apany me to the afterlife, at least my journey will not be lonely."


    "Yeah," Anwir smirked. "That doesn''t sound so bad."


    The two Tigerkins then unleashed the full power of their Emperor''s Might at the same time, creating a powerful gust of wind that was expanding outwards.


    ck and golden mes rose up from their bodies, making the two of them stand out amidst the darkness around them.


    Behind them, a seven-year-old summoned countless cores around him, as he also readied himself to fight.


    "Those who look down on my people," Thirteen said as the cores around him glowed faintly, merging with the runic symbols on his body.


    "Those who step on their dreams¡­"


    The runic symbols on his arms started to shine in a golden light as they absorbed the powers of the cores around him.


    "Those who think that they can brush off my people with impunity¡­"


    "Will face the wrath of me, Thirteen!"


    Thirteen roared and, one by one, the steel posts that he nted around the battlefield, radiated with power, creating a gigantic magical formation, with him, Anwir, Percival, and Arundel at its center.


    The g, which he had nted in the center of the formation, fluttered a few meters behind him.


    He had reached the end of his goal, and now, it was his turn to make Arundel understand that even the weak had their own ways of fighting.


    Perhaps sensing that something was about to happen, Arundel no longer hesitated and charged forward with his entire body covered in zing mes.


    A single drop of blood fell on the ground beside Thirteen''s feet, as the magic circlepleted its formation.


    "Ten Thousand Shackles of Annihtion!" Thirteen said in a cold voice that reverberated across the entire battlefield.


    Suddenly, countless shackles of different colors bound Arundel''s Body, preventing him from moving.


    Thirteen knew that there was still a chance that the Majin Prince would be able to escape the formation he had created, so he decided to chain Arundel using his blood as a medium to summon the Ten Thousand Shackles of Annihtion.


    This was part of the formation that he had created as insurance, just in case Arundel proved to be more powerful than he imagined.


    But now, he no longer cared.


    He would not hesitate to burn his life force just to make sure that his hated enemy would not leave this ce alive.


    "Vassago!" Thirteen shouted with all of his might. "Poca!"


    High above the clouds, two shrieks answered his call.


    The bodies of the two Pocopocos shone brightly like beacons in the night.


    Both of them descended down from the heavens, creating a giant line, heading towards the ground.


    Miles away from their location, Cristopher saw the signal from afar using his telescope.


    "Move the Ballista to the right side!" Cristopher ordered.


    Brutus, Bruno, and Jubei heeded his order, and moved the Ballista to point in the direction where the silvery light was pointing.


    This was the signal that Thirteen had told him, and once he saw this, he would deliver the one thing that could threaten the Majin Prince''s life.


    Pulling a lever, the runic symbols that Thirteen had ced on the Grand Ballista came to life.


    "End Bringer!" Cristopher shouted. "Launching!"


    The Golden Bolt, which was made from the Gold of the Valbarra Archipgo, shot into the air like a railgun, traveling at the speed of sound.


    It left a trail of golden light, making all the Wanderers and the Warriors of all the races who had survived on the battlefield, look at this marvelous sight.


    Arundel sensed something approaching him at great speeds, which made him feel that death was just a step away from him.


    Using all the strength in his body, he raised his right arm and roared in anger and desperation.


    "Disintegrate!"


    At that exact moment, Arundel''s hand connected with the Golden Bolt, which Thirteen had named End Bringer.


    But, before Thirteen''s ultimate attack could even damage the Majin Prince''s body, the Golden Bolt disintegrated, making Anwir''s and Percival''s eyes widen in shock.


    They didn''t expect that Arundel had his own Trump Card, which could instantly turn anything he touched into nothingness, regardless of its form.


    Although the two Tigerkins, and those who were watching the battle were surprised, there was one person who was not surprised by this oue.


    A sneer appeared on Thirteen''s bloody face as he looked at the Majin Prince, who had done exactly what he wanted him to do.


    While the Golden Bolt had indeed been turned to nothingness, there was one thing that Arundel had failed to disintegrate and that was none other than the medallion that was now in the Majin Prince''s hand.


    Thirteen had ced Arthas'' Medallion inside the End Bringer when it was being made. Because of this, the Majin Prince didn''t detect its presence, making him unable to know what was going to happen next.


    The seven-year-old was only allowed to use one High Level Runic Symbol by Lace Demon, and the One.


    So, he ced this symbol on the one thing that would make the Majin Prince regret that he was ever born.


    And that was none other than the Beacon of Light, whose blinding radiance shot towards the heavens.


    The Medallion was an artifact given to Arthas'' ancestor by a Fiend.


    This Fiend was not the Sea Serpent, Forneus, but another Fiend, whose greed for gold and wealth surpassed the greed of all the Fiends'' and Celestials''bined.


    The Dark Clouds that hovered above the center of the formation that covered the battlefield, slowly parted.


    And from it, a giant golden head that resembled the face of the smiling Buddha appeared.


    The moment Arundel saw this face, his entire body shuddered in fright, paralyzing himpletely.


    A few secondster, the smiling Golden Buddha slowly opened his eyes.


    The moment his gazended on Arundel''s body, its peaceful expression suddenly changed that to malevolent anger, making it look like a hideous demon who would destroy everything in existence.


    No one in the Valbarra Archipgo had seen such a horrifying scene, but there was one person on the battlefield, whose gaze burned brightly with the light of vengeance.


    With a loud roar, a Giant Golden Fist descended from the sky smashing the arrogant Majin Prince, who thought that he was invincible mere moments ago.


    At the same time, across the Valbarra Archipgo, all the Wanderers, who were still alive and had been hiding in the Houdini Desert, the Barbarian Kingdom, and the Sumatran Kingdom, suddenly received a notification.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    < Congrattions! Your Mission, Lighting The Beacon of Hope is Completed! >


    < Rewards will be awarded to you depending on your contribution! >


    < Would you like to return to Pangea? >


    < Yes / No >


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    All the Wanderers rejoiced, and hugged each other after seeing such a scene.


    Right in front of them, they saw a ten-minute-countdown, giving them some time to decide if they wish to leave this hellish world once and for all.


    Some of the Wanderers didn''t hesitate, and they turned into beams of light that shot towards the heavens like shooting stars.


    Rianna''s hunting party hugged each other, as they, too, chose to return to Pangea, so that they could see their families once again.


    But, there were some who decided to stay and watch everything until the veryst second.


    Cristopher, Rianna, Colbert, Harry, Rufus, Eren, and Jeane nned to stay behind for as long as they could.


    Even if they pressed the No option, they would still be forced to teleport away from the battlefield after the countdown ended because they had finally aplished their mission.


    Another golden fist descended from the sky, and smashed against Arundel, pinning him to the ground.


    Thirteen raised his head to look at the Angry Fiend, whom he had summoned to the Valbarra Archipgo, using his High-


    Level Runic Symbol.


    He was none other than the Fiend of greed, wealth, and money, Mammon, who was very angry because Arundel had destroyed the gold that rightfully belonged to him.


    Amidst the Majin Prince''s painful screams and pleas for forgiveness, a pained sob silently echoed in the surroundings.


    Thirteen, who had lost many importantpanions in this battle, cried bitterly, as one of the Fiends, Mammon, descended fully onto the battlefield, to make sure that whoever owed him, would pay the price for their insolence.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    End of Volume 1: The Beacon of Hope

 Chapter 241 Checkmate

    <h4>Chapter 241 Checkmate</h4>


    ''H-How did this happen?!'' Arundel, who had suffered serious injuries after getting punched twice by Mammon, stared in horror as the Fiend descended from the sky.


    He was certain that the Fiend of Wealth and Greed couldn''t care less even if he were to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo.


    For the most part, Mammon only cared about wealth and treasures, so his invasion was not enough for him to make an appearance.


    Arundel had been very cautious from the start, and he even asked the Majin Princess, Kamrusepa, a favor to do a divination for him.


    Kamrusepa had assured him that Forneus wouldn''t make an appearance, which was the only thing that worried Arundel in his grand design for the Valbarra Archipgo.


    The Majin Princess was spot on, and the Sea Monster was indeed nowhere in sight. However, someone else hade, which made the one who had the title of "The Destroyer" feel as if the one who was going to be destroyed was him.


    "It has been a while since someone dared to take what is mine." Mammon growled as he stepped on the body of the Majin Prince, crushing Arundel''s right leg. "Do you have a death wish?"


    "N-No! Your Excellency!" Arundel replied. "I have no intention of taking what is yours!"


    "But you did." Mammon sneered. "All the Gold in the Valbarra Archipgo has been erased by you. Tell me, how do you n to settle your debts?"


    Arundel''s Army shuddered as Mammon''s gaze swept through them all.


    Perhaps, not able to take the fear and pressure that wasing from the Fiend, one of the Hell Chargers decided to run away.


    This created a spark, prompting the rest of the Majin Prince''s army to run toward the sea, where the Sea Monsters were waiting for their return.


    Mammon looked at these fleeing monsters in contempt.


    Since when did he allow those who owed him to escape and not pay their dues?


    A secondter, a beam of light erupted from the Golden Giant''s eyes and covered all the Jinns and Majins under Arundel''smand.


    When the light receded, the formidable army, which hade to invade the Valbarra Archipgo, had been turned into gold statues.


    This made the armies of the Barbarians, Orcs, Tigerkins, Ogres, and Trolls stay where they were.


    They didn''t dare make any move in fear that the next ones who would be turned into golden statues would be them.


    "Y-Your Excellency, please, let me exin!" Arundel pleaded. "I only defended myself."


    "So you''re saying that your life is worth more than my gold?" Mammon said in disdain. "Since when was that the case? Even dozens of you will not amount to a single gold coin that belongs to me."


    Mammon crushed Arundel''s left leg, crippling the Majin Prince.


    If Arundel really wanted to, he could turn his destroyed legs into mes, allowing him to stand once more.


    But he didn''t dare to do it.


    He could feel that his life was only a moment away from being extinguished, so he shamelessly begged for mercy and pleaded to be spared.


    Seeing that there was no trace of mercy on the Fiend''s expression, Arundel decided to shift the me to someone else.


    "Your Excellency, I believe that boy is responsible for everything," Arundel said as he pointed at Thirteen, who was crying dozens of meters away from him.


    The chains that bound Arundel earlier had shattered the moment Mammon punched the Majin Prince.


    However, the formation that Thirteen created was still active, trapping the seriously injured Majin Prince in ce.


    "And what of it?" Mammon asked in contempt. "So what if he is responsible for everything? A mere boy, not even a man, faced you in battle and used everything in his arsenal to win. And you, despite your advantage, still lost. You''re a disgrace."


    Arundel clenched his fists tightly because he couldn''t refute Mammon''s words. If the members of the Order of the Apocalypse were to know that he was defeated by a child, who was not even of age, he would be theughing stock of their organization.


    But he would rather be aughing stock than be dead.


    Mammon snorted before giving the seven-year-old a sidelong nce.


    "But you''re right," Mammon stated. "This boy used an underhanded means to forcefully summon me to this ce. This is something that I do not find pleasing."


    The Beacon of Light was only supposed to make Mammon look in the direction of the Valbarra Archipgo to see what was happening.


    If he felt like it, then he would be able to instantly teleport to its location using the Beacon that he had given Arthas'' ancestor.


    But Thirteen did him dirty. Thanks to the High-Level Rune added to the golden amulet, its effects were amplified, forcing Mammon to appear in the Valbarra Archipgo whether he liked it or not.


    Sensing that this was his only opportunity to survive, Arundel grabbed hold of the opportunity to gain Mammon''s favor.


    "Please, allow me to deal with him for you, Your Excellency!" Arundel begged. "I will serve you and be your loyal servant, so please, spare me!"


    "Oh?" Mammon smiled evilly. "Very well. I will give you a chance. Kill him."


    "Yes!" Arundel turned his broken legs into mes, allowing him to stand up again.


    He then red hatefully at the boy who was standing behind Anwir and Percival. The two Tigerkins had both taken a fighting stance, ready to fight.


    Thirteen, who had heard everything, wiped the tears in his eyes and looked at the Majin Prince, who had every intention of killing him.


    "It''s toote," Thirteen replied softly. "This game of chess is already over. You''ve lost, Arundel."


    The Majin Prince ignored the boy''s words and took a step forward in order to punch him to oblivion.


    But just as he was about to do the deed, a Bolt made from reinforced steel pierced his chest, making him stagger.


    Before Arundel could even realize what was happening, a second bolt descended upon his body, this time, piercing his waist.


    If it had been earlier, Arundel would have easily dealt with the injuries in his body. But after getting seriously injured by Mammon''s punches, which was instilled with Fiendish Aura, he had lost a good chunk of his strength, making his Rank regress to that of a Rank 7 Sovereign.


    This made him unable to react to the two reinforced bolts filled with Thirteen''s Rune Magic, whose only purpose was to hit the Majin Prince that was still at the center of the Magic Formation.


    Right now, Arundel was no longer the invincible Majin Prince.


    Even a reinforced bolt traveling at the speed of sound would be more than enough to pierce his body.


    "D-Don''t mess with me!" Arundel roared in anger as he covered his body in mes.


    He couldn''t believe that he was suffering so much because of a human child, whom he had only met for the first time.


    As his gazended on the boy, he saw Thirteen raise his right hand to give him the middle finger.


    "Checkmate."


    Thirteen''s words reached the Majin Prince''s ears. Not long after, two more bolts descended from the heavens and hit his Majin Core, making Arundel, who gained the title of "The Destroyer," howl in pain and desperation.


    "If I''m going to die, I''ll take you with me!" Arundel''s eyes glowed with power as he prepared to self-destruct.


    However, at that exact moment, the Devil-Horned Honey Badger, Cranky, emerged from the ground behind him and shed Arundel''s neck, severing it from his body.


    After absorbing the Fire Dragon''s Core, the Honey Badger''s Rank jumped from a Rank 7 Sovereign to a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    This made Cranky much stronger than the seriously injured Arundel, allowing his razor sharp ws to slice the Majin Prince''s body, ending his life before he could even self-destruct.


    The Honey Badger felt so aplished for killing a very strong enemy that it screeched loudly to assert its dominance.


    Right now, it was the strongest creature in the Valbarra Archipgo, making it a Guardian Deity of sorts.


    Cranky happily picked up Arundel''s head from the ground with the intention to eat it.


    However, just as he was about to take a bite, someone tapped his shoulder, making the Honey Badger hiss in anger.


    But when he saw that the one that tapped him was Mammon, Cranky started purring like a cat, making the corner of Anwir''s and Percival''s lips twitch.


    Mammon then reverted to his peaceful and smiling face before extending his hand to the Honey Badger, gesturing to it to give him Arundel''s head.


    Cranky looked at the Fiend''s hand before shifting his gaze to Arundel''s head.


    A look of unwillingness could be seen on the Honey Badger''s face, but in the end, he did the right thing and surrendered the Majin Prince''s head to Mammon.


    The moment Cranky ced Arundel''s severed head on Mammon''s palm, it immediately turned to gold, making the Honey Badger jump back in fear.


    Mammon then gazed in the direction where the reinforced bolts came from, but the only thing he saw were a few shooting stars that shot up towards the sky.


    The Fiend then shifted its attention to the seven-year-old, who was being protected by the two Tigerkins.


    "Your name?" Mammon asked.


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied.


    Mammon then crouched down and smiled at the seven-year-


    old who had used him to fight his enemy.


    Without any warning, the Fiend flicked his finger on the seven-


    year-old boy, sending thetter flying thousands of meters in the air.


    A trail of blood escaped the boy''s lips as he helplessly fell toward the ground.


    "If you manage to survive, I''ll consider this incident even." Mammon growled. "No one can use me to fight their battles for them."


    The Fiend attacked Thirteen with the intention to kill.


    But instead of the boy turning into meat paste, the blow only sent the boy flying, making him suffer serious injuries.


    Due to how sudden it was, Anwir and Percival weren''t able to react in time.


    Mammon didn''t even bother to look at the oue because he believed that the boy would die the moment he crashed on the ground.


    But even if he managed to survive, that was fine as well.


    Mammon disappeared alongside the Army of the Majin Prince, which had been transformed into gold.


    He then returned to the Main Continent, leaving the Valbarra Archipgo and the boy who was falling from the sky to their Fate.


    ------------------------


    A/N: I will post 2 more chapters after an hour

 Chapter 242 Just Call Me, Thirteen [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 242 Just Call Me, Thirteen [Part 1] </h4>


    Mammon''s finger flick was more than enough to kill an ordinary human a thousand times over.


    The only reason why Thirteen didn''t die instantly was due to the reward he gained afterpleting his Fourth Trial of killing the Diabolical Hyena.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Fourth Trial Completed!>


    ¡ª Defeat the Rank 6 Overlord, Diabolical Hyena.


    ¡ª Reward: You will gain a one-time ability that will prevent you from dying from any attack that can instantly kill you.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    But even if Thirteen didn''t die from Mammon''s finger flick, the damage he received from its impact still resulted in serious injuries.


    Not only that, but he was traveling in the air at great speeds, so the moment hended on the ground, he would definitely meet his end.


    The seven-year-old was already a spent candle, so he no longer had the strength to do anything.


    But just as he was about to crash on the ground, his body suddenly stopped mid-air, and the space around him distorted.


    A momentter, he found himself staring at the face of the Lace Demon, who was looking at him with an amused expression on his face.


    "Sleep," Lace Demon said. "It would be funny if the one who made the highest contribution in this war was to die in that manner."


    Thirteen wanted to ask the Lace Demon if his father had survived, but he was suddenly assaulted by a drowsiness that he couldn''t fight, making his eyelids very heavy.


    Soon, the boy finally fell into a deep sleep. The Lace Demon poured an elixir over his body, helping him recover from his injuries.


    Thirteen didn''t know how long he slept, but he had a dream.


    In that dream, Giga Chad, cky, Rocky, and his monster ves where having a pic together, eating andughing with smiles on their faces.


    The boy was also with them. Seated beside him was none other than his previous host, Tiona, who was feeding him with a sandwich.


    "Eat up, Thirteen," Tiona said. "You need to recover soon because there are many people who are waiting for you to return to them."


    "Okay," Thirteen obeyed and allowed Tiona to hand feed him the sandwiches that she had prepared for him.


    After he finished eating his second sandwich, Thirteen suddenly felt like something was wrong.


    Theughing and the merry-making around him disappeared, making him nce at the empty tables around him.


    Giga Chad, cky, Rocky, and the other Monster ves was nowhere to be found.


    Only he and Tiona remained, making him suddenly feel anxious in his heart.


    "Tiona¡­"


    "¡­"


    Tiona looked at the boy sadly before hugging him.


    "The bond you have made with them is real," Tiona said softly. "All the happiness, the sadness, the pain¡ªall of them are real. This is what it means to be human, Thirteen."


    "You will always experience new meetings."


    "You will always experience goodbyes."


    "Live your life to the fullest."


    "Live your life without any regrets."


    Thirteen hugged Tiona back and wept silently.


    "Tiona, it hurts being human," Thirteen replied. "In the past, I didn''t have to deal with these emotions. But now, I feel them everyday. Is this what you felt back then?"


    "Yes," Tiona answered. "Unfortunately, I didn''t live long enough to know what true happiness means. So, Thirteen, in this lifetime, let''s do our best to find it. Although the journey will have its ups and downs and plenty of bumps along the way, all I can say is that I''ll be with you to help you face whateveres your way."


    "Let''s go back, Thirteen. Back to where everyone is waiting for us. You still have promises to keep, and miles to go before you sleep."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen slowly opened his eyes and once again found himself in the Celestial Realm, where the Lace Demon and The One was waiting for him to wake up.


    "Before anything else, let me congratte you for a job well done," Lace Demon said. "Out of the five hundred Wanderers who have appeared in the Valbarra Archipgo, three hundred and ny-eight of them survived andpleted their mission.


    "The number of casualties would have been higher if the Beacon of Light wasn''t lit, so allow me to thank you once again for your contribution this time around."


    Thirteen was surprised to know that there were so many Wanderers that had been sent to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    But before the Lace Demon could even say anything else, Thirteen asked him the question that had been on his mind ever since he appeared in the Celestial Realm.


    "Did Pops survive?" Thirteen asked.


    The Lace Demon, who seemed to be waiting for this question, snapped his fingers.


    As if waiting for that moment, a projection appeared in front of Thirteen.


    There, Gerald, riding on top of a Saber Tooth Tiger, charged at the Giant Fireball that Arundel had aimed at Thirteen.


    The seven-year-old watched as his Father covered his body with a red, full-te armor that seemed to be made from red scales.


    Suddenly, a thought appeared on Thirteen''s head, which made him watch the projection seriously.


    He saw how Gerald used his hammer to sh against the Fireball, detonating it on impact.


    A powerful explosion erupted, which blew him away. When the light receded, Thirteen saw his father lying on the ground, with mes zing all around him.


    However, he could faintly see his chest rising up and down, making him understand that his father had survived that fateful encounter.


    Lace Demon once again snapped his finger, and the scene in the projection changed.


    There, he saw Gerald lying on what seemed to be a hospital bed with a cast on his right arm.


    Remi was sleeping peacefully beside him, which made Thirteen breathe a sigh of relief.


    "As you can see, your father is safe," Lace Demon said. "When he killed the Fire Dragon, he gained the Fire Dragon Armor, which gave him an incredibly high resistance to heat and mes. That armor is also of the Mythical Rank, so it saved his life.


    "Since the limiters for certain equipment were removed during the war, he was able to use the armor without problems. Don''t worry. He would be allowed to use the armor anytime he wanted as one of the rewards for the contributions he has made in the battlefield."


    "How about Adira?" Thirteen inquired.


    "She''s alive as well," the Lace Demon once again showed the Drow in the projection.


    Her legs were cut off by Arundel''sser attack, but this wasn''t a problem for her. Adira''s power revolved around darkness and shadow, so she just patched herself back up as if nothing had happened.


    Of course, she was still injured. But a week of rest was enough for her to fully recover.

 Chapter 243 Just Call Me, Thirteen [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 243 Just Call Me, Thirteen [Part 2]</h4>


    Seeing that the Drow was safe and sound, the boy asked the other pressing question that was in his head.


    "How about Giga, cky, Rocky, and my other monster ves?" Thirteen asked.


    "T1 up to T5 survived," Lace Demon replied. "As for the rest¡­"


    The Lace Demon shook his head, informing Thirteen that they had perished in battle.


    The seven-year-old fell quiet for nearly two minutes before raising his head to hold the Lace Demon''s gaze.


    "Bring them back," Thirteen stated. "That is the wish that I want frompleting my Sixth Trial.


    The seven-year-old nced at his Status page and read the information that was written there.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Sixth Trial Completed! >


    ¡ª Light the Beacon of Hope


    ¡ª Reward: You will be given the option to ask for whatever reward you want. However, this reward doesn''t extend to the restrictions that are ced on your body.


    Even if you wish for them to be removed, it will not happen. So, think of the next best thing as your reward forpleting this monumental task.


    P.S. As long as the reward you wish for is within reasonable bounds, it will be granted without fail!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "The reward should be within reasonable bounds," the Lace Demon said.


    "This is within reasonable bounds," Thirteen replied. "If it''s not enough, then use the other rewards that I was supposed to get after clearing this trial. Like you said, I have the highest contribution in this mission.


    "I will not let you scam me like my father who didn''t grant my wishes afterpleting all my missions for thousands of years."


    The Lace Demon couldn''t help but scratch his head before looking at the zing sun in the sky.


    He was unable to refute Thirteen''s words because the boy was the MVP and was meant to receive a lot of rewards afterpleting a mission that not even Thrones and Monarchs could easily aplish.


    "Fine."


    The One, who was the Supreme God of Solterra, agreed to Thirteen''s demand.


    "But, in doing so, you will relinquish all the rewards that could have been awarded to you for lighting the Beacon of Hope. Are you sure that this is what you want?"


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face as he nodded his head firmly.


    "This is what I want," Thirteen answered.


    "Very well. I will agree to this transaction." The One dered.


    Suddenly, Thirteen heard several notifications inside his mind, which made him look at his Statue Page.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 7 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuff >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency, Destiny Bond, Rune Magic (Intermediate).


    Beast Companions: Tiona, Giga Chad, cky, Rocky


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A sigh of relief escaped Thirteen''s lips as he saw the changes in his Statue Page.


    Although he wouldn''t receive any rewards afterpleting the mission of Lighting the Beacon of Hope, he didn''t have any regrets.


    There were things that were priceless in this world that no amount of treasures could ever hope to buy.


    In front of him, three projections appeared.


    Rocky''s body, which had been cut in half, sunk to the deepest part of thend. However, these two parts merged together, making the Magma Bal-Boa once again open his eyes.


    cky, who had been blown away alongside Thirteen when Arundel''s Fireball descended near them, didn''t die right away.


    However, he was killed when the monsters of Arundel''s Army advanced forward with his Core eaten away.


    But a new core suddenly appeared inside his chest, healing all the injuries that his body had received.


    A few secondster, cky opened his eyes as well.


    Thest projection was Giga Chad.


    After doing his best to prevent Arundel froming after Thirteen, the Majin Prince had kicked him away, destroying his body and setting him aze until only his Core was left.


    Giga Chad''s ashes swirled around his core and slowly formed his body once more.


    Little did Thirteen know that Lace Demon and The One had already anticipated that he would make this kind of wish, so they made sure that the souls of his people would remain in their bodies and Cores even after they died.


    This would allow them to easily build or reconstruct a new body for them, allowing them to revive as if they had just taken a nice long nap.


    O1, O2, T6 up to T10, had also been revived, as per Thirteen''s wishes.


    nice long nap.


    O1, O2, T6 up to T10, had also been revived, as per Thirteen''s These monsters, whom he didn''t think much of in the past, had given their all to protect him.


    They didn''t even hesitate to sacrifice their lives to make it happen.


    So how could he possibly turn his back on them?


    Seeing that his subordinates had once again been revived, Thirteen closed his eyes, and shed a tear.


    He had trust issues, especially when it came to promises of wish being granted.


    Fortunately, Lace Demon and The One didn''t deny him of his wish, unlike what his own Father had done to him back then.


    "Thirteen, there is another surprise waiting for you when you step out of this ce," Lace Demon said with a smirk on his face. "But I won''t tell you anything about it."


    The seven-year-old only shrugged because he would find whatever surprises were waiting for him very soon.


    After doing a few stretches, Thirteen felt that his body had fully recovered from his injuries.


    "Send me back," Thirteen stared at the Lace Demon, who was looking at him with a mischievous smile on his face.


    "Of course," Lace Demon said as he pped his hands together.


    The world around Thirteen distorted as Lace Demon sent him back to Solterra.


    When he finally disappeared from the Celestial Realm, a chuckle escaped Lace Demon''s lips because the boy didn''t know what was waiting for him in his return.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    When the world around him finally stabilized, Thirteen found himself standing in a dark room.


    But it didn''t take long for him to realize that he wasn''t alone.


    There, sitting around a round table and looking at him with curiosity were twelve beings.


    The seven-year-old released a cold breath when he recognized one of the beings that was staring in his direction.


    It was none other than the Majin Princess, Kamrusepa, who was looking back at him with a genuine look of amusement on her beautiful face.


    The Demi-Human Bat, Camazotz, frowned the moment the human boy materialized in their conference room.


    Only members of the Order of the Apocalypse could appear in this ne of existence, which made the people sitting around the table understand what just happened.


    "You''re the one who defeated Arundel?" Camazotz asked in disbelief. "You? A human child defeated a Majin Prince?!"


    It was not only Camazotz who had a surprised look. After all, no matter how much they extended their senses to check the boy''s rank, the only result that they got was that he was just an ordinary human.


    And that was the reason why he looked extraordinary in their eyes.


    While everyone was reeling from the shock, an Old Demon with a long white beard chuckled.


    "Wee to the Order of the Apocalypse, Boy," the Old Demon said. "Care to share your name?"


    Thirteen nned to answer the question with "I am Zion Leventis" like he always did, but something inside of him prevented that from happening.


    Instead, he walked forward and headed to the only vacant seat beside the Round Table, and sat properly.


    The Demihuman Bat, who was seated beside him, smirked at Thirteen and moved his head closer until it was only a foot away from the boy''s face.


    "Old Belz is asking you a question, Boy," Camazotz said. "What is your name?"


    "Thirteen," Thirteen replied with a calm expression on his face. "Just call me, Thirteen."

 Chapter 244 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 244 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 1] </h4>


    "Once again, we wee you to the Order of the Apocalypse, Thirteen," the Old Man, who went by the name Belzeebub, said with a smile. "At least, until someone else takes your ce."


    The other members of the Order chuckled, with the exception of Kamrusepa. In their eyes, they would have a new member again soon because anyone who managed to defeat, or kill, Thirteen, would be their newest member.


    Thirteen didn''t reply and simply stared at the Old Demon Prince, who was many times stronger than Arundel.


    "Well, don''t be like that, Old Belz." Camazotz smirked. "The newbie needs to at least know the basics before he dies, don''t you think?"


    "Since you are in a good mood, why don''t you tell this¡­ newbie about the rules of our Order?" Belzeebub smiled.


    "I was just about to get to that, Old Belz," Camazotz said. "First things first, I''ll introduce myself. I am Camazotz the Untamed, I hold the Twelfth Seat of the Order of the Apocalypse. Nice to meet you, newbie."


    "Likewise." Thirteen nodded, making the other Majin Princes'' and Princesses'' look at him in amusement.


    Camazotz chuckled because just like everyone else, he was just going with the flow.


    Truth be told, he wanted nothing more than to inform one of his acquaintances to hunt down Thirteen, so that they would gain the Seat of Authority that the boy had gained after he defeated Arundel.


    Of course, the other members of the Order were thinking of the same thing.


    If someone in their circle of friends was able to kill Thirteen, then they would have more power in the decision making of their organization.


    "So, let me tell you about the rules," Camazotz stated. "The first rule is that none of us are allowed to kill, or get in the way of each other. However, if I happen to know a friend that is not part of the Order, I can inform them about you.


    "If they happen to kill you then they will owe me a favor once they be a member. So, do your best to survive, kid. You are about to have a veeeeeeeeeery exciting life."


    "Yay," Thirteen replied, which made Camazotzugh out loud.


    "I like you kid," Camazotz pounded the table with his hands as heughed. "It''s a shame that you''re too weak to protect your position."


    Thirteen didn''t deny or confirm the Death Bat''s words and simply listened to whatever he was going to say next.


    "The second rule is that once a year, during the Spring Equinox, you must make an achievement worthy of your position as a member of the Apocalypse," Camazotz stated. "If not then you will lose your Seat of Power.


    "The achievement will depend on your current Rank. For beings like us, we are only qualified to keep our seat if we are able to take over a territory, or aplish something that is truly praiseworthy."


    Camazotz rubbed his chin as he gazed at the boy seated beside him.


    "If you want to have an example of what kind of aplishments you need to do to retain your position, lightly tap the table and say, Mission Selection," Camazotz exined.


    Thirteen nodded and did as Camazotz stated.


    "Mission Selection," Thirteen said after tapping the table with his hand.


    A list of missions then appeared in front of the boy, allowing him to choose a quest that would allow him to retain his position in the Order of the Apocalypse.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Order Mission >


    ¡ª Defeat a Rank 4 Sovereign


    ¡ª You can challenge this mission with a group of four. The only requirement is that the creatures that will apany you must be two Ranks below that of a Rank 4 Sovereign.


    < Note >


    Since you have just been epted in the Order, you will be given a grace period of five years.


    Within those five years, you may, or may not undertake this mission. This mission can be cleared multiple times, and your achievements will stack up with every Rank 4 Sovereign that you defeated.


    Clearing one mission will allow you to retain your position for a year longer.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Camazotz, who wasughing a whileter, could no longerugh after seeing the Mission that was avable for Thirteen.


    "What is this?" Camazotz asked. "Is this a joke? Just kill a Rank 4 Sovereign and he gets to keep his Seat of Power? Are you kidding me?"


    The other members of the Order also didn''t find this development funny.


    In order for them to keep their position, they had to go out of their way to wage war on the other Majin Princes and Princesses to gain their territory and loyalty.


    However, there was one person who giggled after seeing this development.


    "Well, an ordinary human defeating a Rank 4 Sovereign is an extraordinary feat, no?" Kamrusepamented. "I mean, if all of you are as powerless as this boy, do you think you could do such a thing?"


    "I definitely can!" Camazotz stated. "It''s just a Rank 4 Sovereign! I can''t believe this. This kid needs to get kicked out of the group ASAP! It''s unfair!"


    The Death Bat red at the seven-year-old, who was calmly looking at the other missions that would allow him to retain his position.


    He believed that an organization that had these powerful beings in it wasn''t that simple. If there were rules in ce, it also meant that there would be some kind of benefit in being part of a hidden organization.


    "Are there any other rules that I need to know?" Thirteen asked.


    Seeing that Camazotz was no longer in the mood to exin anything, Kamrusepa decided to take over.


    "The Third Rule states that if ever one of the members of the Order were to ask a favor from any one of its members, they would have the right to reject it. Simply put, just because we are in the same organization, that doesn''t mean that we are required to cooperate with each other.


    "Cooperation is possible if both sides agree to a condition. This condition cannot be broken, and anyone who tries loses their right to remain in the Order and their Seat of Power will then be transferred to the person that they had agreed to cooperate with.


    "The one who gains the Extra Seat of Power will then have the option to bestow it to anyone they desire. This is their right, and is acknowledged by the founders of the Apocalypse."


    Kamrusepa paused before looking at the boy with a mischievous smile on her face.


    "Of course, even with a condition or contract in ce, there can still be loopholes, so you have to be wary of falling into a trap."


    Thirteen nodded and smiled internally. When it came to loopholes he believed that no one in the order would have more experience than him.


    "Is there anything else?" Thirteen inquired.


    "No," Kamrusepa replied. "Those are the only rules of the Order."


    Thirteen then rested his chin on the back of his intertwined hands as he gazed at the beautiful Majin Princess.


    "Then, what about the benefits?" Thirteen asked. "Surely, there should be some benefits in being part of this organization, right?"


    "Of course," Kamrusepa nodded. "And believe me, the benefits here are one of the reasons why everyone is now aiming to have you killed by their acquaintances, so that the rewards for being part of this organization will fall in their hands."


    Thirteen couldn''t help but narrow his eyes because this was something that he needed desperately.


    As someone who was unable to gain any kind of items or rewards from Solterra, anything that would give him great benefits was something that he had no intention of letting of , no matter what.

 Chapter 245 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 245 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]</h4>


    "The benefits will be exined to you by the will of Metatron," Kamrusepa exined. "But, to give you an idea. I will tell you what you need to know. Once a year, before or during the night of the Solstice, we are allowed to enter the Gate of the Apocalypse.


    "Within it are treasures that are only avable to the members of the Order. Every year, we are allowed to take one item, and only one item from the treasury. Also, we have what you call the Apocalypse Points.


    "Remember the missions that will allow you to remain as a member of the Order? Completing that mission will allow you to gain one point. The more points you umte, the moreyers of the treasury will be open to you.


    "However, there are special missions that can give you anywhere from ten points up to a hundred Apocalypse Points. If you want to know what these missions are, just hold the key in your hands and close your eyes. It will tell you the mission that will allow you to gain more points than usual."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    Right now, he didn''t n on checking what kind of missions would give him more Apocalypse Points. He could already tell that the mission would be more dangerous than just hunting a Rank 4 Sovereign.


    "Now, summon your token." Kamrusepa smiled. "That is the key that will allow you to visit this ce anytime you want to. It is also the key that will take you to the Gate of the Apocalypse to get your reward for bing one of our members."


    Thirteen opened the palm of his hand and looked at it with narrowed eyes.


    A secondter, a ck token with a sunburst design appeared, making him arch an eyebrow.


    The moment the token appeared on his hand, a flood of information entered his brain, telling him of the rules of the orders, as well as the ways to go to the treasury of the apocalypse.


    Right in front of everyone, Thirteen disappeared without a trace, making the members of the Apocalypse nce at each other with smiles on their faces.


    One by one they disappeared from the conference room to return to their own territories.


    They were unable to wait for even a moment to inform their acquaintances that Arundel had been defeated by a human boy that hadn''t even stepped into the Rookie Rank.


    Among the history of the Order of the Apocalypse, this was the first time that such a weak Seat of Power had appeared.


    Because of this, they were confident that their acquaintances would be able to kill Thirteen easily, allowing them to gain the Token of the Apocalypse that had merged with his body.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    While the members of the Order were spreading the news of Arundel''s defeat, Thirteen found himself looking at a Giant ck gate with the same sunburst design that was on his token.


    At the center of the Gate was a hole, which resembled the token in his hand. As if understanding what he wanted to happen, the token flew towards the hole, and locked itself in ce before turning clockwise.


    The sound of a lock opening reverberated in the surroundings, and the Gate of the Apocalypse slowly opened.


    Thirteen couldn''t see anything past the door except for darkness. But, since there was nowhere else to go, he decided to enter it without a second thought.


    The moment he stepped inside the Gate, he found himself standing on what seemed to be a museum of sorts.


    The only difference was that there was no roof above him, and only dark clouds could be seen in the sky.


    Various items of different shapes and sizes were disyed in ss cases, waiting for someone to pick them up.


    But, just as Thirteen was about to explore the ce, a voice filled with power spread in the surroundings.


    "Congrattions, Thirteen for bing the Thirteenth Member of the Apocalypse."


    A being with eight angelic wings, descended from the sky and appeared before the seven-year-old with a smile on his face.


    "I am the Will of Metatron, and I am also the Guardian of the Gate of Apocalypse," Metatron said. "Since this is your first timeing here, allow me to exin to you the rules of this ce."


    Metatron waved his hand, and thirty items hovered in front of Thirteen, making the boy narrow his eyes.


    "But, before I start my exnation, I will give you your rewards first," Metatron stated. "You are the one that defeated Arundel, so you are allowed to take your spoils of war from him. Choose three items from his possessions as your spoils of war. But, before you choose, I will do you a favor and choose one of them for you."


    A zing purple Majin Core separated itself from the thirty items that Thirteen was supposed to choose from.


    "Do you know? The cores that the Wanderers absorb in order to get to the next rank has a special meaning to them?: Metatron asked with a smile. "Before you Wanderers Rank up, The One, will select the highest ranking Core that you have absorbed before your breakthrough.


    "This would allow you to gain anywhere from one percent, to twenty percent of that Monster''s strength. This is also the reason why not all Rookies are equal. Depending on the quality of the Core that you absorb, the power you gain will also rise drastically.


    "However, there is just one problem. The highest Core that a Wanderer, who had just started his First Wandering can absorb is a Rank 5 Monster. Anything higher than that would cause their body to explode."


    The Will of Metatron smirked as she snapped his fingers, making a chart appear in front of Thirteen.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Core Points


    Rank 1 = 1 Point


    Rank 2 = 5 Points


    Rank 3 = 10 Points


    Rank 4 = 100 Points


    Rank 5 = 500 Points


    Rank 6 = 3,000 Points


    Rank 7 = 10,000 Points


    Rank 8 = 100,000 Points


    Rank 9 = 500,000 Points


    Prince = 1,000,000 Points


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "You already know that each core gives different points to Wanderers," Metatron exined. "In order to reach the Rookie Rank, you need two hundred Rank 1 Cores or two Rank 4 Cores.


    "However, you can simply absorb a Rank 5 Core, and meet the requirements needed for a breakthrough. Doing so is also the most rmended approach.


    "Depending on that monster''s specialty, a Wanderer could be stronger, faster, smarter, flexible, and luckier, depending on the Rank 5 Monster Core that he absorbed. Anything above Rank 5 will make the Wanderer die of self implosion, so they can''t be too greedy."


    Of course, Thirteen already knew this information, which was why he had given Cristopher and Colbert the Rank 5 Cores of Alpha Hyenas that served as the Diabolical Hyena''s bodyguards.


    Both of them were his subordinates, so he made sure to give them the best.


    As for Rianna, he took pity on her and also gave her a Rank 5 Core. But, this core came from the pile that was located in the Diabolical Hyenas'' den.


    He didn''t know what kind of Monster it was from, but he was certain that it was at least of the Alpha Rank.


    Although the youngdy wasn''t really his subordinate, she had yed an important role, and acted as his support during his stay in the Barbarian Lands.


    Because of this, he decided to be generous and allowed her to benefit from the spoils he got from defeating the Hyena Overlord.

 Chapter 246 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 246 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 3] </h4>


    "Since the maximum Core that someone who is about to be a Rookie is a Rank 5 Monster, why did you choose Arundel''s Core?" Thirteen asked calmly. "Do you want me to die perhaps?"


    "Of course not." Metatron chuckled. "In fact, I genuinely wish to help you, Thirteen. After all, you have so many restrictions ced on your body. I find you truly pitiful, you know?"


    Hearing those words, a frown appeared on the seven-year-old''s face. He didn''t know how the Metatron knew about the restrictions ced in his body.


    "I may only be a residual Will of my True Self, but remember this, Thirteen. In this world, I stand above the Celestials and Fiends," Metatron said. "You can even say that I am the being that is closest to bing God. Because of this, I am able to see the restrictions on your body just by looking at you.


    "Since you will stay as a Rookie for life, wouldn''t it be a shame if you didn''t get Arundel''s Core and gain a fraction of his power?"


    Metatron was like a devil tempting Thirteen to sell his soul to him in exchange for something good.


    But the boy knew that the being in front of him was worse than a Devil. However, he also knew how devils operated because one of his hosts was an Arch Devil in the past.


    "Don''t worry, I will not do anything bad to you," Metatron stated. "In fact, I very much support you. After all, you''re just like me, don''t you think? Both of us hate Fate. So, why don''t I help you absorb this Majin Core that belonged to a Prince?


    "Also, I will give you one more bonus. After you sessfully absorb this core, I will allow you to choose one skill that belongs to Arundel and make it your power."


    "That won''t happen," Thirteen shook his head. "I am unable to learn any skills."


    "Correction, Thirteen." Metatron wagged his finger in front of the boy, shaking it left and right. "You''re unable to learn skills the normal way. But with my help, you will be able to learn one of Arundel''s powers. Didn''t I tell you? I am the closest to bing a God in this world.


    "If The One can bestow skills upon you, I can easily do the same. The fun part is that your restrictions can''t do anything?about it. Do you want me to tell you why?"


    Thirteen nodded.


    "It''s because whoever ced those restrictions on you broke the rules of the world," Metatron exined. "Because of this, the power restricting you is stretched very thin. If that restriction were to try rejecting a skill given to you by someone extremely powerful, what do you think would happen?"


    "The restrictions would copse," Thirteen answered in a heartbeat.


    Metatron nodded. "That''s right. So, the moment your restrictions refuse this skill, it will reach its limit and shatter into countless pieces. This will allow you to break free from the hold of a God who thought that they could shackle those who wished to fight against Fate."


    Thirteen''s expression became serious because ording to his calctions, Metatron was right.


    But since he believed that his Father would prioritize his restrictions over preventing him from getting a skill, he believed that Metatron''s n on giving him one would seed.


    Of course, that would be based on the theory that he would not implode after absorbing the core of the Majin Prince, which was worth a million points.


    A million points was enough for Thirteen''s Grandfather, Arthur, to be a Monarch.


    "So, what do you think, Thirteen?" Metatron asked. "Do you want to take this chance to gain a portion of the strength and ability of a Majin Prince?"


    Thirteen didn''t even need to think.


    Since he was limited to the Rookie Rank, he would take the risk of obtaining a power that no Rookie had ever achieved in the worlds of Pangea and Solterra.


    "Do it," Thirteen replied firmly.


    "Good." Metatron nodded with satisfaction. "Although I promise that you will survive in absorbing this Core, do understand that it is going to be very painful. I hope that you are prepared for pain."


    "I eat pain for breakfast," Thirteen stated. "As long as I don''t die, nothing will break me."


    "Hahaha! I''d like to put that theory to the test." Metatron grabbed Arundel''s Core and pressed it over Thirteen''s chest. "Tell me, would you like to try dying once?"


    "Jokes on you, Metatron," Thirteen said as Metatron forcefully pressed the Core into his chest. "I''ve already died once."


    The Majin Core merged with the boy''s body.


    Thirteen braced himself for the pain, but after waiting for several seconds, the pain that he was waiting for didn''te.


    "Hahaha!" Metatronughed. "You should have seen yourself gritting your teeth so hard, ready to endure the pain. Actually, the Majin Core you absorbed is your reward, so you won''t feel any pain.


    "In other words, the Core has epted you as its new Master, so it will not hurt you. On the contrary, it will even allow you to gain its powers without any pain."


    Suddenly, several rows of text appeared in front of the seven-


    year-old, highlighting the skills and abilities that Arundel possessed.


    "You can only choose one," Metatron cautioned. "So choose the best."


    Thirteen read the information of the skills and abilities in front of him for several minutes, taking time to understand the pros and cons for using them.


    Arundel possessed many skills, so it took a while for Thirteen to read all of them.


    Metatron, who seemed to be happy to have someone to talk to, waited patiently for Thirteen to finish choosing.


    In the end, the boy decided to choose Arundel''s Signature move, which was called "Disintegrator."


    That was the same ability that he used topletely erase the Golden Bolt that Thirteen had specially prepared for him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! You have learned the skill, Disintegrator! >


    < Disintegrator >


    ¡ª Once a week, you will be able to use the skill that canpletely disintegrate anything you touch, leaving nothing behind.


    ¡ª You can only disintegrate living creatures that are of the same Rank, or weaker than you.


    ¡ª You are able to disintegrate any inorganic object, regardless of their Rank.


    ¡ª Golem constructs, or any other artificially created life forms will also be disintegrated by this ability, regardless of their rank.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face. Although this skill could only be used once a week and was ineffective against living creatures who were stronger than him, it was still very useful because he could use it in many ways.


    Metatron also grinned. The boy didn''t disappoint him and chose Arundel''s strongest skill.


    "Well, then. You can now choose two more items from Arundel''s collection," Metatron crossed his arms over his chest. "After that, I will let you pick one item from the Treasury of the Apocalypse. So, be sure to choose only the best, okay?"


    Thirteen didn''t need Metatron to say that to him.


    Even now, he was busy checking all of Arundel''s possessions, looking for things that he or his subordinates could use, which would help them greatly when they arrived on the Main Continent of Solterra.

 Chapter 247 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 4]

    <h4>Chapter 247 The Thirteenth Member Of The Apocalypse [Part 4]</h4>


    After going through Arundel''s personal treasures, Thirteen decided to pick two things from them.


    The first one was a crimson ring, which he believed was a storage ring.


    All the storage rings in Solterra and Pangea had a storage space of four square meters.


    ording to Metatron, the ring he picked was called the Ring of the Apocalypse and had a storage space of two hundred square meters.


    Its storage capacity alone was more than enough for Thirteen to choose this item. But, that wasn''t all that the ring could do.


    It was a very special ring that had the ability to store both living and non-living things inside of it.


    All the members of the Order of the Apocalypse had this ring because of its usefulness.


    At first, Thirteen was in doubt. But, after the Metatron said that he was allowed to return and exchange the ring for another item if it didn''t meet his expectations, he decided to trust Metatron this one time.


    A storage ring that could store living creatures had strategic value in it.


    But what surprised Thirteen the most was the fact that the Ring was a Divine Item.


    "Divine Items will not be affected by the restrictions that are ced on your vessel," Metatron stated. "However, not everyone, especially those of the Rookie Rank, and below could use such items. Fortunately, this is a reward that a God has personally bestowed upon you.


    "This means that regardless of your rank, you will be able to use it normally. Aren''t you lucky, Thirteen? Being part of the Order of the Apocalypse is nice, right? You get to acquire items of this level once a year, allowing you to bypass the restrictions of Item Ban and Skill Ban."


    Thirteen neither agreed nor disagreed with Metatron''s words.


    But, one thing was clear.


    Staying with the Order of the Apocalypse would allow him to grow despite the limitations that shackled him in ce.


    "Now, choose yourst reward." Metatron crossed his arms over his chest. "After that, we will visit the Treasury so that you can gain one more freebie. I''m such a nice person, don''t you think?"


    "Yeah," Thirteen replied casually. "Very nice."


    Metatron chuckled after hearing the boy''s reply and patiently waited for the seven-year-old to take thest item he was going to choose as his reward.


    After a few minutes, the boy reached out to one item in particr, which made Metatron arch an eyebrow.


    "The Mantle of mes," Metatron said. "This red mantle will make you nearly immune to all kinds of mes, Fire Spells, and other abilities that fall under the Fire Element. But, since it is only of the Legendary Rank, it will still be affected by your Item Ban and Skill Ban.


    "In short, aside from looking cool and imposing, the most you can use it for is a nket or a bed roll."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. The remainder of the items that Arundel possessed were of the Legendary Rank, so he couldn''t really use them.


    Because of this, he simply chose the coolest item because the design of the Mantle of mes made him look as if he was a "Little King".


    It even had a mane around the neck area, making it look imposing.


    Since he couldn''t use any of the other artifacts, he simply-mindedly chose the coolest looking one to make him look good in the eyes of others.


    Simply put, he chose it purely for aesthetics!


    "Well, you can also give it to others if you like, so it''s not really a bad choice," Metatron stated. "I will also tell you one special ability of this Mantle. It would allow you to walk over fire and magma as if you are walking onnd. It''s truly an interesting item."


    The Guardian of the Treasury of the Apocalypse pped his hand, and the other items in front of them disappeared.


    "Now, let''s talk about the Treasury that you''re about to visit," Metatron waved his hand, and a giant ck pyramid suddenly rose in the distance. "The Treasury of the Apocalypse has Thirteen Levels.


    "At the moment, the first level is the only level you can ess. However, as you gain more Apocalypse Points, you will be able to unlock the higher levels, which hold rarer items."


    "What items can be found on the 13th Layer?" Thirteen asked.


    "You''re already eyeing the 13th Layer?" Metatronughed before giving the boy a thumbs up. "You sure aim high, Thirteen. I like!"


    The Will of Metatron then looked at the highest point of the Pyramid where the greatest treasure of all was located.


    "The 13th Layer only contains one item," Metatron stated. "It is also the item that all members of the Order of the Apocalypse strive to get. It''s none other than Pandora''s Box, the Divine Artifact that will open the doors of the Apocalypse to the world."


    Thirteen frowned. He knew about Pandora''s Box and that it was indeed capable of bringing the end of the world, making the Order of the Apocalypse a very dangerous organization.


    "But it''s very hard to reach the 13th Layer, you know?" Metatron sighed. "Even the oldest member of the Order has only unlocked the Sixthyer. But I have a feeling that you will be able to unlock the other levels fasterpared to them.


    "Since you can only step into the Rookie Rank, the missions that will be avable to you aren''t as groundbreaking as the missions that the other members of the Order needed to aplish every year.


    "This is what you call ''being weak has their advantages'' as well. So, please, Thirteen, work hard to unlock the 13th Layer as fast as you can, okay? I''ll tell you a little secret. Once the Pandora''s Box is opened, you will be able to lock things inside of it.


    "For example¡­ you can lock up a God inside of it. Since we both hate Fate, why don''t you trap them inside of Pandora''s Box? That way, all lives in the world will no longer be dictated by theirws."


    Thirteen''s interest was piqued after hearing that Pandora''s Box could trap a God. Since he knew that fighting against his Old Man would be difficult, he could just trap him inside the Box and toss Fate inside of it to keep himpany.


    "Sounds like a n," Thirteen smirked. "Well then, how do you unlock the 13th Layer?"


    "Good question!" Metatron waved his hand and several numbers appeared on each Layer of the ck Pyramid.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    100 - 2ndyer


    200 - 3rd Layer


    400 - 4th Layer


    800 - 5th Layer


    1600- 6th Layer


    3200 - 7th Layer


    6400 - 8th Layer


    12800 - 9th Layer


    25,600 - 10th Layer


    51,200 - 11th Layer


    102,400 - 12th Layer


    204,800 - 13th Layer


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "You''ll need 100 Apocalypse Points to unlock the 2nd Layer of the treasury," Metatron exined. "200 for the 3rd Layer, so on and so forth. As you can see, the difficulty for unlocking eachyer jumps up considerably, so until now, only Kamrusepa has managed to reach the 6th Layer."


    Metatron''s revtion didn''t surprise him. He believed that only Kamrusepa would be able to aplish such a task.


    With her power of Divination, she would be able to choose the best missions for her, which would allow her to gain many Apocalypse Points every year.


    "Well then, let''s enter the First Layer," Metatron said with a smile. "There are no Divine Artifacts on the First Layer, but there are plenty of Legendary Artifacts inside of it. I''m sure that you will be able to choose one that you can give to your subordinates, regardless of their rank."


    "Regardless of their rank?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "You mean, I can give it to a Rookie and they can use the abilities of that item?"


    "Of course," Metatron replied. "This is what you call Bestowal. The Members of the Order use these items to reward their subordinates who performed well."


    "¡­ Can I sell it?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Of course not," Metatron answered. "Any items that belong to the Order cannot be sold or auctioned away. Doing so will have your rights to enter the Treasury revoked for a hundred years, which will be a very sad thing, no?"


    Thirteen no longer said anything and entered the treasury to choose one Legendary Item, which he didn''t n to use for himself.


    This time, it took Thirteen five hours to go through all the items on the First Level of the Treasury.


    There were many incredible artifacts that were housed inside of it, and the seven-year-old had a very hard time deciding which one he would take with him.


    After nearly an hour of deliberation, he decided to choose a purple Conch Shell that could be blown like a horn.


    "Thirteen, you like to court death, don''t you?" Metatron didn''t know if he should be impressed, or disappointed by the young man''s choice.


    "I don''t n on dying anytime soon," Thirteen stated. "But it will be best to have one or two Trump Cards if things go south."


    "Are you sure that you want to pick that item?" Metatron inquired. "You will only be allowed to enter the Treasury again after the Night of the Solstice. Will you not change your mind?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I''m fine with this."


    Seeing that he couldn''t convince the seven-year-old to change his mind, Metatron gave up and closed the treasury once more.


    "Well then, time for you to go back to Solterra," Metatron crouched down to pat the boy''s shoulder. "Remember this, Thirteen, I am rooting for you."


    "Thanks." Thirteen smiled faintly.


    Whether he believed that Metatron was really rooting for him or not, he kept it well hidden inside his heart.


    The Guardian of the Apocalypse then snapped his fingers, returning the boy back to the world, where a ck snake was patiently waiting for his return.


    ¡ª---------------------

 Chapter 248 What You Do In Life, Echoes In Eternity

    <h4>Chapter 248 What You Do In Life, Echoes In Eternity </h4>


    A week after the battle ended, Thirteen found himself inside a make-shift tent, where the leaders of the different races had gathered for a meeting.


    Since the Barbarian King, the Orc King, and the Troll King had died in battle, the people and monsters who would take their ce were also invited to the meeting.


    Representatives of the other races were also there to serve as witnesses for the discussion that they would be having right now.


    "I wish to have a peace treaty with all of you present here in this room," King As of the Tigerkins said. "There is no need for our people to fight against each other, especially after we have united against amon enemy.


    "Also, even though we won the battle, there is no guarantee that someone with Arundel''s strength will not set their eyes on the Valbarra Archipgo again. If the same thing were to happen, I would like to work with everyone to think of countermeasures to retain our freedom."


    King As had always wanted to stop the senseless battles between the Tigerkins, the Barbarians, and the Orcs.


    Now that a perfect opportunity hade, he decided to make his opinion known to everyone.


    Of course, some of the King''s advisers didn''t like this idea. Since the Barbarian King and the Orc King had died, wouldn''t this be the perfect opportunity to conquer the Valbarra Archipgo?


    All they needed to do was strike a deal with the Ogre King, who had also survived the battle against Arundel and they would be the supreme rulers of the two major inds in the archipgo.


    Seeing the reaction of the advisers of the Tigerkin King, Arthas snorted in disdain.


    In his hands was the Forneus Sword, whom he had taken from the body of the Barbarian King.


    Since they had lost their leader, he decided to take the position to ensure that his people would not fall into the hands of corrupt individuals, who only wished for power.


    Of course, not all the Barbarian Warlords, and City Lords were happy with the current situation.


    However, they reluctantly epted Arthas as their new king due to one simple reason.


    "An alliance between the Barbarians, Orcs, Tigerkins, Ogres, and Trolls, is a good idea," Thirteen stated. "It will prevent senseless bloodshed and allow the races to grow together. I''m telling you now, Arundel''s buddies will definitely set their sights on the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "If all of you don''t work together then, after a few years, the same event will happen. By then, all of you will be reduced to nothing but ves. No one will be the top dog of the Valbarra Archipgo because all of you will just be the Lapdogs of a Majin Prince or Princess."


    Thirteen''s voice was firm, as if what he said would certainlye to pass. This made those who were against the alliance, reconsider their choices.


    In the past, they would have never taken the words of a child seriously.


    But, after everything that happened, they had no choice but to acknowledge the fact that the only reason why they were able to survive the cmity was due to the seven-year-old, whom everyone treated as a hero.


    In fact, the Barbarians and the Tigerkins had started to make statues of Thirteen in their cities, hailing him as the Guardian Deity of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Originally, they thought that he had died because, after he had been flicked away by Mammon, he disappeared for an entire day.


    However, while everyone was cleaning up the battlefield, and reiming the dead bodies of their brethren, Thirteen had made his appearance, making his subordinates rejoice due to happiness.


    "W-Will someone like Arundel reallye here?" the new Orc King asked.


    "The possibility exists," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "So, all of you must stand united to prevent them from having their way."


    "Will you be staying on the ind?" Arthas asked. "If you do, I can make you my right-hand man. You will be treated with honor and respect."


    "Heh~ I think he would serve better as my adviser than your right-hand man," King Asmented. "How about it, Zion? Want to live in the Sumatran Kingdom?"


    The Ogre King, who was busy cleaning his nose with his finger, nced at the seven-year-old and smirked.


    "Want to be my food?" King Gomorra inquired.


    "No thanks," Thirteen replied. "I''m good."


    "Shame." King Gomorra sighed.


    Thirteen scanned the faces of everyone in the room before making a statement.


    "A week from now, I n to go to the Main Continent," Thirteen replied. "There are people that I need to find, and I''m sure that they are not here in the Valbarra Archipgo."


    "Do you have a ship?" Arthas asked.


    "No," Thirteen admitted. "But, I can build one if necessary."


    Building a ship from scratch wasn''t really a big deal. As long as he had the materials, he could ask the Barbarians and the Tigerkins to help him build it.


    Since there was a looming threat that another powerful being would set their eyes on the Valbarra Archipgo, the Five Kings of the different races signed a peace treaty, and had the Shamans of the Third Ind bear witness to it all.


    Since it was a sacred agreement, everyone nned to abide by the rule that they all agreed upon.


    With this, Thirteen would finally be able to leave the Valbarra Archipgo with some peace of mind.


    "The Tigerkins have a merchant ship that can take you to the Maind," King As said. "We also do trade with them, so we have a fleet of ships at our disposal. I''m sure any of the Captains will be honored to take you to your destination. Should I send them your message for you?"


    "Yes, and thank you, Your Majesty," Thirteen bowed respectfully.


    King As nodded and patted the boy''s shoulder.


    He nned to form a good connection with the seven-year-


    old, as well as Anwir and Percival, who had shown great potential.


    After the meeting ended, everyone returned to their territories, in order to spread the news to their people that the war between the different races was officially over.


    They would now work together to share crafts, studies, and other technologies that could potentially elevate the progress of their territories.


    As for Thirteen? He spent the days posing for Artists, who painted and sculpted his image.


    Everyone wanted to have his image inside their homes, like a lucky charm to ward off evil.


    Of course, his subordinates didn''t allow their Master to be the only one having fun, so they posed with him as well.


    In the end, at the center of the battlefield, where the great war had just ended, a monument of Thirteen, mounted on top of Giga Chad was erected.


    Naturally, it was not only the boy and the Chad Skunk, who were immortalized there.


    Tiona, cky, Rocky, Hercules, as well as Anwir and Percival were included as well.


    After the grand monument was built, the names of those who had died in battle were written on five pirs that stood beside the statue.


    Because of this, Thirteen had to dy his trip for another week because the creation of the monument was something that everyone wanted.


    When the monument waspleted, a que was ced below Thirteen''s statue, which read.


    "What you do in Life, echoes in Eternity."


    The Copyright God, who was looking at the scene, raised a yellow card.


    But the builders of the monument couldn''t see him, so they continued to do what they wanted, unaware that a New Generation God was looking at them with contempt.

 Chapter 249 Willing To Go To Hell And Back [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 249 Willing To Go To Hell And Back [Part 1]</h4>


    A weekter, Thirteen stood at the port where the Merchant Ship that would take him to the Main Continent was docked.


    "Are you sure that you two want toe with me?" Thirteen asked Anwir and Percival, who had determined looks on their faces.


    "Yes," Anwir replied. "I believe that I still have much to learn. The main continent will be a good ce to spread my wings."


    "I also believe that I will meet many strong people in the Main Continent," Percival stated. "I want to see how I measure up to those strong people."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because his Viin and Hero were growing up really well.


    The seven-year-old then pointed behind the two Tigerkin''s backs, making them turn their heads to look in the direction where Thirteen was pointing.


    General Stark, Brie, and Chloe stood behind Anwir and Percival.


    "Both of you take care on your journey," Brie said as she hugged Anwir and Percival close to her. "The two of you are my sons, so make sure to return to me safely."


    Anwir bit his lips because he never thought that his adoptive mother would treat him as her son once more.


    One of his main reasons for leaving the Valbarra Archipgo was due to the fact that he felt ashamed for what he had done in the past.


    Because of this, he thought that he was no longer part of the Evander Family.


    "The two of you cane home when you get tired of your journey," General Stark said as he ced his hands on Anwir''s and Percival''s head. "A home will be waiting for your return."


    Suddenly, Anwir felt someone hug him from behind, making his body stiffen.


    He didn''t need to turn his head to know who it was, because there was only one other person who could hug him at this moment.


    "Make sure to return back safely," Cleo said as she rested her head on Anwir''s back. "I''ll be waiting. Brother."


    "¡­ how about me, sister?" Percival asked, feeling left out.


    "Of course, you alsoe back safely." Cleo reluctantly pulled back from hugging Anwir, and hugged Percival as well. "I''m sure that when you return, you will have be a better version of yourself, Percival."


    "Did you see it in your vision?" Percival asked with genuine curiosity.


    "Noment." Cleo giggled before whispering something in Percival''s ear. "Always listen to Zion. He will show you the path to greatness."


    Cleo then pulled Anwir toward the Merchant Ship because she wanted to say something to Anwir that she didn''t want her parents to see and hear.


    Thirteen, who had an idea about what it was, only smirked as he ordered his subordinates, who had decided to go with him to the Maind, to board the ship.


    The Merchant Ship was veryrge, so even Rocky, who was the longest member of his party, was able to fit properly.


    The two Orcs, O1 and O2, who had been revived by The One, decided to follow Thirteen as well.


    Even the Trolls, T1 up to T10, had decided to join the human boy on his journey to the Maind.


    To his surprise, Amery and the Assassins, who had once tried to kidnap Brie and Cleo, had decided to follow as well.


    They wanted to stay as Anwir''s subordinates, and be his strength to challenge the unknown of the Main Continent.


    A few minutester, Cleo disembarked from the ship, her face as red as a tomato.


    Although Anwir tried to hide it, the smile on his face was a dead give away, making the seven-year-old chuckle.


    "Goodbye, Everyone!" Thirteen shouted as he waved at the people, who hade to see him off. "Let''s meet again in the future!"


    Countless people hade to see their hero off on his journey, and they all cheered and waved at the Human boy, who would forever remain in their hearts.


    The legacy that he had left behind would be the foundation that would elevate the strength of the Valbarra Archipgo to new heights.


    While Thirteen was saying goodbye to everyone, another person said his goodbyes as well in Pangea.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Leventis Family Residence¡­


    "Are you sure about this, Cristopher?" Michael asked.


    Currently, the chubby boy was kneeling on the carpeted floor, with his head bowed.


    Arthur, who was seated on his throne, looked at the boy with a calm expression on his face.


    Cristopher''s former Master, Terrence, who had now be a Rookie, looked at his retainer in disdain.


    "Yes, Sir Michael," Cristopher replied with his head still bowed.


    "You know that a retainer of the Leventis Family is not allowed to quit without a good reason, right?" Michael asked. "And yet, you still wish to break your vows and ties to our family?"


    A retainer who had pledged their loyalty and allegiance to a Prestigious Family would usually have to pay a heavy fine, or be whipped a hundred times before they were allowed to leave.


    Since Cristopher was dirt poor, and his mother was on life support due to the Leventis Family''s generosity, the only option for him was to be whipped a hundred times.


    Usually, the one who would do the whipping would be the Master, whom he had sworn allegiance to, which was none other than Terrence.


    "Tell me, why do you wish to leave?" Arthur, who had been silent earlier, asked.


    "I am very indebted to Master Terence, but after everything I''ve been through in Solterra, I realized that there is only one Master who I wish to serve with every fiber of my being," Cristopher replied.


    "And, who is this person?" Arthur inquired. "Is he better than Terrence?"


    "The name of the Master I wish to serve is none other than Zion Leventis," Cristopher replied. "He is the person I wish to serve."


    "Hah?" Terence interjected. "You wish to serve that useless brat? Have you lost your mind, Cristopher? I will give you onest chance. Swear your loyalty to me once more, and I will let this incident slide."


    Cristopher, whose head was touching the carpeted floor, didn''t even raise his head and made his deration.


    "The only person who I want to serve in this lifetime is Young Master Zion," Cristopher stated. "I''m sorry Master Terence, but I already made up my mind."


    "Fine." Terence sneered as he took out a whip from his storage ring. "ept your punishment then."


    Cristopher braced himself to get whipped senseless by his former Master.


    He only hoped that Terence would not actually kill him. The chubby boy knew that he couldn''t break free from the Leventis Family so easily, so he decided to grit his teeth, and endure until he was whipped a hundred times.


    As long as he would be able to officially be Zion''s retainer, he was willing to go to hell and back, just to stand by his side.

 Chapter 250 Willing To Go To Hell And Back [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 250 Willing To Go To Hell And Back [Part 2] </h4>


    Since Terence was now a Rookie, his body had be stronger than before.


    He had even absorbed the Core of the Rank 4 Monster Prime Ape, giving him a boost in his physical strength.


    When the firstshnded on Cristopher''s body, a groan escaped his lips because Terence didn''t hold back.


    The ce where the whipnded had torn Cristopher''s shirt, showing a reddened skin at the ce of contact.


    Truth be told, Terence was very angry inside after seeing his Retainer choose to serve someone else.


    In order to make an example to the rest of his Retainers, he nned to whip Cristopher until the chubby boy was crippled.


    All the other members of the Leventis Family were also present in the room, including the Heirs and the geniuses of their family.


    Theshing of the whip reverberated in the surroundings, but no one said anything. They only looked at the pitiful boy, who was clenching his fists tightly, as traces of blood appeared on his shirt.


    Just as Terence was about to whip Cristopher for the thirteenth time, the doors of the Throne Room opened wide, making Terence pause his whipping.


    There, Thirteen''s Father, Gerald, swaggered in like he owned the ce and walked toward the chubby boy, whose pitiful state made his gaze be as sharp as a hawk.


    "Come, Cristopher," Gerald said. "Since you are now my son''s retainer, I''m taking you out of this ce. Why do you need to bow to this Branch Family? They''re so not worth it, you know?"


    Cristopher, who heard a familiar voice, teared up. But, he didn''t raise his head because he didn''t want Gerald to be punished for trying to save him.


    Gerald''s right hand was still in a cast, but he didn''t hesitate to pick Cristopher up with his left arm, holding him securely in ce.


    "Well then, I''ll be taking my leave," Gerald said as he turned around, carrying the chubby boy in his arms.


    "Where do you think you are going?" Arthur asked. "That boy is only getting the punishment he deserves for leaving the Leventis Family."


    "Shut up, Old Man," Gerald said before ring in Arthur''s direction. "This boy is Zion''s retainer. Are you sure you wish to offend my son?"


    "Oh?" Arthur arched an eyebrow. "Since when did you have the guts to talk back to me, Gerald?"


    "Since now," Gerald replied with contempt. "What? You want a piece of me, Old Man? Let''s take it outside."


    After facing off against a Majin Prince, Gerald''s world view had changedpletely.


    Back then, he thought that Monarchs and Thrones were the Gods of the World.


    But after seeing how his son fearlessly faced off against Arundel, Gerald knew that he must not stand still and watch his son go to the battlefield on his own.


    His face off against Arundel made him understand the difference in strength, so after meeting an existence that was stronger than a Monarch, Gerald was no longer impressed by the might of a mere Throne!


    Also, even if Arthur fought him, he was certain that he would be able to survive.


    The reason?


    It was because he now possessed a Mythical Armor of his own, made from the scales of a Rank 9 Dragon Sovereign!


    Herrakon was a Rank 9 Jinn, boasting an incredibly strong body that was near imprable.


    The only reason why it was defeated in battle was due to the fact that the Tigerkin King and the Ogre King were both using weapons made from Forneus'' body parts, which had the ability to give a Rank 9 Sovereign serious injuries.


    If Gerald were to face off against his Father, he was confident that he would survive as long as Arthur didn''t use the Mythical Weapons that he had crafted for him.


    Seeing Gerald''s fearless gaze, Arthur couldn''t help but frown because he could tell that the ck sheep of his family wasn''t the least bit scared of him.


    "Leave Cristopher behind or else¡­" Arthur ordered.


    He needed to show everyone that the dignity of the Leventis Family wouldn''t be brushed off like it was nothing.


    "Or else what, Arthur?" Callista, walked inside the room with a smile on her face. "Come. I want to hear what you''re going to say next."


    Geraldughed internally at his old man. Of course, he wouldn''t barge into the Leventis Residence unprepared.


    Although he was confident that he would survive his father''s tantrums, he still used his brain and went to his mother to ask for backup.


    With Lady Callista on his side, Gerald could move unhindered in the Leventis Residence.


    "Callista, stay out of this," Arthur stated.


    "Fine," Lady Callista replied. "Gerald, I''ll be living in your house from now on. I''ll stay out of this ce."


    "Good decision, Mother," Gerald nced at Arthur with a smug look on his face. "Let''s go."


    The two left without even giving Arthur a backward nce.


    Terence, who was feeling aggrieved because Cristopher''s punishment ended prematurely, looked at his Grandfather with a face filled with injustice.


    "Grandfather¡­"


    "Silence!"


    Arthur almost roared in anger, making Terence and the other retainers of the Leventis Family cower in fright.


    Michael adjusted his sses and sighed in his heart. Everything had be a mess.


    He had nned to stop Terence from killing Cristopher when the chubby boy''s life was in danger.


    Truth be told, he and his father, Arthur, didn''t want to be Zion''s enemies.


    Both of them had recognized that the seven-year-old was an abnormal existence.


    Due to Cristopher''s firm stance, it was very easy for them to deduce that he had met Thirteen in Solterra.


    Arthur stood up from his throne and walked out of the throne room, followed closely by Michael.


    "Father, where do you n to go?" Michael asked.


    "I want answers," Arthur replied. "And I will get them."


    A secondter, both of them disappeared as they ran after Gerald, Lady Callista, and Cristopher, who were returning to their home near the base of the mountain.


    ¡ª----------------

 Chapter 251 Why Would He Choose You?

    <h4>Chapter 251 Why Would He Choose You?</h4>


    Arthur and Michael calmly sat in the living room of Gerald''s house as Cristopher told them the true reason behind his decision to quit being Terence''s retainer and be Zion''s subordinate.


    At first, the two of them thought that the chubby boy had an easy mission in Solterra, allowing him to return to Pangea alive.


    But the more they listened to the story, the more they thought that the boy was just telling them a bunch of nonsense.


    However, when Cristopher came to the part where Gerald suddenly appeared in the Barbarian Lands, Lady Callista couldn''t help but look at her son who suddenly showed up at their residence with a cast on his right arm.


    Gerald and his wife, Alessia, were both listening to Cristopher''s story, interested to hear more about Zion''s adventures.


    Even Shasha, who had Remi seated on herp, had a serious expression on her face as she listened to her brother''s exploits.


    When the war against Arundel started, Cristopher was no longer able to say anything because he was tasked to operate the Grand Ballista.


    At this point, Gerald took over and told everyone how Zion fearlessly faced one of Arundel''s Generals, ordering his subordinates toy down a trap for the Rank 9 Sovereign.


    Arthur, whose lifelong wish was to reach the Monarch Rank, clenched his fists tightly. The achievement of fighting against a Rank 9 Sovereign was enough for him to be a Monarch.


    This was especially true if he consumed the Jinn''s Core, allowing him to gain enough points to break through to the next Rank.


    After Gerald shamelessly told everyone that he was the one who dealt thest blow to the Fire Dragon, Michael fixed the sses on his face, while Lady Callista covered her lips with her right hand.


    Arthur took a deep breath in order to calm his nerves because Gerald''s story had captivated himpletely.


    As someone who loved to fight, he could imagine himself fighting alongside the Ogre King and the Tigerkin King.


    But when Gerald mentioned his son''s desperate attempt to lure the Majin Prince to the ce where a trap was waiting for Arundel, everyone inside the room, including Cristopher, nearly stopped breathing due to suspense.


    The chubby boy had no idea about how close his Master was to death in order to bring the Majin Prince to the center of the formation.


    If in the past, his respect for Zion was already high, then now, it had reached the peak, making him even more determined to be the seven-year-old''s retainer.


    "After I faced off the Majin Prince''s Giant Fireball to protect Zion, I cked out for a few minutes," Gerald said with a bitter smile on his face. "When I regained my consciousness, I saw something that I never thought that I would see in my lifetime."


    Gerald paused for a bit before clenching his fists.


    "Mammon made an appearance and punched the Majin Prince, pinning him to the ground," Gerald stated. "The being whom we desperately fought together went down after a single punch. Could you believe that?


    "However, I saw then and there the vast gap between Mammon and Arundel. It made me realize how powerful the Fiends really are. After that moment, the mission that I received waspleted, allowing me to return to Solterra.


    "But I didn''t leave right away. I wanted to see everything until the end. Arundel begged for his life like the coward that he was and even asked Mammon to give him a chance to gain his forgiveness.


    The Fiend agreed and ordered Arundel to fight Zion. When I heard the Fiend''s order, I felt as if all the breath in my body disappearedpletely."


    Alessia felt faint and a little light headed after hearing her husband''s words. There was no way that her son could fight against a Majin Prince, especially after everything that had happened.


    "But just as Arundel was about to attack Zion, the Bolts that we forged descended from the sky and hit the Majin Prince''s body," Gerald said, while doing his best to not look at Cristopher.


    He didn''t want the chubby boy to get the limelight for being the one to kill the Majin Prince because he didn''t know how his father would react if he heard this bit of information.


    "Four reinforced bolts hit their mark, ending Arundel''s life," Gerald added. "That was thest thing I saw before I was teleported back to Pangea."


    A silence thatsted for a full minute graced the living room as everyone took their time to digest everything that had happened.


    A momentter, a sigh escaped Arthur''s lips before looking at his son with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Why?" Arthur asked. "Why did Zion ask the Lace Demon to send you to Solterra instead of me? If I were there, I would have be a Monarch afterpleting the mission that you received."


    Gerald only chuckled after hearing his father''s aggrieved words.


    Zion initially wanted Arthur toe instead of him, but Lace Demon and The One rejected his proposal. Because of this, Gerald was the one who was sent to Solterra, having received the permission to help the boy in his fight against the Majin Prince.


    But Gerald and Thirteen had already discussed what they would say if Arthur were to ask this question to them.


    "Why would he choose you?" Gerald arched an eyebrow. "You never did anything for him or for our family.


    "You allowed a Dimensional Gate to spawn right in front of our house, and you forced children to fend for themselves. You also did nothing to make our family''s life easier.


    "Even the weapons I forged were forcefully taken away by you. After getting kicked out of the Family, we learned to fend for ourselves and did our best to survive. We never gained any benefit from the Leventis Family. It has always been you who benefited from ours.


    "Tell me, do you really believe that my son will allow you to take advantage of our family forever? Do you really think that you can always have your way? If you had only treated Zion with a bit of kindness and if you had treated our family well, wouldn''t my son repay you properly?


    "However, you did none of that. It has always been you benefiting from us. I guess Zion had enough of your shamelessness and decided that you didn''t deserve to be a Monarch. If as a Throne, you treat us as trash, then what more would happen once you be a Monarch?"


    "I would have invited you back to the family if I had be a Monarch, and we could have started with a clean state," Arthur replied.


    "I would have invited you back to the family if I had be a Monarch, and we could have started with a clean state," Arthur "Me? Go back to the Family?" Gerald sneered. "No, thank you. Why would I return to that rotten ce? I''m happy here with my family and I''ll continue to be happy with them. We don''t need the Leventis Family. We don''t need you."


    Gerald''s emotion rose up to the surface as he red at his father. All the pain that he had kept inside after he was kicked out of the family burst forth like a raging tide.


    But after bing a cksmith, he had gained the ability to rein in his emotions.


    "Zion will be staying in Solterra for a few more years," Gerald said after a while. "And knowing him, I''m sure that he will face more hardships. I also know where he will be going next¡ªthe Main Continent.


    "Perhaps, he will face another threat like the Majin Prince. If you are really desperate to be a Monarch, why don''t you use your influence and connections to find him there?


    "Maybe, just maybe, he will change his mind about you and call you when he needs someone to help him face a mission, simr to the one we just finished. Besides, my son is a simple boy. If he is shown kindness, he will surely reciprocate.


    "Ah, before I forget¡ªfor some reason, Zion has developed a fascination for Attack Helicopters. He is expecting the Remington n to give him one after saving Harry from the Orcs and helping himplete his mission.


    "Of course, this isn''t guaranteed. But I am certain that whoever gives him an Attack Helicopter will definitely receive his good impression. Also, he has already recognized Cristopher as his right-hand man. If something bad happens to him, I''m sure that my son will be out for blood."


    Gerald smirked at his Father and even yfully gave Michael a wink.


    Since his brother was the one who managed most of the Family''s affairs, he decided to appeal to him about Cristopher, allowing the Leventis n to let him go peacefully.


    Arthur nced at the chubby boy whose gaze was locked onto the carpeted floor at his feet.


    "Did Zion really say that you are his right-hand man?" Arthur asked.


    "Yes, Your Excellency," Cristopher replied in a heartbeat. "This is why I wish to quit being Master Terence''s retainer. The only one I wish to serve is Young Master Zion.''


    "Fine, I will allow it," Arthur dered. "Let''s go, Michael."


    "Yes, Father," Michael fixed his sses and stood up. He then gave Gerald a brief nod before following Arthur to the front door.


    "Callista, let''s go back," Arthur said calmly.


    "I''ll return after an hour," Callista remained seated.


    Arthur knew that his wife would do whatever she said, so he decided to leave before they got into an argument with each other.


    Since she said that she would return after an hour, then he would just wait for her to return to their Residence.


    For now, he needed to inform the Leventis Family in Solterra to keep a lookout for Zion.


    If making the seven-year-old happy was enough to allow Arthur to be a Monarch, he would not mind giving his no-


    good grandson an Attack Helicopter, which the boy wished to have for a very long time.


    -------------------


    A/N: Time for a time skip kekeke!

 Chapter 252 The Final Trial

    <h4>Chapter 252 The Final Trial </h4>


    Three years had passed since the great battle at the Valbarra Archipgo¡­


    The sound of hurried footsteps echoed across the forest floor.


    "We can''t hold on much longer!" a teenage boy shouted. "All of you, run away!"


    "Don''t be stupid! How can we leave you behind?!" A teenage girl raised her hand to summon a Rank 2 Forest Wolf, helping the boy face off against the Rank 4 Alpha Bear that had suddenly ambushed their group from the rear.


    The Forest Wolf tried to get the Bear''s attention and even seeded in doing so. However, it miscalcted the Bear''s strength and speed and suffered a serious injury after being swept away by its sharp ws.


    "Run!" the boy shouted as he grabbed the girl''s hand, pulling her as he dashed.


    Two of their members had already died from the Bear''s sneak attack, leaving only the two of them behind.


    The Forest Wolf tried to block the Bear''s path, but it was of no use.


    The Alpha Monster easily grabbed the Wolf''s head and crushed it effortlessly, making the Avatar turn into particles of light.


    Once an Avatar died in battle, its death was permanent, never to rise again.


    But, it was still able to give the two teenagers half a minute head start to flee the Bear, who was now charging at them from behind.


    ''We can''t outrun it,'' the teenage boy thought as he heard the Bear''s roarsing from behind him.


    As ast desperate effort to protect his party member, he grabbed her body and used his back to shield her from the iing blow.


    But at that exact moment, a blur flew past him.


    When the boy saw the fluttering blonde hair that onlysted for a few seconds, he suddenly felt hope bloom in his heart.


    The teenage girl with long blonde hair threw a pouch at the bear''s head, making it explode.


    A red dust emerged from it, making the Rank 4 Alpha Monster roar in pain as finely sliced, dried red chili peppers exploded on its face.


    "Run!" the blonde girl shouted, urging the two teenagers to run away.


    The two, who had been given a second chance at life, didn''t hesitate to follow her orders to run away.


    The blonde-haired girl nced at the Alpha Bear before she, too, ran away.


    She didn''t hesitate to escape, knowing that this was a monster far too powerful for her to face alone.


    Suddenly, a loud roar spread in the forest as the Bear''s brown fur suddenly changed to red.


    Although it was still having a hard time opening its eyes, it made a mad dash toward the fleeing girl, who had challenged its pride and dignity.


    The Bear''s strength and speed increased drastically, so even if the teenage girl zigzagged through the trees in order to create an obstacle for the bear, it was of no use.


    The Bear simply smashed through these trees, destroying them like a juggernaut.


    She nced behind her to look at the Bear that had gone berserk. Because of that, she didn''t notice the tree root in front of her, tripping her as she ran.


    The Alpha Monster, whose vision had gradually cleared, raised its paws in order to crush the Human in front of it.


    Just as its ws were about tond on the girl''s body, something big grabbed it from behind and pulled it away.


    The girl''s eyes widened in shock when she saw a Giant Skunk-like monster m the Bear''s body on the ground as if it was a wrestler.


    Knowing that it was not enough, the Skunk jumped and body mmed the Bear, using its elbow to smash the Alpha Monster''s face.


    The two monsters tousled, grappled, and bit on each other''s body, making dirt and trees fly in every direction.


    While this was happening, a voice sounded in the girl''s ears, making her turn her head to look behind her.


    "Sister, you should always pay attention to where you are going." A ten-year-old boy, with short ck hair and green eyes, knelt beside the fallen girl and used a handkerchief to clean her bleeding knee.


    A momentter, he poured a healing potion over it, allowing the injury to heal at a rapid rate.


    "Zion!" Shasha hugged her brother, whom she hadn''t seen for three years, tightly, refusing to let him go.


    "It''s good to see you again, Shasha," Thirteen said as he hugged his sister, and patted her head. "Don''t worry. Everything is going to be fine now."


    "Z-Zion! There is a ck snake on your neck!" Shasha, who noticed that a ck snake was looking at her, stuttered.


    Tiona was only a few centimeters away from Shasha''s nose, and if she decided to bite the girl, Shasha would not be able to dodge her strike at such a close range.


    But the little snake had no intention of doing so and was merely looking at the beautiful teenage girl whom her Master had called sister.


    "Don''t worry. She''s my Beast Companion," Thirteen replied as he pulled back to lightly rub Tiona''s chin with his finger. "Her name is Tiona. Tiona, this is my sister, Shasha. Please get along with her."


    Tiona nodded her head and flicked her tongue in Shasha''s direction, as if telling her that the two of them were now friends.


    Shasha recognized that the ck snake was a Domini Mortis, which was the main reason why she panicked.


    But after hearing that she was her brother''s Beast Companion, she finally regained her calm and looked behind her brother.


    The rumbling sound had finallye to aplete stop, proving that the battle had finally ended.


    The Bear was still alive, but it couldn''t move because Giga Chad, in his Titan Form, was seated on its back, making sure that the Bear had nowhere to go.


    "What do you want to do with the Bear, Sister?" Thirteen asked. "Do you want to kill it?"


    "Yes," Shasha replied firmly. "It has killed many people, and it will continue to kill if left alone."


    "Too bad, Cristopher isn''t here," Thirteen muttered as he looked at the Rank 4 Alpha Monster. "Also, too bad, it''s only an Alpha Monster and not a Sovereign."


    If it were a Sovereign, Thirteen wouldn''t hesitate to kill it since it would give him one Apocalypse Point after doing so.


    Since it wouldn''t give him any benefits, he decided to let his sister kill it, giving her a chance to get an item from dealing thest blow to the monster.


    Thirteen was surprised when Shasha summoned a blue sword that was at the peak of the Bronze Grade.


    Although it wasn''t a rapier, it was slender enough to be used by a fencer like her in battle.


    With a decisive thrust on the monster''s eye, Shasha drove her sword deep into the monster''s head, hitting its brain.


    Giga had already dealt serious injuries to the Bear, so it didn''t even have the strength to resist the teenage girl''s thrust, which would end its life.


    Half a minuteter, the Bear finally breathed itsst.


    Giga didn''t hesitate to open the Bear''s chest. After retrieving its Core, he gave it to his Master.


    "Good job, Giga," Thirteen praised the Chad Skunk, who, after traveling with him for three years, had evolved into a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    After praising one of his most loyalpanions, Thirteen handed the Core to his sister.


    Shasha didn''t reject her brother''s gift and epted it happily.


    "Don''t consume it right now," Thirteen said. "We might find a Rank 5 Monster, which will be several times better than this.


    Shasha nodded in understanding, knowing that absorbing a Rank 5 Core was most ideal before breaking through the Rookie Rank.


    "I don''t have a ce to store this Core," Shasha replied. "Hold it for me for the time being, Zion."


    "Okay," Thirteen didn''t hesitate to store the Core inside his storage before holding his sister''s hand.


    "Tell me your current situation as well as the mission that was given to you here in Solterra," Thirteen said with a solemn expression on his face.


    Just like what he did with Cristopher, he would send her sister back safely to Pangea regardless of the difficulty of the mission she currently had.


    Shasha had full trust in her little brother. In her heart, he was someone she respected and looked up to.


    After hearing what his sister''s mission was, Thirteen remained calm.


    But deep inside, he felt a bit worried since Shasha''s mission was quite vague.


    ''I guess I need to know more about her current situation,'' Thirteen thought. ''Maybe that will give me a clue about how toplete her mission.''


    At the same time that his sister had finished saying what her mission was, the ten-year-old heard a notification inside his head, prompting him to open his status page.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < Final Trial >


    ¡ª Prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.


    < Reward >


    ¡ª Your Destiny Bond Skill will gain an upgrade.


    ¡ª You will be able to summon your Beast Companions in Pangea


    ¡ª You will be allowed to impart Martial Skills, as well as Rune Equipment to three people outside of your Family


    ¡ª You will finally be able to return to Pangea.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Unlike the time when he was with Cristopher and the others, he didn''t receive the same mission that Shasha possessed.


    This only meant one thing.


    ''Since the rewards are quite good, I guess this is going to be another difficult mission,'' Thirteen thought.


    Instead of being happy, he was genuinely concerned because his mission gave him anxiety.


    It was the same anxiety he felt when his Hosts were about to meet their end in the hands of people and beings who did not wish for them to exist.

 Chapter 253 Not Allowed To Touch

    <h4>Chapter 253 Not Allowed To Touch</h4>


    Thirteen followed his sister into a cave that was located at the base of a mountain.


    Shasha told him that aside from her, there were sixteen other Wanderers with her. However, since two of them had died due to the bear attack, only fourteen were left.


    Originally, there were thirty of them, but the others decided to join another group of Wanderers, who were located in a valley outside of the forest.


    When Thirteen asked his sister why she didn''t join that other group, a rare look of disgust appeared on Shasha''s face, making the boy arch an eyebrow.


    "That other camp is ruled by Kane Stard," Shasha said. "He wanted me to be his lover, but I refused. Although he didn''t do anything to me, he always ordered his subordinates to harass our people, especially when we were hunting in the forest.


    "Due to their harassment, many died, forcing the others to join his team because they were afraid that they would be the ones who would be targeted next."


    "Stard?" Thirteen snorted. "I guess being part of a Monarch Family makes him think that he can get everything he wants. He''s just a frog who wants to eat a swan. You did well in refusing his offer."


    The ten-year-old wasn''t aware that Arthur had thought long and hard on how to make Thirteen like him.


    Gerald''s words three years ago had made him understand that if he had been kind to Thirteen, and his family, thetter might have asked the Lace Demon to take him to Solterra.


    Of course, this was only a misunderstanding. From the start, the boy wanted Arthur to be a Monarch. But, since the Lace Demon and The One were against it, he settled for the next best thing, and took his father instead.


    This misunderstanding made Arthur go out of his way to introduce Shasha as a proper member of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family.


    She participated in High ss parties, and made connections with the other members of the Monarch ns, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families.


    It was also because of this reason that Kane Stard didn''t dare to harm Shasha, despite wishing for her to be his lover.


    It was an unspoken rule among the Monarch ns to never antagonize Arthur Leventis.


    Although he was just a throne, his fighting prowess matched that of a Monarch.


    They even said that if he possessed a Mythical Weapon, or had a way of breaking their Domains, a one-on-one battle against the Patriarch of the Leventis Family could turn ugly really quickly.


    Fortunately, the Monarch ns didn''t know that Arthur did, in fact, possess Mythical Weapons, as well as the ability to break their Domains.


    Because of this, Arthur no longer feared the Monarch ns because he was confident that even if he didn''t manage to kill them in battle, he would certainly be able to deal serious injuries to them, making them reconsider antagonizing him again.


    Of course, unless he was pushed into a corner, he wouldn''t reveal his Trump Cards.


    When Shasha and Thirteen arrived at the end of the cave, they saw ten teenagers, huddled around a campfire.


    "Where are Ross and Myles?" Shasha asked.


    "They decided to join the other team, Princess," a teenage girl, who had long brown hair replied. "Kane''s subordinates came here as usual, and promised us that we will be well taken care of if we join their team. Ross and Myles said that they had enough, so they decided to join them."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before looking at his sister.


    "Why is she calling you, Princess?" Thirteen asked.


    A sigh escaped Shasha''s lips because she already lost count on how many times she asked the other Wanderers to stop calling her princess.


    "It''s because Kane calls me His Princess," Shasha replied. "Everyone else calls me Princess because of that."


    The disgust in Shasha''s tone didn''t escape Thirteen''s hearing, making him shake his head helplessly.


    To a certain extent, he could understand why Kane was infatuated with his sister, Shasha.


    His sister was really a beautiful girl, and he was certain that after a few years, she would be a beauty that would cause the heads of every guy to turn in her direction.


    "By the way, do all of you have the same mission as my sister?" Thirteen asked the teenagers, who were looking at him with curiosity.


    "Sister?" The girl, whose name was Miriam, looked at the younger boy with curiosity. "Who is this boy, Princess? Why is he calling you sister?"


    "Because I am his sister," Shasha replied. "This is my biological brother, Zion."


    Everyone had shocked expressions on their faces as they looked at the boy, who was younger than them by a few years.


    "B-But how?" Miriam asked. "He isn''t even thirteen years old yet? Isn''t that the age when children get Spirited Away?"


    "You''re right," Thirteen replied. "I entered a Dimensional Gate by ident, and because of that, I am¡­ kinda stuck here in Solterra for the time being."


    The Wanderers looked at him with pity because they had heard of such stories before.


    There were children that the monsters had tossed inside the Dimensional Gate to be their ything, preventing them from returning to Pangea.


    Shasha, who knew the full story, kept her lips closed, and simply nodded to confirm her brother''s exnation.


    "Okay, so let''s return to the topic." Thirteen pped his hands together. "Do all of you have the same mission?"


    The Wanderers nced at each other before nodding their heads.


    "Very well, so your mission is to Enter the Gate of the Moonlight, which will allow you to return to Pangea," Thirteen stated. "But, do any of you have any clue as to where this Gate of the Moonlight is located?"


    All the Wanderers shook their heads. They still hadn''t fully explored the ce they were in, so they had no idea where the gate was located.


    Thirteen also didn''t have any information about the Gate of the Moonlight in his Soul Core, which meant that this gate might have only appeared after his host had died in Pangea.


    Unlike the Beacon of Light, where all Wanderers wouldplete the mission if one of them lit the Beacon of Hope, the mission that Shasha and the other Wanderers possessed was an individual thing.


    Meaning, they would have to enter the Gate of the Moonlight by themselves before they cleared their mission.


    "Okay, I have another question," Thirteen rested his hands over his waist, as he scanned the faces of the Wanderers in front of him. "Who among you wishes to join Kane''s group? Don''t worry, I will not look down upon any of you who wish to switch sides. After all, your survival should be your top priority.


    "Although my sister is beautiful and strong, I can tell that only three of you here know how to fight. The rest haven''t received any formal training, so if you all wish to switch sides, no one here will me you."


    Everyone lowered their heads because this was the question that had been inside their heads for the past few days.


    Kane had promised them that if they joined his group, they would be treated fairly and equally.


    In fact, when they were still part of the same group, Kane didn''t really harm any of them.


    It was simply his obsession with Shasha that prompted him to use them as pawns, so that the girl that he liked would be pressured to stay by his side.


    Unfortunately for him, Thirteen had indoctrinated Shasha that no matter what happened, she should prioritize her safety and well-being above all else when she arrived in Solterra.


    Thirteen made it clear that aside from her family, she shouldn''t easily trust anyone, especially boys who only approached her because of her beauty.


    "I want to stay here with the Princess!" Miriam said with a determined look on her face. "When I was being chased by Goblins, she was the one that saved me. I want to return the favor no matter what!"


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at the girl up and down.


    "What can you do?" Thirteen inquired.


    "I can cook!" Miriam replied.


    Thirteen nodded. "Okay, you can stay."


    Although he was a System, for some reason, he sucked at cooking.


    Even if all the ingredients were properly measured, the heat controlled ordingly, the food he prepared tasted in.


    His mother, Alessia, evenmented that his cookingcked the heart needed to make the food delicious.


    Back then, Thirteen thought that his mother was referring to an ingredient, which was the heart, that would make his cooking delicious.


    Fortunately, this misunderstanding was cleared up before Thirteen actually used a heart as an ingredient in the dishes he cooked.


    "How about the rest?" Thirteen asked. "Do you wish to stay here knowing that you will live a harsher lifepared to being in Kane''s team?"


    The Wanderer firmly nodded their head because they could feel at an instinctual level that siding with Shasha was betterpared to siding with one of the scions of the Stard Family.


    "Good. Then, tell me your specialties, as well as the abilities you currently have." Thirteen ordered. "Some of you have killed monsters, and gained items from them. It will be best if you tell me what you can do without hiding anything.


    "That way, I will be able to devise a n to turn all of you into proper Wanderers, who have a chance to return to Pangea."


    The Wanderers looked at the boy, who seemed to have taken the leadership position.


    They then nced at Shasha as if asking her if she was fine with this arrangement.


    "Zion is stronger than me," Shasha stated. "I trust him with my life."


    After hearing her words, the Wanderers looked at the boy with doubt written all over their faces.


    Suddenly, they heard something moving towards their direction, making everyone take a fighting stance.


    The flickering lights of the firelight then illuminated a monster, whose eyes glowed like a torch in the darkness.


    They also noticed that it was dragging a bear behind it, making their faces turn pale.


    "Calm down, everyone," Thirteen said. "This is Giga. He is my Beast Companion."


    A momentter, a ck snake slithered towards Thirteen and crawled up on his body.


    Tiona had stayed with Giga outside the cave to eat the brain of the Rank 4 Alpha Bear, in order to acquire a skill.


    The ze Chad Skunk had hung the bear outside the cave to let it bleed out, removing its excess blood before bringing it back to his Master.


    "You know how to cook, right?" Thirteen asked before taking out a sharp knife from his storage space and handing it to Miriam. "Start cooking then."


    The boy even took out a few spices, and condiments from his storage ring and ced them beside Miriam, making the teenage girl''s eyes turn as wide as saucers.


    Thirteen was happy that his sister had grown to be a wonderful girl, despite the fact that he hadn''t seen her for three years.


    What he didn''t know was that Shasha now felt safer because, in her heart, no one was as strong as her brother.


    Now that he was here, she wouldn''t have to be constantly on guard against Kane, whose actions were bing more aggressive by the day, making her feel as if she was being trapped inside a cage.


    Shasha wasn''t aware that the brother whom she loved, and respected, was already thinking of a hundred ways to torture Kane, to make him understand that the beautiful girl that he wanted, was someone that his hands were not allowed to touch.


    ¡ª-------------

 Chapter 254 I Will Not Allow Any Of Them To Piggyback Off Of Me

    <h4>Chapter 254 I Will Not Allow Any Of Them To Piggyback Off Of Me </h4>


    After the Wanderers inside the cave regained theirposure, they looked at the ten-year-old as if he was some kind of celebrity who had jumped out of the TV Screen in order to meet them.


    Although they didn''t know what the Skunk-Like Monster''s Rank was, they knew that the Bear it had dragged into the cave was a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.


    Miriam had gained an item that allowed her to appraise the Ranks of Monsters up to Rank 4.


    Since she couldn''t see The ze Chad Skunk''s rank, it only meant one thing.


    It was higher than Rank 4!


    No one in their group, even Shasha, was capable of defeating a Rank 4 Monster.


    Even as a team, they could only defeat a Rank 2 Monster at most.


    A Rank 3 would already be incredibly difficult since only four of them knew how to fight, including Shasha.


    And if the Rank 3 Monster was an Alpha Monster, then only death awaited all of them.


    But with Zion''s appearance, Miriam became hopeful. If the Skunk Monster behind him was his Avatar, then they would no longer have to worry about Kane Stard and his team.


    "All of you work together to barbecue this bear''s meat," Thirteen ordered. "Those who won''t work won''t eat, so contribute to this team if you want to live."


    He could tell that the Wanderers were very dependent on Shasha because she came from one of the ten Prestigious Families.


    Shasha didn''t talk a lot, but she was a very kind person, nurtured by the love and care by their parents.


    Thirteen also trained her properly so that when it was her turn to go to Solterra, her chances of surviving would be higher.


    Of course, he didn''t tell her that she shouldn''t work with other Wanderers to finish her quest.


    Going solo in a dangerous world, especially when they had just arrived in Solterra, was suicidal.


    If there were people who could help her aplish her task, she should work with them, on the condition that they didn''t harbor any malicious intent toward her.


    Because of this teaching, Shasha firmly distanced herself from Kane Stard, who had shown excessive infatuation toward her even back in Pangea.


    So, the moment Shasha saw him in Solterra, she didn''t hesitate to go as far away as possible from him, well aware that he was bad news.


    "Come with me, sister," Thirteen said as he held Shasha''s hand. "Let''s do some catching up."


    Shasha nodded and allowed her brother to pull her toward the entrance of the cave, where they could talk.


    "Mikhail said that you helped him finish his quest," Shasha said as she sat beside Thirteen at the entrance of the cave. "I just didn''t expect that I would meet you here too, Zion."


    "Well, his quest is quite straightforward," Thirteen replied. "It was just a little hard to aplish since he and the other Wanderers with the same quest were required to defeat a Rank 4 Sovereign protected by hundreds of Rank 2 and Rank 3 Monsters."


    "You call that ''a little hard?''," Shashamented with an amused expression on her face. "That''s nearly impossible to¡­"


    Shasha then suddenly remembered Cristopher''s and her Father''s story about the Rank 9 Sovereign Fire Dragon and Majin Prince that his brother had fought against in Solterra.


    Compared to those two powerful beings, a Rank 4 Sovereign would look cute inparison.


    "You want to know how Mikhail defeated that many monsters?" Thirteen asked in a mischievous tone.


    Shasha nodded because she was truly curious about how their brother''s team of Wanderers, whose numbers didn''t exceed thirty, were able toplete such an incredibly hard mission.


    "Oh, it really wasn''t that hard," Thirteen said. "The Monster that Mikhail''s party needed to kill was a Rank 4 White Tiger Sovereign. It was well protected by ten Rank 4 Alpha Tigers and hundreds of Rank 1 up to Rank 3 Tigers.


    "All I did was act as bait to make all of them run after me. When the White Tiger made its move, Mikhail and the other Wanderers pushed several boulders down the mountain to create an avnche, which annihted all the monsters in one go."


    Of course, there had been a lot of preparation involved, which allowed him, Mikhail, and the other Wanderers to make the trap for the Rank 4 Sovereign and his subordinates.


    But since he didn''t want to bore Shasha with the details, he skipped the details and simply told her the simple version of the story.


    "Fortunately, the White Tiger didn''t die right away," Thirteen exined. "It tried to dig itself out of the rubble, but it had already suffered serious injuries, so its progress was slow.


    "When it finally poked its head out of the pile of stones, Mikhail was there, waiting for it. He shed its head using his Axe, but it was not enough to kill it. It took him at least a dozen tries before the White Tiger finally died. But in the end, he seeded and gained its Avatar."


    Shasha smiled. She remembered how proud Mikhail looked when he summoned the Rank 4 Monster in their house¡ªthough at the expense of almost making Remi cry.


    Fortunately, their little sister was easy to pacify. All Mikhail did was to pick her up and take her for a ride on the White Tiger around the house.


    Since then, the White Tiger, whom Mikhail named, Wynn, had be Remi''s ymate, alongside her pet, Fluffy.


    "Unfortunately, your mission isn''t as straightforward," Thirteen sighed. "Enter the Gate of the Moonlight? It''s such a vague mission. It reminded me of Cristopher''s mission, Lighting the Beacon of Hope.


    "I just hope we won''t have to fight against a Majin Prince or Majin Princess since there is no way that we can beat them this time around."


    Thirteen no longer wanted to face such powerful beings. Once was enough, and he sincerely hoped that Shasha''s mission wouldn''t be on the same level of difficulty.


    "Brother, are you going to leave the others behind?" Shasha asked.


    Although she didn''t specify who ''the others'' were, it was very easy to tell that she was referring to the Wanderers who had decided to stay on Shasha''s team.


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen answered. "As long as they follow my orders, I will ensure that they will return to Pangea safely. But I will not allow any of them to piggyback off of me. They will have to put in some effort. This is for their own good."


    Shasha nodded her head in understanding.


    All the Wanderers who were given a mission would get rewards,depending on how much they contributed to thepletion of their mission.


    Those who managed to clear it because others did it for them wouldn''t gain any rewards from The One.


    Although the Omnipotent God was deemed unfair at times because of how difficult some of the missions for the Wanderers were, the rewards it gave would always be fair.


    If possible, Thirteen wanted Shasha to have the highest contribution, allowing her to gain special abilities after she became a Rookie.


    Besides, this was also hisst mission.


    He hoped that after hepleted it, he and Shasha would be sent back to Pangea, where their family would be waiting for their return.

 Chapter 255 Maybe I’m Not Doing This Properly

    <h4>Chapter 255 Maybe I¡¯m Not Doing This Properly</h4>


    "How many are left?" a handsome teenage boy with blonde hair and gray eyes asked.


    "Fourteen remain, Young Master Kane," a teenage boy wearing sses replied.


    Kane clicked his tongue. If possible, he wanted all the Wanderers to join his side.


    He believed that once Shasha lost all of the members of her team, she would have no choice but to join his team in order to survive in Solterra.


    "How is the hunt?" Kane asked his other subordinate who had short brown hair and brown eyes.


    "We hunted down five Rank 1 Boars today, Young Master," the brown-haired teenager replied. "Everyone will have enough food to eat for a few days."


    Kane nodded. "Make sure that those who got injured are treated. They are now part of our group, so we need to make sure that none of them die."


    "Yes, Young Master." The brown-haired boy nodded in understanding.


    "Young Master, are you sure that this is the right way to do this?" the boy with ck hair and wearing sses asked. "The Princess might hate you if you keep on trying to absorb her team."


    "She already hates me, so making her hate me more wouldn''t make a difference," Kane replied before sighing. "Tell me, why do you think she doesn''t like me? Am I not handsome enough? Am I not influential enough?"


    "Of course, you are worthy of her, Young Master," the teenage boy wearing sses replied. "But most of the time, using a very aggressive approach to win the heart of ady isn''t effective. Instead of getting closer, it might make her want to run away."


    "Then, what should I do?"


    "Maybe you need to talk to her personally and try to reach a truce or something?"


    As one of the scions of a Monarch n, Kane had all the qualifications to make any girl around him swoon.


    In fact, all the teenage girls on his team were doing their best to catch his attention.


    If they happened to be his lover or even his future concubine, they would no longer have to worry about hardships in Solterra or Pangea.


    Unfortunately for them, Kane only had eyes for Shasha.


    You could even say that it was love at first sight.


    During one of the parties hosted by the Stard n, the members of the young generation who came from the other Monarch Families, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families, had arrived to participate in the festivities.


    Although there were many beautiful, strong youngdies in the party, Kane didn''t feel anything towards them.


    Only when he left the hall to take a breather in the Garden did he see the most beautiful girl in his life.


    A youngdy wearing a white dress stood beside the fountain in silence, bathing in the moonlight.


    Kane could have sworn that her body was faintly glowing in the darkness like a Princess who had stepped out of a painting.


    This was also why Kane always referred to her as Princess. In his eyes, she was the one and only princess.


    As years went by, he had plenty of opportunities to interact with Shasha, mostly at the parties meant for the most influential people in Pangea.


    It was also there when he realized that he wasn''t the only one paying close attention to the girl who had stolen his heart.


    Several other teenage boys from the Monarch ns, as well as the other Prestigious Families, were also eyeing Shasha, making him extremely jealous and desperate.


    During one of those parties, he made a deration that he would be marrying Shasha once she hade of age, not caring about the consequences that would follow such a deration.


    No one directly said anything to him because he was still a scion of the Stard Family.


    But he could tell that his deration wasn''t taken seriously by the adults, as well as the other boys who were interested in Shasha.


    Since then, the youngdy no longer attended any of the parties, making Kane feel heartbroken.


    So the moment he saw her in the same ce as him in Solterra, he thought that it was Fate.


    He thought that he was finally given the chance by The One to be closer to his crush and hopefully get a few steps ahead of his rivals, who were also vying for her attention.


    Although he also felt like he was rushing things, he asked Shasha to be his girlfriend, promising that he would do everything in his power to protect her and ensure that they would safely return to Pangea.


    However, the youngdy of his dreams firmly rejected his proposal.


    But instead of feeling depressed, it only made Kane like her even more. His father once said that all is fair in love and war.


    If he wanted something, he should do everything in his power to get it.


    So, Kane did what he could and tried to poach Shasha''s members one by one.


    Of course, the members he poached weren''t treated badly. In fact, he made sure that they were treated fairly, just as good as those who had decided to follow him at the very start.


    He wanted to show Shasha that he wasn''t like those other arrogant young Masters from the Monarch ns.


    What Kane wanted was a chance to prove that he was serious about her and that he only wanted the two of them to get to know each other better.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t the type of person who liked to beat around the bush, so he didn''t think twice before asking if she could be his girlfriend.


    This was his first time falling in love with someone, so he really didn''t know what to do. He only did the only thing he thought would work, and that was to make Shasha dependent on him.


    "You''re right. Maybe my approach is wrong." Kane crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe I''m not doing this properly."


    "Don''t worry, Young Master," the teenage boy with sses patted Kane''s shoulder. "Since we all have the same mission. There will be plenty of opportunities to work together. I''m sure that once the Princess realizes that working together will raise the chances of sess inpleting the mission, she will definitely see your good points."


    Kane, who felt that what his subordinate said was the truth, felt a little better.


    "Okay. Tomorrow I will personally visit her and try to make amends," Kane dered. "I will not rush things this time and take it slowly."


    The teenage boy with sses nodded his head and gave his young master a thumbs up.


    Kane wasn''t aware that an overprotective younger brother had arrived at the scene and was already thinking of ways to torture him once they met so that he would leave his precious sister alone.

 Chapter 256 I’ll Follow You For Life [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 256 I¡¯ll Follow You For Life [Part 1] </h4>


    For the first time since she had arrived in Solterra, Shasha was finally able to sleep soundly.


    It had been a few months since she, and the other Wanderers had been sent to a ce that was very far from the Major Human Kingdoms, where the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families were located.


    Everyday was a fight for survival, so her sleep was very shallow, ready to wake up at a moment''s notice.


    But, after her brother appeared in front of her, she once again felt safe enough to sleep without the need to keep a weapon beside her.


    Right now, the beautiful teenage girl was sleeping peacefully in Giga Chad''s soft fur, which was way better than the makeshift bed filled with leaves that she used as her bed.


    She was even hugging Thirteen in her sleep like a teddy bear.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, didn''t mind letting his sister do as she pleased.


    He noticed that she had be a little thinner, and more haggard since thest time he saw her, proving that her first adventure in Solterra wasn''t an easy one.


    The ten-year-old didn''t tell his sister about the hardships that he had to endure in order to reach her location.


    He was just doing his Trials, and his Twelfth Trial was to reach the ce called Arcadia Archipgo.


    It took him three months to get there by sea, and when he arrived, he just happened to find his sister after hearing Vassago''s report that there were teenagers being attacked by a Bear Monster in the forest.


    Simr to the Valbarra Archipgo, the Arcadia Haven was a veryrge archipgo, with four main inds, forming a long line.


    These inds were Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, and Alkaid.


    Currently, Thirteen was on the second Ind, Merak, which had a vast swath of forest, spanning for miles on end.


    Bordering it was a valley, which had picturesque features.


    It was also the ce that Kane and his team of Wanderers were using as their base of operations.


    Shasha, on the other hand, was forced to look for her own base of operations in the forest, where she and the other Wanderers could rest without worrying about being attacked by powerful monsters.


    The funny thing was that the cave where they were currently at, had been used by other Wanderers in the past.


    It was hidden behind a waterfall, and even had an escape route, in case a monster forced itself inside the cave.


    This escape route was very narrow, and only teenage boys and girls could pass through it.


    It led to the other side of the mountain where the valley was located.


    With this means of escape, Shasha and the other Wanderers had made the cave their base, and had been living in it for the past few months.


    Kane''s team had a simr base, which was also used by other Wanderers in the past.


    It was quite funny knowing that the things that were left behind by the other Wanderers were keeping the next generation safe.


    Tiona softly hissed in Thirteen''s ear, telling him that a pack of Rank 2 Wolves was heading towards their cave.


    ''Thank you, Tiona,'' Thirteen replied, but he didn''t make a move to do anything.


    The reason? Because there was no need to do anything!


    A few minutester, the sound of howling, growling, and roaring, spread inside the cave, waking all the Wanderers from their slumber.


    Even Shasha, who had been sleeping soundly a while ago, opened her eyes and immediately stood up.


    "Brother¡­," Shasha said with a solemn expression on her face.


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied. "Let''s go out and see if those wolves have already been taken care of."


    The ten-year-old walked towards the cave entrance, with Shasha following a step behind him.


    The other Wanderers also joined, holding their weapons, ready to fight if necessary.


    When they left the cave and walked past the waterfall, a scene that they never expected to see was happening right in front of their eyes.


    The moons of Solterra were bright, so the surroundings were well illuminated.


    A Tigerkin was surrounded by over a dozen wolves, and all of them were growling at him.


    Several wolvesy on the ground, either unconscious, or groaning in pain due to their broken legs that made them unable to stand up.


    Percival, who waspletely surrounded, had a grin on his face because although he was outnumbered, he was confident that he would be able to defeat these wolves one by one without any problems.


    His hands and feet were covered in golden mes, enhancing his speed, strength, agility, and dexterity.


    Simply put, as long as he didn''t stand still, it was nearly impossible for mere Rank 2 Monsters tond a blow on his body.


    With a yelp of pain, the wolf nearest Percival was kicked in the chin, and was sent flying backwards.


    The other wolves took this opportunity to lunge at the Tigerkin, but thetter casually dodged all the attacks, and delivered his own counterattack when an opportunity presented itself.


    His attacks would eithernd on the wolves'' head, jaw, or leg, rendering them unconscious, dead, or crippled.


    After three years of following Thirteen, the Tigerkin had truly mastered his Martial Technique, Emperor''s Might, which was created by a Lionkin, who wished to be the next King of Beasts.


    Seeing that it was impossible to win, the Rank 2 Alpha Wolf howled, which signaled their retreat.


    Percival, rubbed his nose and watched the wolves flee with their tails tucked between their legs.


    At that exact moment, the Tigerkin heard a voice that wasing from behind him.


    "Not bad, Taiga,'' Thirteen said with a smile. "You did well."


    "Of course, Master," Taiga replied before turning around to look at the ten-year-old, whom he had apanied on a journey filled with ups and downs. "This much is nothi--".


    Percival wasn''t able to say the rest of his words because the moment he turned around to look at his Master, his gaze alsonded on the beautiful youngdy, standing beside him.


    Shasha''s body was glowing faintly in the moonlight, making her look surreal.


    Her long blonde hair, and green eyes that looked simr to his Master, Zion, caught his attention, making him forget how to breathe for a few seconds.


    Seeing his reaction, Thirteen couldn''t help but chuckle inside his heart because it was very obvious that the Tigerkin had be one of the victims of his sister''s beauty.

 Chapter 257 I’ll Follow You For Life [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 257 I¡¯ll Follow You For Life [Part 2] </h4>


    "Everyone, this is my disciple, Taiga," Thirteen introduced the Tigerkin to everyone.


    "Hello, just call me Taiga," Percival said, no longer caring about what name Thirteen nned to call him. "Or any name that you wish to call me by."


    After knowing that the beautiful teenage girl was his Master''s sister, Percival did his best to be in his best behavior because he knew that if he did something out of line, Thirteen would make sure that he suffered for it.


    "Shasha," Shasha also introduced herself, but didn''t borate any further.


    She was already used to people looking at her with the same heated gaze that the Tigerkin was giving her.


    In fact, this was the reason why the other teenage boys in Shasha''s team had chosen to stay with her, instead of joining Kane''s team.


    "Shasha, kill those wolves that Taiga left alive," Thirteen ordered.


    "Yes, Brother," Shasha replied and did as she was told.


    There were seven wolves that Percival had knocked unconscious, so Shasha simply stabbed them with the sword in her possession.


    After killing them all, she received two items, and one of them was a Wolf Avatar. The other was a dagger with the insignia of a wolf on its handle.


    It was a dagger that would return to its owner once it was thrown, making it a very useful throwing weapon.


    "We''re going back to sleep, so make sure that those wolves bleed out, so we can cook them tomorrow, Taiga."


    "Yes, Master!" Percival pounded his chest as if to assure him that everything would be done ording to his orders.


    Thirteen then held Shasha''s hand and pulled her back to the cave, so that they could go back to sleep.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Several hourster¡­


    When Thirteen opened his eyes, he found his sister still sleeping beside him.


    The other Wanderers were already awake, and busy grilling some of the bear''s meat that they would turn into jerkyter on.


    Miriam, on the other hand, was busy cooking meat stew, using the vegetables that Zion had given her.


    She knew how to cook, and was very good at it because she helped a lot in the orphanage where she grew up.


    Since Thirteen had given them a lot of ingredients like salt, and other spices, she was finally able to put her skills to the test.


    Thirteen even gave her pots, pans,dles, and other cooking utensils, making her the official cook of their team.


    The younger boy gently pried Shasha''s hands off his body, so that she wouldn''t wake up.


    Today was going to be a busy day because he would need to help the Wanderers stock up on their food supplies.


    He had already asked Vassago and Poca to scout the surroundings to see if there were any dangerous monsters that they needed to keep an eye on.


    The two Pocopocos were already used to this kind of thing, so they scouted the Ind overnight.


    Percival was not in the cave when Thirteen woke up. But, he had an idea where the Tigerkin went.


    He had assigned Taiga to keep watch over their ship, and only follow him after they had properly anchored it.


    The ten Trolls and the two Ogres, who had be part of Thirteen''s private army, were also on the ship, and had already learned how to operate it properly.


    Rocky, cky, and Hercules, were on the ship, and were tasked to guard it.


    During the past three years, everyone that had followed Thirteen had be battle-hardened monsters.


    The two Ogres and the leader of the Trolls, T1, had be Rank 4 Sovereigns.


    The rest of the Trolls had be Rank 4 Alpha Monsters, showing how much they had grown over the past three years.


    Giga, cky, and Hercules had now be Rank 5 Sovereigns. Making them very powerful monsters.


    Rocky, on the other hand, was now a bonafide Rank 6 Sovereign, and he was also the strongest monster in Thirteen''s army.


    Their explosive growth was attributed to eating the Rank 9 Fire Dragon''s meat and blood, which Rocky had stored inside his body, allowing Thirteen''s group to monopolize it.


    The Dragon Scales, horns, ws, teeths, and other important body parts were also stored properly because he intended to bring them back to Pangea.


    Thirteen already had a n in mind for how he would be using the Dragon Scales.


    He would not be giving them to his father to turn it into armor or artifacts, because he had a better use for it.


    The only thing that he nned to give his father were the Dragon''s teeth, ws, horns, and other parts that he deemed that he wouldn''t need for his personal use.


    Thirteen believed that, even if he didn''t do anything, his Father would be able to craft a Mythical Item, just because of the quality of materials he would be using.


    There was only one instance when a Rank 9 Sovereign was killed in Pangea.


    It was also the event that allowed the five traitors to be Monarchs, allowing them to be the strongest pirs of humanity.


    Thirteen nned to keep everything under wraps because once people knew about the Fire Dragon Monster Parts, things could be extremely dicey for him and his family.


    Two hourster, amotion happened inside the cave.


    A group of Wanderers, headed by a handsome teenage boy, made their way inside to look for Shasha.


    Fortunately, she had woken up and had already eaten breakfast by the time they arrived.


    Thirteen looked at the person standing in front of the group, and almost face palmed the moment his gazended on Kane Stard, who was one of the heirs of the Stard n.


    Earlier, the Wanderers following Kane were feeling smug because they were now part of the popr group.


    However, when their gazended on Giga Chad, who was happily eating bear stew from arge wooden bowl, all of them froze in shock.


    They could tell that the monster, who was seated behind Shasha, was not a low-rank monster, making them more timid than usual.


    Kane, although also shaken, didn''t make it appear on his face.


    He simply looked at his crush with an affectionate gaze before shifting his attention to the boy that was standing beside her.


    "Who are you?" Kane asked. "I have never seen you before."


    Taiga, who had also just returned inside the cave after checking their ship, noticed themotion and walked towards his Master.


    He could tell that the neers were weaker than him, so he didn''t do anything that might hurt them.


    Shasha stood beside her brother and looked Kane in the eye.


    "This is my little brother Zion," Shasha replied. "You once asked me to be your girlfriend, right?"


    "Yes," Kane answered in a heartbeat. "Even now, that feeling hasn''t changed."


    Taiga''s ears perked up after hearing that the handsome human boy was courting his Master''s sister.


    "Well, I will now give you my answer," Shasha stated. "The only one whom I will ept as my lover is the person who has gained Zion''s approval."


    After hearing Shasha''s reply, Kane fearlessly walked towards Thirteen with a serious expression on his face.


    A momentter, he grabbed hold of Thirteen''s right hand, and knelt in front of him.


    "Brother, I will follow you for life," Kane dered.


    Taiga, who didn''t n on losing out, instantly appeared in front of Thirteen at the blink of an eye and held his left hand.


    He also knelt in front of the ten-year-old and looked at him with an unwavering gaze.


    "Master, I will serve you forever," Percival stated.


    Thirteen smiled calmly at the two teenagers in front of him. A momentter, he opened his mouth and gave Tiona an order.


    "Tiona, bite these two fools," Thirteen ordered.


    The ck Snake hissed and lunged at Percival, who hurriedly ran away. Kane recognized that the ck Snake coiled around the younger boy''s neck as a Domini Mortis, which was ssified as the most venomous Rank 1 Monster in existence.


    With the threat of getting bitten to death, Kane followed Percival and ran away as fast as he could, causing Shasha to show something that she rarely did.


    The youngdy giggled, which was something that she hadn''t done ever since she had arrived in Solterra.


    Even her teammates were caught by surprise because they had never seen Shasha act like this.


    She almost always had a calm and collected look on her face, so seeing her act like a girl made them all feel that there was still a lot more that they didn''t know about their temporary leader.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, sighed in his heart.


    He had a feeling that things would get a little more hectic now that the bnce of power between the two Wanderer Teams had shifted in Shasha''s favor.


    ¡ª------------

 Chapter 258 Are We In Danger?

    <h4>Chapter 258 Are We In Danger?</h4>


    "Tell me, how did this happen again?" Thirteen asked his sister, who was seated beside him.


    "I''m not so sure either." Shasha blinked innocently. Just like her brother, she had no idea why Kane suddenly decided to bring his people to merge with her own group of Wanderers.


    Only a day had passed since Kane hade to see Shasha and left. But the very next day, he came back, and he didn''te alone.


    He brought his entire team with him, which made the cave where Shasha and her team were staying quite crowded.


    All in all, there were over fifty Wanderers inside the cave, and all of them were looking at the ten-year-old with great curiosity.


    "Brother, what are we going to do today?" Kane asked in a respectful tone.


    "For now, I''m thinking of stocking up on food supplies," Thirteen replied.


    "I see." Kane nodded in understanding. "So we''re going hunting today."


    The young man then called out his subordinates who specialized in fighting and told them that they would enter the forest to hunt.


    Taiga, who didn''t want to be left out, walked toward the exit of the cave with brisk steps.


    Clearly, he also nned to go hunting since that was what his Master wanted to do today.


    Also, he would make sure that he''d hunt more than Kane''s group so that Shasha would think of him as a very dependable person.


    The Tigerkin''s and the Heir of the Stard n''s gazes met.


    Both of them smiled at each other. But deep inside, the two of them understood that they were about topete for Shasha''s attention.


    Thirteen watched this exchange with an amused expression on his face.


    How could he possibly not know what these two fools were thinking?


    But he didn''t do anything to stop them. After all, being productive was better than being unproductive.


    Right now, he was waiting for Vassago and Poca toe back to give their report.


    He didn''t want to wander around the inds blindly, not wanting to encounter the Lord of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Cranky was the current Lord of the Valbarra Archipgo, and ording to the letter sent to him by Taiga''s mother, Brie, the Rank 8 Sovereign had made Thirteen''s monument his den.


    Whenever Cranky wasn''t hunting, it would rest a few meters away from the boy''s statue, which was often visited by Pilgrims from all over the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Barbarians, Tigerkins, Orcs, Ogres, Trolls, as well as the other races, would go there to pray and make their wishes.


    When theirnd was in danger, there was no Deity who cared about them.


    However, Thirteen did. So instead of praying to Forneus, who no longer cared about them, or Mammon, who only wanted their Gold, they decided to make the young boy their spiritual pir.


    Thirteen didn''t know if he should be happy or not at this turn of events. He didn''t even know if there would be another opportunity to return to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Of course, the other races knew this as well.


    But since even the Lord of the Warsor ins protected the pilgrims who visited the Heroes'' Monument, their desire to worship the boy only strengthened in their hearts.


    Just as Thirteen was thinking along these lines, two birds descended from the sky andnded on the log where he and Shasha were sitting.


    "Wee back, Vassago, Poca," Thirteen said before taking out four wooden bowls from his spatial storage.


    He filled two bowls with nuts, and the other two with water.


    The boy knew that the two Pocopocos were tired from their mission, so he decided to let them eat and drink to their fill before hearing their report.


    Shasha, who recognized what kind of birds they were, looked at them with great curiosity.


    "Brother, are these Pocopocos?" Shasha asked. "Aren''t they very mischievous birds? But these two seem different somehow."


    "They are indeed mischievous," Thirteen replied. "But without their help, I would have a hard time surviving in this world."


    Vassago''s agreement with him had alreadye to an end.


    However, the Pocopoco chose to remain with him and even stated that he would wait until Thirteen had returned safely to Pangea before returning to visit his friends in the birthce of the Pocopocos.


    Poca, who didn''t have a contract with Thirteen, decided to continue tagging along on the journey as well.


    Perhaps after participating in the epic battle against the Majin Prince, Arundel, she thought that being with the younger boy would be very exciting and entertaining.


    So, just like Vassago, she said that she would wait until Thirteen hadpleted hisst mission before she went with Vassago back to their Birth ce.


    Half an hourter, the two Pocopocos started chirping.


    Since Thirteen could understand anynguage in the world, it was more convenient for them to talk in this manner.


    Aside from that, it allowed them to keep their cover as well.


    After listening to the report of the two Pocopocos, a frown appeared on Thirteen''s face.


    ording to them, there were two Rank 8 Sovereigns present in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    One of them was a Rank 8 Unicorn, and the other was a Rank 8 Beholder.


    The Beholder was actually a Majin who ruled the fourth Ind of the Archipgo called Alkaid.


    The Unicorn, on the other hand, lived on the first ind, Dubhe.


    Currently, Thirteen and the other Wanderers were in the second ind, Merak.


    The Unicorn was the closest to their location, and Thirteen had no ns to meet with such a powerful beast that could easily annihte his people one by one.


    But he didn''t n on meeting the Beholder either. As a Majin, it was very fond of eating Wanderers.


    Of course, not all Majins ate Humans. Some even liked to socialize with thetter to a certain extent, allowing peaceful co-existence with each other.


    When he asked the two Pocopocos if they saw any gate-like structures or any structures for that matter, the two replied that they saw two pyramid-like structures in the ce where the two Sovereigns lived.


    After hearing this information, Thirteen couldn''t help but groan, knowing that this was the worst-case scenario possible.


    He didn''t have to deal with one Rank 8 Sovereign, but two.


    Both were equally dangerous and posed a serious threat to their lives.


    "I should have brought the Grand Ballista with me," Thirteen muttered helplessly.


    After the battle with Arundel ended, Arthas, the Tigerkin King, and the Ogre King asked if he could leave the Grand Ballista behind as a relic of the war.


    Since he had a feeling that the Ogre King would eat him if he refused, he decided to agree and allowed the three Kings to take the Grand Ballista to the Third Ind for safekeeping.


    Although Forneus had already abandoned them, the Third Ind was still a sacred ce to them, and they wouldn''t desecrate it no matter what.


    ''How should I handle this?'' Thirteen rubbed his chin as he pondered his next move.


    He didn''t doubt that the information he needed could be found inside the two Pyramids, which definitely held a special purpose in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "Onest thing, Zion," Vassago chirped. "I also found dozens of teenagers on each ind."


    "I saw them too." Poca joined the conversation. "There are many kids here. On the first Ind, I estimate that there''s around a hundred of them."


    "The Third Ind and Fourth Ind may not have that many, but I think there were around fifty of them. There could be more though. I only counted those who were actively hunting monsters."


    The more Thirteen listened, the deeper his frown became.


    Usually, the more Wanderers there were in the same ce, the more difficult the mission was.


    Shasha didn''t know what her Brother and the two Pocopocos were talking about, but she could tell by the frown on his face that the situation was serious.


    "Zion, what''s wrong?" Shasha asked. "Are we in danger?"


    "Not yet," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "I still need to investigate a few things first to better understand the situation."


    Aside from the two Rank 8 Sovereigns, there were also several strong monsters in the ind that they were currently on.


    However, unlike those two threats, Thirteen could deal with the monsters here easily since he had enough manpower to do it.


    For the time being, he decided toe up with a n that would allow him to meet with the other Wanderers on the other inds. Only after aplishing that would he start checking out the two Pyramids, which were being guarded by two powerful monsters.

 Chapter 259 Breaking The Myth

    <h4>Chapter 259 Breaking The Myth </h4>


    Somewhere in Solterra¡­


    Lancaster City was a bustling city free from the control of the Five Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families.


    It was part of the Essex Kingdom, which was ruled by a Monarch of Solterra.


    That day was as peaceful as always, but not until something unexpected happened.


    From within the portal, a person who hadn''t been seen for many years made his appearance.


    Even though it had been a long time since he wasst seen in the city, it wouldn''t change the fact that many people still recognized him for the kindness he had shown.


    "Long time no see, Gerald," one of the Guards who were protecting the gate looked at Gerald with a smile. "I thought you had kicked the bucket since your injuriesst time were serious."


    "It''s nice to see you too, Ryan." Gerald chuckled as he patted his friend''s shoulder. "Tell me, have you married Susan yet?"


    "¡­ Not yet," Ryan replied with a bitter smile on his face. "Her father doesn''t like me."


    "Then make him like you."


    "I can''t. I hate him too."


    Gerald smirked. "Well, then. Do your best to get close to that old man. I still have something to take care of."


    However, Ryan grabbed hold of Gerald''s arm, holding him in ce.


    "Gerald, you should go back to the Teleportation Gate," Ryan advised solemnly. "I''m sure that by now, news about your reappearance here in Lancaster City is already spreading. It''s only a matter of time before they reach Death Wish."


    Zion''s Father smiled faintly, touched by Ryan''s sincerity and friendship.


    "Don''t worry, Ryan," Geraldmented. "I will just stay long enough to buy a few things before I go."


    "Then you better hurry." Ryan urged. "No one escapes Death Wish twice."


    Gerald nodded and went on his way.


    But instead of hurrying like he was told, he walked at a leisurely pace as if he was just taking a stroll in the town.


    He visited a few ces, especially the shops that sold monster parts and metals.


    Although he could buy monster parts from the Leventis Family, there were certain monster parts that he needed that could only be obtained in Lancaster Town.


    Everywhere Gerald went, people who knew him urged that he leave the City as fast as possible.


    There was even an olddy who threatened to whack him with her cane if he dilly-dallied in his shopping.


    The more he interacted with the people of Lancaster City, the more he missed the times when he explored the ruins of Solterra.


    Everything came to an end the day he was targeted by Death Wish for reasons he didn''t know about.


    A part of him was sad that he was forced to stop doing something he liked to do.


    The other half, on the other hand, was quite thankful. After all, if not for that incident, he would have not picked up the hammer and tried his hand in cksmithing.


    Although he didn''t want to admit it, Gerald found creating things very fun and exciting.


    This new joy, which hadn''t faded over the years, only grew his desire to craft a Mythical Weapon of his own without relying on his son''s abilities.


    After buying everything he needed, including a few souvenirs for Alessia and Remi, who were waiting for him back home, Gerald walked back toward the Teleportation Gate.


    But as he walked the streets leading to the Teleportation Gate, he found the atmosphere had suddenly be tense.


    The people weren''t walking all over the ce as usual, and all of them positioned themselves at the sides of the road, looking at Gerald with varying expressions on their faces.


    ''I see,'' Gerald thought. ''They''re finally here.''


    When he arrived at the Teleportation Gate, there was not even a single person standing around it.


    The guards, who were usually stationed to ensure that there wouldn''t be any dangerous things happening near the Gate, were nowhere to be seen.


    Gerald walked calmly toward the deserted za while humming a happy tune.


    When he was only dozens of meters away from the Teleportation Gate, he felt countless presences charging in his direction from every direction with the intent to kill.


    Knowing that the moment of truth had arrived, Gerald summoned a Giant Hammer, which he had personally forged, and swung it around.


    The sound of metal shing reverberated in the surroundings as he sessfully deflected the attacks of six Assassins who hade to attack him in broad daylight.


    But, they were not the only assassins who hade to take his life.


    More Assassins came out of hiding and encircled their target with weapons drawn.


    ''Twenty people,'' Gerald mused. ''Four Champions, and the rest are Grandmasters. They''re really serious this time.''


    This lineup was more than enough to kill a mere Grandmaster twenty times over.


    Perhaps knowing that their prey had nowhere to run, one of the Assassins took a step forward.


    "You should have stayed away from this ce, Gerald Leventis," one of the Champion Assassins stated. "No one escapes Death Wish twice."


    "Really?" Gerald chuckled. "We''ll see about that."


    After saying those words, Gerald made a mad dash towards the Teleportation Gate, prompting the Assassins to attack him at the same time.


    No matter what happened, they would not allow Gerald to escape, for their reputation was at stake.


    The Four Champions moved in unison and went for the kill, targeting different vital parts of Gerald''s body.


    As long as one of their attacksnded, the man who managed to escape their assassination in the past, would meet his end today.


    But just as their weapons collided with Gerald''s body, they heard a metallic clinking sound, making them feel as if they had stabbed something hard.


    However, before they could even understand why their killing blows didn''t manage to pierce Gerald''s clothes, his hammer smashed against the face of one of the Champions, making thetter cry out in pain.


    "Heaven''s Overdrive," Gerald said in a cold tone. Soon, his strength, speed, agility, and dexterity rose drastically.


    The eyes of the three remaining Champions widened in shock because they finally realized that their target was no longer a Grandmaster.


    Afterpleting the mission of Lighting the Beacon of Hope in the Valbarra Archipgo, Gerald had finally stepped into the Champion Rank.


    Also, due to his contributions, he received a lot of rewards from The One, allowing him to gain enough confidence to return to Solterra and pay back the organization, who almost took everything for him.


    "Together!" the Leader of the Assassins roared as the other Champions unleashed their full powers in order to fight their target seriously.


    Unfortunately for them, Gerald was no ordinary Champion.


    He was a Champion who was in possession of a Divine Martial Technique!


    "Hammer for all Seasons Final Form!" Gerald roared as he swung his hammer, preparing to counter thebined attacks of the four Assassins at the same time.


    "Fortress Breaker!"


    The Giant Hammer in his hands was coated with Golden mes, multiplying his attack several folds.


    The moment his weapon and the weapons of the Assassins shed, their daggers and swords shattered on impact.


    But that wasn''t all. Gerald''s strike could already smash the defensive walls of a Fortress, so how could they possibly deal with an attack that was augmented by his berserk skill, Heaven''s Overdrive?


    A loud cracking sound was heard as the bodies of the Assassins were hit directly by Gerald''s hammer.


    Blood gushed out from their mouths before all of them were sent flying by the attack that could end their life.


    But Gerald''s strike was still not over. Using the momentum of his strike, he swung his Hammer around and hit the Assassins behind him.


    Unlike the Champions, the rest of the Assassins were just Grandmasters.


    Faced with such a deadly attack, their lives shed before their very eyes.


    A momentter, all of them were annihted¡ªtheir bones and organs were crushed by the impact of Gerald''s hammer.


    As if he was possessed, Zion''s Father went on a killing spree, making sure that all the Assassins that he could see died in his hands.


    Even the Champions, who managed to survive his attacks the first time, weren''t able to escape it a second time.


    When everything was over, Gerald scanned the surroundings and saw one more Assassin in the distance.


    He was smaller than the others, which made him think that he was just a new recruit that was only sent to observe the assassination mission.


    "Tell your superiors that your organization''s myth has ended," Gerald said as he walked towards the Teleportation Gate. "Whoever said no one escapes a Death Wish twice must have been piss drunk when he said it. If you people have a death wish,e and find me. I''ll send you all to the afterlife."


    After saying those words, Gerald finally entered the portal with a smug look on his face.


    On that same day, news of what happened in Lancaster City traveled far and wide.


    For the first time in the history of Solterra, someone managed to survive the second assassination attempt of the most notorious Assassination organization in the world.


    Not only did Gerald survive, but he also annihted all the Assassins that came after him.


    Now that the organization''s myth, stating that nobody could escape their assassination twice, had finally been broken, Death Wish lost a bit of their influence.


    This news would soon reach not only the far reaches of Solterra, but Pangea as well.


    Gerald''s name would once again be the talk of the town, and this time, they would not be words of ridicule but words of awe and admiration.

 Chapter 260 You Will Not Get Out Of This Unscathed

    <h4>Chapter 260 You Will Not Get Out Of This Unscathed</h4>


    While Thirteen was busy nning on how to get his sister back home to Pangea, news of what Gerald did appeared on the front page of the popr newspaper "Solterra Times".


    This was managed by one of the most credible Information Guilds in Solterra that was under the management of Wanderers.


    Any news of great importance that happened in Solterra would bepiled and published in Pangea.


    Originally, the n was to let newspapers be the norm in Solterra as well.


    However, Lace Demon put his foot down, preventing anyone from opening a newspaperpany in his backyard.


    Because of this, the Wanderers no longer insisted on doing something like it, and simply brought back the news in their own world.


    In fact, the news spread faster in Pangea because the technology used there was higherpared to Solterra.


    Gerald''s one-sided massacre of the Assassins from Death Wish became sensational news. However, not many people were happy about it.


    One of those unhappy people was none other than Arthur Leventis.


    He didn''t know who had ordered the assassination attempt on the ck sheep of his family.


    But, he was sure of one thing.


    From this day onwards, Gerald and Death Wish would never be able to live under the same sky.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family was starting to worry that his family members, as well as their Branch Families would be targeted by the Assassin Organization because of what Gerald had done.


    Not only did he kill the Assassins who hade to assassinate him, he even gave Death Wish a big middle finger, making them theughing stock of the two worlds.


    "Why can''t he just sit still?" Arthur sighed helplessly.


    If only he had been the one that apanied Thirteen in Solterra instead of Gerald, he would have been a Monarch by now.


    With his newfound power and influence, he believed that Death Wish would no longer target his son because they would be afraid of his counter attack.


    Right now, Arthur was just a throne.


    Although Gerald had backing, they didn''t think much of him because his father was just a Throne.


    It was a well-known fact that the Head of the Assassin Organization was also a Throne. A Throne against a Throne could go either way, so the chances of them fighting each other was slim.


    If Arthur was a Monarch then they wouldn''t have epted Gerald''s Assassination request, even if they were paid a high price for it.


    "Tell our people in Solterra to be on high alert," Arthur ordered. "Make sure that they always travel in groups, and don''t stray too far from our territory."


    Michael nodded in understanding and went to their Family''s teleportation gate to travel to Solterra.


    While Arthur was worrying about the potential repercussions of Gerald''s antics, the man in question wasughing out loud while reading the newspaper about him.


    "Do you see this, Alessia?" Gerald asked as he showed his wife the front page of the newspaper. "Your husband is popr right now."


    Instead of being happy, Alessia only red at him because Gerald didn''t tell her that he had gone to Solterra in order to get revenge on Death Wish.


    If she only knew what her husband intended to do, she would have tied him up with a rope and locked him up inside their bunker.


    "What are you being so happy about?" Alessia snapped. "What if you had died? Would you still be smiling then?"


    Seeing that his wife didn''t like the news of him killing the Assassins from Death Wish, Gerald didn''t hesitate to take a step back and pacify her.


    "Alessia, you know more than anyone that I don''t intend on dying," Gerald replied. "The fact that I went to Solterra to challenge Death Wish meant that I was a hundred percent confident that I could survive a battle against them."


    "But, what if you hadn''t?" Alessia asked. "What if something unexpected happened? What if their leader had personallye to kill you? Would you have been able to survive his assassination?!"


    "Yes," Gerald replied in a heartbeat, which took Alessia by surprise.


    Gerald then equipped the Fire Dragon Armor that he had gained after getting thest hit on the Rank 9 Sovereign.


    "This is a Mythical Ranked equipment, Alessia," Gerald stated. "It is the reward that I gained after facing off against a Rank 9 Sovereign. Originally, I should not have been able to wear something of this rank since I was just a Grandmaster back then.


    "But, for some reason, the requirements for equipping it was lowered to my Rank, and is even Soul Bounded to me. Even if a Throne was there, he would not be able to kill me so easily because of my armor


    "This is also the reason why I felt confident that I would be able to return safely. I already thought of every other variable and, after thinking of all the worst case scenarios, each of them ended with me surviving anding back home."


    Alessia, who had heard Gerald''s exnation, softened a bit because she could tell that her husband truly made sure that he had taken everything into consideration before going back to Solterra.


    His goal was to let everyone know that Death Wish would not be able to kill him a second time, which was a p to their faces.


    It was Gerald''s own way of rebelling and telling the world, especially those who ridiculed him, that he was still the genius of the Leventis Family.


    Lastly, he did it in order to smoke out the person who had ced the Assassination Kill Order for him.


    The moment he survived the second assassination, the Assassin Group would then face their employer, who hadn''t informed them that their target was no longer a Grandmaster, but a Champion.


    This was a breach of contract, as well as breach in information.


    If they only knew that Gerald was a Champion, the Head of their Organization would have personally made a move to kill him, instead of sending five Champions, and fifteen Grandmasters to do the job.


    Gerald was looking forward to the drama that would follow afterwards.


    He had managed to kill many of the Assassins under Death Wish, and these losses weren''t something that could be reced in a short period of time.


    Without a doubt, the Leader of the Assassins would ask for a proper exnation, andpensation from their Employer.


    ''Whoever you are, I''m sure you will not get out of this unscathed,'' Gerald thought as he hugged his wife, who had finally calmed down. ''Although I don''t know how Death Wish will deal with you, I''m sure you will not be able to show your face in Solterra for a while.''


    What Gerald didn''t know was that at that very same moment, the one who issued the Kill Order for him had started to panic.


    Death Wish took pride in their legend of not letting any of their targets escape twice.


    Now that this myth was broken, their reputation took a great hit.


    Since they failed a second time, wouldn''t that make them the same as any other Assassin Organizations in the world?


    They only became popr because of the high sess rate of their missions.


    But since this was no longer the case, they would do their best to save face, and make sure that Gerald, and the one who wished for him to be killed, would be put on the very top of their Kill List.


    ¡ª-------------------

 Chapter 261 Is This How Its Going To End?

    <h4>Chapter 261 ? Is This How Its Going To End? </h4>


    On the Third Ind of the Phecda, in the Arcadia Archipgo¡­


    Just like Shasha and Kane, there were two groups of Wanderers on the ind.


    The first group was led by a teenage boy who came from one of the Prestigious Families, and the other group was led by a girl, who hailed from a military family.


    Vassago and Poca had observed these two groups from a distance, and informed their Master about their personalities.


    Vassago was watching over the boy whose name was Herman Nightshade, while Poca observed the girl whom everyone in her team referred to as Phoebe.


    Herman''s team wasposed of over forty Wanderers, while Phoebe''s team wasposed of fourteen.


    Surprisingly, the bigger group didn''t antagonize the smaller group, and they even helped each other asionally.


    Even so, both of their bases were at least a mile away from each other, upying strategic locations, which had also been used by Wanderers in the past.


    After hearing this piece of news, Thirteen started to wonder if the two Pyramids, which weren''t inside his database, were created by Wanderers during the three-hundred years that he was away from the world of Pangea and Solterra.


    Of course, this exnation was a long shot because kids couldn''t possibly create such structures on their own.


    If that was the case then there could only be one exnation.


    Someone, or a group of people, who held considerable influence and power, had created the pyramids for a purpose.


    As to what that purpose was, Thirteen had no idea.


    He would need to infiltrate these two pyramids first to better understand what they were used for.


    But, before he did that, he nned to make contact with the rest of the Wanderers who were on the Four Inds of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Although their enemy wasn''t as strong as a Majin Prince, fighting against a Rank 8 Sovereign was pure suicide.


    Even with Thirteen''s Mercenary Group, there was simply no way that they could fight against such an existence.


    Also, after what happened in the battle with Arundel, Thirteen no longer treated the monsters under hismand as disposable troops.


    They had fought alongside him during the war, and even died trying to protect him.


    Thirteen would never betray those who had given their lives for him, so he treated them well during the three years that they were together.


    Instead of letting them upgrade to be normal Rank 4, Rank?5, and Rank 6 Monsters.


    He made sure to tweak their Fates a bit, and make them powerful monsters in their own right.


    O1, O2, and T1 were now Rank 4 Sovereigns.


    The rest of the Trolls had be Alpha Monsters, which was something that didn''t happen easily.


    In order to be an Alpha, Overlord, and Sovereign, there were strict conditions that needed to be met.


    Just like how the Golden-Eyed Hyena evolved into the Diabolical Hyena by cannibalizing its own kind, Thirteen made sure that all of his subordinates became the stronger version of themselves.


    In order for T1 to be a Sovereign, he needed to lead a group of Trolls to do some kind of mission.


    After that mission was done, he became something that he wasn''t supposed to be, breaking through the Ranks of Sovereign.


    Simply put, Thirteen changed his Fate from being an ordinary monster, to a Boss Monster.


    Unfortunately, it was impossible to make all the Trolls be Sovereigns because they should always be led by someone.


    However, it was not impossible for them to be Alpha Monsters. So, Thirteen made sure that they all became Alpha Monsters.


    When Thirteen nned to give them all proper names, the Ogres and the Trolls told him that their names were fine.


    For them, the younger boy was someone that they learned to respect and admire, so they cherished the names that he gave them.


    Even if it was just done on a whim.


    Percival had also gotten used to Thirteen calling him Taiga.


    Just like the Ogres and the Trolls, he now took pride in his name because it was the name that was given to him by the Hero of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    In short, it was a great honor being named by him.


    As Poca was observing Phoebe''s group, she noticed that the trees were shaking in the distance.


    Soon, she and the Wanderers heard it.


    The sound of countless hooves running through the forest, and they were running in their direction.


    "Everyone, back to the base!" Phoebe ordered, and all the Wanderers, who were just about to go hunt their food for the day, all ran as fast as they could.


    Unlike Shasha''s base, which was inside a cave, Phoebe''s Group stayed inside a treehouse, which was built in one of the biggest trees in the forest.


    The tree house couldn''t be seen from above the trees, and several vines hid it from below.


    These vines gave off a smelly odor, which prevented animals and monsters from getting too close to it.


    ''Fortunately, we didn''t go too far,'' Phoebe thought as she, and the other Wanderers were able to climb into their tree house safely.


    Holding her breath, she parted a few vines to get a better look on what was happening outside.


    There, she saw countless monsters, running away from a horde of goblins.


    ''A monster stampede!'' Phoebe''s face turned pale after realizing what was happening.


    Alone, a Goblin wasn''t that much of a threat because it was just a Rank 1 Monster.


    However, if there were hundreds of them, even Rank 3 monsters would have a hard time if they were attacked by a swarm of Rank 1 Monsters.


    Since a frontal confrontation was impossible, the monsters did the only thing they could do and that was to run.


    Perhaps due to their crazed state, the monsters no longer cared where they were running, as long as they could get away from the monster horde behind them.


    Phoebe could only watch in horror as the vines that were hiding their tree house from sight, parted as the monsters ran past it, destroying most of them in the process.


    The Goblins, who were running after the Monsters saw the Tree House, as well as the Humans in it.


    Phoebe''s group shuddered in fright as the Goblinsughed wildly, and pointed in their direction.


    Soon, dozens of Goblins ran towards the tree, and attempted to climb it.


    "Everyone, shoot them down!" Phoebe ordered.


    She knew that if the Goblins were to grab hold of them, they would suffer a fate worse than death.


    Goblins were known to prey on Human, and Demi-human women because this was one of the ways that allowed them to reproduce at a rapid rate.


    Phoebe didn''t want to think about what was going to happen to her, and the girls on her team, if they were overrun by Goblins.


    There were only fourteen of them, and dozens of Goblins were climbing up the tree.


    The other Goblins were justughing as they watched the helpless teenagers defend with everything they had.


    However, it was only a matter of time before they fell into the clutches of these beasts.


    When the first Goblin managed to climb into their Tree House, the girls and boys shouted in fright because they knew that there was no escape for them.


    Phoebe, on the other hand, shed the first Goblin, and kicked the second one off the Tree.


    She didn''t n to go down without a fight, so she nned to take out as many Goblins as she could before she was vited by them.


    Because she was busy fending off the Goblins in front of her, she didn''t notice those who were at her back.


    One of the Goblins grabbed her hair, pulling her backwards, while the others grabbed her arms and legs.


    ''Is this how it''s going to end?'' Phoebe thought as the Goblins started to strip off her armor.


    The other Wanderers were in the same situation as her, with the girls even crying and begging for mercy.


    Suddenly, the head of the Goblin that had just finished tearing her armor off of her body, fell to the ground.


    The same thing happened to the other Goblins holding her, making her gasp in shock.


    She thought that the other group of Wanderers, led by Herman, hade to her rescue.


    As she gazed at her surroundings, countless Goblins screamed in pain, as something fast flew past them.


    All that Phoebe could see was a blur, but wherever this blur hit, the Goblins'' heads would be severed from their bodies without mercy.


    The Goblins, who were still climbing up the tree, had no idea what was happening in the Tree house.


    However, their attention was caught by the sound of countless horns that reverberated in their surroundings.


    Soon, the trees that were blocking their view were blown away, making all the Goblins look at the scene in front of them in shock.


    A Magma Balboa, followed by two Ogre Berserker Sovereigns, appeared on the scene.


    Behind them, the Troll Warlord, and his Troll Rangers, who were mounted on Rank 4 Dire Wolves, charged in their direction with eyes glinting with expectations.


    In their eyes, the Goblin Horde was nothing more than mere experience points, which they needed to be stronger!


    Rocky didn''t head straight into the fight against the Goblins.


    Instead, he allowed his Master, who was covered in ck metal armor, to jump to the Tree House and help the Wanderers who were doing their best to resist the Goblins, who managed to climb the tree.


    Tiona, who was the first one to arrive at the scene, sliced off the heads of the Goblins by turning her body into a razor sharp weapon.


    Thirteen, did the same, and killed all the Goblins that were within his range.


    Several minutester, the Tree House had been cleared of its invaders, and the Goblin Army on the ground retreated.


    Although they were powerful, they were still intimidated by the extremely powerful Monsters, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    With every swing of the two Ogres'' spiked club, all the Goblins they hit turned to meat paste.


    The Alpha Trolls, who were also very powerful, started a killing spree with T1 leading the charge.


    After depositing Thirteen on the Tree House, Rocky joined the already one-sided battle, making the Goblins retreat en masse.


    Although they could fight against Rank 3, and Rank 4 monsters easily, they were unable to fight against a group of them, who were fighting together at the same time.


    Thirteen, walked up to Phoebe and summoned a nket to cover her body.


    The Goblins had not only managed to rip off her armor, the clothes she was wearing underneath had been ripped to shreds as well.


    But, aside from a few bruises and scratches, everyone in the tree house was safe from harm.


    Phoebe couldn''t see the face of her savior because he was wearing a metallic helm that covered his entire face.


    "Thank you for saving us," Phoebe said with gratitude. "May I know who you are?"


    Thirteen nced at the girl, who was kneeling on the floor with the nket covering her body before looking at the retreating Goblins in the distance.


    "Zion," Thirteen replied. "Just call me, Zion."


    ¡ª------------------------

 Chapter 262 Do You Still Wish To Stay Here?

    <h4>Chapter 262 Do You Still Wish To Stay Here?</h4>


    After the Goblins escaped from Thirteen''s Mercenary Squad, the Wanderers were finally able to breathe a little easier.


    Now that the vines that hid their Tree House from the sight of the monsters that roamed the forest were gone, they no longer felt safe staying there.


    Thirteen, who had plenty of spare clothes in his storage ring, gave the Wanderers something to wear because their clothes had been ripped apart by the Goblins.


    Fortunately, none of them died. Even the boys were spared because the Goblins didn''t think that they were a threat to them.


    "I have a question, Zion," Phoebe said after making sure that everyone on her team hadn''t suffered any serious injuries from the Goblin attack. "Do you know someone named Rianna?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Do you know her?"


    Thirteen was quite surprised that Phoebe knew the girl, whom he hadn''t seen for the past three years afterpleting the quest in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "I knew it!" Phoebe said, as she looked at the boy in front of her, who had removed his steel helm. "She talks a lot about you. Rianna often said that she might not have been able to make it back home if not for your help.


    "She even told me that if I happen toe across you here in Solterra, I should tell you how thankful she is for your help. She, Cristopher, Harry, and her Hunting Party Members are now part of a group, whomunicated with each other frequently in Pangea."


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face after hearing that everyone seemed to be getting along.


    What he needed the most were connections. He didn''t know what the background of the other Wanderers were aside from Cristopher and Harry.


    If their parents were Business Tycoons in Pangea, wouldn''t that be amazing?


    "Do you know what Rianna''s background is?" Thirteen asked.


    "¡­ You don''t know?" Phoebe asked with wide eyes. "You really don''t know?"


    "I didn''t ask her anything about her private life," Thirteen shrugged. "Everyone was just busy trying to survive, so knowing their family background was not important."


    "I see." Phoebe nodded in understanding. "She did say that you were someone who did things your way, and only asked for help when it was needed. I think someone who doesn''t like to meddle with the private life of others is a good person."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow because he was far from being a good person. But, beingbeled as a good person was useful, so he didn''t correct her.


    "You still haven''t answered my question," Thirteen replied. "What kind of background does Rianna have?"


    Phoebe hesitated for a bit before giving her answer.


    "Rianna and everyone here came from Military Families," Phoebe replied. "That is all that I can tell you because the rest is her private matter."


    Thirteen nodded and decided not to pry any longer. He could just investigate her once he returned to Pangea, which he believed to be happening very soon.


    "What do you n to do now?" Thirteen inquired. "Do you wish to stay here?"


    "No," Phoebe answered in a heartbeat. "This ce is no longer safe. Can wee with you? Rianna told me that as long as I am with you, everything will be fine."


    Phoebe had short ck hair and brown eyes, which could have made anyone mistake her for a boy with delicate features.


    Thirteen had a feeling that she had cut her hair before she was sent to Solterra, so that it wouldn''t get in the way if she were to fight.


    In fact, the other girls and boys who were part of her team all had short hair, which he believed to be a tradition among the Military Families in Pangea.


    Just like how some soldiers would shave their heads when they joined the army, these children came here perfectly knowing that they would have to fight for their lives.


    "Okay, you cane with me." Thirteen then looked in the direction where the other Wanderers werest seen by Vassago. "But, I still need to meet the leader of the other group of Wanderers on this ind."


    "Are you talking about Herman''s group?" Phoebe asked. "Why do you need to talk to them?"


    "I want to know if all of you have the mission called, Enter the Gate of the Moonlight," Thirteen replied.


    "Yes, that is exactly what our mission is." Phoebe nodded. "Is that your mission as well, Zion?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "But, I believe that it has a connection to it."


    The ten-year-old boy''s quest was to prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.


    Although it wasn''t the same quest as entering the Gate of the Moonlight, he believed that the two quests were rted to each other.


    A few minutester, Thirteen''s and Phoebe''s groups headed towards the base of the second group of Wanderers on the Ind of Phecda.


    Since Phoebe knew who Herman was, the ten-year-old decided that it would be best if she were the one to introduce him to the Scion of the Stard Family.


    But, when they were only a hundred meters away from the second base of the Wanderers, they immediately noticed that something was wrong.


    The campsite where they usually gathered was in disarray, and blood stains could be seen on the ground.


    However, there were no corpses around that could tell them if the blood belonged to monsters or Humans, which made Phoebe suddenly feel anxious.


    "Let''s enter the cave," Phoebe said. "Herman told me that the cave where they were staying had an undergroundwork. He offered to let me stay there if I wanted, but since we wanted to operate alone, we decided to reject his offer of forming a single unit."


    Thirteen looked at the cave in front of him and frowned. The entrance, and the size of the cave was too small for Giga and the Trolls to enter.


    "You go ahead first, but don''t go too deep in the cave." Thirteen smiled at Phoebe. "I need to talk with my team for a bit."


    "Understood," Phoebe motioned for her team to follow her.


    All of them had their weapons drawn, ready to fight if ever they encountered something dangerous inside the cave.


    When the Wanderers were gone, Rocky emerged from the ground and opened its mouth wide.


    One by one, Giga, The Ogres, and the Trolls, entered his mouth as if this was already part of their routine.


    Once his private army was inside the Magma Bal-Boa''s Mobile Fortress, Rocky once again burrowed to the ground.


    He would follow Zion, while traveling underground to ensure that he could assist him if a powerful monster were to appear inside the cave.

 Chapter 263 Are You Afraid Of The Dark? [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 263 Are You Afraid Of The Dark? [Part 1] </h4>


    One of the Wanderers held a glowing artifact in his hand, and stood at the very front to light the way.


    Thirteen had caught up with Phoebe''s group, and together they went deeper inside the cave until they arrived at a cavern.


    As they walked inside the cave, they noticed stains of blood on the floor, and had continued up to this point inside the cave.


    There were also several footprints on the ground, and judging by their sizes, they could have belonged to Goblins, and their higher ranked forms, Hobgoblins.


    Times like this, he wished that he had Taiga with him.


    However, since he brought most of his troops to the Third Ind, he had no choice but to leave the Tigerkin behind, so that he could protect his sister just in case something happened.


    He had also left Poca behind, and only brought Vassago with him to scout the Third Ind.


    It was also because of this reason why he was able toe to Phoebe''s rescue right away due to themotion that the Goblins had caused, which could be seen from the sky.


    But, after seeing the things outside and inside the cave, he believed that the Goblins might have raided this ce a little earlierpared to Phoebe''s group.


    ''Still, why is it so silent?'' Thirteen thought. ''Have the Goblins left already?''


    Tiona, who was coiled up on his neck, kept flicking her tongue from time to time, as if trying to locate any lingering scent in the surroundings.


    After walking for a long time, the cavern split into four intersections, forcing Thirteen and Phoebe to make a choice.


    Judging by the footprints, and blood stains on the ground, the most obvious choice was the farthest left corner.


    However, before the younger boy and the Wanderers could walk in that direction, Tiona gave a soft hiss, stopping her Master from his tracks.


    "The right one?" Thirteen asked.


    Tiona hissed a second time before nodding her head.


    "Let''s go to the right path," Thirteen dered.


    "But, the trail went this way," Phoebemented.


    Thirteen shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. Tiona said to go this way, so I''ll go this way. Of course, you can choose to go that way if you wish. But, I am going this way."


    Taking out a Torch Light that used Cores as a source of energy, Thirteen headed to the rightmost path with confident steps.


    Seeing that their savior was heading to a different pathway, Phoebe and her team followed not long after.


    After seeing how deadly the ten-year-old was in battle, they believed that it would be safer to stay close to him.


    Also, Phoebe had heard about the younger boy''s legendary exploits from Rianna. He was the one that orchestrated the defeat of a Majin Prince, which not even the Monarchs of Pangea dared to face together.


    But, there was one thing that puzzled her, as well as all the other people that had heard the story of Zion Leventis.


    Rianna said that the boy told her that he identally entered a Dimensional Gate and was sent to the Houdini Desert.


    Of course, these stories did in fact happen in the past.


    However, there was one important factor that many didn''t miss.


    If he entered a Dimensional Gate, how did he manage to arrive in the Houdini Desert?


    Usually, Dimensional Gates were connected to the territories of the Jinns and Majins. If a seven-year-old identally entered that kind of Dimensional Gate, he would have long been Jinn Poop by now.


    But, Zion was alive and even thriving in Solterra.


    News about him had also spread in Pangea, making the authorities investigate if simr incidents had happened in the past.


    As much as the Leventis Family tried to reign in the news, it was simply impossible.


    There were many Wanderers who had been part of Zion''s Team during thest stages of the war, and these same Wanderers spread his feats after they returned to Pangea.


    Naturally, the people of the Military had heard about this since Rianna was very vocal about Thirteen.


    So, when they finally met the living legend, they decided that they would hug his thigh no matter what, so that they could return to Pangea just like Rianna and the others!


    After walking for some time, they once again came into an intersection. This time, there were no blood stains anywhere.


    There were also no traces that someone hade to this part of the underground cavework.


    Tiona once again hissed, telling her Master where to go.


    This time, Thirteen went to the middle path, and walked until he, and Phoebe''s team arrived at an underground river.


    "Hiss¡­"


    "They jumped into the river?"


    The ck Snake nodded.


    The flow of the water wasn''t strong, so there was no danger of being washed away by the current.


    Using his torch, Thirteen noticed that the underground river wasn''t that deep, so he decided to walk on it to see how deep it was.


    The river was at least six meters wide, so it didn''t take long for him to reach the center.


    At most, it was only a meter deep, which could easily be traversed by teenagers older than him.


    "Let''s follow the river," Thirteen said before motioning for Phoebe and the others toe to him.


    They only had two artifacts that could light their way, so they decided to form two lines with Thirteen at the front, and one holding the second artifact at the back.


    After walking for what seemed to be half an hour, the teenagers were already feeling cold from the water.


    But, they persevered because they had been trained by their families to endure harsher situations.


    Finally, Tiona raised her head, telling her Master that she could sense living creatures ahead.


    As to whether they were Humans, Goblins, or other creatures, they decided to prepare themselves just in case they were going to engage in battle.


    Thirteen once again wore the ck helm which covered his face, while the other Wanderers held their weapons firmly in their grasp.


    After walking for a few more minutes, they saw a light source in the distance, with several Human children gathered around it.


    The moment they noticed the light that wasing from Thirteen''s torch, the second group of Wanderers prepared for battle.


    They didn''t know that the one holding the light was a human because he was wearing a ck set of armor.


    "Wait!" Phoebe shouted. "We''re not ene-mhhhh!"


    Thirteen hastily covered Phoebe''s mouth because her shout echoed across the caverns.


    The second group of Wanderers also lowered their weapons after hearing Phoebe''s shout, but their faces became pale when they realized what just happened.


    Soon, the sound of roars echoed in the surroundings, making all the Wanderers who heard them shudder due to how close these roars sounded to them.


    Phoebe, who realized what she just did looked ashen because she might have just doomed all of them with that single shout from her.


    Thirteen, who also understood that this wasn''t the time to me anybody, motioned for the other Wanderers to go to the Second Group of Wanderers.


    "Close the lights," Thirteen said. "Although these monsters might have night vision, they will spot us faster if they can see a light source."


    Herman, who was the owner of the glowing artifact, nodded and deactivated its effects.


    Soon, the entirety of the cavern returned to its dark state, with everyone hoping that it would be enough to make their pursuers unable to find their location, which was theirst bastion of hope.

 Chapter 264 Are You Afraid Of The Dark? [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 264 Are You Afraid Of The Dark? [Part 2]</h4>


    The roars in the cave quieted down after some time.


    Only the faint sound of the river flowing several meters away from them could be heard in the surroundings.


    But a soft hissing sound that coincided with the sound of the river soon reached everyone''s ears.


    Thissted for a few seconds before the deafening silence returned.


    But it was merely a brief calm before the storm, for a loud roar reverberated inside the underground tunnels after a minute passed.


    This roar felt and sounded very different from the Goblins. It was as if an ancient monster had awakened from its sleep and had now emerged to attack those who had stepped inside its Domain.


    Loud screams, shrieks, as well as bellows, filled the underground cavern.


    The Wanderers, especially the girls, covered their lips with their trembling hands as they screamed silently from fright.


    The sounds were enough to tell them that someone was attacking the Goblins, and whatever it was, it was winning.


    This chaossted for nearly fifteen minutes before the screams began to fade.


    Clearly, the Goblins had decided to run away aftering face to face with something that they couldn''t defeat.


    The ensuing silence made everyone''s ears ring, deafening to the point that it started to hurt.


    No one dared to say anything, fearing that doing so might make whatever chased off the Goblinse to find them next.


    But this unanimous decision to keep silent was broken by someone who thought that the coast was already clear.


    "Alright. It seems that all of us are now safe."


    Half a minuteter, a faint glow appeared in front of everyone, allowing them to see the boy who was covered entirely in ck armor.


    Thirteen nced at the petrified kids who seemed to have forgotten how to breathe after he broke the silence.


    Finding their reaction funny, he took off his helmet and blew on his torchlight as if blowing a candle, making the surroundings dark again.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked as everyone was once again shrouded by the darkness. "Are you afraid of the dark?"


    As if waiting for that moment, two giant fiery eyes appeared behind the ten-year-old, casting an eerie light in the surroundings.


    This time, the Wanderers all screamed as the owner of those eyes suddenly made its entire body burst into mes.


    The Magma Bal-Boa, Rocky, wanted to tease the teenagers and give them a fright.


    He just didn''t expect that his appearance would frighten them to the extent that some of them fainted and lost consciousness.


    Thirteen nced behind his back and scratched his head as a reaction to Rocky''s antics.


    Tiona, on the other hand, hissed and praised her subordinate for making a grand entrance.


    "Don''t worry everyone," Thirteen said. "This is Rocky, and he is a friend of mine. He won''t hurt any of you."


    Phoebe and the others, who had recognized the Magma Bal-Boa, sighed in relief because they really thought that they were goners.


    When everyone finally calmed down, Thirteen, Phoebe, and Herman started their meeting.


    Rocky left the scene to check the surroundings and make sure there were no other threats lurking inside the underground cavework.


    With such a powerful monster as their ally, the Wanderers finally had enough peace of mind to settle down and discuss the situation properly.


    "First things first, let me introduce myself," Thirteen said. "My name is Zion Leventis, and I¡ª".


    Before Thirteen could even finish his sentence, one of the girls squealed, forcing Thirteen to look behind him.


    For a moment, he thought that another monster aside from the mischievous Rocky had appeared behind him. But, seeing that no one was there, he looked back at the girl that screamed in confusion.


    "Are you really Zion Leventis?!" the girl who screamed asked in excitement. "The Legendary Rookie who orchestrated the defeat of a Majin Prince?!"


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before replying.


    "Yes, I am Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied.


    "Wow! He is really Zion Leventis!"


    "To think that he really existed! I thought that it was just propaganda by the Leventis Family."


    "Wait. ording to the reporters, isn''t he the son of Gerald Leventis? The one who was kicked out of the Leventis Family?"


    "Who cares who his father is? Have you ever seen anyone defeat a Majin Prince? Even the Monarchs don''t dare fight them!"


    "Sir Zion, can I get your autograph?"


    "Can I shake hands with you?"


    "Hey, can I be your friend? I want to brag when I return to Pangea that I am a friend of Zion Leventis."


    Thirteen was overwhelmed by the reaction of the Wanderers because he had no idea that his name had already spread far and wide in Pangea.


    Little did he know that he was now the idol of a lot of Wanderers, especially those who had just be Rookies.


    Of course, the Leventis Family prevented anyone from interviewing Gerald and his Family to ask for confirmation about their son''s appearance in Solterra.


    However, even if outsiders didn''t manage to get their side of the story, the Wanderers who had been with him started to spread his story far and wide.


    Since one of the teenagers who had apanied him on his quest was a scion of the Remington n, this news gained credibility. Harry also didn''t shy away from sharing his experience in the Valbarra Archipgo to everyone.


    However, some thought that the news was just an exaggerated story. Even the Monarchs didn''t believe that a boy who had fought against Majin Prince would survive the encounter.


    Since no one had seen Thirteen after the battle in the Valbarra Archipgo, most people thought that he had died because he wasn''t sent back to Pangea.


    However, Herman and the other Wanderers, who were seeing him now, all looked at him with awe and worship.


    Thirteen suddenly felt Tiona nudging his cheek. It was as if she wanted him to wipe away the smug look that appeared on his face.


    This was the first time that the System of Cannon Fodders had people praising him and looking at him as if he was a celebrity, so his body reacted naturally, making him look and feel smug.


    Phoebe and her team also idolized him.


    They had grown a bit numb to his extraordinary exploits after hearing Rianna praise him over and over in their inner circle, so they were able to contain their feelings when he introduced himself to them the first time.

 Chapter 265 Whatever Choices You Make, You Should Not Blame Others For Their Outcome

    <h4>Chapter 265 Whatever Choices You Make, You Should Not me Others For Their Oue </h4>


    Knowing that things wouldn''t progress if he stayed silent, the teenage boy cleared his throat in order to divert the attention of the Wanderers to other matters.


    "Okay.let''s put that aside for now." Thirteen, who was brought back to reality by Tiona, decided to deal with the current situation first. "Herman, what do you n to do now? Do you wish to stay here and use the underground caves as your base of operations?"


    The teenage boy with short reddish brown hair and blue eyes nced at his team, wanting to see if they were willing to stay and use the caves as their base.


    However, after seeing the anxious look on their faces, he understood that his teammates had no intention of staying underground and hiding from their enemies.


    But instead of answering Thirteen, he shifted his attention to Phoebe and asked her a question.


    "Were you also attacked by Goblins?" Herman asked.


    "Yes," Phoebe replied. "It was Zion who came to our rescue. After that, he said that he wanted to talk to you, so we came here."


    Phoebe didn''t need to tell the rest of the story since all of them were now together in one ce.


    "Do you n to go with him?" Herman inquired.


    Phoebe nodded. "You also saw it, right? With that monster as his friend, the chances of my team surviving this mission if we stick to him is very high. Besides, Rianna kept telling me that if I happen to cross paths with him, I should always take his words seriously."


    After hearing the answers to his question, Herman finally shifted his attention to the boy who had be popr in Pangea.


    "If we listen to you, do you think we will have a higher chance of going back to our world?" Herman asked.


    As an heir of one of the Ten Prestigious Families, he also prided himself in his ability to survive in Solterra.


    However, after what he experienced just now, he realized that the extensive training he got from his family wouldn''t guarantee that he would be able to return to Pangea alive.


    "Your life is your own," Thirteen replied. "Whatever choices you make, you should not me others for their oue. I will not tell you that if you follow me, I can guarantee that you will be able to return to Pangea.


    "Thest time I made that kind of promise, I almost died after facing a Majin Prince. Besides, there is someone that I need to protect here in the Arcadia Archipgo. I will prioritize her life over all of you."


    "Are you talking about Shasha?" Herman arched an eyebrow. "Is she also here?"


    "You know my sister?" Thirteen couldn''t help but arch an eyebrow because his sister sure was popr.


    "How can I not know who she is?" Herman asked. "Did you forget? You are like a celebrity. So, naturally, your family members are also very popr in Pangea. You should see how many teenage boys are trying to get close to her."


    "How about you?" Thirteen asked with genuine curiosity. "Are you one of those boys?"


    "I already have a fiance."


    "I see."


    For a brief moment, the ten-year-old thought that he would need to deal with another Kane Stard, who had recently started calling him "Brother Zion".


    There was also the fact that Taiga seemed to have developed a crush on his sister.


    With so many boys trying to get Shasha''s attention, Thirteen felt that he should permanently station O1 and O2 as his sister''s protectors from now on.


    "So, what is the reason you came to look for me?" Herman inquired. "Are you trying to rally all the Wanderers to form one group?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "Originally, I only nned to ask you guys about what you intend on doing to tackle your missions. Depending on your answers, I will share with you some information that might help all of you enter the Gate of the Moonlight.


    The moment the Wanderers heard his statement, all of them paid more attention to his words.


    "I don''t mind joining your group," Herman stated. "But I want to retainmand over my people. However, if some of them wish to transfer to your sister''s team, I will allow them to leave."


    Thirteen nodded. "How about you, Phoebe? Do you n to do the same?"


    "Yes," Phoebe replied in a heartbeat. "Although I would like to join a bigger organization, I also wish to retain authority over my team. We are already used to fighting together, so we are better as an independent unit."


    "Good, let''s go with that," Thirteen agreed. "I also don''t n tomand many people, so I''ll just treat all of you as independent teams. However, I expect that all of you will join the meetings that I will set up. That way, we will be able to work together to achieve amon goal."


    Phoebe and Herman both agreed to Thirteen''s statement.


    Truth be told, they also wanted to personally see if the stories about him were true or if they were just something that had gotten blown out of proportion.


    "Okay, listen well¡ªI will now share the information I gathered with all of you," Thirteen said before telling them about the two Rank 8 Sovereigns and the two Pyramids that they treated as their home.


    When Phoebe, Herman, and the Wanderers heard his story, all of them turned pale because of the gravity of the situation.


    None of them could even hope to defeat a Rank 5 Sovereign, let alone a Rank 8 who could easily kill all of them a hundred times over.


    "The Arcadia Archipgo isposed of four inds," Thirteen exined. "The Rank 8 Unicorn is on the First Ind, while the Rank 8 Beholder is in Alkaid. Just like all of you, there are also Wanderers on the First and Fourth Ind.


    Since you guys are the closest, I decided to visit all of you first before checking the other Inds to see how the other Wanderers are faring.


    "After figuring out how all of us can work together, I will try investigating the Pyramids to look for clues about the Gate of the Moonlight. All of you are free to do whatever you want until then."


    Phoebe and Herman nced at each other, both feeling anxious about their current situation.


    If what Zion said were true, then they should prepare themselves for the worst possible oue.


    However, after remembering that the boy in front of them had faced something stronger than a Rank 8 Sovereign, both of them felt a bit hopeful, especially after knowing that Shasha Leventis was also in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    As long as she was there, Zion would definitely go above and beyond to make sure that his sister would return to Pangea, where their family was waiting for their safe return.

 Chapter 266 I Didn’t Know You Have Suicidal Tendencies

    <h4>Chapter 266 I Didn¡¯t Know You Have Suicidal Tendencies</h4>


    After everyone decided that they would follow Thirteen back to the Second Ind, they headed toward a cliff where a Ship was docked.


    He had asked Rocky to go ahead of them so that he could unload the Trolls and the Ogres on the ship without arousing any suspicion from the Wanderers.


    After everyone arrived at their destination, the ten-year-old asked them to do something, which made their faces turn pale.


    "You want us to jump?" Phoebe asked anxiously. "Are you sure we need to jump down to the ship?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Don''t worry. Just do what I do."


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate to jump down on the ship, which was right below the cliff. A secondter, his descent slowed down until both of his feetnded safely on the ship''s deck.


    "See?" Thirteen said. "Just trust me and do it. It''s perfectly safe."


    Seeing that none of the Wanderers was willing to go first, Herman gritted his teeth before jumping off the cliff.


    Simr to what happened to the younger boy earlier, his descent slowed down until hended safely on the deck of the ship.


    Then, it finally hit him.


    There were three Trolls standing on the ship, holding staves, and they were looking up at the cliff as if waiting to see if there would be other teenagers that were going to jump off it.


    They were the Alpha Troll Shamans, the rare kind of Troll that could use spells.


    Seeing that Herman was safe and sound, Phoebe gathered her courage and jumped as well.


    When she, too,nded safely on the deck of the ship. The Wanderers were finally assured that they had nothing to worry about.


    The Wanderers jumped one by one, and each time they did, the fear on the hearts of the ones who were still on the cliff lessened.


    A few minutester, all the Wanderers were standing at the deck of the ship, feeling relieved that their little test of courage was finally over.


    "Set sail," Thirteen ordered, and the Trolls and Ogres stepped into action.


    They unfurled the sail, and the three Troll Shamans summoned a gust of wind to push the ship back to the Second Ind, where Shasha was waiting for her brother''s return.


    The Second Ind was also the biggest ind of the Arcadia Archipgo. Fortunately, Shasha''s base was near the beach, so it didn''t take long for them to reach their destination.


    But the ship couldn''t be moved to shallow waters, so they had to use the smaller boats that Thirteen took out from his Storage Ring.


    The Ring of the Apocalypse had a storage space of two-hundred square meters, so he could store a few things inside of it without worry.


    Since the wooden boats had a simple identical design, Thirteen had stacked them on top of each other, saving a lot of space.


    All in all, he had six of these small wooden boats, which could hold all of the members of his crew.


    Since they would be ferrying the Wanderers, each ship was manned by two Trolls, apanied by six Wanderers.


    Although he could fit one or two more Wanderers to make it efficient, he decided that it would be safer for them if they just stuck to six Wanderers per wooden boat.


    Herman and Phoebe volunteered to be left behind, allowing their people to go to the shore first.


    While waiting for the boats to return, the two of them talked to Thirteen and asked him a few questions about the hierarchy of the Wanderers on the second Ind.


    "Simr to what you proposed, there are two leaders on the Second Ind," Thirteen stated. "One of them is my sister, Shasha, and the other is Kane Stard. Kane has more Wanderers under hismand, and he is acting as their leader even now."


    Since Thirteen nned to treat Kane, Phoebe, and Herman as Team Leaders of their respective Teams, he decided to answer all of their questions to the best of his abilities.


    "So, what do you really n to do after gathering all the Wanderers from the First and Fourth Inds?" Herman inquired. "Will we all attack one of the Rank 8 Sovereigns in order to investigate the Pyramid?"


    "I didn''t think that you''d have suicidal tendencies," Thirteen replied in a teasing tone. "Do you really think that ordinary teenage boys and girls, numbering in the hundreds, would have a chance of defeating a Rank 8 Sovereign? In their eyes, we''re just bugs that they can pinch to oblivion."


    "But, depending on the bug, they can be deadly as well," Phoebe countered. "Also, you have experience facing off against a Majin Prince. Compared to that Powerhouse, Rank 8 Monsters are easier to fight, right?"


    Thirteen shook his head firmly. "This and that arepletely different. Although a Rank 8 Sovereign is weaker than a Majin Prince, it doesn''t change the fact that it is still a very strong monster."


    The younger boy didn''t want to borate that he only managed to win because he had several weeks to prepare an ideal battlefield, as well as the perfect counter to Arundel, which would allow him to have a shot at victory.


    Their current circumstances were different.


    He didn''t have the resources of thousands of Beast Cores in his disposal, which would''ve allowed him to create a Rune Formation that could trap the Unicorn or the Beholder.


    He was only able to lure Arundel to the center of the formation because he taunted him by using the Majin Prince''s greatest shame of pleading with his life.


    That was something that the Majin Prince didn''t want anyone to know about, even if it were his subordinates who hadn''t been there when it happened.


    "For the time being, your mission is to absorb as many Cores as possible, which will allow all of you to breakthrough to the Rookie Rank," Thirteen exined. "I will investigate the Pyramids on my own because it will be easier that way."


    Thirteen had already thought of a few ways he could infiltrate the two Pyramids with a high chance of sess.


    For now, he just wanted all the Wanderers to gather on the Second Ind so that when he finally understood how to make the Gate of the Moonlight appear, all the Wanderers would have a chance to return to Pangea.


    He wasn''t really doing this for any noble reason.


    He simply refused to turn a blind eye to those he could have helped if he was able to.


    Thirteen didn''t want to have any regrets in this lifetime. Since it was also hisst mission before returning to Pangea, he also wanted the teenagers, who had been spirited away from their families and friends, to have a second chance at life.

 Chapter 267 Look At Me When You Answer, Fool

    <h4>Chapter 267 Look At Me When You Answer, Fool </h4>


    "Wee back, Brother!" Kane excitedly greeted the moment he saw Thirteen riding on top of Giga, followed by dozens of Wanderers, heading toward their camp.


    Herman, who heard Kane''s bootlicking, smirked because he had already expected to see something like this happen.


    It wasn''t a secret that one of the Scions of the Stard Family was smitten with Shasha Leventis.


    He could understand why many were attracted to her. Not only was she beautiful, but she was very talented as well.


    There had been a small tournament held at one of the gatherings of the Monarch ns, and Shasha participated in them.


    To everyone''s surprise, she defeated all her opponents, including the teenagers from the Monarch ns.


    The Stard n also recognized her strength, which was the reason why they weren''t getting in the way of Kane''s attempt to woo Shasha.


    In fact, if Herman didn''t already have a fiancee, the Patriarch of the Nightshade Family might have asked him to also try and seduce the youngdy, whom everyone recognized as one of the strongest Rookies of the young generation.


    Thirteen ignored Kane and walked past him.


    The person he wanted to see was Shasha, but his sister was inside the cave and meditating.


    Kane, who had been ignored, scratched his head before ncing in the direction of the neers.


    He recognized a few faces, and he even smiled when he saw Herman from the crowd.


    "Herman, it''s good to see you here," Kane said as he approached his acquaintance. "How have you been for the past few weeks?"


    "Just fine," Herman replied after seeing that Kane was being friendly with him.


    Herman had above average looks, but Kane didn''t see him as a threat for Shasha''s affection because the former already had a fiance.


    "How did Brother Zion convince all of you to follow him?" Kane inquired. "Did something happen?"


    As someone who was raised by the Monarch n, Kane believed that Herman wasn''t the type to be someone else''s subordinate.


    If he weren''t head over heels with Zion''s sister, Shasha, he would have refused to merge their group together.


    However, after knowing that they were up against two Rank 8 Sovereigns, Kane decided that it was wise to hug Thirteen''s thigh. He felt that he''d have a higher chance of surviving if he stuck to him.


    "Things happened," Herman replied, not nning to borate. "How about you? How did he convince you?"


    "He didn''t convince me," Kane replied. "I just thought that cooperating with Shasha''s team was a good decision."


    Herman scoffed. "Look at me when you answer, fool. It''s very obvious that you''re not telling me everything."


    Kane pretended not to hear what he had just said and approached some of his acquaintances who were part of Herman''s group.


    Phoebe and her team came from Military Families, so they didn''t have any interaction with the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families.


    All of them mostly stayed within the circle of the Military Families, which only strengthened their will to cooperate with each other.


    When the two groups finally settled in, Shasha''s right-hand woman, Miriam, served food so that everyone could eat.


    While Thirteen went to the Third Ind, all the Wanderers on the Second Ind started to hunt monsters in earnest.


    They made sure that their territory was safe from monsters who might attack them when they were least prepared.


    Poca and Vassago had already scouted the ind, and Thirteen made a makeshift map in ordance with their report. He told the leaders of the group to stay away from certainndmarks because they were the territory of lower-ranked Overlords and Sovereigns.


    The Wanderers might be able to defeat a Rank 3 Monster if they worked together, but fighting against Overlords and Sovereigns still required more manpower.


    Also, only those who had been trained to fight could handle such monsters. The rest could only y a support role from the back.


    Not all Wanderers were born from well-off families, so the majority of them didn''t have any survival skills.


    Even so, they had no choice but to learn how to fight if they wished to survive their first mission in Solterra.


    "You''re back, Zion," Shasha said as soon as she sensed her brother''s presence. "How did your trip go?"


    She was currently meditating at the deepest part of the cave, and she knew that the only one who would dare to disturb her was her brother.


    Even Kane didn''t dare to offend Shasha while she was meditating.


    Of course, there was another reason why no one could approach her. Taiga was blocking the path, while staying a hundred meters away from her.


    Taiga naturally didn''t dare to stop his Master, so Thirteen walked past him easily.


    "I brought all the Wanderers from the Third Ind here," Thirteen replied. "They are led by Herman Nightshade, and a girl named Phoebe. You can meet themter."


    Shasha nodded. "I know who Herman is, but I don''t know anyone named Phoebe."


    "She''s from the military."


    "I see."


    Shasha hadn''t interacted with any teenager from the Military Families since her grandfather, Arthur, only brought her to the parties of the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families.


    "Are you going to visit the First Ind next?" Shasha inquired.


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "Compared to the Beholder, I''m hoping that the Unicorn will be more sociable."


    "Are you nning to talk to it?" Shasha arched an eyebrow.


    "No." Thirteen shook his head. "There''s a higher chance that it would want to talk if you were there."


    Unable to understand what her brother meant, Shasha tilted her head in confusion.


    Thirteen only smiled, not nning to tell her one of the quirks of the Unicorns.


    They only interacted with maidens, especially chaste maidens.


    If Thirteen were to talk to the Unicorn, there was a high chance that it would either stomp him, kick him, or stab him with its horn to oblivion.


    Also, Thirteen didn''t believe that the Unicorn was unaware of the presence of humans in its territory.


    Because of this, he nned to first approach the Wanderers living on the First Ind cautiously.


    They might have already entered into an agreement with the Rank 8 Sovereign. If that were the case and he did something reckless, there was a chance that both the Wanderers and the Rank 8 Monster would team up against him.

 Chapter 268 Something Of Equivalent Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 268 ? Something Of Equivalent Exchange</h4>


    "Zion, my dear friend, where are you right now?" Camazotz rested his hand on the ten-year-old''s shoulder and gave thetter the most devilish smile he could muster. "Please tell me your location. I promise I won''t send my friends to hunt you down."


    "Mmm. I am currently in Mammon''s City," Thirteen replied casually. "Feel free to visit me anytime."


    "Tsk!" Camazotz would always ask the young human boy about his location whenever he saw thetter in the Conference Room of the Apocalypse.


    He was hoping that Thirteen would slip up so that his whereabouts would finally be known to him.


    In the past three years, the members of the Order of the Apocalypse had shown the boy''s face to their subordinates, as well as their acquaintances.


    They even discreetly ced a bounty on his head, but it was not to kill him. The bounty was only asking for any relevant information rted to him, especially where he was currently at.


    For the past three years, Thirteen had been ying hide and seek with the members of the order. But to this day, none of them were able to get a scent of his trail.


    The only one who wasn''t making any moves to look for him was none other than Kamrusepa.


    Camazotz and the others had tried to hire her services in order to look for Thirteen''s location. Unfortunately, whenever they tried, Kamrusepa would turn them down.


    At first, they thought that the reward they offered to give her wasn''t enough.


    They only gave up after Kamrusepa told everyone that she was unable to use her divination to locate any member of the Order due to a mysterious power protecting them all.


    Also, Kamrusepa found Zion quite interesting. The young boy had defeated Arundel despite being at a disadvantage, so she knew that the boy couldn''t be someone ordinary.


    He might be weak, but there was something about him that made her believe that the boy was someone they needed if they wished to break the status quo between the Celestials and the Fiends who ruled over Solterra.


    "Alright. Please don''t disturb me for now, Mr. Death Bat," Thirteen said as he pried Camazotz''s hand from his shoulder. "I need to talk with Metatron. I still haven''t gotten my reward from the treasury."


    Camazotz loudly sighed because he found Zion''s missions very unfair. All the boy needed to do was kill Rank 4 Sovereigns, and he would gain Apocalypse Points, which would allow him to unlock the otheryers of the treasury and get some very rare items from its keeper, Metatron.


    Thirteen had only been in the order for three years, yet he had already unlocked the secondyer and was already halfway to being able to unlock the thirdyer.


    Camazotz had joined the order earlier than Zion, but he had yet to unlock the secondyer.


    Because of this, he was very bitter about the boy who could just kill Rank 4 Sovereigns without too much effort.


    To make matters worse, if he killed a Rank 5 Sovereign, he would gain 5 points. If he killed a Rank 6 Sovereign, he would get 30 points.


    A Rank 7 would him 100 points, and a Rank 8 would him 600 points.


    A Rank 9 was 4000 points, andst but not the least, a Majin Prince would give him 10,000 Points.


    Thirteen oftenmented that if possible, he would like to kill Camazotz since he looked easier to kill than Arundel, making the Death Bat snort.


    It was no exaggeration to say that Thirteen held a very special position within the order.


    Some of the members were even considering helping him achieve his goal. After all, once he unlocked the finalyer of the treasury, he would be able to receive Pandoras'' Box.


    This was the one thing that all of them were aiming for, and realistically speaking, the one closest to obtaining it was none other than the weakest member of their organization.


    After entering the Treasury, Metatron appeared in front of him with a smile on his face.


    "Wee back, Thirteen," Metatron said. "How are you faring in your new adventure? Did you perhapse here because you have hit a wall that you cannot ovee using normal means?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "Actually, I am here to ask you for some rmendations, Metatron."


    In the past three years, Thirteen had acquired two more items from the treasury.


    One of them was a Sea Conch, which he received after joining the order.


    The second one was a portable teleporter, which allowed him to set three waypoints that would let him travel to those ces almost instantly.


    But there was a catch.


    He could only set waypoints to the ces where he had been.


    Aside from that, the teleportation was a one-way thing.


    For example, if he teleportedfrom the Arcadia Archipgo to the Valbarra Archipgo, he wouldn''t be able to return to the former if he didn''t set a waypoint there.


    The waypoint could also only carry a maximum of six individuals each time. If he were to teleport with Tiona, she would be counted as a second individual.


    But this was not an issue at all, for he had a way to make things more convenient.


    He could simply let everyone enter Rocky''s Mobile Fortress and teleport the Magma Bal-Boa with him to the ce where he wanted to go, then unload everyone at their destination.


    Every member of the order who had managed to unlock the secondyer of the Gate had this portable teleporter as well.


    It was Metatron''s highly rmended item, and it served the Majin Princes'' and Princesses'' well.


    "So, what do you need?" Metatron inquired. "Remember, I cannot give you special treatment. You can only receive one item this year from the treasury. You will have to wait until after the Winter Solstice to get another item from the treasury."


    "I know." Thirteen nodded. "I have two questions. The first one is¡ªwill it be possible to exchange items in the treasury for something just as important? For example, information?"


    "Information?" Metatron pondered for a bit. "Well, information is indeed a valuable thing. Depending on what it is, I might consider trading it for something of equivalent exchange."


    "Then, what if I exchanged a treasure here instead of information?" Thirteen inquired. "Since the treasury can house extremely rare items of the Mythical, Legendary, and Divine Rank, is it possible to trade something of equivalent value?"


    information?" Thirteen inquired. "Since the treasury can house extremely rare items of the Mythical, Legendary, and Divine Metatron didn''t answer right away. Instead, he pondered for a bit. A few minutester, he reluctantly nodded his head, making Thirteen sigh in relief.


    Since there was room for negotiation, he would be able to exchange items within the treasury, without the need to wait for the Winter Solstice toe.


    "As long as it is indeed worth exchanging, I will consider it," Metatron stated. "In fact, if it is truly unique, I am willing to exchange more than one item from the treasury. But, remember this, it must only be of equivalent value."


    Thirteen nodded. "Then, there is something I want to ask you."


    "Ask away."


    "Um, I am currently in this kind of situation¡­"


    Thirteen told Metatron about the two Boss Monsters whom he might need to fight in order to clear his current quest.


    After Thirteen told the other party about what he needed, Metatron only chuckled before summoning an item from the 2nd Layer of the Treasury.


    "I believe this is the item that you are looking for," Metatron said. "Remember, this is a consumable. After using it once, it will disappear. So, are you going to use yourst opportunity in the treasury to exchange for this item?"


    "Tell me more about what it can do first," Thirteenmented.


    Metatron was more than happy to tell him what the item was capable of doing.


    After Thirteen asked the Guardian a few more things, he decided that it was truly the item that he needed toplete his current mission.


    "Thanks, I just hope that I will not need to use this anytime soon," Thirteen said.


    "Well, in any case, I already told you what you need to know," Metatron smirked. "Good luck, and do your best not to die, Zion. I was sincere when I said that I have taken a liking to you. So, as long as you don''t n on breaking any rules of the order, I will help you in any way that I can."


    Thirteen nodded, and returned to the second ind of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    After wracking his mind, he really couldn''t think of any way to deal with the Unicorn and the Beholder that he might need to fight in the future.


    For this reason, he resorted to using hisst chance to get an item from the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    ''I''m going to the first ind first,'' Thirteen thought. ''Vassago''s report will probably give me the information I need without the need for a direct confrontation.''


    Thirteen had already bid his farewell to Shasha and the others.


    He also left the bulk of his forces to protect her and the other Wanderers.


    The only creatures who would be apanying him to the first Ind were Tiona and cky.


    Since he had evolved into a Rank 5 Sovereign called a Nightmare ck Hound, cky had be stronger and faster than ever before.


    Also, cky was a good swimmer, which was the main reason why he nned to only take cky with him on his expedition.


    Using a boat might alert the Unicorn, so he nned to travel as stealthily as he could, lowering the risk of identally provoking the Rank 8 Sovereign, whom he had to face sooner orter.

 Chapter 269 The Southern Part Of The Island Is Off Limits

    <h4>Chapter 269 The Southern Part Of The Ind Is Off Limits</h4>


    It was noon when Thirteen arrived at his destination.


    Just as he expected, it didn''t take long for cky to swim from the Second Ind to the First Ind.


    Vassago, who had also apanied him on his trip, flew ahead of him to observe the Wanderers, as well as the Unicorn from the sky.


    He knew that his Master would want a detailed report of the current situation, so he did his job properly.


    By the time cky touched down on the shore, Vassago was already there to greet them while perched on a coconut tree.


    "Master, the Unicorn is currently inside the Pyramid with his¡­ pets," Vassago said.


    "Good," Thirteen replied. "Let''s visit the first team of Wanderers first."


    Vassago nodded and once again took off in the air.


    Thirteen on the other hand, told cky to rest for a while and follow his scent once he had properly rested.


    Since Vassago was with him, he didn''t have to worry about running into strong monsters in the surroundings.


    They hadnded near the territory of the Wanderers, so it didn''t take a long time for Thirteen to find their camp.


    ''Vassago was right. All of them are boys.'' Thirteen mused. ''The Unicorn took all the girls.''


    From his perspective, this was the Unicorn being merciful to the Wanderers. Since it tolerated the boys in its territory, that meant that he would allow them to do whatever they wanted on the first ind.


    But, of course, the Unicorn not hurting the boys was still unconfirmed.


    There might have been a one-sided agreement from both sides since the Wanderers didn''t dare to offend such a powerful monster.


    ''If the Unicorn doesn''t n to hurt the Wanderers then I don''t need to bring them to the second ind,'' Thirteen thought. ''Having Wanderers here to keep watch on what is happening in the Ind is also a good thing.''


    With these thoughts in his head, Thirteen made his way to the First Camp.


    The first one to make contact wasn''t him, but the Wanderers who were out on a hunting mission.


    When they saw a boy that they hadn''t seen before, all of them ran in his direction, and asked him if he was a Wanderer.


    "Yes, I am a Wanderer," Thirteen replied. "I just arrived here on this ind."


    "Then, why do you have the ck snake on your neck?" one of the teenage boys asked. "Isn''t it poisonous?"


    "It is very poisonous," Thirteen replied. "I saved it from being eaten by a hawk, so it has taken a liking to me."


    Tiona, who was coiled up on her Master''s neck, nodded her head, as if telling everyone that her Master was telling the truth.


    Of course, this was a lie. But sometimes, lying was just as important as telling the truth.


    "Well, it''s a good thing that you stumbled to our camp first," the teenage boymented. "If you went to the wrong ce, you''d be dead by now."


    The three other teenagers nodded their heads in agreement to their leader''s words.


    "For the time being, why don''t you apany us first?" the teenage boy proposed.?"My name is Raon, by the way."


    Raon was taller than most boys his age, and he also had a lean and toned body.


    Clearly, he was someone who had trained on how to fight before he was spirited away to Solterra.


    "Okay, I''lle with you because all of you look strong," Thirteen replied.


    Raon rubbed his nose, and the smile on his face widened. The three other teenagers who were part of his hunting team also had a good first impression of the boy.


    "This guy here with the sses is Tom," Raon said as he pointed at his friend. "The skinny boy is Finn, and this is the smartest person in our group. He goes by the name Joe."


    After introducing his teammates, Thirteen introduced himself as Zion.


    He didn''t add his surname because he didn''t want to deal with the aftermath of having the same name as one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Before following Raon''s team, Thirteen whistled and told Vassago to pass his message to cky.


    For the time being, the Nightmare ck Hound would hide its presence, while doing its best to stay as close to his Master as possible.


    After sessfully hunting a Rank 1 Boar, Raon, and his team, made sure to bleed out the monster before carrying it back to their base.


    Thirteen didn''t do anything and simply watched them hunt the monster as a team, which was, to his surprise, a very impressive feat.


    Clearly, the four teenagers truly understood how to work as a team, so it didn''t take them a long time to bring down the Rank 1 with their Bronze-Ranked Weapons.


    Half an hourter, they finally arrived at their destination.


    All in all, the Wanderers on the first camp consisted of only eighteen individuals, including Raon''s team.


    Along the way, Raon told him that there had been more of them in the past. But many had died due to the monsters inhabiting the First Ind.


    After skinning the Boar, the teenagers worked together to roast it over their campfire.


    There was a spirit of unity, and it confirmed Thirteen''s guess that Raon was the leader of this group of Wanderers.


    After all of them ate together, the other Wanderers introduced themselves one by one, allowing Thirteen to know all of their names.


    Just like earlier, he introduced himself as Zion, without mentioning his surname.


    Then, after thinking that the time was right, he asked an "innocent question" which made everyone''s face turn solemn.


    "Are there only boys here?" Thirteen asked.


    A profound silence descended on the camp, and only the crackling of the campfire could be heard.


    Finally, a few minutester, Raon broke the silence and answered Thirteen''s question.


    "Do you remember what I told you earlier?" Raon asked.


    "The thing about I''m lucky because I found you guys first?" Thirteen answered.


    "Yes," Raon nodded. "If you wandered to the southern part of this ind, you might be dead by now."


    Thirteen, who showed a look of confusion in his face, made Raon and the other boys sigh in their hearts.


    "Listen, the southern part of the ind is off limits," Raon stated. "There is a monster there that can easily crush you like an insect."


    "What kind of Monster?"


    "¡­ A Unicorn."


    Raon''s face darkened as if he clenched his fists tightly.


    "A monster that goes by the name Vega," Raon said in a cold tone. "It came to us one day, and threatened to kill all of us if we didn''t agree to its condition."


    The other teenage boys, who were listening, couldn''t help but look down on the ground, feeling helpless as they remembered that fateful day.


    "It said that it would allow us to live, and stay here in the Ind if all the girls were to serve and live with it," Raon stated. "My sister, and the rest of the girls, agreed to his condition so that we would be spared from death.


    "Fortunately, it allows my sister to visit us once a week to inform us that all of them are safe and sound. ording to her, all of them were being treated well, and they didn''t have to worry about food, or any other necessities ever again."


    Thirteen found his words to be exactly what he had thought that the Unicorn would do.


    The girls serving it wasn''t necessarily a bad thing because they would be protected by it. Also, they wouldn''t need to worry about having to hunt for food because the Unicorn would do it for them.


    "My mission is to enter the Gate of the Moonlight," Thirteen said after Raon had finally regained his calm. "Do all of you have the same mission?"


    "Yes," Raon nodded. "That is the mission we have."


    "Then, do you have any idea on where this Gate of the Moonlight is?" Thirteen inquired.


    Raon frowned, and reluctantly gave an answer.


    "I''m not entirely sure, but I think the ce where the Unicorn lives has a clue about the gate," Raon answered. "In fact, this is what my sister told me, so she is doing her best to investigate the interior of the cave.


    "The Unicorn doesn''t mind the girls exploring its home. ording to my sister, there are several writings etched within the inner chambers of the pyramid. Unfortunately, she didn''t know what kind ofnguage that is, and how to decipher it."


    Thirteen smiled internally after hearing Raon''s words.


    He had already guessed that the clue to find the Gate of the Moonlight was indeed inside the Pyramid.


    Now that his suspicion was confirmed, he would need to think of a way to infiltrate the Pyramid, without alerting the Unicorn, and make sure that he would be able to see those writings for himself.


    As someone who could understand any form ofnguage in the world, he believed that he would be able to read it properly.


    After thinking for a while, he could only think of one method on how to get what he needed without endangering anyone''s life.


    Thirteen looked at the ck Snake, who was nudging his cheek with her head.


    Tiona hissed as if understanding what her Master was thinking.


    Thirteen nodded to confirm Tiona''s question, which made the ck Snake very happy.


    Right now, the only one who could safely enter the Pyramid was none other than Tiona.


    Even if she was discovered by the Unicorn, Vega, it would not dare to kill her because killing her would get it killed as well.


    A Rank 8 Sovereign had reached its Rank because it was smart, and strong enough to understand the opponents that it could and couldn''t fight.


    Although Tiona was just a Rank 1 Monster, the Celestial who treated her kind as his Sacred Beasts, would not allow anyone to kill her with impunity.

 Chapter 270 Tiona’s Scouting Mission

    <h4>Chapter 270 Tiona¡¯s Scouting Mission </h4>


    Thirteen sat on a boulder not far from Raon''s camp.


    He made an excuse that he needed to meditate in order to calm his mind, allowing him to think in a more positive manner.


    Of course, this was far from the truth. Currently, he was currently looking through Tiona''s eyes, allowing him to see whatever she was seeing.


    This was a skill that he gained afterpleting his 7th Trial, and it was Vision Sharing.


    His Beasts Companions could share their vision with him, which was a very good scouting method, allowing Thirteen to stay at a safe location, while the others went to investigate dangerous ces.


    Right now, Tiona was burrowing deep underground, and headed towards the Pyramid.


    Since she had the skill Unblocked Passage, which allowed her to move effortlessly underground, and pass through walls, she was the perfect scout to infiltrate the Pyramid.


    It took Tiona two hours to reach the Pyramid.


    While digging underground, she was using her Detection Abilities to pinpoint the location of the Unicorn.


    She didn''t want the monster to discover her, so she was making sure that it was at the very edge of her detection range.


    Thirteen, who was feeling a bit nervous about this operation, forcefully calmed himself as Tiona went directly under the Pyramid.


    ''Don''t do anything reckless, Tiona,'' Thirteen said using his other skill, which he acquired after finishing his 9th Trial, which was Beast Companion Telepathy. ''Your safety is your utmost priority.''


    Tiona hissed telepathically, telling her Master that she understood.


    The boy didn''t always use this skill because it took arge toll on his mind, especially since he was still an ordinary human boy, and not yet a Rookie.


    Also, he wasmunicating with Tiona over a great distance, so he couldn''t always talk to her, or he would suffer a severe headache afterward.


    The two of them had already discussed the thing that Tiona needed to do after infiltrating the Pyramid.


    This would save Thirteen the effort of telling her what to do when she got there.


    After making sure that the Unicorn was outside the Pyramid, Tiona poked her head inside the pyramid and looked around.


    The pyramid was dark, but this was not a problem for Tiona, who had Dark Vision. She carefully looked around her surroundings, and seeing that there was no one around, she started to crawl up the walls to head deeper inside the structure.


    Right now, she and Thirteen were looking for any clues that might help them with the mission that he needed to finish.


    The pyramid wasrge, extremely so, and there were many ces that couldn''t easily be reached using normal means.


    Fortunately, Tiona''s skill, Unblocked Passage, allowed her to pass through walls like a ghost, so no obstacles could bar her way.


    Finally after half an hour of searching, Tiona entered a room, where a purple tablet was erected.


    On its surface was an ancient writing, which had long gone extinct in Solterra.


    Tiona gazed at this monolith from top to bottom, making sure that she saw every symbol that was written on it.


    Thirteen, who could read and talk anynguage in the world, would have no trouble tranting the monolith at ater time, so after making sure that she saw everything she had to see, she left the scene to go to the next room.


    A few seconds after she left, a presence appeared in the room of the Monolith.


    A handsome man, who seemed to be in his early thirties, looked around with a frown on his face.


    He had long silver hair, and blue eyes. The most noticeable feature was the silver horn on his forehead, which glowed faintly in the darkness.


    "Am I just imagining things?" the silver-haired man muttered as he inspected the room.


    But, no matter how much he looked, he didn''t see anything out of ce.


    Half a minuteter, he disappeared, and the room returned to its silent and dark state.


    Tiona was always in her stealth mode, so it was very hard for others to detect her. Of course, she got scared when she suddenly felt that the presence of the Unicorn had disappeared from outside of the Pyramid, and reappeared in the room that she had just left a few seconds ago.


    For the entire duration that the silver-haired man was inside the room, Tiona didn''t dare to move in fear that any movement might alert the Magical Creature, that she didn''t want to encounter no matter what, to her presence.


    She was just in the next room, so it was highly possible for the Unicorn to detect her movements if she made any attempt to escape.


    Fortunately, the Unicorn left after several minutes, allowing Tiona to regain her calm.


    This time, she scouted the pyramid more carefully, and saw more writings on the walls in the other rooms that she visited.


    The strategy that her Master had given her was simple.


    She just needed to look at the symbols once then leave, saving time, and effort in her scouting mission.


    After nearly three grueling hours, Tiona had finally seen everything inside the Pyramid.


    Within those three hours, the Unicorn appeared four times in the rooms where she had previously visited, making it a very close call.


    The first two times, the Unicorn thought that he was just being paranoid. But, on the third and fourth time, he was now certain that someone, or something, had indeed passed by the rooms where he appeared.


    Unfortunately for him, Tiona had already devised a strategy after the second encounter.


    She would just poke her head through the wall and look at the symbols before going back again.


    This was how she managed to evade the Unicorn''s third and fourth attempt to capture whatever it was that had infiltrated its domain.


    Only when Tiona was two miles away from the Pyramid did Thirteen finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ''Good work, Tiona,'' Thirteen said. ''Make sure to stay underground until you reach me. Let''s not take any chances.''


    Tiona hissed, confirming that she would do as her Master said.


    Since it would take a while for his Beast Companion to return, Thirteen focused on the images that Tiona had seen inside the Pyramid.


    Since he had an Eidetic Memory, it was very easy for him to recall the images that Tiona had seen with great rity.


    Thirteen began tranting the symbols inside his head, hoping that it would be enough to answer some of his questions.


    He was not aware that while this was happening, the Unicorn was still waiting for the intruder to show up in one of the rooms because he had finally devised a method to capture them.


    Fortunately, Tiona was already on her way back to her Master, leaving the Pyramid and its confused protector behind.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A few hourster¡­


    Tiona, who had arrived beside Thirteen, was happily eating a Beast Core that he had prepared for her.


    The ten-year-old was leaning on cky''s body, as if he was sleeping.


    Thirteen was indeed sleeping because he was mentally exhausted from keeping his connection with Tiona.


    But, it was worth it.


    While he didn''t get any information about the Gate of the Moonlight, there was a passage referring to a ceremony that would need to be conducted during a Lunar Eclipse.


    A ceremony that would cover the Arcadia Archipgo in Darkness, and allow the seconding of the Moon Princess.

 Chapter 271 Don’t Set Up A Flag

    <h4>Chapter 271 Don¡¯t Set Up A g</h4>


    When Thirteen opened his eyes, the sun was already about to set, turning the sky a purplish orange.


    His head still ached a bit, but it was manageable. After thanking Tiona once again for her hard work, he went to meet Raon, and the other Wanderers, who were already grilling several fish for their dinner.


    The moment Thirteen appeared, the leader of the Wanderers asked him to join them, which he happily epted.


    He was truly feeling hungry, and because of that, he ate at least four grilled fish, surprising the Wanderers, who didn''t expect that the younger boy had a strong appetite.


    After eating, Thirteen asked Raon to talk with him in private.


    Thetter agreed, so the two of them went near the beach, so that no one would be able to hear what they were going to talk about.


    "I n to explore the other inds," Thirteen said after Vassago informed him that the surroundings were safe. "I believe that there are other Wanderers out there who have the same mission as we do. Maybe we can all work together toplete the mission."


    Raon didn''t reply right away.


    Instead, he stared at the two moons of Solterra in the distance.


    "Zion, please tell me the truth," Raon stated. "Are you Zion Leventis?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I am Zion Leventis."


    Raon sighed deeply before shifting his gaze to the younger boy beside him.


    "I had my doubts the moment you introduced yourself to us," Raon said. "You are still too young to have been Spirited Away, so it was not very hard to guess who you really are. Do you know? You''re very popr in Pangea. People are actually looking for your whereabouts even now."


    "I know," Thirteen replied. "I came across a few Wanderers who asked me for an autograph."


    Raon chuckled after hearing the younger boy''s answer.


    "I''m d you''re here," Raonmented. "You have be a pir of hope for all the Wanderers who are about to get Spirited Away in Solterra for the first time.?For some reason, knowing that you have the same mission, I feel like we will be able to pull through this mission just fine."


    "¡­ Don''t set up a g." Thirteen shook his head. "You sound like someone who will soon die a heroic death. I''m guessing that you''ll even have shbacks mid-battle, just before you die."


    "g?" Raon tilted his head in confusion. "What g?"


    The ten-year-old''s face palmed because he forgot that people in Pangea didn''t understand the reference.


    "Never mind." Thirteen sighed. "Just don''t say things as if you are about to kick the bucket. If you do, there is a high chance that it wille true, you know?"


    Raon nodded in understanding. "Understood. Will you return here after visiting the other Inds?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "I''ll be back in a few weeks."


    Thirteen wanted to say that he would return after seven weeks, but there was a chance that his conversation with him might be leaked to others.


    After seven weeks, the Lunar Eclipse would begin, which would also be the start of the Moon Ceremony.


    However, the information he had wasn''tplete. Just like he expected, he also needed to visit the Fourth Ind where the Beholder was located.


    Until he understood everything, he didn''t dare to make guesses based on assumption.


    For something like this, he needed hard facts, and for that to happen, he would have to take another risk and send Tiona on another scouting mission.


    When he finished talking with Raon, Thirteen bid his goodbye and whistled.


    A momentter cky arrived, making Raon almost jump back in fright.


    "Rx, he is my friend," Thirteen said before mounting the Nightmare ck Hound''s back. "I''ll see you soon. Stay safe, Raon."


    "I will," Raon replied. "I''ll wait for your return."


    Thirteen nodded and urged cky to leave the first ind under the cover of darkness.


    Although his visit was short, he managed to gain everything he needed about the pyramid.


    Raon watched as Thirteen and cky disappeared in the distance.


    When he was certain that he could no longer see them, he turned around to look at the youngdy, who was standing right behind him.


    "Did you hear everything?" Raon asked the youngdy, who was also his sister, Rio.


    "I did," Rio replied. "I never thought that we would actually meet him here."


    Roan walked towards his sister and patted her head.


    "So, why are you here?" Roan asked. "Did that scumbag send you?"


    "No," Rio shook her head. "The Unicorn said that we could go wherever we wanted for the next two days. He sealed himself inside the Pyramid. It seems that he felt a presence there earlier, and is currently trying to capture whoever it was."


    The corner of Roan''s lips curled up into a smirk.


    "I think he has just be paranoid," Roanmented.


    "Or someone or something really did enter the depths of the Pyramid without his permission," Rio stated. "That was the first time I saw him look so angry, and it scared the girls around him.


    "Perhaps, knowing that his mood was affecting everyone, he told us to do whatever we wanted and note inside the pyramid for two days. Because of that, I decided to visit you here."


    "Perhaps, knowing that his mood was affecting everyone, he told us to do whatever we wanted and note inside the Roan nodded in understanding. "How is your investigation? Have you found his weakness?"


    "No," Rio shook her head. "It is impossible to kill the Unicorn with just us. Perhaps he can help us."


    Roan didn''t need to know who her sister was referring to because he was also thinking the exact same thing.


    "Let''s wait for him to return." Roan nced at the second ind in the distance. "Cristopher Rotombus said in his interview that Zion always keeps his promise. So, I''m sure that he will be back just as he said."


    "He didn''t promise anything, Brother," Rio said. "He just said that he will be back in a few weeks."


    "It''s the same thing," Raon insisted. "Since he said it, he will do it."


    "Hah~ you''re being childish again."


    "I am younger than you, so it''s perfectly fine for me to be childish, no?"


    Rio shook her head helplessly before she, too, looked at the Second Ind.


    "We can''t let him handle everything," Rio crossed her arms over her chest. "We need to work hard too. For now, make sure that you gather enough weapons, avatars, and skills. I havea feeling that we will need a miracle to get through this mission."


    Raon didn''t deny, or affirm his sister''s words.


    Just like her, he believed that they needed to contribute something to the mission, so if they were to pass it, they would be rewarded handsomely for the effort they put into their first mission in Solterra.


    Vassago, who had stayed behind ording to Thirteen''s orders, watched the twin brother and sister, and listened intently to their discussion.


    When the two finally left to return to Raon''s Camp, Vassago spread his wings and flew away.


    He had made hooting noises earlier to inform his master that a youngdy was hiding, and listening to their conversation. But, Tiona hissed and told him that it was fine.


    Since Thirteen couldn''t make any weird sounds because Raon might be suspicious, he asked Tiona to ry his message to the Pocopoco.


    Vassago was impressed by the discussion between the brother and sister because Rio was actively looking for the Unicorn''s weakness, which might help them deal it a serious blow.


    They had already deemed the Unicorn an enemy that they needed to defeat in order toplete their mission.


    So, although Thirteen didn''t ask them to do anything, they decided to take the initiative toy down the groundwork for his return.

 Chapter 272 Uncle Boo [Part 1]

    Chapter 272 Uncle Boo [Part 1]


    "Uncle Boo, have you caught any fish?" A teenage boy with short blonde hair asked.


    "Kids these days have no patience," a man, who seemed to be in histe forties, muttered. "Listen here, kiddo. Fishing is not just about catching fish. It''s a spiritual act that allows you to temper your willpower, as well as your mental strength."


    "¡­ Uncle, it''s okay. We will share the fish we caught with you," the teenage boy said with a wry smile on his face. "I mean, all of us have already caught more than thirty fish. It''s alright even if you couldn''t catch any, you know?"


    The middle-aged man, whom the boy called Uncle Boo, lightly cleared his throat before shooing the kids away with his hand.


    "You guys can go ahead and grill that fish, Lambert," Uncle Boo said. "I''m not hungry yet."


    "Okay, if you say so." Lambert nodded. "Guys, pack up. We''re going back to the camp."


    "Um, aren''t you going to try to at least persuade me toe with you guys?"


    "Nah. Men with no backbone are not popr with thedies."


    "You bastard child!" Uncle Boo red at Lambert, turning the boy into stone. The other teenagers who saw theirrade get turned into stone chuckled before leaving the petrified boy behind.


    "Everyone run! Uncle Boo is getting embarrassed again!"


    "Last one to run will get turned into stone!"


    "Hahaha!" Uncle Boo snorted before returning to his fishing. Clearly, he intended to only leave the river once he had caught a fish. He didn''t believe that he would be unable to catch anything if he tried. Thirteen watched this scene unravel from a safe distance and frowned. Everything that he saw seemed unreal that he was having a hard time believing it. ording to Tiona, the middle-aged man named Uncle Boo was the Beholder that they were looking for.


    Monsters transforming into human form wasn''t umon. In fact, it was verymon, especially for Rank 7 Monsters and above.


    But not all monsters would choose to transform into demi-humans because they felt like it was beneath them to take such a form.


    ''Why are the Wanderers acting as if one of theirrades getting petrified isn''t a big deal?'' Thirteen thought. ''Have they been brainwashed?''


    When he returned to the Second Ind, he told his sister and the others about the current situation on the First Ind. After that, Thirteen didn''t tarry and immediately began his trip to the Fourth Ind, intending to check the Pyramid located there.


    However, just like he did on the First Ind, he decided to check the conditions of the Wanderers first.


    Unlike the First Ind, where the Unicorn had gathered the girls to serve him and left the boys behind, the Beholder in the Fourth Ind seemed to have integrated himself with the team of Wanderers, even allowing them to call him Uncle Boo.


    Jinns and Majins liked to eat humans.


    But, they loved to eat Wanderers more because they were like a delicacy to them.


    This was why Thirteen found the rtionship between the Beholder and the Wanderers on the Fourth Ind truly strange.


    Not only were the kids getting along with the Beholder, they didn''t even seem worried when one of theirrades had been turned into stone right in front of them.


    Just as Thirteen was thinking about these things, the petrified Wanderer returned to a normal state as if nothing had happened.


    "Hah~ Uncle Boo. You should learn to control that temper of yours," Lambert said. "You won''t get popr with thedies if you''re always like this."


    "Shut up, or do you want me to turn you into a stone and throw you at the sea?" Uncle Boo snorted. "I''m sure you''ll be popr with the fishes there."


    Lambert lightly cleared his throat before walking away while whistling. Clearly, he pretended that he didn''t hear what the Beholder had said and went back to their camp to eat some fish.


    Seeing this scene, Thirteen couldn''t help but scratch his head.


    He didn''t know what to feel or think about this sudden turn of events.


    Of course, he knew that there were Majins who liked to coexist with people, and some of them even became the Guardian Deity of several human cities.


    But seeing the Beholder, who was known as one of the fiercest and deadliest Majins in existence, act like this made him wonder if Uncle Boo was an exception to his racial traits.


    ''Well, as long as they are safe, I guess I don''t need to make contact with them,'' Thirteen thought before he stealthily left the scene and went to the cave were cky was currently resting.


    He didn''t dare to bring cky near the Beholder because there was a risk that the Rank 8 Sovereign would feel the presence of a lower-ranked Sovereign.


    Thest thing he wanted to happen was for cky to be dog food to the Beholder.


    Uncle Boo, who was still fishing, nced in the direction where Thirteen had been hiding earlier with a calm expression on his face. He stared in that direction for half a minute before pulling his attention back to fishing. Until he caught at least one fish to show the Wanderers that he, too, could catch them, he had no ns on returning to the camp.


    After nearly an hour of backtracking, Thirteen reached the cave were cky was currently resting and saw the Nightmare ck Hound chewing a piece of bone that belonged to a monster that it had killed the day before.


    "Tiona, remember¡ªsafety first," Thirteen stated.


    Tiona nodded her head in understanding before burrowing into the ground.


    The ten-year-old took a deep breath before closing his eyes to meditate. While the Beholder''s actions confused him, he knew that this was the perfect opportunity for Tiona to do her infiltration mission.


    The ck Snake swam under the ground at great speeds, reaching her destination in just fifteen minutes.


    She had gained a bit of confidence after her first infiltration mission against the Unicorn, so she was feeling more motivated thanst time in checking the second pyramid in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    After triple checking that the Beholder was truly not within the Pyramid, Tiona poked her head out of the ground and looked around at her surroundings.


    The structure of the two Pyramids were nearly identical.


    Since she had already visited one of them, it was not that hard for her to find out where the rooms containing the writings were located.


    Using her previous experience, Tiona crawled up the wall and moved towards the center of the Pyramid. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just as she expected, the room with the Monolith was in the same ce. The only difference was that instead of purple, the color of the tablet in this particr room was gold.


    Tiona looked at the tablet from top to bottom and from bottom to top, making sure that she had seen everything.


    When she was done, she went to the next room and looked at the symbols written on the monoliths and walls. Unlike what happened in the First Pyramid, the Beholder neither returned nor showed any signs that he had detected someone inside the Pyramid.


    This emboldened Tiona, but she still practiced safety above all. Her Master had repeatedly told her that overconfidence was a slow and insidious killer. So, even if she wasn''t sensing any threat in her surroundings, she made sure to keep her guard up and to be prepared for anything.


    Three hourster, Tiona had already visited all the rooms in the Pyramid, as well as seen all the symbols on the Pyramid''s walls.


    After making sure that she had truly visited all the rooms, the ck Snake once again burrowed herself on the ground in order to head back to her Master.


    Thirteen, who had been paying close attention to Tiona, sighed in relief before opening his eyes.


    However, as soon as he regained his vision, the first thing he saw was a middle-aged man crouching in front of him with an amused look on his face.


    cky, who was supposed to be guarding Thirteen, was curled up behind the boy and shivered from time to time.


    As much as he wanted to protect his Master, there was simply no way he could do anything to a Rank 8 Sovereign, who was now looking at the ten-year-old with a devilish smile on his face.

 Chapter 273 Uncle Boo [Part 2]

    Chapter 273 Uncle Boo [Part 2]


    "Well, then. I guess introductions are in order, right?" Uncle Boo said as he looked at the ten-year-old who was looking back at him with a calm expression on his face. "The name is Boo. You can call me Uncle Boo. What''s your name?"


    "Zion," Thirteen replied.


    "So, Zion, I''ve never seen you on the ind until now," Uncle Boo looked at the younger boy with great interest. "Did you just arrive here?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered.


    "So, tell me, why did you send the Domini Mortis to the Pyramid?" Uncle Boo asked. "Are you perhaps looking for something?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I want to see if there is something inside the Pyramid that can help me clear my mission."


    The Beholder was a Rank 8 Monster that could kill him anytime, or worse, turn him into stone for an unknown period of time.


    Since that was the case, he decided to be a little honest and see if the other party would be just as merciful and kind to him as he was to the other Wanderers.


    "Are you talking about the mission about the Gate of the Moonlight?"


    "Yes, that one."


    Uncle Boo chuckled after hearing the boy''s answer. Suddenly, he raised his hand and grabbed something from behind his body.


    Tiona, who had recognized the Beholder, decided tounch a sneak attack from behind in order to help save her Master.


    Unfortunately for her, she was already in the Beholder''s detection range, so it was very easy for him to neutralize a mere Rank 1 Monster.


    "Zion, tell me something¡ªhow did someone as young as you get your hands on a Domini Mortis?" Uncle Boo asked. "Also, that monster behind you is a Rank 5 Sovereign. It looked like it was protecting you earlier, which greatly confuses me.


    "How did someone, who isn''t supposed to be here in the first ce, tame such a Beast? You''re too young to be a Wanderer. So, tell me, who sent you?"


    Thirteen blinked once because he did look younger than the other Wanderers. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But he didn''t expect that the Beholder knew a lot about Wanderers, including the requirement to be one.


    "Would you believe me if I told you that I was spirited away despite not being of age?" "Well, I guess I can. That''s the only exnation that I can think of as to why you are here. But you don''t originally belong to this ind either. That Hound and this Snake aren''t natives of Arcadia. Then, that only means one thing¡­ you traveled to this ind, no?"


    Thirteen was quite impressed by Uncle Boo''s intellect. Thetter had even urately guessed that he wasn''t a native of the ind and that he had indeed traveled to the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Seeing that the younger boy wasn''t answering, Uncle Boo chuckled before dangling Tiona in front of him.


    "Take her, and make sure that she won''t attack me again," Uncle Boo said as he handed the ck Snake to her Master. "Although I am a pacifist, that doesn''t mean that I won''t attack if someone tries to attack me first. "Of course, I won''t really kill the Domini Mortis. After all, killing it would also spell my death. I''m not that stupid."


    Thirteen told Tiona to not attack the Beholder before gently holding her in his hands.


    The ck Snake crawled up to the boy''s neck and coiled herself around it like she usually did.


    She was still wary about the Beholder, but since it didn''t make any move to harm her or her Master, she decided to just observe him for now.


    "You''re one interesting Wanderer," Uncle Boo said while rubbing his chin. A momentter, he stood up and motioned for Thirteen to follow him.


    "Come with me," Uncle Boo said. "It''s time to show those brats my triumphant return."


    The middle-aged man picked up the wooden pale beside him, which contained two fishes.


    Since the Beholder didn''t seem to show any hostility or aggression towards him, Thirteen decided to follow him for the time being and better understand why he was acting this way. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Wanderer''s Camp on the Fourth Ind¡­


    "Here, eat some more," Lambert said as he handed Zion another grilled fish that they had caught from the river.


    "Thanks," Thirteen replied and ate the grilled fish that was handed to him.


    He still couldn''t believe how his circumstances had changed so quickly. One moment, he was meditating inside the cave and watching over Tiona as she infiltrated the Pyramid, the next second, he found himself staring face to face with the Beholder.


    After that, he was taken to the Wanderer''s Camp, where he received a very warm wee.


    The Wanderers couldn''t help but contain their excitement after hearing Zion''s name. Although he didn''t say his surname, the teenagers easily identified him as Zion Leventis because of his features. "I can''t believe that a celebrity like you is here on the ind," a Wanderer, who went by the name Darren, said. "Man, do you have any idea how famous you are in Pangea?"


    "Oh, is he famous?" Uncle Boo asked as he ate the grilled fish that he had personally caught. "Really famous!" Lambert stated. "I mean, he has yed a major role in the death of a Majin Prince!"


    Uncle Boo immediately began coughing because he choked on the grilled fish that he was eating.


    Lambert hurriedly handed him a cup of water, which the Beholder took and drank greedily.


    After regaining hisposure, he once again looked at the younger boy, who was calmly eating the grilled fish in his hands as if he was used to being treated as a celebrity.


    "It seems like you have a story to tell, Zion," Uncle Boo wrapped his arm around the ten-year-old''s shoulders in a friendly manner and smirked. "Why don''t you tell us about this glorious feat of defeating a Majin Prince? I''m sure everyone here wants to hear that story, right, everyone?"


    "Yes!"


    "I want to hear it!"


    "Please tell us!"


    Thirteen, who had been strong-armed into telling the story, sighed in his heart before he began the tale.


    Just like a good storyteller, he exaggerated the story to great heights, making Uncle Boo and the Wanderers listen to him with mesmerized looks on their faces.


    The story had a lot of action, action, mystery, adventure, and tragedy.


    Thirteen didn''t mention the deaths of his subordinates because he wouldn''t be able to exin how they were revived if the other Wanderers were to see them.


    He just said that all of them suffered serious injuries and was almost at the brink of death when the battle ended.


    cky shuddered as a sobbing Uncle Boo patted its head, telling him that he did a good job surviving the Majin Prince.


    When Thirteen came to the part where the fiend, Mammon, descended on the battlefield, everyone felt goosebumps.


    The Seven Celestials and the Seven Fiends were legendary beings who were often spoken about in the various Human cities.


    Tales of their feats were something that everyone loved to hear, so Thirteen''s story about Mammon''s descent made them feel as if their blood were boiling.


    "In the end, Arundel died after his head was sliced off from his body by Cranky," Thirteen said. "Mammon then left with the Majin Prince''s body, as well as his entire army that had been turned into gold. That''s how the battle, which has been recorded by the historians of the Valbarra Archipgo, ended.


    "They called it ''The Battle of the Destroyer'' and even made a statue of me in the Valbarra Archipgo. It''s quite embarrassing really. All I did was lure the Majin Prince to the Formation and let my right-handnman, Cristopher Rotombus, deal the finishing blow. The story about me has been exaggerated too much."


    "Even so, luring a Majin Prince into a trap is not something anyone can do," Lambert said as he wiped the tears at the corner of his eyes. "Even the Monarchs wouldn''t do such a thing."


    Thirteen nodded his head because he believed that Lambert was right.


    After finishing his tale, the other Wanderers then asked Thirteen why he traveled to the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "It''s because I suddenly received a mission," Thirteen exined. "It told me that if I go to the Arcadia Archipgo, I will be able to finally return home, so here I am. I''ve been in Solterra for three years, and I really want to go home badly. I''m sure that my family misses me very much."


    Lambert and the others felt touched and pitied Zion because he had experienced too many hardships.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure that you will be able to go home soon," Lambert said as he held Thirteen''s hands. "In less than seven weeks, the Lunar Eclipse will happen, and the Gate of the Moonlight will open. We will finally be able to return to Pangea."


    Thirteen''s eyes widened in shock because he thought that only he knew this information. But after hearing Lambert''s words, he couldn''t help but ask him how he found out about this information.


    "Uncle Boo told us," Lambert replied. "He said that as long as we wait until the Lunar Eclipse, the Gate of the Moonlight will appear, and all of us just need to enter it so that we can go home."


    "I''m really lucky that I was sent here to the Arcadia Archipgo," Darren said. "I really thought that I was going to die, but Uncle Boo saved me. Now, I just have to wait until the Lunar Eclipse, and I will be able to return home. I hope all my quests are this easy!"


    Contrary to what the optimistic Wanderers believed, Thirteen never thought that this quest was easy.


    In fact, he even felt great anxiety because his Old Man, the System God, wouldn''t give him an easy quest for his Final Trial.


    Besides, his mission wasn''t about entering the Gate of the Moonlight.


    It was to prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted. As to who the Moonlight Princess was and how she would get corrupted, Thirteen had no idea.


    But his gut instinct was telling him that this was not going to be an easy mission.


    The reason for this was simple.


    Uncle Boo, who seemed very friendly and amiable, made him feel that he was more dangerous than the Unicorn who was staying at the First ind of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    But in order to hide the fear in his heart, he just smiled and nodded at Lambert''s words.


    "Yes, this is going to be a walk in the park," Thirteen said. "All of us will finally be able to go home and see our families."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Uncle Boomented. "Family is important. I had a family once, and I know just how important they are. Human lives are fleeting, and all of you are like small sparks that bloom for a brief moment before disappearing forever.


    "I sincerely wish that all of you will be able to reunite with your families, just as much as I want to be reunited with mine."


    The Wanderers was happy to hear that Uncle Boo had the same sentiment as them.


    But amidst this happiness, the System of Cannon Fodders could only hope that he would be able to solve the mystery in the Arcadia Archipgo before the arrival of the Lunar Eclipse.

 Chapter 274 Moonlight Cradle [Part 1]

    Chapter 274 Moonlight Cradle [Part 1]


    On a small hill overlooking the camp of the Wanderers on the Fourth Ind, Thirteen was sitting in meditation.


    Tiona let out a low hiss, prompting the young man to slowly open his eyes.


    The sun was starting to rise from the east, peaking over the horizon and bathing the world with its radiance.


    After deciphering the ancient text from the second Pyramid, Thirteen was finally able to understand what the two Pyramids represented and what role they yed in the bigger picture.


    And it filled him with dread.


    In less than seven weeks, the Lunar Eclipse would happen, and with it, a gateway would open.


    From that gateway, several Moon Walkers would appear.


    Their goal was to kill all Rank 2 Monsters and above in the ind, using their blood to conduct a special ceremony that would corrupt the Moon Princess, transforming her into a being that fit their needs.


    They would then take her back to their own ne of existence. As to what would happen to the Moon Princess, no one really knew.


    For no one had managed to live to tell the tale.


    At least, that was what it looked like on the surface.


    In order to confirm a few things, Thirteen would need to talk to Uncle Boo, since the Majin seemed to know about the uing ritual.


    He had observed the Rank 8 Sovereign for an entire day, and from what he could see, thetter genuinely wanted to get along with the Wanderers.


    After weighing the pros and cons, Thirteen finally came to a decision.


    "So have youe to a decision?"


    Uncle Boo suddenly appeared beside Thirteen and whispered in his ears, almost making him jump in surprise.


    Tiona hissed angrily at the middle-aged man because she was also surprised by his sudden appearance.


    "Don''t do that again, Uncle Boo," Thirteen said as he patted his chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack."


    "Nonsense," Uncle Boo replied. "You are too young to have a heart attack."


    The middle-aged man with long ck hair and brown eyes sat cross-legged beside the boy and stared at the rising sun in the distance.


    He looked like someone who had weathered countless hardships in life, and the aura he emitted had a tinge of sadness to it.


    "Uncle Boo, tell me more about the Lunar Eclipse," Thirteen stated. "I''m sure that we can''t just waltz into the Gate of the Moonlight like you always say. The missions given to Wanderers aren''t that easy. There must be a catch."


    Uncle Boo chuckled but didn''t say anything, his gaze remaining fixed on the sun poking its head over the sea.


    Five minutester, Uncle Boo finally started to talk.


    "Once upon a time, a beautiful girl was born in the Arcadia Archipgo," Uncle Boo started his story. "She wasn''t born the way humans give birth to their children. No, when she was born, a heavenly apparition appeared.


    "The moons, Artem and Chandrea, ovepped with each other in the heavens as if they were kissing. A momentter, a moon beam descended from the skies andnded on the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "From that moon beam appeared a girl who would soon be known as Callie."


    Uncle Boo''s expression softened as he mentioned the girl''s name, making him look at least ten years younger.


    "If we go by human years, Callie looked like a young girl who was around eight to ten years old. She was strong, smart, and filled with curiosity. All the monsters on the ind wanted to eat her because in their eyes, she was special¡­ very special."


    A chuckle escaped Uncle Boo''s lips as if he remembered something very funny.


    "One day, after running away from a Rank 4 Overlord, Callie hid inside a cave. She had just eaten, so she decided that she would take a nap until the Monster pursuing her gave up and went away.


    "But on that particr day, something unexpected happened. Callie dreamt, and from that dream, a Beholder who wasn''t supposed to start existing in this manner was born, and he became Callie''s first best friend and confidant. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "The two lived happily together and fought many battles side by side. Ten years passed since that day, and yet, Callie aged very slowly. Even after ten years, she still looked like a ten-year-old.


    "But that wasn''t a big deal for them, and the two continued to live their life happily. One day, while the two were taking a stroll on the beach, they came across a heavily injured Unicorn lying on the shore. "Being the good girl that she was, Callie nurtured it until it regained its health. But after getting a full recovery, did you know what that pervert said to her?"


    "Let me guess." Thirteen pondered. "I''ll marry you when you are older?"


    "Not quite," Uncle Boo snorted. "He said. ''Too bad, you''re still too young. If you''re just a little older, I might have taken you as my bride.'' Out of anger, the Beholder bit that bastard''s face, making it scream in pain."


    Uncle Boo clicked his tongue in annoyance as if he remembered something very disgusting.


    "But since that day, that Unicorn has stayed beside Callie as her Protector, with the excuse that he is just waiting for her to grow up before he takes her to the Main Continent as his bride," Uncle Boo stated. "The Unicorn and the Beholder were like oil and water, always butting their heads with each other.


    "But they both worked together when it came to one thing and one thing only¡ªit was none other than Callie''s safety. Slowly but surely, their Ranks rose until both of them became Rank 5 Sovereigns. "With the two of them protecting her, no monsters dared to set their sights on Callie, knowing that if they did, they would meet their end. These happy moments continued for a few decades when suddenly, another phenomenon happened.


    "On one stormy day, thunder and lightning roared and streaked across the heavens. In order to be safe, the three stayed inside their cave until morning. But when the sun rose, they noticed two pirs of light shining in two different locations.


    "Callie said that they should go and investigate what they were. Wanting to please her, they obliged and took her to the First Ind. There, they saw a Pyramid. But she suddenly fell into a trance, then walked toward the Pyramid as if she was possessed by something.


    "They tried to call out to her, but that didn''t do anything. So, they did the only thing they could do and followed her. She explored the Pyramid as if she knew everything about it. She paused to read the ancient writings while still in a trance.


    "Thenguage she used was not something that they could understand, but through their connection with her, they were able to piece together the message that was written on the Purple Tablet. "On the day of the Eclipse, when Chandrea''s vision is covered by the sun, the people of Artem will descend from the heavens to im her child," Uncle Boo said softly. "After that, she fainted, only to wake up the next day looking weak and very pale. It took her three days to recover, but as soon as she felt better, she urged the Beholder and the Unicorn to visit the second Pyramid.


    "The Unicorn and the Beholder tried to dissuade her, but she still went to the Pyramid, leaving the two of them no choice but to follow her. Just like what happened with the first Pyramid, she once again fell into a trance and read what was written on the Golden Tablet."


    Uncle Boo closed his eyes as if trying to remember that exact day when their happy and peaceful lives started to crumble like a sandcastle hit by arge wave.

 Chapter 275 Moonlight Cradle [Part 2]

    ??"If the Moon Maiden wishes to escape her fate, she needs to make an important choice¡ªeither shed her mortal body and possess the body of another living, or merge with an object to hide from her pursuers until they return to the heavens."


    That was what was written on the tablet in the second pyramid, which Uncle Boo had shared with Thirteen.


    Thirteen nodded because this was indeed the exact trantion from the Golden Tablet of the second pyramid.


    Basically, the two Pyramids served as batteries that allowed the special symbols inside of it to calcte when the moon, Chandrea, would have a perfect lunar eclipse.


    But they had one more function, and that was to create a gate that would open somewhere in the Arcadia Archipgo, allowing creatures to escape the one-sided massacre that was about to be unleashed on them.


    This gate was called the Gate of the Moonlight.


    "The Unicorn and the Beholder were too full of themselves, thinking that even if the people of Artem were toe, they would be able to protect Callie without fail," Uncle Boo said in a bitter tone. "But Callie said that the two of them should just escape when the people of Artem appeared.


    "When they told her that she shoulde with them and escape through the Gate of the Moonlight, Callie only shook her head and said that she was unable to pass through it. Naturally, the Beholder and Unicorn refused to enter the gate, knowing that if they did, Callie would be left behind to face the people of Artem alone.


    "Since escape was not an option, the three decided to make preparations in order to fight against the people of Artem. Of course, they also nned their escape routes just in case they proved to be too powerful for them to fight."


    Uncle Boo drank from his water sk before continuing his tale.


    "When the time of the Lunar Eclipse arrived, over a hundred moon beams descended from Artem andnded on the ind. From these moon beams, human-like creatures with gray wings appeared.


    Some of them started killing the monsters on the inds, while the rest started to search for something or someone. As if they had some artifact that allowed them to pinpoint Callie''s location, they didn''t hesitate to fly in their direction.


    "These beings were all Rank 4 Sovereigns, and there were over a hundred of them on the ind. While some started to kill monsters, the majority flew toward Callie''s direction. Knowing that the time to fight hade, the Unicorn and the Beholder unleashed their strongest attacks and went for the kill.


    "Callie fought them bravely as well. At first, they thought that they had a high chance of winning since they were able to hold their ground. But they became uncertain again when the beings from Artem used some kind of artifact that made Callie scream in pain, making her copse on the ground.


    "Just as the beings from Artem were about to capture her, the Unicorn teleported to her side and transformed into his demi-human form.


    "He then carried her like a princess and made short-distance teleportations in order to escape their pursuers. While they ran away, the Beholder was busy killing and turning their enemies into stone.


    "After some time, the Lunar Eclipse ended, and the people of Artem were forced to return to the heavens. They were only allowed to stay for an hour at most in this world. After sessfully surviving the ordeal, the three celebrated and congratted each other for a job well done."


    A bitter smile appeared on Uncle Boo''s face as he continued the story.


    "Perhaps, blinded by overconfidence, the three thought that they would also be able to fend off the next invasion during the next eclipse. But that was a mistake.


    "During those ten years, the Beholder and the Unicorn managed to be Rank 6 Sovereigns.


    "Both of them thought that since they managed to beat their enemies when they were a rank weaker, they would easily trample them now that they had managed to make a breakthrough.


    "But this confidence disappeared the next time the Eclipse happened. Over a hundred Rank 6 Sovereigns appeared, and this time, they came prepared. The Unicorn was the first one they neutralized.


    "They created a field that made teleportation impossible. Once that problem was dealt with, they encircled their three targets and crippled them. Just as the people of Artem were about to kill the Beholder and the Unicorn, Callie begged for their lives to be spared.


    "She promised to go with them without any resistance as long as her two friends were spared. The people of Artem agreed and took Callie with them to the heavens. After failing to protect the person whom they treasured, the two monsters fell into depression.


    "The Unicorn was even nning to leave the Ind in order to move on with its life. However, something caught its eye while it nursed its injuries in the first Pyramid. The mechanism of the pyramid was still working, and even calcted when the next Lunar Eclipse would happen.


    "It thought that since the purpose of the Pyramid had beenpleted, it should have stopped working. But it didn''t. After this discovery, it informed the Beholder what had happened, so the two decided to wait until the next Lunar Eclipse.


    "Both of them desperately hoped that a miracle would happen and that the girl whom they both loved would return to them. However, something unexpected happened a few months before the next Lunar Eclipse arrived. Can you guess what happened back then, Zion?"


    Thirteen didn''t even need to think and said the first thing that came to his mind.


    "Wanderers appeared," Thirteen replied.


    "You''re right." Uncle Boo nodded. "Wanderers appeared. And when the day of the Lunar Eclipse came, one of the girls who had appeared on the ind started to glow faintly right after sunset.


    "Then a few hourster, the Gate of the Moonlight appeared, and once again, the People of Artem returned. The two Monsters couldn''t help but gasp in shock when they saw a familiar figure among the people of Artem. She was none other than Callie, the girl whom the invaders had taken away a decade ago.


    "While the Wanderers were all desperately trying to cross the Gate of the Moonlight, the people of Artem started to hunt them down. Of course, the majority of the Wanderers managed to pass through the gate, but many still died in the process.


    "As for the girl who was glowing, she was taken by the people of Artem, and they did something that made the Beholder and the Unicorn start to rampage out of anger. Callie''s body transformed into blood and was poured over the girl whom they had just captured.


    "The girl''s features changed, and after a minute, she transformed into Callie. This newly transformed girl then looked at the Beholder and the Unicorn and cried bitterly. She said, ''I miss the two of you. Thank you for waiting for me, and goodbye.''"


    Uncle Boo wiped the tears that slid down the side of his face before continuing his story. "Every decade since then, the Lunar Eclipse would take ce, and every time, the Beholder and the Unicorn did everything in their power to save Callie. But despite the fact that they had be stronger than ever before, they were still unable to save her.


    "But this time is different. The Pyramids have said that this will be the final Lunar Eclipse and thest time that the People of Artem will descend on this world. This means that this is also thest time the Beholder and the Unicorn can try and save the person whom they have been trying to save for the past several decades."


    Uncle Boo then shifted his gaze at Zion, with tears streaming down his face.


    "You have defeated a Majin Prince, right?" Uncle Boo said as he ced his hands on Thirteen''s shoulders. "You have done the impossible, right? Please, help us. Create a miracle. I''ll do anything. I''ll give you everything. Just please, save Callie.


    "I don''t know what the Unicorn ns to do, but I''m sure he is also thinking of ways to save her. But unlike me, he is willing to use any method in his arsenal, even if it''s something that Callie would look down upon. He has changed a lot, and we no longer meet eye to eye.


    "The only thing he told me a few months ago is that he will find the Moon Princess first. As to what he will do to her, I have no idea. But he threatened me that if I got in his way, he would treat me as an enemy as well. He insisted that his way is the only way that can bring Callie back again."


    Thirteen could guess what the Unicorn was nning, and he now understood why it had ordered the girls of the first Ind to serve him. It was probably hoping that one of the girls, who was currently with him, would be the Moon Princess candidate, saving him the trouble of looking for her.


    Suddenly, Thirteen''s face went pale after realizing something very important.


    Since the Unicorn had taken the initiative to get the girls from the first ind, then what was stopping him from getting the girls on the other inds as well?


    As if waiting for that moment, a screech spread in the surroundings making Thirteen look at the sky.


    There, he saw Poca, who was flying toward him with an unsteady flight path.


    Vassago, who was near, flew toward Poca and allowed the injured Pocopoco tond on his back.


    A feeling of dread rushed over the ten-year-old''s chest as Poca confirmed his greatest fear.


    "The Unicorn appeared on the second ind," Poca stated. "It took Shasha and the other girls with it."


    After forcing those words from her mouth, Poca fainted, making Vassago''s feathers stand up with his anger.


    The outward expression of his anger, revealed the level of the same emotion that the ten-year-old was feeling right now.

 Chapter 276 Monster Hunters [Part 1]

    ??High above the skies of the Fourth Ind, a Beholder was flying southward, headed toward the Second Ind of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Seated on top of its head was a ten-year-old, who had his arms crossed over his chest.


    Thirteen had already given Poca a healing potion, and he had also asked Vassago to watch over her as she recovered from her injuries.


    Even with Uncle Boo''s speed, it would take them half an hour to reach their destination.


    Poca had flown as fast as she could, yet she only arrived at the Fourth Ind after two hours of flying.


    She could have arrived faster, but her injuries were quite serious.


    ording to her, she did her best to distract the Unicorn to allow Shasha to run away. But Pocopocos weren''t really strong when it came to fighting.


    Not to mention that she was facing off against a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    Giga, Rocky, the Ogres, and Trolls, weren''t in the camp when the Unicorn came.


    All of them were clearing the monsters on the Second Ind to gather Cores and Monster Parts for the Wanderers to use.


    Before she left to go to Thirteen, Poca went to find them first.


    After informing them of what happened to the base, everyone entered Rocky''s Mobile Fortress to pursue the Unicorn and attempt to save their Master''s sister from their grasp.


    Only then did she start flying toward the Fourth Ind, fueled by sheer willpower and determination to inform Thirteen about what had transpired at the Second Ind.


    "Don''t worry. Although that Unicorn is arrogant, he won''t hurt the girls," Uncle Boo said through telepathy.


    "I know," Thirteen replied calmly.


    And yet, his fingers were tapping on his arm as if he was counting the seconds and minutes that it would take for them to arrive at their destination.


    Knowing that saying more wouldn''t change anything, the Beholder quietly continued to fly in the sky.


    cky, who was crouched behind Thirteen, was gritting his teeth as if he was raring to bite the Unicorn''s body and feast on his flesh and blood.


    He didn''t know if Giga, Rocky, Hercules, and the rest of hisrades were safe.


    During the past three years, the Nightmare ck Hound had formed deep bonds of friendship with the other monsters. The mere thought of them getting seriously injured or, worse, dead because of the Unicorn made him incredibly angry.


    Tiona looked at her Master anxiously. Through her connection with Thirteen, she could feel the raw anger that her Master was barely able to restrain with his self control.


    The ck Snake couldn''t help but wonder if her Master would also feel as angry as he was now if something were to happen to her.


    Tiona didn''t know, and she didn''t want to know.


    She would be devastated if someone were to take her away from Thirteen by force. Just this thought alone filled her with dread, let alone what would happen after.


    Meanwhile, as Uncle Boo sped toward the Second Ind, the teenage girls whom the Unicorn had asked to apany him were nearing the beach facing the First Ind.


    "Don''t worry," the Unicorn stated. "I will not mistreat any of you. In fact, I will keep all of you safe. Just wait until the Lunar Eclipse, and all of you will be free to enter the Gate of the Moonlight as you please."


    Shasha, Mirriam, Phoebe, and the rest of the girls, overall numbering in the twenties, walked behind the Unicorn.


    The Monster had threatened that he would kill the boys in the camp if they didn''te with him.


    Of course, Taiga and Kane didn''t just watch the Unicorn take away the youngdy whom they liked.


    Both of them attacked the Unicorn at the same time, but all it took to make the two of them lose consciousness was a simple shockwave attack.


    Poca was also hit by this shock wave attack because she had timed her attack at the same time that Taiga and Kane executed theirs.


    The other Wanderers also wanted to help, but after seeing how strong the opponent was, they became paralyzed on the spot.


    In the end, Shasha at the lead stated that they would follow the Unicorn as long as it promised that it would not attack the boys in their camp.


    The Unicorn readily agreed because it really didn''t care whether the boys lived or died. All it wanted was to gather all the girls so that it could monitor who among them was the possible candidate to be the Moon Princess'' vessel.


    Once it saw the First Ind in the distance, the Unicorn was about to tell the girls that he would use its power to send them to the First Ind. However, before it could do that, the ground under its feet copsed, making it sink into the ground.


    At that exact moment, two Ogres appeared out of thin air with their adamantine spiked clubs, ready to strike.


    The Unicorn didn''t bat an eye and blinked away, reappearing a few meters away from the Ogres.


    "Filthy Ogres, I will send you to your deaths!" the Unicorn shouted through telepathy.


    But, just as it was about to attack the Ogres, its eyes widened in shock when it saw the ground under the teenage girls'' feet open up, making them fall in a sinkhole.


    The Unicorn didn''t hesitate and teleported to the location of the hole in order to save the girls. But when it arrived to look down on the hole, there was no one.


    All the girls had disappeared as if they all vanished out of thin air, making the Unicorn extend its detection abilities underground in an attempt to locate the girls under its protection.


    It was then when it realized that there was something big moving deep underground, making it neigh in anger.


    But before it could do anything else, it heard the roars of the two Ogres who were running in its direction with their spiked clubs raised high, ready to strike.


    The Unicorn sneered at the two monsters who seemed incapable of understanding the difference between their ranks.


    Since it would take time for it to hunt the monster moving underground, it decided to attack the two Ogres first to vent out its frustration.


    However, it suddenly sensed the presence of other monsters in its surroundings.


    Turning its head to look behind it, the Unicorn saw Trolls, a giant beetle, and a skunk-like monster all growling and ring at him in anger.


    Clearly, they weren''t happy that a monster had dared to kidnap their Master''s sister when they were away.


    A few secondster, the sound of roars and explosion reverberated in the surroundings as Thirteen''s Monster Squad fought against the Unicorn with everything they had.

 Chapter 277 Monster Hunters [Part 2]

    ??Originally, the Unicorn thought that it was going to be an easy battle.


    It mightck strength, but it was fast, deadly, and able to wield many magical attacks that could annihte even Rank 5 Sovereigns without a problem.


    It could also do short and long distance teleport, allowing it to attack and escape without any problems.


    It should have been an easy battle, but to its surprise and frustration, the monsters fighting against it were very cunning and didn''t fear it in the slightest.


    Usually, lower ranked monsters would be too intimidated by its mere existence, running away almost immediately.


    Aside from the Beholder living on the Fourth Ind, the Unicorn doesn''t have any rivals within the Arcadian Archipgo.


    As the First Ind''s Apex Predator, it hunted monsters¡ªnot the other way around.


    But this time, a group of Sovereigns and Alpha Monsters were teaming up against it.


    Even after about fifteen minutes of fighting, its opponents only suffered minor injuries. This made the Unicorn start doubting itself, wondering if it had be dull after not fighting any strong opponents for nearly a decade.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t have time to ponder such things because a spiked mace was only inches away from its face.


    Using its Blink Ability, the Unicorn reappeared behind the Ogre, intending to use its horn to pierce its heart from behind.


    But as if expecting this move, the second Ogre readily unleashed an attack, directly hitting the side of the Unicorn''s face and sending it skidding a few meters away.


    A small wound appeared on the Unicorn''s face, making it neigh loudly.


    Dark clouds gathered as if to answer the Unicorn''s call before a lightning bolt descended from the sky and hit its horn.


    "Die!"


    The Unicorn unleashed an area of attack lightning spell, which was enough to turn Rank 4 Monsters instantly into charcoal.


    But to its surprise, the Ogres and the Trolls that it targeted were nowhere to be seen.


    Suddenly, the ground under its feet gave way, making the Unicorn fall into a sinkhole.


    Four strong hands grabbed its legs, holding it in ce.


    However, the Unicorn teleported away, freeing itself from its captors.


    ''Can they also teleport?!'' the Unicorn thought. ''I''ve never seen Ogres and Trolls teleport before!''


    While it was thinking about these absurd thoughts, several hooks were thrown in its direction in an attempt to capture it.


    The Unicorn easily dodged and blinked away from these attacks. But as if predicting where he wouldnd next, O1 and O2 both threw their spiked clubs with all the strength they could muster, sending them flying like cannon balls.


    As soon as the Unicorn reappeared in the battlefield, the two Spiked Clubs collided with its body, making it stagger.


    ''How?!'' The Unicorn couldn''t believe that someone had managed to predict where it would appear, for this had never happened in the past.


    It then heard the whistling of wind, forcing it to summon a barrier around its body.


    Several arrows bounced harmlessly from the barrier it created, but the Trolls never stopped their barrage and continued to fire in their direction.


    While the Unicorn was fending off these attacks from a distance, the ground under its feet gave way for the umpteenth time, forcing it to teleport three consecutive times.


    It had learned that a single teleportation was not enough because its enemies seemed to always know where it was going to appear next.


    Although the injuries it received were healing due to its body''s Holy Property, the Unicorn was still very annoyed, unwilling to ept the fact that a bunch of Rank 5 Monsters were giving it a hard time!


    Little did the Unicorn know that although it was indeed a strong monster, the Ogres and Trolls had faced someone stronger than it.


    After facing off against the Majin Prince, Thirteen''s subordinates were resolved to not die the same way they did in the past.


    All of them trained very hard as they apanied their Master on his three-year-journey across the Main Continent of Solterra.


    During one of their travels, they encountered a Rank 7 Unicorn and battled against it.


    This was why they were well aware of the Unicorn''s abilities¡ª they had already experienced fighting one before.


    Thirteen had created a strategy that would allow his subordinates to fight monsters stronger than them. With this strategy, all the monsters under hismand had be bonafide "Monster Hunters".


    Hunters who hunted opponents that were stronger than them!


    The strategy was really simple.


    Rocky would remain underground and bring anyone whose lives were in danger inside its Mobile Fortress.


    He would then eject them in the enemy''s blindspot, allowing them tond a blow.


    The Troll Shamans would predict where the Unicorn would appear and tell theirrades to attack in that direction.


    Thanks to the teamwork that they had polished for the past three years, all of them moved like a single unit, able to dish out a constant supply of damage to their enemies while only suffering minor injuries.


    In simpler terms, they were ying dirty!


    Thirteen had drilled into their heads that they couldn''t afford to fight fair and square against opponents who were stronger than them.


    Almost all the monsters that faced Thirteen''s subordinates died unresigned and frustrated.


    It might be a stretch to fight against a Rank 9 Sovereign, but it was still possible to deal with a Rank 8 Monster.


    They might not win the battle, but they would certainly not lose.


    Even if their opponent were able to heal and regenerate its injuries, Giga and the others fought and treated the Unicorn as a training dummy that aided their practice to help them grow a little stronger.


    An hourter, the Unicorn panted for breath while covered with Giga Chad''s spray.


    It felt ashamed and embarrassed of its current state, but its opponents refused to die.


    Rocky made sure that everyone was safe and stayed hidden underground, away from the Unicorn''s attack range.


    Truth be told, if the Unicorn didn''t know how to teleport, it would have suffered serious injuries by now.


    Giga watched with regret as the Unicorn purified its body with its holy properties, removing his acidic stink spray that would have melted any Rank 3 Monsters that got hit by it directly.


    Thirteen''s monsters were all exhausted, but their eyes were still brimming with determination.


    None of them wanted to experience the same helplessness they felt when they were up against Arundel in the past.


    So, now that they were facing off against a strong opponent, all of them gritted their teeth and used the fighting style Thirteen had ingrained into their heads and bodies.

 Chapter 278 Monster Hunters [Part 3]

    Chapter 278 Monster Hunters [Part 3]


    ??The battle was fierce, with both sides wanting to tear each other to shreds.


    Giga was even sporting a deep gash on its waist area, which he received when the Unicorn teleported in front of him to stab his heart with its horn.


    Knowing that it was a matter of life and death, the Chad Skunk activated its ability, Titan Heart, to increase its size.


    Instead of getting stabbed on the chest, the Unicorn''s horn only pierced its waist. The Unicorn earned itself a smack on the face because Giga decided to exchange a blow for a blow.


    Just as everyone was staring down at each other, Uncle Boo arrived at the scene, making the Unicorn pause.


    "Good!" the Unicorn shouted. "You''re here, Boo. Come and help me deal with these bastards!"


    The Beholder, who didn''t expect that the Unicorn would ask for its help, nced at the surroundings and saw the monsters who were injured all over.


    After seeing his subordinates, Thirteen felt proud. Despite looking as if they would keel over anytime, all of them were still alive.


    cky jumped off the Beholder''s head and ran toward Giga.


    He then barked twice at the Skunk before growling at the Unicorn in the distance.


    cky had said, "Good job holding him back. I''ll take it from here."


    Giga scratched his head before pping the Nightmare Hound''s bum, making it yelp in pain.


    Seeing the antics of his two subordinates, Thirteen shook his head before shifting his gaze at the Unicorn in the distance.


    Rocky had already informed him that his sister was safe, so the ten-year-old felt as if the weight pressing on his shoulders had disappearedpletely.


    "Uncle Boo, tell him to back off," Thirteen said as he slid off the Beholder''s head.


    "Okay," Uncle Boo replied before flying toward the Unicorn in order to talk some sense into it.


    But just as the Beholder was about to approach the Unicorn, it disappeared and reappeared behind Thirteen, intending to impale the boy with its horn.


    The Unicorn didn''t know who the boy was, but seeing that all the monsters seemed to look relieved after seeing him, it understood that he may be the Master of these annoying monsters.


    Since it couldn''t kill any of them, the Unicorn decided to kill the boy, whom it believed would not be able to do anything against it.


    "So it hase to this huh?" Thirteen muttered as he raised his hand.


    In his hand was a purple sphere.


    When the Unicorn appeared in front of the boy, the sphere opened, and something unexpected happened.


    The Unicorn disappeared, and the purple sphere in Thirteen''s hand started to shake.


    A few secondster, a clicking sound was heard. The Unicorn, who had tried to kidnap his sister, was now sealed inside the sphere.


    Uncle Boo, who witnessed everything that happened from start to finish, couldn''t help but shudder as he stared at the purple sphere in the boy''s hand.


    "Zion, what did you do?" Uncle Boo asked despite already knowing what had happened.


    "Uncle Boo, I''m going somewhere for an hour or two," Thirteen replied. "Please meet me at the base that we passed by earlier. I just need to have a good talk with this fe."


    Thirteen shook the purple sphere in his hand as if to make a statement.


    "Giga, Rocky, Hercules, O1, O2, T1 up to T10, good job," Thirteen praised his subordinates. "All of you did well. I''ll see you in a bit. Until then, rest well."


    After bidding his goodbye, Thirteen disappeared from where he stood.


    He went back to the Order of the Apocalypse to ask Metatron for help.


    The purple sphere was only capable of holding the Rank 8 Sovereign for a day. After that, the item would break, and the Unicorn would be free again.


    In order to prevent that from happening, the ten-year-old nned to trap it in a ce where it couldn''t escape no matter what it did.


    So, what better ce to take it than to the Order of the Apocalypse, where it would not be able to act as arrogantly as before.


    ¡ª--------------- Inside the Order of the Apocalypse¡­


    As soon as Thirteen made an appearance, a certain Death Bat chuckled and blocked his path.


    "I''ve been waiting for you, Thirteen," Camazotz said. "I have a proposal for you¡­"


    "Hi Camazotz," Thirteen replied. "Bye Camazotz."


    After saying those words, the boy activated his token inside his body to enter the treasury and disappeared, making the Death Bat scratch his head. The little guy didn''t even bother listening to what he was going to say.


    ''Maybe he''s busy,'' Camazotz thought before shrugging. ''I''ll just wait for him toe back after his trip to the treasury.''


    Just as soon as Thirteen appeared inside the treasury, Metatron waved at him with a smile on his face.


    "You''re back, Thirteen," Metatron greeted. "That was faster than I imagined. Did you manage to use the item I gave you?"


    Metatron waved at him with a smile on his face.


    "You''re back, Thirteen," Metatron greeted. "That was faster than "Yes," Thirteen replied before handing Metatron the purple sphere, which could only be used once. "I wished I hadn''t, but in order toplete the mission, I needed to do it. Metatron, please make this fe behave."


    The Guardian of the Treasury epted the purple sphere and forced it open.


    A momentter, the White Unicorn materialized out of thin air.


    It felt disoriented as it looked at its surroundings. However, after seeing that he was no longer in a familiar ce, its gazended on the ten-year-old that it nned to kill just a few moments ago.


    "Die!"


    The Unicorn then transformed into its Demi-Human form and charged at Thirteen with his fist ready to strike.


    "Oops, I can''t let you do that to my VIP guest," Metatron said in a teasing tone before easily catching the Unicorn''s punch with his palm. "Violence is not allowed in this ce."


    A cracking sound reached Thirteen''s ears, followed by a scream, as Metatron crushed the Unicorn''s fist, making it cry out in pain.


    "I thought violence is not allowed in this ce?" Thirteen asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "You''re right," Metatron replied. "But I''m above thew, so I alone can use violence. Besides, the only way to make these arrogant Unicorns behave is to make them suffer pain beyond what they can handle."


    After saying those words, Metatron casually kicked the Unicorn''s chest, sending him flying toward the treasury.


    "There is a Legendary Ranked Iron Maiden in the treasury that I haven''t used for over a thousand years," Metatron said with a devilish smile on his face. "I just hope he doesn''t break easily."


    Thirteen watched as the Guardian of the Apocalypse chuckled while dragging the struggling Unicorn inside the treasury.


    After pondering for a few seconds, the ten-year-old shrugged before following them from behind.


    Since the Unicorn had tried to kidnap Shasha and had injured his subordinates, the least that he could do was to assist Metatron in torturing the arrogant monster.


    That was the only way Thirteen could vent out his anger, which he had been bottling up during his trip back to the Second Ind.


    Soon, the sound of screams, and begging reverberated within the treasury.


    But through it all, two madmen chuckled as they showed each other their own ways of torturing people, allowing both of them to expand their repertoire for the next pitiful victim who would fall in their hands.

 Chapter 279 The Trinity Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]

    Chapter 279 The Trinity Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]


    ??The Unicorn, who went by the name, Albion, lost consciousness after being tortured for an hour.


    The Torture Devices inside the Treasury of the Apocalypse were quite impressive, surprising even Thirteen due to their diversity.


    "Well then, I''ll leave him in your care for now," Thirteen said.


    "Sure," Metatron replied with a smile. "I''ve read his memories and, I''ve got to say, whatever you''re working on is quite interesting, Thirteen."


    "Interesting?" Thirteen shook his head helplessly, which made Metatron smirk.


    The ten-year-old then left the treasury, while deep in his thoughts. He had also seen Albion''s memories, while he was being tortured, so he now had a gist of the power levels of the monsters that they were going to face.


    Each time the people of Artem descended on the Arcadian Archipgo, there would always be monsters who were of the same rank as the Unicorn and the Beholder, preventing the two of them from getting in the way of the ceremony.


    So, it was highly possible that they would be facing more than two Rank 8 Sovereigns before thest ceremony that would be performed on the ind.


    The boy was so deep in thought that he didn''t notice that Camazotz was right in front of him, making him bump his head on the Death Bat.


    "You should really look where you are walking, Thirteen." Camazotz chuckled as he looked at the boy who was rubbing his head with a pained expression on his face. "Do you have a problem? Why don''t you tell your best friend, Camazotz, your worries? We''re best friends, after all."


    "Since when did we be best friends?" Thirteen blinked in confusion.


    "Just now," Camazotz replied with a devilish smile on his face. "Ah, before I forget, I have a proposal for you. This is a proposal that will be too hard for you to ignore, so I want you to listen carefully, okay?"


    The Death Bat nced around the room, making sure that none of the other members of the Order was paying attention to them.


    "You know, the two of us are fairly new here, so how about the two of us form an alliance?" Camazotz asked.


    "An Alliance?" Thirteen smirked. "What''s this? You''ve finally given up on trying to find my location, so that your friend can visit me?"


    "Um, after careful consideration, I thought that I shouldn''t bully my junior," Camazotz stated. "Since I have turned over a new leaf, I decided to start from scratch and have a partnership with you."


    "Uh-huh, so what''s the real reason you want to form an alliance with me?"


    "It''s because of the treasury of the Apocalypse."


    Camazotz knew that Thirteen wasn''t someone who liked to beat around the bush, so he decided toe clean.


    But, before he could do that, someone else crouched down beside them, making the two look at the Majin Princess Kamrusepa.


    "I want to join this alliance," Kamrusepa said. "But, let''s not talk here."


    Without even waiting for Thirteen''s and Camazotz''s replies, the Majin Princess dragged them to one of the private rooms within the order, which would prevent the others from listening to their discussion.


    Kamrusepa knew that Camazotz wasn''t really trying to hide from the other Majin Princes'' and Princesses'' that he was going to form an alliance with their newest member.


    Clearly, the Death Bat was nning something else, but Kamrusepa wasn''t worried in the slightest.


    After making sure that the room was properly locked, Kamrusepa then asked Camazotz the details about his proposed alliance.


    "I only want to ally with Thirteen," Camazotz crossed his arms over his chest. "I don''t want you joining us."


    "Is that so?" Kamrusepa smiled. "Then, Thirteen, who among the two of us you want to be allies with?"


    "I''d dly be your ally, Kamrusepa," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat.


    If he could get the services of a Seer of her Rank, he would be able to locate several things that he wished to find in Solterra.


    After hearing the ten-year-old''s reply, the Death Bat cleared his throat and chuckled.


    "Hahaha! Okay, wee to the alliance, Kamrusepa," Camazotz stated, which made Thirteen, and the Majin Princess look at him in disdain.


    Clearly, he didn''t want to be left out, especially since he was the one who proposed the alliance in the First ce.


    "So, what are the details of this alliance you are talking about?" Thirteen asked. "I''m a very busy person. There are still a few things that I need to do in Solterra."


    "Hayz, you''re such a busybody." Camazotz pursed his lips. "Fine. I already told you earlier that the reason why I wished to ally with you is because of the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    "After careful consideration, I realized that your potential for unlocking all of theyers is higherpared to the other members of the Order. As you may already know, my original goal was to find your location, and send one of my acquaintances to kill you and take your ce. "But, after a bit of pondering, I deemed that this would not benefit me in the long run. Even if I managed to make one of my friends the new member of the order, it would take decades before we unlocked the Second Layer, and above.


    "As much as I hate to admit it, within the three years that you''ve joined, you already managed to unlock the second level of the Treasury of the Apocalypse. While I''m not sure how fast the others did it, I believe that you are the record holder for doing it.


    "Also, I can help you gather as many Rank 5 and above Sovereigns as you need, allowing you to speed up the process of unlocking the otheryers of the Treasury of the Apocalypse. All I ask is that every other year, you allow me to choose one item from your treasury, while I''ll let you choose one item from my treasury in return."


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest because he found this proposal eptable.


    Kamrusepa, who was listening on the side, smiled because what Camazotz said made sense in her point of view.


    After the Death Bat finished saying the real reason why he wanted to form an Alliance with the ten-year-old, she also decided toe clean, and tell Thirteen why she wanted to form an alliance with him.

 Chapter 280 The Trinity Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]

    Chapter 280 The Trinity Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]


    ??When the members of the order were trying to bribe her, so that she would help them find Thirteen''s location, the Majin Princess only said that it was impossible for her to use her power of Divination on the members of the order.


    But, this was only half true.


    One of the main reasons why she said that it was impossible was due to the fact that almost all of them had simr strength and powers.


    Among the Majin Princes and Majin Princesses, Kamrusepa was in the middle stages.


    Camazotz had just be a Majin Prince, so he was just an Initial Stage, Majin Prince.


    Older monsters like Belzeebub were at the peak of the Majin Prince. Making him one of the strongest beings in the world, just under the Seven Celestials and Seven Fiends.


    Because of their ranks, it was very hard for Kamrusepa to use her powers of Divination on them.


    But, it wasn''t impossible.


    If she really went all out, she could use her powers of Divination to unlock a few of their darkest secrets.


    However, she didn''t do that.


    For her, there was no merit in antagonizing the other members of the Order, so she stayed her hand.


    However, Thirteen was an exception.


    Not only was he an ordinary human, he didn''t even have a Rank.


    Simply put, if Kamrusepa was to use her Divination on the boy, she would be able to unlock his secrets.


    So, she did just that.


    She used her powers of Divination on the newest member of the Order. But, to her surprise, her Divination result was nk.


    At first, Kamrusepa thought that she made a mistake, so she tried again.


    Still, the result didn''t change, which forced her to try again, and again.


    After trying over a dozen times, she felt something she never felt in a long time.


    The Majin Princess, who was known as the Majin Princess of Prophecy, became serious.


    It had been hundreds of years since she hadst gone all out.


    Even though she didn''t know why she was unable to use her power over Thirteen, she decided to use a vast amount of resources and cast her strongest divination spell to find out his secrets.


    A spell that never failed her in the past.


    And, she did seed.


    That was when she saw it.


    Within the Abyss, a pair of giant green eyes stared down on her as if she was just an insignificant insect that it could crush anytime.


    Kamrusepa wouldn''t forget those eyes.


    Those were the eyes that looked on Deities and Gods in disdain, making her heart beat wildly inside her chest.


    For the first time in forever, she felt excited.


    It was as if she was looking at a pair of doors that, once unlocked, would bring forth countless horrors upon the world.


    Among the Orders of the Apocalypse, Kamrusepa was one who truly wished to see the end of the world.


    For her, the world had be a boring ce, so she wished to end it, even if the ending would result in her demise.


    The Majin Princes and Princesses might be strong, but at the end of the day, they were nothing in the face of the Seven Celestials and Seven Fiends.


    Even Arundel begged and pleaded for his life to be spared after Mammon descended on the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Kamrusepa hated the fact that she needed to bow her head to those who were stronger than her. So, she did everything in her power within the order, unlocking oneyer afteryer in the treasury, desperately hoping to reach the 13th, and Final Layer, where Pandora''s Box was sealed.


    But, she knew with every fiber of her being that it would probably take her an entire lifetime for that to happen.


    Right now, she had unlocked up to the Sixth Layer of the Treasury.


    She was nearly halfway there, but this also made her understand how difficult it was to cross the remaining half, making her feel despair.


    So, in the end, she only put minimal effort in her endeavor because she knew that it was impossible for her to open Pandora''s Box.


    But, there was someone who could do that.


    The one who owned those shining green eyes in the darkness that burned like green suns, and looked on all of creation in disdain.


    Because of that, Kamrusepa made a decision.


    In order to witness the end of the world, she decided to assist the weakest member of their Order because, just like Camazotz had stated, only Thirteen had the ability to unlock all theyers faster than any of thembined.


    "The reason why I want to join this Alliance is because I believe that you will let me see things I''ve never seen before," Kamrusepa stated. "I believe that you will let me feel things I''ve never felt before."


    Thirteen and Camazotz looked at Kamrusepa weirdly because they could tell that she was being serious, and yet, neither of them could understand what she was trying to say.


    "Okay, let''s say that I agree to join this alliance," Thirteen said. "What''s in it for me? Will you both give me Rank 9 Sovereigns to be my subordinates?"


    The corner of Camazotz''s lips twitched as he fought the strong urge to smack Thirteen''s head.


    "Thirteen, Rank 9 Sovereigns don''t grow on trees," Camazotz replied. "In fact, I only have one Rank 9 Sovereign as my subordinate."


    "Only one?" Thirteen looked at the Death Bat with pity. "Arundel had two of them, and you only have one?"


    "He might have had two, but I have four Rank 8 Sovereigns, while he had none." Camazotz replied. "In terms of a fighting force, mine is superior."


    Kamrusepa chuckled, but she also told Thirteen that giving him a Rank 9 Sovereign was impossible.


    They were their strongest subordinates, so it was impossible for them to give the ten-year-old such a powerfulckey.


    Thirteen had already expected this, so he didn''t take it to heart. He was simply wondering if he could get away with such a thing, so he decided to give it a shot.


    After all, asking didn''t cost him anything.


    "I''lle back in a few days," Thirteen stated. "We''ll finalize the details of our alliance then. For the time being, the two of you discuss on what kind of rules that all of us must follow. If what you present is eptable, I will agree to join this alliance."


    "Good." Camazotz nodded happily. "With the three of us working together, we will be unstoppable!"


    Thirteen smiled faintly because he was still half in doubt. Of course, he could tell that Camazotz and Kamrusepa were sincere.


    But there were many people who looked sincere, but deep down were ck-hearted people.


    However, just like he was willing to trust Uncle Boo, he was also willing to trust Camazotz and Kamrusepa.


    In the end, even if all of them were just using each other, as long as there were benefits to be gained, he wouldn''t mind shaking their hands.


    After promising to return after three days, Thirteen disappeared from the room and returned to Solterra.


    There, he saw Uncle Boo sitting cross-legged in the ce where Thirteen vanished more than an hour ago.


    "You''re back," Uncle Boo said as soon as he saw the ten-year-


    old appear. "Where is Albion?"


    "Don''t worry, he''s still alive," Thirteen replied. "I just need him to stay put for a few days because he is a variable that is outside of our control. Once he calms down, he and I will have a proper talk with each other."


    Uncle Boo nodded. "Although he might be arrogant, and forceful in his approach, his strength is the real deal. We will need his assistance if we are to save Callie."


    "I know," Thirteen said as he climbed up on cky''s back, who had also stayed behind to wait for him. "For now, let''s return to the base. I need to discuss a few things with my sister before I head to the First Ind.


    "Uncle Boo, I will ask youter to bring the Wanderers on the Fourth Ind to the Second Ind. I need all of them to be aware of the real situation that we will be facing in the future.


    "In your eyes, they might be weak, and I agree that they are. But, they were sent here for a reason. The One does not do things half-heartedly. Since they have been sent here, it means that they have the ability toplete the mission that was given to them."


    Uncle Boo nodded because he didn''t dare to not take Thirteen''s words seriously.


    After seeing what had happened to the Unicorn, the stories about Zion defeating Arundel once again appeared inside his head.


    The Beholder was now starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, this final chance given to them to save Callie, might not be as dark and difficult as he originally thought it would be.

 Chapter 281 Wanderer Mass Migration

    Chapter 281 Wanderer Mass Migration


    ??Taiga and Kane were in a sorry state after the two of them had tried to stand up to the Unicorn when he demanded that all the teenage girls should follow him to the First Ind.


    The Unicorn, Albion, seriously injured them on purpose, wanting to set an example to deter the other Wanderers from fighting against him.


    Truth be told, none of the Wanderers dared to fight against a Rank 8 Sovereign to begin with.


    Only Taiga and Kane were foolish enough to do such a thing because they didn''t want the monster to take Shasha under their noses without a fight.


    Fortunately, Albion had no intention of killing them, so once the two of them were neutralized, he stopped attacking.


    Poca was injured because she had also attacked the Unicorn at the same time the two teenagers attacked him.


    Albion only snorted and unleashed a powerful shock wave, blowing them away and leaving them with internal injuries.


    "The two of you are stupid," Thirteenmented as he looked at the two individuals who were lying on their bedrolls inside the cave. "Imagine facing off against a Rank 8 Sovereign? Couldn''t be me."


    Taiga wanted to argue that the ten-year-old had faced a Majin Prince when he was just seven years old. But since he was in pain, he decided that arguing wasn''t worth it.


    "Okay, drink up," Thirteen said as he uncorked a vial of healing potion from his storage ring and made the two teenagers drink it.


    Although he was saying bad things about the two, he couldn''t help but give the two of them some brownie points for trying to protect his sister, despite the Unicorn being several times stronger than them.


    But just as he was about to pour the potion into their mouths, the two closed them tightly, making Thirteen frown.


    "What are the two of you doing?" Thirteen asked. "I still have to go to the First Ind. If you don''t drink up now, I''ll ask Tiona to bite you so you can''t run."


    "C-Can''t we have some kind of reward or something?" Taiga asked.


    "T-That''s right," Kane stated. "For example, we would recover faster if it was Shasha who made us drink this potion. Of course, I am happy that you are doing this for me, Brother. But at times like this, a reward should be in order, no?"


    Thirteen looked at the two bastards in disdain. He was very tempted to pour the healing potion on their faces to make them understand their current circumstances.


    However, a soft and gentle voice spoke beside him, stopping him from executing his n.


    "Let me do it, Brother," Shasha said.


    "Are you sure?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Shasha replied. "They tried to protect us earlier, so this is the least I can do for them."


    "They didn''t protect all of you. They just protected you."


    "Even if that''s true, they still got hurt because of me. So, let me do this, Zion."


    Seeing that she was serious, the younger boy sighed and handed the Healing Potions to his sister.


    "I''ll be outside," Thirteen stood up. "Come out once you''re done."


    "Mmm." Shasha nodded.


    Taiga and Kane were ovee with happiness to the point of being teary-eyed.


    Thirteen looked down on the two fools in disdain, but he no longer said anything and walked out of the cave.


    A few minutester, Shasha appeared behind him.


    "It''s done, Brother," Shasha reported before hugging Thirteen from behind.


    "Good job," Thirteen replied. "Those two are such a handful, but I''m d that they didn''t die."


    "Mmm." Shasha nodded.


    "Shasha, I''ll be leaving for the First Ind," Thirteen stated. "It might take me a few days to bring everyone here, so tell Uncle Boo that I''ll be back as soon as I can be."


    "Understood," Shasha replied. "Be safe, Brother."


    "Mmm." Thirteen nodded.


    After giving his subordinates some healing potions and thering their injuries with a healing balm, Thirteen left with cky to go to the first Ind. Since Poca was still recovering from her injuries, the boy asked Vassago to stay on the Second Ind and scout its surroundings for any other possible dangers.


    Giga, Rocky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls also stayed put because they didn''t want the same thing to happen again.


    The Unicorn appeared after they all left to hunt along the outer edges of the Second Ind. This was also like why Rocky took some time to track Albion down, and start their rescue operation.


    Fortunately, they managed to find them before the girls were taken to the First Ind.


    They only managed to stand their ground against a Rank 8 Sovereign due to two reasons.


    The first one was the strategy that Thirteen had devised, which ensured that none of his subordinates would die.


    For this strategy to take effect, Rocky would remain underground and forcefully teleport hisrades inside his mobile fortress to prevent them from dying.


    The Magma Bal-Boa had already upgraded his Mobile Fortress, allowing him to instantly take those whom he deemed as his allies in or out of the space.


    After hunting many strong monsters with Thirteen, they had refined this strategy to the extreme, making it seem like Giga, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls could teleport in and out of the battlefield.


    This was also what gave Albion a hard time.


    Unlike his usual battle, he was no longer the only one disappearing in ce. His targets were doing the same, making it so he was unable tond a direct hit on their bodies.


    The second reason was that they had hunted a Unicorn in the past, so they were already aware of what their enemy was capable of doing.


    After undergoing many life and death battles, their fighting abilities had grown greater than normal monsters.


    They were the team that Thirteen nned to nurture so that he could bring down stronger opponents and farm Apocalypse Points en masse to unlock the nextyers of the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    When he arrived at the First Ind, Thirteen went to meet with Raon as fast as he could and told him that the Unicorn wouldn''t be returning for a while.


    Although Raon was half in doubt, he believed that Zion wouldn''t lie about something important.


    Because of this, he and a few Wanderers followed the ten-year-


    old, who led them to the First Pyramid to share the news to his sister, Rio.


    As they were making their way to their destination, Thirteen told them that he nned to bring them all to the Second Ind, where all the Wanderers in the Arcadia Archipgo were gathering.


    He didn''t want to exin the story more than once, so he nned to tell everyone what he knew when all of the Wanderers were gathered in one ce.


    Rio and the other teenage girls were surprised when Thirteen said that the Unicorn was no longer a threat to any of them.


    Of course, they didn''t believe him at first, but after some convincing, the younger boy managed to get them to agree toe to the Second Ind with him.


    His ship was already docked near the beach. This time, only three Troll Shamans were manning it because the rest remained behind to protect Shasha and the others.


    The ship was big enough to house everyone, and their journey back was smooth sailing.


    Five dayster, all the Wanderers from the First and Fourth Inds had gathered, and that was also when Thirteen gave his speech and told everyone the death-defying acts that they would need to perform in order for them to go back home to Pangea.

 Chapter 282 In My Eyes, No One Is More Important To Me Than Cannon Fodders

    Chapter 282 In My Eyes, No One Is More Important To Me Than Cannon Fodders


    ??Thirteen stood in front of the hundreds of Wanderers who had been gathered to the Second Ind for a mission briefing.


    "First, let me tell you the true story about your missions to Enter the Gate of the Moonlight," Thirteen stated. "Six weeks from now, the Moon of Chandrea will undergo a full lunar eclipse.


    "At that time, the two Pyramids will activate, and open the Gate of the Moonlight. Its location ispletely random, but it will appear somewhere here on the Second Ind. But, this mission will not allow you to waltz your way inside the Gate.


    "No. Reaching it is a matter of life and death because you will be ying a game of tag with Rank 6 Sovereigns and above, who nned to kill all of you because they need many sacrifices in order to perform an Unholy Ritual. Isn''t it exciting?"


    Thirteen smiled at everyone, who was looking back at him with pale expressions on their faces.


    "B-But Uncle Boo said that we just need to wait for the Gate of the Moonlight to open, and we can get back home," a Wanderer who came from the Fourth Ind stated. "He never said that we would be hunted down by Rank 6 Sovereigns."


    "Well, Uncle Boo didn''t tell you everything," Thirteen replied. "Perhaps he didn''t want any of you to feel depressed because of how hopeless the situation is. Maybe, you will get lucky and be able to enter the Gate of the Moonlight. However, that is still a big maybe."


    "Also, like I said earlier, you might not only be running away from Rank 6 Sovereigns. Rank 7, Rank 8, and possibly Rank 9 Sovereigns might appear as well. I really pity all of you. Of all the Wanderers to be sent on the Arcadia Archipgo, it had to be you."


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips rose because, even though what he was saying was grim, Shasha remained calm, as if the information he was sharing didn''t bother her in the slightest.


    To his surprise, Kane, Miriam, Phoebe, Raon, Rio, and Lambert, looked calmer than the other Wanderers, who seemed to be at a loss about what to do.


    He wasn''t aware that the reason why all these teenagers were calm was due to his presence.


    They had heard stories about Zion, and he had be not only a celebrity, but a pir of support for all the other Wanderers, who were about to take their first step into Solterra.


    All of them believed that if there was someone, who could help them survive this uing tragedy, it would be none other than the ten-year-old in front of them.


    "The strategy that we will use is really simple," Thirteen stated. "Once the Gate of the Moonlight is spotted, all of you will run towards it with everything you have. None of you need to fight. All that you need to do is enter the gate, and pray that you don''t get cut down before you can run through it."


    "So, starting tomorrow, all of you will practice long distance running. You have six weeks to build your stamina. How much you train will have an impact on your survival.


    "Fighting against Rank 6 Sovereigns are your current Rank is just suicide. So, run, don''t fight. That will be your motto for this mission."


    Thirteen then paused before scanning the faces of the people in front of him.


    "I will be honest," Thirteen stated. "The possibility that all of you will be massacred before you reach your destination is very high. The Beings from Artem will definitely ce a few of their people to guard the Gate of the Moonlight, and cut down anyone who approaches it.


    "But, do not worry, Uncle Boo here will help you reach your destination to the best of his abilities," Thirteen pointed at the Beholder, who had taken his human form, and was sitting on top of a boulder. "He is a Rank 8 Sovereign, so he would be able to protect some of you to a certain extent.


    "But, even though Uncle Boo is strong, he is alone. The Unicorn might returnter to help us, but even with him, that would only make two Rank 8 Sovereigns against hundreds of Beings from Artem.


    Out of those hundreds, there might also be Rank 8 Sovereigns. In a nutshell, this mission is nearly impossible to clear. However, although ''The One'' is unfair, it is also fair at the same time. You were sent here because you believe that you have what it takes toplete the mission, so believe in yourself and train hard for your own survival."


    Thirteen then nced at Taiga, who was standing behind Shasha, and looking back at him with a determined look on his face.


    "As you may already know, great rewards are given to those who greatly contribute to the sess of this mission," Thirteen said after some time. "This means that those who will choose to stay and fight will be able to reap great rewards if they manage to survive."


    "That''s easier said than done!" a Wanderer, who came from the First Ind shouted. "Do you expect us to stay behind to fight, while you and your sister run away? Are you only saying those words because you n to use us as cannon fodders to make your escape?"


    The smile on Thirteen''s face lingered, and yet, his eyes became cold as he gazed at the Wanderer who suddenly made an outburst.


    As the System of Cannon Fodders, hearing people being used as cannon fodders was a taboo topic for him.


    "Let me make one thing clear," Thirteen stated. "I will be one of those who will stay behind to fight, allowing all of you to have a chance to cross the Gate of the Moonlight. As one of the heirs of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, I promise by my name that I will not enter the Gate of the Moonlight until thest Wanderer walks through it."


    "Why should we believe you?" another Wanderer shouted. "Maybe you''re just saying that now, but will change your mindter on!"


    Shasha and Taiga looked at the Wanderer with a re. But, since the Wanderer was looking at Thirteen, he wasn''t aware that there were two individuals who wanted to punch him to oblivion.


    "Then, let me ask you, who am I?" Thirteen asked. "Do you know who I am?"


    "Zion Leventis," the Wanderer replied.


    "Exactly," Thirteen replied. "The one and only Zion Leventis. Have you not heard of me?"


    The Wanderer quieted down because it was impossible for the current generation of Wanderers to not have heard of the boy, who had faced off against a Majin Prince and won.


    "I have seen horrors you haven''t seen before," Thirteen dered firmly. "I have lost many individuals who were important to me. Regardless of what you think or do, I was sent here for a reason.


    "I''ve been in Solterra for more than three years. I was sent here when I was just seven years old. This is thest hurdle that prevents me from going home to see my family. So, there is no way that I will fall here. I will fight tooth and nail if I have to, in order to go back to Pangea. "In my eyes, no one is more important to me than cannon fodders. If you are a cannon fodder like you said you are, then you are one of my people. And as one of my people, I will ensure that you make it back to Pangea, whether you believe me or not.


    "But, ultimately, the one who has control of your life is you. Whether you live or die will be up to your abilities. I will create a strategy which will give all of you a higher chance to seed.


    "Make no mistake, many of you will die here. However, many of you will survive as well. As long as you follow the strategy that I devised, your chances of returning to Pangea to tell the tale about your death defying adventure is not zero."


    Thirteen then looked up at the sky as if trying to see the devised, your chances of returning to Pangea to tell the tale about your death defying adventure is not zero."


    reaction of the Lace Demon and The One, whom he believed was observing them from the Celestial Realm.


    "Wanderers, remember this, you have six weeks before the Lunar Eclipse," Thirteen said. "Whether you use that time to despair or to work with me, is entirely up to you. I will not force anyone. If you have your own n for how to survive, that''s fine with me.


    "So, those who don''t want to participate in my n, kindly step to the right side."


    Thirteen waited, and waited, until five minutes passed, but no one decided to break free from the formation.


    Even the Wanderers who were doubting him earlier stayed where they were.


    "Very well, from this moment onwards, I want all of you to listen," Thirteen stated. "Aside from training on how to run, I will discuss with you all the strategy that I had in mind."


    As everyone listened to the strategy that Thirteen had devised, none of them could stop themselves from widening their eyes in shock.


    Even Uncle Boo, who was listening from the side, looked at the ten-year-old in surprise.


    ''Why didn''t I think of that before?'' Uncle Boo thought. ''If this strategy works than these kids might indeed have a chance to survive. Maybe, it can even help us save Callie.''


    The more Uncle Boo listened to Thirteen, the better his impression of the boy became.


    It was not only the Beholder who thought this way.


    Even the Wanderers who were skeptical at first, were starting to feel hopeful because what the ten-year-old was saying was very ambitious, but entirely possible.


    "This is just the first step of the strategy I have in mind," Thirteen stated after he finished his exnation. "There is more that I will share with you in the next few days. But, until then, I want all of you to take your training seriously. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Yes!"""


    Thirteen nodded. "All of you should rest for now. Tomorrow, we willmence the start of your training regimen."


    The Wanderers dispersed as they were told, while some remained behind in order to form Hunting Teams, which would be responsible for gathering food for all the Wanderers on the Second Ind.


    Seeing that they had regained their vigor, Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.


    Fortunately, he managed to control his temper earlier, and didn''tsh out on the person who told them that he was just going to use them as cannon fodders.


    Shasha, Taiga, Kane, Herman, Raon, Rio, Miriam, and Phoebe, walked towards where the ten-year-old was standing.


    All of them wanted to discuss a few things with the younger boy, who had shown them a path to their survival.

 Chapter 283 Communication Is Important

    Chapter 283 Communication Is Important


    ??The next day after Thirteen made his announcement¡­


    "Run, you maggots!" Thirteen shouted while riding on cky''s back. "My Grandma runs faster than you guys."


    Shasha, who was running beside Thirteen, looked at her brother with a smile.


    Their Grandma, Lady Callista, was hale and healthy, and she had also regained her youthful beauty.


    It was only natural for her to run faster than them. After all, she was one of the strongest Champions in the world.


    "Run like your life is on the line!" Thirteen shouted, forcing the Wanderers to increase the pace of their running.


    Currently, only the intensively trained individuals like Kane, Herman, Miriam, Phoebe, Raon, Rion, and Lambert (the one whom Uncle Boo turned into stone) were at the head of the pack, leading the others.


    Shasha was in the rear, simply running alongside cky.


    At first, the leaders, as well as Shasha, were able to run without problems.


    But when Thirteen brought them to the sandy area of the beach, everyone was forced to put more effort into running because running on soft sand was harder than running on normal terrain.


    The Wanderers struggled, especially the ones who hadn''t received any training. Some of them even copsed on the sand and were left behind by the others.


    "Go ahead, Shasha," Thirteen said. "I need to help the stragglers."


    "Mmm." Shasha nodded before increasing her pace to catch up with the group at the lead.


    cky walked toward the fallen Wanderers, who were heavily panting for breath, and stood in ce.


    "I know it''s difficult, but you will thank meter," Thirteen stated. "If running is all you need to do to clear your First Trial, then you should run as if your life depends on it. Since you''re unable to run right now, then walk.


    "If you''re unable to walk, then crawl. When the Gate of the Moonlight appears, you can either run through it or forever stay here in the Arcadia Archipgo as bones. So, stand up and start walking!"


    Gritting their teeth, the Wanderers pushed themselves up one by one and started to walk in the direction where the others had headed.


    All of them had determined looks on their faces, showing that they don''t n to die in a ce like this.


    Thirteen watched them with a calm expression on his face. If possible, he hoped that all the Wanderers would be able to return home.


    But this mission was truly difficult for ordinary teenagers who still hadn''t attained the Rookie Rank.


    Several hourster, the Wanderers returned to the camp, all panting for breath.


    Some of them were sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. They no longer cared if the dirt got stuck on their bodies.


    Everyone had managed to arrive safely at the base, which was a good thing. Those who were truly unable to continue were picked up by Giga, Hercules, and the Trolls, who brought them back to their camp.


    Suddenly, Thirteen and the other Wanderers sensed several strong presences that were headed in their direction.


    A four-meter-tall Ape, a Winged Tiger, and a two-meter-tall Gray Forest Wolf walked toward their Camp with defeated looks on their faces.


    All of them were Rank 5 Sovereigns and were the rulers of their own domains in the Second Ind.


    Behind them, Uncle Boo walked with a smug smile on his face.


    "What do you think?" Uncle Boo asked.


    "Not bad," Thirteen replied. "How did you convince them?"


    "We just had a proper talk."


    "That''s good. Communication is important."


    The three monsters wanted to spit on the ground. The so-called proper talk that Uncle Boo mentioned involved threatening them toe with him or he would eat them all.


    With a Rank 8 Sovereign threatening to kill them, how could they possibly notply?


    "Listen. From now on, all three of you will follow the orders of this boy," Uncle Boo said as he patted the ten-year-old''s shoulder. "You can call him Boss or Leader if you like. Well then, Zion, I''ll go look for other Monsters to talk to about our special operation."


    Without even waiting for Thirteen''s reply, Uncle Boo left, leaving the five Sovereigns behind. "Well then, let''s talk about our ¡ª"


    Thirteen wasn''t able to finish his words because as soon as the three deemed that the Beholder was indeed gone, they roared at the boy with the intention to intimidate him.


    However, only the other Wanderers got scared of their roars, with some of the girls even started crying on the spot.


    To their surprise, the ten-year-old didn''t seem fazed and simply looked at them with amusement.


    The Winged Tiger then decided to lunge at the boy, who was just a puny human in its eyes.


    But before its w could evennd on Thirteen''s Body, Giga appeared in front of Thirteen and activated its Titan Heart.


    The ze Chad Skunk''s size tripled, turning him into a six-


    meter-tall monster.


    But that wasn''t all.


    The moment Giga stood on his hind-legs, he truly became a giant. With a single swipe of his w, he effortlessly swatted the Winged Tiger, making it crash face first into the ground.


    The ck Ape pounded its chest with its fists before charging towards the Chad Skunk with the intention to fight it.


    But before he could do that, the two Ogres, O1 and O2, blocked his path and clobbered the ape with their spiked clubs, making it cry out in pain.


    The Forest Wolf, on the other hand, decided to run away instead of fighting.


    However, it had only managed to take four steps forward when a Magma Bal-Boa appeared in front of it, blocking its path entirely.


    Rocky gave the Forest Wolf the "where do you think you''re going, buddy?" gaze, making the Forest Wolf whimper.


    "It seems that Uncle Boo didn''t talk to you guys properly," Thirteen said after the three Rank 5 Sovereigns were neutralized. "No matter. I have better ways ofmunicating with hard-headed monsters like you guys. O1, O2, tie them up!"


    The two Ogres nodded as they picked up the adamantine chains that Rocky had spat out.


    All of them were used to hunting Rank 5 Sovereigns, which their Master had to hunt to farm Apocalypse Points.


    Unfortunately, Thirteencked manpower right now, so he didn''t n to kill these three monsters.


    Once all three monsters were properly tied up and unable to break free, Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest and stood in front of them.


    "I''m sure that you already know about the incident that happens on this ind every ten years," Thirteen stated. "Powerful monsters from another world will descend in the Arcadia Archipgo in order to perform a ritual.


    "In that ritual, they will kill as many monsters as they can to serve as sacrifices for the ceremony. I''m not sure what Rank you guys were ten years ago, but you should know, right? The people of Artem would only sacrifice strong monsters. Meaning, the three of you will be hunted down without fail.


    "Now, I''ll give you a chance. Either join us in our fight or die alone. What is your choice?"


    The Winged Tiger, and the Ape roared in defiance. They said in their ownnguage that they would rather die than serve a weak human.


    The Forest Wolf, on the other hand, remained silent. But its eyes were filled with defiance, mirroring the thoughts of the two monsters beside it.


    "It''s good to see that the three of you have strong wills." Thirteen smirked. "We''ll see how long it willst. Drag them away."


    Giga, Rocky, and the Ogres dragged the three monsters away from the camp because he didn''t want the other Wanderers to suffer from the aftermath of what he was nning to do.


    Of course, many of them got curious, so they followed Zion, wanting to see how he was going to deal with the three Sovereigns.


    Several minutester¡­


    "Giga, give them a good dose of your Giga Destroyer," Thirteen ordered.


    The moment the three Sovereigns realized what the skunk was nning to do, all of them cried out in fear.


    Unfortunately, it was already toote.


    Giga''s extremely potent stink spraynded on their faces and bodies, soaking them all in the most heavenly scent that they had experienced in their lifetime.


    The Wanderers, who hade to watch the show, all retreated in haste, especially after smelling the foul scent that spread in the surroundings.


    The leaders of the different Wanderer Teams were horrified after seeing such a scene.


    Taiga, on the other hand, only smirked. As someone who had received Giga''s spray more than once, he could guarantee that by the time his Master''s talk with the monsters was over, they would no longer dare to raise their voice against him, ever again.

 Chapter 284 My Sister Is Off Limits

    Chapter 284 My Sister Is Off Limits


    ??In a direct confrontation against the people of Artem, Uncle Boo and the Unicorn, Albion, were at a great disadvantage.


    Not only did their enemies have great numbers, but all of them were also incredibly strong. Because of this, they never seeded in their attempt to save Callie from them every time the Lunar Eclipse appeared.


    Thirteen had ordered the Wanderers to train how to run, while he asked Uncle Boo to gather all the Sovereigns and all the other Monsters that were Rank 5 and above.


    The ten-year-old knew that once the Lunar Eclipse appeared, the majority of the monsters that they had gathered would try to escape so that they wouldn''t be killed by the invaders from another world.


    He understood that at the end of the day, these monsters would prioritize their own safety over others.


    That was fine with him.


    He wouldn''t force them to fight.


    However, he would ask them to do one thing, and that was to run toward the Gate of the Moonlight alongside the Wanderers.


    This would give the humans, as well as the monsters, an equal chance to survive the uing cmity.


    As long as they all headed in one direction, the people of Artem would have to focus their attention in one ce.


    This would allow Thirteen, as well as those who nned to fight, to concentrate their fighting power in one ce, giving those who intended to escape a higher chance to reach their destination.


    They''d be fighting against Otherworlders that numbered in more than a hundred, so they needed all the manpower that they could get from the four inds of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    After teaching the three Sovereigns a lesson, Thirteen ordered his subordinates to guard the camp while he went to the Order of the Apocalypse.


    He believed that he had given Albion enough time to calm down.


    The moment he arrived at the Order, he immediately found Camazotz, who seemed to be waiting for his arrival.


    "You''re finally here." Camazotz chuckled. "I''ve been waiting for you, you know?"


    Currently, only the Death Bat was around, so Thirteen paused and decided to hear what Camazotz had to say.


    The Death Bat told Thirteen that he and Kamrusepa had finished creating the rules of their alliance.


    The ten-year-old listened from beginning to end and found the rules to be satisfactory. He believed that the one who worked on it was mostly Kamrusepa because Camazotz wasn''t eloquent enough to create a set of rules that would entice Thirteen to join the alliance.


    "Is there a way to reinforce these rules?" Thirteen inquired. "I mean, if you or Kamrusepa decide to break it, I can''t do anything to stop you guys. In short, these are just words that hold no power."


    "Ah, but it will hold power, Thirteen," Camazotz replied. "As long as Metatron approves of it, the contract that the three of us signed will be valid. Anyone who breaks it will be kicked out of the order and have their ranks demoted by one stage.


    "You know more than anyone that we don''t want something like this to happen, you know?"


    Thirteen nodded because he also believed that Camazotz and Kamrusepa wouldn''t dare to break such an agreement if they were going to be kicked out of the order and have their ranks regress by one stage.


    A Rank 9 Sovereign and a Majin Prince might only be one rank apart, but this gap was simr to Heaven and Earth.


    In order for Camazotz and Kamrusepa to regain their ranks, they would have to spend centuries and vast resources in order to recover what they had lost.


    This wasn''t something that anyone in the Order of the Apocalypse would risk because it would threaten their position.


    "Very well, I agree with these rules," Thirteen said. "Where is Kamrusepa? I''m going to be a bit busy in the next few days, so it will be best that we take care of this matter now."


    "She said that she needed to take care of something important in her Domain," Camazotz answered. "She just gave me the proposed contract and said that she will return after half a day."


    "Okay. I''ll return in half a day as well," Thirteen stated. "By the way, do the others from the Order know that the three of us n to create an alliance?"


    "They probably know." Camazotz shrugged. "I mean, even the other members have their own factions and alliances within our organization. It really isn''t really a big deal. I also have a feeling that they don''t really care about it.


    "In their point of view, they would benefit more from your death than from using you as a strategic option to unlock the otheryers of the treasury of the apocalypse."


    Thirteen smiled faintly, finding it ironic. Not so long ago, Camazotz was one of those who wished to kill him, wanting to benefit from his death.


    But now, the Death Bat, as well as the most powerful Seer within the order, had decided to form an alliance with him. Truth be told, this was something he didn''t seeing.


    Even so, having a Majin Prince and a Majin Princess as allies wasn''t a bad deal.


    After bidding goodbye to Camazotz, Thirteen headed to the treasury. The first thing he saw when he entered the Treasury was the Unicorn in his demi-human form, looking at Thirteen with a serene gaze.


    "Take me back," Albion said calmly.


    After realizing that he might be trapped in a weird ce for eternity, he decided that it would be best if he tried to negotiate with the boy who had managed to turn the tables against him.


    "I will take you back, but I have my conditions," Thirteen replied. "But before I state my conditions, I will tell you the current situation in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "All the Wanderers on the four inds are currently staying on the Second Ind. This was arranged to ensure that they would all have the chance to pass through the Gate of the Moonlight, which will appear in a random location on the Second Ind."


    Albion was surprised after hearing the ten-year-old''s words. However, it didn''t take long for him to realize that this setup was more beneficial for him. If all the Wanderers were in one ce, then he didn''t need to take the girls into the First Pyramid anymore.


    "Also, I asked your Beholderrade to gather all the Rank 5 Monsters and above all over Arcadia Archipgo to the Second Ind.


    "It''s an uphill battle with just the two of you fighting all of them, which you have done for the past several decades. Your enemies already know what the two of you are going to do, so no matter how hard you try, the result will be the same.


    "It will be best to use a different strategy this time to spice things up, don''t you agree?"


    Albion neither agreed or disagreed with Thirteen''s words. He already had his own n for saving Callie, so whatever the ten-


    year-old nned was of no importance to him.


    Seeing the disinterest on the Unicorn''s face, Thirteen knew that it would be difficult for him to convince Albion to join his strategy.


    But, in the end, he decided to just let him do as he pleased.


    As long as Albion wouldn''t interfere with what he nned to do, he would not stop the Unicorn in doing what he wanted to do.


    "Albion, I''ll make myself clear," Thirteen stated. "My sister is off limits. If she, for some reason, bes the candidate for the Moon Princess, I will not let you touch her. One of the conditions that I will give you is that you are not allowed to do anything to her, or you will be automatically sent back here in the treasury."


    The ten-year-old''s voice suddenly became cold and indifferent.


    "What you want to do and what I want to do are different," Thirteen said. "If you do not agree to the conditions that I will impose, then you will be staying here until the day you die. I sympathize with you, but the moment you involve my sister in your ns, you and I will be enemies. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes," Albion replied through gritted teeth. "I will agree to whatever conditions you want."


    There were many girls among the Wanderers, so the Unicorn believed that it was unlikely for that boy''s sister to be the candidate chosen to be the next Moon Princess.


    As long as that was the case, Albion would follow his original n without fail.


    Thirteen stared at the Unicorn with the same calm gaze he had earlier.


    Uncle Boo had already told him what Albion''s n was, so although he didn''t condone it, he would not stop it either.


    Like he said earlier, both of them had people they both needed to protect.


    The battle that they would be fighting in a few weeks wouldn''t prove whose method was right or wrong.


    It would only show who was left.

 Chapter 285 Thirteen’s Letter [Part 1]

    Chapter 285 Thirteen¡¯s Letter [Part 1]


    ??"They sure are something, right?" Uncle Boo said as he looked at the Wanderers who were doing their usual morning runs in preparation for the uing Lunar Eclipse.


    "Whatever they do is useless," Albion, who was in his demi-human form, replied. "If running could solve everything, both of us would have done it. But look at us¡ªwe are still here, waiting for a miracle to happen. They''re just weak Humans. The only thing they are good for is to be used as sacrifices."


    Uncle Boo was already used to the Unicorn''s character, so he didn''t think much of whatever he was saying.


    Suddenly, the two Rank 8 Sovereigns heard a voice behind them.


    "You''re right. They are just weak Humans. But, did you forget? It''s because of these weak humans that you now have a chance to save the person you want to save the most."


    Thirteen walked toward the two strongest beings in the Arcadia Archipgo with a calm expression on his face.


    "Since these weak Humans are doing their best, why are the two of you still loitering around here?" Thirteen asked. "There are still many Rank 5 Monsters in the inds that aren''t part of our team yet. Make yourself useful, Albion, and bring them here."


    The Unicorn clicked his tongue, but he didn''t do anything to antagonize the boy in front of him.


    He knew that if Thirteen wished for it, he would be sent back to that ce where he wouldn''t be able to escape even if he wanted to.


    Albion might look down on the Wanderers on the Ind, but he didn''t have the guts to look down on the ten-year-old, who had managed to trap him and torture him.


    "Uncle Boo, stay in the camp and guard everyone," Thirteen said. "There''s somewhere I need to go, and I want you to hold down the fort while I am away. I will be back in three to five days. Make sure that no one cks off in their training."


    "Where are you going, Zion?" Uncle Boo asked. "Are you nning to leave the Arcadia Archipgo?"


    "For a few days, yes," Thirteen answered. "I need to make preparations before the battle starts."


    Uncle Boo nodded in understanding. "Very well, I''ll keep watch while you''re gone."


    The Beholder and the Unicorn knew that Thirteen cared for his sister very much.


    Seeing that he wasn''t taking Shasha with him to wherever he nned to go meant that he had no intention of escaping the ind.


    The boy had already told his sister, Taiga, and his other subordinates, as well as the Team Leaders of the different Wanderer Teams, that he would be gone for a while.


    Shasha didn''t ask him where he nned to go because she knew that there was a reason for whatever Zion did.


    Thirteen took cky with him and used him as his mount like always.


    When he was a good distance away from the Wanderer Camp, he used one of the items he took from the Treasury of the Apocalypse and activated its effects.


    Although he had a skill ban restriction, certain items from the Order of the Apocalypse had effects that couldn''t be negated by the restriction.


    Just like Metatron had stated, the restriction ced on Thirteen''s body also had a limit.


    There were items that the Item Ban and Skill Ban couldn''t nullify. If these two restrictions were to forcefully try to negate the effect of that item, their structure would copse.


    This would lead the restrictions that were ced in Thirteen to break, allowing him to be free from the shackles that bound him.


    The second item that Thirteen took from the Treasury of the Apocalypse was a Portable Teleporter.


    It was a Divine Artifact that allowed him to set three locations as waypoints that he could teleport to.


    The number of creatures that the teleporter could carry was six.


    Thirteen could use its ability once a day, and it was a one-way trip each time. This meant that he would need to wait for an entire day before using it again, which was the only downside of the artifact.


    Even so, its uses were quite impressive, so the members of the Order who had managed to unlock the Second Layer of the Treasury chose this as their reward.


    After a sh of light, Thirteen found himself standing in a hall, where a Teleportation Gate was located.


    The guards stationed there recognized him right away, so they didn''t block him when he walked toward the hallway meant for VIP guests of their organization.


    "Zion!" Adira, who happened to pass by, immediately appeared beside him and gave him a hug. "You little rascal. Where have you been? I haven''t seen you for two months."


    "It''s a long story," Thirteen replied as he tried to break free from Adira''s hold. "Lady Adira, I''m busy right now. We can talkter."


    "Aw." Adira reluctantly released her hold of the boy, who seemed to be in a hurry.


    Thirteen was currently in one of the secret headquarters of Adira''s organization, which went by the name The Order of Raziel. They were an organization that wanted to spread their influence far and wide. They moved in the light and the shadows, with each member having a role to y in the bigger picture.


    On the surface, they were an organization that fairly did trade and business.


    In the shadows, they did things that weren''t exactly fair, allowing them to nt their roots deeply into the territories that they had set their sights on.


    Since Thirteen had stayed in this Branch Headquarters for a few months, he already knew every nook and cranny of the ce.


    Adira, who also noticed where Thirteen was headed, couldn''t help but frown.


    The reason for this was that the boy was headed to the office of the Commander of the Headquarters.


    "Zion, is there something wrong?" Adira asked. "Why are you headed to the Master''s room?"


    "There''s a letter that I need to have delivered," Thirteen replied casually.


    "If it''s just a letter, then why don''t you give it to me? I will send it without fail."


    "I trust you very much, Lady Adira. But, this letter needs to reach the person I want at the soonest time possible. Right now, only Lady Ouriel has the authority to make it happen."


    Adira couldn''t refute the boy''s words, for her Master was indeed the most powerfulmanding officer in the base.


    If she wanted something done, it would be done without fail and without having to wait for the verification of the other members of their organization, who would not hesitate to do dirty work if the price was right.

 Chapter 286 Thirteen’s Letter [Part 2]

    Chapter 286 Thirteen¡¯s Letter [Part 2]


    ??Upon reaching his destination, Thirteen didn''t waste a second and immediately knocked on the door.


    "Lady Ouriel, it''s me, Zion," Thirteen stated. "Can I talk to you right now?"


    "Come in," a voice that was pleasant to the ears sounded from the other side of the door.


    Since he got permission to enter, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to open the door ande inside the room.


    Adira hastily followed behind because she was very curious as to why the ten-year-old wished to see her Master.


    "It has been a few months, Zion." A beautifuldy with long silver hair and gray eyes looked at the boy with a calm expression on her face.


    She looked like someone who was still in her early thirties when in reality, she was more than a hundred years old.


    "Lady Ouriel, I need your help," Thirteen said. "There''s a message that I want to be delivered."


    "Oh?" Lady Ouriel arched an eyebrow. "Since you came to me instead of asking Adira for help, does this mean that you want our express delivery?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I want this delivered at the fastest time possible."


    "Well, I don''t mind doing it for you, Zion," Lady Ouriel replied. "But, it will not be free."


    "What do you want?" Thirteen inquired.


    "What can you offer me?" Lady Ouriel smirked. "Depending on what you can give me, the letter you want delivered could arrive within the day or after a month."


    "I can offer you information." Thirteen smiled back at the Commander of the Underground base he was currently in.


    "I do love information. Tell me, what kind of information are you nning to give me?"


    "Tell me, Lady Ouriel. Have you heard about the story of the Moon Princess?"


    The Commander frowned after hearing Thirteen''s reply.


    "Are you talking about some kind of children''s story?" Lady Ouriel inquired. "Or are you talking about something that truly exists?"


    "Of course, it''s something that truly exists," Thirteen replied. "So, will you send my letter in exchange for this information?"


    Lady Ouriel chuckled before making a gesture for Zion to sit on the chair in front of her.


    "Start talking," Lady Ouriel said. "If I like this information, then I''ll see to it that your letter is delivered as soon as possible."


    Thirteen found this reply quite positive, so he began to tell the story of the pitiful Moon Princess, who wished for nothing more than for someone to end her life so that she would be freed from the suffering and torment that she had endured for the past few decades.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Warrington City in Solterra¡­


    Michael Leventis, who was inside his office, suddenly heard a knock on the door.


    "Come in," Michael ordered.


    The door opened, and a middle-aged man, who was one of Michael''s most trusted subordinates, entered, carrying a letter in his hand.


    "Lord Michael, one of our important business partners has asked me to personally pass this letter to you," the middle-aged man said as he respectfully handed the letter to his employer.


    Michael frowned, but he still epted the letter and tore it open.


    Half a minuteter, his eyes widened in shock before abruptly standing up from his seat.


    "I''ll be going back to Pangea for a while," Michael stated as he walked towards the door. "Manage the affairs of the city while I''m gone."


    "Understood, Lord Michael." the middle-aged man bowed respectfully.


    The second-inmand of the Leventis Family walked swiftly toward his private teleporter, which was directly connected to the Main Residence of the Leventis Family in Solterra.


    He didn''t expect that his nephew, whom he hadn''t seen for the past three years, would write him a letter.


    Due to the contents of the letter, Michael decided to let his father see it first before passing it to Thirteen''s family. The passage between the two worlds was smooth, and in just a span of a few seconds, Michael had stepped foot in the Main Residence of the Leventis Family.


    The first ce he visited was his Father''s Office, but Arthur wasn''t there.


    After asking one of the servants working in the residence, he was told that his father was currently in Lady Callista''s Vi and that they seemed to be spending some quality time with each other.


    Michael, who could go anywhere within the territory of the Leventis Family, didn''t hesitate to head to the Vi to go and meet his father.


    When he arrived, he noticed that Arthur was smiling, which meant that he was in a good mood.


    ''I just hope that he will remain in a good mood after seeing this letter,'' Michael thought.


    Arthur, who already sensed Michael''s presence, looked in his direction and arched his eyebrow.


    "Are the affairs in Solterra already finished?" Arthur asked. "You finished earlier than I expected."


    "I''m still not done with my work, Father," Michael replied as he adjusted the sses on his face. "I just came here to let you read this letter before I deliver it to Gerald and his family."


    Arthur, who took the letter from his son''s hand, began to read it.


    Half a minuteter, he had the same surprised look that Michael had when he first read the contents of the letter.


    "What''s wrong?" Lady Callista looked at her husband, whose aura suddenly changed.


    "Zion has sent a letter," Arthur answered as he handed the letter to his wife. "It will be faster if you read it."


    Seeing how serious Arthur''s expression was, Lady Callista thought that something bad had happened to their family members in Solterra.


    But after reading the contents of the letters in her hands, she immediately stood up from the couch and walked toward the door.


    Arthur and Michael shared a knowing nce before following the most skilled fighter in their family, second only to Arthur.


    The three didn''t bother riding a car since they could travel faster by running and jumping great distances.


    A few minutester, they arrived at Gerald''s home.


    The moment they arrived, Gerald opened the door to see who hade to visit them.


    "Hello, Mother," Gerald said,pletely ignoring Arthur and Michael, who were right behind Lady Callista. "Did youe to visit Remi? Good timing. She said that she wants to see you."


    If this were any other asion, Lady Callista would have already entered the house and showered her granddaughter with hugs and kisses.


    But today was different.


    There was a more important matter that needed to be addressed as soon as possible.


    "Gerald, Zion sent a letter," Lady Callista stated. "I want you to verify if it''s his handwriting or not."


    Gerald''s expression became solemn after hearing his mother''s words. He then read the letter that was passed unto him before the frown on his face deepened.


    "It''s indeed Zion''s handwriting," Gerald answered. "Pleasee in. Let''s talk inside."


    Lady Callista nodded. This was indeed an important matter that shouldn''t be discussed at the door.


    She hadn''t heard anything from her grandson for the past three years.


    And yet, the first update she got was Zion''s letter, which told them about his current situation and more.


    Alessia, who was thest to read the letter, couldn''t stop herself from reading it twice to ensure that she didn''t miss any hidden messages or wordings that her son might have used in the letter.


    A moment of silence descended inside the room as the important members of the Leventis Family discussed the contents of Thirteen''s letter and how they should deal with it.

 Chapter 287 A Pitiful Cannon Fodder

    Chapter 287 A Pitiful Cannon Fodder


    ??Pain and suffering.


    Those two feelings had always been constant in my life.


    The memories of warmth and happiness Ist felt decades ago were gradually turning blurry in my head.


    My two best friends, who cared for me very much, were the only ones whom I could still vaguely remember in my hazy memory.


    Boo and Albion.


    They made me feel wanted.


    They made me feel happy.


    They made me feel alive.


    And most of all, they made me feel loved.


    "I miss them very much," I said as I looked at the younger boy whom I suddenly found inside the hazy world that I was in.


    I couldn''t tell if I was dreaming or not, for even dreaming had be a luxury that I didn''t possess.


    "Then, can you share your memories with me?" the boy asked. "I want to see everything from beginning to end. I want to know everything so that I''ll be able toe up with a n to save you."


    "Save¡­ me?" I couldn''t help but smile despite the pain I was feeling. "No one can save me. Boo and Albion had tried multiple times. The only way you can save me is if you kill me."


    The boy shook his head before raising his hand to touch the side of my face.


    "You''ve been hurt too deeply," the boy said softly. "You no longer dare to hope because you know that having expectations will only break you. You no longer dare to dream because everything will disappear when you wake up."


    At that moment, I felt something warm and wet slide down the sides of my face. I knew I was crying because this was something that I often did from time to time whenever the pain became too unbearable for me to endure.


    Each time I merged with the body of one of those who were called Wanderers by the people of Artem, my dying body would be born anew, only to break down again after ten years.


    Unfortunately, I had reached my limit.


    This was thest time that I''d acquire a new vessel. After it broke down again, my end would finallye.


    Perhaps, this in itself was a blessing.


    Ten years. I just need to endure ten more years of pain and suffering.


    After that, I will be free¡­


    Although I feel sorry for the youngdy whose life would be snuffed out and whose body would be taken over by me, I''m unable to do anything.


    I''m unable to stop the process from happening.


    I''m no different from a puppet being controlled by a puppeteer to do whatever they wanted with my powers.


    "Just kill me," I stated. "End me. That is the only way you can save me."


    If I were to die, the being using my power to break through into the rank of a Celestial would not be able to reach his goal.


    I wanted to die so badly, for that was the only way that I could spite him.


    The only way I could make him feel despair like how I endured decades of suffering due to his selfish goal.


    "Hey," the boy said as he raised his other hand to cup my face. "Do you really not want to fight onest time? After the Lunar Eclipse, you will no longer have a chance to do anything. Are you really fine with that kind of ending?"


    "Yes," I replied. "I am already tired. Very tired."


    "Then what about Boo? What about Albion? Even now, they are still nning to save you. Are you sure you don''t want to try onest time for their sake?"


    "No. Tell the two of them to escape. The only reason why they are still alive is because the People of Artem are keeping the promise they made to me. As long as I cooperate with them, Boo and Albion will not be killed."


    I knew it already.


    My captors looked forward to seeing the desperation on the faces of the two beings who still hadn''t given up on trying to save me. But, I couldn''t be saved.


    The two of them didn''t possess the strength to save me.


    "I can tell that you have already given up," the boy said somewhat sadly. "Fine. You don''t have to do anything except share your memories with me. I will handle the rest."


    The boy then pressed his forehead over my forehead and closed his eyes.


    "Share it with me," the boy stated. "If you do, I promise to save Boo and Albion."


    I didn''t know what kind of face I was making right now, but whatever it was, I believed that I was giving the boy in front of me a look of pity.


    But this was just a dream after all, so why not allow him to see the horrors that he would be facing a few weeks from now?


    Perhaps on a whim, I decided to cooperate and shared the entirety of my memories with him.


    From the time I appeared in Arcadia up to the present.


    Decades worth of memories.


    Decades worth of suffering and pain.


    For some reason, the mere thought of letting the boy in front of me suffer through my memories filled me with glee.


    By experiencing my pain and suffering, wouldn''t that make him feel pain and suffering as well?


    Why should I be the only one to suffer?


    Sharing this suffering was good because it would allow others to feel my pain.


    As I finished transferring my memories to the boy, I pulled my head back and observed his face.


    I want to see his expression change. I want to know how he would react after seeing my memories.


    Would the things I experienced break him?


    A part of me didn''t want that to happen, but a part of me wanted it very much.


    But, as I waited, and waited¡­ and waited some more, the reaction I was looking for never appeared.


    When the boy opened his eyes, he looked at me with a gaze filled with affection, making me feel a stinging pain in my chest.


    "You pitiful cannon fodder," the boy said softly as he pulled me to him and gave me a tight hug. "You''re only a pitiful puppet that is bound by the Strings of Fate and forced to dance for her entertainment."


    The boy then patted my head, making the tears in my eyes fall non-stop.


    Yes, I am a pitiful cannon fodder.


    Forced to do things against my will.


    But soon, it would all end.


    I only needed to endure ten more years, and my suffering would finally end.


    "Worry not."


    The boy''s words broke me out of my daze.


    "You are one of my people. The threads that have bound you, I will cut them all one by one. I will free you from the bindings of Fate, and I will allow you to live a life worth living."


    "And I will promise you one more thing."


    The boy then stood on tiptoe to kiss my forehead before staring straight into my eyes.


    "Those who look down on my people."


    "Those who step on their dreams¡­"


    "Those who think that they can brush them off with impunity¡­"


    "Will face the wrath of me, Thirteen."


    The boy smiled and parted the hair that covered my face.


    "Thank you, Callie," the boy said as his body slowly turned into particles of light, slowly disappearing from my sight. "I look forward to meeting you soon."


    As his final words reverberated inside my head, I noticed that the pain that I was feeling in my body had subsided.


    It was still there, but it was much more tolerable.


    "Thirteen," I muttered. "He said that his name is Thirteen."


    I didn''t know what happened, but for some reason, I was starting to look forward to returning to the Arcadia Archipgo.


    There, Boo and Albion would still be waiting for me.


    But, it would no longer be just the two of them.


    There was one more person who promised to save me.


    I, who no longer dared to hope.


    I, who no longer dared to dream.


    I, who no longer wished to live, suddenly felt as if someone had reached out to me from another world or dimension.


    "Thirteen," I said softly. "I''ll see you soon, Thirteen."


    With that, I once again closed my eyes. And for the first time in forever, I started to pray to whatever Gods that would listen to my pitiful prayer.


    "Please, let my suffering end."


    "Please, let this be thest time."


    I wasn''t aware at that time that, from within the vastness of the multiverse, a wooden staff that was traveling at great speeds hummed as if to answer my call.

 Chapter 288 Let’s See Whose Dirty Strategy Will Win In The End

    Chapter 288 Let¡¯s See Whose Dirty Strategy Will Win In The End


    ??When Thirteen opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the blue moon, which the natives of Solterra called Chandrea.


    "A dream?" Thirteen muttered.


    Just as thest dregs of sleep were starting to escape his senses, he felt something wet on his cheek, so he used his hand to wipe it.


    ''Tears?'' Thirteen thought as he looked at his wet fingers. ''No. It wasn''t a dream.''


    He didn''t know how it happened, but he managed to meet Callie in a Dream World.


    There, he asked her to pass all her memories to him so that he would be able toe up with a n to counter the people of Artem.


    Thirteen recalled everything he had said in that dream and Callie''s reaction to his words.


    He could still remember the resigned look on her face as if she had already epted her fate.


    The only thing she wished for was death, for that was the only way for her suffering to end.


    "As if I would let that happen." Thirteen covered his eyes with his right hand. "If I can''t even save one cannon fodder, how can I possibly defy fate?"


    A few minutes passed in silence when suddenly, the thing that the boy was sleeping on, moved.


    Thirteen found himself gently sliding down from the back of the Devil-Horned Honey Badger, who had been waiting patiently for Thirteen to wake up.


    "Good Morning, Cranky."


    The ten-year-old said as soon as his feet touched the ground.


    The Honey Badger ignored the boy and walked away in order to hunt for its breakfast.


    It was giving the "It''s not like I waited for you to wake up before I look for food, okay? Don''t get the wrong idea" vibe, making the boy shake his head as he watched the Rank 8 Sovereign of the Warsor ins walk away.


    But before Thirteen could even do anything, he heard several voices from behind him.


    "Look! It''s really him!"


    "Wow! So the stories were true!"


    "Be respectful, okay? Our King once said that Zion has a very short temper."


    The ten-year-old couldn''t help but scratch his head because he was starting to remember everything.


    Due to the difference in time zones, it was nearly midnight when he teleported from the Branch Headquarters of the Raziel Brotherhood to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Since Thirteen could revisit the ces that he had been in the past once a day, he had set a waypoint beside the Monolith of Heroes, which had been built to honor him and his subordinates.


    The Monolith had be a pilgrimage site of the entire Archipgo.


    Everyone undergoing theiring-of-age ceremonies was required to visit the Monolith of Heroes before they were recognized as true men.


    The Devil-Horned Honey Badger didn''t attack these pilgrims and tolerated them to a certain extent.


    Cranky had already marked the Monolith of Heroes as part of its den, so no one dared to desecrate it in any way.


    Also, guards were stationed to guard the Monoliths.


    A representative of the Barbarians, Tigerkins, Trolls, and Ogres would always be at the site, keepingw and order.


    These guards would stay to watch over the Monolith for a week before being reced by another set of guards who would also stay for a week.


    Since Thirteen was hailed as one of the Heroes of the Realm, those who were making their pilgrimage to the Monoliths looked at him as if he were a celebrity.


    "Hey, is it possible for you to pass a message to your Kings?" Thirteen asked the guards, who were looking at him with a respectful gaze.


    "It is possible," the Barbarian Guard replied. "We have messenger hawks that allow us tomunicate with our respective Lords. Do you wish to send a message, Lord Zion?"


    Thirteen blinked because being called Lord Zion nearly made him look behind his back to see if the guard was referring to someone else.


    But since he knew that he was the one that the guard was referring to, he just nodded his head. "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I need to pass a message to your Kings. Can you give me something to write on?"


    The Barbarian didn''t hesitate to procure a scroll, as well as a piece of charcoal that could be used for writing.


    Thirteen scribbled a few words on the scroll, stating the message that he wanted to pass along to the leaders of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    After writing the letter four times, he passed them to the Guards so that they could deliver them as soon as possible.


    After he passed them his letters, the ten-year-old did a few stretches before sitting cross-legged on the ground.


    "Time to eat, Tiona," Thirteen said as he handfed the ck Snake a small Beast Core.


    He had plenty of food in his spatial storage because Adira made sure that he took the food supplies she prepared before heading to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    ''I will return to the Arcadia Archipgo after two days,'' Thirteen thought. ''I just hope that everyone is doing their work properly even if I am away.''


    Right now, there was a variable named Albion who might get in the way of his ns.


    However, with the restrictions that had been ced on the Unicorn by Metatron, it would be extremely hard for him to defy Thirteen''s orders.


    Because of this, he decided to bring the Unicorn back to Arcadia so that he would be useful for a change.


    Thirteen had ordered Albion to help Uncle Boomunicate with the Rank 5 Monsters and above of the Archipgo and fight alongside them.


    What they needed right now were numbers that could match the army of Otherwolders that would appear on the ind during the Lunar Eclipse.


    Their enemies both had quality and quantity, so it was very important that these monsters cooperated with his n.


    Simr to the Wanderers, the Gate of the Moonlight also worked on monsters and beasts.


    The Gate didn''t connect to a single ce.


    It connected to multiple ces.


    If the Wanderers were to pass through it, they would find themselves in Pangea.


    As for the monsters, they would appear at a random ce in Solterra after passing through the gate.


    Simply put, the Gate of the Moonlight was the only way to survive the massacre that was about to take ce.


    If hundreds of monsters and Wanderers were to all head in that direction, Thirteen believed that even the people of Artem wouldn''t be able to stop all of them.


    Now that he had acquired Callie''s memories, he now knew the strategy that his enemies were going to employ when they descended on the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Thirteen was someone who kept his promises.


    So, he would make sure that the invaders who had made Callie suffer would also be at the receiving end of his counterattack.


    ''Such a dirty strategy.'' Thirteen sneered after reying the youngdy''s memories inside his head. ''Fortunately, I also y dirty. Let''s see whose dirty strategy will win in the end.''


    Thirteen understood that he was fighting an uphill battle because he was unable to use Rune Magic at this time.


    It was no longer possible to create an ideal battlefield against the people of Artem.


    When he used his Rune Magic to help Mikhail clear his mission, it didn''t sit well with Lace Demon and The One.


    Because of this, he was banned from using Rune Magic to help his family members clear their missions.


    If Shasha wasn''t in the Arcadia Archipgo, then Thirteen would be able to use his Rune Magic freely.


    But since this was no longer an option, he needed to create n B, n C, and n D, in order to ensure that the Otherworlders wouldn''t be able to one-sidedly massacre them and use them as sacrifices to revive their dying Moon Princess.

 Chapter 289 To Run Or To Fight That Is The Question

    Chapter 289 To Run Or To Fight That Is The Question


    ??"Zion, are you tired?" Shasha asked as she lightly caressed the younger boy''s head, which was resting on herp.


    "A bit," Thirteen replied. "Let me take a short nap, Shasha."


    Shasha nodded. "Okay."


    After a week of absence, Thirteen finally returned to the Arcadia Archipgo.


    He was truly exhausted after handling multiple things in preparation for the battle that was about toe.


    Right now, he had only set the wheels in motion. He would leave again after a few weeks in order to make sure that the preparations he had made were ready.


    Thirteen had tried to contact Lace Demon and The One, wanting to negotiate with them. Unfortunately, his call fell on deaf ears.


    Neither the Demon nor the Omnipotent Being made any indication that they wanted to talk to him, leaving him no choice but topensate for theck of abilities he could use in the battle.


    Two minutester, Thirteen''s soft sleeper breaths reached Shasha''s ears. She then held her brother''s hand and patted his head.


    Although she hadn''t seen him for a week, she noticed that her brother had be a bit thinner during his absence.


    She wasn''t aware of what kind of things Zion was doing behind the scenes, but one thing was clear.


    He was not only doing this for her sake but also for the sake of all the Wanderers on the Ind.


    "You''ve grown a lot, Zion," Shasha said softly. "Back then, you didn''t care what happened to other people. But now, you are actively doing your best for everyone."


    Tiona nodded her head in agreement with the youngdy''s words. She had been with Thirteen for the entire week that he was away from Arcadia.


    The ck Snake felt a bit worried because her Master wasn''t eating on time or getting enough sleep.


    It was for this reason that she was serious about preventing anyone from disturbing Thirteen''s nap. She even coiled herself on the boy''s chest, ready to strike anyone who approached them.


    Hiding behind the trees, Taiga and Kane looked at this scene with envy.


    If possible, they wanted to swap ces with Thirteen and sleep on Shasha''sp.


    Above them, perched on a tree branch, were Vassago and Poca.


    Both Pocopocos were giving the two teenagers pitiful gazes, knowing that Taiga and Kane would need to go to hell and back if they wanted to gain Thirteen''s recognition.


    While this was happening, Uncle Boo and Albion returned to the base.


    Thirteen told them that there was no need to bring the Rank 5 Monsters to the Second Ind.


    After acquiring Callie''s memories, Thirteen understood that the monsters were aware of the uing cmity.


    As long as they were told that they didn''t need to fight and that they simply needed to run toward the Gate of the Moonlight, all the Monsters would cooperate with the strategy.


    In the end, Thirteen asked Uncle Boo and Albion to tell the Monsters to head to the Second Ind on their own a week before the Lunar Eclipse.


    These strong monsters then began to make their own preparations.


    In the previous Lunar Eclipse, they were still Rank 1 Monsters, so the people of Artem ignored them and focused on the stronger monsters to sacrifice.


    They had seen the horror of this event, so they were aware that the same fate would befall them if they didn''t do anything.


    Thirteen asked the Wanderers to chop down entire trees and sharpen their ends.


    Albion only snorted after seeing this scene, refusing to believe that such primitive methods would work against their enemies.


    But the Wanderers weren''t fazed and did as Thirteen ordered.


    Shasha had told them that her brother did things for a reason.


    So if he asked them to cut down trees and sharpen their ends, it meant that he had a n in mind.


    "Is he perhaps going to build a Giant Ballista like he used in the battle against the Majin Prince?" Phoebe, who was helping Rio cut the branches off of the three they cut down, asked.


    "Maybe," Rio replied as she gathered the smaller branches to be used as firewood at ater time. "But the thing I appreciated the most is how honest he is. Most people would hide important information because it might affect morale or make the majority feel despair. "I admit that until now, I still feel like we have been given an unfair mission. Fighting over hundreds of Sovereigns is not an easy task¡ªespecially if there is a possibility that there will be Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns among them.


    "But, for some reason, I also feel like we stand a chance. It might sound weirding from me, but this is what I truly feel."


    Phoebe nodded. "I feel the same way."


    When Phoebe''s team was attacked by Goblins, she despaired, thinking that it was over for them.


    But right as she was about to lose all hope, Tiona appeared to save them.


    Then Thirteen and his subordinates arrived and started a massacre, forcing the Goblins to retreat.


    Phoebe would remember that scene for the rest of their life.


    If he hadn''t appeared at that time, the teenage boys might have been killed on the spot, and the girls might have suffered a fate worse than death.


    Even now, Phoebe would sometimes wake up in cold sweat, having dreamt of that incident, days after escaping the Goblin Horde.


    Raon and Herman, who were also cutting down trees not far from them, were having a simr discussion.


    "Zion said that our priority is to just run towards the Gate of the Moonlight and not fight," Herman stated. "The things we are making right now are supposed to be our contribution to the uing battle.


    "Since ''The One'' rewards Wanderers fairly, he said that we would bepensated for doing this."


    "But are you one of those who n to simply run away?" Raon asked.


    "Don''t tell me that you n to stay and fight?" Herman asked back.


    "I asked you first."


    "Okay, you got me there."


    Herman sighed before speaking his mind.


    "Truth be told, I n to stay behind," Herman answered. "Zion said that he would be part of the team that would attack the invaders and help distract them, allowing us to escape.


    "I asked Shasha what she nned to do during the Lunar Eclipse, and she said that since Zion is going to stay behind, she would be staying behind as well."


    Raon chuckled. "If Shasha stays behind, then Kane will definitely stay behind too."


    "Don''t forget Taiga," Herman pointed out. "That Tigerkin is head over heels for her. Although marriages between Humans and Beastkins are moremon now, it will still be an uphill battle for him. He will definitely stay as well."


    Raon nodded in agreement. "Actually, my sister and I talked about this yesterday. I told her that she should just run away, but she dered that she would stay and fight. She''s more of a strategist than a fighter, so I''m very worried about her."


    "Did you tell Zion that your sister can be his strategist?" Herman inquired. "Maybe if you tell him that, he will ce your sister at the rear of the defensive formation, where she will be safe."


    "¡­ I hadn''t really thought about that." Raon scratched his head. "I''ll tell himter."


    Herman nodded and continued to cut the branches from the trees.


    Although he didn''t know if what they were doing would really make a difference, he decided to trust his gut instinct.


    After observing Zion for a few days, Herman understood that the ten-year-old wasn''t the type to charge to the battlefield without a n.


    Since the younger boy said that they had a chance of winning, Herman would believe his words and could only hope that he wouldn''t regret his decision once the Lunar Eclipse arrived.


    Giga, Rocky, Hercules, O1, O2, and T1 up to T10 helped the Wanderers carry the sharpened trees to the ce that their Master had designated.


    While Thirteen had shared some of the information he had gained from the memories that Callie had given him to the other Wanderers, he kept the rest to himself, deeming that it would only cause the teenagers to feel more anxiety and despair.


    The only ones whom he told about everything he learned were Shasha, Taiga, and his monster subordinates.


    Shasha had always been a strong-willed girl, so Thirteen was confident that she would be able to handle the truth.


    Taiga and the rest of his subordinates had faced Arundel alongside him and had even saved his life.


    Because of this, they were also told the truth.


    Surprisingly, none of them seemed to be worried because they held a blind trust in Thirteen.


    If their Master thought that there was a chance of winning, there would certainly be a chance of winning.


    If he said that there was no possibility to win, the monsters would also think that way.


    This blind trust was something that they had developed during the time they had spent with him.


    Even an army of hundreds of Sovereigns was no longer enough to faze them. In fact, they were even a bit excited because they would be able to eat high-quality meat, as well as Cores that would allow them to upgrade their Ranks to the next level.


    All of them needed vast amounts of resources in order to proceed to the next rank.


    So, they were very happy because they no longer needed to search far and wide to look for strong monsters to kill.


    Since the people of Artem wereing to them, they would make sure that none of their enemies would be able to return to their home world.


    Little did they know that somewhere far away, in a ce where they couldn''t possibly reach, a youngdy whose entire body was covered in blood was already counting the days until the Lunar Eclipse.


    Someone had promised to save her, so she held onto those words, helping her endure her pain and suffering.


    Watching her from the altar were her tormentors, who were making sure that they would be able to siphon every drop of her blood in preparation for the time when she would gain a new vessel, which would allow their King to finally break through to the rank of a Celestial.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 290 Destroy All Those Who Would Stand In His Way

    Chapter 290 Destroy All Those Who Would Stand In His Way


    ??As the days passed by, the Wanderers fell into a daily routine.


    Run in the mornings, and chop down trees after breakfast.


    They would then remove the branches of these trees, and sharpen the tip of its main body to serve as some kind of giant projectile that Thirteen asked of them.


    After lunch, they would then hunt Monsters in order to fill up their quota of Cores, so that they would rank up after theypleted their First Wandering.


    They were only given four hours to hunt for Monsters before they returned to the base. After they return, they would fight with Thirteen''s subordinates as a team.


    These were real battles, and Thirteen''s subordinates didn''t hold back and attacked the Wanderers, leaving them seriously injured.


    Fortunately, the Troll Shamans had the ability to heal. Also, they would make the Wanderers drink healing potions to speed up their recovery.


    Kane, Herman, Raon, Lambert, Phoebe, Rio, and Miriam were surprised because these healing potions weren''t the watered down versions that were given to themon folk.


    They were high-quality potions, which made them wonder how Thirteen was able to produce them for the hundreds of Wanderers who got injured everyday.


    When these group fights ended, they would eat dinner, too tired to do anything else, then they would sleep for the night.


    Their tired and injured bodies would recover overnight, and when morning came, they would start their routine all over again.


    This happened day after day, with no end in sight.


    After a week, those who were scions and retainers of the Monarch ns, Prestigious Families, Military, as well as other well-off families, who received proper training since they were young, finally understood what was happening.


    Thirteen was training all the Wanderers, especially those who hadn''t been able to receive proper training because they weren''t born in good families.


    For ordinary Wanderers, they would be asked to run ten miles everyday.


    Those who received proper training were asked to run twenty miles.


    However, Thirteen''s sister, Shasha, had been ordered by her brother to run thirty miles every day.


    The ten-year-old had set a course for everyone, and most of them along the sandy beaches, putting a lot of strain on their bodies.


    "I thought the training I received from my family was already hard," Kane said as he ran beside the leading group. "Brother Zion''s Spartan Training will put the Training of the Monarch ns to shame."


    The other leaders of the different Wanderers nodded their heads in agreement.


    Shasha only kept silent because she had been trained by Zion for years. But, she had to admit that the training they were having now was on a whole new level.


    When she was trained by the Leventis Family, they used Rank 1 and Rank 2 Avatars to develop her fighting ability.


    However, her brother was different.


    Instead of ordinary ranking monsters, the monsters that she had to fight everyday were Sovereigns.


    The one she usually fought against was none other than cky.


    The fastest monster among Thirteen''s monster army.


    If she wasn''t fighting cky, she would be fighting Giga.


    These battles were one-on-one battles, and not group battles.


    Kane, and the other trained Wanderersined that they also wanted to fight Sovereigns.


    But, Thirteen only looked at them in disdain.


    The trained Wanderers would almost always fight two versus one battles against the Alpha Trolls, and yet, they always lost without even managing tond a proper hit.


    Kane''s partners were sometimes Herman and Raon.


    But, even with theirbined abilities, the Trolls they were fighting against were simply too strong, too fast, and too experienced in fighting that they would always get beaten and battered during their battles.


    Thirteen''s training was indeed Spartan, and the Wanderers had no choice but to adapt by hook or by crook.


    At the beginning, only Taiga and Kane joined Shasha in her thirty-mile runs everyday. But after two weeks, the other trained Wanderers joined Shasha''s training regimen.


    After four weeks, all the Wanderers were also doing thirty-mile runs, which made Uncle Boo, who was very interested in the Wanderers, notice the result of their training.


    "Will you look at that?" Uncle Boo said as he looked at the Wanderers running on the beach. "A few weeks ago, some of them would have copsed at this point. But, now, their stamina and muscles have developed properly allowing them to run faster."


    "What can running do?" Albion snorted. "In the end, can they outrun the people of Artem? It''s just wishful thinking. These humans are simply too weak, and too fragile to survive their onught."


    "You might be right," Uncle Boo nodded. "But now, I believe that they have what it takes to run and reach their destination. Even if some of them die on the way, the others will definitely reach their goal."


    Albion scoffed because in his eyes, all of these fragile creatures were merely cannon fodders.


    And, he was right.


    All of them were indeed cannon fodders, which was why Thirteen was determined to train them, and give them a fighting chance to return to Pangea.


    While everyone was busy training, Thirteen would disappear from the ind from time to time.


    Sometimes he would disappear for days, sometimes, he would disappear for a week.


    When Uncle Boo asked Albion if he knew where Thirteen went, the Unicorn would stay silent.


    But, Uncle Boo could be persistent at times, and during those asions the Unicorn would tell the Beholder that he didn''t know, and didn''t give a damn about wherever the ten-year-old was.


    After being captured by Thirteen, there were many restrictions that were ced on his body, preventing him from divulging anything about what he saw or heard when he was in the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Albion had only two goals.


    The first one was to find the candidate who would be the Moon Princess among the Wanderers.


    The second was to rescue Callie.


    He would then cross the Gate of the Moonlight to escape the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Thirteen knew that the Unicorn nned to have Callie merge with the body of the Wanderer, allowing her to live¡­ for at least a decade longer.


    But, the ten-year-old had asked Metatron to put a restriction on Albion that prevented him from targeting Shasha.


    In the slim chance that Thirteen''s sister was chosen as the candidate to be the Moon Princess, he wasn''t allowed to touch her, which would force him to just rescue Callie, and follow Thirteen''s strategy.


    Finally, during the fifth week of their training, the boy, who had been away from the Arcadia Archipgo for a week, finally returned.


    There were only a few days until the Lunar Eclipse, and his return signaled that thepreparations that he was working on, had been finallypleted.


    "Wee back, Zion," Shasha said, hugging her brother in front of everyone, and patting his head.


    Taiga and Kane could only watch with envy as the younger boy got pampered by the apple of their eye.


    After that short sibling bonding, Thirteen nced at all the Wanderers who were all looking back at him with determined looks on their faces.


    Their stamina, strength, fighting prowess, and overall performance had improved by leaps and bounds, making the younger boy nod his head in satisfaction.


    "Uncle Boo, Albion, call the Monster Sovereigns, and tell them to gather on the Second Ind," Thirteen ordered. "It''s time for us to have onest strategy meeting, so that we can give our unwee guests a warm and resounding greeting."


    Thirteen smirked because he had worked overtime to make sure that everything was ready on his side.


    Seeing the devilish smile on his face, Tiona, Giga, Taiga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, Vassago, Poca, O1, O2, T1 and the rest of the Trolls grinned back.


    They had seen their Master smile like that many times during thest three years that they had been with him.


    Although the battle up ahead would be an extremely dangerous and difficult one, as long as the ten-year-old was standing on the battlefield, they would stand beside him and destroy all those who would stand in his way.


    Uncle Boo, and Albion, stared at Zion for nearly half a minute before transforming into their true forms.


    Since they were all on these together, they decided to obey the boy''s orders, and rally thergest monster army that the Arcadia Archipgo had ever seen, and would probably never be seen again.

 Chapter 291 Our Long Journeys Has Just Begun

    Chapter 291 Our Long Journeys Has Just Begun


    ??Artem was one of the moons of Solterra. But, within this moon lived a race of humans that were referred to as Moon People.


    Ironically, the other moon, which went by the name Chandrea, also had Moon People in it.


    But, these two races didn''t get along.


    Countless wars had been fought between them in the past, but after a great struggle, the people of Artem won, forcing the people of Chandrea to go into hiding.


    But, the Royal Family of Chandrea didn''t run and hide, which was part of the agreement they had with the Royal Family of Artem, so that their people would be spared.


    And, a year after that war, a girl was born between the Princess of the Chandrea, and the King of Artem.


    However, this child wasn''t born out of love.


    No.


    She was born so that the King of Artem could absorb and refine her bloodline, allowing him to be a Celestial.


    But, Callie''s mother didn''t want that to happen.


    She wanted to save her baby, so she sent her to Solterra in secret.


    As a drastic measure to prevent her husband from knowing wherethe baby was, she erased her memory, so that no matter how much she was interrogated or tortured, she would not divulge where she had sent her daughter.


    Years passed, and the King of Artem still couldn''t find the baby. He had tried many times to get his wife pregnant, but the Princess of the Moon was only allowed to give birth to one child.


    As long as that child was alive, she wouldn''t be able to give birth again.


    The Moon of Chandrea had mystic powers, and whether it had a Deity that also wished to save the child or not, it ensured that she was well hidden from the eyes of the King of Artem.


    However, during a Lunar Eclipse, when the Deity''s power was weak, the King of Artem conducted a ritual, which would allow him to find his daughter''s whereabouts.


    That was when he found out that she was on Solterra, particrly the Arcadia Archipgo.


    After finding where his daughter was, he made preparations to send his people to Solterra on the next Lunar Eclipse, so that they would retrieve his daughter.


    But, to ensure that Callie wouldn''t be able to escape him, he had sent two structures to the Arcadia Archipgo to prevent his daughter from escaping.


    These were the two Pyramids that would allow them to erect a gate, which would allow them to teleport directly to the ind.


    At first, they were only able to send a few of their people because they didn''t know if the connection was stable enough.


    This was also why Callie, Uncle Boo, and Albion, managed to repel and kill the first invaders that came to the ind.


    But, after using the first transfer as an experiment, they understood that they could modify the pyramids, to allow them to transfer more of their people.


    Uncle Boo and Albion had once tried to destroy the Pyramids. But, they were unable to do it.


    They was made from an unknown metal that reflected their attacks back at them, leaving them seriously injured.


    And now, as the day of the Lunar Eclipse neared, an army of over a thousand Artemians would be sent to Solterra, and create a foothold on the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Ten yearster, after he had fully absorbed Callie''s power, and bloodline, he would be a Celestial, allowing his people to invade Solterra.


    "Eremiel, once Callie has gained her new body, you will personally escort her back here to the Pce," a handsome man, who seemed to only be in histe twenties, said in amanding tone. "You will also order your subordinates to build the foundation of our Empire in Arcadia.


    "From there, we will spread far and wide to conquer the nearbynds, and make them bow to our will. Do this, and you will be rewarded. Fail, and you know what will happen to you, right?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Eremiel replied.


    "You may go. I want to see how Callie breaks after seeing her two loyalpanions die in front of her. Once she has served her purpose, I will dispose of her, and make sure that her mother will give birth to another child.


    "The bloodline of the Royal Family of Chandrea is so mysterious. I feel like, after reaching the Celestial Rank, the other child would help me reach greater heights."


    The handsome man couldn''t help but chuckle as he envisioned a future where he would rule not only Artem and Chandrea, but Solterra as well.


    For that to happen, he needed to be a Celestial first, allowing him to gain the power that would make him a force to reckon with.


    The handsome man then walked towards the balcony of his pce, where he could see the beautiful world of Solterra in the distance. "A new conquest awaits me," the King of Artem said with a smile. "Soon, another world will be mine."


    ----------------------------


    A few dayster, just before sunset, Thirteen gathered all the Wanderers together.


    "All of you take one!" Thirteen said as he handed wristbands to the teenage boys and girls who hade to answer his call.


    "Wristbands?" Kane arched an eyebrow. "Where did you get these, Brother Zion?"


    "Trade secret," Thirteen replied. "Since you already have one, can you move away? There are others who still haven''t gotten theirs."


    Kane obeyed and walked away, and observed the wristband in his hand.


    At first, he just thought that it was an ordinary wristband, but after taking a good look at it, he noticed that there were words written in it.


    "Arcadia Survivor. Year 3024," Kane muttered as he looked at the wristband in surprise.


    The other Wanderers also read what was written on the wristbands, and felt something warm rise up to their chest.


    The words "Arcadia Survivor", meant that this essory would serve as a memento of their first mission in Solterra.


    Many of the Wanderers became emotional, and some even cried because they felt the message that the ten-year-old was trying to convey to them.


    Survive, and treat this mission as the stepping stone to a better and brighter future.


    They didn''t know how many of them would be able to survive, but one thing was certain¡­ they would do whatever it took to return to their families alive.


    One by one, the Wanderers put on the wristbands, and looked at Thirteen with eyes that had no intention of dying.


    "I want one, too," Uncle Boo, who had also lined up, asked for a wristband.


    "Eh? This will break after you transform," Thirteen blinked. "But, sure. Here you go."


    The boy handed the Beholder a wrist band, which made Uncle Boo smile from ear to ear.


    "I will not wear this," Uncle Boo stated. "But, I''ll keep it with me as a good luck charm."


    "You believe in good luck charms?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "Whether I believe in it or not doesn''t matter," Uncle Boo replied. "Because, we will need all the luck we can get right now."


    The Beholder said as he looked in the distance.


    The tip of the Pyramids were shining, which meant that the Lunar Eclipse would begin soon.


    "Everyone, we have been together for many weeks, and although the time we spent with each other wasn''t that long, I believe that this memory I have with all of you will be with me for life," Thirteen stated. "I want all of you to remember this.


    "Strength doesn''te from what you can do. Ites from oveing the things that you thought you couldn''t do. We are Wanderers. Wherever we go, and no matter how long our journey is, there wille a time when our paths will cross each other.


    "Not all those who wander are lost. Sometimes, it just means that we are meant to wander, so that we can bring others back home."


    Thirteen then raised his right hand, whose wrist was also wearing a wristband, and closed it into a fist before pressing it over his chest.


    "Our long journey has just begun. It is not our time to rest amongst the stars."


    All the Wanderers clenched their fists as they stared at the boy, who was now acting as their leader with moist eyes.


    When a Wanderer died, a shooting star would appear in the heavens of Pangea.


    A sight, which was once beautiful, was now treated as an ill omen by those who lived in the world because they knew that somewhere, out there, a Wanderer had lost their life.


    So, Thirteen''s words hold great significance to them, making them believe that they would be able to see the sunrise when morning came.


    As if waiting for that moment, the two pyramids shot a beam of light towards each other, which intersected above the second Ind of the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Slowly, but surely, a small gate was opening, which was the signal that after an hour, the people of Artem would descend upon the world.


    "Battle Stations," Thirteen ordered, making all the Wanderers, and the Monsters who had agreed to cooperate with them, position themselves for a mad dash towards the Gate of the Moonlight.


    Uncle Boo and Albion transformed into their true forms, with the intention to save the person whom they loved and cared for the most in their lives.


    Thirteen stood in front of everyone with his arms crossed over his chest. He had a fearless look on his face, and didn''t seem the least bit scared of the monsters that woulde to ughter them all.


    He was the youngest, and smallest among the teenage boys and girls.


    But, at this time, everyone who was looking at his back, felt that he wasrger than life.


    ¡ª------------------


    A/N: Originally, I nned to chop today''s two chapters into three parts, so that I will have 3 chapters.


    But, I decided against it because it wouldn''t sit well with me. So, I''ll just write that bonus chapter tomorrow. Are you guys ready for action? Kekeke.

 Chapter 292 The One Who Mastered The Art Of Playing Dirty [Part 1]

    Chapter 292 The One Who Mastered The Art Of ying Dirty [Part 1]


    ??As the gate slowly expanded, something caught everyone''s attention.


    Beside Thirteen, Shasha started glowing in a faint light.


    The ten-year-old gave his sister a sidelong nce before shifting his gaze back to the gate.


    He had already expected that his sister might be the candidate to be the Moon Princess because of two things.


    The first one was his mission.


    After leaving the Valbarra Archipgo, he met up with his brother, Mikhail, due to the contents of one of his Trials.


    His Twelfth Trial, which forced him to journey for months to reach the Arcadia Archipgo, was another indicator.


    The moment he stepped foot into the ind, he received his final mission¡ªprevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.


    Before he was sent to Solterra, he had imparted the Divine Martial Technique, Dance of the Moonlight, to his sister, so he was ny percent certain that the person whom he must prevent from getting corrupted was none other than Shasha.


    The Wanderers, who had already been told about the sign of the Moon Princess Candidate, looked at Shasha withplicated looks on their faces, especially the girls.


    Some of them were relieved because they weren''t chosen to be Callie''s next vessel.


    The rest, mostly the boys, pitied Shasha.


    For them, she was the perfectdy.


    Kind, strong, beautiful, and strong-willed.


    These were the qualities that any man would want for their partner in life.


    Taiga and Kane clenched their fists, for this turn of events was their greatest fear. Both of them secretly hoped that the youngdy wouldn''t be the candidate chosen to be the next Moon Princess and wanted her to safely escape this cmity.


    Uncle Boo and Albion also looked at Zion''s sister with solemn expressions on their faces.


    Uncle Boo could only sigh in his heart. In his eyes, Shasha was the worst candidate for Moon Princess.


    Not only was she Thirteen''s sister, but he had also taken a liking to her.


    Albion, on the other hand, clenched his fists so hard that the Beholder could hear cracking sounds beside him.


    "My sister is off-limits."


    Those were the words that Thirteen had told him when he was still trapped in the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Now that the hateful boy''s sister had be the candidate, his original n had to be revised.


    ''I''ll just focus on saving Callie first,'' Albion red at the gate slowly forming in the distance. ''Anyone who stands in my way will die!''


    Shasha looked at her hands, which were glowing faintly, and narrowed her eyes.


    It was then that she heard her brother''s voice, snapping her out of her daze.


    "Don''t worry, Shasha," Thirteen said with his gaze still focused on the gate in front of him. "I promise that I''ll protect you. So, you don''t have to worry about anything."


    Shasha nodded before she, too, looked at the gate that was forming in the distance.


    The size of the gate was now over a hundred meters, and everyone could tell that it would open any moment now.


    "Everyone, get ready," Thirteen ordered. "When I give the signal, you will run toward the Gate of the Moonlight that will appear somewhere on this ind. Don''t look back. Just run. We''ll see each other in Pangea."


    """Yes!"""


    All the Wanderers replied in unison, making the younger boy smile.


    High above the sky, Vassago and Poca circled around Thirteen''s location, keeping an eye out for the appearance of the Gate of the Moonlight.


    Two gates would appear during the Lunar Eclipse.


    One was the Gate from Artem, and the other was the Gate from Chandrea. The Gate from Artem was Purple, while the Gate from Chandrea was blue.


    After the Gate from the invaders materialized, the Gate from Chandrea would also manifest at the same time.


    "They''reing!" Uncle Boo shouted. "Everyone, brace yourselves!"


    A few seconds after Uncle Boo made his announcement, a powerful shockwave spread out from the location where the Purple Gate was, sending gusts of wind flying in every direction.


    The Purple Gate then opened, and from it emerged the people 16:19


    of Artem, who stood four meters tall and were all wearing The Purple Gate then opened, and from it emerged the people of Artem, who stood four meters tall and were all wearing purple robes.


    Uncle Boo''s and Albion''s eyes widened in shock upon seeing something that they didn''t expect.


    In the past Lunar Eclipses, only a little more than a hundred Warriors from Artem appeared on the Ind, yet that already gave the two of them a hard time.


    But now, there were not only just a hundred of them rushing out of the Purple Gate.


    No. There were several hundred of them, and even the weakest warriors were Rank 5 Sovereigns.


    "Surprised?" a four-meter-tall Giantughed as he passed through the gate. "You didn''t see thising, did you?"


    The Commander of the invaders, who appeared in the Arcadia Archipgo, was a Rank 9 Sovereign, and he went by the name Eremiel.


    "My King wanted to pass a message to the two of you," Eremiel stated. "Thank you for entertaining him once every decade. He also has a proposal. Why don''t the two of you serve the Artemian Empire and be our ves?


    "If you ept, you will be allowed to spend ten years with the Princess before she kicks the bucket. Of course, you can refuse. That''s fine as well.


    "But we''ll cut off that Unicorn''s head and disy it in the Royal Pce, while we''ll lock up that Beholder to be used for experiments. Rejoice, for even in death, both of you will at least have worth. So, what do you say?"


    "I say, f*ck you!" Uncle Boo, who had learned to curse from the Wanderers, shouted in anger.


    Albion, who also refused to yield, red at Eremiel with fury.


    "Well, I gave you a chance," Eremiel smirked. "It''s toote to regret your decision."


    Right behind Eremiel, six Rank 8 Sovereigns appeared, making Uncle Boo''s and Albion''s faces contort in anger.


    Their enemies now numbered over a thousand, which was ten times greater than the usual army that the Artemian Empire sent every Lunar Eclipse.

 Chapter 293 The One Who Mastered The Art Of Playing Dirty [Part 2]

    Chapter 293 The One Who Mastered The Art Of ying Dirty [Part 2]


    ??"T-This is too much," one of the Wanderers stuttered upon seeing that the number of enemies was far greater than any of them would''ve imagined.


    The other Wanderers were just as shocked, having expected that they would only need to escape from a hundred Artemians.


    While escaping from a hundred Sovereigns was difficult, it was not impossible. However, with this many enemies going for the kill, their chances of escaping were nearly zero.


    But, just as everyone was about to fall into despair, a voice spread in the surroundings, making the Wanderers, as well as Callie''s two Protectors, look in his direction.


    "The Gate has appeared," Thirteen said in a calm tone as if the appearance of thousands of Sovereigns wasn''t a big deal to him. "It is ten miles to the East."


    The ten-year-old then pointed in the direction where Vassago saw the Gate from the sky.


    "cky, Hercules, lead them all to the Gates," Thirteen ordered. "You already know what to do, right?"


    cky barked while Hercules screeched.


    Thirteen nodded before ncing at the Wanderers behind him.


    "What are you all waiting for?" Thirteen asked with a smile. "Start running."


    cky barked at the Wanderers before running away.


    Hercules screeched and followed behind his friend, snapping the Wanderers, as well as the Monsters, who had gathered on the ind to all run at the same time.


    A Monster Stampedeposed of Rank 5 Monsters and above started, and all of them were headed to the blue pir of light in the distance.


    Eremiel nced at the fleeing Humans and monsters before shifting his gaze to the beautiful youngdy, whose body was glowing brightly in the darkness.


    "The sacrifices are running away," Eremiel stated. "Kill them all."


    The Warriors of Artem roared as they followed their Commander''s orders. Some of them had seen this scene countless times in the past, and it all ended in a one-sided massacre.


    "Follow me!" the Captain of a Squad of Warriors shouted.


    He was a Rank 6 Sovereign, and he was part of the original invaders who descended to the Arcadia Archipgo every ten years.


    The Captain had only managed to run a few dozen meters when he saw a blur out of the corner of his eye.


    A secondter, blood sttered in the surroundings as the Captain of the Warriors found his chest pierced by a tree. He could only stare at the sky, unable to move, for he had been pinned in ce.


    "W-What?"


    That was hisst word before death, not even knowing how he died.


    On a mountaintop, Lady Ouriel, who was Adira''s Master, their Branch Manager,and the Commander of the Order of Raziel,ughed.


    "For a moment, I thought that these Otherworlders are very tough," Lady Ouriel said. "But, since they can bleed, they can die as well. Everyone, make sure not to ck off, okay? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so make sure to enve as many of these bastards as possible!"


    Norris and the other ve Masters, who were under Lady Ouriel''smand, all stepped forward with anxious looks on their faces.


    "Which is worse?" Norris, the ve Master who had befriended Thirteen, asked the Drow beside him. "The fight against Arundel, or this one?"


    "First time?" Adira asked back with a grin.


    "I don''t really participate in wars, you know?" Norrisined. "So, which is worse?"


    "The fight with Arundel was worse," Adira answered as she summoned her dark bow. "Compared to that fight, this is just a walk in the park for Zion."


    Lady Ourielughed as she raised her hand, making one of the trees that the Wanderers had sharpened to perfection float above her head.


    She was a Throne, and she possessed a very deadly and unique ability.


    The Commander of the Order of Raziel could increase the weight of anything she touched, andunch it as a projectile.


    Of course, there was a limitation. She could only increase the weight of the object up to fifteen tons. Anything above that was impossible for her.


    But, with tens of thousands of sharpened trees at her disposal, Lady Ouriel felt invincible.


    Soon, dozens of trees descended upon the Artemian Army, as Thirteen''s reinforcements went for the kill. Eremiel, who didn''t expect that there would be other forces on the ind, frowned as his gaze locked onto the body of the Commander of the Order of Raziel.


    "Half of you, kill those pests," Eremiel ordered the six Rank 8 Sovereigns behind him. "The other half, secure that girl over there and bring her to me. Captains of each squad, what are you waiting for? Start the ughter, and eliminate all of those who dared to oppose our Artemian Empire!"


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    The Artemians divided themselves into three groups.


    Some went after the Wanderers, the others targeted the reinforcementsThirteen had called to join him, while the rest charged in Shasha''s direction with the intention of capturing her alive.


    High above their heads, the Moon of Chandrea had started undergoing the first phase of a total lunar eclipse.


    This phenomenon would end in exactly one hour, which was the time limit for Eremiel to capture Shasha and have her merge with Callie, who would appear once the eclipse had progressed halfway.


    "Master, we should take Shasha and run!" Taiga proposed.


    "Yes, Brother!" Kane, who was feeling anxious, supported Taiga''s words. "We need to run away now!"


    "Run away?" Thirteen blinked in confusion. "Why should we run away?"


    "Why?! Of course, we need to run away!" Taiga, who was very tempted to hold Shasha in a princess carry and run as fast as he could, rested his hands on the younger boy''s shoulder. "Master, three Rank 8 Sovereigns are headed in our direction! They also have Rank 6 and Rank 7 Sovereigns with them!"


    "Brother, let''s escape!" Kane insisted. "Uncle Boo and this Unicorn will not be able to stop them!"


    "Both of you calm down," Thirteen swatted Taiga''s hands off his shoulders as if he was swatting away a fly. "Shasha, did you practice during the Lunar Eclipse in Pangea two years ago?"


    Shasha nodded. "Yes."


    "Do you have a good grasp of it now?" Thirteen inquired.


    Shasha nodded for a second time, which made the ten-year-


    old smile.


    "Can you feel the resonance?"


    "I can."


    Shasha hadn''t felt it a few minutes ago. But when the Lunar Eclipse started, a familiar feeling resonated within her body, making her feel more confident in what she was about to do.


    On a small hill overlooking the battlefield, a beautiful woman stood, looking at the battlefield in front of her.


    After her gazended on Thirteen and Shasha, she took a deep breath before soaring toward the sky.


    It had been a while since shest fought in arge-scale battle, but she wasn''t afraid.


    Right now, something important to her was on the line, so she wouldn''t hesitate to go all out.


    All she wanted was to make the people whom she cared about smile despite the hardships that they were facing in Solterra.


    The Wanderers, on the other hand, were running with all of their might, alongside the monsters who were headed in the same direction as them.


    Thirteen told them that the Artemians would prioritize hunting the Monsters before them because they needed to use the blood of strong monsters to empower the ritual that they were about to do.


    "I''m d we ran every day," one of the Wanderers said, thankful that he was able to run at a good pace despite not having received any proper training while growing up.


    The other Wanderers nodded in agreement because they also felt that they would be able to reach their destination if the Artemians didn''t target them right away.


    The Gate manifested a bit far, so it would take them some time to reach their destination.


    However, after seeing the flying logs that they had personally cut down pierce the bodies of the Artemians running after them, a sense of pride rose in their chest, making them run faster than ever before.


    From a distance, Lady Ouriel frowned. She could no longer provide cover for the Wanderers because there was a small army headed in their direction.


    ''It''s too early to use our secret weapons,'' Lady Ouriel thought as she shot dozens of logs toward the Rank 8 Sovereigns leading the group of Artemians running after the Wanderers.


    She knew that there were risks in joining Thirteen''s battle, but if they managed to pull it off, great rewards would also fall on their heads.


    ''Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'' Lady Ouriel mused. ''That boy, Zion, really knows how to negotiate with a businesswoman like me.''


    Adira was releasing one arrow after the other, while Norris raised his hand to summon a Rank 6 Alpha Monster, which he had recently enved.


    The Order of Raziel had faced many hard battles in the past, but this was the first time that they were fighting invaders from the moon that they always looked at during the night.

 Chapter 294 The One Who Mastered The Art Of Playing Dirty [Part 3]

    Chapter 294 The One Who Mastered The Art Of ying Dirty [Part 3]


    ??While his reinforcements were preparing to sh with their enemies, Thirteen had just finished his conversation with Shasha.


    "Very well." Thirteen pointed at the giants running in their direction. "Show them the Dance of the Moonlight."


    Shasha closed her eyes. Looking at her, Taiga and Kane felt like the brother and sister pair had gone crazy.


    A momentter, a dozen shadows that looked exactly like Shasha appeared behind her.


    Taiga and Kane looked at this scene in awe, but what happened next made their eyes widen in shock.


    Dozens of golden swords made of light materialized and moved counter-clockwise behind Shasha and her Shadow Clones, making them look as if they were Celestial beings.


    "Secure the princess candidate!" one of the Rank 8 Sovereigns, who hade to capture Shasha, ordered. "Feel free to kill everyone else!"


    Although he had seen that the youngdy was exhibiting a strange power, he wasn''t too worried about it.


    After all, what could a weak human girl possibly do against them?


    But when they were only hundreds of meters away from Shasha, countless golden swords rained down upon them from the sky.


    These golden swords didn''te from Shasha, which made the Artemians look in the direction where it wasing from.


    "Do you really think that I''d just watch as my daughter gets kidnapped right under my nose?" Alessia asked in a tone filled with killing intent as she hovered in the sky.


    Just like Shasha, there were a dozen Shadow Clones of Alessia hovering behind her.


    The Dance of the Moonlight and the Dance of Sris were a pair.


    When they were together on the battlefield, a resonance would take ce, allowing both of them to use the power of the other.


    Shasha was still not a rookie, so it was impossible for her to use the power of her Martial Technique.


    But even if she were a Rookie, her rank would still be too low to manifest theplete Dance of the Moonlight.


    However, there was a condition that would allow her to use its true might regardless of her Rank.


    And that condition was an eclipse.


    For the Dance of the Moonlight, a Lunar Eclipse was needed.


    For the Dance of Sris, a total Sr Eclipse was required.


    But, if the two wielders of these two Martial Techniques were together, and there was an eclipse, both of them would be able to unleash their Martial Techniques Core Abilities, making them a force to reckon with.


    Alessia and her clonesnded beside her children and smiled.


    "Zion, will you be able to return after this?" Alessia asked her son, not caring about the horde of angry Artemians headed in their direction.


    It was as if she was only asking her son what he wanted for dinner. Having witnessed this, Taiga and Kane felt as if theirmon sense was being tested.


    "Yes, Mother," Thirteen replied. "I can go home after this mission ends."


    "Good." Alessia nodded. "Remi misses you terribly. Don''t worry, I left your Father to look after her."


    "Mmm. I miss her too." Thirteen took out his bow from his spatial storage and ced a quiver of arrows behind his back. "Let''s get this over with so that we can all go home."


    Shasha and Alessia both unleashed the power of their Martial Techniques,unching countless golden swords that had grown to the size of streetmps.


    Not daring to underestimate the power of the golden swords, the three Rank 8 Sovereigns erected a barrier in front of them, tanking the ridiculous attack that they were seeing for the first time in their life.


    Uncle Boo and Albion, who were now in their true forms, also unleashed a barrage of their long-distance attacks, forcing the Artemians to go on the defensive.


    "What kind of power is this?" Eremiel, who was watching the Moon Princess Candidate''s battle from a distance, frowned.


    He had extended his senses to observe the Golden Swords that were raining down on his subordinates.


    ''Each of those swords can instantly kill a Rank 4 Sovereign,'' Eremiel thought. ''But that woman is only of the Grandmaster Rank. How can she possibly summon so many golden swords?


    ''Also, even though the Princess Candidate is still very young, she can unleash the same attack with the same destructive power. This shouldn''t be possible.'' The more Eremiel thought about it, the more confused he became.


    A minute had passed since the barrage of the golden swords started, but Shasha and Alessia showed no signs of running out of steam.


    Usually, an attack of such magnitude would drain the wielder of their stamina and strength at a rapid pace, making it impossible to use for long periods of time.


    And yet, the two looked tooposed, and there was no sign of exhaustion on their faces.


    In fact, both of them were even chatting, sharing views on how to break the Artemian''s defense as if discussing what to cook for dinner.


    Knowing that this couldn''t continue any longer, Eremiel snapped his fingers.


    A booming sound spread in the surroundings as the Purple Gate behind the Artemian Commander released more Warriors from their home world.


    Originally, he thought that bringing over a thousand warriors was already an overkill. But seeing the current situation, he realized that some variables outside of their control had appeared.


    There were over five thousand warriors who were supposed to arrive in the Arcadian Archipgo in batches.


    They would build their fortress on the ind, which would be their base of operations before they expanded outward.


    Little did he know that Callie had already shared all of this information with Thirteen, allowing the boy to n beforehand.


    If his opponents wanted to y dirty, then Thirteen would y dirtier and make them understand that they were dealing with someone who had mastered the art of ying dirty!


    "Go!" Eremiel ordered the second batch of warriors to attack without mercy. "Get the Moon Princess Candidate!"


    Over a thousand warriors headed toward Shasha with determined looks on their faces.


    The ground trembled,parable to a small earthquake, as they collectively rushed toward their target.


    But they had only managed to run halfway to the first batch when the ground under their feet gave way, revealing a sinkhole.


    Some of the Artemians fell on the sinkhole, but there were others who managed to jump over it at thest second.


    Suddenly, one of the warriors who had fallen into the hole suddenly flew out of it, blood gushing out of his nose and mouth.


    A momentter, the Ogre King from the Valbarra Archipgo jumped out of the hole and swatted all the Artemians within his range.


    "You guys are too impatient," the Tigerkin King jumped out of the sinkhole and also started to smack everyone in the surroundings.


    "I''ve been itching for a fight," Arthas, who was now a Throne, shed the Artemian in front of him.


    Just as he was about to attack the enemy closest to him, the ground burst open, and the new Troll King pierced the Artemian''s head, making Arthas chuckle.


    "Fine. I''ll look for others to kill," Arthas, who was now the Barbarian King, distanced himself from the Ogre King, the Tiger King, and the Troll King.


    "You bastards!" a Rank 7 Sovereign shouted in anger.


    However, before he could help his subordinates, the ground under him copsed.


    Fortunately, he was prepared, so the moment it happened, he was able to jump upward.


    But even though he did, a giant figure rose up from the ground and grabbed his legs.


    The Artemian Captain looked down and screamed in fright when he saw the Devil-Horned Honey Badger, whose jaws were wide open and about to bite his waist.


    A pang of excruciating pain washed over his senses as Cranky pulled him down underground, where the Honey Badger would ensure that his prey wouldn''t be able to escape from him.


    Thirteen promised him that he could eat to his fill. And what better food could he eat than powerful monsters that he had never tasted before?


    Ogres, Tigerkins, Barbarians, and Trolls emerged from the holes that suddenly appeared in the ground and worked together to start a one-sided massacre.


    The Artemians were caught off guard by this sudden ambush, which broke their battle formation.


    Eremiel roared in anger because enough was enough.


    "Moon Domain!"


    The Commander of the Artemian Army activated his Domain, which would double the strength and fighting prowess of his army.


    But just as the Domain was about to envelop the entire battlefield, cracks appeared on it, making Eremiel''s eyes turn bloodshot.


    A few secondster, his Domain shattered, making him cough out a mouthful of blood due to bacsh.


    "I''ve always wanted to try that once."


    A voice filled with arrogance reached Eremiel''s ears, making him turn to look at the Old Man who was holding a greatsword in his right hand.


    "Not too shabby, right?"


    The Patriarch of the Leventis n, Arthur Leventis, sneered as he looked at the Rank 9 Sovereign with a fearless gaze.


    He had long wished to be a Monarch, and one of the requirements to qualify as such was to kill a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    Arthur was just a Throne. In order to win against a Rank 9 Sovereign, the assistance of at least five more Thrones was needed.


    But, the Old Man was as cunning as he was strong.


    He purposely waited for Eremiel to unleash his Domain before breaking it using the ability of his Mythical Equipment.


    Thirteen''s Grandpa was pissed off when Thirteen didn''t invite him to the Valbarra Archipgo to fight Arundel and his army.


    He thought that he had lost the opportunity to be a Monarch just because he didn''t treat his no-good grandson''s family better.


    Since then, he paid extra attention to Mikhail''s, Shasha''s, and Remi''s situation, making sure that they received the best supplements and training materials that their family could offer.


    He did all this, hoping that Zion, who was still in Solterra, would find himself in a difficult situation, simr to his battle with Arundel.


    (E/N: Repeat those words to yourself, old man!!! Is that right???)


    Arthur hoped that his grandson would invite him then. Fortunately, his prayers were answered.


    Thirteen had asked the Order of Raziel to deliver a letter to Michael, which he would certainly deliver to Arthur.


    Heid out a n in which he could bring the powerhouses of the Leventis Family to the Arcadia Archipgo to participate in a battle, which would give Arthur a chance to realize his goal.


    "Well, then. Time to fight," Arthur sneered. "It is high time that I be a Monarch."


    Eremiel roared in anger because he didn''t like the way Arthur was looking at him.


    The Old Man was looking at him like a prey that was about to get consumed, which triggered the Artemian Commander to go all out and show him that an inferior creature didn''t stand a chance against him.

 Chapter 295 The Order Of Raziel

    Chapter 295 The Order Of Raziel


    ??"B-Brother, you''re amazing!" Kane eximed after seeing the reinforcements that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    He originally thought that they were already goners, but seeing the unknown monster army helping them, as well as the other adults fighting alongside them, he was starting to believe that they had a chance to win.


    Shasha and Alessia, whose powers resonated with each other, were like unstoppable magical artillery, continuously shooting out golden swords that were as strong as Lady Ouriel''s fifteen-ton projectiles.


    On the contrary, Thirteen, who was observing the battlefield with his arms crossed over his chest, wasn''t as optimistic as Kane.


    He understood that the Artemians wouldn''t allow themselves to fail their mission. With that said, they should be sending more reinforcements, which would soon number in the thousands.


    "By the way, Kane," Thirteen said. "Why are you still here? Shouldn''t you be running toward the Gate of the Moonlight?"


    "Brother, just who do you think I am?" Kane replied with a face filled with injustice. "Since Shasha is still not safe, I will remain here. I won''t go through the gate unless she goes through the gate with me!"


    Taiga, who was also standing beside Kane, clicked his tongue but didn''t say anything.


    His current Master didn''t tell him about the reinforcements that arrived, but a nce was enough for him to figure out that they consisted of members of the Order of Raziel and the warriors of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Truth be told, he already had an idea about how the ten-year-old was able to achieve such a feat.


    It also exined the number of times Thirteen had left the Arcadia Archipgo and disappeared for days on end.


    He had been making preparations in the background alone, keeping friends and allies alike in the dark.


    The younger boy looked at the blue moon in the sky. Seeing the progress of its Eclipse, he knew that there were still a few minutes before it reached the halfway mark.


    Once that happened, the intensity of the battle would increase. At that time, the Artemians would realize that the current forces they had at the Arcadia Archipgo would not be enough toplete their mission.


    "Shasha, no matter what happenster, don''t panic," Thirteen said. "Trust me, okay?"


    "Yes, Zion," Shasha replied as she nced at her brother with a smile. "I trust you."


    Suddenly, a screech sounded from the sky, making Thirteen nce at Poca, who had just given him an updated report of the current situation on the battlefield.


    The boy''s face turned solemn, having been informed that his trump cards were starting to move to perform the missions that he had asked of them.


    ''It''s still too early,'' Thirteen thought. ''Which means it has already reached that stage.''


    Thirteen sighed internally. But since there was nothing he could do, he screeched back to let Poca know that he received her report properly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Phoebe, Herman, Raon, Rio, and Lambert ran alongside the other Wanderers with determined expressions on their faces.


    They were still a distance away from their destination, and yet, the Artemians were closing in on them at a rapid pace.


    The reinforcement that had given them cover fire earlier was currently being targeted by a small army, forcing them to deal with that threat first.


    This left the Wanderers and the other monsters, who were running toward the Gate of the Moonlight, to handle things on their own.


    "Just run!" Raon shouted. "Do everything in your power to cross that gate!"


    All the Wanderers nodded their heads in understanding as they continued to run.


    But a secondter, a loud explosion erupted in front of them, and the leading pack of Monsters was sent flying to the side of their formation.


    "This little game is over!" an Artemian holding a fireball in his handughed. "Be sacrifices for the glory of our King!"


    The other Artemians, who were capable of long-distance attacks, also unleashed a barrage toward the monsters and the teenagers, who didn''t stop desperately running for their lives.


    But, just as these attacks were about tond on their designated targets, giant spears emerged from the ground and dispersed thempletely.


    Raon and the other Wanderers thought that they were already goners, but the sudden appearance of the spears reignited the hopes in their hearts.


    "Run along now, children," a handsome man fixed his sses as he stood at the side of the path. "The Leventis Family will handle them."


    Raon, Herman, Lambert, Rio, Phoebe, and Miriam, as well as the other Wanderers, recognized the man wearing sses because he was one of the most important people in Pangea.


    "Michael Leventis," Raon muttered. "The right-hand man of Arthur Leventis." "W-What is the Leventis Family doing here?!" Lambert''s eyes widened in shock. "How can they possibly be here?!"


    "Wanderers who go to Solterra for the first time are usually sent to ces far from any human kingdom," Herman stated. "This is to prevent powerful families from assisting their bloodline inpleting their mission.


    "I''ve memorized the known maps of Solterra, but this Arcadia Archipgo wasn''t located within the Human Kingdoms. That can only mean one thing¡ªthis ce is so remote that no ordinary person can reach it."


    "But, they did," Riomented. "I can only think of one person who can do it."


    All the Wanderers didn''t need to be a genius to guess who was responsible for bringing the unexpected reinforcements that suddenly appeared on the battlefield.


    This only cemented their assumption that Zion had done something during the days when he wasn''t on the ind.


    "I''m just d they are here," Herman stated. "There''s simply no way we can survive this without them."


    Michael nced at the powerful Army that was almost upon them before fixing his sses a second time.


    "Leventis Corps, move out!" Michael ordered.


    Suddenly, hundreds of people emerged from the trees and unleashed a barrage of spells, arrows, and other projectiles toward the iing army.


    "Mr. sses, allow us to support you," Ady, who seemed to be in herte twenties, said with a smile as she appeared a few meters away from Michael.


    "Silent Watchers, engage!" the Lady ordered.


    "Phantom Force, go for the kill," a middle-aged manmanded as he stood on top of a tree.


    "Wolf Crew, it''s time to hunt!" a man wearing a wolf robe shouted.


    "Tiger Cartel, make sure to loot as many as you can," a woman wearing seductive clothes closed the fan she was holding in her hand and pointed it at the Artemian Army. "Don''t forget to capture a few ves too. We don''t want Ouriel to gain all the good stuff."


    When Thirteen asked the Branch of the Order of Raziel, headed by Lady Ouriel, for help, he didn''t expect that the Commander of the Shadow Union would ask the other Branches to participate in this battle.


    All in all, Ten Branches of the Order of Raziel were mobilized, and each of them was led by a Throne.


    These unexpected circumstances surprised the ten-year-old, but he was more than happy to have them in this battle, which was happening in a secluded part of Solterra that was still uncharted by the Human Kingdoms.


    Thirteen had used Rocky''s upgraded Mobile Fortress to bring in 500 people at a time, which he dumped in secret locations throughout the second ind.


    He made many return trips in order to amodate all of these powerful individuals from the Underworld, who only came because of their trust in Ouriel.


    The Order of Raizel was a tight-knit group of people


    Their Commanders were all close friends. And since one of them asked for help, those who were nearest the Shadow Union Branch answered her call.


    Soon, the Artemian Army that originally targeted the fleeing Wanderers was forced to engage the forces of Four Thrones, buying the Wanderers precious time to increase the distance between them and the Army, whose formations had started to break apart.

 Chapter 296 Monster Brawl

    Chapter 296 Monster Brawl


    There was a small Elite Group of Artemians that separated from their formation to continue their pursuit of the fleeing Wanderers.


    Their captain had the ability to use group teleport, allowing them to teleport anywhere within two miles in any direction.


    Fifty Artemians, led by a Rank 7 Sovereign, appeared at the front of the Monster Stampede, blocking their path to escape.


    Monsters were stronger and faster than Wanderers, so they took the lead, while the teenage boys and girls were at the rear of their formation.


    "Lowly creatures, just ept your fate and allow yourselves to be sacrificed!" the Rank 7 Sovereign shouted. "Kill them!"


    The Artemians charged forward, with their armor glowing in a bright light.


    This light increased their strength for a period of time, giving them the confidence to annihte the Monster Stampede.


    At least, that was what they originally believed.


    When the two forces were about to sh, the ground under their feet gave way, and they all fell into a ditch.


    This ditch was only three meters deep, and the Artemians were four meters tall.


    Due to how sudden the situation was, they were unable to react in time and got trampled by the Monster Stampede.


    cky, who was leading the pack, barked, telling the Monsters behind him to Gang Bang the fallen Artemians.


    All of them were Rank 5 Monsters and above, so they weren''t any weaker than the Artemians.


    Because of this, they trampled, mawed, bit, shed, and shredded the arrogant invaders who must have thought that they were dealing with Low-Ranked Monsters.


    While the monsters were attacking the Artemians trapped in the ditch, Rocky was also attacking them from below ground.


    Of course, he focused his attention on the Rank 7 Sovereign, which was the strongest of them all.


    As long as he could contain their captain, cky and the other monsters would handle the rest.


    Thirteen had also taken into consideration that, when the battle started, the Artemians would divide their forces to handle the different variables that would pop up across the battlefield.


    But, the boy also considered one important factor, and that was the arrogance of the Artemians.


    For them, any creature born in Solterra was a lowly creature who couldn''t measure up to their might.


    Unfortunately, they had greatly underestimated the number and strength of the Monsters of the Arcadian Archipgo, who didn''t hesitate to engage them in battle.


    Dying screams reverberated in the surroundings as Giga went on a rampage and smashed every Artemian within his reach.


    When he fought against Arundel, he was clearly outmatched.


    In his dying moments, the one thing he regretted was being too weak to help Zion, so when the two of them had a heart-to-heart talk, the ze Skunk asked his Master to make him stronger.


    Thirteen agreed. Instead of allowing Giga to break through to the next Rank, and be a Rank 6 Monster, he made the Skunk clear certain conditions, allowing him to evolve into a Sovereign.


    A Rank 5 Sovereign was just as strong as a Rank 6 Alpha Monster, and the path that the ten-year-old had chosen for one of his best friends was the path of the Sovereign.


    But, Giga wasn''t just an ordinary Sovereign.


    He was a mutated Sovereign who had drunk the blood and eaten the meat of a Rank 9 Fire Dragon, making him stronger than ordinary monsters with the same rank as him.


    He was still weaker than the Rank 7 Captain of the Artemians, but it didn''t matter. After all, he wasn''t fighting him in a one-on-one battle.


    He was fighting him with his allies, who had faced Arundel alongside him.


    Hercules was like a juggernaut who smashed against the Rank 7 Monster''s head, breaking the Captain''s teeth.


    The Obsidian Tiger Beetle wasn''t a monster that specialized in attacks.


    No. It was a monster that specialized in defense.


    But, thanks to its ability, Road Runner, it was able to run at great speeds. Using the built-up momentum, it would ram itself against any target, making them feel as if they were hit by a bullet train. cky, who specialized in speed, bit on the Artemian Captain''s neck, holding him in ce.


    Giga then activated his ability, Titan''s Heart, and transformed into a seven-meter-tall ze Skunk.


    The three friends had coordinated their time perfectly.


    At the same time that cky bit on the Captain''s neck, Giga''s ze was only two seconds away from descending on the Captain''s head.


    A split second before the moment of impact, cky backed off, so that he wouldn''t be caught in the aftermath of one of Giga''s strongest closebat abilities.


    It was none other than the Gigaton Smash, which was imbued with the mes of a Fire Dragon.


    A secondter, a cracking sound was heard, followed by a dying scream as zing mes spread in the surroundings.


    Giga didn''t take any chances and unleashed consecutive Gigaton Smash until the Captain''s head turned into a burning meat paste.


    "No! Spare me!"


    "Stop! I order you to stop!"


    "I am an Artemian! I won''t die here! I can''t die here!"


    "You lowly monsters! Damn you all!"


    The cries fell on deaf ears as the monsters continued their rampage, not showing a shred of mercy.


    When the Wanderers caught up with the monster army, all they saw was the bloodied bodies of the Artemians, being eaten by the monsters.


    Giga gave the Rank 7 Sovereign Core to Hercules, while he and cky tore off some meat from the foe they had killed.


    They had no idea what the Artemians tasted like, so the two decided to have a taste.


    After chewing a few times, the Skunk and the Hound spat at the same time and looked at the dead body in disdain.


    "This F*cker''s flesh taste like that poisonous toad that we tried to eatst time," cky barked.


    "Yes." Giga growled. "Absolutely disgusting."


    After the two of them finished giving their criticisms about the taste of the Artemian Captain, Giga gestured to the Wanderers to keep running.


    They still had plenty of distance to cover, and judging by their speed, it would take them at least half an hour more to reach the pir of blue light in the distance.


    Thirteen had asked them to apany the Wanderers and ensure that they were safe.


    The Trolls and the Ogres were inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, ready to assist in case they needed backup.


    They weren''t really made for long-distance marathons, so they were hitching a ride in the Magma Bal-Boa, ready to assist their friends at a moment''s notice.


    Although they weren''t saying anything, all of them who had fought against Arundel could feel it in the air.


    Something very dangerous and deadly was looming in the heavens above.


    Feeling anxious, Giga urged the Wanderers to increase their pace so that he could return to his Master''s side before something outside of Thirteen''s calctions took ce.

 Chapter 297 A Very Fine Vessel

    Chapter 297 A Very Fine Vessel


    ??"I am never going to join this kind of mission again," the ve Master, Norris,mented as he forcefully enved a Rank 6 Artemian, which had been knocked unconscious by Adira and her team.


    "Stopining and start enving!" Adira, who was busy providing cover for the ve Master, replied.


    "Done!" Norris shouted as he gave the fallen Artemian a p on his face. "Wake up, and protect me at all costs!"


    The Artemian tried to fight off the envement magic, but it was of no use.


    The envement seal Norris had used on the captured warrior wasn''t the same seal he used on the monsters that he sold other people.


    It was a ve seal made by Norris'' Master, a Throne who specialized in enving magic.


    Any monster Rank 7 and below would not be able to break free from it.


    The other ve Masters, who were also fighting on the ind, had several ready-made seals like Norris.


    Their goal in this war was to capture as many High-Ranking Artemians as possible and use them as their organization''s personal ves.


    Norris'' Master was also on the battlefield, happily collecting one ve after the other.


    He even wanted to thank Lady Ouriel for inviting him to such a bountiful harvest, where he managed to acquire ves that didn''t belong in Solterra.


    The Order of Raziel didn''t help Thirteen out of charity.


    All of them had their own reasons foring.


    Only Lady Ouriel was genuinely helping the ten-year-old because the Domini Mortis had chosen him to be her Master.


    Thirteen had also been honest with her and warned her of the dangers that might happen as the Lunar Eclipse progressed.


    He also shared this information with the other Branch Leaders, who decided to join the fight in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    They knew the risk involved, so they specially made contingency ns just in case the worst-case scenario happened.


    In fact, all of them would not hesitate to sprint toward the Gate of the Moonlight if things suddenly turned south, running off with the gains they acquired during the battle.


    Thirteen was paying close attention to the war, as well as the progress of the Lunar Eclipse in the heavens.


    When the eclipse finally reached the halfway mark, a bright light appeared hundreds of meters above the purple gate that belonged to the Artemians.


    Uncle Boo and Albion looked at that light, knowing what it signified.


    When the light receded, a transparent golden orb appeared, and inside it was a youngdy who seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen years old.


    This teenage girl was none other than Callie. With her appearance, Albion instantly disappeared from where he stood.


    The Unicorn teleported consecutively in order to reach the person whom he cared about the most.


    Uncle Boo also wanted to go, but he knew that he wouldn''t be able to travel as fast as the Unicorn. It might even drag them down if he apanied Albion in his attempt to rescue Callie.


    Thirteen''s and Alessia''s gazes turned solemn when the Moon Princess finally made her appearance.


    The ten-year-old knew that the Artemians had already met one of the conditions to conduct the ceremony, but it was not the one they expected.


    In order to make Callie appear and make the ceremony sessful, they needed to offer blood sacrifices from powerful monsters.


    However, the monsters who had been offered as sacrifices weren''t the Monsters on the ind but the Artemians themselves.


    Thirteen''s strategy caught thempletely by surprise. Although his allies suffered serious injuries, none of them had died yet because the preparations they made prevented the Artemians from getting an advantage over them.


    Simply put, the Artemians were ill-prepared for their current circumstances.


    They were used to being the Hunters, not the ones being hunted by their foes.


    All of them thought that the only threat they would be facing was Albion and Uncle Boo, whom they had already battled many times in the past.


    They had prepared more than enough warriors to deal with the two Beasts, but not enough manpower against the fierce wee they received after they descended on the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "Callie!" Albion shouted as he teleported dozens of meters away from the transparent golden orb that served as the Moon Princess prison. Hearing his voice, the youngdy slowly opened her eyes.


    A sad smile appeared on her face the moment her gazended on the Unicorn, whom she missed dearly.


    But, just as Albion was about to reach her, something blocked his path.


    "This farce needs to end."


    An Artemian with two gray angelic wings on his back stated in a cold tone before punching the Unicorn''s face, sending Albion crashing towards the ground.


    The ongoing battles came to a brief pause when everyone sensed a powerful presence appear on the ind.


    ''Sh*t.'' Lady Ourelia cursed internally after seeing the neer on the battlefield. ''Zion said that there was a small chance that this was going to happen, but it really did happen.''


    The other Branch Managers immediately ordered their subordinates to regroup as they nced at the High Archon, whose presence would affect the oue of the battlefield.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: High Archon is the counterpart of a Majin Prince or Princess. This only applies to Monsters of the same Rank.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Well, you can treat this as a form of victory. After all, you seeded in forcing our hand," another High Archon stepped out of the Purple Gate with a sneer on his face. "We weren''t supposed toe here, but since we can''t afford to let this ceremony fail, our King sent us to handle the rest.


    "Just think of it as having bad luck. The only thing you can do now is hope that in your next life, you will not suffer the same fate. Even so, all of you should be honored, for I, Kziel, had personallye to kill all of you. No need to thank me, Isn''t that right, Your Excellency, Zazriel?"


    Kziel made an exaggerated bow to the High Archon who had punched Albion away from the Golden Orb that served as the Moon Princess'' prison.


    "Yes," Zazriel, who served as the King of Artem''s right-hand man, replied. "Anyone who dares to defy our Empire will face the consequences of their actions."


    The purple gate glowed once again, and with it, four Rank 9 Sovereigns appeared.


    Eremiel, who was the Commander of the Invading Force, was also a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    With the addition of two High Archons, and four more Rank 9 Powerhouses, the bnce of the battle immediately tilted in the Artemian''s favor.


    Zazriel''s gaze thennded on the beautiful youngdy, whose body was glowing faintly in the distance.


    "A very fine vessel," Zazriel said with a smile. "Maybe you willst more than a decade before you wither away like the other Moon Princess Candidates who hade before you."


    After saying those words, the High Archon of Artem touched the golden orb and used his authority over it.


    Callie''s body shuddered, and her eyes suddenly went nk.


    A momentter, she started to sing.


    A sad song that made Shasha, who was fighting with everything she had, suddenly fall into a trance.


    Her shadow clones all dispersed as her connection with them disappeared.


    Alessia, who noticed what had happened to her daughter, was suddenly pushed back by the Artemians, whom she was holding back earlier.


    Now that the deadly bombardment''s effectiveness was reduced by half, they no longer had anything to fear because no one would be able to stop the inevitable.


    Shasha''s body slowly rose up from the ground as if she were being pulled toward the singing girl, who would soon take over her body and use it as her new vessel.

 Chapter 298 Perfect Timing

    Chapter 298 Perfect Timing


    ??"I won''t let you!"


    Uncle Boo roared through telepathy and flew toward Shasha.


    Using his Telekinesis, the Beholder forcefully took the youngdy away and flew toward the direction of the Gate of the Moonlight.


    Right now, it was impossible for him to get close to Callie.


    However, he believed that if he took Shasha away, there was a chance that the Powerhouses of the Artemian Empire would change their target to him, buying Albion a bit of time to save Callie and escape.


    Just as he intended, the Artemians prioritized targeting him. Kziel and the Four Rank 9 Sovereigns that apanied him were now flying after the fleeing Beholder.


    Rank 9 Artemians and above had the ability to fly, making them look like deities in the eyes of their people.


    Only the High Archon, Zazriel, stayed back. His priority was to keep Callie safe and prevent the Unicorn from attempting to whisk her away right under his noose.


    "M-Master, what are we going to do?!" Taiga asked. "They''re after Shasha!"


    "Brother, is there anything I can do to help?!" Kane inquired. "As long as it will save Shasha, I''ll do anything!"


    "The two of you can''t do anything," Thirteen replied as he nced in the direction where Uncle Boo had fled. "If you want to do something, make sure that you stay alive because this is far from over."


    ncing at the Lunar Eclipse, Thirteen knew that even if Uncle Boo flew as fast as he could, the Artemians would still be able to catch up to him.


    "Zion, what now?" Alessia asked anxiously.


    "Don''t worry, Mother," Thirteen answered. "I''ll keep Shasha safe. I promised her, so I will do just that. For the time being, take Taiga and Kane away from here."


    "I won''t go, Master." Taiga insisted. "I know you have a n, so I''m willing to help you even if it''s dangerous."


    "Me too, Brother," Kane stated. "I won''t leave until she''s safe."


    Thirteen shook his head. "The two of you will only just get in the way. If you really want to help save Shasha, go with Mother and help her with what she is about to do."


    Hearing the firmness in his tone, Taiga and Kane nced at each other with resignation.


    "Zion, just answer me this," Alessia said softly. "Shasha will be safe, right? She wille back home, right?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. She wille back safe, Mother. I promise."


    After her son''s assurance, Alessia ordered two of her clones to grab hold of Taiga and Kane so that she could carry out the next phase of Zion''s n.


    When his mother was no longer in sight, Thirteen''s face turned solemn because the current situation had exceeded his expectations.


    He had taken into ount the appearance of a High Archon, which was as strong as a Majin Prince.


    However, he didn''t expect that there would be two of them.


    Not to mention that they had also brought four Rank 9 Sovereigns with them as well.


    The moment these powerhouses arrived, the Order of Raziel made their retreat. They agreed to help out of their own interests, but fighting against these powerful monsters wasn''t something they signed up for.


    They understood that the enemy would prioritize the ceremony, so they nned to use this opportunity to make their escape.


    During their stay on the Second Ind, they had dug countless underground tunnels, which they nned to use as their escape routes when something beyond their control transpired.


    Suddenly, a shadow rose up behind Thirteen and grabbed him without warning.


    "Zion, let''s go!" Adira stated. "We need to escape here. It''s a lost cause already."


    "Perfect timing, Lady Adira," Thirteen said. "I will need your help to do something."


    The Drow suddenly felt a cold shiver run down her spine when she saw the ten-year-old''s expression.


    "¡­ Thest time you asked me to do something, I had the biggest scare of my life," Adiramented. "You''re not nning on doing anything dangerous, right?"


    "Of course not," Thirteen smiled. "I just want you to bring me as close to that Golden Orb in the sky as possible."


    The Drow pinched the bridge of her nose because she already knew that the boy was nning to take on a suicidal mission once again. "Zion, do you think we can escape the senses of that thing?" Adira pointed at Zazriel, who was hovering beside the Golden Orb. "That''s a High Archon! The same rank as Arundel! Are you insane?!"


    "I''m very sane," Thirteen replied calmly. "Trust me, Lady Adira. There is nothing more sane than me on this battlefield right now."


    Tiona, who was coiled on the boy''s neck, nodded her head in agreement.


    "The High Archons will be distractedter, so they won''t have the leeway to pay attention to Ants like us," Thirteen exined. "If you really think that it''s too dangerous, you can just leave me behind."


    Adira clicked her tongue before carrying the boy in a princess carry.


    "I just need to get as close to that thing as possible, right?" Adira asked.


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes."


    "I better not die here, Zion," Adirained. "If I do, I''ll be haunting you for eternity."


    Thirteen didn''t reply because he knew that this was indeed a risky move. But, there was no other way to do it.


    He only had one chance, and if he failed, not only would he lose his sister, but he would also probably lose his life as well.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Uncle Boo, who had secured Shasha, was flying as fast as he could. But his pursuers were faster than him, and it was only a matter of time before they finally caught up.


    The only reason why they weren''t attacking him directly was due to the fact that they might identally kill the Moon Princess Candidate who was in his possession.


    Uncle Boo knew this very much, so he had the advantage. As long as Shasha was with him, his enemies would think twice before they moved in for the kill.


    But just as he was thinking along these lines, two of the tentacles on his head were cut off, making him grimace in pain.


    This small window of opportunity wasn''t missed by Kziel, who was a High Archon like Zazriel.


    With a speed that was as fast as the speed of sound, the High Archon arrived right beside Uncle Boo and severed the tentacle that held Shasha in ce.


    After that, he punched the Beholder''s face, making Uncle Boo screech in pain as he crashed toward the ground.


    "I have secured the Moon Princess'' vessel," Kziel said to his subordinates as he looked at the youngdy in his hand. "Let us retu¡ªargh!"


    Something fast and powerful hit the side of his face, making him lose his grip on Shasha, who was now falling to the ground.


    But a few secondster, a blur appeared and caught the falling teenager beforending on a mountain a distance away.


    "Who are you?" Kziel spat a mouthful of blood as he looked hatefully at the monster who suddenly attacked him out of nowhere.


    "Me?" a demi-human bat asked with a smile. "Just a Death Bat who happened to just fly over this ind. It seemed that something interesting was happening, so I decided to take a look and join in the fun."


    Camazotz smiled evilly, making Kziel''s face distort into anger.


    The High Archon knew that he was dealing with a creature whose strength was about the same level as his, and this was a situation he never expected to experience on a small ind that was in the middle of nowhere.

 Chapter 299 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 1]

    Chapter 299 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 1]


    ??Camazotz nced at the Rank 9 Sovereigns, who were right beside the High Archon, with a greedy look.


    Zion had promised him that if he agreed to help him, not only would the Death Bat gain a Rank 9 Sovereign as a subordinate, but he would also be able to umte some Apocalypse Points.


    This was an opportunity that Camazotz wouldn''t dare to miss, for it benefited him in more ways than one.


    "Give that girl to us or else¡­" one of the Rank 9 Sovereigns demanded.


    "Oh? You want this girl?" Camazotz chuckled as he nced at the beautiful teenage girl in his arms. "What can you give me in return?"


    "Your life," the Rank 9 Sovereign sneered.


    He wasn''t worried about talking down on the creature who was more powerful than him because he had the High Archon, Kziel, with him.


    "I''m so scared~" Camazotz chuckled. "I guess you don''t want her then?"


    After saying those words, Camazotz turned into a blur as he flew away at a speed that was three times faster than the speed of sound.


    He had created a barrier to protect Shasha from any side effects of his extreme speed, keeping her safe in his arms.


    Camazotz was so fast that, in the blink of an eye, he was already a thousand meters away from where he was earlier.


    This caught Kziel and his subordinates off-guard. Upon realization, they roared in anger and tried to pursue the fleeing Camazotz, who was flying in the opposite direction of the Gate of the Moonlight.


    Zazriel, who was guarding Callie, was rmed by Camazotz''s astounding speed.


    In that brief moment, he understood that if Camazotz wanted to flee with the vessel of their Moon Princess, no one among them would be able to catch them.


    But, to his surprise and relief, Camazotz stopped at the edge of the Second Ind and looked at Zazriel with a smug look on his face.


    "I''ll ask you onest time," Camazotz said with a devilish smirk. "What can you give me in return for this girl? You only have one chance, buddy, so make sure you say the words I want to hear."


    Zazriel reigned in his emotions, for this was the first time that a lowly creature dared to threaten him.


    But since this was an important asion, he decided to yield for the sake of their mission''s sess.


    Kziel and his subordinates had also arrived at the scene, but none of them dared to make a move because the Death Bat had shown them that if he wished to leave, none of them had the power to stop him.


    "What do you want in exchange for that girl?" Zazriel asked.


    "I want those four Rank 9 Sovereigns to be my subordinates," Camazotz replied. "This is the first time I''ve encountered your race, so I''ve decided to take a few of your people and make them my retainers."


    Kziel''s subordinates all red at the arrogant Death Bat, but none of them dared to voice theirints.


    If this deal fell through, and the Death Bat escaped with the Moon Princess'' Vessel, their King would personally smash their heads into pieces.


    Zazriel and Kziel exchanged a nce with each other and nodded their heads at the same time.


    "Very well, we agree with this condition," Zazriel stated. "But, what is our insurance that you will not renege on our agreement?"


    "I am an upright and righteous Death Bat," Camazotz said with a smirk. "I have never lied in my life, and I am a very fair person. Since this is a proper trade, I will not renege on my promise. Of course, if you doubt me, there is nothing I can do about it.


    "I''ll just head home, and make this girl my maid or something. So, what will it be? Deal or no deal?"


    The Artemians understood that the one who held the power in this negotiation was none other than the Death Bat, but they didn''t really care.


    Rank 9 Sovereigns weren''t easy to subjugate, and even if they pledged their loyalty to the Death Bat right now, they could always renege on the agreementter if they wished.


    "How do we make our exchange?" Zazriel inquired.


    "Now you''re talking!" Camazotzughed out loud because he hit the jackpot. "Since you guys can fly away anytime you want, I need to make sure that you won''t run away. That''s what we''re going to fix first.


    "I will create a portal, and those four will enter it without anyint. Once they have all passed through the portal, I will give you this girl as promised."


    Kziel nced at the Lunar Eclipse and knew that they couldn''t afford to dy the ceremony.


    Because of this, he made a gesture for his subordinates to calmly enter the portal that the Death Bat had created.


    ''Don''t worry,'' Kziel said through telepathy. ''I wille to find all of you. The four of you will be the pirs of our Empire, so make sure to escape as soon as you confirm that the ceremony has ended.'' The four Sovereigns nodded and walked toward the portal while ring at Camazotz.


    They didn''t know whaty on the other side of the portal, but they were confident that with four of them working together, no one would be able to stop them.


    Once thest Sovereign had safely passed through the gate, the smile on Camazotz''s face deepened before casually tossing Shasha to Kziel toplete the deal.


    "I don''t know what you''re going to do with that girl, but since you honored your part of the deal, I will also honor mine," Camazotz stated. "See? I am an upright, and righteous Death Bat. I''ve never lied in my entire life."


    Kziel gave the Death Bat onest nce before flying toward the Golden Orb with Shasha.


    Shasha was awake, but she was still in a trance.


    The High Archon opened his hand, allowing the teenage girl to hover in front of him.


    Without a second thought, she reached out toward the Golden Orb, slowly passing through it.


    Zazriel and Kziel both sighed in relief because they had seeded in their mission.


    The Golden Orb was a Divine Artifact that could withstand any attack, no matter how strong it was.


    It would take over a dozen Majin Princes and Princesses to break it, and even then, it would take them half an hour to do so.


    Once done, the two High Archons nodded at each other before parting ways and heading to each of the pyramids.


    There they would conduct the ceremony, which would make Callie and Shasha merge into one entity.


    Camazotz watched this scene with amusement.


    If he wanted to escape, he would have already done it, and no one would be able to stop him.


    But this was such a good opportunity to gain four Rank 9 Sovereigns without too much effort on his part.


    The portal that he had created led directly to the Treasury of the Apocalypse, where Metatron was waiting.


    Kamrusepa had led him to the artifact that allowed him to temporarily create a bridge that would take the Artemians to one of its saved locations, allowing him to trap them in a ce where they wouldn''t be able to escape no matter what.


    ''100 Apocalypse Points received!'' Camazotz wanted tough out loud, but he refrained from doing so.


    His gaze thennded on the spot directly under the golden orb in the sky.


    He didn''t know what Zion was nning, but no matter what it was, he wanted to be there and see for himself just how the ten-year-old would be able to turn this situation around.

 Chapter 300 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 2]

    Chapter 300 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 2]


    ??Alessia''s face turned extremely pale when she saw her daughter trapped inside the Golden Orb alongside a girl named Callie.


    The two of them were facing each other, and both of them seemed to be in a trance.


    Suddenly, a beam of purple light and a beam of golden light emerged from the tips of the two pyramids, both aimed at the golden orb in the distance.


    The Pyramids served as the bridge that allowed Callie to merge with her new vessel, without suffering from the bacsh of forcefully taking over a body that didn''t have the bloodline of the Royal Family of Chandrea.


    At the same time, the blood of the Artemians, as well as the monsters that they had killed rose up from the ground and also flew in the direction of the Golden Orb.


    The blood was so thick that it covered the Golden Orb entirely, blocking anyone from seeing anything from within.


    A momentter, the sound of two girls singing reverberated in the surroundings.


    It was a sad yet beautiful melody, signaling the beginning of the ritual that the Artemians wished to see.


    Within the Golden Orb, Shasha and Callie reached out to each other. The moment their hands touched, both of them performed a dance.


    It was the Dance of the Moonlight, making their bodies glow faintly as the powers they possessed mingled with each other.


    The King of Artem, who was seated on his throne, was able to see what was happening inside the Golden Orb.


    A faint smile hung on his face because he knew that when the day came to a close, he would have the power he needed to make the breakthrough to the Celestial Rank.


    This was the same rank as the Seven Celestials and the Seven Fiends of Solterra, making him one of those who would stand at the Apex of the world.


    As the singing and dancing came to a close, Callie reached out to cup Shasha''s face.


    The ceremony always ended with a kiss on the lips then, after that, the merger would begin.


    Shasha''s body would be Callie''s new vessel.


    Her body would transform to be the exact replica of the Moon Princess, never to be seen again.


    "I''m sorry," Callie said softly as she moved closer to Shasha.


    Tears streamed down the side of her face because she knew that after she kissed the beautiful girl in front of her, Shasha would cease to exist.


    Callie was not in control of her body and was simply moving due to the power of the ritual.


    Shasha never responded to her words, still stuck in a trance.


    Her lips slightly parted, as she waited for Callie to take her first andst kiss.


    "I''m sorry," Callie repeated when her lips were only a few inches from Shasha''s own. "Forgive me."


    At that moment, words that she never thought she would hear, reach her ears.


    "I forgive you."


    Two lips connected, and with it, the sound of a tolling bell reverberated in the surroundings.


    Zazriel and Kziel smiled victoriously, ecstatic they had aplished their mission.


    All the Artemians began cheering, and shouted, "Praise the King!" repeatedly.


    Alessia, Taiga, and Kane looked at the bloodied orb in the distance with pale expressions on their faces.


    Although they couldn''t see anything, the reactions of the Artemians made them feel as if something very important to them had been taken away.


    Camazotz arched an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest.


    He couldn''t really see what was happening in the bloodied orb, but regardless of the result, he had already gained massively in this mission.


    Anything more would just be a bonus for him.


    After the bell tolled thirteen times, it finally came to a stop.


    Colorful lights danced around the bloodied orb, signaling that the merger was about to finish. Suddenly, a cracking sound reverberated in the surroundings, making the seriously injured Uncle Boo and Albion tear up. Having witnessed the same scene multiple times, they already knew what it signified.


    The Beholder wailed as he forced himself to fly toward the person he cared for.


    Blood trailed across the sky as he endured the pain from his injuries and the heartbreak, knowing that this would be thest time that he would see Callie again.


    Albion slowly propped himself up from the ground.


    If Zazriel hadn''t held back, he would have already died then and there.


    But the High Archon didn''t kill Albion right away because of one reason.


    He wanted to see him despair as he watched the person he loved and cared for disappear right in front of his eyes.


    It was at this moment that the first batch of the Wanderers reached the Gate of the Moonlight.


    Some of them looked back to see what was happening, but since there was still a chance that the monsters would catch up to them, the majority of them chose to enter the Gate.


    Herman, Raon, Lambert, Phoebe, Rio, and Miriam stayed and looked in the distance, wanting to see everything until the veryst moment.


    Thirteen had kept his promise that he would allow them to return to Pangea, and miraculously, aside from suffering some injuries, none of the Wanderers died.


    Amidst the cheering of the Artemians, Uncle Boo''s pain-filled wails could still be heard, making the Team Leaders of the Wanderers understand the oue of the battle.


    "Does this mean that Shasha has¡­" Raon didn''t have the strength to finish the rest of his words because this was something that he didn''t want to happen.


    Truth be told, he felt relieved when his sister, Rio, didn''t be the Moon Princess Candidate.


    But that didn''t mean that he didn''t feel pity for Shasha.


    He wished that it could have been some nameless Wanderer who was chosen as the vessel of the Moon Princess.


    That way, even if they were to be sacrificed, the majority of them would be able to survive.


    Death was a normal thing among Wanderers, especially for those who had been Spirited Away for the first time.


    They had already prepared themselves for the worst, so knowing that they would be able to survive this ordeal made them happy.


    Still, the result didn''t sit well with them, making them wonder if there was something that they could have done to change the oue.


    Suddenly, all sounds disappeared from the Ind as a ripple of power spread outward.


    Everyone''s gazended on the colorful sphere in the sky, which was glowing brighter with each passing second.


    Then it happened.


    The Orb shattered, allowing everyone to see the oue of the ritual.


    Zazriel''s and Kziel''s eyes widened in shock as they stared at the figure hovering in the sky in disbelief.


    Camazotz, on the other hand,ughed out loud as he looked at the ten-year-old who was holding a youngdy in his arms in a princess carry.


    Thirteen''s eyes glowed faintly in a greenish color as he looked down at the youngdy, whose skin had started to wrinkle as her age slowly caught up to her.


    Albion appeared right beside them, and tapped Thirteen''s shoulder, teleporting him to the ground safely.


    "Take care of her," Thirteen said as he passed Callie to the Unicorn who had taken his Demi-Human form. "She''s very fragile, and she can die from the slightest impact, so take her somewhere far away from this ce."


    "What happened?" Albion asked as he held Callie tenderly, treating her as the most precious treasure.


    "I''ll tell youter," Thirteen replied. "Go now. They''reing. We don''t want her dying now, do we?"


    Albion no longer asked and teleported away from the battlefield.


    Zazriel and Kziel roared in anger as they flew toward Thirteen with bloodshot eyes.


    Both of them were so confident that no one would be able to destroy the golden orb and infiltrate it under their watch.


    However, someone was able to do it, and now they didn''t know if the ceremony had seeded or not.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, nced in the direction of the Death Bat, who was looking down on him with an amused look on his face.


    "Hello? A little help here?" Thirteen said. "I''m about to get pinched to death by two High Archons. Aren''t you going to help?"


    Camazotzughed before descending from the sky to scoop up the ten-year-old, who had sessfully pissed off all the Artemians in the Arcadia Archipgo.

 Chapter 301 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 3]

    Chapter 301 Farming Apocalypse Points [Part 3]


    ??"I think you pissed them off, Zion," Camazotzmented upon hearing both Zazriel and Kziel roar in anger. They even left their respective pyramids and flew to the Second Ind in order to turn the hateful human boy into meat paste.


    "All part of the n," Thirteen replied as he looked at the purple gate, which was now spawning hundreds of Artemians, who were all looking at the boy with bloodshot eyes.


    "I''m very tempted to leave you here just to see how they will torture you." Camazotz chuckled. "But, we can''t have that now, can we? Especially since we''ve gone this far."


    "Can you take on one of them?" Thirteen inquired.


    "I''ll face that guy Zazriel," Camazotz answered. "He''s the strongest here."


    "You''re just in the Initial Stages of a Majin Prince, and you want to fight a Peak High Archon?" Thirteen stared at the Death Bat in disbelief. "You sure about that?"


    "Do we have a choice?" Camazotz asked back.


    "No."


    "See?"


    The Death Bat nced at the Artemians, who were all headed in his direction. If looks could kill, Thirteen and Camazotz would have already died a thousand times over.


    But, instead of running away, Camazotz stayed in ce as if waiting for something.


    When their enemies were only dozens of meters away from them, the ten-year-old and the Death Bat heard a screech resounding in the heavens.


    A Red Phoenix suddenly descended from the sky, and behind her, countless flying monsters followed suit, raring and ready to fight the Artemians, who were all out for blood.


    The Red Phoenix spread her wings wide, and dozens of Fireballs rained down on the army on the ground.


    Zazriel and Kziel took the brunt of the barrage, preventing their people from dying en masse.


    But, some weren''t as lucky and got hit by the fireballs, making them scream in pain, desperation, and horror as their flesh instantly melted from the heat of the mes.


    The smell of burning flesh spread in the surroundings, triggering the Artemians into unleashing all their long-range attacks at the Red Phoenix, whose strength matched their High Archons.


    While this was happening, the purple gate was spitting more Artemians to the battlefield, surpassing the five thousand warriors quota they nned, which should''ve been enough to make the Arcadia Archipgo their stronghold.


    The number continued to rise until it surpassed ten thousand, a force enough to destroy a few Human Kingdoms.


    "Camazotz, what do you see?" Thirteen asked as he looked down on the army that seemed to increase by the second.


    "A bunch of Apocalypse Points," Camazotz replied. "I hope they send more though. This won''t be enough."


    "The two of you seem to be having a lot of fun," the Red Phoenixmented as she transformed into the Majin Princess of Prophecy, Kamrusepa. "By the way, Camazotz, are you not going to call your army?"


    Kamrusepa had brought countless Flying Monsters, as well as Aquatic Monsters, who were all currently in the sea and only waiting for her order to attack.


    "I was just about to do that. Don''t rush me," Camazotz replied before whistling long and hard.


    Soon, the sound of pping wings reached everyone''s ears.


    Manticores, Cockatrice, and Wyverns, as well as countless bats, answered his call and swarmed toward the ind.


    "Drop me off," Thirteen said. "I''ll assist the two of you in any way I can."


    Camazotz knew that Thirteen would be useless in a fight of this magnitude.


    They had brought their armies in preparation for this day, but the deciding factor in order to win this battle was the fall of Zazriel and Kziel, who were the highestmanding officers of the Artemian Army.


    The Death Bat flew toward the Gate of the Moonlight, covering the distance in just a few seconds.


    He then ced Thirteen beside the Gate before flying back toward the battlefield, which had started to be a bloodbath.


    "Why are all of you still here?" Thirteen asked Raon and the others, who were standing in front of the Gate of the Moonlight and watching the battle from afar. "Hurry up and go. You might get caught up in this battle or get hit by a random attack.


    "Staying here will only endanger your lives. Your mission is over, so go and leave while you still can."


    After saying those words, the ground under the ten-year-old''s feet gave way, making Thirteen fall into Rocky''s wide-open mouth.


    The Artemians were targeting him, so he couldn''t show himself out in the open. The only way to escape their detection was to dive deep underground. Unlike what happened to Rocky in the past, the Artemians had no methods of firing aser beam that could reach him deep underground.


    The Moon Walkers was a race who had strong physical strength, and their forte was closebat.


    While they did have some ranged attacks, they still had a limitation, which Thirteen, Camazotz, and Kamrusepa were exploiting right now.


    The only subordinates they brought to this battle were those who could either fly or unleash a barrage from a long distance away.


    Only Camazotz and Kamrusepa would fight in closebat. The rest of their subordinates would only use ranged attacks to whittle down the enemy forces.


    Thirteen had devised this strategy, understanding that there was nothing more irritating than an enemy who could hit you but couldn''t be hit back!


    This was also the logic he had in mind when he chose the Cheap Shot Savant as one of his Core Martial Skills.


    "Are you ready to die, Artemian?!" Camazotz roared, his image turning into a blur as he flew three times faster than the speed of sound.


    Kamrusepa, on the other hand, transformed into her Phoenix form once again and started to engage Kziel in battle.


    She deliberately used wide-range attacks, knowing that even if her opponent was able to dodge it, his subordinates would not be as lucky as him.


    Also, there was another factor that was limiting the Artemians from being able to fight with their full strength.


    It was the atmosphere and gravity of Solterra.


    The gravity of Solterra was higher than their home, Artem.


    Because of this, they needed to exert more effort into moving their bodies properly. It wasn''t easy to adjust to a new gravity in just a short time, so they were still having trouble adjusting to their current condition.


    The only ones who had been able to adjust without any problems were Rank 7 Monsters and above.


    On the contrary, those with lower Rank felt as if their bodies were as heavy as lead, reducing their effectiveness in battle.


    While the Artemians were having a hard time defending against the attacks of their enemies, a swarm of bats flew in their direction.


    These bats then merged into one and formed a Vampire Lord.


    He was Camazotz''s right-hand man, Damion, and the only Rank 9 Sovereign in his army.


    "Such a waste of blood," Damionmented as he lifted his hand, turning the blood into a whip, which heshed out at the Artemians, slicing their bodies in half.


    High above the clouds, a Giant Roc made a nose dive toward the ground.


    When it was only a few dozen meters away from the Artemians, it pped its wings, creating a sonic boom as it flew past the enemy formation, shredding them with a sonic st.


    All the Rank 9 Sovereigns whom the Artemians had brought had been sent to the Treasury of the Apocalypse earlier.


    So the only Rank 9 Monster left within the Artemian Army was the Commander, Eremiel, who was currently fighting against the Leventis Family.


    Because of the absence of High-Ranking Monsters that could match them, Damion and the three Rank 9 Sovereigns that belonged to Kamrusepa''s army started a massacre.


    This made the other Artemians, who arrived to reinforce their people, regret their decision toe to Solterra.


    They could only watch helplessly as the Vampire Lord, Roc, Harpie Empress, and the Giant Turtle, who was shooting high-


    pressure water cannons that could slice through armor, annihted those who were unlucky enough to face them in battle.

 Chapter 302 I Thought You Plan To Fight Me One-On-One?

    Chapter 302 I Thought You n To Fight Me One-On-One?


    ??Although Zazriel and Kziel wanted to help their people, they deemed that it would be more dangerous to let the Majin Prince and the Majin Princess attack them from behind.


    Because of this, both decided to kill their opponents as fast as possible. That way, they could save as much of their people as possible from the Rank 9 Monsters, who were taking advantage of their absence.


    It was just like Camazotz said earlier.


    In their eyes, the Artemian Army were all just Apocalypse Points.


    Points that they were going to farm until they ran out.


    Thirteen, who was inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, was looking at the battlefield through cky''s eyes.


    The Nightmare ck Hound was watching the battle from the top of a hill. Through this point of view, Thirteen was able to pinpoint the weakest link in the Artemian Army, which he nned to take advantage of.


    Kamrusepa, who was fighting against Kziel, smiled as she looked at her opponent.


    "Someone wanted me to pass you a message," Kamrusepa stated. "For the past decades, you Artemians have killed countless Wanderers for your entertainment. Now, it''s time for all of you to pay your debts. None of you will leave this ce alive."


    Kziel snorted as he summoned his sword to fight against the smilingdy in front of him.


    "Is that the message from that lowly human boy who ruined our preparations?" Kziel asked.


    "Yes," Kamrusepa replied. "A lowly human boy who said that he will piss on your head once it has been severed from your body."


    "Very funny," Kzielmented. "I guess I''ll cut your head off first before I go look for him. The one who won''t be leaving this ce alive is you."


    Kamrusepa didn''t say anything and simply kept the smile on her face.


    She was really not suited for fighting since her specialty wasmanding her forces from the rear.


    Even so, she still chose to face off against Kziel. She believed in her gut instinct, and it was telling her that if she left this High Archon alone, the bnce of power would once again shift in the invader''s favor.


    This was something that Thirteen, Camazotz, and Kamrusepa didn''t want to happen.


    While the Majin Princess and the High Archon were about to start their battle, a loud explosion erupted in the distance, and Arthur skidded over a dozen meters from where he stood.


    The old man''s face was solemn, but his eyes didn''t show any signs of fear.


    Arthur had long wanted to be a Monarch. So, even if he had to risk his life, he must defeat the foe in front of him.


    "That''s one tough shield you have there," Eremiel stated. "But, it will not be enough to save your life."


    Arthur didn''t reply. After all, he didn''te to the Arcadia Archipgo to chat. He only came to kill the foe in front of him and absorb the Artemian''s Core, allowing him to make his breakthrough.


    The two gazed at each other for a few seconds before Arthur took a step forward, creating a crater under his foot.


    He then disappeared from where he stood and reappeared right in front of Eremiel ready to strike.


    "Fool," Eremiel sneered as he also shed forward.


    He nned to destroy his opponent''s weapon with his strike and then slice his opponent in half.


    He didn''t believe that a Throne would be strong enough to defeat him in battle.


    But, just as the two swords were about to make contact, dozens of spears emerged from the ground around Eremiel''s body and stabbed him from every direction.


    This made the Rank 9 Commander pause for a brief second, making him lose the momentum of his strike.


    The sound of two metals shing against each other spread in the surroundings.


    Eremiel was forced to take a single step back due to the force behind Arthur''s strike.


    But, a secondter, he felt a stinging pain behind his right knee, making him look down behind him.


    There, he saw ady with long ck hair, holding two short swords in each hand.


    Before the Rank 9 Commander could do anything, the ck-


    haireddy swiftly retreated and distanced herself from the enemy whom she had stabbed. The Rank 9 Commander was four meters tall, so the only part Callista could hit was the back of Eremiel''s knee.


    Still, the most she was able to do to Eremiel''s skin, was to draw a little bit of his blood.


    However, that was enough for Callista.


    Eremiel narrowed his eyes on thedy who attacked him from behind before raising his hand to block a boulder that was sent flying in his direction.


    Hans loosened his tie as he also prepared to go all out against the Rank 9 Commander.


    "I thought you nned to fight me one-on-one?" Eremiel asked as he looked at Arthur in disdain.


    "I don''t remember saying such a thing," Arthur replied. "The only thing I said is that it is high time that I be a Monarch. I never said anything about fighting you one-on-one."


    Eremiel didn''t say anything and simply did a backhand sh with his sword, targeting Callista, who had managed to sneak an attack at him earlier.


    The ck-haireddy nimbly jumped and rolled to her right side, evading Eremiel''s attack that was meant to take her life.


    Arthur once again charged in Eremiel''s direction. Canceling his shield, he held his great sword with both hands.


    Eremiel, who was holding his own sword with one hand, initially decided to block Arthur''s blow and make sure that the other insects facing him wouldn''t be able tond a sneak attack on his body.


    Although faint, the stinging behind his right knee was bing more pronounced, making him feel that the injury he received wasn''t that simple.


    But, his decision would soon prove to be a mistake.


    Arthur was nning to use the strongest attack of his Heaven''s de Martial Skill, which was a Divine Ranked Martial Technique that he acquired by wielding the two Mythical Weapons that Gerald and Zion had crafted especially for him.


    "Heaven''s Wrath!" Arthur roared as the great sword in his hand glowed in a golden light.


    Just as he was about to seriously block Arthur''s blow, the ground under his feet shifted, making him lose his bnce.


    Arthur''s sh created a deep, and massive fissure on the ground that extended to hundreds of meters.


    When the light receded, a severed arm fell on the ground, followed by a pained scream from Eremiel, who had just had his dominant arm cut off from his body.


    Thirteen, who had orchestrated Rocky''s attack, sneered as Rocky briefly emerged from the ground in order to swallow the severed arm before diving into the ground once more.


    Rocky''s attack was wless. His Master had timed it perfectly, leaving no room for errors.


    Since Thirteen was worried about the Leventis Family, he decided to assist them first in battle so that Arthur would get an upper hand against his enemy.


    However, he also knew that even with one of his arms severed, a Rank 9 Sovereign would not be going down easily.


    This was also the reason why he asked Rocky to dive deeper, intending to ensure that they were out of Eremiel''s detection range.


    From beneath the ground, they would continue nning their next sneak attack that would deal a fatal blow to the Commander of the Artemian Army.

 Chapter 303 Systems Don’t Go To Hell

    Chapter 303 Systems Don¡¯t Go To Hell


    ??Eremiel didn''t expect that Arthur''s attack would chop off his right arm. It was all because of that sneak attack from under his feet that he hadn''t seening.


    Not only was his arm cut off, but his weapon, which was also of the Mythical Rank, had dropped to the ground with it.


    Unfortunately for him, Thirteen didn''t give him the opportunity to recover his arm or his weapon, swiftly pulling them all into Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    After realizing that his opponent was capable of killing him, Eremiel was forced to make an important choice.


    Stay and fight, or flee to live another day.


    Although it would take a long period of time, he was confident that his arm could be regrown using the technology that his people possessed.


    The weapon he lost could also be reced, so making the decision was easier for him.


    Without even saying a word, Eremiel opened his wings to fly away.


    But, before he could take off from the ground, Cranky emerged behind him and grabbed one of his wings, ripping it apart.


    The Devil-Horned Honey Badger had developed an insane stealth ability that prevented anyone from detecting it as long as it was in the ground.


    As a Rank 8 Mutant Sovereign, his strength was also stronger than most Rank 8 Sovereigns, allowing Cranky to deal serious injuries to Rank 9 Monsters and below that were unlucky enough to be sneak attacked by him.


    Thirteen had called out to the Devil-Horned Honey Badger when he and Rocky were headed in the Leventis Family''s direction in order to assist them in battle.


    Cranky, who had also fought alongside the boy during the battle against Arundel, didn''t hesitate and epted his request for help.


    After Eremiel had his wings torn off from his body, escaping through the sky was no longer an option.


    The Artemian grunted in pain beforeunching a backhand attack at the Devil Horned Honey Badger.


    But, Cranky already expected this to happen, so after tearing off one of Eremiel''s wings, he didn''t hesitate to dig underground to escape the Commander''s counterattack.


    Although Arthur didn''t expect that he would receive additional help from a monster, he didn''t miss the opportunity given to him and took the initiative to attack.


    Knowing that his life was truly on the line, the Commander of the Artemian Army did the only thing that he could do and that was to run away.


    He wasn''t a fool.


    Eremiel understood that he didn''t stand a chance at winning when there were two bastards sneak attacking him from the ground.


    Also, Arthur''s sword was extremely deadly, and he had already experienced it firsthand.


    But he was only able to take five steps when the ground in front of him copsed.


    Cranky created a trap for the Artemian earlier and hid at the bottom of the sinkhole he created.


    But, Eremiel was already expecting something like this to happen. The moment he felt that the ground under his feet was about to give way, he jumped as high as he could.


    Cranky watched as his prey jumped over the hole he created, making him screech.


    However, before the Artemian Commander could rejoice, the ground where he was about tond opened up, making him roar in anger.


    "Do you really think I''d let you escape?" Thirteen sneered. Just now, he calcted the exact ce where Eremiel was going tond and asked Rocky to create a sinkhole in that location.


    Unable to fly and correct hisnding, Eremiel fell into the three-meter-deep hole, with only his shoulders and head jutting out of the ground.


    Michael, pierced the ground in front of him with his spear, allowing him to create countless spears to attack the fallen Commander, trapping him in ce.


    The tip of Rocky''s tail coiled around one of Eremiel''s feet, preventing him from freeing himself from the hole.


    With only one hand to support his body, the Artemian Commander wasn''t able to exert enough force to pull himself out of Thirteen''s trap.


    A few secondster, Cranky grabbed hold of Eremiel''s remaining arm, and pulled it deeper into the ground, sealing his fate.


    Eremiel could only watch in horror as Arthur''s sword was about to sh his neck.


    He was unresigned and in disbelief. Who knew that someone as powerful as him would die in the hands of the lowly creatures whom he despised so much?


    Arthur poured all of his strength in his sword swing, his eyes filled with determination. Now that the path to being Monarch was in front of him, he would not let it escape no matter what.


    "Stop!" Eremiel shouted as hisst attempt to preserve his life.


    But Arthur showed no mercy and went for the kill.


    Eremiel saw his world spin around him beforeing to aplete stop.


    Then he saw a body without a head, with blood spurting up on the severed neck like a fountain, dyeing its surroundings with blood.


    As the light in his eyes slowly dimmed, Eremiel remembered something from ten years ago.


    The Moon Princess Candidate, whom he had personally captured to sacrifice to Callie, told him something that made him snort back then.


    "A Wanderer will avenge me, and when that timees, you will die a dog''s death."


    The Artemian Commander treated the teenage girl''sst words as the ramblings of a weakling who didn''t have the power to resist her fate.


    But, as hisst vestige of life was about to escape him, a young boy appeared in front of him and looked down on him in disdain.


    "I havee to avenge the Wanderers whom you thought were weaklings," Thirteen stated. "You will not be the first nor thest Artemian to die on this ind¡ªthe ind soaked with the blood of the thousands of children that you and your people killed.


    "You can go to hell knowing that you will not go there alone. I''ll make sure that your people will apany you there as well."


    Thirteen didn''t stop there and even spat on Eremiel''s face because of the rage he felt after absorbing all of Callie''s memories.


    He saw thest moments of the Candidates of the Moon Princess, as well as the dying screams of countless Wanderers whom the Artemian Commander had killed just for fun.


    "I''ll see you¡­ in hell," Eremiel used thest bit of his life force to say those words to Thirteen before the light on his eyes disappearedpletely.


    Even in death, his eyes were open and looking at the boy who had trampled on his honor and dignity.


    "You''ll see me in hell?"


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips curled up as if he heard the biggest joke of his life.


    The boy then crouched down and whispered something in the dead Artemian''s ear.


    "Systems don''t go to hell," Thirteen said coldly. "You can wait there for eternity for all I care. Tiona, go and eat this clown."


    The ck Snake nodded and slithered through the Artemian''s ear and activated her predation ability.


    At that moment, he heard Cranky''s screech, which made the boy look behind him.


    There, the Devil-Horned Honey Badger screeched at Arthur, who had beaten him in getting the Core of the Artemian Commander.


    Thirteen didn''t know whether he shouldugh or cry. Cranky was really a bonafide glutton who wouldn''t hesitate to attack even his allies if they took his food.

 Chapter 304 A Wake Up Call [Part 1]

    Chapter 304 A Wake Up Call [Part 1]


    ??Out of anger, Cranky tried to smack Arthur away, but the old man summoned his shield and tanked Cranky''s attack.


    Before things escted any further, Thirteen stood in between the two to stop them from fighting.


    "Cranky, there are still many Cores here to be eaten," Thirteen stated. "The more you waste your time here, the fewer Cores you''ll get."


    Cranky nced at the Artemians, who were dying by the dozens with each passing second.


    Camazotz''s and Kamrusepa''smanders were doing a one-sided massacre, mass killing their enemies like they were trash mobs.


    The Barbarians, Tigerkins, Ogres, and Trolls were also busy killing and collecting the Cores of the monsters whom they had killed.


    Cranky no longer hesitated and dug underground in order to get his share of the buffet consisting of Artemians, who couldn''t muster any resistance against their opponents.


    To make matters worse for the Artemians, the Order of Raziel who escaped earlier returned after realizing that the monsters that came out of nowhere were on their side.


    They were the epitome of opportunistic bastards, and they fought tooth and nail to make sure that they would gain a profit from this expedition.


    Meanwhile, in the distance, a loud booming sound was heard as Camazotz''s body crashed into the ground, forming a crater.


    Zazriel, who was the strongest High Archon on the ind, stood like an invincible pir that no one could break.


    Camazotz wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and propped himself up from the ground.


    ''I think I''m biting off more than I can chew right now,'' Camazotz narrowed his eyes because none of his attacks worked on his opponent.


    He was confident in his speed, and he had decent strength, which made him believe that he could ovee the difference in ranks.


    However, his opponent was no ordinary opponent.


    Zazriel was covered from head to toe with Legendary Ranked Equipment, which was made by the best cksmiths of Artem.


    "Is that all that you got, you puny little bat?" Zazriel asked in disdain. "You were spouting a bunch of nonsense about defeating me a while ago, but you can''t evennd a blow on my body."


    "Shut up, you cheater!" Camazotz replied. "Take off that armor if you dare. Let''s see if this puny little bat can''t hurt you!"


    Zazriel snorted beforeunching two rotating discs at the Death Bat, who didn''t hesitate to fly away to avoid the spinning discs that could easily cut off his body parts if he wasn''t careful.


    Camazotz was tempted to ask his allies for help, but since he didn''t want them to look down at him, he gritted his teeth and unleashed a supersonic attack at his opponent.


    The ground under Zazriel''s feet shattered, but he remained unscathed.


    ''Even sound wave attacks don''t work on his armor,'' Camazotz thought. ''What a cheater!''


    Zazriel was the second strongest being in Artem, next only to his King.


    His fighting prowess, which had been refined through countless battles against the people of Chandrea, was the real deal.


    But it doesn''t change the fact that the main reason why he could move unhindered on the battlefield was all thanks to his Legendary Ranked Armor, which many believed to be Pseudo-Divine Equipment.


    Any attacks that were aimed at Zazriel would bounce off on the armor, negating their effects.


    Using his extreme speed, Camazotz had tried to attack Zazriel in his blind spots, but even when his attacksnded, the armor his opponent was equipped with repelled his blows.


    It was as if Camazotz was trying to punch the hardest diamond, and was only getting hurt in the process.


    Because of this, he tried to use other attacks in his arsenal, but none of them worked against Zazriel.


    Even his sonic attacks, which could cause serious internal injuries to his opponents, while wearing their armor, were negated by the ability of the High Archon''s defensive equipment.


    "Feel free to run away, weakling," Zazriel taunted the Death Bat as he walked in Camazotz''s direction. "I admit that I cannot catch you because you are extremely fast. But, that''s your only merit. You''re just fast."


    Zazriel then scanned the battlefield and saw Kamrusepa''s battle against hisrade, Kziel.


    Currently, Kziel had the upper hand and seemed to be overpowering the Majin Princess during their exchanges.


    Kamrusepa was an all-rounder.


    She had average strength, defense, speed, and fighting abilities. The Majin Princess didn''t excel at anything, which was why she was currently being pushed back every time she exchanged a blow with her opponent.


    Seeing this, Zazriel decided to assist Kziel in dealing with his opponent so that both of them could work together to reverse their Army''s current situation.


    Opening his wings, the High Archon flew toward Kamrusepa from her blind spot.


    Since the Majin Princess was busy fighting against Kziel, she didn''t have time to spare for Zazriel, who was nning to go for the kill.


    "I won''t let you!" Camazotz roared as he dove down from the sky and attacked Zazriel repeatedly.


    However, the invisible barrier that emanated from the High Archon''s body repelled his attacks easily.


    Zazriel didn''t even bother to look in his direction because his gaze had locked on the Majin Princess.


    Camazotz knew that if Kamrusepa was killed, it would be entirely his fault.


    Although he didn''t care about her much in the past, she was now part of the Trinity of the Apocalypse, which he had founded.


    Also, the artifact that allowed the Death Bat to form a portal that led to the Treasury of the Apocalypse belonged to Kamrusepa.


    She had lent it to Camazotz so that thetter could gain some Rank 9 Subordinates, which he was seriouslycking.


    Kamrusepa decided to invest in the Death Bat because the stronger Camazotz became, the better it would be for their alliance.


    He had crawled his way to reach his current Rank, so he never thought that he would need the help of others.


    But despite his arrogance, Camazotz understood that there were some things that he couldn''t do on his own.


    This was why he decided to cease all hostilities towards Thirteen and, instead, formed an alliance with him.


    The original n was for only the two of them to form a team, but for some reason, Kamrusepa wanted to join as well.


    Since having her was a great boost in their strength and flexibility, Camazotz agreed and discussed many forms of cooperation with the Majin Princess, who had unlocked the most treasures in the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    "Kamrusepa, behind you!" Camazotz roared as he continued to attack Zazriel from any direction, not caring that his fists had already turned bloody from his repeated attacks.


    The Majin Princess nced behind her back and hastily covered her body in what seemed like full crimson te armor.


    Zazriel''s speed suddenly increased, as he and Kziel exchanged nces with each other.


    The two of them were going to pincer attack the Majin Princess so that one of their opponents would be eliminated faster.


    Just when the two of them thought that their target would be unable to escape no matter what, a high-pressure water cannon mmed on Kziel''s body and pushed him away from the Majin Princess.


    Kamrusepa then crossed both of her arms over her chest and activated her armor''s ability, which had the power to create a crimson dome to protect her from any attacks.


    Zazriel clicked his tongue because Kziel was unable to push through with their synchronized attack.


    But he decided to go through with it and punched forward, breaking Kamrusepa''s defensive dome, which sent her flying thousands of meters away, only stopping when her body smashed into the mountain in the distance.


    Camazotz anxiously looked in hisrade''s direction. He was only able to sigh in relief after Kamrusepa emerged from the hole in the mountain, looking unscathed.


    Truth be told, Kamrusepa didn''t have any blind spots.


    Everything that happened was just part of her act.


    She allowed Zazriel to send her flying because she deemed that this was the optimal way to ovee the difference in power.


    Also, she was able to get a brief nce at the future, allowing her to see an opportunity to ovee Zazriel''s cheat-like armor, which couldn''t be bypassed using normal means.


    Kamrusepa didn''t mind if they failed to defeat the two High Archons in this battle.


    She and Thirteen both agreed that as long as the lower-ranking Artemians were all killed, this mission was a sess.


    All they wanted to do was make sure the Artemian Army would suffer as many losses as possible so that the number of Apocalypse Points they had would increase by leaps and bounds.


    But Camazotz was different.


    He hated losing.


    He was a loser in the past, so he always strived to not feel the same feeling of helplessness again.


    ''There''s a small chance that you will be able to ovee this hurdle, Camazotz,'' Kamrusepa mused. ''And once you do, you will be stronger than ever before.''


    Before the battle started, Kamrusepa had done a divination session.


    She had seen that in this battle, Thirteen and Camazotz would grow more powerful, but there were several risks involved.


    The Majin Princess liked to take calcted risks, and this was one of them.


    As to whether her two allies would be able to grow in this battle, it all depended on their conviction.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, in the Royal Pce of Artem¡­


    The Artemian King crushed the wine cup in his hand out of anger after seeing the oue of the ceremony.


    Seething in anger, he left the throne room and headed toward the portal that would lead him to the Purple Gate in the Arcadian Archipgo.


    He had spent decades trying to gain the power he wished to possess, yet at the veryst minute, a lowly human boy flipped the table and destroyed all the preparations he had made.


    "I won''t forgive you!" the Artemian King growled. "I will kill you!"


    The Royal Guards protecting the King followed behind him.


    Although they were only Rank 8 Sovereigns, they numbered over twenty, making them an elite force that could change the oue of the battle if they were to go to Solterra.


    Their King was also a Pseudo-Celestial, having incredible powers at his disposal.


    Although the Purple Gate would be strained to its limit sending the Artemian King and his cohort to Solterra, it was not impossible.


    However, when they were only dozens of meters away from the Purple Gate, a golden streak of light descended from the sky, creating a trail of fiery ze in its wake.


    It shot towards the Purple Gate like a Railgun, making the Artemian King''s face contort in anger.


    "Nooooo!" the King roared, but it was already toote.


    A loud explosion erupted, and gusts of powerful wind expanded outwards.


    When the blinding light receded, the Artemian King''s gazended on a wooden staff that destroyed his only pathway to the Arcadian Archipgo.

 Chapter 305 A Wake Up Call [Part 2]

    Chapter 305 A Wake Up Call [Part 2]


    ??"Gramps, I know that you''re excited to be a Monarch, but don''t consume that Core now," Thirteen said. "Wait for me to return to Solterra. If you do, I promise that you will be even stronger than a Monarch in the Central Government."


    "How long must I wait?" Athur frowned.


    Clearly, he didn''t want to wait for long. Bing a Monarch was the main goal that he had set in his lifetime, and he was only one step away from achieving it.


    However, he didn''t dare to casually brush off his no-good-grandson''s words, especially after everything that he had witnessed during this battle.


    "Wait until I return," Thirteen answered. "I promise that it will not take me more than a week to return to Pangea.


    "Of course, if you don''t want to wait, then you can just absorb that and get it over with. But, I assure you that you will regret doing it. Don''t say I didn''t warn you."


    Lady Callista rested her head on her husband''s shoulder and nodded her head.


    "Trust Zion," Lady Callista stated. "He only wants the best for the family. Also, you''re just going to wait for a week at most. It''s not like you need to wait for a year, you know?"


    Arthur reluctantly nodded his head before storing the Core inside his storage ring.


    "What do we do now, Zion?" Michael asked after fixing his sses. "Should we just continue to kill these monsters and harvest their Monster Parts?"


    "Yes and no," Thirteen replied. "I want Gramps to stay with Mother and Shasha to protect them just in case Rank 7 Sovereigns and above targets them.


    "The rest can continue to farm Cores and Monster Parts. But, stay away from the High Archons. We don''t want any idents to happen, right?"


    The members of the Leventis Family nodded in understanding and divided themselves into two teams.


    Arthur went to where Alessia and Shasha were hiding with Taiga, Kane, and Adira.


    Now that the battlefield had descended intoplete pandemonium, there was a chance that they would be targeted by the Artemians if they were seen by them.


    Thirteen knew that as long as the High Archons were defeated, the rest of the Artemian Army would no longer stand a chance against thebined might of the allies he had asked to help him fight this war.


    On the contrary, if Camazotz and Kamrusepa were to be defeated, the situation would be the opposite¡ªthe ones who would be one-sidedly ughtered would be the boy and his allies.


    Just as Thirteen was thinking along these lines, a loud explosion reached his ears, making him look in the North.


    His connection with cky, who was observing the battle from a good vantage point, allowed him to see the sorry state of the Death Bat, whose body was covered in wounds.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ''Sh*t, that armor is really a cheat,'' Camazotz ranted as he forced himself to stand up. ''How can I possiblynd a blow on his body while he''s wearing that?!''


    He already unleashed everything he had in his arsenal, but none of them worked.


    With every exchange, the only one receiving damage was him. There was even a time when Zazriel managed tond a solid blow on his chest, which made him feel as if he was dying.


    The Death Bat then nced in the distance and saw that Kamrusepa and her opponent, Kziel, were in a stalemate.


    Seeing that both of them were unable to gain advantage over the other, Camazotz realized that he wouldn''t be getting any reinforcements anytime soon.


    His right-hand man, Damion, offered to help him, but Camazotz rejected his proposal and ordered him to continue decimating the Artemian Army.


    He knew that even with the Vampire Lord''s help, the situation wouldn''t change. In fact, it might further deteriorate.


    Camazotz was confident that he would be able to dodge any attack that Zazriel threw at him.


    But the same couldn''t be said for Damion.


    The Vampire Lord was only a Rank 9 Sovereign, and a single blow from Zazriel was enough to threaten his life.


    With this thought in mind, Camazotz didn''t dare send his only Rank 9 subordinate to face an opponent whom even he, a Majin Prince, was having a hard time fighting.


    "What''s wrong?" Zazriel sneered. "Did you run out of steam?"


    "No," Camazotz replied. "I''m just having fun watching your people die. I even saw that Commander of yours kick the bucket a minute ago."


    Zazriel frowned before ncing in the direction where Eremiel was fighting earlier.


    When he saw the Commander''s headless body, the High Archon''s face contorted in anger. "I''ll kill you!" Zazriel roared before lunging at Camazotz, who deftly attacked with his superior speed.


    "You don''t need to do that," Camazotz replied. "I die every time I try to smack your face. How about you take off that armor of yours and fight me fair and square?"


    The only answer that the Death Bat received was a zing sh, which he dodged quite easily.


    The sh traveled in a straight line, annihting the allies and foes who were in its path.


    Zazriel''s single blow created a two-mile-long fissure that was dozens of meters deep, making Camazotz whistle.


    "You Artemians sure are strong physically. But it''s useless if you can''t hit your targets," Camazotz taunted. "Can''t you do something bette¡ª"


    The Death Bat wasn''t able to finish what he was about to say because he suddenly felt dizzy, making him stagger from where he was standing.


    He wasn''t aware that Zazriel''s attack earlier was only a smoke screen to hide his original n.


    Just like Camazotz, the High Archon had an ability that emitted high-frequency waves, but it would only work when fused with a powerful sword strike.


    The force behind Zazriel''s attack also carried the supersonic waves, which was something that Camzotz wasn''t prepared for.


    The Majin Prince''s ears were very sensitive. Any high frequency attacks were deadly to him, for they caused him to momentarily lose his sense of bnce and mental rity.


    That moment of weakness was exploited by Zazriel, and he punched Camazotz in the stomach, making thetter bend his body like a shrimp.


    The sword in the High Archon''s hand had disappeared. Zazriel used his fists to unleash a flurry of blows, which the Death Bat was unable to dodge in his current state.


    Each punch sent a shockwave through the surroundings, dealing serious injuries to the Majin Prince who relied on his speed to dodge any attack that was aimed in his direction.


    Seeing that her ally was being one-sidedly pummeled by the High Archon, Kamrusepa decided to save Camazotz. But Kziel blocked her path and, with his deadly sword strikes, forced the Majin Princess to go on the defensive.


    A cracking sound resounded in the surroundings as Zazriel stomped on Camazotz''s knee, breaking the Death Bat''s bones.


    The High Archon then grabbed his opponent''s neck and raised him high in the air with one hand.


    "Anyst words?" Zazriel asked in an arrogant tone.


    But after seeing that his opponent had already lost consciousness, he raised his free hand and prepared to take the life of the Death Bat, who never stood a chance against him in the first ce.

 Chapter 306 A Wake Up Call [Part 3]

    Chapter 306 A Wake Up Call [Part 3]


    ??"Camazotz, good job killing that monster. Now, give me that Core in your hand before I hit you."


    It had always been like that.


    "Bottom feeders like you should know their ce. Do you think that this world has a ce for the weak?"


    I agree. This world was a ce where the strong ruled and where the weak had no choice but to either bow their heads in submission, or roll over to the side and die.


    "What''s the point in trying hard when you know that you''ll still fail in the end?"


    Because no one knows if that ending was final. If there was a small chance that a different ending could be seen at the end of this suffering, then wouldn''t all the sacrifices I made be worth it?


    "Camazotz, run," a beautifuldy with long red hair said weakly. "He''sing, and he''sing for the both of us."


    "Then let hime," I said coldly. "If we are going to die anyway, then we might die together."


    "No. You will not die here. You will escape. You will be strong. And then, you will avenge me."


    "I won''t leave you! I''d rather follow you to the afterlife than spend eternity alone."


    "Silly Camazotz," the beautifuldy smiled bitterly. "You know that I won''t really die, right? I''ll just disappear for a century or two before I pop out again like a mushroom. You, on the other hand, will not be so lucky. So run! Run not only for your sake, but for my sake as well."


    It had been many years since Ist saw her.


    Had it already been a century?


    I couldn''t recall.


    Everything was a blur, but after that fateful day, I did one thing and one thing only.


    I did what I had to do to be strong.


    From a Rank 2 Monster, I slowly rose through the ranks, using every dirty trick that I could think of to overpower monsters who were stronger than me.


    Day after day.


    Night after night.


    It didn''t matter if I felt pain, hunger, fear, or anxiety.


    My goal was to only live long enough to be able to see her again.


    At least, that was what I believed back then.


    However, the anger that I had bottled up was growing stronger with each passing day.


    Unfortunately, the one whom I wanted to kill the most was a Majin Prince.


    I was just a Rank 3 monster.


    Although I feared death, there was one thing that I feared more. That one thing was the thought that I wouldn''t see her again.


    Every time she revived, the Majin Prince, who gained the title "The Devourer" woulde at her again and eat her just to make her regret her decision of going against his orders.


    It was an impossible task.


    Suicidal, even. But even so, I dedicated my life to reaching that one goal of killing Araton the Devourer.


    It didn''t matter even if I died in the process.


    As long as I gained the power to beat him, I would not hesitate to sell my soul to whoever would grant me my wish.


    "I like your eyes. Tell me, is there someone you would like to kill?"


    A voice that came out of nowhere, whispered in my ears.


    "Yes."


    I answered back then without any hesitation. "Then, would you like to have the power to kill that person?"


    A being, who stood at the apex of the world, asked while sipping a cup of tea in the middle of nowhere as if it was the most normal thing in the world.


    "I do."


    Once more, I answered with determination.


    "Then take it."


    The man who found me lying in the woods, covered with my own blood, said with amusement.


    He took a ck vial from his pocket and poured its contents into my mouth.


    "The chances of you dying is ny percent," the man, who looked like an ordinary human, stated. "So, whether you live, die, or gain the power you wish to have, it will all depend on your luck. So, tell me, do you feel lucky right now?"


    That question, which I could still clearly remember even now, would often appear in my dreams.


    The potion was an experimental concoction, made by one of the most elusive Celestials in Solterra.


    He goes by the name, Dantanian.


    The Celestial who had many faces.


    No one knew what he or she really looked like.


    Even the other Celestials and the Seven Fiends didn''t know Dantanian''s true identity.


    Perhaps, even Dantanian himself had forgotten what he really looked like after the many faces he had worn and discarded on a whim.


    As the potion took effect on my body, my flesh tore apart, and my bones broke without warning.


    My body was being molded into something that I was not familiar with.


    It was pure torture.


    Muscles and blood vessels were torn up, while bones broke and reformed once again.


    This agonizing incidentsted for an entire day before a red bat emerged from a pool of blood.


    When I regained my senses, Dantanian was no longer there.


    If not for the fact that my surroundings were covered in blood, which I knew belonged to me, I would have thought that everything I had experienced was just a dream.


    But it wasn''t a dream.


    On that day, a mutant monster was born, and I would soon be known as Camazotz the Untamed.


    With my new powers, I fought monsters who were two ranks higher than me.


    Days, weeks, months, years.


    They passed so swiftly like the changing of the seasons, and after a long period of time, I found an opportunity to kill the person whom I wanted to kill.


    Araton the Devourer had decided to wage war on another Majin Prince, and they engaged in a very fierce battle.


    His opponent wasn''t a pushover, and after nearly half a day of fighting, Araton decided to escape after receiving a serious injury.


    After years of life and death battles, I managed to raise my rank to be a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    My opponent was two Ranks higher than me, but he was seriously injured.


    I knew that if I didn''t act then, my only chance to kill him would slip away.


    So, Iid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain that he wouldn''t be able to evade my attack.


    slip away.


    So, Iid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain At that time, I could already travel at the speed of sound using short bursts.


    So, with everything in my arsenal, I took a leap of faith and took my enemy''s life in a single decisive blow, aimed at his only weakness.


    His heart.


    I can still recall the taste of his heart as I devoured it back then.


    It was the most delicious thing I had tasted in my lifetime.


    But, to my surprise, Araton the Devourer held another secret that I wasn''t aware of.


    He was part of a secret organization called The Order of the Apocalypse.


    And after killing him, I became its newest member.


    I couldn''t help butugh after remembering that incident, so I did just that.


    Iughed.


    Iughed so hard thatughing made my sides hurt.


    But, as I wasughing my heart out, a voice filled with annoyance reached my ears.


    "Camazotz, you bastard! This is no time for a shback! Get a grip!"


    A shback?


    What is this person saying?


    What shback?


    "Have you be brain dead after getting your ass handed to you? If that''s the case, you don''t have to think of anything else, just punch forward! Use your strongest punch!"


    A punch?


    Sure, I could do that.


    Using all the strength that I could muster, I pulled back my arm and unleashed the strongest punch that had taken the life of Araton, who had mercilessly killed the woman I loved.


    "Vortex Blow!"


    Just like the voice said, I punched forward with everything I had.


    It was then that I felt that I hit something, and it felt good hitting it.


    Suddenly, the ce where I punched, cracked, and soon, the world around me shattered, making me remember where I was and what I was doing.


    The hateful Artemian, who was wearing cheat armor, loosened his grip on my neck after receiving my strongest attack.


    Smelling, sensing, and in a way, tasting the scent of the blood that had emerged from his mouth after my punch connected made my eyes widen in shock.


    I had tried every attack that I could think of, but none of them worked.


    But now, for some reason, my blow connected and it made my enemy bleed because of it.


    I didn''t have a mirror, but I could feel that a devilish smile had appeared on my face.


    But, before I could rejoice, the familiar voice once again reached my ears.


    "What are you waiting for?! Continue punching, Doofus!"


    My eyes nced briefly at the ten-year-old clinging to Zazriel''s leg like a monkey before I roared to unleash a flurry of blows on my opponent''s face, leaving him no room to react.


    My punches, which were three times faster than the speed of sound, connected with the bastard''s face, fueling up my confidence that I now had the ability to defeat him.


    "Die, you bastard!" I roared hatefully as my fists turned crimson, augmenting the strength of my punches to the next level.


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    It didn''t matter if my opponent was strong.


    It didn''t matter if he had better equipment than me.


    I am Camazotz the Untamed, and with my fists, I''ll carve my path in the world.


    I will make those who looked down on me suffer the same fate as this Artemian, who woulde to regret that he didn''t kill me sooner.

 Chapter 307 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 1]

    Chapter 307 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 1]


    ??Zazriel thought that nothing could harm him in Solterra as long as he was wearing the Legendary Armor that had been crafted by the cksmiths of Artem.


    This armor had taken more than a year toplete due to theplicated runes that were embedded in the crafting process.


    It made the High Archon impervious to almost all kinds of attacks from beings that were the same Rank as him.


    This was why he didn''t bother to dodge Camazotz'' punch because he thought that it would only backfire on the Death Bat.


    But, he was wrong.


    Camazotz punch connected, which caught himpletely off guard.


    Because of this, he wasn''t able to react in time because it took him a while to digest what just happened.


    When he finally regained hisposure, it was already toote.


    Camazotz punches rained on him without mercy. They were fast, urate, deadly, and most of all, traveled at three times the speed of sound.


    Simply put, Zazriel couldn''t dodge, block, or deflect the attacks because they were simply too fast for him to do anything.


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"


    Camazotz didn''t know why the punches he had unleashed earlier didn''t work, while his current punches were dealing heavy damage to his opponent.


    But, he knew that now was not the right time to think about why his punches were suddenly connecting.


    So, he focused all of his strength to punch Zazriel''s face to oblivion while he still could!


    The moment the Death Bat''s punches connected, Thirteen jumped off from hugging the High Archon''s calf, and allowed Rocky to take him as far away from the battlefield as he could, while they still had the time to escape.


    Thirteen had the power to neutralize the ability of any item that he touched because of his Item Ban.


    Even if he used a throwing weapon like a throwing knife, throwing axe, darts, needles, and arrows, any ability they possessed would not activate for a period of time.


    Once the item left Thirteen''s hands, its ability would remain deactivated until a full minute had passed.


    Only after a minute would the abilities of the items return, allowing them to function normally.


    A minute might be a short time, but for Camazotz, who was the fastest on the ind, would be able to deal a lot of damage to Zazriel, who had lost the defensive ability of his armor.


    ''End the battle in one minute, Camazotz!'' Thirteen said through telepathy. ''If you don''t, you''ll be dead!''


    All the members of the Order of Apocalypse could talk to each other via telepathy as long as they were within a thousand meters of each other.


    This was the bonus effect of the Ring of the Apocalypse that Thirteen had obtained, which was proof that he was now an official member of the secret order.


    After hearing what the boy had to say, Camazotz no longer hesitated and further increased the speed of his punches.


    The only thing he targeted was Zazriel''s face, and no matter what the High Archon did, Camazotz''s punches would always connect, stacking up the damage that he received earlier.


    He tried to counter-attack numerous times, but his blows were easily dodged by the Death Bat, whose fists never stopped hitting his face.


    When Zazriel covered his face, Camazotz would appear behind him and smack the back of his head repeatedly, targeting the ce that was just above the neck area.


    The High Archon roared in anger, with the intention of sting the Death Bat away with his wide-area attack, but Camazotz held firm and endured the blue mes that expanded from Zazriel''s body.


    This was a matter of life and death, so Camazotz allowed himself to get injured, as he continued his one-sided barrage, sending blood flying in every direction.


    Kziel, who noticed that hisrade had lost the advantage, decided to reinforce Zazriel, but he was blocked by Kamrusepa, who prevented him from advancing further.


    "What''s the rush?" Kamrusepa asked in a teasing tone. "Why don''t you just wait? After my allies are done with your friend, you''re going to be next."


    Kziel tried to use brute force in order to break free from Kamrusepa, but the Majin Princess wasn''t a push over.


    While she did not specialize in fighting, her equipment made up for her weaknesses. Eachyer of the Treasury of the Apocalypse had a special item that would only be given as a bonus to the first one that unlocked that Layer.


    Kamrusepa was the first among the Order of the Apocalypse to unlock the first up to the sixthyer, allowing her to gain six items that allowed her to stand toe to toe with those who specialized in closebat.


    These items were the Winged boots that doubled her speed.


    Full body armor that tripled her defensive abilities.


    A bracelet that could transform into a shield, further increasing her defensive abilities.


    A small dagger that could pierce through any armor, dealing wounds that wouldn''t heal unless Kamrusepa lifted the curse that the dagger embedded in that being''s body.


    A circlet that allowed her to see anything around her for up to twenty miles, which prevented her from having any blind spot.


    Last, but not the least, was a crystal ball that she used when performing her Divinations.


    Since she was the only one who had received these items, Kamrusepa kept it a secret from the others, and also asked Metatron to not say anything about the bonus rewards for unlocking the treasury.


    With these items in her possession, Kamrusepa was able to keep Kziel at bay, making thetter feel anxious the more time passed by.


    When the one-minute time limit was almost over, Rocky once again emerged behind Zazriel, and opened his mouth.


    This allowed Thirteen to tap Zazriel''s calf a second time before they once again made their escape.


    By this point, Zazriel was already beaten and battered, and was already on hisst legs.


    "I cannot¡­ fall here," Zazriel said through gritted teeth. "I cannot fall here!"


    "Shut your trap and clench your teeth!" Camazotz roared as his fists connected with the side of the High-Archon''s face, breaking his teeth in the process.


    The Death Bat''s fists were already bleeding, but he didn''t stop punching.


    Half a minuteter, he appeared behind Zazriel, grabbed his head, and sank his fangs on the High Archon''s neck, drinking his blood.


    He drank deeply, and he drank fast because Thirteen urged him that after a minute had passed, Zazriel''s armor would regain its abilities.


    Already heavily injured by the Death Bat''s attack, Zazriel tried to resist by punching Camazotz''s head, but thetter refused to budge, and kept his fangs embedded in his enemy''s neck.


    Soon, Zazriel lost the strength to even lift his arms because of the damage that had umted over time, including the massive loss of blood.


    His body became skinny, and his skin wrinkly as the Death Bat continued to feast on his blood.


    When the one-minute-mark ended, the ability of the armor didn''t activate because it required Zazriel''s continuous supply of energy to flow into it.


    Since he thought that his armor no longer worked, the High Archon thought that resistance was already futile.


    He didn''t expect that it would only take a single instant for the Death Bat''s situation to be reversed.


    Instead of killing Camazotz, the one who was dying was none other than him, and it made him regret ying around with his prey, instead of killing him as fast as he could.

 Chapter 308 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 2]

    Chapter 308 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 2]


    ??"Your blood taste like sh*t," Camazotz said as he used his arms to wrap around Zazriel''s wrinkled face. "But, thanks for the Apocalypse Points."


    Without even giving his opponent to say hisst words, Camazotz decisively twisted the High Archon''s neck, breaking it.


    After severe blood loss, Zazriel was already weakened to the point that he could no longer offer any resistance.


    His lifeless body then copsed on the ground, making the Death Bat raise his hands high up in the air in a victory pose before roaring with all of his might.


    The Artemians then nced in his direction, and were horrified when they saw that one of their High Archons had been killed.


    Some of them began to retreat towards the Purple Gate in a desperate attempt to go home, but to their surprise, the Gate could no longer be seen, making them panic.


    It had been there just a few seconds ago, but now, it was nowhere to be found.


    Sensing that their opponents had lost their will to fight, the Order of Raziel focused their attention on enving as many Artemians as possible.


    They knew that there might not be another opportunity to gain a monster that didn''t belong to their world.


    The business-minded individuals were already thinking of auctioning some of the captured Artemians, which they believed would get a high bid on the ck market.


    After roaring with all of his might, Camazotz remembered that he should loot Zazriel''s body, especially the armor which had given him a hard time earlier.


    However, when his gazended on the dead Artemian, thetter was already naked.


    Camazotz''s jaw almost dropped when he saw the ten-year-old boy, trying to take off one of the rings from Zazriel''s finger.


    "Thirteen, you bastard!" Camazotz grabbed the hateful boy, who had managed to store Zazriel''s ring into his storage space before the Death Bat picked him up like a kitten. "Why did you take my spoils?!"


    "Your spoils?" Thirteen asked with a confused expression. "What spoils? Did you forget? You got your ass handed to you earlier. If not for me, you would have been dead a long time ago, you know?"


    Camazotz wasn''t able to refute the boy''s words because it was true. However, he was still the one that dealt the killing blow to his enemy, so he believed that he should at least get the armor for his troubles.


    "Thirteen, my dear friend, my partner in crime, my buddy, don''t do this to me, man," Camazotz decided to take a step back and negotiate with the boy. "Don''t do me dirty, man. Don''t do me dirty. We are best buds, right?"


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips twitched because of the shameless way that the Death Bat was using to butter him up.


    But, this worked perfectly for him.


    A Legendary Ranked Armor might be good, but he was unable to wield such an item at this point in time.


    Of course, he could also give the armor to his family, or his grandparents to make them stronger.


    But, he decided not to do that.


    Camazotz proved to be a reliable ally, so he decided that he could loan the armor to him, under Metatron''s special contract.


    That way, he could borrow the armor if there was an emergency, and let his Grandfather, Arthur, equip it in battle.


    With this setup, not only would it make Camazotz happy, it also opened up the possibility of future coboration as well.


    After telling the Death Bat that he would loan the armor to himter, the Majin Prince became happy because he believed that his negotiation skills managed to convince the boy to allow him to use the armor for himself.


    "There are still Artemians left," Thirteen pointed at Kziel, who seemed to have already lost the will to fight. "Deal with him first."


    "Okay!" Camazotz didn''t hesitate and tag-teamed with Kamrusepa to bring the High Archon to his knees.


    But, when the Death Bat was about to deal the killing blow, Kamrusepa stopped him, and offered Kziel a choice.


    "Be my subordinate, and I will allow you to live," Kamrusepa dered. "Otherwise, I will give you a dog''s death. So, what will you choose?"


    Kziel, who didn''t want to die, agreed to Kamrusepa''s request, making Camazotz extremely jealous.


    He thought that he already managed to close the gap of power between him and Kamrusepa after he acquired the Rank 9 Sovereigns, who were now being brainwashed by Metatron in the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Now, the Majin Princess of Prophecy had acquired a High Archon, who was just as strong as her as a subordinate, which made the Death Bat''s liver itch in envy.


    Kamrusepa then created the Contract of the Apocalypse, which would bind Kziel to her service for eternity.


    Of course, Camazotz and Thirteen asked the Majin Princess to add a few quotes in the contract, stating that Kziel was not allowed to attack Thirteen and Camazotz, even if Kamrusepa ordered him to. The Majin Princess found this development quite amusing, but she decided to ept her allies'' proposal, so that there wouldn''t be any hard feelings between them.


    The Artemians, who now numbered less than two hundred, surrendered after Kziel was subjugated.


    Thirteen didn''t bother to oversee how the other factions treated all of the Artemians who surrendered, because he had a more pressing issue to deal with.


    After asking Rocky to take him to Uncle Boo and Albion, the ten-year-old saw an extremely heartbreaking scene. The Beholder, and the Unicorn, who had both taken their human forms, wept bitterly as they held the wrinkled body of the dying Moon Princess.


    Callie was in Albion''s embrace, while Uncle Boo held her hand, while bawling his eyes out.


    Both could tell that their beloved only had a few minutes left to live, and yet, despite the pain she was feeling, she held onto the two monsters'' hands, who loved her very much with a smile on her face.


    "Thank you, Zion," Callie said softly. "Now, I do not have to hurt anyone any longer. I am finally free¡­"


    Uncle Boo''s wailing intensified, while Albion''s tears fell like rain.


    The two of them were willing to give up their lives just to save Callie, and yet, they still failed in the end.


    Looking at this sad scene, Thirteen crouched down and very lightly patted Callie''s head, as if telling her that she did well.


    Callie, who thought that she was being praised, smiled sweetly, as a single tear slid down the side of her face.


    She could tell that death was about to im her, because her vision was starting to dim.


    The Moon Princess could barely see the three beside her because her vision was failing her.


    "Hold me, a little tighter, Boo, Albion," Callie said softly. "It''s getting dark, and I''m feeling a bit scared."


    The two Monsters did as she asked and hugged her gently, not wanting to crush her weak, and frail body.


    While the victors were cheering because they had won the battle, there were two monsters who wept bitterly because the body of the girl they loved was starting to grow cold.


    Thirteen bit his lips, and closed his eyes.


    "I invoke Article 13 of the Contract," Thirteen dered.


    Suddenly, time came to aplete stop, followed by a long and deep sigh that came from behind the ten-year-old.


    "Thirteen, you shouldn''t casually invoke the agreement, especially when there is nothing that needs to be discussed," Lace Demonined. "You already know the rules, right? We have an agreeme¡ª."


    especially when there is nothing that needs to be discussed," Lace Demonined. "You already know the rules, right? "Hey, Lace Demon," Thirteen said to stop the Demi-human Rabbit from finishing whatever he was going to say. "Do you believe in happy endings?"


    "I don''t," Lace Demon replied in a heartbeat.


    "I don''t believe in them either." Thirteen nodded in agreement. "But, right now, we can make a happy ending. So, can I ask you for a favor?"


    The right-hand man of ''The One'', pursed his lips.


    "And why should I do that?" Lace Demon asked with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Because, you and The One are not truly omnipotent," Thirteen looked at the sad scene in front of him that was frozen in time.


    Uncle Boo and Albion were hugging Callie, whose face had already be extremely pale.


    He was certain that the moment Lace Demon returned time to normal, the Moon Princess would die in less than a minute.


    "There are things that you cannot do because of certain restrictions ced upon the two of you," Thirteen added. "And, in order to handle the things that you cannot do, you will need someone to do it for you.


    "So, how about it? Do me one favor, and I''ll do you a favor as well. It doesn''t matter what favor you ask of me, as long as it will not go past my bottom line."


    "Even if it''s not you, we can always choose other Wanderers to do the things that we want to do," Lace Demon countered. "I''m sure that they will be more than happy to do something for us."


    Thirteen crouched down to hold Callie''s wrinkled hand.


    A hand that had done her best to fight against her Fate, but still lost in the end.


    "Well, that may be true, but I doubt that you''ll find someone morepetent than me to do the job," Thirteen stated. "In the future, you will look back on this day, and regret the fact that you didn''t ept my offer when I asked it of you."


    Lace Demon didn''t answer right away because he knew that he couldn''t rule out the fact that Thirteen was right.


    Just as he was pondering on what to do, a voice reached his ear.


    "Agree to his condition," The One said. "But, warn him that this will be just a one time thing."


    Lace Demon nodded and passed his Employer''s message to Thirteen.


    "Tell us what you have in mind," Lace Demon stated. "We will at least listen to your proposal."


    Thirteen sighed internally because he now had a chance to save the pitiful girl, whose life was hanging in the bnce.


    Now that the two Omnipotent beings of Solterra were willing to listen to his request, he told them what he wanted to happen.


    After listening to his words, the Lace Demon, and The One, looked at the ten-year-old, as if he was mad.


    "So, will you grant me this favor?" Thirteen asked after he finished his exnation.


    The Lace Demon sighed before waving his hand.


    A momentter, Shasha and Alessia appeared beside Thirteen.


    The Demi-Human Rabbit then snapped his fingers, unfreezing the two, and allowed them to move in a world where time had already stopped moving.


    The two of them would y a role in creating the happy ending that Thirteen wished to have for the three pitiful creatures, who had suffered many decades due to the workings of Fate.

 Chapter 309 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 3]

    Chapter 309 Do You Believe In Happy Endings? [Part 3]


    ??"Zion, what''s going on?" Alessia asked her son while subtly eyeing the Lace Demon anxiously.


    Frankly, no Wanderer would like to meet the right-hand man of The One, for his appearance didn''t always mean good news.


    Most of the time, meeting him meant tragedy. The usual reason why he''d summon Wanderers into his space was to give them missions that they didn''t have the option to refuse.


    These missions were extremely difficult, and most of the time, those who were chosen would perish in their attempt to clear it.


    No one really knew what these missions were, but one thing was certain. Meeting the Lace Demon was something that most Wanderers didn''t want to experience in their lifetime.


    "Mother, Shasha, please listen to me," Thirteen said. "I want to save this girl, and for that, I will need both of your help."


    As if waiting for that moment, the Lace Demon snapped his finger, and a Dimensional Gate appeared on Thirteen''s right side, showing a person on the other side of it.


    "Zion?" Gerald looked at his son from the other side of the Gate in surprise.


    He was currently preparing to craft something in his workshop when the Dimensional Gate appeared giving him a fright.


    But, a momentter, his eyes widened in shock when he also saw Alessia and his daughter, Shasha, standing beside his son, who was looking at him with a solemn expression.


    "Pops, I need your help," Thirteen stated. "Come here for a while."


    Gerald didn''t even hesitate and quickly stepped forward to cross the Dimensional Gate, where his family was waiting for him.


    Once he crossed to the other side, his gaze hardened upon seeing Lace Demon, who was standing a few meters away from him with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "We don''t have much time, so I''ll exin everything in a nutshell." Thirteen then started to tell his family what he nned to do, making his parents, and his sister, look at him in disbelief.


    "So, are you willing to help me?" Thirteen asked.


    Alessia and Gerald nced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time.


    ""We''re willing.""


    The ten-year-old sighed internally because he managed to cross the biggest hurdle. If Alessia and Gerald refused, he would have to think of another way to put an end to this tragic story.


    "Please unfreeze time for Uncle Boo and Albion," Thirteen said softly.


    Lace Demon nodded, and the two monsters had been freed from the frozen time.


    As if nothing had changed, the two monsters still continued to cry, with Uncle Boo wailing as if his time didn''t freeze in the first ce.


    Seeing this, Alessia clenched her fists. Just with how they were crying, she could tell how much these two beings cared for the girl, whose wrinkled body looked like it belonged to an old woman about to breathe herst.


    Uncle Boo and Albion were so engrossed in their sadness that they weren''t aware that the time of others hade to a stop. They simply wept bitterly and held Callie for as long as they could before her life escaped their grasp.


    "Uncle Boo, Albion, do you wish to save Callie?" Thirteen asked, making the two monsters look in his direction with tears still streaming from their eyes.


    "Yes! I''ll do anything, just please, save her!" Uncle Boo replied.


    "No matter the price, I will give it to you," Albion stated. "Please. Save Callie!"


    "Very well. I will ask for both of your lives in order to save her," Thirteen dered. "Are you willing?"


    "Will taking my life really save her?" Uncle Boo asked. "If yes, then go ahead. I was born from her dream, so I am willing to return to being one of her dreams as long as she gets to live."


    "I am also prepared," Albion stated. "As long as you promise me that you will save her, you can take my life."


    It was only then that the two Monsters noticed the presence of other people, including the Lace Demon.


    They didn''t really know who he was, but their gut instinct was telling them that he was someone that they mustn''t offend no matter what.


    Both of them also noticed that the world around them had turned gray in color and that all the monsters in the distance, including those who were flying in the sky, weren''t moving.


    "Listen, this is what we are going to do," Thirteen said as he exined to the two monsters what they needed to do.


    Uncle Boo and Albion listened without saying a word until the boy had finished telling them everything.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");


    When Thirteen was done talking, both of them nced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time. "Do it," Uncle Boo wiped the tears in his eyes before holding Callie''s hand.


    Albion looked at Thirteen with a determined nce before bowing his head.


    "Thank you."


    He was proud and arrogant and had never bowed his head to anyone. But this time, he did just that because this was the only way he could show how grateful he was.


    "Lace Demon, everyone is ready," Thirteen said. "Let''s start."


    Lace Demon nodded before walking behind Gerald and Alessia.


    He then raised his palms as he did what Thirteen had asked of him.


    Alessia and Gerald both glowed faintly, and a golden orb of light floated out of their bodies.


    These two golden lights then merged into one, glowing faintly like a flickering candle in the darkness.


    "It''s time," Thirteen said. "Shasha, do it."


    Shasha nodded and took out her sword.


    Uncle Boo stood up and nodded his head at the teenage girl, who was about to take his life.


    Lowering his resistance to the fullest, Uncle Boo closed his eyes and only hoped that Shasha would make it quick.


    Shasha coated her de with the power of the moonlight and pierced Uncle Boo''s chest in one swift and deadly blow.


    A purple mist escaped Uncle Boo''s body and flew toward the flickering golden me.


    The me then greedily absorbed the life force of the Beholder, making its me grow brighter with each passing second.


    Albion then gentlyid Callie on the ground before standing still.


    He didn''t say any word, for there was no need to say anything.


    Just like what Shasha did to Uncle Boo, Shasha also pierced the Unicorn''s chest with her sword.


    Albion''s life force also flew toward the golden me, burning brightly.


    Lace Demon waited until Uncle Boo''s and Albion''s life force had been fully absorbed by the Golden me before he made his move.


    He touched Callie''s head, and a few secondster, a blue orb of light emerged from her forehead and slowly floated toward the golden me, merging with it.


    When that was done, Lace Demon pointed his fingers at Thirteen''s and Callie''s chests, piercing a hole into them.


    The ten-year-old''s blood flowed toward the golden me, while Callie''s blood flowed toward Thirteen''s body.


    This processsted for half a minute before both of their blood stopped flowing.


    The younger boy swayed at where he stood, but Shasha was quick enough to catch him.


    With his sister supporting her, Thirteen regained his bnce. He looked at the golden me, whose brightness was slowly receding.


    Suddenly, from within that golden light, the cry of a baby was heard.


    When the light fully disappeared, a newborn baby girl floated towards Alessia, and thetter held her gently in her embrace.


    "It''s done," Lace Demon dered before looking at the crying baby girl, who had been born through unnatural means.


    He didn''t know what kind of fate awaited her in the future, but one thing was certain.


    She was no longer the Moon Princess, and she would no longer be forced to dance in the palms of the King of Artem, who was still fuming because he didn''t get the chance to descend in Solterra and crush the boy who had gotten in his way.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");

 Chapter 310 You Scratch My Back, I’ll Scratch Yours

    Chapter 310 You Scratch My Back, I¡¯ll Scratch Yours


    ??"Mother, Father, please return to Pangea for now," Thirteen said weakly.


    Alessia and Gerald both nodded their heads and entered the Dimensional Gate directly linked to their home.


    As soon as Thirteen''s parents passed through it, Lace Demon closed the gate and then pointed at Callie''s corpse, summoning a fire that incinerated it until nothing was left.


    ''We will talkter,'' Lace Demon said to Thirteen via telepathy. ''We need to discuss the use of our contract.''


    Thirteen nodded in understanding, knowing that what the Demon said was right. He invoked the use of the contract without any basis for it, which resulted in this current situation.


    Faster than an eye could blink, the Demon disappeared in front of them and time flowed back to normal.


    Uncle Boo''s and Albion''s bodies reverted into their natural forms andid lifeless on the ground.


    "Rocky, take them," Thirteen ordered.


    The Magma Bal-Boa then emerged from the ground and swallowed the corpses of the two Rank 8 Sovereigns.


    "What now, Zion?" Shasha asked as she supported her brother''s body.


    "Now, we just wrap things up," Thirteen replied. "You will pass through the Gate of the Moonlight and return to Pangea."


    "You''lle with me, right?" Shasha asked.


    Her brother had already been in Solterra for three years, so she wanted him to return with her to Pangea at the same time.


    "¡­ I will be back in a few days," Thirteen replied. "There are still things that I need to finish here. I need to return Taiga to his home, as well as deal with the aftermath. Overall, that will take me about a few days to finalize. But, once I''m done, I promise that I will be back without fail."


    Shasha nodded in understanding because her brother always kept his word.


    If he said that he would return in a few days, he would return in a few days, and not in a few years.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    An hourter¡­


    "¡­ You really did it," Raon, who had stayed behind despite Thirteen''s warning, said as he looked at the younger boy, who was seated on top of Giga.


    "Hahaha! Of course, he did!" Kane said with a smug smile on his face. "That''s my brother-inw. I can''t wait to brag about this adventure to my family."


    "Who are you calling brother-inw?" Thirteen red at the teenage boy. "Taiga, toss that idiot through the Gate of the Moonlight!"


    "With pleasure!" Taiga, who had long been itching to smack his love rival, didn''t hesitate to follow Thirteen''s orders and grappled the annoying teenage boy.


    "You bastard, let me go!" Kane, who was overpowered by the Tigerkin, could only shout and curse as Taiga lifted him up.


    "Go to hell!" Taiga roared as he threw Kane towards the Gate of the Moonlight, which made Raon, Rio, Herman, Phoebe, Miriam, and Lambert smirk. They had to admit, this free dog show was quite amusing.


    "Go," Thirteen said to Shasha. "Make sure to tell everyone that I''ll be back in a few days and that they shouldn''t worry about me."


    "Okay." Shasha nodded before hugging her brother and nting a kiss on his cheek. "I''ll see you soon."


    After bidding her farewell, Shasha ran toward the Gate of the Moonlight without looking back.


    Only when his sister had finally passed through the Gate did Thirteen breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.


    "See youter, Zion," Rio said. "And thank you for everything."


    "I''ll tell my friends what happened here," Lambert stated. "I''m sure they will feel envious because I met you during my first mission in Solterra."


    "I''ll tell Riana that I met you." Phoebe smiled sweetly. "I''m sure she''ll be happy to hear news about you."


    Herman pressed his closed fist on his chest and gave Thirteen a slight bow. "If we ever see each other in the future, I''ll make sure to return this favor."


    "As will I," Raon promised. "You have my word."


    "Very well," Thirteen replied. "All of you owe me a favor. I won''t be shy and will ask you to return it in the future. Now, go. There''s no telling when that Gate will close. You don''t want to get stranded here, right?"


    After hearing Thirteen''s reminder, the teenagers no longer hesitated and passed through the gate. Truth be told, the Gate of the Moonlight wouldn''t disappear until sunrise, so there was plenty of time left before it vanishedpletely, never to be seen again.


    The good thing about this gate was that Thirteen no longer needed to ferry everyone back to their respective territories using Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, just like how he brought his reinforcements to the ind.


    The only armies that he didn''t bring with him were Camazotz''s and Kamrusepa''s Armies.


    The Majin Prince and Majin Princess had their own means of travel and brought their forces alongside them.


    And for that, Thirteen was very thankful. After all, it saved a lot of time.


    "Zion, aren''t you going home yet?" Lady Callista asked as she approached her grandson. "By the way, where is Alessia? I don''t see her anywhere. Arthur was right beside her when she disappeared. Where did she go?"


    "Mother is already back in Pangea, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "So, you and the rest should go back too. You can use this gate to return home."


    "You should have told me that earlier," Arthur said in annoyance.


    "Gramps, make sure to wait for me, okay?" Thirteen said with a smile, ignoring the Old Man''s re. "If you don''t, you''ll regret it for life."


    Arthur scoffed, but he didn''t say anything else.


    "Will this gate really take us back to Pangea?" Michael asked as he adjusted the sses on his face. "Are you sure?"


    "I''m sure," Thirteen replied.


    The younger boy had asked Lace Demon earlier if it was possible for everyone, aside from the Wanderers, to use the Gate of the Moonlight. The Demon confirmed that they could indeed use it without a problem.


    So, aside from Taiga and his subordinates, who had followed Thirteen on his adventures, everyone else would return to their homnd.


    Just as Arthur was about to ask another question, Camazotz descended beside the younger boy, making Arthur, Lady Callista, Michael, and Hans all take a fighting stance.


    "Zion, where are the goods?" Camazotz rubbed his palms excitedly. "You said that you would give it to me after the cleanup was finished. Now, give them to me."


    "You''re too impatient," Thirteen frowned. "It''s not like I''ll just run away, you know?"


    "Hehehe. I wouldn''t put it past you to do that." Camazotz smirked as he eyed the Wanderers, who were looking at him with a wary gaze. "I mean, I might be a happy-go-lucky guy, but if you do me dirty, I can still turn these Wanderers into breakfast, you know?"


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow as he looked at the Death Bat, who had a devilish smile stered on his face.


    "Later," Thirteen said firmly. "You and Kamrusepa already have the highest gains in this mission, and you still think that I will run away? Are you kidding me? Who do you think convinced her to lend you that artifact so that you could get some new subordinates?"


    The ten-year-old looked at the Death Bat in contempt, which made thetter chuckle and lightly pat Thirteen''s shoulder.


    "I''m just joking!" Camazotz replied. "Aren''t we best friends for life? You scratch my back, I''ll scratch yours. It''s that simple, right?"


    Thirteen ignored the Death Bat''s chummy attitude and nced at the members of the Leventis Family.


    "Keep everything that you saw and heard here on the ind a secret," Thirteen stated in a serious tone. "If you don''t, things will beplicated in Pangea."


    Lady Callista, Arthur, Michael, and Hans nodded in understanding.


    "Rocky, let''s go," Thirteen ordered.


    Rocky then swallowed up Thirteen and Giga before submerging itself to the ground like a fish in water.


    Camazotz smirked before flying toward the ce where Kamrusepa was waiting for him.


    "Arthur¡­" Lady Callista nced at her husband worriedly.


    "Let''s not talk about it here," Arthur replied. "We should return to Pangea first."


    Arthur held Lady Callista''s hand and walked toward the Gate with her.


    Hans followed after them, while Michael stayed behind.


    The retainers of the Leventis Family were still not finished collecting their spoils of war. Frankly, they gained a lot from this expedition in more ways than one.


    ''My nephew sure is capable,'' Michael thought as he adjusted his sses. ''But, why do I have a feeling that the future doesn''t look too bright?''


    The second-inmand of the Leventis Family couldn''t shake the feeling that Thirteen would start causing trouble after he returned to Pangea.


    Michael hoped that he was just overthinking things. He soon brushed the thought off and went back to supervising his people and forming connections with the Order of Raziel, who was very influential in the Human Kingdoms of Solterra.

 Chapter 311 A New Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 311 A New Beginning </h4>


    Sleeping peacefully on top of the bed was a newborn baby girl.


    On her left side, a Beholder, who was the size of an adult''s hands, slept beside her.


    On her right, a Unicorn, who was the size of an adult Corgi Dog, was also sleeping.


    These two monsters were none other than Boo, and Albion, who had be Shasha''s Avatars.


    Their Ranks had regressed to that of a Rank 1 Monster, but they acquired the Evolver Ability, which would allow them to increase their ranks from scratch.


    Both Monsters had retained their memories, and their job was to protect, and keep the sleeping baby safe from anything that would harm her.


    Unlike the two of them, the baby no longer had memories of her past life.


    Thirteen wanted the pitiful girl to have a fresh start at life, without the burdens that she once carried.


    All the pain, suffering, loneliness, despair, and guilt, when she was still alive was cleansed away, leaving her in a nk state.


    Boo, and Albion, wished for this to happen as well because they didn''t want the girl they loved to be tied down by her past.


    She was born from Alessia''s egg, Gerald''s seed, Boo''s and Albion''s life force, andstly, Thirteen''s blood.


    After Alessia, and Gerald discussed the baby''s name, they decided to give her the name, Rhiannon.


    Rhiannon Leventis, and her nickname was Rhia.


    A new name, for a new life.


    A life on which they hoped would be a happy one for her.


    During that time, when Callie was just about to kiss Shasha, and take over her body, Thirteen used his ability, which he had gained afterpleting one of his Thirteen Trials, to swap ces with his sister.


    He had waited until the golden orb was covered with blood, which prevented anyone from seeing what was happening inside of it.


    After he, and Callie kissed, the spell which would merge Callie with the body of the Moon Princess Candidate was dispelled because it only worked on girls.


    Because of this, her body deteriorated at a rapid pace, which also put an end to the King of Artem''s ambition to use the Moon Princess'' powers to be a Celestial.


    Suddenly, the door of the room opened and a little girl, who was around seven years old, entered the room.


    She was none other than Remi, and she hade to look at her little sister, who had now be a part of their family.


    Boo, and Albion opened their eyes to look at the neer.


    Shasha had already introduced Remi to them, so they allowed her toe near Rhia, who was sound asleep.


    Remi didn''t touch her little sister because she didn''t want to wake her up.


    A minuteter, Shasha, who was looking for Remi, entered the room and sat beside her on the bed.


    "From now on, you are now her big sister," Shasha said as she hugged Remi from behind. "Take good care of her, okay?"


    "Un!" Remi nodded. "I''ll take care of Rhia."


    "Good girl."


    "Mmm."


    Alessia, and Gerald, were also outside the door and looked at their two daughters with smiles on their faces.


    Now that their family had one more member, both of them decided to work harder to ensure that their sons and daughters, would have a home to return to, after their journey in Solterra.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in Solterra¡­


    "Thank you for everything that you have done for me for the past three years," Thirteen said to his subordinates, who had apanied him in his journey. "I will be away from Solterra for a while, and I might not return here for three to four years.


    "So, I want to ask all of you what do you wished to do? If you wish to return to the Valbarra Archipgo, I will take you back before I leave."


    "Me!" Taiga raised his hand. "I want to go where Shasha is!"


    "Okay, I''ll be sending you back to the Valbarra Archipgo after I''m done here," Thirteen replied before looking at the Ogres, and the Trolls.


    "Can we not apany you, Master?" T1 asked.


    "I want to follow, Master!" O1 stated.


    "Me too!" O2 dered.


    The other Trolls also made their wishes known to follow Thirteen, which made the ten-year-old ponder if it was possible for them toe with him.


    Tiona, Giga, Rocky, cky, and Hercules, were now his Beast Companions.


    He could take them back to Pangea with him if they wished toe with him.


    If Rocky decided to follow Thirteen, the Ogres and Trolls could just enter his Mobile Fortress, and carry them to Pangea.


    Of course, using this logic, it was also possible for Taiga to apany them back, but Thirteen didn''t want the Tigerkin anywhere near his sister.


    "Do you want toe with me, Rocky?" Thirteen asked the Magma Bal-Boa because if Rocky didn''t want to join him then it was impossible for the boy to take the others with him.


    The Magma Bal-Boa nodded his head without hesitation, telling the boy his intention of followingg him.


    Seeing that Rocky wished to stay with him, Thirteen then nced at the two Pocopocos, who were perched on Giga''s back.


    "Vassago, you have stayed with me longer than our agreement. For that I am very thankful," Thirteen said. "Are you going back to your homnd like you told me back then?"


    "Yes," Vassago replied. "It has been a while since I''ve seen my kind, so I want to return. Poca also wished to see her parents, so she nned to return with me."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Poca, thank you for apanying us. Without you, things might have been a tad more difficult because we can only count on Vassago for scouting missions."


    "I had fun," Poca said in a cheerful tone. "I didn''t expect that my adventure beyond the maind would involve joining battles against Majin Princes, as well as High Archons.


    "This is a story that will make the other Pocopocos take that step to travel towards the unknown, allowing our race to gain more knowledge and wisdom, which we will pass to our future generations."


    "But, worry not, Zion," Vassagomented. "I asked the Wind Spirits to inform me if you ever return. Wherever I may be, I wille to you no matter where you are. I''m looking forward to our new adventure."


    The Pocopoco had a glint of excitement in his eyes, as he talked about their future adventure, making Giga, Rocky, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls smile.


    All of them had braved the dangers together, and their bonds had be strong overtime.


    Although they didn''t know when they would meet again, they were certain that it was only a matter of time before all of them reunited, and explore the beautiful, yet dangerous world of Solterra, where their bonds of friendship had been tested over time.

 Chapter 312 I Miss Them Already

    <h4>Chapter 312 I Miss Them Already?</h4>


    "Master, I also want to go with you!" Taiga insisted.


    He had been trying his best to make the younger boy ept his proposal because he wanted to be close to Shasha.


    The Tigerkin?was afraid that in his absence, his annoying love rival, Kane, would progress with his rtionship with Shasha.


    However, Thirteen ignored him.


    The boy didn''t want to take responsibility for the consequences of bringing the Tigerkin to Pangea.


    He also didn''t know if the Lace Demon would allow Taiga to step into another world because it was a ce where someone like him wasn''t supposed to go.


    The other Monsters were different because people had already gotten used to Avatars, and such.


    If a Tigerkin like Taiga were to appear, those with certain fetishes might kidnap him, and experiment on his body.


    In short, Thirteen didn''t want to deal with that mess, so he had no intention of bringing the persistent Tigerkin to Pangea.


    Of course, there were Wanderers who also owned Beastkin Avatars. But, unlike them, Taiga was not an Avatar.


    He was still technically a denizen of Solterra, and there had been no precedence when a someone from there managed to cross to Pangea without getting intercepted by Lace Demon, and The One.


    After talking to his subordinates, Thirteen then nced at Adira, who was quietly listening to the side with her arms crossed over her chest.


    The other branches of the Order of Raizel had already entered the Gate of the Moonlight, and returned to their respective domains.


    There were still some time before sunrise, so Thirteen decided to stay behind to discuss his ns with his subordinates.


    Besides, he didn''t really need to enter the Gate of the Moonlight because he could travel using his portable teleporter to the ces where he had nted a waypoint.


    But, just as he was about to talk with the Drow, two beingsnded a few meters away from them, which made the Drow, and Thirteen''s subordinates, raise their guards at the same time.


    "So, you''ll be going home eh, Thirteen?" Camazotz asked. "Or should I be calling you, Zion Leventis? Ah¡­ what a pain. If I only knew your identity beforehand, I wouldn''t have pushed through with forming a team with you."


    "Do you regret it?" Thirteen asked with genuine curiosity.


    "Hell no!" Camazotz chuckled. "Have you seen how much Apocalypse we gained in this expedition? It is more than enough too unlock the Second Layer! It would have taken me at least a decade to gain so many points.


    "Also, I now have four Rank 9 Sovereigns as my subordinate! Hahaha! I''m no longer the weakest in the Order. Um, technically speaking, I''m not really the weakest. You are the weakest, right?"


    The Death Bat happily patted Thirteen''s head, making Tiona angrily hiss at the Majin Prince.


    "He might be the weakest, but do you dare to hunt him down?" Kamrusepa asked with a smile.


    "Why would I do that?" Camazotz shrugged. "This Alliance of ours benefit me more than having this kid kick the bucket. Only fools think of short-term gains."


    "Thirteen, although you will not be in Solterra for a few years, make sure to go to the Order from time to time," Kamrusepa stated. "I still have a few proposals that I want to ask of you."


    "What''s this?" Camazotz arched an eyebrow. "Are the two of you cheating on me? Do you want to keep me in the dark? This is no good. I should also be part of this discussion."


    Kamrusepa smirked. "Suit yourself. Well then, I''ll go back to my Domain. If there is an opportunity, feel free to visit me, Thirteen. I''ll make sure to give you the best hospitality."


    After saying those words, Kamrusepa transformed into a Phoenix and flew towards her Army.


    "As much as I''d like to invite you to my Domain, it is not a good time for a visit," Camazotz stated. "I am currently in a power struggle with my neighbors, so having those Rank 9 Sovereigns around will make them hesitate to attack me.


    "Also, since Kamrusepa is now technically my ally, I can also ask for her help if I''m really in a pinch."


    The Death Bat then crouched down and stared at the human boy''s eyes.


    "I didn''t think that I''d ally myself with a Wanderer, but I can now understand why the other Majin Prince''s and Princesses decided to form mutual rtionships with them. You guys might be weak, but your way of thinking is impressive.


    "Well then, it''s time for me to go. Like what Kamrusepa said, drop by in the Order from time to time. Since we umted so many points, we can take it easy for a decade even if we don''t do any missions.


    "But, where is the fun in that? I hope that you will ask for our help if you got other juicy missions like this. See you around, Thirteen. Make sure to not identally die out there. I''d hate it if our Trinity will suddenly lose one of its members."


    After saying everything he had to say, Camazotz disappeared in a blur, and returned to where his army was.


    Only after a minute had passed did Adira, and Thirteen''s subordinates manage to regain their calm.


    "I''ve thought I''ve seen a lot of things, but I never expected to see a Majin Prince, and a Majin Princess act chummy with you, Zion," Adiramented. "By the way, why did they keep calling you, Thirteen?"


    "It''s just a number," Thirteen replied as he thought of the Death Bat, who had the words "Cannon Fodder" written on his forehead.


    One of the reasons why Thirteen decided to join the Trinity was due to Camazotz.


    Since he was once the System of Cannon Fodders, he could tell if the being in front of him was a cannon fodder or not.


    This was why even though the Death Bat was annoying at first, Thirteen still talked to him, albeit briefly in the past.


    "Lady Adira, thank you for everything," Thirteen shook hands with the Drow who always helped him when he was in trouble. "I''ll see you in three to four years."


    "Stay safe, Zion," Adira replied. "We will be waiting for your return."


    Rocky then swallowed everyone, with the exception of Thirteen, and Adira inside his Mobile Fortress


    The ten-year-old then used his teleportation ability to head towards the Valbarra Archipgo, so that Taiga could reunite with his family, whether he liked it or not.


    Vassago, and Poca, who had remained in the Arcadia Archipgo, took to the skies and headed towards the Maind.


    Their journey was faster if they flew from the Arcadia Archipgo, so they didn''t go with the others.


    Both of them had fun in their adventures with Zion, and the two of them were looking forward to the next time they would meet him.


    "It was fun, right?" Vassago asked.


    "Yes," Poca replied. "I miss them already."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After Thirteen arrived at the Valbarra Archipgo, he suddenly heard a voice that came from the sky.


    "Thank you for saving my daughter."


    A charming voice that seemed to belong to an exceptionaldy reached Thirteen''s ears.


    "But, my husband, the King of Artem, will not let things end here. Especially after you have taken the bloodline of the Royal Family of Chandrea. He will definitely scheme too catch you, and make you pay for what you have done."


    "Tell him to fall in line," Thirteen replied with contempt. "There are many who are after my life, so adding him to the list is not that big of a deal."


    The members of the Order of the Apocalypse were always looking for any information regarding him, so that they could inform their friends, and acquaintances of his whereabouts.


    This was why Thirteen had kept an extremely low profile, preventing the Majin Princes'' and Princesses from knowing his true identity.


    With Kamrusepa''s help, he had gained ayer of protection, preventing anyone from using irvoyance, or divination to know about his identity.


    "You are brave," the voice said. "But, you will still take responsibility for your actions of taking our bloodline. This is why, from this day onwards, we will bestow upon you a name, and that will be Endymion."


    Thirteen suddenly felt his body warm up, as the bloodline of the Royal Family of Chandrea, stirred inside him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < You have acquired the Royal Bloodline of Chandrea >


    < From this moment onwards, the people of Chandrea will call you Endymion >


    < During the nights of the full moon, your strength, speed, stamina, and thinking prowess will double. >


    < During the nights of the full moon, the effect of your skills, and other abilities will also double. >


    < During the nights of the full moon, your restriction, Item Ban will lose its effectiveness. >


    < You have gained the Title "Moon''s Beloved". >


    < Moon''s Beloved >


    ¡ª if you bathe in the moonlight, you will gain a regeneration ability which will slowly heal any injuries you receive with time.


    ¡ª This ability will work even with serious injuries, but not with fatal injuries.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen didn''t expect that he would gain this kind of benefits by absorbing Callie''s bloodline.


    The only reason why he did it was to replenish the blood that he would lose after transferring it to Callie''s new body.


    "Be safe Endymion. I pray that you will continue to protect my daughter, which is something that I was unable to do when she was still alive."


    After saying those words, the voice finally disappeared.


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen said internally. "Your daughter is now part of my family. I will do everything in my power to let her live a happy life, which fate had denied to her."


    From high above the heavens, the Lace Demon, and The One, looked at the ten-year-old with a solemn gaze.


    Now that Thirteen was about to be a Rookie, they wondered what kind of changes would happen to the boy, who had absorbed the Core of a Majin Prince, which would soon make him the strongest Rookie that the world had ever seen.

 Chapter 313 Mission Completion and Rewards

    Chapter 313 Mission Completion and Rewards


    ??"The next time we meet, I hope that you''ll be more mature and stronger," Thirteen said as he looked at the pouting Taiga, who was currently looking back at him with a face filled with injustice.


    They had just returned to the Valbarra Archipgo and were standing beside the Hero''s Monument, which was created in honor of Thirteen and his subordinates, as well as those who had fallen in the battle against Arundel the Destroyer.


    "Do you promise toe pick me up when you return?" Taiga asked.


    "I promise," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "How can I possibly leave you behind?"


    There was no way that the ten-year-old would leave the hero he trained behind. After all, Taiga would be his meat shield against other Heroes and Viins, whom he would encounter in the future.


    The Tigerkin immediately felt better after receiving the younger boy''s promise.


    Although following the boy, whom he recognized as his Master, had many ups and downs, he had improved thanks to thetter and had also gotten to know him better over the three years that they had been together.


    He knew that whenever Zion made a promise, he would keep it without fail. This was why the boy''s mere promise to pick him up when he returned to Solterra made him very happy.


    "I''ll be waiting, okay?" Taiga said with a smile.


    Thirteen nodded before shifting his gaze to the Devil-Horned Honey Badger, who was lying beside the Hero''s Monument and observing Thirteen with a calm expression on his face.


    "Cranky, the next time we meet, you better be a Majin Prince already, okay?" Thirteen said as he stroked the Honey Badger''s fur. "I need someone strong to help me, so work hard to reach that rank."


    Cranky pretended that he didn''t hear the shameless boy''s words and closed his eyes to take a nap.


    Even after eating so many Cores from the Arcadia Archipgo, the Devil-Horned Honey Badger fell a bit short of bing a Rank 9 Monster.


    Thirteen had already thanked Arthas, the Tigerkin King, the Ogre King, as well as the Troll King for their help back in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    Without them and the Order of Raziel, as well as Camazotz''s and Kamrusepa''s armies, the process of aplishing Shasha''s mission might have ended in tragedy.


    The boy also understood that he only seeded in helping his sister thanks to the gains he received from his Thirteen Trials, as well as the benefits he acquired from the Order of the Apocalypse.


    The connections he had formed over the years also helped him a lot, granting him the privilege to ask for help, which was readily given to him as repayment for the deeds he performed in the past.


    Thirteen patted Cranky''s head onest time before patting Taiga''s shoulder.


    He was ready to go home, but before that, there were still two beings he had to meet.


    Opening his status page, Thirteen looked at the blinking notification, which signaled the end of his three-year quest in Solterra.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < The Thirteen Trials is finallypleted! >


    < Do you wish to return to Pangea? >


    < Yes / No >


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate and clicked yes.


    But instead of teleporting back to Pangea, he found himself in the Celestial Realm, where Lace Demon and The One were waiting for him.


    Rookies who had justpleted their mission would usually only hear a voice in their heads, congratting them for their mission''spletion.


    After that, a series of notifications listing their rewards would appear inside their heads.


    These new Rookies wouldn''t even get the chance to see the two Omnipotent Beings that governed Solterra and Pangea.


    Only Thirteen had the privilege to appear before them to discuss the rewards that he would gain afterpleting his trial.


    Truth be told, Thirteen already gained the rewards for thepletion of his missions.


    However, the rewards he received from them were different from the rewards that he would gain after facing so many tribtions.


    Tribtions that he originally wasn''t supposed to face since he still hadn''t met the age requirement of going to Solterra. Many Wanderers said that The One was the most unfair and fair God in existence.


    Unfair because it would send Wanderers on missions that were sometimes impossible toplete.


    Little did many know that every Wanderer sent to a particr location had the means to clear these missions.


    However, it wouldn''t be easy.


    The One was using a tactic that was simr to how the body fought against diseases and infections.


    Instead of sending countless White Blood Cells to fight off the infection, The One used Wanderers instead.


    If even a handful of those Wanderers seeded in fixing the problem, then they would be properlypensated for their troubles.


    This was why The One was called the most Unfair and Fair God in existence. The rewards one gained would always be equivalent to their contribution.


    When Lace Demon saw Thirteen, he sighed and waved his hand.


    Immediately, Thirteen''s Status Page appeared in front of them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 10 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuff >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency, Destiny Bond, Rune Magic (Intermediate), Beast Companion Telepathy, Beast Companion Vision Sharing, Underwater Breathing, Auto Equip (Armor, Weapons), Body Swap.


    Beast Companions: Tiona, Giga Chad, cky, Rocky, Hercules


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Unique Abilities that Thirteen possessed were all part of the rewards he gained from his Thirteen Trials.


    These skills had bypassed his Skill Ban restriction, allowing the ten-year-old to use them in battle.


    In the past three years, Lace Demon and The One had heavily restricted Thirteen''s use of Rune Magic because, in his hands, it became an extremely potent ability that could break the bnce of the world.


    Since that was the case, they had made an agreement with the boy, which allowed him to use Rune Magic on special asions only.


    But now, that restriction would be lifted.


    After bing a Rookie, Thirteen would be allowed to fully use his Rune Magic as per the agreement that he had with Lace Demon and The One.


    "We will now discuss the rewards that you will receive for helping the Wanderersplete their missions," Lace Demon stated with a solemn expression on his face.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, smiled faintly because he was looking forward to the rewards he would gain afterpleting his three-year journey in Solterra.

 Chapter 314 The Arrival Of The Legendary Rookie [Part 1]

    Chapter 314 The Arrival Of The Legendary Rookie [Part 1]


    ??"First, let''s discuss the rewards you have gained forpleting your Final Trial," Lace Demon stated as rows of text appeared in front of the ten-year-old, disying the details of his final trial.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    < Unique Quest! >


    Quest Category: Chain Quest


    Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials


    < Final Trial >


    ¡ª Prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.


    < Reward >


    ¡ª Your Destiny Bond Skill will gain an upgrade.


    ¡ª You will be able to summon your Beast Companions in Pangea


    ¡ª You will be allowed to impart Martial Skills, as well as Rune Equipment, to three people outside of your Family


    ¡ª You will finally be able to return to Pangea.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Your Destiny Bond has now been upgraded, allowing you to pinpoint the exact location of the people whom you have formed strong bonds with," Lace Demon said. "This ability is not limited to distance. As long as you are in the same world, a string of Fate will connect you and these people."


    Thirteen almost scowled in reflex when he heard the word Fate because this was a word that he hated hearing the most.


    However, he knew that getting angry right now would not be wise, so he remained calm and listened to Lace Demon''s exnation.


    "The number of people whom you can bestow with Martial Skills will increase to six people outside of your family, instead of three.


    "They will also be allowed to use Rune Equipment even if they are not part of your family."


    Thirteen liked these changes because they increased the number of people who would be the pirs that supported him.


    "Just like the skills you acquired from your Trials, which we have approved of, we are also going to give you the option to select three skills of your choice, which will not be affected by the restrictions ced on you by the System God.


    "You may choose from this list of skills, which I havepiled as part of your rewards for assisting Wanderers in their missions."


    A list of over a hundred skills appeared in front of the ten-year-old, which made him frown.


    The majority of the skills on the list were Low-Tier abilities, like Create Light and Magic Compass.


    However, there were several Mid-Tier Abilities and a handful of High-Ranked Abilities.


    After careful consideration, Thirteen chose three skills that benefited his battle style the most.


    The first one was Air Steps.


    Just like the name implied, it allowed the boy to create footholds in the air, allowing him more flexibility in battle.


    The next skill he chose was Dark Vision.


    This was something that Thirteen always wanted to have because having the ability to see in the dark went a long way during night raids and other simr activities.


    Thest skill he chose was Mage Hand.


    It was an ability that allowed Thirteen to create a magical hand, which he could use to perform certain tasks for him.


    The skills he chose weren''t really exceptional nor did they stand out.


    But having them gave Thirteen a lot of choices on the battlefield.


    "These rewards are not enough topensate you for the things that you have aplished," The One stated. "So, I will give you an opportunity. Name one reward, and as long as it is equivalent to your achievements, I will grant it. However, you cannot ask me to remove any of your restrictions."


    Thirteen was surprised by the God''s sudden deration. Because of this, he didn''t hesitate to say the first thing that came to his mind. "Allow me to have a Patron God," Thirteen said firmly.


    "A Patron God?" Lace Demon frowned but didn''t say a word to reject Thirteen''s request. It was not his ce to say anything because it was The One, who had asked the ten-year-old for the reward he wanted.


    However, the Demon and the God suddenly realized Thirteen''s real intention for asking to have the blessings of a Patron God.


    ''Is he perhaps nning to choose me as his Patron God, so I can remove his restrictions?'' The One thought. ''This guy is really ambitious.''


    ''What a very smart move,'' Lace Demon mused. ''If he chooses The One as his Patron God, he would be able to gain a massive advantage in Solterra. As expected of a System, he''s smart.''


    After a few minutes of silence, The One spoke once more, making Thirteen smile.


    "I will allow you to choose a Patron God," The One said.


    The God was certain that Thirteen was going to choose him and had even prepared his speech for the boy.


    "Thank you for granting my request." Thirteen bowed respectfully.


    "Then, who areyou going to choose?" Lace Demon asked with a smile.


    He and The One were already nning to tell the boy that he had made the right choice in choosing The One as his Patron God.


    However, Thirteen''s next words were like cold water poured over their heads.


    "The God whom I n to be my Patron is none other than¡­ the Skip God."


    "S-Skip God?" Lace Demon blinked once and twice before shifting his gaze to The One, who was equally surprised by the boy''s deration.


    "Are you referring to the New Generation God, Skip God?" The One asked. "The God that was born because people wanted to skip a few things like those long dialogues in games?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "I want him to be my Patron God."


    "¡­ Are you sure?" The One asked.


    "I''m sure," Thirteen replied.


    "You can still change your mind," Lace Demonmented.


    Thirteen shook his head. "I don''t n to change my mind."


    "Last chance."


    "I''m good."


    Seeing that he wouldn''t budge in his decision, The One sighed and promised Thirteen that he would talk to the Skip Godter.


    "Are you now ready to go home?" Lace Demon asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "So, please, don''t pull me to Solterra for the next three to four years. I n to have a long vacation."


    "Very well," The One promised. "You deserve that much rest."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in the Aldebaran Continent¡­


    The Wanderers who seeded inpleting their missions in Solterra appeared in the Grand Waypoints located in several ces on the continent.


    There were only five of them in Aldebaran, and this particr Waypoint was ced in a city called Wayside City.


    It was a city under the jurisdiction of the Central Government and also the ce where the majority of Rookies appeared after their first mission in Solterra.


    Dark clouds were swirling above the Grand Waypoint, apanied by thunder and lightning.


    This abnormal weather phenomenon rmed the soldiers and the elite members of the Monarch ns and Prestigious families, who were stationed in the Grand Waypoint.


    "Take the Rookies and other low-ranked Wanderers to the evacuation area!" the Commander, who was in charge of keeping the peace and order in the Waypoint, shouted. "Ask the representatives of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families, to be on high alert as well."


    "Yes, Sir!" a soldier saluted as he called a few people from themand center to execute hismander''s orders.


    Soon, something that they had never seen before manifested before their eyes.


    Countless lightning bolts descended upon the waypoint, creating booming sounds in the heavens.


    This continued for nearly half a minute before the soldiers stationed outside noticed a person standing in the location where the lightning bolts were descending.


    A minuteter, the heavenly bombardment ended, making everyone''s gazes focus on the scene in front of them.


    In the center of the waypoint stood a human boy with a ck snake coiled around his neck.


    From the Celestial Realm, Lace Demon asked The One a question that had been on his mind for a long time.


    "Do you feel like the System God hadid down this n in order for Thirteen to gain some benefits through us?" Lace Demon asked. "I''m starting to think that instead of creating hard missions to deliberately kill him, he''s actually strengthening him and allowing him to acquire skills in the process."


    "It doesn''t matter," The One answered. "Whether we are being used by the System God to give the ck sheep of his family the ability to grow doesn''t change the fact that Thirteen helped us a lot. That is all that matters."


    Lace Demon nodded but still couldn''t shake away the feeling that this was all part of the System God''s n.


    But, for now, he decided to put these thoughts to the side, for they still had plenty of things to do for the sake of their goal.


    Meanwhile, in the Grand Waypoint, Thirteen was surrounded by countless elites who were looking at him with cold gazes.


    Their firearms were all pointed toward the boy because they didn''t know if he was really a Human or a monster wearing human skin.


    But instead of being intimidated, Thirteen only smiled as he looked at the Commander of the Central Government, who had personallye to the scene to ascertain the situation.


    "Who are you?" the Commander asked. "What are you?"


    "Don''t worry, Commander," Thirteen replied. "I''m Human just like you. As for my name¡­ I believe that you have already heard of me. But just in case some of you don''t know who I am, allow me to introduce myself."


    Thirteen smiled with confidence before using his thumb to point at his face.


    "I am Zion Leventis," Thirteen dered. "Also, I n to join the Central Government. Are you guys perhaps looking for new recruits? If so, can I join?"


    The Commander of the base almost choked on his saliva after hearing the boy''s name.


    The name Zion Leventis had been circting among the circle of Wanderers for the past three years.


    Many believed that this was just some nonsense propaganda of the Leventis Family to gain some clout.


    But after seeing the legendary Rookie in the flesh, the Commander didn''t hesitate to extend his hand and shake the boy''s hand.


    "I am Colonel Warren Green," Warren said as he shook the boy''s hands firmly. "Wee back to Pangea, Zion Leventis."


    He was naturally ted to hear that a promising Rookie wanted to join their ranks in the Central Government.


    Warren could already see his promotion waving in front of him as he looked at the ten-year-old with a big smile on his face.


    Meanwhile, news of Zion''s appearance started to spread far and wide in theworks of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.


    All of them wanted to learn as much as they could about the boy, who was said to have defeated a Majin Prince when he was just seven years old.


    Thirteen smiled as he allowed the Colonel to shake his hand.


    Although he was certain that his Grandfather, Arthur Leventis would blow his top if he heard that his grandson decided to join the Central Government, the ten-year-old didn''t care.


    In order to achieve his goals, he would need a strong backing aside from the Leventis Family.


    However, before the day was over, more shocking news would spread throughout Pangea as the artifact that could see a Wanderer''s Status Page revealed Thirteen''s data for everyone to see.


    On that day, countless people came to know that the person whom many Wanderers idolized would forever remain in the Rookie Rank.


    This made many people question whether the Central Government''s measuring equipment was faulty or whether they were hiding Zion''s true information from the general public.

 Chapter 315 The Arrival Of The Legendary Rookie [Part 2]

    Chapter 315 The Arrival Of The Legendary Rookie [Part 2]


    ??When Thirteen arrived, those who were present in the Gateway immediately became ecstatic.


    Right now, the name Zion Leventis was a very hot topic among Wanderers, even surpassing the poprity of the so-called Prodigies of the current generation.


    "Colonel, is this the device that transmits the information of a Wanderer?" Thirteen asked after he was led inside the Headquarters of the newly arrived Wanderers in Wayside City.


    "Yes, it is," Warren replied. "But, this is for public use. I advise the Young Master to use our private appraising device, so that your information will be protected."


    The device that was present in the Headquarters was a means for the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families to check the information of the Wanderers who wished to be their retainers.


    If the Wanderers showed considerable skills and talent, they would be scouted and trained under their family''s banner.


    The Central Government followed the same principle. However, Warren didn''t wish for the other Families to know anything about Zion''s information.


    Unfortunately for him, the ten-year-old had other ns in mind.


    "It''s fine," Thirteen stated. "I''ll use this instead."


    Without even waiting for Warren''s reply, Thirteen walked towards the device and pressed his right hand on what seemed like a crystal ball, which would scan his body to record his current data.


    This artifact was simr to the first gateways that appeared in Pangea. It was a technology that was sent by The One to let Wanderers show off their talents to others.


    But, there was one condition of using it.


    The Wanderer must wish for his information to be viewed freely.


    If someone were to force a Wanderer to show his stats, the device wouldn''t work because that was a rule that was set by Lace Demon, to prevent others from abusing this technology.


    The moment Thirteen ced his hand on the Crystal Ball, a projection appeared on the giant screen, which could be seen by everyone in the headquarters.


    The agents of the Monarch ns, Prestigious ns, Central Government, and other influential factions, and families, all looked at it with great expectations.


    They wanted to see just how powerful Thirteen was, and they nned to send this information to the heads of their families and organizations.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 10 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Rank: Rookie


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    < Permanent Debuff >


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency.


    Beast Companion: Tiona.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    At first, everyone thought that there was an error in the device because the data that appeared wasn''t what they were expecting.


    However, after Warren asked Zion to try it a second time, the same results appeared, which created a buzz in the surroundings. What everyone didn''t know was that the information that was appearing in the projection was iplete.


    Before leaving the Celestial World, Thirteen asked Lace Demon to tweak his Status Page, so that certain skills, and abilities wouldn''t be detected by the Appraisal Tool that was used in Pangea.


    Of course, Lace Demon was more than happy to agree to Thirteen''s request because he believed that the boy would get too much attention when he returned.


    Because of this, he tweaked the ten-year-old''s stats, and made sure that the only thing that the Appraisal Tool would see were the stats that Thirteen wanted them to see.


    "As you can see, Colonel, it seems that I can''t pass the Rookie Rank," Thirteen said calmly. "Can I still join the Central Government?"


    "I-It''s fine!" Warren replied. "We don''t discriminate against those who want to be our soldiers."


    Although he tried hard to hide it, there was still a tinge of disappointment in his voice after seeing Thirteen''s data.


    The promotion that was waving at him earlier seemed to have run away somewhere, making the Colonel sigh internally.


    "Follow me for now," Warren said. "If you really wish to be a part of the Central Government, we need to follow the proper procedures."


    Thirteen nodded. "Understood."


    As Warren took Zion away to be interviewed, his data spread through thework of Wanderers like wildfire.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Leventis Main Residence¡­


    "Father, there is news," Michael opened the door of Arthur''s office without warning, and looked very troubled.


    "Did he now?" Arthur asked back as he nced at his son. "It''s about time he returned. Where is the little rascal right now?"


    "He''s in Wayside City," Michael replied. "But, that is not the problem right now. Please look at this."


    Michael tapped on the artifact in his possession, which emitted a projection in front of his father.


    Lady Callista and Hans, who were also at the office, gazed at the projection calmly.


    However, a few secondster, the calmness on their faces disappeared and was reced by disbelief.


    Even Arthur, who didn''t expect this sudden turn of events, couldn''t help but clench his fists tightly.


    "We have our agents in Wayside City, right?" Arthur inquired. "Order them to bring Zion back here right now."


    "Father, it is our agents who have sent us this information," Michael answered. "Zion ns to join the Central Government and purposefully used the Appraising Device meant for the public."


    "What?! He ns to join the Central Government?!" Arthur eximed. "Did he get his head hit during the battle?! What kind of nonsense is this?! Tell our people to bring him here. Tell them to drag him if they have to!"


    "Understood, Father," Michael immediately opened themunication channel to talk to their people and gave them the order.


    While this was happening, several big shots in Pangea were also looking at Thirteen''s stats with mixed reactions.


    Some pitied him because they thought that the world had lost such a promising individual.


    Others rejoiced because they hated the fact that a mere seven-


    year-old was getting a lot of attention as ofte.


    The Heads of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families on the other hand, felt relieved because they didn''t want any talented individuals rising within the Leventis Family.


    When Gerald was kicked out of the family and was targeted by the Assassin Organization, Death Wish, everyone thought that his wings had been clipped, making the Prodigy of the Leventis Family fall from grace.


    However, when Gerald made aeback and massacred the Assassins who were after his life, the Prestige of Death Wish plummeted and their fame took a great hit.


    They thought that it was only a matter of time before Gerald regained his bearings, and once again became the powerhouse of his generation.


    But, to make matters worse, his son, Zion, had be a legendary figure among Wanderers, especially those who were being sent to Solterra for the first time.


    They believed that since a seven-year-old was able to survive such a difficult mission, they could survive on their first missions as well.


    Now that the Prodigy that they feared to rise among the younger generation was stuck in the Rookie Rank, all their worries disappeared because they had seen that he did not have the ability to pose a threat to anyone.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile in the Main Headquarters of the Central Government¡­


    Rianna, who was in themand room with her little sister and Father, looked at the projection in front of her with shock and resentment.


    She couldn''t believe that someone as capable as Zion would no longer be able to advance in rank.


    The other restrictions that he received prevented him from bing a True Wanderer because he would not be able to use Skills, Items, and Avatars, which were the core traits and abilities of being a Wanderer.


    "Rianna, is that the same Zion that you praise so highly?" Rianna''s little sister, Kate, asked.


    "Y-Yes," Rianna replied. "But, there must be some kind of mistake. This is just impossible. This has never happened before."


    Rianna''s father continued to look at Thirteen''s stats with his hands sped behind his back.


    He was reading the information about the Rank Ban, Item Ban, Avatar Ban, and Skill Ban, which had been revealed in Thirteen''s profile, with a calm expression on his face.


    "Rianna, do you know the three types of Wanderers?" Rianna''s father asked, while still looking at information in front of him.


    "No, Father," Rianna replied.


    The man with gray hair nodded before looking at his two daughters calmly.


    "There are three types of Wanderers," Rianna''s father stated. "The first one are the regr Wanderers. They are the people who explore the world of Solterra, looking for a path to survive, or a path to increase their strength.


    "The next type of Wanderer is called a Pathfinder. These people are the leaders, who guide other Wanderers to reach amon goal, or aplish a task which needs many people to resolve.


    "There are several Pathfinders in the world, and you will encounter a lot of them in your journey in Solterra."


    Rianna, who was listening silently earlier, spoke her thoughts out loud.


    "Then that means that Zion is a Pathfinder, right?" Rianna stated. "He is a great leader, and able to lead the other Wanderers to safety."


    Rianna''s father didn''t affirm, or deny Rianna''s words, and simply continued his exnation.


    "The third type of Wanderer is called a Beyonder," Rianna''s father dered. "They are the Wanderers who exceed the norms, and pave a path not only for Pathfinders and Wanderers, but for all the people they meet.


    "I have only met one Beyonder in my lifetime, and I met him three hundred years ago during the great expedition that challenged the Genocide-Level-Gate that appeared in our world.


    "He yed a crucial role in killing the Leader of the Jinns, but perished because he was betrayed by the people whom he thought were his allies. I have never seen another Beyonder in my lifetime, but¡­ I have a feeling that this Zion Leventis might be the next Beyonder to appear in this world."


    Rianna looked at her father with surprise because she wasn''t aware that there were ssifications between Wanderers.


    "Perhaps, this boy''s potential is too great that even The One felt threatened of his existence," Rianna''s father stated before taking out hismunicator from his pocket and dialed a number.


    "It''s me," Rianna''s Father said as soon as the connection was established. "Approve the registration of Zion Leventis, and assign him as the Head of the 69th Battalion that we are nning to form this year.


    "Give him the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and allow him to handle everything, including the recruitment and management of his Battalion. If someoneins, tell them to find me."


    Rianna''s father didn''t even bother to wait for the reply from the other side before cutting the connection.


    "Zion Leventis¡­," Rianna''s Father smiled faintly. "Let''s see if you are going to start a revolution, or lead this world to its destruction. I can''t wait to see how you will grow up."


    Rianna, hugged her sister, while clenching her fists tightly.


    If there was truly a Beyonder among Wanderers, she believed that the seven-year-old who saved her three years ago, was the only one suitable for that position, which even her father admitted was far from his reach.

 Chapter 316 Wait For The Right Moment To Strike

    Chapter 316 Wait For The Right Moment To Strike


    ??"Just what were you thinking?!" Arthur red at the ten-year-old, who was casually sipping a fruit juice without a care in the world. "Why did you decide to join the Central Government? Are you mad?"


    "Grandma, Grandpa is bullying me," Thirteen shamelessly hugged his grandmother, Lady Callista, and pretended to be scared.


    "Arthur, don''t raise your voice at Zion," Lady Callista said as she hugged her grandson. "Can''t you see that he is scared of you?"


    "Him? Scared of me? Nonsense!" Arthur scoffed. "Did you not see him talk to a Majin Prince and Majin Princess as if they are the best of friends? Do you really think someone like him, who fought against the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer, is scared of me? What a joke!"


    Lady Callista ignored her husband''s words and patted Thirteen''s head in order to calm him down.


    Michael shook his head before fixing his sses, while Hans only smiled faintly because he found this scene quite amusing.


    Thirteen, who had been dragged back by the Agents of the Leventis Family, all the way from Wayside City, enjoyed his Grandma''s pampering.


    It had been a while since he had truly let his guard down and simply enjoyed the moment because such luxuries weren''t possible in the world of Solterra, where his life was constantly in danger.


    A few minutester, Arthur finally calmed down, and sat facing the boy and his wife.


    "Tell me the real reason why you joined the Central Government," Arthur demanded. "Were you afraid that I would cast you out just because you are unable to surpass the Rookie Rank?"


    Thirteen raised his head to nce at his grandfather, and blinked in confusion.


    "Why would I worry about whether or not you would cast me out?" Thirteen asked back in an innocent tone. "Last time I checked, my father was kicked out of this family some time ago. So, I don''t understand how you could cast me out when we''re not even in the same family."


    Thirteen was very tempted to say that it was Arthur who should be worried that he cast him out because in the future, their Family would be the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, and Arthur''s family would be their branch family.


    Of course, he didn''t say this out in the open because he was certain that the old man would smack his head silly, which was something he didn''t want to happen.


    Arthur, who had just been told facts about their current family rtionship, didn''t know how to react to Thirteen''s words because they were the truth.


    "Zion, be a good boy and tell Grandma the real reason," Lady Callista said while patting her grandson''s head. "I know you don''t do things without thinking things through, so I know if you have some kind of agenda by joining the Central Government."


    Thirteen smiled before replying to his Grandma.


    "Grandma, right now, the world knows that my father has been kicked out of the Leventis Family," Thirteen stated. "And I''m sure that even if Gramps invited him back, Pops will reject his offer of reconciliation.


    "Because of this, I need to have another backer that will use my fame and poprity for their own use. The Central Government is the perfect ce for this because they are always actively looking for Wanderers who want to join their Ranks.


    "Also, if I am in the Central Government, the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families will keep their eyes away from the Leventis Family. Right now, we need to lie low, especially since I intend for all of you to break through to the next rank."


    Lady Callista, Michael, and Hans looked at the boy in disbelief.


    They thought that Zion only wished to help Arthur be a Monarch, but judging on how serious he sounded, it seemed that the boy also had ns to give them a boost in strength.


    "What do you mean?" Arthur looked at his no-good-grandson with a solemn expression.


    "Gramps, I''m sure that you are desperate to be a Monarch," Thirteen stated. "That''s fine, but it will be in our best interest if we don''t break the status quo of the Five Monarch ns, and Ten Prestigious Families.


    "I will help you be a Monarch, and let Grandma, Uncle Michael, and Hans be Pseudo-Thrones. But, the Leventis Family will remain one of the Ten Prestigious Families."


    Arthur, who immediately understood what Thirteen was hinting at, frowned.


    "You don''t want the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families to start a crusade against us?" Arthur inquired to confirm his assumption.


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "The bnce of power must not be broken, at least for now. There are still a few things that I will need to do, and I can''t afford to be assassinated before my wings have fully grown.


    "Also, this will be beneficial for the Leventis Family. The more our enemies do not see us as threats. The more they will suffer when we catch them unprepared. Now is not the time to make waves, Gramps. So, just endure for now, and wait for the right moment to strike."


    The Leventis Family had many enemies, so the moment the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families felt threatened by their sudden rise in power, there would definitely be a confrontation, where their family would be greatly outnumbered.


    Arthur understood this, so he reluctantly nodded his head to inform his grandson that he understood.


    "While I am forming connections in the Central Government, I want the Leventis Family to focus on expansion and information gathering. In a few years, the Dimensional Gates in the Cygni Continent will open.


    "This event will force the Monarch ns, the Ten Prestigious Families, as well as the Central Government to send their manpower in an attempt to prevent it from getting overrun by Jinns and Majins.


    "They know that we can''t afford to yield any more ground to our enemies. The Continent of Antares and Rigel have already fallen. If Cygni were to suffer the same fate, it would only be a matter of time before Sirius and Aldebaran followed suit.


    "So, let the Jinn Invasion be a smokescreen, so that we can have the time we need toplete our preparations. Once we are ready, I will not stop you from letting everyone know that there is a new Monarch in Town. "Until then, we will keep a low profile. This is the best course of action that we can take. Don''t let your desire for fame and recognition blind you from seeing the bigger picture. One mistake and the Leventis Family will copse before it can even rise."


    Arthur, Callista, Michael, and Hans looked at the ten-year-old, who was currently the hottest topic of discussion in the World of Pangea.


    Now that Arthur understood that Zion had joined the Central Government for a reason, and not out of spite towards his family, he was finally able to calm down.


    "How long should we lie low?" Arthur asked.


    Thirteen smirked as he held his Grandfather''s gaze.


    "As long as it takes," Thirteen replied without giving a definite time period. "But, I promise you this. Once I''m done with my preparations, there will be nothing in this world that we need to fear."


    Thirteen already had a n in mind, and once this n was fully executed, there would be no one in Solterra that could threaten him, and his family, ever again.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 317 Project Athena

    Chapter 317 Project Athena


    ??"Finally, it''s done," Thirteen muttered as he looked at the nearly transparent Dragon Scale in front of him.


    He had just finished imbuing it with Rune Magic, and with that, all his hard work over the past three years was finally over.


    The teenage boy hummed a tune as he ced it inside a container.


    Once he was sure that the dozen Dragon Scales he had modified were secured in ce, he started to inte the special balloon, which he had prepared beforehand, until it was ready to go.


    As the balloon rose toward the sky, the sun peeked over the horizon and bathed the world in the light of a new day.


    Thirteen watched as the balloon''s silhouette turned smaller and smaller until it was only a dot in the sky. Soon, this dot also vanished, making him sigh in relief.


    Tiona, who was coiled around his neck, nudged his cheek as if congratting him for a job well done.


    Ever since he returned to Pangea, Thirteen spent three years solidifying his foundations in preparation for the future.


    Due to his parents'' intervention, the Central Government agreed to call him into service only after he reached the age of thirteen.


    As someone who had "identally" stumbled into Solterra when he was only seven years old, the young man decided to agree to his family''s request of not doing anything dangerous for three years.


    But, now that he was officially thirteen years old, it was time for him to take over his position as the Head of the 69th Battalion of the Central Government.


    He only had four days left before he was required to punctually report to his post, and frankly, he was happy that he finished all of his preparations before then.


    Just as he was nning to take a break and have a simple breakfast, he heard a cute, familiar voice from behind him.


    "Bwadder!"


    With tottering steps, a three-year-old girl with short blonde hair and green eyes walked in his direction. Her arms were spread wide as if wishing to be picked up by her beloved brother.


    Behind her, Boo and Albion followed closely, making sure to help her just in case she tripped and fell over, which was something they didn''t want to happen.


    "Good morning, Rhia," Thirteen said with a smile before picking up the adorable girl and kissing her left cheek. "You woke up early today. You''re a good girl!"


    "Good girl!" Rhia giggled before hugging Thirteen''s neck and resting her head on his shoulder.


    Tiona had moved away to make the baby girl''s sleep morefortable, which had be amon urrence.


    For some reason, Rhia liked to sleep while being held by someone. It didn''t really matter if it was her father, mother, brothers, or sisters.


    She always wanted to sleep with her family members, so Remi made it a point to always sleep with her at night.


    "Good morning, Brother," Remi greeted Thirteen, who had just entered the living room with the sleeping Rhia in his arms.


    "Good morning, Remi," Thirteen replied.


    The little girl who followed him everywhere when she was still two-years-old was now an eight-year-old.


    Perhaps, due to their family''s background and Thirteen''s teaching, Remi''s intellect was quite advanced for her age.


    In order to prepare her for her eventual departure to Solterra, he had bestowed upon her a Martial Skill after he returned to Pangea.


    She was only five years old at the time.


    The same age Zion had been when Thirteen woke up in a hospital bed after his battle with the System God.


    At the tender age of eight, Remi''s ''Nutcracker Kick'' had be so powerful that even Rookies would feel their world shatter if her kick connected.


    "Let''s have breakfast first," Thirteen said. "Cristopher will pick us up in two hours."


    Remi nodded her head in understanding and followed her brother to the dining room.


    The smell of bacon and eggs greeted their noses as they arrived at the table.


    Alessia, who had just finished cooking breakfast for her family, couldn''t help but smile after seeing her son and two daughters enter the room together.


    "The two of you eat first," Alessia took Rhia from Thirteen''s hands and ced her on her custom chair, which was slightly higher than the others.


    It didn''t take her a lot of effort to wake Rhia up before she started feeding her with the cereal she liked to eat. Gerald arrived a few minutester and joined his family in eating breakfast.


    Right now, Mikhail and Shasha were in Solterra, so only the five of them were present at home.


    Thirteen wasn''t too worried about his siblings. He already gave each of them an additional Divine-Grade Martial Technique, whichplemented the ones they already had.


    Also, he believed that Lace Demon and The One wouldn''t give his brother and sister another set of impossible missions.


    As long as they didn''t face a level that was simr to Arundel and the Artemians, Thirteen was confident that both of them would return home safely.


    "Zion, did you finish your preparations?" Gerald asked.


    "Yes, Pops," Thirteen replied. "But it will take anywhere between half a year to a year before Athena is properly calibrated."


    "I still don''t know if this Project Athena of yours works, but will it really prevent anyone from messing with us once it is properly calibrated?'' Gerald inquired.


    "Noment," Thirteen answered with a devilish smile on his face.


    Project Athena, or Athena for short, was a long-range weapon that Thirteen had created using the Dragon Scales of the Rank 9 Fire Dragon Sovereign.


    This weapon was currently floating in space, and orbiting the world of Pangea.


    The Dragon Scales, which Thirteen had just sent to space using a special balloon, was thest batch of Dragon Scales that wouldplete one of his strongest trump cards.


    It didn''t matter what his Rank was, how powerful his enemies were, or where they were located.


    As long as they were within Pangea, he could activate Athena and give them a nasty surprise that would make them think twice before antagonizing him, his family, and the people under his wing.


    After eating breakfast, Remi took Rhia to their room in order to take a bath.


    Thirteen also went back to his room to take a shower and put on some fashionable clothes.


    Today, he would be taking Remi and Rhia to the amusement park, just as he promised.


    The two wished to spend some time with him, so he decided to take them somewhere fun.


    Also, he would be reporting to the Central Government in a few days, so this was the only time he could spare for his two cute sisters, who were feeling excited about this trip that they were going to take together.


    An hourter, Thirteen saw his two sisters walking down the stairs, wearing matching dresses.


    Both of them looked so adorable that Gerald didn''t hesitate to shower both of them with kisses, making the girls giggle.


    Just then, the sound of a car horn reached their ears.


    "Young Master, are you and the Young Misses ready to go?" Cristopher asked as he opened the door of the car with a smile.


    "Yes, we are," Thirteen replied. "You''re just in time, Cristopher."


    Cristopher was now neen years old, but his body was still round, making Thirteen wonder if the training regimen that he was giving the teenage boy wasn''t enough.


    However, he set these thoughts aside for the time being and helped his sisters fasten their seatbelts in the car before waving goodbye to their parents.


    Fluffy, Boo, and Albion also entered the back of the car because they would be joining their Masters on this trip to the amusement park.


    After everyone was done bidding their goodbyes, Cristopher drove the car and headed for the newly opened Amusement Park that belonged to the Leventis Family.

 Chapter 318 Star Kingdom [Part 1]

    Chapter 318 Star Kingdom [Part 1]


    ??"Wow!" Rhia pped her hands after getting out of the car.


    They were standing in front of the Star Kingdom, which was the name of the theme park of the Leventis Family.


    The entrance of the theme park was quite impressive. There were even mascots greeting the children who hade with their families to enjoy the theme park.


    Thirteen held his two sisters'' hands and walked to the gate with confident steps.


    Fluffy, Boo, and Albion trailed behind them, which earned them countless gazes from the kids and the parents that hade to the theme park.


    Only Wanderers were capable of summoning Avatars, so all of them thought that the monsters following the children belonged to the handsome teenage boy with short ck hair and green eyes.


    Of course, Thirteen knew what they were thinking, but he didn''t bother to correct their assumptions that the monsters following them didn''t belong to him.


    "Tickets, please," the clerk manning the gate said with a smile.


    "Here you go," Remi handed the tickets that her brother had given her beforehand.


    The Clerk then tied a small bracelet on each of their wrists and reminded them that if they nned to have their Avatars apany them inside the Theme Park, they would be held liable for any damages caused by them.


    Thirteen nodded in understanding and assured the Clerk that his Avatars would behave properly.


    Unfortunately, as much as the Avatars were well-behaved, there was a human who didn''t n on behaving.


    "Bwadder! There! There!" Rhia excitedly pointed at a mascot who was giving balloons to the children who would pass the gate.


    "Okay, calm down," Thirteen replied, feeling happy because he believed that he had chosen the right ce to spend some fun time with his two sisters. "We''ll get the balloon."


    "Bwalloon!" Rhia said as she tugged at the pants of the mascot, asking for her balloon.


    The Mascot, of course, handed a balloon to Thirteen, who tied it on the three-year-old''s wrist so that it wouldn''t fly away if she identally let go of its string.


    He did the same to Remi so that his other little sister wouldn''t be left out.


    "Bwadder, no bwalloon?" Rhia tapped Thirteen''s wrist before looking up to look at his face.


    "Okay. Give me one balloon too," Thirteen, who had a soft spot for children, said to the Mascot.


    The Mascot, of course, gave him a green balloon, which Remi happily tied to his wrist.


    A few minutester, the three of them headed to the Petting Area where the harmless Rank 1 Monsters were located.


    Rhia giggled as she petted the head of a fluffy white rabbit who caught her eye.


    Remi, on the other hand, approached a Marmot that was busy eating a cookie and lightly rubbed its head and belly.


    Fluffy and Boo felt jealous, so they approached Remi and Rhia, wanting to be petted as well.


    Of course, the two girls who loved their two pets yed along and gave them the attention they wanted.


    Thirteen then eyed the Corgi-sized Unicorn beside him and asked it a question.


    "Jealous?" Thirteen asked.


    ''Jealous of what?'' Albion replied using telepathy. ''Jealous of these low-ss monsters? Oh, please. Do you really think that I need attention that badly?''


    Thirteen nced at the unicorn''s tail, which was wagging left and right, andughed internally.


    It was obvious that Albion also wanted to be petted by Rhia, who was now petting a small pink piglet.


    However, it was too proud and arrogant to lower itself and beg for the three-year-old''s attention.


    Rhia loved Boo and Albion and would always drag them with her wherever she nned to take a nap or y.


    Although all of her memories of the past had been erasedpletely, she still felt a strong attachment to them.


    While Albion was deep in thought about whether he should lower his pride or not, he and Thirteen noticed two pink-haired girls looking at two fluffy white rabbits, which seemed to be paralyzed with fear.


    "Do you think these rabbits will taste good if we roast them?" "Cinnamon thinks that we should give it a try."


    The staff who overheard the two girls hurriedly went to tell them that the animals in the petting zoo were not meant to be eaten.


    The two girls then looked at the rabbits with disappointed looks on their faces, making Thirteen and Albion wonder if they were truly serious about eating them.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");


    ''Poor kids,'' Albion said. ''It seems that their parents are not feeding them properly.''


    Suddenly, Rhia waddled toward the two girls. She took out two cookies from her snack pouch and handed them to the girls.


    "Cwookie!" Rhia smiled as she looked up at the two girls who seemed to be a few years older than her sister, Remi.


    "You''re a good girl," the pink-haired girl said as she epted the cookie that Rhia gave her.


    "Cinnamon also thinks that you''re a good girl!" The girl named Cinnamon epted the cookie given to her and started to nibble it.


    "Still hwangry?" Rhia inquired because she could tell that the two girls were still hungry.


    "Yes."


    "Cinnamon is hungry, too!"


    Rhia then walked towards Thirteen and grabbed his hand.


    "Bwadder. Hwangry!" Rhia said as she pointed at the two pink-


    haired girls with a sad look on her face.


    "Okay. Let''s treat them to something good." Thirteen crouched down to pat Rhia''s head. "Good girl."


    "Ehehe~"


    Thirteen then nced at the two girls, who were looking at him with curious gazes.


    "What are your names?" Thirteen asked.


    "I''m Maple!"


    "I''m Cinnamon!"


    "Both of you have cute names," Thirteen said. "Do your parents love to eat?"


    "Mama loves to eat!"


    "Papa also likes to eat!"


    "Where are they?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Not here," Maple replied.


    "Maple and Cinnamon secretly left the house~" Cinnamon smiled.


    Thirteen didn''t know if the two girls were joking or not, but he just smiled and nodded his head.


    He then reached out to touch his earpiece and asked his subordinates who were secretly following them to look for Maple''s and Cinnamon''s parents inside the park.


    The teenage boy was worried that the two girls had been separated from their parents by ident and had wandered into the Petting Area because the cute animals caught their eye.


    "Okay, let''s eat first," Thirteen dered, which made Maple and Cinnamon very happy.


    "Mwaple, Cinah,e!" Rhia grabbed hold of the two pink-


    haired girls'' hands and pulled them toward the exit, as if she knew exactly where the restaurants that served food were located.


    Thirteen and Remi followed behind their sister, who seemed to have made some new friends in the park.


    While this was happening, Thirteen''s subordinates were trying to reverse search the faces of the two girls in their database so that they could find their parents.


    However, try as they might, they couldn''t find any information about them.


    They even essed the database of the Theme Park, in order to get some information about the two girls.


    However, after a meticulous search, they came upon a surprising discovery.


    The two girls weren''t wearing any bracelets on their wrists, which doubled as a tracking device.


    This tracking device was something that the staff of the theme park used in order to find lost children who had be separated from their parents while exploring the attractions of the theme park.


    However, there were no such bracelets in the two children''s possession, which made them wonder how the two of them managed to get past the gate, which was guarded by Masters and Grandmasters, who were there to ensure the public''s safety.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");

 Chapter 319 Star Kingdom [Part 2]

    ??"I give this fried chicken six out of ten."


    "Maple thinks that these burgers are five out of ten."


    "This sweet and sour pork gets seven out of ten."


    "Maple gives this beef brisket four out of ten."


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips twitched as he listened to the two little food aficionados, who were surprisingly able to spare some time toment as they devoured all the food that was being served to them by the waitresses.


    At this point, Boo and Albion were already wondering if the two little girls were actually monsters in disguise.


    But after checking the girls with their senses, they found out that they weren''t monsters but Half-Dwarves.


    ''¡­ By the Gods, how many days did these two girls not eat?'' Albion said with shock. ''Just where does the food go inside their little bodies?''


    It had been nearly an hour since Thirteen''s group had entered the restaurant, and since then, the waitresses were going back and forth from the kitchen, bringing different types of dishes for the two gluttons to eat.


    "Wow!" Rhia happily pped her hands, surprised with how her two new friends could eat so much.


    Remi, on the other hand, already felt full just by looking at Maple and Cinnamon, who seemed to be swallowing the food without even bothering to chew any of it.


    Suddenly, a man wearing a chef''s hat approached Thirteen and bowed his head.


    "Young Master, I''m afraid that if we keep this up, it will not be good for our business," the Head Chef said apologetically. "The other customers'' orders are being dyed because we are giving priority to your orders. At this rate¡­"


    "Understood." Thirteen nodded. "This will be ourst batch. Focus on preparing the orders of the other customers. Also, put the tab on my Grandfather. He''ll pay for everything."


    "Thank you, Young Master!" the Head Chef bowed as if he had just received a royal pardon.


    But, just as he was about to go to the Kitchen, he felt something tug at his hand.


    "You still have a long way to go, Mr. Chef," Maple said. "I hope that the next time we return, the food you prepare will improve."


    "Cinnamon thinks that you still have room to grow," Cinnamonmented. "So, we will let you off for now."


    "T-Thank you, Young Misses," the Head Chef stuttered before bowing his head towards the two girls.


    He then hurriedly returned to the kitchen because he still had many other customers to serve.


    "Are both of you full now?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    "Mosquito meat is still meat," Maple replied. "It doesn''t fill me up, but it''s better than nothing."


    "Cinnamon thanks Big Brother for treating us to a meal," Cinnamon smiled. "It''s hard to find a good restaurant to eat because Maple and Cinnamon are always banned from eating at Buffets."


    "That unlimited BBQ restaurant we went to the other day wasn''t really unlimited. They ran out of meat," Maple sighed. "They lied to us."


    "Cinnamon thinks that we should give those unlimited chicken wings a try next time," Maple suggested.


    After finishing the rest of the dishes, Thirteen''s group finally left the restaurant.


    Minutester, posters of the two little gluttons were put up at the entrance like wanted posters which read "These two are banned from entering this restaurant."


    Soon, the other restaurants in the Theme Park hung simr posters, making Maple and Cinnamon pout.


    "Big Brother, you are a good person. I like you!"


    "Cinnamon likes you, too!"


    "Thank you," Thirteen replied. "So, should we look for your parents? Maybe they are worried about you two."


    "Don''t worry, this is not the first time we ran away from home," Maple said proudly.


    "Cinnamon and Maple are experts in running away!" Cinnamon raised her hand. "Mama and Papa can''t find us even if they try!"


    The more Thirteen listened to the two girls, the more concerned he became.


    The reports from the staff of the Theme Park were also saying that even after checking the cameras, they didn''t see the two girls enter through the gate of the Theme Park. It was as if they just appeared out of thin air!


    "Then, since you are already here, why don''t the two of you join us?" Thirteen asked.


    He wasn''t reallyfortable leaving the two kids behind because they might get kidnapped, or something simr.


    A few minutester¡­


    "Yay!" Rhiaughed as she, and Remi, rode the Grand Carousel with Maple and Cinnamon. "Bwadder!"


    Thirteen waved at his sister, who was waving at him from on top of a pony.


    Boo hovered a few inches above Rhia''s head, while Albion stayed beside Thirteen and watched the little girl have fun in the attraction.


    "Well, then. Are they demi-humans?" Thirteen asked the Unicorn, who had used a simple spell to know the race of Rhia''s two new friends.


    "They are Dwarves," Albion replied. "Half Dwarves to be exact."


    "Half Dwarves?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "How did they manage to get here?"


    Albion shrugged because he had no answer to this question.


    Demi-humans were rarely seen in Pangea since they could only be found in the ces that had been conquered by the Jinns and Majins.


    So the sudden appearance of Maple and Cinnamon was quite surprising, especially since they were Half Dwarves.


    "Well, it doesn''t matter," Albionmented. "Aside from being gluttons, the two of them seem harmless.


    Thirteen agreed with the Unicorn because Maple and Cinnamon truly seemed harmless. The most important thing was they were genuinely having fun ying with Rhia.


    After the Grand Carousel, the group went to ride the different attractions together untilte in the afternoon.


    Rhia, who was exhausted after riding one attraction after the other, had fallen asleep in Thirteen''s arms.


    "Do you want me to hold her, brother?" Remi asked.


    "It''s fine, Remi," Thirteen replied. "It''s about time to head to our next destination anyway."


    The boy then lightly tapped his earpiece and asked Christoper to prepare the car so that they could head to their next destination.


    Since he couldn''t leave Maple and Cinnamon on their own, he decided to let the two tag along with them.


    Surprisingly, the two didn''t decline his offer and happily climbed into the car, making Thirteen worry about their future.


    If they were this trusting with strangers, there might be bad people who might take advantage of their trust and innocence.


    ''I''ll figure it outter,'' Thirteen thought as the car started to move.


    They were headed to another event that had be a sort of special holiday in the Aldebaran Continent, which was pioneered by the boy who had returned from Solterra three years ago.

 Chapter 320 Night Of The Fireflies

    ??Just an hour before sunset, they finally arrived at their destination.


    Countless people were already at the venue, the sight of which made Cristopher smile.


    "It seems that more people havee this year, Young Master," Cristopher said. "Even the other Continents have started celebrating their own version of the ''Night of the Fireflies''."


    Thirteen didn''t reply and simply looked at the wide open field beside theke.


    A stage could be seen in the distance, and it was also the ce where he would be headingter.


    This venue belonged to the Remington n. But, after Thirteen had saved Harry in the Valbarra Archipgo, his rtionship with the Monarch n had been good.


    Because of this, they allowed him to use the property for this annual event, which now held great significance to the Wanderers of Solterra, and Pangea.


    "Did the other Families help with the security this year?" Thirteen inquired.


    "They did," Cristopher answered. "In fact, they reached out two weeks ago and asked if there was something they could do to help."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded.


    After parking the car in the designated area, Cristopher opened the door to allow Thirteen, who was still holding Rhia, Remi, Maple, and Cinnamon to disembark.


    "Big Brother, what are we doing here?" Maple asked.


    "Why are there so many people?" Cinnamon inquired. "Are they going to cook foodter?"


    "They won''t be cooking any food, Cinnamon," Thirteen patiently answered. "Also, they are all here to wish their loved ones a safe journey and also pray for their safe return."


    Maple and Cinnamon, who somehow felt a little bit of sadness in Thirteen''s voice, decided to just follow behind him and stop asking questions.


    The moment he climbed up on the stage, countless people nced in his direction, for he was the one they were all waiting for.


    The teenage boy had handed Rhia to Remi before he climbed the steps leading up to the stage. He stood at the center of the stage and began his speech by addressing everyone who had gathered today, as well as the people who would be participating in the same ceremony in other ces throughout the continent.


    "Thank you all foring here today," Thirteen said. "We have gathered once again to wish our loved ones a safe journey in Solterra, as well as their safe return to our side.


    "Even if they are not under the same sky as us, their hearts and our hearts beat as one, for they are not alone in their journey."


    Thirteen paused and looked at the darkening sky, which was painted in shades of purple and orange.


    The sun had just set, and soon, the world would be covered in darkness.


    The night sky, which was once beautiful, had lost its splendor.


    Hundreds of years ago, people loved to gaze at the heavens and look at the stars that were twinkling in the sky.


    But now, looking at the night sky brought sadness instead of happiness.


    The shooting stars which everyone wanted to see in the past had now be an omen of death.


    For each shooting star that streaked across the sky in Pangea, somewhere in Solterra, a Wanderer''s Journey hade to an end.


    There were even nights when dozens or even hundreds of these shooting stars painted the night sky all at once, making those who saw them feel their hearts break inside their chest.


    For they didn''t know if their loved ones were among those falling stars, whom they would never see again in their life.


    "Everyone, we can now begin the Night of the Fireflies," Thirteen dered.


    All the people then began to light up their papernterns.


    Eachntern had a wish written on it, but the majority of those wishes were for their loved ones'' safe return.


    Thirteen had started this event to honor not only the Wanderers who were doing their missions in Solterra but also the unnamed Wanderers who would never have the chance to see their beloved ever again.


    As darkness started to set in, countless glowingnterns illuminated the field as if they were a sea of stars.


    Rhia, who had woken up from her nap not long ago, lit her ownntern and held it firmly in her hands.


    The little girl, who was very happy a while ago, seemed a bit sad as she waited for herntern to be filled with hot air, giving it the strength to fly into the sky. Maple and Cinnamon lit thenterns they had been given and waited for Thirteen''s signal to release them.


    Just like everyone else, Thirteen, as well as Cristopher and Colbert, who were managing the venue while Thirteen was away, held antern in each hand.


    This event was being broadcast all over the Aldebaran Continent so that those who had lit their own flyingnterns, could participate in real-time.


    A few minutester, when Thirteen deemed that the time was right, he made a deration.


    "No matter how fleeting and small the light we hold in our hands, know that we are not alone," Thirteen stated. "To my fellow Wanderers gathered here now, those who walk the same path as I do, remember that our journey has just begun.


    "So, let us lend a light to ourrades in Solterra so that they may find their way back home, where everyone is waiting for them."


    Thirteen then raised his arms holding thentern above his head and gently released it from his hand.


    Hisntern slowly flew toward the sky, and soon, countless othernterns flew alongside it.


    From every corner of the Aldebaran Continent, simr scenes were happening.


    The sky was gradually being filled with flyingnterns, which looked like a sea of stars from the ground.


    Thirteen gazed at the heavens and closed his eyes, uttering a small prayer for all the Cannon Fodders in Solterra who were doing their best to survive.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in Solterra¡­


    Mikhail and Shasha, who were looking at the night sky, smiled at the same time.


    Dozens of Flying Lanterns appeared, making all the Wanderers who were also with them feel something warm spread inside their chests.


    The reason why the "Night of the Fireflies" suddenly became popr in Pangea was thanks to the Wanderers in Solterra who imed that they saw flyingnterns in the sky.


    This was something that never happened in Solterra before because there was no Kingdom or Empire that had this kind of tradition.


    What they didn''t know was that Thirteen had especially asked Lace Demon and The One to agree to this simple event, which he believed would grant the Wanderers who were struggling courage and motivation to do better.


    For the Lace Demon and The One, making the Wanderersplete their missions was of the utmost importance.


    So they agreed to this annual event, transferring the Flying Lanterns that carried the messages of the people in Pangea to their loved ones in Solterra.


    They even made it so that the Flying Lanterns wouldnd near the person who was meant to receive it.


    In short, this event was like sending a letter to Solterra, allowing the Wanderers to know that their families, friends, and loved ones were waiting for them back in Pangea.


    As for the Wanderers who could no longer receive the letters, their flyingnterns would remain in Pangea.


    "Rhia joined this year''s Night of the Fireflies," Shasha said softly after seeing her little sister''s scribble that said, "I love you, Mikwhale and Shwasha".


    The two members of the Leventis Family received Thirteen''s, Remi''s, Rhia''s, Gerald''s, and Alessia''s flyingnterns, wishing for their safe return.


    Soon, they heard the sounds of sobbing behind them as the other Wanderers read the message that was written on the Flying Lanterns that were meant for them.


    To this day, they didn''t know how such a miraculous thing happened, but they were happy that it did.


    This was also why the Night of the Fireflies had be an official holiday in the Aldebaran Continent, which was being copied by the other Wanderers in the other Continents.


    Many believed that this miraculous event was just a coincidence or a passing whim by The One, who governed the two worlds.


    Of course, there were others who believed that it was all thanks to Zion Leventis, who might be a special Wanderer that The One and the Lace Demon acknowledged.


    Regardless of whether it was true or not, the teenage boy had be famous all over the world, making the Central Government very happy.


    They were using Zion as propaganda material to recruit Wanderers who were not affiliated with the Monarch ns as well as the Prestigious Families.


    Because of this, they had given Thirteen special treatment, which he happily used to his advantage.


    Just as the flickering lights slowly disappeared in the sky, Maple and Cinnamon both looked at the corner of the stage at the same time.


    "Grandpa!" Maple shouted as she and her sister ran towards their grandfather.


    "Cinnamon knew you wereing, Grandpa," Cinnamon said as she hugged the old man who was wearing an eyepatch over his left eye.


    "Time to go home, Maple, Cinnamon," the Old Man said before kissing his two mischievous granddaughters on their foreheads before looking at the teenage boy, who was looking at him with a steady gaze.


    "Thank you for taking care of my grandkids," the Old Man said. "My name is James Von Ainsworth. What is your name, young man?"


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied.


    "Well, then, Zion. I''ll see you around." James winked before patting Maple''s and Cinnamon''s heads. "Say thank you to him, and say goodbye to your new friends."


    Maple and Cinnamon both nodded before looking at Thirteen and bowing their heads.


    ""Thank you Big Brother for the food!""


    "You''re wee," Thirteen replied.


    After saying their thanks, the two went to hug Rhia and kiss her cheek.


    "Let''s y again sometime, Rhia," Maple said.


    "Cinnamon will bring food for you next time!" Cinnamon stated.


    "Un!" Rhia nodded. "Bye bye, Mwaple. Bye Bye, Cinnabon."


    Maple and Cinnamon also hugged Remi and thanked her for everything before going back to their Grandfather with smiles on their faces.


    "See you around, Zion," James said as he held the hands of his granddaughters. "If you ever see these two again, I hope that you will look after them for me. They might be mischievous, but both of them are very good girls."


    Thirteen nodded. "Maple, Cinnamon, listen to your parents, and don''t sneak out without asking for permission, okay?"


    ""Yes!""


    After waving goodbye, the two of them finally left with their grandfather, leaving Thirteen behind, who was looking at James'' back.


    For a brief moment, Thirteen thought that he recognized the old man, but after careful consideration, he thought that he was imagining things.


    After all, the old man he knew back then had met his death by being eaten by the World Wolf, Fenrir, never to be seen again.

 Chapter 321 The Recruitment For The 69th Battalion [Part 1]

    ??"You look good in that uniform, Zion," Alessia said as she looked at her son, who was going to the Headquarters of the Central Government, which was located in the Aldebaran Continent.


    After three years, he would finally report to his post and, with it, the recruitment for his battalion would officially begin.


    The news had already spread far and wide, and those who wished to be part of the Legendary Rookie''s battalion, headed to the venue where the Central Government would be conducting interviews for recruitment.


    Of course, these interviews would not only recruit members to the 69th Battalion, but to the other battalions as well.


    "I''ll be away for a while mother, but I''lle and visit during my days off," Thirteen replied. "Continue to practice alchemy like you always do.


    "Your progress has been steady so far. I believe that in a year, you will be able to craft Gold-Grade Pills, which will be helpful for the growth of Champions, Thrones, and Monarchs. Then, we can auction them all and rake in a lot of money."


    Alessia smiled as she patted her son''s head, who had increased the coffers of their family, making them several times richer during the three years that he had been in Pangea.


    Suddenly, both of them heard a knocking on the door followed by the call of an adorable little girl.


    "Bwadder!" Rhia shouted as knocked on her brother''s room. "Open!"


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate to open the door, and his little sister hurriedly grabbed onto his leg like a Ko, not wanting to let him go.


    The little girl had cried two days ago after Thirteen told her that he would be away for several months.


    Rhia also cried when Mikhail and Shasha were summoned to Solterra on the Night of the Solstice.


    Because of this, she developed a habit of wanting to be with her family at all times, not wishing for them to leave.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t do that.


    Until they reached the Grandmaster Rank, they would be unable to ignore the call to Solterra, which would always happen on the night of the Solstice.


    Only Thirteen had been given a pass for the next three years because he had already spent three years in Solterra at the tender age of seven.


    In fact, if he didn''t wish to return to Solterra for another three years, Lace Demon, and The One, wouldn''t utter a singleint about it.


    "Be a good girl and listen to Remi, Mother, and Father, okay?" Thirteen said before picking up his sister and giving her a kiss on the cheek.


    "Un." Rhia nodded sadly before hugging Thirteen''s neck, and resting her head on his shoulder.


    The teenage boy then walked out of his room, while carrying his little sister, who wished to stay with him for as long as she could.


    When he arrived in the living room, he saw Remi waiting for him as well.


    "Be careful, Brother," Remi said as she stood on tiptoe to kiss Thirteen''s cheek.


    "Thank you," Thirteen replied before returning his sister''s kiss. "Look after Rhia for me, okay? She gets lonely very easily."


    Remi nodded in understanding because this was the truth.


    Fortunately, Rhia didn''t resist and throw a tantrum when Thirteen handed her to Remi.


    "Zion, I don''t really know the real reason why you nned to join the Central Government, but whatever it is, I''m sure that it will benefit our family," Gerald stated as he rested his hand on his son''s shoulder. "Just a piece of advice. I''m sure that the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families will use this as an opportunity to nt some spies in your Battalion."


    "I know, Pops," Thirteen replied. "Also, I don''t mind if they send their spies to watch over me. I will definitely put them all to good use."


    Although he was just a Rookie, his influence in the world of Pangea couldn''t be ignored.


    The Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were happy that he was not able to increase his rank because that meant he wouldn''t be a powerhouse in the future.


    Although he was now in the Central Government, and leading a Battalion of his own, they believed that he wouldn''t make anyrge waves in the world.


    But, just to be sure, they decided to have their retainers and spies infiltrate his Battalion, so that they would be up to date about Zion''s movements.


    A few minutester, Thirteen walked towards a Helicopter that was parked on their property.


    Waiting for him was none other than Cristopher and Colbert, who were going to be his Captains.


    "Are you ready to leave, Young Master?" Cristopher asked.


    Thirteen nodded before boarding his Attack Helicopter, which was gifted to him by Arthur himself. Colbert followed behind Thirteen, and sat beside him inside the helicopter.


    The one who was going to drive it was none other than Cristopher, who had trained in handling all types of vehicles, including nes and helicopters.


    Currently, Thirteen had three Attack Helicopters.


    One of them came from the Remington n, which was their way of saying thanks for saving Harry, as well as a means of forming a strong connection with Zion.


    The second Helicopter was given to him by the Central Government because a certain ck-haired beauty told them that Zion was fascinated with Attack Helicopters.


    Soon, the Helicopter lifted off from the ground, and left the Leventis Residence behind.


    "How many recruits have registers for my battalion?" Thirteen asked Colbert, who served him like a secretary of sorts.


    "ording to the site where the Wanderers registered, there are over five thousand of them," Colbert replied.


    "Five thousand?" Thirteen frowned. "The Field Marshal said that I can only recruit 200 people.


    "It seems that there were a lot ofints in the Military because this is the first time that someone as young as me has been allowed to have his own Elite Army."


    "That''s not all, Young Master," Colbertmented. "I have received our military funds, and I don''t think that it will be enough to maintain our army for an entire year. At most, it will onlyst for three to four months tops."


    "Oh?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow because he found this quite amusing. "It seems that the Central Government is divided into several factions as well. They are really doing their best to make things difficult for us."


    Colbert nodded in agreement. "Young Master, what do you think we should do in order to solve the problem of our military funds?"


    "That''s not really a problem, Colbert," Thirteen replied. "Just leave it to me. I''m sure that we can earn funds by recruiting the RIGHT people."


    Seeing that his Young Master was smiling evilly, Colbert couldn''t help but smile evilly as well.


    Just a nce was enough to tell him that the teenage boy had a n and, frankly, he couldn''t stop himself from looking forward to what kind of diabolical schemes Zion had nned to earn money.


    It took them an hour before they arrived at their destination.


    Thirteen could already see a lot of people on the ground, who had traveled from all over the Aldebaran Continent just to register for his team.


    Unfortunately, he only had very limited spots, so he couldn''t invite them all.


    The moment his helicopternded, several soldiers lined up to greet the youngestmanding officer of the Central Government.


    "Wee to the Freedom Garrison, Lieutenant Colonel," the Soldier saluted. "Everyone is already waiting for your arrival."


    Thirteen returned the soldier''s salute and followed him to where the Wanderers, who wished to join his team, had gathered.


    Other High-Ranking Officers were there to meet the boy, who had been a very popr topic of discussion among the military officers.


    Now that he was here, they were looking forward to seeing if he was truly aspetent as the rumors said or if he was just a fraud, whose exploits had been exaggerated by the Leventis Family to be used for propaganda.


    Thirteen, who didn''t know what these High-Ranking Officers were thinking, walked with confident steps.


    He had alreadye up with a n to solve their funding issues, and he was sure that the moment he executed his n,plete pandemonium would descend upon the Freedom Garrison, where thousands of hopeful recruits wished to be part of the Legendary Rookie''s Elite Team.


    Watching this scene from a tall building were two old men.


    They were none other than the Field Marshal and the Grand Marshal of the Central Government.


    "I just hope that you made the right decision inviting this boy among our ranks," the Grand Marshal said as he observed Thirteen from on top of the building.


    "He was the one that came to us," the Field Marshal shrugged. "Also, I think it would be a shame if we didn''t take him under our wing, while we still had the chance. My daughter has said many good things about him."


    The Grand Marshal chuckled, but didn''t make any furtherments.


    He simply gazed at the young man, who piqued his interest, and made him leave their Main Headquarters in the Sirius Continent, just to get a glimpse on how he would handle the recruitment process, which he was certain would be a chaotic scene.

 Chapter 322 The Recruitment For The 69th Battalion [Part 2]

    ??"Everyone, thank you foring here today," Thirteen said as he stood on an elevated tform, overlooking the countless Wanderers who had answered the Central Government''s recruitment call.


    "Unfortunately, I am only allowed to recruit two hundred people among all of you."


    Thirteen''s deration was met with shouts of disappointment and booing. With only two hundred slots avable, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.


    Seeing that everyone was eyeing each other as if they were each other''s rivals, Thirteen decided to break the ice with an announcement.


    "The recruitment process will be divided into two stages," Thirteen dered. "The first one hundred recruits will be tested for their adaptability. The next one hundred will be tested for their deep pockets¡ªerrr, deep passion for joining my team."


    Cristopher, and Colbert, who were standing behind Thirteen, did their best to retain the calm expressions on their faces.


    They knew that their Young Master was up to something, and after hearing his deration, both of them had an idea about what the teenage boy had in mind.


    "I will tell this beforehand, even if I wish to recruit all of you, it is currently not possible," Thirteen stated. "So, if you are not chosen. Don''t lose hope. It just meant that something greater is waiting for all of you."


    Thirteen paused as he scanned the countless faces that were looking in his direction.


    "Although I would like to start with the first stage of the recruitment, I''ve decided to jump to the Second Stage first," Thirteen said. "So, without further dy, I will tell you the mechanics I will use to choose the first one hundred recruits for my battalion."


    The Field Marshal, the Grand Marshal, the High-Ranking Officers, as well as the Wanderers, all remained silent, so that they could better hear the teenage boy''s words.


    "The first One Hundred Slots will be up for bidding!" Thirteen dered, which made everyone''s eyes widen in shock.


    "I know it''s surprising, but the Central Government is stingy. They only gave us XXX Gold Coins for the upkeep of my Battalion. Because of this, I have no choice but to resort to this method. Um, Cristopher, is that Camera working? Are we currently Live?


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied. "We have been Live since you started your speech."


    "Very good." Thirteen nodded with a smile, not caring that the High-Ranking Officers in the background were looking at him with bloodshot eyes, wishing that they could rip him to shreds, eat his flesh, and drink his blood.


    Although there were times when they felt that the budget given to them by their superiors was unfair, none of themined out loud, and did their best to make do with what they had.


    However, the teenage boy, who had just joined their Ranks, not only said that the Central Government was stingy, he also decided to broadcast it live, so that the people of the Aldebaran Continent could watch it.


    The Field Marshal, who was Rianna''s Father, averted his gaze and pretended that he didn''t hear the boy''s words.


    "Where was I? Oh yeah, the Central Government is stingy, so I have no choice but to use this method in order to raise funds for my army," Thirteen smiled. "So, let''s start the bidding with 1,000 Gold Coins, with an increment of 500 gold coins per bid. Bidding starts now!"


    "1,000!"


    "2,000!"


    "5,000!"


    "25,000!"


    Thirteenughed internally because he knew that the "Whales" would soon make their presence known.


    Fortunately, he didn''t have to wait long before a firm and loud voice silenced everyone who was bidding for the first spot in Thirteen''s Army.


    "Five Million."


    Cristopher and Colbert looked at the young man, who seemed to be in histe teens and had short blonde hair and gray eyes.


    "Five Million," Thirteen stated. "Going once, going twice¡­ sold to Mr¡­?"


    "Alexis Mcknight," the blonde teenage boy replied.


    "Congrattions Alexis." Thirteen pped his hands together. "I will assign you as the Third Captain of my Battalion. But first, please Transfer the funds to my ount. My ount number is XXXXXXXXX."


    Alexis nodded, and didn''t bat an eye as he typed Thirteen''s Bank ount number in his cellphone.


    A few secondster, the younger boy received a notification, telling him that he just received five million gold coins in his ount.


    "Come up the stage, Alexis," Thirteen said with a smile.


    Alexis nodded and climbed the stage and stood right beside Cristopher, who served as Thirteen''s right-hand man.


    The High-Ranking Officers almost coughed out blood when they saw this scene. They had a lot ofints that they wanted to hurl at the boy, but seeing that this was a live broadcast, they didn''t dare to say anything. Meanwhile, Arthur, who was watching the live broadcast from his residence, couldn''t help but facepalm.


    Lady Callista, who was seated by his side, giggled because she found her grandson''s antics quite endearing.


    "I almost pity the Central Government for taking Zion in," Michaelmented as he fixed the sses on his face. "Almost."


    Hans, on the other hand, could only shake his head helplessly.


    He believed that after this bidding war ended, the people of Pangea, as well as the Central Government would have a different impression of the boy, who was now filling up the slots of his small army.


    With each bid surpassing a million gold coins at a time, the High-Ranking Officers, who were also short on funds, were seriously considering using Thirteen''s methods for recruitment.


    However, after careful thought, they believed that Zion was only able to make it work because he was popr enough.


    What they didn''t know was that this was Thirteen''s way of filtering out the people who had been sent by the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families to spy on him.


    Since they were desperate to be part of the two hundred people that would join Thirteen''s Battalion, they decided that buying their way in was easier thanpeting with thousands of other Wanderers for the avable slots.


    After more than an hour of bidding, the first one hundred recruits were finalized.


    Cristopher and Colbert were looking at their Young Master with sparkling eyes because they managed to easily earn over two-


    hundred-million gold coins.


    Even those who were watching the broadcast from their homes were looking at Thirteen withplicated looks on their faces.


    They didn''t know if they should praise the teenage boy for his genius, or praise him for being thick-skinned.


    Rianna''s Father wanted to leave the scene, but the Grand Marshal''s hand held his shoulder in a vice grip.


    "Where are you going?" the Grand Marshal chuckled. "Do you Rianna''s Father wanted to leave the scene, but the Grand Marshal''s hand held his shoulder in a vice grip.


    really think you can just walk away like this? Since this was your idea, you''d better stay until the end, understood?"


    The Field Marshal could only smile bitterly because he knew that there was no way out for him.


    In the end, he decided to have a private talk with Zion after his recruitment was over.


    A secondter, Thirteen''s voice once again spread in the surroundings, announcing the start of the next stage of recruitment.


    "Are you all excited to hear the conditions for the next batch of recruits?" Thirteen asked with a smile. "Don''t worry, I promise that this time, you will not need to spend anything."


    The Wanderers all breathed a collective sigh of relief after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    Some of them were dirt poor, so it was impossible for them to fight for a spot using their wealth.


    "This is the condition that you must clear in order to be part of thest one hundred recruits that will join my Battalion," Thirteen dered. "All of you will run until you reach the Star Kingdom, which is a theme park that belongs to the Leventis Family.


    "Those who use other methods of travel aside from running will be disqualified. The first one hundred people who will reach the Gates of Star Kingdom will be my subordinates. So, all of you, start running!"


    When the Wanderers heard Thirteen''s deration, they couldn''t help but gasp in shock.


    Even if they ran with everything they had, they would only be able to reach Star Kingdom after running for half a day.


    At first, they thought that Thirteen was joking, but when the boy confirmed that he was serious, the Wanderers started running.


    This made those who bought their way in, winning the bidding wars, sigh in relief because it meant that they did not have to suffer such a torturous recruitment process.


    Cristopher and Colbert, on the other hand, knew that this test was the true test.


    They believed that many of the Wanderers would quit within the first few hours of running.


    Only those who were determined enough to reach the goal that their Young Master had set, would receive the rewards, which he had prepared for them.


    "Cristopher, Colbert, start running as well," Thirteen ordered. "If you don''t be part of the first one hundred to reach the gate, I will make you undergo a hellish training regimen."


    Instead of being afraid, the two boys simply smirked and jumped off the stage in order to join the other Wanderers.


    They had known their Young Master long enough to know that he wasn''t joking, so they ran with the intention of showing everyone that they were Zion Leventis'' left, and right hands, which would never lose to anyone.


    Alexis McKnight, who was now one of Thirteen''s Captain, narrowed his eyes when he saw Cristopher and Colbert follow Thirteen''s orders, despite the fact that they were already his officers.


    He could see no hesitation in their faces, and even felt that the two werepeting with each other.


    For them to do such a thankless thing showed how loyal they were to the teenage boy, who was standing in front of him.


    Meanwhile, the Grand Marshal arched an eyebrow when he saw the sudden change in the recruitment process.


    ''This boy is truly unpredictable,'' The Grand Marshal thought. ''I wonder just what is going on inside his head.''


    The Field Marshal, who had been released from his father''s vice grip, scratched his head because this was the weirdest recruitment that he had seen in his life.


    However, he was also looking forward to what kind of changes would happen in the Central Government after Thirteen and his recruits officially joined their ranks.


    ---------------


    A/N: Thanks to those who left reviews for this novel. You guys are the best.


    *wink wink*

 Chapter 323 I Will Turn A Blind Eye This Once

    <h4>Chapter 323 I Will Turn A Blind Eye This Once </h4>


    When Thirteen announced that the bidding war would be held for the first hundred slots of his Battalion, many Wanderers became disappointed, thinking that he was just using his poprity for a money-making scheme.


    They thought he was different from the arrogant Scions of the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Although many were disillusioned, there were still a lot who didn''t lose hope, believing that they could still fight for the remaining one hundred slots.


    So, the moment Zion Leventis dered that the first one hundred people to pass through the gates of the Star Kingdom would be part of his Battalion, they didn''t hesitate to give it their all and run as fast as they could.


    Rookies, Adepts, Apostles, Elites, and a handful of Initiates all started to run with one goal in mind.


    To reach the Star Kingdom, which would take them anywhere between twelve to twenty-four hours of non-stop running.


    "Sir, with so many people participating in this event, there are bound to be cheaters," Alexis, who was now one of Thirteen''s Captains, voiced his opinion.


    "It''s fine, Alexis," Thirteen replied. "You don''t have to worry about those cheaters."


    "Sir Zion is right," Thirteen''s fourth Captain, whose name was Paul and had also bought his way through the bidding war, said with a smile. "How can someone as amazing as Sir Zion not consider something like this? You have so little faith in him, my man."


    Alexis clicked his tongue as he red at the bootlicker, who currently had a smug smile stered on his face.


    Thirteen ignored his two newest Captains and looked at the one hundred people who had paid their way to be part of his Battalion.


    "All of you here are allowed to return home to your families and tell them the good news that you are now officially part of my team," Thirteen dered. "For those who don''t wish to leave, please follow Alexis, so he can guide you to your amodations.


    "Although the living quarters of the Central Government require you to share a room with three other people, I''m sure that it will foster camaraderie among all of you.


    "Alexis, please guide them to their new quarters. Just go to that building over there that has the number 69 posted on its entrance. Feel free to pick any room, as well as your roommates. Just don''t go to the top floor because that is where my office is located."


    "Yes, Sir!" Alexis saluted before making a gesture for everyone to follow him.


    When only Thirteen and Paul were left standing on the stage, several of the High-Ranking Officers approached the teenage boy with dissatisfied looks on their faces.


    However, when the teenage boy saw them, he immediately gave them a salute, which made some of the High-Ranking Officers'' gaze soften a bit.


    But, there were some who weren''t moved by his actions. So, after returning his salute, they immediately gave him the "initiation rights" that they had agreed to beforehand.


    "I don''t know if the stories about you are true or not," a middle-aged Colonel said. "But here in the Central Government, everyone has to follow the orders of their superiors.


    "It doesn''t matter if you are a member of the Monarch ns or the Ten Prestigious Families¡ªyou are now part of the organization that protects the entire world.


    "Insubordination will not be tolerated, so Mr. Legendary Rookie, make sure to not unt your poprity here in the Freedom Garrison."


    "Yes, Sir," Thirteen replied, his voice loud and clear.


    The Colonel was about to say a few more things, but he heard a voice behind him, which made his body stiffen.


    "I see that you are already befriending our newest member," the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton, said with a smile.


    Immediately, everyone stood in attention and saluted the Highest Ranking Officer in the Central Government.


    The middle-aged man with red hair and red eyes was the sole reason why the Central Government was able to stand tall despite the influence of the Monarch ns in Pangea.


    Just like the Five Monarchs, Lawrence was also one, and everyone believed that he was the strongest man in the world.


    "Make sure that all of you get along, okay?" a middle-aged man with gray hair and blue eyes added with a smile. "I don''t want to hear reports that my officers are bullying neers."


    This man''s name was Tristan Summers.


    He was the Field Marshal and was only second in Rank to Lawrence. Simply put, if Lawrence wasn''t on site, everyone would take orders from him.


    The High-Ranking Officers nodded their heads and threw the antagonistic ns they had earlier to the wind.


    None of them expected that the Number One and Number Two of the Central Government would make their appearance. With them around, no one dared to proceed with their n of harassing the teenage boy assigned to lead the newly formed 69th Battalion.


    "Still, it''s not good to call the Central Government stingy, my boy," Lawrence patted Thirteen''s shoulder with a faint smile on his face. "Since your Grandfather and I once fought on the same battlefield together, I will turn a blind eye this once.


    "Be more careful with your words and actions in the future because it will reflect the prestige of the Central Government. Of course, these words are not only meant for you but also for everyone here. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    Lawrence then crouched down a bit to whisper something in Thirteen''s ears.


    "I don''t know what you were nning when you decided to join the Central Government, but as long as you toe the line, I won''t mind keeping a hands-off approach with your actions," Lawrence whispered. "Just make sure that it doesn''t go below my bottom line, okay?"


    "Yes, Sir," Thirteen replied.


    Lawrence once again patted Thirteen''s shoulder before walking away with Tristan.


    The other High-Ranking Officers gave Thirteen a sidelong nce before following behind their superiors, who hade to the Freedom Garrison unannounced.


    "Sir, do you think those smelly old guys will continue to make things difficult for us?" Paul asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "But they will not do anything overbearing right now. At most, they will ask their subordinates to taunt our people, instigating them for a fight so that they will face military discipline."


    "Understood." Paul nodded. "I will inform everyone to not get provoked so easily."


    Thirteen watched him go with a faint smile on his face. A mere nce was enough for him to know that Alexis and Paul were properly trained individuals.


    Even if they weren''t the retainers of the Monarch and Prestigious Families, they definitely still belonged to the influential families who also yed a role in the development and politics of Pangea.


    A few minutester, Thirteen headed to his personal quarters inside the base. Right now, the ones running desperately toward the Star Kingdom were still hours away from their destination.


    Until then, he would first handle the matters that needed his attention and let those who were assigned to monitor the participants handle the rest.


    But, just as he was about to reach his destination, he saw a familiar-looking teenage girl standing in front of the door of his room.


    "Zion, it''s great to see you again," the ck-haired beauty said with a smile.


    "Rianna?" Thirteen asked, still half in doubt. Compared to the thirteen-year-old girl whom he remembered, the youngdy in front of him had grown in the right ces and had a very sexy figure.


    "Of course, it''s me," Rianna replied as she lightly patted Thirteen''s head. "Good. You''re still shorter than me. But, after a few years, you will surpass my height."


    Thirteen shook his head helplessly before walking toward the door of his room and opening it with his pass key.


    Rianna followed him inside his room and gazed at its entirety.


    "Well, it''s the same size as my room, so I think it''s fine," Rianna muttered as she looked around.


    Thirteen then sat on the couch and gestured for the youngdy to sit beside him.


    "So, why are you here?" Thirteen asked. "Don''t tell me that you came all this way just to see me."


    "Yes, I came all this way just to see you," Rhianna replied with a smile. "Why? Not happy that I''m here?"


    "Just a little," Thirteen smirked. "So now, tell me the real reason why you''re here."


    Rianna''s smile widened after hearing the teenage boy''s words.


    "You never change, do you, Zion?" Rianna asked. "Always thinking that there''s a reason for everything that a person does."


    "And you don''t?" Thirteen asked back.


    "Well, maybe I do have an agenda for why I came here today."


    "See?"


    "Geez. You will not be popr with thedies if you keep on acting like this," Rianna pouted.


    Thirteen shook his head. "I don''t intend to be popr with thedies. So, stop beating around the bush and start talking. What is the real reason why you''re here?"


    "Okay, okay. I''ll talk," Rianna, who knew that Zion no longer wished to waste time, decided toe clean. "My sister is in the 68th Battalion. Her name is Shana. I want you to look out for her if you have the time."


    "Shana?" Thirteen frowned. "Are you referring to the girl who is part of the so-called ''Hero Party'' and has the title of Saintess?"


    "Yes, her," Rianna nodded. "The Saintess is my sister. Please, look after her if you are ever on the same battlefield, okay?"


    Thirteen didn''t say anything and only smiled faintly.


    Truth be told, one of the reasons why he decided to join the Central Government was to deal with the "Hero Party", whom he believed to be the ones who would antagonize him in the future.

 Chapter 324 He Is The Boy Who Could Make The Impossible Things Possible

    <h4>Chapter 324 He Is The Boy Who Could Make The Impossible Things Possible</h4>


    Heroes, Viins, Cannon Fodders, and Extras.


    These were the four roles that the people in the multiverse yed in their lives.


    Among them, the most popr of all was the Hero Party.


    Usually, this party consisted of a Hero, a Warrior, a Mage, an Archer, andstly, a Saintess¡ªalso known as the healer of the party during expeditions.


    Thirteen knew that he was a special existence, for he was a part Cannon Fodder and part Viin.


    Because of this, there would definitely be a group of people who would face him sometime in the future. After all, that was simply how Lady Fate worked.


    The same Fate whom he had sworn to defeat in her own game.


    Thirteen couldn''t win against a Hero since they were protected by Fate. This was why he decided to raise a Hero and a Viin of his own.


    By doing so, he was hoping that his Fated Hero would be defeated by the Tigerkin Hero whom he raised.


    But, he knew that this was not enough.


    He needed to weaken the Hero''s Fate, and for that to happen, he would have to target one of the key members of his party, and that was none other than the Saintess.


    The Warrior, the Mage, and the Archer, all of whom apanied the Hero, yed an important role in carrying him to the end game.


    However, they could be reced.


    The only one who would never be tossed to the side was the Saintess, for she was also protected to a certain extent by Fate since she had a role to y in the bigger picture.


    However, Thirteen didn''t expect that the Saintess whom he had nned to target was Rianna''s sister.


    Because of this, he decided to tweak his ns a bit. Although he could be ruthless at times, Rianna had been good to him, so he couldn''t possibly return her kindness by crippling one of her family members.


    "Understood. I will look after her," Thirteen nodded. "But, does she really need me? She is, after all, part of the ''Hero Party'' that the Central Government is grooming."


    "Even you call them the Hero Party?" Rianna sighed before scratching the back of her head. "My sister hates that term. Everyone is already calling her Saintess Shana, so she is feeling pressured whenever she makes a public appearance."


    "Well, that''s what happens to all celebrities," Thirteen replied. "It is the burden that we carry."


    "Hoh~ so you don''t deny that you are now a celebrity?"


    "Why would I? Did you see how I earned more than two hundred million during my recruitment? Only a celebrity like me can achieve something like that."


    "Uwah¡­ you look scummy right now, Zion."


    "Thank you for the praise."


    Rianna smiled sweetly before ruffling Thirteen''s hair.


    "I''m part of the 16th Battalion, so if you ever need help, just give me a call," Rianna said as she took out the Communicator, which was used by all the officers in the army. "Here. Register my number."


    Thirteen took out his own Communicator and added Rianna''s number to his list of contacts.


    "I''ll go now," Rianna stood up. "But, before I go, let me tell you something. Everyone in the army wants to see how good you really are. It''s not only the High-Ranking Officers who want to see if the stories about you are true or not.


    "All the Soldiers in the Central Government either see you as a rival or a stepping stone. Of course, there are some who genuinely respect you like me, but you need to be careful, Zion. Jealousy can be a very scary thing."


    "Thank you for those words of wisdom." Thirteen nodded. "I''ll be sure to keep that in mind."


    "You better!" Rianna stuck her tongue out cutely before leaving the room with a spring in her step.


    Clearly, she was happy to have reunited with Zion and tell him about her sister, who was feeling down because of the poprity that she was getting as ofte.


    If someone who was more popr, like Zion, were to be her friend, then she would definitely feel better. After all, no matter what she did, she wouldn''t be more popr than the thirteen-year-old boy who had achieved legendary feats in the world of Solterra.


    Also, Rianna praised Thirteen whenever there was an opportunity to the point that Shana was already sick and tired of hearing it.


    However, it also made the sixteen-year-old girl, who was being referred to as the Saintess, look forward to meeting Zion as well.


    Rianna warned her that although Zion was younger, he was someone who shouldn''t be judged by his age.


    She even jokingly said that if Shana developed a crush on the boy, she would not hesitate to be her wingman and help her seal the deal!


    When the ck-haireddy finally left the room, Thirteen made sure to lock the door properly.


    Since Cristopher, Colbert, and the Agents he hired from the Leventis Family for this day were taking care of the race that he initiated, he had plenty of time to rx and organize his thoughts.


    In front of him, the projection of five people could be seen.


    They were the members of the "Hero Party" of the Central Government.


    Thirteen eyed the girl at the lower left of the group who had long, long red hair and blue eyes.


    "Are they really sisters?" Thirteen pondered. ording to the data he received, Shana was an only child.


    Aside from that, Rianna had long ck hair and brown eyes. From what he could see, the two sisters didn''t look like each other at all.


    Although both of them were beautiful, Shana''s beauty shone more. Thirteen believed that it must be the effect of the charisma that a Saintess was born with.


    This was the reason why the Hero and the Saintess often ended up together, most often with the reasoning that they were "a match made in heaven".


    Unfortunately, Thirteen didn''t want to give the person, who might be the bane of his existence, a chance to be too overpowered.


    "Shana Summers," Thirteen said softly. "How should I deal with you?"


    The teenage boy crossed his arms over his chest before closing his eyes.


    He needed to think of a way to disrupt the harmony within the Hero Party without hurting Rianna''s sister at the same time.


    It was a very delicate situation. The System of Cannon Fodders needed to tread lightly because if he made a mistake, he might just be one of the people whom he hated the most in the world.


    Rianna, who had just left the building that was reserved for the 69th Battalion, decided to give her little sister a visit.


    Since the 68th Battalion and the 69th Battalion''s dorms were right next to each other, she didn''t need to travel far to reach her destination.


    A few minutester, she and her sister, Shana, sat together on the couch while looking at the television.


    There, the race Thirteen had started was being broadcast live.


    "So, what do you think of him?" Rianna asked as she hugged her sister.


    "He''s just like what you have described him to be, sister," Shana replied. "I could never imagine myself doing the same things that he did. However, I think he handled things perfectly.


    "One hundred people who have the financial ability to support him, and one hundred hardworking people who will be his Vanguard. He is trying to strike a perfect bnce between the two, and I''m sure that no one will be able to replicate either of the things that he did just now.


    "I''m just worried that the other Officers and Soldiers will not look at him kindly because of his unorthodox approach."


    Rianna didn''t expect to hear Shana praise Zion so highly.


    Truth be told, she also knew that Zion never did things without a reason. Although the bidding war that happened earlier seemed high-handed, it also resolved the 69th Battalion''s most pressing issue, and that was theck of funds.


    The High-Ranking Officers didn''t want him to be given a high enough budget because they believed that he would put it in his own pocket.


    Because of this, they pushed down the amount of funds that were allocated to him to the bare minimum and asked the treasurer to approve it.


    They thought that their n would make the Legendary Rookie understand that his background and fame were nothing in the Central Government.


    But little did they expect that Thirteen would use that same fame they disliked to dramatically increase the amount of money that he could allocate to support his people.


    "You worry about Zion being bullied by the other Officers here in the Garrison," Riannamented. "Meanwhile, I am more worried that Zion will bully the Officers and Soldiers in this Garrison."


    "That''s impossible to happen, sis." Shana was quick to deny Rianna''s words. "How can he possibly bully others when he just joined the army?"


    Rianna chuckled and patted her sister''s head.


    "Just wait, look, and listen for it, Shana," Rianna said. "Soon, you will understand how awesome Zion is. He is the boy who can make impossible things possible."


    Shana, who thought that her sister was once again overestimating Zion, decided to not argue and remained silent.


    Although she did recognize that the teenage boy was cunning, she believed that if he failed to get along with the Officers, as well as the Soldiers in the Garrison, things would be very difficult for him in the Central Government.


    Rianna, on the other hand, had apletely different opinion.


    She believed that if the Officers didn''t get along well with Zion, their lives would be extremely difficult. The Zion she knew was someone who held grudges and wouldn''t take insults lying down.

 Chapter 325 Running Away From Your Problems Is A Race You’ll Never Win

    <h4>Chapter 325 Running Away From Your Problems Is A Race You¡¯ll Never Win </h4>


    Cristopher and Colbert, who were running alongside the other applicants, were observing who among them had the qualities their Young Master was looking for.


    After running nonstop for an hour, the Wanderers decided to be more resourceful in the race to increase their chances of getting a slot in the 69th Battalion.


    Before they left the Freedom Garrison, Zion Leventis had made a deration.


    "Those who use other methods of travel aside from running will be disqualified. The first one hundred people who will reach the Gates of Star Kingdom will be my subordinates. So, all of you, start running!"


    His words were straightforward and crystal clear, but if you thought about it, there were plenty of loopholes in his deration.


    The first loophole is that aside from running, no other methods of travel were allowed.


    This meant that they couldn''t ride any vehicles, or use any other forms of transport to bring them to their destination.


    But, there was another thing that the Battalion Commander didn''t say¡ªhe never said that using skills was not allowed.


    Since Thirteen didn''t specifically say that no one could use skills during the challenge, it meant that the Wanderers were free to use them whenever they wanted.


    As long as they didn''t use any methods of travel aside from running, they wouldn''t be disqualified.


    So, after the one-hour mark, the Wanderers unleashed their powers in order to advance or hinder the other Wanderers from reaching their destination.


    Some used eleration skills in order to boost their speed, allowing them to take the lead in thepetition.


    Others used terrain-affecting skills, which made the path behind them difficult to traverse.


    Colbert, who was more devious than Cristopher, noted the faces of the Wanderers who had tried to prevent others from catching up to them.


    "Damn, if only teleportation was allowed," a Wanderer, who was in his early twenties and seemed to have the Rank of Initiate, clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Although it was a rare ability, there were Wanderers who could teleport short distances consecutively, allowing them to travel faster.


    But, fearing that they would be disqualified, they had no choice but to y fairly.


    Thirteen had given Cristopher and Colbert two orders.


    Scout promising individuals that could be useful in certain situations.


    He had no ns to form a conventional group of people under his wing.


    What he needed were capable individuals who would be able to survive on any battlefield.


    This long-distancepetition was the perfect way to see the abilities and fitness levels of the aspiring Wanderers, who wanted to be part of Zion''s team.


    It was not only Cristopher and Colbert monitoring thispetition.


    The Central Government and the Leventis Family were also looking for capable individuals, whom they could invite to join their army.


    After the five-hour mark, the thousands of applicants who had initially started had been reduced to around six hundred.


    Some of them even formed teams, grouping up with people whoplemented their abilities, giving them an edge over the others.


    They picked on the stragglers and the soloists, making sure that they would fail thepetition.


    "Hahaha! We E4 Mafias will definitely dominate thispetition!"


    "You''re right, brother. But, damn, myzy bum didn''t expect that I would be forced to run this long."


    "Just endure it! As long as we reach the finish line, we canze around as much as we want!"


    "Eating, drinking, and earning money just by doing nothing? Say no more bro, say no more. That''s the dream."


    "Just make sure to stick together. We are the strongest if webine our strengths!"


    The five Wanderers, who looked like bodybuilders, all ran side by side as if they were a football team ready to mow down any stragglers who were unlucky enough to meet them.


    Colbert took note of these five people who called themselves the E4 Mafia, nning to tell Zion about themter.


    While Colbert was paying attention to the dubious characters in the race, Christoper was looking at the people who were doing thepetition fairly.


    As someone who also worked hard in everything he did, he couldn''t help but feel sad when he saw some Wanderers huffing and puffing but still persevered to reach their destination.


    Several of them were just walking at the moment, but others were already crawling on all fours, showing their desperation.


    Just like Colbert, he took note of these people as he passed by them during the race.


    Thirteen had given the two of them orders, and they would aplish them no matter what.


    Several hours passed, and finally, the first person to pass through the Star Kingdom''s gates finally arrived.


    It was a teenage boy with short gray hair and gray eyes.


    His ability was superhuman speed, allowing him to run faster than others. But when everyone realized that he was just an Adept, their interest in him waned.


    Adept was the Rank above Rookie, but the boy was already in histe teens. This meant that he didn''t perform well in his missions in Solterra and only managed to pass the missions because otherspleted them for him.


    These people were looked down upon by High-Ranking Wanderers. In their point of view, people who were like the young man were just leeches.


    "Congrattions. You are the first to arrive," Michael Leventis, who hade to the site, greeted the young man. "Can you tell me your name?"


    "Do I even need to tell you my name?" the teenage boy replied. "I''m sure you''ve already checked for it in your database, right?"


    Michael smiled. "While your name is indeed in the database, I didn''t take a look at it. I''m only looking for results, and not the background of the person. So, can you tell me your name?"


    "Pietro," Pietro replied. "My name is Pietro."


    Michael nodded. "Once again, congrattions, Pietro. You are the first to be my nephew''s subordinate in this race.


    "The other Wanderers who are in the lead are still four hours away from reaching this ce, so rest and eat for now. We will transport you back to the Freedom Garrison once the others arrive."


    Pietro nodded and epted Michael''s offer.


    As he sat down on a chair, he looked at his name, which shone in gold letters on the giant TV screen that was erected beside the gates of the Star Kingdom.


    Right now, his name was at the very top, but he wasn''t too happy about it.


    On the contrary, he was feeling anxious, for he feared that Zion Leventis would be disappointed in him after he became one of his subordinates.


    Pietro wasn''t really a strong Wanderer.


    Whenever there was conflict, the first thing he did was run away.


    That was the only thing he could do.


    Run as fast as he could, run as often as he could.


    When he became a Rookie, he saw a note on his status page that said.


    "Running away from your problems is a race you''ll never win."


    Pietro knew that there were only two beings in the world who could leave such notes in the status pages of Wanderers.


    They were none other than Lace Demon and The One.


    Those who became Rookies would be assessed by these two omnipotent individuals, and they would leavements about their performance, telling the Wanderers the truth, which many didn''t want to face.


    Pietro was tired of running away.


    So when he saw that Zion Leventis, who had joined the Central Government, was recruiting soldiers to fill up his battalion, he didn''t hesitate to go and see if he would have a chance to serve under the Legendary Rookie, who had performed many amazing feats, that even the Monarchs of Pangea didn''t dare to do.


    It was not just Pietro who felt this way.


    Everyone who joined the recruitment hoped that they would be chosen by Zion and be his subordinates.


    Serving under such a person would not only give them bragging rights, but it would also help them understand how he aplished multiple feats that many thought were impossible to do.


    ''I will no longer run away,'' Pietro made an oath as he looked at his name, which was shining on the TV screen. ''I am tired of running away.''


    The Wanderer, who always ran away from his problems, finally decided to change.


    He didn''t know if he would find the answers by joining Zion, but one thing was sure.


    If he was going to run, he would not run backward, but forward.


    He would run toward that future, which he had been too scared to face in the past.

 Chapter 326 Say No More Brother, Say No More

    <h4>Chapter 326 Say No More Brother, Say No More</h4>


    Several hourster, the Wanderers who were able to pass the selection process cheered as they whirred past the gates of the Star Kingdom.


    However, not everyone was feeling happy. After all, if there were winners, then there were also losers.


    "Bro, we failed," a man, who was in his mid-twenties, knelt on the ground as he fought the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes.


    "We were too weak," another man, who was of the same age group as the man kneeling on the ground,mented. "We shouldn''t have run through that drive-thru to order takeout."


    "I shouldn''t have been tempted by that waitress'' sweet talk. I''m sorry, brothers. It''s all because of me."


    The members of the five-man team huddled together as they tried to console each other.


    They were a group of friends who were part of a Guild called E4 Mafias and yed Army-Type Simtion games.


    They were part of the 300th group that passed through the gates, which meant that they were no longer qualified to be part of Zion''s army.


    However, during their time of great sadness, a bootlicker¡ªerrr, one of Thirteen''s trusted subordinates extended an olive branch in their direction.


    "I saw how you performed earlier," Colbert said as he looked at the macho men, who were older than him. "So, if you don''t mind, would you like to join my team?"


    "You are¡­ that guy who stood beside Zion Leventis on the stage during the recruitment," one of the men said after recognizing Colbert.


    "Yes. My name is Colbert Riggs," Colbert introduced himself. "As you know, I am one of the Captains serving under Zion Leventis. He has given me full authority to scout for individuals that I think have the same mentality as me."


    The five-man team nced at each other before looking at Colbert with solemn looks on their faces.


    "Is usible deniability your best friend?" one of the men asked.


    "Yes," Colbert answered in a heartbeat.


    "What do you do with the Blue Falcons?" the tallest among the bros asked.


    Colbert didn''t reply and only smiled evilly because he was one of those Blue Falcons in the past.


    But, he was now a changed bird¡ªerrr bootlicker, so he decided to not give anyments.


    Fortunately, the devilish smile he gave made the five-man team think that he would not hesitate to roast these blue birds to oblivion and throw a grenade at their charcoaled bodies for good measure.


    "It''s our job to bend and break the rules," Colbert said in order to change the topic. "But, we will use this expertise to serve our Battalion Commander. We will do the dirty work for him, and he will overlook everything. Does that sound like a sweet deal to you guys?"


    "Say no more, brother. Say no more," the tallest among the men patted Colbert''s shoulder and smiled. "We''re in."


    The six Wanderers shared knowing grins with each other before they followed Colbert, who was about to recruit other simr-minded people among those who failed to be part of the first one hundred that passed through the gates of the Star Kingdom.


    While this was happening, Cristopher was also busy recruiting people.


    He recruited those who fought tooth and nail despite not being strong enough to finish thepetition with flying colors.


    Ones who were deadst and well aware of it but still continued to run regardless of the result. The only thing on their mind was to reach their destination.


    Cristopher took note of these people.


    Thirteen had given the two of them special orders.


    Both of them could recruit fifty people each. The ones they picked would be part of their own Troops and would report directly to them.


    Thirteen was only given a two-hundred men quota, but he had negotiated with the Central Government and asked if it was possible to add a hundred more men to be his subordinates.


    This proposal was epted on the condition that the lodging, food, and other expenses of the extra one hundred people would be shouldered by Thirteen.


    Naturally, he agreed to this condition, which was also why he had done the bidding war for the first 100 slots of his Battalion.


    This was done to gain extra funds to properly equip and amodate the 300 Soldiers, who would be his sword and shield against the challenges he would be facing in the future.


    The next day, the two hundred Wanderers were transported to the Freedom Garrison by the Leventis Family, as per their agreement with Thirteen.


    In exchange for their help, they were able to find dozens of skilled individuals who all epted Michael''s offer to be retainers of the Leventis Family.


    Thirteen told his Grandpa and Uncle that if they wanted the Leventis Family to rise up in the future, it was time to expand their forces.


    Right now, Arthur was still a Throne in the eyes of the public, and he appeared like he usually did.


    However, after the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo, the shackles that bound him had been shattered by Thirteen.


    So, when his no-good grandson used this event as an opportunity to recruit talented retainers, he didn''t hesitate to agree and sent Michael to the site to screen those that had caught their eye.


    The teenage boy stood on the stage alongside Cristopher, Colbert, Alexis, Paul, and four other people, whom he designated as Captains.


    Pietro, who had finished first in thepetition, was one of these Captains. He now stood behind the teenage boy, whose small back made him feel as if there was nothing to fear.


    "Once again, congrattions on bing part of the 69th Battalion," Thirteen dered. "And since you are here, I will tell you our Battalion''s name. From this day onwards, all of you will be called the Green Lanterns."


    A round of apuse reverberated in the surroundings as they weed the name that was given to them.


    "I''m d you are happy with the name, so tomemorate this day, I will present to you your army uniforms," Thirteen said before nodding in Cristopher''s and Colbert''s direction.


    The two then unboxed two of the boxes that were piled up at the corner of the stage and looked at their contents.


    But after seeing what was inside the box, both of their bodies stiffened before exchanging a nce with each other.


    A secondter, the two helplessly shook their heads as they took out the military uniforms that Thirteen had prepared for them.


    "Come forward as I call out your names," Cristopher said. "Pietro."


    Pietro stepped forward and epted the uniform that was handed to him by Cristopher. But, after seeing it, he couldn''t help but wonder if there was some kind of mistake.


    The Uniform in his hands was light green in color, making those who saw it look at their Battalion Commander in confusion.


    After seeing their confused expressions, Thirteen chuckled and said something that made the corner of Pietro''s lips twitch.


    "The uniforms look great, right?" Thirteen said with a smile. "But that''s not all. These uniforms actually glow in the dark. You''ll be like those glow bugs in Solterra that light up at night."


    The Wanderers who heard their Commander''s words nced at each other in dismay.


    The military uniforms were supposed to camouge them on the battlefield, but the one they would be given was theplete opposite of it.


    With the bright, light-green uniforms, they would stand out regardless of whether it was night or day!


    They were like walking targets to their enemies. Attention would definitely be on them because no matter what they did, they wouldn''t be able to hide from their line of sight.


    ''Am I really going to be fine?'' Pietro thought as he looked at the uniform in his hands.


    Thirteen chuckled internally because he knew what everyone was thinking.


    However, what they didn''t know was that the uniforms that the Wanderers thought were too eye-catching would be a symbol of hope not only for the Central Government but also for the people who would be fortunate enough to see Thirteen''s Battalion on the battlefields of both worlds.

 Chapter 327 Off To Greener Pastures [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 327 Off To Greener Pastures [Part 1] </h4>


    A week had passed since Thirteenpleted recruiting for his 300-men Battalion.


    They had be the hottest topic among the 65th up to the 68th Battalions, who were sharing the Freedom Garrison with them.


    The High-Ranking Officers referred to Zion Leventis as the Mascot of the Central Government, while they referred to his troops as clowns.


    Sneers, jeers, and look of mockery would always fall upon the 69th Battalion every time they did their usual morning runs, which wouldst for an entire hour before they returned to the base.


    Truth be told, Thirteen''s subordinates, with the exception of Cristopher and Colbert, were feeling embarrassed. They couldn''t help but feel like all the hard work and money they spent to join the Legendary Rookie''s team was all for naught.


    The Soldiers in the Garrison treated them like a joke, and even those with the strongest willpower among them felt that they had been cheated.


    With each day that passed, they felt themselves growing more and more depressed at the thought that this wasn''t what they signed up for.


    Every morning at five, they would be woken up to take their morning run.


    When they returned, they would eat breakfast and then take a shower.


    After that, they would start their Combat Medic Training.


    At first, they were surprised because they were expecting to be trained as soldiers. Despite their reluctance, they obediently listened since they couldn''t possibly disobey their superior''s orders.


    They would be given a few hours of rest and then do firearms training after lunch.


    When the training ended, they would then undergo training simtions of driving Helicopters, Cars, Tanks, and other vehicles that were used by the military.


    Even the Mafia Boys, who originally thought they could ck off, found themselves unable toze around. Sneaking was simply impossible with Thirteen personally overseeing their five-man team''s training, making them weep bitter tears.


    So, just like every day for the past week, they were running on the streets, wearing their light-green uniforms and light-green shades.


    These shades prevented them from getting blinded by their ownrades'' uniforms, which would definitely cause an aneurysm to those who looked at them for a long period of time.


    Thirteen knew what his subordinates were thinking, as well as what the Central Government was thinking.


    But only Cristopher and Colbert knew how their Young Master operated.


    Zion Leventis would never do things without a reason.


    The bidding war, which he did in order to raise funds to gear his men properly, would soon be put to good use.


    The race, which allowed the first one hundred people to cross the gates of the Star Kingdom, allowed him to see who among the remaining Wanderers didn''t have a give-up mentality.


    Lastly, Cristopher''s and Colbert''s handpicked individuals who resonated with them the most.


    Allowing them to gain their respect and loyalty.


    Even the light green clothes that the other Officers and Soldiers in the Freedom Garrisonughed at had a special purpose.


    Only the System of Cannon Fodders knew that the Majins and Jinns were color blind to one color and one color only.


    And that color was none other than light green.


    In their eyes, it was simr to the color of the ground, making it hard for these monsters to detect them with their sight.


    Even the ones with dark vision couldn''t distinguish these colors, making it the perfect camouge when fighting against Jinns and Majins.


    Also, the military uniforms that his troops were wearing had built-in features that weren''t present in the regr uniforms issued by the military.


    It had the option to change from its bright green color to ck, but he didn''t tell them about this option for now because it was best to use it when the enemy least expected it.


    Once the uniform changed its color, the military gear would be waterproof and retain thermal heating from its user''s body if they were subjected to cold weather.


    But when it''s hot, the suit would activate its cooling functions, allowing the Wanderers to feel normal temperature at all times.


    It also allowed them the option to swim underwater without problems because of the special technology that was used to create it.


    Thirteen had shared this technology with the Leventis Family, allowing them to better equip their people.


    And now, this same technology was being used by the soldiers who were beingughed at by the military.


    Truth be told, the one who wasughing was none other than Thirteen.


    He knew that there were spies from the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families, as well as from other Influential Families within his Battalion, but he didn''t care.


    The teenage boy wanted these people to think of him and his subordinates as a joke.


    Because the moment a real fight started, the ones who would beughing would be none other than him and the members of the 69th Battalion.


    As soon as they returned to the base, Thirteen saw his superior waiting for him at the gates.


    "Sir," Thirteen and his subordinate saluted the old man who held the Rank of Colonel.


    "At ease," the highestmanding officer of the Freedom Garrison, Brett Fischer, said with a smile. "I just came to inform you that we will be holding a meeting. The other officers are already in the Conference Room, and we are just waiting for your arrival."


    Thirteen was surprised because he didn''t expect hismanding officer toe and personally wait for him instead of ordering someone else to pass him this message.


    "Understood, Sir," Thirteen replied before ncing at his Captains. "Handle the rest."


    Cristopher, Colbert, and the other Captains nodded their heads in understanding.


    Thirteen then followed his superior to the conference room and made sure to walk two steps behind him.


    The two didn''t say anything to each other, but the teenage boy could tell that the Colonel held no malice or hostility against him.


    When they arrived at the Conference Room, the Battalion Commanders of the 65th to 68th Divisions stood up and saluted Colonel Fischer, as expected of their rank.


    After the General saluted back to them, he sat at the head of the table and waited until everyone was seated properly.


    "I called all of you today to discuss the mission that was sent to me yesterday by the Field Marshal," Colonel Fischer said. "As you already know, the Dimensional Gates on the Continent of Cygni will be opening soon. The Central Government ns to send much of our Manpower to help deal with the Jinn invasion.


    "As you may or may not already know, the evacuation of that area has been ongoing for the past six years. All the non-


    batants have been evacuated to Sirius, as well as here in Aldebaran.


    "However, the Griffin n and the three Prestigious Families, Lotte, Gates, and Bishop, n to stand their ground and protect their Domain. The cities that had been abandoned by its residents have been fortified to serve as Fortresses for the uing invasion."


    "The Field Marshal has decided to send the 1st up to the 30th Battalion to help them defend the Continent. But, if any other Battalions are willing to volunteer, we will make the preparations to send you there as well."


    The Battalion Commanders nced at each other because they believed that this was the perfect opportunity to show off their might.


    Only Thirteen looked uninterested in volunteering to join the expedition team that would go to the Cygni Continent.


    Just as the Colonel expected, all the Officers, with the exception of Thirteen, agreed to volunteer for the mission.


    "Understood," Colonel Fischer nodded. "I will inform the Field Marshal that the 65th up to the 68th Battalion will also participate in the mission. Everyone dismissed."


    The officers saluted and left the room one by one.


    But there was one person who didn''t leave the room, making Colonel Fischer arch an eyebrow as he looked at the teenage boy, who was looking back at him with a faint smile on his face.

 Chapter 328 Off To Greener Pastures [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 328 Off To Greener Pastures [Part 2]</h4>


    "Sir, I would like to be given permission to mobilize my troops to the Rigel Continent," Thirteen stated.


    "The Rigel Continent?" Colonel Fischer frowned. "That continent has already been overrun by Jinns and Majins. Why would you want to go there? Are you nning on joining the effort to recapture it? That is a fool''s errand, my boy."


    "My battalion has just been formed andcks the experience to handle an invasion in its initial stages," Thirteen replied. "A few Tier 5 up to Tier 7 Gates will open in Cygni after a year, but that''s not really a cause of concern, is it? What everyone is waiting for is the opening of the twelve Tier 8 Gates three and a half years from now.


    "There might be no Genocide-Level Gates detected, but those twelve gates can be considered a Genocide-Level Threat since they will all open at the same time. With that said, I n to use the next three years to train my troops in the Rigel Continent."


    Colonel Fischer looked at the teenage boy solemnly.


    "You do know that there are Rank 9 Sovereigns on the Rigel Continent, right? Are you sure about this? The Central Government will not send reinforcements even if you ask for it¡­ wait, are you perhaps thinking of going to Dvalinn first before heading to Rigel?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes, Sir."


    A sigh escaped Colonel Fischer''s lips before he sat down and made a gesture for the teenager to do the same.


    "Ever since the Rigel Continent has been overrun by Jinns and Majins, the Elrod n, the Rhodes, the Riggs, and the Nightshade Families have tried to reim it over and over again with very little sess.


    "Even if you go there, there''s no way that you will be able to change anything. Of course, I heard about your legendary achievements in Solterra, and I do believe that it is true. But the Rigel Continent has already been upied for decades. It will not be easy to fight them on their home turf."


    Thirteen smiled. "Sir, I just want to let my recruits see what a Continent that has been overrun by Jinns and Majins looks like. Antares and Rigel have fallen. Soon, it will be Cygni''s turn. Perhaps, after a decade or two, it will be Sirius or Aldebaran that will suffer the same fate.


    "I want them to understand what the world will look like if it is overrun by Jinns and Majins. That will break any illusion that the same thing can''t happen to other ces."


    Colonel Fischer sighed for a second time before lightly tapping the table with his hand.


    "Just tell me one thing, Zion," Colonel Fischer said. "You''re not going there for a suicide mission, right?"


    "Of course not, Sir," Thirteen stated. "I''m just a Rookie with three hundred soldiers, and the strongest among them are only in the Initiate Rank. I would not dare to challenge monsters that were way out of our league."


    The Colonel closed his eyes as he pondered Thirteen''s request. A few minutester, he reluctantly nodded his head.


    "I''ll tell the Field Marshal about your request," Colonel Fischer said. "But, there''s no guarantee that he will approve it, okay?"


    "Thank you, Sir."


    "You may go."


    After saluting his superior officer, Thirteen left the Conference Room and headed back to see his subordinates.


    As soon as he left the room, Colonel Fischer nced at the wall and shook his head helplessly.


    "You heard him, so what''s your answer?" Colonel Fisher asked.


    A projection appeared on the wall, revealing the Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    The second-inmand of the Army and had the Rank of Throne.


    He was none other than Rianna''s Father, Tristan Summers, who was looking back at the Colonel with amusement.


    "Grant his request," Tristan replied. "My daughter always tells me that Zion Leventis doesn''t do anything without a good reason. Since he wants to go to Rigel, then let him go to Rigel. Besides, he is right about one thing.


    "The true threats to humanity will appear three and a half years from now. I don''t know what he''s nning, but I do hope that he will create another miracle like he did in Valbarra and Arcadia."


    Colonel Fischer nodded his head in understanding. "Will we lend them one of our Battleships? He is nning to go to Dvalinn first after all."


    "No," Colonel Fischer shook his head. "Our Battleships will be transporting our men to Cygni and help with the evacuation. We can''t spare him one."


    "Then, how will he get to Rigel?" Colonel Fischer asked.


    The Field Marshal chuckled after hearing the Colonel''s question.


    "Are you perhaps forgetting something?" Tristan asked back. "That boy is a scion of the Leventis Family. I''m sure he can make the necessary arrangements to transfer his people. Besides, he also has a good rtionship with the Remington n. I''m sure he''ll think of something."


    The Colonel did something unbing of an officer of his rank and scratched his head.


    "Sir, I don''t want to say this, but I think there''s something fishy about this arrangement," Colonel Fisher said. "My gut instinct is that the boy is nning something big, and he''s just making it sound like he''s just going to take a stroll in a Jinn-Infested continent."


    Tristanughed out loud because he had the same thought as his subordinate.


    After half a minute ofughing, the Field Marshal pressed his hands together and smiled evilly.


    "Whatever he is cooking, let him cook," Tristan replied. "We didn''t see what he did in Solterra, but it is possible to monitor what he is doing here in Pangea. Isn''t it about time that we let our ''Mascot'' do his magic? Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to give us a surprise or two, which will work in our favor."


    ***


    Thirteen, who had no idea what the Field Marshal and the Colonel were talking about, appeared before his men who were still eating in the cafeteria.


    He didn''t mention anything about the meeting and simply ordered his own food. After taking his usual seat, he and Tiona still eating in the cafeteria.


    He didn''t mention anything about the meeting and simply ate silently.


    ''It''s still a bit early to initiate my n, but it''s within eptable parameters,'' Thirteen thought. ''While everyone is going to Cygni to earn glory and merits, I''ll take my people to greener pastures.''


    Thirteen''s former host had left many Cursed Artifacts in Solterra and Pangea.


    In order to prevent others from being harmed by their curses, he hid them in ces that would not be found by ordinary people.


    These cursed items were Peak-Gold Grade Artifacts, which was the highest grade in Pangea, only second to Mythical Ranked Equipment.


    The good thing about these items was that since they were cursed, anyone could use them.


    Even ordinary humans who identally came across these artifacts would be able to use their powers.


    Of course, there was a catch.


    Anyone who wore them would be cursed.


    Some artifacts even had the power to dominate a person, making them the artifact''s puppets.


    Thirteen wanted to reim the artifacts that used to belong to his former host and put them to good use.


    Since any item he equipped and wore, would be overrun by his restrictions, the curses that were ced on them wouldn''t work on him.


    The teenage boy had four objectives in going to the Rigel Continent.


    The first one was to reim the Cursed Artifacts.


    The second one was to train his subordinates.


    The third one was to gather resources.


    Andst but not the least, he nned to make connections with the people living on the Man-Made Ind, Dvalinn, which was only two hundred miles away from the Rigel Continent.


    This was the bastion created by the Elrod n, the Rhodes, the Riggs, and the Nightshade Families.


    They only had one goal, and one goal only.


    To reim theirnds and get rid of the Jinns and Majins who took their homes, their loved ones, and possibly their future, away from them.

 Chapter 329 You Are One Of My People

    <h4>Chapter 329 You Are One Of My People </h4>


    Two months had passed since Thirteen, and Colonel Fischer had their talk.


    When the other Battalion Commanders and the spies, who had managed to be part of the 69th Battalion, heard Thirteen''s announcement, all of them were caughtpletely by surprise.


    Instead of going to the Cygni Continent to help defend it from the Jinn Invasion, he chose to go to the Rigel Continent, which had already been overrun by these monsters.


    Of course, his subordinates subtly asked him for the reason why they were going there, but the only thing he said was "the grass is always greener on the other side".


    They thought that their Battalion Commander was just teasing them, but now, they couldn''t evenugh about it.


    Currently, the 69th Battalion was on-board an Aircraft Carrier, which belonged to the Leventis Family.


    This Aircraft Carrier was apanied by six Destroyer-ss Warships, and they were headed to the Man-Made ind called Dvallin.


    They had left the port a week ago and, if they kept traveling at the same speed they were now, they would arrive at their destination in six to eight days.


    Since the Aldebaran Continent was separated from the Main Continent, the Remington n, and the three Prestigious Families of Aldebaran, which wereposed of the Leventis, Smith, and Lockwood Families, had their own naval forces.


    The Leventis Family had sent half of their navy forces to apany Thirteen on his expedition toward the Rigel Continent.


    To everyone''s surprise, Michael Leventis was also apanying them.


    As the Second-In-Command of the Leventis Family, his words held great significance, making the Wanderers think that Arthur Leventis thought highly of his grandson.


    Well, they weren''t wrong because ever since the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family had no choice but to take his no-good-grandson''s words seriously.


    The High-Ranking Officers of the Central Government knew that Zion would ask for his family''s help.


    They just didn''t expect that Michael Leventis would apany him on his trip as well.


    Originally, Arthur only nned to give Thirteen a single Destroyer for his trip to the Rigel Continent.


    But, after his grandson said that if he didn''t send more ships with him "Arthur will regret it so much that he will suffer constipation for a year", the old man decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with Zion.


    After hearing what the teenage boy had to say, Arthur almost sent the entire Naval Army of the Leventis Family, including himself on this mission.


    However, Thirteen told him that doing that would certainly backfire. So, Arthurpromised and sent his son, Michael to assist his no-good-grandson, in looting all the resources on the Rigel Continent, which would greatly benefit the Leventis Family.


    "Hey, are we really going to be fine?" Pietro asked his fellow Captains inside his own private quarters. "Isn''t this a bit too much for a training mission?"


    "You''re just overthinking things," Cristopher replied. "If the Young Master says that we will go South, we will go South."


    "If the Young Master said jump, the only thing you are allowed to ask is how high," Colbertmented.


    The two of them had already be die-hard Zion supporters that even if the teenage boy said that they would go on a pic to hell, the two Wanderers would nod their heads and ask him if they should pack sandwiches for their trip.


    "The two of you trust him unconditionally, huh?" Alexismented. "Have you be part of one of his legendary adventures?"


    "That''s right," Colbert was the first to answer. "We fought alongside him against Arundel the Destroyer. Man¡­ I thought I was going to die because I was fighting on the front lines¡­"


    Cristopher, who knew that Colbert was full of bullshit, pretended that he didn''t hear anything.


    "Yeah, we''ve been part of such adventures." Cristopher nodded.


    "So, is it really true?" Piper Irwin, who was the only youngdy among the Captains asked. "Did he really punch Arundel''s face and send him flying?"


    "Of course not," Colbert replied. "If you punch a Majin Prince, you''d probably be mince meat the next second. But, the Young Master did give Arundel the middle-finger, while only standing dozens meters away from him.


    "There are so many versions of the story, and each is more exaggerated than the next," Paul Whitely, who had also won the bidding war like Alexis leaned on the wall of the room. "From what I can tell, none of the Wanderers that returned from the Valbarra Archipgo fought against the Majin Prince''s army."


    Paul nced at Colbert, who mentioned earlier that he fought on the front lines, and smirked.


    However, Colbert smirked back as if he believed the story that he had said a while ago.


    Unfortunately for him, Cristopher broke his bubble by nodding his head.


    "It''s true," Cristopher replied. "In the final phase of the war, the Young Master forbade us from participating directly. All the Wanderers were only tasked to guard the Grand Ballista, which was our Trump Card against the Majin Prince."


    "He did the same thing in the Arcadia Archipgo," Pipermented. "I was one of the Wanderers that he helped and, during that time, he only taught us one thing and that was to run."


    A bitter smile appeared on Piper''s face as she remembered the battle that was happening around her, but at that time, the only thing on her mind was to survive, so she ran towards the Gate of the Moonlight, not caring about the oue of the battle.


    It had been three years since then, and she had just recently be an Adept, which was the next Rank after the Rookie Rank.


    Truth be told, she wanted to return the favor that Thirteen had given her, so when the recruitment for his Battalion was announced, she didn''t hesitate and joined it without fail.


    Piper was one of the first one-hundred people that passed through the gates of the Star Kingdom by running.


    Although she wasn''t as fast as Pietro, she had added running in her daily training because it had once saved her life.


    She just didn''t expect that one of the conditions to pass the recruitment was through running, which gave her an edge among the otherpetitors.


    "Eh, so do you like our Battalion Commander?" Colbert asked in a teasing tone.


    "I like him, but not in a romantic way," Piper answered with a smile. "I just feel awed by him. He was seven years old when he fought against Arundel, and ten years old when he faced the Artemians. If you don''t feel anything towards such a person then your heart must be made of stone.


    "Also, like Cristopher and Colbert, who haveplete faith in him, I believe that our Battalion Commander would not send us to die on the Rigel Continent."


    Pietro looked at Piper''s determined gaze before looking down on his hands.


    Before this trip, his hands were covered with callouses due to the daily training that they had done for eight straight weeks.


    Those calluses were now gone because thirteen had given them some kind of hand cream that they would use nightly before they slept.


    When they woke up the next day, their callouses had disappeared, and their rough hands felt less rough than usual.


    "Colbert, can I ask you something personal?" Alexis said as he looked at the young man, who had started to peel an apple with hisbat knife.


    "Sure," Colbert replied without even raising his head.


    "You are part of the Riggs Family, right?" Alexis inquired. "One of the Ten Prestigious Families?"


    Colbert smiled faintly before taking a bite of the half-peeled apple in his hand.


    He knew that sooner orter, someone would ask him this question.


    But, Zion never did.


    For him, it didn''t matter if Colbert was part of the Monarch ns, a member of the Prestigious Families, or just a random beggar on the streets.


    The teenage boy only said six words to him and that was "You are one of my People".


    That was all he said, and that was all Colbert needed


    The boot-licking teenager, who had schemed against Zion Leventis long ago, was now a changed man.


    Although he was still a boot-licker, he was now a boot-licker with standards!


    tter the Scions of the Monarch ns?


    Pitui!


    Curry favors from the Prestigious Family?


    Yuck!


    Rub shoulders with the High-Ranking Officers of the Central Government?


    No, thank you!


    Just like Cristopher, he only wished to serve one man, and that was none other than the person, who promised him that he would be so popr, that the Riggs Family would beg him to keep their family name for generations toe.

 Chapter 330 Let’s Just Play Along To Make The Old Fart Happy

    <h4>Chapter 330 Let¡¯s Just y Along To Make The Old Fart Happy</h4>


    "Yes," Colbert replied to Alexis'' question. "I am a member of the Riggs Family. But, I''m just a bastard that one of the Branch Families sired because he got horny one night. Fortunately, my father wasn''t a total scum, and at least tried to support my mother after getting her pregnant.


    "But, he made a mistake. He thought that giving me the Riggs Family surname would make up for his past blunder. But, it only brought me pain because I was never treated as one because, in their eyes, I wasn''t worthy of their name."


    Cristopher patted his friend''s shoulder, and thetter just smiled back. Although the two of them didn''t always agree on some things, the two of them had already recognized each other asrades through the years.


    "It''s fine now," Colbert said. "I''m sure that sticking with the Young Master will benefit me more than just trying to tter my rtives. I''m the Legendary Rookie''s left-hand man, and it can''t get anything better than that.


    "Actually, the cousins who ignored me in the past approached me not long ago, and asked me if I could get the Young Master''s autograph. Everyone''s circumstances can change, and mine did after being with the Young Master."


    Colbert then pointed at Alexis and Paul with a smirk. It was very obvious why the two of them spent a lot of gold coins in order to be part of Thirteen''s army.


    "It takes one to know one." Colbert hinted. "I know why the two of you are here and, frankly, I don''t really care. I''m sure that the Young Master feels the same way as I do. So, just do whatever you want to do.


    "You will soon realize that he is a bigger man¡ªerrr teenage boy than we''ll ever be. So as your senior, allow me to give the two of you some words of wisdom."


    Alexis and Paul looked at Colbert with calm expressions on their faces, as if they weren''t affected by his words.


    However, they were also curious about what the person who knew about them wanted to say to them.


    "Even if the entire world abandons you, he alone will not," Colbert said softly. "So, in your darkest moments, don''t hesitate to take his hand. Trust me, you''ll be happier on this side of the fence than the side you are currently on right now."


    Cristopher nodded his head in agreement because this was the truth, and nothing but the truth.


    When he was still a retainer of Terrence Leventis, Cristopher understood that he was just one of the many disposable tools that his former Young Master could use in order to reach his goal.


    But, Thirteen never made him feel as if he was just a tool.


    He didn''t think of him as a burden.


    He didn''t think of him as someone that could be discarded in order to save his life.


    In whatever battles Cristopher faced, in front of him would always be Zion''s small back, which seemed capable of carrying the entire world with room to spare.


    So, the first thing he did when he returned to Pangea was to beg Arthur and Michael to discharge him as Terence''s retainer because he only wanted to serve one person in his lifetime, and that was none other than Zion Leventis.


    He was prepared to be punished, to be whipped, to be insulted, and even starved because he knew that what he was asking for was too much.


    However, he chose the thorny path because he believed that at the end of it, he would see the person whom he wouldy down his life for without hesitation.


    Just as the six Captains were about to continue their talk, a ring siren reverberated in the surroundings, making all of them leave the room in haste to go to themand center to better understand the situation.


    When they arrived at the Bridge of the ship, Thirteen was already there, so all of them saluted at the same time.


    Thirteen saluted back before making a gesture for them to look at the projection that was being shown in front of them.


    "It looks like our weing party hase to pick us up," Thirteenmented as he looked at the Aircraft Carrier in front of them, which was apanied by over a dozen warships.


    "They don''t look friendly though," Cristophermented, which made Thirteen chuckle.


    "Rx, if they really want to blow us up, we wouldn''t stand a chance," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure they''re just trying to intimidate us, and let us know that we have entered their home turf."


    "But, we''re still several days away from Dvalinn," Piper said. "Isn''t it too early to greet us?"


    "The Dvalinn Federation''s ships are the fastest ships in the world," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure that it only took them a day or two to reach our location from their Ind Fortress. It seems that they are too excited to meet us."


    ''Or too excited to know the real reason why we''re here,'' Michael mused as he fixed the sses on his face.


    He had informed the Dvalinn Federation beforehand that they would be making a stop on their Ind Fortress before going to the Rigel Continent.


    Although not all of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families got along with each other, they did their best to keep their skirmishes in the dark, and away from the views of the public.


    "I see Old Man Benedict on the deck of the Aircraft Carrier," Thirteen smirked when he saw the Old Man, who he had met at the party of the Remington n. "I wish Grandma was here. If she was, she''d probably p him to oblivion."


    The corner of Michael''s and Colbert''s lips twitched after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    Although Benedict Riggs was not the Patriarch of the Riggs Family, he was still among the top five most influential people in it, who could make decisions for the entire family.


    In Colbert''s eyes, the Old Man was someone who could order his death with just a word.


    But, after seeing how Zion casually called the one, who was known as the Berserker of the Battlefield, Old Man Benedict, he felt as if the anxiety he was feeling about meeting his family again, disappearedpletely.


    "Make sure to be respectful to him when we meet him, Zion," Michael stated. "We can''t afford to make Benedict Riggs lose face, especially in front of his subordinates, as well as his peers."


    "Alright, I''ll behave." Thirteen nodded. "But, since he is the one that came to meet us, instead of the Elrod n, proves that they have no intention of barring us from entering their Domain.


    "But, I''m sure Old Man¡ªerrr Sir Benedict will try to intimidate, and make things difficult for us. Let''s just y along to make the old fart happy. It will be a pain to clean up his corpse if he suddenly dies due to an aneurysm."


    Michael sighed before shaking his head helplessly.


    He really hoped that his nephew wouldn''t say anything to embarrass the old man, who wouldn''t even bat an eye if he was facing Arthur Leventis on the battlefield, despite the disparity in their Ranks.

 Chapter 331 Tell Me A Lie

    ??Since they were intruding on the territory of others, Michael ordered all the ships toe to aplete stop. However, he also made sure to tell all personnel to bebat-ready, just in case something unexpected happened.


    The Fleet from the Dvalinn Federation also stopped a good distance away from them, but the formation of their ships made it so that the Naval Forces of the Leventis Family wouldn''t get through them without their permission.


    "Sir, the officer in charge of the Aircraft Carrier wants to talk to you," one of Michael''s officers reported.


    "Connect the line," Michael ordered.


    A secondter, a man whom Thirteen had never seen before appeared on a projection in front of them.


    "Michael, it''s been a while since west saw each other," the Captain of the Ship said with a smile.


    "It''s been three years, Dominic," Michael replied as he adjusted the sses on his face. "You look the same as ever."


    Dominic Riggs was the highestmanding officer of the Riggs Naval Fleet, which was stationed in the Dvalinn Federation. He and Michael had been good friends for many years.


    "As do you," Dominic smirked before ncing at the teenage boy standing beside his friend. "I finally get to see the most famous Rookie in the world. Tell me, Zion Leventis¡ªdo you n to create another miracle and rid the Rigel Continent of the Jinns and Majinns who have conquered it?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "With all due respect, Sir, I''m just a rookie. It''s impossible for me to do the impossible."


    "But you''ve done impossible things before you even became a Rookie," Dominic replied. "Since you''re a Rookie now, wouldn''t that make you even more powerful?"


    "Sir, if Rookies alone can make a difference, the Rigel Continent wouldn''t be in its current state. I hope you don''t have any expectations of me because I will tell you now that you will be greatly disappointed."


    "You shouldn''t say things like that, Zion," Dominic stated with a solemn look on his face. "You are no ordinary Wanderer, and everyone knows it, especially after the world hase to learn about your adventures.


    "News of your arrival has already spread in the Dvalinn Foundation, giving people hope that you might be able to create a miracle to reim ournds. Although it is too much of me to ask you, I hope that you won''t say anything to destroy that hope by choosing your words wisely.


    "Even if you can''t do it, just smile and say that you''ll just go and take a look to see if there''s something you can do about it.


    "By the way, some of the Wanderers you saved in the Valbarra Archipgo, the Deste Mountain, and the Arcadia Archipgo are from the Dvalinn Federation. They are also looking forward to meeting you again."


    This time, Thirteen nodded and didn''t say anything.


    If his existence could somehow give the Cannon Fodders hope, then he would not say anything to break it.


    The Deste Mountain that Dominic spoke of was the ce where Mikhail appeared when he was sent to Solterra for the first time.


    There were over two thousand Wanderers sent to that ce, and all of them were endlessly dealing with Rank 1 Monster Swarms until Thirteen appeared to help them clear their mission.


    The Deste Mountain''s difficulty paled inparison to the Valbarra Archipgo and the Arcadia Archipgo.


    However, it didn''t change the fact that it was still an extremely dangerous mission, for it was a battle of attrition between the Wanderers and the Monsters whose number surpassed theirs a thousand to one.


    It was one of the Legendary Feats under Thirteen''s belt, and only those who experienced it firsthand were able to share it with the world.


    Dominic then raised his hand to Salute Thirteen.


    "Please, allow us to escort you to the Dvalinn Federation," Dominic stated.


    Thirteen saluted back. "Thank you, Sir. We are in your care."


    After exchanging pleasantries, the wall of ships of the Riggs Family parted, allowing Michael''s forces to advance.


    They rearranged the formation of their fleet so that the two Aircraft Carriers moved close to each other.


    An hourter, an old man jumped from the Riggs Aircraft Carrier, casuallynding on the Leventis Aircraft Carrier.


    "Brat, get your sorry ass over here now," Benedict Riggs shouted. "I''m here to talk."


    Since the ships were moving at high speeds, the gusts of wind blowing across the deck were enough to send anyone flying.


    But Benedict stood as if he was just enjoying a passing breeze while waiting for Zion to appear.


    "Sir Benedict, pleasee inside," Michael said through the ship''s speakers. "Zion might get blown away if he steps onto the deck right now because of the strong winds."


    Benedict frowned, but in the end, he still left the deck in order to meet the boy whom he had seen at the Remington n''s party several years ago.


    A few minutester, the Old Man and the teenage boy sat in themand room, facing each other. Behind Thirteen were his Six Captains, and seated by his side was Michael.


    Although he was certain that Benedict wouldn''t harm the boy, Zion''s Uncle didn''t want to take any chances, so he apanied him in this meeting.


    "Boy, what are you nning?" Benedict asked. "Also, don''t give me that crappy answer that you just want to train in the Rigel Continent. The moment I saw you at the party, I instantly realized that you are a wolf in sheep''s clothing. Tell me the truth. Why are youing to the Rigel Continent?"


    "I n to do a lot of things," Thirteen replied.


    "What kind of things?" Benedict inquired as he rested his chin on the back of his intertwined hands.


    "Collect Monster Parts," Thirteen replied.


    The corner of Benedict''s lips twitched because his ability to tell if the person he was talking to was lying or not didn''t sound.


    This meant that Thirteen was telling the truth, but he still felt something fishy, so he asked him more questions.


    "Aside from collecting Monster Parts, what else do you n to do in the Rigel Continent?"


    "Train my men of course."


    "Aside from training your men, what else?"


    "See what kind of Jinns and Majins inhabit the Rigel Continent."


    "And what will you do with that information?"


    "Make a strategy for how to deal with them effectively."


    Benedict asked Thirteen a lot of questions, and the teenage boy answered all of them without telling a single lie.


    After asking for the umpteenth time, Benedict was starting to doubt whether his ability was working on the boy or not.


    "Tell a lie," Benedict ordered.


    "I''m more awesome than you''ll ever be," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat.


    The corner of Benedict''s lips twitched once again because his skill didn''t activate. This meant that the boy in front of him really thought that he was more awesome than him, which gave Benedict a very strong urge to p the boy silly.


    "Boy, will your expedition in the Rigel Continent benefit the people of the Dvalinn Federation?" Benedict inquired.


    "Absolutely." Thirteen answered.


    "In what way?"


    "In many ways."


    "Are you messing with me?"


    "No."


    Benedict nced at Michael with a fed-up expression.


    "Tell me a lie," Benedict stated.


    "You''re more handsome than me," Michael replied.


    Finally, Benedict''s ability activated, but he wasn''t the least bit happy about it!


    He felt as if he was being insulted by the Uncle and Nephew pair, who were bothughing at him in their hearts.


    Benedict''s purpose for talking to Zion was to ask the questions that the Higher-Ups of the Dvalinn Federation wanted to know the answer to.


    However, Thirteen was like a slippery eel, only answering him with half-truths.


    "Fine," Benedict sighed. "No matter what you n to do, I''ll find out about it eventually. Do you know why?"


    "I''m guessing that Sir Benedict is going to apany me to the Rigel Continent?" Thirteen said.


    "That''s right," Benedict didn''t deny and directly admitted that he was tasked to monitor whatever Thirteen was going to do on the Rigel Continent. "So, if you do anything fishy, I''ll give you a good spanking."


    Thirteen didn''t reply, but he wasughing internally.


    He already expected that the Dvalinn Federation would do something like this to monitor his movements, and he was fine with that.


    It didn''t matter if Benedict or several others joined him in his journey.


    Actually, having a Champion as his chaperone wasn''t a bad thing.


    Not only would he get a strong bodyguard, but it would also allow him to form connections with one of the high-ranking members of the Riggs Family, who had a deep history with his grandpa and grandma.


    Benedict observed the teenage boy with a critical gaze, but the more he looked at him, the more he felt that the boy was up to no good.


    But, for the time being, he gave him the benefit of the doubt, as he stayed on the ship until Michael''s fleet finally arrived in the Dvalinn Federation after a week of travel in the sea.

 Chapter 332 Greedy By Nature

    ??"So this is Dvalinn Federation''s Headquarters," Cristopher muttered. "One of the ces in the world that no ordinary people can casually visit."


    "Who would even want to visit this ce?" Colbert looked at his friend like he had heard something weird. "This artificial ind isn''t meant to be a tourist attraction. It''s a ce where they train everyone who wishes to reim the Rigel Continent, blindly hoping that a powerful Wanderer would emerge among them."


    "Are you talking about creating another Throne or Monarch?" Pietro asked.


    Colbert shook his head. "No. They are hoping that someone like the Young Master will appear. If Monarchs and Thrones were enough to reim the Rigel Continent, we would have reimed it long ago.


    "There was a time when an Elite Raiding Teamposed of forty-thousand people, apanied by the Five Monarchs, the Ten Thrones, and the Powerhouses of the Central Government, tried their hand to reim the Rigel Continent.


    "Even with that line-up, all of their efforts failed since they were up against ten Rank 9 Sovereigns with millions of Higher-Ranked Monsters guarding them. In the end, after losing more than a third of their expedition forces, they were forced to retreat.


    "Since then, no expedition force of that same magnitude has tried to recover the Rigel Continent. Only the Elrod n, the Rhodes, Riggs, and Nightshade Families decided to continue fighting."


    What Colbert didn''t know was that it was also this incident that made Arthur Leventis, who wanted to use that opportunity to be a Monarch, bring all the elites of the Leventis Family.


    Unfortunately, they suffered countless losses in that great battle.


    It was also then that Lady Callista contracted the poison that gued her body. The poison not only made her rank degrade, but it also nearly ended her life as the poison seeped into all of her bone and muscle tissues.


    "We will restock here for three days before we head to the Rigel Continent," Michael said as he fixed the sses on his face. "I''ve received word that a party will be held for your arrival tomorrow night, Zion. Make sure to behave yourself."


    "Uncle, why do all of you tell me to behave myself?" Thirteen blinked innocently. "I''m very well-behaved, you know?"


    Michael didn''t answer as he fixed his sses for the umpteenth time.


    He had known his nephew long enough to know that behaving was something that didn''t exist in Zion''s dictionary.


    "I advise you to tell your soldiers to remain on the ship, and not wander around," Benedict, who was standing beside Thirteen, stated. "We don''t get guests very often, so there''s a possibility that some of our brats will get excited and try to mess with your people."


    Thirteen nodded because he agreed with the Old Man''s advice.


    "The six of you, make sure to pass my orders to everyone," Thirteen said as he nced at his six officers, who managed their own toons. "Tell them to not leave the ship and to not wander around Dvalinn unless I order them to do so. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    The six captains called out to their subordinates and passed Thirteen''s message to them.


    "Tonight, the two of you will be invited to have dinners with the Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families," Benedict stated. "The Number Two of the Elrod n will also be there."


    "How about the Number One?" Thirteen inquired.


    "He will meet you tomorrow." Benedict smirked. "I want to see if you can remainposed after you see him."


    "I doubt he''ll be as ugly as Arundel," Thirteen replied. "I guess I''ll take your word to heart, Uncle, and see if I won''t be able to stayposed after seeing Wendell Elrod, the Monarch who governs the Elrod n."


    Thirteen knew that it was only a matter of time before he met one of the Monarchs.


    But he didn''t expect that he would meet one on this asion.


    "My son already told you, right?" Benedict whispered in Thirteen''s ears. "You are no ordinary Wanderer. Even someone of his stature would like to meet you in the flesh instead of looking at your image through a projection."


    After saying those words, Benedict bid goodbye and went to inform the other Patriarchs about the answers he got from interrogating Thirteen.


    He had used a recording artifact, which saved him the trouble of narrating his conversation with the boy word per word.


    A few hourster, just before sunset, Michael and Zion left the Aircraft Carrier to have dinner with the Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families.


    Colbert, who was inside his room, sat on his bed while holding a crystal orb in his hand.


    Suddenly, the orb glowed faintly, which made Colbert slowly put it on top of the bed.


    A sh of light shot out from the crystal orb and revealed a projection on the screen.


    A handsome man with long blue hair looked at Colbert with a smile.


    "Congrattions, Colbert Riggs," the man stated. "You have been chosen to contribute to the Dvalinn Federation. As long as you provide us with important information, I am willing to reward you generously."


    "Thank you, Sir," Colbert bowed respectfully to the man, who was the strongest Wanderer in the Dvalinn Federation. "I am happy to be of service to you and the Dvalinn Federation." "Good." The blue-haired man nodded. "I''m sure that the Riggs Family will be very happy to see you contributing to their greater good."


    Wendell Elrod, one of the Monarchs hailed as one of the six strongest people in the world, smiled faintly.


    "It doesn''t matter what kind of information it is," Wendell stated. "It could be as trivial as what he ate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Make sure to report anything that you find interesting, not leaving a stone left unturned.


    "Do this, and your efforts will be recognized and rewarded without fail. You are one of Zion Leventis'' most trusted confidants, so I''m sure that you will be able to give us fast and reliable informationpared to the other spies that have infiltrated the 69th Battalion.


    "Are you willing to ept this task, Colbert Riggs?"


    "Yes, Your Excellency," Colbert nodded his head respectfully. "Your will is my Command."


    Wendell nodded. "As it should be. I am looking forward to your contribution, Colbert. Do not let us down."


    After saying those parting words, the light of the crystal orb dimmed.


    "It looks like the Young Master is right," Colbert said as he picked up the unresponsive orb from the bed. "But to think that instead of a big fish, a whale had taken the bait. I guess it''s time for me to have a side hustle."


    Colbert chuckled as he ced the Crystal Orb in a wooden box.


    Thirteen had asked him to be a double agent because the teenage boy already had a n in mind.


    He didn''t mind if his left-hand man took on a side hustle in order to gain benefits.


    In fact, he even asked Colbert to squeeze them dry.


    The dozens of Spies from the other Families, who managed to join Zion''s Battalion, were also under the same orders.


    All of them were tasked to report the teenage boy''s every movement.


    This exchange of information allowed them to gain many benefits from the families who wished to spy on Thirteen''s movements.


    What they didn''t know was that Thirteen was already aware of the silly little ns of these powerful families.


    Thirteen knew that Humans were greedy by nature, so he would use their greed in order to gain what he needed from the pockets of the very people who were greatly underestimating his scamming abilities, which he learned from a certain old bandit thousands of years ago.

 Chapter 333 Is It Free?

    ??Thirteen and Michael entered a ssy restaurant that was patronized by the most influential people on the man-made ind of Dvalinn.


    They had been invited to a dinner with the Patriarchs of the three Prestigious ns, along with a few of their most trusted subordinates.


    Of course, the Elrod n had also sent a few of their representatives to wee Michael and the boy whom they''d been wanting to meet personally.


    When the waiter opened the door to the VIP Room, Thirteen saw twelve people sitting around a round table filled with many delicious delicacies.


    The teenage boy gave them a brief nod of greeting before walking toward the two empty seats, which were reserved for them.


    Those who were already inside the room watched the teenage boy as he walked with confidence.


    A faint smile could even be seen on his face as he brushed off the intimidating stares that were being sent in his direction.


    Compared to Arundel, the Artemians, and everything that he had faced in Solterra, the people inside the room looked very cute.


    Michael also walked with confidence and sat beside his nephew.


    This wasn''t his first time meeting these people, so he had already gotten used to their greeting.


    "Not bad," the Patriarch of the Rhodes Family, Ronald Rhodes,mented.


    Thirteen smiled at the middle-aged man with gray hair and eyes, who was looking at him with an amused expression on his face.


    The teenage boy then nced at the two other Patriarchs, whom he recognized thanks to the information he gathered from the Inte.


    Ronald Rhodes, Hugo Riggs, and Spencer Nightshade.


    They were the three Patriarchs of the three Prestigious Families who had supported the Monarch, Wendell Elrod, in the construction of the man-made ind, Dvalinn, and made it their base of operation to reim their homnd from the Jinns.


    "Let''s eat before the food turns cold," Spencer said. "It will not be toote to have our talk after all of us are feeling full and content."


    His words were met with approval, so everyone ate and made casual small talk with each other.


    An hourter, when their tables were cleared of food, the real talk finally began.


    Benedict, who was also with them, had already shown everyone his recorded interrogation of Zion.


    Since most of their questions had already been answered, they decided to use a different approach to try and pry answers from the teenage boy who had decided to go to the Rigel Continent, contrary to everyone else who was preparing for the invasion in the Cygni Continent.


    "Do you wish to ask us anything about the ce where you want to go?" Hugo Riggs, the current Patriarch of the Riggs Family, asked. "I don''t want to brag, but we havepiled all the information about the Jinns and Majins that inhabit half of the continent. Are you interested?"


    "Is it free?" Thirteen asked innocently. "My sry from the Central Government is not that big. So, if you want to take my entire savings, I''m sorry but I have to pass."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not going after peanuts," Hugo stated. "In exchange for the information, I want some body parts from the Otherworlders who were taken from the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "The Leventis Family refused to share even a single corpse, so I''m wondering if we can strike a deal right here right now." Hugo smiled faintly. "We want four High-Ranking corpses of these beings called Artemians.


    "It''s not a bad deal, considering it will be exchanged for the years of painstaking effort that we used topile the Jinn Bestiary that will be helpful for whatever you n to do in the RIgel Continent."


    The Dvalinn Federation''s Jinn Bestiary not only noted the name of the Jinn but also included other useful information. Information like the location of where they could be seen in the continent, their weakness, and their sphere of influence, as well as their habits, were also detailed.


    All of this precious information was gathered through the countless sacrifices of the Wanderers who had risked their lives to obtain such information.


    Michael frowned because he didn''t expect that the Patriarchs would propose such a thing.


    The body parts of the Artemians were being held in an Underground Vault somewhere in the Leventis Family''s Domain.


    Ever since they heard that the Leventis Family was seen in the Arcadia Archipgo, everyone developed a great interest in seeing what these Artemians looked like.


    But even after the Central Government, the Monarchs, as well as the Prestigious Families, asked for a sample, Arthur only presented them with a single corpse, and that was of a Rank 5 Artemian Sovereign.


    This sample was currently being studied by the Central Government in the hopes that they would be able to gain some useful information about them.


    "I don''t have the authority to agree to this condition," Thirteen replied. "As you may already know, my father was kicked out from the Leventis Family. Also, my Grandpa and I are really not close."


    "But you''re close enough with Michael, right?" Spencermented. "So, how about it, Michael? Can you give us four samples in exchange for helping your nephew with his¡­ field trip in the Rigel Continent?''


    Michael pondered for a bit before nodding his head. "Will you be fine with samples of Rank 5 Sovereigns?" "That''s fine," Ronald nodded.


    "Then I will arrange it," Michael agreed to the condition because this wasn''t a big deal to them.


    Their researchers had already collected enough blood and tissue samples of the Artemians, so letting the other families have a few of them would not really hinder their research.


    After striking the deal, the atmosphere in the room became more lively as Thirteen answered the questions that were being asked to him.


    The only one who didn''t talk much was the representative of the Eldor n, who seemed content in listening to the discussion in the room.


    Four hourster, Thirteen and Michael returned to the port where their ship was currently docked.


    In his hand was a data chip that contained information about the monsters in the Rigel Continent, which would help his subordinates greatly in their uing mission on the Jinn-


    infested continent.

 Chapter 334 You Can Count On Me

    ??Thirteen walked on the Aircraft Carrier''s hallway while looking at the data chip in his hand.


    Truth be told, even without the data chip, Thirteen coulde up with the same results.


    All he needed to do was look at the monsters, and he would be able to search for them in his own database.


    As long as there were no new breeds of monsters that popped up during the three-hundred-year period since Thirteen hadst been in Solterra, he was confident that he couldpile his own Jinn Compendium that would surpass whatever the Dvalinn Federation possessed.


    Still, thepiled information handed to him was useful, for it would allow him to exin why he knew a lot of things about the monsters in the Rigel Continent.


    He could just say "I knew about this information because of the exchange I had with Eldrod n, the Rhodes Family, the Riggs Family, as well as the Nightshade Family."


    No one would be suspicious of him, and no one would question this information.


    The moment Thirteen entered his room, he was greeted by the sight of Tiona, who was busy watching a show on Television.


    The ck Snake had developed a new hobby of watching Documentaries about Solterra, which Thirteen found very amusing.


    ''Two more days, and we will finally set sail to the Rigel Continent,'' Thirteen thought as Tiona coiled around his neck and demanded his attention.


    The meeting he had with the Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families ended on a good note, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.


    His true concern was what would happen tomorrow.


    ording to the representatives of the Elrod n, their Patriarch wanted to meet him. However, something came up in Solterra that needed his immediate attention.


    Something that would force a Monarch to personally take action couldn''t be a simple matter.


    But Thirteen was fine in not meeting Wendell Elrod, who was one of the six Monarchs in the world.


    He would deal with them once his preparations wereplete. For now, he was fine with letting them do whatever they wanted to do.


    "I''m sleepy, Tiona. Do you want to sleep with me?" Thirteen asked.


    The ck snake nodded her head to answer her Master''s question.


    It had been a long day, and frankly, he just wanted to sleep early in preparation for their uing expedition in the Rigel Continent.


    While Thirteen was nning to sleep, there were people inside the Aircraft Carrier who were busy talking with the Elders of their families to give their report.


    One of these people was Alexis McKnight, who was an agent secretly sent by the Griffin n, who was stationed in the Cygni Continent.


    They were very curious as to why the Central Government decided to give Zion Leventis such a high rank despite the fact that he had just joined their organization.


    Also, they wanted to keep tabs on the Wanderer who was deemed to stay as a Rookie for life.


    Behind closed doors, there were rumors spreading in Pangea that the Lace Demon and The One had be too scared of Zion''s potential that they decided to put restrictions on his body so that he wouldn''t be able to be strong in both worlds.


    Whether these rumors were true or not, the fact remained that Thirteen did have restrictions ced on his body.


    The young boy purposely made his information public so that it would make those who were jealous of him feel a bit better because, in their eyes, he no longer had a future.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");


    It also lowered the guard of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families.


    Thest thing that they wanted to happen was for another genius like Gerald to appear in the Leventis Family, which could potentially change the status quo.


    Before the reveal, some of them were even plotting to assassinate Thirteen before he became too famous and too influential.


    But after seeing his status page, they felt pity for the boy, so they decided to just leave him be.


    He might''ve managed to do some incredible things, but at the end of the day, a Rookie would never be able to shake the foundations of their family''s power.


    Alexis looked at the man in the projection in front of him with a solemn gaze.


    "How long will you be staying in the Dvalinn Federation?" the man asked.


    "Two more days," Alexis replied. "After that, we will head to the Rigel Continent as scheduled."


    "Did you gather any important information as ofte?" "The only thing I know is that Zion and the Patriarchs had a meeting after dinner. We were ordered to not leave the ship, so I wasn''t able to confirm who else went to their meeting.


    The man nodded in understanding. "Just make sure to keep an eye on him. His desire to visit the Rigel Continent must mean that there is something important there that he needed to see or confirm.


    "I''m sure that the other Families were thinking of the same thing. But right now, no one can casually enter the Rigel Continent without getting permission from the Dvalinn Federation.


    "Those people are still unable to move on, and still stuck in their dream of regaining their homnd," the manmented with a wry smile on his face. "But who am I to judge, when my own continent is about to face the same fate as them?"


    Alexis looked calmly at the man in front of him, who lorded over the Rigel Continent for the past three hundred years.


    "Don''t forget your mission, Alexis," the Patriarch of the Griffin n, Ray Griffin, said. "Don''t let me down."


    "Yes, Your Excellency," Alexis replied. "You can count on me."


    Ray nodded before cutting off the connection.


    ''I don''t understand why everyone is so concerned about Zion Leventis,'' Alexis mulled as he thought about his Battalion Commander. ''Sure, he might have done a lot of amazing things in the past, but that is all in the past. He won''t be making any waves again.''


    Alexis was one of those people who believed that Zion Leventis no longer had a future.


    Yet for some reason, many people still wanted to know whatever he was doing.


    Perhaps everyone just wanted to hear more miraculous stories, given the desperate situation that the world was facing.


    During these times, everyone was looking for a Hero. This was why the Central Government had created their own "Hero Unit," which was also making waves in both Solterra and Pangea.


    ''Whatever. As long as I''m getting paid, I don''t have to worry about the specifics,'' Alexis thought as heid down on his bed to finally get some sleep.


    He decided that he would know whether the teenage boy was the real deal or not after arriving at the Rigel Continent, which would be their Battalion''s first opportunity to face a future that they were trying so hard to prevent from happening again.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq");

 Chapter 335 It’s Just His Way To Motivate His Subordinates

    ??Since he no longer needed to meet the Monarch of the Elrod n, Thirteen''s stay in the Dvalinn Federation onlysted for two days.


    After that, they resumed their journey towards the Rigel Continent.


    However this time, they were no longer alone.


    The Three Prestigious Families, as well as the second inmand of the Elrod n, sent a few of their people to apany Thirteen on his trip in the Rigel Continent.


    Aside from the Leventis Family''s Naval Fleet, four other warships joined them.


    These four warships belonged to the Elrod n, Rhodes Family, Riggs Family, and the Nightshade Family.


    The Dvalinn Federation had secured a small base of operation at the very edge of the Rigel Continent. This is where theyunched their raiding operations, hunting down Lower-Ranked Jinns and Majins near their area.


    The truly powerful monsters usually stayed at the center of the Continent, with some of them wandering randomly from ce to ce as if patrolling their territory.


    They were also aware that the Wanderers had set up a small camp along the northern edges of the continent, but they allowed them to do as they pleased.


    The High-Ranking Jinns and Majins were not afraid of the Humans'' regr raiding operations within their domain.


    After all, these Wanderers also served as a tasty snack, which they wanted to enjoy from time to time.


    That was why the Jinns and Majins tolerated them, and didn''t make any move to wipe out their headquarters from the face of thend.


    "We''re almost there," the Captain of the Ship dered, making Michael and Thirteen look at the ind in the distance.


    Michael''s hand trembled for a brief moment before it regained its calmness.


    After seeing the Rigel Continent once more, he remembered the fateful battle that happened in the past.


    The Leventis Family had suffered great losses during that expedition.


    Since then, Arthur never visited the Rigel Continent because there were only painful memories waiting for him in that ce.


    Michael was one of the Wanderers who had participated in that expedition several years ago.


    All of them believed that if humanity worked together towards a single goal, they would be able to ovee the challenges presented to them.


    Unfortunately, even after doing their best, they failed to exterminate their enemies. They were even lucky that they were able to return back alive, with their retainers doing their best to hold the line, allowing them to escape.


    Even to this day, the Leventis Family still supported the families of their Elite Retainers, who had died in that battle.


    Their education, expenses, as well as other misceneous stuff was covered by their family.


    It was their way of atoning for the lives that they had lost in a battle that was bound to fail from the start.


    "Zion, promise me something," Michael said as he kept his gaze on the ind that was getting bigger with each passing second. "You will not attempt to go past the danger zone that has been outlined by the Dvalinn Federation."


    "Mmm." Thirteen hummed.


    "Is that a yes, or a no?" Michael asked.


    "Mmm."


    "You little brat."


    Michael sighed because his nephew was being vague with his answer. He had promised his Father that he would take care of Zion and promised him that he would bring his nephew back alive no matter the cost.


    However, the teenage boy seemed unwilling to cooperate, which was giving Michael a headache.


    An hourter, the ships finally docked at the port that was meant for the Dvalinn Federation.


    They were still two miles away from the ind, but this was the closest they could get without endangering themselves by triggering a sudden raid by the Jinns who inhabit the continent.


    In order to arrive at their destination, all of them would need to enter a portal in the military port, which was connected to the ind.


    This portal was a one-way portal, which meant that they could use it to get into the ind, but they were unable to use it to get back to their ships.


    This was a safety measure that the Dvalinn Federation had made to prevent monsters from using their portal to destroy the ce where their ships were docked. "Everyone, the time hase," Thirteen stated as he faced his subordinates, who were looking back at him withplicated looks on their faces.


    He could see the anxiety in their eyes, and he believed that it was normal for them to feel that way.


    Only a handful of people remained calm like Cristopher, Colbert, and Piper, who hadplete trust in him.


    "When we get to the ind, I want all of you to listen to my orders like your lives depended on it because your life will really depend on it," Thirteen stated. "It is time to put your training to use. I don''t want any of you dying because that is not the reason why we came here.


    "Also, each of you will be given this device that I am holding right now. This is called MonsterDex. The Dvalinn Federation was kind enough to give us the data of the majority of the monsters in the ind. When you see a monster, just point this device in their direction, and you will be able to see their information.


    "The information includes their habitats, weaknesses, as well as things that they like, and don''t like. It is also capable of determining their rank, so don''t try to fight a monster that is two ranks above you, unless you are with a group.


    "But, even then, utmost caution must be exercised. We came here to get rich¡ªerrr to train, and not to die. If any of you die here, I will spit on your corpse, and throw it into the sea to feed the fishes. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    The representatives of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families almost did a double-take when they heard Zion say that their purpose foring here was to get rich.


    Even Benedict, who had volunteered to watch over Thirteen couldn''t help but nce at Michael, as if asking him if his nephew was being serious.


    "He''s just trying to lighten the atmosphere," Michael said as he adjusted the sses on his face. "It''s just his way to motivate his subordinates."


    Benedict epted this answer because getting rich was something that you could not do by visiting a monster-infested continent.


    If doing that could make them rich then the Dvalinn Federation would have been very rich long ago.


    "Green Lanterns, move out!" Thirteen ordered.


    As soon as he gave the order, his subordinates climbed into their respective vehicles.


    Each squad, which wasposed of five people, rode in a vehicle simr to a Humvee, which they would use to travel in the Rigel Continent.


    The man-made Port was also a military station, allowing vehicles of any type to pass through the one-way teleportation gate that led to the Rigel Continent.


    Of course, there was also a teleporter that would also allow anyone from the continent to teleport to the port city, but the conditions for using it were very stringent.


    Thirteen rode in Michael''s Humvee, which was thest one to enter the portal.


    As soon as they passed through the other side of the Gate, Thirteen''s heart started to beat wildly inside his chest.


    Now that he had arrived on the ind, he was one step closer to recovering the three Cursed Items that his former host had left behind.


    As well as a step closer, to showing everyone the thing he had envisioned for the members of his Battalion.

 Chapter 336 Greed Is Good

    ??A day after Thirteen arrived in the Rigel Continent¡­


    "Your Battalion''s uniform is so¡­ eye-catching," Benedictmented as he looked at Zion''s subordinates, who had finally dressed in their military uniforms.


    "I know, right?" Thirteen said proudly as if he was the one that raised these Wanderers since they were just babies.


    Even the other representatives of the influential families couldn''t look at them for a very long time because the light-green color was blinding to their eyes.


    The Wanderers from the Dvalinn Federation, who were also stationed in the military base couldn''t help but look at the Green Lanterns weirdly.


    However, after being looked at with such gazes for more than a month, the Green Lanterns no longer felt embarrassed because they were already numb at the attention.


    "So, what do you n to do today, Zion?" Benedict asked. "Yesterday you ordered your people to unload their equipment, and modify their Humvees. I''m sure that you are going to mobilize them today, right?"


    "That''s right," Thirteen nodded.


    "So, what do you have in mind?" Benedict inquired. "If you want to hunt monsters, I can guide you to a ce where lower-ranked Monsters are located."


    "Thanks for the offer, Uncle Benedict, but what I want to do right now is a bit of treasure hunting," Thirteen answered.


    "Treasure hunting? Here?"


    "Yes."


    Thirteen then tapped his watch, creating a 3d Layout of the surrounding area that spanned for ten miles.


    This information was also included in the Data Chip that the Dvalinn Federation had given him.


    "I n to investigate this ce to see if we can mine some precious ores and minerals," Thirteen stated. "Uncle, are you feeling lucky today? If so, how about you point to a location on the map where we can start our mining operation? If we get something, I promise to give you ten percent."


    "Ten Percent?" Benedict chuckled. "Are you sure you will really find something? At most I am certain that you will only find rocks here in this ce."


    "Well, how about we give it a go?" Thirteen said with a smile. "Point to the ce where you think there might be some precious ores that we can mine, Uncle."


    Thirteen had started calling Benedict, Uncle, which amused the Old Man. However, since getting called Uncle by the Legendary Rookie gave him some brownie points, he decided to ept it as his way of forming stronger connections with Zion.


    "How about we choose Sector 5?" Uncle Benedict said as he pointed at a location on the projection.


    The moment his finger came in contact with the projection, the area zoomed in, showing the topography of thend.


    "This small mountain is only inhabited by Lower-Ranked Jinns, so it will not be a problem for you to start digging on this ce. It will be a good exercise for your subordinates."


    Thirteen looked in the direction where the Old Man had pointed and nodded his head.


    "Understood," Thirteenmented. "We will move out in an hour."


    The representatives of the influential families nced at each other and shook their heads helplessly.


    They had just arrived on the ind, and the first thing that Zion Leventis wanted to do was to go treasure hunting.


    If treasures could be gained by randomly pointing to a location in the map then the Dvalinn Federation would have already benefited a lot many years ago.


    Just as Thirteen stated, he and his men ventured towards Sector Five, apanied by Michael, Benedict, and the other representatives of the Monarch n, and the three Prestigious Families.


    When they arrived at their destination, everyone disembarked, and surveyed the surroundings.


    "Uncle, where do you think we should dig first?" Thirteen asked.


    "How about right under my foot?" Benedict replied in a teasing tone.


    "Okay, we''ll dig under your foot," Thirteen smirked. "Alcapone,e here."


    The Squad Leader of the E4 Mafia, Alcapoone, grudgingly walked towards Thirteen carrying a shovel in his hand.


    He originally nned to take a nap inside the Humvee, but for some reason, their Battalion Commander always kept a close watch on their group, preventing them fromzing around.


    But, before he could start digging, Thirteen told him to wait as he set up the Military Equipment, which would allow him tomunicate with Colonel Fischer back in the Freedom Garrison.


    "Sir, we have safely arrived in the Rigel Continent," Thirteen saluted as soon as he saw the projection of the Colonel. "Good." Colonel Fischer saluted back. "So, what are you doing right now?"


    "I n to start digging for resources. If we are lucky enough to find anything, I''ll give the Central Government ten percent of the materials we get through mining."


    "Mining?" Colonel Fischer tilted his head in confusion. "I thought you were going there to train?"


    "Mining is also part of the training," Thirteen answered. "It will help them build muscles and stamina."


    "Well, if you say so." Colonel Fischer nodded.


    After seeing that his witness was ready, Thirteen nced at his Squad Leader and finally gave an order.


    "Start digging, Alcapone," Thirteen said. "If you get something, I promise that it will be yours."


    "¡­ Yes, Sir," Alcapone replied while sighing in his heart.


    The tallest and bulkiest member of the E4 Mafia started to dig, while his fellow shammers made themselves look busy by holding a nk piece of paper, and ncing at their surroundings, acting very important.


    Benedict watched the disgruntled soldier dig and dig some more.


    Finally, after digging down two meters, everyone heard a resounding clinking sound as if the military shovel had hit some kind of metal.


    Benedict looked down on the hole, and saw Alcapone starting to dig carefully in the ground under his feet.


    Suddenly, and without warning, the old man jumped into the hole and picked up something from the ground, which made his eyes wide.


    In his hand was a green crystal which was emanating a faint light at its center.


    "Empyrium," Benedict said hoarsely. "It is really Empyrium."


    Empyrium was a precious ore that was very important to the military because it had many uses.


    It could be used as a power source for vehicles, simr to how nuclear reactors were used.


    The good thing about it was that it could also be used to power up weapons like cannons and special armaments that used energy-based attacks.


    Colonel Fischer, who saw the Empyrium, stood up from his chair, and looked at it with bloodshot eyes.


    He never expected that Zion''s subordinates would really discover something precious just by digging randomly in the ground.


    "Um, Sir, I believe that Empyrium is mine," Alcapone said timidly because it was something that Zion had promised to him.


    Since he was the one who found it, it was something that rightfully belonged to him.


    "Uncle, if there''s one here, it means there are more lying around under this ce," Thirteen stated which made Benedict snap out from his daze.


    The old man then reluctantly gave the Empyrium to Alcapone, making thetter very happy.


    The palm sized Empyrium in his hand was already worth tens of thousands of gold coins. If he could find more then wouldn''t that make him filthy rich?


    The members of the E4 Mafia, who were doing their best to avoid working, immediately started digging around the ce where Alcapone found his Empyrium.


    To their surprise, they only needed to dig two meters deep before they got their own Empyrium Ores, making the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation ecstatic.


    But, before they could celebrate, several trucks belonging to the Leventis Family arrived at the scene.


    Michael didn''t hesitate to give an order, and his subordinates immediately began constructing mining equipment, which made Benedict''s jaw drop.


    "Y-You seem very prepared, Michael," Benedict stuttered as he looked at Arthur''s son, who was barking orders here and there.


    "Didn''t my nephew already say it earlier, Sir Benedict?" Michael asked as he fixed the sses on his face. "We came here to get rich. Thank you for pointing out a good location to start our mining operations."


    Thirteen, who was standing by the side, lightly patted Benedict''s waist, making the Old Man nce in his direction.


    "Don''t worry, Uncle," Thirteen stated. "You''ll get ten percent. Thank you for making us rich."


    "Zion, remember, the Central Government will also take ten percent of your gains," Colonel Fischer said. "I''ll make sure to put in a good word to the Generals, as well as the Field Marshal about your contributions.


    "Also, do we need to send more people to assist you? Empyrium is a very precious resource. Do we need to set up a camp to protect that site from monsters?"


    "There will be no need for that, Colonel," one of the representatives of the Nightshade Family stated. "We will be more than enough to protect this ce. Of course, we will also ask for ten percent for our trouble."


    The members of the Dvalinn Federation all nodded their heads enthusiastically, and some of them were already talking to their patriarchs using their Communicators.


    The discovery of an Empyrium mine was a big deal, and they wanted to mine as much as possible before the Monstres in the Continent got wind of what they were doing in Sector 5.


    While this was happening, a certain Magma Bal-Boa, who was digging underground with Tiona, was busy spitting out Empyrium from under the ground.


    Last night, Thirteen had asked him and Tiona to look for important minerals, and resources that were buried deep underground.


    The first thing that the two found was an Empyrium Mine, which Rocky happily collected, overnight.


    Since he could easily swallow minerals without disturbing theyout of thend, the mining went smoothly.


    Of course, he wasn''t able to gather everything overnight, but he gathered enough for what Thirteen had in mind.


    The Empyrium Mine was big, so all Rocky needed to do was spit out all the Empyrium that he gathered, which was roughly only ten percent of the Empyrium that could be found at the mining area which was two miles away from where his Master was.


    When Thirteen said that they would move in an hour, he told Rocky to start dumping the Empyrium in Sector 5, then return to the mine to gather the rest.


    The ten percent that Rocky deposited in Sector 5 would be shared by everyone, while he would get ny-percent of everything, which he would secretly send back to his home, using a special teleportation device that he had prepared for this expedition.


    What he wanted to do was to create an illusion for everyone that, wherever he went, treasures and precious minerals could be acquired.


    This would make him a very precious individual in the eyes of the Elrod n, the three Prestigious Families, as well as the Central Government.


    As long as he was able to execute his ns properly, he would be the Super VIP Guest of the Dvalinn Federation, forming a solid connection with them, which he nned to use in the not-so-distant-future.

 Chapter 337 All Part Of The Plan [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 337 All Part Of The n [Part 1] </h4>


    "He discovered an Empyrium Deposit?" the Monarch of the Griffin n, Dous Griffin, asked Alexis, who wasmunicating with him through voice message.


    "Yes, Your Excellency," Alexis replied. "It was technically Benedict Riggs who chose where to mine, but the one who took the initiative to look for precious resources was Zion.


    "The Dvalinn Federation and the Leventis Family have already struck a deal. Thetter will give twenty percent of the mined Empyrium to the Federation in exchange for adding security to the mining area.


    "Before this deal, Zion promised Sir Benedict ten percent of the total yield of Empyrium, so the Dvalinn Federation will officially receive thirty percent of shares from the mining operation."


    Dous frowned after hearing his spy''s report.


    "How long did it take you to send me this information since the discovery of the mine?" Dous inquired.


    "Fifteen minutes, Your Excellency," Alexis answered. "I contacted you as soon as I could."


    "Good job. You will be rewarded for your efforts. I need to cut the connection now, but make sure to contact me if something important happens."


    "Understood, My Lord."


    As soon as the connection was cut, Dous Griffin pressed a button on the control panel in front of him.


    A few secondster, the projection of Arthur Leventis appeared in front of him.


    "Good day, Arthur," Dous said with a faint smile. "I heard that your grandson has discovered an Empyrium Deposit."


    Arthur arched an eyebrow as he eyed the Monarch with great interest.


    "I just got this news from my son a few minutes ago," Arthur stated. "You are the first one to contact me, and I''m sure you will not be thest. Your informationwork is good. So, tell me, what do you want to talk about?"


    "I''ll get straight to the point, Arthur," Dous stated. "I want you to sell seventy percent of the Empyrium that the Leventis Family will gain from mining in the Rigel Continent to me. I am willing to buy it ten percent higher than the market price. What do you say?"


    Arthur frowned because he didn''t know if he should ept the offer or not.


    Their family would only get sixty percent of the total yield of Empyrium because ten percent of it would go to the Central Government.


    However, Dous wanted to purchase seventy percent of their gains, which would only leave the Leventis Family with thirty percent of the mineral that could be used to enhance their family''s military capabilities.


    He wanted to reject Dous'' proposal, but a part of him didn''t want to.


    The reason why he was hesitating to reject the proposal wasn''t because he was afraid of Dous Griffin, who was a Monarch.


    The reason why he was having a hard time deciding was because he was Human.


    As a fellow Human, he understood that the Cygni Continent was preparing to fight against the invading Monsters from Solterra.


    In order to seed, they would need vast amounts of resources, and Empyrium was a resource that could potentially tilt the war in their favor.


    Humanity had already lost the Continents of Antares and Rigel to the Jinns and Majins.


    If they lost Cygni as well, only the Sirius Continent and the Aldebaran Continent would be left.


    These two continents would be thest bastion of humanity against the monsters who wished to conquer their world.


    Seeing his hesitation, Dous decided to throw one more condition to make Arthur agree to his proposal.


    "If you do me this favor, I will owe you a favor," Dous said. "You can ask for this favor anytime, and I will honor it as long as it doesn''t go below my bottom line. Arthur, I will be honest¡ªI need that Empyrium, so please, sell it to me."


    "Fine," Arthur replied. "Send your people to pick it up in the Rigel Continent. I don''t have enough manpower to deliver it to you."


    Dous nodded. "Good. I owe you one, Arthur."


    While the two of them were already discussing the sales of Empyrium, the spies who managed to infiltrate Zion''s battalion were also reporting this incident to their superiors.


    Just like Dous, many of them were very interested in purchasing the Empyrium from the Leventis Family.


    They knew that the Dvalinn Federation wouldn''t let them have any because they would use it to reim theirnds.


    So, after talking to their spies, they tried to contact Arthur Leventis directly. They bypassed Michael, knowing that he didn''t have the authority to promise them anything.


    The Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families tried to offer good terms and payments for the Empyrium.


    Unfortunately, Dous had already beaten them to it.


    When they heard that Arthur had already agreed to sell seventy percent of the Leventis Family''s shares to Dous Griffin, all of them were disappointed.


    However, none of them tried to strong-arm Arthur into breaking their deal.


    They knew how important the Cygni Continent was for the human race, so they didn''t make any unreasonable demands or threats towards the Leventis Family.


    They were just a little disappointed that their agents hadn''t told them the news faster, allowing Dous to reap the benefits this time.


    In the end, they left a message with their subordinates who were within Thirteen''s Battalion to report any incident like this in the future at the fastest time possible.


    The Central Government had also initiated an emergency meeting to discuss the events that just transpired in the Rigel Continent


    "He just arrived in Rigel, and this happened," the Field Marshal of the Central Government, Tristan Summers, said with a bitter smile. "Can''t he just behave and not stir up any waves from the get-go?"


    "It''s such a shame that Zion only gave us ten percent," Colonel Fischer said. "But, if he hadn''t called me beforehand, I''m sure that we wouldn''t even get ten percent. The Dvalinn Federation surely would have kept this incident under wraps."


    "Empyrium is an important mineral for the military," a Generalmented. "Maybe we should use a bit of our influence to ask for twenty¡­ no thirty percent more. What do you think?"


    "It''s no longer possible," the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton, dered. "I talked to Arthur Leventis before I called for this meeting. He said that Dous has already asked him to sell seventy percent of the Empyrium that their family will gain from their mining operations."


    Most of the officers of the Army were participating in this meeting through projections since they were stationed all over Pangea.


    Despite being nearlyplete, a silence thatsted for a full minute descended upon their meeting.


    "Sir, why did you initiate this meeting?" one of the Generals asked.


    "I called all of you here today to discuss an important matter," Lawrence stated. "After talking to Colonel Fischer, I finally understand one of the reasons why Zion Leventis wished to go to the Rigel Continent.


    "He went there in order to mine precious ores and minerals. ording to him, some of these rare ores form in ces with high Jinn and Majin activity. The Rigel Continent has been under the control of the Jinns for many years, so it is teeming with resources like Empyrium and the like.


    "The Dvalinn Federation and Dous managed to secure important resources this time because they were quick enough to act on the situation. Right now, the only force the Central Government has in the Rigel Continent is Zion and his three hundred soldiers.


    "If they find another mineral deposit, it''s possible that the Dvalinn Federation will strong-arm them into sharing these resources with them. We can''t let that happen."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    If Zion were to find another mineral deposit, the ones who would mostly benefit from it would be the people on the scene.


    Even if someone from their side were the one to discover it, Zion was only a Rookie, and the strongest member in his Battalion was just an Initiate.


    His Uncle, Michael Leventis, was a Champion and had enough authority to oversee such an operation.


    The Dvalinn Federation couldn''t do anything to the Leventis Family, so they decided to use the peaceful route to ensure that they would benefit from the discovery.


    "We cannot send the Hero Team to the Rigel Continent since their presence is needed to raise the morale of the defenders in Cygni," Tristan stated. "However, we must send someone influential whom the Dvalinn Federation will not brush off easily.


    "So, I have a suggestion. How about we send the Saintess there? I will also ask the Valkyries to personally escort her to Rigel and ensure her safety. If they are there, I''m sure that the Central Government will have enough influence to negotiate with everyone."


    The Saintess was Tristan''s daughter, so he had the authority to order her to go anywhere.


    Everyone knew that the Valkyries were a special force in the Military, only eptingdies into their ranks.


    The General, who was in charge of the Valkyries, was also someone who couldn''t be offended by just anyone. She was someone who was referred to as a Pseudo-Throne since her power was greater than any Champion in the world.


    Tristan''s proposal was epted by the officers in the army. They even stated that they should also send their own mining equipment so they could act immediately if Zion found another mineral deposit.


    What they didn''t know was that Thirteen had already anticipated that the Military would act this way.


    This was why he made sure that Colonel Fischer was present when the Empyrium was found.


    He understood that the High-Ranking Officers of the army would feel an itch in their butt and wouldn''t be able to sit still if such resources didn''t fall into their hands.


    Thirteen also understood that it wasn''t only the Central Government who was thinking about these things.


    In fact, the other Monarch ns, as well as the other Prestigious Families, were currently debating if they should also send their people to coborate with Zion in order to gather the resources, which were just lying under the surface of the Jinn-


    infestednds of the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 338 All Part Of The Plan [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 338 All Part Of The n [Part 2]</h4>


    As all the powerhouses in the world were thinking of ways to profit from Zion''s money-making-scheme, the teenage boy was currently lying in the make-shift tent that was erected hundreds of meters away from the mining site.


    He was currently talking with Giga, who was busy loading the Empyrium that Rocky was mining in another location, to two portable teleporters.


    These teleporters were one-way teleporters, which could only send non-living things to a location.


    The first teleporter sent the Empyrium to the Underground Bunker in Thirteen''s home, which was located in the Aldebaran Continent.


    He had already informed his father about this n, so they made preparations to gather everything they could for the growth of their family.


    The second teleporter sent the Empyrium to a submarine that was currently on the coast of the Rigel Continent.


    This submarine was a military submarine that Thirteen had asked the Mechanics of the Leventis Family to build.


    At first, they were reluctant to build it because they believed that the submarine wouldn''t have enough power to activate these powerful cannons.


    They could be powered up by Empyrium, but they would need at least a ton of the ore to make one of the cannons work.


    Empyrium was a very important resource, so they deemed that this modification to the submarine was not feasible.


    However, Thirteen didn''t want to hear theirints, and simply ordered them to build the submarine ording to the blueprint he provided.


    The teenage boy already knew that there was Empyrium in the Rigel Continent, and there was a lot of it.


    The Mini Satellite that he had built had already pinpointed the locations of these Empyrium Deposits, so the power source for these massive cannons wasn''t an issue for him.


    The captain of the Submarine was none other than Cristopher''s High-Orc, Jubei, whom Thirteen believed would fit the role of captain perfectly.


    Manning the submarine were the Trolls who had been taught on how to operate the Nautilus, which was one of Thirteen''s Trump Cards.


    It took three years to build this submarine, using thetest technology that was avable in Pangea.


    Now that they had secured the Empyrium to make the submarine''s cannons operational, Thirteen had gained the ability to bombard his enemies from the sea, destroying them en masse.


    In order to protect his family, Thirteen had initiated four projects during the three years that he was in Pangea, and delegated it to different people, so that they would be ready after three to four years.


    Project Athena, Project Nautilus, Project Sovereign and,stly, Project Apocalypse.


    Each one of these projects would give Thirteen a great advantage over his enemies in Pangea.


    Right now, only Project Nautilus had be fully operational.


    Project Athena still needed a year to be fully calibrated.


    Project Sovereign was only at its initial phase, while Project Apocalypse had not yet begun.


    Thirteen had focused all of his effort in making sure that Project Athena, which was the strongest among his Trump Cards, waspleted first.


    He had seeded inpleting it, but it would take a year for it to be fully operational.


    Fortunately, Project Nautilus was now fully operational, and it was all thanks to the Empyrium, which Rocky was devouring non-stop inside his Mobile Fortress.


    Giga stared at the small hill of Empyrium Ore and sighed.


    However, since this was an important matter, he, alongside O1, and O2, were busy loading the precious ores into the teleporters, which were sending them to the Nautilus, and Thirteen''s home respectively.


    ''It will take Rocky at least two weeks to finish collecting the Empyrium in Sector 7,'' Thirteen thought. ''I guess we need to avoid that ce for a while in order to prevent Rocky from getting discovered.''


    Thirteen then looked at the map in the projection in front of him and frowned.


    ''The next ce to mine something nice is in Sector 12,'' Thirteen mused. ''But, it is right next to the battleground of the Dvalinn Federation and the Jinns in Sector 11. I guess I need to take that risk.''


    Right now, he needed his army to gain experience fighting against Jinns and Majins. This was one of the reasons why he took them to the Rigel Continent, in order to prepare them for the full invasion of the Cygni Continent, which would happen in three years.


    Three dayster, Thirteen''s forces left Sector 5 and headed straight to Sector 12.


    Along the way, they met several Wanderers of the Dvalinn Federation, who regrly hunted Jinns in the area, and prevented them from advancing to their headquarters, which was located in Sector 1.


    Thirteen and his soldiers participated in one of these battles because they were only up against over a thousand Rank 1 and Rank 2 Wild Dogs.


    The majority of his members were Adepts and Apostles, but they had already experienced enough battles in Solterra, which allowed them to handle the Wild Dog horde that discovered them during their travels.


    The adults watched from a distance with their arms crossed over their chests.


    They could easily deal with these monsters if they wanted to, but knowing that Thirteen was letting his troops gain experience, none of them interfered.


    The only thing they did was take note of the individuals, who stood out in the battle.


    After a battle thatsted for more than an hour, the soldiers started to gather the Cores of the Monsters that they had defeated.


    Although they were only Rank 1 and Rank 2 Cores, they were still resources, so they decided to gather them all.


    Those who suffered injuries were taken care of by their Squad Mates using the training they received to deal with injuries on the battlefield.


    Each one of the Green Lanterns was now a bonafide medic, which was a good thing in Thirteen''s book.


    All of the soldiers had gained items during the battle.


    Several of them even gained Wild Dog Avatars, which Thirteen thought would be useful for scouting missions.


    But, no matter how useful these Wild Dogs were, they paled inparison to the two Pocopocos that had apanied Thirteen on his travels.


    ''I miss Vassago and Poca,'' Thirteen thought. ''If they were here, they would definitely be a big help to my military operations.''


    The two Pocopocos had returned to their homnd, but they promised that they would meet Thirteen again once he returned to Solterra.


    Because of how long Thirteen had been in Solterra, he was spared from being sent back to Solterra until he was sixteen years old.


    That gave him enough time to finish his projects, which would give him some peace of mind once he returned to Solterra.


    Project Athena and Project Nautilus were Projects geared for when Thirteen was in Pangea.


    Project Sovereign and Project Apocalypse were the two Projects that would give him an edge in Solterra.


    These four projects together would allow him to ovee his current weaknesses of not being able to rise in the ranks, use skills, gather items, and gain avatars.


    ''One step at a time.'' Thirteen smiled as he listened to Giga''sint in his mind.


    The ze Skunk wanted to fight monsters instead of staying inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress to carry Empyrium all day long.


    Three years had passed since the great battle in the Arcadian Archipgo, and Giga had just be a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    cky and Hercules had also be Rank 6 Sovereigns, while Rocky was just a step from bing a Rank 7 Sovereign.


    O1 and O2 were Rank 5 Sovereigns, and were unable to be Rank 6 at this point in time.


    Thirteen wanted the two of them to mutate into the strongest type of Ogre before they became Rank 6 Monsters.


    Doing so would give them a drastic boost in strength, and they would be one of the deadliest fighters in Thirteen''s monster army.


    While Thirteen was thinking about these things, a certain ck Snake popped up from the ground and crawled up the teenage boy''s body.


    "Wee back, Tiona," Thirteen said as he patted the head of the ck Snake, who happily enjoyed her Master''s attention.


    Tiona had apanied Rocky to look for the mineral deposits because of her treasure hunting abilities.


    Now that the Magma Bal-Boa was busy mining the Empyrium Ores in Sector 7, Tiona deemed that there was no need for her to stay, and returned to her Master''s side.


    After getting praised and patted by her Master, Tiona spat out a small piece of metal before coiling her body on Thirteen''s chest in order to rest.


    She had been scouting Sector 12 before she returned to her Master.


    It didn''t take long for her to find the next mineral deposit that Thirteen would be mining soon.


    A chuckle escaped the teenage boy''s lips as he picked up the metal that Tiona had delivered to him.


    Although the ckish metal wasn''t as precious as Empyrium, it was still an important find because it would once again allow him to earn money, without having to lift a single finger.


    ''All part of the n,'' Thirteen smirked before closing his eyes to rest.


    He was waiting for all the actors to arrive at the Rigel Continent before he went to look for the Cursed Items that his former host had hidden.

 Chapter 339 A Specialist’s Creed

    ??I am Specialist Alcopone Serrano.


    One of the Squad Captains of the 69th Battalion.


    I always make sure to add the title of Specialist in front of my name to make people understand that I was someone veeeery important.


    Just like the people who were in the same field as me, "usible deniability is our best friend."


    So, what does usible deniability mean?


    The answer to that depends on who was asking.


    But to exin it in the simplest terms, when you see your bro doing something against military rules, which could potentially cause problems if brought out in the open, the thing we do is pretend it never happened.


    Why? Because if they weren''t caught, then it didn''t happen.


    As a Specialist, we wouldn''t do our bros dirty. After all, we knew that if we were all suddenly thrown into the battlefield, it was our bros who would always have our backs.


    Whenever they ask me what my specialization was, I just tell them that "I am the person who gets the job done with as minimal effort as possible."


    This alone made thedies look at me favorably.


    Well, I couldn''t help it. I''m tall, charismatic, and incredibly handsome.


    But right now, I found myself questioning why a Specialist like me was currently running away from a Rank 4 Night Wolf that suddenly popped out of nowhere while I was doing my scouting mission!


    And to make matters worse, the F*cker wasn''t alone.


    Nah.


    He brought his friends with him, and at that moment, I knew that I f*cked up.


    Even with the rank of an Initiate, I knew that engaging with these monsters would be simr to having a delicious dinner in a five-star restaurant.


    But there was one problem.


    I was the dinner!


    "You F*ckers, get away from me!" I roared in anger as I started shooting the bastards with my assault rifle.


    I was regretting my decision to volunteer for this mission, which was something a Specialist should never do.


    As part of the Mafia, it was beneath us to volunteer for anything.


    Unless we were voluntold.


    (A/N: Voluntold means forced to Volunteer.)


    However, our Battalion Commander told me that if I agreed to take on this mission, he would help me have dinner with that hot chick from the Riggs Family.


    Brothers and sisters, I would greatly appreciate it if none of you judge me.


    I mean, if your superior officer promised to help you eat some cake, would you refuse it?


    Hell no!


    You would nod your head and ept that invitation!


    While the other soldiers like to stuff themselves with Donuts, we Specialists would rather stuff our faces with cake.


    What? Am I not afraid of getting Type-2 Diabetes?


    Hahaha! What a silly question.


    I drink energy drinks every day. The military lives off of caffeine and nicotine.


    If you were a man, you man up and eat that cake with grace.


    No one liked that guy who was invited to a birthday party but refused to eat cake. I mean,e on, bro~ you need to take one for the team.


    But right now, I wish I hadn''t taken one for the team!


    Blinded by the promise of a dinner date, I went deeper behind enemy lines in order to impress our Commander.


    Although I already saw the signs that there was plenty of Jinn activity in the area, I decided to take a leap of fate and push a little deeper.


    I had always been confident in my ability to escape, and if I were to fight a one-on-one battle, I was confident that I could win as long as the disparity in Rank wasn''t that high.


    Unfortunately, I seem to have forgotten that this Continent was helplessly overtaken by Jinns and that we weren''t just dealing with hundreds of monsters that were being spewed out by a Dimensional Gate¡ªno, we were dealing with hordes of them!


    Just as I thought that I had finally increased the gap between me and my pursuers, I made one very regrettable wrong turn and found myself staring at dozens of Centipedes, so many that it would make those with Chilopodophobia scream like little girls.


    "Sh*t," I said as I found myself encircled from all sides.


    I knew that the Rigel Continent was dangerous, but it didn''t really register in my head that it would be this dangerous.


    Knowing that there was no longer any ce to escape, I shot a re to the night sky, informing everyone of my location.


    I just hoped that my Battalion Commander would arrive with reinforcements before I became Jinn Poop.


    As I prepared to make my final stand, the monsters didn''t disappoint and lunged at me from every direction.


    "I''ll be taking you all with me f*ckers!" I cursed and my assault rifle roared to life.


    Blood spilled in the surroundings as I hit the monsters around me.


    Unfortunately, my effort alone wasn''t enough, proven by one of the Wolves who managed to graze my body when it lunged at me from behind.


    The momentum pushed me to the side and made me roll on the ground.


    Knowing that staying still was equivalent to death, I helped myself roll a bit more and used the momentum to prop myself up from the ground.


    But the Rank 4 Night Wolf was faster than me. Before I could even regain my footing, I found myself staring at its wide-open jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth.


    My life shed in front of me like an award-winning movie.


    In the end, thest thing that shed before my eyes was the beautifuldy from the Riggs Family with one of the hottest bodies I had seen in my life.


    Time seemed to have slowed down considerably as I watched the Night Wolf and its buddies lunge at me from every direction.


    It was a checkmate.


    Regardless of what I did, no matter how much I struggled, the ending was as clear as day.


    However, just as I was cursing my Commander for tempting me with cake, the ground beside me rose up, and a seven-meter-


    tall monster, which looked like a Skunk, appeared and swatted the Rank 4 Night Wolf as if it was just a fly.


    It did the same to the other Wolves, making them yelp in pain and fright.


    The Centipedes, who sensed that the monster that appeared was very strong, hurriedly scattered in every direction and ran away into the night.


    When everything was over, the seven-meter-tall monster shrank until it became a three-meter-tall monster.


    I thought that the monster only killed the Wolves because it wanted to have the right to eat me.


    But when I gazed at those gentle eyes, which glowed like mes in the darkness, I saw the Monster Skunk raise its hand as if giving me a thumbs up.


    It was as if it was saying "I got you Fam." I was so touched that it made me almost hug it and kiss it to oblivion.


    The sound of countless Humvees approaching our location soon sounded. At that moment, the skunk patted my shoulder and pointed at the Rank 4 Night Wolf before it was swallowed up by the ground under its feet, disappearing from sight.


    At first, I thought that I was just dreaming. But, after seeing that the monsters were still lying on the ground in their death throes, I figured that it wasn''t a dream.


    Among them was a Rank 4 Night Wolf barely alive and unable to pose any threat to me. Seeing that, I summoned my two-


    handed sword and stabbed its eye, ending its life.


    A momentter, I received a notification that I acquired the Avatar ofRank 4 Night Wolf, making me remember that awesome Skunk who left the Night Wolf as a gift.


    "Wow. Did you manage to kill all of these monsters on your own?" Colbert asked in surprise.


    "Of course," I replied with the most charismatic smile that I could muster. "I am a Specialist after all."


    Since I believed that my Brother Skunk didn''t want to be mentioned, I decided to take all the credit and called it a night.


    Myrades from the Mafia looked at me with admiration, and I just smiled and told them how I single-handedly dealt with the monsters on my own.


    "Great work, Captain."


    I turned to look at my Commander with a winning smile on my face.


    "Mission aplished, Sir," I saluted, feeling all happy that I was able to live another day.


    But I made a mental note to not do anything too dangerous again in the future unless it was worth the danger.


    I was feeling very tired from this short adventure of mine and just wanted to hit the sack and get some shut-eye.


    For all that trouble, I made sure to never forget the cake Zion Leventis promised to help me get. That alone would make the ordeal I faced more rewarding than I originally thought it would be.

 Chapter 340 Three-Year Deadline

    ??Thirteen was currently inside his tent, listening to Colonel Fischer''s report.


    "Upon careful consideration, the Field Marshal decided that your Battalion will need reinforcements from the Army. The importance of your¡­ mission has been re-evaluated, and it has been decided that you will be provided with additional support, which will allow you to move freely.


    "Although the Dvalinn Federation is helping you right now, there is a possibility that they will use strong-arm tactics in order to force you into agreeing with theirmands.


    "The Central Government will not allow such practice, so capable individuals who will ensure that you won''t get bullied shall be sent to stay by your side."


    Thirteen chuckled internally, knowing that these reinforcements were being sent to him so that the Central Government would get a bigger slice of the pie from the mining operations that he was about to start in full.


    "Sir, may I know who the Field Marshal is nning to send to the Rigel Continent?" Thirteen inquired.


    If he knew who his backups were, he would be able to strategize on how to make them work for him.


    "We are sending the Saintess, as well as the Valkyrie Unit, to assist you," Colonel Fisher replied.


    "You''re sending the Saintess and the Valkyries here?" Thirteen was pleasantly surprised about this development.


    He thought that he would only be meeting the Saintess when he went to the Cygni Continent in three years when the Jinn invasion started in full.


    "Yes," Colonel Fischer nodded. "We don''t want the Dvalinn Federation to go on High Alert and think that the Central Government is trying to take over their home turf. So, we decided to use a more peaceful means of coboration."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "This is a good move, Sir. How long before they arrive on the Rigel Continent?"


    "A month," Colonel Fischer replied. "We will need to bring in heavy machineries that will help you with your mining operations. Although the Leventis Family has brought their own units, it won''t be a problem to have more, right?"


    Thirteen understood the underlying meaning behind the Colonel''s words, so he smiled and said the words that his Superior Officer wanted to hear.


    "The Rigel Continent is a big ce, Sir," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure that the Central Government will not be disappointed."


    Colonel Fischer chuckled because the more he talked to Zion, the more he liked the teenage boy.


    "Good." Colonel Fischer smiled. "The Central Government will not forget your contribution, Commander."


    The two shared knowing smiles with each other before they ended their conversation.


    Thirteen then went out to the cave and looked at the mining equipment of the Leventis Family, who had also started their mining operations in Sector 12.


    Right now, they were mining a metal called Padium, which was a metal used for different kinds of equipment, for example, fuel cells that could generate power.


    It was also used for automobiles and electronics, which were in high demand anywhere.


    Also, it was rarer than gold, making it a very expensive metal, which would let the Leventis Family earn a lot.


    Of course, the Dvalinn Federation also wanted a share, so Thirteen agreed to give them twenty percent in exchange for helping with the security of the mining area.


    After Alcapone''ste-night adventure, Thirteen deemed that there would not be an issue when it came to protecting the Mining Area. After all, their Battalion was capable enough to fight off the lower-ranked Monster Hordes near Sector 12.


    ''For now, I will dy going to the other mining areas until my reinforcements arrive,'' Thirteen thought. ''I''ve already found two important mining locations, so adding more in a short period of time will only bite me in the back.


    ''For now, I will shift their attention to the training of my troops. I need to make them battle-hardened soldiers in two years.''


    Thirteen knew that once all hell broke loose in the Cygni Continent, the Dvalinn Federation would also send a good chunk of their forces to repel the monsters that were about to conquer another continent.


    As someone who had lost their homes, they would do their best to prevent the monsters from getting their way, not wanting to let them make humanity lose another continent to their hands.


    The living area of the human race was getting smaller and smaller, and they couldn''t afford to get pushed back even more by their enemies.


    If Cygni were to fall, then this meant that the Sirius Continent and the Aldebaran Continent would be next.


    If they fail to win this war, the future of humanity would be dim.


    "Cristopher, call the other Captains," Thirteen said to the chubby teenage boy, who was patiently waiting outside of his tent.


    "Yes, Sir," Cristopher saluted and left to execute Thirteen''s orders.


    A few minutester, the teenage boy''s six Captains gathered inside his tent and awaited his orders.


    "Tomorrow, tell the Squad Captains that we will assist the Wanderers from the Dvalinn Federation on their Hunting Expeditions," Thirteen stated. "These people are already veterans, so I''m sure that our people will learn a lot from the experience. "Do not forget to listen to their advice and make sure to keep calm at all times. If you can''t keep yourselves calm, just do your best to not cause your members to suffer a panic attack.


    "I will also join you in this operation, so if anything goes awry, I can think of an effective solution on the spot. Do you have any questions?"


    Alexis raised his hand and asked a question.


    "Do we listen to their orders or not?"Alexis asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "Your role is to only observe and assist them when necessary. Right now, what everyone needs to understand is how to deal with certain types of monsters.


    "I have already ryed this matter to the Dvalinn Federation, and they agreed to help everyone familiarize themselves with the enemy."


    Alexis nodded in understanding and didn''t ask any more questions.


    "Tell everyone to rest early and handle the rotation for the night watch," Thirteen ordered. "Although we have Masters, Grandmasters, and a few Champions guarding this perimeter, that doesn''t guarantee our safety, especially here in the Rigel Continent."


    Half an hourter, the Captains left Thirteen''s tent and ryed his orders to the Squad Captains.


    ''Three years¡­'' Thirteen mulled as he closed his eyes. ''In three years, I will know whether this world has a future or not.''


    The teenage boy believed that if humanity were to lose against the Jinn invasion in the Cygni Continent, then the entirety of the human race would be facing extinction unless someone or something gave the humans a fighting chance to preserve their race and the limited freedom they had that was on borrowed time.

 Chapter 341 The Dance Of Death [Part 1]

    ??Three weeks after Thirteen arrived at the Rigel Continent¡­


    The sound of fighting echoed in the surroundings as Wanderers fought against the Monster Horde that had gone too near the border of Sector 8.


    After the Dvalinn Federation managed to reim a region in the Rigel Continent, they divided it into 12 Sectors.


    Among the Wanderers of Pangea, the ones stationed in the Dvalinn Federation dealt with Monster Invasions most often.


    Whenever the number of monsters became too much, they would retreat immediately and head to Sector 1, where their Main Headquarters was located.


    Once a retreat order was given, the Naval Fleet of the Dvalinn Federation would mobilize and unleash a bombardment to destroy the Monster Horde from far out to sea.


    Depending on the scale of the invasion, the Monarch of the Elrod n, Wendell Elrod, would personallye to prevent them from reaching Sector 1, which was the stronghold of the Dvalinn Federation.


    If there was an instance when even the Monarch was unable to do anything, the Wanderers would make a full retreat and wait until the Monster Army dispersed. Only after that would they kill the small fries and reim Sector 1 once again.


    This had happened many times in the past, so they knew precisely when to retreat and when to make their stand.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the Wanderers of the Dvalinn Federation were the most battle-hardened Wanderers in Pangea and Solterra, because they dealt with Jinns and Majins, on a daily basis.


    On the battlefield of Sector 8, an intense battle was currently taking ce.


    "Take the wounded to the rear!" Benedict ordered as soon as he arrived at the scene.


    The old man had summoned a silver staff and used it to bash in the head the two-meter tall Wolf Spider that was attacking their people, turning its head into meat paste.


    The other Champions of the Dvalinn Federation had also arrived at the scene, buying time for those at the front for retreat.


    However, their momentum suddenly came to aplete stop when they sensed the presence of more powerful monsters at the rear of the Monster Horde.


    Benedict''s and the other Champion''s faces turned solemn when they saw three Rank 6 Overlord Wolf Spiders in the distance.


    Right now, there were six champions at the scene, but it was not enough to deal with these three monsters who were being apanied by Hundreds of Rank 2 up to Rank 4 Wolf Spiders.


    "Everyone retreat!" Benedict ordered. "We will buy you some time, so hurry!"


    The Wanderers knew that the current forces they had at the scene would not be enough to block the Monster Stampede, so they carried the injured and hastily retreated.


    Unfortunately, there were more injured people than those without injuries.


    While the other Wanderers were desperately thinking about what to do, something green in the darkness caught their attention.


    At first, they only saw one, but soon, there were dozens of glowing lights in the distance, all headed in their direction.


    A Wanderer, who was carrying his friend, suddenly saw a green blur appear in front of him.


    "I''ll carry him," Pietro said. "You can help the others."


    "T-Thank you!" the Wanderer replied as he handed his friend to the fastest member of Thirteen''s 69th Battalion.


    Pietro disappeared like a blur as he headed to the ce where they had parked their Humvees.


    The Wanderers under the 69th Battalion who didn''t excel in fighting were given orders to stay at the rear in order to give emergency treatment to the injured Wanderers and help with the evacuation.


    They were at Sector 12 earlier, but since they were informed that a Monster Outbreak was happening at Sector 8, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to give the order to mobilize.


    Two hundred of the Wanderers apanied their Commander and Captains to the battlefield, leaving the rest of their group to treat the injured.


    But even with six Champions holding the frontlines, it was still impossible for them to kill every Wolf Spider because they could jump!


    The Champions didn''t have the luxury to run after them because if they did, more would be able to go past them, which would make things worse.


    Ady from the Riggs Family, who was supporting her best friend so she could escape, saw a Rank 4 ck Spider hot on her heels.


    She understood that she didn''t have the ability to outrun her pursuer, so she did the only thing she could do, and that was to fight.


    But before she could engage the Rank 4 Monster, a blue orb of light collided with its body before exploding.


    A pained screech reached thedy''s ears as the monster was pushed back by the attack. A secondter, Alcapone, who was riding on his Rank 4 Night Wolf, stopped beside thedy, holding a bazooka powered by Empyrium in his hands.


    The Specialist slid down from his Mount''s back and stood in front of the twodies, firing a shot at the Wolf Spider, which sted two of its legs off.


    "Use my mount," Alcapone ordered. "My team is at the back. They will help the two of you. Now go!"


    Thedy gave Alcapone a grateful nce before setting her friend on the back of the Night Wolf.


    Once it was certain that the two girls were properly mounted on its back, it sped away, leaving its Master behind.


    Alcapone unleashed one shot after the other like a Mad until the Rank 4 Monster''s head exploded.


    But as soon as the monster died, dozens of smaller spiders arrived, making the Specialist retreat as if his pants were on fire.


    "Boss, over here!"


    Alcapone nced to his right and saw his Mafia Brothers ready to save his ass from getting chewed off by the critters behind his back.


    All of Thirteen''s subordinates were equipped with Assault Rifles and Bazookas, all of which were powered by Empyrium.


    They even naively thought that it was a pleasant coincidence that they just so happened to find an Empyrium Mine recently, allowing them to use the powerful weapons that could help them conserve their stamina while fighting off a monster horde.


    Wanderers were strong, and they were also blessed with many powerful abilities.


    But these abilities could drain their stamina. So, it was ideal if they had weapons that could kill monsters without draining their stamina.


    A barrage of Empyrium bullets rained down on the spiders that were nearing Alcapone''s back, making him sigh in relief.


    "Mafia Boys, secure the perimeter and make sure that none of these fiends get near ourrades at the back," Thirteen ordered as he walked past the Specialists, who had found a good spot to unleash hell at their enemies.


    "Commander, where are you going?" Alcapone asked the teenage boy who was supposed to be at the back while giving them orders.


    "Me?" Thirteen smirked as he held a gun in each hand. "I''m here to join the fun."


    After saying those words, the teenage boy ran to the front lines, where the Champions were desperately trying to buy as much time as they could in order for their subordinates to escape.


    Several of the Green Lanterns could be seen carrying the injured away from the battlefield. The rest of them who could fight stayed behind and held their ground.


    Brutus swung his sword and easily decapitated a Rank 3 Spider who had tried to lunge at it.


    Cristopher, who was standing behind his Avatar, used his modified Assault Rifle to head-shot all of the spiders that had managed to make their way to his spot.


    "Cristopher, support me," Thirteen said as he ran past the chubby boy.


    The Green Lanterns, who were at the scene, didn''t expect their Commander to jump in and begin fighting alongside them instead of solely giving orders at the back.


    This was the first time they would see Zion Leventis in action. People like Alexis, who was tasked to spy on the teenage boy, would finally be able to see what he was capable of doing.

 Chapter 342 The Dance Of Death [Part 2]

    ??Within the chaotic battlefield, a teenage boy had be the center of everyone''s attention.


    The moment Thirteen jumped into the front lines and stood beside the Champions, the first thing Benedict did was yell at the boy to scram and leave the vanguard to the adults.


    However, the teenage boy ignored him and simply raised his modified guns, coolly pulling the trigger.


    The heads of two Rank 2 Monsters exploded in an instant. However, they were easily reced by dozens more, who were advancing in their direction.


    Thirteen wasn''t fazed and even charged forward, almost giving the Champions a heart attack.


    Originally, they thought that the boy was just a mascot the Central Government epted in order to recruit more Wanderers into their Ranks.


    While they might have heard about Thirteen''s adventures in Solterra, his current Rank made all of them believe that the story had been exaggerated to make him look like a hero in the eyes of the people.


    They thought that it was just propaganda by the Leventis Family to make their name look good on paper.


    But after spending time with the teenage boy, they realized that he was a very down-to-earth person.


    Not only that, but he was also a precious golden goose who produced golden eggs.


    The Empyrium Mine and the Padium Mine were two important resources that the Dvalinn Federation needed desperately.


    So, Thirteen''s importance to them had skyrocketed beyond words.


    They were even ordered to ensure that the boy was well protected at all times so that his life wouldn''t be in danger.


    However, how could they protect a boy who was charging straight into a horde of monsters?! All the Champions suddenly had a strong urge to spank him!


    The Wolf Spiders, whose eyes had locked into the boy, thought that a snack had happily presented itself to them.


    Naturally, they didn''t hesitate to lunge at him, intending to take a bite out of his body, which was covered in green armor.


    But before they could even approach the boy, a ck whip of death sliced off their bodies, killing them instantly.


    Tiona, whose body could now turn as hard as adamantium and as sharp as a de, cut through the monsters like a hot knife through butter.


    She also had the Levitation and Lengthening Ability, allowing her to swim in the air and lengthen her body, creating a razor-sharp whip that was as hard as adamantine.


    From within this blood storm, Thirteen''s guns roared to life, targeting the monsters in systematic order, aiming at their weak spot.


    The Wolf Spiders tried to attack him from his blind spot. However, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Thirteen dealt with them easily.


    Those he couldn''t hit in time were sted apart by Cristopher''s long-range sniping, ensuring that his Young Master was safe from harm.


    For a brief moment, both the Humans and the monsters gazed at the boy, whose deadly dance of death decimated everything around him.


    "¡­ So that''s the strength of someone who faced a Majin Prince and won," Alexis muttered as he clenched his fists tightly.


    This was the same thought that ran through everyone''s mind as the teenage boy continued to massacre Rank 2 and Rank 3 Monsters with ease.


    An Ordinary Rookie wouldn''t be able to do such a thing, but Thirteen was no ordinary Rookie.


    His power level was higher than even the most talented Rookie, for he had absorbed the Core of a Majin Prince.


    ''This strength doesn''t belong to a Rookie,'' Benedict thought. ''His power level is like that of a Grandmaster.''


    Thirteen, who had no idea what the Champion was thinking, continued his deadly dance of death, creating an absolute killing zone within his region.


    Whenever a Rank 4 Monster moved toward him, he would not hesitate to back away and shoot at its eyes, forcing it to take steps of retreat and change its target.


    His uracy was on point, and every shot he made connected to the ce he was aiming at.


    With Tiona slicing the small fries to pieces and Thirteen killing all the monsters that weren''t within her reach, they were able to overwhelm their opponents.


    Aside from that, the Wolf Spiders weren''t able to fight Thirteen properly due to the killing intent he emitted, which made them hesitate to attack him.


    As someone who had witnessed countless deaths and had fought against a God, Thirteen''s killing intent was like a sharp de that threatened to sh anything that came near him.


    Animals who relied on instincts would fight or flee depending on the situation. Even monsters like the Jinns had these primal instincts, so Thirteen was using this to his advantage.


    As more spiders died, the more the witnesses felt that the teenage boy was someone whom they couldn''t defeat no matter what.


    The only monsters on the battlefield, who weren''t too intimidated by Thirteen''s killing intent, were the Rank 6 Overlords, who unanimously decided to target the boy and end his life.


    But before they could even make their move, the ground beneath their feet gave way, making them fall into a pit hole.


    Waiting down there was none other than Rocky, who was a peak Rank 6 Sovereign.


    Opening his mouth, the Magma Bal-Boa unleashed a breath of fire, which made the three Giant Spiders shriek in pain.


    Their bodies were instantly set aze, making their movements erratic as they desperately tried to climb out of the pit hole with their long and powerful legs.


    However, Rocky bit one of them from behind, crushing it with his powerful jaws.


    The other two Wolf Spiders didn''t even give theirrade a second nce as they fled, their bodies still burning from Rocky''s attack.


    When they emerged from the hole, the two spiders retreated, making their subordinates retreat as well.


    Thirteen then casually killed as many stragglers as he could before the sea of spiders vanished without a trace.


    "That was a nice workout," Thirteen said. "Did you have fun, Tiona?"


    The ck snake nodded before flicking her tongue on the teenage boy''s right cheek as if giving him a kiss.


    Benedict and the other Champions who were at the scene couldn''t help but look at the retreating spiders in awe.


    Originally, they thought that they would once again be forced to retreat due to the disparity in number.


    Even when Thirteen and his soldiers arrived to help them, the tide of battle was still in the Spider''s favor.


    But when the three Overlords momentarily disappeared from their sight, a zing me emerged from the ground and shot into the sky.


    After that, two of the three Giant Spiders emerged from the hole and ran away like two fireballs, burning the spiders that were unlucky enough to be on their paths.


    Thirteen walked toward his people with a smile on his face.


    "Good job, everyone," Thirteen replied. "All of you did well."


    Thirteen knew that there was some dissatisfaction within his Battalion, with a few thinking that the stories about him were just lies.


    Because of this, he knew that he needed to create a demonstration to make sure that his people would know that he wasn''t a mere figurehead but someone who would apany them on the battlefield.


    Wanderers were people who recognized the strong.


    He knew that once he showed his strength, they would naturally listen to him more and look at him in a different light.


    With just a single battle, the teenage boy''s image in the hearts of his subordinates took root, subconsciously making them less resistant to his orders and more proud that they were under hismand.


    Little did he know that it was not only his subordinates who had recognized him as the strongest Rookie in the world.


    On that night, those who had fought at Sector 8 would forever remember the teenage boy''s dance of death and learn that his title as Legendary Rookie was not just for show.

 Chapter 343 What We Need Is A Rookie Who Knows What He Is Doing

    <h4>Chapter 343 What We Need Is A Rookie Who Knows What He Is Doing </h4>


    After witnessing their Commander''s fighting prowess with their own eyes, the 69th Battalion suddenly changed overnight.


    Those who were initially doubting Zion''s abilities no longer doubted him, and those who used to look down on him now saw him in a new light.


    Benedict and the other representatives of the Dvalinn Federation conducted a private meeting among themselves, where they discussed what they had seen just a day ago.


    "I''m sure you also saw the things I did, but I''ll still mention it to make my stance perfectly clear," the representative of the Elrod n, Harvey Elrod, said solemnly. "That is not the fighting prowess of a Rookie."


    "Although I saw many peerless geniuses over the past few years, I will have to agree with your assessment," Benedictmented. "Although I hate to admit it, none of the prodigies of the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families could fight the way Zion didst night.


    "Those moves belonged to someone who had faced many life and death battles," Troy Rhodes stated. "It seems that his title of Legendary Rookie is on point. I believe that he is the strongest Rookie in Pangea right now.


    "It''s really a shame that such a talented individual can no longer progress in Rank." Jordan Nightshade sighed. "Right now, we need people like him to help the current generation of Wanderers."


    "Hahaha, aren''t you afraid that the Leventis Family would be too powerful if Zion can increase his Rank?" Harvey Elrod smirked.


    "I''m not looking at this with a narrow mind," Jordan replied. "I couldn''t care less about the politics of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families. What good is politics when our homes are invaded by the Jinns? Will politics save us from Genocide-Level Threats?"


    "That''s it. Everyone, calm down." Benedict lightly pped his hand in order to release the tension in the air. "We are holding this meeting in order to reassess the way we deal with Zion Leventis and his 69th Battalion.


    "Their performance in the battlest night made me think that Zion''s objective is to turn his soldiers into Battle Medics."


    Troy Rhodes nodded. "When they arrived at the scene, they prioritized giving first aid to the injured before bringing them to the rear to get further medical treatment.


    "I think at least a hundred of them advanced to the second line of defense to fight against the Wolf Spiders that managed to get past us. But what concerns me is the fact that an unknown monster had appeared to deal with the three Rank 6 Overlords.


    "If they hadn''t been forced to retreat, I''m afraid that we might have suffered countless casualtiesst night."


    The four people gathered at the meeting all nodded their heads in agreement.


    It would take at least four Champions to effectively deal with one Rank 6 Overlord safely.


    There were only eight Champions present in the battle, so even at their best, there would still be one more Rank 6 Overlord, who would be able to assist itsrade in battle.


    To make matters worse, the Monster Horde would also be attacking those who would attack their Leaders, making the already difficult battle more difficult.


    "Do any of you think that the monster is an avatar that belonged to one of Zion''s soldiers?" Jordan Nightshade inquired. "If yes, then it is one powerful Avatar. At the bare minimum, it should be at least in the middle or peak Rank 6 Sovereign.


    "It is also possible that it is a Rank 7 Sovereign, but those kinds of existence can only bemanded by the Elders of the Monarch ns and our Families," Troy Rhodesmented.


    "Then, who do you think owns it?" Benedict arched an eyebrow. "I sure know that it didn''t belong to Zion. The boy has an Avatar Ban, preventing him from having Avatars."


    "That''s a very valid reasoning." Harvey Elrod chuckled. "Because if he didn''t have that restriction, I will definitely say that the monster that helped usst night was that boy''s avatar."


    Everyone present smiled because they, too, would havee to the same conclusion.


    "I think cooperating with Zion and the 69th Battalion will be in our best interest," Benedict stated. "Not to mention that we also received reports that the Central Government''s fleet will also be arriving here in a week''s time.


    "Once they arrive, things will definitely get more rowdy here. That sly fox Tristan even sent his own daughter here with the excuse of assisting Zion in training his men."


    Harvey Elrod smirked. "Well, this also ys to our advantage. First, Zion, then the Saintess. These two people are the rising stars of the young generation, serving as the beacons of hope in this day and age.


    "I''m sure that the Elders of our Families are willing to turn a blind eye to their real purpose foring and use their presence as propaganda to encourage our people."


    "A very smart move," Jordan Nightshade nodded. "The Saintess and the Valkyries will not garner any hate from our people."


    "That sly fox knows how to y his cards right," Benedict chuckled. "Still, it wouldn''t hurt us to have more Wanderers here. Maybe we can finally advance and increase the range of our territory after theye here."


    "A tempting proposal, but I don''t think it will be wise if we be too greedy," Harvey Elrod pursed his lips. "Even if we manage to gain morend, we don''t have enough manpower to maintain it.


    "Also, we will need to go to the Cygni Continent in order to assist the Griffin n and prevent them from suffering the same fate as us."


    "That''s still three years away," Harvey Elrod smiled.


    "No." Benedict shook his head. "It should be, it''s only three years away. In three years, we will know if Humanity still has a chance to face off against the Jinn invasion. If Cygni falls, then humanity''s future is very bleak."


    A moment of silence descended upon the room. All of them understood what Benedict was trying to tell them.


    "In the end, it''s not up to us." Jordan Nightshade closed his eyes. "Because at the end of the day, unless the Monarchs manage to defeat the leader of the Jinns, everything we do is just dying the inevitable. But, there is still hope."


    Everyone in the tent looked at Jordan with solemn expressions on their faces.


    "Maybe, just maybe, it will not be one of the six Monarchs who will change the fate of this world," Jordan Nightshade said softly. "Maybe, what we need is a Rookie who knows what he is doing, and all we need to do is follow his lead."


    The three other men in the room nced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time.


    "Maybe you''re right," Benedict stated. "So, until that timees, we better make sure that our golden goose will not kick the bucket anytime soon."


    Smiles and chuckles spread inside the tent as the four men thought of ways how to milk their golden goose and ensure that he was happy enough to keep onying golden eggs.


    Meanwhile, while the four men were having a meeting, Thirteen and his subordinates all went to Sector 1 in order to receive the packages that the teenage boy had asked for from the Dvalinn Federation.


    He believed that his subordinates were now ready to take that next step in their training.


    And in order to do that, he would need to give them all the same kind of Avatars, which would greatly increase their survival in the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 344 Take Good Care Of Me Partner

    <h4>Chapter 344 Take Good Care Of Me Partner</h4>


    Since Thirteen didn''tck money at the moment, he decided to buy nearly three hundred Avatars from the Dvalinn Federation using Empyrium as currency.


    The majority of the Avatars he bought could be gained in the Rigel Continent, so it hadn''t been difficult for the Elrod n and the three Prestigious Families to procure them.


    He bought everyone, with the exception of the Captains, Rank 4 Night Wolves, which made Alcapone whistle.


    The reason why Thirteen chose Night Wolves as mounts for his soldiers was due to two reasons.


    First, the Night Wolf was a great mount.


    It was fast, and they could climb steep hills and mountains. It was also a good swimmer, making it a very versatile mount.


    Second, it was a Hunter.


    It could serve as a guard or a fighter for the Green Lanterns while they tended to the injured.


    As for Thirteen''s captains, he gave them a different kind of Avatar, which made Cristopher and Colbert give their Commander a thumbs up in their hearts.


    "What the hell?" Alexis muttered as he looked at the Rank 4 Chad Skunk that Thirteen had bought for him and the other Captains.


    Pietro, Paul, and Piper had the same reaction as Alexis because they didn''t expect that Thirteen would be giving them Chad Skunks, instead of Night Wolves.


    (A/N: I just realized that their names all start with the letter P. What a coincidence. Kekeke.)


    Frankly, they preferred Night Wolves over the Chad Skunks. Thetter ones were not only slow but were also hated by the Wanderers who fought against them.


    For them, Chad Skunks were just Avatars for newbies because their fighting ability was really low.


    Although they could stand on their hind legs and fight like a bear, they weren''t really a monster meant to fight at close quarters.


    The only thing that they could do was unleash a stink spray that could deter their enemies.


    Only Cristopher and Colbert were genuinely happy to get Chad Skunks of their own, which made the four other Captains look at the two of them with pity.


    ''These two are no good. They are already brainwashed.''


    These were the thoughts of the four Captains as they looked at the two boys, who were acting like two little kids who had just received a birthday present.


    The members of the 69th Battalion, especially those who weren''t from well-off families, were incredibly happy to receive the Night Wolf avatars.


    "I''m d that you liked my gifts," Thirteen said. "But from now on, all of you will be training on how to ride your partners. I want you to practice shooting while riding them because we will mostly be doing guerri tactics on the battlefield."


    "Sir, how about us?" Alexis asked. "Chad Skunks aren''t really good runners, and their performance in battle is just average. I don''t think that we can effectively use them in battle."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding because he was certain that all the other Wanderers felt the same way.


    "If you really feel that way then I can exchange your Chad Skunk for a Night Wol¡ª"


    But before Thirteen could even finish his words, Alcapone approached Alexis and looked down on him.


    "Exchange with me!" Alcapone said as he held a small ck statue of a Night Wolf in his hand.


    These small statues were the form that Avatars took when they were being used to trade or exchanged for other items.


    "Good." Alexis nodded and exchanged his "weak" Chad Skunk for Alcapone''s Rank 4 Night Wolf.


    A big smile appeared on Alcapone''s face as he absorbed the Avatar and summoned it a few secondster.


    Alcapone looked at his Chad Skunk and nodded his head in satisfaction.


    Although there were some differences, the look was still the same.


    After being saved by Giga, Alcapone had wondered what kind of Monster was the one that saved him.


    This was the first time he was seeing a Chad Skunk, and the moment he saw it, something clicked inside his head.


    "Take good care of me, Partner," Alcapone raised his hand toward the Chad Skunk, who then gave him a high five.


    It was as if the Chad Skunk was telling him "I got you Fam", which made the smile on Alcapone''s face widen.


    Paul also exchanged his Chad Skunk with a Night Wolf because he shared the same opinion as Alexis.


    Piper who had an unwavering belief in Thirteen didn''t exchange her Avatar for a Night Wolf.


    She always had the mindset that their Commander did things for a reason.


    Pietro didn''t exchange his Chad Skunk for a Night Wolf since he really didn''t need a mount.


    He was an extremely fast runner and could even leave the Night Wolf in the dust if he wanted to.


    For this reason alone, he had no reason to trade the Chad Skunk that Thirteen had chosen just for him.


    ''Cristopher and Colbert, you are going to teach Pietro and Piper how to use the Chad Skunks in battle.''


    Skunk that Thirteen had chosen just for him.


    ''Cristopher and Colbert, you are going to teach Pietro and Piper ''Also, make sure to feed your mounts the special Skunk Food that I prepared just for them.''


    All Avatars were unable to increase their Ranks.


    Meaning, if they were a Rank 4 Monster when they died, they would be Rank 4 Avatars.


    However, although they couldn''t rank up, they could still evolve into a stronger version of themselves.


    What Thirteen nned to do was to evolve the Rank 4 Chad Skunks into Rank 4 ze Skunks using the Dragon Blood that he had harvested from the Fire Dragon, whom they had defeated in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    He was also nning to make the Night Wolves evolve into Alpha Monsters in the span of three months.


    As long as they were able to meet the condition, even Avatars would be able to mutate into a stronger version of themselves.


    Avatars evolving or mutating were extremely rare cases.


    Those who had a clue on how to deliberately do it had kept it as their highly guarded secret because if people were to know of such a method, the majority of Wanderers might also give it a try.


    Researchers had to conduct countless experiments in order to find the conditions to make the Avatars evolve.


    But Thirteen didn''t have a problem.


    He just needed to ess his Soul Core, and all the information he needed would bare itself in his mind.


    Although he was certain that the mutation that would be happening on the Avatars of his subordinates would cause a stir in the Dvalinn Federation, he already had a perfect alibi for it.


    No matter how hard anyone tries, they wouldn''t be able to link the transformation of the Avatars to him.


    With the newest addition to his Elite Force of Wanderers, he had taken yet another step closer to realizing his goal in the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 345 That’s Just Pocket Money For Me

    <h4>Chapter 345 That¡¯s Just Pocket Money For Me</h4>


    "Enemy at three o''clock," Thirteen said through themunicator, which was heard by everyone in his battalion.


    Rumbling noises soon spread in the surroundings as the Green Lanterns and their mounts arrived at their destination.


    "Target confirmed," Cristopher replied through themunicator before raising up his hand for everyone to see. "Engage!"


    Countless deafening booms reverberated as the 69th Battalion unleashed a barrage of attacks with their rifles and bazookas, overwhelming and decimating their opponents.


    Completely caught by surprise, the ck-Scaled Crocodiles were unable to escape to the river in time, which could''ve saved their lives.


    The 69th Battalion was armed with customized weapons that had two types of attacks.


    The first one was armor-piercing rounds, and the second was shock bullets.


    There were Jinns whose skin, scales, exoskeleton, and fur were very hard, preventing ordinary bullets from piercing them, so Thirteen customized the weapons of his army for every kind of situation.


    If they were fighting monsters that their armor-piercing rounds couldn''t prate, then they would switch to shock bullets, which emitted a powerful frequency at the moment of impact, dealing internal damage to their targets.


    Using shock bullets drained their Empyrium reserves much faster, which the Central Government and the Dvalinn Federation thought to be a waste of resources.


    But this was not a problem for Thirteen.


    He had more than enough Empyrium tost his Battalion for many years.


    Because of this, he wasn''t afraid to let the Wanderers under him "waste" their Empyrium Cartridge, which was the power source of their military-grade weapons.


    Alexis feltplicated as he removed the empty Cartridge, which was worth over ten thousand gold coins worth of Empyrium.


    Simply put, Zion would be wasting three million gold coins if all of his members emptied their cartridges at the same time.


    ''How wasteful,'' Alexis thought. ''This Cartridge is worth half a year''s sry in the military.''


    It was not only Alexis who had the same thought.


    Everyone in the 69th Battalion, especially those who weren''t born into rich families, felt the same way.


    If they didn''t use the Shock Bullets and only used their Armor Piercing Rounds, the lifespan of their Empyrium Cartridge wouldst three times longer.


    When Paul, one of Thirteen''s Captains, proposed that they should just use their armor-piercing rounds instead of using the shock bullets in this operation, their Battalion Commander justughed.


    "Is that some kind of peasant joke that I''m too rich to understand?" Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "All of you line up. I''m going to give you all twenty cartridges each. That''s just two hundred thousand gold coins per person.


    "If I multiply it by three hundred, it will just be around sixty million gold coins. That''s just pocket money for me."


    Paul, who had made this proposal, felt as if his cheeks were burning due to embarrassment.


    Hearing Thirteen''s words, Benedict, Harvey, Troy, and Jordan were very tempted to give the teenage boy the middle finger¡ªsixty million gold was not at all cheap.


    Even their sries within their families were only around a million gold coins every month, yet the brat had the audacity to say that this was only pocket money for him?


    Preposterous!


    Michael, who was also at the scene when Thirteen made this deration, made himself scarce.


    He was afraid that if he stayed for a second longer, the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation might ask him if what his nephew said was the truth.


    Since the Empyrium that the 69th Battalion was from the share that Thirteen received from the mine, no one had the right toin about it.


    Arthur and Michael knew that the mining operation was only a smokescreen of the true wealth that Thirteen''s family was currently amassing in their underground bunker.


    In fact, Arthur visited his son''s house a day ago in order to get his "share" of the true bulk of Empyrium, which Thirteen had promised him for his cooperation.


    Simply put, the Empyrium that was being mined by the Leventis Family in the Rigel Continent was just for show.


    Their true gains numbered several times higher. The Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, and the Central Government would definitely turn green from envy if they knew what was really happening behind the scenes.


    Fortunately, they had not a single idea, allowing them to be very happy with the "leftovers" that Thirteen had left for them.


    The ck-Scaled Crocodiles were Rank three up to Rank 5 Monsters.


    Their leader was a Rank 5 Alpha Monster. Although it was strong, it wasn''t really a threat for the 69th Battalion.


    Why was it not a threat?


    The answer was simple.


    The Crocodiles could never catch up to the Night Wolves even if their lives depended on it.


    Thirteen carefully chose the opponents of his subordinates so that they could familiarize themselves with their hit-and-run tactics.


    They had just recently received their Night Wolves, so they were still in the process of learning how to use them in battle.


    Having taken this into consideration, the teenage boy specifically chose opponents that his men could bully without a problem.


    The ck-Scaled Crocodiles died with great resentment in their hearts. They didn''t even have the chance to defend themselves, unable to reach their opponents who were shooting at them from a safe distance.


    While their scales were really strong, allowing them to tank most damage, the Shock Bullets rendered that advantage useless.


    The hit made them suffer internal bleeding from the high-


    frequency vibrations that rampaged inside their bodies, targeting their internal organs.


    Half an hourter, the riverside was filled with dead crocodiles, all of which were five to six meters long.


    "Mission aplished, Sir," Cristopher said through themunicator.


    "Good job," Thirteen replied. "Make sure to bring those bodies back to the camp. We will make use of their monster parts to strengthen our people."


    The soldiers started to wrap steel cables around the bodies of the crocodiles, which were connected to their mounts.


    Once they returned to Sector 1, the staff of the Dvalinn Federation would dismantle them ording to Thirteen''s instructions.


    While this was happening, the 69th Battalion was once again asked to mobilize to attack the remnants of the Wolf Spiders, whose two leaders were still recuperating from the injuries they received from Rocky''s Magma Breath.

 Chapter 346 Day Of Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 346 Day Of Awakening</h4>


    With every battle that they overcame, the confidence of the 69th Battalion grew.


    In the past, they were a mere ragtag group of nobodies who thought that being part of Zion Leventis'' group would give them bragging rights.


    As the subordinates of the most famous Rookie in the world, they indeed gained the right to tell their family, friends, acquaintances, and random strangers in the streets that they were part of the 69th Battalion.


    Some High-Ranking Officers of the Central Government would even refer to the 69th Battalion as the "Mascot Battalion."


    In their eyes, Zion Leventis'' value was in his ability to make the Central Government an ideal ce for frence Wanderers who were looking for an organization to join.


    His name was enough to entice these individuals¡ªthat was just how popr Zion was.


    To begin with, they never expected anything from him and his subordinates.


    The majority also thought of them as a joke, even more so after they started wearing those military uniforms, whose light green color made any soldier unable to look at them directly due to how blinding it was.


    Little did they know that these soldiers whom they were looking down on were currently fighting in the Monster-Infested Continent and honing their skills to the limits.


    Right now, the 69th Battalion was like a well-oiled killing machine.


    Once their Battalion Commander pointed them in a direction, they would head there without fail and aplish their mission with flying colors.


    Thirteen knew that he needed to carefully adjust the danger level of his subordinates'' missions so that they wouldn''t be overwhelmed by the strength of their enemies.


    This gradual growth of experience and teamwork started to stack on top of each other. Soon enough, they had be a cohesive unit that could work as a whole or as a handful of smaller squads, working together in perfect harmony.


    Even the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation could only sigh at how much the soldiers had grown in just a short period of time.


    In fact, they were so impressed by Thirteen''s way of managing his battalion that they were very tempted to ask him to help train their ground troops as well.


    The teenage boy never treated his subordinates as mere numbers or tools to attain his goal.


    The Zion from six years ago might not bat an eye even if he sent one of these soldiers to die for him.


    However, he could no longer do that, especially after what he experienced during his battle with Arundel.


    Back then, his Monster Army whom he didn''t treat well sacrificed their lives in order to save him.


    Since then, he no longer saw his subordinates as disposable tools whom he could send to the most dangerous battlefields as if sending them to buy milk, not caring if they lived or died in the process.


    As Thirteen was thinking along these lines, the battle between the 69th Battalion and the Red-Eyed Wolves of the ins started.


    He deemed that his subordinates were fit enough toplete this mission, so he gave them the order to mobilize.


    The battle was intense because the Monsters were fast, ferocious, and very deadly.


    It was thanks to the battle experience that the soldiers had nurtured during the past weeks that they could ovee this mission.


    Just as Thirteen expected, many of his men suffered serious injuries in the battle.


    However, none of them died.


    In this day and age, it was very possible to regrow a severed limb as long as enough resources were used for it.


    Of course, it was much easier to reattach them, which was also one of the things that the 69th Battalion had learned from the best Military Medics in the Central Government.


    The Night Wolves, the Avatars of his men, had also be ustomed to their Master''s character, allowing them to perform better ording to their preferences.


    Just as everyone was cleaning up the battlefield, something unexpected happened.


    Cristopher''s, Colbert''s, Alcapone''s, Pietro''s, and Piper''s Chad Skunks all started to evolve into ze Skunks, which surprised everyone, including Benedict and the other representatives who always apanied the 69th Battalion in their expeditions.


    "H-How?!" Benedict couldn''t believe his eyes because this was the first time he was seeing an Avatar evolve into another variant of its race.


    Alcaponeughed out loud and hugged his partner-in-crime who had sessfully transformed into one of the strongest versions of a Chad Skunk, which was a ze Skunk.


    Thirteen had made sure to tell everyone in the 69th Battalion to treat their Avatars as real monsters, not just mere avatars.


    He even sold them Pet Food made by the Leventis Group Unlimited, which had his picture stered on the food packaging.


    The food, of course, was soaked in the blood of the Fire Dragon, allowing the Chad Skunks to evolve.


    Thirteen made sure that no one would be able to figure out how and why the Chad Skunks evolved.


    If someone asked him, he would just say, "Maybe they evolved after fighting every day."


    The conditions for the evolution of Monsters and Avatars were a tightly guarded secret by those who managed to discover them.


    This was why Benedict and the other representatives started to question Cristopher, Colbert, Alcapone, Pietro, and Piper about how they managed to evolve their Avatars.


    Alexis and Paul, who saw these changes, couldn''t help but feel envious, especially after seeing the newly evolved Chad Skunks radiate an incredible presence.


    From an ordinary Monster, the Rank 4 Chad Skunks had evolved into Sovereigns, making them extremely powerful.


    But just as the other members of the 69th Battalion were feeling envious, their Night Wolves also started to undergo a transformation, which made Benedict, and the other representatives of the Dvalinn Federation almost choke blood.


    The Night Wolves had not changed into a different type of Monster. However, they had be bigger, and their presence had be stronger, which was a sign that they had evolved into Alpha Monsters.


    "J-Just what is going on here?!" Benedict asked hisrades, who also had no idea what was happening.


    Soon, this incident would be known in the Dvalinn Federation as the "Day of Awakening."


    A day when three hundred monsters all evolved at the same time, making researchers, scientists, and experts in the field of Avatars unable to exin what just happened on that fateful day in the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 347 The CEO Of Leventis Corn

    ??"How did you all do it?" asked Benedict and the rest of the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation to the 69th Battalion, wanting to know how they managed to evolve their Avatars.


    As part of the families who influenced the entire world, they were aware of Avatar Evolutions.


    So, they also knew that certain conditions must be met for a monster to evolve.


    This knowledge was a closely guarded secret by the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families, who had cracked the method of evolving a few monsters.


    The only problem was that they had only managed to make these handfuls of Monsters turn into Alpha Monsters.


    If they could find a way how to turn them into Sovereigns, then their value would rise drastically.


    "I-I don''t know," Pietro stuttered, feeling pressured by the Champions who were looking at his Rank 4 ze Skunk, who was also looking back at them with the"What do you think old foxes are doing to my bro, Pietro?" re.


    "You must have done something," Harvey said calmly. "Don''t worry. We promise that we willpensate you greatly for the information. If you wish, I can even put a word to my Patriarch and make you a retainer of the Elrod n. What do you say?"


    Harvey didn''t even bat an eye when he asked that, even though Thirteen was sitting not far from them and munching on some potato chips.


    The teenage boy wasughing in his heart as he watched the retainers of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families interrogate¡ªerrr, interview his soldiers and bribe them with great rewards for any information that they could give them.


    The other Wanderers, who belonged to the Dvalinn Federation and had be friends with the 69th Battalion, were also asking them these questions.


    They were hoping that they would be able to contribute to their families, allowing them to be rewarded as well.


    Unfortunately, even the spies who had gone to great lengths and paid their way to join the 69th Battalion were clueless about how their Avatars evolved.


    If they knew how it happened, they would not hesitate to report to their employers in order to receive not only praise but also hefty rewards.


    Seeing that the soldiers were also confused about how their Avatars evolved, the representatives of the different families shifted their attention to the boy who wasxly drinking soda and eating potato chips with his pet snake, Tiona.


    "Ahem, Zion. Good weather we are having today, eh?" Benedict smiled as he sat beside the boy.


    Thirteen then nced at the dark sky above his head, which was a sign that it would be raining soon.


    "Yep," Thirteen replied. "The weather is nice."


    As if waiting for that moment, the sound of thunder roared in the heavens, making Benedict cough lightly.


    "How did you do it?" Benedict inquired.


    "Do what?" Thirteen blinked innocently.


    "How did you make the avatars evolve?"


    "Feed them well, train them well, and let them fight monsters for experience points? You know, just like those popr games on how you make monsters stronger."


    Benedict was very tempted to spit on the boy''s face, but he refrained from doing it. He forced himself to smile like a wise adult who was about to trick a kid into spilling his deepest darkest secrets.


    "Come on, Zion." Benedict patted the boy''s shoulder. "Talk to your Uncle Benedict. I''m sure we can negotiate."


    Thirteen chuckled. "Uncle, I don''t really know. I was just observing from the rear and giving orders. However, I understand that you are surprised just as I am when the Avatars evolved.


    "I mean, if I were a member of a Prestigious Family, I would definitely keep this a secret, right?"


    Michael, who was standing several meters away from Thirteen, fixed the sses on his face.


    Just like the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation, he wanted to ask his nephew about how the Avatars of his subordinates evolved.


    He had known his nephew long enough to understand that many weird things happen whenever he was involved in something.


    If Zion were to tell him that he didn''t know how the Avatars evolved, Michael would drag him to an empty room and negotiate with him, just like what Benedict was doing right now.


    The other representatives also asked Michael in a subtle way if he knew what was happening.


    However, he only smiled, not saying anything but implying that he knew about it, even though he didn''t.


    Suddenly, the representatives had a breakthrough.


    They simply narrowed out their questions to "What do you usually do with your Avatar when you summon them?"


    After matching the answers from the Wanderers, they noticed a pattern.


    The members of the 69th Battalion were feeding their Avatars even though they didn''t need to eat anything!


    Also, the food they were giving them was the same.


    When Jordan Nightshade asked the Wanderers to show him the "Pet Food" that he was feeding his Night Wolf, the boy showed him the one that Thirteen provided for them.


    The representatives of the Dvalinn Federation looked at the package with a picture of Zion, smiling and giving a thumbs up.


    "Leventis Corn Avatar Food," Jordan said as he read thebel on the package. "No MSG added. Guaranteed to make your Avatar and Zion Leventis'' Bank ount happy.


    "P.S. There is a one in a million chance that your Avatar will evolve if they eat this pet food."


    Jordan and the other representatives once again shifted their direction to Thirteen, who now had his own Leventis Corn in his hand and was feeding Tiona with it.


    Sensing the many gazes around him, Thirteen smiled and nced in this direction.


    "I forgot to say that I am also the CEO of Leventis Corn," Thirteen said. "I ept bulk orders. No friend, family, or acquaintance discount. Also, it''s not buy one take one. No refunds."


    "Zion, I''ll buy every pet food that you have, right now," Benedict dered. "No matter how many it is, I''ll take it all!"


    "Don''t be hasty, Benedict," Harvey said. "How about we divide Zion''s stock of pet food between all of us? I''m sure that there''s a lot to go around, right?"


    "¡­ Fine." Benedict knew that he couldn''t monopolize such a good thing, so he agreed topromise.


    Thirteenughed internally because he was using this as propaganda to boost his private business.


    What the Dvalinn Federation didn''t know was that for every one million packs of pet food that he was nning to sell, there would be one pack that could actually make an Avatar evolve.


    This would make them more eager to buy his product, making him richer.


    Thirteen knew that there was no way that the Dvalinn Federation would let such an important event slide.


    If they really find a way to make Avatars evolve, then it would revitalize the Avatar Industry.


    Of course, the teenage boy had no ns to let the other families know this secret.


    Even if they took a sample of the food that the Wanderers were feeding their Avatars and had it sent to theirb for research, they wouldn''t find anything.


    Why? Because only the first batch of pet food that Thirteen gave them had that ability.


    Right now, the Wanderers were using his third batch of pet food, so even if they took it as a sample, they wouldn''t find anything special aside from the ingredients used to create the pet food that Zion was nning to sell en masse.


    His mother, Alessia, and his Father, Gerald, were now undergoing the final stages of their craft.


    Because of this, they would need massive resources.


    The Empyrium and the Padium would give them a lot of money, but Thirteen had no ns to sell them.


    No.


    He was nning to use the Empyrium for his Project Nautilus and Project Apocalypse.


    Because of this, he needed a new source of ie. And what better way than to sell Avatar food that had a one-in-a-million chance to make an Avatar evolve?


    Thirteen could already imagine his product being sold like hotcakes, which would earn him billions of gold coins in just a span of a day.


    Of course, the ones who would buy them in bulk were none other than the Dvalinn Federation, who was trying to negotiate with Thirteen to give them a steady supply of pet food before the other Monarch ns and the other Prestigious Families.


    In short, they wanted to monopolize this amazing product, and Thirteen was more than happy to sell it to them with benefits and conditions attached.


    Michael watched as his nephew got surrounded by lions, hyenas, and foxes, who were trying to outbid each other in order to gain a higher percentage of the products that Thirteen was going to sell.


    Deep in his heart, Michael almost pitied them, knowing that they were being deceived by the teenage boy, who was making the Champions and Monarchs dance on the palm of his hand.

 Chapter 348 Fate Doesn’t Care About Your Plans

    <h4>Chapter 348 Fate Doesn¡¯t Care About Your ns</h4>


    When Thirteen opened his eyes, he found himself in space, staring at the countless stars and gxies around him.


    However, after looking at his surroundings, he found a single table and two chairs in the distance.


    On top of the table was a chess board, with its chess pieces already arranged in proper order.


    "A dream?" Thirteen muttered.


    Thirteen only dreamed once ever since he took over Zion''s body.


    That dream was about meeting one of his previous hosts, Tiona, which made him very happy.


    He missed her terribly, and seeing her again, even if it was just a dream, made him feel at ease.


    ''This is not a dream,'' Thirteen thought because he couldn''t shake the feeling that his consciousness was forcefully brought somewhere without his permission.


    Since there was nothing else to see around him, Thirteen walked toward the table and sat on one of the chairs.


    He had chosen to sit on the side of the ck chess pieces, not wanting to be on the white side for some reason.


    Suddenly, a middle-aged man appeared in front of him, which made the corner of the teenage boy''s lips rise faintly.


    The man¡­ no, the God seated in front of him was none other than this Father, the System God, who had destroyed his vessel and ced his Soul Core into the body of Zion Leventis, who had passed away.


    The System God, Deux Ex Machina, didn''t say anything and simply moved the pawn in front of the King chess piece forward.


    Thirteen did the same, and soon, the two started a game of chess in silence.


    The only thing that could be heard was the moving of the chess pieces as a battle between father and son took ce.


    When the progress of the match was at its climax, the System God broke the silence and spoke first.


    "Are you enjoying your life?" Deus Ex Machina asked.


    "A little," Thirteen replied.


    "I didn''t think that you''d be able to n ahead, creating a backup of your system database. You really are something, Thirteen."


    "Of course, I am. I''m the mighty System of Cannon Fodders. I''ve been losing for thousands of years. It is not impossible to learn a thing or two from such losses."


    Deus Ex Machina snorted as he moved his Queen, putting pressure on Thirteen''s formation.


    "What do you think of your family?" Deus Ex Machina.


    "Which family?" Thirteen asked. "My old one or my current family?"


    Deus Ex Machina eyed his son before nting his Bishop on the board. "Both."


    "My old family sucked big time," Thirteen replied. "My current family is a trillion times better."


    "How does it feel to have a heart?" Deus Ex Machina inquired.


    "Very painful and frustrating," Thirteen answered. "But the mere thought of having the chance to turn the tables on you and Fate makes the suffering worth it."


    The System God arched an eyebrow. "You think you can win?"


    "I''ve lost more than I can count in the past," Thirteen replied. "It''s about time that I win."


    "Check," Deus Ex Machina stated as he used his Queen to target Thirteen''s King.


    The young man didn''t bat an eye and simply blocked the Queen with his own Queen.


    The System God didn''t hesitate to press the attack. He took down Thirteen''s Queen, but the boy used his king to topple his father''s Queen.


    "You will meet your Fated Hero eventually, Thirteen," Deus Ex Machina stated. "By then, I''d like to see how you will fare against them."


    "Bring your worst," Thirteen sneered. "It doesn''t matter how many you send. If onees, I''ll p one. If twoe, I''ll p two. If a dozenes, I''ll p a dozen."


    "And what if the entire world faces you, what then?" Deus Ex Machina asked in a teasing tone.


    "Simple," Thirteen smirked as he cornered his father''s bishop with his pawn. "If the world were to antagonize me, I''ll just have to destroy it. in and simple."


    The match continued, and the pieces on the board decreased rapidly.


    "Fate wanted me to pass her message to you," Deus Ex Machina said.


    "Oh?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Why didn''t shee personally? I''d rather meet her than see you, Old Man."


    Deus Ex Machina ignored his son''s contemptuous tone and passed the message that was given to him by the being who was on the top of Thirteen''s ck List.


    "Fate doesn''t care about your ns. Everything happens for a reason."


    Thirteen rolled his eyes at the message that was passed unto him.


    "Since you''re already here, it''s just normal for you to pass my reply to Fate, right?" Thirteen inquired, and the System God merely shrugged.


    "Why not?" Deus Ex Machina, moved one of hisst three pawns forward. "I''m sure she wouldn''t mind."


    "Tell her that I am preparing a nice little box for her," Thirteen stated. "I''ll even throw in a smelly System God to keep herpany."


    "You brat¡ªyou really think you can get away from saying such a thing?"


    "You should be thankful, Old Man. I''m giving you a chance to get a wife since you are fated to be Forever Alone."


    "What a bunch of bullsh*t."


    "Since when did you learn how to curse, Old Man? Are you watching drama shows in Netfix?"


    Deus Ex Machina snorted as he moved his chess piece forward.


    "Checkmate," Deus Ex Machina dered.


    Thirteen looked at the chess board with a smile before flicking his King with his finger and making it collide with his Father''s King, causing both chess pieces to fall off the board.


    "You''re still too green, Thirteen," Deus Ex Machinaughed. "It will take more than that to bring down a God."


    "I know," Thirteen replied calmly. "But, this game doesn''t change the oue of the real match between me, you, and Fate.


    "The chess pieces the two of you will use and the chess pieces I will use will soon fight on the chess boards of Solterra and Pangea. No matter how strong your pawns are, they will not stand a chance against my Cannon Fodders."


    Thirteen stood up and walked away.


    "Ah, right. I almost forgot," Thirteen said as he turned his head to look at the System God, whom he hadn''t seen since he opened his eyes in Zion''s body.


    "You mentioned that the Hero that Fate had prepared for me wille one day, right? Just make sure that they would give me a challenge. I look forward to meeting them on the battlefield."


    Thirteen then gave his Old Man onest wave before walking toward the portal that appeared in front of him.


    Although he had lost a game of chess in the Dream World, there was no way that he would lose a game of chess in real life.


    What happens in the dream stays in the dream.


    He didn''t bother winning in the dream because what he wanted to do was win in reality.


    Deus Ex Machina looked at his son, who was about to enter the portal, and shook his head helplessly.


    Even he wasn''t confident that the Hero that Fate would send to confront Thirteen in the future would be able to beat him.


    He knew how meticulous his son was.


    If Fate were to send a Hero who was not up to par, then Thirteen would treat that person as a doormat, stepping on their heads and using their bodies to wipe the dirt under his boots.

 Chapter 349 Don’t Believe Whatever Your Sister Said About Me

    ??Rianna''s sister, Shana, stood on the deck of the Battleship of the Valkyries as she gazed at the Ind in the distance.


    They had just left the Dvalinn Federation a day ago after a quick stopover to refuel and restock their food and water supplies.


    "I''ve only seen him on TV, but now I''m about to see him in person," Shana murmured to herself.


    The youngdy who had been forced to listen to her sister''s stories about Zion had aplicated look on her face.


    Shana was part of the 68th Battalion. But, due to her duties as the Saintess, she was always with the Hero Party, the group the Central Government formed by putting together the strongest Wanderers among the Young Generation.


    Everyone had high expectations from them, and truth be told, the pressure was sometimes too much to bear.


    If it weren''t for her sister and her party always supporting and encouraging her, she would''ve definitely felt miserable while forcing herself to meet everyone''s expectations.


    This was also why Rianna wanted her to meet Zion. The former believed that her sister could learn a thing or two from the teenage boy, who was three years younger than Shana.


    While the Saintess was deep in thought, a teasing voice sounded from behind her, snapping her out of her daze.


    "Excited to meet that Mascot, Shana?"


    As Shana turned to look behind her, her sight was weed by a beautifuldy in herte twenties with long blonde hair and blue eyes.


    She was none other than the Commander of the Valkyries, Marion Henderson.


    "Please don''t call him Mascot, Miss Marion," Shana replied. "I feel like you''re also referring to me when you say it like that."


    Marion smirked, thinking that Shana was indeed a mascot as well, even more so after she gained the title of Saintess.


    But it was a fact that no one in Pangea could match her miraculous healing abilities. She could reattach any severed limbs and make them look brand new.


    There were also rumors circting in the Central Government saying that she could even revive those who had died as long as they were brought to her within 24 hours of their death.


    Of course, no one really knew if this was true or not.


    She also didn''t feel like asking the beautiful girl, whose long red hair fluttered in the breeze.


    "Still, he just arrived in the Rigel Continent, yet he immediately found an Empyrium Mine? That boy sure is lucky," Marionmented as she stared at the ind that was getting nearer with every passing minute.


    "My sister said that it wasn''t luck," Shana stated. "In her eyes, Zion Leventis is like a Deity who can make impossible things possible."


    "Oh?" Marion arched an eyebrow. "Does that mean that he can liberate the Rigel Continent and drive away the monsters that have imed it as their own?"


    Shana shrugged since she really didn''t know the answer to this question.


    "Commander, my orders are to observe Zion Leventis and make sure that he doesn''t get into conflict with the Dvalinn Federation," Shana stated. "How about the Valkyries? What did the Higher-Ups order you to do?"


    "That is ssified information, Soldier¡­ is what I''d like to say, but since you asked, I guess I can tell you." Marion smirked. "The order given to us is to not let the Dvalinn Federation monopolize the resources that Zion Leventis finds.


    "Our Big Bosses want to have a bigger share of the pie, which means that our Mascot needs to find another Empyrium Mine or something simr to make the Central Government happy."


    "I see¡­" Shana nodded in understanding.


    She was supposed to go to the Cygni Continent along with her Hero Team, but after her Father, the Field Marshal, personally talked to her, she had no other choice but to change her ns.


    Her teammates were a little disappointed that she wouldn''t be able toe with them, but they understood that this mission also held great significance for the Central Government, so they wished her good luck in her mission.


    Half an hour passed, and they finally docked at the man-made port of the Dvalinn Federation, which would allow them to teleport to Sector 1.


    The process went smoothly because everyone was already informed of their arrival.


    The Wanderers of the Dvalinn Federation were also extremely happy to receive the Saintess.


    In the current state of their world, everyone wished for Heroes to appear and save them from their current state.


    So now that Zion Leventis and Shana Summers were in the Rigel Continent, the Wanderers of the Dvalinn Federation were motivated to work even harder to expand their territories and reim a little morend to the best of their abilities.


    Upon Shana''s arrival at Sector 1, she was pleasantly surprised to see a young man with a ck snake coiled around his neck, standing a distance away from the teleporter.


    Shana hesitated for a few seconds before gathering her courage to approach the teenage boy, who was several years younger than her. "Hello, my name is Shana Summers," Shana said with a smile. "My sister, Rianna, would never stop talking about you whenever we are together. She always says that I should learn a thing or two from you."


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s face before he extended his hand for a handshake.


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied. "Don''t believe whatever your sister says about me. Knowing Rianna, she probably exaggerated a few things to make me look cool."


    Shana epted the handshake and smiled after hearing Thirteen''sment about her sister.


    ''I guess he''s not like those arrogant heirs from the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families,'' Shana thought.


    After shaking each other''s hands twice, the two let go of each other''s hands and smiled.


    "The name is Marion Henderson," Marion introduced herself, making Shana almost jump up in fright.


    The Commander of the Valkyries had spoken right next to her, which caught her by surprise.


    "It''s an honor to meet the Commander of the Valkyries." Thirteen saluted. "I''ve heard many good things about you, Ma''am."


    "Skip the formalities because I''m not here to order you around, Soldier," Marionmented as she returned Thirteen''s salute. "I''m here to earn myself a promotion. So, can you find us some Empyrium Mine and make everyone here happy?


    "Of course. We can also keep it a secret and let the profits directly go to my bank ount. The Central Government doesn''t need to know about the small stuff."


    The members of the Dvalinn Federation present on the site looked at Marion weirdly.


    If not for the fact that she was a beautiful woman and also the Commander of the famous Valkyrie Division, they might have thought of her as a gold digger.


    Someone who was looking for a rich guy who would allow her to live her lifefortably without the need to risk her life on the battlefield.

 Chapter 350 What A Bunch Of Simps

    ??After the brief introduction, the members of the Valkyrie set up their temporary camp at Sector 3.


    Sector 3 was located on the East Border of Sector 1, and it was marked as a safe ce for setting up a camp.


    On the contrary, Thirteen''s Camp was in Sector 13, which was the newest sector that the 69th Battalion had personally imed for themselves.


    It was in no way a safe location for camping, given the Hordes of Monsters that would pass through it from time to time, but Thirteen didn''t care.


    In fact, he even regrly asked his subordinates to sleep on the ground in a curled-up position.


    At first, all of them thought that their Commander wanted them to be monster food since he was asking them to sleep right in the open.


    However, they soon realized that most Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters would just walk past them, so they started to gain confidence in their light-green military armor.


    Thirteen told them that if they ever found themselves surrounded by Jinns on all sides, they must drop down to the ground and curl up, lowering their presence as much as possible. After that, they should press a button from their military armor to make their armor inte, covering their entire bodies and making them look like a small boulder.


    The military armor that they wore not only made them look like small boulders when they were curled up, but it also prevented any kind of smell from leaving their bodies.


    Jinns were sensitive to the smell of humans because they were their favorite food.


    But if they couldn''t see and smell them, then the Wanderers'' lives wouldn''t be in danger even if they slept in the open.


    As for those who snore in their sleep? Thirteen also had a fix for it.


    The helmets they possessed could cover the entire face with just a touch of a button, and they also had a soundproofing mechanism.


    At first, all the soldiers were hesitant to execute their Commander''s orders.


    But when Cristopher, Colbert, and the Mafia Boys moved as they were told, everyone observed them from a safe distance with binocrs.


    To their surprise, the monsters did indeed just walk past them, not even giving them a sidelong nce.


    Thirteen said that they could do this as ast resort just in case they had nowhere else to go in the Jinn-infestednds of the Rigel Continent.


    This was why he asked them to sleep using this technique¡ªto let them gain confidence in their military armor''s ability to save their lives.


    As long as they didn''t have to worry about being discovered, they could sleep anywhere without worrying about bing a Jinn''s midnight snack.


    Of course, Thirteen told them that not all Jinns and Majins were dumb creatures.


    There woulde a time when these monsters would be able to see through their disguise.


    However, this was only meant to be used as ast resort to give them a chance of survival in the worst-case scenario.


    Of course, Thirteen also asked Rocky to stay under his sleeping soldiers, so that he could save them just in case something unexpected happened.


    As the days passed, the 69th Battalion followed Cristopher''s and Colbert''s attitude in regard to Thirteens'' orders.


    Just like these two Captains, they no longer questioned their Commander''s orders and followed them withoutints, even when it sounded like they were gambling with their lives.


    After meeting with Shana, Marion, and the Valkyries, Thirteen returned to Sector 13 to see how his troops were doing.


    Just as he was nearing the site, he heard the sound of gunfire.


    However, he didn''t feel anxious because this was already a normal urrence in their base of operations.


    "Good job, everyone," Thirteen said as he looked at the countless dead Jinns that were lying on the ground.


    Most of the hordes that frequented Sector 13 were usually made up of Rank 1 Monsters, with a Rank 2 or Rank 3 Leader mixed among them.


    However, with the 69th Battalion''s superior firepower and newfound ability to escape unharmed using their powerful and fast Avatars, none of them was in any real danger.


    All the soldiers stood in attention and saluted theirmander.


    "At ease, everyone," Thirteen stated as he returned their salute.


    "Sir, did the Saintess really arrive here in the Rigel Continent?" Cristopher asked excitedly. "Did you ask for her autograph?"


    Thirteen blinked as he looked at the chubby boy, whom he didn''t expect to be one of Shana''s fans. "I didn''t," Thirteen replied. "But I gave some of the Valkyries my autograph because they asked for it. Why? Do all of you want to get the autograph of the Saintess?"


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    ''What a bunch of simps,'' Thirteen thought.


    Almost everyone in the 69th Battalion made their opinions known, which made Thirteen smirk.


    "Don''t worry. She will be visiting us today or tomorrow after they finish setting up camp in Sector 3," Thirteen stated. "I don''t know if you already know about this, but the Saintess is being escorted by the Valkyries.


    "I saw them just now, and all of them looked formidable. However, I have confidence that when ites to special forces in the Central Government, no one can beat us. Even the 1st Battalion can''tpare."


    Among the divisions in the army, the 1st Battalion gets the highest funding because it was the ce where the "elites" of the army were sent.


    In fact, the Hero was from the 1st Battalion, further boosting their reputation.


    But in Thirteen''s eyes, it didn''t matter what the other Battalions did. Once his subordinates hadpleted their Spartan Training, they would be a force to reckon with anywhere on the battlefield.


    What Thirteen was trying to do with his subordinates was desensitize them from Jinns and Majins, significantly reducing their excessive fears.


    Some soldiers, especially those who were newly drafted, would panic when they saw themselves facing off against a horde of monsters, whose Rank was higher than theirs.


    Thirteen wanted his Battalion to be able to think clearly in any given situation.


    He wanted to ingrain to them that they had the means to escape, fight, and hide at their leisure and that they had more options to keep themselves alive.


    He also chose Sector 13 as their base so that his soldiers would develop a sixth sense when it came to detecting Jinns and Majins.


    Thirteen believed that this sense of awareness woulde in handy once they were deployed to the Cygni Continent to help defend it from the Jinn invasion.


    "I''ll give you half an hour to finish collecting the Cores from those Jinns," Thirteen ordered. "An hourter, we will head North East. Captain Colbert found a nest of Centipedes, so we are going to take them out. After that, I believe all of you will be able to sleep easier tonight."


    The soldiers couldn''t help but smile after hearing their Commander''s words.


    Every day, they would clear up potential threats near their campsite so that they would have to deal with fewer nocturnal enemies that would often visit their camp in the middle of the night.


    An hourter, three hundred Wanderers mobilized and left their camp, riding atop their mounts.


    Another day of hunting was about to begin, and Thirteen would make sure that all of his soldiers would be able to return to their camp in one piece.

 Chapter 351 The 69th Battalion’s Simple Battle Strategy

    ??A day after Shana and her entourage arrived in the Rigel Continent, Marion and the Valkyries, who numbered over five hundred, went to visit the 69th Battalion on Sector 13.


    "He''s younger than I thought he would be," one of the Valkyries whispered to her friend after finally seeing the most famous Rookie in the world.


    "Right. Did he really fight against a Majin Prince?" another Valkyrie asked. "I can easily crush his head like a watermelon without any problems."


    "Well, those stories might just be an exaggeration of what really happened. Maybe he was just there, watching the battle from the sidelines?"


    "Well, Rianna said that he was fighting in the front lines. But she was guarding the Grand Ballista, so she can''t be sure if he really fought the Majin Prince, right?"


    The Valkyries,posed of only female Wanderers, talked without even bothering to lower their voice.


    It was as if they were trying to see how Zion Leventis would react to their words.


    Cristopher and Colbert, who were respectively Thirteen''s left and right hand men, frowned as they looked at the beautifuldies whom they were ogling earlier.


    After hearing their words, they looked at thedies in disdain as if they were staring at pigs who had been rolling around in filth for an entire day.


    Perhaps noticing the two''s disgusted expression, the Valkyries all red at them. However, the two weren''t fazed at all and even confidently matched thedies'' gazes with a contemptuous look, as if they were insignificant creatures that held no importance whatsoever.


    "Battalion Commander," Marion saluted the teenage boy, who was nearly half her age. "Forgive my girls. They''re just talking nonsense."


    "Don''t worry, Ma''am," Thirteen replied as he saluted back to Marion. "I''m already used to it."


    His subordinates had also acted like that when they first joined his Battalion. Now, they had somewhat turned into decent and very loyal soldiers who no longer questioned his every order.


    "Zion, I''d appreciate it if we don''t talk formally," Marion said with a smile. "I don''t want a stiff environment, so just be casual, okay?"


    "Understood." Thirteen nodded. "Have you all been briefed about the rules set by the Dvalinn Federation for all the outsider groups entering the Rigel Continent?"


    "Yes," Marion replied. "The one I disliked the most is the flying ban. We mostly use Pegasus Avatars, so not being able to use them will limit our fighting abilities."


    "The moment any of you ride those Pegasus and fly to the sky is the moment you die, Miss Marion," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "That might work in Solterra, but the Rigel Continent is different. There are Rank 6 up to Rank 9 Sovereigns wandering thesends.


    "Some of the Jinns and Majins can fly, so if you are seen riding on Avatars in the sky, you will definitely be their target. Please, I cannot stress how important it is for you to follow the flight ban as if your life depended on it."


    "You heard him, girls," Marion stated as he nced at her Valkyries. "No flying or you die. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Yes, Ma''am!"""


    The Valkyries raised their voice as if trying to intimidate the 69th Battalion with the intensity of their reply.


    "No shouting as well." Thirteen couldn''t help but facepalm after hearing the girls reply loudly.


    The Valkyries looked at him with amusement, but Thirteen didn''t even bother to look at them and raised his hand, signaling his members to all go into Battle Mode.


    The members of the 69th Battalion, who were eating, reading, and chatting with each other immediately abandoned whatever they were doing and lightly tapped the badge on their right shoulder.


    Soon, the bodies of the soldiers were covered in light-green military armor, which made the Valkyries flinch due to how bright their colors were.


    Without caring what thedies thought, Thirteen''s subordinates all summoned their Avatars.


    When the Ladies saw that all of the members of the 69th Battalion, with the exception of a few oddballs, had Rank 4 Alpha Night Wolves as their Mount, all of them flinched.


    The Giant Wolves, which were as ck as night, all crouched down to make it easier for their respective Masters to mount them.


    Thirteen, who had no avatar of his own, stood on a hoverboard powered by Empyrium, which slowly floated a meter above the ground.


    "Miss Marion, make sure that none of your members ride their Flying Mounts. We don''t want a disaster in our hands," Thirteen stated.


    Before Marion could even ask what was happening, they heard loud roarsing from the distance.


    The base Thirteen had chosen for his people was an elevated slope, giving them a better view of their surroundings.


    The sounds of countless hooves running in their direction rmed the Valkyries, who didn''t know that Sector 13 was a ce frequently visited by Jinns that always traveled in groups.


    "Sir, Goblin Rider spotted," reported Cristopher, who was using a binocr to take a closer look at the approaching monsters.


    The Goblin Riders wereposed of Hobgoblins that were riding on Wargs. These monsters, which were mostly Rank 2 and Rank 3, were some of the mostmon creatures inhabiting the area where Thirteen and his men were stationed.


    "Deal with it," Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, the 69th Battalion charged toward the enemy horde.


    However, just as the Shana, Marion, and the Valkyries thought that they would engage in closebat, Alexis and Paul, who were in the lead, made their Night Wolves run sideways.


    The soldiers running behind them followed suit.


    "Silencer Mode," Alexis ordered as he aimed his assault rifle at the monsters that were within his shooting range. "Fire at will!"


    Muffled sounds escaped the tip of their assault rifles as their Armor-Piercing Roundsnded on their target.


    The Wanderers didn''t even need to put much effort into aiming. With how tightly the enemies were grouped, their gunfire would hit their targets without fail.


    The Goblin Captain, who was a Rank 4 Alpha Monster, immediately shouted its orders to follow the annoying Night Wolves, who seemed to be shooting in their direction.


    Since they couldn''t see the soldiers properly due to their light-


    green armor, they thought that the Night Wolves were using some kind of trick to annihte them.


    The Goblin Archers retaliated, but the Night Wolves were simply too fast and immediately distanced themselves from their enemies.


    After evolving into an Alpha Monster, their speed, agility, and strength had increased drastically, making it impossible for the Wargs, which the Hobgoblins were riding, to catch up to them.


    Thirteen had taught the 69th Battalion a simple battle strategy.


    "Hit your opponents, but don''t let them hit you back."


    This tactic was what allowed them to thrive in Sector 13, where a battle could erupt at any moment.


    After weeks of fighting as a team, they had grown familiar with using each other''s strengths to their advantage.


    Cristopher, Colbert, Pietro, and Piper, who were riding on ze Skunks, weren''t moving as fast as theirrades.


    In fact, they were at deadst because ze Skunks weren''t monsters who specialized in speed.


    Seeing that there were stragglers behind, the Goblins decided to change their targets and aimed for the four Skunks, whom they nned to vent their anger.


    However, when these skunks all turned around and raised their tail, a very bad feeling crept into the minds of the Hobgoblins, who had stepped into the fifty-meter-mark range of the ze Skunks.


    Without any warning, the four ze Skunks unleashed a ming spray that instantly made every monster they hit scream in pain.


    Just like giant methrowers, the ze Skunks burned down their enemies, with some of them even melting on the spot due to the acid that was imbued on the hellish mes.


    But that wasn''t all.


    The mes were also very foul-smelling, making the Wargs, who had sensitive noses, disoriented. They iled around, sending their riders flying off their backs.


    While this was happening, the Night Wolves turned around and annihted the stragglers who had fallen into disarray.


    The Goblin Captain had already died after being bombarded with thebined firepower of the four ze Skunks, so there was no longer anyone who would give them any orders.


    Since they had lost their leaders, the first thing that the Goblins did was run.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t outrun the Night Wolves, so they were killed one by one until only their corpses remained on the battlefield.


    The Valkyries, who watched the battle from start to end, were stunned because they didn''t expect to see such a scene after they arrived in the Rigel Continent.


    The majority of them thought of the 69th Battalion as a joke.


    But after seeing them in action, they believed that they wouldn''t be able to fight as effectively as them, which made them look at the teenage boy, who was looking at his subordinates with a faint smile on his face.

 Chapter 352 Zion’s Original Flavor

    ??After the battle ended, the 69th Battalion divided themselves into three groups, each consisting of one hundred Wanderers.


    The first team harvested the Cores of the Monsters, as well as any other valuable monster parts.


    The second team encircled the first team and stood guard, keeping their attention to their surroundings.


    The third team, on the other hand, scouted ahead in order to check if the battle had alerted any other monster hordes in the area, which could potentially threaten theirrades, who were busy retrieving their spoils of war.


    "I have to apologize to you, Zion," Marion said. "I came here thinking that you and your men are just ying house here in the Rigel Continent. Did you teach them this strategy?"


    "I did." Thirteen nodded. "I advise the Valkyries to change their mounts. We don''t want to risk any of you ordering your mount to fly out of habit.


    "Sector 13 is an area surrounded by Monsters ranging from Rank 1 up to Rank 5. We''re stationed here to also make sure that no Monsters would venture near Sector 5, where the Empyrium Mine is located.


    "If the Valkyries n to observe and cooperate with us, you should seriously consider temporarily switching to non-flying mounts. I''m not saying this out of spite to any of you, but having flying Avatars on this continent is a liability instead of an advantage."


    Marion nodded because he knew that Thirteen was telling them the truth.


    "Then we''ll ask the Dvalinn Federation if they can give us 500 Night Wolves as well. I''m quite impressed. I didn''t think that they would have so many Alpha Monsters. Do you think they still have a few to spare?"


    Thirteen looked at Marion weirdly.


    However, after careful consideration, he realized that the Dvalinn Federation might have done a cover-up to prevent the news of the Mass Avatar Evolution event from spreading.


    "The Dvalinn Federation have Night Wolves to spare, but they are just ordinary Night Wolves," Thirteenmented. "The Night Wolves of my subordinates evolved a few days ago, and this is the result of their evolution."


    "Hahaha! Nice joke!" Marionughed as she lightly patted Thirteen''s shoulder. "I almost believed you there, Zion. I mean, how can so many Night Wolves evolve at once and be Alpha Monsters? If that was easy to do, then the Military would have a field day."


    Thirteen paused for a bit before nodding his head.


    He already told Marion the truth, but since she didn''t want to believe him, he would just let her think whatever she wanted to think.


    An hourter, the 69th Battalion returned to their camp and resumed whatever they were doing earlier.


    "Alcapone, you and Pietro will be on Drone Duty," Thirteen ordered, making the leader of the Mafia Boys groan.


    The leader of the Mafia Boys groaned because Thirteen always asked him to do odd jobs whenever there was an opportunity.


    His brothers from his group all gave him a thumbs up before taking a nap at their respective tents, making sure that Alcapone''s sacrifice was worth it.


    All the members of the 69th Battalion were each given a drone and taught how to operate it.


    Thirteen gave them many methods on how to survive, and this was one of them.


    Just like their military uniforms, their Drones were also light green in color.


    If humans were too blinded by their color scheme, the Jinns, on the other hand, were having a hard time understanding what they were looking at because it had a color that effectively merged with its surroundings.


    While Pietro and Alcapone did guard duty, Thirteen lit up a small stove in order to cook his lunch.


    The 69th Battalion was taught to be self-sufficient, so they didn''t have any cooks responsible for preparing meals for everyone.


    As Thirteen was setting up his stove and ingredients, Shana crouched beside him and asked a question.


    "What is it like to face a Majin Prince?" Shana asked.


    Thirteen nced at the youngdy who was older than him by three years for a few seconds before shifting his attention back to the portable stove in front of him.


    "What is the rank of the most horrifying monster you faced on the battlefield?" Thirteen asked as he poured water into a pot, after which he ced it over the stove to boil the water.


    "A Rank 5 Python Overlord," Shana answered as she gazed in the distance, reminiscing about that fateful encounter. "I met one two years ago. I was just a Rookie at that time, so when I saw that monster, I felt like death was staring at me in the face.


    "Fortunately, it wasn''t a Jinn, and it had just eaten arge meal, so it left me alone. I really thought that I was going to die back then. I even have nightmares of it from time to time."


    Thirteen nodded. "Facing a Majin Prince is like that as well. It doesn''t have to beplicated. Ranks don''t mean anything. If you face death, it''s all the same."


    Shana pondered Zion''s words and then shifted her attention to Tiona, who was coiled up in Zion''s neck.


    "You''re not afraid of snakes, are you?" Shana asked with a smile. "No," Thirteen replied. "I have a fondness for them."


    "Domini Mortis are extremely rare, right?" Shana inquired. "And this one seems to have taken a great liking to you. How did you tame it?"


    "I didn''t tame her," Thirteen replied. "Tiona was a monster about to be auctioned, and I was the one that bought her."


    "I don''t see any ve marks on her though?" Shana carefully observed the ck snake''s head because the mark of very would usually be seen on top of a monster''s head or at their foreheads.


    "I asked the ve Master to remove her mark," Thirteen said. "I''m not a big fan of very."


    Tiona nced at her Master weirdly.


    Taiga, the Orcs, and the Trolls were all Thirteen''s ves, and he sure enjoyed tormenting them in the past.


    The ck snake decided that it wasn''t worth it to correct her Master, so she just shook her head helplessly.


    "very is not good." Shana nodded. "My sister bought some ves during her First Wandering, and she freed them all. They are now part of her group, and they often travel together in Solterra to do missions together."


    "Six years ago, your sister was a very naive girl," Thirteen stated, not caring that Shana immediately pouted after he bad-


    mouthed Rianna.


    "She did buy the ves, but she didn''t know what to do with them after buying them. I was the one who rented a warehouse so that they would have a ce to stay and rest.


    "Your sister is too righteous and a goody-two-shoes. I hope she has changed since thest time I saw her. If not, I''ll flick her forehead for being as stupid as she was in the past."


    "¡­You''re the only person that I know who can say those words without worrying about its consequences," Shana replied, not knowing if she should be impressed or offended because Zion was badmouthing her sister.


    "Shana, your sister is a very capable person, but she has a habit of taking on tasks above her league," Thirteen said as he looked at the water that was starting to boil. "I hope that you''re not the same. People expect a lot of things from me, but I don''t care about their expectations.


    "I''m sure you also carry the same burdens on your shoulders. So, whenever you feel like wanting to meet the expectations of others, I want you to remember me. I, Zion Leventis, is more popr, more awesome, more charming, more charismatic, and the most powerful Rookie in the world.


    "If someone like me can shrug off the expectations of others, what is stopping you from doing the same? You have been given thebel of the Saintess, but you don''t have to act like a Saint. After all, no one in this world can be truly a Saint."


    Thirteen took out a pack of instant noodles from his storage ring, which made Shana blink twice after seeing the packaging.


    Thirteen''s face was stered on the package and it read¡­


    "Zion''s Instant Noodles (Original vor)."


    Thirteen nced at the youngdy, who was looking at the noodle pack in his hands with a serious expression on her beautiful face.


    "Do you want to try it?" Thirteen asked. "This will be released in the market after a month. It contains all the important vitamins and nutrients. Also, it doesn''t have MSG."


    "Why not?" Shana was very curious about what the noodles tasted like.


    However, five minutester, her face turned pale. Zion''s Instant Noodles tasted like bubblegum, which made her almost spit the food that was inside her mouth.


    "Zion, don''t release this to the market, I beg of you," Shana said as she held Thirteen''s arm, who was happily eating his instant noodles as if it was the most delicious thing in the world.


    "Why?" Thirteen asked.


    "It tastes like bubblegum," Shana replied. "In short, it sucks."


    "¡­You mean, I won''t earn money from this?"


    "No. I''m also starting to think that your taste buds must be dead. No one in their right mind would eat something like this."


    The members of the 69th Battalion, who were listening to their conversation, all nodded their heads in silence.


    They, too, had once been tricked by their Commander to try his "Original vor" noodles, which they believed was the most horrendous thing that they had eaten since instant noodles were invented.


    Thirteen nced at Tiona, who was also eating the noodles with him.


    The ck Snake reluctantly nodded her head and told her Master that it didn''t really taste good.


    On that same day, with the help of the Saintess, Thirteen''s Noodle Franchise ended.


    It didn''t even get a chance to see the light of day, which prevented a cmity from descending upon the world.


    However, this wouldn''t be the first nor thest of Thirteen''s business practices that would almost bring the entirety of Pangea to its knees.


    ¡ª--------------

 Chapter 353 While Ranks Are Important, It Is Not Absolute

    ??"I didn''t expect that the Rigel Continent would be this¡­ peaceful," Shana said as she viewed the surrounding scenery from Thirteens'' Humvee, which Cristopher was driving.


    "Peaceful? Well, if you''re talking about our current situation¡ªyeah, you can say it''s peaceful," Thirteen replied. "Were you expecting that you''ll be attacked by hordes of Jinns and Majins without end the moment you step foot into this continent?"


    The youngdy nodded. It was true that she had such thoughts before arriving at the continent, which had long fallen under the control of the Jinns and Majins.


    "Shana, ever since this continent''s fall, the Dvalinn Federation had only liberated 12 Sectors of thisnd. Each sector has a size of about one square kilometer. Combined, that is only 12 square kilometers ofnd.


    "The Rigel Continent is the secondrgest continent in Pangea, second only to Sirius. The territories that the Dvalinn Federation had secured through countless sacrifices are merely a small drop in a bucket of water.


    "Of course, the Jinns and Majins know that the Dvalinn Federation is trying to reim theirnd, but all the Sectorsbined are too small for the true rulers of this ce to care. In their point of view, the efforts of the Dvalinn Federation are a mere fool''s errand.


    "Only if the entirety of humanity worked together will there be a chance to liberate this ce. The powerhouses of the Jinns and Majins are at the center of this continent. The monsters we are fighting right now are mere small fries."


    Shana frowned and shifted her gaze toward the teenage boy, who was checking hismunicator to see the current situation around them.


    "If all the Champions of the Dvalinn Federation, as well as their Monarch, worked together, I''m sure they could retrieve morends," Shana stated. "Even your Battalion managed to secure the 13th Sector with just yourselves. Doesn''t that mean that they can do better?"


    Thirteen chuckled. Shana''s words made it clear to him that she truly didn''t know how terrifying Jinns and Majins could be.


    "You''re part of the Hero Party, right?" Thirteen asked. "Usually, what kind of missions do you all do together?"


    "We fight Jinns and Majins wreaking havoc near the Major Cities in Solterra," Shana replied. "If there is a Tier 3 Dimensional Gate, we will also mobilize to intercept them."


    "The Hero of your Party is neen years old, and he is already of the Master Rank," Thirteen stated. "That''s pretty impressive. He is absolutely a Prodigy, second only to me."


    "Why is he second only to you?" the frown on Shana''s face deepened. "You''re only of the Rookie Rank, so he''s several times stronger, yes?"


    "You''re three years older than me, and you''ve just recently stepped into the Elite Rank," Thirteenmented. "This also means that you are one of the strongest Wanderers of this generation."


    Shana, who had been praised by Thirteen, felt happy. Her sister, Rianna, had practically treated Zion as an Idol to worship, so hearing that same idol praising her now made her happy.


    However, that happiness didn''tst long and was cut off the moment Thirteen added to his words.


    "You and that Hero of your party are both strong, but what are the strongest monsters you''ve faced in a battle?" Thirteen asked.


    "Rank 4 Sovereigns," Shana replied, feeling very proud of her achievement.


    Thirteen looked at the smug-faced girl before asking Cristopher a question.


    "Cristopher, how strong was the enemy we faced?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Majin Prince," Cristopher replied with pride. "He also has an armyposed of two Rank 9 Sovereigns and dozens of Higher-Ranking Monsters."


    Thirteen then shifted his attention back to the girl, who now had a stiff smile on her face.


    "Both you and that Hero of yours should do better," Thirteen replied with a smile. "I mean, I wasn''t even a Rookie when I faced Arundel, yet I won against him. So, how can you possiblypare that Hero to me, who can only fight Rank 4 Sovereigns with a party of Wanderers? Hello? Can''t you see the disparity in strength between us?"


    "B-But!" Shana tried to counter Thirteen''s argument, but the boy only gave her the "okay, say something that can surpass my achievement" gaze, which made the youngdy pout.


    "Shana, if you only gauge people because of their Rank, you will be one of those snot-nosed snobby celebrities who look down on people with lower standing," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "While Ranks are important, they are not absolute.


    "I don''t want to toot my own horn, but even if the Monarchs grouped together and fought against Arundel, they would all die a dog''s death. How about I remind you of the power scaling of the Ranks that you look up to the most?"


    Thirteen smirked before raising a single finger.


    "A Champion can fight against a Rank 6 Monster," Thirteen stated. "But, they can''t fight against a Rank 6 Overlord on their own," Thirteen exined. "In order to effectively fight against a monster of that rank, four Champions need to work together as a team.


    "If they are fighting a Rank 6 Sovereign, they need six Champions to get the job done. However, this is not an absolute estimate because there are always exceptions. Not all Champions are equal, and there will always be someone who excels more than others.


    "Let''s take Benedict Riggs as an example. He is a Peak Stage Champion, and because of his strength, he is recognized as one of the Top 5 Big Shots of the Riggs Family. Someone like him can face off against a Rank 6 Overlord alone, and depending on the situation, he could probably defeat a Rank 6 Sovereign as well.


    "Thrones can effectively fight against Rank 7 Sovereigns, and Monarchs can fight Rank 8 Sovereigns. But if they''ll have to face a Rank 9 Sovereign, three to five Monarchs are needed to fight one.


    "But just like us, there are also exceptions to the Jinn Race. Not all Rank 8 and 9 Sovereigns are equal. There are monsters who overshadow their peers, so if these monsters meet ''ordinary Wanderers,'' even Champions, Thrones, and Monarchs can die after facing them.


    "This is also the reason why the Monarchs refused to fight the Jinns in Antares, causing the first continent to helplessly fall. They tried to right their wrongs by fighting here in the Rigel Continent, but it made them realize that the strength they possessed was not enough."


    Thirteen''s voice was filled with contempt as he talked about the Monarchs, who gained their powers through foul means. Because of this, the Five Monarchs of the Monarch ns were the weakest Monarchs in the world. Only the Monarch of the Central Government, who had fought on the front lines, was actually considered strong.


    The omnipotent Guardian of Solterra and Pangea was both a fair and unfair God. He would give the Wanderers unfair missions, but he would be fair when it came to rewarding them for their achievements.


    Had the Five Monarchs fought with everything they had, forget about getting Mythical Weapons, they might have been awarded aplete set of Legendary Weapons, making them true powerhouses in every sense of the world.


    Simply put, the Mythical Weapon and the abilities they gained after dealing thest blow to a half-dead monster were merely the "constion prize" that Lace Demon and The One had given them.


    So, in Thirteen''s point of view, the Five Monarch ns was a joke.


    If his Host hadn''t died, he would have be the strongest existence in Pangea and would''ve led humanity to a better future.


    Unfortunately, his Host wasn''t able to live to see that day, which was something that Thirteen wouldn''t be able to forgive.


    Right now, he was still too weak to avenge his host, but the moment hepleted his preparations, he would exact his vengeance.


    Just as Thirteen was about to say more, the Communicator in his wrist suddenly emitted a warning sound, making his face turn grim.


    "Commander, there''s an emergency!" Alcapone''s voice, which was filled with panic, reverberated inside the Humvee. "A squad of Valkyries summoned their Avatars to fly in the sky, and they caught the attention of a Rank 6 Sovereign Roc.


    "We''re trying to give them cover fire, but the Roc has a dozen Giant Eagles as subordinates. We''repletely outmatched and forced to retreat!"


    Thirteen cursed internally as his face turned serious. He had already warned the Valkyries to never use their flying Avatars because this was a taboo thing to do in the Rigel Continent.


    The Dvalinn Federation had learned this the hard way, and hundreds of their Elite Wanderers had died after these Flying Monsters attacked them without mercy.


    "Cristopher!" Thirteen shouted.


    "On it, Sir!" Cristopher stepped on the eleration of the Humvee, making the vehicle zoom across the rugged terrain, heading into the ce where a battle was already taking ce.

 Chapter 354 Crash And Burn [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 354 Crash And Burn [Part 1] </h4>


    Fifteen minutes before Alcapone called Thirteen¡­


    "Hey, this scouting mission is taking forever," one of the Valkyriesined as they rode behind the 69th Battalion.


    The armor of the Green Lanterns was nearly blinding, so they were wearing sunsses, which the Dvalinn Federation had provided for them.


    "I know, right? If only we could fly in the sky, then we could have already mapped the entire surroundings in less than five minutes," another Valkyrie replied.


    "There are only Rank 1 up to Rank 3 Monsters so far. This ce is at the very edge of the continent. I reckon that even if we fly, we''d only be facing Rank 3 Flying Monsters at most. We can easily kill those things!"


    "Captain, how about we just do it?" the prettiest Valkyrie in the group asked. "We''ll just fly for a minute or two andplete this scouting mission. After that, we can return to the base. We won''t need to spend an hour or two following these guys."


    Vi, the captain of the squad of twelve Valkyries, pondered for a bit as she considered her member''s suggestion.


    Their Commander had briefed them that flying was strictly not allowed, so they had no choice but to rent Night Wolves from the Dvalinn Federation and use them as temporary mounts.


    However, the Valkyries were used to traveling and fighting in the skies.


    Making them travel onnd was giving them an itch that they couldn''t scratch, so they were getting more and more restless.


    "We can''t do it." Vi shook her head. "The Commander''s orders are absolute."


    All the Valkyries sighed after hearing their Captain''s words. In the end, they decided to endure and follow behind the 69th Battalion, feeling miserable that they were the squad chosen to apany the battalion in this Scouting Mission.


    Suddenly, the formation of the 69th Battalion changed, and one of them decelerated to inform the Valkyries why they were changing their formation and route.


    "Our scouts have spotted a Giant Eagle heading in our direction," Pietro, who was at the rear of the formation, said. "We will be doing an evasive maneuver and prepare to engage it just in case it decides to attack us."


    The Valkyries all nodded in understanding, but deep inside, all of them were feeling excited.


    They had seen how the 69th Battalion fought on the battlefield,


    Their teamwork and strategy were very amazing, so the Valkyries were thinking about showing off what they could do.


    Unfortunately, flying was banned, so they couldn''t execute their strongest formations.


    They were also not used to riding Night Wolves, so their strategies wouldn''t be as effectivepared to when they were riding their Pegasus in the sky.


    When the Giant Eagle appeared in their location, it saw hundreds of Night Wolves running together.


    However, its gaze focused on the back of the group, focusing on the twelve Valkyries who had caught its attention.


    Unlike the Green Lanterns, who were nearly invisible in its eyes, it could see the Valkyries were as clear as day.


    Because of this, it didn''t hesitate to dive down and target the Valkyries, who all grinned at the same time.


    "Captain, it''s targeting us," one of the Valkyries said. "Maybe it''s thinking that we''re just small fries."


    "Captain, this is self-defense, and the enemy is a flying monster," the prettiest among the Valkyriesmented. "Isn''t this a good reason to engage it inbat? After all, we are being attacked by it."


    Vi thought that this was indeed a legitimate reason to use their flying mounts to engage the opponent.


    Since it was self-defense and they were only dealing with one opponent, she believed it was justified to temporarily lift the flight ban and engage inbat.


    "Formation Daedalus!" Vi ordered, making the Valkyries cheer together.


    They unsummoned their Night Wolves and summoned their Pegasus. As they rose to the skies, they felt liberated as if they had just been freed from prison.


    The Giant Eagle, which was a Rank 5 Monster, screeched and attacked them, but the Valkyries easily dodged the attack with fearless smiles on their faces.


    They might not be good innd battles, but in the air, they were confident in their abilities.


    After dodging the Giant Eagle''s attacks, they unleashed their own abilities.


    The prettiest among the Valkyries unleashed silver chains, making it wrap around one of the Giant Eagle''s wings.


    "Eat this!"


    The Valkyrie then unleashed an electric attack, which she transmitted through her chains, making the Giant Eagle screech in pain.


    Vi used that opportunity to summon several ming spears and shot them to the wing being restricted by the Silver Chains.


    Their protocol for dealing with flying monsters was to destroy their wings, making them lose their ability to fly.


    Once their enemy was on the ground, they could take their time eliminating it with their aerial superiority.


    The other Valkyries also unleashed offensive attacks, targeting the wing bound by the Silver Chains. Half a minuteter, the Giant Eagle screeched helplessly as it lost its ability to fly, causing it to crash to the ground.


    Vi and her squad exchanged knowing looks with each other as they all dived down from the sky to finish off their prey.


    Although it was a Rank 5 Monster, the Valkyries were all Masters except Vi, who was a Grandmaster.


    As long as they worked together, it would be very easy for them to eliminate a mere Rank 5 Giant Eagle.


    Perhaps, thinking that this was an opportunity to show off their prowess, the Valkyries took their sweet time in attacking the Giant Eagle who had lost its ability to fly.


    But before it breathed itsst, it let out an ear-piercing screech, forcing Vi to give it the killing blow.


    The Giant Eagle finally copsed, dying at the hands of the Valkyries, who had toyed with it before going for the kill.


    Just as the Valkyries were about to celebrate their first battle in the Rigel Continent, several screeches spread in the sky, making the Valkyries, as well as the 69th Battalion, look to the North.


    There, they saw a bird, which was three timesrger than the Giant Eagle, heading in their direction.


    Behind the Giant Bird were Giant Eagles, who were all looking at the Valkyries with eyes filled with killing intent.


    Vi, who sensed that the current opponent was way out of their league, immediately ordered a hasty retreat.


    However, the Roc wouldn''t allow the ones who killed its subordinates to get away so easily.


    With a single p of its mighty wings, it traveled hundreds of meters in an instant.


    Just like its subordinates, it only wanted to do one thing.


    Feast on the flesh of Wanderers and make them pay dearly for the crime of killing their brethren, who had died a very pitiful death in their hands.

 Chapter 355 Crash And Burn [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 355 Crash And Burn [Part 2]</h4>


    "Captain, what should we do?!" one of the Valkyries anxiously asked, having sensed just how strong the Roc was.


    If they were to fight against just the Giant Eagles, then they wouldn''t need to worry about anything.


    But things werepletely different when facing off against a Rank 6 Sovereign, who was almost upon them.


    "Aegis Formation!" Vi ordered, cueing all the Pegasus to fly closely together.


    She knew that it was impossible to escape the Rank 6 Roc, which was one of the fastest flying Jinns in existence.


    All the Valkyries had grim expressions on their faces. They were only of the Master Rank, and even their Captain, Vi, was a mere Grandmaster.


    They were simply too weak to fight against a Rank 6 Sovereign, which was normally dealt by several Champions who specialized in fighting against flying monsters.


    "Activate the barriers to the max!" Vimanded.


    All the Valkyries had been given special artifacts that created a barrier, which they used to block projectiles, as well as any kind of attacks targeting them from the air.


    The barrier formed just as the Roc increased its speed, appearing only a few dozen meters from them.


    A few secondster, screams of fright reverberated in the sky as theirbined barrier cracked after the Roc collided with it.


    Vi''s face paled because their strongest defense was almost shattered with just a single blow from the flying monster, who had now circled back to attack them for a second time.


    The Roc screeched in anger, and once again pped its wings, creating a sonic boom behind it.


    The sound of breaking sses reverberated in the surroundings as the barrier of the Valkyries shattered, followed by a horrified scream.


    The Roc had snagged one of the Valkyries off of her flying mount, making her friend, who was hovering beside her, scream in fright.


    "Dive down. Now!" Vi shouted, snapping her Squad back to focus.


    The Valkyries made a nosedive toward the ground, heading to the 69th Battalion, which was retreating as fast as they could from the battlefield.


    They had no other ce to go, and if they wanted to survive, they would need as much help as they could get in fending off the flying monsters who were using numbers to make a difference.


    Alcapone had contacted Thirteen when the Flying Monsters were spotted, and their Battalion Commander had asked them to rendezvous at the coordinates that he set.


    The majority of the 69th Battalion had seen how one of the Valkyries was eaten by the Giant Roc, making their faces turn pale.


    Although they had fought several monsters in the past, they had never fought a flying monster, let alone one that was a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    To make matters worse, there were also Giant Eagles in the mix, whose number made them retreat as fast as they could without second thoughts.


    However, just as everyone was thinking that their situation couldn''t possibly get any worse, more flying monsters appeared in their vision.


    "Vultures at three o''clock!" Piper shouted, informing the other Wanderers about the monstersing from their right side.


    The Dvalinn Federation banned everyone from flying in the sky, having learned the hard way that the Flying Jinns were very territorial.


    They would not allow any other flying monsters in their turf unless these monsters were their allies.


    At that moment, the ally of the Rocs and Giant Eagles, the Giant Vultures, also came to join the fight, drastically increasing the danger level of the battlefield.


    While the Night Wolves were fast, the Flying Monsters were even faster.


    A Giant Eagle tucked its wings and dove down from the sky like a speeding missile, aiming at one of the Valkyries who was desperately trying to escape.


    Unfortunately, she was not fast enough. She was easily grabbed by the Giant Eagle''s ws and was whisked away in a heartbeat.


    "Nooooooooooooo!" the Valkyrie shouted as she tried to free herself from the ws of the Giant Eagle. "Let me go! Let me go!"


    The Giant Eagle screeched and increased the grip of its ws. The Valkyrie''s body was crushed, her bones broken, and she coughed out a mouthful of blood.


    "How many are they?!" Alexis asked Paul, who was running beside him.


    "Fifty in total!" Paul answered with a grim expression on his face. "One Rank 6 Sovereign and one Rank 5 Sovereign. The Vultures are Rank 4 Monsters."


    "Sir, more monsters areing from nine o''clock!" one of the Wanderers shouted as he pointed to their left side.


    "Damn!" Alcapone cursed loudly because they were being besieged from all sides.


    He reported the situation to Zion, who was still hurrying to their location. "Commander, should we scatter and try to escape as individual squads?!"


    Ever since the battle began, he had made sure to stay in contact with their Commander to receive his orders in real-


    time.


    "You don''t need to do that," Thirteen replied. "The Jinns can''t see you guys properly. At most, they will only see hundreds of Night Wolves running together. Right now, their only targets are the Valkyries."


    "Sir, the Valkyries are headed in our direction!" Alcaponeined. "Even if they can''t see us properly from the sky, once they pursue them, our cover will be blown!"


    "Calm down, Alcapone," Thirteen ordered. "Do not break formation, and only run toward the coordinates I gave everyone. Just endure and believe in me."


    "Yes, Sir!" Alcapone replied.


    Thirteen had activated theirmunicator''s group feature, so his exchange with Alcapone had been heard by the other members of the 69th Battalion.


    That feature allowed him to simultaneously give orders to all of his soldiers in real-time, giving them equal chances to survive.


    "All of you, stay calm," Thirteen''s voice sounded through theirmunicators. "None of you are to break away from the formation. Those who do will certainly die, so travel together as a group.


    "If the Monsters shift from targeting the Valkyries to targeting you, you have my permission to engage. However, until that timees, no one is to attack the Flying Monsters. Again, only make a move if your lives depended on it."


    "Sir, how about the Valkyries?" Alcapone inquired.


    "Just lead them to the coordinates I sent you," Thirteen stated. "If you stop now and engage the monsters, more wille and trap you all in an encirclement. We will have massive casualties on our hands if that happens. So endure and run as fast as you can!"


    Alcapone nced at the battle in the sky and saw more flying monsters heading in their direction.


    It seemed that all the flying monsters in the surroundings were being called by the Giant Roc to gather in order to coordinate an attack on the Wanderers who had trespassed in their domain.


    Vi had already lost four of her subordinates despite everyone having done everything they could to evade the attacks from the Roc, who seemed to be toying with them.


    If it wanted, it could have easily killed all of them. But, it seemed to find their desperation entertaining, further increasing its appetite.


    The prettiest girl in the Squad could no longer see what was in front of her due to the tears blurring her vision.


    She waspletely dependent on her partner, who had fought countless battles with her in the past.


    The Pegasus were all flying at their fastest speed, sessfully distancing themselves from the Giant Eagles and the Giant Vultures.


    But not from the Roc.


    The moment it attacked, one of their sisters would surely get eaten, and they would once again despair.


    "Noooo! Gretta!" Vi screamed as one of her close friends was snatched away by the Roc, who was picking them off one by one.


    There had been twelve Valkyries, but they were now down to seven.


    Vi was starting to regret her decision of giving in to the whims of her subordinates.


    If they hadn''t toyed with the Giant Eagle earlier and simply eliminated it, the Monster wouldn''t have had the chance to make its final death cry, which had called out its brethren to avenge it.


    Unfortunately, it was toote for regrets, and the Valkyries who had died wouldn''t return to life no matter how much she regretted her decision¡ªone that she would never forget until herst breath. The only thing she could do was hope that a miracle would happen.


    She and the remaining Valkyries flew low on the ground, following the 69th Battalion, who seemed to be heading to a specific location.


    Suddenly, they heard a loud horn in the distance, making them look at a Humvee speeding at their location.


    Alcapone and the other Wanderers instinctively felt a lot safer now that their Commander had arrived.


    But with the situation they were in, even they couldn''t imagine how Zion would make a difference, when there were over a hundred Flying Monsters targeting them from the sky.

 Chapter 356 Crash And Burn [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 356 Crash And Burn [Part 3] </h4>


    Shana''s face became pale when she noticed that only seven Valkyries were flying in the sky.


    Since she knew that all Squads were formed by twelve people, it meant that five of them had already died.


    Thirteen was currently on top of the Humvee, and manning its built in Cannon, but he had no intention of firing at the Monsters just yet.


    "Nautilus, use Athena to lock onto my location," Thirteen spoke to someone using an artifact simr to a walkie talkie. "Prepare all main cannons, and raise output to half. Wait for my orders to fire."


    "Understood," the High Orc, Jubei, who was the captain of the Nautilus, replied to Thirteen through the walkie talkie. "Raising output of the Main Cannons to Half. Currently waiting to connect to Athena. Please stand by for confirmation."


    Thirteen narrowed his eyes because this wasn''t supposed to be the time that Nautilus would be used.


    It was one of his Trump Cards, and it was still not fully operational.


    Even so, he had no choice but to do it because if he didn''t the 69th Battalion might all end up dead before they reached the safety of Sector 1.


    If he had to choose between saving his subordinates, or keeping his Trump Card hidden, he decided to do the former.


    "Nautilus is now connected to Athena," Jubei''s words snapped Thirteen out of his daze, making thetter give another batch of orders. "Colbert, Alcapone, Alexis, Paul, Pietro, Piper, prepare Formation X!"


    After hearing his orders, the Wanderers divided themselves into their respective Squads and dismounted from their mounts.


    They take out their Empyrium Cannons, but they didn''t use it to aim at the Flying Monsters in the sky.


    No, they used these cannons to merge with other cannons.


    Each Squad wasposed of five people, and all of them carried one Empyriuim Cannon each.


    These Cannons could bebined together, forming a Grand Cannon of shorts, which would fire a concentrated beam, which was ten times more powerful than the regr output of their Empyrium Cannons.


    The only downside was that once they used this method, their cannons would deteriorate, and eventually be destroyed after shooting three times.


    But, desperate times called for desperate situations.


    In the span of a minute, sixty Grand Cannons were now operational, and only waiting for Thirteen''s orders to attack.


    The teenage boy was paying close attention to the Roc, who was the biggest threat in the battlefield.


    Right now, its attention was focused on the Valkyries, who had whetted his appetite.


    Humans were the favorite food of the Jinns, and strong Wanderers were a delicacy.


    This meant that it would not allow the Valkyries to escape and was simply toying with them, just like what they did to its subordinate.


    Finally, it had decided to attack another Valkyrie, and this time, it nned to target Vi, who was the strongest of the group.


    With a p of its wings, it made a nosedive from the sky, and went for the kill.


    But, when it was only a few meters away from its prey, something bright caught its attention.


    Before the Roc could even identify what it was, a blue beam collided with the side of its body, making it screech in pain as a gaping wound appeared at the point of impact.


    Blood spilled from the body of the Roc, paralyzing it for a brief period of time.


    A few secondster, two more beams flew in its direction, hitting one of its wings, making it explode.


    The Roc immediately lost its ability to fly, and fell from the sky.


    "69th Battalion, target the Giant Eagles, and the Vultures, Open Fire!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Grand Cannons lit up and fired at their targets, using the lock on system that Thirteen had installed in it.


    It was one of the Trump Cards of the 69th Battalion that could be used when facing off against Rank 5 Monsters up to Rank 6 Monsters.


    Although it could only be fired three times, it packs enough damage to make even these monsters feel a world of pain.


    Even if it didn''t kill them, they would be seriously injured, making them easy pickingster on.


    "Cristopher, go and kill the Roc," Thirteen whispered. "I will cripple it, so make sure you get thest hit. It is a Brute type monster, so make sure to kill it."


    The chubby boy nodded, and summoned the ze Skunk Avatar to run in its direction.


    "Jubei, target the Roc, but make sure not to kill it," Thirteen said through the walkie talkie. "Cristopher is heading towards it to subdue it."


    "Understood," Jubei replied.


    Not long after, three more beams descended from the sky, and bombarded the Roc, who was already running away from the battlefield, using its wed feet.


    The Nautilus Main Cannons were extremely powerful, but it was still only using Half of its maximum output.


    The reason for this was that Thirteen had still not stressed test it because he didn''t have enough Empyrium back then for any kind of shooting tests.


    Because of this, he didn''t dare to use the maximum output of the submarine''s main cannons because it might get destroyed in the process if it gets overheated.


    Although its attack was not enough to kill the Rank 6 Monster with a single hit, it was more than enough to give it serious injuries,which would umte as it got bombarded by more cannon fire.


    The only problem was that the main cannons use a lot of Empyrium, so the expenditure must be worth it.


    Since he was certain that the Roc was a Brute Type Monster, he decided that it would be a worthy investment for Cristopher, who would gain the Avatars of any Brute Monster, if he was the one whonded the killing blow to end its life.


    With the Grand Cannons giving them cover fire, the Valkyries decided to retaliate, and engage their enemies in Aerial Combat.


    While all of this was happening, Cristopher had arrived at the area where the Roc had crashed.


    There he saw Rocky, coiled around the Roc''s body, who could no longer offer any resistance after it had been hit six times by the Main Cannons of Thirteen''s Submarine.


    Cristopher then summoned Brutus, and ordered it to repeatedly stab the gaping wound on the side of the Roc''s body, which had been hit by the Main Cannon.


    He knew that it would be easier to target the parts that were already damaged, so he decided to focus on targeting those areas.


    Brutus hacked, stabbed, using the sword that was given to him by Gerald.


    The Roc kept on struggling, but Rocky''s hold on him was enough to keep him in ce.


    The Magma Bal-Boa was also a Rank 6 Sovereign, so it didn''t have any problems in subduing the seriously injured Roc, whose advantagey in its ability to fly.


    After a few minutes of non-stop stabbing, the Roc screeched onest time before dying with its eyes wide open.


    Clearly, it didn''t expect that it would die in this manner, filing it with regret at itsst moments.


    Cristopher then received a notification, making him do a fist pump.


    Although the Roc''s rank had degraded from a Rank 6 Sovereign, to a Rank 6 Overlord, he was still happy to get a new powerful monster, who would allow him to fight in the sky, if the need arose.


    ¡ª-----------------

 Chapter 357 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 357 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 1]</h4>


    Piper''s eyes widened in shock when she saw the Magma Bal-Boa constrict the Rank 6 Roc and hold it in ce.


    She had followed Cristopher, thinking that he would need assistance in attacking the flying monster that had fallen from the sky.


    But when she saw this scene, she thought that this was a different monster.


    After watching for a bit, she noticed that it didn''t make any move to attack Cristopher, confirming her suspicion that it was the same monster she had met in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    ''Rocky is here,'' Piper thought as she nced at the Magma Bal-Boa, who held the Rank 6 Sovereign in a deadlock.


    They were a distance away from the 69th Battalion, who had internally teamed up to form Grand Cannons to shoot the Flying Monsters from the sky.


    They were all too upied to look in their direction, let alone see what was happening to the leader of the Flying Monsters they were targeting with Grand Cannons in the sky.


    A few minutester, the Roc stopped moving and breathed itsst.


    Cristopher, who had dealt thest blow, raised his hand, and a Roc materialized beside him.


    It was smaller than the Rank 6 Sovereign, but Piper could tell that it was also extremely powerful.


    "Attack the monsters in the sky and don''t let them get near our people!" Cristopher ordered the Roc, who responded with a screech of acknowledgment before flying to the sky.


    Cristopher saw Piper looking at him, but he didn''t have the time to exin anything to her.


    He could only press a finger over his lips, telling Piper to keep everything she saw a secret.


    Cristopher recognized that she was one of the Wanderers whom Zion had helped in the Arcadia Archipgo, so there was a possibility that she recognized Rocky.


    But it wasn''t ideal to mention it now, especially since their situation was nowhere near good at the moment.


    Rocky then burrowed itself into the ground and headed in Thirteen''s direction.


    If something unexpected were to happen, he could immediately protect his Master and ensure his safety.


    The moment the Rank 6 Roc Overlord took to the skies, the situation of the battlefield shifted in their favor.


    It didn''t hesitate to attack its former subordinates and rip their wings, making all of them fall from the sky.


    When the Giant Vultures and the other flying monsters saw this, all of them made a hasty retreat, for they knew that they didn''t stand a chance against the Roc.


    As the monsters started to retreat, the members of the 69th Battalion cheered. However, their happiness was short-lived, cut off by Thirteen''s orders, which sounded on theirmunicators.


    "All of you evacuate to Sector 1 on the double!" Thirteen ordered. "The Dvalinn Federation had ordered an immediate evacuation of all personnel on the ind. Do not think that we are out of danger yet.


    "If you don''t want to die like those Valkyries, pack up and go. Now! Don''t even bother collecting any Cores or Monster parts. Just escape while you still can!"


    Having been reminded of the death of the Valkyries who had disobeyed the direct orders of the Dvalinn Federation, the soldiers of the 69th Battalion snapped out of their daze and hurriedly summoned their Night Wolves.


    They had thought that the battle was over since the Roc had died and the flying monsters had retreated, but Zion''s words reminded them of the fate of the Valkyries who had ignored their direct orders, which made them feel anxious.


    Vi and the surviving Valkyries also summoned their Night Wolves and followed behind the 69th Battalion.


    Cristopher, Colbert, Alcapone, and Piper, who only had ze Skunks as their mounts, were asked by Zion to ride on the Humvee with him.


    Shana, who was also seated in the Humvee, wanted to talk to Vi, but the Captain of the Valkyries was not in the mood to talk.


    She was still reeling from the fact that five of her subordinates had died.


    Vi knew that she would be punished when she returned, but she would dly ept any punishment if it could lessen the grief and guilt she was feeling at that moment.


    After Alcapone had called him earlier to report what was happening in their location, Thirteen immediately contacted Benedict, as well as his uncle, Michael, to inform them of the situation.


    Benedict didn''t hesitate to raise the highest alert level on the ind and ordered all the officers to evacuate.


    Michael, who knew that the Dvalinn Federation knew more about the situation than they did, ordered his subordinates to evacuate and leave their mining equipment behind.


    They didn''t have the time to carry everything back with them, so they only brought back the Empyrium that was already mined for the day.


    When Marion, the Commander of the Valkyries, heard what her subordinates had done, she was inevitably disappointed in them.


    However, she also thought that Benedict and the members of the Dvalinn Federation were overreacting.


    Since the threat had already been dealt with, why was there a need to evacuate everyone from the ind? With that doubt in mind, she went to ask him the reason for doing so.


    However, the old man didn''t hesitate to p her and pointed his finger on her face.


    "If you can''t follow our simple orders, then take your stupid girls with you and leave this ce!" Benedict roared in anger. "If you want to die, then die alone. Don''t drag us to hell with your ipetence!"


    In the eyes of others, what they were doing might seem like an overreaction.


    But to the members of the Dvalinn Federation who had suffered countless casualties after many years of trial and error, they knew when to stand their ground and when to evacuate.


    The one-way teleportation gates that led to the gates were all activated, and those who were on the ind didn''t hesitate to enter it, allowing them to arrive at the man-made port that was a distance away from the ind.


    The Dvalinn Federation had already mobilized dozens of battleships, and they were already on their way to the port. They already readied themselves to provide support fire just in case their worst fears were to be a reality.


    The Monarch of the Elrod n, Wendell Elrod, as well as the Thrones of the three Prestigious Families, were riding on the main gship of their Federation.


    All of them had grim expressions on their faces as they braced themselves for what was about toe.


    Back on the ind, Benedict stood beside the teleporter as he waited for Thirteen''s Battalion to arrive.


    He would need to close the teleporter so that the Jinns wouldn''t be able to use them to invade their Port, which was strategically located a few miles from the ind.


    When he saw the Night Wolves in the distance, the old man was finally able to sigh in relief.


    He made a gesture for them to enter the Portal, which they obeyed without asking him any questions.


    Fortunately, Thirteen had already made sure that his people would obey his orders without question.


    The moment Zion''s Humvee passed the portal, Benedict pressed the button on his remote control before entering the portal.


    That button would allow onest person to enter the portal before it closed, shutting it downpletely.


    As if waiting for that moment, rumbling sounds sounded in the distance as if countless monsters were making their way to Sector 1 in a hurry.


    Those who were at the port saw ck specs of dots beyond the horizon, which seemed to be flying in their direction.


    "Battle stations!" Wendell Elrodmanded, and the hidden cannons on the man-made port rose up from their bunkers and revealed themselves.


    It was then that Marion and Vi finally realized how dangerous the Rigel Continent was.


    The skies were littered with countless flying monsters, and within that mass of Chaos was a Rank 8 Sovereign, whom the only Monarch in the Rigel Federation had fought several times in the past.

 Chapter 358 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 358 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 2]? </h4>


    "Do you see that?" Benedict angrily asked Marion and Vi as he pointed at the monster-infested ind. "Did you think that we''re here to y games with you idiots? Did youe here thinking that you''d be taking a nice, rxing vacation?


    "Do you finally realize what you have done? All of you only needed to do one thing and one thing only¡ªfollow the rules we have set. Aren''t all of you soldiers? Aren''t you supposed to be good when ites to following orders? Then howe you can''t even do that one thing right?!"


    Benedict''s anger represented the anger that the members of the Dvalinn Federation felt at the moment.


    Due to the emergency evacuation, they were forced to leave some of their important equipment behind.


    The monsters were bound to destroy everything they had left behind, which meant that their hard work for the past year would all go down the drain. This was a big waste of their efforts in trying to reim the Rigel Continent.


    The 69th Battalion couldn''t help but feel anxious as they looked in the distance.


    Perhaps due to their consecutive victories against the Jinns and Majins, they had beencent and thought that the Rigel Continent wasn''t as dangerous as they thought.


    But these naive notions were being broken as they looked at the ce where they had been a while ago.


    "Make no mistake. What you are seeing is only a small fraction of the forces that the Jinns have stationed in the Rigel Continent," Thirteen, who was standing in front of his soldiers, stated. "Take a good, long look because what you''re seeing right now is the same thing that you will see when the Gates in the Cygni Continent open.


    "This is what a Jinn invasion looks like, and the threat that humanity needs to ovee in order to survive in the world. Let me remind you that I brought all of you here to help you prepare mentally for the invasion that will happen in three years."


    Thirteen scanned the pale faces of his soldiers who had just escaped a near-death situation from only a Rank 6 Sovereign and dozens of flying monsters.


    That was nothingpared to the tens of thousands of monsters that were now observing them from the ind.


    A sigh escaped the teenage boy''s lips, thinking about how the cannons that his members possessed could no longer be used again, for they had reached their limit after merging them together.


    The only weapons that his soldiers possessed now were their assault rifles, which were only effective against Rank 1 and Rank 3 Monsters.


    Of course, the Soldiers still have their abilities, and they could use them to fight.


    At the end of the day, they were still Wanderers.


    They were all summoned to Solterra in order to hone them for the fights against the Jinns and Majins, who were trying to invade their world through the Dimensional Gates.


    "Everyone, prepare yourselves," Thirteen stated as he looked at the monster-infested ind. "Stay together, and make sure to protect ourrades. Do not worry about anyone else."


    The Valkyries, who specialized in aerial battles, didn''t dare to ride their mounts anymore.


    They feared that the moment they did, it would trigger the flying monsters hovering above the ind to attack them.


    While they wouldn''t have to worry about thend-based monsters, the number of flying monsters on the horizon was enough to block the light of the sun.


    "So, this is the true horror of the Rigel Continent," Shana said softly as she held her staff firmly in her hand.


    She currently stood beside her Commander, Marion, and was waiting for her orders.


    The beautifuldy still had the mark of Benedict''s p on her face.


    But, right now, she had more important matters to worry about than the bruise that appeared on her cheek.


    The Dvalinn Federation and the Jinns had a standoff thatsted for several minutes.


    Everyone believed that it only needed a small spark¡ªa small trigger to start a war that would dye the sea with the color of blood.


    Wendell, the Monarch of the Elrod n, was only looking at one ce and one ce only.


    At the center of the countless flying monsters, there was a two-meter-tall Bird Man who was standing on top of a Wyvern.


    The Bird Man had bronze feathers covering his entire body.


    He was also holding a ck spear in his hands, and his ck eyes locked onto Wendell''s body, whom he had almost killed once in the past.


    If not for the fact that the Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation had been there to rescue him, there would be one less Monarch in Pangea right now.


    A sneer then appeared on the bird man''s face as he raised his hand.


    A momentter, the Giant Hawk screeched, making all the other flying monsters screech as well.


    "They''reing," Wendell''s face turned grim as he summoned his Mythical Weapon, a blue trident.


    The Three Thrones also summoned their weapons, intending to fight the Rank 8 Sovereign together with Wendell.


    He was the strongest Wanderer in the Dvalinn Federation, and they would not allow him to die no matter what.


    "Steady," Thirteen said as all his soldiers took out their assault rifles and aimed at the approaching monsters.


    In the background, the cannons of the man-made port, as well as the cannons of the battleships, all roared to life.


    Some of the monsters were obliterated by the cannon shots, but other monsters swiftly took their ce.


    A wave of unending monsters descended upon the man-made ind, with the intention to annihte all the Wanderers who had decided to make their stand against them.


    "Open fire!" Thirteen ordered, and his soldiers unleashed a deadly barrage, decimating the monsters that targeted the Valkyries beside their defensive formation.


    They already know that their military armor made the Jinns and Majins ignore their presence, which they took to their advantage.


    However, now that they were actively attacking, the Monsters finally took notice of their presence and also attacked them en masse.


    The ze Skunks, who were guarding their masters, unleashed their zing acid sprays, forcing the monster targeting the 69th Battalion to momentarily back away.


    Thirteen didn''t know if he would be able to preserve all of his members in this battle, but he still decided to give it a try.


    "Jubei, provide cover fire," Thirteen ordered.


    "Yes, Master," Jubei replied.


    Miles away from the battlefield, a submarine rose up on the surface of the sea.


    Its main cannons then moved to aim at the monsters that were now targeting the 69th Battalion. A barrage was soon unleashed, decimating those it hit in an instant.


    Although there was a risk of Nautilus being discovered, Thirteen didn''t have the leisure to hold back his punches.


    "Tiona, we will also attack," Thirteen stated, making the ck Snake coiled on his neck nod her head.


    Thirteen summoned a ck bow in his hand as Tiona crawled onto his right arm.


    She then made her body as hard as Adamantium and allowed her Master to use her as an arrow to his bow.


    After aiming at the Rank 4 Monster that was flying towards Shana, Thirteen released the string of her bow, allowing Tiona to pierce the head of the Monster, who died not knowing how it died.


    The battle that would soon be known as the Battle of the Valkyries started in full swing.

 Chapter 359 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 359 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 3]</h4>


    Explosions reverberated across the battlefield, as cannons and manifestations of abilities shed with each other.


    If the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries had initially thought that the Rigel Continent wasn''t as dangerous as they expected, that was only because they had yet to experience a monster invasion during their stay.


    Now, they finally realized how wrong they were.


    The only reason why they hadn''t been met with a full frontal assault by the Jinns was credited to the fact that the Dvalinn Federation had painstakingly learned the boundaries of what they could do and what they couldn''t do with the limited manpower they had.


    The "No Flying Ban" hade from a bitter pill that they swallowed in the past. Ever since that incident, they made sure to reiterate this rule whenever there was an outside faction or organization that nned to enter the Rigel Continent.


    Unfortunately, this rule had not been taken seriously by the Valkyries who were part of Vi''s squad.


    Now, they were seeing firsthand the consequences of their actions.


    Marion, who was also a Champion, fought as fiercely as she could, treating it as a way to atone for the mistake of her subordinates.


    The Valkyries also knew that this incident was their fault, so just like theirmander, they went all out and attacked with everything they had.


    Wendell, the Monarch of the Elrod n, roared as he swung his trident forward.


    The seawater rose up and unleashed countless Water Spears at the flying monsters who were attacking the Port.


    The ability he gained was the ability to manipte water, and the sea.


    This was why the port was constructed a few miles away from the ind. In the worst-case scenario, he would be able to fight and defend it with his abilities.


    Even so, it wasn''t easy.


    It was as if all the Flying Monsters in the Rigel Continent had gathered to end all of them.


    No matter how hard the defenders tried to fight back, the casualties were steadily rising, making everyone''s faces turn grim.


    Butpared to the time when they first experienced this kind of assault from the Bird Man, they weresting much longer than they originally expected.


    The battleships of the Leventis Family, as well as the Central Government, were made to fight against Jinns and Majins.


    Because of this, their cover fire decimated countless Jinns and Majins, giving their people at the port a bit of breathing space.


    Even so, screams of horror and death spread in the surroundings as the Flying Monsters imed their prey, dyeing the sea in the color of blood.


    Suddenly, Wendell jumped forward and summoned a flying Manta Ray.


    The Thrones of the three Prestigious Families swiftly followed since the Rank 8 Sovereign had finally made his move.


    If they allowed it to descend on the ind, almost everyone there would die, so they needed to block his attacks with everything they had.


    Thirteen, who saw this from the side, frowned and gave an order to Jubei, who was currently on the Nautilus.


    "Allow Manual Connection," Thirteen ordered.


    "Manual Connection activated," Jubei replied.


    Thirteen lowered the visor of his military armor and took control of the Main Canons of Nautilus. He was the only one who could pull off making quick calctions in real-time, allowing him to aim the cannons wherever he wished for them to attack.


    "Cristopher, Colbert, protect me!" Thirteen ordered.


    The two Captains didn''t hesitate and moved beside their Commander and stood beside him.


    Cristopher only summoned Brutus. He was afraid that if he summoned his newly acquired Roc, the Dvalinn Federation would mistake it for an enemy and kill it without mercy.


    Suddenly, two Harpies descended from the sky and attacked the teenage boy from his right side.


    However, before they could evene close, a ck Chakram sliced off their heads without mercy before flying towards Thirteen.


    A momentter, the Chakram transformed into a ck snake, who immediately coiled around her Master''s neck.


    Tiona eyed the monsters who were aiming for her Master''s life, ready to strike if they came within her striking range.


    "Increase the output of Main Cannons to eighty percent," Thirteen ordered.


    "Cannon output increased to eighty percent," Jubei replied.


    Thirteen knew that this was the highest output that he could use at the moment because this was Nautilus'' first battle run.


    If the Main Cannons overheated, he wouldn''t be able to use it for a while, which would be bad for their current situation.


    ''The Bird Man is too fast and too small,'' Thirteen thought. ''I need to time this perfectly.''


    In theory, the Rank 8 Sovereign and the Monarch were of the same rank, so they should be able to fight each other head-on.


    However, Thirteen didn''t like to take chances, especially since the three Thrones were also protecting Wendell.


    The key to this battle was the downfall of one side''s Powerhouse.


    If Wendell lost, then everyone would die.


    Thirteen''s goal was to at least injure the Bird Man, giving the Monarch an edge in their battle.


    As the teenage boy waited for the right opportunity, dozens of Wanderers were dying by the minute.


    Several members of the 69th Battalion were also injured during the battle, but fortunately, they didn''t have any casualties yet.


    Thirteen had ordered them to summon their Night Wolves and hide under their bodies, while they used their assault rifles to attack.


    The Night Wolves were Rank 4 Alpha Monsters, so they weren''t easy to defeat.


    They also helped their Masters kill those who were attacking them, but the disparity in number was simply too much.


    It was like a giant mantis fighting against a hundred ants.


    Even if it was bigger and stronger, it was still being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.


    As absolute pandemonium took ce around them, the Bird Man and the Monarch shed several times in the air, with the Thrones protecting Wendell from the attacks of the Bird Man''s subordinates.


    Despite the efforts of the four strongest men in the Dvalinn Federation, their armor was bloody with the blood of not only their enemies but also their own.


    The Bird Man, who was getting annoyed, decided to target one of the Thrones so that Wendell would have one less protector.


    It had timed its attack perfectly, doing a feint, which Wendell thought was an attack on his right side.


    But instead of attacking him, the Bird Man flew past him and aimed its spear at Hugo Rigg''s chest.


    Hugo, who had just killed two Rank 5 Monsters, didn''t have enough time to defend himself from the Sovereign''s attack.


    Just as Wendell and the two other Thrones were about toe to his rescue, a blue beam of light streaked across the sky, and hit the side of the Bird Man''s body, making it stagger mid-air.


    Wace, who was already in mid-swing of his trident, went for the kill, but the Bird Man flipped its body at thest second and evaded his attack.


    Using its wed feet, the Bird Man used the Monarch''s body as a tform and kicked him away, allowing it to escape Ronald Rhodes'' and Spencer Nightshade''s follow-up attacks, which targeted its wings.


    The Bird Man sneered, thinking that the humans had lost their only opportunity to deal him the killing blow.


    But before it could truly feel good about escaping unscathed from a near-death experience, three beams of light collided with its right wing, shaving it offpletely.


    The Bird Man cried out in pain before falling from the sky.

 Chapter 360 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 4]

    <h4>Chapter 360 The True Horror Of The Rigel Continent [Part 4] </h4>


    Wendell''s eyes turn bloodshot as he unleashed a giant water spear to pierce through the falling Bird Man''s body.


    However, the Rank 8 Sovereign didn''t n to die so easily.


    After throwing its own spear to block the Water Spear''s strike, it used the resulting momentum to propel itself toward the Port so that it would be able tond safely on it.


    "Noooo!" Wendell''s scream spread on the battlefield. The Port was thest ce where he wanted his enemy to go.


    He could already envision that everyone on it would be annihted. Even he couldn''t defeat the monster, let alone the ones who were left in the Port.


    The Bird Mannded, skidding several meters as its wed feet gripped the metallic ground, sending sparks flying as his speed decreased.


    It was injured, but the injury was not bad enough to prevent it from fighting.


    When it came to aplete stop, it immediately turned around to kill the first human within its reach.


    Unlike most Jinns and Majins, the Bird Man didn''t have any color blindness.


    This was why when it saw a teenage boy wearing a green military uniform standing only a few meters away from it, it didn''t hesitate to reach out to him and crush his head into a pulp.


    "Hi," Thirteen said as the Rank 8 Sovereign''s hand was about to reach him. "Bye."


    Before the Rank 8 Sovereign could even process Thirteen''s words, the monster was bathed in a purple light before it was sucked up inside a purple sphere.


    The purple sphere shook once as the Bird Man attempted to free itself from the teenage boy''s attempt to capture it.


    Just as it was thinking of ripping the annoying human to shreds, it found itself staring at a being that made its entire body stiffen.


    "Oh?" Metatron nced at the Bird Man, who suddenly appeared inside his treasury out of nowhere. "It seems that the good luck charm I gave Thirteen before he returned to Pangea proved to be useful.


    "Well, then. Why don''t you sit down, so we can discuss the meaning of life? What? You don''t want to?


    "Fine. I was just nning to have roasted bird for lunch. Huh? You now want to talk about the meaning of life? Good. Now sit properly. Here are some cookies and milk, the two of us are going to have a lot to talk about."


    ***


    The sudden disappearance of the Bird Man caught the monsters, as well as the Wanderers, by surprise.


    However, less than a minuteter, the two sides once again shed in a Royal Rumble.


    But things were different this time.


    Without the presence of their leader to give them orders and boost their morale, the Wanderers were able to gain momentum.


    Thirteen, whose nose was bleeding and was barely able to stand, handed the control of the Nautilus back to Jubei and ordered him to help the Dvalinn Federation obliterate the monster army.


    Shana, who had seen everything that had happened, rushed to Thirteen''s side and supported his body.


    Using her ability, she started to heal his injuries.


    However, Thirteen, who had used a lot ofputing power to effectively trap the Rank 8 Sovereign, endured to keep himself conscious.


    The battle was still not over, and he needed to givemands to his subordinates to ensure that none of them would die.


    "Jksdkjdskjkljls¡­" Thirteen tried to speak, but the words that came out of his mouth were only gibberish.


    This made Shana more concerned about him. It seemed that her healing power was not working properly on the boy.


    Although his injuries were healing, the Saintess could tell that only a fifth of her power was working on him, which she found surprising.


    Even so, she didn''t let him go and even pulled him closer to her, whispering words of assurance in his ears.


    "Don''t worry. We will be fine," Shana said softly. "We are going to be fine."


    Thirteen, who had given up on talking, decided to use hand signals to order his troops.


    Fortunately, he had also trained them with hand signals. With his hand, he ordered them to continue attacking the monsters and not worry about him.


    Cristopher and Colbert, whom Thirteen had asked to back away because he didn''t want them to be involved in his showdown with the Rank 8 Sovereign, returned to his side.


    Although he was confident that the Purple Sphere that Metatron gifted him would work, he didn''t want his two loyal subordinates to get hurt just in case his n didn''t work the way he intended to.


    Jubei, who knew that Thirteen was in a vulnerable state, focused on attacking the monsters that were near his location at the port.


    With the powerful cannons of Nautilus, countless monsters were annihted with a single beam of light, which was using a ton-worth of Empyrium with every shot.


    It was a very costly barrage, but life was priceless, so Thirteen gave Jubei the authority to use as much Empyrium as needed to secure victory.


    An hourter, the Flying Monsters had enough and retreated back to the ind.


    Wendell, whose left arm was broken and had countless wounds on his body, raised his trident high in the air and roared a victorious roar.


    The members of the Dvalinn Federation and the rest of the survivors also cheered, for the battle was finally over.


    Although hundreds of Wanderers died, this was the first time that the Dvalinn Federation managed to win against the Rank 8 Sovereign and its subordinates, who controlled the northern edge of the Rigel Continent.


    Marion and Vi, whose vision was blurred by tears, looked at the dead bodies of their sisters, who would no longer open their eyes again.


    The number of Valkyries that died in the battle was over three hundred. On the other hand, the Dvalinn Federation suffered over a thousand deaths.


    The number of Jinns that died was higher, but no one cared about that part.


    Although dozens of soldiers belonging to the 69th Battalion suffered very serious injuries, none of them died.


    Those who were on the brink of dying were immediately helped by Shana, giving them a new lease on life.


    Knowing that there was still a possibility that the flying monsters would once again attack the port, all the battleships of the Dvalinn Federation stood in battle formation.


    The Fleet of the Leventis Family, as well as the Battleships of the Valkyries, took the injured back to the Main Headquarters of the Dvalinn Federation to receive treatment.


    Thirteen, who was certain that his troops would finally be treated properly, finally stopped enduring and lost consciousness inside the infirmary of the Leventis Aircraft carrier.


    A dayter, news of the battle in the RIgel Continent reached the Central Government, the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families.


    All of them were shocked by how things escted to that point. But the one hit the hardest was the Central Government, whose members triggered this cmity in the first ce.


    Knowing that words wouldn''t be enough to handle the aftermath, the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal of the Central Government made their way to the Dvalinn Federation.


    But, they weren''t alone.


    They brought the 50th up to the 59th Battalion with them, ready to protect the Dvalinn Federation during their time of adversity.


    Arthur, who had received Thirteen''s message before he passed out, immediately called for an emergency family meeting.


    Thirteen had asked him to go to the Rigel Continent, which meant that there was an opportunity for their family to gain profits.


    Arthur no longer questioned his no-good grandson''s judgment, especially after everything he had seen and experienced.


    But it wasn''t only the Leventis Family who started to move.


    The Remington n, the Smith Family, and the Lockwood Family, who also belonged to the Prestigious Families, noticed that Arthur''s Main fleet was starting to gather food supplies, weaponry, as well as necessary resources for arge-scale battle.


    They were well aware of the Empyrium and Padium Mines that were discovered in the Rigel Continent, so at first, they assumed that Arthur was going there to help his grandson get more resources for their family.


    But after hearing the news of what happened in the Rigel Continent, these three families felt that a change was about to happen to the world.


    Because of it, they also made preparations to head to the Dvalinn Federation, bringing their powerhouses with them.


    They didn''t know what they were going to find in the Rigel Continent. But, one thing was clear.


    Years of what seemed to be futile struggles finally bore fruit.


    Curiosity, interest, and obsession¡ªmile markers on the road to damnation.

 Chapter 361 A Very Bold Plan [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 361 A Very Bold n [Part 1]</h4>


    Two days after the battle ended, Thirteen finally opened his eyes.


    He hadn''t suffered any serious injuries and only mentally exhausted himself after on-the-spot calcting the Bird Man''s flight patterns and possible moves it would make after being hit by Nautilus'' Main Cannons.


    Thirteen had even estimated where the Bird Man wouldnd and positioned himself in that location, making sure that the first Wanderer whom the Rank 8 Sovereign would interact with was him.


    Since the battle ended, there had been no further invasions at the port.


    The engineers of the Dvalinn Federation were still busy with the repair of the artillery guns and cannons that had been destroyed during the battle.


    The dead had also been sent back to the Dvalin Main Headquarters, where a grand funeral would be hosted the day after tomorrow.


    The Valkyries who had died were also included in that ceremony. Marion spent the past two days writing letters to the families of her dead soldiers.


    Vi had locked herself up inside her room, refusing toe out.


    She had been ming herself not only for the death of her subordinates but also for the death of her other sisters.


    Since the founding of the Valkyries Division, this was the first time they had suffered so many losses. Everyone, including the Saintess, couldn''t help but feel down about it.


    After getting off from the bed in the infirmary, Thirteen was immediately greeted by a worried Tiona. She repeatedly nudged his cheek as if telling him to continue resting so that he would recover faster.


    "I''m fine, Tiona," Thirteen said to reassure the ck Snake, who had been coiled up on his chest and looking after him since he had lost consciousness.


    When the teenage boy left his private room, the physician in charge immediately asked if he was feeling any pain anywhere.


    "I''m feeling fine, Doctor," Thirteen replied. "I need to see my Uncle and discuss a few things with him. I''lle back after I''m done talking with my Uncle, so you can do a quick check-upter."


    "Understood, Sir." the Doctor nodded.


    After leaving the infirmary, Thirteen bumped into Cristopher and Colbert, who were also on their way to see him.


    Seeing that their Young Master was now awake and seemed to be doing better, the two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Come with me," Thirteen ordered. "I need to talk to the two of youter. But wait for now since I need to see my Uncle first."


    Cristopher and Colbert nodded and followed behind Thirteen.


    When they reached the Command Center, they saw a few people, whom the three didn''t expect to find in their ship.


    "You''re awake?" Benedict asked with a smile.


    "No, Sir. I''m not awake," Thirteen replied. "You must be having a visual hallucination."


    "You damn brat," Benedict smirked as he walked toward the teenage boy while showing his fist. "Do you want me to smack you that badly?"


    "Uncle, I''m still injured," Thirteen immediately acted like a sick patient, making the old man click his tongue in annoyance.


    Thirteen then shifted his gaze to the Commander of the Valkyries, Marion, whose aura had dimmed considerably since hest saw her. She looked very sad and was obviously still affected by what happened a few days ago.


    "Hey, little guy," Marion greeted. "I''m d you''re already awake. I thought you''d be sleeping for a week."


    "Commander Marion," Thirteen saluted. "Thank you, I am well."


    Marion smiled and saluted the teenage boy back. Truth be told, she was contemting whether she should resign from her position due to the incident that transpired not long ago.


    Although it was Vi''s fault for letting her subordinates break the "no flying ban," it still reflected badly on her as their superior.


    Thirteen, who seemed to know what the Commander was thinking, sighed in his heart. However, this was something outside of his control.


    In the end, he chose not to say any empty words of constion to cheer the beautiful woman, who had been crying on her own inside her room since a day ago.


    "Uncle, can you tell me the current situation right now?" Thirteen asked Benedict, who was also feeling depressed after the major losses they suffered during the battle.


    "No attacks followed since the battle ended," Benedict answered. "The entire fleet of the Dvalinn Federation is now guarding the Port, which is currently under repair."


    The old man paused briefly before ncing at Marion, who had been berated intensively by the higher-ups of the Dvalinn Federation.


    If not for the fact that they had managed to emerge victorious in the battle, it was highly likely that the Monarch of the Elrod n, as well as the Thrones of the three Prestigious Families, would have already executed Vi for her crime of breaking their rules.


    "In two days, we are going to hold a memorial service for those who had died in battle," Benedict continued his exnation. "The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal will be arrivingter this afternoon by ne, apanied by some of their officers.


    "It''s a good thing that you woke up on time since we want you to take part in the meeting tonight."


    After hearing everything that the old man had to say, Thirteen spoke out. His words made Michael, Marion, and Benedict look at him with solemn expressions on their faces.


    "Since the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal areing, it will be best that we discuss a grand assault on the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent," Thirteen stated. "Right now, one of the Pirs of the Jinns is out of the picture. With the greatest threat finally gone, we can take this opportunity to liberate morends."


    "Zion, that''s a bold statement," Benedictmented. "Do you really think that the Dvalinn Federation is ready to fight after losing so many Wanderers?"


    "It''s because of this reason that the Dvalinn Federation should advance," Thirteen answered. "I don''t want to sound like I don''t understand what you''re going through, but there is no better time than this moment to push forward.


    "The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal will be arriving, and I''m sure their main reason foring here is to pensate'' the Dvalinn Federation for their losses."


    Thirteen briefly nced at Marion, who lowered her head because she was still ming herself for this incident.


    "The Rigel Continent is under the control of Eight Rank 8 Sovereigns and three Rank 9 Sovereigns. Their territories are divided equally among each other, with the three Rank 9 Sovereigns guarding the central regions of the Continent, where their main dimensional gate is located.


    "Those three Rank 9 Sovereigns are three Earth Dragons, referred to as the Three Mobile Strongholds. They''re not only very slow, but they also can''t fly, so their role is to guard the Dimensional Gate and prevent anyone from destroying it.


    "Now that one of the eight Rank 8 Sovereigns is out of the picture, there is now a hole in their defenses, which we could exploit."


    Benedict crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the teenage boy, who was thinking of a very bold n.


    Truth be told, the higher-ups of the Dvalinn Federation were also thinking about executing a massive counterattack. Just as Thirteen said, it was best to make a move now that the Sovereign who stood guard over the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent was gone.


    There was no better time than now to secure a firm foothold, allowing them to give hope to everyone, including those who were in the Cygni Continent. If they were to seed, the Wanderers would feel like they had the power to repel the invaders who thought that they could move unhindered in their world.

 Chapter 362 A Very Bold Plan [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 362 A Very Bold n [Part 2] </h4>


    While the general consensus of the higher-ups of the Dvalinn Federation was to recall all their forces who were currently in the Sirius Continent, Aldebaran Continent, and the Cygni Continent to execute a grand counterattack, this was something only they knew.


    Because of this, he wanted to ask the teenage boy why he believed that now was the perfect time to strike back at the Jinns, who had just decimated a tenth of their overall fighting force a few days ago.


    "Let''s say that we do what you had just suggested," Benedict said. "After that, what is stopping them from reiming thends we hypothetically conquer? They can easily do that, you know?"


    "Then, tell me. What is stopping two Monarchs and five thrones from destroying the territories that they left unguarded?" Thirteen asked back.


    "¡­Don''t tell me." Benedict''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at the boy, who was currently wearing a devilish smile on his face.


    "Uncle, the time has changed," Thirteen replied. "When the Jinns and Majins invaded the Rigel Continent, the Wanderers were still weak. There were only six monarchs, a few thrones, and less than a hundred Champions.


    "The technology tobat Jinns and Majins at that time was also not as developed as what we have right now. Granted, we can''t fully liberate the Rigel Continent, but we can certainly push them back and secure a stronghold on the Northern Region of the Continent."


    Benedict smirked before asking the boy the question that really mattered.


    "Earlier, you mentioned that the three Rank 9 Sovereigns are protecting the Dimensional Gate at the center of the continent," Benedict stated. "Then, what if one of them goes to the North to deal with us?


    "We have killed one of the eight Rank 8 Sovereigns, but there are seven more. What if they all teamed up against us, alongside one of the Rank 9 Sovereigns? Even if the Grand Marshal, the Field Marshal, and your Grandfather join us in this expedition, I doubt that we''ll be able to beat the Jinn''s elite forces."


    Thirteen only smirked and raised a finger. "I''ll tell you how we can win once everyone is gathered for the meeting tonight, Uncle. It will be easier if I just say it at once."


    Benedict was amused by Thirteen''s words, but in the end, he decided that it would indeed be better if everyone were present to hear what he was going to say.


    They also nned to question him about what happened to the Rank 8 Sovereign who suddenly disappeared from the battlefield.


    It was only because of that incident that they managed to deliver a devastating blow to their enemies, who by then had destroyed all the structures in the 12 sectors they had been forced to abandon.


    After his chat with Benedict, Thirteen went to talk to Michael, who had been silently listening to their discussion.


    Just like Benedict, he had a lot of things he wanted to ask his nephew. But, since there were other people around, he decided to only talk about the things that would not pose any problem even when overheard by others.


    "Your Grandpa will be arriving this afternoon by ne as well," Michael said. "But, he won''t being alone," Michael said. "Trevor Remington, Morris Smith, and Steven Lockwoode are alsoing with him."


    Thirteen smirked. He had long felt that if his Grandpa were to make a move, the rest of those who rule the Aldebaran Continent would move as well.


    "Can the Leventis Engineers repair the hand-held cannons of my troops?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Yes, but it will take them at least two weeks to repair them all," Michael answered. "There is also the issue with the damage to the Empyrium Mine. Fortunately, we brought recements with us for both the hand-held cannons and the mine equipment."


    Thirteen nodded. "True. But, we will need all the help we can get. Ask the engineers to focus on the hand-held cannons first. Don''t worry about the mining equipment. The Dvalinn Federation will handle the rest."


    "Understood," Michael replied. "But, Zion, will this counterattack really work?"


    Michael had doubts about whether it was really possible to secure the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent.


    "We will," Thirteen replied with confidence. "But only if one condition is met."


    "And that is?" Michael asked with genuine curiosity.


    Benedict, Marion, Cristopher, and Colbert also perked their ears, wanting to hear what Thirteen was about to say.


    "This counterattack will only seed if I be the Supreme Commander of this operation," Thirteen dered. "Otherwise, it won''t work."


    Michael fixed the sses on his face, but he didn''t deny his no-


    good nephew''s im.


    The boy had sessfully orchestrated the battle in the Valbarra and Arcadia Archipgo, and only idiots would downy such an achievement.


    "And what if they don''t want to listen to you?" Michael asked half a minuteter.


    "I don''t care if they don''t listen to me," Thirteen replied casually. "As long as the Leventis Family listens, I''m sure I can work something out."


    Michael and Thirteen smiled at each other and chuckled at the same time.


    Theughter of the two gave Benedict goosebumps, but something inside of him was telling him that whatever the boy nned to do, he should jump on his bandwagon to gain some benefits.


    Marion, who thought that there was nothing for her to do here, decided to leave the room.


    She still hadn''t finished writing letters to the families of the deceased members of her Battalion.


    When he was certain that the Commander of the Valkyries had truly left the room, the teenage boy looked at Benedict with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Don''t be too hard on them," Thirteen said. "Although they were the ones who were truly at fault, the Dvalinn Federation wouldn''t have an opportunity to defeat the King of the North if the incident didn''t happen."


    "Did we really defeat it?" Benedict pursed his lips "Last time we saw the Bird Man, he was bathed in a purple light and disappearedpletely. You still haven''t told me what happened to it."


    Thirteen smiled. "Let''s just say that you won''t have to worry about the Bird Man ever again."


    "Can you guarantee that?" Benedict arched an eyebrow.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    Seeing the teenage boy''s confident expression, Benedict finally rxed. This was one of the major concerns that their organization was currently facing.


    They feared that the Bird Man would return and jeopardize their future operations.


    Michael then excused himself and his nephew, then they left the room together with Cristopher.


    Colbert, who was about to follow behind them, suddenly felt a palm lightly tap on his shoulder.


    Benedict gave him a knowing smile, which Colbert returned before nodding his head.


    After that short exchange, the teenage boy hurriedly caught up to his Commander, who was about to have a private talk with Michael.


    The teenage boy was currently the Riggs Family agent, tasked to divulge any important information to them as soon as he caught wind of it.


    Of course, they didn''t know that Thirteen was making use of Colbert as a double agent, fooling the Riggs Family into thinking that they were monitoring the 69th Battalion, as well as Zion''s movements, effectively.


    Information warfare was one of Thirteen''s specialties, and there was no one in Pangea who could beat him when it came to working with Cannon Fodders, who had an instinctual affinity of being loyal only to him.

 Chapter 363 Second Black Sheep Of The Leventis Family

    <h4>Chapter 363 Second ck Sheep Of The Leventis Family</h4>


    Later that afternoon, several of the most influential people in Pangea arrived at the Dvalinn Federation by ne.


    Some of the High-Ranking Officers whom the Federation had stationed in Cygni, Sirius, and Aldebaran Continents also made their way back to their Headquarters to participate in a grand meeting of sorts.


    With so many big shots arriving one by one, the security of the Ind Fortress was raised to its highest level.


    Among the ones who arrived were none other than Arthur, apanied by the Leventis Family Guards who had participated in the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    There was an unexpected individual who came with them¡ªthat person was none other than Hans, whom Thirteen was surprised to see.


    "My Lady is very worried about your safety, so she asked me toe and protect you," Hans bowed respectfully to the teenage boy. "And I''m sure that you will work these old bones of mine until they break. I''ll do my best to keep you alive, Young Master, even if I have to sacrifice my life for it."


    "No one''s sacrificing any life, Hans," Thirteen said with a smile. "I still need you to work for me for many years toe. You ain''t kicking the bucket until I give you the permission to kick the bucket."


    The Old Butler smiled faintly and nodded his head. "Your wish is mymand, Young Master."


    Hans came to the Dvalinn Federation under the order of Lady Callista. Even Arthur didn''t have the authority to order him around, for he would only listen to Zion as per her Lady''smand.


    Arthur knew this as well, so he didn''t make anyments. He simply rested his hand on his grandson''s shoulder, giving it a firm grip.


    "m Dunk?" Arthur asked.


    "m Dunk," Thirteen replied.


    The two then exchanged knowing smiles with each other after speaking in code words.


    Zion''s answer just now meant that the Leventis Family was bound to profit greatly from this expedition, which was the only thing that Arthur needed to hear.


    The bulk of their naval forces would be arriving in a week. Arthur was supposed to travel with them, but Zion asked him toe in advance, so he went ahead.


    The ne of the Remington nnded at the airport right after the Leventis nended.


    Thirteen watched as the Monarch of the Remington n, Trevor Remington, descended from the ne, followed closely by the Patriarchs of the Smith and Lockwood Families.


    Morris Smith and Steven Lockwood decided toe along, which meant that all the Monarchs and Thrones of the Aldebaran Continent were currently in the Dvalinn Federation''s Main Headquarters.


    "You should have juste with us, Arthur," Trevor said with a smile. "My ne is big enough to fit all of us."


    "No, thank you," Arthur replied. "Morris likes to fart, and Steven has an athlete''s foot. I''m surprised that you managed to survive that flight with these two stinky fools by your side."


    "Shut up, you old fart," Morrismented with a smile. "Your old age has made you senile. What''s the problem? You can no longer get it up to satisfy your beautiful wife?"


    "Don''t be like that, Morris," Steven, who had been used of having an athlete''s foot earlier, chuckled. "Arthur is already old. Be understanding. Who knows? He might kick the bucket one of these days."


    Trevor chuckled after hearing the usual banter between the heads of the three Prestigious Families of the Aldebaran Continent.


    All of them had known each other for years. Although they didn''t get along, they also didn''t go out of their way to antagonize each other.


    They only exchanged barbed words whenever they met, but that was it.


    In the end, their rtionship had kept the Aldebaran Continent peaceful for many decades.


    "I''ve been wanting to meet you for a long time, Zion." Trevor gave the boy a curt nod. "I''m a big fan of yours. One of these days, the two of us should have lunch or dinner together. I''d love to hear you share the stories of your adventures in Solterra.


    "Also, I have many beautiful granddaughters who are of the same age as you. I''ll make sure to invite you when we celebrate something in the Remington Residence."


    "I''d be happy to ept such an invitation, Sir Trevor," Thirteen replied.


    Out of all the Monarchs, Thirteen didn''t hate Trevor Remington as much. When Aaron had killed his previous host, the man before him had attempted to heal thetter''s wound.


    However, Aaron Ashford stood in his way and threatened him, preventing the only Healer among the Monarchs from doing anything.


    "Guests, it will be best if all of youe inside," Wendell, the Monarch of the Elrod n, said to everyone. "Come. We have refreshments waiting for all of you. The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal are already waiting in the grand hall."


    "Good." Trevor smiled as he shook hands with Wendell. "Lead the way."


    Limousines arrived at the airport and drove their VIP Guests to the Tower of Dvalinn.


    This was the ce where all important talks were held, serving as a Five-Star Hotel for important guests who visit the main headquarters of the federation.


    Shortly after the ne of the Remington n left the main runaway, another ne descended. This time, it carried the other High-Ranking Officers of the Federation, who hade from the Cygni Continent.


    Inside the ne was the Grand Strategist of the Dvalinn Federation, who was supposed tomand their soldiers who had already been stationed in the Cygni Continent in preparation for the first wave of the invasion that would happen in a few months.


    "Wee back, Sir." one of the staff saluted a tall man with gray hair, and blue eyes as soon as he disembarked from the ne. "The Patriarch is already expecting you."


    "Take me to him," the gray-haired man replied.


    He was none other than Renz Elrod, the younger brother of Wendell and the one acting as the second-inmand of the Elrod n.


    He was hailed as a genius when it came to strategies. Through his effort, the Dvalinn Federation had avoided cmities, which would have destroyed their foundationpletely.


    Since a grand counterattack was nned to be executed soon, Wendell decided to call his brother back and ask for his help in their uing counterattack.


    When Renz arrived at the Tower of Dvalinn, he headed straight to the highest floor, where the guests were currently enjoying a fancy meal made by the best chefs in the Federation.


    Only the Monarchs and Thrones, along with the important members of their families, stayed on the top floor.


    Their guards and subordinates were directed somewhere else to eat and rest after their long journey.


    "You''re finally here, brother," Wendell said as he walked up to his brother with a smile.


    "I came, but you weren''t there to receive me." Renz snorted.


    Wendell patted his brother''s shoulder because he knew that he was at fault for not being there when he arrived at the airport.


    "Yeah, my bad," Wendellmented. "It won''t happen again."


    "It better not," Renz replied before walking toward one of the tables and making a gesture for a waiter to serve him.


    Thirteen observed the sharp-eyed strategist of the Dvalinn Federation and smirked.


    ''Heh, it seems that this guy is a viin,'' Thirteen thought. ''Good. I can use this guy.''


    Renz felt someone staring at him, so he raised his head to look in Thirteen''s direction.


    The teenage boy didn''t avert his gaze and simply gave the strategist a curt nod, which made thetter narrow his eyes.


    The two stared at each other for nearly a minute before Thirteen broke the connection first.


    With that simple interaction, the teenage boy could tell that Renz was someone who didn''t like to lose. He decided to take a step back for now and let the other party have the win in a shallow staring contest.


    Thirteen had always been someone who saw things in the bigger picture, and he had no time for petty things.


    Just as expected, Renz scoffed, thinking that the teenage boy was intimidated by his stare.


    He wasn''t aware that the boy, whom he thought he intimidated, wasughing inside his heart and thinking of the many ways he could break his second viin. The mere thought of it made the teenage boy look forward to it more.


    Arthur and the rest of the important people noticed this exchange between the two people, whom they believed would y an important role in their uing counterattack.


    They didn''t miss Zion backing down first, and the majority of them smiled in the belief that Zion was intimidated. After all, in their point of view, he was just a child.


    However, Arthur, Michael, and Hans were already pitying Renz, knowing that he was about to face the second ck sheep of the Leventis Family.

 Chapter 364 How Hard Can That Be?

    ??Two hours after everyone had eaten and drank to their fill, they all gathered around the round table, where they conducted their conference.


    All the people who weren''t meant to be part of the discussion had already left, including the waiters who had served them earlier.


    "I''m sure that all of you have heard of the incident that happened a few days ago," Wendell stated. "But you might not know the specifics, so I will tell you the full extent of the battle to the best of my abilities."


    The Monarch then narrated how things started and how things ended.


    He didn''t hold back in saying that the Dvalinn Federation had lost more than a thousand lives due to the insubordination of the Valkyries who broke their "No Flying Ban."


    The Grand Marshal and Field Marshal of the Central Government didn''t make anyments from start to finish.


    They already received reports of what had happened, so they understood that no matter how hard they sugarcoated the situation, the faulty on their side of the ying field.


    "However, I will also not downy the courage and bravery that the Valkyries had disyed during the battle," Wendell stated. "I will also not deny the fact that if this incident hadn''t happened, we wouldn''t have the chance to win against the forces of the King of the North, which for some reason, disappeared in the middle of the battle.


    "Zion, it''s your turn to tell us what happened back there. I didn''t ask you about it earlier because you were unconscious for two days and Riggs informed me that you wanted to exin it once everyone was gathered.


    "Your condition has been met, so do tell us what happened back then. If not for you, the victory that we achieved would not have been possible."


    Thirteen nodded and stood up from his seat.


    All eyes focused on his body, but the teenage boy didn''t seem to feel any anxiety after being stared at by so many powerful people at the same time.


    "All of you must be aware of the restrictions that The One has ced upon my body," Thirteen started. "Perhaps knowing that my restriction is a bit unfair, he gave me a purple sphere that could save my life once.


    "That purple sphere can trap anyone up to a Rank 8 Sovereign and send them to a ce where they would never be seen from again. Unfortunately, I only have one such item and it''s so far the only one not restricted by my Item Ban.


    "In the end, it did save my life, which is a good trade-off for a one-time-use item. I assure everyone that you will no longer have to worry about that Bird Man ever again."


    After Thirteen finished his exnation, the people in the room looked at him with conflicted looks on their faces.


    This was especially true for Wendell and the Thrones who belonged to the Prestigious Families of the Dvalinn Federation.


    "I have a question," Renz spoke up as he gazed at the teenage boy with a sharp gaze. "Did The One only give you that one life-saving item, or did he give you more?"


    "That''s the only item he had given to me," Thirteen replied calmly.


    "So, does that mean that you no longer have any value in this uing counterattack?" Renz asked in a teasing tone. "You can no longer perform any miracle that can ensure our victory?"


    "Value?" Thirteen chuckled. "All I can say is that unless I be the Grand Commander of the counterattack, any attempt that any of you make is bound to fail."


    "Oh?" Renz arched an eyebrow. "I wonder where that confidence of yours ising from?"


    "Tell me, have you defeated a Majin Prince?" Thirteen also arched an eyebrow.


    "No," Renz answered. "But you can''t prove that you were really the one that defeated the Majin Prince, can you? I''m sure that the tale of your¡­ grand expedition has been exaggerated a little."


    Thirteen smirked. "Then, can you tell me any of your grand achievements?"


    "Well, for one thing, the Dvalinn Federation still stands because of me," Renz crossed his leg over the other as he stared at the boy. "I also did a few things like¡­"


    One by one, Renz stated his achievements, which had been verified by everyone in the room.


    After he finished talking, everyone''s gazes once againnded on the teenage boy, who was in the middle of yawning.


    "Oh, you''re finally done?" Thirteen asked. "I almost fell asleep about your useless achievements."


    "¡­ Useless?" Renz frowned.


    "Yes. Very useless achievements," Thirteen replied. "You spent many years wasting your time creating strategies that slowly diminished the manpower of the Dvalinn Federation. You spent years of futile struggle, and what did you achieve in those years? Twelve square kilometers ofnd.


    "Those twelve sectors that you readily abandon whenever the Rank 8 Sovereign appears to drive you out. You are like little mice that run away whenever the big cates to y. I''m sure that you and the rest of the Dvalinn Federation also understood that what you are doing is just a futile struggle."


    The expressions of Wendell, as well as the Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation, started to change to anger, which prompted the Grand Marshal of the Central Government to stand behind the boy and protect him just in case they got carried away.


    However, Lawrence was also cursing the boy for saying things that were very provocative.


    But before things escted even further, Thirteen smiled and raised one finger. "I have surpassed all that achievement of yours within a mere one day," Thirteen stated. "So please, don''t evenpare your useless achievements to what I have done. Even if we don''t talk about the things I aplished in Solterra, the fact remains that I dealt with the King of the North, which you and the entirety of the Dvalinn Federation failed to defeat for many years."


    Thirteen then casually raised his ss filled with fruit juice as if proposing a toast.


    "I know that you''re thinking that if you had the same purple sphere that I do, you would have also dealt with the Rank 8 Sovereign yourself," Thirteen added. "So, how about we have apetition?"


    "Apetition?" Renz''s expression was as cold as ice as he stared at the young man, who was looking back at him with eyes filled with ridicule.


    "Yes, apetition," Thirteen answered. "A fairpetition."


    "And what is thispetition you''re talking about?" Wendell, who wanted nothing more than to smack the arrogant teenage boy whom he thought was a good child just a few days ago, asked with a sneer. "What you say better be good, Zion. Or else, I will kick you out of the Dvalinn Federation, and you will no longer be weed here ever again."


    Thirteen smiled and raised his index finger once more.


    "This battlefield only needs one Commander," Thirteen stated "So, let''s decide who will be the one to lead this counterattack by a littlepetition that will give the Dvalinn Federation another major advantage."


    Wendell and Renz narrowed their eyes as they waited for the teenage boy to finish whatever he was going to say.


    However, their patience was growing thin with each passing second.


    "The first one to kill or defeat another Rank 8 Sovereign will be the Supreme Commander of this counterattack," Thirteen dered. "Let''s even put a deadline to thispetition¡ªone month. Within the next month, whoever defeats a Rank 8 Sovereign first will be the winner."


    The people inside the room couldn''t believe what the boy had just said.


    A Rank 8 Sovereign was as strong as a Monarch, yet he was suggesting that the first one who''d defeat such a creature would lead the expedition force to conquer the North of the Continent.


    "And what if no one managed to achieve that feat in a month?" Renz, who was unfazed by Thirteen''s deration, asked.


    "Then you win by default," Thirteen shrugged. "Do we have a deal?"


    "Sure. But how about we raise the stakes a bit?" Renz smiled. "If I win, you will be my subordinate. How''s that?"


    "I don''t mind," Thirteen answered. "But if I win, you will be my subordinate and you have to call me Young Master. How does that sound?"


    "You have a deal."


    "Good."


    Thirteen and Renz exchanged smiles with each other.


    The strategist of the Dvalinn Federation was certain that even if he didn''t do anything, Thirteen would be his subordinate after a month.


    The boy was a very popr person in Pangea, so having him as a subordinate would bring him some perks.


    Little did he know that Thirteen already knew what Renz was thinking and was alsoughing in his heart.


    With Arthur, Michael, and Hans by his side, although it would still be a little difficult, it was not impossible to kill a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    Trevor Remington smiled faintly and pped his hands together.


    "This sounds like a funpetition," Trevor stated. "So, I will make an announcement. Whoever wins thispetition will have the support of the Remington n in regards to securing a stronghold in the North.


    "I will also give full support to whoever wins in thispetition," Lawrence dered. "The Central Government will also help reim the Northern Lands."


    Wendell knew that if he gained the support of the two Monarchs, there would truly be an opportunity to gain a foothold in the Continent.


    However, killing a Rank 8 Sovereign was far from an easy feat.


    Even with the full might of the Dvalinn Federation, countless lives would be lost if they attempted such a thing.


    He gave his brother a nce, and thetter only smiled and shook his head.


    That gesture was enough to tell Wendell that Renz didn''t n to attack the Rigel Continentpletely and would just wait for Zion to lose the bet.


    Earlier, he felt enraged because Thirteen''s words were condescending.


    The teenager had reminded them that they wasted many years in a futile struggle, which was a bitter pill to ept.


    He couldn''t even refute the teenage boy''s words.


    Those who were not part of the Dvalinn Federation thought that what they were doing was indeed a futile struggle.


    But, Zion''s deration made him realize how serious the boy was.


    "I want everyone to not share anything that has been talked about inside this room," Wendell stated, surprising everyone.


    Renz arched an eyebrow, but he didn''t say anything else.


    Deep inside, Wendell wished that Zion would be the one to win thepetition.


    If he could really kill or defeat another Rank 8 Sovereign, that meant that he was trulypetent.


    Just like the boy mentioned earlier, it would also give the Dvalinn Federation another major advantage.


    If Zion could really do it, Wendell wouldn''t mind taking orders from such a person, even if that person was only thirteen years old.


    Besides, it would also send a signal to the rest of the world that a new era was about to begin.


    "Zion. Let me ask you a question, my boy," Trevor Remington said with a smile. "Can you really devise a strategy to kill or defeat a Rank 8 Sovereign?"


    Thirteen nced at the Monarch of the Aldebaran Continent with a confused look on his face.


    "It''s just a Rank 8 Sovereign," Thirteen said with a frown. "How hard can that be?"


    That casual rhetoric almost made everyone in the room cough up blood. After all, none of them could defeat a Rank 8 Sovereign so easily.


    ------------------


    A/N: To those who are reading my other novel, Strongest Warlock - Wizard World Irregr, I apologize because I won''t be posting any chapters today. I feel like my heart is going to burst due to my high BP if i continue to write.


    Tomorrow, I will also take a day off from writing, and just calm myself down. It''s really hard for me right now even with my medicine, and I still need to visit my doctor tomorrow to discuss about increasing the dosage.


    Enjoy this long chapter for now.


    I''ll see you guys after my day off. Thanks for your kindness and understanding.

 Chapter 365 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 365 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]</h4>


    The current monarchs, with the exception of Lawrence Seaton, had reached their rank through freeloading.


    This was the reason why they weren''t as battle-hardened as the Monarch of the Central Government, who had fought on the front lines during the fateful day when the world first faced its first Genocide-Level Threat.


    Self-aware of theircking ability, they never risked their lives to fight against the other Genocide-Level Threats, which had led to the Jinns and Majins sessfully conquering the continents of Antares and Rigel.


    If they were dealing with Rank 7 Sovereigns, the Monarchs would not hesitate to fight them.


    However, if they were Rank 8 threats, they would think twice before making a move.


    In short, they were people who bullied the weak and feared the strong.


    Thirteen was even certain that when the Rank 8 Sovereigns descended upon the Cygni Continent, only Lawrence Seaton and the current Monarch who ruled the Cygni Continent, Dous Griffin, would give their all when fighting Rank 8 threats who''d descend.


    They would only fight half-heartedly and would retreat once their lives were in the slightest hint of danger. The world would once again experience the downfall of another continent, and Jinns and Majins would have another continent under their rule.


    As much as Thirteen hated the Monarchs, he had to admit that the current Pangea still needed them.


    Since his preparations weren''tplete yet, he would leave them alone for the time being.


    Once his preparations werepleted, the world no longer needed to worry about any cmities equivalent to a Genocide-Level Threat.


    Thirteen understood the importance of the uing invasion in the Cygni Continent. The moment their defenders failed to stop the conquest of the Jinns and Majins, Pangea would no longer have any future.


    The Wanderers would lose heart and would dreadfully live their lives waiting for the next Genocide-Level-Threat to fall upon the Sirius and Aldebaran Continents.


    Not wanting to let that happen, Thirteen nned to be the Supreme Commander and take full control over the armies of the world.


    This was also why he had purposely provoked Renz Elrod and initiated apetition with him.


    In the future, he would also face simr opposition. Because of his age, people subconsciously wouldn''t want to entrust their lives to him.


    There was a saying that desperate times called for desperate measures. This was one of those times, so Thirteen had to do something to make the big shots of the world truly recognize his abilities. Only then could he use them as pawns for the battle that would happen in three years.


    ''Rank 9 Sovereigns might still be too much for them, but Rank 8 shouldn''t pose a problem if done right,'' Thirteen thought as he walked the hallway of the Leventis Aircraft Carrier, followed closely by Arthur, Michael, and Hans.


    Right after the discussion in the Dvalinn Tower ended, the young man ordered his subordinates to relocate to the Leventis Naval Fleet so that they would be able to join the expedition that Thirteen had nned in mind.


    "Gramps, please stand guard outside the door," Thirteen said. "No matter what you hear inside, do not go in."


    "Understood," Arthur replied as he stared at the door of Thirteen''s room. "Will it take long?"


    "I don''t know," Thirteen answered. "But I wille out as soon as I''m done. Until then, make sure that no one will interrupt me."


    Arthur nodded. "Very well."


    Right after the teenage boy entered the room, Arthur and Hans stood guard to ensure that no one would disturb him.


    Michael, on the other hand, went to the Control Room to confirm if their ships had been properly resupplied with food, ammunition, and other important resources.


    While everyone was getting ready for their departure in the morning, Thirteen activated the Ring of the Apocalypse on his finger.


    A secondter, he found himself in the Conference Room of the Apocalypse, where some of the members were having a discussion.


    "Thirteen! It''s been a while!" Camazotz happily walked toward the teenage boy and lightly patted his shoulder. "When are youing back to Solterra? I''m ready for another adventure."


    Camazotz had earned a lot of Apocalypse Points in the battle of the Arcadia Archipgo, allowing him to unlock the Third Layer of the Treasury.


    The other members of the Order were surprised about this development.


    Camazotz had not been in their organization for a long time, yet he already managed to be on the same level as some of the other members who had also unlocked the Third Layer of the Treasury.


    "There is something that I will need from you, Camazotz," Thirteen said solemnly. "I need to borrow your ''you know what.''"


    The Death Bat immediately frowned. He knew that Thirteen was talking about the armor that he gained from fighting against the Artemian Sovereign, Zazriel, who would''ve ended Camazotz''s life if it weren''t for Thirteening to his rescue.


    "How long will you need it?" Camazotz asked.


    Obviously, he was hesitant to part with it. The armor was what enabled him to deter his neighbors, who had ganged up on his territory as soon as he returned to his Domain.


    Ever since he gained the armor, he felt invincible. As expected from a Pseudo-Divine Equipment, he was nigh-untouchable as long as he was supplying a bit of his life force to it.


    Equipped with such overpowered armor, the Death Bat hadn''t hesitated to attack his aggressors. He had decimated their forces and made them submit to his rule by force.


    Three years after the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo, Camazotz had finally stabilized his domain. Those who wished to defy him had long pledged allegiance to him, including two Majin Princes.


    "Not more than a month," Thirteen replied. "I promise I will return it."


    "Fine," Camazotz nodded before dragging Thirteen towards the Treasury, where Metatron would keep their transaction private.


    Any negotiations or deals done between the members of the Order of the Apocalypse were done in his presence, in order to ensure that none of them would break their agreement.


    Those who do would lose their qualifications as members, and their tokens would be handed over to the person whom they had wronged.


    When they arrived at the treasury, they immediately saw the Bird Man standing near its gate.


    The moment it saw Thirteen, it immediately rushed to attack the boy, but its wed hands stopped a foot away from the human boy''s head.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "Can''t hurt me?"


    "Damn you!" the Bird Man said through telepathy. "It''s all your fault!"


    "Of course, it is," Thirteen replied. "But, before anything else, why don''t you kneel first?"


    "I will never kneel to you!" the Bird Man roared.


    However, as soon as he said those words, he felt a pressure descend upon his body, forcing him to kneel.


    Thirteen then looked at the kneeling monster with amusement and lightly tapped the Bird Man''s right cheek.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked. "I thought you weren''t going to kneel to me?"


    "Kill me!" the Bird Man shouted. "Just kill me!"


    "Why would I do that?" Thirteen smirked. "I''m sure you already tried to kill yourself many times, right? But what happened? You can''t die, right?"


    The Bird Man red at the human boy, which made Thirteen chuckle.


    No one could kill anyone within the Order of the Apocalypse because Metatron wouldn''t allow such a thing to happen.


    Even if someone died, they would just revive as if nothing had happened because, in this world, Metatron was God.


    And everyone in it would need to y by his rules or risk incurring his wrath.


    -------------------


    A/N: One of you guys told me that i should take day offs, and one day chapters, so I can recover faster.


    Writing one chapter isn''t a problem for now, but I still won''t be able to update Wizard World Irregr. Maybe tomorrow, I will be able to do that. But for now, this is the only thing I can do.

 Chapter 366 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 366 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 2] </h4>


    The Bird Man was resentfully ring at the one responsible for his suffering when Metatron appeared in front of Thirteen and Camazotz with a smile on his face.


    "Congrattions, Thirteen," Metatron stated. "You have just unlocked the Fourth Level of the Treasury. Is that the reason why you''vee here?"


    "It''s one of the reasons, yes," Thirteen nodded. "I have a deal with Camazotz, and I need you to bear witness to it."


    "Very well." Metatron made a gesture for the two to start their deal.


    The Guardian of the Order of the Apocalypse listened to the details of the agreement and ced his mark on the armor.


    The mark made it so that the armor would automatically return to Camazotz regardless of where it was once the agreement had reached its due date.


    Thirteen knew that his Grandpa would definitely be reluctant to return the armor to him, so he decided that it would be best if he asked Metatron''s help to retrieve it just in case Arthur refused to return it.


    After the deal was sealed, Metatron then patted Thirteen''s shoulder.


    "Since the 4th Layer of the Treasury has been unlocked in the past, you will not be getting its First Clear Reward," Metatron stated. "But, you are the sixth person who has cleared the Fourth Layer, so you will get the constion prize."


    Metatron then snapped his fingers, making the first fouryers of the Pyramid open, allowing Thirteen to ess their inventory.


    "You may take one item from each level of the Treasury," Metatron stated.


    "For the First and Second Layer, I want a capture sphere as a reward," Thirteen said.


    Metatron nodded and bestowed upon him the Capture Spheres, which had been responsible for bringing Albion and the Bird Man inside the treasury of the Apocalypse.


    "I will take a pass on picking a reward on the Third Layer, but I want to check what it is inside the Fourth Layer," Thirteenmented.


    Metatron nodded and pped his hands, sending the boy inside the Treasury to pick his reward.


    Since Thirteen could only use Pseudo-Divine and Divine Items, Metatron segregated the rewards and only showed him the things that were useful to him.


    As he skimmed through the inventory, Thirteen''s eyes widened in shock. He just saw something that wasn''t supposed to exist in Solterra.


    As if reading his thoughts, Metatron appeared beside him and chuckled.


    "Didn''t I tell you?" Metatron inquired. "The rewards you can get here don''t onlye from this world. It belongs to many worlds. However, only those who have unlocked the Fourth Layer of the Treasury could enjoy these artifacts."


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate to reach out his hand to the glowing green crystal orb with countless binary numbers floating around it like the rings of a.


    The green orb originated from a highly advanced technological world that had colonized countlesss.


    It was a Creation Sphere that could literally change the gic and material make up of anything it was imbued to, allowing those who had it to create anything they wanted.


    Naturally, there was a limitation to it.


    It could only create things when there was enough information and data added to the sphere, allowing it to create whatever the user wanted.


    The more detailed the information, the moreplete the creation would be.


    It was also a power source.


    A nearly limitless power source that had the power equivalent to that of a star.


    For example, if the Creation Sphere was used as Nautilus'' power source instead of an Empyrium, it would never run out of power again.


    Countless thoughts and possibilities swam inside Thirteen''s head as he held onto the Creation Sphere in his hand.


    "¡­ Metatron, just tell me one thing," Thirteen said as he nced at the Guardian of the Treasury of the Apocalypse. "Do you have more than one of these in the treasury?"


    "No," Metatron replied in a heartbeat. "That''s the only Creation Sphere that exists in the treasury."


    "Then, howe the other members of the Apocalypse who opened the Fourth Layer didn''t choose this?" Thirteen asked, his voice almost hoarse.


    "It''s because they don''t know how to use it," Metatron replied. "They''re unable to explore its countless possibilities because their knowledge is only limited to what they know from their Home World and the World of Solterra."


    "Only someone like you, who understands its true potential, can appreciate it for what it truly is. For them, it''s just a shiny glowing sphere. Picking something that will not be useful to them is a waste of reward, don''t you think so?"


    Thirteen held the Creation Sphere in his hand firmly and nodded. "I will be taking this with me."


    "Excellent choice," Metatron replied as he rested his hand on the teenage boy''s shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Since it''s a Pseudo-Divine Artifact, your restrictions will not be able to do anything to it. Enjoy your reward, Zion. I look forward to the day when you finally open Pandora''s Box."


    With a snap of his finger, Metatron sent Thirteen back to the entrance of the Treasury, where Camazotz was waiting for him.


    "So, are you done?" Camazotz asked.


    "Not yet," Thirteen replied.


    He had already hidden the Creation Sphere in his Dimensional Storage because he didn''t want anyone to see it.


    The teenage boy approached the Bird Man, who was still kneeling on the ground.


    "Are you lonely here?" Thirteen asked as he showed the Bird Man the two Capture Spheres in his hand. "Tell me, who among yourrades would you like to be sent here with you?"


    Thirteen smiled evilly as the Bird Man looked at him with a solemn expression on his face.


    "It doesn''t have to be a friend, you know?" Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "Do you have someone you hate the most among the seven Rank 8 Sovereigns in the Rigel Continent? I''m willing to listen to your request, you know? Since you''re already suffering here, why don''t you let them suffer with you?"


    Camazotz subconsciously shuddered. The teenage boy was definitely more devious than him when it came to manipting others.


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    "If you can''t decide, why don''t you tell me more about yourrades?" Thirteen inquired. "One or two of them would be joining you here. So, why don''t we have a nice, long chat about them? What do you think?"


    The Bird Man was starting to waver. The boy''s words once again reminded him that he would probably be spending his lifetime in this ce, never to return to his world.


    Since that was the case, he would want to bring some of his "friends" with him. That way, he wouldn''t be lonely spending his eternity in a world where even Death wouldn''t be able to reach him.


    The Bird Man, who goes by the name Zed, tried to resist Thirteen''s questions at first.


    Unfortunately, he was no match for the teenage boy who was a master interrogator and maniptor.


    Analyzing the psyche of the Jinn as a means to break its defenses, Thirteen managed to pry the answers he wanted.


    The Eight Kings who governed the Rigel Continent had split the continent into nine regions.


    The three Rank 9 Earth Dragons controlled the biggest area, which was located at the center of the continent.


    ording to Zed, the two Sovereigns bordering those territories were a Majin Manticore and a Centipede Jinn.


    These two would likely be the ones who''d take over Zed''s territory, which had lost its ruler.


    Surprisingly, Zed got along really well with the Majin Manticore. Perhaps it was because they shared the same ideals, and that was strength.


    In their point of view, power transcended everything.


    This was also why the Bird Man couldn''t ept his defeat in Zion''s hands. Thetter hadn''t defeated him in a fight.


    No, thetter schemed against him. And as a warrior who only wished to fight strong opponents on the battlefield, he refused to ept it.


    Thirteen apologized to Zed for not fighting him fair and square, and it somehow reduced the Bird Man''s hate toward the boy.


    After Thirteen''s apology, the Jinn became more cooperative. He opened up and soon started talking about the other Kings of the Rigel Continent.


    "The one I hate the most is the Brain Beetle, Kuga," Zed stated. "He''s a schemer. The rank he has now isn''t earned by his power but by maniption.


    "There are other more fitting candidates, who would have apanied us in this invasion, but due to his eloquent words, our Great Master chose him to apany us in our invasion."


    Thirteen nodded. "I already know that only Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns are allowed to pass through the Dimensional Gates at this point in time. Tell me, did youe from Solterra, or did youe from Gomorra?"


    Zed arched an eyebrow as he looked at the teenage boy who seemed to know more about them than most Wanderers.


    Camazotz, who was also in the treasury with Thirteen, frowned after hearing the name of their homeworld, which he had never seen in his lifetime.

 Chapter 367 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 367 Returning To The Order Of The Apocalypse [Part 3]</h4>


    Most Jinns who were born in Solterra came from the lineage of the Jinns and Majins who came from Gomorra.


    They were the ones who invaded the world of Solterra hundreds of years ago, and only a handful of people knew about the existence of the Main of the Jinns and Majins.


    Not many knew about this, and those who knew decided to keep it to themselves.


    The reason?


    Even if it was known by others, what could they do about it?


    "How do you know that?" Zed inquired. "We''re forbidden to talk about our origins, so it''s impossible for someone like you to know about it. Even the Jinns and Majins from Solterra won''t share such information¡ªthey simply can''t because the ancient ones had sealed this memory from their heads."


    "I know many things," Thirteen replied. "But I don''t know everything. With your reaction, it''s safe to say that you and the rest of yourrades are indeed from Gomorra."


    Thirteen frowned. Now that he knew of this information, he would have to change his strategy.


    It wasmon for people to assume that the monsters crossing through the Dimensional Gates only came from Solterra.


    But, this wasn''t true.


    Only seventy percent of the Dimensional Gates that appear in Pangea were connected from Solterra. The remaining thirty percent of them were connected from Gomorra.


    The Jinns and Majins from Gomorra were fiercer than the monsters in Solterra, for they were "pure-blooded monsters."


    The Jinns and Majins of Solterra had bred with the other species upon their invasion, so their offspring were no longer pure-blooded.


    Thirteen also knew that the Genocide-Level Gates that had appeared on Pangea were all from Gomorra.


    And these were just the Vanguards.


    Their Masters were likely Majin Princes and Princesses.


    Of course, there was also a possibility that their Masters were stronger than these Princes and Princesses, making them far more dangerous.


    ''It''s a shame that I cannot ask Zed the rank of his Master,'' Thirteen thought. ''He might be brain-dead if I force him to answer this question. And it''s pretty dangerous to ask about it to begin with. These higher beings have a way of recognizing those who managed to learn their names.''


    The teenage boy pondered a bit before asking Zed another question.


    "So, about this Brain Beetle, what can he do?" Thirteen asked. "Is he capable of mind control?"


    "¡­ How did you know?" Zed asked back. "It seems that you know many things about us. Just who are you?"


    "It''s not that hard toe to this assumption, Zed," Thirteen answered. "Brain Beetles are alsomon in Solterra. They rarely leave theirir, but they are the most annoying monsters to fight. Those with weaker minds would be dominated by them and be their puppets."


    Thirteen frowned before asking Zed another question.


    "Aside from him, who do you think is the strongest among all of you?" Thirteen inquired.


    "That Beetle is not the strongest!" Zed growled. "He''s just a maniptor. A coward who hides behind his subordinates! Any warrior who gets close enough to him can kill him easily!"


    "Then, tell me. If the two of you fight, can you kill that Brain Beetle?" Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest.


    Zed red at him but didn''t answer the question.


    This meant that even the Bird Man, who believed that strength was absolute, didn''t have the confidence to kill or defeat the Brain Beetle in battle.


    "What is the Brain Beetle''s name, and where is its Domain located?"


    "Its name is Nannan. His territory is in the Southeast Region of this Continent."


    "Do you want him to apany you here?" Thirteen inquired out of pure curiosity.


    "I want him dead." Zed growled.


    "Easier said than done," Thirteenmented. "But I''ll see what I can do. For now, tell me everything you know about the Centipede, the Manticore, and the Brain Beetle."


    "I can tell you what I know about the Centipede, but I won''t tell you any information about the Manticore," Zed stated. "If you want to know more about him, you have to fight him on your own."


    "Then tell me this, will this Manticore ept a one-on-one battle?" Thirteen eyed the Bird Man, making sure that he would be able to tell whether he was lying or not.


    "Amos will not be afraid of a one-on-one battle," Zed replied. "Even the Monsters who obey him only recognize strength as thew of the world."


    Thirteen nodded before bidding Zed goodbye.


    Camazotz nced at the Bird Man once before following behind the boy, who had borrowed his armor from him.


    "It seems that you are up against some weaklings," Camazotzmented. "Make sure not to die, okay?"


    Thirteen scoffed at the words of the shameless Death Bat.


    While Rank 8 Sovereigns might indeed not be a problem for Camazotz, they were truly dangerous creatures in Thirteen''s eyes.


    This was why he decided to get some insurance and asked Metatron for two Capture Spheres.


    If things took a dark turn, he would then use the spheres to send the Kings to the Treasury of the Apocalypse, trapping them inside forever.


    However, if possible, Thirteen didn''t want to use his Capture Spheres. After all, he could only take one treasure a year from the treasury.


    ''I hope that Gramps can sessfully deal with the Centipede and the Manticore using the Artemian Armor,'' Thirteen thought. ''The only problem is the Brain Beetle. I can''t take a gamble and have Gramps fight it. If he falls under its control, all my ns will be ruined.''


    The teenage boy sighed. If only he were fighting against Rank 8 Sovereigns who solely used brute force, then he had a way of defeating them.


    Those who specialized in Mind Control were very difficult opponents.


    For the time being, he decided to focus his attention on the two Kings bordering Zed''s territory, which was located in the Northern Region of the Rigel Continent.


    After leaving the Order of the Apocalypse, Thirteen once again appeared inside his room.


    ncing at the clock on the wall, he sighed in relief after seeing that only a little more than an hour had passed.


    He then approached the door, intending to tell his Grandfather that he needed to talk with him.


    However, when the door opened, he found three people facing off against Arthur and Hans, which made the teenage boy narrow his eyes.


    It was none other than the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    However, there was one more individual apanying them


    ¡ªBenedict Riggs. By the looks of it, he hade on his own.


    "Why don''t all of youe inside?" Thirteen asked. "My room is a bit small, but I''m sure that it can amodate all of us at the same time."


    Arthur and Hans nodded and entered the room without saying a word.


    The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal exchanged a nce with each other before following suit.


    Benedict was thest to enter the room. Before taking a seat, he made sure that the door was locked properly behind them so that no one would be able to overhear their discussion.


    The Patriarch of the Riggs Family, Hugo Riggs, wanted to pass a message to Zion and asked Benedict to deliver his message to him.


    He hoped that after the teenage boy heard his message, he would realize that even though there had been some tension between the Dvalinn Federation and him earlier, all of them wished that he would seed in his endeavor.


    After all, the teenager''s sess would also allow them to recover what they had lost. It would also give hope to the people who were thinking that their world could only just sit back and wait for annihtion.


    "Sirs, is there something you wish to talk to me about?" Thirteen saluted the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal, who reciprocated his salute before answering his question.


    "You left the Dvalinn Federation before we had the chance to talk," Lawrence replied. "Fortunately, they were kind enough to lend us one of their helicopters, so we can discuss a few things with you.


    "Benedict volunteered to take us here. Also, he said that he wanted to talk to you about the bet you have with Renz Elrod."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "So, who wants to go first?"


    Lawrence nced at Benedict. Feeling the eyes on him, thetter politely gestured for the Grand Marshal to speak first.


    After receiving the cue, the head of the Central Government asked Thirteen a question, which he didn''t expect.


    "Do you want to takemand of the Valkyries for the time being?" Lawrence asked. "Marion sent me a letter of resignation. I know that she''s feeling guilty and maybe depressed about the death and suffering of her subordinates, but I don''t wish for her to leave her post.


    "She''s a verypetent soldier, and I hope that she''ll be able to ovee the shadow of the tragedy that befell upon her division.


    "But I can''t possibly force her. So, for the time being, I thought that the Valkyries should have a substitute leader. I want you to help them regain their confidence and their willpower to fight against our enemies. Would you like to lead them for a period of time?"


    "I don''t mind, Sir," Thirteen replied. "But if I''m going to do this, I would like Commander Marion to be my assistant."


    "Understood." The Grand Marshal nodded. "I will convince her."


    Thirteen then shifted his attention to Benedict, who was listening quietly from the side.


    "Uncle, what do you want from me?" Thirteen asked.


    The corner of Arthur''s lips twitched after hearing his no-good grandson call his past love rival Uncle.

 Chapter 368 Start Of A Night Raid

    <h4>Chapter 368 Start Of A Night Raid </h4>


    Benedict, who didn''t miss Arthur''s moment of irritation, smirked before telling his reason foring to see the teenage boy.


    "I came here to tell you that the Riggs Family is willing to extend our help in your attempt to subjugate one of the Kings of the North," Benedict stated. "I know how Renz operates. I''m sure that he will just wait for the one-month deadline of yourpetition and y it safe.


    "Frankly, I don''t me him for doing so. After all, we just lost many elite soldiers. The loss was not only from the incident that happened a few days ago but also from the previous battles that we waged many years ago.


    "The help that the Riggs Family can give you might be limited, but as long as we are able to do it, we will offer our assistance.


    "Will this not cause a rift between the Riggs Family and the rest of the Dvalinn Federation?" Thirteen asked.


    "It won''t," Benedict replied with confidence. "All of us vowed to reim thends that were taken from us by the Jinns.


    "Renz is not a petty person. I''m sure he will genuinely support you if you can really defeat another King. After all, we would have another serious threat to deal with once we decide to take control of the Northern Regions."


    Thirteen nodded as he motioned for everyone to follow him to the table inside his room.


    The young man then took off hismunicator from his wrist and ced it at the center of the table, after which he clicked a button


    A projection of Rigel Continent''s map was put into disy.


    "The territory of the Bird Man, which we will call Zed for the time being, is here," Thirteen pointed at an area in the north. He dragged his finger over it, giving it a green shade. "These are the territories he used to rule, and this will be the range of our expansion."


    Thirteen then lightly tapped the Northeast and Northwest Regions, which bordered the Bird Man''s territories.


    "Currently, there are two major threats that we need to deal with to gain a firm stronghold in the North," Thirteen exined. "In the Northeast, there is a Majin Manticore, while in the Northwest, there is a Jinn Centipede. They are the Kings governing these two areas.


    "If we want to make this operation sessful, we need to take one or two of them out of the picture."


    Thirteen then pointed at the Southeast corner of the map, which made Benedict frown.


    "The King governing this area doesn''t have any offensive abilities and can be easily killed by a Master or Grandmaster, but it''s a very dangerous creature," Thirteen stated before giving Benedict, whose face had be pale, a side-long nce.


    The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal wore solemn expressions as the image of the creature who had foiled their previous expedition to regain the Rigel Continent appeared before them.


    "The Brain Beetle," Thirteen stated. "This guy is more dangerous than the Rank 9 Sovereigns when ites to warfare. Although those Rank 9 Earth Dragons are truly powerful, the Brain Beetle has a more horrific ability¡ªit could control monsters and humans.


    "I don''t need to exin the specifics, but unless we take this guy out, we won''t be able to seed even if we take out the Centipede and the Manticore."


    Everyone inside the room nodded. They wholeheartedly agreed with the teenage boy''s deration.


    "I will find a way to deal with the Brain Beetle, but for now, I need to prioritize winning my bet with Renz Elrod," Thirteen said. "Only by doing so will I gain the full cooperation of the Dvalinn Federation and the Central Government."


    "So, which King will you be targeting first?" Lawrence, who was impressed by the young man''s exnation, asked.


    "The Manticore," Thirteen replied.


    "When will you deal with it?" Benedict inquired. "Do you need our help?"


    "No." Thirteen shook his head. "The Leventis Family will deal with him alone."


    "Can we not help you?" Lawrence crossed his arms over his chest. "I don''t think that the Dvalinn Federation will mind if I lend my assistance in this matter."


    Rianna and Shana''s father, Tristan, nodded in agreement with his grandfather.


    "I know that we dered that the Central Government will help you if you win the bet," Tristan stated. "But, we won''t be helping you as members of the Central Government. Our identity will be mere two individuals who wish to give humanity a chance."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before nodding his head. "Okay, the two of you cane."


    "Then I will also go." Benedict volunteered.


    The young man shook his head. "No."


    "I don''t want to make the Dvalinn Federation think that I only won the bet because I managed to get a lot of help," Thirteen stated. "I''ll only ept the Grand Marshal''s and Field Marshal''s assistance."


    Benedict sighed in his heart and reluctantly nodded in understanding.


    "Very well. But when will you start your operation against the Manticore?" Benedict asked.


    "In a week," Thirteen replied. "The rest of the Naval Army of the Leventis Family will be arriving at that time. I n to use our family''s entire might to crush that Rank 8 Manticore."


    Afterying out his ns, Benedict finally bade goodbye and left to return to the Dvalinn Federation.


    Lawrence and Tristan were about to do the same, but Thirteen stopped them from leaving.


    "What is it, Zion?" Lawrence asked. "Do you still have something to tell us?"


    "Yes." Thirteen smiled. "Please prepare yourselves. In an hour, we will be infiltrating Manticore''s Lair."


    The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal looked at him in surprise.


    "Didn''t you say that you will only start the operation after the Naval Forces of the Leventis Family arrive?" Tristan asked.


    "I lied." Thirteen then pointed at Arthur, and Hans, who hadn''t said anything during the discussion. "The five of us is enough to deal with the Manticore."


    "You''re not taking me with you?" Michael asked as he fixed the sses on his face.


    "No, Uncle," Thirteen answered. "I need you to stay in the Aircraft Carrier. Your role is to make sure that the Dvalinn Federation doesn''t notice anything amiss, and make them believe that we''re doing anything but conducting a Night Raid in Rigel Continent."


    Thirteen didn''t need to wait for a week to deal with the Manticore because. What he needed was an Elite Group of people, who would be able toe and go as they pleased.


    A teamposed of a Monarch, two Thrones, a Champion, and a Legendary Rookie was more than enough to deal with the Manticore.


    After telling them about the n in his mind, the group sneaked out of the Aircraft Carrier during the night.


    They soon reached the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent, from where they''d head toward the Majin Manticore, whom Thirteen believed to be the ideal opponent for their current lineup.


    "Sir, before we start this operation, I would like to share a secret with the two of you." Thirteen looked at the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal of the Central Government who told him that he didn''t need to address them as his superiors.


    However, Thirteen still decided to show the two of them the proper respect that they deserved and let them know a few of his secrets.


    Once his connection with the two Top Dogs of the Central Government became firm and unshakeable, he would be able to do many things with their assistance.


    "Feel free to tell us anything," Lawrence stated. "My granddaughter, Rianna, never stopped praising you after she returned from Solterra six years ago. I swear that even if you just sneeze, she would think that you did it on purpose because she believed that you always have a reason for whatever you do."


    Thirteen chuckled awkwardly. It seemed that Rianna was overpraising and overestimating him too much.


    However, since this wasn''t the time and ce to talk about such things, he decided to just get straight to the point.


    "I have a few helpers with me, which the Lace Demon helped me smuggle into Pangea," Thirteen exined, making Lawrence and Tristan instantly be serious.


    "I''m going to call for him, so make sure to not attack him. He will y an important role in our operation," Thirteen said.


    The two military men nodded their heads in understanding.


    After confirming that his friend was going to be safe, Thirteen raised his hand and pointed at the ground beside him.


    "Come out, Rocky," Thirteen ordered.


    A momentter, the Magma Bal-Boa, who had been waiting for them deep underground, emerged to the surface.


    "I see. So this is where your confidence ising from," Lawrence smiled. "Is this the same monster who found the Empyrium and Padium Mine?"


    Thirteen nodded. He wanted to raise Rocky''s importance to Lawrence and Tristan so that they would ensure Rocky''s safety.


    A monster who could find precious ores, and metals underground was an important military asset. In the two men''s point of view, that trait alone made the Magma Bal-Boa a treasure that must be protected.


    Thirteen didn''t mention that Rocky had just turned into a Rank 7 Sovereign a few days ago after absorbing the Cores of the Roc, as well as the other Flying Monsters that the Valkyries and the 69th Battalion had fought.


    "This monster is a Magma Bal-Boa, and his name is Rocky," Thirteen replied. "It''s a living creature, not an Avatar, so don''t mistake it for one.


    "There are still a few things that I need to say, but let''s talk about it inside Rocky. This ce is not safe, and there might be people overhearing our conversation. Rocky, I am going in."


    Rocky nodded and opened its mouth wide, allowing Thirteen to walk inside its gaping mouth.


    "Come in," Thirteen said. "Don''t worry, and just follow me."


    Arthur and Hans, who were already aware of Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, followed Zion without a word.


    Lawrence and Tristan nced at each other before following suit.


    As soon as they entered the Magma Bal-Boa''s mouth, Rocky immediately dug to the ground, disappearing from sight.


    It headed toward the Northeast direction, where the Majin Manticore was currently resting inside itsir.


    ***


    E/N: I can''t count how much "point of view" sneaks I''ve done for this novel.


    ***


    A/N: I wish that all of you enjoyed the chapters for today. Also, I want to make an announcement. After careful consideration, I decided to release one chapter until the end of this month to fully recover.


    I wish I could write more, I really do. But I feel like pushing myself too hard will just make my condition worsen.


    Starting next month, we will return to having two chapter updates. Thanks everyone for your kind understanding.


    I''ll see you all in the next chapters!

 Chapter 369 Those Who Live To Slaughter [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 369 Those Who Live To ughter [Part 1]</h4>


    After entering the Magma Bal-Boa''s body, Lawrence and Tristan couldn''t help but be surprised. They didn''t think that they would find themselves in a miniature world.


    Inside that world, there were five monsters who were currently sleeping.


    A ze Skunk, a Nightmare ckhound, an Adamantine Tiger Beetle, and two Ogre Juggernauts.


    The two Ogres were Rank 5 Sovereigns, while the remaining three monsters were all Rank 6 Sovereigns.


    "So, these are the monsters that the Lace Demon smuggled from Solterra?" Lawrence asked.


    Thirteen nodded as he pointed at his friends one by one. "This is Giga, cky, Hercules, O1, and O2. They are my Guardians who ensure that I won''t be kicking the bucket anytime soon."


    Tristan couldn''t help but shake his head helplessly now that he had seen the teenage boy''s hidden forces.


    "These five monsters, excluding the Magma Bal-Boa, are enough to keep you safe here in the Rigel Continent as long as you won''t fight against Rank 8 and Rank 9 Monsters," Tristanmented. "Now I understand why you''re not so worried about bringing your Battalion into this monster-infestednd. You have the ability to protect them if the worst-case scenario happens."


    "That''s right." Thirteen nodded.


    He didn''t even bother to deny the Field Marshal''s words because lying wouldn''t help build trust between them.


    "My daughter, Rianna, is right about you." Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. "You don''t do anything without a reason. It seems that I will have to re-evaluate you again."


    "Sir, your daughter overestimates me," Thirteen smiled faintly. "It will be best if you don''t think I''m capable of defeating Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns because frankly, I can''t do that. At least, not now."


    "Not now?" Lawrence arched an eyebrow. "Does that mean that in the future, you will be able to defeat them?"


    Thirteen nodded. "If I''m given time to grow, then yes."


    "Is that also the reason why you''ve joined the Central Government?" Lawrence inquired. "So you will have time to grow."


    Thirteen nodded for the second time, which made the two highest-ranking officers of the Central Government chuckle.


    "Your grandson is good at using people to his advantage," Lawrence said to Arthur, who had his arms crossed over his chest.


    "You''re not wrong," Arthur replied. "I can''t count the number of times I wished to smack his head out of anger. If not for the fact that I''m worried that he will lose his intelligence if I do that, I wouldn''t be holding back."


    Tristan smirked after hearing Arthur subtly tell them about Zion''s importance to their family.


    "I know that it might look bad on the surface, but I wish that the Central Government and the Leventis Family could form stronger ties after this expedition," Thirteen stated. "Right now, we need the help of dependable people whom we can trust to not strike us from the back when we least expect it the most."


    Lawrence, who had experienced the first Genocide-Level Battle in Pangea and lived to see how it ended, fully understood what the boy was implying.


    Because of this, he nced at Arthur and gave thetter a brief nod.


    "After this, let''s talk about how to strengthen the cooperation between our two factions," Lawrence said.


    "Very well," Arthur replied. "Just make sure that this no-good grandson of mine will be able to live for a few more years under your wing. He''s a troublemaker, so make sure to nt somepetent people to watch over him."


    Tristan chuckled because he was also thinking along these lines.


    After some of Zion''s hidden trump cards were revealed, his strategic value within the Central Government drastically increased.


    Little did they know that Thirteen had more, which he didn''t n on sharing at this moment in time.


    "Now that is settled, let''s talk about the battle against the Manticore King," Thirteen said. "Gramps, you will be fighting him alone. Make sure not to die. That''s it."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    The four adults didn''t know what to say, having expected that they would be having a detailed strategy meeting on how to deal with the Manticore King and his subordinates.


    However, Zion only told them that Arthur would fight against it alone, and said nothing else.


    "That''s it?" Arthur asked as if confirming that he didn''t hear his grandson''s wording wrongly.


    "That''s it," Thirteen replied. "ording to the data I gathered, the Manticore is a Majin who believes in the concept of Strength Supremacy. If you challenge it in a one-on-one duel, it would ept your challenge and order his subordinates to not interfere with your duel.


    "All you need is to beat the crap out of it, then we escape with its body in tow. Easy, right?"


    Arthur pondered for a bit before nodding. "Sounds like a n."


    The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal wanted to say more, but seeing that Thirteen seemed confident in this strategy, they decided to just watch from the sides.


    Hans, who had seen for himself the things that Thirteen could do, chose to remain silent.


    His duty was to ensure that the boy would remain safe during this Night Raid, and he would do everything in his power to keep him safe from harm.


    Suddenly, Rocky sent a mental message to his Master, telling him that they were near their destination.


    Thirteen then informed everyone to prepare because they would be ejected from Rocky''s body at any given moment.


    A few minutester, Rocky once again made his report to his Master, who immediately told everyone to brace themselves.


    "We''re here. Prepare for battle," Thirteen ordered.


    As soon as he said those words, he and the rest of the Wanderers found themselves being sucked upward, toward the sky of the miniature world.


    A momentter, they found themselves in what seemed to be a wide open space surrounded by cliffs, preventing anyone from leaving the ce.


    "I didn''t expect that I would be receiving uninvited guests tonight."


    A voice filled with amusement reached their ears, forcing the Wanderers to look to their right side.


    There, standing on a hill-sized boulder, stood the five-meter-


    tall Manticore King, who was staring at them with a devilish grin stered on its monstrous face.


    "Amos, we havee to challenge you to a one-on-one duel," tall Manticore King, who was staring at them with a devilish grin stered on its monstrous face.


    Thirteen dered as he pointed at the Manticore, who was gauging the strength of the people who suddenly appeared in his domain.


    "Oh? You know my name? This is quite surprising," Amosmented before raising his wed paw to point at Lawrence, who it deemed as the strongest human in the group. "Is he the one who will fight me?"


    "No," Arthur took a step forward and gazed at the Majin Manticore fearlessly. "The one who will fight you is me."


    "Hmm?" Amos nced at the Old Man and narrowed his eyes.


    A few secondster, itughed and spread its wings wide.


    "You smell of blood and the battlefield," Amos smirked. "Very well. You are a worthy opponent."


    Suddenly, countless monsters appeared above the cliffs, overlooking the battleground that looked like a nature-formed coliseum.


    The Monsters all roared in unison as if wishing to join their king in battle.


    However, Amos roared back at them, silencing them all.


    "Don''t interfere," Amos ordered. "This is a duel. Anyone who interrupts my battle will die."


    The Jinns and Majins who served Amos, quieted down. However, half a minuteter, all of them once again roared.


    This time, they were cheering for their King, who was about to fight a battle to the death with the foolish humans, who had arrived to be its prey.


    Thirteen nced at Arthur before making a gesture for Hans, Lawrence, and Tristan to follow him.


    He led them to the side of the clearing, where they would observe the battle from afar.


    When Amos deemed that no one was going to interrupt its battle, it roared before jumping off its stone tform.


    "I am Amos the ughterer," Amos dered. "And you are?"


    "Arthur Leventis," Arthur replied as he summoned his greatsword, shield, and the armor that his grandson had handed to him before they went on this expedition. "And today, I will take over your title as ughterer."


    Amosughed out loud after hearing his opponent''s deration.


    It had been a long time since it had fought to its heart''s content, so it was quite excited to find someone who was looking at it with the same battle-hungry eyes that it possessed.


    "Arthur Leventis, make sure that you don''t die right away," Amos dered. "Entertain me for as long as you can."


    "I didn''te here to chat," Arthur stated. "So shut up and fight."


    Amos grinned before it pped its wings to propel itself forward.


    Arthur didn''t hesitate to also charge forward to meet his opponent halfway.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family had always fought at the front of the battlefield, and never shied away from a head-on confrontation.


    After realizing that the Manticore was someone like him, his eagerness to exchange blows with his opponent only fueled the determination in his gaze.


    The sound of two metallic weapons shing reverberated in the surroundings, marking the start of one of the greatest battles that Arthur would''ve had fought in his lifetime.

 Chapter 370 Those Who Live To Slaughter [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 370 Those Who Live To ughter [Part 2] </h4>


    "A-Are those Mythical Armaments?!" Tristan''s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the Greatsword, Shield, and Armor that Arthur equipped.


    Lawrence, who owned one of the supposed only six Mythical Armaments in the world, was just as shocked as his son. He had thought of countless possibilities, but this was something that he didn''t think he''d see when he decided to apany Zion in his Night Raid.


    The Six Monarchs were not only powerful because of their Ranks. It was also because they possessed Mythical-Ranked Gears, which greatly boosted their fighting prowess.


    And now, Arthur Leventis was holding not just one, not just two, but three of them, which would make the Five Monarch ns mad with greed.


    "They are," Thirteen replied, which made Tristan''s body stiffen.


    Of course, he didn''t bother correcting them. There was no point telling them that the armor wasn''t a Mythical Ranked Equipment but a Pseudo-Divine Armor, which was two levels higher than the gears owned by the Monarchs.


    "How?" Lawrence, who finally regained hisposure, asked.


    "It was during the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo," Thirteen stated. "The leaders of the Artemians were carrying those items, so my Grandpa just picked them up after they dropped them."


    "You make it sound like your Grandfather just casually picked them up from the ground," Tristan said in disbelief.


    Thirteen smiled faintly because his excuse was fail-proof. There was no way that he would tell his two superiors that the Greatsword and Shield in Arthur''s possession were crafted by his father, Gerald, and further enhanced with his Rune Magic.


    The Artemians were the perfect scapegoat for his exnation. After all, no one could prove otherwise that he wasn''t telling the truth.


    "I''d appreciate it if the Grand Marshal and Field Marshal can keep this as a secret," Thirteenmented. "Right now, the status quo must be maintained. Humanity must unite as one, so we can''t have conflicts at this point in time because of greed."


    Lawrence and Tristan both nodded in understanding and shifted their focus back to the battle that was happening in front of them.


    Every time Arthur and the Manticore King shed, a powerful shockwave would be generated, sending gusts of wind flying in every direction.


    Because of the battle''s high intensity, Thirteen was forced to move behind Lawrence, using the Monarch as a shield to prevent himself from getting blown away by the aftermath of the battle between the two powerhouses.


    Judging by the exchange between the two, Lawrence and Tristan could tell that Arthur and the Manticore King were almost evenly matched.


    Almost was the most urate term, given that Arthur had a small advantage over his opponent. He was even able to push the Majin back a few times during their shes.


    Two minutester, Arthur and the Manticore King distanced themselves from each other.


    "That armor of yours is interesting," Amos said. "I managed to hit you five times, and during those times, I felt that my attack had beenpletely nullified. It seems that you came prepared to fight me."


    The Manticore sneered. It already deemed that as long as Arthur was wearing the silver armor, its attacks would not deal any damage to its opponent.


    "You''re right," Arthur replied calmly.


    But to Thirteen''s and the Manticore King''s surprise, Arthur unequipped the silver armor from his body and reced it with a red one.


    "I don''t need it to defeat you," Arthur dered before charging at the Manticore King with his sword and shield glowing in a golden light.


    Amos snorted and sprinted toward the Old Man, facing him head-on.


    This time, the oue of the sh was quite different from the first.


    Arthur was now the one who was being pushed back, which made Lawrence and Tristan frown.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, remained calm as he observed the battle from behind the Monarch.


    ''I knew that this would happen,'' Thirteen sighed in his heart. ''Gramps can be too stubborn at times.''


    There was no mistake that if Arthur fought normally wearing the Artemian Armor, the Manticore King wouldn''t be able to deal damage to him as long as he supplied it with a bit of his life force.


    The main reason why he chose to challenge the Manticore King was due to the fact that the conditions to emerge victorious were already set in stone.


    Now that Arthur had chosen to stop using the silver armor, his chances of winning had decreased drastically, making it a fifty-fifty between him and the Manticore King.


    A loud explosion spread in the surroundings as Arthur mmed at the wall that prevented anyone from escaping the battleground, where the Manticore King rested.


    "You know now, don''t you?" Amos asked in a teasing tone. "If you don''t use that armor, your chance of defeating me is very small."


    Arthur propped himself up from the ground before spitting a mouthful of blood to his right side.


    "Using that armor will not make me strong," Arthur replied. "It will only make me weak because I will subconsciously rely on it. Also, let me correct that misunderstanding of yours. My chance of defeating you is not small."


    The Manticore Kingughed because he liked Arthur''s answer.


    "Good," Amos said. "Only weaklings need to rely on cheap tricks to win. The only thing we can believe in is our own power!"


    The Manticore then brandished its scorpion-like tail, sending sharp projectiles in Arthur''s direction.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family blocked and deflected these sharp spikes then took a step forward, charging with his shield raised in front of him.


    Amos opened its mouth and unleashed a breath attack, simr to a Dragon''s breath.


    Arthur didn''t bat an eye and charged at the Manticore King''s attack.


    When the shield and the breath attack collided, Arthurs'' charge stoppedpletely in his tracks.


    The ground under his feet shattered as he did his best to tank the attack that was making his feet skid slowly on the ground.


    A momentter, Arthur roared as he forced himself to take a step forward, fighting against the momentum of the Manticore King''s breath attack.


    Amos, who also understood what Arthur was trying to do, increased the output of his attack, resulting in an explosion.


    A mushroom-shaped dust cloud rose up from the point of impact, making Lawrence''s, and Tristan''s expressions turn grim.


    Suddenly, the two heard a crisp, crackling sound behind them, which made them look at the teenage boy, who was casually eating some potato chips as if he was just watching a TV Show.


    But just as Tristan was about to ask the boy what he was doing, he sensed a movement from the center of the dust cloud.


    From within that ce, two glowing objects could be seen, making the Manticore King narrow its eyes.


    Wanting to take a better look, Amos pped its wings to blow the dust clouds away, allowing him to see the aftermath of his attack.


    At the center of a crater, a bloodied Arthur Leventis knelt while panting for breath.


    His red armor had been reduced to almost nothing, revealing his toned body, which would make any bodybuilder look at him in envy.


    He was bleeding all over and was using his sword and shield to keep his body from copsingpletely.


    Although he looked injured and battered, a fearless smile could be seen on his face as he forced himself to stand.


    "It''s hard to fight when I''m giving a strong opponent a handicap," Arthur said after he regained his breath. "Zion, I think it''s fine if I unseal it, right?"


    "No," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "But, if you want to be second-rate for the rest of your life, Gramps, go ahead and do it."


    Arthur clicked his tongue before wiping the blood that was seeping at the corner of his lips.


    "Fine," Arthurmented as he raised his sword and pointed it at the Manticore King, who was looking at him with a solemn gaze. "I''ll end this fight with my next attack. So, if you have any trump cards, make sure to use them now."


    Amos smirked. "Very well. Let''s end this battle with a bang."


    Arthur grinned as he took a fighting stance.


    Suddenly, the crater where he stood expanded as the ground around him shattered.


    Thirteen had given him the Divine Martial Technique, Heaven''s de, and it had two special moves.


    The first one was Overdrive.


    This was the Heaven''s de berserk ability that raised its user''s strength and speed multiple times for a short period of time.


    It was a move that should be used as ast resort because once it was used, there was no turning back.


    Arthur would have to defeat his opponent or die trying because the moment the effect of Overdrive disappears, he would no longer have the strength to lift even a finger on his body.


    The Manticore King soon realized that Arthur wasn''t just all talk, so it decided to also unleash its Berserk Ability, Berserker Rage, shattering the ground under its feet as well.


    "Um, I think we should get out of here," Thirteen proposed.


    Lawrence didn''t hesitate to grab the boy and jump toward one of the cliffs, where a few monsters were cheering on their leader.


    Tristan followed behind his father, ready to attack the monsters if they made any move against them.


    Fortunately, none of the monsters attacked them.


    They even moved back a bit to create a space where Lawrence and Tristan couldnd.


    After sensing that the monsters weren''t hostile to them, the three shifted their attention back to the battlefield and waited for the final sh between Arthur and the Manticore King.

 Chapter 371 You Can Stop Acting Tough

    <h4>Chapter 371 You Can Stop Acting Tough</h4>


    The Manticore King''s entire body was covered in zing red mes, while Arthur''s body glowed in a golden light.


    The twobatants stared at each other for nearly half a minute before both of them simultaneously disappeared from where they stood.


    Suddenly, an earthshaking explosion erupted from the battlefield, sending mes expanding outward.


    Lawrence and Tristan both used their defensive abilities and protected the teenage boy behind them from the zing inferno that reached their location.


    The Jinns and Majins fled as the infernal mes rose up to engulf them whole.


    The weaker ones were instantly incinerated by the mes, leaving only the echoes of their dying screeches and screams behind.


    On the other hand, the stronger monsters were able to prevent themselves from suffering serious injuries and endured the mes that had spread like wildfire.


    A few minutester, when the hellish ze finally subsided, everyone looked at the center of the battlefield.


    Arthur was once again kneeling on the ground, relying on his greatsword to support his body.


    A few meters beside him was the Manticore King, who was lying on the ground, its body still covered in mes.


    "Not bad¡­" the Manticore King said. "Not bad at all."


    Its voice sounded tired, but at the same time, it also sounded happy.


    Arthur groaned as he tried to stand up, but his body couldn''t support him anymore.


    The only thing he could do right now was remain in his current position.


    "Thatst move was wonderful," the Manticore King stated. "But, it will not be enough to defeat the Earth Dragons. You still need to get stronger if you want to beat them."


    Arthur didn''t reply and simply focused on staying conscious. The side effect of using Overdrive had already kicked in, and he felt that if he closed his eyes now, he would not be able to open them again.


    "Arthur Leventis¡­ let''s fight again¡­ next time," Amos said softly. "It was fun¡­ fighting you."


    Half a minuteter, a sigh escaped the Manticore King''s lips, and he no longer said anything.


    His proud eyes that only lusted for battle remained open, and yet, the light in them had disappearedpletely.


    The Monsters, who understood that their leader had died, all roared one by one.


    Lawrence and Tristan thought that the monsters were going to attack them, but none of Amos'' subordinates made any move to harm them.


    "Go," a Tiger-like monster covered in Red Scales growled at the three humans, who were standing on top of the cliff. "We will honor our King''s order this once. But, the next time we see each other, we will go for the kill."


    The Tiger was a Rank 7 Sovereign and acted as Amos'' second-inmand.


    But before Lawrence could grab Zion and take him to where his Grandfather was, the boy asked a question that made the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal almost want to leave him behind with the monsters.


    "Can we take Amos'' body with us?" Thirteen asked.


    The Tiger narrowed its eyes as he stared down at the human boy, who was talking to him as if they were equals.


    "What are you going to do with his body?" The Tiger asked.


    "What else?" Thirteen replied. "Eat him, of course. That''s the least we can do for him."


    All the monsters in their surroundings quieted down after hearing the boy''s words.


    Lawrence and Tristan, on the other hand, were getting ready to escape if things went south. However, the Tiger''s and the monsters'' reactions surprised them.


    "Good." The Tiger nodded. "That is indeed a way of showing your respect to him. The strong will eat the weak. That is thew of the world. You have earned the right to eat him. Now go before we change our mind."


    The Tiger growled, prompting the other monsters to also growl at the humans who had trespassed in their domain.


    Lawrence and Tristan no longer wasted any time and jumped toward the still-smoking battlefield.


    "Gramps, are you still alive?" Thirteen asked as soon as they arrived near Arthur, making thetter have the strong urge to spank his no-good grandson.


    "Let''s go," Arthur said through gritted teeth.


    "Good work, Gramps." Thirteen patted the old man''s shoulder. "I know that you''re on yourst legs, so you can stop acting tough."


    Lawrence and Tristan pitied Arthur. If they were in his shoes, they would definitely give Zion a good spanking.


    But, as if knowing that enough was enough, Thirteen smiled faintly before whistling.


    Rocky rose up from the ground and swallowed Amos'' body whole.


    The Magma Bal-Boa then swallowed the humans before burrowing deep underground to escape the domain of the Manticore King.


    ***


    Inside Rocky''s body¡­


    "Should we go to the Dvalinn Federation and tell them that you won the bet?" Lawrence asked with a smile on his face.


    He didn''t expect that their mission would end so smoothly.


    Of course, he knew that there were several factors involved that allowed them to win, like the Mythical Weapons in Arthur''s possession.


    He and his son, Tristan, were both thinking that it would be in their best interest if they formed a good partnership with the Leventis Family.


    Even though Arthur wasn''t a Monarch yet, his duel against the Rank 8 Sovereign, whom even a Monarch would have a hard time fighting against, confirmed that he was a very strong and capable individual.


    They also felt confident that with Thirteen as the Supreme Commander of the allied army, their chances of liberating the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent would have a higher chance of sess.


    But Zion''s answer to his question made him frown.


    "Not yet," Thirteen replied. "I will wait until the appointed time before I show them Amos'' body."


    "Why wait?" Tristan asked. "If you show it right now, everyone will recognize you as the Supreme Commander for the counterattack of the Dvalinn Federation."


    Thirteen shook his head firmly. "I need time. Informing the Dvalinn Federation about this matter will only be counterproductive at this point in time."


    "What do you need time for?" Tristan asked.


    "The Brain Beetle," Thirteen answered. "We need to deal with the Brain Beetle first. If not, it''s impossible for us to create a foothold in the Rigel Continent. Any attempt to do so will just result in a bad ending."


    Lawrence nodded, agreeing with the point Zion had raised.


    "But let''s create a record first," Tristan proposed. "That way, even if the Dvalinn Federation were to suddenly defeat another King, we would have proof that you won thepetition first."


    Thirteen nodded. "Okay. Let''s do that."


    The Grand Marshal then activated his recording artifact and shot a video of the Manticore King''s lifeless body.


    After making sure that he had gathered enough evidence, he stored it properly to serve as evidence in the future.


    When they arrived at the Aircraft Carrier, Michael immediately informed them that the Dvalinn Federation had detected a battle in the Northern Regions.


    Fortunately, when their military drones went to investigate, Thirteen and his team were already miles away from the site, leaving no traces behind.


    Since Arthur was in a weakened state, Michael stayed with him for the entire night.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, returned to his room.


    But, he didn''t go there to sleep.


    He went there to connect with Athena, which was currently hovering above the Rigel Continent at this point in time.


    Using the imagery from space, Thirteen confirmed the location of one of the Cursed Artifacts that his Host had hidden behind.


    Its location was dangerously close to the Brain Beetle, which led him to believe that it might''ve already been discovered by the Brain Beetle or by its subordinates.


    ''Why are things never easy?'' Thirteen sighed in his heart as he looked at the red glowing dot in the projection in front of him.


    A few minutester, he closed the projection and finally went to bed.


    Although he didn''t look like it, he was also quite exhausted from the expedition that they had just finished.


    "Good night, Tiona," Thirteen said as he lightly patted the ck snake''s head.


    Tiona nodded and coiled herself up on Thirteen''s chest so that she could rest alongside him.


    He wasn''t aware that while he, Arthur, and the rest of the Leventis Fleet were resting, the Dvalinn Federation went on high alert.


    They noticed that the monsters belonging to the King Manticore''s faction were gathering and that there were signs of battle in their territory.


    Renz, who was the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation immediately tookmand, and ordered the Elite Members of their organization to remain on standby.


    Although he didn''t see the Manticore King through the lens of their man-made drones, he thought that it was just rallying the rest of its subordinates tounch an attack in their direction.


    Because of this, the Dvalinn Federation had a sleepless night, contrary to Thirteen who was sleeping soundly while chatting with a beautiful snakedy in his dreams.


    ***


    A/N: The week-long break I had from writing has helped me a lot to recover.


    And, yes, I am feeling a lot better today.


    With that, I will return to posting two chapters starting tomorrow.


    However, if something simr happens in the future, I will be kind to myself because I know that you guys always have my back.


    I''ll see you all in the next chapters!

 Chapter 372 You Still Have The Nerve To Ask Why?

    372 You Still Have The Nerve To Ask Why?


    When Thirteen woke up the next day, he went to the training grounds of his Battalion to check how they were faring.


    The moment they saw him, all of them lined up and gave him a salute.


    "At ease," Thirteen replied after returning the salute of his subordinates. "I came here to brief you on this month''s itinerary. But before that, I''ve got an important announcement to make."


    Thirteen paused to ensure that all his subordinates were paying close attention before he spoke.


    "I made a bet with Renz Elrod, and the winner will assume the role of Supreme Commander in a special operation that would allow the Dvalinn Federation to reim the Northern Lands of the Rigel Continent."


    The soldiers, including the spies whom the other Families had nted in the 69th Battalion, were surprised by theirmander''s announcement.


    The spies were also raring to report this information back to their employers, knowing that this news would fetch them a big reward.


    "Renz Elrod and I agreed to have apetition," Thirteen continued his exnation. "The first of us to defeat one of the Kings of the Rigel Continent will be the winner of the bet. If I win, I will be the Supreme Commander and call the shots. If I lose, I will be Renz Elrod''s subordinate."


    Looks of disbelief appeared on the soldier''s faces when they heard Thirteen''s words.


    All of them had witnessed the battle between the Monarch, the Thrones, and the Bird Man who ruled the Northern Regions, where the Dvalinn Federation had built their outpost.


    They had personally seen how desperately Wendell Elrod fought against the Bird Man, but was unable tond a decisive blow to its body.


    However, their Battalion Commander had made the Bird Man disappear, allowing them to gain the upper hand in the battle.


    The spies in the 69th Battalion had already reported that news to their respective superiors within the same day and had received praise and rewards for their efforts.


    Now that they had gained intel about thepetition between Zion Leventis and Renz Elrod, they felt that there was a fifty-fifty chance that their Commander would win, especially since he had also dealt with the Bird Man a few days ago.


    "I was the one that started thispetition, so I will soon make a move. And now, I will tell you which King I wish to defeat." Thirteen stated. "It will be none other than the Brain Beetle, Evuvug.


    "The sess of reiming the Rigel Continent hinges on defeating this Monster. Until then, all our efforts will not bear any fruit. I need each and every one of you to be mentally prepared to face it. Any questions?"


    "Sir, I have a question," Alexis raised his hand. "Ask." Thirteen gave his Captain a brief nod.


    "Isn''t the Brain Beetle the monster with mind-controlling powers?" Alexis inquired. "Wouldn''t it be dangerous for us to fight it?"


    "Good question," Thirteen replied. "The answer to that question is yes. Evuvug is a Rank 8 Sovereign that can mind control others. It has terrorized the expedition force several years ago by pitting Wanderers against each other."


    "And we are going to fight that monster, Sir?"


    "Not directly. You will only be fighting its subordinates."


    Alexis breathed a sigh of relief. He had already epted that his Commander was an exceptional leader and was no longer hesitant to follow thetter''s orders, but the threat of the Brain Beetle left asting impression on him.


    His parents had been part of the expedition to reim the Rigel Continent several years ago, and they had seen how horrifying this monster was.


    "You don''t have to worry about the Brain Beetle. My Grandfather will be the one dealing with it," Thirteen exined. "All I need you to do is massacre the Brain Beetle''s subordinates, grab their Cores, and get the hell out of its nest. Simple, right?"


    The corner of Alcapone''s lips twitched. None of what their Commander had said was simple at all.


    But he was confident that Zion Leventis would never order them to their deaths. Still, he clenched his fists and thought about taking a sick leave on that day! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Fight against a Rank 8 Sovereign that specialized in Mind Control?


    No, thank you!


    He hadn''t lived enough and hadn''t pped enough cheeks to participate in such a daring mission.


    Alcapone was a man who understood his limits. Even if he had to fake being terribly sick on that day, he would do it without hesitation!


    "Ah, before I forget, those who wouldn''t join this expedition for whatever reasons will be expelled from the 69th Battalion," Thirteen dered. "It doesn''t matter if you are sick or injured. When I ask you to mobilize, you will mobilize. Period."


    The leader of the 69th Battalion''s Mafia almost coughed out blood then and there after hearing his Commander''s deration.


    He almost asked Zion if he could read minds because that was what he was thinking of doing!


    "Currently, the Leventis Family fleet will head to the Southeastern borders of the Rigel Continent," Thirteen said. "It will take us three to four days to reach our destination. Until then, I want all of you to physically and mentally prepare yourselves.


    "The Valkyries will also be apanying us in this mission, so keep that in mind as well. Any more questions?"


    This time, it was Cristopher who raised his hand.


    "Sir, since the Valkyries will being with us, will they take orders from you as well?" Cristopher asked.


    "They will be taking orders from me," Thirteen answered. "If they don''t want to, then they will not be allowed to participate in this operation. This is a special mission, so everyone must listen to my orders without question."


    Before parting ways, the Grand Marshal told Thirteen that he would talk to Marion and tell her that she would be Thirteen''s temporary Vice-Commander.


    Lawrence didn''t want Marion to resign from her position as the Commander of the Valkyries, so he decided to give her some time off by letting Zion takemand of her forces.


    In fact, while Thirteen was talking to his subordinates, the Grand Marshal and Field Marshal were talking to Marion, informing her of their decision.


    Thirteen believed that the Valkyries would y a pivotal role against the Brain Beetle because its mind control abilities only affected a certain range.


    If they fly high enough from the ground, Evuvug''s mind control would not reach them, allowing them to deal with his subordinates better.


    In fact, Thirteen nned to make the most of the Valkyries for this mission. This way, his Battalion could fight without the risk of being put under the Brain Beetle''s mind control.


    "Sir, can we really defeat the Brain Beetle?" Pietro asked. "I know that your grandfather, Arthur Leventis, is strong. But is he immune to Mind Control?"


    "My grandfather is a henpecked husband," Thirteen replied. "As long as I make him wear earphones with my grandmother nagging at him on loop, I''m sure that even the Brain Beetle''s mind control won''t work on hi¡ªouch!"


    Thirteen wasn''t able to finish his words because his grandfather, Arthur, suddenly appeared from behind and gave his head a good smack.


    The members of the 69th Battalion did their best to hold back theirughter, knowing that if theyughed, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family might take offense and deal with them ordingly.


    "Gramps, why?" Thirteen asked as he rubbed his head.


    He didn''t notice that his grandfather had sneaked behind him because he was too focused on talking sh*t about thetter in front of his subordinates.


    "You still have the nerve to ask why?"Arthur replied in an icy tone.


    He was no doubt tempted to spank his no-good grandson in front of his subordinates and make the teenager lose face. But, he reigned in this thought. After all, he profited greatly from his battle against Amos, which the teenage boy had set up for him.


    Thirteen clicked his tongue before once again shifting his gaze to his subordinates.


    "We will end this talk now. But like I said earlier, make sure to prepare yourselves for the uing battle," Thirteen stated. "This will probably be one of your most memorable battles here in the Rigel Continent. So, remember this¡ªno matter what happens. I order all of you not to die. Did I make myself clear?"


    The members of the 69th Battalion all saluted at the same time before giving their thunderous reply.


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    Thirteen nodded before dismissing all of them to return to their tasks.


    While some members decided to clean and inspect their weaponry in preparation for the uing battle, several of Thirteen''s subordinates returned to their room to report to their employers about the news.


    They believed that this information was something that their employers would appreciate, leading to some benefits for the effort they put into their work.


    Little did they know that they were pawns in someone''s scheme.


    Of course, all of this was part of Thirteen''s n. He wanted to let the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families, as well as the other influential organizations in the world, know about hispetition with Renz Elrod.


    This way, once he won their bet, all of them would rethink his strategic value for the human race, giving him anotheryer of protection.


    Right now, they needed all the help they could get to ensure that the Cygni Continent would not suffer the same fate as the Rigel Continent.


    Thirteen wanted to capture the attention of the Monarch, Dous Griffin so that he could secure a favorable post once he and his battalion arrived in the Cygni Continent for the uing Jinn Invasion.


    He needed authority and power to move freely because two of the Cursed Artifacts his former Host had hidden were in the Cygni Continent.


    Thirteen believed that these locations had restricted entry. Only with the proper rank or position could he ess these locations and retrieve the hidden trump cards for his own benefit.

 Chapter 373 Adding Salt To the Wound [Part 1]

    373 Adding Salt To the Wound [Part 1] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Brain Beetle Evuvug?" Hugo Riggs'' eyes widened in shock after hearing Colbert''s report. "Are you sure he''s going to deal with Evuvug?"


    "Yes, Sir," Colbert replied. "He made this deration just a few minutes ago. I made sure to get in touch with you as soon as I can so that you will not hear this news from other sources."


    "Good work, Colbert." Hugo nodded. "You have served the Riggs Family well."


    Colbert smiled and looked very happy after receiving the praise of the Patriarch of the Riggs Family.


    A few minutester, he ended the call and stored themunication crystal safely inside his closet.


    He then nced at hismunicator, and whistled after seeing the money that was transferred directly to his bank ount.


    "Having a side hustle sure is nice." Colbert smirked. "The Young Master sure knows how to keep his subordinates happy."


    It was not just Colbert smiling for the same reason at this moment.


    The other spies were also being rewarded by their employers after they had passed this news to them.


    Everyone was sending their forces to the Cygni Continent, yet the events that had been making waves everywhere in Pangea were the ones in the Rigel Continent.


    In fact, Dous Griffin, the Monarch ruling the Cygni Continent was paying close attention to Zion Leventis'' movements, for the teenager''s feats were giving him hope.


    "Good job, Alexis," Dous said with a smile. "Continue to monitor Zion''s movements and inform me about everything he does, no matter how small it is. Also, make sure to follow his orders well. "The Brain Beetle is a very nasty critter. It yed an important role in our defeat several years ago. I will be sending you some artifacts that can resist mind-controlling abilities to a certain extent. However, there''s no guarantee that it can defend against the ability of the Brain Beetle.


    "Make sure to stay away from its range of mind control. I don''t want to lose an important agent like you because of an oversized bug. Prioritize your safety, and report back to me after you receive the package that I will send you."


    "Thank you, Your Excellency," Alexis bowed his head respectfully.


    Dous nodded. "It''s a well-deserved reward for your services. Expect it to arrive in a few days. If anything else happens, make sure to contact me at once."


    "Yes, Your Excellency," Alexis replied.


    A minuteter, the Monarch cut off the connection, making the crystal in front of him stop shining.


    Alexis breathed a sigh of relief before storing the crystal properly.


    Truth be told, he was really worried about being taken over by the power of the Brain Beetle.


    Fortunately, his employer was a smart, generous man and didn''t hesitate to offer his assistance to his cause.


    Alexis'' parents had told him the horrifying stories of the battlefield, and the one that they talked about the most was Evuvug, the Brain Beetle. In fact, the Brain Beetle was such a horrifying enemy that it was given a nickname, and that was, the Death Beetle.


    It had killed more Wanderers than any monsters in the Rigel Continent, especially during the early days of their invasion.


    He didn''t know what made Zion Leventis choose Evuvug as his opponent. Perhaps, it would give him the most fame. But no matter the reason, one thing was clear.


    If Zion Leventis said that he would target the Brain Beetle, he would definitely target it without fail.


    The only question was¡­ how?


    While Alexis and the rest of Thirteen''s battalion was thinking the answer to this question, the young man was heading to the Grand Marshal of the Central Government''s temporary lodging inside the Aircraft Carrier.


    When Thirteen opened the door, he saw two other people inside the room.


    The first one was none other than the Field Marshal, Tristan.


    The second one was the Commander of the Valkyries, Marion.


    "Zion Leventis, effective today, you will be the temporary Commander of the Valkyries Special Forces," Lawrence stated. "Marion will be your Vice Commander. Do you have any questions?"


    "No, Sir," Thirteen replied. Lawrence nodded. "Good. Marion, make sure to listen to Zion''s orders. I know that you and your division are suffering right now, but it is also the perfect opportunity for redemption. Do not let this opportunity go to waste. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Sir," Marion answered.


    "Make sure to work together," Tristan said. "A victory against Evuvug is a victory for the human race. Also, it will bring closure to those who had fallen victim to that insect''s sadistic orders."


    Tristan wanted nothing more than to personally crush the Brain Beetle into meat paste. But he wasn''t confident that he would be able to resist its mind control ability.


    "Zion, have you already made a n on how to kill Evuvug?" Lawrence asked out of curiosity. He was very impressed when the teenage boy defeated the Manticore King on the same night he made a bet with Renz Elrod.


    Ever since that time, the Grand Marshal had started to look at him more favorably inparison with the past.


    "Not yet," Thirteen replied. "Before we start the operation, I need to know where Evuvug is exactly. The Brain Beetle hides deep underground because it doesn''t have any strong fighting and defensive ability.


    "Even someone with the rank of Initiate or Master would be able to kill it. However, the real challenge is finding its exact location underground. Currently, I am still thinking of a way to do that. Once Ie up with a foolproof n, I might ask the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal to lend their assistance."


    "And you shall have it," Lawrence replied in a heartbeat. "Just tell me when, where, and what role I would need to y."


    "The same goes for me," Tristanmented.


    Marion, who was just listening to the side, was very surprised about this turn of events.


    The two highest ranking officers of the Central Government were actually willing to obey the order of a thirteen-year-old. For a moment, she wondered if she was mishearing things.


    However, she knew that there was nothing wrong with her ears, and the deration that Lawrence and Tristan made was true.


    This brought one question to Marion''s mind¡ªwhat did the young man do to make the two pirs of the Central Government trust him to this extent?


    Half an hourter, Thirteen and Marion left the Grand Marshal''s quarters together and met up with the Valkyries, who were all staying at their own Aircraft Carrier.

 Chapter 374 Adding Salt To the Wound [Part 2]

    374 Adding Salt To the Wound [Part 2]


    When they arrived at the Aircraft Carrier where the members of the Valkyries were staying, Marion immediately called them all to gather for an important announcement. The moment she told them about the news that they would be Thirteen''s temporary subordinates, the Valkyries looked at the teenage boy with conflicted expressions on their faces.


    They recognize Thirteen''s leadership, as well as his contribution in the battle that happened a few days ago.


    However, they still believe that their Commander, Marion, whom they had fought several campaigns with, should continue to be theirmanding officer.


    Vi, who had finally made her appearance, looked at Thirteen with a calm expression on her face.


    She was no longer as confident as she used to be. In fact, she was even relieved that someone else would have to take responsibility for giving orders to their division.


    After all, if something bad happens, the one who would be at fault wouldn''t be her anymore.


    While she was thinking along these lines, Zion''s calm yet firm voice reached her ears.


    "I know what you girls are thinking," Thirteen stated. "And frankly, I don''t really care. However, since I am now yourmanding officer, all of you will take orders from me. "I''ll only ask you to not defy my orders. Even if you do, the one who will suffer will not be me, but your sisters who might die a dog''s death, thanks to your stupidity."


    Immediately, all the girls red at the boy for mentioning their Division''s fresh wound that has yet to heal.


    Shana looked at Zion anxiously because she could tell that her sisters were now starting to hate him.


    Thirteen didn''t bat an eye after seeing their reaction. What he needed were soldiers that would listen to his orders.


    He didn''t mind adding salt to their wounds if it would remind them that insubordination would lead to the deaths of theirrades.


    "I don''t care what you think of me behind closed doors or whenever I am not around," Thirteen dered. "But if you follow me, I will give you one thing that you need the most and that is, redemption."


    Thirteen scanned the faces of the girls standing in front of him before sneering.


    "Do you know how many people died a few days ago?" Thirteen asked. "Over a thousand people died, and hundreds of your sisters were part of them. And it all happened because some of you cannot follow the simplest of orders."


    Vi lowered her head as her body shook from time to time.


    She could feel the stares that were being directed in her direction by her sisters.


    Vi bore the greatest sin of all because she was theirmanding officer.


    She didn''t n to shy away from her sin, but being called out like this made her feel like breaking down into tears.


    "Vi Anderson, raise your head," Thirteen ordered. "This is an order."


    Vi''s eyes were already moist, but she still raised her head and looked at the teenage boy with gritted teeth.


    "Do you want to atonement?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Vi replied firmly.


    "Then, I will give you a mission," Thirteen stated. "The one who would kill the Brain Beetle will be none other than you."


    Marion and the rest of the Valkyries looked at the teenage boy as if he was mad.


    However, Vi, who had been told that she would be the one to kill the Rank 8 Sovereign, only gritted her teeth before nodding her head.


    "Yes, Sir," Vi replied.


    If this was the only way to atone for her sins, then she would dly do it.


    She didn''t care if she would have to face the Brain Beetle alone.


    Vi would not hesitate toy down her life if it meant redeeming herself from the mistake¡ªone that led to the incident a few days ago, resulting in the loss of the lives of over a thousand people.


    Thirteen looked at the youngdy who was looking at him through her tears. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He had thought of ways on how to counter the Brain Beetle''s mind control abilities, and it all boiled one to one thing.


    He would need an individual or individuals who weren''t afraid of dying.


    They would be the key to defeat the Brain Beetle who specialized in manipting the emotions of others.


    However, what Evuvug didn''t know was that Thirteen was also an excellent maniptor.


    Although he didn''t have mind controlling abilities, he excelled in another field, and that was brainwashing.


    He would brainwash the team he was nning to form into solely focusing on one thing and one thing only¡ªkill the Death Beetle. With that, no matter how many times that bug attempted to take over their minds, it would be useless.


    But Thirteen would not send these individuals alone to fight the Death Beetle on their own.


    No. He was going toe with them and make sure that the only one his suicide squad would listen to would be no one else but him and him alone.


    Of course, in order to deal with the Brain Beetle, he would need the power of his 69th Battalion, the Valkyries Division, his two superiors, and the Leventis Family''s Elite Forces.


    He was sure that the Brain Beetle would be hiding behind a horde of monsters, so he needed reinforcements to thin the wall of monsters first. Only then would he tackle the most dangerous monster in the Rigel Continent head on.


    ''Bring it on, Evuvug,'' Thirteen smiled internally. ''Let''s see which is more effective. Your mind control or my brainwashing. I can''t wait to see which of us will emerge victorious at the end.''


    This wasn''t the first time that Thirteen had faced beings with mind control powers.


    Several of his hosts had fallen into the hands of such individuals and had been ordered to do things that broke their hearts.


    This time, he would use that knowledge to counter the Brain Beetle''s abilities, and make it understand that no matter how weak and fragile human minds were, they still had the potential to ovee anything as long as they put their mind to it.

 Chapter 375 It’s A Hassle, But I Can Live Without It

    375 It¡¯s A Hassle, But I Can Live Without It


    A week after the battle against the Manticore King¡­


    The 69th Battalion and the Valkyries were gearing up for another night raid as they waited for their Commander to arrive.


    Thirteen spent most of his time in one of the off-limits areas of the Aircraft Carrier, so only those with high-level clearance could meet him.


    The only ones who were allowed to disturb him were Arthur, Michael, Cristopher, and Colbert.


    It was very obvious that the teenage boy was busy with something that he didn''t want others to know. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Thirteen knew that not many could understand the reasons behind what he was doing.


    Inside his specialboratory, three nakeddiesy on the bed, with several tubes sticking to their bodies.


    One of thesedies was Vi, and the other twodies were the survivors of her squad.


    They were the trigger of why the Valkyrie Division lost over two hundred members, and were, in turn, responsible for the deaths of over a thousand more.


    Their guilt was immense, and their desire for atonement was greater. Because of this, they didn''t hesitate to agree to Thirteen''s invitation to redeem themselves by battling against the Brain Beetle.


    The teenage boy told them that they would never be the same again once they agreed to be hisb rats.


    He didn''t lie and directly told them that they would be experimental subjects, even disclosing that there was a high chance of them losing their individuality and humanity.


    Nheless, these girls didn''t bat an eye and still agreed, putting their unconditional trust in the teenage boy who promised them only one thing.


    The defeat of the Brain Beetle and a chance for humanity to regain a foothold in the Rigel Continent.


    Thirteen nced at the machines currently monitoring the changes in the bodies of the Valkyries.


    Vi was a Grandmaster, while the two otherdies were Masters.


    They were strong for their ages, early and mid-twenties.


    Especially Vi.


    Being a Grandmaster at her age, although not rare, was something that branded her as a promising Wanderer with a bright future.


    Unfortunately, that once bright future had be bleak, and she was now reduced to a guinea pig in exchange for atonement.


    Thirteen jotted down the numbers that appeared on the machines for each of thedies who were currently staring nkly at the ceiling.


    ''These are within eptable parameters,'' Thirteen muttered. ''Any more than this will be bad.''


    The teenage boy didn''t n on destroying the future of the three, so he made sure that they would not go past the point of no return.


    Although he warned them about potentially losing their individuality and humanity, he only said those to measure their determination.


    He would not really do something like that. After all, these girls were Cannon Fodders as well.


    A few minutester, Thirteen picked up a handbell and rang it a few times.


    The Valkyries, who had been nkly staring at the ceiling, suddenly stirred and regained focus in their eyes.


    Vi groaned, feeling weak all over.


    Thirteen approached her first and slowly removed the tubes that were sticking to her body one by one.


    "How are you feeling?" Thirteen asked.


    "Wasted," Vi replied. "I can''t even lift a finger."


    Thirteen smiled faintly. This was indeed the side effect of the special serum he had injected inside their bodies.


    After making sure that all the tubes had been removed, he took out a clean white nket from his storage ring and covered Vi''s body with it.


    "Rest for now," Thirteen replied as he moved to do the same to the two other girls, whose names were Sharon and Louise. The two also looked very exhausted, and very tired. Even so, their eyes were much more alive now, for they could tell that their bodies had be stronger.


    Much stronger.


    After covering their bodies with a nket and asking a few questions, Thirteen bid the three of them good night and left the room.


    After passing through several checkpoints, Thirteen saw Cristopher and Colbert, who were waiting for him.


    "Is everyone ready?" Thirteen asked as he removed hisb coat and ced it inside his storage ring. "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied. "They are only waiting for you to arrive."


    "How are the Valkyries liking their new uniform?" Thirteen inquired.


    "They hate it," Colbert replied with a smile. Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    The Valkyries were currently wearing the same light-green military gear that the 69th Battalion was wearing.


    Back then, they made fun of Thirteen''s troops because of the armor.


    Now, they were wearing the same thing, which was like a p to their face.


    Even Shana was not exempted from the rule.


    However, unlike her "sisters," she didn''t mind wearing the light-green armor because she already knew how practical it was to use against the Jinns and Majins.


    When Thirteen arrived at the hangar, everyone stood in attention and saluted him.


    The Valkyries did the same, albeit reluctantly.


    There was a saying in the military.


    We salute the Rank, not the Man.


    Thirteen didn''t mind what they thought in their hearts. They were now under hismand, and he only needed them to show him the respect that matched his current Rank.


    Marion, who was now his Vice Commander, stood in front of everyone and waited for her superior officer to brief them about their mission.


    "Exactly an hour from now, we willmence our operation," Thirteen stated. "All of you are equipped with flying Avatars, so make sure to stay in the air, and bombard your enemies from that height.


    "This operation will be training for the 69th Battalion to fight aerial battles. The Valkyries'' role would be to safeguard all of you because they have more experience in dogfights in the sky.


    "I will be riding alongside Vice Commander Marion to give orders in real-time. When I say retreat, you will retreat immediately. Of course, if you wish to die, feel free to ignore my orders."


    Thirteen scanned the determined faces of his subordinates before nodding his head.


    "The Leventis Naval Fleet will provide cover for your retreat," Thirteen said. "We will continue this training until all of you have reached an eptable proficiency level in aerial battles."


    "Remember, beetles with glowing blue patterns on their bodies have a self-destruct ability. Make sure to take them out first when you see them. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    "Good. Prepare to sorty!"


    Thirteen had purchased three hundred Gyrfalcon Avatars from the Dvalinn Federation, which almost emptied the funds he had gathered for his Battalion.


    Fortunately, his very loyal Captain, Colbert, shared half of his side hustle earnings with him. Thanks to that, he was able to retain a few million gold coins, which would be distributed to his troops as their sry.


    Of course, his Avatar Food Business had also taken off, helping him replenish his coffers.


    Right now, Thirteen knew that he needed to invest in his Battalion. After all, they would be his money-making machine in the future.


    All of their achievements would also be his achievements, and he could use the fame gained from it to sign brand deals with bigpanies who would want to use his influence to promote their products.


    Thirteen was a simple teenage boy.


    When people gave him free money, he would ept it with a smile on his face.


    The Gyrfalcons weren''t the fastest-flying Avatars. However, they were fast enough to outfly and outmaneuver the majority of the flying monsters in the Rigel Continent.


    They were also very good for long-distance and endurance flying, which was very important when it came to fighting in a monster-infested continent like the Rigel Continent.


    In order to save money, Thirteen only bought Rank 3 Gyrfalcons for his Battalion.


    However, he nned to make them evolve into Alpha Monsters so that theirbat abilities would reach the middle stages of a Rank 4 monster.


    The Pegasus of the Valkyries were Rank 4 Monsters, so they were quite powerful in their own right.


    They were ideal for flying and running on the ground, making them very versatile avatars.


    These monsters also specialized in burst speeds, allowing them to momentarily increase their pace during battle. This made it easier for them to evade, attack, and perform maneuvers that other flying monsters couldn''t imitate.


    Thirteen sat in Marion''s Pegasus, and the beautifuldy sat behind him.


    "It''s really inconvenient when you can''t have an Avatar of your own, isn''t it?" Marion asked, pitying the boy for his restrictions.


    "It''s a hassle, but I can live without it," Thirteen replied. "After all, I wouldn''t get the chance to ride with a beautifuldy like you, Vice Commander, if I could use an avatar."


    "Smooth, very smooth," Marionmented. "I''m sure the girls will love you when you grow older."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because he was just lightening the mood a bit.


    While he knew what romance was, he still didn''t understand it fully.


    Although he had lived as a system for a long time, most of his hosts didn''t have a happy love life because of their fate.


    It made Thirteen believe that falling in love wasn''t worth it.


    There was no such thing as happy endings, especially for his hosts whose fates had been sealed the moment they were born in the world.


    Setting aside these thoughts, Thirteen focused his attention on the task at hand. "Green Lanterns, let''s roll out!" Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, Marion urged her Pegasus to run on the Aircraft Carrier''s runway to gain momentum.


    The other Valkyries imitated their captain. Soon, they all rose toward the sky in a V-Formation.


    The Gyrfalcon didn''t need to do that. They simply waited for their owners to sit on the custom-made saddles meant for Gyrfalcons before taking off to the skies.


    Soon, hundreds of flying monsters headed toward the direction of the Southeastern Region of the Rigel Continent to conduct their first Aerial Night Raid, which would y a role in fighting against the Brain Beetle in the future.

 Chapter 376 Do You Think I’m Stupid?

    376 Do You Think I¡¯m Stupid?


    The Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal gazed at the small green glowing figures in the sky.


    Since the 69th Battalion''s and the Valkyries'' military gears glowed in the dark, it was very easy for them to monitor their movements.


    "Let''s go as well," Lawrence ordered before summoning a Silver Dragon. "We need to make sure that none of the kids get hurt."


    "Okay," Tristan agreed as he, too, summoned his flying mount, an Arch Griffin.


    It was one of the biggest Griffin Variants, and they were known as very powerful monsters who would not hesitate to fight against Dragons if provoked.


    When they arrived at the scene, they saw the members of the 69th Battalion struggling to adapt to their new mounts.


    Some even looked like they were about to fall off from them, which was something that Thirteen paid extra close attention to.


    Cristopher, who was riding on his Rank 6 Roc, was veryfortable as he flew in the skies.


    He never thought that there woulde a day when he would own such a powerful flying monster, which was an Overlord.


    The teenage boy had named his new Avatar, Grey, because it had gray eyes.


    On the contrary, Colbert was having a hard time adjusting to flying in the sky.


    The only silver lining was that he wasn''t one of the few people who were feeling nauseous and terrified due to fear of heights.


    Thirteen had already taken this matter into ount. He asked the Valkyries to escort these people back to the Aircraft Carrier to make sure that they wouldn''t fall off from their mounts.


    ''Thirty people,'' Thirteen thought. ''Although I expected that there would be many of them unsuited to fly in the sky, I didn''t think that they''d be this many. I guess, I''ll make them the ground support in the future.''


    Thirteen ordered his troops to circle the skies twice to let them get used to flying. They were conducting their test flight a mile away fromnd, so there were no reactions from the beetles, who had built their nests in the region. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Okay. We will do a quick sweep first," Thirteen ordered. "Valkyries Squad 1 and Squad 2, y the Vanguard Role. Squad 3 and Squad 4, take the rearguard."


    "Squad 5 and Squad 6, nk the left side of the 69th Battalion. Squad 7 and squad 8, take the right nk."


    11:59


    Thirteen and Marion were flying separately from the raiding teams because their role was to monitor the surroundings.


    As soon as their flying avatars flew over thend, the flying beetles immediately took to the skies.


    "Attack them the same way you do with your enemies on the ground," Thirteen ordered.


    As soon as he gave the order, the 69th Battalion took into a snake-like formation, with their Gyrfalcons lined up back to back.


    Their assault rifles then roared to life as they made a sweep at the flying beetles, who had decided to intercept them.


    After the first barrage, Alexis, who was in the lead, maneuvered his Gyrfalcon to circle back to the sea in preparation for their next aerial barrage.


    This was the strategy they used whenever they fought using their Night Wolves onnd.


    The 69th Battalion''s strategy could be summed up into three words¡ªhit and run.


    They would hit their enemies and swiftly move away, ensuring that their enemies couldn''t hit them back.


    Since they had done this numerous times onnd, they already knew the drill even if they were flying in the air.


    The only problem was that fighting in the air was very different from fighting onnd. There were different factors they had to keep in mind during the battle.


    Onnd, they would have to take note of the terrain.


    In the air, they were subjected to strong gusts of winds and turbulence, which could make flying difficult.


    Right now, they were fighting in calm weather, so everything was fine.


    But Thirteen nned to train them in harsh weather so that they could still fight even if the conditions were not in their favor.


    The Valkyries, who had already seen this strategy numerous times, couldn''t help but be impressed by how simple and effective it was.


    Whenever the Valkyries fought, they would overwhelm their enemies using superior power and numbers, allowing them to gain the upper hand.


    However, this also forced them to fight monsters in closebat.


    Unlike the 69th Battalion, they didn''t have assault rifles powered by Empyrium.


    However, all of them had long-ranged abilities, which they acquired from Solterra. Some of them specialized in bows, and a handful of them used sniper rifles.


    There were also Valkyries who could cast spells like fireballs, while some specialized in throwing weapons like spears and javelins.


    Of course, there were also those who like to get up close and personal like Marion, who wielded a giant war axe, which she could swing easily as if it was as light as a feather.


    There were a few others like her in the unit, and they were referred to as the "Hard Hitters" of the Valkyries.


    They give the finishing blows to big monsters, knocking them off from the sky using sheer might.


    "Zion, your strategy is effective. But what will they do if the enemies get too close forfort?" Marion inquired.


    "What else should they do?" Thirteen asked back. "They should just run away."


    "So, will they always run if they face a strong opponent?" Marion asked. "Of course," Thirteen replied. "If you were facing a Rank 9 Monster, are you going to fight it?"


    "¡­No," Marion replied. "Do you think I''m stupid?"


    "Of course not." Thirteen shook his head. "That''s why they should just run. If my battalion everesacross a threat that they are unable to defeat, it just means that they are up against a Rank 6 Sovereign or above.


    "If they were facing that kind of threat, they should just run. After all, it''s simply above their current ability to fight them."


    Marion sighed. "So, does that mean that whenever we face a threat beyond humanity''s bottom line, like Rank 9 Monsters, we should just run away and let them invade ournds?"


    "You don''t have to worry about those kinds of threats, Vice Commander," Thirteen replied. "There will be individuals who will face them for you. Right now, you just focus on the monsters that you can fight.


    "Leave the Rank 9 Monsters to the Thrones and Monarchs. They are the ones who should fight against those threats."


    "But the Monarchs don''t want to fight Rank 9 Sovereigns. You already saw it, didn''t you? They were struggling to fight even Rank 8 Sovereigns. Do we really stand a chance of beating the Jinns and Majins?"


    Thirteen chuckled. "I didn''t know that you were a pessimist, Vice Commander."


    "I wasn''t a pessimist two weeks ago," Marion replied. "But after seeing what I saw during that battle at the port, I''m starting to think that humanity is just on borrowed time."


    Thirteen didn''t say anything for nearly a minute, which made Marion think that the boy agreed with her.


    But as the 69th Battalion circled for another bombardment, Thirteen spoke up, which made Marion wonder if she misheard him due to the gunfire that reverberated in the surroundings.


    "Vice Commander, I know that mere words will not convince you, so just wait until this month is over," Thirteen said. "I''ll prove to you that humanity still has a chance to regain what they have lost. So, until then, don''t be a pessimist, okay?"


    Marion chuckled because Zion''s words sounded convincing for some reason.


    "Very well. I will wait," Marion replied. "If you prove me wrong, then I will grant you a single wish."


    "Can I wish to have 100 more wishes?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Of course not."


    "Too bad then."


    The two then chuckled at the same time, while the assault rifles of the 69th Battalion roared in the night, killing as many flying beetles as they could before returning to the Aircraft Carrier as theypleted their mission.

 Chapter 377 Jinns And Majins Were A Savage Race

    377 Jinns And Majins Were A Savage Race


    As Tiona moved deep underground, she made sure to closely pay attention to her surroundings.


    The skill set she currently possessed had been carefully handpicked by her Master for this special reconnaissance mission.


    Thirteen had tasked her to find the Brain Beetle''s location.


    Tiona was immune to mind-affecting abilities, so there was no danger of her falling under the enemy''s control.


    Just like always, the teenage boy was apanying her through their connection, allowing him to sense what she was sensing.


    ''It''s not here, Tiona,'' Thirteen said. ''Maybe we should go deeper.''


    The ck Snake nodded in agreement and moved deeper under the ground.


    Tiona was currently a mile deep into the Brain Beetle''s nest, and the monsters that she hade across were only Rank 1 to Rank 3 monsters.


    She sensed their presence through their Life Signatures, which allowed her to measure their strength at a safe distance.


    When she was finally two miles deep underground, the readings she got became stronger.


    This time, she could sense Rank 4 up to Rank 5 Monsters, so she made sure to move even more carefully.


    After circling the surrounding areas, Tiona still didn''t sense the monster they were searching for, which made her think that she needed to dig deeper.


    Three miles¡­


    Four miles¡­


    Five miles¡­


    When Tiona reached six miles deep underground, she felt the presence of Rank 6 Overlords.


    Staying as far away as she could from them, she once again conducted her reconnaissance mission. An hourter, Tiona decided to rest.


    She hade across a Rank 6 Sovereign, and it was giving a particrly powerful Life Signature.


    Fortunately, it didn''t pay any attention to her, giving her some peace of mind.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, couldn''t help but frown. Although he had expectations, he didn''t think that the Brain Beetle''s nest would be this deep and vast.


    Even if he used Nautilus Main Cannons to bombard them, their attacks would not be able to reach the ce where Tiona was currently at.


    After resting for nearly half an hour, Tiona once again dug down.


    The ground was starting to heat up, which he could feel through their shared senses.


    Finally, after reaching seven miles deep underground, they sensed the Brain Beetle''s life force, which was like a miniature sun.


    But just as Tiona was about to leave afterpleting her mission, someone spoke inside her head.


    "Well, hello there, Little One. I''ve never seen you around here before. Why don''t youe and chat with me for a while?"


    Thirteen, who also heard the voice in his head, didn''t hesitate to order Tiona to leave right away.


    The ck Snake didn''t need to be told twice and left the location as fast as she could.


    "What''s the hurry? Don''t be afraid, Little One. I won''t bite you."


    The Brain Beetle spoke in a calm and friendly voice, which sounded like it was spoken by a very dear friend whom one trusted very much.


    Of course, Tiona knew better than to reply to this monster and continued to make its escape.


    Even after escaping for nearly three miles from the Brain Beetle, its voice still reached them, making the frown on Thirteen''s face deepen.


    When they reached the four-mile mark, the voice finally came to a stop, making the two finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ''Four miles,'' Thirteen thought. ''That is the range of the Brain Beetle''s mind control. This Rank 8 Sovereign is really scary.''


    He knew that the closer the Brain Beetle was to its target, the stronger the Mind Control would be.


    Wanderers might still be able to resist the Brain Beetle''s power within the four-mile range. However, if it were to move closer and cut the distance between them into two miles, then its power would certainly be too powerful to resist.


    If the Brain Beetle was only a mile away, Thirteen reckoned that even Monarchs, and Thrones would have a hard time resisting its control.


    An hourter, Tiona returned to her Master''s side, and thetter made sure to pamper her for safelypleting her mission.


    The data Thirteen had gathered in this expedition was enough to help him formte a n, which would give him the highest chance of sess.


    Even so, he understood that it wouldn''t be as easy as it looked on paper.


    He would need to get up close and personal with the Brain Beetle in order to give it the killing blow.


    This meant that he and the three Valkyries, whom he nned to take with him, would be subjected to the greatest danger in this mission.


    ''I will need to prepare suits that can withstand extreme heat for them,'' Thirteen thought. ''Fortunately, Giga and Rocky can swim even in moltenva.''


    When Tiona had sensed the Brain Beetle, she had also sensed one more strong monster with it, which was probably its bodyguard.


    Unfortunately, she had been in a hurry to escape, so she and Thirteen didn''t get to properly gauge its Rank.


    However, Thirteen believed that it was definitely a Rank 6 Sovereign at the minimum.


    In the worst-case scenario, it might be a Rank 7 Sovereign, which would make approaching the Brain Beetle harder.


    Thirteen still had two weeks left before hispetition with Renz ended.


    Although Arthur had already defeated the Manticore King, he didn''t n to announce it right away.


    He would only do that as ast resort if he failed to take down the Brain Beetle during the promised time.


    While the teenage boy was busy thinking of ways to increase his chances of defeating the Brain Beetle, the monster in question was currently in the process of giving birth to an egg.


    If Tiona had not hurried to escape and decided to take a closer look, she would have discovered that the most threatening monster in the Rigel Continent was actually pregnant and not in a good condition to fight.


    This was also the reason why it had decided to hide seven miles underground, preventing anyone from knowing that it was at a crucial phase of its life.


    It was not really hiding from the Wanderers because it believed that they would not be able to do anything to it.


    The Brain Beetle was specifically hiding from the Jinns and Majins who might use this opportunity to take him down.


    If the other Kings were to know its condition, all of them would not hesitate to eat it and its egg, which would guarantee them to break through to be Rank 9 Sovereigns.


    The Jinns and Majins were savage races.


    They not only fought against Wanderers but also fought against each other.


    This was the reason why Camazotz had attacked his neighbors, who were trying to annex his territory and make him their subordinate.


    Evuvug and the other Kings didn''t really get along well either.


    If not for the fact that it was afraid that all of them would gang up against it, it would have already subjugated its neighbors and put them under its control.


    Evuvug could only dominate the minds of two monsters of the same rank at a time. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Rank 9 Earth Dragons were immune to its abilities, so they had never been its target.


    The dragons were the deterrence that their original Master from Gomorra had sent alongside them to make sure that all of them behaved and would not kill each other.


    Unfortunately, even those Rank 9 Sovereigns might be tempted if they were to know the Brain Beetle''s current condition.


    Although it wasn''t guaranteed, there was a chance for them to evolve into a Majin Prince if they were to consume its body right now.


    This was why Evuvug was hoping that no one would disturb its peace for the next few weeks, allowing it to regain its strength after giving birth to its child, whose potential could easily surpass it.

 Chapter 378 The Great Escape [Part 1]

    378 The Great Escape [Part 1]


    A week had passed since Tiona''s scouting mission, and it was now time for Thirteen to implement the strategy he devised once and for all.


    Gathered on the deck of the Aircraft Carrier was none other than his 69th Battalion, as well as the Valkyries, who would create the distraction while he dealt with Evuvug up close and personal.


    "Once again, you will be facing a horde of monsters numbering in the tens of thousands," Thirteen stated. "But it will be very differentpared to what happened in the Port near the Rigel Continent. Back then, we weren''t prepared for it, but now, we are."


    The teenage boy scanned the faces of everyone, and he could sense that some of them were feeling very anxious.


    Their anxiety was valid, especially since what they were about to do today was something that no one in their right mind would do.


    Attacking the territory of the Brain Beetle Evuvug and doing their best to survive. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I want everyone to remain calm," Thirteen stated. "You will face countless flying insects, but none of them are fast enough to catch up to the Gyrfalcons, so your safety is ensured. Also, fly high, and stay at that altitude.


    "As long as you do that, you will not be affected by Evuvug''s Mind Control. Lastly, pay close attention to my orders. If I tell you to retreat, all of you will retreat. I don''t want to lose anyone in this expedition. Enough lives have been spilled during the battle at the Dvalinn Port."


    Thirteen then nced at his six captains, who would be leading the 69th Battalion to battle.


    "Lead them well," Thirteen ordered. "Our training for the past week should''ve been enough to make you understand what you need to do and what you shouldn''t do."


    ""Yes, Sir!""


    Thirteen then nced at the Rigel Continent, which was barely visible from where he was.


    The Battleships were currently twelve miles away from the nearestnd to prevent the Brain Beetle from targeting them.


    They would stay there to provide support fire and help the Wanderers escape as soon as they were to receive the signal from Thirteen.


    Currently, there were a total of Fifty Battleships and Four Aircraft Carriers participating in this mission.


    The Central Government had decided to lend their hand, and the Grand Marshal would even personally mobilize to assist the Wanderers in battle.


    Arthur would also join the battle, but he would not being with his grandson to fight the Brain Beetle.


    His purpose on the battlefield this time was luring the stronger insects away from their Master.


    Only Thirteen, Tiona, Hans, Rocky, Giga, cky, Hercules, and the three Valkyries would join him in this mission.


    Aside from the three Valkyries, the teenage boy had already shared a Martial Ability with Hans and the others, so they wouldn''t be too affected by the power of the Brain Beetle.


    At most, they would feel an extreme headache if the Brain Beetle were to try to force its control over them.


    However, Thirteen already got this covered.


    He would momentarily disable their pain receptors so that they wouldn''t feel any pain.


    As for the Valkyries, they would fall under a type of hypnosis once the Brain Beetle targeted them.


    In that state, they would only listen to Thirteen''s orders, rendering the Giant Bug''s ability useless.


    After giving the order to sortie, hundreds of Gyrfalcons and Pegasi flew from the Carriers and took formation.


    Lawrence rode on his Silver Dragon, while Arthur rode on a Flying Serpent.


    Hans rode on a Giant Hawk with Thirteen, while the three Valkyries flew beside them.


    Although the mount of Lawrence and Arthur were eye-catching, everyone''s eyes were captured by Christopher''s mount. When they saw it, they simply didn''t know what to say.


    The chubby boy was currently riding on top of a ze Skunk, which was on top of his Roc.


    The ze Skunk was holding onto the custom-made handles on the Roc''s back, which Thirteen had asked the engineers of the Leventis Family to make.


    If something unexpected were to happen, Cristopher was ordered to deal with it, which was the reason why he had the most unique setup among the Wanderers.


    When they finally flew overnd, Hans'' giant hawk dived down from the sky and flew just a few meters above ground.


    They were the ones who would tell everyone to retreat once they felt the effects of the Brain Beetle''s mind control.


    "Release the payload," Thirteen ordered through hismunicator.


    After giving out his orders, the Wanderers all dropped metallic cylindrical objects from the sky.


    This was their gift for the bugs, who were currently hiding deep underground.


    The moment the cylindrical objects hit the ground, they detonated, releasing powerful sound waves that traveled a mile deep underground.


    A few secondster, countless bugs rose to the surface from the ground and angrily screeched toward the sky.


    These sound waves might not have dealt any damage to them physically, but it felt like being suddenly subjected to a rock song yed in a loudspeaker with full volume.


    As if stirring the ho''s nest, the beetles, who resembled giantdybugs, all rose toward the sky in an angry fit.


    Their numbers were so numerous that the sky darkened the moment they reached their maximum flying altitude.


    The 69th Battalion all aimed their Assault Rifles and fired at will.


    The enemies were too concentrated and countless, so even if they blindly aimed in front of them, their attacks would hit something.


    The Brain Beetles were fast, but they were not fast enough to outspeed the Gyrfalcons and the Pegasus, who were fast-flying monsters.


    The metallic spheres kept on releasing powerful sound waves, which was increasing in intensity with each passing minute.


    Soon, the sound waves were able to reach two miles deep, which was its limit.


    But that was enough.


    The activity had already rmed the entire nest, and soon enough, Rank 4 and Rank 6 Beetles appeared.


    While the Wanderers were doing their best to fight their enemies at a safe distance, Thirteen, Arthur, and Lawrence frowned.


    It had already been five minutes since the fight started, yet there was still no sign of the Brain Beetle.


    Rank 6 Sovereign Beetles had already appeared to join the battle, but the presence of their King was nowhere to be felt.


    Five more minutes passed, and Thirteen came to a realization.


    The Brain Beetle didn''t n to join the battle, which made him feel conflicted.


    "Rocky, let''s go," Thirteen ordered, and the Magma Bal-Boa swallowed his Master, alongside Hans and the Three Valkyries who were seeing Rocky for the first time.


    Thirteen wasn''t worried about them knowing about Rocky''s existence because he had already made them drink a serum that would make them forget everything that they had seen since the operation started.


    Right now, his priority was to deal with the Brain Beetle while everyone was fighting in the skies.


    As Rocky dug deeper, the people who were currently inside his mobile fortress had already dressed in their heat-resistant suits. Tiona was digging in front of Rocky and leading him to the ce where she hadst sensed the Brain Beetle.


    Thirteen was sharing Tiona''s senses, and through their connection, he confirmed that the Brain Beetle was still deep underground, not moving from its location.


    However, aside from the Brain Beetle, Tiona had also sensed the presence of five strong monsters, and they seemed to be guarding their leader.


    He had already prepared for such a scenario, which was why he brought Giga, Hans, cky, and Hercules with him.


    Rocky was now a Rank 7 Sovereign, so he believed that they had enough strength to face the Brain Beetle and its guardians.


    A few minutester, Rocky broke through the underground cavern where the Brain Beetle was staying.


    As soon as he appeared, five Monsters who looked like giantrvae all raised their heads and faced Rocky at the same time.


    The Magma Bal-Boa didn''t flinch and ejected everyone from his mobile fortress.


    Thirteen''s gazended on the Giant Beetle, who was at the very corner of the cavern and making minimal movements.


    "Kill them!" A psychic order echoed across the cavern, and the Giant Larvae all attacked at the same time, intending to kill the intruders to protect their Leader, who was still recovering fromying a golden egg a few days ago.


    "Everyone, I''ll leave them to you!" Thirteen ordered.


    Hans, Giga, Rocky, cky, and Hercules, all attacked one of the Larvae and fought them individually.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, ran with the Valkyries toward the Brain Beetle, whose body glowed faintly.

 Chapter 379 The Great Escape [Part 2]

    379 The Great Escape [Part 2]


    As Thirteen, Vi, Sharon, and Louise dashed toward the Brain Beetle, the four of them staggered after being hit by a psychic attack meant to put them under its control.


    However, Thirteen was someone who had very strong mental power. Even without the Brain Beetle''s attack didn''t really affect him too much.


    Vi, Sharon, and Louise were all under hypnosis, so they recovered immediately after the Brain Beetle''s preemptive strike.


    Seeing that its attack didn''t work on them, it switched to a different tactic, which was telekinesis.


    The giant stctites that were hanging over the cavern broke free and flew toward the four humans with vengeance.


    Vi, who had the Rank of Grandmaster, raised her hands and conjured a spear, which she used to smash the stctite thrown at her and Thirteen.


    Sharon, on the other hand, waved her hand and erected a barrier made of light, which tanked the impact of the giant projectile, smashing itpletely.


    Louise, on the other hand, used her uncanny agility and dexterity to dodge the stctite that was aimed at her, making it pierce the ground half a meter away from her foot.


    Seeing that its attack failed to neutralize its opponent, the Brain Beetle then unleashed an acid spray, forcing Thirteen and the three Valkyries to evade.


    A sizzling sound echoed inside the cavern as the ground that was hit by the acid melted with white smoke rising over it.


    A putrid smell also spread in the cavern, making Thirteen and the three Valkyries change their tactic.


    "n B!" Thirteen shouted.


    As soon as he shouted out the order, the three Valkyries ran in different directions, attempting to encircle the monster with Zion.


    However, just as they were about tounch their long-range attacks at the Brain Beetle, the ground behind the beetle copsed, and a giant centipede emerged from it.


    Thirteen''s eyes widened in shock because he didn''t expect that the King of Centipedes, who was supposed to be in the Northwest of the Rigel Continent, would suddenly appear in the territory of the Brain Beetle.


    "Retreat!" Thirteen ordered without hesitation.


    They were only nning to deal with the Brain Beetle, which Vi and the three Valkyries could take down on their own.


    However, a Rank 8 King Centipede was a different story.


    It was a true predator and could only be defeated if Arthur or Lawrence were with him.


    But the reason why he wasn''t able to bring either of them was due to the fact that they didn''t have the ability to ovee the Brain Beetle''s mind-control powers.


    Thirteen had ced a seal on Arthur''s body using Rune Magic, so he couldn''t give him any abilities that would''ve allowed him to resist the Brain Beetle''s mind control.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family was too important for his ns, and he couldn''t take the risk of bringing him with him.


    As Thirteen and his forces backed away, the Brain Beetle thanked the neer foring.


    "Thank you, Jalrog," Evuvug said through telepathy. "I owe you one."


    The King Centipede eyed the Wanderers first before shifting its gaze to the Brain Beetle.


    "Don''t mention it," Jalrog replied. "I didn''te here to help you."


    Evuvug, who immediately sensed that something was wrong, ordered the Larvae to attack Jalrog before moving toward the cocoon hanging at the corner of the cavern.


    Seeing its movements, Thirteen suddenly thought of something, which made him hesitate.


    The King of Centipede, who was mobbed by four Rank 6 Sovereigns and a Rank 7 Sovereign, unleashed a screech before sinking its fangs on the head of a Larva and injecting its very potent poison into its body.


    It then used its body to coil around the Rank 7 Sovereign, immobilizing itpletely before using its razor-sharp legs to hack its body, sending green blood spurting like a fountain.


    This unexpected betrayal didn''t catch the Brain Beetle by surprise.


    It had already anticipated that something like this might happen, which was the reason why it decided to hide deep underground. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It only needed a month to fully recover from its pregnancy, but the King of Centipede might have sensed that one of itsrades was ripe for the picking.


    Although they were supposed to work together to conquer the human continent, that didn''t mean that they were friends.


    The King Centipede, Jalrog, initially didn''t n to attack Evuvug.


    However, it sensed the changes that were happening in the North.


    It had been paying close attention to the Manticore King''s territory, but after confirming that it couldn''t be found anywhere, it knew that the bnce in the continent had been broken due to Zed''s disappearance.


    Since that was the case, Jalrog decided to increase its strength and breakthrough to be a Rank 9 Sovereign, giving it absolute power to destroy its enemies.


    The Larvae, whom Thirteen''s Monster Team wasn''t able to defeat easily, were easily taken down one by one by the Centipede King.


    Perhaps, knowing that it was only a matter of time before it was devoured by its formerrade, the Brain Beetle decided to gamble.


    While grabbing the cocoon, it ran in Thirteen''s direction.


    Since the Wanderers were able to reach its location deep underground, it meant that they also had a way to escape to the surface. Evuvug knew that it couldn''t outrun Jalrog because it could dig faster than it.


    Also, it was in a weakened state, so it really couldn''t do much at this point in time.


    "Take my child and run!" Evuvug stated as it gently ced the cocoon on the ground. "I''ll hold Jalrog back. Now go!"


    Thirteen looked at the cocoon then back at the Brain Beetle, with a conflicted look on his face. He hade here to kill Evuvug, but due to this unexpected turn of events, he got to witness the unity of the Kings of the Rigel Continent beginning to crumble.


    It was a sign that they weren''t united, and this could work in his favor.


    In less than five seconds, Thirteen revised the ns he had in mind.


    Before Evuvug could even join the Larvae in fighting against the Centipede King, the teenage boy threw a capture sphere at Evuvug''s back, taking it by surprise.


    The moment its giant body was absorbed by the capture sphere, it disappeared leaving nothing behind.


    "Rocky, get the cocoon!" Thirteen ordered. "We''re getting out of here now!"


    Rocky didn''t hesitate to obey his Master''smand and devoured everyone before making its escape.


    "I won''t let you!" Jalrog screeched before charging toward the Magma Balboa.


    But two of the Larvae, who were still alive, rammed the Centipede''s body and unleashed an acid spray at its face from point-nk range.


    Jalrog, who was faster than the Larvae, twisted its body and used its tough exoskeleton to block the acid spray aimed at its head.


    When the acid spray finally ended, it used its tail to make a shing motion, cutting the body of one of the Larvae in two while its poisonous fangs sank into thestrva.


    Not caring whether the tworvae lived or died, it hastily ran after the Magma Bal-Boa, who was desperately moving toward the surface as fast as it could.


    "You won''t get away!" Jalrog screeched angrily as it slowly closed the gap between it and Rocky.


    When the King Centipede was only a hundred meters away from Rocky''s tail, the Magma Bal-Boa finally broke through the surface and crawled onnd to continue to escape.


    Jalrog also surfaced after a few seconds. It was about to continue chasing after its prey when, suddenly, two people blocked its path.


    "That''s one giant centipede," Lawrencemented.


    "It doesn''t matter how big it is," Arthur stated. "We mustn''t let it catch up with the brat."


    "Exactly what I''m thinking," Lawrence smirked as he and Arthur both summoned their weapons and prepared to sh with the Centipede King.


    However, the ground around them suddenly started shaking, making the two''s expressions turn grim.


    As if waiting for that moment, countless giant centipedes rose up from the ground and screeched loudly.


    Arthur and Lawrence exchanged a nce with each other before summoning their Flying Mounts to escape as fast as they could. They knew that the moment they got encircled by their enemies, it would be over for them.


    Now that the two pests had left, the Centipede King resumed its pursuit of the fleeing Magma Bal-Boa, who was heading toward the sea.


    Cristopher, who noticed that his Young Master was in danger, didn''t hesitate to order his Roc to dive toward the ground and headed in front of the Centipede King, who was pursuing Zion.


    "Give him a taste of hell!" Cristopher ordered, and his ze Skunk immediately unleashed a ming spray that bathed the Centipede King''s head, making it screech in anger and irritation.


    Just like earlier, it twisted its body to prevent its head from getting hit by the ze Skunk''s trump card.


    But even if it was safe, it didn''t change the fact that it was now starting to get pissed due to the annoying humans, who kept on getting in his way.


    Arthur''s Winged Serpent, who had finally caught up to Thirteen, flew alongside the Magma Bal-Boa.


    Rocky, who already knew what to do, spat his Master toward Arthur, who caught him without much effort.


    "Everyone, retreat!" Thirteen shouted through hismunicator. "Return to the ships now and fly as high as you can! Gramps, don''t go upward. Just head to the sea while flying low!"


    "Understood," Arthur replied. After Rocky passed Thirteen to his Grandfather, it immediately moved in the opposite direction in order to redirect the Centipede King''s attention to him.


    Since the Magma Bal-Boa was Thirteen''s Beast Companion like Tiona, he would be able to summon Rocky without any problems.


    He just needed to distance himself from the Centipede King before doing so. That way, they would be able to sessfully escape its pursuit, which was their top priority at the moment.

 Chapter 380 The Great Escape [Part 3]

    380 The Great Escape [Part 3]


    Thirteen originally didn''t n to use the Capture Spheres to catch the Brain Beetle.


    Because if he used it, he wouldn''t be their Master or anything.


    At most, it would only increase his Apocalypse Points since it counts as himpleting his mission from the Order of the Apocalypse.


    The stronger the monster, the higher the points that he would get. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was also a life-saving item that could help Thirteen survive a battle against Rank 8 Monsters and below.


    Unfortunately, the Capture Spheres he had weren''t strong enough to capture Rank 9 Monsters. It seemed that Metatron knew that Thirteen would abuse them if he could get away with it. The only saving grace was that he could ask for an item once a year and would be given the chance to get more as long as he managed to open anotheryer in the treasury.


    But he had just opened the Fourth Layer. It would take him a few years to open the Fifth Layer of the Treasury of the Apocalypse, which would let him im bigger rewards.


    Thirteen only changed his mind because the Brain Beetle decisively surrendered its egg to him when the Centipede King arrived.


    Its actions allowed him to understand that the Kings of the Rigel Continent weren''t united and that they had their own ambitions.


    Not to mention that Thirteen would need the Brain Beetle''s knowledge on properly raising an egg, which the teenager believed would be a good addition to his forces.


    A Brain Beetle would only give birth to one special egg in its lifetime.


    This egg would have a great potential that could surpass its parent.


    Evuvug was a Rank 8 Sovereign. Despite that, it took a risk and gave birth to an egg, which it believed had the potential to be a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    If it were lucky, there was even a chance for it to step into the Majin Prince Rank, which was something that Thirteen was willing to gamble for.


    Thirteen believed that it could train the Brain Beetle that would be born from the egg to be loyal only to him, which would make the use of one of his two Capture Spheres worth it.


    But that wasn''t something he''d have to worry about now. After all, he had a bigger problem at hand.


    The Centipede King was currently chasing after Rocky, who was carrying the Brain Beetle''s Egg inside his Mobile Fortress.


    If Thirteen wanted to, he could escape safely with Arthur since he had a flying mount that could fly high in the sky.


    But if he were to do that, Rocky would certainly perish under the hands of the Centipede King, making the teenage boy lose one of his Trump Cards.


    Thirteen could summon Rocky anytime and anywhere, but he couldn''t summon him high in the sky because if he did that, Rocky would fall to his death.


    He couldn''t summon the Magma Bal-Boa on the sea either. The moment he did that, Rocky would drown.


    This left him with only one choice.


    Go in the opposite direction of where Rocky was going while flying low on the ground so that he could summon him safely.


    This would allow him to distance himself from the crazed Centipede King, who wished to make a breakthrough and be a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    The surroundings were currently inplete pandemonium.


    Countless Centipedes had risen up from the ground, and they were trying to encircle Rocky so that he would have nowhere to run.


    The Beetle Army, on the other hand, had caught the scent of the flesh and blood of their brethren on the Centipede King''s body.


    This thoroughly infuriated them, so instead of running after the Wanderers, they switched targets and started to attack the Centipede Army.


    An all-out insect brawl took ce, which allowed Rocky to get some breathing space.


    Perhaps the beetles had sensed that one of their kind was inside the Magma Bal-Boa, so they didn''t hesitate to risk their lives in order to allow it to escape.


    But before Rocky could feel relieved, the Centipede King increased its speed and cut past the beetles blocking its path.


    It had raised its head and a quarter of its body in order to deal with the insects who were attacking it withplete disregard for their lives. The Centipede King wasn''t fazed and used its razor-sharp ws to slice the annoying insects, while its other legs increased their pace, shortening the gap between it and its target once more.


    "On my signal!" Thirteen said through hismunicator.


    He was paying close attention to Rocky. Seeing that the Centipede King was only seconds away from catching up to him, Thirteen summoned his Beast Companion before shouting to hismunicator.


    "Open fire!" Thirteen roared as soon as Rocky appeared beside the Flying Serpent, who was only flying a few meters above ground.


    A few secondster, the sound of countless explosions reverberated in the surroundings as the Main Cannons of the Battleships stationed far out in the sea, roared to life.


    Thirteen had ordered them to specifically target the Centipede King so that it would at least get injured by their attacks.


    However, after getting hit twice by the cannon fire of the battleships, the Centipede King and its subordinates immediately burrowed into the ground, leaving behind the beetles that were now being bathed with cannon fire.


    Tiona, who was coiled around Thirteen''s neck, hissed to inform her Master that the Centipede King was now headed in their direction alongside its Monster Army.


    They were only two miles away from the sea, and if they continued to travel at their current speed, they would reach it in less than a minute.


    But here lies the problem.


    Rocky couldn''t swim in the sea!


    As the precious seconds passed by, Thirteen decided to take a gamble.


    "Rocky, spit the Cocoon to the sky, then run away in another direction!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Magma Bal-Boa didn''t hesitate to do as its Mastermanded and spat the cocoon high up in the air before running away in haste.


    The moment the Cocoon appeared, the Centipede King immediately changed directions and ran after it.


    Having sensed the presence of their Master''s egg, the beetles suddenly entered a frenzied state and flew toward it like a raging tide.


    "Gramps!" "I know!"


    The Flying Serpent was already soaring upward in order to catch up to the cocoon.


    Arthur was able to catch it mid-air, and he even grunted due to how heavy it was.


    Rocky gave his Master onest nce before burrowing deep underground, intending to head to the deepest part of the Rigel Continent in order to escape the Centipede King, who almost ended his life.

 Chapter 381 The Great Escape [Part 4]

    381 The Great Escape [Part 4]


    "This thing is at least five tons," Arthurined. "If I were someone who doesn''t specialize in strength, this would have been a problem."


    "You can do it, Gramp," Thirteen replied. "Also, Mr. Flying Serpent, do your best as well!"


    The Flying Serpent screeched as if telling the teenage boy to shut up or it would toss him to the ground.


    After Arthur caught the Cocoon, the speed of the Flying Serpent''s flight decreased drastically because of how heavy it was.


    "Just fly higher!" Thirteen stated. "You don''t need to fly farther, just higher! Make sure that the Centipede King''s attacks won''t reach us!"


    Finding the boy''s advice good, the Flying Serpent no longer pushed itself to speed to the sea, and just focused on flying as high as it could.


    Seeing Arthur struggle, Lawrence ordered his Silver Dragon to fly beside the other party so that he could help him carry the Cocoon using his telekinesis ability.


    "Just what are you carrying, Arthur?" Lawrence asked as he activated his ability, which made the Patriarch of the Leventis Family and his flying serpent feel like a great burden had been relieved from their shoulders.


    Feeling the weight decreased drastically, the Flying Serpent soared toward the sky just in time to escape the Centipede King''s desperate lunge which sent it soaring for over a hundred meters above the ground.


    Its fangs were only two meters away from the Flying Serpent''s neck, which made it screech in frustration as it fell back down on the ground.


    A few secondster, a barrage of cannon fire descended on its body, but its tough exoskeleton protected it from the brunt of these attacks.


    It hatefully red at the Flying Serpent in the sky. But it didn''t give up, extending its tail to grab one of its subordinates and hurling it toward the Wanderers who had denied it the chance to break through to the next Rank.


    Cristopher, who was flying close to his Young Master, ordered his Roc to deal with the Giant Centipede that was tossed in their direction.


    The Roc didn''t hesitate to use its sharp ws to slice off the Centipede''s body in half, making it fall helplessly back to the ground.


    Another angry screech reverberated in the surroundings before the Centipede King decided that there was no use in staying anymore.


    It wanted to vent its frustration on Rocky, but the Magma Bal-Boa had already dug far too deep into the ground and activated its stealth abilities, preventing the Centipede King from knowing its whereabouts.


    "Zion, what is inside this Cocoon?" Lawrence asked in a serious tone. "It''s just a monster egg I happened to pick up on my way back to the surface," Thirteen replied in an innocent tone.


    "Just a monster egg?" Lawrence chuckled. "Boy, do you really think I''m stupid? That Centipede King would not have targeted you if this was an ordinary Monster Egg."


    "I know it''s not an ordinary egg," Thirteen stated. "That''s why I decided to take it."


    Lawrence nced at Arthur, but thetter just shrugged.


    Both of them had been fighting alongside the Wanderers at first and only went down to help the Magma Bal-Boa, who was being chased by the Centipede King.


    "Then, just tell me this," Lawrence decided topromise. "Is this the egg of the Brain Beetle?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "It''s the Centipede King''s egg."


    Lawrence had the strong urge to flick the forehead of the lying brat, but in the end, he decided to just ept that Zion didn''t n on telling him anything.


    "How about the Brain Beetle?" Lawrence asked.


    "The Brain Beetle was eaten by the Centipede King," Thirteen answered. "It seems that the bnce of power between the Kings has been broken."


    Lawrence frowned. "Then, how can you prove to the Dvalinn Federation that the Brain Beetle is dead?" "Don''t worry. I have that covered as well," Thirteen stated. "But we can''t return to the ship carrying this thing. I don''t want any rumors flying around that I have a Brain Beetle''s egg in my possession¡ªit''spletely not true. "But we can''t stop people from gossiping either. It will be so annoying handling the aftermath. Let''s drop it somewhere safe first."


    Thirteen then checked hismunicator to look for the Nautilus'' whereabouts.


    After confirming its location, he asked his Grandfather and the Grand Marshal to fly in the direction where his submarine was currently at.


    Far out into the sea, Nautilus rose up and opened a hatch, allowing them to deposit the egg on the submarine.


    "I''ll be staying here for a while, but I''ll return in the evening," Thirteen stated after confirming that the egg was very much alive. "Tell everyone that I am safe, and we have aplished our mission. When I return, I will show everyone the evidence that the Brain Beetle has died."


    "Okay," Arthur, who knew that his grandson was up to something, patted Lawrence''s shoulder and signaled for him to follow him back to his Aircraft Carrier.


    The Grand Marshal was reluctant to go, but seeing that the teenage boy was not nning on spilling the beans, he decided to wait and have a private talk with himter.


    When the two old men finally left, the hatch closed and the submarine submerged itself in the sea.


    Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief before cing his hand over the Cocoon and activating his Ring of the Apocalypse.


    The scenery around him changed, and he found himself standing in front of the treasury with the cocoon by his side.


    "My child!" The Brain Beetle immediately charged in the direction of the Cocoon, but when it was only a few meters away from it, the beetle''s body froze, unable to move even by a millimeter.


    "You''re finally here, Thirteen," Metatron appeared beside the boy with a smile. "You''ve sent some interesting things here in the treasury, especially this egg. Are you nning to exchange it for some Apocalypse Points?"


    "Not this time, Metatron," Thirteen replied. "I will need this egg to help me grow stronger."


    Metatron nodded. "A good choice." "By the way, can I ask you for a simple favor?" Thirteen inquired.


    "You''ve been asking favors from me every time you visit," Metatron smirked. "So what is it this time?"


    "I need Evuvug to die once," Thirteen said as he gazed at the Brain Beetle, who was frozen in ce. "But I still need him alive. I just need his body since I need to present the evidence that he is already dead."


    The Brain Beetle, who heard Thirteen''s words, started to panic. Its legs moved erratically as if trying to break free from the invisible shackles that bound it.


    The Bird Man, Zed, looked at the Brain Beetle with a pitiful gaze.


    He had tried to die many times, but each time he died, he would find himself fully healed as if nothing had happened.


    "Easy peasy," Metatron said before pping his hand once.


    The struggling Brain Beetle suddenly stopped moving.


    Metatron raised his hand, and the Brain Beetle''s Core popped out of Evuvug''s body.


    He then snapped his fingers, and the core spun around, sending threads of silk around it.


    Half a minuteter, Evuvug once again reappeared, but with a new body.


    It had reverted to its previous state before giving birth to its egg, which was its peak condition.


    "Thank you," Thirteen said before shifting his gaze to the Evuvug, who was in a state ofplete disbelief after being revived so easily.


    "There are still things I need to do outside, so I''ll be leaving the egg in your care for now, Evuvug. But don''t do anything funny. If you do, I''ll make sure that you will never see your egg again as you rot in this ce for eternity." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After saying those words, Thirteen stored Evuvug''s dead body inside his storage ring and returned to Nautilus.


    When he was safely back in the submarine, the first thing he did was summon Rocky.


    The container unit of the Nautilus wasrge enough to house Thirteen''s monster army, so summoning the Magma Bal-Boa there wasn''t a problem.


    Rocky had received some injuries during its desperate escape from the Centipede King.


    However, his body''s regeneration ability would heal its woundspletely as long as he focused on resting for a few days.


    "Thank you, Rocky," Thirteen said as he patted the Magma Bal-Boa''s head. "You''re the MVP this time around."


    Rocky let out a low roar of appreciation before spitting Hans and the three Valkyries out of his Mobile Fortress.


    The Magma Bal-Boa then closed its eyes to rest¡ªit was truly exhausted after its near-death encounter with the Centipede King, who was currently on its way back to its territory in the North of the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 382 They Have Skill Issues

    382 They Have Skill Issues


    "Arthur, you sure are keeping a lot of secrets," Lawrence said as he sipped his cup of coffee. "I didn''t know that the Leventis Family owned a submarine as big as an aircraft carrier. Since when did you dabble in creating something like that?"


    Arthur sipped from his own cup of coffee and didn''t bother to answer Lawrence''s question.


    The Grand Marshal of the Central Government had been asking him countless questions ever since they returned to the Aircraft Carrier, and frankly, Arthur didn''t know the answer to most of them.


    "You don''t want to spill the beans?" Lawrence inquired.


    "What the Leventis Family does is our business," Arthur replied. "I don''t see any point in discussing the matters of my family with you."


    "Fair." Lawrence nodded. "However, since the two of us are cooperating from this moment onward, it would be best if we don''t keep too many secrets from each other, right?"


    Arthur only shrugged and kept his lips shut tight.


    "Then answer this question of mine." Lawrence ced his cup on the table and looked at Arthur with a solemn gaze. "That submarine is so big, yet it didn''t appear on the radar. Do you have any idea why we can''t detect it?"


    "Use a better radar," Arthur shrugged. "But we are already using the best radars that the best military engineers have developed!"


    "Then they have skill issues."


    Arthur, who had no idea how Thirteen managed to keep the Nautilus hidden from the military radars either, decided to act smug as if he had everything under control. Lawrence wanted to refute Arthur''s words because the greatest minds on the had been working to provide humanity with the best technology to fight against the Jinns and Majins. But the fact remained that the Submarine couldn''t be detected by their radars. This meant that it was equipped with an advanced form of stealth technology that they were not aware of.


    "Sell me the blueprint of that Submarine," Lawrence stated. "Not happening." Arthur shook his head firmly.


    He had never even seen the blueprint of the Nautilus¡ªhow could he sell something he didn''t possess?


    Thirteen had contracted many builders at the same time andmissioned them to make only a certain part of the submarine.


    Only the core elements, like the power sources and the Main Cannons, were made by the Leventis Engineers.


    In short, Thirteen had put a lot of effort into ensuring that no one would be able to build the Nautilus unless they designed one from scratch on their own!


    The only thing Leventis Engineers did was assemble these parts ording to Thirteen''s instructions.


    In fact, after seeing thepleted submarine, Arthur already asked his no-good grandson to give him the blueprint, but he firmly declined.


    He even told Arthur that humanity was still not ready for such a technology, and if it fell into the wrong hands, it might lead to consequences that even the teenage boy might not be able to handle. "Fine." Lawrence sighed. "Keep your secrets with you. But I want us to be allies from this point onward."


    Arthur nodded in agreement. After all, this was something Zion had been pushing for in the past three years. Forming an alliance with the Central Government was a good thing, and he was certain that the Leventis Family would benefit a lot from it.


    However, Arthur understood that all of this was only possible because of his no-good grandson, who still hadn''t returned even after four hours had passed.


    Benedict and the other representatives of the Dvalinn Federation had been wanting to talk to Arthur and Lawrence, intending to ask them whether their mission had seeded.


    However, Arthur didn''t want to talk to anyone right now, so he asked his son, Michael, to tell Benedict and the others that he and the Grand Marshal were currently having a strategic meeting.


    Lawrence, who also didn''t want to deal with the Dvalinn Federation until Zion returned, also ordered his son, Tristan, to stop anyone from disturbing his talks with Arthur.


    Meanwhile, while his Grandfather and the Grand Marshal were waiting for him to appear, Thirteen was busy modifying the memories of the threedies who had apanied him in fighting against the Brain Beetle.


    He was aware that,ter on, they would be questioned by their superiors and perhaps also be interrogated by the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation¡ªfighting the Brain Beetle was a big thing, so they would definitely want to know what really happened during the raid.


    Since he had made Vi, Sharon, and Louise drink a serum before they fought against the Brain Beetle, all the memories they had during that time were erased.


    They also forgot about Rocky, who had taken them to their of the Brain Beetle seven miles under the ground.


    Thirteen could just say that the Brain Beetle managed to seed in controlling them and tampering with their memories.


    In order to keep Nautilus a secret, he made the three Valkyries sleep and inspected their bodies for any hidden injuries.


    Although the Brain Beetle had been in a weakened state, it was still capable of using Psychic sts, which could cause internal injuries.


    Fortunately, the heat-resistant armor the Valkyries wore was enough to prevent them from suffering any injuries during the battle. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After making sure that there was no hidden danger, Thirteen decided to return to the Airship.


    The Nautilus was equipped with a transport helicopter, and they would be using it to return to the Aircraft Carrier.


    "Young Master, are you nning to raise the Brain Beetle''s egg?" Hans asked as he sat on the pilot seat of the Helicopter.


    "That''s the n," Thirteen replied. "But I''m sure that it''s not going to be easy."


    Thirteen didn''t n on hiding anything from the butler. Just like Cristopher, Hans was already one of his people.


    He would never betray Thirteen, so he didn''t mind sharing some of his secrets with him.


    "Young Master, where did the Brain Beetle go?" "In a ce that it cannot escape from."


    Hans was very familiar with the teenage boy by now, so he didn''t pry on the matter.


    If Zion couldn''t tell him where the Brain Beetle was, it just meant that he wasn''t supposed to know where it had disappeared to.


    "We''re ready to go, Young Master," Hans stated. "Let us go back to the Carrier," Thirteen ordered. "I''m sure that my Grandpa is feeling constipated right now because he''s the one who''d be dealing with the mess I made back there."


    Hans couldn''t stop himself from smiling. The only member of the Leventis Family who dared to make the Patriarch suffer was none other than the teenage boy, who had helped Lady Callista recover from her illness.


    The moment the hatch of the Nautilus opened up, the Helicopter took to the skies to return to the Naval Fleet that had retreated twenty miles away from the Rigel Continent.


    Just as he expected, the moment hended on the carrier, Arthur and Lawrence were already there, waiting for him.


    But it wasn''t just them.


    The representatives of the Dvalinn Federation were also there, looking at the teenage boy with expectations.


    The teenage boy was certain that they were dying to ask him many questions, so he decided to shut them up for the time being by snapping his fingers.


    A momentter, half of the corpse of the Brain Beetle appeared in front of everyone, making Arthur, Lawrence, and the Members of the Dvalinn Federation look at it in disbelief.


    Suddenly, a resounding cheer and apuse reverberated in the surroundings¡ªthe members of the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries rejoiced as they saw the proof of their mission being aplete sess.


    On that day, news of Evuvug''s death spread in the Network of Wanderers like wildfire.


    This made those who were stationed in the Cygni Continent raise their fists in triumph.


    Finally, humanity had taken that first step in reiming thends that the Jinns and Majins had taken away from them.

 Chapter 383 You’re More Open-Minded Than I Thought

    383 You¡¯re More Open-Minded Than I Thought


    At the VIP Area on top of the Dvalinn Tower¡­


    "Are you certain that it was Evuvug''s corpse, and not the corpse of some random beetle?" Renz asked his brother in a calm tone.


    "They''re on their way back here," Wendell replied. "We can personally confirm if it''s really Evuvug or not."


    Renz frowned, but he also understood that the only thing he could do was wait until the Naval Fleet of the Leventis Family and the Central Government returned.


    Since they were not part of the operation, Arthur and Lawrence asked Elrod and Renz to not send any of their ships to spy on their military operations.


    Thinking that their mission was bound to fail, Wendell and Renz agreed to their request.


    The only reason why they became aware of the news was due to the spies whom they had nted on the 69th Battalion.


    These spies had informed them about the death of the Brain Beetle, who had traumatized many Wanderers in the past, at the soonest time possible.


    Unlike his brother, Renz, Wendell was truly hoping that the Brain Beetle was indeed dead.


    If that were the case, they would have a higher chance of reiming the Northern Regions of the Continent, which would be their stronghold in the battle against the Jinns and Majins.


    Suddenly, themunicator in Wendell''s hand started blinking.


    When he saw who the caller was, a smile appeared on his face before pushing the button that would allow him to talk to an old friend.


    "Is it really true that the Brain Beetle is dead?" the Monarch who ruled the Cygni Continent, Dous Griffin, asked with a solemn expression on his face. "I''m still waiting for the Leventis Family''s fleet to return here to my Headquarters," Wendell replied. "Until I get to inspect the corpse myself, I will not confirm or deny anything."


    Dous nodded in understanding, but just like Wendell, he was truly hoping that the news wasn''t fake.


    Right now, they needed hope, for the fate that had fallen in the Rigel Continent might also happen in the Cygni Continent.


    Any news that would boost the morale of the defenders would be weed with open arms.


    Sensing that he and Wendell were thinking about the same thing, Dous shifted his attention to Renz, who was seated on the couch.


    "I''ve heard about your bet with Arthur''s grandson," Dous said. "If he had really defeated the Brain Beetle, are you really nning to be his subordinate and take orders from him?"


    "It''s still not confirmed that the Brain Beetle is dead," Renz replied calmly. "But let''s say that it is indeed the Brain Beetle¡­ if that is the case, I will not go back on my words."


    "Hoh~ you''re more open-minded than I thought." Dous arched an eyebrow. Renz shrugged. "If I''m going to take orders from someone, I''d like to take orders from someonepetent. There are too many ipetent people in the world who are in positions of power. I believe that it''s all thanks to them that the world is being overrun by the Jinns and Majins."


    Dous and Wendell didn''t say anything and only looked at Renz, who casually lit a cigar and gave it a few puffs.


    They didn''t know if the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation was referring to them or not, but it still made them feel that Renz was indirectly targeting them with his words.


    "Well, you''re not wrong," Dous said after a minute of silence. "Still, to think that Arthur''s grandson would be the one to aplish this monumental task¡ªit makes me feel a little envious.


    "If my lineage had such a talented individual, I would certainly be able to sleep peacefully at night."


    Wendell chuckled. "Indeed. I feel the same way."


    "Inform me when you are going to inspect the corpse of the Brain Beetle," Dous said. "I want to see for myself if that f*cking bug is really dead or not." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Wendell nodded. "Very well. I''ll contact you as soon as they arrive."


    Dous returned Wendell''s nod before cutting the connection.


    The travel time from the Southeast of the Rigel Continent to the north usually took an entire day.


    The only reason why the representatives were able to arrive early was due to the fact that they rode a ne to reach the Naval Fleet that had just finished their mission.


    At first, Benedict proposed to take Zion, Arthur, Lawrence, and Tristan to the Dvalinn Federation''s headquarters by using their ne, but the teenage boy declined their offer.


    Thirteen told them that he was exhausted from the entire ordeal and that he wanted to sleep before meeting Wendell and Renz.


    Since the body of the Brain Beetle was inside his Dimensional Storage, and Benedict and the other representatives couldn''t just go back empty-handed, they decided to stay as well.


    All of them had inspected Evuvug''s body and could confirm that it looked like the Brain Beetle.


    However, there was a possibility that they were wrong, so they decided to let Wendell, who had seen Evuvug up close in the past, serve as the final judge.


    While the teenage boy was sleeping peacefully with Tiona, the spies of the 69th Battalion were feeling giddy after their employers handsomely paid them for the information they had given them.


    The Valkyries were also in a good mood because Thirteen said that Vi, Sharon, and Louise had yed a huge role in dealing the final blow to the Brain Beetle.


    Thirteen had spun a tale of drama, suspense, and desperation, painting the battle with Evuvug as the greatest battle ever waged in the Rigel Continent.


    Of course, he made sure to add the Centipede King to the story, telling everyone that while the two Kings fought with each other, his team took advantage of the confusion to go for the killing blow.


    Hans had been briefed about the made-up story beforehand to make sure that both their testimonies were consistent.


    As for the Valkyries, their memories of the battle were aplete nk.


    But they were fine with that.


    This wasn''t the first time they couldn''t recall anything because Thirteen had trained them that way.


    They had already experienced it many times when they had been undergoing the teenage boy''s experiment.


    Before the battle, Zion had exined that the moment the battle started, he would put the three of them in a trance-like state so that Evuvug''s Mind Control wouldn''t work on them.


    The story that he created was foolproof, so the teenage boy was confident that he would be able to handle the interrogation that would happen once they returned to the Dvalinn Federation''s Headquarters.


    The only regret Thirteen had was that he didn''t have the time to look for the Cursed Artifact that was supposed to be hidden in Evuvug''s Lair.


    But he was fine with that.


    He nned to return to the South after meeting up with Wendell and Renz in the Dvalinn Federation.


    Since he had won the bet, he would finally be able to get the authority he would need to scout thends of the Rigel Continent unhindered, as he looked for the Cursed Artifacts that his Master had hidden during his lifetime.

 Chapter 384 Not In The Same Page Anymore

    384 Not In The Same Page Anymore


    It took the Naval Fleet two days to travel from the Southeast Region of the Rigel Continent, all the way up to its Northern Regions.


    They could have arrived faster if they wanted, but Thirteen told Arthur, and Michael that they shouldn''t hurry to return to the Dvalinn Federation''s Headquarters.


    He had a reason for doing this, and that was to keep Wendell, and Renz on their toes. The longer they wait, the more impatient the other Factions would be.


    Thirteen wanted to raise the tension a bit, so that the grand reveal would be better.Currently, spections were buzzing among certain circles in the world. But, since there was no rification from a Monarch stating that the monster corpse that Zion Leventis had showed everyone really belonged to Evuvug, everyone was waiting for the news with bated breaths.


    The Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, as well as the other Factions in the world, were keeping in touch with their spies in the 69th Battalion.


    At the same time that Wendell had confirmed that it was indeed Evuvug that Zion had presented, the news would spread instantly to every corner of the world.


    This would elevate the teenage boy''s standing among his peers, and would cement his legend.


    Everyone had heard the stories about his participation in the battle of the Valbarra and Arcadia Archipgo.


    But, in the end, there were still many skeptics that said that this was just the Leventis'' family''s propaganda.


    However, this time it was different.


    Although Zion wasn''t fighting against Rank 9 Monsters, or a Majin Prince, and Princess, everyone would have no choice but to acknowledge that he had achieved something that no Rookie would be able to aplish.


    It was none other than defeating the Brain Beetle Evuvug, which even the Monarchs hadn''t done since the Rigel Continent had been taken over by the Jinns, an Majins.


    While everyone was waiting for any news from the Dvalinn Federation, Thirteen was busy performing the regr check up for Vi, Sharon, and Louise. He was making sure that the special serum that he had injected in their bodies would not pose a threat to their health, and have any bad side effects.


    "Good, how are you girls feeling?" Thirteen asked as he finished collecting the data he needed.


    "Never felt this good in my life," Vi replied. "I feel so much stronger as well," Sharonmented. "Are you sure that we are still human? I thought that you would turn us into cyborgs."


    "My mind is clear, and my senses are sharper than ever before," Louise stated. "Also, my speed, dexterity, and reaction time had doubled since taking the serum."


    Thirteen smiled after hearing that the three Valkyries were feeling fine.


    "Just remember to not tell this to anyone," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "I have tweaked your gics, and all of you have stopped bing ordinary Wanderers.


    "Right now, you can be referred to as Super Humans because I have removed the limiter that binds your strength. To give you an analogy, our body bes stronger whenever we encounter a fight or flight scenario.


    "Currently, your current strength is in that ''Fight or Flight Mode'' for ordinary humans. But, because you have now be Super Humans, that strength you possess can still increase, doubling, and even tripling your body''s performance for a short period of time.


    "It''s simr to Berserk Abilities. The only difference is that there are no repercussions, or weakness, once the adrenaline rush disappears. Also, you don''t have to worry about medical checkups from the Central Government. "They won''t'' find anything unusual in your blood, cells, and tissue samples. Just be careful when you''re sparring with others because you might identally give them serious injuries because all of you still haven''t mastered your current strength."


    Vi, who had been listening to the boy, suddenly said something that the teenage boy wasn''t expecting.


    "Can I transfer to the 69th Battalion?" Vi asked. "Although I still want to stay with the Valkyries, I feel like I can grow stronger when I''m with you, Zion."


    "Me too!" Sharon lightly patted Thirteen''s head. "If you let me join your battalion, I can give you shoulder massages everyday?"


    "Me three," Louise stated. "I''m not good at shoulder massages, but I''m a good cook. I will definitely prepare healthy meals for you."


    Thirteen chuckled because although he didn''t mind epting Vi''s request, he didn''t n on doing it at this point in time.


    "Thank you for your trust, but for now, I want the three of you to stay with the Valkyries," Thirteen said firmly. "The Valkyries had lost theirbat power, and I want the three of you to fill that gap.


    "Also, I want you to keep me informed of any gossip, or news that youe across in your division."


    Vi arched an eyebrow as he gazed at the teenage boy, who had allowed her to redeem herself.


    "You want us to be your spies?" Vi asked. "Spies in the Valkyrie Division?" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sharon and Louise frowned because they didn''t like the sound of that. They like Zion, and appreciated the things he did for them, but spying on their own division made them feel as if they were betraying their sisters.


    "Don''t get me wrong, I n to work with the Valkyries as much as possible," Thirteen stated. "But, the thing is, I don''t know what you guys will be doing in the future. It is my way to keep in touch, so that I will be updated on the recent happenings in your division.


    "If ever you guys are encountering a difficulty that will be hard for any of you to solve, I will do my best to help you solve this problem."


    Vi crossed her arms over her chest. "Is that the real reason? Are you sure you don''t have a hidden agenda?"


    "A hidden agenda? Of course I have a hidden agenda," Thirteen replied. "Information is power. I am only one person, and the things I can do are limited.


    "But, if I can have several eyes, and ears, who are always on the lookout for any scraps of information that might prove useful to me, I am willing to take it.


    "Of course, I also n to ask the three of you a favor, and that is to make sure that Shana will remain safe from harm."


    The threedies exchanged knowing nces before smiling at the teenage boy, whom they believed was also aiming for the Saintess'' affection, just like every young man in Pangea.


    "So, you like Shana, huh?" Vi gave Zion a mischievous smile, as if telling him that she finally understood why he wanted them to give him updates of what was happening in the Valkyrie Division."


    "Like Shana?" Thirteen blinked. "Well, I guess I like her. She is Rianna''s sister, so there is no reason for me to dislike her."


    "Oh you~" Sharon smirked before patting Thirteen''s shoulder. "So, you want us to be your wingmen huh? Although you can''t go past the Rookie Rank, I''m sure that Shana won''t look down on you because of it."


    "Indeed." Louise nodded her head in agreement. "I mean, even Monarchs weren''t able to aplish the things that you did, so your Rank will not hinder you from bing close with her."


    Thirteen, who was probably the smartest person in Pangea, tilted his head in confusion because he felt like the threedies, and him, weren''t on the same page anymore. But, since the three of them now seemed to be more enthusiastic in helping him monitor the movements of the Saintess, he decided to just let them think whatever they wanted to think.


    "Mmm, make sure to keep tabs on anyone approaching her," Thirteen stated. "If you find anyone suspicious, no matter who it is, no matter who their background is, don''t hesitate to tell me. Do I make myself clear?"


    """Yes~"""


    After their talk ended, the three Valkyries returned to where their sisters were currently at, and took turns in monitoring Shana''s movements. Since they had all approved of Zion as Shana''s potential suitor, they were making sure that no pesky flies woulde near her.


    Their only concern is the leader of the Hero Party, whom many believed was only waiting for the right moment to confess to the Saintess, and make her his partner.

 Chapter 385 Name Your Price

    385 Name Your Price


    Wendell stared at the corpse of the Brain Beetle with a solemn expression on his face.


    Everyone was waiting for him to confirm whether or not it was indeed the Brain Beetle, Evuvug.


    Dous Griffin was also looking at the Monster through a projection.


    But since he wasn''t one of the Monarchs who had fought near Evuvug during the battle in the Rigel Continent, he couldn''t confirm if the corpse in front of him was the Brain Beetle or not.


    "It''s indeed Evuvug," Wendell dered, making everyone who had gathered around him cheer in happiness because one of the most dangerous monsters in the Rigel Continent had been in.


    Dous, who was watching through the projection, clenched his fists under his table. This was indeed good news¡ªnot only for the Dvalinn Federation but also for the people in the Cygni Continent.


    Now that the human race had defeated a Rank 8 Sovereign, they now knew that they still had a chance to hold their ground against the Monster Invasion that would soon descend on their continent.


    "How did you do it?" Wendell asked the thirteen-year-old boy who was standing a few meters away from the corpse with his hands crossed over his chest.


    "I wasn''t the one who defeated it," Thirteen answered. "It was the three members from the Valkyries who dealt a serious blow to it. But before they could give the killing blow, the Centipede King arrived and took advantage of the confusion to kill itsrade and take its Core.


    "The only thing I could do at that time was to store a part of the Brain Beetle''s body and run away as fast as we could. It was quite unfortunate that the Centipede King got in our way. Otherwise, we might have gotten a bigger reward for our trouble."


    Wendell didn''t know if the Valkyries were the ones who really dealt a serious blow to the Brain Beetle.


    However, he decided to just let it be because what people needed was good news, not doubts or unnecessary conflict. The fact that the three Valkyries were there to fight against the Brain Beetle was enough to prove that they had risked their lives for this mission. That alone wasmendable enough.


    No one would be able to say otherwise. Even Dous didn''t nitpick and congratted the Valkyries through the projection, telling them that what they did had given hope to humanity. Hearing his words, Marion''s eyes uncontrobly moistened.


    Although Evuvug''s death couldn''t bring back the lives that had perished at the battle at the Dvalinn Port, its death could save thousands more, which was something that even the Dvalinn Federation couldn''t brush aside.


    Thirteen didn''t n to im the credit and gave it all to the Valkyries, who were feeling depressed due to the incident that had killed many of their sisters.


    Vi, Sharon, and Louise, who had no recollection of what truly happened, epted the praises that were given to them with grace.


    Although they didn''t remember anything, Thirteen assured them that they were the ones who dealt the serious blow to the Brain Beetle''s body.


    Zion Leventis was just a Rookie, so it was impossible for him to injure Evuvug. Even the off chance that he managed tond a direct hit on the Brain Beetle''s body, the most he could do was probably a small wound, which would not be enough to hurt it. That was the general consensus of the public.


    Since that was the case, they epted his story and gave the Valkyries the des they deserved.


    After the formalities ended, Thirteen stored the body back inside his Dimensional Storage, which made the researchers of the Dvalinn Federation sigh helplessly.


    They wanted to dissect the Rank 8 Sovereign''s corpse, especially its brain, which had the ability to control minds.


    If they were able to replicate it¡­


    Thirteen knew that the power to control the minds of others was a terrible thing.


    This was also the reason why he didn''t want to just capture Evuvug but kill it.


    However, the situation changed when the Centipede King appeared. He deemed that it would be best to capture Evuvug and its egg, allowing him to raise a young Brain Beetle who would be loyal only to him.


    "About that corpse, are you willing to sell it?" Wendell asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied.


    "What do you n to do with it?"


    "Barbecue it, and let my subordinates eat it."


    The researchers who were paying close attention to Wendell''s and Thirteen''s discussion almost choked blood then and there. How could such a precious specimen be barbecued?


    "Name your price," Wendell said. "I don''t n to sell it," Thirteen stated firmly.


    If the Central Government wasn''t there, Wendell would have strong-armed the boy into selling Evuvug''s corpse to him.


    23:04


    However, with the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal being there, he decided to keep himself from doing it.


    Among the Monarchs in Pangea, the Grand Marshal was the strongest and was considered immortal.


    Even if he were killed, he would just rise from the ashes somewhere safe and take revenge on those who had wronged him.


    This was the reason why the Monarch ns made peace with him and allowed the Central Government to remain as the world''s one and only government, safeguarding the masses.


    "If you change your mind,e talk to me anytime," Wendell offered his hand to the boy for a handshake, which Thirteen epted.


    After shaking hands with the Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation, a thunderous apuse reverberated in the surroundings as everyone bore witness to this momentous event.


    To his surprise, it didn''t look like Renz was averse to the idea of working under Zion.


    Although he was prideful as a strategist, he acknowledged that he didn''t have the boldness and courage that the Rookie had shown in his fight against the Brain Beetle, who was a total nightmare on the battlefield.


    Thirteen''s and Renz''s gaze met, and the two stared at each other for a long time.


    The people who were apuding the boy earlier noticed this, and a brief silence descended before the teenage boy opened his lips to speak.


    "I''ll see you in three days, Renz," Thirteen said, treating the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation like he was just one of his subordinates. "After three days, we''ll n the counterattack, so make sure that you finish tying all your loose ends by then."


    Renz stared at the teenage boy for a few more seconds before nodding his head.


    "I''ll see you in three days," Renz replied before turning around to head to the Dvalinn Tower.


    Thirteen watched the strategist retreating back before shifting his gaze at the three people who were walking toward him.


    These three were none other than¡­


    The Monarch of the Remington n, Trevor Remington.


    The Throne of the Smith Family, Morris Smith.


    Andst, but not the least, the Throne of the Lockwood Family, Steven Lockwood.


    These three people, alongside his Grandfather, Arthur, were the leaders of the Aldebaran Continent.


    They had stayed in the Dvalinn Federation and waited for the news of Thirteen''s expedition against Evuvug.


    "Well done, Zion," Trevor said with a smile. "What you and the Valkyries have aplished is probably the greatest achievement of this era. By the way, my great-granddaughter, Leah, has grown quite beautiful. How about it? Want to marry into our family?"


    Arthur snorted after hearing Trevor''s attempt to poach his grandson from his family.


    "My grandson has good taste indies," Arthurmented. "I''m afraid that your great-granddaughter is not a suitable match for him."


    "Oh, and what kind of girl is a suitable match for him?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "She''s still not born."


    "Hahaha! You''re funny as usual, Arthur. Then, if not Zion, how about I matchmake Mikhail and Shasha? Several of the young members of my family wish to form stronger connections with them."


    "Tell them to fall in line," Arthur stated. "The number of people who wish to be Mikhail''s and Shasha''s partners could form a line circling the world. If they''re good enough, they might stand a chance."


    Thirteen found Arthur''s words quite funny.


    The old man was acting as if his father wasn''t kicked out of the Leventis Family.


    However, since he wanted to give Arthur face, he remained silent and allowed the old man, and the patriarch of the Remington n to bicker.


    While this was happening, Steven Lockwood and Morris Smith took the teenage boy away to discuss possible partnerships, which was something that Zion was also interested in doing.

 Chapter 386 The 6th Layer Of The Treasury Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]

    386 The 6th Layer Of The Treasury Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]


    "Hey, Thirteen. Can I eat these guys?"


    "They belong to Metatron. If you want to eat them, then go ahead. After all, it''s not my head that''s going to roll."


    "Then how about this cocoon? Can I eat it?"


    "Hands off, you fucking bat. That''s mine."


    Thirteen red at Camazotz, who simplyughed out loud after being red at by the teenage boy who had just arrived in the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Evuvug was using its body to protect the egg from the Death Bat, who was at the very corner of the Fourth Layer of the Treasury.


    "Hey~ When are you going to return that armor you borrowed?" Camazotz asked. "The month-long agreement is just a few days away."


    "That''s the reason why I came here," Thirteen stated. "You can take it back."


    The teenage boy raised his hand, and an orb of light emerged from it.


    "Finally!" Camazotz happily wore the armor that made him nearly invincible. "So, how is it? Did it serve its purpose?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "The one whom I lent that armor to thought that using it was too cowardly, so he took it off before going all out against his enemy."


    "Haaa? What an idiot." Camazotz sneered. "He can practically fight unscathed with this armor, yet he still chose to risk his life without it? Whoever you lent the armor to must be a fool."


    "Perhaps," Thirteen neither agreed to nor denied the Death Bat''s words.


    Arthur had chosen to remove his armor in his fight against the King Manticore, which had been a great gamble. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Fortunately, he won in the end, so everything was well.


    But deep inside, Thirteen''s impression of Arthur improved a bit because of what he did.


    Those who pursued strength should not hide behind a cheat-like item. It would cause them to be rusty and too dependent on it.


    Arthur always faced challenges head-on. He wasn''t one to shy away from a battle to the death.


    The teenage boy then looked at the Brain Beetle, who was very overprotective of its egg, and asked it to step aside.


    Of course, Evuvug didn''t obey and even red at the boy.


    Thirteen clicked his tongue, then used his Trump Card.


    "Metatron, this bug is getting in my way," Thirteen said.


    The Guardian of the Order of the Apocalypse appeared beside Thirteen and nced at the Brain Beetle with an amused look on his face.


    "Are you going to step aside or not?" Metatron asked.


    The Brain Beetle''s body shuddered before reluctantly stepping aside and watching the human boy approach its egg.


    After spending several days in the Order of the Apocalypse, it had grown fearful of Metatron, whose very existence was enough to make it yield.


    The Bird Man, Zed, looked at this scene calmly while leaning against the wall of the treasury.


    Just like Thirteen had said, they were now possessions of Metatron, and the one who gets to decide whether they lived or died was him.


    After having died nearly dozens of times in an attempt to escape his eternal prison, the Bird Man finally gave up.


    His only hope was that Metatron would get bored of him and finally give him a quick, painless death.


    Thirteen touched the cocoon with his right hand and closed his eyes.


    He could feel the strong beating of the monster''s heart inside it, as well as the fear it radiated.


    Brain Beetles possessed powerful Psychic Powers.


    Even though this one was still inside its egg, it was already aware of its current situation. In fact, it only needed two more weeks before it broke out of its cocoon.


    However, it nned to stay inside for a longer time after deeming that the outside world was too scary for it.


    "I know you can hear me," Thirteen said as he opened his eyes to look at the cocoon in front of him. "I also know that you can understand me. So, I will give you a choice. Serve me, and I will let you live. Refuse, and I''ll roast you, then eat you. "However, since Metatron can revive you, I will repeat this process over and over again until you submit."


    Evuvug screeched angrily, unable to endure the teenage boy threatening to bully its child.


    However, that was the only thing it could do.


    Metatron had paralyzed its body, so it couldn''t move and do anything to protect its child.


    While the Zed and Evuvug belonged to Metatron, the egg belonged to Zion.


    Whatever he wanted to do with it was under his jurisdiction.


    "How about we strike a deal?" Thirteen asked the cocoon. "I''ll let you see the sun once a month, then you serve me loyally. How does that sound?"


    The cocoon shook, feeling helpless against the teenage boy who nned to use its powers for his own benefit.


    Metatron, on the other hand, only chuckled from the side, finding Thirteen''s way of taming the young Brain Beetle quite amusing.


    "I know that you will hatch in two weeks," Thirteen said. "It''s no use hiding this information from me. You can try to hide and stay inside your cocoon, but I can simply break it open. After that, I''ll make sure you understand who your new master is."


    The teenage boy thenughed like a third-rate viin, making the Brain Beetle inside the cocoon shudder.


    Camazotz found this funny, so heughed along with Thirteen. "You two are creepy when you''re together."


    The teenage boy and the Death Bat looked behind them and saw Kamrusepa enter the Fourth Layer of the Treasury.


    "Thirteen, you asked me toe, so here I am," Kamrusepa said. "Do you perhaps want to ask me for a favor?"


    "That''s right." Thirteen nodded.


    "It won''t be cheap."


    "I know. But you''re the only one that I can count on, Kamrusepa."


    "Hey! Hey! What are you two nning? Why am I not aware of this? We''re the Trinity of the Apocalypse, Right? Whatever you are doing, I want to join as well!"


    "It''s not that big of a deal, Camazotz," Thirteen stated. "I''m just going to ask Kamrusepa to allow me to choose something from the Sixth Layer of her treasury. She still hadn''t used up her quota for this year, so I want her to pick something good for me."


    "W-What?! That''s unfair!" Camazotz red at the Majin Princess. "A few days ago, when I asked you for a favor¡ªto let me pick something from your treasury, you rejected me! Howe you''re doing it for Thirteen?"


    "Why else?" Kamrusepa looked at the Death Bat with contempt. "Compared to you, Thirteen is more useful to me. I don''t mind giving him a favor. Besides, I already helped you get four Rank 9 Sovereigns as your subordinates. You even got that Artemian Armor when we divided our spoils. "I didn''t try to fight you for it. After all, you''re the weakest link in our Trinity. So can you stop being an extra baggage and start carrying your own weight?"


    "Huh?!" Camazotz, who had been called the weakest link in their alliance, walked toward the Majin Princess and looked down on her. "Who are you calling the weakest link? Can''t you see that this pipsqueak could die if I just flick him with my finger?"


    Kamrusepa chuckled. "This is exactly what I''m talking about. Thirteen is just an ant in your eyes, but when ites to value, his existence is greater than yours. If I had to choose only one ally between the two of you, I''d choose Thirteen anytime."


    The Death Bat and the Majin Princess red at each other for a few seconds until a light cough sounded beside them.


    "Kamrusepa, can we just ignore this weakling and go to the 6th Layer already?" Thirteen asked. "I still need to handle a few things in Pangea. I can''t stay here for long."


    "Of course," Kamrusepa replied. "Metatron, please take us to the 6th Layer."


    "Hey! I want to go there as well!" Camazotz dered.


    "You still don''t have the qualification to enter a higheryer," Metatron replied.


    "Then why are you allowing Thirteen?" Camazotz asked back. "This is discrimination!"


    "It is," Metatron nodded in agreement. "But what can you do about it?"


    The Death Bat blinked once then twice because he didn''t have aeback for Metatron''s question.


    In the end, the God of the Apocalypse pped his hands together, sending the teenage boy and the Majin Princess to the 6th Layer of the Treasury.


    Thirteen was hoping that the Majin Princess, as well as the other members of the Apocalypse, had overlooked an artifact like the Creation Sphere, which he acquired when he unlocked the Fourth Layer of the Treasury.

 Chapter 387 The 6th Layer Of The Treasury Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]

    387 The 6th Layer Of The Treasury Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]


    The Treasury of the Apocalypse had thirteenyers.


    Thestyer only contained one Divine Artifact, and that was none other than Pandora''s Box.


    It was an item that could unleash countless horrors to the world and bring about the end of it.


    The Order of the Apocalypse was formed to reach that goal.


    Just like how the Gods bring heroes to their worlds to deal with the Demon Lords, as well as all the other threats in their eyes, Metatron had also set up his own organization¡ªbut contrary to the other, the goal of their entire existence was to bring about the end of the world.


    The Sixth Layer was the halfway point of the Treasury, and among its members, only Kamrusepa had unlocked it.


    While she wasn''t the strongest among the members of the Order, she was the smartest and was someone who knew when to attack, when to hold back, and when to negotiate.


    Metatron treated her favorably because, just like him, Kamrusepa''s wish was for the destruction of the world.


    After arriving at the Sixth Layer, Thirteen immediately found himself at the center of what seemed to be a floating tform.


    And several meters outside of the tform, countless treasures and artifacts could be seen circling around it, waiting for someone to take them.


    "Well, then, Zion. What do you wish to get here?" Kamrusepa asked out of curiosity.


    "I want to see the first clear bonus items that Metatron presented to you when you first unlocked thisyer," Thirteen replied.


    "Oh? Those artifacts?" Kamrusepa smiled. "Interesting. Well, Metatron, you heard him. Bring out the things you offered me in the past."


    As if waiting for that moment, five items among the countless artifacts circling the floating tform flew toward the teenage boy''s direction and hovered a few meters away from him.


    "Sh*t¡­" Thirteen muttered as soon as he saw the items¡ªall of them were things familiar to him. As a System whose database spans countless multiverses, he was like a walking appraisal tool for any kind of items, including Divine-Ranked Items.


    And right now, he was looking at five Divine-Ranked Items he could use, bypassing the Item Ban forcefully imposed upon his body.


    The Divine Items in front of her were rather unique, but none of them struck her as important. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    She had only taken three items from the 6th Layer, and all of them were of the Divine Ranked.


    These items were the ones she used in the battle against the Arcadia Archipgo, which covered her weaknesses when it came tobat.


    As Kamrusepa looked at the items in front of her, she couldn''t help but wonder why the teenage boy was looking at them as if he wanted to take all of them home.


    "Remember, Thirteen¡ªyou can only take one of them," Metatronmented. "There will be no freebies."


    "I know that¡­" Thirteen replied with a conflicted expression on his face. All of the five artifacts could help him in many ways. Unfortunately, since he could only choose one of them, he needed to choose the thing that would help him the most in the short term.


    "Can I have two hours to decide which one I will pick?" Thirteen asked Kamrusepa.


    "Take your time," Kamrusepa replied. "But only on the condition that you will tell me why you chose that specific item. You are not allowed to lie. "I''m not like Camazotz who is naive and gullible. Either you be honest with me, or this deal is off. You understand, don''t you, Zion?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I treat you as a very important ally, Kamrusepa. Also, since our interests don''t conflict with each other, I don''t mind telling you the reason why I chose one of these items."


    "Good." Kamrusepa smiled and crossed her arms over her chest.


    She intended to wait until Thirteen chose the item she would get for him as a favor.


    The teenage boy then sat cross-legged on the ground, his critical gaze never leaving the five items in front of him.


    Just like Kamrusepa, Metatron was also curious about which Divine Artifact Thirteen would end up choosing once the two hours was up.


    Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours.


    Finally, after two hours of thinking, Thirteen sighed deeply before pointing at what seemed to be a tattered ck g without any insignia on it.


    Kamrusepa and Metatron both arched an eyebrow as they looked at the g that Thirteen had chosen.


    "The Parade of a Hundred Demons?" Kamrusepa giggled. "Oh, Thirteen¡ªare you sure about this?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded firmly. "I know that it has no value to you because you''re already strong and havemand over tens of thousands of monsters. But for someone like me, it''s priceless.


    Metatron scratched his head.


    "But Thirteen, this g can only recruit, and summon Rank 1 monsters," Metatron said. "Also, when those monsters die, they will die for good, and you''ll need to recruit again from scratch. "Even if it''s a hundred Rank 1 monsters, they will only serve as meat shields and cannon fodders at most. A Rank 7 and Rank 8 Monster can kill them in less than a minute."


    "Exactly what I need," Thirteen nodded. "I need meatshields and cannon fodders."


    Kamrusepa and Metatron looked pitifully at the teenage boy, whom they believed had chosen the most worthless Divine Artifact within the Sixth Layer of the Treasury.


    The Majin Princess hugged the boy and buried his face on her chest and patted his head.


    "There, there Thirteen, I''ll give you something else," Kamrusepa said. "This little toy isn''t something that suits you. Go look for something else."


    "You should do as Kamrusepa says, Thirteen," Metatron, who had high hopes for the boy, also tried to convince him to change his choice. "There are better items out there. Just like Kamrusepa, this is just a toy."


    Thirteen, whose head was buried in the Majin Princess'' chest, pulled back and tried to get away from her hold.


    "I don''t want to change my choice," Thirteen said as he looked at the two powerful beings who didn''t understand what kind of things he could do with the artifact that would allow him to store and summon a hundred Rank 1 Monster.


    "I choose the Parade of a Hundred Demons."


    The teenage boy''s words were firm, making Kamrusepa and Metatron nce at each other.


    The Guardian of the Treasury looked troubled, while the Majin Princess looked hesitant.


    "Okay, then tell me why you decided to choose this artifact," Kamrusepa stated. "If you can''t change my mind, then the deal is off."


    "Same," Metatron nodded. "Even if it''s you, Thirteen, I don''t want you to waste this precious opportunity to get an item that will truly be useful to you."


    Thirteen, who was still being hugged by Kamrusepa, sighed before exining the reason why he decided to choose the tattered g as the artifact he wanted to possess.


    The Majin Princess and the Guardian of the Treasury both listened to the teenage boy''s exnation.


    At first, the two of them looked uninterested, but soon, their gazes became serious as they looked at the boy in disbelief.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Do you still think it is useless to me now?" Thirteen asked as he held the Creation Sphere in his hands. "No," Kamrusepa replied with a faint smile on her face. "It seems that I shouldn''t really judge a book by its cover."


    "Indeed." Metatron nodded. "I forgot you have the Creation Sphere."


    Thirteen nned to use the Creation Sphere on the Divine Artifact, Parade of a Hundred Demons, in order to create a weapon that was once used by one of his previous Hosts who forced all the heroes of the world to hunt him down due to how serious a threat he was.

 Chapter 388 Immortal Parade Of A Hundred Demons Version 2!

    388 Immortal Parade Of A Hundred Demons Version 2!


    After telling Kamrusepa and Metatron what he nned to do with the ck g, the Guardian of the Order of the Apocalypse suddenly had an idea.


    "Thirteen, you still haven''t used one of your quotas for the treasury, have you?" Metatron asked. "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I only took two Capture Spheres, and decided to put myst choice on hold."


    "Perfect!" Metatron grinned. "I have a proposal, so feel free to hear me out. How about you exchange yourst opportunity for this artifact?"


    Metatron snapped his fingers, and a Gray Crystal Ball appeared in front of the teenage boy.


    The moment Thirteen saw the Artifact in front of him, his expression instantly turned serious.


    "What''s that?" Kamrusepa asked as she eyed the Crystal Ball with great curiosity. "Do you know what that is, Thirteen?"


    "I do," Thirteen replied, his voice a bit hoarse as if he forced himself to answer the Majin Princess''s question. "It''s called a Cloning Crystal¡ªas its name implies, it can perfectly clone a single item regardless of what it is. It''s worth fifteen million System Points."


    The Cloning Crystal was an overpowered Item that was also avable in the System Shop.


    "Fifteen million System Points?" Kamrusepa asked in confusion. "Don''t you mean Apocalypse Points?"


    Thirteen was no longer paying attention to Kamrusepa, busy thinking about the Cloning Crystal in front of him. This item opened countless possibilities for his growth.


    For example, if he were to clone Camazotz''s Artemian Armor, he would gain an overpowered armor, which he could lend to his father, Gerald, to annihte any assassins who would aim for his life.


    But Thirteen knew that Metatron wasn''t offering this Cloning Crystal for that purpose.


    He must''ve wanted the teenage boy to use it for something greater¡ªone that would surpass Camazotz''s armor, allowing Thirteen to gain enough power to protect himself despite all the restrictions imposed upon his body.


    "You want me to clone the Creation Sphere, don''t you?" Thirteen asked.


    "I like smart people," Metatron smirked. "Yes. I will give this Cloning Crystal to you on the condition that you will only use it to clone the Creation Sphere. Also, I will deduct another quota from you next year¡ªafter all, this Cloning Crystal is really precious. You''re fine with that, right?"


    22:23


    Metatron chuckled before snapping his fingers.


    The Cloning Crystal collided with Thirteen''s Creation Sphere, merging with itpletely.


    Soon, the Creation Sphere started to shake uncontrobly and flew upward.


    It stayed in the air for a full minute before splitting into two.


    These two copies then formed into perfect Creation Spheres, whichnded on the palms of Thirteen''s hands.


    "Can I merge it now with the Parade of a Hundred Demons?" Thirteen inquired, still reeling from Metatron''s unexpected generosity.


    "You may," Metatron replied. "Show us what you can do."


    Thirteen nodded and stored the second Creation Sphere inside his Dimensional Storage. He held the ck g on his right hand and the Creation Sphere on his left, then merged them together.


    A bright sh of light emerged from their point of contact, enveloping Thirteen in its brilliance.


    When the light receded, the teenage boy found himself floating in space, with countless binary numbers swirling around him.


    These numbers were the codes that made up the world, allowing him to modify the ck g that was still in his hand.


    Thirteen already knew what to do, so he closed his eyes and started the creation phase.


    The Creation Sphere could create nearly anything as long as its user had a perfect grasp of what he wanted to create.


    The ck g in his hand started to increase its size, and it fluttered wildly as if it wasing to life.


    He poured all the data needed to make the g transform into a more powerful version of itself,plete with the upgrades that Thirteen wanted it to have. His previous host had once wielded a ck g called the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons, which brought terror to the world where he lived.


    Because of this, a crusade was waged against him, uniting all the heroes of the world to bring him down.


    The battle had been fierce, with his Host killing nearly everyone but the Hero, who was fated to kill him.


    That was the reason why Thirteen had been able to instantly decide what to make using the power of his Creation Sphere right after he saw the Parade of a Hundred Demons. After the transformation finished, the ck g no longer looked tattered. It fluttered with a dark radiance, oozing dark shadowy mists from its edges. A momentter, the roman number XIII, written in bold golden letters, appeared at its center, shining like the sun.


    The Creation Sphere then gave Thirteen onest prompt, which would finalize the process of his creation. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    < You have created a Divine Artifact. >


    < Please, give it a name. > N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons," Thirteen answered. "Version 2!"


    < Congrattions! >


    < You have created the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons Version 2!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A genuine smile appeared on Thirteen''s face as he held the pole of the ck g that was over three meters tall, with its banner fluttering in the breeze.


    He felt as if he was holding an old friend whom he hadn''t seen for thousands of years.


    The symbolic symbol, XIII, signified that it had been modified by him and that it was stronger than its predecessor. A true Divine Artifact that would allow Thirteen to face off against stronger opponents, who were below the rank of a Throne and a Rank 7 Sovereign.


    But to make that possible, he still needed to first recruit a hundred demons that would serve as his main fighting force.


    Knowing that the first creature whom he would recruit in his banner was the most important, the teenage boy lightly patted Tiona''s head and asked her a question.


    "Tiona, do you want to stay by my side forever?" Thirteen asked.


    The ck snake nodded then moved her head to nudge Thirteen''s cheek as if telling him to not ask a question he already knew the answer to.


    The ck g then bathed Tiona in a brilliant light, dubbing her the Queen of the Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < The Queen of the Night Parade has been registered. >


    < Name which ability of the Queen would be copied into the Divine Artifact. >


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Kiss of Death," Thirteen replied.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < Kiss of Death has been added to the Divine Artifact''s abilities! >


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Domini Mortis was the most venomous snake in the world.


    This was why their venom was called the "Kiss of Death," which was also one of their most scary abilities.


    Anyone who had been injected with their venom would die in the end. They would die right away if they were weak, and slowly weaken until they finally perished if they were strong.


    There was originally no cure for their venom, which was why Lady Callista suffered for many years without any improvements.


    Fortunately, Thirteen had a deep understanding of the Domini Mortis thanks to his Soul Core, allowing him to formte an antidote. Not only did it cure his Grandmother from her illness, but it also allowed her to make the venom that almost killed her, her own power.


    And now, Tiona''s Venom was added to the ck g''s abilities.


    What made the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons horrifying was its ability to store a hundred different abilities.


    And all the monsters whom Thirteen would recruit to be part of the Demonic Army would each gain ny-nine more abilities.


    In the hands of the ignorant, this Godly Artifact would not be able to unleash its full power.


    But in Thirteen''s hands, this Godly Artifact would be overpowered¡ªhe would carefully handpick a hundred monsters, all of whom possessed uniqueplementing abilities.


    There were many monsters in Solterra whose growth was impeded or were imposed with limitations due to the strength of their potential, just like the Domini Mortis.


    Thirteen intended to add them to his collection, making his Hundred Demons a force to reckon with.


    But that wasn''t all.


    His modified version of this artifact allowed him to recruit not only Rank 1 Monsters.


    No.


    He could recruit a monster of any rank into his fold. The downside was that their Rank would regress to that of a Rank 1 Monster once they were registered as part of the Demon Parade.


    However, there was a tradeoff.


    Sure, their overall strength would decrease drastically after regressing to Rank 1 Monsters.


    However, they would gain an additional ny-nine unique abilities in exchange. Added to their own natural abilities, all the monsters under the banner would have over a hundred abilities.


    But that wasn''t all.


    As the name suggested, all of these Monsters would be immortal.


    Even if they were to die, the g would revive them again, allowing them to fight and die up to ten times a day¡ªany more than that, and they would have to wait for another day to fight again.


    Its power would be so broken once Thirteen was done gathering his hundred demons, whom he nned to handpick personally. They would be his immortal army, whose existence would make his enemies tremble in fear.


    Tiona, who had now be its Commander, suddenly became drowsy.


    She then crawled to Thirteen''s arm and transformed herself into a snake armlet so that she wouldn''t slip off her Master''s body.


    "Sleep well, Tiona," Thirteen said softly.


    The g then turned into a ck wisp and embedded itself on the back of Thirteen''s right hand.


    The symbol, XIII, briefly appeared on the back of Thirteen''s right hand before disappearingpletely.


    It was now soul-bound to him, and no one but him would be able to use it.

 Chapter 389 What Kind Of Juice Did You Make Those Three Drink

    389 What Kind Of Juice Did You Make Those Three Drink


    After creating his Divine Artifact, Thirteen returned to the real world with a smile on his face.


    Although the only monster currently registered on his banner was Tiona, he believed that he would be able to fill it up at a steady rate using the resources of the Leventis Family, the Central Government, and to a certain extent, the Dvalinn Federation.


    He would milk these factions for all their worth, allowing him to benefit from them greatly.


    ''Although some of the monsters are extremely rare like Tiona, I should still be able to fill up a quarter of my immortal army with everyone''s help,'' Thirteen thought before taking out a pen and writing the names of the monsters he wanted to add to his collection.


    After he was done, he looked at his list and then started to list out more monsters with unique abilities. He was cross-referencing which abilities would be more useful than the others, and before long, Thirteen had already written four hundred monster names, making him smile bitterly.


    An hourter, he had picked out the top 20 monsters out of the 400 he had listed, which he must obtain no matter what.


    The abilities of these 20 monsters would be the core abilities of his army, so he decided to look for his Grandfather and have him find these monsters for him.


    Of course, he didn''t n to only look for Arthur.


    He also nned to look for the Grand Marshal, the Field Marshal, and Renz Elrod.


    They would be the ones who would do the hard work for him, while he sat back and waited for his monsters to arrive.


    Arthur, who saw Thirteen''s list, looked at it carefully before frowning.


    "Do you want these monsters dead or alive?" Arthur asked.


    "Alive and kicking," Thirteen answered.


    "Okay," Arthur nodded before handing the note to Michael. "Deal with it."


    "Yes, Father," Michael replied.


    After talking to his family, he visited the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal.


    Unlike Arthur, they asked him what they were for.


    However, Thirteen only said that he would conduct an experiment that would help them secure their victory.


    Of course, that was a lie.


    With the forces they currently had, unless all the Rank 8 Monsters united, or one of the Rank 9 Sovereigns personally went to the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent, their expedition had a high chance of seeding.


    When Thirteen arrived at the Dvalinn Tower to look for Renz, he found Trevor Remington, Moris Smith, and Steven Lockwood chatting with the person he wanted to meet.


    "Is there anything you need, Zion?" Renz asked in a calm tone. "I thought you''d meet me tomorrow?"


    "Something came up," Thirteen replied. "I will need your help in procuring the monsters in this list."


    Renz took the list and checked the monsters that were written on it.


    "These monsters are quite hard to find," Renz answered. "But it''s not impossible. Is there a deadline for it?"


    "Two weeks," Thirteen answered. "I already asked my family and the Central Government for help. I will add you now to the group chat so you''ll be updated about which monsters are already found."


    Renz nodded in understanding and epted the invitation that appeared on hismunicator.


    "Need our help?" Trevor asked. "The more the merrier," Thirteen replied before passing the list to the Monarch of the Remington n.


    "Interesting choices," Trevormented. "What are these monsters for?"


    "They''re necessary for an experiment I n to do," Thirteen answered. "If we manage to get them before our counterattack starts, we will have a higher chance of taking the Northern Regions."


    "Very well. I''ll see what I can do." Trevor nodded before handing the list to the two Thrones seated beside him. After finishing his business, the teenage boy left the Dvalinn Tower to look for his subordinates, as well as the Valkyries, who were all training together.


    Right now, his 69th Battalion was having Flight Training with the Valkyries.


    They were being taught aerial maneuvers and battle formations that were useful in dogfights in the sky.


    Thirteen wanted his forces to be proficient on Land, Air, and Sea.


    Right now, they had already masterednd battles and were in the middle of their training for aerial battles.


    Perhaps after the Northern Regions had been retaken, he would start their training on how to fight at sea.


    ''I will need to find more resource mines to add to my army''s coffers,'' Thirteen thought bitterly. ''They would all need two Water Avatars each, which will certainly be expensive. I hope the Dvalinn Federation will give me a Commander Discount when I purchase them.''


    Thirteen understood that if he wanted to arm his subordinates to the teeth, he would need to spend money and resources to make it happen. Of course, he was willing to do that because the 69th Battalion was his main fighting force. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Because he was deep in thought, he failed to notice that someone had snuck up behind him. Before he knew it, someone had already covered his eyes from behind.


    Thirteen didn''t bother raising his guard, knowing that the Main Headquarters of the Dvalinn Federation was the safest ce for him in the world.


    They had already recognized him as their Supreme Commander, so they wouldn''t do anything to harm him. After all, his existence ensured the sess of their counterattack against the Jinns and Majins.


    "Shana?" Thirteen asked with his eyes covered.


    "How did you know?" Shana asked as she removed her hands from Thirteen''s face. "It''s because there are only a handful of people in this ce who have the guts to do what you did to me," Thirteen replied.


    "Oh?" Shana eyed the teenage boy, who had turned around to face her. "And who are those people?"


    "Vi, Sharon, and Louise," Thirteen replied.


    Hearing the names of the three Valkyries, Shana couldn''t help but shake her head helplessly.


    After returning from their fight against the Brain Beetle, the three Valkyries had be just like her older sister, Rianna, and said nothing but praises for Zion.


    "What kind of juice did you make those three drink to make them praise you to the high heavens?" Shana asked. "I swear, for a brief moment, I thought that my sister hade here, cloned herself, and wore a disguise to prank me."


    "They are just over-exaggerating just like your sister. Pay them no mind," Thirteen replied before shifting his gaze to the mock battle that was happening in the skies between the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries. Shana followed Thirteen''s gaze before tapping the teenage boy''s shoulder, which made thetter nce at her.


    "Thank you," Shana said.


    "For what?" Thirteen asked.


    "For letting the Valkyries smile again," Shana answered. "Because of your victory over the Brain Beetle, they have redeemed themselves in the eyes of the world, allowing them to once again raise their heads with pride. All of this would not have been possible without your help."


    "¡­"


    Thirteen looked at the Saintess of the Central Government, who was looking at him with a smile on her face.


    "Shana, there wille a time when you will face hardships in your life," Thirteen said. "When you are confronting an opponent that is stronger than you and your hero party, remember me. "If there is any way I can help, I will lend you my hand. However, every time I help you, you will owe me a favor."


    Thirteen raised a finger and smirked. "I already gave you a freebie by restoring the glory of the Valkyries. So next time, it will not be free, okay?"


    Shana was surprised by the teenage boy''s words, but after thinking about it, she decided that owing Zion a favor in exchange for his help wasn''t a bad idea.


    "Okay," Shana replied. "You have a deal."


    The youngdy then raised her hand for a handshake, which Thirteen epted with a smile.


    After shaking each other''s hands twice, the two once again looked at the battle in the sky.


    Both of them hoped that when this mock battle became a real battle over the skies of the Rigel Continent, their forces would have the upper hand, allowing the majority of the Wanderers and those who were acting as support forces, to return safely to the side of their loved ones.


    ''After my meeting with Renz tomorrow, I will return to Evuvug''sir,'' Thirteen thought. ''I need to find that Cursed Artifact before the battles start in full swing.''


    He had interrogated the Brain Beetle, and thetter confirmed that it had seen a metallic chest hidden near itsir.


    The Brain Beetle had the chest brought to the treasury, where it stored its spoils of war for disy.


    Thirteen hoped that the beetles didn''t ransack Evuvug''s Treasury after their Master had disappeared.


    Because if they did, the teenage boy might be facing a threat that was no less dangerous than fighting against the Brain Beetle in its peak state before it gave birth to its egg.

 Chapter 390 I Have No Need For Worthless Things! [Part 1]

    390 I Have No Need For Worthless Things! [Part 1]


    The atmosphere in the room was anything but calm as the High-Ranking Officers of the Dvalinn Federation and the Central Government, as well as the Leaders of the Aldebaran Continent, convened at the Dvalinn Tower.


    Today was the first official strategy meeting that would discuss how the Wanderers would liberate the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent. Even the other Factions were paying close attention to the oue of this meeting.


    Standing at the center of it all was a thirteen-year-old boy. He looked rather calm, even feeding his Domini Mortis with his own brand of Monster Food, Leventis Corn.


    The Aides of the Monarchs and Thrones in the room didn''t know whether they should be impressed or annoyed at Zion''s easy-going attitude, especially in front of people who could kill him with a flick of their fingers.


    Only after Tiona hissed and told her Master that she was already full did Thirteen stop feeding her and shift his attention to the people who were all staring in his direction.


    Visibly unbothered by the intensity of their stares, the teenage boy lightly tapped his Communicator. With that, a projection of the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent appeared behind him.


    "In order to establish a solid foothold in the North, we must aplish three things," Thirteen stated. "The first one is to kill the Centipede King and its subordinates. "They are capable of digging underground, so they could attack us from beneath our feet. Taking them out is of the utmost importance, and it should be our top priority."


    Wendell raised his hand to interrupt Thirteen''s exnation, making the teenage boy make a gesture for him to speak his mind.


    "Should we gather Wanderers who specialize in digging tunnels in order to reach theirir?" Wendell asked.


    As the Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation, he could easily mobilize an elite team of people who would be able to do the job for them.


    "That''s not a bad idea," Thirteen replied. "Having a specialized unit that could do that would be extremely helpful. We will save them as our n B if n A doesn''t work. "As for our n A, we will force the Centipede King and its subordinates to emerge from the ground. Once they''re out, we will hit them hard with everything we got. I know all of you are wondering how we will do that, but the answer is really simple."


    A projection of what seemed to be a loudspeaker appeared in front of everyone.


    "We will use sound waves to force them out," Thirteen stated. "The Centipede''s Antennas have a strong sense of touch and smell, so if we st them with strong vibrations, they would have no choice but to emerge from the ground."


    "But what if they don''t take the bait?" Renz asked. "What do we do then?"


    "That will actually be better for us," Thirteen replied. "If they don''t make a move, we will just massacre the monsters that belong to the Manticore King Army. Also, you don''t have to worry about the Manticore King leading the fight."


    "And, why is that?" Renz asked again. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Because it''s already dead," Thirteen answered. A moment of silence descended upon the room before the teenage boy tapped hismunicator.


    There, it showed the Manticore King''s corpse with Lawrence standing beside it.


    "You killed the Manticore King?" Wendell looked at the Grand Marshal of the Central Government in shock.


    "Why do you look so surprised?" Lawrence arched an eyebrow. "Is it a problem that I killed it?"


    Wendell shook his head. "Of course not. But when did this happen? Why didn''t you tell us?"


    Lawrence shrugged. "Zion told me to kill it, so I did. Heid out a strategy that let me kill it without getting mobbed by its subordinates, and it worked. "The reason why I didn''t tell you is because the Manticore King''s death wouldn''t matter if the Brain Beetle is alive¡ªwe will not be able to take back the North with it around. Zion didn''t want me to give you guys false hope, so I kept mum about it."


    "Wait¡­ are you saying that you killed the Manticore King before the expedition against the Brain Beetle?" Dous Griffin, who had joined the conference through a projection, couldn''t help but ask.


    "You''re right," Lawrence answered. "On the same night Zion and Renz started theirpetition, we sneaked into the Manticore King''sir and killed it."


    Marion, who was also inside the room representing the Valkyries, couldn''t help but look at the Grand Marshal with shock. This news was simply too big to ignore.


    If what Lawrence said was true, then it meant that Thirteen had already won their bet mere hours after his confrontation with Renz Elrod.


    Lawrence had a faint smile on his face, but deep inside, he was sighing in his heart.


    Of course, he wasn''t the one who killed the Manticore King.


    It was Arthur who did it, but Zion insisted that they present its death in this manner.


    That way, everyone would think that the "strongest" among the Monarchs was as strong as ever.


    Renz''s expression remained calm, but his heart was beating wildly inside his chest.


    The Manticore King was a very powerful monster¡ªeven more so than the Bird Man whom they had fought repeatedly.


    14:05


    The only advantage that the Bird Man had over the Manticore King was its speed.


    The Manticore King specialized in brute strength, which could easily turn a Champion into meat paste once it started to get serious.


    Everyone knew that Lawrence was strong, so it wasn''t that hard to ept that he was the one who killed the Manticore King.


    It also made the Monarchs realize that despite their Ranks being the same, the Head of the Central Government was the most superior among them.


    "So you have won the bet just a few hours after we agreed to it." Renz chuckled. "You made that bet with me because you knew that you would win, didn''t you?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "But like I said, killing the Manticore King will not guarantee us victory. Only when the Brain Beetle is defeated can we truly move our forces to the North."


    The people in the room nodded their heads in agreement. A momentter, Wendell posed another question.


    "You said that we need to do three things in order to secure our foothold to the North," Wendell said. "What are the other two?"


    "Right¡ªwe strayed off the topic for a bit," Thirteen scratched his head. "The second thing we must deal with is the possibility of other Kings joining in the defense of the Northern Regions.


    "With the Manticore King dead, it''s highly possible that one of its fellow Kings already subjugated its subordinates and annexed its territory. It could be the Centipede King, or it could be the other Kings that border each other''s territory.


    "So I want everyone to fight thinking that we might be dealing with more than two or three Kings at once. Fortunately, we have three Monarchs and several Thrones who could deal with these powerhouses. "As long as they can prevent the Kings from joining the battle, we will be able to annihte the small fries without worries.


    "Last but not the least, we must ensure that none of the three Rank 9 Earth Dragons will make their way to the North. "Even if just one of them were toe, everyone would be sted into meat paste when they make their move."


    Trevor Remington cleared his throat and asked the question that everyone was thinking at that moment.


    "So how can we prevent that from happening?" Trevor asked. "Leave that task to me," Thirteen answered. "As long as you do your tasks properly, I will promise you that none of the Rank 9 Sovereigns will leave the center of the continent."


    Thirteen already had a n in mind as to how they would deal with the Earth Dragons.


    Although the chances of seeding were fifty-fifty, the chance was there, so all he needed to do was give it a go and see if the Rank 9 Sovereigns would take a bite of the bait that he nned to throw at them.


    High-Ranking Jinns and Majins were incredibly smart monsters. Thirteen believed that as long as he could reach apromise with them, they would not head to the North and ruin the foundations that he was painstakingly building from scratch.

 Chapter 391 I Have No Need For Worthless Things! [Part 2]

    391 I Have No Need For Worthless Things! [Part 2]


    The meeting continued, and Thirteen raised points of importance, which the people within the conference took seriously.


    Even Renz, who was known as a great strategist, felt as if he suddenly gained enlightenment from the strategies the thirteen-year-old presented.


    "I''m not going to lie," Thirteen said. "This battle is going to be bloody, and many will die. However, all of you can treat this as preparation for the uing invasion of the Cygni Continent.


    "Let''s face it¡ªthe Thrones and Monarchs might be able to deal with Rank 7 Sovereigns when they start pouring out of the gate, but the moment Rank 8 and Rank 9 Monsters appear, everyone would start retreating.


    "There is nothing wrong with preserving your own life. After all, no one wants to die. However, if everyone retreats, Cygni will fall. Once that happens, we can only hope and pray that before the same fate befalls the Sirius and Aldebaran Continents, the Monarchs would break through to the next Rank."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, the expressions of the Monarchs, who were listening to his exnation, turned solemn.


    "Is there really a realm above a Monarch?" one of the Aides of the Remington n asked.


    "There is," Thirteen replied. "And it''s called¡­ Saint."


    The teenage boy then scanned the faces of everyone in the room.


    "I''m not talking about the Saintess, who is part of the Hero Party," Thirteen replied. "I am talking about the next Rank after Monarch¡ªit''s called Saint. After Saint, you have Supreme. Last but not the least, you will have¡­ Celestial."


    "How did you even know this?" one of the Elders of the Riggs Family asked. "Are you just making these names up?" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thirteen shook his head before taking out a book from his Storage Ring.


    "This is one of the books I got from the Artemians," Thirteen stated before he flipped its pages and stopped at the page he was looking for. He then used hismunicator to trante the words into the Universal Language and projected it in front of everyone.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Mortal Rankings >


    Rookie


    Adept


    Apostle


    Initiate


    Master


    Grandmaster


    Champion Throne


    Monarch


    Saint


    Supreme


    Celestial / Fiend


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Monster Rankings >


    Rank 1


    Rank 2


    Rank 3


    Rank 4


    Rank 5


    Rank 6


    Rank 7


    Rank 8


    Rank 9


    Prince / Archon


    King


    Colossi


    Fiend / Celestial


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "As you can see, the Ranking doesn''t stop at the Monarch Rank," Thirteen exined. "Of course, you can choose to turn a blind eye to this ranking and pretend that the Monarch Rank is the highest Rank a mortal can achieve.


    "However, if that is really the case, wouldn''t that mean that the Jinns and Majins are guaranteed to rule this world due to the gap in power? If that''s the case, all the Wanderers should migrate to Solterra and leave Pangea to its fate."


    Once again, the teenage boy scanned the faces of everyone in the conference room and shook his head helplessly.


    "I''m sure that some of you have already prepared for that possibility and are already expanding your domain in Solterra as a backup n," Thirteen added. "Of course, there is nothing wrong with that. Preserving the human race is a valid priority, and migrating to Solterra is one of the methods to do it.


    "Perhaps, a day wille when someone will be able to surpass the Rank of Monarch and lead the Wanderers to a new era. Maybe by then, we will be able to return to Pangea and reim ournds."


    The people in the conference room looked hopeful as they gazed at the teenager, who had a faint smile on his face.


    "But I had a talk with the Lace Demon and The One when they stripped me of my ability to raise my Rank," Thirteen stated. "They said that the moment Pangea falls, all the Wanderers would have the same Fate as me. "They made me an example so that all of you will be able to see the future that awaits you. When thest Continent of this world falls into the hands of the Jinns and Majins, you and I will be the same.


    "So take a good look at me. This is the fate of the human race. Even if everyone were to migrate to Solterra, everyone would soon lose power. When that happens, we will be the ves of the Kings and Queens who are native to thatnd.


    "We will have to bow our heads and serve these new masters because we have lost our value to The One. I still remember the words that The One had told me before I was sent Back here in Pangea. It was¡­


    "I gave the Wanderers powers so that they can protect their world. The moment they lose it is the same day they will lose their right to be a Wanderer. Tell them this, Zion Leventis¡ªI have no need for worthless things."


    ***


    Somewhere in the Celestial Realm¡­


    The One, who was watching Thirteen from the Celestial Realm, couldn''t help but scoff. "What kind of weed is this brat smoking?" The One asked. "I never said such a thing!"


    "Of course, you didn''t," the Lace Demon replied. "But we can use this."


    "Use this? What do you mean?"


    "If we make it so that the Wanderers will really lose their powers if Pangea falls, wouldn''t they put more effort into protecting it like their lives depended on it?"


    The One pondered for a bit before agreeing with the Demon.


    Truth be told, the moment Pangea fell, it would lose a big chunk of its Divinity because it was one of the worlds that were under its jurisdiction.


    In a way, Thirteen''s words were not entirely wrong. If the Wanderers couldn''t use the power The One bestowed upon them to protect their world, then what was the point of letting them keep that power?


    "I also think that those Monarchs and Thrones no longer wish to stay in Pangea and were nning to migrate to Solterra," Lace Demon said. "So making them lose their powers as punishment is only fair in my eyes."


    "Like Father, like Son," The One asked in a grumbling tone. "I feel like I''m being dragged by them in their schemes."


    The Lace Demon nodded in agreement because it felt the same way.


    "Even so, it''s a good suggestion¡ªif I have to say so myself," the Lace Demonmented. "This way, they will be forced to fight whether they like it or not."


    "Well, then. Should we make it official?" The One asked.


    "Yes," the Lace Demon replied. "Make it so that all the Wanderers in both worlds know what is at stake."


    After making up its mind, The One immediately made an announcement that rang far and wide.


    Thirteen, who was about to say more, quieted down because a voice filled with power and divinity spoke inside of the heads of all Wanderers, making their eyes widen in shock. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "The moment Pangea falls is the moment that all Wanderers will lose their powers! This will be your punishment for not rising to the challenge. I have no need for worthless things!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    When the announcement ended, everyone''s gazended on the thirteen-year-old, who spoke the same words a minute ago.


    Thirteen remained calm on the surface, but deep inside, he wasughing evilly in his heart.


    He didn''t expect that The One would really make his threat a reality.


    However, that announcement made all the Wanderers, especially the Monarchs who were building their Kingdoms in Solterra, frown.


    With the threat of losing their powers if their world fell into the hands of the Jinns and Majins, they now knew that they needed to put more effort into defending their world or suffer for failing itpletely.

 Chapter 392 A Scheme Within A Scheme [Part 1]

    392 A Scheme Within A Scheme [Part 1]


    "The moment Pangea falls is the moment that all Wanderers will lose their powers! This will be your punishment for not rising to the challenge!"


    This deration sent a ripple to the worlds of Solterra and Pangea, and all the Wanderers heard the voice of the omnipotent being that governed them all.


    Most of the Wanderers in the world were doing their best to protect their homeworld from the invaders.


    However, those at the top, with the exception of a select few, were only putting in a half-hearted effort. There was no doubt that they also nned to do the same at the Cygni Continent.


    They would wreak havoc against the Jinns and Majins who were Rank 7 and below, but y it safe against the Rank 8 Sovereigns who would usually appear before the Rank 9 Monsters arrive from the Dimensional Gate.


    These people, of course, were none other than the Thrones and Monarchs of Pangea.


    Only a select few among them, like Arthur, Lawrence, and Tristan, were genuinely fighting to protect their world from the Jinn invasion.


    But the ultimatum of The One made them realize that their ns of expansion in the world of Solterra would alle to naught if their home world was taken over by the Jinns and Majins.


    They were only able to keep their Kingdoms and Major cities because they had the power to protect them.


    But the moment they lost their powers, their neighbors would not hesitate tounch an expedition to take over their territories.


    Thirteen, who was the root of it all, stood at the center of the conference room of the Dvalinn Federation and gave everyone the "See? I told you so" stare, which almost made everyone''s faces turn pale.


    The teenage boy knew that it was the perfect time to strike, now that the iron was still hot. "The One will not ept or tolerate failure," Thirteen said firmly. "He gave us powers for a reason, and he will not hesitate to take them back if he finds us unworthy of it. "Like I said earlier, whatever restrictions I have right now will be the same ones you will have if Pangea falls. So, you guys better put more effort into this counterattack and show The One that you guys are doing what he wanted you to do."


    Thirteen smiled faintly before tapping hismunicator, reverting the projection to its previous state, showing the map of the Rigel Continent.


    "Our operation will start in three weeks," Thirteen stated as he looked at Trevor Remington, Morris Smith, and Steven Lockwood. "I hope by that time, the forces from Aldebaran would have their Naval Fleet and Elite Warriors at the ready."


    The Leaders of the Aldebaran Continent nodded their heads in understanding.


    Three weeks was enough for their forces to travel to the Rigel Continent and help with the Liberation Mission that Zion Leventis would be spearheading.


    Thirteen then continued to exin the things that they needed in order to guarantee their sess, specifying even the logistics and the position each army would take during the battle.


    Lawrence was tempted to bring the rest of the Hero Party to the Rigel Continent, but he decided to not do it in the end.


    Right now, the Lower-Tiered Gates were about to open in the Cygni Continent, and the Hero Party was needed there to raise morale.


    As such, he would have to make do with the current forces they had there, which Thirteen confirmed was already enough to reim the Bird Man''s territory.


    After their discussion ended, Thirteen said that he and the Leventis Family fleet would scout the Southeast Regions of the Rigel Continent to scout the movements of the Earth Dragons, as well as the other Kings. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, that was just an excuse.


    His real goal was to return to Evuvug''sir to find the Cursed Artifact his host had hidden in that area.


    He had asked Evuvug about it, and thetter mentioned that it did find a strange chest when it was digging underground.


    However, since it was about to give birth, it asked its subordinates to store it inside its treasury.


    The ideal scenario was that the chest remained intact after Evuvug''s disappearance.


    The worst-case scenario was that one of the bugs or maybe other monsters had broken the chest by force, which would have freed the Cursed Artifact inside of it.


    Once a cursed artifacttched itself to a creature, it would remain with that creature until it died.


    Since Evuvug was already gone, Thirteen decided to go on an expedition with the Leventis Family.


    Of course, the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries would alsoe with him because he wanted them to use this opportunity to train and polish their teamwork.


    Even if any of the people inside the conference room were suspicious of his sudden n to return to Evuvug''s Lair, none of them said anything to stop him.


    They had recognized that Zion would be the one calling the shots for this operation, so if he wanted to go to the Southeast of the Rigel Continent for a scouting mission, none of the people present would stop him.


    Some even wanted to apany him, but the teenage boy put his foot down and firmly said no.


    Not wanting to offend the person who strategized the downfall of the Manticore King and the Brain Beetle, everyone stayed their hand and let him do whatever he wanted.


    They were still reeling from the announcement of The One, and because of this, they decided that it would be best to hold a separate meeting.


    This time, all the Thrones and Monarchs would be involved in it.


    Thirteen didn''t care about their meeting. Even without attending, he already had an idea about what they would be discussing there.


    Also, since his Grandfather, Arthur, would be participating in the meeting, he could just ask the old man about what they discussed at ater time.


    Right now, his priority was the cursed artifact.


    But just as Thirteen was about to leave the conference room, Wendell called out to him and gave him some good news.


    "We have acquired four of the twenty monsters you have asked us to find," Wendell said, making Thirteen look at him in surprise.


    It had only been a few days since he had given his list to everyone, and four of the monsters were already caught.


    "Dous Griffin had sent two of those monsters to my caretaker in Solterra," Wendell exined. "They lived around his territory, you see, so it was much easier for him to acquire them than me."


    The Monarch then nced at his brother with a smile.


    "Renz, why don''t you apany Zion to the bestiary?"


    "Understood."


    Renz then made a gesture for the teenage boy to follow him.


    Thirteen didn''t need to be told twice, so he followed the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation without even bothering to take a second nce at the people who were looking at his small back with conflicted looks on their faces.


    If their future was to be as weak as the teenage boy, then no matter where they go, whether it be Solterra or Pangea, they would be at the bottom of the hierarchy.


    Once they lost their powers, they would no longer have the power to contend with their neighbors, which would also put an end to their lofty ambitions.


    Only one chapter today. Will post three chapters tomorrow.

 Chapter 393 A Scheme Within A Scheme [Part 2]

    393 A Scheme Within A Scheme [Part 2]


    When Thirteen and Renz arrived at the Bestiary, the caretaker immediately led them to the ce where the monstersbeled as "Extremely Important" were kept.


    Of course, the caretaker found this amusing. In his point of view, there was nothing special about the monsters being kept at the Vault of the Bestiary, where the most important monsters were kept for breeding or safekeeping.


    "These are the monsters that were entrusted to me, Lord Renz." The caretaker first bowed respectfully at the second-inmand of the Elrod n, then to the teenage boy beside him.


    "You may leave," Renz ordered. "Close the door behind us, and make sure not to let anyone in. If you break my order, you will be reced immediately. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Y-Yes sir!" The Caretaker immediately stood in attention before leaving in a rush as if his pants were on fire. Thirteen gave Renz a sidelong nce before walking toward the three monsters who were inside a transparent prison cell that prevented them from escaping.


    The first monster he saw was none other than the Mirror Slime.


    The Mirror Slime in the cage was a Rank 2 Monster.


    Thirteen especially asked for a Rank 2 Monster because Rank 1 Mirror Slimes didn''t have the Mirror Ability, which they would only gain after they had increased their Rank by one.


    Since his version of the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons didn''t have any requirement about the monster''s rank, he simply chose the monster whose abilities would be useful to him.


    Just as the name indicated, the Mirror Slime had the ability to make a copy of itself. This copy would be weaker than the main body by 50%, but it was still an annoying ability, especially when the Mirror Slime reached higher levels.


    The Copy, which was sometimes called the Mirror Copy, would do exactly what the original body does.


    So if the Mirror Slime were to unleash an acid spray, the Mirror Copy would do the same simultaneously.


    If the Main Body were to tackle its target, the Mirror Copy would do the same, and both would hit their targets at the same time.


    Perhaps because of this ability, the Maximum Rank a Mirror Slime could reach was a Rank 5 Alpha Monster.


    They were Rare Monsters, but as long as they lived in an environment where slimes were born, a Mirror Slime would appear in one out of a thousand Slime Eggs.


    Thirteen could only ce a hundred monsters inside his ck g, so having the Mirror Slime''s Mirror ability would instantly double that number without too much effort.


    "You said that these monsters are going to be used for an experiment, right?" Renz inquired. "I''m curious. What kind of experiment are you nning to do, Zion?"


    "An experiment that will allow me to ovee my current limitations," Thirteen replied with a smile. "Although I will be a Rookie for life, that doesn''t mean that I couldn''t find other ways to be stronger."


    "Oh? So you mean these monsters will help you break your limitations?" Renz asked with genuine curiosity. "No, they won''t," Thirteen answered. "But, it will certainly make things more interesting for me."


    "So, in short, you''re using our resources for your own personal gain?"


    "Something like that."


    "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll tell the others about this?" Renz inquired. "Of course not," Thirteen replied. "Even if you tell them, what can they do? Stop me?"


    Thirteen smirked before giving the strategist a sidelong nce.


    "You''re a smart person, Renz Elrod," Thirteen stated before looking at the next monster beside the Mirror Slime. "So I believe you already know that I don''t really need the Dvalinn Federation. It''s you guys who need me."


    Renz smiled faintly but didn''t say anything to refute Zion''s words. After all, given the achievements of the teenage boy, it would be foolish to say that they didn''t need him.


    "So you''re showing your true colors to me, but are you sure you want to do that?" Renz smirked. "The two of us only met each other for a short time, and we had a rather bad start. If I were in your shoes, I would never do such a thing¡ªespecially since I cannot trust youpletely."


    "That''s fine, Renz Elrod." Thirteen nodded as he rubbed his chin while looking at the Rank 3 Monster Karma Chameleon in front of him. "I trust you more than your brother. I trust you more than the Monarchs. And I trust you more than the Thrones. Tell me¡ªaside from me, is there any other strategist who has gained your recognition?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "This question is so random," Renz arched an eyebrow. "Why are you asking me this question?"


    "Just humor me," Thirteen replied. "Who is the strategist that you think would definitely y a role in the invasion of the Cygni Continent?"


    Renz pursed his lips and pondered if he should answer Zion''s question.


    But seeing that the teenage boy was now looking at the third monster, which was known as the Purple Plumed Cockatrice, he thought that answering his question wouldn''t be that of a big deal.


    "The Sage of the Hero Party," Renz answered. "Although I don''t want to admit it, that person is a very promising individual as well."


    ''I see, so that''s the person who is fated to defeat Renz,'' Thirteen thought before nodding his head. "I see. I thought you weren''t going to answer, but since you did, it means that you and I can share some secrets between us."


    Renz frowned. "Share some secrets between us? You don''t strike me as a foolish gullible person. Are you perhaps trying to purposely mess with me?"


    "Renz, you''re too smart for your own good," Thirteenmented. "Because of that, you tend to overthink. Didn''t your brother send you here to watch over me and find out why I specifically asked for these monsters?


    "Since I already know the reason, I decided to just tell you. After all, even if you knew, things wouldn''t change. You can tell your brother what I told you earlier if you want. Anyway, even if he''s suspicious about my true motive, he would still collect these monsters for me as a way to get on my good side."


    Thirteen then walked to the fourth cage where the final monster was located.


    "Right now, the Dvalinn Federation needs me, and until the Northern Regions are liberated, your brother will do what I tell him to do. Isn''t that the same for you?"


    The teenage boy then shifted his gaze to the man who held just as much importance to the Dvalinn Federation as their Monarch.


    "Hey, Renz~" Thirteen gave the strategist a devilish grin. "Isn''t it fun to treat Monarchs and Thrones as pawns? Isn''t that the reason why you became a strategist? You might not be as strong as your brother, but your ability as a strategist has given you the status and influence that let you stand on the same peak as them."


    Thirteen''s voice was like that of a devil, telling Renz the things he had been keeping hidden at the deepest part of his heart.


    "You''ve worked hard for many years to gain recognition, yet in just the span of a day, my importance superseded all of your aplishments.


    "With a word from my lips, the Monarchs will move. With a wave of my hand, the Thrones will obey. And with a whisper, entire armies would mobilize. This is power, Renz. This is the thing you''ve been seeking your entire life. So, why don''t we strike a deal?"


    Thirteen walked toward the man who was taller than him and looked up at him.


    However, even though it was the teenager raising his head to look at him, Renz subconsciously felt that he was being looked down on.


    "Renz Elrod, would you like to have the power that I possess right now?" Thirteen asked as he raised his hand for a handshake. "If you take my hand, I promise that I will let you borrow my influence and help you realize your deepest, darkest desires. "What the world needs right now arepetent people. Those who do have power but are ipetent only serve as chess pieces in a game of chess. What I want is for you to be mine, Renz.


    "Your loyalty, your devotion, your everything. Give it to me, and I shall free you¡ªa frog from the well, and let you y on a bigger ying field that will allow you to experience what it''s like to stand at the top of the world."


    Renz subconsciously gulped as he stared at Thirteen''s bright green eyes that seemed to contain all the knowledge of the world.


    However, instead of shaking the boy''s hand, the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation walked away with shaky steps.


    "I will not fall into your schemes, Zion Leventis," Renz said as he walked towards the exit of the bestiary. "Do you think I don''t know that you will just treat me as one of your chess pieces? Not a chance, kid. Talk back to me when you''re no longer wet behind your ears."


    Thirteen watched as the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation finally disappeared.


    "You will not fall into my schemes?" Thirteen said with amusement. "But you will, Renz. In fact, you are already part of it."


    Renz didn''t know that the teenage boy was someone who specialized inying out schemes within a scheme.


    The type of scheme that would fool one into thinking that they could still get away from it because they had discovered it early.


    Unfortunately for them, they were already moving ording to the other scheme that the boy had orchestrated, making them fall deeper into the quagmire that the System of Cannon Fodders had prepared the moment he stepped foot in the Dvalinn Federation.

 Chapter 394 Tiona’s New Subordinates.

    Chapter 394 Tiona¡¯s New Subordinates.


    Thirteen hummed happily as the monsters he had asked for were being loaded into the Aircraft Carrier of the Leventis Family.


    He wasn''t so stupid as to do anything inside the Bestiary of the Elrod n. Without a doubt, there were certainly hidden cameras around, monitoring his movements.


    Only after they were far out into the sea would he begin his experiment.


    "Are you excited, Tiona?" Thirteen asked as he lightly tickled the ck Snake''s chin. "You will soon have subordinates working under you."


    Tiona nodded her head because she was also looking forward to acquiring new abilities through the Divine Artifact, which would allow her to be more powerful.


    "Young Master, the loading of the cargo has beenpleted," Hanz reported. "We can set sail anytime."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded before shifting his gaze toward Cristopher, Colbert, and Vi, who were standing beside him. "Inform everyone that we will be leaving in two hours. Make sure that they are back on the ship by then."


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    Two hourster, the Leventis Fleet, as well as the Battleships of the Valkyries, left the Headquarters of the Dvalinn Federation.


    Their destination was none other than the Southeastern Regions of the Rigel Continent.


    Since Thirteen had asked to speed up the travel time, they would reach their destination after a day had passed.


    So for the time being, he went to the restricted section of the Aircraft Carrier to conduct his experiment. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thirteen didn''t take any chances and summoned Giga Chad and cky to act as his bodyguards.


    Although the monsters that were captured were currently drugged, and thus, unable to muster any strength, he still didn''t let his guard down and proceeded with caution.


    "Let''s begin." Thirteen raised his hand, and a ck pole materialized in his hand.


    The pole extended for three meters, and then a ck g appeared, fluttering even without a breeze.


    The symbol XIII glowed faintly as if answering its Master''s call.


    "Absorb it," Thirteen ordered and the symbol bathed the Mirror Slime with a golden radiance. The Mirror Slime resisted, its body shaking from left to right. However, it was too weak to do anything.


    A few secondster, it turned into particles of light and flew toward the center of the g, making Thirteen smile faintly.


    Suddenly, rows of text appeared in front of him, asking him for confirmation.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < The Monster, Mirror Slime, has been sessfully added to the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons Version 2! >


    < Name which ability of the Mirror Slime should be copied into the Divine Artifact. >


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mirror," Thirteen replied.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < Mirror has been added to the Divine Artifact''s abilities! >


    ¡ª¡ª


    "You''re next," Thirteen pointed at the Karma Chameleon, which had the camouge ability.


    Among the monsters who had the camouge ability, the Karma Chameleon was the stealthiest of them all.


    Karma Chameleons could grow up to two meters long, and the maximum rank they could reach was a Rank 3 Monster.


    It was a menace in the jungles of Solterra. If not for the fact that it couldn''t go past its Rank limitation, it would have been one of the strongest monsters in the world, even with its camouge alone that couldpletely erase its presence, scent, as well as life force.


    Its perfect camouge could only be activated for a maximum of two hours every day, but it made it practically invisible to the naked eye even if it was moving. Whenever the Karma Chameleon wasn''t using this ability, it would revert to its simple camouge¡ªthis allowed it to blend with its surroundings, though no longerpletely invisible.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < The Monster, Karma Chameleon, has been sessfully added to the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons Version 2! >


    < Name which ability of the Karma Chameleon should be copied into the Divine Artifact. >


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Perfect Camouge" Thirteen replied.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < Perfect Camouge has been added to the Divine Artifact''s abilities! >


    ¡ª¡ª


    Without saying another word, Thirteen pointed at the third monster, and the ck g bathed it in a golden light.


    But this petrification breath was special.


    The Purple Plumed Cockatrice, whose beak was sealed shut by a metallic mp, was also unable to resist the power of the Divine Artifact and was soon sucked into its body.


    The Purple Plumed Cockatrice could unleash a Petrification Breath that had a very high chance of turning whatever it hit into stone.


    But this petrification breath was special.


    Although its target would turn into stone, that wasn''t actually the truth about this ability.


    The Purple Plumed Cockatrice''s Breath Attack was meant to capture things alive. It would create a near-unbreakable stone statue of its target, which would remain active for up to two hours.


    This Breath Attack only worked for monsters that were at most a Rank higher than the Purple Plumed Cockatrice.


    Now that it was reverted down to a Rank 1 Monster, its Breath Attack would only be effective against Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters.


    Many might think that it was an underwhelming ability, but Thirteen didn''t do things without a reason. Since he added the Cocktraice within his Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons, its ability would certainly have its uses.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < The Purple Plumed Cockatrice, has been sessfully added to the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons Version 2! >


    This monster was something he truly wanted. When Tiona gained the ability to acquire skills through eating Monster Cores and Monster parts, one of the Cores he had fed her belonged to this Monster.


    < Name which ability of the Purple Plumed Cockatrice should be copied into the Divine Artifact. >


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Petrification Breath," Thirteen replied.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < Petrification Breath has been added to the Divine Artifact''s abilities! >


    ¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen smiled faintly before looking at the final monster in his collection.


    This monster was something he truly wanted. When Tiona gained the ability to acquire skills through eating Monster Cores and Monster parts, one of the Cores he had fed her belonged to this Monster.


    And this monster was none other than a Dketnon.


    It was simr to a Dryad but only favored living on corrupted trees that were changed by miasma. They had strong psychic abilities thatplemented the Purple Plumed Cocktraice''s petrification breath.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < TheDketnon, has been sessfully added to the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons Version 2! >


    < Name which ability of theDketnon should be copied into the Divine Artifact. >


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Telekinesis," Thirteen replied.


    ¡ª¡ª


    < Congrattions! >


    < Telekinesis has been added to the Divine Artifact''s abilities! >


    ¡ª¡ª


    After absorbing thest monster, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to summon them all at the same time.


    The Mirror Slime, the Karma Chameleon, the Purple-Plumed Cocktraice, and the Dketnon all appeared in front of the boy and bowed their heads in respect to him.


    All of these monsters'' ranks had regressed to that of a Rank 1 Monster, which should have made them weaker than their previous state.


    But after gaining new abilities, they would be able to perform well, especially under Thirteen''smand. Also, any creature that had been absorbed by the ck g would be loyal to him and follow his orders without fail.


    Tiona looked at her new subordinates and nodded her head in satisfaction.


    The moment they were absorbed by the ck g, she sensed that she gained new skills through them.


    "Now, let''s all practice together so that you can work with Tiona in a battle," Thirteen stated. All the creatures obeyed and did as Thirteen told them.


    The teenage boy watched as they tried to use the abilities they acquired from theirrades, and he was amazed at how useful they were.


    Although he only had five monsters under his banner right now, he believed that in time, he would have more, which would further boost his strength as he faced the challenges that wereid out in front of him by Fate.

 Chapter 395 I Will Be Your Judge, Jury And Executioner

    395 I Will Be Your Judge, Jury And Executioner


    The sound of explosions reverberated in the surroundings as the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries raided Evuvug''s territory while riding their flying mounts.


    Although they had lost their King, the Insects were still very much active.


    Their new leader was a Rank 7 Sovereign Orange-Spotted Blister Beetle that could unleash a spray that would instantly melt a Wanderer if it hit them.


    Its attack range reached up to a mile, making it a very dangerous opponent for long-distance battles.


    Although it could fly, flying wasn''t its strongest skill. Because of this, it was almost always on the ground when it unleashed its Blister Spray on its enemies.


    Thirteen had already briefed the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries on how to deal with the Orange-Spotted Blister Beetle.


    No matter how strong the beetle was, it couldn''t deal them any damage because its Blister Spray was unable to reach its enemies flying high up in the sky.


    The 69th Battalion and the Valkyries sniped it from above with their Empyrium-Powered Rifles, forcing the Blister Beetle to take defensive actions.


    "Don''t get too confident!" Marion ordered. "Just because your enemies cannot hit you and cannot catch up to you doesn''t mean you should lower your guard!"


    Since she was Thirteen''s Vice-Commander, everyone listened to her orders and remained vignt as they peppered the Beetle Army from the sky.


    Thirteen watched the battle from the ground with a satisfied look on his face. Having observed enough, he, Arthur, and Hans jumped into Rocky''s mouth.


    They would once again descend into Evuvug''s Lair while all the beetles were aboveground, fighting against the intruders who had trespassed their domain.


    Since Rocky already knew where to go, it didn''t take long before they reached their destination.


    "Remember, don''t touch anything," Thirteen said. "Once the cursed Artifacttches on someone, it would try to subjugate that person and make them its ve. I know how to neutralize it, so I won''t be in any danger. Just stick to the n, and all of us will be safe."


    Arthur and Hans nodded.


    When the teenage boy told them that he would return to Evuvug''s Lair to get a cursed weapon, both of them tried to persuade him not to go.


    However, after Thirteen assured them that everything would be fine, they reluctantly agreed, on the condition that they would apany him and serve as his bodyguards.


    Arthur would not admit it personally, but Zion had an incredibly high strategic value to the Leventis Family.


    There was no way he would let the teenage boy enter a dangerous situation without him.


    When Rocky ejected the three humans from his Mobile Fortress, he stayed close so that he could save his Master just in case something unexpected happened.


    Thirteen scanned Evuvug''s Treasury, which was filled with gold coins and precious gems. For a moment, the teenage boy wondered if Evuvug was actually not a beetle but a Dragon in disguise.


    After carefully looking around, he found a ck metallic chest made from Adamantium at the corner of the cavern.


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate to run in its direction and check if its contents were intact.


    After seeing that its seal was still active, the teenage boy finally breathed a sigh of relief before storing the chest inside his dimensional storage for safekeeping.


    "Rocky, loot all the treasures here before we go," Thirteen ordered. The Magma Bal-Boa nodded and swallowed the piles of gold and precious gems, leaving nothing behind.


    When that was done, Thirteen, Arthur, and Hans once again entered Rocky''s Mobile Fortress and left the scene.


    They didn''t want to stay longer than needed because there was a possibility that the Centipede King might pop up again and, this time, would no longer let them escape unscathed.


    After reaching the surface, Arthur immediately summoned his Winged Serpent to carry them back to the ship.


    "That''s enough training for now," Thirteen said through hismunicator. "Everyone, retreat!"


    The 69th Battalion and the Valkyries immediately circled back to the Warships in the sea and called it a day.


    After getting the hang of flying in the sky, the 69th Battalion was feeling more confident in the uing expedition to liberate the Rigel Continent.


    When everyone had safely boarded the ship, Thirteen once again went to the restricted section of the Aircraft Carrier.


    He had been hoping that the chest was unscathed. Otherwise, they would have a major cmity on their hands if the Cursed Artifact managed totch itself onto a monster.


    But since the seal was still active, it meant that the adamantine chest hadn''t been tampered with, and the Cursed Artifact was still inside.


    In order to ensure that no one would be the victim of the artifact, he left Tiona inside his room, and asked her to behave and wait for his return.


    Tiona knew that her Master only wanted to keep her safe, so she obeyed hismand and didn''t insist oning with him.


    The chest could be opened by someone who knew how to safely remove the seal on its body.


    Of course, it could also be broken by brute strength¡ªthis was the reason why he was worried that the insects might have gone crazy due to the loss of their leader and vented by destroying everything around them.


    Fortunately, that wasn''t the case.


    Thirteen carefully ced a few Cores around the Adamantine Chest, intending to use rune magic to unlock the chest safely.


    As the cores lit one by one, Thirteen wrote several runes in the air, which fell upon the seal, creating cracks over its surface.


    After a few minutes, the seal shattered, and the chest swung wide open.


    "Your soul is mine!"


    A ck crystal orb jumped out of the chest and mmed directly on Thirteen''s chest, making the teenage boy stagger.


    "I have waited hundreds of years for this moment! Curse that human for trapping me! I will not forgive him! I will destroy everything he holds sacred!"


    The cursed artifactughed like a madman as it covered the teenage boy''s body in a ck metallic armor, intending to make him its vessel.


    The name of the Cursed Artifact was Soul Eater. As its name suggested, it devoured the soul of its victim.


    Once ittched onto a living creature, it would immediately trap its body in a ck metallic armor to prevent it from escaping.


    After that, it would immediately start to consume the soul, and absorb its memories, mannerisms, as well as any vital information it possessed.


    This way, it could pretend to be that creature and integrate with its society, undetected.


    It would then start a killing spree when the time is right, increasing its power by absorbing the souls of the in.


    When Thirteen''s entire body was covered in a ck metallic armor, the Soul Eater then entered the teenage boy''s Sea of Consciousness and consumed him from within.


    But something unexpected happened.


    The Soul Eater found itself in a pitch-ck space, with nothing to see except for a pair of glowing green eyes that were looking down on it from the heavens.


    As a sentient artifact, it was capable of feeling human-like emotions, so the moment it saw those pair of glowing green eyes, it felt that something was terribly wrong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I-Impossible!" the Soul Eater shouted. "Why don''t you have a soul?! What are you?!"


    Just as the Soul Eater was panicking because this was its first time experiencing something like this, the owner of the glowing green eyes chuckled.


    "Me?" Thirteen asked as something gigantic moved from the darkness, grabbing the Soul Eater firmly in its hands. "I''m your friendly neighborhood System of Cannon Fodders. Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no soul. Now that the introduction is over, it''s time for you to serve your new Master."


    From the real world, Thirteen slowly opened his eyes and summoned the Creation Sphere in his hand.


    A momentter, he pressed the Creation Sphere over the chest of the ck-metallic armor.


    "N-No! What are you doing?!" the Soul Eater suddenly had a bad feeling after he felt the power of the Creation Sphere spread over its entire body. "Stop!"


    "How many souls have you eaten?" Thirteen asked in a chilling tone. "How many lives have you ruined? It''s time for you to pay for your sins, Soul Eater. I will be your judge, jury, and executioner.


    "Be reborn, and serve me as your new Master. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to put you to good use."


    The Soul Eater screamed because, for the first time in its long existence, it felt as if every fiber of its being was breaking apart. And while it was writhing in agony with its soul reaching the breaking point, aughter that seemed tough at the entire world and even the Gods themselves reached Soul Eater''s ears.


    Thatughter, which sounded arrogant and sad at the same time, echoed in its senses just before its existence faded away.


    The Soul Eater knew that it would cease to exist to give way to a new life that would be molded by its new Master, who would help him protect all that he held sacred in his hands.

 Chapter 396 Who Do You Love The Most?

    396 Who Do You Love The Most?


    Arthur paced back and forth in front of the restricted section as he waited for his no-good grandson toe out.


    Five days had passed since the teenage boy had locked himself up, and until now, no one had seen even his shadow.


    Hans, who had been asked by Thirteen to keep watch on the door and prevent anyone from entering, was just as worried as Arthur.


    However, since he was told to wait until the teenager came out of his own ord and not enter the room no matter what happened, he simply remained outside. Both men wanted to forcefully open the door because they were worried about Zion, but they also didn''t dare do it because it might cause whatever the teenage boy was doing inside the room to fail.


    Finally, just as Arthur was reaching the limit of his patience, the door finally opened, and white smoke filled the entryway very quickly.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family waved his hand, and a gust of air dispersed the white smoke, allowing him to see what was inside the room.


    "Brat, are you still alive?" Arthur appeared right beside the teenage boy, who was sitting cross-legged at the center of the room.


    "Barely alive," Thirteen replied. "I''m hungry, Gramps. Bring me some food."


    Arthur snorted before giving Hans a sidelong nce.


    The butler nodded his head in understanding and went to the kitchen to bring the teenage boy something easy to eat and digest.


    When he was certain that Hans was already out of earshot, he asked his grandson the question that had been nagging inside his head since they returned from Evuvug''s Lair.


    "What kind of cursed artifact is inside the chest?" Arthur asked. "Are you still my grandson?"


    A hoarse chuckle escaped Thirteen''s lips because he found Arthur''s question very funny. However, this question was also valid in this circumstance, given that several Cursed Gears had the ability topletely take over a person''s consciousness and take full control of their body.


    "Gramps, out of curiosity, what would you have done if I was taken over by the Cursed Item?" Thirteen asked.


    "Punch you to oblivion until you''re only a step away from death," Arthur replied. "Then I will have someone heal you and repeat the process over and over again until the Cursed Item is forced to let you take control of your body again."


    Such methods had been deemed effective in the past, allowing those who were taken over by Cursed Artifacts to regain their consciousness.


    "That sounds painful," Thirteen asked. "But how will you know that I am under the influence of a Cursed Item?"


    "Simple, I will just ask you a question," Arthur answered.


    "What kind of question?" Thirteen asked with great curiosity. "Who do you love the most?"


    "Hah? What kind of stupid question is that?"


    Thirteen didn''t know why Arthur had asked such a thing. In fact, after being asked this question, he found out that he was unable to give a concrete answer.


    Love was an alien concept to him.


    The feelings he had for his family were more of protectiveness than love. Since he had lost many hosts in the past, he didn''t want the same thing to happen to his family, so he wanted them to be safe at all times.


    Arthur carefully observed his grandson and saw the confusion in his bodynguage. For a brief moment, he thought that his grandson had been taken over by the Cursed Artifact, but his gut instinct was telling him that Zion was still Zion.


    "What''s wrong?" Arthur frowned. "Can''t you answer a simple question?"


    "Gramps, ask me anything except for love," Thirteen answered. "I''m still too young to understand such a thing."


    "You don''t love your family?" Arthur inquired.


    "I care for them very much," Thirteen answered. "But I don''t know if that''s love. If someone were to harm my parents or my siblings, I would definitelye to their rescue and make whoever was trying to harm them pay with my own hands.


    "I just don''t know if that is called love. I don''t understand it, and I have no ns of understanding it. Love makes people weak."


    Thirteen had seen this happen many times.


    His Host had loved, and some of their lovers had betrayed them, causing them immense grief and pain.


    This was why he associated the feelings of love with weakness. He had seen it for himself¡ªthose who were in love often made very questionable decisions.


    "Forget it." Arthur sighed. "You''re very smart, but you''re dumb when ites to this thing."


    "Then why did you ask me that question, Gramps?" Thirteen asked with a frown.


    "That''s because Cursed Artifacts also don''t know what''s the meaning of Love," Arthur answered. "They are true to their desires, may it be greed, destruction, jealousy, or envy. But they''re incapable of understanding what love is."


    08:54


    Thirteen blinked once and twice before rubbing his chin.


    Since he was a System, he could also be technically considered an artifact that didn''t understand what love meant.


    After careful consideration, he came to the conclusion that his Grandfather was right. Artifacts and systems like him didn''t fully understand what love was.


    "Anyway, are you done with whatever you are doing?" Arthur asked. "The Dvalinn Federation had been pestering us nonstop, repeatedly asking why we still hadn''t returned to their headquarters. "Your Battalion and the Valkyries are also on standby and wondering where you have gone. Make sure to see them after you eat."


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes, I''m done. The Cursed Artifact is under my full control now."


    "Can I see it?" Arthur inquired.


    Thirteen nodded and stood shakily with his grandfather''s help. A momentter, he clenched his fists, and his entire body was covered from head to foot with a ck armor.


    Located on the chest area was a shining green gem, which was of the same color as the glow on the eye sockets of the armor.


    Faint glowing lines appeared on the armor''s body, making it look like a cyborg powered by Empyrium.


    The helmet had a demonic design with two curved horns on its head.


    Suddenly, a ck cape fluttered from the armor''s back, reaching down up to the back of Thirteen''s knees.


    Arthur eyed his grandson from head to foot, but he couldn''t sense any auraing from his body.


    It was as if he was looking at a being filled with mystery, for he couldn''t sense how strong it was.


    "Interesting," Arthurmented. "Itpletely hides your level of power."


    Thirteen nodded before deactivating his armor.


    "Gramps, I don''t intend to let anyone know about this armor for the time being," Thirteen stated. "So keep it a secret."


    "I understand," Arthur replied. "But does that armor make you powerful? Will it help you surpass the Rank of a Rookie?"


    "The short answer is yes," Thirteen replied. "With this armor, I don''t have to worry about my safety even if I am fighting a Rank 4 Sovereign in a one-on-one battle."


    "I see, that gives you the power on par with Masters and Grandmasters," Arthurmented.


    "Something like that," Thirteen nodded.


    Truth be told, Thirteen was still busy tweaking his "Living Armor" and adding some upgrades to it.


    Although the Creation Sphere had already merged with Soul Keeper, Thirteen had added a feature where he could modify the armor anytime and anywhere.


    This allowed him to create variations that would be useful in any kind of terrain or situation.


    The only reason why he stopped with his upgrades was because he was dead hungry. Even if he had strong willpower, he was still a living, breathing human who needed to eat in order to function properly.


    When Hans returned with the food, he wasn''t alone. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Cristopher, Colbert, Shana, Vi, and Marion were with him.


    After seeing their Commander, all five of them sighed in relief because they finally saw the young man whom they had recognized as the leader of their expedition.

 Chapter 397 Its Still Too Early For Them To Get In My Way

    397 It''s Still Too Early For Them To Get In My Way


    Tiona kept on nudging Thirteen''s cheek as her way of letting her Master know that she was upset.


    After the teenage boy was done eating breakfast, he immediately went back to his room to check on Tiona''s condition.


    Having known that it might take him a while to finish his experiment, he had prepared plenty of food and water so that she wouldn''t go hungry or thirsty while he was away.


    "Don''t be mad, Tiona," Thirteen tried to pacify the ck Snake, who was clearly upset because it had been five days since theyst saw each other. Tiona hissed and pouted. The teenage boy only shook his head helplessly, seeing his Beast Companion on strike.


    Since he knew that it would take a while for Tiona to calm down, he went on his rounds and visited his Battalion and the Valkyries, who were training together.


    While Thirteen was away, Marion took the 69th Battalion to Evuvug''s Domain and practiced their maneuvers for the uing expedition to liberate the Northern Regions of the continent.


    Although Thirteen and the 69th Battalion had only spent a few months in the Rigel Continent, they had already gotten the hang of fighting against Hordes of Monsters safely.


    The only times they felt truly helpless was when they faced the Bird Man and his horde of flying monsters.


    That was a very scary and tough battle for them, for it had been their first time facing such overwhelming numbers of enemies¡ªnot to mention that they were also unprepared for it.


    When they raided Evuvug''s Territory, although the flying beetles that rose up to face them numbered in the tens of thousands, the 69th Battalion''s fear was drastically lower during that battle. The reason? They realized that no matter what the flying insects did, they would not be able to catch up to the Rank 3 Gyrfalcons that Thirteen had acquired for them.


    This allowed them to safely and effectively attack their enemies from a distance, killing them before they could evene close to them.


    With repeated practice, their confidence grew, but Thirteen made it a point to make them understand that overconfidence was a slow and insidious poison.


    Although he had been reluctant to do it, he reminded them of what happened to the Valkyries who thought that they had everything under control.


    That incident had been firmly etched in their memories, so it helped them stay grounded, preventing them from thinking that they could easily escape whenever they wanted to escape.


    "The Gyrfalcons are fast, but there are flying monsters that are faster than them," Thirteen stated after everyone had gathered after their flight training. "One example is Cristopher''s Roc, who could easily outfly any Monster below Rank 6 Sovereign.


    "If you have forgotten, there are still Rocs in the Rigel Continent, and we will be facing those Rocs when we start our conquest of the North."


    The faces of the 69th Battalion turned pale after hearing their Commander''s words. They had been so used to outmaneuvering and outflying their enemies that they had forgotten about their mounts being merely Rank 3 Monsters.


    Seeing their reactions, Thirteen couldn''t help but smile¡ªthis was the exact result he was aiming for.


    "This is the reason why I asked the Valkyries to help all of you train," Thirteen stated. "You don''t have to fight a Roc alone. Your squad will help you deal with them. As long as you hone your teamwork, you won''t have to worry about bing Roc food."


    Thirteen paused a bit before ncing at his Grandfather, who seemed to want to talk to him. "That''s all. Everyone dismissed," Thirteen ordered before going to where his grandfather was standing.


    Arthur gestured for him to follow, and the teenage boy did exactly that.


    When they arrived at Arthur''s Office on the ship, the teenage boy saw Michael, Hans, Renz, and Benedict, who had arrived a day ago to deliver a message to Zion. "Sit," Arthur ordered before he went to sit at the head of the table.


    Everyone did as they were told and waited for Arthur to start talking.


    "After the announcement by The One, there had been significant movement from the Sirius Continent," Arthur said. "The Ashford and the Stard ns had dered that they will give their full cooperation to the Cygni Continent and do everything in their power to prevent it from being conquered by the Jinns and Majins."


    "It seems that the wake-up call is effective," Thirteen smirked. "I just wish they would put more effort when the Rank 9 Monsters arrive. That will be the time when the willpower of the Monarchs will be truly tested."


    Arthur nodded. "They have also reached out toward the Dvalinn Federation and had pledged to send some of their strongest warriors to help liberate the North. They also agreed to put their forces under yourmand.


    "However, they also warned that if their forces were to be sent to die a dog''s death, they would make you pay for it."


    Thirteen sneered after hearing the warning of the two Monarchs, who ruled the Sirius Continent together.


    "Tell them that if they don''t want to die, then they should just stay at home and take care of their kids," Thirteenmented. "I have no need for cowards."


    Renz, who was paying close attention to the teenage boy, smiled faintly, sharing the same sentiments with thetter.


    "Usually, the Ashford and the Stard ns don''t care about what happens beyond the borders of the Sirius Continent, so I think we should be careful not to offend them," Benedict tried to mediate. "We will need all the help we can get if we wish to liberate the Rigel Continent."


    "We don''t need them," Thirteen stated. "They''re just extra baggage. I stand by what I said. As the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, I don''t want pig teammates in my team."


    A chuckle spread inside the room, making everyone look at Renz, who had been unable to hold back hisughter.


    "Well said," Renzmented as he gazed at the boy who had made him an offer back in the Dvalinn Federation''s Main Headquarters. "I also don''t like pig teammates, so I will personally send your message back to them right now."


    The right-hand man of the Dvalinn Federation tapped hismunicator and connected it with the Patriarchs of the Ashford n and the Stard n.


    The two Monarchs from these two ns had passed the role of Patriarch to their sons, giving thetter free reign over their respective business in Pangea.


    Their fathers were more focused on expanding their domains in Solterra, in preparation for the time when Pangea would be overrun by the Jinns and Majins.


    However, the deration of The One made the Monarchs change their ns. This was why they ordered their family to cooperate with the other Monarchs and members of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Half a minuteter, two Projections appeared from Renz''smunicator, showing two middle-aged men who were looking at Thirteen with narrow eyes.


    "Arthur Leventis, it seems that your grandson doesn''t appreciate the olive branch we have extended to the Dvalinn Federation," Scott Ashford stated.


    "Just a little foal who gained a bit of fame dares to talk back to his Elders," Tyler Stardmented. "It seems that the Leventis Family doesn''t know how to properly educate their young."


    Arthur was about to retort, but someone else beat him to it.


    "Hey, it seems that the two of you are having a big misunderstanding here," Thirteen said, making everyone in the room look in his direction. "We don''t need cowards. If you don''t want to die, then don''t bothering here."


    "You ungrateful brat, it seems that you really don''t understand who you''re dealing with," Scott Ashford said icily. "Of course, I don''t know who I am dealing with," Thirteen replied with a smirk. "Since when did I know the name of nobodies? You know me, but I don''t know you¡ªwe''re not on the same level, okay?"


    "Hahaha! This brat indeed has guts," Tyler Stard grinned. "Very well. Since you don''t want our help, then we won''t send you any."


    "Sure. Bye bye." Thirteen waved his hand and then made a gesture for Renz to cut the connection, which left Benedict looking at Thirteen as if he was seeing him for the first time.


    "Are you mad?" Benedict asked. "Those are the Patriarchs of the two Monarch ns."


    "I''m not," Thirteen replied as he tinkered with hismunicator. ''But, after this expedition is over, they would have no choice but to reach out to me.''


    Thirteen didn''t want the Ashford and Stard n to join the alliance because it would justplicate things.


    These two ns were known for using strong-arm methods in order to get the bigger share of the pie when it came to resources.


    The teenage boy nned to monopolize all the resources in the Rigel Continent in order to build his own personal army.


    He was fine with the Dvalinn Federation and the Central Government getting some shares.


    But, he didn''t want the Ashford n, and Stard n to dabble in his business.


    ''It''s still too early for them to get in my way,'' Thirteen thought. ''I still need to do a few things before I can contend with these two forces.''


    Thirteen had alreadyid out his ns, but it would take time for them to grow.


    For the time being, he was careful in selecting his allies, which was why he had extended an olive branch to Renz because he believed that he would be the perfect aplice, in the things that Thirteen nned to do in the Rigel Continent.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 398 The Perfect Opportunity

    398 The Perfect Opportunity


    Inside the Dvalinn Tower¡­


    "It hase to our attention that you''ve rejected the Ashford and Stard Families'' offer to send their armies to the Rigel Continent," Wendell said as he looked at the projection showing Thirteen, who was in the middle of a scouting mission somewhere in the Southeastern Region of the Rigel Continent.


    "That''s right," Thirteen replied.


    "Can you tell us the real reason why you rejected them?" Trevor Remington inquired. "Their reinforcement will increase our chance of sess, so I think that turning down their offer is a bad idea."


    The Decision Makers of the Dvalinn Federation and the Aldebaran Continent, as well as the Central Government, were all invited to the meeting.


    Some of them were participating through projections, while others were physically present in the tower to conduct their emergency meeting.


    "The Ashford and Stard Families are opportunistic hyenas," Thirteen answered. "They''ll put as minimal effort as possible, then ask for big returns for their services. In simpler terms, they will ask for a bigger slice of the pie, and it will likely be a portion of the Rigel Continent. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Dvalinn Federation has dedicated years, manpower, and resources to one day reim theirnds. We already have the support of the Aldebaran Continent, as well as the Central Government. "We already have more than enough manpower for the mission. Do you really want to ask for more? Are you sure you want to share the pie with those two ns? If you''re not careful, they might backstab you, you know?"


    Wendell and Trevor frowned because the term "backstab" was a very sensitive issue for them.


    Of course, Thirteen knew about this, which was why he deliberately chose his words¡ªto make the two Monarchs understand their current situation.


    While Wendell and Trevor were still hesitating, the teenage boy decided to throw breadcrumbs that would make them understand the benefits of not having the Ashford and Stard n in their alliance.


    "Since they won''t be included in our counterattack, that means that they also won''t have the rights to im any resources from the Rigel Continent," Thirteen stated. "This is just a rough guess, but I believe there are still deposits of Empyrium in the Northern Regions.


    "If they get wind of it, I''m sure they''ll insist on the mining rights of those mineral deposits to be turned over to them."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, Wendell nced at his brother, Renz, waiting for his input.


    "Empyrium is a very important resource, and it''s something we badly need," Renz said. "However, it doesn''t change the fact that this mission will be extremely dangerous. Are you certain that our current manpower is enough to conquer the North?"


    "As long as everyone follows my orders, you will have nothing to worry about," Thirteen answered. "Out of the Eight Kings sharing control of the Rigel Continent, only five remain. Your dreams of reiming yournds are within reach, so you should no longer have any reason to hesitate."


    The teenage boy''s words were like a wake-up call to the Dvalinn Federation, making them clench their fists tightly.


    Zion Leventis was right.


    Only Five Kings remained, so this was not the time to hesitate.


    They should strike while the iron was still hot and trust that the Legendary Rookie would lead them to victory.


    "How about the Earth Dragons?" Wendell asked. "You said that you will deal with them. Have youe up with a strategy against them?"


    "Yes," Thirteen nodded. "But I still need time toplete my preparations. At most, I will need five to seven days toplete my preparations. Don''t worry. I will only give the order to attack when I am certain that the Earth Dragons will not leave their territory.


    "I don''t n on sending the Alliance to their deaths. We still have to deal with Cygni. I can''t have the bulk of our forces getting annihted in this expedition."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Zion''s statement. What they were worried about was having to fight a pyrrhic battle.


    Even if they managed to emerge victorious, it wouldn''t be worth it if the losses they received were too great for them to recover.


    "Lastly, while you guys are waiting for me to finish my preparations, please check the second list I sent through yourmunicators. If you can procure them before the battle starts, then much better."


    The second list of monsters Thirteen wanted to capture also had twenty monsters. Although the first list was still not yetpleted, thanks to the joint effort between the Aldebaran Continent, the Dvalinn Federation, and the Central Government, twelve of the twenty monsters had already been secured.


    These monsters were now on their way to the City that belonged to the Elrod n in Solterra.


    Once they gain possession of these monsters, they would ship them to Zion immediately, allowing him to add them to his Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    "Are there any more questions?" Thirteen addressed the leaders who were present in the meeting.


    Seeing that no one wanted to ask any questions, the teenage boy excused himself from the meeting.


    The rest of them remained and continued discussing the division of troops and the roles each group would y ording to Thirteen''s instructions.


    ***


    The next day¡­ Thirteen''s drone, which had been flying for nearly three days, finally arrived at the center of the Rigel Continent, where a Dimensional Gate over three hundred meters tall was located.


    Guarding it on three sides were three Earth Dragons, who were nearly a hundred meters tall.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, he found other monsters with the Earth Dragons, whom he didn''t expect to see.


    After talking with Evuvug, he now knew the names and even the personalities of the five remaining Kings of the Rigel Continent.


    Centipede King, Jalrog.


    Broodmother, Nizana. Wyvern King, Vannaroth.


    Wolf King, Arym.


    Andst but not the least, Death Lord, Erasmus.


    Thirteen''s Drone observed these monsters from a safe distance before unleashing his beetle scouts to take a closer look and listen to their conversation.


    Although he was surprised to see these monsters all gathered together to have a meeting of their own, he had already known that it was only a matter of time before they did such a thing.


    In fact, it would''ve been more surprising if these monsters didn''t gather together to discuss the current state of the continent they had ruled uncontested for many years.


    The spider beetles were equipped with very sensitive microphones that could pick up sounds from hundreds of meters away.


    When Thirteen''s drones finally came within the range where he could hear the monsters talking, the teenage boy couldn''t help but smile. His Unique Skill, Universal Language Proficiency, was doing its job properly, allowing him to understand what the monsters were talking about. "I don''t like our current situation, but I find it quite troubling that you, Jalrog, tried to devour Evuvug during its time of weakness," one of the Earth Dragons said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "It was the perfect opportunity to break through to the next stage," Jalrog replied. "I would be a fool to miss a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a Rank 9 Sovereign."


    The Earth Dragon red at the Centipede King, but Jalrog was unfazed by its re.


    It wasn''t afraid of the Earth Dragons, knowing that they wouldn''t kill it, given their critical situation.


    There were only Five Kings left to protect the outer regions of the Rigel Continent.


    If they killed Jalrog here, only four would remain, making it more difficult to manage the vacant territories by themselves.


    They didn''t want their forces to be stretched too thin, especially since the Earth Dragons must protect the central gate that would allow their Master to cross over to Pangea.

 Chapter 399 Our Victory Is Assured

    399 Our Victory Is Assured


    "I have a feeling that the humans will target one of us soon," the Broodmother, Nizana, said. "It seems that their strategy is to fight us one by one, allowing them to gain the advantage in numbers."


    "Back then, we didn''t really have to care much. The humans were too weak to do anything," the Wolf King, Arym,mented. "It seems that the humans have gotten stronger now. Their growth is faster than what the Master has calcted."


    "True." The Wyvern King, Vannaroth, nodded. "ording to the Master, the humans will need fifty more years before they gain the power to defeat one of us. It seems that a variable has appeared, ruining Master''s calction."


    "This is the result of everyone''s arrogance," Death Lord Erasmus stated. "Back then, we even hoped for one of us to get killed so that we could expand theirnds. Now that it hase true, things have be moreplicated. We can no longer underestimate our enemies like we did in the past."


    "That''s right." The second Earth Dragon nodded. "As much as I don''t want to admit it, Evuvug has yed the role of deterrence these past few years. Now that he''s gone, the humans will be emboldened by his absence."


    "So what do we do now?" the Wolf King asked. "We can no longer afford to remain aloof. If they target us one by one, we will be done for."


    "How about we move closer to the center of the Continent?" the Broodmother proposed. "That way, we will be able to cover a shorter distance if we need to reinforce each other when the humans attack."


    "What? Are you saying that we need to abandon our current territories and stick together like cowards?" the Centipede King asked. "It seems that the years have only made you weak, Nizana."


    "The time has changed, Jalrog," the Broodmother replied. "Zed, Amos, and Evuvug have already fallen. It will be foolish to think that the humans are still the weaklings you once bullied in the past."


    "Right now, they still wouldn''t dare approach the center of the Continent because of us," one of the Earth Dragons said. "At most, they will just settle for the outer regions, like they did in the past. "Don''t forget our main mission in this world¡ªwe are to hold and protect this Dimensional Gate so that Master can cross over and conquer this world. The gate needs five more years to mature before it can allow a Majin Prince to pass through. As long as we can hold on until then, we will have alreadypleted our mission."


    "Cowards," the Centipede King screeched. "Zed and Amos were defeated because the humans used underhanded tricks to win against them. If only Zed and Vannaroth joined forces and directly attacked the Dvalinn Federation, we wouldn''t have this problem right now."


    "You''re ming us?" the Wyvern King sneered. "You could have destroyed the human base anytime you wanted, but you were too busy waiting for Evuvug to show any sign of weakness because you wanted to devour it. Admit it, you selfish insect¡ªyou''ve been hoping that the humans would weaken one of us so that you can go for the kill."


    The Centipede King chuckled but didn''t affirm or deny the Wyvern King''s words.


    "Can you two cut it out?" the Death Lord stated. "If only we had the corpses of those three, then this wouldn''t be a problem. Even if they are dead, I can just revive them. After all, that''s the role given to me by Master and the reason why I was sent here in this world."


    "Too bad, the humans are just as greedy as this selfish insect," the Wyvern King said. "So, what do we do now? Do we all retreat near the center and let the humans take over the outer regions? Anyway, we only need to hold on for five more years, and there will be nothing they can do to stop Master from taking over the world."


    "Indeed," one of the Earth Dragonsmented. "So what if the humans can reim the outer areas? Once Master arrives, their entire world will fall under our rule." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "So should we talk to Zed''s, Amos'', and Evuvug''s recements?" the Broodmother asked. "Their second-inmands have now taken over their territories." "I''ve talked to them on my way here, and they said they don''t n on leaving the territories that belonged to their former Masters," the Wolf King replied. "The Blister Beetle at the Southeast is very stubborn. Although the humans have raided their domain countless times, it still doesn''t have ns to leave."


    "It''s probably thinking that no matter how many of its kind are killed, they can easily be reced because we birth eggs numbering in the hundreds," the Broodmother said. "You insects sure know how to multiply." One of the Earth Dragonsughed. "So how about this? We let them do what they want. If they don''t want to retreat to the center, then that''s their problem."


    "That''s right." another Earth Dragon nodded. "We just need to wait for five more years anyway. It will be over before we know it. The thing we need to do now is to protect this gate with our lives. As long as there''s no wild variable, our victory is assured, even if the humans be even stronger in that span of time."


    All the Kings, with the exception of the Centipede King, agreed with the Earth Dragons'' n of pulling back their forces near the center of the continent.


    Thirteen, who had been listening to their conversation from start to finish, smiled faintly. "Five years¡­" Thirteen muttered. "After five years, a Majin Prince will appear in the Rigel Continent."


    This news was incredibly bad news for the people of Pangea.


    Right now, they were already having trouble with Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns.


    If a Majin Prince or Princess appears, all of them could kiss Pangea goodbye.


    However, instead of being fearful, Thirteen couldn''t help but chuckle. This news was truly unexpected.


    He already knew that the Dimensional Gates only needed to mature before stronger beings could pass through them.


    This was also the reason why he had created Nautilus and Athena.


    Five years was more than enough time for him to disrupt the ns of the Jinns, so he decided to do something that would force the three Earth Dragons to take their guarding duty more seriously and leave the remaining Kings to their Fate.

 Chapter 400 Sowing Discord

    400 Sowing Discord


    ''If only I managed to devour Evuvug and its egg back then, things would be different,'' the Centipede King, Jalrog, grumbled to himself as he dug deep underground. ''The others will now be more wary of me, and I won''t be able to push my n into motion.


    ''The humans are also getting more and more active as ofte. It''s only a matter of time before they gain a stronghold in thesends.''


    The Centipede King still remembered the time when he was still moving unhindered in their homeworld, Gomorra.


    If not for the fact that he had identally stumbled upon a Majin Prince, he would have already broken through to the next rank a decade ago.


    The Majin Prince had given it two choices back then¡ªsubmit or die.


    Jalrog had lofty ambitions, so it naturally didn''t want to die. Left with no choice, it could only bow its head and agree to be drafted as one of the Rank 8 Sovereigns who would serve as the vanguard to conquer the world of Pangea.


    The process of their conquest had been rtively smooth since the humans were too weak, unable to even effectively resist their invasion.


    Back then, Jalrog was happy, believing that if it devoured Wanderers, it would be able to be a Rank 9 Monster.


    It had nned to use the remaining time before its Master crossed over to Pangea to be a Majin Prince.


    After that, it could finally exact its revenge and kill the Prince who had forced it to submit decades ago.


    Unfortunately, the Wanderers it killed were too weak¡ªthey couldn''t even let it break through to a Rank 9 Monster.


    It wanted to devour itsrades, but with the Rank 9 Earth Dragons stationed to monitor their movements, the Centipede King was forced to halt its ns.


    The other Kings were strong in their own rights, so it couldn''t easily backstab them and devour their bodies and cores.


    There had only been one target that it could kill without fail, and that was none other than Evuvug.


    Jalrog was highly resistant to mind control, so the Brain Beetle''s ability wasn''t a threat to it.


    However, there was a problem.


    Even if it ate Evuvug, so what?


    Being a Rank 9 Sovereign wouldn''t guarantee its safety. After all, there were still the Seven Kings and the three Earth Dragons, who would hunt it down because of its betrayal.


    So Jalrog forced itself to endure.


    However, it all changed when it sensed something unexpected.


    It felt a powerful fluctuation spread underground,ing from Evuvug''s territory.


    That was when it realized that the Brain Beetle was about to give birth to an egg.


    It was also the moment that Jalrog realized that the moment it had been waiting for had finally arrived. The Centipede King knew that if it ate Evuvug, it would cross the threshold of a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    And if it also managed to eat the Brain Beetle''s egg, which was emitting a strong surge of power, Jalrog believed that it would make him break through into a Pseudo-Jinn Prince.


    If it seeded, it would then hunt the kings one by one until it broke through to a Majin Prince.


    By then, even if the three Earth Dragons worked together, all of them would just be food for Jalrog.


    Once the leaders of the Monsters were dead, it would then devour the remaining monsters in the Continent until it finally became a Majin Prince.


    With its newfound power, it would cross over to the next continent and feast on the Wanderers on that side, allowing it to advance into a King.


    Five yearster, it would return to the Rigel Continent and have its revenge on the Majin Prince who had forced it to be its subordinate and eat him too.


    Its n was solid and would have seeded without any problems.


    However, it didn''t expect that a variable would arise, and humans would attack Evuvug right after it had given birth.


    Even so, Jalrog believed that it could still salvage the situation. The addition of the humans didn''t matter, for its strength alone could overwhelm them.


    Evuvug was in a weakened state, and its Larva Bodyguards were no match for the Centipede King.


    However, something unexpected happened.


    Evuvug suddenly disappeared without warning.


    After it disappeared, the humans took the Brain Beetle''s egg and made a full retreat.


    Jalrog pursued them, but in the end, they managed to escape.


    The Beetles then realized what the Centipede King had done and counterattacked.


    But since Jalrog was not in the mood to deal with small fries, it returned to its territory in an extremely bad mood, killing any creature it passed by along the way.


    Naturally, the disturbance in Evuvug''s Domain caught the attention of the Broodmother, who sent its Spiderlings to inquire about what happened.


    One of Evuvug''s bodyguards, who survived Jalrog''s betrayal, spilled everything to the Spiderlings, which the Broodmother, Nizana, passed to the other Kings and the Earth Dragons.


    Since then, Jalrog had been in the crosshairs of all the Jinns and Majins in the Rigel Continent for its betrayal.


    ''Damn it!'' The Centipede King trashed underground, destroying parts of its undergroundwork. ''It just returned from the meeting at the Center of the Continent, and just as it expected, it received an earful from the other Kings and the three Earth Dragons, who gave it an ultimatum.


    If it didn''t cooperate with them in driving out the humans, they would brand the Centipede King as a traitor and hunt it down without mercy.


    "I''ll show them!" Jalrog screeched. "I''ll eat their flesh! Drink their blood! And make them understand that they cannot defy me!"


    The other Centipede Monsters who heard the Centipede King''s screech all scrambled to get as far away as they could. Whenever their Master was in this kind of mood, it would not hesitate to attack anything, including them, to vent its frustrations.


    Just as the Centipede King was about to look for monsters to kill, it sensed a familiar presence moving in its direction.


    At first, Jalrog thought that it might have just made a mistake, but as the monster drew near it, its suspicions were confirmed.


    Dozens of meters away from it, a Rank 7 Sovereign entered its underground cavern.


    It was none other than Rocky, who had traveled personally to meet with the Centipede King.


    "It''s you!" Jalrog screeched angrily. "I will tear you apart for getting in my way!"


    Rocky didn''t reply and instead opened its mouth wide.


    The Centipede King thought that the Magma Bal-Boa had decided to take the initiative to attack, but it suddenly noticed somethinge out of the monster''s mouth, which made Jalrog''s body stiffen.


    "Calm down, Jalrog. We didn''te here to fight."


    A humanoid creature, covered in ck armor said in a calm tone.


    "I havee here to make a proposal to you," Thirteen said. "How about we form an alliance?"


    The Centipede King was a savage creature. Its default instinct was to attack first and worryter. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, it didn''t do that and stared at the humanoid creature, which it couldn''t identify if it was human or a living armor.


    There was one reason why the Centipede King decided to hold back its instinct to attack¡ªthat was because the humanoid creature was emitting a power stronger than that of a Majin Prince.


    In fact, this was the first time Jalrog felt something like this in its lifetime.


    It was a power of absolute dominance, making it believe that if it offended the humanoid creature, its life would end then and there.


    "Who are you?" Jalrog asked. The humanoid creature pressed its fist over its chest before giving the Centipede King a light bow.


    "I am just a messenger of my God, Metatron," Thirteen replied. "And he asked me to offer you a proposal."


    "Proposal? What proposal?" Jalrog lowered its head to take a closer look at the humanoid, who was exuding an aura that belonged to a powerful creature.


    "Tell me, Jalrog. What is it that you want?" Thirteen asked. "My Master, Metatron, promises to grant your wish if you cooperate with us."


    Tiona, who had stayed inside the mobile fortress, crawled up onto her Master''s body as soon as he returned.


    08:18


    She then flicked her tongue as she faced the teenage boy, asking him if everything went ording to his n.


    "Cooperation?" Jalrog''s eyes glinted with killing intent. "What kind of cooperation?"


    "I will give you an opportunity to devour the other Kings," Thirteen replied. "Not only that, my Master, Metatron, will also grant your wish. All I ask is that you meet my one condition."


    "And what is that condition?" Jalrog eyed the metallic humanoid with great interest.


    Thirteen smiled internally before telling the Centipede King what he wanted to achieve.


    When he was done talking, Jalrogughed¡ªthe humanoid''s offer was simply too good to be true.


    "Very well. If you can do your part of the deal, I don''t mind agreeing to this proposal of yours," Jalrog stated.


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Brace yourself, Jalrog. The thing you''ve been waiting for will finally fall in your hands."


    Rocky swallowed Thirteen whole before leaving the Centipede King''sir without even a backward nce.


    Truth be told, the Magma Bal-Boa was feeling very anxious, fearing that the Centipede King would not let them leave itsir alive.


    However, Thirteen assured Rocky that everything was going to be fine.


    Right now, Jalrog didn''t really have a choice, and the teenage boy had given the Centipede King an offer it couldn''t refuse. Tiona, who had stayed inside the mobile fortress, crawled up onto her Master''s body as soon as he returned.


    She then flicked her tongue as she faced the teenage boy, asking him if everything went ording to his n.


    "We''ll know the answer soon enough, Tiona," Thirteen replied. "For now, we just need to show him how serious we are."


    The teenage boy had ckmailed Evuvug that if it didn''t tell him everything that he wanted to know, he would boil the Brain Beetle''s egg and feed it to his subordinates.


    Fortunately, Evuvug cared for its egg deeply, so it answered all of Thirteen''s questions without telling a single lie.


    After knowing that the Kings and the Earth Dragons weren''t truly united, he decided to gamble and set his n into action.


    If he seeded, not only would he gain a strong ally, but he would also be able to sow discord among the Jinns and Majins, allowing him to take them all, one by one.

 Chapter 401 This Is Why You Are Forever-Alone

    Chapter 401 This Is Why You Are Forever-Alone


    Two days after Thirteen met up with Jalrog, more good news arrived at his doorstep.


    Out of the 40 monsters he had requested from the Alliance, ten more had been sent his way, which he immediately added to his Divine Artifact.


    All in all, including Tiona, he now had fifteen monsters that he could summon anytime and anywhere to help him fight his opponents. It also meant that there were now fifteen abilities that his private army could use such as¡­


    Kiss of Death.


    Mirror.


    Breath of Petrification.


    Perfect Camouge.


    Telekinesis.


    Enhanced Senses.


    Enhanced Reflexes


    Enhanced Speed.


    Unblocked Passage.


    Teleportation.


    Telepathy


    Aquatic Breathing


    Barrier


    Healing Wind


    Adamantine Body. Even if all the monsters under hismand were only Rank 1 Monsters, this set of skills was more than enough for them to fight above their current rank.


    Once Thirteen had filled up the one-hundred monster quota of his Divine Artifact, his monster army would be a force to reckon with, allowing him to fight against stronger opponents even if he were alone.


    But, Thirteen still had another option.


    He could simply capture more monsters in the Rigel Continent and temporarily add them to his collection, maximizing the effects of his Divine Artifact.


    The teenage boy could easily kick out these monsters whenever he wanted, so he wouldn''t suffer any loss from filling up its slots temporarily.


    This was a win-win situation for him, for it would allow him to fight with his full potential once their mission began. In fact, he nned to go on a hunting expedition with Rocky and Hans right after he finished his meeting with his subordinates. "Two days from now, we willunch the expedition to recapture the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent," Thirteen stated. "I don''t need to tell you how important this uing battle is.


    "The entire world is paying close attention to the events happening here in the Rigel Continent. In fact, Battle Reporters will be apanying our forces to report the battle in real-time."


    The members of the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries didn''t expect that reporters would alsoe to broadcast their battle, which made them anxious.


    The teenage boy, who didn''t know what his subordinates were thinking, continued his speech after a brief pause. "Our victory will also be their victory," Thirteen dered. "And our loss will also be their loss. But we will not lose¡ªwe will win, and it will be a resounding victory. So tonight, eat and drink to your heart''s content.


    "Talk to your families and assure them that you wille back to them safely. When tomorrowes, prepare your weapons, sharpen your des, and rest properly. I''ll meet you all on the second day, so make sure that all of you are ready by then."


    Thirteen saluted, and everyone else reciprocated his gesture.


    "Dismiss!" Thirteen ordered.


    As soon as he finished giving his order, he approached Hans, who summoned his Giant Hawk and took off to the skies with his Young Master.


    There were only two days left before the battle started, so Thirteen needed to add as many monsters as possible to his Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    Meanwhile, the Dvalinn Main Headquarters was bustling with activity.


    All the Warships were being double-checked to ensure that all of them had sufficient ammunition for the uing battle.


    Thirteen had relegated Renz to handle the final preparations for the battle, and thetter was doing his best to aplish the task that had been given to him.


    He had talked to Zion and made a deal with him. If the teenage boy were able to reim the Northern Regions sessfully with minimal casualties, he would ept his offer to be Zion''s secret agent and follower.


    Thirteen agreed to his condition, and that was how their talks ended.


    The Ashford n and the Stard n were also paying attention to the battle that wouldmence in two days.


    In fact, they were secretly hoping that the Alliance would lose so that Zion''s arrogance would be brought down a peg.


    When that happens, they would generously offer their assistance and help reim thends of the Rigel Continent.


    By then, they would have the edge in the negotiations when discussion about the division of spoils of war took ce.


    The Monarch of the Cygni Continent was also paying close attention to thisrge-scale attack as well.


    Unlike the Ashford and the Stard n, Griffin Dous wished for Zion''s expedition to seed, for the victory in the Rigel Continent would raise the morale of his troops.


    In a camp located in one of the Major Cities of the Cygni Continent, a group of six teenagers looked at the television in front of them with great interest.


    A reporter was currently interviewing Shana, asking for her opinion about the uing battle to reim the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent.


    "Is it just me, or Shana has be more beautiful since thest time we saw her?" a youngdy with dark blue hair asked with a smile.


    "She looks the same to me," another girl, who had long blonde hair, replied. "But there is indeed something different about her."


    "Perhaps the environment of the Rigel Continent made her experience many things," a teenage boy with dark brown hair and green eyes replied as he sharpened his weapon. "Maybe being in the front lines made her more mature."


    "Still, the situation there has escted rather quickly," a youngdy with long ck hair and blue eyesmented. "And it''s all because of one person¡­ Zion Leventis. Hey, Rnd¡ªmaybe we should invite him to join our party. What do you think?"


    The Hero of the Hero Party, Rnd, didn''t say anything and simply watched Shana on the television.


    "No good. He''s too focused on Shana," the teenage girl with dark blue hair shook her head helplessly. "He can''t hear us."


    "I can hear you just fine," Rnd replied. "If this mission of theirs seeds, then I will consider adding him to our party. Is that fine with you, Joshua?"


    (E/N: LMAO. That ain''t up to you, loverboy.)


    The Sage of the Hero Party, Joshua, fixed the sses on his face before giving his reply.


    "I don''t mind either," Joshua replied. "But I have a feeling that he will turn down our invitation."


    "Why would he do that?" the blonde-haired girl asked. "We''re the Hero Party. We get a lot of resources from the Central Government, and all of us have a special rank in the Military. How could he not want to join our team?"


    "Intuition," Joshua replied. "Compared to his achievements, we are greatlycking. If he seeds in this mission, the gap between us will only increase more. Also, my informers in the Valkyries have told me that Zion Leventis is nowmanding their Division.


    "Although he and Shana don''t spend a lot of time together, they said that she respects him very much and would often ask him for advice whenever he''s around. Perhaps her maturity is also thanks to Zion''s influence."


    Rnd frowned after hearing his best friend''s exnation, while the three girls gave each other a knowing nce.


    "Do you think the two of them are a couple now?"


    "Oi! Don''t be like that. If I remember correctly, Zion is only thirteen years old. They have a three-year gap between them."


    "It''s just a three-year gap. Besides, isn''t it normal for thirteen-year-olds to have a romantic partner? It happens all the time¡ªespecially during the First Wandering." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Can you girls quiet down?" the Warrior, who was sharpening his de, clicked his tongue. "You three are like Aunties always gossiping about juicy gossip. Can you give it a break?"


    "Shut up, Derek," the blonde-haired girl said. "This is why you are forever alone. You don''t know how to talk to girls properly."


    Derek rolled his eyes at their Sorceress, who had a fiery personality.


    Rnd sighed as he listened to the bickering of his party. However, he was feeling a bit anxious at the thought of Shana fighting on the front lines without them.


    He had asked for permission for their Party to be relocated to the Rigel Continent in order to assist Shana, but the Grand Marshal told them that they should remain in the Cygni Continent to raise the morale of their troops there.


    ''Be safe, Shana,'' Rnd thought as she looked at the youngdy whom he had developed a crush on. ''I pray for your sess.''


    Although they weren''t together, he sincerely hoped that their Saintess would emerge victorious in this battle, which would impact not only the Rigel Continent but also the entire world.

 Chapter 402 Did I Get Infected By The Zion Disease?

    Chapter 402 Did I Get Infected By The Zion Disease?


    The Blood Wolf, who had been crippled by Hans, roared in anger as it was being absorbed by the ck g in Thirteen''s hand.


    But no matter how hard it struggled, it was unable to free itself from the hold of the Divine Artifact due to its injuries.


    It was a Rank 4 Monster, but Hans easily dealt with it by cutting off its limbs, and cutting all its chances of escaping.


    When the wolf finally turned into particles of light and merged with Thirteen''s ck g, the teenage boy finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "We''re done here, Hans," Thirteen said in a strained voice. "Let''s go back."


    "Yes, Young Master," Hans replied before summoning his Giant Hawk.


    They spent half of the day hunting for suitable monsters to temporarily add to Thirteen''s Divine Artifact because it could only show its might when all 100 slots were taken.


    Although these monsters didn''t possess the abilities that the teenage boy was looking for, having 100 abilities was still better than having just 15 abilities.


    A monster with that many abilities, even if they were only a Rank 1 Monster, was a force to reckon with. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This was also the reason why Thirteen''s former host was hunted down by the Heroes of his world¡ªwith the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons in his hands, he was simply too dangerous.


    Thirteen knew that he needed to have proper rest before the fight started, so they didn''t go too deep into enemy territory.


    He simply asked Hans to cripple different monster types so that he could add their abilities to his Divine Artifact.


    The butler, who knew about the restrictions in his Young Master''s body, didn''t ask any questions about how Zion was able to wield the ck g.


    He simply followed the teenage boy''s orders, and this attitude made Thirteen give the butler a thumbs up in his heart.


    When they finally arrived at the Aircraft Carrier, he immediately ordered the Leventis Naval Fleet to head to their respective positions in preparation for the uing battle.


    He also ordered everyone to take a proper rest so that they would have enough strength when they were ordered to mobilize in bothnd and air.


    Thirteen set up his rm, nning to sleep for at least eight hours. As the Supreme Commander of the operation, whether they would seed or not depended on his orders.


    "Let''s sleep, Tiona," Thirteen said as he lightly patted the ck snake who was coiled up in his chest. "Tomorrow, we head to battle."


    Tiona nodded and obeyed her Master''s order.


    She had seen how her Master had worked tirelessly behind the scenes in order to ensure that the number of casualties would be reduced to its limit.


    Contrary to the teenage boy who was soundly sleeping in his room, there were many people who were unable to sleep a wink.


    Shana was one of them.


    The Saintess of the Hero Party was unable to sleep because she was feeling too anxious.


    The impromptu battle that had taken ce in the Dvalinn Port still haunted her in her dreams¡ªit was bloody, and she tried to help as much as she could, but she was simply too helpless.


    Shana had fought alongside everyone andhealed as many injured as she could.


    But when the Bird Man crashed on the port and stood several meters away from her, she felt as if her heart had stopped beating.


    The Bird Man had only given her a sidelong nce back then and focused its attention on the teenage boy standing only three meters away from it.


    The Rank 8 Sovereign reached out to crush the boy''s neck, treating him like an insignificant insect. "Hi."


    "Bye."


    But, despite the screams, roars, and screeches around her, she had heard those two words clearly. Before she knew it, the Rank 8 Sovereign vanished without a trace.


    The only one left standing was Zion Leventis.


    With the disappearance of the Monsters'' leader, the tide of battle quickly shifted in favor of the Dvalinn Federation.


    After the battle ended, Shana remembered the stories her sister had told her about Zion Leventis.


    Rianna had nothing but praise for the boy. However, her sister''s excessive awe towards Zion irritated Shana to no end.


    But after seeing that scene¡­


    That death-defying scene where a boy who was three years younger than her faced death in the eye yet survived, she finally understood why her sister only sang praises for him.


    Her seniors, Vi, Sharon, and Louise, who had apanied Zion to fight against the Brain Beetle, Evuvug, would often tell Shana that their temporary Commander was very dependable and many times better than Rnd, the Hero of Shana''s Party.


    They even added that if there woulde a time when she had to choose between the two, she should choose Zion because he was the better choice than Rnd.


    Shana hadn''t said anything back then, but she also believed that what they said was the truth.


    She had been with Rnd and knew how strong he really was.


    But despite Zion being weaker, Shana instinctively felt that she would be safer by his side than by Rnd''s or even their entire Hero Partybined.


    ''Did I get infected by the Zion disease?'' Shana thought before shaking her head helplessly. ''I better try to sleep even if I''m struggling to. After all, tomorrow is judgment day.''


    The Saintessid down on her bed and closed her eyes. After feeling restless for an hour, sleep finally held her in her embrace.


    Perhaps, waiting for that moment, hermunicator blinked thrice, indicating that someone was trying to contact her.


    However, since she had temporarily disabled all notification sounds for three hours, she didn''t hear it and slept an uneasy sleep.


    ***


    Somewhere in the Cygni Continent¡­


    "She''s not picking up," Joshua, the Sage of the Hero Party, said. "Maybe she''s already asleep."


    "It''s really hard to contact her because of the time difference," Rndmented. "When we''re awake, she''s asleep, and when we''re asleep, she''s awake."


    "Too bad," the blonde-haired girl stated. "And here I was, nning to wish her good luck for the battle."


    "Well, today is our day off, so maybe we should take a napter," the Warrior said. "That way, we can stay upte to watch the live broadcast and see how their battle will progress. Everyone in the world will be watching this battle, so I''m sure that our superiors won''t mind if we ck off for a day."


    Rnd and Joshua nodded at the same time.


    "That''s a good idea," Joshua nodded. "Let''s take it easy for today."


    """Yes!"""


    Everywhere in the world, simr scenarios were happening.


    Gambling houses even opened, intending to take advantage of this momentous event.


    Some bet that the expedition would fail, while others bet on its sess.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that the entirety of Pangea was paying close attention to this event, which was only half a day from starting.


    Meanwhile, while all the Wanderers were waiting for the battle to start, the Monsters of the Rigel Continent were also starting to move.


    The Centipede King, Jalrog, eyed the movement of its forces, as well as the forces of its allies.


    It had shared the information that the Wanderers wouldunch an expedition that would reim the Northern Regions of the Continent, in a few hours. At first, the Kings didn''t want to believe the Centipede King because its credibility had dropped after trying to devour Evuvug in the past.


    But after Jalrog stated that if the humans did indeedunch an attack, and they didn''t heed its warning, it would no longer participate in any battle to drive them out in the future.


    In the end, the Kings and the Earth Dragons decided to trust Jalrog and ordered their forces to march toward the Northern Regions in preparation for the human''s attempt to reim theirnds.


    Due to their territory being the farthest from the North, the Wyvern King and the Death Lord would arrive a bitter than the rest.


    Evuvug''s forces, which were now under the control of the Rank 7 Blister Bug, were also moving toward the North because the Earth Dragons ordered it so. The Centipede King watched these events unfold with anticipation and looked forward to thepletion of its deal with the messenger of the God of the Apocalypse, who promised to grant its wish of gaining power beyond its wildest dreams.

 Chapter 403 As Good As His Own Private Property

    Chapter 403 As Good As His Own Private Property


    "If you''re just making this up, we will kill you," the Wolf King stated. "You already broke our trust once. Don''t think that you can get away with doing it a second time."


    "You''ll soon realize that I''m telling the truth," Jalrog replied as it traveled alongside the Wolf King and the Broodmother. "Also, there won''t be a next time. I can promise you that."


    "As you should," the Broodmothermented. "Still, how did youe across the information?"


    "I caught a few of their scouts loitering in my territory, so I interrogated them," Jalrog answered. "Humans are weak-willed. All I need to do is promise them that I will give them a chance to live if they answer my questions, and they start talking."


    "What happened to those humans?" the Wolf King asked.


    "I ate them, of course." Jalrog smirked. "It has been a while since I have eaten Wanderers."


    The Wolf King and the Broodmother didn''t ask more about the matter because whether the Centipede King was telling the truth or not would be known the next day. For now, they hastened their paces because traveling with the bloodthirsty centipede was something that made them ufortable. The Centipede King didn''t mind and allowed its tworades to march ahead of him until they could no longer be seen.


    ''Yes, there won''t be a next time,'' Jalrog mused. ''Because by tomorrow, both of you will be mine.''


    After making sure that there weren''t any other monsters nearby, Jalrog dug deep underground to meet up with the Magma Bal-Boa near itsir.


    A few minutester, it arrived at their meeting ce and eyed the Rank 7 Sovereign, the servant of the creature who went by the name Thirteen. "Aside from the Wyvern King and the Death Lord, almost everyone is amassing their armies in the North," Jalrog said. "Are you sure your Master can keep his end of the bargain?"


    Rocky nodded. "Yes."


    "Good." Jalrog nodded back. "We''ll see if our interests really coincide with each other. I''m looking forward to tomorrow''s battle."


    The Centipede King''s eyes glinted with killing intent as it remembered the faces of itsrades.


    All of them hated Jalrog for what it had done to Evuvug, but the Centipede King didn''t give a damn about what they were thinking.


    ''I will devour all of you anyway, so why should I care about the opinion of food?'' Jalrog thought before leaving Rocky behind, with a sinister smirk stered on its insectoid face. The Magma Bal-Boa, who was doing his best to not feel intimidated by Jalrog''s oppressive aura earlier, finally rxed after the Centipede King was gone.


    Rocky was currently on standby and waiting for Thirteen''s further orders.


    It had just finished setting up dormant mines in the North an hour before meeting up with Jalrog.


    These mines were a bit special because they were developed by the Dvalinn Federation in preparation for a day like this.


    When Renz shared this information with Thirteen, the teenage boy asked that he be given half of the Dvalinn Federation''s stockpile of these special mines.


    Wendell didn''t bat an eye and agreed to the request of their Supreme Commander.


    They couldn''t afford to not go all-out in this operation, so he didn''t hesitate to share this special weapon with the teenage boy.


    These mines were hard to detect, even by monsters living in the ground. They would only explode when exposed to a certain frequency which only the Higher-Ups of the DvalinnFederation could identify.


    The Earth Dragons remained at the center of the continent because they believed that the Kings and their forces were more than enough to handle the humans.


    They had driven them out in the past, and they were confident that they could do it again.


    At least, that was what they believed.


    As the hours passed, the sun finally rose from the East and shared its light with the world.


    Thirteen woke up from the sound of his rm clock and yawned loudly.


    He had a good night''s sleep, and he even dreamed.


    However, for some reason, he couldn''t remember what he dreamed about.


    ''Well, I guess it''s not that important,'' Thirteen thought before getting up from the bed to take a quick shower.


    He knew that he might not get a chance to freshen upter, so he decided to take a bath while he still could.


    The water was cold, but it didn''t matter to him. Its low temperature only made his mind sharper and more awake.


    After wearing the clothes he had prepared to wear that day, Thirteen headed to the cafeteria and saw that the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries were already there to eat.


    The moment they saw him, all of them stood up to give him a salute, which he returned in a casual manner.


    "Eat up, and make sure that you''ll be able tost for half a day''s battle," Thirteen dered. "Feel free to bring some energy bars because anything can happen."


    After saying those words, Thirteen went to eat with Tiona, feeling at ease.


    His soldiers were paying close attention to their Commander, but they couldn''t see any signs of anxiety in his facial expression.


    It was as if the teenage boy was just about to take a stroll somewhere in the Rigel Continent.


    He didn''t look like someone who was about tomand the allied armies of the Dvalinn Federation, the Aldebaran Alliance, and the Central Government.


    After spending many months with him, the 69th Battalion had fully recognized Zion Leventis as a very capablemander. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Valkyries, who had recently joined them, felt the same. They had suffered greatly due to the incident at the Dvalinn Port, and Marion had even written her letter of resignation.


    But after Evuvug was defeated, Thirteen gave all the credit to the Valkyries, allowing them to regain their honor and dignity.


    So in their eyes, Zion Leventis was a special existence that allowed them to atone for their past mistakes.


    Thirteen, who was unaware of the overflowing respect and gratitude that the people in the cafeteria had for him, ate happily while hemunicated with Jubei, who wasmanding the Nautilus far out into the sea.


    An all-out attack onnd, air, and sea was about to begin in a few hours, and if everything went ording to his ns, a good chunk of the Rigel Continent would be as good as his own private property.

 Chapter 404 Judgment Day [Part 1]

    Chapter 404 Judgment Day [Part 1]


    All Armies from the Dvalinn Federation, the Central Government, and the Aldebaran Forces, who hade to participate in the mission to liberate the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent, gazed at the teenage boy standing in front of them.


    He was none other than Zion Leventis, the Supreme Commander who wouldmand them on the battlefield.


    This feat was unprecedented. Not only was he the first in the history of the world of Pangea to gain this much authority, but he also achieved it at an extremely young age.


    When he had only been seven years old, rumors of him fighting and winning against a Majin Prince spread.


    When he was ten, he had defeated an Army of Artemians who had intended to establish a stronghold in the world of Solterra.


    And now, at thirteen years old, he had orchestrated the defeat of three out of the eight Kings of the Rigel Continent.


    Until now, the rumors of what happened during his earlier years were still doubted by many. However, the aplishments he recently achieved been verified by not only the Dvalinn Federation and the Leaders of the Aldebaran Continent, but also by the Central Government itself.


    And now, this teenage boy currently stood on the tform, and in front of everyone, he addressed the United Armies under his banner.


    "I am not someone for long speeches," Thirteen said as he rested his hands on his waist. "All of you already know what we''re going to do today."


    Despite the countless gazes that were locked onto his body, he was calm and collected, speaking with confidence. "Many of you will die," Thirteen dered. "Sacrifices will be made. However, I will guarantee that before the sun sets on the horizon, I will have led you all to victory."


    An eerie silence spread in the surroundings as everyone''s gazes became even more fixated on the legendary rookie of Pangea.


    "Wanderers¡­ this is just the beginning of your journeys," Thirteen said as he scanned the armies below him. "It''s time for us to show the Jinns and Majins that we are no longer the weak humans that they have bullied in the past.


    "It''s time to show them that humanity is now ready to fight back."


    "It''s time to show them that they should think twice before trying to conquer our world."


    Thirteen raised his right fist and shouted his deration. "Soldiers,rades, today, we stand on the brink of history. Before us lies a challenge that will test our courage, our strength, and our unity. But remember this, we are not just fighting for ourselves¡ªwe are fighting for our families, our friends, and our world!


    "The enemy we''re about to face is formidable, but they do not possess the heart and spirit that each one of you carries. "They may have numbers, and they may be vicious, cruel, and merciless, but we have something far greater!


    "We have resolve, we have honor, and we have each other!


    "Look at the person beside you. This is your brother, your sister, your family in arms. We fight not as individuals, but as a united force. Our strength lies in our unity, our determination, and our unwavering belief in the cause for which we fight!


    "Today, we will write our own story. A story of bravery, of sacrifice, and of triumph. We will show the world what it means to stand tall in the face of adversity, to reim what is ours, as we make our stand.


    "Wanderers! Let us move forward with courage in our hearts and fire in our souls. For our families, for our homnd, for each other¡ªlet us march into battle and show these hateful monsters what we are made of. "Victory awaits us. Let''s go and im it!"


    """Yes!"""


    "Are you with me?!"


    """Yes!"""


    "To Death!"


    """Death!"""


    "Death!"


    """Death!"""


    ***


    Somewhere in the Aldebaran Continent¡­


    Alessia, who was watching her son on the television, covered her lips as tears streamed down her cheeks.


    She had never felt so proud in her life as she felt today. Her son, who had single-handedly made their lives better, was now about to make history.


    Seeing Zion stand there, wearing the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, Alessia couldn''t help but remember that day in the hospital when he looked so fragile, so weak, and so helpless.


    In the span of eight years, her son had grown to be an outstanding individual.


    Someone that their family was very proud of.


    "Bwadah!" Rhia shouted as she pointed at the T.V. "Bwadah!"


    Remi smiled faintly as she hugged her little sister from behind. "That''s right, Rhia," Remi said. "That''s our brother."


    Gerald, who was in his Smithy and working very hard to finish histest creation, nced at the television and grinned.


    "Show them, son," Gerald stated. "Show them how our family does things."


    ***


    Renz walked up behind the teenage boy and gave him a respectful bow.


    "Commander, our forces are ready to advance," Renz said. "Your orders?"


    Thirteen smirked as he sat on the makeshift throne that was carried on top of the tform.


    "69th Battalion, Valkyries¡ªadvance!" Thirteen ordered. As soon as he gave the order, the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries took to the skies from their Aircraft Carriers and led the charge.


    "Aerial Squadrons, sortie!" Thirteen dered.


    Countless flying monsters of different kinds flew high in the sky and followed the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries, engaging in their assault formation.


    The moment the 69th Battalion arrived at the airspace of the Northern Regions, countless flying monsters, who were part of the Bird Man''s remaining forces, all rose up to meet them.


    "Vulture Formation!" Thirteen ordered.


    As soon as the order was given, all the flying monsters that belonged to the alliance dove down from the sky.


    The Jinns and Majins, who hade to engage them inbat, were momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected move of their enemies.


    "All Warships, open fire!" Thirteen shouted.


    A thunderous roar answered Thirteen''smand as hundreds of warships fired their Main Cannons andunched their missiles, aimed at the flying enemies, giving their enemies a wee they didn''t expect.


    In just the span of a few seconds, the sky was covered in a thick mist of blood, made from hundreds of monsters exploding out of the sheer firepower that assaulted their bodies.


    Cristopher, who was leading the 69th Battalion, and Marion, who was leading the Valkyries, flew a few meters above ground, circling back to the sea and leading the Aerial Squadron to safety.


    Their only purpose was to serve as bait in order to lure the Flying Monsters that were being led by a Rank 7 Great Eagle.


    When Zed suddenly disappeared, his subordinates had lost their pir of support. Although someone was leading them in battle, the Great Eagle wasn''t as well-versed inmanding the other monsters, leading to the destruction of their formation.


    Cristopher, who had seen the Great Eagle from a distance, aimed his sniper rifle and pulled the trigger.


    A dark bullet pierced through the Giant Eagle''s body, but the Giant Monster was unfazed by this sneak attack from Thirteen''s right-hand man.


    "Mission aplished," Cristopher reported.


    "Good job, Cristopher," Thirteen replied.


    The Supreme Commander of the Alliance nced at the projection of the battlefield in front of him and saw a red blinking dot in the sky. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The bullet Cristopher had shot was only a tracker bullet, allowing them to pinpoint the exact location of the leader of the Flying Monsters.


    "Go for the kill, Uncle," Thirteen said through themunicator.


    "Understood," Michael replied before he fixed the sses on his face. "Fire the Main Cannons."


    "Firing the Main Cannons!" his subordinate replied.


    Suddenly, a red beam of light trailed across the sky as the Main Cannon of the Leventis Aircraft Carrier used its most powerful cannon, which Thirteen had designed two years ago.


    This cannon only had a quarter of Nautilus'' firepower, but it was enough to do the job that it was made for.


    The Great Eagle, who was about to chase Cristopher and the others, suddenly felt something dangerous headed in its direction.


    However, despite knowing the danger, there was nothing it could do. The attack that had been aimed in its direction was simply incredibly fast and incredibly deadly.


    The red beam collided with the Great Eagle''s right wing, vaporizing it. And with it, the monster was forced toe crashing down from the sky.


    However, it didn''t end there.


    All the monsters that were along the red beam''s path were annihted instantly, leaving only blood mist spraying in the air. "Sir, the Cannon is overheating," the officer who was stationed to fire the Main Cannon gave his report. "We won''t be able to fire it right away."


    "Understood," Michael replied as he fixed his sses. "Let it cool off for a while."


    "Yes, Sir!"


    Thirteen, who had been informed that the Great Eagle had fallen on the ground, gave the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries the order to eliminate it without mercy.


    A few miles away from the battlefield, Jalrog nced at the Wolf King and Broodmother with triumph.


    "See? I told you¡ªthe humans are going to attack," Jalrog. "Fine, we believe you now," the Wolf King replied as it nced at the Broodmother. "We will act ording to the n."


    "Good." The Broodmother replied before giving a loud screech.


    Countless spiders started to burrow into the ground in preparation to ambush the ground forces of the Wanderers, who would pass through their trap as soon as they defeated the Flying Monsters that were barring their way.


    Jalrogughed internally. Everything was going ording to the n of the messenger who had spoken to it a few days ago.


    Now, all it needed to do was y its role and wait for the two Kings who had looked down on it to suffer a fate that they didn''t seeing.

 Chapter 405 Judgment Day [Part 2]

    Chapter 405 Judgment Day [Part 2]


    The Flying Monsters who had lost yet another leader couldn''t do anything but explode in the air as the unending bombardment of the Warships continued raining down on them.


    While this was happening, Arthur and the Field Marshal of the Central Government, Tristan, dealt with the Rank 7 Great Eagle, who had now lost its ability to fly.


    The two Thrones made short work of it, which was the role that Thirteen had asked them to y.


    Their job was to deal with the fallen High-Ranking Monsters from the Bird Man''s forces and kill them as soon as possible.


    The Jinns and Majins had growncent over the years after being used to dealing with only the forces of the Dvalinn Federation back then.


    And now that they were dealing with nearly a third of the world''s entire armed forces who were using state-of-the-art weapons that they had developed over the years, they were unable to hold their ground.


    The battle had onlysted for nearly twenty minutes, ending when the Jinns finally decided to retreat after their leader was killed.


    Within that short period of time, only a fifth of their original forces remained, proving just how formidable the counterattack of the Wanderers was.


    The ground forces arrived at the beach one by one and secured the perimeter.


    They then constructed several portable teleporters, which would allow the other soldiers from the Dvalinn Port to teleport directly to the ind.


    This was an efficient method to bolster their numbers and allow elite personnel like Thrones and Monarchs to join the battle right away.


    Currently, the Monarchs and the Thrones, with the exception of Arthur and Tristan, were still on standby, saving their strength in order to fight the Monster Kings that were waiting for them onnd.


    "This opening act sure is something," Wendellmented. "The amount of Empyrium lost in that barrage is staggering. In order to reim a mile ofnd, we have already used nearly half of our stockpile."


    "It doesn''t matter," Lawrence replied. "Human lives are more important than Empyrium."


    "Well, the battle has just started," Benedictmented. "Let''s just wait for the orders of our Supreme Commander."


    Thirteen, who was being transported to the Dvalinn Port by Renz, eyed the battlefield like a hawk.


    "So far, so good, Commander," Renz reported. "We haven''t suffered any casualties yet, but our Empyrium reserves had just passed the halfway mark. I''m afraid that we won''t have enough ammunition to fend off the hordes of Monsters that are waiting for us onnd."


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen replied. "What we have is enough."


    The teenage boy then tapped hismunicator and ordered the Warships to stop firing their cannons.


    As soon as the order was given, the Aerial Forces of the Alliance once again rose up to the sky and surveyed the surroundings.


    Only death and destruction could be seen, and countless craters littered the ground.


    "We are reporting live at the Rigel Continent!" one of the Reporters said as his cameraman showed the world the results of the opening half of the battle to their viewers. "As you can see, the Alliance has driven off the enemy''s vanguard and has established a foothold. "Although I''m not a hundred percent certain, I believe that we haven''t suffered a single casualty from this exchange. It seems that our Supreme Commander has achieved his goal for the opening act."


    Since the Battle Reporters were not allowed to advance ahead of the battlefield, they only stayed near the beach area, where the Soldiers were amassing their forces.


    When Thirteen reached the Dvalinn Port, he was immediately brought to the Command Center, where a projection of the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent was highlighted.


    Renz, who was apanying him, stood two steps away from the Supreme Commander''s chair and observed the changes in the battlefield.


    Over a dozen aides were stationed in themand center, and their role was to give Thirteen live updates of the battle from their correspondents on the field.


    "Sir, we don''t see any monsters within a five-mile radius from the shore," Cristopher reported. "Your orders?"


    "Deploy the Frequency Bombs," Thirteen ordered. "Yes, Sir!" Cristopher replied before raising his hand tomand the 69th Battalion to follow him. "We will deploy the Frequency Bombs."


    Three hundred Gyrfalcons streaked past the sky and dropped hundreds of Frequency Bombs to the ground.


    The moment these bombs crashed down, they immediately unleashed a high-level frequency that spread far and wide.


    A few secondster, the ground rumbled as the mines Rocky had nted detonated one by one. The Spiders, who were waiting in ambush, screeched in pain and surprise as they were caught up with the explosions, which they had not seening.


    The Broodmother, who was at the center of the Spider Formation, hurriedly gave the orders to rise up to the surface so that not all of his subordinates would be killed under the ground.


    Jalrog had said that this was the perfect spot to ambush the Wanderers when they started to advance deeper into their territory.


    The Broodmother didn''t believe everything the King Centipede had said.


    But after it had sent the scouts and confirmed that this was indeed an ideal location for an ambush, it ordered all of its forces to hide under this wide stretch ofnd. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The trap they had set was perfect, and the Broodmother believed that the battle would end the moment their prey walked upon their trap.


    Unfortunately, the one who walked into the trap was not the Wanderers but the Broodmother and its subordinates, who were now desperately trying to reach the surface.


    But just as the Broodmother was about to burst out from the ground, the dormant mines that had been especially nted to trap her exploded at the same time, causing her big body to suffer several injuries.


    As a Rank 8 Sovereign, the dormant mines weren''t strong enough to kill it. But, it didn''t change the fact that it had caused damage to it.


    Unlike the Centipede King, the Broodmother didn''t have a very tough exoskeleton, so it didn''t escape the explosions unharmed.


    However, as soon as it rose to the surface, it was met with a bombardment by the 69th Battalion, the Valkyries, and the Aerial Units of the Alliance.


    Arthur and Lawrence also joined the battle, making the Broodmother screech in pain and anger.


    Before even facing their enemies, more than half of its spiderlings had perished due to the Mines that had detonated underground.


    Also, their enemies were flying too high in the air, so none of its attacks could reach them.


    The Broodmother could only watch in anger as more of its subordinates perished with each passing second.


    Meanwhile, away from thismotion, the three Earth Dragons, who were in touch with the Broodmother, suddenly tensed and hurriedly created an Earthwall that was dozens of meters thick.


    A secondter, a beam of light crashed over their defenses, forcing the three Rank 9 Sovereigns to work together to prevent the attack from reaching the Dimensional Gate that they were protecting.


    The Dome of Earth they erected onlysted for a few seconds before it shattered, sending one of the Earth Dragons, who was as big as a fortress, flying backward.


    The other two Earth Dragons were also pushed back, and the beam of light collided with the Dimensional Gate, making the three of them panic.


    The Dimensional Gate which was originally over two hundred meters tall shrank until it was only a hundred meters tall, the same size as the Earth Dragons.


    Despite suffering minor injuries, the three Earth Dragons hurriedly took a defensive position, facing the direction where the beam of light wasing from.


    "The Main Cannons have overheated, Jubei," T1 said. "We will not be able to use them anytime soon."


    "It''s fine." Jubei, who was watching the result of the attack of Nautilus'' Main Cannons through Athena''s surveince from space, smiled faintly. "We have aplished our mission. Those Earth Dragons will be too scared to leave their spot. They are no longer a threat to Master."


    Thirteen had ordered Jubei to target the Dimensional Gate, even if the Main Cannons of Nautilus melted in the attempt.


    Right now, he needed to keep the Earth Dragons upied for at least a few hours so that they wouldn''t be able to give orders to their forces who were busy fighting in the North.


    At the same time that the Main Cannons of Nautilus targeted the Dimensional Gate, a ck snake emerged from the ground, just behind the location of the Broodmother.


    Suddenly, a ck g materialized behind her, and ny-nine monsters emerged from it.


    At Tiona''s hiss, all of these monsters used the Mirror Slime''s Mirror Ability, instantly doubling their number in a heartbeat.


    After the g disappeared, the monsters activated perfect camouge, then made their way toward the Broodmother from behind.


    They were Thirteen''s "Secret Forces" who would y a major role in tilting the bnce of the war in their favor.

 Chapter 406 Judgment Day [Part 3]

    Chapter 406 Judgment Day [Part 3]


    The Broodmother didn''t expect that its wellid-out ambush that was supposed to decimate the enemy forces the moment they advanced wouldpletely fall into ruin.


    Their n was perfect and had no gaps.


    After the Wanderers advanced at its position, the Wolf King would attack them from behind with a pincer attack, giving their enemies no path of escape.


    The remnants of the deceased Manticore King would then join this assault, immediately doubling theirnd forces.


    But that wasn''t all.


    The Centipede King and its Centipede Army would kill any survivors who managed to escape andpletely wipe them out. After that, the Wyvern King, who would arrive next, would wipe out all their enemies'' flying forces,pletely decimating their ranks.


    The Death Lord wouldn''t even need to do anything and simply watch from afar.


    This was the n that they had agreed upon, and they thought that, with it, they could wipe out the humans who still dreamed of reiming theirnds.


    However, their expectations didn''t match reality. Seeing its subordinates die around it, the Broodmother couldn''t help but screech in anger. On top of that, its reinforcements from the Wolf King were nowhere to be found.


    "Foolish monster¡­" Thirteen said arrogantly as he lightly tapped on the projection in front of him. "Such childish strategies are outdated."


    The ce where the teenage boy had tapped was the exact location of the Broodmother, who was currently at the center of the chaos caused by the Chaos Mines.


    "Alpha Team, pull out," Thirteen ordered. "Uncle, pleaseunch Mephisto."


    "Understood," Michael replied.


    All the Flying Forces of the Alliance, which Thirteen had given the general codename Alpha Team immediately retreated without hesitation. A momentter, the Aircraft Carrier of the Leventis Familyunched a missile that Thirteen had given the codename Mephisto.


    It was a weapon customly created in order to specifically target the Kings of the Rigel Continent.


    Due to the massive resources that were needed to construct such a missile, the Leventis Family had only made two of them.


    Renz and the members of the Alliance, who weren''t informed about this weapon from the Leventis Family, could only look at the trail in the sky that was created by the missile.


    The Broodmother''s senses tingled, informing it that something that could threaten its life was fast approaching.


    It then immediately coated its body in a steel-like mineral, raising its defenses to its limit.


    "Foolish spider," Thirteen sneered. "Do you really think that your petty trick could defend you from Mephisto?"


    A blinding sh of light erupted, covering the entire battlefield in white for a brief moment.


    Renz, who was standing beside the teenage boy, shuddered as he looked at the flying military drones, which were monitoring the battlefield in real-time.


    A dust cloud that rose up several miles into the atmosphere blocked everyone''s vision.


    Arthur, who was riding on his Flying Serpent, ordered it to disperse the dust cloud so that he could see the result of their family''s two-year effort.


    What he didn''t know was that the missile alone wasn''t enough to kill a Rank 8 Sovereign that easily.


    Thirteen made sure that the entire missile was covered with Rune Magic, allowing its damage to increase several folds.


    Even if the blueprint for the Mephisto Missile was stolen or shared with the public, the result wouldn''t be the same.


    Everyone''s gazesnded on the spider that was at the center of a giant crater.


    A good chunk of its body was blown apart, and only three of its legs remained.


    Even though it survived, it had received a fatal injury, which would end its life after a few minutes.


    A loud cheer erupted in the surroundings as Renz and the staff at themand center all raised their hands in triumph.


    The same thing was happening all around the world as everyone witnessed that one of the remaining Kings of the Rigel Continent had been defeated.


    "Commander, we did it!" One of the staff shouted as he looked at the teenage boy with awe. "We defeated it!"


    "Calm down, son," Thirteen replied despite talking to someone who was older than him. "It''s just a Rank 8 Sovereign. It''s not a big deal. Return to your post, and monitor the battlefield. This battle has just begun."


    "Yes, Sir!" the officer saluted as he returned to this duty. He didn''t even mind being called "son" by the teenage boy who could easily pass off as his own child. "You''re too humble, Commander," Renzmented from the side. "I''m not being humble, Renz," Thirteen replied. "Watch closely because you will be doing the same in the future. As I said earlier, this isn''t really a big deal."


    The second-inmand of the Dvalinn Federation smiled faintly and nodded his head. If other people dared to say that in front of him, he would have pped them silly and ordered the officers in themand center to kick them out.


    However, he didn''t dare to do that to the teenage boy, who seemed to be ying a game of chess against aplete beginner. What everyone didn''t know was that Thirteen genuinely thought that this one-sided battle was not a big deal. If he had been given more time, he would have made a more powerful version of Mephisto and other armaments that would have made everyone cough up blood due to how much resources it required to make them. Thirteen had been too busy working on Athena and Nautilus, so he left the missile''s creation to the Leventis Family.


    Aside from adding Rune Magic to the finished product, he didn''t do anything more than that. While the image on the screens projected that the Broodmother was no longer capable of fighting, a flying serpent descended from the sky and headed straight to it. Arthur, who understood that the Broodmother was on itsst legs, didn''t think twice and attacked with the intention of giving it the finishing blow.


    But before he could do that, the ground under the Broodmother opened up, making its giant body fall.


    The Centipede King, who had been waiting for that exact moment, dragged its rade" deep underground and left the battlefield in haste.


    Everyone was surprised about this sudden development because they didn''t expect that another King would appear to save itsrade. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen, on the other hand, only smiled faintly before giving his next set of orders. "Alpha Team, head Northeast and deal with the Wolf King," Thirteen ordered. "All warships, aim your cannons at the coordinates that I will be giving you. Wait for my orders before you fire. Understood?"


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    A series of acknowledgments reached the Command Center as Cristopher and Marion led the Aerial Forces of the Alliance to deal with the ground forces that belonged to the Wolf King and the remnants of the King Manticore''s army.


    The Soldiers, who were still amassing on the beach area, remained on standby. While they could have helped the Alpha Team to eliminate the Wolf King and its followers, Thirteen didn''t n to make unnecessary sacrifices on his side.


    What he wanted everyone to see was a one-sided massacre of the Jinns and Majins, whom everyone had thought to be near-invincible.


    Even Dous Griffin, who was watching the live coverage of the battle, was busy telling his subordinates to record everything that was happening so that they could learn from it.


    The Monarch of the Cygni Continent believed that as long as he and his advisors studied Zion''s strategy, they would be able to replicate it and use it against the same monsters who would be invading theirnds very soon.

 Chapter 407 Judgment Day [Part 4]

    Chapter 407 Judgment Day [Part 4]


    "Zion Leventis¡­ it seems that I still underestimated you," Dous muttered. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The other Factions, who weren''t part of the Allied Forces in the Rigel Continent, were thinking of the same thing.


    They expected the battle to be bloody, with both sides dying en masse.


    But so far, they had already eliminated one of the Kings that once terrorized them decades ago, yet not a single Wanderer had died in battle.


    What they didn''t know was that "it could have been bloody" if Thirteen hadn''t made the necessary preparations for this counterattack.


    If he hadn''t struck a deal with the Centipede King, Jalrog, the people at the beach would have already been attacked by countless centipedes, and their foothold would have easily been thwarted.


    If he didn''t eliminate the Manticore King, who had the ability to boost its allies'' strength in battle, making them twice as deadly and ferocious, the Flying Jinns and Majins would have been harder to defeat, even with the bombardment of the allied army.


    If Evuvug hadn''t been taken down, any Wanderer who would cross thend and skies within its range would have been prey to its mind control abilities.


    Last but not the least, if the dimensional gate hadn''t been attacked, the Earth Dragons, who were capable of firing long-distance attacks that were almostparable to continental-ballistic missiles, would have given cover fire to their allies.


    However, even these powerful monsters didn''t dare to do that.


    Why?


    Because they had their hands full in defending their Dimensional Gate from Nautilus'' Main Cannons, which were at maximum output.


    Thirteen was throwing all of his forces and resources into this war because he knew that once the surrounding monsters had been cleared out, nothing would stop him from mining everything on the continent.


    Of course, he also nned to share a bit of resources with his allies, but the majority of the important resources would be under his control.


    The expenses and losses he incurred from this battle would be returned a hundred-fold, so he didn''t mind going all-out.


    Also, this was his way of showing his abilities to the entire world, which would allow him to gain perks after this mission ended.


    For the time being, the teenage boy nced at the screen, showing the battle between the Alpha Team and the Wolf King.


    From the start, the Land Monsters were at a great disadvantage.


    The only thing they could do was run away and avoid the bombardment from the skies.


    Knowing that they had the upper hand, the Alpha Team didn''t n on letting their enemies go and went on a one-sided massacre.


    The Wolf King was enraged, but there was really nothing it could do aside from order its forces to retreat.


    It had seen the destructive weapon the enemies had used against the Broodmother, so it believed that itsrade might have already perished from it.


    Everything happened so quickly that it hadn''t been able toe to the other party''s aid on time. The pincer attack they nned was rendered useless because their enemies didn''t advance onnd and simply congregated at the beach area, securing their foothold. Only the Aerial Units of their enemies went deep into their defensive lines.


    Since they couldn''t attack them from the ground, there was nothing they could do but retreat with their tails behind their legs.


    ''Damn it!'' the Wolf King cursed internally. ''These humans are different from the past!''


    While the Wolf King was thinking along these lines, something unexpected happened.


    Over a hundred monsters suddenly materialized in front of them out of thin air and unleashed a Petrification Breath that washed over their forces like a tide.


    Since it was a very strong monster, the Wolf King wasn''t affected by this breath attack.


    However, the Rank 1, Rank 2, and a handful of Rank 3 Monsters that were running alongside it immediately turned into stone statues, reminiscent of a wall, which blocked those who were running behind them.


    Roars, screeches, and howls of anger spread in the surroundings as the monsters toppled over each other.


    Those at the front were trampled by those at the back, creating a domino effect that disrupted their retreat.


    The Wolf King unleashed a powerful shockwave and instantly annihted the monsters who had tried to block their path.


    However, the dead monsters turned into a ck, poisonous mist, which was thebination of Tiona''s Death Kiss and the Blood Wolf''s Blood Mist Ability.


    These two abilitiesbined created a poisonous blood cloud that could poison any living thing, including the Wolf King.


    Although the poison did not show any immediate effect due to how strong it was, it was actually weakening the Wolf King slowly, making it less effective inbat until its body functions shut down. Unfortunately, not everyone was as strong as the Wolf King.


    The Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters immediately copsed,l and writhed on the ground due to the poisonous cloud. Rank 3 and above were able to tolerate it, but it would soon take effect on them. "Run!" the Wolf King ordered. "Those who are left behind will die. So run!"


    With the poisonous cloud and the petrified monsters serving as road hurdles to the fleeting army, the retreat of the Wolf King''s forces wasn''t making smooth progress. Tiona, who was watching from three miles away, summoned the ck g a second time and once again called for her Monster Army.


    After summoning them, she hastily retreated to the next checkpoint to whittle down the Wolf King''s forces.


    She would repeat this process four more times before leaving the battlefieldpletely.


    The members of the Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons could die ten times a day. After that, they would enter a two-day cooldown before they could be summoned again.


    Thirteen told her that he would need half of the g''s lives to wrap things up, so Tiona was only allowed to have her subordinates die five times.


    The Alpha Team, who saw the chaos that was happening on the ground, weren''t surprised by the sudden change in the battlefield.


    Their Supreme Commander had informed them that there would be monster rebels who would hinder the enemy forces and that the Allied Armies should treat these monsters as "friendlies".


    While everything was a mess above ground, the dying Broodmother red hatefully at the Centipede King, who was deliberately eating its body slowly, savoring the anger, disbelief, humiliation, and unwillingness that its formerrade was feeling.


    "You won''t¡­ get away with this, Jalrog," the Brood mother screeched. "You will die¡­ a dog''s death!"


    "I won''t," Jalrog replied. "I will eat you, then that stupid wolf. After that, the stupid Wyvern will be next.


    "Once I''ve devoured the three of you, that Death Lord is as good as dead. The Earth Dragons will be a pain to deal with, but I''m not worried. I have a helper after all."


    The Broodmother, Nizana, screamed in pain as the Centipede King tore off itsst remaining leg from its body and ate it with gusto.


    "The Master will avenge me!" Nizana shouted, using thest embers of its life to curse at its killer. "A traitor like you will die a dog''s death!"


    The Centipedeughed out loud after hearing the Broodmother''s hateful words.


    "Don''t worry," Jalrog said. "The moment your Master crosses into this world, I will send him to the same ce where you will soon be."


    The Centipede King no longer yed with its food and sliced off the Broodmother''s head from its body.


    It then greedily devoured Nizana''s body, as well as its core, making it feel a surge of strength wash over its body.


    While the Centipede King was enjoying the euphoric sensation of increasing its strength, Rocky appeared before it and gave its report.


    "The Wolf King is retreating to the Southeast," Rocky reported. "Understood," Jalrog replied. "I''ll be there shortly."


    Rocky nodded and left the scene, not wanting to stay even a second longer with the traitorous monster who had sold itsrades for power.


    A minuteter, Jalrog''s exoskeleton becamepletely ck. Its body was transforming into a more powerful version of itself.


    Faint golden hues emerged on its razor-sharp legs, making it look deadlier than it already was.


    When its transformation was over, Jalrog dug into the ground and headed southeast.


    Its Centipede Army followed behind it like a tide, ready to devour the fools who had mocked their King''s pursuit of power, which they would pay for dearly with their lives.

 Chapter 408 Judgment Day [Part 5]

    Chapter 408 Judgment Day [Part 5]


    "This¡­ just how¡ª" the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, Lawrence, looked at the monitors in disbelief as he watched tens of thousands of monsters under the Wolf King''s army die at a rapid rate.


    At first, it wasn''t noticeable due to how numerous they were. But soon, the Flying Drones, which were closely monitoring the battlefield and were following these monsters from the sky, noticed that the monsters were decreasing at a rapid rate.


    Of course, the Alpha Team, who were responsible for sniping them from the sky, yed a role in diminishing the low-ranking monsters.


    However, even they couldn''t achieve what was happening right before their eyes.


    Since the Military Drones were flying at the rear of the Monster Army, they couldn''t see Tiona''s team decimating the monsters from the front.


    Although they were Rank 1 Monsters, the number of abilities in their arsenal was fearsome. Their Petrification Breath turned the monsters at the front into stone statues, making them a hurdle that caused the monster stampede to trample against each other.


    Those who were running at the front weren''t able to stop on time. The monsters at the back would collide with them, and the cycle would repeat, causing countless loss of lives among their ranks as the bigger and stronger monsters stomped over their bodies.


    The worst part was that when someone from Tiona''s army was killed, they would explode into a poisonous blood mist that would spread in the surroundings,tching onto the monster army and killing the weaker monsters among their ranks. Those who were lucky to survive would manage to run a bit more before once again facing the same thing all over again, stacking the effect of the poison.


    Since they were running, the blood of the monsters was pumping very quickly inside their bodies. This allowed Tiona''s poison to travel faster and attack them from the inside.


    Those who reached their limit wouldter copse or slow down considerably, allowing the Alpha Team, who were attacking them from the sky, to finish them off quickly.


    Renz, who was also observing the monitors with a critical gaze, could tell that something was happening that he wasn''t aware of.


    However, he soon noticed something that wasn''t obvious at first but became more apparent as time went on.


    ''The Alpha Team is herding the monsters to run in a certain direction,'' Renz thought. ''If my guess is right, this has something to do with the monster rebels that Zion previously mentioned. Maybe they are thinning the enemies'' ranks from the front.''


    Since the Military Drone couldn''t fly faster than the monsters could run, Renz and those who had reached the same conclusion couldn''t confirm their guesses.


    The strategist''s gaze thennded on the teenage boy, who would tap on the projection on the table to guide the Army and asionally on hismunicator to give out secret orders that others could neither notice nor understand.


    Perhaps noticing his gaze, Thirteen smiled faintly and asked Renz a question. However, before asking that question, he "identally" turned on hismunicator which connected him to all the Wanderers and Military personnel who were participating in this mission.


    "Do you know why the Jinns and Majins were able to invade Pangea when they first appeared in this world?" Thirteen asked.


    "It''s because the strongest weapons of humanity didn''t work on them," Renz replied.


    Thirteen nodded. "That''s right. The guns, assault rifles, missiles, as well as the nuclear weapons that mankind developed ceased to function. Thews of the world were rewritten, banning the use of these weapons.


    "Because of this, humanity had to rely on the Wanderers to fight their battles for them. Unfortunately, the Wanderers back then were simply too weak to make a difference. "But as time went on, the Wanderers gained more strength, and humanity was also able to create new and effective weapons against the Jinns and Majins.


    "However, that wasn''t enough. The most important thing humanity lost many years ago was their confidence. So, the battle we are having now is to reim that lost confidence."


    Everyone heard their Supreme Commander''s words loud and clear, making them feel pride and courage rise in their hearts. But Thirteen was still not done. "I want everyone to do everything in their power so that when morninges, the g of victory will flutter in the Northern Regions of this continent," Thirteen said with determination, further fanning the mes of courage that were now zing brightly in everyone''s hearts."


    "For Pangea!"


    """For Pangea!"""


    Everyone in themand center shouted, and those who were listening also shouted their agreement.


    The Alpha Team became more aggressive in their attacks and rained down bombardments on the fleeting Wolf Army without any shred of mercy.


    Tiona, who had used the g for the fifth time, immediately left the scene to go to the ce where her Master asked her to go.


    Her mission had ended, and with this, more than half of the monster army had been poisoned to death or were currently suffering from its effects.


    Thirteen once again tapped hismunicator, and a close-up view of the terrain that was viewed from space appeared in his vision.


    He was the only one who could see this because he was using Athena to monitor the movements of the Wyvern King and the Death Lord, who were rushing to reinforce theirrades.


    A faint smile appeared on the boy''s lips before giving out his order.


    "Alpha Team, the Wyvern King''s Army will engage you in twenty minutes," Thirteen stated. "Execute Operation Big Bang!"


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    The Captains, who were leading all the squads, prepared their practiced maneuver against the strongest Aerial Forces of the Jinns and Majins.


    "Lord Wendell, Lord Lawrence, and Lord Trevor, please prepare to sortie," Thirteen ordered. "Everyone needs you on the battlefield."


    The three Monarchs, who were waiting at the Dvalinn Port, summoned their Flying Mounts and rose to the sky.


    Their role was to fend off the Wyvern King, the strongest flying monster in the Rigel Continent.


    As long as it was kept in check, the other Thrones, who were part of the Omega Team, would also move out and support them from the ground.


    Now that the major threats onnd had been cleared, it was now time for them to join the battlefield as well. "Omega Team, advance!" Thirteen ordered. The three Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation, Ronald Rhodes, Hugo Riggs, and Spencer Nightshade, also gave the order to advance, leading their armies to battle.


    "Advance!" Ronald shouted. "It''s time to get some action boys!"


    """Yeah!"""


    Thousands of Humvees moved forward, followed by tens of thousands of soldiers on the ground.


    Earlier, all of them were feeling anxious because they didn''t know if they would be able to survive the battle or not.


    But now, they were itching for a fight and wished to join their brothers and sisters on the front lines who were having all the action for themselves.


    "To the Naval Fleet, are all of you ready?" Thirteen asked.


    """Sir, Yes Sir!"""


    "Good," Thirteen replied. "Remember the coordinates I gave earlier. All of you will concentrate your firepower in that direction."


    Since the main bulk of the enemy''s forces were about to meet up with the Wolf King, it was only a matter of time before they regrouped for a counterattack.


    However, this was also the thing that Thirteen was waiting for. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He had cast the dice, and whether it would be a winning throw or not would only be known when the Wyvern King finally entered the battlefield.

 Chapter 409 Judgment Day [Part 6]

    409 Judgment Day [Part 6]


    ''Jalrog, Nizana, and Arym should have dealt with those puny humans by now,'' the Wyvern King, Vannaroth, thought as he led his mighty army to join itsrades on the battlefield.


    Knowing that it was the strongest among the Kings in the Rigel Continent, it looked down on Zed and Amos, who had lost to the humans.


    As for Evuvug, it assumed that the Brain Beetle had perished because of Jalrog''s betrayal.


    Even so, it confidently thought that the moment his army joined the battle, the humans would no longer dare to step foot in the Rigel Continent again.


    However, while they were flying toward the meeting point, hundreds of flying monsters, which belonged to Zed''s army, appeared in their vision.


    Most of these monsters were suffering from various levels of injuries, the sight of which made the Wyvern King frown.


    "What are you all doing here?" Vannaroth asked. "What is happening on the front lines?"


    A Rank 5 Giant Hawk, who was leading its brethren, answered. "The humans have overpowered us in battle. Queen Nizana had also been seriously injured, and I believe that she had perished in their hands by now.


    "The Wolf King''s Army, on the other hand, was being attacked from the sky, so they had no choice but to retreat as well. The Centipede King''s army might have also perished alongside the Spider Queen, and Lord Jalrog is nowhere to be found."


    "Useless imbeciles!" Vannaroth roared in anger. "All of you wille with me and rejoin the battle. If you don''t, we will kill all of you, right here, right now. What is your answer?"


    The Wyvern unleashed a pressure that made the flying monsters that belonged to Zed''s Army almost fall off from the sky due to how strong it was.


    Those who were seriously injured even lost their ability to fly and crashed to the ground, dying from falling at such a great height.


    The Giant Hawk and those who were still able to fly had no choice but to agree to join the Wyvern King''s army, knowing that they''d perish in their hands otherwise.


    "Increase your flight speed!" Vannaroth ordered. "We will show those puny humans their ce!"


    Roars and screeches of approval spread in the sky as the Wyvern King led the charge towards the North with its eyes burning in determination.


    ***


    "Alpha Team, the Wyvern King''s Army will engage you in twenty minutes. Execute Operation Big Bang!"


    "Yes, Sir!" Christoper and the other Captains replied, and went into the Big Bang Formation.


    "Remember, we will not engage the Wyvern King directly," Cristopher stated. "We will keep our distance. It is not our role to fight against him. Do I make myself clear?"


    ""Yes, Sir!""


    A few minutester, the Alpha Team noticed that the sky beyond the horizon had darkened.


    Countless ck specks could be seen in the distance as if a swarm of bats was about to head in their direction. Cristopher and the Alpha Team slowed down their pursuit of the Wolf King''s Army and slowly descended from the sky.


    They were not going to retreatpletely¡ªtheir n was to bait the arrogant Wyvern King''s army to charge in their direction and engage them in battle.


    The Three Monarchs had also arrived at the scene, hovering just a few meters above the Alpha Team''s formation, serving as their sword and shield against the strongest King in the Rigel Continent.


    When Vannaroth saw the Wolf King''s army that now only numbered in the thousands, it roared in anger as if asking the Wolf King to exin itself.


    However, Arym ignored it and continued to retreat with the survivors of its army.


    "Cowards!" Vannaroth shouted before it increased its speed to charge fearlessly at the Wanderers in front of it.


    The Wyvern King''s army, which numbered in the tens of thousands, followed behind their King in preparation to annihte their enemies.


    "Commander, the enemies have already entered our range," one of the Officers in the Command Center reported.


    "All missiles,unch!" Thirteen ordered.


    Far out into the sea, the Warships unleashed countless long-range missiles towards the continent.


    The Dvalinn Port, which had also been modified to be a floating fortress, also fired their missiles on the coordinates that their Supreme Commander had given them.


    The Alpha Team, as well as the Monarchs, watched as countless missiles trailed above their heads and charged at the army that was headed in their direction.


    Soon, a thunderous explosion reverberated across the sky as countless flying monsters got caught up in the powerful explosions around them and fell to their deaths.


    "Alpha Team, retreat," Thirteen ordered. "Monarchs, serve as the rear guard and make sure that the Wyvern King doesn''t break through your defenses."


    ""Yes!""


    The Alpha Team hastily retreated because their flying mounts wouldn''tst long in fighting against the Wyvern King''s army because their mounts were already exhausted.


    They would need to rest for a while before they could once again effectively engage their enemies in battle.


    Thirteen knew this as well, so he asked the Naval Fleet to create a killing zone that would deter the Wyvern King''s army from flying to their deaths.


    The Alpha Team wouldnd near the beach to rest, while the Omega Team would also provide support fire from the ground.


    While this was happening on the front lines, the Wolf King and its army thought that they were finally safe.


    But just before they could even catch their breath, the ground under their feet trembled as if there was an earthquake.


    A few secondster, countless Giant Centipedes emerged from the ground and attacked their exhaustedrades who had just escaped from being hunted to death by the Wanderers.


    "Jalrog! You traitor!" Arym shouted in anger as it tried to lunge at the Centipede King who had appeared in front of it.


    Jalrog didn''t back down and shed with the Wolf King.


    Their first exchange sent the Wolf King skidding several meters backward, making its eyes widen in shock.


    It had fought the Centipede King in the past out of boredom, and in every one of those battles, it had always emerged victorious.


    Seeing the Wolf King''s shocked expression, a sneer appeared on Jalrog''s face. It had long waited to see this kind of look from itsrade.


    "You''ve grown stronger," Arym growled.


    "Not only did I grow stronger, but you''ve also grown weaker, Arym," Jalrog replied.


    "You will not get away with this, you traitor!" Arym roared in anger.


    "Nizana said the same," Jalrogmented. "But where do you think she is now?"


    The Wolf King''s fur stood on end like sharp needles ready to stab its foe to death.


    "I''ll kill you!" Arym shouted as a shockwave burst outward from its body.


    The Wolf King could control the Wind Element, making its attacks sharper and its movements faster.


    Although it felt a bit sluggish due to the poison inside its body, it was still faster than the Centipede King in its current state, giving it the confidence to win this battle between them.


    Jalrog knew that Arym wasn''t an easy opponent, so it decided to fight seriously as well.


    All of its legs transformed into razor-sharp des that were as red as blood.


    While the two Kings were having a faceoff, their forces were busy killing each other in the background.


    However, the one gaining the upper hand was none other than the Centipede King''s army, who was at their peak performance.


    Unlike the exhausted monsters of the Wolf King''s army, they had preserved their strength, so they were able to overpower their enemies in a heartbeat.


    Arym knew this as well, so it nned to defeat its enemy at the fastest time possible.


    Channeling all of its strength in its legs, the Wolf King charged at the Centipede King in an attack that was faster than what its eye could see.


    However, for a split second, when it was only a few meters away from its target, its front feet momentarily froze, stopping its momentum.


    Jalrog didn''t miss this opportunity and hacked the Wolf King''s neck, intending to sever its head from its body.


    But due to its incredible speed and reaction time, the Wolf King managed to twist its body at thest second, preventing the Centipede King fromnding a killing blow.


    However, it didn''t escape unscathed.


    One of Jalrog''s ded legs shed on its eye, drawing blood.


    Arym immediately backed away, losing its left eye on that one exchange.


    As blood flowed from its injury, the Wolf King extended its senses to pay closer attention to its surroundings.


    It then sensed a group of monsters that numbered more than a hundred, hiding using camouge.


    Tiona had met up with Jalrog in order to help the Centipede King fight against the Wolf King.


    Earlier, when the two Kings were about to sh, Tiona''s forces collectively used the telekinesis spell and targeted the Wolf King''s right foot.


    Since the Wolf King was stronger than them, their telekinesis wasn''t strong enough to hold itpletely in ce.


    Knowing this, Tiona ordered her troops to target Arym''s right foot, preventing it from effectively charging at the Centipede King.


    Although they only managed to hold the Wolf King for only two seconds, those two seconds were very crucial in a battle between Kings, allowing the Centipede King to draw first blood and blind one of its opponent''s eyes.


    "You pests!" Arym had reached the limit of its patience because this wasn''t the first time it had encountered the pesky creatures, who had made its and its army''s life miserable during their escape.


    No matter how many times it had killed these weak monsters, they would appear again and again, almost driving the Wolf King crazy.


    And now, during its fight against a very dangerous opponent, these monsters once again appeared to torment it, making the Wolf King consider retreating while it still could.


    "Thinking of escaping?" Jalrog sneered. "Don''t even dare. This is where you will die, Arym. Go and apany Nizana in the afterlife!"


    "In your dreams, Jalrog!" the Wolf King no longer hesitated and ran away from the battlefield, leaving his army behind.


    But before it could run awaypletely, the ground under its feet gave way once more, trapping it in a sinkhole and making it fall into the trap that Rocky and Jalrog had prepared for its arrival. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Since it had decided to betray itsrades, the Centipede King wouldn''t allow the Wolf King to escape and warn the Wyvern King, the Death Lord, and the Earth Dragons that he had joined hands with their enemies, in order to consume them all.


    Jalrog crawled into the sinkhole, blocking the Wolf King''s escape route as it fell down hundreds of meters deep under the ground.


    Tiona''s army followed behind the Centipede King because they were its insurance to make sure that the Wolf King would never emerge from the grave that they had painstakingly prepared for its arrival.

 Chapter 410 Judgment Day [Part 7]

    410 Judgment Day [Part 7]


    Vannaroth shared a simr trait with Amos.


    Both of them were confident in their strength. But unlike the Wyvern King, the Manticore King didn''t look down on humans.


    This was why Arthur decided to unequip Camazotz''s armor, which would have made the Throne nearly invincible, back when he had fought against it.


    Arthur had felt Amos'' conviction, so he decided to face him with that same level of determination.


    Relying on the armor wasn''t his style, so the two fought with their lives on the lines until Arthur emerged victorious.


    Even in his dying moments, Amos didn''t have any regrets¡ªhe had died fighting against someone who shared the same belief as him. For him, such death was honorable.


    However, Vannaroth was different.


    He was arrogant and never thought of humans as a force who could defeat them.


    The previous attempts of the Wanderers to reim the Rigel Continent only solidified his impression of the human race.


    But that was in the past.


    Back then, they didn''t have someone like Thirteen calling the shots.


    And the Wyvern King, who was still thinking of its former glory, found itself being pushed back by a bombardment that it had never experienced in its lifetime.


    Thirteen had created a killing zone, where the entire Naval Allied Fleet was throwing everything they got at the coordinates that the teenage boy had told them.


    Because of this, regardless of Rank, none of the monsters were able to move unscathed. After all, they were facing off against the modern weapons that the Dvalinn Federation had developed for this moment.


    Ever since they had secured the Twelve Sectors in the North of the Continent, the Dvalinn Federation didn''t stop creating weapons that were effective against Flying Monsters.


    Why?


    Because they had been fighting Zed''s Army for several years, they focused on this branch of weaponry.


    As much as the Wyvern King wanted to annihte his foes, there were three Monarchs standing in his way, preventing him from touching the Alpha Team, who were busy retreating.


    Thirteen had aimed the missiles at the Wyvern King''s Army, while the three Monarchs dealt with the leader.


    Although Vannaroth was strong, fighting against three Monarchs wasn''t an easy task, especially with Lawrence serving as the main offense.


    Wendell wasn''t really abat-oriented Wanderer.


    He was an All-Rounder, specializing in support, defense, and average damage.


    Trevor Remington, on the other hand, was a full support, simr to a Cleric.


    His role was to buff his allies and heal them in battle.


    Since the three were working together with the intention of winning, the one being pushed back was none other than the Wyvern King, who was getting more and more frustrated with each passing second.


    The barrage concentrated on the Wyvern King''s Army prevented them from joining their leader in battle, which allowed the Monarchs to hold him back.


    Suddenly, there was a gap that opened in the killing zone because the Naval Forces were running low on missiles.


    Through that gap, dozens of flying monsters passed through and headed to their King, intending to help it in battle. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But just before they could join the fray, a loud shout reverberated from the ground.


    "Death!"


    """Death!"""


    The Omega Team, which was led by the Thrones, had arrived at the scene.


    All the Humvees, which were equipped with Turret-Mounted Machine Guns, roared to life and attacked the monsters that had managed to break through to the killing zone.


    The Wanderers, who had long-distance sniping abilities, also helped shoot down the enemies, creating a second Killing Zone, which made Vannaroth roar in anger.


    "I''ll kill all of you!" Vannaroth shouted as he opened its mouth to unleash a Dragon Breath aimed at the people on the ground.


    "Not on my watch!" Lawrence teleported under the Dragon''s jaws and forcefully swung his hammer upwards, making the Wyvern King''s Dragon Breath explode in its mouth.


    Molten blood rained from the sky as Vannaroth roared in anger out of pain from its injury.


    Lawrence was a Wanderer with three known abilities.


    Rebirth, Telekinesis, and Clone.


    He was able to fly anytime he wanted with his Telekinesis, so even without a mount, he could fight against the Wyvern King evenly.


    However, he and his Silver Dragon had great synergy, so both of them tag-teamed to attack the Wyvern King who had momentarily lost itsposure.


    Wendell also didn''t miss this chance and swiftly unleashed his mid-range Water Spears to pierce through the Wyvern''s Scales.


    Trevor also joined the fray. He cast his strongest offensive ability, Holy Lance, and targeted the Wyvern King''s jaw, which was bleeding after the monster''s own attack backfired on it.


    For the first time, since it had arrived in Pangea, Vannaroth felt the fear of death as the attacks of the three Monarchsnded on its body.


    At this moment, it realized something it should''ve thought of before¡ªthe battle now was far too different from the battles in the past.


    Back then, the Eight Kings wereplete, and because of theirbined strength and sheer number of subordinates, the Wanderers were unable to retake theirnds.


    But now, this battle started with three of the Kings no longer around.


    Zed, Amos, and Evuvug yed their roles, and they yed them effectively.


    The Bird Man and the Manticore King ruled the skies alongside Vannaroth, while Jalrog, Amyr, Nizana, Erasmus, and Evuvug terrorized them on the ground.


    With the Earth Dragons backing them as well, they were truly unbeatable.


    But now, those same monsters were nowhere to be seen.


    He was alone.


    He was fighting alone against the allied armies of humanity, and this woke him up from reality.


    The Wyvern King was unable to fight the world alone.


    "Retreat!" Vannaroth roared as it pped its wings desperately in order to escape.


    But just as it had distanced itself from the Monarchs, a lone missile descended from the sky and hit its back directly.


    A blinding sh of light spread across the heavens as both Wanderers and monsters reflexively averted their gaze from the explosion that sent a shockwave sting outward, pushing the Monarchs, as well as the Flying Monsters, away from the point of impact.


    Thirteen, who was sittingfortably in the Command Center, tapped the Projection on the table and sneered.


    "Checkmate."


    Vannaroth''s giant body fell from the sky.


    Its scales were all shattered, and its body was bleeding profusely.


    But just as it was about to crash on the ground, it pped its wings desperately, preventing a lethal fall.


    It then used every bit of strength that was left on its body to fly to its army, using them as cover to protect itself.


    Although they knew that protecting their leader was suicide, all the Flying Monsters advanced with determination.


    The Monarchs wanted to finish off Vannaroth, but they also knew that they would be in danger if they faced thousands of flying monsters that were dead set on blocking their path.


    At that moment, a familiar voice sounded from theirmunicators.


    "Hold your ground, and support the Omega Team," Thirteen ordered. "But Zion, the Wyvern King is on itsst legs!" Wendell replied. "We just need to push a little more, and he will die!"


    The Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation was unwilling to let the Wyvern King go. If they managed to kill it, they would be one step closer to liberating the Northern Regions of the Continent.


    "It doesn''t matter if it escapes," Thirteen replied. "Follow my instructions and support our ground forces. We are so close to winning. Don''t throw it away just because you are unable to control your emotions. "All you need to do is listen to what I say, and I will give you the victory you have been yearning for all these years. But if you really wish to deal with the Wyvern King, then go ahead and do it. I''ll wash my hands, and let you take responsibility for the countless lives that will be lost because of your stupidity."


    Everyone in themand center turned to look at their Supreme Commander anxiously.


    No one in the world dared to call a Monarch stupid.


    Those who did had already died a dog''s death. With this in mind, they couldn''t help but tremble¡ªtheir Supreme Commander didn''t even bat an eye when he said such a thing to the Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation.


    Renz, on the other hand, only smirked after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    He had the same thoughts as the teenage boy. If his brother really went after the Wyvern King, instead of holding their ground, that would definitely go down in history as the reason why this mission failed.


    Wendell clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths in order to calm his emotions.


    "Boy, you really don''t know how to hold back huh?" Wendell said in an icy tone. "Are you not afraid that I won''t pinch you to death after this mission ends?"


    "I''m not afraid of ipetent people," Thirteen replied. "If you can really do that, then go ahead. It will be your funeral though."


    Benedict, who was on the special line used by Monarchs, Thrones, and the Commanders of the expedition, couldn''t help but suck a breath of air.


    "Although I hate Arthur, this grandson of his is right down my alley," Benedict muttered. "Good thing my granddaughter, Leah, is of the same age as him. I bettery down the ns now while there''s still time."


    The Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation, who was right beside him, couldn''t help but think the same way.


    If they had someone like Zion in their family tree, then they could die happy, knowing that their bloodline would prosper for years toe.

 Chapter 411 Judgment Day [End]

    411 Judgment Day [End]


    Lawrence patted Wendell''s shoulder in order to help calm him down.


    "The boy is right," Lawrence said. "Running after the Wyvern King now is not worth it. We need to prioritize our people''s safety."


    Wendell took a deep breath before nodding his head.


    "I know¡ªhot blood just got into my head a while ago," Wendell replied. "That Commander of yours is really fearless. If not for the fact that the operation is going smoothly, I would have definitely given him a good nagging."


    Lawrence only chuckled before flying toward his Silver Dragon.


    "As long as you don''t smack his head and beat him up, you are free to give him a good nagging," Lawrence stated. "Right now, we need that brain of his, so make sure that it won''t be damaged."


    "We have Trevor here. I''m sure he can heal that kid easily, can''t he?" Wendell nced at his friend, who only responded with a faint smile.


    "Don''t risk it," Trevor replied. "Just like what the Grand Marshal said, we can''t afford to damage Zion''s brain right now. But enough talk. They''reing. Get into position."


    "Good." Wendell raised his trident and summoned countless Water Spears above his head. "I''ll vent out my anger on these bastards."


    With the three Monarchs and the Thrones protecting their ground forces from the flying monsters, the most the army had suffered were moderate injuries.


    None of the injuries were fatal, and all the injured were hurriedly taken back to the rear, where the 69th Battalion and the Medics tended to their injuries.


    While his Army was dying to allow him to escape, Vannaroth flew desperately as his blood dripped on the ground ceaselessly.


    With its severe injuries, its flight was erratic. But after flying for nearly twenty miles away from the front lines, its body finally gave in and crashed on the ground.


    "I can''t¡­ die here," Vannaroth tried to prop itself up from the ground. "I can''t die¡­ in this ce."


    It had lofty ambitions of breaking through to the next rank and bing a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    Even if it had to crawl, it would do everything in its power to escape.


    At that moment, it saw something moving in its direction. Due to its injuries, its sight was also blurry, so it was unable to identify whether the neer was a friend or foe. The Wyvern King no longer had the strength to fight, so it did the only thing it could do and that was to look at whoever wasing.


    "Has the front lines been broken?" A familiar voice reached the Wyvern King''s ears, making it sigh in relief.


    "Erasmus, it''s¡­ you." Vannaroth felt as if it had finally gained salvation after hearing the Death Lord''s voice.


    "It is indeed I," Erasmus replied. "Now, tell me what happened on the battlefield."


    The Wyvern King nodded and narrated everything that happened.


    From the news of Nizana''s death to Arym''s escape, as well as its defeat against the Wanderer Army, the Wyvern King said it all.


    "We can''t beat them by ourselves," Vannaroth said. "We need to retreat to where the Earth Dragons are. As long as we regroup with them, we will be able to think of a n on how to handle this situation."


    Erasmus nodded. "You''re right. I''ll take it from here. You can now rest."


    The Wyvern King, who thought that the Death Lord would carry its body back to safety, suddenly felt a searing pain in its chest.


    "W-Why?!" Vannaroth asked in disbelief.


    "It''s because you are no longer needed," Erasmus replied as it pushed his Death de deeper, making the Wyvern King scream in pain.


    A few secondster, it copsed on the ground, its blood dyeing the surroundings red.


    The proud and arrogant Wyvern King died an unwilling death, and its eyes slowly lost their luster.


    When its heart finally stopped beating, the Death Lord ced its hand on Vannaroth''s head and chanted.


    "Arise."


    A few secondster, the Wyvern King rose up from the ground and roared loudly.


    The Death Lord jumped on its back with the intention of using its formerrade as its mount.


    Erasmus nced in the direction of the battlefield, where countless shes of light illuminated the dark, cloudy sky.


    "Go," Erasmus ordered.


    The Undead Wyvern King pped its tattered wings and rose toward the sky.


    It didn''t fly in the direction of the battlefield. Instead, it flew in the opposite direction, intending to regroup with its Undead Army.


    Fighting against the Wanderers at this point in time was a foolish move. So it decided to order its army to retreat and return to the center of the Continent, where the Earth Dragons were currently at.


    17:07


    ***


    Deep underground¡­


    The Wolf King fought tooth and nail against the Centipede King, but it was at a great disadvantage.


    It relied heavily on its speed, but since the underground tunnels were cramped, it had no choice but to fight with a disadvantage against Jalrog in order to return to the surface.


    Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Arym literally had its back against the wall. As its injuries increased, its movements became a lot slower.


    "Jalrog, what''s the point of fighting against each other?!" Arym shouted in desperation. "We are allies! Have you really betrayed our Master?"


    "Betrayed our Master?" Jalrog sneered. "I never recognized that person as MY Master. Because of him, I was forced into this god-forsaken ce. But I guess I still need to thank him. Thanks to him, I will finally be able to achieve my goals out of his reach.


    "Thank you, Arym. Because of you, I will grow stronger. You and Nizana finally became useful for once."


    "Damn you, arrogant insect!" Arym roared as its entire body glowed in a greenish light. "Since you wish to kill me, let''s die together!"


    The Wolf King finally decided to burn its own life force in order to bring the traitor with him to the other life. However, Jalrog, who had already consumed the Broodmother, didn''t back down and shed against the Wolf King. It coiled its body around Arym''s body and dug its razor-sharp legs into it, drawing blood.


    Arym ignored its injuries and bit down on Jalrog''s neck, drawing blood as well. Tiona''s Army used that opportunity to lunge at the two Beast Kings, and detonate themselves, creating a blood mist that engulfed both of their bodies.


    Jalrog sensed that the blood mist was poisonous, but instead of being afraid, it onlyughed in its heart.


    It had a very strong resistance against poison, so it wasn''t worried in the slightest.


    In fact, it even thanked the sacrifice of its "allies." Thanks to them, not only would the poison kill the Wolf King faster, but it would also allow him to leave the battlefield while it still could.


    Five minutester, the Wolf King''s strength finally gave in, allowing the Centipede King to overpower it.


    "Goodbye, Arym," Jalrog said as it bit on the Wolf King''s neck. "Send my regards to Nizana in the afterlife."


    The Wolf King, who no longer had the strength to resist, finally died.


    Jalrog didn''t hesitate to devour the Wolf King''s body, tearing its flesh and drinking its blood.


    Tiona, who saw everything from start to finish, slithered away and regrouped with Rocky. She had fulfilled her duty well, and it was now time for her to return to her Master''s side.


    Thirteen, who had been watching the battle unfold through Tiona''s eyes, yawned briefly before taking a sip from the hot chocte that was served to him a minute ago.


    "Sir, all the enemies are retreating," one of the staff reported as tears streamed down the side of his face. "We are victorious! We won!"


    The officer had lost his family when the Jinns and Majins invaded the Rigel Continent.


    Because of this, he decided to dedicate his life to fighting against them. His only wish was to return to his hometown, where he would properly erect a grave for his family.


    "Sir, please sound the horns of victory," Thirteen replied with a smile. "I''ll give you the honor of informing the world that we have won."


    "Yes, Sir!" The officer saluted.


    All the Officers in the Command Center all stood up in unison and saluted their Supreme Commander before pping their hands.


    A few secondster, a loud horn reverberated from the Dvalinn Port, passing through the speakers within the allied army, which reached even the front lines.


    When the soldiers heard this, all of them shouted in joy and erupted in cheers.


    "We have won!" the battlefield reporter shouted as tears streamed down his face. "Are you all seeing this?! We have won! The horn of victory has been blown! We have reimed the North of the Rigel Continent!"


    From all over the world, sounds of cheering spread in every household.


    Even in the distant Aldebaran and Cygni Continent, everyone was shouting in joy, spreading the good news to every corner of the world.


    "They really did it!" Dous Griffinughed out loud after hearing the shouts of the people in his ownmand center.


    Although there was still the threat of the other surviving Kings and the three Earth Dragons, it didn''t stop everyone from celebrating.


    Thirteen, who could hear the loud shouts from the window of hismand center, smiled as he stood up. He then walked past Renz and patted thetter''s waist.


    "I''ll wait to hear your answer until tomorrow," Thirteen replied. "I hope you make the right decision."


    After saying those words, Thirteen left the Command Center in order to join his subordinates, who were busy treating the injured in the battle that had just ended.


    Renz looked at the teenager''s back and chuckled internally.


    Zion had asked him to be his loyal subordinate who would serve as his double agent for the Dvalinn Federation.


    The thought of acting as a spy for his own organization was something that hadn''t crossed Renz''s mind before.


    But now, after seeing Thirteen''s meticulous preparations, he felt that siding with him would bring him more benefits in the long run.


    ''I just hope he isn''t a devil in disguise,'' Renz thought as he shifted his gaze at the monitors, which were showing the soldiers on the battlefield, who were still celebrating their victory over the Jinns and Majins.


    The strategist of the Dvalinn Federation knew that Zion didn''t think that this was a hard battle.


    He had observed howposed the teenage boy was from start to finish, and he couldn''t help but think that everyone, whether they be Jinns or Wanderers, was just dancing at the palm of his hands.


    *** N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Shana, who was tending to the wounded, noticed that the injured soldiers were smiling despite the pain that they were feeling.


    She could feel it in her surroundings. She could taste it in the air.


    This feeling of joy and jubtion was very infectious, making even her feel like humming as she treated the injured.


    Suddenly, she saw a familiar teenage boy walking toward the 69th Battalion, looking like he had just woken up from his sleep.


    Thirteen was yawning, and yet, everyone who saw him was still looking at him like he was their hero. After all, no matter what he looked like, he was still the one who had shown them the path to victory.


    One by one, the soldiers he passed through saluted him. But Zion Leventis only waved his hand, telling them that everyone was exempted from saluting him right now.


    However, that didn''t stop them from paying their respects. They still saluted him despite him telling them not to do it.


    At that moment, a giggle escaped Shana''s lips as she raised her hand to yfully salute Zion, who was about to walk past her.


    Seeing her salute him, Thirteen sighed before lightly patting Shana''s head as he walked past her.


    "You did well, Shana."


    Thirteen''s yful words reached the youngdy''s ears, making her pure and innocent heart skip a beat.

 Chapter 412 Milking Both Humans and Majins

    412 Milking Both Humans and Majins All the Wanderers and soldiers at the temporary camp were in a good mood as they celebrated their victory. Countless campfires burned, lighting up the night as they ate their meal and bragged about the number of monsters they had killed during the battle.


    Contrary to the festive mood in the camp, the people in themand center had solemn looks on their faces as they seriously discussed how they''d deal with the aftermath of the battle.


    "Before anything else, I would like to thank everyone for ying their role properly during this mission," Thirteen said. "I just looked at the report an hour ago, and aside from having hundreds of people suffering light and moderate injuries, no one was seriously hurt or died in battle."


    The teenage boy nced at everyone with a smile. "But the battle is not over yet," Thirteen stated before tapping hismunicator.


    A projection of the resources that were used during the earlier battle appeared in front of everyone.


    "We have exhausted ny percent of our missile stockpiles, and over sixty percent of our cannon shells," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Currently, we are in no position to pursue our opponents because weck ammunition."


    The faces of everyone inside the room instantly became solemn after seeing the report that their Supreme Commander had presented to them.


    "However, all is not lost," Thirteen nced at his Grandfather, who was swirling the wine in his cup. "Although it would take time for us to resupply and create more ammunition, there is a faster way to resume ourbat readiness. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "As for the details, I would like to ask my Grandfather, Arthur Leventis, to say his proposal to all of you."


    When all the eyes inside the room shifted to Arthur, the old man ced down his cup on the table and smirked.


    "The Leventis Family have developed a technology that allows us to detect mineral deposits over a wide area," Arthur exined, surprising everyone in the room. "This means that by tomorrow, all of us could immediately start mining operations, allowing us to mine Empyriums, which we can use to charge Empyrium Power Cells.


    "Aside from that, precious metals, like Padium, can be mined hand in hand, further boosting the speed of our ammunition production. However, in order to make this happen, I propose that we split any, and all resources by twenty-five percent.


    "This means that the Dvalinn Federation, the Central Government, the Aldebaran Alliance, and the Leventis Family will have an equal share of resources. Of course, if you don''t like this proposal, then we will just mine on our own and let you guys mine your own resources as well."


    Wendell frowned after hearing this. In his point of view, this division of resources was unfair.


    But before he could say anything, Arthur raised a finger.


    "If the Dvalinn Federation doesn''t agree with this proposal, then the Leventis Family will immediately leave the Rigel Continent," Arthur stated. "I will also be dragging this no-good grandson with me and leave you all to defend this Northern Regions by yourselves."


    Lawrence chuckled after hearing Arthur''s statement.


    "Well, if Zion and the Leventis Family are leaving, the Central Government will leave as well," Lawrencemented. "We still have to go to Cygni anyway to help with their defense against the Jinn Invasion."


    08:45


    "If the Leventis Family and the Central Government n to leave, then I will be going as well," Trevor Remington said. "I only participated because I have a feeling that Zion has what it takes to be the Supreme Commander."


    "You bastards¡­" Wendell couldn''t help but crush the ss of champagne in his hand, shattering itpletely. "All of you are in this together, right? Have you all teamed up to pressure the Dvalinn Federation into agreeing to your demands?"


    "Nonsense," Arthur replied. "We don''t have the time to scheme with each other right after the war ended. I''m just stating facts. If the Dvalinn Federation wants everything, then we''re out of here. "Fortunately, none of our people died, so we won''t ask the Dvalinn Federation topensate us. The only takeaway that we will bring home with us is the fact that we have given the world hope. Aren''t you d? We allowed you to reim the Northern Lands without asking for anything in return.


    "Now, if you''re unwilling to share anything then we will leave. We''re not volunteers, and the Leventis Family is not a charity organization."


    The room, which had been lively a while ago, immediately became tense as the Central Government, the Aldebaran Alliance, and the Leventis Family waited for Wendell to agree to the twenty-five percent split to all forces.


    Wendell, who was fuming out of anger, nced at the teenage boy, who was seated beside his grandfather.


    Thirteen was casually sipping on his fruit juice while swiping through the different news articles recently published, in his Communicator.


    News of the Alliance''s victory was now known to everyone, and yet, the world still wanted to consume more information regarding it from the media.


    Thirteen didn''t even need to think if Wendell would ept his Grandfather''s proposal or not.


    Right now, if the Alliance left the Dvalinn Federation to fend for themselves, all the fame and glory they received after winning the war would disappear without a trace.


    Not only that, but they would no longer have the ability to defend thends that they had reimed from the Jinns and Majins.


    "Fine!" Wendell sighed before leaning on his chair. "You bastards win this time."


    "Good." Arthur nodded before tapping hismunicator.


    The Map of the North appeared in front of everyone, and the locations of the mineral deposits blinked on the map.


    It showed what kind of mineral could be found where, as well as the volume of the resources that were present under the ground.


    Naturally, everyone''s gazes locked on the Empyrium Mines, which contained the most sought-after ore in the world.


    "Don''t worry. Since I have everyone''s interest in mind, I already ordered my people to start mining the three Empyrium Mines closest to us," Arthur said with a smile, making Wendell almost cough up blood then and there.


    "The sooner we restock our ammunition, the sooner we''re ready to protect ourselves from the Jinn Counterattack," Thirteenmented. "Although we didn''t see the Corpse of the Broodmother because it was taken by the Centipede King, I believe that it is already dead.


    "As for the Wyvern King, it had received serious injuries and might have perished when it escaped. But we cannot confirm this, so we can just assume that it will be out ofmission for a month or two before it recovers from its injuries. "We need to use that precious time to stockpile our ammunition so that we can still sh with them a second time."


    Wendell frowned after hearing Thirteen''s words. He thought that they would just hold their line and defend the north, preventing the Majins from retaking it.


    However, the teenage boy was saying that they wouldunch another attack. This time, they would be heading deeper into enemy territory, which would be very dangerous even for them.


    "Can''t we just defend the North?" Wendell asked. "Must we challenge them again?"


    "We need to attack so that the North will be defended," Thirteen replied. "Don''t forget¡ªthey still have the Earth Dragons. They just can''t move from the center because they are protecting something very precious to them."


    "Something very precious?" Lawrence asked. "Are you talking about the Dimensional Gate where the Earth Dragons came from?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. We need to make them understand that fighting against us is not in their best interest. Only by doing this can we reach apromise with them."


    "Wait! Are you saying that we are going to negotiate with the Jinns?!" Wendell looked at the teenage boy in disbelief. "Are you serious?!"


    "Why can''t we negotiate with them?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Have you not seen Jinns and Majins forming a mutual partnership with each other?"


    "Of course, I know about that," Wendell stated. "But can we really reach an agreement with them? What if they backstab us?"


    Thirteen emptied his fruit juice and ced the ss back on the table.


    "Negotiations can only be achieved if both parties are willing to negotiate," Thirteen said. "Right now, the Jinns and Majins have no reason to negotiate with us. However, if we pose a real threat to them, they will be willing topromise. "And the way to do that is to attack the Dimensional Gate that the Earth Dragons are protecting. So, in two months, we need to be ready for a massive onught that will hit them at the heart of their territory. "As long as you follow my ns, you will no longer have to worry about defending the North because the Jinns and Majins will not dare to attack it.


    "Besides, we can''t stay here in the Rigel Continent forever to help you defend the North. Cygni also needs our help, so we need to finish this war as soon as possible."


    Everyone in the room, with the exception of Wendell and the representatives of the Dvalinn Federation, nodded their heads in agreement.


    Knowing that they were right, Wendell sighed for the second time before nodding his head.


    "Fine," Wendell nodded before shifting his gaze in the teenage boy''s direction. "Hey brat, can you assure us that the Earth Dragons will negotiate if we follow your n?"


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest and smiled evilly.


    "If you follow my n, I will assure you that they will be begging us to negotiate with them," Thirteen stated. "In fact, they may even take the initiative to negotiate with us if you guys do everything as I say."


    Arthur and Hans nced at the teenage boy, and for a brief moment, they felt pity for the Jinns and Majins.


    Why?


    Because if their hunch was right, Zion would not only milk the Alliance for what they were worth, but he would also ckmail the Earth Dragons to do him some favors, which would benefit him in more ways than one.

 Chapter 413 Getting The Short End Of The Stick

    413 Getting The Short End Of The Stick


    After the deal had been sealed, the Alliance didn''t dy the mining operations and sent their engineers to get things started.


    The Central Government and the Aldebaran Alliance were quite happy with this development. After all, this was a rather handsome reward for their efforts.


    Renz also yed an important role in pacifying his brother and told him that this agreement would benefit the Dvalinn Federation in the long run. The strategist had secretly met with Zion after the meeting and had pledged his loyalty to his cause.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, didn''t bat an eye and gave Renz some confidential orders, which could only be done by him.


    This included a blueprint of a special missile that would be used in their next operation.


    "Make sure to tell your brother that I secretly stole this blueprint from the Leventis Archives as my way of repaying his kindness for epting my Grandfather''s proposal."


    Those were the words that Thirteen had asked Renz to pass to Wendell.


    Just as he expected, the moment the Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation saw the blueprint, his earlier annoyance disappearedpletely.


    The blueprint Thirteen had sent him was the blueprint of the Mephisto Missile, which he only nned to share with the Dvalinn Federation, the Aldebaran Alliance, and the Central Government.


    He wanted to create an Exclusive Group that benefited from each other. This setup would not only allow Thirteen to gain favors from them, but it would also strengthen the alliance''s ability to confront the High-Ranking Monsters that would appear in three years time.


    Since they had already seen the Mephisto Missile in action, they would definitely produce as many of them as they could, which would save many lives in the future.


    Thirteen had modified the blueprint to make its destructive power as close to the Mephisto Missiles, which had been empowered by his Rune Magic.


    Of course, he also shared this information with his Grandfather, which made thetter shake his head helplessly.


    "We could have monopolized this technology and left everyone in the dust," Arthur said. "But you did the right thing. You even made sure that the Mephisto Missile can only be empowered by Empyriums. This is a safeguard to make sure that only the Alliance can make them, isn''t it?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Even if Cygni and Sirius got wind of this, we will still have the advantage. The other factions will certainly use this opportunity to boost their own arsenal. I don''t think they''d share their missile stockpile with the Ashford and Stard n."


    "Then, how about you give me the blueprint of Nautilus?" Arthur insisted. "That way, our family will be ahead of everyone."


    Thirteen shook his head firmly. "We''ve already talked about this, Gramps. No can do. Even one more Nautilus will break the bnce of the world."


    Arthur clicked his tongue, but he didn''t insist, knowing that when his grandson decided on something, he would not be easily convinced to change his mind.


    After their talk, the teenage boy finally returned to his quarters to rest.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Rigel Continent¡­


    Jalrog, who had both eaten the Broodmother and the Wolf King, burrowed deep underground.


    Because of this, he decided to hibernate for two to three months, allowing him to properly digest Nizana''s and Arym''s Cores.


    It believed that if given enough time, it would finally be able to break through to its next rank, advancing into a Rank 9 Sovereign who''d be strong enough to challenge the Earth Dragons.


    His goal was simple.


    Breakthrough to be a Majin Prince before their Master crossed over to Pangea, allowing him to get his revenge.


    ''I''m sure that the arrogant Vannaroth and that aloof Erasmus think that I''m already dead,'' Jalrog mused. ''It''s better if they think that way. I can take my time and break through to the next Rank.''


    The Centipede King thenid on the ground perfectly still and closed its eyes to rest.


    ''Things unfolded just like that Messenger told me, but I don''t trust him,'' Jalrog thought. ''I''ll just use him until I reach my goal. After that¡­ heh, does he really think that he can order me around?''


    The Centipede King sneered as it thought of the humanoid who had met with it in the past. Jalrog believed that since both of them were using each other, it would not be breaking its word if it also decided to betray the messenger once he gained enough strength to do so. A few minutester, the Centipede King''s exoskeleton expanded and covered its body in a cocoon, allowing it to transform into its next form.


    But as Jalrog entered its hibernation state, something was happening inside its stomach.


    From the flesh of the Wolf King, countless purplervae the size of a human hand emerged and started to multiply rapidly.


    This was one of the abilities that Thirteen had acquired when he was filling up his Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    Venomous Parasites.


    When Tiona''s army exploded into bloodmist, it coated the Wolf King''s Army with this poison.


    They also used this ability when the Centipede King and the Wolf King fought against each other, stacking up the effects of the poison on the Wolf King''s body.


    However, it didn''t end there.


    Not only was the Wolf King''s body coated with Tiona''s venom, slowly affecting the Centipede King over time, but the Venomous Parasites also secreted the same venom that the Domini Mortis had, strengthening the spreading poison in Jalrog''s body.


    Although the Centipede King was immune to almost all poisons in the world, there was one poison that could bypass this immunity, and that was none other than the venom of the Domini Mortis.


    From the very start, Thirteen knew that Jalrog wasn''t someone he could trust.


    Also, since the Centipede King had betrayed itsrades once, it would not hesitate to betray others in the future. Thirteen would make sure that the Centipede King would not pose a threat to him in the future. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Even if Jalrog sessfully managed to be a Rank 9 Sovereign, it would be greatly weakened and under the teenage boy''s control.


    Just like the Centipede King thought, both of them were just using each other.


    However, it didn''t know that it was the one who got the short end of the stick.


    For now, it dreamed of a happy dream where it became a Majin Prince and gained the power that it had been longing for its entire life.

 Chapter 414 There Is No Free Lunch In This World [Part 1]

    414 There Is No Free Lunch In This World [Part 1]


    Two weeks after the liberation of the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent¡­


    "Are you sure about this, Wendell?" the Monarch of the Ashford n, Aaron Ashford, asked. "We can still go back to being good friends if you agree to my proposal."


    "I''m tired of your bullshit, Aaron," Wendell replied. "You and Norman could go to hell for all I care."


    "Watch your words, my friend." The Monarch of the Stard n, Norman Stard, sighed. "Can''t we just all get along like we used to? It will be beneficial for us all if we all work together." "No, I just woke up to reality." Wendell sneered. "Having two Hyenas as friends will make me look like one."


    "Hah! Look at you now." Aaron sneered back. "Just where is that confidence of yoursing from?"


    "Lawrence Seaton," Wendell replied with a smile. "He also told me to tell you that if he finds out that you used your dirty hands to hurt our interest, he wille to pay you a visit and break your other arm."


    "You really think that Lawrence can¡­" Aaron wasn''t able to finish whatever he was going to say because Wendell cut him off immediately.


    "Don''t think I''ve forgotten how you begged him for forgiveness and pledged that you will work with him to save humanity after he beat the crap out of you." Wendell smirked. "You should have seen your face back then. What makes you think that you''re hot stuff when all you can do is stab someone in the back, huh?


    "And you too, Norman. I suggest that you find other friends. I''ve tolerated both of you these past few years. I can''t count how many times I asked for your assistance, but every time, you ignored my requests. "Yet now that you''ve heard of the resources being mined in my territory, you also want to have a share? Can you stop being delusional? I''ll say this once¡ªget your filthy hands off my Continent, or I''ll convince Lawrence that we don''t need a backstabbing Monarch in this world."


    Wendell gave the two people the middle finger before cutting off the connection.


    A momentter, the table in front of Aaron shattered as he smashed it with his fists.


    "Bastard! Now he dares to act tough after getting chummy with the Central Government," Aaron seethed in anger. "Back then, he wouldn''t even dare to raise his voice against us!"


    Norman sighed a second time. "Well, it can''t be helped. Since we didn''t send our forces to help them, it''s understandable that he doesn''t want us to gain any benefits from their hard work. The only regret I have is that they didn''t suffer any major casualties in that battle.


    "It seems that brat from the Leventis Family lives up to his reputation as the Legendary Rookie. Maybe we should tone down a bit and try to mend ties with them. What do you say?"


    Aaron snorted before he, too, cut off his connection, ending the online meeting. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What a mess," Norman muttered before picking up the files of Zion Leventis in front of him. It contained the known information about the most popr Rookie in the world right now. "identally entered a Dimensional Gate when he was seven and stayed in Solterra for three years." Noman leaned back on his chair as he read the information that his people had gathered. "Rumored to have fought against a Majin Prince in the front lines and won. "After that, he appeared in the ces where his brother and sister were taking their First Wandering and helped themplete their missions. After returning to Pangea, he decided to join the Central Government and used a Public Appraisal Equipment, revealing his status page to the world. "Permanent debuffs are Rank Ban, Skill Ban, Avatar Ban, and Item Ban. Unique Ability is Universal Language Proficiency. He also has a Beast Companion, a Domini Mortis which he named Tiona."


    Norman looked at the known information about Zion Leventis. Based on the spy that he had nted on his 69th Battalion, all of these were true.


    It had been three years since Zion had returned to Pangea, and his rank was still a Rookie.


    He was never seen using any items or abilities, which most Wanderers could use.


    Also, he didn''t have a single Avatar in his possession.


    Even so, Norman had to admit that the person whom many called "the Weakest Wanderer in the World" behind his back, had surpassed the achievements of Monarchs like him.


    But Norman felt that something was wrong.


    There was no way someone like Zion could achieve what he had achieved if he didn''t have some kind of secret.


    "I''ll uncover your secret when we meet in the Cygni Continent." Norman smiled faintly. "Until then, I''ll look forward to seeing what else you can do, Zion Leventis."


    ***


    Dvalinn Tower in the Rigel Continent¡­


    "It is as you have expected, Zion," Wendell said. "The hands of those two bastards are getting itchy."


    As soon as their meeting ended, Wendell immediately called their Supreme Commander to inform him about what Aaron and Norman tried to propose to him.


    The teenage boy only listened and waited until Wendell was done talking. When the Monarch finally stopped, someone spoke inside the room, making Wendell and Thirteen look in his direction. "Seriously¡ªare the two of you treating me like air?" Dous Griffin, the Monarch of the Cygni Continent,ined. "You casually talk about these things in front of me. Are you not afraid that I will tell this to Aaron and Norman?"


    "No," Wendell replied in a heartbeat.


    "Even if you tell them, what can they do about it?" Thirteen answered calmly. "Also, the main reason why Lord Wendell didn''t hold back in telling us this information is because he wants you to be an aplice."


    "Damn right, you are, Zion." Wendell smirked before shifting his gaze to the Monarch who had flown for nearly a day from the Cygni Continent to talk to them in person. "Now Dous, why are you here again?"


    "I''m here to talk business and cooperation," Dous, who didn''t like to drag things out, answered. "Right now, I need resources. However, since I know that the Dvalinn Federation will not give us anything because you need the raw materials to create machinery and ammunition, I can only negotiate with the Leventis Family.


    "With Arthur?" Wendell arched an eyebrow. "You don''t n to talk to Trevor and Lawrence?"


    Dous shook his head. "The Central Government will use all the resources they gain to boost their own armies. As for the Aldebaran Continent¡­ four people need to share that twenty-five percent split that you have agreed upon. I doubt that they will agree to sell their resources to me.


    "Which means, this only leaves the Leventis Family. Since they don''t need much, I n to ask Arthur to sell us fifteen percent of his shares."


    "Okay," Thirteen, who was sipping his tea on the side, replied casually. "I''ll convince my Grandfather to sell you the fifteen percent shares of our resources. I''ll also convince him to let you buy it at a discounted price."


    Wendell and Dous exchanged a nce at each other before the Monarch of the Cygni Continent chuckled.


    "I was expecting that I will need to negotiate at a disadvantageous position when I get here," Dousmented. "I didn''t expect that it would be this easy. I even got a discount¡­ but I know that there is no free lunch in this world."


    The Monarch narrowed his eyes at the teenage boy, who was sitting in front of him and still wearing his pajamas.


    If other people were to do this to him, he would have already pped them into meat paste and gotten over it.


    But he didn''t dare to do that to the boy whom he nned to ask for help when it was time for his Continent to face the Jinn Invasion, which had been his greatest fear as ofte.

 Chapter 415 There Is No Free Lunch In This World [Part 2]

    415 There Is No Free Lunch In This World [Part 2]


    "So, what do you want from me?" Dous asked. "An arm and a leg," Thirteen replied. "Can you give that to me?"


    "Are you talking about my arm and leg?" Dous arched an eyebrow.


    "Of course not," Thirteen replied. "I want the Arm and Leg of the ck Dragon of Destruction¡ªthe one you guys killed three hundred years ago. Give that to me, and I''ll even throw in the blueprint of Mephisto as a freebie."


    When Dous and Wendell heard Thirteen''s words, their gazes became solemn.


    When the ck Dragon of Destruction was defeated, the Five Monarchs split its body evenly.


    Aaron Ashford took the Dragon Wings for himself. Trevor Remington got its head and tail.


    Dous Griffin and Wendell Elrod each got an arm and leg.


    While Norman Stard received its body.


    As for Lawrence? He got its Core.


    The ck Dragon was a Rank 9 Sovereign, but it wasn''t an ordinary Rank 9 Sovereign.


    No. It was a Pseudo-Prince, and the Monarch ns had done everything in their power to research many ways how to properly use the Dragon Parts in their possession.


    Their cksmiths had managed to create Peak Gold-Grade Equipment with the monster parts that they received.


    However, since the ck Dragon was over a hundred meters tall, the materials they had left were still aplenty, allowing the Monarch ns topletely arm their Elite Forces with Gold-Grade Equipment.


    "You can''t have both," Dous said after careful consideration. "Choose one. An arm or a leg¡ªI will only give one to you."


    Thirteen chuckled internally. This was part of his n. He deliberately said that he wanted two Dragon Parts, knowing that Dous would try to bargain and reduce its number to one. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Fine," Thirteen replied. "Give me the arm or what remains of it. I''m sure you already used the scales, and maybe two or three ws from it. So, I''ll be nice and just take what''s left."


    Dous breathed in relief internally because they had indeed almost used the entire arm for their equipment.


    Only the leg part was untouched, so he was more than happy to give the teenage boy what was left of the Arm of Destruction, which belonged to the Dragon that Thirteen''s former host sacrificed his life to kill.


    For Thirteen, getting a piece of that Dragon held a sentimental value worth more than its true value.


    Right now, no one in Pangea could craft armor above the Gold Grade.


    This was why the Monarchs, who possessed one Mythical Armament each, were considered as the strongest fighting force of humanity.


    However, only Lawrence was aware that aside from them, there was one more person who wielded not only one, but three Mythical Armaments, and that was none other than Arthur Leventis.


    08:47


    If he were to know that Lady Callista was also in possession of two Mythical Short Swords, the Grand Marshal of the Central Government would definitely be more chummy with Arthur and might even call him his future inw.


    After reaching an agreement, Thirteen asked for his Grandfather to go to the Dvalinn Tower to finalize the deal for the split in resources.


    To Wendell''s and Dous'' surprise, the most stubborn Throne in Pangea didn''t bat an eye and readily agreed to the condition after hearing it for the first time.


    Arthur wasn''t worried about selling the fifteen percent of the Leventis Family resources at a discounted price.


    Thirteen had already talked to him beforehand that there was a high chance that Dous would try to negotiate with them to gain more resources.


    Arthur wanted to object at first, but when the teenage boy told him that he would exchange it for the body part of the ck Dragon of Destruction to create a Mythical Weapon, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family immediately changed his mind.


    Since he knew that his no-good grandson could gather resources without alerting the Alliance, they would still get more than what they currently needed.


    "I''ll have the Arm personally delivered to you after a week," Dous promised. "Are you fine with that?"


    "Okay." Arthur nodded. After shaking hands with each other, Thirteen left with his Grandpa and left the two Monarchs to discuss other means of cooperation between them.


    "How many can he make with the arm?" Arthur asked. "It''s too early to tell," Thirteen replied. "It really depends on what is left of the arm. Bones is fine, scales is good too, but we need the ws the most."


    Arthur no longer said anything because this was not the ce to talk about such an important matter.


    "I know you don''t want to give me Nautilus, but can you give me something else?" Arthur asked. "You already shared Mephisto with Dous and the Alliance. We need to create more advanced weapons to bepetitive."


    Thirteen smiled faintly before nodding his head. "Very well. Let''s talk in my room."


    Seeing that his grandson didn''t reject his proposal, Arthur''s mood became better.


    Once they were away from the prying eyes, and ears of the people around them, the two started to negotiate with each other.


    "So you want something that is a scaled-down version of Nautilus?" Thirteen inquired. "Yes," Arthur replied. "Something with advanced stealth capabilities that cannot be detected by radar."


    "How many do you n to build?" Thirteen asked. "As many as possible," Arthur answered.


    "You''re going to go bankrupt, Gramps."


    "How can I possibly go bankrupt with you around? Just give me what I need."


    Thirteen shook his head before taking out something from his Dimensional Storage.


    Arthur had been pestering him for the past few days about Nautilus, so he decided to make a down-sized version of one of his Trump Cards.


    "Here you go, Gramps," Thirteen replied. "Have fun with Project Nemo."


    "This is¡­" Arthur''s eyes widened in shock after seeing the submarine that Thirteen had named Nemo. "Gramps, make sure to let different engineers work on a different part like what I did with Nautilus," Thirteen said solemnly. "Although this Submarine only has a quarter of Nautilus'' Firepower, it is still quite powerful, especially if you n to create more than one of them."


    Arthur almost choked when the teenage boy said that Nemo only had a quarter of Nautilus'' firepower.


    The blueprint in his hands was already extremely powerful, which he believed could potentially take out a Rank 8 Sovereign on its own.


    If Nautilus really was four times more powerful than Nemo, then what kind of existence could the former destroy once it was properly calibrated to perfection?


    "Zion, you said that this voyage of the Nautilus here in the Rigel Continent is just a test run so you can do some modifications to it, right?" Arthur asked.


    "Right." Thirteen nodded.


    "Then, what is Nautilus doing right now?" Arthur inquired.


    Since the war started, he hadn''t seen any support fireing from Nautilus, which puzzled him greatly.


    "Ah, that?" Thirteen smirked. "Let''s just say that it is busy keeping three Earth Dragons busy."


    Arthur hissed as he sucked in a cold breath because things were finally falling into ce.


    Ever since they had captured the North, the Alliance had been worried that the Earth Dragons might make a move to attack them. However, they hadn''t seen any signs of that happening and wondered if they were just regrouping for a massive counterattack.


    "You mean to say that Nautilus is dealing with the Earth Dragons?" Arthur asked in disbelief. "On its own?"


    Thirteen smiled mischievously before cing his finger over his lips. "Don''t tell anyone, okay?"


    Arthur looked at his no-good grandson before shifting his gaze on the blueprint in his hands.


    ''This boy really is born from my genes,'' Arthur thought. ''He is as smart as me when I was his age.''


    At that moment, Arthur finally made a decision.


    He would make sure to reinstate Gerald as a member of the Leventis Family because he didn''t want Zion to go anywhere.


    Little did he know that Gerald''s family had no interest in returning to the Leventis Family.


    After all, by the time Thirteen was finished with his ns, he was certain that the Main Branch of the Leventis Family would be none other than them.


    In fact, he was already waiting with anticipation on how Arthur would react when he realized that his family had be the Branch Family right under his nose.

 Chapter 416 In The Depths Of The Shadows Where Light Dares Not Tread

    Chapter 416 In The Depths Of The Shadows Where Light Dares Not Tread


    After the deal between Arthur and Dous had been finalized, the Patriarch of the Leventis n took a temporary leave from the alliance and apanied Dous back to the Cygni Continent.


    The two traveled incognito, intending to keep the exchange they would be doing from the Ashford and Stard n, thus avoiding a mess.


    Eight dayster, Arthur was back on the Aldebaran Continent and personally delivered the Arm of the ck Dragon to Gerald.


    Since it had been a while since he hadst seen his wives, including Lady Callista, Arthur decided to stay in his residence for two to three days and spend some time with his women.


    While this was happening, Gerald and Thirteen were having a serious discussion about how to handle the Arm of the ck Dragon of Destruction.


    "Pops, you will not be able to melt the Dragon Bones, ws, and Scales with normal mes," Thirteen stated. "If you want to forge this, you will need the help of the Order of Raziel. I already talked to them a week ago, and they should have already made adequate preparations to receive you.


    "It doesn''t matter if you could only make Gold-Grade Armaments with it. As long as you don''t waste the ingredients, that''s already considered a sess."


    Gerald crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at the projection of his son, who was arrogantly sitting on a throne while drinking a ss of fruit juice.


    "Son, just who do you think I am?" Gerald asked smugly. "With this kind of materials, wouldn''t it be a shame if I don''t create a Mythical Rank equipment?"


    Thirteen smirked. "Pops, the chances of you sessfully crafting a mythical equipment is only one percent, while the chances of you failing to craft even a peak Gold Grade Equipment is sixty percent. Do you really want to take a gamble?"


    "What a stupid question." Gerald sneered. "Why would I settle for Gold Grade Equipment? Even if I fail, I will only aim to craft Mythical Armaments and above!"


    The no-good son and the no-good father pair stared at each other for a full minute before smiling at the same time.


    "Pops, if you waste the ck Dragon Arm, I will kill you~"


    "Hahaha! I dare you to kill me~"


    The twoughed evilly. Rhia, who was cluelessly listening to the conversation between her father and brother,ughed alongside them while Alessia and Remi only shook their heads helplessly.


    "Pops, just settle for Gold Grade, okay? You still have skill issues!"


    "How dare you talk to your old man like that? Skill issue? Your mother and I had been at it for sixty rounds when she conceived yo¡ªargh!"


    Alessia smacked Gerald''s head with her fist before dragging him away to a corner.


    Remi and Rhia blinked their eyes because they had no idea what their father was talking about.


    While Alessia was busy grinding her husband''s head with her hands, Rhia and Remi talked to Zion and told him how they were doing.


    The talk between the siblings was harmonious. It was as if Gerald''s earlierment was never spoken.


    When the henpecked husband finally returned, the smugness he had earlier had disappeared without a trace. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Seeing his father''s defeated look, Thirteen sighed before nodding his head.


    "Fine," Thirteen replied. "Aim for the Mythical Rank and above. That Dragon''s Arm is just a bonus anyway."


    Hearing his son''s words, Gerald regained his confidence andughed loudly.


    "That''s the spirit!" Gerald stated. "Either we go all in or nothing! The more desperate I am, the more powerful my creation will be."


    "Sure." Thirteen shook his head helplessly. "Just make sure to wear a disguise. Now is not the time to antagonize Death Wish. Your priority is to craft anything from that Dragon Arm and send it to Nautilus. I will handle the rest."


    Three hourster, Gerald had already packed up everything he needed before bidding his family goodbye.


    He then entered the portal inside their family home and was teleported to Lancaster City, which was Gerald''s base in Solterra.


    As soon as he arrived, he went to the tavern called The Drunk Tavern, where the representative of the Order of Raziel was waiting for him.


    When Gerald arrived at the tavern, he noticed someone drinking at the corner, wearing a ck robe with the insignia of the Shadow Union.


    This was one of the branches of the Order of Raziel, whose help Thirteen asked for back in the battle in Arcadia Archipgo.


    "The Union finds its strength and unity," the robed individual answered. "You''re ''Pops,'' I presume?"


    The corner of Gerald''s lips twitched after hearing the robed individual''s question. However, he knew that he should answer seriously or risk losing his contact.


    Gerald didn''t hesitate to sit beside the robed individual and ordered a mug of mead. "In the depths of the shadows where light dares not tread," Gerald said in a tone that only the robed individual could hear. "The Union finds its strength and unity," the robed individual answered. "You''re ''Pops,'' I presume?"


    The corner of Gerald''s lips twitched after hearing the robed individual''s question. However, he knew that he should answer seriously or risk losing his contact.


    "Yes, that''s me," Gerald replied. "Did my no-good son ask you to call me that?"


    The robed individual suddenly giggled after hearing Gerald''s reply.


    Thirteen''s father couldn''t help but arch an eyebrow when he met the robed individual''s gaze.


    Red eyes that glowed faintly within the darkness met Gerald''s own green eyes.


    The moment he saw those eyes, a grin appeared on Gerald''s eyes.


    "So it''s you, Adira." Gerald chuckled. "Why the need to act mysterious when we already know each other?"


    "That''s because this is business, Pops," Adira replied in a teasing tone. "Finish your drink, so we can go. We''ll be traveling for a few hours before we reach our destination."


    Gerald nodded and emptied the mug that was just given to him by the barkeep. After paying for his drink, the two left and entered the Teleportation Gate.


    After an hour of constantly jumping from portal to portal, they appeared in a city that was under the control of the Shadow Union.


    When Adira entered their secret headquarters, a teenage boy with ck hair and green eyes looked at them with a smile.


    "What took you guys so long?" Thirteen asked.


    "Shut up, brat," Adira replied before giving Thirteen a tight hug. "You haven''t shown yourself for three years, and youe to us asking for favors as soon as you make your appearance. You sure treat us like your servants, huh?"


    Thirteen averted his gaze as he decided to endure being hugged by the Drow, whom he had seen a week ago.


    Gerald looked at his son and gave him a thumbs up in his heart. Even though Adira was a Drow, she was a very beautiful one, especially when it came to Drow standards.


    "I can''t stay for long, so let''s go to the Main Headquarters first," Thirteen proposed.


    Adira clicked her tongue before reluctantly letting go of the boy. "Let''s go to the courtyard."


    The Drow dragged Thirteen, and Gerald followed with a faint smile on his face.


    This was the first time he saw his son being dragged around like this, and it lifted his mood.


    When they arrived at the courtyard, Rocky''s head poked out of the ground and swallowed Gerald and Adira.


    Thirteen then pped his hands together and used his artifact that allowed him to teleport to a ce once a day.


    He brought his father to the Main Headquarters of the Shadow Union, intending to borrow their forge, which housed the mes of Sylvanna, one of the few Unique mes in the world that could melt even the bones of a Rank 9 ck Dragon.

 Chapter 417 Courting Death

    Chapter 417 Courting Death


    After sending his father to the Main Headquarters of the Shadow Union, Thirteen returned to Pangea through the Order of the Apocalypse.


    The teenage boy could return to Solterra at any given time if he first teleported to the Order of the Apocalypse and asked Metatron to open a gateway to the ce where he intended to go to.


    However, he could only use this special service once a week, and there was also a limitation. He could only be teleported to viges, towns, or cities that were not under the influence or control of the Wanderers like the Human Kingdoms ruled by the Five Monarchs and Ten Prestigious Families.


    Since he was short on time, he decided to use this method to send his father to the Main Headquarters of the Shadow Union.


    After the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo, his rtionship with the Order of Raizel improved, good enough that he could ask favors from them.


    Also, since he will not return to Solterra for an indefinite period of time, he made sure to leave letters addressed to Taiga and his brother, Anwir.


    The Two Tigerkins were busy increasing their influence and strength while he was away.


    What Thirteen didn''t know was that Taiga was currently traveling with Mikhail and Shasha, helping them with their quests.


    Their meeting was purely coincidental. Taiga happened to be training in the Region where the brother and sister had been sent for their mission.


    Because he had no idea that his "Hero Servant" was currently on cloud nine because he was helping Shasha with her mission, Thirteen returned to Pangea after asking Adira to send his letters for him.


    But as soon as Thirteen returned to Pangea, hismunicator received a message telling him to watch the news.


    "Zion, watch Channel 9. Those two bastards are up to their dirty tricks again."


    The sender of the message was none other than Wendell, so Thirteen decided to open the television to see what the Monarch was talking about.


    Immediately, the faces of Aaron Ashford and Norman Stard appeared on the screen.


    "A joint press conference?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow before sitting on the couch to see what the two Hyenas were up to.


    "Humanity has managed to take the first step to push back the Jinns and Majins from the Rigel Continent," Aaron stated. "As such, the Ashford n and Stard n also decided to join their war efforts to finally put an end to the Tyranny of the Monsters that have stolen ournds, honor, dignity, and even future."


    Thirteen chuckled because he already understood what the sleazy bastard wanted to do.


    "So, you want to use the media to manipte the will of the people." Thirteen smirked. "Not bad."


    The teenage boy already knew where this was going, but he still decided to watch the "farce" that the two Monarchs were trying to pull.


    "We have been too busy fortifying our forces in the Cygni Continent, so we were unable to send our army to the Rigel Continent," Norman stated. "But now, since everyone must join hands to remove the threat to the world, we decided to send our personal armies to reinforce the Dvalinn Federation from their plight.


    "I believe that together, we will be able to do great things and finally put an end to the Jinn tyranny. We do this not for our own benefits, but to give humankind the peace and safety that they had longed for centuries."


    Thirteen praised Norman''s eloquence in his mind. Among the Monarchs in Pangea, Norman Stard had always been the best at speaking, so he was usually the one who made the important announcements from the Monarch ns.


    "Since we will be joining the Allied Armies, we will also let the current Supreme Commander, Zion Leventis,mand our armies to battle," Norman added. "With his strategies and our might, we will prevail!"


    Norman raised his closed fist, making his subordinates cheer and p their hands.


    "Our Naval Forces are traveling to the Rigel Continent as we speak," Aaron dered. "We ask for everyone''s support in our endeavors. Long live Pangea!"


    """Long live Pangea!"""


    """Long live Pangea!"""


    """Long live Pangea!"""


    The reporters, who belonged to the Sirius Continent and were bribed to stir the narration of the Press Conference to their desired result, also pped their hands.


    A faint smile appeared on Thirteen''s lips when he saw Wendell trying to contact him at this time.


    He epted the call, and the Projection of Wendell, Lawrence, Trevor, and Arthur appeared in front of him.


    "Those two bastards are trying to strong-arm their way in," Wendell stated. "What do we do?"


    "If we reject them, they will definitely make us appear bad in the eyes of the public," Trevor stated. "Also, even though he said that his ships were only ''on their way'' here to Rigel Continent, they are only a few hours away from the Dvalinn Federation. "It seems that they left several days earlier before this press conference was made. They really thought things through."


    Lawrence and Arthur didn''tment. They only looked at the teenage boy, whose smile had widened a bit after hearing Trevor''s words.


    On the contrary, Wendell, who had already burned bridges with the Ashford n and the Stard n was visibly worried, not knowing how he would handle the iing uninvited guests into his territory.


    "Gentlemen, why are you worrying about something like this?" Thirteen asked. "Since they have sent us meat shields to be used as padding to the front lines, then let us ept them."


    "But Zion, those bastards will definitely make a mess of things!" Wendell stated. "I''m sure they will also try to get some share for the resources!"


    Thirteen chuckled after hearing Wendell''s statement.


    Resources?


    The only resources anyone would get in the Rigel Continent were the resources he would allow them to get.


    Even now, if Thirteen wished for it, he could suck the Empyrium Mines dry in just a few days with Rocky''s help.


    He wasn''t worried about the Ashford n''s and the Stard n''s attempt to try to dig their own mines. Even if they ever found any useful resources, Thirteen would steal them right under their noses.


    "Let theme," Thirteen replied. "Also, make sure that we can have a press conference at any given time. They are here because they are trying to sway the will of the people. But, we can y that game, can''t we?"


    "Are you sure about this?" Trevor inquired. "Although Aaron and Norman will not personallye here, they will be sending their second-inmands to take control of their forces."


    "It doesn''t matter." Thirteen shrugged. "Let theme. As I said earlier, we will need meat shields. Since they volunteered, then we will send them to the front lines. They will have to work hard if they want to have a share of my¡ªerrr, our pie."


    Arthur and Lawrence couldn''t help but smirk because both of them were thinking of the same thing.


    ''This brat is probably thinking of something evil right now.''


    That was what the two men were thinking, and they were right. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen was alreadyughing in his heart because he already knew what to do with the "sacrificial pawns" that had forced themselves to his home turf.


    Tiona, who was coiled around Thirteen''s neck, shook her head because she knew that whoever tried to oppose her Master was simply courting death.

 Chapter 418 The Master Of Black Propaganda [Part 1]

    Chapter 418 The Master Of ck Propaganda [Part 1]


    Two days after Aaron Ashford and Norman Stard held their press conference, their naval fleets finally arrived at the Main Headquarters of the Dvalinn Federation.


    They even brought their own news crew with them, perhaps to ensure that the people would see them in a good light.


    The moment the Floating Ind of the Dvalinn Federation came to view, they even started a live broadcast.


    The "paid" reporter immediately used her expertise to cast a positive narrative, telling the viewers about how the forces from the two Monarch ns rushed to their destination out of determination to help humanity repel the invaders.


    Even Thirteen was impressed by her acting and reporting skills. Impressed enough that he took note of her name so that he could brainwash¡ªerrr, invite her to work for him instead.


    When Seth Ashford and Allen Norman, along with some of their soldiers, stepped foot into the Man-Made Floating Fortress of the Dvalinn Federation, they were given a proper wee by the members of the alliance.


    Since the reporters who had broadcasted Thirteen''s first expedition were still with them, they were invited to participate in this momentous event to cover the arrival of their "reinforcements."


    "Wee to the Dvalinn Federation," Benedict greeted Seth and Allen, who were the third-inmands of the Ashford and Stard ns.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Benedict," Seth said as he shook hands with the old man. "But where are the rest? Are you the only one who hase to greet us?"


    "Yes," Benedict replied. "Everyone is busy discussing the strategy for the next mission.


    Seth sneered, knowing that since they hade unannounced, none of the big shots of the alliance wished to meet them.


    But since they were already there, he believed that they would have no choice but to work with them.


    As the entourage of the Ashford and Stard n walked toward the base, they saw over a hundred soldiers marching in their direction, with Zion at the front.


    Benedict and the members of the alliance saluted their Supreme Commander, while Seth and Allen merely nodded their heads in greeting.


    "Uncle Benedict, who are these people?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    Benedict, who had been called Uncle in front of everyone, returned Zion''s smile with a smile of his own.


    "These are our reinforcements from the Ashford and Stard ns," Benedict replied. "Let me introduce to you these two gentlemen."


    "No need for you to introduce us, Benedict," Seth interjected. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Seth Ashford. I am the third-inmand of the Ashford n."


    "Allen Stard," Allen stated. "Nice to meet you."


    "Nice to meet you too, Seth and An," Thirteen replied, treating the two adults as if they were of the same age as him. "I heard that you n to join the alliance, is this true?"


    Seth gave the cameraman who was following Thirteen a sidelong nce and saw that the words BBCee News were imbued on his uniform.


    They were the biggest TV Station in Pangea, and they broadcasted to the entire world. They were not under the control of the Ashford and Stard ns because they belonged to the Central Government.


    "Of course. We came here for the sake of humanity," Seth replied. "We will put our lives in your care¡­ Zion Leventis."


    Allen nodded in agreement with hisrade''s words.


    "Let me remind you that as the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, I expect that all of you will follow my orders without question," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "Will you do that?"


    "Sure," Seth chuckled. "We will follow your orders, Commander."


    "Really?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Then let''s put you and your men to the test."


    Thirteen then crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin arrogantly.


    "Kneel," Thirteen ordered.


    At first, Seth thought that he had just misheard the boy''s words, but after seeing that the other party wasn''t smiling, he realized that it wasn''t a joke.


    "Zion, what kind of order is this?" Seth tried to pass it out like a joke. "You should be more respectful to your Elders, you know?"


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Was my order not clear enough? Then let me repeat it¡ªkneel."


    The staff from the BBCee News, who could smell a scoop from a mile away, focused their lenses on the scene, which was being broadcasted live. "Boy, are you messing with me?" Seth, who was doing his best to keep the smile on his face, asked.


    "I''m ordering you as the Supreme Commander to kneel, and you can''t even follow a simple order?" Thirteen chuckled. "Did youe here to y? If so, all of you can go back to where you came from. I don''t need soldiers who can''t follow my orders."


    Allen, who was listening to the side, frowned. This wasn''t the wee they were expecting from the people in the Dvalinn Federation.


    Benedict still had a calm expression on his face, but he was also surprised about the sudden shift in atmosphere.


    "Listen here, you brat¡­" Seth pointed at Thirteen and unleashed a bit of his aura, intending to overwhelm the boy. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, before he could do what he nned to do, the Aura of two Monarchs mmed down on Seth''s body, making thetter''s face turn pale.


    "Seth Ashford, I think you''re forgetting where you are," Thirteen said firmly. "I am the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. My orders are absolute. I am merely ordering you and your men to kneel, and you can''t even do it.


    "It''s such a simple order, yet you already failed toprehend it. When I order the members of the Alliance to go to the battlefield, I don''t order them to kneel."


    Thirteen took a step forward and stared at the Champion who was being suppressed by Lawrence''s and Wendell''s auras.


    "When my soldiers go to the battlefield, I order them to die," Thirteen said icily. "Even so, they follow my orders without question. You and your peoplee here without permission and say that you are here to fight for humanity. But from what I can see, none of you came here with that intention.


    "Also, when you''re here, you will not call me Zion, Child, Boy, or Brat. You will call me Sir. If you can''t even do that, then get out. If all it takes to reim the Dvalinn Federation is a kneel, everyone from the Dvalinn Federation would have done so dly.


    "Aren''t you being too full of yourself?" Allen, who could no longer take it, asked. "If youmand us on the battlefield, then we will listen. But youmanding us to kneel here is just to humiliate us."


    "Humiliate?" Thirteen smirked before turning to look at Benedict, who was standing beside the two Champions.


    "Benedict Riggs, kneel." Thirteen ordered.


    "Yes, Sir," Benedict didn''t hesitate and knelt down in front of Thirteen, making Seth and Allen look at him in shock.


    They knew how proud Benedict was¡ªhe would even fight Arthur without fear, despite the difference in their Ranks.


    However, seeing him kneel in obeyance to the boy''s order made them feel as if they were looking at a different person.


    "Benedict Riggs is not kneeling to me because I want to humiliate him," Thirteen stated. "He is kneeling because he has absolute faith that I am not ordering him for no reason at all. Like I told you earlier, I don''t order my soldiers to kneel, I order them to die."


    Thirteen then patted Benedict''s shoulder.


    "Rise," Thirteen ordered.


    Benedict rose up and stood in attention like the soldier he was, waiting for orders.


    Thirteen then shifted his attention back to Seth and Allen, who were now the focus of attention of not only the media but also the soldiers of the Dvalinn Federation, who were all ring at them.


    It was only now that they realized that if they did anything to the boy, they would not be able to leave the Dvalinn Federation alive.


    Thirteen simply stared at the two, but his gaze contained so much pressure that the two Champions felt that they only had two choices.


    One was to kneel, the other was to leave.


    Leaving was not an option. If they did that, they had a feeling that they would no longer be wee in the Dvalinn Federation.


    Although unwilling, Seth was the first one to move and knelt in front of the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.

 Chapter 419 The Master Of Black Propaganda [Part 2]

    Chapter 419 The Master Of ck Propaganda [Part 2]


    After seeing that their Commander had knelt to the teenage boy, the soldiers who were apanying Seth begrudgingly knelt as well.


    This forced Allen and his own soldiers to follow suit.


    Thirteen didn''t order them to rise and simply looked down on them arrogantly, his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Remember this, men¡ªthere won''t be a next time," Thirteen warned. "All of you, rise."


    After hearing the boy''s orders, Seth, Allen, and their soldiers hurriedly rose to their feet and red at him. Thirteen chuckled internally and spread his arms wide.


    "Wee to the Dvalinn Federation." Thirteen smiled evilly. "A ce where only those who are seriously fighting for humanity belong."


    Thirteen then turned around to return to where he came from.


    Seth and Allen looked at the boy''s retreating figure as they did their best to keep their calm.


    They thought that once they arrived at the Dvalinn Federation, everything would go their way.


    But after seeing the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, they had a feeling that things would not be as easy as they initially thought they would.


    After escorting their guests to their temporary amodations, Benedict headed to the Commander''s Quarters, where Thirteen was staying.


    "You little bastard. You really made me kneel, huh?" Benedict growled. "I just went along with the flow, so you won''t be embarrassed, but you went too far¡­ Um? What is this?"


    Thirteen had handed a data chip to Benedict, which made the old man frown.


    "That has the location of a small-sized Empyrium Mine the Leventis Family has discovered," Thirteen said. "Since I embarrassed Uncle earlier, that small mine is yours. I''m sure the Alliance won''t mind."


    "Hahaha, Zion, my boy. Your Uncle is not really offended by what happened earlier," Benedict replied as he hastily pocketed the data chip. "It''s just a small matter. In the future, don''t hesitate to ask me for help. I''ll dly help you."


    "I know, uncle. You''re the best," Thirteen smirked knowing that Benedict was just as greedy as his Grandfather when it came to resources and treasures.


    "Still, are you sure that it is wise to offend them like that?" Benedict asked before looking at what Zion was doing. "Of course," Thirteen replied. "All of them must be aware that they are no longer in their backyard. They are in MY--errr, OUR backyard."


    Little did Benedict know that right after the confrontation earlier ended, Thirteen''s ck propaganda to tarnish the reputation of the Ashford n and Stard n had already begun.


    Since the two ns were using information warfare to fool the general public into thinking that they were the good guys, Thirteen nned to use the same weapon to make them look like the bad guys.


    Unfortunately, no matter how great their connection to the media was, they were still too greenpared to the System of Cannon Fodders, who had made Kings, Emperors, and Politicians fall from grace with his ck propaganda.


    As soon as Benedict left to share the happy news to his family about acquiring a small-sized Empyrium Mine, Thirteen began to hack the various TV Stations in the world and set his ns into motion.


    While this was happening, Seth, who had been humiliated by the boy, was doing his best to stop himself from breaking things out of anger from what he had suffered earlier.


    At that moment, hismunicator began to ring.


    When he saw that the caller was his Patriarch, he immediately reined in his anger and answered the call.


    "Sir, we have a problem," Seth said. "Yes, we really have a problem," Aaron icily replied. "Check the news now."


    Seth subconsciously shuddered after hearing the Monarch''smand and immediately opened the TV to check the news.


    "Breaking News! Seth Ashford and Norman Stard started conflicts as soon as they arrived in the Dvalinn Federation!"


    The breaking news immediately made Seth''s face pale because he had ordered the reporters on their side to use the recording to paint Zion in a bad light.


    However, before the reporters could even do that, Thirteen had beaten them to it and published the recordings that had been deliberately edited to turn the tables on them.


    In the recording, Seth''s defiance of Zion''s orders was highlighted, and the caption below the screen was saying that he was being arrogant and refused to obey the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.


    Of course, it was not only Seth being sshed with dirty water. Even Allen, who only said a few words, was painted as the bad guy, making thetter fume after he was also informed of what was happening on TV.


    "Our reporter at the scene, Rein, has managed to book an exclusive interview with Zion Leventis to get his reaction on the disrespect he had received from the Commanders of the Ashford and Stard n," the News Anchor said.


    "Thank you." Rein nodded slightly. "This is Rein, reporting for BBCee."


    The camera panned to her and Thirteen, who was wearing his Supreme Commander uniform.


    Thirteen had a very pained expression on his face as if he was greatly affected by what happened earlier. "Sir, what did you feel when Seth Ashford and Allen Stard refused to obey your orders and disrespected you in front of everyone?" Rein asked, her beautiful face slightly scrunched to match Thirteen''s mood.


    "It was a very mortifying experience," Thirteen replied. "They said that they came to help the Alliance fight against the Jinns, so I decided to test whether they were serious or not.


    "On the battlefield, every order I make will decide the life and death of countless soldiers. I am forced to make hard decisions, which would force our soldiers to risk their lives in battle. "Fortunately, during the past expedition, everyone obeyed my orders without fail. Thanks to their faith in me, we seeded in liberating the Northern Regions of the Continent.


    "When the Ashford and the Stard n arrived, I thought their help would increase our chances of winning¡ªI believed that all of us were going to fight under one banner. Unfortunately, that doesn''t seem to be the case.


    "My simple test to see if they are willing to obey my orders and put their lives in my hands resulted in the video that you just saw earlier. Not only did they disregard my orders, but they also challenged my authority.


    "I think it will be better for humanity if they just returned to where they came from. Soldiers like them who can''t follow orders are not needed on the battlefield. They will only endanger the alliance because of their inability to work together as a team."


    Arthur, Michael, and Hans looked at the TV with amused expressions on their faces. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If they hadn''t known how ck-bellied Zion truly was, they might have believed his acting and sympathized with him due to how raw and real his emotions looked on camera.


    "It must have been a very disheartening experience." With furrowed brows, Rein distressedly gazed at the teenage boy in front of her, who looked very hurt.


    "Yes, but I believe the rest of humanity will be able to move past this setback as long as we do our best to work together to have a peaceful world," Thirteen said. "A world where no one needs to suffer under the oppression of the Jinns and Majins. "The soldiers of the alliance will risk their lives to make this happen. Those who don''t share the same determination and conviction should not take part in our struggles¡ªthey will only be deadweights dragging everyone down. "I am truly saddened that the Ashford and Stard n do not share our views and only came in the Rigel Continent for show, even daring to disrespect our efforts in reiming the Rigel Continent from the hands of the Jinns and Majins."


    Rein seemed moved by Zion''s words, her eyes teary as she said a few more words to console the teenage boy who looked genuinely downcast.


    Seth, who had watched everything from start to finish, almost coughed out blood then and there when the screen reyed the scene where he said, "Listen here, you brat¡­"


    The camera had captured a burst of energy, which made the teenage boy wince, highlighting how Seth tried to harm the Supreme Commander of the Alliance in front of everyone.


    Soon, angryments from theizens exploded on social media and other tforms.


    All of them were badmouthing Seth and Allen, with some of them shouting that Seth must be punished for his attempted assault on Zion, which should be punishable by death.


    Right now, no one was more important in the Alliance than their Supreme Commander, so the punishment for Seth''s attempt to harm him must be severe.


    "I don''t know who is behind this, but it is toote to do anything," Aaron growled. "You better fix this now, or else¡­"


    "Y-Yes, Sir." Seth, who knew how much was at stake, replied fearfully. "I will do my best to settle this as soon as possible!"


    "Settle it now," Aaron said with finality, making Seth shudder.


    "Yes, I will!" Seth answered. "I will go and find the Supreme Commander now!"


    Just as soon as Seth left his quarters, he immediately came across Allen, whose face was just as flushed as his.


    Clearly, the other Champion also received a good nagging from their Patriarch, making him feel wronged.


    A nce was enough to tell them what they were supposed to do, so they hurried towards the Supreme Commander''s quarters to ask for his audience.


    However, Thirteen knew that they would being for him, so he went to the Order of the Apocalypse to talk to Evuvug and the newly born Brain Beetle, whom Thirteen had named Gwenn.


    The teenage boy nned to use the Baby Brain Beetle to cause some havoc on the battlefield, making sure that things would fall under his control.


    While he was away, Renz, who was watching themotion from the top of the Dvalinn Federation, chuckled after his subordinates reported Seth''s and Allen''s movements.


    "Time to y good cop and bad cop." Renz smirked as he left his quarters to talk to Seth and Allen.


    His n was to make them dependent on him and think that he was their only ally in the Dvalinn Federation.


    This was part of Thirteen''s scheme to let the two lower their guard and turn them into Renz''s supporters during their stay in the Dvalinn Federation.

 Chapter 420 I Decided To Give You All A Second Chance

    420 I Decided To Give You All A Second Chance


    "So you can only use your mind control on two people for now, correct?" Thirteen asked for confirmation.


    "Y-Yes," the White Brain Beetle, Gwenn, replied. "Then can you mind control a Throne?" Thirteen asked.


    "No," Gwenn replied. "At most, I can only control Champions."


    Gwenn had just hatched from its egg a few days ago and was forced to remain in the Treasury of the Apocalypse with its parent, Evuvug.


    The two Brain Beetles were very wary of the teenage boy. However, they were in a ce where they couldn''t escape, so they could only stay wherever they were and meet the other party whenever he wanted. After the parent and child had a talk, Evuvug deemed that cooperating with Thirteen would benefit Gwenn more, giving its child a chance to grow.


    A White Brain Beetle was also known as the Overlord Beetle. It got this moniker because it grew twice as fast as a regr Brain Beetle and was also twice as powerful.


    When Thirteen threatened Gwenn that it would be absorbed by the ck g in his possession if it didn''t cooperate, Evuvug convinced its child to work hand in hand with the teenage boy. That way, it would at least have a chance at survival.


    Left with no choice, the Rank 2 Overlord Beetle since birth agreed to cooperate with Thirteen and became one of his Beast Companions.


    However, Gwenn was only his Beast Companion in name.


    It wasn''t like Tiona, Giga Chad, Rocky, cky, and Hercules, who were registered in his Status Page as his true Beast Companions.


    "What is your maximum mind control range?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Two miles," Gwenn answered. Since it had just been born, it was still not strong enough to control more Wanderers and dominate their minds.


    Currently, Gwenn could only target two individuals who had the Rank of Champion and below.


    Although its mind control abilities were limited, it was still enough for what Thirteen had in mind.


    "Understood." Thirteen patted the Overlord Beetle, making it wince from his touch. "As long as you cooperate with me, I''ll make sure that you be stronger."


    "T-Thank you, Master," Gwenn replied.


    Evuvug could only sigh in its heart. When it was still in the Rigel Continent, it had already made big ns for its child.


    Unfortunately, those ns crumbled the moment Thirteen raided itsir and when it got betrayed by the Centipede King, Jalrog.


    "Well, then. Metatron, can you officially make Gwenn my Beast Companion?" Thirteen asked. But before Metatron could answer, Evuvug interjected and asked the teenage boy if there was really a need for him to do that.


    She didn''t doubt that Metatron could do what Thirteen requested. However, Evuvug didn''t want its child to be someone''s subordinate, believing that as long as there was an opportunity, Gwenn could escape from their captor''s grasp and be strong on its own.


    Unfortunately, the Brain Beetle was dealing with the wrong person.


    "Like I said earlier, you only have two choices," Thirteen smirked at the White Beetle in front of him. "Either you be my Beast Companion, or you be part of my Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons. The choice is yours to make."


    "I''ll be your Beast Companion," Gwenn replied in a heartbeat.


    The Overlord Beetle knew that it would rather be its captor Beast Companion and grow strong rather than be part of the Divine Artifact that would seal its fate forever.


    Gwenn believed that if it reached a high enough Rank, it might be able to break free from bing Thirteen''s Beast Companion.


    The chance was extremely small, but as long as there was a possibility, the Overlord Beetle would rather cling to that small chance with every fiber of its being.


    "I know what you''re thinking, and frankly, I don''t really care," Thirteen said. "If you can really break free from my control, then go ahead. All I ask is that you listen to my orders and do it without fail. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes¡­ Master," Gwenn replied.


    Metatron then snapped his fingers, and a drop of blood escaped from Thirteen''s heart. This was a Heart Essence, which was a very strong type of bond between the Master and its Beast Companion.


    Metatron didn''t believe that Gwenn would be able to escape being Thirteen''s Beast Companion unless the teenage boy decided to free it on his own. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When the connection between the two of them was finalized, Gwenn''s name finally appeared on Thirteen''s Status Page, making the Overlord Beetle his newest subordinate.


    "Well, then. Time for us to go," Thirteen said before shifting his gaze to Evuvug. Seeing the Brain Beetle re at him, the teenager thought of an idea and asked Metatron if it was possible.


    "It''s just a small thing, so why not?" Metatron pped his hands, and a giant TV appeared in front of the Bird Man, Zed, and the Brain Beetle, Evuvug.


    "Feel free to watch Dramas in Netfix," Thirteen stated. "However, pay more attention to the news. You will see what''s currently happening in the Rigel Continent. So, make sure to enjoy the show."


    After saying those words, Thirteen returned to his room in Pangea, leaving the two Kings of the Rigel Continent behind.


    ***


    Only half a day had passed since the reinforcements from the Ashford and Stard n arrived in the Dvalinn Federation, and yet, the news was buzzing with Thirteen''s ck Propaganda.


    Aaron and Norman tried to fix their image using their ownworks, but whatever they did was of no use.


    No matter how hard they tried to do some damage control, Thirteen was always two steps ahead of them, making sure that they didn''t have a chance to defend themselves.


    Aside from his interview, the cute reporter from BBCee, Rein, had also interviewed Lawrence, who was the Grand Marshal of the Central Government.


    "Debates are fine, but insubordination will not be tolerated," Lawrence stated. "We are all here under one banner, and that is to help protect humanity. Zion Leventis is our Supreme Commander, and his orders must be obeyed by everyone in the Alliance.


    "Any factions who can not follow their superior''s directives should not participate in any military activity because it will only endanger everyone''s safety. Those who cannot follow orders, no matter how strong, are a liability, not an asset."


    The most popr Monarch in the world was none other than Lawrence. He was the only one who prevented the other Monarchs from totally dominating the world.


    Because of this, themon people and the Wanderers who weren''t affiliated with the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were inclined to join the Central Government and help safeguard the world from any abuseing from these factions.


    His word was absolute. Now that he had spoken, no matter how Ashford and Stard n presented their case to y the victim, they would be unable to sway the will of the people.


    Because of this, Aaron and Norman ordered Seth and Allen to make a public apology and vow that they would no longer defy Zion''s orders, even if they were ordered to kneel in front of everyone.


    Left with no choice, the two representatives of the Ashford and Stard n did as they were told and made a public apology.


    They admitted to their mistakes and apologized for their wrongdoings. Of course, Thirteen knew that there was not a single ounce of sincerity in their apology, so he gave them a second test.


    "I still don''t trust that any of you will be able to follow my orders, but since you apologized, I decided to give you all a second chance," Thirteen said as he faced the Ashford and Stard Army, whom he hadmanded to stand in front of the g of the Allied Armies.


    "All of you, kneel," Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, as if they had already been briefed beforehand, the two armies knelt in sync.


    "Good. You will continue to kneel here for two days," Thirteen stated. "All of you are Wanderers, so not eating or drinking for two days will not kill you. This will prove to me that you are willing to obey my orders and truly be part of the alliance. "If you are unable to do this, then go home. We don''t need those who don''t share the same vision that we do."


    After saying those words, Thirteen left to conduct a meeting with the Leaders of the Alliance, leaving the disgruntled Seth, Allen, and their armies behind.


    Wendell, who didn''t like having the two Hyenas in his territory, gave the teenage boy a thumbs up in his heart.


    The Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation was certain that after two days, the Ashford and Stard n would think twice before trying to use their influence in the Alliance''s backyard.

 Chapter 421 I Hope Everyone Is Prepared To Make Some Sacrifices

    421 I Hope Everyone Is Prepared To Make Some Sacrifices


    Inside the Dvalinn Tower¡­


    "With this, those two bastards will no longer be able to act arrogantly around here," Wendell said. "Well done, Zion."


    Thirteen nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Lord Wendell. I was also very annoyed by those pests. They don''t share the same vision as us, yet they dared to trick the public and invite themselves into joining our operation without permission."


    "I''m sure they have learned their lesson by now," Lawrencemented. "But we still need to keep our guards up. We don''t know when the two of them might stab us from behind."


    "I''m quite impressed with your PR Team, Zion." Trevor chuckled. "Why don''t you introduce them to me? They managed to shut Aaron and Norman up without giving them a chance to defend themselves."


    "I''m sorry, Lord Trevor, but they have an exclusive contract with me," Thirteen replied. "They will continue to work only for me until the Northern Regions are safe and secure."


    Trevor Remington nodded in understanding before shifting his gaze to Benedict, who was also seated within their Round Table.


    "I''ve heard that you have bestowed Benedict a small Empyrium Mine. Is this true?" Trevor asked.


    "It is true," Thirteen replied.


    "But didn''t we all agree that all resources must be equally split between the Alliance?" Trevor asked. "Then why is he an exception?"


    The members of the Aldebaran Continent, as well as the Central Government, all shifted their attention to the teenage boy, who had a faint smile on his face.


    "It''s the price that must be paid in order to ensure that the arrogance of the Ashford and Stard n would be brought down a peg," Thirteen replied. "As you may already know, I forced Uncle Benedict to kneel in front of everyone.


    "What I had asked of him was disrespectful, tasteless, and out of bounds. Uncle Benedict holds an important position within the Riggs Family, and yet, I trampled on his dignity and honor. It was something I shouldn''t have ordered, but it had to be done. "Compensating him for his loss is the right thing to do. The weight of his sacrifice cannot be measured in gold, so I gave him the next best thing. If Uncle Benedict hadn''t done that, I wouldn''t have been able to pull off what I did.


    "Aside from that, making Lord Wendell and Lord Trevor kneel in front of everyone was out of the question. Not only would it lower Morale, but it might also cause problems within the alliance. Even if I was willing topensate them with the biggest Empyrium Mines in the Rigel Continent, it would not be enough. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Um, just in case anyone is wondering, I''m talking about Mines that are as big as the Nasca Mines. I would''ve been willing to offer that much to Lord Wendell and Lord Trevor if pushes to shove."


    Everyone in the room quieted down as they nced at the two Monarchs who both had calm expressions on their faces.


    However, deep inside, they were thinking that kneeling for a few seconds in exchange for something simr to the biggest Empyrium Mine that was currently being shared by the entire Alliance was worth it.


    Wendell lightly coughed before smiling at their Supreme Commander.


    "If there is an opportunity to bring down the Ashford and Stard n, I am willing to cooperate with you, Zion," Wendell said. "I think you did the right thing by rewarding Benedict. That is indeed the proper way topensate him for his sacrifice."


    "I feel the same," Trevormented. "Do not hesitate to ask me for help next time. I will cooperate with you to the best of my abilities." The leaders inside the room could only shake their heads helplessly. They also wouldn''t mind kneeling for a few seconds if an Empyrium Mine was involved.


    Empyriums were said to only form in ces with high concentrations of Jinns and Majins.


    This was why the Rigel Continent was the best ce to mine this precious ore¡ªthe Jinns and Majins had inhabited the ce for many years.


    "Let''s move on to our next agenda," Thirteen stated. "I have decided tounch our next operation ten days from now. Although it would be troublesome, we need to allow the Ashford and Stard n to participate in the expedition.


    Wendell clicked his tongue, but he also understood that there were things that there was nothing he could do about, especially since everyone in the world was paying close attention to their operation.


    "The only advantage we have is that the Ashford and Stard n cannot ask for a big percentage of the spoils of war. Although I''m sure that many of you feel hesitant in letting them have a share of the pie, we have to look at the bigger picture."


    The teenage boy''s words were firm, making everyone nod their heads in agreement.


    "Our goal is to liberate the Northern Regions ande to apromise with the Earth Dragons," Thirteen stated. "As long as we are able to make them agree to a ceasefire agreement, we can shift our attention to the Cygni Continent, and prepare for another invasion.


    "I hate to say this, but this is a fight against time, gentlemen. The sooner we end this war, the better. Is everyone in agreement?"


    The leaders all nodded their heads, letting him know that they were on the same page as him.


    "Good." Thirteen tapped hismunicator, and a projection appeared at the center of the round table. "Our drones have finally located the location of the Death Lord Erasmus. The Wyvern King is with him, but based on the images we received, it seems that Vannaroth has been turned into an Undead Wyvern. This is both good news and bad news for us.


    "The good news is that its strength had diminished after bing an Undead Monster. The bad news is that it is still a strong monster and shouldn''t be underestimated.


    "There are also no signs of the Wolf King and the Centipede King. They might be dead, but it''s better for us to assume that both of them will also appear when the fighting starts."


    The teenage boy had no intention of telling anyone that the Wolf King was already dead, and that he and the Centipede King had an agreement.


    Thirteen and Jalrog understood that both of them were only using each other for their own gains.


    Their alliance was not firm, so anything could happen during the battle.


    "Please create as many Empyrium-powered equipment as you can during that time," Thirteen said. "We will be relying on those weapons for the time being because we are low on missiles and artillery shells.


    "This will probably be our greatest battle as ofte, and I hope that everyone is prepared to make some sacrifices."


    Everyone in the room understood that it was impossible to have no casualties during the war, so they had already prepared themselves for some sacrifices.


    After discussing a few more important matters, the meeting ended after three hours.


    Two dayster, Seth and Allen were finally relieved of their punishment and were allowed to eat, drink, and rest with their men.


    The two Commanders did their best to keep a low profile as per the order of their Monarchs.


    Although there was a bit of tension in the surroundings, the days passed swiftly because time waited for no one.


    Before everyone knew it, the entire army of the Allied Forces, once again mobilized in order to fight a war, which would determine whether they could hold the territories they gained or die fighting for what they believed was right.

 Chapter 422 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 1]

    422 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 1]


    After receiving the disciplinary punishment, the Ashford and Stard Army understood that the Supreme Commander of the Alliance wasn''t someone whom they could underestimate.


    The soldiers from both ns felt humiliated, believing that they were punished wrongly because of their superior''s actions. However, none of them dared to voice out their displeasure and simply prepared for the uing battle.


    Thirteen had ced these two armies on the left nk of the Formation, wanting to see just how capable they were in battle. The Military Drones had located where the Jinn Army had congregated, and he nned to strike that location fast and hard.


    They were the Bug Army that was under the control of the Rank 7 Blister Bug. Because of their fast reproduction rate, they were stationed on the front lines, serving as fodders to hold back the Alliance for as long as possible. They weren''t exceptionally strong, but they were quite numerous. Right now, the majority of the weapons being used by the Alliance were powered by Empyrium.These energy-based weapons were quite powerful, but very costly to use. Using them against the bugs would be a waste from Thirteen''s point of view, so he decided to use a different method.


    "Team Alpha, advance!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Aerial Units of the Alliance that were high above the sky prepared to use their long-ranged abilities against the bugs.


    They didn''t use any of their ammunition this time and solely relied on the mages who were blessed with elemental abilities.


    Their goal was to only stir the ho''s nest so that Thirteen could estimate just how many bugs were hiding under the ground.


    Just as expected, the moment the Alpha Team started killing the low-ranking monsters on the surface, countless bugs emerged from the ground and took off to the skies in order to face them.


    The Alpha Team hastily retreated as part of Thirteen''s n. Their mission was to lure the enemy out of their hiding ce and bring them to the location where the Armyy in ambush.


    The sheer number of flying bugs in the sky was enough to block off the light of the sun, covering the surroundings in darkness.


    "Unleash the sh Fire Missiles," Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, the submarines of the Dvalinn Federation fired a barrage from the sea, targeting the coordinates their Supreme Commander had designated.


    Fifty missiles collided with the monster army, turning the sky into a zing inferno, and spreading the mes to the nearby monsters, which burned and incinerated some of them.


    The sh Fire Missiles created a wall of fire in the sky, which wouldst for half a minute before dissipating. This weapon was very effective in handling swarms of monsters both on the ground and in the sky.


    Unfortunately, the fifty missiles that the Dvalinn Federation had used were thest batch of missiles in their stockpile.


    Even so, Thirteen didn''t bat an eye as he ordered them to use the missiles against the bugs because it was the perfect counter for them.


    These kinds of monsters were very weak to mes, and their bodies burned easily.


    Even the blood of these insects was mmable, making the effect of the sh Fire Missiles even more intense, allowing it to spread in a wider range.


    Seth and Allen, who were watching from the left nk of the army, watched the zing sky with a solemn gaze.


    After the initial surprise was over, countless ming bugs passed through the wall of mes and flew in their direction.


    The majority of these monsters were Rank 4 and above, and most of them had suffered moderate to serious injuries.


    "Team Bravo, engage them as soon as theye within your firing range!" Thirteen ordered. The armies of the Ashford and Stard n were part of Team Bravo, and all of them were armed to the teeth with the weapons and equipment that came from the Sirius Continent.


    Thirteen wanted to know just how powerful their weapons were, so he decided to use this operation to see how effective they were in battle.


    "Show these bugs what we are made of!" Seth shouted. "Open fire!"


    The soldiers who were armed with rocketunchers locked on their targets and fired.


    The moment their rockets collided with the Rank 4 Monster, Cristopher, who was paying close attention to the battle, noticed that the rockets exploded on the flying monsters'' heads, making them explode and killing the monsters instantly.


    He immediately ryed this news to his Young Master, who was watching the battle from the rear of the army.


    "Not bad," Thirteen smiled faintly. "I guess they can pull their own weight."


    The Stard Army wasn''t being idle either.


    16:10


    Unlike the Ashford Army who had rocketunchers to use against the monsters that had managed to get past the wall of mes in the sky, they simply waited until their enemies came within their weapon''s range and decimated them with their assault rifles.


    Those who managed to approach within a hundred meters were dealt with personally by Seth and Allen, preventing the monsters from breaching their formation.


    "Team Omega, advance!" Thirteen ordered after seeing that the left nk was stable. Arthur, Morris, and Steven, who were the Thrones of the Aldebaran Continent, escorted the soldiers and led them to deal with the bulk of the bug army that couldn''t fly in the sky.


    Since Thirteen didn''t want to suffer many casualties, he ensured that the soldiers were protected by the Thrones, who could deal with the biggest threat onnd. While this was happening, Lawrence and Wendell attacked the Blister Bug together, preventing it from targeting their army.


    Tiona, on the other hand, was leading her Immortal Team of Monsters and attacked thend bugs from the rear, disrupting their formation.


    Rocky, who was burrowing under the ground, carefully targeted the Rank 5 and Rank 6 Monsters, making them fall into the sinkholes he had made, dealing with them swiftly and effectively.


    The bulk of the insect army wasposed of Rank 1 to Rank 3 monsters. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Their strategy was simple¡ªswarm their enemies with overwhelming numbers from thend and the sky.


    This strategy used to be extremely deadly, especially with their leader, Evuvug, leading the charge. Without the Brain Beetle, the bug army was merely a swarm of bugs that was a pain to deal with solely because of their numbers.


    A few hourster, the battle finally ended.


    Just like the High-Ranking officers of the alliance expected, there were no casualties due to the immediate response of the medics and the 69th Battalion, who had immediately taken the injured to the rear to get medical assistance, allowing them to fight another day.


    But just as everyone was about to take a breather, the Military Drones detected an army of Undead Monsters about to attack them from the left nk of their formation.


    However, the bad news didn''t end there.


    Goblin Riders and Orc Riders, all of whom were mounted on Dire Wolves, charged at the Right nk of the Army, attempting a pincer attack.


    Just as everyone was thinking that the situation couldn''t possibly get any worse than that, the ground shook as if an earthquake was happening.


    A momentter, countless centipedes emerged from the ground and crawled toward the Alliance en masse.


    The Centipede King, Jalrog, who hadn''t been seen for a long time finally appeared, leading its army into battle. But as if Murphy''s Law was in full effect, a ferocious roar reverberated across the sky as the Undead Wyvern, Vannaroth, dove down from the heavens. Riding on its back was none other than the Death Lord, Erasmus, who served as themander of the Jinns and Majins, tasked by the Earth Dragons to deal with the pests that were trying to reim their territories.

 Chapter 423: Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 2]

    Just as the alliance was thinking about what to do next after being surrounded by monsters on all sides, a calm voice sounded from theirmunicators, making them regain theirposure.


    "Shift to n Z."


    As soon as the order was given, the Soldiers retreated in haste, running as fast as they could.


    Their Supreme Commander had created different strategies for different situations, and n Z was one of them.


    When this n was in effect, all the infantry on the ground would retreat in haste, while the Monarchs, Thrones, and Team Alpha would cover them from thend and sky.


    The Naval Fleet in the sea would then unleash all their long-ranged missiles, aiming at the locations their Supreme Commander would designate.


    Thirteen, who was inside his Humvee located at the rear of the formation, ordered Colbert to retreat to the second line of defense, which he had prepared two days ago.


    The soldiers who were running away as fast as they could would asionally turn their heads to the back to see what was happening behind them.


    They saw the three Monarchs and the Thrones, alongside the Aerial Units of the Army, hold their ground, buying time for the army to retreat.


    Those who looked back longer inevitably noticed that the support fireing from the sea only targeted the Giant Centipedes, the Goblin Riders, and the Orc Riders.


    The Undead Army was untouched, and this was also the monster that they were currently fighting.


    Jalrog and Erasmus eyed each other for a few seconds before they, too, joined their soldiers in battle.


    "Monarchs, please deal with the Centipede King."


    "Thrones, deal with the Death Lord."


    "Team Alpha, support the ground forces as they retreat."


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    Thirteen remained calm as he gave orders left and right.


    "Looks like I''m being underestimated," the Death Lord, Erasmus, said as he faced the Thrones in the sky.


    Arthur, who was at the very front of the battle, shed with the Commander of the Jinns. At the present, he was equipped with peak Gold-Grade Armaments.


    He had no intention of letting the Alliance know that he owned Mythical Artifacts, knowing that it would cause a lot of trouble.


    Aside from Lawrence and Tristan, no one else knew that the Patriarch of the Leventis Family was in possession of Armaments, which only the Monarchs in Pangea were supposed to have.


    Unlike most of the Monarchs, the Thrones were all battle-hardened warriors, for they were the ones who usually fought on the front lines of every monster invasion.


    The Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation had fought together countless times, so their teamwork was impable.


    The Thrones from the Aldebaran Continent were the same, seamlessly dealing with Erasmus and his Elite Guards, who were protecting their liege.


    Meanwhile, on the ground, Lawrence, Wendell, and Trevor realized that the Centipede King was more powerful than they initially expected.


    Originally, they thought that fighting against the Centipede King with three Monarchs was already overkill.


    However, after a minute of fighting, they understood that their opponent was incredibly strong.


    Jalrog, who was also surprised at how strong it was,ughed internally as it used the Monarchs as training dummies to check the extent of its abilities.


    Lawrence was being pushed back, and Wendell, who acted as his support, didn''t fare any better.


    If not for the fact that Trevor was there to support the two, one of them might have already been seriously injured after a few exchanges with the Monster, who was now a Pseudo-Rank 9 Sovereign.


    As the powerhouses of both sides shed with each other, the Undead Warriors were closing the gap with the retreating infantry.


    The cover fire from the sea was only targeting the Giant Centipedes, the Goblin Riders, and the Orc Riders, so the Undead was left untouched, allowing them to move unhindered across the battlefield.


    But, just when they were only a hundred meters away from the closest soldier running away from them¡­


    One of the Skeleton Soldiers stepped onto a mine, resulting in an explosion that sted everything within a ten-square-meter radius of the mine.


    Soon, more explosions spread on the battlefield as the enemy stepped into the killing zone that Thirteen had prepared in advance.


    While the stockpile of ammunition and missiles of the Alliance was at its lowest, the stockpile ofnd mines was left untouched.


    The locations of the mines were marked on the ground with a red spray.


    Before the battle started, the soldiers were already briefed on which path to take when an order to retreat was given.


    In fact, when they marched on the battlefield, they were asked to travel on this same route, so that they could familiarize themselves with the path where they could make their escape.


    Seth, Allen, and their armies couldn''t help but admit that this strategy was indeed a good method of simultaneous retreat and attack.


    While they were retreating to their second line of defense, the enemy''s numbers were gradually being reduced by the minefield.


    "Strikers, blow them to oblivion!" Thirteen ordered.


    The tanks and artillery units, who were waiting for their turn to unleash hell, all bombarded the undead army with shells that sted them to pieces.


    While this was happening, Lawrence contacted Thirteen directly and told him that they could no longer hold back the Centipede King.


    "Monarchs, Thrones, and Alpha Team, retreat," Thirteenmanded. "We will enter the Second Phase of the battle."


    After receiving their orders, the Monarchs and the Thrones immediately disengaged with the Centipede King,l and the Death Lord, retreating to their second line of defense.


    "Commander, we''ve run out of missiles," the Admiral of the Naval Army, Hugo Riggs, reported. "We can no longer provide support fire."


    "Thank you, Admiral," Thirteen replied. "You''ve done enough."


    Since the cannons of the Warships were unable to reach the location where the battle was happening, they used all the missiles in their stockpile.


    Even the missiles that belonged to the Ashford and Stard Naval Fleet had been used up, making the Warships unable to help theirrades who were risking their lives onnd.


    With the support fire from the sea no longer a threat, the Jinn Army surged like a tide toward the Human Army.


    Jalrog nced at Erasmus, who was busy reviving the fallen monsters to add to their army, for half a minute before following his Centipede Army to the front lines.


    Since the Death Lord was mounted on the Undead Wyvern, Vannaroth, the Centipede King deemed that the time wasn''t right to show its true colors.


    For the time being, it would just y along with the Death Lord''s ns to wipe out the Wanderers until the perfect opportunity presented itself.

 Chapter 424: Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 3]

    "This¡­ how is this possible?" Seth couldn''t help but look in disbelief at the scene that was happening in front of him.


    Right after he and his army safely retreated to their second line of defense, the Undead Army attacked them in swarms.


    However, despite their overwhelming numbers, the Undead were unable to push forward.


    The reason for this was the great pir of burning light that turned almost all Undead who passed through it into ashes.


    Those who were able to pass through this barrier of light would continue to burn with Holy mes, which left them disoriented.


    These lucky or unlucky undead would then be sted by Artillery and Tank Shells to oblivion, decimating thempletely.


    "This is a miracle done by the Saintess," Marion muttered as she looked at Shana, who was chanting while holding her staff.


    Behind her, a hundred Wanderers who also possessed Holy Magic were channeling their power to her, amplifying her spell.


    Behind this hundred Wanderers was a Mobile Generator powered by Empyrium.


    This equipment continuously supplied the Wanderers and Shana with Aether, allowing them to keep the Grand Spell, Magnus Exorcism, active.


    While Shana was doing her best to hold back the Undead Army, Thirteen was busy issuing orders from his Humvee.


    "Do not waste your ammunition on the Undead behind the Pirs of Light," Thirteen ordered. "Only attack the ones that managed to get past it."


    The young man then nced at the Projection in front of him and saw the countless blinking dots that were about to merge with the Undead Army.


    "You sure are impatient, Jalrog," Thirteen muttered as he gazed at the Centipede Army that appeared on the battlefield¡ªthis was not part of his agreement with the Centipede King. "You''re even willing to sacrifice your minions for this farce."


    The Centipede King wasn''t supposed to appear in this battle.


    They had agreed for Jalrog to only appear when the Alliance had pushed deeper into the center of the Rigel Continent, where the Earth Dragons resided.


    There, they would tag team against the weakened Erasmus, allowing the Centipede King to deal him the killing blow.


    ''It seems that he''s in a rush,'' Thirteen thought. ''Well, it doesn''t really matter. I also prepared for this kind of scenario.''


    After tapping hismunicator twice, the sound of whirring reverberated on the battlefield.


    Dozens of Attack Helicopters flew over the Undead Army and went past them.


    All of them were carrying some kind of container, which Thirteen nned to use at ater time.


    However, since Jalrog''s Centipede Army posed a serious threat to the alliance, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance no longer had the leeway to hold back.


    The moment the Helicopters flew above the Centipede Army, the bottom of the containers opened, and the liquid stored within them was sprayed at the ground, drenching the Centipede Army.


    "What''s that?" Allen, who was right beside Seth, asked.


    "I don''t know," Seth replied. "We haven''t been briefed about this."


    This strategy was something Thirteen hade up with before the Commanders from the Ashford and Stard n arrived, so it was only normal that they hadn''t heard of it.


    Just in case Jalrog broke their agreement and used his Centipede Army to attack him, he would unleash a chemical weapon that specifically worked against Insect Type monsters.


    This was one of Thirteen''s original concoctions, and he had asked his Grandpa, Arthur, to have this made when he returned to the Aldebaran Continent to pass over the Dragon Arm to Gerald.


    Arthur understood that this weapon could benefit the Leventis Family better if it was kept a secret, so he made sure that only the people he trusted handled the process of its creation.


    This Biological Weapon was called "No Bugs, No Life," and just like its namesake, it was incredibly effective against Insect Type Monsters.


    Although Centipedes weren''t really insects, but arthropods like spiders and scorpions, in Thirteen''s point of view, they were one and the same.


    They were all bugs that he could and would crush, so it didn''t matter if they had two, four, six, eight, or a hundred legs.


    The moment the "NBNL" was sprayed over the Centipede Army, they started to thrash like Earthworms sprinkled with salt.


    Toxic fumes rose up in the air as the spraynded on the Centipedes and the ground, resulting in an orange mist that spread deep behind enemy lines.


    The wind was blowing behind the Alliance''s army''s back, so they weren''t in any danger of being affected by the fumes.


    However, even from a distance, Jalrog could feel its senses tingle. With that alone, he understood that whatever weapon that the Wanderers were using, it was akin to poison to his army.


    The Goblin Riders and the Orc Rider, who had also merged with the Centipede Army, weren''t unscathed either.


    They cried out in pain after inhaling the toxic fumes, for it made their eyes water and their throat burn.


    Although it wasn''t lethal to them, it was still a very painful experience, disorienting their forces.


    The Wolves tripped over the Giant Centipedes that were thrashing on the ground, destroying their formation.


    Jalrog knew that the only way to ovee this obstacle was to order his army to dig underground.


    But just as he was about to give that order, a Roc descended from the sky.


    Mounted on top of it was a ze Skunk, and sitting on top of that skunk was none other than Cristopher.


    The Roc maneuvered itself to turn at thest second, allowing the ze Skunk''s back to face the Centipede Army.


    "Fire in the hole!" Cristopher shouted.


    At that exact moment, a methrower erupted from the backside of the ze Skunk, igniting the centipedes and setting them aze.


    Christopher''s Roc glided across the Centipede Army, covering them with Hellish mes.


    Since the Undead Army refused to step forward, and the Centipede Army was right behind them,plete pandemonium took ce.


    The rest of the Jinns, who were supposed to reinforce their Vanguards, didn''t dare to step into the zing inferno in front of them.


    Even though they were very far away from the ze, the Wanderers still felt the heat of the mes, which was hot enough to make them sweat.


    A minuteter, Thirteen''s order reached everyone''s ears, snapping them awake from their trance.


    "Retreat to the Third Line of Defense."


    As soon as the order was given, the Army once again distanced themselves from the hellish battlefield that was burning so brightly, even from a distance.

 Chapter 425: Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 4]

    "Did you see that, everyone?!" one of the reporters, who was at the scene, shouted. "Although the Army is retreating, they have dealt countless casualties to the Jinn Army! I''ve never seen something like this happen before! What do you think, Mike?"


    The News Anchor, who was in the studio located on the Sirius Continent, answered the reporter''s question.


    "Yes, I can see it, Bryce. Please be careful out there, and don''t get too close to the battlefield," the News Anchor named Mike replied before shifting his gaze to the person seated beside him.


    "I have here with me a retired military officer who has served in the Army for nearly forty years. Sir, what do you think of this strategy being used by the Supreme Commander, Zion Leventis?"


    The retired officer smiled before answering the News Anchor''s question.


    "Well, Mike, I will admit that this is also the first time I''m seeing such a strategy," the retired Military Officer who goes by the code name, Blue Jay, answered. "However, I will do my best to dissect what the Supreme Commander has just done."


    The people, who were tuned to the channel, waited with bated breath as Blue Jay exined what he thought of Thirteen''s strategy.


    "As far as I can tell, the strategy used by the Supreme Commander is abination of Hit and Run and Scorched Earth Tactics. From the very start, the Army hadn''t engaged the enemies in closedbat, only using ranged attacks to fight them.


    "When the enemy advances forward, they will strategically retreat. However, as they retreat, they make use of certain elements in the battlefield, allowing them to continuously kill their enemies and decrease the enemies'' numbers."


    Blue Jay paused as the rey of the army retreating was disyed on the screen. They saw how the Undead tried to run after the retreating soldiers.


    However, these monsters found themselves entering a minefield, blowing their vanguards and disrupting their formation.


    These gave the soldiers time to arrive at their destination.


    When the Undead Army finally managed to escape from the minefield, a pir of light suddenly bloomed in front of them, turning them into ashes.


    "As you can see, this kind of tactic is impossible to pull off unless it was prepared beforehand," Blue Jay exined. "I have every reason to believe that the Supreme Commander has anticipated this scenario, and thus, implemented his counter against the enemy forces pursuing his troops."


    "Indeed." Mike nodded. "ording to our reporter on the field, this spell is called Magnus Exorcism, and it is being cast by none other than the Saintess, Shana Summers. Our reporter earlier also saw a Generator behind her, which seemed to be supplying her with Aether."


    "That''s right," Blue Jaymented. "With that setup alone, you can tell that this is already a nned counterattack. Now, those helicopters earlier used some kind of chemical to douse the Giant Centipedes, making them writhe and thrash.


    "From that reaction alone, it seems that this chemical was made especially for them. Clearly, a lot of thought has been put into this strategy."


    Then the scene of how Cristopher set the Centipede Army was shown, making the news Anchor praise the young man for his boldness and bravery.


    "That young man''s name is Cristopher Rotumbus," Mike stated as he read the information given to him by the staff. "He is one of Zion Leventis'' Captains, and there are rumors flying around that he is the Supreme Commander''s right-hand man."


    "This is the era of the next generation," Blue Jay smiled faintly. "I am finally able to retire in peace, knowing that there are new heroes who will lead the charge to create a brighter future for all of us."


    "Indeed." Mike nodded. "Now, the army is retreating for a second time. Do you think they will retreat a third time?"


    "I don''t know, Mike," Blue Jay answered. "While I think they might do it again, I am leaning more on the possibility that the Alliance will make their stand and hold the line."


    "What makes you say that, Blue Jay?"


    "Just a gut feeling."


    While the News Anchor and the retired Military Officer discussed the possible strategies that Zion Leventis would make at this stage of the battle, the young man in question handed Shana a soda can.


    The Saintess was currently riding in Thirteen''s Humvee because this was the safest ce where she could rest after keeping the Magnus Exorcism active earlier.


    Although the Empyrium Generator readily supplied them with Aether, it didn''t change the fact that it ced a lot of mental strain on keeping such a wide area-of-effect spell active.


    "You did well, Shana," Thirteen praised as the Humvee continued to move. "Yousted longer than what I expected."


    "It''s the least I can do since everyone is doing their best," Shana answered. "How many have we killed?"


    "At least a third of the enemy forces," Thirteen replied. "Erasmus still hadn''t used his flying Undead Monsters. I''m sure he has a reason for not bringing them to the battlefield."


    "Only a third?" Shana''s face was pale from both exhaustion and the realization that they still hadn''t killed half of the enemy forces.


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "But although I said a third, in reality, we have killed more than half of their forces."


    "Are you just teasing me?" Shana asked in disbelief.


    "Of course not," Thirteen lightly tapped hismunicator, showing the projection of the battlefield.


    Countless red dots were blinking on it, making Shana frown.


    "Have you forgotten? We are fighting against a Death Lord," Thirteen stated. "Even if we killed the Centipedes, as well as the other monsters assisting them, Erasmus can still revive them as long as the body is intact.


    "This is why I decided to burn their bodies entirely. That way, nothing will be left behind. Also, since the Undead are weak against fire, the Skeleton Soldiers, as well as the Zombies under Erasmus''mand, will also be destroyed in the process. It''s a win-win strategy."


    Shana nodded in agreement. "However, the Centipede King makes me anxious. I heard that the Monarchs weren''t able to hold him back earlier. If they can''t defeat Jalrog, we won''t be able to win this war."


    Thirteen didn''t affirm or deny Shana''s statement.


    He knew what Jalrog was aiming for, and the Centipede King might only be using him to prove to its allies that it was on their side.


    But, regardless of what the traitorous monster was thinking, Thirteen already had some contingency ns prepared.


    Now that they had reached their Third Line of defense, they could no longer turn back.


    This was the ce where the Alliance would stand their ground and face the two Kings of the Rigel Continent, who were both the secondst hurdle that they had to fight before facing the Earth Dragons.


    Thirteen knew that a lot was at stake in his decision, so he gave a mental order to Tiona, who was monitoring the battlefield from a safe ce.


    Tiona summoned the g and asked one of her subordinates to talk to the Centipede King and ask why it had broken their agreement.


    Depending on Jalrog''s answer, Thirteen would enact one of his ns.


    He knew that he was dealing with a traitor, so he needed to know what the Centipede King was thinking to ensure that the one who would emerge victorious in this war was none other than him.

 Chapter 426: Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 5]

    ''Is this the effect of that spray earlier?'' Jalrog wondered to himself as he assessed the current situation around it.


    When the Centipede King and his army appeared on the battlefield, Thirteen asked Tiona tomand the Venomous Parasites inside Jalrog''s body to inject their venom simultaneously.


    During the time that it was undergoing its evolution deep underground, the Venomous Parasites hadn''t been idle and busied themselves with incubating their eggs, increasing their numbers inside Jalrog''s body.


    Due to their incredible birth rate, the Centipede King''s entire body was already dominated by these hidden killers.


    The only reason why Jalrog still felt fine was because these Venomous Parasites were still on standby mode.


    But since it had made its appearance on the battlefield, Thirteen deemed that it was time to put his insurance in ce andmence his ns.


    While Jalrog was starting to feel sluggish, it noticed a Shadow Blood Wolf appear beside it.


    The Wolf growled as it ryed Tiona''s message to Jalrog.


    "Our agreement is still in effect," Jalrog replied to the wolf. "But the Earth Dragons were getting suspicious, so I had to make an appearance. Tell your Master that this is now the perfect opportunity to do THAT n. As long as the opportunity arises, I will keep my word."


    Having heard the Centipede King''s reply, the wolf activated its perfect camouge and disappeared.


    Tiona immediately ryed Jalrog''s answer to her Master, and thetter nodded in agreement.


    ''Thank you, Tiona,'' Thirteen replied through their connection. ''Go to Rocky and wait for my signal. We only have one chance.''


    Tiona hissed in agreement and went to look for Rocky, who was hiding deep under the ground.


    Now that the Alliance had reached their Third Line of Defense, Thirteen immediately contacted the Monarchs and the Thrones through the private line they had set up for special missions.


    "Please listen carefully," Thirteen said. "If everyone follows my orders, we might be able to end this battle today. What I want everyone to do is¡­"


    Thirteen exined the strategy that he had devised after hearing Jalrog''s answer. Since the Centipede King wanted an opportunity, then he would grant its wish and serve it on a silver tter.


    "Are you sure about this?" Wendell asked. "I trust you¡ªbelieve me, I do. But this is quite sudden. Just how long have you¡­"


    "That''s not important," Thirteen cut off Wendell''s question because it would just lead to more troubleter on. "Just trust me. If you follow the n then we will win.


    "If any of you be greedy, then we will definitely lose. I''m warning all of you¡ªstick to the n or risk losing everything we''ve worked hard for."


    "Let''s trust our Supreme Commander," Lawrence stated. "However, Zion, we are going to risk our lives in doing this. I just hope that you don''t take it lightly."


    "Of course, I''m not taking anyone''s life lightly," Thirteenmented. "Feel free to take my lifeter if everything I said is false. I won''t resist being executed by any of you. However, I cannot stress how important it is that you follow this n to the dot.


    "We only have one chance. If we fail, we will have no other opportunity. The Earth Dragons will also not sit idly, so we either win today, or everyone packs up and leaves."


    A moment of silence descended on the private line before a sighing from Trevor Remington reached everyone''s ears.


    "Let''s do it," Trevor said. "But remember this, Zion. If any of us dies, you will pay for it."


    "Understood." Thirteen nodded.


    After Thirteen gave his orders, everyone moved into position.


    Shana and Colbert, who were both listening to the meeting, couldn''t help but feel a tingle run down their spines because they didn''t expect that their Supreme Commander had formed a pact with their enemy.


    If people were to know about this, then things could get really bad, really fast.


    "Ah, make sure not to tell anyone, okay?" Thirteen ced a finger over his lips after he cut off the connection with the Leaders of the alliance. "This will be our dirty little secret."


    Shana and Colbert both nodded their heads like a hen pecking rice. Though even if they said something to others, they had a feeling that no one would believe them.


    While the Allied Army took a defensive formation and waited for their enemy to advance, the Undead Army and what remained of the Jinn Army merged into one big horde of monsters.


    Jalrog and Erasmus moved together, leading their troops to battle.


    "We need to end this quickly," Jalrog stated. "These humans are no match for the two of us, so let''s just charge at them together. I''m sure that they''ve run out of tricks."


    The Centipede King nced at the sky, where the Undead Wyvern, Vannoroth, was leading the Death Lord''s flying undead army in his stead.


    "I have a proposal," Erasmus stated. "Why don''t we challenge their powerhouses in a duel?"


    "A duel?" Jalrog frowned. "Why?"


    "These humans must be expecting that we will charge at them all at the same time, so I''m wary of the strategy that they might use," Erasmus replied. "Since earlier, I''ve been feeling that something is wrong¡ªit''s as if we are being yed at by someone. I hate that feeling the most."


    Jalrog pondered a bit before ncing at the human army in the distance.


    "You want to challenge their powerhouses in a duel, so our enemy will not be able to use a strategy to defeat us? Is that it?"


    "Exactly," Erasmus nodded. "I noticed that you''re stronger now, so we won''t have any problems if you, Vannaroth, and I fought them together. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Jalrog chuckled internally because it was indeed stronger than before.


    In fact, the three Monarchs were unable to hold it back for a long time earlier, so it was convinced that it would be able to defeat them after some time.


    ''Dealing with the strong ones is also good,'' Jalrog thought. ''I''m still feeling sluggish, so making the enemy lose morale after their leaders die is a good thing.''


    The Centipede King also knew that without their armies, the battle would be less chaotic, allowing his "helper" to create opportunities for it.


    As if to prove that what it was thinking was right, the Wolf it talked to earlier appeared beside it and nodded its head.


    "Very well," Jalrog replied. "Let''s do that. Go and challenge them."


    Erasmus nodded and made his horsee forward, leaving his army behind.


    "Hold your fire," Thirteen ordered as soon as he saw the Death Lord move alone.


    The Alliance watched the Death Lord walk close, while they held their weapons tightly.


    "I challenge the Monarchs and Thrones of the Human Army," Erasmus shouted. "Jalrog, my Wyvern, and I will fight you together. Do you weaklings dare ept my challenge?"


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips curled up into a smirk.


    "Go and ept it," Thirteen said to Lawrence. "It''s time to end this battle once and for all."


    With Lawrence stepping up to ept the challenge, all the Monarchs and the Thrones moved to the center of the battlefield and faced the three Kings of the Rigel Continent.


    As long as they were able to win this battle, only the Earth Dragons would be left.


    Three Monarchs and seven Thrones versus the Centipede King, the Death Lord, and the Undead Wyvern King.


    This showdown would go down in the history of the Rigel Continent and would be called the Battle of Kings.


    Thirteen left his Humvee and looked at the center of the battlefield with a calm expression on his face.


    The Saintess of the alliance stood beside him as she looked anxiously at her Father and Grandfather, who were about to fight a duel.


    "Can we win?" Shana asked.


    Seeing that she looked nervous, Thirteen reached out to hold her hand firmly, giving her strength.


    "Don''t worry," Thirteen replied. "We will win."


    Hearing those words, Shana felt a little better. She couldn''t tell how he did it, but the teenage boy had a way of making her feel safe and secure.


    Jalrog, who thought that this was now the perfect opportunity to put his n into motion, approached the center of the battlefield in anticipation.


    As long as he devoured Erasmus, he would finally be able to be a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    He was confident that he would be able to take down the Earth Dragons one by one. Once he defeated the three of them, he would be a Majin Prince and finally be the true ruler of the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 427: Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 6]

    "I never thought that I''d be asked for a duel in this day and age," Lawrence said with a smile. "It seems that even the Undead has a sense of chivalry."


    "Chivalry is only for the righteous," Erasmus replied.


    "So, are you saying you are righteous?" Trevor inquired.


    "Do I look righteous?" Erasmus shrugged. "Enough talk. Let''s fight."


    The three Monarchs were currently facing off against the Death Lord.


    On the other hand, the three Thrones of the Aldebaran Continent, including Tristan, were going to deal with the Centipede King.


    The three Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation would fight against the Undead Wyvern.


    Jalrog snorted after looking at the weaklings who were going to fight him. However, he soon realized that this lineup might be thanks to his helper within the Allied Army.


    ''It will be easier to shake off these guys because they are weaker,'' Jalrog thought. ''Those Monarchs will be able to push Erasmus to his limit. As long as he uses his Trump Card, I will no longer need to fear him.''


    Even with his current strength, the Centipede King didn''t dare to attack the Death Lord at this point in time.


    The reason for that was due to Erasmus'' weapon, Reaper''s Death Scythe.


    This was a weapon that ignored defense and dealt true damage to whoever it hit.


    This meant that Jalrog''s extremely hard exoskeleton was useless, for the Reaper''s Death Scythe was a weapon that could seriously wound it.


    As long as that weapon was in Erasmus'' hand, the victor between the two of them was still undecided.


    "Since you want to be chivalrous, then let''s do this properly." Lawrence took out a gold coin from his pocket and ced it over the back of his thumb. "The moment this coinnds, we start our battle, agreed?"


    "Sounds good." Erasmus nodded. "Do it."


    Lawrence didn''t even think twice and tossed the coin high up in the air.


    A strange calmness descended on the battlefield as they waited for the coin to fall onto the ground.


    It was as if time had slowed down drastically, with everyone paying close attention to the coin, which was slowly going downward.


    The moment the coin hit the ground, the Wanderers and the Jinns shed with each other.


    Despite facing three Monarchs, Erasmus was calm as he fought against Lawrence, and Wendell in closebat.


    Trevor was supporting them by firing Holy Arrows, which was one of the weaknesses of the Undead.


    Jalrog, who was fighting against the four Thrones, had the leeway to observe the Death Lord, and came to a shocking discovery.


    ''This bastard, he is hiding his true strength!'' Jalrog cursed internally.


    Since there had been no opportunity to see the Death Lord fight on the battlefield, the Centipede King thought that Erasmus was weaker than him.


    But now that he saw him in battle, he understood that the King of the Undead Army was a Pseudo Rank 9 Sovereign, just like him.


    Because of this, Jalrog''s desire to devour Erasmus only grew. It also noticed something quite peculiar with its opponents, making itugh internally.


    ''They are already weak, and yet, they''re not fighting me seriously,'' Jalrog thought as it deflected Tristan''s attack with its razor-sharp legs. ''Maybe this is part of my supporter''s agreement.''


    The Centipede King then nced at the battle in the sky where Vannaroth was being pushed back by the three Thrones that it was fighting.


    After bing an Undead, the Wyvern King had weakened considerably and could no longer show the might that it possessed when it was still alive.


    Because of this, the Thrones from the Dvalinn Federation were able to have the upper hand in their battle in the sky.


    Then at the corner of its eye, Jalrog saw Erasmus miscalcte the strength of the blow of its opponent.


    Lawrence had activated a temporary boost in his strength and swung his sword with all of his might, breaking the Death Lord''s stance.


    Wendell didn''t miss this opportunity and followed up with an attack, forcing Erasmus to go into the defensive.


    The Monarch''s blow broke the Death Lord''s defenses because Lawrence had broken its stance earlier, making it unable to gain a proper footing.


    The blow opened up Erasmus'' defenses, which Trevor didn''t n on waste.


    "Sun Beam!"


    A blinding sh of light sted from the tip of Trevor''s Staff and hit the Death Lord''s chest dead center.


    The blow sent Erasmus flying, making him drop his Death Scythe from his hands.


    At the same time that Erasmus was hit, Jalrog was already on the move.


    The Centipede King''s sudden burst of speed allowed him to cross the gap between himself and the Death Lord, who was now about to crash on the ground.


    With mere seconds separating them from each other, the Centipede King opened its jaws, intending to bite off the Death Lord''s head from its body.


    And in that brief moment, Jalrog''s and Erasmus'' gaze intersected with each other.


    Time seemed to slow down as the two Kings of the Rigel Continent looked into each other''s eyes.


    The Centipede King''s gaze was filled with killing intent.


    However, instead of seeing panic, anxiety, or despair in the Death Lord''s eyes, what Jalrog saw was ridicule.


    Just as Jalrog was wondering why its prey was looking at him like that, it suddenly felt a burning pain at the side of its head.


    Before it could realize what was happening, it crashed down on the ground, screaming in pain.


    Lawrence, who was holding Erasmus'' Death Scythe, grunted because he hadn''t been able topletely sever Jalrog''s head from its body.


    The scythe only managed to cut halfway, failing tond the killing blow.


    However, that was enough.


    Arthur had activated his Overdrive Skill, which was part of his Heaven''s de Martial Technique.


    This skill increased his strength, and speed by 500%.


    With a roar simr to a p of thunder, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family swung his sword and finished what Lawrence had started.


    As the Centipede King''s head was severed from its body, only one thought appeared inside its head.


    It had been betrayed by the person who had asked it to form an alliance with it.


    Those were thest words in the Centipede King''s mind as the light in its eyes disappeared.


    It was also the end of its ambition of bing a Majin Prince, who would subjugate the world of Pangea, and make the Wanderers and the humans who lived in it its ythings.

 Chapter 428: Sound The Horns of Victory!

    Wendell watched as Arthur dealt the final blow and cleanly cut off Jalrog''s head from its body.


    The Centipede King, who was one of the Kings that had terrorized his army several years ago, had finally been in.


    The moment the giant centipede''s body crashed to the ground, the Monarchs and the Thrones finally broke out of their trance.


    Their gazes thennded on the Death Lord, who was currently being surrounded by them.


    ''If it''s now, we can kill him,'' Wendell thought. ''An opportunity like this won''te again.''


    It was not only the Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation who thought this way.


    Everyone, including the Allied Army who was watching the battle from a distance, felt the same way.


    But just as they were about to act on their impulse, a firm and unwavering voice reached their ears.


    "Everyone, stop and stand your ground!"


    Thirteen''s shout spread across the entire battlefield as he broadcasted his order through the channel connected to everyone on the battlefield.


    "I repeat¡ªstand your ground!" Thirteen dered. "Nobody moves if you don''t want to die!"


    The teenage boy, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, shouted with all of his might, making even the Monarchs hesitate to attack the lone Death Lord whom they had surrounded.


    "Do not forget our goal," Thirteen''s voice once again rang through everyone''smunicators. "It is to ensure that the Northern Regions will remain safe from any threats. This is the first step to make that happen, so don''t f*ck it up!"


    Erasmus, who had heard Thirteen''s orders through themunicators of the people around him, nced at the teenage boy standing on top of his Humvee.


    He stared at him for a few seconds before raising his hand.


    The Reaper''s Death Scythe that was on Lawrence''s hand turned into a red mist and reappeared in the hand of its rightful owner.


    After regaining his weapon, Erasmus casually walked to the fallen Centipede King and raised his hand.


    "Arise," Erasmus ordered.


    Immediately, tendrils of blood and flesh reached out toward Jalrog''s severed head and reconnected it with its body.


    The Undead Centipede King screeched loudly before bowing to its Master, who then jumped on top of its head.


    Without another word, the Centipede King turned around to charge at the Jinn Army, who had now started to massacre each other.


    Erasmus'' Undead Army attacked all the other Jinns who were still alive.


    The Giant Centipedes, the Goblin Riders, Orc Riders, and the remnants of the Bug Army, as well as the other Jinns that belonged to the other Kings who had already perished in the war.


    The Undead Wyvern, Vannaaroth, led its flying legion to annihte those who had tried to escape.


    They didn''t n to let anyone leave the battlefield alive, for Erasmus could only trust them if they were dead. Soon enough, they would be part of his legion.


    "A-Are you seeing this, everyone?!" the reporter from BBCee shouted. "The Jinns are fighting against each other! They are killing each other!"


    The Monarchs and Thrones, as well as the rest of the Alliance, didn''t know how to react as the army that they should be fighting was being massacred one-sidedly.


    With two Undead Kings under hismand, Erasmus only needed to watch and wait until everything was over.


    From the very start, the Undead Army had already encircled the remainder of the Jinn Army and was only waiting for their Master to give their orders.


    And now that the order to kill had been given, the ending was already set in stone.


    Half an hourter, the battle finally ended, and Erasmus once again mounted his Death Knight.


    "Zion Leventis, you have kept your word," Erasmus said through telepathy, which was heard by the entirety of the Alliance. "So I will keep mine. Come with me, and I''ll take you where the Earth Dragons are. Whether you are able to convince them or not will depend on your luck."


    Thirteen, who was standing on top of the Humvee, nodded.


    "Renz, you will be the temporary leader of the Alliance while I am away," Thirteen ordered. "Take everyone back to the Command Post we have established and wait for my return. Until then, no one must leave the base without permission."


    "Understood," Renz replied through themunicator. "Be safe, Commander."


    Just like everyone else, Renz had no idea how the teenage boy had been able to make the Death Lord cooperate with them.


    The only thing that mattered was that he seeded, and the Alliance had finally triumphed over the Kings of the Rigel Continent, leaving only one of them left standing.


    "Sound the horns of Victory!" Thirteen ordered. "Raise the colors!"


    As soon as the order was given, the booming sounds of horns spread on the battlefield.


    The g bearers of each Army waved their gs, signaling that the battle was finally over.


    Once everyone finally understood that the battle was truly over and that they had emerged victorious, a resounding cheer erupted among the soldier''s ranks, spreading like wildfire.


    Through all this, Thirteen smiled and ordered Cristopher to take him to where Erasmus was.


    His right-hand man summoned his Roc and allowed his Master to ride its back with him.


    "Should I apany you?" Arthur asked through themunicator.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "Negotiating with the Earth Dragons will be a dangerous task. We can''t risk angering them at this point in time."


    Arthur wanted to argue, but in the end, he gave up.


    "Just be careful," Arthur stated. "If they don''t want to negotiate, go back as soon as you can."


    "Understood," Thirteen answered.


    When Cristopher''s Roc arrived where the Undead Army was, Erasmus waved his hand and ordered his Undead Legion to retreat.


    The Monarchs and the Thrones only watched with solemn gazes as they watched them leave.


    There were many questions they were itching to ask the boy, but he said that he would give them the answers they wanted once he returned.


    "Arthur, you sure are lucky to have Zion as your grandson," Trevor said with a smile. "Now, how about we matchmake him with my granddaughter, Leah? Since her parents and his parents were all best friends, they would be a perfect match. Don''t you think so?"


    Arthur only snorted before walking back to the Leventis Army.


    Trevor watched him go with a faint smile on his face before shifting his gaze to Wendell.


    "Congrattions," Trevor said. "Looks like the sacrifices that you and your people had made for the past few years finally bore fruit."


    Wendell, who didn''t realize that he was clenching his fists so hard, nced at his friend and nodded in agreement.


    "It''s not yet over," Wendell replied. "There are still the three Earth Dragons. If Zion is unable to convince them for a peace treaty, we will have no choice but to fight them again."


    "Don''t even joke about that part," Lawrence chuckled. "I don''t mind fighting Rank 8 Sovereigns, but Rank 9''s are off limits. Those Earth Dragons are so tough, and I don''t want to be anywhere near them."


    "True," Trevormented. "I think only Erasmus'' Reaper Death Scythe can cut through their defenses. I just hope that he is really on our side."


    Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.


    They still didn''t know if the Death Lord was an enemy or not.


    The only thing they knew was that Zion who seemed to have formed a connection with Erasmus and reached an agreement with him.


    As to what that agreement was, they just hoped that the teenage boy didn''t sell them out because none of them wanted to have their Supreme Commander as their enemy.

 Chapter 429: Thirteen’s Strongest Ally

    Several weeks before the Allied Forcesunched an operation to reim the Northern Regions¡­


    After Thirteen had talked to the Centipede King and formed an alliance with it, he also visited another King of the Rigel Continent, which was Death Lord Erasmus.


    Through Zed''s and Evuvug''s story, he had gotten familiar with the Death Lord and thought that there was a possibility toe to apromise with him.


    The teenage boy understood that the Centipede King wasn''t the most trustworthy of monsters, given that it readily betrayed Evuvug so that it could raise its ranks.


    From the start, he and Jalrog both knew that their alliance was only a way to achieve their goals.


    Once these goals had been met, the agreement they had could easily be broken.


    Thirteen didn''t want to put all of his eggs in one basket, so he reached out to the Death Lord under the cover of darkness.


    "I didn''t expect that I would be having a guest tonight," Erasmus said as he nced at the Magma Bal-Boa who had risen up from the ground. "Which Faction do you belong to?"


    Rocky growled a bit and answered "no one," which made the Death Lord look at it with amusement.


    Although the Magma Bal-Boa was a Rank 7 Monster, it posed no threat to him whatsoever, so he didn''t make any move to attack it.


    "So, why did youe here?" Erasmus inquired. "Do you wish to be my subordinate?"


    Rocky shook its head before opening its mouth.


    "I havee to speak with you, Lord Erasmus."


    A robotic voice answered.


    Thirteen, who was covered from head to foot with metallic armor, emerged from Rocky''s mouth.


    Erasmus tried to gauge the stranger''s strength, but no matter how much it tried to appraise him, it could feel nothing.


    "Who are you?" Erasmus asked.


    "You may call me Thirteen," Thirteen replied.


    Suddenly, the Death Lord''s deathly aura exploded from its body, making Rocky shudder.


    Thirteen, thoroughly protected by his armor, was unaffected by it. However, he ordered Rocky to escape as soon as he gave the signal to dig underground.


    "You want me to call you Thirteen?" Erasmus asked in a teasing tone. "It seems that you are trying to make me angry. Stop hiding behind that suit of armor. If you do not obey, I will cut you down before this monster can even escape."


    As if to prove that he wasn''t lying, a bone prison emerged from the ground, trapping Rocky inside of it.


    "Do not test my patience," Erasmus said as he held his Death Scythe, which had started to glow bright red. "You only have one chance to live, so don''t waste it."


    Sensing that the Death Lord seemed unaffected by Metatron''s Aura that had temporarily coated his armor, the teenage boy weighed his options.


    A few secondster, a sigh escaped his lips before he deactivated his armor and appeared in front of the Death Lord, unprotected.


    Seeing the true face, as well as the race of the person talking to him, an amused chuckle escaped the Death Lord''s lips.


    "A child?" Erasmus chuckled before snapping his fingers to destroy the bone prison that had trapped Rocky in a cage. "This is no ce for a Rookie. Go back to where you came from while I''m still being nice."


    Thirteen stared long and hard at the Death Lord before deciding to take a gamble.


    "Earlier, you reacted when I told you that my name is Thirteen," Thirteen said. "Why?"


    "It''s because that name belonged to a friend," Erasmus replied. "You''re lucky, child. You were this close to being sliced in half earlier."


    Thirteen felt his heart beating wildly inside his chest as he carefully looked at the Death Lord who was casually sitting on a throne made up of bones.


    "Valefor''s Mane, Paimon''s Crown, Warhorse Orobas, Mephistopheles Sword, Hagenti''s Wings¡­" Thirteen''s voice almost sounded hoarse as he recognized the Cursed Artifacts that the Death Lord possessed. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    Erasmus, who initially intended to ignore the boy, suddenly raised his hand.


    Before Rocky could even react, his Master was already in the Death Lord''s grasp.


    "How did you know?" Erasmus''s eyes that were glowing like red embers stared at the boy who was only centimeters away from his face. "Who are you?"


    "Thirteen," Thirteen said as his vision started to blur due to tears that suddenly appeared in his eyes. "Is that you, Cassiel? Are you really Cassiel?"


    The teenage boy wasn''t someone who would cry easily.


    Even if he were to be tortured and beaten up, not a single tear woulde out from his eyes.


    But there were simply individuals who were able to bring out a strong reaction from him, and they were none other than the very people who made him defy his father, the System God.


    The Death Lord looked at the teenage boy, whose tears were falling from his face, and narrowed his eyes.


    "¡­ Are you really Thirteen?" Erasmus asked icily. "Nevermind. I''ll just kill you and personally ask your soul."


    Just as he was about to stab the teenage boy with his cursed sword, Mephistopheles, Thirteen''s words reached his ears.


    "I don''t have a soul," Thirteen replied. "I never had one. Systems don''t have them."


    Erasmus paused after hearing the teenage boy''s reply.


    "When you were sixteen, you got rejected by Sherri." Thirteen smiled faintly as tears continued to fall from his eyes. "She said that she doesn''t like to spend the rest of her life with a loser like you.


    "A yearter, she returned and tried to smooth things over with you after you single-handedly defeated a Rank 5 Sovereign despite being only of the Master Rank.


    "You found the Cursed Artifact, Valefor''s Mane, when you were searching for a ruin. It has the power to remove your sense of touch. You were very annoyed with it because you can''t get your *beep* up because you can''t feel any sensation, while you *beep* the brothel girls.


    "When you turned eighteen, well¡­ things became messy because you identally groped the High Priestess¡­"


    "Okay, you can stop now," Erasmus interjected as he released the boy from his grasp.


    But just as Thirteen was about to lose his bnce and fall off from the hill made up of bones, a pair of cold hands wrapped themselves around his body and gave him a hug.


    Erasmus didn''t say anything and simply held the boy whom he could easily crush in his arms.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, hugged him back and cried on his chest.


    He never thought that he would see one of his Hosts in this manner.


    When Cassiel died, Thirteen tried to bring his soul to the Cycle of Reincarnation.


    This was the only thing he could do for his hosts to make sure that they would safely cross over to their next life.


    But when he was about to do that, his Host''s soul suddenly disappeared without a trace.


    Thirteen had wanted to look for Cassiel''s Soul, but he didn''t have the power to do it. In the end, he decided to ask his Father for help, but the System God only said that it was the Will of Fate.


    Perhaps, that was also thest nail in the coffin that made Thirteen hate the Goddess of Fate to his very core.


    It was what triggered him to rebel, hating how Fate toyed with the lives of mortals, who were only doing their best to live their lives to the fullest.


    And now, the soul he hadn''t seen for three hundred years was finally in front of him.


    But Cassiel was no longer part of the living.


    He was now Death Lord Erasmus.


    One of the Kings of the Rigel Continent, and he was born for one thing and one thing only.


    Revenge.


    A soul that had been corrupted and reborn as an Undead Skeleton Warrior, who had killed ceaselessly in order to raise his Rank.


    A monster born out of pure hate and malice toward the people who had betrayed his trust.


    "Thirteen, let''s talk," Erasmus said. "Tell me why you havee to see me."


    The teenage boy nodded and told the Death Lord about the reason for his visit.


    From beginning to end, Erasmus only listened.


    He didn''t say anything until his old friend, who had supported and apanied him until his dying breath, said everything he had to say.


    "I will cooperate, but on one condition," Erasmus stated. "Aaron''s head. I want it."


    "And I shall give it to you," Thirteen replied. "But not now. You also understand, right?"


    Erasmus reluctantly nodded his head before resting his hand on the teenage boy''s shoulder.


    "So, what do you have in mind?" Erasmus asked. "Knowing you, you can easily make a n, right?"


    Thirteen nodded. "With you here, I think I cane up with a good n. Also, I have a proposal to make."


    "I''m all ears." Erasmus smirked. "What are you cooking right now?"


    Thirteen smiled faintly. "Something that you will like very much."


    Augh escaped the Death Lord''s lips, which spread across his domain.


    The Skeleton Warriors under hismand all rose up from the ground and formed their ranks, ready to obey their Master''s will.


    Thirteen nced at the Undead Army around him and chuckled alongside his Host, who would be his strongest ally, and whom he could trust his back.


    A person who would never betray him even if the world turned its back on him.


    The two talked till dawn and brainstormed about how they would be able to cooperate with each other without anyone knowing that they had formed an alliance.


    An alliance that would not only pave the way for the victory of the Wanderers in the Rigel Continent but also set the foundation of the Revenge that Erasmus had dreamed of for the past three hundred years as an Undead Monster.

 Chapter 430: A Predator, Who Had Already Found Her Next Prey

    The Rigel Continent wasn''t a small continent, and it was even bigger than the Aldebaran Continent.


    This was also the reason why many efforts had been made to reim it.


    So, almost everyone around the world was watching it, including a youngdy with long blonde hair and blue eyes.


    She was lying in bed, surrounded by servants who made sure that she had everything she needed while watching the television.


    "Human Technology is such a wonderful thing," one of the youngdy''s servants said. "Even though the Rigel Continent is so far away, we can watch things happen live."


    "Indeed." Another servant nodded. "Especially that boy, Zion Leventis. He''s so young, and his ability supersedes everyone. Maybe we should eliminate him while we still can?"


    However, before someone could answer their question, a chilling voice reached their ears, making their body subconsciously shudder.


    "Did I give the two of you permission to talk in my presence?"


    The two servants hurriedly kneeled and begged for mercy.


    "Mistress, forgive us. We overreached our stations."


    "Have mercy. We beg you."


    The youngdy, who seemed to be around Zion''s age, clicked her tongue and ordered the two servants to stand up and remain silent.


    A momentter, a knock on the door sounded, making the youngdy''s face scrunch up.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, Lady Siri."


    "Come in, Roxy."


    A beautifuldy with long blue hair entered the room and nced at the 150-inch t screen TV that had been recently installed inside their residence.


    "Did the Alliance lose?" Roxy asked since the only thing she could see right now was amercial.


    "No," the youngdy named Siri replied. "They have just defeated the Broodmother, and the rest of the Jinn Army led by the Wolf King are retreating."


    "What?" Roxy looked at her Mistress in confusion. "They won? The alliance won?"


    "Yes," Siri replied with a smile. "I won our bet, Roxy. You are going to make me that pudding I atest night. No going back on your word, okay?"


    Roxy thought that Siri was only pranking her. When themercial was finally finished, the reporters once again started discussing the aftermath of the battle.


    Smoke was rising on the battlefield, but countless charred monster corpses could still be seen in the surroundings.


    The cheering of the soldiers echoed in the background, which forced Roxy to admit that she had indeed lost her bet with her Mistress.


    "But how?" Roxy asked. "How did they do it? We thought that the humans will need at least twenty more years to reach the Rank that they require to defeat the Jinns of the Rigel Continent."


    "They have a capable Commander," Siri replied. "He made it possible."


    The frown on Roxy''s face deepened as the face of the Supreme Commander of the Alliance appeared on the screen.


    "Sir, you have achieved something that many thought impossible," the beautiful reporter, Rein, said with a smile. "Can you share with us your thoughts and what you think is the reason why the Allied Armies won this battle?"


    "They''re just Rank 8 Sovereigns," Zion Leventis replied. "It''s not a big deal."


    "Wow! Did you hear that guys?" Rein''s bright eyes looked straight at the camera. "The Supreme Commander said that Rank 8 Sovereigns are not a big deal!"


    "Well, he''s not wrong," Sirimented with a smile. "Isn''t that right, Roxy?"


    Roxy was still frowning, but in the end, she smoothed out her expression and nodded her head.


    "Yes, Rank 8 Sovereigns are not a big deal," Roxy answered. "It seems that the pace of the advancement of the Wanderers had sped up a bit. I should report this to your Mother, My Lady."


    Siri casually waved her hand as if shooing the blue-haired beauty out of her room.


    "Don''t forget my pudding!" Siri shouted just before Roxy was about to leave the door to ensure that she wouldn''t have any excusester.


    Siri''s gaze locked on the teenage boy with wavy ck hair and green eyes, who was oozing with confidence.


    "I wonder what he will taste like?" Siri muttered as she narrowed her eyes. "Well, it''s just the first victory. I''m sure that the Jinns of the Rigel Continent are not stupid. They will definitely mount a powerful counterattack and exterminate those Wanderers."


    Siri yawned before closing her eyes to sleep.


    It was already two in the morning, and she had been watching the live broadcast since lunchtime.


    Although she found Thirteen''smanding abilities very impressive, she believed that the second battle wouldn''t be as easy.


    But after a few weeks, the youngdy and her steward had agape mouths as they looked at the TV. If their eyes weren''t tricking them, it seemed that the Centipede King''s head had just been cut off from its body.


    They then watched as the Death Lord casually turned his formerrade into an Undead and mounted its back.


    They also didn''t expect that Erasmus'' Undead Legion would attack their allies, not letting any of them escape alive.


    "H-He betrayed the Jinns?" Roxy stuttered.


    "Technically, he was betrayed first when Jalrog attacked him without warning," Siri, who was just as shocked as her steward, regained herposure faster and answered Roxy''s question.


    "Still, I can''t believe that he sided with the humans," Roxy stated. "I thought the Jinns and Majins of the Rigel Continent were a united army. It seems that their long-time stay in the Rigel Continent had weakened their resolve."


    Siri pondered a bit before offering her opinion.


    "Maybe he and the Alliance have reached apromise?" Siri asked. "I mean, it''s not unheard of for Jinns and Majins to form a mutual-benefit rtionship with humans."


    "You''re not wrong, Mistress," Roxy stated. "I just didn''t expect that this would happen in the Rigel Continent."


    While the two were guessing the real reason why Erasmus decided to join with the humans, the Death Lord''s voice reverberated from the surround speakers inside Siri''s room.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Zion Leventis, you have kept your word," Erasmus said through telepathy, which was heard by the entirety of the Alliance. "And I will keep mine. Come with me, and I''ll take you to where the Earth Dragons are. Whether you are able to convince them or not, will depend on your luck."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "It''s really happening," Roxy''s expression became solemn. "Will those Earth Dragons reallypromise, or is this just a trap they have set to capture Zion Leventis?"


    "He better not do anything funny." Siri red at the Death Lord on the screen. "I already marked him as my prey!"


    "Calm down, My Lady. This is just spection on our part. Maybe they will really reach an agreement with the humans."


    "Tsk!"


    Siri locked her gaze on the young man who was standing on the Humvee with a calm expression on his face.


    Maybe it was because they were of the same age that she felt some sense of rivalry against the teenage boy who had led the Wanderers to two consecutive victories.


    Also, if his talks with the Earth Dragons really bore fruit, then for the first time since the Jinn invaded Pangea, the Humans would''ve officially had managed to secure a victory that no one expected to happen.


    "Roxy, tell mother that I have made a decision," Siri dered.


    "Young Lady, do you mean¡­" Roxy looked at her spoiled Miss in disbelief.


    "Yes, I am going to Solterra after the War of the Rigel Continent has concluded," Siri stated. "I want you to prepare for my departure. Make sure that everything is ready, do you understand?"


    "Y-Yes, My Lady," Roxy stuttered. "I''ll inform your Mother at once."


    "Good." Siri smiled sweetly. "I''ll show him that what he can do, I can do better."


    The servants inside the room shuddered uncontrobly as their Mistress'' gazended on their bodies.


    Those weren''t the eyes of a teenage girl.


    Those were the eyes of a predator who had already found her next prey.

 Chapter 431: Heroes And Villains Must Always Have A Cape

    "Cristopher, it might get dangerous from this point. Stay with Rocky for the time being," Thirteen ordered. "I''ll make sure to inform him once my meeting with the Earth Dragons is over."


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied.


    A momentter, Rocky rose up from the ground and opened his mouth, allowing his Master''s right-hand man to enter his mobile fortress.


    "Hide deep underground for now, Rocky," Thirteen said. "I''ll call for you once I''m done."


    The Magma Bal-Boa nodded in response before submerging back to the ground.


    Once Thirteen was certain that there were no military drones following them, he activated his Soul Armor, instantly covering his entire body in a ck suit of armor.


    The Demonic Helm on his head had two horns and exposed the green glow of his eyes, making him look quite sinister.


    The creation sphere, which was embedded in his chest, glowed bright green.


    "Where''s the cape?" Erasmus asked in a teasing tone. "Heroes and Viins must always have a cape."


    "That''s the trend three hundred years ago," Thirteen replied. "Times have changed. Besides, I am no Hero or Viin. I''m just a Cannon Fodder."


    Erasmus chuckled and patted Thirteen''s shoulder. "Fine. But you should at least wear a cape. You have these pointy horns, so you might as well y the part of a Demon Lord or something."


    "You just want the two of us to match, right? Since you''re wearing Valefor''s Mane," Thirteen pointed out.


    "Of course," Erasmus admitted. "Even when I was still Human, I always wore capes. You know that, right?"


    The Death lord then patted then pointed at the cape on his back.


    "Valefor''s Mane serves as a defensive and offensive cursed artifact. The only downside is that it takes away your sense of touch. But since I''m an Undead, this curse is negated. The same is true for other Cursed Items since they''re a set meant to be worn by an Undead.


    "I have taken all the Cursed Artifacts I have hidden here in the Rigel Continent, except Soul Eater. I might be an Undead now, but I still have a soul, so I can''t use that artifact. Fortunately, Evuvug wasn''t stupid and kept it locked up in its chest."


    "Good thing you didn''t take it," Thirteen replied. "You know, the armor I''m wearing right now is Soul Eater."


    Erasmus looked at the teenage boy with an amused smile on his face.


    "Thirteen, you really think I''m gullible, huh?" Erasmus smirked. "Anyone who wears that armor will be dominated by it. There''s no one who can control Soul Eater."


    "Correction, it can only dominate those who have a soul," Thirteen replied. "I don''t have a Soul¡ªonly a Soul Core, so its side effect is useless against me. Also, this is no longer a cursed Artifact, I already modified it so that it won''t eat anyone''s soul ever again."


    Erasmus was still half in doubt, but he knew that Thirteen wouldn''t lie to him, especially when it came to the Soul Eater.


    "The Soul Eater has the ability to increase the strength of its wearer," Erasmus stated. "How strong are you right now?"


    "I''m still not finished with the modifications," Thirteen replied. "I still need three things to make this armor truly powerful."


    The things he would need could be obtained from Kamrusepa''s 6th Layer Treasury.


    However, Thirteen couldn''t possibly ask the Majin Princess to give them to him for free.


    Besides, she could only get one artifact once a year, so the chances of him obtaining those items from her anytime soon were non-existent.


    For the time being, he could only make do with the treasures that he could obtain from his treasury.


    Unfortunately, since he had already used up his quota for the next year because of the Cloning Sphere, he would have to wait for two years before he could once again ess his Treasury.


    "Even without the modifications you''re talking about, how strong are you, really?" Erasmus asked as he eyed the teenage boy. "Others may not know, but I am someone who could see the power residing inside your body."


    The Death Lord rubbed his chin. "I''ve been paying close attention to you since the time that we met, and I can tell that you didn''t take the normal route before crossing over to the Rookie Rank.


    "Did you absorb a Rank 5 Sovereign Core before bing a Rookie? But this power doesn''t belong to a Rank 5 Sovereign. It seems stronger than that. However, anything higher than Rank 5 will make a Wanderer without a Rank implode."


    "I didn''t get a Rank 5 Sovereign," Thirteen stated. "I absorbed the Core of a Majin Prince."


    "Sure, and I am a Celestial." Erasmus chuckled. "I already told you earlier that I am not a gullible child. How can the core inside your body belong to a Majin Prince? It''s simply not possible¡­"


    However, Erasmus wasn''t able to say whatever he was going to say next because Thirteen removed his armor and looked up to him.


    "Enter my Sea of Consciousness then," Thirteen said. "You will know the truth once you see it for yourself."


    "You sure are fearless." Erasmus nodded. "Very well. Let''s see what really happened."


    The Death Lord tapped the teenage boy''s forehead with his finger and looked through his memories.


    Thirteen guided him to the battle against Arundel the Destroyer, allowing his former Host to see everything that happened.


    The Death Lord was shocked. These memories couldn''t have been forged. With this, he finally understood that his former System was telling the truth.


    The teenage boy also showed Erasmus his journey to Solterra and introduced him to his current family.


    Finally, when his memories touched the Order of the Apocalypse, Erasmus saw how Metatron gave Thirteen the Majin Prince''s Soul Core.


    When everything finally ended, a sigh escaped the Death Lord''s lips before patting the teenage boy''s head.


    "You''ve been through a lot," Erasmus said. "Also, you have a loving family. Cherish them well, Thirteen. Maybe it''s about time you know how to truly live."


    "Maybe after our revenge is over," Thirteen replied. "Until then, I don''t think I can truly be happy."


    "Indeed." Erasmus nodded. "As long as that scum is alive, I won''t be resting anytime soon. I wed my way out of Gomorra toe back here to Pangea. But, I won''t be satisfied with just killing him. I will destroy everything he has until he begs me to kill him."


    mes erupted from Erasmus'' eye sockets, showing how much he truly despised Aaron Ashford.


    "One step at a time," Thirteenmented. "Even if he is a scum, he is still needed at this point in time."


    Erasmus reigned down his anger before nodding his head.


    "Let''s go," Erasmus looked in the direction where the Earth Dragons were located. "Wear your armor and make sure to add a cape."


    "Fine," Thirteen shook his head helplessly. "It all goes back to the cape."


    Thirteen walked forward, and a ck cape materialized behind his back, making him look like a Demon Lord made up of ck steel.


    "Do you think you can convince them?" Erasmus asked as he summoned Jalrog so that Thirteen could ride on the Centipede King''s back.


    "It''s just three Rank 9 Sovereigns," Thirteen replied. "They''re not a big deal."


    A chuckle escaped Erasmus'' lips before he nodded his head in agreement.


    After seeing what the boy had faced during his three years in Solterra, Erasmus no longer doubted Thirteen''s words.


    There was only one Rookie in both Pangea and Solterra, who could say those words, and that was none other than his old friend who had reunited with him after three hundred years.

 Chapter 432: How To Train–Errr Scam Earth Dragons [Part 1]

    The three Earth Dragons had always been guarding the Golden Dimensional Gate, which was located at the center of the Rigel Continent.


    Many years had passed, and no one had dared to challenge them¡ªuntil now, that is.


    Currently, the three Earth Dragons were looking at the "guest" Erasmus had brought to them. That way, both sides could reach apromise.


    "I am a good friend of the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, and you may call me Thirteen," Thirteen said. "The reason why I came here is to negotiate a non-aggression pact."


    "And you think we will agree to it?" the leader of the Earth Dragons asked.


    It had been trying to appraise the mysterious individual''s strength since thetter arrived, but no matter how much it tried, all its attempts failed.


    The two other Earth Dragons had done the same, but just like their leader, they failed to gauge the strength of the armored individual in front of them.


    "Do you even have a choice?" Thirteen asked. "The humans have already pushed you this far. You can''t even leave this spot because my people are targeting this dimensional gate of yours."


    At the mere mention of their Dimensional Gate, the three Earth Dragons red at Thirteen.


    The leader didn''t even bother hiding its killing intent and was about to attack their guest.


    But before it could do that, it sensed something, and all the three Earth Dragons immediately went into defensive action.


    A powerful beam of light flew at them from the horizon, targeting the Dimensional Gate they were defending.


    Summoning a gigantic Earth Wall that was hundreds of meters thick, the three Earth Dragons used their bodies to block the path of the attack, which led to a massive explosion.


    Thirteen casually hid behind Erasmus'' back, using the Death Lord as a shield so that he wouldn''t get blown away by the aftermath of the attack.


    When the dust cloud subsided, the leader of the Earth Dragon could be seen a kilometer away from the Dimensional Gate,ying on its back.


    ''Not bad,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the extent of the damage in his surroundings.


    When he and Erasmus had arrived at the location of the Earth Dragons, the ce was already a wastnd.


    It looked like countless battles had taken ce on it, destroying the topography of the surroundings.


    "So, do you still want to fight?" Thirteen asked in an arrogant tone. "If I join hands with my friend, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, do you think you can protect that Dimensional Gate even if all three of you worked together?"


    As soon as the Leader of the Earth Dragons had managed to right itself up, it red at the armored devil.


    "So you were the one who has been shooting at our Dimensional Gate," the Leader of the Earth Dragons, whose name was Rogg, stated.


    "The one and only," Thirteen replied. "So now, are you willing to listen to the proposal my friend wants me to pass onto you guys?"


    Rogg nced at the two other Earth Dragons, asking for their opinion.


    Half a minuteter, the two reluctantly nodded their heads. Frankly, they were already exhausted from defending the Dimensional Gate from the one-sided attack that kepting from far out into the sea.


    Rocky was constantly supplying Nautilus with Empyrium.


    So, every time the Main Cannons had cooled down from overheating, they would not hesitate to unleash an attack at any time of the day.


    The Earth Dragons couldn''t even rest because Thirteen made sure that the attacks were done in an irregr unpredictable interval, making the Earth Dragons stressed out and always feeling anxious.


    "Start talking," Rogg stated.


    Thirteen nodded. "As I was saying earlier, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, Zion Leventis, asked me to negotiate a non-aggression pact with the three of you.


    "The Northern Regions, which isposed of Zed''s, Jalrog''s, and Amos'' territories, will belong to the Alliance.


    "As for the Southeast Region, where Evuvug''s territory is located, it will belong to me. In exchange for this non-aggression pact, the humans will stop their advance to the center of the Rigel Continent.


    "That means that the attacks from my subordinates will also stop. This war will finallye to an end, and you will no longer have to worry about your Dimensional Gate being destroyed by ourbined forces."


    The three Earth Dragons exchanged nces with each other before telling Thirteen that they would discuss it with each other first.


    Half an hourter, the three Earth Dragons decided that it was too dangerous to have two enemies stationed at the North and the South, sandwiching them from two sides.


    They told Thirteen that they would agree to the non-aggression pact with the Wanderers at the North, but the South was off-limits.


    "Is that your final answer?" Thirteen asked.


    "This is what we have agreed on," Rogg stated. "We have alreadypromised enough."


    "I see." Thirteen nodded. "I guess another demonstration is in order."


    As soon as he finished talking, the Earth Dragon sensed that the threat they had been defending against for the past few weeks was once again headed in their direction.


    This time, the output of the Main Cannons from Nautilus was raised to its highest level, making the Earth Dragons roar in pain as two of them were sent flying.


    Erasmus had already taken Thirteen away to a safer ce, and yet, the impact of the st still caught them and blew them away from the center of the explosion.


    A giant mushroom dust cloud could be seen from the location of the Dimensional Gate, which made Thirteen sigh in his heart.


    ''After that attack, the Main Cannons will need some repairs,'' Thirteen thought. ''Nautilus will no longer be usable for the next few weeks.''


    Thirteen knew that he needed to show the Earth Dragons that he was in possession of a weapon that was capable of not only destroying the Dimensional Gate but also dealing great damage to their bodies.


    Rogg and hisrades received moderate injuries from the attack, which made them understand that the bombardment they had received from the past few weeks was still not at its peak strength.


    If, at first, they still had some doubts about Thirteen''s ability to destroy the Dimensional Gate, then now, they had none.


    "So, are you going to agree to my proposal, or shall we all go to war?" Thirteen asked. "This time, you should prepare yourselves because there will be no turning back if we don''t reach an agreement today."


    The teenage boy knew that after showing off the extent of his might, the perfect time to bluff his enemies had arrived.


    After his show of force, the chances of them agreeing to his demand were rtively higherpared to earlier.


    Just as he expected, the Earth Dragons reluctantly agreed to the non-aggression pact.


    Right now, they simply had no choice but to ept it, especially after being shown such destructive power.


    "My friend, Zion Leventis, will arrive here in an hour," Thirteen stated. "He is the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, and you will need to smooth things out with him.


    "Although he is just a child, do not underestimate or look down on him. He is the one who convinced me to form an Alliance with him and attack the Dimensional Gate while he led his army to deal with the Commanders of your Armies."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, the Earth Dragons became curious about Zion Leventis, who had led the Army of Humans to attack them and agreed to meet with him as soon as possible.

 Chapter 433: How To Train–Errr Scam Earth Dragons [Part 2]

    An hour after the mysterious Armored Devil finished his negotiation with the Earth Dragons, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, Zion Leventis, went to meet them.


    Even though the Earth Dragons had been told beforehand that the Supreme Commander of the Alliance was just a young human, they were still surprised to see that the one that bested their armies was a mere Rookie.


    Thirteen was well aware that the reason why the Earth Dragons were guarding the gate was to wait until it fully matured.


    Once it was mature enough, it could allow a Majin Prince to cross over to Pangea, which would be the end of their mission.


    Thirteen nced at the Dimensional Gate which had grown rtively smaller after his persistent attacks on it.


    ''At most, this gate will need ten years to fully open,'' Thirteen thought. ''That is more than enough time to make the necessary preparations on my end.''


    Simply put, just like the Earth Dragons, he also needed time to bolster his forces and technology.


    Of course, the Earth Dragons weren''t aware that the reason why Thirteen created Project Athena was to deal with such powerful threats that might one day appear in the world.


    If Nautilus was already a threat to most Jinns and Majins, Athena would make them wish that they never listened to his proposal for a non-aggression pact.


    "With this, we have reached an agreement," Thirteen said after they had finalized their talks. "Don''t worry, I know you guys have been very bored watching that Dimensional Gate for a very long time.


    "A few hours from now, some of my people wille and build something that you guys will definitely enjoy."


    "Something we will enjoy?" Rogg, who was still regenerating his injuries, snorted. "What do you humans possibly possess that we will find entertaining?"


    "You''ll seeter," Thirteen replied. "Actually, it is already on its way. Just wait for an hour, and you will understand what I am talking about."


    Although Rogg was still unconvinced, he no longer cared whether the human was lying or not.


    The most important thing was that they no longer needed to worry about any attacks that wereing from the Armored Devil.


    They were not really worried about the Human Army. But, with the mysterious person joining them, things could get really bad, really fast.


    An hourter, the sound of helicopter rotors could be heard in the surroundings.


    "Please don''t attack them," Thirteen stated. "They are the ones who will bring you some form of entertainment."


    The Transport Helicopters from the Leventis Familynded hundreds of meters away from the Earth Dragons.


    Michael, who was leading this special mission, looked at the Rank 9 Sovereigns and held back the shudder that ran down his spine.


    He didn''t know how his nephew could standfortably beside monsters that could pinch him to oblivion.


    Still, since they were asked toe for a reason, he decided to simply watch for now.


    "This is my Uncle, Michael Leventis," Thirteen said with a smile. "If you need anything in regards to entertainment, you may contact him directly.


    "As for military matters, you can talk to me directly. I''ll make sure that you don''t regret forming a non-aggression pact with me."


    The Earth Dragons watched as the humans started drilling and erecting steel pirs a few hundred meters away from them.


    All these workers were Engineers from the Leventis Family, and this was their first time being in close proximity with Rank 9 Sovereigns.


    If someone were to ask them what they were feeling right now, they would respond with "I''m not getting paid enough for this sh*t."


    However, they didn''t dare to say such things out loud because of the repercussions involved with it.


    They simply did what they were ordered to do.


    The faster they finished, the faster they could get home to their families.


    Two hourster, a thirty-meter-tall projection appeared at the center of the Steel Pirs that formed a Hexagon.


    "Let me exin how this works," Thirteen said after the Jinn-inspired Movie Theater was built. "With voicemand, you will be able to switch channels to watch different shows from the Human Continents.


    "News, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and other things can be seen from this projection. For example, If you are curious about science¡­" Thirteen used his remote to change the channel of the projection to Animalz.


    But by pure coincidence, it showed a scene of two Sea Turtles mating, which made Thirteen cough lightly.


    "Oops! Wrong channel," Thirteen said as he hurriedly changed the channel to show a popr children''s show about Wanderers who''d transform into masked Heroes and save humanity from the Jinns.


    Michael and the other engineers sucked in a deep breath, fearing that the Earth Dragons would be offended by seeing Jinns losing to humans.


    However, to their surprise, the Earth Dragons watched the show with solemn gazes while chatting with each other.


    "Do humans really have those giant things made up of metal that shoot those beams?" Rogg asked.


    "We call those Giant Robots," Thirteen replied. "And yes, humans do have them."


    ''No, we don''t!''


    Michael and the engineers almost shouted in unison, but they were able to hold back their words.


    If humans really had giant robots that could shootser beams, they would have defeated the Jinns who conquered the Rigel Continent long ago.


    "I''ll teach you guys how to navigate the channel as well as search for shows that you might like." Thirteen stated. "You can also watch movies, but there is a separate subscription fee for it.


    "Um? What are subscriptions? It''s something that you need to pay to unlock certain shows that are exclusive on the Leventis Channel. How to pay for them? Well, a few Beast Cores and Empyrium Mines will do the trick. Don''t worry, the Leventis Family can act as an intermediary for you guys¡­ we will even give you discounts."


    Michael could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead because his nephew was truly fearless.


    The fact that he dared to scam Earth Dragons to pay subscription fees with mining rights to Empyrium Mines and other precious resources near the center of the Rigel Continent was very daring. However, it would also make Zion extremely rich.


    Just as Thirteen expected, the Earth Dragons had really been very bored with their duties, so having something else to watch aside from their Dimensional Gate really piqued their interest.


    He stayed with them for a few hours, telling the Earth Dragons what shows to watch.


    Just like humans, the Earth Dragons had different interests.


    Rogg preferred watching the news, while the other Earth Dragon named Brazzom liked to watch the history of Pangea.


    Thest Earth Dragon, Endi, who seemed to be a female Earth Dragon, seemed to have taken a liking to watching Drama shows.


    Since the three of them liked to watch different things, Thirteen decided to scam¡ªerr, help them achieve what they wanted.


    With the three Earth Dragons'' unanimous approval, the Leventis Family was given exclusive mining rights to arge Padium Mine and a small Empyrium Mine, which were only twenty miles away from the location of the Earth Dragons.


    In return, two additional Movie Theaters would be built, allowing the three Earth Dragons to watch the things that they wanted to watch without conflicts.


    Jinns and Majins, especially those who had reached a high enough rank, always craved something new.


    This was why some of them had formed mutual and beneficial rtionships with the human kingdoms and formed a non-aggression pact with them.


    Thirteen nned to do the same with the Rigel Continent, distracting the Earth Dragons from amassing their armies to repel the Wanderers from theirnds.


    Also, after having a talk with Zed, Evuvug, and Erasmus, Thirteen understood that the Earth Dragons weren''t as bloodthirsty as the other Jinns and Majins.


    They were defensive monsters by nature, so they wouldn''t really take the initiative to attack unless they were ordered or provoked into it.


    Since the possibility for a dialogue was high, Thirteen decided to throw them a few carrots to smooth things out.


    Naturally, he didn''t n to let the Alliance make contact with them. He and his Uncle, Michael, handled allmunications between the Earth Dragons and the Wanderers.


    That way, the Monarchs and the other Prestigious Families wouldn''t be able to share the pie he had prepared for himself.


    If his rtionship with the Earth Dragons also improved within the next few years, he might even be able to bring them to his side.


    This was going to be a long-term n, but with Erasmus aiding him from the side, the possibility existed.


    "Some people in the Alliance might take advantage of you guys," Thirteen said with a serious expression on his face. "So, if anyone proiming that they belong to the Monarch ns or the Prestigious Families appear, feel free to repel them. If they remain stubborn, feel free to attack them.


    "Tell them that you only deal with Zion Leventis. If they persist, contact me or my Uncle, Michael. We will deal with them for your sake."


    "You''re surprisingly a good human," Rogg said. "Very well. We will do as you say."


    "Good." Thirteen smiled like the third-rate Viin Cannon Fodder like he was. "Let''s all have a happy and longsting cooperation between us."


    The Earth Dragons, who had the ability to change into smaller Beast Humanoid Forms that were over two meters tall, shook hands with the teenage boy.


    They were not aware that the smile on Thirteen''s face wasn''t out of sincerity.


    No.


    It was the smile of a no-good human who was already busy formting ns on how to make the Earth Dragons abandon their Master and jump to his bandwagon.

 Chapter 434: Thirteen’s Future Plans

    Thirteen returned to the Alliance after his negotiation with the Earth Dragons ended.


    When he came back, he was weed with the sight of the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries, as well as the other High-Ranking Officers of the Allied Armies, looking at him with solemn expressions on their faces.


    The reason why they were looking at their Supreme Commander with such faces was due to the fact that if he didn''t seed in convincing the Earth Dragons, they would have to fight another war, and this time, they would be fighting against Rank 9 Sovereigns.


    Rank 8 and Rank 9 Monsters were on very different levels. Even if all the Monarchs appeared on the battlefield, and the Ten Thrones apanied them, their chances of winning were quite low.


    The reason for this was that the Monarchs were afraid of dying.


    Aside from Lawrence, who had a Rebirth Ability, the other Monarchs wouldn''t dare throw their lives in a battle with a very low chance of winning.


    This was also why many believed that the uing invasion in the Cygni Continent would end up the same way the Antares and the Rigel Continent ended.


    The humans might be able to resist and fight Rank 7 Monsters, but it would be a different story the moment Rank 8 and Rank 9 Monsters appear.


    Most of the Monarchs would hastily retreat. Only the ones who lived on these continents would seriously fight because it was their home.


    "What''s the result of the negotiation?" Wendell asked. "Did they agree to a non-aggression pact?"


    The Monarch had been observing Zion''s face since the time he had arrived, but he couldn''t tell if they seeded or not because his face was very calm.


    Instead of answering, Thirteen scanned the faces of those who had gathered to meet him before giving them a thumbs up.


    "We managed to reach apromise," Thirteen said. "The Northern Region is ours."


    As soon as the word was out, the soldiers who were also paying close attention to their discussion cheered, spreading like wildfire.


    Wendell almost teared up, but he fought his emotions and lightly patted the teenage boy''s shoulder.


    "Well done," Wendell said hoarsely. "You did it, Zion."


    "I didn''t do this alone. It was a team victory," Thirteen replied. "The Alliance won because everyone yed their role and yed it well."


    The other Leaders all looked at their Supreme Commander with satisfaction, feeling moved after hearing his words.


    Even Seth and Allen, who were the Commanders of the Ashford and Stard Armies, couldn''t help but smile due to their Supreme Commander''s eloquence.


    "Erasmus wille after a few days to discuss the borders that will be established between the Alliance and the Jinns," Thirteen stated. "But I still manage to make them agree to give us the territories that belonged to the Bird Man, the Manticore King, and the Centipede King."


    The members of the Dvalinn Federation were very surprised by this news. They thought that the only territory that they would get was the Bird Man''s domain


    This made them extremely happy. After all, the Northern Regions made up a quarter of the Rigel Continent.


    "Now, this is a victory worth celebrating!" Trevor Remingtonughed. "All of us deserve to enjoy a victory party tonight."


    "I second!"


    "Let''s do this!"


    Thirteen smiled faintly because everyone was incredibly happy with their gains.


    However, he was certain that if they knew that he had taken Evuvug''s Domain as his own, as well as secured several mining rights near the center of the Rigel Continent, all the Leaders would be spitting on him at the same time.


    But, since they didn''t know, it was fine!


    There was a famous saying used by scammers in the past.


    "Who is going to believe a Con Artist? Everyone¡ªif they are good enough to pull it off."


    Thirteen might not be the best scammer in the Ely-verse, but there was no doubt that he took second ce.


    The reporters, who were also on the site, began their live broadcasts and told everyone that they had reached apromise with the Earth Dragons.


    The breathtaking top reporter from the BBCee Station, Rein, managed to get hold of the Supreme Commander for an exclusive interview.


    "Sir Zion, I want to ask you the question that everyone wants to ask right now," Rein said. "How did you do it?"


    "Actually, it wasn''t easy," Thirteen answered. "During the first half of the negotiations, the Earth Dragons were very stubborn and said that they would attack the North using the full might of the Jinn Army.


    "Fortunately, I managed to secure apromise through sheer grit and ckmai¡ªerr, determination. Once I made them see reason that the Alliance will fight them to the death, they started to reconsider my proposal."


    "Sir, can you tell us a bit about what kind ofpromise you managed to reach with the Earth Dragons?" Rein inquired.


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "In return for letting the Alliance take over the territories of the Bird King, the Centipede King, and the Manticore King, we would no longer be allowed to step into their territories.


    "The moment someone tries to break this agreement, the Death Lord and the Earth Dragons would not hesitate to go for the kill. So, the Alliance will just have to do their part and not break the agreement between us and the Earth Dragons."


    Rein nodded in understanding. "Then, can you tell us about your next n? Will you be heading to the Cygni Continent right after this?"


    The Monarch of the Cygni Continent, Dous Griffin, perked up after hearing the reporter''s question during the live broadcast.


    If Zion Leventis were to trulye to the Cygni Continent, he would give him the VIP Treatment and make sure that the teenage boy would have everything he needed.


    "I''ll go there eventually. But for now, I think I''ll be going back to Solterra," Thirteen replied. "I have realized during this expedition that I am stillcking in many ces. Since I will be inmand of thousands of people in the future, I need to be in top shape.


    "I need to be desperate, I need to always be on guard, andst but not the least, I need to survive. Since I am now thirteen years old, there''s a high chance that I will be dragged back to Solterra whether I like it or not.


    "The Solstice will be happening in a few months, so I''ll finish making the necessary preparations by then.


    "Two months from now, I will take a temporary leave from my position in the Central Government as the Commander of the Alliance. But before that, I will make sure that the Earth Dragons will honor their word and not attack the North.


    "It will be better if I return to Solterra now than be forced to go there when the Invasion of the Cygni Continentes in full swing."


    Rein had a face filled with worry after hearing that the Commander of the Alliance would return to Solterra on the night of the Solstice.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t really need to go to Solterra. The One had already given him a special exemption.


    At most, he would only be forced to return when he was sixteen years old in consideration of the three years he spent in Solterra when he was only seven years old.


    But, in order to achieve the goal that he and his former host, Erasmus, wanted to achieve, he would need to return to Solterra before the invasion in the Cygni Continent began.


    He needed to stack up enough Apocalypse Points in order to get loans from Metatron, using his credits.


    That way, he would be able to fully upgrade his Soul Eater Armor and gain the power he wished to obtain.

 Chapter 435: I Almost Got Infected By The Zion Virus

    "Why is the Supreme Commander drinking and eating all alone?" Shana asked as she approached Thirteen, who was watching the soldiers, who were merrily celebrating their victory.


    Countless big bonfires were lit, illuminating the darkness, and everyone was having a great time.


    The Dvalinn Federation opened their coffers, and made sure that everyone was able to eat and drink to their heart''s content.


    Even Benedict, who was always straiced, was happily drinking with Arthur, whom he considered as his love rival during their teenage years.


    "I''m not alone," Thirteen replied. "I have Tiona with me. Isn''t that right, Tiona?"


    The ck Snake nodded,pletely agreeing with what her Master said. As long as they were together, Thirteen would never be alone.


    "You know that''s not what I meant," Shana said as she sat on the log where the teenage boy was seated. "Everyone wants to be with you, so why aren''t you celebrating with them?"


    "If I go to one of those bonfires, everyone will ask me to go to the others," Thirteen replied matter-of-factly. "It will be a pain to do that all night, so I''ll just stay here and not be a killjoy for everyone."


    Shana shook her head helplessly because she could tell that Zion Leventis was firm in his decision of not mingling with the others.


    "I guess it''s inevitable that you will be forced to return to Solterra," Shana replied. "Even though I am the same. After all, I am only an Apostle, and only those who gained the Master Rank will gain the ability to go to Solterra whenever they wish."


    "Yeah, you and the Hero Party will also be forced to return on the eve of the night of the Solstice," Thirteen smirked. "If you''re lucky, you might get the same mission as me. If that happens, wouldn''t that mean that you will be getting a free ride?"


    Shana looked at the teenage boy who was three years younger than her. Every time the two of them talked, she always felt like Zion was the older one between the two of them.


    He was more mature and very reliable.


    ''Oh no! I almost got infected by the Zion Virus just now,'' Shana couldn''t help but raise her guard because she was now starting to understand why her sister, Rianna, was a big fan of the teenage boy beside her.


    Also, it didn''t help that her Sisters from the Valkyrie Division, Vi, Sharon, and Louise, were always praising Zion whenever she was around.


    They even said that the Hero, Rnd, and the Sage, Joshua, who were both part of Shana''s Hero Party, couldn''t evenpare to Zion''s pinky finger.


    Of course, her other Sisters agreed with the three of them, especially after their consecutive victories against the Majins.


    Shana was even constantly casting mind resistance spells on herself to prevent her from going with the flow. Thest thing she wanted to happen was to get infected by the Zion Virus.


    "What''s wrong, Shana?" Thirteen asked the girl, who was lightly pping both of her cheeks as if she was trying to keep herself sober.


    "Nothing," Shana replied. "I just remembered something embarrassing. Also, if we are sent on the same mission in Solterra, the one who will be getting the free ride will be you and not me."


    "Really?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "Really." Shana nodded firmly.


    "I don''t mind getting a free ride." Thirteen smirked. ''But knowing The One, I''m sure I would once again be sent to a very dangerous ce. If Shana will be having the same mission as I do, it will be very dangerous for her.''


    Hiding his thoughts from the Saintess, Thirteen once again gazed at the soldiers in the distance.


    A secondter, he sensed a presence right behind him.


    Shana also felt it, so she immediately summoned her staff and used a light spell to illuminate the surroundings.


    There, standing a few meters away from them, was the Death Lord, Erasmus.


    Shana subconsciously stepped forward and stood between Zion and the Death Lord, who could easily cut her head off with a single sh of his sword.


    Suddenly, the Monarchs and the Thrones, who were paying close attention to Thirteen and Shana, appeared in front of the Saintess and faced off against Erasmus, who hade to their celebration unannounced.


    "I didn''te here to fight," Erasmus stated as he spread his hands, showing them that he was unarmed. "I just came to have a talk with your Supreme Commander about the borders that will be established here in the North."


    "You can talk to me," Wendell stated as he stood between Shana and the Death Lord. "I will hear you out."


    Erasmus wanted to say that he had no intention of talking to one of the people who belonged to Aaron''s group.


    But he also understood that if he insisted on only talking to Zion, things might get out of hand.


    "Very well," Erasmus replied. "Who else has a say in this matter aside from you?"


    The three Monarchs and the Thrones all stepped forward.


    "I''ll only be talking to you three," Erasmus pointed at Wendell, Trevor, and Lawrence. "The rest can go back to whatever you are doing."


    Thirteen eyed his Former Host, while thetter gave him a telepathic message.


    "That youngdy is good," Erasmus said. "She tried to protect you knowing that she''s no match against me."


    "Next time, just send me a message," Thirteen replied. "Things might spiral out of control if the Alliance thinks that the Jinns will break the agreement first."


    "Indeed," Erasmusmented before leaving with the three Monarchs.


    After the three had disappeared from the camp, the Soldiers, who had thought that they were under attack, were still on high alert.


    Because of this, Thirteen needed to do some damage control and exin to them that the Death Lord was a nocturnal monster and only came to their camp to discuss the details of the non-aggression pact.


    Fortunately, everyone had strong faith in Zion, so when his exnation ended, the soldiers returned to their merry making.


    But just as he expected, the liveliness had lessened a bit. Everyone was still subconsciously on guard just in case something happened.


    After making sure that everyone knew the reason for Erasmus'' visit, he decided to retire for the night.


    Shana, who had been rattled by the sudden appearance of the Death Lord, also decided that she had enough excitement for one night and went to bed.


    Now that the Alliance had finally finished their mission, they would be returning to their posts.


    Some would also go to the Cygni Continent in order to help the Defenders defend their home.


    But since Thirteen would no longer be around tomand them, their chain ofmand would revert back to their usualmanders.


    Also, there were other stuff that would have to be dealt with, like the split ofnds between the members of the Alliance.


    A different battlefield would have to be fought, but this time, he would not be contending with the Jinns and Majins.


    No.


    He needed to fight against the greed of humanity, which was almost always insatiable.


    Fortunately, Thirteen had secured Evuvug''s Domain, as well as a few other resources near the center of the Rigel Continent.


    Even if the Leventis Family yielded a bit of their shares to the Ashford and Stard ns, it wouldn''t matter in the long run.


    Thirteen had his own resources to mine, which could further increase the more he made the Earth Dragons happy with the technology andforts that he would be introducing to them very soon.

 Chapter 436: Everything Is Free! We Are Allies After All~

    A week after the non-aggression pact between the Alliance and the Jinns was signed¡­


    Rogg was slumped on afortable couch while watching the news on the giant projection in front of him.


    "Hah¡­ this is the life," Rogg said as he munched on some potato chips, then chugged a bottle of soda. "Damn. I wish I Zion showed up years ago."


    The young man did not only create three Projections, one for each of them, but he also supplied them with snacks like potato chips, burgers, and pizza, which were delivered once an hour through a one-way teleporter that had been built near the Dimensional Gate.


    The three Earth Dragons, who were now in their demi-human forms, were also given food menus and catalogues that ranged from furniture, clothes, and essories to misceneous items.


    Simply put, they could have anything they wanted "free of charge," which made their impression of the Supreme Commander of the Alliance raise by a notch.


    Since he was watching the news, Rogg became aware of the worldwide celebrations that were being hosted all over Pangea.


    He found all of them funny, but in the end, he didn''t feel bad about having a non-aggression pact with the humans, especially with what Zion had been doing for them.


    As the Earth Dragon was thinking of the teenage boy, the sound of a helicopter reached his ears.


    The markings on the helicopter belonged to the Leventis Family, so no Jinns or Majins dared to attack it. After all, the Helicopter had one purpose, and one purpose only.


    To bring the Supreme Commander of the Alliance to where the Earth Dragons were and have a chat with them.


    The moment Thirteen stepped out of the Helicopter, the three Earth Dragons approached him with smiles on their faces.


    "It''s been a few days since youst came here, Zion," Rogg said. "I saw what you''ve been doing in the news, so I thought that you would note back and see us again."


    "Nonsense," Thirteen replied. "Lord Rogg, Lord Brazzom, and Lady Endi are very important to me, so I''ll make time from my busy schedule to meet the three of you. By the way, what do you think of the services that the Leventis Family is giving you guys. Do you have any concerns about it?"


    "Well, so far, so good," Rogg answered. "However, it is quite a long wait for our items to be delivered. Also, the things that can be sent through the transporter are limited.


    "Since Brazzom and Endi also want other things, we need to take turns on having our items sent to us."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "It''s quite unfortunate that we don''t have enough Mithril Mines avable right now. If only we have more mithril, then we can make that transporter three times bigger, and construct a transporter for each of you.


    "That way, you guys don''t need to take turns in asking for whatever you wish to have delivered here. Right now, only three boxes of potato chips can be delivered at a time.


    "But if we modified the transporter with Mithril, we could send a dozen boxes of potato chips every hour. We can also sendrge quantities of burgers, pizzas, and soda. It''s a shame, really¡­"


    Roggughed and lightly patted the teenage boy''s shoulders.


    "Hey~ it''s just mithril, right? My subordinates found one forty miles in that direction," Rogg said. "I''ll allow you to mine them without being harassed by my subordinates."


    "Say no more, Lord Rogg. We will definitely modify this transporter as soon as possible. We will also build one transporter for each one of you. What? You want to try grilling burgers on your own? Of course, we will send you the best grilling set, the best burger patties, and the most delicious burger buns avable, free of charge!


    "Um? Lady Endi, you want Beauty Products and thetest release from Vicky''s Secret and Pradah? No problem. Let me just measure your three sizes, and I''ll ask them to make you a set of clothes.


    "Pay me? Perish the thought, Lady Endi. How can I possibly ask you to pay me for something like that. Everything is free! We are allies after all~


    "Lord Brazzom, you want the Trilogy of the Lord of Da Rings with the author''s signature on it? No problem, I''ll have it delivered as soon as I can. What? You want to have the Director''s cut of the movie? No problem, I''ll have them deliver it as soon as possible.


    "I''ll even add the book called Da Vinzee Code and theplete movie of Mommy Pirates of the Caribbean. I''ll toss Revengers End Game as a freebie too~"


    The Earth Dragons were extremely happy and looked at Zion as if he was the most understanding human that they had seen in the world.


    Little did they know, the young man might be giving them many things for free, but it was still nothingpared to the amount of gold and resources that he would earn from the mining rights he had gotten from the Earth Dragons.


    Now that a Mithril Mine was added under his belt, he didn''t mind fattening up the Earth Dragons and making them dependent on him and his family.


    After his wonderful talk with the Earth Dragons, Thirteen immediately called his Uncle, Michael, so that he could send the engineers back and build better Transporters and increase their numbers to three.


    When Michael finished talking to his no-good nephew, he immediately called Lady Callista in the Aldebaran Continent and asked her to build two more transporters that would be used by the Earth Dragonster on.


    The right-hand man of the Leventis Family had been busymunicating with the Earth Dragons and giving them everything they wanted.


    All three of them had phones of their own, and it only had two numbers in it¡ªZion''s and Michael''s number.


    Most of the time, they only talked to Michael since he was the one handling the products that they wanted to be delivered to them.


    Cristopher and Colbert, who had also disembarked from the helicopter, couldn''t help but be awed by their Young Master''s scamming ability.


    Colbert even asked Thirteen to teach him how to be a better con artist, but his Young Master only told him three words.


    Watch and Learn.


    Because of this, whenever Thirteen was going to visit the Earth Dragons, Colbert would always volunteer to pilot the helicopter for him.


    That way, he would see his Master at work and learn through observation.


    Thirteen also made sure to introduce Cristopher and Colbert to the Earth Dragons as his left and right-hand man.


    That way, they would not be attacked if ever they needed to talk to the three Rank 9 Sovereigns on Thirteen''s behalf.


    The three teenagers stayed with the Earth Dragons, and even yed console games with Rogg and Brazzom.


    Which became their new addiction.


    Endi, on the other hand, liked the game Inscryption because she found it quite challenging.


    A dayter, the three One-Way Transporters were up and running.


    Roggughed out loud when his junk foods arrived, and happily tore a big bag of potato chips before changing the channel to watch the show that he started following in Netfix called Squirt Game.


    The two other Earth Dragons also took the packages they ordered and ate the foods that they asked from Michael.


    ''Good. Eat a lot, and be couch potatoes.'' Thirteenughed internally as he told his Uncle the coordinates of the Mithril Mine that was now under their control.

 Chapter 437: Our Duty Here Is Done

    Since they were getting short on manpower, Michael didn''t hesitate and asked for more engineers to be sent to the Rigel Continent so that they could start mining right away.


    ''This nephew of mine really knows how to do business,'' Michael thought. ''Well, since he can''t raise his rank, bing a businessman might also be a good option.''


    Even Arthur believed that his no-good grandson had great potential when it came to making money by scamming people and monsters.


    He even told Michael to be careful of the teenage boy because he always said that they would be their Branch Family in the future.


    Michael onlyughed it off in front of his Father, but deep inside, he was also feeling a little anxious. For some reason, he find these words simr to a prophecy that might happen in the future.


    Knowing how resourceful his nephew was, he felt that it was really possible for the Leventis Main Family to be the Branch of Zion''s Family.


    After making sure that everything was in order, and the Earth Dragons were satisfied with their new Transporters, Thirteen finally bid goodbye to them.


    But before leaving, he told them that if they had other concerns, they should just call his Uncle right away as long as it was within his working hours.


    Since the threat of the Jinns was now under control, Thirteen decided to return to the Aldebaran Continent with his troops so that they could rest.


    Also, he nned to temporarily assign themand of the 69th Battalion to Cristopher because he believed that his right-hand man was capable of doing it.


    But before leaving the center of the continent, the teenage boy went to talk to Erasmus first.


    He and the Death Lord were nning something big. Erasmus had no intention of staying in the Rigel Continent for a long time.


    But, due to certain factors, he was unable to leave the Rigel Continent because he was bound to protect the Dimensional Gate, like the Earth Dragons at all cost.


    Because of this, he would need Thirteen''s help to regain his freedom.


    However, in order to make it happen, the teenage boy would need to convince Metatron first.


    He knew that it wouldn''t be easy, but he believed that if he used the right words, the chances of his mission seeding would increase drastically.


    In all honesty, the thing that he was most worried about was his next missions in Solterra.


    Knowing The One, he was certain that the God of Wanderers wouldn''t send him to a normal mission. So as a safety precaution, he needed to prepare in advance.


    However, no matter what obstacle he faced, Thirteen wouldn''t allow them to get the better of him.


    After all, he now had a family waiting for his return and an old friend who needed his help to exact his revenge on Aaron Ashford, whom he hated the most in the world of Pangea.


    "How long do you think it will take?" Erasmus asked when he was certain that Thirteen''s subordinates wouldn''t hear their discussion.


    "Until the Cygni Invasion ends," Thirteen replied.


    "So¡­ three to five years?" Erasmus rubbed his chin. "I''ve already waited for three hundred years, a few more years will not be a problem."


    Thirteen nodded. "It''s good to know that you still look at the bigger picture."


    "That''s the problem," Erasmus replied. "Only you and I are looking at the bigger picture. The rest just want to gain benefits and squeeze each other dry."


    Thirteen nodded in agreement because it was the truth.


    "Make sure to send any valuable monster parts to the Transporter that I built for you," Thirteen said. "My father is getting better at his craft. Sooner orter, he will be able to craft Mythical and above even without my help."


    "I have my Cursed Artifacts with me, so just give those weapons to your people," Erasmus stated. "They will need it more than I do."


    "Understood." Thirteen looked at his former host with pride. "I''ll do my best, so you should also do your best to break through to Rank 9 within three to five years."


    Erasmus chuckled. "You make it sound so easy. But I''ll see what I can do. If you need my help, you know where to find me."


    Thirteen nodded and handed Erasmus a military-grade Cell Phone.


    "It is connected to Athena, so you can contact me as long as I am in Pangea," Thirteen said. "I''ll be here until the Night of the Solstice, so if you need something, I''ll have it sent right away."


    "Well, the good thing about being an Undead is that we don''t really need to eat and drink," Erasmus smirked. "Still, I feel a little jealous of the Earth Dragons because they seemed to be enjoying life.


    "Perhaps after killing that bastard, I can focus my attention on how to form a flesh body and truly live my second life."


    Thirteen smiled faintly. "Well, I will also do my best to help you. I''m sure the two of us cane up with something."


    As the System of Cannon Fodders, Thirteen did have some effective ways to give Erasmus what he wanted.


    However, it required luck, vast resources, and fortuitous encounters to find these extremely rare herbs, which could be used to make an elixir.


    Also, because of Erasmus'' current Rank, there were other things that needed to be added to ensure that his new body would be able to hold his strength.


    ''One step at a time,'' Thirteen thought. ''There''s no need to rush. As long as I am alive, I can do it.''


    Thirteen first need to survive his missions in Solterra and earn more Apocalypse Points to strengthen himself with Divine-Grade Artifacts.


    He also needed to repair and modify Nautilus.


    This project would need a month toplete, but once he had finished calibrating the ship, he was certain that it would be stronger after its trial run.


    He was already looking forward to checking the recorded data during this expedition.


    If Nautilus'' Main Cannons wouldn''t go out ofmission after firing the same output that made the Earth Dragons ept his proposal, then he would have more leeway to use it effectively in the future.


    "I''ll go now," Thirteen said. "Be safe until I return from Solterra, Erasmus."


    "You too." Erasmus chuckled before lightly patting the teenage boy''s head. "I am strong, and not even the Monarchs of this world can kill me easily. You, on the other hand, are just a Rookie.


    "I don''t know where The One is nning to send you on the night of the Solstice, but I wish that he will have mercy and give you a normal mission for once."


    Thirteen nodded because he, too, wished that he would get a simple mission this time around.


    "Well, then. I''ll see youter," Thirteen said as he reached out his hand for a handshake.


    "See youter, Thirteen," Erasmus smirked, but he took the boy''s hand and shook it twice before letting go. "I look forward to hearing the adventures that you will be doing this time around."


    After bidding their farewell, Thirteen left the Ruins where Erasmus lived, and went back to the helicopter, where Cristopher and Colbert were waiting for him.


    "Where are we headed now, Young Master?" Colbert asked.


    "Back to the North," Thirteen replied. "Our duty here is done."


    Colbert nodded and waited for his Young Master to climb the helicopter before he, too, boarded it.


    ''This trip to the Rigel Continent is truly full of surprises,'' Thirteen thought as he looked down on the ground from the window of the helicopter. ''Coming here was worth it.''


    At first, he only came to the Rigel Continent to train his people, get the Cursed Artifacts, and acquire some resources while he was at it.


    But one thing led to another, and before he knew it, he was now leading the Alliance into battle.


    Thirteen knew that things could have ended differently if he didn''t take that step to look for Erasmus in order to propose a deal with him.


    The mere thought of him orchestrating the Death Lord''s demise made him shudder.


    Fortunately, a tragedy was averted, allowing him to reunite with an old friend whom he had to leave for the time being.


    He hoped that this short goodbye would pave the path for a better and brighter future.


    A bright future not only for his family, friends, and subordinates but also for the cannon fodders whom, to this day, was very dear in Thirteen''s heart.

 Chapter 438: Light And Darkness

    "Thank you for everything, Zion," Wendell said as he patted the teenage boy''s shoulder. "If you ever need help in the future, just say the word, and I''ll be there."


    "Thank you, Lord Wendell," Thirteen replied. "I''ll see you in the Cygni Continent, three years from now."


    The Monarch of the Dvalinn Federation nodded.


    The young man shook hands with Wendell, then with the rest of the Thrones of the Dvalinn Federation before walking towards the Leventis Carrier, which he and the 69th Battalion would be riding for their return trip.


    As he walked toward the ship, the Soldiers of the Alliance saluted him, showing their respect to their Supreme Commander who had achieved a legendary feat in Pangea.


    The 69th Battalion, who was marching behind their Battalion Commander, wearing their light-green military uniforms, couldn''t be prouder of themselves for being the subordinates of such a person.


    The uniform they had hated in the past now served as the symbol of honor for being part of the Green Lanterns.


    This trip to the Rigel Continent had not only shown them the horrors of the Jinns and Majins but also the ability of the human race to persevere against all odds.


    As these brave young men and women boarded the Aircraft Carrier, Thirteen couldn''t help but sigh, thinking how they hade a long way.


    They were no longer the Rookie Soldiers they were when they firstnded on the Rigel Continent, but seasoned veterans who had fought in one of the greatest wars in the history of Pangea.


    A story that will bememorated for all time, giving the 69th Battalion a spot in the pages of history.


    "Everyone, salute!" Thirteen ordered as he saluted the members of the Alliance who hade to send them off.


    The members of the 69th Battalion did as they were told. They lined up at the side of the carrier, saluting their fellow soldiers who had fought alongside them in battle.


    Thirteen''s gazended on the Valkyries who had alsoe to send them off.


    They would return with the Grand and Field Marshal to the Sirius Continent after two days.


    When his gazended on Shana, the youngdy ended her salute and waved at him.


    Thirteen smiled faintly and waved back at her.


    Vi, Sharon, and Louise also waved back at him, with Sharon even giving him a flying kiss.


    The threedies had already contacted Shana''s sister, Rianna, and the four of them decided to create the Zion Fan Club, which made Thirteen''s liver itch when he found out about it.


    A few minutester, a loud horn was sounded on the Aircraft Carrier, warning everyone that they were about to set sail.


    Slowly but surely, the ship started to move away from the Dvalinn Port.


    Their next destination was the Aldebaran Continent.


    Arthur and Michael would leave sometime in the afternoon using the Leventis Private Jet, which would allow them to get home faster.


    Thirteen knew that the journey through the sea was longer, but he thought that it would be a good idea to spend more time with his subordinates. After all, he wouldn''t be able to see them again for some time.


    Once he arrived in the Aldebaran Continent, he would ask his Superiors for a temporary leave in order to prepare for his mission in Solterra.


    Of course, that was only an excuse.


    Thirteen''s real goal was to repair the Main Canons of the Nautilus, as well as modify it in preparation for the Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent.


    He couldn''t afford to let other people repair it, so he would have to do it on his own, with the help of the Trolls and Ogres under hismand.


    Erasmus had also given Thirteen many high-quality Monster Parts, which the teenager nned to give his father, who would then use it to craft weapons and armor for his Monster Army.


    When the Dvalinn Port was no longer in sight, Thirteen returned to his quarters with Cristopher and Colbert.


    His left and right-hand man would be handling the 69th Battalion on his behalf while he was away, so he nned to give them some training regimen that would keep his soldiers busy.


    But just as he was about to talk to the two of them, hismunicator made a beeping sound.


    Looking at the name that was shing on the screen, the teenage boy couldn''t help but smirk.


    "What can I do for you, Lord Dous?" Thirteen asked as soon as the projection of the Monarch of the Cygni Continent appeared in front of him.


    "First and foremost, I would like to congratte you for a job well done," Dous replied. "The reason why I called is to let you know that you''re always wee toe here in the Cygni Continent. Just inform me in advance, and I will send my people to personally pick you up.


    "We will handle your amodation, and if you ever have any needs, all you need to do is say them. I hope that when the Jinn Invasion starts in full, you will also lend us your assistance."


    Thirteen nodded. "Thank you, Lord Dous, for your kind words and generosity. I will do my very best to return before the Jinn Invasion begins in the Cygni Continent. I look forward to working with you in the future."


    The smile on Dous'' face widened after hearing Zion''s positive reply. If possible, he wanted to poach the boy from the Central Government and the Leventis Family.


    But he also knew that this was impossible, at least for now.


    The most he could do was create a good connection with him so that they would be able to work together in the future.


    "By the way, I will be sending a gift to you and your family," Dous stated. "It will arrive in a few days."


    "Thank you, Lord Dous, for the gift," Thirteen said. "I hope that you and your family will stay in good health."


    After a bit more small talk, Dous finally ended the call.


    "The Young Master sure is popr," Colbert, who had be a professional bootlicker,mented as soon as the connection was cut. "The Monarch of the Cygni Continent is already drafting you for the uing war.


    "If there is one person in Pangea who can do it right, it will be none other than our Young Master. Isn''t that right, Cristopher?"


    Cristopher nodded. "You''re right."


    Unlike Colbert, Cristopher didn''t feel the need to tter his Young Master, especially after the two of them had a heart-to-heart talk in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    The time they had spent on that god-forsakennd had made Cristopher understand that Thirteen truly trusted him as his subordinate.


    In fact, Thirteen trusted him more than he trusted Colbert, allowing Cristopher to know some secrets that the boot licker wasn''t aware of.


    This trust he received had only strengthened his unwavering loyalty to his Young Master, who had changed his life for the better.


    Sometimes, Cristopher would wake up in the morning, thinking that everything that he experienced was just a dream.


    There were moments when he thought that he was still serving his former Master, Terrence.


    Whenever that happened, a sense of dread and panic would wash over him like a tide. However, those feelings of anxiety didn''tst for long because he knew the person whom he wanted to serve all his life.


    Just like Thirteen had promised, he had cured Cristopher''s mother of her ailment.


    Currently, she was undergoing rehabilitation in one of the best medical institutions that belonged to the Leventis Family.


    Back then, Cristopher didn''t think that he would feel a happiness that would overflow from his heart.


    But when his mother hugged him and called his name, he knew then and there that the chaotic world where he lived in, was still very beautiful.

 Chapter 439: Are You Waiting For Him To Grow Up?

    "I have a special assignment for the two of you," Thirteen stated. "Cristopher, you will be training the 69th Battalion while I am away. Colbert, you will be taking Alcapone''s and Alexis'' Squad to the Cygni Continent.


    "Your task there is to form connections with the High-Ranking Officers of the army. I want you to tell me all their information, as well as the hierarchy among the different squads.


    "I''ll talk to Douster and tell him that I will be sending you as the Vanguard of the 69th Battalion. Since he wants to curry favors from me, I''m sure you guys will be given the best amodation.


    "Just make sure that you don''t do anything out of bounds. You will be staying there for a few years, so make sure to build connections. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Leave it to me, Young Master," Colbert replied with a smile. "I promise that when you return, you will know everything in the Cygni Continent from the inside out."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "I am counting on you."


    After rying Colbert''s mission, Thirteen then shifted his attention to Cristopher.


    His right-hand man was not very good at deceit because he was too honest. But, Thirteen preferred that Cristopher stayed that way.


    The System of Cannon Fodders and Colbert were more than enough to do the dirty work, so there was no need for the kind young man to change his ways.


    If Colbert was the person who would do the things that should remain in the darkness, Cristopher was the light whom everyone would look up to.


    Both yed an important role, and Thirteen would give them the abilities they would need for their purposes.


    Just like Cristopher, Thirteen had also bestowed Colbert Divine Grade Martial Techniques, and the ones he received were meant for undercover missions.


    This was also the reason why Colbert had long decided to hug Thirteen''s leg and never let go.


    His own family wouldn''t even give him some Decent Martial Skills, which was why he didn''t develop properly during his childhood.


    But now, armed with Divine Grade Martial Techniques, his growth would be limitless once he became a Grandmaster.


    "Cristopher, what I want you to do is to ensure that our Battalion will be the best in the Central Government," Thirteen stated. "The First Battalion was said to have the most elite soldiers of the Central Government. But after what we have aplished, that title is on shaky ground.


    "There will be a joint military exercise in a few months, and I want you guys to show them what we are made of. Can you do it?"


    "Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied with confidence. "Leave it to me."


    Thirteen nodded because he liked the look in the young man''s eyes.


    "Good." Thirteen smirked. "I''m sure those old foxes in the army will not dare to skimp on our military budget again. But if they still haven''t learned their lesson and still made things difficult for us, we can just leave the Central Government."


    "Young Master, do you n to create a Mercenary Group?" Colbert, who was quick on the uptake, asked with great interest.


    "That is one of our options," Thirteen replied. "Since the majority of the funds being used by our Battaliones from my own pocket, we can just go all the way with this n. At least, we would no longer need to listen to anyone''s orders, do we?"


    Cristopher and Colbert nodded their heads at the same time because it did sound like a very tempting idea.


    However, Thirteen believed that even if he wanted to ditch the Central Government, Lawrence and Tristan would not let him go easily.


    Also, he still needed the umbre of the Central Government for extra protection.


    While having his own Mercenary Group sounds good on paper, it would also mean that they wouldn''t have any strong backing.


    An organization with a Monarch backing it was different from an organization backed by a Rookie.


    Right now, Thirteen needed to stand on the shoulders of Giants so that he could do more things without worrying about others trying to get in his way.


    The three continued to talk more about their ns until lunchtime.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Dvalinn Federation¡­


    Shana was talking to the members of the Hero Party through their group chat.


    "Are you really going back to the Sirius Continent?" the Sage of the Hero Party, Joshua, asked with a smile. "Why don''t you just head straight here in the Cygni Continent? The lower Tier-Gates are starting to open one by one. We''ve been quite busy dealing with a few of them for the past few days."


    "I can''t go there right now because my Mother and Sister asked me toe home first," Shana replied. "But I intend to go there and fight alongside you guys until the Night of the Solstice."


    Joshua nodded in understanding. "Yes. It''s almost that time of the year again. I''m sure all of us will be forced to return to Solterra as well."


    "I hope that we will be on the same mission on that day," Rndmented. "It will be easier to work with people that we are familiar with after all."


    The other members of the Hero Party agreed with the Hero''s statement.


    Their party wasposed of teenagers who had the Rank of Apostles and Elite.


    They were considered as the Prodigies of their generation.


    Only the Main Scions of the Monarch ns could match their prestige.


    However, there was one existence that had now surpassed the poprity and influence that they currently possessed.


    Of course, it was none other than Zion Leventis.


    Although he was younger than them, they knew that aside from their Ranks, they didn''t have anything else that could beat the Legendary Rookie of the Leventis Family.


    As much as Rnd, Joshua, the Scions of the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families didn''t want to admit it, they had no choice but to ept that Zion was above them.


    While they were truly the cream of the crop, their achievements paled inparison to what he had achieved.


    These Prodigies could only feel relief knowing that the teenage boy would remain as a Rookie for life.


    Because if not for that, they believed that they would be left behind in the dust once he started breaking through the Rookie Rank.


    "Make sure to bring souvenirs from the Sirius Continent," the Sorceress, Erica, who had long, dark blue hair,mented. "Also, shouldn''t we be doing that now? If Shana were to approach him, then I think that he would agree to it easily."


    "Doing what?" Shana blinked in confusion. "Approach who?"


    "It''s about Zion," the second Swordsman of the Hero Party, Derek, answered. "We all agreed that if he wins the war against the Jinns and Majins, we will invite him to our party to be our official member."


    Shana blinked once then twice after hearing Derek''s statement.


    She pondered for a bit, but she just couldn''t see Thirteen joining their party even if she asked him personally.


    For a brief moment, she imagined that all of them were lying on the ground and being whipped by the teenage boy as part of their training.


    This made Shana subconsciously shudder, making her shake her head to oppose that decision.


    "We can''t let Zion join our party," Shana said firmly.


    "And why not?" Erica asked with genuine curiosity. "He''s a cutie. I''d like to have a little brother in our group."


    "No means no." Shana crossed her hands in front of her, forming an X, which made Erica giggle.


    "What''s this? Are you perhaps gatekeeping him?" Erica asked in a teasing tone. "Are you waiting for him to grow up so that you can date him officially?"


    Rnd and Joshua had a frown on their face as they told Erica to stop teasing Shana.


    The Sorceress giggled before giving the two guys who had a crush on their Saintess the "stop getting jealous" look.


    "If Shana thinks that inviting him is not a good idea, then we should listen to her," Rnd said.


    "Yeah, I agree with Rnd," Joshua stated. "Adding more people might not be a good idea because it might disrupt the harmony of the group."


    Shana, who had been given the support of the two guys, sighed in relief as if she had just escaped the death penalty.


    As much as she wanted Zion to be part of their group, she also knew that having him around would definitely not be all sunshine and rainbows.


    After being around the teenage boy for quite a while, she understood that Zion was always moving forward to reach a certain goal.


    Just like what her sister, Rianna said, everything he did had a reason.


    ''After half a year of being with him, I wouldn''t be surprised if he turned all of us into his subordinates,'' Shana thought. ''The Zion Virus is really strong. Even Erica, who has very strong willpower, will definitely be a harmless kitten if she spends time with him. I must not let that happen.''


    While she didn''t know if she was just being overprotective of her party or being overprotective of Zion, Shana didn''t want him to interact with their group, especially with the girls.


    She had seen how her sisters, Vi, Sharon, and Louise had be Thirteen''s fans, and she didn''t want the same thing to happen to the girls in the Hero Party.


    "Okay, let''s stop talking about Zion Leventis," Joshua stated. "Let''s talk about what we''re going to do after Shana rejoins our group."


    Since the lower Tier Gates in the Cygni Continent had been appearing more frequently as ofte, the soldiers and mercenaries, as well as the volunteer army that was keeping the poption safe, were always busy.


    The majority of the people had already evacuated from the continent.


    However, there were still many who were being stubborn and refused to leave.


    At that moment, a siren sounded from the Hero Party''s room, making Rnd and Joshua click their tongues at the same time.


    "Talk to youter, Shana," Rnd stated. "It seems that we need to mobilize again."


    After saying those words, the Hero Party left the room in order to fulfill the duty that was the reason for their existence.

 Chapter 440: Wait… Did I Just Raise A Flag?

    Two months after the battle in the Rigel Continent ended¡­


    Gerald and Alessia watched as their eight-year-old daughter, Remi, fought against their son, Zion, in a sparring match.


    "Remi has improved a lot," Gerald said. "She''s faster now. I''m sure that when her First Wanderinges, she''ll be more than ready to clear it."


    "I pray for that as well," Alessia replied. "Zion is making sure to train her properly."


    The two watched as Remi rained a flurry of kicks and punches toward Zion, which thetter dodged with ease.


    "That''s it," Thirteenmented. "Even if your blows don''tnd, do not get frustrated, and make sure to focus on your footwork."


    Remi replied with a shout as she tried to use a sweeping kick against her brother. Having predicted this move, Thirteen jumped back, evading her attack with ease.


    While the two were busy sparring, three people casually entered thewn of the Leventis Residence, making Gerald and Alessia smile.


    "Mother, you''vee," Gerald said as he hastily offered a chair for his mother to sit on. "You should have told us that you areing."


    "It''s fine," Lady Callista replied as she sat on the chair that was given to her. "I just felt like visiting my grandchildren, so I came without notice."


    Her gaze then wandered to Remi. As she observed the match, she noticed that her fighting style was something she hadn''t seen before.


    However, after ncing at Zion, she realized that both of them were using the same fighting style.


    Unlike Mikhail and Shasha, who specialized in using weapons, Thirteen believed that Remi was more suited to be an unarmed fighter.


    Putting this into consideration, he had taught her his two Divine Martial Skills¡ªRighteous Sentinel and Steadfast Brawler.


    Righteous Sentinel was the fighting style, while Steadfast Brawler was the footwork. Thebo of the two resulted in an incredibly deadly fighting style, centered around the concept of unpredictability.


    But since the one who bestowed this technique to Remi was Thirteen, he was able to predict her attack patterns and dodge them with ease.


    After ten more minutes, Remi distanced herself from her brother, panting for breath.


    "Good job, Remi," Thirteen said with a smile. "It seems that you will be the prodigy of your generation."


    Remi didn''t feel happy about her brother''s praise.


    Instead, she pouted, feeling like her brother was teasing her.


    At that moment, Rhia came running toward Remi and hugged her waist, asking for her to y with her.


    "Sis, y!" Rhia said.


    "Okay, let''s y," Remi replied as she crouched down to give Rhia''s chubby cheeks a kiss, making the three-year-old giggle.


    Thirteen smiled when he saw this adorable scene. He then shifted his gaze to his grandmother, whom he had already seen appear earlier.


    "Let''s greet Grandma first before the two of you y," Thirteen said as he held Remi''s and Rhia''s hands walking hand in hand with them to head to where Lady Callista was seated.


    "Grandma!" Rhia didn''t hesitate to break free from Thirteen''s hold and ran toward her Grandmother, who happily reached out to hug and kiss her.


    ''She already knows how to use her charms to get her way,'' Thirteen smirked internally.


    Just like Lady Callista, he was also weak when it came to children, so he could understand why their grandmother doted on Remi and Rhia.


    Of course, Zion was the olddy''s favorite, and she was very proud that she was his grandmother.


    "Grandma, how are you?" Thirteen asked after giving Lady Callista a kiss on the cheek.


    "I''m doing well," Lady Callista replied. "How about you? You returned two days ago from who knows where, yet you didn''t evene to visit me?"


    "Actually, I was nning to visit you after I sparred with Remi," Thirteen answered. "Fortunately, you decided toe and visit me, so I no longer have to go to the Branch Family''s residence."


    Lady Callista chuckled after hearing Thirteen''s words. This wasn''t the first time he said such a thing.


    "Don''t let Arthur hear you," Lady Callista stated. "A day ago, he said that he was itching to give you a good spanking for being unfilial. Also, Michael wants to have a word with you because he said that he has been overworked these past few days. It has something to do with the projects being done to entertain those Earth Dragons."


    Thirteen, who didn''t want to touch this subject, chuckled, and immediately changed the topic.


    "Grandma, let''s talkter," Thirteen said before giving his grandmother''s personal maid, Trisha, a side-long nce. "In private."


    If Trisha weren''t around, he wouldn''t have minded saying what he wanted to say in front of Hans and his family. After all, he already deemed them trustworthy.


    However, Trisha was assigned to serve Lady Callista so that she could report anything that happened to her to Arthur.


    The teenage boy''s grandmother wasn''t ignorant of this fact, but she simply didn''t care.


    "Okay." Lady Callista nodded. "Let''s talkter."


    Trisha could only sigh in her heart, knowing that she was being treated as a spy¡ªto be fair, she was technically one.


    In the past, she didn''t think much of Zion because the teenage boy was not even a part of the Main Family.


    But recently, every time she heard his name, it had something to do with all of his recent aplishments.


    Zion was even thetest cover photo of the Timez Magazine, and inside it was an exclusive article written about his aplishments to date.


    Truth be told, Trisha had be one of his secret fans, but she was too embarrassed to say this to him.


    This was also the reason why she felt bitter about the teenage boy still not trusting her enough.


    "The Solstice is only a month and a half away," Lady Callista said as she lovingly patted Rhia''s head, who was now seated on herp. "Have you made your preparations?"


    "Not yet," Thirteen replied. "I''ve just returned from doing a big project, so I n to rest for a few days before doing that."


    "Just remember that if you need our help likest time, don''t hesitate to call us, okay?" Lady Callista said in a serious tone.


    "I sincerely wish that it won''t reach that point, Grandma," Thirteen answered. "I''m not in the mood to fight against Archons, Majin Princes, and Princesses right now."


    Lady Callista nodded. "As you should."


    "Now, about your Leventis Corn Business¡ªit''s currently thriving, but are you sure you want me to remain as its CEO?" Lady Callista inquired.


    "Yes, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "Aside from you and Hans, I don''t trust anyone else in the Leventis Family. I''ve already given Gramps enough resources to fuel his ambition. Whatever he does with it is up to him."


    "Indeed." Lady Callista smiled. "I heard that he is also working on a Project that you have given him months ago."


    Thirteen smirked because that was indeed the case.


    Project Nemo was a downgraded version of Project Nautilus. Even so, it was still a Trump Card that the Leventis Family could use once it waspleted.


    Because of this, Arthur made sure to take a page from his no-good grandson''s footsteps bymissioning several engineers to create different parts for it.


    Once all the parts werepleted, it would be assembled at the same secret base, where Nautilus had been assembled together.


    "Oh, dear me. I almost forgot the real reason why I came here," Lady Callista chuckled. "Zion, my friends have been chatting with metely, and the majority of them are asking if you are willing to meet their daughters for a meeting.


    "Although they are not saying it explicitly, I''m sure they are sniffing around if you are engaged to someone already. If not, they will definitely try to make their beautiful daughters make an impression on you."


    "I''m just thirteen, Grandma. This is too early for me," Thirteen replied.


    His hosts didn''t have any good endings with their own rtionships. With this as one of the big reasons, he had no intention of having any romantic rtionships with anyone.


    Thirteen always had the impression that having a partner was not really a good idea.


    Besides, he was once a System. He didn''t really prioritize things like dating, and marriage.


    "Okay, there is onest thing that I need to add," Lady Callista said. "You know Rianna, right? Her mother and I are good friends, and she has been wanting to visit you since you returned from the Rigel Continent.


    "But you disappeared a few days after you arrived, and when she came to see you, you weren''t around. This time, I told my friend that you had just returned from your trip, so she informed me that her daughter was already nning to visit us."


    Lady Callista then lightly caressed the side of Thirteen''s cheek.


    "Don''t go anywhere, okay?" Lady Callista said. "My friend gifted me a very expensive perfume for this favor."


    Thirteen didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry because of what his Grandma was telling him.


    "It''s not like I''m running away from anyone," Thirteen said. "I''m just really busytely."


    "But you''ll be here when she arrives, right?"


    "Mmm. I will be."


    Lady Callista nodded. "Good. She will be arriving here tomorrow."


    It had been a while since Thirteen had seen Rianna, so he didn''t really mind seeing her again.


    Also, he thought that it was also a good idea since he would be returning to Solterra very soon.


    When Thirteen returned to Pangea, Rianna was in Solterra, doing a mission alongside his brother, Mikhail.


    Since both of them had a very high impression of Zion, the two of them got along really well and have been close friends since then.


    He even thought that his brother and Rianna were a good match since their charactersplemented each other.


    ''I just hope shees alone,'' Thirteen thought. ''Wait¡­ did I just raise a g?''


    Thirteen almost facepalmed because he should have known better to say such a thing.


    He had just been too focused on thinking about random things, so this matterpletely slipped his mind.

 Chapter 441: Should I Give You A Handicap?

    The next day¡­


    Thirteen was doing his best to keep his lips from twitching as he looked at the guests who had arrived toe and meet him.


    Rianna hadn''te alone.


    She brought with her Shana, as well as the three Valkyries¡ªVi, Sharon, and Louise.


    Frankly, that was still eptable. Thirteen didn''t mind having them around.


    But, Shana had brought some pests along with her¡ªthat was what he found uneptable.


    The entire Hero Party hade with her on her return trip to meet with Zion, which made thetter curse Fate three times over in his heart.


    "Wee to the Leventis Main Branch," Thirteen replied with a smile. "Please,e inside the house."


    Whether they thought that Thirteen was just joking, or not, for calling his home the Main Residence of the Leventis Family, they decided to set it aside for the time being as they entered his home.


    Including Shana, the Hero Party wasposed of seven people with different roles in the party.


    Hero, Sword Master, Crusader, Archer, Sorceress, Sage, and finally, the Saintess. These seven teenagers made up the elite team that the Central Government was nurturing.


    Thirteen had wanted to meet them all under the circumstances of his choosing. However, he and Fate weren''t the best of friends, so he had a feeling that the Goddess had been working in the background to make this meeting happen.


    Fortunately, the living room was spacious enough to amodate twenty people, so there was room for everyone to sitfortably.


    "Can I get your autograph?" the Sorceress of the Hero Party, Erica, asked. "I''m one of your fans. Feel free to call me, Erica."


    "Of course, you can, Erica," Thirteen replied with a smile. ''Usually, the Sorceress is always the love rival of the Saintess for the Hero''s affection. Is this girl perhaps bullying Shana? Should I give her an injection for safe measure?''


    While he was thinking about these things inside his head, he signed Erica''s diary, which she always carried with her wherever she went.


    "My sister also pestered me to get your autograph. Do you mind giving me one as well?" a youngdy with long ck hair, blue eyes, and a sharp gaze asked.


    She was none other than the Crusader of the Hero Party, and she went by the name, Diana.


    "I''ll feel left out if I also don''t ask for a signature, so I want one too!" the archer of the party, who had shoulder-length blonde hair, stared at Thirteen mischievously as if she found someone to y a prank on.


    Her name was Mildred, and she was the Archer of the Hero Party.


    Aside from the threedies, the Sword Master, Derek, also asked for his signature.


    Only the two other handsome young men at the party didn''t ask for his autograph.


    They were none other than the Hero, Rnd, and the Sage, Joshua.


    Both guys were looking at Thirteen with appraising gazes as if trying to understand his character through his interaction with their party mates.


    Frankly, it wasn''t their idea to visit Zion.


    But since Shana was dragged by her sister, Rianna, to apany her to visit the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, he thought that this was also a good opportunity to meet the Legendary Rookie personally.


    ''What do you think of him?'' Joshua asked through telepathy.


    ''It''s just as the rumors say,'' Rnd answered. ''He''s indeed just a Rookie.''


    Since both of them had very sensitive sensing abilities, they could immediately tell that the boy''s Rank was a Rookie, matching the information avable to the public.


    While the two were paying close attention to the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, Thirteen waspletely disregarding their existence.


    If not for the fact that everyone was gathered together, he would have already spat on the two and kicked them out of his house.


    After he finished signing the autographs, Rianna gave her oldrade a look from head to foot.


    "You''ve grown a lot since we''ve seen each other," Rianna said with a smile.


    "When we first met, I was only seven years old. Of course, I''ve grown up a lot since then," Thirteen replied. "If not, then that means something is seriously wrong with me."


    "Right." Rianna nodded. "You''ve grown more handsome since I saw you."


    "And you''ve grown more beautiful," Thirteen replied. "My brother talks about you a lot."


    "Does he?" Rianna asked, her smile widening a bit. "Your brother is a young man of few words, so it''s a great honor if he talks about me."


    Thirteen wanted to say that his brother only acted the way he did because of the training that he had asked him to do when Mikhail was younger.


    Since he didn''t wantdies to take advantage of his brother''s kindness, he trained him to be a man of a few words and to act cold in front of people. That way, they wouldn''t pester him so much.


    Unfortunately, Mikhail was a very handsome teenager. So, despite his cold and brooding persona, many youngdies still found him irresistible. In essence, Thirteen''s npletely backfired.


    The same could be said for Shasha.


    Since she was also extremely beautiful, she had countless admirers, including a certain Tigerkin named Taiga and a certain young man from the Stard Family who went by the name Kane.


    "By the way, Zion. How about we spar for a bit?" Rianna asked. "I wasn''t able to beat you during the time when we were together. I want a rematch."


    "Sure," Thirteen replied. "Should I give you a handicap?"


    The people in the living room found the teenage boy''s words quite funny.


    A Rookie nned to give a Master a handicap?


    If this was heard by anyone, they would justugh it off. But to their surprise, Rianna nodded her head as if it was only a natural thing to do so.


    "No," Rianna answered. "Fight me for real this time, and don''t hold back."


    "Okay, let''s go," Thirteen said, motioning Rianna to follow him to the underground training room in the basement of their house.


    Rnd and Joshua exchanged nces before nodding their heads at the same time.


    There was no way that they would allow such a chance to slip by, so they decided to tag along.


    Of course, since everyone thought that it was going to be an interesting sparring match, they decided toe along as well.


    They didn''t expect much from this duel, but they wanted to see how Thirteen would struggle against his opponent.


    Alessia, Remi, and Rhia also followed behind them.


    Unlike their guests who thought that the one who would be losing would be Zion, the members of his family believed that a surprise was waiting for everyone in a few minutes.


    But they were not the only ones who had these thoughts.


    The three Valkyries, Vi, Sharon, and Louise also believed in the prowess of their Supreme Commander.


    After all, the four of them went to face off against Evuvug together.


    Compared to the Brain Beetle, Rianna was way cuter than the bug. But they weren''t holding their breath for her to win against the teenage boy who had changed their lives in more ways than one.

 Chapter 442: You Still Have A Long Way To Go

    Remi carefully helped her brother bandage his knuckles for his sparring match with Rianna.


    The teenage boy decided to wear boxing gloves in his fight against her as a way to protect his hands from their duel.


    Rianna had recently stepped into the Master Rank and was considered a very talented individual, having broken through in ranks faster than most Wanderers.


    She and Thirteen''s brother, Mikhail, had the same rank, and if their next mission in Solterra ended sessfully, they would be a step away from bing Grandmasters.


    The Hero of the Hero Party, Rnd, was also an Initiate despite being only seventeen.


    It was due to him being a step above the rest that he was considered one of the top prodigies of the current generation.


    Seeing that her sparring partner was nning to use a glove, Rianna also decided to wear one.


    After parting ways with Thirteen in Solterra, Rianna had focused her effort on learning how to be a good archer.


    However, she also learned how to fight in closebat using short swords. She was now more like a Ranger, who could fight using both ranged and melee weapons.


    Since she was also part of the Army, she learned basic hand-to-handbat from her parents.


    Even Shana was taught a bit about this. As a Healer, she also needed some ways to protect herself if her opponent managed to get close to her.


    "You can use wooden daggers over there, Rianna," Thirteen said. "Don''t worry. It will be fine."


    "Maybe next time," Rianna replied. "My hand-to-handbat is getting rusty, so this is fine too."


    The one who was helping Rianna apply the bandage on her hands was none other than Shana.


    After Thirteen and Rianna were done wearing their gloves, they headed to the center of the training room, leaving the rest to watch from the sides.


    "It''s a shame, but I also want to spar with him," Rndmented. "Unfortunately, it will be too unfair since I am stronger."


    "Same," Derek smiled faintly. "Still, who do you think will win?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? Rianna will naturally win," Rnd answered.


    "I feel the same way," Derek replied. "But I''m a sucker for underdogs, so I''m rooting for Zion to win. How about you, Shana? Who do you want to win?"


    "I don''t care who wins," Shana replied. "I just don''t want to see any of them get hurt in this sparring match."


    "Oh? Does that mean you don''t want to see Zion get hurt?" Erica hugged Shana from behind. "Admit it. You like him, don''t you?"


    "Cut it out, Erica," Joshua, who didn''t like where the topic was going, stated. "You know Shana is still innocent when ites to these things."


    "Well, she might be," Erica said in a mischievous tone. "But some of them are not, right?"


    The girls in the Hero Party, with the exception of Shana, knew that Rnd and Joshua had a crush on their Saintess.


    Derek knew this as well. But for him, Shana was only a close friend, so he didn''t feel any jealousy when other guys were being linked to the Saintess.


    "Just watch the spar," Rnd stated in order to shift the attention back to the twobatants. "They are about to start."


    Thirteen and Rianna both took a fighting stance and stared at each other for a few seconds.


    Contrary to what everyone was expecting, it was Thirteen who took the initiative to close the distance, making Rianna smirk.


    Without much effort, the youngdy also closed the distance and was the first one to strike.


    The resounding sound of a glove hitting something echoed inside the training room.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock when Thirteen easily dodged Rianna''s blow and gave her a punch on the side of her ribcage, targeting her liver.


    Thirteen didn''t use his full strength when he dealt the blow, but it was enough to make Rianna feel a slight pain at the side of her body.


    "That''s the only warning shot you will get, Rianna," Thirteen said as he started to move around the training room, using his Steadfast Brawler movement technique. "Next time, I will hit you for real. I know that you n to hold back, but I assure you, there''s no need for it."


    "Fine," Rianna stopped smiling as her expression became serious. "I''ll fight you for real. Don''t worry. Shana is here to heal you if I identally break your bones. But you might not be able to do anything physically exhausting for a week."


    Thirteen didn''t reply and only made the gesture of e to daddy" with his gloves.


    This time, it was Rianna who took the initiative to charge at Thirteen, wanting to wipe the smirk off his face.


    She unleashed abination of punches and kicks. But every time, Thirteen was able to dodge them with ease, making the members of the Hero Party watch the spar more seriously.


    "How can he dodge her attacks when she''s stronger than him?" Joshua asked as he fixed the sses on his face. "That shouldn''t be possible, right? He''s only a Rookie."


    "He''s predicting her moves," Derek replied solemnly. "I don''t remember him having that kind of ability in his status page."


    "He doesn''t have any abilities like that," Ericamented. "The only ability he has is Universal Language Proficiency, and he also has that Domini Mortis as a Beast Companion."


    Currently, Tiona had taken the form of a snake armlet on her Master''s right arm, acting as a defensive essory if need be.


    Since she was as hard and tough as adamantine in this form, she served as a shield to protect her Master from serious injuries.


    Seeing that Rianna was getting frustrated because her blows weren''tnding on him, Thirteen saw an opening and didn''t hesitate to do abination attack, unleashing a quick jab and a strong hook that targeted the side of Rianna''s body.


    This time, he didn''t hold back and punched as strongly as he could, breaking his opponent''s momentum and making her stagger.


    In order to prevent herself from getting pushed back, Rianna firmly nted her feet on the ground in preparation for a counterattack. But, that was a mistake.


    Thirteen''sbination attack wasn''t over.


    He had expected that Rianna would try to regain her bnce right away, so he crouched down and did a leg sweep, knocking her off of her feet and making her fall on her back.


    Everything happened so fast that by the time Rianna understood what had happened, she was already lying on her back and staring at the smug smile on Thirteen''s face.


    "You still have a long way to go, Rianna," Thirteen said. "You won''t be beating me anytime soon. Of course, if you used short swords or daggers, things might have ended differently.


    "It''s your fault because you underestimated your opponent too much. Make sure not to make the same mistake in Solterra, okay?"


    Rianna blinked once then twice before a sigh escaped her lips.


    "Knowing you, it wasn''t a fluke," Rianna replied. "Very well. I will train more so that I can beat you."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded before doing a fist bump with his opponent.


    Seeing that gesture, everyone in the training room pped their hands, recognizing his good show of sportsmanship.


    "If it''s fine with you, can I ask you to spar with me too?"


    The sudden question made Thirteen nce at Rnd, who was looking at him with a determined expression on his face.


    "Why not?" Thirteen replied. "You can pick any weapon on that rack over there."


    Rnd nodded and didn''t hesitate to pick up a wooden sword, giving it a few practice swings.


    Rianna frowned, wanting to tell Zion that sparring with Rnd wasn''t a good idea.


    She knew that the Hero had a crush on her sister. Normally, she didn''t mind that one bit.


    However, she could tell that the main reason why Rnd wished to spar against Zion was because her sister and the teenage boy had be closer as ofte.


    Jealousy could drive people crazy at times, and although it didn''t look like Rnd had gone crazy from it, his gaze was enough to tell Rianna that he wanted to beat Zion in front of Shana.


    "I think¡­"


    "It''s fine, Rianna. I''d also like to spar with the Hero."


    Since Shana was Rianna''s sister, the teenage boy knew that the Hero and the Saintess usually had a high chance of ending up together because that was what Fate had written.


    But Thirteen also understood that not all Heroes were the same.


    Taiga was a Hero, and for the most part, he was a decent one.


    But there were also Heroes who acted more like viins instead of heroes.


    He wanted to make sure that Shana wouldn''t end up with a viin, so he nned to test the waters and see if the Hero in front of him was the real deal or not.

 Chapter 443: System Of Cannon Fodders Versus Hero [Part 1]

    "Do you mind if I wear these wooden braces?" Thirteen asked as he pointed at the braces on the armor rack with his gloves.


    "I don''t mind," Rnd replied. "Feel free to use anything you think you would need when fighting against me."


    Thirteen smirked before asking Remi to help put the braces on his wrists since he was still wearing gloves in his hands.


    "Be careful brother," Remi said.


    "I will," Thirteen replied. "Watch closely, okay? What you''re going to see will help you in the future."


    Remi nodded and returned to where the other spectators were.


    Thirteen walked back to the center of the training room and faced the Hero, who seemed to be waiting patiently for their fight to start.


    "Are you sure we should not stop this?" Derek asked, feeling concerned about Thirteen''s safety.


    While he might have been surprised that Thirteen had won against Rianna earlier, he believed that the teenage boy was only able to win because Rianna was subconsciously holding back her strength.


    "What''s the harm?" Joshua replied as he fixed his sses. "He won against Rianna, so I''m sure that he will be fine."


    Joshua didn''t want to admit it, but he wanted Rnd to beat Zion in front of Shana. Of course, he didn''t really hate the teenage boy.


    He just felt like if Rnd managed to give the other party a good lesson, thetter would distance himself from the Saintess of their party.


    Erica, Mildred, and Diana were also on the same page as Derek.


    They already knew what Rnd was nning to do, and frankly, they didn''t like it.


    Erica then moved closer to Diana and whispered in her ear.


    "If things suddenly escte in the wrong direction, prepare to stop their fight using any means necessary," Erica said.


    "I understand," Diana replied.


    As the Crusader of the Hero''s Party, she served as their shield, protecting them from the front lines.


    Erica believed that Diana had the ability to prevent Zion from seriously getting hurt once Rnd decided to get serious.


    "Before you start your duel, let''s make a few rules first," Rianna, who also didn''t want to see this duel head in the wrong direction, decided to mediate. "The spar will end when one side surrenders or is unable to fight anymore.


    "Also, using skills and equipment are not allowed. Do you agree with this condition, Rnd?"


    "I agree," Rnd replied.


    "How about you, Zion?" Rianna asked.


    "Well, I don''t really have any skills that I can use or equipment that I can summon. But just in case, Tiona, go to Remi for the time being."


    Tiona returned to her normal form after hearing her Master''s order.


    She gave Thirteen''s cheek a nudge with her head before crawling down from his body and moving toward Remi.


    Thirteen''s sister reached out to let her brother''s Beast Companion crawl up her arm.


    Although she was reluctant to part with her Master, she had unwavering faith in him and believed that he wouldn''t lose to the Hero of Shana''s party.


    Rianna nced at the two teenagers and sighed in her heart.


    "You may now begin," Rianna said.


    "Make sure to fight using your full power," Rnd stated. "Because I will not hold back like Rianna."


    "Okay," Thirteen replied in a teasing tone, making Rnd frown.


    ''Is this kid not taking me seriously?'' Rnd thought. ''I guess I''ll give him a warning blow first like what he did to Rianna.''


    Rnd took a fighting stance, which made Derek and his party''s faces turn solemn.


    Even Shana subconsciously clenched her fists, recognizing that this was the stance Rnd would take whenever he nned to use an extremely fast sword thrust.


    This wasn''t a skill he learned from Solterra, but something that had been ingrained to him since a young age.


    Simr to the children of the Monarchs, and the Prestigious Families, Rnd was trained from a young age to be a warrior of his family.


    His n might not be as influential as the Ten Prestigious Families, but many believed that if one of those families fell from grace, Rnd''s family would take their ce.


    Without warning, Rnd unleashed his sword thrust, aiming at Thirteen''s dominant right arm.


    The power of this blow was enough to break Thirteen''s bone, but since Shana was there, healing it wouldn''t be a problem.


    At most, the teenage boy would need to rest for a week to fully recover, which Rnd believed was enough time to make him understand that Shana was off-limits for him.


    The loud sound of flesh being hit reverberated in the training room, making Derek stand up and Joshua stiffen at the scene that unfolded in front of them.


    At the veryst second, Thirteen sidestepped and unleashed a backhand blow to the side of Rnd''s face, hitting his jaw.


    The teenage boy didn''t stop at that and unleashed a flurry of blows, all aimed at Rnd''s face, not holding back his strength in the slightest.


    (A/N: Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!)


    Thirteen''s first hooknded on Rnd''s jaw, further rattling his brain after he was hit by the boy''s backhand blow.


    The next punch was straight to the Hero''s nose.


    At the point of impact, a faint cracking sound reached Thirteen''s ears, but he didn''t stop there.


    Left jab.


    Right uppercut.


    Left hook.


    Andst but not the least, another straight punch hit Rnd''s nose for a second time.


    Everyone thought that Zion was just a Rookie, and they were right.


    However, he wasn''t an ordinary Rookie.


    He was a Rookie who had absorbed the Core of a Majin Prince, giving him a portion of the Majin Prince''s strength.


    The reason why Rianna lost to him wasn''t due to their difference in ranks.


    It was because Thirteen was a Rookie who had the strength of a Master!


    Simply put, he was stronger than Rnd, whom everyone thought would one-sidedly beat up the teenage boy in a matter of seconds.


    But the scene that they had imagined and the scene happening in front of them were theplete opposite of each other.


    Thirteen''sst punch was strong enough to send the Hero flying backward for a few meters before crashing down on the ground.


    "Holy sh*t¡­" Derek wasn''t able to stop himself from cursing as he looked at the sorry figure of his fallenrade on the ground. "What the f*ck happened back there?"


    Joshua was just as shaken as Derek because he didn''t expect that such an oue would happen.


    He had already considered that Zion might be able tond a good hit at Rnd, but that was it.


    After fighting alongside his friend for years, he knew how strong he was even without using his skills and equipment.


    The girls of the Hero party were also surprised. Just like Joshua, none of them had foreseen this oue.


    "See? I told you that Zion is better than the Hero," Vi whispered in Shana''s ear, breaking her out of her daze.


    Sharon and Louise also had the "I knew this would happen" look on their faces. Someone who would dare face off against Evuvug despite being a Rookie couldn''t be a simple person.


    Only they knew how capable Thirteen was, especially after the boy used them for his experiments.


    Rhia, on the other hand, was shouting "Yay! Yay! Yay!" while waving both of her hands.


    Remi also couldn''t help but smile. In her point of view, her brother was the strongest.


    Alessia had a proud look on her face because her son easily defeated the Hero as if he was just casually beating up a random street thug.


    "I think I heard you saying that you want to spar with me earlier," Thirteen said with a smile as he looked at Derek, who was looking at him as if he had seen a ghost.


    "I did say that earlier, but I am still suffering from jetg," Derek replied. "Even now, I am feeling light-headed and dizzy."


    Erica and Mildred looked at their Sword Master in disdain because Wanderers didn''t suffer from jetg.


    "Congrattions," Rianna said. "It seems that you were still holding back during our duel."


    Thirteen didn''t reply and only smiled faintly.


    "Since the spar is over, Shana, go heal Rnd," Rianna ordered.


    "Okay," Shana replied.


    She was just feeling relieved that the spar was already over, but Thirteen reached out his hand to block her path.


    "Zion?"


    "It''s not yet over, Shana. Go back to the side."


    "Huh? What do you mean? Rnd is already down for the cou¡ª"


    But before she could finish what she was going to say next, a gust of wind erupted from Rnd''s body, pushing everyone back.


    "See?" Thirteen said as if he was already expecting that something like this was going to happen.


    The System of Cannon Fodders had fought heroes alongside his Hosts plenty enough to know that they had a special power.


    He called this power the Power of Bullsh*t, which meant that whenever Heroes are fighting a battle that they couldn''t afford to lose, they get a power-up that would allow them to ovee almost any obstacles.


    Rnd slowly propped himself up from the ground, his eyes glowing golden as his Unyielding Ability activated.


    "You got me in the first half," Rnd said as he wiped the blood that wasing out of his nose with the back of his hand. "Time for Round Two."


    Thirteen smirked before walking back to the center of the training room.


    When his gaze met with Rnd, the teenage boy took a fighting stance, and once again made the e over here" gesture.


    "Come, son," Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "I''ll teach you how to Dougie."


    Rnd roared as he shot toward Thirteen like a cannonball, having every intention to wipe the humiliation that he had experienced just now.

 Chapter 444: System Of Cannon Fodders Versus Hero [Part 2]

    Rnd had to admit that he still underestimated Zion even after thetter had won his match against Rianna.


    His way of thinking was simple.


    Whenever Rnd and Rianna sparred, the one who always won was him. With this in his subconscious, he didn''t think much of the thirteen-year-old''s victory over Shana''s sister.


    He had targeted the teenage boy''s right arm earlier as a show of mercy, but that seemed to have been a mistake.


    So now, he intended to redeem himself by going all out.


    The overwhelming surge of strength that he was feeling right now wasn''t new to him.


    There had been cases when this ability of his was passively triggered, and it was typically whenever he faced off against strong monsters.


    Rnd didn''t have any control over it because it came and went whenever the situation called for it.


    Frankly, he wished that he could use it at will, but since he couldn''t, he used it to the fullest whenever it activated.


    Seeing the confident smirk of the teenage boy who was at least four years younger than him made him seethe in anger.


    As if wanting to taunt him more, his opponent gestured with his gloves and said the words that made him feel as if a string had snapped inside of his head.


    "Come, son," Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "I''ll teach you how to Dougie."


    With a roar filled with anger, Rnd charged forward with only one goal, and one goal only.


    Teach the brat in front of him a lesson and make him understand that there were people whom he shouldn''t anger no matter what.


    The spectators watching the battle also understood that Rnd was now finally serious, making Diana, the Crusader of the Hero Party, as well as Derek, ready themselves to intervene.


    They would stop the match just in case Rnd truly lost control of himself and could potentially give Zion irredeemable injuries.


    Ten minutester¡­


    Thirteen sighed before looking up at the ceiling of the training room.


    ''Damn, that felt good,'' Thirteen thought as he basked in the afterglow of his victory.


    Rnd was lying down a few meters away from him with a bruised and battered face, making the thirteen-year-old feel a great sense of happiness in his heart.


    There was a strong itch deep inside the very core that he had kept for the past thousands of years.


    Beat the crap out of any Heroes who stood in his Host''s and his way.


    And now, a part of that goal had been achieved, proven by the sight of the unconscious young man a few meters away from him, who had received a one-sided beating from him.


    "Shana, go and heal him," Thirteen said, making everyone in the training room regain theirposure.


    "O-Okay," Shana replied before walking toward her unconsciousrade, who was still handsome despite the injuries that he received from Thirteen.


    While Shana was healing Rnd, another young man appeared in front of Thirteen and held his hand.


    "Can I call you Master?" Derek said with a determined look on his face. "Please, teach me the way."


    "You want to know Da Wae?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "Yes, I want to know, The Way," Derek nodded his head firmly, while still holding the teenage boy''s gloved hand.


    "Sure," Thirteen replied. "I''ll train you a bit. I have time until the Winter Solstice."


    "Thank you, Master!" Derek said happily.


    Diana looked at the Swordsman of their party with a conflicted gaze. However, she also felt that learning a thing or two from the person who defeated Rnd wouldn''t be such a bad idea.


    The result of the battle earlier was truly unexpected.


    Despite the power up that Rnd possessed, Thirteen was still able to read his moves like a book, and counterattacked perfectly.


    Rnd was strong. Even Thirteen had to admit that. However, he was still young and inexperienced.


    A fledgling Hero was nothing in the eyes of the System of Cannon Fodders.


    He had personally trained Taiga when he was in Solterra, and despite the Tigerkin being stronger than him, he still managed to rise above him in battle.


    This was also the reason why Taiga no longer challenged his authority¡ªBeastkins were a race who recognized and followed the strong.


    Only those whom they believed were stronger than them were worthy of their allegiance.


    Also, Thirteen might be a Rookie, but his strength was that of a Master.


    With Rnd being an Initiate, a Rank lower than his strength''s equivalent rank, the result was within his calctions.


    However, he could only beat Rnd now.


    Once the hero stepped into the Master or Grandmaster Rank, even Thirteen would have a very hard time against him, for that was the point when Heroes underwent their awakening.


    Because of this, he decided to "teach" Rnd a lesson now and put a seed in his heart. Even if the hero managed to beat Thirteen in the future, he would subconsciously think that it was only because he had increased his rank.


    A Master fighting against a Rookie was something people looked down upon.


    Rnd would never get the satisfaction of winning against Thirteen after he became Master.


    Although it was a bit underhanded on his part, Thirteen had nted a heart demon on the Hero''s heart.


    A heart demon that he wouldn''t be able to erase so easily unless he could win a battle against Thirteen with fair conditions.


    As Derek shook Thirteen''s hand, Remi noticed the faint difort in her brother''s bodynguage.


    As someone who had been paying close attention to her brother, she was able to catch some of these things, so she hurriedly walked toward him.


    She then gently took off his gloves from his right hand and confirmed her suspicion.


    "Brother¡­" Remi said as she looked at the bloody bandage that protected her brother''s hand.


    "It''s fine, Remi," Thirteen replied. "Shana is here, so she can heal it after she''s done healing her friend."


    Derek and Diana, who also saw the bloodied bandage, realized that at the end of the day, Zion was still truly a Rookie.


    He had to fight tooth and nail in order to win against Rnd.


    His hands getting injured was the consequence of facing off against the Hero, who was several ranks above his own.


    "Don''t remove the bandage for now," Diana said as she held the teenage boy''s right hand. "Although my healing ability isn''t as strong as Shana''s, I can still give you first aid."


    Thirteen nodded. "Thank you."


    A faint green glow wrapped around Diana''s hand as she used her healing magic to heal the boy''s injury.


    Remi, on the other hand, gently pried off the glove from her brother''s other hand.


    Just like she expected, the bondage was also bloody, which made her feel a pain in her chest.


    For some reason, seeing her kind, dependable, and loving brother getting hurt made her feel hurt as well.


    Suddenly, she and Thirteen heard a familiar shout behind them.


    "Ei!"


    "Ei!"


    "Ei!"


    Rhia, who had decided to take revenge for her brother, was kicking Rnd''s leg.


    But after kicking the unconscious hero three times, she held her foot and cried.


    "Wuwuwu!" Rhia cried. "Hurt! Foot hurts! He hurt foot!"


    Uncle Boo and Albion red at the fallen Hero who had hurt their precious Rhia.


    The two didn''t even need to talk to each other and prepared to beat the crap out of the unconscious hero.


    They were monsters who didn''t mind kicking people when they were down, especially the unconscious Hero who made their little Rhia cry.

 Chapter 445: There Is Always A Heaven Above The Heavens

    Thirteen didn''t know whether he shouldugh or cry. His little sister decided to take revenge for him, and after she got hurt on her own, her two loyal beastpanions decided to take revenge for her.


    Naturally, he couldn''t allow such a thing to happen, so he decided to do some damage control before things escted further.


    "Okay, you two, settle down." Thirteen immediately stood between the two monsters and the Hero. "Come here, Rhia."


    "Wuwuwu!" Rhia reached out her hands so that her brother could carry her. "Bwadah!"


    "There, there," Thirteen said as he carried his sister and lightly rocked her from side to side, making Rhia calm down. "Brother is not hurt. I''m fine."


    After Thirteen''s assurance and kiss on her cheeks, Rhia finally calmed down and just wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing her brother to hold her better.


    When Shana finally finished healing Rnd''s injuries, the bruises had already disappeared.


    But he was still unconscious because of the emotional damage that he received earlier.


    "Let me check your injuries," Shana said to the teenage boy who was carrying his little sister.


    Thirteen nodded and reluctantly passed his little sister to Remi.


    Perhaps knowing that the kind sister was going to help her brother, Rhia didn''t protest and snuggled into Remi''s embrace.


    After Shana removed Thirteen''s bandages, she sighed in relief. Fortunately, Diana''s first aid had healed most of the injuries.


    But just to be on the safe side, she still used her healing power to make sure that there would be no other injuries that she was simply unable to detect.


    "Zion, take care of our guests," Alessia said after seeing that her son was truly fine. "I''ll cook lunch for everyone."


    "Please let us help you, Mrs. Leventis," Vi said. "The three of us know how to cook, so we will definitely be helpful to you."


    "Great," Alessia replied. "Is there anyone here with an allergy?"


    "None of us have an allergy, Mrs. Leventis," Erica replied.


    Alessia nodded. "Understood."


    She then left the training room with Vi, Sharon, and Louise following behind her.


    This was the first time that they had had so many guests in their house, so she decided to cook a feast for everyone to enjoy.


    When Shana was finally certain that Zion''s injuries were fully healed, she finally let go of his hand.


    But as soon as she did that, Rianna grabbed the boy''s hand and looked at him with a solemn gaze.


    "Hey, teach me too," Rianna stated. "It''s not fair that it''s only Derek that you n to teach. I met you first, so you should train me too."


    "What kind of logic is that?" Thirteen blinked innocently. "But sure, I don''t mind. Let''s trainter this afternoon."


    "Can I join?" Diana asked. "I also wish to learn a thing or two from you."


    "Why not?" Thirteen replied. "Feel free to join."


    His gaze then shifted to Rnd, who was now starting to stir from the ground.


    The young man stood up, then nced at Thirteen before walking away without looking back.


    No one stopped him because they knew that he wanted to be alone right now.


    When Rnd could no longer be seen, Joshua approached Thirteen with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Zion, do you want to join the Hero Party?" Joshua asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied.


    "Great. I''m sure that with you being part of our team, we will be able to do many thi¡ª" Joshua wasn''t able to finish the rest of what he was going to say because it finally registered to him that the teenage boy had rejected his offer.


    "May I know why?" Joshua asked. "If it''s about Rnd, I''m sure that we can talk things out."


    "It''s not about him," Thirteen replied. "I''m just a very busy person. I''m sorry, but I can''t join the Hero Party. However, I am rooting for you guys. I''m sure that someday, all of you will be outstanding individuals who will protect this world from the threats that will befall it."


    Thirteen''s words were sincere and didn''t contain a hint of sarcasm.


    As much as he hated Heroes, he also understood that they had a role to y in the bigger picture.


    However, if he ever came across a Hero who acted like a Viin, Thirteen would do everything in his power to eliminate them.


    It was better to get rid of them early before they could do greater harm in the future.


    As for Rnd, Thirteen didn''t think that he would grow up to be viinous.


    His senses were very keen since he had been fighting against Heroes for the past thousands of years.


    Because of this, he knew that Rnd was truly one of those good guys¡ªsomeone he could work together with, just like Taiga.


    ''As to whether he will be able to make Shana his lover in the future, that will depend on his abilities,'' Thirteen thought as he nced at Erica and Mildred, whom he was certain had feelings for Rnd as well.


    Since none of that was his business, he decided to let them settle things themselves.


    He still didn''t understand what romantic love was. Love was a new concept to him, to begin with, and he had just recently understood what familial love was.


    Also, after seeing the past rtionships of his Hosts, he had no intention of getting involved with anyone. Based on what he had observed, it would only drag him down.


    ***


    After leaving the Training Room, Rnd left the house and went to the Leventis Family''s backyard.


    He raised his hands on his face and gave it a light rub. This was his way of regaining hisposure, especially after what just happened to him.


    ''Is he really just a Rookie?'' Rnd thought. ''Although I didn''t use any skills, I should be stronger than him physically. So why was he able to overpower me? How was he able to predict my moves?''


    He realized it earlier when his attacks failed tond on the boy''s body. It was as if he was like an open book that his opponent was able to read.


    Rnd even tried to change his tactics and footwork just to confuse his opponent, but it still didn''t work in the end.


    Although Zion wasn''t able to avoid all of his attacks, he effectively used the wooden bracers to deflect his blows, mitigating their power.


    That was the first time that Rnd saw such a fighting technique.


    In the teenage boy''s hands, those wooden bracers seemed like imprable shields that he couldn''t break.


    Every time Thirteen deflected Rnd''s attack, he wouldunch a swift and equally powerful counterattack.


    Rnd even baited him a few times, allowing his opponent to deflect his blows because he had a counterattack prepared.


    But Zion never bit his feints.


    For the first time since his skills had been recognized as superior to the rest of his peers, the young man who had been given the title of the "Hero" felt very frustrated.


    "There''s always someone stronger, so go out in the world and find them. Perhaps, after that fateful encounter, you will grow up as a person and be a better version of yourself."


    Those were the words that Rnd was told before he left their home to join the Central Government.


    He was the fourth son of their family, and he left so that he could create something for himself.


    And he seeded.


    He achieved what his brothers and sisters couldn''t.


    And now, they all looked up to him as a Hero.


    "I''ve be too conceited," Rnd muttered as he looked up at the clear blue sky above his head. "There is always a Heaven above the Heavens."


    Raising his right hand, he slowly closed it to a fist as if making a promise.


    ''I''ll be stronger,'' Rnd vowed. ''I. Will. Be. Stronger!''


    While the young man was making an oath under the clear blue sky, Thirteen observed him from the window with a smile.


    ''Be strong, Rnd,'' Thirteen thought. ''That way, you can be a good chess piece in the future.''


    Now that Thirteen and the Hero Party''s paths had finally crossed, he would make sure to leave a good impression on them.


    He would keep in touch and get along with them to the best of his abilities.


    After all, if he truly wished to fight against Fate, he would also need Heroes by his side. Only Heroes could fight against Heroes.


    His Father, the System God, hinted that the Goddess of Fate was preparing his Fated Hero.


    But Thirteen didn''t give a damn.


    He even fought a God for the sake of his Hosts, so why would he be afraid of fighting against mortals?


    What Thirteen didn''t know was that even his Father, Deus Ex Machina, was unsure if the Hero who was meant to fight the ck sheep of his family could manage to beat him.


    But since he had no control over the matter, he decided to just watch and see what Fate had in store for him.

 Chapter 446: Have You Used A GANDAM Before?

    "It has been a while since our house was this lively," Gerald said as he raised his cup of soda. "But I''m d that you guys are here. Eat up, and enjoy your stay."


    "Cheers!"


    """Cheers!"""


    Vi, Sharon, and Louise assisted Thirteen''s mother, Alessia, in the kitchen, allowing them to prepare many dishes without much problems.


    Just like what her husband had said, it had been a while since they had these many guests inside their house.


    Fortunately, their house was quite spacious, thanks to renovation. They even had six guest rooms avable just in case people visited them.


    Since a room could fit three people, there was more than enough if everyone shared the rooms.


    Thirteen had already talked to his mother about it and told her that he didn''t mind if Shana and Rianna used his room instead.


    He could just build a tent in their backyard, which was something he usually did.


    Remi and Rhia enjoyed camping with him, and since they were inside their property, they were rtively safe from outside influences.


    Everyone ate, and even Rnd seemed to have calmed down after his spar with Thirteen.


    When lunch ended, Thirteen took out his camping gear and started setting up a tent in their backyard with Remi''s help.


    "You n to camp out here?" Vi asked with amusement.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "It has been a few months since Ist camped with my sisters, and they really liked doing it."


    "Then, can we join too?" Sharon asked. "Do you have more tents avable?"


    Thirteen nodded. "We do."


    "It''s been a while since I went camping as well," Derekmented. "Sounds like fun. I''ll join too."


    Soon, four people apanied Thirteen to get three more tents in the storage house near his Father''s smithy.


    "Bruno, can you help us carry these things?" Thirteen, who saw the Ogre taking a nap outside of the Smithy, decided to ask for his help in carrying the tents and other camping gear to the backyard.


    Bruno had now be Gerald''s Familiar and had learned the ways to be an intermediate Monster Smith.


    The Ogre nodded and helped take out the tents inside the storage, which Thirteen''s family used whenever they went camping.


    Mikhail and Shasha had tents of their own, while Gerald and Alessia shared a tent.


    A flurry of activity started in the backyard as Thirteen and the Valkyries set up their tents, lining them up side by side.


    Derek, who was nning to use Mikhail''s tent as his own, was also setting it up by himself.


    As one of the members of the Hero Party, there were also times when they had to camp, and he was usually the one assigned to make it.


    In the span of half an hour, four tents were lined up together near the fire pit which they nned to light up.


    "You guys are making us look bad," Riannamented with her arms crossed over her chest. "We are going to sleep in the guest rooms, while all of you are going to have an impromptu camping event. I say, this is unfair treatment."


    Shana, who was standing beside her sister, wasn''t someone who liked to sleep in a tent. But for some reason, she found this setup quite appealing at the moment.


    "You want to set up a tent as well?" Thirteen asked with a frown.


    "You bet I do," Rianna replied. "Camping is one of the things that all Wanderers must get used to."


    "Well, you''re not wrong. But why would you want to camp with us when you can just rest in the guest room?" Thirteen blinked.


    "What else?" Rianna replied. "To create beautiful memories, of course."


    "There''s nothing beautiful about camping and looking up at the sky, seeing shooting stars fall," Thirteen replied, which made Rianna lightly bump his head with her fist.


    "Don''t say such ominous things," Rianna said in annoyance. "You''re ruining the mood."


    Thirteen lightly massaged the ce that Rianna had hit before heaving a sigh.


    Back on Earth, stargazing was a popr hobby. But in Pangea, no one thought of it as beautiful.


    The skies above their heads were different. Shooting stars weremon, but they only showed up whenever a Wanderer died.


    Something that was once considered beautiful was now an omen of death, and not many people would like to see such a thing.


    In fact, during the night of the Solstice, on the longest night of the year, many people didn''t want to look up in the night sky because they would see countless shooting stars falling from the heavens.


    "You''re right," Thirteen replied. "I was being insensitive."


    The teenage boy then tapped themunicator on his wrist.


    "Yes, Young Master. Is there something I can help you with?" Hans said as soon as he epted Thirteens'' call.


    "We have some guests here in our residence, and they decided to go camping with us," Thirteen answered. "Do you have spare tents? I will need one¡­ no, make it four tents. Also, can you steal some of Gramps'' high-quality meat? A few kilos will be nice."


    "Understood, Young Master," Hans stated. "I''ll be there as soon as I can."


    "Thank you, Hans," Thirteen said. "See youter."


    After ending the call, the teenage boy shifted his attention to Rianna, who seemed to be satisfied with his arrangement.


    Now, all they needed to do was wait for the tent to arrive.


    Of course, their activity was not missed by the Hero Party, who had also arrived at the campsite with genuine interest.


    Rnd and Joshua seemed to have gone to the Smithy to talk to Gerald and check out the armaments he had on disy.


    Since the Hero and the Sage were away, Derek was more lively than usual.


    "Master, are you really going to train me tomorrow?" Derek asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Since I don''t know your level of proficiency, we will be doing some standard tests. Have you used a GANDAM before?"


    After hearing the word GANDAM, the smile on Derek''s face widened before patting his chest with confidence.


    "Of course, I have, Master," Derek answered. "In fact, I am one of the Top Rankers in the Heaven Rankings."


    "What rank are you?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "Well, I am Ranked Eighth in the Heaven Rankings below the age of twenty," Derek replied. "My GANDAM name is Sword Meister 41."


    "Ah, so you are indeed one of the Top Rankers." Thirteen nodded. "Not bad."


    GANDAM, or better known as General Augmented Nexus for Defense and Assault Mobility, was developed by apany that went by the name Noiz.


    It was an upstartpany that was only established three years ago.


    And yet, it had be one of the leading manufacturers of the GANDAM Neuro-Link, which served as a Virtual Reality fighting game.


    It had be very popr, and the technology used for it was groundbreaking.


    "Tomorrow, we will set your parameters to the lowest level and disable your skills and other abilities as a Wanderer," Thirteen stated. "In short, you will be fighting with only your raw strength. I want to see if your foundation is solid or not."


    Diana, who was listening quietly to the side, nodded her head in understanding.


    Ever since the GANDAM was introduced in Pangea, it had be a popr tool for teaching the younger generation how to fight.


    Since the pain that one would feel in the battles was real, it was a good way to test one''s limits without worrying about having their real body suffer serious injuries.


    In fact, the performance of GANDAM had be more smooth in the past few months due to a recent upgrade by thepany.


    However, one big mystery remained.


    No one knew who the CEO of Noiz was because he always wore a mask during online interviews.


    "Master, why wait for tomorrow when we can do it now?" Derek, who was suddenly pumped up by the idea of showing off his skills to his Master, smirked. "Let''s strike while the iron is hot and start our training right now."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before nodding his head.


    "Very well. But since we just finished eating, let''s wait for Hans to arrive," Thirteenmented. "Once we set up the remaining tents, we can start our training right away."


    "Alright!" Derek made a guts pose showing how happy he was.


    Thirteen chuckled internally at his "new" disciple because he knew that after the day was over, his happiness would soon disappear,pletely reced by despair.

 Chapter 447: The Beautiful Righteous Sentinel [Part 1]

    The GANDAM Duel Master had be the most popr virtual reality fighting game in Pangea ever since itsunch three years ago.


    The Neuro-Link that allowed people to ess the game wasn''t that expensive.


    However, aside from buying the equipment, they also had to pay a monthly subscription for it.


    This made the Noiz earn billions of gold in the span of a few months, and many wanted to dissect how this game was made.


    However, no matter how much the engineers tried to reverse engineer the Neuro-Link so that they could make their own version of GANDAM, their attempts ended in failure.


    After much difficulty, the materials as well as the chips that were imnted in the Neuro-Link were replicated after a few months.


    However, they noticed something bizarre.


    Even with nearly perfect replication, only one thing happened when they wore the Neuro-Link that they designed.


    All of them heard aughter.


    But it wasn''t just ordinaryughter.


    It was aughter filled with ridicule as if mocking the people who tried to clone the Neuro-Link of the GANDAM.


    The absolute mockery from theugh even gave the Engineers trauma.


    They didn''t know where theughter wasing from.


    But those who heard it no longer had the will to try replicating the Helmet, which people now called, GANDAM MEISTER.


    Since it was a very popr item, everyone financially capable of buying the gear and signing up for the monthly subscriptions yed the GANDAM DUEL MASTER game.


    The members of the Hero Party, as well as the Valkyries, also had their own ounts, with Rianna being in the top 30 of the Heaven Rankings.


    While everyone was getting excited about the idea of fighting against each other in the game, Hans finally arrived with the tents, which their group had assembled very quickly.


    The Butler also brought the meat and vegetables that they were going to use for the barbecue, which he carried inside the house to store for the time being.


    After thanking Hans for his help, the group once again gathered in the training room.


    Thirteen then ced Yoga Mats on the floor so that people couldy down after wearing the Neuro-Links that were avable in the Leventis Residence.


    "Disciple, what you are going to see now is something that you will never expect to see here in our residence," Thirteen said with a smug expression on his face as he clicked the button of his remote control.


    Suddenly, the walls of the training room opened up, showing over twenty helmets with various designs.


    "Oh my god!" Derek eximed after seeing the Neuro-Links that were on disy. "Those are limited edition Neuro-Links! Only thirteen of each design is released once a month, and they could only be won through an online lottery. How is this possible?!"


    The members of the Hero Party and the Valkyries were also surprised because they, too, were very familiar with these limited edition gears.


    Thepany behind GANDAM, Noiz, would release a different themed head-gear once a month, and only thirteen copies of it would be up grabs through a lottery.


    Some lucky ones even went as far as to auction these incredibly rare Neuro-Link Head Gears, which fetched the price of millions in the Auction Houses.


    "The majority of them are bought through Auctions," Thirteen replied. "Three of them, I won in the lottery. Now, enough talk. Choose a helmet, so we can start the training. Remi, go pick one as well."


    Remi nced at her brother as if asking him if he was nning to do what she was thinking.


    Thirteen nodded. "Teach him a lesson."


    Seeing that her brother had approved of it, Remi no longer hesitated and chose the pink helmet that looked like it belonged to a pink Powah Ranger.


    "Gandam,unching!" Derek said the activating phrase to start up the Neuro-Link.


    "Gandam,unching," Remi stated, activating her own Neuro-Link.


    "Okay, Derek, can you hear me?" Thirteen asked the young man, who was lying on the yoga mat.


    "Yes, Master," Derek replied.


    "Create a room," Thirteen ordered. "You can choose any setting you want and any battlefield you like. However, set the parameters to Mortal Combat Mode. You can also decide if you want the room to be a public one or a private one."


    "I want to create a public one, Master."


    "Go ahead. It will be your funeral though."


    Thirteen said thest words in a low volume, making Derek unable to hear the rest of his words.


    "I set the challenger password to 2024," Derek stated. "Will you be my opponent, Master?"


    "No," Thirteen answered. "Your opponent will be my sister, Remi. She will assess your fighting skills in Mortal Combat Mode."


    The Mortal Combat Mode was a special setting in GANDAM where both fighters would have the strength of normal humans.


    This was the mode that Non-Wanderers used when they fought against each other.


    It was also the setting that the Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, as well as the other families in Pangea, used to train their children who were yet to undergo their First Wandering.


    This was to ensure that they would have a higher chance of surviving in Solterra when it was finally their turn to be Spirited Away.


    The moment Derek''s Room became avable, it was immediately seen at the top of the Room listings.


    Anyone within the top 20 of the Heaven Rankings, as well as the other Rankings, would have their battles easily seen by other people so that they could watch it unfold.


    Just as Derek expected, the Coliseum that he chose as the setting of theirbat was slowly being filled with people.


    Some of Derek''s acquaintances were also there, and they asked him whom he was nning to fight.


    Since he had put a password, those who only knew of it could challenge him.


    "Hey, Derek. Who are you trying to bully, huh?" a yer, who goes by the name Mighty Deek asked.


    "None of your business," Derek replied.


    He thought that he was going to fight his Master, Zion.


    But after hearing that it was his eight-year-old sister who woulde to fight him, Derek suddenly felt as if he was being looked down upon by his new Master.


    However, since Zion agreed to train him, he decided to take it easy against Remi so that he would not get angry at him.


    The other Spectators were already chatting with each other and guessing whom Derek would fight.


    Usually, Derek fought against the other members of his Hero Party, which the spectators loved to watch.


    But after seeing that the setting had been changed to Mortal Combat, they believed that the one that he would be fighting against was none other than the Hero, Rnd, who had the top 3 spot in the Heaven Rankings.


    While everyone was guessing who Derek''s opponent was going to be, a sh of light appeared at the center of the Coliseum.


    "A Challenger has arrived!"


    The announcement of the game reached everyone''s ears, making everyone cheer.


    However, when they saw who it was, everyone paused for a bit before cheering louder.


    "Amazing! She''s here!" Mighty Deek shouted. "Derek, how did you manage to get her contact?!"


    Derek, who was looking at his opponent with eyes as wide as saucers, also couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    Those in the training room, who were watching the scene through therge t Screen TV in the training room, also couldn''t believe what they were seeing.


    Ady warrior with long blonde hair and a white fox mask stood in front of Derek''s Avatar. She pressed her palms together before giving him a light bow.


    After doing this gesture, one of the most iconic fighters in the Heaven Rankings took a fighting stance.


    She was none other than the famous unarmedbat fighter, Little_Sister_13, who held the rank of Second ce, in the Heaven''s Ranking.


    If earlier, Derek felt disappointed that he was about to fight an eight-year-old girl, now, he was sweating buckets because he was about to fight the second highest ranked yer in GANDAM, whom he had lost to many times in the past.


    Little_Sister_13 only yed in Mortal Combat Mode, and only the Highest Rankers in that Mode could appear in the Heaven''s Ranking.


    Everyone in the training room looked at the eight-year-old who wasying down on the floor before shifting their gaze to Thirteen.


    If Remi was the one who held the Second Rank in the Heaven''s Ranking, then it was now obvious who held the number one spot, whom all the GANDAM PLAYERS wished to defeat.

 Chapter 448: The Beautiful Righteous Sentinel [Part 2]

    The moment Little_Sister_13 appeared in the Coliseum, the crowd went wild. She was considered a top celebrity among GANDAM Duel Masters.


    All of her matches were exciting, and nine out of ten, she won almost all of them.


    However, she only fought in the Mortal Combat Mode, and never in the Wanderer Combat Mode.


    Since the Heaven Ranking was for people below the age of twenty, everyone assumed that Little_Sister_13 was a beautiful teenage girl whom everyone would want as their sister.


    "Damn you, Derek!" Mighty Deek shouted. "Switch with me! Let me fight her! She''s too good for you dammit!"


    "That''s right! You go die, Sword Meister 41!"


    "Kill him, Little Sister!"


    """Kill him!"""


    """Kill him!"""


    """Kill him!"""


    """Kill him!"""


    The spectators unanimously voted for Derek''s execution, prompting thetter to sh them the middle finger.


    Right now, the Sword Master of the Hero Party felt as if his heart was breaking apart.


    Just an hour ago, he was one of these bastards who idolized and even dreamed of meeting Little_Sister_13 in real life. He had even fantasized about asking her out for a date.


    But now that he knew that one of the most sought-afterdy warriors of the GANDAM World was only an eight-year-old, Derek felt as if he had been pped by his mother''s flip-flops a dozen times over.


    "Battle Starts in Three Seconds!"


    The AI shouted, pulling Derek out of his daze.


    ''I need to focus!'' Derek thought, taking a fighting stance simultaneously with the timer starting its countdown. ''I''ve be stronger since thest time I fought her. I''m sure I can win this time!''


    3!


    2!


    1!


    Duel Start!


    As soon as the signal to start the battle was dered, Derek immediately charged forward, with the tip of his sword nearly touching the ground.


    The Mortal Combat Mode was a purely physical battle, with everyone having the same strength they had in real life.


    Here, those who knew martial art techniques stood out. With this setting, everyone would be able to tell if someone received proper training or just wildly throwing punches, sword shes, and kicks at their opponents.


    Remi''s Avatar, Little_Sister_13, started to move erratically, using the footwork of the Steadfast Brawler.


    Derek had watched her battles many times in the past, even attempting to dissect this move so that he could defeat her.


    Back then, he wanted to defeat the masked warrior, intending to ask her out on a date if she lost.


    Obviously, all those thoughts were already thrown out of the window. The only thing on his mind now was to use the technique he had especially developed to counter her fighting style.


    Just as he was about to do a sword thrust to attack the location that he believed was Remi''s next destination, the youngdy suddenly charged forward and threw out a straight punch.


    Derek had half-expected something like this, so he carefully side-stepped to avoid Remi''s attack.


    However, Remi only did that as a feint, in preparation for her true attack, which was a back kick.


    Before Derek could even react, a sharp pain assaulted his senses, forcing him to take a few steps back after the little girl''s kicknded on the side of his body.


    But before he could regain his bnce, Remi had already crossed the distance and unleashed a blow aimed at Derek''s family jewels, which was Little_Sister_13''s killer move, the Nutcracker Kick.


    The pain one felt in the GANDAM Duel Master was very realistic, which was why many people held the Virtual Fighting Game in high regard.


    This was also why men who were unlucky enough to get hit by Remi''s Killer Move thought thrice before challenging her again.


    Some would even ask her to not use this technique during their duel, which Remi honored as long as it was mentioned before the battle started.


    Unfortunately, Derek had forgotten about it due to his shock of finding out the Second Top Ranker''s true identity.


    Out of desperation, Derek used his left hand to protect his family jewels and used his right hand to swing his sword, in an attempt to force Remi to distance herself from him.


    However, instead of backing away, Remi only raised her hand and deflected the sword strike with the braces she was wearing.


    These braces served as Remi''s shield, which she used to deflect sword strikes.


    Although it was not indestructible like Wonder Wom*n''s Bracelets of Victory, which could deflect bullets and other strong attacks, Remi had been trained by her brother to not fear ded weapons as long as she was wearing her bracers.


    The Righteous Sentinel was a fighting style used by dual weapon wielders, but it could also be used by unarmed strikers like Remi.


    Since Derek was busy protecting his family jewels, Remi''s uppercut connected with his jaw, rattling his brain and making him stagger.


    Remi finished him off with an elbow strike to the chest, making Derek copse on the ground.


    "Little_Sister_13 Win!"


    The AI dered Remi''s victory because Derek was no longer able to battle.


    Once again, the crowd cheered, with Mighty Deek shouting, "Marry me and I will give you lots of babies!" on the top of his lungs.


    Thirteen made sure to remember the young man''s username. If he ever came across Mighty Deek in a free matching game in the future, he would make sure to use the Nutcracker Kick''s Ultimate Form to teach him a lesson.


    After winning the battle, Remi exited the Duel Coliseum and logged out.


    Derek, on the other hand, was twitching on the floor, clearly still in pain.


    A few minutester, the Swordsman finally recovered from the pain and looked at the eight-year-old with aplicated look on his face.


    Finally, as if making a decision, Derek knelt in front of Remi and said, "Please, make me your disciple!"


    A momentter, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head.


    Thirteen used a chopping strike to teach the bastard a lesson. The other party was too daring, taking advantage of her sister''s kindness.


    After delivering the blow of punishment, the teenage boy shifted his attention to his sister and asked her a question.


    "So, what do you think, Remi?" Thirteen asked.


    "It seems that he studied how I fight," Remi replied. "But because he''s paying too much attention to every little thing I do, his moves be predictable."


    Thirteen nodded.


    The Steadfast Brawler wasn''t an absolute Martial Technique.


    However, whenever he and Remi sparred together, he would attack her using a technique that directly countered her fighting style.


    He was teaching her ways how to adapt to every scenario,mitting everything into a muscle memory.


    Because of this, those who analyzed her fighting style would fall prey to the counters that she had developed due to the countless spars that she had with her brother.


    "Tomorrow, we will start with your footwork," Thirteen told Derek, who was still rubbing the back of his head. "You dare call yourself a Sword Master when you can''t even use your sword properly. Your Sword Teacher would definitely smack you if he had seen your match just now."


    Derek lowered his head because what the teenage boy said was right.


    He had been too focused on Remi''s attack patterns that he forgot to attack, focusing only on dodging and defending against her strike.


    A sword''s reach was longer than that of a fist, so he should have managed to fight Remi properly if only he fought more calmly.


    "Diana, you''re next," Thirteen stated.


    Diana nodded before giving her opponent a respectful bow. "Remi, please fight me seriously, okay?"


    "You won''t be fighting Remi," Thirteen replied before his sister could reply. "You will be fighting Albion."


    The Unicorn nced at the thirteen-year-old and gave him the "what the hell are you talking about?" gaze, making Thirteen smirk.


    "You''ve beenzing around too much," Thirteen told the Unicorn, who was now the size of a Siberian Husky. "Time for you to show me if you''ve not been cking with your training."


    Albion scoffed, not nning to let Thirteen get his way.


    "Alby, go win!" Rhia immediately hugged the Unicorn''s neck and gave him a kiss. "Win, okay?"


    Albion nodded, no longer nning to lose after receiving Rhia''s order.


    The Unicorn then stared at the Crusader of the Hero Party and talked to her through telepathy.


    "Wash your neck, girl," Albion said. "I won''t be holding back."


    Diana, who thought that she would be fighting against Remi, frowned.


    But since she was the one who asked to be trained, he decided to trust the teenage boy who had chosen the Unicorn as her opponent.


    GANDAM Duel Master was not only a game that allowed people to fight against other people.


    It was also a game that allowed users to fight monsters that were listed on its database.


    The Avatars of the Wanderers could be registered in the game as well, allowing anyone to fight against Monsters and know their battle styles.


    This was what made GANDAM stand out even more from the rest. It was truly something that prepared Wanderers for their journey in Solterra.

 Chapter 449: Not Bad For A Human

    Diana wore a white Neuro-Link that resembled a Knight''s helmet andid down on the Yoga Mat.


    Albion, on the other hand, wore specialized Vizor Sun sses, which allowed Monsters to connect directly to the game.


    Diana entered Monster Hunter Mode as per Thirteen''s instructions and chose an open in as their battleground.


    Thirteen looked at Diana''s Rank and discovered that she was in the top 50 of the Heavenly Rankings.


    Unlike Derek who specialized in offensive attacks, Diana focused more on defense.


    She was always on the front line of the party, preventing herpanions from getting hurt and taking some of the strongest blows that could break the bones of a person if they were unlucky enough to get a direct hit.


    "I will be assessing your reaction time," Thirteen said. "Since you are your party''s first line of defense, I want to know how fast you react to enemy attacks."


    Monster Hunter Mode gave Wanderers full ess to their abilities and equipment to a certain extent.


    But only equipment properly registered in its database would retain its function in the game.


    Those who wished to keep the information of their gear a secret would not be able to use their weapon''s abilities because it wasn''t registered.


    But for most people, that was fine as well.


    Since they valued their privacy, they were worried that the game was made to collect personal information of Wanderers, which could potentially be used against them in the future.


    Just like many Wanderers, Diana didn''t register the abilities of her equipment in the game and simply wore them for what they were.


    These gears retained their physical and magical defenses, but their active and passive skills would not be usable.


    Monster Hunting Starts in three seconds.


    3!


    2!


    1!


    "Monster Hunting Start!"


    Before Diana could even move from her spot, she felt a threating from behind.


    Immediately, she conjured a small shield made of light on her back, sessfully protecting herself from the sneak attack aimed at her blind spot.


    The Magic Bullets Albion had conjurednded on the White Shield and was neutralizedpletely.


    But before Diana could breathe easily, her sixth sense kicked in, and she felt a threat in every direction, making her eyes widen in shock.


    "Aegis!" Diana shouted as she thrust her sword into the ground, creating a dome of light that shielded her entire body.


    The sound of explosion followed as countless magic bulletsnded on the strongest defensive skill that Diana could use.


    Aegis was a skill that created a dome of invincibility thatsted for five seconds.


    However, she would not be able to use this skill again until an hour had passed.


    In short, it was a skill that should only be used as ast resort, yet Diana had used it right at the start of the battle. She knew it too, and her face turned grim.


    Swinging her sword to the side, Diana dispelled the dust cloud that surrounded her.


    She needed to see where her opponent was so that she could prepare to defend herself at any time.


    Expanding her senses to its fullest, Diana stoodpletely still.


    Her breathing was steady, and her stance was calm.


    When she sensed Albion''s barrageing in her direction, she used her shield to block it. For the sneak attacks she thought she could take, she parried them with her sword.


    Soon, the intensity of the attacks rose with each passing minute, attacking her from every direction.


    Diana wasn''t able to block all the Magic Bullets that Albion had cast.


    Some of themnded on her armor, which made Diana stagger but not fall.


    Despite the overwhelming punishment she was enduring, she held her ground.


    ''How many minutes has it been?'' Diana thought as he blocked another magic bullet aimed at her head. ''How long have I been defending like this?''


    The sword and shield in her hands were getting heavier and heavier as fatigue slowly built up in her body.


    She didn''t know how long Zion''s assessment test would end, so she did the only thing she could do and that was to defend.


    As more minutes passed, Diana felt as if the sword and shield in her hands weighed a ton each.


    Seeing a giant fireball headed in her direction, Diana roared as she lifted her shield for the umpteenth time and cast a support spell to empower it.


    "Elemental Shield!" Diana roared, as she braced herself for the oing attack.


    When the fireball collided with her shield, Diana felt as if all the air in her lungs had been blown out, making her body fly backward due to the impact of the spell.


    She crashed heavily on the ground and groaned in pain.


    The young Crusader tried to move her hands, but they no longer obeyed her will.


    Her strength had left her, and even the act of lifting a finger felt like a monumental task at the moment.


    After struggling to lift her head from the ground for a few seconds, she finally gave up and panted for breath.


    Her entire body was aching as if she had been punched and kicked in every part of her body.


    "Not bad for a human," Albionmented after teleporting beside the fallen crusader.


    Diana ignored the Unicorn and did her best to regain a bit of her strength.


    Suddenly, she heard a notification inside of her head.


    "The Wanderer named Diana has reached her limit and will now be automatically disconnected from the server."


    After hearing the notification, a five-second countdown appeared in front of her, making her sigh in relief.


    "Finally, it''s over," Diana said as she closed her eyes.


    She was not only physically exhausted.


    She was also mentally and emotionally drained.


    "She fell asleep," Shana said after she had sessfully removed the Neuro-Link from Diana''s head.


    A momentter, she started to use her power to heal and revitalize her friend''s body.


    Although Diana would recover normally, the battle she fought was as real as it could get, so she still felt exhausted in the real world.


    While this was happening, Thirteen was checking the data of Diana''s performance.


    He nned to create a custom training for the Crusader, which focused entirely on defending.


    Although he couldn''t pass down Divine-Ranked Techniques to her, he could still teach her the proper ways how to move her body with minimal effort, ensuring that she would be able to block attacks quickly, and more effectively.


    "She''s great, right?" Derek asked with a smile. "Shested for half an hour against that Unicorn."


    Thirteen nodded. "She''s at least ten times better than you."


    Derek almost choked on his saliva after hearing the younger boy''s words. However, he didn''t dare refute him, especially after getting beaten by Remi, who was half his age.

 Chapter 450: Beautiful And Delicate Girls Are Their Favorite Delicacy

    The smell of barbecued meat reached Gerald''s nose as soon as he came out of his smithy.


    The sun was about to set, and he had just half-finished the project that he was working on.


    Remembering that they had guests, he guessed that they were having a barbecue feast, so he followed the scent to check up on them.


    When he arrived at the backyard of their residence, he was surprised to see several tents set up around the campsite he had made for their family.


    Camping was a skill all Wanderers must be used to. In Solterra, they would spend most of their time outdoors and facing the harshness of the elements.


    So this wasn''t new to him.


    A smile even appeared on his face because he believed that the kids should have fun while they still could.


    Seeing that everyone was having fun and enjoying their youth, Gerald walked towards the house, intending to spend some adult time with his wife.


    ''Let the kids y,'' Gerald thought as he gave the teenagers onest nce. ''While we adults y to make kids.''


    The no-good fatherughed internally and left the kids alone to y his own game.


    Thirteen was reading a picture book story for Rhia, who was seated on hisp.


    Remi was helping their guests with the barbecue and was also happily talking with Diana and Erica.


    Rnd, Derek, and Joshua were also doing their part in cooking their meals. asionally, they shot sidelong nces at the thirteen-year-old, who was seated on a log with his sister.


    "I tell you dude¡ªyou should just have Master train you too," Derek said in a hushed tone. "What''s the point in having pride if you''re weak?"


    "More cooking, less talking," Rnd replied as he calmly turned over the meat on the grill.


    "Since you will be training, does that mean that you will not apany us back to Cygni?" Joshua inquired. "Originally, we only nned to stay for a few days to apany Shana and see Zion in person."


    "I talked to Master about it, and he said that going to Cygni right now will not make me stronger," Derek answered while putting vegetables and meat on a skewer. "He added that I will just be fighting monsters that I won''t find hard to defeat, so it''s not good for my training."


    Rnd, who was listening silently, frowned, but he didn''t say anything to refute Derek''s statement.


    "So, does that mean that he intends to let you fight strong monsters?" Joshua scoffed. "Monsters you can''t defeat?"


    "Yes," Derek replied. "It won''t be just me, but Diana too. Both of us will have a training montage with Master. That''s why I''m telling you guys toe along. I''m sure you''ll learn something. Just set aside your pride for now, okay?


    A prideful man is not cool."


    Joshua pondered as he flipped the barbecue skewers on the grill. "I specialize in using spells and long-range attacks. Can he really train me?"


    "You won''t lose anything by asking, you know?" Derek, who had been infected with the Zion virus and Remi Virus, had joined Rianna''s, Vi''s, Sharon''s, and Louise''s Fan Club after getting his butt handed to him by an eight-year-old.


    When it came to pride, he had nothing left to spare.


    "How about you, Rnd?" Joshua asked. "Do you n to train too?"


    "I''ll think of it overnight," Rnd didn''t immediately deny the idea of training if it meant that he would be stronger.


    "That''s the spirit!" Derekughed. "If Rnd joins, you''re joining as well, right?"


    Joshua frowned, but after half a minute, he reluctantly nodded to confirm that he would join the training as well.


    "What''s the point in me going back to the Cygni Continent alone?" Joshua stated. "Now, go talk to Erica and the others and ask if they also nned to stay to train."


    "Say no more," Derek patted his chest. "I''ll handle this."


    The swordsman happily walked toward the girls, who were grilling a few meters away from them and having their girl talk.


    When he was certain that Derek was now out of earshot, Joshua talked to Rnd in a low voice.


    "Are you sure about this?" Joshua asked. "I''ve known you for years, so I can tell that you have almost made your decision to stay and train."


    "Like I said¡ªI''ll know the answer tomorrow," Rnd replied.


    Joshua shook his head helplessly before ncing at Shana, who was helping prepare the table with her sister, Rianna.


    ''Well, from what I have observed, Zion doesn''t seem to view Shana romantically,'' Joshua thought. ''Is he just too young or is he just one of those rare teenage boys who are not interested in girls?''


    Truth be told, his first concern was whether Zion and Shana had developed something between them, especially after spending a few months in the Rigel Continent.


    But the interactions they had were that of close friends.


    Nothing more, nothing less.


    Even Shana wasn''t showing signs that she viewed Zion romantically, which was perfectly normal since the teenage boy was three years younger than her.


    ''Well, as long as they don''t have that kind of rtionship, I guess that''s fine,'' Joshua mused.


    Right now, the only love rival he acknowledged for Shana''s affection was Rnd.


    Since he deemed that Zion wasn''t aiming to get on Shana''s good side, he was able to rx more after meeting him in person.


    Thirteen, who had no idea about what the Hero Party was thinking, closed the book in his hand.


    "And they lived happily ever after," Thirteen said. "The End."


    Rhia, who had now fallen asleep on hisp, was breathing softly.


    She had fallen asleep near the end of the story, and yet, Thirteen didn''t stop and finished the story till the end.


    He was well aware that even though someone was asleep, their subconscious mind was still very much active.


    He wanted to train his sisters from a young age not only physically, but mentally as well.


    The teenage boy gently carried his sister to their tent, where he and Remi would be staying for the night.


    Albion and Boo followed as well. It went without saying that wherever Rhia was, they would be there as well.


    After making sure that his sister was sleeping peacefully on her personalized bed cushion, Thirteen went out to help the others in preparing their dinner.


    But when he arrived at the table, Erica and the Archer, Mildred, approached him together.


    "We girls have talked about it and decided to ask you if it''s possible for you to train us as well," Erica said seriously. "I specialize in using long-range spells like fireball. Do you think you can train a magician?"


    "I can," Thirteen replied with confidence. "But my training will be hard for Magicians. Are you sure you can take it?"


    "¡­Can''t you go easy on me?" Erica asked. "I''m a very delicate girl."


    "Will the Jinns go easy on you?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "I assure you that beautiful and delicate girls are their favorite delicacy. You''d be on the top of their menu if theye across you in Solterra."


    "I''ve already burned those monsters to a crisp," Erica replied with a smile.


    "Correction," Thirteen smirked. "You''ve burned those weak monsters to a crisp. Have you burned a Rank 4 Fire or Water Elemental Jinn before?"


    "¡­ No." Erica pouted. "I specialize in fire magic, and monsters with fire elements have resistance to it. Water Magic also counters my spells, so it''s no good."


    "See?" Thirteen replied. "Don''t worry. After I''m done with you, you won''t have to fear them again. I''ll make you the greatest Sorceress in the world."


    "R-Really?" Erica asked. "When you say the greatest, do you mean THE GREATEST?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. That''s exactly what I mean."


    Shana, who could hear the two talking, pinched the bridge of her nose because Erica was indeed very weak to praise.


    ''Zion is really scary,'' Shana thought. ''I''m sure that before the Night of the Solstice, more than half of our group will be infected by the Zion Virus.''


    Shana could only sigh in her heart because there was nothing she could do about it.


    Just like the others, she also nned to join Zion''s training regimen, which she believed would make the entire Hero Party stronger than ever before.


    The only question in her mind was whether they would really be able to do it.


    And what price they would have to pay to keep their sanity in check.

 Chapter 451: Who Is Cranky? That Sounds Like A Pet Name

    Sitting by the campfire and being with the Hero Party sure brought some nostalgic memories for the System of Cannon Fodders.


    Tiona, who was coiled around his neck, was resting her head on Thirteen''s shoulder.


    Erica, Diana, and Mildred were looking at the Domini Mortis with great interest. Before today, they had only, at most, seen its pictures in drawings due to how elusive it was.


    "Zion, how did you tame that Domini Mortis?" Erica asked. "In fact, how did you even find one? They are extremely rare¡ªonly three hundred of them exist in the entire world of Solterra.


    "You even made her your Beast Companion. How did you do it?"


    Thirteen smiled faintly as he told the Sorceress about his meeting with Tiona¡ªhe got her after he was forcefully sent to Solterra when he was only seven years old.


    When they found out that Tiona was captured by ve traders, it finally clicked to them why the teenage boy managed to gain possession of her despite her being extremely rare.


    "You guys should have seen Zion when he was still a cutie," Rianna said with a smile. "He''s grown to be a bit more handsome now, but back then, he still had adorable chubby cheeks."


    "I''ve been meaning to ask this, Miss Rianna, but how did you meet Zion?" Diana inquired.


    "Well, we met when I was captured by the Orcs, alongside dozens of other Wanderers who appeared in the Valbarra Archipgo," Rianna replied. "We were locked up in their dungeon, so imagine my surprise when a boy under the age of ten suddenly popped up.


    "He saved you guys from the Dungeon?" Mildred, who found the story quite interesting, asked.


    "No," Rianna replied. "He said that it would be very difficult for us to make an escape while staying inside the Orc Stronghold. He saved us after we were sold to a Barbarian who traveled back to the city with us inside their wagons.


    "Thirteen dealt with them during their return trip. But after being saved by him, Colbert decided to be an assh*le and made things difficult for him."


    "Wait¡ªwhen you say Colbert, are you talking about Colbert Riggs?" Shana blinked in confusion. "Zion''s second Captain?"


    "Yes. THAT Colbert." Rianna hissed. "I don''t know why Zion made him part of his inner circle, but just remembering what he did back then makes me want to smack him silly."


    "What did he do exactly?" Rnd, whose interest had been piqued, decided to join the discussion.


    "He initiated a mutiny right after Zion saved us," Rianna answered. "He convinced the other Wanderers that he wasn''t suited to be our leader and voted for Harry Remington to lead our group.


    "I didn''t like how things were turning out, so I decided to join Zion''s team with Cristopher instead. Fortunately, I made the right choice. Those who were part of Harry and Colbert''s team died, and only the two of them managed to survive.


    "Things could have ended differently if he followed his lead from the start. Although he was young, Zion was already oozing with charisma back then."


    Everyone gave the thirteen-year-old a side-long nce, while thetter casually flipped his hair with his hand as if telling Rianna to praise him more.


    "So, I''ve been meaning to ask, but how did you guys beat Arundel the Destroyer?" Joshua asked the question that had been nagging in his mind for a very long time.


    "He''s a Majin Prince, so it''s truly impossible for a bunch of Wanderers who weren''t even Rookies to defeat him. Heck, even if all of you were Champions, the chances of you guys winning are also non-existent. So, just how did you guys do it?"


    Before Rianna could even answer the question, Thirteen decided to answer it himself.


    "We defeated him with the power of love and friendship," Thirteen replied, doing his best to not cringe as he kept the smile on his face. "Without everyone working together, none of it could have been possible.


    "You can even say that a series of fortunate events lined up perfectly, allowing us to gain the upper hand in battle. Of course, Arundel had already been badly hurt by one of the Fiends of Solterra¡ªyou know him as the Fiend of Greed and Money, Mammon."


    Thirteen scanned the faces of everyone around the campfire before lightly patting Tiona''s head with his finger.


    "After all of Arundel''s subordinates had been turned to gold, he pleaded for the Mammon to spare him. The Fiend agreed, but just as Arundel was about to pinch me to oblivion, Cristopher used our Trump Card.


    "He sessfully impaled the Majin Prince''s chest with the reinforced steel bolt that we had made in advance. After that, Cranky gave the finishing blow and severed Arundel''s head, ending the battle."


    Erica, who was now immersed in the story, interjected. "Who''s Cranky? That sounds like a pet name."


    "Cranky is a Rank 6 Sovereign, Devil-Horned Honey Badger that Zion befriended," Rianna replied in an amused tone. "I didn''t know how Zion managed to befriend that crazy monster, but it had helped us a lot during the battle against Arundel."


    "It''s a shame though. If Cristopher had been the one tond thest hit on Arundel''s body, he might have gotten an amazing reward. He might have even obtained the Avatar of a Majin Prince!"


    Thirteen nced at Rianna and chuckled in his heart.


    What many didn''t know was that The One had also recognized Cristopher as one of the key yers in the fight against Arundel. Because of this, the teenage boy was handsomely rewarded and had Arundel counted as one of his kills.


    Of course, he knew what Cristopher received¡ªhis right-hand man personally told him about it.


    However, Thirteen told his right-hand man to keep what he had gotten a secret and only use it as a Trump Card when he was pushed to a corner.


    A secret that, if known by the Leventis Family, would make Arthur cough out blood because he had given permission for Cristopher to serve his no-good grandson instead of staying as Terence''s subordinate and bing a retainer of the Leventis Family.


    Fortunately, he didn''t know, which allowed the Patriarch to sleep better at night.


    "So when the battle ended, I realized that Colbert is not that bad of a person," Thirteen said. "Because of this, I decided to give him a second chance and make him my third-inmand next to Cristopher."


    Rianna scoffed. "You sure trust snakes, huh? No offense, Tiona."


    Tiona nodded in Rianna''s direction, as if telling her that she didn''t mind it.


    "So, after you defeated Arundel, you set sail towards the Main Continent and met up with your brother and sister, right?" Diana asked. "At least the Wanderers who mentioned that they met you during that particr timeline affirmed that you helped them tremendously."


    "What can I say?" Thirteen smiled. "I can''t turn a blind eye to people who need my help."


    "How noble of you," Dianamented. "I''m sure that it must have been hard, considering how young you were at that time. But among the stories about you, there''s one that really piqued my interest¡ªthe event that happened in the Arcadia Archipgo."


    "The Moon Princess Event, right?" Mildred chimed in. "I also love that story. Shasha Leventis who was chosen as the Moon Princess Candidate has be a trend three years ago. Even my brother had a crush on her.


    "Hey, is she still single? Let''s not count that overly clingy Kane Stard, who made a deration that anyone who will pursue Shasha will be his enemy. Although that move is gutsy, he had acquired so many haters because of it as well."


    "Yes. Even now, they still call Shasha as the Moon Princess," Erica chuckled. "If that were me, I''d probably freak out from the unwanted attention because I don''t like to be too high profile."


    ''Liar''.


    That was the collective thought of the members of the Hero Party.


    Among all of them, Erica was the one who wished to have prestige and influence the most.


    If she were in Shasha''s shoes, then she would have definitely used that opportunity to open an OnlyPans ount and earn millions of gold coins every month by showing her feet pics.


    Heck, she might even go as low as selling her bath water to people who would buy them as long as she would earn a lot.


    Unlike most people, Erica grew up in a poor family, so money was something that motivated her very much.


    So, when the Central Government scouted her to be one of the members of the Hero Party, she agreed on the condition that she would have brand deals of famous beauty products, as well as a high sry.


    Lawrence agreed to it without batting an eye because he knew about Erica''s situation.


    Now that Erica and her family were now living afortable and stable lifestyle, she only wished to be more popr, and maybe be a celebrity after she retired from the Hero Party.


    "Well, I''ll be sleeping now," Thirteen said. "Make sure to take up at seven tomorrow. We will do one final assessment before you officially start your training. Don''t stay up toote, everyone."


    After saying those words, Thirteen finally entered his tent and joined Rhia, who was sleeping peacefully while hugging the small Beholder, Uncle Boo, in her arms like a hug pillow.


    Everyone stayed for an hour longer chatting with each other before they, too, retired in their tents to rest.


    When morning came, they had a light breakfast before Thirteen gathered them in the Training Room and asked the Hero Party a question.


    "Among the monsters you all fought together as a group, which one was the most difficult opponent that almost wiped out your entire party?" Thirteen asked.


    Shana exchanged nces with her team members and all of them nodded their heads in unison.


    There was indeed one monster that had almost wiped out their entire party when they fought against it, and it was none other than the Three Horned Dread Minotaur, a Rank 5 Overlord.


    "The Three-Horned Dread Minotaur?" Thirteen smirked. "Very well. All of you, get a Neuro-Link each. You guys will be fighting it again."


    The entire Hero Party groaned after hearing Zion''s words. They already had a hunch that this was where things were going, but since this was part of their training, they reluctantly wore the Neuro-Links before lying on the yoga mat on the floor.


    The Hero Party wasn''t aware that Thirteen had also fought against a Three-Horned Dread Minotaur while farming Apocalypse Points.


    He had to admit that it was indeed a very tricky opponent to fight in battle, but only if one didn''t know its attack patterns in advance.


    But Thirteen knew about it, so he managed to devise an effective strategy that brought one of the strongest Jinns in the Rank 5 Overlord Category down to its knees.

 Chapter 452: Its Very Hard To Carry Pig Teammates, You Know?

    The Hero Party looked at the two five-meter-tall monsters in front of them with grim expressions on their faces.


    They were none other than the Three-Horned Minotaur that they had fought in the past that almost wiped out their entire party.


    One was already enough to give them an extremely hard time. However, their new "Master" seemed to think that one wasn''t enough for them, so he added one more Three-Horned Minotaur in their simtion using the GANDAM Monster Hunter Mode.


    "Z-Zion, isn''t this a bit too much?" Shana asked as the one-minute countdown of the battle started ticking.


    "Really?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Yes!" Erica replied angrily. "One was already enough to make us suffer, why must you make it two?!"


    "Fine, let''s remove one then," Thirteenmented.


    Seeing that the Hero Party was still traumatized by their previous experience against the Rank 5 Overlord, the teenage boy decided to give them some ck.


    When the other Monster disappeared, the Hero party sighed in relief and readied themselves for battle.


    The moment the battle started, Diana didn''t hesitate to step to the front with gritted teeth.


    She was the tank of their party, and she needed to ensure that the Monster wouldn''t reach Shana, Erica, Mildred, and Joshua at the back, who specialized in ranged and supportbat.


    The Minotaur roared, sending a shockwave that pushed Rnd, Derek, and Diana, who were the Vanguard of their party, back.


    Thirteen watched in amusement as Rnd and Derek went to the Monster''s left and right sides in order to distract it, while Diana stood at its front with her shield at the ready.


    Support attacks rained down on the Monster from the back as Erica, Mildred, and Joshua used their spells to deal damage to it.


    Angered, but not fazed, the Monster swung its Axe at Diana, which sent her skidding several meters backward as her foot dug on the ground.


    ''Mmm, she''s not half bad,'' Thirteen thought as he gazed at the pale-faced crusader, whose left arm was now numb from tanking the blow of the Minotaur.


    Derek and Rnd, on the other hand, both unleashed their Sword Skills and attacked the Monster''s legs, drawing blood.


    However, Thirteen wasn''t impressed by theirbination attacks, and even shook his head in disappointment.


    ''Such wasted opportunity,'' Thirteen thought.


    As the battle progressed, it was obvious that the Hero Party had a good level of teamwork because they were able to support each other when they needed it the most.


    However, Thirteen could only sigh repeatedly since Erica, Mildred, and Joshua were just bombarding the Minotaur with spells, without actually targeting a specific area.


    It was like they were simply trying to overwhelm their opponents using sheer fire power.


    This might work against low-level Monsters, but when it came to stronger and more powerful ones, every hit was crucial.


    Derek and Rnd, who were dealing damage up close and personal were able tond a few decent hits, but it wasn''t enough to immobilize their target.


    Diana, on the other hand, could no longer raise her shield. And it seemed that she had sprained her arm, or worse, broken a bone.


    Shana''s support skills were concentrated on Diana, so the Crusader was still not out of the battle just yet.


    But, Thirteen knew that it was only a matter of time before a mistake was made, and when that happened, it would spiral to oblivion.


    As if he had sessfully predicted what was going to happen next, Derek got hit by the Minotaur''s backhand blow, which caught the Swordsman by surprise.


    The Minotaur''s attack sent the Swordsman flying, dealing serious injuries to his body.


    Seeing that his friend was in great danger, Rnd activated his skill and made his sword shine brilliantly.


    However, the Minotaur didn''t back down and shed against him, with its Axe covered in red mes.


    When the two weapons collided, the expected oue that Thirteen predicted came true.


    Rnd was unable to find something to support himself with as he took the Minotaur''s blow, because he had jumped off from the ground to execute it.


    Meanwhile, the Minotaur''s feet were firmly nted on the ground, allowing the Monster to have the advantage in striking power.


    The Hero of the Hero Party was blown away by the attack and crashed into a boulder, breaking itpletely.


    With the two pests out of the way, the Minotaur charged forward to attack the three range attackers, who had been persistently getting on its nerves.


    Diana hurriedly got in its way by using a Taunting ability, forcing the Minotaur to attack her.


    However, at this point, she could no longer raise her shield, and simply held on to it with both hands, as she braced for an attack.


    When the attack came, Diana was no longer able to hold out against it and was blown awaypletely.


    The blood that had been threatening to escape her lips since earlier finally trickled down as she crashed on the ground with a loud thud.


    Her left arm was bent in an unnatural angle, which meant that it was nowpletely broken.


    Left with no one to defend them, the Range Attackers were easily subjugated, with Mildred being thest one to die.


    It was aplete team wipe, which made Thirteen scratch the back of his head because of how bloody the ending became.


    Remi even had to cover Rhia''s eyes because Joshua''s head had been severed from his body due to the swing of the Minotaur''s axe.


    When the teenagers removed their Neuro-Linkers, all of them had pale expressions on their faces.


    Diana had the worst of them all, and Shana, despite feeling pain all over her body, used her healing powers to heal her first.


    Since it was a battle in a Virtual World, their bodies didn''t suffer from any injuries.


    However, the pain they felt was very real, which they were not able to shake off very easily.


    Twenty minutester, when everyone had finally regained theirposure, Thirteen pped his hands to get their attention.


    "First, let me say that I saw that all of you did your best in the battle against the Three-Horned Minotaur," Thirteen said. "Your teamwork is also good, so I won''t talk about that part for the time being."


    Thirteen paused after seeing the relieved expression on the Hero''s faces, making him sneer.


    "But, let''s be honest, that was a very horrible way of fighting," Thirteen said in disdain before he pointed at Diana. "You are a crusader, and it''s your role to protect your people from the enemy attack.


    "However, that doesn''t mean that you have to tank every single god-damned blow, especially against a Monster that is stronger than you. If the Minotaur gave you an overhead strike, dodge to the side because the Axe will just simply hit the ground.


    "If it uses a sh you can charge forward, and use a Shield Bash to hit its leg. Basically, you just wore yourself out because you defended against its attacks the whole time. Learn how to dodge and attack at the same time.


    "There is a saying that offense is the best defense, but defense can be used as an offensive weapon as well if you know how to do it."


    "Listen here, Zion," Rnd interjected. "Diana did her best, so you shouldn''t berate her like this."


    "Yeah, she did her best tanking the monster''s hits, while you and Derek didn''t use that opportunity to incapacitate the Minotaur," Thirteen said in disdain. "You and Derek just randomly shed at the Minotaur''s legs, but what good did that do to the battle? Absolutely nothing.


    "You are supposed to be the front liners, and you can''t even do your job properly. You''re part of the reason why Diana is always having a hard time. It''s very hard to carry pig teammates, you know?"


    Rianna covered her lips because she was finding it hard to keep a straight face as she listened to Thirteen berate Rnd, who had never been talked down to by anyone in the past.


    He was the Hero of the Hero Party, and everyone wanted to be on his good side. Even if he made a mistake, no one would call him out on it, so hearing Zion do it without holding back made her feel giddy.


    The teenage boy''s nagging continued, but he didn''t just nag Rnd and Derek, he nagged at everyone.


    Even Shana was unable to escape, making the Saintess'' face turn beet red as Thirteen listed all of the things that she should have been doing as the Party''s main pir of support.

 Chapter 453: Let’s Teach These Noobs How It’s Done

    After receiving a tongueshing that made every member of the Hero Party''s cheeks burn, Thirteen scoffed before asking Rianna to put on a Neuro-Link Helmet, so that the two of them could fight the Three-Horned Minotaur together.


    Rianna, who wasughing at everyone earlier, suddenly became pale as if she had been chosen for execution.


    "Um, Zion, I don''t think¡­"


    "Wear the Neuro-Linker, Rianna. Let''s teach these noobs how it''s done. We''ll show them the power of love and friendship."


    "¡­"


    Thirteen shuddered after saying those cringy words, but he needed to convince Rianna to fight alongside him against the Minotaur.


    The reason for this was simple.


    Rianna still had a lot of room to grow, and the only reason why she wasn''t able to utilize her talents was due to the fact that she had not faced a truly powerful opponent with her back against a wall.


    Sometimes, a person could only grow stronger if the pressure was enough to crush them.


    Those who were able to ovee it would have apletely different world view, and he wanted to teach one of his first friends that he met in Solterra that there are many ways to defeat an opponent that was stronger than them.


    "Go on, Sister," Shana, who had also beenughed at by her sister, said with a smile. "You always told me that you''re strong, right? This is the perfect opportunity to prove that."


    "That''s right, Miss Rianna. If we''ve suffered, it''s only normal if everyone else suffers as well, right?" Erica stated.


    "It''s not like we want you to die a horrible death or something, so don''t get the wrong idea, okay, Miss Rianna?" Mildredmented.


    "Big Sis, it''s time to show your guts!" Derek stated. "We won''t mind seeing your guts spill out from your body, you know?"


    The corner of Rianna''s lips twitched a few times because the bastards were looking at her like a pig that was about to be ughtered.


    Clearly, they wanted Rianna to suffer just like them, which made the entire Hero Party pressure her into wearing the Neuro-Link that Remi had handed to her.


    "Fine!" Rianna, who could no longer take their taunts, ced the Neuro-Link on her head. "I''ll show you how it''s done. Watch and learn, kids. This is how you beat a Rank 5 Overlord."


    Rianna theny down on the yoga mat beside Thirteen, and activated the Neuro-Link.


    When he appeared at the battleground, she hurriedly walked towards Thirteen and whispered in his ear, so that the spectators watching them on the screen wouldn''t be able to hear what they''re saying.


    "What''s the n?" Rianna asked.


    "There''s only one n," Thirteen replied. "Rianna, all you need to do is¡­"


    Rianna listened seriously to Zion''s words.


    At first her face was still calm before it was reced by shock and disbelief.


    "Are you serious?" Rianna asked.


    "Very serious," Thirteen replied.


    "I just have to do that?"


    "You just have to do that."


    The Hero Party, who was watching on the screen, didn''t understand what "do that" means. However, they didn''t care.


    They just want to see Zion and Rianna get brutally murdered by the Three-Horned Minotaur, which would make them feel a lot better.


    Especially after the one-sided nagging that they received from the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.


    Remi hadplete faith in her brother, but she still asked Uncle Boo and Albion to take Rhia out of the Training Room, so she wouldn''t have to see something bloody again.


    Rhia obeyed her sister, and went to look for her Mama and Papa, who were currently watching television together in the living room.


    The moment the countdown timer started for the Monster Hunting to begin, Derek took out a bag of potato chips from his storage ring and started eating.


    He wanted to see how his Master would deal with the Three-Horned Minotaur, especially after everything that he had said.


    Although he didn''t mind that Thirteen would lose because he was only a Rookie, something was telling him that he should pay close attention to his Master, and see what tricks he had hidden up his sleeves.


    When the time reached zero, Rianna immediately charged at the monster and shouted.


    "Come at me, you stupid cow!"


    Although she was a Ranger, and didn''t have any taunting abilities, her words were enough to trigger the Minotaur''s anger, making her its first priority.


    The monster database waspiled using real monster data.


    Because of this, Monsters would react to certain stimtions that were within the eptable threshold of their personalities.


    The Monster attacked Rianna, but thetter had no intention of fighting it.


    Thirteen only gave the youngdy two orders.


    The first one was to get the Monster''s attention.


    The second was to run and escape using every means necessary.


    Yes, Rianna''s goal wasn''t to fight the monster.


    Her main purpose was to only cause a distraction, and make the monster chase her towards Zion.


    Thirteen, who had been waiting for the Monster toe to him, pulled back the arrow that was nocked on its bow.


    When the Minotaur finally came within striking range, he immediately released the string, sending it flying.


    However, as soon as the arrow took flight, Thirteen once again nocked another arrow, and fired it in quick session.


    Mildred, who was the archer of the Hero''s Party narrowed her eyes after seeing Thirteen''s quick reload and quick release technique.


    The first arrow flew low, making Mildred think that Zion had targeted the Monster''s chest.


    However, the second arrow that Thirteenunched flew faster than the first, and hit the first arrow''s tail briefly.


    This caused the first arrow''s momentum to shift, making it fly upwards, towards the Minotaur''s eye.


    The monster raised its Axe on instinct to block the arrow, which it did sessfully.


    Feeling that the threat had been eliminated, it lowered its Axe, and shifted its attention to the teenage boy, who was aiming at him from a distance.


    But, the moment the Axe was lowered, an arrow collided with its left eye making it cry out in pain.


    A secondter, the second arrow pierced the monster''s right eye, blinding itpletely.


    "Impossible!" Mildred, who saw this happen, couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    As an Archer, aiming for the eye was something that she also did during the battle.


    However, whenever she tried to do it on the Minotaur, thetter would block itpletely.


    When she saw the Minotaur block Thirteen''s first arrow, she felt like saying "Been there, done that", as a way to make herself feel better.


    But, what happened next had caught her by surprise.


    The two arrows that the teenage boy fired at ater time managed to hit the monster''s eyes, which was something that she wasn''t able to do.


    "I knew it," Derek muttered. "Master is predicting the enemy''s next move, and acting ordingly to counter it."


    Remi smiled because that was indeed what her brother was doing.


    Extremely urate calctions with extremely rare margin for errors.


    That was what her brother was capable of doing.


    Even before he became a Rookie, Thirteen was already doing this to his enemies.


    Now that he was Rookie, and even had the strengthparable to a Master, the load that his brain could take during these extremely detailed calctions was within tolerable levels.


    Despite the monster being blinded, Thirteen didn''t hesitate and shoot one arrow after the other.


    These arrows flew towards the Monster''s mouth, nostrils, and ears, making the members of the Hero Party, especially Mildred, look at the teenage boy as if they was looking at one of those ancient martial arts experts, who first fought against the Jinns and Majins before the first Rookies ever came to being.

 Chapter 454: Thirteen’s Live Combat Lesson [Part 1]

    The moment the Three-Horned Minotaur was blinded, it had no other choice but to be the target dummy of Thirteen''s and Rianna''s arrows.


    Fifteen minutester, the Monster finally sumbed to its injuries after it had been mercilessly targeted by Thirteen''s ranged attacks that specifically targeted its weak points¡ªeyes, ears, nose, and mouth.


    Rianna hadn''t been idle and fired arrows at its neck, drawing blood.


    Although the battle took longer than Thirteen intended, in the end, the monster that gave the Hero Party a lot of trouble nowy dead on the ground.


    "We did it!" Riannaughed as she pulled Thirteen to her chest, smothering the teenage boy with her assets. "That was easier than I thought."


    Derek, who was watching this scene from the TV Screen, wished that he could switch ces with Thirteen.


    However, unlike the Swordsman, Thirteen wanted out of it and lightly tapped Rianna''s shoulder telling her to stop.


    "Don''t celebrate yet," Thirteen said as soon as his face was freed from Rianna''s hug. "The battle is still not over."


    "What do you mean it''s not over?" Rianna asked as she turned around, intending to look at the Three-Horned Minotaur on the ground.


    However, the Minotaur was no longer there, and in its ce, two Minotaurs stood facing them with weapons at the ready.


    The second thing that Rianna noticed was the countdown timer, making her face turn pale.


    "You gotta be kidding me¡­" Rianna muttered when the countdown passed the forty-second mark.


    "We will repeat the same strategy," Thirteen said calmly. "You distract one of the Minotaurs and just run away while I will handle one. Sounds easy enough?"


    Rianna reluctantly nodded. "I just have to run, right?"


    "You just have to run," Thirteen replied. "Once I kill the second Minotaur, you cane back to me."


    "Very well. Let''s do this!" Rianna pumped herself up and ran in the opposite direction of the teenage boy in order to distract one of the Minotaurs.


    The members of the Hero Party, who were watching the TV Screen, paid close attention to the battle that was about to start.


    When they first challenged the Three-Horned Minotaur in the Monster Hunter Mode, Zion ced two of these monsters as their challengers.


    However, they pleaded to fight against only one, so he relented.


    Now, he and Rianna were about to challenge two of these monsters, which was something that the Hero Party couldn''t even agree to do unless they had a death wish.


    When the timer finally reached zero, the two Minotaurs roared at the same time as if telling their opponents about their intention to fight.


    "Over here, you dumb cow!" Rianna shouted as he pointed at one of the Minotaurs, making it shift its attention to her.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, simply shot an arrow on the second Minotaur, forcing it to block the arrows with its axe.


    A few secondster, the monster charged in Thirteen''s direction, making the ground tremble as it ran.


    After shooting his first arrow, Thirteen returned his bow to his storage and simply stood where he was.


    Seeing this scene, Rnd subconsciously clenched his fists. He had a feeling that he would see something that would change his perception of how to fight stronger monsters.


    After it was close enough to have the teenage boy within its strike range, the Minotaur raised its axe, intending to do an overhead sh.


    When the blow finally descended, Thirteen casually took two steps to his right side, dodging the giant axe with ease.


    Mildred''s eyes widened in shock not because of how Thirteen evaded the attack, but what the boy did after dodging.


    In the boy''s hand was a crossbow, which was raised and aimed at the Minotaur''s head.


    With pinpoint uracy and timing, Thirteen pulled the trigger, making the bolt of the crossbow hit the Minotaur''s right eye dead center.


    A momentter, the Monster cried out in pain and made a shing motion with its axe to target the boy who blinded one of its eyes.


    Thirteen, who had already expected this to happen, had already stored away his crossbow and moved away before the Minotaur could even swing its axe, distancing himself from the Monster.


    It took the Minotaur a while to regain itsposure, and when it did, it once again charged at the boy like a raging bull.


    It had already learned its lesson, so instead of using an overhead sh, it simply swung its axe sideway.


    But before it could do that, Thirteen had already made his move and ran toward the Minotaur, sliding through the space between its legs.


    Now that his opponent''s back was facing him, Thirteen tossed something in the air before lowering his head.


    The Minotaur hurriedly turned around to face his opponent once more.


    But as it did so, it saw something small appear in front of its eyes for a second before a deafening boom, followed by a bright sh of light, erupted in front of it.


    "A shbang grenade," Erica muttered.


    Just as everyone expected, the light momentarily blinded the Minotaur''s remaining eye, making it randomly swing its axe as a way to defend itself from any possible attacker.


    "The attack patterns of these monsters are always the same," Thirteen said loud enough for those who were watching to hear his voice. "The moment they lose their vision, they will be swinging their axe blindly from left to right as a way to defend themselves.


    "Although this move of theirs is predictable, it''s still enough to cause serious harm to those who are not familiar with fighting against them."


    After Thirteen said those words, he ran around to circle the monster and attack it from the back.


    Knowing that the time was right, he charged forward with his arms raised as if he were carrying an invisible weapon in his hands.


    Thirteen then did an overhead sh without holding anything in his hands.


    However, at thest second, an axe materialized out of nowhere and embedded itself in the Minotaur''s calf, making the monster roar in pain and anger.


    "No way!" Derek eximed. "Weapon Switch!"


    Weapon switch was a technique used by expert fighters who wanted to catch their opponent by surprise.


    They would act as if they were holding an imaginary weapon and give it a swing, or thrust.


    Then, at thest second, they would summon that weapon in their hands and deal a blow to their target.


    This tactic was very effective because no one knew what kind of weapon their opponent was using.


    Weapon Masters, who had practiced their arts to their limits, like to use this technique in order to mess up their opponent''s tempo and make their next attacks unpredictable.


    "I know that Axe," Joshuamented. "That is Mikhail''s axe. The Mountain King''s Axe."


    It was an axe that weighed nearly a ton, and Mikhail became very popr because of it. Anyone who tried to block, or deflect his blows would be sent flying due to how hard this Axe hits because of its weight.


    Of course, Thirteen wasn''t like Mikhail and couldn''t carry the axe in a casual manner.


    But summoning the axe mid-strike and simply leaving gravity to do its job was enough to deal decent damage to the enemy.


    Blood spurted from the Minotaur''s calf, but the teenage boy didn''t stay around to admire it.


    Instead, he stored the axe away and once again distanced himself from the Minotaur, whose bloodshot eyes red at its enemy, who seemed to be toying with it from the start of their battle.

 Chapter 455: Thirteen’s Live Combat Lesson [Part 2]

    "The Monster Hunter Mode of GANDAM is the perfect ce to gainbat experience against a wide array of monsters," Thirteen said as he eyed the Minotaur who was ring in his direction. "You guys should use it to the fullest. That way, you''ll be more prepared to fight strong opponents in the future."


    It was not only the Hero Party who was paying close attention to what Thirteen was saying.


    Vi, Sharon, and Louise also took note of his words.


    Remi, who had already done livebat simtions with Rank 1 Monsters, smiled faintly.


    Her brother made sure that she fought as many Rank 1 Monsters as possible so that she would be familiar with their attack patterns.


    Compared to Mikhail and Shasha, who had to get up close and personal with real monsters during their time in Solterra, the children in Pangea now had the opportunity to fight these same monsters in the safety of their homes.


    Although the experience would be painful, and their virtual bodies might die in the process, it was still a good way to train the children to fight before they fought actual monsters in real life.


    "You should always hit ces that will cripple the monster that you are facing," Thirteen continued his exnation. "During Jinn invasions, you will not be fighting one on one battles with monsters. You will be fighting one versus a group or one versus a horde of them.


    "This is why when you use the GANDAM Simtor, always choose the option of fighting more monsters."


    After saying those words, Thirteen looked at the charging Minotaur in front of him with a solemn gaze.


    When the monster was near enough, the teenage boy once again threw something at the monster''s face.


    Thinking that it was another sh grenade, the monster didn''t hesitate to raise its axe to cover its eyes.


    A secondter, the sound of a stone hitting the axe reached everyone''s ears.


    "If you do something to a monster that hurts them, they will remember it," Thirteen said calmly. "This is especially true for monsters with high intellect. So don''t use the same move twice¡ªthey will be ready for it."


    The Monster, who realized that Thirteen had only thrown a stone at it, roared in anger and embarrassment for having been tricked by the boy.


    It then resumed its charge with the intention of avenging its humiliation.


    Thirteen, who was unfazed by the monster''s indignation, once again threw something to its head.


    This time, the monster didn''t stop its charge and continued to close its distance with the boy.


    However, a secondter, a deafening boom followed by a sh of light once again deprived it of its ability to see.


    "Third time''s the charm," Thirteen said. "Although the Monster will be wary of such things, the humiliation they feel after getting tricked would cloud their decision-making abilities.


    "Because of this, you can attempt to trick them a second time, which will result in this situation."


    But unlike what happened earlier, the Minotaur no longer swung its weapon blindly and stoodpletely still while waiting for its vision to return.


    It was guarding a sneak attack from behind, making the Hero Party understand that the Monster had indeed learned its lesson and was wary of being attacked on its back a second time.


    Suddenly, the Minotaur swung its axe backward, hitting the First Minotaur that was chasing Rianna earlier.


    After running for a while, Rianna was getting tired, so she decided to make ast-ditch effort and return to Zion''s side.


    But after seeing that the monster was standingpletely still, she ran past its legs in a hurry.


    However, the Minotaur, who had been sneakily attacked from behind, thought that its enemy had once again targeted its back after hearing Rianna''s footsteps.


    But instead of hitting the human, it hit itsrade, making thetter scream in pain, and surprise.


    "Anything can happen on the battlefield," Thirteen said. "So if possible, you should finish your battle as quickly as possible before another variable appears."


    Thinking that its brethren had betrayed it, the First Minotaur swung its axe at the second Minotaur''s neck, cutting in deep, but not enough to cut it offpletely.


    At that moment, the temporarily blinded Minotaur regained its vision and looked at itsrade in disbelief because thetter had attacked it.


    Enraged by the betrayal, the Second Minotaur retaliated. Soon the two Monsters fought to the death.


    But since the Second Minotaur was already mortally wounded and nearly blind, the one who won in the end was the First Minotaur andnded the killing blow on itsrade''s body.


    "If it''s possible to use monsters to fight against each other, then do it," Thirteen stated as if everything that was happening was within his expectations.


    However, everything was truly a coincidence. But since coincidences also happen in real battles, he decided that this was also a good time to exin these things to the Hero Party.


    "Have you rested enough?" Thirteen asked the panting Rianna by his side.


    "If you make me run again, I''ll bite you!" Rianna answered in frustration.


    Thirteen smirked. "There are times when you will have pig teammates on your team. So, when that happens, feel free to abandon them."


    "What? You''re calling me a pig now?!" Rianna wanted to smack the annoying boy, but Thirteen had already run in the direction of the surviving Minotaur with a dagger in each hand.


    The Minotaur didn''t hesitate to do the same thing because of its racial nature.


    When the two were only a few meters away from each other, Thirteen threw one of the dagger towards the Minotaur''s eyes, but thetter simply raised its axe a bit to block it, creating a tinkling sound as the dagger hit its axe.


    It didn''t stop its charge in the slightest, intending to ram the boy with its body.


    But when the two were about to meet, the teenage boy suddenly disappeared.


    The Minotaur continued its charge, passing the ce where the boy disappeared in a heartbeat.


    "Pay close attention to the battlefield," Thirteen said as he emerged from the fissure on the ground, which was caused by the Minotaur''s overhead strike earlier.


    "Sometimes, these things can y a major role in your survival. Okay, ytime is over. Time to finish this."


    Thirteen only distracted the Minotaur earlier with his dagger, so that it wouldn''t notice the fissure caused by the giant axe on the ground.


    Now that his lesson was over, Thirteen fired two arrows in quick session with the certainty that it wouldnd on his intended target.


    Sure enough, the moment the Minotaur turned around to check if it ttened its foe to meat paste, two arrows flew toward its head, hitting its eyes.


    After that, it became a repeat of what happened during the first battle with the First Minotaur they fought earlier.


    There was no longer any excitement.


    It was just a one-sided beating with both Thirteen and Rianna firing their long-range weapons until the Monster died with resentment.


    After the GANDAM announced that the battle was over, Thirteen removed the Neuro-Link from his head and looked at the members of the Hero Party with a solemn gaze.


    "Your final assessment is over," Thirteen stated. "Now, who among you want to stay to be trained by me? I am telling you this now that I only have a month and a half to train you guys, so those who want to learn from me will experience Spartan Training.


    "I will also not allow any of you to quit and waste my time. So if you n to join, join with the knowledge that you will suffer. In return, I will raise your fighting ability and awareness with the little time we have for our training.


    "Maybe, just maybe, that one month of training will save your lives when you return to Solterra thising Winter Solstice. Again, who among you want to be trained by me? Step forward."


    To Remi''s surprise, the first one who stepped forward wasn''t Derek.


    It was Shana, followed by Mildred and Erica.


    Derek, who thought that he was the only one serious about learning under Zion, was surprised about this sudden turn of events.


    However, he also stepped forward since he nned to stay regardless of how harsh the training would be.


    Rnd did the same, making Joshua look at his party members with a solemn expression on his face.


    Since all of hisrades nned to train, he also reluctantly stepped forward.


    Rianna, Vi, Sharon, and Louise did the same, making the corner of Thirteen''s lips rise slightly.


    "Your training arc starts now," Thirteen said. "I look forward to breaking all of you at the same time."


    Thirteenughed internally, seeing that the result was better than he expected.


    Since his entire party was now more or less his disciples, he would be able to use them against his Fated Hero, which he was certain would appear in the not-so-distant future.

 Chapter 456: This Is Nothing For The Great Erica [Part 1]

    The sound of Rhia''s giggles faintly spread across the forest around the mountain where Zion''s Family Residence was located.


    The little girl was currently riding on top of Albion, who was racing with Derek as thetter ran while carrying weights on his body.


    Uncle Boo trailed behind Rhia and even looked at the Swordsman in disdain as if telling it by its gaze "Is this all that you can do? Pathetic!"


    Derek, who had no idea that he was being looked down upon by the little Beholder, was sweating like buckets. He was now feeling tired, and yet, he still had to run five moreps around the mountain.


    ''At this rate, I won''t finish until lunchtime,'' Derek thought as he forced himself to take one step at a time. ''I knew the training would be something like this, but it seems that I still underestimated the training routine prepared for us. Zion is really a hellish trainer.''


    Using Rianna as an example during thetest battle, Thirteen told everyone the importance of having enough stamina to run away from monsters during times of crisis.


    Erica''s excuse of "mages don''t need to build stamina" was easily rebuked by Thirteen with a few words.


    "I''ll piss on your grave when you die."


    This incensed Erica so much that she started to run despite feeling like she was about to die after five minutes.


    Unlike Derek who needed to run around the mountain for tenps, the Sorceres only needed to run around it once.


    Although Thirteen was strict, he also understood that doing the impossible on the first day wasn''t going to help Erica build up confidence and motivation.


    The Hero Party, the Valkyries, and Rianna were given a specific number ofps around the mountain depending on their physical abilities.


    Shana and Mildred were allowed to only run twops because, unlike Erica who was physically unfit, the Saintess and the Archer received decent physical training when they were younger.


    Rnd and Rianna would also run tenps like Derek, while Diana and Joshua would run five times around the mountain.


    Remi was also included in the training, running alongside Shana and Mildred, making sure that they didn''t stray off the course that was littered with bright yellow gs.


    "I¡­ swear¡­ that if I die¡­ I''ll kill you¡­ Zion," Erica huffed and puffed as she walked like a zombie with a mission.


    "You''re already like this when you still have afternoon magic trainingter," Thirteen replied in disdain. "How weak are you, really?"


    "You¡­ brat," Erica wheezed. "No respect¡­ for elders."


    "Sorry, Grandma," Thirteen replied with contempt. "Should I give you your walking stick now?"


    Thirteen was worried that Erica would suddenly roll over somewhere along the course and copse, so he decided to apany her and walk beside her as if taking a leisurely stroll in the mountainside.


    "I''m a¡­ Sorceress," Erica stated. "You should¡­ train me¡­ with magic!"


    "Like I said, that''s for the afternoon," Thirteen replied. "What''s the point in training you in using magic when you''ll be the first to die once a monster breaches past Diana''s defenses? I''m doing this for your own good, you know?"


    Although Thirteen''s words were filled with contempt and ridicule, the corners of his lips were raised slightly.


    Seeing Erica like this reminded him of some of his Hosts who all started as weak nobodies.


    In fact, Erasmus, who had now be a Death Lord, was once a sickly boy.


    Growing up, Thirteen gave him a lot of quests to help him strengthen his body.


    The System Rewards at that time were just very simple things, but getting rewarded for a job well done motivated Erasmus to do well, and a few decadester, he had be one of the strongest, if not the Strongest Wanderer, in Pangea during his era.


    Knowing that a reward system was effective in motivating someone, he applied this method to his family, especially when he was training Mikhail and Shasha several years ago.


    "Then how about this?" Thirteen said. "If youplete this task, I''ll give you a reward. What kind of reward do you want?"


    "A punch¡­ on your¡­ face!" Erica panted for breath.


    "If you punch me, Remi and Rhia will get upset," Thirteen replied. "We can''t have that, so think of something else."


    Erica stopped walking as she leaned on a tree trying to regain her breath.


    "Make me¡­ strong," Erica replied. "Make me strong¡­ instantly!"


    "Girl, how about you just gather seven magic balls and make a wish to make you strong instantly?" Thirteen smirked. "Now ask me for a more realistic wish."


    "Marry me."


    "On second thought, how about we start searching for those seven magic balls, yeah?"


    Augh escaped the beautiful youngdy with dark blue hair. As one of the rising stars of her generation, she had her share of marriage invitations from various families, including those from the Scions of the Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families.


    Despite her background of being just a poormoner, she rose in the ranks, making her a hotmodity because of her talents.


    Perhaps they thought that if she were paired up with their talented children, Erica would give birth to an exceptional child who would be a future prodigy.


    She yfully asked the thirteen-year-old to marry her even though she wasn''t really serious about it.


    However, Thirteen''s instant rejection made her understand that in his eyes, she wasn''t special enough to be considered as a lover candidate.


    Having been given a few minutes to regain her breath, Erica was feeling a lot better. She nced at the teenage boy, who was looking at his sister riding on top of a Unicorn that was the size of an adult Siberian Husky.


    "Bwadah!" Rhia happily greeted her brother as the two of them high-fived each other. "Yay!"


    After the two high-fived, Albion continued to run because he didn''t want Derek to overtake them.


    Currently, Rhia was in the lead of the race, with Derek in second ce.


    Rnd was in third, and Joshua was in fourth ce.


    It seemed that the Hero was pacing himself and not exerting himself too hard for this stamina training.


    Thirteen was fine with it. All that mattered was theypleted the tenps he had asked of them.


    "Erica, are you still alive?" Derek asked while jogging in ce.


    "F*ck off," Erica replied in a manner that would make Shana shake her head in disappointment.


    "I guess you''re still alive," Derekughed before continuing his run. "See youter, Master."


    Thirteen nodded "Mmm."


    Five minutester, Rnd and Joshua also appeared in their vision.


    Just like Thirteen expected, the Hero was still looking fresh and seemed to be taking this training as a normal jog.


    "Are you alright, Erica?" Rnd asked the Sorceress, who was still leaning on the tree.


    "I''m fine," Erica replied as she made a gut pose and a peace sign. "This is nothing for the great Erica!"


    "Well, as long as you''re fine, then it''s good." Rnd then gave Thirteen a brief nod before continuing his run.


    "Don''t push yourself too much," Joshuamented. "We know that you''re not built for physical fitness exercises."


    Joshua gave Zion a sidelong nce before running after his love rival.


    When he was certain that the two were out of earshot, Thirteen smirked at Erica.


    "You sure know how to keep up appearances, huh?" Thirteen said. "You must really like Rnd, huh?"


    "What''s there to not like about him?" Erica answered. "Unlike you, Rnd treats me well."


    "Well, unlike me, Rnd was unable to solve the crisis in the Rigel Continent," Thirteen smirked. "Please, we''re not on the same level. He''s not even as valuable as my pinky finger."


    Erica clicked her tongue because she couldn''t say anything to refute the annoying brat''s words.


    Although they were called the Hero Party, their achievements indeed paled inparison to Zion''s achievements.


    While the Sorceress was feeling irritated, Thirteen approached her and held her hand.


    "W-What are you doing?!" Erica was about to pry the teenage boy''s hands away, but when he saw how serious his gaze was, she stopped midway.


    "Erica, listen to me," Thirteen said solemnly. "Among the members of the Hero Party, you have the highest potential. You may not see it in a year or two, but there wille a time when you will surpass everyone, including Rnd."


    "O-Of course, I will. Just who do you think I am? I am the Rising Star, Erica." Erica, who was weak to praise, felt smug after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    The teenage boy was harsh on everyone and only had a soft spot for his family, especially his brother and sisters.


    So when Zionplimented her, Erica felt as if she had received the highest validation. After all, it came from the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.


    "Do your best, okay?" Thirteen said as he firmly held Erica''s hand. "I am looking forward to hearing the Epic Sagas of the Great Erica."


    "Fufufu, you will hear it even if you are living under a rock¡ªI will make sure of it."


    "As expected of the greatest Sorceress of Pangea."


    As the two were happily chatting with each other, Shana, Mildred, and Remi appeared on the course and saw them together.


    Seeing that the young man was holding onto Erica''s hands, Shana suddenly felt a difort in her chest, which she couldn''t understand.


    "Erica, are you fine?" Shana asked as soon as she arrived beside the two. "Do you need healing?"


    "Yes!" Erica replied in a heartbeat. "Cast your rejuvenation spell, stamina spell, and healing spell. In fact, give me all the buffs that you can give me-a!"


    The Sorceress ced her hand on the side of their head that had been given a karate chop by Thirteen.


    "Don''t listen to this fool," Thirteen said. "The three of you continue to run. We will still have training after this."


    Mildred chuckled after seeing Erica''s pitiful expression before lightly tapping Shana''s shoulder.


    "Let''s go," Mildred said. "It''s good to see that someone can bring Erica down a peg. This will be a good experience for her."


    Shana gave the two bickering teenagers another hard nce before she followed behind Mildred, while still feeling the difort in her chest.

 Chapter 457: This Is Nothing For The Great Erica [Part 2]

    "You suck in fast-speed casting huh?" Thirteenmented as he looked at Erica, who was unable to cast a spell fast enough to hit the flying metallic Frisbee, which was meant to train archers.


    "I''m just not built for speed," Erica replied. "I specialize in hard-hitting spells that will destroy the enemy with one shot."


    "Yeah¡­ we can''t have that." Thirteen shook his head. "Even if you do manage to cast, I''ve noticed that your uracy is very bad when you''re aiming for moving targets. Be honest, you can only hit stationary targets, right?"


    Erica averted her gaze and pretended that she didn''t hear the teenage boy''s statement.


    Thirteen had finished training the other members of the Hero Party individually.


    He had saved the Sorceress forst because, among all of them, Erica was the one who needed dire improvements to her fighting prowess.


    Just like the teenage boy had stated, Erica had been too used to only fighting at the back, raining spells on targets that were being restrained by Rnd, Derek, and Diana.


    She was very bad at hitting moving targets because she had a poor aim and couldn''t predict where they would be moving next.


    This was one of her many weaknesses, and for a trainer like Thirteen, the holes in Erica''s fighting prowess were as clear as day.


    "How much money do you have in your savings?" Thirteen suddenly asked a question, which made Erica arch an eyebrow.


    "I don''t have a lot of savings because I am nning to move my family to a better residential house with good amenities," Erica replied. "Why did you ask?"


    "Because you need a spell that you can cast quickly," Thirteen replied. "All of your spells require anywhere between ten to thirty seconds to cast, which is not really ideal for fast-paced battles. Since that is the case, there is only one way to ovee this weakness, and that is to buy a spell book."


    Just like how weapons, armor, essories, and avatars could be traded between Wanderers, spell books were the same.


    They were rewards that could be obtained from The One, and some could be found in other ces like ruins or mystic ces that had been left behind by Ancient Mages.


    "But those skill books are expensive," Erica frowned.


    "Then just think of it as a reward from me for doing your best inpleting the mountainp earlier," Thirteen replied. "I will purchase the spell bookter. For now, we should practice how you can cast your spells faster."


    Erica, who heard that she was going to get a spell book for free, felt motivated and listened to Thirteen''s advice on how to cast her spells faster.


    Although the spell activation time decreased by only a second or two, it was more than enough to confirm Thirteen''s suspicion that Erica was a very talented person.


    ''As expected of a first-rate Cannon Fodder,'' Thirteen thought while sighing in his heart.


    Yes, the reason why the teenage boy was close to Erica was due to the fact that even in his current form, he could tell if someone was a Cannon Fodder or not.


    Despite being in the Hero Party, Erica was the sole cannon fodder among them, which was why he was focusing on training her well.


    He wasn''t lying when he said that the first one who would die when monsters managed to get past Diana was Erica.


    When it came to Fate''s n, Erica was the one meant to die in order to make the members of the Hero Party understand their weakness.


    Because of that, they would make a vow to ensure that another friend of theirs wouldn''t be dying under their watch.


    At least, that was how the script works for the Hero Party.


    It was also possible that there would be more than one party member who would die. Presumably, this would force Rnd to have a shift in mindset and kickstart his Hero Character Progression.


    But Thirteen was sick and tired of this setup.


    Now that he knew that a Cannon Fodder was part of the Hero Party, he couldn''t turn a blind eye and just watch her life be snuffed out due to Fate''s ordained destiny.


    "Hey, Zion, why are you being nice to me?" Erica asked. "Are you after my body?"


    The Sorceress asked this in a teasing tone, which made Tiona look at her while pondering if she should bite the Sorceress or not.


    "I''m not interested in love or any romantic rtionships," Thirteen replied. "If you ask me to tell you the real reason why I am helping you, the answer is because I hate to see you fade in the background while you''re supposed to be a star in the sky.


    "A star that will shine brightly and illuminate this god-forsaken world. You''ll also be forced to go to Solterra in a month and a half, so you better get serious in your training.


    "When I return from my mission, I don''t want to hear any news of you kicking the bucket. If that happens, I swear I''ll find your bones and piss on them."


    "Wow, thank you for giving me that disgusting image in my head," Erica scoffed. "If I get nightmares tonight, it will be your fault."


    "Enough talking and start casting," Thirteen ordered. "I''ll reduce the flight speed of the Frisbee, so make sure to hit at least one of them, okay?"


    True to his words, the teenage boy changed the setting of the machine that was ejecting the Frisbees.


    But just like he expected, Erica was still unable to cast her spells fast enough to hit them or predict where they would be flying next.


    Even so, Erica was now starting to feel motivated in the training.


    She didn''t know if it was because of the rewards or because Zion''s words felt sincere and genuine.


    However, she still felt that she couldn''t help but feel admiration for the teenage boy, and this feeling did not only stem from his aplishments.


    She admired and even felt respect for him on an instinctual level as if she had known him for a very long time.


    Of course, Erica was sure that she had only met Zion personally a few days ago, but there was something about him that made her feel at ease.


    It made her feel like he was a giant tree that would make sure she was protected from the strong winds and the rain.


    For a brief moment, Erica saw not only herself but many others under the shelter of that giant tree.


    People whom she hadn''t seen or met in her lifetime.


    And yet, she felt that all of them shared something inmon that tied them to him.


    "Oi, did your brain overheat after casting so many spells?" Thirteen asked because Erica was looking at his face in a daze. "Should we stop now?"


    "Sorry, I just got distracted," Erica replied. "Although you''re not as handsome as Rnd, you''re pretty cute yourself, Zion."


    Thirteen blinked once and twice before ncing at Tiona.


    The ck Snake firmly shook her head left and right and told her Master that he was a hundred times more good-looking than Rnd.


    Since Thirteen believed Tiona with his life, he suspected that the Sorceress not only needed to learn a new spell but also get an appointment with an eye specialist.


    ''This is bad, Tiona,'' Thirteen said through telepathy. ''Now I understand why Erica isn''t good at aiming. She has bad eyesight.''


    Tiona nodded her head in agreement with her Master''s words.


    In the end, the two looked at the Sorceress with pitiful gazes, thinking that they finally found the root cause of her problem.

 Chapter 458: The Best Defense Is A Good Offense [Part 1]

    "Zion, why am I wearing gloves again?" Diana asked with great curiosity.


    "Because I will teach you boxing," Thirteen replied.


    "¡­I''m a Crusader, you know?"


    "I know, and a very lousy one, in fact, who takes every hit the enemy dishes and wears herself out a lot. I''ve been observing you for a day, and I''m confident that you''re not a masochist¡­ are you?"


    Diana frowned. "Of course, I''m not a masochist."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Now, let''s learn how to box first. Which one is your dominant arm?"


    "My right hand," Diana replied.


    "Then you should always put your left foot forward, and your right at the back like this," Thirteen said as he demonstrated the fighting stance. "You should be able to do this subconsciously whenever you block the enemy with your shield. Your left foot will let you gain a foothold, and your right foot will support your bnce to tank the blow.


    "Since you''re already familiar with it, let''s focus on your footwork. First, I will teach you how to block punches. If you are using a shield, simply put it in front of you. But in a situation when you''re going to get mobbed, you need to know how to block properly."


    Thirteen then threw a hook slowly and told Diana how to block it.


    "Good. It''s just like moving your shield to block, yes?" Thirteen asked after Diana realized that the teenage boy was right.


    She used the same movement to block attacksing from the side as boxing.


    "Now, when I throw a straight punch, don''t block it," Thirteen added. "Instead, dodge it. Your sense of defense is already wired into your system. Because of this, you will automatically block if you see an attack headed your way, so we will now practice dodging.


    "Boxing doesn''t only require you to punch faster and hit harder. Good boxers are also nimble with their feet. In fact, someone who has trained this art to the limit can dodge punches even with their hands tied behind their back.


    "Remember this, Diana. There wille a time when you will have to fight without your party. You have experienced that when you were first Spirited Away, so you understand what I''m talking about.


    "Fighting with your team is situational and gives you the highest means of survival. But when you are fighting alone, you can''t just block your enemy''s attacks all the time. You need to dodge, and counterattack as well."


    Diana nodded in understanding.


    When she was first sent to Solterra, it had been a very hard and difficult time for her.


    Although she had been trained by her family since she was young, training and being in the field were two different things.


    She could still remember how panicked she was when she encountered her first Monster.


    Her body froze, her breathing grew ragged, and her mind was in disarray.


    Fortunately, when she was first sent to Solterra, there were two other Wanderers who appeared beside her. Three of them were all trained, so they were able to ovee the Rank 1 Monster who attacked them.


    Since then, Diana had leaned more on blocking attacks instead of dealing damage. She would fight as a part of a group, focusing only on defense and leaving the attacking to everyone else.


    With her current strength, Diana should be able to fight Rank 1 Monsters easily. However, she also understood that she had been too used to defending against attacks instead of dodging and counter-attacking them.


    "They say that offense is the best defense," Thirteen stated. "However, the best defense can be a good offense too when done by the right person. But before I teach you that, you need to learn how to move your body first. So, let''s return to dodging and blocking."


    Thirteen then focused on attacking Diana with fast, swift, and unpredictable attacks, making thetter have a hard time. However, she had been a Crusader for many years after all, so she was able to block Thirteen''s attacks, albeit barely.


    "You''re still blocking my straight punches," Thirteen said. "When I punch straight, you dodge."


    Diana felt as if both of her left and right feet weren''t getting along with each other. A part of her wanted to block, and the other was forcing her to dodge, which made Thirteen''s punchesnd lightly on her shoulders and head.


    Rnd, Joshua, and Mildred looked at the two and couldn''t help but wonder why Thirteen was forcing Diana to learn boxing.


    But since the teenage boy had given them their own training regimens, which they also found inexplicable, they decided to just simply think that the teenage boy was making fun of them.


    Two hourster, Shana used her healing magic to heal the beaten and battered Diana who had been hit several times by the teenage boy who, in the end, stopped pulling back his punches.


    The only saving grace was that Thirteen only aimed for her shoulders, deliberately sparing her face and chest during their boxing lesson.


    But his punches still hurt a lot, which made Diana return to her usual strategy of blocking instead of dodging.


    Thirteen didn''t say anything and simply asked her to move around, using her feet every second.


    It didn''t matter if she blocked or dodged.


    The teenage boy knew that Diana wouldn''t get proficient in a day, so he just focused on letting her get used to the feeling of moving her feet and body.


    The next day¡­


    Thirteen no longer said anything and just proceeded to punch her repeatedly, making her understand that if she didn''t dodge his attacks, she would only get hurt.


    The second day ended with Diana''s body feeling more sore and battered than it had been yesterday.


    Even so, she was surprised that the thirteen-year-old was able to keep his energy levels at a decent level as he trained her other party members.


    The only ones whom Thirteen didn''t give actual hands-on training were Rnd and Joshua.


    Thirteen only gave the Hero one mission and one mission alone.


    Defeat the Three-Horned Minotaur on his own using any means necessary.


    Of course, Rnd ended up dying many times, making him feel like quitting.


    However, his pride wouldn''t allow him to do that, especially after Thirteen fought not one, but two Minotaurs, with Rianna.


    Although some can argue that Thirteen had Rianna with her, it didn''t really matter in the bigger picture.


    Rnd had a feeling that even if Rianna wasn''t there, the teenage boy could have still defeated the Three-Horned Minotaur if he was given enough time.


    With this in mind, he refused to give up. He wanted to squash the gradually growing feeling of inferiority toward the teenage boy who was four years younger than him.


    As for Joshua, Thirteen told him to purchase debuff spells and practice hitting Pocopocos with them.


    While the Sage of the Hero Party didn''t suffer any physical harm, given that there was no way he''d die from fighting against a Pocopoco, he felt dead inside because the bastard birds were very notorious for their foul mouths.


    Diana, who had just finished her training, couldn''t help but cover her lips, and chuckle silently as he looked at the TV Screen in the Training Room.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "What''s wrong? Can''t hit me with your small d*ck?" the Pocopoco said in disdain as it nimbly dodged Joshua''s umpteenth attempt to hit it with a paralyzing spell. "Then again, maybe you don''t have one because you are a p*ssy!"


    "Shut up, you damn bird!" Joshua shouted as he unleashed a barrage of spells at the Bird who casually evaded it as if it was second nature to it.


    "I''m sorry, are you talking about my Aunt?" the Pocopoco replied in a teasing tone. "But then again, she''s not as dumb as your mother for giving birth to a loser like you."


    "Damn your father, mother, and sister!" Joshua growled hatefully.


    "You forgot my brother, punk," the Pocopoco flew low and spat on Joshua''s face. "Nobody forgets my bro!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Even Derek broke out inughter as he watched Joshua''s training routine.


    It was the most entertaining thing that he had watched since he started his training with Thirteen.


    The sound of the prim, proper, and serious Sage shouting and screaming out of anger and frustration as he hurled one spell after the other was music to his ears.


    Even Rnd, who died multiple times a day against a Three-Horned Minotaur, would rather fight the Rank 5 Overlord than be on the receiving end of the Pocopoco''s insults.


    But for some reason, Rnd couldn''t shake the feeling that Zion was purposely making things difficult for him and Joshuapared to the others.


    However, since he didn''t have any proof of his theory, he couldn''t really speak up about the uncertainty that was now creeping at the back of his head.

 Chapter 459: The Best Defense Is A Good Offense [Part 2]

    A weekter¡­


    Thirteen and Diana moved around the Training Room as they continued their training.


    Unlike the past few days when Diana was uncontrobly blocking Thirteen''s punches, she was now dodging them all.


    Ever since the young man stopped being considerate of her, she received punches even on her face whenever an opportunity arose.


    Two days ago, Thirteen even took out a mirror and showed Diana her face which was swollen and bleeding in some ces, making her understand how sorry her state was.


    Since then, Diana had forced herself to dodge Thirteen''s blows instead of blocking them because she knew that blocking them was useless.


    The boy''s punches wouldnd on her body, making her lower her defenses due to the pain.


    After that, Thirteen would decisively punch her face and made sure that it hurt a lot.


    Erica, Shana, and Mildred thought that Thirteen was going overboard because he was no longer being considerate.


    A girl''s face was one of their assets, so if someone were to hurt it, it would definitely affect their self-esteem.


    However, with Shana''s healing and Thirteen''s special face cream, Diana''s face would return to normal after a good night''s rest, making the girls unable to say anything about the punishment that their friend had to deal with every single day.


    But after getting fed up with being one-sidedly beaten, Diana no longer put up any defenses and just focused on dodging and deflecting Thirteen''s punches.


    Of course, even with her best, Thirteen''s punches would still hit from time to time. However, at the end of their session, the hit she received had been reduced by more than half.


    She was also now counterattacking with straight punches of her own whenever she saw an opportunity, forcing Thirteen to back away. This flow continued for another week, and by then, out of the entire two hours that they were boxing non-stop, Thirteen was only able tond one to three hits on her body.


    "Good," Thirteen said with a smile. "You have improved a lot. Tomorrow, I will give you two things, and we will change our training."


    "No more boxing?" Diana was surprised because she was now getting the hang of the sport, and to be frank, it felt really good to not be on the receiving end of an attack.


    "You can still do boxing after the training," Thirteen smiled faintly. "But we will change your training regimen because I deem that you are nowpetent enough to go to the next stage. I have asked my Father to craft you a few things, and I believe that these new gears will make your defensive fighting style better than before."


    Diana didn''t know what Thirteen had in mind, but after experiencing her growth, she decided to wait until the next day to see what he had prepared for her.


    The next day, Diana arrived at the Training Room at their usual training time.


    Thirteen was currently sparring with Shana, who was holding a wooden staff in her hands.


    The teenage boy had trained the Saintess in using the wooden staff for her training. They believed it was not a bad idea since Shana was always at the back lines, supporting the team.


    When their training session was done, Remi handed hand towels to the two of them and gave them both water to drink.


    After wiping the sweat off of his face, Thirteen beckoned for Diana toe to him.


    "Today, I nned to give you and Shana some equipment that will prove more beneficial to both of youpared to what you are using right now," Thirteen said he then took out a box from his Dimensional Storage and handed it first to Shana.


    He then took out another box from his storage, and this time, he gave it to Diana.


    When Shana opened the box Thirteen gave her, she saw two things inside of it.


    The first one was a silver bracelet that had the insignia of the Central Government.


    The second one was a circlet with wings on both sides.


    Diana, on the other hand, received a ne with a small golden gem attached to it.


    Taking a closer look at it, the gem had the insignia of a sword and shield, which was the emblem of the Ross Family, which Diana was part of.


    The second thing inside the box Thirteen had given her was a sword handle.


    It didn''t have any de in it, which surprised her very much.


    "Before anything else, please put a drop of your blood on both of those items so that it will be soul-bonded to both of you," Thirteen said. "Those items are Ancestral Gears, and they grow alongside their owners.


    "Currently, they are at the peak of the Gold Grade, which both of you can use even though you are still Apostles. But in order for it to work, it needs to be soul-bonded to both of you first."


    Shana and Diana were both surprised because they had only heard about Ancestral Gears but had never seen any of them.


    These items were very good because they would grow stronger as their owners grew stronger.


    After putting a drop of blood in each of their gears, they suddenly felt that it had be a part of their bodies.


    The bracelet automatically equipped itself on Shana''s left wrist, while the Winged Helmet split apart and transformed into two winged earrings that attached themselves to Shana''s ears.


    Diana''s ne also automatically equipped itself and nestledfortably on the youngdy''s chest.


    The sword in Diana''s hand hummed faintly, as if eager to show its power to its owner.


    "They still don''t have names," Thirteen said. "So it will be best if you give them one. The bracelet on your wrist, Shana, and the ne you''re wearing, Diana, can transform into spears.


    "However, these spears are different¡ªthey''re also a banner at the same time. I''m sure you have questions, so it will be best if you just activate them for now."


    Shana and Diana nodded and gave their new armaments names.


    "Clemence," Shana said, and the bracelet on her wrist transformed into a three-meter gpole.


    A white banner that illuminated the surroundings appeared, making those who were within the range of the g aura feel as if their body were being rejuvenated.


    Shana''s body also glowed faintly with a white color, making her look divine and holy.


    To her surprise, she felt as if her fatigue had disappearedpletely, making her look at the g in her hand in disbelief.


    It was as light as a feather, so moving it around wasn''t a big problem. The tip of the pole also had a ded point, which made Shana understand that the banner was also a weapon that she could use in battle.


    "Clemence? That''s a good name," Thirteenmented. "Then, let me tell you something about Clemence. This banner gives you the ability to Dual Wield and grants a healing aura around it.


    "It also automatically creates a barrier that is strong enough to block arrows and other projectiles. Although it can protect against weapon attacks to a certain extent, it would be better if you channel your energy to it so that it can create a stronger barrier.


    "When you''re not using it, it will automatically absorb the excess Aether in your body, converting it to a barrier when you summon it. It also has the ability to prevent Mind-Affecting abilities from getting a hold of your mind.


    "Last but not the least, it can create a powerful light that can illuminate even the darkest ces. With it, you won''t have to worry about finding your way into the darkness."


    The Symbol of the Central Government could be seen in the banner fluttering automatically despite not having any gust of wind inside the Training Room.


    Thirteen then shifted his attention to Diana. "Summon yours as well."


    "Come, Justice," Dianamanded.


    Immediately, the ne hanging on her neck flew in front of her.


    Diana grabbed hold of it, and the moment she did, it transformed into a gpole, simr to what Shana was holding.


    However, instead of a silver glow, the banner glowed golden, making those who were within its aura range feel as if they were ready for battle.


    The youngdy could feel her strength increase by a bit, and her senses sharper and clearer.


    Simr to Shana''s g, it was also light as a feather, allowing Diana to move it without any problems.


    "Come, Defender," Dianamanded.


    The sword handle in her hand hummed in reply, and a golden glowing de materialized over it.


    Diana felt extremelyfortable holding the sword in her hand, making her feel that it was the strongest shield and the sharpest de at the same time.


    "Defender is an apt name," Thirteen replied. "That golden de has the invincible property, which means that it will never break or shatter, allowing you to use it to block any strong attacks if need be.


    "It''s also very sharp, which would give you the ability to attack and defend at the same time. Now that you are proficient in moving around, you will be able to use these two artifacts better."


    Derek, Mildred, Rnd, and Joshua looked at the gears in their friends'' hands and couldn''t help but feel envious.


    Only Erica didn''t seem to feel envy or jealousy. After all, she had also received something from Thirteen, which was just as good as the items that were in the hands of her two friends.


    Because of this, the swordsman approached Thirteen with a smile on his face.


    "Ahem, Master. How about me?" Derek asked. "Have you also prepared something for me?"


    "Yours is still being made," Thirteen answered.


    "How about me, Zion?" Rianna hugged the teenage boy from behind. "You haven''t forgotten about me, right?"


    "Yours is being made as well," Thirteen replied.


    "What about me?" Mildred asked cutely.


    "Still being made," Thirteen answered.


    "How about us?" Rnd asked. "Is Sir Gerald also making something for Joshua and me?"


    "¡­ Yeah," Thirteen replied, but his expression didn''t look very convincing.


    The teenage boy then coughed lightly before asking Diana to follow him outside of the Training Room because she would teach him how to use her new gears in a mock battle in the forest outside of their residence.


    The only way to put them to good use was through actual battle. And to be honest, he was also looking forward to the performance of the weapons he had asked to be made for the Hero Party.


    Of course, he had talked to Lace Demon about it. After a round of negotiations, the Demon and The One agreed to let the Hero Party have a few good items.


    In fact, The One didn''t give Thirteen too much trouble since it also favored Rnd''s Party, whom it believed would lead the next generation of Wanderers to new heights.


    This was why, as a reward for Thirteen training the future Heroes of the World, it decided to not make the negotiations too one-sided and only asked for a few minor things from Thirteen.


    Of course, Thirteen had also negotiated that since he was doing the world a favor¡ªhe asked The One to send him to an easy mission in Solterra for once.


    However, The One only chuckled and said "okay," which made the teenage boy wonder if the God was just joking with him or was nning to send him to another mission that would make even Thrones and Monarchs flee in fear due to its level of difficulty.

 Chapter 460: Tiona Is The Only One Who Can Bite Me, You Know?

    "It''s so hard¡­ so hot¡­" Rianna''s face was beet red, and beads of sweat were trickling down her forehead.


    "Too rough, I can''t¡­" Mildred, who was on the same boat, was reaching her limit said with a flushed face. "Zion, you''re terrible¡­"


    "If you want this to get over with, shake those hips," Thirteen replied in a teasing tone. "I find girls who are doing their best extremely attractive."


    "I can''t¡­ it''s so hot."


    Thirteen sighed as he looked at the two girls, who were doing their best to swiftly walk across the hot coals while shooting arrows at the baseball balls being spewed by the Pitching Machine.


    Derek, who came to find Zion toin about his hellish training, immediately turned back after seeing the training ground the thirteen-year-old had prepared for the two Rangers.


    This was the second stage of Rianna''s and Mildred''s training, which Thirteen had implemented when he deemed that both of them were ready to take their training to the next level.


    Erica, who had just finished her own training, sat beside Thirteen and munched on potato chips.


    "Why are you being so easy on them?" Erica asked. "Compared to what you made me go through, isn''t their training too tame?"


    "If you think that way, why don''t you join them?" Thirteen replied.


    "On second thought, I''ll just sit here and eat my potato chips."


    Rianna and Mildred''s training continued for an entire hour. After it was over, they immediately jumped over on the coal-less ground, with their feet smoking.


    The two didn''t hesitate to run over to Shana, whom Thirteen had called fifteen minutes ago.


    "Aren''t you guys lucky that we have Shana to heal your injuries?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    "You brat¡ªyou call this training?" Mildred asked. "It looks like you just want to see us suffer."


    "Um? Is an hour running over hot coals not enough?" Thirteen blinked. "We''ll make it two hours tomorrow then."


    "That was the best training I had in my life," Mildred replied hurriedly. "10/10 would try again!"


    The Archer of the Hero Party immediately backed down because she had a feeling that the teenage boy would really extend their training hours to two hours if she didn''t take back her words.


    Rianna didn''tin and simply wiped the sweat off from her body using the hand towel that Thirteen had passed over to her.


    "I''ve never been that nimble on my feet in my entire life," Riannamented. "But, it''s hard to be urate shooting arrows when we have to move like that."


    Since she was concentrating on pacing her movement to ensure that her feet wouldn''t be burned by the coals, she had less concentration to shoot at the baseball balls that were traveling at the speed of 100 mph.


    Even Mildred, who was confident in her ability to shoot fast-moving targets, could only hit the baseball ball one out of twenty shots.


    Every time she paused to aim properly, her feet would get burned, so she had no choice but to do rapid firing.


    "Um, did Dereke here a while ago?" Thirteen asked. "I thought I saw him walk over here earlier."


    "He did, but he didn''t stay long," Erica replied as she continued to eat her potato chips.


    "I see." Thirteen nodded. "And here I was, hoping that I could talk to him about his training. It''s time for him to also go to the next stage of his training."


    Derek, who had left the scene a few minutes ago, suddenly felt chills running down his spine.


    Just like everyone else, they were doing unreasonable training which no sane human would do normally.


    Even Shana, who was only supposed to y a role of support, had to learn how to fight in the second stage of her training, and she had to fight a Rank 3 Sovereign alone.


    Little did Derek know that Thirteen had decided to make him fight a Rank 4 Sovereign ze Skunk for the second part of his training.


    The Swordsman was only fighting against a Rank 4 Chad Skunk right now, yet he already felt like dying every time he was hit by its stink spray.


    The psychological and emotional damage he was getting from his opponent was enough to give him PTSD, but Thirteen was relentless and told him to just deal with it.


    "Rianna, Mildred, both of you will only have two days to get used to the hot coals," Thirteen said. "After that, I will be using four Pitching Machines.


    "The first two will throw balls that will serve as your targets, and the other two will be throwing balls to target the two of you."


    Rianna, who was drinking water from a tumbler, spat everything she drank and coughed repeatedly.


    Mildred, who was about to do the same, turned extremely pale, knowing that what they were going to experience was pure torture.


    "C-Can we just focus on hitting our targets until the Winter Solstice?" Mildred stuttered. "I don''t think we need to go that far¡­"


    "Of course, we need to go that far," Thirteen replied. "In fact, there is still a Level 3 Training that I have prepared for the two of you, so if you think that what you''re going to experience is already hard, then you ain''t seen nothing yet."


    Mildred''s face, which was already pale, lost all of its remaining colors. She was half-regretting her decision to join this impromptu Training Camp and already had a strong urge to go home.


    Rianna, who had finally regained herposure, only sighed before taking a sip from her tumbler.


    "Just give up, Mildred," Rianna said after she was done drinking. "Zion does things for a reason. You might hate him now, but you will definitely thank himter once we''re done with our training."


    Mildred was still half in doubt whether Zion truly wanted to help them, or he only wanted to see them suffer.


    However, after remembering the artifacts that Shana and Diana received from him, she gritted her teeth and nodded her head.


    "The items you''ll give us better be worth it," Mildred. "Otherwise, I will bite you."


    Tiona nced at the teenage girl and made sure to hiss at her, making Mildred jump back in fright.


    "Tiona is the only one who can bite me, you know?" Thirteen said with a smile. "Be careful. She might think that you''re trying to steal me away from her."


    The ck Snake nudged the teenage boy''s cheeks as if telling him that it wasn''t true.


    She would never want to bite her Master because she cared for him very much.

 Chapter 461: Zion’s Investment For The Future

    "Speaking of gifts, when do you n to give us our items?" Rianna asked. "Since you gave Shana and Diana two items, you should give us two items as well, okay?"


    "Don''t worry. Both of you will receive the same item," Thirteen answered. "That way, both of you can''tin."


    Mildred felt a little better after hearing that they would also get two items as a reward for working hard in their training.


    "By the way, that ring Erica is wearing on her finger? Did you give that to her?" Mildred asked, making Shana''s ear perked up after hearing it.


    "Oh, this?" Erica raised her hand and showed them the ring she was wearing. "Yes, Zion gave this to me. It''s our engagement ring."


    "As if," Thirteen replied. "How many times should I tell you that it''s not an engagement ring?"


    Erica giggled because being able to tease the teenage boy was something that made her feel a little better, especially after all the harsh training that she had been doing as ofte.


    "That ring is called the Fire Lord''s Ring," Thirteen stated. "Just like Shana''s earring and Diana''s bracelet, it absorbs the excess Aether that escapes Erica''s body. It can absorb it infinitely.


    "Once activated, it will summon a Dragon made of mes, but it can only be used once. The longer she doesn''t use the ring, the more powerful this attack will be. If she doesn''t use it for a decade, it can probably one-shot a Majin Prince."


    Mildred felt envious after hearing that her friend got an overpowered item. A momentter, a sly smile appeared on her face.


    "But why a ring?" Mildred inquired. "You can just make it a bracelet, a ne, or an earring. Why did you choose a ring instead?"


    "Because Erica is a klutz," Thirteen answered with a sigh. "She tends to forget things unless she has it on her. Earrings and nes can be taken off. But rings are harder to take off.


    "Also, I get the feeling that, in the future, when she faces the greatest threat of her life which will make her despair, she will look down on her hands. Perhaps, seeing the ring will make her remember that she still has a way out of her predicament."


    "Oi, don''t say it like a prophecy," Ericamented. "What will you do if it really happens?"


    Thirteen didn''t answer and only gave a casual shrug.


    He didn''t need to answer this question because he knew that it would happen. This was why he gave Erica something that could possibly save her life in the future.


    "Then, I want a ring as well," Rianna said as she approached Thirteen with a smile. "I''m also a klutz, and I tend to forget things. Shana can vouch for me."


    "You don''t have to worry about that because you and Mildred will both get a thumb ring," Thirteen stated.


    "A thumb ring?" Rianna smiled happily before giving the teenage boy a hug. "You really know what to give me. I like it!"


    Thumb rings were something that was very useful for archers, so being gifted with one made Rianna truly happy.


    "And what''s the other gift?" Mildred inquired.


    "An arrowhead ne." Thirteen replied. "Just like Erica''s Trump Card, it is also a Trump Card. Once you activate it, it will transform into an arrow. But you can only use it once, so make sure to use it when you''re backed in a corner."


    Rianna, who understood that Zion would not just give her an ordinary arrow, decided to press for more details.


    "What kind of arrow is it? Come on, tell me?"


    "Uh¡­ you really are pushy aren''t you?"


    "Since you will tell us what it can do when you give it to us, what''s the harm of telling us what it can do now?"


    Thirteen pondered a bit before heaving a sigh.


    "Okay, let me tell you first what your thumb ring can do," Thirteen said. "Once you nock an arrow on your bow, and you are wearing the thumb ring, it will add an elemental property to your arrow."


    Rianna''s and Mildred''s eyes widened in shock because they had never heard of such an artifact before.


    "The elements that will be imbued on the arrow are fire, lightning, holy, and wind," Thirteen replied. "You need to have a clear picture in your head of what element you wish to enchant your arrow with to make it manifest.


    "If you don''t choose an element, it will randomly imbue your arrow with one. So, if you want a specific effect, make sure to make it clear inside your head. Also, you can choose to set a default element for it.


    "If you only want to imbue your arrows with the fire property, you just need to say the word ''Fire'', and all the arrows you fire will have the fire element. Pretty convenient, right? Just so you know, you won''t see this anywhere in the market.


    "My father also dabbled in the crafting of essories, which is why he''s able to do something like this. However, it''s not for sale, so don''t tell your family and friends about it, okay?"


    Rianna and Mildred both nodded their heads at the same time. Exclusivity was a thing, and they didn''t want every other archer that they met to have the same thumb rings that they were going to wear.


    "Now, the arrowhead ne can also be imbued with an element of your choosing once you activate it and it turns into an arrow," Thirteen stated. "However, there is a synergy effect to it when you''re wearing the thumb ring.


    "The arrow you release will have the piercing power and speed of a Railgun. But, that''s not all. The size of the arrow will also increase, making it as big as the Bolt that we used to shoot against Arundel when we fought against him."


    Rianna, who knew exactly what Zion was talking about, couldn''t help but open her mouth wide enough for an egg to pass through.


    That was how shocked she was.


    "You''re not joking when you said that it''s a trump card that can only be used once," Rianna said in a serious tone. "So, answer me this. Theoretically, can it one-shot a Rank 9 Sovereign?"


    "In theory¡­ the possibility exists," Thirteen replied. "But if you want a sure-kill, a Rank 6 and Rank 7 Sovereign is the perfect target."


    "Can you mass produce this?" Rianna smiled evilly.


    Thirteen shook his head. "Of course not. The chances of Pops seeding in crafting this are already low, to begin with. Don''t ask for the impossible."


    Mildred, who had no idea what the two were talking about, couldn''t help but look forward to the weapon that had the potential to kill a Rank 7 Monster in one hit.


    If she would really get two artifacts that could save her life in the future, then she wouldn''t mind enduring the teenage boy''s hellish training.


    After all, these items he promised would only be given to them as a reward.


    As long as she was able to survive and pass Thirteen''s training, she would get two things that any Wanderer, who specialized in Archery, would desperately want to have in their arsenal.


    Shana pouted a bit because the teenage boy hadn''t given her anything that could also one-shot strong monsters.


    She had been fighting against a Rank 3 Sovereign as part of her training, and although the g that also served as a spear had a hidden martial technique embedded in it, the Saintess still hadn''t mastered itpletely.


    Diana''s g also had the same ability, which made her an all-rounder Crusader.


    Not only did she possess strong defensive abilities, she now also had a strong offensive ability, which she could use to deal damage to the foes, who wished to harm the people in her party.


    The Lace Demon and The One approved of all of this special artifacts imbued with Thirteens'' Rune Magic to strengthen the Hero Party.


    At first, the teenage boy didn''t have any ns of giving Rnd and Joshua anything.


    But after careful consideration, he decided to give them an item each.


    That way, they would not call him stingy. Besides, this was also Zion''s investment for the future.


    If the Hero Party was too weak, how would he be able to use them to fight against Fate, which he believed would be making her move the moment he returned to Solterra.

 Chapter 462: Blaze Of Glory [Part 1]

    "Master, today''s the day I will finally ovee the challenge that you have given me," Derek dered with a smug smile on his face.


    "You seem awfully confident today, Disciple." Thirteen eyed the Swordsman with genuine curiosity.


    "Indeed, I am very confident today because I brought a secret weapon with me," Derek chuckled. "Master, you did me dirty by letting me fight that Rank 4 Chad Skunk. But, I have learned from my losses. So today, I will make you see the fruit of my training."


    Rnd and Joshua, who paused their training just to see their daily dose of entertainment from Derek, looked at theirrade with a smile.


    They were naturally familiar with Derek''s personality, and they knew that the swordsman was secretly enjoying their hardship and misfortune.


    Because of this, they decided to watch Derek''s battles as a payback and a form of stress relief from their own training.


    "Okay. We''ll see if you really have what it takes to ovee the challenge that I have prepared for you today." Thirteen nodded. "Wear the Neuro-Link."


    "Right away, Master," Derek replied with excitement.


    After wearing his Neuro-Link andying down on the yoga mat, he connected to GANDAM and prepared to start his training.


    When he appeared at the familiar training field, Derek took out something from his dimensional storage, making the corner of Thirteen''s lips rise slightly.


    The item the Swordsman took out was a Full-Face Respirator Mask. He must''ve prepared it to save himself from the horrible stink that always assaulted his senses.


    You can buy a wide array of weapons, equipment, essories, items, and consumables within the Game''s Database.


    Of course, you would need to pay real money for it, but those with money didn''t really care.


    It was like buying skins for their favorite yable characters in games.


    GANDAM also had many of these so-called Fashion Sets, which was the Developer''s greatest source of ie aside from the monthly subscription to the Virtual Duel Game.


    Derek triumphantly wore his mask and summoned his sword in preparation to fight his opponent.


    A sh of light appeared in front of him, which was the sign of the Monster being summoned to the battlefield.


    But when his gazended on the unfamiliar yet familiar monster, the swordsman tilted his head in confusion.


    "Dafuk is this?" Derek muttered as he appraised the name of the monster that he was going to fight today.


    ze Skunk (Giga Destroyer Mode).


    Even Rnd and Joshua thought that there had been a bug in the Duel Game''s Database.


    They had never seen such a monster like that one, which made them nce at Thirteen, who was chuckling at Derek''s reaction.


    "Master, is this a glitch?" Derek asked.


    "It''s not a glitch," Thirteen replied. "That is your opponent today."


    "Master, I thought I was going to fight against a Chad Skunk," Derekmented. "I don''t remember signing up to fight against Metal Graym*n."


    The Rank 3 Sovereign in front of him was a ze Skunk that stood two meters tall even on all fours, which would double the moment it stood up.


    Its eyes and ws were zing brightly, giving it a very intimidating look.


    That was fine, and Derek could still live with it. But half of its body was covered in metal armor, making him look like a Sci-fi Monster that could only be seen in movies.


    "Master, I don''t think that this kind of monster exists in Solterra."


    "Oh, it does exist. It''s just an extremely Rare Monster that you won''t find so easily."


    The corner of Derek''s lips twitched because he knew that the thirteen-year-old was simply speaking bullsh*t.


    However, seeing that the countdown timer was ticking, he had no choice but to brace himself for the uing fight.


    ''It still looks like a Chad Skunk, so I''m sure I will be able to fight it properly,'' Derek thought. ''I''ve been fighting Rank 4 Monsters every day. This ze Skunk is merely a Rank 3 Sovereign, so its strength should be equal to a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.''


    But a Rank 4 was still a very tough opponent for him.


    Derek was an Initiate, which was the fifth stage of the Mortal Rankings.


    While he could defeatmon Rank 4 Monsters, not all of them were the same.


    Just like the discrepancy between ordinary Rookies and Thirteen, there were monsters that were stronger than others.


    The moment the countdown timer reached zero, the swordsman was already running toward the ze Skunk, using his speed to cross the distance.


    While Chad Skunks could fight in closebat like bears, they weren''t really battle-oriented monsters.


    Because of this, their fighting abilities were average among monsters of the same Rank.


    Their ultimate weapon was their stink spray, which could incapacitate their enemies with its properties.


    It was like getting hit by an extremely potent pepper spray that smelled worse than rotten eggs and sewer waterbined, making the Chad Skunk a monster that even predators avoided unless they were desperate enough to fight it.


    After fighting against it for a week, Derek already had a general understanding of its fight patterns, which made him confident of his victory today.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen also knew that the Swordsman was ready to go to the next stage of his training, which was why he deliberately prepared the "modified" ze Skunk to be Derek''s opponent.


    When the Swordsman was only a few meters away from his enemy, he prepared tounch a preemptive strike.


    He knew that Chad Skunk were slow-moving monsters, so he had gauged the speed and distance of his attack to perfection.


    All of these were good and well, but there was one problem.


    He wasn''t fighting a Chad Skunk.


    He was fighting a ze Skunk Thirteen specifically programmed to be Derek''s training partner.


    The Swordsman''s sword reflected the light of the sun as Derek suddenly increased his speed, which would make others miscalcte his distance for a fraction of a second.


    This was one of the techniques that Thirteen asked him to Master so that his opponent would not be able to react to his sudden burst of speed, which might end the battle in a heartbeat.


    The Swordsman made a swift, deadly sword thrust toward the ze Skunk''s eyes, which weren''t protected by its metal armor.


    He didn''t know how tough the armor was, so he didn''t gamble and simply attacked the monster''s exposed body part.


    However, when his sword was only inches away from the ze Skunk''s eyes, the monster suddenly lowered its head.


    The sound of a metal hitting metal spread in the surroundings as Derek''s sword sparked upon shing with the ze Skunk''s armor.


    Derek, who didn''t expect that his opponent would be able to move at such a speed, momentarily froze in shock.


    As if knowing that this would happen, the ze Skunk raised its head the moment Derek''s sword collided with its armor and used a headbutt against the young man, sending thetter flying upward.


    Without any wasted movements, the ze Skunk turned around, raised its tail, and unleashed a zing inferno at point-nk range, making Derek scream as his entire body was bathed in mes.


    The faces of Rnd, Joshua, and the girls who had just arrived in time to see Derek''s ending became pale at the abrupt end of the battle.


    Perhaps feeling the intense pain and being brought back to reality at the same time, Derek rolled over the ground of the training room while screaming, making everyone feel sorry for him.

 Chapter 463: Blaze Of Glory [Part 2]

    Those who chose to fight with the sword had no choice but to get up close and personal with their opponent.


    There were many monsters in Solterra that could be considered as the worst nightmare of melee fighters.


    This was why most Wanderers, especially girls, preferred to fight using long-range weapons and abilities, allowing them to attack from a safe distance.


    Derek had always wanted to be a swordsman since he was young.


    He didn''t grow up in a wealthy family, but they weren''t poor either.


    They could be considered as almost a middle-ss family, and because of this, Derek didn''t receive any proper training.


    However, that all changed when he arrived in Solterra and was sent to a ce where a retired soldier lived.


    This soldier taught Derek the basics of swordsmanship, which he proceeded to master at a rapid pace.


    After training for half a year and clearing his first mission, Derek knew that there was no going back to him.


    The abilities that he acquired from the mission only strengthened his desire to be a swordsman.


    So, he did what he needed to do and joined the Central Government.


    He was then assigned a proper sword instructor, who made sure to refine Derek''s sword skills and made sure he developed a solid foundation.


    Thirteen knew that Derek wasn''t a genius like Rnd, Joshua, and Erica.


    However, he was a hard worker.


    Since the young man''s basic swordsmanship was already solid, Thirteen decided to give him scenarios in which he would have trouble fighting in closebat.


    Once Derek overcame this obstacle, Thirteen would teach him a sword art that he believed would fit the other party perfectly.


    The name of this Sword Art was Relentless Destroyer. As the name implied, it was a very aggressive sword style that wouldn''t stop until its target was destroyed.


    But there was one requirement to Master this skill, and that was to be fearless in fighting in closebat regardless of what or who your enemy was.


    In fact, The One had asked Thirteen to impart a Martial Technique to Derek because it had high expectations of him.


    Even Gods had their favorites.


    Who could have guessed that the God of Solterra and Pangea favored Derek more than it favored Rnd, the Hero of their party?


    But Thirteen wasn''t convinced.


    He said that he would only agree to give Derek a Martial Skill if the young man passed his test.


    The One agreed and even told Thirteen that if he wished to give the other members of the Hero Party some Divine Techniques as well, it would allow it.


    In the end, Thirteen agreed to bestow Derek, Shana, Erica, Mildred, and Rianna their own Divine Ranked Martial Techniques.


    However, he made sure that they would only be able to use it while they wielded the equipment that he had made for them.


    It was like Arthur''s Mythical Weapon that allowed him to master Heaven''s de.


    As for the Hero and the Sage?


    Thirteen really didn''t care about them. After all, they were already blessed by Fate.


    But since he gave others some gifts, he nned to give the two of them something as well.


    However, the only thing he would give them was equipment, and nothing else.


    "Are you still alive?" Thirteen asked as he removed Derek''s Neuro-Link.


    The young man''s body was still twitching from time to time, which made Thirteen decide to pour a few drops of rejuvenation potion on his lips, allowing him to recover faster.


    A few minutester, Derek''s eyes regained their focus, but a defeated look appeared on his face.


    "Master, you hate me, don''t you?" Derek asked.


    "Of course not," Thirteen replied. "I''m going to make you the strongest swordsman in the world. Heck, people will even call you the Sword Saint in the future. But in order to reach that goal, you need to be fearless.


    "Right now, I''m sure that this is a very traumatic experience for you. However, it is better that you experience it in a virtual world rather than in real life."


    Derek sighed and wanted the teenage boy to lower the difficulty of his training.


    He was reaching his limit, and truth be told, he was afraid that he would have a mental breakdown first before he became fearless.


    "Master, can''t you just teach me how to be strong instantly?"


    "You sounded like Erica just now. Do you want to gather the seven magic balls instead?"


    Erica, who was worried about Derek, didn''t have the heart tough at the teenage boy''s jabs at her and herrade.


    "Master, how did you be strong?" Derek asked. "I''ve never seen a thirteen-year-old as strong as you."


    "It''s because I''ve lost countless times in my past lives," Thirteen replied. "Each time I was reborn, I trained, I became strong, and then I lost. If this happens to you over and over for a long period of time, being strong is the only choice you have left."


    "Are you talking about the Main Character of a novel?" Derek asked. "I like reading those kinds of books."


    "Not a Main Character," Thirteen answered. "Just your regr run-off-the-mill cannon fodder."


    "Then, if this is a story, wouldn''t that make Rnd the Main Character?" Derek said as he slowly propped himself up from the ground. "If I''m part of that story, I''d probably just be an Extra."


    Thirteen nodded. "Right. You''re just an Extra."


    "How harsh." Derek chuckled as he held Zion''s hand, which thetter offered to help him stand up.


    "Ready for another round?" Thirteen asked as he shook the Neuro-Link on his hand, which made Derek shudder.


    "Can I have ten more minutes?" Derek replied as he patted his chest. "I don''t want to experience something like that right away."


    "Okay, I''ll give you a break today." Thirteen relented because he could see that Derek was truly at his limit and still hadn''t recovered from his horrifying experience. "But you better be ready tomorrow."


    "Yes!" Derek made a fist pump before patting his chest in relief.


    "Tomorrow, be sure to go out in a ze of glory, okay?"


    "I''d rather not. It really hurts, Master. Have you experienced how it feels to get burned?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "No. Only heartbreak."


    The girls, who heard Thirteen''s reply, looked at him in surprise.


    All of them thought that he was still too young to talk about love and heartbreaks, but his tone when he said those words really felt as if he had been heartbroken, making them want to ask him questions, which the teenage boy had no ns of answering.

 Chapter 464: Last Assessment [Part 1]

    Days filled with relentless and harsh training passed quickly.


    It had been a month since the Hero Party started their training with Thirteen, and all of them had improved a lot since then.


    Although they unanimously agreed that the thirteen-year-old''s training regimen was inhumane and rather dubious, they had to admit that it was effective. They had improved by leaps and bounds, surpassing the gains they had in the training they received from their mentors a year ago.


    Today, after breakfast, Thirteen gathered all of them in the training room.


    Around this time, they would usually be undergoing individual training specially catered to their skills and abilities.


    But now, they were all standing in attention as if greeting theirmanding officer.


    "It''s been a month since you asked me to be your trainer. Within this month, I came to understand that the praises andments given to you by the media, as well as your peers, were all over-exaggerated," Thirteen said.


    "At most, all of you are just average. Heck, my eight-year-old sister even wiped the floor with your swordsman."


    All the teenagers had nothing to say in return because they truly felt that their eyes had been opened to the truth during their stay in the Leventis Residence.


    They had been praised as the strongest members of the young generation, butpared to the teenage boy standing in front of them, all of them looked like an average Wanderer.


    "Still, even coals can be diamonds if I pressure them enough," Thirteen stated. "Even ordinary Wanderers can be strong if I train them enough. And today, I want to see the results of your training. Wear your Neuro-Links. We will have your final assessment test today."


    "F-Final?" Derek stuttered. "Master, you''re not going to train us anymore?"


    "If you wish to remain, I can train you until the day of the Solstice," Thirteen replied. "But if you think you''ve had enough, you are free to go after you havepleted your final assessment."


    Derek nodded in understanding.


    He didn''t n to stop his training until the veryst minute, so he felt relieved when he heard that he could stay to continue his training.


    The other members also have thoughts of their own, but for the time being, they put on their Neuro-Links, then lied on the yoga mat on the floor.


    "Enter the room I''ll tell you," Thirteen said. "Room number is 420. The password is ''Speedy likes monster girls''."


    The group followed Thirteen''s instructions, and half a minuteter, they found themselves in an open in.


    The sun was about to set, and the clouds in the sky were tinged with the hues of purple and orange.


    "I have voluntarily added the information about the weapons that I have given all of you in the GANDAM database. Don''t worry¡ªit is kept at the highest security level, and it won''t be avable to the public. Only you guys will be able to use it, so take it out of your inventory.


    Just as the teenage boy stated, the items that he had given the members of the Hero Party were essible from their inventory.


    Once everyone was properly armed to the teeth, a two-minute countdown timer appeared on their screen.


    A secondter, shes of light appeared beyond the horizon, making Derek smirk.


    "Now this is what I call a final assessment," Derek said as he held his two-handed sword firmly in his hand.


    Rnd didn''t say anything and took out his one-handed sword and shield, ready to fight the monsters Zion had prepared for them.


    A golden brilliance emerged from Diana''s hand as her golden banner fluttered, emitting an aura that gave the allies who were within its range courage and strength.


    Shana had also taken out her silver banner, making her body glow faintly as the power of healing, protection, and stamina boost affected their party.


    Rnd, Joshua, Erica, and Mildred were all surprised. This was the first time they experienced the passive aura of the two banners at the same time.


    Not only did it make them feel stronger and courageous, but it also gave them a sense of assurance that they, as well as theirrades, had gotten a lot stronger.


    In the distance, a dust cloud could be seen as countless Minotaurs holding axes charged in their direction.


    Right behind them was a Rank 5 Three-Horned Minotaur, a creature they originally didn''t dare fight as a team, especially when it wasmanding dozens of Rank 2 Minotaurs to fight for it.


    Yet right now, the Rank 5 Overlord they were about to fight even had two Rank 3 Alpha Minotaurs who served as its bodyguards, making this situation more dangerous than they''ve encountered before.


    For some reason, the Hero Party didn''t feel like they would be defeated one-sidedly this time around.


    Diana nted her banner firmly on the ground before summoning her sword and shield.


    Shana did the same as she held her staff in her hands, ready to support her party members to herst breath.


    "I will say only one thing," Rnd said. "We''re beating all of these monsters, or we won''t be having lunch."


    "I agree," Joshua, who had been wanting to vent out his frustration, said.


    Even until histest training, he was unable tond a hit on the annoying Pocopoco that tormented him even in his dreams.


    But since these Minotaurs were dumb in his opinion, he would have no trouble spamming his debuff spells on them like crazy.


    "Brace," Diana ordered as she stood at the front of her party, serving as a pir that would ensure their safety.


    "Man, you look more reliable than usual, Diana," Derek chuckled. "Are you going to show me some of your moves today?"


    "Watch and learn," Diana replied. "If you live long enough, that is."


    "Hahaha! Then how about we have a bet?" Derek asked. "The first one to die will call the survivor Master for a day."


    "Sounds fun," Diana answered. "I''m in."


    Erica giggled, finding this banter quite amusing.


    Also, just like everyone else, she felt very rxed for some reason.


    In the past, she would immediately panic and tell everyone to run, but now, she didn''t feel like doing that.


    Instead, she raised her staff toward the sky and began to chant as thest ten seconds of the countdown timer shed before her eyes.


    "Darker than night, brighter than me,


    Unleash the inferno, no mercy, no shame.


    From ash to ash, from dust to dust,


    Ignite the skies, scorch the night.


    Inferno''s breath, heed my call,


    Unleash the ze, consume them all!"


    "Erica''s Meteor Rain!"


    Countless fireballs descended from the sky, turning the ins into a hellish inferno.


    The Minotaurs hit by the fireballs screamed in pain as their bodiesbusted due to its might.


    Derek whistled after seeing Erica''s Meteor Rain devastate the monsters that were still running in their direction.


    They knew that Erica had very devastating firepower, but this was the first time she had cast such a wide-area spell that literally turned the in in front of them into a hellishndscape.


    A warcry pierced through the mes, and soon, the Minotaurs who survived through the onught ran past it.


    Thirteen smiled faintly as he looked at the dozen TV Screens showing the battle in different angles with high resolution.


    "Go get them," Thirteen said as he looked at the start of the battle that would show him all the hard work he had done for the past month.

 Chapter 465: Last Assessment [Part 2]

    Like a stallion running freely in the open ins, Derek charged forward and shed his way across the dozens of Rank 2 Monsters that had gotten past Erica''s wide-area attack.


    Every sh he made targeted a vital point, and after doing that, he would move to another monster.


    His attacks were not necessarily done to kill his opponent but to merely get their attention while dealing significant damage to their bodies.


    If he could sh or pierce their throat, dealing a serious injury that could potentially kill his enemy, then that was great.


    But he didn''t stay long enough to see if they died or not because he would already move on to his next target.


    His movements were too fast for the Minotaurs to follow, and thanks to his training, his stamina and speed had also increased drastically.


    Rnd, who realized what Derek was doing, started to do the same, making the monsters hesitate on whether they should attack the annoying pests who were attacking them or charge at the other humans at the back of the enemy''s formation.


    A few of the Minotaurs decided to engage Derek and Rnd in battle, while the rest continued to charge forward.


    Diana, who was at the front of the formation, took a fighting stance with her golden sword glowing brightly.


    The g behind her served as her pir of support as she prepared to block the approaching monsters and prevent them from reaching her friends behind her.


    Erica smirked as she pointed her wand at the approaching monsters and summoned a rainbow-colored ball, which was the size of a basketball.


    "Magic Bullet Burst Mode," Erica said before the ball of light exploded into dozens of Magic Bullets that flew toward the Minotaurs, targeting their heads.


    This was the spell Thirteen had bought for Erica, allowing her to have a means to cast a fast and powerful spell that would be helpful in her battles.


    She was wearing a monocle in her right eye, making it easier for her to target the enemies with her spells.


    It was as if it had an auto-aim feature, and Thirteen had crafted it just for her.


    The Magic Bulletsnded in their targets, stopping dozens of Minotaurs from their tracks. However, those who had not been hit continued to charge forward.


    Joshua held his staff in his hand and cast spells like Paralyze, Poison, Weaken, and other debuff spells he had bought through Thirteen''s rmendation.


    Back then, Joshua didn''t really think of debuff spells as important. He believed that if he could just use a strong spell, and overwhelm his opponent with its firepower, the battle would end very quickly.


    But their battle against the Magic Resistant Three-Horned Minotaur proved that sometimes, damaging spells alone weren''t enough to win the battle.


    Besides, he wasn''t fighting alone. He had allies who were faster and just as deadly as he was. With this in mind, he decided to y a more active role as a Debuffer, leaving the killing to Derek, Rnd, and Erica.


    Mildred, who was the archer of the Party, fired one arrow after another. Unlike in the past, when she needed time to aim her arrows properly, she was now firing in rapid session.


    Due to Thirteen''s training, she had learned to fire arrows as fast and as urately as she could, aiming for the monster''s head with rtive ease.


    Since she had been trained to shoot at baseballs while running over hot coals, her uracy had improved drastically.


    Although she couldn''t actively target the monster''s eyes from a distance, hitting their heads was easy enough for her.


    Regardless of whether she hit the monster''s eyes or not, the damage and pain they would receive was still something that the Minotaurs couldn''t shrug off so easily.


    Shana, who was at the very back of the party, pressed her hands together and chanted a spell.


    "Mercy''s light, shield of grace,


    May Heaven guard this sacred ce.


    In mercy''s name, let all be still,


    Wrap us now in a sacred embrace.


    "Kyrie Eleison!"


    A dome of light appeared, enveloping her, Erica, Diana, Mildred, and Joshua, blocking the Minotaur''s chargepletely.


    "I''m going out for a bit," Diana, who no longer needed to protect her allies due to Shana''s barrier, stepped out of it and began to attack the Minotaurs who were trying to break the barrier.


    In the past, she had been focused on solely defending against her enemies, but now, her entire body was now a weapon.


    It was not only her sword that dealt damage to her enemies. Her shield did as well.


    Thirteen had borrowed her shield and imbued it with the "Light as a Feather" rune magic, making it as light as a feather in Diana''s hands.


    She shed, she bashed, and she bashed some more, ramming her opponents with a vengeance.


    Joshua, who didn''t expect that Diana would actively engage their enemy in battle, started to have a different opinion of her.


    He always thought of her as their cool-headed and dependable defender, but after seeing that she could now attack on her own, he realized just how much they had truly grown in the span of a mere month.


    Erica was shooting Magic Bullets as if her staff were a machine gun, allowing Diana to fight freely.


    Mildred was doing the same, making sure to target the minotaurs who were trying to gang up on their Crusader.


    But despite the two doing their best to support Diana, a Minotaur was still able to get onto her blindside and raised its axe to strike.


    However, before that axe could fall, a small shield of light appeared to protect Diana from the Minotaur''s attack, blocking itpletely.


    The Saintess of the Hero Party volunteered to join Rianna''s and Mildred''s training because she also wanted to be nimble on her feet, as well as have the ability to act quickly enough to cast offensive and defensive spells to her enemies and allies.


    While this was happening, a loud and powerful roar reverberated in the ins as Rnd faced off against the Three-Horned Minotaur alone.


    Derek, on the other hand, was taking care of the two Alpha Monsters who served as the Overlord''s bodyguards, allowing hisrade to fight without worrying about his back getting stabbed by others.


    "We need to finish quickly," Joshua said. "Rnd will not be able to handle it alone."


    He had seen how Rnd fought tooth and nail against the Three-Horned Minotaur during his training, and didn''t see him win against it even once.


    However, the Minotaur was also unable to defeat Rnd, ending the battle in a draw.


    Right now, it was a race against time.


    Shana, Erica, Diana, Mildred, and Joshua were doing their best to clear out the mobs as fast as they could so that they could rejoin Rnd and Derek at the front lines.


    Meanwhile, inside the Training Room¡­


    "Looks like you''re preparing them for a High-Tier Dimensional Outbreak," Riannamented with her arms crossed over her chest.


    "Right," Thirteen nodded. "There wille a time when they will have to face a horde of monsters on their own, so letting them experience a Tier-4 Dungeon Outbreak isn''t a bad idea."


    "Looking at this makes me want to fight a horde as well," Rianna said as she gave Vi, Sharon, and Louise a sidelong nce. "Interested in joining me?"


    "You bet," Vi, who could also feel her blood boiling as she watched the battle on the TV screens, replied with a smile.


    "I''m in," Louisemented.


    Sharon nodded. "Sounds fun."


    Thirteen lightly patted Remi''s head and asked her a question.


    "Although it will still be too early for you, it won''t hurt to let you experience it once," Thirteen said. "Join Rianna and the otherster, okay?"


    "Okay, Brother," Remi replied with determination.


    Right now, she was only allowed to fight Rank 1 Monsters.


    She had fought a Rank 2 Monster a year ago, but she died in less than ten minutes due to how strong and fast the Wolf Monster was.


    After knowing that she wasn''t strong enough to fight something stronger than a Rank 1 Monster, Remi trained harder than ever before.


    Now that she was stronger and a year older, she wanted to see if she could fight against a Rank 2 Monster on her own.


    Seeing the glint in her eyes, Thirteen smiled faintly before shifting his attention back to the battle that was happening on the screen.


    Currently, the battle was still in the favor of the minotaurs, and a single mistake could lead to their team getting wiped out.


    Thirteen knew that the chances of the Hero Party emerging victorious from this battle were fifty-fifty.


    Still, he believed that they would find a way to ovee this obstacle and finally gain the confidence that they badly needed, which would allow them to grow to greater heights.

 Chapter 466: Last Assessment [Part 3]

    Thanks to Joshua''s debuffs, Diana was able to hold her ground at the front. With her defense, the Minotaurs were unable to break the barrier that Shana erected.


    Supporting her from behind was none other than Erica and Mildred, who were unleashing the cover fire she needed to endure the onught of the monsters.


    From time to time, Shana would also assist by casting Arrows of Light to help lighten Diana''s load. However, she prioritized casting the Shield Spell to protect Diana from attacks that she was unable to dodge or block.


    While this was happening, Derek was distracting the two Alpha Monsters that served as the Three-Horned Minotaur''s Bodyguards.


    They were as strong as they looked, and he had to use everything in his arsenal to keep them both at bay.


    Thirteen had taught him a Martial Technique that would allow him to ovee his fears and fight the enemy head-on.


    Although he only managed to grasp the tip of the iceberg, what he learned was enough to help him survive, albeit barely, the onught of the two Rank 3 Alpha Monsters.


    However, the more he fought, the more his potential was squeezed, making him enter a trance-like state.


    This was something that those who practiced Martial Arts, wished to experience at least once in their lifetime.


    Why?


    Because it allowed them to see the world in a different perspective, and allow them to better understand their abilities better.


    All sounds, worries, and fears disappeared, and the only thing that was in Derek''s mind was his battle against the two Minotaurs, who were attacking him great intensity.


    Dodging an attack¡­


    Deflecting an attack¡­


    And unleashing his own attack¡­


    All of these were done while dancing with death.


    One mistake, and Derek knew that his life would end. Even so, Derek didn''t show signs of fear.


    In fact, a faint smile appeared on his face as if he had reached enlightenment.


    ''Is this what you always see, Master?'' Derek thought as he narrowly dodged an attack that created a small cut on his cheek. ''Is this always what it feels like for your life to hang by a thread?''


    Thirteen had told Derek that in his past life, he had fought against a God.


    Of course, the Swordsman didn''t believe him and even stated that if the teenage boy had fought against a God, then he, the future Sword Saint, had saved a Universe in his past life.


    And yet, after watching the video of Thirteen fighting against the Three-Horned Minotaur over and over again before he slept, Derek was able to see it.


    The teenage boy faced death head-on, using every bit of his potential to ovee his opponents.


    When he fought against the Three-Horned Minotaur, he made it look as simple as if he was just ying a simple game.


    But as someone who had experienced fighting against the same Rank 5 Overlord, Derek understood that it was nowhere as easy as it looked.


    And now, he was facing something simr.


    Fighting against two Rank 3 Alpha Monsters who made him remember his battles against the ze Skunk that was covered in metal armor.


    Frankly,pared to that Rank 3 Sovereign, the two Rank 3 Minotaurs weren''t really a problem.


    Fighting against that zing Sovereign allowed Derek to learn how to be nimble on his feet, ready to dodge and run away at any moment.


    Bing fearless didn''t mean that you needed to face your enemy head-on.


    It also meant that you must know when to retreat and when to fight.


    Running wasn''t cowardice, it just allowed you to position yourself in a more advantageous position so that you could hit the opponent that was in front of you.


    The two Minotaurs have different running speeds, and Derek did his best to force them to run after him.


    This way, they would distance themselves from Rnd, who was busy fighting against the Three-Horned Minotaur on his own.


    Whenever one of the Alpha Monsters would try to help their Boss, that was when Derek would strike at their backs, dealing significant damage and injuries to their bodies.


    Thirteen always told him that only the strong didn''t need to fight dirty.


    Since he wasn''t strong, ying dirty was the best thing he could do for now.


    As Derek backstabbed the two Minotaurs, the two of them roared in anger and once again faced him.


    However, when they did, they noticed something hovering behind the teenage boy''s body. Still, they chose to ignore it and raised their weapons to strike


    A secondter, a bright sh of light erupted from the sh-bang grenade that Derek had tossed behind his back, imitating his Master who taught him a few dirty tricks that he decided to use in this battle.


    The moment the two Minotaurs were blinded, Derek did what he had to do and attacked the vital spots of the two Minotaurs as quickly as he could.


    Since he only had a few seconds to execute this move, the Swordsman unleashed his fastest thrust, going in for the kill.


    But due to the terrain, the Swordsman identally tripped and the sword thrust that was aimed at the Minotaur''s chest, hit something else, drawing blood.


    Derek hastily backed away after his blownded on the opponent''s body and assessed the situation.


    Since the sun had already set, there was only very little light, allowing him to barely see his targets.


    He had forgotten to pay attention to the ground he was stepping on, which made him trip.


    However, the Minotaur that he had hit crouched down as it held onto its lower body.


    Although Derek''s thrust didn''tnd on the Minotaur''s chest, itnded on something else that was just as vital.


    It took him a few seconds to realize what he had hit, but after seeing the Minotaur''s reaction, the Swordsman simply sneered.


    "All part of the n," Derek said. "How does it feel to have your balls cut off, huh?"


    The Minotaur was in so much pain that the only thing it could do was growl in anger.


    Itsrade gave it a sidelong nce before charging at Derek alone.


    The young man didn''t hesitate to meet the Minotaur''s charge because he no longer felt pressured by his opponent.


    When he was fighting against the two of them, he truly felt as if his life was in danger. But things are different now.


    Just as the Minotaur thought that it had already understood how fast Derek could run, it suddenly found itself staring at the tip of the boy''s glowing sword that was just a few inches from its eyes.


    "Tiger Blitz!" Derek shouted as he put the entire weight of his body in that single sword thrust.


    A secondter, Derek''s sword stabbed through the Minotaur''s right eye. But, it didn''t end there.


    The force of the sword thrust allowed his sword to pierce through the Minotaur''s brain, ending its life.


    The sudden burst of speed that he did at thest moment caught the Monster by surprise, giving it no time to react to one of the styles that Derek had mastered under Thirteen''s guidance.


    After killing the first Minotaur, it didn''t take long for the second Minotaur to fall.


    Derek panted for breath as he pulled out his sword from the monster''s body.


    He wanted to shout out loud to proim his victory, but it was still too early to celebrate.


    Rnd was still fighting against the Three-Horned Minotaur alone, so he needed to help him as fast as he could.


    The Swordsman nced in the direction of his other friends to see if they needed his help.


    After roughly assessing their situation, he shifted his attention to Rnd to see if he was in any immediate danger.


    Now that he had checked how both sides were faring, Derek didn''t hesitate to charge toward the ce where Diana and the rest were fighting.


    He could tell that Rnd still had a lot of fight in him, so he decided to help the others first.


    In order to defeat the Three-Horned Minotaur, they needed to fight as a team, and Derek deemed that they would win much more easily if he helped his other party members first.


    Thirteen, who was paying close attention to Derek, nodded his head in satisfaction.


    ''Good choice,'' Thirteen thought. ''It seems that you now know how to look at the bigger picture.''


    The teenage boy knew that once the Hero Party had finally assembled to fight against the Three-Horned Minotaur, their long-awaited revenge match would finally be a reality.

 Chapter 467: Last Assessment [Part 4]

    Rnd''s gaze never left his opponent''s body, doing his best to read its attack patterns.


    Just like Derek, he had also secretly watched the video of Zion''s battle with the Three-Horned Minotaur when he had free time, dissecting the battle to the best of his abilities.


    What he noticed was that whenever the Minotaur raised its arm, Zion was already making his next move to evade it.


    Because of the younger man''s uncanny ability to predict where his enemy was going to strike, Rnd, Joshua, and Derek thought that Zion had the ability to see a few seconds ahead in the future.


    This ability was not unheard of, and some Wanderers do possess it.


    However, he had seen the teenage boy''s information that was readily avable to the public, and there was nothing in it that stated that the teenage boy had the skill Future Sight, which a handful of Wanderers possessed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Zion Leventis


    Age: 13 Years Old


    Race: Human


    Skills: None


    Items: None


    Avatars: None


    ¡ª Rank Ban


    ¡ª Skill Ban


    ¡ª Item Ban


    ¡ª Avatar Ban


    Unique Abilities: Universal Language Proficiency.


    Beast Companion: Tiona.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Those were the updated information that the public knew of Zion Leventis just before the war in the Rigel Continent began.


    Aside from his age changing, nothing else had changed, which made everyone believe that the Legendary Rookie would forever remain a Rookie.


    And yet, not only did this Rookie bested him in their duel, Zion even fought against a Three-Horned Minotaur with Rianna, defeating it with rtive ease.


    As if proving that it wasn''t a fluke, he decided to challenge two of these monsters at the same time, and once again emerged victorious.


    Since that moment, Rnd had acknowledged the teenage boy''s strength. He did his best to observe the other party so that he could learn from him.


    And to a certain extent, Rnd was starting to develop the ability to read his opponent''s bodynguage, giving him a faint idea if they were going to attack and what they were targeting.


    After countless trials and errors, this ability was being slowly refined in Rnd''s consciousness.


    Although he still hadn''t grasped it fully, it was enough for him to hold off the Three-Horned Minotaur without dying to it.


    He even had the leeway to pay close attention to his surroundings in order to see if his allies were in danger or not.


    Unlike Derek, who was unable to see much in dim light, Rnd didn''t have this problem.


    He had the ability Dark Vision, allowing him to see in dim and dark ces.


    The only downside of this vision was that, when activated, he couldn''t discern any other colors aside from the color gray.


    But that was more than enough for him to see everything in his surroundings, preventing him from tripping like what happened to Derek earlier.


    ''I need to be faster,'' Rnd thought. ''I need to be stronger!''


    When the Minotaur made an overhead sh with its axe, the young man knew that an opportunity had presented itself.


    After narrowly evading the attack, he immediately executed a sh aimed at the Minotaur''s hand that was gripping the handle of its weapon.


    His sword drew blood, but the wound wasn''t deep enough because he had hastily executed his sword strike without adding more power to it.


    Still, it was his first sessful counterattack, boosting his confidence a bit.


    ''Good, I just need to keep this up,'' Rnd didn''t know that a grin had appeared on his face the moment he saw the anger on the Minotaur''s expression.


    Earlier, it was just looking down on him as if it was simply ying with a toy that it had found.


    The look of ridicule and contempt had now disappeared, reced with an anger of being humiliated by the insect that had managed to make it bleed.


    Its attacks became fiercer and more powerful, preventing Rnd from taking any risk, forcing him to evade and go for the defensive.


    The stamina training regimen Thirteen had improved both his speed and stamina.


    Seeing that its attacks weren''t working, the Three-Horned Minotaur unleashed one of its Trump Cards.


    After its strike didn''tnd on its target, it unleashed a breath of fire that ranged six meters.


    It believed that it was enough to kill or cripple its prey because it timed it perfectly.


    But Rnd didn''t fall for this trick.


    He had already died dozens of times during his previous training simtion in this breath attack, so he already knew the signs when the Minotaur was going to unleash it.


    The moment the Minotaur unleashed its Fire Breath, Rnd also prepared his own attack to disperse it.


    "Tempest sh!"


    A blue crescent de emerged from Rnd''s sword strike, cutting the breath attack in half, buying enough time for the young man to distance himself from it.


    Seeing that its attempt had failed, the Minotaur roared in anger and was about to do a follow-up attack.


    But before it could do that, it saw a golden sh at the corner of its vision, forcing it to take a step back.


    A momentter, a golden spear descended from the sky, sending a shockwave that made the monster skid on the ground.


    Rnd''s Dark Vision automatically deactivated the moment the golden g fluttered in front of him, dispelling the darkness.


    A secondter, another g descended, and this time, it was a silver g that shone just as brightly as Diana''s banner.


    "Sorry, we''rete," Diana said as she ran towards the Minotaur with her sword glowing in the darkness.


    "Now, the real party will begin." Derekughed as he positioned himself behind the Minotaur, making thetter give the Swordsman a cautious nce.


    Suddenly, a fireball hit the side of the Minotaur''s body, making it stagger.


    "I''m also here," Erica said as she looked down at the Minotaur from the sky.


    Behind her back were wings made up of mes, making her look like an avenging angel from hell.


    Shana, Joshua, and Mildred also arrived at the scene and looked at the Minotaur with determined looks on their faces.


    Rnd, who could feel the same emotions they were feeling, smiled as he took a fighting stance.


    "Are you now ready for Round Two, you oversized bull?" Rnd asked the Minotaur, who was now about to experience the might of his party.


    Instead of answering, the Minotaur shouted a war cry of defiance, not backing down in a fight that it believed it could win.


    Back then, the Hero Party would have already felt despair after hearing this war cry. But now, they no longer felt like they would lose to a Monster who had forced them to undergo the most inhumane training in their lifetime.


    "Enough talk," Erica said as she summoned a Firebolt in her hand. "Time for some Beef Barbecue!"


    All her friends agreed, and they attacked the Minotaur at the same time, avenging the time that their party was almost wiped out from the face of the world because of a creature that surpassed their expertise.


    Thirteen, who was watching from the training room, clicked the stopwatch in his hand and made it start counting the time on how long the Hero Party would take to defeat the Three-Horned Minotaur, which had been a part of their recurring nightmares at night.

 Chapter 468: End of Assessment

    "Master! Did you see that?!" Derek eximed as soon as he removed his Neuro-Link. "Did you see how awesome I was?!"


    "You call that awesome?" Thirteen rhetorically replied in disdain. "You''re already proud when you''ve only solo-ed two Rank 3 Alpha Monsters?"


    Derek wasn''t fazed by the teenage boy''s words of ridicule. On the contrary, the smile on his face became wider as he walked toward his Master and patted his shoulder.


    "Great things start from small beginnings, Master," Derek stated. "Isn''t that what you said? Today, I took a small step into bing the Sword Saint."


    Thirteen sighed. "Fine. Although that''s an extremely small step, a step forward is still a step forward. Congrattions future Sword Saint."


    "Huzzah!" Derek did a fist pump after receiving Thirteen''s recognition.


    The other members of the Hero Party, who had just finished their final assessment, all had smiles on their faces as they walked toward Zion, who had his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Fourteen minutes and fifty seconds," Thirteen said as soon as all the members of the Hero Party had gathered in front of him. "It took you that long to defeat the Three-Horned Minotaur as a party. You were ten seconds away from failing your final assessment. So you barely passed this time."


    Thirteen even showed them the stopwatch in his hand to prove that he was keeping watch of their Clear Time.


    "But a pass is still a pass," Thirteen stated. "Congrattions. You are now more deserving of your title as the Hero Party."


    Thirteen pped his hands, and soon, Rianna, Vi, Sharon, Louise, Remi, and Rhia also pped their hands to congratte the Hero Party.


    "Since you have seeded in this endeavor, tonight, we are going to hold a party," Thirteen said.


    The members of the Hero Party also cheered after hearing Thirteen''s deration. But his next words cut their happiness short.


    "And tomorrow, all of you are going to return to your families," Thirteen said in a serious tone.


    "E-Eh? Master, didn''t you say that I can stay and continue my training?" Derek, who suddenly felt like he was an abandoned puppy, looked at his Master with a pitiful gaze.


    "Calm down." Thirteen raised his hand to prevent the Swordsman from physically hugging his leg. "You have been training here for a month, and the Winter Solstice is only twenty days away.


    "This also means that in twenty days, you will not be able to see your family for an indefinite period of time. As such, it will be best if you all return to spend some time with them.


    "Although I am certain that all of you will be able to survive in Solterra, they will still feel anxious as they wait for your return. So, while you''re still here. It is best to spend some time with your families."


    Thirteen''s words made all of them realize that they had indeed forgotten about the Solstice due to their everyday training.


    Fortunately, the teenage boy reminded them that they had families waiting for them, so they no longer insisted on staying in the Leventis Residence.


    "Since I have trained all of you, I have a favor to ask," Thirteen said. "Three days before the Solstice, I want all of you toe here. I made a special program that will be broadcast live to the entire world.


    "Since you guys are the Heroes of the young generation, I want all of you to lift the spirits of the Wanderers who would once again risk their lives in Solterra. This is especially true for those who would be experiencing their First Wandering.


    "Perhaps your show of strength will give them encouragement in their darkest hour. After all, all of us are Wanderers, no?"


    Erica, who had been touched by Thirteen''s speech, wasn''t able to stop herself from hugging the teenage boy and pulling him close to her embrace.


    "Thank you," Erica said softly. "I''ll be back three days before the Solstice."


    "Mmm, you do that," Thirteen, whose face was pressed against her chest, lightly tapped Erica''s back, signaling her to let him go.


    But as soon he was freed, he was yet again pulled into another embrace, this time in Rianna''s ample bosom.


    "I''ll alsoe back here before the Solstice," Rianna said.


    "Um, you don''t need to do that," Thirteen replied as he also tapped Rianna''s back repeatedly to let him go.


    Derek, who wished he could switch ces with his Master, could only look in envy. Just like Shana, Rianna was also a very beautifuldy.


    Sometimes, he wondered if they were really sisters. They were both beautiful, but while Rianna had ck hair, Shana had red hair.


    "Sister, Zion is unable to breathe," Shana grabbed hold of Thirteen''s body and pulled him away from Rianna''s clutches.


    "Hahaha! Sorry about that." Rianna smiled mischievously. "I just got a bit emotional with his speech earlier."


    Thirteen, whose face was now resting on Shana''s chest, was wondering if he could sue these girls for sexual harassment.


    Do they really think that he would feel anything if they pressed their soft breasts on his face?


    "Okay, everyone calm down," Rnd, who had a frown on his face, said as he lightly tapped Shana''s shoulder. "You can let go of Zion now, Shana."


    "Ah!" Shana, who didn''t know what took over her when she saw Zion being hugged by Erica and Rianna, hastily let him go. "Sorry! My sister is a bit too much, so I might have used too much force to pull you earlier."


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied before immediately taking a few steps back when he saw Vi, Louise, and Sharon move toward him through the corner of his vision.


    "Tsk!"


    "Tch!"


    "A~"


    The three Valkyries who lost their chance to hug the teenage boy clicked their tongues and sighed in their heart.


    Shana lightly patted her chest as she looked at her Sisters in the Valkyrie Division.


    ''I knew it. The Zion Virus is too strong,'' Shana thought. ''Even Erica seemed infected by it now.''


    Thirteen, who had no idea what Shana was thinking at the moment, asked everyone to talk to their families first and inform them that they would be returning to their homes tomorrow.


    The Leventis Family had a few private jets, so Thirteen nned to ask his Grandmother to let them use two of them. That way, the Hero Party could return home at the fastest time possible.


    Rianna, Shana, and Rnd, lived in the Sirius Continent, while Derek and Joshua lived in the Cygni Continent.


    Erica''s home was in the Aldebaran Continent, so she could easily go home through a thirty-minute helicopter ride.


    "It will be a bit less lively here once they''re gone in the morning," Thirteen said as he lightly patted Remi''s head. "If you want, you can take a day off from training tomorrow and sleep in a bit."


    Remi, who had also undergone spartan training alongside the Heroes, nodded in agreement.


    Although Thirteen had catered her training routine into something she would be able to aplish, it didn''t change the fact that it was harder than their usual training.


    Remi felt a sense of rivalry with the Hero Party, especially since her brother had personally taken part in their training.


    Because of this, she requested if her brother could give her the same training, which Thirteen agreed to. However, he downgraded it a bit to prevent her from suffering serious injuries.


    Rhia, who had also enjoyed the daily races in the mountainside while riding on Albion''s back, would surely miss them as well.


    After parting ways with everyone, Thirteen returned to his room.


    As soon as he closed the door, a sigh escaped his lips as he leaned his back on it.


    The month-long training also took a toll on him. Aside from Rnd''s and Joshua''s training, he participated in the training of the other Heroes, as well as in the training of Rianna, Vi, Louise, and Sharon.


    Saying he was exhausted was an understatement.


    "Fortunately, they have grownpetent enough to at least kill that Three-Horned Minotaur," Thirteen muttered as he slowly sat on the floor, his back still leaning on the door.


    After taking a few deep breaths, he closed his eyes and meditated in order to gather a bit of strength for the celebration party that would be held in a few hours.


    He couldn''t show the Heroes his exhausted state because it would only dampen the joyous celebration that they would be havingter.


    Perhaps, his exhaustion had finally caught up to him. Thirteen fell asleep while sitting on the floor.


    Tiona looked at her Master with a gentle gaze before lightly nudging the side of his face with her head.


    A momentter, she summoned her clone and they both used their levitation ability to carry their Master to the bed so that he could have a proper rest.


    Once that was done, Tiona covered Thirteen with a nket and coiled on his chest.


    Although she knew that a few hours wouldn''t be enough for her Master to recover his strength, she would allow him to sleep for as long as she possibly could.

 Chapter 469: A Happiness That Would Last A Thousand Lifetimes

    The sound of merrymaking could be heard from the Leventis Residence''s backyard.


    A month of living under one roof was enough for the Hero Party and Zion''s family to be close.


    Gerald and Alessia were more than happy to share their knowledge about the ces they had been in Solterra.


    They also shared with the young Wanderers things that they should look out for when exploring abandoned ruins.


    Because of this, the members of the Hero Party started calling them Aunt and Uncle, which was something that the two adults didn''t mind.


    "Seriously, my friends would be jealous of me if I told them that I''m now good friends with Little_Sister_13," Derek said with a smile. "Of course, if I told them that you''re just an eight-year-old, I''m sure they will think that I''m just making things up."


    Remi and Derek had also be good friends, and they always fought in GANDAM during their free time.


    Due to Thirteen''s training, their battles now end in a draw.


    Derek was now no doubt stronger than Remi, even in the Mortal Combat Mode.


    He would have won all their battles if not for the fact that Thirteen had given his sister a strategy to counter the Swordsman in a one-on-one battle.


    Because of this, the Swordsman was unable tond any hits, especially whenever Remi shifted to a defensive style of battling while moving around the arena.


    But every time Derek fought in the Dueling Arena for Wanderers, no one under the age of twenty, with the exception of Rnd, Erica, Mildred, and Diana, was able to beat him.


    Sometimes he won against them, sometimes he lost against them.


    However, one thing was clear.


    They were much stronger nowpared to a month ago, and it showed a lot in their battles.


    "I''ll miss you, Rhia," Mildred said as she gave the adorable girl a hug. "Will you miss me too?"


    "Un!" Rhia replied. "Miss you."


    "Aww~" Mildred nced in Thirteen''s direction as she continued to hug the adorable girl in her arms. "Can I take her home?"


    "No," Thirteen replied to the same question for the umpteenth time.


    Mildred had gotten close to Rhia and would often y with her whenever she was done with her training.


    Mildred was the only girl in her family.


    She had three brothers, and all of them treated her as their most precious sister.


    However, there were times when she wished that she had a little sister whom she could pamper, and spoil from time to time.


    Because of this, she would always spend time with Rhia and Remi whenever there was time.


    "Why are you drinking champagne?" Shana frowned when he saw what Zion was drinking.


    "It''s fine if it''s just one ss," Thirteen replied. "Besides, this is a celebration feast, so drinking champagne is a normal thing to do."


    "Brother, can I also drink Champagne?" Remi asked.


    "No, you''re too young," Thirteen replied. "Just go drink some fruit juice for now, okay?"


    "Mmm." Remi nodded because she always listened to what her brother would tell her.


    Thirteen was drinking champagne because this was a good way to hide his exhaustion. If he became drunk and sleepy, he could just me the champagne for it.


    Also, he had always been a light drinker.


    Two sses were enough to make him drunk, which made him very worried for his future.


    As the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, he was expected to attend parties. If he couldn''t handle his liquor, then that would be a problem.


    Fortunately, Thirteen wasn''t the type to do stupid things when he was drunk.


    Some people would start crying or even do embarrassing things when they became intoxicated.


    Not him. At most, he would just feel drowsy, then he would sleep.


    When his ss was half empty, he suddenly felt a soothing warmth spread on his body.


    At first, he thought that it was just the champagne doing its thing. But it didn''t take long for him to realize that the warmth he was feeling wasing from Shana''s hand, which was pressed against his back.


    "I know you''re tired," Shana whispered. "So this is my thanks for doing your best for us."


    "I can''t fool you, huh?" Thirteen understood that Shana had already seen through his facade.


    As the Saintess, she was very sensitive to the people around her, especially if they were injured or suffering from other illnesses.


    "Of course, you can''t," Shana replied with a smile. "I am very good at observing people."


    Thirteen chuckled and took another sip from his champagne. His drowsiness was slowly being washed away by Shana''s power, so he believed that he wouldn''t be getting drunk anytime soon.


    The healing treatmentsted only for a minute. But when it was over, a sigh offort escaped Thirteen''s lips.


    All the aches in his body were now gone, and he felt that he could once again train the Heroes for another month without problems.


    Suddenly, Erica appeared carrying a ss of champagne of her own and sat on Thirteen''s left side.


    "What are the two of you talking about?" Erica said in a mischievous tone. "Are you talking about us behind our backs?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I was telling Shana that you could definitely fool any boy into falling in love with you, as long as you don''t open your mouth to talk."


    "Heh~ any boy?" Erica smirked as she lightly swirled the champagne in her ss as if it were wine. "You know, I realized something. Sometimes, we pursue things we cannot possess."


    "Last time I remembered, you are a Sorceress." Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Since when did you be a Sage?"


    "You always have aeback for everything, huh?" Erica giggled. "Won''t you just acknowledge that I say smart things from time to time."


    "Pursuing things we cannot possess is like chasing an impossible dream," Thirteen replied. "But if people have nothing to pursue, they will stop moving forward and grow stagnant. That in itself is death, and something that you should avoid at all cost."


    The teenage boy then gazed at the star-filled sky.


    A momentter, he saw a shooting star streak across the sky, symbolizing that yet another Wanderer''s journey hade to an end.


    "Zion, do you have any dreams or goals?" Erica asked after seeing that the teenage boy had suddenly be quiet.


    "Of course, I do," Thirteen replied.


    "Then can you tell me about it?" Erica asked with genuine curiosity. "I want to know what Zion Leventis dreams about, and the things that he wants to attain in his life."


    Shana, who was also curious about the answer to this question, nced at the teenage boy beside her and waited for his answer.


    "My dream is to make you, Erica, and those who are like you live happy, fulfilling lives," Thirteen said softly. "I want all of you to be released from the whims of Fate and be given the choice to pick your endings.


    "Whether those endings are bad endings, sad endings, open endings, or happy endings¡­ I want all of you to have the power to choose your path without being tied down by Destiny and Fate."


    Erica felt a slight pang of pain in her chest because Zion''s words seemed to have touched the heartstrings of her soul.


    She didn''t understand what was happening, but deep within her heart, she was hoping that the young man''s wish woulde true.


    Suddenly, she felt her cheeks burning. She didn''t know that her face turned slightly red because, for a brief moment, she felt as if the teenage boy was proposing.


    "You shouldn''t say things that can easily be misunderstood, Zion," Erica said with a beet-red face. "If you say that your dream is to make me happy, how am I supposed to react to something like that? You sure know how to mess with me, huh?"


    A heartfelt chuckle escaped Thirteen''s lips, which made Shana, Erica, and the others who heard it look in his direction.


    There were many kinds ofughter, and Zion alsoughed, but this was the first time they heard their strict Training Instructorugh augh that came from the heart.


    For them, Zion was a very deep, and mysterious person. They couldn''t understand what he was thinking. Whenever they talked to him, sometimes, they felt that they weren''t speaking to someone younger but to someone older with vast experience.


    His confidence and maturity were way past his years, and they often wondered how he became the way he was despite being younger than them.


    Hisughter was like the peeling of bells, soothing the souls of anyone who heard it.


    It was as if they were seeing a rare phenomenon, like the Sr Eclipse that only happened once every few years.


    When Thirteen finally stoppedughing, he felt lighter as if a load had been removed from his heart and shoulders.


    "Don''t worry, Erica," Thirteen said with a smile. "I promise that I''ll make you and others like you, be happy and free in my lifetime."


    "There you go again." Erica lightly hit Thirteen''s head with a karate chop. "Stop saying things that can be misunderstood. It''s like you''re proposing to marry me."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not interested in romance," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "Also, you deserve someone better, Erica. I''m sure you will find a wonderful person who will make you the happiest girl in the world."


    Thirteen then finished drinking the champagne in his ss before standing up.


    He then walked toward the table to get some snacks, leaving the two girls staring at his back.


    "This guy¡­ really doesn''t know how to read the mood." Erica shook her head helplessly. "I already noticed that he didn''t seem to be attracted to us girls.


    "The way he talks and interacts with us makes me feel that he genuinely cares for us. However, it''s also clear that he doesn''t see us in a romantic way. Of course, I don''t see him in a romantic way either, but my confidence in my looks took a hit. How about you, Shana? What do you think?"


    "¡­ I think he''s still too young to think about these things," Shana replied. "Maybe when he reaches puberty, he will have a change of heart."


    "Mmm." Erica didn''t agree or disagree with her friend''s words.


    But in her heart, she wished that Zion would also find happiness in his life.


    A happiness that wouldst him a thousand lifetimes.

 Chapter 470: It’s Payback Time

    The Leventis house had be more quiet ever since their guests had left.


    During this time, Thirteen trained Remi, yed with Rhia, and went to the Smithy to ask his father to craft him certain equipment that he would need in Solterra.


    While he couldn''t use the skills and abilities imbued in the weapons and items, he could still use them normally.


    Thirteen also busied himself with buying other items, like the ingredients of gunpowder.


    Guns and other high-tech weapons actually didn''t work in Solterra. But, cannons did.


    Gunpowder was only useful for cannons, which was a very funny thing.


    Making a flintlock, or a rifle that used gunpowder, was theoretically possible in Solterra.


    But whenever the Wanderers tried to recreate them, it never worked like they were supposed to.


    They were part of the banned items that the Lace Demon had added to the rules of the world. So, this revolutionary item that could have changed the art of warfare in Solterra didn''t be as widespread.


    This forced people to rely more on abilities and skills, which was the bread and butter of the Wanderers.


    But Thirteen was different.


    One of his Hosts was a Barrelmancer.


    What is a Barrelmancer, you ask?


    It was a very unique Profession pioneered by a person who wasn''t blessed with any Profession in a world where Profession was everything.


    So, he created his own, and that was Barrelmancy.


    He would fill up barrels with water, explosives, chili powder, and any other unusual things that would make people think that he was crazy.


    Theyughed and ridiculed him, but when they fought against him, the one who''d get thestugh was him.


    Thirteen busied himself with collecting barrels of many things in Solterra.


    Barrels of salt, wine, spices, gunpowder, and anything he thought would be useful to him.


    With Rocky''s ability to store a lot of items in his mobile fortress, Thirteen had enough space to be a wealthy merchant in Solterra if he wished for it.


    He even asked his father to make him a cannon and several cannonballs for good measure.


    Simply put, unlike back then, when he wasn''t prepared for anything when he was first brought to Solterra, now, he was armed to the teeth.


    Gerald was more than happy to help his son, worried about the mission his son would undertake his time around.


    He was there when Zion fought against Arundel, so he understood the scale of the battle and how dangerous it was.


    Alessia, Lady Callista, Arthur, Michael, and the Elites of the Leventis Family joined his battle in order to save his sister, Shasha, from the Artemians.


    Such missions were something that was deemed impossible toplete, and yet, for some reason, Zion always found himself wrapped up in those missions,which made Gerald, and Alessia worried about him.


    However, Thirteen assured them that he would be just fine.


    As the days of the Solstice neared, something unexpected happened.


    Mikhail and Shasha returned from their mission, which made Gerald and Alessia very happy.


    After resting for a day, Mikhail and Shasha heard about the things their brother had done during his time in Pangea, and it shocked the two of them silly.


    If not for the fact that the news, as well as the videos of the war, was readily avable on the inte, Mikhail and Shasha would definitely think that they were being pranked.


    "You''re really amazing, Zion," Shasha said as she hugged her little brother, whom she loved very much.


    Rhia, who saw her older sister hugging her brother, also joined in the group hug. Finding her actions cute, Shasha giggled and showered her little sister''s chubby cheeks with kisses.


    "You also trained the Hero Party?" Mikhail asked with a smile. "They''re very lucky then."


    "They are," Thirteen nodded. "They will be returning a few days before the Solstice for the special program that I have prepared. Even now, the Remington and the Leventis Families are coborating to make it happen."


    "What kind of special program?" Shasha asked. "Can we help?"


    "It''s fine, sister," Thirteen replied. "Everything has already been dealt with."


    Just as Mikhail was about to watch a show on TV, he suddenly remembered something.


    "Zion, Taiga was with us in thisst mission," Mikhail said. "He asked me to pass you a message."


    "And what did that dumb Tigerkin say?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "He said that his sister, Cleo, had a vision about you," Mikhail replied.


    Thirteen''s expression immediately became solemn after hearing his brother''s words. If it was Taiga''s mother, Brie, who had the vision, then it wasn''t set in stone. However, Cleo''s vision was the opposite. No matter what path he chose, that vision would be a reality.


    "He said that the Temple of Courage can be found beyond the wall, and the second person you hate the most in the world will be waiting for you there so that the two of you can fight to the death."


    Mikhail saw the expression of his brother change from surprise to an eerie calmness.


    It made him feel as if he was looking at a sharp de that could cut the fabric of the world once it broke free from its scabbard.


    "Thank you for telling me Taiga''s message," Thirteen said calmly.


    "Brother, who is the second person you hate the most?" Mikhail asked. "I will kill him for you."


    "I will help you kill him, Zion," Shasha stated in an icy tone. "Who is it?"


    "Thank you, but there''s no need to worry," Thirteen said with a smile. "The second person that I hate the most isn''t a big deal. I can easily squish him like a bug."


    "Really?" Mikhail asked, still unconvinced.


    Thirteen nodded. "Really."


    After that short talk, Thirteen excused himself and returned to his room.


    As soon as the door was closed, he made sure that it was firmly locked behind him.


    The teenage boy took a few deep breaths before sitting cross legged on the ground to meditate.


    He needed to clear his thoughts first. Otherwise, his killing intent might go out of control.


    Since Cleo said that the second person whom he hated the most would be fighting him to the death, it only meant one thing.


    He was going to fight against the System God, Deus Ex Machina.


    The same person who killed him and tossed him to the world of Pangea.


    Thirteen hated many beings in his lifetime, but the top two spots never changed.


    The being he hated the most was Fate.


    The second one was the System God.


    If he would really fight against his Father to the death a second time, then there would only be one result and one result only.


    "You''re going down, old man," Thirteen said coldly. "It''s payback time."

 Chapter 471: Well, I Suppose I Am Popular

    "Brother, you are amazing. I will follow you forever." Kane Stard held onto Thirteen''s right hand while kneeling on the ground.


    "Master¡ªI mean, Brother, I will follow you for life," Derek, who had also returned to the Leventis Residence two days after Mikhail and Shasha returned to Pangea, also knelt on the ground while holding his left hand.


    "Who the f*ck is your brother?" Thirteen replied as he pried away his hands from the hold of the two teenage boys who had a crush on Shasha. "Tiona, bite these fools!"


    "Shaaaa!"


    Tiona didn''t hesitate and summoned her clones to lunge at Kane and Derek, who hastily backed away to distance themselves from the Domini Mortis.


    As if Fate was mocking him, Kane and Derek arrived at the same time at their house for a visit.


    To make matters worse, Thirteen didn''t know that Derek also had a secret crush on his sister, Shasha, making him regret ever teaching the stupid swordsman one of the best Divine Martial Sword Arts he possessed.


    Shasha, who was already used to this scene, only hugged Thirteen from behind and whispered in his ears.


    "Just tell me if they annoy you, Zion," Shasha said. "I''ll cut off their limbs and send them back to their homes in a box."


    "That sounds like a good idea," Thirteen answered. "Let''s do that."


    "O-Oi! That''s going too far!" Kane, who had heard what the two siblings were nning, couldn''t help but voice out hisint.


    Thirteen clicked his tongue, and asked Tiona to return to him, making the two teenage boys breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Master, thank you," Derek said. "I promise to do my best to make Shasha happy."


    "Huh?! What the hell are you talking about?" Kane grabbed hold of Derek''s cor and pulled him close to him. "That''s my girlfriend you''re talking about. Do you want to die?"


    "Girlfriend?" Derek sneered. "As if!" He then red at Kane, the thorn in his eyes. "Master will never ept a weakling like you to be his sister''s boyfriend."


    "Hah! It seems that being part of the Hero Party has arrogantly made you think that you are strong, huh? Let''s take it outside and duel each other."


    "Exactly what I have in mind. Master, you will be the referee. Watch me obliterate this punk!"


    Thirteen clicked his tongue in annoyance before shooing the two bastards outside of the house so that they could duke it out with each other.


    Soon, the sound of explosions reverberated in the surroundings, but he no longer gave a care in the world.


    "It''s so troublesome to have a very strong and beautiful sister," Thirteen said to Shasha. "You must be exhausted dealing with these idiots."


    "Well,pared to me, Brother seems to be doing better with his girlfriends," Shashamented with a smile.


    Thirteen blinked once then twice after hearing his sister''s words.


    "Girlfriends?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Mikhail has girlfriends?"


    "I don''t have girlfriends," Mikhail replied with a beet-red face. "I only have female friends. Shasha, don''t create misunderstandings."


    "Zion, you should have seen them," Shasha smiled sweetly. "All of them are born from well-off families. While their families aren''t on the same level with the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families, they stick to Brother like glue."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "As expected of Mikhail. You didn''t make me lose face when I taught you everything I know about how to deal with girls."


    Mikhail, who knew he was at a disadvantage, chose that time to leave the Living Room, making Thirteen and Shasha chuckle together.


    When she was certain that her older brother was truly nowhere in sight, Shasha whispered in her brother''s ear, making Thirteen arch an eyebrow.


    "Kane''s sister has a big crush on Mikhail," Shasha whispered. "She was with us in this mission, and she was doing her best to get on his good side. But as expected, Brother isn''t good with aggressivedies."


    "Indeed." Thirteen nodded. "But since Mikhail wouldn''t open up easily to anyone, only aggressive girls can break the ice. Those who are too shy and too timid will not be able to reach him."


    Shasha nodded in agreement.


    She was no longer a child, so she also understood that sooner orter in her life, she would need to choose a partner to settle down.


    Unfortunately, Zion had raised the bar so high that Shasha would only consider having a rtionship with someone who could surpass her brother''s achievements.


    Even if she and Mikhail were to be Champions, in their hearts, Zion would always be stronger than them.


    "How about you, brother?" Shasha asked. "I''m sure you have your fair share of suitors. Mother said that she received several marriage proposals for you when the two of us talkedst night."


    "Well, I suppose I am popr," Thirteen replied with a smile. "But enough about me. What are we going to do with those two dunderheads? Should we call the cops?"


    Shasha giggled before shaking her head. "Cops can''t do anything to them. You already know that, right?"


    As if waiting for that moment, the sound of explosions grew even louder, making Thirteen sigh.


    His peacested only a little more than a week, and now, he had to deal with two annoying pests who just couldn''t take a hint.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in Solterra¡­


    A youngdy sitting on top of a pile of monster corpses looked toward the west, where a Tier 1 Dimensional Gate was slowly dissipating.


    Her long blue hair fluttered in the breeze, and an arrogant smirk could be seen on her angelic face.


    "Roxy, when will the Solstice begin?" Siri asked.


    "Ten days, My Lady," Roxy replied.


    "Hah~ what a long time." Siri slowly stood up and did a few light stretches. "Are the preparations done?"


    "Yes, My Lady," Roxy replied. "We''re just waiting for the day of the Solstice to arrive."


    "Good." Siri rested her hands on her waist, looking satisfied with Roxy''s answer. "Did mother say anything?"


    "Yes," Roxy nodded. "She said that you should meet her tomorrow while there is still time."


    "Understood," Sirimented before jumping off the small hill of corpses andnding on the ground with no sound as if she had floated down like a feather. "Let''s go, Roxy. I will be busy after the Solstice. I will leave everything in your capable hands while I am away."


    "Yes, My Lady," Roxy bowed respectfully before following behind Siri.


    Although she had some reservations about her Lady''s decision, she also understood that it was time for her to leave the nest.


    ''I just hope that she and Zion Leventis will not be on the same mission,'' Roxy thought. ''Because if they are, that boy will certainly end up dead.''


    The handmaiden knew what kind of girl Siri was. The more the blue-haired girl found something interesting, the more she would want to break it.


    That was just her personality. Although she didn''t really care about what would happen to Zion, she found it a pity that such a talented individual would not be one of her Lady''s retainers.


    Roxy believed that if Zion became Siri''s strategist, then the two of them could do many amazing things.


    Unfortunately, what she wanted and what Siri wanted were two different things.


    One wanted stability, the other wanted destruction.


    Since the one who wanted destruction was her Master, then the only thing she could do was obey her orders and pray that they would find a better strategist in the future.

 Chapter 472: He Made Sure To Inject Us With His Fluids Every Day

    The days passed swiftly with Kane and Derek rabidly hounding each other as rivals for Shasha''s attention.


    However, in front of her "Guardian," Zion, the two were like two loyal puppies that could only wag their tails and behave properly.


    In the end, seeing that his love rival was being trained by his ''future brother-inw,'' Kane decided to join Derek''s training under Zion''s supervision.


    To the teenage boy''s surprise, the two fools'' progress was quite fast, and the two of them had gotten stronger after just a few days of training.


    Perhaps their rivalry was pushing the two of them to outdo each other, creating results that made Thirteen shake his head because it was outside of his calctions.


    In the end, he just summed everything into a few words.


    "It''s hard to predict what idiots do."


    A few dayster, the members of the Hero Party returned to the Aldebaran Continent as promised.


    It was not only them. Rianna, Vi, Louise, and Sharon also came.


    There were only three days before the night of the Solstice, and everyone seemed to have already been done with their final preparations.


    Sitting on the roof of their house with Rhia sitting on hisp, Thirteen looked at the setting sun in the distance.


    ''Tomorrow, I will finally return to Solterra,'' Thirteen thought.


    He spent three and a half years in Pangea after his return from Solterra, but those days were always busy.


    Creating Athena, supervising Project Nautilus, and engineering the eGANDAM Duel Master Virtual Game took all of his time.


    Project Nautilus was a very ambitious and expensive project, and he needed vast amounts of funds in order to build it.


    Because of this, he created apany named Noiz and introduced GANDAM to the world.


    Due to its massive sess, he earned billions of gold coins, allowing him to fund the creation of Nautilus.


    The excess funds were allocated to his other projects, including his father''s crafting training and his mother''s alchemy concoctions.


    Regarding everything he had done the past three years, Thirteen knew that all of them would bear fruit in the future.


    Being the Supreme Commander of the Alliance wasn''t his original goal. However, since it would be more convenient for him if he was in a position of power, he used schemes in order to raise his Rank and influence within the Central Government.


    His 69th Battalion, who had been aughing stock of the Army in the past, was now hailed as Heroes.


    No matter where they went, thebel of being part of Zion Leventis'' personal army gave them perks and benefits, which they didn''t expect to receive.


    Alcapone, the leader of the Mafia within his Battalion, was now a celebrity.


    Of course, using his new fame, Alcapone did his best to support Colbert as they made their way to the Cygni Continent in order to build the foundation for Zion''s arrival after his return from Solterra.


    "Always listen to Father, Mother, Mikhail, Shasha, and Remi while I''m away, okay?" Thirteen said to Rhia.


    "Yes!" Rhia nodded while looking at the sunset with her brother. "Bwadah, return soon?"


    "I''ll return as soon as I can," Thirteen replied.


    A momentter, a few others joined him on the roof.


    "It''s a good view," Erica said as she stood beside Zion. "It''s the second to thest sunset we''re seeing before we leave this world. Right, Shana?"


    "Yes," Shana replied. "I hope tomorrow''s sunset will just be as beautiful."


    "Have the two of you already prepared your speech for tomorrow?" Thirteen asked. "It must be inspiring, okay? We need to give the First Timers some motivation."


    "I already memorized my speech," Erica stated.


    "Same." Shana nodded. "But will our words really be enough?"


    "Of course," Thirteen said. "People look up to the Hero Party, so hearing their speech will definitely encourage them to do their best. Also, the two of you are beautiful girls. I bet the guys will really enjoy hearing the two of you talk."


    "Well, you''re not wrong." Erica twirled her hair with her fingers.


    However, being weak topliments, she couldn''t stop herself from smiling because Zion called her beautiful.


    There was also a faint smile on Shana''s lips, which she herself hadn''t noticed.


    She had always receivedpliments wherever she went. However, she knew that those were just ttery.


    But it hit differently when someone she respected, like Zion,plimented her. It felt more genuinepared to most.


    "Shana, Erica, make sure to survive, okay?" Thirteen said as he looked at the dimming light on the horizon. "I know that both of you are stronger now, but don''t be too overconfident of your strength."


    "You don''t need to worry about me," Erica replied. "I''m more worried about you. You''re just a Rookie, so you might identally¡­"


    The youngdy was about to say "identally die in a ditch somewhere," but seeing Rhia sitting on Zion''sp, she decided that it would not be wise to continue, so she changed it to something else.


    "You might identally fall into a honey trap. Be careful, okay?"


    "Me? Fall into a honey trap? Impossible."


    Erica giggled because she also couldn''t imagine the teenage boy falling into a honey trap.


    She was a very beautiful girl, and not any less inferior to Shana''s beauty.


    And yet, when Zion looked at her, she could tell that his eyes didn''t hold any interest.


    In fact, she felt as if the teenage boy was treating her like a little sister of sorts despite her being older than him by four years.


    It wasn''t only her who felt this way.


    After they left the Leventis Residence, Rianna added the girls to her Girl Group Chat, where they talked about anything under the sun.


    One of their discussions was about Zion treating them as if they were younger than him.


    After finding out that others were feeling the same thing as her, their discussion went on for hours, with them ranting about Zion not handling beautiful girls like them in a delicate manner.


    Mildredined that no boys tried to hit her, but Zion did.


    Not using words or his hands but with baseballs during their training.


    Rianna, who also suffered a simr treatment, joined Mildred in her rant, which made things very lively.


    However, Vi and the two other Valkyries, Sharon and Louise, told them thatpared to the training they had under Zion, what the Hero Party and Rianna undertook was childsy.


    "He even went as far as touching my body," Vi said with a blush.


    "Right! He made sure to inject us with his fluids every day," Sharon stated. "It was so hot, and I felt like I was burning from the inside out!"


    "Sometimes, he will do that more than four times a day." Louise nodded. "My body would be so sore every time we finish our session. On certain days, he would do it with the three of us at the same time. Zion can be overbearing at times."


    The faces of Rianna and the girls of the Hero Party all became beet-red after hearing the scandalous and misleading statements that the three Valkyries made.


    Rianna even protested that they were just making it up, but Vi onlyughed and told her that maybe her favorability wasn''t that high enough for Zion to personally inject his fluids inside Rianna''s body.


    Naturally, Shana demanded that Vi and her sisters exin what happened properly, but the three Valkyries onlyughed and told them that they were still too young to know such details.


    Having remembered those talks, Erica cleared her throat and decided to ask Thirteen a question.


    "Zion, Vi told me that you injected your fluids in her body," Erica said. "Sharon and Louise also admitted that you did that to them as well. Is that true?"


    "They told you that?" Thirteen turned her head to look at Erica. "I explicitly told them not to tell others about it. I''m going to punish themter."


    "So it''s true then?" Shana asked, her voice turning icy. "Did you really inject them with your fluids?"


    "I did," Thirteen replied. "There were times when I injected the three of them at the same time with my fluids. Fortunately, they are highlypatible with it, and it made them stronger as well.


    "That special serum was something that would allow them to resist Evuvug''s mind control, so I had to make sure they took it properly. Without it, the Brain Beetle would have turned them into ves, you know?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Erica and Shana quietly nced at each other before leaving the rooftop at the same time.


    They were going to look for Vi, Sharon, and Louise. This time, they would make sure that the three properly exined the "fluids" Zion had injected into them, which made them stronger.

 Chapter 473: Not All Who Wander Are Lost

    Every year, the Night of the Fireflies would be held in an open field that belonged to the Remington n.


    They had even built a stage for it because it had be a yearly tradition.


    However, today was the night of the Solstice, and it was only an hour away from midnight.


    Once the clock struck midnight, everyone deemed to have met the requirements to go to Solterra would be sent back to that world, including the Wanderers who would experience their First Wandering.


    To them, this night was a very significant moment in their life.


    Because they didn''t know if they would live long enough to see the sunrise after being sent to Solterra.


    Although today wasn''t the Night of the Fireflies yet, the venue was already packed to the brim with people.


    The majority of them were Wanderers who would be returning to Solterra in less than an hour.


    Thirteen had made an announcement¡ªon the night of the Solstice, the Hero Party and Zion Leventis would be giving them an encouraging speech so that everyone would be filled with courage on their Wanderings.


    People around the world who were also spending theirst moments with their loved ones looked at the TV with anticipation.


    Soon, the lights on the stage lit up one by one, and the members of the Hero Party appeared in front of everyone.


    A resounding cheer spread in the surroundings the moment the Wanderers saw their idols.


    The seven members of the Hero Party consisted of handsome gentlemen and beautifuldies.


    So seeing them together made asting impression on the people who saw them up close in real life.


    "Friends and fellow Wanderers, tonight, we will once again continue our journeys," Rnd said as he held a microphone in his hand. "Although it will be difficult, I believe that all of us have what it takes to reach our destination."


    He then passed the Microphone to Erica, who was standing beside him.


    "No matter where we are, we''ll always share the same sky." Erica smiled as she said the things that she had prepared for tonight''s speech.


    "When I first experienced my first Wandering, I felt afraid. Everything was a new experience for me. I''m sure that those who have experienced their First Wandering understand what I am talking about.


    "To you, who will be experiencing it for the first time, understand what I''m talking about. You''ll never realize how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. So raise your heads, and take that first step. You will eventually reach your destination, for that is what wandering is all about."


    Although Erica had memorized this speech and practiced it over and over again, saying it in front of so many people while knowing that it was being broadcast all over the world made her feel more emotional than she expected.


    She even felt like crying because she remembered the time when she was first sent to Solterra.


    It had been a very difficult time for her, but she managed to survive it by using everything she had.


    Before a tear could fall from her eyes, she hurriedly passed the microphone to Joshua, which made the camera zoom in his direction. Thanks to that, others did not see Erica silently wipe the tears in her eyes.


    "I consider myself very lucky because I was born in a family that allowed me to prepare for my first journey to Solterra," Joshua stated. "I am one of the people whom you refer to as the blessed ones. I also thought that way when I was sent to a world filled with danger, not knowing if I would be able to survive the night.


    "But during my journeys, I have met many people who weren''t as blessed as I am. They weren''t born as the chosen ones who grew up with a silver spoon in their mouths. Even so, these people taught me lessons that I never learned during my training.


    "In that world, it is not the strongest nor the most intelligent but those who are able to adapt to their surroundings who thrive, excel, and achieve great results. The One doesn''t care about our backgrounds or who we are. In his eyes, we are one and the same.


    "So do your best to survive. As long as you do, you will see the world in a new perspective, and by then, you will gain the power to protect the people you care for the most."


    Joshua then handed the microphone to Derek, who made his speech next.


    All the members of the Hero Party did their best to encourage everyone and make them think of bing a Wanderer as an opportunity instead of a burden.


    Finally, it was Shana''s turn to give her speech.


    "I used to fear this time of the year because, during this time, I will have to leave my loved ones behind," Shana said softly.


    Her calm and soothing voice reached everyone''s ears, making them pay close attention to her.


    "My friends have already said most of what I wanted to tell everyone, so let me just add a few words of my own."


    Shana paused for a bit before scanning the faces of everyone who had gathered in front of her.


    "Not every path is straight, nor every journey swift," Shana said with a smile. "Not all who wander are lost. Some are simply discovering paths that others have yet to tread. I know someone who was sent to Solterra when he was seven years old.


    "A child who is not old enough to be considered a teenager. And yet, he wandered across that world and came back safely after years of wandering. There''s no need to rush your journey. All that matters is for you to return to those who are waiting for you back home."


    Shana''s words hit harder than most because there were many who spent years in Solterra before being able to go back home.


    A momentter, the Hero Party parted, and a teenage boy whom everyone recognized appeared.


    A resounding cheer, much stronger than what the Hero Party had received, reverberated across the venue.


    Some even cheered from their own homes as they looked at Zion Leventis, whom many idolized.


    He was also the person whom Shana had been talking about earlier, and many were inspired by his life story.


    Shana handed the Microphone to Zion''s hands, and thetter thanked her for it.


    Thirteen then faced the crowd and smiled with confidence.


    "Wanderers, tonight is the night where we will once again journey into the world of Solterra," Thirteen said in a lighthearted tone. "Are you all excited? To be honest, I am very excited. After all, a new adventure awaits!"


    Some of the Wanderers chuckled because of Thirteen''s casual way of telling them that everything was going to be fine.


    Thirteen also chuckled, making the tension in the surroundings be lighter.


    "The heroes of old¡ªthose who forged legends and shaped destinies did not follow a straight path," Thirteen said. "They ventured into the unknown, faced their fears, and found their way. They didn''t achieve that by avoiding challenges, but by embracing them.


    "Each twist and turn of their journey brought them closer to their true selves and their greatest triumphs. You look at the Hero Party and think of them as Heroes. To that, I agree. They are indeed Heroes.


    "But all of you gathered here and those who are watching from home are also Heroes. It takes great courage to venture into that world. Not all who wander are lost.


    "It is very normal to fear the unknown. I was first sent to that world when I was seven years old. But here I am, standing before you today, alive and well. If I can do it, I''m sure that all of you can do it too."


    The countdown clock above the stage was starting to count down to thest minute until midnight finally struck.


    Thirteen, knowing that he only had a few words to say, smiled faintly.


    "Everyone, let us all meet in that world once more," Thirteen stated. "Tell your family and friends that you will see them soon, rather than goodbye, for we will definitely meet them again after our mission is over.


    "Last but not the least, I want all of you to remember¡­"


    Thirteen''s body started to glow faintly as the final seconds of the countdown neared midnight.


    "In times of darkness, one must stop looking for the light, and be the glow for others to follow."


    One by one, the Wanderers glowed faintly, illuminating the darkness of the night.


    Particles of light escaped their bodies, a sign that they were about to be sent to that world.


    Shana and Erica suddenly moved and held onto Thirteen''s arm.


    "Be careful," Shana said softly. "Come back safely. There are many who will wait for your return."


    "Pray tody luck that you encounter me in Solterra," Erica stated. "I will give you a free ride on your mission. You can thank meter."


    Thirteen smiled and nodded his head.


    "Let us meet again under the same sky."


    The teenage boy''s words rang out of the venue as everyone turned into particles of light, shooting up to the heavens like countless pirs that held up the night sky.


    All over the world, the Wanderers were once again returning to Solterra, and with it, they would be facing new challenges that would test their will to survive.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    End of Volume 3: Not All Who Wander Are Lost

 Chapter 474: Fractured Heaven [Part 1]

    When Thirteen regained his senses, he found himself standing on top of a hill, weed by the sight of a tranquil valley in the distance.


    It didn''t take long for him to realize that he wasn''t alone.


    Right below the hill he was standing on were dozens of teenagers who were of the same age as him.


    These teenagers looked at their surroundings, as well as the other people around them, in surprise.


    Half a minuteter, one of them looked up.


    Seeing Thirteen above them, he shouted in surprise.


    "Zion Leventis!"


    At the boy''s shout, the other teenagers all looked in the direction the boy was looking at.


    At that moment, Thirteen saw various expressions on their faces.


    Surprise. Excitement. Relief. Rivalry. There were many other emotions, and seeing them made him sigh in his heart.


    ''There are at least fifty of them,'' Thirteen thought. ''This is an ominous sign.''


    There was a general rule when Wanderers were sent to Solterra.


    The more Wanderers summoned in one ce, the harder their mission would be.


    Among the fifty teenagers, there were a handful of individuals who seemed to understand their current situation.


    But after seeing Zion, they felt relief, knowing that someone capable was sent there alongside them.


    "Is this your First Wandering?" Thirteen asked to confirm his suspicion.


    "Yes!"


    "It is!"


    "Sir Zion, I am a huge fan!"


    Most of the other Wanderers replied something simr, making Thirteen sigh in his heart.


    "Understood," Thirteen nodded. "Everyone, please check your missions first. Let''s see if we all have the same mission."


    After instructing them, Thirteen opened his status page and checked the notification blinking on it.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Trial of Courage [Part 1]


    This mission is a chain quest. In order to clear it, you will need to clear three missions first.


    ¡ª Find the Stronghold of Wenpolis located on the west of thend called "Fractured Heaven," and overthrow the Tyrant ruling it.


    Time Limit: None


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The moment Thirteen saw the words Fractured Heaven, he immediately essed his Soul Core for information.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª A bountifulnd ravaged by a great war hundreds of years ago. Ancient battlefields can still be found in thisnd, so it may be a good ce to look for weapons and artifacts.


    It borders the Great Wall, which blocks the horrors that wish to invade the Fractured Heaven.


    Note: Make sure to hide at night because Swarms of Rank 1 Dark Bats are verymon in this area.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ''A Chain Quest¡­'' Thirteen thought. ''This is not going to be easy.''


    After reading what his quest was about, he once again looked at the Wanderers and saw them staring at him with hopeful gazes.


    Since it was their first time in Solterra, the majority of them wished for someone to lead them. Among everyone present, Zion was naturally the best candidate.


    Aside from being the only "Ranked Wanderer" in their group, he also had experiencemanding the army.


    For them, being on the same team as Zion was too good to be true.


    "Zion Leventis, I am Heidi Lotte from the Lotte Family." A pretty teenage girl who had shoulder-length brown hair that ended up in curls stepped forward. "Seeing that Fate had arranged for us to wander together, how about we discuss a beneficial method of cooperation?"


    "Straightforward as always, Heidi," a teenage boy with blonde hair and blue eyesmented. "However, I can understand. Seeing Zion Leventis with us makes me feel safer. Oh, where are my manners? The name is Leon Gates."


    Leon gave Zion a carefree wave, making the teenage boy nod his head to acknowledge his presence.


    "Since Heidi and Leon have already introduced themselves, allow me to introduce myself as well," a teenage girl with long ck hair and brown eyes said with a smile. "Natalie Bishop. Let''s all get along."


    The youngdy had a sharp gaze that intimidated the other Wanderers who were standing close to her.


    A momentter, a teenage boy with red hair took a few steps forward, advancing ahead of the others who had introduced themselves earlier.


    "Sean Griffin, pleasure to meet you," Sean said as he gazed at the young man standing on top of the hill with determination.


    A nce was enough that he was treating Zion as a rival whom he wanted to surpass.


    Thirteen looked at the three teenagers who were members of the Three Prestigious Families, then shifted his gaze to Sean, who was a member of a Monarch n


    All four of them were from the Cygni Continent, which was about to face the Jinn Invasion.


    "It''s nice to meet all of you," Thirteen said. "Tell me, is your mission also about the Trial of Courage?"


    The four teenagers nodded their heads in affirmation.


    "Is it the same for the rest of you?" Thirteen nced at the other Wanderers.


    ""Yes!""


    Hearing their positive reply, Thirteen nodded and gave an order.


    "I don''t know if any of you wish to be part of my team. But for those who do, please stand on the left side," Thirteen stated, pointing his hand on the left side of the hill. "Those who don''t want to be part of my team, just stay where you are."


    The majority of the Wanderers didn''t even think and immediately moved to the area Zion was pointing at.


    The majority of them just wanted to survive, so going with Zion was their best option.


    However, the four scions from the Cygni Continent remained in their ce, alongside their retainers who were also sent to the same ce as them.


    Over thirty people wished to be part of Zion''s team, while sixteen people remained standing on his right side.


    Thirteen didn''t mind this development. He knew that the teenagers from the Prestigious Families, as well as the Monarch ns, had their pride and were, as expected, unwilling to be the subordinates of others.


    "I hope that even if we''re not on the same team, we won''t interfere with each other''s survival," Thirteen said as he looked at Sean, who seemed to be the temporary Leader of the Cygni Faction. "Thisnd is very dangerous, and thest thing we want is an internal conflict. Can I count on you guys to uphold this agreement?"


    Sean nodded. "I ept this condition."


    Even if they weren''t on the same team, as long as one of them was able toplete the mission, everyone would be able toplete it.


    Because of this, there was no need to force each other to work together on the same team.

 Chapter 475: Fractured Heaven [Part 2]

    After bidding their goodbyes to each other and parting ways, Thirteen faced the thirty-four teenagers who were looking at him with anticipation and smiled faintly.


    "Okay, first thing''s first¡ªwho among you have received training to fight?" Thirteen asked. "Please raise your right hand."


    Among the thirty-four Wanderers, only six people raised their hands.


    "Good. All of you go to my right side." Thirteen pointed to his right, and the six excited Wanderers didn''t hesitate to stand beside him.


    "Now, who among you have received survival training?" Thirteen inquired. "Who among you knows how to cook?"


    Thirteen asked more questions, dividing the Wanderers into separate groups.


    After a series of questions, ten people remained in their spots. Thirteenbeled them asplete civilians who didn''t receive any martial art or survival training.


    He didn''t n to give them a free ride. Doing so would hurt their growth in the future.


    With this in mind, he assigned every group a task ording to what they could do.


    As for the ten people, he nned to have them assist everyone and shift around the other groups, except the Hunting Team who received proper Martial Arts Training.


    The Wanderers, who now had a sense of purpose, were feeling excited.


    They had seen how Zion Leventismanded the Allied Armies and believed that as long as they followed his orders, they would be able to survive their First Wandering without fail.


    Seeing their hopeful gazes, Thirteen smiled back at them to give them some encouragement.


    "Alright. Now that it''s settled, let''s all start preparing for our journey to the west," Thirteen said.


    He then reached out to his Dimensional Storage and took out a few things.


    Among them were axes, short swords, spears, bows and arrows.


    The Hunting Team happily took the weapons they were proficient in, feeling more confident about surviving.


    "Let''s go to the valley first and look for a cave or anywhere suitable to settle in for the night," Thirteen stated. "We will only leave this ce once we have stocked up enough food and other essentials for our journey.


    "Our mission has no time limit, so let us proceed slowly but safely. Survival is always the top priority, so just follow my orders and make sure that you don''t wander alone on your own. Do I make myself clear?"


    ""Yes, Sir!""


    Thirteen chuckled seeing the teenagers were acting like soldiers. There were even some who threw him a yful salute.


    He saluted them back and took the lead to start their hunt.


    Tiona, who was coiled up on Thirteen''s neck, summoned her clone and asked it to scout the surroundings for Monsters to ensure their group wouldn''t encounter anything dangerous in the valley.


    Thest thing Thirteen wanted to happen was to have casualties on their first day, which would definitely lower the morale of his team, potentially leading to consequences that he wanted to avoid at all costs.


    He was confident that he could train them to be apetent party as long as he was given enough time to do it.


    Meanwhile, the members of the Cygni Faction were also headed toward the valley to also hunt for monsters.


    "It would have been better if we joined them," Heidimented as she walked beside her retainers. "My parents told me that I should form a good rtionship with Zion if I meet him here in Solterra."


    "We are all headed to the same destination, so there is plenty of time to do that," Sean replied. "Besides, I don''t like working with a big group."


    "Just say you don''t want to carry extra baggage," Leonmented. "I checked them out earlier, and only a few of them looked somehowpetent. The rest are just ordinary people."


    "Well, if they survive until we arrive at the Stronghold of Wenpolis, I''ll change my impression of them," Natalie stated. "But until then, I''m siding with Sean on this one. I don''t like carrying extra baggage."


    Heidi giggled because she also felt that way.


    In fact, it was very shameful if any member of the Prestigious Families and the Monarch ns failed to survive their First Wandering.


    That''s why all of them were trained at a very young age to excel and survive in Solterra.


    That said, they believed that their team was enough to handle most threats, so they decided to separate from Zion''s team.


    "Even so, we need to acquire weapons as soon as possible," Leon stated. "I hope we find some weak Rank 1 Monsters so we can farm them for equipment."


    The group nodded their heads in agreement.


    Even if they were trained, their training would be useless if they didn''t have any weapons.


    "Looks like their team is finally moving," Nataliemented as she nced in the direction of Zion''s team, which was also headed to the valley.


    Sean threw Zion''s group a sidelong nce before shifting his gaze back to the path in front of him.


    As a scion of the Griffin n, he knew how much their Patriarch valued Zion Leventis.


    He even ordered all of them to treat him with respect and assist him in every way if they were to meet in Solterra.


    Sean also had a good impression of Zion, but seeing that they were of the same age, a sense of rivalry burned in his heart.


    He believed that if given the chance, he would also be able to show his own strength and make his name among the next batch of Rookies.


    While he admitted that the Supreme Commander of the Alliance was a better leader than him, he wanted to try leading his own team as well.


    If it didn''t really work out, he could always reach out to Zion once they traveled west to look for the Wenpolis Stronghold.


    Suddenly, the group encountered their first monster, which happened to be a Rank 1 Boar.


    Instead of being afraid, the Cygni Faction became excited. Not only did a low-ranking monster approach them first, but there was also a chance to gain something from killing it.


    Although they didn''t have any weapons, they were confident that if they all worked together, it was only a matter of time before they were able to bring down the threat in front of them.


    Meanwhile, it was not only the Cygni Faction that encountered their first monsters.


    Zion''s team was also faced with four wolves, who thought that the children were easy pickings.


    But unlike the Cygni Faction who didn''t have any weapons, Thirteen''s team was sufficiently armed to handle the wolves.


    A few minutester, four dead wolvesy on the ground, increasing the morale of the Wanderers, especially the ones who had managed to get their first kills, as well as their first items, on their first day in Solterra.

 Chapter 476: If You Die, You Only Have Yourself To Blame, Right? [Part 1]

    Two weeks had passed since Thirteen had been sent to Solterra and arrived at the ce called Fractured Heaven.


    The number of Wanderers that were currently in the valley numbered fifty and was divided into two factions.


    Zion''s Faction, and the Cygni Faction.


    The two groups steered clear of each other''s side of the valley and did their best to not antagonize each other.


    However, this was only possible because Zion was leading the First Group of Wanderers.


    If it were anyone else, Sean and the members of his Faction wouldn''t have qualms about using force to make all the other Wanderers submit to them.


    "Boss, those guys havee again," a pretty teenage girl named Sherry said as she entered the location where Zion was sleeping.


    She looked like a delicate-looking boy with short blonde hair and blue eyes. But in reality, she was actually a girl.


    Although both of her parents loved her very much, her father would sometimes say that he wished he had a son to take over their business, implying that Sherry was not suitable to be the leader of a Mercenary Group.


    Unfortunately, after going through hardbor to give birth to Sherry, her mother was no longer capable of birthing another child.


    Because of this, Sherry did her best to be the ''son'' that her father always wanted. Under her delicate exterior was a battle-hardened teenage girl.


    The palms of her hands weren''t soft like the daughters of wealthy families. It was hard and had calluses from wielding short swords since she started her training.


    This was why those who mistake her as a delicate and softdy due to her appearance would often find themselves on the opposite end of her de.


    The Wanderers in Zion''s group learned this the hard way when they tried to flirt with her, thinking that she was a delicate flower.


    When Thirteen asked who among the Wanderers was capable of fighting, she didn''t raise her hands because she wanted to better understand Thirteen''s leadership abilities.


    She had read stories and news articles, and had watched his battle in the Rigel Continent.


    But she didn''t always trust what was shown by the media.


    Even as a teenage girl, she believed that everyone had two faces.


    A face they showed to the public, and another face that they showed whenever no one was looking.


    She had wanted to unmask the real Zion, so she pretended to be one of the ten useless Wanderers who didn''t have any specialties whatsoever.


    It was also because of this that a few of the Wanderers thought that she was looking for someone to depend on, and they were more than happy to "flirt" with her.


    Naturally, Sherry asked them to stop politely and told them that she wasn''t interested.


    Of course, the boys, thinking that she was only ying hard to get, didn''t back down and continued to get on her nerves.


    Although they were just thirteen-year-old teenagers, the people of Pangea and the mentality of the children of Pangea matured faster due to the dangers that they had to face during the Jinn Invasions.


    It was perfectly normal for teenagers to develop a crush on the people who were sent to Solterra alongside them.


    In fact, most couples would start this way, simr to what happened to Gerald and Alessia during their First Wandering.


    The Wanderers even had a term for this.


    "Love at first fight"


    Unfortunately, the happy endings that the teenage boys thought would happen didn''t happen.


    The only thing they got was a one-sided beating from the delicate-looking tomboy who was stronger than she looked.


    Seeing that their "Boss" was still asleep, Sherry crouched down and lightly shook his body.


    Tiona nced at the teenage girl but didn''t make any move to attack her.


    Right now, Sherry was Thirteen''s right-hand man.


    After learning about her background, he decided that, since she wished to be the leader of a Mercenary Group in the future, starting her training with the Wanderers of his group was a good opportunity for her.


    Because of this, he had assigned her the task of assisting him in handling the affairs of their party, which was given the name Little Rascals.


    Of course, the Wanderers didn''t like this name, so Thirteenpromised and simply called them Rascals.


    Many were still unwilling to have such a name, but their Boss gave them a choice¡ªeither they let themselves be called Rascals or My Little Ponies.


    Naturally, they chose the lesser evil, and from here on, the Rascal Wandering Party was born.


    "Boss, wake up." Sherry shook Thirteen a little harder. "If you don''t wake up, they might steal one of the Wagons we''ve been building for our trip."


    The teenage boy finally opened his eyes and looked at the pretty girl who had a frown on her face.


    "You should have told them to scram, Sherry," Thirteen replied before slowly propping himself up on his makeshift bed.


    "You know I can''t do that," Sherry stated. "They won''t listen to me, plus they have more capable fighters than us. If I really told them anything simr to that, they might use it as an excuse to attack our members. You''re the only deterrent who can make them stay their hand, Boss."


    Thirteen listened while doing some light stretches.


    "I''ll handle this for now. But in the future, you better man up and do it yourself, okay?" Thirteen said after he was done with his stretching. "The more you bend to their will, the more they will push their weight around."


    "That''s easy for you to say, Boss." Sherry smiled bitterly. "I''m not a member of a Prestigious Family like you."


    "Then do better in your next life, okay?" Thirteen chuckled before lightly patting her shoulder. "Let''s go."


    The teenage boy then walked toward the entrance of the cave.


    Sherry followed behind him and didn''t think much of what her Boss said earlier.


    She might be the second strongest Wanderer in Zion''s party, butpared to the Scions of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families, her fighting prowess was only average at best.


    When Thirteen stepped out of the cave, he could already feel the tension between his group and the Cygni Faction''s group.


    Fortunately, they were still in a standoff. At least they still knew that a fight would not benefit either group.


    Seeing their Boss appear, the Rascals breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts.


    Thirteen might look like a harmless teenager, but they had seen firsthand how he single-handedly wiped the floor with one of Sean''s retainers who thought that he could get away with harassing his members.


    "So what''s up?" Thirteen asked. "You guys disturbed my beauty sleep."


    Sean looked long and hard at Zion before saying the reason why he came.


    "We would like to trade for three of your wagons," Sean dered. "We will give you properpensation."


    Thirteen tilted his head to the side and nced at the wooden wagons that his party had built since they arrived in Solterra.


    They had just finished building their third wagon yesterday, and now, Sean and his Faction wanted to take them all so that they could start their journey toward the Stronghold of Wenpolis.


    "They''re not for trade," Thirteen replied. "If you want wagons, you can build ones yourselves. I can trade for nails, wood shaving tools, and hammers. I can even teach you how it''s done, but the wagons here belong to our group."


    The Rascals, who heard their Boss'' reply, all nodded their heads in agreement.


    They had worked hard to build their wagons, so they wouldn''t allow anyone to take them so easily.


    Sean eyed Zion and pondered for a while.


    He was half tempted to just take the wagons by force. However, there was one problem.


    Zion was a Rookie, while they were all Rankless.


    Also, there was also the matter of him being the Commander of the Alliance.


    They still needed his help when it was the Cygni Continent''s turn to fight against the Jinn Invasion.


    For short, they couldn''t afford to antagonize him even if they wanted to.


    "Fine," Sean replied. "Nails, hammers, and the knowledge on how to build them."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "In return, you will help my party kill Beasts, and give them thest hit. Let''s see¡­ a dozen Dark Bison will be good."


    Dark Bisons were one of themon Monsters that could be found in the valley they were currently at.


    They range anywhere from Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters.


    Although it would take time to hunt those who weren''t part of a herd, they could still be killed by the members of the Cygni Faction, especially since they already gained a few items during the past two weeks.


    Even so, they were still dissatisfied with this arrangement because they believed that Zion was taking advantage of them.

 Chapter 477: If You Die, You Only Have Yourself To Blame, Right? [Part 2]

    "A dozen Dark Bisons for nails, hammers, and the knowledge to make a wagon?" Legon scratched his head. "Isn''t that too muchpensation?"


    "Really?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "I think I''m the one who''s at a disadvantage here. Did you think you could just pick up nails on the ground? Sure, you can use stone and bones as a hammer, but you won''t be able to find nails and wood shaving tools anywhere.


    "They might be dirt cheap in Pangea, but here? They are luxury items. So I don''t think I''m asking for too much. It''s a fair trade, don''t you think? Of course, if you don''t like it, we can always rumble. I''m also quite annoyed because my beauty sleep is disturbed."


    Sean and Leon were about to argue, but a giggle stopped them in their tracks.


    "We''re sorry we disturbed your beauty sleep," Heidi said. "Boys don''t understand it, but girls do. Very well, we agree to this condition."


    Sean and Leon both frowned, but in the end, they didn''t say anything else.


    "Great." Thirteen nodded. "Now that we have an understanding, Sherry, you go and take Team Five and Team Six to hunt some Bison with our friends here. All of them only take one chance to kill a monster.


    "Whether they can get an item or not from their kills, they won''t get a second chance. Come back as soon as you can, okay?"


    Sherry reluctantly nodded her head and gestured at the two teams to follow her.


    To be honest, she was feeling a little anxious about bringing the two teams Zion mentioned with the Cygni Faction.


    Those two teams didn''t specialize inbat and merely yed a supporting role.


    Because of this, none of them had even a single item that could be obtained from Monsters.


    Hearing that their chance to get freebies hade, the two teams gave their Boss a thumbs up in their hearts.


    "I have a question. As you know, this valley is a dangerous ce, and we can''t always guarantee that your members will not get injured," Leon said in a meaningful tone.


    "Dark Bisons are strong, and if we happen to find a group with a Rank 3 Alpha Monster guarding them, there is a chance that people might get hurt, or worse, die in the process. So, will you hold us ountable if something happens to your people?"


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before shaking his head.


    "I won''t hold you liable," Thirteen replied. "This valley is indeed a very dangerous ce, so people can die anytime."


    Leon smiled faintly because he had a few ideas of his own on how to teach the people who would being with them a lesson they would never forget.


    However, Thirteen''s next words made the smile on his face stiffen.


    "Since this is a very dangerous ce, there is also a chance that you guys can also die anytime," Thirteen said with a mischievous smile on his face. "It can''t be helped, you know? After all, we are in Solterra. In this ce, if we die, we only have ourselves to me, right?"


    Thirteen''s said it in a yful tone, but his message was crystal clear.


    If you kill my people, you die.


    If you die, you only have yourself to me, right?


    Leon gritted his teeth before forcefully averting his gaze.


    Zion''s gaze was like that of a Tiger that had marked its prey.


    If a fight really broke out between their party and the Cygni Faction, both sides would suffer casualties.


    This was the worst-case scenario that could happen, so their faction didn''t go out of their way to antagonize Zion''s party.


    However, when they discovered that they were building wagons for their journey, they realized that they didn''t have the ability to build them themselves.


    Although they had no idea how Zion managed to procure tools like hammers, shaving tools, and nails, they understood that they would need a mode of transport for the journey to their destination.


    Even if they managed to secure Avatars that could make traveling easier, having a wagon to serve as shelter to the elements, as well as store their items and other provisions for their journey, would help them greatly.


    Of course, they couldn''t just take it by force because they were told by their families to not antagonize Zion Leventis.


    So they decided to trade with him in order to get their own wagons.


    Unfortunately, Zion had no intention of trading the wagons that his members had built. If he agreed, his members would lose motivation, and it would also lower their morale, which he didn''t want to happen.


    Also, he wanted to teach the Cygni Faction a lesson.


    Their mentality was themon mentality of those who belonged to the Monarch ns and Ten Prestigious Families.


    They expect that everyone would cater to their needs just because of their family''s prestige.


    Of course, since Zion was from the Leventis Family, he was immune to their bullying and harassment.


    But not everyone was like him.


    Even Sherry, who was born into a well-off family, didn''t dare to talk back to Sean and his cohorts because she understood the implications of doing so.


    Even if she managed to get away with it in Solterra, her family would definitely suffer in Pangea.


    Right now, the Rascals could only depend on Zion''s prestige to make sure that they wouldn''t get bullied by the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.


    The hierarchy of Wanderers had been set from the very start, so those at the bottom could only endure and bow their heads to those who were on top.


    With this problem in mind, Thirteen had a n.


    Since he couldn''t change the current hierarchy of the world, he would first start with the Scions of the Cygni Faction.


    He would make them "a little more" human by making them realize that even with their family''s backing, there were times when finding a more peaceful way of settling things would benefit more people in the long run.


    Since they were sharing the same mission, it was guaranteed that all of them would be heading West to reach the Stronghold of Wenpolis.


    At least, until their missions were over, Thirteen wanted the Rascals to be recognized by the Cygni Faction, not because he was leading them but because they werepetent enough to survive.


    The teenage boy watched as Sherry and her team disappeared in the distance, then made a gesture for his party to resume what they were doing.


    He then walked toward the cave, and once he was inside, he lightly tapped his right foot on the ground.


    "Rocky, babysit Sherry and the others," Thirteen ordered. "If any Rank 3 Monster, or higher were to attack them, you know what to do."


    The Magma Bal-Boa obeyed its Master''s order and began to travel under the ground to catch up to Sherry''s team.


    What Leon said earlier was right.


    Variables could happen on the battlefield, and if a monster that was too dangerous for them to handle were to appear, casualties might happen.


    Naturally, the members of the Cygni Faction would prioritize saving themselves and would leave Sherry''s team behind.


    To prevent the worst-case scenario from happening, they needed a bodyguard, and Rocky fit that job perfectly.


    "Tiona, have you found IT?" Thirteen asked.


    Tiona nodded and hissed a few times.


    Certain ces in Solterra, like Forests, Swamps, ins, and Valleys, all had one thing inmon.


    They usually had a Field Type Monster like an Overlord, or a World Boss like a Sovereign.


    Thirteen had asked Tiona to find the locations of these Monsters so that they could be monitored.


    Any of those two monsters was enough to kill all the fifty Wanderers that were currently in the valley, with the exception of Thirteen.


    Because of this, Tiona and some of a few members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons were paying attention to them.


    They would immediately report if these powerful monsters were to head in their location.


    Truth be told, Thirteen really didn''t care whether these monsters were to head in their direction or not.


    With the forces at his disposal, even a Rank 7 Monster was not a problem.


    However, he didn''t want to depend on Rocky and the others too much.


    Thirteen didn''t want his skills and battle prowess to be dull, especially after hearing the Vision of Taiga''s sister, Cleo.


    Since he was going to fight against a strong opponent, he had to hone himself in fighting actual battles, putting his life on the line in order to get a higher chance of defeating one of the beings whom he hated the most.

 Chapter 478: Finally, A Person Of Culture

    As a child who was born to one of the Prestigious Families, Leon had always thought that he was one of the chosen ones.


    He had the best lineage, the best upbringing, andmanded respect from those who didn''t belong to the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families.


    Simply put, people had to think twice before they messed with him.


    He was a very ambitious person, and he believed that he was better than his peers, including Sean, a descendant from the Griffin n.


    Because he was from the Monarch n, his position was slightly higher than Leon.


    And frankly, Leon didn''t really like it. He believed that he was much better than Sean in every aspect.


    Whether it be fighting, survival, and leading a team, he believed that he surpassed the Monarch''s descendant in every aspect.


    The other children who hailed from the Cygni Faction were also nothing to him.


    However, he had no choice but to follow Sean for the time being lest it disrupted their unity against someone who was deemed untouchable.


    Zion Leventis.


    A Rookie who had created many unbelievable feats, including fighting against a Majin Prince and living to tell the tale.


    Of course, like many people, Leon didn''t believe that hogwash.


    He believed that it was just propaganda made by the Leventis Family and the Central Government to make them look good.


    However, after Zion led the Alliance and secured the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent, most people were convinced that maybe those unbelievable stories about the Supreme Commander of the Alliance were real.


    Even Zion''s staunchest critics had to shut their trap after he attained the impossible.


    And what was that impossible feat?


    It was regaining a quarter of the Rigel Continent from the Jinns, who everyone thought was invincible.


    ''I hate this,'' Leon thought as he looked at Sherry, who was leading the twelve Wanderers who only yed support roles in Zion''s team.


    They were the ones who did the misceneous jobs like cooking, gathering firewood, and building the wagons.


    In Leon''s eyes, they were nothing but extra baggage.


    They were just servants, porters, and cannon fodders.


    And yet, he was forced to spoonfeed these cannon fodders withst hit kills in order to secure the deal with Zion Leventis so that they could build their own wagons.


    ''Dammit!'' Leon cursed internally as he faced the Dark Bison that was lured in his direction by his subordinates.


    With one swift sword strike, Leon cut off one of the Monster''s legs, making it skid on the ground.


    His other subordinates then hacked the other legs in order to ensure that even someone who didn''t have any experience in fighting a monster could kill it easily.


    "What are you waiting for?" Leon asked in disdain. "Kill it!"


    "Do as he says," Sherry said as he chose one of the Wanderers to kill the Dark Bison. "Just sh its neck. Even if you don''t manage to cut it off the first time, just keep hacking."


    The teenage girl bit her lip while holding the sword in her hand.


    With a shout, she shed down her sword and hit the neck of the Dark Bison.


    Even when she gave it her all, the blow was not strong enough. However, it still drew blood, which sprayed in her direction, making her scream in fright.


    Leon had the strong urge to p her, not liking how she was making a big deal out of nothing. They had already ensured her safety, so why couldn''t she even do her job properly?


    ''This is why I hate thesemoners.'' Leon spat on the ground in order to vent his frustration. ''Filthy leeches.''


    Sherry consoled the girl and asked her to try again.


    The girl nodded and hacked the bison repeatedly, hitting it in different directions making blood stter everywhere.


    The members of the Cygni Faction watched this scene with frowns. The girl was just randomly shing with tears, and snot, streaming down her face.


    "Kill it already. We don''t have all day!" Leon growled, making the girl cry out in shock and dropping the sword in her hand out of fright.


    Fortunately, the Dark Bison seemed to have reached its limit and died from blood loss.


    Sherry took the crying girl to the side and tried to calm her down.


    "Go lure another Dark Bison," Sean ordered his subordinates, who obeyed hismand without fail.


    Just like Leon, he was also feeling annoyed due to how helpless the Wanderers of the other party were.


    He thought that maybe Zion only took them under his wing because he needed servants to do the menial tasks for him.


    However, Zion would always lead them by example.


    When making the wagons, he was there to show them how it should be done.


    He helped them shave the logs.


    He helped them hammer the nails.


    He helped them hunt monsters, and even gave them tips on how to kill them more effectively.


    Last but not the least, he was also teaching them how to fight.


    Of course, not everyone, just like the girl earlier, was able to learn quickly. Even so, Thirteen was willing to teach them everything they needed to know on how to survive in Solterra.


    Fortunately, they finished theirpensation just before lunch, so they all made their way back to Zion''s camp in time for a meal.


    The Dark Bisons were very heavy, so they only carried one of them back and left the rest behind.


    For the Cygni Faction, the only good thing from the Bisons were their cores.


    Its meat, while edible, wasn''t really something that they liked to dine on.


    Only the members of Zion''s team wanted to take one back with them, so they tied it with a rope and pulled it all the way to their base camp.


    "Well done," Thirteen said to his team members, who had returned safely. "Just as promised, I will provide you with the items you need to make your own wagons. I''ll even throw in three axes as a freebie."


    Thirteen took out the items from his Dimensional Storage and presented it to Sean.


    "I''m sure all of you are hungry, so have lunch with us first," Thirteen added. "We have beef stew so eat to your hear¡ª"


    But before the teenage boy could finish his sentence, Sherry stepped forward and asked him a question.


    "Boss, are you the one who cooked it?" Sherry asked with a serious expression on her face.


    "¡­ I wanted to, but you guys banned me from cooking," Thirteen replied with a frown. "I could have made it more nutritious and packed with vitamins and nutrients. But you''re the ones who don''t want me anywhere near the cooking pots."


    Sherry breathed a sigh of relief in her heart because a disaster was avoided.


    During the first day that they arrived in Solterra, Thirteen volunteered to cook a meal for them, making them all feel happy and excited.


    It had been a while since then, but they still didn''t understand how a simple barbecued meat could taste like bubblegum.


    In fact, anything that their Boss cooked would miraculously taste like bubblegum despite using no spices at all.


    Since then, for the sake of their stomach and mental health, they decided that they would be the one to handle cooking duties.


    "Oh, I''d love to eat something that Sir Zion cooked!" Heidi, who wanted to form a closer connection with Zion, said with a smile. "I''m sure that it will be a memorable experience!"


    The members of Zion''s party look at the pretty girl with pity. If she only knew what she was signing herself into, she would definitely regret her decision.


    "Finally, a person of culture," Thirteen smiled. "Sure, I''ll cook something for you one of these days."


    "I''ll hold onto that promise, Sir Zion."


    "Of course! Just who do you think I am?"


    Sherry, who could no longer take this discussion, signaled for everyone to help them carry the Dark Bison to the ce where they stored their hunted monsters.


    She was happy enough that things ended peacefully between their group and the Cygni Faction.


    However, she knew that it was only a matter of time before tempers rose and things escted to something that might lead to conflicts.


    Of course, she had ryed these concerns to Zion.


    But her Boss only told her that if it really came to that, she didn''t have to worry about anything because he would handle the Cygni Faction on his own.


    Truth be told, Sherry considered herself very lucky because Zion was sent to the same location as her.


    If not, then she and the rest of the other Wanderers might have lived a different fate under the management of the Cygni Faction, who looked at them as if they were insects that they could crush anytime.

 Chapter 479: I Can’t Just Give Her A Good Spanking

    ""Hah!""


    "Thrust!"


    ""Hah!""


    "Thrust!"


    ""Hah!""


    The gasps of dozens of teenagers who had zero fighting experience thrusting their wooden spears forward sounded.


    They were the ones who were meant to die as soon as they entered the world of Solterra due to their inexperience.


    Fortunately, they came to the same ce as Zion, who didn''t treat them like cannon fodders, or extras.


    He knew that it was impossible to train new recruitsplicated fighting styles, so he decided to let them learn how to wield the spear.


    Sometimes, using a spear is better than using a sword because of its range.


    Wanderers, especially those who didn''t have any fighting experience, didn''t want to get up close and personal with monsters unless they had no choice but to do it.


    Because of this, letting them learn spearmanship was the friendliest option, allowing them to help theirrades by stabbing the monsters as a team from different directions.


    The God of Wanderers, The One, didn''t look too kindly to those who didn''t put any effort inpleting their missions.


    They would be given very minimal rewards, which some Wanderers were fine with.


    In their point of view, as long as they were alive, it was enough.


    There was nothing wrong with this mentality because everyone wants to survive.


    But in the long run, they would have to face challenges that they couldn''t escape from.


    Such was the fate of Wanderers that were forced to fight a battle that none of them had chosen.


    From today, Zion''s party, the Rascals, would spend their days on a strict schedule.


    Mornings would be stamina training, including running along a designated route in the valley that was free from Monsters.


    The reason why this path was free from monsters was thanks to Giga, Rocky, cky, Hercules, the Trolls, an the Ogres killing the monsters that could harm the children.


    Because of this, the path was "safe" to traverse.


    After their morning runs, they would have breakfast and work on the wagons.


    The Hunting Teams would hunt, while the workers would work.


    During the afternoons, they would train spearmanship and would spar under Thirteen''s tutge, making them more used tobat.


    Another week had passed since the Cygni Faction had asked to trade for the materials they would use to build their own wagons.


    Currently, Thirteen''s team had four wagons, while the Cygni Faction had one.


    All in all, Thirteen nned to create nine wagons.


    Five people would ride each wagon, and the rest would be used to carry their supplies, like food, water, and other misceneous items.


    Unlike the members of the Cygni Faction, Thirteen wasn''t in a hurry toplete their First Mission.


    The Stronghold of Wenpolis was hundreds of miles away from the valley they were at, so not only would the journey be long but also dangerous.


    And before they go through that, Thirteen wanted to train the Wanderers for at least a month first to build their foundations.


    The rest of their training would be resumed during their journey, which would strengthen the Wanderers'' mindset.


    Unlike him, the members of the Cygni Faction wanted to leave the valley as soon as possible, so they ordered their subordinates to build the wagons faster.


    They also understood why Thirteen and his subordinates were actively hunting Dark Bisons.


    Their goal was to at least get Avatars, so that these monsters could pull the wagons for them.


    The girl who had killed the first Dark Bison was quite lucky, having managed to get an Avatar.


    The others only got equipment. Although that was also good, it wasn''t as great as the rewards the girl received.


    It was not be an exaggeration to say that getting an Avatar during your First Wandering was a game changer.


    It gave you a bodyguard of sorts, which could help you fight other monsters, lessening one''s burden and making battles safer.


    Among the thirty-four members of Zion''s party, four of them managed to gain Dark Bison Avatars.


    He could already consider them lucky. After all, getting an avatar was dependent on pure luck. There was no guaranteed way to get one unless you have a hidden profession like Cristopher''s, Brute Tamer.


    After hunting monsters, the excess meat would be turned to jerky, serving as their emergency food during their journey.


    Imitating them, the members of the Cygni Faction also started storing beef jerky for their inevitable journey.


    After a month of preparation and training, Thirteen greeted the rising sun in the east with Tiona on top of a small hill.


    Their twelve wagons had beenpleted.


    The original n was to only make eight wagons, but since ten Wanderers managed to get Dark Bison Avatars, he thought that adding a few more wouldn''t be too much of a problem.


    Besides, he wanted a wagon for his own. That way, he could do things without others disturbing him.


    Everyone agreed with this setup because they thought that they would be hunting more Dark Bisons to gain avatars.


    However, this wasn''t the case.


    To their surprise, Thirteen "tamed" six Rank 2 Dark Bisons, who would be pulling the other wagons that initially had no Bisons to pull them.


    Two of those Dark Bisons would be pulling the wagon he built for himself, which was twice as big as the other wagons of his party.


    Of course, these Bisons weren''t tamed by Thirteen.


    The ones who made them see reason was Giga, Rocky, cky, and Hercules.


    With High-Ranking Monsters making them choose if they want to serve their Master or be their food, the Dark Bison chose to serve. With that they''d at least get to live.


    Of course, there was no contract involved or beast envement tattoos on their foreheads.


    The mere thought of being eaten by Thirteen''s Monster army was enough for the Dark Bisons to be loyal.


    Last, but not the least, since Thirteen could speak anynguage, including those of the Monsters'' due to his Unique Ability, Universal Language Proficiency, he made a deal with the Dark Bisons that he would not only let them live but let them be stronger as well.


    Although reluctant, they chose to trust the teenage boy who had such High-Ranking Monsters at his beck and call.


    The past month had been quite eventful for everyone.


    They had several dangerous encounters with wolves, bears, and other predators during the day and night.


    But with Zion''smands, they suffered moderate injuries at most, and no casualties.


    Of course, if he really wished for the Wanderers to live peacefully, he could have ordered Giga and the others to eliminate the monsters attacking them.


    But he didn''t do that.


    Thirteen needed the Wanderers to get used to being on high alert, ready to defend themselves at a moment''s notice.


    They said that pressure could squeeze the potential out of people, and he was using that method to sharpen their senses, and make them morepetent.


    Even the girl who had cried when she killed her first Dark Bison was now calmer after having killed a few more monsters with the help of her team.


    Although in his eyes, his team was just an armed mob at best, it was still better than how they were before they started a month ago.


    "Boss, are we leaving today?" Sherry, who knew where to find Zion, asked as she stood behind him.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "We have enough food and water tost us a few days. We also brought with us firewood. It''s time to set off to the Wenpolis Stronghold."


    Sherry nodded in understanding. "Well, it seems that the Cygni Faction is also waiting for us to leave the valley. They have finished building their four wagons and have also acquired Avatars that can pull them."


    Sean managed to get a Rank 2 Bear Avatar, while Leon and his subordinates got Wolf Avatars.


    Heidi and Natalie managed to get Rank 2 Wild Horses, which they would use to pull their own wagons.


    "Good." Thirteen slowly stood up and ced his hands on his waist. "Tell them that we will depart after breakfast. It''s now time for another adventure."


    Sherry looked at Zion with a faint smile on her face. The past month had certainly been an eye opening experience for her.


    She had been the one managing their team, and Thirteen only served as a figurehead most of the time.


    She wasn''t dense and could tell that their Boss was training her on how to be a leader.


    Because of this, she felt that her First Wandering might be a grand adventure, which she would happily share with her family who were waiting for her back home.


    "Ah, one more thing. Sherry, there is something very important that you have to remember," Zion said as he turned to look at his right-hand woman with a smirk on his face. "Feel free to use my name to settle disputes. Don''t worry, you are riding the Zion Express. You''re in good hands."


    "I know, Boss," Sherry nodded. "I know."


    Yes.


    After spending a month with Zion, Sherry understood what kind of individual he was.


    Arrogant, but approachable.


    Strict, but kind.


    Ruthless, but caring.


    Wise, but liked to fool around.


    Last but not the least, she could feel with every fiber of her being that she and the other Wanderers wouldn''t be used as cannon fodders by this young man.


    He was different from how most people from the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families treated people with lower status and rank than theirs.


    "Hello, Sherry. Are you still there?" Thirteen asked as he waved his hand over the teenage girl who was looking at him in a daze.


    "Yes, I''m here," Sherry replied as she regained herposure. "I was just thinking about something, Boss."


    "And that is?"


    "You''re lucky to have us with you on this journey."


    Sherry then immediately turned around and walked away to hide her embarrassment.


    Of course, the one who was lucky wasn''t Zion. It was them.


    She just didn''t want to see the smug smile on his face, so she decided to tease him a bit.


    Thirteen chuckled as he watched his second-inmand walk down the hill.


    "Did you hear her, Tiona?" Thirteen asked as he lightly rubbed the ck snake''s chin. "She said that I''m lucky to have them on this journey."


    Tiona hissed a few times before nudging Zion''s cheek with her head.


    "I can''t do that, Tiona." Thirteen smiled. "She''s a good girl, so I can''t just give her a good spanking to discipline her."


    Tiona shook her head helplessly before nudging her Master''s cheek as if telling him to be strict with Sherry.


    But deep inside, she thought that having an interesting girl around would at least make this journey less boring for her and her Master.


    Tiona knew that Zion only wished to make sure that the Wanderers, who were with him, would be able to return to their loved ones in Pangea, who was constantly thinking of them, and praying for their safe return.

 Chapter 480: Everyone, We’re Leaving!

    "Young Master, they''re finally leaving," one of Sean''s subordinates reported.


    "It''s about time they do." Sean nodded. "Let''s all go as well."


    Leon, who had urged Sean to leave earlier than Zion''s group, looked at their Leader with a calm expression on his face.


    But deep inside, he was very annoyed with Sean''s wishy-washy attitude. If he were the one inmand, they would have already left the valley after the first two Wagons were made.


    In his point of view, they already had Avatars that could travel, so creating two more wagons was just a waste of time.


    He had voiced this out during one of their meetings, but Sean rebutted him, saying that having two more wagons for their supplies, like food, water, and other misceneous items, would make their journey easier.


    Leon knew that Zion yed a role in Sean''s decision to add two more wagons for their faction. It must''ve happened when Sean sought out the teenage boy''s opinion on things they might need in their journey.


    After spending one week in the valley, the Scion of the Griffin n had set aside his pride and had genuinely asked Zion for advice on several things.


    The Cygni Faction could have set off earlier than Zion''s team, but Sean decided that it would be better for all Wanderers to stick together until they reached the Wenpolis Stronghold.


    Half an hourter, a caravan of wooden wagons traveled westward.


    Zion''s wagon, which was twice as big as everyone else''s, was leading in the front.


    It was being pulled by two Rank 2 Dark Bisons that were bigger than the other Bisons pulling the wagons of his party.


    Sherry sat on the coachman seat, while Zion was inside the wagon, taking a nap.


    As the officers of their small mercenary group, Rascals, this wagon belonged to the two of them and served as the gship of their caravan.


    From time to time, the youngdy would look at thepass that was lent to her by Zion, in order to make sure that they were traveling in the right direction.


    Sean''s group traveled alongside Thirteen''s Caravan.


    Their main wagon was being pulled by a Rank 2 Bear Avatar, which Sean managed to get during the month-long hunting they did in the valley.


    Fortunately, the monsters in their starting point were only Rank 1 and Rank 2.


    There were some Rank 2 Alpha Monsters roaming as well, but they simply steered clear of it because of the danger that it posed to their lives.


    Rank 2 Monsters, while difficult to fight for an ordinary person, didn''t constitute much threat for four or more experienced teenagers who managed to acquire weapons after hunting Rank 1 Monsters.


    Even so, a threat was a threat, so Sean''s team only fought those that had taken the initiative to attack them.


    The Rank 2 Brown Bear had put up a good fight, seriously injuring four of their subordinates before they were able to put it down.


    Fortunately for them, Zion had medical supplies at hand, allowing these Wanderers to recover after resting for a week.


    The only question in their minds was "how did he manage to put all of those items in his dimensional storage?"


    The dimensional storage Wanderers possessed only allowed their weapons and armors, as well as equipment they had gained from killing monsters to be stored.


    It didn''t allow them to store other items aside from those they got from monster drops, quests, and rewards by The One.


    When Zion was asked this question, he only said that The One took pity on him for being a Rank 1 Wanderer for life and tweaked his dimensional storage inpensation, allowing him to bring snacks during his missions.


    Of course, Sean and the members of the Cygni Faction didn''t buy his bullsh*t, but since Zion didn''t want to tell them, they no longer insisted on it.


    After three days of traveling, they managed to cover a lot of ground.


    They encountered a few monsters along the way, but since they were only Rank 1 Monsters, they only served as training for the Wanderers.


    Seeing that the sun would be setting soon, Sherry was thinking of camping beside the river.


    However, the dark clouds in the distance made her change her mind.


    "Boss, I think it''s going to rain," Sherry said, still staring at the dark clouds in the distance.


    "You''re right," Thirteen said. "Steer clear of the river for now and head to higher ground."


    As they journeyed west, they came across a river which seemed to also flow in that direction.


    Because of this, Sherry thought that it would be a good idea to just follow it, so they would always have ess to water source.


    Sherry agreed with Zion''s order and started moving away from the river, in search of higher grounds.


    Since they weren''t familiar with the topography of thend, it was possible that the river would rise, causing a sh flood that could possibly be troublesome for them.


    An hourter, heavy rain started pouring from the heavens.


    Since the wagons were built with a roof, the rain didn''t affect the Wanderers too much.


    They were even thankful that they had a roof above their heads to shield them from the elements.


    Since it was raining, Sherry returned to the wagon and chatted with her Boss about her concerns.


    "Boss, is it really a good idea to travel with the Cygni Faction?" Sherry asked.


    "Why not?" Thirteen replied. "Since we''re headed in the same direction, I don''t see any problems with it."


    "Our members are feeling anxious whenever they are around, especially Leon," Sherry stated. "I can tell he doesn''t think highly of us."


    "And why should we care about that?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    "I just have a bad feeling about him, Boss," Sherry answered. "He feels like a powder keg ready to explode."


    "You worry too much, Sherry. Even if he explodes, he would not be exploding on our side of the fence. The ones who will have to deal with him is Sean and hisrades¡ªnot us."


    "If that happens, then good. But what if he makes things difficult for us too?"


    Thirteen chuckled. "He won''t. He won''t dare to make things difficult for us."


    The teenage boy already knew that Leon was an ambitious person and that he would find ways to subtly wrest control of the leadership from Sean, allowing him to be the leader of the Cygni Faction.


    Of course, there was a possibility that he would try a different route, like poaching the members from Thirteen''s party and forming his own group.


    If he wanted to be a leader, that was certainly a viable method. Unfortunately, he didn''t have a good reputation among the Rascals.


    Zion was confident that even if he seeded in poaching his members, they woulde back crying to him after a few days.


    Suddenly, the smile on Thirteen''s face disappeared and was reced by a frown.


    Rocky, who was keeping an eye out for threats in his hiding ce under the ground, detected a group of monsters emerge from the river hundreds of meters away from their location.


    "What''s wrong, Boss?" Sherry, who saw the sudden change in the teenage boy''s expression, felt that something was wrong.


    "I''ll take a look first," Thirteen replied as he stepped out of the wagon. "Stay here."


    Sherry opened the window of the wagon and looked in the direction where Zion was headed.


    However, the downpour was strong, greatly reducing the visibility. She could only see several meters away from where she stood.


    On the other hand, Thirteen, who was being guided by Rocky''s senses, eyed the monsters that seemed to be paying close attention to their caravan from a distance.


    ''River Lizardmen,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the four Rank 1 Lizardmen, who seemed to be appraising whether they were easy pickings or not.


    These monsters noticed that Thirteen was looking at them, so they observed the human boy from afar.


    Then, one of them, who seemed to be the leader, said something to hisrades.


    A momentter, two of the Lizardmen returned to the river and swam away.


    Although it was a distance away, and it was raining, Rocky was paying close attention to their conversation, so he got what they were talking about. He ryed what the leader of the Lizardmen told his two subordinates.


    "Report to the chief and ask for backup. We will stay here to observe the humans."


    Knowing that there was a possibility that they would be greatly outnumbered, Thirteen did what he needed to do and returned to the wagons.


    "Everyone, we''re leaving!" Thirteen shouted, so that his voice could be heard despite the heavy rain. "Light themps, and follow my lead!"


    His shout alerted the Wanderers of his party, as well as the members of the Cygni Faction.


    They had no idea what was happening, but the Rascals trusted Zion enough to follow his orders without asking any questions.


    Sherry, who was inside the wagon, lit amp and ced it at the holder that was attached to the rear of the wagon.


    Zion had taught them many tricks to travel day and night using the light from theirmps to serve as a beacon on where they needed to go.


    All the other wagons also lit up theirmps and followed the procedure Thirteen had taught them before they started their journey.


    The moment Zion''s wagon moved, the other wagons followed behind him.


    Thirteen made sure that the Rank 2 Bisons wouldn''t move too fast, allowing the others to catch up.


    Visibility was low, but the light of themps were able to guide the others on the right path.


    The two Lizardmen who saw this decided to follow the caravan and hoped that their reinforcements would arrive before their targets escaped from their grasp.

 Chapter 481: Hide And Seek In The Rain [Part 1]

    Sean, who heard Thirteen''s shout, wondered what was going on.


    Because of this, he ordered one of his subordinates to ask the teenage boy what was happening, and why they were setting out again while it was raining cats and dogs.


    A few minutester, his subordinate returned with a grim expression on his face.


    "Sir, Zion Leventis said that he spotted River Lizardmen," the subordinate reported. "Because of this, he decided to leave before they called for backup."


    Sean and the other leaders of the Cygni Faction immediately understood the kind of danger they were in.


    However, since it was hard for them to see in the rain, they didn''t know what to do.


    Fortunately, the lights from themplights of the other wagons appeared one by one, giving them an idea about what to do next.


    "Follow them, and make sure that you don''t lose sight of themplights!" Sean ordered.


    Soon, the four wagons that belonged to the Cygni Faction also started moving.


    Lizardmen were one of the most aggressive monsters in Solterra. They hated all the other race they came across with, and made a point to show it.


    They were also efficient hunters, and it was nearly impossible to fight against them, especially when they were in the river.


    River Lizardmen were notorious for raiding settlements near rivers, treating it as a game.


    They were carnivores, so humans, orcs, goblins, elves, and other races were fair game to them.


    While most of them were only Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters, their leaders were often Rank 3 or Rank 4 Monsters.


    Because of this, Wanderers, especially those of the Initiate Rank and below, didn''t want to be sent to a location near Lizardmen territory.


    Not only were they aggressive, but they also had the territorial advantage.


    In short, if a bigger group really came to attack them, they would be in big trouble.


    Thirteen knew this as well, so he ordered Tiona to deal with the two Lizardmen following them from behind.


    The ck Snake slid off her Master''s body and disappeared in the rain.


    A minuteter, the sound of two screams filled with pain reached his ears before getting drowned by the sound of rain.


    The Wanderers, who also heard of this, felt goosebumps. Without having to see it, they were also aware of what was happening at the moment.


    The Team Leaders of each wagon approached Zion when he started shouting and asked him what was the problem.


    After hearing that they were in Lizardmen territory, they hastily returned to their wagons in preparation to leave their campsite by following their Boss'' wagon.


    ''Maybe this rain is a blessing in disguise,'' Thirteen thought as he followed Rocky''s guidance through the downpour.


    His n was to get away from the river as fast as possible while Tiona covered their tracks.


    Although he wished to train himself and his members in fighting against monsters, fighting Lizardmen in their home turf was a very bad idea.


    Extremely bad idea.


    They could easily find themselves being attacked by hundreds of Lizardmen in an encirclement, leaving them no path of escape.


    Of course, Rocky could also deal with these monsters and make sure that they didn''t bother them.


    But he only nned to do that as ast resort.


    Putting pressure on the Wanderers would help their growth increase at a rapid pace, so this kind of development was something that Zion wouldn''t mind happening from time to time.


    Even so, if they would really have to fight, they needed to find a better ce that would give them a bit of advantage against their opponents.


    "Boss, where are we going?" Sherry, who was inside the carriage, asked.


    Although she tried to remain calm, the tinge of anxiety in her tone didn''t escape Thirteen''s ears.


    "Somewhere away from the river," Thirteen replied. "But prepare yourself just in case the Lizardmen catch up to us."


    He didn''t know how long it would take for the Lizardmen reinforcements to arrive, but since the two warriors following them had been killed, it would at least take their pursuers more time to catch up to them.


    Of course, since a Lizardman''s eyesight was very sensitive, it was highly possible for them to see themplights in the distance and follow their trail.


    Half an hourter, Rocky informed Thirteen of a cave that they could temporarily use to hide themselves.


    Although it was not big enough for their wagons to get into, it was just enough for their Dark Bisons and the teenagers to hide.


    Thirteen stopped his wagon near the cave and asked Sherry to inform everyone to go inside the cave and bring theirmplights with them.


    The first thing Thirteen did after giving his order to Sherry was free the six Rank 2 Dark Bisons under hismand and order them to enter the cave.


    The Bisons followed his orders and went inside first.


    Soon, all the Wanderers, including the Cygni Faction, abandoned their wagons and evacuated inside the cave.


    Thirteen was thest one to enter and headed to the deepest part of the cave, where the other Wanderers decided to hide.


    ***


    Dozens of Lizardmen emerged from the River and looked at their surroundings.


    "Where are they?" a Lizardman with a dark-green scale asked.


    "They were here before we left, Captain," one of the Lizardmen, who was ordered to return to camp, replied.


    "Were you discovered?" the Lizardman Captain inquired.


    "Y-Yes. A human boy saw us."


    "Your group was careless."


    The Captain of the Lizardmen from the Varesti Tribe, who went by the name Sharroc, hissed in anger.


    "Form groups of three and find their trail," Sharroc ordered. "They will not be able to go far in this rain. We must find them before the other Tribes get to them first!"


    Following his orders, the Lizardmen formed separate teams and ran in the direction where the wagons had been parked earlier.


    Although it was raining hard, it was very hard to hide the traces of sixteen wagons leaving at the same time.


    Because of this, it didn''t take long for the Lizardmen to trace the general direction where the wagons had headed and started their pursuit.


    Currently, they were in a race against time because the Tribal Celebration was nearly upon them.


    Because of this, all the tribes were busy hunting for tributes they could offer to their Grand Chieftain.


    Usually, they would look for human children at this time of the year in their territories because it was as if they were sent there by their Gods to be captured by them.


    These human children would then be taken to their Grand Chieftain, who would use them to fight against their rival Ratmen Tribe, who shared dominion over the Southwest Region of the Fractured Heaven.


    While the Lizardmen held dominion over the Rivers and Lakes, the Ratmen dominated thend, corrupting their rivers from its source.


    Because of this, the Lizardmen had no choice but to fight them, which led to bloody skirmishes between the two groups.


    Unfortunately, in order for Thirteen and the other Wanderers to reach their destination, they would have to travel in the territories governed by these two groups, making their journey quite perilous.


    Thirteen, who had been informed by Tiona that their pursuers had caught their trail, was forced to make a choice.


    The first one was to let the Wanderers fight against Lizardmen to let them gain experience.


    The second one was to let Tiona and his Monster Army deal with the Lizardmen, preventing any of the Wanderers from getting hurt.


    After thinking things through, he decided to take a gamble.


    "Hunters,e with me," Thirteen ordered. "The nonbatants stay here and continue to hide. Do not get out of the cave no matter what, do I make myself clear?"


    ""Yes.""


    Ten people, including Zion, headed towards the entrance of the cave together.


    Sean, on the other hand, was hesitating if they shoulde with Zion or not. After a few seconds of struggle, he ordered his subordinates to follow him.


    "If any of you want toe then follow me," Sean said. "If not then stay here and wait for our return."


    Sean no longer bothered to wait for their answer and hurriedly ran to catch up with Zion.


    Leon frowned, but he made no move to leave.


    Heidi pondered for a bit before ordering her subordinates to follow her to assist Sean, and Zion.


    "Aren''t you going with them, Natalie?" Leon asked.


    "I don''t want to get wet in this rain," Natalie replied.


    Leon chuckled because he knew that hisrade had another reason why she decided to stay with him.


    Natalie wouldn''t fight battles when the oue was uncertain.


    Since there was a chance that they would be fighting against a group of Lizardmen, she must''ve thought that it was not worth it to risk her life in fighting against them.


    Leon, on the other hand, was wishing that Zion, and Sean would be killed by the Lizardmen, so that their people would lose their leader.


    If that happened, he would get the perfect opportunity to make himself the leader of the group, and take the first step to realizing his dream of bing the best, and strongest Wanderer of his generation.

 Chapter 482: Hide And Seek In The Rain [Part 2]

    "They''re almost here," Thirteen said.


    Subconsciously, the Wanderers who had apanied him firmly grasped the weapons in their hands.


    The sixteen teenagers, including Sean, Heidi, and his three subordinates, hid behind the trees, closely watching the muddy path their wagons had passed half an hour ago.


    Their n was to ambush the Lizardmen using the strategy Zion had formted.


    Although they were still uncertain if it would work or not, they had no choice but to implement it to the best of their abilities.


    Their goal was simple.


    To sessfully act as decoys so that the nonbatants that were hiding inside the cave wouldn''t be targeted by the Lizardmen.


    Tiona''s clone, who had spied ahead, informed her Master that there were forty Lizardmen currently headed in their direction.


    The Captain of the Lizardmen was a Rank 3 Monster, and his six direct subordinates were Rank 2 Monsters. The rest were peak Rank 1 Monsters. Overall, they were considered a sizable hunting party among Lizardmen.


    With this information in mind, Thirteen deemed that they had a fighting chance if they managed to ambush the Lizardmen and decrease their number to even up the odds.


    Standing on the tree next to him was Sherry, who was holding a bow and arrow in her hands.


    She specialized in short swords and daggers, but she also had a knack for archery.


    Among the sixteen teenagers who were waiting to execute an ambush, six of them were holding bows in their hands.


    Their role was to draw the enemy''s attention, forcing them toe to the trees and fight them in close quarters.


    The ten remaining teenagers would then engage the enemies in closebat once they had reached their hiding ce.


    Thirteen would prioritize targeting the stronger Lizardmen in order to lessen the burden for his team.


    As soon as the Lizardmen finally appeared in their line of sight, the archers nocked the arrows on their bows and took aim.


    Since they were at a higher vantage point, while the Lizardmen were only looking at what was in front of them, thetter didn''t notice them right away, giving them the element of surprise.


    Thirteen had told everyone to only let loose their arrows once the first Lizardmen crossed the first tree in front of them.


    When their target finally came within the decided striking range, six arrows flew in unison, their sounds being masked by the rain.


    But out of the six arrows, only three found their targets.


    Unlike the others, Thirteen could urately target his opponent and make sure that his arrow wouldnd at the ce where he aimed at.


    With the element of surprise in their side, his first arrow hit the eye of one of the Rank 2 Lizardmen, while his second arrow hit itsrade''s neck.


    Thirteen was firing in rapid session because he needed to take down as many Lizardmen as he could before they regained their bearings.


    The monsters didn''t expect that an ambush was waiting for them, so the moment their members got hit by the arrows, they hastily retreated to take cover.


    Thirteen was able to take down three Lizardmen with his urate shots. On the other hand, Sherry took down one and injured two more. As for the other archers, they didn''t manage to kill any of the monsters, but they still managed tond some good hits at their enemies.


    "n B!" Thirteen ordered, and his team hastily retreated from their hiding spots.


    He had made several ns depending on how the enemy would react to their ambush.


    If their enemies charged at them, Sean and the other Wanderers who had Avatars would summon their Avatars, and fight the Lizardmen in closebat.


    But since the enemy didn''t charge at them and chose to retreat right away, it meant that they were able to assess that it was dangerous to blindly charge at the hiding spot of their enemies without understanding how many they were.


    "Captain, what should we do?" one of the Rank 2 Lizardmen who survived Thirteen''s ambush asked.


    "We''ll go around and ambush them from behind," Sharroc ordered. "Half of you will circle around them. The rest, follow me!"


    The Lizardmen entered the forest cautiously. They assessed that at least two of the archers were proficient in rangedbat and could effectively kill them if they were careless.


    Because of this, they used the trees as cover, while heading deeper into the forest.


    Thirteen, who was sharing his vision with Tiona''s clone, drew his bow to its fullest before releasing an arrow.


    A pained cry spread in the forest as his arrow pierced through the eye of another Rank 2 Lizardmen, killing it instantly.


    While their scales were hard and could resist sword strikes to a certain extent, their eyes were not as protected as the rest of their bodies.


    Other archers would find the feat of targeting the Lizardmen''s eyes from a distance extremely hard, especially with the rain and the cover of the trees obscuring their vision, but Thirteen didn''t have this problem.


    He would simply calcte where the Lizardmen would go and release his arrow ordingly.


    After bing a Rookie, he was now able to endure extensive calctions without suffering a bacsh.


    Because of this, he didn''t have to worry about pushing himself too much, allowing him to be a truly dangerous threat to his foes.


    Sharroc, who saw the man standing next to him die, hurriedly hid behind a tree and raised his hand.


    He alsomunicated with the others using thenguage of the Lizardmen, thinking that their ambushers couldn''t understand them.


    "Crawl on all fours, andy as low to the ground as possible!" Sharroc ordered. "They have a good marksman with them!"


    Crawling on all fours wasn''t a problem for Lizardmen. This was something they were used to doing, especially when sneaking into the Ratmen Settlements in their territory.


    However, no matter where they hid, Thirteen knew where they were. His Parade of a Hundred Demons were also around the forest, watching their every move.


    Sharroc thought that he made a good decision, but a few minutester, screams were once again heard on the side of the forest where the Second Team had gone earlier.


    Sherry, Sean, Heidi, and the others went to work and attacked the Lizardmen alongside their Avatars.


    Only Thirteen was left to face off against Sharroc''s team, distracting them from the true n that he had in mind.


    Because the Lizardmen Captain was spooked by the unknown Archer''s uracy, he ordered his direct subordinates to follow him, leaving the rest of the Rank 1 Lizardmen to group together.


    However, all the Wanderers who fought against the second party of Lizardmen had Avatars.


    Since the enemy was now outnumbered two to one, the teenagers felt more confident that they could win against them.


    Of course, Tiona''s subordinates were also paying close attention to the battle, ready to help if one of the Wanderers were about to get seriously injured, or worse, lose their lives in the skirmish.


    Sharroc screeched and ordered for his men to charge forward to where the sounds of screams wereing from.


    But, at that exact moment, he heard a subtle whistle, which made him forcefully raise his shield to block the arrow that was flying in his direction.


    Thirteen''s arrow embedded itself on the Lizardmen Captain''s shield, who didn''t even bother to stop crawling on the ground in order to head to where his subordinates were.


    While he was still wary of the archer attacking them from a distance, he was more worried about his subordinates whose screams were sounding increasingly desperate with each passing second.

 Chapter 483: Hide And Seek In The Rain [Part 3]

    Sean and Heidi fought back to back alongside their Avatars.


    Sean had summoned a Rank 2 Bear, while Heidi had summoned a Rank 2 Wolf.


    Both were the top predators in the valley where they had stayed for a month. They were lucky enough to gain avatars, allowing them to fight against the Lizardmen with rtive ease.


    However, what surprised them the most was Sherry''s Avatar¡ªnot that they were surprised to see that she had one but the one she had wasn''t an ordinary Avatar.


    It was a Rank 3 Alpha Monster that went by the name de Panther.


    Standing two-meters tall, this deadly monster that could summon a pair of retractable des at the side of its body was the one responsible for killing half of the Lizardmen who had tried to circle around them.


    The other Wanderers had known Sherry for a long time, but they never saw her summon this creature during the one month that they were together.


    So they were very surprised when she led their team to fight against the Lizardmen''s Second Party while Zion distracted the team that was led by the Rank 3 Lizardmen Captain.


    It was a one-sided massacre, and even Sherry was surprised with how deadly her Avatar was.


    Sherry acquired these powerful Avatar afterthree weeks of their arrived in Solterra, Zion had asked her to apany him to a scouting mission in the valley.


    Suddenly, they saw a seriously injured de Panther who was no longer able to stand, or fight, that was lying on the ground.


    Originally, this de Panther nned to feast on the Wanderers, which it had detected in its territory.


    However, the teenage boy asked his subordinates to deal with the de Panther and leave it half-dead so that Sherry could kill itter.


    Since the teenage girl was now his right-hand woman, he needed to arm her properly so that her chances of survival would also increase.


    The stronger she was, the more tasks she would be able to handle under his lead.


    But, Sherry insisted that Zion should be the one to kill the de Panther instead.


    However, after the teenage boy exined that he wouldn''t gain anything by killing the de Panther, Sherry remembered the information about Zion that was avable to the public.


    Rank Ban, Item Ban, Skill Ban, and Avatar Ban.


    Because of these restrictions, Zion was unable to gain any benefits from killing monsters. That was why he didn''t activelynd the killing blow unless it was absolutely necessary.


    But Sherry didn''t expect that she would gain an extremely powerful Avatar in her First Wandering.


    There was a saying among Wanderers.


    "The greater the disparity of the monster to your rank, the better the rewards by killing it."


    This meant that killing Rank 3 Monsters and above while you are still a Rookie would give you a high chance to gain powerful items, including their Avatars.


    Since Sherry was currently Rankless, the chances of her getting something good was extremely high.


    She just didn''t expect that she would get a powerful Avatar, which was too good for her current Rank to possess.


    Suddenly, the sound of a horn being blown spread in the forest, informing Sherry and the others that the Second Party of the Lizardmen were headed in their direction.


    Fortunately, they had almost annihted the Lizardmen Party that they had ambushed, giving them a bit of confidence in facing off against their new enemies.


    Half a minuteter, ten Lizardmen appeared in the clearing and attacked the Rank 1 Avatars that belonged to the Wanderers.


    Sharroc, who had seen the dead bodies of his men, was incensed and didn''t hesitate to attack the teenagers without a shred of mercy for his reptilian face.


    But when the de Panther roared and lunged in the Lizard Captain''s direction, Sharroc''s earlier rage subsided, reced by horror.


    Although he was a Rank 3 Monster, he understood then and there that the de Panther was stronger, faster, and more merciless than he was.


    The two shed, with Sharroc skidding on the ground due to the disparity in strength.


    That single exchange was enough to tell him that this opponent was too dangerous for him to fight on his own.


    "Retreat!" Sharrocmanded, and the survivors hurriedly ran after their leader.


    But he had just taken a few steps when an arrow hit his knee, making him grunt in pain.


    A secondter, another arrow hit his other knee, making him fall to the ground.


    "Don''t let any of them escape!" Thirteen ordered, waking the Wanderers from their daze.


    "Pursue them!" Sherrymanded the de Panther, who ran past the fallen Lizard Captain and attacked the fleeing Lizardmen.


    "Don''t kill him," Thirteen said as he pointed at the Lizard Captain. "I''ll be back after I deal with the small fries."


    Right now, his priority was to prevent any of the Lizardmen from returning to their tribe.


    Right now, they were only dealing with a Hunting Party, so they were able to manage.


    But if even one of the Lizardmen managed to escape and go back to report, they would have to deal with several Hunting Teams, with Higher-Ranked Lizardmen among them.


    Because of this, he ordered his Parade of a Hundred Demons to kill the fleeing Lizardmen, sparing no one.


    Now was not the time to be choosy with what method he would use to eliminate his opponent.


    What was important was that none of them escaped, lest they be the seed of trouble that would make their journey more perilous.


    He didn''t even worry that the Lizardmen Captain would be able to stand back up again.


    His arrows were coated with a special paralyzing venom that came from a Rank 5 Amphisbaena.


    A Rank 3 Monster would not be strong enough to ovee its venom, especially since the affected part was its knee. This somehow crippled Sharroc from walking.


    Half an hourter, Zion returned alongside the de Panther, who had killed most of the Lizardmen with its incredible speed and fighting abilities.


    "State the name of your Tribe," Thirteen ordered, speaking in the tongue of the Lizardmen.


    Sharroc, who was unable to move, looked at the teenage boy in surprise. He didn''t expect that a human boy could speak theirnguage.


    "I am Sharroc of the Varesti Tribe," Sharroc replied using the Lizardmennguage. "Who are you, and howe you know how to speak ournguage?"


    "Who I am is not important," Thirteen answered. "What is important is that you answer my questions."


    "Foolish human." Sharroc sneered. "A Lizardman would not betray his tribe!"


    "That''s what they all say before they meet my friend, Giga," Thirteen sneered back. "We''ll see who is the foolish one between us."


    Sherry, Sean, and Heidi, who could vaguely tell that Zion and the Lizardmen were having a proper conversation, looked at the teenage boy with awe.


    However, they didn''t have the leisure of admiring him because Thirteen told them to start ransacking the equipment of the Lizardmen and take them back to the cave with them.


    The Lizardmen were carrying spears and shields, which was a good addition to the weapon each of the Wanderers possessed.


    Also, this battle against the Lizardmen allowed them to gain items.


    Even though none of them managed to get a Lizardmen Avatar, the rewards they got were worth the effort of fighting against them.


    Thirteen asked Sherry to order the de Panther to carry Sharroc to a ce far from the clearing.


    He nned to interrogate the Lizardmen because he believed that they were soon entering Lizardmen territory.


    The more he knew about them, the more he would be able to create ns on how to prevent their group from getting into conflicts with them.


    The ideal scenario was for them to reach apromise with the Lizardmen and enter a non-aggression pact.


    However, Thirteen believed that this was a long shot, considering that they were young and the Lizardmen had more numbers than them.


    Sharroc, who was being taken away, was still confident that the humans wouldn''t be able to pry any answers from his lips.


    He wasn''t aware that before the rain stopped falling, he would be speaking their tribe''s darkest secrets to the teenage boy, who had a very good interrogation technique¡ªone that could make the most stubborn people and monsters answer his questions without fail.

 Chapter 484: To Damnation And Beyond

    "Mors, where''s Zion?" Sherry asked her de Panther, who was blocking her path.


    The de Panther shook its head and replied to its Master with a low growl.


    "I can''t see him right now?" Sherry asked.


    The de Panther nodded and whimpered.


    "Take me to him¡ªthat''s an order," Sherry said in a stubborn tone. "You should listen to me as your Master."


    The de Panther pondered for a bit, but in the end, it firmly shook its head.


    Sherry was its Master, so it was supposed to protect her. That was why it didn''t dare to let the youngdy approach the crazy teenage boy, who was currently interrogating the captured Lizardman Captain.


    Mors had witnessed how Thirteen forced Sharroc into talking. After seeing it once, it hastily left the scene to prevent its Master from seeing something that would stay with her for life.


    Sherry, who didn''t expect that her own Avatar would refuse her order, tried to peek past Mors, but the de Panther blocked her sight, preventing her from seeing anything.


    "Are you really not going to move away?" Sherry asked. "I''ll unsummon you if you don''t move."


    Mors was unfazed by its Master''s threat. Even if Sherry were to mean those words, it would stay in ce till the veryst second.


    The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Sherry finally sighed and relented.


    Avatars were very loyal to their Master and would obey them without fail.


    Since Mors were refusing to obey her orders, it only meant that it was only doing it for her own good.


    ''Just what is happening over there?'' Sherry mused. ''Isn''t it just a simple interrogation? Why is Mors acting like this? Is he preventing me from seeing something I shouldn''t see?''


    Of course, the youngdy had not an inkling that Zion''s interrogation wasn''t anything ordinary.


    Even the most stubborn of people would start talking after experiencing his interrogation methods just once.


    ***


    "The name of our Great Chieftain is Lord Drazzat. He is one of the five Lords of the Lizardmen who governs the Rivers and Lakes of the Fractured Heaven," Sharroc said in a fearful tone.


    "How strong is he?" Thirteen asked.


    "Rank 6 Sovereign," Sharroc replied.


    At the start, the Lizardman Captain refused to answer Thirteen''s question.


    However, after inhaling Giga Chad''s Giga Destroyer (Original Version), he started to talk, no longer caring that he was betraying hisrades in the slightest.


    He simply wished for his suffering to end.


    Thirteen proceeded to ask more questions, allowing him to slowly understand more about the current state of the war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen.


    Soon, he heard Wanderers being involved, and a frown emerged on his face. Both sides had captured Wanderers who were Spirited Away in this location in the past, and were using them as cannon fodders for their war.


    He also learned that there was a small group of Wanderers who were trying to free their fellow humans from both sides.


    They were the Wanderers who managed to flee from the Lizardmen''s and Ratmen''s attempt to capture them after they arrived in Solterra for the first time.


    ''Do they perhaps have the same mission as I do?'' Thirteen thought.


    After asking Sharroc more questions, Thirteen pondered whether he should kill him or not.


    If Sharroc was an ordinary Lizardmen, the teenage boy wouldn''t bat an eye and would''ve had him devoured by the ck g, making him part of his army.


    However, after finding out about his identity, Thirteen believed that Sharroc would be more useful to him alive than dead.


    The Lizardman Captain was the sixth son of Lord Drazzat, one of the five Lords of the Lizardmen.


    Because of his identity, the other party was more valuable to him alive than dead.


    An hourter¡­


    Thirteen returned to the cave with Sherry and her de Panther, Mors.


    The de Panther was carrying the captured Lizardman who was currently unconscious.


    Sean had already informed the rest about the battle that transpired, bragging about their wless strategy under Zion''smand.


    Naturally, Leon didn''t like how the teams that left earlier didn''t suffer any casualties.


    Even so, he kept a smile on his face as he listened to Sean''s bragging about the battle that he had fought alongside the Commander of the Alliance.


    "You should have been there," Sean said to Leon. "It was exhrating."


    "Yeah. Maybe next time," Leon replied in a nonmittal manner. "But what do we do now?"


    Leon nced at Zion, who was currently talking to his members.


    When he heard that Sherry gained a Rank 3 Alpha de Panther, the young man felt so envious. After all, he only had a Rank 2 Wolf as his Avatar.


    Of course, it was not only him who felt this way.


    Almost everyone, including the Wanderers who belonged to Zion''s Faction, felt the same.


    A few minutester, Thirteen gathered everyone and told them about their current situation.


    "I have bad news, and more bad news," Thirteen said. "What do you all want to hear first?"


    Everyone looked at him with grim expressions on their faces.


    Since there was no other option aside from bad news, it meant that their current situation was not looking good.


    Seeing that all of them had resigned themselves to hear the bad news, Thirteen no longer hesitated and told them about the information he gained from interrogating Sharroc.


    "We are currently sandwiched between an on-going war between the Lizardmen, and the Ratmen," Thirteen said. "To make matters worse, both sides are actively capturing Wanderers to serve as cannon fodders in their armies.


    "If we continue to head west, we will just be going deeper into their territories, and the chances of them finding us is extremely high. It is no exaggeration to say that if we continue to push forward, our lives will be in danger."


    Silence descended upon the cave as everyone digested Zion''s words.


    The silencested for nearly three minutes before one of the Wanderers in his team spoke out.


    "Then, what should we do?"


    Thirteen didn''t answer right away.


    Instead, he scanned everyone''s faces before telling everyone about his crazy n.


    "We need to pick a side," Thirteen stated. "That''s the only way for us to survive."


    If he really wanted to, he could have just knocked everyone unconscious and have Rocky carry them inside his Mobile Fortress, only waking them up once they''ve reached their destination.


    But he didn''t n to do that.


    After interrogating Sharroc, he realized that just running away wouldn''t solve the problem.


    They needed to pick a side, not only to survive but also to gain an opportunity to free the other Wanderers who found themselves in the middle of a war that would decide their fate.


    But in order to pull that off, he needed to make Sharroc his ally first.


    Although it was a longshot, and the chances of sess were small, he still believed that this was the most optimal choice they currently had right now.


    Of course, there was a chance that Sharroc would betray them. Fortunately, he also had a way to ensure that it wouldn''t happen.


    If negotiations with the Lizardmen were to fail¡­ well, he would just have to be the Third Party in this war, with the goal of freeing the other Wanderers from their envement.


    With the forces under his control and the tricks under his sleeve, he believed that he could do guerri tactics that would push the Lizardmen and the Ratmen to the brink of their sanity.


    "This is crazy, but it seems that we have no other choice but to be crazy to survive," Heidi whispered in Sean''s ear. "What do you think, Sean? Should we go along with Zion''s n?"


    "Do we have a choice?" Sean replied. "Otherwise, do you want to return to that valley where it''s safe and wait until someone clears the mission first?"


    Heidi smiled bitterly because her friend was right.


    Their only choice was to go forward or to go backward.


    Since going back to the valley wasn''t an option for the Cygni Faction, they had no choice but to join Zion''s bandwagon, which seemed to be headed to damnation and beyond.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: Only one chapter today. Currently suffering from high blood pressure, so I decided to just write one chapter and rest for the time being.


    Regr chapters will resume tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your understanding.

 Chapter 485: The Second In Command Of the Varesti Tribe

    "Zion, are you sure we can trust this Lizardman?" Sherry asked as she covertly looked at Sharroc, who was walking beside their wagon.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "Just where is that confidence of yoursing from?"


    "Your worries are valid, but just trust me when I say that he won''t do anything to harm us."


    After careful consideration, Thirteen decided to use one of his trump cards.


    And which trump card?


    It was none other than Evuvug''s child.


    The Overlord Beetle, whom Thirteen had named Gwenn.


    Thirteen had been feeding Gwenn Beast Cores, for it was one of his Beast Companions.


    By this time, the Overlord Beetle had be a Rank 2 Monster, and its ability to mind control others had also leveled up.


    Unfortunately, the Overlord Beetle could only use Mind Control on Monsters that were Rank 4 and below.


    Gwenn also had a limit on how many it could control at once. At the moment, the number of Monsters it could dominate was five.


    Because of this, he didn''t hesitate to have Gwenn use Mind Control on Sharroc and make him one of their loyal allies.


    "We''re near our Tribe, Zion," Sharroc said.


    "Understood," Thirteen replied. "Please do your best to convince them."


    "It will be hard, but I''ll see what I can do." Sharroc nodded.


    Gwenn''s Mind Control was unique in the sense that those under itsmand would act just like how they usually did.


    The only difference they had from their previous self was that they would treat Zion better and listen to his words seriously.


    If Thirteen asked them to jump on the spot, they would jump, thinking that it was a very normal thing to do.


    It was a form of brainwashing that was very effective against Rank 4 Monsters, as well as Wanderers whose Rank was Elite or lower.


    (A/N: Elite is the fourth Rank in Mortal Rankings. Rookie, Adept, Apostle then finally Elite.)


    As much as possible, Thirteen didn''t want to use this ability against humans. But if the situation called for it, he wouldn''t hesitate to do it as ast resort.


    Right now, Gwenn was inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    The scary part was that the Overlord Beetle could mind-control anyone within a thousand-meter radius of it.


    Evuvug had already terrorized the battlefield during the Rigel Continent Invasion. Once Gwenn reached the same rank as its parent, it would be an even bigger threat.


    The moment it seeded in dominating someone''s mind, it no longer mattered how far apart they were.


    Whether they were in Pangea or Solterra, as long as Gwenn had nted its power within their minds, they were as good as his ves.


    If the Overlord Beetle fell into the wrong hands, they would definitely abuse its powers and use it to move unhindered within Pangea and Solterra.


    Evuvug knew of Gwenn''s potential, which was why it tried to birth it.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t expect that Thirteen and Jalrog would be raiding its nest, preventing the Brain Beetle from realizing its goal.


    Thirteen''s only regret was the limited number of creatures Gwenn could control right now. If only it could control at least twenty creatures, then things would be much easier for him.


    "Everyone, stay here for the time being," Thirteen ordered. "Sharroc will go to his tribe to announce our arrival."


    Sharroc gave Thirteen a brief nod before heading towards the river.


    Soon, the Lizardman swam away in a hurry, making the teenagers look at the river with conflicted expressions on their faces.


    "Listen to me, and listen very closely," Thirteen said. "Even if Sharroc speaks on our behalf, there''s a chance that the Lizardmen will act hostile against us. When that happens, they will definitely send their people to capture us."


    "What should we do then?" Sean asked.


    "If that happens, then we will have no choice but to run away," Thirteen answered. "But I think we have a good chance of convincing them that we can be allies with them."


    "And if not?" Leon inquired.


    "Then we run away." Thirteen replied as if this was already the very obvious thing to do.


    "The question is, will we be able to run away?" Natalie asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Although Sharroc said that we are near his tribe, we''re actually in a location where they won''t spot us easily. Also, Tiona here has the ability to detect monsters from a good distance. She will know if the Lizardmen had sent a force big enough to capture all of us."


    After hearing Zion''s exnation, the other Wanderers were able to breathe easier. They really thought that they had to risk their lives to fight against an entire Lizardmen Tribe, which was an impossible task to aplish.


    Since they were near enemy territory, Thirteen forbade anyone from exploring the surroundings and even cooking food using fire.


    Everyone was ordered to eat their rations, which was meat jerky until Sharroc returned with the news.


    Of course, he had also taken into ount the possibility that Sharroc wouldn''t be able to return.


    Regardless of the result, Thirteen and Sharroc had an agreement that the Lizardman would return before sunset.


    If he didn''t return, it just meant that he was unable to return.


    Three hours after Sharroc had left Thirteen''s group, Tiona raised her head and looked in the direction of the river.


    She let out a light hiss, informing her Master that there were Lizardmen headed in their direction, and among them was Sharroc.


    ''Seeing that he only brought three of his people with him, it seems that the talks had progressed smoothly,'' Thirteen thought.


    Sharroc wouldn''t have led them to their hiding ce otherwise.


    "Everyone, please prepare," Thirteen said. "We have guests."


    The Wanderers didn''t take out their weapons, but all of them had raised their guard.


    When Sharroc and the three Lizardmen arrived at their hiding ce, Thirteen noticed the Lizardman a rank higher than Sharroc eyeing him from head to foot.


    "Is this him?" the Lizardman asked.


    "Yes, Brother," Sharroc replied. "He is Zion Leventis. The person that I''ve talked to you about. Zion, this is my brother, Vorel. He is our Great Chieftain''s right-hand man."


    "I''ve heard about you from my brother, and frankly, I am half-tempted to capture all of you and punish you for the crime of killing our people," Vorel stated. "But my brother convinced me that you''ll be of greater help to us as allies instead of ves. But I still want you to tell me, why must I turn a blind eye to your transgressions?"


    "Because we didn''t do anything wrong," Thirteen replied. "If we were weak, your people would have already captured or killed us during our first encounter."


    Vorel smirked as he scanned the faces of the Wanderers who were also present in their discussion.


    Some of the teenagers flinched from the Rank 4 Monster''s stare, but some held his gaze, which made Vorel very satisfied.


    "Well, I guess my brother isn''t wrong about giving you kids a chance to be our allies," Vorel stated. "Very well. We will ept all of you as our allies for now. However, if you do anything to break our trust, we will not hesitate to punish all of you for your wrongdoings. Do I make myself clear?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. Let us work hand in hand to eliminate the Ratmen."


    The teenage boy reached out his hand for a handshake, and Vorel epted the gesture.


    Clearly, it was not his first time dealing with humans, so he understood the significance of a handshake.


    "Escort them back to our Tribe," Vorelmanded. "I''ll go ahead and tell the Great Chieftain about the oue of this discussion."


    Vorel gave Zion onest nce before leaving the scene.


    Unlike the other Lizardmen, he was someone who didn''t underestimate the potential of humans despite them being weaker than them.


    When he was young, he had been saved by a human, so he was a little biased toward them.


    Thirteen sighed in his heart. It seemed that he could work together with Vorrel in order to reach his goals.


    Of course, he had a backup n just in case things didn''t turn out the way he wanted.


    Rocky was currently hundreds of meters beneath the ground he stood on, so if Vorel really acted hostile toward them, Gwenn would immediately dominate his mind and make him Thirteen''s loyal ally by force.


    "Let''s go," Thirteen said. "We''re going to the Varesti Tribe."

 Chapter 486: We Need To Put Him To Good Use, No?

    It took three hours for Thirteen and his group to reach the location of the Varesti Tribe.


    Sharroc guided them to the shallow rivers where their wagons could traverse to the other side without much difficulty.


    Along the way, several Lizardmen Hunting Party noticed their approach, but no one blocked their path.


    Sharroc was well known in the Varesti Tribe, and many Lizardmen respected him.


    The only thing these Hunting Parties did was gaze at them from afar as if assessing if these recent human recruits would be of use to their war against the Ratmen.


    When they finally arrived at the vige, the other Wanderers immediately noticed that there were other humans aside from them.


    The majority of these humans were around the same age as them, so it was very easy to know who they were.


    ''Wanderers,'' Sean thought as he looked at the humans that had some sort of mark on their foreheads.


    It looked like a triangle with a dot in the middle, which probably symbolized that they were humans who belonged to the Varesti Tribe.


    Perhaps, seeing that Sean and the other Wanderers were curious about the mark, Sharroc decided to exin it to them.


    "It''s a mark drawn by our Shaman," Sharroc exined. "It doesn''t hurt them in any way, but it allows us to know their location, as well as detect if they are having bad thoughts regarding our tribe.


    "All of you will probably have the same mark as well. This is also for your own safety just in case youe across other Lizardmen Hunting Parties that belong to other tribes. If you don''t have this mark on your forehead, they will think of you as someone not affiliated with us, and they might capture or kill you on the spot."


    Sean and the other Wanderers frowned. If a Shaman had drawn this, it meant that it had some other kind of enchantment that might take away their freedom.


    Only Thirteen wasn''t too concerned about this, knowing that such markings would not have any effect against him.


    His Skill Ban would render this mark useless, allowing him to do whatever he needed to do without worrying about the consequences of his actions.


    "I know that all of you might have concerns about the mark, but we have no choice but to follow their rules," Thirteen said in order to calm everyone down. "At least, they''re not tying our hands and feet. This is a much better treatmentpared to bing their ves."


    Thirteen then nced at some of the Wanderers who had ropes tied around their neck.


    These were the ves of the Lizardmen.


    The markings on their heads were also different.


    Instead of a triangle, it was a circle with a dot in the middle.


    This meant that unlike the Wanderers who retained a bit of their freedom, these ves couldn''t do anything unless their Master gave them permission to do it.


    "You''re finally here," Vorel said as soon as Thirteen''s group arrived in front of a cave, which was slightly bigger than the ones that they had seen in the Lizardmen Vige. "The Great Chieftain wishes to speak with you, Zion."


    Thirteen nodded before ncing at the other Wanderers.


    "Stay here, and don''t do anything reckless," Thirteen said. "We are safe as long as we cooperate with them. Please keep that in mind. Sherry, look after our people."


    Sherry nodded. "Understood."


    After giving his order, Thirteen followed behind Vorel and entered the cave together with him.


    The cave was dark, but Zion could see the surroundings without any problems because he had Dark Vision.


    This was one of the Unique Abilities that he had gained as a reward afterpleting his Thirteen Trials in Solterra.


    Vorel, who thought that Zion would stumble in the darkness, was surprised. Not only were the young man''s steps steady, but it also seemed that he could see through the darkness of the cave.


    Finally, after walking for nearly five minutes, they arrived at a spacious cavern.


    "Wee, Zion Leventis," a Lizardman visibly bigger than the others said with a smile. "I was wondering what you looked like, but just as expected, you looked very young. Just like the other humans that our Tribe has captured this year."


    "I greet the Great Chieftain of the Varesti Tribe," Thirteen ced his closed fist over his chest and gave the Lizardman in front of him a respectful bow. "I am Zion Leventis, the leader of the Humans who decided to fight alongside your tribe against the Ratmen."


    "I like you, kid." The Great Chieftain chuckled. "You didn''t show any signs of fear as you looked at me, and you didn''t bow your head too low, which meant that you didn''t think of yourself as a ve of our people.


    "I''ve seen many of your kind, and the number of children who are able to keep their calm when they see me can be counted with one hand," the Great Chieftain, who was at least four meters tall, said with a smile.


    "So, tell me, what kind of reward would you like to have after youpleted your side of our agreement? You must want something in exchange for your services, right? That''s what human mercenaries do after all."


    Mercenaries.


    This was the option Thirteen had chosen to deal with the Varesti Tribe.


    He asked Sharroc to present themselves as Mercenaries who were willing to work with the Varesti Tribe against the Ratmen for a price.


    "I want all the humans in the Varesti Tribe to be freed and put under my management," Thirteen answered.


    "As expected." The Great Chieftain nodded. "Very well. If you can aplish the mission that I will ask you to do tomorrow, I will grant your request. But if you fail¡­"


    "I will not fail," Thirteen replied. "But if I do seed, I wish to get better amodations for my people."


    "Hahaha. I thought you would say that if you seed, I should free a few humans to be part of your group." The Great Chieftainughed. "It seems that you intend to stay here in our tribe for a while, yes?"


    "Yes, Great Chieftain," Thirteen replied. "That is my n."


    "Good." The Great Chieftain nodded. "I now give you the right to call me by my name. You will refer to me as Lord Vaess."


    "Understood, Lord Vaess," Thirteen smiled faintly. "I look forward to having a good rtionship with you and the Varesti Tribe from this day onwards.


    After Thirteen had left the cave and returned to his people, Lord Vaess nced at the Shaman beside him.


    "Is he the one who cast the mind spell on my son, Sharroc?" Lord Vaess asked.


    "No," the Shaman replied. "But he has the means to remove it."


    "Hmm." Lord Vaess rubbed his chin. "That boy''s mannerisms showed that he isn''t afraid of me. Should I be concerned?"


    The Shaman frowned. "Maybe the reason he isn''t afraid of you is because his helper has the means to also put a Mind Spell on you. But since he didn''t do it, maybe he has a reason for visiting our Tribe."


    "It''s the humans," Lord Vaess stated. "He wants to take them off our hands."


    "Maybe you''re right, or maybe he has other ns," the Shamanmented. "But I will tell you this¡ªmy appraisal ability didn''t work on him. Also, he is apanied by one of Death''s Chosen. He''s not a simple human."


    "I agree." Lord Vaess frowned. "Make sure the symbol you ce on him is strengthened. That way, we''ll at least be able to know his thoughts. You can do that, right?"


    The Shaman pondered for a while before reluctantly nodding his head.


    "I''ll do it, but don''t expect too much," the Shaman replied. "Just remember. Be careful of him. Although you are very resistant to mind spells, it will not hurt to be extra careful around him. I have a feeling that if he wished for it, he could easily subdue our entire tribe by force."


    "What a coincidence, I feel the same way," Lord Vaess narrowed his eyes. "So let''s put him to the test. Let us give him THAT mission."


    The Shaman''s eyes widened in shock, but he soon regained his calm after a few seconds.


    "Good idea." The Shaman agreed. "Not only will we know his ability, but if he seeds, then the Ratmen will receive a very painful blow that we can take advantage of."


    Lord Vaess chuckled. "Indeed. Since he wants to work for us, we need to put him to good use, no?"


    Both Lizardmen shared a knowing nce with each other before looking at the red crystal inside the cave, which could change the tide of battle in their favor.


    ¡ª-------


    A/N: I''m not fully recovered, but well enough to write today''s chapters.

 Chapter 487: The Weakest Link

    Leon grimaced as the Shaman of the Varesti Tribe inscribed on his forehead the symbol signifying that they were humans part of the Lizardmen''s faction.


    However, instead of the triangle or circle they''ve seen on the other Wanderers before, the symbol ced on their forehead was a letter "V" with a dot in the middle.


    This indicated that they were not ves but allies of the Varesti Tribe.


    Their current status would also garner them a different kind of treatment from the other Lizardmen Tribes.


    Frankly, the Wanderers disliked this marking ceremony, especially the Scions of the Cygni Faction. It made them feel like they were bing the subordinates of others.


    Despite what they thought, all of them endured it because they were currently in the Varesti Tribe''s territory.


    After all the Wanderers, including Thirteen, had been marked by the Shaman, they were led to the temporary residence prepared for them. They were given a few days to rest before heading to the frontlines of the battlefield.


    While everyone was rxing, Thirteen was listening to Tiona''s report about the scouting her clone had done around the Varesti Tribe''s domain.


    ''Aside from their Chieftain and the Shaman, the strongest monsters here are five Rank 4 Monsters, including Vorel,'' Thirteen thought after hearing Tiona''s report. ''This means that their strongest warriors are currently on the frontlines, fighting against the Ratmen.''


    He didn''t find anything wrong with this report, even thinking that it was very normal for the strongestbatants to be on the battlefield.


    If Thirteen wished for it, he could probably take down the entire Varesti Tribe by employing a blitzkrieg attack with the help of his Monster Army.


    But doing it would harm his chances of reaching his goal.


    Despite their looks and fierce behavior, Lizardmen were actually very honorable and righteous when it came to their friends and allies.


    They might dislike races that weren''t their own, but they still had higher tolerancepared to the arrogant elves and the stubborn dwarves.


    Meeting a Lizardman in the wild didn''t exactly mean that they would attack you on sight.


    However, the current circumstances in the Fractured Heaven were special.


    The Lizardmen were at war with the Ratmen, so every other race, until proven otherwise, were their enemies.


    This included the humans who had appeared in their domains.


    Ratmen were a savage race.


    For them, almost any other race was food or soon-to-be food.


    Very few humans would survive when passing through territories under the control of the Ratmen.


    The only situation when they would be spared from being eaten or used as cannon fodders in the war was when the humans had something of value or proved that they could benefit the Ratmen by staying alive.


    ording to Sharroc, there were many humans who had been captured by the Ratmen.


    They were either used as ves, cannon fodders, or worse, emergency food.


    Thirteen''s goal was simple.


    He wanted to free the humans kept by both the Lizardmen and the Ratmen.


    The teenage boy didn''t have a noble goal behind this.


    But since he was already there, he couldn''t possibly turn a blind eye to their suffering. After all, he couldn''t be too sure whether one of his acquaintances had been captured by these two races or not.


    Many years ago, Thirteen wouldn''t have cared much if Wanderers were kept as ves by the Lizardmen and Ratmen.


    But things were different this time.


    He now had responsibilities and people whom he cared about.


    Also, he had a feeling that he might meet one of the members of the Hero Party on this mission.


    Thirteen didn''t know why he felt this way, but his senses were screaming at him that this possibility existed.


    If Shana, Erica, Mildred, or Diana were there, he would, of course, do his best to save them.


    If it was Derek, he could still lend a hand.


    However, if it was Rnd or Joshua¡­ the teenage boy wouldn''t lift a finger to help them.


    ''Since they are Fate''s favorites, I''m sure they will be fine,'' Thirteen mused. ''Those two need to suffer more to grow faster.''


    Also, Tiona''s clone not only looked for the strongest members of the Lizardmen Tribe, but it also searched for all the Wanderers who were currently inside the Varesti Tribe.


    After confirming that none of his friends or acquaintances were there, Thirteen felt relieved and disappointed at the same time.


    Relieved because none of the people he knew was there.


    Disappointed because if they were there, he could probablye to an agreement with the Chieftain to let his acquaintances join his group.


    That way, he would be able to free them from their current situation, which would also boost his team''s fighting prowess.


    Two dayster, Thirteen and his group were escorted by Sharroc to one of the battlefields where help was greatly needed.


    "Several days ago, we received reports saying that our forces in the Fangiss Swamp were being pushed back because of the corruption that was spreading in its waters," Sharroc replied. "The Ratmen are using nefarious ancient magic to pollute the source of water that flows into our territories.


    "They know that once we lose our advantage over them, they would have a higher chance of winning this war. Our shamans are doing their best to counter their spells and purify the water source, but it is an uphill battle.


    "If we lose this front of the battlefield, a hole in our defensive perimeter will fall. The other Lizardmen will then look down on us and think that the Varesti Tribe is the weakest link among all the Tribes."


    Sharroc was feeling anxious becausepared to the other ces, their Tribe was facing intense battles almost every day.


    Also, ording to their scouts, the number of the Ratmen was also increasing. This could lead to arge-scale battle that would put the defenders of the Varesti Tribe at a great disadvantage.


    This was why aside from Thirteen''s group, all the other humans who were in the tribe were immediately sent to the frontlines.


    Perhaps thinking that they would be able to fight better if a fellow human was leading them, the Great Chieftain appointed Thirteen as the Captain of the humans.


    Of course, the teenage boy epted this responsibility because this was his goal from the beginning.


    All he needed to do was gain more of the Varesti Tribe''s trust so that they could act as a mediator for the other Lizardmen Tribes to put their human captives under his leadership as well.

 Chapter 488: Preventing The Worst Case Scenario From Happening

    After traveling for three days, Thirteen''s group finally arrived in the Fangiss Swamp.


    Even from afar, they could hear the sound of an ongoing battle, which made Sharroc frown.


    "Let''s hurry!" Sharroc shouted. "They might need our help!"


    Thirteen nodded and ordered everyone to quicken up their pace.


    They had brought the wagons with them on this journey, using them as a resting ce, as well as a means to store their weapons and other items needed for the battle.


    Twenty minutester, they arrived just in time to see dozens of Ratmen breaking past the defenses of the Lizardmen and engaging them in closebat.


    When Sharroc saw this, he didn''t hesitate to charge forward to assist hisrades, leaving Thirteen and the other Wanderers behind.


    "Everyone, grab your weapons and follow me," Thirteen ordered. "Listen to my orders well, and do not engage in closebat. We are not in our peak condition, so we will only use range weapons to attack the Ratmen.


    "If some of them decide to attack us, the Hunters and the Cygni Faction will deal with them. As for the rest, do as practiced, okay?"


    ""Yes!""


    "Blow the horns!" Thirteen ordered.


    All the supporters who weren''t proficient in fighting immediately blew the horns that they were carrying on their bodies.


    This loud and intimidating sound spread across the battlefield, making the Lizardmen and the Ratmen subconsciously nce in their direction for a brief moment.


    He ordered them to sound the horn to tell their allies that reinforcements hade, and to make the Ratmen feel pressured from knowing that there were more enemies for them to fight.


    With all the Wanderers following behind Thirteen, he immediately summoned his bow and arrows and began shooting the moment he came within striking range.


    Each shot hit its mark, making the Lizardmen whom he had helped look in his direction.


    The teenage boy prioritized attacking the Ratmen who were on the verge of killing or dealing serious injury to the Lizardmen.


    Right now, they needed all able-bodied fighters on the battlefield, so if he could save one more Lizardmen, the better.


    ''Sharroc wasn''t lying when he said that the enemy''s numbers are greater than the Lizardmen,'' Thirteen thought as he fired one arrow after another.


    Thirteen gave the other Wanderers a crash course on how to use a bow and arrow.


    Although they hadn''t be proficient in using them, they at least knew how to properly use them.


    In fact, Thirteen didn''t teach them how to aim.


    No.


    He only made them understand how far their arrows could reach when fired from different angles with their bows.


    Because of this, dozens of arrows rained down on the rear of the enemy forces, making them cry out in pain and anger.


    The other archers in Thirteen''s team weren''t as proficient as him, but they yed their role well.


    Although not all of their arrows hit something, it made the Ratmen more wary, knowing that they could get hit by an arrow anywhere, anytime.


    Seeing that their reinforcements were helping them push back their enemies, the Lizardmen regained their morale and cried out their warcries, boosting their group''s overall fighting prowess.


    It didn''t take long for the Ratmen to understand that the longer they stayed, the more of their brethren would be killed.


    With a screech of anger that spread on the battlefield, the leader of the Ratmen ordered his subordinates to retreat.


    Just like a receding flood, the Ratmen pulled back as quickly as they came.


    The Lizardmen wanted to pursue them, but a loud shout stopped them in their tracks.


    "Stop!" the Commander of the Varesti Tribe, Drazzat, shouted, stopping his subordinates from leaving their camp.


    After ensuring that the Ratmen hadpletely retreated, Drazzat immediately ordered for the wounded to be taken to the rear of the formation, where their shamans could heal their injuries.


    When all of the injured had been taken care of, he ordered the warriors to take care of the dead and the dying.


    Not all Ratmen had died. Some of them were merely ying dead on the ground or had be unconscious after receiving a good strike in the head.


    Because of this, the Lizardmen Warriors would stab their enemies'' chests as a safety procedure to ensure that all the Ratmen were exterminated.


    There had been cases when the Ratmen had waited for the right opportunity to strike, taking a Lizardman or two with them to the afterlife.


    To prevent this from happening again, the Warriors took this duty seriously.


    Only when they were certain that all the enemies were dead did the Commander finally nce at Sharroc, who hade to help them during their dire moment.


    "I''ve received word that the Tribe is going to send reinforcements," Drazzat said. "So are these the new batch of humans that have been captured during the past few days?"


    "Yes," Sharroc replied before pointing in Thirteen''s direction. "Right now, they are following the orders of that teenage boy. His name is Zion Leventis."


    "Zion Leventis?" Drazzat frowned. "I think I have heard that name before."


    Aside from Thirteen''s team, there were other humans who were also present in the camp.


    So the moment their gazended on the teenage boy, some of them became ecstatic because they recognized him right away.


    Thirteen nced at the twenty or so teenagers, who were already inside the Lizardmen Camp and saw no familiar faces among them.


    He made a mental note to talk to them after Sharroc had finished introducing his team to the Commander of the Varesti Tribe.


    "To those who are in coachman duties, take the wagons inside the camp," Thirteen ordered. "The rest, follow me."


    After giving out his order, Thirteen walked confidently toward Drazzat and Sharroc, who were eyeing them from a distance.


    The teenage boy was thankful that they arrived at the right time, which benefited their position in the Varesti Tribe''s forces.


    Since they were able to save them from being overwhelmed by the enemies, the treatment they''d receive would definitely be better than the Wanderers who were currently in their camp.


    "It''s an honor to meet you, Great Commander," Thirteen pressed his fist over his chest and gave Drazzat a respectful bow. "My name is Zion Leventis, and we havee to aid you in battle. Feel free to just call me Zion."


    "Well met, child," Drazzat replied. "Your archery skills are good. Make sure to continue to put it to good use."


    After saying those words, the Commander of the Lizardmen turned around to check the reports of his subordinates.


    They had suffered many casualties during this sudden raid by the Ratmen, and because of this, he nned to change camp to a ce that would be easier to defend with their current numbers.


    Thirteen watched as the Rank 5 Alpha Monster walked away to do his duty.


    Although he had a calm expression on his face, deep inside, he already knew the fate of all the Varesti Tribe''s Defenders who were protecting the Fangiss Swamp.


    ''They are going to lose for sure,'' Thirteen thought.


    A nce was enough for him to know that Drazzat was a Cannon Fodder.


    This meant that someone powerful from the Ratmen n woulde to take the Commander''s head at ater time, boosting that monster''s influence among its kin.


    Knowing his final oue, Thirteen knew that he needed to make his own preparations to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening.

 Chapter 489: Just Trust Me, Okay? [Part 1]

    Just as he expected, the Lizardmen were forced to move their camp to somewhere easier to defend.


    The recent attacks of the Ratmen had been fierce and cost them many lives.


    At this moment, there were only a little over than five hundred Lizardmen remaining in the camp who could still fight.


    A few hundred were injured, and they would be unable to fight for many days until they recovered from their injury.


    Thirteen, who had asked Drazzat to give him control over the other humans, managed to convince the Commander that the humans would be able to fight better under hismand.


    Drazzat thought that it wouldn''t be a bad idea, especially since Thirteen had helped them ovee their dire situation as soon as he arrived.


    The number of humans in his army was only around twenty anyway, so letting Zionmand them wouldn''t affect the bigger picture.


    At least, that was what Drazzat thought when he made the decision.


    These Wanderers were more than happy to be part of Thirteen''s group because they recognized him the moment he appeared in their camp.


    All in all, the number of Wanderers who were now under Thirteen''smand was nearly a hundred.


    While the Lizardmen were doing their business, Thirteen gathered all the Wanderers for a meeting.


    "ording to the Commander, there are at least two thousand Ratmen in the Fangiss Swamp," Thirteen stated. "However, that number is still growing by the day because they are constantly receiving new reinforcements from the other Ratmen ns. I will be honest with you, guys¡ªI think this outpost will not be able to hold out for long."


    Thirteen believed that telling the truth to the Wanderers would help them understand how perilous their current situation was.


    With this knowledge, he wanted them to listen to his every word as if their lives depended on it.


    "Are you telling us that we are going to die here?" Leon asked.


    "You will but only if you don''t listen to me," Thirteen answered. "My goal is to ensure that many of you will survive. Of course, I am not a God, so I cannot guarantee all of your safety. However, if you wish for at least a chance to live, you should follow my orders without fail no matter how ridiculous it may seem."


    The teenage boy then scanned the faces of the Wanderers who all looked at him with grim expressions on their faces.


    "Who wants to return to Pangea?" Thirteen asked. "Raise your right hand."


    All Wanderers raised their hands without batting an eye.


    Even Leon, who was always at odds with Sean and Thirteen, raised his hand because he wanted to live.


    "Very well. All of you should rest for now, while I survey the surroundings," Thirteen said. "I''ll look for an escape route we could take just in case the Ratmen manage to break past our defenses.


    "Eat up and rest up. Sherry, assign watchmen. The Ratmen can return anytime, so make sure to rest as much as you can to recover from the fatigue from our long journey."


    After giving out his orders, Thirteen climbed the highest tree he could find, allowing him to get a better view of the surrounding area.


    The Fangiss Swamp was advantageous to the Lizardmen at the beginning because they could move faster in itpared to the Ratmen.


    But after the water source had been corrupted by the enemies, the Lizardmen had no choice but to retreat and were even forced to fight the enemy onnd.


    Although they had no problem in doing this, fighting in the swamp granted them mobility and flexibility when it came to choosing their battles.


    With Tiona''s and Rocky''s help, Thirteen was able to understand the generalyout of thend and began to formte an escape route that they could use to flee if things were to go south.


    He was already thinking about escaping because he understood that the Lizardmen might not be able to hold out for long.


    Of course, he only nned to escape at thest minute when things were truly dire. His other problem was how he''d convince the Lizardman Commander, Drazzat, to flee with him when the time was right.


    Lizardmen were prideful monsters, and Thirteen''s Overlord Beetle could only control Rank 4 Monsters and below.


    Since Drazzat was a Rank 5 Alpha Monster, Gwenn would be unable to forcefully make him obey him using mind control.


    ''Rocky, make sure to create pitfalls for now,'' Thirteen ordered the Magma Bal-Boa to dig at the escape route he had chosen. ''The more the better.''


    Rocky obeyed his Master and began to dig as instructed.


    With their escape route being prepared, Thirteen asked Tiona to summon her clone to do a scouting mission on enemy territory.


    Since the corruption of the swamp wouldn''t affect Tiona''s clone, it could easily swim on the corrupted waters without any problems.


    When it came to war, information was key.


    He needed to know how strong the Ratmen''s Commander was, and if there were any High-Ranking Officers whom he could dominate using Gwenn''s Mind Control.


    Three hourster, Tiona''s Clone finally made its report.


    Since Tiona and her Clone couldmunicate with each other over long distances, there was no problem sharing information in real-time.


    But the information that Thirteen obtained wasn''t something that made him happy.


    In fact, it made him realize how terrifying the force that they were about to face the next time the Ratmen attacked.


    ''Two Rank 5 Alpha Monsters and fifty Rank 4 Monsters,'' Thirteen mused. ''This is bad. Really bad.''


    The Varesti tribe also had Rank 4 Monsters, but they only numbered less than twenty.


    The majority of their forces were peak Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters who had only been able to hold out because Drazzat always fought in the front lines, preventing his weaker soldiers from dying easily.


    But that would no longer be possible because the Ratmen''s reinforcements just arrived, and it was led by another Rank 5 Alpha Monster whom Thirteen believed was the one who would kill Drazzat in battle.


    The Commander of the Varesti Tribe was a cannon fodder, and he was fated to die to be a stepping stone.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t want this to happen.


    If only he could wrest control of the Lizardmen from Drazzat, he would be able toe up with a way on how they would be able to survive the uing raid.


    As he pondered on what to do, he sensed a movement in the distance away, making him narrow his eyes.


    Hundreds of meters away from him, something was moving under the cover of the trees.


    ''It might be a Ratman scout,'' Thirteen thought. ''I''ll eliminate it first.''


    The teenage boy then descended from the tree and ran in the direction where he saw the figure wearing a ck robe that covered their body.


    They were currently at war, and any suspicious individual must be captured or eliminated to ensure that his people would not suffer from being stabbed in the back.


    When Thirteen was only dozens of meters from his target, he immediately felt something dangerous in his surroundings, so he took evasive action.


    A secondter the ce where he was standing was hit by something, making the ground burst from the impact.


    Understanding that his opponent was well-versed in detecting the presence of people around them, he decided to take out his bow and arrow.


    His goal wasn''t to kill but to hinder his opponent from attacking him until he got close enough to verify their identity.


    From that simple exchange, he understood that the chances of this robed individual being a human were high.


    First and foremost, they didn''t have a tail.


    With this knowledge in mind, Thirteen needed to ensure that he wouldn''t identally kill his target before he got a chance to interrogate them.

 Chapter 490: Just Trust Me, Okay? [Part 2]

    The robed figure, who realized that someone was tailing her from behind, didn''t hesitate to unleash a spell to hit the target''s location.


    The opponent was masking their presence, but it was easy for her to detect them due to the abilities she possessed.


    ''They managed to dodge that?'' the robed figure thought, seeing that her preemptive strike didn''tnd on her target. ''It seems that this stalker is more skilled than I thought.


    Thinking that it was pointless to continue her mission, the robed figure chose to retreat as fast as she could.


    However, a faint whistling sound reached her ears, prompting her to summon a small magical shield to protect herself.


    But before she could raise her shield, the arrow hit her robe and pinned her to the tree beside her.


    Understanding that her opponent was extremely skilled, she decided to unleash a barrage of spells to give her some time to break free from being pinned from the tree.


    Thirteen, who was only dozens of meters away from his target, found numerous magical bullets flying in his direction.


    Instead of panicking, the young man used the trees as cover to block the iing magical projectiles.


    The sound of minor explosions spread in the surroundings as the trees Thirteen had used as shields copsed on the ground.


    Since nothing was blocking his vision, he was able to take a good look at his opponent.


    The robed figure was wearing a mask, which prevented him from seeing their face.


    ''I need to get closer,'' Thirteen thought as he aimed his bow at his target, and unleashed two arrows in rapid session.


    The robed figure had just freed themselves from the tree and had no intention of letting themselves be pinned down a second time.


    With this in mind, she used a spell that burst in front of her, repelling the arrow flying in her direction.


    Just as she had regained herposure, another arrow came flying in her direction, forcing her to use her burst spell for the second time in order to repel it.


    The robed figure was now really pissed with the one attacking her, so she decided to cast a powerful spell that would obliterate everything in front of her.


    However, just as she was preparing to cast the spell, her target stepped out from behind a tree with a smirk stered on his face.


    "Erica, is that you?" Thirteen asked.


    Although the robed figure was wearing a mask, her fighting style was definitely the Sorceress he had taught during the time that they were together.


    "Z-Zion?!" Erica, who recognized the annoying stalker, gasped in shock. "What are you doing here?!"


    "Why else?" Thirteen stored his bow and walked towards the youngdy, who had already removed her mask and was running in his direction. "I''m here because I was sent here by The One."


    Erica, who had alreadye close to Zion, immediately hugged the boy and squeezed him tight.


    "You brat, are you trying to kill me?!" Erica asked as she used a headlock on the boy who was shooting arrows at her earlier.


    "I''m not," Thirteen replied in a calm manner, despite being ill-treated by the youngdy. "I''m just pinning you to the tree earlier because I wanted to know your identity."


    Erica was a Sorceress, so she didn''t have enough strength to hurt the teenage boy with her headlock.


    This was why Thirteen wasn''t really affected by her futile attempt to hurt him and answered casually.


    "You''re lucky I was going easy on you earlier," Erica said. "If I had been serious, you would have been toast by now."


    The two bickered for a while before Erica finally released the teenage boy and started asking him questions.


    Thirteen answered them all and told the Sorceress about their current situation, which made her frown.


    Erica also told Zion what she had been doing since she arrived in Solterra, and frankly, the teenage boy was impressed because he didn''t expect that Erica had what it took to do what she was currently doing right now.


    Simply put, Erica and a few Wanderers, who had been summoned in the same location, were currently trying to save the younger Wanderers who had been captured by the Lizardmen Tribes and the Ratmen ns.


    They were like a bandit group that came and went as they pleased, acting as a third party in the war.


    Currently, Erica and herrades had managed to save over fifty Wanderers and were sheltering them in a cave not far from the Fangiss Swamp.


    Because of the recent esction in the war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen, the older Wanderers had to scout different locations to see whether they should evacuate or not.


    Erica decided to scout the region where the fighting was more intense because she was confident that she could escape if needed.


    Thirteen had given her the Fire Lord''s Ring, which had a Divine-Ranked Martial Skill imbued on it.


    This allowed Erica to use the Martial Skill called Advent of the me Empress, which greatly increased the effectiveness and firepower of all her fire-based spells.


    "Come with me, Zion," Erica stated. "With you leading us, we can definitely pull through this together."


    Erica was expecting the teenage boy to agree to her request.


    But to her surprise, the teenage boy shook his head.


    "I can''t," Thirteen replied. "Do you see this mark on my forehead? This is a symbol of the Varesti Tribe. It had a tracking spell ced on it. All the Wanderers with me have the same symbol, so the Shaman would know our location at all times."


    "No way¡­ how can you let this happen to you?" Erica, who had considered the teenage boy as someone stronger than her, couldn''t ept what happened to him.


    Of course, the symbol on Thirteen''s forehead actually had no effect on him whatsoever.


    But that didn''t mean that the other Wanderers wouldn''t be affected by it.


    For Erica''s own safety, he deemed it best that his group and her group didn''t interact for now.


    However, this didn''t mean that he didn''t find this current situation very appealing to him.


    "I have a n," Thirteen said. "And I believe that if we work together, we will be able to rescue the other Wanderers faster."


    "What is it?" Erica didn''t bat an eye and took the teenage boy''s words seriously.


    Thirteen exined the n he had in mind, as well as a surefire way to keep the lines ofmunication for Erica and him.


    "Go now," Thirteen said. "Contact me once you return to your group."


    "Understood." Erica nodded before shifting her gaze to the snake armlet that was currently in her arm.


    Tiona''s clone would allow her and Zion tomunicate and share the information that both of them possessed.


    "Also, I met a friendly monster along the way," Thirteen said as cky appeared beside him. "His name is cky, and he will be staying with you for the time being to keep you safe."


    Erica almost jumped out in fright when she saw the two-meter-tall Nightmare ck Hound, who was a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    "I-Is this an Avatar?" Erica stuttered. "I thought you can''t have Avatars?!"


    "Didn''t you listen to what I told you just now?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "cky isn''t an Avatar. He is a real monster I met not long ago. I fed him a few scraps of meat, and because of that, he took a liking to me."


    cky rolled his eyes at Zion, knowing very well that this wasn''t the true story of how they first met.


    However, since he and the teenage boy now got along very well, he decided to not bring up the past and simply followed the order given to him to protect Erica from harm.


    "For now, tell yourrades that cky is your Avatar," Thirteen said. "It will be easier for them to ept this exnation."


    "R-Right!" Erica, who was still very intimidated by the Rank 6 Sovereign, couldn''t help but look at it warily. "He won''t eat me, right?"


    "He won''t," Thirteen stated. "Just trust me, okay?"


    After a little more convincing, Erica reluctantly climbed up on cky''s back and used him as a mount to return to the cave where herrades were staying.


    Only when the Sorceress was gone did Thirteen sigh and rub his face with his hands.


    ''Since there are Apostles involved, this means that this mission is more dangerous than I initially expected,'' Thirteen thought. ''But with Erica here, I now have an outside force I can control remotely.''


    The teenager nced in the direction where Erica had disappeared onest time before turning away and going back to the camp where the other Wanderers were waiting for him.


    For the time being, he didn''t n to tell any of them about his discovery because it would destroy the unity they had now.


    If they knew that the Sorceress of the Hero Party was somewhere out there, saving Wanderers like them, their resolve would waver and might make them less likely to obey Thirteen''s orders.


    In order to prevent that from happening, he would keep Erica''s existence a secret for now until the right opportunity presented itself.

 Chapter 491: I’ll Give You A Chance To Prove Your Worth

    After Thirteen''s and Erica''s encounter, the teenage boy returned to the camp the Lizardmen had chosen as their new stronghold.


    He had no intention of telling anyone that he had met the Sorceress of the Hero Party, knowing it would definitely create amotion among the Wanderers in the camp.


    The moment he entered the camp, he immediately felt the tension in the air.


    The Lizardmen gave him sidelong nces, but none paid too much attention to him.


    A nce was enough for Thirteen to see that morale was at an all-time low¡ªthis was dangerous for an army that was currently fighting at the frontlines of war.


    "How is everyone?" Thirteen asked Sherry, who was currently sitting on a log with her eyes closed.


    "As you can see, they are feeling uneasy because of their retreat," Sherry replied. "They also know that the enemies outnumber us, so some of them are even thinking of running away as we speak."


    "Run away?" Thirteen smirked. "And where would they go?"


    Sherry shrugged. After all, she also didn''t know how the other Wanderers would be able to survive in a region that was rife with war.


    "I''ll go talk to the Commander first," Thirteen said. "When I return, we will hold a strategy meeting."


    Sherry nodded and once again closed her eyes to rest.


    Although she did her best to look as calm as possible, deep inside, she was also feeling very anxious.


    If not for the fact that Zion was with her, she might have also decided to run away with the others.


    Truth be told, nearly all the Wanderers in the camp had the same mindset.


    The only reason why they were still there was due to the fact that the Legendary Rookie was leading them.


    Zion Leventis had created many miracles, and they were hoping that they would be able to return to Pangea with his help.


    A few minutester, Thirteen found Drazzat, who seemed to be in discussion with his officers.


    Sharroc, who had apanied them to the camp, was among the Lizardmen present at this meeting.


    "What are you doing here, human?" One of the Guards who was stationed to prevent anyone from disturbing their officers asked.


    "I want to talk to your Commander," Thirteen replied.


    "And what makes you think you can talk to him just because you want to?" the Guard sneered.


    Drazzat and the other officers nced in Thirteen''s direction. With the Guard''s voice, it was impossible not to hear them even from a distance.


    "Let him pass," Sharroc said as he approached the guard. "Zion is a very capable human and a good strategist."


    The guard frowned, but since Sharroc was one of the sons of their Great Chieftain, he couldn''t casually brush him off like what he was doing to the human.


    In the end, the troubled guard nced at his Commander to wait for his instructions.


    "Let him pass," Drazzat ordered. "But you better not waste my time, human. I''m not really in a good mood right now."


    Thirteen wasn''t fazed by the Commander''s words and walked toward the table where a makeshift map of the Fangiss Swamp could be seen.


    Pebbles were ced on top of it, serving as markers for the position of their army, as well as the location of the enemy forces.


    "Commander, you already know that you''re going to lose this war, right?" Thirteen asked.


    The Lizardmen gathered around their Commander immediately red at the human boy, and some of them even stood up from their seats in an attempt to intimidate him.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen wasn''t scared of Rank 3 and Rank 4 Lizardmen.


    If he wished for it, he could tten their whole group with the forces he currently had under hismand.


    Perhaps, seeing that he wasn''t affected by the res of his subordinates, Drazzat couldn''t help but be impressed. Most humans would''ve been intimidated by his soldiers if they saw eye to eye.


    "And what of it?" one of the Captains of the Lizardmen asked. "We will die an honorable death for the Varesti Tribe!"


    The other Lizardmen all nodded in agreement to theirrade''s deration.


    But Thirteen only shook his head.


    "So what if you die an honorable death?" Thirteen asked. "At the end of the day, the other Tribes would only remember the Varesti Tribe as a tribe of failures who failed to protect the territory that was assigned to them to defend.


    "You will be branded as the weakest Tribe. Also, when you die, your Tribe will have no choice but to submit to the other stronger tribes, forever living in shame and humiliation.


    "It''s easy for you to say that you will die with honor, but those who will be left behind have to live their whole lives being looked down and mocked by others. That is what your honorable death will bring to your tribe, and if you think that the Lizardmen Tribes would look kindly at your deaths, you are greatly mistaken."


    The Lizardmen''s faces became grim after hearing Thirteen''s words.


    They would be lying if they said that this thought didn''t cross their minds. However, they hoped that with their deaths, their Tribe wouldn''t suffer much, for they carried out their duties until the end.


    Sadly, the world doesn''t always reward those who stood up for their beliefs at the cost of their lives.


    Only victors had the right to write the history of the world, and in the eyes of the victors, the Varesti Tribe was just stepping stones that would make their names shine out more.


    "Human, give me one good reason why I shouldn''t kill you right now?" Drazzat asked.


    "Simple," Thirteen replied. "It''s because you can''t."


    As if proving his words, a strong killing intent locked on Drazzat''s body from under the ground, making the Rank 5 Sovereign''s eyes widen in shock.


    Rocky, who was always following Thirteen deep underground, locked on the Commander''s body, making him understand that he should listen to his Master, or else.


    Of course, the other Lizardmen didn''t notice Rocky''s killing intent. The Magma Bal-Boa had solely focused it on Drazzat, who was currently looking at Thirteen in disbelief.


    Just as the other Lizardmen were about to teach the human a lesson, Drazzat raised his hand and motioned for them to stop.


    "What do you want?" Drazzat asked before giving the ground under his foot a side-long nce.


    "Make me your strategist," Thirteen replied. "And I promise you that I will bring your Tribe victory."


    The officers of the Lizardmenughed at the human boy''s words.


    In their eyes, although the symbol on Thirteen''s forehead wasn''t the symbol of very, it didn''t change the fact that they were nothing more than humans whom their tribe had allowed to live because they could be used as cannon fodders.


    But contrary to their expectations, Drazzat didn''t berate orugh at the boy.


    Instead, the Commander of the Lizardmen only crossed his arms over his chest and eyed the human with a serious expression on his face.


    "I''ll give you a chance to prove your worth," Drazzat said. "Show me that you can win against the Ratmen using only the humans under yourmand. If you seed, I will make you my strategist."


    Drazzat had already prepared himself to die in a battle against the Ratmen.


    So although he was surprised to detect the killing intent of a creature that was stronger than him, he wasn''t fazed by it.


    He was smart and understood that the human would gain nothing by killing him.


    Because of this, he decided to give Thirteen a chance to prove himself, so the other Lizardmen would also acknowledge him as their strategist.


    "Very well." Thirteen nodded. "What kind of test would you have me do?"


    "It''s very simple," Drazzat replied. "Prevent the Ratmen from attacking our camp within three days. If in three days, the Ratmen don''t attack us, I''ll make you the strategist of my army."


    "Deal," Thirteen said.


    The teenage boy understood that Drazzat wanted him to buy their injured soldiers some time to recover their strength.


    He also needed time to increase the morale of his troops, allowing them to resist the Ratmen''s future raids better.


    After having reached an agreement, Thirteen left to return to where the other Wanderers were staying.


    He didn''t n to ask Rocky to help him deal with the Ratmen because he only wanted to rely on his current strength and manpower.


    Also, this would be a good opportunity for him to test who among the Wanderers was worthy to be part of his inner circle for their current mission in Solterra.

 Chapter 492: You Will Be Blowing That A Lot Tonight

    "Who among you wants to raid the Ratmen''s camp with me?" Thirteen asked.


    All the Wanderers, whom he had gathered for an emergency meeting, looked at him as if he had gone crazy.


    "No takers?" Thirteen inquired.


    Everyone was truly speechless. In their point of view, it was as if the teenage boy was asking, "who wants to die with me?"


    Obviously, no one wanted to die, so no one raised their hands and only looked at him as their leader in disbelief.


    "Are you serious?" Sean asked. "You n to raid the Ratmen with only us?"


    "What''s wrong with that?" Thirteen blinked innocently. "I raided the Brain Beetle''s Lair with a butler and three members of the Valkyries. All of you had heard how I managed to retrieve Evuvug''s corpse, right? Compared to that, isn''t this more of a walk in the park for me?"


    "But we''re not like you, Sir Zion," a teenage girl replied. "We''re not as brave and heroic as you."


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips twitched. For him, being called Heroic or a Hero was the greatest insult someone could give him.


    However, since he understood that the teenage girl didn''t know of this, he just sighed and scratched the back of his head.


    "So, no one ising with me?" Thirteen asked.


    Just as he thought that no one wasing with him, Sherry raised her hand.


    "I''ll go with you," Sherry replied with determination. "But tell me one thing. We will be able to return alive, right?"


    "Of course, we will," Thirteen replied. "We will just do guerri tactics, and that''s it."


    "Okay." Sherry nodded. "I''m in."


    Although she had volunteered, no one else did, which he had already expected to happen.


    "Try to sleep for four to five hours, Sherry," Thirteen said. "You will need it. We will be up all night."


    The teenage boy then shifted his attention to the other members of his party.


    "To those who are going to stay here, you can''t remain idle," Thirteen stated. "All of you will be chopping down trees, removing their branches, and sharpening the bark like a stake meant as ammunition for a ballista. Choose trees that are as thick as this log that I am sitting on.


    "Those with Avatars will drag these logs to the location I will tell you guyster. That''s all. Those with axes, follow me. We don''t have time to waste because the Ratmen may attack tonight."


    Knowing that their lives were in danger, the Wanderers cooperated and followed Thirteen to the ce where he wanted the logs to be taken.


    Some of them even thought that the boy was nning to have them build a ballista as well, which was something that they had never done before.


    Thirteen understood that the teenagers were confused about his order, but he had no ns to exin anything to them at this point in time.


    Exactly five hourster, he left the camp with Sherry while riding on her de Panther.


    Tiona had already scouted ahead and managed to locate the location where the Ratmen had made their camp.


    It was only three miles away from the Lizardmen''s new camp, which was too close forfort.


    "Don''t worry. You won''t be fighting directly," Thirteen said as he held onto the handle of the saddle that he had equipped on the de Panther''s back.


    Sherry, who was seated behind him, held onto his waist to prevent herself from falling off as Mors ran in the darkness of the night.


    "So you brought me along as your taxi driver, is that it?" Sherry asked, feeling relieved and annoyed at the same time.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Did you bring your horn with you? You will be blowing that a lot tonight."


    The teenage boy then nced behind him and saw two teenagers who were riding Wolves, following them from behind.


    It was none other than Sean and Heidi, who both decided to follow Zion at thest minute.


    Thirteen asked Mors to slow down his running speed so that the two wolves could catch up with them.


    "What are you two up to?" Thirteen asked. "Are you nning to take a night stroll together?"


    "I will not participate in fighting against the Ratmen," Sean replied. "I just want to see what you n to do."


    "Same," Heidimented. "At the first sign of danger, we will leave as fast as we can."


    "I don''t mind, but can I ask the two of you a favor?" Thirteen smirked. "You see, I want you guys too¡­"


    Sean and Heidi listened to what Thirteen wanted them to do, and both thought that doing what he asked wasn''t too difficult to do.


    Because of this, they agreed to it. After all, their lives wouldn''t be in any danger by doing it.


    ***


    Ratmen Camp¡­


    Tiona slithered quietly into the night, making sure that none of the Ratmen was able to detect her.


    She was currently undergoing an infiltration mission, with Zion sharing her senses.


    The first thing they wanted to confirm was the presence of humans in the Ratmen Camp.


    If there were humans there, they would try to save them during themotion Thirteen was nning to create.


    It didn''t take long before Tiona saw them, which confirmed Thirteen''s suspicion.


    ''Sixteen teenagers,'' Thirteen thought. ''This will be tricky, but it can work.''


    Thirteen then asked Tiona to do her secondary mission, which was to find the location where the Ratmen were storing their food.


    Arge army also had high upkeep, so targeting their food supplies was one good way of causing them headaches.


    The Ratmen kept their food supplies in the wagons that they had dragged along the way, saving Thirteen from the trouble of attacking several ces at once.


    Just as expected, the food supplies of the army were located at the rear, guarded by a single Ratmen Warrior.


    Tiona was able to slip past the guard who was dozing off on his job, and dreaming of eating the meat of the Lizardmen, whom they had been fighting against for the past week.


    After the ck snake got into position, Thirteen asked her tomunicate with the outside force that had also decided to join them in their mission.


    This force was none other than the Apostles led by Erica, who had received Thirteen''s message five hours ago.


    ''Are you ready, Erica?'' the ck Snake that was now coiled up on Erica''s neck asked.


    ''I''m still not used to having a snake on my neck like you, Zion¡ªbut sure, I''m ready,'' Erica replied. ''I''ll just wait for the signal, right?''


    ''That''s right,'' Thirteen stated. ''After you do your mission, fall back as far as you can. You are not going to engage the enemy no matter what happens, okay?''


    ''I''m not stupid,'' Erica replied. ''But it will be hard to rescue the Wanderers with the enemy''s numbers.''


    ''You don''t have to worry about them,'' Thirteenmented. ''All you need to do is do what I ask of you. I will handle the rest.''


    ''Understood.''


    ''Very well. Let''s get this party started.''


    Thirteen took a deep breath and nocked an arrow whose tip was covered by a piece of cloth.


    He drew the bow as far as they could before giving Sherry an order.


    "Light it," Thirteen ordered.


    Sherry then used the lighter that the teenage boy had given her and lit up the cloth on the tip of the arrow.


    As soon as the arrowhead was burning, Thirteen released the string and sent it flying towards the enemy''s camp.


    The Ratmen, who had sharp vision, saw the ming arrow streak in the air beforending on a weapon rack, creating an explosion.


    Earlier, Tiona had sprinkled gunpowder on the weapons rack, which was enough to create a strong explosion.


    A momentter, another explosion sounded, targeting another random location in the Ratmen camp, making everyone stand on alert.


    The Ratman who was guarding the food supplies hurriedly left his post because they thought they were under attack.


    The moment he left the wagon, Tiona, opened her mouth and unleashed a mini Dragon''s Breath, setting the wagon aze.


    She then hurriedly left the wagon and dug through the earth in order to head to her next destination.


    Sherry, Sean, and Heidi all ced their horns in their mouths at the same time and blew at the same time.


    The sound of the horns reverberated in the night, making the Ratmen focus their attention in that direction.


    Soon, more horns echoed in the night, making the Ratmen think that they were truly under attack.


    The Apostles and Wanderers, who were part of Erica''s group, were acting as a distraction by blowing the horns Thirteen had provided to them.


    A minuteter, four giant fireballs descended from the sky andnded on some of the Ratmen, killing them instantly.


    The entire camp buzzed with life as the Ratmen all woke up from their slumber and started to take defensive actions around their camp, ready to drive off the Lizardmen who had decided to ambush them.


    The sounds of horns made them think that they were fighting against many opponents, but truth be told, they were only facing less than twenty people.


    While all of this was happening, the ground on where the human captives were located suddenly opened up, making them scream in fright as they fell into a sinkhole.


    But before these Wanderers came to their senses, all of them were knocked unconscious by the sleeping spells of the Troll Shamans, who were waiting inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    After making sure that all the humans were rescued, Rocky left the scene without bothering to cover the hole he had created.


    Thirteen wanted the Ratmen to feel pressured by an unknown enemy that could attack them from the ground at any moment.


    His mission was only to cause chaos and destruction in the Ratmen''s camp.


    So after aplishing his mission, he and the others left the scene in haste.


    Tiona''s subordinates, on the other hand, busied themselves in covering Thirteen''s and Erica''s tracks, preventing the Ratmen from following their trail as the teenagers all escaped to safety.

 Chapter 493: Thirteen’s Night Raid

    "Where are they?!"


    "They''re somewhere around he¡ªack!"


    "Hide behind the trees quickly!"


    Sherry, Sean, Heidi, and their subordinates who had apanied Thirteen on this daring night raid couldn''t help but feel their blood boil inside their bodies.


    The sense of exhration as they initiated guerri warfare against the Ratmen gave them an adrenaline rush they didn''t expect to experience in Solterra.


    After the chaos ensued in the Ratmen''s base, the monsters had taken a defensive stance, thinking that the Lizardmen must have decided to take revenge on them for the earlier losses they had suffered in the day.


    But as time went on, no more attacks followed the initial strike. This made the Commander of the Ratmen believe that the Lizardmen had only sent a small elite team to harass them during the night.


    Although it had no proof of this, its instincts were telling it that its hunch was correct.


    With this in mind, he sent out scouting parties in every direction to find traces of the bastards who had decided to raid them in the middle of the night.


    Unlike other races, Ratmen didn''t really have good vision during the night.


    However, they were very sensitive to light.


    Their whiskers also served as their very own radars to detect vibrations in the surroundings.


    Although it didn''t have a long-range, it allowed them to navigate in the darkness, helping them with their search.


    Unfortunately for them, Zion, who had night vision, found them to be the perfect target practice for his archery skills.


    Sean and Heidi, who had also practiced archery during their month-long stay in the Valley, had learned the basics.


    Although they were not as good as Thirteen, hitting targets from a distance was not a problem for them.


    Also, since they were Wanderers, they had acquired passive skills that helped them detect and target opponents from a distance.


    Of course, they didn''t fight using only arrows.


    Since Thirteen had summoned his Parade of a Hundred Demons and their clones, they were able to take on Scouting Parties that they could handle with their numbers.


    These "Demons" didn''t attack the Ratmen and only observed them from a distance.


    Their only job was to warn Thirteen and Erica if there were monsters they wouldn''t be able to defeat with their current team.


    The sound of screams spread in the night as Sherry, Sean, Heidi, and their subordinates killed one Ratmen after the other.


    Thirteen didn''t interfere unless he believed that the teenagers were in danger.


    He couldn''t acquire skills or items from killing the Ratmen, so letting the Wanderers kill them was the best option.


    "That''s thest one of them, Boss," Sherry reported after cleaning her short sword with a piece of cloth and throwing it over the corpse of a Ratman. "We left no one alive."


    "Good." Thirteen, who was standing on top of a tree branch and keeping watch, nodded. "Check if they have anything of value, then let''s circle around to find other parties to hunt."


    The Ratmen they had killed weren''t well off, and they had nothing of value aside from their weapon and armor.


    Since carrying armor would only make them less mobile, the Wanderers simply took the daggers and short swords the Ratmen used before they died.


    While they were doing this, they heard the sound of an explosion in the distance, prompting Sean to ask Thirteen a question.


    "Did the Lizardmen also send a raid team to attack the Ratmen?" Sean asked.


    "Maybe," Thirteen answered. "But this is good for us. They will think they are surrounded by many opponents, so their forces will be scattered."


    Simr to what his party was doing, Erica''s team, which wasposed of six Apostles and a few Wanderers, were killing the Ratmen in favorable conditions.


    Tiona''s clone was there to provide vital information to the Sorceress, who was more than happy tounch her devastating range attack from a distance before running away to safety.


    This hit-and-run tactic was very deadly and very effective, making the Scouting Parties fearful.


    "We''ve cleared up everything of value," Heidi reported. "Where next, Zion?"


    "Northwest," Thirteen replied. "There is a hunting partyposed of eight Ratmen. With our numbers, we can handle them easily."


    The Wanderers, who were still drunk on battle lust, obeyed Thirteen''s instructions to the letter.


    They conducted gueri tactics for two more hours before retreating to a cave to rest for the time being.


    Sherry, Sean, Heidi, and the other Wanderers were very satisfied because they acquired many valuable items from this raid.


    If not for the fact that they were already exhausted from the constant battling, they would have continued it for a little while longer.


    Thirteen also didn''t want to push them to their limits at this point in time.


    With this in mind, he decided to let them take a rest and told them that they''d resume their attacks after a few hours.


    The teenage boy also told Erica that they should return to their own base because they had already helped plenty.


    Since Thirteen intended to let the Sorceress'' group take care of the Wanderers who were currently in Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, he needed to release them somewhere near the Rebel Camp.


    Thirteen already told Erica that it was fine to reveal that he was also on the same battlefield with her party members so that they wouldn''t get confused if they found a few Wanderers near their base.


    Although the Sorceress might take a lot of time to exin, he believed that she would be able to convince their team that everything was going ording to how Thirteen nned it to be.


    ***


    Drazzat watched the ze in the distance with a calm expression on his reptilian face.


    He had secretly followed Thirteen''s team when they left the camp to see if the teenage boy would be able to keep his promise to keep the Ratmen upied while his men recovered from their injuries.


    However, when he saw that the Ratmen camp was set aze, he realized that there were other Wanderers assisting Thirteen in raiding the Ratmen Camp.


    Drazzat sensed that the Leader of the second group had a Mount with the rank of a Rank 6 Sovereign, so he didn''t make any move to question their affiliation.


    ''That boy is hiding things from me,'' Drazzat thought as he watched the burning camp in the distance. ''Still, it seems that he is on our side¡­ at least for now.''


    Although the chaos in front of him was to his liking, he also understood that there were consequences for this sudden attack on the Ratmen.


    For example, since their food supplies had beenpromised, the Ratmen might settle for a blitzkrieg attack at the Lizardmen Camp because they were short on food.


    Or they might relocate their base farther away while their Hunting Teams hunt for food to feed their army.


    Drazzat was hoping that the Ratmen would choose the second option. However, he knew that this was just wishful thinking on his part.


    If the Ratmen truly became desperate, then they might attack during sunrise in hopes of quickly ending the battle before they die from hunger.


    Drazzat stayed for a little longer, watching Thirteen''s team continue to harass the Ratmen until an hour before sunrise.


    When the sky over the horizon was starting to light up, Thirteen decided that enough was enough and ordered his team to look for a ce to rest.


    Drazzat, on the other hand, returned to the Lizardmen Camp and sent scouts to observe the Ratmen''s movements.


    If his first guess were toe true, then today might be the day when the Varesti Tribe''s forces would bepletely and utterly defeated by the Ratmen, who were seething from anger after what they had experienced a few hours ago.

 Chapter 494: I Don’t Plan On Dying Because Of Their Stupid Pride

    One of the Rank 5 Alpha Ratman, who went by the name Badarr, red at one of his subordinates for failing to locate the intruders who raided their camp during the night.


    "Ipetent fool!" Badarr shouted. "You had one job, and you can''t even do it right!"


    The Ratman didn''t dare to raise his head and quietly epted the one-sided beating it was receiving from its Commander.


    After a few punches and kicks, the other Rank 5 Alpha Ratman stepped in to stop Badarr from killing his subordinate.


    "There''s no point venting your anger at him," another Ratmen Commander, who went by the name Kesari, stated. "My men also didn''t find any trace of our enemiesst night. It was as if their tracks disappeared all of a sudden."


    Badarr clicked his tongue in annoyance before shouting at his subordinate to scram, which thetter obeyed in a hurry.


    "We should attack those Lizards now!" Badarr shouted. "I''m sure they are using this distraction to prevent us from finishing them offpletely. The longer we dy, the more disadvantageous it will be for us."


    "I agree," Kesari replied. "We should end this battle today before they get a breather."


    The two Ratmen Commanders weren''t stupid.


    They knew the reason why they were attackedst night, and they both decided to not y into the hands of their enemies.


    Unfortunately, before they could even ask their subordinates to prepare for battle, a Ratman entered their cave in a hurry.


    "Sir! We have a problem!" the Ratman reported.


    "What is it?" Badarr asked in annoyance. "Can''t you see we''re busy here?!"


    "Sir! It''s burning!" the Ratman answered. "The forest is burning!"


    "What are you talking about?" Badarr, who was about to ask further questions, suddenly smelled something burning.


    The two Commander of the Ratmen n nced at each other before running out of the cave.


    A minuteter, they immediately saw the ck smoke rising into the sky.


    "Have they gone mad?!" Badarr couldn''t help but exim when he saw the ck smoke that was getting thicker with every passing second.


    "This is bad," Kesari said solemnly. "The wind is blowing in our direction, which means that the fire will spread toward us."


    With the forest in front of them and the swamp behind them, he understood that they had no choice but to retreat. Staying where they were would be suicide.


    The fire was spreading at a very fast rate, and from what he could tell, it was just a matter of time before it reached their camp.


    "Everyone, prepare to leave!" Kesari shouted. "We are abandoning this camp!"


    As soon as the order was given, the Ratmen hurriedly went to get their belongings and prepared to leave their camp as soon as possible.


    Badarr could only re at the ck smoke in the distance before he, too, returned inside the cave to get his things.


    Hiding inside the cave was also not an option. If they stayed and used the cave as a shelter, not only would they be trapped, but they would also be suffocated by the smoke.


    Since he didn''t want to give an enemy the chance to weaken him, he decided that leaving was the best option at this point in time.


    Meanwhile, at the Lizardmen''s base¡­


    "Madness," Drazzat muttered as he gazed at the forest fire spreading in the direction of the Ratmen''s camp. "I''ve never seen such a crazy human in my life¡­"


    Sharroc, who was also looking at the zing mes, nced at his Commander with a wry smile on his face.


    "I told you not to underestimate Zion," Sharrocmented. "He will not hesitate to use any means necessary in order to aplish his mission. Since you said he must dy the Ratmen''s invasion for three days, he will make sure they will be upied for the next three days."


    "No." Drazzat shook his head. "You don''t understand. The other Ratmen ns who border the Fangiss Swamp will see this fire and send their people to investigate. That boy may have done us more harm than good."


    "Maybe you''re right," Sharroc replied. "But even if that is the case, I''m sure that he has something up his sleeve."


    Sharroc, who was under Gwenn''s Mind Control, had no doubt in his mind that Zion Leventis had also taken that possibility into consideration.


    However, since he still went ahead with this strategy despite the danger it posed, he believed that he had a n for that oue as well.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the Rebel Camp¡­


    "Crazy," Erica couldn''t help but look at the forest fire in disbelief. "I better smack that brat the next time I see him."


    The other Wanderers, who were with her, fearfully looked at the fire in the distance and wondered what to do next.


    Fortunately, Tiona''s Clone, who was coiled on Erica''s neck, told her that everything was going to be fine.


    Their camp was in no danger of being caught up with the forest fire because Thirteen had already made preparations in advance to prevent that from happening.


    ***


    "Do you have a hobby of watching the world burn? Literally?" Sherry asked the teenage boy who was looking at the fire with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Been there, done that," Thirteen replied casually. "This is nothing personal. This is just the best way that I can think of to dy the Ratmen''s advance to the Lizardmen camp. The blow we dealt themst night will only make them more desperate to end the battle as fast as possible.


    "But now that the path forward is set aze, they will have no choice but to retreat to safety. We also cut off their food supply. If they don''t want to die, they have to hunt for food.


    "That will also be difficult for them. Any wild animal in the forest will flee after seeing the fire. Unless they are proficient in fishing, they have no choice but to find a ce where they can hunt for food before they could continue their campaign."


    After hearing Thirteen''s exnation, Sherry, Sean, and Heidi finally understood why he chose this strategy to force the Ratmen to retreat.


    Because of this, the two members of the Cygni Faction decided that they would not antagonize Zion no matter what.


    Not only was he a good Commanding Officer, but he was also very ruthless to his enemies.


    The two couldn''t even fathom how they would fare if someone like Zion became their enemy.


    "There is nothing left to do here," Thirteen stated. "Let''s go back to the Lizardmen Camp and get some proper rest. The Ratmen will be back after three days, so let''s rest until then."


    After spending some time with him, the small team of Wanderers knew that listening to him was for their own good.


    As Sean and Heidi mounted their Avatars, they gave the burning forest behind them onest nce before following the de Panther that was heading back to Lizardmen Camp.


    "Zion, I have a question," Sean asked as his Wolf ran side by side with the de Panther. "Can the Lizardmen win this war?"


    "I don''t know," Thirteen replied. "But one thing is for certain."


    "And that is?"


    "If Drazzat doesn''t cooperate with me, we will leave their camp. I don''t n on dying because of their stupid pride."


    Thirteen understood that Lizardmen were proud creatures. However, that didn''t mean that he would let them dictate what he did with his life.


    If they want to cooperate with him, then good.


    If not, then they could just die for all he cared.


    Although there was a tracking spell on the markings ced on the foreheads of the Wanderers, the Varesti Tribe would no longer have the manpower to hunt them down once Drazzat''s forces were annihted.


    If the other Lizardmen Tribes dared to trouble them, then Zion wouldn''t mind eating Lizard meat for a period of time.


    With Gwenn, as well as his Monster Army, apanying him on his journey, it would be easy for him to sabotage both sides if he wished for it.


    The only reason he didn''t want to resort to such tactics was because he wanted to train the Wanderers who were currently on his team.


    If his guess was right, he would need all of them to gain sufficient strength before they reached the Wenpolis Stronghold, which was the destination of their First Chain Quest.


    After experiencing the Chain Quests during his Trial, he understood that the mission would only get progressively harder.


    This was especially true for thest quest, which he believed would be the stage where he would have to face another mission with difficulty that might equal or even surpass the other missions he had in the past.

 Chapter 495: The Varesti Tribe’s Counterattack [Part 1]

    When the Wanderers whom Rocky had saved in the Ratmen Camp woke up, they found themselves in an unfamiliar ce.


    All of them woke up roughly at the same time, signifying the end of the Troll Shaman''s sleeping spell''s duration.


    "It''s good to see that all of you are awake," an Apostle, who was tasked to watch over the sleeping Wanderers, said. "I know that you must be confused right now, but do not panic. All of you are safe now, and no longer prisoners of the Ratmen."


    After hearing the Apostle''s words, the Wanderers were still half in doubt as to whether they could believe his words.


    But seeing that they were no longer in chains, they were starting to think that they might be dreaming.


    "All of you, please follow me," the Apostle stated. "I will take you to our leader."


    One by one, the Wanderers stood up and followed the Apostle. They were still too numb to ask any questions and merely thought they might be dreaming in their sleep.


    But when they left the cave and saw the beautifuldy whom they had seen countless times on TV, most of the Wanderers started tearing up.


    "Why are they crying?" Erica asked. "Did you perhaps hurt them, David?"


    "Of course not," David replied. "They started crying when they saw you. Maybe they thought that you would eat them?"


    "Hahaha, very funny," Erica crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the Wanderers whom Zion had dumped into her custody. "Listen up. I know that you have a lot of questions, so just ask David here for details."


    "What? We both agreed that you''ll be the one answering their questions!" Davidined.


    "Tsk!" Erica clicked her tongue before motioning for the Wanderers to sit around the Campfire and eat with them.


    "Eat first, questionster," David ordered. "Depending on the situation, we might need to relocate to a new camp."


    The Apostle nced in the direction of the dark smoke that was still rising up to the sky.


    The fire started before sunrise. Hours had passed, yet it was still raging even now.


    Erica told everyone in their camp that the one who set the forest aze was none other than Zion Leventis.


    Although his strategy was effective, David and the others were still on the fence about whether the Legendary Rookie, who was the talk of Pangea, had made the right decision this time around.


    An hourter, after everyone had eaten, Erica asked the Wanderers about how they were rescued by Zion.


    All of them said the same thing¡ªthe ground beneath their feet gave way, and they all fell at the same time.


    They didn''t remember anything after that, except that they saw nothing but darkness before they lost their consciousness.


    When Erica and the Apostles heard this, all of them became dumbfounded.


    ''A sinkhole?'' Erica frowned. ''Since Zion doesn''t have any abilities, does this mean that the Lizardmen helped him in this operation? However, although Lizardmen could dig, I doubt they could dig right under the enemy camp in such a short period of time.''


    Since the probability of this theory was zero, Erica tossed this idea aside.


    "What do you think, David?" Erica asked. "How can Zion do something like that?"


    "If Zion isn''t alone, and he has other Wanderers with him, it is highly possible that they have an avatar capable of digging underground," David replied after careful consideration. "Or he might have also tamed a Monster by feeding them scraps of meat."


    Erica almost choked on her saliva. That was the same excuse she told them when herrades asked her how she had been able to acquire the Rank 6 Sovereign, cky, as her personal bodyguard.


    "A-Anyway, just like you heard a while ago, the one who saved you guys is Zion Leventis," Erica decided to change the topic as quickly as possible. "I don''t know how he did it, but he decided tounch a sneak attack on the Ratmen Camp yesterday with our help. He might have saved you guys during themotion."


    "Yes. We did hear an explosion before the ground under our feet gave way," one of the Wanderers said.


    "The Supreme Commander is here?" A teenage girl immediately had a hopeful look in her eyes because she now felt that she might actually survive her First Wandering.


    "Yes, he''s here." Erica nodded. "But he''s currently working with the Lizardmen to fight off the Ratmen. He also advised us to not make contact with him or the Lizardmen at this point in time because we might lose our freedom in doing so.


    "For the time being, everyone should prepare to evacuate at any given time. We don''t know the aftermath of this Forest Fire, and I''m sure the other Ratmen ns and Lizardmen Tribesmen can also see the ck smoke from miles away.


    "They will surely send some scouts to investigate, and we need to avoid those scouts as much as possible."


    Erica, who had been made aware of the invisible helpers that surrounded their camp, felt a little safer because Tiona''s Clone was keeping watch of their safety.


    She had a lot of questions to ask Zion when they met up again, but she had a feeling that those questions would go unanswered.


    Meanwhile, in the Lizardmen Camp¡­


    "You really did it this time, Zion," Sharroc said with a conflicted look on his face. "I don''t know if I should praise you or feel disappointed because of this incident."


    "You should praise me, of course," Thirteen replied. "I bought us some time."


    "That, you did. But at what cost?"


    Thirteen and Sharroc looked in the direction where the voice came from and saw Drazzat walking towards them.


    "For hundreds of years, the Forest around the Fangiss Swamp has served as a natural barrier and a hunting ground for the Lizardmen. But now, a good chunk of it has been razed to the ground. It will take decades, perhaps even centuries, before thend returns to its former glory. Don''t you even feel a little bit of remorse for such destruction?"


    "I don''t," Thirteen replied. "Just like how the Ratmen are corrupting the swamp to serve their needs, I simply razed the forest to serve our needs.


    "You can worry about the long-term implication of this Forest Fire if you guys win this war. There''s no use worrying about it if you and your tribe are wiped out from existence, you know?"


    Drazzat and Sharroc wanted to oppose Thirteen''s statement, but they couldn''t find an argument that could win against him. Both of them knew he was right.


    With what capacity could they worry about the state of the forest when they and their Tribe were on the verge of being wiped out of existence?


    How could the dead care about a Forest that was of no use to them whatsoever?


    A few minutester, Drazzat finally told the teenager why he came to look for him.


    "I saw how ruthless and decisive you werest night," Drazzat said. "But I''m a bit worried about making you my army''s strategist."


    "Worried?" Thirteen frowned. "Why?"


    "Because you might just treat me and my men like Cannon Fodders," Drazzat answered. "Maybe you will send us to our deaths so that you and your fellow humans will regain your freedom."


    "I see. That''s a very reasonable concern." Thirteen nodded. "But you don''t have to worry about that. You Lizardmen have this ritual called a Blood Pact, right? How about it? Want to be Pact Brothers?"


    (A/N: if you read Pact Brothers wrong, please, use bleach to cleanse your brain.)


    (E/N: I didn''t think of it until you mentioned it. Bleach your brain first.)


    Drazzat frowned. Making a Blood Pact with a human had never crossed his mind.


    "You''re not worthy to be my Pact Brother," Drazzat said.


    "Well, it''s your loss," Thirteen shrugged. "So, what now? I will guarantee that if you make me your strategist, you will win this war. If you don''t want it, then ask your Shaman to remove the markings on our foreheads so that we can leave this ce."


    "And why should I ask my Shaman to remove the markings on your forehead?" Drazzat inquired.


    "Because your Warrior Ancestors will look down on you in the afterlife knowing that you forced children to fight your wars for you guys," Thirteen answered. "I mean, aren''t you all ashamed? You''re letting kids fight your battles for you. Aren''t you all supposed to be proud Lizardmen Warriors?"


    The Warriors, who were secretly listening to the conversation, lowered their heads because the teenager was right once again.


    The Lizardmen didn''t send their young to go to war, and yet, they were forcing the children of another race to fight for them.


    It was truly a shameful thing to do, and no Warrior would find such an act honorable.


    "It''s a shame you are not born as a Lizardman," Drazzatmented. "You would have been a great figure once you grew up."


    The Commander of the Lizardmen then nced in the direction of the forest that was still aze before making a decision.


    "I''ll summon you at sunset," Drazzat stated. "I will have made my decision by then."


    Without another word, the Commander of the Lizardmen left to ponder what his next move would be.


    He was still doubting whether he should entrust their lives to a human child who could betray them at any point in time.


    Still, he had a feeling that this chance might nevere again in his lifetime.


    Although he still had his reservations, he was starting to think that as long as they were able to drive out the Ratmen from their domain, any strategy was viable.


    What he didn''t know was that the main reason why Thirteen started the Forest Fire was for Drazzat to start having this line of thought.


    Lizardmen might be aggressive when it came to dealing with their enemies, but they still have a conservative mindset just like the Elves.


    Thirteen believed that as long as they could ovee this way of thinking, the Lizardmen would not only be able to push the Ratmen back, but they could also end their mortal enemy''s tyranny once and for all.

 Chapter 496: The Varesti Tribe’s Counterattack [Part 2]

    Badarr and Kesari, as well as the other officers of the Ratmen army, gathered for a meeting.


    They had just relocated three miles away from the burning forest, and the thought of evacuating for a second time was making them quite annoyed.


    "For the time being, we need to address the most important concern, which is our food supply," Badarr stated. "The Beasts have run away because of the fire, and hunting is proving to be a very difficult task for our hunting parties. As such, I need every able-bodied Ratman to form teams with each other and hunt for the time being."


    Kesari and the other officers nodded their heads in agreement. They still hadn''t eaten anything since they left their previous camp, and frankly, Ratmen were incredibly voracious eaters.


    While they could eat almost everything, they preferred to eat meat more than anything.


    This was why theck of food was uncontrobly making tempers rise even though it was still early in the morning.


    "Those Lizard bastards sure hit us where it hurts," one of the Captains of the Ratmen replied.


    "I''m starting to think that the Lizardmen aren''t the ones who instigated this forest fire," Kesarimented. "They''re not the type to burn forests just to drive anyone away from their domain."


    "You think so too, huh?" Badarr, who had the same thought as Kesari, crossed his arms over his chest. "I also don''t think that this ploy came from the Lizardmen."


    "If not from them, then who?" the Captain of the Scouting Parties asked.


    "Who else?" Badarr scoffed. "Humans, of course."


    The fact that their captives had been rescuedst night was proof that there had been a third party involved.


    Lizardmen would not waste their time in saving humans because they were not part of their race.


    This was also the reason why Kesari doubted that the Lizardmen were the ones responsible for the forest fire that forced them to abandon their camp.


    "Humans can be more ruthless than Ratmen. This is the reason why our expansion toward the East is not making any progress," Kesari stated.


    "So, what should we do?" the Captain of the Scouts asked.


    "First is to secure food," Badarr replied. "We can''tunch an attack now. We have to wait until the fire dies out first. But judging by its size and the way it''s spreading, it mightst for days."


    The Ratmen all nodded in agreement. This was the first time they experienced something like this, and frankly, they hadn''t been prepared to handle such an event.


    The only thing they could really do was wait until the fire had calmed down before theyunched their counterattack.


    Several hourster, the Ratmen who had been sent out to hunt Beasts returned empty-handed.


    "The Beasts have run farther than we expected," Kesari said after hearing the reports of his men. "Unless we head farther back, we won''t have anything to eat for the rest of the day."


    "It''s that bad?" Badarr frowned. "I thought we were already far enough from the fire."


    "That''s what I thought as well, but there''s simply no beast even after searching for miles," Kesari replied. "Unless you want to starve, we can''t stay here for long."


    Badarr''s frown deepened, but in the end, he ordered his men to evacuate for a second time.


    What the Ratmen didn''t know was that Thirteen had ordered Rocky to scare off the Beasts that lived in the Forest and force them to run farther away by releasing his killing intent in a wide range.


    Rocky had done this after Thirteen had returned to the Lizardmen Camp, making sure that the Ratmen would be forced to retreat farther away from the Ratmen Camp.


    Even now, Rocky was still driving away the Beasts, and herding them in the direction of the Varesti Tribe, where the Ratmen wouldn''t find them.


    Once Thirteen decided on something, he would push his enemies to the brink of despair, making them unable to think or strategize properly.


    The next day, while the Ratmen were still unable to find any food anywhere, tragedy struck them for the second time.


    One of their hunting parties found themselves surrounded by dozens of Lizardmen. Naturally, thetter didn''t show any mercy and massacred them to thest Rat.


    Even from a distance, Badarr and Kesari could hear the screams of their men, forcing them to take their subordinates to the location where they heard the screams.


    When they arrived at the scene, they only saw the dead bodies of their Hunting Party.


    "Lizardmen!" Badarr hissed after discovering the footprints on the ground, as well as the familiar scent of their enemies.


    "Could it perhaps be another Tribe?" Kesari asked.


    But just as Badarr was about to answer hisrade''s question, more screams reverberated in the surroundings,ing from different directions.


    "Return to the camp now!" Badarr ordered. "We must regroup with the others!"


    The Ratmen didn''t hesitate and obeyed their Commander, swiftly heading straight back to their camp.


    Along the way, they could hear the screams of their kin, and it was making the two Ratmen Commanders feel anxious.


    "Do you think the other Tribes decided to surround us?" Badarr asked Kesari, who was more level-headed than him.


    "The possibility exists," Kesari replied as more screams spread inside the forest. "Drazzat is on the other side of the Forest Fire. It is impossible for him and his men to cross over to our side, much less stab us from the back."


    Badarr nodded in agreement. "Then it is indeed another Lizardmen Tribe. We must break through before they surround us all."


    "Let''s regroup with the others first," Kesari. "We will need more people if we want to survive this."


    Once they arrived at their camp, they found a few hundred Ratmen who had already taken up arms and were waiting for their enemy to strike.


    When these warriors saw their two Commanders return, they were finally able to breathe a lot easier. It gave them peace of mind to see the strongest Ratmen in their army return.


    "What happened?" Badarr asked. "Where are the others?"


    After taking a good look at his men, Badarr and Kesari realized that more than half of them were not in their camp.


    "They left to hunt for food earlier," one of the Ratmen Warriors replied. "But they still haven''t returned."


    "Curses!" Badarr knew that the chances of his mening back alive were nearly zero, so he decided to put all his focus on the soldiers who were still inside their camp.


    "Gather your belongings. We are heading to n Rakoz!" Badarr ordered. "The other Lizardmen Tribe are trying to create an encirclement to trap us. We need to break through now!"


    But before they could even obey their Commander''s orders, whistling sounds reached the Ratmen''s ears.


    A momentter, countless arrows descended upon their camp, making the disorganized Ratmen fall into further chaos.


    Drazzat, who was standing beside Thirteen, watched as his archers decimated the enemy forces from a safe distance.


    The Lizardmen Commander had decided to trust the teenage boy and made him their strategist.


    In order to gain his trust, Thirteen insisted that the two of them have a blood pact, which would make the Drazzat and Thirteen be Blood Brothers.


    Once that sacred ceremony was done, Thirteen ordered Drazzat to take his most elite warriors with them to raid the Ratmen Camp.


    Although he didn''t know how they would be able to attack the Ratmen with the forest fire still aze, he decided to trust the teenage boy whom he had now recognized as his Blood Brother.


    It didn''t take long for him to understand how they were able to traverse the distance between them and their enemy.


    His subordinates were just as surprised as him when they met the Rank 7 Magma Bal-Boa, who took them inside his Mobile Fortress.


    The rest was history.


    They ambushed the Hunting Parties and decimated half of the Ratmen who had gone out of the camp to hunt Beasts for their food supplies.


    Since the Ratmen were exhausted and hungry, they were weaker than usual, so the Lizardmen made short work of them without too much problem.


    In fact, none of them suffered any casualties, only minor injuries.


    But, since the Troll Shamans were there to heal them, they were able to recover from their injuries quickly.


    Thirteen made the Lizardmen, who apanied them, take the warrior''s oath to keep everything they saw as a secret.


    Of course, this oath wasn''t binding, but it was better than nothing.


    But now that their enemies were right in front of them, the Lizardmen unleashed their pent-up fury and rained down arrows upon their enemies without mercy.


    "Don''t forget what I told you earlier, Drazzat," Thirteen said. "You will not engage the enemymanders. I will deal with them, do you understand?"


    "Yes," Drazzat replied.


    Thirteen knew that one of the Rank 5 Sovereigns within the Ratmen Camp could potentially kill the Lizardmen Commander.


    But as long as he was around, he would not allow this to happen.


    By letting his trusted subordinates deal with the two Rank 5 Ratmen, he was confident that the threat that had burdened the Varesti Tribe for so long would finally disappear before the sun had set over the horizon.

 Chapter 497: The Varesti Tribe’s Counterattack [Part 3]

    "Curses!" Badarr shouted as he took cover from the rain of arrows descending upon their camp. "Kesari, stay close. We''re going to break through this encirclement!"


    Kesari nodded and stayed close to Badarr. Given the current situation, the two of them had the highest chance of escaping.


    Although they didn''t want to leave their subordinates behind, it was much better than dying alongside them.


    Grabbing one of his subordinates as a shield, Badarr ran away from the direction where the arrows wereing from.


    Kesari, on the other hand, wasn''t as bloodthirsty as Badarr. He simply used his shield to protect himself from the arrows that were flying in his direction.


    Not bothering to worry about anyone else, they were able to enter the other side of the forest, away from the onught that the Lizardmen had unleashed on their camp.


    However, Kesari had a bad feeling about the path Badarr chose¡ªit was simply too convenient.


    Not only was it the only location free of Lizardmen, but he also didn''t hear anyone pursuing them from behind.


    As someone who had fought countless battles, Kesari had learned that there was no way that the Lizardmen would overlook such an obvious escape route.


    As if to prove his bad premonition correct, the trees in front of them suddenly broke apart, and two Ogres that were both five meters tall charged in their direction, intending to ram against them with their bodies.


    Badarr''s first reaction was to throw the dead Ratman in his hands toward one of the Ogres to act as a diversion.


    However, the Ogre didn''t bat an eye and simply continued to charge forward. The Ratman''s body collided with the Ogre, but it simply bounced off to the side, having no effect whatsoever.


    On the other hand, Kesari used his superior speed to dodge the Ogre that was running in his direction.


    Having missed his target, O2 swung his steel club in an attempt to hit Kesari, but thetter was simply too fast for the Ogre to hit.


    Badarr was the same.


    He had realized that the two Ogres in front of him were Rank 5 Sovereigns, which were stronger than him and Kesari.


    Ogres were known for their strength. The two Ratmen knew this too, so they didn''t have any intention of engaging them in battle.


    They simply bypassed the two Ogres and ran forward to safety.


    At that moment, a made of steel descended upon them, forcing the two to dodge to the side.


    Badarr, who was just about to regain his bnce, saw a steel sword about to sever his head from his body.


    Knowing that escaping would be futile, Badarr shouted and used his own sword to block the attack that was aimed to end his life.


    At the moment of impact, the Commander of the Ratmen felt his hand turn numb from the force behind the enemy''s attack, making him take three steps backward.


    In front of him, the Troll Warlord, T1, who was also a Rank 5 Sovereign, stood like an impassable wall.


    Unlike the two Ogres, whose height reached up to five meters, T1 was only three meters tall, but he was still a giant in the Ratmen''s eyes.


    Badarr, who had no intention to fight, nced at his surroundings in dismay.


    Aside from the two Ogres, as well as the Troll in front of him, there were nine more Trolls blocking their path of escape.


    Seeing that these Trolls were Rank 4 Alpha Monsters, Badarr knew that escaping would be impossible.


    "Who are you?!" Badarr shouted. "We have no conflicts with the Trolls and Ogres! Why are you on the side of those Lizards?!"


    "We''re not on the side of Lizards," T1 replied. "We are only on our Master''s side."


    "Who is your Master then?" Kesari, who also understood that escaping was futile, asked.


    "Here."


    Hearing the voice that came from behind them, the two Ratmen turned and were surprised to see a teenage boy. Behind him were Drazzat, Sharroc, and a few other Elite members of the Varesti Tribe.


    ''A human?'' Kesari frowned.


    He didn''t expect that the powerful monsters in front of them were under themand of a mere human child.


    "Hahaha!" Badarrughed before pointing his finger at Drazzat, who was standing behind the human boy.


    "How low did you Lizards fall?" Badarr sneered. "You even have to rely on a human to win against us. Pathetic!"


    Drazzat and the other Lizardmen were unfazed by the Ratmen Commander''s taunt.


    "You only have two choices," Thirteen, who didn''t care about the Ratmen''s and Lizardmen''s conflicts, said while holding up two fingers.


    "The first one is to surrender quietly and be captured by us."


    "The second one is to die right here, right now. There is no third option."


    Badarr and Kesari nced at each other before the formerughed.


    "I have a third option," Badarr stated. "How about a duel between me and Drazzat? Two Commanders in a one-on-one battle. How does that sound? Or are you going to say that you''re too scared to ept my challenge?"


    Drazzat nced at the teenager in front of him with a calm expression on his face.


    He had an agreement with Zion, and he agreed that he wouldn''t confront any of the two Ratmen Commanders no matter what.


    He would have readily epted the duel if he hadn''t met Zion, but things were different.


    Just as he was about to reject Badarr''s offer, Thirteen raised his hand to stop him.


    "ept the duel, Drazzat," Thirteen said.


    "Is it really okay?" Drazzat asked.


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded before shifting his gaze to Kesari, who had remained silent all this time. "He''s just a small fry anyway."


    Thirteen could tell that the real threat between the two Commanders wasn''t Badarr.


    It was none other than Kesari.


    If the one who brought up the duel was Kesari, the teenage boy would have certainly stopped it.


    Not to mention that Lizardmen prided themselves on their courage and honor. He knew that letting Drazzat reject Badarr''s challenge would reflect badly on his men.


    "Very well, I ept your challenge," Drazzat, who was itching for a good fight since the fight started, stated.


    Thirteen then took out a potion bottle from his Dimensional Storage and tossed it toward Kesari, who caught it reflexively.


    "I will give you an opportunity to live," Thirteen said. "But you have to drink that. If you don''t, I will order my subordinates to kill you."


    "I also request a challenge," Kesari replied.


    Since Badarr''s proposal had seeded, he thought that he wouldn''t lose anything if he also issued a challenge to the Lizardmen.


    Unfortunately for him, Thirteen had no intention of letting him have his way.


    "No," Thirteen replied as he nocked an arrow on his bow.


    He then aimed it at Kesari, looking at thetter with a cold, chilling gaze.


    "I''ll count to three. If you still haven''t drunk that potion, I will shoot you," Thirteen dered. "One¡­ two¡­ thr--".


    Kesari knew that the teenage boy''s arrow couldn''t possibly kill him.


    However, the Monsters that surrounded him could.


    Left with no choice, he drank the contents of the potion in one swig, leaving nothing behind.


    A few secondster, the Ratman Commander''s body shuddered before copsing to the ground.


    His entire body was paralyzed, and the only thing he could move was his eyes.


    Suddenly, the ground underneath him gave way, and he fell into a sinkhole that appeared out of nowhere.


    However, Drazzat, as well as the other Lizardmen, already knew where the second Ratmen Commander had disappeared to.


    "Themercial break is over," Thirteen said, breaking everyone out of their daze. "Time for the two of you to start your duel."


    Since he had taken out the most dangerous Ratman on the battlefield, the only thing left to do was wrap things up.


    Just as he expected, Badarr was killed by Drazzat in less than five minutes of dueling, finally putting an end to the battle that nearly ended in the Varesti Tribe''s ruin.

 Chapter 498: Other Benefits Of The Parade Of A Hundred Demons

    Waiting at the Lizardmen Camp with the other Wanderers, Sherry was absentmindedly carving a piece of wood.


    She wasn''t aiming to carve anything specific in particr. The only reason she was fiddling with the wood was to distract herself because the wait for Zion''s return was making her feel anxious.


    A few hours ago, Thirteen and all the able-bodied Lizardmen under Drazzat''s orders mobilized and left the camp together.


    They only left behind a dozen Warriors, as well as one of their Shamans, to look after their camp.


    There were hundreds of Lizardmen who were still injured and unable to fight at this point in time.


    Sean and Heidi were also feeling restless. They thought Zion was going to take them with him to another special mission, but to their surprise, the teenage boy didn''t ask anyone to apany him and the Lizardmen to wherever they were going.


    "Did they really attack the Ratmen?" Natalie, who was seated on the log opposite Sherry''s, asked.


    "I don''t know," Sherry replied. "Zion only told me to wait here."


    "Then, what is your rtionship with him?" Natalie asked in a teasing tone. "The two of you share the same wagon, and I can tell that he is very close to you."


    "We''re justrades," Sherry answered.


    "Justrades? I don''t think so."


    "Believe what you want to believe."


    Sherry had no intention of getting close to Natalie, as well as Leon, who were giving her some bad vibes.


    Unlike Sean and Heidi, who had fought alongside her a few times, she just couldn''t find herself being close to the two teenagers who always chose to not participate in the missions that Zion orchestrated.


    "You don''t like me, do you?" Natalie asked with a smile.


    Sherry chose not to answer Natalie''s question and continued to carve the wood in her hand.


    Sean and Heidi listened to their exchange with faint interest as they, too, waited for Zion to return to their camp.


    Suddenly, one of the Lizardmen serving as a Watcher shouted, making everyone in the camp think that he had spotted enemies near them.


    But the Lizardman''s next words made everyone calm down instantly.


    "They''re back!" the Lizardman shouted. "The Commander and the others are back!"


    Sherry hurriedly looked in the direction where the Lizardman was pointing and saw Drazzat walking alongside his men.


    A look of relief appeared on her pretty face when she saw Zion walking side by side with the Commander with a calm expression on his face.


    However, it didn''t take long for her to notice that the Lizardman Commander was holding a severed Ratman''s head in his left hand, which was a gruesome sight to behold.


    The other Wanderers, who had been ordered to stay in the camp, looked at the returning Warriors with doubtful gazes.


    They thought they were just out for a scouting mission, but when they saw the Ratman''s head in Drazzat''s hand, they understood that they had left to fight against the Ratmen Army.


    "Everyone, thank you for waiting!" Drazzat shouted before lifting Badarr''s head for everyone to see. "We have killed the Ratmen''s Commander, Badarr, andpletely annihted their forces! We have won the battle!"


    The injured Lizardmen began to cheer, not doubting the announcement. For them, there was no reason for their Commander to lie to them.


    The other Wanderers, who were caught in the flow, also cheered because this meant that they no longer had to fight against anyone anymore.


    Thirteen walked toward Sherry and stopped a meter away from her.


    "How is everyone?" Thirteen asked. "Did someone cause mischief while I was away?"


    "No," Sherry replied. "Everyone stayed inside the camp and behaved themselves."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "I''m going to sleep. Wake me up at sunset."


    Thirteen didn''t even bother waiting for Sherry''s reply before walking toward his wagon to rest.


    He hadn''t rested much during the entire operation. He was supposed to be resting earlier, but he didn''t want to miss the best time to deal a crushing blow to the Ratmen before they could regain their bearings.


    Since Thirteen always finished what he started, he didn''t bat an eye and let his Divine Artifact, Parade of a Hundred Demons, absorb Kesari, whom he had captured earlier.


    The Ratman Commander wasn''t able to resist the ck g''s absorption, making him one of Thirteen''s immortal and loyal subordinates.


    Although having a Ratman as a member of his Parade of a Hundred Demons wasn''t part of his original n, he still went ahead and did it just to be on the safe side.


    To his surprise, Kesari actually possessed a Unique Skill which Thirteen believed would boost the effectiveness of his Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    This Unique Passive Skill was called Versatile.


    Just as the name implied, it allowed someone to adapt to any given situation regardless of how dangerous it was.


    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons had retained their personalities, memories, as well as their specialties.


    They were not mindless servants who simply followed orders.


    This was why having the Unique Skill, Versatile, would allow them to perform their missions better, adapting to their current circumstances.


    Also, since Kesari was a Rank 5 Alpha Monster, Tiona managed to gain a big boost in her overallbat strength.


    As the Queen of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, not only did she gain 99 Additional Skills, but also received other benefits.


    One of those benefits was an increase in her overall strength.


    If Tiona had a Status Page that showed her stats, there would be an additional 30 points in her agility.


    Kesari''s main attribute was Agility.


    Since he was a Rank 5 Monster, the agility that Tiona would gain was five agility multiplied by Kesari''s Monster Rank, which would give her 25 points in Agility.


    And since the Ratman was also an Alpha Monster, there would be a bonus of five agility, raising the overall stat to 30 Agility.


    But the benefits didn''t end there.


    Another function of the ck g was to give its King or Queen a trait of the Monsters who were part of her team.


    For example, Kesari had a sixth sense when it came to danger.


    Tiona would also inherit this trait, allowing her to gain a sixth sense when it came to danger.


    So, aside from having 99 more skills and a boost in stats, Tiona would also gain 99 more powerful traits as well.


    Although she was a Rank 1 Monster for life, her fighting prowess surpassed her current rank, making her an anomaly among anomalies.


    With the current Monsters residing inside the Divine Artifact, Tiona''sbat strength was simr to that of a Rank 4 Sovereign.


    But once Thirteenpleted the true Parade of a Hundred Demons, and it had absorbed all the monsters he carefully handpicked to maximize the ck g''s effectiveness, he believed that Tiona''s overall strength would surpass that of a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    The teenage boy wanted to ask Kesari some questions, but he decided to put it off until after his nap ended.


    Since they had just ended a battle against the Ratmen, there was no need to rush.


    Tiona coiled up on Zion''s chest and decided to rest as well.


    She was also very exhausted because she was sharing her connection with her Clone, as well asmanding her members that were scattered across the battlefield.


    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons eliminated the Ratmen who had escaped the encirclement of the Lizardmen.


    Thirteen didn''t want to leave a single Ratman alive. That way, he could ensure that there would be an information gap between the other Ratmen ns for a few days.


    As long as the Ratmen weren''t aware that Badarr''s and Kesari''s Army were annihted, they would not be able to react once Thirteen and Drazzat''s forces circled around them and attacked them from the rear, where they were very vulnerable from attacks.

 Chapter 499: The Shard Of Origin

    The sound of merry-making echoed in the night as the Lizardmen celebrated their victory against the Ratmen.


    Although Thirteen had the most contribution to the Lizardmen''s victory, the teenage boy had made sure that Drazzat and his men would be the ones to corner their hateful enemy and end the battle with their own hands.


    Drazzat''s victory in his duel with Badarr had also cemented his position as the strongest warrior of the Varesti Tribe, further increasing his influence among his tribesmen.


    The Wanderers were also treated warmly by the Lizardmen because they were under Thirteen''smand.


    The Shamans had also decided to remove the symbols on their foreheads as proof that they now treated the teenage boy''s "Mercenary Group" on equal terms.


    While everyone was enjoying the celebration, Thirteen excused himself and told everyone that he would be taking a stroll to clear out his head.


    But as soon as he was certain that no one was following him, the ground beneath his feet gave way, making him fall into Rocky''s Mobile Fortress. It was about time he tied up some loose ends.


    Raising his hand, the ck g of the Parade of a Hundred Demons appeared to answer his call.


    "Come out, Kesari," Thirteen ordered.


    A secondter, a shadowy form materialized in front of the teenage boy.


    Kesari was kneeling in a respectful gesture towards his Lord and Master.


    "Kesari, I will ask you some questions, and I only want to hear the truth. Do you understand?" Thirteen stated.


    Although the Ratman had indeed be part of his Parade of a Hundred Demons and was now loyal to him, Kesari still retained his memories, so he might feel apprehensive about attacking his own nsmen.


    Frankly, Thirteen didn''t intend to let him fight against the Ratmen, wanting to avoidplications.


    This was why he only wished to gain some information about the location of their troops, as well as the individuals whom he needed to pay attention to.


    But just as the teenage boy was about to ask the Ratman his questions, Kesari spoke first while staring directly into his Master''s eyes.


    "Master, before you ask me questions, there''s something I wish to tell you," Kesari said. "It''s about the real reason why the war started."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow. He was indeed very curious as to why this war was happening in the first ce.


    Although Ratmen were aggressive monsters and waged war whenever they wished for it, they would always have a reason behind it.


    Since arriving at the Fractured Heaven, Thirteen never questioned why the Ratmen and the Lizardmen were at war.


    He simply thought that the two sides had been in conflict with each other and decided that they could no longer live under the same sky.


    "Speak," Thirteen ordered. "Tell me the truth. What started the war in the first ce?"


    Since Kesari was now one of his Hundred Demons, the Ratman would follow his orders without fail.


    "There are four factions who live in the Fractured Heaven," Kesari reported. "The Lizardmen in the West, the Ratmen in the South, the Goblins in the East, and the Humans in the North.


    "We often have skirmishes with each other, but it got worse when the bnce of power was suddenly broken. The Goblins gave birth to an Emperor. The Goblins were soon rallied and attacked the South, then took control of our Sacred Land.


    "Since the Goblin Emperor''s strength was something we are unable to ovee, we have no choice but to submit to his will in the hope that he will keep his promise."


    "His promise?" Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest. "Let me guess¡ªhe promised that he would return your Sacred Lands to you guys, right?"


    "Yes," Kesari replied. "This is the reason why we are desperate to win this war. Once the Goblin Emperor destroys our Shard of Origin, the Ratmen will cease to exist in the Fractured Heaven."


    Thirteen didn''t need Kesari to tell him what the Shard of Origin was because he could easily ess this information from his Soul Core.


    After skimming through the details of the Shard of Origin, he understood why the Ratmen allowed themselves to be the pawns of the Goblin Emperor despite knowing that he might not keep his promise in the end.


    Just like the name suggested, the Shard of Origin was the Origin of the Ratmen.


    Simr to the World Tree of the Elves, it was what allowed the Ratmen to flourish.


    Without its blessings, the Ratmen would die out, unable to sire their next generation, which would erase their ns from the face of Solterra.


    "A Goblin Emperor¡­ so a Rank 8 Sovereign." Thirteen nodded in understanding. "But the Ratmen are numerous. Even if you are facing a Rank 8 Sovereign, it won''t be impossible to beat it with your numbers, right?"


    "That''s true," Kesari replied. "However before we can even fight back, he came into the possession of the Shard of Origin. With him using it as a hostage, we are unable to mount a serious resistance against him."


    "How did he get the Shard of Origin? Isn''t that supposed to be in the most protected ce of your n?"


    "It''s all because of a traitor. He sold us out."


    "¡­ How typical."


    Thirteen allowed Kesari to exin his side of the story until he understood the gist of it.


    Basically, one of the Ratmen Princes who didn''t think he would have a chance to rule their kind decided to steal the Shard of Origin with the help of the Goblins.


    In exchange, he would be the King of the Ratmen and rule over his people with an iron fist.


    Thirteen wasn''t surprised with this oue because it was a verymon scheme during session wars.


    "That bastard, Ranngil, betrayed our people, not caring if he were just to be a pawn of the Goblin Emperor," Kesari said hatefully. "As such, even if the Lizardmen defeat our n in battle, they would have already lost countless warriors, making them easy pickings for the Goblin Army once they advance southward."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before asking the Ratman a question that had been bothering him for a while.


    "Before that, why didn''t you attack the humans in the North?'' Thirteen inquired. "Compared to the Lizardmen, they might have been an easier opponent, no?"


    "¡­ That is true." Kesari agreed. "I don''t know what the Goblin Emperor is thinking. We are just following his orders. But there are rumors that the new King of the Humans has a good rtionship with the Goblin Emperor.


    "I can''t confirm this rumor because we already marched towards our respective battlefields, but I believe that the humans might be the mastermind behind this war. Master, I have a request. Please, try to retrieve the Shard of Origin.


    "If you can do that, the Ratmen will forever be in your debt. Also, this senseless war will alsoe to an end."


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest and pondered a bit.


    "I understand, I''ll think about it," Thirteen replied after thinking for a few minutes.


    "Thank you, Master," Kesari bowed respectfully. "As long as you are able to save my kind, I, Kesari, will serve you faithfully for all time."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because even if Kesari didn''t make such a vow, he would have no choice but to serve him faithfully for all time.


    But since he didn''t want to step on the Ratman''s sincerity and dignity, he chose to not say anything and unsummoned him for the time being.


    A secondter, he activated the Ring of Apocalypse so that he could go visit the members of his Trinity, whom he believed would be able to help him with his current situation.

 Chapter 500: Kamrusepa’s Vision

    "Fractured Heaven?" Camazotz frowned. "Where in the world is that? Kamrusepa, do you know where it is?"


    "I don''t know," Kamrusepa replied. "But wherever it is, it''s located somewhere out of our reach."


    Metatron, who was pretending to just happen to pass by the three people having a meeting, joined their conversation.


    "The Fractured Heaven is on the Western Edge of Solterra," Metatronmented. "It''s a domain that cannot be entered easily because it is cut off from the rest of the world by an enchanted wall that extends for thousands of miles."


    "An enchanted wall?" Thirteen looked at the God of the Order of the Apocalypse with a solemn expression on his face. "Why is it cut off from the rest of the world?"


    "It''s because The One had no other choice but to seal them away to prevent them from getting annihted by the Jinns who first appeared in this world," Metatron answered. "But those Jinns are different from the Jinns and Majins that inhabit Solterra now.


    "They didn''t possess a lot of intelligence, and they were more beasts than beasts. In order to confine them within one ce, The One sealed away Fractured Heaven from the World. That Fool did it not because of goodwill but because of guilt."


    Metatron spat out of disgust, but whether he intended for it to happen or not, his spitnded on Camazot''s wing, making the Death Bat have a face that was suffering from injustice.


    "If that Idiotic God sent you there, then it only means one thing," Metatron eyed Thirteen with a mischievous smirk stered on his face. "He wants you to clean up his mess for him."


    "I knew it." Thirteen facepalmed. "And here I thought that things would go smoothly this time around."


    Although Metatron didn''t say everything, the teenage boy already had a gist of what his Chain Quest was all about.


    The God of Wanderers used him as a tool to help clear difficult missions. So wherever he would be sent, great conflict would certainly follow.


    "Okay, let''s set aside the history of the Fractured Heaven for the time being," Thirteen said. "For now, do any of you have any Over Soul in your possession? I''ll borrow one. I promise to pay itter."


    Camazotz, who had been spat upon earlier, wanted to vent and to spit on Thirteen''s face due to how shameless he was.


    However, knowing that doing so might offend Metatron and Kamrusepa, he decided to not do it. Instead, he lightly nudged Thirteen''s head with his fists as a way to vent out his frustrations.


    "Do you think Over Souls grow on trees?" Camazotz asked. "Maybe it exists in the Treasury of the Apocalypse, but finding one in Solterra ispletely by chance!"


    Over Souls didn''t have a fixed appearance because they could be anything.


    It could be a rock, a gem, a tree, and an object.


    On extremely rare asions, it could even be a living thing.


    An Over Soul was something that contained immense power of life, simr to the World Tree of the Elves.


    Only those who knew how to tap into this nearly inexhaustible energy source would be able to put it to good use.


    "Why do you need it?" Metatron asked. "Oh, just in case you didn''t know, Over Souls are only avable in the Sixth Layer of the Treasury. Right now, only Kamrusepa can exchange for it. Unfortunately, she had already exchanged for something else a week ago, so her quota is already used up."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit. Frankly, he wasn''t expecting that Camazotz and Kamrusepa would conveniently have an Over Soul in their possession.


    Even if they did, there was a high chance that they would have already used it for their own gains.


    "¡­ Metatron, can I borrow Zed for this mission?" Thirteen asked as he nced at the Rank 8 Roc, who had taken a demi-human form.


    "Hahaha¡­ of course not," Metatron smirked. "Don''t use shortcuts, Thirteen. I know what you''re thinking."


    Thirteen sighed because if he could only borrow Zed or Evuvug from Metatron, he wouldn''t have to worry about the Goblin Emperor or anyone in Fractured Heaven.


    He knew full well that Metatron wouldn''t allow him to borrow Evuvug, so he settled for Zed.


    But even that was rejected by the God of the Order of the Apocalypse, making him have no choice but to look at the members of the Trinity he was a part of.


    "Then, can you let me borrow something that can detect the power of a Shard of Origin?" Thirteen asked. "I need to find it so that I can go back home faster."


    Camazotz and Kamrusepa both shook their heads because they didn''t have something as convenient as that.


    "Can''t you just ignore those Ratmen and Lizardmen?" Camazotz inquired. "They''re not even part of your mission. If you really wish for it, I''m sure you can brute force your way to your destination using that Magma-Balboa that follows you around."


    "As much as possible, I don''t want to always rely on Rocky. It will make me rusty," Thirteen replied. "Besides, there is someone waiting for me at the end of this mission, and I need to face that someone alone."


    The teenage boy believed that the prophecy that was passed to him by Taiga''s sister woulde true.


    If he would be forced to fight to the death with the Second Person he hated the most, then he would need all the training he could get before that fateful day arrived.


    Asking Rocky for help in order to end the battle between Drazzat''s forces and the Ratmen was a special case.


    Thirteen deemed that it was the most effective choice to save time, and manpower with the least sacrifices made.


    "Thirteen, while I may not be able to help you with your current mission, I will tell you a vision that I sawst night," Kamrusepa said with a smile. "Of course, I''m not a True Seer or a Prophet, but I have a feeling that this vision wille to pass."


    "What vision?" Thirteen inquired.


    "You will meet someone that you hate in your destination," Kamrusepa answered, which made Thirteenugh.


    He would indeed meet someone he hated at his destination. This information wasn''t something new to him.


    "Tell me something I don''t already know," Thirteen said with a smile.


    "Oh?" Kamrusepa arched an eyebrow. "Do you already know that person''s identity?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Of course, I know. It''s an old, sh*tty, senile, and disgusting old man, right?"


    Kamrusepa blinked once then twice before tilting her head to the side. "It''s not an old man, but a teenage girl. She''s someone you hate the most."


    "Teenage girl? Not an old man? Are you sure about this?"


    "Yes. In the vision I saw, you will meet a teenage girl."


    This time, it was Thirteen''s turn to tilt his head in confusion.


    The only "girl" whom he hated was the Goddess of Fate, but he was certain that she was not a teenage girl.


    In other words, he would meet someone he hated, but even he didn''t know their identity.


    "Can you give me a clue?" Thirteen inquired lookingpletely dumbfounded. "Like, what does she look like?"


    Kamrusepa covered her lips and giggled because she found Thirteen''s current expression quite funny.


    "A youngdy who is as beautiful as a painting," Kamrusepa replied. "That is all that I can tell you."


    "That''s it?" Thirteen frowned. "Are you talking about my sisters? Is it Shasha?"


    "Of course not," Kamrusepa shook her head. "But one thing is certain¡ªyou will meet her whether you want it or not."


    Thirteen''s frown deepened because this was something that he didn''t want to think of right now.


    He was already busy preparing for the battle with the Second Person whom he hated the most, and yet, another Hated Person would appear, and this time, it was a girl.


    Thirteen only interacted with a few girls in his life, and he believed that he didn''t "hate" any of them.


    ''Well, it''s no use to think about this for now,'' Thirteen thought. ''I''ll just deal with it when the timees.''


    Thirteen wasn''t too worried about Kamrusepa''s vision, but he made sure to take note of it.


    Since he didn''t manage to get any help from the Order of the Apocalypse, he decided to return to Solterra and implement a roundabout strategy to get what he wanted.

 Chapter 501: Boss, I Don’t Want You Croaking On Me Anytime Soon

    Contrary to most of the Wanderers who had fallen asleep after the victory celebration, Thirteen was still wide awake, gazing at the campfire with a solemn expression on his face.


    Kamrusepa''s words confused him. He initially believed that the one whom he would be facing in one of his missions was none other than his Father, Deus Ex Machina.


    ''A girl?'' Thirteen thought. ''I hate the Goddess of Fate the most, but since she''s number one, she couldn''t possibly be number two. Maybe I''m interpreting this wrongly. Maybe Kamrusepa saw someone whom she believed I hate¡­''


    After a few more moments of silence, the teenage boy sighed and shook his head.


    ''It''s no use worrying about this now,'' Thirteen closed his eyes. ''The only thing I need to worry about is how I''m going to deal with the current situation.''


    After knowing the real reason behind the war, he understood that continuing it would just lead to the ruin of both the Lizardmen and the Ratmen.


    If the Goblins were to attack after the Lizardmen had already lost the majority of their fighting force, it would be a one-sided massacre.


    The Ratmen, who had their Shard of Origin taken from them, had no choice but to listen to the orders of the Goblin Emperor if they wished for their bloodline to continue within the Fractured Heaven.


    ''Then, there''s also the humans in the North,'' Thirteen mused. ''ording to Kesari, the Goblin Emperor and the leader of the humans seemed to have formed an alliance of sorts.''


    After carefully analyzing the information he had gathered, he was starting to wonder if the attack of the Ratmen on the Western Regions, where all the Wanderers were supposed to gather, was merely a coincidence.


    ''There''s no coincidence in this world,'' Thirteen thought. ''These events were meant to happen. There''s also a reason why The One sent me to this ce.''


    As Thirteen carefully analyzed his options, someone lightly tapped on his shoulders, making him nce to his right side.


    "Can''t sleep?" Sherry asked before sitting beside Thirteen on the log. "You left during the celebration party, and right after you came back, you looked like you just heard some bad news."


    "Maybe I did," Thirteen said as he threw another log at the campfire, keeping it alive.


    "You know, sometimes, I find you annoying?" Sherrymented. "There are asions when you have that brooding look on your face as if you''re shouldering all the burdens of the world. You''re just as old as me, so stop acting like an adult."


    "¡­ You know, if I didn''t act like an adult, all of you would already be dead right now," Thirteen replied. "Do you want me to stop keeping you brats alive?"


    "On second thought, brood all you want." Sherry smirked. "I want to go home, so I can see my parents and sister again."


    "You brat."


    "I am still a brat, so you''re not wrong."


    Tiona nodded her head in agreement with Sherry''s words because she agreed that her Master and the teenage girl beside him were still brats.


    "Sherry, starting tomorrow, we might do more dangerous things," Thirteen said. "So, if you want to stay alive, make sure to stick with me and follow my instructions as if your life depended on it."


    "Understood," Sherry replied. "Make sure to rest well, Boss. I don''t want you croaking on me anytime soon."


    Thirteen couldn''t help but chuckle after hearing his right-hand woman''s words.


    "Very well, let''s sleep," Thirteen stated as he stood up. "Tomorrow will be a busy day."


    He then reached his hand out to help Sherry stand up, which the youngdy epted.


    Sherry nodded. "Okay."


    Just like the other Wanderers, that mark on her forehead had been removed by the Shaman in the Lizardmen Camp.


    In a way, the Wanderers had now regained their freedom and were treated as equals by the Varesti Tribe.


    As the two teenagers returned to their wagon, where the two of them slept together, Drazzat looked at them in the distance with an amused look on his face.


    He was very thankful for Thirteen''s help. Thanks to the teenage boy, his men had survived the battle he thought was unwinnable.


    But something was bothering him.


    When Zion returned to the camp, he told Drazzat that he would talk to him and his subordinates about a very important matter.


    The Commander of the Lizardmen thought that the teenage boy would once again ask them to keep his secret, despite Drazzat and his subordinates making a warrior''s oath that they would not divulge his secret to the other Wanderers.


    ''I wonder what we''re going to talk about tomorrow,'' Drazzat thought.


    Unlike before, he now understood why Sharroc treated Zion as if he was a very important person instead of a mere helper.


    With the forces under the teenage boy''smand, even his own army wouldn''t stand a chance of winning against him.


    ''It''s a good thing that he''s on our side,'' Drazzat mused.


    The mere thought of having the human boy as his enemy was enough to send shivers running down his spine.


    The Lizardmen Commander even thanked his lucky stars that Zion had been sent to their camp to assist them in their battle against their enemies.


    The next day¡­


    Thirteen, Sherry, Sean, and the other members of the Cygni Faction all sat in on the meeting, with Drazzat and his subordinates.


    "What I''m about to tell all of you might be hard to believe, but I promise you every word that I''ll say today is true," Thirteen said. "I''ll now tell you the real reason why the Ratmen waged a war against the Lizardmen."


    Drazzat and his subordinates gazed at the teenage boy in surprise. They didn''t expect that this would be the content of their meeting.


    But secondster, they immediately gave him their full attention.


    Even they, who frequently shed with the Ratmen, didn''t expect that thetter would suddenly wage an all-out war against them without stating a reason.


    Even though they had interrogated several Ratmen they had captured, none of them budged and disclosed the real reason why they were fighting against each other.


    This was why they gave Thirteen their undivided attention.


    The young man held the answer to the question that had remained unanswered since the bloody war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen started, and all of them wanted to know the real reason behind this war.

 Chapter 502: People That He Could Trust

    The more Thirteen talked, the more silent the Lizardmen became.


    Even the Wanderers, whom he had asked to listen to the meeting, were surprised to find out the real reason why this war started.


    "Did Kesari tell that to you?" Drazzat asked.


    "That''s right," Thirteen replied.


    "Is there a chance he''s lying?"


    "There''s no way he can lie to me, so you can trust this information.


    Drazzat had seen Kesari tied up inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress. At that time, Thirteen only said that he would be the one responsible for interrogating his captive.


    As someone who had led their tribe to victory, Drazzat and his subordinates didn''t question nor challenge the teenage boy''s rights to deal with the Ratman Commander at his discretion.


    "If what you said is true, then we are merely being yed by the Humans and the Goblins," Drazzat clenched his fists in anger. "As long as the Ratmen seeded in weakening our forces, it wouldn''t matter who won the war in the end. It will be the same when the Goblins march westward to give us the finishing blow."


    The Shaman, who served as Drazzat''s right-hand man, sighed deeply.


    "Now I understand why they refuse to answer our questions," the Shaman, who goes by the name, Tanil, said. "The Goblin Emperor might have bound them with the power of Origin Shard to not disclose any information about them. Everything makes sense now."


    The Ratmen were stubborn, but they weren''t that stubborn.


    Although they wouldn''t answer questions right away when they were being interrogated, they would still fold in the end after reaching their limit.


    But this time around, none of the interrogators of the Lizardmen managed to seed in prying the answer from their tight lips.


    The Ratmen would even choose tomit suicide rather than answer the Lizardmen''s questions.


    "What should we do now?" Drazzat asked Thirteen. "Even if we tell this to the other Chieftains, the Ratmen will continue to attack us. After all, they cannot disobey the orders of the Goblin Emperor. Whether we like it or not, there is no stopping this war."


    "You''re right," Thirteen replied. "There is no stopping this war unless the Shard of Origin is returned to the Ratmen."


    "The only way to return the Shard of Origin to the Ratmen is by stealing it from the Goblin Emperor," Drazzat stated. "You don''t mean¡­"


    "Exactly," Thirteen replied. "We need to deal with the source of the problem before the Lizardmen and the Ratmen are left with no warriors to defend their own people."


    "Madness!" Tanil gasped. "Are you crazy? That''s a Rank 8 Sovereign! You can''t possibly¡­"


    Tanil narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the teenage boy who was looking at him calmly.


    Although Zion had many strong monsters who were loyal to him, that didn''t mean that they had a chance in fighting against the Goblin Emperor.


    However, if fighting the Rank 8 Sovereign wasn''t the main goal but only stealing the Shard of Origin, then the possibility existed.


    "Crazy," Drazzat muttered. "Are all humans like you crazy?"


    "No," Sherry replied before her Boss could reply. "Zion is just built differently. You can consider him as a special existence even among humans."


    Thirteen nced at his right-hand girl before shifting his gaze back at the Lizardmen Commander, who had a troubled look on his face.


    "Do you need us to do something?" Drazzat asked. "Anything?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "I want you to take care of my people for the time being. Sherry and I will deal with the Origin Shard."


    "We will?" Sherry blinked in confusion.


    "We will." Thirteen nodded.


    "¡­Can I decline?"


    "No."


    Sean, who felt like he was being abandoned, immediately spoke his thoughts.


    "Are you going to face that Goblin Emperor with only Sherry apanying you?" Sean asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "Then take me with you," Sean insisted. "I can help."


    "No," Thirteen stated. "You have another job, and that is to assist the Great Sorceress Erica to keep the other Wanderers safe."


    "Great Sorceress Erica?" Sean frowned. "Are you talking about the Sorceress of the Hero Party? That Erica?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "The one and only Erica."


    Sean and the other members of the Cygni Faction looked at the teenage boy with doubtful looks on their faces.


    "She''s here?!" Heidi, who was a big fan of Erica, nearly squealed in excitement.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I will guide them back here in the camp after this meeting ends. Together, she and the Varesti Tribe will go to the other battlefields and ry the truth of this war to the other Great Chieftains.


    "After that, you must force the Ratmen to agree to a ceasefire agreement by telling them that you know the reason why this war started. Although it will be hard to convince them, you must dy this war as long as possible."


    "T-This¡­" Drazzat didn''t know if the other Chieftains would believe his story. "Then can you surrender Kesari to us so that the other Great Chieftains can personally listen to his confession?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "I can''t. I will need Kesari''s help to navigate across the Ratmen''s territory and find the location of the Shard of Origin. You need to convince the other Chieftains with your own influence.


    "If you really can''t convince them, you can help drive away the Ratmen on the other battlefields to force them to retreat for a time. If you are unable to make them retreat then use other tactics. For example, making a Forest Fire."


    Drazzat and Tanil nced at each other because they knew that Zion was being serious.


    He had already done this in the past, so they knew the consequences of their actions.


    "I know that it''s hard to digest, so I''ll go pick up my otherrades that are hiding in this region," Thirteen said. "You can give me your decision when I return. But remember this¡ªturning a blind eye to the truth will not solve the problem.


    "Only when the Lizardmen and the Ratmen came to apromise would we be able to put a stop to this war, with both your fighting force intact."


    Thirteen scanned the faces of the Lizardmen who were all looking at him and sighed.


    "There is a chance that you guys will not only be fighting Goblins soon. Maybe the Human Kingdom in the north will finally make their move when they realize that their n isn''t moving in the direction they intend it to be."


    After saying those words, Thirteen left the camp with the members of the Cygni Faction.


    All of them wanted to see for themselves if Zion was telling the truth or not about Erica being in the same region as them.


    Half an hourter, they arrived at the camp of the Sorceress of the Hero Party, which made Heidi ecstatic.


    Erica, who was already expecting their arrival after Tiona''s clone informed them beforehand, made a gesture for Thirteen toe closer to him.


    "We need to talk," Erica said. "Now."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    During their journey, he briefed Erica about their current situation, making the Sorceress understand the gist of the current situation.


    When the two were finally alone, Erica crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.


    "Take me with you," Erica stated.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "You need to lead the Wanderers to safety."


    "Don''t worry about that." Erica shook her head. "David will lead them in my stead. He has good leadership qualities, and the Apostles also listen to him."


    "But he''s not you," Thirteenmented. "Some of the Wanderers in my team are the Scions of the Cygni Faction. They are proud and arrogant. They will not allow any ordinary person tomand them."


    "Then why are you taking that girl, Sherry, with you?" Erica arched an eyebrow. "Can''t she lead them instead? Isn''t she your second inmand?"


    "Erica, listen to me," Thirteen said softly. "There are only two people that I can trust at the moment. You and Sherry. I will need Sherry''s help in my infiltration mission. If you stay here with the other Wanderers, I will be able to fight without worry because I will be sure that they are in good hands."


    "I can help you too, you know?" Erica insisted. "Whatever help she can give you, I can do it better."


    "You''re being stubborn, Erica."


    "Hmph! I''m only doing this because Sister Rianna, Vi, Sharon, and Louise asked me to help you if I ever see you in Solterra. Since I made a promise, I cannot let you go behind enemy lines on your own."


    "But I''m with Sherry?" Thirteen tried to reason with the stubborn sorceress.


    Erica scoffed. "What can a sniveling Wanderer, who isn''t even a Rookie, do that I can''t? Or are you saying that I am notpetent enough to apany you on this mission?"


    "You know that''s not it, Erica." Thirteen scratched his head because he didn''t expect that Erica would be this stubborn.


    The real reason why he didn''t want Erica to apany him is because the fewer people that knew about Rocky and the others, the better.


    However, seeing that she might do something reckless if he suddenly left without telling her, he knew that he would have topromise.


    "Fine, you cane with me," Thirteen relented. "But you will listen to my orders, okay?''


    A sweet smile appeared on Erica''s face before lightly patting her chest. "Of course. With me around, nothing bad will happen to you!"


    "I sure hope so," Thirteen looked unconvinced, but since he already gave his word that Erica could apany him, he had no choice but to follow through with it.


    After a short discussion, the Wanderers agreed to merge with the other Wanderer Team that was waiting in the Lizardmen Tribe.


    As for who would be their temporary leader, Thirteen decided to temporarily ce them under Sean''smand.


    Since he was a member of the Monarch n, people would ept him as their leader no matter how reluctant they were about it.


    Although his leadership skills were stillcking, Thirteen believed that Sean had what it takes to be the temporary leader of the Wanderers while he was away.


    Having Erica on his side would make things more convenient for him. Her firepower was something that woulde in handy when dealing with dangerous situations.


    Truth be told, after experiencing the exhrating battles with Zion¡ªSean, Heidi, and their subordinates wished to follow him instead.


    But this was where Thirteen put his foot, and firmly said no.


    Erica and Sherry were still people he could trust, but the Cygni Faction was another thing.


    They were born with a golden spoon on their lips, and their loyaltyy in their families.


    If they found out that Thirteen couldmand monsters that were far higher than his current Rank, they would certainly report it to their families, which would cause unnecessary troubles for him in the future.

 Chapter 503: Only Chads Know This Feeling [Part 1]

    "Do you think the Ratmen will listen to this suggestion?" Drazzat asked.


    "That will depend on your persuasion skills," Thirteen replied. "Kesari told me that the Leader of the Ratmen is facing off against the Mainforce of the Lizardmen. At his side, there are four Goblin Shamans who report to the Goblin Emperor in real time.


    "If you and the other Ratmen coulde to an agreement, it will buy us some time to get their Origin Shard. So do your best to convince them."


    Drazzat sighed. "How long will it take you to get their Origin Shard?"


    "Maybe a month," Thirteen answered. "The Goblin Emperor will always have the Shard in a well-protected ce, so it will take some time to find it. However, once I secure it, the Ratmen will immediately stop fighting, so do your best to buy me some time."


    The distance between the West to the East of Fractured Heaven was long, so Thirteen needed at least a month to aplish his mission.


    He understood that he had given Drazzat a difficult mission, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    As long as the Ratmen''s advance was stalled, fewer sacrifices would be made. If what he was thinking was right, then he would need both the Lizardmen and the Ratmen to join hands in order to fight a bigger war over the horizon.


    Drazzat nodded. "I''ll do my best, but I can''t promise anything."


    "Make sure to keep my people safe." Thirteen reached out to shake hands with the Lizardmen Commander.


    "You are the most demanding human I''ve evere across, Zion." Drazzat shook his head helplessly before taking the teenage boy''s hand. "May the Goddess of the Rivers and Lake watch over you."


    The teenage boy then bid his goodbye and left the camp with Sherry and Erica.


    He mounted the de Panther, followed by Sherry who sat behind him, with Erica and cky trailing behind them.


    Once he was certain that he was no longer within sight of the Lizardmen, he dismounted and asked the two girls to do the same.


    "The reason why I took the two of you toe with me is because I trust you," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "I just hope that my trust isn''t misguided."


    "Of course, you can trust me, Zion." Erica patted her chest. "I''m technically one of your disciples, right?"


    The Sorceress then nced at Sherry, who was standing beside the teenage boy.


    "But can you trust her?" Erica inquired as she pointed at Sherry.


    "I trust her just as much as I trust you," Thirteen replied. "I believe that the two of you will not betray me."


    "Rest assured," Sherrymented. "I will not betray you, Zion."


    The teenage boy smiled faintly before snapping his fingers.


    A momentter, something rose from behind him, which made Erica and Sherry take a step back in surprise.


    The de Panther immediately took a defensive stance to protect Sherry despite the fact that it was facing a monster with a rank higher than it.


    "Rx, Mors," Thirteen said. "This is my friend, Rocky."


    The Magma Bal-Boa nodded its head as if confirming that the teenage boy''s words were true.


    "R-Rank 7 Sovereign," Erica muttered. "Is he really your friend?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "I met him a while ago and fed him some rocks. We hit it off, and now we''re good friends."


    The two girls gave Thirteen the "do you really think that we''ll believe you?" gaze, but he only smirked at their dumbfounded reactions.


    "Okay. I know that both of you have a lot of questions, but we can''t stay here." Thirteen then made a gesture for Rocky to open his mouth. "Let''s go inside to talk."


    He then walked into the Magma Bal-Boa''s mouth and disappearedpletely.


    Erica and Sherry stared at the ce where Zion disappeared before ncing at each other.


    "Ladies first," Erica said with a smile.


    "We''re bothdies," Sherry replied. "You go first, Auntie."


    "¡­ Did you just call me Auntie?"


    "Yes, Auntie. Is there a problem?"


    "Why you!" Erica was about to give Sherry a piece of her mind.


    But Rocky, seeing that the two girls had no intention of getting eaten peacefully, decided to just swallow both of them whole.


    The two girls screamed at the same time as they fell into the darkness.


    But, a secondter, they found themselves sitting on solid ground, which surprised them.


    "W-Where?" Erica nced at her surroundings because he thought that she would find herself inside the Magma Bal-Boa''s stomach.


    However, the scenery around her reminded her of akeside that she had seen back in Pangea.


    "This is?" Sherry, who was just as surprised as Erica, looked around and saw Zion standing several meters behind her, being hugged by a skunk-like monster that was at least three meters tall.


    "Yes, I miss you too, Giga," Thirteen said. "Have you been well?"


    Giga made skunk-like noises, which the boy replied to.


    The twodies then noticed two Ogres who were busy roasting a few boars over a campfire while chatting with some Trolls.


    A nce was enough to make the two teenagers understand that the monsters around them were very strong monsters.


    "Oh, the two of you are finally here," Thirteen said. "Come, let me introduce you girls to my friends. This is Giga, a ze Skunk."


    Giga then raised his ws and waved at the two girls, making the two reluctantly wave back at him.


    "This is O1 and O2," Thirteen stated. "If you can''t tell them apart, just look at the armband they are wearing on their right arm. As you can see, they have their numbers ced there."


    As if making sure that the two girls see them, the two Ogres turned to the side and showed the armbands that signified their names.


    "Likewise, this is T1," Thirteen said as he patted the leader of the Trolls. "He is a Troll Warlord and the leader of all the other Trolls. Don''t worry, they won''t be trolling you girls anytime soon."


    The other Trolls gave the girls a bow, which the two girls reciprocated as well.


    Although they were still trying toprehend their current situation, they at least understood that the Monsters with Zion weren''t hostile toward them.


    ''So he still has this kind of secret,'' Erica thought. ''I wonder if Shana knew about this?''


    Erica had seen how close the two were, but she could instinctively tell that Thirteen didn''t look at the Saintess the way Rnd looked at Shana.

 Chapter 504: Only Chads Know This Feeling [Part 2]

    "Are they your friends too?" Erica asked. "Did you feed them meat just like what you did with cky?"


    "Yeah," Thirteen replied. "We hit it off right away."


    The Trolls all averted their gaze, knowing full well they didn''t "hit it off right away" with their Master.


    But since it was all in the past, they no longer wished to dwell on it anymore. Besides, they were now very satisfied with serving their Master because he treated them very well.


    "First things first, I''m sure you''re dying to know where this ce is, right?" Thirteen asked. "To put it simply, we are inside a special dimension inside Rocky, which is called Mobile Fortress.


    "It is a separate dimension where living beings can stay. Since our mission is to travel to the Goblin Lands, we will travel deep underground where it''s safe, bypassing the many checkpoints of the Ratmen Armies. Do both of you follow me so far?"


    Erica and Sherry nodded at the same time.


    "Our goal is not to fight the Goblin Emperor," Thirteen said. "But that doesn''t mean that we won''t need to fight. I''m not doing this for charity. I''m not a noble person. We will pick our battles, loot our enemies, and then run away until we find the Shard of Origin. Any questions so far?"


    "Can we just take the Shard of Origin and leave as fast as possible?" Erica asked.


    "We could," Thirteen replied. "But we won''t. Like I said, I''m not doing this for charity. The reason why I brought the two of you here is tond the killing blow to our enemies. Since I can''t gain skills, items, or avatars, the two of you will be farming items for me."


    Sherry, who was already used to this setup, nodded in understanding.


    Most of the items she possessed, including her de Panther Avatar, were acquired through this method.


    "So¡­ we''re only going there for the loot?" Erica, who finally understood why the teenage boy needed to bring someone with him, scratched her head.


    "Right." Thirteen smirked. "Are you ready to get rich, Erica? We split the loots 30/30/40. The two of you get 30, I get 40 percent. Sounds fair, right?"


    Erica didn''t answer right away. Instead, she nced at Sherry, who simply nodded her head as if this was a normal urrence.


    "Does Sis Rianna and Shana know about this?" Erica inquired.


    Thirteen shook his head. "No. Only you know about this secret, Erica."


    Hearing the teenage boy''s answer, a faint smile appeared on the youngdy''s face.


    "Very well. I''ll keep this as our secret." Erica gave the teenage boy a thumbs up. "You''re in good hands, Zion."


    For some reason, the fact that she knew something that Shana didn''t know made her happy. She couldn''t understand this feeling of superiority.


    But since she felt that the teenage boy was starting to open up and trust her, she believed that the two of them would be very close friends.


    ''We might even be best friends!'' Erica mused, unable to hide the smile on her face.


    Thirteen returned Erica''s smile with a smile of his own. If only he knew what she was thinking, he would probably think that she had no friends in her life and view her pitifully.


    "But if you only need someone tond the killing blow, then why do you need to bring her?" Erica, who suddenly remembered something, pointed at Sherry. "I think I''m enough for this mission."


    The Sorceress still hadn''t forgiven the younger girl for calling her an Auntie.


    "Looks like Auntie is carrying a grudge," Sherry chuckled. "Bitter much?"


    The two girls then red at each other as if they were two cats, who were about to enter a catfight.


    For a brief moment, Thirteen thought he saw sparks flying out of their eyes, making him scratch his head.


    Giga, who seemed to know what was going on, lightly patted Thirteen''s shoulder and nodded like a wise sage.


    "What''s gotten into you?" Thirteen, who found Giga''s action funny, asked.


    "You''ll understand when you''re older," Giga replied. "Only Chads know this feeling."


    An hourter, the two youngdies no longer felt anxious, casually conversing with the monsters inside the Mobile Fortress.


    During their stay in Pangea, Thirteen made sure that the Trolls knew how to speak theirnguage by giving them some Gold-Grade Language skills.


    In fact, they were so fluent that Erica and Sherry thought that they were talking to humans instead of monsters.


    The Sorceress even thought that Thirteen was just pranking them and that there were really humans inside the monsters¡ªlike those mascots in theme parks.


    But after confirming that they were real, Erica asked T1 to tell her more about Zion, as well as the embarrassing things that the Troll Warlord knew about his Master.


    T1 obliged, and the two could be seen whispering at each other while giving the teenage boy sidelong nces.


    ''Fortunately, I took Gwenn back to the Order of the Apocalypse,'' Thirteen thought. ''If they saw him, I''m sure the two of them would freak out.''


    He was certain that Erica and Sherry could still ept seeing Ogres and Trolls working for Zion.


    But a Brain Beetle was a different matter.


    Even if the two girls respected and trusted him, the moment they saw the Brain Beetle, they would feel like their freedom would be in danger.


    Because of this, Thirteen would only summon Gwenn when Erica, Sherry, and he were doing missions outside of Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Some secrets were better left unsaid, especially when morality hung in the bnce.


    After traveling for several days, Rocky finally reached the main territory of the Ratmen.


    Kesari, who was hiding somewhere inside the mobile fortress, was sharing his senses with Tiona''s clone, allowing them to know the general direction where they needed to go.


    Their travels were smooth and rtively peaceful.


    Their mission''s difficulty was nowhere near the hardships that Drazzat was currently facing as he tried to convince the Great Chieftains to have a dialogue with the Ratmen, who were slowly but surely advancing deep within their territories.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: Suffering from high blood pressure right now. So no Wizard World Irregr Chapters.

 Chapter 505: Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time

    "Are you sure this information is true, Drazzat?" the Great Chieftain of the Mawano Tribe, Vasjirr, asked.


    "Yes," Drazzat replied.


    "And those humans with you, are you telling me that you''ve recognized them as your tribe''s benefactors?" Vasjirr inquired.


    "They are," Drazzat answered.


    "Hah¡­ but I still can''t believe it," Vasjirr shook his head. "Do you have any other proof aside from the words of a human boy and the Commander of the Ratmen that you have captured? They might just be lying, you know?"


    "I swear upon my position as the Great Chieftain of the Varesti Tribe that everything I said is true," Drazzat dered, making Vasjirr frown.


    "That''s an oath you must not take lightly," Vasjirr stated. "Especially since you''re not currently the Great Chieftain, but the Commander of your tribe."


    The Lizardmen had a tradition that whenever the Great Chieftain personally went to war, they would appoint a substitute Great Chieftain to manage the tribe while they were away.


    This was to ensure that if they ever fell in battle or were captured by the enemy, they would not be able to be used as hostage, preventing the Tribe from falling into chaos.


    Drazzat had chosen Vaess as the temporary Great Chieftain of the Varesti Tribe while he was away. So, technically, he was no longer the Great Chieftain of his tribe.


    But of course, this was just a formality.


    In Vasjirr''s eyes, Drazzat was a true Great Chieftain.


    Because unlike him, who decided to stay and manage his tribe while a war was being waged on his doorstep, Drazzat stepped up and led his people to battle, befitting a true Lizardmen Warrior.


    "All I ask is that you give me a chance to talk to the Ratmen who are fighting against your people," Drazzat stated. "If it doesn''t work, then you will have nothing to lose."


    Vasjirr pondered a bit before ncing at the Apostle who had apanied Drazzat to the meeting with him.


    The human''s name was David, and he was the temporary leader of the humans who were fighting alongside the Varesti Tribe.


    "Fine." Vasjirr nodded. "I will give you an opportunity. I will prepare a decree so that the Commander of my Army will cooperate with you."


    "Good!" Drazzat smirked. "Now we''re talking."


    Vasjirr made a gesture, and his aide gave him a scroll.


    The Great Chieftain of the Mawano Tribe spoke directly to the scroll as if imprinting his voice to it as a form of audio message.


    "Take it," Vasjirr handed the scroll to his Aide, who passed it to Drazzat. "I just hope that your trust isn''t misced, Drazzat."


    "I hope so too," Drazzat replied. "For both of our sakes."


    After getting what he came for, Drazzat and David left the Great Hall of the Mawano Tribe and returned to their temporary camp, which they set up a mile away from the Mawano Tribe''s City.


    There were certain rules that must be followed, including the rule that no army belonging to another Tribe may enter the city of another Tribe, especially since most of their warriors had headed to war.


    "I''m sorry, but tomorrow at first light, we will once again start to travel," Drazzat said to David, who was riding a Wolf Avatar beside him.


    "You don''t have to worry about us, Commander," David replied. "This is the perfect training for those First Timers."


    "Why do you call the younger ones First Timers?" Drazzat inquired with great curiosity.


    "Because this is their first time experiencing something like this," David answered. "That''s why I call them First Timers."


    "Is this their first time going to war?"


    "Something like that."


    David couldn''t possibly tell the Lizardman that the younger teenagers who were part of their group were undergoing their First Wandering.


    It was a time when they would change from being normal teenagers to teenagers who had faced and overcame challenges that even adults would find difficult to aplish.


    ''It would have been better if Erica stayed behind,'' David grumbled. ''These kids, especially those from the Cygni Faction, are hard to control.''


    Although he was an Apostle and was stronger than the members of the Cygni Faction, their influence was greater than his.


    Because of this, he couldn''t directly give them orders unlike the rest, who recognized him as their temporary leader.


    Since he really couldn''t be bothered to create conflict within their group, he allowed Sean to manage his own people.


    This was also the advice that Thirteen had given him before he left with Erica to find the Shard of Origin that belonged to the Ratmen.


    ''I wonder what she''s doing right now,'' David thought. ''Maybe she''s busy protecting Zion since he is just a Rookie.''


    David thought that Zion Leventis decided to take Erica with him to serve as his bodyguard, and for a while, he thought of him as lucky because he was in good hands.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Southwestern Region of the Fractured Heaven¡­


    "Zion you bastard! What do you think you are doing?! Why did you leave me here?!" Erica shouted in anger as she shot Magic Bullets left and right because she was currently surrounded by dozens of Rank 2 Goblins.


    Earlier, Thirteen said that she should just stay in this particr location and stand guard while he infiltrated the Goblin Camp with Sherry.


    However, to her surprise, all the Goblins suddenly came swarming out of their camp and charged at her hiding ce.


    Left with no choice, Erica started to cast Magic Bullets left and right to kill one of the Monsters that female Wanderers hated the most.


    For some reason, her Guardian, cky, also disappeared before the Gobilns attacked, leaving her to fend them off on her own.


    While this was happening, Thirteen was munching on an apple while seated on a tree branch with Sherry.


    "You''re very evil, you know that?" Sherry said.


    "I know," Thirteen replied before taking another bite of the apple in his hand. "But this is for her own good. She needs to get used to being mobbed by monsters if she wants to survive this mission."


    Sherry shuddered subconsciously because she had a feeling that she would be tossed into a simr scenario very soon.


    Although she liked to call Erica "Auntie," that didn''t mean that she disliked thetter.


    She was just a bit jealous because Zion could talk casually to her without treating her like someone older than him.


    In fact, during the past few days they were together, she noticed that Erica would sometimes treat Zion like that of a little brother.


    But at times, this rtionship would be reversed, with Zion being the older brother and Erica the little sister¡ªthe kind who was in her rebellious phase.


    She even thought that it might be nice if Zion treated her the same way. The closeness that he and Erica have for each other were more than friends, but less like lovers.


    "You''re not going to do that to me, right?" Sherry asked.


    "¡­ Nah," Thirteen replied.


    "Why was there a pause before you answered?"


    "It''s just your imagination."


    Half an hourter, Erica panted for breath while leaning on a tree.


    All the Goblins around her were dead, but deep inside, she also felt like dying due to how exhausted she was.


    She had experienced this same feeling of exhaustion when she was still with the Hero Party.


    However, the reason for that was due to her casting her strongest spells, which would leave her drained of all strength afterward.


    This was different.


    If she had faced these many Goblins before she had been trained by Zion, things would have ended differently with her being captured by these foul beasts and suffering a fate worse than death.


    While she was thinking of a hundred ways how to beat the crap out of the teenage boy who had disappeared out of nowhere, she heard a pping sound behind her.


    "Good job, Erica." Thirteen said while pping. "It seems that your title as the Great Sorceress Erica is not just for show."


    "Zion, don''t let me catch you!" Erica growled. "I''ll spank youter!"


    "Can you?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Be careful¡ªyou might be the one getting spanked instead."


    "Tsk!" Erica clicked her tongue knowing that the possibility of that happening was quite high.


    Despite her rank being higher than the teenage boy in front of her, she didn''t have the confidence to win if they really fought a one-on-one battle.


    "So, did you get good loots?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "You did, right? After all, I sent you all the Goblins in this camp."


    "You f*cker!" Erica cursed.


    "Girl, you''re talking to a minor," Thirteen said as he walked closer to the spent Sorceress, who could no longer cast even a single spell. "Can you stop cursing?"


    "F*ck you!"


    "Don''t threaten me with a good time."


    Sherry watched this yful banter while sighing in her heart.


    She then shifted her attention to the dead Goblins around them and wondered if there woulde a time when she could do the same thing, without relying on the teenage boy who seemed to have everything under his control.

 Chapter 506: It’s Time For The Two Of You To Become Goblin Slayers

    "You even have a Rank 2 Goblin Avatar now. Very nice," Thirteen said.


    "I don''t want it," Erica frowned. "You can have it if you want."


    "Did you forget? I can''t use Avatars."


    "Then I''ll just give it to Sherry. She needs it more than I do."


    "Thanks for the offer, Auntie, but I''ll pass."


    Thirteen proceeded to ask Erica if she got any decent items from the Goblins.


    But since the Goblins were much weaker than her, she only managed to get two loots from killing them, and one of them was a Rank 2 Goblin Avatar.


    The other loot she gained was a short sword called Green sher, which was very effective when fighting against Goblins.


    Although Sherry refused the offer earlier, Thirteen told her to ept the Goblin Avatar, as well as the short sword that was effective against Goblins.


    "To maximize our loot, Sherry, all Rank 2 Monsters and below that we wille across will be handled by you," Thirteen said. "Erica, all Rank 3 Monsters and above will be your prey. I will help the two of you weaken them so that you can go for thest hit."


    "I have a question. Shouldn''t we just head straight to the Goblin Territory and look for the Shard of Origin?" Sherry asked. "Why do we have to waste time in killing these Goblins who are camped in the Ratmen Territories?"


    "Good question," Thirteen replied. "The answer is that we need a diversion."


    "A diversion?" Erica frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Thirteen smirked before exining his strategy.


    "Right now, Drazzat should be busy trying to dy the war for as long as possible," Thirteen exined. "But the Goblins will get in the way and force them to fight until thest man. However, what do you think will happen if an unknown group is attacking the Goblin Camps within the territory of the Ratmen?"


    "Wouldn''t they just me the Ratmen?" Erica asked back.


    Thirteen shook his head. "That''s impossible to happen. The Ratmen are currently under a restriction preventing them from attacking any Goblin even if they want to tear them to shreds. Since the Ratmen are incapable of such ughter, then what will the Goblin Emperor think?"


    The twodies pondered for a bit before giving their answers.


    "They might think that the Lizardmen have infiltrated the Ratmen territory, discovered their camps, and decided to kill all Goblins in sight," Sherry said.


    "With this, the Ratmen might be forced to retreat to hunt down the Lizardmen that have infiltrated deep within their territories, making them leave the front lines."


    Thirteen nodded. "This is my n B just in case Drazzat failed to convince the other Great Chieftains of the Lizardmen.


    "Even the Goblin Emperor will not be able to sit still when his own forces are being annihted by unknown assants. No matter how fast Goblins reproduce, it will take more than a month to create strong Goblin Warriors."


    "But wouldn''t this make the Goblin Emperor raise his guard and hide the Shard of Origin in a ce difficult to infiltrate?" Sherry asked in a worried tone.


    "Nothing will change." Thirteen shook his head. "The Goblin Emperor will ce the Shard in the safest ce possible. Since it is already in the safest ce, there is no reason for him to relocate it to another ce.


    "But to a Monster who rules countless Goblins, what we are doing will simply make him wary. It will not be enough to deter him from executing his ns, especially if he has allied himself with the humans from the North."


    "So basically what you''re saying is¡­" Erica, who seemed to have understood why they were doing this, looked at Zion in disbelief.


    "Hitting three birds with one stone," Thirteen answered. "Weakening the enemy forces through a threat that they didn''t expect, bringing confusion to the Goblin Ranks, andst but not the least, umting resources in the process.


    "Ah, there is also onest thing we need to do. We will visit the Ratmen Under Cities and have Kesari talk to their n Leaders. The Ratmen will not harm those who are trying to recover their Origin Shard, so we might be able to get their assistance in finding it."


    Erica stared at Zion for nearly a minute before speaking out what was inside her head.


    "For some reason, I feel like you''re enjoying this situation, Zion," Erica said softly.


    "Enjoying the situation?" Thirteen asked. "Why do you say that?"


    "Because you''re smiling like you''re having fun," Erica said before pulling on the teenage boy''s right cheek. "Even now, you''re still grinning. Do you like being at the center of dangerous missions like this?"


    Instead of answering the Sorceress, Thirteen summoned a hand mirror from his dimensional storage and looked at his face.


    Just like what Erica said, he was indeed smiling, which caught him by surprise.


    Sherry, who had been with Zion for more than a month, hadn''t seen this side of him before in the valley.


    It made her think that the valley wasn''t dangerous enough for her "Boss" to be concerned, which might be the reason why she hadn''t seen him look like this in the past.


    After discovering that Zion had powerful monsters at his beck and call, she now understood how they came across a nearly dead de Panther, allowing her to gain her first Avatar.


    That single monster could have wiped out all the Wanderers in the Valley even if they worked together to fight it.


    ''What more secrets is he hiding from us?'' Sherry thought as she observed the teenage boy, who was currently massaging his face to remove the smile on his lips.


    Even so, knowing a little more about Zion''s secrets only made Sherry believe that she was in good hands as long as she didn''t break his trust.


    "We''ve stayed here long enough," Thirteen said, unable to keep the grin off of his face. "Let''s go. It''s time for the two of you to be Goblin yers."


    Erica and Sherry exchanged nces with each other before shaking their heads at the same time.


    They knew that Zion wasn''t joking, and they understood that by the time their mission ended, their hands would be soaked in the blood of Goblins who were unlucky enough to cross Zion''s path.

 Chapter 507: I Will Make Your Wish Come True

    The Goblin''s dying scream reverberated throughout the surroundings as Sherry pulled back the short sword she had stabbed into the monster''s heart.


    She then gave it a flick, sending the blood flying off of her sword, staining the ground beside her.


    Suddenly, the sounds of explosions reached her ears, informing her that Erica was busy dealing with the monsters that had tried to escape from the Goblin Camp.


    ''I just washed my armor earlier,'' Sherry thought as she nced at her blood-soaked leather armor. ''How long will we keep killing Goblins?''


    It had been two weeks since they had separated from the other Wanderers who had been put under Drazzat''s care.


    Their goal was to retrieve the Shard of Origin from the Goblin Emperor, which they believed was hidden in a very safe location.


    However, instead of venturing deep into Goblin Territory, they had been circling around the Ratmen''s Domain because Zion said that he was looking for someone.


    Erica and Sherry asked if he was looking for Wanderers, but he said that he wasn''t looking for humans but a Ratman.


    ''He said that he is looking for a Ratman, but all we''re doing is killing Goblins,'' Sherry sighed. ''Still, we are able to rescue a few Wanderers, so I guess this isn''t such a bad thing.''


    During their raids in the Goblin Camps, they found several teenage boys who were captured by them.


    Fortunately, the Goblins hadn''t captured any girls, which made Erica and Sherry breathe a sigh of relief.


    Perhaps "The One" showed these girls mercy and sent them to ces far away from the Goblins, saving them from a gruesome fate.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen didn''t trust them enough to allow them to enter Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Because of this, he asked cky to lead them back to the Lizardmen Territory, where Drazzat and the other Wanderers were gathering.


    Just as Sherry was thinking about these things, the sound of footsteps reached her ears.


    "Brat, are you done?" Erica asked.


    "Yes," Sherry replied. "Did no one escape, Auntie?"


    "None."


    "Good."


    As if waiting for that confirmation, Rocky emerged from the ground and opened his mouth.


    Zion then walked out of it, ncing at his surroundings as he approached them. As if satisfied with what he saw, he nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "Good job," Thirteen said. "Rest for two hours, then we will raid another Goblin Camp."


    "Ugh¡­"


    "Hah¡­"


    The two teenage girls red at their annoying Boss, who only smiled back at them.


    "Fine. Rest for four hours," Thirteen said. "After that, we raid another Goblin Camp."


    "Zion¡­ let''s just get the Shard of Origin already," Erica begged. "You said that we only have a month. Half of it has already passed, so we should hurry, right?"


    "You''re not wrong, but I still haven''t found the Ratman I''ve been looking for," Thirteen replied.


    "Who is that Ratman?" Sherry asked. "Why is he important? Can''t you just grab a random Ratman and get it over with?"


    "I can''t." Thirteen shook his head. "It has to be this particr rat."


    The two girls shared a fed-up nce with each other before crossing their arms over their chests and ring at the teenage boy at the same time.


    Thirteen was about to tell them that they should calm down for a bit. But before he could do that, he paused and looked toward the East.


    "Change of ns, Tiona found him," Thirteen said, which made the two girls wonder what he was talking about.


    "By him, do you mean that Ratman?" Erica inquired.


    "Tiona finally found him?" Sherry asked, feeling relieved that they could finally stop killing Goblins.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Let''s go."


    Rocky then swallowed the three teenagers before once again burrowing into the ground.


    Since Tiona''s Clone finally found the person whom Thirteen was looking for, they no longer wasted time and headed to his location as fast as they could.


    The reason why he didn''t go to the Goblin Emperor''s camp right away was that he needed to find a very special Ratman.


    When a certain race was facing a crisis that seemed hopeless, a special individual would appear.


    This had happened in the Valbarra Archipgo when Arundel the Destroyer had nned to conquer it.


    That person was none other than Taiga.


    If his story followed the original script, the entirety of the Valbarra Archipgo would have fallen into Arundel''s hands.


    The Tigerkin Kingdom would have been razed to the ground, and Taiga''s family killed without mercy.


    He would then hide away somewhere in the Archipgo to train, and then rise up to rally the survivors and overthrow the invaders who upied theirnd.


    This character progression would take a few years to reach maturity until Taiga became old and strong enough to fulfill his role as the Hero of his people.


    But this event didn''te to pass.


    Thirteen had thwarted Arundel''s n and made sure that Taiga and his brother, Anwir, would not fight each other to the death.


    The teenage boy had taken both the Hero and the Viin under his wing and made sure that both of them would work together, not against each other.


    Currently, the two of them were gaining strength and undergoing growth that would turn them into powerhouses.


    Despite the fact that their "role" should have been over the moment that Arundel perished, their destiny was now tied with Thirteen, and they would be his strength in the time when he needed them the most.


    A simr event was happening to the Ratmen Race.


    Because of this, a "Hero" would be born from them.


    Thirteen was searching for this hero, which he also nned to take under his wing by hook or by crook.


    Since his goal to fight Fate using her own rules was still in effect, he needed the chosen ones to help him flip over the chessboard, which he supposedly had no chance of winning on his own.


    Half a dayter, they arrived at the border between the Ratmen Under Cities and the Goblin Territory.


    Inside a cave, a Ratman was being beaten up to a pulp by several young goblins who were being trained to fight for the first time.


    Unlike his kin who usually had gray or dark fur, this particr Ratman had white fur, making him stand out among his race.


    Because of this, he was captured by the Goblins and made the training dummy of their children.


    Bloody and battered, the Ratman fell on the ground, while the Goblinsughed at his suffering.


    The Ratman then clenched his fists and red at them, but it only made the young Goblins''ughter louder.


    He knew that he couldn''t retaliate against the Goblins because he was greatly outnumbered, not to mention that his fighting ability wasn''t as good as theirs.


    Suddenly, he saw someone appear behind the Goblins, which made the Ratman''s eyes widen in shock.


    "What are youughing at? Is something funny?"


    The Goblins, who suddenly heard someone talking behind them, all turned around at the same time.


    But before they could do anything, their heads were severed from their bodies, falling into the ground and making their bodies spurt a fountain of blood.


    The Ratman watched as the Goblins who had beaten him up on a daily basis were killed right in front of his eyes.


    He looked at their headless bodies and wondered if he were dreaming.


    He couldn''t count the number of times he wished that he could kill the Goblins and end their lives with his own hands.


    But now, the wish he had was fulfilled by someone else.


    "Do you wish to be stronger?" the human boy, who had short ck hair and green eyes, asked with a smile. "If you wish to end the suffering of your people, take my hand. I will make your wishe true."


    The human boy''s words were a temptation that was very hard to resist.


    Since he was being offered the opportunity to do what he had wished to do since their race had been oppressed, only one answer escaped from his lips.


    "Yes," the Ratman reached out to hold Thirteen''s hand. "I want to be stronger. I want to kill Goblins!"


    "Good," Thirteen replied. "Wee to the team. What is your name?"


    "Ratatoskr," Ratatoskr replied. "And you are?"


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied. "Your new friend."


    The Ratman looked at the teenage boy who was looking at him with a confident smile on his face.


    For some reason, Ratatoskr felt that he might be holding the hand of a creature more terrifying than the Goblin Emperor who had taken the Shard of Origin, holding his entire race hostage.


    But for now, thoughts of vengeance swirled inside his head.


    He stopped caring even if he was holding the hands of a devil, as long as he could grant him his wish.


    And that was none other than to kill the Goblins and take back the Shard of Origin to its rightful ce.

 Chapter 508: The Path Of Evolution [Part 1]

    Ratatoskr, who had just been saved by Thirteen, was immediately brought into Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    At first, the Ratman was surprised to find himself in a special domain inside a monster.


    There, he found other monsters, who were incredibly strong and felt intimidated by them.


    Of course, in order to make the White Ratman less anxious, Giga did his best to treat his Master''s new ve¡ªerrr, guest like a pal.


    It only took two hours before Ratatoskr finally calmed down and admired the helpers who hade to the Ratmen''s aid.


    Thirteen told the White Ratman their goal, making Ratatoskr look at him with respect and admiration.


    Erica, who was looking at it from an observer''s perspective, felt as if Zion was a scammer who was doing his best to brainwash the Ratman into believing that he was the Ratmen''s savior.


    "We are a bit short on time, so how about you drink this first?" Thirteen said as he offered Ratatoskr a goblet that was filled with something red, which smelled like blood.


    "What''s this?" Ratatoskr asked with curiosity.


    Zion moved closer and whispered in the Ratman''s ear because he didn''t want Erica and Sherry to hear his answer.


    "Dragon''s Blood," Thirteen whispered. "A Red Dragon''s blood."


    The Ratmen was a race who ate the flesh and drank the blood of their prey, so drinking blood was not a problem for Ratatoskr.


    In fact, the moment the white Ratman saw and smelt the fragrance of the blood in the Goblet, his bestial instincts were screaming at him to drink it.


    However, his willpower won in the end, so he didn''t drink the blood that was offered by him right away.


    But after hearing that it was Dragon''s Blood, Ratatoskr no longer hesitated and drank the goblet filled with blood with small sips, as if enjoying the taste of a delicacy that was very rare to acquire.


    By the time he finished drinking the entire goblet, the Ratman''s white fur turned red for a few minutes before bursting into mes.


    Erica and Sherry both cried out in surprise because they thought that Thirteen had really killed Ratatoskr.


    While they didn''t bat an eye at killing monsters, they could tell that Ratatoskr had no intention to harm them.


    For this reason, they didn''t think that Zion would kill him without mercy, burning his body until he turned to ashes.


    But contrary to what the two girls were thinking, Ratatoskr didn''t burn into ashes.


    He simply went on all fours and screamed in pain as his entire body zed like a raging bonfire.


    "Don''t worry, he''s just undergoing evolution," Thirteen said in order to calm the two girls.


    "Evolution?" Erica asked. "He''s evolving?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. So don''t worry. He won''t die¡­ maybe."


    Sherry looked at the burning Ratman before shifting his gaze at her Boss.


    "Maybe?" Sherry asked.


    "Mmm." Thirteen nodded. "Giga, do you still have some of that meat left? It''s a waste if we don''t use that me to barbecue some meat. Who knows? It might taste awesome."


    Giga made a gesture as if telling his Master "Say no more, Fam" before going to their meat storage to pick up some meat to roast over the zing Ratman, who had fainted on the ground.


    A few minutester, Giga, the Ogres, and the Trolls could be seen holding pieces of meat on steel skewers, holding it over Ratatoskr''s ming body.


    The corner of Erica''s lips twitched after seeing this scene and politely declined Giga Chad''s offer of eating the barbecued meat he had roasted over Ratatoskr''s body.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, wasn''t picky and epted the meat from the ze Skunk.


    "This is tastier than expected," Thirteenmented, clearly enjoying the barbecued meat in his hand. "Are you sure the two of you don''t want it?"


    "I''ll just have fruits today," Erica replied.


    "Me too," Sherry seconded.


    Thirteen shrugged. "It''s your loss."


    Several hours had passed, but Ratatoskr''s body was still burning without any signs of ending.


    Thirteen, who already aplished his mission, asked Rocky to enter the Goblin Territory so that they could do their main objective.


    While this was happening, the teenage boy sat cross-legged on the ground. He was sharing the senses of Tiona''s clone, which had gone in a different direction than them.


    In order to find the location of the Shard of Origin, the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons scattered in different directions.


    Kesari, who had be one of Tiona''s subordinates, was more motivated than usual.


    Even though he was now serving Thirteen and Tiona, his determination to save his race remained the same.


    This was also the reason why he would not hesitate to go above and beyond his capability in order to carry out his new Master''s orders.


    Two days then passed in a blur.


    Erica and Sherry once again hunted Goblins, sending a ripple of danger among their ranks.


    News of an unknown assant gradually spread within the Goblin Community until it reached the Goblin Emperor''s ears.


    At first, he thought that the Ratmen had betrayed them, but he soon realized that this was impossible to happen.


    The Ratmen were bound by his decree, and since he was in possession of their Shard of Origin, none of them could defy him.


    Because of this, he thought the humans, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, must''ve been the main culprit of the recent raids in his domain.


    They had captured a few of them and had put them to work as studs to create powerful versions of their race.


    In Solterra, female Goblins existed, but that didn''t stop them from capturing the females of other species in order to increase their poption.


    Also, some of the Goblins born between a goblin and other races were born with special traits and abilities, making the Goblins prefer to mate with other species than their own.


    The only time they would reproduce with each other was when there were no other options, which ensured that their race would continue to thrive even if they didn''t manage to kidnap the females of other species.


    "What do you think?" the Goblin Emperor asked the only human inside his throne room. "Is it those Other-Humans?"


    Other-Humans was the term the Goblins used for the humans that suddenly appeared in Fractured Heaven who didn''t belong to the Human Kingdom located in the North.


    "It''s possible," the middle-aged man replied. "I don''t think the Lizardmen will go all the way here in your territory when they are busy with the Ratmen."


    The Goblin Emperor nodded in agreement before raising his fist.


    "Find them!" the Goblin Emperor ordered. "I don''t care if you bring them back to me dead or alive, but make sure to find them and bring them to me!"


    """Yes!"""


    Countless Goblins raised their weapons in approval before leaving the throne room in haste.


    They were enraged that someone dared to mess with their kind and right inside their domain.


    The Goblin Emperor knew that any variable would hinder the n that he and the King of the Humans had agreed upon.


    So it was best that they eliminate any threat that could potentially stop the n that could free them from the cage that had held them captive for hundreds of years.

 Chapter 509: The Path Of Evolution [Part 2]

    Thirteen watched as Ratatoskr smashed the head of a Goblin with a single punch.


    All Ratmen were supposed to be under the restriction the Goblin Emperor had ced upon their race using the power of the Shard of Origin.


    But the White Ratman, who had undergone an evolution, was able to break free from this restriction and finally got the revenge he always wanted.


    Even without Thirteen''s help, Ratatoskr would definitely awaken a power that would free him from the bindings of the Origin Shard, allowing him to save his race from oppression.


    Thirteen had merely sped up this process by allowing Ratatoskr to drink the Blood of the Red Dragon they had in in the Valbarra Archipgo three years ago.


    The Hero of the Ratmen race came from a family of warriors, so he already knew how to fight.


    However, Thirteen knew that Ratatoskr would be unable to defeat the Rank 8 Goblin Emperor with his current Rank, which was a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.


    It would take a few years before he reached maturity and carry out the role that he was supposed to y.


    But since Thirteen didn''t have time to wait for him to grow, he forcefully made Ratatoskr gain battle experience as he fought the Goblins on their home turf.


    Fighting alongside him was none other than Erica and Sherry, who had gotten close during the past few days.


    While they still bickered from time to time, they would not hesitate to work together in order to bring down a powerful foe.


    Of course, while everyone was busy fighting, the teenage boy was busy sipping tea and admiring the blood-soaked battlefield with Tiona.


    "Zion! Are you really just going to watch and let us do all the fighting?!" Erica shouted as she cast a dozen Magic Bullets at the Goblins that were surrounding her.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied before sipping the tea in his hand. "Your bitterness makes my tea taste better. Keep it up, Great Sorceress Erica."


    "You f*cker!" Erica growled in anger.


    However, as much as she wanted to kick the teenage boy and pull him into the fray, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to do it.


    She truly didn''t understand why an Apostle like her was unable to beat someone who was only a Rookie.


    No matter how much she thought about it, she still couldn''t understand how Zion was stronger than her.


    The only thing she could do was shout and nag at him, and maybe pinch his cheek or pull on his ear.


    But when it came to actual fighting, the teenage boy could easily beat her in a few moves. In the end, he would even spank her bum while telling her that she needed to be disciplined.


    After that traumatizing experience during her training, she no longer had the courage to challenge Zion to a spar ever again.


    Sherry, on the other hand, was getting used to fighting in closebat. With the help of her de Panther, Mors, she was able to hold her ground even when fighting many enemies at once.


    Of course, she could only fight Rank 1 Goblins and beat Rank 2 Goblins with Mor''s help. Even so, her growth was incredibly fast, and even Erica had to admit that Sherry had a lot of potential.


    ''I guess Zion saw the potential in her,'' Erica thought.


    What the Sorceress didn''t know was that her guess was far from the truth.


    Thirteen took good care of both Erica and Sherry due to one reason and one reason only.


    Both of them were Cannon Fodders.


    Although he had no idea when the two of them would have to face their fated day, he would definitely ensure that both of them would have the strength to ovee this hurdle.


    As someone who had decided to fight against Fate, he would not just stand by and let his people suffer under his watch.


    Cristopher, Erica, and Sherry¡ªthe three of them were the Cannon Fodders that he was raising.


    By the time he was done with them, all three would be powerhouses who would apany him in his battle against Fate.


    Suddenly, Thirteen nced toward the North and narrowed his eyes.


    "I want all three of you to wrap things up in five minutes," Thirteen ordered. "If you''re still not done by then, I''ll make sure that the three of you will undergo hellish training for three days."


    Erica, who had already experienced such hellish training, no longer hesitated and unleashed fireballs left and right.


    Ratatoskr, who had been forced to fight against T1 and his Troll Party had also experienced a one-sided beating, and he sure as hell didn''t want that to happen again.


    Sherry, who still hadn''t been baptized by Thirteen''s direct training, noticed that Erica and Ratatoskr truly looked in a hurry as they annihted everything that stood in their way.


    Four minutester, Thirteen pped his hands and ordered the three of them to gather at his location.


    A momentter, Rocky swallowed them whole and left the ce in haste.


    Several minutester, dozens of Goblins, who were riding on Dire Wolves, arrived at the scene.


    When they saw the devastation and corpses of theirrades, all of them shouted in anger.


    "They died just recently," a Goblin Scout reported to the Goblin Leader who had apanied them. "The blood is still fresh. I believe that it hasn''t even been half an hour since they died."


    The other scouts also looked at the footprints on the ground, but the only thing they saw was the footprints of Lizardmen.


    Tiona''s subordinates had erased the footprints of Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr and reced them with the molded footprints of the Lizardmen that littered the battlefield.


    But what confused the Goblin Scouts was that the footprints only showed that they fought inside the camp.


    They didn''t see any signs that the Lizardmen had left the battlefield, so the Goblin Scouts all took out their weapons and observed their surroundings.


    Several minutester, the Goblin Leader deemed that there was no enemy in sight, so he hurriedly ordered one of his scouts to report to their Emperor that another Goblin Camp had fallen under the hands of the enemies.


    All the Goblins were starting to get terrified now, and a mass migration was taking ce.


    They were all headed toward the Goblin City, where their Emperor ruled, in the hopes that he would be able to protect them from the unknown assants who were raiding one goblin camp after another.


    Because of this, they momentarily forgot about the ongoing war between the Lizardmen and Ratmen.


    It was normal to focus on internal problems more than external wars that were taking ce far from their domain.


    Even the Goblin Emperor was starting to get annoyed because the reports always said the same thing.


    In every Goblin Camp that was attacked, they found not a single survivor, only Lizardmen footprints.


    As much as the Goblin Emperor tried to think that the Lizardmen attacking them was next to impossible, it didn''t change the fact that only Lizardmen footprints were found in the scene of carnage.


    This led the Goblin Emperor to believe that the Lizardmen had acquired a method to travel under the ground or in the sky, which was why their footprints didn''t lead anywhere.


    "Can you take a look at it?" The Goblin Emperor asked the middle-aged man who was standing beside his throne.


    "Very well," the middle-aged man nodded. "I''m also curious to see just who is daring enough to challenge your authority."


    The middle-aged man then asked the Goblins to bring him a bowl of water so that he could use his scrying spell to pinpoint their enemy''s location.


    However, no matter how many times and how hard he tried, the only thing he could see was a pair of green glowing eyes, staring back at him from the darkness of the Abyss.

 Chapter 510: Finding The Shard Of Origin

    A week had passed since Ratatoskr joined Thirteen''s group.


    He had been getting stronger and stronger through constant battles against the Goblins and by devouring their Beast Cores.


    Thirteen had prevented Sherry from absorbing any cores for the time being and simply told her that he would look for a Rank 5 Core for her to absorb.


    The youngdy had once been told by her parents that she should prioritize quality instead of quantity when absorbing the Beast Cores of Monsters in her First Wandering.


    It was an open secret that the higher the Rank of the Beast Core a Wanderer absorbed before they broke through the next Rank, the stronger they would be.


    Of course, the Wanderers who were sent to Solterra for the first time didn''t have the luxury to choose which kind of Beast Core they would absorb at the early stages of their journey.


    Only those who had received proper training or were lucky enough toe across a Rank 4 Monster Beast Core and above were able to maximize the effects of this absorption.


    Erica had been lucky during her First Wandering because she hade across the fight of two Rank 4 Monsters, with one of them being a Fire Smander.


    The brutal battle fatally injured both Monsters, so Erica simply waited until they drew theirst breath.


    She chose to absorb the Core of the two Rank 4 Monsters, paving the path for her to be a powerful Sorceress who specialized in Fire Magic.


    This was also the reason why she was ahead of her peers and became part of the Hero Party.


    With this in mind, she couldn''t help but feel a little envious of Sherry because Zion was more than capable of defeating a Rank 5 Monster and allowing the teenage girl to absorb it without problems.


    However, on this particr day, the teenage boy gathered them to have a meeting with a serious expression on his face.


    "The time hase to finally find the Shard of Origin," Thirteen said. "The Goblins are now merging into bigger camps, making it hard for us to raid them with our numbers.


    "Erica and Sherry, the two of you have gathered many resources in this expedition, so I think you no longer need to kill any more Goblins."


    "Finally!" Erica did a fist pump because she was indeed sick and tired of killing Goblins.


    For some reason, the Sorceress had managed to gain a few Goblin Avatars with different professions. Thirteen didn''t miss the chance to tease her, calling her the Goblin Queen, which infuriated her very much.


    Sherry also gained four Goblin Avatars, with two of them being Goblin Warriors, and the other two being Goblin Shamans.


    All four were Rank 2 Monsters, and she was able to kill them with the help of her de Panther, Mors.


    Aside from the Avatars, she also gained a variety of weapons with special abilities.


    Her dimensional storage was now filled with bows, swords, short swords, shields, staffs, and armor.


    Thirteen said that she should keep them for now and distribute themter to the members of their "Mercenary Group," which they had left behind with the Lizardmen.


    Sherry now understood that her Boss wanted to not only arm her to the teeth but also the other Wanderers as well.


    Items with skills and abilities were not easy to find, especially for Wanderers who didn''t specialize in fighting.


    "Now, we will solely focus on finding the Ratmen''s Shard of Origin," Thirteen stated. "It will not be an easy mission because the Goblin Emperor has surely hidden it in the safest ce within his domain."


    "If it''s well-hidden, then how are we going to find it?" Ratatoskr asked.


    "I have my ways, but even then, it will not be easy," Thirteen replied. "The worst-case scenario is that the Goblin Emperor didn''t hide it in his domain. It''s possible that he asked his allies to keep it safe for him."


    When Thirteen said this possibility, the faces of his threerades became grim.


    "It''s only a possibility." Thirteen rified. "The chance of this happening is very low¡ªunless the Goblin Emperor and the Human King have a special agreement. If that is indeed the case, then things will be moreplicated.


    "But I trust the greed of Goblins. They will not allow something of such value to be taken away from them. After all, whoever holds the Shard of Origin holds the fate of the Ratmen in their hands.


    "Relinquishing such a power is difficult, so I have every reason to believe that the Shard of Origin is still within the territory of the Goblins."


    Erica and Sherry knew that Tiona could summon a clone, which Zion always used to scout enemy locations.


    Because of this, they believed that the same clone was currently looking for the Shard of Origin while they were traveling under the ground.


    Little did they know that there were actually over a hundred monsters currently searching high and low for the Artifact.


    The Ratmen''s Shard of Origin was arge Orange Crystal that was as big as a car''s tire.


    It weighed a ton, so unless someone was strong enough to carry it, stealing it was not an easy task.


    It also couldn''t be stored in storage items, so finding it was not impossible.


    As long as they were able to detect the faint fluctuations that it radiated, they would be able to find its location.


    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons were more than capable of finding the Shard of Origin as long as they were within its range.


    With all of them possessing the skill Unblocked Passage, there was no ce they couldn''t infiltrate.


    Thirteen had also changed Tiona''smander skill and reced the skill "Kiss Of Death" with the skill "Rarity Detection."


    This was an ability that could be used to detect precious gems, ores, and artifacts within a fifty-meter radius of each of the members of the Hundred Demons, making it a very useful skill in finding what they were looking for.


    The days passed swiftly, and finally, after five days of searching, they finally found the location of the Shard of Origin.


    However, there was one big problem.


    The Shard of Origin was ced right beside the Goblin Emperor''s throne.


    One of the monsters'' clones had died aftering within its range because the Goblin Emperor sensed its presence.


    ''So the safest ce in the Goblin Territory is right next to the Goblin Emperor,'' Thirteen thought. ''Why am I not surprised?''


    The young man sighed, understanding that getting the Shard of Origin wouldn''t be easy.


    Especially since he believed that the leader of the Goblins became more vignt after the incident.


    For the time being, Thirteen decided to let Rocky rest for a day because he would need him to be in his peak condition to do the thing that he needed to do.


    Although Rocky was strong, the opponent was stronger, so they needed to approach this matter with great care.


    He understood that if ever any of hispanions died again, they would no longer have a second chance, like what happened during the battle with the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer.

 Chapter 511: One Mistake, And We Can Lose Everything

    Thirteen sat cross-legged while leaning against Giga''s soft underbelly.


    Several hours had passed since he discovered the location of the Shard of Origin, and he had been busy devising a strategy on how to secure it safely.


    While this was happening, Erica was sparring against the Troll Shamans, while Sherry and her de Panther, Mors, were sparring against one of the Troll Raiders.


    This Troll Raider was T6, and he was a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.


    T1, their group''s leader, was a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    Even now, Erica and Sherry still couldn''t believe that Zionmanded a Monster Army that could potentially tip the bnce of the war in their favor.


    However, the teenage boy told them that they shouldn''t rely on the monsters who were friendly with him.


    He made sure that the two girls and Ratatoskrpletely understood that the existence of Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, and the other Monsters must remain a secret to other people.


    The White Ratman, Ratatoskr, was currently being trained by O1, who was a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    After drinking the Red Dragon''s Blood, the Hero of the Ratmen mutated into a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.


    But, even with his current rank and even if he was a Hero, it was still impossible for Ratatoskr to face off against the Rank 8 Goblin Emperor.


    Had he not been picked up by Thirteen, he would have faced countless life-and-death battles spanning through a few years, allowing him to gain enough fighting experience and raise his rank to a higher level before facing off against the mortal enemy of his race.


    Since the Hero was still not ready to face the Goblin Emperor, Thirteen had no intention of letting Ratatoskr fight the "Boss Monster."


    ''I guess I have no choice but to use that method,'' Thirteen thought. ''But it will take time to prepare.''


    The teenage boy was certain that the Goblin Emperor wouldn''t fall for a distraction.


    Even if he were to raze half of the Goblin City, he believed that the Leader of the Goblins would still not budge from his throne and leave the Shard of Origin behind.


    ''Drastic times call for drastic measures,'' Thirteen mused before shifting his gaze at the White Ratman, who was having a hard time defending against his sparring partner.


    Tiona, who was coiled up on Thirteen''s neck, nudged his cheek, which made the teenage boy smile faintly.


    "If an opportunity presents itself, why not?" Thirteen assured hispanion. "Just make sure to not do anything reckless."


    The ck snake nodded in understanding.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the territory of the Lizardmen¡­


    Drazzat clenched his teeth as he faced off against two Rank 5 Alpha Ratmen, who had pushed him to a corner.


    "I''m going to kick you on the chest, so make sure to pretend like you''re really hurt, okay?" the Ratman said in a volume that only Drazzat could hear.


    Drazzat roared, which was a sign that he would cooperate.


    Without another word, the Ratman unleashed a powerful kick on the Lizardman''s chest, which sent him flying backward for several meters.


    The Goblin Shamans, who were monitoring the battle, nodded their heads in satisfaction after seeing that the Lizardmen were slowly getting pushed back by the Ratmen.


    The only thing that they were dissatisfied with was that no Lizardmen or Ratmen had died in this particr skirmish.


    Both sides were fighting intensely, but every time one of them got seriously injured, they would either retreat or one of theirrades would carry them away from the battlefield.


    After an hour of intense fighting, both sides retreated to nurse their injuries.


    "You stupid rats!" the Goblin Shaman shouted in anger. "It has been several days, and you''ve only managed to push them back for a mile?! What kind of madness is this?!"


    "Sir, as you can see, they are using a hit-and-run strategy against us," the Ratman Commander, who goes by the name Zekk, replied. "If we are not careful, what happened yesterday might happen again."


    The Goblin frowned after hearing the Ratman Commander''s reply.


    Yesterday, two of the Goblin Shamans who were apanying the Main Army of the Ratmen died due to an assassination attempt by the Lizardmen.


    Because of this, their camp was left with only two Goblin Shamans overseeing the frontlines of the battlefield.


    "If we move recklessly, there is a possibility that something might happen to you and yourrade, Sir. We can''t risk it," Zekk stated. "If both of you were to die, the Goblin Emperor might get angry and hold us responsible."


    The Goblin Shaman clicked his tongue. "Fine. But make sure to kill as many of those lizards as you can next time!"


    The Goblin Shaman stormed off in anger, but he didn''t go back to his quarters.


    He went to the make-shift infirmary of the Ratmen to check the injuries of the warriors.


    Although there were no deaths, almost all the warriors were seriously injured and needed several days before they could fight again on the front lines.


    The Goblin Shaman clicked his tongue in annoyance because it would have been better if the Ratmen had just died instead of wasting their time recuperating.


    Although the current state of the war seemed to move in a crawl, they were still able to make some gains, so the Goblins still reported it to their Emperor.


    But after they mentioned that two of theirrades had died during a sneak attack by the Lizardmen, the Goblin Emperor told them that there were some unusual movements that were happening in their territory.


    After the Shamans had heard that several Goblin Camps had been destroyed by unknown assants, who were believed to be Lizardmen Warriors, the Goblin Shamans became anxious.


    They knew that the Ratmen Army in the Fangisss Swamp had been annihted down to thest Rat, and it had opened a breach in the Ratmen Army''s defenses.


    But instead of being pincered from the front and the back, the Lizardmen only employed guerri warfare, which led the Shamans to believe that the Lizardmen, who were now attacking their home turf, came from the Varesti Tribe.


    Of course, this was far from the truth.


    Drazzat had managed to capture one of the Ratmen Scouts that were patrolling the area and passed his message to them.


    The Ratman Scout then reported to Zekk, and the Ratmen Commander went to meet with Drazzat in secret.


    The two Commanders then started to strategize a n on how they could dy the war and minimize the casualties on both sides.


    Because of this, both armies only fought with the intention to seriously injure their opponent but not kill them.


    This was the only way they could think of to make it seem like they were fighting seriously while keeping the casualties as low as possible.


    It was a delicate bnce that they had been maintaining for the past few weeks.


    So when Zekk overheard about the current situation of the Goblins in their territories, he immediately asked his Scout to go to the location where he could secretly pass a message to the Lizardmen.


    This was one of the methods that they used tomunicate with each other, allowing them to share information.


    When Drazzat received Zekk''s message, he was overjoyed because Zion had kept his word.


    He immediately shared this news with the other Great Chieftains of the Lizardmen, which raised a bit of their morale.


    "With this, we will be able to buy more time," Drazzat said with confidence. "We just need to hold on for a bit longer until Zion can steal the Shard of Origin. After that, we can finally end the war."


    "How could it be that easy?" the great Chieftain of the Mawano Tribe, Vasjirr, asked. "He is facing off against a Rank 8 Sovereign. Can that child really do what he promised to do?"


    "Whether he can or whether he can''t, we can only wait," a Great Chieftainmented. "Frankly, I don''t think the boy is capable of facing off against a Goblin Emperor.


    "Destroying a few goblin camps is already a feat worth being proud of. But I just don''t see him winning against the Emperor."


    "He doesn''t need to win against the Goblin Emperor," Drazzat stated. "His goal is to only steal the Shard of Origin. If we are lucky, then this war will end in a week or two."


    A profound silence descended upon the underground cavern where the Great Chieftains were having a meeting.


    "And what if it doesn''t end in a week or two?" Vasjirr broke the silence. "What if he fails?"


    "He won''t fail," Drazzat replied.


    "Where is this confidence of yoursing from?" one of the Great Chieftains asked. "As much as I want to end this war, there is no guarantee that this human boy who goes by the name Zion will seed."


    "He is right," another Great Chieftainmented. "How about we set a deadline? Two weeks. After two weeks and this war is still ongoing, we need toe up with a strategy to either migrate to a different location or continue fighting."


    "Now that we know the reason behind this war, we can''t afford to lose our warriors. Otherwise, anything we do will be meaningless," Vasjirr stated. "Even if we win against the Ratmen, the Goblins will just finish what they started. By then, we would no longer have enough fighting force to defend ourselves."


    "One mistake, and we can lose everything. But there is a way to prevent our people from annihtion. We can always retreat to the scattered inds far into the sea.


    "Our people have lived in those inds for generations, and it is the haven that has kept our race safe from harm. If the Ratmen are to pursue us there, we can just sink their ships before they can even reach our inds."


    Drazzat knew that the other Great Chieftains were only thinking of the survival of their people, so he didn''t oppose their suggestion.


    "Very well." Drazzat nodded. "Two weeks. If after two weeks, we still haven''t heard any news from Zion, then let us all migrate away from our current territories."


    All the Great Chieftains nodded in agreement and concluded their meeting.


    Drazzat sighed internally, but there was nothing else he could do.


    "Zion, I hope you know what you are doing," Drazzat muttered as he looked at the East, where the territories of the Goblins were located. "Because if you don''t, we will have no choice but to leave you and the other humans to fend for yourselves."


    The Lizardman Commander shook his head helplessly before heading to his camp to talk to David.


    Since he was the current leader of the humans who were fighting this war alongside them, he needed to know the decisions of the Great Chieftains so that he and the rest of the humans could create a n that would also ensure their survival.

 Chapter 512: It’s Showtime

    "This mission is very dangerous," Thirteen said. "So make sure to stay as close to Rocky as possible. That way, he can immediately take both of you to safety if anything happens. Understand?"


    "Yes," Erica replied. "I''m more worried about you since Rocky is with us. What will you do if the Goblin Emperor heads in your direction?"


    "She''s right, Boss," Sherrymented. "Can''t we just stay together? It will be safer that way."


    "Don''t worry about me," Thirteen smiled. "I have my own ways to escape."


    Currently, the three of them were a mile away from the Capital City of the Goblins, which was called Valdal City.


    The Shard of Origin was located at the biggest structure at the Northern Edge of the city that served as the Goblin Emperor''s Pce.


    In order to secure it, they must first force the Goblin Emperor to leave his throne room, allowing Rocky to swoop in and steal it.


    Thirteen knew that he needed to cause as much chaos and destruction as possible in order to force the Goblin Emperor to make his appearance.


    For this n, he would take Giga, cky, Hercules, and the two Ogres, as well as all the Trolls with him.


    With the exception of Rocky, the teenage boy had taken all of his fighting force with him.


    This was the only way that he could think of in order to force the Goblin Emperor to face him.


    However, there was also a chance that instead of the Emperor, Thirteen''s group would have to face the Goblin Army stationed inside the city instead.


    But that wouldn''t be a problem.


    Thirteen had already prepared the battlefield in his favor.


    Rocky had been digging since yesterday, creating countless sinkholes that would make the Goblins fall to their deaths.


    Even if an army were to charge in Thirteen''s direction, they would not be able to do much as long as the teenage boy led them to their deaths.


    He had already prepared as much as he could, and all that was left was to test it.


    "Remember this, just stay inside Rocky, okay?" Thirteen said firmly. "The three of you will be safe as long as you are inside his Mobile Fortress."


    The teenage boy looked at Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr with a serious expression on his face.


    "Understood, Boss," Sherry replied.


    "I will follow your arrangement, Zion," Ratatoskr stated.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll be fine," Erica said. "We will remain inside Rocky as you ordered, Sir Zion."


    Thirteen was already used to the Sorceress''s way of talking, so he shifted his attention to the Magma Bal-Boa, who was patiently waiting for his orders.


    "Be careful," Thirteen ordered. "The Goblin Emperor might have left a trap to prevent anyone from getting the Shard of Origin. If you think something is fishy, feel free to abort the mission. We can always try again."


    Rocky nodded and told his Master that he would do his best to aplish his mission without fail.


    After the teenage boy gave his Beast Companion a fewst instructions, Rocky swallowed Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr before digging deep under the ground.


    He would sneak into the city and wait for the right opportunity to steal the Shard of Origin ced right beside the Goblin Emperor''s throne.


    Tiona''s clone was trailing close to Rocky, and it would report to its Master in real-time.


    Thirteen waited until Rocky arrived at his destination.


    A few minutester, the Magma Bal-Boay in wait hundreds of meters below the throne room where the Goblin Emperor currently stood guard.


    "It''s showtime" Thirteen dered. "Let''s create some trouble."


    Giga and the other Monsters smiled evilly as they followed behind their Master.


    The young man was currently riding on the back of cky, the second-fastest monster in Thirteen''s Monster Army.


    Instead of hiding, Zion and his party charged straight into the gates of the city, allowing the guards to see them.


    They didn''t even try to hide their killing intent, which made the Guards sound the rm, informing everyone that they were under attack.


    Hercules, the fastest monster in Thirteen''s Army, was like an unstoppable Juggernaut. After smashing through the wooden gates of the city, nearly all the guards that were standing next to it were killed.


    O1 and O2, who were only a few meters behind Hercules, started their rampage and smashed any Goblins within striking range of their steel spiked clubs.


    The Trolls, on the other hand, started to throw oilmps at the houses of the Goblins, setting it aze.


    Their mission was to cause as much carnage as possible before retreating.


    Thirteen, who was riding on top of cky, fired one arrow after another, making sure that each arrow took a life.


    Tiona, who was coiled up on his neck, was alsomanding the members of her Parade of a Hundred Demons to assist the Trolls in their mission.


    One of the skills they possessed was me Breath, so setting things on fire wasn''t a problem for them.


    Soon, the dark smoke rose steadily from the city, rming the warriors who were stationed near the Goblin Emperor''s stronghold.


    "My Lord, the city is burning!" One of the Goblin Shamans reported. "We are under attack!"


    The Goblin Emperor nced at the Shard of Origin beside him before standing up from his throne.


    "All of you,e with me," the Goblin Emperor ordered as he took his axe beside his throne. "We will drive out the invaders."


    """Yes!"""


    The Goblin Emperor then nced at the middle-aged man, who served as his aid and gave him a nod.


    The middle-aged man nodded back and pressed his palms together. "May fortune shine upon you, Lord Zorca."


    The Goblin Emperor didn''t even bother to reply as he led his men to fight against the stupid invaders who had decided to mess with his home turf.


    When he was certain that Lord Zorca was no longer around, the middle-aged man looked down on the ground beside his feet and sneered.


    A momentter, he, too, left the throne room, leaving behind the Shard of Origin without a single guard protecting it.

 Chapter 513: The Wrath Of The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 1]

    Rocky, who was waiting for the Goblin Emperor to leave the throne room, stayed in his position for nearly half an hour before making a move.


    Tiona''s clone was helping him and had scouted ahead above ground. After being told that there was nothing odd, the Magma Bal-Boa deemed that it was safe to finally steal the Shard of Origin since no one was guarding it.


    Of course, Rocky found it odd that no one had been left to protect the Artifact that controlled the Fate of the Ratmen Race.


    However, he and Tiona''s had already made careful analysis of the surroundings multiple times and didn''t find anything that could pose a threat to them.


    So after careful consideration, Rocky no longer hesitated and made his way to the artifact as fast as he could.


    When he was right below the Shard of Origin, Rocky opened his mouth and swallowed it whole.


    As soon as he confirmed that the Shard of Origin was safely deposited inside his Mobile Fortress, he quickly left the throne room in haste and reported to his Master that he had seeded in his mission.


    ***


    Twenty minutes before Rocky swallowed the Shard of Origin¡­


    ''He arrived faster than I thought he would,'' Thirteen thought as the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons informed him that the Goblin army, led by the Goblin Emperor, was already on his way to deal with them.


    "Everyone, retreat!" Thirteen ordered.


    Giga, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls didn''t hesitate to stop whatever they were doing and ran toward the gate as fast as they could.


    Worried that one of his monsters would get caught by the Goblin Army, Thirteen stayed for a bit and was thest one to leave the Gates of the City.


    Fortunately, the monsters under hismand were very strong, so they were easily able to deal with the Goblins who had tried to attack them earlier.


    Even as they retreated, they could feel the overwhelming aura of the Goblin Emperor who was running at them at full speed.


    With a mighty roar, Lord Zorca leaped high into the air and jumped over the City Gates,nding hundreds of meters away from the two Ogres, who had the slowest speed among Thirteen''s Monster Army.


    O1 and O2 nced behind them, but they never stopped running.


    Both of them were Rank 5 Sovereigns. Even though they were two Ranks below Rocky, both of them could overpower the Magma Bal-Boa when it came to pure, raw strength.


    However, even the two of them understood that the Goblin Emperor behind them was stronger than them by arge margin.


    Goblins were all-rounder in nature.


    They didn''t have a particr strong point. However, they were perfectly bnced fighters with the speed and the strength, as well as the intelligence to outwit and outmaneuver their enemies. And as a Rank 8 Sovereign, the Goblin Emperor was naturally way stronger, faster, and more intelligent than his subjects.


    O1 and O2 understood that they had no chance of winning, but they weren''t too worried about the monster behind them.


    They simply followed behind their Master''s orders and ran to the location that he had designated.


    The four-meter-tall Goblin Emperor sneered at the fleeing Ogres, who was slightly bigger than him.


    When the Goblin Emperor was only dozens of meters away from O1 and O2, the ground under his feet suddenly gave way, catching him by surprise.


    However, his instinct allowed him to subconsciously jump and evade the pitfall that was waiting for him.


    O1 and O2, who seemed to have already expected that the Goblin Emperor would manage to dodge the trap that was prepared for him, both stopped and swung their spiked steel clubs at the Goblin Emperor, who had lost his bnce mid-air.


    Lord Zorca wasn''t fazed and used his Great Axe to block thebined assault of the two ogres, blocking their blowspletely.


    But the momentum still pushed him back, making him almost fall into the hole that was hundreds of meters deep.


    Just as the Goblin Emperor was about tounch his counterattack, several arrows flew in his direction, forcing him to block for the second time.


    This gave O1 and O2 time to distance themselves from the Goblin Emperor and regroup with Thirteen''s party.


    Meanwhile, the Goblin Warriors, who were following behind their Lord, also fell into one of the sinkholes that Rocky had made beforehand, stopping their advance.


    Right now, they were in the killing zone that Thirteen had prepared for them, allowing the teenage boy to decrease their fighting force drastically.


    Thirteen stared at the Rank 8 Sovereign, who was also looking back at him with an eerie calmness that made the teenage boy frown.


    ''What''s this uneasy feeling?'' Thirteen thought. ''Something doesn''t feel right. Everything feels too easy.''


    Despite the fact that the Goblin Emperor was standing right in front of him and away from the throne room, the teenage boy couldn''t shake off the feeling that things were going too well.


    Although he was confident with the n he had devised beforehand, the calmness of the Goblin Emperor unnerved him.


    Both sides were currently in a faceoff, with Thirteen''s team taking a defensive stance against their enemy.


    However, the Goblin Emperor simply stood where he was and stared down at his enemies.


    Suddenly, Tiona''s clone informed him that they had sessfully retrieved the Shard of Origin from the throne room, making Thirteen sigh in relief.


    However, at the same time he received the clone''s report, the teenage boy noticed that the corner of the Goblin Emperor''s lips rose up into a smile.


    "Fools," Lord Zorca said as the smile on his face became a sneer. "You underestimated me too much."


    Without warning, the Goblin Emperor jumped into the sinkhole behind him and vanished from sight.


    This sudden act confused not only Thirteen but also his monster friends who had already prepared themselves to duke it out with the Goblin Emperor.


    Meanwhile, Inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress¡­


    "We seeded!" Ratatoskr eximed as he touched the surface of the orange crystal. "It is really the Shard of Origin. My people are saved!"


    Erica and Sherry, who were also very happy that their mission was aplete sess, moved closer to the Shard of Origin to give it a closer look.


    However, their surroundings darkened all of a sudden, as if a shadow had blocked the source of the light inside the Mobile Fortress.


    A momentter, Erica''s, Sherry''s, and Ratatoskr''s bodies all stiffened when a powerful pressure descended upon them.


    The three could feel a presence behind them. They wanted to look, but their bodies had frozen in ce, unable to even move a single muscle.


    Suddenly, a cry of pain escaped Ratatoskr''s lips as a fist collided with his body, sending him flying a good distance away from where he stood.


    Erica roared as she forced herself to break free from the paralysis she was feeling, covering herself and Sherry in zing mes.


    Just as the Sorceress was about to cast a Fireball at point-nk range, the Goblin Emperor flicked his finger and hit Erica''s stomach, sending her skidding and rolling on the ground for several meters beforeing to aplete stop.


    Sherry, who was now paralyzed by fear, found herself staring at the face of the Goblin Emperor, who was looking at her with a devilish smirk on its hideous face.


    Just like what he had done to Erica, the Goblin Emperor flicked his finger and sent the teenage girl flying.


    Lord Zorca made sure to control his strength. He didn''t want to kill the two girls, only incapacitate them.


    The Goblin Emperor then nced at the Shard of Origin and picked it up with one hand.


    Although it was supposed to weigh a ton, he could easily lift it with one hand because he was now its owner, making it weightless in his position.


    "I''ll be taking the two of you with me," Lord Zorca walked toward the two fallen girls, who had been knocked unconscious and fell to the ground. "You''ll be fine breeding horses."


    However, when he was only a few meters away from the two girls, the ground around him trembled.


    The next second, the Goblin Emperor found himself standing just outside his city, not knowing how he got there.


    He wasn''t aware that Rocky had ejected him from inside his Mobile Fortress before hurrying to his Master''s side to tell him of what happened to Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr.


    The moment Zion heard the news, he immediately summoned the Magma Bal-boa to his side and ordered it to take him inside the Mobile Fortress as fast as possible.


    When he entered, he was weed with the sight of Erica and Sherry, lying unconscious on the ground with blood seeping at the corner of their lips. The teenage boy stood rooted in ce, reminded of multiple scenes from the past that he never wanted to see repeating.


    Tiona, who was coiled on his neck, used her head to headbutt her Master and snap him out of his daze.


    Fortunately, it only took Tiona one strike to help Thirteen regain his bearings, allowing him to move and give the three injured individuals some healing potions to help with their recovery.


    Once he was certain that their lives were not in danger, the teenage boy stood up and ordered Rocky to take him to where the Goblin Emperor was.


    The Magma Bal-Boa didn''t know what his Master was thinking, but he still obeyed his orders.


    Meanwhile, above ground¡­


    Lord Zorca, who hadn''t moved from his location, smirked when he sensed the presence of a monster headed in his direction.


    He and the middle-aged man already knew that their enemy had a way to travel without being detected by anyone, so they already prepared a strategy in advance to capture the people responsible for razing the Goblin Camps in his territory.


    The middle-aged man had imbued a spell on the Shard of Origin, allowing the Goblin Emperor to teleport to its location.


    This was the strategy they devised in order to catch their enemies by surprise.


    And it worked perfectly.


    The Goblin Emperor was able to subjugate the thieves, but it didn''t expect that it would be ejected from wherever he had been earlier.


    Suddenly, a human boy appeared several meters away from the Goblin Emperor and was looking at the Monster with eyes filled with hatred.


    "Foolish human. You should have escaped while you had the chance," Lord Zorca said in disdain. "Don''t tell me you''vee to surrender those two females to me? If yes, I will happily ept your offering and spare your life."


    Zion didn''t answer and simply raised his hand.


    A momentter, the Parade of a Hundred Demons was firmly in his grasp, fluttering in the wind.


    The symbol "XIII" glowed in golden letters, as if making its presence known to the world.


    The Goblin Emperor watched as the teenage boy''s body was suddenly enclosed in a ck suit of armor from head to foot.


    Green glowing eyes radiated from the helmet, making him look like an Avatar of Vengeance that had descended upon the world.


    Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, the Ogres, and Trolls appeared behind their Master, all roaring in anger and ready to fight.


    When he saw Erica and Sherry''s injured states, he was reminded of his Hosts who had died pitiful deaths.


    Back then, he couldn''t do anything except grieve for their untimely, and unfair demise.


    Those pent-up emotions that he had locked deep inside his Soul Core all rose to the surface like a raging me that could not be stopped.


    "Deal with the small fries, and make sure none of them interfere," Thirteen ordered. "I''ll kill this bastard myself."


    Without another word, Thirteen took a step forward, summoning the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, who would fight alongside their Master, for the first time since its inception.

 Chapter 514: The Wrath Of The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 2]

    The g of the Parade of a Hundred Demons fluttered in the breeze as Thirteen faced off against the Goblin Emperor.


    Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls spread out. They faced the Goblin Army in order to prevent them from interfering with their Master''s battle.


    As much as they were worried about Thirteen, they were familiar with their Master and one that he wouldn''t fight a battle he had no chance of winning.


    "You''re very brave for a human," Lord Zorca said. "So you''re the Mastermind behind the death of my people."


    Thirteen didn''t bother to reply and only summoned the Demons who would be fighting alongside him.


    This was his first time fighting a Rank 8 Sovereign with his Divine Artifact.


    He knew that what he was doing was reckless, but the raging anger in his heart wouldn''t subside unless he personally ended the life of the monster in front of him, who dared to hurt Erica and Sherry, whom he recognized as his people.


    Seeing that the human didn''t seem to have any ns to talk, the Goblin Emperorughed before raising his War Axe.


    "I''m going to enjoy hearing your screams as I tear off your limbs one by one." Lord Zorca sneered. "So anyst words, human?"


    "You talk too much for someone who''s about to die," Thirteen''s robotic voice escaped from his lips.


    This was one of the functions of his Soul Eater Armor¡ªaltering his voice in order to ensure that his identity wouldn''t bepromised if he ever decided to personally step onto the battlefield to fight.


    Dying screams reverberated in the surroundings as the Goblins were annihted by Thirteen''s Monster Army, which consisted of monsters whose weakest members were Rank 4 Alpha Monsters.


    Rocky was a Rank 7 Sovereign, while Giga, cky, and Hercules were Rank 6 Sovereigns.


    O1, O2, and T1 were all Rank 5 Sovereigns, boasting incredible fighting prowess.


    To make matters worse, all of them were riding on Mounts, which were Rank 4 Monsters.


    The Troll Raiders and Troll Shamans, who were Rank 4 Alpha Monsters, also had simr Mounts, which made them very deadly inbat.


    Although the Goblins greatly outnumbered them, the teamwork that Thirteen''s army had forged through countless life-and-death battles, made them a force to reckon with.


    The Goblin Emperor nced at his subordinates and understood that he needed to finish his fight against the human boy, or his army would continue to suffer countless losses.


    So without another word, he let out a warcry and charged in Thirteen''s direction with his weapon raised high.


    Thirteen remained standing in ce and waited until the Goblin Emperor entered his striking range.


    The moment Lord Zorca was only a few meters away from him, Thirteen took a step forward.


    As if by magic, he reappeared right beside the Goblin Emperor, passing by his side.


    Although caughtpletely by surprise, Lord Zorca nced at the human who was wearing a demonic-like ck armor before swinging his axe for the kill.


    But just like what happened earlier, Thirteen disappeared from where he stood, and the Goblin Emperor''s axe embedded itself on the ground, hitting only air.


    A momentter, the Goblin Emperor felt a prickling pain on his arms and legs as dozens of monsters bit into his body.


    With a shout filled with anger, the Goblin Emperor swatted all the monsters with his axe, slicing them in half.


    In an instant, the monsters he killed exploded and turned into blood mist, which stuck onto his body and covered him from head to foot.


    Once he was done dealing with the monsters, he nced at his surroundings and found his opponent in the same ce where the other party stood earlier.


    Truth be told, Thirteen didn''t really move when he took a step forward earlier.


    What the Goblin Emperor saw was a "True Illusion," which was very hard to see through because it looked so real.


    It was the ability of the Rank 3 Illusion Sprite, which was a very rare monster that was given to him by the Leventis n while he was still in Pangea.


    Even though he couldn''t use any skills, his Beast Companion, Tiona, could.


    With their senses linked together, the two of them had achieved perfect synchronization.


    Thirteen was wielding the power of the Parade of a Hundred Demons through Tiona, allowing him to wield them as he wished.


    Perhaps realizing that he had been tricked, the Goblin Emperor roared in anger and lunged in Thirteen''s direction with bloodshot eyes.


    He was truly angered, unwilling to ept that he let a weakling treat him like a fool, so he no longer held back and went for the kill.


    But just as he swung his axe to split the human in half, Thirteen had moved before him as if he had predicted where the blow wouldnd.


    However, the Goblin Emperor was faster than him, so it was impossible for him to dodge the attackpletely.


    At least, that was what Lord Zorca thought.


    Contrary to the Goblin King''s expectations, Thirteen was able to perfectly dodge his attack and even had the leeway to stab the ded tip of the Parade of a Hundred Demons at the Goblin Emperor''s neck.


    Thirteen then skidded backward as if skating on ice.


    ''How?!'' Lord Zorca red at the human who managed to escape his killing blow.


    He couldn''t understand why his attack, which should have cleaved the bastard in half, didn''t work.


    But before he could even understand what was happening, several arrows rained down upon him.


    The humanoid monsters who were part of the Hundred Demons all had bows and arrowsced with Tiona''s poison.


    But Lord Zorca ignored them and focused his attention on Thirteen, believing that as long as he killed the summoner, all summons would disappear alongside him.


    "Stoneskin!" the Goblin Emperor shouted, making his body as hard as stone, which made the arrows harmlessly bounce off his body.


    However, there was one particr arrow that pierced through his leg, which shocked the Goblin Emperor.


    As he was about to pull it out, the arrow moved and started to bite into the flesh it had managed to pierce and injected deadly venom into the Goblin King''s body.


    Simr to how a leech started sucking blood the moment it came into contact with human or animal skin, the living arrow went all-out until it was squeezed to death by the Goblin Emperor, exploding into a bloodmist.


    It was none other than Tiona''s Clone, which had hardened itself to Adamantine, allowing it to pierce through the Goblin Emperor''s body.


    When Lord Zorca once again nced in the direction of the demonic human, he found himself staring at dozens of them, spread out all around him.


    All of them were holding a bow and arrow in their hands, ready to strike for the second time.


    Lord Zorca unleashed a Warcry that had a simr effect to Dragon''s Fear.


    It was an ability that could paralyze weak-willed opponents and slow down their movements.


    But who was Thirteen?


    He wasn''t someone who would be affected by such an ability.


    All the True Illusions created by the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons all fired at the same time, forcing the Goblin Emperor to take a defensive stance as he scanned the surroundings to find the real body of the one giving him a hard time.


    From the very start, he believed that he could easily kill the human because he was weaker than him.


    However, contrary to his expectations of overpowering the other party one-sidedly, the boy was able to dodge his attacks at close range and even trick his eyes.


    This was something that no ordinary human could do, so he decided to treat this battle as if he were fighting someone of the same rank as him.


    ''One hit.'' Lord Zorca gritted his teeth in frustration as dozens of arrows flew in his direction. ''I only need tond one hit, and this boy will die in my hands!''


    He was right.


    All it would take was tond a single hit and Thirteen would die in his hands.


    However, how he wouldnd that single hit was a problem that he needed to solve before the human boy seeded in the strategy that he had devised to defeat a monster that was several times stronger than him.

 Chapter 515: The Wrath Of The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 3]

    Thirteen stared coldly at the Goblin Emperor as he released the arrow in his hand.


    If he were fighting Lord Zorca alone, his chance of surviving would be zero.


    But with the power of his Divine Artifact, he could fight toe-to-toe with the Rank 8 Sovereign.


    Earlier, when the Goblin Emperor tried to cut him in half, Thirteen had reacted just as the monster made his move.


    His line of sight was enough to let him read the movement of his opponent''s arm, allowing him to urately predict where the hit wouldnd.


    However, even with that, the Goblin Emperor outspeeded him, so it was impossible for him to dodge with just his speed alone.


    But he wasn''t alone.


    There were two hundred monsters fighting alongside him, and all of them had more than a hundred skills at their disposal.


    One of these skills was Telekinesis.


    With dozens of monsters using their ability to pull their Master''s body away from danger, Thirteen was able to dodge the killing blow that would have sliced him in half.


    It required great concentration and mental power to execute such amand to his subordinates, allowing him to dodge the attack that should have ended his life.


    While the Goblin Emperor was in a state of shock because of what just happened, Thirteen summoned Tiona''s clone in his hand and ordered it to turn its body into adamantine.


    Using it as an arrow, Thirteen aimed at the Goblin Emperor''s leg because the monster''s chest area was heavily armored.


    Since the Goblin Emperor''s exposed skin could only be found on its face, neck, arms, and legs, Thirteen chose to target its legs.


    He noticed that Lord Zorca prioritized protecting his upper body over his lower body.


    Because of this, he didn''t hesitate to target the other party''s legs, allowing Tiona''s clone to release its venom after managing to pierce the monster''s skin.


    In short, Thirteen was dancing between a very thin line between life and death, with all of his senses sharpened to its limit.


    One mistake.


    All it would take was a single mistake, and he would die without realizing his goal.


    However, Thirteen wasn''t thinking about these thoughts.


    No, the only goal in his mind was to win.


    After bing human, he felt emotions that he never felt before.


    Anger, sadness, happiness, and otherplex emotions that made humans the way they were were alien to him.


    However, of all the emotions that had manifested since he had been born in the world, the strongest was the desire to protect his people.


    The Cannon Fodders, who was the reason why he defied the System God.


    This was why when he saw Erica''s and Sherry''s injured states, there was only one emotion that overwhelmed every other emotion in his mind and heart.


    Kill.


    Perhaps, this was the first time that he truly wanted to kill someone else other than Aaron Ashford, who had killed his former host.


    But after the initial outburst, Thirteen regained an eerie calmness as if he had reverted to being a cold killing machine.


    Every step he took was measured.


    Every move was intentional.


    Every action he did was calcted.


    He was moving ording to the most efficient way to reach his goal.


    666 Moves.


    That was the number of actions he needed to take based on the results of the simtions his Soul Core had run inside his head.


    His every action, including his steps, dodge, attack, and other movements were included in those 666 moves, and right now, he was executing his 50th step to perfection.


    In Thirteen''s world, there was no one else aside from him, Tiona, the Hundred Demons, as well as the Goblin Emperor.


    Everything else was shut out, including sounds, preventing him from knowing what was happening in the battle between Giga and the Goblin Army.


    All of his concentration was poured onto his goal to defeat the Goblin Emperor.


    If any external force or variable were to suddenly intrude in his simtion, his life would be truly in danger, for he would not be able to react in time.


    However, despite this risk, he carried out his vengeance against the Goblin Emperor with a single-mindedness that would put any living existence to shame.


    "200," Thirteen muttered as he dodged the Goblin Emperor''s kick, with Tiona, and her subordinates using telekinesis.


    "216," Thirteen said as he ordered Kesari to jump behind the Goblin Emperor''s back and bite the monster''s exposed neck.


    "Shut up!" Lord Zorca shouted in anger as he swatted the Ratman, turning him into a bloodmist. "Just die already!"


    By now, the Goblin Emperor''s body was covered from head to toe with purple blood, which wasposed of a very potent poison made from Tiona''s venom.


    Lord Zorca was now starting to feel his body turning sluggish as the toxin inside and outside of his body started to affect his movements.


    For him, every second that passed felt like hours.


    Every minute felt like days.


    Every ten minutes felt like an eternity.


    As the Goblin Emperor stared at his opponent, whose green glowing eyes locked onto his body with a vengeance, he couldn''t help but start to feel something that he had never felt in a long time¡­


    Fear.


    Ever since he reached his current rank, only a handful of beings within the Fractured Heaven could threaten his life.


    This was also the reason why he boldly attacked the Ancestral Grounds of the Ratmen with his army and took their Shard of Origin in order to put their entire race under his control.


    Because he was strong, he could do anything he wanted without worrying about the consequences of his actions.


    When he teleported inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, he used his power to subjugate Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr without effort.


    Because he was strong, he could easily defeat his enemies, which made him arrogant.


    But now, his arrogance had long disappeared, reced by anxiety.


    "300."


    Thirteen''s voice haunted him, making him feel fearful.


    He didn''t know why the boy was counting out loud.


    But he had a feeling that the moment his opponent stopped counting, something bad would happen to him.


    "450."


    The Goblin Emperor didn''t know how much time had passed since he started his fight against the human boy.


    It could have only been ten minutes, it could have been half an hour, or maybe it had been several hours since their battle began.


    However, there came a time when he could no longer lift the axe in his hand, so he used what strength he had left to throw it at the hateful boy, who casually took a step sideways, making his Great Axe fly harmlessly past his body.


    ''600," Thirteen muttered as he pped the Goblin Emperor''s face with the handle of his g, breaking several of the monster''s teeth.


    "No more!" Lord Zorca shouted. "Stop! I surrender!"


    The Goblin Emperor tried to run away, but he could no longer move his legs.


    The venom had already spread all over his body, making escape no longer possible.


    The Venomous Parasites were spreading venom from inside his body, weakening his regeneration ability and lowering his resistance.


    "660."


    Thirteen''s cold voice rang in Lord Zorca''s ears as Zion''s foot smashed on top of his head, forcing it to crash on the ground, forcing him to eat dirt.


    "665," Thirteen pointed the ded tip of his Divine Artifact on the Goblin Emperor''s neck, readying for the final blow.


    "666."


    As if hearing the toll of a bell, Lord Zorca knew then and there that he was now about to die.


    Time seemed to move in slow motion as the cold and unfeeling voice rang inside his head, heralding his death.


    Through his fading vision, the Goblin Emperor saw a dark shadow appear behind his enemy and raised its hand.


    As the ded tip of Thirteen''s banner was about to pierce the Goblin Emperor''s neck, its movement came to aplete halt.


    Thirteen, who had put every ounce of his strength into this final strike, was unable tond the killing blow¡ªa hand held onto his wrist, preventing him from thrusting his spear forward.


    "Let go, Metatron," Thirteen said coldly. "Mind your own business."


    The God of the Order of the Apocalypse chuckled, but he didn''t let go of Thirteen''s hand.


    "Calm down, Thirteen," Metatron said softly. "I have a proposal to make."


    "I''m not interested," Thirteen replied. "I''m about to earn hundreds of Apocalypse Points. Don''t get in my way."


    "Don''t worry, I will give you your Apocalypse Points, but hear me out first."


    "No. I''ll kill him first, then we''ll talk."


    Metatron sighed before opening a Dimensional Gate and kicking the Goblin Emperor inside of it, preventing Thirteen fromnding the killing blow.


    "Cool your head off for a while, Thirteen," Metatron said before releasing the boy''s wrist. "Don''t revert back to being an emotionless killing machine. That is not the way you should live your life."


    After saying those words, Metatron entered the Dimensional Gate he created.


    It was only then that Thirteen realized time hade to aplete stop after Metatron appeared.


    When the dimensional gate closed, time returned to normal, and the sounds in the surroundings reached his ears.


    However, before he could even do anything, his body swayed and copsed to the ground.


    As darkness slowly descended upon him, he felt a pair of hands hold onto his body, pulling him close into a gentle embrace.


    Erica, who got out of Rocky''s body, saw the teenage boy standing with blood flowing from his orifices.


    The use of Telekinesis had also damaged him internally, but despite that, he continued to use it in order to fight.


    Thirteen had used everything he had to defeat the Goblin Emperor, worsening his internal injuries. Truth be told, if Metatron didn''t stop him, his injuries might have reached the point of no return.


    Just before he was about to lose consciousness, his gaze met Erica''s, and he saw the tears falling from her eyes.


    "Stupid girl, I''m not dead yet," Thirteen said. "Stop crying. You look¡­ ugly when you¡­ cry."


    Thirteen closed his eyes, losing consciousness in Erica''s arms.


    Seeing this, the girl started to panic. She hurriedly drank a potion and pressed her lips over the teenage boy''s lips, forcing him to drink the medicine down to thest drop.

 Chapter 516: He Is A Super Rookie

    Under the starry skies, Thirteen was lying on top of a soft bed. The two moons of Solterra shone upon him, the moonlight healing his body.


    Knowing that their Master could be healed by the moon, Thirteen''s subordinates took the most luxurious bed in the Goblin City and let their Master use it as his own.


    Technically, the blood flowing inside Thirteen''s body was no longer that of a human, but that of the Royal Family of Chandrea, who lived in one of the two moons that hung in the sky.


    Back then, to save his sisters, Shasha and Rhia, from their fates of being sacrificed as the Moon Princesses, he swapped blood with Rhia.


    His new bloodline granted him powers that even the Skill Ban couldn''tpletely restrict, for it hade from the people of the Moon.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª If you bathe in the moonlight, you will gain a regeneration ability that will slowly heal any injuries you receive with time.


    ¡ª This ability will work even with serious injuries, but not with fatal injuries.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen''s condition wasn''t at the point of no return to begin with, so with the healing potion Erica had fed him, paired with the regenerative abilities of the Royal Bloodline of Chandrea, his injuries were healing well.


    After Thirteen took Rhia''s Royal Bloodline and exchanged it with his own, she was allowed to be reborn as an ordinary human.


    With human blood running in her veins, her curse of being the Moon Princess finally came to a stop and passed onto the teenage boy, who became her doting brother after rebirth.


    But since Thirteen was a boy, the Artemian King''s hundred-year n had beenpletely ruined.


    Not to mention that thetter''s only passage to the world of Solterra had been destroyed after the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    If he wished to seek vengeance against Thirteen, he must find other ways to descend upon Solterra. However, that would be difficult, for Lace Demon and The One would not stand by idly and let him do as he pleased.


    While the teenage boy was sleeping, gradually recovering, Erica and Sherry sat on top of his bed and held the teenage boy''s left and right hand.


    Although his face was still pale, the faint silvery glow that covered his entire body at least assured them that he was getting better slowly but surely.


    "Have you heard about the story about the Moon Princess?" Sherry asked without bothering to nce at Erica, who was on the opposite side of the bed.


    "Even those living under the Rock have heard of it by now," Erica replied. "Didn''t they even make a movie based on that story?"


    "I liked that movie," Sherrymented.


    "Well, it''s not too shabby." Erica smirked. "The child actor who yed Zion''s role was funny."


    "Right."


    "I heard that the one who nominated that child actor to y that role is this guy right here. It seems that he brute-forced his way to be the Vice Director of that movie."


    Sherry smiled faintly because she could see that happening.


    After spending a month with Zion, she found out that he was a very down-to-earth person.


    He wasn''t like those arrogant young masters who hailed from the Monarch Families and Prestigious Families, who usually looked down on others because of their background.


    There was even more than one asion when Zion referred to his Grandfather, Arthur, as a henpecked husband, and soon-to-be patriarch of the Leventis Branch Family.


    But despite all of those, Sherry''s impression of the young man was that he was a strict yet dependable leader, who looked out for his subordinates in his own way.


    While she didn''t know why he had chosen her to be his second-inmand, she learned many things while apanying him in her First Wandering.


    "So, is the war finally over?" Sherry asked.


    "Yes," Erica replied. "The Shard of Origin is now in our possession. Kesari has also used it to inform his kin that the Goblin Emperor is dead. But since it is a one-waymunication, we still don''t know how the Ratmen reacted.


    "But it is safe to say that they no longer have a reason to continue this war. This will also ease the burden of the Lizardmen, and the Wanderers fighting alongside them."


    Sherry sighed before shifting her gaze to the two moons in the sky.


    "Another unbelievable tale will surely spread about Zion," Sherry said. "Kesari didn''t hold back and told the Ratmen to spread the word that the one who killed the Goblin Emperor was a human boy named Zion Leventis."


    "Well, it''s not really a big deal. I think," Ericamented. "Do you know? When he was training me and the Hero Party, I asked him a question¡ªif you were to fight a Rank 8 Sovereign on your own, would you have a chance of winning? Take a guess what he replied to me back then."


    "Tell me," Sherry insisted.


    "This brat raised his chin arrogantly and said¡ªIsn''t it just a Rank 8 Sovereign? I eat them for breakfast," Erica replied as he poked the sleeping boy''s nose repeatedly. "Well, he didn''t fight the Goblin Emperor on his own. But it doesn''t change the fact that he did fight him."


    Metatron had dispelled Thirteen''s armor, as well as the ck g of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, before he left the young man.


    This was his way of hiding one of Zion''s secrets, ensuring that other people like Erica would not know about it.


    "Is he really a Rookie?" Sherry asked with amusement while watching Erica repeatedly poke Zion''s nose.


    "He is," Erica replied firmly. "He is a Super Rookie."


    Tiona, who was resting on top of Thirteen''s chest, nodded her head in agreement.


    She initially wanted to stop Erica from poking her Master''s nose, but she was also too exhausted, so she decided that she would tell her Master about it after he regained consciousness.


    The only one that remained with Thirteen until the end was her.


    All the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons had died and were no longer able to spawn again because they had reached their limit.


    However, it didn''t matter to her.


    The only thing that truly mattered to the Domini Mortis was Thirteen''s survival.


    As long as he was alive, she would remain by his side and apany him on his journey in a world where many Wanderers had lost their lives.

 Chapter 517: Oh You Sweet Summer Child

    Rocky traveled during the day and rested during the night, allowing his Master to bathe in the moonlight.


    Four days had passed since Thirteen won the battle against the Goblin Emperor, and his group was currently making their way back to the area where the Lizardmen Tribes were located.


    Due to Ratatoskr''s request, they made a few stops at different Ratmen Undercities, where they inquired if news about the Goblin Emperor''s death had spread.


    Just as expected, the Ratmen had indeed received the news through the power of the Shard of Origin.


    The reigning Ratmen King even asked if the Shard of Origin could be returned to them, but Giga, cky, and Hercules said no.


    Until their Master had opened their eyes, they nned on keeping the Shard of Origin with them for safekeeping.


    Of course, the Ratmen King, as well as his subordinates, didn''t like this answer.


    But what could they do about it?


    Rocky could easily expel them from his Mobile Fortress and run away deep underground.


    There was no possible way for them to catch the Magma Bal-Boa, so the only thing they could do was reluctantly agree and wait for Thirteen to wake up.


    Of course, Rocky didn''t stay in their Under-Cities to wait for his Master to wake up.


    He continued to travel toward the Lizardmen Tribes, understanding that his Master would want to be there when he woke up.


    Having served Thirteen for years, Giga, cky, Rocky, and Hercules knew what kind of person their Master was.


    If he could take control over an entire race with the Shard of Origin, would he really obediently return it to them?


    Of course not!


    Thirteen was neither a good nor bad person, but he could be greedy at times.


    Very greedy.


    With such a Divine Artifact in his possession, there was no way he wouldn''t use it for his own good, right?


    The Ratmen King knew that this possibility existed as well, so he had begged Ratatoskr to keep the Shard of Origin safe and to also convince Zion to return it to them.


    Of course, the White Ratman, who was the Hero of the Ratmen Race, promised to do it.


    But deep inside, he was afraid of the teenage boy, especially after undergoing the hellish training that he had to go through since the time he had met him.


    Finally, a weekter, Thirteen finally opened his eyes, which made Erica and Sherry finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "About time you woke up," Ericained. "I no longer need to bathe you every day."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before raising his hand as if to ask Erica to give him something.


    "What are you doing?" Erica frowned as he looked at Thirteen''s hand.


    "Compensation," Thirteen replied. "For sexual harassment."


    "Huh?!" Erica couldn''t believe that the teenage boy had the audacity to ask her forpensation when she made sure to clean his body every day out of the goodness of her heart. "What are you talking about?"


    "You touched my family jewels, so you need to pay for it," Thirteen replied.


    "Excuse me?" Erica, who was so close to giving Zion a good smacking, asked while raising her fist. "Do you think I have interest in your little snake? Oh, I''m not talking about you, Tiona. No offense."


    Tiona nodded in understanding before flicking her tongue on Thirteen''s cheek as if giving him a kiss.


    "Little snake?" Thirteen scoffed. "You dare call my mighty dragon a little snake?"


    "Hahaha!" Ericaughed out loud while holding her stomach. "What the hell? You call that a mighty dragon? Well, I have to admit that it looked cute in its own way."


    "Let''s see if you can continueughing once I''m done with you," Thirteen replied.


    "Hah! Who''s afraid of who? Bring it on."


    "Famousst words. I''ll take a picture of you doing a peace sign and spread it on the inte."


    Sherry watched this bickering from the side and smiled faintly.


    Although Zion looked a bit lethargic, she could see that the young man was well and good.


    "The two of you are like a married couple," Sherrymented. "So when is the wedding?"


    "Who will marry this twerp?" Erica snorted. "The only thing good about him is his influence."


    "Who will marry this Auntie?" Thirteen replied. "Just look at her¡ªyou can instantly tell that her menopause starts next year."


    "Excuse me?" Erica pinched Thirteen''s cheek. "I''m only seventeen. How can I have menopause, you brat?"


    "The color of your hair should be red not dark blue," Thirteenmented after prying Erica''s hand from his cheek. "Wait, it should be brown. Simr to the color of poop because the head it''s attached to looks like poop."


    "Bastard, I''ll end you!"


    "O-Oi! I still haven''t recovered. Just where do you think you are touching?!"


    Giga, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls watched as Erica shook their Master''s body with smiles on their faces.


    They had been worried for the past few days, so seeing that their Master had the energy to bicker and frolic with Erica put their minds and hearts at ease.


    A few minutester, Thirteen finally managed to break free from the Sorceress'' headlock.


    He was still feeling weak, which was the side effect of pushing himself to his limit. It was for this reason that he was unable to overpower Erica right away.


    Fortunately, Sherry soon stepped in and helped Thirteen, separating him from the Sorceress, who was having fun messing with him in his weakened state.


    After breaking away from Erica''s grasp, the teenage boy asked Tiona and Sherry what happened while he was unconscious.


    Several minutester, he now had a general understanding of what transpired during thest few days.


    "All of you did well," Thirteen said to his Monster Army. "We worked hard to get the Shard of Origin, so it''s only natural for us to keep it."


    Giga and the others exchanged knowing nces because they had guessed right.


    Ratatoskr, who heard the teenage boy''s words, immediately pleaded for Thirteen to return the Shard of Origin to his people.


    "Tell me, where is the safest ce to keep this Shard of Origin?" Thirteen asked the White Ratman, who was now kneeling in front of him.


    "¡­In the Ratmen''s Ancestral Grounds?" Ratatoskr replied.


    "Fool." Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest. "If that ce is safe, then how did the Goblin Emperor manage to take it?"


    "Then¡­ where is the safest ce?" Ratatoskr inquired.


    "Here, of course," Thirteen answered. "Do you think someone can take the Shard of Origin inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress?"


    "Well, you''re not wrong. But¡­" Ratatoskr couldn''t deny that what Thirteen said was true.


    Now that Thirteen had said it, the Mobile Fortress was indeed the safest ce he could think of. If the Shard of Origin stayed with Rocky, no one would be able to find it even if they tried.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll hold on to it only for safekeeping." Thirteen patted the White Ratman''s shoulder. "It''s not like I''m nning to use your race to fight my battles for me, you know?"


    "Really?" Ratatoskr asked, feeling renewed hope that the teenage boy wouldn''t use the power of the Shard of Origin to take control of their race.


    "Really." Thirteen nodded. "You and your race are in good hands."


    "Thank you very much!" Ratatoskr bowed his head repeatedly.l


    "Oh, you sweet summer child," Ericamented. "You have no idea who you''re dealing with."


    "Um, excuse me?" Ratatoskr, who heard Erica''sment, looked in her direction.


    But the youngdy only shook her head and pretended that nothing was wrong.


    In order to change the topic, Thirteen told Ratatoskr that if he wasn''t convinced that he would not do anything with the Shard of Origin, the Ratman was free to apany him on his journey.


    Naturally, Ratatoskr weed this proposal.


    He failed to notice the looks of pity Giga and the other Monsters were giving him because the young Ratman had unknowingly signed up to be one of Thirteen''s henchmen, just like Taiga, who was currently traveling somewhere in the Central Regions of Solterra.

 Chapter 518: Reunion at Keebo Valley

    After a few more days of travel, Thirteen finally arrived at the valley where the main battle between the Ratmen and Lizardmen took ce.


    Drazzat had told him its location, so he immediately ordered Rocky to head in that direction.


    Tiona''s clone, who had scouted ahead, informed him that there were over a hundred Ratmen who stayed behind and had set up camp within the valley.


    They were a sizable force, but their number was not enough to challenge thebined armies of the Lizardmen.


    ''It might just be the officers of the Ratmen who want to meet me,'' Thirteen thought.


    Erica and Sherry had already told him that the King of the Ratmen had mentioned in passing that theirmanders would be waiting to meet him in Keebo Valley.


    Of course, they were most likely there to convince the teenage boy to return the Shard of Origin to them.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen had no intention of agreeing to that.


    At least not while they were still within the Fractured Heaven.


    Since he didn''t want to meet the Ratmen at this point in time, Thirteen, Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr headed straight toward the Lizardmen together.


    The teenage boy was riding on the back of the de Panther alongside Sherry.


    Erica was riding on cky, while Ratatoskr was riding a Dire Wolf they had bullied along the way.


    Since it couldn''t possibly win against Thirteen''s Monster army, it agreed to be the White Ratman''s mount to save its life.


    When the watchman saw them riding toward their camp, he immediately shouted and rang the bell to rm everyone of Thirteen''s arrival.


    Just like the Ratmen, the majority of the Lizardmen had returned to their own tribes. Only the High-Ranking Officers of their army, as well as those with high influence in their Tribes, remained.


    Since Drazzat told them that the possibility of Zion heading toward the Keebo Valley was high, they decided to stay and wait for his arrival.


    The other Wanderers, who were led by David, also stood at the gates with excitement.


    When they were informed that the Ratmen had raised the white g during one of their skirmishes, they knew then and there that Zion Leventis had seeded in his mission.


    Drazzat was the happiest with the boy''s sess. After all, he was the one who risked himself to convince the other Great Chieftains to have faith in him.


    Before Thirteen could even dismount from the de Panther, a very happy Drazzat grabbed hold of him and raised him high as if he were some kind of trophy.


    Seeing the teenage boy who put an end to the war, all the Lizardmen cheered, which spread in the valley, alerting the Ratmen who were camping hundreds of meters from the Lizardmen''s stronghold.


    "I knew you could do it!" Drazzatughed before letting the boy''s feet touch the ground. "You didn''t betray my trust. Well done, Zion."


    "You also did well, Lord Drazzat," Thirteen replied. "You managed to dy the war long enough for me to seed."


    The Lizardmen Commander smiled as he patted Zion''s shoulder. "Let''s just say that we both seeded. Deal?"


    "Deal." Thirteen nodded before shifting his gaze to the Wanderers, who looked back at him with smiles on their faces.


    Even Leon, who didn''t like Zion, was happy, feeling surreal about the fact that they could finally leave and continue their mission.


    After seeing that the Wanderers didn''t look ill-treated while he was away, Thirteen shifted his attention back to Drazzat and asked him a question.


    "Will the other Great Chieftains honor the agreement?" Thirteen asked.


    "They will," Drazzat replied. "In fact, the other humans in the other settlements are already on their way here."


    After hearing the Commander''s reply, Thirteen was introduced to the other Lizardmen who also wanted to meet him.


    Of course, the teenage boy didn''t mind making connections since the Lizardmen were one of the biggest Factions that thrived in Fractured Heaven.


    An hourter, several visitors arrived at the Camp, and they were none other than the Ratmen, who had alsoe to meet Thirteen.


    One of them was Lord Zekk, who had coborated with Drazzat to minimize the casualties during the war between the two races.


    Out of all the Ratmen, it was safe to say that he was the one who wanted to meet Thirteen the most.


    The moment he saw the human boy, he could tell that he wasn''t a simple human either.


    "Thank you for saving us from the Goblin Emperor''s control," Lord Zekk bowed his head in a respectful manner. "Our n owes you a great debt, and we will repay it to the best of our ability."


    "I expect great things from you, Lord Zekk," Thirteen replied. "I hope we get along from now on."


    "Of course." Lord Zekk nodded. "I also received reports that the humans that we have captured during the war are also now headed here in Keebo Valley. We are doing our best to bring them here as fast, and safely as possible."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because Tiona was the one who ordered Ratatoskr to inform the Ratmen through the Origin Shard to free all the humans that they had captured.


    She added that they should escort them to Keebo Valley as fast as possible or else they would be sorry.


    Since the Origin Shard was still not within their possession, the Ratmen had no choice but to obey Tiona''s orders.


    Thirteen was quite happy that Tiona had dealt with this issue while he was unconscious, which saved him time and effort.


    On the other hand, the captured humans were also spared from further suffering.


    Although the Ratmen seemed peaceful right now, it didn''t change the fact that they were a vicious race that wouldn''t bat an eye when it came to eating humans until nothing but bones were left.


    They were only behaving now because Thirteen had the Shard of Origin in his possession.


    But he was certain that the moment it was returned to the Ratmen, they would revert back to their old ways without fail.


    Lord Zekk, who also wished to retrieve the Shard of Origin, did his best to tter Thirteen, calling him a valiant hero and the savior of their race.


    Thirteen epted this praise in stride while being vague as to when he would return the Divine Artifact of the Ratmen.

 Chapter 519: Zion’s Vice Commanders

    Thirteen had been busy making preparations for their journey toward the Wenpolis Stronghold, their final destination, in the past few days.


    ording to Drazzat, the Wenpolis Stronghold was a small fortress that existed even before the Lizardmen migrated into the Fractured Heaven.


    They believed that it once belonged to the Humans, who were now ruling the Northern Lands.


    However, something must have happened that forced the humans to evacuate and leave the stronghold, which was now in ruins.


    But there was one thing that remained intact within the Stronghold, and it was none other than a one-way portal.


    The Lizardmen didn''t know where this portal led to, for anyone who had tried to enter it was never seen or heard from again.


    After hearing Drazzat''s story, Thirteen and the other Wanderers were convinced that the portal would lead them to their next destination.


    Since they had all been given the same Chain Quest, it meant that they had no choice but to enter the portal in order to continue their mission.


    Contrary to the other Wanderers who were rejoicing, perhaps thinking that they would finally finish their First Mission, Thirteen didn''t react that much, for he understood that their next mission would be several times harder than the first.


    But he didn''t want the other teenagers to worry, so he didn''t say anything about it and simply ordered everyone to cut some trees, which they would use to build more wagons for their uing journey.


    Since all the Wanderers in the Fractured Heaven would be joining them, they needed to increase the number of wagons to make sure that all of them would be able to ride on one.


    Of course, the Lizardmen and Ratmen were more than happy to help.


    The two Factions even decided topete over which side would be able to build the most wagons using Thirteen''s blueprint.


    A weekter, over four hundred Wanderers arrived at the Keebo Valley, which surprised everyone.


    Only then did Erica, David, and the other Apostles realize the gravity of the situation that they were in.


    It was an open secret that the number of Wanderers participating in a mission was corrted to how dangerous it was.


    "Getting cold feet?" Thirteen asked as he looked at Erica''s pale face.


    "W-What are you talking about?" Erica stuttered. "How can I possibly get cold feet? I specialize in Fire Magic, you know?"


    "How about you, Sherry?" Thirteen inquired. "Feeling nervous?"


    "Yes," Sherry didn''t bother to hide her anxiety. As Zion''s right-hand woman, the responsibility that would soon be ced on her shoulder was quite heavy.


    Thirteen nned to make the two girls his Vice Commanders, so they could help him manage the Wanderers into an organized unit.


    Right now, over six hundred Wanderers were gathered in Keebo Valley, which was a number that even Thirteen had never seen in the past.


    On his missions in the Valbarra and Arcadia Archipgo, the number of Wanderers in a mission never surpassed three hundred.


    But now, they had double that number, making the Apostles feel very anxious.


    Thirteen patted Erica''s shoulder and asked her to follow him to stand at the elevated tform to address everyone who was now waiting for his announcement.


    He asked Erica to join him, wanting to use her high poprity as a member of the Hero Party.


    When the Wanderers saw the two of them appear, all of them cheered at the same time.


    Erica might be popr, but no one in Pangea didn''t know who Zion Leventis was.


    If the beautiful sorceress was a Star, Zion was a Superstar.


    So for those who were experiencing their First Wandering, seeing him was like winning the lottery. In their point of view, he was the ticket that would allow them to return to their loved ones who were waiting for them in Pangea.


    Sherry, who was only known by the original members of Thirteen''s group, stood on the teenage boy''s right side and did her best to stay calm.


    Although she was feeling nervous, she was able to stand her ground because the teenage boy was standing in front of her.


    Thirteen allowed them to cheer for a while before he raised his hand to calm everyone down.


    "I''m d that all of you are able to arrive here safely," Thirteen said. "But our journey is far from over. If all of you are willing to follow my orders, I will do my best to ensure that the majority of you will be able toplete your missions.


    "I will not lie to all of you¡ªthe chances of you dying in our next mission are very high. While I do not know what we will have to face when we reach the Wenpolis Stronghold, I do know that if all of us worked together, we can make a difference."


    Thirteen paused for a bit to let his words sink in. A minuteter, he raised three fingers, as he scanned the faces of the Wanderers in front of him.


    "Three days," Thirteen stated. "In three days, we will start our journey. Until then, all of you are going to help with the preparation to gather food and water for our journey.


    "Last but not the least, I will be assigning Captains who will lead a team with twenty members each. Of course, if you prefer to form smaller groups, that''s fine as well. All I want is for the Captains should be responsible enough to follow orders and lead their teams properly."


    Thirteen then used his thumb to point at Erica, who was standing on his left side.


    "While I will be your Commander, I will have two Vice Commanders to help me manage all of you," Thirteen dered. "The first one is none other than the Sorceress of the Hero Party, Erica!"


    The Wanderers once again erupted into cheers as they looked at the beautiful sorceress whom they had seen many times on television.


    With her long, dark blue hair and good looks, Erica was a stunning beauty who could make any man turn their head to look at her.


    When the cheering died down a bit, Thirteen nced at his right side and introduced the youngdy with short blonde hair and blue eyes who looked like a delicate-looking boy.


    "Her name is Sherry Weaver, and she is my second-inmand. Just like Erica, she holds the position of Vice Commander, so please cooperate with her, and make sure to listen to her orders.


    "Her orders are my orders. If you defy her, you are defying me. That said, make sure to remember that, okay?"


    Everyone nced at the prettydy who was doing her best to keep her head high and not run away out of anxiety.


    Although she might not have noticed it, Thirteen was actually helping her be ustomed to carrying heavy responsibilities, which would only be heavier as they challenged the next mission that they were about to face.

 Chapter 520: Metatron’s Proposal

    Thirteen eyed the God of the Apocalypse with a calm expression on his face.


    On the other hand, Metatron was casually eating a fish cracker.


    "You want some?" Metatron asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "You already know why I''m here."


    "No, I don''t. How can I know if you don''t tell me?"


    "Hah¡­"


    Thirteen heaved a deep sigh before ncing at the Rank 8 Goblin Emperor, who was looking back at him anxiously.


    Originally, the Goblin Emperor thought that Thirteen was just a weakling he could casually kill without too much effort. Now he knew that reality was different.


    Using his uncanny ability to read and predict his opponent''s movements, the human boy was able to not only dodge the monster''s attacks but alsounch his own counterattack.


    If not for the fact that Metatron came to stop Thirteen by dealing the final blow, the Goblin Emperor would have been dead by now.


    Seeing that Metatron was ying coy, the teenage boy decided to get straight to the point and get it over with.


    "Why did you stop me from killing that bastard?" Thirteen even pointed at the Goblin Emperor to ensure that the God of the Order of the Apocalypse couldn''t pretend that he didn''t know what he was talking about.


    "That''s because I pity you, Thirteen," Metatron replied.


    "Pity me?" Thirteen frowned. "Why should you pity me?"


    The teenage boy had thought of many reasons why Metatron had interfered with his battle, but pity wasn''t one of them.


    This was why he was genuinely confused with Metatron''s answer. No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn''t think of any reason as to why he should be pitied.


    "It seems that you still don''t understand what I''m talking about," Metatronmented. "But that''s fine. Allow me to make you understand. Simply put, among the members of the Apocalypse, you are the weakest of them all. Are you following me?"


    Thirteen nodded because that much was true. Compared to the Majin Princes and Princesses, he was truly the weakest among them all.


    "Because of this, I decided to offer a proposal to you," Metatron said after making sure that Thirteen was paying close attention to him.


    "A proposal?" Thirteen frowned.


    "Yes. A proposal that can make you less pitiful." Metatron nodded. "I''m sure that you will agree to it as well."


    The frown on Thirteen''s face deepened, but he still gestured for Metatron to continue talking.


    It wouldn''t hurt for him to hear what he had to say because it might actually be a good thing.


    "I''ve made a decision to let you capture monsters who are Rank 8 and above and make your subordinates," Metatron stated. "But there is one condition¡ªthese monsters must be personally defeated by you.


    "If you defeat them alongside Tiona, then that''s also fine. However, if you defeat them using the power of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, it will not be counted. Simply put, you are free to use any method.


    "You can also scheme and have others fight for you. As long as you are the one about tond the killing blow, the condition will be met, and I will capture these monsters to be your subordinates.


    "Last but not the least, even though these subordinates have been captured, you may not order them or summon them right away. Only after you capture at least five monsters will you be allowed to call them to fight by your side.


    "I will count the Goblin Emperor as one of them, so you need four more. With this, you will have a fighting force that will catch up to the other members of the Order of the Apocalypse. What do you say? Isn''t it a brilliant idea?"


    "It''s indeed a brilliant idea." Thirteen nodded. "But are there no strings attached to this?"


    "Hoho, so you''re confident that you can defeat Rank 8 Monsters and above with just you, Tiona, and your schemes?" Metatron smirked. "Worry not. There are no strings attached. I like hard-working people."


    The God of the Order of the Apocalypse then nced at the Goblin Emperor, making its body shudder uncontrobly.


    It was Metatron who had cured it of the venom that had spread inside its body, preventing it from dying.


    But having heard everything just now, it understood that it was only alive because it was meant to be the subordinate of the human who had defeated it in battle.


    The Goblin Emperor was an arrogant and proud monster. However, it could still reluctantly serve someone who had managed to defeat it despite the disparity in ranks.


    "Since you want me to be strong and catch up to the other members of the Apocalypse, why not add them to the deal as well?" Thirteen pointed at Zed and Evuvug, who were on the other corner of the treasury.


    "Hmm¡­" Metatron rubbed his chin as if to ponder this proposal.


    As mentioned earlier, he didn''t mind letting Thirteen form a strong army of monsters. But he felt like adding the Birdman and the Brain Beetle to the agreement was overkill.


    Even so, as long as Thirteen was able to meet the conditions, he would allow him to have his way.


    "Very well, I will agree to this condition,'' Metatron stated. "So work hard, Thirteen. I look forward to you catching up with the rest of your peers."


    After saying those words, Metatron disappeared.


    Thirteen nced at the Goblin Emperor, the Birdman, and the Brain Beetle onest time before he, too, disappeared from the Order of the Apocalypse.


    Metatron''s proposal was something he couldn''t afford to pass up.


    Having many strong monsters as his subordinates would allow him to push his n forward several times.


    Just having Evuvug with him would make him a force to reckon with. Adding Zed and the Goblin Emperor was merely a bonus that made the deal better.


    When the teenage boy had finally left, Zed and Evuvug shared a knowing nce with each other.


    They understood that it was truly possible for Thirteen to capture four more monsters. Once that happened, both of them would have no choice but to serve him as their Master.


    "What do you think?" Zed asked. "Will he seed?"


    "Knowing him, unless he dies, this agreement is as good as done," Evuvug replied.


    Zed was in agreement with the Brain Beetle.


    Unless the teenage boy died in an attempt to capture strong monsters, this agreement between him and Metatron was already sealed in stone.

 Chapter 521: Remind Me To Sue You Once We Return To Pangea

    After returning from the Order of the Apocalypse, Thirteen gazed at the lively camp of the Wanderers.


    The countless campfires illuminated the valley as they ate, chatted, and made theirst-minute preparation for their journey when morning came.


    Thirteen had not only be their leader but also their emotional support.


    Since the majority of them were first-timers, most of them hoped that they would be able to survive and return back home.


    Erica and the other Apostles did their best to assure everyone that as long as they worked together, they would be able to ovee the challenges that they were about to face.


    Since one of the members of the Hero Party and the Supreme Commander of the Alliance were with them, it wasn''t that hard for the neers to be encouraged.


    While the teenage boy was observing the Wanderers from a distance, a familiar voice spoke behind him.


    "A gold coin for your thoughts?"


    Thirteen didn''t even need to turn around to guess who it was because there was only one person who wasn''t afraid to strike up a conversation with him among the Wanderers.


    "Only a gold coin?" Thirteen asked as he continued to gaze in the distance. "I''m not that cheap."


    "Don''t act cool when it''s only the two of us," Erica replied as she stood beside the teenage boy, who had disappeared after dinner. "Where did you go earlier?"


    "I took a stroll to clear my thoughts," Thirteen answered.


    Erica paused for a bit as she gazed at the campfires in the distance.


    "This reminds me of my Third Wandering," Erica said softly. "Back then, there were around a hundred Wanderers with me, and we needed to reach a bridge that would take us to safety.


    "This bridge was fifty miles away, and on our way there, we needed to y a game of hide and seek with the savage nomads who treated us as prey in their sport.


    "Those who got caught died, and the number of people who managed to survive was less than twenty. After crossing the bridge, the mission was cleared, and I was sent back to Pangea.


    ''I know that missions in Solterra are difficult, and sometimes borderline inhumane. However, those who survive will ultimately be stronger as they gain experience.


    "Zion, how many do you think will survive this time?"


    Thirteen didn''t answer right away as if he was seriously trying to ponder the answer to Erica''s question.


    A few minutester, he finally opened his lips and answered her question as honestly as he could.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen answered. "Even I might not survive this time around."


    Erica, who heard his answer, frowned.


    It was fine if he had said that he didn''t know how many would survive.


    But Zion saying that he might not survive this mission was not. She found his answer hard to believe.


    Erica wasn''t aware that simr to the Wanderers who were currently in the Keebo Valley, she, too, had thought of the teenage boy beside her as her emotional support.


    If her emotional support suddenly copsed, then it would greatly affect her state of mind.


    "Are you not confident?" Erica asked. "Even after you managed to get the Shard of Origin from the Goblin Emperor and save us?"


    "It may sound absurd to you, but don''t be naive," Thirteen replied. "Even I have the right to bleed."


    Erica sighed before hugging the teenage boy from behind.


    "Don''t worry. If you faint again, I''ll make sure to bathe you every day."


    "Remind me to sue you once we return to Pangea."


    "I dare you to sue me. Let''s see if you can win."


    Thirteen and Erica spent a few minutes of silence like that. He didn''t push her away nor pry her hands off his body because there was no need to do so.


    Erica, on the other hand, continued to hug the teenage boy because she felt safe being around him.


    Rianna had once said that Zion was like a lucky charm.


    "Regardless of how difficult the situation is, as long as he is with you, things will get solved in the end."


    Those were the exact words Rianna had told her, and after seeing the teenage boy in action, Erica was now one of her believers.


    Finally, after nearly half an hour, Thirteen lightly tapped Erica''s arm.


    "Go to sleep," Thirteen said. "We still have a long journey tomorrow."


    "Mmm." Erica pulled back. "Good night, Zion. Sleep well."


    "You too," Thirteen replied. "Good night."


    Fifteen minutester¡­


    "¡­"


    Thirteen looked at the sleeping Sorceress, who had decided to sleep in the wagon where he and Sherry stayed together.


    "Why is she here?" Thirteen asked Sherry, who was also about to sleep.


    "She said you gave her permission to sleep here," Sherry replied in confusion. "Did you not give her permission to sleep here?"


    The teenage boy shook his head, but since Erica was already fast asleep, there was no point in waking her up.


    "It''s fine," Thirteen said. "This wagon is big enough to let twelve people sleep. Good night, Sherry."


    "Good night." Sherry nodded andid down on the sleeping bag Thirteen had given her.


    Thirteen then closed the rear of the wagon to make sure that no one would disturb them during the night.


    Only after he was done did he take out his own sleeping bag andy down to sleep.


    "Goodnight, Tiona."


    Tiona flicked her tongue on Thirteen''s cheek before coiling up on his chest to rest.


    Tomorrow, Sharroc would guide them toward the Stronghold of Wenpolis, which was located near the Lizardmen Tribes.


    The Lizardmen once thought that taking over the Stronghold was a good idea.


    But they soon abandoned this thought because the One-Way Portal would asionally release a wave of energy that made the Lizardmen feel sick.


    Since then, they abandoned the stronghold and never bothered with it again.


    Truth be told, Sharroc and Drazzat were very shocked when Thirteen said that all the humans would be entering the portal.


    They thought that they were insane, but since the teenage boy didn''t look like he was joking, the only thing they could do was escort them to the stronghold to see with their eyes whether they would truly enter the portal or not.

 Chapter 522: History Of The Absolute Heaven

    A grand procession of wooden wagons traveled across the territory of the Lizardmen.


    Sharroc, Drazzat, and the Warriors of the Varesti Tribe escorted the Wanderers to ensure that the other LIzardmen Tribes wouldn''t harass the humans who helped them end the war.


    The Ratmen also volunteered toe, but Thirteen told them that having Ratatoskr was enough as an escort from their race.


    With a heavy heart, they bid their farewell to Zion and repeatedly told Ratatoskr to make sure that the boy wouldn''t abuse the power of the Shard of Origin tomand their race into submission.


    Being ordered by someone like the Goblin Emperor to start a war was something that they didn''t want to experience a second time.


    No matter how much Thirteen assured them that he wouldn''t do such a thing, it was still very hard for the Ratmen to not feel anxious since he might change his mind anytime.


    Ratatoskr traveled alongside Zion''s wagon, which was at the head of the caravan.


    Drazzat was also on the other side of Thirteen''s wagon, acting like an escort, while Sharroc yed the role of coachman.


    It had been two days since they started their journey, and ording to Sharroc, it would take them two days more to arrive at their destination with their current pace.


    For the most part, the journey was uneventful.


    With so many humans and Lizardmen traveling together, it was impossible not to rm the monsters in their path.


    Whether they were a herd of monsters or monsters who hunted in groups, they made sure to stay away from Thirteen''s caravan, which had enough fighting force to annihte them.


    They traveled alongside the river, which had plenty of fish to feed everyone during the long journey.


    The Lizardmen were more than happy to catch fish for their benefactors, who were all headed to the ce where none of the Lizardmen dared to stay for so long.


    The Wanderers, who numbered over six hundred, were being managed by the captains that Thirteen had carefully handpicked.


    As for the Cygni Faction? Thirteen didn''t touch their group and allowed Sean to manage them like he usually did.


    Leon actually wanted to lead a group of his own but ultimately decided that it was much better to just stay with his faction for the time being.


    "It''s too peaceful," Sherry said while carving the block of wood in her hand. "It''s like we just entered the eye of the storm."


    "Well, you''re not wrong," Thirteen, who was also carving a wooden block of wood, replied. "Once we enter the one-way portal, I believe that things will no longer be as easy-going as they are now."


    "Don''t jinx it!" Erica, who was currently reading a scroll containing the history of the Fractured Heaven, eximed. "Can''t we just enjoy the peace while itsts?"


    Thirteen and Sherry shared a knowing nce before nodding their heads at the same time.


    Erica was right.


    They should enjoy this moment of peace while it stillsts.


    "So have you read anything interesting in those scrolls?" Thirteen asked.


    "I did," Erica replied. "If these scrolls are to be believed, then the Fractured Heaven is sealed off from the outside world due to a wall that spanned for miles on end."


    "What is on the other side of the wall?" Sherry asked. "Who made the seal, and why was the Fractured Heaven sealed away?"


    "Um, ording to this, the Fractured Heaven was once part of a vastnd, which was called the Absolute Heavens," Erica answered. "Since it was a cut-off from that piece of heaven, the locals started calling this ce the Fractured Heaven."


    Sherry nodded. "Now the name makes sense."


    "I know right?" Erica smirked. "Now, let''s get back to the question you asked earlier. What is on the other side of the wall? ording to the records, monsters that didn''te from this world started pouring en masse into the Absolute Heaven.


    "So as ast-ditch effort to save the inhabitants from extinction, a great wall was erected by the Old God, protecting a tenth of the citizens of Absolute Heaven."


    Sherry''s eyes widened in shock. "Only a tenth?"


    "That''s what the records say." Erica nodded. "If I am tranting this properly, I think it''s safe to say that the monsters that didn''te from this world are the Jinns. What do you think, Zion? Am I right?"


    "Mayhaps," Thirteen replied as he continued to carve the piece of wood in his hands. "It can be other races too."


    "What other races are there except for the Jinns?" Erica inquired.


    "Well, I have fought against the Artemians before, you know?" Thirteen replied. "They are Moon People, so the possibility of other monsters aside from the Jinns invading the Absolute Heaven is there.


    "Of course, I am leaning more in your guess that the monsters on the other side of the wall are Jinns. My only question is whether those Jinns are still on the other side of the wall or not."


    Sherry suddenly thought of something, which made her body shudder uncontrobly.


    "Don''t tell me¡ªour mission is to defeat the monsters on the other side of the wall¡­" Sherry said anxiously.


    Erica frowned because Sherry''s idea might be a reality.


    "Well, I hope that we won''t have to do that," Ericamented. "Just thinking of fighting hordes of Jinns is enough to give me nightmares."


    Although Erica was now powerful in her own right, she was still not too keen on facing hundreds of monsters at the same time.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, remained silent because he knew that overthinking things would not do them any good.


    "Just wait until we get our second mission," Thirteen stated. "Don''t scare yourselves silly."


    "But what if it does happen?" Sherry asked. "What if we are forced to go to the other side of the wall and defeat the monsters there?"


    "Then we do it." Thirteen shrugged. "Since that is the only way for us to go home, we will just have to do everything in our power toplete our next mission."


    "You make it sound easy, Zion." Erica gave the teenage boy a thumbs up. "I approve."


    Meanwhile, Drazzat, who overheard what the three teenagers were talking about, frowned.


    Many of their people had tried to enter the one-way portal to see what was on the other side of it.


    They believed that even though it might take a long time, some of them would eventually return to their homnd and inform everyone about what they saw on the other side.


    But none of these Lizardmen returned, which made the Great Chieftain decide to no longer send their people to the Stronghold of Wenpolis.


    Truth be told, Drazzat was thinking of apanying Zion and the others, wanting to see whaty on the other side of the portal.


    Although he was feeling a bit anxious about the idea that he might not be able to return to his tribe, the temptation of finding the truth was making him reconsider.


    Since he had already assigned a Vice Chieftain, who would govern while he was away, it really didn''t matter whether he left the Varesti Tribe or not.


    ''I''ll cross the bridge when I get there,'' Drazzat thought.


    However, although he tried hard to deny it, he had already made his decision.


    Two dayster¡­


    The Wenpolis Stronghold finally appeared in their sight, making the Wanderers sigh in relief.


    However, before they could even do anything, they heard a notification sound inside their heads, making them check their status page at the same time.

 Chapter 523: The Tyrant Of The Wenpolis Stronghold

    Like everyone else, Thirteen also looked at his Status Page and skimmed through the contents of their first mission.


    ¡ª¡ª-


    Trial of Courage [Part 1]


    This mission is a chain quest. In order to clear it, you will need to clear three missions first.


    ¡ª Find the Stronghold of Wenpolis located on the west of thend called "Fractured Heaven," and overthrow the Tyrant ruling it.


    Time Limit: None


    Note: You have already arrived at your destination, all you need to do now is defeat the Tyrant that had taken over the Stronghold.


    After you defeat the Tyrant, you will need to enter the One-Way Portal to continue your next mission.


    ¡ª¡ª-


    "Defeat the tyrant, huh? I almost forgot about this part," Ericamented. "I wonder how strong that Tyrant is?"


    Thirteen also wondered about the exact same thing, but he temporarily brushed it aside. He took the small red g at the side of his wagon and raised it high in the air.


    "Captains, assemble!" the Wanderers shouted after seeing the g in Thirteen''s hand, passing the message behind the red g across the entire caravan.


    The teenage boy had taught the Wanderers various means ofmunication, and one of them was waving gs of different colors to inform everyone what they needed to do.


    The red g meant that there would be an emergency meeting among all the captains within their group.


    A few minutester, all the captains gathered in front of Thirteen and were waiting for him to start the meeting.


    "Our destination is within our sights, but thest hurdle remains," Thirteen said. "As you may already know, we need to first defeat the Tyrant that is inside the Stronghold before we can enter the one-way portal safely.


    "For the time being, all of you will stay here and rest, while I scout ahead to check the current situation. If the Tyrant isn''t as strong as I was expecting, I will move in to eliminate it alongside Erica and the other Apostles.


    "They will alsoe with me on this scouting mission, and all of you will stay here and wait for our return."


    The Captains nodded in understanding. But not long after, there was one Captain who raised his hand, the sight of which made Thirteen smile.


    "Yes, Sean?" Thirteen asked.


    "I want to go as well," Sean replied. "Please give me permission to apany you, Commander."


    Thirteen eyed the Scion of the Cygni Faction before nodding his head. "Very well. You maye with me. Feel free to bring Heidi with you. However, only the two of you can apany us in this scouting mission."


    "Thank you." Sean smiled.


    Thirteen then shifted his attention to Erica and David, who were also waiting for his orders.


    "Gather the Apostles, and prepare to depart in fifteen minutes," Thirteen ordered. "The rest of the Captains will inform everyone that we are on Level 3 Alert. Stay in your positions, and be on guard. If something unexpected happens inside the Wenpolis Stronghold, I want everyone to mobilize the moment they see the signal."


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    After giving out a series of orders, the variousmanders made their move and hurried back to their own respective squads to tell them about the contents of the meeting.


    Fifteen minutester, the Scouting Party departed the Caravan in order to check the level of danger inside the Wenpolist Stronghold.


    Drazzat decided to apany Zion and the others, so before leaving, he ordered his subordinates to keep watch and protect the humans while he was away.


    Since the Lizardmen had abandoned the stronghold, it was highly possible that a monster had taken over it during the past few years.


    Thirteen''s team wasposed of twenty people, including Drazzat.


    Their group could be considered a sizable fighting force and could handle a Rank 6 Sovereign as long as they all worked together.


    Before they entered the stronghold, Thirteen had already sent Rocky to investigate.


    But ording to his report, aside from a few Rank 2 and Rank 3 Monsters inside the Stronghold, he didn''t sense any strong monsters inside of it.


    Even so, the Rocky Bal-boa remained on standby just in case something unexpected happened.


    The moment Thirteen''s group reached their destination, the teenage boy immediately ordered the Apostles to cripple the monsters in the surroundings but not kill them.


    He nned to let Sherry, Sean, and Heidind the killing blow since they would benefit from killing Rank 2 and Rank 3 Monsters the most.


    The majority of the Monsters inside the Stronghold were Spiders of different sizes.


    The Rank 3 Spiders were as big as cars, while the Rank 2 Spiders were as big as motorcycles.


    There were dozens of them inside the Stronghold, but with Drazzat, Erica, and the other Apostles around, all the other Monsters were easily kept at bay, while Sherry, Sean, and Heidi went for the kill.


    "Don''t let your guard down," Thirteen said as he observed the surroundings. "Prepare for any unexpected event that might happen."


    Thirteen tightened his grip on his bow and lightly pulled back the nocked arrow as he eyed the surroundings like a hawk.


    Tiona was also slithering around, checking the surroundings for any monsters who mightunch a sneak attack in their direction.


    Nearly half an hourter, Thirteen''s team had managed to kill all the Spiders in the immediate surroundings.


    Gathering once again, Thirteen asked everyone to apany him to do a sweep of the Stronghold and eliminate all the threats inside of it.


    Only after he was certain that there were no more signs of danger would he let the other Wanderers enter the Stronghold.


    An hourter, they finally arrived at the One-Way Portal which was as big as an entire house.


    It was located at the Northern corner of the Stronghold, guarded by six Rank 3 Monsters which was easily defeated by Thirteen''s party.


    Thirteen approached the one-way portal and thoroughly inspected it. After seeing that there was nothing wrong with it, he looked at his teammates and started to give out a series of orders.


    "Only the Western area is left," Thirteen said. "After we clear that part, we will divide into two teams and do onest sweep of the Stronghold. There''s a possibility that some of the monsters escaped, so we will do a pincer sweep to ensure that we eliminate those remaining monsters."


    As Thirteen was busy talking, somewhere inside the stronghold, eight gray eyes opened at the same time.


    It had sensed that several creatures had infiltrated its domain and killed a huge number of its subordinates.


    But just as it was about to move, it noticed a ck snake looking up at it from the ground.


    The spider, who had a camouge ability, casually swiped at the ck snake with its razor-sharp legs, splitting it in half.


    With its death, the ck snake erupted into a purple blood mist, but the spider jumped away from it andnded nimbly on the ground.


    Despite its size, it was able to move quickly andnd like it only weighed a feather.


    It once again activated its stealth ability and started looking for the perfect ce to set up an ambush so that the intruders, who had entered its domain, would not be leaving it alive.

 Chapter 524: Double Standards Much? The Discrimination Is Real

    While Thirteen was busy clearing out the Wenpolis Stronghold, Camazotz and Kamrusepa were chatting with Metatron.


    "That is a mean trick you pulled over our boy, Thirteen," Camazotz said in disappointment. "Although you said that you will allow him to capture monsters, you just have to set that very hard condition."


    "Very hard condition?" Metatron arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean ''very hard condition''?"


    "You know what I''m talking about," Camazotz replied. "You set a condition that he can only capture monsters he defeated with only Tiona and his schemes.


    "If he defeats the monster with the help of his Parade of a Hundred Demons, then it won''t count. Just what kind of bullsh*t is that? It''s part of his strength, so why are you not allowing him to use it?"


    "I have my reasons," Metatron answered. "But you look down on Thirteen so much. Even without it, I''m sure that the boy cane up with something. Unlike you, he is a very smart person."


    Camazotz snorted because Metatron indirectly said that he wasn''t smart like Zion.


    Of course, the Death Bat had already known and acknowledged this fact, but that wasn''t even the issue right now. He wanted Thirteen to be strong so that their Trinity would be the strongest faction in the Order of the Apocalypse.


    There were currently four factions within the order, and their Trinity was thetest Faction formed.


    Kamrusepa was their strongest and most influential member.


    Even the other members of the Order of the Apocalypse would often approach her for favors due to her power as a Seer and an Oracle.


    All the three other factions had tried inviting her to their faction, but she declined each time.


    This was why when Kamrusepa decided to team up with Camatoz and Thirteen, the other members of the Apocalypse thought that she was just ying around with the two weakest members of their organization.


    "Still, you should at least let him use the Divine Artifact," Camazotz insisted. "Am I right, Kamrusepa?"


    But to his surprise, the Majin Princess of Prophecy didn''t side with him this time.


    "I agree with Metatron on this one," Kamrusepa said. "Knowing Thirteen, he will just force himself to fight an opponent stronger than him again. He only got lucky this time because his subordinates are able to fend off the Goblin Army, preventing them from helping their Emperor.


    "But if even one of them had managed to get past their defenses, Thirteen would have been in danger because he put all of his attention into fighting the Goblin Emperor. He doesn''t have enough leeway to deal with unexpected variables."


    Metatron nodded. "As expected. Smart people get it easily."


    Camazotz blinked once then twice before ring at the traitor, who didn''t side with him.


    "Don''t worry, Camazotz." Kamrusepa smiled faintly. "Thirteen will be able to do it. He''s someone who will go above, and beyond to achieve his goals. What makes you think that he is not capable of defeating a Rank 8 Sovereign with only his wits?


    "Did you perhaps forget that he is the one who defeated Arundel? Back then, he didn''t have the Parade of a Hundred Demons. All he needs is time and a strategy. As long as these conditions are met, it''s not impossible to defeat a Rank 8 Monster and above."


    Camazotz couldn''t refute the Majin Princess'' words because Thirteen wouldn''t have be a member of the Order if he didn''t defeat one of its members.


    Since the teenage boy had managed to do it when he was still seven years old, what was stopping him from doing the same thing now that he was stronger and older?


    "For now, you should focus on yourself, Camazotz," Metatron chided. "Although Thirteen is the weakest member of the Order of the Apocalypse right now, you are the second weakest member."


    "Hahaha! That is old news, Metatron." Camazotz chuckled. "In the past, I was indeed the weakest. But now? Hmph! You can pick any member of the Order except Kamrusepa and Beelzebub, and I can beat the crap out of them hands down."


    "¡­ You''re only confident now because you have that Armor that you got from the Artemians." Metatronmented. "Without it, you''re just a stupid Death Bat."


    "But I have it." Camazotz smirked. "And since I have it, do you think I''m still the old Death Bat second only to Arundel? You should change the Rankings, Metatron. Right now, I am the third strongest member of our organization."


    Kamrusepa opened her fan and covered her lips. If she didn''t, she might not be able to stop herself fromughing out loud.


    She agreed that without the armor, Camazotz was their second weakest member. But since he had it, he was no longer someone who could easily be defeated.


    The Death Bat had even subdued his neighbors and made them subservient to him, expanding his domain after he returned from helping Thirteen in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    "Relying on external things doesn''t make someone stronger, Camazotz," Metatron said with a smile. "You should take Thirteen as your role model. He is a very interesting character."


    "Um? Did you forget that he also asked for external help against the Artemians?" Camazotz replied. "I and Kamrusepa went out of our way to help his sorry bum back then, or did you forget it?"


    "You using external help and Thirteen using external help are two different things, Camazotz."


    "Double standards much? The discrimination is real."


    "It is indeed discrimination. But what can you do about it? You want to fight? Bring it on!"


    This time, Kamrusepa wasn''t able to stop the giggle that escaped her lips after she heard the banter between Metatron and Camazotz.


    Clearly, Metatron was giving Thirteen special treatment and rubbing it on Camazotz''s face.


    Simply put, the God of the Order of the Apocalypse had more faith in the teenage boy than the Death Bat, who was notorious for bullying the weak and fearing the strong.


    ''Still, I can''t wait until Thirteen bes a bit stronger,'' Kamrusepa thought. ''It might take some time, but with him as our leader, I''m sure that things will get more interesting in the future.''


    The Majin Princess of Prophecy then nced at the projection that showed Thirteen walking in the direction where Tiona''s clone was killed and preparing himself for battle.

 Chapter 525: Hide And Seek [Part 1]

    After Tiona''s clone died, Tiona immediately reported to her Master what her clone discovered.


    Knowing about the strong monster, the teenage boy immediately recalled the Second Group, which was supposed to do a sweep of the stronghold in the western regions.


    "What''s wrong?" David, who was leading the second group, asked. "Did something happen?"


    "Something came up," Thirteen replied. "The monster guarding this ce is a Rank 6 Sovereign. It''s a Chameleon Spider that can meld with its surroundings, making it invisible to the eyes.


    "We can''t afford to divide ourselves into two groups because that makes it easier for it to ambush us. Sticking together is our best option right now."


    When David heard the name of the monster, his face immediately turned pale.


    In his past mission, he and hisrades happened to encounter a Chameleon Spider, and it nearly wiped out all of them.


    It was a very sly and cautious monster, striking only when it was certain of its victory.


    Because of its intelligence, its threat level was higherpared to other monsters of the same rank.


    "How did you know that there''s a Chameleon Spider in this Stronghold?" David inquired. "Where did you get this information?"


    "Tiona told me," Thirteen replied. "She''s very sensitive to the scent of monsters, and it just so happens that she had encountered a Chameleon Spider in the past."


    The ck snake nodded her head in confirmation. Her Master was technically not lying.


    Her clone had encountered the Chameleon Spider, even dying because of it. Since her clone was a part of her, it meant that she had also encountered the monster as well. Although it hadn''t been long since then, it was still considered ''in the past.''


    Everyone nced at the Domini Mortis coiled around Zion''s neck. There was very little information about this extremely rare monster, so David couldn''t refute the possibility of it having superior detection abilities.


    "What do we do now?" Erica asked. "I''ve heard about the Chameleon Spider, and it''s a very nasty opponent. People who encounter it die without knowing how they died."


    "Exactly!" David nodded. "That monster is a real threat. Maybe we should retreat for now, ande up with a strategy after we regroup with the others."


    "You''re right," Thirteen said. "Let''s go back for now."


    Everyone sighed in relief. They initially feared the possibility that Zion would be stubborn and ask them to fight the Chameleon Spider together with him.


    What the other Wanderers didn''t know was that Tiona''s clone had once again spawned, and it was now monitoring the movement of the one who killed it from under the ground.


    Rocky moved underground, following Zion and making sure to protect its Master just in case the Spider sneak attacked.


    Only after the Wanderers had safely left the stronghold did they manage to breathe a sigh of relief.


    "All of you stay here," Thirteen said. "I''ll ask Commander Drazzat to apany me in the stronghold to check if there is really a Camouge Spider."


    David and the others wanted to persuade him not to go.


    But since a Rank 5 Sovereign like Drazzat wasing with him, they felt that Zion would be able to escape as long as the Lizardman Commander was there.


    "I''ming with you," Erica said.


    "I''ll go as well," Sherry stated.


    The two had even prepared what they''d say to persuade Zion if he rejected them, so they were pleasantly surprised when the teenage boy nodded and agreed to take them with him.


    "Okay, but I will not bring anyone else aside from the two of you," Thirteen replied. "Adding more might just make things moreplicated and prevent us from escaping."


    On the side, Drazzat turned to his subordinates.


    "All of you should stay on alert," the Lizard Commander ordered his subordinates. "Even if we are a mile away from the stronghold, that doesn''t mean that the Camouge Spider will not take the initiative to attack our camp."


    All the Lizardmen nodded their heads in understanding and promised that they would stay alert while waiting for their Commander''s return.


    Once the head figures were finished giving instructions to their subordinates, Thirteen''s team of four once again traveled toward the Stronghold.


    The moment their group stepped foot into the Stronghold, Thirteen didn''t bat an eye and asked Rocky to bring out T1 up to T5.


    Seeing the five monsters suddenly appear, Erica, Sherry, and Drazzat understood that Thirteen meant serious business.


    "Will Giga, cky, Hercules, and Rocky not help us?" Erica asked.


    "We can''t always rely on them to fight our battles for us," Thirteen answered. "T1 and the rest is more than enough to assist us in this battle."


    T1 was a Rank 5 Sovereign Troll Warlord, while the other Trolls were Rank 4 Alpha Monsters.


    There were two Troll Raiders and two Troll Shamans, so their groupposition was bnced.


    Sherry also summoned Mors. Although there were already strong monsters in their party, she was simply used to fighting alongside her de Panther.


    Erica, on the other hand, wore the Monocle that Zion had given her. Not only did it allow her to lock in on monsters from a distance, but it also amplified some of her abilities, including her thermal vision.


    Even if something were invisible, as long as their body was emitting heat, she would be able to detect them with the help of the monocle.


    When he saw the youngdy wearing the Monocle he crafted and gifted to her, a faint smile appeared on his lips. He was d to see that Erica was quick to use it in this situation.


    "Follow me," Thirteen said and then led his team to where the spider was hiding.


    Earlier, the Camouge Spider was nning to ambush Thirteen''s group as they made their rounds inside the stronghold.


    Unfortunately, they left, and the Spider even thought that they had given up.


    So when it sensed that there were suddenly ten creatures inside the stronghold, it became extremely cautious.


    The reason why it became conscious was due to the fact that six out of those ten creatures were strong.


    Although it was still stronger than them, it understood that it couldn''t act rashly.


    It nned to observe the neers from a safe distance. But when it sensed that they were headed in its direction, the Spider was forced to make a decision.


    Wait in ambush or retreat.


    After careful consideration, it decided to wait and ambush the invaders.


    It was confident that as long as the enemy came within its striking range, it could eliminate one or two of them before making its escape.


    Once the instances are met, it would then use sneak attacks to whittle down the enemy''s numbers until only a few of them were left.


    By then, the Spider no longer needed to fear anything because it could simply overpower its foes with speed and power.


    But just as it was having this thought, it heard whistling sounds in the air.


    A momentter, the Spider jumped off from its hiding ce just in time to dodge three Adamantium arrows that pierced the wall where it had been waiting earlier.


    However, although it managed to dodge the arrows, it didn''t manage to evade the Fireball thatnded perfectly on the spot it had jumped to. It was as if its caster predicted exactly where the Spider was going tond.


    Although it was hit by one of Erica''s strongest attacks, the Monster only suffered minor burns, which it easily shrugged off.


    But before it could even return to hiding, three Trolls and the Lizardman Commander charged in its direction with their weapons poised to strike.


    The Camouge Spider nced in their direction once before running away in haste.


    It was still shaken because it didn''t understand why it was attacked even though it was perfectly hidden from in sight.


    Until it discovered how its trump card was seen through, the spider decided that fighting wasn''t the best option at the moment.


    Thirteen, who saw the Spider running away, couldn''t help but sneer.


    "You can run, but you can''t hide," Thirteen muttered before giving the signal to Erica, Sherry and the two Troll Warlords to follow him.


    The Camouge Spider had grown to its current rank by preying on the weak.


    Because of this, it wasn''t prepared to be hunted down by a group of monsters who now treated it as their prey.

 Chapter 526: Hide And Seek [Part 2]

    The Camouge Spider was starting to lose its mind.


    No matter how hard it tried to run away and no matter how much it tried to hide, the invaders seemed to always know where exactly it hid.


    At first, it thought that the enemy just got lucky in guessing its location. But after numerous ''coincidences'', things were different.


    Knowing that its stealth abilities did not affect its opponents, the spider was forced to engage the invaders with other guerri tactics.


    In the end, it was still a Rank 6 Sovereign, and with its superior agility and fighting style, it wasn''t at all an easy opponent to defeat.


    The Camouge Spider was capable of not only spinning webs but spitting acid as well.


    It was fast and deadly, not to mention currently desperate, which was a very lethalbination.


    Thirteen and Erica attacked it from a distance, with the teenage boy predicting where it would go.


    For some reason, the Spider would rather ept Erica''s Fireball attacks than let one of Thirteen''s adamantine arrows pierce its body.


    It must have deemed the arrows more dangerous than the Sorceress'' fireballs, which overall had dealt considerable damage to its body.


    Sherry, who was also using her bow and arrows, was unable tond a single hit.


    The two Troll Shamans weren''t casting any offensive spells. However, they were prepared to cast a barrier just in case the Giant Spider decided to attack the humans under their protection.


    After half an hour, a change emerged from the Spider''s body.


    It no longer melded with its surroundings, and its body''s color turned blood-red.


    "It has activated its Bloodlust Ability," Thirteen shouted. "Be careful. It will now seriously go on the offensive!"


    As if waiting for that signal, the Giant Spider lunged at Drazzat and the three Trolls with an ear-piercing screech.


    Sensing that it would be dangerous to confront it head-on, Drazzat hastily backed away while raising his round shield to protect itself from the Spider''s deadly strike.


    One of the spider''s razor-sharp legs collided with Drazzat''s shield, sending the lizardman flying toward the wall of the Stronghold.


    A loud crash spread in the surroundings as Drazzat broke the wall with its body, making the Lizardman cough out blood.


    "Careful, it''s stronger now!" T1 eximed as the two Troll Raiders sent their axes flying at the Giant Spider.


    Although it was in a state of bloodlust, its senses were heightened to the fullest, allowing the Spider to deflect the throwing axes with its front legs.


    A secondter, a Fireball collided with the side of its body, making it skid several meters away from where it stood.


    mes licked the spider''s body, while white smoke rose from the point of impact.


    It then shifted its attention to the annoying Sorceress, who had been hitting it repeatedly with fireballs since the very start.


    Since it was in a berserk state, it no longer hesitated and lunged in Erica''s direction with the intention of ending her life.


    The Sorceress didn''t back down andunched a barrage of Magic Bullets at the approaching monster.


    Blood mist erupted from the Spider''s body as Erica''s spells hit their mark.


    However, those attacks weren''t enough to deter the monster from its n to kill the hateful human in front of it.


    Just as its razor-sharp legs were about to slice her in half, Erica''s body was pulled away by an invisible force, making the Spider''s attack miss.


    The two Troll Shamans, who were waiting in ambush, used telekinesis to throw boulders at the Giant Spider from both sides, making it stagger.


    However, a few secondster, it jumped back and once again evaded two Adamantine Arrows that pierced the ground where it originally stood earlier.


    "This monster sure is something," Thirteen said with a smile. "Maybe its Spider Sense is tingling every time I attack. That''s the only exnation I can think of as to why it doesn''t want to get hit by my arrows."


    Tiona nodded her head in agreement as she and her clone helped Ericand safely on the ground.


    Drazzat and the three trolls finally recovered and engaged the spider in closebat.


    Although they were strong in their own rights, they were still pushed away by the Spider''s frenzied attack.


    Thirteen observed the situation calmly and once again aimed an arrow at the monster.


    He knew that the Spider couldn''t stay in its bloodlust state for very long.


    The moment its berserk skill was overdue, its strength and speed would decline to half its original strength, allowing them to eliminate it with their current lineup.


    In short, he decided to fight a battle of attrition.


    He wanted Erica, Sherry, and the Trolls to gain as muchbat experience as possible when fighting against powerful opponents.


    As the battle dragged on, T1, who was wielding two axes in each hand, was starting to get used to the Spider''s attack patterns, allowing him to dodge and counterattack when needed.


    Drazzat had also learned to parry and block the monster''s attacks without losing his ground.


    The two Troll Raiders used spear thrusts against the frenzied spider because they understood that it was stronger and faster than they were.


    They needed a bit of range in order to get past its defenses, so their weapons proved to be useful in this battle.


    On the other hand, Erica was casting Magic Bullets because she now had better control over it.


    This also prevented friendly fire, which would be lethal in their current situation.


    Sherry could only bite her lips as she watched the battle unfold before her eyes.


    Since she wasn''t as confident in her aim, she decided to not shoot any arrows lest she identally hit her allies.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, was different.


    Since he was confident in his archery, he never stopped firing one arrow after the other at the Spider, who kept on dodging his attacks.


    The teenage boy wasn''t too disappointed with this situation because each time the spider dodged his attack, the Trolls would manage tond a hit on its body, which was a good tradeoff.


    Simply put, whenever he shot arrows at the monster, it destroyed the Camouge''s Spider stance, preventing it from unleashing a deadly attack at his allies.


    Perhaps knowing that its maddened state was about to disperse, the Giant Spider made onest desperate effort to target the teenage boy, whom it had instinctivelybeled as the greatest threat in this battle.


    Unfortunately, it made the wrong choice. The moment it lunged at Zion, Giga suddenly appeared in front of the young man and Giga Punched the hateful spider, sending it flying backward.


    The moment its body hit the wall, the redness of its body disappeared, reced by a gray color.


    Its Bloodlust state had finally dispersed, and it was now undergoing the bacsh of its own attack.


    With the opportunity right in front of them, Drazzat and the Trolls cut off its legs, preventing it from running away.


    As a finishing blow, Giga jumped and body mmed its body, pinning it on the ground.


    Thirteen didn''t ask the ze Skunk to participate in the battle.


    However, Giga would not allow Thirteen''s life to be threatened a second time, especially after seeing the young man''satose state after fighting the Goblin Emperor.


    "Finish it, Erica," Thirteen said.


    The Sorceress then raised her staff and chanted a spell to summon a giant ming spear.


    This was her ultimate skill, which she called Hellfire Spear.


    The only reason she didn''t use it during the battle was due to the fact that it took nearly half a minute toplete the chant, which was not only inefficient and difficult to do but also dangerous in a high-intensity battle.


    Since its body had weakened considerably after its maddened state had passed, the ming Spear pierced through the Spider''s head without much resistance, ending the Monster''s life.


    After much struggle, the Tyrant of the Stronghold had been defeated.


    Suddenly, all the Wanderers received a notification informing them that their First Mission waspleted, making them all cheer because they were finally one step closer topleting their mission.

 Chapter 527: I Will Not Babysit You

    "Ugh¡­ I hate spiders," Erica said with aplicated look on her face as she summoned her new Avatar, which was the Rank 6 Camouge Spider.


    Although she said she hated spiders, Thirteen knew that the Sorceress was actually happy. Regardless of what form it was, the important part was that she now had a Rank 6 Sovereign as an Avatar.


    It was a very powerful monster, and unless Erica were to fight Rank 7 Alpha Monsters and above, she would be just fine.


    Sherry also didn''t like spiders, so she couldn''t help but stick close to Zion. She felt anxious just at the sight of the Giant Spider.


    Although she knew that it was Erica''s Avatar, and on their side, she just couldn''t find the courage to go anywhere near it.


    While Erica wasmunicating with her newest Avatar, T1 approached Thirteen and handed him the Rank 6 Beast Core, which belonged to the monster they had just defeated.


    The blood-red core, which was the size of a basketball, glowed ominously in the Troll''s hands.


    Thirteen didn''t bat an eye and held it in his hands before ncing at Sherry.


    He nned to give the Rank 6 Core to his right-hand girl, but he understood that Sherry wasn''t strong enough to absorb such a Beast Core.


    With this in mind, he nned to ask Metatron for help in order to downgrade the Crystal to that of a Rank 5 Sovereign before letting Sherry absorb it.


    If she absorbed a Beast Core that came from the powerful monster, she would inherit the Camouge Spider''s speed and agility.


    Not only that, but she would also gain one of its abilities, any of which was a very useful skill to possess.


    So for the time being, he stored the Beast Core inside his Dimensional Storage.


    "Thank you, everyone, for your help," Thirteen said to his monster friends and gave them a thumbs up. "Please return to the Mobile Fortress. The other Wanderers will be here soon."


    Rocky then appeared and swallowed Giga and the rest before burrowing deep underground.


    Since Drazzat, Erica, and Sherry already knew about his Monster Army, he no longer had to worry about them spreading this information to others.


    Tiona, on the other hand, moved toward the dead spider and began to eat some of its flesh.


    Tiona had the Predation Ability, which allowed her to learn an ability from eating monster parts like their flesh and Beast Cores.


    He had tried to use this ability on the rest of the monsters in his Parade of Hundred Demons, but they were unable to learn any skills aside from the skills that they originally possessed, as well as the 99 other skills that were recorded in the Divine Artifact.


    Although he was disappointed that he couldn''t further maximize the Predation Skill, he was still happy that Tiona and her clone would still be able to grow stronger together.


    A whileter, the ck Snake returned looking very happy.


    Thirteen opened Tiona''s page and saw that she learned the skill, Sticky Web, which was one of the skills that the Camouge Spider possessed.


    Several minutester, they heard the rumbling sounds of several monsters running in their direction.


    "It seems that they''re already here," Thirteen said.


    "They probably thought that it''s already safe since the First Mission is alreadypleted," Sherrymented.


    "That''s indeed the case." Erica nodded in agreement.


    Drazzat, who was standing beside Thirteen, hesitated for a bit before lightly tapping the teenage boy''s shoulder.


    "Can we talk?" Drazzat asked.


    "Sure," Thirteen replied. "What do you want to talk about?"


    "I''m very curious about whaty on the other side of this portal," Drazzat answered. "Can Ie with you guys?"


    Thirteen didn''t reply right away and instead stared intently at the Lizardman''s eyes, which had a determined glint in them.


    "You might not be able to return back to your tribe if you do," Thirteen said. "Are you sure about this?"


    Drazzat nodded "Yes. I''ve thought long and hard about it, and this is my decision."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before nodding in understanding. "Very well. But you will have to take care of your own safety, okay? I will not babysit you."


    The Lizardman Commanderughed after hearing the human boy''s words.


    As a very powerful warrior, he wanted to say that he didn''t need Zion to worry about him because he could take care of himself.


    However, since he didn''t know whether he would need the teenage boy''s help or not, he justughed and didn''t say anything else.


    Several minutester, Thirteen and the Apostles did one final sweep of the Stronghold and managed to kill seven more spiders, who were doing their best to hide.


    They were Rank 2 and Rank 3 Monsters, so killing them wasn''t difficult.


    When he deemed that the stronghold was safe to upy, Thirteen told everyone that they would rest for a day before entering the one-way portal.


    Since no one knew what was waiting for them on the other side, he decided to let everyone take a full night''s rest, so they would have the energy to face whatever challenges they might find after entering the portal.


    Drazzat also told his men about his decision, which made some of his subordinates wish to apany him.


    However, Drazzat politely but firmly declined their proposal and said that the Varesti Tribe would need capable warriors like them to keep them safe.


    Sharroc was also saddened by this news, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    Thirteen had already asked Gwenn to remove its control over the Lizardmen because it was no longer needed.


    Sharroc had already recognized Zion as their Tribe''s benefactor, so he was no longer hostile to the humans under hismand.


    While everyone was setting up camp before their eventual departure the next day, Thirteen left after telling Erica and Sherry that he would be taking a "stroll."


    The two girls exchanged a knowing nce with each other before nodding their heads at the same time.


    "Be careful," Erica said.


    "I''ll leave some dinner for you," Sherry stated."


    "Thanks," Thirteen replied before sneaking somewhere inside the stronghold.


    As soon as he was certain that no one was tailing him, he asked Rocky to take him inside the Mobile Fortress.


    After entering the Mobile Fortress, he activated his Ring of the Apocalypse, nning to talk to Metatron.


    He wanted to deal with the issue of the Beast Core as early as possible and allow Sherry to absorb it.


    While everyone was doing whatever they wanted, Leon looked at the one-way portal with a solemn expression on his face.


    For a brief moment, the thought of entering it first crossed his mind.


    But as someone with great ambitions, he knew that doing something so reckless might endanger his life.


    So for the time being, he decided to imitate Sean and Heidi, who seemed to have gained a little bit of Zion''s trust.


    His two "friends" had apanied Thirteen in his special raids, which allowed the two of them to not only gain experience but also receive some items as rewards.


    Since he was stuck with the Cygni Faction for the time being, he thought that it would be best if he could gain some benefits for himself.


    ''Maybe I should try to poach that girl, Sherry, to my side,'' Leon thought. ''Since I''m a member of a Prestigious Family, I should be able to give her an offer that she can''t refuse.''


    Leon pondered for a bit as a smile appeared on his face.


    But whether he would be able to poach the youngdy''s loyalty or not would depend on whether Sherry found him more dependable than her Boss, who was now currently negotiating with the God of the Apocalypse for her sake.

 Chapter 528: I Can Always Feed Him To Giga

    "Excuse me, Miss Sherry. Can I have some of your time?" Leon asked as he approached the youngdy who was roasting some meat over a bonfire.


    After he saw Thirteen leave the camp, he noticed that Erica went to talk to the other Apostles, leaving the teenage girl alone.


    Since this was a rare opportunity, Leon decided to approach Sherry while the nuisance was away.


    "What can I do for you, Mr. Leon?" Sherry asked.


    She did her best to keep herself from frowning. The teenage boy in front of her had been giving her some bad vibes ever since she first met him.


    "I just want to say that I admired Miss Sherry''s management of the Wanderers when we first arrived here in Solterra," Leon said. "If possible, I''d like to be friends. Is that possible?"


    The youngdy did her best to keep her lips from twitching.


    Clearly, she didn''t like Leon. Bing his friend was thest thing she wanted to happen.


    However, she knew that if she rejected him directly, things might getplicated¡ªnot only in Solterra but in Pangea as well.


    Her parents were the leaders of a Mercenary Group, which was based on the Cygni Continent.


    Due to the uing Jinn Invasion, they decided to stay and defend their homnd, just like everyone else who lived in the Cygni Continent.


    If she were to get on the wrong side of one of the Scions of the families that ruled the Cygni Continent, things might get difficult for her and her family.


    "May I know what being a friend of Mr. Leon entails?" Sherry asked.


    "You''re making it sound like this is a business transaction, Miss Sherry," Leon replied. "I just want to form a connection with you to increase my chances of surviving here in Solterra."


    "To begin with, Mr. Leon is more talented than me, so your chances of survival are higher than mine," Sherry said. "I am only able to survive because of Boss Zion. If not for him, I might already be dead by now."


    "You underestimate yourself too much, Miss Sherry," Leon shook his head. "While I do admit that Zion is very capable, he can''t always be there to protect us all. When he''s not here, we have no choice but to fend for ourselves. Isn''t that right, Miss Sherry?"


    The young man said the words yfully, but Sherry was someone who could read between the lines.


    Leon was implying that Zion wouldn''t always be there to protect her, and if that were to happen, she would be left to fend for herself.


    It was a subtle threat, and one that she needed to take seriously since Leon was a member of the Gates Family, which was one of the Ten Prestigious Families of Pangea.


    Just as Sherry was desperately thinking of what to say or do, a chuckle reached her ears.


    Leon heard it too, so he turned around, only to see the person he didn''t want to see in this kind of situation.


    "It seems that Mr. Leon here thinks that he has the authority to make the Gates Family move," Thirteen said with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Hey, are you actually threatening my Vice Captain to be your friend if she doesn''t want to suffer the consequences of her refusal?"


    "Of course not," Leon replied, returning Zion''s smile. "I was just telling her that I want to be friends, so we can help each other toplete this mission."


    Thirteen nodded. "I see. But I don''t want you to be friends with her. What can you do about it?"


    "I don''t understand why this is an issue." Leon frowned. "I just want to be friends with her. Besides, I am not your subordinate, so I can do whatever I want to do."


    Thirteenughed and nodded his head.


    "You''re right. You''re not my subordinate," Thirteen said as he lightly patted Leon''s shoulder. "But remember this¡ªsoon, you will be begging to be my subordinate."


    Leon swatted the young man''s hand from his shoulder. "In your dreams."


    After saying those words, he nced back at the youngdy and bid her farewell.


    "Your talent can only be recognized by people who know your value, Miss Sherry," Leon stated. "If you change your mind, don''t hesitate to look for me."


    The Scion of the Gates Family then walked away without giving Thirteen a second nce. Since he had already made his point, staying was no longer an option.


    He just hoped that his words had an impact on the youngdy, whose family''s livelihood depended on the mercy of the Prestigious Families in the Cygni Continent.


    "Sherry, let''s take a stroll for a bit," Thirteen said.


    "Okay," Sherry replied.


    She would be lying if she said that she didn''t feel anxious about Leon''s subtle threat. However, she was still d that Zion interrupted their discussion, so she didn''t have to answer Leon''s question of whether she wanted to be his friend or not.


    Since Zion had already said that he didn''t want her to be friends with the Scion of the Gates Family, she decided to use that as an excuse the next time the Scion approached her again.


    When the two of them entered one of the empty rooms within the stronghold, Rocky appeared to swallow both of them whole.


    After seeing the familiar scenery, Sherry was able to calm down because she knew that she was in a safe ce.


    "You don''t have to worry about Leon," Thirteen said. "He''s just one of the many Scions of the Prestigious Families. It''s a wonder what made him think he can do whatever he wants just because he was born with a golden spoon in his hand.


    "One word from me, and he would find himself disowned by his family in Pangea. The Griffin n and the Patriarchs of the Gates, Bishop, and Lotte families will not bat an eye to make him understand that he isn''t as important as my pinky finger.


    "If you''re still worried, you and your family can relocate to the Aldebaran Continent. You don''t have to worry about him ever again. Also, if you still feel insecure, I can always feed him to Giga."


    The ze Skunk hugged Thirteen from behind and lightly growled, telling Thirteen that he didn''t like to eat trash, which made the teenage boy smirk.


    "I''m sorry," Thirteen lightly rubbed Giga''s right cheek. "I''ll just feed him to cky then."


    Sherry giggled. From her point of view, the young man''s interaction with his monster friends looked quite endearing.


    "Thank you, Boss," Sherry said after she regained herposure. "I''ll be more confident when he talks to me next time."


    "As you should." Thirteen nodded. "If he annoys you once more, we can always make him disappear. After all, idents happen in Solterra."


    The teenage boy and the ze Skunk both grinned like third-rate viins, which almost made Sherry giggle for a second time.


    She didn''t realize that the anxiety in her heart had already disappeared and was reced with a very warm feeling of being protected by someone whom she could depend on.


    "Oh, I almost forgot the real reason why I asked you toe with me," Thirteen said before taking out the blood-red core that had been "downgraded" by Metatron.


    Sherry looked at the familiar-looking Beast Core and looked at the young man in confusion.


    "Absorb this," Thirteen ordered. "This is from that Rank 6 Sovereign Camouge Spider. However, I tinkered with it a bit, so now, it''s only a Rank 5 Sovereign Beast Core. Don''t worry. You can absorb it safely. I guarantee that you won''t implode afterward."


    Sherry blinked once then twice before reality dawned upon her.


    Ever since she arrived in Solterra, Thirteen forbade her from absorbing any Beast Cores using the reason that he would find her a Rank 5 Beast Core to absorb.


    Back then, she thought that the teenage boy was just joking. It just so happened that her parents also told her that she should absorb a High Ranking Beast Core during her First Wandering, so she conveniently obeyed the young man.


    Those who were able to get lucky and actually absorb a Rank 5 Beast Core before bing Rookies would have an advantage over those who weren''t able to do so.


    They would be significantly stronger than their peers and also gain abilities that would grow with them as they increased their rank.


    "A-Are you sure about this?" Sherry asked. "Can I really take it?"


    "Of course, you can," Thirteen replied. "Tomorrow we will depart to whatevery on the other side of the one-way portal. I need you to be strong enough to support me when that happens."


    Sherry slowly raised her hand and epted the Beast Core with teary eyes.


    "Thank you, Boss," Sherry said, doing her best to control her emotions. "I''ll do my best to support you."


    Thirteen nodded. "You''re wee."


    He then watched as the youngdy absorbed the Beast Core, which would grant her new abilities that would change her life forever.

 Chapter 529: Did The Two Of You Do It?

    The moment Sherry absorbed the blood-red Beast Core, a surge of warmth washed over her body.


    It felt so good that a sigh escaped her lips.


    She felt like she was taking a refreshing bath after walking in the hot desert for a day. With eyes closed, she could feel every fiber of her being revitalized.


    A few secondster, she fell into a daze as her body gradually adapted to the new strength that the Beast Core was bestowing her.


    In order to be a Rookie, one needed to collect 200 Rank 1 Cores, or something equivalent to it.


    A Rank 1 Core gave 1 point.


    A Rank 2 Core gave 5 points.


    A Rank 3 Core gave 10 Points.


    A rank 4 Core gave 100 Points.


    Last, but not the least, a Rank 5 Core gave 500 points.


    The disparity in Ranks was different for Rank 4 and Rank 5 Monsters.


    In order to secure a good foundation while one was still a Rookie, absorbing the highest-ranked cores possible was rmended. That said, at least one Rank 4 Beast Core was enough to give one a great advantage.


    But the benefits a Rank 5 Beast Core gave, especially if it belonged to an Alpha or a Sovereign Monster, were significantly much greater.


    It was not simply one plus one equals two.


    It was more like one plus one equals one hundred.


    It brokemon sense, but breaking the limits was something Wanderers ought to do.


    Completing hard and sometimes near-impossible missions was their way of survival.


    Rank 5 was the limit that someone below the Rookie Rank could absorb.


    Anything higher would make their bodies implode.


    This was what made Thirteen an anomaly.


    Not only did he absorb the Core of a Majin Prince, but he also gained Arundel''s signature ability, the Disintegrator Skill.


    And despite the fact that he was a mere Rookie, his strength rivaled that of a Master.


    He was an anomaly that would never appear a second time in the worlds of Pangea and Solterra.


    After a few minutes of silence, rity returned in Sherry''s eyes.


    Although her rank didn''t change, she felt more powerful than she ever felt in her life.


    "Congrattions," Thirteen said with a smile. "Now, all you need to do is survive this Chain Quest, and you will be one of the Prodigies of your current generation."


    "You''re also part of my current generation," Sherry replied in a teasing tone. "Compared to you, I dare not call myself a prodigy."


    "Well, I''m just built differently," Thirteen smirked. "Don''tpare yourself to me. There''s no Rookie stronger than me in both worlds."


    Sherry nodded in agreement.


    She had already met many Rookies in her life, and she was certain that Zion''s presence was different from theirs, and he seemed bigger than life itself.


    "So what skill did you acquire?" Thirteen asked.


    "Let me check first," Sherry replied before opening her status page.


    As soon as her gazended on the new skills that she gained, her eyes widened in surprise. With a single nce, she noticed that she didn''t get just one skill, but three skills at once.


    "Silk Threads, Camouge, and Wall Crawling," Sherry said in a daze. "I got these three skills from the Beast Core."


    Thirteen rubbed his chin because this was clearly something that Metatron did beforehand.


    Just based on the three skills Sherry gained, he could already imagine her bing an assassin.


    The Silk Threads were strong and stic at the same time. They could be used to bind and strangle their targets.


    The Wall Crawling was easy to understand because it gave her the ability to walk on walls like a spider.


    The Camouge was also a no-brainer. With this skill set, it was very obvious that Sherry would be a nimble and stealthy fighter if needed be.


    Clearly, Metatron went all-out to do the teenage boy a favor as if making sure that he would gain another strong subordinate.


    "Test your skills here, but make sure that you do not ever show it to others unless absolutely necessary," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Don''t hesitate to use it when your life is in danger. A trump card is only good if you are alive and able to use it."


    Sherry nodded in understanding and began to test her newly acquired skills.


    It took her a while to get the hang of using her abilities, and with Thirteen''s help, her eyes were opened to new possibilities on how to use her skills more effectively.


    For example, she could use throwing knives and attach a silk thread to their handles.


    This allowed her to retrieve them when needed or spin them around like a deadlysso.


    Of course, she would need to train on how to do it properly lest she identally hurt herself instead, but since she could enter the Mobile Fortress with Thirteen''s permission, she could train without worrying about people spying on her ability.


    Ratatoskr, who had been watching over the Shard of Origin inside the Mobile Fortress, looked at the youngdy and decided to spar with her a bit.


    Since he was stronger than the youngdy, he held back his strength by a bit, allowing Sherry to gain somebat experience.


    Two hourster, they left the Mobile Fortress and returned to the outside world, only to find Erica waiting for them in their wagon.


    The Sorceress eyed the girl who always called her Auntie and arched an eyebrow after sensing that something was different from her.


    "Did the two of you do it?" Erica asked in a teasing tone. "Sherry feelspletely different now."


    The youngdy, who had just been teased, was rather innocent, so she didn''t understand the innuendo Erica was hinting at. As a response, she only tilted her head to the side.


    Thirteen was just as pure and confused as her. So he decided to ask Erica what she meant, which made the Sorceress cough lightly because the two were still too clean-minded to understand what she was trying to say.


    In the end, she decided to change the topic and asked why Sherry felt differentpared to before.


    Since the Sorceress was someone whom he trusted, Thirteen told her everything, which made Erica feel a bit envious of the teenage girl who was a few years younger than her.


    "But how did you manage to downgrade the Beast Core?" Erica asked with a frown. "Is that even possible?"


    "I have my ways," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "Don''t think too much about it."


    Erica knew that if Zion didn''t want to tell her, it meant that he had a reason for not telling her.


    She was already happy enough that he had been honest about Sherry''s new abilities and congratted her for riding on the Zion Bus, which gave her a smooth ride during her First Wandering.


    After a brief chat, the three went to sleep.


    The Lizardmen stood vigil, while the Wanderers rested for the night.


    The Lizardmen knew that when morning came, theirmander, along with all six hundred Wanderers, would enter the portal and find the truth behind why the other Lizardmen had never been able to return after entering the portal that led to the unknown.

 Chapter 530: Thirteen’s First Best Friend [Part 1]

    In a bustling city, an extremely handsome young man with short blonde hair and gray eyes walked the streets in a leisurely manner.


    Thedies who saw him would call out to him and blow him kisses, which the man responded to with a smile on his face.


    "Look! It''s the Heavenly Sword!"


    "Kyaaah! He''s so handsome!"


    "Is his sword really that heavenly?"


    "The most popr courtesans in the ck Rose Brothel said that the young master brought them to heaven when he spent a night with them."


    "¡­ I want to have a taste of that too."


    The young man who seemed to be around eighteen years old walked around the City of Caste as if it was his own backyard.


    Well, technically it was indeed his own backyard because his sect, the Heavenly Pavilion, governed not only the city but also its surroundingnds.


    ''Thirteen, what''s our schedule for today?'' the young man asked his best friend through his thoughts.


    [You''re scheduled to have lunch with Lady Amber in two hours, and an afternoon tea with Lady Noelle from the Stormwind n.]


    [At dinner, you are to go to the Wisteria Manor to have a tryst with Lady Fischl. Her parents are currently on a business trip, so if you n to mate with her, now would be a good time to do it.]


    As a sigh escaped the young man''s lips, he pinched the bridge of his nose.


    ''Thirteen, how many times should I tell you not to call it mate or mating?'' the young man said in exasperation. ''Your words are too crude¡ªand rude!''


    [Huh? Why should I not call it mating? Its sole purpose is for reproduction and continuing your species. Should I have just said that ''if you n to have sex with her, now is a good time to do it?]


    ''That''s not it! You''re being too literal with its meaning.''


    [I see. So you have a problem with the way I phrased it. My mistake, then, if you n to ''jam'' it in, now is a good time to do it because her parents are away.]


    [Since you''ve already done it with her maid, she might be more than happy to help you get under her young mistress'' skirt. If you don''t want to take responsibility, make sure to release it outside.]


    ''Aiyah¡­ sometimes I wish that you were human like me, Thirteen.'' The young man shook his head helplessly. ''Maybe if you experience what it feels like making love with someone, you''ll be able to see it in a different way.''


    [Vincent, I don''t see any merits to mating aside from continuing your bloodline. Also, even if I get a physical body, I will not have Spermatozoon like you humans. However, lubrication using Machine Oil is possible. As long as I read the body temperature and stimte the girl''s *beep*, making her reach climax is 100% guaranteed.]


    ''Aish¡­ this guy doesn''t get it.'' Vincent''s face palmed because the only one whom he deemed as his best friend waspletely clueless when it came to such things. ''Nevermind. Let''s just go and have lunch with Amber as scheduled.''


    [Wait, Vincent. I sense Beltran''s group in that alley over there, and they seem to be harassing a youngdy.]


    Vincent, who had a carefree attitude earlier, immediately became serious as he dashed toward the alley to save a damsel in distress.


    "Halt!" Vincent shouted as soon as he entered the alley and saw his fellow disciples ganging up to pin down a youngdy in herte teens, about to remove her clothes. "Beltran, you animal! How dare you give our sect a bad name?!"


    "Vincent, what are you doing here?" Beltran, who was stopped in the middle of his fun, frowned. "ying the hero again? Why must you pay attention to the lives of these lowly mortals? Isn''t their main purpose to serve cultivators like us? She should be honored that someone of my status took fancy of her."


    "Get away from her, scum!" Vincent stated. "As long as you do, I can still turn a blind eye to your actions."


    Beltran''s face became flushed out of anger. This wasn''t the first time that Vincent had stopped him from having fun.


    If not for the fact that the young man''s grandfather was an Elder of their sect, he would have already taught him a lesson.


    Beltran''s father was one of the Martial Arts Instructors of the sect, but since an Elder''s position was higher, he usually stayed out of Vincent''s way.


    However, all the umted anger he had been restraining in the past finally exploded, making him momentarily forget about this fact.


    "Today, I''ll teach you manners!" Beltran roared as he lunged at Vincent with the intent to cripple him. "I''ll make sure that you won''t ever mess with me again!"


    Beltran''sckeys exchanged nces with each other, not knowing what to do.


    They were just normal Outer Sect Disciples. If they messed with Vincent, wouldn''t they immediately get kicked out of the sect for harming the Elder''s grandson?


    Since they had no backers, they decided to stay put and watch the two exchange blows with each other.


    Beltran was one realm higher than Vincent, so he should have an advantage. However, Vincent was a Martial Arts Genius who was known for defeating those with higher cultivation than him.


    After a few exchanges, the two backed away at the same time and eyed each other.


    "Today, I will teach you how to be human, Beltran," Vincent said, making the sword in his hand glow faintly. "You always made use of your father''s status to do these atrocious acts to themon folk of this city."


    "Shut up!" Beltran roared in anger. "I don''t want to hear that from a womanizer like you! The only reason why you are able to get away with your degeneracy is because you are good-looking and your grandfather is an elder.


    "In the end, you''re also using the Sect''s influence to have your way with thedies! We''re not that different from each other, so how dare you judge me!"


    Vincent nodded. "What you say is true. I am indeed more handsome than you, and my Grandpa is loved by everyone because he is a very righteous person. If you want someone to me, me the fact that you''re not as handsome and influential as me.


    "Also, unlike scum like you, I never forced myself on women. I respect and treat them like precious things, which is the reason why they allow me to *beep* their *beep*! By the way, my body count just reached three digits yesterday."


    "Bastard! How dare you brag in front of me! I''ll kill you!" Beltran, who was pushed to the edge of hate and scorn no longer nned to cripple Vincent.


    He now wanted to kill the bastard boy, so that he would never have to see his face ever again!


    Vincent didn''t bat an eye and took a step forward.


    He then reappeared two meters away from Beltran, who was in the act of swinging his sword.


    With a voice filled with confidence, Vincent swung his de, emitting a blinding sh.


    "Heaven''s sh."


    The exchange between the two cultivators ended in a heartbeat, with both of them standing back to back with each other.


    A few secondster, Beltran groaned before copsing on the ground, facing upward.


    On his chest was an indentation of a sword strike that knocked out all the wind from his body, rendering him unconscious.


    "Send this scum back to the Sect, and make sure he behaves," Vincent said to Beltran''sckeys. "If he causes trouble in this city again, I''ll make sure to tell my father to also expel the two of you, while having him confined in the Heat Chamber for a month. We''ll see if he still won''t contemte his evil deeds there!"


    ""Yes, Young Master!""


    The twockeys hurriedly tried to support Beltran''s body in order to carry him away. However, Thirteen said something to Vincent, which made him stop the two guys Beltran away.


    [Vincent, this scum will just repeat his offenses again in the future. I think it''s time for him to learn his lesson properly. You have earned 500 System Points in saving that girl, so I rmend buying this Chrysanthemum Breaker Spear.]


    [Don''t worry, it doesn''t kill people. But if you use it to stab at a certain location, the sensation will be enough to give them PTSD in facing you again in battle. Would you like to purchase it?]


    [Yes/No]


    Vincentughed and didn''t hesitate to choose yes.


    Suddenly a spear with a weird tip appeared in the young man''s hand, making him blink in confusion.


    "Um? Is this really a spear?" Vincent asked. "Why does the tip look weird?"


    [It''s a prototype spear of the Donger Series made from stic yet very durable material. Its original name is Dildo Breaker Version 3. But the trantion error caused it to be called Chrysanthemum Breaker Spear.]


    ''Dildo Breaker Version 3?'' Vincent scratched his head as he held the spear with the weird tip that looked like an adult man''s phallus. ''So¡­ how do I use this?''


    [All you need to do is¡­]


    An evil smirk appeared on Vincent''s face after hearing his best friend''s instructions. He then took a fighting stance for a spear thrust and instructed the twockeys, who were holding Beltran, to stay in their position.


    [Make sure to cite the skill name out loud. It increases the power of the attack by at least 200% ording to what my former host, Samantha, told me back then.]


    "Alright!" Vincent shouted. "Take this! Chrysanthemum Breaker!"


    With a thrust that seemed to pierce the heavens, Vincent''s attack pierced through Beltran''s *beep*, making him regain consciousness and groan in pain.


    The pain was overwhelming, making Beltran''s body convulse uncontrobly.


    After that incident, the local bully of Caste City was sent by his father to a kingdom far from the territory of the Heavenly Pavilion, never to be seen or heard from again.

 Chapter 531: Thirteen’s First Best Friend [Part 2]

    Many years passed, and Vincent had grown up to be one of the prodigies of the Heavenly Pavilion.


    His title as Heavenly Sword had also spread far and wide. However, his reputation earned him the love of thedies as much as he earned the hate of the men.


    Although he was now three hundred years old, he still looked like someone who was in his early twenties due to him reaching the rank of a Nascent Soul Cultivator.


    "If I were alone, looking down from this peak would have felt lonely," Vincent said as he stood at the highest spiritual mountain in the continent. "I''m d that you have been with me all this time, Thirteen."


    [Vincent, if you don''t hurry and leave, they will catch up to you. Even if you are the strongest under the heavens, it will be difficult to defeat the other Nascent Cultivators of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demon Sects. The wound you received a week ago still hasn''t fully recovered.]


    "It''s fine, Thirteen." Vincent smiled faintly. "I will end it here."


    [Why? With your skills, if you wish to hide or run away from them, you can easily do so. I don''t understand why you nned to stay and face them.]


    "Thirteen, what is the Dao of Cultivation that I practice?"


    [¡­the Dao of Love.]


    "That''s right," Vincent chuckled. "I, who was born not out of love but from a mistake made by my parents, practiced a Dao looked down upon by many. Isn''t it funny?"


    [Those whoughed at you are now buried six feet under. I don''t think they have the right to look down on your path.]


    Although Thirteen''s voice sounded robotic, there was a hint of pride and arrogance in it because he had watched Vincent''s journey from the day.


    The journey of a weak and sickly boy, who was abandoned by his parents, as they ascended to a higher world together.


    The only one who took care of him and loved him was his Grandfather, who made Vincent feel how it was to be genuinely loved by someone.


    In order to further understand thisw, he decided to pursue the Dao of Love for the past hundreds of years of his life.


    His life was filled with meetings and farewells.


    He had held countless beauties in his arms, and they, in turn, held him in their embrace.


    As someone who lived and loved freely, these memorable nights allowed him to soar to greater heights.


    Ironically, it was for this reason that others wanted his downfall. He became a wanted man by the families of thedies whom he loved.


    In their eyes, he was unfit and had destroyed the future of thedies whom he had embraced.


    One thing led to another, and before Vincent knew it, the entire world had be his enemy.


    But all he wanted was to love.


    To build a family of his own.


    To have children of his own.


    But Fate didn''t wish for that to happen.


    His seed wasn''t capable of bearing fruit as if he had been cursed.


    As to this, Vincent could only smile wryly.


    He had been running all his life, and right now, he decided that he no longer wished to run.


    Spreading his arms, as if to embrace the entire world, Vincent closed his eyes in bliss.


    [Vincent¡­]


    "Thirteen, thank you for being my friend. But I think you''re getting the wrong idea. I don''t n on dying. I will end it here, and make everyone understand that no one can get in the way of my love."


    As if waiting for that moment, hundreds of cultivatorsnded all around the peak of the mountain and surrounded him.


    "Give it up, Vincent," an old man wearing white robes said. "Surrender yourself, and I will grant you a swift and painless death."


    "You''re getting old, Lord Yasha," Vincent said without bothering to turn his head to look at the old man behind him and continued to look at the edge of the horizon. "I will make sure that I give you a swift and painless death."


    "How dare you!" Lord Yasha drew his de in anger. "Last chance, Vincent. This is the only way for you to leave this world with an intact body."


    Vincent didn''t reply and simply smiled while looking in front of him.


    Light faintly illuminated the world, and soon, the sun would rise from the horizon and greet the world with another beautiful day.


    To ensure that he would be able to see that day, Vincent slowly unsheathed his de, making all the Nascent Soul Cultivators and their Elite Subordinates wear grim looks on their faces.


    Vincent, who practiced the Dao of Love, also went by another name.


    Heavenly Sword.


    This name wasn''t a fake title, for his sword was said to be able to split the heavens themselves.


    That was how he managed to ascend to the Nascent Soul Core faster than any cultivator in the world.


    "I will send all of you to the other side of the world with love," Vincent said as he turned around to face Lord Yasha, the temporary leader of the Alliance responsible for hunting down the strongest cultivator in their world.


    "Come," Vincent said. "Let''s dance."


    A few secondster, the sound of swords shing against each other reverberated at the highest mountain in the world.


    Those who were looking at it from a distance thought that lightning was dancing on the top of the mountain when in reality, they were merely sword lights that shed with deadly intensity.


    "Argh¡­ how can this be?!" Lord Yasha groaned as he tried to support his body with his sword after getting stabbed in the chest. "Damn it!"


    The bodies of his disciples, as well as his allies, who had died,y all around him.


    However, there were still hundreds of cultivators actively fighting against Vincent.


    His white clothes were now dyed red with his blood, as well as the blood of those who hade to kill him.


    While Lord Yasha was still certain that they would be able to kill the Heavenly Sword, he understood that it would be a pyrrhic victory.


    Was it worth it?


    No.


    This victory wasn''t worth it.


    But they had no choice but to do it because someone wished him dead.


    A being who hade from the Heavens beyond the Heavens had asked all the powerful ns and sects in the world to kill him, or else, they would be the ones who would be destroyed.


    Just as he was thinking about these thoughts, an annoyed voice spread in the surroundings.


    "Stupid insects. You can''t even kill a single man?"


    Suddenly, a powerful pressure descended upon the mountain, making the cultivators who were fighting against Vincent drop to the ground, unmoving.


    Vincent, on the other hand, was forced to support his body with his sword, preventing himself from kneeling on the ground.


    He knew then and there that the owner of the voice was a being who wasn''t supposed to be in this world.


    Someone who should have been in a higher realm of existence, above the world that they currently live in.


    It was none other than a Void Cultivator.


    Someone who was two Ranks above the Nascent Soul.


    "Mortal, I don''t want to dirty my hands by personally killing you, so why don''t you kill yourself?" a man wearing ck robes said with a smile.


    He was holding an old man on his right hand and a youngdy on his left.


    From the looks of the injuries that could be seen on their bodies, the two figures had been severely tortured.


    An angry roar escaped Vincent''s lips because the old man at the ck-robed man''s hand was none other than his Grandfather.


    The youngdy, on the other hand, was ady he had met five years ago, who saved him from the serious injuries he received after escaping from his pursuers.


    Both of them fell in love, but because he was being pursued, he had no choice but to leave her behind for her own safety.


    "I won''t say it again, Mortal," the Void Cultivator said icily. "Kill yourself, and I will allow these two to live."


    [Don''t, Vincent! Just run!]


    Thirteen shouted in desperation within Vincent''s Sea of Consciousness.


    [Your Grandfather will only live for a few months, and Lumine is just a mortal! Both of them would not wish for you to die in their ce! Run away! Be strong and avenge them!]


    Vincent didn''t reply to his best friend''s words as he slowly raised his body using everything he had.


    "You''re right, Thirteen," Vincent replied. "But I can''t do it. My heart doesn''t want to do it."


    [Fool! Just give up! Come back when you manage to break through to the Void Cultivation Rank! Kill him and his entire sect if you have to! You can''t fall here!]


    "I won''t fall here, Thirteen," Vincent said softly as he raised his sword above the heavens. "But if I do, please forgive me, okay?"


    The Void Cultivator frowned as he listened to the target that had been assigned to him to kill talk by himself.


    "Have you gone crazy?" the ck-robed man snorted. "Do you really not care about these two people? I thought you were practicing that stupid Dao called Love."


    "It''s not stupid," Vincent replied in a heartbeat. "Love may be stupid, but it''s not stupid stupid."


    "Stop talking nonsense, boy, and just kill yourself before I kill these two people."


    "You won''t be able to kill them even if you try."


    "What?! Are you mocking me?"


    The Void Cultivator tightened his grip on the old man''s and youngdy''s necks with the intention of making them scream so that his prey would be flustered.


    However, he noticed something unexpected.


    No matter how hard he tightened his grip, the two people that he was holding didn''t seem to be affected at all by his strength.


    "Wait¡­ impossible!" the Void Cultivator, who suddenly realized what was happening, couldn''t help but widen his eyes in surprise.


    His grip was indeed strong, which could easily crush boulders. But something was preventing him from hurting the two people in his hands.


    It was aw.


    No.


    It was the world.


    No.


    It was the heavens themselves who were preventing him from killing the two people, whom he could easily kill with a poke of his finger.


    "Impossible!" The Void Cultivator shifted his attention to the young man, whose entire body was standing as straight as a sword. "One with the World, One with the Heavens! How can an insignificant Nascent Cultivator achieve such a state?!"


    The cultivator hastily threw the two people in his hands and took out his weapon, channeling his strongest attack.


    Vincent, whose eyes glowed golden, pointed his sword toward the Void Cultivator.


    "Let myst stand be so bright, that I will be known throughout eternity!" Vincent shouted with arrogance, making his void spread out across the entire world, reaching every living thing whether they be beast, human, or other races.


    He knew that an ordinary attack would not be enough to kill the Void Cultivator who was two ranks higher than him.


    There was only one way to do it, and that was to burn his life force and stake everything into onest sword strike.


    "Annihte!" Vincent swung his sword for an upward strike. "Ultima Break!"


    "Void Cutter!" the robed man roared as he swung downward.


    Two shes of light collided with each other, resulting in a sonic boom that sent the void Cultivator flying backward for dozens of meters beforeing to aplete stop.


    His gaze thennded on his opponent, who remained standing in ce with his sword raised high, poised to strike.


    Slowly but surely, he noticed the golden mes that were creeping up from Vincent''s feet, eating his body.


    "Hahahaha!" the Void Cultivatorughed. "An insect like you thinks that you can kill me?! You overstep your bounds, you Ant! Although it didn''t end the way I wanted, you still died in the end, you vermin."


    The Void Cultivator was right.


    Vincent burned his entire life force for that one final strike and had died after delivering the final blow.


    But the Void Cultivator saw something that made him stopughing.


    The young man had a peaceful look on his face and was even smiling, gazing at him with eyes, whose life had been snuffed out.


    Perhaps annoyed by his expression, the Void Cultivator decided to destroy Vincent''s body, no longer nning to wait for the golden mes to extinguish it to ashes.


    However, the wind suddenly picked up, which made him frown.


    Beyond the horizon, the first rays of the sun shone upon the world, and on top of it, a hundred-meter-tall gigantic sword made of light materialized right before his eyes.


    "T-This!" the Void Cultivator eximed because he knew what was happening.


    Heavenly Retribution.


    But it wasn''t just an ordinary Heavenly Retribution.


    It was a Heavenly Law Retribution.


    When someone practiced a Dao and lived their lives following its will, even the Heavens would be moved by their dedication.


    Simply put, because Vincent lived and practiced the Dao of Love, loving everyone more than himself, he was equally loved by Heaven.


    At that moment, somethingnded on the Void Cultivator''s cheek, which made him subconsciously wipe it.


    He then looked at what had fallen onto his face and noticed that it was a drop of blood.


    More drops followed, and soon, a heavy downpour of blood descended from the skies.


    The entire heaven was crying for the loss of the one they loved.


    The Cultivator wasn''t aware that there was also someone else who was crying as he held onto Vincent''s Noble Soul.


    The System of Cannon Fodders held his best friend''s soul in his embrace, crying his heart out as the young man''s body was slowly consumed by the golden mes.


    Before he died, Vincent said a few words to Thirteen, making the System''s non-existent heart ache.


    "A friend for a day, a brother for a lifetime. Let''s meet again if the heavens wills it."


    As the System of Cannon Fodders mourned the loss of his third host, the sword made of light in the distance moved as if to swing upward.


    The Cultivator, who understood what was going to happen next, screamed in horror as the Sword of Heaven swung itself upward, obliterating not only the cultivator''s body but also the ones in the upper realms responsible for the death of its beloved.


    On that day, somewhere in the Heavens Above the Heavens, the realm above the world where Vincent lived, one of the top sects disappeared overnight due to the vengeance of Heaven''s de.

 Chapter 532: See You On The Other Side!

    When Thirteen opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Sherry looking down on him.


    At first, he was confused as to why the youngdy was the one that he saw the moment he opened his eyes.


    However, it didn''t take long for him to realize that he was actually lying on herp.


    He couldn''t remember how he found himself in such a ce since he was sure he slept at the corner of the wagon, letting Erica and Sherry sleep together.


    "You were crying in your sleep," Sherry said softly as she gently used her finger to wipe the tear stains on Thirteen''s face. "But I felt like waking you up was a bad choice, so I decided to let you sleep on myp, thinking that maybe it would make you feel better."


    "I see¡­" Thirteen replied.


    A secondter, Erica also wiped the other side of his face with a handkerchief, looking a bit worried.


    "What kind of dream did you have?" Erica asked. "Although you weren''t saying anything, you looked very sad in your sleep."


    "I¡­ I dreamed about a very dear friend of mine," Thirteen replied, still feeling the sadness of thatst scene that was imprinted in his mind.


    "Are you talking about Cristopher?" Erica asked. "Or that sleazy guy named Colbert? Shana told me you have two subordinates. She likes Cristopher because he''s hardworking. As for Colbert, he apparently seems like a sly fox, so she doesn''t like him much."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because Shana''s description of his left and right-hand men were on point.


    "It''s not them," Thirteen replied. "It''s someone else."


    "Now, I''m curious," Erica narrowed her eyes. "This is the first time I see you cry. That person must be really important to you for you to cry like that. But it''s a sad dream, right?"


    "Yes¡­" Thirteen replied as he closed his eyes in order to regain hisposure.


    He knew that they would be entering the portal soon, so he needed to return to his normal self to prevent others from being worried.


    Perhaps Erica and Sherry knew what Zion was about to do, which made him look endearing in their eyes, especially since they saw an extremely rare case where they saw his vulnerability.


    For them, the teenage boy was someone who could do almost anything.


    Although he wasn''t perfect, being with him made them feel like everything was going to be alright.


    There were times when he seemed too good to be true because he didn''t show any weakness to anyone.


    Whether he was facing strong monsters or the members of the Monarch and Prestigious Families, he was always the one who had the initiative.


    So seeing a side he hadn''t shown to others made him look more human in their eyes.


    A few minutester, the young man finally regained hisposure. He thanked the two girls, who had just finished touching him up so that there would be no tear stains visible on his face.


    "Let''s have breakfast," Thirteen said. "After that, we will have onest meeting before we enter the portal."


    Erica and Sherry both nodded in understanding and followed Thirteen out of the wagon.


    The other Wanderers were already busy cooking their meals and making theirst-minute preparations to enter the portal.


    Some were sharpening their weapons, others were meditating, while the rest were doing a bit of exercise.


    Drazzat, who was waiting for Thirteen to wake up, gave the teenage boy a brief nod, which thetter returned with a smile.


    An hourter, Thirteen stood in front of the Wanderers and scanned their faces.


    "David and his team will first enter the portal, as per our agreement," Thirteen said. "They will be apanied by Lord Drazzat, and they will hold the perimeter on the other side of the teleportation portal.


    "Two minutester, Team 2 will follow suit. Every team will enter the portal within a two-minute grace period. This will allow everyone on the other side to get into position to wee the new arrivals.


    "My team will be thest to enter to ensure that everyone will not be left behind. Now, before the first team starts to enter, do any of you have questions?"


    Thirteen waited for a full minute but no one spoke up. All of them knew that discussions could be continued once everyone had safely entered the portal.


    Seeing that no one wanted to ask any questions, the teenage boy gave David a brief nod.


    "Team 1, get ready to enter," Thirteen ordered. "See you all on the other side!"


    """Yes!"""


    David and his team, which consisted of twenty people and Drazzat, lined up in front of the portal properly.


    One by one, they entered the portal and disappeared with a sh of light.


    Two minutester, the second team entered the portal with a determined look on their faces.


    When all the teams had entered the portal, Thirteen faced the Lizardmen who had apanied them on the journey and gave them a deep bow.


    "Thank you for everything," Thirteen said. "If fate wills it, Drazzat will return to share his story based on what he saw on the other side of the portal."


    The Lizardmen bid the teenage boy well wishes and told him that he would be weed as their special guest if he were to return to their tribe.


    Just as he was about to enter the portal, Erica held his left hand while Sherry held onto his right.


    "I don''t know if we will get separated on the other side or not," Erica said. "But it might be better if we went hand in hand together."


    "I agree," Sherrymented.


    "Okay," Thirteen replied and held the hands of the two girls firmly before all three of them took a step into the unknown.


    When the teenage boy regained his vision, he found himself right at the center of a defensive formation of Wanderers, which made him frown.


    This was the formation they practiced beforehand if they were to happen to encounter a threat on the other side of the portal that couldn''t be handled by a single team.


    Erica and Sherry, who were still holding hands with him, scanned the surroundings and understood what was happening.


    The Wanderers, who numbered over six hundred, were in some kind of closed-off area.


    High walls surrounded them, and on top of those walls, humans and demi-humans who were holding bows and crossbows aimed in their direction, nking them from all sides.


    Some of the humans were in theirte teens, and a single nce was enough to tell Thirteen that all of them were Wanderers just like him.

 Chapter 533: The Second Trial

    The Wanderers from Zion''s group found themselves surrounded from all sides as soon as they crossed the portal.


    But since they had anticipated this possibility, they were able to promptly take defensive measures, securing the area for the rest of the Wanderers about to cross over to their side.


    Fortunately, those who stood on the walls didn''t let loose their bolts and arrows right away and simply aimed them in their direction.


    As the minutes passed by, more Wanderers exited the portal and joined the others in their formation.


    They had also summoned their Avatars, who used their bodies to shield their Masters just in case the people who had surrounded them decided to attack.


    When it was Thirteen''s turn toe out of the portal, the young man scanned his surroundings first in order to better assess their current situation.


    ''Humans, Ratkins, Lizardkin, and Goblins,'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the creatures who were prepared to attack them from the high ground.


    Since they had not released a single arrow or bolt from their crossbows, the teenage boy understood that there might still be room for discussion.


    As if waiting for that moment, all the Wanderers heard a ringing sound in their head, informing them of their next mission.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Trial of Courage [Part 2]


    This is the second mission of your chain quest.


    ¡ª The King of the Northern Kingdom is nning something sinister. He ns to use every means possible to subjugate all the races in the Fractured Heaven and make them obedient to him.


    ¡ª Your Mission is to stop the Summoning Ceremony that will take ce within 30 days.


    ¡ª If you fail to stop the ceremony, a monster never seen before in Solterra will appear. It is strong enough to eliminate all living things inside the Fractured Heaven, leaving nothing behind.


    ¡ª The King of the North wishes to control it, and if he were to seed, not only would Fractured Heaven fall, but the entirety of Absolute Heaven would also follow suit.


    ¡ª If you wish toplete your Third Mission, make sure to prevent the summoning ceremony at all costs.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Thirteen was already expecting that the second mission would be difficult, so he wasn''t too shocked after reading the contents of the mission.


    The other Wanderers around him looked anxious, but he knew that this wasn''t the immediate concern that they should be dealing with at the moment.


    "Stay here," Thirteen ordered Erica and Sherry before walking toward the very front of their formation. "I''ll talk to them first."


    The Wanderers parted to let him pass, but they still raised their guard just in case the other side decided that it was time to attack.


    "My name is Zion Leventis," Thirteen shouted. "I am the leader of these Wanderers. Let me talk to your leader!"


    Thirteen decided to use the term "Wanderers" instead of humans, directly letting the other side know their affiliation.


    Since Wanderers on the other side could tell that they were still young, they should be able to tell that they were Wanderers who had just started their First Wandering.


    "How old are you?" a teenage boy, who seemed to be in histe teens, shouted back.


    "Thirteen years old!" Thirteen replied.


    "Is this your First Wandering?"


    "No. But the majority here are First Timers!"


    "Are you really Zion Leventis?" the teenage boy who asked earlier inquired. "Do you know Shasha Leventis?"


    "She''s my sister!" Thirteen answered.


    "If you don''t want to die, introduce me to your sister!" the teenage boy ordered.


    Instead of answering, Thirteen raised his middle finger at the bastard who dared to even dream of meeting his sister.


    The Wanderers who were on Zion''s side, immediately turned pale, not expecting their leader to do something that might provoke the other side.


    However, instead of getting angry, the teenage boy onlyughed and lowered the crossbow in his hand.


    "You are indeed Shasha''s brother," the teenage boy said with a smile. "She told me that you are very overprotective, and if someone were to try to date her, they would have to walk over your dead body first."


    "Damn right," Thirteen replied. "You won''t be able to date my sister if you don''t get past me first."


    The teenage boyughed a second time before raising his hand to tell hisrades to lower their weapons.


    "We are going to lower a rope, so you can climb. But only you are allowed to leave," the teenage boy stated. "You and our leader will have to talk first before we allow the rest of your subordinates to enter our stronghold.


    "But I have to admit, I didn''t expect to see so many First Timers in one ce. I don''t know if your arrival is a blessing or a curse. Don''t worry about the safety of your people. As long as they don''t do anything stupid, no one will get hurt."


    Thirteen nodded before turning around to nce at Erica and Drazzat.


    "You guys make sure that no one here provokes the other party," Thirteen said in a serious tone.


    The Sorceress and the Lizardman nodded their heads and assured him that they would keep watch over the others.


    Just like he promised, the teenage boy lowered a rope with a knot where Thirteen could ce his foot, allowing them to lift him up.


    ''Rocky, stay with Erica and the others,'' Thirteen ordered. ''I have Tiona with me, so I''ll be fine.''


    After hearing the Magma Bal-Boa''s agreement, he allowed himself to be pulled up by a Lizardman who stood beside the teenage boy he was talking to a while ago.


    Once Thirteen was safely over the wall, the teenage boy introduced himself as Jayden.


    "I am the third-inmand here in the Randall Stronghold," Jayden said. "Since you are a Wanderer, can you tell me what your mission is?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Currently, we are doing a chain quest. We just finished the first one, and the second one wants us to stop a summoning ceremony from taking ce within thirty days."


    Jayden''s face paled a bit before nodding.


    "Although different, your mission is connected to our mission," Jayden replied. "I''ll tell it to you on the way to meet our leader."


    "Is your leader also a Wanderer?" Thirteen inquired.


    Since there are many races inside the Randall Stronghold, he was wondering if the one calling the shots was human or not.


    "Yes, he is human." Jayden grinned. "And perhaps you know him as well."


    "Is he famous?" Thirteen asked, feeling curious about who Jayden was talking about.


    "Very famous," Jayden answered. "But I won''t give spoilers on who he is. It will be best if you meet him yourself."


    Thirteen nodded and allowed himself to be led to one of the rooms inside the Stronghold.


    They then stopped at a door with the ornate design of what seemed to be a dragon soaring toward the sky.


    "Sir, just like you mentioned, a group of Wanderers appeared on the portal today," Jayden said as he knocked on the door. "I brought their leader with me as per your instruction."


    "Come in."


    Thirteen frowned, finding the voice he heard familiar.


    The moment he entered the room and saw the person looking back at him with a solemn expression on their face, he instantly knew that Jayden had "lied" to him.

 Chapter 534: Reunion At Randall Stronghold

    "You don''t know how relieved I am to see you, Zion."


    "Well, seeing a familiar face is always a good thing."


    Jayden deliberately kept his words ambiguous to make Thirteen think that their leader was a man. He simply yed a trick on him because he wanted to see the other party''s reaction.


    Seated across Thirteen was a youngdy with long ck hair, and blue eyes.


    She wasn''t wearing her usual armor and was instead wearing a simple white dress. But the simplicity of the dress brought out her natural beauty, especially the curves of her body.


    "I''m sure Erica would be happy if she knew that you''re here," Thirteen said with a smile.


    "Erica''s here?" The youngdy''s smile widened after hearing that someone she was close to was also inside the stronghold.


    "Yes. She''s with the other Wanderers beside the portal. But before we go and meet her, can you tell me more about the mission that you received?" Thirteen asked. "Jayden said that our mission and your mission are different, but it''s still connected with each other."


    The youngdy whom Thirteen was talking to was none other than Diana, the Crusader of the Hero Party.


    When she first appeared here, she wrestled the top one position through a duel. Ever since she won, she was the one calling the shots inside the Stronghold.


    "The mission that I and the other Wanderers got is called ''Entering the Lion''s Den''," Diana replied. "It''s part of a Chain Quest. Our First Mission is to defend this stronghold for thirty days.


    "The funny thing is that the reward for this mission is that we will get some reinforcements to help us infiltrate the Northern Kingdom ruled by the ambitious King.


    "I just didn''t expect that the reinforcements that we will get will include you and Erica. Now I feel that we stand a higher chance in clearing this mission."


    Thirteen smiled faintly and inquired more about the First Mission that Diana and the other Wanderers inside the Stronghold had received.


    ording to her, the Randal Stronghold possessed a power source that the King of the North wished to take.


    To realize his want, he had sent an army of monsters to storm the Stronghold and eliminate those who stood in his way.


    For thirty days, Diana, the Wanderers, and the other Races who had fled inside the Stronghold fought with everything they had.


    They suffered many casualties, including dozens of Wanderers who would no longer be able to return to Pangea.


    When Diana mentioned this part, she was visibly very sad.


    She even mentioned that there were times when she thought that she would be overwhelmed by their enemies and perish alongside the other defenders.


    This was why she was truly happy to see Zion, who had taught her a lot. The pressure was getting heavier, and she was grasping for straws on what to do next.


    "Good job on surviving, Diana," Thirteen said. "Don''t worry. I''ll do my best to ensure that you and the other Wanderers are able to go back safely."


    "Thank you, Zion," Diana replied. "Now, let''s go and see your subordinates. How many are they?"


    "Six hundred," Thirteen answered in a heartbeat.


    "¡­ Excuse me?"


    "Just see for yourself, Diana. You''ll understand when you see them."


    Diana didn''t doubt the teenage boy''s words. She was just surprised because of the number of reinforcements that had arrived in the Stronghold.


    Simr to the other Veteran Wanderers, she understood that the more Wanderers there were, the more difficult the mission was.


    So when she heard that their reward was over six hundred reinforcements, instead of being happy, she started to feel anxious instead.


    "I know what you''re thinking," Thirteen said before standing up. "But you shouldn''t be pessimistic. You and Erica are strong. I''m sure that we can work something out if everyone works together."


    Diana raised her hands to lightly massage her cheeks as if trying to regain herposure.


    Seeing this side of her that he didn''t see before, Thirteen was unable to hold back a smile. The Crusader acted like a cool tomboy most of the time.


    Perhaps she subconsciously thought that Zion wasn''t a stranger, so she didn''t mind showing him something that would have made Erica and the members of the Hero Party look at her in surprise.


    "Let''s go," Diana said after a few seconds. "By the way, since you are the leader of this batch of Wanderers, how about you be our Commander? I''ll just serve as the Vice Commander and help you manage the rest."


    The young man pondered for a bit before nodding in understanding.


    "Okay. But there might be some resistance on your side," Thirteen replied.


    Diana smirked. "Then just ask them to challenge you to a duel. If they win, they be the Commander. Easy, right?"


    As someone who had been trained by Zion, she was confident that there was no one inside the Randall Stronghold who could beat the teenage boy in a one-on-one duel.


    A few minutester, the Wanderers, who were waiting for Thirteen, finally sighed in relief when he returned alongside the beautifuldy who looked very familiar to them.


    "Diana!" Erica shouted and waved her hand. "What are you doing here?!"


    "What else?" Diana replied as she waved at her friend, who was standing beside the portal. "I was sent here, of course."


    When the Wanderers, who numbered over six hundred, realized that the Crusader of the Hero Party was actually the Leader whom Jayden had mentioned earlier, all of them felt as if they were meeting celebrities left and right.


    Meeting Zion Leventis and Erica on their mission was already enough to give them bragging rights for when they returned to Pangea.


    Now that they met Diana, the entertainment level of their story was raised another notch.


    After confirming that the Wanderers who came from the one-way portal weren''t hostile, a gate was opened, which allowed Thirteen''s subordinates to enter the inner levels of the Randall Stronghold.


    Diana and those under her knew that they would be receiving reinforcements.


    But there was always a chance that those reinforcements might be hostile, so they decided to create a defensive formation around the portal just in case their reinforcements weren''t friendly.


    This was why when the first batch of Wanderers appeared, Jayden didn''t order hisrades to shoot them with bolts, and arrows.


    Their original n was to force the Wanderers to ept them as their leaders and have them join their organization.


    However, even they didn''t expect that they would get over six hundred reinforcements. They were expecting that at most, they would only get a few dozen.


    The saving grace was that Thirteen and Diana knew each other, making the merge easier.


    When Diana announced that Zion would be the leader of theirbined forces, some of those who were under hermand, including the Lizardmen, Ratkins, and Goblins, were dissatisfied with her decision.


    Of course, there were also other Wanderers who believed that they had better qualifications to be the Leader of the new organization instead of Zion Leventis.


    In order to prove that he was worthy, Diana announced that anyone who wished to challenge his position could ask him for a duel.


    Many people, including the Lizardmen, Ratkin, and Goblins, stood up to rise to the challenge.


    Even Leon decided to face the young man, who was getting all the spotlight as ofte.


    But instead of a one-on-one duel, Thirteen announced a proposition that made everyone in the stronghold think he was overestimating himself.


    "All of you who wish to take my position,e at me all at once," Thirteen said. "Fighting you one-on-one will take time. It will be much better if I just fight all of you together."


    Leon and the other Challengers decided to ept Thirteen''s condition.


    ''You''ve eaten more than you can chew, Zion Leventis.'' Leon sneered. ''Time for you to understand that you''re not as good as you think you are.''


    What Leon didn''t know was that Thirteen had already decided to be the leader of the Merger because that would make things easier for him.


    Also, he would be able to limit the casualties that way.


    Unfortunately, there were some who had selfish desires, including Leon.


    Because of this, he decided to give them a good beating so that they would understand that he was someone whom they shouldn''t underestimate no matter what.

 Chapter 535: Royal Rumble [Part 1]

    The Lizardmen gathered around Drazzat and asked him if he nned to join the challenge to fight against the human boy.


    "If you fight him, the possibility of bing the Commander of this group is yours for the taking, Lord Drazzat," one of the Lizardmen said. "Why don''t you give it a try?"


    "I''ll pass," Drazzat replied in a heartbeat. "Zion has done a great service to our tribe and has be a Hero in the eyes of the Lizardmen back home. I cannot bear toy my hand on the brave warrior who had stopped the war between the Ratmen and the Lizardmen."


    "You''re too generous, Lord Drazzat," another Lizardmanmented. "You are truly a righteous Lizardman Commander."


    "Hahaha!" Drazzatughed, but deep inside, he was cursing the other Lizardmen for trying to get him killed!


    He knew that although he might be able to win against the human boy in a duel, his Monster Army would definitely not stand by and do nothing.


    Aside from Rocky, who was a Rank 7 Sovereign, Giga, cky, and Hercules were all Rank 6 Sovereigns.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Thirteen also had two Ogres, who were both Rank 5 Sovereigns, and a Troll Warlord who had the same rank.


    The rest of the Monsters under hismand were only Rank 4 Alpha Monsters, but although they were weaker than Drazzat, it was impossible for the Lizardman to defend himself from an elite monster army that could easily bring down their entire Tribe if they wished for it.


    The Lizardmen Commander sighed before ncing at his kin, who had been away from their own tribes for many years.


    They were the members of the Tribes who had been sent to investigate whaty on the other side of the portal. They couldn''te back and had been living inside the Randall Stronghold since then.


    Of course, there were some of them who lived too long within this territory that they had lost all hope of going back home.


    The reason? Because there was only one way to return home, and that was to enter another one-way portal, which was currently within the Human Kingdom in the North.


    The first one-way portal was located in the West, leading to the Randall Stronghold.


    The second one-way portal was in the human kingdom, which led to the territory of the Goblins in the East.


    This was also the reason why the Goblins wished to conquer the territory of the Lizardmen. Once they do, they would have control over both portals, giving the humans and the goblins the ability to travel back and forth from their domains.


    The Northern Land was separated from the rest of Fractured Heaven by a river that cannot be crossed due to an unexinable phenomenon.


    The Lizardmen had once tried to cross it, but after swimming only a few meters away from the riverbed, they would lose consciousness and sink to the bottom of the river.


    Although it was called a river, it was nearly two hundred meters wide and had be an insurmountable natural barrier for the other races who lived in the Fractured Heaven.


    The only way to reach the human kingdom was by using the one-way portal. In turn, the humans could also only travel to the other side of the river using their own one-way portal.


    Thirteen had learned this information from the Goblin Shaman who survived from the wrath of the Ratmen Commanders whom they had treated as ves for the past few weeks.


    "The Goblins and the Ratmen are participating in this duel," one of the Lizardmen said. "Of course, some of the humans are going to join too. But is that Zion boy sane in the head? He said that he wants to fight them all at the same time."


    "Let''s just wait and see how the match will unfold," Drazzat replied. "Since many were angered by his deration, more people decided to join the battle."


    Seeing the number of challengers had sharply increased, Diana decided to intervene and told everyone that the duel would be dyed for an hour.


    The arena would be the ce where the one-way portal was located, which would prevent Thirteen from escaping the pursuit of the challengers.


    The ramparts were now filled with people, and the challengers were already inside the closed-off enclosure, where the Wanderers had arrived earlier.


    Among the challengers was none other than Leon, who couldn''t contain the sneer on his face.


    ''Thirty challengers,'' Leon thought. ''Among them are Apostles like David. So, ten Humans, ten Lizardmen, five Goblins, and five Ratmen. This is going to be fun. I hope they identally kill Zionter.''


    Of course, he also nned to deal a decisive blow to the teenage boy who had be an eyesore for him.


    ''You''re even arrogant enough to allow weapons and Avatars for this duel.'' Leonughed internally. ''This will be over really quick.''


    All the challengers had agreed that all of them would target Zion first, then fight among themselves afterward.


    They didn''t really consider this as much of a challenge. After all, their opponent was a mere Rookie.


    Erica and Diana, who had been trained by Thirteen, knew how capable he was. Even so, they were still a bit worried about him because the young man was going to fight Wanderers and their Avatars at the same time.


    Of course, Tiona would also be fighting with him, but they were still worried that she might not be strong enough to protect her Master, given the number of enemies they were about to face.


    However, despite being heavily outnumbered, Thirteen looked calm. In fact, he was even looking forward to the fight ahead.


    For him, fighting against those who wish to challenge his authority served two purposes.


    The first one was to make them understand that he was strong enough to gain their recognition.


    Simr to animals who lived in groups or herds, only the strongest would be able to lead them.


    His second reason was to treat the duel as a warm-up. Unlike the opponents they wouldter face, his opponents now were a mere mishmash of different races, and their teamwork was nearly non-existent.


    He might have been more worried if they were trained to fight in a formation together, but since they were only after their own selfish gains, he didn''t have to worry at all.


    In fact, he believed that defeating them would be easier because there was a chance that they would fight against each other once things didn''t turn out their way.


    Finally, after the grace period ended, Thirteen entered the enclosure looking very calm.


    "Remember, this is just a duel to know who will be the new leader of our organization," Diana stated. "Killing is prohibited. Do I make myself clear?"


    ""Yes!""


    Thirteen gave Diana a nod to inform her that they could start the battle anytime.


    Seeing that he was ready to fight, the Crusader raised her hand and shouted.


    "Duel Start!"


    As soon as the signal was given, the Lizardmen, Ratmen, and Goblins charged at Thirteen, surrounding him from all sides.


    The humans stayed farther at the back, preparing for the time that Zion was defeated by the monsters.


    The moment he was defeated, the Wanderers would then attack the monsters and neutralize them.


    After that, they would fight among themselves to decide who would be the Commander of the Allied Forces.


    But when the monsters were only a few meters away from Thirteen, the young man smiled faintly and took a step forward.


    Erica and Diana were quite familiar with that expression, and both of them shuddered at the same time.


    The young man''s devil-like grin triggered the memories of the harsh training that they had gone through, which even haunted them in their dreams.

 Chapter 536: Royal Rumble [Part 2]

    The first thing he did was trip the nearest Lizardman, making it crash toward the Goblins who were right behind Thirteen.


    The Goblins didn''t hesitate to smack the Lizardman''s face to cast him aside before continuing their charge at the teenage boy, who had given one of the Ratmen a roundhouse kick, mming it back toward the Lizardmen.


    As the monsters closed the gap, one of the Goblins raised his bone club and smashed with all of its strength.


    Thirteen evaded the attack, making the bone club hit the snout of a Lizardman, making thetter grunt in pain.


    "Bastard! Why did you hit me?!" the Lizardman growled in anger.


    "What else?" the Goblin sneered. "Your ugly face was on the way!"


    "Damn! An ugly Goblin calling a Lizardman ugly. That''s got to hurt," Thirteen said in a teasing tone and evenughed like a third-rate viin, further angering the Lizardman who got hit just now.


    The humiliated Lizardman roared in anger and punched the Goblin that hit him, making thetter cry out in pain.


    "Bastard! You want to fight?!" the Goblin shouted.


    "Stop talking, you filthy, ugly monster!" the Lizardmen replied and gave the Goblin another punch which sent it flying. "You''re uglier than a Ratman!"


    A momentter, a second Goblin jumped on the back of the Lizardman and held him in a headlock.


    A third Goblin then started to whack the Lizardman silly with his bone club, earning the hate of the other Lizardmen who had decided to help theirrade and teach the ugly goblins a lesson.


    "Did you hear that?" Thirteen asked as he dodged the attack of a Ratman. "He said that Ratmen are ugly."


    "Hmph! Do you think taunts like these will work on us?" a Ratman replied. "Unlike those stupid Goblins and brainless Lizards, we have our wits intact all the time."


    However, a shout reached the Ratmen''s ears, which made their ears twitch.


    "Ratmen are trying to act like civilized creatures now?" a voice that sounded like a Lizardman spread in the surroundings. "When I fought a Ratman in the past, he was so scared of me that he pissed himself. It''s a well-known fact that Ratmen eat their own poop! Uncultured swines!"


    All the Ratmen red at the nearest Lizardman in the direction where the sound came from and screeched in anger.


    "T-That wasn''t me!" the Lizardman shouted. "I know that Ratmen don''t eat their poop, but drink their own piss instead!"


    A hateful warcry emerged from the Ratmen and they all lunged at the Lizardmen and gangbanged him without mercy.


    "You brainless lizard!" one of the Ratman shouted. "I''ll barbecue your tail and eat it for lunch!"


    Thirteen, on the other hand, chuckled internally. The Lizardmen hadn''t been lying.


    Thirteen had the talent to do something like ventriloquism, saying something triggering with an entirely different voice, making it seem like other people were talking.


    He had imitated the voice of one of the Lizardmen near him and made him the target of the Ratmen.


    Thirteen didn''t stop there and continued to fan the mes, making all the monsters start a royal rumble,pletely forgetting that he was supposed to be their target.


    A great brawl between Goblins, Ratmen, and Lizardmen ensued.


    The Ratmen and the Goblins joined arms with each other and fought against the Lizardmen as if they couldn''t live under the same sky.


    Seeing that the monsters were busy pummeling each other, Thirteen casually walked to where the Wanderers led by David were and gave them a mischievous smirk.


    "I almost feel sorry for those monsters," Erica couldn''t help but giggle. "Zion is as bad as ever."


    "Hah¡­ It''s a good thing that he''s not our enemy," Dianamented.


    "Don''t say something scary." Erica suddenly stoppedughing because she had envisioned what Diana had just said earlier. "I don''t want to fight Zion ever again."


    Sherry knew that her "Boss" was strong, but she believed that if Erica and Diana were to work together, they would have a chance of beating the young man because they didn''t underestimate him.


    "Are the two of you not confident in fighting him together?" Sherry asked.


    "Sherry, you don''t know what you''re talking about," Diana replied. "Zion may look harmless, but he is a wolf in sheep''s clothing. Although we have be stronger and may have the chance of winning against him, I don''t want to challenge him for the leadership of this alliance.


    "Spars are good. Training is even better. But a duel? I''d rather fight a Rank 5 Sovereign alone than fight Zion in a duel. He won''t hold back just because we are friends."


    Sherry tilted her head to the side. "Is that an exaggeration?"


    "I wish," Erica pursed her lips. "He trained our entire party in preparation for the Winter Solstice. Then and there, we realized that Zion Leventis wasn''t an ordinary Rookie."


    "You''ll understand, Sherry," Diana said. "Just watch for now, and see with your own eyes what we''re talking about."


    As if waiting for Diana to say those words, Thirteen charged toward David and the Apostles, who had formed a battle formation.


    Unlike the Lizardmen, Goblins, and Ratmen, who were now seriously smacking each other silly, the Apostles had fought many battles together and had already put their teamwork to the test.


    Summoning his spear, Davidunched a spear thrust, while hisrades used their own techniques to trap Thirteen in a pincer attack.


    But the young man, who was now wielding a pair of short swords, swung his weapons around him, blocking thebined assault of the Wanderers with deadly precision.


    Sparks flew as his armguards, whom he also used as a shield from time to time, deflected some of these blows, allowing him to counterattack.


    With a well-aimed calf kick aimed at David''s right leg, Thirteen destroyed his stance and followed up with an elbow strike that hit the side of the young man''s face, making him stagger.


    Leon, who took that opportunity to use his strongest attack, targeted Thirteen''s blind spot.


    He didn''t make any sound and kept his presence as low as possible to increase the chances of sess.


    But just as his de was about to pierce through Zion''s back, a ck tail pped his sword, deflecting it to the side.


    A secondter, Leon found himself face to face with the ck snake that was always coiled around Zion''s neck.


    Tiona opened her mouth and unleashed a Petrification Breath at point-nk range, covering Leon''s entire body in a gray mist.


    The other Wanderers hurriedly backed off because they were quite familiar with this skill, which caught thempletely by surprise.


    When the wind blew, and dispersed the gray mist blocking everyone''s view, all they saw was Leon''s rock statue, with a horrified look on his face.


    ''Remind me to let Giga and cky piss on that statueter, Tiona,'' Thirteen said through telepathy. ''This brat needs to be taught a lesson.''


    Tiona hissed in agreement as she nced at the other opponents who encircled her Master from all sides.


    She had been feeling bored as ofte, so fighting against these people would fix that problem for the time being.


    "Careful, that snake can petrify people with its breath!" one of the Apostles shouted. "Don''t get too close!"


    "Did you hear that, Tiona?" Thirteen asked out loud. "They said that they should not get too close to you. How about you take the initiative to get close to them instead?"


    The ck Snake nodded before uncoiling herself from her Master''s neck.


    She then used the power of telekinesis to fly toward the Wanderers, making them scream like little girls, as she once again unleashed a Petrification Breath, which had a very low chance of petrifying anyone that was two levels above her current Rank.

 Chapter 537: Royal Rumble [Part 3]

    While Tiona took over dealing with the small fries, Thirteen faced the Wanderers, who had now summoned their Avatars.


    Rank 3 Monsters appeared in front of him, with a few Rank 4 Monsters as well, but he didn''t think much of them.


    Officially, he might be a Rookie, but his current strength was that of a Master.


    With his ability to urately calcte the path of his enemy''s attacks, he was able to dodge, deflect, and block them if need be.


    David, who was seeing Thirteen fight for the first time, was thinking the same thing as everyone else was thinking.


    ''Is he really just a Rookie?!''


    Even the other Wanderers spectating this scene couldn''t help but think along those lines.


    This was the first time that they were seeing the Supreme Commander of the alliance in action, and frankly, the scene in front of them had gone beyond their expectation.


    Without any wasted movements, Thirteen calmly dealt with the Apostles in a systematic manner.


    Summoning throwing weapons in his hands, he unhesitatingly and mercilessly threw them at the locations that would make his opponents feel a world of pain.


    However, the young man wasn''t their only problem.


    Tiona would use her levitation to throw Leon''s stone statue as a projectile at anyone who was trying tounch a sneak attack on her Master''s back.


    Since she and Thirteen had synchronized their senses together, it was as if having another pair of eyes looking at his surroundings.


    One by one, the challengers fell, until it was only David with his three Avatars, guarding him from the front and his sides.


    "A Lion, a Tiger, and a Bear," Thirteen said with a smirk. "That''s quite a lineup you have there. All of them are Rank 4 Monsters. Either you are lucky, or your family is rich."


    "I''m both," David said. "Butpared to the Leventis Family, I''m just a frog in the well."


    "So, you still want to continue?" Thirteen asked in a casual manner.


    "Giving up is only something I will do when I have tried everything in my power and failed to achieve the results that I am aiming for," David replied.


    Thirteen nodded. "A good mindset. But it''s time to end this."


    Without even giving David a chance to reply, Thirteen threw something that looked like a ck bomb at the Apostle, making the Bear, who was standing in front of David, swat it away.


    However, as soon as the monster''s ws and the bomb shed with each other, the bomb exploded, releasing a ck powdery mist that made the Bear Avatar cry out in pain.


    David, his Lion, and his Tiger hurriedly backed off in caution since they didn''t know what just happened.


    But it didn''t take long for them to understand what Thirteen had thrown because the wind had blown in their direction, making David start coughing.


    "ck¡­ Cmba Peppercorn!" David forced himself to shout. "You''re mad!"


    "Oh, you know about it?" Thirteen said in a teasing tone. "Since you know what it is, you know what''s going to happen next, right?"


    "Argh!" David pressed his hands over his neck because he felt as if his throat was burning.


    Even his Rank 4 Lion and Tiger were suffering the same symptoms, making them unable to fight.


    There was a nt-type monster called ck Cmba, which was a Rank 5 Monster.


    It was not an aggressive monster, but if someone were toe within its territory, it would release a ck mist that was dozens of times more potent than pepper sprays.


    Some Wanderers would gather the peppercorns that grew on the nt sacs of these monsters to sell them as ingredients to restaurants. They were as potent as they were exquisite to the taste and were one of the most sought spices in the world.


    In small doses, the ck Cmba was simr to ordinary ck pepper, except it was extra spicy.


    But inrge doses, they could pose a serious threat even to monsters. It could cause temporary blindness, and a burning sensation to those who managed to inhale it.


    It was simr to Giga''s stink spray.


    The only difference was that it didn''t smell bad. Even so, it was just as deadly.


    "I have more, you know?" Thirteen said as he showed two more ck bombs that he had just summoned from his Dimensional Storage. "This time, you''ll get hit by the real deal."


    "I surrender!" David no longer hesitated and shouted his surrender.


    Short-term exposure to the ck Cmba''s grounded peppercorns wasn''t lethal.


    But continuous exposure to it would be deadly, and in a pathetic way. It would make breathing nearly impossible because the receiving end would cough nonstop until they ran out of breath.


    This was why the ck Cmba wasn''t a monster that anyone would go all-out to fight, with the exception of Wanderers who specialized in collecting rare and exquisite spices that fetched a high price.


    After dealing with the humans, Thirteen nced in the direction of the monsters, who were all panting for breath after they fought against each other.


    Tiona was juggling several stone statues with her telekinesis, threatening to throw them at the Lizardmen, Ratmen, and Goblins who were ncing in her Master''s direction.


    "Still want to fight?" Thirteen asked.


    "No," one of the Lizardmen replied. "I give up."


    The Ratmen and Goblins also conceded, and soon, Diana dered him as the winner.


    Now that everyone had seen his fighting prowess, they would no longer get in his way of leading their organization.


    "Then this is my first order," Thirteen said. "Everyone, rest for today. I will discuss with my Vice Commander, Diana, the things that we will do moving forward.


    Since they were tight on time earlier, he wasn''t able to ask her for more information about the Northern Kingdom, where their second mission was waiting for them.


    But before he did that, he went to the dung pile his Bisons had left behind and ordered Tiona to dump Leon''s stone statue on it.


    The ck snake was more than happy to obey her Master''s orders and even made sure that Leon''s head was dunked into the dung pile, leaving his feet sticking up into the air.


    The Petrification Breath onlysted for a few hours, so the moment Leon was freed from it, he would find himself buried in dung.


    Sean and the other members of the Cygni Faction looked at theirrade in horror and quietly made an oath to never cross Zion while they were with him during their mission.


    The Scion of the Griffin n knew that Leon was a very ambitious individual, but he didn''t do anything to him since the other party had yet to do anything that disturbed their own group.


    Still, he was thankful that he had decided to work together with Zion, which prevented him from getting on his bad side.


    Only after Thirteen had dealt with the bastard who had been an annoyance since the day they met did he gather the officers to brainstorm on what they would do toplete their second mission together.


    "So, tell me everything you know about this territory," Thirteen said as he nced at Diana. "Don''t leave anything behind. Even trivial information might be a crucial key to clear our second mission."


    "Understood." Dianna nodded and began to tell what she and herrades had gathered while they were stuck inside the Randall Stronghold and defending against the Monster Tide that the Northern King had sent in their direction.

 Chapter 538: Dealing With The Source Of The Monster Outbreak

    "This will be a bit tricky," Thirteen muttered as he gazed down on the countless bodies of Ant Type Monsters left outside the Randall Stronghold''s defensive walls.


    The Wanderers who had been sent here with Diana had all received a survival-type mission, in which they had to defend against swarms of monsters for thirty days that pushed them to their limits.


    There were times when they thought that they could no longer make it, but Diana, who stood at the forefront of every defensive war, perfectly served as a beacon of light, raising everyone''s morale in battle.


    But with the current state of the Fortress, it was obvious that it might not be able to endure one more attack from the Monster Tide that mighte in three days.


    This was also why the Crusader and herrades were desperate to get some reinforcements promised to be the reward of their mission.


    Thirteen knew that some chain quests worked this way, with multiple teams of Wanderers teaming up from different missions toplete the next mission together.


    It just so happens that Diana was stationed inside the Randall Stronghold, and Thirteen''s team was the reinforcements that were promised to them by the mission.


    "You did a good job surviving, Diana," Thirteen praised as he nced at the youngdy standing beside him.


    "Thank you," Diana replied with a smile.


    Diana knew that she wouldn''t have survived long enough if it weren''t for the hellish training that she had undergone under Thirteen''s guidance.


    Also, the teenage boy rarely gave anyone praise, so she felt genuinely happy hearing him praise her for doing her best to survive.


    The artifacts that he had given her saved her life during this mission, which she was very thankful for.


    "So they attack this fortress every four days, right?" Thirteen asked. "And theye from that direction?"


    The teenage boy pointed toward the east, where an ominous purple light could be seen shooting toward the heavens.


    "That''s right," Diana replied. "I believe that''s where we need to go in order to stop the King from doing whatever he is doing."


    Thirteen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the East.


    He had already sent Rocky and Tiona''s clone to investigate the location where the Monster Tide wasing from.


    Once they reported back to him, he would then make a n on how they couldplete their joint mission together.


    "Although we have different missions, it''s basically the same thing," Thirteen said after a few moments of silence. "Your mission is to enter the Lion''s Den, which is the human kingdom, while our mission is to stop the summoning ceremony.


    "Since our missions align, we can all head in the same direction and work together toplete it. However, your concern is that we might get caught up in the monster tide if we advance now, correct?"


    Diana nodded. "Many died in the most recent Monster Tide. Because of this, none of them will dare to go out in the open unless they are certain that it won''t happen again. The Stronghold is also barely hanging on.


    "The gate will not hold for long, and there are some insects that can easily crawl up the walls. Some of them can even fly, which makes things harder."


    "Don''t worry, now that we''re here, we can work something out," Thirteen said. "Also, there''s a possibility that the Monster Tide you faced will be thest monster tide that wille from that direction, so don''t worry too much."


    "I hope you''re right." Diana sighed.


    A few hourster¡­


    Thirteen sat cross-legged on top of his bed as he and Tiona shared the senses of her clone, who was together with Rocky to investigate the source of the Monster Outbreak.


    ''So this is their base,'' Thirteen thought as he gazed through the eyes of Tiona''s clone, assessing the situation.


    Countless monster eggs the size of a refrigerator filled up a vast, spacious cavern.


    Just a nce was enough to tell him that the monsters that would hatch from these eggs would be their enemies in three days.


    ''That must be the Ant Queen,'' Thirteen mused as he gazed at the biggest red ant at the center of the cavern, protected by dozens of Worker Ants, who were busy sorting out the eggs that she wasying en masse.


    An evil smile appeared on Thirteen''s face as he thought of a way how to use this to his advantage.


    ''Rocky, take as many eggs as you can and put them inside your mobile fortress,'' Thirteen ordered.


    ''Gwenn, eat as much as you like and increase your rank as fast as possible,'' Thirteenmanded. ''Do your best to reach Rank 4 within three days.''


    The Overlord Beetle was a special monster that was more powerful than a Brain Beetle.


    In proportion, it needed a vast amount of resources for it to rank up.


    Even with Thirteen''s help, the Overlord Beetle had only managed to elevate itself into a Rank 2 monster.


    The Leventis Family wasn''t aware that he had a monster that could technically mind control people. If this information was leaked, it would definitely cause an uproar.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the Central Government, the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families would demand that the monster be killed in front of their eyes.


    Such was the terror that had been nted inside their memories after their battle against Evuvug in an attempt to liberate the Rigel Continent from the Jinns many years ago.


    It wasn''t hard to imagine how fearful they''d be if they knew that Thirteen had control over an even more powerful version of the monster that terrorized them.


    Not that Thirteen cared. If anything, he was more worried about how he''d feed Gwenn.


    Fortunately, this problem in resources had just been solved by the unlimited buffet that had presented itself in front of the teenage boy, who viewed the countless ant eggs as nutrition for his Overlord Beetle.


    When Rocky rose up from the ground and started to devour the Ant Eggs, the Ant Queen, who was a Rank 7 Sovereign, was rmed by its appearance.


    The Worker Ants and Soldiers Ants immediately tried to repel the invader, but it was a very difficult thing to do because their opponent coulde and go as it wished.


    Gwenn, who had been given the opportunity to feast on nutritious, defenseless ant eggs ate happily. The stronger it became, the more creatures it could control and subjugate.


    Nearly thirty minutester, Rocky had devoured a third of the Ant Eggs inside the cavern and fled as fast as he could.


    It nned to returnter after Gwenn had finished its meal.


    Once he was certain that his monsters were not in any danger, Thirteen finally decided to sleep and call it a night.


    He knew that even when he was sleeping, Rocky would continue to raid, and devour the eggs from the Ant Nest, leaving the queen stressed out and the Ants on high alert.


    As long as there were no ants that would hatch from the eggs, there would be no monster tide that would harass the Wanderers staying inside the Randall Stronghold.


    Truth be told, Thirteen was tempted to capture the Ant Queen and have it be his subordinate.


    But Rocky''s Mobile Fortress had a limit, and he would have to constantly feed and care for the Ant Queen, which would take many resources for its upkeep.


    So Thirteen decided to change his n.


    He would let Gwenn eat as many Ant Eggs as possible until it became a Rank 5 Monster.


    Unfortunately, Ant Queens and those who were the leaders of a nest or a hive were immune to mind control, which prevented them from bing Thirteen''s monster factory.


    But he had his own ways of doing things, so he wasn''t too worried.


    For now, he would prioritize increasing the Overlord Beetle''s Rank, so that it would be a great asset for the teenage boy, who was now leading all the Wanderers in the second part of his mission.

 Chapter 539: I Just Hope That I Won’t Be Forced To Do Something Crazy

    The next day¡­


    "So you guys have been surviving by eating Ants every day?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    "There''s nothing to eat aside from them," Diana replied. "Also, they taste good when roasted."


    The teenage boy soon agreed that the Ants did taste good after taking a few bites of the leg that was handed to him.


    Overall, he found their current situation way better than he initially expected.


    Nearly nine hundred individuals were currently inside the stronghold, including the Lizardmen, Ratmen, and Goblins.


    The bulk of their forces came from the Wanderers that Thirteen had gathered before entering the one-way portal.


    While their numbers weren''t that many, it was enough to deal with most situations unless they were going to fight Rank 8 monsters and above.


    He was considering telling them that it was about time for them to head North.


    But Diana and the others, who had survived the monster onught, still believe that the threat of the Monster Outbreak should be their priority.


    ''There''s a possibility that there may be more nests that I''m not aware of,'' Thirteen thought. ''Very well. I''ll just wait for three more days to see if there will be another Monster Outbreak. It will be easier to convince Diana and the others if they understood that they don''t have to worry about Monsters Outbreaks again.''


    A few hourster, he gathered everyone in front of the Fortress so that all of them could practicerge-scale formations for the uing battles.


    Now that he was the Commander of their forces, and Diana was the Vice Commander, he decided to train the Wanderers to learn battle formations during the next three days.


    The center of the formation was none other than Diana.


    With the power of the two artifacts that Thirteen had given her, she would be able to boost everyone''s strength and morale at the same time.


    The golden ne on her neck, which she named Justice, could transform into a golden banner, which strengthened everyone within its vicinity.


    Her sword, which she named Defender, possessed the indestructible ability, allowing her to block attacks without worries of it being destroyed.


    The golden de which manifested from her sword handle was also very sharp, allowing her to y an offensive role if need be.


    Erica was also located at the center of the formation, allowing her to cast powerful spells while being protected by the other Wanderers.


    The Cygni Faction were positioned right behind the Apostle Team, and they would be fighting alongside Diana on the front lines.


    After his humiliating experience with Thirteen, Leon hated the teenage boy more than ever.


    However, he didn''t dare to confront him again in the future, especially after his body was buried in a pile of dung and was pissed on by some monsters, whom he didn''t see because his head was buried in the ground.


    Tiona''s Petrification Breath turned people''s bodies to stone. However, their consciousness would remain, meaning that they were still able to see, feel, and hear inside of it.


    This was also the reason why Thirteen chose this skill. It can be used to save people''s lives as ast resort, making monsters think that the petrified humans had truly turned to stones instead of living, breathing creatures.


    Even now, Leon couldn''t even look at Thirteen''s face, knowing that if he did, he might feel nauseous as if he was suffering from PTSD.


    Thirteen trained them the whole day in formations. It wasn''t easy, but after the first day, everyone managed to understand their roles and how they would fight together as an army.


    They repeated the same training on the second day, with Thirteen correcting the ws in the formation and pointing out individual mistakes made by the members.


    On the third day, they once again trained until noon.


    ording to Diana, the Monster Outbreak would start in the afternoon and end in the evening.


    Truth be told, Thirteen wasn''t too worried about it because. All of the Ant Eggs had been devoured by not only Gwenn but also the monsters inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, treating it as an unlimited buffet.


    Of course, the bigger part of the harvest was given to Gwenn because it needed to reach the Rank that Thirteen had asked it to reach.


    Fortunately, within those three days and after consuming countless Ant Eggs, the Overlord Beetle finally became a Rank 4 Monster.


    This increased the number of creatures it could put under its control to ten.


    This meant that Gwenn could now mind control ten Champions and Rank 5 Monsters without problems.


    As the Wanderers took their ces on the nearly-ruined fortress walls, all of them gripped their weapons tightly.


    The Monster Outbreak should happen in less than an hour, so everyone prepared themselves for a grueling battle.


    Thirteen, who was beside Erica, Sherry, and Diana was sitting on a chair with his arms crossed over his chest.


    His eyes were closed as if he was just taking a nap.


    But if any signs of trouble urred, he would instantly awaken and takemand of the Wanderers, who were now starting to wonder if the Monster Outbreak would still happen or not.


    Minutes turned to hours, and even though the sun was now about to set on the horizon, not a single monster could be seen headed in their direction.


    Diana, who knew how horrifying the Monster Outbreak was, was feeling both relieved and confused as to why it didn''t happen.


    "I guess the Monster Outbreak stopped after you guyspleted your first mission," Thirteen said as he stood up from his chair. "If my guess is correct, it is now safe to travel towards that pir of light in the distance.


    "Since we also have a time limit for our second mission, all of us will depart tomorrow. We can''t waste more time staying here in the stronghold."


    Diana nodded in understanding. "Very well. I will tell the others about your decision."


    Although she was still worried, she decided to trust Thirteen because he was right about their second mission having a time limit.


    When Diana had finally left to inform everyone that the threat of the Monster Outbreak was now over, Erica and Sherry approached the young man with suspicious looks on their faces.


    "Did Rocky and the others do something?" Erica asked.


    Thirteen nodded. "They have been raiding an Ant Nest for the past few days."


    His exnation was enough to confirm Erica''s and Sherry''s guess regarding why there were no longer any monsters attacking them.


    "Will you tell Diana about Rocky and the others?" Erica inquired. "She is a good friend of mine, and I believe that she can be trusted."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before nodding in agreement.


    "True," Thirteen said. "Since Diana is my Vice Commander, she needs to know about Rocky and the others so that she won''t second guess my decisions."


    "I also think that is the best approach," Sherrymented. "If she knew about their existence, she would be able toe up with an excuseter if something unexpected happened."


    Erica then shifted her attention to the purple light shining in the distance. It looked beautiful from afar, but for someone who could faintly sense the magic in her environment, it gave her a very ominous feeling as if something extremely bad would happen soon.


    "Do you think we canplete this mission?" Erica asked as he shifted his attention to the teenage boy, who was still looking at the light on the horizon.


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "Beforeing here, I asked The One to give me an easy mission. Since he agreed, then this mission should be a walk in the park."


    Erica and Sherry stared long and hard at the teenage boy who had been in aa for several days after his battle with the Goblin Emperor.


    If that was considered a walk in the park, then they could expect that things would only get worse as they continued to clear their Chain Quest.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, was starting to form a theory on what needed to be done in order to clear his mission.


    Of course, he first needed to see the Human Kingdom first to confirm his theory, but if his instincts were right on the money, he believed that he would need to do something drastic to ovee the situation that they were going to face.


    ''I just hope that I won''t be forced to do something crazy,'' Thirteen thought.


    But even after he thought of that, Thirteen knew that if he was pushed to make a decision, he would not hesitate to do something crazy.


    Especially since Tiona''s clone, who had scouted ahead towards the pir of light in the distance, had just informed him that it could sense several Rank 8 creatures hiding within the Human Kingdom.


    With so many high-ranking monsters, even his Monster Army wouldn''t be able to take them down even if they fought with everything they had.

 Chapter 540: There’s Nothing To Be Afraid Of

    A few hours after everyone had eaten their dinner, Thirteen asked Diana to spare some time so that the two of them could talk together.


    Diana agreed right away, thinking that Thirteen probably wanted to talk to her about their n for when morning came.


    After walking for a few minutes and making sure that they were a good distance away from the stronghold, the teenage boy turned around to face the youngdy, who was looking back at him with curiosity.


    "Why did we go this far to talk, Zion?" Diana asked. "Can''t we have done it in your room?"


    "My room is too small to have this talk, Diana," Thirteen answered. "But before anything else, I would like you to promise me something. Can you do that?"


    "What kind of promise?"


    "Don''t worry. It''s a very simple promise that anyone can do as long as their willpower is strong enough."


    Diana frowned as the teenage boy''s serious tone made her start feeling a little anxious.


    "Tell me. What do you want me to promise?"


    "I want you to promise me that you will not scream no matter what you see."


    "That''s it?" Diana asked. "I just need to promise not to scream?"


    "That''s right." Thirteen nodded.


    "¡­ You''re not after my body right?" Diana asked in a teasing tone. "I mean¡­ you''re at that age, right?"


    "Hah? What are you talking about?" Thirteen scratched his head because their discussion suddenly took an unexpected turn. "Why would I be after your body?"


    Diana chuckled. "I''m just joking. Rianna told me that you''re very smart, but very dense when ites to romantic feelings."


    "Ah! You''re talking about that?" Thirteen finally understood what the crusader was talking about, so he shook his head to tell her that she didn''t have to worry about anything. "Don''t worry. Even if you strip naked in front of me, I will not be interested in your body. I see, so you''re already at that age. I''m sorry if I caused a misunderstanding by inviting you to talk in private."


    "¡­" Diana could only stare at the young man for a few seconds, not knowing what to feel.


    Half of her felt relieved, and yet, the other half was giving her the strong urge to give the teenage boy a good smacking.


    If not for the fact that she knew that she couldn''t defeat him, she might have gone all out to p him silly.


    Taking long, and deep breaths in order to calm herself down, she finally pressed her hand over her chest.


    "I promise to not scream no matter what I see," Diana said. "Happy?"


    "Yes." Thirteen nodded. "Well, then. Let me introduce you to my friend, Rocky."


    As if waiting for that moment, a giant head rose behind the teenage boy, making Diana take a step back.


    Fortunately, she had braced herself for anything unexpected, so she was able to keep her promise of not screaming no matter what she saw.


    Diana gaped at the monsters that she was seeing for the first time in her life, and a nce was enough to tell her that this monster was powerful.


    Very powerful.


    It was more powerful than the three-horned Minotaur, the Rank 5 Monster that gave them a lot of trouble in the past.


    Thirteen was paying close attention to Diana''s reaction, and he couldn''t help but smile seeing that the youngdy had kept her word.


    Suddenly, the Magma Bal-Boa opened its mouth wide, making Diana take a fighting stance.


    But when she saw what was inside the Monster''s mouth, she couldn''t help but wonder if she was just seeing things.


    "Took you guys long enough," Erica said with a smirk on her face. "I''ve been waiting since forever. Come, Diana. There is something that you have to see no matter what!"


    Erica jumped off from Rocky''s mouth andnded a few meters away from Diana.


    The Sorceress then grabbed the hand of her friend before dragging her toward the Monster''s mouth, snapping Diana from her daze.


    "Don''t worry, Diana," Thirteen said as he stepped inside Rocky''s mouth which was still wide open. "There''s nothing to be afraid of."


    The young man then walked inside the monster''s throat, disappearing from her view.


    "I know you''re feeling anxious, but trust me. Rocky is a good boy," Ericamented as she continued to drag her friend toward Rocky''s open mouth.


    "If I die, Erica, I swear that I will haunt you for life," Diana said through gritted teeth.


    "Sure." Erica chuckled. "But that won''t be happening because it''s perfectly safe."


    When the twodies had fully entered the Magma Bal-Boa''s mouth, Rocky closed it right away before burrowing into the ground.


    Inside the Mobile Fortress¡­


    "Where are we?" Diana asked as she looked around her surroundings.


    She could see ake in the distance, and a few monsters loitering in her surroundings doing different things. Some were sharpening their weapons, and some were ying cards with each other.


    To her surprise, there was another human aside from Erica, and it was none other than Thirteen''s right-hand woman, Sherry.


    "I know you have a lot of questions, and I will answer all of them," Thirteen said. "But just like what I asked you earlier, I want you to promise me to not speak a word about this secret of mine to anybody."


    "Who else knows about this secret aside from Erica, Sherry, and me?" Diana inquired.


    "My family, My Grandpa, My Grandma, My Uncle, a butler named Hans, and a few members of the Leventis Elite Squad," Thirteen answered. "Aside from them, no one else knows about this secret."


    The Crusader then scanned her surroundings and realized that all the monsters around her were very powerful.


    "Are they Avatars?" Diana asked. "Are they your Avatars?"


    "They''re not Avatars," Thirteen answered. "They''re my Beast Companions, just like Tiona."


    The ck snake, who was always coiled on Thirteen''s neck, nodded her head as if to affirm her Master''s answer.


    "This is crazy¡­" Diana muttered. "Now I understand how you managed to end the war between the Ratmen and the Lizardmen. You have the army that can tilt the bnce in your favor."


    Thirteen nodded. "That''s right. And from now on, they will also help tilt the bnce in our favor. So, without further dy, let me introduce you to everyone. That way, you will be familiar with them, and you can help mee up with excuses when they are discovered by those who didn''t know my secret."


    Diana was still in the process of digesting everything that the teenage boy was telling her.


    While she was trying to ept her current situation, she noticed Giga who was happily munching on an Ant Egg and devouring the nearly-formed ant inside of it.


    It was at this moment that something clicked inside of her head.


    A theory started to form inside her head, exining why the Monster Outbreak that terrorized them every four days suddenly stopped.


    Erica and Sherry watched with amusement as Zion dragged the dazed Crusader and introduced her to his friends.


    The two of them knew that before the night was over, they would have another aplice who would help them keep the teenage boy''s secret. The secret that would help them clear their second mission using the most efficient way possible.


    After Thirteen finished introducing everyone, Diana was finally able to regain herposure.


    "Since the introductions are over, I will tell you girls what I have discovered in our destination," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "It seems that this mission will be more difficult than the ones we''ve ever faced in the past. We might have to fight a few Rank 8 Monsters to clear our missions."


    Erica and Sherry, who were both feeling amused earlier, couldn''t help but look at the teenage boy in disbelief.


    They knew that Zion wouldn''t joke about something as important as this, so they took his words seriously.


    "Rank 8 Monsters?" Erica frowned. "And there''s more than one?"


    She knew that it took everything Zion had to fight against the Goblin Emperor, who was a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    If they were going to face a few monsters of that rank, there was only one ending, and that would be their doom.


    "Did ''The One'' send us here to die?" Diana clenched her fists in frustration. "How can we possibly win against those kinds of monsters?"


    "Calm down," Thirteen said. "We''re still not sure about the general situation. I just mentioned that there are a few Rank 8 monsters where the Pir of Light was at. Until we assess the current situation, we won''tunch an attack on the Human Kingdom. It will just be suicide on our part if we even try.


    "Besides, there''s also a possibility that these Rank 8 Monsters and the Human Kingdom are not allies. Maybe they''re just using each other for mutual benefit."


    Erica and Sherry both nodded in agreement.


    "First, a Monster Outbreak. Now, we have to face off against Rank 8 Monsters¡­," Diana muttered. "I think we don''t have enough lives toplete this mission."


    Thirteen chuckled because she could understand Diana''s dilemma.


    Even so, he believed that there was a way to solve this problem.


    If there was really no solution to be found within Fractured Heaven, then Thirteen would have no choice but to look for solutions elsewhere.


    He understood that ''The One'' and the Lace Demon were using him as some kind of software to fix the bugs in the world of Solterra that both of them had given up on.


    In return, they would give him favors and ept some of Thirteen''s requests aspensation for his troubles.


    But while everyone was feeling anxious about what was waiting for them where the Pir of light was being emitted, Thirteen was feeling quite excited.


    Since Metatron had allowed him to capture subordinates that were Rank 8 Monsters and above, he nned to use this opportunity to grab one or two of them, allowing his own Faction within the Order of Apocalypse to slowly catch up to his peers.

 Chapter 541: Encounter With The Steel Falcons

    Leaving the Randall Stronghold was rather easy.


    Since the wooden wagons had crossed the one-way portal alongside Thirteen''s group, traveling in a group was possible.


    Nearly all the Wanderers who were with Diana also had Avatars of their own, so they had something to mount on.


    As for the Goblins, Lizardmen, and Ratmen, they also had their own mounts, which they acquired by hunting when they first arrived at the stronghold.


    Diana''s formerrades were still wary about the monster outbreak, but after she repeatedly told them that there was nothing to worry about, they reluctantly agreed to head to their next destination.


    It wasn''t really that hard to convince them. Their second mission had a time limit, and it only had to be brought up. So whether they liked it or not, they had no choice but to leave the stronghold. Even without directly bringing it up, they also knew that if they stayed behind any longer, they might fail their mission.


    With nearly nine hundred individuals traveling together, they were a force to reckon with.


    Thirteen had sent the members of his Hundred Demons to scout ahead, making sure that they wouldn''t be taken by surprise by any powerful monsters in the vicinity.


    After four days of traveling, they arrived at the foot of a mountain, which they needed to traverse in order to reach their destination. But before that, Thirteen gathered everyone for a strategy meeting.


    "This mountain is home to Steel Falcons, which are all Rank 3 Monsters and above," Thirteen said. "Their numbers are over two hundred, and they will be a pain to deal with because they can attack from a distance using feathers that are as hard as steel.


    "Our strategy will depend on the situation, but it''s highly likely that we''d sh with them. All of them are very aggressive monsters, so once we fight even against a single individual, their entire group will descend on us like mob monsters."


    Each Falcon had a wingspan of five meters, and they were very fast, agile monsters, capable of performing aerial maneuvers that could easily dodge most range attacks from a distance.


    They could also charge at their opponent, using their steel wings and talons like swords to cut their opponent''s flesh.


    "Although these Steel Falcons have high physical defense, they are very weak to magic," Ericamented. "I can easily deal with them, so you don''t have to worry about anything, Zion."


    Thirteen nodded. "I know that you can easily deal with them, but that isn''t the problem. If possible, when you kill them, don''t burn thempletely. Our goal is to kill them with their bodies intact.


    "Their feathers can be used as throwing knives, which will be useful in any situation. Their beaks and ws are also something that cksmiths can use to craft weapons. To put it simply, they are very valuable materials, so we shouldn''t waste any of them."


    "Last but not the least, if possible, the Apostles must help the First Timersnd thest hit on the monsters. I know that crippling them is harder than killing them, but if the others can gain items, weapons, or avatars from them, we will be killing three birds with one stone."


    The Apostles nodded in understanding because this was truly a way to maximize the value of the Rank 3 Monsters.


    Although there was a chance that they could gain items by killing them, those chances were not very high because these monsters were slightly weaker than Apostles.


    The Wanderers who hade with Zion were quite happy to hear that they might be able to gain items from Rank 3 Monsters with the help of their seniors.


    For them, this was a very good deal and also a very rare opportunity.


    At first, they climbed the mountains, thinking that the Steel Falcons would attack them indiscriminately.


    But they were wrong.


    Some of these Falcons weren''t mindless monsters, and were deterred by their presence.


    Only a dozen or so, who thought that they could overpower their enemies, decided to attack them, which led to their deaths.


    Using her Magic Bullets, Erica shot these aggressive birds from the sky, making them the prey of the Wanderers who were waiting for them in the ground.


    Everything was going smoothly until night came.


    The Steel Falcons who didn''t attack them during the dayunched an all-out attack during the night.


    Led by a Rank 5 Alpha Falcon, they used the cover of darkness to attack the Wanderers, thinking that they would be easily dealt with.


    But they were wrong.


    Thirteen already knew what they were nning to do because his scouts were paying close attention to their movements.


    Because of this, he asked the Wanderers to stay inside the caves that they discovered, while the Apostle and the other Rank 4 Monsters and above like Drazzat faced off against the monster army.


    Using the trees and terrain as cover, they used hit-and-run tactics against their foes.


    Originally, Thirteen, the Apostles, and the monsters apanying him shouldn''t have won easily. After all, they were greatly disadvantaged by the number of their enemies.


    But Gwenn made a humongous difference.


    The Overlord Beetle controlled the mind of the Rank 5 Alpha Falcon, as well as the nine strongest Steel Falcons in the group.


    Since the Alpha Monster was the leader of the monsters, Gwenn made it issuemands that made Thirteen and the others have an easier time subjugating them.


    By the time the other Steel Falcons realized what was happening, it was already toote.


    The Alpha Monster and the nine other Steel Falcons that were under Gwenn''s control backstabbed theirrades, making them all lose the ability to resist.


    The battlested for an hour before over a hundred Steel Falconsy dying on the ground, waiting for the Wanderers to kill them off one by one.


    Sherry, who had apanied Thirteen, was able to kill one Rank 4 Monster with the help of her de Panther.


    The item she received from killing it was a pitch-ck short sword that was extremely sharp.


    The other Wanderers were a bit lucky because a handful of them managed to get Rank 3 Steel Falcon Avatars, while the rest got items and weapons like Sherry.


    As for the Rank 5 Alpha Monster, and the nine other Falcons that were now under Gwenn''s Control, they were taken inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, where Thirteen would decide what to do with them.


    Thirteen was tempted to have the Rank 5 Alpha Falcon get killed by Erica or Sherry, but he decided that it would be a waste to kill it like that when he could use it as a flying Mount.


    It was just that the Falcons they captured were too proud and too stubborn to yield and submit to them.


    They would rather die than serve someone like Zion.


    This was especially true for the Rank 5 Alpha Monster, who didn''t hesitate to fight even the strong monsters inside the Mobile Fortress, despite being at a great disadvantage.


    In the end, Thirteen made a hard decision and allowed Diana to kill the Alpha Monster, which gave her an item.


    This item was none other than a pair of Steel Falcon Wings, allowing the Crusader to fly, making Erica and Sherry feel envious of her.


    Fortunately, the two settled down after they were allowed to kill the rest of the Falcons, which made them acquire Rank 4 Avatars that they could use as flying mounts if need be.


    Three dayster, the Wanderers looked in the distance, where the pir of light was shining towards the heavens.


    Although they were still far away, they could now see a glimpse of a city that was surrounded by a purple barrier.


    Thirteen frowned as he gazed at this scene. ording to Rocky and Tiona''s clone, the purple barrier extended even under the ground, preventing anyone from entering the city using normal methods.


    "What should we do?" Diana asked.


    Thirteen pondered a bit before giving his opinion.


    "Let''s form a small elite team to investigate if we can break the barrier," Thirteen said. "The others will need to hide for the time being until we finish our investigation."


    Erica nodded in agreement because this was indeed a good strategy.


    Thirteen had already warned her that the enemy had multiple Rank 8 Monsters inside the city, so they should be extra careful with their approach.


    Since the other Wanderers wouldn''t survive against an encounter with such powerful monsters, they could only find a hiding ce for a while until Thirteen''s team was done assessing their current situation.

 Chapter 542: Like Moths To A Flame

    The Kingdom of Seneros had been enduring ever since the Fractured Heaven was separated from the Absolute Heaven.


    For hundreds of years, they had endured and even prospered to be the most powerful race in thend.


    Many wise, powerful kings had paved the way for this to happen. Unfortunately, even the wisest of these kings couldn''t fight time and had died of old age.


    The current King was a very ambitious leader.


    After bing a Monarch, he decided to unite the entirety of the Fractured Heaven under his rule.


    From the valleys of the Goblins, the Undercities of the Ratmen, and the Wends of the Lizardmen, he wanted to rule them all.


    But that wasn''t his end goal.


    His end goal was to force all the races toe under his banner so that he could have a force capable of oveing the monsters that lived on the other side of the wall.


    By doing so, the Fractured Heaven would reunite with the Absolute Heavens, ending their istion from the rest of the world.


    Unfortunately, he decided to use foul, notorious means to get what he wanted.


    He didn''t really care whether the other races would perish or not. In his point of view, they were just tools he could use to reach his goal.


    However, despite the opposition of the Council of Elders, he truly had the means to make his dreams happen.


    And the reason why he was able to do it?


    It was because he had discovered the Ancient and lost technology of the True Absolutes.


    Thousands of years ago, there was a race that lived in the continent where they resided from, and these people were called the True Absolutes.


    It was for this reason that thends they lived in were called the Absolute Heaven.


    This race of people was not only superhuman in strength but also held knowledge and technology that was more advanced than their peers.


    They mingled with the local humans and gave birth to superhuman children who inherited not only their characteristics but also those of the humans.


    Unfortunately, when the first Jinns arrived in Solterra, their Gate opened inside the Absolute Heaven, which resulted in the near-extinction of this race.


    In a final attempt to preserve their legacy, the Absolutes created the Absolute Wall, separating Fractured Heaven from the rest of the world.


    Nothing could get inside of it, and nothing could get out of it.


    Only the Wanderers, who could travel anywhere in Solterra, could descend upon thesends from the outside.


    The children of the Absolutes and humans looked exactly like humans, but they were a far superior race.


    The only downside was that they couldn''t reproduce as fast as humans, and at most, their women could only give birth to a child or two in their lifetime.


    A hybrid Absolute could live up to two hundred years even if they didn''t increase their Rank.


    But to those who could increase their realm, they could live up to hundreds of years, even up to a thousand without any problems.


    And now, the current King of the Absolutes, King Xanmara, who was the most ambitious among the hybrids, decided that now was the time to rise up and destroy the status quo.


    Unfortunately, his ns to subjugate the Ratmen with the help of the Goblins failed.


    This, in turn, stopped the war between the Ratmen and the Lizardmen, which had reached a turning point.


    But that didn''t deter him from continuing his ns.


    "How long before the summoning ispleted?" King Xanmara asked his advisor.


    "Less than a month, Your Majesty," the advisor replied.


    "I want a specific date, not an estimate."


    "I-It is hard to give a precise estimate, Your Majesty."


    "Do you want to die?" King Xanmara asked icily. "I said, I want a specific date."


    "Umm¡­ twenty to twenty three days from now, Your Majesty," the Advisor stated as his body trembled due to fear. "I swear that it will be around that time. No more, no less!"


    King Xanmara snorted. "Very well. I will wait for that time. But if your prediction is wrong, I''ll have your head."


    "T-Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" the Advisor bowed his head repeatedly. "But there is something else that I need to report."


    "What is it?" King Xanmara asked.


    "We have spotted arge group of Lowborns descending from the mountain," the Advisor answered. "I believe that they are the prophesied force that will prevent us frompleting our task."


    King Xanmara frowned. "Did you get a closer look at them?"


    The Advisor nodded. "Using the grand telescope, we were able to see them properly."


    "What do they look like?"


    "It will be best to let you see them for yourself, Your Majesty."


    The Advisor then took out a metallic cube from his pocket, which spread out and expanded until it was five meters long.


    The images of Thirteen leading the Wanderers as they descended the mountain appeared on its surface, simr to that of a television.


    "They look¡­ young," King Xanmaramented.


    "They do, Your Majesty," the Advisor said. "We are supposed to wipe them out using an Ant Outbreak, but for some reason, they managed to survive the month-long onught we have prepared for them.


    "Unfortunately, we had started the summoning ritual a few dayster, so I didn''t get to monitor their current situation. As you can see, they might have dealt with the Ant Queen and have nowe within a few miles of our Kingdom. What do you propose we do to them?"


    King Xanmara lightly tapped the armrest of his throne as he gazed at the human teenagers, which they referred to as Lowborns because they were far inferior to their race.


    Despite the fact that he was half-human, all the Hybrids of the Absolute believed that they were meant to be the masters of men and put them under their leash.


    "There''s nothing we can do about them," King Xanmara answered. "You already know that we cannot leave the Kingdom at this point in time even if we want to. The trade-off is that they cannot enter our Kingdom no matter what they do.


    "Only when weplete our Summoning Ceremony will the barrier of the city disappear. We can deal with them at that time."


    The Advisor nodded because this was indeed the case.


    "They are quite fortunate." the Advisor smiled. "They can live for a few more weeks."


    "Indeed." King Xanmara replied. "Make sure to kill all the men and capture all the women. Lowborn as they are, we still need them to increase the numbers of the Absolute."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. I will return to my duties now."


    "Go, and make sure that the summoning ritual doesn''t encounter any mishaps, or your head will roll off from your body."


    A few minutester, when he was finally alone in his throne room, King Xanmara nced at the ceiling where the symbol of the Absolutes was painted.


    "Just a little more, and we can finally reim what we have lost," King Xanmara muttered. "As long as we seed, we don''t need to worry about those Majin Princes and Princesses who dared to take ournds for granted."


    The King once again shifted his gaze to the projection that was in front of him and sneered at the teenagers who were approaching his kingdom.


    "Like moths to a me," King Xanmara smirked. "All of you will be the sacrifices for the new era under my rule."


    He believed that the moment the wall fell, he and his race would take over the world and make all the other races kneel in front of the Absolute''s superiority.


    This was why their Summoning Ceremony shouldn''t fail. As long as they seeded, a creature more powerful than the Majin Princes and Princesses would descend into the world, and it would be loyal only to King Xanmara, who held the throne as one of the Absolutes.

 Chapter 543: Looks Like All Of You Are Just Talk

    The members of the Elite Team who would investigate the Kingdom of Seneros were carefully handpicked by Thirteen.


    He deliberately picked those who knew of his secret¡ªErica, Sherry, Diana, and Drazzat.


    Mobility yed an important role in this mission, so Rocky''s help was indispensable. This alone barred him from considering those who weren''t part of his circle.


    David and the other chosen leaders were tasked to watch over the Wanderers, who were currently staying in the caves Rocky had dug a few miles away from the human kingdom.


    The barrier in the vicinity was too strong for Tiona''s clone to enter, which put a temporary halt to their investigation.


    Still, the clone had gathered some valuable information.


    There were at least eight creatures inside the city with the strength of Rank 8 and above.


    Knowing this, Thirteen deemed that it would be too dangerous for Rocky to try to break the barrier by force.


    As soon as Thirteen''s team reached the hundreds of meters mark from the edge of the purple barrier, he and his team went out to investigate.


    "I sense something ominous from this barrier," Drazzat said as he gazed at his right hand, which was uncontrobly trembling due to the presence he could feel inside the city.


    Ratatoskr, who decided to check what they were doing, had also joined the team to inspect the Kingdom responsible for instigating the Goblin Emperor into stealing their Shard of Origin.


    "T-This¡­ this barrier feels so vile," Ratatoskrmented. "Just being near it makes me nauseated."


    Even Erica, Sherry, and Diana were not feeling toofortable with being near the barrier.


    They were already dozens of meters away from it, yet even from that distance, they could still feel the overwhelming pressure that the barrier was radiating.


    Thirteen picked up a rock and threw it on the barrier to confirm his theory.


    The moment the stone hit the barrier, the former instantly disintegrated, making everyone''s gaze harden.


    Unfazed with what happened, Thirteen took out his bow and nocked an adamantine arrow on it.


    "Everyone, get behind me," Thirteen said. "This might cause a chain reaction, so it''s best to be safe than sorry."


    His team didn''t question his words and obeyed him without a second thought.


    Once he was sure that everyone was safely behind him, Thirteen released the arrow and watched it fly straight toward the barrier. Just like the stone, it disintegrated right in front of his very eyes.


    "Sh*t," Erica muttered.


    Adamantine was one of the strongest metals in the world. For it to be destroyed so easily only meant one thing.


    Anyone who touched the barrier would also be destroyed.


    While the humans were still reeling from their discovery, an amused voice reached their ears.


    "I see that we have some uninvited guests here. It''s quite unfortunate, but I can''t show any of you my hospitality."


    Thirteen raised his head to look at the top of the City Walls, where a middle-aged man stood with a faint smile on his face.


    The others did the same, and almost took a step back when they realized the rank of the person that they were looking at.


    ''A Monarch,'' Thirteen frowned. ''And not just an ordinary Monarch, but a very strong one.''


    Thirteen had been in contact with a few Monarchs during the battle in the Rigel Continent.


    But even the strongest Monarch he knew, the Leader of the Central Government, was weakerpared to the man who was looking down at them from the city walls.


    "Are you the King of this Kingdom?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," King Xanmara replied. "You may call me Xanmara. Are you the leader of the Lowborns who came from the other side of the one-way portal in the Randall Stronghold? You''re much younger than I expected."


    "The name is Zion Leventis," Thirteen dered. "Are you an Absolute?"


    King Xanmara nodded. "Indeed, I am an Absolute."


    "No, you''re not." Thirteen shook his head. "You''re just an Absolute Hybrid."


    The King of the Kingdom of Seneros narrowed his eyes. None of those who dared to call him a Hybrid lived to tell its tale.


    Thirteen had taken a good look at the information about the Absolute Heaven, saved up inside his Soul Core, and learned a few things from it.


    Although the information was notplete, it was enough for him to know what kind of arrogant race he was dealing with.


    "A Lowborn like you should know when to shut up," King Xanmara replied.


    "What if I don''t want to shut up?" Thirteen sneered. "What can you do about it?"


    "Arrogant Lowborn," King Xanmara sneered back. "Are you being brave now because there is a barrier that separates us?"


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "Do you think I''ll say something so arrogant in front of a Monarch without knowing if they can retaliate or not? I''m not stupid like you."


    "Such insolence!" shouted an old man, who suddenly appeared beside King Xanmara. "How dare you talk to His Majesty so brazenly?"


    "I dare," Thirteen replied. "Old dung, what can you do about it?"


    "O-Old dung?! You bastard!" The old man was truly feeling incensed by the teenage boy''s taunts.


    Thirteen didn''t know that his teammates were starting to feel anxious. Unlike him, they didn''t know if the Monarch had the ability to cross the barrier and attack them.


    Of course, they were not aware that this was also part of Thirteen''s n to confirm whether those inside the city could pass through the barrier so easily.


    Depending on the oue of his experiment, he would be able to form a n on how to best deal with their current situation.


    More people appeared on the city walls, with some of them wearing armor.


    Clearly, they were the Guards who were meant to protect the city, and all of them were ring at the teenage boy as if they wanted to rip him to shreds.


    "Looks like all of you are just talking," Thirteen snorted. "If you guys have what it takes, thene out here, so I can beat the crap out of all of you."


    "Insolent child, you dare?!"


    "Courting death!"


    "Filthy Lowborn doesn''t know his ce!"


    King Xanmara didn''t say anything and simply red at the teenage boy, whom he could easily kill with a single poke.


    But since he couldn''t destroy the barrier, he could only bottle up his anger.


    "I know that you''re summoning something," Thirteen said, which surprised the King and his Ministers. "But I''m telling you now that you are bound to fail."


    "Bound to fail?" King Xanmara asked. "Foolish child. I swear upon my name that as soon as this barrier disperses, I will personally hunt you down to rip out that filthy tongue of yours."


    "Why wait, when you can do it now?" Thirteen made a gesture for the King toe closer. "Unless you''re feeling scared?"


    The teenage boy had already confirmed that just like they were unable to break past the barrier protecting the city, those inside it could also not leave it so easily.


    Even a Monarch as strong as King Xanmara was unable to do so, which made him understand just how powerful the barrier was.


    But just as the teenage boy was going to order his subordinates to leave with him, King Xanmara''s voice reached him.


    "Three weeks. After three weeks, I will hunt you down like the filthy Lowborn that you are."


    Thirteen eyed the Monarch standing on top of the castle wall before walking away.


    But after taking four steps, he turned around to look at the King and smiled faintly.


    "I''ll see you sooner than you think, King of Hybrids," Thirteen stated. "Let''s see if you can still be arrogant by then."


    After saying what he had to say, Thirteen jumped into the hole that appeared in front of him and vanished from the King''s view.


    Erica, Sherry, Diana, Drazzat, and Ratatoskr also jumped into the hole without saying a single word, reuniting with the teenage boy inside their Mobile Fortress.


    They were all shaken, not expecting that they would be dealing with a Monarch.


    Contrary to hisrades, Thirteen was still feeling calm. As long as King Xanmara was unable to leave the city, they had nothing to worry about.


    Also, now that he knew how strong the enemy was, he understood that he needed to find a different approach on how toplete their mission.


    ''I''ll check the surroundings first,'' Thirteen thought. ''If I don''t really see any other option, I will have no choice but to push through with my n B.''


    For the time being, Thirteen ordered Rocky to go back to the caves, where the other Wanderers were staying, to inform them about their discovery.


    At first, he thought that it would be best to not tell them about the Monarch. But he changed his way of thinking.


    Letting them know the truth was better than lying to them.


    While he might lie about many things, he believed that telling them that they were facing off against a Monarch and seven more creatures that were likely Rank 8 and above was the right thing to do.


    That way, whether they decide to follow him in the future or not, they would know that they were following a person who they could trust.

 Chapter 544: It Will Be A Surprise

    Thirteen sat on top of a hill, gazing at the Kingdom of Seneros in the distance.


    But he wasn''t looking at the city itself, but the thing behind the city.


    A mile away from the city was the great wall that isted the Fractured Heaven from the rest of the world.


    It was the Old God''sst-ditch effort to ensure that the denizens of Absolute Heaven survive the Jinn invasion.


    But, it also trapped them, preventing them from being part of the bigger world.


    The Old God was the Ancestor of the Absolutes and was the strongest of them all. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call him the "First Absolute" for he was truly unrivaled.


    Using his superhuman strength and expertise in Ancient Technology, he created the wall with the help of his people, so that the seedlings of their race wouldn''t vanish from the world.


    However, this wall was special. Just as it blocked the Jinn Invasion, it alsopletely cut off the Fractured Heaven from the rest of Solterra.


    No flying creatures could fly over this way.


    No monster could dig under it.


    And no matter how strong one was, they would be unable to break down the wall.


    Because of this, the wall had remained in ce for hundreds of years, protecting a tenth of the Absolute Heaven''s territory.


    But the Hybrid Absolutes could no longer stop their wish of breaking down the wall that separated them from the outside world.


    In their point of view, they had be outcasts, and this was something that they couldn''t ept.


    Out of desperation, they formted many ways on how they might be able to tear down the wall and survive the Jinns that were waiting for them on the other side.


    Although tearing down the wall itself was extremely hard, surviving after it was removed was the real problem that they had to face.


    Because of this, they decided to conduct a Summoning Ceremony to call forth a creature that would surpass Majin Princes, Princesses, and Archons.


    They wanted to summon a Colossi.


    An existence stronger than ones they considered their enemies.


    An existence that was the counterpart of the Majin King, whom people believe only existed in Myths and Legends.


    Some believed that the Seven Fiends were Majin Kings who had broken through their current Rank and became Fiends.


    But whether these rumors were true or not, no one could really confirm because the Seven Fiends were beings that no one dared to mess with.


    As for the existence of Majin Kings?


    Deep inside, people believed that they existed.


    But they refuse to ept their existence.


    If they truly existed, they didn''t dare to make their presence known in fear that the Seven Fiends and Seven Celestials would exterminate them.


    The only beings who were allowed to roam the world were Majin Princes, Princesses, and Archons.


    Anyone above that rank would be killed without mercy. This kept the bnce of the world, allowing the Seven Fiends and Seven Celestials to stand above all.


    "I guess that''s the only way," Thirteen muttered. "There''s no other way."


    Four days had passed since Thirteen and his team had met with King Xanmara.


    After returning to their base camp and informing everyone of his discovery, Thirteen ordered the Wanderers to start hunting monsters to gain Cores and Items, then preserve their meat for emergency food rations.


    The Wanderers epted this mission and hunted monsters to gain their cores and farm items.


    They felt intimidated when they found out that they were about to sh with a Monarch and seven more creatures whose Ranks were Rank 8 and above.


    With such an overwhelming disparity in strength, some of them started to despair.


    Fortunately, Erica and Diana were there to start the "Zion Propaganda."


    Since the teenage boy had led the Alliance to reim the Rigel Continent, they used his achievements to encourage everyone to do their best.


    This worked wonders, and because of this, all the Wanderers started to focus all of their time on hunting monsters to absorb Cores and be a little bit stronger.


    "Is everything alright, Boss?" Sherry asked as she approached the teenage boy from behind.


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "Are the preparations going well?"


    "They are," Sherry replied. "Rocky is busy building underground tunnels and caverns that we can use as shelter."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "By your estimate, how many days do we need to reach our quota?"


    Sherry pondered a bit. The young man''s question was rather tricky.


    She was in charge of supervising the amount of food that would be stored. This stock was expected tost the Wanderers and other races two weeks.


    Since their numbers were a little over nine hundred, their daily food consumption was nothing to scoff at.


    "A week," Sherry stated. "I believe that a week will be enough to reach our target quota."


    Thirteen pondered before nodding in understanding.


    "A week is cutting it too close forfort, but there''s nothing we can do about it," Thirteen said. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."


    Their second mission had a time limit of thirty days, and if he were to wait until they were ready to implement his n, only twelve days would remain before their mission ended.


    He didn''t know if twelve days would be enough for the barrier to be destroyed, so he decided to y it safe, and make some adjustments to their n.


    "Four days," Thirteen stated. "Tell everyone that they should hunt as much as they can within four days. After that, David and the other Apostles will ration the food so that it willst longer."


    Sherry sighed before sitting beside the teenage boy, and gazed at the city in the distance.


    "What''s your n?" Sherry asked. "I know that you''re nning to do something while keeping the Wanderers safe from harm, but what exactly will happen in four days?"


    "You''ll know after four days," Thirteen replied. "It will be a surprise."


    "I don''t like the sound of that," Sherrymented. "Your surprises are not for the faint of heart."


    Thirteen smiled faintly. He knew that if he told Sherry and the others what he was nning, they might all faint or tie him up to prevent him from doing something crazy.


    In order to prevent his n from being dyed, he decided to just keep them all to himself.


    Truth be told, even he didn''t know the consequences of his actions.


    But since King Xanmara told him that he would personally hunt Thirteen down after three weeks, the teenage boy decided to make him understand that he shouldn''t mess with someone whom he shouldn''t offend no matter what.


    Thirteen had also prepared some insurance just in case things spiraled out of control.


    But until that time came, he would just watch as the world burned, andugh at the Hybrid King who must be thinking that everything was under his control.


    ***


    Somewhere near the wall of Fractured Heaven¡­


    A youngdy with long ck hair, tied up with a butterfly hairpin, walked above the wall and gazed across the monster-fillednds in the distance.


    A sigh then escaped the youngdy''s lips before shaking her head helplessly.


    ''Soon,'' the youngdy said softly. ''I''ll see you soon.''

 Chapter 545: One Of The People Thirteen Hate The Most

    "What are you guys even doing?" Thirteen asked the two guards who were standing at the gates of the city. "There''s a barrier protecting your city, but the two of you are still guarding it? Isn''t that useless?"


    "You''vee again, Lowborn." One of the Guards clicked his tongue in frustration after seeing the teenage boy for the third day in a row.


    "I''m just genuinely curious," Thirteen said as he casually sat on a foldable chair he had brought with him. "Why is your King doing something like this?"


    "Lowborns like you don''t need to understand what our King is trying to achieve," the second Guard sneered. "But after he''s done with the summoning, the one who will die first is you."


    "Wow, scary~" Thirteen smirked. "If your King is so strong, why can''t he kill me now? He''s just all talk, like you guys."


    "You filthy Lowborn, stop talking!" the first Guard shouted.


    "Eh? I don''t want to," Thirteen replied while arranging some wooden branches to start a fire. "Talking to lowly dogs like you is quite fun."


    "Sh*t!" one of the Guards was really tempted to give the teenage boy a good smacking.


    But he could only swallow his anger, knowing that touching the barrier even once would obliterate his hand, crippling him for life.


    The other Guard wasn''t faring too well either. Every time the teenage boy visited them, he would taunt them repeatedly, making them suffer from high blood pressure.


    A minuteter, a crackling sound reached their ears as the wooden branches started to burn.


    Thirteen then took out a few meat skewers and started to roast them over the campfire.


    He even brought a fan to make sure that the smell reached the two guards, making them angrier and hungrier at the same time.


    Suddenly, the gate opened, and someone whom he didn''t expect to see appeared in front of him.


    "Well, hello there, Hybrid King," Thirteen said with a smile. "Fancy meeting you here."


    King Xanmara scoffed as he, too, sat on a chair, brought to him by one of his Aides.


    "I just received confirmation that you were the one who ruined my n in the Goblin Lands," King Xanmara said.


    "That''s right," Thirteen replied.


    The King, who had short blonde hair and golden eyes, frowned. He still couldn''t ept that a weakling like Thirteen managed to defeat the Goblin Emperor in battle.


    Although it wasn''t a one-on-one fight, the fact remained that he won against a Rank 8 monster, which should''ve been very unlikely to happen.


    The subordinate he had sent to be Lord Zorca''s assistant had watched the battle from start to end, and even that man couldn''t understand what kind of sorcery the teenage boy used to win.


    "When I saw you, I thought you were simply arrogant," King Xanmara said. "But it seems that you have what it takes to back that arrogance of yours."


    "I know right?" Thirteen smirked. "But look at the bright side. You''re next in line for a good beating."


    King Xanmara sneered. "I''m not like the stupid goblin that you killed."


    "Well, from where I stand, you look just as ugly as that one," Thirteenmented. "Now that I''ve taken a good look at you, I suddenly realized that the Goblin Emperor was more handsome than you."


    "Empty talk for someone who will be dying very soon," King Xanmara stated. "I''ll make sure to torture you until you beg me to kil¡ª"


    "One moment, the meat is almost done," Thirteen interrupted as he turned the skewers to make sure that they were cooked evenly. "Okay, what were you saying again? You''ll torture me until I beg you to kill me?"


    King Xanmara nodded. "That''s right."


    Thirteen chuckled before using his thumb to point at something behind me.


    "Do you see that?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," King Xanmara replied.


    "That wall will be destroyed by tomorrow," Thirteen dered. "That will be my present to you."


    The King of Seneros arched an eyebrow, finding the young man''s words very funny.


    Even the Jinns on the other side weren''t capable of destroying the Great Wall.


    Of course, he couldn''t do it either.


    In fact, even if the most powerful warriors of the Hybrid Absolutes, Ratmen, Lizardmen, and Goblins were to attack the walls at the same time, they would not be able to destroy it.


    Heck, they would not even be able to put a dent in it.


    That was how powerful the wall was. After all, it had been imbued with Ancient Technology that remained active since the wall was built.


    "Empty threat," King Xanmara said. "You don''t have the ability to do that."


    "You''ll find out tomorrow whether I''m bluffing or not."


    "If you can really do it, why wait for tomorrow? Why not do it now?"


    Thirteen once again flipped the meat skewers before answering the King''s question.


    "Tomorrow, the Moon of Chandrea will have a full moon," Thirteen replied. "I think it will be good to start a festival at that time. Truth be told, I don''t really hold any grudge against you guys. At most, you just need to cancel your summoning ceremony, and we can all be friends."


    "Friends?" King Xanmara shook his head. "I don''t want to be friends with Filthy Lowborns. Mark my words¡ªthe moment we are done with our preparations, you and the rest of the world outside of that wall will kneel before the Absolute."


    Thirteen shrugged. "It seems that the negotiations have failed. You are really hell-bent on the path of destruction."


    "Not destruction," King Xanmara countered. "We will just get our rightful ce in the world. Inferior species like you guys should be honored that someone capable will rule over you."


    This time, it was Thirteen who shook his head.


    "It seems like you''ve been trapped in this ce way too long that you and your people have be arrogant and ignorant," Thirteen said. "The outside world is scarier than you can think.


    "Let''s say you seed in summoning a creature stronger than a Majin Prince, which is not only capable of breaking that wall but also ying all the monsters on the other side.


    "Even then, you guys will still not be able to rule over the world because there exist beings that stand at the apex of the world. They are the Seven Celestials and the Seven Fiends. They can easily pinch your summoned creature to oblivion if they wish."


    King Xanmara nodded. "What you say is true, but the world is a big ce. Even if these fourteen beings are just as strong as you say, they can''t possibly cover the entire world. Also, I doubt that they will have the time to deal with someone like me, who will use diplomacy to prevent conflicts from happening."


    Thirteen took the meat skewers off the fire and ced them on top of a chopping board that he had prepared beforehand.


    "I see. So you have everything figured out," Thirteenmented. "I don''t know if I should praise you ormend you for looking that far in the future."


    "A King must n ahead," King Xanmara replied. "Since my people believe in me, it is my duty to usher them to greatness. We have suffered long enough, and we will suffer no more."


    Thirteen listened to the King as he dipped the meat that he had cooked in the special sauce that he prepared before eating it.


    He then handed a piece to Tiona, which the ck snake ate with gusto.


    "Why don''t we have apromise?" Thirteen asked after he finished eating. "Cancel your summoning ceremony, and I will break down that wall for you. Also, I will help you with the Monster Stampede that will head toward your city."


    "Is this yourst attempt to plead for your life?" King Xanmara chuckled. "While I am surprised that you managed to defeat the Goblin Emperor, I am not interested in your offer. Just wash your neck until our summoning ceremony is over. When the timees, I''ll torture you and cut off your limbs bit by bit while making sure you live through it.


    "That way, you will see with your own eyes as my people trample over Lowborns like you on the other side of the wall."


    Thirteen sighed because, in his point of view, King Xanmara was simply a frog in the well.


    The King''s delusions of grandeur might be a reality if this event happened without his knowledge.


    The teenage boy knew that the moment he became serious, King Xanmara''s delusions would start crumbling down in the face of reality.


    He simply ate his food until he finished eating all the meat skewers.


    Once he was done, he stood up and nced at the King, who had his arms crossed over his chest.


    "You told me that I am arrogant, and I have what it takes to back that arrogance," Thirteen said. "Tomorrow, I will put your arrogance to the test. Whether you truly manage to lead your people to greater heights or not, will be revealed the moment the Moon of Chandrea appears in the sky."


    "I''ll be waiting then," King Xanmara replied. "We''ll see if a puny Lowborn like you can threaten the King of the Absolute."


    Thirteen no longer bothered to talk with the arrogant King and simply walked away without looking back.


    Since everything would be settled tomorrow, he would check the preparations done by the Wanderers, and see if they have gathered enough food to survive for several days underground.


    But he only managed to walk a few steps when he noticed a youngdy, whose long ck hair was tied up by a purple hairpin, standing several meters away from him.


    Her green eyes, simr to the teenage boy''s eyes, looked at the young man as if trying to understand what he was thinking at the moment.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, stared at the youngdy in front of him, who was as beautiful as a painting, and frowned.


    A nce was enough to make him understand what kind of person was standing in front of him, which made Thirteen click his tongue.


    Despite the fact that he was only seeing her for the first time in his life, the teenage boy knew then and there that the youngdy in front of him was one of the people whom he hated the most in his life.

 Chapter 546: Not All Heroes Were Equal

    Thirteen ran to the camp, where the other Wanderers were staying, at a fast pace.


    He could have reached the area faster if he had jumped onto cky''s back, but he chose to run instead.


    The reason?


    Because he wasn''t alone at the moment.


    After running for half an hour, the teenage boy finally stopped running and looked behind him.


    "How long are you going to follow me?" Thirteen asked calmly.


    Although he was feeling irritated deep inside, he made sure to not show it on the surface.


    The youngdy, who had long ck hair tied up in a ponytail, moved her fingers and wrote something in the air.


    "Don''t mind me, and just do what you need to do."


    Those were the words the youngdy had written in the air, which made the teenage boy sigh internally.


    Since he met her half an hour ago, the youngdy had not spoken a single word.


    She only used hand signs or wrote words in the air tomunicate with him.


    He didn''t know her name because she wouldn''t answer whenever she was asked.


    "I can''t take someone suspicious back with me to our camp," Thirteen replied. "Tell me why you''re following me, and who you are. If you don''t answer, we will part ways here."


    The moment Thirteen saw the ck-haired beauty, he felt hate rising up from his chest.


    Although he knew that feeling hate toward a stranger was illogical, he couldn''t stop himself from feeling that way because he understood what kind of existence was standing in front of him.


    A True Hero.


    Taiga and Rnd were also Heroes, but they were just that.


    Heroes.


    They weren''t True Heroes.


    Just like there were Third-Rate, Second-Rate, and First-Rate Viins, there were Heroes and True Heroes.


    Fate protects Heroes, but she loves True Heroes the most.


    They were the Heroes who acted like true Heroes, hence why the term, True Heroes, was created.


    Not all Heroes were equal.


    Despite the fact that they were called Heroes, some of them do bad things and use their authority, powers, and influence over others to get what they want.


    It didn''t matter if they wanted money or women. As long as they wanted something, they would get it by hook or by crook.


    Some Heroes are even worse than Viins, which was the reason why Thirteen hated them very much.


    But True Heroes were different.


    They were the righteous heroes who fought for the sake of the weak and the helpless, and they were capable of oveing all adversities.


    They were Fate''s Beloved.


    And right now, the teenage boy was staring at a person who had killed many of his previous hosts just because that was their Fate.


    "Do what you must."


    That was the reply that the youngdy said as he wrote those words in the air.


    Despite him telling her that they would part ways if she didn''t answer him, she simply gave him the same answer, looking as calm as ever.


    Truth be told, Thirteen was extremely tempted to end her life to avoid future troubles.


    But a True Hero wasn''t someone who could be killed easily.


    Something would always happen to prevent them from dying until they hadpleted their role in the world.


    So, until then, Thirteen understood that she was an "untouchable."


    He was trying to beat Fate in her own game, so he understood the rules as well.


    This was why he was training Taiga and Rnd¡ªwhen the time came when he needed their help, they woulde to his aid and assist him in fighting the pawns that Fate had prepared for him.


    "Goodbye," Thirteen said before taking a step back.


    The ground behind him opened up, and the young man fell into the darkness.


    The hole then slowly closed up on itself, leaving no trace behind.


    When Thirteen disappeared, a faint smile appeared on the youngdy''s face as she nced in the direction where the Wanderers were staying.


    A momentter, a little brown birdnded on her shoulder and started chirping loudly.


    The bird was none other than a Wren, which was a verymon bird that could be seen almost everywhere in Solterra.


    "Thank you," the youngdy said softly after hearing the little bird''s report.


    She then lightly patted the little bird''s head, making thetter close its eyes as if enjoying her touch.


    "Let''s go," the youngdy said, and the little brown bird pped its wings to jump down onto the ground.


    A momentter, it transformed into a giant bird. It slightly lowered itself, allowing the youngdy to mount its back.


    She was also a Wanderer just like Thirteen and even shared the same mission as him.


    But seeing that the teenage boy didn''t like her, she had no choice but to leave him alone for the time being.


    "Zion Leventis," the youngdy said softly. "May fortune shine upon you. Let''s go, Aethon."


    The giant bird spread its wings and pped it once, taking flight.


    Soon, it disappeared above the clouds, leaving no traces behind.


    Hundreds of meters away, Rocky''s head poked out from the ground and opened his mouth.


    Thirteen, who was on the mouth of the Magma Bal-Boa, looked up at the cloud where the Giant Bird disappeared for half a minute before asking Rocky to drop him off near the camp of the Wanderers.


    Simr to the youngdy, Thirteen didn''t want to have a direct confrontation at the moment since they had more pressing problems waiting for them.


    When he arrived at the camp, he pushed aside the thoughts of the ck-haired youngdy that he had met to the back of his head, and looked for Erica, Sherry, and Diana.


    "Is everything almost ready?" Thirteen asked.


    "We''re almost ready," Erica replied. "We even managed to gain more food than we expected."


    "More is always good." Thirteen nodded. "Tell the others that they should continue hunting until tomorrow noon, before we head to the underground tunnels."


    At the mention of the underground tunnels, Erica, Sherry, and Diana showed conflicted expressions on their faces.


    Since the three of them were part of Thirteen''s Inner Circle, he had told them what he nned to do, which made the three of them very anxious.


    But despite their reservations, they trusted Zion''s decision.


    He had never failed them, and they believed that this one would be no different from the other crazy but sessful things that he had pulled off in the past.

 Chapter 547: Night Of The Monster Stampede [Part 1]

    "Just how did he find out about these tunnels?" David asked Erica as the wagons slowly entered a tunnel that was several meters wide. "It''s like a giant Earthworm has passed this ce."


    Erica couldn''t help but giggle because she knew that if Rocky heard that David had called him an Earthworm, the Magma Bal-Boa might have pped the Apostle with its tail to send him flying.


    "Well, Zion is Zion," Erica replied after she finishedughing. "By now, we should just ept whatever he does as something normal."


    "¡­ Isn''t that way of thinkingpletely abnormal?"


    "You''ll get used to it."


    Erica then walked towards the back of the procession of wagons to make sure that everything was in order.


    They were headed towards a natural cavern that Rocky had discovered.


    It had an underground river, which would provide them with water.


    This was also the reason why Thirteen didn''t ask them to store water, and only used the jars they had for storing the meat jerkies that they had made.


    Of course, Rocky did a bit of remodeling, so that it would easily amodate thousands of people


    The Magma Bal-Boa had created, and connected two stadium-sized caverns to the natural cavern he discovered, allowing enough living space for thousands of people.


    Since they only numbered a little over nine hundred, there was more than enough space for everyone, making them livefortably underground.


    Thirteen had designed natural venttions so that air would pass through even though they were deep underground, allowing everyone to breathe easily.


    He had also asked Rocky to create dozens of emergency exits, just in case the Wanderers would need to escape above ground.


    He even made sure to use glowing ink that lit up in the dark as markers, which allowed the Wanderers to know where they were going.


    Each wagon possessed a glowing crystalmp that lit the way because using torches would make the temperature too hot forfort.


    After traveling for several hours, they finally arrived at their destination.


    "Wow," Sherry couldn''t help but look at the picturesque scene in front of her with wonder.


    A cavern, filled with glowing crystals that illuminated the surroundings appeared before their eyes.


    The light of these crystals were then reflected on the river''s surface, making the scene look surreal.


    "Leaders of each squad, you are free to choose which location you want to stay, and remain there with your team members," Thirteen ordered. "There are still a few hours before sunset, so I want everyone to use this time to find their own areas to rest.


    "Don''t worry. There are plenty of spaces for everyone. There are even restrooms designed for the use of men and women. Lastly, anyone who will disrupt the peace will be punished ordingly. Do I make myself clear?"


    ""Yes!""


    The Wanderers replied firmly, which made Thirteen nod his head in acknowledgment.


    After giving his orders, he met with the officers that he had handpicked and started a meeting with them.


    "Remember, no matter what happens, you must not allow anyone to go to the surface," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "Assign guards to every exit, and make sure they are trustworthy. Tonight is a very dangerous night, so we must prevent any idents from happening.


    "I cannot stress how important the next few days will be, so if you guys don''t want to have dozens of Jinns rampaging through the underground tunnels, make sure that everyone doesn''t break any rule. Got it?"


    Erica, Sherry, Diana, Ratatoskr, Drazzat, David, and a few others nodded in understanding.


    "How about you?" David asked. "Can you really finish this mission alone?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "This is not the first time I faced something like this. I already know what to do."


    After a few more reminders, Thirteen disbanded the meeting, leaving only Erica, and Sherry with him.


    "Are you sure you don''t need our help?" Erica asked. "We can always stay with Rocky if you''re worried about our safety."


    "You guys should stay here," Thirteen replied firmly. "Don''t worry, I will return safely. I promise."


    Sherry, who also wished to apany Thirteen, decided to trust him and agreed to stay behind.


    They knew that Thirteen did things for a reason, and since he didn''t want them to join him, he must surely have his reasons.


    A few hourster, the teenage boy left the underground cavern to head to the surface.


    The sun had almost set, and the first stars had appeared in the sky.


    "You''re finally here."


    A voice filled with arrogance reached Thirteen''s ears, making him nce at the City Gates in the distance.


    The teenage boy was standing right beside the Wall, and although it was a mile away from the city, the voice of King Xanmara still reached his ears.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Missed me?"


    "Not at all," King Xanmara smiled. "But, I am very curious on how you''re going to break that wall, which even I cannot break using my full powers."


    "You sound confident that I cannot break this wall," Thirteenmented. "But, what will you do once I break it? Wouldn''t your city be in danger once that happens?"


    "My city will not be in danger because you will not be able to break it," King Xanmara dered. "Just because you want to destroy that wall, doesn''t mean it will happen. Your bluff is entertaining, but no one here believes your words."


    Thirteen smirked as he pressed his palm over the wall, while still looking at the city in the distance.


    Although he couldn''t see King Xanmara, he knew that the Monarch was staring directly at him from somewhere in the city.


    "King Xanmra, I''ll give you onest chance," Thirteen said. "Cancel your Summoning Ceremony, and we can still get along together."


    "Get along with a Filthy Lowborn?" King Xanmara snorted. "I''d rather die than get along with a lowly insect like you."


    Thirteen chuckled before ncing at the full moon of Chandrea in the heavens.


    "I guess you''ll be dying then," Thirteen stated.


    "In your dreams, Lowborn," King Xanmara replied.


    Thirteen took a deep breath as he resolved himself to do what he was going to do.


    He had already prepared many contingency ns just in case something went wrong.


    So, right now, he could only do what he had set out to do.


    High above the sky, a Giant Bird hovered in the air.


    The youngdy''s long ck hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked down on the young man, who was nning to do something outrageous.


    Truth be told, she didn''t know how Zion would be able to break down the wall behind him, which was imbued by the Ancient Technology of the Absolute.


    King Xanmara, who was standing on top of the city walls, looked at the teenage boy with a sneer.


    From the very start, he never believed that the human boy could break the wall because King Xanmara and his people had already tried to break it many times in the past.


    He was very confident in his strength, so if he wasn''t able to do it, he believed that no one would be able to do it.


    But, just as he was looking down on the Lowborn, whom he had chatted with during the past few days, he saw the corner of the young man''s lips rise up into a smirk.


    A few secondster, he spoke a single word that was carried to him by the breeze.


    "Disintegrator."


    Suddenly, the King of the Kingdom of Seneros heard a loud cracking sound that reverberated in the quiet night.


    A momentter, the wall behind the boy crumbled, and like a domino effect, the walls adjacent to it turned into dust in a heartbeat.


    The King of Xanmara looked at the ce where the wall was standing earlier in disbelief.


    The entire wall that separated the Fractured Heaven from the rest of the world was nowhere to be found, and with its disappearance, something took its ce.


    Countless roars filled with surprise, excitement, hunger, and bloodlust, reached the King''s ears, which made his entire body shudder.


    Only when he heard Thirteen''s words filled with ridicule and contempt did the King of Seneros break out from his daze.


    "What''s wrong?" Thirteen asked. "Cat got your tongue?"


    After saying those words, the young man chuckled before spreading his arms wide.


    Right behind him, a dust cloud was headed in the direction of the City, where the purple pir of light was shining towards the heavens.


    The ground trembled as countless Jinns made a mad dash towards the City, which had caught their attention.


    Thirteen chuckled and even waved at King Xanmara goodbye before disappearing from where he stood.


    "Protect the city!" King Xanmara shouted in anger and disbelief. "Guards to your posts!"


    He still needed a few days toplete the Summoning Ritual, which would allow him to summon a monster, who could help them reim thends of the Absolute Heaven.


    But now, the only thing that was on his mind was to prevent the ritual from failing, as he gathered his subjects to prepare for the Monster Stampede that was about toe knocking on their doorstep.

 Chapter 548: Night Of The Monster Stampede [Part 2]

    King Xanmara had thought that the teenage boy was merely spouting nonsense when he said that he would destroy the wall isting Fractured Heaven from the rest of the world.


    He didn''t believe him even for a single moment. How could someone as weak as that young human do something that even he couldn''t achieve?


    So when he saw the wall behind the teenage boy crumbling down into dust, his first reaction was to wonder if he was just dreaming.


    But the cries of his subjects, as well as the tension in his surroundings, proved that what he was seeing wasn''t a dream.


    The King of Xanmara then gazed at the young man responsible for doing all of this, only to see the smile on Zion''s lips.


    In the end, the teenage boy even waved at him goodbye before disappearing from his view, leaving him and his subjects to face the iing Monster Stampede.


    He clenched his fist so hard that cracking sounds could be heard from his knuckles.


    "Everyone, do not panic!" King Xanmara shouted. "Go to your positions, and prepare for battle. The barrier is strong and will hold for a time. Stay calm!"


    Having been reminded that there was still a barrier protecting them, the panicked people started to regain a bit of their calm.


    The soldiers all lined up on top of the city walls and prepared their long-range weapons to deal with the monsters who were now headed in their direction.


    King Xanmara, on the other hand, flew toward the highest tower in the city and nced at the six pirs that were responsible for keeping the barrier active.


    Each Pir had one Rank 8 Peak Sovereign chained on it.


    They were artificially made Sovereigns, whose sole purpose was to power up the tower where King Xanmara currently stood.


    Using their life force as fuel, they were being used to summon a King or a Colossi, which would allow them to be a force to reckon with.


    However, it would take them a few more days toplete the summoning ritual.


    But with the current situation at hand, King Xanmara was afraid that they might not have enough time toplete the Summoning Ceremony.


    The barrier might be strong, but repeated attacks on it would burn the life force of the Rank 8 Sovereigns faster, weakening the output of their life force for the ceremony.


    ''That Lowborn bastard!'' King Xanmara cursed internally. ''How dare he ruin my n?!''


    The King of the Kingdom of Seneros knew that no matter how much he cursed the teenage boy, their current situation wouldn''t change.


    In the end, the only thing he could do was brace himself for what was about toe.


    Since half of the blood inside his body came from a full-blooded Absolute, he was considered as a superhuman.


    This made him more powerful than the Monarchs of Pangea and Solterra. Self-aware of how strong he was, he had the confidence to face off against Rank 9 Sovereigns.


    At least, that was what he believed.


    Just as he was gathering his courage to face the monsters that were headed in his direction¡­


    He felt an overwhelming presence that made his body uncontrobly shudder.


    Somewhere within the dust cloud, he sensed the presence of a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign, leading the herd of monsters to attack his city.


    The Jinns currently living within the territories of the Absolute Heaven were very different from the Jinns that had spread far and wide within Solterra.


    These Jinns were more aggressive, brutal, and merciless because they were "Pure-Blooded" Jinns.


    They were the descendants of the First Generation Jinns that had arrived in Solterra hundreds of years ago.


    The youngdy, who was riding on the back of the Giant Bird, looked at the scene on the ground with a calm expression on her face.


    The Giant Bird let out a screech, informing her that Flying Monsters were headed in their direction.


    "Back off for now, Aethon," the youngdy ordered. "We might identally ruin his n if we stay here any longer."


    The Giant Bird replied with another screech of acknowledgement before turning around to fly away so that the Flying Jinns wouldn''t pay any attention to it.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, didn''t run far because he was inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    The Magma Bal-Boa was currently hundreds of meters below the city, observing everything through the eyes of Tiona''s clone.


    "Looks like everything is happening ording to your n."


    Someone spoke behind Thirteen, which made the teenage boy smile faintly.


    "For now, at least," Thirteen replied. "But things can still change."


    "True. Overconfidence in one''s ability will lead to ruin."


    "Right."


    The presence behind them then disappeared, and Thirteen resumed observing the event that was happening above ground.


    A few minutester, the monsters'' faces finally came into view.


    Hundreds of Elephant-Type Jinns, all of which were five meters tall, charged, making the ground tremble as they approached the City.


    At the center of them all was a hundred-meter-tall Rank 9 Sovereign Ancient Mastodon, whose long tusks were over a dozen meters long.


    Without fearing for their lives, the herd of Elephants rammed the barrier, making it shake at the brunt of the impact.


    The Elephants were Rank 6 Monsters, so most of them suffered serious injuries the moment they came in contact with the shield.


    However, none of them backed down and continued to ram the shield as if they had gone insane from bloodlust.


    Soon, this first wave of monsters perished under the barrier''s might, burning their bodies as they continued to ram the barrier until they breathed theirst.


    But despite all this, the attacks never stopped, which made King Xanmara grit his teeth in frustration.


    The Rank 9 Sovereign didn''t continue its charge and simply stared at the barrier, which would fluctuate whenever one of its subordinates sacrificed its life to deal damage to it.


    "Damn you!" King Xanmara red at the Rank 9 Sovereign, who was looking back at him with ridicule and contempt.


    It was as if it was enjoying the frustration and helplessness its prey was feeling.


    Unlike the Elephants, it was very intelligent and understood that the barrier wouldn''t be going that easily.


    Still, it understood that the barrier would weaken before his subordinates all died in battle.


    The Flying Jinns, who were circling above the city, eyed the people with greedy looks.


    For them, the Absolutes were a very delicious race, for their bloodline was very powerful.


    This was the reason why many Jinns evolved after consuming the denizens of Absolute Heaven.


    Only after they evolved did they wander outside of its borders and spread their terror to the rest of the world.


    Right now, King Xanmara and his people were reliving the horrors that their ancestors had felt hundreds of years ago.


    ''Should I just force it?'' King Xanmara hesitated.


    His hesitation didn''tst long as a determined glint appeared in his eyes.


    Raising his hand, he increased the speed of the Life Drain on the Sovereigns that were chained on the six pirs.


    He knew that doing this might have some adverse effects on the Summoning Ritual, but he was left with no other alternative at the moment.


    The Barrier would break down soon because the monsters were hell-bent on destroying it.

 Chapter 549: Calamity’s Descent [Part 1]

    King Xanmara could already see another dust cloud in the distance, which meant that a second group of Jinns was now headed in their direction.


    The moment their barrier breaks, it will spell doom for him and their people.


    His ancestors, who were much more powerful and more numerous than the poption of his Kingdom, had failed to thwart the Jinn invasion.


    Since that was the case, it was impossible for him to resist them with the current forces under his disposal.


    Knowing that only annihtion awaited him and his people, he decided to go all in, sacrificing even his people for the sake of survival.


    "Give me your lives!" King Xanmara shouted. "For the Absolute!"


    All the people inside the city suddenly knelt on the ground, with the weaker ones copsing and losing consciousness on the spot.


    King Xanmara didn''t n to kill them but only took half of their Life Force toplete the ritual.


    He even burned a quarter of his own life force to hasten the process.


    Suddenly, a loud cracking sound reverberated in the surroundings as the first crack on the barrier appeared.


    However, King Xanmara ignored it and focused his attention on gathering the life force that he had harvested from his people.


    As more cracks appeared in the barrier, something happened in the sky.


    A red dimensional gate was forcefully opened, and from it, an eight-headed snake emerged from the sky.


    At the same moment, Thirteen, as well as all the Wanderers who were hiding under the ground, received a notification that made their faces turn grim.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Trial of Courage [Part 2]


    This is the second mission of your chain quest.


    ¡ª The King of the Northern Kingdom is nning something sinister. He ns to use every means possible to subjugate all the races in the Fractured Heaven and make them obedient to him.


    ¡ª Your Mission is to stop the Summoning Ceremony that will take ce within 30 days.


    [Quest Failed!]


    ¨C Due to an unexpected event, the Summoning Ceremony waspleted before the time limit ended. Because of this, another mission will be given to you.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Mission: Fight or Flight!


    You can choose between the two options. Clearing any of the two options will automatically clear the current mission of all Wanderers within the territories of the Fractured and Absolute Heaven.


    [First Choice]


    Defeat the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    Special Rewards:


    ¨C For those who are experiencing their First Wandering, all of you will automatically be a Rookie even if you haven''t absorbed any Beast Cores. This means that you can continue your next mission as Rookies, giving you greater strength to clear thest mission.


    ¨C All Apostles will also break through the next rank and be Elites even if you didn''t absorb the required number of Cores.


    ¨C Each Wanderer will also gain an Adamantine-Grade Weapon, and Peak Adamantine-Grade Armor that they can use regardless of Rank.


    ¡ª All Wanderers will gain the Title "Survivor."


    ¡ª Triples the speed of your Stamina Regeneration.


    ¡ª If even one person can clear this mission, all Wanderers will gain the rewards listed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Second Choice]


    ¡ª Find a way to survive for thirty days.


    The Eight-Headed Serpent can detect any life force even if they are invisible or hiding underground.


    It has the ability to burrow into the ground, making hiding from it extremely difficult. If you manage to survive its detection, consider yourself lucky because you have managed to escape from a Majin King!


    Special Rewards:


    ¨C Each Wanderer will gain a Peak Gold Weapon, and a Peak Gold-Grade Armor that they can use regardless of their Rank.


    ¡ª You will be teleported to a safe location away from the center of the battlefield.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Rocky, get away from this ce. Now!" Thirteen ordered, prompting the Magma Bal-Boa to flee as fast as it could, heading toward the location where the other Wanderers were hiding.


    Half a minuteter, the ground shook as the Giant Monster fell from the sky andnded at the city, destroying the barrier, as well as half of the city in an instant.


    King Xanmaraughed out loud as he looked at the Monster that appeared in front of him.


    "Yes!" King Xanmara raised his fist, feeling overwhelmed from seeding in summoning a monster that would make his dreamse true. "Kill those monsters in the name of the Absolute!"


    The Eight-Headed Serpent nced in his direction for a few seconds before one of its heads moved to take a closer look at the King of Seneros.


    "Are you the one who summoned me?" one of the heads of the Eight-Headed Serpent asked through telepathy.


    "Yes!" King Xanmara replied. "It is me! I am the one who summoned you here. I am your Master!"


    "Good." The serpent head that was looking at the King nodded. "You did well, mortal. Now, be part of my strength."


    Before King Xanmara could even blink, the serpent devoured his entire body, leaving nothing behind.


    The Rank 9 Ancient Mastodon, who was feeling confident earlier, immediately ran away as soon as it realized just how powerful the Eight-Headed Serpent was.


    Fortunately, the Giant Monster, who was over a hundred meters tall, didn''t seem to be in a hurry to hunt it down.


    Instead, it rxedly feasted on the people inside the city, not caring if they were dead or alive.


    ''Delicious!'' the Eight-Headed Serpent thought as it ate one Hybrid Absolute one after another.


    The youngdy, who was eyeing the serpent from the skies, looked at it with a solemn gaze. She understood that this monster was impossible to defeat even with the current strength of all the Wanderers within Fractured Heavenbined.


    ''This is bad,'' the youngdy thought. Just like Thirteen, she didn''t expect that the situation would escte to this level.


    "Aethon, let''s head farther away," the youngdy ordered. "Make sure to hide your presence so that it will not detect you."


    Aethon no longer screeched and quietly obeyed his Master''s order.


    Thirteen, who had also arrived at the camp, immediately informed everyone of what happened, making everyone understand the current situation.


    "It''s your fault!" Leon shouted. "Because of you, the difficulty of the mission has increased drastically! A Majin King? How can we survive fighting against such a monster?! Even surviving for thirty days is nearly impossible!"


    The teenage boy had a lot of pent-up anger against Thirteen, and knowing that everything that happened was the teenager''s fault, he was unable to hold back his anger andshed out at him.


    The other Wanderers were also feeling frustrated. Facing a Majin King wasn''t something they were prepared to do.


    Heck, fighting against a Rank 8 Sovereign was already difficult, much less a Monster that was even stronger than a Majin Prince. From what they knew, they were the strongest creatures in the world, second only to the Fiends and Celestials of Solterra.


    Thirteen scanned the faces of all the Wanderers who were looking at him with conflicted expressions on their faces.


    "Leon is right," Thirteen replied. "It is my fault that King Xanmara has seeded in summoning a Majin King earlier than expected.


    "But I think you are all having a very big misunderstanding here. Even if I didn''t do anything, he would still seed in summoning a Majin King because there is no way for any of you to break the barrier that protected the City of Seneros.


    "Simply put, after the time limit ends, the same thing will happen. Regardless of what you say or think, the situation will circle back to this moment. You are free to me me if you want¡ªI don''t care.


    "I have the power to survive this mission on my own. Perhaps some of you can do the same. The only advantage you guys have right now is that we have prepared for something simr to this situation.


    "We gathered enough food that willst us for two weeks, and we also have an unlimited supply of water. All of you can decide to stay here underground and wait for a miracle to happen. But as you may already know, the Eight-Headed Serpent can detect life force even if they are buried deep underground.


    "It also has the ability to dig and find you guys here, despite being hundreds of meters under the ground. Right now, the only choice you have is the second option of our mission, and that is to survive for thirty days."


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest as he once again gazed at the pale faces of the Wanderers, who were listening to his words.


    "All of you are lucky because the Absolute Heaven is a big ce. If the Eight-Headed Serpent chose to head north, it would feast on the Jinns in that direction. But if it heads South, then all of you might die once it notices your presence.


    "So to those who are confident in running away, go ahead and run as far as you can, as fast as you can. Summon your Avatars and leave this ce to head South and pray that you will be able to survive for thirty days.


    "But, know this¡ªthe one-way portal connecting the Kingdom of Seneros and the Goblin Domain has been destroyed. The only ce you can go is south of the Randall Stronghold.


    "However, the Northern side of Fractured Heaven and its Southern Side are separated by a river that has special properties. No one can swim or fly over it, so remember that if you head in that direction.


    "Make no mistake. This will be a battle of survival. There is no chance to defeat the Majin King, so if you are confident that you can survive alone, just go and leave this ce while you still can."


    After saying those words, Thirteen made a gesture for Erica, Sherry, and Diana to follow him.


    Now that the situation had boiled down to this, he needed to make a n for how they would survive against the Majin King, who was still feasting on the citizens of the Kingdom of Seneros, taking the time to savor the power of their bloodline.

 Chapter 550: Calamity’s Descent [Part 2]

    "I n to fight that Majin King," Thirteen said. "And I need the three of you to help me do that."


    "Okay," Erica replied in a heartbeat.


    "...That''s it?" Thirteen looked at the youngdy who didn''t show any surprise after hearing his deration.


    "I think I have a general understanding of what you n to do," Erica said. "Although you said you want to fight it, it''s more like you n to lure the Majin King away from this ce, right? That way, the other Wanderers will be able to continue hiding and survive this second mission."


    Sherry, who was just listening from the side, nodded her head in agreement. Although she wouldn''t im that she knew how Zion think, she could tell that he was a very caring person, despite the sharpness of his words.


    This was why she wished to journey alongside him in this mission because she had a feeling that as long as she was with him, she would see this mission to its ending.


    "You like doing things on your own and carry the burden on your shoulders," Sherrymented. "Just like what happened in the war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen.


    "After finding out the reason why the war happened, you headed to the Goblin Kingdom to steal the Shard of Origin in order to stop the war. I believe you n to do something simr in this situation."


    Thirteen smiled faintly. It seemed that he had underestimated how smart Erica and Sherry were.


    "With that said, Diana, I want you to stay with the Wanderers and lead them while I lure the Majin King away," Thirteen stated. "If both of us disappear, the hierarchy will fall.


    "Also, some of the Wanderers must be upset with me since I''m responsible for the abrupt change in the mission, so they will unlikely want to follow my orders for now. That''s where youe in. You need to lead them all to safety. Do you understand?"


    Diana reluctantly nodded in understanding. "Okay, I will do as you say. But do you have confidence in luring away that Majin King?"


    "I don''t know," Thirteen admitted. "But I''ll do my best to lead it away from this ce. We don''t have much time remaining, so I''ll be taking my leave with Erica and Sherry. I''ll also talk to Drazzat briefly and ask him to stay with you guys for your safety."


    After giving Diana a few more instructions, Thirteen went to see the Lizardman Commander and told him about his n to lure away the Majin King.


    "Be careful," Drazzat said in a solemn tone. "As much as I want to help you, I don''t have the confidence to face such a monster. I will only pull you down."


    "I''ll leave the rest to you," Thirteen patted the Lizardman''s waist before walking toward one of the tunnels, where Rocky was waiting for him.


    When the three teenagers were safely inside the Magma Bal-Boa''s Mobile Fortress, Thirteen briefed the two girls on how he wanted them to help with his n.


    "We are going to head five miles to the north and attack the Majin King with a long range weapon," Thirteen said. "That weapon is an improved version of the Ballista that we used to fight against the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer.


    "I don''t know how effective it will be against the Majin King, but it should be enough to get its attention."


    Erica and Sherry nodded in understanding.


    "Then, what do we need to do?" Erica asked.


    "You will act as the decoy and attack the Majin King from the skies," Thirteen answered. "I don''t know if your spells will be able to damage its body, but it will be enough to annoy it. Also, don''t use the power of the ring I gave you. It''s not enough to deal any damage to the Majin king."


    "Okay," Erica replied.


    "Remember, the goal is to lure it away, not to fight it seriously," Thirteen stated. "It is impossible to defeat it with just us. We will need some reinforcements if we want to deal a decisive blow to it."


    "Reinforcements?" Sherry frowned. "Where will we get those?"


    "... Just leave it to me." Thirteen coughed lightly. "I''ll think of something."


    Rocky, who made a detour to make sure that the Majin King wouldn''t detect it, took nearly half an hour to reach their destination.


    As soon as he found an ideal ce, he immediately ejected Thirteen, Erica, and Sherry from his Mobile Fortress and stood guard behind them.


    The Magma Bal-Boa had ced them on top of a cliff, overlooking the wide ins of the Absolute Heaven.


    Even from a distance away, Thirteen could see the heads of the Eight-Headed Serpent, the sight of which made Erica and Sherry feel anxious.


    Only Thirteen had seen the Majin King, and this was their first time seeing the monster.


    "Even from this distance, I can sense its oppressive aura," Erica said solemnly. "So this is the power of a Majin King."


    "The two of you should get used to its pressure," Thirteen stated. "Because we will be luring it away with just the three of us."


    The teenage boy then raised his hand, and opened his Dimensional Storage.


    Metatron had upgraded it and increased its size to that of a football stadium.


    Since Thirteen had two Dimensional Storage of that size, he was able to bring a lot of heavy equipment that he could use for his missions.


    When the Grand Ballista appeared in front of the two girls, they couldn''t help but feel a little more confident that they might actually injure the Majin King because of how big it was.


    The entire weapon was made of reinforced steel, and it was covered to the brim with rune magic.


    "I have only twelve ammunition with me," Thirteen said as he summoned three reinforced bolts that were a dozen meter-long. Their body was as thick as an electric pole, and each was also imbued with rune magic.


    Calling it a Grand Ballista was not giving it justice.


    It was more like a Grand Railgun, which was one of Thirteen''s trump cards.


    Right now, he was able to operate it because his Item Ban was temporarily removed because there was a full moon in the sky.


    After saving his sister from bing a sacrifice as the Moon Princess, he gained the title, Endymion, which granted him several blessings from the Royal Bloodline of Chandrea.


    ----------


    ----------


    Today was one of the few instances that one of the restrictions ced on his body would temporarily be lifted, allowing him to use items that far surpassed his rank.


    On top of that, the Lace Demon and The One had given him permission to use equipment that were higher than his current rank as long as he was fighting against monsters that were Rank 9 and above.


    Knowing what his Master needed, Rocky summoned the two Ogres, O1 and O2, to help their Master load and operate the Ballista.


    Once the first bolt was loaded, Thirteen took out a telescope from his Dimensional Storage, and calcted the distance and angle needed to hit the Eight-Headed Serpent, who had almost finished feasting on the people in the City of Seneros.


    Since his calcting abilities were further enhanced by the bloodline of Chandrea, it didn''t take long for him to make the adjustments on the Ballista before cing his hand on the lever.


    One pull, and the bolt would be sent flying at speeds that were three to four times the speed of sound.


    Thirteen wasn''t sure if he would be able to deal a serious injury to the monster, but he was confident that the reinforced bolt would be able to pierce through the Eight-Headed Serpent''s scales.


    After making sure that his calctions were on point, Thirteen pulled the lever, creating a spark as the bolt flew toward one of the Heads of the Eight-Headed Serpent, who had bitten the head of one of the monsters tied up in the pir used to summon it to Solterra.

 Chapter 551: There Is Nothing In This World That I, Camazotz, Fear!

    The Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent was one of the Kings who ruled the world of Gomorra.


    It was the homeworld of the Jinns, and any monster who reached that rank in that world was considered a true powerhouse.


    The world of Gomorra had only one rule, and that was the survival of the fittest.


    The weak would be culled out, and those who survived only had two choices.


    Submit to one of the most powerful beings in their world in order to survive or be a powerhouse to create their own faction.


    The Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent lived deep underground and was busy umting its own strength.


    It had just broken through the Rank of a Majin King, and was biding its time to overthrow one of the rulers where it was currently residing.


    However, when it sensed that it was being pulled toward the World of Solterra, it readily epted the summons, thinking that it would be able to create its own Kingdom in that world.


    The Jinns knew of Solterra because it was one of the worlds that their race had invaded during the past hundreds of years.


    Some worlds had powerful protection, and restrictions ced on them, which allowed only lower-ranking Jinns to descend upon them.


    One of those worlds was Pangea.


    The strongest monsters that could descend on it were Rank 9 Sovereigns, barring the Majin Princes, Majin Kings, and Fiends from entering the world.


    But Solterra was different.


    It was capable of epting a Majin King, so as soon as the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent received the opportunity, it didn''t hesitate and finally arrived in the Kingdom of Seneros.


    The moment it devoured King Xanmara, it found the Monarch''s taste to its liking.


    Because of this, it feasted on the citizens of the city, and although they were not as delicious as the Monarch that he devoured, they still tasted good due to the power of their bloodline.


    But as it was enjoying its meal, it sensed a threat that was approaching it at great speeds.


    It then moved its head to look in the direction where the danger wasing from, but by then, it was already toote.


    The reinforced bolt pierced through one of the heads of the Eight-Headed Serpent, making that head screech in pain as the Bolt embedded itself on one of the Snake''s eyes.


    However, it didn''t end there.


    Just as the Eight-Headed Serpent was trying to understand what had happened, another bolt pierced its body, making it stagger.


    Suddenly, a third bolt once again embedded itself on the neck of one of the heads of the Majin King, making it hiss in anger.


    The remaining heads all nced in the direction where the bolt came from and didn''t hesitate to charge in that direction with fury.


    It didn''t even bother to pull out the bolts that were still stuck in its body, as it only wanted to exterminate the creature who dared to attack it, while eating its meal.


    Thirteen, who had already predicted this reaction, was already inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    The Magma Bal-Boa was also fleeing as fast as he could and headed deeper to the Jinn-infested territory.


    Since Rocky was moving deep underground, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent didn''t detect him right away.


    Instead, the monster charged at the nearest monster that it sensed inside the canyon, where the attack came from.


    A Rank 6 Alpha Smander, who had no idea what was happening, suddenly found itself inside the jaws of the Majin King, who didn''t even give it a chance to defend itself from its overwhelming might.


    Of course, it didn''t end there.


    A Rank 5 Scorpion, who happened to be hiding hundreds of meters away, also fell victim to the Majin King''s Rampage.


    As the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent sensed more monsters in the vicinity, it continued to hunt them down one by one, heading deeper into the Jinn-infestednds.


    However, as it continued to terrorize the pitiful and innocent monsters, it once again sensed something dangerous headed in its direction.


    This time, the Majin King was able to evade the attack, albeit barely, and the bolt hit the side of its body, creating sparks.


    Its heated gaze then locked on in the direction where the bolt came from. It headed there, abandoning the monsters that it was about to annihte.


    Thirteen, who had decided to fire one more bolt to lead the Majin King toward the Absolute Heaven, was once again inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, who was fleeing for his life.


    ''This should be enough to buy the others time,'' Thirteen thought as he ordered Rocky to keep fleeing.


    An hourter, the Magma Bal-Boa finally came to a stop as it rested deep underground.


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons were currently monitoring the Majin King, who had started to kill any monster in its path.


    After making sure that they were truly safe, Thirteen told Erica and Sherry that he needed to go somewhere for a short period of time and advised the two of them to stay inside the Mobile Fortress and wait for him.


    After the two girls promised to behave, Thirteen activated the Ring of the Apocalypse.


    As soon as he appeared in the special domain that was under Metatron''s control, a certain Death Bat approached him with a big smile on his face.


    "Thirteen!" Camazotz shouted. "You''re finally here!"


    The other members of the Apocalypse nced at the weakest member of their Order and looked at him with a curious gaze.


    All of them were aware that the human boy had now formed a Faction with the second weakest Majin Prince, Camazotz, and the Princess of Prophecy, Kamrusepa.


    Truth be told, they were paying close attention to their small Trinity because they had been making waves within their organization, even surpassing the achievements of the older members in a short period of time.


    "What are you doing here, my friend?" Camazotz said as he hung his shoulder around the teenage boy''s neck, before lightly patting his head.


    "I came here because I need help," Thirteen replied.


    "Hahaha! Look no further!" Camazotz patted its chest with confidence. "Are we going to fight again? Leave it to me! There is nothing in this world that I, Camazotz, fear!"


    Thirteen looked at the smug-faced Death Bat before opening his mouth.


    "I am currently facing a Majin King, so I need help to defeat it," Thirteen stated.


    "A-Ah! My stomach hurts!" Camazotz immediately clutched his stomach with a pained expression on his face. "D-Damn! It must be because of that Giant Squid I ate for dinner. I think I''m suffering from indigestion!


    "Sh*t! Sorry, Thirteen. I need to take a dump first. I''lle back to youter after I''m done with my business!"


    Without another word, the Death Bat disappeared as it retreated back to its domain.


    Thirteen knew what kind of character Camazotz had, so he already expected this scene from happening.


    However, he didn''te to the Order of the Apocalypse for the Death Bat.


    He came to seek the help of his other ally, who was now walking in his direction.


    Kamrusepa, who heard Thirteen''s statement, frowned as she approached the young man, who was asking for help.


    "What kind of Majin King are you fighting?" Kamrusepa asked.


    "It''s an Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent," Thirteen replied.


    The frown on Kamrusepa''s face deepened because she could vaguely remember a creature that matched Thirteen''s description.


    "I can''t help you fight against a Majin King," Kamrusepa said in a serious tone.


    "I know," Thirteen replied. "But I need you to help me with something else."


    "What is it? As long as it''s not about fighting the Majin King directly, I will help you as much as I can." Kamrusepa dered.


    "I need you to do a Divination for me," Thirteen stated. "Tell me what I need to do or where I need to go to survive that monster for thirty days."


    The Majin Princess pondered a bit before nodding in understanding.


    "Very well. Come with me," Kamrusepa said as she took the teenage boy''s hand, and pulled him towards one of the private rooms of the order.


    Belzeebub, one of the oldest members of the Order of the Apocalypse, yed with his beard as he looked at the teenage boy who was being led away by Kamrusepa.


    He was one of the two Majin Kings within the Order of the Apocalypse, who were hiding their true rank from the rest of their peers.


    "An Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent," Belzeebub muttered. "Can it be?"


    When he was still in Gomorra, he came across such a monster, and it had left a deep impression on him because of how powerful it was.


    Only a handful of individuals knew of its name, and Belzeebub was one of them.


    If his guess was right, then the name of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent that Thirteen was running away from was none other than Orochi.


    The Eight-Headed Serpent who almost killed Belzeebub when he was still living in the Jinn Homeworld of Gomorra.

 Chapter 552: In My Eyes, You’re Just An Ungrateful Worm

    "We wouldn''t be in this mess if that Zion Leventis hadn''t messed with the mission!" Leon said to the Wanderers, who were currently thinking of what to do next.


    "Give it a rest already," Seanmented. "You kept on ming him, but have you done anything to contribute to this mission? What about thest mission? Aren''t you ashamed of yourself for badmouthing the person who allowed you to survive that war?"


    "Hmph! Even without him, I could have easily survived," Leon replied.


    "All you do is talk big, but can you back those words?" Drazzat asked in irritation. "Can you break the barrier that surrounded the city and stop the summoning ceremony?"


    "I can''t do it alone," Leon admitted. "But if everyone here worked together, I''m sure we could have done something!"


    Suddenly, aughter filled with ridicule and contempt spread inside the underground cavern, which made all the Wanderers look in the direction of a Ratmen whom they had seen a few times in the Lizardmen Camp.


    He was none other than Kesari, who had be part of Thirteen''s Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    "You''re only able to spout this bullsh*t because you haven''t faced the Monarch of Seneros," Kesari sneered. "Even if all of you brats worked together, you won''t even leave a tiny scratch on his body. Not to mention, he''s also the King of the Kingdom.


    "Aside from him, he has Guards that are of the Master and Grandmaster Rank. Some of them are even Champions. But that won''t even be your biggest problem. If any of you were to touch the barrier surrounding his city, all of you would be burned to a crisp.


    "In my eyes, you''re just an ungrateful worm who can only spout nonsense. I truly wonder why Zion is risking his life to lure that Majin King away from this ce. If I were in his position, I would have let it devour all of you ungrateful swines, who only managed to survive because of him."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Leon, who had been looked down upon by the Ratman, red back in anger.


    "Nonsense?" Kesari chuckled. "Are you dumb? This underground Cavern is just two to four to five miles away from the City of Seneros. The opponent is an Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent--a Majin King.


    "Do you really think weaklings like you can escape its detection? Don''t forget--Jinns like to eat humans. It''s impossible for it to not smell your filthy stench even from five miles away. Do you know how fast it can reach this ce? Less than a minute.


    "In less than a minute, all of you would have died if Zion didn''t lure it away. Such imbeciles."


    The Ratman then spat on the ground as if talking to Leon disgusted him very much.


    "Enough nonsense. I havee here to pass a message from Zion Leventis," Kesari stated. "All of you have three choices. The first one is to stay here and pray that the Majin King doesn''t return and detect your presence.


    "The second one is for all of you to escape individually or in groups in order to survive for a month using your own power.


    "Last but not the least, you can use the tunnel that led to the south of the Fractured Heaven, passing through the river that separated the North, and the South through an underground tunnel.


    "I have discovered that tunnel by chance, and if we manage to cross it and return to the territory of the Lizardmen, your chances of survival will increase. Since there is a special barrier that prevents anyone from crossing the river, the Majin King might not be able to cross it."


    Kesari scanned the faces of the Wanderers, who were looking at him with fear, doubt, and anxiety.


    "I will give you half an hour to decide," Kesari said. "Those who wish to use the tunnel, you will follow my lead. The travel will take at least ten days if you are going to bring your wagons with you. Don''t worry, the passages are wide enough for wagons to pass through."


    Diana, who was the current leader of the Wanderers pondered for a bit before nodding her head.


    "We will discuss what course of action to take," Diana said. "Thank you for telling us that we have a third option of escape."


    Kesari nodded. "Remember, you only have half an hour. There''s no guarantee that the Majin King will not return here. Also, not all the citizens of the City of Seneros are dead. There are still a few hundred survivors, so there''s a possibility that the Majin King wille back to finish what he started.


    "Ah, onest thing. I will not be taking that brat with me. Your name is Leon, right? You can stay here and try to survive on your own. I don''t like carrying extra baggage. I''m not like Zion who will hold your hand and take you to safety."


    "W-Who even needs the help of a filthy Rat like you?!" Leon shouted back in shame and anger. "I can survive by myself!"


    Kesari shrugged, not even bothering to reply to the teenage boy''s words.


    In his eyes, everyone here was just extra baggage, with the exception of Diana, and Drazzat, whom his Master was trying to save.


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons were observing everything happening on the surface, and rying the location of the Majin King in real time.


    Finally, after a discussion, Diana decided to take the majority of the Wanderers, who didn''t wish to stay in their hiding ce, to the tunnel that would lead them back to the territory of the Lizardmen.


    To his surprise, the members of the Cygni Faction, as well as the Apostles, decided to stay behind.


    "I want to see this till the end," David said. "I know that it''s dangerous to stay here, but I feel like there''s no safe ce at all, with a Majin King in this territory. Since it can traverse several miles in a minute, I think I''ll have a higher chance of survival traveling with my team."


    "I feel the same way too," Seanmented. "Although it is dangerous, I don''t feel like being in debt with someone. I admit that I''ve had an easier time here in Solterra than expected, and it was all due to Zion''s help.


    "But now that he is luring the monster away from this ce, I want to help him if possible."


    Diana was moved by Sean''s words. She also wanted to stay, but Zion had entrusted her with the safety of the Wanderers. Because of this, she had no choice but to lead them to safety.


    "I''ll also stay," Drazzat dered. "If these kids have the courage to stay, I will feel ashamed if I return to my tribe knowing that I ran away in fear."


    The other Lizardmen looked at their temporary leader with conflicted expressions on their faces. In the end, they decided to stay as well because they were Lizardman Warriors.


    It was not in their nature to flee if their Commander decided to stay on the battlefield.


    Kesari eyed Drazzat for a few seconds before smiling faintly.


    He had the opportunity to face the Lizardman in battle once, so he knew that he didn''tck courage.


    Now that everyone had made their decision, the Ratmen led Diana and the other Wanderers to the tunnel Thirteen had asked to be made beforehand.


    It was the route that he nned to take as ast resort if the Jinn Invasion went out of control.


    Sean watched the others go before leading his faction to the surface, alongside David and Drazzat, so that they could better understand their situation.


    Of course, one of the reasons why Sean decided to separate from Diana was because he couldn''t leave Leon alone.


    The families of the Cygni Faction were allies, so he thought that it would be best to keep his people safe and lead them to the next mission with his abilities.


    Lastly, he wanted to be like Zion.


    Someone who could lead a group of Wanderers and allow them to showcase their talents.


    Although he knew that Leon didn''t share the same views that he did, he still decided to let the teenage boy stay in his group so that he could keep an eye on him.


    While all of this was happening, Thirteen was currently sitting across the Majin Princess, Kamrusepa, and waiting for her to start her Divination.


    He was looking for a path with the highest chance of survival, and he was hoping that the Majin Princess could shed some light on how he might be able to ovee the cmity that had descended within the Absolute Heaven.

 Chapter 553: Recruiting Allies [Part 1]

    Kamrusepa took out three dice made up of bones and ced it at the center of the table.


    She then ced several crystals of different colors, forming a hexagon.


    Thirteen calmly watched as the Majin Princess set up everything she needed for her Divination.


    A few minutester, Kamrusepa eyed the teenage boy and offered him a small dagger.


    "Drop a blood on each dice," Kamrusepa said.


    Thirteen nodded and obeyed the Majin Princess'' words. He didn''t even bother to question the process because he was already familiar with it.


    One of his Hosts also specialized in Divinations, so he understood that they all have different ways on how to glimpse into the future.


    The only downside of having this kind of ability was that powerful Seers and Oracles wouldn''t be able to see their own Fates.


    Once the teenage boy was done dropping his blood on all three dice, the symbols on their surface started to glow red, indicating that they were now ready to be used for Divination.


    Kamrusepa picked up the three dice and ced them between her fingertips.


    She didn''t throw them right away. Instead, she raised her hand and pointed it in the direction of the North.


    "To the North, I ask for blessings so that my voice will be heard," Kamrusepa said before moving her hand to point at the South. "To the South, I ask for guidance so that a Legacy will be told."


    The Majin Princess then moved her hand to the West and uttered another phrase.


    "To the West, I ask for leniency so that my eyes may see through the hidden veil," Kamrusepa said softly before pointing to the East,pleting the chant of Divination.


    "To the East, I ask for a miracle so that the vision I seek will manifest in reality."


    The three dice between her fingers slowly rose up in the air and started to juggle and spin randomly.


    Golden sparks shed as they hit each other.


    Thissted for nearly half a minute before they fell on the table, tumbling across its surface and hitting the crystals that formed a hexagon before returning to the center.


    The numbers, 1, 7, and 5, shone faintly, which made Kamrusepa shake her head helplessly.


    "Thirteen, it seems that I am unable to help you," Kamrusepa said. "A higher power is preventing me from peeking into the future and finding a way for you to solve your current crisis."


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied. "I expected as much. Thank you for your help, Kamrusepa."


    The teenage boy then stared at the three numbers that added up to the number Thirteen.


    It was as if the dice were telling him that the only way to solve his problem was for him to solve it himself without relying on the power of Divination.


    "Is fighting the Majin King part of your mission?" Kamrusepa asked.


    "It''s only one of the options," Thirteen answered. "The other option is to survive for a month."


    "Then just choose survival," Kamrusepa advised. "You can''t hope to defeat a Majin King with your current strength."


    Thirteen nodded. "I know. I don''t really n on fighting it."


    "So you say, but I can tell that you''re tempted to do it." Kamrusepa smiled. "You like to live your life dangerously, Zion. Perhaps this is also the reason why I found you quite interesting."


    "Do you have a soft spot for reckless bad boys?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow.


    "No," Kamrusepa replied. "But I like to watch humans struggle. Especially when they are facing something that seems impossible to ovee."


    "You have quite a bad hobby."


    "Well, having hobbies is a good thing."


    Thirteen then crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.


    Just like what Kamrusepa had stated, he wanted to see if he could defeat a Majin King using his schemes.


    When he destroyed the wall, his goal was to let the Jinns deal the finishing blow to King Xanmara and borrow their strength to clear their mission.


    But something unexpected happened that the teenage boy didn''t foresee.


    A Majin King descended into the world, and it was quite powerful.


    The Bolts he had used against it would''ve seriously injured a Rank 8 Sovereign, and even killed them if he managed to catch them by surprise.


    Although it managed to pierce through the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent''s body, it was not enough to kill it.


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons, who were keeping watch on the Majin King, informed him that the monster had pulled out his bolts, and all the injury it received had already regenerated.


    These bolts were, of course, coated with Tiona''s poison.


    But whether it would have an effect against a Majin King, even Thirteen didn''t have high expectations.


    He already did what he could''ve done at that moment, so he shall wait for nature to take its course.


    After his session with Kamrusepa, he went to look for Metatron and asked him to take him to the ce where the Monsters that he had captured were staying.


    When he arrived, Zed, Evuvug, Gwenn, and the Goblin Emperor all looked at him with serious expressions on their faces.


    "Zed, do you wish to leave this ce?" Thirteen asked the Bird Man, whom he captured first. "If you agree to my condition, I will ask Metatron to free you."


    "Yes," Zed replied in a heartbeat. "State your condition."


    "Fight for me just once," Thirteen stated. "I am currently facing a Majin King. It is an Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent. I do not expect you to defeat it. However, with your speed, you will not be able to get hit by its attacks.


    "All I want is for you to trust me and obey my order unconditionally, even if it sounds unreasonable."


    "As long as you don''t order me to die ormit a suicide attack, I will do it," Zed replied. "But facing against a Majin King is already suicidal. All I need to do is not get hit, right?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Exactly. So will you do it?"


    The Bird Man didn''t even need to think and nodded in agreement.


    "How about me?" Evuvug asked. "I want to escape this ce as well. Give me the same condition that you gave Zed."


    "No," Thirteen replied. "You''ll just be food for the Majin King. I can''t risk you dying at this point in time."


    The Goblin Emperor, who had been captured by Metatron, also wanted to ask Thirteen to give it a chance for freedom.


    But the teenage boy only shook his head. Just like Evuvug, the Goblin Emperor didn''t have any means to survive a confrontation with a Majin King either.


    Only Zed, who could fly extremely fast, had a chance to survive such a monster.


    "Your proposal is good, Thirteen, but do you think that I will agree to it?" Metatron asked with a smile.


    "I don''t know," Thirteen answered. "But I really need Zed''s help. Fighting against a Majin King is suicidal, and if he is around, at least I wouldn''t have to worry about dying with him to carry me to safety."


    "Hmm..." the God of the Apocalypse pondered for a bit if he should agree to the teenage boy''s proposal.


    Technically, Zed and Evuvug had no owners. Thirteen caught them using an artifact that Metatron gave him, which directly transported the Rank 8 Sovereigns to the Order of the Apocalypse.


    But since he had already thought of allowing Thirteen to gain subordinates if he caught more Higher-Ranking Monsters, he decided that it would not be bad to agree to the teenage boy''s request.


    "Very well. I will allow him to leave this ce as long as he agrees to your condition," Metatron stated. "Of course, I will bind him using my power to make sure that he doesn''t defy your orders."


    Thirteen bowed. "Thank you, Metatron."


    After Metatron used his powers to bind Zed to be Thirteen''s temporary Beast ve, the teenage boy returned inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, alongside the Rank 8 Sovereign that terrorized the Dvalinn Federation several months ago.


    But when he returned to the Mobile Fortress, he found someone whom he didn''t expect to make an appearance.


    "You really messed up big time, Zion."


    The Lace Demon weed the boy with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Come with me. The One wants to see you."


    Before Thirteen could even reply, the right-hand man of the God of Wanderers, rested his hand on the teenage boy''s shoulder. Then and there, the two of them disappeared right in front of Erica''s and Sherry''s eyes.

 Chapter 554: Recruiting Allies [Part 2]

    Thirteen blinked innocently as Lace Demon and The One looked at him with serious expressions on their faces.


    The One usually appeared only as a sun that burned in the heavens, but at that moment, he took on a human form¡ªa Monk with a bald head.


    "I know you only did what you think is right," The One said. "And I don''t really me you for what happened. Nevertheless, things escted to a degree that even we didn''t predict. ording to my own calctions, King Xanmara would summon a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign, which can be considered as a Pseudo-Majin Prince.


    "In the worst-case scenario, he would be able to summon a Majin Prince that had recently made a breakthrough. But, he would summon this monster from the world of Solterra.


    "The Majin King who goes by the name Orochi, who is currently hunting you in Absolute Heaven, came from the Jinn Homeworld, Gomorra. This is a serious matter. Not only is it a very savage and powerful being, but the aftermath of its rampage can escape the borders of Absolute Heaven.


    "As you may already know, other Wanderers are doing missions on the neighboringnds adjacent to the Absolute Heaven. If Orochi makes their way to their location, things could spiral out of control.


    "So what we need to do is either contain him or eliminate him while he is still inside Absolute Heaven. But it''s impossible for me and Lace Demon to interfere directly. You already know this, right?"


    Thirteen nodded. "I know. I''m supposed to be the Anti-Virus Software that fixes bugs in Solterra."


    "That''s right," The One admitted. "You are the only one who can break down the wall that separates Fractured Heaven from the rest of the world using your Disintegrator ability. That''s also the reason why I sent you to Fractured Heaven."


    Thirteen nodded because he already suspected that his action was within The One''s calctions.


    "But just like you, we didn''t predict that something like this will happen," Lace Demon said. "Which is why we decided to have an emergency meeting with you in order to find a solution to our current problem."


    The One nodded. "As long as it doesn''t go against the restrictions ced upon us, we will do everything to help you ovee this trial. Remember, the goal is to either contain Orochi in Absolute Heaven or eliminate itpletely. There is no third option."


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.


    He started to create simtions on how to stop Orochi based on the data he obtained from their short sh with each other.


    The Majin King was a full-blooded Jinn, unlike the other Jinns in Solterra who were hybrids.


    This meant that, in terms of raw strength, not only was it more powerful than the monsters in their world, but it was also three times more savage.


    Even Camazotz and Kamrusepa, Thirteen''s allies, were hesitant to face off against such a creature.


    Because of this, he needed topromise and asked Zed to help him deal with the monster, but their goal was to only keep it busy until the thirty-day time limit ended.


    However, this was not what the Lace Demon and The One wanted.


    They wanted to make sure that Orochi would never leave the territory of Absolute Heaven and start its reign of terror to the rest of the world.


    ''Since it''s a Majin King, the possibility of its gaining control over the Jinns in Absolute Heaven is high,'' Thirteen thought. ''But, if my calction is correct, there must be another Majin King in the Absolute Heaven. Otherwise, things won''t make sense.''


    If the Race of the Absolute Race was wiped out, it could only mean that there was a Majin King or several Majin Princes that appeared during the Jinn invasion.


    Since they were territorial by nature, they would certainly make the Absolute Heaven their base of operations as they expanded outward.


    "Is there another Majin King in Absolute Heaven?" Thirteen asked after pondering for a few minutes.


    "There is one more Majin King in Absolute Heaven," The One replied. "It''s a Demonic Smander, but it''s weaker than Orochi. It''s likely that it has already be aware of Orochi''s presence and is nning to make its escape."


    "Wait, if that Demonic Smander leaves Absolute Heaven, won''t it pose the same problem as Orochi leaving the Absolute Heaven?" Thirteen frowned.


    "No," The One shook his head. "This Demonic Smander dislikes conflicts and only wants to sleep. It had been sleeping for hundreds of years, only waking up for a few days every decade to eat the Spiritual Veins of Absolute Heaven.


    "After going into hibernation, the destroyed Spiritual Veins would regenerate after a decade, and the cycle repeats all over again. It seems that it ns to break through into a Fiend in the future, though it will take at least two thousand years before that happens."


    "Even if it ranks up, it will pose no problem to the current bnce of power in Solterra," Lace Demonmented. "But a Majin King like Orochi is a different matter. Its threat level is second only to the Fiends and Celestials.


    "We must stop it before it devours stronger creatures, which would help it evolve into another Fiend in less than a decade."


    Thirteen sighed before nodding in understanding. "I will need to return to Pangea for a bit. Can you allow me to do that?"


    "I will allow it," The One stated. "Where do you want to go?"


    "The Rigel Continent," Thirteen replied. "I want you to take me to where the Earth Dragons are."


    The Lace Demon and The One nced at each other before shifting their attention back to the boy in disbelief.


    "You n to ask for their help?" The One asked. "Are you sure that they will agree to help you?"


    "I''m not sure," Thirteen replied. "But I have nothing to lose if I do it, right?"


    The One pondered for a moment before waving his hand.


    A dimensional gate appeared in front of Thirteen, which led directly to the three Earth Dragons who were currently busy watching a popr series in Netfix, which had be one of their hobbies.

 Chapter 555: Recruiting Allies [Part 3]

    The three Earth Dragons of the Rigel Continent were living a life they never thought they would.


    After eating different kinds of food¡ªfrom junk food to high-ss dishes prepared by the best chefs in the world, their pte had changedpletely.


    Not only that but they were introduced to watching shows on TV, which made them be fans of certain celebrities.


    They also liked to y console games and had be addicted to chatting with others over the inte.


    Endi, the only female Earth Dragon in the group, had also be an online shopper, buying thetest fashion brands and cosmetics, as well as other items that women used on a daily basis.


    In short, she had be a fashionista, and would often call Michael to have her items delivered as fast as possible.


    Just when the three were wiping their tears with tissue paper due to a heartbreaking scene in the show that they were watching, Thirteen appeared in front of them.


    When he saw the three Earth Dragons crying, he thought that something terrible had happened to them.


    However, after realizing that they were just watching a show on Netfix, he decided to walk to the side and wait until the show was finished.


    Fifteen minutester, the show finally ended, and the two Earth Dragons finally regained theirposure.


    "You''re back, Zion," Endi said as she finished wiping the tears in her eyes. "Did your mission in Solterra end?"


    "You came earlier than expected," the leader of the Earth Dragons, Rogg, said with a smile. "Did youe to see how we are doing?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "No. My mission has still not ended. I am actually here to ask the three of you for help."


    "You''re asking us for help?" The third Earth Dragon, Brazzom, arched an eyebrow.


    The three Earth Dragons had taken a liking to Zion, and they believed that the teenage boy had a lot of potential.


    However, since he was asking them for help, it meant that he was currently facing a problem that even he couldn''t deal with on his own.


    "Do you guys know about an Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent named Orochi?" Thirteen asked. "He''s currently in the way of my mission."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­How did that savage snake appear in Solterra?"


    Seeing the three Earth Dragon''s reactions, he could tell that they knew of the Majin king he was talking about.


    "Do you know it?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Endi replied. "There was a time when it invaded our territory. Fortunately, the three of us working together is enough to create a defensive wall that blocked Orochi''s advance."


    "He''s very strong, but since we have full control over the Earth Element, he wasn''t able to break past our defenses," Rogg stated. "But that was it. The only thing we can do is defend with all of our might."


    "I''m d that it left because we were also reaching our limits back then," Brazzommented. "In the end, he is still a Majin King. If one of us had been missing during that battle, we would have been easily defeated. Two Earth Dragons are definitely not enough to stop it."


    The three of them nced at each other before shifting their gaze back to Zion.


    "Do you want us to help you deal with that monster?" Rogg asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "My goal is to defeat it."


    "Defeat it?" Endi looked at the teenage boy in disbelief. "I don''t think it''s possible. Even if we agree to help you, the only thing that we can do is defend. Nothing else."


    "That''s fine," Thirteen replied. "I only need you to stop it. Also, I will guarantee that none of you will get killed by it."


    "You can guarantee that?" Brazzom asked.


    But before Thirteen could answer, someone else answered for him.


    "He can''t, but I can."


    The three Earth Dragons felt a chill run down their spine as their gazesnded on the demi-human bunny wearing butler clothes, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    "Fiend!" Endi gasped in shock after realizing the strength of the Lace Demon.


    The two other Earth Dragons looked at the demon with wary gazes because this being was someone that even surpassed the power of a Majin King.


    "I will guarantee your safety," Lace Demon repeated. "If ever there wille a time when the Majin King is about tond a killing blow to any of you, I will immediately teleport you back here in the Rigel Continent."


    The three Earth Dragons exchanged nces with each other before shifting their gaze to the teenage boy, who was standing beside the Lace Demon.


    "Are there any benefits if we help you, Zion?" Endi asked. "If the conditions for helping you are good, we might consider your proposal."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before looking at the three Earth Dragons with a faint smile on his face.


    "How about this¡ªI will try to convince the Lace Demon to allow you to leave the Rigel Continent and explore the world in your human forms. Of course, you will have restrictions ced on you so that you won''t be able to harm others as you travel the world.


    "Lastly, I will arrange for you to meet your favorite celebrities and even get the chance to join them as actors on set. Who knows? Maybe the three of you can be the next superstars of the world!"


    The corner of Lace Demon''s lips twitched because Thirteen''s proposal was crazy.


    How could three Earth Dragons wander around the world and even be superstars?


    But before he could even tell Thirteen that what he wanted wasn''t possible, the three Earth Dragons immediately stood up and surrounded the teenage boy.


    "Hahaha! I can now finally meet my favorite Idol, Miku!" Brazzomughed out loud.


    "Can I also go on a date with Yan Yan?" Endi asked. "I mean, he''s totally my type!"


    "There is this actress named Zendaiyah that I like," Rogg said in a serious tone. "Can we work together in a TV Show or a Movie with the two of us being the main leads?"


    "Of course!" Thirteen replied in a heartbeat.


    How could he not possibly agree to such a thing?


    Going on a fan meetup with the Idol Miku? Consider it done!


    Going on a date with the heartthrob Yan Yan? Even if he tied him up and dragged him kicking and screaming, Thirteen would see it through till the end.


    Performing together with the popr actress Zendaiyah? No problem!


    He would even arrange for Rogg to wear the Spaderman Costume, and create a movie called, "Spader Man, Far From Home!", script written by Zion Leventis!


    While the three Earth Dragons were celebrating because their wishes would be granted, the Lace Demon pinched the bridge of his nose.


    In the end, the right-hand man of The One decided to let Arthur Leventis handle the aftermath of the mess that his no-good grandson was nning to make after dealing with the Majin King in the world of Solterra.


    Also, the three Earth Dragons added a second condition, and that was to ensure that the Dimensional Gate they were protecting wouldn''t be destroyed while they were away.


    Lace Demon reluctantly agreed to this condition. After all, this was the main task of the three Earth Dragons, who were now pumped up to face the Majin King whom they had fought with in the past.


    But instead of heading directly to the Absolute Heaven, Thirteen asked Lace Demon to take him somewhere else in Solterra.


    This ce was none other than the Valbarra Archipgo, where Thirteen would ask his fourth helper, who was currently taking a nap near the statue of Zion, unaware that it was about to get kidnapped whether it liked it or not.

 Chapter 556: Recruiting Allies [Part 4]

    Thirteen looked at the sleeping monster in front of him, who was easily forty meters long and ten meters tall.


    Once Cranky stood up from his slumber, he would be at least five to eight meters taller. Such a figure was undoubtedly imposing.


    ''Did Cranky undergo a mutation in the three years that I didn''t see him?'' Thirteen thought as he looked at the imposing monster in front of him.


    Hest saw the Devil-Horned Honey Badger during the battle in the Arcadia Archipgo. At that time, thetter was only a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    But now, Cranky had mutated into a Colossal Demonic Honey Badger, which was a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign.


    "Oi! Cranky, wake up," Thirteen said as he lightly poked the nose of the Colossal Honey Badger, who was drooling on the teenage boy''s statue.


    Thirteen ignored the admiring looks of the people and monsters who hade to pay homage to the Statue of Heroes, which was a very popr attraction within the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Perhaps, feeling annoyed that someone was daring enough to poke its nose, Cranky opened its eyes and red at the bold creature whom it decided to eat for lunch.


    But realizing that the one poking him was none other than Zion, Cranky dismissed that notion and reached out for the human boy, pressing him against its chest before closing its eyes to sleep.


    "Ugh¡­" Thirteen, who had be the Colossal Demonic Honey Badger''s hug pillow, couldn''t help but grimace.


    Cranky had controlled its strength so that he wouldn''t be crushed by its hug, but he was still unable to break free due to how strong the monster had be.


    In the end, Thirteen decided to give up and asked Rocky to take him and Cranky inside his Mobile Fortress.


    Since Cranky was considered Thirteen''s ally, Rocky didn''t have any problems in kidnapping the sleeping Honey Badger, whom they nned to take back to the Absolute Heaven.


    The three Earth Dragons, who were still in their human forms, couldn''t help but chuckle when they saw Thirteen''s helpless expression as he was hugged by the monster who seemed to be having a good dream.


    Zed, who was also inside the Mobile Fortress, looked at the Honey Badger with his arms crossed over his chest.


    Although he was calm on the surface, deep inside, he was actually very surprised. Not only did the boy manage to get the help of the three Earth Dragons whom he served in the past, but he was also able to take another strong helper, which looked very imposing.


    But his surprise was nowhere near the level of Erica, Sherry, and Ratatoskr, whose heads were feeling light as they looked at the Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns that had suddenly appeared inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Erica and Sherry recognized Zed. After all, he was a very famous monster that the Dvalinn Federation had fought countless times.


    However, they didn''t recognize the three Earth Dragons who were in their human form.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen had introduced them to the two girls before he went to talk to Cranky, they would have no idea that they were actually looking at the three Rank 9 Sovereigns whom the Allied Forces didn''t dare to fight head-on.


    "With this lineup, do you think we stand a chance?" Sherry asked Erica.


    "I don''t know," Erica replied. "But our situation doesn''t feel as hopeless as before."


    "It''s still not enough," Thirteen, who overheard the conversation of the two girls, answered. "At most, we will only be able to take a defensive stance. But ultimately, we will lose in the end. If we are fighting against a Majin Prince, then we might still have a chance of winning. Unfortunately, a Majin King is a different kind of monster."


    To put matters into perspective, a Majin Prince was like a tank that could destroy almost anything in its path.


    A Majin King, on the other hand, was an Aircraft Carrier.


    In terms of size and raw power, a Majin Prince couldn''t evenpare to the other''s strength.


    This was the reason why Camazotz decided to escape before Thirteen was able to rope him into helping him face the Majin King, which even Kamrusepa didn''t want to deal with.


    Suddenly, Cranky opened its eyes and looked at its surroundings.


    A few secondster, the drowsiness in its face disappeared when he sensed that there were also other strong monsters in the vicinity.


    The Colossal Savage Honey Badger screeched as it stood up on its two hind legs, holding Thirteen like a baby.


    Standing at nearly forty meters tall, it was almost half the size of an adult Earth Dragon, who was a hundred meters tall.


    "Cranky, calm down for a bit," Thirteen, who was still being cuddled by the Honey Badger, said. "They''re friends of mine."


    The Honey Badger narrowed its eyes before cing the teenage boy on the ground and once again stood on four legs.


    A quick nce at its surroundings made it realize that it was no longer in the Valbarra Archipgo but inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    This wasn''t the first time that Cranky had been taken by Thirteen to help in battle. Because of this, it simply red at the Earth Dragons who were looking at the Honey Badger with solemn expressions on their faces.


    "Not bad," Roggmented. "This monster is really strong."


    "Right," Endi nodded.


    "But not enough to defeat Orochi," Brazzom stated.


    The three Earth Dragons watched as Thirteen exined the current situation to the Honey Badger, who now busied itself with eating the body of the Camouge Spider that Thirteen had taken after it was defeated.


    Cranky listened from start to finish without saying a word. It simply ate until the spider was no more before lying on the ground.


    Once again, it grabbed hold of Thirteen as a hug pillow before yawning and going back to sleep.


    It was Cranky''s way of telling Thirteen that he would help the teenage boy despite the fact that the enemy was stronger than him by two realms.


    After evolving as a mutant monster, Cranky could be considered a Pseudo-Majin Prince.


    Although it wasn''t truly a Majin Prince, it was as strong as one, which made Thirteen wonder how strong the Honey Badger would be once it stepped into the Rank of a Majin Prince.


    ''We stillck offensive power,'' Thirteen thought. ''Zed is fast, the three Earth Dragons are defensive fighters, and Cranky is an all-rounder. I need a strong offensive fighter to deal damage to Orochi.''


    Since the teenage boy couldn''t escape from Cranky''s hold, he simply formted a strategy on how they could get the upper hand against the Majin King.


    At the same time, he suddenly felt drowsy.


    When he regained his senses, he found himself in the Celestial Realm, looking at the being who had been talking to him in passing as ofte.


    "I already told you this, but I will say it again," the being in front of Thirteen said before sipping the cup of wine in his hand. "Since it has been a while since we saw each other, I''ll lend you my strength once. This is the least I can do for my old partner."


    Thirteen nodded. "Thank you, but your help is like a trump card. If possible, I don''t want to use it against a Majin King."


    "Kakaka!" the Beingughed out loud because he was very happy that his former System thought highly of him. "Thirteen, sometimes, it''s more important to look at the present than the future. After all, we exist in the present. Both of us have many regrets, and we often wonder what would have happened if we had done things differently.


    "Don''t have any regrets, and don''t hesitate. You will only have a future if you manage to grab hold of the present. Do you understand?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Thank you, Old Friend."


    The being smiled faintly before waving goodbye at the System who allowed him to stand at the top of the world and bring the heavens to its knees.

 Chapter 557: Fate Is The Hand Of Cards Weve Been Dealt

    When Thirteen was born, he didn''t be the System of Cannon Fodders right away.


    All Systems were allowed to choose their "Chosen Ones," and he chose a unique individual as his First Host.


    Thirteen''s first partner was a very entric creature who liked mischief.


    That creature also liked to create chaos and valued freedom a lot.


    Thirteen had spent hundreds of years with him, and through their journeys, the System, who was only starting to know more about the world, gradually noticed a few things.


    Since his First Host was neither good nor evil, Thirteen was able to see the many faces of the world through his eyes.


    At first, he was indifferent to the things that he saw. But after hundreds of years, he was starting to question many things.


    Of course, his host was more than happy to answer his questions. The human hadn''t thought of Thirteen as a tool but as a friend who suddenly appeared in his life when he was all alone in the world.


    [Why do those people suffer? Is it because they are weak?]


    "That''s right," Thirteen''s First Host replied. "In this world, might makes right. Even if you are wrong, as long as you are strong, you are right. Everyone else will have to give way for you."


    [But, why?]


    [Isn''t there some other way? Why don''t they talk to each other?]


    [The weaker one tried topromise with that stronger guy, but the stronger guy refused to listen and beat the weaker guy without even trying to understand his words. Is he illiterate?]


    "Well, some people are just dumb," Thirteen''s host replied while picking on his nose. "If they were as smart as me, things would not escte to fights."


    [¡­ I doubt it. You''re not exactly that bright, you know?]


    "Aish¡­ whose side are you on?"


    [Your side, of course. But I''m just telling the truth¡­]


    "Forget it. Let''s just look for something to eat."


    [¡­ Don''t eat your booger, okay? It''s not hygienic.]


    "Tsk!"


    After four hundred years, his First Host stood tall upon the apex of the world and looked down on the Mortal Realm with a sad smile on his face.


    "Are you really going, Thirteen?"


    [Yes. You have achieved what you need to achieve in this lifetime. I can no longer offer any help to you.]


    "Then where will you go?"


    [During the time that I spent with you, I realized that you are truly blessed by the Heavens. Despite the hardships that you encountered in life, you are able to ovee them all and soar toward the skies, unfettered by anything.]


    [But I havee to a realization that there are many more people in this world who need my help more than you do. Especially those people whom you call Cannon Fodders.]


    "But what''s the point of helping them? Since they are cannon fodders, they are fated to be cannon fodders."


    [Can''t I change their Fate? Since I''m a System, I''m sure I can at least do something for them.]


    Thirteen''s First Host sighed, but he didn''t oppose his friend''s decision.


    "Thirteen, I havee to a realization after reaching my current realm."


    [And that is?]


    "Fate is the hand of cards we''ve been dealt. Choice is how we y the hand."


    "But what if I tell you that regardless of the choices you make, you are bound to follow the path that has been set for you since birth?


    "Simply put, if you are Fated to be a Cannon Fodder in this lifetime, you are doomed to have the same destiny in your next life, the life following that, and the life following that until you cease to exist."


    [Isn''t that sad?]


    [Isn''t it unfair?]


    "Of course, Life is never fair," Thirteen''s host said softly. "And no one, except a handful of beings, can do anything about it. Like me."


    [Then I will change all that! I''ll change their fates! I''m a System! I''ll be their friend and helper. With me around, I can create a miracle!]


    Thirteen''s First Host raised his palm, and Blue Orb appeared on top of it.


    "Thirteen, what you''re nning to do is walk a path paved with thorns," Thirteen''s First Host said. "Even you, who don''t bleed, will feel hurt. Even you, who doesn''t shed tears, will cry. More importantly, even you, who are smarter than me, will not be able to think of solutions to ovee the inevitable. Are you really prepared to take that path?"


    [Yes.]


    "You''re very firm."


    [You taught me that might is right. I just need to make them stronger, right? If they are strong enough, I''m sure that they can change their Fates.]


    Thirteen''s First Hostughed out loud and lightly patted the Blue Orb in his hand as if he was about to part with the person whom he loved and cared most in the world.


    "Since you n to defy Fate, I will help you just once." Thirteen''s First Host promised. "No matter where you are, no matter what you need¡ªcall for me, and I wille running! It doesn''t matter if you are fighting against the Gods or fighting against the Heavens. I will be with you, as long as you shout my name."


    [Thank you for everything, *******. I will never forget you as well as the time we shared with each other.]


    "And I will not forget you," Thirteen''s First Host didn''t stop the tears that were falling from his cheeks. "I pray that someday, the two of us will be able to fight side by side, just like old times."


    [Well, we are in the same multiverse. I''m sure that there wille a time when I will ask for your help. But if possible, I don''t want to rely on your strength. It will feel like cheating!]


    "You''re so uptight, Thirteen. It''s fine if you cheat once, you know?"


    [I''ll think about it. Goodbye, and please, do your best to not cause trouble, okay?]


    "No promises," Thirteen''s First Host said as he pressed the Blue Orb on his chest as if giving Thirteen onest hug.


    A few minutester, Thirteen''s First Host extended his hand and allowed the Blue Orb to float towards the Cycle of Reincarnation, where Thirteen would find his Second Host, who would make him experience his first failure and heartbreak.

 Chapter 558: The True Strength Of The Eight-Headed Calamity

    "Now that I''ve taken a good look at it, this Honey Badger looks kind of cute. Don''t you think so?" Erica said.


    "It is," Sherry couldn''t help but smile, also finding Cranky quite cute.


    While the Homey Badger was still as big and imposing as ever, seeing it sleep while hugging Zion made it look extra endearing from the view of the two teenage girls.


    Perhaps exhausted from overthinking, Thirteen had also fallen asleep. The underside of Cranky''s body was soft and fluffy to the touch, making itfortable.


    While the two were sleeping, Rocky was making a detour to retrieve the Bolts that were fired at the Majin King when they were luring it away from the City of Seneros.


    The number of ammunition they had for the Grand Ballista was limited, so Thirteen had ordered Rocky to retrieve them before falling asleep.


    Through the information provided by the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons, who were monitoring the movement of the Majin King, the Magma Bal-Boa managed toe up with the most appropriate route, preventing the enemy from detecting their presence.


    The Three Earth Dragons, on the other hand, decided to observe the enemy from a distance so that they could check how much stronger the Majin King had be since thest time they saw it.


    Since the three of them were confident that they could defend against the Majin King''s attacks, they took a gamble to better understand their enemy before fighting him for real.


    Currently, the Majin King was heading deeper into the Jinn Territory and solidifying its control over the Jinns, forcing them to submit to its will.


    Since the Jinns follow the rule of the jungle, it would only be a matter of time before the majority of them were subjugated by the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    The Majin King who ruled over the Absolute Heaven had also decided to flee, so there was no one left that could stop Orochi from spreading its dominance across thend.


    A few hourster, Thirteen and Cranky finally woke up at the same time.


    The Honey Badger lightly ced Thirteen on the ground before walking toward the pile of Spider Corpses they had taken from the Wenpolis Stronghold.


    Clearly, Cranky was feeling hungry and decided to eat the spiders as snacks.


    Thirteen, on the other hand,municated with the members of his Parade of a Hundred Demons to get a better grasp of their current situation.


    "For the time being, the Majin King is acting like how it should act," Thirteen said. "This gives us a few days to prepare, but there is a downside¡ªthe moment it sessfullymands control over the majority of the Jinns in Absolute Heaven, it will definitely return to reim Fractured Heaven as well."


    "How many days will it take to aplish that?" Erica inquired.


    "Maybe a week," Thirteen replied. "But after a week, it can freely order the Jinns that it has subjugated. That said, we will attack in three days. I just need to do a few more things, and we will be fighting with our lives on the line."


    Erica nced at the Bird Man, Zed, who was sitting beside the campfire with his arms crossed over his chest.


    Currently, aside from Thirteen''s Monster Army, they had one Rank 8 Sovereign, three Rank 9 Sovereigns, and Cranky, who was a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign and could be considered a Pseudo-Majin Prince.


    It was a force that was enough to give the Alliance a headache, but it wasn''t enough to subdue a Majin King.


    At least, that was what Thirteen told them.


    "Are you going to get more allies?" Sherry asked. "Mmm, just two more. One will help me unconditionally, but the second one is a pain to negotiate with.


    "A pain to negotiate with?" Erica blinked.


    Thirteen nodded. "Yes. It''s a Death Bat who bullies the weak and fears the strong. It will be hard to convince him to help me, but I have my ways."


    Zed, who knew exactly who Thirteen was talking about, couldn''t help but sigh. When it came to speed, he was no match against the Death Bat, who bullied him in the Domain of the Apocalypse.


    "Cranky, you behave, okay?" Thirteen shouted. "I''m going out for a bit."


    Cranky ignored Thirteen and just continued to eat the spiders one by one.


    The teenage boy then activated his Ring of the Apocalypse and once again reappeared in the Order of the Apocalypse.


    To his surprise, someone whom he hadn''t interacted with much approached him.


    "Thirteen, I heard that you''re dealing with Orochi. Is that true?" Beelzebub, who was one of the Original Members of the Order of the Apocalypse, asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Do you know him?"


    "Knowing him is an understatement," Beelzebub answered. "We once fought against each other, and sadly, I was forced to escape with my life during that encounter."


    "Oh?" Thirteen''s interest was piqued because he never expected that one of the members of the Order of the Apocalypse had once fought against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, who was currently busy terrorizing the Absolute Heaven.


    "Does it have a weakness?" Thirteen asked.


    "None that I know of," Belzeebub replied. "The only thing I can tell you is its strengths."


    Thirteen nodded. "That works too. Please tell me his strengths."


    Beelzebub yed with his beard as he eyed the teenage boy, who wasn''t showing any signs of fear and anxiety even though he was about to face a Majin King.


    "You''re really an interesting human, Thirteen," Beelzebub said after a minute had passed. "The normal reaction when ites to facing a Majin King is running away from it instead of fighting it head-on. Although I have a very low opinion of Camazotz, he did the right thing by fleeing instead of helping you fight against it."


    The holder of the Number One Seat of the Order of the Apocalypse then asked Zion to sit down, so they couldfortably talk in detail about Orochi''s strength.


    ording to Beelzebub, he wanted the Eight-Headed Serpent to be defeated so much that he researched everything about it.


    But instead of finding its weakness, he only discovered its strength, which deterred him from fighting it a second time.


    As Thirteen listened to the Beelzebub''s story, he realized that the information that the Majin was sharing with him was hundreds of years old.


    When the other party fought against Orochi, both of them were only at the initial stages of a Majin King.


    But after hundreds of years, Belzeebub had managed to be a Mid-Ranked Majin King, which made Thirteen frown.


    Since Belzeebub had grown stronger for the past hundreds of years, it was only natural that Orochi had be stronger too.


    It was at that moment that Thirteen suddenly had a realization.


    Orochi was forcefully summoned to Solterra, which meant that there might have been someplications before he entered their world.


    When he fought against it, he assumed that its rank was only at the Initial Stages of a Majin King because itcked the explosive power of a true Majin King.


    However, he understood that his initial assessment was wrong.


    ''Sh*t,'' Thirteen thought when he realized that the Eight-Headed Serpent''s Strength might have regressed for a while since it was still adapting to the world of Solterra.


    But if it was given a few more days to recover, it would regain its true strength, which now Thirteen believed to be at the Peak of a Majin King.


    An existence that was only a step away from bing a Fiend, which was one of the two strongest monster Ranks in the world of Solterra.

 Chapter 559: That Friendship Ended A While Ago

    After his talk with Belzeebub, Thirteen immediately returned to Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Right now, the three Earth Dragons might be in grave danger, so he prioritized telling them to retreat first before they got entangled with the Monster who was only hiding its true strength.


    Fortunately, the worst-case scenario didn''t happen yet, and the three Earth Dragons received Thirteen''s warning in time.


    The three of them immediately retreated and regrouped with Rocky, who had already recovered the bolts that Thirteen had fired at the monster during their first battle.


    "A Peak Majin King," Rogg frowned. "Zion, this battle might be more difficult than we initially expected."


    "I agree," Thirteen replied. "If not for the fact that I received credible information that Orochi had developed the habit of hiding its true Rank when fighting monsters of the same rank, we might have been taken byplete surprise."


    "What do we do?" Endi inquired. "Do we still fight it?"


    "Let''s fight it," Brazzommented. "Since we were promised that we wouldn''t die in this encounter, there is no harm in trying to fight it, no? It''s been a while since I fought a strong opponent. Truth be told, I am worried that our strength might have stagnated because of guarding that Gate."


    Rogg nodded. "Brazzom is right. Not fighting this battle will be disadvantageous to us. Also, it might allow us to push ourselves to the limit and see the possibility of evolving once more."


    Endi and Brazzom looked at their leader with serious expressions on their faces.


    The three of them believed that they had reached the end of their line and had no more room for improvement.


    But this was indeed an opportunity to see if they could take that step into breaking through to the next Rank, which they initially thought was no longer possible.


    Endi was feeling anxious earlier, but now, she regained herposure after realizing that this was also an opportunity.


    They already have insurance from the Lace Demon, who promised that they would be forcefully sent back to Pangea if they were about to receive a killing blow.


    "So, what''s the n?" Endi asked Thirteen. "Right now, the Majin King''s strength is still unstable. If we give it a few days to recover, we will be at a disadvantage. It''s better to strike now while we still have the chance."


    "I agree with Endi," Rogg said. "We need to strike now."


    Thirteen nodded. "Understood. But give me an hour. When I return, we will confront the Majin King before it regains its full strength."


    The three Earth Dragons nodded and watched as Thirteen once again disappeared in front of them.


    When he returned to the Order of the Apocalypse, Camazotz was already there, looking constipated.


    Thirteen had hurriedly asked Kamrusepa to do everything in her power to bring the Death Bat back to the Domain of the Apocalypse so that Thirteen could threaten¡ªerrr, convince Camazotz to lend him a hand.


    "Thirteen, I don''t want to fight a Majin King," Camazotz whined.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t force you to fight Orochi," Thirteen replied.


    "R-Really?"


    "Yes."


    The teenage boy then nced at Kamrusepa and smiled at her.


    "Since Camazotz doesn''t want to help me, we no longer need him in our alliance, right?" Thirteen asked.


    "Indeed." Kamrusepa nodded. "This Bat has been leeching from the two of us from the start and has gotten many things for free."


    "I know, right?" Thirteen sighed. "It''s hard to carry extra baggage, so let''s just kick him out of the team."


    "O-Oi! Are you two serious?" Camazotz, who was feeling relieved earlier, immediately felt anxious because he was currently riding on the Thirteen and Kamrusepa Bus.


    Since he formed a Trinity with them, he had gotten many benefits, including new subordinates, a powerful armor, as well as the opportunity to get Higher-Ranked Treasures that were avable to Thirteen and Kamrusepa.


    "Yeah, I''m serious," Thirteen said coldly. "What''s the point in keeping you if you''re not useful?"


    "Right." Kamrusepa nodded. "We have an agreement that I will let you pick one treasure from my treasury in a few days. I''m afraid that I will have to cancel it, Camazotz. Sorry, but you no longer have the qualifications to meet my requirements. This is where our alliance ends."


    "N-No way!" Camazotz shamelessly hugged Thirteen''s leg. "You can''t do this to me!"


    "I just did," Thirteen replied. "Now, let go of my leg before I kick you."


    "We''re friends right?!"


    "That friendship ended a while ago."


    The other members of the Order of the Apocalypse couldn''t help but chuckle because they found this drama quite amusing.


    They were very interested in seeing how the battle against the Majin King would unfold, so they asked Metatron to let them see it live using his power.


    Metatron agreed because he also wanted the members of the Apocalypse to see Thirteen in action.


    Perhaps, if they see his qualities, they might open up to him, giving the teenage boy some opportunities to get close to them.


    Camazotz wailed and begged, but Thirteen remained indifferent.


    When the young man finally left the Domain of the Apocalypse, Camazotz felt as if he had be an abandoned puppy.


    "Metatron! Send me there right now!" Camazotz shouted.


    "Sure," Metatron replied and kicked the Death Bat''s bum, sending it flying toward a dimensional gate, which led directly inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Kamrusepa, who watched the drama from beginning to end, couldn''t help but giggle. Everything truly went ording to Thirteen''s n.


    Metatron then snapped his fingers, creating a projection that was asrge as a movie screen, allowing the members of the Order of the Apocalypse to watch everythingfortably.


    They all looked at the teenage boy staring down at the Death Bat, who was hugging his leg with disdain.


    "This kid sure knows how to act," Beelzebubmented as he drank the wine from his ss.


    His gaze focused on the teenage boy, who could even make a Majin Prince like Camazotz beg for forgiveness, which was something that not many could see in their lifetime.


    Even Erica, Sherry, Ratatoskr, Zed, and the Three Earth Dragons couldn''t help but look at Zion Leventis in shock.


    How could they not be shocked when they realized that the Demi-human Bat that was currently hugging the teenage boy''s leg was actually a Majin Prince, who could easily pinch the human boy to his death?

 Chapter 560: Fearsome Versus Fearless [Part 1]

    Two days after Orochi had been summoned to Solterra¡­


    "Took you long enough," Kesari said as he looked at the group of Wanderers who decided to look for the Majin King on their own.


    "Why are you here?" David asked. "Shouldn''t you be leading the other Wanderers to safety?"


    "That was my clone," Kesari replied. "I came here because I''m moved by your courage¡­ and stupidity."


    The Ratman crossed his arms over his chest as he eyed the members of the Cygni Faction and the Apostles, as well as Drazzat, who decided to help Zion in any way he could.


    "I won''t stop any of you if you all want to die, but I have a suggestion," Kesari stated. "Zion told me that he ns to fight the Majin King. So, are you interested in watching it from a distance?"


    "What?!" Drazzat eximed. "He''s going to fight that thing? I thought he was just going to lure it away."


    "That was the original n, but something came up, so he has no choice but to change his ns," Kesari exined. "So, do you guys want to watch the epic battle from a safe distance? I even brought you guys souvenirs."


    The Ratman then pulled out a few telescopes from the storage ring Thirteen gave him and passed them to the Wanderers one by one.


    After that, a Red Wolf appeared beside the Ratman, which thetter mounted.


    "The battle will start when the sun sets," Kesari stated. "Follow me. I''ll take you to the best ce to watch the battle."


    "But we came to help, not watch," Drazzat insisted.


    "Help?" Kesari smirked. "Let''s be honest, Lizard Boy. The only ''help'' you can do is to not get in Zion''s way. The reason I''m here is to make sure that none of you does anything stupid like offering yourselves as snacks to the Majin King. Soe with me, and just enjoy the show."


    The Wanderers and the Lizardman exchanged nces with each other before nodding in agreement.


    Since they didn''t know where the Majin King was anyway, it would be better to let the Ratman guide them to its location.


    After traveling for nearly two hours, the Ratman raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.


    "You see that ck dot over there?" Kesari asked.


    If not for the fact that the Ratman was pointing in a particr direction, they wouldn''t even notice what he was pointing at.


    Wanting to know what Keseari was pointing at, everyone used their telescopes to get a closer look.


    There, they saw the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent who was currently feasting on a herd of Jinns, all of which were unable to move because they were paralyzed with fear.


    After finally seeing the monster for the first time, the members of the Cygni Faction, as well as the Apostles, understood that this wasn''t a monster that they could defeat just because they wanted to.


    Drazzat, who had resolved himself to help Zion, broke out in cold sweat. Even from a distance, he could tell that he wouldn''t be able to put a scratch on the Majin King even if he tried with his life.


    "Now, do you all understand?" Kesari asked. "The only help you can give is staying out of Zion''s way."


    "I-Is he really nning to fight that thing?" David asked back. "Has he gone crazy? Does he even stand a chance?"


    "I think you''re having a misunderstanding here, young man," Kesari answered. "He''s not out there because he wanted to fight that thing. He''s out there because he has no choice but to fight that thing. As for whether he could defeat it or not¡­ Frankly, I am not very optimistic about it."


    Even Kesari, who had seen Thirteen''s abilities and the allies the young man had asked for help, was doubtful that his Master could win the battle against the Majin King.


    The Ratman then nced at the darkening sky and the stars that were shining from the heavens.


    His Master nned to fight the Majin King under the cover of darkness for reasons that he only knew about.


    Thirteen was well aware that Orochi could see in the darkness using thermal vision, so they wouldn''t be able to hide from it.


    But that was fine.


    He wasn''t using the darkness to prevent the monster from seeing him and his allies.


    The reason why he chose to fight at night was due to the fact that his abilities get an upgrade when there are moons in the sky.


    The full moon of Chandrea alsosted for three days, so Thirteen''s Item Ban restriction would be lifted during those times.


    Because of this, he could use the items in his arsenal, which he deliberately saved for emergencies.


    As the temperature in the surroundings slowly dropped, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent suddenly nced to its right side.


    All eight heads ignored the beasts lying submissive on the ground and focused their attention on the monster walking toward it without any hint of fear in its stride.


    When it was only hundreds of meters away from the giant snake, Cranky screeched as if challenging the Majin King''s dignity.


    The eight serpent heads hissed in anger at the audacity of the Rank 9 Sovereign who dared to challenge it while it was eating.


    Suddenly and without warning, Cranky lunged at the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent as if it was nning a suicide attack.


    The Majin King looked at the Honey Badger in contempt before it, too, lunged at the Honey Badger, intending to bite it from every direction.


    But at that exact moment, something it didn''t expect happened.


    Three Giant Earth Dragons, who were of the same size as the Eight-Headed Serpent, suddenly materialized out of thin air and rammed the Majin King from three directions.


    The Cygni Faction and the Apostles couldn''t believe what they were seeing.


    However, Heidi, who was watching the battle, suddenly said something that made the Wanderers look at her in disbelief.


    "Hey, are those perhaps the three Earth Dragons from the Rigel Continent?" Heidi asked.


    The telescope provided by Thirteen had been imbued by Rune Magic, giving it night-vision properties.


    Heidi was very curious about the High-Ranking Monsters from the Rigel Continent, so she studied all the information that was avable on the Inte.


    Although she wasn''t a hundred percent certain, she assumed that the three Earth Dragons currently fighting against the Majin Prince were the same Earth Dragons who were in the Rigel Continent.


    "¡­That''s not possible, is it?" David said feeling doubtful.


    "The possibility exists," Seanmented. "I''ve heard stories from one of my retainers who were also sent to the Arcadia Archipgo. Back then, he attested that members of the Leventis Family had arrived to help fight the Artemians.


    "Since it already happened in the past, maybe Zion has a way of bringing help from Pangea. I also heard from my father that Zion and the Earth Dragons had agreed to a non-aggression pact. Maybe he has asked them for help with conditions attached."


    After that brief discussion, everyone once again observed the battle with their telescopes.


    Since the Earth Dragons didn''t specialize in offense, the most they did was stop the Majin King''s momentum, allowing Cranky to grab one of the eight serpent heads and give it a nasty bite.


    The Savage Colossal Honey Badger was one of the most fearless monsters in the world.


    Even in the face of a monster that was two Ranks above its own, it didn''t hesitate to fight the Majin King at close quarters, making Drazzat and the other Wanderers feel their blood boiling inside their bodies.

 Chapter 561: Fearsome Versus Fearless [Part 2]

    Orochi was a fearsome monster and had once terrorized the world of Gomorra.


    The homeworld of the Jinns, where the rule was survival of the fittest.


    Even the strongest monsters of the same rank had tried but failed to defeat it.


    Those who were lucky enough to escape from their battle against it no longer wished to face it ever again.


    Even Belzeebub, who was considered one of the strongest members of the Apocalypse, didn''t want to fight against Orochi a second time.


    But here he was, watching Zion''s battle through a projection while drinking a ss of wine.


    From the very start, he already knew the oue of the battle.


    Despite managing to reel in a few allies, including Camazotz, Beelzebub believed that there was no way that Zion''s entourage would be able to defeat the Majin King, whom he believed to be unkible.


    With an incredibly strong regeneration ability that could instantly recover a severed head in less than a minute, Orochi was undoubtedly an incredibly tough, fearsome opponent.


    Even monsters who had the same regeneration ability didn''t wish to fight it, for it possessed a venom that could paralyze and weaken its foes, allowing it to overpower them in the span of a few minutes.


    Although the Earth Dragons seeded with their sneak attack, and Cranky had seeded in biting off one of the eight heads of the Ancient Serpent, the battle was far from over.


    The remaining heads sank their fangs onto Cranky''s back, while the Honey Badger retreated with the severed head in its grasp.


    It nned to eat the head as a snack while it was fighting against the snake, whose fangs were unable to pierce the Honey Badger''s tough fur.


    Suddenly, a screech reverberated in the sky as a Giant Roc made a nosedive and used its ws to swipe at one of the Serpent''s heads, resulting in a spark at the moment of impact.


    Zed, who had taken his true form, flew past the Majin King before it even knew what hit it.


    The Giant Roc then made a U-Turn to attack the Eight-Headed Serpent once more, but the Majin King was prepared this time around.


    It unleashed a toxic spray in Zed''s direction, forcing the Giant Roc to use its incredible speed to do evasive maneuvers.


    "Eat this!" Erica shouted as she hurled a Giant Fireball at the toxic spray, causing it to ignite and explode right on the Majin King''s face.


    David, who could recognize Erica''s fireball from a distance, couldn''t help but clench his fist in admiration, seeing the Sorceress had joined the battle.


    True to his word, Zed circled around the Eight-Headed Serpent while Erica hurled one spell after the other.


    Her spells weren''t really doing any damage, and the most they could do was enrage the Majin King, distracting it for a while.


    "Your resistance is futile!" Orochi shouted using telepathy, unleashing a shock wave that blew Zed away.


    The three Earth Dragons then stood side by side and unleashed a single Earth Spike that pierced through the Majin King''s body, making it skid hundreds of meters away.


    But the attack was no more than shallow, only managing to embed itself for two meters, which was not enough to cause serious injuries to the Majin King.


    "As expected, we can''t deal it a decisive blow," Rogg said through telepathy. "What now, Zion?''


    "Just continue to defend," the Mirror Slime, who was perched on the Earth Dragon''s head, replied. "Let the others deal with the offense."


    "Understood," Rogg stomped the ground in front of it and created an Earth Wall that was dozens of meters thick, preventing the serpent heads from taking a bite at them.


    Since the three Earth Dragons were working together, their control over the Earth Element was magnified. Together, they created an extremely powerful defensive barrier, which they had once used to counter the beam attack of Thirteen''s Submarine, Nautilus.


    The Earth Dragons prided themselves on their strong defense, so whenever their favorite shows weren''t being aired on television, they practiced together to enhance their defensive capabilities.


    Although they didn''t expect that they would be using it against a Majin King, their training finally bore fruit.


    Of course, the only reason why they were able to fight Orochi on even terms was due to the fact that the Eight-Headed Serpent''s Rank was still unstable.


    Crossing between two worlds was not a simple matter, even more so for someone of its rank and therefore naturally restricted by thews of Solterra.


    But Thirteen had no intention of letting the Majin King regain its full strength, so he initiated this mission while they still had a small chance at victory.


    While everyone was busy fighting, Cranky was watching from the side and eating the Serpent''s head as if it were some kind of delicacy.


    "Oi, Cranky, hurry up!" Tiona''s Clone, who was inside the Honey Badger''s ear, used telepathy to pass Thirteen''s orders. "Don''t even try to savor its taste. Just swallow it whole!"


    Cranky ignored Zion and continued to eat at his own pace, almost tempting Endi to summon a boulder and throw it at the Honey Badger''s head to make it hurry up.


    But she knew that infighting would not help them at this moment, so she brushed the intrusive thought aside and focused on helping Rogg prevent the Majin King from advancing forward.


    Seeing that its physical attempts weren''t working, three of the Serpent''s heads opened their jaws wide, preparing to unleash a breath attack.


    It was at this moment that something extremely fast descended from the sky and punched the three serpent heads consecutively, forcing them to unleash their breath attack at its own body.


    "Who''s your daddy now huh?!" Camazotz, who was the most opportunistic motherf*cker among Thirteen''s team, chose that moment to make its entrance.


    Not expecting that its attack would be directed at its own body, Orochi screamed in pain and anger.


    But just as it thought that its situation couldn''t get any worse, a reinforced steel bolt pierced the side of its body.


    A few secondster, another bolt struck, embedding itself in the main body, further angering the Majin King, whose eyes turned blood red from anger.


    "Everyone, brace!" Thirteen ordered through the clones that weremunicating directly with his team members. "The enemy is entering its second phase!"


    As if waiting for that announcement, Orochished out its tail at Endi.


    The three Earth Dragons once again summoned an Earth Wall, but this time, the Majin King shattered it, and its attacknded on Endi''s body, making her skid dozens of meters away.


    "Sh*t!" Rogg, who had watched too many shows on TV, cursed out loud because they weren''t able to strengthen the Earth Wall in time, resulting in the attack reaching Endi.


    "I''m fine," Endi replied as she joined herrades in battle. "Don''t lose focus or we''re goners!"


    Thirteen had expected that Orochi would fight them seriously once it had received sufficient injuries.


    Although its Rank was still unstable, it was still a Majin King, so any half-hearted attempt to block its attacks would failpletely.


    While the three Earth Dragons were now focusing all of their attention on defense, Cranky finally finished eating the Serpent head that it had snatched earlier.


    It then gazed at the Eight-Headed Serpent for a few seconds before it started digging on the ground.


    Rocky, who was right below the battlefield, had created underground tunnels, which he and Cranky could use tounch attacks from beneath Orochi''s body.


    The Honey Badger knew that the Majin King could detect enemies even if they were underground, but Cranky didn''t care.


    The only thing on its mind was to grab another snake head to eat, not caring if it would get bitten or injured in the process.


    Thirteen, who knew what Cranky was thinking, adjusted the angle of his Grand Ballista and took aim.


    His ammunition was limited, so he only nned to use it only when necessary.


    Once the Grand Ballista was no longer operational, he would join everyone on the front lines and attempt to fight the Majin King in a battle of attrition.


    Since their opponent had incredible regeneration abilities, they would just fight it for as long as they could.


    Perhaps an opportunity would present itself, allowing them to tilt the bnce in their favor, and give them a chance to ovee this mission, which even Thirteen believed was near-impossible to clear.

 Chapter 562: Fearsome Versus Fearless [Part 3]

    Thirteen had carefully formed three strategies to fight against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent.


    The first one was to test whether it was truly not capable of suddenly increasing its strength during battle.


    This was why when they attacked it earlier, he only sent Cranky alone at first, fooling the Majin King into lowering his guard a bit.


    Although it was facing a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign, which could be considered a Pseudo-Majin Prince, the Honey Badger was not a threat in its eyes.


    Because of this, it simply attacked Cranky, not paying attention to Rocky, who was actually moving right below the Honey Badger and masking its presence.


    The moment Orochi lunged at its prey, Rocky ejected the three Earth Dragons, who already knew what they would do next.


    Thanks to this, they seeded in their sneak attack and managed to rip one of the serpent''s heads, giving Cranky another snack.


    After that, Zed, Erica, and Camazotz engaged the Majin King, while Thirteen gauged its current strength.


    But just as Beelzebub had stated, Orochi didn''t use its full strength at the start of a fight.


    And the moment the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent''s eyes turned blood-red, Thirteen knew that it had finally decided to get serious.


    Within the darkness of the night, Orochi''s bloody eyes glowed with fury, prompting Thirteen to give an order to his teammates.


    "n B!" Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, everyone, with the exemption of the Honey Badger, yed the role given to them by the teenage boy.


    The three Earth Dragons would focus on defense.


    They would not attack and put their all into blocking all of the Majin King''s attacks to the best of their abilities.


    On the other hand, Erica, Giga, cky, Zed, T1, and the Troll Raiders were part of the Disruptor Team, whose main goal was to disrupt and distract Orochi.


    The Offensive Team wasposed of Thirteen, Cranky, and Camazotz, who would deal damage to the enemy.


    Orochi, who was now in an enraged state,shed out at the Earth Dragons, who were closest to it.


    But the three, who had focused all of their attention on defense, blocked its attack to the best of their abilities.


    Although the Earth Walls they conjured would shatter with every blow of the monster, they would immediately summon it once again while making a retreat.


    Rocky, who had moved behind the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, ejected Giga to fight by his side. Together, they unleashed their me attacks, hitting the Majin King directly.


    Rocky unleashed a Fire Breath attack, while Giga simply used his Giga Destroyer.


    However, it didn''t add any foul-smelling fumes to it because it might affect his allies in battle.


    The mes licked the Giant Serpent''s bodies, even eroding a few of its scales.


    However, these damages disappeared after a few seconds as Orochi''s regeneration ability kicked in.


    Even so, Rocky and Giga weren''t disappointed with the oue. They believed Zion had expected this and that the young man''s strategy would work.


    As soon as they finished attacking, Rocky once again took Giga inside his body and burrowed into the ground to distance himself from their enemy.


    Camazotz took this opportunity and dived down from the sky, unleashing punches that surpassed the speed of sound, knocking the Serpent''s heads one by one as he passed through them.


    Suddenly, countless Magic Bullets poured like rain toward the Eight-Headed Serpent''s eyes, targeting them with great uracy.


    Although the magic bullets weren''t dealing any great damage to the monster''s eyes, Orochi still found it annoying.


    It''s like someone constantly spraying water on someone''s eyes, preventing them from seeing properly.


    That was what Erica was doing, following Thirteen''s strategy.


    While the Majin King was distracted for a few seconds, a Bolt made from reinforced steel pierced through the monster''s main body.


    A few secondster, this bolt was further embedded in Orochi''s body as a second bolt fired by Thirteen hit the first bolt''s rear, pushing it deeper into the monster''s body.


    Waiting for that exact moment, Cranky rose up from the ground and grabbed hold of another Serpent''s head, tearing it off with its razor-sharp teeth.


    A fountain of blood spurted from the severed neck of the snake, dyeing its surroundings with the color of its blood.


    "Now!"


    The members of Thirteen''s Parade of a Hundred Demons all used telekinesis at the same time and pulled out the Steel Bolt that had pierced the snake''s main body.


    As soon as the bolt was taken out of Orochi''s body, the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, flew toward the hole in the monster''s stomach, intending to fight it from within.


    Fortunately, all of them managed to enter Orochi''s body before its wound regenerated, making Thirteen do a fist pump.


    But his happiness didn''tst long because the moment the Parade of the Hundred Demons entered Orochi''s body, they were killed by the miasma that suddenly circted from within its body.


    The only saving grace was that whenever a member of the Parade of the Hundred Demons died, their body would explode in a blood mist, leaving Venomous Parasites behind.


    Of course, Thirteen couldn''t rely on these parasites in the short term. As rapidly they increased their numbers and spread like wildfire from inside their host, Orochi was gigantic and would take a while to get affected.


    Cranky, who had managed to secure another serpent head as a snack, hastily retreated and reappeared behind the Earth Dragons.


    Just like earlier, it began to eat, not caring that everyone was putting their lives on the line while it feasted on the prize that it got with great difficulty.


    Suddenly, the heads of the serpent started to spray ck miasma in its surroundings, creating a thick mist that forced everyone, including Cranky, to retreat.


    Beelzebub has also told Thirteen about this ability, which allowed Orochi to hide itself from the eyes of its enemies.


    Since it was very hard to prate the miasma cloud, none of them could effectivelyunch an attack.


    However, that didn''t stop Orochi from unleashing its own attack.


    From within the Miasma Cloud, seven Breath Attacks flew toward Zed, Camazotz, and the Earth Dragons.


    Zed and Camazotz evaded the attacks, while the Earth Dragons summoned Earth Walls to tank it.


    While this was happening, Rocky and Giga once again emerged from the ground and unleashed their me attacks, which made the Miasma Cloud burn into a raging inferno, trapping Orochi from within.


    But from the raging mes, eight pairs of blood-red eyes shone brightly, making Erica, Zed, Camazotz, and the Earth Dragons feel like they were fighting an immortal enemy that wouldn''t fall no matter how hard they tried.


    It was only Rocky, Giga, cky, and the Trolls, who didn''t feel despair in their current situation.


    They, who followed Thirteen during the fight against the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer, as well as the Artemians, had fought monsters that were several ranks stronger than them.


    Those experiences also helped build their unwavering trust toward their Master, who was still looking at the battlefield with a calm expression on his face, just like them.


    "Enchant the bolt with Wind Magic," Thirteen ordered.


    The three Troll Shamans started to chant and imbued the bolt on the Grand Ballista with the power of wind, allowing its speed and pration to increase multiple times.


    Thirteen pulled the lever, and the bolt flew like a blueet in the darkness, ready to descend on the Majin King, whose eyes had finally locked in the teenage boy''s direction.

 Chapter 563: Fearsome Versus Fearless [Part 4]

    The bolt imbued with Wind Magic pierced Orochi''s main body, and even passed through to the other side, sticking out like a nail.


    But instead of screaming in pain, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent turned silent.


    All its eight heads stared in the direction where the bolt came from for a few seconds before it charged straight in Thirteen''s direction, not caring about the reinforced steel bolt still embedded in its body.


    As a Majin King, Orochi''s instinct was telling it that as long as it dealt with the person who was attacking it from a distance, this battle would soone to an end.


    It didn''t matter how much damage its body took, for it was certain that its wounds would heal and regenerate without fail.


    Even the Steel Bolt that was still sticking out from its back was ignoredpletely due to its confidence that no one below the rank of Majin King could stop it.


    The Earth Dragons decisively created walls of Earth to block the Majin King''s path, but Orochi simply rammed into it, breaking it by force.


    Cranky, who was about to finish eating the serpent head in its ws, threw it at the side and screeched in anger.


    The Honey Badger decisively charged in the direction of the Majin King, understanding that Orochi was going all out to take down the teenage boy, who wasmanding them from afar.


    Thirteen, who also understood what his enemy was nning to do, summoned Rocky by his side and ordered him to take Sherry, the two Ogres, the Troll Shamans, and the Grand Ballista inside his Mobile Fortress.


    The teenage boy knew that the Majin King wasn''t stupid, so he had already expected that it would target him once it got fed up by being sniped from afar.


    Thirteen then climbed on cky''s back, believing that thetter was fast enough to outrun the Majin King, especially since the Earth Dragons and Cranky were doing their best to get in its way.


    It was then the situation suddenly changed.


    Cranky, who was fighting the Majin King, suddenly found itself flying backward as it was hit by Orochi''s tail, catching it by surprise.


    The Majin King''s strength had risen once more, even managing to break down the Earth Dragon''s Earth Walls with just one strike of its tail.


    ''This is bad,'' Camazotz thought as he zigzagged in the air and punched the serpent heads that it had decided to target. ''It''s bing stronger with each passing minute.''


    Orochi''s body was now emanating a reddish aura, making it look like a glowing, blood-red snake in the darkness.


    Cranky, enraged that it got flung away, screeched and once again charged at the serpent with a vengeance.


    Four serpent heads lunged at the approaching Honey Badger, and this time, its fangs managed to pierce through Cranky''s defenses, making the Honey Badger roar in pain and anger.


    Camazotz was quick to kick and punch away the serpent heads, allowing the Honey Badger to break free from its grasps.


    Just like most high-ranking monsters, Cranky also had a regeneration ability of its own.


    However, the Majin King''s corrosive venom prevented its wounds from healing.


    Fortunately, Cranky was very resistant to all kinds of venoms because of its race.


    The only downside was that its injuries were not healing as fast as it normally did, lowering its fighting prowess.


    Even so, Cranky didn''t back down and once again lunged at its opponent with the intention of fighting it to the death.


    "Oi! Stop, you stupid Honey Badger!" Camazotz shouted. "You''re not a match for it in direct confrontation!"


    The Death Bat gritted its teeth and descended from the skies, alongside Zed and Erica, who both understood that Cranky was in danger.


    Their enemy was now way stronger than it was when the battle started. Even Camazotz understood that this was the true power of a Majin King.


    An existence that transcended his own Rank.


    Cranky, who was now blinded by rage and anger, wasn''t able to stop itself from charging straight up to its enemy.


    Due to the mutation of its bloodline after bing a Devil-Horned Honey Badger, its aggressiveness and ferocity drastically increased. It got even worse after it mutated for a second time into a Savage Colossal Honey Badger.


    As if wanting to prove that he was not afraid to fight against the Majin King, Cranky''s body suddenly increased in size, bing a hundred-meter tall Honey Badger.


    But it didn''t end there.


    Its size continued to increase until it was a hundred and forty meters tall, towering over the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, who was momentarily dazed by the sudden change in its opponent''s size.


    With a screech that spread for miles, Cranky shed down, cutting one of the Serpent''s heads in front of him, while biting another and tearing it off from its body.


    The Honey Badger''s eyes were glowing crimson as it entered a berserk state, increasing its strength further.


    For a moment, it looked like Cranky was winning, but everyone knew that it was far from the truth.


    It had simply managed to take its opponent by surprise. After the Majin King recovered its senses, it once again attacked the Honey Badger, not losing to the ferocity that Cranky was exuding.


    Due to its increased mass, Cranky''s every strike was strong enough to cut off one of the serpent''s heads in one strike.


    But those same severed heads would regrow in less than a minute due to Orochi''s powerful regeneration abilities.


    The Honey Badger''s injuries, on the other hand, were steadily increasing and getting worse as the serpent heads coiled around Cranky''s body, sinking their fangs on the ces that were already injured, earlier.


    The Earth Dragons, who were simply blocking Orochi''s attacks earlier, had also decided to join the fray, using their bodies to ram the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent from different directions, hoping that their attacks would allow their allies to gain a breather.


    Thirteen, who was currently rushing to the battlefield, knew that even if he ordered for the Honey Badger to retreat, it would not listen to him due to its current state.


    "Faster, cky," Thirteen ordered. "Before it''s toote."


    cky growled and increased its speed further, pushing ever close to where everyone was fighting with their lives.


    Meanwhile, within the Domain of the Apocalypse¡­


    "A futile struggle," one of the Majin Princes said in an amused tone. "But a struggle, nevertheless."


    "It''s just as you predicted, Beelzebub," another Majin Princemented. "It''s impossible to beat Orochi unless they can get a Majin King to join their side."


    Beelzebub would have agreed with them right away, but his gaze was currently fixed on the teenage boy, who was rushing towards the battlefield while riding on the Nightmare ckhound''s back.


    Despite the current situation, Thirteen''s gaze was still firm as if there were still an opportunity to turn the situation around.


    "Let''s continue to observe," Beelzebub replied. "Maybe we can see a miracle."


    The members of the Order of the Apocalypse, with the exception of Kamrusepa, chuckled and nodded their heads in agreement.


    It was very rare for them to see an entertaining battle like this, so they decided to enjoy the show and watch the youngest member of their organization struggle right in front of their eyes.

 Chapter 564: Cranky’s First Friend [Part 1]

    Cranky grew up in the ins of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Every day was a struggle to survive.


    He wasn''t born fearless.


    On the contrary, he was a very cautious, opportunistic monster, putting even Camazotz to shame.


    But as the years passed, he realized that only the strong could survive in this world. So, with that in mind, he decided to be strong.


    He had lost many times, but fortunately, the monsters he had chosen to fight were Herbivores.


    Meaning, even if he lost to them, they wouldn''t eat him, allowing him to live another day.


    With every defeat, Cranky learned how to fight, and as the years went by, his rank steadily rose.


    His first battle against an Apex Predator in the ins ended in a draw. Both of them were targeting a bison, and it just so happened that they charged at it at the same time.


    His first opponent had been a Wind Wolf, who was not only fast but also very cunning.


    Cranky, who was an all-rounder, didn''t really have a way to catch it. So he did what he thought might work, and that was to pretend that he was getting injured every time they shed.


    He made sure to take some blows that resulted in shallow injuries so that the enemy would lower their guard and feel confident that they had everything under control.


    What they didn''t know was that Cranky was only waiting for them to go for the kill, in which he would turn the tables against them.


    His first battle ended in a draw.


    In his second battle, he almost lost his life.


    But Cranky learned.


    He understood how to use his body for defense and offense. The Honey Badger even developed a very nasty killer move, which raised his chance of sess.


    This killer move was biting his opponent''s "balls," making them feel a world of pain.


    Of course, there were times when he fought female predators, but during those times, Cranky chose to go to the defensive and wait for an opportunity to strike.


    Every time he cheated death, Cranky''s confidence grew.


    Every time he survived a battle, he learned new fighting techniques.


    Many yearster, he became a Rank 5 Overlord.


    He was one of the strongest monsters in the Valbarra ins, and very few were his match.


    One day, while he was hunting, he saw a Hunting Party headed to the ins.


    Riding on the wagon were two teenage boys¡ªone chubby, one slim. He had interacted with humans before, and there were times when he also fought and killed them.


    But these two human boys wouldn''t fill his stomach.


    Also, for some reason, he felt that he shouldn''t attack the slim human boy because he felt like kin to him.


    Because of this, he decided to eat the two Ogres who weregging behind, sparing the young humans from death.


    After that incident, Cranky traveled toward the Warsor ins to fight against the Rank 5 Overlord, Golden-Eyed Hyena, who was the only monster that could threaten him.


    He was confident that he could beat it even if it had itsckeys protecting it.


    That was the second time he met Thirteen, and their meeting had been just as memorable as the first.


    He was lying in wait for an ambush and sensed that his target was approaching him at great speeds.


    Since he had developed a stealth ability that could erase his presence for a short period of time, Cranky waited for the right opportunity to strike.


    Suddenly, cky went past him, carrying a Drow and the human boy, whom he had spared in the past.


    The human boy was holding a bow and arrow, which in Cranky''s opinion were not enough to deal any damage to the Golden-Eyed Hyena due to its size and strength.


    But time seemed to have moved in slow motion as his gazended on the boy, who had a faint smile on his face as he passed through the small hill where Cranky was hiding.


    The Honey Badger didn''t make a move, and let them pass safely because they were not his targets.


    When he believed that the perfect moment hade, he sprang out from his hiding ce and lunged at the Golden-Eyed Hyena, who was then taken byplete surprise.


    The Honey Badger was able to deal a serious injury with its first strike, but his opponent wasn''t a pushover and managed to fend him off by force.


    The Golden-Eyed Hyena immediately retreated, allowing its subordinates to deal with Cranky while it went to safety.


    Feeling confident that he now had the upper hand, Cranky toyed with the Hyenas and killed them one by one.


    But he never expected that his opponent would resort to eating its own kind in order to heal its injuries and evolve even further.


    When the Golden-Eyed Hyena evolved and mutated to a Rank 6 Overlord, Diabolical Hyena, Cranky still felt that he stood a chance.


    But he was wrong.


    The two monsters fought like rabid wolves, tearing each other''s flesh apart.


    But since the Diabolical Hyena was one rank above him and also a mutated monster, it overwhelmed the Honey Badger despite having a serious injury when it was sneak attacked.


    Cranky knew that whatever advantage it had was now gone, so it decided to retreat and recover its injuries.


    A few weeks passed as Cranky hid in the cave he had made, where he hid from his enemies and recovered from his injuries.


    But for some reason, it seems that he was fated to meet the human boy for the third time.


    Cranky, who didn''t really have a lot of patience and would often attack first, held back his ws from killing the human boy and listened to his proposal.


    "Let''s kill the Diabolical Hyena together. What do you think, Cranky? Sounds good?"


    The Honey Badger didn''t know why the boy was referring to him as Cranky. But since he didn''t understand what it meant, he thought that maybe the name meant someone "strong."


    Thus, he allowed the weak human boy to call him Cranky and pondered whether to ept his proposal or not.


    For some reason, the Honey Badger thought that the proposal wasn''t a bad deal for him.


    So he epted and worked together with the teenage boy, whom he felt a connection with.


    Originally, Cranky thought that his rematch with the Rank 6 Overlord would be a difficult one.


    However, the teenage boy had brought a lot of Champions with him, who easily dealt with the Diabolical Hyena''s subordinates and supported him in fighting his opponent.


    The battle ended faster than the Honey Badger had anticipated, and because of this, he imed his prize and ate the Diabolical Hyena''s core.


    And that was when Cranky evolved into a mutated monster, gaining the Diabolical Hyena''s aggressiveness, which awakened his dormant ability.


    But even though the Honey Badger had be fearless, it understood that it didn''t stand a chance against the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer.


    However, the teenage boy ckmailed him and told Cranky that if he didn''t help kill the Majin Prince, the Majin Prince would hunt him down and roast him before eating him.


    Cranky, who was now the strongest monster in the Warsor ins, felt fearful, so he decided to work together with Thirteen for a second time.


    It was better to fight together than fight alone, and through great effort and cunning, he was able tond the killing blow at the Majin Prince, ending its life.


    When the battle ended, Cranky thought that he would return to being a lone vagabond once more.


    But after the battle, the survivors built a monument to honor the Heroes who fought in the battle.


    Thirteen and his Monster Army were immortalized in the ce where Arundel had died, and since then, Cranky always took a nap on Thirteen''s statue. The teenage boy might not be around, but it made him feel less lonely when he was with Thirteen''s statue.


    Although he didn''t want to admit it, the weak human boy had managed to worm a spot in his heart.


    He was the only person who talked to Cranky without fear, and whenever they talked, Thirteen always looked straight into the Honey Badger''s eyes as if he was talking to an old friend whom he hadn''t seen in a long time.


    And now, even though he was in a Berserk State and fighting against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, his body moved on his own when he saw four of the serpent''s eight heads, looking toward their left side.


    Cranky, who was being constricted and bitten by the other four heads, nced in the direction where the Serpent Heads were looking.


    There, he saw the weak human boy riding on cky, rushing in their direction with a bow and arrow in his hand.


    "Let go of Cranky!" Thirteen shouted as he unleashed four arrows at the same time.


    These arrows were the same arrows Thirteen had gifted to Rianna and Mildred, which were supposed to be their Trump Cards.


    The four arrows, which took flight, suddenly increased their sizes, resembling the reinforced bolt that served as the ammunition of the Grand Ballista.


    These arrows were crafted from the Dragon Scale of the Dragon of Destruction, which he had asked his father to use as crafting material.


    They were one of Thirteen''s Trump Cards, and he used them to help free Cranky from the Eight-Headed Serpent''s hold.


    The four railguns exploded at the point of impact, hitting the four heads that were binding Cranky down.


    However, instead of screaming in pain, the four surviving heads of the Serpent all opened their jaws and unleashed a breath attack, aimed at the teenage boy who had juste within their strike range.


    Cranky screeched as his body moved on his own, blocking the Breath Attack of the Majin King who was hell-bent on killing the teenage boy who kept on getting in his way.

 Chapter 565: Cranky’s First Friend [Part 2]

    A thunderous roar reverberated in the surroundings as Cranky''s body took on the four breath attacks of the Majin King. He was sent skidding for hundreds of meters before copsing on the ground.


    The smell of burning flesh and blood spread in the surroundings as the Honey Badger struggled to prop itself from the ground.


    Thirteen, who saw Cranky''s current state, gritted his teeth as he took out two more arrowheads from his Dimensional Storage and fired them at the main body of the Majin King.


    The two Railguns, which could easily kill a Rank 7 Sovereign with one hit, pierced through the main body of the Eight-Headed Serpent, whose heads that were destroyed earlier had already regenerated by half.


    "Giga! Rocky!" Thirteen shouted.


    A secondter, the Magma-Balboa emerged beside cky, who was carrying Thirteen on his back.


    Giga, who also answered his Master''s call, was ejected from the Mobile Fortress, and together, they unleashed a me attack that washed over the Majin King like a raging tide.


    Thirteen needed to give Cranky some time to recover, so he must fight tooth and nail with the Majin King, using everything in his arsenal.


    Knowing that the hour of judgment hade, Thirteen no longer tried to hide his abilities and summoned a ck g, the Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    The teenage boy knew that the members of the Cygni Faction and the Apostles were watching the battle.


    But since he didn''t want Cranky to get hurt any more, he decided to use all of his trump cards, not caring even if they were exposed to the world.


    A pitch-ck armor covered his body from head to toe.


    Only the eye sockets and the orb on his chest glowed in a greenish color, giving Thirteen the power to fight above his current rank.


    Raising his ck g, the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons materialized behind his back like a legion made up of shadows.


    "Charge!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Majin King was still annoyed that the teenage boy whom it wanted to kill was still alive and kicking.


    Because of this, it focused all its attention on its target, disregarding the rest of its enemies.


    But that was a mistake.


    "You punk! You''re ignoring me, huh?!" Camazotz roared as he unleashed a flurry of blows at all the serpent heads in his path, not caring even if he got hit in the process.


    Now that Thirteen had joined the fray, Camazotz knew that he must protect the teenage boy. If anything happened to thetter, his precious Trinity of the Apocalypse would copse.


    Lastly, he didn''t want the Majin King to be a member of their organization because it would definitely bully him for being the weakest in the group.


    "You pesky fly!" Orochi roared in annoyance. "Die already!"


    Due to Camazotz going all-out to protect Thirteen from the Majin King, the Death Bat poured all his attention to the Serpent Heads in front of him.


    Because of this, he didn''t see the giant tail that was about to hit him directly before it was toote.


    "Argh!" Camazotz felt a dull pain in his chest as he crashed toward the ground.


    The armor protecting his chest cracked a bit from the impact, but his life was saved because of it.


    Orochi, who had initiated the attack, didn''te unscathed either.


    The special property of Camazotz''s armor was that it reflected all attacks that were directed at its owner.


    Unfortunately, the threshold that the armor could take had been surpassed, which was the reason that Orochi''s attack managed to deal an injury to the Death Bat, who was now propping itself from the ground.


    Orochi''s tail had exploded into meat paste making it momentarily lose its bnce, and copsed on the ground.


    "Damn!" Camazotz, who saw the crack in his armor, cursed out loud, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    The Death Bat took to the skies once again and prepared to strike a second time.


    But before he could do that, the Majin King''s body shone brilliantly, blinding Camazotz for a brief moment.


    Suddenly, a powerful shock wave that spread for miles blew everyone away from the battlefield, including Thirteen, who was rising on cky''s back.


    The impact was so strong that even Zed, who was flying in the sky, suffered from internal injuries as he used his body to protect Erica from the impact of the shock wave. It made him feel as if he had been pped by a wall made of metal.


    Although Thirteen was protected by his armor, he also suffered internal injuries from the st and was sent flying hundreds of meters before copsing to the ground.


    The sudden detonation of the Majin King caught everyone by surprise, and they were unable to raise any form of defense to block it.


    Thirteen''s g was also blown away by the shockwave.


    Even Tiona, who was always with her Master, was nowhere to be seen as the young man coughed out blood while trying to understand what just happened.


    When he was finally able to raise his head, he saw the Eight-Headed Serpent glowing in a purple light.


    The aura that it was exuding was the peak of the Majin King, making Thirteen clench his fist. He thought that it would still take a few days to recover its full strength, but he seemed to be wrong.


    Perhaps sensing his gaze, the Eight-Headed Serpent nced in Thirteen''s direction.


    "You insignificant ant," Orochi growled through telepathy. "Just die already!"


    Opening its eight heads, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent unleashed a barrage of elemental sts in Thirteen''s direction.


    This attack was enough to obliterate Rank 8 Sovereigns, which was considered an overkill, especially since Thirteen was nowhere as strong as those monsters.


    Thirteen, who couldn''t defend himself from the attacks, suddenly felt something pick him up from the ground.


    A momentter, the sound of explosions reached his ears, but he remained safe in Cranky''s bosom because the Honey Badger used his entire body to tank the Majin King''s merciless barrage.


    Thirteen tried to shout, but his voice had disappeared.


    He could feel Cranky''s ws trembling with each Elemental st that hit its body.


    When everything ended, the Honey Badger slowly opened its grasp and pushed Thirteen away from his body.


    Thirteen, whose voice was hoarse from calling out Cranky''s name, tried to approach the Honey Badger, but Cranky kept on pushing him away.


    It screeched at the teenage boy, telling him to run and leave him behind.


    Erica, who was mounted on Zed''s back, covered her lips with both hands when she saw Cranky''s current condition from the sky.


    The Honey Badger''s back was filled with bloody holes, which was enough to kill it three times over.


    Using thest of its strength, Cranky tried to push Thirteen away.


    It screeched, over, and over again, telling Zion to run away.


    "Run!"


    "¡­ Run!"


    "¡­ R..un."


    "¡­un."


    "¡­"


    Its screech slowly weakened, but its gaze remained firm, looking at the teenage boy who was holding onto the tip of his w, with tears falling down his face.


    "¡­Zion," Cranky said with great effort. "¡­ Run."


    After saying those words, Cranky slowly closed his eyes and stopped movingpletely.


    A cry of anger and despair spread in the surroundings as Thirteen ran toward the Honey Badger''s face, hugging it tightly.


    Cranky was a Cannon Fodder, which was why he felt a strong connection with Thirteen.


    The Honey Badger did his best.


    His very best.


    Not giving up until the end.


    Cranky didn''t run because it couldn''t leave the weak human whom he considered as his one and only friend.


    Despite the fact that a Majin King was eyeing him in the distance, Thirteen continued to hug and mourn the passing of one of his people, whom he had failed to protect once again.

 Chapter 566: Title Will Be At The Bottom of The Chapter

    Disimer: Some of my readers who read my other stories will definitely guess what is going to happen next by reading the chapter title. In order to avoid spoilers, I decided to put the title at the end of this chapter.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After one of their main attackers had fallen, Thirteen''s team desperately tried to contain the Majin King, but it seemed impossible even with all their efforts.


    Even with the Earth Dragons doing their best to raise Earth Walls to block the Majin King''s path, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent who had already recovered its true strength, was unstoppable.


    Camazotz''s armor had more cracks now as he tried his best to defend Thirteen, who was in a vulnerable state.


    Rocky, Giga, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and the Trolls all mobilized to attack the Majin King to the best of their abilities.


    Tiona personally led the Parade of a Hundred Demons to battle, using everything in her arsenal to protect her Master, who was still hugging the fallen Honey Badger.


    David and the other Apostles knew that it was futile to join the fray, but they still joined because they feltpelled to do it.


    Even Drazzat and the members of the Cygni Faction took action, using their skills to unleash a barrage of attacks toward the Majin King from a distance.


    "This is crazy!" Leon shouted as he threw a spear at the Majin King, which only bounced off its body. "All of you are crazy!"


    He was right.


    How could they possibly fight against a Majin King when their own forces in Pangea were having trouble dealing with Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns?


    The irony was that those same Rank 9 Sovereigns they struggled to deal with were now fighting on their side, and even with them around, victory was like a fleeting dream that would disappear at any second.


    Perhaps it was also due to desperation that everyone was still alive at the moment.


    But that could change at any second, with the Majin King having the upper hand.


    Thirteen bit his lip until blood flowed from it.


    If someone were to ask him if he had done his best, then yes, he had done his best.


    But if someone asked him if he did his very best, then the answer was no.


    Thirteen had many trump cards, and he had used them against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent.


    However, there was still one trump card he hadn''t used because he was saving it for his faceoff against the second being whom he hated the most.


    Thirteen had every reason to believe that at the end of this chain quest, his father, the System God Deus Ex Machina, would be waiting for him.


    Taiga''s sister, Cleo Evander, had seen a vision about this matter, and Thirteen knew that this was a future that he couldn''t avoid no matter what.


    Back then, he tried everything in his power to defeat the System God, but he lost miserably in the end.


    Thirteen knew that his chances of winning against his father were zero, especially in a state where all of his abilities were restricted.


    However, after he returned to Solterra, his First Host reached out to him.


    This encounter came as a surprise to him, for he never expected to see his First Host again.


    In fact, he was more surprised that his former host was able to recognize him.


    "The moment you possessed the body of a human, I immediately sensed your presence and watched you from the heavens. Frankly, I was doubtful at first, thinking I had made a mistake.


    "But the more I watched your journey, the more confident I am that it''s indeed you, Thirteen, who is now living in the body of Zion Leventis."


    Because of that, his first host gave him a Lucky Charm that he could use as ast resort.


    Thirteen was nning to use thisst resort against his father to at least give him a chance for victory.


    But now, he regretted not using it right away.


    If he did, perhaps Cranky didn''t have to suffer.


    It was because he was looking far forward to the future that he ignored the present.


    In fact, since Cleo had seen that vision about him fighting against his father, Thirteen thought that he would be able to clear this mission because the future was already "set in stone."


    Because of this, he had grown a bit confident that he would be able to survive until he faced his father again.


    But reality was different.


    He shouldn''t have relied on the vision of the future.


    He should have focused on the present, which was happening to him right now.


    "I''ll be back, Cranky," Thirteen said, almost akin to a whisper. "I''ll avenge you."


    Lightly patting the side of the Honey Badger''s face, the teenage boy walked towards the Majin King.


    Thirteen''s body was still injured, and he was hurting all over.


    But the physical pain he felt was nothingpared to the heartache that he was currently experiencing.


    Step by painful step, he walked.


    His eyes were focused on the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, who had just sted Camazotz from the sky with an Elemental st.


    The Earth Dragon''s defenses were failing, and none of their attacks was strong enough tond a decisive blow.


    Zed, who had tried to take a gamble, flew close toward Majin King, allowing Erica to unleash her strongest spell that she had been casting since earlier.


    However, just as she was about to cast her spell at point-nk range, he found herself face to face with one of the Serpent Heads, whose giant jaws were about to eat her whole.


    Suddenly, the serpent head that was about to devour Erica and Zed exploded, making the other heads look in the direction where the attack came from.


    There, they found the teenage boy, kneeling on the ground while drawing the string of his bow, ready to fire another shot.


    Erica took this opportunity to cast her own spell while making a speedy escape.


    But her spell only managed to burn the side of a serpent head, which regenerated in a matter of seconds.


    "You," Orochi said as all the Serpent Heads ignored the other pests around him and focused their attention on the weak human, who was only able to survive due to Cranky''s sacrifices."I''ve had enough of you!"


    Disregarding everything else, all the eight heads opened their jaws and prepared to unleash a breath attack, all aimed at the insect who refused to die no matter what.


    Thirteen stared at the purple-colored mes that were about to descend on his body.


    "Noooo!" Erica shouted. "Zion!"


    An earth-shaking explosion reverberated across thend, creating a mushroom cloud at the point of impact.


    Even Leon, who hated Thirteen very much, felt his heart lurch inside his chest because he didn''t want the teenage boy to die.


    At least, not at this point in time.


    "Finally, the pest is gone." Orochiughed, which echoed in the surroundings.


    Now that the annoying human was gone, it set its sights on the Magma Bal-Boa and the other Monsters, who were all roaring in anger and headed in the Majin King''s direction.


    Rocky, Giga, cky, Hercules, and the rest were enraged because Orochi killed their Master.


    Even if they were to die, they would bite the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent until their dying breath.


    However, just as they were about to do a suicide attack, a familiar voice reached their ears.


    "Calm down, everyone. I''m still here."


    Giga looked in the direction of the dust cloud which slowly dispersed, revealing the silhouette of the teenage boy, whom they were willing to die for.


    Thirteen was holding a golden metallic staff in his hands, and aside from looking disheveled, he looked perfectly fine.


    A golden headband could be seen on his head, and the red scarf that was on his neck fluttered in the breeze.


    His green eyes had now turned golden, brimming with power.


    Although it was faint at first, Giga sensed a powerful force starting to umte inside Thirteen''s body.


    "You! Why did you not die?!" Orochi eximed in anger and surprise because he had repeatedly tried to kill Thirteen, and yet, he survived each time. "Just who are you?!"


    Thirteen didn''t bother to reply and simply raised the staff in his hands, preparing to strike.


    The staff, as if answering his call, extended upward, reaching toward the sky.


    Orochi, who suddenly felt a threating from Thirteen''s weapon, decided to charge at Thirteen with the intention of devouring him whole.


    However, Thirteen didn''t even flinch or back away as the Majin King approached him.


    He would avenge one of his people, and he would not stop until he pounded the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent to death.


    A powerful divine aura emanated from the staff, shining like a pir of hope amidst the darkness of the night.


    Its size then grew to unbelievable proportions, until it was as big as the Giant Snake, who suddenly felt something that it had never felt before.


    Orochi, who had lived for hundreds of years, hadn''t felt fear in a long time.


    But now, it felt it.


    With one mighty swing, Thirteen swung down the gigantic golden staff with the intention of swatting the Majin King to oblivion.


    "Break all the walls that stand before me!" Thirteen roared his anger, and the Divine Weapon that belonged to his First Host hummed in acknowledgment of his words.


    "Ruyi Jingu Bang!"


    An explosion that was more powerful than Orochi''s attack reverberated in the surroundings, followed by a shockwave that extended for miles.


    Those who witnessed this scene from afar could only find themselves helplessly blown away by the impact of a weapon that brought even the Gods down to their knees.

 Chapter 567 Break All The Walls That Stand Before Me! [Part 2]

    567 Break All The Walls That Stand Before Me! [Part 2]


    High above in the Celestial Realm, Thirteen''s First Host calmly sipped the peach blossom wine from a small jug he was holding in his hand. He then looked down on the world of Solterra and sneered at the Eight-Headed Serpent, who had angered the teenage boy whom even he didn''t dare to anger.


    "This little snake dared to anger Thirteen? Courting death."


    The Monkey King took another sip from his jug before burping loudly.


    Although he looked harmless and evenzy on the surface, in reality, he was an existence that gave even Gods and Demons a headache every time he made his move. He was not a Hero, for he was too mischievous to be one.


    But he was not a Viin because sometimes he did righteous things. But most of all, he wasn''t a Cannon Fodder or an Extra.


    He was simply Sun Wukong. The Great Sage, Heaven''s Equal.


    Thirteen''s First Host, whom he apanied on his Journey to the West.


    At the end of their journey, the newly born system deemed that the Monkey King no longer needed his assistance, so he bade him goodbye to help other people in the Multiverse.


    Sun Wukong''s greatest regret was that he hadn''t had the chance to reunite with his System, who had chosen to support the weak and helpless Cannon Fodders, a stark contrast to him, whom even the Gods didn''t wish to offend.


    But when Thirteen''s Soul Core was ced on the body of a boy who recently died, Sun Wukong finally sensed his presence.


    At first, he thought that he had made a mistake. But watching Thirteen''s journey from beginning to end, a feeling he had never felt before sprang up from his chest.


    Because of this, he waited until the Guardians of the Celestial Realm were away before he descended to Solterra to have a talk with his System, whom he hadn''t seen for thousands of years.


    "Since you n to defy Fate, I will help you just once." Sun Wukong promised. "No matter where you are, no matter what you need¡ªcall for me, and I wille running! It doesn''t matter if you are fighting against the Gods or fighting against the Heavens. I will be with you, as long as you shout my name." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    That was the promise he made to Thirteen before they parted ways, and now, the teenage boy held the Monkey King''s weapon in his hands and harnessed its power.


    "Break all the walls that stand before me!" "Ruyi Jingu Bang!"


    Sun Wukongughed out loud the moment his giant golden staff smashed the body of the Majin King, pinning it on the ground so hard that it ttened like a pancake.


    But he knew that the battle was far from over.


    Even so, he felt pity for the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent because its suffering would only be prolonged because of its strong regeneration ability.


    The Monkey King raised his wooden jug as if to offer a toast to Thirteen, who now possessed the power of the Monkey King.


    Although he could only use this power once, he no longer cared.


    The only thing on his mind was to offer Orochi''s life as an offering to the Honey Badger, who protected the teenage boy with his life.


    Leon, who was the first to recover from the st, was sent flying for over a mile. Even so, he could still see the gigantic staff that had struck the Majin King, whom he and the other Wanderers couldn''t even put a scratch on.


    One by one, the Wanderers and the Monsters who were supporting Zion, recovered their bearings and looked at the teenage boy, who was holding the gigantic staff as if it was nothing.


    "It''s too early to sleep," Thirteen said icily as he once again raised the divine staff in his hand, preparing for another strike. "I won''t stop until I''m satisfied!"


    Without a shred of mercy, Thirteen repeatedly swung the giant staff on Orochi''s body.


    With each strike, the Majin King could only cry out in pain as a crater, with it at the center, slowly expanded with each strike that was filled with vengeance.


    Out of desperation, Orochi thought of an idea and burrowed to the ground in order to escape.


    Thirteen sneered as he somersaulted in the air, reaching hundreds of meters in the sky before retracting the staff to its original size. "Even if you hide at the ends of the world, you''re not going to escape from me," Thirteen''s voice, filled with killing intent, reached the fleeing Eight-Headed Serpent. "Reject humanity!" Thirteen thrust the staff into the ground, once again increasing its length and size to gigantic proportions.


    "Return to Monke!"


    Another earth-shaking explosion spread across the battlefield as Ruyi Jingu Bang pierced through the ground, hitting the serpent dead center and pinning it down without mercy.


    Even with its powerful regeneration abilities, the power of a Divine Weapon couldn''t be ignored.


    The Majin King''s internal organs ruptured and bled with each strike, making it feel pain beyond its wildest dream.


    Without warning, Thirteen scooped up the Majin King like an earthworm and threw him to the sky.


    A momentter, sounds simr to loud thunderps, apanied by shockwaves, blew away the clouds in the sky as Thirteen struck the pitiful Majin King like a tennis ball without stopping.


    Sending pieces of its scales, flesh, and blood raining down toward the ground.


    "What sorcery is this?!" Drazzat, who could no longer understand what was happening, gasped out loud. A few minutes ago, all of them were just a step away from dying, but now, the powerful Majin King, whom they couldn''t even defeat even if they all worked together, was being treated like a ragdoll by the teenage boy, who suddenly gained a power that far surpassed that of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent.


    "No one will believe me if I tell them this story when I return," David said softly, making the Apostles behind him nod their heads in agreement.


    The Earth Dragons, who had apanied Thirteen to Solterra, sighed in relief for having the insight to stop all hostilities with the teenage boy in the Rigel Continent.


    Now that they were seeing how effortlessly Zion was dealing with the Majin King, their respect, fear, and admiration of him grew by leaps and bounds.


    Camazotz, on the other hand, raised his middle finger and pointed it at his partner in crime.


    The armor that he treasures was now in tatters, and its effects had already diminished.


    "F*ck you, Thirteen!" Camazotz shouted in anger and sadness. "Bring back my armor!"


    Suddenly, a chill ran down the Death Bat''s spine as a giant Golden Staff descended in his direction, intending to swat him to oblivion.


    "F*ck!" Camazotz could only curse out loudly and try to fly away with all its might.


    However, the end of Thirteen''s staff smacked the Death Bat''s bum, and sent him flying to kingdome. A few secondster, the ground shook as Orochi''s massive body fell from the sky.


    Blood seeped out from all of its orifices, and its body was battered and beaten.


    Its flesh seemed to have been ruptured from the inside out due to Thirteen''s merciless strikes, and even the monster''s superior regeneration ability was unable to keep up.


    In fact, after sustaining injuries that had reached the limit of its regeneration threshold, Orochi''s body stopped regeneratingpletely.


    "S-Stop!" Orochi pleaded. "I concede! Spare me!"


    Thirteen''s reply was simply raising his staff for another merciless strike.


    With a forward thrust that was faster than the speed of sound, the golden staff pierced through the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent''s body, making Beelzebub, who was watching from the Domain of the Apocalypse, drop the wine ss he was holding in his hands.


    His eyes were shaking due to shock and disbelief, which everyone in the Order was feeling right now.


    Evuvug, Gwenn, and the Goblin Emperor, whom Thirteen had decided to call Yolo, were also watching the battle from beginning to end.


    As their gazended on the teenage boy who stood at the tip of the golden staff with his arms crossed over his chest and looking down on the Majin King on the ground, the three of them made a vow in their hearts.


    They would not offend Thirteen no matter what because if they did, they should prepare themselves for a fate that was worse than death.

 Chapter 568 The Weakest Member Of The Order Of The Apocalypse

    568 The Weakest Member Of The Order Of The Apocalypse


    Six years ago, the Order of the Apocalypse weed their newest member.


    A seven-year-old boy who had no redeeming quality had suddenly be a part of an organization that could terrorize the entirety of Pangea if they happened to cross over to that world.


    When they first met the boy who introduced himself as "Thirteen," they thought that Metatron had made a mistake.


    But how could the God of Apocalypse make a mistake?


    The criteria to be a part of their Order was simple.


    One must defeat any of the existing members to be a member.


    So that begged the question.


    How did an ordinary seven-year-old, whom they could poke to death, manage to be one of their members?


    Arundel was a Majin Prince.


    He gained the title of "The Destroyer" not because he named himself as one, but because his enemies referred to him as such.


    The fact that he was truly defeated by a seven-year-old dumbfounded them until a moment ago.


    The one whonded the killing blow to Arundel hadn''t been Thirteen but Cranky.


    However, the one who became the member was the human boy, not the Honey Badger. Metatron was the final decision maker as to who would be a member of his organization.


    And he deemed Thirteen the true Mastermind for Arundel''s defeat.


    Of course, there were other factors involved, like Thirteen''s true identity, which Metatron had only managed to glimpse due to his divine powers.


    Nevertheless, the moment the boy became the thirteenth Member of the Apocalypse, the other members of his order had started to scheme. Yes.


    When they had finally calmed down, they started to scheme to have their weakest and newest member killed by their acquaintances so that they could increase their influence within the Order of the Apocalypse.


    Even Camazotz searched high and low to find Thirteen, wanting to rob the boy of his authority by cing someone whom he could trust in the order by killing Thirteen. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, no one, not even Kamrusepa, managed to find him.


    Her Divination only showed a pair of giant green eyes looking down on her from the heavens, making her feel as if she was just an insignificant insect in the presence of a being that she mustn''t antagonize no matter what.


    Because of this, her interest in Thirteen grew, even going as far as bing part of the small Trinity within the Order of the Apocalypse.


    Six years had passed since then, and the powerless seven-year-old had finally be a Rookie.


    Six years ago, he defeated a Majin Prince.


    Six yearster, he defeated a Majin King.


    After watching the battle from beginning to end, they finally understood that their weakest member wasn''t as weak as they originally thought he was.


    Even they, who thought of mortals as beneath them, couldn''t help but shudder internally as they looked at the teenage boy, who was standing on top of the giant golden staff with his arms crossed over his chest.


    His expression was calm, confident, and domineering.


    It was as if he wasn''t looking at a Majin King but an insect whom he had crushed with his overwhelming might.


    "Well, then. I guess the show is over?"


    Metatron''s voice broke everyone out of their daze, making them breathe once more.


    Some of them hadpletely forgotten how to breathe out of sheer surprise and disbelief they felt the moment the teenage boynded the killing blow on the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, whom even they couldn''t defeat.


    A chuckle escaped Metatron''s lips before he waved his hand, making the projection disappear.


    Once the members of the Apocalypse regained theirposure, they all nced at Kamrusepa, who had a faint smile on her face.


    "Did you foresee this as well, Kamrusepa?" Beelzebub asked. "Camazotz is a fool. I''m sure he tried to befriend Thirteen due to personal gains. But you joined their little group, surprising all of us. We have extended our invitations to you, but you rejected them all.


    "Now I understand why you chose to be the nanny of Thirteen and Camazotz. It was all part of the bigger picture. Isn''t that right?"


    Kamrusepa opened her fan and used it to cover her lips, hiding her smile that had widened a bit.


    "I''ll leave the answer to your imagination," Kamrusepa replied. Beelzebub sighed before helplessly shaking his head.


    After everything they had seen, they could only conclude that Kamrusepa already knew Thirteen''s potential, hence why she had invested a lot in their rtionship.


    While the members of the Apocalypse were thinking of how to form connections with Thirteen, the teenage boy stood at the chest of the dead Majin King, still holding the golden staff in his hand.


    Everyone who had joined him in his battle simply stared at his lonely figure. He didn''t look as if he had just performed a miracle, single-handedly winning a battle that many believed was impossible.


    Even Erica couldn''t help but look at him with teary eyes, seeing the usually confident boy she knew look vulnerable at this time.


    Sherry gazed at Zion from a distance, feeling her heart ache, affected by the aura of sadness the teenage boy was emanating.


    Everyone just watched him from a distance, allowing him some time to sort out his feelings.


    Even Leon couldn''t help but feel like he was seeing the "True Face" of Zion Leventis, which he didn''t show to anyone.


    He didn''t look like the arrogant young man whom he envisioned.


    But a person of the same age as him, who was mourning the loss of a monster who had died while protecting him.


    A few minutester, a sigh escaped Thirteen''s lips.


    "I avenged you, Cranky," Thirteen said softly. "If an opportunityes, may our paths cross again."


    Suddenly, the teenage boy felt something grab him from behind.


    He was so immersed in his sadness that he didn''t notice that someone had sneaked up behind him.


    He also didn''t sense any hostility, so he wasn''t able to react in time when he was picked up out of the blue.


    Thirteen turned around and saw the Honey Badger, who had just been lying in a pool of his own blood several minutes ago.


    Cranky then gently put Thirteen to the side before using his ws to pierce the chest area of the dead Majin King.


    Since the Honey Badger was already a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign, its next stage would either be a Majin Prince or an Archon, which was the next stage of its Evolution.


    14:41


    Seeing this, Camazotz and the three Earth Dragons couldn''t help but curse out loud because they realized what the Honey Badger was trying to do.


    "Oi! Hold it right there!" Camazotz roared as he opened his wings to fly in Cranky''s direction.


    The three Earth Dragons also changed to their human forms before running in Cranky''s direction in order to prevent the Honey Badger from iming the grand prize, which was the Majin King''s Core.


    Unfortunately, they were already toote.


    The moment Cranky forcefully opened the Majin King''s chest, it dug its head into the Majin King''s body and devoured its Core like it was just eating a piece of candy.


    Thirteen, who was watching all of this, stood in a daze because he was certain that Cranky''s heart had already stopped beating when he left him earlier.


    But seeing the Honey Badger greedily devour the Majin King''s Core, he was at a loss, unable to understand how this happened.


    "You damn Honey Badger!" Camazotz roared in anger. "That''s mine! Spit it out!"


    The Death Bat tried to pull away the Giant Honey Badger, but Cranky didn''t budge.


    Half a minuteter, it looked at the Death Bat while still chewing Orochi''s Core, making the Death Bat and the Earth Dragons grit their teeth in frustration.


    "You bastard! Give it back!" Camazotz shouted. "That was supposed to be mine!"


    Cranky looked at the enraged Death Bat for a few seconds before it casually severed one of the Majin King''s serpentine heads.


    It then handed it to Camazotz as if saying "Here, you can have this instead," which almost made the Death Bat cough out blood then and there.


    The three Earth Dragons nced at each other before heaving a deep sigh.


    Since the Majin Core was already gone, they decided to just get what they could and asked Cranky to give them a serpentine head each.


    Cranky was more than happy to give the Earth Dragons their share of the pie, which was considered peanutspared to what the Honey Badger had taken for himself.


    A few minutester, the Honey Badger''s body shrank until it was only three meters tall.


    It then nudged Thirteen''s head with its own, asking the boy if he could enter Rocky''s Mobile Fortress to sleep.


    Cranky was showing signs that it was about to evolve, which was not surprising after it had eaten a Majin Core.


    Since it was going to be in a vulnerable state during its hibernation, Thirteen ordered Rocky to take the Majin King''s body and the drowsy Honey Badger inside the Mobile Fortress.


    He still didn''t know how Cranky was able to revive again, but it no longer mattered.


    ''I''ll just ask him after he finished his evolution,'' Thirteen thought.


    Since the Honey Badger was already a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign, its next stage would either be a Majin Prince or an Archon, which was the next stage of its Evolution.

 Chapter 569 I Know That Being Your Friend Is A Good Thing

    569 I Know That Being Your Friend Is A Good Thing


    David and the other Wanderers scoured the battlefield, looking for the scales of the Majin King that had fallen off its body during its fight with Zion.


    They only managed to get five pieces, but it was still a material that every cksmith and Faction in Pangea would fight to the death to get.


    Thirteen''s monster army also scavenged thends, picking up the scales and transferring them inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    He intended to monopolize the body of the Majin King since it was a treasure trove.


    Its blood and flesh could strengthen Giga and the rest of his monster army, allowing them to be stronger.


    As for the scales?


    It would be given to his Father, so Gerald could craft weapons, and armor for their family.


    Thirteen also nned to use the snake''s scales for a side project, which would be one of his trump cards.


    While everyone was doing their best to gain as much as they could from this experience, the wails of a Death Bat, who was clinging to Thirteen''s leg, reverberated in the surroundings.


    "You can''t do this to me, Thirteen!" Camazotz wailed. "You just can''t!"


    "Calm down, Camazotz," Thirteen replied.


    "How can I calm down?" Camazotz cried bitterly. "My armor was destroyed trying to protect you! Have you no heart? Have you no remorse? Not only did that bastard Honey Badger eat the Majin King Core, but I also lost my armor. How can I ept this?!"


    Thirteen sighed as he looked at the pitiful Death Bat, who had indeed fought bravely in order to protect him.


    Since that was the case, how could he possibly shortchange Camazotz, despite always only doing things for profits and benefits?


    "Don''t worry. It''s just an armor that reflects the enemy''s attacks," Thirteen stated. "I will ask my father to craft you a much better armor with the Majin King''s Scales. It will be much more powerful than the armor you''ve used before.


    "Just imagine this¡ªan armor made from the scales of an Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, which also has the ability to reflect your opponent''s attacks. Even if you are fighting against a Majin King, you will no longer have anything to fear."


    After hearing Thirteen''s words, the Death Bat stopped wailing and slowly propped himself up from the ground.


    Camzotz then coughed lightly, as he rested his hand on Thirteen''s shoulder.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier?" Camazotz asked as if he was the teenage boy''s best friend. "Um, how soon can this armor be forged? Do you need anything else to make it more powerful?"


    The crocodile tears that had stained his face earlier were nowhere to be seen, reced by a wide smile as if he had won the lottery.


    "Well, since it''s going to be more powerful than your previous armor, we will need High-Grade Cores to make it stronger," Thirteen replied. "Give me as many Cores as you have. Trust me¡ªthe more you give, the more powerful this armor will be.


    "You will no longer have to fear Majin Kings. The only ones who can threaten your life are the Seven Fiends and the Seven Celestials of this world."


    The Death Bat, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, felt excited because he could already picture himself expanding his domain and moving unhindered over vast swaths of territory.


    "Very well," Camaztoz gave Thirteen a thumbs up. "I''ll give you all the cores I can spare. Make sure that the armor is absolutely amazing, okay?"


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "The stronger you are, the stronger our Trinity will be, right?"


    "Hahaha! You''re right, Thirteen. I know that being your friend is a good thing." Camazotz was very pleased by this development. Although he was still a little salty because the Majin King Core didn''t fall into his hands, he would still be able to gain a lot from this experience because Thirteen promised him a strong armor that would allow him to face off against Majin Kings.


    After promising to meetter, the Death Bat used his ring to return to the Order of the Apocalypse.


    When the Death Bat was finally gone, Thirteen stopped enduring the exhaustion he was feeling, his knees hitting the ground.


    He was doing his best to act confident and tough in front of Camazotz because he couldn''t show any weakness to the Death Bat, who treated him like some kind of spiritual pir.


    Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed hold of his body and made himy on the ground.


    Erica then rested Thirteen''s head on herp and lightly tapped his cheeks with both of her hands. "Sleep," Erica ordered. "Stop acting tough and just rest."


    "Yes, Mom," Thirteen replied in a teasing tone before closing his eyes.


    Due to his exhaustion, he fell into sleep''s embrace in less than a minute.


    Using Sun Wukong''s Divine Weapon was not a feat just anyone could do. The only reason why he was able to wield it was due to the fact that the Monkey King had given him permission to use Ruyi Jingu Bang.


    The Divine Weapon had already returned to its rightful owner in the Celestial Realm, who was toasting Thirteen for a job well done. Unfortunately, the teenage boy could only use this weapon once.


    The Monkey King would face severe punishment if he allowed Thirteen to use it a second time, and he didn''t want that to happen.


    A Celestial Hero interfering in the affairs of Mortals was taboo. However, since Sun Wukong was the Great Sage, who was Heaven''s Equal, everyone was willing to turn a blind eye once.


    Even Lace Demon and The One decided to not pursue this matter at all.


    As Thirteen slept in Erica''sp, the hundreds of Wanderers who were traveling underground received a notification that their Second Mission had been sessfullypleted.


    Cheers rang out because all of them received Adamantine-Grade Equipment, which was only a Rank lower than a Mythical Grade Equipment.


    Also, these items were soul-bound to them, which meant that they were the only ones who could use them.


    The only downside was that they couldn''t sell or trade it to others. But even so, they were still happy that they managed to gain something from this mission despite the fact that they didn''t do anything to receive such rewards.


    Diana, who was leading everyone, looked at her status page with relief.


    She didn''t know how it happened, but she was certain of one thing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''If it''s him, then it''s certainly possible,'' Diana thought as the image of the teenage boy, who had trained her and the members of the Hero Party, appeared inside her head.


    Now that they no longer needed to hide, she once again led the Wanderers above ground in order to reunite with their leader, who was currently sleeping without a care in the world.

 Chapter 570 Feel Free To Call Me Anything You Like, But Make Sure To Pay Up

    570 Feel Free To Call Me Anything You Like, But Make Sure To Pay Up


    Thirteen felt as if his body was floating.


    He was very familiar with this sensation, for this was neither the first nor probably thest time it would happen.


    Opening his eyes, he found himself in the familiar Celestial Realm, where the Lace Demon and The One were waiting for him to regain consciousness.


    But before the two powerful beings could talk to him, Thirteen managed to ask them a question first.


    "How is Cranky alive?" Thirteen asked.


    The corner of Lace Demon''s lips twitched, not expecting that such would be the first question the teenage boy would ask him.


    "Actually, Cranky never died," Lace Demon replied before snapping his fingers.


    A projection then appeared in front of Thirteen, showing him hugging the Honey Badger, whom he thought had died while protecting him.


    Lace Demon then made the rey speed up a bit until the part where Thirteen fought against the Majin King, Orochi.


    A few minutes after their battle started, Cranky''s body shrank until its body was only three meters long.


    The injuries it suffered slowly regenerated until no wounds remained on its body. A minute after that, the Honey Badger started digging on the ground, just in time to evade the shockwave that had spread across thend due to Thirteen''s battle with the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    "Cranky is a mutated monster with the strength of a Pseudo-Majin Prince," Lace Demon exined. "Although its regeneration ability isn''t as fast as the Eight-Headed Serpent''s regeneration, it was still enough to allow it to fully recover from its injuries.


    "But Cranky had been unconscious even when he started digging on the ground. Its primal instinct urged it to look for a safe ce to hide for a period of time until the present danger in its surroundings disappeared.


    "It only regained consciousness after Orochi died. As you can see, the first thing that was on his mind was to eat the Majin King''s Core, which I found very amusing."


    Thirteen watched as the small Cranky emerged on the ground a few meters away from the dead Orochi before increasing his size.


    The Honey Badger then unceremoniously picked up Thirteen from the dead Majin King''s chest before gently cing him to the side, as if he was on the way to his midnight snack.


    The scene that followed was along the lines Thirteen remembered, which made him scratch his head helplessly.


    "Such a troublesome glutton," Thirteen said with a faint smile on his face.


    "You don''t regret it?" Lace Demon asked. "Because of him, you were forced to use a trump card that you could have used for something else."


    "I don''t regret it," Thirteen replied. "Well, that is a bit wrong. I regret not using it earlier. If I did, I wouldn''t have to suffer that heartbreak. Man¡­ that was embarrassing."


    "You''re starting to be more human now, Thirteen," The Onemented with a smile. "Um? Let''s put that aside for now," Thirteen said. "Since I fixed this problem, I should get some rewards, shouldn''t I? You''re going to give mepensation¡­ right?"


    14:42


    "Bah! Forget what I said earlier," The One scoffed. "You''re still not human. You''re just a greedy system."


    Thirteen smirked as he opened his hand in the sign of asking for payment. "That''s fine. Feel free to call me anything you like, but make sure to pay up."


    "Didn''t you already get a reward?" Lace Demon arched an eyebrow. "We made an exception and allowed you to receive an Adamantine Weapon and Armor. That should be enoughpensation.


    "Also, all the First-Time Wanderers have raised their Ranks to Rookies, while the Apostles are now Elites. Isn''t that enough?"


    Thirteen nced at his Status Page and checked the mission details once more.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    < Emergency Mission >


    Mission: Fight or Flight! (Complete!)


    You can choose between the two options. Clearing any of the two options will automatically clear the current mission of all Wanderers within the territories of the Fractured and Absolute Heaven.


    Defeat the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    Special Rewards: ¨C For those who are experiencing their First Wandering, all of you will automatically be a Rookie even if you haven''t absorbed any Beast Cores. This means that you can continue your next mission as Rookies, giving you greater strength to clear thest mission.


    ¨C All Apostles will also break through the next rank and be Elites even if you didn''t absorb the required number of Cores.


    ¨C Each Wanderer will also gain an Adamantine-Grade Weapon, and Peak Adamantine-Grade Armor that they can use regardless of Rank.


    ¡ª All Wanderers will gain the Title "Survivor."


    < Survivor >


    ¡ª Triples the speed of your Stamina Regeneration. ¡ª If even one person can clear this mission, all Wanderers will gain the rewards listed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "It''s not enough." Thirteen shook his head after reading thepleted mission. "Adamantine Weapon and Armor? Please, I can''t even use them even if I want to. As for the new Rookies and new Elites, what does that have to do with me? I''m the one who carried them all. "You guys give Wanderers unfair missions, but when ites to rewards, you''re not stingy. The Wanderers got what they deserved, but these rewards¡­ hahaha, I don''t deserve such skimpy rewards, right?"


    The Lace Demon and The One exchanged a knowing nce at each other before sighing at the same time.


    "Listen, Thirteen¡ªthis is only the second mission of your Chain Quest," Lace demon exined. "You will only get the grand reward after you finish the mission in its entirety and return to Pangea. Isn''t that how things work? You know this, we know this, so why are you trying to get an advance payment all of a sudden?"


    "That''s right," The One stated. "You will get the rewards you rightfully deserve only after you clear the mission in its entirety. So, make sure to clear the mission." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest. "We''re only on the second mission, which means that the difficulty of the third mission will increase, yet I was already forced to use my biggest trump card. NowI don''t have any cards left. I want an advance payment."


    "So you say, but aren''t you the one who forced the Majin King to descend?" Lace Demon countered.


    "I just did what was expected of me," Thirteen argued. "What happened next waspletely out of my control."


    "It was alsopletely out of our control," Lace Demon argued back.


    "So we need topromise."


    "Compromise? You''re just being stubborn at this point."


    Thirteen heaved a long and deep sigh because he could already see that the two Guardians of Solterra wouldn''t budge no matter what he was going to say.


    "Then how about this," Thirteen raised a finger. "If Iplete this mission, aside from the rewards, I will ask for a favor. Of course, if you think that this favor is too much, feel free to reject it. However, if it is within your capacity, and it will not harm the interest of Wanderers in the world, will you seriously consider my request?"


    The One pondered a bit before nodding reluctantly. "Deal. But if the favor you ask is too much, I will reject it."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Thank you for hearing my request."


    Lace Demon sighed before poking Thirteen''s head with his finger.


    "We temporarily brought your soul here in the Celestial Realm, but staying here for too long is not good for you," Lace Demon said. "Go and return. Your people are waiting for you."


    Thirteen could feel his consciousness falling from a high ce beforeing to aplete stop.


    A momentter, he opened his eyes and found himself inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, lying on Cranky''s fluffy chest, which was going up and down as he loudly snored in his sleep.


    Propping himself up, he saw Giga, cky, and Hercules roastingrge bs of meat for everyone to eatter. The Trolls and Ogres, on the other hand, were busy removing the scales from the dead monster''s body and storing its blood inrge containers, which they piled to the side for future use.


    Thirteen smiled because he was already thinking of ways to help his monster army grow stronger, as well as put the Majin King''s corpse to good use.


    With the flesh and blood of the Majin King, he could trigger an evolution for the Trolls and Ogres. Not only that, but he already found ways to help Erica''s, Sherry''s, and Diana''s Avatars to evolve.


    However, since his body was still exhausted, he decided to put this matter aside for the time being andy back down.


    Despite Cranky''s loud snoring, Thirteen was able to fall asleep rtively quickly.


    Soon, the teenage boy and the Honey Badger were both snoring loudly, as if they werepeting who could snore louder. The sight of this picture made Erica and Sherry giggle, finding it quite amusing.


    Meanwhile, outside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress¡­


    The youngdy with long ck hair and green eyes stood on a small hill that overlooked the battlefield where Thirteen had fought the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    She watched the battle from beginning to end and found herself thinking of the teenage boy who had used the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which her father had also used in the past. "Sister, are you hungry?" a little girl with pink hair and green eyes asked.


    "Cinnamon thinks that sister is hungry," another girl, who looked exactly like her sister, Maple,mented. "Do you want gummy bears, sister?"


    "Okay," Ste replied with a smile as she happily ate the gummy bear that Cinnamon gave her. "The two of you should return soon. Papa and Mama Chiffon might get worried if you don''t get back soon."


    "We asked for permission to see you, sister," Maple said. "Isn''t that right, Cinnamon?"


    "Yes, we did." Cinnamon nodded. "Sister, do you think Brother Zion will let us take a bite of that Giant Serpent? It looks delicious."


    "Brother Zion?" Ste asked with curiosity. "You''ve met him before?"


    "Yes!" Maple raised her hands. "He made us eat a lot. Also, his sister, Remi, and little Ria are very kind. They are good people."


    "Cinnamon likes Big Brother Zion," Cinnamonmented. "He''s a good person."


    Ste was surprised to hear her sisters, Maple and Cinnamon, praise Zion Leventis.


    Both of them were very sensitive to the feelings and desires of others, so they did not approach bad or malicious people.


    Since the twobeled the teenage boy as a good person, Ste decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.


    "Return for now, okay?" Ste kissed the cheeks of her little sisters before urging them to return home. "I have Aethon with me, so you don''t need to worry about my safety."


    ""Okay~""


    The twins then held hands with each other before moving their hands in a circr motion. A momentter, a portal appeared in front of them, which would lead them back to their own world, which was on the other side of the Multiverse.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A/N: One long chapter for today. I will post three chapters tomorrow. And yes, the Elyverse is real. Kekeke!

 Chapter 571: This Is Just Common Sense, Right?

    Thirteen scanned the faces of the members from the Cygni Faction and the Apostles, all of whom had witnessed his battle with the Majin King.


    They were all looking back at him with conflicted expressions on their faces, especially Leon, who thought that Zion looked cool during the battle despite his hatred toward thetter.


    "I''m not going to tell you to keep what you saw a secret, but I still think I need to exin what happened," Thirteen said. "As you all know, I have several restrictions on my body, so I''m sure the majority of you are surprised by the fighting prowess I showed earlier.


    "Unfortunately, that power doesn''t belong to me. It came from over there," Thirteen pointed towards the starry skies above his head, making it sound ambiguous. "Lace Demon had told me to clean up the mess I started and gave me the ability to do it. That power you saw wasn''t mine.


    "Of course, if you don''t believe me, that''s fine as well. If you stick with me long enough, you''ll get used to seeing these things as well."


    While Thirteen was talking, the Trolls walked over and handed barbecue skewers to the Wanderers, as well as Drazzat.


    The meat was, of course from, the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, which made the Lizardman very happy. For their race, eating such a strong creature was like a badge of honor.


    "Then what about these Trolls and the monsters who fought with you?" David asked. "Are they Avatars?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "They are living, breathing monsters. They are not avatars. They are the friends that I met while touring the area of the Goblins. I threw them a few pieces of meat, and we hit it off right away. Isn''t that right, T1?"


    "Right!" The Troll Warlord nodded and even gave the Wanderers a thumbs up. "Zion is our friend. Very good friend."


    The Troll patted Thirteen''s shoulder as if implying that he was telling the truth.


    "Well, then. Let''s now talk about the gains you got during this battle," Thirteen stated. "All of you managed to get eight scales in total. The Cygni Faction has three, the Apostles have five. As you may already know, those scales are something that most Factions in Pangea would fight for to get.


    "It''s quite unfortunate that Lace Demon took the body of the Majin King after Cranky ate its core. We lost a treasure trove right under our nose."


    The other Wanderers also showed signs of regret, also finding it quite disappointing.


    Of course, Erica, Sherry, Ratatoskr, and Drazzat knew very well that the teenage boy was telling a big fat lie.


    But since they were on the same side, none of them nned on exposing the greatest heist that happened in the Absolute Heaven.


    "So what now?" David asked.


    "We head back to the ruined Kingdom of Seneros, and wait for the other Wanderers to regroup with us," Thirteen replied. "From there, we all travel to ourst destination."


    Thirteen nced at his status page to look at thest mission that was on his status page.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Trial of Courage [Final Mission]


    Located at the Northern edge of Absolute Heaven is the Temple of Courage. The path leading to this ce is infested with Jinns.


    Do your best to survive and conquer the Temple of Courage.


    The final battle awaits at its highest floor.


    This challenge can be cleared solo or by group.


    There is no limit to the number of people in the group.


    But, everyone is required to clear this mission using their own power. Only those who are able to pass this trial will be able toplete the mission.


    Time Limit: None


    Rewards: Will be based on your overall contribution to the entire Chain Quest.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "There is no time limit to this quest, which means that it might take us a long time to reach the Temple of Courage," Thirteen exined. "Also, there''s also the threat of the Jinns. They just scattered away because of the threat of the Majin King.


    "Now that it''s gone, it''s safe to say that they may return and block our path. Last but not the least, I believe that there''s another Majin King in Absolute Heaven, so you have to consider that threat as well."


    When the Wanderers heard that there might be another Majin King, all of their faces turned pale with fright.


    Facing one was enough for them to feel despair.


    Fighting another would make them fall intoplete and utter depression.


    Thirteenughed internally. What he said was the truth. There was indeed one more Majin King in the Absolute Heaven, and that was the Demonic Smander.


    The only saving grace was that this particr Majin King hated conflicts and preferred to sleep near spiritual veins.


    Although there was a chance that they would encounter it, the possibility was very small.


    "Don''t worry. We might not encounter it on our journey at all, so don''t look as if the world is about to end," Thirteen said with a smile. "This is the final leg of our mission. After this, all of us will return home."


    After hearing the word "home," the eyes of the Wanderers regained their light as they looked at Thirteen with determination.


    The way they looked at the teenage boy had also changed.


    If before, they looked at him with disdain, doubt, and arrogance, they now looked at him as if he had be a pir that could support the weight of the world.


    "Let''s rest for the night," Thirteen said. "Tomorrow, we meet with Diana and the others and head to the Temple of Courage together."


    Everyone nodded in agreement and epted the bed rolls and nket Thirteen provided for them.


    Rockyid down on the ground, acting as a windbreak to prevent the cold air from affecting the Wanderers, who were in dire need of rest.


    While their Master and the Wanderers slept, Thirteen''s monster army stood as night watch, making sure that no monsters would dare to disturb the teenage boy''s sleep.


    Thirteen, who was about toy down on his own bedroll, suddenly found Erica and Sherry cing their bedrolls right beside him.


    Since they couldn''t sleep inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress with the Wanderers lest they got suspicious, they decided to just sleep beside Thirteen for the night.


    For some reason, Giga and Hercules alsoy at the side to sleep, blocking the vision of the other Wanderers, and preventing the others from seeing their Master''s current situation.


    "What are the two of you doing?" Thirteen blinked in confusion because he suddenly found himself being hugged by Erica and Sherry on both sides.


    "Using you as a hug pillow, of course," Erica whispered. "This is justmon sense, right?"


    "That''s right," Sherrymented. "This is a very normal thing in this situation."


    Thirteen blinked once and twice as he remembered the advice of his best friend, Vincent when it came to women.


    "Thirteen, remember this¡ªwhen ady wants to sleep beside you, you''re not a man if you say no to them."


    While contemting if Vincent''s words were true or not, the teenage boy decided that there was no harm in being hugged by the twodies, who were sharing their warmth on this cold night.


    Soon, he fell asleep under the starry skies, with the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, chuckling from the heavens and giving his very dear friend, Thirteen, a thumbs up.

 Chapter 572: Girl, Don’t Raise A Death Flag

    A day after Thirteen''s battle with the Majin King¡­


    "How did you clear the mission?"


    That was the first question Diana asked the moment he saw Thirteen and his group, who had stayed behind to deal with the Majin King.


    "The Majin King was strong, but it took an arrow in the knee..." Thirteen wasn''t able to finish what he was going to say next because Diana raised her hand to stop him.


    "Zion, snakes don''t have knees," Diana stated.


    "Oh, dear¡ªdid I say knee? I meant neck."


    "Zion¡­"


    Diana couldn''t help but facepalm because the teenage boy was clearly messing with her.


    "Okay, I''ll tell you the truth," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "I fought a Majin King and beat it to death with a stick. He got us in the first round, but theeback is real."


    The youngdy pinched the bridge of her nose before shaking her head helplessly.


    "Hah¡­ nevermind. It was a mistake asking you."


    "But I''m really telling you the truth, you know?"


    Thinking that Thirteen was just teasing her, she decided to ask Erica because she believed that one of her close friends wouldn''t lie to her.


    "Zion did beat the Majin King with a stick," Erica said.


    "Erica! Not you too?" Diana sighed. "I''m seriously asking you what happened. How did we clear the mission?"


    "If you don''t believe me, then ask David and the others," Erica replied with a mischievous smile on her face. "They will say something simr."


    Diana thought that her friend was joking, but when she asked the others who had gone to the surface the question she asked her close friend, all of them said the same thing.


    Thirteen beat the Majin King with a stick.


    A stick that could increase its size, towering in the heavens.


    "See?" Erica patted her friend''s shoulder. "I told you so."


    The Wanderers were now camped outside the walls of the City of Seneros, which had been destroyed by the Majin King.


    The survivors had already fled the city, heading to who knows where. Since that was the case, many Wanderers tried to scavenge the ruins for anything useful.


    David and the Cygni Faction headed straight toward the destroyed castle, hoping to raid its treasury.


    Unfortunately for them, Thirteen was three steps ahead and ordered Rocky and the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons to storm the city and start a treasure hunt.


    Rocky immediately went to raid the Kingdom''s treasure vault and stored everything they looted within his Mobile Fortress.


    But he ordered his subordinates to leave some scraps here and there, so the Wanderers could still profit from their piging.


    Two hourster, a meeting was held regarding what they would do for theirst mission.


    "As you can see, thest mission is very straightforward," Thirteen said to the officers, who were assigned to take care of the people assigned to them. "We need to travel north to find the Temple of Courage.


    "However, we will definitely encounter Jinn-infestednds. The only saving grace is that everyone here is either a Rookie or an Elite. Our current fighting force is stronger than we had a few days ago, so there is a way to ovee dangerous situations.


    "But the possibility of encountering a Monster Tide out in the open ins is very high. We''d also have nowhere to run, so if ever, we would have no choice but to fight them."


    "Will your Monster friends help?" one of the former Apostles asked.


    "They will," Thirteen nodded. "But we shouldn''t rely on them too much. Think of this as a good opportunity to fight Jinns and gain experience. Also, the items you can get from killing them will be very useful in clearing the final mission.


    "They will only help when we''re facing an enemy that we alone cannot defeat. Of course, death is a possibility, so everyone must fight to the best of their ability."


    Thirteen paused a bit before getting to the heart of the issue.


    "Our food supplies are also almost used up, so I think it will be best if we start our journey tomorrow. Any Jinns we find along the way are fair game unless they are too powerful for us to handle.


    "We will be taking routes by the river, so we won''t need to worry about water. As long as everyone remains vignt and able to react to any variables, I believe we will be able to survive the journey without suffering casualties."


    Since Thirteen was the current leader of the Wanderers, his words would be carried out without fail.


    When the meeting ended, the teenage boy nced at the Wanderers, who wore Adamantine Grade Armors.


    They looked like Knights of a Kingdom out for an expedition.


    ''Well, it''s more like a crusade than an expedition,'' Thirteen thought. ''Still, with everyone having Adamantine Grade Weapons and Armors, we should be able to handle Rank 2 and Rank 3 Jinns without problems.''


    The scary thing about Jinn-infested Lands was that each of them was led by a Sovereign.


    But sometimes, the Sovereigns weren''t the problem.


    It was their tactic.


    Jinns like to use swarm tactics, overwhelming their enemies by sheer numbers.


    Thirteen didn''t n on letting Rocky and his Monster Army deal with it.


    They had over nine hundred people with them, so they should be able to hold out as long as everyone fought.


    The Elites like Erica and Diana would also be standing at the front lines, making sure that the vanguard would hold.


    Thirteen would also be there,manding everyone, so casualties would be minimized.


    His n was to train the Wanderers, simr to how he trained his army in the Rigel Continent.


    Since most Wanderers were first-timers, he nned to employ hit-and-run tactics, allowing the Rookies to gain experience and confidence as they journeyed toward the Temple of Courage.


    The next day, everyone moved in formation, with Thirteen''s wagon leading the way.


    Thirteen''s monster army was nowhere to be seen because they had all returned to Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Although the Wanderers didn''t know where the monsters had gone, Thirteen assured them that they would appear if they needed them.


    "What do you think, Zion?" Erica asked as she sat on Thirteen''s wagon. "Will thest mission be hard?"


    "We are traveling in Jinn-infested territory, using only apass to travel north," Thirteen replied. "We neither know how long this journey will be, who we will meet along the way, nor what kind of challenges we will have to face. Since this is the final mission, I doubt that it''s going to be easy."


    "I hope that we will not face a Majin King¡­"


    "Girl, don''t raise a death g."


    While Thirteen and Erica were doing casual banter, a giant bird soared high in the sky, following the procession of wagons that was headed north.


    Ste looked at her Status Page, which told her that this was thest mission that she needed to finish before she could return to Pangea, where she had taken a temporary residence.


    Even she admitted that the fight against the Majin King was truly dangerous, so she hoped that nothing of the sort would happen again in her third mission.


    "I can''t always depend on my parents," Ste muttered. "If I don''t try to forge my own path, I''m afraid that I will not be able to grow as an individual."


    Aethon gave a low screech of agreement, assuring her Mistress that she was doing the right thing.


    The beautiful youngdy gazed at the wagon at the forefront of the procession with a calm expression on her face.


    She had to admit that the battle that Zion fought impressed her, making her want to y a more active role in thest mission and face the hurdles that would block her path.


    ----


    A/N: Today was an emotional day, so I wasn''t able to write three chapters. I''ll see if I can do it tomorrow.

 Chapter 573: I’m Not Interested In A Hero Wannabe

    "Don''t get too close to their leader," the Sage of the Hero party, Joshua, shouted. "All of you focus on the small fries. Rnd will handle the rest!"


    Screams, roars, and shouts reverberated in the surroundings as the group of Wanderers fought against a pack of Monsters that had tried to raid their camp in the middle of the night.


    A shining white banner illuminated the surroundings, allowing the Wanderers to keep their calm and see the monsters that had encircled their camp.


    "Shana, focus on supporting just Rnd and Derek," Joshua stated, briefly ncing in the direction where Shana was looking. "That girl can handle things on her own."


    Shana nodded, but still nced onest time at the youngdy with long blue hair, who seemed to be enjoying her solo battle against the Three-Eyed Wolf, which was a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    ''Is she still human?'' Shana thought before shifting her gaze at her party members who were fighting another Three-Eyed Wolf of the same Rank.


    Their group of Wanderers consisted of a hundred people, and most of them were First Time Wanderers, who hadn''t even stepped into the Rookie Rank.


    However, there was one teenage girl who was simply an abnormality.


    Unlike the rest, she was already a Rookie, but the strength she showed surpassed what an ordinary Rookie could do.


    ''Unlike Zion, this girl is more brutal in her way of fighting,'' the Archer of the Hero Party, Mildred, was helping Derek to protect the First Timers who didn''t have a lot ofbat experience.


    ''Damn!'' Derek cursed internally as he killed a Rank 2 Wolf, who had almost sank its jaws on the teenage boy who hade to help protect hisrades as a Vanguard. ''If only Erica or Diana were here, controlling these small fries would be easier.''


    Derek was quite familiar with fighting in the front lines, but his main role was an offensive fighter.


    But right now, he was also acting as a defender, preventing the lower-ranked Three-Eyed Wolves from attacking the helpless Wanderers.


    Of course, there were some Wanderers who had been trained as warriors from a young age, helping Derek kill the weaker monsters with everything they had.


    If not for Shana''s support, things would have ended badly for the group of Wanderers.


    The White Banner, Clemence, had the ability to help people recover their fatigue and stamina. It also has a healing effect, allowing minor injuries like shallow wounds, and bruises to recover over time.


    Lastly, if Shana channeled her Aether on the g, it could create a barrier, protecting people inside a dome of light.


    However, Shana couldn''t keep the barrier up for a long time, so allbatants were doing their best to finish the battle as fast as they could.


    Half an hourter, Rnd finally killed the Rank 5 Sovereign that he was fighting.


    It had been a very difficult battle because his opponent was very agile, and its bodyguards would also join the battle, preventing Rnd from gaining the upper hand.


    Things only settled down when the youngdy with blue hair killed her opponent, and helped Rnd eliminate the Alpha Monsters that protected their Sovereign.


    "Thank you, Siri," Rnd said to the blue-haired girl. "The battle ended faster because of you."


    "Well, you''re not half bad for an Initiate," Siri replied as her long blue hair changed color into blonde hair. "But you could have done better."


    Rnd wanted to say that she should be a bit more respectful to those who were older than her, but since he didn''t want to make a big deal out of it, he only nodded before going back to their group to see if anyone had suffered serious injuries.


    After fighting against Thirteen, Rnd had been humbled, so although he was upset that Siri was acting very arrogant for her age, he simply thought of her as a female version of Zion.


    Simr to Thirteen, Siri was also thirteen years old. But unlike the rest of the Wanderers of the same age, she was already a Rookie.


    Rnd and his team met the teenage girl while leading a group of sixty Wanderers, who treated him as their leader.


    He could still remember her first words when he introduced himself to her.


    "I''m not interested in a Hero wannabe. Have you seen Zion Leventis? I want to meet him."


    At first, they thought that she was just one of the spoiled children who belonged to the Ten Prestigious Families or the Monarch ns.


    However, when he saw her fighting prowess, he had to admit that she had every reason to be arrogant.


    Siri was strong.


    Exceptionally so.


    But unlike Thirteen, her spar with Rnd always ended in a draw.


    The Wanderers were very impressed that someone like her had managed to fight against the "Hero" on equal footing, so her prestige among them shot up even more.


    Still, instead of being happy, Siri looked annoyed that she wasn''t able to have the upper hand in fighting against Rnd.


    The reason?


    It was because out of spite, Derek said that she had no reason to be arrogant because Zion Leventis could beat Rnd with one hand tied behind his back.


    Rnd wanted to p the Swordsman silly, but since what he said had really happened, he couldn''t refute his words.


    Before leaving to see his parents after their training ended, he requested a sparring match against Thirteen to see how much he had improved.


    Thirteen agreed on the condition that he would only fight Rnd using one hand.


    But even with that handicap, Thirteen still won, which made Rnd feel that he needed to train more in order to surpass the teenage boy, who was younger than him by a few years.


    "I wonder, how long do we need to travel to reach that Temple of Courage?" Derek said as Shana healed his injuries. "It''s been two months since we finished our second mission and entered Absolute Heaven.


    "The farther we go, the stronger the monsters are. Right now, we''re only fighting packs of monsters. But if we happen to meet a horde, all of us can only run away if we want to survive."


    "Stopining," Shana replied after she finished healing Derek''s injury. "If Zion is here, he will probably say something along the lines of¡­ ''You''re only fighting against small fries, and you''re getting injured? Why don''t you just bang your head to the wall you useless piece of sh*t!''"


    Derek shuddered because Shana had perfectly imitated Thirteen''s scolding to a certain extent, making him relieve his past traumas.


    "I-If Master is here, I will definitely be treated as a ve," Derek stuttered. "Please don''t raise a death g, Shana."


    The Saintess smiled faintly, having achieved the intended effect that she wanted.


    Derek only snapped into attention whenever Zion''s name was mentioned as if he was programmed to do it.


    Siri always mocked Derek and doubted that he was Zion''s disciple.


    The arrogant girl would even say, "Why would Zion Leventis choose to have a stupid disciple like you?"


    Naturally, Derek didn''t let it pass, so he challenged Siri.


    Unfortunately, he was defeated in less than five minutes, making him regret his decision.


    But Derek was a spiteful person, so he started calling Siri Little Miss Zion.


    Because six out of ten words that came out from her lips always had Zion in it.


    The Hero Party could tell that Siri seemed to treat Zion as her rival.


    However, all of them were certain that if the two really fought, the one who would win was none other than the teenage boy, who had made them go through a hellish training back in his residence, making them stronger than their former selves.


    And the funny thing was that he only trained them for a short period of time.


    If Thirteen had trained them longer, Rnd had a feeling that he would be able to defeat Siri easily and no longer have to settle for a draw each time the two of them crossed des with each other.

 Chapter 574: Zion Leventis, I Presume?

    Another week passed as Rnd''s group traveled northwest, heading for the Temple of Courage.


    Unfortunately, they were currently unable to continue pushing forward because they faced an obstacle that was extremely difficult to ovee.


    A horde of Spider-like Monsters, numbering in the hundreds, blocked their path to their destination.


    Even Siri, who was confident in her strength, was not foolish as to bulldoze her way through the horde of monsters.


    Regardless of how strong she was, she would undoubtedly get overwhelmed by the sheer number of the Jinns in front of her.


    "What now?" Derek asked as he observed the monsters in the distance. "Should we take another path?"


    Rnd didn''t reply right away, but his grim expression was enough to tell Derek that they needed to change their course or risk being detected by their enemies.


    But just as they were about to leave their hiding spot, they noticed a sudden change in the situation.


    They saw several teenagers rushing at the Horde of Monsters while riding on their mounts.


    All of them were wearing ck armor, making Rnd and Derek wonder if they belonged to a nearby Human Kingdom.


    But the one thing that struck their notice was that the mounts of the Knights were varied.


    They rode on Wolves, Bisons, Deers, Wild Horses, and any other monsters that could run on four legs.


    Because of this diversity, Rnd and Derek instinctively knew them for what they were.


    ''Wanderers''


    That was the one word that the two teenage boys thought when they saw the army of knights riding on random monsters.


    "Fire!" the Knight that led the charge ordered, and soon, countless arrows rained down on the Spider-like Monsters, making them screech in anger.


    The number of Wanderers who had initiated the attack was at least around three hundred, ording to Derek''s estimation.


    Although they were numerous, he doubted that they would be able to deal with the Horde of Monsters with their numbers.


    Just as he thought that this was a suicide act, the Captain leading the charge shouted another order.


    "Retreat!"


    Without even a moment of hesitation, the group of Wanderers retreated as if they had done this numerous times already.


    Rnd and Derek didn''t hesitate to summon their Flying Avatars and follow the group, wanting to see where they were headed and what they were nning to do.


    To their surprise, the group led the Monster Horde in a valley with a narrow passage.


    The moment the monster Horde entered the valley, they were met with a bombardment of arrows and spells.


    The most eye-catching of them all were the dozens of fire spears that descended toward the monster horde without any shred of mercy, decimating the lower-ranked monsters and injuring those with higher ranks.


    Rnd''s and Derek''s eyes widened in shock when they saw the familiar sorceress, who was casting fire spells left and right without pause.


    "Erica!" Rnd shouted as he urged his Rank 4 Hippogriff to fly in her direction.


    "Don''t bother me, Rnd," Erica replied as she cast a fireball at the monster army. "Can''t you see I''m busy? We can talkter."


    Rnd thought that he misheard Erica because the youngdy had never talked to him in such a manner in the past.


    Whenever they were together, she would praise how strong and dependable he was in battle.


    But the current Erica only gave him a side-long nce as she continued her magical bombardment without pause.


    Derek looked at his two friends before scratching his head.


    Just like Rnd, he didn''t expect that Erica would address the other party in that manner, so for the time being, he decided to just observe from the side to see what was going on.


    A few minutester, Erica stopped her bombardment and nced at the white smoke rising up from the valley''s entrance.


    Even the archers, who were stationed at the cliffs facing the valley, stopped firing to see the current status of their mission.


    When the white smoke finally dispersed, the High-Ranking Monsters could be seen standing up and screeching in anger and pain.


    At that exact moment, a familiar voice reached everyone''s ears.


    "Charge!"


    Another group of Wanderers, numbering three hundred, charged at the entrance of the valley to face the enemies that survived the battle.


    At the very front was a teenage boy, riding on cky''s back and holding a spear in his hand.


    When he was only dozens of meters away from the Rank 6 Crimson-Eyed Spider, he threw his spear without hesitation.


    The Spider raised its front legs to repel the spear, rendering Thirteen''s initial strike useless.


    But he didn''t care.


    The spear throw was merely a distraction for the real attack that wasing next.


    The enraged Rank 6 Sovereign charged at Thirteen in anger, ready to shred him into pieces.


    But just when the teenage boy was within its strike range, cky jumped over the Crimson-Eyed Spider, making it subconsciously raise its body to intercept it.


    Just as Rnd and Derek thought that Nightmare ck Hound would be bitten by the Giant Spider, Rocky stepped into the air and performed a second jump as if he had stepped on an invisible tform.


    With its body raised up high, its underside waspletely open, allowing the Wanderers to pierce it with their weapons.


    All of the Wanderers under Thirteen''smand had Adamantine-Grade Weapons.


    This meant that it could pierce the flesh of Rank 6 Sovereigns unless they were Defensive Monsters by nature.


    It just so happened that the Crimson-Eyed Spider wasn''t a monster that specialized in defense.


    Because of this, the weapons of the Wanderers managed to pierce its flesh, catching it by surprise.


    Like a swarm of ants, the Wanderers swarmed the Rank 6 Sovereign as if they had lost the sensation of fear in their bodies.


    Naturally, the Rank 6 Sovereign tried to fight back, sending the ck knights flying in its frenzied state.


    However, since their entire bodies were covered from head to toe with Adamantine-Grade Armor, they didn''t suffer any fatal injuries.


    Sensing that it was impossible to win, the Crimson-Eyed Spider decided to retreat.


    But how could Thirteen allow it to do so?


    A golden g descended from the sky and blocked the path of the retreating spider, stopping it for a brief moment.


    A secondter, Diananded on the spider''s back and stabbed her sword deep into its flesh.


    Silvery threadstched on the Spider''s legs as Sherry, who was riding on top of her de Panther, circled around it, tying it up and preventing it from moving forward.


    Once the Rank 6 Sovereign was immobilized, a swarm of Wanderers attacked its body without mercy while shouting the chant.


    "Last hit!"


    "Last hit!"


    "Last hit!"


    "Last hit!"


    "Last hit!"


    Thirteen watched the crazed Wanderers, who were hoping that they wouldnd thest hit on the monster, giving them the prize ofnding the killing blow.


    Since he wouldn''t gain anything from killing the Rank 6 Sovereign, he simply allowed his subordinates to try their luck.


    "Yes! I killed it! Wooooo!" Leon shouted triumphantly after receiving the reward of killing the Rank 6 Sovereign.


    Unlike his previous self, he was now a Zion Fanatic, giving the teenage boy his unwavering loyalty.


    In the two months that they had been together, Thirteen had sessfully brainwashed the Wanderers under hismand, making them serve him with unwavering loyalty.


    He was a fair leader, allowing everyone equal chances to gain items from the monsters that they were fighting.


    The "Bosses" of the Monster packs, hordes, and herds were fair game for everyone.


    While Leon was basking in his glory, Dereknded beside Thirteen and bowed his head respectfully.


    "Disciple greets Master!" Derek shouted, as if making sure that everyone heard him.


    Just like he expected, the Wanderers looked in his direction, curious to see who dared to call their Supreme Leader his Master.


    "Oh, it''s you," Thirteen replied with a faint smile on his face. "How have you been, disciple of mine?"


    Seeing that Zion had recognized him in front of everyone, a smug smile appeared on Derek''s face as he nced at the Wanderers, who were serving under his Master.


    "I''m fine, Master." Derek smiled from ear to ear. "What are you doing here? Are you perhaps also headed to the Temple of Courage?"


    Thirteen nodded. "That''s right."


    The teenage boy wasn''t surprised to see Derek and Rnd. His scouts had seen them even before they met the other Wanderers.


    In fact, they had discovered the group led by the Hero Party and decided to lend them a hand in clearing the Monster Horde that blocked their path.


    Since all of them were headed in the same direction, he deemed that it would be best if they helped each other out so that they would be able to clear their mission faster.


    Lastly, having theplete Hero Party fight together would increase their strength significantly, which was something that the teenage boy was looking forward to seeing.


    Suddenly, somethingnded several meters away from Thirteen, sending dust and ground spreading from every direction.


    "Zion Leventis, I presume?"


    A youngdy with long blue hair and blue eyes looked at the boy with a smile on her beautiful face.


    She was holding a War Axe in her hands, the size of her entire body.


    "Who''s asking?" Thirteen asked back.


    "Your worst nightmare!" Siri roared as she lunged at Thirteen with her weapon raised high.


    She had been waiting for this moment since entering Solterra.


    Now that her prey was right in front of her, she would no longer hold back and fought the teenage boy using her full strength.

 Chapter 575: The Legendary Wanderer [Part 1]

    Siri found herself staring at the sky above her head.


    For a brief moment, she was confused as to how she ended up in this position.


    Half a minute ago, she had charged at Zion Leventis with her War Axe raised high to strike.


    The next second, she was lying face-up with her War Axe embedded in the ground, several meters away from her.


    Rnd, Derek, Joshua, Mildred, and Shana looked at this scene in disbelief.


    All of them had tried to stop Siri when she made her move to attack Zion, but before they could act, the battle was already over.


    After realizing what just happened, Siri immediately propped herself from the ground and summoned a spear, not even caring about the War Axe she had dropped earlier.


    Her gaze locked in on the teenage boy, who had already distanced himself from the other Wanderers.


    "Who are you, and why are you attacking me?" Thirteen asked.


    However, instead of answering, Siri charged once more and unleashed a flurry of spear thrusts with the intention to kill.


    Thirteen, however, dodged and deflected her attacks with ease, making Siri feel irritated.


    Perhaps out of anger, she threw her spear, which Thirteen once again dodged with ease.


    A secondter, Siri shed down with a sword in hand, but Thirteen had already summoned his short sword and parried it.


    Sparks flew as the two weapons shed, making the Wanderers look in awe at the prowess of the teenage girl, who was trying to hack their Supreme Leader to death.


    Rnd, Derek, and Diana, who also wield the sword, watched this battle with great concentration.


    They were studying Zion''s movements as he systematically dodged and parried Siri''s attacks, making them learn a lot from this exchange.


    "You know, I''m a very busy person," Thirteen said as he used the pommel of his short sword to hit Siri''s hand, making her drop the sword in her hand. "This is yourst warning. If you attack me again, I will no longer hold back just because you''re a girl."


    "You''re not a Rookie," Siri said as she summoned a pair of short swords in each hand. "No Rookie can possibly survive my attacks unscathed."


    "You''re right. I''m not a Rookie," Thirteen replied as he summoned another short sword. "I''m a Super Rookie."


    "Siri," Siri stated. "Remember the name of the person who will defeat you."


    The two teenagers stared at each other, both holding a short sword in each hand.


    The Hero Party had seen the young man fight during their sparring matches and simtion battles in GANDAM.


    But for some reason, Rnd and the others believed that Thirteen was still not using the full extent of his abilities.


    Shana, Rnd, Derek, Joshua, and Mildred knew that Siri was strong. She had often sparred with Rnd, and their battle always ended in a draw.


    However, Zion had thwarted her twice, and he made it look so easy, which made Rnd and Derek feel bitter in their hearts.


    "This is yourst warning," Thirteen said. "I don''t take it lightly when people attack me with killing intent."


    "Die!" Siri ignored Thirteen''s warning and stomped her right foot forward, lunging at her opponent like an arrow in flight.


    Thirteen narrowed his eyes, as he, too, charged forward, shing with the blue-haired girl who seemed to be hell-bent on fighting him.


    The Wanderers, who had followed Zion through their journey, were surprised because they hadn''t seen Zion Leventis fight seriously.


    Of course, those who were present during Thirteen''s battle with the Majin King looked at Siri as if she was some kind of rabid puppy who had no idea whom she was trying to bite.


    A minuteter, a cry of pain reached their ears as Thirteen used an Elbow Strike to hit the side of Siri''s face, targeting her jaw, making the teenage girl stagger.


    But it didn''t end there, Thirteen followed up with a punch, breaking Siri''s nose.


    Just as everyone thought that the battle had ended, Thirteen followed up with a backkick that sent the teenage girl flying.


    The men couldn''t help but look at Zion in horror, seeing how he didn''t hold back even though he was fighting a girl.


    What they didn''t know was that Zion was a system, and he didn''t care about the gender of those who were trying to kill him.


    Several of his hosts had died because they were backstabbed by their lovers.


    After witnessing such betrayal more than just once, twice, and thrice, Thirteen couldn''t care less about the information of those whom he was fighting, including whether they were men or women.


    If they want to kill him, they should be prepared to be killed by him as well.


    But he didn''t kill Siri.


    He just made sure to teach her a lesson so that she wouldn''t dare to face him again.


    Thirteen nced at the fallen girl on the ground before turning around to order his people to start dismantling the spiders to get their Cores and see if any of their body parts would be useful.


    However, he only managed to walk a few steps before he felt some movement behind him.


    Siri had already propped herself up from the ground and wiped the blood that was flowing down from her nose.


    The injury she received was healing at a fast pace, making Thirteen frown.


    "You still want to fight?" Thirteen asked as he cracked his knuckles, and walked towards Siri, who was ring in his direction.


    "Y-You! How can you hit ady''s face without holding back?" Siri asked in anger. "Are you out of your mind?! What if you disfigure me?"


    "I see. So you choose death," Thirteen replied. "I can help with that."


    Suddenly, Siri''s body trembled as Thirteen released a killing intent that made her knees turn into jelly.


    "W-What?!" Siri, who lost the strength of her legs, found herself sitting on the ground, her body trembling non-stop.


    The killing intent that Zion had released was only directed at her, making her feel on an instinctual level that if she messed with the person in front of her, she was really going to die.

 Chapter 576: The Legendary Wanderer [Part 2]

    Thirteen had apanied his hosts to countless battlefields.


    After everything he had been through and the unfairness that his hosts had been subjected to, Thirteen''s killing intent gradually built up and became something that not just anyone could face head-on.


    That killing intent had first red up when Cranky had died, allowing him to wield Ruyi Jingu Bang and harness its might to pummel the Majin King to oblivion.


    Siri, who had never been exposed to such powerful killing intent, couldn''t help but look at the teenage boy in fear.


    For a brief moment, Siri saw a scene where Zion Leventis stood on a mountain of corpses, looking down on her with those green glowing eyes that didn''t seem to belong to a human being.


    Perhaps, reaching her limit, her eyes rolled out of her socket before copsing unconscious on the ground.


    After seeing that the stubborn girl had finally fainted, Thirteen closed his eyes to disperse his killing intent.


    Only when he was certain that he had properly reigned in on his emotions did he open them again.


    "Diana, order everyone to start gathering cores," Thirteen ordered as he rubbed his face with his hands. "We will be staying in this valley today, then we''ll continue our journey tomorrow."


    Diana nodded and started to give out orders. She was the second-inmand of their Battalion, so everyone heeded her orders without fail.


    Shana, on the other hand, went to check on Siri''s condition and started to use her healing magic on her.


    Thirteen gave the unconscious girl onest nce before motioning for Derek toe closer to him.


    "Who is this rabid girl?" Thirteen asked. "Why did she attack me?"


    "She''s Siri, and well¡­ she seems to treat you as some kind of rival," Derek replied. "She always says that when the two of you meet, she will show everyone that she''s better than you."


    "She also says that what you can do, she can do better," Rndmented. "But it seems that it was all just bravado."


    Rnd eyed the teenage boy, whom he also considered his rival.


    Originally, he thought that he could now defeat Zion if the two of them sparred with each other.


    But after watching his fight with Siri, Rnd realized that he was still not Zion''s match.


    He no longer looked at the teenage boy as a Rookie. Just like what Siri had said, it was impossible for a Rookie to possess such strength.


    Still, there was no doubt that Thirteen''s current rank, at least on paper, was a Rookie, making Rnd frown.


    ''A Super Rookie¡­'' Rnd thought.


    But just as he was thinking along those lines, he remembered a story that was told to him by the Field Commander of the Central Government.


    ording to him, there were three types of Wanderers.


    The normal Wanderer.


    The Pathfinder.


    Andst, but not the least, the legendary¡­ Beyonder.


    An existence that surpassed all Wanderers.


    ''Can it be?'' Rnd mused as he looked at Thirteen''s back, who was walking toward Sherry and Erica.


    Although he hadn''t seen a Beyonder nor did he know what they were like, he believed that if they really existed, only the teenage boy, whom he begrudgingly recognized as someone more capable than him, could be one of those legendary Beyonders who would lead all of them to a brighter future.


    A few hourster, bonfires illuminated the surroundings as everyone happily ate the barbecued meat from the spiders that they had killed earlier.


    Jinns liked to eat Wanderers, but it was also the same for them.


    The God of Wanderers had granted his subjects the ability to consume the flesh of Jinns regardless of what type of monster they were.


    With the exception of the Jinns who were truly venomous or had poison coating their bodies, the Wanderers could eat them without problems.


    While everyone was having a good time, Thirteen sat between Sherry and Erica, eating the barbecued spider leg that they prepared for him.


    Shana, who was seated across Thirteen, nced at Sherry and Erica before shaking her head helplessly.


    ''The two of them have been infected by the Zion Virus,'' Shana thought. ''I better use purification magic on themter.''


    Sherry and Erica, who had no idea what the Saintess was talking about, took turns feeding the teenage boy, which made Derek look at him with awe and admiration.


    He knew that Erica liked Rnd, so he thought that she was only acting close to Zion because she was treating him like a little brother.


    As for Sherry¡­ both of them were of the same age, and it wasn''t unheard of for Wanderers who shared life-and-death battles together to get close to each other.


    Half an hourter, Thirteen who had finished eating, asked Rnd how they arrived in Absolute Heaven.


    ording to the Hero recognized by the Central Government, they entered Absolute Heaven from the ins of Rashek.


    The funny thing was that, when Rnd appeared in Solterra, he was together with the Sage of their party, Joshua.


    A monthter, they met Shana, Derek, and Mildred, who were leading a group of Wanderers who were doing their missions.


    When Rnd finished his story, it was Thirteen''s turn to share his own.


    The teenage boy told everyone how he met Erica and stopped the war between the Ratkins and the Lizardmen.


    Diana then continued to tell the second part of the story where they traveled to the Kingdom of Seneros.


    Since the Crusader led the Wanderers to retreat underground, Erica decided to tell them about their exciting battle against a Majin King.


    Derek, who was listening intently to Erica''s story, dropped the barbecued spider leg he was holding due to shock.


    "Hey, you''re not exaggerating, right?" Derek asked. "You like to exaggerate things, you know?"


    "Hmph! This''s why you''re still single," Erica scoffed.


    Derek scratched his head with a face filled with injustice. "¡­ What does me being single have to do with you exaggerating things?"


    Sherry couldn''t help but chuckle because she found this banter between the members of the Hero Party quite amusing.


    Just like most Wanderers in Pangea, he looked up to them because they represented the heroes of the young generation.


    After interacting with Erica, Sherry realized that although the sorceress could be arrogant at times, she was a very caring person.


    Lastly, now that she met the members of the Hero Party, she deemed that all of them were good people.


    "Still, is it true that you really defeated a Majin King?" Shana asked.


    Thirteen nodded. "I got help from Lace Demon. I didn''t win with my own strength."


    """Phew."""


    Rnd, Derek, Joshua, and Mildred all patted their chests in relief because the news of Zion killing a Majin King was simply too far-fetched for them toprehend.


    The teenage boy had already done many legendary feats.


    If the news of him beating a Majin King was to spread in Pangea, the delicate bnce of power that was being maintained by the different factions might start to shift and cause consequences that even the Leventis Family might not be able to bear.


    Thirteen knew this as well, so he made sure to mention that he got external help.


    This was the only exnation he could think of to make those who were in a position of power not think that he could single-handedly defeat a Majin King, whom even the Monarchs wouldn''t dare to fight.

 Chapter 577: Every Wanderer Counts [Part 1]

    The sound of fighting reverberated in the surings as Thirte''s Knights, whom he monikered the Knights of the Apocalypse, killed the monsters that blocked their path.


    Since all of them were wearing the same ck, Adamantine-Grade Armor, they truly looked like knights that came from an established kingdom.


    "Strange," Rnd said. "Howe the vanguard doesn''t kill the monsters they face? They simply cripple them before moving to the next target."


    "I thought that I''m the only one who noticed it, but it seems that you are thinking the same thing," Joshuamted.


    "The knights on the fourth row also ignored the monsters on the g, allowing the ones from the fifth team tond the killing blow," Derek rubbed his chin. "I''ve never se this tactic before."


    "They''re just Rank  up to Rank 3 Monsters," Siri scoffed. "There''s no point killing such small fries."


    "You''re wrong about that," Shana stated. "Zion doesn''t do things without a reason, and the way I see it, it seems that they have established some rules on who will deal the killing blow."


    The Saintess of the Hero Party watched as Thirte''s army annihted hundreds of Rank  up to Rank 3 Wild Dogs, which were led by a Rank 4 Alpha Monster.


    "I think I get it," Mildred, who has the best eyesight among them, decided to share her theory. "They''re farming items, but since the Monsters are low-ranked, they give priority to certain individuals, specifically the ones on the back rows."


    "Bingo! You got it, Mildred." Erica, whonded beside the archer, said with a smile. "Thirte has developed a system where all Wanderers can gain items during this expedition. The same can be said for Cores. Those who didn''t get items or cores get priority, and are moved at the back lines.


    "Once they get their items, they will go to the front and act as vanguards, allowing others to get their turn."


    The Wanderers, who were part of Rnd''s group, couldn''t help but look at this item farming strategy with vy.


    Wh they realized that everyone under Zion''s team possessed Adamantine-Grade Equipmt, all of them felt jealous. After all, the Adamantine-Grade was just a rank below the Mythical Grade.


    Simply put, the Rookies under Thirte''smand already have "d-game" equipmt, which they could use throughout their career as Wanderers.


    "I wish I had be st to the ce where Sir Zion was wh I appeared here in Solterra."


    "Me too."


    "Hah¡­ why can''t I be as lucky as them?"


    Several Wanderers wer''t able to stop voicing out their regrets. If they had joined Thirte''s group sooner, wouldn''t they also get the same equipmt that they had?


    The funny thing was that the majority of the Wanderers under Thirte''smand hadn''t be trained to fight.


    They were simply carried by the teage boy, who was currtly watching all of this while riding on top of the Rank 6 Sovereign, Nightmare ck Hound.


    The imposing creature looked so cool, that ev Derek was tempted to have one.


    Wh asked how he managed to tame such a monster, Thirte said that he just threw some meat at the Nightmare ck Hound, and they became instant frids.


    Derek could tell that his "Master" was just spouting bullsh*t.


    If he were to do the same, and throw monster meat at a Rank 6 Sovereign, there was a 99.9% chance that he would be its next meal.


    "Did all of you seed in getting an item?" Kyle Walker, who was the Sixth Squad Captain under Thirte''s battalion asked.


    ""Yes, Captain!""


    "Good." Kyle nodded. "In the next raid, it''s our turn to be the Vanguard. I want you to list to the Commander''s order without fail. Understood?"


    ""Yes, Sir!""


    "Okay, you know what to do," Kyle said as he gazed at the monster corpses that littered the battlefield. "Get the cores, and drain the monsters'' blood."


    ""Yes, Sir!""


    After giving his orders, he joined his subordinates in collecting the Monster Cores, which he would deliver to their Commander, Zion Levtis.


    Their Supreme Leader was responsible for allocating these cores to the Wanderers, allowing everyone to get their share of the spoils of battle.


    Kyle, the son of a carpter, didn''t expect that his life would have a dramatic turn during his First Wandering.


    To be perfectly honest, he was merely one of the many Wanderers under Thirte''smand, lucky ough to survive simply because fate put them in the Super Rookie''s way.


    His hands, who had learned the craft of carptry from his father, had helped in the creation of the wood wagons that everyone had be using in their journey.


    Seeing his expertise, Thirte had assigned him as the leader of the production team, responsible for creating arrow shafts and repairing wagons, as well as building any item that Thirte deemed would be useful in their expedition.


    Since he was one of the Core Members of Thirte''s temporary battalion, he was giv the rank of Squad Captain, allowing him to be recognized due to his contributions.


    He and his family lived in the Cygni Contint, which was about to face a Jinn invasion.


    Because of this, he was doing his best to learn on how to fight under Thirte''smand, so that wh it was the time to defd their homnd, he would be there, fighting alongside them.


    While everyone was busy doing their roles, those who still hav''t received any Cores during their expedition formed four lines in front of Thirte.


    Erica, Sherry, and two more Squad Captains were distributing Cores for these Wanderers, allowing them to absorb them without problems.


    As for the Core of the Alpha Monsters, and Sovereigns, Thirte had made an ingious system for its distribution.


    It was by throwing dices.


    For example, the First Squad would be the one to get the Core of Alpha Monsters and above.


    Each member would toss three dices, and the one who gets the highest number would get its core.


    The next Alpha or Sovereign Core would th be giv to the Second Squad, and all of them would repeat the same process.


    This was to allow everyone to fairly distribute the rewards, giving each of them a chance.


    Those who managed to win these Alpha and Sovereign Cores would th not be allowed to join the next  of dice throwing, giving the rest a chance to get them as well.

 Chapter 578: Every Wanderer Counts [Part 2]

    While everyone was busy handling the aftermath of the battle, Rnd approached Thirte and asked him what they were going to do next.


    "In a bit, we will head Northeast and fight another horde of Jinns," Thirte replied.


    "Isn''t the Temple said to be in the Northwest?" Rnd frowned.


    "Yes, but there''s no rush," Thirte answered.


    "No rush? Shouldn''t reaching the temple be our priority?"


    "Is it?"


    The teage boy looked at the Hero with a smile.


    "Are you sure going to the Temple should be our priority?" Thirte asked.


    "Isn''t thatmon sse?" Rnd asked back.


    Thirte shook his head. "List, Rnd. I already st a scout to look for the location of the Temple of Courage. While that scout is looking for the ce where we need to be, we should focus on gainingbat experice."


    "Combat experice?" Rnd frowned. "Why?"


    He couldn''t understand why they needed to gainbat experice wh they were already capable of fighting against low-ranking Monster Hordes.


    Rnd was right in thinking this way because he was strong.


    He was now capable of fighting toe to toe with a Rank 5 Sovereign, which could have pottially wiped their Hero Party if not for the fact that Thirte had giv them a hellish training.


    "Not everyone is as strong as you, Rnd," Thirte said. "In a few years, the Cygni Contint will be invaded by Jinns.


    "They wille in hordes, and those who have never expericed facing such numbers would oft get paralyzed with fear or die meaningless deaths because they have no idea on how to deal with such an overwhelming number of monsters.


    "The Ctral Governmt and its Armies, can fd them off using modern weapons forged from Monster Parts.


    "But the momt those monsters reach the front lines, everyone will have no choice but to fight at close quarters. Right now, I am training them how to deal with such threats. The territory of Absolute Heav is the perfect training g for Jinn Invasions. It will be a waste if we don''t use this opportunity to train and farm items for the future."


    Thirte th nced at the Rookies, who were happily collecting cores from the monsters that they had in.


    Under his teachings, ev those without prior training were now able to hold their g against Rank  and Rank  monsters.


    "They may only be Rookies right now, but in the future, they may be excellt Wanderers who will y a role in the bigger picture," Thirte said with confidce. "Since we can''t always be on the same missions, I intd to groom them to the best of my ability. That way, they will have a higher chance to survive their Second Wandering."


    Thirte sighed as he looked at the sky, knowing that the God of Wanderers was paying atttion to his conversation with Rnd.


    "Not all who wander are lost," Thirte said. "Every Wanderer counts. The seeds that we nt today will be the trees that will cover the tire forest, allowing others to take shelter under their wing."


    Thirte reached out to bump his fist on Rnd''s chest before staring at the Hero with a steady gaze.


    "You''re still a small tree right now," Thirte stated. "And you need more battle experice to grow. Ar''t you ashamed? I''m just a Rookie, but ev with your currt strgth, you won''t be able to beat me."


    "You''re not a Rookie, remember?" Rnd rolled his eyes. "You said it yourself. You are a Super Rookie."


    "That''s right."


    "And you defeated a Majin King."


    "Not by my own power. Get your facts straight."


    A sigh escaped Thirte''s lips because his ultimate trump card to beat the crap out of his father could no longer be used.


    But he didn''t regret using it.


    He was now ged to the prest. As he was told, only by existing in the prest, will he have a choice to see tomorrow''s sunrise.


    Rnd looked at the teage boy and felt as if he wasn''t looking at a person younger than him.


    He already felt this wh he interacted with him the first time.


    Zion Levtis was a mysterious individual.


    There is no Rookie like him in the world.


    Several restrictions were ced in his body as if the Gods were jealous of his growth pottial.


    But ev with those restrictions, he had aplished many amazing feats, and his rect battle against a Majin King would be added to his legdary achievemts.


    Rnd, who was hailed as the Hero of the Ctral Governmt and treated as a Prodigy, paled inparison to Thirte''s achievemts.


    The only advantage he had over the boy was that he was more good-looking than Zion.


    Of course, he didn''t dare say this out loud because he didn''t want to hurt the younger boy''s feelings.


    But ev if he did, Thirte would just look at him weirdly because for the System of Cannon Fodders, this had never be an issue.


    So what if Rnd was more good-looking than him?


    Did he care?


    No.


    Thirte only had two goals in life.


    To screw the System God t times over and beat Fate in her own b*tchy game.


    Before the Cygni Invasion began, Thirte nned to increase his currt strgth a step further.


    Although he was a Rookie, his true strgth was that of the Master Rank.


    His preparations to strgth his body were well under way.


    Since he found another loophole in order to increase his strgth, which Lace Demon reluctantly agreed to, he believed that he would possess the strgth of a Grandmaster or a Champion before the Cygni Invasion begins.


    The Rank Ban only allowed him to go to the next Rank to be a Rookie. This was true regardless of whatws of power were used in the world he was in.


    But there is just one, little, tiny, loophole that Thirte could use to boost his strgth.


    Since he could level up from Level Zero to Level One, this meant that he could use other forms of Ranking Systems.


    In the world of Solterra and Pangea, he had already reached "the limit."


    But what if he used the ranks of a cultivation system?


    Right now, his currt cultivation rank was zero.


    Since the first step into the path of Cultivation was the Qi Refining Stage, Thirte could practice cultivation to double his currt strgth.


    This was a loophole that Lace Demon and The One had begrudgingly epted.


    From the very start, Thirte wasn''t worried about his "limitation."


    Ev if he could only reach Level , he would just have to be Level  in all kinds of Rankings.


    First Level Qi Refining Stage


    Rank  Martial Realm


    Rank  Spiritual Magic.


    First Circle Magician.


    Level  Druid.


    Level  Sorcerer.


    Level  Barbarian.


    So on, and so forth.


    If this was a Dee-N-Dee game, Thirte would be multissing and unlock dozs of Prestige sses.


    By stacking all of those Ranking Systems, Thirte would gain a power that would make Lace Demon, and The One, understand why the System God had ced such extreme restrictions on Thirte''s body.


    If left unchecked, it was highly possible that the weakest Wanderer would be a Demigod and break the bnce of the tire world.


    This was also the reason why Lace Demon and The One had decided to make some concessions and reached apromise with Thirte.


    The only thing they had agreed on was that Thirte could only increase his Cultivation Rank to the Qi Refining Stage, doubling his currt strgth.


    The teage boy agreed with this restriction, for at the momt, that was all that he needed.


    He just needed a stronger body, ough to handle his Soul Keeper Armor, which had the ability to evolve.


    Thirte th nced behind him to look at Siri, whose hair had changed into a blonde color, ring in his direction.


    Rnd and the other Wanderers didn''t know who or what she really was, but Thirte knew her true colors.


    The youngdy, who was of the same age as him and treated him as a rival, was not human.


    But, since Siri hadn''t hurt any Wanderers and ev helped them survive during their First and Second Missions, he decided to turn a blind eye for the time being.


    This way, he would be able to watch over her and understand why she had managed to lower her Rank to that of a Rookie despite having the strgth of an Apostle.

 Chapter 579: We Hate Stupid People!

    Three months had passed since Rnd''s team integrated with Thirteen''s battalion.


    There could only be one leader, so the Hero Party decided to merge with Thirteen''s army, forming a united front.


    In the past three months, they traveled to the location of the Temple of Courage, often making detours whenever Thirteen''s scouts found hordes of Jinns, whom they attacked without fail.


    The teenage boy didn''t care even when the leaders of these Jinn Hordes were Rank 6 up to Rank 7 Sovereigns.


    His Monster Army would always deal with the High-Ranking Monsters, leaving the annihtion of the small fries to the Wanderers.


    Due to the umtedbat experiences, even the shyest members in Thirteen''s Battalion had now be a seasoned fighter.


    With Rocky, Giga, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, Trolls, and the Hero Party acting as the Vanguard, they didn''t suffer any casualties in battle.


    Siri had challenged Thirteen many times, each battle leading to her defeat.


    Sometimes, she didn''t even bother to challenge him and just simplyunched sneak attacks.


    Due to this, Shana gave the battle junkie girl a warning that she would no longer heal her injuries if she attacked Zion out of the blue.


    The only saving grace was that Siri never attacked Thirteen whenever they were dealing with a monster army.


    If she really went ahead and did that, Thirteen would no longer show any mercy and cripple her for insubordination.


    Unlike Shana and the others, who still treated Siri as a human, Thirteen saw her for what she truly was.


    Of course, he didn''t tell anyone that Siri wasn''t human because he still had his reservations.


    He simply decided to ignore her for the time being and focus on the things that he needed to do.


    One day, the teenage boy woke up inside his wagonband saw two ugly birds sitting on his chest, looking at his face with dumb look on their faces.


    Erica and Sherry were still asleep beside him, their arms wrapped around his body.


    Because of this, he wasn''t able to move right away, so he simply stared at the two birds who were also staring back at him.


    Thirteen blinked once then twice, as he observed the two hand-sized Pocopocos, who were looking down at him in disdain.


    "Hey, are you stupid?" the First Pocopoco asked.


    "We hate stupid people!" the Second Pocopoco dered.


    Instead of answering their question, Thirteen propped himself up to a sitting position, making the two small Pocopocos fly toward the other side of the wagon.


    "What are you two dumb birds looking at?" Thirteen asked.


    "This dumb human is calling us dumb?" the First Pocopoco scoffed.


    "This Junior is courting death," the Second Pocopoco sneered.


    Erica and Sherry, who were woken up by themotion, nced at Thirteen, who was talking to the two Pocopocos, each the size of the teenage boy''s hand.


    "Zion, do you know these birds?" Erica asked as she propped herself up, making the corner of her nightgown slip from her shoulder.


    "Maybe," Thirteen replied as he casually reached out to fix Erica''s nightgown, unfazed by what he saw, before shifting his attention back to the two dumb-looking birds, who reminded him of his two loyalpanions.


    "Didn''t your parents tell you that you shouldn''t talk to humans?" Thirteen asked.


    "They did," the First Pocopoco nodded.


    "Then why?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Because we are given permission, doofus!" the Second Pocopoco stated.


    Sherry covered her lips and giggled because this was the first time that someone dared to call Zion, Doofus.


    "I like these two birds," Erica said with a smile.


    Although they looked ugly, the way they talked to Zion made them look cute in her eyes.


    "Shut up, you ugly b*tch!" the First Pocopoco sneered.


    "You old hag," the Second Pocopoco sneered. "Do you think anyone is interested even if you show off your saggy breasts?"


    The smile on Erica''s face instantly disappeared after the two young Pocopocos ridiculed her.


    "Zion, I made a decision," Erica said as she raised her finger to summon a small fireball. "We''re having fried chicken for breakfast."


    "Argh! Murder!" the First Pocopoco shouted before flying away in a hurry.


    "Damned Saggy B*tch!" the Second Pocopoco cursed angrily before flying away.


    Once the two troublemakers disappeared, peace returned inside the wagon.


    Erica then raised her hands to do a light stretch, making her chest stand out.


    Sherry looked at the older girl''s chest before shifting her gaze to her own.


    "You''re still young," Thirteen said before lightly patting Sherry''s head. "There''s still time."


    Thirteen too did some light stretches before parting the animal skin to take a peek outside of the wagon.


    The sky was lightening up, which meant that the sun would be rising soon.


    After seeing the two Pocopocos, Thirteen had a feeling that they didn''te to him without a purpose.


    "I''ll go outside for a bit, so the two of you can change clothes," Thirteen said before leaving the wagon.


    Erica was wearing a ck one-piece nightgown, while Sherry was wearing pajamas.


    The Pajamas were provided to Zion, while Erica had a set of nightgowns in her storage ring.


    Of course, she wouldn''t dare to wear something like this in front of others.


    The only reason she wore it was due to the fact that Thirteen seemedpletely unaffected by her beauty, even when she was wearing something a bit revealing.


    At first, she did it to get a reaction from the teenage boy, but seeing that he didn''t even blush at her appearance, Erica felt that her femininity had taken a hit.


    Since then, whenever they slept together, she would wear nightgowns, finding them morefortable to sleep in.


    The only sad part was that even if she wore the very sexy ones, Thirteen remained unmoved.


    In the end, Erica thought that maybe Thirteen''s was already used to being around beautiful girls since all the girls in his family were beautiful.


    His mother, Alessia, was a truly beautiful woman, and her daughters inherited her beauty.


    Shasha, who was one of the most popr Wanderers of her generation, had many suitors.


    Erica believed that once Remi started her journey in Solterra, she, too, would be the center of attention because just like Shasha, her good looks would definitely stand out.


    As Thirteen walked along the camp, the early risers greeted him with a smile.


    Once he arrived at a good location, he summoned cky, and the two of them ran away from the camp until they found a suitable ce for a meeting.


    Just like he expected, he sensed the presence of four creatures descending from the sky.


    Two adult Pocopocos and two young onesnded on a boulder beside Thirteen.


    The teenager boy smiled and reached out to pat the two adult Pocopoco''s head.


    "It has been a while, Vassago and Poca," Thirteen said.


    "What took you so long, Zion?" Vassago asked. "You''ve been away for years."


    "I thought you''re not going to return," Pocamented. "The Spirits of the Wind, who is always traveling the world, haven''t seen you."


    "Well, many things happened," Thirteen replied. "But I''m d you found me."


    Thirteen then shifted his attention to the two smaller Pocopocos, who looked surprised that their parents were allowing a human to pet their heads.


    "Are these your kids?" Thirteen asked with a smile. "It seems that the two of you have been busy since I was away."


    Vassago and Poca nced at each other before nodding their heads.


    "Yes, we decided to have a family," Vassago replied.


    "What are their names?" Thirteen inquired.


    "Their names are hard to speak in humannguage," Poca answered. "So why don''t you give them a nickname, just like the names you''ve given us?"


    "Are you sure?" Thirteen smiled, while rubbing his chin.


    "Give me a good name, human!" the First Pocopoco said.


    "That''s right. I want a good name!" the Second Pocopoco demanded.


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before pointing his finger at the First Pocopoco, who seemed to always be the one to initiate the conversation.


    "Your name will be Pica," Thirteen said. "And yours will be Pico."


    "Pica?"


    "Pico?"


    The two little Pocopocos tilted their heads to the side before nodding their heads at the same time.


    "I am Pica!"


    "I am Pico!"


    Vassago and Poca were happy that the human boy, whom they had served once as their Master, had bestowed their children their nicknames.


    Words had power.


    And the Pocopocos use this power in their everyday lives.


    They may possess many names in their lifetimes, but they would only allow people, whom they truly trust,to bestow names upon them.


    "Well then, Vassago and Poca," Thirteen said with a smile. "Are you interested in going off into another adventure?"


    "We wouldn''t have traveled far to find you if we didn''t want to travel together," Vassago replied. "Isn''t that right, Darling?"


    "Yes, Husband," Poca replied. "Take good care of us and the kids, Zion. I look forward to having another adventure with you."


    The teenage boy smirked before shifting his attention to the two troublemakers, whom he believed would make this journey more interesting due to their peculiar personalities.

 Chapter 580: First Contact With The Absolutes

    With Vassago and Poca helping scout from the sky, their journey toward the Temple of Courage went smoother.


    The two Pocopocos had already found the location of the temple, and after rying the information they''ve seen along the way, the teenage boy couldn''t help but fall into deep thought.


    ''It seems that the Kingdom of Seneros isn''t the only ce with survivors,'' Thirteen thought. ''But unlike those Half Bloods, the people living in the city around the Temple are all Absolutes.''


    Absolutes were considered as superhumans.


    Although they weren''t as strong as Superm*n, who was born from the Krypt*n, they were still as strong as Captain Murica, who was stronger than ordinary humans.


    Of course, Wanderers were also considered as superhumans since they, too, had gained powers that made them superhuman.


    Even so, when matched with the same Rank, Absolutes would always be more powerful than Wanderers.


    ''I hope they''re not hostile,'' Thirteen thought as their forces traveled to their destination. ''With our current speed, we will reach the location of the temple within five days. We will probably meet the hunting parties of the locals very soon.''


    ording to Vassago, the City where the temple was located was under the protection of a White Dome of light.


    They didn''t know if this dome prevented monsters from entering the city. However, Vassago and Poca were able to pass through it without any problems.


    ''Maybe it only works against Jinns,'' Thirteen mused before shaking his head. "It''s still too early to make assumptions. I''ll find out when we get there.''


    The only concern he had at the moment was whether the Absolutes would act hostile against them.


    The Pocopocos also reported that there were at least around three to four thousand Absolutes living inside the city, seemingly protected by the white dome of light.


    ''Why can''t things be easy?'' Thirteen sighed as he sat on the coachman''s seat of his wagon, guiding the Rank 2 Bisons to the shortest route to their destination.


    Suddenly, a shadow covered Thirteen from above, prompting him to raise his head to investigate.


    Sitting on the roof of his wagon was the Bird Man, Zed, who had helped him fight against the Majin King in exchange for his freedom.


    "Why are you here?" Thirteen asked. "I thought you had already left."


    "I did leave," Zed replied. "But after traveling for a few days, I realized that I have no ce togo."


    "Well, I offered to return you to the Rigel Continent, but you refused," Thirteenmented.


    Zed frowned because he no longer had any intention in returning to the Rigel Continent.


    "I don''t like being shackled," Zed stated. "If I return, nothing will change. I will still have to serve the Master once he crosses over to Pangea."


    "Right." Thirteen nodded. "Your Master is a peak Majin Prince."


    Since he had be closer to the three Earth Dragons, Thirteen managed to get some answers from them about their Master.


    ording to his estimate, the Majin Prince would be able to cross over to Pangea after five to eight years.


    But Thirteen was confident that he would have the forces to defeat Zed''s and the Earth Dragons'' master when that time came.


    Unless their Master seeds in stepping into the Ranks of a Majin King, Thirteen believed that he would be able to find a way to deal with him.


    "So, what are you nning?" Thirteen inquired. "Want to tag along with us for a while?"


    Zed didn''t answer and just stared in the distance as if pondering about the meaning of life.


    Seeing that Zed no longer wanted to talk, Thirteen no longer tried to pry any answers from him.


    However, Zed''s presence rmed the Wanderers because they could feel the aura emanating from his body.


    If not for the fact that Erica had repeatedly told them that the Bird Man wasn''t hostile, they might have already scattered like wild ducks after hearing a gunshot.


    The members of the Cygni Faction and David''s team were already acquainted with Zed.


    They had seen him fight alongside Thirteen and his Monster Army, so at the very least, although they felt a little anxious, they weren''t as terrified as the other Wanderers, who were seeing the Bird Man for the first time.


    Of course, there were others who recognized him like Shana, who was there when Thirteen threw something at Zed, making him disappear without a trace.


    When the Saintess asked Thirteen why Zed was traveling with them, the teenage boy only said that he and the Bird Man had an agreement.


    As to what that agreement was, the teenage boy refused to say because it was highly confidential.


    Three dayster, Thirteen''s scouts reported that the Absolutes had already detected the Wanderers'' presence and were also monitoring them.


    The Wanderers, who were assigned to scout, were cautioned to not approach the Absolutes because they might think of it as a provocation.


    A dayter, a group of Absolutes, numbering a little over a hundred, blocked the path they were taking.


    All of them were fully-armed, and although they weren''t releasing killing intent or any form of hostility, Thirteen knew that they shouldn''t give them a reason to attack them.


    Since his Wagon was at the very front of their formation, he signaled for everyone to stop.


    "Erica, call Rnd and your other team members," Thirteen ordered. "Ah, bring Sean and David as well."


    Erica nodded and went to look for her teammates.


    A few minutester, Thirteen and his entourage walked toward the Absolutes without holding any weapons in their hands.


    Including Zion, there were only ten people representing their side, which was his attempt to make it seem that they wished no conflict between them and the Absolutes.


    "I am the leader of the Wanderers, Zion Leventis," Thirteen dered when his group stopped several meters away from the Absolutes. "Who is your leader?"


    "Are you really the leader of your group?"


    The Absolutes made way and allowed an old man to have a dialogue with the teenage boy, who imed to be the leader of the humans who had entered their domain.


    "I am," Thirteen replied. "Who am I speaking to?"


    "You may call me Aries," Aries answered. "I am the First Guardian of the Sanctuary. Tell me, how did you manage to cross the boundary of the Wall of the Absolute?"


    Thirteen didn''t answer right away because he was carefully observing the Old Man''s bodynguage.


    While he didn''t feel any hostilitying from him, he could distinctly feel that just like him, Aries was also observing his bodynguage.


    "The wall broke apart, allowing us to cross over to this side of Absolute Heaven," Thirteen stated.


    "I knew it," Aries narrowed his eyes. "All of you came from the other side of the Wall. How did the wall break apart? It should''ve been strong enough to hold for at least another millennia."


    "The King of the Kingdom of Seneros summoned a monster that broke the wall by itself," Thirteen exined. "It''s a Majin King¡ªthe Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent that goes by the name, Orochi."


    After hearing Thirteen''s answer, the warriors behind Aries became agitated. If what the teenage boy was saying was the truth, then their Sanctuary might be in danger of getting attacked by the Majin King.


    But unlike his subordinates, Aries remained calm, and his gaze never left Thirteen''s face.


    "Based on the route you are taking, you will soon be arriving at our Sanctuary," Aries said. "What is your goal?"


    "The Temple of Courage," Thirteen answered without hesitation.


    The faces of the Warriors hardened after hearing Thirteen''s reply.


    ''It seems that they were more concerned that a group of teenagers are headed to their Sanctuary in search of the Temple of Courage than the Majin King, who could potentially wipe them out if left unchecked,'' Thirteen mused.


    The teenage boy purposely hid the fact that the Majin King''s threat had already been dealt with.


    Since he didn''t know how the Absolutes would react to their mission of going to the Temple of Courage, he decided to frame a situation where their attention to the Absolutes would be diverted to a threat that could wipe their existence from the face of Absolute Heaven.


    "Since you''ve traveled from afar, you are wee to enter our Sanctuary," Aries said after a few minutes have passed. "Just make sure that you don''t break our rules so that we can avoid conflict with each other."


    "Thank you in advance for your hospitality, Lord Aries," Thirteen said in a respectful tone.


    The old man simply nodded before giving a signal to his men to return to their city.


    "We will wait for you at the entrance of the Sanctuary," Aries stated.


    After saying his parting words, the Old Man suddenly started to run, making Erica''s mouth hang open.


    Aries looked like a very frail old man, so she didn''t expect that he could run so fast, as if his backside was on fire.


    The other warriors, who blocked their path, followed behind Aries, leaving Thirteen and his entourage behind.


    "I guess they''re not hostile?" Erica asked after nearly a minute of silence.


    "Don''t let your guard down," Thirteen cautioned. "Tell everyone to be prepared for anything once we enter their Sanctuary. They might not be as friendly as they appear to be on the surface."


    Everyone nodded in understanding before returning to their wagons.


    "Tiona, send your clone to infiltrate their city," Thirteen said softly.


    Tiona nodded in understanding and summoned her clone.


    Soon, the ck Snake burrowed underground before heading toward the Sanctuary, where the Absolutes were waiting for their arrival.

 Chapter 581: A World Away From Their Home

    "Shana, can I ask you a question?"


    "What is it, Erica?"


    "Um, I''m just wondering¡­ why are you casting purification magic on me and Sherry every day? Is there something wrong with us?"


    "There are many viruses in Solterra, and I''m just making sure that you and Sherry won''t be affected by them."


    "I see¡­"


    Ever since the merger began, Shana would look for Erica and Sherry, whenever they weren''t busy and cast a purification spell on them once a day.


    The Sorceress had no idea why the Saintess was doing this only to her and Zion''s right-hand woman.


    Erica had asked Diana and Mildred if Shana was also using purification magic on them, but the two girls only shook their heads and said no.


    After that, she went to look for Rnd, Derek, and Joshua and asked them if Shana did the same to them, but their answer was also no.


    This made the Sorceress wonder if Shana was just ying a prank on them or not. But since there was no harm in being purified, she just let it be.


    The Purification Magic not only helped remove diseases, but it also purified the body in a literal sense.


    It was like taking a bath without actually touching water, leaving their bodies clean.


    Since Erica liked to be clean, she just went along with Shana''s whims. In the end, she wasn''t losing anything in the process.


    "Your turn," Shana said as she looked at Thirteen, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground and meditating. "I need to purify you too."


    Thirteen opened her eyes and nodded in understanding. "Just hug me from behind. I''m toozy to stand up."


    In order to purify someone, Shana simply needed to touch them.


    Even touching their hands or head was enough, so if she wanted to, she could purify Thirteen by cing her hand on his head.


    But she decided to humor him this once and walked behind his back.


    Crouching down, he gave the teenage boy a hug from behind and channeled her purification magic.


    A minuteter, Shana pulled back and slowly rose to her feet.


    "Thank you," Thirteen replied before closing his eyes once more to meditate. "We''ve almost arrived at the Sanctuary, so keep your wits on you."


    "I know," Shana replied before leaving the Wagon to return to her own amodation.


    They were only five hours away from their destination, but Thirteen asked everyone to have lunch for the time being.


    He wanted to make sure that none of them were hungry when they arrived at their destination so that if a fight were to break out, they would have the strength to defend themselves.


    Tiona''s clone, who had infiltrated the Sanctuary, managed to hear the conversations of the people inside of it.


    Some felt fear, excitement, and hope because people from the other side of the wall had reached their Sanctuary.


    This meant that to a certain extent, traveling was possible despite the fact that there was a Majin King roaming thend.


    The Absolutes were already aware of the Majin King, Demonic Smander, who usually spent his time underground.


    But they were afraid to face the hordes of Jinns, so they limited their hunting area to only a few miles away from their Sanctuary.


    The Strongest among the Absolutes was only of the Champion Rank, so Thirteen wasn''t too worried even if a fight were to really break out between them and the people living in the Sanctuary.


    Suddenly, two little Pocopocos flew inside Thirteen''s wagon andnded in front of him.


    They were none other than Pica and Pico, who had just been with their parents a few hours ago.


    The two little troublemakers were very chatty, but after Giga let them experience the nerfed Giga Destroyer, the two young Pocopocos finally knew true fear and became more obedient and respectful of Thirteen, who had given them their names.


    "We saw a big Smander ten miles away from here," Pica said.


    "It is so big¡­" Picomented. "Maybe as big as Rocky."


    Thirteen opened his eyes and nced at the two Pocopocos, who immediately averted their gazes.


    "Are you telling the truth?" Thirteen asked.


    Pica and Pico nodded at the same time.


    "Okay, apany me to its location," Thirteen said before standing up. "If what you say is true, we can''t just pretend that it''s not there."


    Although the Lace Demon had assured him that the Majin King wouldn''t attack them, he still had some doubts about it.


    Because of this, he wanted to see it at least once and get a better grasp of the strongest monster within Absolute Heaven.


    Riding on cky''s back, Thirteen followed behind the two Pocopocos, who were flying very swiftly.


    Despite Pica and Pico being Rank 1 Monsters, the teenage boy believed that they would be able to run away because the Pocopoco Race was loved by the Wind Spirits.


    Despite looking harmless, Vassago and Poca were now Rank 5 Monsters.


    Thirteen had left them with enough resources to break through their ranks, wanting them to grow stronger so that they would be able to protect themselves better.


    Originally, the Pocopoco race had a limit when it came to raising their strength.


    But who was Thirteen?


    He had shared the secret of how Vassago and Poca could be Rank 9 Monsters, which would make them the strongest members of their race.


    Although Pocopocos could be very annoying at times, the moment they gathered together, they were a force to reckon with.


    Thirteen understood their potential, so if he could make Vassago and Poca the King and Queen of Pocopocos, he would have the entire race under his control.


    Several minutester, Thirteen looked at the Demonic Smander, who was lyingpletely still in the distance.


    Just like what Pica and Pico had said, it was quite big.


    It was at least five meters tall, and the length of its body was as long as Rocky''s.


    Although it was not as broken as the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, a Majin King was still a Majin King.


    As Thirteen observed the monster from afar, the Demonic Smander moved its head to look in the teenage boy''s direction.


    The two stared at each other for nearly half a minute before Thirteen heard a voice directly inside his head.


    "Leave."


    It was just a single word, but the meaning behind it was enough.


    Thirteen no longer hesitated and backed away to return to his camp, leaving the Majin King behind.


    Once it was certain that the teenage boy had truly retreated, the Majin King''s body shrank.


    A few minutester, a middle-aged man with dark-brown skin and brown eyes appeared in ce of the giant Demonic Smander.


    He then ced his hands behind his back and nced in the direction of the Sanctuary.


    ''The time has finallye,'' the Demonic Smander thought. ''It''s finally time to leave this ce.''


    Taking a step forward, the Majin King disappeared from his location and reappeared hundreds of meters away.


    He continued to walk forward, heading toward the Sanctuary where the Temple of Courage was located.


    The reason why Lace Demon was certain that the Majin King wouldn''t attack the Wanderers was due to the agreement that the two of them had made hundreds of years ago.


    The Demonic Smander wanted to return to Gomorra, and in order to realize his goal, he would need to pass the Trial of Courage, which was also the final trial of the Wanderers, who were also a world away from their home.

 Chapter 582: Siri’s Aspiration

    Sitting on the roof of her personal wooden wagon, Siri observed the wagon moving directly in front of her.


    It was the wagon leading the Wanderers toward the Sanctuary where the Temple of Courage was located.


    The youngdy had been feeling very restless recently. No matter how many times she challenged the teenage boy to battle, the one who would always be on the losing end was her.


    She even analyzed her opponent''s battle style and thought of ways how to counter his moves. But even with her preparations the result still ended in her defeat.


    Because of this, a theory formed inside Siri''s head.


    ''Zion Leventis is not human.''


    That was the only exnation that she could think as to why she couldn''t win against him.


    Naturally, she and her people had done their research about the teenage boy''s life, so she had a good grasp of his background and upbringing.


    Siri could understand that Zion was strong because he was born under the banner of the Leventis Family.


    Although Gerald had been kicked out from the main family branch, she believed that this was just a smokescreen employed by the Leventis Family.


    But the main factor that made her think that Thirteen wasn''t human was the restrictions ced on his body.


    Rank Ban, Item Ban, Skill Ban, Avatar Ban.


    Those four restrictions were enough to cripple any Wanderer and stop their growthpletely.


    But these restrictions didn''t seem to affect the teenage boy much.


    In fact, she had more than just that reason to believe that Zion Leventis was hiding his true strength and merely using these so-called restrictions as a smokescreen to make others look down on him.


    ''He''s definitely not human,'' Siri thought. ''No Rookie human can defeat me in battle.''


    There were also other things that the youngdy didn''t understand about Zion.


    First, he seemed to be too used to having beautifuldies around him.


    Shana, Erica, Sherry, Diana, and Mildred were all beautifuldies.


    But despite the fact that they always interacted with Zion on a regr basis, she never saw any change in his expression when he looked at them.


    Even when Erica sat beside him and fed him some food during lunch or dinner, the young man always looked calm as if being cared for by a beauty wasn''t a big deal for him.


    Siri had seen how Rnd looked at Shana many times, and she could tell that he was looking at her as his mate.


    Joshua, the Sage of the Hero Party, also gazed at the Saintess with the same eyes, making Siri snicker internally.


    Even Derek, who didn''t see Shana in a romantic way, would look at her secretly, appreciating her beauty from a distance.


    The Swordsman was also like this to Erica, Diana, and Mildred, which Siri believed was a very normal thing to do.


    In fact, among the members of the Hero Party, Siri believed that Derek was the most "normal" of them all.


    He acted like his age, and he appreciated beautifuldies.


    Of course, Derek would also look at her with appreciation. But perhaps due to Siri''s age, Derek never considered her as a potential love interest.


    Thirteen, although cordial, never showed any signs that he was attracted to any of the beautiful girls around him.


    Siri thought that maybe because he was still young, he was unable to appreciate the things that would make the other Wanderers in their battalion wish to switch ces with him.


    Another thing that Siri couldn''t understand about Zion was the way he managed their Battalion.


    For her, a true Leader should be strong, firm, merciless, and have a brilliant mind.


    They should lead with an iron grip and rule their people through strength and fear.


    But Zion Leventis wasn''t like that.


    Instead of ruling with an iron hand, he made sure that all Wanderers were cared for.


    The way they fought monster hordes was the perfect example of how organized his army was.


    Those who didn''t manage to get any items would be positioned at the rear, while those at the front would cripple the monsters so that those at the back could give them the killing blow.


    The distribution of Cores was also systematic, allowing everyone to get their share.


    Siri couldn''t understand why Zion was holding the hands of the Wanderers, making sure that all of them would get their share.


    Even those who didn''t specialize in fighting, like Kyle Walkers, the son of a carpenter, were treated the same as others.


    While she did agree that those who have production skills were very useful, she still couldn''t understand what Zion''s goal was.


    ''Is he perhaps brainwashing them so that everyone will think of him as a benevolent leader?'' Siri mused. ''Maybe he''s just fattening them up so that they would be his ves for life.''


    Siri narrowed her eyes because she believed that this was indeed the case.


    She then subconsciously caressed the bracelet in her hand, which was something her mother had given her.


    This was an item that restricted her rank and power, greatly reducing herbat prowess.


    If her true power weren''t sealed, she believed that the "Fake Hero" Rnd and the "Fake Human" Zion would not stand a chance against her.


    ''I will let everyone see your true colors.'' Siri smirked. ''Your reputation that you''ve built meticulously will alle crashing down. And when the world turns its back on you, I wille to offer you a position as my subordinate. I''m sure mother will be very pleased with this development.''


    Siri had an agreement with her mother.


    She wanted to be free and travel the world, but her mother gave her a condition before she agreed to her demands.


    "Defeat Zion Leventis by Brain or by Brawn. If you win, I will let you do anything you please. But if you are unable to surpass him by the time you turn eighteen, you will return home and be an obedient girl."


    Siri epted this challenge because she thought that it was going to be easy.


    Since she was confident in her strength, this deal with her mother was something she wasn''t too worried about.


    However, her earlier confidence and bravado had disappearedpletely.


    Thirteen didn''t hold back his punches when the two of them fought.


    He would not even hesitate to hit her face directly, which was very important to a girl.


    The only saving grace was that Shana was there to help heal her injuries, preventing her face from being disfigured.


    ''This hateful man,'' Siri clenched her fists in anger. ''Just you wait. I''ll make you kneel in front of me!''


    The youngdy believed that she had been born as a ruler.


    Just like her mother, she wanted to be a Queen, that everyone looked up to.


    A sigh escaped Siri''s lips as she momentarily set her thoughts about Zion at the corner of her head.


    She focused her gaze on the majestic city in front of her, which seemed to be made from white marble.


    They had finally arrived at the Sanctuary.


    Siri had heard about the Sanctuary and knew that hidden inside it were several treasures that would be useful for her.


    The teenage girl didn''t intend to share them with anyone, for she didn''t trust anyone in the first ce.


    For her, all good things should belong to her, including loyal and capable subordinates who would pave the way for her to be the Queen that she always aspired to be.

 Chapter 583: Can I Join Your Group?

    Ste stood outside of the barrier protecting the Sanctuary.


    She had arrived before Thirteen and his entourage, so now, she was patiently waiting for their arrival.


    The gates of the city were shut tight, and several people wearing armor stood at the ramparts, observing the youngdy from a distance.


    No exchanges were made between the two parties because there was no need for one.


    Everyone simply waited for Zion Leventis to make his appearance.


    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait for a long time. An hourter, over a hundred wooden wagons appeared in the distance, carrying the Wanderers who hade to the Sanctuary.


    Thirteen, who was leading the group, saw Ste using the telescope in his hand, which made him frown.


    Although he already knew that their paths would cross again, he didn''t think that she would be waiting for him to arrive at the Sanctuary.


    Several minutester, the procession of Wagons stopped, and the Wanderers gazed at the White City made up of white marbles up close.


    Of course, some eyesnded on the beautiful youngdy with green eyes and long ck hair, tied up in a ponytail with a butterfly hair clip.


    She looked like a fairy who hade out of a beautiful painting, and the mere sight of her made the teenage boys and some of the girls blush in awe of her air.


    "¡­ Why are you pinching my waist?" Thirteen blinked innocently as she nced at Erica, who was standing beside him.


    "Eh? Sorry," Erica hastily removed her fingers from Thirteen''s waist. "I don''t know what came over me."


    She wasn''t lying. It was true that she didn''t know what came over her.


    However, she could tell that she felt ufortable because Thirteen was staring at Ste as if he was going to eat her whole.


    "Do you know her, Boss?" Sherry asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "But we already met."


    Thirteen ignored Ste and walked towards the barrier.


    He then picked up a random rock and threw it, intending to test what would happen the moment it made contact with it.


    Just as he expected, the rock waspletely obliterated, turning into dust.


    ''It''s simr to the effect of the barrier in the City of Seneros,'' Thirteen thought.


    The Wanderers, who were nning to touch the barrier, immediately retreated after seeing what happened to the rock that their leader had thrown earlier.


    The guards, who were standing on the ramparts, didn''t say anything and simply looked at the Wanderers who wished to enter their city.


    "I want to talk to your First Guardian, Aries," Thirteen said. "We seek passage inside the Sanctuary."


    The Old Man appeared and smiled from on top of the City Walls.


    "The barrier will disperse for an hour at midnight," Aries said. "All of you can just wait until then."


    "I see." Thirteen nodded. "Very well. We shall enter your city at that time."


    The teenage boy then gave a signal for the Wanderers to form a camp outside of the barrier.


    He still didn''t trust Aries, so this setup was favorable for them.


    Thirteen had already discussed with the officers that only a small elite group would enter the Sanctuary first in order to better understand their motives.


    Absolutes look down on ordinary humans because they believed that they were a superior race.


    While the Wanderers were all setting camp, Ste approached Thirteen.


    "Can we talk?" Ste asked.


    "Okay," Thirteen replied. "What is it?"


    "Can I join your group?" Ste inquired. "My mission is to enter the Temple of Courage and conquer it."


    "Okay." Thirteen nodded. "You can join uster."


    "Thank you."


    "Mmm."


    After getting Thirteen''s approval, Ste tossed what looked like a white pebble a few meters away from Thirteen''s wagon.


    The pebble then expanded and transformed into a white tent.


    "I''ll rest for a while," Ste said. "Don''t hesitate to call me if something unexpected happens."


    Thirteen nodded. "Okay."


    The youngdy shot Thirteen a meaningful gaze before entering her tent to rest.


    The teenage boy might not know Ste on a personal level, but he knew what kind of existence she was.


    She was a True Hero, often referred to as "the Chosen Ones" by the Systems who served them.


    He wasn''t fond of them, but Ste wasn''t being hostile to him, so he decided that there was no need for them to be enemies. MVLeMpYr-reader


    Besides, having a True Hero would make things easier because they were protected by Fate.


    Until they reached maturity and performed the roles that were assigned to them, True Heroes wouldn''t die easily.


    They would also be stronger with each challenge, allowing them to face the Demon Lords, as well as those who possess power that no ordinary man or woman could defeat.


    While the Wanderers were busy setting up camp, the Guardian of the Sanctuary, Aries, observed them with great interest.


    He had already determined their ranks, which made him wonder how they were able to survive the journey to reach the Sanctuary.


    The strongest humans among Thirteen''s group were the Elites, and although they were strong for their age, they were nothing in the eyes of the Absolutes.


    "Are we really going to let them enter the city, Lord Aries?" one of Aries'' subordinates asked.


    "Yes," Aries replied. "They said that they are going to challenge the Temple of Courage. You already know that we cannot stop anyone who wishes to do so. That is the sole reason why our city exists in the first ce.


    "Not to mention, if they do seed in conquering it, then the curse that gues our people will finally be lifted. We can finally leave this hellish ce."


    Located at the very back of the Sanctuary was a tower with thirteen floors.


    This was the Temple of Courage, and only those who were able to conquer all of the floors and reach the top would gain one of the treasures stored inside of it.


    Not only that, but a portal would also open, allowing them to teleport outside of the Absolute Heaven.


    The Absolutes had long wanted to leave the Absolute Heaven in search of a more habitablend with less danger and more opportunities.


    Their highest-rankedbatants had also stopped at the Champion Rank, unable to progress further.


    Currently, there were only twenty Champions among the Absolute, while the rest were Masters and Grandmasters.


    In exchange for safety, their ranks could no longer progress.


    This was a very pitiful scenario for a superior race who once moved unhindered in the world, looking down on others whom they believed were beneath them.


    "But, Elder, will they be able to survive the Night Raid?" one of Aries'' subordinates inquired. "Should we tell them about it?"


    "We should," Aries replied. "Tell one of our warriors to inform them of the Monster Raid that happens at night. If they are able to survive something like that, then they definitely have the qualifications to challenge the Temple of Courage."


    The old man then shifted his attention back to the teenagers outside of their barrier. He hoped that many of them would be able to survive the night.


    The more people who would challenge the Temple, the higher their chances of sess, which he and the other Absolutes wished to happen.

 Chapter 584: A Butterfly That Dances In The Night [Part 1]

    Hundreds of Absolutes stood at the ramparts of the Sanctuary, wanting to see how the Wanderers would handle the Monster Raid that happened almost every night.


    Some of them hade simply to watch an entertaining show and see who among the Wanderers would survive the monster onught.


    Little did they know that Thirteen already knew about the Monster Raid.


    Since Vassago, Poca, and the Clones of his Parade of a Hundred Demons had been observing the Sanctuary for the past few days, everything that transpired was reported directly to him.


    Instead of being rmed that a Monster Raid was going to happen at night time, the Wanderers were even feeling very excited. Under Thirteen''s training, in their point of view, a horde of monsters was equivalent to free items and free food.


    "I wonder what kind of monsters we''ll fight tonight," David said with a smile on his face. "I hope they''re tasty."


    "Indeed," a skinny teenager nodded. "I hope it''s a new type of Monster. That way, I can get new items from the kill."


    "It''s a shame that we didn''t get an Avatar after killing that Rank 6 Antlion," a chubby teenagermented. "That was a very nasty critter."


    "Hah¡­ don''t remind me." David sighed. "If Diana and Lady Shana weren''t there, we might have suffered several casualties."


    The Wanderers were ambushed by the Rank 6 Antlion when Thirteen went away to scout in another direction.


    Fortunately, Diana had been around to takemand, allowing them to subdue the monster who even tried to flee after it was seriously injured by their swarm tactics.


    Thirteen, who was sitting on top of his wagon, smiled faintly, proud that his subordinates were now battle-hardened warriors.


    Truth be told, he knew that Antlion wasing to ambush them. However, he chose to "scout" at that time to see how much all of them had improved.


    The Temple of Courage was not a simple trial.


    All the Wanderers needed to fight because they would not be able to return to Pangea if they didn''t pass the test.


    Because of this, he decided to let them face the Ant Lion without his leadership.


    ''It''s a good thing they seeded,'' Thirteen mused. ''Tonight will probably be thest night we will fight together.''


    Thirteen nned to challenge the Temple of Courage alone, not forming a party with anyone.


    The Boss Room located on the Temple''s 13th Floor was a bit special.


    The Final Boss would match the challenger''s strength, giving them a fifty-fifty chance of victory.


    If someone challenged the Boss Room alone, the difficulty would match that person.


    If a group were to challenge the Boss Room, the difficulty would also rise drastically, depending on how strong each individual was.


    It was quite ironic.


    The final floor gave everyone a chance of victory, allowing them toplete their mission regardless of how strong or weak they were.


    ''Lace Demon told me to not divulge this information to the others,'' Thirteen frowned. ''Knowing Rnd, he will definitely party with his Original Party. But there''s a possibility that a raid team will be formed,posed of different parties.


    ''If two or more parties arrive on the 13th Floor, they will definitely face a very strong opponent.''


    The only reason why Thirteen agreed to keep this information a secret from the others was due to the fact that once a Wanderer stepped on the 13th Floor, they could no longer die.


    This meant that even if they were defeated by the Boss on the 13th Floor, they would simply be ejected from the Temple, allowing them to keep their lives.


    ''It''s almost time,'' Thirteen thought as he slowly stood up from his wagon.


    The sun had already set, and darkness was slowly descending upon thend.


    Then, they appeared.


    Over the horizon, countless shining orbs of light ran in their direction.


    These orbs of light were the eyes of the monsters, reflecting light.


    "Battle Stations!" Thirteen shouted.


    Immediately, the Wanderers formed Ranks, preparing to engage the enemies that hade to attack the city.


    The members of the Hero Party stood at the front of the formation.


    Two Banners, one gold and one white, fluttered in the breeze, illuminating the surroundings.


    The effect of Diana''s and Shana''s banners washed over the Wanderers, giving them the strength and courage to fight this battle.


    Siri and Ste also stood at the front lines, while Thirteen remained at the back.


    The teenage boy wanted to see just how strong Ste was, so this was a perfect opportunity to see her in battle.


    "Brace!" Diana shouted as she embedded her golden g on the ground before summoning her shield and sword.


    The Wanderers who specialized in tanking monsters all lined up beside the Crusader with their shields at the ready.


    "Ready!" Erica ordered as she flew toward the sky and summoned dozens of ming Spears.


    "Aim!" Mildred shouted as the archers, who were located at the center of the formation, prepared to unleash their first volley.


    Thirteen narrowed his eyes and waited for the Monsters to get within their strike range before giving the order.


    "Open Fire!" Thirteen ordered.


    Whistling sounds spread in the surroundings as the arrows of the Wanderers took flight.


    Erica had also unleashed her ming Spears toward the approaching monsters, ready to roast them into barbecue.


    Shana also embedded her banner on the ground, infusing it with her power.


    A transparent dome of light enclosed everyone in its protection.


    The good thing about the Saintess'' barrier was that it allowed attacks from within to hit those outside of it.


    Because of this, Erica, Mildred, and all those who specialized in ranged attacks could focus on attacking.


    "Interesting."


    A middle-aged man with dark brown skin and brown eyes watched the battle from afar with his arms sped behind his back.


    It was none other than the Demonic Smander, who had taken human form.


    Just like the Wanderers, it also nned to enter the Temple of Courage.


    But since the Sanctuary was protected by a powerful barrier, he decided to wait until midnight before entering the city.


    If the Majin King wished for it, he could make all the Monsters charging toward the city flee in fear by releasing his presence.


    But he didn''t do that.


    The Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, who could threaten the Demonic Smander''s life, had suddenly disappeared from Absolute Heaven.


    Despite doing his best to investigate, he didn''t manage to get any clues as to how the horrifying Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent disappeared without a trace.


    He never thought for a second that it was actually one of the weak Wanderers who had defeated the monster that forced him to flee for his life.

 Chapter 585: A Butterfly That Dances In The Night [Part 2]

    "Ants, huh?" Thirteen frowned when they finally discovered what kind of monsters they were facing.


    At first, he thought that these ants would be the same ants Diana and the others had faced during their mission. But upon closer inspection, he realized that they were a different breed of ants.


    These ants were as ck as obsidian, and they numbered in the thousands. -official


    Of course, the majority of these monsters were Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters. Even so, fighting swarms wasn''t that easy, especially when stuck between a rock and a hard ce.


    In front of them were thousands of ants.


    Behind them was the barrier of the Sanctuary.


    If they were pushed back by their enemies, even if the ants didn''t kill them, the barrier would obliterate them.


    "Erica!" Thirteen shouted.


    "On it!" Erica replied as she unleashed a barrage of ming spears in the sky.


    She was like a me turret, sting the ants non-stop. But Erica alone was not enough to keep them at bay.


    Aside from the Ants on the ground, Thirteen could hear the buzzing of countless wings headed in their direction.


    "Just great. Now we have Flying Ants too," Derek grumbled as he hacked and shed the Ants that had collided with their tankers, who were holding the monsters at bay.


    Siri, who was fighting alone while wielding her war axe, had a feral smile on her face as she sliced the monsters in half.


    Due to her unique fighting style, it was very troublesome to have her fight alongside others.


    With this put into consideration, she was set to have her own designated area to protect, killing a few ants with a single swing of her axe.


    While Thirteen was debating if he should summon Giga and the others to help deal with the flying Ants, he saw a youngdy fly upward, leaving a trail of green light behind her.


    Ste, with her hair fluttering in the breeze, held her bow in her hands as she unleashed countless magical arrows while in the air.


    On her back was a pair of green butterfly wings, catching the attention of the people on the ground.


    From their point of view, Ste looked like the Queen of Fairies as she fought alongside them.


    The arrows that left her bow left a trail of green light behind, making them look like gres. They pierced her enemies in a straight line, simr to aser beam.


    ''Oh, not bad,'' Thirteen thought.


    Since most Jinns were color blind, it was hard for them to see the color green, especially light green.


    Ste''s attacks that left trails of light in the sky were actually invisible in the eyes of the Jinns.


    Simply put, they died not knowing how they died.


    It was nearly impossible to evade what you couldn''t see, and Ste''s attack was just like that.


    Invisible to the eyes of the monsters who crashed to the ground after they were pierced by her arrows.


    Unfortunately, no matter how strong Erica and Ste were, the monsters were simply too numerous to fight.


    "Sh*t!" Erica cursed out loud when the Flying Ants were only hundreds of meters away from her.


    She had stopped attacking the Ants on the ground because they weren''t an immediate threat to her.


    Ste, who was also about to be swarmed by the ants, suddenly heard a screech in the sky.


    Aethon hade to her rescue and charged at the Flying Ants like a hot knife cutting through butter.


    The Giant Wrens'' rank would change from time to time, depending on the situation.


    At the moment, it was a Rank 6 Sovereign, but most of its strong abilities were sealed.


    Even so, a Rank 6 Monster was still a very powerful monster, giving Ste some breathing room as she continued to unleash her arrows at the flying swarm of ants.


    Erica wasn''t as lucky, so she gritted her teeth as she evaded and hurled spells at her enemies who were only dozens of meters away from her.


    While she was starting to panic, she heard the voice of Tiona''s clone inside her mind.


    "Don''t worry, just fight normally."


    The ck snake, who was coiled around Erica''s neck, ryed Thirteen''s message through Tiona.


    "How can I fight normally like this?!" Erica wanted to curse, but she had no leeway to do that.


    She was nowpletely surrounded by the swarm of ants on all sides, and even though she had raised her Rank and became an Elite, one mistake could end her life.


    Just as one of the Flying Ants was about to bite the youngdy from her blind spot, its body was sliced in half, and both parts fell from the sky.


    "Don''t panic," the Bird Man, Zed, stated. "Zion had asked me to make sure you don''t die. Just fight normally. I will handle the rest."


    "¡­ You should have told me earlier, dammit!" Erica cursed as she once again resumed unleashing attacks at the monsters on the ground, helping her allies who were being pushed back by the Monster army.


    Zed was a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    An existence that made the Dvalinn Federation not dare to push their expansion to its territory.


    Zed hovered behind Erica and annihted any of the Ants who dared toe near them.


    He was really not interested in helping the Wanderers this time around, but since he had nothing to do, and he also wanted Zion to owe him a favor, he decided to lend his hand this time around.


    With Erica''s safety guaranteed, Thirteen decided to assist the Wanderers using another method.


    Rocky rose up from the ground and summoned hisrades to battle.


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons also wreaked havoc at the center of the enemy''s formation, giving the Wanderers some time to regain their bearings.


    Thirteen''s monster army focused on attacking the Ants that were Rank 4 and above.


    Rocky personally dealt with the Rank 6 Commander Ant, who was leading the ants to battle.


    Giga and the others fought near the center of the enemy formation, assisting the Parade of a Hundred Demons in their battle.


    Originally, Thirteen didn''t n to let his Monster Army fight this battle.


    But it was impossible for the Wanderers to ovee such numbers.


    Even the Monster Hordes they''ve previously faced numbered only a little over a thousand.


    This time, they were fighting thousands.


    In order to prevent casualties, he decided to not hold back and ordered his allies to join the battle.


    He had learned his lesson with Cranky.


    Since he didn''t want to suffer regrets, he would give it his all whenever the asion called for it.


    An hourter, the monster tide was finally defeated, leaving the Wanderers breathless due to how intense the battle was.


    "That is the kind of swarm that the Cygni Continent will be facing in the future," Thirteen said once everyone had regained theirposure. "Also, the monsters who would lead them in the final days of the invasion will be Rank 7 and above. Make sure to remember to fight within your limits.


    "If you are fighting with only a small group of people, and you think that you are not able to hold on to your lives, make sure to run away so that you can fight another day."


    After saying those words, Thirteen ordered everyone to double-check the monsters lying on the ground and make sure that they were truly dead.


    Some monsters like to y dead beforeunching a suicide attack at the closest enemy, taking them with them to the afterlife.


    Ste softlynded on the ground, feeling very exhausted.


    A small Wren thennded on her shoulder and started chirping as if telling her that she had done a good job earlier.


    ''I still have a long way to go,'' Ste thought while ncing at the teenage boy standing on top of his wagon, with his arms crossed over his chest.


    Although Thirteen didn''t participate in fighting against the Ants, he didn''t stop issuingmands during the battle, encouraging the Wanderers to do their best.


    Ste had witnessed how Thirteen fought against the Majin King.


    Even though the power he used to defeat it was only borrowed from the Monkey King, it didn''t change the fact that he still fought against the Majin King using everything he had.


    Simr to Siri, Ste wanted to prove something to herself.


    She wanted to stand on her own two feet and gain recognition beyond just the background she was born with. For that, she would spare no effort, even if it meant paving the way with her own flesh and blood.

 Chapter 586: Entering The Sanctuary

    With the threat of the Monster Tide finally behind them, the Wanderers busied themselves with collecting the Monster Cores.


    As for the Ants? Their bodies were kept. For the Wanderers, they were a good source of protein, and they tasted good when barbecued.


    Unfortunately, the bodies of the ck Ants were different from what they expected. They were as hard as iron and steel, so eating them was not something that the Wanderers were very keen to do.


    Giga and the other members of Thirteen''s Monster Army stored the higher Rank Ant Corpses inside the Mobile Fortress.


    Since their body could be used by their Master''s father, Gerald, as crafting materials, taking them back to Pangea was the best option.


    Still, the teenage boy was certain that his father would ignore these monster corpses because he would go crazy in forging items from the parts of the Majin King.


    Just the scales alone were enough to create shields and armor that were strong enough to withstand a direct hit from a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    As to whether Gerald would be able to craft Mythical Equipment, and above using the Majin King''s body parts, Thirteen could only wish that Lady Luck would smile upon him.


    Of course, it was not only Gerald who would get the opportunity to work on a High-Quality Material.


    The members of the Cygni Faction and David''s team had also been able to salvage some scales from the Majin King.


    David said that he nned to auction the scale that belonged to him,l so that he could help his family''s finances.


    Since he already received Adamantine-Grade Weapons and Armor, he believed that he already had what he needed to survive in his next missions.


    Adamantine-Grade Gear was the second highest-rank Equipment, second only to Mythical equipment.


    The public was aware that there were only five Mythical Equipment in the world, and they belonged to the Four Monarchs and the Grand Marshal of the Central Government.


    Of course, the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton, knew that Arthur Leventis was also in possession of Mythical Equipment, which thetter didn''t n to disclose to the public.


    After all, the bnce of power could change the moment a new set of Mythical Equipment appeared in the world.


    Thirteen didn''t know if the cksmiths of the other Factions would seed or not.


    However, deep inside, he wanted them to seed in creating Mythical Equipment.


    The more of these equipment appears, the higher their chances of protecting Pangea from the Jinn Invasion that would take ce in a few years.


    The Demonic Smander, who had taken a human form, sat on a small hill with his eyes closed, deep in thought.


    He didn''t expect that the Monster Tide would be dealt with in this manner.


    Frankly, he thought that there would be many casualties because the scale of the Monster Tide was biggerpared to how it was in the past.


    If not for the fact that strong monsters appeared to help the Wanderers, there was a possibility that they would lose half of their numbers.


    Aries, who had also watched the battle from start to end, felt a bit rmed because many strong monsters had appeared to help the Wanderers.


    The monster that caught his attention was none other than the Bird Man, Zed, who was a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    A monster that was as fast and powerful as the Bird Man could easily kill everyone in the Sanctuary.


    He had seen this monster talking to the teenage boy leading the Wanderers. At that point, he realized that he shouldn''t antagonize them too much.


    "Commander, please inform everyone to be on their best behavior when we wee our guests," Aries ordered.


    "Yes, Your Excellency," the Commander replied.


    Even if Aries didn''t tell him anything, the Commander also nned to tell his subordinates that they shouldn''t mess with the teenagers who would soon enter their city.


    Everyone who watched the battle unfold understood that, although the teenagers were weak, the monsters assisting them weren''t.


    Only fools would poke a ho''s nest¡ªthe Wanderers protected by a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    Several hourster, Thirteen and the Wanderers looked at the gates of the Sanctuary that was slowly opening in front of them.


    The barrier was slowly turning transparent, indicating that, soon, it would fade away and that they could finally enter the city.


    "Captains, tell everyone to get ready," Thirteen ordered. "We will be entering the city soon."


    Ten minutester, the barrier finally dispersed, and Aries personally walked out of the Gates to wee Thirteen and the Wanderers under hismand.


    "Please follow me," Aries said. "We have already prepared your amodations."


    Thirteen nodded. "Thank you, Lord Aries."


    The teenage boy''s wagon led the way and was the first to enter the city.


    Just like its majestic walls, everything inside the Sanctuary was made of white marble, including the road that they were traveling on.


    There were a few children peeking at them from the windows of the houses along the way. The curious ones would look and friendly ones would wave in their direction, but whenever they did, these children would hide as if they were scared of them.


    "Guests are very rare here in the Sanctuary," Ariesmented as he walked alongside Thirteen''s wagon. "Actually, we haven''t had guests for the past hundreds of years. You guys are the first."


    "Can I ask something, Lord Aries?" Thirteen asked.


    "Why not?"


    "How old are you, Your Excellency?"


    Aries chuckled. "Good question. I stopped counting after I went past six hundred."


    The Absolutes were a long-lived race, and they could averagely live up to 900 years.


    This was the reason why they believed they were superior to humans.


    Unfortunately, they were humbled after the Jinns invaded the Absolute Heaven.


    Their once prosperous empire nowy in ruins, and only a few thousand managed to survive inside the Sanctuary.


    The older Absolutes like Aries only wished that before they finally breathed theirst, their people would once again start rebuilding their former glory, even if they had to start from scratch.


    "The temple you are looking for is over there," Aries pointed at the tallest tower in the city. "If you need a guide, just tell us. We have experienced warriors who managed to reach up to the 12th Floor."


    Thirteen gazed at the tall tower that overlooked the entirety of the Sanctuary with a calm expression on his face.


    In order toplete their mission, they needed to reach the 13th Floor and fight the opponent that the World of Solterra had prepared just for them. read-on-MVLeMpYr

 Chapter 587: The Temple Of Courage [Part 1]

    The Sanctuary was a veryrge city, extending up to three miles.


    Since there were only around three thousand Absolutes residing in the area, there was more than enough space to spare for Thirteen and hisrades.


    The people living inside the city only looked at them from a distance, very curious of the first visitors that graced their city after hundreds of years.


    The amodation Aries mentioned was the buildings near the Temple of Courage, granting the Wanderers convenience when challenging it. After all, they must repeatedly go into the temple until they conquer it, given that they would be able to return alive after entering its doors.


    As the leader of the Wanderers, Thirteen was assigned to the closest mansion to the Temple, which he readily epted.


    Naturally, Erica and Sherry decided to stay in his amodation, having established the habit of sleeping by his side.


    Since the Mansion had several rooms, Thirteen also invited the Hero Party to stay with him as well.


    As for Siri and Ste, they both stayed in the opposite Mansion. Although they still had more room, everyone was afraid of Siri, so no one dared to join the two girls inside the mansion, simply settling for the other nearby houses to rest for the time being.


    Since it was alreadyte at night, they wanted to challenge it in the morning after a nice long rest.


    "This bed is not as soft as the one inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress," Erica said as she patted the bed with her hands.


    Since the Mobile Fortress was one of Thirteen''s secrets, they had no choice but to sleep on the wagon during the night so that no one would get suspicious of them if they suddenly disappeared.


    "Just be happy that you get to sleep on a bed," Thirteen said. "Also, why are you in my room? There are many rooms here in the vi. You no longer need to sleep beside me."


    "Um?" Erica, who hadpletely forgotten about this matter, frowned.


    On one hand, she had already gotten used to using Zion as her hug pillow during the night.


    On the other, she had missed having a room of her own to sleep.


    Sherry was also having the same dilemma as the Sorceress.


    Now that they could get their own rooms, there was no need for them to stay by his side at night.


    "A-Are you sure that you can sleep alone at night?" Erica asked. "Sometimes, you cry in your sleep and hug me tightly as if you don''t n to let me go. Are you sure you can survive alone?"


    "That''s right." Sherry nodded. "It is worrying because you look so sad in your sleep. Who knows what might happen when no one is watching you?"


    Just like Erica had stated, there were nights when Thirteen would mumble and cry in his sleep.


    Sometimes, he would hug Erica.


    Sometimes, he would hug Sherry.


    The two girls didn''t know what kind of dreams the teenage boy was having during those times, but seeing him sad triggered their maternal instincts despite being teenagers themselves.


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before shaking his head.


    "You don''t have to worry about me," Thirteen replied. "I''m going to be fine."


    "But¡­ I''m still worried," Erica insisted. "We''ve already slept together multiple times on our way here. Keeping it up until the end wouldn''t be a big deal, right?"


    "It won''t," Thirteen replied. "But for tonight, I want to be alone. Tomorrow, we can sleep together again if you want."


    "Really?" Erica inquired.


    Thirteen nodded. "Just for tonight, I want to sleep alone."


    Erica nced at Sherry, and thetter nodded her head.


    Since the teenage boy was determined to sleep alone, they decided to respect his opinion and went to the rooms beside Thirteen''s room.


    When he was finally alone, a sigh escaped Thirteen''s lips as he walked toward the window.


    "¡­ Everything will end soon," Thirteen muttered while looking at the tower that stood tall, overlooking the Sanctuary like a lighthouse.


    There was a reason why he wanted Erica and Sherry to sleep in other rooms aside from his own.


    At least for tonight.


    Because if they were there, there was a chance that his n would have someplications.


    It was already past midnight, so the Wanderers had all gone to bed, taking a proper rest.


    Even Erica and Sherry immediately fell asleep the moment their headsid on their pillows.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on top of his bed as he meditated to calm his mind and body.


    Several minutester, Tiona poked her head from the ground and crawled up the bed until she arrived at Thirteen''s shoulder.


    She then whispered something in his ear, making the young man open his eyes.


    "Thank you, Tiona," Thirteen said before standing up from the bed.


    He then walked toward the window of his room, and after ncing outside for nearly half a minute, Thirteen jumped down and moved stealthily toward the doors of the Temple of Courage.


    check-out-NovelFire


    The main reason he didn''t want Erica and Sherry to stay inside his room was because he nned to enter the Temple as soon as possible.


    Of course, he made sure to leave a letter behind so that they wouldn''t be too worried about his sudden disappearance.


    What the Wanderers didn''t know was that the Temple of Courage was actually a Dungeon with thirteen floors.


    Each floor had a Wandering Boss Monster that they may or may not encounter during their exploration.


    The main reason why Thirteen went up ahead was to make sure that the Wanderers wouldn''t have to deal with the stronger monsters on the upper floors. He intended to deal with all of them beforehand and, in turn, reduce the casualties they could''ve had due to the difference in strength.


    There were two ways on how to get to the next floor.


    The first one was to defeat the Wandering Boss Monster and proceed to the next floor as a reward.


    The other was to find the portal that led to the next floor without encountering the monster.


    Every time the Boss Monster was killed, the portal would appear on the ce where they had died, and these monsters wouldn''t respawn soon, unlike the other monsters inside the dungeon.


    The reason for this was that each of these bosses were Real Monsters that were forcefully taken from the outside world by the power of the Temple of Courage.


    The moment they die, the Temple would randomly select a Jinn Monster of appropriate level from the outside world and teleport it inside its interior.


    This process would take two weeks. Thirteen''s n was to eliminate all of them in the shortest time possible, granting the Wanderers safe passage for half a month.


    When Thirteen entered the first floor, he read the wooden board that was nted beside its entrance.


    "First Floor Challenge - Horn Rabbit Maze."


    Just like the name implied, the First Floor was a maze, and it was being patrolled by Horned Rabbits.


    These Rabbits were one of the weakest Rank 1 Monsters in the world, but they were also among the most annoying to fight, especially if you hadn''t received formalbat training before being Spirited Away for the first time.


    Thirteen casually shed the Horned Rabbit when it lunged in his direction, cleanly cutting off its head.


    "I have no time for this," Thirteen muttered before summoning his Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    After summoning his minions, the teenage boy gave them their orders.


    "Find the exit or find the boss," Thirteen ordered. "If you encounter the boss, feel free to defeat it and call me once it''s done. Now, go!"


    The monsters under Thirteen''smand scattered in the different paths of the maze, exploring its every nook and cranny.


    A few minutester, the Ratman, Kesari, made a report that he had already killed the Horned Rabbit Boss, and the portal had appeared in his location.


    "Good job," Thirteen replied as he ran to the location of the Portal.


    Although he wasn''t certain if he could conquer all thirteen floors within a day, he would climb as high as he could before the Wanderers, who were still sleeping peacefully in their beds, wake up and start challenging the temple, as well as the horrors that were waiting for them inside of it.

 Chapter 588: The Temple Of Courage [Part 2]

    The term "speedrun" was a verymon term among gamers.


    Clearing the game at the fastest time possible was considered a sport, and many Professionals liked to beat each other''s records in order to show the world that they were faster than their peers.


    What Thirteen was doing was simr to speedrunning.


    However, his goal wasn''t to beat anyone''s records.


    His goal was to simply reach his goal as fast as possible.


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    While his minions did kill the Boss Monster on the First Floor, they ignored the Boss Monsters on the Second Floor because they found the portal first.


    The lower floors wouldn''t pose as much threat to the Wanderers, so Thirteen was more than happy to leave the weaker Bosses for them to handle.


    Aries had said that the Absolutes had managed to step into the 12th Floor.


    However, none of them was able to beat its Guardian or find the portal that led to the thirteenth floor.


    The real reason why no one could find the portal was due to the fact that the Boss Monster was guarding its location.


    In short, in order to proceed to thest floor, they would have to defeat the Boss of the 12th Floor, which Aries deemed impossible for them to defeat.


    Why? The strongest Absolutes inside the Sanctuary had the Rank of Champion. But even they had been unable to eliminate the monsters and were even easily turned into meat paste.


    ''I''ve been here inside the Temple for five hours,'' Thirteen mused as he drank from his water sk. ''They will probably wake up soon.''


    The teenage boy had managed to climb up to the 8th Floor, but he knew that it would no longer be as easy as the previous floors.


    For one thing, all the floors starting from the Fifth Floor were very spacious, extending for miles on end.


    They were also made up of different environments, highlighting different challenges.


    The Fifth Floor was a Jungle.


    The Sixth Floor was a Wend.


    The Seventh Floor was a Desert.


    And the Eighth Floor? It was a mountain that was at least six to seven thousand meters tall, ording to his estimate.


    Although it wasn''t as high as Mount Everest, it was still a very challenging mountain to climb, riddled with Mountain Goats that were all Rank 3 and Rank 4 Monsters.


    Thirteen knew that the portal or the boss Monster would be located at its peak, and each step he took took him one step closer to his destination.


    ''Fortunately, the majority of the Rookies have Adamantine Grade Weapon and Armor,'' Thirteen thought. ''Although it would not be easy, they should still be able to defeat a Rank 4 Monster if they fought it as a team.''


    Thirteen believed that The One would not let the Rookies fight a battle that they wouldn''t be able to win.


    Because of this, Thirteen decided to ask Tiona''s clone to tell Erica or Sherry¡ªif they looked for him, that the strongest mob monsters inside the Temple of Courage were Rank 4 Monsters.


    This way, the Wanderers would form teams in order to advance to the higher floors.


    Since there was no limit on how many members a team may have, there was no problem if they went there in a group of twenty people.


    They could even form multiple teams and challenge each floor as if they were facing a Raid Boss, which would also increase the chances of sess.


    Since the Absolutes would send someone to guide the Wanderers up to the 12th floor, Thirteen deemed that he no longer needed to do anything else aside from warning them that they should form groups to challenge the Temple of Courage.


    As Thirteen neared the peak, he saw over a dozen Mountain Ibexes ring in his direction.


    Standing behind them was a five-meter tall, Golden-Horned Ibex, which was the Boss monster of the Eighth Floor.


    ''Rank 5 Sovereign,'' Thirteen mused. ''Strong enough to pose a challenge for the 8th Floor. Not bad. I''ll give it a serious injury, and let the Hero Party give it the finishing blow.''


    Among the Wanderers under hismand, only the Hero Party, Ste, and Siri were capable enough to defeat a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    Since the monster dying in his hands wouldn''t give him any items, he felt that it would be a waste for him to give the Bosses the finishing blow.


    "Kill the small fries," Thirteen ordered his Parade of a Hundred Demons. "Tiona and I will handle the Boss Monster."


    Tiona hissed happily. Ever since they had entered the Temple, she hadn''t had the chance to fight alongside her Master.


    Now that they were going to deal with the Golden-Horned Ibex together, the ck Snake would make sure that they would defeat it with flying colors.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Erica opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings in a daze.


    She subconsciously patted the left side of her bed, which was usually where Ziony whenever they slept together.


    Only when thest dregs of sleep left her body did she remember that she had slept in the room right next to Zion''s.


    The Sorceress of the Hero Party raised her arms and did a few light stretches before leaving her bed.


    ''I guess I''ll wake him up first,'' Erica thought as she left her room to wake the teenage boy, whom she believed was still asleep.


    Since she wanted to surprise him, she didn''t knock on the door and instead tried to open the door knob first.


    To her surprise, the door wasn''t locked, making her shake her head helplessly.


    ''Zion is being toox,'' Erica sighed. ''Just because this ce doesn''t seem dangerous doesn''t mean that he should forget to lock his door.''


    The Sorceress nned to give the teenage boy a piece of her mind as she entered the room.


    Erica smirked evilly as she walked toward the bed.


    There, she saw a lump covered by a nket, making the smile on her face widen.


    When she was only a reach away from the bed, Erica grabbed the nket with both hands before raising it high in the air.


    "Rise and shine, Zion!" Erica shouted.


    But, to her surprise, the only thing she saw under the nket was a pillow, making her eyes widen in shock.


    Erica nced around the room and noticed Tiona''s clone waving at her with its tail from on top of the table.


    Right beside the ck Snake was a handwritten letter, which Thirteen had left behind to prevent everyone from worrying about him.


    After reading the letter, the Sorceress cursed under her breath before leaving the room in a huff.


    She nned to wake up Sherry, Shana, and the other members of the Hero Party, and tattle that Zion Leventis had sneaked into the temple in the middle of the night, leaving everyone behind.

 Chapter 589: One Day, I Will Surpass You

    As soon as Erica discovered that Zion wasn''t inside his room, she hurried to Sherry''s and Shana''s room and woke them up, telling them what happened.


    "So this is why he said that he wanted to be alonest night," Sherry said after reading the teenage boy''s letter. "He nned to enter the Temple of Courage on his own."


    "Damn right!" Erica fumed. "If I catch himter, I''ll make sure to give him some peace of mind!"


    Shana, who had just finished reading Thirteen''s letter, had a frown on her beautiful face.


    "The Wanderers all agreed to challenge the Temple of Courage at around ten in the morning," Shana said. "Even if we try to follow Zion now, we still need the others to ensure that we all pass safely. Also, we need the guides from the Absolutes, or we might take a longer time exploring the different floors of the Temple.


    "As much as I want to look for Zion now, it is best that we wait until everyone is ready to depart."


    Erica clicked her tongue because she understood that she couldn''t solo the Temple of Courage on her own.


    Thirteen was capable of it because he had a monster army that could help him deal with his enemies.


    Sherry understood this very well. But what she didn''t understand was why Zion needed to do it alone.


    If he only waited until morning, they would form the strongest party that was guaranteed to conquer all the floors of the temple, allowing them to arrive safely at the 13th Floor.


    ''Just why did he go alone?'' Erica pondered. ''He never does anything without a proper reason. I''m sure that he didn''t decide to fight solo just because he could. Zion would not hesitate to take the lead if this meant that everyone would be able to pass the test safely.''


    Sherry, who was also thinking along the same lines as Erica, was also wondering why the teenage boy did what he did.


    In the end, she couldn''t think of any other reason, so she decided to just return to her room to take a bath and make her final preparations before entering the Temple of Courage.


    Erica, who was at a loss for what to do, remembered that Tiona''s clone was still in Zion''s room.


    Because of this, she hurried back in fear that the ck snake would no longer be there when she returned.


    Fortunately, Tiona''s clone remained where it was, making Erica breathe a sigh of relief.


    "You canmunicate with your Master, right?" Erica asked.


    The ck snake nodded to confirm the Sorceress''s statement.


    "Then tell him this¡ªif I catch him, he''s dead!" Erica dered. "Oh wait, don''t tell him that! If you really tell him that, he would definitely speed things up because he wouldn''t want to be captured by me."


    ''Toote. Tiona''s clone has already told me everything.''


    Thirteen''s telepathic reply reached the youngdy''s mind.


    "Damn you, little brat!" Erica grabbed the ck snake and shouted in anger. "Why did you leave without us?!"


    "Because there''s something that I need to do," the ck Snake replied. "Also, tell everyone that fighting Solo is not advisable. Two squads should move together to clear every floor up to the 7th Floor.


    "Starting from the 8th Floor and above, three to four squads are advisable. The monsters here are Rank 3 to Rank 4 Monsters, and some groups are led by Rank 5 Alpha Monsters. The Boss Monster on the 7th and 8th Floor are both Rank 5 Sovereigns, so the Hero Party must step up to kill those Bosses."


    Erica frowned as she listened to Thirteen''s words, but she didn''t interrupt until the teenage boy had finished talking.


    When he was done, it was now finally her turn to speak.


    "So, are you currently on the 9th Floor?" Erica inquired.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure that the Guides from the Absolutes will help you climb the Temple faster, so you will reach this point after a few hours. Still, don''t let your guard down, and don''t be too overconfident.


    "There is a reason why the Absolutes were unable to clear this Temple, so you guys better not underestimate your opponents."


    "Wash your neck," Erica said. "I''ll strangle you when I catch you."


    "Ah¡­ what¡­ did¡­ you¡­ say?" Thirteen asked. "The¡­ connection¡­ is getting¡­ choppy¡­ I¡­ can''t¡­"


    After those words were spoken, no more reply came from Thirteen, which made Erica''s face turn red in anger.


    Clearly, the teenage boy was merely pretending that the connection was choppy to end the conversation.


    Still, Erica didn''t doubt Thirteen''s words even for a second, so after much deliberation, she headed back to her room in order to prepare for their expedition.


    There were eighteen Squads under Thirteen''smand.


    Each squad wasposed of fifty individuals, including their Squad Captain.


    Eighteen Squads, Eighteen Squad Captains.


    This was the current number of people under Thirteen''s Battalion.


    When the Squad Captains heard that their Supreme Commander had entered the Temple of Courage on his own, all of them were shocked. None of them expected something like this to happen.


    "Everyone, please listen," Rnd said in a serious tone. "I will now tell you the raiding n for the Temple of Courage."


    Everyone quieted down to let the young man speak. Rnd was the Hero of the Hero Party, so hemanded a certain degree of respect among Wanderers.


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    "My Party and I will lead the first and second squads to enter the Temple," Rnd said. "After that, the Third and Fourth Squad will team up, then the Fifth and the Sixth, and so on and so forth.


    "There will be two Squad Captains working together to clear each floor. Every team will have a guide to show them the fastest way to the next floor.


    "The difficulty of the challenges that we will face will also grow in each floor. But the spike of difficulty will be truly felt on the 7th and 8th Floor. As for the 9th Floor¡­ it will be best if four Squads work together to clear it."


    David, who was paying close attention to Rnd''s statement, raised his hand to voice his opinion.


    "If we will form four Squads on the 9th Floor in the end, I think we should just enter the Temple with four squads each," David stated. "Not only is there safety in numbers, but we can also clear it faster. Lastly, it will save time because we no longer have to wait for the other squads to arrive before challenging the 9th Floor.


    "With four Squads from the start, we will no longer have any problems in the long term. Lastly, since there are only Eighteen Squads, the Hero Party can follow their original n of bringing two Squads with them."


    Rnd pondered a bit before agreeing to David''s proposal.


    "Good," Rnd nodded. "We will follow your proposal. Aside from my team and the two squads that will follow me, the rest of you form four squads each."


    David smiled because he knew that Rnd wasn''t a narrow-minded person. His suggestion was the best way for everyone to pass theirst trial while ensuring that the majority of the Wanderers would be able to return to Pangea.


    It was not a matter of pride or whatnot.


    After everything they had gone through in this mission, the bonds they shared with their Battalion were something they would cherish for life.


    "Return to your Squads, and inform them about the things we discussed," Rnd ordered. "Tell them to make theirst-minute preparations. We will enter the Temple in exactly an hour from now."


    """Yes, Sir!"""


    After the Squad Captains left the meeting area, Rnd shifted his gaze to the tower, which would lead them back home.


    Although not many understood Thirteen''s decision to challenge the Temple on his own, Rnd had a vague understanding of the reason why the younger boy did it.


    ''He''s treating us like greenhouse flowers,'' Rnd sighed internally. ''Sometimes, I don''t know if meeting Zion is a blessing or a curse.''


    After getting beaten by the teenage boy, Rnd realized that he had many weaknesses.


    He always believed that no one could beat him on the same rank, but after his battle with Thirteen, not only did he lose to someone whose Rank was weaker than him, but he was even trained by the same person for a month.


    This humbled him very much, which made him no longer underestimate anyone, especially those weaker than him.


    ''One day, I will surpass you,'' Gerald vowed. ''Just you wait, Zion.''

 Chapter 590: The Two Troublemakers

    Thirteen, who was listening to the meeting earlier, smirked because David''s proposal was indeed good.


    The only reason why he said that two squads should work together on the lower floors was to allow everyone to have a chance to hone their fighting skills further.


    But having two hundred Wanderers per team wasn''t a bad thing either. This way, they would be able to react to stronger enemies and beat them by using their battle formations.


    They had already mastered this to a certain extent after constant battles against Hordes of Monsters.


    "Still, the 9th Floor will still be very difficult even with four squads per team," Thirteen muttered to himself.


    Currently, T1, O1, and O2 were teaming up against a Rank 6 Sovereign, which was also the Boss Monster of the 9th Floor.


    The rest were busy dealing with the Rank 5 Alpha Monsters and the Rank 4 Monsters under theirmand.


    Rocky didn''t join the battle and simply watched hisrades fight, with his Master sitting on top of his head.


    Thirteen was now feeling exhausted due to the non-stop battles, so he decided to sit this one out.


    "Don''t kill the Boss, okay?" Thirteen reminded the Troll Warlord and the two Ogres. "We''ll leave it for the Hero Party deal with. Just injure the Boss enough, so they would not be too hard-pressed in their battle against it."


    The Rank 6 Sovereign was a Steel Golem, which was not only very strong but very sturdy as well.


    This monster was six meters tall and packed a powerful punch, which made even the Ogres feel a world of pain.


    Its subordinates wereposed of Iron Golems (Alpha Monsters), Bronze Golems, and Earth Golems.


    Normal weapons were not effective against such monsters.


    But Adamantine-Grade Weapons stood a chance.


    Lastly, those with Elemental Abilities like Erica were very strong against such monsters.


    The only problem was that the Golems numbered in the Hundreds.


    Thirteen was only able to rest easy because his monster army was strong.


    Ratatoskr, who was living inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, was having a hard time fighting against such sturdy opponents.


    The White Ratman might be fast, but his attacks didn''t hit as hard as the Ogres, making him unable to deal damage to the Iron and Bronze Golems.


    Because of this, he focused his attention on the weaker Earth Golems, which was devastated by his fighting style.


    ''Hmm¡­ Ratatoskr didn''t have enough time to fight as ofte,'' Thirteen thought. ''He''s a Hero, but he still hasn''t undergone proper Character Growth.''


    Ratatoskr was supposed to be the one who would save the Ratmen Race from the Ogres by reiming their Origin Shard.


    But this process would have taken years to finish, and Thirteen didn''t have the time to wait until he managed to gain the strength he needed to ovee his adversaries.


    So he decided to just let Ratatoskr train the normal way, and he even taught thetter the Divine Martial Art called Splinter Arts. wee to mvle mp,y,r


    This Martial Art was created by a Mutated Rat who raised some turtles during his free time.


    This was the perfect Martial Art for the White Ratman due to its origin and practicality.


    If Ratatoskr seeds in raising his master of the Divine Martial Technique to a higher level, the Iron and Steel Golems wouldn''t be his match.


    Heck, even Crystal and Adamantine Golems would flee from his kicks and punches.


    Unfortunately, this would not be happening anytime soon because the Ratman had only mastered this Martial Art at the Elementary Level.


    But what amused Thirteen the most was the two troublemakers, Pica and Pico.


    The two young Pocopocos wouldnd on the shoulders of the Golem and shout, telling them that they suck, which triggered the Golems into attacking them.


    But the two birds were as fast as they were annoying. In other words, they are incredibly speedy.


    ''They are very good at taunting monsters,'' Thirteen mused. ''I wonder where they get that trait from?''


    Vassago and Poca were by no means mild-mannered, but the two young Pocopocos were like loose cannons, saying and shouting whatever they wanted.


    Fortunately, the Golems didn''t have any long-range attacks, so the two were always out of their reach.


    Suddenly, a loud crash sounded in Thirteen''s ears, forcing him to shift his attention to the Steel Golem, who had been tossed by thebined power of the two Ogres, creating a crater on the ground where it fell.


    But since it was a golem, it didn''t feel any pain, frustrating the Troll Warlord and the two Ogres who were fighting it.


    Perhaps out of anger and desperation, the two Ogres decided to attack the Steel Golem while it was down by using their bodies to body m it, pinning it on the ground.


    The Troll Warlord, who saw the perfect opportunity to strike, started to hack the Steel Golem''s head with his des, resulting in a spark with each strike.


    ''Hmm¡­ should I order them to kill it?'' Thirteen pondered. ''Maybe I should have taken Sherry with me.''


    The teenage boy found killing the Boss Monsters wasteful because the Wanderers would benefit greatly from defeating them.


    After pondering for a minute, Thirteen decided to stick to his n and only cause enough damage to the Steel Golem so that Rnd''s party could take it out.


    Five minutester, Thirteen pped his hands together.


    "Okay, guys, that''s enough," Thirteen stated. "Let''s pack up and let the others deal with the Golems."


    Rocky, who was waiting for Thirteen''s order, sent everyone back to the Mobile Fortress before they headed to the portal that would take them to the 10th Floor.


    Thirteen''s progress was so fast that when the Guides heard that the teenage boy had already reached the 9th Floor, they desperately wanted to know what kind of juice he was drinking because they wanted to have a taste of it as well.


    In order to reach the 10th Floor, they would usually spend five to eight days inside the Temple of Courage, which they believed was already very fast.


    But after hearing that a thirteen-year-old human boy had done what they couldn''t, all of them felt that the younger generation had truly surpassed them all.

 Chapter 591: Either Their Leader Is Hiding Their Strength, Or He Is Simply A Fool

    10th Floor of the Temple of Courage¡­


    Thirteen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the wide open in right in front of him.


    There was not a single de of grass nor a ce of elevation in sight.


    The entire ce was merely a t, wide in, giving most people no ce to hide.


    He could easily see monsters in the distance, all of whom had detected his presence.


    All of them were Rank 4 Monsters, and they consisted of Lions and Hyenas.


    As the familiar chuckle of the Hyenas reached his ears, he subconsciously remembered the time when he was still in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "I see. So this ce is meant to weed out the weak, huh?" Thirteen muttered.


    With no ce to hide, it was very easy for the monsters to see his location, allowing them to focus their attention on him.


    "cky, let''s go," Thirteen ordered as he mounted the Nightmare ck Hound and urged it to run to look for the portal meant to take him to the next floor.


    The Rank 4 Monsters immediately gave chase, not noticing that Thirteen''s Parade of a Hundred Demons had begun to run in the opposite direction.


    Their goal was simple.


    Look for the Teleportation Portal and find the Boss Monster of the 10th Floor.


    Depending on the type of Boss Monster that was present on the t ins, Thirteen would make ns to give it an injury, leveling the ying field for the other Wanderers.


    ording to his estimate, if the Hero Party, Siri, Ste, and the Elites of his Battalion worked together, they would be able to bring down a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    That was the maximum rank of the Monster that they could face after using everything in their disposal.


    If they faced any Rank 7 Monsters, they would start having casualties, which was something that Thirteen wanted to avoid at all costs.


    Because of this, whenever he discovered any Rank 7 Monsters, he would dispose of them, allowing the Wanderers to pass to the next floor without suffering mass casualties.


    Even now, the Wanderers could still die if they fought against Rank 4 Monsters. But since they were fighting it as a group, Thirteen believed that they would have a higher chance of survival.


    If the teenagers died in fighting against them despite being in a group, Thirteen believed that they weren''t meant to clear the Temple of Courage.


    He was doing his best to make sure that everyone could return home to Pangea, but he couldn''t hold their hands forever because it would be detrimental to their growth.


    ''Also, if they don''t put enough effort in clearing this mission, they will not get proper rewards when the Chain Quest is over,'' Thirteen thought.


    While getting the Adamantine-Grade Equipments were probably the best thing that the Wanderers could get in this mission, he believed that their potential to gain more in the final stage would help boost their confidence, on top of the rewarded items, which would help them in their next Wandering.


    ''They must have entered the Temple by now,'' Thirteen mused. ''I just hope they won''t rush too much just to catch up with me on the upper floors.''


    ¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, on the First Floor of the Temple of Courage¡­


    "A maze?" Erica frowned. "I hate mazes. Can we just st all these walls?"


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    "You can try," an Absolute named Arlo replied. "But those walls will not be destroyed using such methods."


    "Tsk!" Erica clicked her tongue in frustration.


    "Listen, I know that you want to catch up to Zion, but we should move at our own pace," Shana, who was also frustrated that the teenage boy had decided to challenge the Temple of Courage by himself, said in a firm tone.


    "That''s right," Rndmented. "We must focus on clearing these trials on our own. I''m sure we will meet up with him sooner orter."


    Erica sighed before nodding her head. "Fine. Let''s just move at our pace."


    Sherry, whom Erica had invited to join their party, followed behind the Sorceress.


    Since the enemies they were facing were only Rank 1 Horned Rabbits and they had a guide named Arlo leading them, they traveled at a fast pace.


    Although they weren''t as fast as Zion, they were still able to clear the first Floor within an hour, smoothly proceeding to the Second Floor.


    There were currently five Wanderer Teams that were currently challenging the Trial of Courage.


    The First Team was led by Rnd.


    The Second Team was led by Kyle Walkers.


    The Third Team was led by David.


    The Final Team was led by Sean and the members of the Cygni Faction.


    Each team had a Guide of the Champion Rank, allowing them to progress faster inside the Temple.


    After the Wanderers all cleared the First Floor with ease, a middle-aged man stepped inside the First Floor.


    It was none other than the Demonic Smander, who had sneaked inside the Temple in order to have his wish granted.


    Since he wasn''t in a hurry to clear the challenges, he waited for the Wanderers to go in first before stepping inside the Temple.


    He had been observing all of them from the beginning, but he didn''t see the teenage boy named Zion, who was their leader.


    Using his sharp senses, he overheard the Wanderers talking that Zion Leventis had decided to challenge the Temple alone, which made the Demonic Smander arch an eyebrow.


    ''Either their leader is hiding his strength, or he is simply a fool,'' the Demonic Smander thought as he traveled through the maze.


    All the Horned Rabbits that respawned in the temple had avoided him like a gue, allowing him to move unhindered on the First Floor.


    The Demonic Smander took his sweet time as if he was merely taking a stroll in the park.


    Since he didn''t want to be discovered by the Wanderers¡ªat least for now, he simply stayed in the First Floor for an hour longer before entering the portal which led him to the Second Floor of the Temple.


    Meanwhile, high above the Thirteenth Floor, an old man stood at the center of an Arena, holding a staff with what looked like a mechanical clock on its end.


    His gaze was locked on the teenage boy who was on the 10th Floor, riding on the back of his Nightmare ck Hound, who outsped all the monsters in the open ins, preventing anyone from getting close.


    His wizened gaze focused on Thirteen''s face, making the corner of his lips rise up into a devilish smile.

 Chapter 592: Plains of Death [Part 1]

    ''Just how vast is this ce?'' Thirteen thought.


    It had been six hours since he entered the 10th Floor, but neither the location of the Portal nor the Boss Monster had been found.


    In the past few hours, He made sure to evade any direct sh of the monsters, preserving his strength for the Boss Monster.


    However, the 10th Floor was extremely vast and spacious.


    ''Maybe I should have talked to Aries and asked the help of a guide¡­'' Thirteen mused. ''Though if a guide hade with me, then I wouldn''t have been able to use my full power at the get go. Oh, well. I guess I''ll find the Boss and the Portal eventually.''


    A few more hours passed, and cky was now feeling exhausted after running nonstop in an attempt to avoid the monsters chasing them as they searched for the Boss Monster and the Portal that led to the 11th Floor.


    "Rocky,e," Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, the Magma Bal-Boa who was following behind cky from deep under the ground emerged to the surface.


    "Take us to the Mobile Fortress. cky needs to rest."


    Rocky nodded, then swallowed Thirteen and cky before diving back into the ground.


    "I''ll take a nap first," Thirteen said. "Wake me up if you find the Boss or the Portal."


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    After giving his orders, Thirteen looked at Cranky, who was lying face up on the ground. Wanting to rest, he approached the Pseudo-Majin Prince andid on his soft, fluffy underside.


    It didn''t even take Zion less than a minute to fall asleep, tired from speedrunning his way to the 13th Floor.


    Currently, only the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons were scouting every nook and cranny of the 10th Floor.


    The teenage boy was confident that they would eventually find what they were looking for, so he decided to take a nap to recover his strength.


    Two hourster, the Magma Bal-Boa suddenly stopped moving and extended his senses outward.


    Rocky suddenly felt a presence that made him raise his guard and observe his surroundings.


    As one of the strongest members of Thirteen''s Monster Army, the teenage boy had given him a few abilities that were perfect for scouting.


    Currently, one of those abilities had detected a monster presence that was of the same Rank as him.


    Since this was an important discovery, he passed a mental message to Giga and asked him to wake up their Master so that he could know of their current situation.


    "A Rank 7 Sovereign traveling underground like you?" Thirteen rubbed his chin, making him finally understand why the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons hadn''t been able to find the Boss Monster and the Portal to the next floor.


    The reason for this was simple.


    The Boss Monster was the Portal.


    If the monster died, the portal would appear where it died, allowing Thirteen to proceed to the 11th Floor.


    ''I guess we have no choice but to fight it,'' Thirteen thought as he summoned his ck g to recall the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons.


    Since Rocky and the members of his Parade were the only ones proficient in underground battles, he decided to let them work together to fight whatever monster Rocky had sensed underground.


    Cranky was still in the middle of evolving, so it couldn''t go out to help them fight the threat that they were facing.


    "Everyone, get ready for battle," Thirteen ordered.


    The teenage boy then sat cross-legged on the ground and synchronized with Tiona, who would also head out to battle to lead her subordinates.


    Using their shared senses, Thirteen was finally able to discover the Boss Monster that they had been looking for on the 10th Floor.


    It was a giant Death Worm that was as long and big as Rocky.


    The Magma Bal-Boa was easily forty-meters long, and its opponent was of the same size as him.


    In terms of raw strength, the Death Worm was stronger because it was a monster of pure muscles.


    But Rocky had strong firepower, allowing him to use long-range attacks against his enemies.


    "Do it, Rocky," Thirteen ordered.


    Immediately, the Magma Bal-Boa''s entire body started to emit mes, turning the ground around it into moltenva.


    It then dug deeper underground, turning its surroundings into an environment most suited to its fighting style.


    Since the opponent could also dig underground and was stronger than him, there was only one option that would grant him the highest chance of sess.


    And that option was to turn the entire battlefield into a zing inferno, making it difficult for the Death Worm to fight Rocky in its domain.


    Since the Death Worm had no eyes, and only relied on the vibrations in its surroundings, it wasn''t able to see what was happening around it.


    But it could still sense Rocky''s movement, as well as the rising temperature that was starting to make it feel ufortable.


    However, since it solely relied on its instincts, it decided to pursue Rocky and deal with the threat that was endangering its life.


    Rocky didn''t engage the Death Worm inbat and simply left a trail of Molten Lava in its wake, making the Death Worm screech as its body made contact with the trap that Thirteen and Rocky had crafted.


    But although it didn''t have eyes nor was it particrly intelligent, it still felt the danger that it was in.


    So instead of pursuing Rocky, the monster decided to retreat, forcing Rocky to chase after it.


    But the moment it had left the Magma Field that Rocky had created, the Death Worm turned around, and charged at Rocky to counterattack.


    As if it was already nned beforehand, Rocky started escaping, leaving a trail of Magma behind.


    This tug of war of retreat and offense continued for nearly three hours before the Death Worm had enough.


    It rose to the surface and traveled abovend, targeting the monsters to devour so that it could replenish its strength.


    It was at that moment that the members of Thirteen''s Parade of a Hundred Demons finally made their move and attacked the Death Worm from all sides, simr to ants that were trying to bring down a monster that was several times bigger than them.

 Chapter 593: Plains of Death [Part 2]

    Rocky prided himself as the strongest member of Thirteen''s Monster Party.


    When he first met his Master, he was only seven years old.


    Back then, he only followed the young boy because of Tiona, who could dominate snake-type monsters regardless of their form.


    Rocky was a Rock Snake and spent most of his time deep underground.


    But after that fateful encounter, he found himself mixed in all sorts of troubles.


    Originally, he only nned to pay lip service to the human boy because he didn''t deem him worthy to be his Master.


    However, the more he spent time with Thirteen, the more he realized that the human boy wasn''t normal.


    No, he was abnormal.


    A seven-year-old dared to scheme against a Majin Prince?


    Not only was it a suicidal move, but it was also in crazy.


    Rocky had wanted no part in it, yet before he knew it, he found himself at the eye of the storm, unable to break free from the torrential wind that bound his fate to the boy whom Tiona recognized as his Master.


    When the battle finally happened, he had wanted to escape. Even thinking of fighting against Arundel the Destroyer was madness.


    But, as the monsters, whom he recognized as his fellow victims and were unlucky enough to be Thirteen''s ves, died one by one, Rocky felt something stir inside of him.


    He risked his life to save the human boy, even dying in the process.


    Just when Rocky thought that he had died, he found himself regaining consciousness within the chaotic battlefield where he should have died.


    Since then, he, Giga, cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and Trolls had be Thirteen''s Beast Companions.


    They, who were powerful monsters themselves, chose to obey a person whose future had been nipped in the bud by a God who wanted the System of Cannon Fodders to understand what it meant to be a Cannon Fodder.


    However, whether by the System God''s design or not, Thirteen not only survived, but he also thrived.


    Rocky watched him grow up from a seven-year-old to a thirteen-year old.


    Within the span of six years, Rocky saw things he wouldn''t have seen otherwise if he hadn''t met Zion Leventis.


    But what touched him the most and gave him asting impression was the moment Thirteen faced off against the Majin King after Cranky died.


    Rocky felt jealous and envious. Although the Honey Badger wasn''t part of Thirteen''s monster army, the boy cried after his death.


    He felt Thirteen''s genuine sadness and remorse for the death of a monster who had sacrificed its life for him.


    The Magma Bal-Boa knew deep inside that Thirteen''s love didn''t only extend toward Cranky.


    If he or any members of Thirteen''s Monster Army had died in the battle against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, Rocky was certain that the teenage boy would react the same way and avenge them.


    Just like what he had done for the Honey Badger, who was currently sleeping inside his Mobile Fortress, Thirteen would risk his life to punish those who harmed them.


    But when Rocky thought that his Master had died after the Majin King unleashed its breath attack against him, he felt as if something snapped inside of him.


    At that moment, Rocky no longer cared about self-preservation and charged at the Majin King, intending to die if it meant he could avenge his Master.


    That wasn''t the first time that he felt weak and helpless.


    And truth be told, he didn''t want to feel that ever again.


    So as he stared at the Death Worm, who was being besieged by the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, Rocky made a decision.


    The Death Worm was stronger than him physically, and his only advantage over it was to create a terrain that was advantageous to the Magma Bal-Boa.


    But despite not being smart, the Death Worm understood that fighting his opponent in its own domain was suicide, so it decided to run away.


    Rocky believed that the same thing would happen again, so he made a bold decision.


    He would fight the Death Worm head-on without taking a step back.


    With a roar filled with its desire for battle, Rocky covered its entire body in mes and charged at the Death Worm at its fastest speed.


    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons were unable to prate their enemy''s thick skin, which was made mostly of muscles.


    So when they saw the Magma Bal-Boa rushing toward them like a minget, they decided to abandon ship and jump away from the Death Worm.


    Rocky''s head collided with the Death Worm, making thetter skid dozens of meters from the ground before screeching in anger.


    It then lunged at Rocky, mming its entire body against the Magma Bal-Boa, sending Rocky''s body flying backward.


    Thirteen frowned, seeing that Rocky had ignored his order to fight the Death Worm only with ranged attacks.


    However, he didn''t confront or order the Magma Bal-Boa to stand down to follow his instructions.


    He simply crossed his arms over his chest and watched through Tiona''s eyes.


    Rocky was smart.


    Thirteen knew that.


    But he also knew that even smart people would make stupid decisions from time to time.


    He didn''t know if Rocky was doing something stupid or not, but he could tell that the Magma Bal-Boa wished to fight the Death Worm in a one-on-one battle.


    The main reason he didn''t put a stop to it was because he could feel that something had shifted inside Rocky''s mind, simr to gaining enlightenment.


    Since the Magma Bal-Boa was putting his life on the line, Thirteen decided to respect his decision.


    Currently, Rocky was being pinned down on the ground by the Death Worm, using its superior strength to overwhelm its opponent.


    At that moment, when the Magma Bal-Boa was having a hard time against his opponent, he heard Thirteen''s words inside his head.


    "Go, Rocky," Thirteen said. "Knock his lights off."


    The moment he heard his Master''s voice, Rocky felt as if Thirteen''s support and approval was thest push he needed to squeeze every bit of power from within his body.


    Suddenly, the mes that coated his body zed brighter than ever.


    Rocky unleashed a Primal Roar at the same time the Death Worm unleashed its own.


    Without caring about its enemy''s ming body, the Death Worm bit down on Rocky''s neck, severing itpletely from its body.

 Chapter 594: You’re Just Emergency Food!

    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons watched in horror as the Magma Bal-Boa''s head was severed from its body.


    Not intending to take any chances, the Death Worm chomped down on Rocky''s head, devouring itpletely.


    Tiona was watching the battle from a distance, and seeing this happen, she screeched in anger as she rushed toward the Death Worm.


    Her Master was inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, and the possibility of him getting trapped inside of it after the Magma Bal-Boa was high, making her feel anxious.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke inside her head, calming her downpletely.


    "I''m fine, Tiona. Just stay where you are."


    The ck Snake nodded her head subconsciously because she always listened to her Master''s orders.


    The mes covering Rocky''s body died down as ity unmoving on the ground.


    As the victor of the battle, the Death Worm mercilessly devoured its opponent''s body,feeling good that it had managed to defeat a strong monster.


    With this, the possibility of its raising its rank to the next level was assured, further increasing its good mood.


    However, just as it ate thest part of the Magma Bal-Boa''s body, the Death Worm suddenly stiffened before copsing on the ground, writhing in pain.


    Simr to an earthworm that had been sprinkled with salt, the Death Worm tumbled on the ground, making thend tremble due to its sheer body size and weight.


    White smoke oozed out from its mouth as it mmed its head repeatedly on the ground.


    It was trying to regurgitate the monster that it ate a while ago, which was burning its body from within.


    A screech filled with rage, and pain spread across the 10th Floor, making those who heard it shudder due to how intense it was.


    A few minutester, the Death Worm''s body was covered with white smoke.


    Earlier, the smoke was only being released from its mouth.


    But now, it was being released from every pore of its body.


    This continued for nearly half an hour, then finally, the massive Death Worm copsed on the ground, dead.


    Till the end, it didn''t expect that it would die after eating its foe, who had the ability to turn its body into magma, allowing it to reform anytime it wanted.


    Rocky knew that he wouldn''t win in a contest of strength against the Death Worm, so he decided to scheme just like what his Master usually did.


    Since he couldn''t defeat his opponent from outside, he decided to kill him from within.


    Rocky had nned everything perfectly, timing his body to copse the moment the Death Worm bit him.


    It was painful, but the Magma Bal-Boa endured, knowing that it could activate its skill called mes of Rebirth, which he could use once a month.


    In short, Rocky took a gamble and won using brains and brawn.


    Fearing that the sleeping Honey Badger inside his mobile fortress would wake up to im his prize, the Magma Bal-Boa didn''t hesitate to devour the Death Worm''s Core.


    Now that its enemy was dead, Rocky broke out from the Death Worm''s body, appearing outside once more.


    Thirteen pondered if he should take the body of the Death Worm with him.


    But after looking at the body of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, which was already taking a lot of space inside the Mobile Fortress, he decided to scrap this idea.


    ''It''s only a Rank 7 Sovereign,'' Thirteen mused. ''I''ll just leave it to the other Wanderers. Since Rocky already obtained the Core, they can have the rest.''


    The teenage boy then shifted his attention to the Portal that appeared a dozen meters away from the Death Worm''s enormous mouth.


    ''Since we fought a Rank 7 Sovereign, there is a possibility that we will be fighting another Rank 7 or even a Rank 8 Sovereign on the 11th Floor.''


    Thirteen couldn''t help but frown. Despite looking fine on the surface, Rocky was certainly exhausted after his rebirth.


    The Magma Bal-Boa was in no condition to fight another monster of the same rank, let alone monsters above its rank.


    He also couldn''t rely on Cranky because the Honey Badger had entered aatose state in order to let its body mutate safely after eating the Majin King''s Core.


    This meant that Thirteen had to rely on his strength, as well as the other members of his Monster Army, to ovee their opponent.


    ''Depending on the opponent, I might just let Rocky rest for a day to fully recover,'' Thirteen thought. ''I hope that the Boss Monster and the portal aren''t in the same ce.''


    Rocky entered the portal as per Thirteen''s order and immediately found itself within a blizzard.


    Its body wasn''tpatible with cold climates, so Rocky dug deep underground and traveled at a slow pace.


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons, with the exception of Tiona, also traveled underground to scout and look for the Boss Monster, as well as the Portal that would lead them to the 12th Floor.


    But just like the 10th Floor, the 11th Floor was extremely vast.


    To make matters worse, the entire floor seemed to be under the effect of a permanent blizzard, reducing visibility to nearly zero.


    After an hour of coasting underground, Thirteen decided to let Rocky rest and recover its strength, for which the Magma Bal-Boa was thankful.


    Since he had nothing else to do, Thirteen activated his Ring of the Apocalypse, which would send him to the Apocalypse Domain, where its members were patiently waiting for his arrival.


    The moment he appeared, he was suddenly greeted by all the members, which took him by surprise.


    "I admit I''ve underestimated you, Thirteen," Beelzebub said. "To think that you could beat Orochi, whom even I can''t beat on my own. It is truly praiseworthy."


    "That''s right," another member of the Ordermented. "It seems that we have truly underestimated you. Why don''t you ditch that weakling Camazotz and join our Faction instead? I will make sure to take good care of you."


    "F*ck off, Paimon!" Camazotz shouted in anger. "You''re just emergency food!"


    "Hoh~ It looks like this bat suddenly gained the balls to speak up." Paimon sneered. "Just where did your confidencee from, huh? Are you thinking that Thirteen would save you from me?"


    "B*tch, who''s afraid of who?" Camazotz sneered back. "Once my armor is fixed, how about you and I fight in a duel? I''ll wipe the floor with your face."


    Although both of them were Majin Princes, Paimon was still stronger than Camazotz.


    However, the Death Bat wasn''t afraid because Thirteen had promised him that he would give him an armor that was made from the scales of a Majin King.


    Even a Majin Prince wouldn''t be able to easily break its defenses, so he was confident that he would be able to beat Paimon in a duel.


    While the two Majin Princes were bickering with each other, Thirteen slipped away to talk to Metatron.


    He wanted to revise one of the agreements he had with the God of the Apocalypse because he believed that he could gain something from the Temple of Courage.


    Kamrusepa watched the teenage boy''s back with a faint smile on her face.


    She was certain that the weakest member of their organization had something in mind, which would allow him to regain the losses he had suffered after giving Zed his freedom back.

 Chapter 595: I Hope The Next Floor Is Better Than This One

    Two days after the Wanderers entered the Temple of Courage¡­


    Rnd''s group finally arrived at the 6th Floor of the Temple of Courage, looking very tired and exhausted.


    While the Teleportation Gates from the 1st Floor up to the 8th Floor could be found in fixed locations, the journey to reach them had been quite hard.


    Their path had been littered with monsters, and dealing with them as they moved forward slowed them by a lot of time.


    The other thing that buffered their travel time was the environment of each floor.


    The 5th Floor was a dense jungle. Not only did danger lurk everywhere, but they also had to find their way through the lush vegetation.


    The 6th one was a Wend, which annoyed Erica very much, so she spent most of the time flying in the sky.


    The Temple of Courage banned the use of any Avatars, so they couldn''t summon monsters to use as mounts to speed up their journey.


    They weren''t like Thirteen who could travel with the help of Rocky and cky, allowing him to clear each floor as fast as possible.


    "Frogs at three o''clock!" Erica shouted from the sky before hurling a fireball in the direction of the monster lurking in ambush from under the water.


    Thanks to the monocle Thirteen had given her, she was able to sense the heat signatures of monsters lurking in the wends.


    But reptiles such as frogs, lizards, and snakes were nearly invisible to her monocle because they were cold-blooded animals.


    However, despite their advantage, Erica''s new ability allowed her to detect even near-invisible monsters within a three-hundred-meter range with her at the center.


    She had gained this ability after Thirteen defeated the Majin King.


    The name of this skill was called Danger Sense.


    It was a very powerful ability, but Erica could only keep it active for two hours max.


    After that, it would enter a cooldown time of three hours before she could use it again.


    Right now, this skill was activated because they had been ambushed by a Rank 3 Red Frog that was hiding under the ground.


    Fortunately, everyone was on alert, so Diana had been able to block the attack, followed by Derek who swiftly went in for the kill.


    "This is annoying," Ericained as she, Shana, and Diana hovered above their team, keeping watch of their surroundings.


    Thirteen had gifted the Saintess a pair of wing earrings, which would transform into a winged helmet when activated.


    When the winged helmet was active, Shana could summon a pair of angelic wings behind her back, allowing her to fly in the sky.


    Diana, on the other hand, was able to get a pair of ck steel wings from the Steel Falcons that Thirteen had captured.


    Sherry looked enviously at the threedies flying in the sky because she had no choice but to walk through the muddy wends. It would be nice to ride a Flying Avatar, but the temple unfortunately restricted them.


    It was not only her who felt this way.


    Rnd, Joshua, Derek, and Mildred were also suffering from their current environment.


    "If we continue heading North, we will arrive at the teleportation gate in half a day," Arlo said.


    He was one of the Guides leading the Wanderers in the right direction so that they could clear each floor as fast as possible.


    "What kind of Boss Monster lives on this floor?" Rnd inquired.


    "The Boss Monster we fought when we entered here a year ago was a Giant ck Anaconda, a Rank 5 Sovereign," Arlo answered. "But since a new Boss Monster will appear two weeks after the previous Boss Monster has been killed, the possibility of it not being another ck Anaconda is high.


    "Please be careful because the monsters here in the Wends always rely on surprise and sneak attacks."


    "I hope the next floor is better than this one," Erica grumbled.


    "Well, I won''t say it''s better, but the hardship is on a different level," Arlomented. "The 7th Floor is a desert, and it''s very hot during the day, and very cold during the night. Simr to the Wends, most monsters hide under the sand, especially the Scorpions and Sand Snakes."


    Erica groaned in frustration because although he disliked the Wends, she could still remedy it by flying.


    But the hot desert?


    That was bad news for her skin!


    ''Hey, Zion, what floor are you on right now?'' Erica asked Tiona''s clone, who was currently coiled on her neck.


    ''I''m on the 11th Floor,'' Thirteen replied. ''Talk to meter. I''m about to fight the Boss Monster.''


    Erica clicked her tongue because the difference between her team and Zion''s team was like heaven and earth.


    It took them two days to reach the 6th Floor, yet the teenage boy was already fighting the Boss of the 11th Floor.


    If only the Sorceress had known that Thirteen had nned to sneak away during the night, she would have insisted that she slept beside him like usual.


    "This is driving me crazy!" Erica shouted in anger.


    Everyone could only sigh, and nod in agreement.


    This environment was indeed driving them crazy, and they still needed to travel for half a day before they reached their destination.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, on the 11th Floor¡­


    From within a blizzard, the sound of fighting could be heard.


    Despite Rocky''s attempt to transform the entire battlefield into molten magma, the blizzard was too strong to make it possible.


    The monster they were facing was a Yeti-like monster but more savage and deadlier.


    It was a Chenoo.


    Its entire body was covered in white fur, making it nearly invisible in the snow. It had two ck horns on its head and blood-red eyes that shone faintly, hungry for blood.


    Its wide mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth would make babies cry the moment they see it.


    But despite its size, this monster was very agile, able to jump dozens of meters in any direction, using its body to lunge at its opponent with feral ferocity.


    It was a peak Rank 7 Sovereign, which was a very difficult opponent to fight in its home court.


    Rocky might have been able to do something if the environment had been different, but even his mes couldn''t fight against thews of frost that were widespread on the 11th Floor.


    "Let''s do, n B, Rocky!" Thirteen ordered.


    The Magma Bal-Boa, who had managed to get a two-day rest after fighting the Death Worm, had now regained his strength.


    Because of this, he heeded Thirteen''s orders and burrowed underground to create tunnels, which it would use to trap the very agile monster who was nearly impossible to catch above ground.


    Thirteen didn''t dare to summon Giga, cky, Hercules, and the others because they would not be able to do anything against the opponent, who was a natural-born killer within its winter wondend.


    The only way for it to be defeated was to remove its ability to move, which was what Rocky was currently trying to do.


    Their only option was to build a deep,rge pit, which would take the Chenoo by surprise and make it fall deep underground.


    Just like the Death Worm on the 10th Floor, Thirteen deemed that the Wanderers wouldn''t be able to defeat the Boss Monster, so he needed to kill it first to prevent the inevitable mass casualties among his subordinates.


    He understood that this was a battle of chance and attrition, but since this was the only way to secure an advantage over their opponent, he was willing to spend many hours crafting a ce that would serve as the Chenoo''s grave.

 Chapter 596: Welcome To My World

    The Chenoo narrowed its eyes as it scanned its surroundings.


    Earlier, a Magma Bal-Boa appeared to challenge it, but now, it was nowhere to be seen.


    Since its opponent could move under the ground, it was hard for the Chenoo to pinpoint its exact location unless it was only a hundred meters away from it.


    The Boss Monster had also noticed over a hundred Rank 1 Monsters observing it from a distance, but it didn''t bother to kill any of them.


    A Rank 1 monster was nothing in its eyes, and even eating them wouldn''t be satisfying.


    After two hours with nothing happening, the Chenoo assumed that its opponent had decided to run away.


    It didn''t find this surprising, confident that, within its domain, it was invincible.


    This was not born out of arrogance but of self-awareness due to its understanding of its strength and environment.


    A Chenoo could be considered an Ice Demon that inhabited snowy mountains, devouring travelers who had strayed into its domain.


    Since the battle was over, it decided to return to its home, which was only a mile away from where it fought with Rocky.


    When the Boss Monster entered the cavern, it didn''t find anything amiss, so it continued to walk toward the underground cavern, where it usually rested.


    Within the 11th Floor, it was the King, the Lord, and the Sovereign of all monsters living inside it.


    They exist only to be consumed by this feral monster, who didn''t even bother to enlist the Rank 5 Alpha Monsters to be its subordinates.


    Everyone inside its domain was treated as food, and it wouldn''t form a friendly rtionship with its food.


    Once it finally arrived at its resting ce, the Chenooy on the ground like it usually did and closed its eyes.


    However, a few secondster, the ground under it gave way, making it fall into a pit that extended for miles deep under the ground.


    The Chenoo was caughtpletely by surprise and tried to look for something to grab on.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen had already considered this possibility, so he made sure that the hole was wide enough to prevent the Boss Monster from finding something to hold onto, preventing its free fall.


    For a brief moment, the Chenoo thought that it was falling into a bottomless pit.


    But a minuteter, it saw something red within the darkness, and the temperature suddenly rose drastically.


    A minute after the Boss Monster fell from the trap that Thirteen created, it fell into a pool ofva, making it scream in pain.


    "Wee to my world," Thirteen said as he sneered at the Monster, who had given them a hard time on the surface.


    The Chenoo, who had heard Thirteen''s voice, immediately tried to use its ability to freeze everything in its surroundings, but Rocky was faster, tackling it without mercy.


    While the Boss Monster reigned supreme above ground, having the environment bend to its will, it was entirely different below ground, where Thirteen and Rocky had prepared a trap to counter its abilities.


    Rocky dragged the Chenoo''s struggling body to the deepest part of his Lava Lake, as part of Thirteen''s n.


    The moment they hit the bottom, Rocky immediately retreated as per his Master''s order.


    As if waiting for that moment, the Lava surrounding the Chenoo immediately became frozen, turning into crystals as the Chenoo made ast-ditch effort to free itself from its hellish environment.


    What it didn''t know was that it only sped up its doom. When the magma was cooled, it instantly solidified and turned into crystal, trapping the monster from within.


    Despite doing its best to free itself from its prison, the Chenoo was unable to break free, suffocating from theck of oxygen in its surroundings.


    Thirteen observed the situation through Rocky''s eyes and waited for the monster''s death.


    He didn''t dare to act prematurely just in case the Monster had entered some kind of near-death state, allowing it to slow down its heartbeat.


    If he moved to check the Chenoo''s condition by breaking the crystal, there was a chance that it might regain its freedom.


    No matter how confident he was that the Boss Monster wouldn''t be able to return to the surface even if it managed to escape its crystal prison, Thirteen didn''t want to take any chances. He only quietly observed what was happening above and below ground.


    A few minutester, a portal appeared in the cavern that served as the resting ce of the Chenoo, confirming that the Boss Monster had finally taken itsst breath.


    The members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, who were standing guard outside the cave, reported that the Blizzard had stoppedpletely, further confirming that the Chenoo had finally been defeated.


    "Rocky, take it inside the Mobile Fortress," Thirteen ordered.


    Rocky nodded and started to melt the Crystal that trapped the Chenoo in ce.


    Although its body was burned in some ces, it was mostly intact, which meant that it could be used as material for crafting.


    The Monster''s Core, which was silver in color, emitted an icy mist, making Thirteen rub his chin as he pondered on what to do with it.


    After careful consideration, he summoned his Soul Keeper Armor and allowed it to absorb the Monster Core.


    Since it was an armor that could evolve infinitely by ingesting Monster Parts, as well as their Cores, Thirteen believed that he would gain some sort of Ice or Cold Resistance, which would be helpful if he ever fought in such an environment.


    ''Well, then. I guess I need to inform everyone where the portal is located,'' Thirteen thought.


    After pondering for a few seconds, an idea popped inside his head, so he immediately ordered his Monster Army, as well as the Parade of the Hundred Demons to start nting signs that pointed in the direction of the portal.


    He even made sure to write "Portal is this way!" on the signs, to ensure that everyone would find the location of the cave, where the portal was currently at.


    Since he didn''t know where the Wanderers would appear on the 11th Floor, he asked his Monster Army to put signs all over the ce.


    This made sure that they would find what they were looking for the moment they arrived at the Winter Wondend, which had now lost its Sovereign.

 Chapter 597: Retreat Wasn’t An Option [Part 1]

    Giga pounded the sign firmly on the snow using a big wooden hammer, making sure that it wouldn''t fall off even when the ice melted.


    The ze Chad Skunk looked at the signs he had posted all over the ce, all of which were pointing in the direction of the cave where the portal was located.


    "Looking for the Portal? You are in luck! Go this way, and you''ll find it!"


    "Erectile Dysfunction? Say no more, Fam! Salvation is over there!"


    "Looking for a Happy Ending? We got you!"


    Giga nodded his head in satisfaction as he looked at the signs that he had nted on the ground.


    The one who wrote on them was his Master, Thirteen.


    Although he didn''t understand the meaning behind some of the words written on the signs he posted, he didn''t bother trying to find out, thinking it was simply part of human culture.


    Simr signs were being put in ce all over the 11th Floor.


    Due to how vast the floor was, Thirteen made sure that people would at least see one of the signs, which would lead them closer to the portal for the 12th Floor.


    This massive undertaking took five hours toplete, and after everything was done, Thirteen finally ordered everyone to return inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress so that they could proceed to the 12th Floor of the Temple of Courage.


    Thirteen knew that the second to thest floor would be very challenging to clear.


    The only reason they seeded in taking down the Chenoo was that they were given enough time toy down a trap on its dwelling ce, making sure that it wouldn''t be able to escape.


    The n worked well, and they did manage to defeat it.


    However, he believed that the same trick might not work on the Boss Monster of the 12th Floor.


    The Absolutes had managed to reach the 12th Floor in the past, but after seeing the Boss Monster, all of them decided that it was impossible to clear, so they all retreated in haste.


    Thirteen had asked the First Guardian, Aries, about what kind of monster it was, and his answer was a Rank 8 Sovereign, Grievefoot.


    The Grievefoot was a giant ape that was at least eight to ten meters tall.


    Simr to the Chenoo, it was very agile, and it could evenunch itself like a cannonball using its Adamantine-like body to deal great damage to its foe.


    It was a monster that both had brawn and brain, making it an extremely difficult enemy to fight.


    The only monsters that could be seen on the 12th Floor were Monkey-Type and Ape-Type Monsters, and they were all under the leadership of this cunning beast.


    Just like the 11th Floor, the weakest Ape on the 12th Floor was Rank 4 Monsters.


    But unlike the Chenoo, who fought alone, the Grievefoot liked to fight with its subordinates, which numbered over a hundred.


    The scary part was that it was also guarded by four Rank 6 Steel Ape Sovereigns, making the already difficult battle much more difficult.


    Given that it had a powerful army at its beck and call, the Absolutes made the right choice in retreating. A battle against these monsters, especially when their strongest fighters were only of the Champion Rank, was suicide.


    And now, Thirteen had no choice but to fight these monsters in order to pave the path for the other Wanderers so that they, too, could reach the 13th Floor, where their final trial was waiting for them.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, there was a record about the 12th Floor of the Temple of Courage, stating that its size was thirty square kilometers.


    But aside from that, nothing else was recorded in his Soul Core.


    ''The trees are so tall,'' Thirteen thought as he observed his surroundings.


    He found himself in what seemed to be a great forest, where trees stood up to fifty meters tall, almost blocking out the sunlight due to how dense their foliage was.


    The sound of monkey screeches and howls reverberated in the forest, which made Thirteen frown.


    "Guys, you already know what to do," Thirteen said as he summoned his ck g. "Search for the Boss and the Portal."


    The members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons scattered in every direction, burrowing into the ground so that they wouldn''t be detected by their enemies.


    Thirteen also entered Rocky''s Mobile Fortress for his own safety, not wanting to get ambushed while looking for his target.


    Somewhere in the 12th Floor, the Grievefoot opened its eyes before scratching its backside.


    "We have visitors," the Grievefoot said in an amused tone. "It''s been decades since west had visitors."


    "Should we kill them?" one of the Rank 6 Steel Apes asked.


    "Capture them alive," the Grievefoot replied. "I don''t care if their limbs are broken as long as they still hold breath. It has been a long time since Ist talked to other creatures aside from you and those monkeys. A change of pace is good too."


    The Steel Ape nodded and moved out of the cave, bringing over a dozen of its subordinates to help him look for the "guests" that had entered their domain.


    News that someone had entered the 12th Floor started to spread like wildfire.


    The Monkeys, who usually fought against the Apes, found this news quite interesting, so they also told their brethren to look for these visitors and beat the Apes in finding them first.


    The turf war between the Monkeys and the Apes hadsted for decades. Unlike the Apes, who had a Rank 8 Sovereign leading them, the Monkeys only had a Rank 7 Sovereign on their side.


    However, since the Grievefoot couldn''t be bothered to deal with the Monkeys, it made an agreement with the Rank 7 Sovereign¡ªthe two of them wouldn''t interfere in the affairs of their subordinates.


    The Apes still had the upper hand since their High-Ranking fighters were greater than the Monkeys.


    But when it came to mischief and cunning, the agile monkeys were unparalleled. They used the trees as their support and hiding ce, so from time to time, they would have the upper hand.


    Thirteen still didn''t know about it, but he had unknowingly be the center of attraction between the two hostile forces vying for the dominion of the 12th Floor, which had remained unconquered for the past hundreds of years.


    ¡ª------

 Chapter 598: Retreat Wasn’t An Option [Part 2]

    Five hours had passed since Thirteen had appeared on the 12th Floor, and the flurry of activity among the Monkeys and Apes had intensified.


    For the first time in a while, the two groups avoid shing with each other, prioritizing the search for the invaders.


    The Apes wanted to find Thirteen because their Lord had ordered it.


    The Monkeys wanted to find Thirteen because they wanted to disrupt whatever the Apes wanted to do, out of spite.


    Since both groups were like oil and water, the smallest spark could usually trigger a skirmish between the two parties.


    But this time, both sides held themselves back and focused on looking for the intruders in their domain.


    "There!" one of the Monkeys shouted, alerting hisrade.


    Kesari, who was skidding across the ground at great speed, frowned when several Monkeys started to head in his direction.


    However, the Ratman simply burrowed deep underground with its ability, Unblocked Passage, allowing it to pass through anything like walls and the ground, like a ghost.


    The only downside was that in this state, any kind of magic or elemental attack would kill it instantly due to the skill''s weakness.


    Even so, it was one of the most used abilities among the members of the Parade of a Hundred Demons because of its flexibility.


    "Damn! We lost it again!" another monkeyined.


    "Just spread out and make sure to monitor their movements!" a Rank 6 Feral Monkeymanded. "They can''t hide under the ground forever!"


    The Monkeys and the Apes had already discovered that the invaders were dozens of Rank 1 Monsters, which didn''t pose any threat to them.


    However, they were nearly impossible to catch because they were fast and liked to hide under the ground whenever they were surrounded.


    Out of annoyance, the Apes decided to no longer hold back and went for the kill.


    This caused the deaths of dozens of Tiona''s army.


    But Thirteen could just summon them again anyway, so this was not a major concern.


    However, their exploration of the 12th Floor was dyed since everyone seemed to be out for their heads.


    A few hourster, the Monkeys and the Apes had reached their limit and started to fight against each other in order to vent out their frustrations.


    This scene, which had been seen by Thirteen through the eyes of his subordinates, caught his attention.


    ''So the Monkeys and the Apes are not on good terms with each other¡­'' Thirteen mused. ''I thought that they were on the same side.''


    The teenage boy pondered for a bit as he watched the brutal battle between the two factions.


    Both sides had casualties, but the monkeys suffered morepared to the Apes.


    Twelve monkeysy dead on the ground, while the Apes only lost half that number.


    The main reason for this was the Rank 6 Steel Ape, who didn''t hesitate to destroy the trees the Monkeys were using as footholds, forcing them to fight on the ground.


    And on the ground, the Apes had the upper hand, resulting in the Monkeys'' deaths.


    The two sides fought for nearly half an hour before the Rank 6 Feral Monkey ordered a retreat.


    Thirteen, who was watching this battle from the start, ordered his subordinates to follow the monkeys.


    Since the Monkeys were the enemies of the Apes, he decided to see if he could secure an alliance with them.


    Also, since his first host was the Monkey King, he was quite fond of monkeys as well.


    After following the monkeys for quite some time, they finally arrived at a cluster of trees, with tree houses built on them.


    Even though Rocky and Thirteen were still a distance away from the city built by the monkeys, the teenage boy was still able to observe the surroundings through Kesari''s eyes.


    ''Should we give it a try?'' Thirteen pondered for a bit before ordering Kesari to enter the Monkey City and show himself out in the open.


    "I came here to talk!" Kesari shouted with his hands raised in surrender. "Take me to your leader!"


    The Monkeys, who had been looking for the intruders, looked at the Rank 1 Monster in disdain.


    But before they could do anything, something fell from the highest tree andnded a few meters away from Kesari, sending dirt flying in every direction.


    "Hoh¡­ a Ratman," the leader of the Monkeys, who goes by the name Harahon, said with a smile. "It''s been decades since I saw a Ratman. Although you guys are ugly, seeing an unfamiliar face still makes me feel that a new wind is blowing here on the 12th Floor."


    Kesari, who had just been called ugly, reined in his emotions as his ability, Versatile, kicked in.


    This allowed him to remain calm in all situations, allowing him to make logical decisions that would ensure his survival.


    "Ie here to represent my Master, Zion Leventis," Kesari said. "He wants to know if you and the Apes are allies or enemies?"


    The Monkeys, who heard the Ratman''s question, all screeched in anger, making it apparent that they and the apes couldn''t co-exist under the same sky.


    "You speak on behalf of your Master, so does that mean he is nearby?" Harahon inquired.


    "He''s on his way to this location," Kesari answered. "As you may already know, our goal is to proceed to the 13th Floor. In order to do that, we need to defeat the Grievefoot. Are you interested in an alliance?"


    Harahon smirked. "You n to use a borrowed knife to kill your enemy? Your Master is really bold. While I do admit that we and the Apes are enemies, that doesn''t mean that we will simply throw our lives for your Master''s sake, no?


    "Besides, I am not a match for Khan," Harahon stated. "Unless your Master is as strong as him, there''s no possible way for us to work together."


    "Are you sure about that?" Kesari asked. "Although my Master might not be as strong as Khan, he has powerful subordinates under hismand."


    "Oh? Powerful subordinates?" Harahon rubbed his chin. "How powerful are we talking about?"


    Suddenly, the ground trembled as the Magma Bal-Boa emerged from the ground.


    Harahon narrowed his eyes when he felt that the monster in front of him was of the same Rank as him.


    Rocky and Harahon stared at each other for nearly half a minute before the Magma Bal-Boa opened its jaws.


    At first, the leader of the Monkeys thought that the Magma Bal-Boa was going to attack, but when he saw a teenage boy emerge from the monster''s mouth, the monkey''s eyes widened in shock.


    "My name is Zion Leventis," Thirteen introduced himself. "I believe that if we work together, we can do something about this Khan fellow. What do you think, Lord Harahon?"


    The teenage boy looked at the Umbrafang with a faint smile on his face.


    If the Monkeys of this floor joined hands with him, then the possibility of winning against the powerful Peak Rank 8 Sovereign wouldn''t be as slim.


    In fact, the chances to seed were very high.


    However, when the surprise on Harahon''s face faded, it was reced with a solemn look, which made Thirteen feel that something was wrong.


    "We won''t wage war against the Apes," Harahon dered. "Small skirmishes are fine, but an all-out war is out of the picture. If that monster is your strongest subordinate, then the chances of winning against Khan are just a pipe dream.


    "Just go back to where you came from if you want to keep your life. You have no idea what kind of monster you are dealing with."


    "Then please enlighten me?" Thirteen inquired. "With our forces working together, we have a possibility to win, but you are saying that it won''t work. You must have a reason for saying this, yes?"


    The Umbrafang chuckled before nodding.


    "The reason I don''t dare to burn bridges with Khan is because he isn''t just an ordinary Grievefoot," Harahon stated. "He can actually raise his Rank and be a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign in an instant.


    "He can maintain this form for an hour before regressing to his original Rank. However, the scary part is that there''s no side-effect. Usually, if you are forced to raise your rank in that manner, you will suffer a bacsh when the effect of the ability fades.


    "But Khan has no problems with that. I only managed to escape because I had superior mobilitypared to him. In a frontal battle, I''d be lucky if I canst for more than ten exchanges."


    Thirteen quieted down after hearing the Umbrafang''s words.


    But instead of being deterred or intimidated, the teenage boy''s desire to eliminate the threat to the Wanderers only grew.


    "Thank you for the information," Thirteen said. "But I will still be fighting against Khan after a few days. I will send a messenger here to inform you about that battle, so feel free to watch from the sidelines."


    After saying what he had to say, Rocky closed his mouth and started to burrow on the ground.


    Kesari gave Harahon a brief nod before he, too, merged with the ground, vanishing from sight.


    Harahon stared at the location where Thirteen had vanished before shaking his head helplessly.


    ''A foolish human,'' Harahon thought. ''Retreat is an option, yet he still chose death.''


    What Harahon didn''t know was that, for Thirteen and hisrades, retreat wasn''t an option.


    If they couldn''t even defeat the Boss Monster of the 12th Floor, it would be impossible for them to enter the 13th Floor, which wouldplete the trial that had been given to them by the God of Wanderers.

 Chapter 599: Arlo’s Doubts

    7th Floor of the Temple of Courage¡­


    "It''s so hot," Shana muttered as she activated the power of her silver banner to help everyone recover from their fatigue.


    Traveling through the desert was very difficult. If not for the fact that they came prepared, they would definitely suffer a lot.


    Despite the heat, everyone was wearing hooded robes with masks covering half of their faces.


    They had just entered the 7th Floor a few hours ago, and all of them were starting to feel exhausted because of their non-stop journey.


    ''Fortunately, we arrived here past noon,'' Shana thought. ''We''ll just need to wait for a few hours, and the desert will cool down when nightes.''


    But Shana also knew that the night also brought its own set of troubles.


    For one thing, the desert would be extremely cold at this time, and the monsters that hunted during the night would be active.


    Earlier, Erica asked Tiona''s clone where Zion was, and the answer made their guide, Arlo, almost cough out blood.


    "I am currently in the 12th Floor."


    Arlo and his people had once reached the 12th Floor, but after that, they never stepped foot on it again.


    They could still deal with the Rank 7 Umbrafang if they were willing to sacrifice some of their people.


    But the Rank 8 Grievefoot was an entirely different beast, and they didn''t want to mess with it.


    It would not even be a fight.


    It would just be a one-sided massacre.


    "I don''t know how your friend managed to reach the 12th Floor faster than we did, but one thing is clear," Arlo said in a solemn tone. "That will be where his journey ends."


    "You''re only able to say that because you don''t know who he is," Erica replied. "That brat, Zion, has already faced a Majin Prince and a Majin King. Do you really think he''ll be scared of a mere Rank 8 Sovereign?"


    "I don''t know if those stories are true or not, but unless I see them for myself, I won''t believe it," Arlo stated firmly. "You have too much trust in that boy, Zion. He might say that he''s already on the 12th Floor, but he could be lying, you know?"


    "And why would he lie?" Derek, who didn''t like Arlo''s condescending tone toward his Master, asked.


    "Do you honestly want to make me believe that a Rookie is able to clear these floors on his own?" Arlo scoffed. "We might have even passed him during our journey, while he is wandering aimlessly on the lower floors."


    The two Squads of Wanderers, who were apanying the Hero Party, all looked at the Absolute weirdly.


    If not for the fact that they had spent a lot of time with Zion Leventis during the trials that they faced, they might have sided with Arlo.


    But since they had be part of the Knights of the Apocalypse, they had long started to think that Zion Leventis was someone who could always do the impossible.


    With his achievements, it was hard to not think of it as a miracle.


    Not only had he defeated a Majin Prince, but he had alsoe face to face with one of the Seven Fiends of the world, Mammon, during his First Wandering.


    He had faced the Artemians, in the Arcadia Archipgo.


    He managed to reim the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent and struck an agreement with the Earth Dragons, allowing the Dvalinn Federation to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.


    He stopped the war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen.


    He "supposedly" defeated a Majin King and beat it up with a stick.


    Although the Wanderers were still feeling doubtful that it was actually Zion who defeated the Majin King, it didn''t change the fact that they had cleared their second mission and that the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent was nowhere to be found.


    Since the members of the Cygni Faction and David, who was the leader of the Elite faction, had witnessed the battle, even showing the others the snake scales that came from the Majin King, everyone was starting to think that their Super Rookie was truly Super in many ways.


    "Zion, our guide doesn''t believe that you''re on the 12th Floor," Ericained to Tiona''s clone that was coiled up on her neck. "He thinks that you''re on the lower floors that we already passed through."


    "Tell him that once you guys reach the 10th Floor, you will see a dead Death Worm with the insides of its body burnt to a crisp," Thirteen replied. "Then when you reach the 11th Floor, you guys should keep an eye out for the signs that I nted on the ground.


    "These signs will lead you to the portal that is located in a cave, where the Portal that leads to the 12th Floor can be found. The 12th Floor Boss Monster is a bit troublesome, so I might need some time to kill it.


    "But rest assured. I''ll be done with the Lord of the Apes once you reach this floor. I''ll try to strike a deal with the Umbrafang to let you guys pass unhindered. However, that will have to wait until I defeat the Grievefoot."


    Since Tiona''s Clone was sharing Thirteen''s words through telepathy, everyone who was within a dozen meters of Erica could hear it.


    "Hear that?" Erica looked at Arlo with a smug smile on her face. "Things will be proven once we reach the 10th Floor. You will not have anyints when you see the dead Death Worm, right?"


    "Of course," Arlo replied. "If I see it, then I will admit that I was in the wrong."


    Although Arlo said that on the surface, he was starting to feel less certain about the teenage boy named Zion Leventis.


    Zion''s voice sounded confident when telling them what they should expect to see on the 10th and 11th Floors.


    Even now, Arlo still didn''t believe that the teenage boy could survive alone in the Temple of Courage because he was still a Rookie.


    Of course, Erica and Sherry had no intention of telling the Absolute that Zion was not really alone.


    He was conquering each floor with the help of his Monster Army, which was a secret that only Erica, Sherry, and Drazzat knew at the moment.

 Chapter 600: Thirteen’s Challenge

    Two days after Thirteen entered the 12th Floor¡­


    Thirteen sat cross-legged on the ground while meditating.


    He had thought of various strategies on how to defeat the Grievefoot on its home turf, but nearly all of the methods he had thought of required him to make sacrifices.


    Although he was confident that he could win, the cost of winning would be the deaths of his subordinates. Naturally, he didn''t want that to happen.


    What he wanted was aplete and overwhelming victory without the need to sacrifice anyone.


    ''Have I be weak?'' Thirteen thought as he asked himself while deep in thought. ''The past me would haveughed at the current me for worrying too much about the deaths of the monsters under mymand.''


    The teenage boy couldn''t help butpare himself to the System of Cannon Fodders who had defied the System God and fought for the things he believed in, not caring about the consequences of his actions.


    Back then, Thirteen knew no fear.


    Even facing his death at the hands of his Father, he didn''t regret his decision to fight for what he believed in.


    When he regained consciousness in the body of Zion Leventis, who was lying on the hospital bed, and hurting all over, he thought that, as he grew up, he would use anything and everything, including his current family, as tools to reach his goal.


    But Thirteen gained something that he didn''t have thousands of years ago.


    The moment he became Zion Leventis, he also gained a heart.


    A human heart.


    A heart that made him feel things he had never felt before.


    Slowly but surely, he hade to care about his family.


    His annoying father, Gerald


    His loving mother, Alessia.


    His shy yetpetitive brother, Mikhail.


    His beautiful and courageous sister, Shasha.


    And Remi, who would melt his heart as she followed him around like a duckling following her mother duck.


    Now, they also have one more family member, Rhia, who had suffered terribly in her past life.


    Currently, she was the most spoiled member of their family, getting all the love from her parents and siblings, which she returned to them in full.


    The current Zion was unable to sacrifice any of them to reach his goals.


    The same could be said for his Monster Army, who had always been there to fight for him regardless of what kind of opponent they were facing.


    They had already died once facing Arundel the Destroyer, and he was certain that they would not hesitate to throw their lives away for him if need be.


    But Thirteen could no longer look at them as pawns in a game of chess between him and his father, the System God.


    The Umbrafang and the Feral Monkeys had rejected his offer for an alliance because they believed that even if they joined hands with him, victory was unattainable.


    Thirteen understood that they didn''t want to take risks andpletely enraged the Grievefoot into ughtering their entire race.


    This left him with no other alternative but to use drastic measures in order to secure a victory against his opponent.


    ''Do I have to use THAT method?'' Thirteen pondered.


    He didn''t really want to use such a method, but the current situation left him with no other alternative but to do it.


    "Rocky, head to the Monkey City," Thirteen ordered. "I''m going to give Harahon an invitation."


    Rocky obeyed and headed toward the location where his Master wished to go.


    Half an hourter, they arrived at the Monkey''s abode, catching the attention of the Umbrafang, Harahon.


    "You''ve returned," Harahon said in a teasing tone. "Have you decided to leave this ce?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I came here to send you an invitation."


    "An invitation? Are you once again inviting me to form an alliance with you?"


    "No. That was not my intention."


    "Then, what is your intention?" Harahon inquired.


    "I want you to watch my battle against the Grievefoot," Thirteen said. "It will be held tomorrow at noon. The location of the battle will be at Khan''s Nest."


    "You sound confident." Harahon rubbed his chin. "Where is your confidenceing from?"


    "You''ll see tomorrow," Thirteen smirked. "So, are youing?"


    Harahon pondered for a bit before nodding. "Very well. I''d like to see where your madness takes you."


    "Good." Thirteen smirked. "I''ll see you tomorrow then."


    After passing his message, Rocky swallowed his Master and returned underground.


    At this same time, within Khan''s nest, Kesari walked toward the leader of the Apes while being escorted by one of its Steel Ape Protectors.


    "You wanted to see me?" Khan asked in an amused tone. "You and your group have been sneaking in my turf for the past few days. Despite killing all of you many times, you guys kept oning back like those Undead Monsters I''ve seen in the past. Are you an Undead?"


    "I''m a Demon," Kesari replied with a smile. "The type of Demon that doesn''t die even when killed."


    "Well, you''re not wrong," Khan narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, why are you here?"


    "I came here to pass a message from my Master," Kesari answered. "Tomorrow at noon, he wille here to defeat you in battle."


    "Defeat me?" Khan chuckled. "Me? Are you sure he wille to defeat me?"


    Kesari nodded. "Yes."


    "Interesting," Khan sneered. "It has been a while since someone dared to challenge me. That coward, Harahon, once thought he could try his luck, but after a few exchanges, he ran away in fear of his life. I sure hope that your Master isn''t as timid as that cowardly monkey."


    "You call Harahon a coward, which means you''re very brave, right?" Kesari asked.


    "Brave?" Khanughed out loud. "I am the King of this ce. If I wished for it, those monkeys would have died long ago. They are only able to live because I am allowing them to live. That''s not what you call brave. That''s what you call absolute power."


    "Absolute power?" Kesari chuckled. "You call your current strength absolute power? Have you been fighting weaklings all this time?"


    "Taunting me will not have any effect, Ratman," Khan said with a smile. "Tell your master that I will be waiting. I hope that he will entertain me before I snap his neck in front of you."


    "I am looking forward to seeing how powerful you are tomorrow," Kesari sneered. "I just hope you don''t piss and sh*t yourself when you face my master."


    After saying those words, Kesari merged with the ground and vanished from sight.


    Khan only snorted at the Ratman''s pitiful attempt to taunt him.


    This wasn''t the first time that someone talked arrogantly in front of him. However, those who did were already dead.


    The Grievefoot only let it go because he knew that, even if he killed the Ratman, thetter would just respawn again like a zombie who just wouldn''t be killed.


    Besides, the Ratman was only a minor concern to him.


    Khan was the undisputed Overlord of the 12th Floor, and soon, he would defy thews that trapped him in the 12th Floor of the Temple of Courage.


    In order to do that, he needed to eliminate the current invader, who was lucky enough to reach the 12th Floor.


    As long as hepleted this mission, the Temple would allow him to challenge the 13th Floor, which would allow him to regain the freedom that he had lost since what felt like a lifetime ago.

 Chapter 601: I Hate This Feeling

    7th Floor of the Temple of Courage¡­


    Siri had a discontented look on her face as she gazed at the Boss Monster that she and the Hero Party had killed.


    Usually, she would have been happy defeating a Pseudo 6 Sovereign, even if she had the help of others.


    But this time, she couldn''t feel any joy in their victory.


    The Three-Tailed Red Scorpion was a Rank 5 Sovereign, but its fighting ability made it as strong as a Pseudo-Rank 6 Monster.


    The main reason why Siri and the Hero Party looked troubled was the fact that the Three-Tailed Red Scorpion was already injured when they fought against it.


    However, despite its injury, the battle wasn''t easy, and they even had a few close calls.


    If not for Derek taking a risk to unleash a blow that staggered the scorpion, which allowed Siri and Rnd to deal the decisive blow, they might have suffered casualties on their side.


    The two Squads of Wanderers, who were part of their group, had fought the Rank 5 Alpha Scorpions, who were the bodyguard of the Boss Monster.


    Even they found the battle difficult, given that the majority of them were just Rookies.


    The only reason why they survived the battle was because each Rank 5 Scorpion was facing off against twenty Wanderers, all of whom were wearing Adamantine-Grade Equipment.


    Erica was also helping the Wanderers from the sky, saving them from lethal blows from their enemies.


    Even Rnd didn''t look that good as he stood on top of the lifeless body of the Three-Tailed Red Scorpion.


    Arlo, who didn''t participate in the battle, had his arms crossed over his chest.


    Before the Wanderers faced the Three-Scaled Scorpion, the boy named Zion told them that he had cut off one of the Red Scorpion''s rear legs before proceeding to the next floor.


    And just like what the young man had stated, the Scorpion they fought indeed had one of its legs missing.


    Although it was only missing a leg, it had heavily impacted its bnce and mobility.


    But despite all the Monster''s disadvantages, the battle could have ended differently if wrong choices had been made.


    Not only was the Scorpion''s exoskeleton very tough, but its reaction time was also very fast, and very deadly.


    After defeating the Boss Monster, the portal that led to the 8th Floor finally opened, making the two Squads who were following the Hero Party cheer.


    "Let''s take a rest for two hours before heading to the 8th Floor," Rnd proposed. "Is everyone fine with that?"


    "Yes," Shana answered. "We need to regain our strength and stamina before we get to the next battle."


    The Saintess then embedded her silver g on the ground, increasing the stamina regeneration as well as the healing regeneration of the people within its area of effect.


    "What do you guys think about our recent battle?" Rnd asked when the members of his party, including Siri and Ste, had settled down.


    Ste, who had assisted the Wanderers in dealing with the Rank 5 Alpha Monsters, didn''t attack the Boss Monster, so she just meditated at the side while listening to the conversation.


    "It was harder than I expected," Derek replied. "The three scorpion tails have different roles. One is for defense, the other is for offense, and the third one is an all-rounder. It attacks and defends when needed. Its strikes are also incredibly fast, and they hit hard like a truck."


    "My arrows also don''t have enough prating power to pierce deeply on its exoskeleton," Mildredmented. "Even though I aimed for its eyes, it would raise its pincers like a shield to protect it."


    "Zion has also given us the information about the attack patterns of its tails," Erica stated. "Although we knew what it was capable of doing, facing it in reality is really different."


    "¡­ If that Scorpion had been a Rank 6 Sovereign, not a Pseudo-Rank 6 Sovereign, we would have died fighting against it," Joshua sighed. "I don''t know if I should thank Zion or not for severing one of its legs. If its mobility was a bit faster, I''m sure that we would have eventually been pushed back."


    Everyone understood that the Boss Monsters they had faced on the previous floors had been weakened considerably to match their level.


    It was as if Zion had made sure that their enemy wouldn''t be too strong or too weak for them to fight.


    The battles were always hard, but they were able to find a way to triumph over their enemies.


    "It''s as if everything has been calcted to perfection," Siri muttered. "I hate this feeling."


    Rnd and the other members of the Hero Party nodded in agreement because they could understand what Siri was feeling right now.


    As much as Erica wanted to contact Thirteen, the teenage boy said that he was preparing for a battle against the Grievefoot and requested that they didn''t disturb him unless he was the one who initiated the contact first.


    Because of this, the Sorceress felt very restless, knowing that somewhere on the 12th Floor of the Temple of Courage, Zion was fighting a battle so that they would no longer have to fight it during their turn.


    She didn''t know if she should feel happy or sad about the teenage boy''s resolve to pave the path for them, allowing their journey to be less bloody than what the Absolutes initially expected.


    While Erica was thinking about this, the Monkeys of the 12th Floor started to move toward the East, where the nest of the Grievefoot was located.


    They had no intention of fighting and were simply going there to watch the battle that was about to happen.


    They stopped a kilometer away from the Grievefoot''s nest and hung on top of the trees while waiting for the main fighters to appear.


    "You''vee, Harahon," Khan said in a teasing tone. "Have youe to help my foe? When did you suddenly be brave?"


    The Apes started tough because they knew that Harahon wouldn''t dare to fight against their Leader, much less wage an all-out war against them.


    "I heard that a human boy challenged you and your people," Harahon replied, doing his best to sound calm despite the fact that he was seething internally. "I''vee to watch a good show."


    "A good show?" Khan chuckled. "Good. Make sure to watch it well. After all, who knows? One of these days, you might suffer the same fate."


    Harahon clenched his fists but didn''t say a word of rebuttal against the Grievefoot, who was stronger than him.


    Suddenly, the ground that was dozens of meters away from Khan''s throne started to shift and open up, revealing the teenage boy, who hade to challenge the Sovereign of the 12th Floor to a duel.

 Chapter 602 You And What Army?

    Chapter 602 You And What Army?


    "Zion Leventis, I presume?" Khan asked as he observed the human boy who didn''t look special in his eyes.


    "That''s right," Thirteen replied. "Truth be told, I''m surprised to hear that the leaders of the 12th Floor are very fluent in humannguage. You guys are very smart."


    "Smarter than you, at least," Khan chuckled. "Because no sane human would dare to challenge someone like me, especially when they are as weak as you."


    "You''re not wrong," Thirteen nodded. "But, who said that I will be fighting you alone?"


    The teenage boy and the King of the Apes held each other''s gaze. To his surprise, the Grievefoot saw that there was no hint of fear in the teenage boy''s eyes. On the contrary, there was even a faint smile at the corner of his lips.


    It was as if he had everything under his control despite the fact that he was facing off against a monster who could kill him by simply spitting in his direction.


    "You challenge me to a duel, but I''m sure that you don''t mean that you''re going to fight against me, right?" Khan asked. "Because even a million of you will not be enough to defeat me."


    "Oh, I''m not too sure about that," Thirteen smirked. "But I''m really surprised. Just where is that confidence of yoursing from?"


    Harahon, who was listening to the conversation, looked at Thirteen with a dumbfounded look on his face.


    A weak human dared to ask a peak Rank 8 Monster, who could also increase his rank to a Rank 9 Sovereign if he wished, where his confidence wasing from?


    Even the Apes serving Khan couldn''t help but look at the teenage boy in shock, wondering if his head had been kicked by a monkey when he was still a child.


    "You''re asking ME where my confidence ising from?" Khan, who was sitting on his throne, sneered. "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I find it funny that you think that you''re some kind of big shot."


    The sneer on the Grievefoot''s face widened before he picked a fruit that looked like a coconut from the small pile beside his throne.


    He then flicked it towards the teenage boy, aiming for thetter''s foot, so that he would kneel before him.


    But before the pebble could hit Thirteen''s legs, O1 appeared and hit the coconut with its spiked steel bat, sending it back to Khan with double the speed.


    The Rank 8 Monster caught the coconut between his fingers before crushing itpletely.


    "Is this why you are feeling cocky, boy?" Khan asked in disdain. "You think you can defeat me with a single Rank 6 Ogre?"


    After eating the Majin King''s flesh and blood, O1 and O2 had finally increased their Ranks to the next level, bing Rank 6 Ogre Juggernauts. But despite standing five meters tall, the Ogre was still smaller than Khan, who was twice his size.


    "Who said that I have only one Ogre?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "Even if you have more, what can you do?" Khan said with contempt. "You are going to fight me and my subordinates? You and what army?"


    Thirteen snapped his fingers, and O2 appeared by his side.


    After that, Giga, cky, Hercules, T1, the Trolls, and Ratatoskr made their appearance.


    The teenage boy then held a ck banner in his hands, and the Parade of a Hundred Demons, numbering two hundred, appeared before him.


    Finally, Rocky rose from the ground and roared at the Grievefoot, raring to fight.


    Harahon, who was watching from a distance, couldn''t help but frown after seeing Thirteen''s army.


    One Peak Rank 7 Sovereign, six Peak Rank 6 Sovereign, nearly a dozen Rank 5 Alpha Monsters, and two hundred Rank 1 Monsters who would serve as cannon fodders.


    This lineup was enough to give the Monkeys a headache, but it would not pose a threat to the Apes, who had the same number of Rank 6 Sovereigns, double the number of Alpha Monsters, and hundreds of Rank 4 Monsters making up the bulk of their army.


    Khan stared at the teenage boy''s pitiful army beforeughing out loud. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    While he was surprised that the boy was hiding strong subordinates under hismand, this puny army was nothingpared to his own.


    Hisughter became louder, making the trees in the surroundings start to sway from the sheer force that wasing from his body.


    "Hahaha! This is where your confidence ising from?!" Khanughed. "Yes," Thirteen replied. The Grievefoot once againughed out loud because this was the funniest thing he had ever heard in his life.


    This wasn''t the first time that he had interacted with humans. He had already dealt with them before he was forcefully taken to the Temple of Courage to be the Boss Monster on the 12th Floor.


    He truly felt the scene in front of him veryughable, so heughed out loud, making hisughter reverberate in the surroundings.


    But just as he wasughing, a shadow fell over him and his subordinates.


    Khan''s loudughter halted, and he even nearly choked when he saw the gigantic monster who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    Standing a hundred meters tall, Cranky looked down at the Grievefoot with a very annoyed expression, its arms crossed over his chest.


    The Savage Colossal Honey Badger then let out a low screech, as if asking the puny ape, "What''s funny, bruh?"


    An awkward silence descended on the 12th Floor as both Monkeys and Apes felt a strong pressureing from the Colossal Savage Honey Badger, who had been forcefully woken up by Thirteen, by thrusting a stick on Cranky''s bum while he was sleeping.


    True to his name, Cranky was feeling Cranky right now.


    However, Thirteen told the Honey Badger that he was only forced to wake him up because he was being bullied by an Ape.


    Cranky, who didn''t have the heart to smack Thirteen for waking him up, decided to vent out his frustration on the one who bullied the teenage boy, which led to the current situation.


    The Honey Badger, who didn''t get the answer he wanted, screeched louder.


    (A/N: What you are going to read next is monsternguage. I''m just tranting it for you guys. Kekeke.)


    "Bruh, why did you stopughing?" Cranky asked. "Go on. Keepughing. I want to know why you areughing before I smack you."


    "I-I¡­" Khan, who was very confident earlier, suddenly found it hard to say anything.


    Right now, he was looking at an Archon, which was a monster that he didn''t have the confidence to defeat.


    (A/N: Archon is the counterpart of a Majin Prince. Since Cranky is not a Jinn, he can''t be called a Majin Prince. So Archon is the equivalent of monsters of the same Rank as a Majin Prince).


    Suddenly, a loudughter was heard from behind Thirteen''s army.


    "Your day hase, Khan!" Harahon appeared beside Thirteen, looking very happy. "I am Zion''s ally! We have formed an alliance, and we''re here to beat the crap out of you!"


    Pica and Pico, who hadnded on Cranky''s shoulder, looked down at the Umbrafang with disdain.


    When the teenage boy hade to ask them for an alliance, the leader of the Feral Monkeys refused to fight alongside them.


    But now, not only was it saying that they were allies, but Harahon was even talking down on Khan as if he had already won the battle.


    Cranky, who was already feeling cranky, clicked his tongue before using his foot to kick the monkey away from Thirteen''s side.


    The pitiful Harahon mmed into the nearby trees, destroying everything in his path until a tenth of the Great Forest was destroyed. After dealing with the annoying monkey, Cranky once again shifted its attention to the Ape, who was starting to regret his life choices.


    "I asked you a question, Bruh." Cranky emitted a pressure that mmed down on Khan, making him kneel in front of Thirteen, whom the Ape wanted to kneel a while ago.


    "Why did you stopughing?" Cranky asked. "Continue tough. Because that will be thest time you willugh before I smack you to oblivion."


    Khan, whose fate had been sealed, started tough while tears and snot dripped from his eyes and nose. He and the rest of his subordinates knew at that moment that they had royally f*cked themselves up.

 Chapter 603 You Have Skill Issues, Old Man

    Chapter 603 You Have Skill Issues, Old Man


    Cranky, who had shrunk his size to be a two-meter tall Honey Badger, sat on the throne that originally belonged to the Grievefoot, who was confident just several minutes ago.


    Seated on his left and right shoulders were none other than Pica and Pico, who had smug looks on their faces.


    Cranky made a clicking sound with his lips as he raised his hand.


    As if waiting for that moment, the Umbrafang, Harahon, approached him and respectfully gave Cranky a tobo cigar.


    The leader of the Monkeys then lit the tip of the Cigar with a lighter Thirteen had given to him earlier.


    Cranky then ced the cigar between his lips and huffed before blowing out some white smoke like a Mafia Boss.


    "Big Brother Cranky''s right leg feels stiff," Pica said. "Monkey, give it a massage!"


    "R-Right away, Miss Pica!" Harahon replied, after which he knelt in front of the Honey Badger and started to massage his right leg.


    "Ape, are those arms of yours for disy purposes only?!" Pico red at Khan, who was holding a feather fan, and fanning Cranky from the side. "Put some muscles into it, fool!"


    "Y-Yes, Sir Pico!" Khan then increased the speed of his fanning, almost blowing the two baby Pocopocos off Cranky''s shoulder.


    "Oi, what do you think you''re doing, punk?!" Pico shouted. "Are you rebelling against Big Brother Cranky?!"


    "I-I wouldn''t dare, Sir Pico," Khan stuttered. "Then what are you doing?" Pico said in disdain. "Do you think fanning strongly is good? Do you think stronger is better huh?!"


    "No. I made a mistake, I''m sorry!"


    "Tch! Do your job properly before Big Brother Cranky gets angry. You are this close to bing his dinner, you know?"


    The Grievefoot then decreased his fanning speed, while the Baby Pocopoco red in his direction.


    Deep inside, Khan was unwilling to let the darn bird order him around. But what could he do? The Honey Badger was a Peak Archon. A creature that could easily kill him with a flick of a finger.


    The Monkeys, and Apes, were all kneeling in front of Cranky''s throne, not even daring to breathe deeply just in case the Honey Badger would find fault in them.


    While this was happening, Giga was sitting on the ground and drinking the juice of the coconut-like fruit with a straw.


    There were two Rank 6 Steel Apes fanning him from the side, making sure that he feltfortable.


    cky, Hercules, the Trolls, and Ogres were also in a rxed state as the Monkeys and Apes fan them from the side.


    As of the moment, the 12th Floor had changed its Boss, and the new one was none other than the Honey Badger, who was listening to Pica''s and Pico''s curses aimed at Harahon and Khan. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The portal that led to the 13th Floor was already open, and Thirteen had entered it alone a while ago.


    He asked everyone to stay on the 12th Floor because he didn''t want them to see what was going to happen next.


    Even Tiona, who had always apanied Thirteen, simply waited for him at the entrance of what seemed to be a Giant Coliseum.


    A sign hung at the entrance which read¡­


    "Here lies the Final Trial of the Temple of Courage. In order to honor your courage and resilience foring this far, the opponent you will face will be just as strong as you. This trial ispletely bnced, so you have a fifty-fifty chance of passing.


    As to whether you will seed or not, let Fate decide whether you will pass this final test.


    Required Number of Challengers: [1]


    Since the Final Trial only epted one Challenger at a time, Tiona was forced to wait outside because she was also counted as one Challenger.


    The Temple would decide the number of Challengers based on the opponent that they would face.


    And since all the battles were deemed "Fair" under the heavens, the opponent that Thirteen would face would be just as strong as him.


    "It has been a while, Thirteen."


    "Stop talking, Old Man. Your breath stinks."


    Thirteen red at the System God, who was standing at the opposite end of the Arena with his arms behind his back.


    "Huhuhu, you''re still as disrespectful as ever."


    "I have many people I respect. You''re not one of them."


    "It seemed that being human made you ruder."


    "I need to thank you for that. Being human made me understand what a sh*tty father you really are."


    A chuckle escaped the System God''s lips.


    Although he had a smile on his face, Thirteen could almost see the nerves bulging on his father''s head due to annoyance.


    "Do you have anything to say to me?" Deus Ex Machina asked. "We won''t have many opportunities like this to talk."


    "Yes, I actually want to ask you something," Thirteen replied.


    "And that is?"


    "You''re only using an Avatar, right?"


    "You''re right. This is just an Avatar. Something like this is easy for me to do."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding.


    But a secondter, he stomped his right foot forward and disappeared from where he stood.


    He then reappeared right in front of the System God and unleashed a straight punch aimed at the Old Man''s face.


    Deus Ex Machina casually bent his body sideways, dodging Thirteen''s blow before counter-attacking.


    As if expecting that move, Thirteen followed up his punch with a downward elbow strike without showing any bit of mercy toward the person who had sent him to Pangea.


    Two loud ps spread inside the Arena, as Thirteen and Deus Ex Machina, blocked each other''s attack with the palm of their hands, conjuring shock waves around them.


    "You''ve grown weak," Deus Ex Machinamented.


    "And you''ve grown senile," Thirteen replied. "You really want to have thest word, don''t you?"


    "That''s what my Host, Vincent, advised me in the past when picking up girls."


    "Oh? Is that also the reason why he''s dead?"


    "At least he wasn''t single when he died. Unlike you. Imagine being a thousand years-old virgin. You have skill issues, old man."


    Deus Ex Machinaughed before unleashing a flurry of blows without holding back.


    Thirteen didn''t back down and faced his father''s attack with his own, which was the true start of the battle between Father and Son, who were both fighting for what they believed was right.

 Chapter 604 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 1]

    Chapter 604 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 1]


    Tiona, who was standing outside of the Arena, heard the loud booming sounds that wereing from within.


    She crawled back and forth at the entrance, wishing that she could see what was happening inside.


    Perhaps, her wish had been heard because she suddenly found herself in the audience stands, looking at the battle that was being waged before her.


    The ck Snake had been by Thirteen''s side for many years.


    She had seen his battles up close, and even fought alongside him during those times.


    But this was her first time seeing her Master fight seriously. Despite being a distance away, she could feel the hatred and killing intent oozing from Thirteen''s body, all of which were aimed at the Old Man he was fighting.


    After dozens of exchanges, the twobatants backed away and stared at each other.


    "It seems that we have a spectator," Deus Ex Machina said as he nced at Tiona''s direction. "Having someone to witness this battle is also a good thing. What do you think?"


    Thirteen gave Tiona a side-long nce before shifting his attention back to his Father, who was unfazed by the exchange that they had done earlier.


    Actually, neither of them had suffered any injuries because they had the same abilities.


    Both could make urate calctions and predictions as to what the opponent would do, allowing them to dodge, parry, deflect, and counter anything that they threw at each other.


    However, that didn''t mean that Thirteen was having an easy time.


    He was using more brain power than usual because his opponent was very strong.


    ''I won''t win in a battle of attrition,'' Thirteen thought. ''Since he''s only using an avatar, he could transfer his energy to it, making it unable to feel exhaustion. In this regard, he has the upper hand against me.''


    Deus Ex Machina smirked as he gazed at the teenage boy, who was looking at him with a calm expression on his face.


    "I''m sure you''re thinking that you won''t win in a battle of attrition against me," Deus Ex Machina stated. "And no. I am not reading your mind using my Divinity. It''s only a very simple deduction on my part. So, what are you going to do? Fighting me using only your fists isn''t working in your favor."


    "You''re right," Thirteen replied. "Punching you will not make me happy."


    The teenage boy then took out two vambraces and wore them on his wrists. He then summoned two short swords in preparation to use his Righteous Sentinel Martial Skill.


    Deus Ex Machina chuckled and summoned his staff. This staff had a very unique design with the tip looking like a machine-like Sun Burst, with the hands and numbers of a clock.


    One of the System God''s powers was to rewind time.


    Although it could be considered an omnipotent power, it wasn''t a power he could use lightly.


    There were multiple extremely strict requirements that must be met before this power could manifest.


    Thirteen remained calm as he looked at the weapon in his father''s hand.


    Instead of being afraid, a faint smile even appeared on his face. He knew, with utmost certainty, that the staff in his father''s hand was only a replica.


    A replica that didn''t have the power of the original.


    The Trial of the 13th Floor was fair.


    Since Thirteen decided to use weapons, this meant that his opponent also gained the right to wield their own weapons.


    But since Thirteen''s weapon was affected by the restrictions on his body, this meant that the short swords in his hands didn''t have any abilities or skills whatsoever.


    If Thirteen was fighting with many restrictions on his body, then the same restrictions would also be applied to the System God.


    Unless Thirteen took the initiative to change his way of fighting, the System God was forced to match his current ability and level, making the fight "Fair."


    Such was the Law of the 13th Floor.


    No one had an advantage over the other, and they would purely fight using their skills, determination, and luck.


    "How about we spice things up a bit?" Deus Ex Machina asked. "How about we raise some stakes in this fight? If I win, how about I take that ck Snake away from you?"


    "Of course, if you win, I will grant you a wish. But I won''t grant your wish that has any rtion to Fate. Simply put, your wish to change the Fate of Cannon Fodders is impossible to fulfill."


    "¡­ Old Man, just shut your trap," Thirteen said icily. "You and the Gods always like to y this game, huh? You use the lives of others as chips in a casino, not caring if you win or not. For all of you, this is just a game that you can repeat until you''re satisfied."


    "Oh dear, did I step on andmine?" Deus Ex Machina chuckled. "It''s only a snake, Thirteen. Just a Domini Mortis that you happen to find in the collection of a ve Trader. Have you be too soft that you can no longer sacrifice others to reach your goal? I''m disappointed in you, Son."


    "Don''t call me Son, you son of a b*tch," Thirteen almost growled. "Just a snake? I had enough of your nonsense. I will not allow you or any Gods to take anything away from me anymore. This time, I will be the one taking things from you and Fate."


    "Systems have impable logic, Thirteen," Deus Ex Machina shook his head. "Since when did you be delusional? Or are you afraid that you will lose to me? Did you forget? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This is an opportunity for you to gain something from this duel."


    "Shut up, Old Man," Thirteen took a fighting stance. "I''ve worked and suffered for thousands of years. Each time Iplete my mission, I never asked you to grant a wish because I was stacking all of them to make one ultimate wish.


    "Nothing ventured, nothing gained? Bullsh*t. I only made one wish using all the wishes that I was supposed to get, and you didn''t grant it. So don''t talk about promises you can''t keep. You won''t be taking Tiona or anyone from me ever again.


    "If you try, I will go to the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods, and make all of you Gods understand that mortals aren''t your ythings!"


    With a hate-filled roar, Thirteen charged at his father with his weapons drawn to kill.


    Deus Ex Machina sneered at his stupid son, whom he had sessfully taunted by using the Cannon Fodders that Thirteen loved the most.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 605 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 2]

    Chapter 605 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 2]


    Sparks flew every time Thirteen''s short swords collided with Deus Ex Machina''s staff.


    The two of them had already exchanged countless attacks, and yet, there was still no clear winner. True to what the sign said, no one had the upper hand over the other.


    At least, that was what Tiona could see for the time being. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She could feel her Master''s pain and anger as he hatefully shed with the System God, intending to cut him to pieces.


    But despite using his fighting ability to the fullest, his swords just wouldn''t reach the opponent.


    Thirteen had no idea that Deus Ex Machina was also having a hard time because he couldn''t neutralize his son with the current strength that he possessed.


    Despite being stronger than his opponent, the System God was unable to draw out his full power and was forced to fight with the same restrictions that Thirteen had on his body.


    But even with those restrictions, he knew that when it came to fighting prowess, and experience, the ck sheep of his family was stronger than him.


    The only reason why he was able to fend off Thirteen''s attacks was due to the fact that his calction power was stronger, allowing him to predict where Thirteen''s blows wouldnd.


    Even though he was only using an Avatar, it was still powered by his Divinity. This meant that Thirteen was fighting against someone with the processor of a Super Computer, while he was just using the processor of an ordinary gaming PC meant for regr use.


    Inyman''s terms, it was a 1 Gigahertz Processor (1 Ghz) versus an Intel i9, which goes up to 6 Gigahertz (6 Ghz) in processing speed.


    This meant that Deus Ex Machina''s calction was faster, allowing him topensate for hisck ofbat experience.


    However, if both of their powers were unsealed, the System God would win hands down. After all, he was a God, with powers Thirteen couldn''t surpass even at his peak.


    But now, things were different.


    They were fighting with equal stats, and the one with the best skills, experience, and luck would win at the end.


    "We already know how this battle will end, you brat," Deus Ex Machina said as he parried Thirteen''s blow. "Yes," Thirteen replied. "This will end with your head rolling on the ground."


    "Delusional Son."


    "Smelly Old Man."


    Thirteen was starting to feel his hands slowly going numb. However, he could also feel his senses heightening to its limit.


    All he needed was one chance, and his de would hit its target.


    He knew with every fiber of his being that if he couldn''t defeat the System God when they were evenly matched, there was no way he would be able to defeat him when he regained his powers.


    Tiona, who was watching the battle from the audience stands, noticed something peculiar in the arena where her Master was fighting.


    Several symbols were etched on the ground, which Thirteen had made while dancing around the Arena, chasing his father, to deprive thetter a single breathing moment.


    She was quite familiar with these symbols because she had seen her Master use them many times in the past.


    Yes.


    As Thirteen fought against his father, he used the fighting style of the Righteous Sentinel and the Beast Heart Drunken Fist to create the symbols on the ground, which was now starting to near itspletion.


    Rune Magic.


    The only Skill avable to Thirteen, which he could only use when certain conditions were met.


    Tiona watched anxiously as her Masterpleted thebination of runic symbols on the ground.


    The moment Thirteen deemed that the formation wasplete, he shed at his Father while taking out a Rank 6 Beast Core from his Dimensional Gate and dropping it on the ground.


    As soon as the Beast Core hitnded on one of the Runic Symbol in the formation, a domino effect transpired, activating the formation that was meant to give him the victory that he needed.


    Dark mes rose up from the ground and bound the system God''s legs, preventing him from escaping. Thirteen''s sword was also suddenly covered by dark mes, ready to annihte the System God at the point of impact.


    But the System God only sneered at his son''s decisive blow before raising his hand.


    A secondter, something appeared in his grasp, which he used to block Thirteen''s blow that was only inches away from him.


    The moment Thirteen saw what his father was holding in his hand, he roared and forcefully changed the direction of his blow, missing the System God''s body by an inch.


    A secondter, the System God''s foot collided with Thirteen''s chest, sending the teenage boy flying in the opposite direction.


    "Foolish child," Deus Ex Machina sneered. "You relied on these cheap tricks, but hesitated at thest moment. If you just continued your attack, you would have already won."


    The System God then looked at the struggling ck snake in his hand, which he had forcefully dragged from the audience seat to use as a shield to stop Thirteen''s death blow.


    If Thirteen ignored Tiona''s safety and simply continued his attack, the System God would have been defeated without fail.


    Since the teenage boy had activated his Rune Magic at thest second, the System God also gained the opportunity to use some of his abilities as well.


    Thirteen spat a mouthful of blood as he forcefully propped himself up from the ground, ring at his father who was still holding Tiona in his hands.


    "Let her go," Thirteen said, his voice filled with killing intent.


    "Make me," Deus Ex Machina replied with a sneer. Tiona, who was doing her best to break free from the System God'' grasp, had already coiled her body in his arms.


    She wanted to use her abilities to free herself. But for some reason, she couldn''t use them.


    There were many ways she could free herself from the System God''s grasp, but regardless of what method she tried to use, her skills just wouldn''t activate.


    "I''ll tell you onest time," Thirteen said as a purple portal appeared behind his back. "Let her go or else."


    The System God frowned when he saw the figure looking straight at him from the portal behind the teenage boy''s back.


    It was none other than Metatron, who gave Deus Ex Machina a smile that made the System God understand that the ck sheep of his family was willing to do something crazy if he didn''t release Tiona from his grasp.


    "The One will not allow you to do that," Deus Ex Machina said. "Of course, he won''t," Thirteen sneered. "So, in order to stop me from doing this, what do you think he will do?"


    "You''re bluffing."


    "Okay. Metatron, do it."


    A chuckle escaped Metatron''s lips as the purple portal expanded.


    But, just as the God of the Apocalypse was about to do what he and Thirteen had agreed on, someone appeared beside Deus Ex Machina and casually pried Tiona from his hand.


    "Okay, that''s enough," Lace Demon said coldly. "Don''t include others in your family feud."


    Metatron chuckled before snapping his fingers.


    The purple portal shrank back to its original size.


    The God of Apocalypse then pointed his two fingers at his eyes before pointing it back at Lace Demon as if telling him "I''m watching you."


    The right-hand man of The One then returned to the Celestial Realm, bringing Tiona with him to make sure that the System God wouldn''t be able to use her again as a shield.


    What Metatron was about to do earlier was to open a portal that connected the homeworld of the Jinns, Gomorra, to Solterra.


    When Thirteen discussed this with Metatron, the God of the Apocalypse thought that the teenage boy had finally gone insane.


    In order to open such a portal, a great sacrifice would need to be made.


    And that sacrifice would be Thirteen''s Soul Core.


    The Soul Core of a System who had both the umted Karma of his hosts and a thousand years amount of wishes that weren''t granted was enough of a sacrifice to meet the requirements that allowed Metatron to open a portal that connected the two worlds.


    Even The One wouldn''t be able to intervene if this portal activated in full, so Lace Demon had decided to descend to the mortal realm to prevent this cmity from taking ce.


    One Majin King was enough to upset the bnce in the Absolute Heavens.


    If several beings stronger than a Majin King were to cross that portal, then the end of the world woulde to Solterra.


    "Even Demons run when a good man goes to war," Lace Demon muttered. "This crazy kid actually used Solterra as a hostage just to free one snake from his father''s grasp. Such madness."


    "¡­" The One gazed at Tiona, who was looking at the projection that showed Thirteen in the arena with conflicted feelings. Simr to Deus Ex Machina, he didn''t believe that Thirteen would really try to destroy the world just for the sake of a single snake.


    But he did without even batting an eye.


    Staking his entire existence without hesitation.


    If the portal were to truly open, the System known as Thirteen would truly cease to exist because his Soul Core would be used as a sacrifice for opening the Gate of the Apocalypse.


    ''Metatron¡­ it seems that you''ve truly taken a liking to this kid,'' The One thought as the purple portal behind the boy slowly shrank.


    But before it vanishedpletely, The One saw Metatron look in his direction and even gave him a yful wink, making the God of Wanderers sigh helplessly.


    Once arade.


    Once a dear friend.


    Was now waiting eagerly for theing of the Apocalypse that would make the entire Multiverse fall down to its knees.

 Chapter 606 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 3]

    Chapter 606 Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War [Part 3]


    "You sure have some interesting¡­ friends," the System God said as he watched his son wipe the blood from the corner of his lips.


    Earlier, he knew that, when he used Rune Magic, his Father would also be able to use his own ability.


    He did it for one reason and one reason only. He was confident that no matter what his Father did, he would be able tond a killing blow, which would end the battle.


    This had already taken into ount all the abilities that the System God could use to counter his strike, which could even break a barrier due to his Anti-Barrier Rune, which he had also inscribed in the Arena.


    But he never thought that his father would stoop so low as to use Tiona as a shield to prevent his killing blow from hitting its mark.


    "My respect for you had already hit rock bottom, so I thought it can''t possibly go lower," Thirteen said. "But today, you proved me wrong. You actually brought a shovel with you and dug deeper into the negatives."


    "All is fair in love and war," Deus Ex Machina replied. "But I thought that nothing could surprise me anymore. However, you have also proven me wrong. "To think that you will use this world as a hostage just for your pet. Color me surprised. You have made me see something I never thought I''d see today."


    "You have underestimated me."


    "Right."


    "You have no idea what I''m willing to sacrifice just to make you pay for what you did to me."


    "¡­"


    "Are you now regretting giving me a second chance at life? Are you feeling scared now?"


    "¡­ I didn''t regret giving you a second chance at life. But I do regret one thing."


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow. "And that is?"


    "I regret not having the power to grant your wish," Deus Ex Machina replied. "Because if I did, we wouldn''t be trying to kill each other right now."


    Thirteenughed before covering his eyes with his right hand. Tears streamed down the side of his face as he continued tough out loud.


    Deus Ex Machina didn''t make any move to attack him and simply watched his son, who had shown him what he was willing to pay for the Cannon Fodders that he had loved.


    Back at the Celestial Realm, Thirteen didn''t kill any of his brothers and sisters and simply destroyed their vessels.


    He knew that as long as their Soul Core wasn''t destroyed, the System God could always bring them back to life.


    He had only done what he did in order for Deus Ex Machina to make an appearance.


    Because after suffering for thousands of years, Thirteen had decided to stake his life on the line for those whom he treasured with his entire being.


    A few minutester, Thirteen stoppedughing and removed the hand that was covering his eyes.


    His gaze was sharp, and there was no longer any mirth that could be seen anywhere.


    "Let''s end this," Thirteen dered. "You have already overstayed your wee."


    "Today, I will take your Soul Core back with me to the Celestial Realm and lock you up for eternity," Deus Ex Machina dered. "That''s the only way to stop your madness." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen didn''t reply and simply closed his eyes. The images of his Hosts shed inside his mind, giving him strength despite the fact that his body was aching all over.


    After seeing all the faces of his Hosts, some new people appeared in front of him.


    Gerald, Alessia, Mikhail, Shasha, Remi, and Rhia.


    His Grandfather Arthur, his Grandma, His Uncle, and Hanz. Cristopher, Colbert, and his Battalion. Rianna, Shana, Erica, Sherry.


    Giga, cky, Hercules Rocky,, Vassago, Poca, Pica, Pico, O1, O2, T1, The Trolls, and Cranky.


    And all the Wanderers who believed in him.


    Deus Ex Machina suddenly felt a tingle in his skin, making him frown.


    The air around Thirteen seemed to crack, but he could tell that the boy wasn''t using any skill or ability.


    Because if Thirteen was using his tricks, he would be able to use them as well.


    "In this unfair world filled with madness, only two people could survive for long," Thirteen said as he stared at his father. "Either a Hero or a Viin."


    Thirteen then pointed his short sword at his father.


    "If you cannot be a Hero, then you must be a viin through and through," Thirteen stated. "But I didn''t choose either of those two paths. I chose to be a Cannon Fodder. Just because you can eliminate darkness, does not mean that you should."


    Thirteen took a step forward, with his sword still pointing at his father, and yet, the ce where he stepped shattered as if bearing a great weight that didn''t belong to him.


    This was no ability or any form.


    These were the hopes and dreams that Thirteen had carried through his career as the System of Cannon Fodders and through his life as Zion Leventis.


    "The wishes of my Hosts," Thirteen dered. "Their dreams and aspirations, I will aplish them all."


    "As for the Heroes of the world?"


    "They''d better stay out of my way."


    Deus Ex Machina suddenly felt something he had never felt before.


    His hand, which was holding his staff, was trembling, making his eyes widen in shock. However, since this was the moment of truth, he firmly gripped his weapon and readied himself to unleash his ultimate attack that would end his son''s madness once and for all.


    Thirteen, who could tell what the System God was thinking, didn''t even bat an eye, as he continued to walk forward.


    With every step, the floor under his feet shattered as he carried the weight of countless worlds in his shoulders.


    "My Dear Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name," Thirteen said calmly before disappearing from where he stood and reappearing behind the System God, his sword still pointing forward.


    A momentter, the head of the System God rolled on the floor of the arena, its eyes wide in shock and disbelief. He didn''t know what just happened, and the attack he was nning to unleash remained frozen in time. But before he could fullyprehend what just happened, he saw Thirteen looking down on him with a devilish smile on his face.


    "I will screw you ten times over," Thirteen stated as he stepped on his father''s face. "And beat Fate at her own bitchy game."


    A secondter, the System God''s head exploded like a watermelon hit by a sledgehammer.


    Thirteen then raised his hand and pointed his middle finger at the heavens.


    He stood straight and tall, and remained in that position even after he had lost consciousness.


    All around the world of Solterra and Pangea, countless people looked up in the sky.


    Soon, tears streamed down the side of their faces. They didn''t know what was happening, or why they were suddenly crying. All they knew was that they were in pain and feeling very sad. It was as if they wanted to hug and thank someone, who was just beyond their reach. On that day, the Cannon Fodders of the two worlds cried as their souls subtly reached out to their Friend, their Helper, their System, and their Strongest Protector. Although they couldn''t see him, they knew with utmost certainty that someone had fought for their sake.


    Someone had fought for their rights. And that person was standing tall despite being unconscious, with a faint smile stered on his tired and weary face.


    The One and Metatron stared at Thirteen''s lonely figure in the middle of the arena.


    The significance of his win against the System God was known to only the two of them.


    But despite all this, the two Gods stared at the young man with hope.


    "In a world torn by power and corruption," The One said softly. "A fallen System will bring out a symphony of change." Metatron grinned. "Or lead it to its destruction!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 607: Trial’s End [Part 1]

    Chapter 607: Trial¡¯s End [Part 1]


    ?


    Five days after Thirteen won the battle against the System God...


    Erica looked at the dead body of the Giant Death Worm in front of her with aplicated look on her face.


    "It''s exactly like what Zion described a week ago," Erica said.


    Rnd and the others nodded their heads in agreement, also remembering that Zion had indeed said that he had already defeated the Death Worm


    "Tell him that once you guys reach the 10th Floor, you will see a dead Death Worm with the insides of its body burnt to a crisp. Then when you reach the 11th Floor, you guys should keep an eye out for the signs that I nted on the ground.


    "These signs will lead you to a portal located inside a cave, which leads to the 12th Floor. The Floor Boss Monster in the 12th Monster is a bit troublesome, so I might need some time to kill it.


    "But, rest assured. I''ll be done with the Lord of the Apes by the time you reach this floor. I''ll try to strike a deal with the Umbrafang to let you guys pass unhindered. However, that will have to wait until I defeat the Grievefoot."


    That was thest message Zion Leventis had left them, and they didn''t receive any messages since then.


    No matter how many times Erica asked Tiona''s clone to contact the teenage boy, all the Clone did was shake its head and point them in the direction where the portals were located.


    Because of this silence, the Sorceress was worried that Thirteen might have died in his battle against the Grievefoot, a Rank 8 Sovereign who could raise its rank up the 9th Rank if need be.


    "Tell me honestly, is Zion still alive?" Erica grabbed the snake on her neck and shook it repeatedly.


    The ck snake nodded its head firmly, assuring the youngdy that its Master was still alive.


    "Then why is he not replying to my questions?" Erica inquired. "Is he in a state where he can''t talk to anyone?"


    The ck Snake pondered for a bit before nodding its head for the second time.


    "Is he seriously injured?"


    The ck snake nodded before shaking its head then nodding, and shaking its head again.


    "You''re not making any sense!" Erica raised her voice, which made Sherry, who was standing beside her sigh.


    "Let me do the interrogation," Sherry said as she carefully uncoiled the ck snake from Erica''s neck.


    She then ced the snake on the ground, and asked it a question.


    "Can you write?" Sherry asked.


    The ck Snake nodded and used its tail to write something on the ground.


    "Master is in aatose state, so he cannot reply to your questions. But he has already received some treatment, so his life isn''t in any danger."


    "What?!"


    Erica, Sherry, and Shana eximed at the same time. They didn''t expect that the reason why they didn''t receive any reply to their inquiries in the past few days was because Thirteen had entered aatose state.


    "Did he get injured by the Grievefoot on the 12th Floor?" Shana asked in an anxious tone.


    The ck snake erased the words it had written on the ground earlier with its tail before writing the answer to the Saintess'' Question.


    "Master defeated the Grievefoot without breaking a sweat. The reason why he is in aatose state is because of the aftermath of his battle on the 13th Floor.


    "Master had emerged victorious, but he had pushed himself to the limit, which made him enter aatose state."


    "Oh no! We need to hurry!" Erica grabbed the ck Snake and ran toward the portal that would lead her to the 11th Floor without hesitation.


    Sherry followed right behind her because she was also very worried about Thirteen''s condition.


    The reason why the Hero Party and the two Squads apanying them didn''t enter the 11th Floor right away was because they were taking a break from their journey.


    However, seeing that Erica and Sherry had already entered the 11th Floor, Rnd decided that they should get moving as well.


    The moment they stepped into the portal, they found themselves on a mountainside, with snow covering thendscape.


    But the first thing that caught their attention were signs nted on the ground, pointing to a certain direction.


    Derek read one of the signs and almost choked when he saw what was written there.


    "Erectile Dysfunction? Say no more, Fam! Salvation is over there!"


    Shana and the rest could only shake their heads helplessly. The signs they saw all contained different messages, but they still pointed in the same direction.


    "Looking for a Happy Ending? We got you!"


    "Looking for the Portal? You are in luck! Go this way, and you''ll find it!"


    Since Erica could fly, she simply carried Sherry like a princess and followed the trails of signs


    on the ground.


    Surprisingly, there were no monsters that could be found on the 11th Floor, so their travel had been smooth sailing.


    Half an hourter, they finally arrived at the location of the cave and wasted no time


    exploring its depths.


    When they arrived at the underground cavern, a portal shone brightly, making the two girls


    nce at each other.


    "Let''s go," Erica said.


    "Okay." Sherry nodded.


    The two of them then entered a portal at the same time.


    When they regained their vision, they found themselves in a Great Forest surrounded by tall


    trees.


    Suddenly, they saw a ck blur run in their direction, making the two teenage girls take a fighting stance.


    However, when the blur stopped right in front of them, Erica immediately recognized the Nightmare ck Hound who had apanied them on their journey.


    ""cky!""n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Erica and Sherry cried out at the same time before running toward the familiar monster who


    served Zion.


    "Where is Zion?" Erica asked.


    Instead of answering, cky crouched down and used his head to gesture for the two girls to


    ride his back.


    Tiona had returned to the 12th Floor and told everyone to escort the Wanderers to the portal that would lead them to the 13th Floor.


    Since Cranky had already made everyone his subordinates, there was no longer any threat remaining on the 12th Floor that could endanger the lives of the Wanderers.


    Harahon and Khan were already sent to the Domain of the Apocalypse, including their High- Ranking subordinates.


    Only Rank 4 Monsters remained on the 12th Floor, and Cranky ordered them to hold sign boards that said "Don''t run. We are your friends! We will take you to the portal that leads to


    the 13th Floor!""


    Currently, there were a hundred Monkeys, and Apes remaining on the 12th Floor, and all of them were holding these signs to avoid the sh between the Wanderers.


    Since their new Boss ordered them to not fight the humans, they had no choice but to obey, fearing that they would be Cranky''s food.


    Since cky was one of Thirteen''s fastest monsters, they arrived at the portal that was glowing several meters away from a throne.


    Currently, no one was seated on the throne, so Erica and Sherry didn''t pay attention to it. They


    simply entered the portal that led them to the 13th Floor, where their Final Trial would begin.

 Chapter 608: The Final Trial [Part 2]

    Chapter 608: The Final Trial [Part 2]


    ?


    Upon arriving at the 13th Floor, Erica and Sherry found themselves staring at what seemed to be a Coliseum.


    However, the path that led to its interior was through a closed gate, which made Erica frown.


    At first, she tried to use her ability to fly, but it didn''t work.


    This made her think that the only way to really enter the Coliseum would be through the closed gate, so she decided to inspect it along with Sherry.


    The two then found the signage hanging right above the gate and read its contents.


    "Here lies the Final Trial of the Temple of Courage. In order to honor your courage and resilience foring this far, the opponent you will face will be just as strong as you. This trial ispletely bnced, so you have a fifty-fifty chance of passing.


    As to whether you will seed or not, let Fate decide whether you will pass this final test.


    Required Number of Challengers: [300]


    Current Number of Challengers: [2]


    "... We need to wait until we get 300 people?" Erica muttered after a minute of silence.


    "Looks like it." Sherry nodded.


    Erica facepalmed because if she only knew that there was a requirement waiting for them at the 13th Floor, she would have waited for the others to arrive first.


    "Let''s just wait for them," Sherry proposed.


    "Yeah." Erica nodded before heaving a deep sigh.


    Suddenly, the ground in front of them trembled, and Rocky''s head popped out of it.


    The moment they saw the Magma Bal-Boa, Erica asked if they could enter the Mobile Fortress.


    Rocky nodded and took the two teenage girls inside his Mobile Fortress.


    Erica and Sherry were hoping to find Thirteen there, but to their dismay, the teenage boy was nowhere to be found.


    The only thing they saw was the Giga, Hercules, the Trolls, Ogres, and Cranky.


    The Honey Badger was sleeping peacefully near theke, with Pica and Pico resting on his back.


    Vassago and Poca were perched on top of the wooden house that the Trolls and Ogres had built for the guests that Thirteen might invite inside the Mobile Fortress.


    "I know the two of you are worried, but all you can do is wait," Vassago said. "Zion is in aatose state, but his life is not in danger. You don''t have to worry about him.


    "The two of you should just focus on clearing the Final Trial, so that all of you can return to Pangea. That''s the only thing that you can do for now."


    Erica and Sherry weren''t too familiar with the Pocopocos, but they knew enough that they were Monsters that Thirteen trusted very much.


    Since that was the case, the two of them decided to rest inside the wooden house, which currently had six bedrooms inside of it.


    Each room had a queen size bed, so there was more than enough space for a single person to


    use.


    The two of them hadn''t been able to enjoy sleeping in suchfortable beds for a while because they were forced to travel with everyone after the merger happened. So, it didn''t take long for them to fall asleep.


    A few hourster, Giga woke them up and motioned for them to leave the cottage.


    "The other humans have arrived," Vassago exined. "Since Rocky''s Mobile Fortress can''t be known by the others, the two of you must leave for the time being."


    Both girls nodded in understanding because the Mobile Fortress was one of Thirteen''s secrets and trump cards.


    A minuteter, they once again appeared in front of the gate. But this time, they were well- rested and have recovered most of their fatigue during their journey.


    Half an hourter, Rnd appeared on the 13th Floor, followed by the other Wanderers. "Seriously, the two of you should have waited for us," Derekined. "Why did you run off all of a sudden?"


    Erica ignored Derek and simply stared at the number of challengers that were appearing on the gate.


    Required Number of Challengers: [300]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Current Number of Challengers: [210]


    That was the exact number of Wanderers consisting of the Hero Party, and the two Squads apanying them.


    But just as Erica thought that they would still need to wait for the other teams to arrive,


    Another person stepped out of the portal.


    It was none other than Sean, who was the leader of the Cygni Faction.


    After a while, four hundred additional Wanderers entered the 13th Floor.


    But it didn''t end there. The other Teams led by David and Kyle also arrived just a few minutes after Seans'' arrival.


    All the Wanderers, numbering just a little over 900, have all appeared at thest Floor of the Temple of Courage.


    Required Number of Challengers: [300]


    Current Number of Challengers: [923/300]


    Number of Challengers exceeded the limit.


    Please choose 300 representatives to open the Final Trial.


    After Erica told everyone the requirement to open the doors, a discussion was held among the


    Wanderers.


    After a while, everyone agreed to send the Hero Party, as well as the first two squads as part of


    their representatives.


    The rest was filled up by Sean, and the Cygni Faction.


    Kyle, and David also joined the three hundred Wanderers, who would challenge the Final


    Trial.


    Since thest challenge was "Fair" it also meant that if all the strong people worked together, the opponent would match their strengths as well.


    Because of this, the Rookies didn''t have a problem letting the strong people go ahead of


    them.


    The moment the final representatives were selected, the gate of the Coliseum opened, inviting the Wanderers inside its battleground.


    The other Wanderers, who weren''t chosen, all disappeared one by one, and reappeared at the audience stands of the Coliseum, getting the best seats to watch the final battle of their


    mission.


    "Guys, since this Trial is supposed to be fair, wouldn''t this mean that the opponent we will face is very strong?" Derek asked. "I mean, there''s 300 of us here, and all of us can be considered as the best fighters among the Wanderers. Aren''t we in trouble?"


    "Calm down," Rnd replied. "As long as we all work together, even if we face a Rank 7 Monster, we might have a chance to defeat it. After all, this Trial should be fair."


    Derek, who deemed that Rnd''s words were true, took a deep breath and prepared himself


    for the inevitable.


    When the 300 Wanderers had finally taken position inside the arena, a pir of light appeared at the opposite end, making everyone nce in that direction.


    When the light faded, everyone''s eyes widened in shock as they looked at their opponent. "Oh sh*t...," Derek cursed as he subconsciously tightened the grip on his weapon. Shana, Erica, Sherry, the Hero Party, the Cygni Faction, Kyle, David, and the Elites of the Wanderers, all had grim expressions on their faces as they gazed at the adversary they needed


    to defeat.


    Standing several meters away from them was a teenage boy with short ck hair and green


    eyes.


    He was holding a golden metallic staff in his hands, and was looking at the Wanderers with an indifferent gaze, devoid of any human emotions.


    "Everyone, brace yourselves," Rnd shouted, breaking everyone out of their daze.


    "Sh*t!" Erica also cursed before biting her lips.


    She found it unfair that the Final Trial that she needed toplete revolved around beating


    the teenage boy, whom she hadn''t seen for more than a week.


    "Of all people, why should it be you?" Shana said bitterly as she gripped the silver banner in


    her hands firmly.


    Zion Leventis stood in front of them all, acting as the Final Boss, which would be their Final Trial in the Temple of Courage.

 Chapter 609: The Final Trial [Part 3]

    Chapter 609: The Final Trial [Part 3]


    ?


    "Everyone, don''t do anything reckless, and hold your ground!" David shouted.


    The moment the young man saw the golden staff in Zion''s hand, he was instantly reminded of the time when he personally witnessed the Rookie kill a Majin King.


    His shout broke everyone out from their daze, making them all take a defensive stance.


    "Don''t attack!" Rnd dered. "Wait for my signal!"


    As someone who had been personally trained by Thirteen, he knew that the teenage boy in front of them was someone whom they couldn''t underestimate.


    While this was the first time he was seeing Zion wield a golden staff, he didn''t dare to underestimate his fighting prowess.


    "Zion, it''s us!" Erica shouted. "Why are you fighting us?!"


    Zion didn''t even react to Erica''s call, and simply gazed straight at them with indifference.


    "Hey, Master! It''s me! Derek!" Derek shouted. "Are you the Final Boss? Where is your BGM Music?!"


    As if waiting for that cue, an ominous sound of an organ being yed reverberated in the surroundings.


    The moment Derek heard this, he nearly choked on his saliva because he just meant it as a joke.


    "Everyone, please listen to me first," David said. "The weapon in Zion''s hand can increase its length and size. I don''t know what its limit is, but it can extend for hundreds of meters, and its size can be as big as an entire skyscraper. He used that staff to kill a Majin King, so be very careful!


    David knew that he needed to share this information to the others so that they could better understand what they were up against.


    But after hearing his words, everyone thought that he was just joking.


    If Thirteen''s golden staff could really increase its length and size to that of a skyscraper, wouldn''t that mean that all of them would be crushed like insects?


    "I know it''s hard to believe, but it''s true," Sean, who knew that he had to step up to rify things,mented. "We''ve seen it with our own eyes, so don''t take our words lightly."


    Rnd gripped his sword tightly before speaking out his mind.


    "I will tell you this, Zion is stronger than me," Rnd stated. "If everything you say is true, and his weapon could really increase its length and size to that of a skyscraper, we have no chance of winning.


    "But this Trial is supposed to be fair after all, we can definitely win if we work together. So, everyone, prepare for battle!"


    Erica closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before opening them up again.


    "You''re not Zion." Erica red at the teenage boy in front of her. "Zion will never hurt us. So, it''s impossible for you to be him! Since you dare to use his appearance, I''ll burn you to ashes!" A pair of zing wings appeared behind Erica''s back, giving her the power of flight.


    She hadn''t been able to use this ability earlier, but now that she was inside the Coliseum, the restriction had been lifted.


    "We will fight him the way we fought the Sovereigns in the lower floors," Joshua, who was the Sage of the Hero Party, dered. "Rnd, Derek, and Siri will act as the Vanguard, while the rest support them!"


    Ste, who was standing at the middle of the formation, took out her Starlight Bow and pulled on its string.


    She was now going to fight seriously, so she didn''t need to use her normal arrows in battle.


    The youngdy believed that her magic arrows would be more effective in the uing battle.


    Siri, who had never won a battle against Thirteen, held her War Axe with a solemn expression on her face.


    As someone who had fought Zion repeatedly, she was still unable to read his attack patterns because it was forever changing.


    Diana and Shana nced at each other before nodding their heads at the same time.


    The two of them then nted their Golden and Silver Banners on the ground, creating a synergy effect that amplified their powers.


    Suddenly, the teenage boy who was holding the golden staff in his hands, raised his hand and made a e and get me" gesture.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His eyes were still devoid of feelings, and no one could tell what he was thinking.


    "On my signal," Rnd said as the swords in his hand shone brightly.


    He intended to finish the battle as fast as possible because if the signage was being truthful, their opponent was as strong as 300 Wanderers.


    The members of the Hero Party, the Cygni Faction, and the other Wanderers, all took their respective positions.


    They were treating this battle as a Raid Boss Battle, which would require coordination from all parties.


    "Fight!" Rnd dered as he took a step forward and shot out like aet, leaving trails of blue colors behind him.


    Derek and Siri ran after him, preparing their own killer moves to end the battle swiftly.


    Erica, who was hovering above the Coliseum, summoned countless ming Spears, ready to descend at a moment''s notice.


    Since the battle had officially started, Zion finally made his move.


    He casually took a step forward as if he was just about to take a stroll in the park.


    A secondter, Rnd reappeared in front of him, with his sword aiming at Zion''s chest.


    The teenage boy then casually swatted Rnd''s sword, deflecting his attack with ease.


    Due to Rnd''s momentum, he wasn''t able to stop his charge on time, which left his body open after his sword was deflected.


    Suddenly Zion''s fist punched forward, hitting the side of Rnd''s body. However, it didn''t end there.


    Thirteen punched in quick session as if his fist was a gatling gun.


    He was dishing out three to four punches every second, and all of themnded on Rnd''s body, sending him flying.


    The golden staff on his left hand then moved to block Derek''s strike, while he used his right foot to kick Siri''s hand that held the axe, making her stagger andpletely stop her


    downward strike.


    A secondter, ming Spears descended toward the teenage boy, which thetter evaded using his Beast Heart Drunken Fist movement technique.


    To everyone''s surprise, the movement was also leaving afterimages, making them unable to determine where the real Zion was, almost breaking their formation.


    Sherry then extended her silk threads in the hope that she would be able to capture Zion, but a secondter, the teenage boy appeared in front of her.


    For a brief moment, the youngdy forgot how to breathe as Thirteen''s indifferent eyes gazed


    at her.


    Suddenly, she felt a hand pat her head, which was a familiar feeling to her.


    But just as quick as he appeared, the teenage boy disappeared.


    Not long after, cries of pain and surprise erupted behind her as three Wanderers, who were standing behind Sherry, were sent flying backwards by Thirteen''s merciless strikes.

 Chapter 610: The Final Trial [Part 4]

    Chapter 610: The Final Trial [Part 4]


    ?


    Sherry, who didn''t know why Thirteen didn''t attack her, stood rooted on the spot, unable to


    move.


    When she regained her senses, Thirteen was already dealing with the other Wanderers behind her, breaking their formation.


    Diana, who was in charge of defense, hurriedly engaged Thirteen inbat, swinging at him her golden sword.


    The golden staff and sword collided, creating a shower of sparks that made Diana''s eyes widen in shock.


    That single exchange almost made her lose her grip on her weapon due to the sheer power Thirteen''s blow possessed.


    Knowing that an opportunity had finallye, the Heirs of the Cygni Faction-Sean, Leon, Heidi, and Natalie, all attacked in four different directions, trapping the teenage boy with their coordinated attack.


    The Wanderers who saw this believed that the teenage boy had nowhere to escape.


    But as if proving them wrong, the teenage boy somersaulted dozens of meters in the air,pletely evading the coordinated attack from the four Wanderers.


    He then held the golden staff with both hands and swung downward.


    The staff extended right before everyone''s eyes, aimed at the members of the Cygni Faction who had missed their target.


    "Block!" Kyle shouted as he and the other Wanderers, who didn''t really specialize in fighting, raised their shields, creating a dome of steel to block the attack.


    But as if they were fallen leaves on the ground that were getting swept away by a broom, all of them were blown away by the impact.


    Fortunately, Thirteen had trained them how to roll properly, so they were able to mitigate the damage they could''ve received from their fall.


    They thought that they would be able to block Zion''s strike if they all worked together, but his blow was just as strong as a full-powered blow of a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    The only saving grace was that they were already familiar with this situation because Thirteen made sure to make them understand their limits.


    During their journey toward the Temple of Courage, the Wanderers took turns on getting bashed by Rank 5 Sovereigns on a daily basis.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But due to their formation and Adamantine-Grade Equipment, they didn''t die and only received moderate to serious injuries, which could be healed by potions and Shana''s healing ability.


    Even the nonbatants were forced to do this death-defying act, which boosted their confidence.


    There was a saying that what doesn''t kill you makes you stronger, and this was the method that Thirteen had used to train all the Knights of the Apocalypse under hismand.


    So when these Wanderers, who received Thirteen''s blow, had regained theirposure, the muscle memory from the training they received kicked in, allowing them to assess the situation.


    "His attack is as strong as a Rank 5 Sovereign," Derekmented. "But that is only true if we are hit by the staff."


    "So, that means we can win, right?" Rnd asked.


    "As long as he doesn''t get stronger than this, then yes," Derek replied. "He won''t get stronger, right?"


    "Don''t raise a g dammit!" Erica roared in anger as she hurled dozens of ming Spears toward Zion, giving herrades time to regroup.


    The teenage boy gave the Sorceress in the air a side-long nce before jumping to his right side to avoid the three magical arrows that flew past a few inches from his chest.


    Ste unleashed a barrage of arrows in Thirteen''s direction, with some of them being homing arrows.


    Using this opportunity, all the Wanderers with long-range attacks joined the onught, giving the teenage boy no ce to hide.


    Those who were watching from the stands, couldn''t help but cheer theirrades because the battle was making their blood boil inside their bodies.


    If only they were only allowed to join the battle, they would have already jumped into the arena and joined the fray.


    They watched as a thick white smoke started to spread, as thebination of long range spells, and attacks, descended on one location.


    Erica no longer held back and dealt fire damage to a wide area, believing that ming spears wouldn''t be enough to deal damage to the "Fake Zion" who was fighting against them.


    After a barrage thatsted for nearly three minutes, everyone finally stopped their attacks to check if their opponent was defeated.


    One of the Wanderers, who was holding a fan, created a gust of wind to blow away the smoke that was covering a quarter of the arena.


    When the smoke finally receded, a devastated battleground appeared in front of them.


    But to their surprise, the teenage boy whom they believed should''ve been sted to oblivion, was nowhere to be found.


    "Sh*t!" Erica, who was flying in the sky, cursed out loud because she finally understood what happened.


    At the ce where Zion was supposed to be was a hole that was deep enough to hide from the bombardment that they unleashed.


    As if confirming her thoughts, something jumped out of the hole, and the teenage boy, whom everyone thought had died, reappeared in front of everyone.


    But they also noticed that there was a magical arrow embedded on the teenage boy''s shoulder, which he might have received during the first phase of the bombardment.


    Still, Zion seemed unperturbed as if the arrow sticking out of his shoulder wasn''t a problem.


    Ste, who had fired the homing arrow, frowned. She had unleashed a dozen of them, yet only onended on Zion''s body.


    Suddenly, a monotonous and almost robotic voice reached everyone''s ears.


    "Raising fighting prowess from fifty percent to eighty percent," Thirteen said. "Use of First Circle Magic approved. Loading Preset of Level 1 Fire Lord. Loadingplete..."


    Thirteen then raised his hands and pointed at Erica and the Wanderers in front of him.


    A secondter, countless Fire Bullets the size of golf balls appeared above Thirteen''s head. "Lock on targets," Thirteen said coldly. "Fire Bullet Barrage."


    Countless Fire Bullets followed hismand and attacked the Sorceress, as well as the Wanderers en masse.


    This was Thirteen''s counterattack, which made everyone, who was watching from the audience seats, draw a deep breath as a hellish scene appeared right before their eyes.

 Chapter 611 The Final Trial [Part 5]

    611 The Final Trial [Part 5]


    Nearly all Wanderers in Pangea knew that Zion Leventis had restrictions ced on his body.


    This was why, when they saw that the teenage boy was able to use the abilities of the golden staff, as well as cast spells, they immediately knew that they weren''t fighting against the "Zion" whom they knew.


    Erica grunted as she unleashed her own barrage of Fire Bullets to block Zion''s bombardment.


    But the thing that surprised her the most was that the teenage boy could cast the Fire Bullets and control them as if they were homing Fire Bullets.


    Even when Erica dodged them, the bullets would simply make a U-Turn and attack her from behind, taking her by surprise.


    Fortunately, her sixth sense kicked in, allowing her to evade the attack from behind. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Damn you, Zion!" Erica shouted. "I''ll get back to youter, I swear!"


    But despite her shout, the teenage boy was unfazed, and bombarded all the Wanderers with countless Fire Bullets, forcing them to dodge, block, and take evasive maneuvers.


    "Are these really Fire Bullets?!" Derekined. "Why do I feel like they have a life of their own?!"


    As a Fire Sorceress, Erica was very familiar with how she casted skills.


    Fire Bullets was one of the most basic Fire Spells that could be cast, but until earlier, they had never seen someone cast them in this manner and with this number.


    Ste was also unleashing her own flurry of Magic Arrows, targeting the teenage boy, but her attacks were repelled by the Fire Bullets he was casting.


    "Charge!" Diana shouted, raising her shield as she charged forward.


    Kyle and the other Wanderers all rallied behind her and raised their shields, tanking the Fire Bullets with their Adamantine-grade shields.


    With the crusader taking the lead, they were able to not only endure the barrage, but also close the distance between them and their target.


    Seeing that his barrage had been neutralized, Thirteen reached out to his golden staff, which was embedded on the ground beside him, and took a step forward.


    He reappeared a few meters away from Diana before somersaulting past her and the defenders.


    As soon as hended on the ground, he immediately charged toward Ste, who had been sniping him from afar since earlier.


    Sensing that she had been singled out by the enemy, the beautiful youngdy disassembled her bow, turning it into two curved ck des, which she held in her hands.


    Her mother and father had insisted that she also learned closebat techniques, saying that the moment someone closed in on an archer, they would be easily neutralized if they didn''t know how to fight in close quarters.


    Ste calmly exchanged a few blows with the teenage boy.


    However, with each collision, she was forced to take a few steps back due to the force behind Thirteen''s strike.


    Simply put, her opponent was simply using brute force, but it was something that made her hands numb every time their weapons shed with each other.


    "I got you now!" Siri shouted as she unleashed a sh behind Zion.


    However, the rear end of his staff extended and collided with the youngdy''s armor, which sent her skidding backward, like a pebble thrown on a river''s surface.


    But it didn''t end there, Thirteen had also extended the front of his staff, breaking Ste''s stance, allowing Thirteen tond a kick on the side of her body, sending her flying.


    Rnd, Sean, David, and Leon all joined hands to try to push him back with their coordinated attacks, forcing Thirteen to change his ns.


    The teenage boy mmed the staff on the ground and extended it, using it to propel himself toward Shana, Mildred, and Joshua, who were supporting everyone from the rear.


    "Shana, Joshua!" Mildred shouted.


    "On it!" Joshua replied.


    "Okay!" Shana answered. Mildred charged forward and unleashed her ranged attacks in rapid session, buffed by Shana and Joshua. Thirteen had trained her to fight in ranged warfare while being on the move, allowing her to develop a flexible battle style in the battlefield.


    If she fought other Wanderers, she might have seeded in her attempt. However, she was fighting the same person who trained her to be more proficient with the bow.


    A dozen fire bullets circled around Thirteen like satellites, colliding with the arrows Mildred had fired in his direction.


    Just like Ste, Mildred also learned a closebat Martial Skill, which Thirteen had also taught her.


    The moment the teenage boy closed the distance, she took out twobat knives and shed with the teenage boy, who seemed to be in a daze.


    To her surprise, Zion threw the golden staff upward and took out two daggers out of thin air.


    He then shed with Mildred and used the same fighting style she was using.


    While Mildred had mastered her closebat skills to a decent level, it was not enough to beat Thirteen, who showed her how it was used in real battle.


    After dozens of exchanges, a grunt escaped Mildred''s lips as her body curled like a shrimp after Thirteen''s fist smashed at her abdomen.


    He didn''t even bother to give her a second nce as he charged at Joshua, who was desperately trying to hit Zion with his debuffs and curse spells.


    But it was of no use. The teenage boy was simply too fast, and seemed to predict his attack patterns.


    The moment Thirteen got close to the Sage of the Hero Party, he unleashed a flurry of blows before knocking Joshua unconscious.


    Shana, who knew that she needed to buy time and let the other Wanderers reinforce her, grabbed her silver banner and used the Martial Skill Thirteen had taught her.


    Using her banner as a spear, Shana weaved a deadly spear dance in order to keep Thirteen at bay.


    It worked for a few seconds, but since she was not yet too proficient with this style of battle, Thirteen was able to break past her defenses and ced his palm on her chest.


    Shana, who thought that she would be blown away by Thirteen''s palm strike, had braced herself to get hurt.


    However, the teenage boy''s hand only rested on her chest as if contemting if he should go through with the strike or not.


    A few secondster, Thirteen pulled his hand back and walked away without even giving Shana a second nce.


    This made the Saintess subconsciously touch the spot, where Zion had touched her chest earlier, and felt her heart beating wildly inside her chest. (E/N: Ask him to take responsibility.)

 Chapter 612 The Final Trial [Part 6]

    612 The Final Trial [Part 6]


    Derek had noticed Zion''s unusual behavior and suddenly had an idea.


    Earlier, Thirteen only patted Sherry''s head instead of attacking her, and now, he left Shana alone without injuring her body. He also remembered that the teenage boy didn''t hurt Diana during their exchange earlier. This only led to one conclusion.


    "He doesn''t attack girls!" Derek shouted. "If all the girls attack together, we can win this!"


    Ste, Siri, and Mildred all looked at Derek in disdain.


    The three of them were girls, and Zion didn''t show them any mercy.


    ''Are we a joke to you?''


    Those were their thoughts as they cursed the stupid swordsman internally.


    But, the longer the battle transpired, the more Derek realized something else.


    ''I-Is he training us?!'' Derek thought as he observed the teenage boy attack the Wanderers, as if telling them the vulnerability of their fighting style through his relentless attacks.


    And just like earlier, Thirteen ignored attacking Shana, Diana, and Sherry, and focused on the rest.


    "Erica! Attack Zion directly!" Derek shouted. "He is close to you, right?! Maybe you''re the only one who can defeat him!"


    Erica, who had also noticed Thirteen''s unusual acts of kindness, decided to give it a try.


    She descended from the sky, and charged at Thirteen like a flyinget.


    "Ziooon!" Erica shouted. "You''re dead meaaaaaaaaaaat!"


    With a hate-filled roar, Erica punched forward, with her body coated by mes.


    Thirteen, who had just kicked a Wanderer to the side, raised his hand and covered it in mes.


    Time seemed to havee to aplete stop as Thirteen met Erica''s gaze.


    A secondter, a resounding p spread in the arena, making Derek, who saw it, cover his mouth as his body shuddered uncontrobly.


    Due to one of his abilities, he saw everything that happened as if it was in slow motion. When Erica charged at Zion, with her entire body zing in mes, the teenage boy coated his hand with mes as well.


    He then casually dodged to her right side, making Erica''s attack fly past him.


    However, at thest second, Thirteen pped Erica''s bum, which resulted in the loud resounding p that everyone heard.


    "I''ll kill you, Ziooooooooooon!" Erica shouted in anger and embarrassment because the teenage boy dared to spank her without holding back.


    Why did you pat Sherry''s head?


    Why did you lightly tap Shana''s chest?


    Why did you avoid Diana?


    Why did you p my butt?


    What is this discrimination?!


    Simr to Derek, Erica was expecting that Thirteen wouldn''t hurt her because they were close.


    But to her surprise, the teenage boy actually dared to do such an indecent thing in front of everyone, making her cheeks feel as if they were burning. Thirteen, who had just pped Erica''s bum, casually took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands as if he had touched something dirty.


    This further infuriated the Sorceress, which made her roar in anger due to the embarrassment and humiliation that she had just suffered. "Master, I''m sorry, but this ends now!" Derek, who had finally regained hisposure, used the Martial Technique that Thirteen had taught him.


    This gave him unparalleled speed, as well as stronger striking power, allowing him to overpower most foes even if they were stronger than him.


    "Tiger Blitz!" Derek unleashed his sword strike with utmost precision and power.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen was expecting that he would attack at that moment, so he simply dodged to the side and used his staff to also spank Derek''s bum, sending him skidding head first on the ground for dozens of meters.


    The battle had been waged for less than an hour, and yet, more than half of the Wanderers were knocked out on the ground.


    Some of them were groaning in pain after getting hit by Thirteen''s staff, which felt like being hit by a truck.


    They could only look at the teenage boy who was standing at the center of the arena, unmoving, as if waiting for everyone to regain their bearings.


    Suddenly, they saw Sherry walk toward the unmoving Zion with a determined look on her face.


    She wasn''t holding any weapon, and she seemed to have no intention of fighting.


    Everyone watched with bated breath as she stood a meter away from the boy, who turned around to look at her with an indifferent look on his face.


    Taking a deep breath, Sherry raised her hand to reach out to the teenage boy, making almost everyone stop breathing.


    They thought that Zion would attack her, just like how he attacked the others earlier. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But the thing that they were expecting to see didn''t happen.


    Sherry had wrapped her arms around Thirteen''s body, hugging him tightly. She then buried her head on his chest, with her body trembling as if she was afraid that she would get hurt.


    When the teenage boy suddenly raised his hand, everyone thought that the pitiful girl would be knocked unconscious with a strike on her head.


    But simr to what happened earlier, Thirteen simply patted her head, as if he was telling her that everything would be fine.


    Suddenly, Sherry''s body glowed faintly, catching everyone by surprise.


    A momentter, she transformed into particles of light, shooting towards the heavens.


    [One Challenger has passed the test!]


    Silence descended inside the Coliseum for a few minutes before an uproar spread like wildfire.


    They didn''t understand what just happened, but Sherry had cleared the trial after hugging Thirteen.


    Derek, who was always fast on the uptake, hurriedly walked toward his Master with his arms raised in surrender and a smile stered on his face.


    "Master, I surrender," Derek said as he approached Thirteen.


    Simr to what happened earlier, the teenage boy didn''t attack the swordsman and allowed him to get closer.


    When Derek was only one meter away from Zion, he reached out his hands in order to hug thetter.


    However, a secondter, a resounding p reverberated in the surroundings, as Thirteen pped Derek, making thetter copse unconscious on the ground.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Thirteen casually kicked the fallen boy''s bum, sending him to the side of the arena, making everyone offer a silent prayer to the swordsman, who was suffering from Thirteen''s discrimination.

 Chapter 613: Was It A Good Dream? [Part 1]

    Chapter 613: Was It A Good Dream? [Part 1]


    ?


    An hour passed since the Trial started, and now, all the Wanderers were eitherying on the ground, writhing in pain, or barely standing, supported by their weapons.


    The only exceptions were Erica, Shana, and Diana, whom Thirteen had avoided or dealt lightly.


    Among these three, Erica''s face was beet-red out of anger and embarrassment because every time she shed with Zion, the bastard would p her bum as if he was disciplining a bad kid. Because of this, Erica remained high in the sky and simply bombarded the sh*t out of him. Unfortunately, none of her attacksnded on her target, even though she used Homing Magic Bullets. Zion dispersed each and every single one of them using his Fire Bullets.


    Shana and Diana could only stare at the other Wanderers awkwardly because they were the only ones that were unscathed from the battle.


    Siri and Ste were currently half kneeling on the ground, their gaze locked on the teenage boy standing at the center of the arena, with his golden staff resting on his shoulder.


    Rnd and Joshua were beaten ck and blue, but the one who had it worst was none other than Derek.


    Thirteen had been especially hard on him as if making sure that the Swordsman got hit more than the rest of the Hero Partybined.


    But despite all that, Derek was still burning with fighting spirit as he tried to prop himself even though his entire body was in pain.


    Just a minute ago, they saw a countdown timer appear above Thirteen''s head, which made all of their faces turn solemn.


    It was a thirty-minute countdown, and none of them knew whether they only had thirty minutes to defeat Zion or if they just needed to survive for thirty more minutes.


    The first option seemed impossible, while the second option made them feel as if they were being looked down upon.


    However, the majority of the Wanderers wished that the countdown timer only represented the time where they needed to survive their battle against Zion Leventis before they sessfully clear their mission.


    They could still remember how Sherry cleared the challenge just by hugging Zion.


    Because of this, they thought that if they managed to "hug him," they would be able toplete this mission as well.


    The guys, who were led by Derek, attacked Thirteen with open arms, which ended badly for them.


    For some reason, a look of disgust appeared on Zion''s expressionless face when all the guys charged at him with arms spread wide.


    They were all given a severe beating, and the teenage boy made sure to give their bums a good smacking, almost making the Wanderers unable to stand up afterwards.


    Looking at the ticking clock above the teenage boy''s head, Shana took a deep breath and embedded her banner firmly on the ground.


    She then walked towards Zion unarmed and attempted to hug him just like what Sherry did.


    Earlier, she didn''t have the courage to do what the younger girl did because she wasn''t too confident that Zion would not harm her.


    But as the battle progressed, there had been many opportunities for Zion to deal her a serious blow. However, he never made a move.


    This emboldened her to take a chance, believing on her gut feeling that he wouldn''t hurt her.


    Ten meters...


    Eight meters...


    Five...


    Three...


    One...


    Shana stood only a meter away from Zion as she reached out to give him a hug.


    Just like what happened to Sherry, he didn''t offer any resistance and allowed Shana to hug him.


    But that was it.


    Shana didn''t get teleported outside of the arena and dered that she had passed the trial like Sherry did.


    The Saintess of the Hero Party could feel her cheeks burning because she could sense that everyone''s gaze was locked on her body.


    It made her feel awkward because nothing was happening.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Suddenly, someone hugged Thirteen from behind, and it was none other than Erica.


    With two beautifuldies hugging him from the back and the front, the Wanderers felt something rise up in their chest.


    "That ce between the Sorceress and the Saintess looked like heaven."


    "My chest hurts. Why am I crying?"


    "Damn it! I didn''t choose the single life! The single life chose me!"


    "Bro, I know what you feel. Damn it hurts."


    Rnd and Joshua suddenly felt as if they regained strength in their bodies when they saw


    Zion rest his head on Shana''s chest as if using them as pillows.


    The other Wanderers felt something simr, so they all roared and charged at their enemy with bloodshot eyes.


    "O-Oi! You guys!" Erica, who sensed that something was wrong, felt goosebumps as


    hundreds of single guys roared with their weapons raised high.


    Shana, who also felt that now was a good time to pull back, suddenly found herself being hugged by Thirteen, making her unable to break free.


    If this was any other asion, she might have stayed in this position because she didn''t mind being hugged by Zion.


    In fact, she felt as if she was holding someone very important to her-someone she must protect, which confused her greatly.


    When the Wanderers were only dozens of meters away from him, Thirteen summoned countless Fire Bullets around Shana''s, and Erica''s body, which flew toward the charging Wanderers who were out for his blood.


    During this whole process, Shana didn''t know if she should continue hugging Zion, so she


    asked for Erica''s opinion.


    "S-Should we let go?" Shana asked.


    "You let go," Erica replied. "I''ll hold him."


    "A-Are you infected by the Zion Virus?"


    "Huh? What Zion Virus? What are you talking about?"


    Erica, who had no idea what Shana was referring to, held the teenage boy firmly because she


    believed that they must defeat Zion within the time limit.


    She was now an Elite, so she believed that she was now stronger than the teenage boy in her


    embrace.


    Her n was to bind Thirteen''s movements and find a way to neutralize him.


    However, when she was about to enact her n, she felt conflicted because the teenage boy wasn''t offering any resistance and was simply burying his head on Shana''s chest.


    The sound of explosions reverberated in the surroundings as everyone tried to endure the bombardment that was flying in their directions.


    No one couldunch a ranged attack towards the teenage boy because Erica and Shana were hugging him from the front and the back.


    It was then that they realized that this might have been all part of Zion''s n to use the two beautifuldies as shields, preventing them from attacking him directly.


    This made them gnash their teeth in frustration because they couldn''t mount an effective strategy against the teenage boy, who was still hugging the Saintess, not willing to let go.

 Chapter 614: Was It A Good Dream? [Part 2]

    Chapter 614: Was It A Good Dream? [Part 2]


    ?


    Ten minutester, white smoke rose from the ground as all the Wanderers suffered injuries from Thirteen''s bombardment.


    The closest distance they could close from the teenage boy was ten meters.


    After that, they would be blown away by the powerful attacks that he unleashed, and he was doing this while hugging Shana!


    This was a p in the face for them, especially for the Hero Party, who were the strongest fighters in the group.


    "Y-You let go first," Erica said as she looked at the painful sight in her surroundings.


    "Y-Yes," Shana, who needed to heal everyone gently pried Thirteen''s hands from her body.


    There was reluctance in her action, but she knew that if she didn''t heal everyone, they would not be able to finish their trial.


    Thirteen then turned around, and this time, he hugged Erica and buried his head on her chest.


    What many didn''t know was that this wasn''t the first time that Thirteen had done something like this.


    Whenever Erica slept beside the teenage boy, he would subconsciously reach out to her and do something simr.


    It was as if he was seeking the warmth of a mother, which he never had in the past.


    For her, Zion was a very strong person.


    The only time he showed a vulnerable side to him was whenever he slept.


    There were even times when he would cry in his sleep, calling out the names of people whom she thought were his friends.


    But soon, she realized that these people might not just be ordinary friends because of the sadness that she felt whenever Zion calls out their name.


    After discovering this, she almost always slept beside him during the night because this was the only way that she could support him.


    She wanted to make him feel safe in her arms and tell him that everything was going to be fine.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    From the very start, Erica knew that the one they were fighting was Zion.


    Their Guide, Alro, said that ording to the ancient records, the Boss of the 13th Floor would only be an Avatar of a monster that would match the current strength of the challengers.


    So when Zion appeared, she knew then and there that the one standing in front of them was the vulnerable teenage boy, whom she hugged in her sleep every night.


    How could she have the heart to attack him when she knew that he might get hurt?


    So, she never cast her strongest spells, which could blow away a third of the Coliseum if she wished for it.


    While Erica was thinking of what to do next, a sigh escaped Thirteen''s lips.


    "Thank you, Erica," Thirteen said as he continued to hug the youngdy in his arms. "I had a nice, long dream, and I only woke up just a minute ago."


    "Was it a good dream?" Erica asked as she lightly patted Thirteen''s head.


    "It was a good dream," Thirteen replied, his body trembling.


    Suddenly, Erica felt something warm and wet falling on her chest.


    This was a very familiar feeling to her, so she held Zion tighter, letting him cry out the sadness in his heart.


    During his battle against the System God, he had overloaded his Soul Core, which resulted in it getting damaged.


    Because of this, he entered aatose state as his Soul Core started its emergency repair. Since he was unable to leave the Coliseum at that time, he was sent to the Core of the Temple of Courage, which assisted him in repairing his Soul Core.


    But just as his Soul Core was being rebooted, the Challengers appeared, so the Core of the Temple, which was responsible for its operations, sent out Thirteen as their Final Opponent.


    In order to even the odds, the Core of the Temple created a replica of the Ruyi Jingu Bang, giving Thirteen a fighting chance against his opponents.


    From the beginning, Thirteen was only fighting through instinct.


    His consciousness hadn''t returned yet to his body. But, despite all that, his body reacted to the people that he was close to.


    Zion treated Sherry as a little sister, so although she was unconscious, his body remembered, and he didn''t make any move to harm her.


    He also wanted her to pass the trial, so the Core of the Temple made an exception.


    He also couldn''t bring himself to hurt Shana and Diana, whom he believed to be very good girls.


    As for Erica?


    There was just something in her that made Thirteen want to subconsciously give her a good spanking.


    During the phase of the battle, Thirteen felt a coldness in his heart.


    It was as if he had returned to being the unfeeling system that he was in the past.


    His battle with the System God forced him to push himself to the limit, damaging his Soul Core in the process, forcing him to retreat to the deepest part of his consciousness.


    But after Sherry hugged him, a bit of warmth seeped in, which slowly pulled Thirteen from the darkness that he was at.


    When Sherry disappeared, Thirteen felt himself falling once more in the darkness.


    However, a hand reached out to him and grabbed him tight.


    Slowly but surely, he was pulled away from the Darkness and found himself surrounded by all


    of his Hosts.


    It was the most wonderful dream he ever had. Usually, whenever he slept, he relived the memories of his Host''s deaths.


    This was also the reason why he subconsciously reached out to embrace others. Their warmth soothed his broken soul.


    Like a baby in his mother''s arms, he felt safe in her embrace.


    Finally, his Soul Core made a sessful reboot, and he found himself being hugged by Erica.


    After thanking the Sorceress, the Countdown Timer on top of his head disappeared


    completely.


    The Trial wasn''t about defeating Zion.


    The Trial was whether the Wanderers could survive until he regained his consciousness.


    Since Thirteen never wished to harm the Wanderers, he didn''t kill any of them, which


    technically allowed them to survive until the end.


    Suddenly, all the Wanderer''s inside the arena noticed that their bodies were glowing faintly.


    The majority of them cheered because they were now finally going home.


    However, there were others who felt frustrated because of this result.


    Rnd, Derek, Joshua, Mildred, Diana, and Siri were among those people.


    They, who always wanted to be stronger, felt that they still had a long way to go.


    Ste, on the other hand, stared at the teenage boy with a calm expression on her beautiful


    face.


    No one could tell what she was thinking, but the experience that she had been through taught her a lot of things.


    Finally, Thirteen pulled back and smiled at Erica, whose body was now almost transparent.


    "I''ll see youter," Thirteen said.


    "Okay." Erica nodded as she and the three hundred Wanderers, who fought Thirteen, all shot


    toward the sky like pirs of light.


    [All Challengers passed the Final Trial of Courage!]


    Thirteen chuckled before he gazed at the Wanderers on the Audience stands and made the


    come over here gesture.


    There were still Wanderers that needed to go home, and since he was chosen as the Final Boss


    of this stage, he would make sure to beat them all up before sending them back home to their loved ones, who were waiting for them in Pangea.

 Chapter 615: We’ll Not Cheat On Your Rewards, Okay? [Part 1]

    Chapter 615: We¡¯ll Not Cheat On Your Rewards, Okay? [Part 1]


    ?


    Thirteen watched as he sent off thest batch of Wanderers back home to Pangea.


    Since the Temple had recognized him as the Final Boss for this asion, he had the authority to pass or fail anyone.


    Of course, he didn''t make it easy for them and attacked everyone with the intention of training them.


    Unlike the first battle, he didn''t summon any Fire Bullets nor did he extend his golden staff.


    He simply attacked them using his Martial Technique, leaving them lying on the ground, and groaning in pain.


    Even though he didn''t have any more Wanderers he needed to fight, Thirteen remained standing in the arena because there was onest challenger that he needed to fight.


    "They all had it easy. Will you give me an easy time as well?"


    A middle-aged man with dark brown skin and brown eyes appeared dozens of meters from Thirteen and eyed him with a smile.


    "You''re the Demonic Smander, right?" Thirteen asked. "How should I address you?"


    "You may call me Malic," Malic replied.


    "I can pass you right now if you want," Thirteen said. "But do you mind if I ask you a question?"


    "Speak."


    "The winners of this challenge will be sent to the ce where they need to go. How about you? Where do you need to go?"


    Malic pondered if he should answer this question or not. After all, he was not obligated to tell the human in front of him where he wanted to go.


    However, since he believed that this was all preordained by fate, he decided to answer the question.


    "Gomorra," Malic answered. "I want to return to Gomorra."


    "Then, can I ask you a favor?" Thirteen inquired. "In return, I''ll pass you without problems."


    "What kind of favor?" Malic arched an eyebrow.


    He didn''t dare underestimate the human in front of him because he knew that Zion was the one who defeated the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent.


    Since this battle was supposed to be fair, that meant that the teenage boy would be granted enough powers to equal him.


    Malic had been one of the spectators in the previous battles, so he had a good grasp of Thirteen''s abilities.


    Although he believed that he had a good chance of winning, he might still get injured, which would be a very dangerous thing to happen if he were to return to Gomorra.


    The homeworld of the Jinn was ruled by the strong, and any ambitious Jinn would be able to rise as long as an opportunity was presented to them.


    If he returned in an injured state, the chances of him being killed were very high.


    Because of this, he didn''t want to fight the teenage boy, so doing him a favor might not be a bad thing.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "If we ever meet for a second time, I want you to promise that you will not kill me and any of mypanions. Deal?" Thirteen proposed.


    "Deal," Malic answered in a heartbeat. "Why? Do you have ns on going to Gomorra?"


    "I don''t." Thirteen shook his head. "But no one knows what the future will bring. I just want to have one less enemy if I ever find myself in your world, or you suddenly appear in my world."


    Malic nodded because this wasn''t a bad answer.


    "Very well, if ever our paths cross again, I will spare you and yourpanions," Malic promised.


    "Good." Thirteen pointed his golden staff at the Demonic Smander. "You pass."


    Just like everyone who passed the trial, Malic''s body glowed faintly and shot up toward the heavens.


    Thirteen''s gaze thennded on the other monsters who were still in the arena, including the Lizardman Commander, Drazzat, who had apanied them all the way to the Temple of Courage.


    "I will now send all of you back to Fractured Heaven," Thirteen said as he scanned the faces of the monsters, including Ratatoskr, who had asked Thirteen to send him back to the Ratkins, with the Origin Shard in hand.


    Since the Origin Shard had already recognized the teenage boy as its Master, even if they were far apart, he could recall it with a thought as long as he was in Solterra.


    In order to make the Ratmen less anxious and allow Ratatoskr to have character growth as a Hero, he agreed to the White Ratman''s request.


    Drazzat was having an internal battle inside of him.


    A part of him wanted to return to his tribe, but thetter half wished to continue traveling with Thirteen.


    Since the monsters like Giga, Rocky, cky, Hercules, the Trolls, and the Ogres could apany the teenage boy on his journey, he was tempted to join their ranks.


    He had already discussed this matter with Thirteen, and the teenage boy said that if Drazzat was serious abouting with him, he might not be able to return home ever again.


    Faced with this hard choice, Drazzat made an equally hard decision.


    That was to follow Thirteen wherever he may go.


    Raising the golden staff in his hands, he acknowledged the monsters as challengers and passed them in their final trial.


    Those who passed the trial all had their Ranks increased by a realm, giving them something for their troubles.


    "Let''s meet again, Zion!" Ratatoskr said as he held the Origin Shard of the Ratmen. "I''m sure that we will meet again."


    "When we meet, you better be super strong," Thirteen replied in a teasing tone. "I might need your help one day, so don''t disappoint me."


    Ratatoskr nodded. "The debt I owe you cannot be repaid so easily. If we are destined to meet


    again, I will do my best to repay the favor."


    "Alright." Thirteen smiled. "May fortune follow you wherever you go."


    Thirteen then pointed his staff in Ratatoskr''s direction, allowing him to return home to the Fractured Heaven, which would soon be part of Absolute Heaven.


    They would no longer be isted from the world, and perhaps after a year, or two, those who survived would migrate or expand their kingdoms to join the battle in thends of Solterra.

 Chapter 616: We’ll Not Cheat On Your Rewards, Okay? [Part 2]

    Chapter 616: We¡¯ll Not Cheat On Your Rewards, Okay? [Part 2]


    ?


    Arlo and the other Absolutes, who served as the Guides of the Wanderers, stared at Thirteen with awe and admiration.


    "Your people are now free," Thirteen dered. "The restrictions ced upon all of you will now disappear. You will be able to raise your ranks past the Champion Rank and be true overlords of your own domain.


    "But whether the Absolutes will regain their former glory isn''t certain. It will not be an easy task. However, you know, right? From this moment onward, you all owe me a debt that I will ask you to repay in the future."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arlo and the rest of the Absolutes ced their closed fist over their chest and made a pledge. """The debt we owe will be repaid in full! The heavens will be our witness!"""


    Thirteen smiled faintly before looking up at the sky.


    His body started to glow, and soon, he too ascended to the heavens to return to the ce where he needed to be.


    Within the Celestial Realm...


    Thirteen happily rubbed his hands together as he looked at the Lace Demon with the smile of a merchant.


    Tiona, who was coiled on his neck, kissed her Master repeatedly because she missed him terribly.


    "Don''t give us that look," Lace Demon said, the corner of his lips twitching. "We''ll not cheat on your rewards, okay?"


    "Of course, I believe that I will not be cheated for all of my hard work," Thirteen replied. "Um, the requests that I asked for will also be added to my rewards, right?


    "You''re annoying." Lace Demon clicked his tongue as he reached out to take the ck g of the Parade of a Hundred Demons from Thirteen''s hand.


    The number of Monsters that Thirteen could add to his ck g was only around a hundred monsters.


    However, he asked for it to be upgraded so that he could add a hundred more monsters to it. Of course, Lace Demon didn''t agree to his request and lowered the additional slots to fifty.


    Thirteen understood that Lace Demon and The One had already made apromise, so he agreed to it.


    All in all, with a hundred-fifty monsters under hismand, he would be able to summon three hundred of them including their clones.


    And each monster would possess an additional 149 Skills in their arsenal, making them incredibly deadly in battle.


    Thirteen also requested an increase in the number of people whom he could bestow Martial Skills upon outside his family.


    After careful negotiations, The One agreed to add ten more people who could benefit from Thirteen''s Rune Magic.


    Of course, that wasn''t all the rewards given to him.


    Since he couldn''t gain anything in Solterra the normal way, Lace Demon and The One agreed to personally give him his rewards based on his contribution.


    After upgrading the g of the Parade of a Hundred Demons, Thirteen handed his Soul Eater Armor to Lace Demon to give it some upgrades as well.


    Lace Demon had given it fifty percent resistance to Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth, allowing the armor to resist a good portion of the four elemental attacks.


    He also gave it the ability that allowed Thirteen to breathe and move quickly underwater, which would increase his survivability.


    Aside from the upgrades, the currency that they had agreed on was Beast Cores.


    Since Thirteen didn''t really need weapons and armor-his father, Gerald, could craft them for him-he just asked for Beast Cores to fuel his Rune Magic.


    Also, he needed to give Camazotz a new armor, which would be forged from the Scales of Orochi, making the Death Bat less likely to die in battle.


    He would also need Beast Cores for that, so he asked Lace Demon for Rank 7 and above Beast Cores as the reward for his hardships.


    The Jinn invasion in the Cygni Continent would start in a few years, so he would need to finish his preparations before then.


    All in all, he was given thirty Rank 5 Beast Cores, twenty Rank 6 Beast Cores, ten Rank 7 Beast Cores, five Rank 8 Beast Cores, and 1 Rank 9 Beast Core.


    The reason why he asked for thirty Rank 5 Beast Cores was due to the fact that he could give them to Wanderers, allowing them to absorb them during their first Wandering.


    This was something that shouldn''t be allowed, but who was Thirteen?


    After seeing him use two worlds as hostages, Lace Demon and The One decided to turn a blind eye to his shamelessness.


    Thirteen nned to let Remi and Rhia absorb a Rank 5 Beast Core even though they were still many years away from their First Wandering.


    This would ensure that they would gain the best starting point before they even entered the world of Solterra, making them Pseudo-Wanderers.


    Last but not the least, Thirteen had asked for an artifact called, Boltron, which he intended to use for his next project.


    After getting all of his rewards, the teenage boy bid the Celestial Realm goodbye, and he was sent back to Pangea.


    Just like when he first returned afterpleting his 13 Trials, another phenomenon


    manifested before he was teleported back to the world.


    But this time, the Military was prepared and had cleared the Teleportation Gate where Thirteen would make an appearance in advance.


    The skies above the teleportation gate were covered with dark clouds, and thunder boomed in the heavens.


    Suddenly, a single thunderbolt descended from the sky, and hit the ground with a force that sent a mini-shockwave in the surroundings.


    When Thirteen opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by military personnel, who hurriedly escorted him to the Humvee they had prepared beforehand.


    While he was an ordinary Rookie in Solterra, he still held a very high position within the Central Government.


    After the battle in the Rigel Continent ended, his Rank was promoted to Brigadier General, making him the youngest General in the army.


    His other position was the Supreme Commander and Strategist of the Alliance, granting him


    great prestige among the different factions.


    Erica, who had arrived earlier, was already in the Humvee, waiting for his arrival.


    "What took you so long?" Erica asked.


    "Lace Demon asked for my autograph," Thirteen replied.


    The corner of Erica''s lips twitched after hearing the teenage boy''s reply.


    Lace Demon was someone whom not many Wanderers could meet even if they wanted to, and the boy beside her casually said that the demon even asked for his autograph?


    "Do you really think that I''m gullible or something?" Erica scoffed.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "Why you!" Erica didn''t hold back and tried to pinch Thirteen''s cheeks, but he blocked her


    hands and counterattacked, pinching Erica''s cheek instead.


    "Ouch! Hey! Stop it!"


    "I''ll stop if you stop asking for trouble."


    The Special Team who were assigned to escort Zion and Erica to their Barracks couldn''t help


    but smile because the two teenagers seemed to get along with each other very much.


    After making sure that Erica stayed put, Thirteen finally asked the soldiers a question.


    "Where are we going?" Thirteen asked.


    "Sir, we will head to the Barracks first," the Special Unit that was assigned to escort Thirteen replied. "The Field Marshal and the Grand Marshal ordered that once you arrive, we should take you to the Barracks first so that they cane to meet the two of you personally." Thirteen nodded because he didn''t mind talking to the two highest-ranked people in the Central Government before going home to see the people who were eagerly waiting for his


    return.

 Chapter 617: Over My Dead Sexy Body

    Chapter 617: Over My Dead Sexy Body


    ?


    When Thirteen arrived at the barracks, he was weed with the sight of all soldiers lined up to wee him.


    Erica, who was seated beside him, looked at this grand wee with a faint smile on her face.


    Although she knew that the soldiers were there to wee Zion, and not her, she still felt proud because the teenage boy''s achievements were also her achievements.


    At least, that was what she believed.


    When Thirteen disembarked from the Humvee, he gave everyone a salute.


    "At ease," Thirteen ordered before heading straight towards the barracks without looking back.


    Truth be told, he was still very exhausted from the Final Trial and simply wished to rest for a day or two to fully recover.


    However, he knew that he had responsibilities, so he decided to endure until he was done talking to the Field Marshal, and the Grand Marshal.


    "We''re finally alone," Erica plopped on the chair inside Thirteen''s office. "I just want to go home, take a nice bath, then sleep."


    "I feel the same," Thirteen replied. "It has been a very long and arduous journey."


    "We spent a little over half a year in that trial," Ericamented. "But I have a feeling that it could havested longer if you weren''t there. In fact, clearing that kind of Trial in less than a year is already a great achievement on its own.


    "Thank you, Zion. I am very lucky to be on the same mission as you. If you weren''t there, we might have already failed in the Second Trial. There is no possible way we can defeat that Majin King on our own."


    "Then can I sue you for sexual harassment?" Thirteen inquired. "You took advantage of me many times during that mission."


    "Excuse me?" Erica arched an eyebrow. "Shouldn''t it be me who should sue you for sexual harassment? Do you know that almost every night you bury your head on my... nevermind."


    The Sorceress knew that Thirteen was different from the other teenagers, so she didn''t mind having some skinship with him.


    In fact, there were even times when she lost her faith in her feminine charms because the teenage boy was like a rock and didn''t show any emotions, or reactions during the time that they were together.


    Sherry, who was also together with her, also noticed Thirteen''sck of interest in the opposite


    sex.


    They didn''t know if he was just too young or just had strong willpower.


    If two girls slept and hugged you almost every night, there should have been some kind of reaction, right?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But there was none.


    Thirteen treated them as if they were his sisters.


    At times, she even felt like he was treating them like children, which had made her try to tease him using sexy nightdresses she wouldn''t dare to wear in front of Rnd or the other members of the Hero Party.


    Unfortunately, Thirteen would justment things like "That looks good on you" or "I think I prefer the ck one over the white one."


    There are times when he would also say things like "I think red is also good because it matches your hair."


    As for Sherry? Thirteen would only let her wear pajamas, which he had donated to her from his own inventory.


    "Hey, do you know about the Zion Virus?" Erica asked because she was feeling bored. "Shana always uses purification spells on me and Sherry because she is worried that we got that kind of virus?"


    "Zion Virus?" Thirteen frowned. "Does such a virus strain exist?"


    But before they could delve into the matter, two projections suddenly appeared inside Thirteen''s office, which made the two of them stand on attention.


    When the Grand Marshal, Lawrence Seaton, and Field Marshal, Tristan Summers, appeared on the projection, Thirteen and Erica promptly gave them their salutes.


    The two highest-ranking officers of the Central Government returned their salute, then asked the two of them to sit.


    "First and foremost, congrattions to the two of you for sessfullypleting your missions," Lawrence said. "I was expecting that you would return after a year or two, but I didn''t expect that you would be able to finish your missions this fast.


    "I would love to tell the two of you to have a nice, long rest, but this is not possible at this point in time. Several Dimensional Gates have opened in the Cygni Continent, and although the main invading force is still two and a half years away, the number of Dimensional Gates is steadily increasing.


    "Right now, we are only dealing with Tier 1 and Tier 5 Gates, so it''s still manageable. However, we estimated that the frequency of the materialization of these gates would further increase in the next few months.


    "While we are confident that the Cygni Faction and the Central Government could still handle them at the moment, it is always good to have more people on the ground. So, when do you think you will be ready to go to the Cygni Faction, Zion and Erica?"


    Thirteen pondered a bit before giving his answer.


    "I''ll go to the Cygni Continent two years from now," Thirteen answered. "I still have things to finish on my end. But I will send the Green Lanterns to go there and help with the evacuation and extermination missions."


    Erica, who didn''t expect that Zion only nned to go to the Cygni Faction after two years, frowned.


    Since she was a part of the Hero Party, she would probably need to go there after a month or two to boost the morale of the Defenders.


    Even Lawrence and Tristan didn''t expect that Zion would wait for two years before he headed to the Cygni Continent to takemand of the battlefield.


    Seeing their expression, Thirteen smiled and spoke his mind out loud.


    "Renz Elrod, the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation, will remain as the main strategist during the earlier phase of the invasion," Thirteen stated. "He has enough experience to guide everyone during this period of time. I''m sure that all of you agree with me, right?" Lawrence nodded. "Currently, Renz is in the Cygni Continent, helping with the chain ofmand. He is based on the Southwest part of the Continent, making sure that the hordes of Low-Ranked Jinns will not affect the evacuation missions."


    "I''m sure that the Cygni Faction has their own strategist at the moment, so it will be best if they gained some military merits during this period. If I rain on their parade, wouldn''t they just hate me for stealing their thunder? I don''t want that to happen."


    Tristan chuckled because he understood what Thirteen was nning.


    During the earlier phase of the war, the young man wanted the military officers responsible for leading different teams and squads to gain somebat experience when it came to Jinn


    invasions.


    If Thirteen tookmand at this point in time, they would be forced to listen to his orders, preventing them from making their own judgment, which would be important during crucial


    missions.


    "Also, it will be best for the Hero Party to train for a year before they are sent to the Cygni Continent," Thirteen stated. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to train them properly, so they won''t die when the Jinn Invasion begins."


    Erica almost cried out in rm after hearing Thirteen''s proposal.


    They had suffered a hellish training with him for months, so she believed that a year-long training would probably kill her.


    But before she could voice out herint, Thirteen smiled in her direction, making her shudder uncontrobly.


    ''I''m doomed! I''m dead!'' Erica wept internally because she was certain that Zion would drastically increase the difficulty of their training routine.


    Although she was really thankful for him because she had improved a lot in a short period of time, she was still hesitant to undergo another round of rigorous training under his


    supervision.


    "I heard that you''ve trained the Hero Party for a month in the Leventis Residence," Tristanmented. "My daughters, Rianna and Shana alwaysi-errr, praise you for your training regimen. They were moved to tears because of how good it was."


    Thirteen nodded. "It is also because of their training that we are able to learn our mission


    faster this time around. The Hero Party bulldozed their way through the trials and paved the


    path for our early return.


    "This is why I humbly request that you allow them to train with me for a year. I promise that


    they will be more powerful during that time."


    Lawrence and Tristan nced at Erica to see her reaction.


    Knowing that her life was on the line, the Sorceress shook her head in order to let her superiors know that she didn''t n on being trained by Zion again.


    Lawrence and Tristan exchanged a look with each other before smiling at the same time.


    "We can''t possibly force the Hero Party to do a training that they might not like," Lawrence said, which made Erica give him a thumbs up.


    ''Hmph! Do you think I''ll allow you to train me again?'' Ericaughed internally. ''Over my dead


    sexy body!'' However, Tristan''sment made her have second thoughts.


    "But if they ever decide to join the training, we will increase their sry and the resources allocated to them fivefold," Tristan dered. "Not only that, they will receive other benefits, as well as discounts to certain military equipment."


    The gears on Erica''s mind started to move at a rapid pace.


    She was calcting the pros and cons of joining Thirteen''s training, and in the end, the pros


    won over the cons.


    "Ah, one more thing, please help me find Sherry Weaver," Thirteen stated. "Currently, she is in the Cygni Continent. I want her to join the training as well." Thirteen also mentioned a few more people that he wished to personally train, including


    Cristopher, Colbert, Alexis, Paul, Pietro, and Piper, who were the Squad Captains of his


    Battalion.


    He wished to raise their fighting prowess in this period of time so that they would be ready for


    the uing Jinn Invasion.


    A/N: Only one chapter for today. Will resume to regr chapter release tomorrow.

 Chapter 618: Wake Up To Reality

    Chapter 618: Wake Up To Reality


    ?


    After ironing out the details, Lawrence and Tristan agreed to reach out to the members of the Hero Party, as well as the other Wanderers whom Thirteen had specified.


    All of them would then be sent to the Leventis Family Residence three months from now, giving them enough time to spend with their family, as well as handle everything they need to before starting their training camp.


    Thirteen also had a few things he needed to take care of, which he preferred to settle before he started training others.


    He needed Gerald to forge armor for Camazotz, using the Scales of the Majin King, giving the Death Bat his confidence back.


    This was a good opportunity to allow Gerald to try his luck and craft a Mythical or Legendary Equipment using the body parts of a Majin King.


    Thirteen also needed to start his Boltron Project, which would be another one of his Trump Cards in a few years.


    Erica, who had hastily left the barracks in fear that Thirteen would drag her to his family''s residence, headed straight to her home to see her parents.


    She was happy that she wouldn''t have to see Thirteen again for three months and vowed to use her remaining time to prepare her mind and body for the hellish training that she wouldter go through.


    It wasn''t only her who felt thankful that they still had a few months before they met with Thirteen.


    Rnd, Joshua, Mildred, and Diana were also not too keen on a second round of training under Thirteen''s guidance.


    Only Derek seemed excited, and it might be partly due to the fact that he had a huge crush on Shasha.


    Thirteen was tempted to cross the swordsman''s name from the list, but he decided to keep thetter because he had performed well during this expedition.


    Just as Thirteen was about to enter the gate of his house, he saw a little girl running in his direction with her arms spread wide.


    "Bwadaah!"


    Rhia, who was told that her brother was about to go home, waited patiently near the gate for his arrival.


    Thirteen, whose Soul Core was still in recovery, felt his heart melt as soon as he saw his little sister running in his direction.


    The System of Cannon Fodders was weak against children. Maybe because from his point of view, they were innocent and must be protected.


    He didn''t hesitate to crouch down and catch Rhia, who had jumped into his embrace and spun her around, making her giggle.


    "Have you been a good girl when I was away?" Thirteen asked before kissing Rhia''s chubby cheeks.


    "Yes!" Rhia replied and returned Thirteen''s kisses.


    While the two were having their reunion, Thirteen felt someone hug his back, making him smile.


    "Wee back, Brother," Remi said.


    "It''s good to be back, Remi," Thirteen replied. "I missed you."


    "I missed you too, Brother." Remi smiled happily because her brother returned earlier than expected.


    Back then, she had waited for six whole years before she was able to see him again.


    This made Remi feel anxious. She was worried that the same thing would happen, and she wouldn''t be able to see her brother again for another six years.


    Fortunately, her fears didn''te to pass, making her sigh in relief.


    Soon, more of Thirteen''s family members went to greet him, and before he knew it, his entire family had surrounded him in a group hug, making him feel things he had never felt before. After spending many years as a human, Thirteen had learned what Familial Love was.


    Back then, he didn''t really treat his family members as family.


    At that time, he thought of them as mere tools that would be his stepping stones to achieve his goals.


    But he no longer thought that way.


    For their sake, he would fight or kill anyone who wished to harm them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He wouldn''t even bat an eye even if the entire world became his enemy as long as the people important to him would be safe.


    "Rhia, pull Pop''s beard," Thirteen ordered. "It''s ticklish."


    Rhia giggled and yfully tugged on Gerald''s beard, making everyone chuckle.


    "Let''s go inside," Alessia stated. "We can''t just stand here all day."


    Thirteen nodded and pulled Rhia into his arms, carrying her, and entered the house, feeling at peace after a long, and harsh journey.


    The first thing he did was to take a bath so that he could take a nap until dinner.


    But, just as he climbed onto his bed, he heard a knock on his door.


    "Come in," Thirteen said.


    The door opened and he saw Rhia and Remi, who hade to visit him.


    When the little girl saw her brother on the bed, she didn''t hesitate to climb on it as well and


    laid beside him.


    "Brother, are you going to take a nap?" Remi asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "Then, can Rhia and I take a nap with you?"


    "Of course."


    Rhia curled up on Thirteen''s chest and closed her eyes while sucking on her thumb. The teenage boy hugged the little girl and held her close like a small pillow.


    Remi, on the other hand, hugged Thirteen from behind, treating him as her hug pillow.


    It didn''t take long for the three of them to fall asleep together.


    Alessia, who was peeking from the door, smiled and looked behind her giving everyone a thumbs up.


    She then closed the door and headed downstairs with her husband, Mikhail, and Shasha.


    They had just stepped into the living room when they heard a knock on the door, which made Alessia and Gerald exchange a nce with each other.


    Just as they expected, the members of the Leventis Family came to visit when they heard that Thirteen had returned to his family''s residence.


    Arthur, Callista, Michael, and Hanz were invited inside the living room, where they were offered refreshments.


    "Where is that no-good grandson of mine?" Arthur asked as soon as he sat on the couch.


    "He''s sleeping with Rhia and Remi," Gerald answered. "He looks very tired, so we n to only wake him up when it''s time for dinner."


    "I see." Arthur nodded in understanding.


    Although he called Thirteen his no-good grandson, the boy actually brought in a lot of resources from the Rigel Continent to their family.


    Michael, who had been assigned to satisfy the demands of the Earth Dragons, had also performed well during Thirteen''s absence and had formed a harmonious rtionship with


    them.


    He wasn''t aware that after the Earth Dragons had fought alongside Thirteen against the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, the three of them admired Zion more and were now hell-bent


    on having a good rtionship with him.


    In fact, the Earth Dragons were now a bit tempted to switch sides, no longer wanting to continue working for their Master who would descend into the Rigel Continent when the right


    time came.


    "Old man, why have youe looking for my son?" Gerald asked.


    Although his rtionship with his father had been betterpared to what it was several


    years ago, he had no intention of epting Arthur''s invitation to be reinstated to the Leventis


    Family.


    The reason for his rejection was very simple.


    He believed that after a few years, with the help of his son, Zion, his family would be the Main Branch of the Leventis Family.


    The mere thought of making that goal a reality was enough to make Gerald refuse any and all kinds of invitations from Arthur, who had no idea what the Father and Son pair was nning


    to do.


    If he only knew that Zion and Gerald nned to usurp him and the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, he would not hesitate to give the two of them a good p and force them to


    wake up to reality.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 619: I Will Disown You

    Chapter 619: I Will Disown You


    ?


    Although Thirteen had expected it, he didn''t think that Arthur and Michael would be right by his face when he woke up.


    The sun had just set on the horizon, and a feast was prepared to celebrate his safe return.


    Everyone ate and chatted happily while they listened to Thirteen''s recount of histest mission in Solterra.


    Arthur and Lady Callista were amused when they heard that their grandson had made the Wanderers build wagons and trained them for a month before heading to start their mission.


    They also found it quite interesting that the Heirs of the Cygni Faction appeared in the same location where Thirteen was sent for his mission.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    When the teenage boy narrated how the battle between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen concluded, everyone at the dining table looked at him in disbelief.


    "You beat a Rank 8 Monster on your own?" Arthur asked in disbelief.


    "It''s just a Rank 8 Monster," Thirteen replied. "It''s not a big deal."


    "It is a big deal, Zion," Lady Callista said with a smile. "You just make it sound like it isn''t."


    "Then what happened to the Shard of Origin?" Arthur inquired.


    "I returned them to the Ratmen," Thirteen answered.


    "What?!" Arthur almost pounded the table with his fist in dismay. Fortunately, he was able to hold back and control his impulse. "Why did you return it?"


    "Why shouldn''t I return it?" Thirteen asked back.


    "With it, you could havemand over an entire race," Arthur exined. "Isn''t that a big deal?"


    "Even if I don''t have it with me, I can stillmand the Ratmen Race if I want to." Thirteen shrugged. "I returned it to them so that they can have some peace of mind. Don''t worry, Gramps. I already have a n in regards to the Ratmen in Absolute Heaven."


    Arthur sighed before nodding in understanding. Thirteen then continued his tale.


    "After ending the war between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen, I led the Wanderers to enter a one-way portal," Thirteen said. "That is where we merged with Diana''s group. Um, Diana is the Crusader of the Hero Party, just in case you don''t know who she is. Then after our merger, we headed to the Kingdom of the Absolute..."


    Everyone was immersed in Thirteen''s storytelling. But when it came to the point where the King of the Absolute summoned a Majin King, a deathly silence descended in the Dining Room.


    Almost everyone, with the exception of Rhia and Remi, forgot how to breathe due to how shocking Zion''s story was.


    "I should have expected something like this..." Geraldmented. "Every time you undergo a mission in Solterra, you always fight against monsters who can make Monarchs run away with their tails behind their legs."


    Arthur snorted. "Don''t tell me that you''re going to say something like ''It''s just a Majin King'' like you always do?"


    Clearly, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family was expecting that Thirteen would start bragging. However, the scene that he was imagining didn''t happen.


    "Fighting against a Majin King is no joke," Thirteen stated. "I asked Cranky for help and invited the three Earth Dragons from the Rigel Continent as backup, but it was no use. The Majin King was crazy strong and had an extremely fast regeneration rate.


    "Despite giving everything we have and putting our lives on the line, it ended with Cranky dying in order to save my life. At least, I genuinely thought he died back then because he received fatal injuries."


    Arthur frowned. "Cranky is that Honey Badger that I saw in the Arcadia Archipgo, right?" Thirteen nodded. "Yes. That''s him."


    "He died?" Lady Callista asked.


    She had heard Thirteen mention before that the Honey Badger was one of his staunchest allies. Hearing that it received fatal injuries in order to protect Thirteen made her sigh in her heart.


    "I thought he died, which made me realize that I made a wrong decision," Thirteen stated. "Because of that, I decided to go all-out and kill the Majin King. Um, that reminds me. Pops, I have the Majin King''s corpse with me. If you can''t craft a Mythical Equipment using a Majin King''s body parts, I will disown you."


    Alessia, Gerald, Arthur, Michael, and Hanz almost choked on their saliva because Zion mentioned killing a Majin King as if he had just crushed a bug.


    Also, the thing that surprised them the most was that he actually got its entire body, which was supposed to be over a hundred meters in length.


    "You killed a Majin King?" Arthur asked while the corner of his lips twitched uncontrobly. "You''re going to disown me if I fail to craft a Mythical Equipment?" Gerald asked in disbelief. "The answer is yes to both questions," Thirteen replied before casually taking out a Serpent Scale that was a meter long from his Dimensional Storage. "Here Pops, take a good look at his high-quality crafting material."


    Gerald reached out to grab the ck Scale with trembling hands.


    Due to the financial situation of his family, he didn''t dare to purchase high-grade crafting materials in the past.


    Now, he no longer had to worry about money.


    However, he didn''t expect that he would have the opportunity to use a Scale from a Majin King to craft equipment.


    "Don''t worry, I have hundreds of those scales, so it''s fine if you fail on your first try," Thirteen replied. "I almost forgot. The members of the Cygni Faction and the Elites that joined me in the battle against the Majin King were also able to salvage eight Serpent Scale.


    "A few want to auction it for money, while the members of the Cygni Faction nned to have their cksmiths use it as crafting material. Although the chance is low, there is a possibility that they will be able to sessfully craft Mythical Equipment using that scale. "Pops, I let them get the scales so that it can divert the attention of the Monarchs and the other Prestigious Families into using them as crafting materials.


    "I''m not expecting you to seed after a dozen tries. But, if the other cksmiths are able to craft a mythical gear using a mere one piece or a few pieces of the Majin King''s Scale, I will


    really disown you."


    Gerald nodded. "I will make a trip to Solterra and visit that shady organization that you befriended. Their mes of Sylvanna will increase my chances of sess."


    "Good." Thirteen smiled before shifting his gaze to Arthur. "Gramps, how is Project Nemo going? You should have at least been halfway finished by now, right?"


    Arthur had asked for the blueprint of Nautilus, but it was one of Thirteen''s trump cards.


    Because of this, he had given his Grandpa the neutered version of Project Nautilus, which he


    called Project Nemo.


    "Two submarines are halfway done," Arthur replied. "They will be ready before the full-scale Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent."


    Thirteen nodded because that was all he needed to hear.


    As long as the Leventis Family seeded in building the two Destroyer-ss submarines,


    they wouldn''t have to worry about Water and Sea-Type Jinns, who could cause problems for the battleships in the sea.


    They would act as Nautilus'' escort ships, and dominate the underwater battlefield if the situation called for it.


    After a brief discussion about the projects Thirteen had asked to be built while he was away, he resumed his storytelling, which made the adults who were listening to him draw a deep breath due to how unbelievable his journey had been.

 Chapter 620: A Higher Chance Of Survival

    Chapter 620: A Higher Chance Of Survival


    ?


    "It''s a pleasure to see you again, Gerald," a beautiful drow said with a smile.


    "I''m sorry for inconveniencing you again, Lady Adira," Gerald replied.


    No ordinary me was strong enough to forge materials taken from Monsters that were Rank 9 and above.


    In other words, he needed to use the mes of Sylvanna, which belonged to the Order of Raziel.


    Thirteen had a very good rtionship with them, so the Branch Head, Lady Ouriel, agreed to let Gerald use the me for his cksmithing purposes.


    Adira, who also had a good rtionship with the teenage boy, guided Gerald to their headquarters while asking about Zion''stest exploits.


    Gerald, who was more than happy to brag about the aplishments of his son, told the Drow about Zion''stest adventure.


    At first, the Drow was smiling. But when the story came to the summoning of the Majin King, the smile on her face stiffened.


    "Y-You mean to say that you''re here to craft equipment using the Scales and Fangs of a Majin King?!" Adira asked in disbelief.


    "Yes?" Gerald blinked in confusion. "Didn''t Zion tell you guys about it?"


    "He did not."


    "Uh... then now you know?"


    Adira almost cursed out loud with Drow Language. This was the first time anyone was going to use the mes of Sylvanna to craft something out of the body parts of a Majin King.


    This was an unprecedented event, and she instantly thought that news of this must not spread to the other branches no matter what.


    If this information were to reach certain people, chaos would definitely ensue within the Order of Raziel.


    Mythical-Grade Equipment was already so rare that only the Kings of Solterra wielded them. However, there were Emperors, as well as other powerful individuals, who possessed Legendary Equipments, which had been used to thwart the First Jinn Invasion of their world. These weapons possessed incredible skills and abilities, and many factions would fight in order to possess one.


    Although the possibility of Gerald crafting Mythical or Legendary Equipment was low, the possibility still existed, especially since he was using such a very high-grade material.


    "Don''t go to the smithy right now. Also, don''t tell anyone about the materials you''re going to use," Adira stated. "Let me talk to my Master first."


    Gerald, who seemed to understand what the Drow was hinting at, nodded in understanding. "I''m sorry for troubling you, Lady Adira," Gerald replied. "My lips are sealed."


    Adira nodded before leaving Gerald to talk to her Master.


    In order to safeguard such a secret, they would need to ensure that Gerald would work in a ce hidden from the eyes of others, preventing the greed of humans and the other races from finding his scent.


    Back in Pangea...


    Thirteen wiped the sweat on his forehead before looking at his work with satisfaction.


    Currently, he was doing some modifications to his Attack Helicopters, enhancing their firepower and overall durability.


    While he was working hard on his project, the sound of a little girl''s giggling reached her ears. "Giidyap!" Rhia shouted. "Go! Go! Go!"


    Giga shook his head helplessly as he walked with the little girl mounted on his back.


    Currently, he was in charge of babysitting Rhia, while Remi trained with the Lizardman, Drazzat, in closebat.


    Since the Lizardman chose to follow Thirteen, the teenage boy had brought him to Pangea, which was something that the Lizardman wasn''t expecting to happen.


    The One had agreed to make Drazzat one of Thirteen''s Beast Companions, simr to Giga and the rest of Thirteen''s Monster Army.


    Drazzat was a General, so he was used to training others, as well as teaching them about strategy.


    His fighting style was also very different from the other Monsters, allowing Remi to learn other attack patterns she hadn''t seen before.


    "T1, help me reattach the Rotor des," Thirteen ordered.


    "Okay," T1 replied.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After evolving to the next Rank, the Trolls and Ogres were now able to speak.


    Although they were still having problems forming long sentences, saying two to five words wasn''t a problem for them.


    An hourter, Thirteen and the Trolls finished modifying his First Attack Helicopter.


    It took them almost five days toplete the modification because Thirteen had no choice but to disassemble some of the Helicopter''s body parts.


    "One down, four to go," Thirteen muttered.


    He needed toplete everything that he needed to work on in the span of three months before the Hero Party, Sherry, and his Squad Captains arrived in the Leventis Residence for their training.


    A faint smile appeared on his lips, as he gazed in the distance.


    His brother, Mikhail, and sister, Shasha, were currently fighting against the Trolls, who had gained more experience during hisst mission in Solterra.


    While Zion''s older siblings could now defeat Rank 6 Monsters, they were still unable to defeat Rank 6 Overlords and Sovereigns.


    Because of this, Thirteen deemed that training against the Trolls would be a good


    opportunity to gain battle experience.


    Thirteen had ordered the Trolls to not hold back, and fight Mikhail and Shasha seriously.


    He knew that his siblings were no pushovers, and holding back against them would not help them in their training.


    Just as Thirteen was nning to work on the second Attack Helicopter, hismunicator


    rang.


    When he saw the name of the caller, he couldn''t help but arch an eyebrow, not expecting that this person would contact him at this time.


    "What''s wrong, Renz?" Thirteen asked. "Is there a problem in the Cygni Continent?"


    Renz Elrod was the strategist of the Dvalinn Federation and the brother of the Monarch of the


    Elrod n.


    He had a very high status in the alliance, but now, he was Thirteen''s subordinate, though this arrangement was only known to the two of them.


    "Do you have any more Scales of the Majin King in your possession?" Renz asked. "The Heirs of the Cygni Faction, who had witnessed your battle with the Majin King, had brought back a few scales for their ns to use.


    "I was also informed that two other scales are currently up for auction, and if my guess is right, the Monarch ns will definitely do their best to secure them. My brother is feeling worried that the cksmiths of his rivals will seed in crafting a Mythical Equipment. "If that happens, the bnce of power will be broken. I had a feeling that you might have a scale or two lying around, so I decided to call you in order to negotiate for them." Thirteen pondered for a bit before giving his reply.


    Since Renz was now one of his people, he wouldn''t mind giving him some benefits if his conditions were met.


    "I''ll give you two scales, but I have a condition," Thirteen stated.


    "I''m all ears," Renz replied.


    He and Thirteen were now on the same side, so he was certain that the teenage boy wouldn''t


    ask for the impossible.


    He wasn''t disappointed, and happily agreed to the condition that Thirteen had asked for him.


    "Since this is a very sensitive transaction, it will be best if your brother personally collects them here in the Aldebaran Continent," Thirteen added. "Make sure that he wears a disguise. We don''t want to have rumors flying around, right?"


    "Of course," Renz replied with a smile. "I''ll make sure to pass that message to him." When themunication ended, Thirteen nced towards the Southwest and smirked. Truth be told, he was hoping that the cksmiths of the other Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families would seed in crafting a Mythical-Grade Equipment.


    If that happens, the bnce of power would indeed be broken. However, the Leventis Family wouldn''t be too affected by the storm that would wash over the world.


    "Soon," Thirteen muttered.


    He hoped that the changes would happen soon so that the world of Pangea would have a


    higher chance of survival.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 621: Make The World Dance At The Palm Of Their Hands

    Chapter 621: Make The World Dance At The Palm Of Their Hands


    ?


    Eight Serpent Scales were known to be brought back to Pangea by the Cygni Faction and the Elite Faction led by David.


    David and another one of his members had decided to auction the Scales in their possession.


    The two other scales belonged to the retainers of the Smith and Lockwood Families.


    These two Wanderers offered them as a gift to the Patriarchs of these two Prestigious Families, earning them great merits for their contribution.


    Each Monarch n was led by a Monarch.


    Each Prestigious Family was led by a Throne.


    However, many believed that a Throne could beat a Monarch as long as they also possessed a Mythical-Grade Equipment.


    All the cksmiths in the world couldn''t help but look at these scales with bloodshot eyes. In their point of view, being able to craft a Mythical or Legendary Grade Equipment would cement their prestige, and their names be written in the history books.


    It would be the greatest honor for anyone pursuing their craft, so all the powerful families in the world wished to get a share of that pie.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Right now, only two scales were up for Auction, and their value would definitely skyrocket to an astronomical price by the time the bidding ended.


    Renz knew that his brother would wish to bid for these items.


    But since Zion was the one who defeated the Majin King, he believed that the cunning teenager also possessed a few scales on his own.


    This was the reason why he decided to give him a call, and his hunch was proven right.


    "Brother, aside from the two scales that Zion will give us, make sure to bid on the serpent scales up for auction," Renz advised. "Even if you don''t win the bidding, we must not allow the other families to suspect that we already have two scales in our possession.


    "Also, Zion asked me to tell you that you should personally pick it up from their residence. Make sure to wear a disguise and move incognito."


    "I understand," Wendell replied. "You did well, Brother!"


    "Mmm. Anything for the Elrod Family. By the way, you should also take this opportunity to talk to Zion''s parents about a possible alliance through marriage. My nieces are so pretty, and they will definitely be a good match for him."


    "Good! This is really a good idea. Leave it to me."


    While the two brothers were talking, simr things were happening in the world of Pangea.


    Somewhere in the Sirius Continent...


    The Monarch of the Sirius n, Aaron Ashford, frowned as he looked at the ck Serpent Scale that was up for auction.


    "I don''t know if these scales are a blessing or a curse," Aaron muttered.


    Right now, the Monarchs stood at the apex of the world because, not only were they the strongest humans, but they also possessed a Mythical-Grade equipment each.


    The scale of a Majin King was a high-grade material that could potentially create a Mythical- Grade or a Legendary-Grade Equipment due to its Rank.


    Whoever possessed it would have the chance to be a powerhouse, which would cause trouble if itnded in the hands of his rivals andpetitors.


    He was very tempted to raid the Auction House and steal the Serpent Scale, but he knew that this was a very bad move.


    The Auction House belonged to the Central Government, and the items were currently under Lawrence''s safekeeping.


    Just like him, Lawrence was also a Monarch, and he was the strongest among them.


    ''I guess I have no choice but to bid for it,'' Aaron thought.


    However, a thought also passed through his mind.


    News of Zion Leventis defeating a Majin King had already spread within the inner circles of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families.


    At first, no one wanted to believe these stories, but when the Serpent Scales appeared in the auction, everyone realized that this wasn''t propaganda made by the Central Government and the Leventis Family to boost Zion''s poprity.


    ording to eyewitness reports, the Lace Demon came and took the corpse of the Majin King, preventing anyone from getting its body.


    However, Aaron couldn''t help but doubt this information.


    He didn''t believe that Zion wasn''t able to receive anything from his trouble, which led him to assume that the Leventis Family had some serpent scales in their possession as well.


    The thing that Aaron was afraid of was that there woulde a time when the Prestigious Families would gain Mythical-Grade Equipments and challenge their rule.


    If that really happened, the power and prestige that the Monarch ns were currently enjoying woulde to an end as well.


    Aaron snapped a finger, and a man wearing a ck suit appeared beside him.


    "Order our spies in the Aldebaran Continent to pay extra attention to the Leventis Family," Aaron ordered. "If there is a chance, make sure to infiltrate the residence of Zion Leventis. There might be a serpent scale lying around in their home."


    "Sir, I don''t know if you know about this information, but Zion''s father, Gerald, is also a cksmith," the Man-in-ck replied. "It is possible that he has possession of the scale and might be crafting it as we speak."


    "He can''t craft something like that," Aaron shook his head. "Only those with Unique mes could break down materials that came from monsters that are Rank 9 and above. Gerald has been kicked out from the family, and the highest grade equipment that he has put up for sale are only of the Gold-Grade.


    "He hasn''t seeded in crafting an Adamantine-Grade equipment even once. This means that he doesn''t possess a Unique me. Even if he has it in his possession, he will still be unable to craft the Serpent Scale."


    The man-in-ck nodded in agreement. "I understand. We will do as you say, My Lord." After giving the Monarch a respectful bow, the man disappeared, leaving Aaron alone in his thoughts.


    Of all the Thrones that ruled the Prestigious Families, Arthur Leventis was said to be able to fight Monarchs because he was a Pseudo-Monarch.


    He stood at the peak of the Throne and only needed one opportunity to break through its


    Ranks.


    If he ever gained a Mythical Weapon, Aaron knew that he would have another rival in his goal


    of world domination.


    A sh of killing intent appeared at the depths of the Monarch''s eyes as he contemted whether he should go to the Aldebaran Continent and eliminate Arthur and Zion Leventis


    before they became strong enough to challenge him.


    However, he pushed this matter aside for the time being.


    ''I''ll wait after the Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent has concluded,'' Aaron mused. ''It will not be toote to kill them once that threat has been dealt with. Once I''m done using them, I will personally end their lives.''


    Aaron felt very good about himself because he believed that Arthur''s and Zion''s lives were under his control.


    If only he knew that Arthur was keeping a secret and that four Mythical-Grade Equipments were already in the hands of the Leventis Family, he wouldn''t be too confident in his n to eliminate the Leventis Family and dispose of one of the greatest threats that could challenge the position of the Monarch ns.


    A storm was brewing in the skies of Pangea, and it was only a matter of time before the rain started to fall upon the ambitions of the people who wished to make the world dance at the


    palm of their hands.

 Chapter 622: Going To The Auction

    Chapter 622: Going To The Auction


    ?


    Two weeks after Thirteen returned to Pangea...


    "You''re finally here, Zion," Erica said with a smile as she gave the teenage boy a hug.


    "My mother forced me toe," Thirteen replied stiffly.


    Erica smirked before pulling the teenage boy to the VIP Room especially reserved for them.


    "Your mother is worried because you''ve been working non-stop since you arrived, so she asked me toe with you to this ce," Ericamented.


    For some reason, Rianna had added Zion''s mother, Alessia, to their Group Chat, which was a girl-exclusive group.


    There, Alessiained that Zion was overworking himself and mentioned how she was worried that he might copse from exhaustion.


    As a solution, Erica proposed that she take Thirteen to the auction house where the Serpent Scales were about to be auctioned.


    There were many other good items, including rare Avatars, that would be put up for auction, so Erica thought that this was a good opportunity for the teenage boy to rx and unwind.


    Since the auction was going to be held in the Aldebaran Continent, the ruling Factions were given VIP Seats, including Zion''s Family.


    As the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, his prestige was something that no one could ignore.


    Arthur and Michael, who had also been invited to the auction, nced at the young man who was being pulled by the Sorceress toward the staircase leading to the VIP Rooms.


    "It seems that Zion has a good rtionship with her," Arthur said. "Make sure to give gifts to her familyter."


    "Understood, Father," Michael replied.


    Arthur was having a headache as ofte because many families were inquiring if it was possible to have an arranged marriage with Zion.


    Of course, he prioritized selecting the candidates born from the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families.


    However, his no-good grandson tly told him that he wasn''t interested in romance and that he should just decline all of them.


    In the end, Arthur was forced to tell those who nned to form an alliance with their family through marriage that his grandson was still too young and was not interested in having a romantic rtionship with anyone.


    But Zion''s response only made the Patriarch of the Leventis believe that his grandson was just picky. So, Arthur approached this issue from another angle and started paying close attention to the girls who hung around with his grandson, like Erica and the other members of the Hero Party.


    Just like everyone else who was in the Auction House, they hade to bid for the Serpent Scales that belonged to a Majin King.


    He already knew that Gerald had dozens of serpent scales in his possession.


    But he still needed to bid so that his rivals wouldn''t think that the Leventis Family already had some of these Serpent Scales in their possession.


    Of course, the other families had their suspicions, but since they had no proof, they could only make assumptions.


    This was also Erica''s first time being inside an Auction House, so she was looking forward to


    it.


    Her family wasn''t really rich, and she was the only one supporting them. Because of this, she never had ess to these ces, which requiredrge amounts of money.


    But since Zion was given an invitation, Alessia asked Erica to drag Zion to the auction house so that he could have a day off from his work.


    As the teenage boy sat on the couch of the spacious VIP Room, he found himself rxingpletely.


    He hadn''t had much sleep as ofte. What he had been doing was quiteplicated, and the calctions required to ensure that everything would work perfectly took a lot of his mental power.


    Erica, who sat by his side, noticed that the teenage boy was breathing softly, which signified that he had fallen asleep.


    Since the auction would start in half an hour, she decided to let him sleep for a while and focused her attention on the snacks provided in their private room.


    Each VIP Room wasplete with a mini buffet, which the VIPs could enjoy to their heart''s content.


    If they wished for it, they could even call for a female staff to serve them, but Thirteen and Erica didn''t want others disturbing their privacy.


    While all this was happening, the members of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families had arrived and entered their own VIP Rooms, each with their own agenda.


    Aaron Ashford didn''te, but he ordered his son, ude Ashford, to bid for the Serpent Scales.


    Their goal was to get both of them, but he knew that this was going to be an uphill battle.


    The Prestigious Families were hell-bent on securing at least one of these Snake Scales because if their cksmith managed to craft a Mythical Equipment, their status would rise, and maybe they would join the ranks of the Monarch ns.


    Influential Families and other Powerful Factions also wished to acquire the Serpent Scales as well, wanting their families to be part of the Prestigious Families.


    For them, that would be an honor that couldn''t be measured in gold.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Finally, after waiting for half an hour, a beautifuldy wearing a red dress climbed the stage and scanned the surroundings with a sweet smile on her face.


    "Everyone, the Grand Auction is about to start," the beautifuldy said. "My name is Dorothy, and I hope that everyone follows the rules of the Auction House. Threats, ultimatums, violence, and the like are strictly prohibited inside the Auction House.


    "Anyone who breaks any of the rules will either be forced to leave or sentenced with a criminal offense. This auction is supervised by the Central Government, so I hope that everyone will give the Grand Marshal some face and not cause trouble for everyone here in the Auction House."


    After the introductions, Dorothy then pped her hands once and one of the staff brought out the first item for auction.


    "The First Item to be auctioned is an Adamantine-Grade Sword," Dorothy said with a smile. "This Adamantine Grade is equipped with four Abilities-Auto-Sharpen, Auto-Repair, Enhanced Pration, and me Sword Ability.


    "The starting bid will be a hundred thousand gold coins. Each bid will have an increment of a


    thousand. Bidding starts now!"


    "One hundred and twenty thousand!"


    "One hundred and fifty!"


    "Two hundred!"


    The less powerful families joined the bidding because an Adamantine-Grade Item with four abilities was considered very rare.


    Most Weapons and Armor only had one or two abilities, so almost everyone wished to possess


    such an item.


    Although it was only of the Adamantine-Grade, it was the closest to a Mythical-Grade


    weapon, so everyone wished to take it home.


    Thirteen, who were sleeping peacefully, slid on the couch.


    His headnded on Erica''sp, who was busy eating a macaron.


    The Sorceress nced down at the teenage boy and pondered whether she should wake him


    up or not.


    After careful consideration, she decided that there was no harm in letting Zion sleep a little longer, especially since only the first half of the Auction had started.


    The main representatives of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families didn''t join the bidding and simply chatted among themselves while waiting for the good items toe. Everyone looked friendly on the surface, but deep down, they were sizing each other up, wanting to get as much information as possible about their rivals while hiding their own secrets deep inside their greedy hearts.

 Chapter 623 Dragon And Phoenix Tournament

    Chapter 623 Dragon And Phoenix Tournament


    The representatives of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were all gathered in one extremely spacious room, receiving the ultimate VIP Treatment from the staff of the Auction House.


    They rarely got together, so whenever there was an opportunity, they used this setup to mingle with each other.


    This was also the perfect method to y their "word games" with each other, where they tried to gain information that even their spies weren''t able to get. "Arthur, are you going to bid for the Serpent Scales?" the Monarch who ruled the Aldebaran Continent, Trevor Remington, asked. "I''ll bid for it," Arthur replied. "You will?" ude Ashford, who was the representative of the Ashford Family, sneered. "Isn''t the one who killed the Majin King your grandson? If you''re going to tell us that he wasn''t able to grab a single scale from that monster, then obviously that will be a lie."


    ude didn''t even bother to act respectfully towards Arthur despite thetter being older than him. He simply treated him as an equal because, in his eyes, the Prestigious Families were beneath the Monarch ns.


    Arthur was already used to ude''s antics, but he couldn''t be bothered to argue with him.


    In his eyes, the Ashford n was not a big deal, especially now that he had gained two Mythical-Grade Equipment of his own. "My grandson is just like his stupid father," Arthurmented. "Despite killing a Majin King, that idiot didn''t even bother to loot its body before the Lace Demon took the monster''s corpse away. What a waste."


    Arthur did an exaggerated sigh while shaking his head helplessly.


    Everyone in the room looked at him in disdain because none of them believed his words.


    They had already asked some eyewitnesses who were there at the scene.


    They stated that Zion didn''t pick up any scales from the ground and only stood at the side while a giant Honey Badger feasted on the Majin King''s Core.


    This brought countless spections, but at the end of the day, none of them believed that Zion didn''t gain anything from his fight against the Majin King.


    "Still, I''ve been wondering how your grandson is able to do all of these things," ude said with a smile. "First, he fought a Majin Prince, then the Artemians. After that, he helped the Dvalinn Federation in the Rigel Continent. And now, histest exploit is killing a Majin King.


    "All of these feats are something that even the Monarchs cannot do by themselves. And yet, your grandson did it. Can you tell me his secret? How is he able to do such things?"


    Arthur snorted. "Do you even need to ask such a question? Obviously, he is only able to do all of those amazing things because he inherited my amazing genes. Do you know that famous saying? Like grandfather, like grandson."


    The people inside the room wanted to spit at the arrogant old man for being shameless.


    Earlier, he said that Zion was stupid like his father, and now, he was bragging that his grandson was amazing because he inherited his amazing genes?


    Talk about double standards!


    Even Michael, who was steadfast and always calm, couldn''t stop himself from moving two steps away from his father and averted his gaze.


    This action didn''t escape the eyes of the people inside the room, making them pity the right-hand man of the Leventis Family, who was known for his impable administrative skills.


    "ording to our sources, the reason why your grandson seeded in killing the Majin King is because Lace Demon offered him some help," ude stated. "But I''m very curious. All of us know that the Lace Demon isn''t someone who shows favoritism to Wanderers.


    "But after reviewing all of your grandson''s exploits, I can''t help but feel that the Lace Demon favors him too much. What do you think about this?"


    "I don''t know why the Lace Demon favors Zion," Arthur replied. "But if you have a problem with it, feel free toin to Lace Demon. I''ll even ask Zion to write you a letter of rmendation if you want."


    The corner of ude''s lips twitched because the Lace Demon wasn''t a creature that any Wanderers could meet just because they wanted to.


    Although the Monarchs and the Thrones had seen him in the past, they had only seen him once or twice in their lifetime.


    As for Zion''s rmendation letter?


    As if something like that would work!


    ude, who had been tasked by his father to fish for information, did his best to keep a smile on his face.


    He knew that Arthur was an old fox, and it would not be easy to dig some information from him. However, he was hoping that the old man would slip up with the help of the people in the VIP Room. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "By the way, our Ashford n will host the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament a year from now," ude said with a smile. "We are gathering the heroes of the younger generation. I hope that Zion can participate in the tourney. My nephews and nieces are dying topete with him in the arena."


    The Dragon and Phoenix Tournament was held every three years, and the host of the event would always be one of the Monarch ns.


    The next tournament would be hosted by the Ashford n, which would be held in the Cygni Continent.


    This was their way of boosting the morale of the younger generation, who would help protect the continent from the Jinn Invasion.


    Knowing his grandson''s temperament, Arthur pondered a bit before shaking his head.


    "Zion will not join this kind of tournament because he would feel like he is bullying others," Arthur replied.


    "Bullying others?" ude frowned. "What do you mean bullying others?"


    "Have your nephews and nieces defeated a Majin Prince?" Arthur arched an eyebrow.


    ude''s smile stiffened when he heard the old man''s question.


    "No," ude replied.


    "Then can your nephews, and nieces kill a Majin King?"


    "Of course not."


    Arthurughed before raising his hand.


    One of the waiters dutifully handed him a ss of wine, which Arthur held with a domineering poise.


    "If your nieces and nephew couldn''t even do those things, then why the hell would my grandson join that tournament?" Arthur shook his head. "If Zion were here, he would only have two words to say to you and your family members."


    A deafening silence descended inside the room as everyone waited for the rest of Arthur''s words. Knowing that everyone''s attention was on him, the Patriarch of the Leventis Family smirked at ude before saying the words that Thirteen often used against him.


    "Skill issue." Arthur chuckled. "As you may already know, my grandson fought against three hundred people in the Temple of Courage on his own. This includes the members of the Hero Party. "Those three hundred people can be considered as the prodigies of the current generation, and they were still not able to beat him. So, tell me, does he really need to join the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament to prove his worth?"


    The disdain in Arthur''s voice made ude realize that the old man was speaking the truth. If the Hero Party, as well as hundreds of Wanderers, couldn''t even bring Zion down, then how could they possibly win against him in a one-on-one battle?


    After pondering for a minute, ude decided to back down for now and consult his father at ater time about the method that they should use to approach Zion.


    For the time being, he shifted his attention back to the bidding and ignored theughter of the other Families, who were amused by the result of his chat with Arthur Leventis.


    ¡ª-----

 Chapter 624: Mail To Order Bride

    Chapter 624: Mail To Order Bride


    ?


    Thirteen felt light taps on his cheek, which made him open his eyes.


    The first thing he saw was Erica looking down at him, making him blink in confusion.


    "Rise and shine," Erica said. "The second half of the Auction is about to start."


    It took a while for her words to register inside his head. When he remembered that he was inside the auction house, he casually propped himself up and looked at Erica.


    "Thanks for thep pillow," Thirteen replied.


    Erica smiled and showed him her palm. "Pay up. My legs are worth more than gold, you know?"


    "How much?"


    "A hundred thousand gold coins."


    "So cheap."


    The corner of Erica''s lips twitched. She didn''t think that this would be Zion''s response. For some reason, she felt like he had called her a cheap woman, which made her want to pinch his waist to oblivion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Seeing that she might do something reckless, Thirteen decided to butter her up for a bit so that things wouldn''t escte in the wrong direction.


    "As payment for letting me rest properly, I''ll buy you one item from the auction," Thirteen replied.


    Just as he expected, his words made Erica look at him in surprise.


    "Anything?" Erica asked in a teasing tone.


    "Anything," Thirteen replied.


    Erica smiled. "Good! Don''t go back on your word, okay?"


    Thirteen nodded and looked at the stage, where the hostess of the auction was located.


    "The short break has ended, and we will now resume the second round of the auction," Dorothy said with a smile.


    Behind her, the curtains of the stage parted, revealing a two-meter-tall monster that made Thirteen and Erica nce at each other in surprise.


    "This is an extremely rare mutated monster that cannot be usually seen in the wild," Dorothy stated. "And this isn''t an Avatar, but a real monster recently captured in the Cygni Continent.


    "ording to our records, this monster is called a ze Chad Skunk. However, since it is female, it is better referred to as a ze Stacy Skunk. It is a Rank 5 Sovereign and a very powerful monster in its own right.


    "Unfortunately, due to its aggressive nature and dangerous ability, we had to give it some tranquilizer shots and put it to sleep. However, the abilities it possesses will now be showcased on the projection above me."


    As soon as Dorothy finished her speech, the abilities of the ze Stacy Skunk appeared, allowing everyone to view it freely.


    Arthur and Michael, who were seated in the VIP Seats, looked at the ze Skunk with a weird look on their face.


    They knew for a fact that Thirteen had a ze Chad Skunk as a Beast Companion, so seeing something like this in an auction would definitely catch his interest.


    What they didn''t know was that Thirteen had already summoned Giga by his side, and let him look at the ze Skunk inside the cage to see how he would react.


    "Bro, she''s the one!" Giga said as she pointed at the sleeping ze Skunk in the cage.


    "I got you, fam," Thirteen replied. "Watch how I get you a mail-to-order bride."


    Erica, who was seated beside Zion, might not be able to understand monsternguage...


    But for some reason, she felt like she didn''t need to know monsternguage to know what the two were talking about.


    Suddenly, Dorothy''s voice broke her out of her daze, pulling her focus back to the hostess of the auction house.


    "Bidding starts at two hundred thousand gold coins," Dorothy dered. "The increment will be ten thousand gold minimum. Bidding starts now!"


    "Two hundred thousand!"


    "Three hundred fifty!"


    "Four hundred!"


    Thirteen didn''t even think twice and made his bid.


    "Five million," Thirteen dered.


    The bidders who were only curious about the monster all looked in the direction of VIP Room Number 13 with shock.


    "Five million for a Rank 5 monster? Is he insane?"


    "Maybe it''s just a young master who has too much money on his hands."


    "Is this monster perhaps something special? This is the first time I''ve seen and heard about a ze Stacy Skunk. Maybe it''s special?"


    The people in the VIP Rooms used their connections to know who was seated in the VIP Room Number 13.


    It didn''t take long for them to get the information that they were looking for.


    "Your grandson sure has a unique taste," ude said to Arthur. "It seems that the Leventis Family spoiled him too much."


    Arthur wasn''t in the mood to reply to ude and simply remained silent. His no-good


    grandson was a special presence in the Leventis Family.


    With his help, they were able to mine precious minerals, ores, and resources in the Rigel Continent without the need to share them with anyone.


    The Earth Dragons also had a good rtionship with Zion.


    The measly five million gold coins he bid for the ze Skunk was merely pocket change for the current Leventis Family, who was earning billions of gold coins due to their profitable business in the Rigel Continent.


    Seeing that Arthur didn''t want to reply, ude decided to mess around for a bit.


    "Six Million," ude said with a smile.


    Thirteen and Giga nced in the direction of the VIP Room Number 1 at the same time.


    Clearly, they didn''t expect that someone would also bid for the ze Skunk, so it caught their


    attention.


    Thirteen knew that someone from the Monarch ns or the Prestigious Family was purposely messing with him, but instead of being angry, the corner of his lips rose up into a smirk.


    "Bro..." Giga patted Thirteen''s shoulder as if worried that someone would outbid his Master. "Someone actually dares to steal Giga''s future wife?" Thirteen sneered. "Courting death!"


    Thirteen was already hell-bent on letting Stacy meet Giga and was looking forward to seeing if the two of them would click with each other.


    He didn''t care who it was that decided to mess with him.


    He would give his Bro a wife even if it made the Leventis Family go bankrupt!

 Chapter 625: Who Is This Peasant, Who Is Trying To Fight Me?

    Chapter 625: Who Is This Peasant, Who Is Trying To Fight Me?


    ?


    "Ten million," Thirteen stated.


    "Fifteen million," ude smirked.


    "Who is this peasant, who is trying to fight me?" Thirteen asked. "Fifty Million."


    The people who were thinking that the two bidders were insane for outbidding against each other almost choked when they heard one of the two bid fifty million.


    Dorothy, who had been in the auction industry for a very long time, couldn''t help but feel admiration for the bidder in the VIP Room Number 13.


    A Rank 5 Sovereign at most could be sold for a million gold coins, up to three million gold coins.


    However, the current bid was at fifty million, which made her believe that the one who auctioned the ze Skunk was now jumping in joy because soon, he would be very rich.


    Arthur was doing his best not to chuckle because ude looked like someone who had eaten a fly.


    He was the second-inmand of the Ashford n, one of the Monarch ns, so this was the first time that someone called him a "peasant."


    Michael, who was also at odds with the Ashford n, couldn''t help but give his nephew a thumbs up. The more he thought about his daring nephew, the more he felt helpless because he had a penchant for attracting trouble.


    "Only fifty million? What are you? a beggar?" ude replied in disdain. "One hundred million!"


    "B*tch, can you stop pretending to be rich when you''re this poor? Even I feel ashamed for you," Thirteen said in a mocking tone. "Two hundred million."


    "A kid like you thinks that you can beat adults? Keep dreaming. Three hundred million!"


    "I don''t know about other kids, but I doubt that a stinky adult like you can beat me. Only three hundred million? Can you stop being a peasant? Five hundred million."


    The two Monarchs of the Cygni Continent and the Rigel Continent, Dous Griffin and Wendell Elrod, couldn''t help but look at each other in dismay.


    Both of them had a good rtionship with Zion, and they didn''t expect that the teenage boy would not back down against ude, the second-inmand of the Ashford n.


    Even the Monarch of the Aldebaran Continent, Trevor Remington, could only look at Arthur and wondered if he would step in to help his grandson.


    However, Arthur only smirked.


    Clearly, he wanted to see how this drama would end.


    "Child, do you know who I am?" ude asked. "Do you think you can speak like that in front of me?"


    "I don''t know who you are, but since you talk sh*t, you must be sh*t," Thirteen replied in contempt. "I bid five hundred million, so if you dare to fight, I''ll keep youpany. Let''s see if you will have enough money to bid for the Serpent Scalester."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ude snorted. "Do you really think that the Ashford Family is poor? Foolish child. I''ll put you in your ce. One Billion!"


    This time, an uproar spread inside the auction house. Barely any of them knew the identity of the two bidders, and they had simply been enjoying the bickering of the two sides.


    However, now that someone had dered that they were from the Ashford n, everyone knew that the battle was now about toe to an end.


    Although they found it ridiculous that someone would actually bid one billion for a Rank 5 Monster Sovereign, the only thing they could do was watch everything from start to finish.


    "You''ll put me in ce? Howughable," Thirteen chuckled. "I, Zion Leventis, isn''t someone a peasant like you can threaten. My friend''s love life is at stake, I can''t let him down. Two Billion. Fight me!"


    Everyone drew in a sharp breath because this had already spiraled out of control.


    "What does he mean that his friend''s love life is at stake? Does his friend have some kind of monster fetish?"


    "Shhh... do you remember that guy who likes to collect those Sexy Sheep Monsters? Maybe the Supreme Commander''s friend is one of those... unique individuals."


    "Ah!"


    "Now it makes perfect sense!"


    "No, it doesn''t! That''s two billion!"


    "Love is priceless, you know? But with two billion, I can definitely be a sugar daddy." "I know, right?"


    While the other people inside the auction house were talking about monster fetishes, ude and the people inside the VIP Room were all looking at Arthur with weird looks on their faces.


    Arthur, who was feeling amused earlier, twirled the wine in his cup, pretending that he couldn''t hear or see what everyone was talking about.


    ude was hesitating if he should continue bidding just to mess with Zion. However, he had a feeling that their bidding war might reach five billion.


    If Zion suddenly stopped bidding while the bid was on ude''s side of the field, things would get very ugly, very fast.


    Not only would he get a useless Monster, but he would also not have enough funds to bid for the Serpent Scale, which was the mission that his father had assigned to him.


    Because of this, he no longer made a bid, making everyone sigh in disappointment.


    If Zion seeded in making ude bleed, then they would have one lesspetitor for the Serpent Scale that everyone was trying to get in the auction.


    "T-Two Billion gold coins," Dorothy stuttered. "Going once... going twice... sold!"


    After the ze Stacy Skunk was sold for an exorbitant price, the owner of the monster was jumping in joy all the way from the Cygni Continent.


    He was watching the auction in real-time and was already feeling very happy due to the oue of the bidding.


    "Hahahaha! I''m rich!" Alcapone, who was one of Thirteen''s Squad Leaders, shouted. "I''m filthy rich! Hahahahaha!"


    "Boss! I''ll follow you forever!" Costello grabbed Alcapone''s leg.


    "Boss! Take me flying!" Gambino stated.


    "Hahaha! We''re rich!" Luckyughed out loud.


    "Who would have thought that we''d hit it big this time?!" Gotti raised his fist in triumph.


    The members of the E4 Mafia were extremely happy due to the oue of the bidding war. They had painstakingly caught the ze Stacy Skunk and sent it to auction to get some


    money.


    However, none of them expected that they had struck gold!


    Just as everyone wasughing in happiness, Alcapone''smunicator rang. Alcapone, who was in a very good mood, nced at the name of themunicator and answered the call.


    "Do you need something from me, Sir?" Alcapone asked with a smile on his face.


    "On behalf of the Green Lanterns, I would like to thank you for the donation of two Billion Gold Coins," Thirteen said. "You have done meritorious service to our cause. Your sacrifice


    will not be in vain."


    "Hahahaha... Sir... you''re joking, right?" Alcapone, who was all smiles earlier, felt like crying all of a sudden. "You''re just joking, right?"


    "Of course, I''m joking," Thirteen replied. "I''ll leave you with one million since I''m a good


    person."


    "Ah? Sir, how about a hundred million?"


    "The fishes in the Cygni Continent are very hungry. I''m sure that they want something big and


    juicy to bite on."


    "Actually, one million is good!" Alcapone said through tears. "One million is good! Thank


    you, Sir!"


    "Good." Thirteen replied. "I''ll wire you the money after the auction. Good job, Soldier. Keep


    up the good work."


    An awkward silence descended inside the room as everyone looked at their boss, who looked as if he was about to cry.


    What Alcapone didn''t know was that Thirteen nned to give him a different kind of reward after they met in the Cygni Continent.


    A reward that would surpass the two billion gold coins that he scammed-errr, borrowed from his subordinate, which would be spent for the greater good of the battalion under


    Thirteen''smand.

 Chapter 626: Wouldn’t Suffer Such A Tragic Fate

    Chapter 626: Wouldn¡¯t Suffer Such A Tragic Fate


    ?


    Everyone was still reeling from the shock of seeing a Rank 5 Monster being auctioned for the sky-high price of two billion Gold Coins.


    If not for the fact that Colbert had informed Thirteen that the E4 Mafias had managed to capture the female ze Skunk during one of their clearing operations in the Cygni Continent, Thirteen would have thought twice about bidding that much money on such a monster.


    Knowing that the money would go to Alcapone, he decided to go all out.


    Why?


    It was because Alcapone''s money was his money.


    Although the Squad Captain was currently crying bitter tears all the way from the Cygni Continent, Thirteen wouldpensate him more than his money''s worth.


    He already intended to give Alcapone a Divine-Grade Martial Technique once he and the other Squad Captains returned to the Aldebaran Continent for their training.


    But since he couldn''t say such a thing, he only asked Colbert to pass his message to Alcapone - he would bestow him a Gold-Grade Martial Technique, which was equivalent to what the Prestigious Families and Monarch ns possess.


    When Alcapone learned about this, he no longer felt too bitter after losing his money and was even looking forward to meeting Zion after a few months.


    The Auction proceeded rather smoothly after that short incident between Thirteen and ude.


    Erica was also happy because Thirteen kept his promise and bought her something called Fiery Passion, an item that increases the effect of Fire-Type abilities by fifty percent.


    An hourter, the two most prized items in the Auction House were finally revealed to the public.


    "And now, the items everyone here is waiting for, the Scales of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent!" Dorothy dered. "Since these items are very special, we can only show you their projections. However, rest assured. The item is under the safekeeping of the Grand Marshal, and he will personally transfer this item to the one who wins the bidding!"


    Everyone''s expression became serious upon hearing that the two Serpent Scales would be auctioned separately.


    The majority of the bidders inside the auction house knew that they couldn''t match the resources of the Monarch ns as well as those of the Prestigious Families.


    However, since they were willing to gamble, some of the influential and powerful factions formed an alliance with each other so that they could pool their resources together.


    The allure of being able to craft a Mythical or a Legendary Equipment with the Serpent Scale was too much of a temptation to ignore, so everyone wanted to do their best to acquire one even if it meant offending others!


    "As everyone already knows, these Serpent Scales came from a Majin King," Dorothy exined. "It is an existence that is far above ourprehension. As such, any item rted to them is considered priceless. Because of this, we will not put an initial bid on the item. However, every bid should increase by ten thousand gold coins."


    Dorothy paused for a bit as she scanned the people inside the Auction House.


    Those who weren''t seated in the VIP Rooms were wearing masks to hide their identities, lowering the chances that people might recognize them and steal the items that they had won in the auction.


    "Bidding starts now!" Dorothy dered.


    Before anyone who wasn''t in the VIP Seats could even say anything, ude raised his voice and shouted his bid.


    "One Billion!"


    ude didn''t want to drag things out, so he directly raised the stakes by arge margin to deter those who didn''t have any resources to spare.


    He thought that his only opponents would be the members of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families. However, he had greatly underestimated the other families, who were eyeing the positions of the 14 Great Families standing at the apex of Pangea.


    "Two Billion."


    "Three Billion!"


    "Four Billion."


    Erica, who was seated beside Thirteen, lightly tugged on the sleeves of his shirt.


    "You still have some scales, right?" Erica whispered. "Give me one, so I can also auction it."


    As someone who was born into a poor family, Erica couldn''t help but feel shocked at the sheer amount that people were willing to pay for the Serpent Scales.


    If they knew that Thirteen had hundreds of them in his possession, people might kidnap him without fearing the authorities.


    "Don''t be blinded by money, Erica," Thirteen replied. "You''ll get something better in the future. For example, a Mythical Grade Equipment..."


    Erica''s body shuddered after hearing Thirteen''s reply.


    "How much money will I get if I auction a Mythical-Grade Equipment?" Erica asked.


    "... You''re going to auction it?"


    "Why not?"


    "Are you serious?"


    "No."


    Although Erica wanted to get a lot of money, she wasn''t stupid.


    The only reason why the Monarch ns were able to stand tall among the masses was because they were in possession of Mythical-Grade items.


    If she possessed such an item, wouldn''t that make her extremely powerful?


    Unfortunately, Mythical Gears could only be used by Thrones and Monarchs.


    The only reason why Lady Callista was able to wield the two Mythical Short Swords was all


    thanks to Thirteen''s effort in making them exclusive to his grandma.


    Erica believed that if she managed to survive and step into the Ranks of a Throne, she would wield powers that could propel her family to the top.


    While the two teenagers were watching the bidding war, those who were in the VIP Seats were not holding back in the slightest.


    The first Serpent Scale was sold for a whopping ten billion gold coins, and it was bought by Trevor Remington, who was the Monarch of the Aldebaran Continent.


    The second Serpent Scale reached eleven billion gold coins and was bought by the Stard n, who ruled the Sirius Continent alongside the Ashford n.


    Although the two sides were friendly and sometimes seen as allies, they were still rivals who wished to one-up each other.


    "David and his friend should be very happy right now," Ericamented. "I wished that I was thick-skinned enough to get one scale back then. Now, it''s toote. Next time you get something good, I''ll make sure to ask for my share."


    "I don''t mind," Thirteen replied. "But that will have to wait for a while."


    Thirteen nned to train the Hero Party, as well as his Squad Captains, for the uingrge-scale Jinn Invasion.


    It was the perfect stage for the young heroes of the world to shine, and show their mettle ton/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    the world.


    However, it was also the perfect stage to eliminate these heroes and make sure that they wouldn''t go strong enough to threaten those who wished to cling to power.


    Although Thirteen believed that the Hero Party wouldn''t be targeted by the powerful families and factions, he still nned to train them to increase their chances of survival.


    Truth be told, Thirteen knew that the true dangers in the Cygni Continent weren''t just the side


    of the invading monsters.


    The real threat was the people who could backstab them anytime.


    Thirteen was the System of Cannon Fodders, and he had witnessed countless betrayals in his


    life.


    No matter how strong, influential, charitable, or prestigious you were, the greatest enemies you would have to face were the people whom you thought would protect your back from the enemies that were after your life.


    Thirteen hoped with every fiber of his being that the people close to him wouldn''t suffer such


    a tragic fate.

 Chapter 627: The Way To A Person’s Heart Was Through Their Stomach

    Chapter 627: The Way To A Person¡¯s Heart Was Through Their Stomach


    ?


    Thirteen watched with amusement as the ze Stacy Skunk, whom Thirteen referred to as Stacy, took a stroll inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Walking right beside her was none other than Giga, who was very happy to finally gain apanion.


    Unfortunately, Stacy waspletely ignoring him.


    But to the teenage boy''s surprise, Giga didn''t seem to mind and even looked amused at her attitude.


    ze Skunks were proud monsters, and it was not very easy to tame them. They were also very deadly in many ways, especially once they unleashed their deadly spray that would make anyone want to run for their lives.


    When Stacy was brought inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, everyone distanced themselves from the sleeping beauty and only left Giga to stay by her side.


    They knew that Stacy might feel threatened if she woke up in an unfamiliar ce, surrounded by monsters whose Ranks were higher than hers.


    The majority of them had already been exposed to Giga''s "Giga Destroyer," so they didn''t want to have an encounter with the "Stacy Destroyer."


    Everyone was paying close attention to their brother, Giga, and was looking forward to how he would make thetest addition to their circle be one of their most dependable allies.


    Stacy lightly prodded the Majin King''s meat being roasted over the campfire.


    She could tell that this was some high-quality meat she had never tasted in the past.


    "Feel free to eat it," Giga said with a smile. "I made it just for you."


    Stacy pretended to not hear Giga''s words and just sat by the campfire in contemtion.


    After waking up, the Chad Skunk beside her had exined where she was and told her other things that she needed to know.


    She wasn''t allowed to use her spray against the monster inside the Mobile Fortress because doing so would make their Master, Zion, very angry.


    Stacy scoffed after hearing such a thing. Clearly, she didn''t recognize her new Master as her Master.


    However, she sensed that the monsters surrounding her were stronger than her, so she decided to be civil and did not attack them unless they messed with her first.


    "You can eat, you know?" Thirteen said as he walked towards Stacy, who gave him a side- long nce.


    Seeing that the teenage boy''s Rank was the lowest in the group, she didn''t treat him seriously and even looked at him in disdain.


    Pica and Pico, who were perched on Thirteen''s shoulders, looked at the neer with great curiosity.


    The two baby Pocopocos had already experienced Giga''s Giga Destroyer, so they had no intention of antagonizing Stacy, which was something that they usually do to people.


    "Can you tell me how you appeared in the Cygni Continent?" Thirteen asked. "Usually, only Jinnse out of the Dimensional Gates. So, seeing a monster like you appear is a surprise for everyone."


    Since Thirteen had the Universal Language Proficiency Skill, it was a very simple matter for him tomunicate with anyone as long as they had a form ofmunication.


    He was expecting that Stacy wouldn''t answer his question. However, to his surprise, she answered him, which made Giga give his Master a thumbs up in his heart.


    "What''s so surprising about it?" Stacy asked back. "The Dimensional Gate appeared in the territory where I lived. I was curious why the Jinns entered it, so I decided to also enter it after all of them had left."


    "So the Dimensional Gate where you came from didn''te from Gomorra but Solterra?" Thirteen inquired.


    Stacy didn''t say anything, but she still nodded to confirm Thirteen''s statement.


    Anyone born in Solterra would know the name of their world because it had been ingrained into their bloodline inheritance.


    Most of the Dimensional Gates that open in Pangea came from Gomorra. However, there were cases where it came from Solterra.


    Thirteen also knew that the members of the Order of the Apocalypse wished to enter Solterra through a Dimensional Gate.


    However, whether they had seeded in the past or not, no one could really tell.


    The world of Pangea would reject any monsters above Rank 9, so Majin Princes and Princesses were unable to step foot on Thirteen''s homeworld.


    However, that didn''t mean that their subordinates couldn''t enter, so they made use of that to attempt to gain a foothold in the world of Pangea.


    Camazotz even told him in secret that he also nned to invade Thirteen''s world and was only missing the coordinates that would help him open a Dimensional Gate.


    Thirteen was very tempted to help Camazotz appear in Pangea because, if the Death Bat managed to cross over, wouldn''t that make things easier for him as well?


    But he wouldn''t do that.


    Thirteen had his own principles, and although he got along well with Camazotz, there was no telling what his subordinates would do once they crossed over Pangea.


    "Can you tell me the name of the ce where you came from?" Thirteen asked.


    Stacy refused to answer and simply reached out to take the roasted meat and took a bite out ofn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    it.


    A look of surprise appeared on her face, which made Thirteen and Giga smirk internally.


    The way to a person''s heart was through their stomach.


    Although Stacy wasn''t a person but a monster, the same rule applied to her.


    The teenage boy and the Chad Skunk wanted to get along with Stacy, so they decided to use their Trump Card, which was the Majin King''s meat.


    Thirteen wanted to personally roast the meat for Stacy, but everyone, including Giga, begged


    him to not do it.


    All of them had been duped by the smell of Thirteen''s cooking in the past.


    The food the teenage boy made smelled incredibly good, making their mouths water.


    However, all these foods would taste like bubblegum inside their mouths, which was the reason why the teenage boy was no longer allowed to cook for anyone.


    After finishing her meal, Stacy became very satisfied, so she answered more of Thirteen''s


    questions.


    But the more she answered, the stranger the teenage boy''s expression became.


    "Tell me, have you seen the Fiend, Wormwood by chance?" Thirteen asked.


    Wormwood was one of the Seven Fiends of Solterra, and he was also known as the Fiend who spread gues upon the world.


    He was a good friend of the Sea Serpent, Forneus, who was also a Fiend and was the previous


    Guardian Deity of the Valbarra Archipgo.


    "You know Lord Wormwood?" Stacy asked in surprise.


    "I don''t know him personally, but I have heard of him," Thirteen answered.


    The Fiend of gues and Pestilence was a walking cmity.


    Although he didn''t actively go out of his way to harm people, it didn''t change the fact that his mere presence could make any King or Emperor feel as if their Kingdom or Empire was about


    to fall into ruin.

 Chapter 628: The Seven Fiends Of Solterra

    Chapter 628: The Seven Fiends Of Solterra


    ?


    The World of Solterra had Seven Celestials and Seven Fiends.


    They were the ultimate powerhouses of the world of Solterra and they had yed a huge role in stopping the Jinn Invasion, preventing them from conquering the world.


    The first of them was the Sea Monster, Forneus, whose temperament was simr to Cranky.


    It didn''t give a hoot to anyone, and everyone who angered it had paid and would pay the price of their insolence.


    Forneus was once the Guardian Deity of the Valbarra Archipgo, and he was known to fight anyone, regardless of whether they were Jinns, Fiends, or Celestials.


    The Second Fiend was Pharzuph.


    He ruled over fornification and lust. The creatures under hismand were the Incubus, Subus, and Satyrs, who were known for their carnal desires.


    For this reason, their Empire had been named the Lust Empire, and only those as depraved as them dared to enter its doors.


    The Third Fiend went by the name Belial.


    He was the fiend of Lawlessness, and was worshiped by all criminals alike. He resided at the Great Forest of Felena Ths, where the First World Tree had grown.


    He had chased away the Elves and made the Great Forest his home.


    As much as the Elves wanted to reim their homnd, it was currently impossible, for Belial was a monster whom none of them dared to face.


    The fourth Fiend of the world, Appolyon, was the personification of death. Wherever he went, death and destruction followed. Many people also refer to him as Abaddon, and he was worshiped as the God of War.


    The fifth Fiend was a very unique fellow, for no one, aside from the Fiends and Celestial, knew what he really looked like.


    But one thing was clear.


    Dantanian was once a human, and had simply managed to obtain the power of a Fiend. He was a man of many faces and traveled the world in a carefree manner.


    Many say that if you evere across Dantanian and recognize him for who he was, he would be a lifelong friend and will treasure you until you breathed yourst.


    Mammon was known as the Fiend of Greed and Money.


    Among the Fiends of the world, he was the most well-known, for he interacted with humans, demihumans, and any creature who wished to do business with him.


    Thirteen had met Mammon in the Valbarra Archipgo and had seen how powerful he was.


    With a wave of his hand, everyone and anything turned to gold, so not many dared to offend such a beast.


    Thest, but not the least, was Wormwood.


    Among the Fiends, Forneus treated him as a friend.


    Wormwood was considered an outcast because he carried gues, pestilence, and diseases with him.


    But those who were brave enough to seek him for cures for incurable diseases attested that he was one of the most misunderstood Fiends in the world.


    Mikhail, Shasha, Remi, and Rhia sat, listening to Thirteen, who lightly tapped the whiteboard in front of him as he exined the Fiends of Solterra.


    "Aside from Pharzuph, Belial, and Mammon, the location of the four other Fiends are unknown," Thirteen said. "If you evere across rumors of their whereabouts, make sure to remember them.


    "The one I''m most curious about is Wormwood. However, do not approach him at any cost. You might die by ident because his powers are very potent. Just by standing at a location, he had been able to stop the Jinn Invasion-they died from his pestilence."


    "Bwadah!" Rhia raised her hand. "I''ll find him!"


    "Good." Thirteen lightly patted Rhia''s head, making thetter close her eyes happily.


    "If I hear anything, I''ll make sure to let you know," Mikhail said. "But Solterra is vast. Even if


    I were identally sent to Wormwood''s location, you might not be able to go to that ce, Zion."


    "Don''t worry, I have my ways," Thirteen replied.


    With Metatron''s help, Thirteen could teleport to any ce in Solterra as long as it wasn''t near any Human Kingdoms.


    Since Wormwood didn''t like to visit human kingdoms, not wanting to hurt people, Thirteen was confident that he could meet with this misunderstood Fiend in the future.


    Of course, he could ask Lace Demon, The One, and Metatron about its whereabouts, but he was certain that none of them would answer his questions.


    There was a limit to how much help they could give to Wanderers, and unless the teenage boy located Wormwood on his own, Metatron wouldn''t open a portal for his sake.


    After their short history lesson, Thirteen began to train his siblings, making sure that all of them were on the right path.


    Rhia, who was still mastering the Nutcracker Kick, was being assisted by Uncle Boo and Albion, who were always by her side.


    In five years, Remi would also undertake her First Wandering, so Thirteen was paying close attention to her training.


    After clearing his previous mission, Thirteen had negotiated that his sisters, Remi and Rhia, would be allowed to absorb Rank 5 Beast Cores even before they entered Solterra.


    In short, Thirteen was helping them cheat, but it was the kind that got the reluctant approval of the God of Wanderers.


    Both of them had already absorbed the Rank 5 Sovereign Cores in their bodies and had begun to assimte it.


    Before they even stepped into the world of Solterra, both Remi and Rhia would have the strength of a Rookie, surpassing their peers of the same generation.


    With Thirteen working for the God of Wanderers, he believed that The One would not send


    Remi to a very dangerous ce unless he was there with her as well.


    The days passed swiftly, and a monthter, Thirteen was surprised to find four people visitingn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    their residence.


    They were none other than Shana, Erica, Rianna, and Derek.


    "There''s still a month before your training starts. Why are the four of you here?" Thirteen


    asked. "Are you all that eager to start your training?"


    "We just came to visit," Erica replied. "Do you think we''re masochists or something?"


    "Actually, I came here to train early, Master," Derek patted her chest. "By the way, where is Miss Shasha?"


    The corner of Thirteen''s lips twitched because he now understood why Derek wanted to train


    early.


    He was one of Shasha''s many admirers, and since Thirteen''s beautiful sister was currently in Pangea, Derek wanted to have the chance to train with her.


    "I see. So you chose death," Thirteen smiled faintly.


    Derek''s body shuddered uncontrobly because for a brief moment, he thought that he was


    looking at the grim reaper instead of his Master.


    Thirteen eyed the swordsman of the Hero Party with a smile while formting a training regimen that would make Derek cough out blood.


    He would make sure that he wouldn''t even have the time to think of Shasha, who was also busy with her own training.

 Chapter 629: For The First Time In History

    Chapter 629: For The First Time In History


    ?


    "I want to train too," Riannamented. "The mission I hadst time was like a walk in the park thanks to the training I got. If I can get stronger, I wouldn''t mind a bit of suffering."


    "I want to train as well," Shana replied. "I realized during ourst mission that I have a lot to learn. Since I only trained for a monthst time, there wasn''t enough time for me to fully understand my new abilities. This time, I want to stabilize my foundation, so I can be of help in the Cygni Continent."


    Erica, who had no intention of training at the moment, suddenly found herself at the crossroads.


    She had always been a verypetitive person by nature, so she didn''t want Derek, Shana, and Rianna to surpass her anytime soon.


    During their previous mission, she also felt like her fighting prowess had drastically increased after the one-month hellish training with Zion.


    But a month of training wasn''t enough to fully master the things that she needed to know. The Trial of Courage taught her many things, and although they no longer had problems in dealing with Rank 5 Sovereigns, fighting against Rank 6 Monsters was still tough for them. If not for the fact that Thirteen had given the bosses of each floor the perfect level of injuries, they might have suffered some casualties due to how strong these Bosses were.


    But there was one thing bothering Erica, and that was the monsters of the 12th Floor.


    ording to their Guides, the Boss of the 12th Floor was a Rank 8 Sovereign who could raise its strength to that of a Rank 9.


    There was also an Umbrafang, a Rank 7 Sovereign, which was also very difficult to deal with. The weakest monsters on the 12th Floor were Rank 4 Monsters. However, none of these monsters attacked them, and they even helped the Wanderers reach the portal that led to the 13th Floor.


    There were no traces of the Umbrafang and the Grievefoot.


    However, they noticed that a tenth of the Forest was destroyed.


    They were not aware that it was due to the fact that Cranky kicked the Umbrafang because it tried to jump on Thirteen''s bandwagon after refusing the alliance that the teenage boy offered.


    ''Should I train or not?'' Erica thought.


    Thirteen nced at Erica with a smile, which gave the youngdy goosebumps.


    Suddenly, she felt someone hug her leg, which made Erica look down.


    There, she saw Rhia, looking at her with a big smile on her face.


    "Sis, train together!" Rhia said, making Erica''s heart melt.


    "Okay, let''s train together," Erica replied before picking Rhia up and kissing her chubby cheeks.


    Rhia giggled and kissed Erica back, making Rianna and Shana feel a little envious.


    "Good. Since all of you wanted to train, we can start your training in two days," Thirteen


    replied. "You can go back home tomorrow, Erica, and pack some clothes for the training. Since the others nned to train from the start, I''m sure that they already made their preparations."


    Shana, Rianna, and Derek nodded because they had already made preparations for their training.


    When Diana and Mildred found out through their group chat that Shana, Erica, Rianna, and Derek were already in the Leventis Residence to start their training, the two also started packing because they didn''t want to be left behind by theirrades.


    Rnd and Joshua, on the other hand, were busy helping with the recruitment of the Central Government, so they couldn''t join right away.


    However, both of them promised that they would be there a monthter so that they could also participate in Thirteen''s training.


    That night, Alessia, with the help of Shana, Erica, and Rianna, cooked a feast for everyone. While the Leventis Family and Zion''s friends were having a good time, something incredible was happening in the secluded base of the Order of Raziel.


    A heavenly phenomenon of a giant serpent emerged from the heavens, making the members of the Order of Raziel feel as if their hearts had been grasped into a firm grip.


    Gerald, whose entire body was covered by sweat, raised his Adamantine Hammer and struck it heavily down the anvil.


    With each strike, the Giant Serpent in the Heavens grewrger until it blocked the light of the sun, leaving behind a dark shadow on thend.


    The only thing that could be seen was the mes of Sylvanna and the sparks that were created with each hammer strike.


    Gerald knew that he was in the critical juncture of his smithing, and one mistake could lead everything to ruin.


    However, he didn''t back down and continued to hit the armor, shaping it to his will.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The body of the Giant ck Serpent suddenly changed its color to crimson, and soon, an ear- piercing screech reverberated in the heavens.


    The members of the Order of Raziel covered their ears and tried to withstand the pressure that was forcing them to kneel on the ground.


    But despite their effort, they knelt one by one, facing the forge where Gerald was fighting a battle of his own.


    With each hammer strike, he could feel his hammer getting heavier and heavier.


    It was as if thews of the world were trying to prevent him from swinging his hammer andpleting the armor that he was making.


    Gerald roared as he forcefully swung the hammer with all of his might.


    He would not allow himself to be held back by anything.


    The memories when he created the Adamantine-Grade Equipment that Thirteen transformed


    into Mythical Gears shed in front of him.


    Back then, he was just mastering his craft and was still considered a beginner by his son.


    However, after many years of hard work, swinging his hammer as if he was carrying the entire world on his shoulders, Gerald finally mastered the Hammer of All Seasons.


    Anyone who prevented him from doing what he wanted to do would get smashed by his


    hammer!


    Suddenly, the tolling of a bell resounded across thend, drowning the screech of the Giant


    Serpent.


    Gerald raised his hammer and struck with great momentum.


    With each strike, the bell tolled as if informing the world that something was about to be


    born.


    Finally, at the thirteenth toll of the bell, the Giant Serpent was pulled from the sky as if it was


    being sucked by the armor that Gerald had finished crafting.


    The ck Serpent tried to resist and fight, but it was of no use.


    Gerald felt all the strength in his body disappear, and he copsed helplessly on the floor.


    However, a smile could be seen on his weary and exhausted face.


    Lying on top of the forge was a red armor, glowing in a faint light.


    This was the result of Gerald''s blood, sweat, and tears.


    He wanted tough out loud, but evenughing required too much effort on his part.


    "I did it, Zion," Gerald said with a smile. "I really did it!"


    The members of the Order of Raziel looked at the cksmith that had copsed on the ground


    and the armor that was shining in the forge.


    For the first time in history, a cksmith had sessfully created the first Mythical Armor that would take the world by storm.

 Chapter 630: You Damn Brat! Come Here So I Can Break Your Leg!

    Chapter 630: You Damn Brat! Come Here So I Can Break Your Leg!


    ?


    The Order of Raziel descended into chaos as soon as the Mythical Armor waspleted.


    Adira immediately rushed to check Gerald''s condition, and after confirming that he was only feeling lethargic out of exhaustion, she was finally able to sigh in relief.


    Her gaze thennded on the red armor resting on the forge, and for a brief moment, the thought of stealing it crossed her mind.


    However, the thought instantly vanished just as soon as Zion''s face popped up in her mind.


    That teenage boy had formed an alliance with their Order, and Adira had a very good impression of him. Because of this, she wasn''t ovee by her temptations, allowing her to think clearly.


    However, although she no longer desired to take the armor for herself, the other members of the Order might have different thoughts.


    The Heavenly Phenomenon had alerted all the higher ups, and all of them had already gathered in the scene, eyeing the red armor with greed.


    "I know what all of you are thinking. But please, hold yourselves back," the Leader of the Shadow Union Branch, Lady Ouriel, said in a serious tone. "Don''t be tempted by short-term gains. Would you rather steal this armor and break all ties with its maker, one of the very few capable of crafting Mythical Equipment?


    "Or would you rather hold back your temptation and retain the close rtionship he has with the Order of Raziel? Do not let your greed blind you from the bigger picture."


    Some of the other Branch Leaders frowned after hearing her words. Lady Ouriel was a Seer and held a high position within their Order. Her words weighed just as much as gold, and many in the order seek her counsel when doing important tasks.


    "We can just detain him here, you know?" a man with a scar on his face sneered. "After some torture, I''m sure he will be more than happy to work for us."


    A few leaders nodded in approval. However, Lady Ouriel, as well as the Branch Leaders who apanied Thirteen in the battle of the Arcadia Archipgo, decided that working with Gerald was a better choice.


    Adira, who had heard her Master''s words, stood in front of Gerald so that she could protect him just in case other people decided to y dirty.


    Zion had trusted her with his father, so she would do her best to not break his trust.


    A standoff between the various leaders took ce, raising the tension in the surroundings. Suddenly, a purple portal appeared beside the forge, taking everyone by surprise.


    Adira, who was prepared to attack anyone who crossed the portal, suddenly found herself staring at a familiar teenage boy, whom she hadn''t seen for a while.


    Just as she was about to call out his name, the Drow''s body suddenly stiffened when she saw a Death-Bat Monster emerge right behind the boy.


    The members of the Order of Raziel were also frozen in ce after seeing this scene.


    None of them dared to make a sound or even move, fearing the creature in front of them-a Majin Prince.


    A being whom none of them dared to antagonize.


    "Hahaha! My armor!" Camazotz shouted in happiness as he stared at the red armor that was oozing with a powerful aura. "I knew you wouldn''t let me down, Thirteen! Hahaha!"


    "It''s only a Mythical-Grade Armor, and you''re already this happy?" Thirteen asked in disdain. "If you don''t want a Legendary-Grade Armor, then you can take it as it is."


    Adira, Lady Ouriel, and the rest of the Order of Raziel almost choked on their saliva after hearing the teenage boy''s disdainful words.


    Although he didn''t say it outright, but for a brief moment, they felt like he was saying that Mythical Grade Armor was trash!


    If anyone heard this, all of them would spit on the teenage boy in anger. From their point of view, a Mythical-Grade Armor was already something extremely precious.


    No one would even dare to sell such an item because it was a priceless treasure!


    Camazotz, who heard Thirteen''s disdainful words, coughed lightly.


    "Thirteen, my best friend, of course, I''m not satisfied with this armor," Camazotz replied. "Hmph! Why would I settle for a Mythical Armor, when you can make it a Legendary One? Do you think I''m stupid or the people here are stupid?"


    Thirteen nodded. "Have you brought the Beast Cores?"


    "I got them right here!" Camazotz replied. "Fortunately, I have one Rank 9 Beast Core and 2 Rank 8 Beast Core. Will that be enough?"


    "It will suffice," Thirteen replied before ncing at his father, who was lying on the ground. "Pops, why are you like this? You only crafted one Mythical Armor and you already look as if you are about to kick the bucket. Even if you don''t feel ashamed, I feel ashamed just looking at


    you."


    "You damn brat!" Gerald shouted in anger. "Come here, so I can break your leg!"


    Earlier, he was very happy because he managed to finally craft a Mythical Armor.


    However, his happiness disappeared when Zion arrived. Instead of his son praising him for a job well done, Zion even dared to look down on him?


    If only he could only move and stand up, he would have already kicked Thirteen''s bum to oblivion!


    "Pops, don''t be like that. You''re making me look bad," Thirteen replied as he motioned for Camazotz to pick up the armor on the forge. "I''ll be taking this armor for now. Make sure to rest for a bit, and craft another one, okay? Your dream of bing the Patriarch of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family is almost at hand. So, work hard, Pops!"


    After saying whatever he wanted to say, Thirteen entered the Purple Portal.


    "Everyone, please take care of Thirteen''s father," Camazotz said in a teasing tone. "I''m veeeeeeeeeeery good friends with Thirteen, so his enemies are my enemies. Make sure to remember that, okay?"


    The Death Bat then entered the purple portal with a big smile on his face.


    A few secondster, the purple portal disappeared, leaving everyone covered in cold sweat.


    Suddenly, those who spoke about capturing and enving Gerald approached the Thirteen''s father with smiles on their faces.


    "Sir Gerald, are you hurt?" a middle-aged man asked. "I am the Branch Leader of the Wolf Brigade. This is a High-Quality Rejuvenation Potion. Not only will it heal injuries and restore your stamina, it will also help you recover your mental strength. Here, please take it."


    "Sir Gerald, I am the Branch Leader of the Sky Hawks," an old man said with a big smile on his face. "This is a thousand-year-old ginger. Anyone who eats this, even if they are old as me, will still be able to move their hips and plough the fields for three days and three nights


    without rest."


    "Sir Gerald, I am the..."


    Adira looked at these people in disdain, but she didn''t stop them from trying to curry favor from Zion''s father.


    As long as Gerald and the Order of Raziel formed a good rtionship with each other, then they could expect good things from this alliance.


    Lady Ouriel also sighed in relief.


    If Thirteen hadn''t arrived with the Majin Prince, things would have ended very differently.


    But now that they knew the consequences of antagonizing the teenage boy and his family, none of the Branch Leaders would dare to make things difficult for them.


    Turning a Majin Prince into an enemy was a very stupid thing to do, and they couldn''t afford to have internal strife at this point in time.


    Gerald, who was receiving the praises from the Branch Leaders of the Order of Raziel, finally regained his good mood and hadpletely forgotten his no-good son, who rained down on


    his parade.


    While Gerald was being carried to the infirmary, Thirteen and Camazotz appeared at the Arcadia Archipgo, where the battle against the Artemians took ce.


    He needed a ce that was away from the human territories to do what he needed to do.


    "Guard me, okay?" Thirteen replied.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Camazotz nodded. He didn''t know how Thirteen would transform a Mythical-Grade Armor into a Legendary Armor, but one thing was certain.


    There was a chance that it would attract unwantedpany, so Camazotz needed to brace himself to defend the teenage boy, who was starting to scribble runes on the ground. Thirteen continued to write down runes for nearly half an hour before cing the three Beast


    Cores around the Red Armor.


    He then sat cross-legged on the ground to raise his mental power to its peak. Thissted for another half an hour, but Camazotz didn''t voice out anyint.


    The Death Bat had known the teenage boy for many years and already understood that he was someone who was true to their word.


    Thirteen had never broken a promise to him, which was why Camazotz had apanied him


    to fight against the Majin King despite the fact that he was someone who only bullied the


    weak and feared the strong.


    And during that battle, the Death Bat realized something that made him feel ashamed.


    Cranky, the Honey Badger, didn''t back down in the face of an enemy that was much stronger


    than him.


    Camazotz thought of the Honey Badger as a fool, but when he saw how courageous it was, he felt very ashamed of himself.


    Cranky was even weaker than Camazotz, and yet, he protected Zion with everything he had.


    This nted a seed of courage inside the Death Bat''s heart, making him want to stop being a


    coward.


    As to whether this seed of courage would bloom, that would only depend on Camazotz''s resolve, which would be tested a few years in the future.


    A/N: Only one chapter today. I am currently sick. Regr updates will resume tomorrow.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 631: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 1]

    Chapter 631: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 1]


    ?


    "Guard me, okay?" Thirteen said as he looked at the Death Bat.


    "You can count on me." Camazotz patted his chest with confidence. "If a Princees, I''ll kill a Prince! If a Kinges, I''ll kill a King!"


    "What if a Fiend or Celestiales?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "Will you kill them too?"


    "Hahaha... no. Do you want me to die? No thanks."


    "Tsk tsk. How can you be invincible when you don''t have the mindset of an undefeated?"


    The Death bat smirked. "I am someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong. Although I said that I''ll kill a Majin King, that is still just an empty boast on my part."


    Thirteen looked at the Death Bat with a conflicted expression, not knowing if he should praise or mock thetter for being honest. But he also felt that Camazotz was starting to change. After experiencing the battle with the Majin King, Orochi, the Death Bat had been inspired by Cranky''s courage.


    Despite the fact that the Honey Badger was weaker than the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, it didn''t back down. It must''ve made Camazotz''s blood boil-not out of anger, but with the determination to fight.


    In the Death Bat''s point of view, Cranky was a role model of sorts, and he wished that there woulde a time when he would be able to raise his head in an arrogant manner, despite facing an enemy that was stronger than him.


    ''Well, if Thirteen seeds in making this Legendary Armor, I''m sure that I won''t die even if I face a Majin King in the future,'' Camazotz thought. ''Even if I''m not able to defeat a Majin King, at least I will not be defeated by it. In the end, it''s my win, right?''


    While the Death Bat was thinking about these things, a ripple of power spread from where Thirteen was located.


    Suddenly, a red light shot toward the heavens, and the image of a giant serpent appeared in the sky.


    "Camazotz, you must defeat that Giant Serpent in order for this armor to recognize you as its Master!" Thirteen shouted. "Don''t let it disturb my crafting process, or this armor will break apart!"


    The Death Bat no longer hesitated and flew toward the sky in order to fight the Giant Serpent.


    A nce was enough for him to know that his opponent was only a Rank 8 Sovereign, so he wasn''t too bothered by it.


    With a full-powered punch from the Death Bat, the ck Serpent''s head exploded, and its body was pushed back by the force behind Camazotz''s blow.


    "Hahaha! Is that all you''ve got?!" Camazotz shouted. "Weakling!"


    Suddenly, the body of the giant headless serpent shook.


    A secondter, two serpent heads appeared on the bleeding part of its body, almost making Camazotz jump back in fright.


    However, after sensing that it was only a Rank 9 Monster, the Death Bat snorted and decisively charged at it, his face filled with disdain.


    With a speed that surpassed the speed of sound, Camazotz sted the two heads to oblivion, making it stagger once more.


    "It''s lonely here at the top," Camazotz said as if he were an extremely powerful individual, looking down on the world because he had no equal.


    But before he could even enjoy his act of supremacy, the headless serpent once again moved, and this time, three heads appeared on its body.


    "A Rank 9 Overlord," Camazotz snorted.


    Just like earlier, he easily dealt with the monster, and even ripped apart its body in half, making sure that it wouldn''t regenerate again.


    However, as if to mock his attempt, the destroyed parts of the Giant Serpent merged together and formed a four-headed serpent.


    "Rank 9 Sovereign..." Camazotz muttered.


    This time, he didn''t attack it right away and nced at the teenage boy on the ground, who was busy adding runes on the Mythical-Grade Armor.


    "Um, Thirteen, how long will you finish upgrading that armor?" Camazotz asked.


    "Shhh... don''t disturb me," Thirteen replied. "If you don''t prevent that serpent from attacking me, don''t me me if your armor gets destroyed, okay?"


    The corner of Camazotz''s lips twitched after hearing the teenage boy''s reply.


    Earlier, he was feeling very smug of himself because he thought that the giant ck serpent didn''t pose any challenge to him.


    But every time he killed it, it would revive and regenerate itself, bing stronger with each revival.


    Right now, it was a Rank 9 Sovereign, which meant that if it was revived after Camazotz killed it, his opponent would be a Majin Prince.


    The four-headed serpent hissed angrily and attacked Thirteen, who was focused on his Rune Crafting.


    Left with no choice, Camazotz gritted his teeth and attacked the four heads, destroying them


    all.


    But, he didn''t stop with that.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He grabbed the headless serpent''s body and flew high into the sky.


    After flying for hundreds of meters in the sky, he felt breathless because the oxygen in the atmosphere had grown thin.


    But Camazotz held his breath and continued to fly for a few more seconds before throwing the body of the Giant Serpent into the Mesosphere.


    After that, he dived back down, covering his body with his wings, and transforming into a zinget that shed past the sky.


    Just as he was about to run out of breath, Camazotz unfurled his wings and breathed in


    deeply.


    The Death Bat panted for nearly a minute before he finally regained hisposure.


    "With this, that monster will no longer return, right?" Camazotz muttered.


    Thirteen, who was busy in his Runecraft, wanted to facepalm and shout at the Death Bat to


    not raise any gs.


    But, he knew, more than anyone else, that it was already toote.


    Camazotz, who thought that he would never see the serpent again, suddenly saw something move from high up in the sky.


    At first, it looked like a small ck pea, but as time passed by, this ck pea grew bigger and bigger, making Camazotz''s face turn grim.


    The giant ck serpent had returned, and this time, it was now a Majin Prince with five serpent heads, all looking at the Death Bat as if it had found its prey.

 Chapter 632: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 2]

    Chapter 632: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 2]


    ?


    Not all Majin Princes were equal.


    Just like how all powerful Ranked Monsters were divided into Alpha, Overlord, and Sovereign, the Majin Princes and Kings also had different subrankings.


    Initial, Middle, and Peak.


    Camazotz was a Middle-Ranked Majin Prince, while Arundel the Destroyer was an Initial- Ranked Majin Prince.


    Kamrusepa was a Peak-Ranked Majin Princess who was just a step away from bing a Majin Queen.


    Even Majin Princes and Princesses of the same Rank didn''t have equal strength. Some were stronger than others, just like how Zion was stronger than all the Rookies in the world. Although the Five-Headed Serpent was only at the Initial Stages of the Majin Prince, it was already enough to give Camazotz a headache.


    His strengthy not in his attack power, but in his speed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He was the fastest among the Majin Princes in the Order of the Apocalypse, so it wasn''t difficult for him to escape if he felt that the battle was disadvantageous to him.


    But right now, he was unable to escape.


    He needed to protect Thirteen so that the teenage boy could finish enhancing his Legendary Armor.


    At the start, when the teenage boy asked him to protect him, he thought that he would just protect him from the random monsters that would be attracted by the aura of the Mythical- Grade Armor.


    Never in his wildest dream did he think that he would be facing the Spiritual Will of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent!


    "Dammit!" Camazotz roared in anger as he tackled the Five-Headed Serpent and dragged its body towards the sea.


    He no longer nned on killing it because doing that would only make things hard for him. The Death Bat had no doubt in his mind that if he killed the serpent, it would once again revive and transform into a Six-Headed Serpent with the same rank as him!


    If that really happened, how would he be able to protect Thirteen from its onught?!


    After acquiring the power of a Majin Prince, the Five-Headed Serpent was no longer as helpless as before.


    It attacked the Death Bat with great ferocity, making giant waves as it slithered on the surface of the sea.


    It unleashed its breath attack toward the Death Bat, but Camazotz was simply too fast for it to hit.


    Sensing that fighting against the fast-moving opponent was disadvantageous to it, the Five- Headed Serpent changed its strategy and charged toward the ind where the teenage boy


    was.


    Out of desperation, Camazotz engaged the opponent in closebat, making sure that he would not destroy the heads in the process.


    However, he realized that holding back didn''t help either because the Five-Headed Serpent was tougher than he expected.


    ''I''ll just destroy four of its heads and leave one alone,'' Camazotz thought. ''As long as it doesn''t diepletely, I will be able to deal with it.''


    Gritting his teeth, the Death Bat screeched and unleashed a supersonic attack, which targeted the opponent''s soul force.


    This attack was incredibly effective, making the Serpent''s movement turn sluggish.


    Using that opportunity, Camazotz destroyed four of the serpent''s heads and left one alone.


    After this, the pressure he felt upon his shoulder lightened up a bit because he only needed to deal with one head.


    But as if mocking his attempts, the destroyed heads regenerated one by one.


    ''I knew that this was going to happen, but damn-it''s so annoying seeing it happen!'' Camazotz roared internally.


    Just as he was about to repeat the same strategy, he noticed something different.


    "Um? One, two, three, four, five, six..." Camazotz counted the heads in front of him. "Wait... six?!"


    The Five-Headed Serpent had now transformed into a Six-Headed Serpent, making the Death Bat''s lips twitch uncontrobly.


    A few minutester, a chuckle escaped Camazotz''s lips.


    "Wait, time out!" Camazotz said as the Six-Headed Serpent was about to attack him.


    To his surprise, the Six-Headed Serpent stopped and looked at him with curiosity. "We share no grudges against each other, so why don''t we just talk things out?" Camazotz said with the most charismatic smile he could muster. "I was just messing a bit earlier, so I apologize if I offended you."


    The six heads of the Serpent nced at each other before looking back at the Death Bat.


    A momentter, its tail moved at an incredible speed, hitting the Death Bat''s chest, and sending it flying to the ind.


    Camazotz crashed into a mountain, destroying it in half due to the impact of the blow he received.


    The Six-Headed Serpent rushed past the Death Bat and charged at the teenage boy with bloodshot eyes.


    Just as its giant serpentine heads prepared to unleash a Breath Attack on the teenage boy, something colossal appeared in front of it.


    A Colossal Honey Badger swung its ws and cut the Serpent Heads as if it were slicing tofu.


    It then kicked the Serpent''s body, and sent it crashing towards the sea, creating a giant wave on the location where it fell.


    "Big Bro!" Camazotz cried out in happiness when he saw Cranky appear to save Thirteen.


    The Honey Badger nced at the Death Bat and clicked its tongue.


    "Who''s your Big Bro?" Cranky asked in a cranky tone. "It''s just a snake, and you can''t even beat it? You make me look bad."


    "Bro, I was just letting it think that it has the upper hand," Camazotz wiped the blood at the


    corner of his lips, and smiled fawningly at its Idol.


    "Oh, really?" Cranky crossed his arms over his chest.


    "Of course," Camazotz replied.


    "Great. Then fight that thing, and prove your worth." Cranky pointed in the direction of the Serpent, who now had seven heads.


    It was now a Peak-Ranked Majin Prince, stronger than Camazotz.


    However, as if injected with chicken blood, the usually sycophantic Death Bat fearlessly


    charged at the Seven-Headed Serpent.


    And attacked it without mercy.


    Despite the disparity in rank, Camazotz felt that he suddenly became invincible because his


    idol was watching him fight.


    Thirteen, who was still busy upgrading the armor, smirked when he saw through Tiona''s eyes that Camazotz had taken the initiative to fight a monster that was stronger than him.


    At the center of the red armor, a bat emblem appeared, which reminded him of Batm*n.


    That person wasn''t born as a Hero.


    He wasn''t born with superpowers just like his peers.


    But that didn''t stop him from doing heroic deeds.


    Camazotz wasn''t aware that the more he fought against the Giant Serpent, the more powerful


    his armor would be.


    But that wasn''t Thirteen''s goal.


    No.


    His goal was to create a Legendary Armor. But in order to do so, its owner must also perform a


    legendary feat.


    The One and the Lace Demon only gave the Monarchs Mythical Grade Equipment because what they had done wasn''t a legendary act.


    If they had fought against the ck Dragon of Destruction directly and faced it with courage


    and determination, they would have been rewarded for their efforts.


    The God of Wanderers was an unfair and fair being.


    He would send the Wanderers to perform nearly impossible missions.


    But once they seeded, the rewards would be just as great.


    Right now, Thirteen needed Camazotz to go above and beyond his capacity, enough to gain


    the honor of bing a Legend in his own right.

 Chapter 633: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 3]

    Chapter 633: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 3]


    ?


    With arms crossed over his chest, Cranky watched as Camazotz desperately fought against the Peak-Ranked Majin Prince.


    Camazotz perfectly made use of his exceptional speed, employing hit and run tactics against his opponent. However, the Seven-Headed Serpent had no intention of ying with him and once again charged onnd.


    The Death Bat could have chosen to let the Honey Badger fight against it, but how could he possibly do that?


    Right now, his idol was watching him, so he wanted to show his good side.


    Because of this, he had no choice but to use a frontal assault at his opponent.


    Little did he know that this was part of the Seven-Headed Serpent''s n, who had long noticed that Camazotz would do everything to stop it from disturbing the teenage boy from finishing his craft.


    the moment Camazotz appeared in front of it, it unleashed a Breath Attack at point-nk range, forcing the Death Bat to use one of his life-saving artifacts.


    In an instant, he was enveloped by a small golden pyramid, which tanked the Breath Attack of the Seven-Headed Serpent.


    The sound of something cracking reverberated in the surroundings, but the Golden Pyramid endured the onught till the very end.


    When the Breath Attack ended, the Golden Pyramid shattered, and the Death Bat reappeared. Blood spilled at the corner of Camazotz lips, and a ck smoke oozed out of his left shoulder.


    Clearly, the Breath Attack dealt him significant injuries, but his determination to fight didn''t wane in the slightest.


    "Do you know why I''m called the Death Bat?" Camazotz asked as blood spilled from his lips. "The closer I am to death, the more powerful I be!"


    His body started to glow crimson as he pped his wings to fly straight toward the Seven- Headed Serpent, who didn''t back down in the slightest.


    Blood trailed behind Camazotz as a fearless sneer appeared on his face.


    When one of the Serpent Heads tried to bite him to death, the Death Bat''s wings extended by two meters and passed through the Serpent''s head.


    A secondter, the Serpent''s head was cut off from its body, and fell into the sea.


    The other heads screeched in anger, and shot an Acid Spray at their adversary, making sure that he didn''t have a ce to escape.


    Despite missing one of its heads, they had created a perfect killing zone that should send the Death Bat to the afterlife.


    However, Camazotz no longer nned to back down.


    So what if he had no ce to run to?


    He would just bulldoze his way and create a path for survival!


    The Death Bat''s entire body shone crimson red, leaving a trail of death in its wake.


    The Acid fell upon its body like rain, making his skin melt.


    Camazotz roared not out of pain but out of strong determination to win the battle.


    A brilliant sh of crimson light shed on three of the Serpent''s heads, severing them offpletely.


    The Death Bat was like a zombie, his skin and bones charred and exposed to the world.


    Even so, he didn''t back down and continued to fight, cutting off another one of the Serpent''s heads, bringing down the number of heads to two.


    One of Camazotz''s eyes had already turned blind due to the acid, and because of that, he wasn''t able to see the serpent tale that was about to hit him from his left side.


    The Death Bat''s body flew like a pebble thrown into the river, skidding across its surface until he finally crashed down and sank in the water.


    The Serpent, who only had two heads remaining, nced in the direction of the fallen Death Bat before shifting its gaze on the Honey Badger, who was looking at it with his arms crossed over his chest.


    The Serpent screeched before charging toward the Honey Badger, who served as Thirteen''sst line of defense.


    However, just when it was only hundreds of meters away from its target, the sea water behind the Serpent exploded, and the Death Bat emerged with a deadly glint in its eyes.


    Camazotz''s wingspan was now twelve-meters long, and he moved at a speed that surpassed his usual.


    The Serpent, who had made a mistake of putting all of its attention on Cranky, failed to notice that its opponent was about tounch a sneak attack from behind.


    It only found out when it felt a stinging pain on its neck.


    A few secondster, the final two heads were severed from its body, making them fall into the


    sea.


    Camazotz then crashed on the ground, creating a crater where hended.


    The Death Bat found it hard to breathe and was gasping for air.


    It took a full minute before he finally regained hisposure, and when he did, his gazended on a giant creature that was now evolving to its final form.


    A ripple of power spread in the surroundings as the skies above the Arcadia Archipgo turned red.


    Even the color of the sea had changed into a red color, which made Cranky narrow his eyes.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Then, it finally happened.


    A Crimson Eight-Headed Serpent raised all of its heads and screeched toward the sky. Camazotz was already a spent candle, and yet, he felt as if something was about to change from his body.


    His Rank, which had stagnated in the Middle-Stages of the Majin Prince, finally showed signs of breaking through.


    A bitter chuckle escaped the Death Bat''s lips because he knew that he was now at the impasse


    of life and death.


    For some reason, he found it quite ironic.


    In the past, he was very afraid of death.


    Yet at this very moment when he was facing it, he no longer felt fear.


    Camazotz looked at the Majin King with his remaining eye before spreading his tattered


    wings.


    Blood flowed from nearly every part of his body, and his bones were visible as well.


    "I am Camazotz," Camazotz dered. "I am the Death Bat who flies on the battlefield of


    Death. If a Majin Princees, I''ll kill a Prince. If a Kinges, I''ll kill a King!"


    The sound of thunder rumbled, and dark clouds covered the heavens.


    Seeing the courage that Camazotz was showing, the heavens were moved and thus answered, triggering a tribtion.


    Most Jinns and Monsters ranked a Majin Prince or Archon raised their rank the safer, normal


    way.


    However, there were rare instances when the breakthrough to each realm would trigger a tribtion. If one managed to pass, they would be several times stronger than if they had gone through a normal realm breakthrough.


    The Death Bat no longer had the strength to fight the Eight-Headed Serpent, so he decided to


    use the Lightning Tribtion to deal damage to it.


    Since there were others in the surroundings while he was undergoing a tribtion, the might


    of the lightning strikes would increase several fold.


    But Thirteen decided to take a gamble.


    "Rocky!" Thirteen shouted.


    The Magma Bal-Boa emerged beside Cranky, further increasing the number of monsters who


    were going to participate in the lightning tribtion.


    A momentter, Giga, cky, Hecules, Drazzat, the Trolls, and the Ogres also appeared, making the heavens emit a rumbling sound that seemed to herald the end of the world.


    Giga, cky, Rocky, Hercules, and the other Monsters all hugged Cranky''s legs, as if asking their Big Bro to save them from the Lightning that was gathering in the heavens.


    The corner of Cranky''s lips twitched when he saw the first bolt of golden lightning head in his


    direction.


    A low shriek escaped the Honey Badger''s lips as if saying the words...


    "Oh, Sh*t..."


    A momentter, a blinding sh of light descended upon the Honey Badger, turning the


    entire world white.

 Chapter 634: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 4]

    Chapter 634: The Birth Of A Legend [Part 4]


    ?


    After the first golden lightning bolt descended, more lightning bolts followed suit. Camazotz''s tattered body was hit more than once, making the Death Bat roar in pain.


    However, he wasn''t the only one that was feeling the punishment from the heavens.


    The Eight-Headed Serpent wasn''t faring any better either, and as much as it wanted to target the Death Bat who was about to kick the bucket, the presence of the lightning bolts deterred it from doing anything.


    It wasn''t a true monster and was more like an apparition that had manifested due to the creation of a Legendary Equipment.


    Lightning was the bane of all evil beings, and with the malice that surrounded the Eight- Headed Serpent, each lightning strike made its body suffer grievous injuries.


    Camazotz, who was hit by another golden lightning, finally lost his strength to fly and crashed toward the body of the Eight-Headed Serpent, who was thrashing like an earthworm that had been sprinkled with salt.


    Perhaps out of instinct, the Death Bat managed to grab hold of the Serpent''s body with its ws and held onto it with every fiber of its being.


    The rain of thunder and lightning continued to torment both the living, and the dead. This continued for several minutes before something unexpected happened.


    All the lightning bolts merged together and transformed into a giant golden bat with a wingspan of a hundred meters.


    The Golden Bat then let out an ear-piercing screech before it pped its mighty wings and made a nose dive toward the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    Sensing its demise, the Eight-Headed Serpent unleashed an unwilling cry of anger, and despair.


    A momentter, the sea exploded, sending giant waves in every direction.


    Cranky, whose hairs had turned into afro, took a fighting stance in order to block the Giant Wave.


    Rocky took everyone else back inside his Mobile Fortress before digging deep underground. As a Monster made up of fire, water was his weakness, so he couldn''t stay and help the Honey Badger deal with the giant wave that was dozens of meters high.


    With a loud screech of defiance, Cranky''s ws were bathed with golden lightning.


    The Honey Badger then made a shing motion, creating a golden crescent sh that collided with the wave in front of him.


    An explosion erupted, and a few momentster, rain fell from the sky.


    Although the wave still hit Cranky, it only went as high as its calves, minimizing the waves'' destructive power.


    The seawater that passed by the Honey Badger then fell into a fissure that Rocky had made earlier to prevent the water from reaching Thirteen.


    The dark clouds in the sky dispersed slowly, allowing light to pierce through the darkness. Meanwhile, deep under the sea, Camazotz''s lifeless body finally reached the seafloor.


    The final tribtion lightning had instantly killed the Death Bat and the Eight-Headed Serpent.


    Nearly half of Camazotz''s body was destroyed, leaving only the right half intact.


    A Rank 5 Deep Sea Monster approached the Death Bat, thinking that it had found a free meal.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It had also been attracted to the scent of Camazotz Jinn Core, which it nned to eat to be stronger.


    But just as he was about to take a bite of the Death Bat''s chest, Camazotz''s right hand rose up and cut the Rank 5 Monster in half with his ws.


    The Sea Monster died not knowing how it happened, its body falling beside the Death Bat, whose hand had once again fallen to his side.


    A momentter, a faint golden spark flickered on the Death Bat''s chest, exactly where his Jinn Core was located.


    Camazotz''s body then started to shake as his body parts regenerated at a rapid pace.


    In the span of a few minutes, the Death Bat''s body fully recovered. However, there were a few changes that were added to his form.


    Instead of having a single pair of wings, Camazotz now had two pairs of bat-like wings.


    His body had also grown a meter taller, and his physique had be more lean and toned. Several minutes passed, and the Death Bat finally opened his eyes.


    He then propped himself up and looked at his hands and body that were brimming with power.


    Camzotz had now be a Peak-Ranked Majin Prince after undergoing a tribtion breakthrough.


    This meant that he was stronger than the other Majin Princes of the same Rank, for unlike most, his body had been reformed to perfection.


    It took him a while to realize that he was still underwater.


    He didn''t notice it right away because he could breathe normally as if he was onnd, catching him by surprise.


    Camazotz then clenched his fists, feeling the power emanating from his body.


    He couldn''t help butugh in joy because for some reason, he felt as if he had been reborn to a brand new version of himself.


    Afterughing for a full minute, the Death Bat propelled himself upward, breaking through the water''s surface in a few seconds.


    His gaze thennded on the ind, which was devastated due to the battle that had just


    transpired.


    He could no longer see Cranky or any of Thirteen''s monster army.


    At that moment, he finally remembered something important, so he flew toward the location where the teenage boy was crafting his armor to make sure that he was safe.


    When he arrived at his destination, he found Thirteen drinking a can of C-C with a carefree expression on his face.


    Although the teenage boy looked calm on the surface, he was actually feeling very exhausted.


    Even so, a faint smile could be seen on his lips because he and Camazotz both seeded in their missions.


    "Thank you, Thirteen," Camazotz said before giving the teenage boy a respectful bow.


    He normally wouldn''t do such a thing, but after his breakthrough, he realized that everything


    that happened was due to Thirteen''s machination.


    The teenage boy had taken a gamble, and he had won.


    Not only did he craft a Legendary Armor, he had also allowed Camazotz to perform a


    legendary feat, which was defeating a Majin King.


    Because of this battle, Camazotz had finally gained a belief, which would no longer waver


    when he fought against strong opponents.


    "You''re wee," Thirteen replied. "Now take your armor, so I can go back to Pangea."


    The Death Bat smirked before raising his hand.


    As if answering his call, the Legendary Armor flew toward the Death Bat''s chest, merging with


    his body.


    A mark of a bat appeared on Camazotz''s chest, making Thirteen smirk.


    Now that the Death Bat, who was part of the Trinity of the Apocalypse, had be stronger,


    Thirteen had gained a more reliable partner who would help him ovee the challenges that the Goddess of Fate had prepared to block his way.

 Chapter 635: You Will Call Me, Sir [Part 1]

    Chapter 635: You Will Call Me, Sir [Part 1]


    ?


    "Kamrusepa, I can understand why you formed a team with Thirteen," Paimon said with a smile. "But why did you add that weakling, Camazotz? Do you need a cannon fodder in your team or something?"


    "You seem to be having a big misunderstanding here, Paimon," Kamrusepa replied. "I was the one who joined Thirteen''s and Camazotz''s team, not the other way around."


    "Oh, I see." Paimon nodded. "Back then, I thought Thirteen was the weakest among us, but now, I can no longer think that way. Even so, I still feel like Camazotz is having it easy as ofte.


    "Thanks to his connection to you, he''s able to ess the treasures in the 6th Level of the Treasury of the Apocalypse. He''s such a leech, you know?"


    Kamrusepa smiled but didn''t say anything in reply.


    Truth be told, she didn''t share Paimon''s beliefs about Camazotz.


    Before Thirteen had even joined the Order of the Apocalypse, Kamrusepa had already done a Divination on the Death Bat.


    Of course, she didn''t only do this Divination to Camazotz-she had done it to all the members of the Order of the Apocalypse.


    She wanted to know which ones would bring her the greatest benefits, and to her surprise, an omen of Great Luck showed when she did a Divination for Camazotz.


    Because of this, she paid close attention to his movements in the territory of the Jinns and even ced several spies in his army to make sure that she would be up to date with any news regarding the Death Bat.


    When Thirteen appeared in the Order, she also did a Divination for the teenage boy.


    But that experience shook her to the core.


    A pair ofrge green eyes stared at her from the darkness, like a God looking down on an insect.


    Since then, Kamrusepa felt that the weakest member of their Order wasn''t someone ordinary. So when Camazotz invited Thirteen to form a team together, she didn''t hesitate to approach the two of them to join their alliance.


    After that, they named themselves the Trinity of the Apocalypse.


    She didn''t hold back and helped the two gain some benefits from her side, which she believed would make them feel indebted to her.


    As someone who had already opened the Sixth Layer of the Treasury of the Apocalypse, the treasures she had ess to surpassed anyone in their organization.


    Thirteen and Camazotz had been very happy to ept her offer, which made her feel that she had seeded in making the two indebted to her.


    She had also participated in the battle of the Arcadia Archipgo, making the two understand how powerful she was.


    However, when Thirteen asked for her help in fighting against the Majin King, she politely declined his invitation, for fighting against a Majin King wasn''t a risk she was willing to take.


    She had done a Divination beforehand, and all she saw was the symbol of death, which strengthened her resolve to skip this battle at all costs.


    As she watched the battle unfold, she couldn''t help but feel that she made the right decision at the start.


    But when Thirteen suddenly unleashed a power that surpassed that of a Majin King, she and all the other members of the Order of the Apocalypse couldn''t help but look at the scene in shock.


    They watched as the teenage boy treated the powerful Majin King like a rag doll, unable to even offer any resistance to his merciless strikes.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Orochi had been beaten so badly that his regeneration ability was unable to surpass the damage that his body had received.


    In the end, the powerful Majin King died a tragic death, which made the teenage boy''s poprity within their organization soar by leaps and bounds.


    Paimon continued to talk sh*t about Camazotz, which made the other members of the Orderugh as they shared their disdain for the Death Bat.


    As if waiting for that moment, a purple portal appeared, and the Death Bat emerged from it with a smile on his face.


    "Speaking of the weakling," Paimon said with a sneer. "Yo, Camazotz, where have you been hiding as ofte?"


    The Death Bat smirked and walked toward his friends.


    "What''s up, everyone?" Camazotz asked. "I know I''m good-looking. But if you all stare at me like this, even I will feel embarrassed, you know?"


    "Good-looking?" Paimonughed. "Excuse me? When was thest time you looked in the mirror? Haven''t you seen how ugly you are?"


    Camazotz chuckled and walked toward Paimon, who always looked down on him in disdain.


    "If you call me ugly again, I''ll kiss you," Camazotz dered.


    "You? Kiss me?" Paimon sneered. "Since when did someone as ugly as you have the guts to kiss someone like me?"


    Paimon was a Peak-Ranked Majin Princess, simr to Kamrusepa.


    Because of this, she enjoyed a good amount of prestige in their organization, for she both had beauty and strength.


    But just as she was about to say more disdainful things at the Death Bat, she felt someone grab her chin.


    The next second, she felt something rough pressing on her lips, making her eyes widen in shock.


    A pin-drop silence descended in the room as everyone looked at the Death Bat in disbelief. The cowardly Camazotz actually kissed Paimon!


    ''This guy is dead!''


    That was the thought that appeared in everyone''s head as they looked at this scene with eyes


    as wide as saucers.


    It took a few seconds before Paimon could register what just happened to her.


    When realization finally set in, she immediately unleashed a palm strike with her full


    strength.


    She intended to create a bloody hole in the bastard''s chest, killing him for his insolence.


    But she was only able to strike air because Camazotz had already retreated to a safe distance within the blink of an eye.


    "Although you speak trash, your mouth is surprisingly clean," Camazot said before licking his lips. "Your lips are soft too. I give it a ten out of ten."


    "I''ll kill youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Paimon roared in anger, as she lunged at the Death Bat with


    fury.


    Instead of dodging, Camazotz only stood in ce with a fearless smile on his face.

 Chapter 636: You Will Call Me, Sir [Part 2]

    Chapter 636: You Will Call Me, Sir [Part 2]


    ?


    Just as Paimon''s fist was about to hit the Death Bat''s chest, a palm blocked it and stopped it from moving forward.


    "Killing a member of the Order is against the rules of our organization," Metatron said with a smile. "If you want to fight, go to the Battlefield of the Apocalypse. I won''t stop any of you even if you tear each other apart."


    Paimon, who was still brimming with anger, gritted her teeth and pulled back her fist.


    She had never felt so humiliated in her life. Right now, the only thing she wanted to do was to reap Camazotz apart in order to avenge herself.


    "You saw what he did to me!" Paimonined. "What if I challenge him into the Battlefield of the Apocalypse, and he refuses to ept it?"


    Metatron nced at the Death Bat with a frown. "What you did was wrong, Camazotz. So you have no choice but to ept her challenge on the battlefield of the Apocalypse."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I don''t mind," Camazotz replied. "But simply fighting a duel is boring. How about we add some stakes? What do you think?"


    "Good!" Paimon chuckled, but her eyes were screaming murder. "The loser will be the ve of the winner. Deal?"


    "What kind of ve are we talking about?" Camazotz arched an eyebrow. "Are we talking about a ve that''s like a servant following their Master''s order? Or... a different kind of ve?"


    "Is there a difference?" Paimon sneered. "Don''t tell me you''re backing out?"


    "I''m not going to back out. I''m just confirming things. So, you mean servant, not ve, right? I don''t want you to make excuses when you loseter."


    "They''re one and the same. You call it servant, I call it ve. There''s no difference!"


    Camazotz nodded. "Very well. Can Lord Metatron create a contract for this duel? I mean, if I win, I don''t want Paimon saying that she refuses to be my servant."


    "Okay," Metatron agreed. "Do you ept this condition, Paimon?"


    "You bet I will!" Paimon answered. "Let''s just get this over with, so I can kill this bastard!"


    Without another word, the God of the Apocalypse created a Master and Servant Contract. Both parties ced a drop of blood into it, sealing the deal.


    A momentter, Paimon and Camazotz appeared in the Battlefield of the Apocalypse.


    The members of the Order all sat down and watched the projection with great interest.


    "Do you guys want to ce bets?" Kamrusepa proposed.


    "Will you be the Banker?" Beelzebub asked with interest.


    "Why not?" Kamrusepa replied.


    "Good! I will bet on Paimon!"


    "Me too!"


    "Me three!"


    All the members of the Order of the Apocalypse bet on Paimon, with the exception of Kamrusepa.


    Since she was the Banker, this meant that if Camazotz lost, she would be the one paying everyone.


    Of course, the bets were in the form of rare artifacts and resources that could only be taken from the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Everyone knew that Kamrusepa had many unique treasures that they could only dream of, so they thought that this was a good opportunity to take some of them off of her hands.


    From the beginning until the end, Kamrusepa didn''t say a word and even looked depressed on the surface.


    This made the other members of the Order of the Apocalypseugh internally because they thought that she was regretting her decision.


    However, they didn''t know that Kamrusepa was alsoughing internally.


    Although she didn''t really know why Camazotz suddenly kissed Paimon and even agreed to fight her in a duel, the Majin Princess knew the Death Bat''s character inside and out.


    Camazotz was someone who bullied the weak and feared the strong.


    This meant that he wouldn''t fight a battle that he had no hope of winning, especially if the condition for losing was to be someone else''s ve.


    Lastly, she could feel an air of confidence in the Death Bat''s body, which she found to her liking.


    Suddenly, another purple portal appeared, and this time, the youngest member of their organization appeared.


    "What are all of you doing?" Thirteen asked when he saw the pile of treasures in front of Kamrusepa.


    "Oh, you know, just a few bets on who will win between Paimon and Camazotz," Kamrusepa replied with a smile.


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before he shifted his gaze to the projection that everyone was looking at.


    "Can I join the betting?" Thirteen asked. "Or is it already closed?"


    "It''s already closed but..." Kamrusepa hesitated for a bit before nodding in agreement. "I can make an exception for you."


    "Since that is the case, I won''t make things hard on you, so I''ll just bet this Rank 8 Beast Core on Camazotz," Thirteen replied. "What''s the payout?"


    Kamrusepa smiled. "Three Rank 8 Beast Cores or ten Rank 7 Beast Cores. The choice is yours to make."


    Thirteen nodded. "Sounds good."


    "Are you not confident in Camazotz''s win?" Belzeebub asked. "The two of you are good friends, right? Why don''t you add more to your bet?"


    For beings like them, a Rank 8 Beast Core was not a big deal. But for someone like Thirteen, it


    was a very big deal.


    Because of this, they thought that the teenage boy was simply too "poor" to make a proper


    bet.


    "It''s fine," Thirteen replied as he sat down beside Kamrusepa. "Kamrusepa and I are friends. I don''t want to make things too difficult for her."


    The teenage boy then took out a bag of potato chips and started eating.


    He also didn''t forget to feed Tiona as well, making the members of the Order look at him


    weirdly.


    Kamrusepa chuckled internally because she really didn''t mind if Thirteen won.


    The stronger the teenage boy became, the more formidable their Trinity would be.


    Also, since Thirteen bet on Camazotz, that was already a guarantee that the Death Bat would win, which made Kamrusepa happier.


    The artifacts in front of her were all very useful, and she wouldn''t mind sharing a few of them with her two allies as well.


    Inside the Battlefield of the Apocalypse, Paimon hatefully stared at the Death Bat, who was looking back at her with a confident smile on his face.


    "I''ll make sure that after this battle ends, you will never be able to smile again," Paimon stated as she raised her hand, summoning a whip made out of purple mes.


    "Oh, my! How scary~" Camazotz chuckled. "After this battle, I''ll make sure that you will call


    me Sir."


    Paimon sneered but she also understood that talk was cheap.


    With a hateful roar, she brandished her whip, which turned into a giant purple ming


    serpent, making Camazotz look down on it in disdain.


    He had just defeated an Eight-Headed Serpent Majin King, and this chick was using a serpent


    to fight him?


    Camazotz found thisughable, so he simply raised his hand and pped the serpent, making its giant body fall to the side, creating a fissure on the ground.


    This unexpected turn of events made Paimon and the other members of the Order of the


    Apocalypse look at the Death Bat in disbelief.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, smirked. Among everyone present, only he knew that the Camazotz everyone was looking at was no longer the old Camazotz who would cower and hide in the face of someone stronger than him.

 Chapter 637: I Shatter The Heavens In A Single Flight [Part 1]

    Chapter 637:  I Shatter The Heavens In A Single Flight [Part 1]


    ?


    Paimon was confident about defeating the hateful Death Bat in battle.


    So much that she evenughed internally when Camazotz had added a condition that the loser would be the servant of the winner.


    But this confidence of hers disappeared into their duel.


    Despite doing her best tond a hit on her opponent, the Death Bat evaded each of them so easily while gradually inching in her direction.


    Currently, the Death Bat was in his Demihuman form.


    Aside from looking like a red devil in red armor, he didn''t look much different from the past.


    He hadn''t even unfurled his bat-like wings, which he was very proud of, and fought her in an aerial battle.


    The more time passed, the more solemn Paimon''s expression became.


    Her whip shed and unleashed dozens of purple fireballs in the Death Bat''s direction, but Camazotz evaded it while still walking forward.


    "You''re cheating!" Paimon shouted in anger. "You should have died long ago. Why are you still alive?!"


    "Why shouldn''t I be?" Camazotz asked with a smile. "I mean, I would have indeed died a while ago if you were strong. But how can you expect me to die when you''re this weak?" "I''ll kill you!"


    "You''ve been trying to do that since this duel started. Come on, Paimon. Try harder. If you don''t, you''ll be calling me Sir. Of course, if you want to call me Master, I''ll allow it as well."


    "Die you f*cker!" Paimon''s eyes turned purple.


    Immediately, purple mes surged around her body as she rose to the air.


    A Purple Camel bathed in mes appeared out of nowhere, serving as her mount.


    The members of the Order of the Apocalypse looked at this scene with various expressions on their faces.


    Now that Paimon had summoned her War Camel, everyone understood that she was now about to fight seriously.


    Camazotz smirked before unfurling his bat-like wings.


    It was at this moment that Paimon finally understood what was happening.


    "You managed to increase your Rank," Paimon snorted. "So that''s where your confidence is ing from?"


    "No," Camazotz replied. "My confidence ising from the fact that I am fighting someone weaker than me. You''ve known me for a long time, so why do you still not understand?


    "I''m someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong. Since I am fighting you, you already understand, right?"


    The purple mes surrounding Paimon intensified out of anger.


    "Are you calling me weak?" Paimon asked.


    "Yes," Camazotz replied.


    A sneer appeared on Paimon''s face as she whipped her camel, making it roar.


    The Camel then soared to the sky.


    A momentter, a wave of purple mes descended from the Heavens. The purple mes were like a that spanned for miles, preventing Camazotz from escaping.


    Paimon knew that Camazotz relied on his speed to ovee his opponents. He was already very fast before, and that was when he only had a pair of wings.


    Now that he had two pairs of wings, the Majin Princess knew that her opponent''s speed might have increased drastically, especially since Camazotz had also be a Peak-Ranked Majin Prince.


    She was expecting the Death Bat to escape, but to her surprise, the Death Bat didn''t escape.


    No.


    The Death Bat flew straight toward her, facing the purple mes that her Camel had unleashed.


    "Is he mad?" Beelzebub, who was watching the battle frowned. "This is suicide." "It''s not suicide," Thirteenmented. "Paimon''s mes are strong. But in her desire to ensure that Camazotz wouldn''t be able to escape, she had stretched it too thin, covering a wide area. Basically, it''s no longer as potent as it used to be."


    As if proving Thirteen''s words right, the Death Bat sliced through the mes without suffering any serious damage.


    But, who was Paimon?


    She had already anticipated something like that, so the moment Camazotz appeared past the wall of mes, her Camel dived down in a ze of fury.


    A giant purpleet descended upon the Death Bat, but Camazotz only sneered and faced it head-on, transforming into a crims.


    The two powerful beings collided, creating a shock wave that rippled in a brilliant light.


    A pained cry reverberated in the surroundings as Paimon''s Camel was blown away from the impact, making Paimon almost fall off from its back.


    Camazotz''s right arm was blown off entirely from its body, making him look like a sorry sight.


    Thirteen couldn''t help but arch an eyebrow as he looked at the Death Bat''s pitiful state.


    ''I see, so that''s how it is,'' Thirteen thought and a faint smile appeared on his face. ''You''ve changed, Camazotz.''


    A pained expression could be seen on the Death Bat''s face whichsted for a few seconds before it was reced by a confident smile.


    Suddenly, Camazotz started tough out loud, which made Paimon, who had already regained herposure, look at the Death Bat in surprise.


    ''Did he go crazy after getting his arm blown off?'' Paimon thought.


    Although she was thinking that the Death Bat had gone crazy, a part of her felt fearful because


    that was her full-powered strike.


    It should''ve been more than enough to kill a Majin Prince two times over. But, her target


    didn''t die.


    Even though Camazotz''s right arm had been blown off his body, the Majin Princess still felt


    very anxious.


    "Paimon, if you have no more tricks left, I''ll be ending this battle now," Camazotz said. "So if you still have any trump cards, use them now because you might not have the opportunity to


    use themter."


    "You''re still talking big even after you lost your arm?" Paimon sneered. "How about you surrender? Metatron can still treat your injury if you surrender now."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Injury?" Camazotz chuckled. "What injury?"


    The flesh on the Death Bat''s destroyed arm started to move as if they were living creatures.


    They then started to reform at an incredibly fast rate, making Paimon''s eyes widen in shock.


    In less than a minute, Camazotz had fully regrown his left arm as if nothing had happened. "Paimon, if you no longer have any trump cards, I''ll end this battle," Camazotz stated. "I''ll give you one minute to give me your best shot."


    Thirteen, who was watching Camazotz from the projection, gave the Death Bat a thumbs up in


    his heart.


    He had noticed that Camazotz didn''t activate the power of his Legendary Armor and was solely using his other abilities to face Paimon head-on.


    If he had used the power of his armor earlier, the Camel that Paimon was riding on might have imploded due to the reflection ability that he had imbued in the armor.


    Sensing that this might truly be thest time that she would be given the chance to use her Trump Card, Paimon closed her eyes and made some hand seals.


    Her power was Creation.


    She had the ability to turn her purple mes into anything that she desired.


    "You can be proud of yourself because you have forced me into a corner," Paimon said icily.


    "If you survive this attack, I will ept it as my loss."


    A purple ming knight, riding on a nightmare horse, appeared beside Paimon.


    But it didn''t end there.


    More knights appeared, covering the entire sky with their numbers.


    "Answer the call of your Queen!" Paimon shouted, pointing her finger towards the Death Bat


    on the ground.


    "Charge! Knights of Goetia!"


    The rumbling of tens of thousands of hooves reverberated in the sky as Paimon''s Knights charged at the Death Bat, who had taken a fighting stance as he faced his opponent''s ultimate


    attack.

 Chapter 638 I Shatter The Heavens In A Single Flight [Part 2]

    Chapter 638 I Shatter The Heavens In A Single Flight [Part 2]


    "So that''s Paimon''s Noble Phant*sm," Thirteen muttered.


    "Noble what?" Kamsurespa, who was seated beside him, asked.


    "Um, I mean, that''s her ultimate attack."


    "Ah¡­"


    Everyone watched with bated breath as the Knights of Goetia, who had the strength of Rank 8 Monsters, charged en masse.


    Although they were only Rank 8 Monsters, they numbered in the tens of thousands, which was more than enough to defeat a Majin Prince and seriously injure a Majin King.


    This attack was only possible due to the purple earrings that Paimon had kept with her for hundreds of years.


    Those earrings were simr to the ring Thirteen had given to Erica, which automatically absorbed the excess Aether that was being released by her body.


    The longer this artifact gathered this excess power, the more formidable it would be.


    Paimon had been nurturing this artifact for hundreds of years, so its potency had reached to this level.


    Truth be told, she didn''t want to use this against Camazotz. If they were only fighting an ordinary duel, she would definitely not use this artifact even if she lost.


    However, they made a contract that would make the loser of this battle the servant of the victor.


    Paimon was a proud Majin Princess, so how could she allow herself to be a ve?


    Even though her heart was bleeding due to using the artifact that she had painstakingly nurtured for hundreds of years, she no longer had any abilities that could help her win against the Death Bat, whose strength had now surpassed hers.


    Camazotz took a fighting stance as red lightning bolts streaked across his entire body. He knew that if he still held back, he would undoubtedly lose.


    However, he still didn''t activate his armor and simply channeled all of his strength to his ws and wings.


    "I shatter the Heavens in a single flight," Camazotz said in a voice that almost no one could hear. "Let the world scream in fear!"


    The air around the Death Bat seemed to shatter as he opened his wings to take flight. "Supersonus Impetus!"


    A loud explosion shook the entirend as Camazotz shot to the sky, leaving a gigantic crater on the ground.


    The Knights of the Goetia only saw a crimson blur before all of them were sliced in half.


    Paimon''s face turned pale because, in just the span of three seconds, Camazotz had appeared right in front of her with his ws mped on her neck, holding it in a vice grip.


    "Do¡­ you¡­ yield?" Camazotz asked hoarsely.


    "Y-Yes," Paimon replied.


    A momentter, the two found themselves back in the room of the Apocalypse, with both of them standing a few meters away from each other.


    "Wonderful," Metatron said while pping his hands. "It has been a while since I saw a fight like that. I am very happy that the members of our Order have be so strong."


    The God of the Apocalypse eyed the Death Bat, who had opened a portal beside him and walked straight to it without saying a word.


    Paimon could only look at the portal with a conflicted look on her face. She had clearly lost the battle, so she was expecting to be teased by the Death Bat for losing.


    However, instead of ridiculing and humiliating her, Camazotz chose to leave and return to his domain, leaving her behind.


    Thirteen, who had also finished eating his potato chips, looked at Kamrusepa with a knowing smile.


    The Majin Princess smiled back and handed the teenage boy three Rank 8 Beast Cores, which he had won from his bet.


    "Thanks!" Thirteen said before opening a portal to return home to Pangea. Now that he had acquired what he wanted and watched Camazotz''s brilliant battle, the teenage boy was in a good mood.


    However, the other members of the Apocalypse didn''t share his good mood because all of them had lost against Kamrusepa.


    They could only watch bitterly as the Majin Princess stored their items inside her storage artifact with a smile on her face.


    "Did you open that betting because you knew that we would bet against Camazotz?" Beelzebub asked. "Yes," Kamrusepa replied honestly. "I know that Camazotz is someone who chooses his battles. He will not fight a battle where he will lose."


    Paimon could only sigh helplessly after hearing the Majin Princess'' words. Since she had lost her bet, she would now be Camazotz''s servant, which made the other members of the Order feel pity for her.


    "Paimon, I''m sorry, but you can no longer remain in our Faction," one of the three Majin Kings in the Order of the Apocalypse, who goes by the name Zagan, said with pity. "It is truly unfortunate that you lost to Camazotz."


    Paimon bit her lip, but she knew that this was something inevitable.


    Since she was now Camazotz''s servant, her status within the order had dropped to the lowest point, making her the "weakest" member of their Order.


    Although they were part of the same organization, they treated each other as rivals.


    Only the strong would be able to stand tall and be the Leader of the Order.


    "Paimon, how about you join us?" Kamrusepa proposed. "I promise that you will not lose out and even gain more by joining our group."


    Zagan arched an eyebrow after hearing Kamrusepa''s deration. However, he didn''t say anything because the Majin Princess was ahead of them all when it came to unlocking the differentyers of the Treasury of the Apocalypse.


    Paimon hesitated for a bit because she didn''t have any ns of joining Camazotz''s group. However, after being kicked out of her faction, she had lost her backers, which was very important within their organization.


    "I¡­" Paimon frowned.


    But before she could finish her words, Kamrusepa whispered something in her ear.


    "All of our members are strong," Kamrusepa whispered. "Especially Thirteen. With him as our leader, there is no one we need to fear in the Order."


    The images of Thirteen''s battle with the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent shed across Paimon''s mind, making her remember how valiant the teenage boy looked back then.


    Also, Camazotz, whom she believed was only a leech in Kamrusepa''s group, had just defeated her in battle.


    Because of this, she had no right to call him the weakest member of their organization anymore.


    As for Kamrusepa?


    Although she wasn''t strong inbat, she was a very powerful Majin Princess'' who could use Divination.


    She was also the only one who managed to unlock the 6th Layer of the Treasury of the Apocalypse, proving how capable she was.


    ''Maybe it''s not a bad idea to join their group,'' Paimon thought.


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she wasn''t losing out in the slightest.


    Paimon regained a bit of her confidence, as she gazed at the beautiful Majin Princess of Prophecy.


    Their eyes met, and the only thing Paimon could see in Kamrusepa''s eyes was overflowing confidence, which made her chest feel warm.


    "Okay, I''ll join your team." Paimon agreed.


    "Wonderful!" Kamrusepa nodded with a smile. "Now,e with me. We have lots to talk about."


    Zagan and the other members of their team watched as Kamrusepa dragged Paimon away.


    Although they felt that losing one of their members was a shame, they didn''t delve too much into it.


    After all, they weren''t exactly friends.


    They were merely brought together by Fate.


    And by Fate''s will, their fortunes would rise and fall, which wasn''t a problem for Thirteen''s group, which was formed to fight against Fate and shape their destinies with their own hands.

 Chapter 639: Having A Bad Feeling

    Chapter 639: Having A Bad Feeling


    ?


    After returning to Pangea, Thirteen immediately saw Pico and Pica talking to Rhia.


    The two baby Pocopocos had hit it off with his little sister right away, so they often yed with her, alongside Uncle Boo and Albion.


    When the little girl saw her brother, she immediately ran in his direction, her arms spread wide.


    "Bwadah!" Rhia called out happily.


    Thirteen caught his sister and carried her like he always did. Rhia, on the other hand, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.


    The teenage boy then brought his sister to the training ground and checked on the progress of his ves-errr, trainees.


    Derek was currently fighting against Drazzat, and the two seemed to be on equal footing.


    Shana, on the other hand, was doing her best to dodge or block cky''s attack.


    During their journey in Solterra, he noticed that Derek''s foundations were already pretty solid and that thetter only needed to gain fighting experience in order to increase his strength.


    Since Drazzat was a Lizardman Commander, as well as a strong fighter, he asked him to spar against Derek, so that the swordsman would experience what it was like to fight against a spearman.


    Shana, on the other hand, needed to have more awareness in battle.


    As the healer and the pir of the Hero Party, there would be times when the monsters would prioritize attacking her instead of the Vanguard.


    But the only monsters who would be able to get past Rnd''s, Derek''s, and Diana''s defenses were extremely fast monsters.


    Because of this, cky was the perfect opponent for Shana, who must learn how to survive until her team members came to her rescue.


    Now that he had seen how diligent they were in their training, Thirteen entered the house and handed Rhia to his mother, Alessia.


    The young man then went to the Training Room, where Erica and Rianna were currentlyying down on Yoga Mats.


    The two were fighting inside the GANDAM World because Thirteen was training the two of them to handle ranged attacks from the enemies.


    Since Erica was a Fire Sorceress and Rianna was a Ranger, the sh between magic and arrows was perfect training for the two of them.


    Originally, Erica thought that she would have the advantage because she could fly in the sky. However, it didn''t take long before she realized that she was greatly mistaken.


    Rianna had be an incredibly good marksman after being trained by Thirteen. She could now fire arrows consecutively while on the run and dodging Erica''s spells.


    Thirteen had banned Erica from using her Magic Bullets, which had tracking properties because he didn''t want the Sorceress to rely too much on them.


    Erica knew that Thirteen was only doing this for her sake, so she didn''tin and unleashed her fire spells left and right.


    Rianna, who was not having an easy time evading the spells that were raining down on her, had a faint smile on her face.


    Although she was smiling, she was taking this training seriously.


    This was the first time that she was facing Erica''s bombardment directly, and she was learning a lot of things from this experience.


    Thirteen watched their battle through the projection and nodded in satisfaction.


    He then shifted his gaze to Mikhail, Shasha, and Remi, who were also lying on yoga mats a distance away from the two youngdies.


    Thirteen had added the information of the Monsters whom he had faced in the Trial of Courage.


    Currently, Mikhail and Shasha were fighting against a Rank 6 Umbrafang, which was giving them a hard time.


    Remi, on the other hand, was fighting against three Rank 1 Feral Monkeys.


    His little sister could easily defeat a Rank 1 Monster in a one-on-one battle. However, she was weak when it came to fighting against a group, so Thirteen was making sure that she would know how to deal with these kinds of situations in the future.


    Fifteen minutester, Mikhail and Shasha removed the Neuro-Links from their heads and sighed in frustration.


    "That monster is not only strong but incredibly fast as well," Mikhail said with a frown. Shasha nodded. "Fighting it in a Forest is a nightmare. Fortunately, this is only training. If we met something like that in Solterra, we might have been seriously injured, or worse..."


    Mikhail and Shasha were now powerful Wanderers in their own right.


    Mikhail was an Initiate, while Shasha was an Apostle.


    Their ranks were weaker than the Rank 6 Umbrafang.


    But due to the Divine Martial Techniques that Thirteen had bestowed upon them, they were able to fight against stronger opponents who surpassed their Ranks.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Even so, that didn''t make them invincible, so they suffered losses against their opponent.


    Remi, who was lying beside them, also removed the Neuro-Link on her head and sighed deeply.


    "I''m still not strong enough to fight against three Feral Monkeys," Remi muttered in disappointment.


    While she was feeling depressed, she felt a hand lightly pat her head.


    "You''re doing well, Remi," Thirteen said with a smile. "You managed to defeat one of the Feral Monkeys before you got defeated. That''s already an achievement, you know?"


    "But brother can defeat those monkeys easily, and we''re both Rookies," Remi replied with a


    pout.


    Shasha gave her little sister a hug and whispered something in her ear.


    "You shouldn''t treat Zion as an ordinary Rookie," Shasha whispered. "He is different from


    us."


    Remi nodded in understanding. She was happy that her brother was training her seriously, but she was feeling frustrated because she was unable to meet his expectations.


    "You''re still young, Remi," Mikhail said with a smile. "When I was your age, I wouldn''t even be able to win against two Feral Monkeys, yet you fought three. Being able to survive that long is already a good thing."


    After getting encouragement from her siblings, Remi finally felt better and listened to Thirteen''s pointers that he noticed during his battle.


    The teenage boy also gave Mikhail and Shasha pointers after he finished telling Remi things that she should watch out for whenever she was fighting multiple monsters.


    "Zion, you''re so good." Mikhail looked at his little brother with pride. "Is there something


    you can''t do?"


    "I can''t get pregnant," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat.


    "You also can''t cook," Shashamented from the side.


    A few secondster, both she and Remi giggled at the same time because they had suffered terribly from Thirteen''s cooking.


    To this day, they still wonder how any dish that their brother cooked always tasted like


    bubblegum.


    While the siblings were having a lively chat with each other, Thirteen''smunicator began


    to ring.


    When the teenage boy saw the name of the caller, a frown appeared on his face before picking


    up the call.


    "Yes, Gramps? Do you need something?" Thirteen asked


    Usually, Arthur wouldn''t bother calling him unless it was absolutely important. Since the


    Patriarch of the Leventis Family was calling him now, this meant that something very


    important had happened.


    "Come to the Main Residence now," Arthur ordered. "We need to talk about something very important. I don''t want to talk about this over themunicator."


    "Understood." Thirteen replied.


    Since there was a possibility that their talks could be intercepted by third parties, it was indeed inappropriate to talk about important matters through themunicator. "I''ll be going to Gramps'' ce for a while," Thirteen replied. "The three of you rest for an hour, then return to training. If I''m not back before lunch, don''t wait for me and just eat." After saying those words, Thirteen left for the Leventis Main Residence. Fortunately, Arthur had already asked Hanz to pick him up, so he no longer needed to worry about how he would arrive at his destination.


    Several minutester, Thirteen entered the Gate of the Main Residence.


    He noticed that there were a lot of guards in the surroundings, which made him frown.


    ''Did something serious happen?'' Thirteen thought as he followed Hanz to his Grandfather''s


    office.


    For some reason, he was having a bad feeling about this, and usually, his gut instinct was


    right.

 Chapter 640 Don’t Tell Me You’ve Come Here To Have Some Tea With Us?

    Chapter 640 Don¡¯t Tell Me You¡¯ve Come Here To Have Some Tea With Us?


    When Thirteen entered the office of his grandfather, he saw three people inside of it.


    Arthur, Michael, and his Grandma, Lady Callista.


    The two men were looking at Thirteen with conflicted expressions on their faces, contrary to Lady Callista, who had a mischievous smile on her face.


    "Sit beside me, Zion," Lady Callista said with a smile. "Understood, Grandma," Thirteen replied as he obediently took a seat beside his grandma, who now appeared to be in her early thirties. When he saw that his grandson was properly seated, Arthur cut to the chase and asked Thirteen a question.


    "Where''s Gerald right now?" Arthur asked. "In Solterra," Thirteen replied.


    "Where in Solterra?"


    "Somewhere that is a good distance away from the human kingdoms."


    Arthur and Michael exchanged a knowing nce with each other before the old man shifted his attention back to his no-good grandson.


    "There has been a disturbance in Solterra," Arthur said in a serious tone. "This only happened a few hours ago. But ording to rumors circting in the human kingdoms, they sensed the presence of a Mythical Weapon being birthed near the Rosetta Mountains Range.


    "An apparition of a Giant Serpent slithering across the sky appeared, and many people saw it from miles away.


    "Because of this, the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families suspected that someone might have seeded in crafting a Mythical-Grade Equipment."


    Arthur narrowed his eyes as he paid extra attention to Thirteen''s expression.


    "Did your father craft a Mythical Equipment?" Arthur inquired.


    "How can that be?" Thirteen immediately denied his grandfather''s statement. "Pops is a good cksmith, but he''s not that good. How can he possibly craft a Mythical Weapon? Gramps, did you not drink your medicine when you woke up today?"


    The corner of Hans'' lips twitched, while a giggle escaped Lady Callista''s lips.


    Michael had a calm expression on his face, while Arthur looked at his grandson in contempt.


    "Have you forgotten that our family currently possesses four Mythical-Grade Equipment, all of which your father crafted?" Arthur asked in disdain. "Or are you telling me that you already have Alzheimer''s Disease despite being so young?"


    Thirteen lightly tugged Lady Callista''s dress and looked at her with a pitiful gaze.


    "Grandma, Gramps is bullying me," Thirteenined.


    Lady Callista chuckled before pulling her grandson to her embrace and patting his head tofort him.


    Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Answer the question. Did your father seed in crafting another Mythical-Grade Equipment?"


    "Maybe," Thirteen replied. "But since I haven''t seen him for the past few days, I can''t really be sure of it."


    Michael fixed his sses before joining the conversation.


    "The Rosetta Mountain Range spanned for miles, and it belonged to one of the hidden organizations known as the Order of Raziel," Michael exined. "We already have dealt with them in the past thanks to you being the middleman. "We already contacted them and asked what had happened. But they said that a heavenly apparition appeared because one of their Elders managed to break through to the next rank. At least, that is what they want the public to believe."


    Arthur nodded. "If this happened at another time, then people might have epted their response. But the Majin King Scales had just been sold not long ago. Many believed that the Heavenly Apparition appeared because a Mythical-Grade Weapon was born.


    "In the past, a Sword Apparition appeared above your home, and it has rmed many of the factions here in the Aldebaran Continent. There is a possibility that the two incidents will be linked together.


    "So, in order to avoid any trouble, I want you to bring your father back home as fast as possible before the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families start to investigate Gerald''s whereabouts.


    "As long as he makes an appearance here in the Aldebaran Continent, the suspicions of the people will disappear. At least, for the short term, they would not think that it was your father who has crafted a Mythical-Grade Equipment."


    Thirteen understood what his Grandfather was trying to say, and he had to admit that Arthur was indeed being meticulous. After all, the topic of Mythical Equipment was a sensitive issue among the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.


    "Very well, Gramps," Thirteen replied. "I''ll drag my father back kicking and screaming if I have to. For the time being, please put some people at the base of the mountain to prevent spies from entering our residence.


    "If you''re free, you can also visit our home to act as a deterrent. With you there, people will not be too keen on getting close to the residence."


    Arthur nodded. "Very well, we''ll do as you say. Michael, I will leave things here to you for the time being."


    "Understood, Father," Michael replied.


    In order to save time, Arthur grabbed Thirteen and ced him on his shoulder like a sack of rice.


    A momentter, he disappeared from the Leventis Residence and traveled at great speeds toward Thirteen''s home.


    Along the way, he noticed a group of suspicious individuals loitering in the mountains. Arthur snorted and unleashed his presence towards the suspicious group, catching them by surprise.


    Immediately, these people retreated like wild ducks after hearing a gunshot.


    They ran in different directions, but all of them moved away from the mountain where Thirteen''s family lived.


    "It has just been an hour, and they''re already starting their investigation," Arthur said as soon as hended in the backyard of his grandson''s home. "The sooner you bring back your father, the safer your family will be."


    Thirteen nodded. "I''ll be back with him as fast as I can."


    The teenage boy understood the importance of this matter, so he "pretended" to enter the teleportation gate that had been built inside their house.


    However, instead of entering the gate, he used his Ring of the Apocalypse to go to the Meeting Room of their organization.


    From there, Thirteen used his special ability to teleport to the secret headquarters of the Order of Raziel in the Rosetta Mountain Range.


    When he arrived, he immediately looked for his father because the situation was urgent.


    Fortunately, Adira was there to assist him, and she ordered her subordinates to help carry Gerald to the Teleportation Gate, which was connected to the Teleportation Gate in Thirteen''s home.


    The teleportation Gate of the Order of Raziel was deliberately configured to be a one-way teleportation gate, preventing others from invading their headquarters from outside.


    This was also the reason why Thirteen was unable to use the teleportation gate in their house to travel directly to the Rosetta Mountain Range and had to use his own skills to look for his father.


    Just as soon as the Father and Son duo appeared inside their home, they heard the sound of helicopter rotors in the background.


    The two immediately headed outside of the house to see what was happening.


    When Arthur saw that his son and his grandson had returned on time, the worry on his face disappearedpletely.


    The helicopter slowly descended andnded in Thirteen''s backyard.


    "It''s been a while, Arthur, Gerald, and Zion," Trevor Remington said with a smile as soon as the doors of the helicopter opened.


    The Monarch''s gazended on Gerald, as if making sure that he was "the real" Gerald and not some kind of double that the Leventis Family had prepared on time.


    "What are you doing here, Trevor?" Arthur asked coldly. "Don''t tell me you''vee here to have some tea with us?"


    "How did you know?" Trevor asked back in a teasing tone. "I woke up today, and I suddenly felt the strong urge to visit Zion and his family. Having tea together with everyone doesn''t sound like a bad idea."


    Although Trevor was smiling, Thirteen noticed the sh of disappointment that briefly appeared on the Monarch''s face.


    Fortunately, they had arrived in time before the Monarch suspected that his father had managed to craft a Mythical-Grade Weapon, which could upset the delicate bnce between the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.

 Chapter 641: What Will You Do If He Becomes As Dumb As You?!

    Chapter 641: What Will You Do If He Bes As Dumb As You?!


    ?


    Just minutes after Trevor Remington arrived, three more helicoptersnded in the backyard of the Leventis Family.


    The people inside them were none other than the representatives of the Smith and Lockwood Families, who were part of the Prestigious Families of the Aldebaran Continent.


    Of course, the other representatives of the Monarch ns, as well as the other Ten Prestigious Families, had also joined the fray, making Arthur feel like he was about to have a headache.


    Clearly, these factions were paying close attention to Thirteen''s Family because of what happened in Solterra.


    All of them were old foxes, so none of them believed that the Leventis Family didn''t possess any scales of the Majin King.


    Of course, the representatives of the Rigel Continent had onlye to watch the fun. After all, Wendell Elrod had personally received some Serpent Scales from Zion, so he knew that the teenage boy had a few more scales to spare.


    He also knew that Gerald was a cksmith, and truth be told, he was also paying close attention to the teenage boy''s residence because of the apparition that appeared on the mountain where they resided many years ago.


    Back then, everyone thought that it was just a coincidence.


    But now that another apparition had appeared in the Rosetta Mountain Range, they couldn''t help but suspect that Gerald might have something to do with the rumored Mythical Weapon that appeared in Solterra.


    "Dad, I know I''m famous, but did all of theme here to get my autograph?" Thirteen asked in an innocent tone.


    "Nonsense," Gerald replied. "Clearly, they are here because they want to see my good looks. You see, several years ago, everyone was hiding their daughters from me because they were afraid that they''d fall in love with me.


    "Zion, your father had too much charm back then. Even now that I am married, these old foggers probably still want to throw their daughters at me."


    The representatives of the Monarch ns, as well as the Prestigious Families, were very tempted to spit at Gerald for being shameless.


    However, since they hade with bad intentions, all of them decided to just pretend that they didn''t hear anything.


    Arthur could only sigh in relief because Thirteen had managed to bring back his father on time. Had he failed, things might have beplicated.


    But since he was also one of those old foxes who stood at the apex of the world, he nced at the people who had entered his family''s backyard with contempt.


    "I didn''t think that you guys would just trespass on my property uninvited," Arthur said with a smile. "Since when did we ignore the proper protocol for such things?"


    Trevor and the other uninvited guests could only give Arthur an apologetic look, for it was true that they had overstepped their bounds.


    All of them could see that the old man looked unhappy, but since this matter was too important, they didn''t have a choice but to take a chance and offend him.


    "Please calm down, Arthur," Trevor Remington replied. "We are indeed in the wrong this time. We''ll make sure to properlypensate youter for your trouble."


    "Um, if you are going topensate us, make sure to send it to me directly," Thirteen replied. "You trespassed in our home-not Gramps'' home. It''s only fair that youpensate us, right?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Of course, Zion," Trevor said with a smile. "We will send thepensation to you directly." "Good." Thirteen nodded. "Since you are already here, can I offer you some water at least?" "Shouldn''t you offer us some tea or coffee?" the Patriarch of the Smith Family, Morris Smith asked.


    "Why would I do that?" Thirteen blinked. "We''re not holding a party, and I don''t want any of you to stay. The fact that I''m offering you guys water before you leave is already showing our hospitality. Can you please not be shameless?"


    Morris almost choked on his saliva after hearing the teenage boy''s reply.


    Trevor and the other people who hade to check if Gerald was in the Leventis Residence couldn''t help but chuckle internally because the Patriarch of the Smith Family looked like he had just eaten a fly.


    Suddenly, a representative from the Ashford n took a step forward and introduced himself.


    "Good Day, Sir Zion," the middle-aged man said. "My name is Darius Ashford. I am the cousin of the Patriarch, and I came here to ask if you possess any Scales from the Majin King. We are willing to negotiate the price that will suit your liking."


    Hearing Darius say such a thing, the other representatives also introduced themselves and said the same thing as theirrade.


    "Scales?" Thirteen tilted his head. "What scales? Are you talking about the Scales from the Majin King? I don''t have any of those in my possession."


    Darius smiled after hearing the teenage boy''s reply. Clearly, he didn''t believe a single word that Zion had said.


    How could the one who had supposedly defeated the Majin king not get anything from his hard work?


    They might have epted the excuse that Lace Demon had stepped up to give some assistance to Zion to fight the Majin King, the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious ns, but they believed that the boy still had more Serpent Scales in his possession.


    "I almost forgot to ask, why are all of you here?" Thirteen frowned. "Did you reallye here to throw your daughters at my father? Even if your daughters are willing, my Pops is too scared of my mom to ept them. He''s the role model of all hen-pecked husbands in the world, you kno-aa!"


    Gerald didn''t hold back and smacked the teenage boy''s head, making Arthur smack him back. "Don''t hit Zion''s head!" Arthur said in anger. "What will you do if he bes as dumb as you?!"


    Gerald, who had been smacked back, couldn''t even refute his father''s words because he was right.


    If not for the fact that Zion had called him a hen-pecked husband in public, he wouldn''t have reacted so strongly as he did earlier!

 Chapter 642: Poking A Hornet’s Nest

    Chapter 642: Poking A Ho¡¯s Nest


    ?


    Arthur continued to nag at Gerald, making thetter''s face turn beet red out of shame and anger.


    Seeing this scene, the "uninvited visitors" all smiled, with some of them evenughing at Gerald''s sorry state.


    Seeing that the real Gerald was indeed at home, they no longer thought that he was the one responsible for the apparition that happened in the Rosetta Mountains.


    One by one, they bid their farewell and promised topensate Zion''s family for trespassing on their property.


    Arthur watched them go, and only when he could no longer see the helicopters in the sky did he drag Gerald inside the house to interrogate him.


    "Spill the beans," Arthur said after activating a soundproofing artifact that prevented anyone from hearing their conversation. "Did you seed in crafting a Mythical Equipment? Also, what kind of item did you craft?"


    Gerald, who felt down earlier, finally regained his confidence and started tough out loud.


    Arthur didn''t say anything because he could already tell that his suspicion was right. However, until his son confirmed it with his own words, he couldn''t rule out the possibility that his son was just messing with him.


    "Old Man, I have seeded," Gerald said afterughing for a while. "I am the first cksmith in Pangea who has managed to craft a Mythical-Grade Equipment."


    Arthur inhaled deeply, his eyes filled with excitement.


    He knew that Zion had over a dozen Serpent Scales in his possession, which meant that there was a possibility that Gerald could craft more Mythical-Grade Equipment once themotion finally died down.


    "Good job. But for now, don''t leave the house." Arthur patted his son''s shoulder. "The Monarch ns and the other Prestigious Families are still suspicious of you, so don''t give them a reason to investigate further."


    "I know," Gerald replied. "I''ll stay here for the time being."


    After making sure that his son understood the severity of the situation, Arthur left and returned to the Main Residence.


    Right now, a storm is brewing in Solterra and Pangea.


    In order to prepare for future threats, the Leventis Family must keep a low profile and sharpen their des, then wait until the right momentes.


    Thirteen had already provided them with the necessary items that they needed in order to face their rivals.


    They had also secured some hidden alliances from the Elrod n, as well as the Central Government.


    While the teenage boy knew that the political arena of Pangea was a tangled mess, he still knew who was on the same team and those who were on the opposite team.


    Right now, the Stard n and the Ashford n were in an alliance. The other Prestigious Families in the Sirius Continent were also under their umbre, so they were very wary of their movements.


    The people in the Cygni Continent still needed Thirteen''s help, so for now, they weren''t his enemies.


    The Dvalinn Federation was very thankful to him and could be considered as one of his supporters.


    As for the Aldebaran Continent?


    The Remington n, the Smith Family, and the Lockwood Family yed a neutral stance.


    However, Thirteen still didn''t trust thempletely, so he didn''t n to invite them into an alliance for the time being.


    "Pops, if you hear any sounds tonight, ignore them all," Thirteen said in a serious tone.


    "Are we going to have visitors tonight?" Gerald asked with an understanding look on his face.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Yes."


    "Do you need help?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "I am enough to handle them. Just sleep and ignore any sounds you hear tonight.


    Gerald nodded. "How about your friends?"


    "They''ll be helping meter," Thirteen answered.


    Gerald frowned. "Are you sure? It might be too dangerous for them."


    "There''s a possibility that they will fight against humans in the future," Thirteenmented. "It''s not a bad idea to let them gain some experience in fighting against other Wanderers. I''m sure they will benefit from this in the future."


    Gerald sighed before reluctantly agreeing to his son''s idea. But, he still made sure to make his son promise that they wouldn''t get into any danger.


    "Pops, don''t worry," Thirteen patted his chest. "They''ll be safe as long as they fight within our territory. After all, I made sure that even if a Rank 9 Monster steps on our house, the only one that will get hurt will be them."


    After seeing how confident his son was, Gerald no longer felt any anxiousness because Thirteen always kept his promises.


    When he finished talking to his father, Thirteen gathered the members of the Hero Party, Rianna, Mikhail, and Shasha.


    Remi was still too young, so he didn''t n to let her join the battle.


    She would be tasked to sleep with Rhia in her room so that his little sister wouldn''t feel anxious if the sounds of fighting reached her ears.


    Just as he expected, the faces of the teenagers all turned solemn when they heard that they would be fighting against humans during the night.


    "Master, are you sure that someone will attack your family during the night?" Derek asked. "We''re still in the territory of the Leventis Family. Just who is so bold as to do such a thing?"


    "Who else?" Thirteen replied. "The only ones who will dare to do such a thing are the families of the same Rank or higher than the Leventis Family. But you don''t have to worry. If theye, then we will deal with them.


    "If they don''te, that''s fine too. Living a peaceful and happy life is the secret to longevity. If they don''t cause us trouble, then we won''t cause them trouble."


    After their meeting ended, Thirteen asked them to stop their training and get a proper rest.


    They would need to be at their peak when their uninvited visitorse snooping into Thirteen''s home.


    Truth be told, Thirteen was already more or less sure that it would happen.


    He had scattered many runic formations around the mountains surrounding their home.


    Because of this, he was able to notice that there were certain individuals spying on their


    family.


    Back then, they were still trying to feel things out.


    But due to thetest development in Solterra, Thirteen was certain that these people would no longer be able to sit still and act as soon as possible.


    Since that was the case, he would give them a warm wee that would make them understand that they were poking a ho''s nest, which would make them feel a world of


    pain.

 Chapter 643: Those Who Were Hailed As Untouchables [Part 1]

    Chapter 643: Those Who Were Hailed As Untouchables [Part 1]


    ?


    Only a few minutes were left until the clock struck midnight, and the only light that could be seen in Thirteen''s residence was from themp posts outside their house.


    All the lights inside were off, normally indicating that the people inside the house were


    already asleep.


    Under the cover of darkness, eight Grandmasters crossed the distance between the forest and the Leventis Residence.


    The first ce they visited was Gerald''s Forge, where he kept most of his forging tools.


    The intruders scanned the interior of the forge and closely observed some of Gerald''s tools to check their quality.


    "All of them are Adamantine-Grade," the Leader of the group muttered. "Still, I don''t see anything special here. How about you guys?"


    "There''s nothing to see here, Sir," one of his subordinates replied. "The Monster Parts that have been stored in the other room belonged to Rank 6 and Rank 7 Monsters. There''s nothing special about them."


    The Leader nodded as he returned and gave the surroundings another nce.


    "Are there any hiddenpartments that we might have overlooked?" the Leader asked.


    "We did find a hiddenpartment but..." the Subordinate hesitated.


    "But what?" the Leader asked. "Speak up. We don''t have much time."


    "There''s nothing special hidden on it aside from Graveur Magazines," the Subordinate replied.


    The Leader of the group was stunned after hearing his subordinate''s reply. Out of curiosity, he asked who the model on the covers was. It might give him a hint on what kind of hobbies Gerald had, which might be useful in their future operations.


    "It''s Freya Ellen," the subordinate replied.


    The Leader nodded. "He has good taste. Perhaps he''s afraid that his wife would get jealous, so he hid those things in his secretpartment."


    After doing onest sweep of the Smithy, the group decided to sneak inside the house.


    However, just as they were about to do that, all the lights of themp posts went out, and darkness descended upon the group.


    None of the people panicked because they all possessed abilities simr to Dark Vision, allowing them to see even in the darkness.


    Suddenly, the Leader brandished his sword behind his back, dispersing a few magic bullets that were aimed behind his blind spot.


    The intruders exchanged a nce with each other before they all ran in different directions. They had already made many contingency ns beforehand, so they already knew what to do in the case that they were discovered.


    All of them were Grandmasters who specialized in stealth, infiltration, and escaping from critical situations.


    They knew that Gerald and Alessia were both Grandmasters, though the one they were most worried about was Gerald.


    There were rumors flying around that he was already a Champion after he had defeated the Assassins from Death Wish twice.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    So instead of a confrontation, all of them chose to escape and fight again another day.


    The Leader, who was the strongest of them all, thought that he had already escaped after running for nearly ten minutes straight.


    However, before he could feel good about himself, he saw something move from the corner of his eyes.


    Five magic bullets were headed in his direction, which made him snort.


    With a few precise shes of his sword, the Magic Bullets were all dealt with, making them disperse in a faint light.


    "It''s alreadyte at night, My Lady," the Leader said. "Isn''t it time for you to get some beauty sleep?"


    The group had already investigated everyone staying in the Leventis Residence. Because of this, the leader already knew who he was dealing with.


    "How can I get any beauty sleep when there are some perverts lying around?" Erica asked


    with a smile as she hovered dozens of meters away from the Grandmaster.


    "You are not a match for me," the Leader of the Group stated. "We didn''te to hurt anyone in the residence, so don''t force my hand."


    Right now, Erica''s Rank was Elite.


    The Grandmaster was three Ranks above her, but she didn''t care about that.


    After seeing a Rookie like Zion fight against monsters whom she couldn''t possibly hope to defeat, her mentality had started to shift.


    She no longer cared about the Ranks of her enemies.


    If a Rookie like Zion can fight against a Majin Prince and a Majin King, how could she possibly back away from fighting a Grandmaster?


    Erica flicked her hands, and countless Magic Bullets rained down on the sky, making the Leader of the Infiltration Group frown.


    ''She''s so young, yet she''s already this good,'' the Leader thought. ''As expected of the Sorceress from the Hero Party.''


    Although he and his group had fought on many battlefields and dyed their hands with blood, they truly had no intention of killing or crippling the members of the young generation, especially those from the Hero Party.


    First of all, they were afraid that the Monarch of the Central Government would retaliate, which was something that his employer wouldn''t want to happen at all costs.


    Because of this, the members of the Hero Party were part of the list of "Untouchables," meaning that the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families wouldn''t attack them no matter


    what.


    Of course, there was an exception.


    As long as they were able to do it without the deed being traced back to them, they didn''t have


    to worry about retaliation.


    At least, that was what other people thought.


    However, they had been warned that the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton, had a special ability that allowed him to know the truth of the world.


    The Leader of the Infiltration Group was just an ant in the grand scheme of things, and this was a hidden danger that he wouldn''t want to test. This left him no choice but to endure Erica''s bombardment.


    While the Leader was dealing with the Sorceress of the Hero Party, his other members found themselves entangled with several persistent individuals that made their escape quite


    difficult.


    Mikhail and Shasha dealt with one Agent each.


    The same could be said for Derek.


    Diana, Rianna, and Mildred were also fighting one-on-one battles with the intruders.


    Shana, on the other hand, stood on the rooftop of the Leventis Residence and unfurled her


    Silver Banner.


    She then expanded her support abilities towards hisrades, giving them powerful buffs that allowed them to fight against opponents above their current Ranks.


    The only thing she could do right now was to y her role well and ensure that her friends would not suffer any fatal injuries in battle.


    Meanwhile, a few miles away from Thirteen''s home, Arthur stood on the roof of his mansion


    and observed the battle from afar.


    Thirteen had already informed him that something like this might happen, and he was


    requested to not interfere in the battle.


    Arthur agreed, but that didn''t mean that he would just stand by and watch as the other ns mess with his territory.


    Since they dared to y dirty with him, he would definitely return the favor in the future.


    ''They really look down on the Leventis Family that much, huh?'' Arthur curled up his lips in disdain. ''If only I didn''t promise that kid to keep a low profile, this world would understand that messing with me is thest thing they wished to do.''


    After the battle against the Artemians, Arthur, Lady Callista, Michael, and Hans received a great boost in their strength with the help of his no-good grandson.


    Right now, Arthur''s sword was properly sheathed in its scabbard.


    However, the day he took out the de from his sheathe, would be the same day where the bnce of power in the world would be reshuffled.

 Chapter 644: Those Who Were Hailed As Untouchables [Part 2]

    Chapter 644: Those Who Were Hailed As Untouchables [Part 2]


    ?


    The Eighth Agent could hear the sound of fighting across the mountainside.


    But since he and the other members of his group knew that their priority was to escape from their current circumstances, he decided not to help any of them.


    However, just as he was about to head deeper into the forest of the mountain, he saw


    countless red eyes shining in the darkness.


    The Grandmaster was surprised, for in his knowledge, the Mountain Range only had normal wildlife, like wild boars, inside of it.


    However, the feeling that he was getting from those eyes was different.


    He believed that these eyes weren''t that of ordinary animals but of monsters.


    His many years in Solterra and Pangea had allowed him to discern such things.


    ''I''m surrounded,'' the Agent''s expression turned grim after realizing that he had nowhere to go.


    Suddenly, a skunk that was at least three meters tall appeared in front of him.


    ''Rank 6 Sovereign,'' the Agent felt a cold shiver run down his spine after seeing his opponent. But knowing that he had no ce to run, the Agent gritted his teeth and unleashed his killer blows toward the monster, who was looking back at him with eyes filled with pity.


    A scream reverberated in the night, which made the other Agents, who were fighting the teenagers, feel their hearts turn cold.


    "You are granted permission to use any and all means to escape," the Leader of the Group said through theirmunicators. "If you need to injure your opponent, then so be it. I will take responsibility for everything!"


    After hearing their Leader''s orders, all the Agents no longer held back and started to fight seriously.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The pressure that the teenagers faced increased drastically, but none of them backed down.


    Meanwhile, standing beside Shana on the rooftop of the Leventis Residence, Thirteen took out a binocr and checked the current situation of the battlefield.


    "Can you see them?" Shana asked with curiosity.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I can see them perfectly."


    Of course, Thirteen was lying.


    The vision of the binocrs was limited.


    However, the members of the Parade of the Hundred Demons had been scattered throughout the mountainside, and they were all currently monitoring the battles while using their stealth abilities.


    Thirteen didn''t give them any order to help the teenagers because he understood that the Intruders had no intention of killing anyone.


    Although they might suffer serious injuriester on, none of them would be life-threatening.


    Shana could treat them just fine, so there was nothing to worry about.


    Suddenly, a beautifuldy appeared beside Thirteen and Shana, almost making the Saintess jump out of fright.


    "Are you sure you have no ns to help them, Zion?" the beautifuldy asked.


    "No, Grandma," Thirteen replied. "This will be a valuable experience for all of them."


    Lady Callista nodded. "I sent Hans to look after Mikhail and Shasha. If their enemies n to be vicious and go for the kill, he will interfere with the battle. I hope you won''t mind."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding. "That''s fine, Grandma. But Mikhail and Shasha will not lose."


    Lady Callista smiled faintly. "You''re that confident huh?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    Lady Callista then shifted her attention to the beautiful Saintess, who was standing beside her grandson.


    "I believe this is the first time that we''ve met, Miss Shana," Lady Callista said. "I''m Callista Leventis. Zion''s grandmother. Just call me Lady Callista."


    "Pleasure to meet you, Lady Callista," Shana replied respectfully.


    "Alright, I know that you kids are busy, so I won''t bother you anymore." Lady Callista smiled.


    Shana nodded as she closed her eyes to focus on the situation on the battlefield.


    Thirteen had given everyone a bracelet that allowed Shana to check their location, as well as current conditions.


    Because of this, she was able to remotely use her healing abilities despite the distance between them.


    These bracelets were imbued with Rune Magic, allowing Shana to use them as a medium to manifest her skills.


    When Shana and the rest learned about the bracelet''s abilities, they were quite shocked because this was the first time that they had seen such an artifact.


    This meant that as long as they were within the Mountains of the Leventis Family, Shana''s support and healing abilities would reach them without fail.


    The sound of trees crashing to the ground spread inside the forest.


    Shasha moved from shadow to shadow, as well as used her clones to attack the Agent from different directions.


    Despite the difference in Rank, the Agent was hard-pressed against her who only had the Rank of an Apostle.


    If Shasha wasn''t using a Divine Martial Art Technique, then she would have already been overwhelmed by her opponent''s fighting prowess.


    The technique was also more powerful during the night, especially when the moon hung in


    the sky.


    Although the moon in the sky wasn''t a full moon, it was more than enough to double her strength, allowing her to surpass the fighting abilities of an Apostle.


    The Agent was rmed because he didn''t expect that Shasha Leventis was this powerful.


    Despite the fact that they had failed their mission, he believed that he would still be rewarded once he returned with the information about the eldest daughter of the Leventis Family.


    Information was power, and sometimes, it yed an important role in the decision-making of a powerful n.


    Suddenly, the Agent heard a cry of pain from behind him.


    A momentter, the body of hisrade mmed behind his back, making him stagger.


    "Shasha, are you done ying?" Mikhail asked. "Zion might nag at you for ying with your


    enemy."


    "Zion will not nag at me," Shasha replied. "He will even praise me because I am testing all of my skills against a stronger opponent."


    Mikhail thought for a bit before nodding in understanding.


    "You should finish up soon," Mikhailmented. "Erica and the rest are about to wrap up their battles as well."


    "Fine," Shasha took a fighting stance with her Rapier right in front of her face, its tip pointing


    towards the sky.


    The rapier''s de glowed faintly with power, making the Agent''s eyes widen in shock.


    Shasha''s body had split, forming over a dozen clones. Despite his strong spiritual senses, the agent was unable to determine which one was real, for they all felt real in his senses.


    "Dance of the Moonlight, Third Form," Shasha said softly.


    "Moonlight Cradle!"


    Several shes of light erupted in the surroundings as Shasha''s clones all swung their rapiers, creating an inescapable de storm, making the Agent utter a bloodcurdling scream as his body was blown away from the impact of Shasha''s merciless sword strikes.


    Hans, who was observing from the shadows, couldn''t help but sigh in admiration after seeing how powerful Mikhail and Shasha had be.


    As someone who also received a Divine Martial Technique from Thirteen, the butler couldn''t help but think that Zion was truly the treasure of the Leventis Family. Ever since he recovered from his injuries, things only got better for everyone.


    Lady Callista was healed from her ailment that everyone deemed as incurable.


    The teenage boy also created miracles one after the other, fighting one strong opponent at a time, elevating his prestige and influence in both Pangea and Solterra.


    Hans believed that as long as Zion stood with the Leventis Family, they had nothing to fear even if the Monarch ns decided to dere war against them.


    Of course, if the Monarch ns truly did such a stupid thing, they would realize that they had just kicked a steel te, which would make them feel a world of pain.


    Hans chuckled internally after imagining these things. But now that his duty was over, he melded with the shadows and returned to the side of his Mistress, who was happily talking with her grandson about the marriage proposals that were being sent through them. Shana, who heard these things, couldn''t help but frown andment that Zion was still too


    young to think about marriage.


    Lady Callista smiled sweetly and gave Shana an understanding look.


    She even promised the Saintess that she would wait until Zion turned sixteen before epting the second batch of marriage proposals, which made the Saintess feel a bit better. While she didn''t know why she felt ufortable when Lady Callista talked about the marriage proposals that Zion received, she believed that her opposition was for the greater


    good.


    After all, she felt that Zion wasn''t emotionally ready to have a rtionship with anyone, especially after she heard Erica''s stories about the teenage boy''s subconscious actions during the night, which she would experience for herself in the not-so-distant future.

 Chapter 645: It Was Only Natural To Repay The Favor, Right?

    Chapter 645: It Was Only Natural To Repay The Favor, Right?


    ?


    The Grandmasters were all captured and tied up properly.


    Thirteen made sure to press on their Paralyze Acupoints, preventing them from moving their bodies aside from their heads and mouths.


    Without hesitation, he took them all inside his Mobile Fortress because he didn''t want his Grandfather, or anyone for that matter, to get their hands on them.


    Right now, these Agents were looking at Thirteen with fearless expressions on their faces.


    "No matter what you do, even if you use torture, you will not get any information from us!" the Leader of the Agent shouted.


    They had been trained to withstand any kind of torture, so their pain tolerance and mental strength were very high.


    None of them brought any poison with them to end their lives because they didn''t think that they would be captured while doing such an easy mission.


    Also, even if they had poison with them, they didn''t have the guts to kill themselves because they didn''t want to throw their lives away.


    At most, they would try to negotiate with the Leventis Family and handle this matter using proper channels.


    Besides, they weren''t ordered to kill or harm any members of the Leventis Family, including their guests.


    They would use that as a bargaining chip to settle any dispute.


    Although they might have to heavilypensate the Leventis Family for trespassing in their property, with their backer, they believed that everything would be settled just fine.


    "I don''t use torture on people," Thirteen replied with a smile. "I have no intention to ask you any questions either."


    The Agents were surprised after hearing the teenage boy''s words. However, their surprise suddenly changed to anxiety.


    If Zion had no intention of asking them questions, didn''t that mean that he had no need for them?


    If he had no need for them, wouldn''t that mean that their lives were useless to him?


    "Are you going to kill us?" the Leader of the Agents, who went by the name Gideon, asked solemnly.


    Thirteen stared at the middle-aged man with dark-brown hair and green eyes with a faint smile on his face.


    "Why would I kill you guys?" Thirteen blinked in confusion. "I just want all of you to meet my friend, Giga."


    The Agents all looked at the three-meter-tall skunk, who waved at them in a friendly manner as if saying "hi" to them.


    cky, Hercules, the Ogres, and Trolls had already retreated. They were all looking at the agents with pity in their eyes, for they already knew what was going to happen next.


    Soon, screams filled with horror spread in the surroundings, which made Pica and Pico, who were perched on a nearby tree branch,ugh. The little pocopocos were sadistic and enjoyed the suffering of others.


    Ten minutester...


    "We''ll talk!" Gideon shouted. "Ask us any questions! Just please, have mercy!"


    "That''s right!" one of the Agents said with a face filled with injustice. "We had no intention of harming any member of your family. We were only told to double-check if there were any Serpent Scales from the Majin King lying around inside your residence!"


    "Of course, if we see any scales, we are told to steal them! Our employer is the Patriarch of the Ashford n, ude Ashford. Do you really want to mess with one of the Monarch ns?!"


    "We can still all talk about this ande to apromise! There''s no need to use such underhanded methods!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I''d rather you torture us than suffer this punishment! This is very inhumane!"


    "That''s right! This smells worse than shit!"


    The eight Agents shouted theirints one after the other.


    All of them had been trained to withstand pain, but none of them had been trained to withstand the horrifying power of Giga''s Giga Destroyer.


    "I see." Thirteen nodded. "Why are all of you telling me these things? Like I said, I don''t n to question any of you. Do you really think I don''t know who sent all of you? Just who do you think I am?


    "Did you not wonder why you were easily discovered and dealt with without problems? Your n to infiltrate our residence has been leaked long before you made your way here."


    "Impossible!" Gideon shook his head in denial. "Are you telling me that our employer double-crossed us?! Are you telling us that we were used as mere expendables?"


    "I wouldn''t go that far," Thirteen admitted. "But it doesn''t change the fact that someone leaked your mission, allowing me to deal with all of you easily."


    Of course, Thirteen was merely saying these things in order to cast doubt on the hearts of the Agents serving the Ashford n.


    In truth, he didn''t really know which faction they belonged to. All he knew was that they would be receiving some uninvited guests very soon.


    As the System of Cannon Fodders, he knew very well how Viins think. They would always use cannon fodders as pawns in their schemes.


    "Giga, it seems that you still need to put more effort into deepening your friendship with our friends here," Thirteen lightly patted the ze Skunk''s arm. "I''ll leave them in your hands,


    okay?"


    Giga nodded before turning around to let his backside face the Agents, whose faces had turned pale due to fright.


    "Stop!" Gideon shouted. "Let''s talk about thi-Oh sh*t!"


    Thirteen didn''t even bother to look at the pitiful agents who just got a second serving of Giga''s Giga Destroyer.


    He had no intention of killing these people because he still had uses for them. However, he still nned to make them understand that there were worse fates than death, which would make them morepliant with Thirteen''s demands in the future.


    Half an hourter, Thirteen returned and found all the Agents sprawled on the ground. Their bodies twitched from time to time as if they were still suffering even after losing their


    consciousness.


    Thirteen then asked Giga to look after them and toss them to theke after they had regained consciousness.


    He nned to properly brainwash these people to be his double agents.


    Right now, he had too many things to deal with, and he couldn''t be bothered to worry about


    every little thing that was happening in the Monarch ns.


    The Ashford n, specifically their Monarch, was someone whom Thirteen would face sooner


    orter.


    At the moment, he still didn''t have the strength to defeat them in a frontal confrontation.


    Fortunately, even if the Monarch of the Ashford n thought of him as an enemy, he wouldn''t do anything to Thirteen until the Cygni Continent Crisis was over.


    This meant Thirteen still had time to grow and finish his projects, which would allow him to


    stand toe to toe with these powerful people.


    With all the changes taking ce in Pangea, there were plenty of events that he could exploit to hasten his projects into fruition.


    ''The Tournament of the Dragons and Phoenixes will be hosted by the Ashford n,'' Thirteen thought. ''Should I make things more interesting?''


    An invitation had been sent to him not long ago, informing him that he could participate in


    the tournament and be a seeded yer.


    Truth be told, Thirteen had no intention of joining such an event. However, he was considering using it as a cover to better understand the power structure of the Ashford n.


    ''I''ll train the Hero Party and let them join the Tournament,'' Thirteen thought. ''If not as a contestant, I can probably be one of the judges if I pull some strings.''


    Soon, a n appeared inside Thirteen''s head, making him smirk.


    Since the Ashford n nned to mess with him, it was only natural to repay the favor, right?

 Chapter 646: We’re No Pushovers

    Chapter 646: We¡¯re No Pushovers


    ?


    When morning came, everyone ate breakfast together.


    Erica, Rianna, Mildred, Diana, and Derek all woke up in a good mood. After all, they managed to defeat Grandmasters despite being weaker than them.


    Thirteen didn''t think that it was necessary to point out that those Grandmasters had no intention of killing or hurting them, and therefore weren''t able to fight with everything they


    had.


    He just listened to their boasting as he spread some jam on his toasted bread.


    "Master, did you interrogate those men in ck yesterday?" Derek asked.


    The Agents were wearing ck attire simr to assassins to blend in the darkness and hide their faces.


    Derek and the others had been tempted to remove their masks in order to see their faces. However, Thirteen stopped them from doing so because he didn''t want the teenagers to get involved in something that might harm them in the future.


    "I didn''t interrogate them," Thirteen replied.


    "Then what do you n to do with them?" Erica asked.


    "That''s a secret," Thirteen answered with a smile. "You don''t have to worry your pretty head over these things. Just focus on your training because you and the rest will attend the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament that will be held by the Ashford n."


    After hearing the teenage boy''s deration, Erica and the rest looked excited. They also nned to join the tournament, interested to see the result of their training.


    Mikhail and Shasha had also been invited to join the tournament, and the two already received Thirteen''s approval to participate in it.


    Suddenly, the teenagers quieted down and looked at the teenage boy, who was feeding Rhia the toast that he prepared earlier.


    "Um, Master, are you going to join the tournament?" Derek asked.


    This was the question that everyone wanted to ask. In their point of view, the most threatening contestant of all would be Zion-if he nned to join the tournament with them.


    "I won''t be joining the tournament," Thirteen replied.


    Everyone sighed in relief because if the Supreme Commander of the Alliance joined thepetition, he would just steamroll everyone who was unlucky enough to be on his path to the championship.


    "But I''m sure that the brackets will be rigged," Thirteen said with a smile. "The Ashford n will make sure that they, the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families, will have a favorable lineup, making their Heirs meet only at the semifinals.


    "Also, I''m sure that you guys will be ced in the Seeded Category, so you no longer have to fight in the early stages of the tournament."


    As the members of the Hero Party, they no longer had to prove their strength to anyone, allowing them to skip the major hassles of the tournament.


    "Mikhail, Shasha, the two of you will not receive such treatment from the Ashford n," Thirteen stated. "I''m sure that they will match decent opponents against the two of you so that they can get to see a few of your trump cards."


    Mikhail and Shasha smirked after hearing their brother''s statement. The two of them indeed had a few trump cards that they could use.


    However, they believed that they wouldn''t be pushed to use these trump cards in the early stages of thepetition.


    An hourter, everyone started their training regimen, which Thirteen had carefully formted for them.


    While everyone was busy, Thirteen went to find his father and mother to tell them about the things that had happened during the night.


    Since Gerald and Alessia had allowed Thirteen to do what he wanted, it was only natural that he reported the information he gathered from the agents who were still unconscious inside his mobile fortress.


    "The Ashford n..." Gerald muttered. "They have always acted like tyrants in the Sirius Continent, thinking that everyone is beneath them. To think that they even extended their hands all the way here in the Aldebaran Continent... They really are pissing me off."


    Alessia had a frown on her beautiful face, but after pondering for a bit, she believed that it wasn''t as bad as she imagined.


    "They only sent Grandmasters this time, which means that they didn''t n to burn bridges with the Leventis Family," Alessiamented. "Also, ording to them, they also have no intention of harming any of us and were merely sent to infiltrate our home to look for the Scales of the Majin King.


    "Of course, the Ashford n can deny their involvement and even eliminate the people they have sent if need be. Zion, what do you n to do with these agents?"


    "I''ll free them so that they can pass a message to their employer," Thirteen replied. "I''ll turn a blind eye this time, so make sure topensate me properly. As long as they pass that message to their employer, things will be swept under the rug. No one needs to know, and everything will end with that."


    Gerald frowned, but in the end, he still reluctantly nodded in agreement.


    "Do you think they will no longer bother us after this incident?" Gerald inquired.


    "It''s hard to say," Thirteen replied. "But I''m sure they will not attempt something simr in the short term. After all, we have already given them face. If they still want to get pped a second time, I''ll be more than happy to p their faces."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Alessia hugged her son and patted his head.


    "It''s a good thing that you''re very dependable, Zion," Alessia said softly. "But remember this. We''re no pushovers. If they really go out of line, don''t hesitate and go for the kill."


    Alessia had encountered many dangerous encounters in Pangea, and Solterra.


    A third of these dangerous encounters weren''t against Jinns or any Monsters in either world. They were incidents between fellow Wanderers, and she had her share of killing during her younger years.


    "Understood, Mother," Thirteen replied. "Don''t worry. No one can treat our family like a doormat."


    After reporting to his parents, Thirteen returned to the Mobile Fortress and started to brainwash Gideon and his subordinates to be double agents.


    After the trauma they suffered from Giga Chad, it wasn''t that hard for Thirteen to break them -errr, to convince them to work for him.


    A few hourster, Thirteen blindfolded the agents before dumping them on the mountainside


    of the Leventis Family.


    Gideon and his men didn''t think twice and fled as fast as they could.


    Thirteen watched them go with a faint smile on his face.


    Now that he had dealt with one of the problems that had been loitering around their home, he could finally return to do the finishing touches for his Attack Helicopters, which he nned to use during the Jinn Invasion in the Rigel Continent.

 Chapter 647: Aaron Ashford’s Bad Premonition

    Chapter 647: Aaron Ashford¡¯s Bad Premonition


    ?


    "You mean to tell me that all of you have been captured by Zion Leventis, and are freed after being imprisoned for a day?" ude asked icily.


    "Yes, Master," Gideon and his men, who were all kneeling in front of their employer, replied.


    "You lost to a bunch of kids, yet you have the audacity to return here?" ude said in disdain. "Tell me, why should I let all of you go on living?"


    Gideon suddenly felt a strong pressure descend upon his body like a mountain, rendering him unable to raise his head.


    "Z-Zion Leventis asked us to pass a message to you, Master," Gideon answered. "He said that he will turn a blind eye this time as long as youpensate him properly. He has no intention of escting this issue nor bringing it out in the public."


    ude snorted. "So after being tortured, all of you spilled the beans that you are working for the Ashford n? All of you deserve to die!"


    "No, Master!" Gideon shouted in rm. "We weren''t tortured nor were we interrogated. Zion Leventis already knew our identities right from the very start!"


    "How could that be possible?" ude replied in disdain. "No one knew about this operation aside from me and my father. Did you fools tell anyone about your mission?!"


    "We didn''t!" Gideon answered. "All of us knew the importance of this mission, so we made sure to keep the details of this mission under wraps!"


    ude frowned. "Then how did Zion know about your identities?"


    "We don''t know," Gideon replied. "Perhaps one of the members of the Hero Party has a skill that allows them to read people''s minds."


    The frown on ude''s face deepened, but he didn''t rule out this possibility. There were many abilities among the Wanderers, and mind reading was one of them.


    In fact, one of Aaron Ashford''s direct subordinates was a Mind Reader. If it were true that one of the members of the Hero Party had this ability, then it exined why Zion was able to know who Gideon''s employer was.


    "Fine," ude clicked his tongue. "Still, it seems that I underestimated Zion Leventis. He knows when to attack and when to take a step back. Clearly, he doesn''t want to have a direct confrontation with a Monarch n, so he decided to turn a blind eye to this incident."


    ude had only recently be the Patriarch of the Ashford n, so he didn''t want his reputation to be tarnished by this incident.


    "Very well. I will give that Zion a gift to let bygones be bygones," ude stated. "You will personally deliver it to him, Gideon. Also, try to butter him up a bit, so there will be no hard feelings."


    "Yes, Sir," Gideon wanted to wipe the beads of sweat on his forehead, but he didn''t dare to act out of ce in front of his employer.


    Because of this, he waited until he and his men were properly dismissed before he wiped the sweat on his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief.


    ''It went exactly like Zion had nned,'' Gideon thought.


    The teenage boy had given Gideon and his subordinates a path of survival, making him feel impressed.


    Truth be told, he had already resigned himself to being killed by his employer for failing his mission.


    However, thanks to Thirteen''s suggestion, all of them managed to escape death by a hair''s breadth and continue working for the Ashford n.


    While the Agents were celebrating their new lease on life, ude went to look for his father and reported to him the result of the mission.


    "Interesting," Aaronmented. "So, Gerald and Alessia didn''t join the battle?"


    "ording to their report, no," ude replied. "Only the members of the Hero Party, Mikhail Leventis, Shasha Leventis, and Rianna Summers, the daughter of the Field Marshal of the Central Government, fought against our agents."


    "A team of Grandmasters lost to some teenagers?" Aaron shook his head helplessly. "Either these kids are formidable or your subordinates are trash. Which one is it?"


    ude was of the same opinion as his father, but he still couldn''t rule out the possibility that certain tricks were involved. However, after eliminating the variables of the confrontation, he spoke what was on his mind.


    "I didn''t give them the order to kill or seriously injure anyone," ude replied. "Perhaps they lost because they were unable to use their full power. After all, if any of those kids are seriously injured, things would getplicated."


    Aaron pondered before nodding his head in agreement. "That''s also a possibility. However, since the Supreme Commander of the Alliance has decided to sweep this matter under the rug, let''s just go with the flow.


    "Prepare a decent gift for them aspensation, and don''t bother them for the time being. Just focus on training the members of the younger generation so that they will perform well in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament."


    "Understood, Father." ude nodded.


    The father and son talked for a bit longer before ude excused himself.


    Aaron, who was left behind, nced at the prosperous city that belonged to his n.


    He had worked hard for the past two centuries, and thanks to this, he had expanded his family''s domain in Pangea, as well as in Solterra.


    Although things looked stable on the surface, he couldn''t help but feel a bad premonition.


    As a Monarch, he trusted his instincts very well.


    He had already ordered his subordinates to reinforce the defenses of his territory in Solterra in preparation for the worst-case scenario.


    Aaron wasn''t stupid.


    He knew that there mighte a time when a threat simr to what was happening in the Cygni Continent would also appear in the Sirius Continent.


    Even now, they were fighting against the Jinns in the Northern Regions of the Sirius


    Continent.


    At the moment, everything was still under control.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, if a Tier-8 or Tier-9 Gate were to spawn in a ce where he, the Stard n, and


    the Central Government couldn''t detect in the Sirius Continent, he might just face a genocide- level threat, right in his own backyard.

 Chapter 648: Stronger And Better Versions Of Themselves

    Chapter 648: Stronger And Better Versions Of Themselves


    ?


    A frown appeared on Aaron''s face as he tried to expand his senses, intending to detect from which direction his feeling of anxiety wasing from.


    ''To the South,'' Aaron thought after sensing where the hidden danger wasing from.


    Somewhere in the Rigel Continent...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Death Lord, Erasmus, slowly opened his eyes.


    The power of death surged around his body.


    He had just broken through the next realm and was only one step away from bing a Rank 9 Sovereign.


    The glowing embers on his eye sockets danced with delight as he gazed at the North, where the traitor who backstabbed him was currently at.


    After organizing his thoughts, he lightly tapped themunicator on his right wrist and contacted the person he trusted the most in the world.


    When the call went through, Zion''s image appeared on the Communicator, which made Erasmus smile.


    "Are you finished with your preparations?" Erasmus asked.


    "Almost," Thirteen replied. "I''ll be done in a month."


    Erasmus nodded. "Alright. I''ll wait for you here in the Rigel Continent."


    "How about you? Are you done with your preparations?" Thirteen inquired.


    "I''ve finished halfway," Erasmus answered.


    Thirteen smiled. "Halfway is good. There''s no need to rush. We still have plenty of time."


    "Right." Erasmus smirked. "Just remember our agreement."


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "See you in a month."


    The connection ended, and Erasmus once again closed his eyes.


    He had already waited for a hundred years for his revenge, so waiting a few more years until Thirteen was ready wasn''t a big deal for him.


    Erasmus was a Death Lord, which meant that he was more or less a Pseudo-Immortal Creature.


    As long as his body wasn''tpletely destroyed, he would be able to revive one way or another.


    "Wash your neck, Aaron Ashford," Erasmus muttered with his eyes still closed. "Soon, I will take everything away from you, just like how you took everything away from me."


    A monthter, at the Leventis Residence that belonged to Thirteen''s Family...


    "All of you have made great progress in your training," Thirteen said with a smile. "Because of this, I decided to let all of you have a vacation to the beach."


    "Yes!" Derek did a fist pump. "Beach scene, here wee!"


    "Wait, I thought that Rnd and Joshua would being here," Mildredmented. "Are we not going to wait for them?"


    "Actually, it''s the other way around," Thirteen replied. "They are already waiting for us in the airport. My Squad Captains are also there with them.


    "Don''t worry. All the things that you will need are already packed in the traveling bags I prepared beforehand. So, let''s all go. Follow me!"


    The group followed the teenage boy to the hangar built on the mountainside.


    Remi and Rhia couldn''t follow them on this journey, but Thirteen had already bid them goodbye beforehand.


    Mikhail and Shasha would be joining them on this trip and were already standing beside the Military Transport Helicopter, which they would be using to head to the Airport.


    Thirteen''s Transport Helicopter could easily fit fifty to sixty people, so there was more than enough space for all of them.


    The one piloting the Helicopter was none other than Hans, who would then pilot the Helicopter back to the Leventis Residences after dropping them off.


    When the Helicopter finally soared toward the sky, Derek was no longer able to hold back his curiosity.


    "Master, where is this beach located?" Derek asked.


    "Secret," Thirteen replied with a smirk. "You''ll know when we get there."


    "Why are you suddenly being mysterious?" Erica arched an eyebrow. "Will it hurt you to tell us where we are going?"


    "No, but I want to surprise everyone, so I won''t divulge where we''re going," Thirteen stated. Half an hourter, they finally arrived at the airport and reunited with their friends.


    All of them were going to ride the Leventis Family''s private jet, which Arthur usually used whenever he traveled in Pangea.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis Family reluctantly agreed to let his no-good grandson borrow his Private Jet, helping Thirteen and his friends could go somewhere "very exciting."


    Of course, Arthur already knew where his no-good grandson nned to go.


    In fact, only Thirteen dared to go to such a ce with the confidence that he would be able to return alive.


    Six hourster, the Private Jet of the Leventis Family finally descended from the sky.


    Itnded perfectly at the newly built airstrip, which the engineers of the Leventis Family had built during the time when Zion was doing his mission in Solterra alongside the members of the Hero Party.


    If earlier, Derek was feeling excited, now, he was feeling horrified.


    Right outside of the Private Jet were three Earth Dragons, the mere sight of which made the teenage boy''s legs turn jelly from fright.


    It was not only him who was rmed with this sudden turn of events.


    But before they could panic, they heard someone pping their hands, which caught their attention.


    "Okay, all of you take your baggage and disembark in an orderly manner," Thirteen said. "I hope that all of you will enjoy this vacation that willst for three months." "T-Three months?!" Derek almost choked on his saliva after hearing his Master''s words.


    "Master, you''re joking, right? Please tell me you''re joking! You said that we are going to have a beach vacation!"


    "I didn''t lie, you know?" Thirteen replied. "This area is near a beach. We can always go thereter to swim."


    The corner of Derek''s lips twitched. The beach Thirteen was talking about was infested with


    Jinns.


    If he really swam there, he didn''t have the confidence that he would be able to return to the


    shore alive.


    Alcapone, Alexis, Pietro, Paul, Piper, and the members of the E4 Mafia were also feeling very anxious because they had justnded in the most dangerous ce in the Rigel Continent.


    This was the territory of the three Rank 9 Earth Dragons, whom even the Monarchs didn''t dare


    to face.


    Only Cristopher and Colbert seemed rxed, even looking at the Earth Dragons from their windows with great curiosity.


    They''ve been with Thirteen the longest, so the two young men had already experienced many


    things.


    They hadplete and unwavering trust in Zion, and they believed that he wouldn''t do


    anything to harm them.


    "Alright, we still have to set our camp, so everyone, please follow me," Thirteen said as he opened the hatch of the Private Jet so that all of them could disembark.


    The members of the Hero Party and Thirteen''s Squad all followed behind the teenage boy with worried looks on their faces.


    They should have known better that the teenage boy wasn''t someone who would give them a vacation, especially when their training had just started.


    Soon, they would realize that the opponents that they had faced in the Trial of Courage, would look cutepared to the monsters that were very eager to face them in battle. Thirteen knew that he didn''t have a lot of time to train his Squad Captain and the members of the Hero Party before the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament started. Because of this, he decided to give them extremely hellish training, which would squeeze all the potential in their bodies, making them a stronger and better version of themselves.

 Chapter 649: A Better And Brighter Future

    Chapter 649: A Better And Brighter Future


    ?


    "Gah!" Derek cried out in pain as he was sent flying by the attack of the Undead Centipede King, Jalrog.


    After turning into Erasmus'' servant, the Centipede King''s Rank remained as a Rank 8


    Sovereign.


    But even if it was no longer a Pseudo-Rank 9 Sovereign, it was still a very powerful monster in its own right.


    A few seconds after Derek was sent flying, Rnd crashed a few meters beside him, blood spilling at the corner of his lips.


    "This is madness," Rnd couldn''t help but grit his teeth as he propped himself up from the ground."


    "You got that right," Derekmented in a grave tone.


    The sound of metal hitting metal reverberated in the surroundings as Diana blocked the Centipede King''s attack with everything she had.


    Unfortunately, that single exchange sent Diana skidding for hundreds of meters before her legs finally lost strength, making her kneel on the ground.


    A momentter, she coughed out a mouthful of blood, having suffered internal injuries.


    Suddenly, a silvery light descended upon her body, healing her injuries at a rapid rate. Earlier, she felt like dying, and now, she felt better, but her body still felt as heavy as lead.


    "Take Diana away," Erica shouted from the sky. "I''ll cover you guys!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Erica didn''t hesitate to unleash a hellish bombardment of fireballs at the Centipede King, who nned to give Diana the finishing blow.


    "Shadow bind!" Joshua shouted as dozens of ck hands wrapped themselves around Jalrog''s body, slowing his advance toward hisrades.


    Shasha and Mikhail then unleashed their strongest strikes at a single spot of the Centipede King''s body before retreating in haste.


    The two of them were using hit-and-run tactics. When confronting Jalrog, who specialized in closebat, a direct battle was difficult.


    "Master, we''re going to die at this rate!" Derekined. "What will you do if I die?!"


    "What else?" Thirteen replied as he opened a can of C C. "I''ll ask Erasmus to raise you into an Undead Swordsman. Now, you can follow your dream of living forever. Aren''t you d?"


    "#*&#$*&#!" Derek couldn''t help but curse out loud. Turning into an Undead Monster was thest thing he wanted to happen to him.


    In the first ce, pitting them against a Rank 8 Monster on the first day of their "vacation" was already pushing it.


    Now, one mistake and all of them could die before he could even see the girls in their bathing suits.


    Derek had no intention of dying before then!


    "Everyone, stand back!"


    A loud shout spread in the surroundings, making everyone nce in the direction of Alcapone and his men, who hadbined their weapons to form a Cannon that would put the Power Rang*rs to shame.


    "E4 Cannon, Fire!" Alcapone roared and a powerful st erupted from the tip of the cannon, hitting the head of the Centipede King, making it stagger backward.


    A tenth of the Centipede King''s head was obliterated by the attack, making Thirteen nod his head in satisfaction.


    ''The output is strong, and if it manages to hit the monster''s weakness, it can instantly kill a Rank 7 Monster, '' Thirteen thought. ''It''s quite unfortunate that it can only be used twice at the moment. I need to do some modifications on the cannonter so it will also be effective against a Rank 8 Monster.''


    The members of the Hero Party had already experienced fighting Rank 6 and Rank 7 Sovereigns at the Trial of Courage.


    But those monsters had already been injured by Zion perfectly, lowering theirbat effectiveness in half to amodate them perfectly.


    Right now, he was letting them experience the overwhelming might of a Rank 8 Monster so that they wouldn''t have trouble running away if they ever encountered one in the Jinn Invasion that would happen in the Cygni Continent.


    As a team, they might still be able to get lucky and defeat a Rank 7 Monster.


    But a Rank 8 Monster was still too much, even for them.


    But Thirteen believed it would be best if the Hero Party, his siblings, and his subordinates could get used to the overwhelming pressure of a Rank 8 Monster, allowing them to resist simr auras in the future.


    Once they get used to the Aura of a strong enemy, anything else would be trivial in their eyes.


    ''They will also be able to soak up battle experience this way,'' Thirteen thought.


    He knew that the Hero Party, especially Erica, wanted to be strong.


    The mere fact that they had seen the monsters whom Zion had defeated in the Trial of Courage left them with a feeling of inferiority.


    This feeling only increased when they faced him in the Final Trial of the Temple of Courage.


    Thest thing Thirteen wanted was for these young Heroes to develop heart demons. Once they felt that they were inferior to others, they would start to doubt themselves. Thirteen had already fought against a Majin Prince and a Majin King even though he was younger than them by several years.


    Although they weren''t admitting it on the surface, all of them now treated him as their greatest rival.


    He was the mountain whom they needed to climb.


    He was the wall that they needed to ovee.


    And the only way for them to do this was to do a legendary feat of their own.


    The Centipede King was the Monster whom Thirteen had prepared for them to regain their confidence.


    As long as they were able to defeat the Centipede King, they would feel that they were one step closer to defeating Zion!


    An hourter, all the young men and youngdiesy on the ground, groaning in pain.


    Jalrog gave them all a look of contempt before burrowing in the ground to return to its Master, Erasmus, who was currently meditating in hisir.


    "These kids aren''t bad, but since I''ve seen you fight the Majin King, I feel like they still have a long way to go," one of the Earth Dragons, who had taken a human form,mented. "Don''tpare them to me, Lord Rogg," Thirteen replied. "I am built differently." The Earth Dragon, who was the leader of the other two Earth Dragons, nodded in agreement. "Still, I don''t see them beating Jalrog anytime soon," Rogg stated.


    "You''re right," Thirteen replied. "But that''s fine. If they really beat Jalrog during their first day of training, I would have started throwing hands."


    The Earth Dragon smirked before walking back to his personal couch so that he could watch his favorite Netfix series.


    He just came to observe because he was curious if there were more humans that were an


    anomaly like Zion.


    If there were more Wanderers like him, he felt that even if his true Master descended into the world of Pangea, bringing his entire army with him, it would still be in vain.


    Currently, Rogg and the other Earth Dragons were feeling conflicted.


    On one hand, they had a very good rtionship with Zion.


    On the other hand, their alliance was only temporary.


    If one day, their Master was finally able to cross from their home world to Pangea, the three of


    them had to make a choice.


    ''Should we side with our Master or side with Zion?'' Rogg mused as he sat on his couch.


    The image of the teenage boy killing an Ancient Majin King was still vivid in his mind. Because of this, he and his two subordinates were hesitating whether they should remain loyal to their Master or switch sides to Zion, who might give them a better and brighter


    future.

 Chapter 650: A Wounded Pride

    Chapter 650: A Wounded Pride


    ?


    Thirteen supported Shana''s body and helped her drink a Rejuvenation Potion.


    A minuteter, the youngdy finally regained some color on her face.


    "Thank you, Zion," Shana said softly.


    "Mmm," Thirteen hummed. "Can you stand?"


    "I think so," Shana replied as she propped herself up and stood on her own two feet.


    She then summoned her silver banner and used it as support to hold herself steady.


    After taking a deep breath, Shana channeled her aether on her artifact and cast an area-of- effect healing spell.


    Thirteen nodded and walked toward his sister, Shasha, to help her drink a Rejuvenation Potion as well.


    He did the same for Mikhail, Erica, and Rianna before proceeding to Cristopher, Colbert, and Alcapone.


    The three Squad Captains then helped theirrades, who had also suffered serious injuries during the previous battle.


    Erica helped Mildred drink a potion, while Diana helped Derek.


    Derek in turn helped Rnd and Joshua drink their potions.


    A few minutester, everyone had recovered enough to stand up properly.


    Thirteen then pped his hands to get their attention, forcing everyone to look at him.


    "I''m sure that all of you are wondering why I made you fight the Centipede King on your first day of training," Thirteen said in a serious tone.


    The young men and the youngdies all nodded their heads. It was indeed something that had been bugging them right from the start.


    Seeing that he had their full and undivided attention, Thirteen smirked and told them the reason for letting them experience a battle that seemed impossible to win.


    "In less than two years, we will be facing a Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent," Thirteen replied. "In fact, the real reason why the Antares Continent and the Rigel Continent fell is not because there were too many Jinns that invaded theirnds.


    "No. The real reason why the Jinns seeded was not only because of their overwhelming numbers but also because they had Higher-Ranked fighters, like Rank 8 and Rank 9 Monsters. "The moment they appear on the battlefield, even the Monarchs and the Thrones will hesitate before fighting them. The moment the strongest warriors of humanity retreat is the moment that the battle is lost.


    "By then, the Cygni Continent will fall just like what happened to the Antares and Rigel Continent. After that, there will only be two continents where humans can live. The Sirius Continent and the Aldebaran Continent.


    "The Sirius Continent is facing a small-scale Jinn Invasion in their northern regions. The strongest monsters that appear on those battlefields are Rank 7 Sovereigns, which is something that the Monarchs can deal with."


    Thirteen paused for a bit as he scanned the faces of everyone in his surroundings.


    "But it is only a matter of time before another Genocide-Rank Gate appears," Thirteen dered. "Next time, it might appear in the Sirius Continent. That means it can also appear in the Aldebaran Continent.


    "The worst case scenario is that a Genocide-Level Gate has already appeared, and we still have no idea that it is actually there."


    Truth be told, Thirteen had already discovered two Tier-9 Gates in the Sirius Continent using Athena''s powerful satellite images.


    However, he had no intention of sharing this information until the Jinn Invasion in the Rigel Continent had been dealt with.


    If the news were to spread right now, it would only cause mass panic, making the defensive ns for the Cygni Continent to fall.


    Thirteen had also made Athena analyze these two Tier-9 Gates, and ording to his calction, there were still six to seven years before these gates opened.


    That was more than enough time for Thirteen to make his preparations.


    He was actually nning to use the Cygni Invasion to test his Trump Cards, which he had painstakingly developed over the years.


    Project Athena and Project Nautilus were among the Trump Cards that he had prepared tobat the Jinn Invasions.


    "Simply put, I will train all of you until you gain the power to seriously injure or even kill a Rank 8 Monster," Thirteen said. "If you guys are able to injure it and make it retreat, then you can consider it your win."


    "Master, are you sure that we can pass just by giving the Rank 8 Monster a serious injury?" Derek asked. "I think killing it is better."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The members of the Hero Party also nodded their heads in agreement.


    There were times when they would hear Thirteen say stuff like "It''s only a Rank 8 or Rank 9 Sovereign. What''s the big deal?"


    The teenage boy''s words actually made them want to defeat a Rank 8 Sovereign as well, which would make them feel that they were one step closer to catching up to him.


    Thirteen smirked. "Do you really think that killing a Rank 8 Sovereign is easy? Have you forgotten? Even Monarchs and Thrones have a hard time fighting them. The Bird Man, Zed, whom we faced in the Rigel Continent was a very powerful existence.


    "Even with the help of Thrones, Wendell Elrod, a Monarch, wasn''t able to deal it a decisive blow."


    Of course, the main reason why they weren''t able to deal a decisive blow to Zed was due to the fact that the Bird Man moves very fast, almost making it impossible tond a blow on his


    body.


    If not for the fact that Zed had lowered his guard when he tried to approach Zion, the teenage boy wouldn''t have been able to capture him with his Capture Sphere.


    But Thirteen had no intention of telling these to the teenagers because he wanted to make them understand that killing a Rank 8 Monster wasn''t a simple thing to aplish.


    Even so, seeing their unyielding determination, Thirteen could only nod his head in admiration because those whom he had brought to train in the Rigel Continent were seeds whom he nned to sow in thends of Pangea.


    These seeds would then bloom to be trees, which would shelter the people from the wind and the rain, protecting them from harm.


    "I will kill it," Rnd dered. "Before the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament starts, I will kill that Rank 8 Sovereign."


    "I will kill it too!" Derek stated. "I will not be able to sit still until I win!"


    The others also said simr things, which made Thirteen wonder if the Centipede King had hit them too much, making them go crazy.


    But in order to not rain on their parade, he decided to just give them some encouragement.


    "Very well, how about this?" Thirteen raised a finger. "If all of you worked together and managed to kill the Centipede King, I will grant one of your requests. Of course, the request must be limited to something that I can do. So, do your best to kill the Centipede King."


    Rnd narrowed his eyes as he looked at the teenage boy in front of him.


    He only had one wish, and that was to fight Thirteen in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.


    The Hero of the Hero Party felt relieved when he heard that Zion wouldn''t be joining the


    tournament.


    However, a minuteter, he felt disgusted with himself because he thought of such a thing. Right now, he wanted to defeat the person whom he had considered his rival.


    Since Zion promised to grant his request if he and the others were able to kill the Centipede King, the request that he would ask for him was to join the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.


    That way, Rnd could fight him seriously with everything he had.


    Regardless of the results, he would ept it!


    Although there were many powerful individuals who would be joining the tournament, Rnd was confident that after his training, only a handful of people could threaten him. With this thought in his mind, he decided to take his training under Zion seriously. Even if the teenage boy sent him to hell, he would do his best to crawl back up, all for the sake of recovering his pride that had been wounded many times as ofte.

 Chapter 651: You’re Already Infected With The Zion Virus [Part 1]

    Chapter 651: You¡¯re Already Infected With The Zion Virus [Part 1]


    ?


    "Rise and shine, Zion!" Rianna said as she entered Zion''s tent in order to wake him up. However, when she flipped over the nket, she saw something she didn''t expect to see. She found the teenage boy''s head buried in Erica''s chest, his arms wrapped around her body. Erica was wearing a ck, one-piece night dress and also hugging Thirteen, sleeping soundly.


    One of the nightgown''s shoulder straps had been undone, revealing a part of Erica''s chest, where Zion''s head was buried.


    If one were to look closely, they would notice that the teenage boy''s lips were currently touching something it shouldn''t be touching.


    At the sight of this scene, Rianna was frozen in ce, not knowing what to do.


    She hade to wake Zion up, and it wasn''t within her expectations that she would find herself between a rock and a hard ce.


    "Sister, what''s wrong?" Shana, who had apanied Rianna to wake up Zion, asked. However, the Saintess'' expression stiffened after seeing Zion''s and Erica''s current state. Suddenly, she remembered the discussion she and Erica had a few days ago.


    Erica had said that Zion had some peculiar sleeping habits, which she had warned her about. ording to the sorceress, Zion looked strong and could do anything as long as he set his mind to it. However, whenever he sleeps, he shows a vulnerable side that only those close to him knew about.


    The teenage boy would often call out names while he cried in his sleep.


    This prompted Sherry and Erica to hold him close during those moments, burying his head on their chests and whispering words of assurance in his ears that he was safe with them.


    Because of their actions, Thirteen had developed a habit of subconsciously seeking the warmth of the person next to him in his sleep.


    He was like a baby who sought safety in his mother''s loving embrace, which he had never experienced in any of his lifetimes.


    Although it was due to Sherry''s and Erica''s goodwill, they had unintentionally trained Thirteen to subconsciously bury his head in their chests whenever he slept at night.


    Of course, Sherry and Erica didn''t think much of this, knowing that Thirteen was a gentleman through and through.


    The teenage boy had always protected them and stood in the face of danger with his head held high.


    It was only during his moments of weakness that he acted this way, and the youngdies were more than happy to hold him close and protect him in their own way.


    "This..." Rianna, who was still at a loss for words, didn''t know how to proceed.


    Shana, on the other hand, had managed to snap out of her daze. She then lightly shook Erica''s body, making thetter''s eyes slowly open.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Huh?" Erica, who was still half asleep, looked at Shana in a daze.


    Half a minuteter, she once again closed her eyes, even pulling Zion closer to her, and went back to sleep.


    Suddenly, Rianna and Shana heard Derek''s, Diana''s, and Mildred''s voices, and based on the volume, the three seemed to be headed to Zion''s tent.


    The two exchanged a knowing nce and nodded at the same time.


    Rianna left Thirteen''s tent in order to distract the three people, while Shana tried to wake Zion and Erica to prevent a scandal from being spread.


    Tiona, who was coiled on the pillow beside Thirteen, couldn''t help but look at Shana with


    amusement.


    In the end, the ck Snake decided to help and flicked her tongue on her Master''s ear as if telling him to wake up.


    The teenage boy finally opened his eyes and found his face buried in Erica''s chest.


    A secondter, he pulled his head back and even reached out to tie back the strap that had loosened from Erica''s nightgown, which made Shana breathe a sigh of relief.


    She had been carefully observing the teenage boy''s expression from start to finish. While she already had an idea about how he''d react, she was still a little taken aback with how Zion didn''t seem to care that his face was buried on Erica''s chest earlier and that his lips were touching its tips.


    After making sure that the Sorceress was now properly dressed, Thirteen reached out to Tiona and gave the ck snake a kiss on her head.


    "Good morning, Tiona."


    "Hiss~"


    The ck snake then coiled around her Master''s neck and flicked her tongue on his cheek a few times as if kissing him back.


    Shana didn''t know how to react to Thirteen''s nonchnce about the scene she saw earlier.


    In the end she forced herself to smile and greeted the teenage boy a good morning.


    "Good morning, Zion."


    "Good morning, Shana. Did you manage to rest well?"


    After the intense battle against the Centipede King, Thirteen had decided to give everyone a day off so that they could recover their strength.


    Also, Sherry would be arriving today through one of the Leventis Family''s private jets.


    Thirteen also wanted her to participate in the training, for it would greatly increase her chance of surviving her missions in Solterra, as well as the uing Jinn Invasion in the Rigel Continent.


    Sherry lived in the Cygni Continent with her parents, who were running a Mercenary Group.


    Their group would often escort important people, including merchants, in Solterra, protecting them from the monsters that roam thend.


    Of course, there were cases when they also protected their employers from other Rogue Wanderers and Bandits who lurked in the routes near mountains and forests.


    "Zion, um, do you always sleep with Erica at night?" Shana asked.


    A faint tinge of red was spreading on her face as she asked this question.


    "Actually, I sleep alone during the night," Thirteen replied. "Maybe Erica was worried about me, so she sneaked inside my tent. Well, this isn''t the first time it happened, so I''m already


    used to it."


    "... You''re already used to doing that?"


    "Mmm. It felt good."


    The Saintess didn''t know if she shouldugh or cry after hearing the young man''s words.


    A part of her wanted to be impressed because the teenage boy could say such words with a


    straight face.


    The other half, on the other hand, made her want to have a private talk with Zion and tell him that there were things that he should and shouldn''t do when interacting with girls. However, after thinking about it for some time, she decided that it wasn''t her ce to educate the teenage boy, who had now started to do some light stretches in front of her.

 Chapter 652: You’re Already Infected With The Zion Virus [Part 2]

    Chapter 652: You¡¯re Already Infected With The Zion Virus [Part 2]


    ?


    Shana watched helplessly as the teenage boy did light stretches in front of her to improve his blood cirction.


    After he was done with his stretching exercises, Thirteen lightly shook the sleeping Sorceress to wake her up.


    "Oi, Erica. Wake up," Thirteen said. "It''s morning already."


    "Hng... five more minutes," Erica replied.


    "Derek ising," Thirteenmented. "Do you want him to see you in your nightwear?"


    As if hearing something very unpleasant, Erica opened her eyes and propped herself up.


    She then raised her hand and also did a few light stretches, making the curves of her chest stand out.


    Thirteen then handed her a change of clothes before he turned around to change his own clothes.


    Shana watched as the teenage boy took off his shirt, revealing his lean and toned body, which looked incredibly amazing for someone who was only about to be fourteen years old in a few months.


    The teenage boy then took out abat shirt, which he usually wore during training sessions. Erica, who had finished wearing her clothes, stood up and held Shana''s hand. She then pulled her out of the tent just in time before the teenage boy removed his shorts to wear thebat jeans.


    "Is Zion always like that in the mornings?" Shana asked with great curiosity.


    "Yes," Erica replied. "I don''t know if I should be happy or not. He totallycks the shyness that a young man should have over the opposite sex. But if you stay with him long enough, you''ll get used to it.


    "I''m sure you already noticed that unlike normal teenagers, Zion doesn''t have any perverted thoughts in his head. Even if you strip naked in front of him, he''d just probably say something along the lines of ''nine out of ten''."


    Shana''s face became beet red after hearing Erica''s words.


    She also didn''t know how to feel because Zion was so casual when it came to skinship between men and women.


    The Saintess was certain that if Rnd, Derek, or Joshua had been in the same situation as the teenage boy, the three of them wouldn''t be able to brush it off as if nothing had happened.


    While she was thinking about these thoughts, Erica suddenly asked her a question she didn''t seeing.


    "Hey, Shana, how do you feel about Zion?" Erica asked with a mischievous smile on her face. "What do you mean?" Shana frowned.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I''m sure you know what I''m talking about," Erica smirked. "He is a boy, you are a girl, can I make it any more obvious?"


    "Zion and I are just friends," Shana replied after half a minute had passed.


    "I see." Erica nodded.


    "Why do you ask?" Shana inquired.


    She had a feeling that her friend asked this question without a reason behind it.


    "I''m just thinking that Zion needs people around him who can help him break out of his shell," Erica answered. "Aside from when he is with his family or when he is with me and Sherry, he gives off a feeling that he''s some kind of machine.


    "It''s really a bit hard to exin, but I can tell that if the people he cares about aren''t around him, he would be this coldhearted individual who would not bat an eye even if he were to kill people that get in his way."


    Shana subconsciously shuddered because she remembered what Zion looked like during the Final Stage of their Trial of Courage.


    He looked emotionless as he beat them all up.


    The Saintess didn''t want to admit it, but when she saw the teenage boy in that unfeeling, and indifferent state, she felt very heartbroken.


    It was as if a flower seed that she had worked so hard to nt was suddenly pulled out before she could see it bloom.


    "I have an idea." Erica grinned. "Why don''t you sleep with him tonight? I''ll yield my spot to you. What do you think?"


    Shana''s face, which was already red, turned a shade redder after she remembered the scene she saw earlier.


    If Zion were to do something simr to her, she wouldn''t be able to look at him the same way as before.


    "No, thank you," Shana replied as she hurried away without even looking back.


    Erica watched her friend go with a smile before shaking her head helplessly.


    "Even if you don''t admit it, you''re already infected with the Zion Virus you are trying so hard to purify," Erica muttered.


    Back then, the Sorceress didn''t know what Shana meant whenever she talked about the Zion Virus.


    But after spending time with Thirteen in thends of the Absolute Heaven, she somehow understood what her friend was talking about.


    ''I hope Sherry arrives soon,'' Erica thought. ''With her around, things will be easier.''


    The Sorceress looked at the sun that had risen in the east with a smile.


    Around them were the most dangerous monsters that had walked thends of the Rigel Continent.


    And yet, these terrifying monsters only gave them a side-long nce before returning to whatever they were doing.


    In the past, she could have never imagined a scene like this happening.


    But now, it was the reality.


    ''Still, Zion said that we can only pass our training if we manage to injure the Centipede King,'' Erica mused. ''Is that even possible?''


    A Rank 8 Sovereign would require the cooperation of three to four Thrones to defeat.


    While it was possible for a Monarch to kill it alone, only the Monarch of the Central


    Government, Lawrence Seaton, had done it in the past.


    However, Erica knew that Zion wouldn''t do things without a reason.


    Perhaps, he was telling them that they shouldn''t rely on the Thrones and Monarchs all the


    time.


    The Sorceress couldn''t rule out the possibility that there mighte a time when they had to step up in order to face the High Ranking Jinns during the Cygni Invasion.


    While Erica was thinking about these things, two other youngdies were also busy training themselves for the uing invasion.


    Ste and Siri stared at each other with determined looks on their faces as they exchanged blows with each other.


    After being repeatedly defeated in Zion''s hands in the Final Trial of the Temple of Courage, the two of them decided to train with each other, working to reach the same goal-surpass the Super Rookie who was currently thinking of what he wanted to eat for breakfast.

 Chapter 653: Two Stowaways

    Chapter 653: Two Stowaways


    ?


    Sherry, who had just bid goodbye to her parents, was escorted to the airport by one of the soldiers serving Thirteen''s Battalion.


    The journey was smooth since the roads only had a few cars in it, for most of the citizens of the Cygni Continent had already been evacuated.


    When the youngdy arrived at the airport and was about to enter the gate, she found two adorable twin girls with pink hair, seemingly around seven to nine years old, blocking her path.


    "Big Sister, are you going to meet Big Brother Zion in the Rigel Continent?" one of the little girls asked. "We want to go there too!"


    "You know Zion?" Sherry crouched down to look at the two adorable girls in their eye level. "Yes!"


    "Cinnamon knows big brother Zion!"


    "What are your names?" Sherry frowned. "And where are your parents? Also, I''m heading to the Rigel Continent, and it''s a dangerous ce. Are you even allowed to go there?"


    "Big Sister has so many questions." one of the little girls pouted. "My name is Maple, and this is my sister, Cinnamon."


    "Our parents are back home," Cinnamon answered. "Also, we want to see Big Brother because he is good to us!"


    Sherry blinked once then twice before tilting her head to the side.


    She was going to a very dangerous ce, so how could she possibly bring along two little girls with her?


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t bring you with me," Sherry said in a serious tone. "I''m going to a very dangerous ce. There are a lot of monsters there, you know?"


    "We know there are monsters there," Maplemented.


    "Cinnamon wants to taste them all," Cinnamon smiled sweetly. "Also, big brother Zion''s cooking is very good. I love them!"


    Sherry''s expression immediately changed when she heard the words "Big Brother Zion''s cooking is very good."


    As someone who had eaten the teenage boy''s cooking once, Sherry would never want to eat it again!


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t take the two of you with me," Sherry said firmly. "Your parents must be worried about the two of you, so go home, okay?"


    Maple and Cinnamon pouted and looked at the teenage girl with pitiful looks on their faces.


    However, Sherry steeled herself and lightly patted their heads before walking through the gate to catch her flight.


    "Big Sister, see youter!" Maple shouted.


    "Cinnamon will see you soon!" Cinnamon called out.


    Thinking that the two girls were just bidding her goodbye, she waved her hand at them and proceeded to the gate where the Leventis private jet was parked.


    Half an hourter, the Jet soared to the sky of the Cygni Continent.


    It would take them twelve hours to reach the Rigel Continent, so Sherry decided to take a short nap first.


    A few hourster...


    "Miss, I''d like some chicken wings. Do you have that?"


    "Cinnamon wants a ss of orange juice, please!"


    "Where did the two of youe from?!" The Stewardess, who had originallye to ask Sherry what she wanted to eat for lunch, suddenly found two little girls in the Private Jet''s VIP Compartment. "How did you get here?!"


    "Don''t worry, we aren''t suspicious people," Maple replied.


    "Cinnamon is not suspicious at all~" Cinnamon answered.


    Sherry stirred in her sleep because she could hear some exchange of words that disrupted her sleep.


    The moment she opened her eyes, she saw two familiar little girls, arguing with the Stewardess.


    "If you don''t feed us properly, we willin to Big Brother Zion!" Maple decided to use the Zion Card in order to get her way. "If you don''t have chicken wings, Fried Chicken is good too!"


    "Big Brother Zion is our Big Brother, you know?" Cinnamon stated. "Big Sister Remi and Little Rhia are our friends!"


    The Stewardess paused for a bit since the two girls seemed to really know who their Employer


    was.


    However, she still couldn''t understand how the two little girls managed to sneak past their security checks and enter the private jet without being discovered by anyone!


    "This..." the Stewardess was at a loss for words and wanted to call her superiors to ask them if they should return to the Cygni Continent or continue with their flight to the Riglel Continent.


    Sherry, who was now wide awake, looked at the two girls in surprise.


    "Maple, Cinnamon? What are you doing here?!" Sherry, who met the two girls earlier,


    couldn''t help but look at them in disbelief.


    "Hello, big sister," Maple replied with a smile. "We said that we will see youter, and now we''re here!"


    "Surprise!" Cinnamon said as she raised both of her hands.


    The corner of Sherry''s and the Stewardess'' lips twitched after hearing what the two


    troublemakers had to say.


    They were indeed surprised, and were now just as helpless as to what to do next.


    "I''ll call Zion," Sherry sighed. "Maybe he has a solution for this problem."


    The Stewardess nodded, knowing that this was indeed the only thing they could do right now. She was very worried that their Young Master would punish them for allowing two stowaways who were pestering her to feed them with food.


    Fortunately, despite flying at a very high altitude, themunicator managed to connect to the other side without problems.


    "Sherry, are you already on your way here?" Zion asked as soon as his image appeared on themunicator.


    "Yes, I''m already on the private jet of the Leventis Family," Sherry replied. "But, there is a problem. There''s two little girls who snuck up inside the private jet, and they seem to want to


    meet you."


    "Two little girls?" Thirteen frowned. "What are their names?"


    "Maple and Cinnamon."


    "... Let me see them."


    Sherry approached the two little girls and asked them to look at themunicator in her


    wrist.


    "Hello, Big Brother!" Maple waved.


    "Cinnamon is here too!" Cinnamon also waved at themunicator.


    Seeing that they were indeed the two girls whom he had met in the Leventis Family''s theme


    park, Thirteen couldn''t help but look at them in a new light.


    "How did the two of you sneak inside the Private Jet?" Thirteen asked.


    "We just did?" Maple blinked.


    "Grandpa told us that if people ask us this question, we should say it''s a trade secret!"


    Cinnamon answered.


    Thirteen had already known back then that the two little girls weren''t ordinary children.


    Maple and Cinnamon had left a deep impression on him because they were like two gluttons who wouldn''t get full no matter how much they ate.


    Because of that, Thirteen guessed that they must have some kind of supernatural powers that


    were rted to eating.


    "Big Brother, we want to see you~" Maple said.


    "We definitely don''t want to go to the Rigel Continent because we want to eat monster meat,


    you know?" Cinnamon said with a smile.


    Sherry, who was in the middle of the two girls, could only look at Zion with the "What are we


    going to do with them?" gaze.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The teenage boy pondered for a bit before making a decision.


    "Since they are already there, just take them with you," Thirteen ordered. "I''ll think of


    something when they arrive here."


    ""''Yay!"" the two little girls cheered happily, making Thirteen look at them fondly.


    "Big Brother, the big sister here doesn''t want to give us some chicken wings," Maple immediately started toin.


    "Cinnamon wants orange juice!" Cinnamon joined her sister, deciding to press while the iron


    was still hot.


    "Okay, the two of you can eat as much as you want," Thirteen replied. "But make sure to


    behave during the rest of the flight, okay?"


    ""Yes~""


    Thirteen then talked to the Stewardess and gave her instructions to treat the two girls as VIP


    Guests, just like Sherry.


    With the confirmation of her employer, the Stewardess promised to give Maple and Cinnamon


    the VIP Service they were entitled to.


    Sherry wanted to ask Zion many questions about the two girls, but she decided to just wait


    until they arrived at the Rigel Continent to do it.


    For the time being, she chatted with Maple and Cinnamon, who were happily eating chicken


    and drinking orange juice.


    To her surprise, she found out that one of the Wanderers who apanied them in their journey, Ste, was Maple''s and Cinnamon''s sister.


    She could still remember how she was impressed by the ck-haired beauty''s archery, as well


    as closebat techniques.


    Her prowess with the bow was exceptional, surpassing all the Wanderers she had seen,


    including Mildred of the Hero Party.


    "Does your big sister know that the two of you n to meet Zion in the Rigel Continent?"


    Sherry asked.


    "No," Maple replied. "Don''t tell her, okay?"


    "Cinnamon snuck out, so if big sister finds out, she will definitely be angry," Cinnamon


    replied with a frown. "So don''t tell her, okay?"


    Sherry didn''t promise anything, and simply said "Mmm."


    She neither affirmed or rejected the two girls'' request. She and Ste were only acquaintances, and they weren''t really close to each other. However,


    the more Sherry talked to the two girls, the more curious she became about their family.


    Several hourster, the private jet finally started their descent to the Rigel Continent.


    Maple and Cinnamon were sleeping on their seats without a care in the world. Sherry, on the other hand, was looking outside of the window.


    This was her first time stepping foot into the Rigel Continent, for this was one of the most


    dangerous ces in the world.


    When Zion invited her to participate in training, she was more than happy to ept his


    invitation.


    But when she realized that the Training Ground would be thends of the Rigel Continent,


    even Sherry felt that this training that she was about to take part in wouldn''t be as simple as she originally thought it would be.


    A/N: Not feeling well. Just one chapter today.

 Chapter 654: They Must Be Transcendents

    "Hello, Big Brother!" Maple greeted with her arms spread wide, as if asking for a hug.


    "Big Brother, hug!" Cinnamon imitated her sister because she wanted a hug as well.


    Thirteen, who had a soft spot for children, crouched down and hugged the two girls, making both of them giggle happily.


    A few secondster, the teenage boy pulled back and looked at the two girls with great curiosity.


    "What are you girls doing here?" Thirteen asked. "Don''t tell me that you ran away from home again?"


    The two adorable girls averted their gazes and started to whistle, pretending that they didn''t hear his words.


    Seeing that the two had no intention of answering his question, he could only sigh and pat their heads.


    "Don''t worry, Big Brother!" Maple smiled. "Grandpa will pick us up sooner orter."


    "Yes! Grandpa is the best!" Cinnamon raised her hand.


    "You girls still haven''t answered my first question," Thirteen stated. "What are the two of you doing here?"


    "Because we want to see Big Brother?"


    "Cinnamon wants to eat Big Brother''s cooking!"


    When he heard that the two girls went to find him just to see him and eat his cooking, his gaze softened a bit, and he once again patted their heads.


    "Okay, I''ll cook for the two of youter," Thirteen replied. "But make sure that you don''t wander too far from us, okay? There are many monsters here, and they love to eat cute little girls like you."


    "Big Brother, that''s impossible," Maple shook her head. "No one can eat us."


    "Big Brother, we are the only ones who do the eating," Cinnamon smiled. "Actually, we also came here because we want to eat monste¡ªmphhh!"


    Maple hurriedly covered her sister''s lips and whispered something in Cinnamon''s ear, making thetter stop struggling.


    The members of the Hero Party, Sherry, Rianna, and the Squad Captains of Thirteen''s Battalion all stared at the two adorable girls, who seemed out of ce in this dangerousnds that were infested with monsters.


    Shana was unable to just let it be, so she approached Zion and whispered in his ear.


    "Zion, we should send them back to the Cygni Continent," Shana whispered. "This is a very dangerous ce for children."


    Of course, Thirteen understood why Shana thought this way. However, he had a feeling that even if the two girls were to wander the Rigel Continent on their own, they would be perfectly fine.


    He didn''t know why he felt this way, but looking at the two girls, he couldn''t help but think that no one in the world could harm them.


    Also, after seeing the two girls again, the teenage boy confirmed the hunch that he had in the past.


    ''These two girls are protected by mysterious powers,'' Thirteen mused.


    As the System of Cannon Fodders, he could tell if a person was a Cannon Fodder, a Hero, A Viin, or an Extra.


    However, despite being this close to Maple and Cinnamon, he couldn''t tell what roles they yed in the multiverse.


    Suddenly, he thought of a possibility that made him more confident that the two little girls would be just fine taking a stroll around the Rigel Continent like they were strolling in their own backyard.


    ''They must be Transcendents,'' Thirteen mused.


    Transcendents were beings born one in a quintillion.


    They were extremely rare, and the roles they yed in the multiverse varied.


    Not only were they protected by Fate, but they were also protected by other mysterious powers that moved the universe.


    Simply put, it was extremely impossible for them to be harmed or killed by anything.


    They could only die a natural death once they reached the end of their lifespans.


    If someone were to try to take their lives, a miracle would happen that would make them survive no matter what.


    Even if a nuclear bomb or a meteor were to be dropped on top of their heads, Transcendents were bound to survive no matter what.


    Thirteen then felt a tug on his shirt, which made him look at Sherry, who was standing on his left side.


    "Maple and Cinnamon told me that Ste is their older sister," Sherry said.


    A look of surprise shed on Thirteen''s face. "You''re Ste''s little sisters?"


    "Yes!" Maple nodded. "Big sister loves us very much!"


    "Cinnamon loves Big Sister, too!" Cinnamon replied.


    "Then, should we tell her that the two of you are here?" Thirteen asked.


    "No!" Maple answered hurriedly, while hugging Thirteen''s arm. "Don''t tell Big Sister that we are here. She will be angry!"


    "Big Sister is scary when she''s mad," Cinnamon also grabbed hold of Thirteen''s other arm, making thetter chuckle.


    "Fine," Thirteen said. "I won''t tell your sister. But, are you sure that your Grandpa will pick you upter?"


    "He will!"


    "Grandpa always finds Cinnamon even if she hides!"


    After thinking for a while, Thirteen decided to take the two girls to Endi, who was the onlydy among the three Earth Dragons.


    He was supposed to give everyone a day off from training, but after their battle with the Centipede King, all of them were raring to start their training right away.


    When Endi''s gazended on the two little girls, her body subconsciously shuddered as if she was looking at her natural enemy.


    The Earth Dragon was currently in her demi-human form and seated on herfortable couch.


    In front of her was a small table littered with snacks, which she nned to eat while watching a show on Netfix.


    The two girls looked at Endi with great interest, the kind that seemed like they were contemting what kind of spices they should use to make the Earth Dragon more delicious to eat.


    After a brief introduction, Maple and Cinnamon sat beside the Earth Dragon and started to eat the cookies on the table.


    Since the two were with one of the "Bosses" of the Rigel Continent, Thirteen knew that the two of them were in safe hands.


    He then shifted his attention to the young men and women who were raring to undertake their training, in order to get stronger than ever.

 Chapter 655: Your Hard Work Finally Paid Off

    The sound of two weapons shing reverberated in the surroundings as Thirteen and Rnd sparred with each other.


    The teenage boy had just finished beating the crap out of Derek when Rnd approached him for a spar.


    Seeing the determination in the young man''s face, Thirteen epted his challenge, and the two had been fighting for nearly thirty minutes since then.


    Thirteen blocked, parried, and deflected Rnd''s attacks with his two short swords, asionally using his feet to counterattack with kicks from time to time.


    The teenage boy would always target the Hero''s stomach, which sent thetter skidding on the ground for a few meters whenever itnded.


    Rnd endured the pain and did his best not to throw up every time he received Thirteen''s blow.


    But no matter what he did, even if he had prepared to block the counterattack, the teenage boy''s kicks would stillnd on his body, making him feel annoyed and pressured.


    "Can you please stop hitting my stomach?" Rnd asked. "I don''t want to vomit the food I ate earlier."


    "Okay," Thirteen replied casually.


    After that brief pause, the two shed once more, and true to his word, Thirteen''s kick didn''tnd on Rnd''s stomach.


    But itnded in a ce that made the young man almost cough out blood then and there.


    Continue your saga on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Derek, who was watching the battle, couldn''t help butugh out loud after seeing Rnd hold his backside with a painful expression on his face.


    Whenever the Swordsman trained with his Master, Thirteen would always target his butt with a kick, which made him feel pain and humiliation each time.


    Seeing Rnd going through the same treatment he endured made Derek feel a bit better.


    Now, he had a buddy that could understand his pain and suffering!


    The only saving grace was that the girls were currently training in a different location.


    Of course, if the girls were around, Thirteen would show some consideration and not hit the ces which would make the boys feel shameful.


    After several more exchanges, Rnd was already on the ground panting for breath.


    "Just how are you able to do this?" Rnd asked. "Why are you so strong?"


    Derek, who was also curious about this topic, looked at his Master with bated breath.


    He also wanted to know how someone who was younger than him managed to reach a level that even the Hero of their Party couldn''t defeat.


    Thirteen pondered this question for two minutes before answering the young man''s question.


    "Experience is the best teacher," Thirteen replied. "When you experience the same things that I did, I''m very sure that being strong is the only option."


    "What did you experience, Master?" Derek inquired. "Can you tell me about it? Maybe I can get stronger that way as well."


    This time, it was Rnd''s turn to pay attention to Thirteen''s next words.


    "I experienced heartbreaks," Thirteen said softly. "Many heartbreaks. Fortunately, I didn''t have a heart back then, or it might have already been broken."


    "Heartbreaks?" Derek frowned. "Are you talking about love, Master? Did you get heartbroken because of rtionships?"


    "Something like that," Thirteen replied with a bitter smile on his face.


    Derek and Rnd exchanged a nce with each other before shifting their gaze back at the teenage boy in front of them.


    "Master, I understand now!" Derek patted his Master''s shoulder, and looked at the teenage boy with pity. "You''re still young, but I''m sure that after a few years, you will grow up to be as handsome as me. By then, you won''t have problems with rtionships. You won''t suffer anymore heartbreaks!"


    Tiona, who was coiled on Thirteen''s neck, was very tempted to lunge at the annoying guy and bite him to oblivion.


    Although Zion wasn''t very handsome, his looks were still above average!


    In a few years, he would definitely be a looker. Because of this, Tiona was confident that her Master would easily be able to attract gooddies who would care for him.


    Rnd, who heard Zion''s reply, couldn''t help but frown.


    For some reason, he could tell that the heartbreak that the teenage boy talked about wasn''t as simple as it sounded on the surface.


    Unfortunately, Derek didn''t know about this and only thought that, because his Master had been dumped by girls, he gained the motivation to improve himself, which led to the point that he became incredibly strong.


    It was simr to guys going to the gym to get those muscr bodies in order to boost their self confidence and make the girls look at them favorably.


    "Okay, break time is over," Thirteen said. "Now, the two of you will spar."


    Rnd wanted to say that Derek is no match for him, but he knew that Thirteen wouldn''t take no for an answer.


    Although he was reluctant to do it, he decided to just finish the battle as fast as he could so that he could continue training with Zion.


    But to his surprise, Derek proved to be a very formidable adversary, forcing Rnd to be more serious.


    Although he was not fighting with his full strength, he was still surprised that he was unable to overpower the Swordsman, whose strength seemed to be equal to his own.


    Derek, who also knew that he wasn''t a match for Rnd, couldn''t help but be surprised because he was able to fend off his opponent''s attack and even managed to push him back during those exchanges.


    The moment the twobatants distanced themselves to each other at the same time, both of them looked at each other with shock written on their faces.


    "You''ve improved a lot, Derek," Thirteen said with praise. "Your hard work finally paid off."


    "Master! Did you see that?!" Derek replied in an excited tone.


    "I saw." Thirteen nodded. "Good job."


    "Hahaha!" Derek couldn''t help butugh because it was very rare for his Master to praise him.


    Rnd couldn''t help but feel bitter because he always believed that he was the strongest among the members of the Hero Party.


    However, as much as he tried to deny it, Erica and Derek had reached a stage where they could fight him and even win.


    The only reason he could think of as to how this happened was the fact that they had been trained by Zion a month longer than he had been.


    ''Did they really improve that much in just a month?'' Rnd thought.


    When Derek, and the others invited him and Joshua to train in the Leventis Residence, Rnd said that he still had matters to take care of.


    Of course, this was the truth.


    But if he really wished for it, he could have passed his tasks to other people in the army, allowing him to train earlier.


    However, he thought that not training under Thirteen for a month wouldn''t be that much of a problem since he would be training with him after a month had passed.


    It was then when Rnd remembered that before they went to Solterra during their previous mission, his strength and fighting abilities had increased drastically after being trained by Zion for a month.


    Only a month of training, and he gained a massive boost in his overall fighting prowess.


    However, he and Joshua both decided to rest for a month before undergoing their training with Zion.


    ''Maybe I should have trained with them a month ago,'' Rnd suddenly regretted his decision of not epting Derek''s, Erica''s, and Shana''s invitation to train with them.


    Although he was feeling depressed, he decided to not show it on his face and once again shed with Derek, whose morale had increased because of his achievement.


    After fighting for nearly an hour, the battle came to a draw, with neither of them getting the upper hand.


    Joshua, who was observing this from a distance, couldn''t help but clench his fists in frustration because he had a feeling that Derek had already surpassed him as well.

 Chapter 656: Erasmus’ Only Regret

    Chapter 656: Erasmus¡¯ Only Regret


    ?


    "Big Brother, this is so delicious!" Maple praised in between mouthfuls. "Big Brother, Cinnamon really loves your cooking!" Cinnamon praised.


    "Feel free to eat as much as you want, okay? There''s still plenty being cooked." Thirteen wasn''t aware, but for the first time in forever, there was a very big smile on his face. This sight made Erica, Sherry, and Shana, who were looking at him, feel like they were just imagining things.


    The smile on Thirteen''s face seemed to grow even wider as he happily gave the twin girls the barbecued meat he was grilling using charcoal.


    The expression of happiness on the two girls'' faces as they ate their barbecue skewers made Derek subconsciously swallow his saliva.


    Just like the teenage boy who was smiling from ear to ear, they were also grilling their own meat, which they had prepared using their own spices.


    "Big Brother, your special recipe is really amazing," Maple said as she epted the barbecue skewer her Big Brother handed to her.


    "Big Brother, can you tell us the ingredients of the marinade?" Cinnamon asked. "I want Mama to grill meat using your recipe, please?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to list all the ingredients without fail," Thirteen replied. "Now, eat up."


    ""Yay!""


    Truth be told, among the grilled meat that they were cooking, the smelling from Thirteen''s grill made everyone''s mouth water the most.


    Even the Earth Dragons, who decided to join them for lunch, couldn''t help but salivate because the smell of barbecued meat was increasing their appetite.


    However, there was one problem.


    All of them, including the Earth Dragons, had already tasted Thirteen''s cooking once. They wouldn''t be able to forget that bubblegum vor even if they tried to forget it!


    But seeing that the two girls were happily eating without problems, Derek and the rest thought that... maybe this time, it was safe.


    After all, it was just barbecued meat, right?


    How could it possibly go wrong?


    Derek, who was no longer able to hold back his curiosity, approached his Master with a fawning smile on his face.


    "Master, that smells so good. Can you please give me one?" Derek asked.


    "Scram," Thirteen replied. "Who was it that said that he won''t eat my cooking ever again? Go


    away, or these kids might lose their appetite after seeing you."


    "Master, don''t be like this. Did I really say that? How can I possibly disrespect you?"


    "I can clearly remember what you said, so there''s no use buttering me up."


    Derek lightly patted his chest as if he were a soldier about to go to war and looked at his Master with a solemn expression on his face.


    "Master, I, Derek, isn''t someone superficial," Derek stated. "I admire you the most in the world. With a single wave of your hand, an army of tens of thousands will move. With a flip of your hair, all thedies will swoon.


    "Under the heavens, I only have one Master. So, how is it possible for me to not respect you? Master, this humble disciple asks that you bestow upon me one of your barbecue skewers. We are Master and Disciple. This much is fine, right?"


    Pica and Pico, who had also tasted Thirteen''s cooking before, looked at the bootlicker in disdain.


    Their inner Pocopoco senses were telling them that the teenage boy''s cooking was dangerous, so despite the fact that it smelt so fragrant, the two Pocopocos remained beside Erica and Sherry, waiting for their barbecued meat to finish cooking.


    "Fine. Since you''re so persistent, I''ll grant your wish." Thirteen then handed a barbecued skewer to Derek, making Cinnamon, who was about to get her share, pout.


    Derek then blew on the skewer a few times. The meat was just freshly cooked, so it was still a bit hot.


    When he determined that it was now safe to eat it, he took a bite with great expectations. The moment the tender meat entered his lips, an explosion of vors exploded inside his mouth.


    Derek''s mind went nk as his entire vision was covered in white.


    A momentter, he staggered and looked at the skewer in his hands with surprise. "T-This!" Derek gasped. "How can this thing taste like bubblegum?! Master, just how are you doing this?! I don''t understand. I can''t eat this anymore!"


    Thirteen, who was smiling ear to ear earlier, red at this bastard disciple.


    Maple and Cinnamon did the same, especially Cinnamon, who was suffering from injustice because Thirteen handed the barbecue that was meant for her to another person.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You don''t like Big Brother''s cooking?" Maple asked in disdain. "Is there something wrong with your taste buds? I feel sorry for you!"


    "People who don''t appreciate food are not appreciated by the Food Gods!" Cinnamon said as she pointed angrily at Derek. "Can''t you feel the love and care that Big Brother poured into that barbecue?! You''re making me angry. I want to bite you!"


    Even Tiona hissed angrily at Derek. If her Master gave her the order, she wouldn''t hesitate to bite the ungrateful bastard who dared to waste her Master''s goodwill.


    "Calm down, girls," Thirteen tried to pacify the two adorable girls, who were defending his cooking. "Don''t let his uncultured swine make the two of you angry. Don''t worry, I''ll cook more for the two of you."


    Cinnamon, who saw that Derek was about to throw the barbecue skewer in his hands, reached


    out to grab it.


    She then ate it while ring at the swordsman, who was very close to being bitten to death by


    her.


    "I knew it." Pica chuckled.


    "We dodged a bullet," Picomented.


    An hourter, after everyone finished eating, Thirteen took everyone to the beach.


    This was supposed to be their day off, but they spent half a day in training instead.


    However, since Maple and Cinnamon were there with them, Thirteen decided to take the two little girls to the beach so that they could have some fun.


    When they arrived at the beach, several Walrus-like Jinns looked at them, but none dared to


    block their path.


    In fact, the Jinns even made way for them, as if fearing that the humans would be scared of


    them.


    Maple and Cinnamon, who had just eaten, looked at these Walrus Jinns while swallowing their


    saliva.


    When these monsters sensed this, all of them immediately fled the scene as if they were


    staring at their mortal enemies.


    The young men were already wearing their swimming trunks, and Thirteen had to admit that their bodies were very masculine.


    Even Pietro, who was the skinniest among Thirteen''s Captains in the past, had bulked up a bit after all the training that was done in the army.


    When the girls appeared wearing their bathing suits and bikinis, the young men were unable


    to take their eyes off them.


    This was especially true for Rnd and Joshua, both of whom were looking at Shana.


    The Saintess was wearing a one-piece white swimsuit. But since Shana was a bit conservative,


    she also wore a frilly white sarong that covered the lower part of her swimsuit, making Rnd


    and Joshua gulp.


    "Zion, how do I look?" Erica asked as she posed in front of the teenage boy, who was holding Maple''s and Cinnamon''s hands.


    Erica was wearing a red bikini that made her curvaceous body stand out.


    Alcapone couldn''t help but whistle after seeing the beautiful Sorceress who grew up in the


    right ces.


    "It would have been perfect if your hair color wasn''t dark blue," Thirteenmented. "But, I''ll give you 8 out of 10 for the effort."


    Erica clicked her tongue. Although Zion was looking at her, he wasn''t reacting like the other boys, who were ogling her gorgeous body.


    Sherry, who was wearing a dark blue one-piece swimsuit, had no courage to ask the teenage


    boy how she looked.


    However, Thirteen looked in her direction and gave her an encouraging smile.


    "That swimsuit looks good on you, Sherry," Thirteen said. "T-Thank you," Sherry replied, a faint tinge of red spreading on her face.


    "Hey, what is this discrimination?" Ericained. "You didn''t tell me that I look good in


    my swimsuit."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice as he looked at Erica from head to foot before looking


    straight into her eyes.


    "It looks good on you," Thirteen said in a monotonous tone, almost making Erica grab his


    head in a headlock.


    "Zion, you''re so mean." Mildred, who was wearing a white bikini, giggled.


    Mildred was quite petite, so she was wearing a swimsuit that looked like sportswear, which surprisingly made her look very attractive.


    Diana and Piper, who were the only women among Thirteen''s Squad Captains wore white and


    pink bikinis that highlighted their beautiful figures.


    Maple and Cinnamon were both wearing pink swimsuits. The two little girls had storage rings with them, which were filled with food and clothes.


    Clearly, they could go anywhere and anytime, thoroughly prepared when they ran away from


    home.


    Everyone had fun on the beach, while Thirteen yed with the girls on the sand and built


    sandcastles.


    From a distance, the Death Lord, Erasmus, looked at the teenage boy, who had a carefree


    smile on his face.


    He could still remember when he was dying, and Thirteen was mourning inside of his head.


    Back then, he thought that his System was an emotionless being.


    But seeing him now, the Death Lord couldn''t help but smile. Thirteen once told him that he had gone through dozens of hosts, and all of them died pitiful


    deaths.


    Erasmus could sense the pain, and heartbreak in Thirteen''s voice back then, so he promised him that he wouldn''t end the same way as his previous hosts. However, Fate wasn''t something that anyone could change so easily.


    His only regret was that he was unable to keep his promise in his previous lifetime.


    But now, he believed that with him and Zion working together, they would finally be able to break free from the shackles that had bound them three hundred years ago.

 Chapter 657: The Concept Of Weaponization

    Chapter 657: The Concept Of Weaponization


    ?


    Erica panted for breath as the mes around her slowly faded.


    She was so exhausted that she felt like dying.


    Originally, she thought that she was invincible in the sky, but Thirteen brought her down a peg by making Sherry use a special strategy against the Sorceress.


    When they were still in the Fractured Heaven, Erica and Sherry both gained Rank 4 Steel Falcon Avatars, while Diana gained Steel Falcon wings as an equipped item.


    Thirteen had been teaching Sherry Aerial Warfare because she had never tried it in the past.


    The teenage boy had prepared a saddle just for her, allowing her to mount the Steel Falcon''s back safely.


    There was even a special seatbelt that allowed her to freely use her hands and shoot arrows from the sky.


    Fortunately, Sherry was one of those people who didn''t have a fear of heights, which was enough to make her an ideal Aerial Knight.


    A Rank 4 Steel Falcon was not only fast, but it was also a very deadly monster.


    Its wings were as hard as steel and could slice off the enemies it attacked in the air like a sword.


    Its razor-sharp ws and feathers, which it could use as range attacks, were just as deadly as its entire body, making it a true killer in the skies.


    For this battle, Erica fought against Sherry, and the Sorceress'' earlier confidence disappeared the moment the Steel Falcon performed maneuvers that made it almost impossible for her to hit.


    Even if she used magic bullets, the Steel Falcon would simply raise its wings like a shield, nullifying one of Erica''s Trump Cards.


    Just like Thirteen''s Monster Army, he had a way to make the Steel Falcon evolve into an Adamantine Falcon, a true terror in the sky.


    Thirteen even fed the Falcon two scales of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent, increasing the strength of its steel-like body, and making it more resistant to magical and physical attacks.


    The Impetus for its evolution was to gain enoughbat experience while getting hit by spells or physical attacks.


    Since Erica was like a Magical Turret that could unleash spells en masse, she was the perfect person to facilitate the Steel Falcon''s evolution.


    Of course, the Sorceress was unaware of Thirteen''s n. He simply asked her to spar with Sherry.


    She was very confident in the beginning since she had fought against Steel Falcons before. But now, all of that confidence in her disappeared without a trace.


    "I give up!" Erica shouted in exhaustion.


    She no longer had the strength to continue because she already gave her everything in the battle.


    Sherry, who didn''t do anything aside frommanding her Steel Falcon Avatar whom she named Ace, was very happy with the oue of the match.


    Erica felt incredibly down because she lost to a Rookie and her Rank 4 Steel Falcon that had evolved into an Overlord after eating the two scales from the Majin King.


    Originally, Steel Falcons were only resistant to physical attacks. But after eating the Majin King Scales, it also gained some Magic Resistance, making it a "cheat-like" monster.


    Unfortunately, as strong as it was now, it would still need to fight many more battles and endure many more attacks before evolving into an Adamantine Falcon, which would not lose even if it fought against Dragons of the same Rank.


    "Zion, what happened to Sherry''s Steel Falcon?" Erica asked. "Why is it so strong? I also have a Rank 4 Steel Falcon, but it''s trashpared to this one."


    "That''s because Sherry''s Steel Falcon is special," Thirteen replied before walking close to the Sorceress in order to whisper something in her ears. "I also fed it two Serpent Scales from the Majin King. Now, it''s not only strong against physical attacks, but it''s also resistant to magical attacks."


    Erica narrowed her gaze. "Then feed my Steel Falcon with Serpent Scales as well."


    "No," Thirteen replied.


    "Why?" Erica asked with a pout.


    "Because you won''t get strong if you rely on your Steel Falcon," Thirteen answered. "Sherry is still a Rookie, so she needs all the help she can get. But you''re different.


    "You are the Great Sorceress Erica. Why do you need a Steel Falcon to fight your battles for you? Also, I will be teaching you a special move that would make you incredibly strong as well."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Erica gave the teenage boy a doubtful look. "A special move? Is it a spell?"


    "It''s something simr but different at the same time," Thirteen smiled. "It''s called Weaponization."


    "Weaponization?" Erica frowned. "What''s that?"


    Thirteen pondered a bit so that he could think of a way on how he could exin


    Weaponization to Erica.


    He wanted to make it as simple as possible so that the youngdy wouldn''tin


    afterward.


    "You summon me Spears, right?" Thirteen inquired.


    "I do," Erica answered.


    "Those spears only look like spears," Thirteen exined. "But in the end, they''re just madepletely out of fire. In short, the only thing they could do was deal fire damage to your


    enemy.


    "However, what if you are able to give it substance? Instead of a spear made up of mes, what if you can make it like a real spear, with mes coating its body? That''s what you call,


    Weaponization.


    "It is a skill that will allow your elemental attacks to have physical forms. Mind you- this is not exclusive to me spears. If you do it right, your Fireballs will transform into zing meteors that will deal greater damage once they hit.


    "If your enemy is resistant to magic but weak to physical attacks, they will be annihted with your Meteor. The same can be said for your me Spears. If they truly transform into spears coated in mes, they will deal Piercing Damage, breaking through the target''s defenses and dealing extra damage."


    Erica wasn''t stupid. She was able to visualize what Thirteen meant, which seemed to have opened a whole new world to her.


    "If your Magic Bullets truly transform into bullets, they will be extremely dangerous because they have the ability to lock in on their targets like homing missiles," Thirteen stated. "However, mastering Weaponization is not an easy thing to do. You need to train hard to achieve the bare minimum to pass my training."


    Thirteen then took out a hand towel from his storage ring and draped it over Erica''s head before walking away to talk to Sherry and praise her for her Aerial Battle.


    Erica felt bad earlier, but now, she seemed to have reached some kind of enlightenment, which would allow her to be three times more deadlier than ever before.

 Chapter 658: Saintess Eternal Blossom and Phantom Kings Shadow Dominion

    Chapter 658: Saintess Eternal Blossom and Phantom King''s Shadow Dominion


    ?


    An intense battle took ce in the sky as Erica fought with Sherry, who was riding on her Steel Falcon.


    Erica was spamming Magic Bullets, and so far, she had achieved minor sess in


    Weaponization


    Her Magic Bullets now had a small ck bead at their center, which was concentrated magic that took physical form.


    The sound of metallic beads colliding against steel reverberated in the surroundings.


    It sounded like countless little bells that were being rang at the same time.


    Thirteen taught Erica the theory of Weaponization for two reasons.


    The first one was to make Erica stronger.


    The second one was to hasten the Steel Falcon''s evolution.


    Since it could only evolve after getting hit numerous times by magical and physical attacks, Erica''s weaponization was the perfect way to make it evolve as soon as possible.


    If the Sorceress only knew that Thirteen was only using her to make "Ace" evolve faster, Erica would certainly get mad and target Thirteen with her Magic Bullets instead.


    Fortunately, she didn''t know, so Thirteen could only chuckle in his heart as he shifted his gaze to Joshua, who was fighting against Mildred in rangedbat.


    Just like Erica, the Sage of the Hero Party was a magical battery.


    He had both offensive spells, as well as debuff spells, which could make the enemy feel disgusted in battle.


    That was why, when Thirteen trained Joshua in the Leventis Residence using the GANDAM NeuroLink, he made him battle a Pocopocoposed of Vassago''s data.


    The Pocopoco not only attacked him but also trash talked him to oblivion, making Joshua lose the calmness of his state of mind.


    The role of the Sage in the Hero Party was the "Controller."


    He was someone who supported Erica as an offensive spell caster and supported Shana as a debuffer.


    By inflicting his enemy with debuffs like Slow, Weaken, Paralyze, Blind, and other spells that would decrease the enemy''sbat effectiveness, the Hero Party would be able to get an advantage, especially when they were dealing with a single strong monster.


    Because of this, Joshua needed to remain calm at all times to perfectly assess the situation. If his mental state was broken, his effectiveness in battle would decrease by more than half.


    The training with the Pocopoco had nearly driven Joshua insane.


    As someone who had been treated with respect his whole life, being hurled with expletives brought him down a peg and made him wake up to reality.


    Now, he had stronger mental defenses and was able to deal with Mildred''s range attacks in a calm manner.


    Seeing that the battle was moving ording to his expectations, he shifted his attention to Diana''s and Shana''s battle.


    With sword and shield in hand, Diana shed with Shana, who was wielding her silver banner like a spear.


    ''Not bad,'' Thirteen thought. ''Shana''s closebat is at a passable grade.''


    As the Saintess of the Hero Party, Shana would always be at the rear of the formation.


    However, this wasn''t a safe ce because the enemies usually target the healer first.


    If ever there were monsters who managed to get past the vanguard''s defenses, Shana would have to protect herself, and this was where Thirteen''s Divine Martial Technique came in.


    Shana''s Divine Technique was called Saintess Eternal Blossom.


    It was a technique that merged celestial beauty with devastating martial prowess. When activated, the user bes surrounded by a field of radiant, ethereal blossoms that sway with an otherworldly glow. Each petal embodies a fragment of divine energy, offering protection, overwhelming offense, and restoration.


    It had three major abilities.


    Blossoming Sanctuary-a field of divine blossoms blooms around the user, creating a protective barrier that absorbs iing attacks. Allies within the sanctuary are healed, their wounds closing as petals swirl around them. The barrier grows stronger with the user''s resolve.


    Petal Storm of Judgment-the petals transform into razor-sharp, luminous projectiles that target enemies with divine precision. Each petal strikes with immense force, capable of breaking through even the strongest defenses.


    Eternal Bloom Requiem-the ultimate technique of Saintess Eternal Blossom. The user channels all of their divine energy into a massive, celestial flower that blooms above the battlefield.


    It releases a cascade of radiant petals that cleanse the wicked and restore the pure. Enemies are obliterated by its divine judgment, while allies are healed to their peak condition. True to its name, every time Shana swung her silver banner, white flower petals fluttered in the surroundings, wafting off a fragrance that soothed one''s senses.


    However, these white flower petals shouldn''t be underestimated. As delicate as they look, they were sharp enough to cut through a person''s skin, making them a very deadly ability. Only Diana, who specialized in defense, would be able to fight Shana calmly, which had led to a stalemate between the Crusader and the Saintess, the ones who yed the roles of Guardian and Healer of their Party.


    Hundred of meters away from them, Derek and Rnd were fighting each other.


    Currently, the two of them were evenly matched. Even Thirteen didn''t know who would win between the two because they almost had the same fighting prowess.


    Not far from them, Alcapone was fighting against Cristopher''s Avatar, Brutus, who was now a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    Of course, Brutus wasn''t fighting with 100% of his ability. If he did, Alcapone wouldn''t stand a chance of winning against him.


    Right now, the leader of the E4 Mafia had a ck me zing on his forehead, which was the ability that Thirteen had passed onto him in exchange for the two billion gold coins he should


    have won


    auction.


    Originally, Alcapone was feeling depressed that his money was swindled from him by his Battalion Commander.


    To make matters worse, when the two of them reunited, Thirteen didn''t hesitate to knock him unconscious.


    The teenage boy hadn''t done it out of spite. He simply yed it safe and made Alcapone faint before he transferred a Divine Martial Technique in his consciousness.


    When Alcapone finally woke up, Thirteen handed him a Martial Booklet and asked Alcapone to train using the moves inside of it.


    At first, Alcapone felt indignant, but after reading the booklet, he felt that he could see someone performing the different martial poses inside his head.


    Whenever he slept, he would find himself executing the martial technique while fighting against countless enemies.


    This was how the Martial Techniques that Thirteen had given to others worked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Whether they were awake or asleep, they would learn the Martial Techniques without fail because they themselves would be performing it consciously and subconsciously.


    The training inside their dreams were the real cherry on top because they were always sent to a battlefield, and the battle would be so realistic, making them even feel pain despite the fact that it was only a dream.


    When Alcapone finally finished reading the booklet, it suddenly caught fire and burned until


    only ashes were left.


    Even so, it no longer mattered.


    Alcapone had already memorized everything.


    The only thing hecked was experience. With a bit of practice, it would be ingrained into his


    muscle memory.


    The Divine Martial Technique that Alcapone gained was called Phantom King''s Shadow


    Dominion.


    This technique drew on the ndestine power of the underworld, blending divine energy with


    the aura of a master strategist. The user bes an untouchable phantom, manipting


    shadows and reality to dominate the battlefield.


    It had three distinct abilities.


    Spectral Sovereignty-the user creates an intangible domain of darkness, silencing all opponents'' powers within its radius. Only allies of the Mafia can act freely.


    Chains of Oblivion-shadowy chains erupt from the ground, binding enemies and draining


    their strength while empowering the user.


    Eternal Vow of the Mafia King-a finishing move that invokes the loyalty and power of the Mafia family, amplifying the user''s energy to obliterate foes in a devastating strike.


    In short, the Eternal Vow of the Mafia King''s power increases when the members of the E4


    Mafias are gathered together.


    The greater the numbers, the greater the damage!


    But since Alcapone was using this ability for the first time, he was having trouble fighting against the Troll Champion, who had high resistance to physical and magical attacks.


    Cristopher watched the battle with his arms crossed over his chest.


    As Thirteen''s right-hand man and also as a Brute Tamer, he was also given a powerful Divine Martial Technique, which Thirteen asked him to keep hidden.


    He was only allowed to use this as ast resort because once he used it, he would gain the


    attention of every major power in the world due to how devastating it was.


    Colbert, who was Thirteen''s third inmand, also had a Divine Technique. But this


    technique wasn''t an offensive ability.


    It was meant to support people in the battlefield, highlighting Colbert''s slyness, for he liked


    to take advantage of the weakness of his enemies.


    The more they trained, the more Thirteen believed that when the Tournament of Dragons and


    Phoenixes took ce, the people who had gone through his training would definitely be the ones to reach the top ranks in the tournament.

 Chapter 659: You Have Good Sisters

    Chapter 659: You Have Good Sisters


    ?


    Ste slowly opened her eyes and looked in the distance.


    She had been training with Siri for nearly six weeks, and the two of them had gotten closer during that time.


    Unfortunately, something came up, so Siri had to leave, and they had to halt their training midway.


    Just as Ste was thinking on where she should go next, she sensed something headed in her direction.


    Since she was gifted with good eyesight that could lock into a target from a mile away, she was able to see a familiar scene, which made her smile.


    From the distance, an eight-legged horse ran like the wind, and riding it was an old man wearing an eyepatch.


    In less than a minute, the horse stopped a few meters away from her and neighed in greeting. "Grandpa," Ste said with a smile on her face. "Have youe to pick me up?"


    "No," Ste''s Grandpa, who went by the name James, replied. "But I missed you, so I came to see you before I picked up the two troublemakers."


    Ste giggled because she already knew the identity of the two troublemakers.


    Her little sisters, Maple and Cinnamon, had a habit of running away from home.


    If not for the fact that they would always return safe and sound and that James could instantly find their location, their parents might have already fallen into depression due to worry.


    "Where are they now?" Ste asked.


    "In the Rigel Continent with Zion Leventis," James replied.


    "... What?" Ste nked out for a moment.


    She didn''t know that her sisters were acquainted with the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, who were sent in the same ce as her during her First Wandering.


    "This is the second time that Maple and Cinnamon met him," James stated. "Last time, they were with him until the Night of the Fireflies."


    The Night of the Fireflies was a yearly event where people gathered to light flyingnterns with messages for their loved ones.


    Thesenterns would then be sent by Lace Demon and The One to Solterra, so they could reach the people who were intended to see the messages of their loved ones.


    "Are you going to pick them up now?" Ste inquired.


    James nodded. "Chiffon is getting worried about them, so I came to pick them up."


    Ste thought for a while before looking at her Grandpa with a determined look on her face. "Grandpa, can you take me to them as well, please?" Ste said.


    "Why not?" James said as he reached out his hand toward his granddaughter so that she could hop onto the back of his mount.


    Half a minuteter, the eight-legged horse soared toward the sky and vanished in the blink of an eye.


    ***


    Rigel Continent...


    Maple and Cinnamon, who had been in the Rigel Continent for a week, both gazed at the North at the same time.


    Thirteen, who was eating beside them, looked at them with concern.


    "Did something happen?" Thirteen asked.


    "Grandpa and Big Sister areing," Maple replied.


    "Maybe it''s time to go home?" Cinnamon pondered.


    "Are you girls talking about your Grandpa, James?" Thirteen inquired.


    He had met the two adorable girls'' grandpa during the Night of the Fireflies, and he left a good impression on him.


    Suddenly, the sound of the whistling wind reached the teenage boy''s ears.


    The next second, an eight-legged horse appeared a few meters away from them.


    Riding on its back was an old man and a beautiful youngdy, who was as beautiful as a painting.


    ""Grandpa!""


    Maple and Cinnamon ran toward their grandpa and acted like two spoiled grandkids, asking him to lift them up.


    Jamesughed as he picked up the two girls at the same time before kissing their cheeks.


    Ste watched this from the side with a smile on her face.


    After getting kissed by their grandpa, Maple and Cinnamon hugged their sister and started to kiss her cheeks.


    Ste returned their kisses, making the two girls giggle.


    "Is it time to go home, Grandpa?" Maple asked.


    "Time to go home?" Cinnamon inquired.


    "Yes," James replied. "Your Mama Chiffon is worried about the two of you, so it''s time to go


    back."


    Maple and Cinnamon nodded their heads in understanding.


    They then ran toward Thirteen and held his hand.


    "Big Brother, we wille to visit you again when we''re free," Maple said.


    "We''ll y again next time, okay?" Cinnamon smiled sweetly.


    "Of course," Thirteen replied. "You can visit me anytime. I''ll make sure to cook you something good next time."


    ""Yay!""


    Watching this scene from the side, James smiled faintly.


    He had felt it in the past, but for some reason, he believed that he and Zion had met long before they met in Pangea.


    It was as if he was meeting an old friend whom he hadn''t seen for a very long time. However, James knew that he had many old friends whom he hadn''t met for a long time who were all scattered in the multiverse.


    Since that was the case, he decided to form a good rtionship with the teenage boy. Not to mention, he had a feeling that his two granddaughters woulde to see him again.


    "Bye bye, everyone!" Maple said while waving at the people who had taken good care of her


    and her sister.


    "Cinnamon will see you againter!" Cinnamon also waved her hand.


    The two girls then walked toward their Grandpa, allowing the old man to lift them up and ce them on the back of the eight-legged horse.


    This was the first time that the Wanderers were seeing an eight-legged horse, and they thought that it was only an Avatar that belonged to the Old Man.


    "Ste, aren''t you going to go with us?" James asked as he mounted the horse''s back with


    Maple and Cinnamon in front of him.


    "I''ll stay here, Grandpa," Ste replied. "Please send my regards to mother and father."


    James nodded before urging his horse to run.


    A momentter, the horse ran to the north before disappearingpletely.


    "You have good sisters," Thirteen said as he shifted his gaze to Ste. "Aside from being troublemakers, they are indeed my beloved sisters," Ste replied.


    She then nced at the people that were in the vicinity and looked at them with great interest.


    "Are you perhaps training them?" Ste asked.


    "Mmm," Thirteen hummed in reply.


    "Can I join?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I''ll only allow it because Maple and Cinnamon are good girls."


    Thirteen originally didn''t want to help train Ste because she was a True Hero.


    However, since he and the two adorable girls got along really well, he decided to make an exception and treat her a little better than before.


    "I don''t want to hear anyints from you, okay?" Thirteen warned. "My training is


    harsh."


    "I understand." Ste nodded. "I will notin as long as you give me proper guidance."


    A faint smile appeared on the teenage boy''s face as he thought of the many ways on how he could make Ste suffer in his training regimen.


    Since she wanted to join their training, how could he possibly reject such an enticing offer?


    After all, this would give him the perfect opportunity to know more about Ste''s abilities and current fighting prowess.


    Also, he had a feeling that because of her presence, the people that he was training would sense a feeling of rivalry andpetitiveness, which would make them improve faster in their hellish training.

 Chapter 660: Give Me The Coordinates Of Your World

    Chapter 660: Give Me The Coordinates Of Your World


    ?


    Cranky was sleeping in his usual spot-right beside the Statue of Zion and hisrades in the Valbarra Archipgo.


    After apanying the teenage boy on his journey, as well as helping Camazotz ovee his challenge, the Honey Badger asked Thirteen to take him back to the Valbarra Archipgo.


    Two months had passed since Cranky entered hibernation.


    When Camazotz had triggered the lightning tribtion, it had also increased Cranky''s strength and so thetter was, yet again, going through another mutation.


    After eating the Majin King''s Core and undergoing the tribtion, Cranky''s Rank had reached the Peak of the Archon Rank.


    The Death Bat, on the other hand, had reached the Peak-Rank of the Majin Prince.


    A Peak-Ranked Archon and a Peak-Ranked Majin Prince were of the same Rank.


    Simr to Cranky, the Death Bat had also undergone a mutation and had gone into secluded cultivation.


    The Honey Badger was now a Savage Lightning Emperor.


    Just as the name implied, Cranky could now use the power of lightning, increasing his overallbat prowess.


    The Honey Badger was the Apex Monster of the Valbarra Archipgo, and the people treated him as their Guardian Deity.


    Since then, Cranky no longer attacked the Barbarians, the Tigerkins, the Trolls, Orcs, and Ogres.


    In return, they offered sacrifices to Cranky on the altar they built a few meters away from Zion''s statue.


    Actually, this idea was proposed by Thirteen.


    The teenage boy wanted Cranky to gain the power of Faith, which would give him a different kind of power close to that of divinity.


    Since the Fiend, Forneus, who once protected the Valbarra Archipgo was no longer around, Cranky took its ce.


    "Hey, Cranky. Are you awake?" Thirteen poked the sleeping Honey Badger''s nose, in the hope that it would wake up.


    Unfortunately, the Honey Badger was in deep sleep as its body spent most of its energy digesting the remainder of the Majin King''s Core, as well as the power of the golden lightning that had now fused with its body.


    ''I guess he will only wake up once his life is threatened,'' Thirteen thought.


    The thought of forcefully waking the Honey Badger crossed his mind, but he tossed it aside after a few seconds.


    He already woke up Cranky when he was on the 12th Floor of the Trial of Courage out of desperation.


    Because of this, the Honey Badger wasn''t able to properly digest the Majin King''s Core, which made him very cranky.


    Thirteen had no intention of disturbing his friend''s sleep a second time, so he decided to return to the Order of the Apocalypse to see if Camazotz was around.


    Unfortunately, the Death Bat was still in seclusion, making Thirteen sigh in his heart.


    "Looking for Camazotz?" Kamrusepa asked with a smile.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "Have you seen him?"


    "I haven''t seen him since his fight against Paimon."


    "I see."


    Paimon, who had heard her name, nced in Thirteen''s direction with a frown.


    She had already been kicked by her former faction and had no choice but to join the teenage boy''s group since only Kamrusepa extended an invitation.


    "You look troubled," Kamrusepa said, pulling Thirteen to sit beside her. "Do you have some kind of problem? Maybe I can help."


    Thirteen pondered for a while before asking the Majin Princess a question that had long been on his mind.


    "The Dimensional Gates that appear in my world are either connected to Solterra or the Jinn''s home world, Gomorra," Thirteen stated. "One of the continents in my world is about to face a Jinn invasion.


    "What I want to know is whether any of you know who is the Leader of the Jinn Army that will appear in my world within two years. Do you have any idea who it is?"


    Kamrusepa pondered a bit before shaking her head.


    "There are dozens of Majin Princes and Princesses in Solterra," Kamrusepa exined. "Aside from the members of the Order of the Apocalypse, they can be considered as our rivals or


    enemies.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "As you may already know, Camazotz''s domain is sandwiched between three Majin Princes. Fortunately, after getting that armor from the Artemians in the battle of the Arcadia Archipgo, he managed to break the stalemate by defeating one of the Majin Princes, intimidating the other two.


    "Unless he shows signs of weakness, he will be safe. Camazotz''s domain is also very stable. Even now that he went into secluded cultivation, the other two Majin Princes wouldn''t dare to invade his domain in fear of facing his wrath."


    Thirteen nodded in understanding before asking another question.


    "Kamrusepa, tell me. Have you tried to conquer my homeworld of Pangea before?" Ethan inquired.


    Instead of answering, Kamrusepa only smiled at the teenage boy, making thetter roll his eyes.


    "Fine. If you don''t want to answer, then don''t answer." Thirteen shook his head helplessly. "But help me do a divination. Since the members of the Order are not allowed to fight against each other, I need to know if the invaders this time came from our organization."


    Thirteen nced at the other members of the Order of the Apocalypse inside the room.


    Since he didn''t bother to lower his voice, he was certain that everyone present was able to hear them.


    Some of them were even giving the teenage boy a mischievous smile as if telling him that his guess was right on the mark.


    "I don''t mind, but it is very hard to see glimpses of the future concerning the members of our organization," Kamrusepa said in a serious tone. "But I am willing to do it if you give me something of equivalent value."


    Thirteen pondered a bit before agreeing to Kamrusepa''s proposal.


    "What do you want?" Thirteen asked.


    "Give me the coordinates of your world," Kamrusepa replied.


    This time, it was Thirteen who gave Kamrusepa a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Do you even need to ask the coordinates of my world?" Thirteen asked through telepathy.


    "I''m sure that you know of it already."


    The Ring of the Apocalypse had this function, enabling the members to talk in private.


    There were matters that shouldn''t be heard by others, or else, Pangea might encounter the descent of several Majin Princes and Princesses, which would spell its doom.

 Chapter 661: Not Allowed To Kill

    Chapter 661: Not Allowed To Kill


    ?


    Kamrusepa didn''t deny or confirm the teenage boy''s statement and simply replied by throwing another question.


    "Then what can you give me in return?" Kamrusepa inquired. "I''m not going to use Divination for free, you know?"


    Thirteen crossed his arms over his chest as he tried toe up with something that Kamrusepa might find interest in.


    However, a sudden thought came to his mind.


    "Um, by any chance, do you have a daughter?" Thirteen asked.


    The smile on Kamrusepa''s face stiffened after hearing the teenage boy''s question.


    "Why do you ask?" Kamrusepa asked back.


    "Just a hunch?" Thirteen smiled. "You''re so beautiful, so I''m sure that it will not be hard for you to have a life partner."


    "You do know that I''m a Phoenix Jinn, right?" Kamrusepa arched an eyebrow. "This means that even without a partner, I can give birth to an egg to continue my bloodline."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "So, do you have a daughter or not?"


    "Why are you asking? Are you perhaps nning to marry my daughter so that I can use Divination for you free of charge?"


    Thirteen shook his head. "Marry your daughter? I''m not interested in marrying anyone."


    Kamrusepa smirked. "Isn''t that the specialty of humans like you? This is also the reason why humans are the most numerous race in Solterra.


    "Even horned rabbits would bow down to you guys when ites to reproduction rate. Now, spill the beans. Why did you suddenly ask me if I have a daughter or not?"


    "I just asked out of curiosity," Thirteen answered.


    "Do you think I''m gullible?" Kamrusepa scoffed. "I know for a fact that you don''t do meaningless things. Since you asked if I have a daughter or not, that means you have a reason for asking this question."


    Instead of answering, Thirteen only smiled. After all, he had already changed his mind. Instead of asking Kamrusepa to do a divination, it would be faster to ask Metatron instead.


    If Metatron was unable to answer him, then he would have no choice but to prepare a payment for Kamrusepa''s services to get the answers he was looking for.


    Kamrusepa and Paimon watched the teenage boy approach Metatron.


    A secondter, they disappeared right in front of their eyes.


    Metatron brought Thirteen to one of the private rooms in the organization, where members could talk without worrying about others discovering the content of their discussion.


    The God of the Apocalypse lightly tapped the table in front of him with his finger.


    "Once you attack one of the subordinates of the members of this organization, you will hear a warning sound inside your head," Metatron exined. "This is how you determine if


    someone is affiliated with the members of our organization."


    "Then, will these monsters not attack me since their leader and I are in the same


    organization?" Thirteen asked with curiosity.


    "Just like you, they will also hear a warning sound inside their head," Metatron replied.


    "Their instinct will tell them that you are someone whom they mustn''t attack no matter what.


    However, that doesn''t mean that they can''t attack you."


    "Will they suffer some kind of bacsh if they do?"


    "They will."


    "What kind of bacsh exactly?"


    Metatron smirked. "Their Ranks will drop by one Rank every time they attack you."


    "... That''s it?" Thirteen blinked. "Their rank will just lower by one stage? Are you kidding me? What if I die from their first strike?"


    "Then don''t die." Metatron chuckled. "Problems solved."


    Thirteen stared at the God of the Apocalypse with an annoyed expression on his face.


    "Listen, Thirteen. Rank 1 up to Rank 6 Monsters, who are the subordinates of the members of this organization, will not dare to attack you," Metatron stated. "Rank 7 and above CAN attack you. However, if they do, not only would the attacker''s rank decrease, but their Master will also lose the qualifications to be a member of this organization.


    "Their Rings of the Apocalypse will be taken away from them, and they will be banished from the Order. The only way for them to regain their title is to gain the forgiveness of the member they offended.


    "This is also why the members of this organization didn''t dare to fight each other. They have more to lose by doing that. When you first joined this order, they nned to ask their friends to hunt you down the moment they knew of your location.


    "They''re aware of the loophole that as long as they are not the ones personally taking action, the bacsh won''t apply to them. So, if you can find a friend, you can also eliminate one of the members of the Apocalypse so that you''ll have more ''friends'' in your faction."


    It finally dawned on Thirteen that their organization was truly the survival of the fittest. The only saving grace was that the ces where he appeared in Solterra were a good distance away from the territories of the Jinns that belonged to the Order.


    Only Kamrusepa and Camazotz could appear to where Thirteen was because they had all signed a contract of equal standings with Metatron as their witness.


    This meant that none of them could sabotage or betray each other whenever they were working together.


    Of course, they could refuse if they felt like the mission was dangerous or that they wouldn''t get any benefits from it.


    "Then can you answer my question?" Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Are there members of the order who are about to invade our world in two years?"


    Metatron closed his eyes and didn''t say anything for several minutes.


    It was as if he was indeed checking whether one of his members had connected a Gate to Thirteen''s home world, which would only open at the right time.


    "The Main Force that will be attacking your world doesn''t belong to our organization," Metatron answered. "The invaders are from Gomorra. However, there is a minor force that will appear that belongs to one of our members.


    "You can think of it as aplete ident. They were trying to open a Dimensional Gate for the first time, and to their surprise, it worked."


    Thirteen''s expression became grave after hearing Metatron''s words.


    ''This willplicate things a bit,'' Thirteen thought. ''Even if it''s a minor force, the number of monsters will definitely number in the thousands.


    After thinking up to this point, Thirteen couldn''t help but sigh.


    Being a member of the Order of the Apocalypse, none of them were allowed to get in each


    other''s way.


    However, if Thirteen''s hunch was correct, he would need a separate organization that would deal with the monsters that he wasn''t allowed to kill.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 662: Love As If Your Heart Knows No Fear [Part 1]

    Chapter 662: Love As If Your Heart Knows No Fear [Part 1]


    ?


    Somewhere in the Sirius Continent...


    The Sirius Continent was the biggest continent in the world.


    Its overallnd area was as big as thebination of the Cygni Continent and the Aldebaran Continent into a singlendmass.


    Three major powers held control over the political structure of the continent.


    The first one was the Ashford n.


    The second was the Stard n.


    Andst but not the least was the Central Government.


    The Headquarters of the Central Government was located at the heart of the continent, and the forces under itsmand surpassed both the Ashford n and the Stard nbined.


    But aside from these three, there was one more family with significant power-undoubtedly, they were one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    It was none other than the Osborn Family.


    They ruled vast swaths ofnd, and their Capital City was called Freedom City.


    The Monarch of the Central Government, Lawrence Seaton, had a close rtionship with the Osborn Family.


    Their rtionship made the two Monarch ns not dare to find trouble for them, allowing the Osborns to live peacefully in the Sirius Continent.


    Lawrence''s little sister was married to the Heir of the Osborn n, but it wasn''t a political wedding.


    It was a wedding out of love, which was very rare among the members of the Prestigious Families.


    Unfortunately, due to his responsibility, the Heir of the Osborn Family was forced to take another wife from the family who supported them even before they became one of the Prestigious Families of Pangea.


    Fortunately, the two madams got along really well, so there was no tension between the family.


    Somewhere in Freedom City...


    A handsome young man with long blonde hair tied behind his back walked while humming a tune.


    Everyone in Freedom City recognized him for his distinct features.


    Not only was he very handsome, but his eyes were also as red as rubies, making him stand out from the rest of the younger generation of the Osborn Family.


    His name was Vincent Osborn.


    The number one yboy in the Osborn Family!


    "Grandma Mary, how many times should I tell you to not overwork yourself?" Vincent asked with concern as he helped the olddy carry the heavy basket that was filled with vegetables. "Why don''t you ask your grandsons to help you carry this stuff? Do you perhaps want to take the chance of seeing me walk these streets?


    "Aiya. If only you were fifty years younger, I would definitely make you feel like you''re on cloud nine."


    The olddy giggled as she lovingly wrapped her arms around the young man who had just turned sixteen this year.


    "Don''t speak such nonsense whenever you''re with me," Grandma Mary nagged, but she wasn''t able to hide the smile on her lips. "Have you heard what people are calling you behind your back? They''re calling you Vincent the Lady Killer.


    "And what''s wrong with that?" Vincent replied. "Even if they''re a baby, a little girl, a youngdy, a woman, or an olddy, as long as they belong to the fairer sex, I, Vincent, will always be there to make them happy."


    "See? That''s the problem." Grandma Mary sighed. "Your range is very wide."


    "Grandma, let me get this straight," Vincent replied with a devilish smile on his face. "I only like girls. I don''t like men."


    "Hah... what are we going to do with you?"


    "Just ept it. I won''t change the way I am."


    The young man suddenly saw another youngdy walking toward them, which made him smile.


    "Vicky, can I ask you a favor?" Vincent asked.


    "... Are you going to ask me again for a kiss?" Vicky, who was two years older than Vincent, asked in a guarded tone.


    "No, but since you mentioned this, how about I ask you two favors instead of one?" Vincent grinned.


    Vicky clicked her tongue before presenting her cheek to Vincent, which thetter kissed without holding back.


    "Now that the first favor is done, I''ll ask the second one," Vincent said in a serious tone. "Can you help Grandma Mary carry this basket? There''s somewhere else I need to go, and I''m running short on time."


    "Short on time?" Vicky sneered. "All you need to do is hail a cab or car. Who would reject taking young Master Vincent to the ce where he needs to go?"


    "Aish. Why are you like this?" Vincent shook his head helplessly. "I don''t like taking advantage of others."


    "Uh-huh. Then why are you asking me this favor if you don''t want to take advantage of others?"


    "It''s because you''re Vicky, duh! If I can''t rely on you then who am I going to rely on?"


    Vicky smirked. "Well, you can rely on that girl over there, that salesdy over there, or that beautiful woman, who''s been sneaking nces at you since she spotted you walking here in the street. In fact, everyone here would help you if you wished for it. Am I right, Grandma


    Mary?"


    "Right." Grandma Mary nodded. "Our Vincent is just too lovable."


    Vincent chuckled before handing the basket over to Vicky.


    A momentter, a red car stopped before them, and twodies called out to Vincent with seductive looks on their faces.


    "Young Master, thank you for the other day," a prettydy with dark-brown hair said. "You rocked my world."


    "I''ll rock your world anytime," Vincent replied. "But not now. I need to go to Freedom Park."


    "Freedom Park?" The prettydy suddenly realized something and made a gesture for Vincent toe inside her car. "Since you made me feel goodst time, I''ll drop you off ton/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    return the favor."


    "Really?" Vincent asked with a smile.


    "Really." The pretty girl nodded. "Come in."


    "Grandma Mary, Vicky, I''ll see youter," Vincent said before kissing the back of Grandma


    Mary''s hand.


    He then hugged Vicky and nted another kiss on her cheek before walking toward the car in a carefree manner.


    "Tsk! This guy really knows how to mooch on us girls," Vicky said hatefully, but she couldn''t stop the corner of her lips from rising into a smile.


    "Well, the Young Master''s charisma is hard to resist," Grandma Marymented. "All the girls in Freedom City treat him as their boyfriend, and he treats them all like he is their


    boyfriend.


    "If someone dares to harm Master Vincent, the entirety of Freedom City will make them their


    public enemy number one."


    Vicky nodded in agreement because this was indeed the case.


    If anyone really hurt Vincent, they would have to face the wrath of countless Wanderers.


    Even the Heirs of the Ashford n and the Stard n didn''t dare to touch a strand of Vincent''s hair because they knew that he was someone whom they couldn''t afford to mess


    with.

 Chapter 663: Love As If Your Heart Knows No Fear [Part 2]

    Chapter 663: Love As If Your Heart Knows No Fear [Part 2]


    ?


    Originally, everyone thought that the Young Master of the Osborn Family was born with some sort of Charm Ability, something thedies hated.


    However, after multiple tests, they found out that Vincent didn''t possess that kind of ability.


    Manydies had debated why they found him irresistible, and in the end, they only came to one conclusion.


    Vincent Osborn was someone who didn''t hold back in loving people, so they couldn''t help but love him back.


    Of course, this love wasn''t only the romantic type of love.


    Brotherly love, puppy love, and all kinds of love.


    Because of this, he gained the title of Number One yboy of Freedom City.


    Although his title may seem derogatory to others, Vincent didn''t mind, and his family didn''t mind either.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His charisma was off the charts.


    Even though he didn''t like men, it didn''t change the fact that he could befriend anyone without problems.


    Some even asked him the secret of how to be as suave and charismatic as him.


    Vincent''s answer was simple.


    "Dream as if the world has no limits.


    Love as if your heart knows no fear.


    Laugh as if the moment willst forever,


    And live as if every day is a gift."


    Vincent lived his life following this concept, and he loved everyone without fear.


    Some even said that because he loved the world, the world also loved him back.


    As to whether this was true or not, one thing was clear.


    Vincent had never had problems getting along with the fairer sex, regardless of their age, circumstances, or background.


    A few minutester, the red car finally stopped at the entrance of the park.


    "Thank you for the ride," Vincent said before holding the prettydy''s hand and kissing the back of her hand. "Next time we spend some time together, I''ll make sure to return the favor."


    "I look forward to it, Young Master," the prettydy replied before pinching Vincent''s cheeks lightly. "Take care, Vincent. Know that you are the treasure of Freedom City."


    Vincent only smiled before leaving the car.


    He then walked to the center of the park, where several people were setting up booths for the Freedom Festival.


    The moment he appeared, the faces of thedies brightened.


    "Vincent, have youe to help this Auntie set up her stall?"


    "Big Brother, are you going to y with us?"


    "Young Master, I''ve just finished cooking some dishes that I n to sellter. How about you give it a taste to see if it''s good or not?"


    The young man was immediately swarmed by thedies, but he stood his ground and even spread his arms wide hugging them all.


    "Okay, since Auntie asked me first, I''ll help her set up her stall," Vincent stated. "After that, I''ll taste your cooking youngdy. Little girl, want to join me for lunchter? After we eat, we can y together."


    The young man then made simr promises to the girls around him, making sure that he only dealt with those that he could handle.


    Although he wanted to help them all, he was only one man. How could he possibly do everything by himself?


    A few hourster...


    Wiping the sweat off his face with a hand towel passed to him by one of thedies he had helped, Vincent gazed at the stall that he had just helped construct.


    Only after a minute of mindless staring did he realize that the sun had already set on the horizon, and the skies were tinged with the beautiful colors of orange and purple.


    "You''ve been working hard since earlier, Vincent," a youngdy with shoulder-length blonde hair said. "Here. I brought you some C C."


    "Thank you," Vincent epted the soda can and opened it in a casual manner.


    However, a carbonated spray erupted from the can, hitting his face and making the youngdy giggle.


    Instead of being angry, Vincentughed out loud because it was clear to him that he had just been pranked.


    "You naughty little thing," Vincent said as he wiped his face with the hand towel. "I''ll make sure to punish youter."


    "... That doesn''t sound so bad," the youngdy blushed.


    Vincent drank half of the soda before taking off his wet shirt without a care in the world.


    Suddenly, a collective gasp spread in the surroundings as all thedies looked at his drop- dead gorgeous body, which made them all blush.


    "I''ll help you wash your clothes, Vincent," the Auntie whom Vincent had helped earlier, took the shirt off his hand and hurriedly walked away.


    The otherdies looked at the Auntie with envious gazes.


    All of them were thinking about the same thing.


    ''I should have taken the initiative to take his shirt earlier!''


    Unfortunately, it was toote for regret, so they only did what they could do, and that was to


    use their handkerchiefs to wipe Vincent''s body!


    The young man suddenly found himself surrounded from all sides, feeling countless


    handkerchiefs wiping his body.


    Some were even daring and wiped his pants, emboldening the otherdies.


    Helpless to do anything, Vincent did the only thing he could do, and that was to drink the


    remainder of his C C, letting everyone wipe him dry.


    As ifing to an agreement, all thedies reluctantly took a step back a minuteter and left Vincent alone.


    "Dinner''s on me," the youngdy with shoulder-length hair said. "Are you interested in


    taking a bite?"


    "Of course," Vincent walked towards her with a smile. "I''ll eat you up reaaaally good."


    The youngdy blushed before averting her gaze.


    Vincent chuckled and looked in the direction where she was looking.


    On the stage of the Freedom Park was a giant television, broadcasting amercial. There, a teenage boy, with short ck hair and green eyes looked at everyone with a smile. "The Central Government is recruiting those who wish to protect the people," Zion Leventis said with confidence. "As long as we all work together, we can ovee everything!"


    Vincent looked at the teenage boy on the screen and felt his heart skip a beat.


    This wasn''t the first time he saw Zion Leventis.


    In fact, he was always updated with thetest news about him.


    For some reason, whenever he saw his face, he felt as if his heart was going to break.


    Vincent couldn''t understand why he was feeling this way. However, one thing was clear.


    He would need to meet Zion face to face so that he could understand why his heart yearns to hug the teenage boy, whose heart seemed to have broken into a million pieces.

 Chapter 664 When In Doubt, Skate Out

    Chapter 664 When In Doubt, Skate Out


    The Dragon and Phoenix Tournament was the grandestpetition between the members of the young generation.


    Everyone below the age of twenty-five years old were qualified to join.


    Of course, there were different tiers to thepetition.


    There were two tiers. One for those who were neen and below, and another for those who were twenty and above. These two tiers were called the Earth and Heaven Rankings.


    Pitting teenagers against those who were older, and thus had an advantage because of their experiences and Ranks, would be unfair, so the two Rankings were made.


    Thirteen''s siblings, the Hero Party, and the majority of Thirteen''s Squad Captains would naturally be participating in the Earth Rankings.


    Alcapone was older than them, so he would be participating in the Heaven Rankings. Because of this, the teenage boy had him go through an extremely harsh training, surpassing the hellish training that the other teenagers were facing.


    "Alcapone, if you don''t be the Champion on the tournament, I''ll toss you in the sea, so a swordfish can stab your chrysanthemum," Thirteen said coldly as he looked at the leader of the E4 Mafia, who was currently doing push ups with the Troll Champion, Brutus, seated on his back.


    "S-Sir, can I just not join the tournament?" Alcapone pleaded. "The Heirs of the Monarch ns and the Heirs of the Prestigious Families will be seeded participants. That means I can only face them in the fourth round of the Elimination Matches."


    "So?" Thirteen asked.


    "Sir, I don''t have the confidence to win," Alcapone replied with a dejected expression.


    "It''s alright. I''ll give you two choices," Thirteen smirked. "The first one is that you don''t join the tournament. But the catch is, you have to endure five farts from your ze Skunk. If you can do that, I won''t mind letting you off the hook."


    Alcapone''s face immediately darkened after hearing the first option avable to him. He only experienced getting hit by his ze Skunk''s special move once, but that experience was enough to give him PTSD.


    Although it might sound simple on the surface, the emotional and mental damage that he would get after getting hit five times by that smelly attack was something that he didn''t dare to experience a second time.


    "W-What''s the second option, Sir?" Alcapone''s teeth chattered not because of the cold but due to fear.


    "The second option is much simpler," Thirteen exined. "You won''t join the tournament. Instead, all you need to do is die once. After that, I''ll ask Lord Erasmus to turn you into a zombie. That way, you don''t have to worry about anything else."


    Alcapone''s body subconsciously shuddered because the underlying threat in his Commander''s tone made him unable to discern if he was only joking or not.


    However, the Leader of the E4 Mafia didn''t dare to take any risk!


    ''I''ll just join and lose intentionally in the preliminaries,'' Alcapone thought. ''That will solve all problems!''


    The oldest Squad Leader of Thirteen''s 69th Battalion thought that he was a genius for thinking of such a strategy.


    However, who was Thirteen?


    A single nce was enough to tell him what Alcapone was thinking.


    "Just so you know, if you purposely lose your match, I will give you the same options I gave you today as punishment." Thirteen smiled evilly. "Either you get farted on, or you turn into a zombie. There is no third option."


    Alcapone''s arms and legs almost turned to jelly as he stopped doing his push ups.


    If he really faltered at this point in time, he would be crushed by the weight of the Troll seated on his back.


    In the end, Alcapone gritted his teeth and continued his training.


    Truth be told, he had a lot of pent up frustrations in his heart. When he first lost his two billion gold coins to his Commander, Alcapone felt like instigating a mutiny. However, his Commander was someone who was rumored to face a Majin Prince and a Majin King.


    A shrimp like him could be killed by those monsters with a single flick of their finger.


    If he really offended Zion Leventis, there was no ce in Pangea where he could hide!


    Of course, there was also an option of staying in Solterra. However, why would he want to stay in a very dangerous world?


    Then, when he arrived at the Rigel Continent, instead of greeting him, Thirteen knocked him unconscious.


    When Alcapone regained his consciousness, the teenage boy forced him to memorize a Martial Booklet, and starved him until he finished reading it all.


    He thought that his suffering would end after learning the Martial Technique, but what awaited him was hell.


    His sparring partner was none other than the Troll Champion, Brutus, who was Cristopher''s Avatar.


    To Alcapone''s surprise, he found himself not falling behind the powerful monster.


    In fact, although Brutus was stronger than him, the difference wasn''t that much.


    Because of this, Alcapone focused on his training and no longer cared about the two billion gold coins that he had "donated" to Zion.


    Little did he know that Thirteen was training him to be a Commander in his own right.


    In order to do that, Alcapone needed to possess a strength that would make others recognize his potential.


    That way, more opportunities woulde to him, and more resources would be allocated for his growth.


    ''Don''t worry. By the time the Dragon and Phoenix Tournamentes, you''ll be so strong that those Heirs wouldn''t even be able to handle you,'' Thirteen thought. ''The only thingyou need to ovee is your inferiorityplex. Once you pass that wall, you will be unstoppable.''


    Alcapone was an orphan, and he had wed his way to his current position.


    He didn''t join the military because he wanted to. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He joined because he had to.


    That was the only way he could survive in a dog-eat-dog world.


    In the past, he was part of the 44th Battalion of the Central Government.


    However, when Thirteen advertised his recruitment, he pleaded with his superior that he wished to go for the tryouts.


    Since Alcapone and his "Mafia Members" were useless bums in the 44th Battalion, their Superior was more than happy to get rid of these freeloaders, all of whom specialized in shamming and followed the rule "when in doubt, skate out."


    So when they sessfully passed Zion Leventis''s recruitment, their former Commander onlyughed at the new Battalion Commander because he recruited some useless bums.


    Of course, Alcapone and his brothers did their best to be true to their roots of Skating and Shamming.


    However, their strategies simply didn''t work when it came to Zion, and their group were often sent to do the dirty work they really didn''t want to do.


    Even now, instead of chilling in the Cygni Continent while eating donuts, drinking coffee, splurging in energy drinks, and smoking cigarettes, they were dragged here, in the Rigel Continent, training under the guidance of their Commander.


    This made the members of the E4 Mafia wonder if they had done something terrible to Zion during their past lives. Their training felt like he was making them pay for their transgressions in this life.


    "What are you dazing out for?" Thirteen asked the moment Alcapone finished his push ups. "Do you think you''re done for the day? Go and fight a hundred Rank 4 Zombie Wolves. If you get bitten even once, I''ll make you regret it."


    Alcapone shuddered uncontrobly when he saw the evil smile stered on Zion''s face.


    Knowing that there was no path of escape, the only thing he could do was follow this devil to hell, and pray that, at the end of his suffering, he would be able to ascend to heaven in one fell swoop.


    Costello, Lucky, Gambino, and Gotti, who were part of Alcapone''s team, wereughing internally at their Boss'' suffering.


    However, they were unable tough for long because Thirteen forced them to join Alcapone in fighting against the one hundred Rank 4 Zombie Wolves.


    Thinking that this challenge was too easy for their team, Thirteen decided to add two hundred more wolves, making the total number of monsters three hundred.


    Alcapone, who was already at the end of his wits, started to curse the bastards who were dragging him down in the mud.


    In the end, the leader of the E4 Mafia roared in anger and started beating up hisrades, making the Zombie Wolves wonder if they should join in or not.


    In the end, these wolves didn''t join and simply watched as Alcapone ughtered the pigs who initiallyughed behind his back.


    But after he sessfully dealt with the annoying bastards, he found himself surrounded by three hundred Zombie Wolves, whom he needed to fight alone.


    "Come if you dare, you motherf*ckers!" Alcapone shouted angrily as the ck me on his forehead zed brightly, bing bigger than normal.


    Thirteen, who saw these changes, smiled faintly because things were proceeding ording to his n.


    Alcapone wasn''t a Hero, Viin, or a Cannon Fodder.


    He was simply an Extra.


    However, Extras were special in their own right because they were just like sponges.


    If they were always around Heroes, they would be Heroic.


    If they were around Viins, they would be cunning small-time Viins.


    If they were with Cannon Fodders, they would definitely be Cannon Fodders.


    But who was Thirteen?


    Thirteen might be a cannon fodder in this lifetime. But, he was not an ordinary Cannon Fodder.


    He was a Beyonder.


    And as long as Alcapone continued to follow his footsteps, he would reach a realm that would allow him to look down upon the world andugh unhindered across the worlds of Pangea and Solterra.


    ---------

 Chapter 665: I’m Not Going To Lose To A Nobody!

    Chapter 665: I¡¯m Not Going To Lose To A Nobody!


    ?


    Ste, who had just recently joined the training, noticed something very peculiar.


    At first, she didn''t really mind it. But as the days passed, her suspicion grew certain.


    ''He doesn''t want to be around me,'' Ste thought. ''Did I offend him?''


    The youngdy noticed that Thirteen would just leave her some instructions, after which he''d leave her to train with the members of the Hero Party or the monsters who were tasked to help them train.


    Although she didn''t mind this approach, she still found it bizarre.


    Of course, she wasn''t the only one who was getting this treatment.


    Rnd of the Hero Party was getting the same treatment as her, but his situation was not as bad as hers.


    At least, Thirteen would point out Rnd''s mistakes.


    As for her, the teenage boy would only write her mistakes on a piece of paper and have Sherry or Erica give it to her.


    In short, Thirteen didn''t want to interact with her unless he had no choice but to do so.


    After pondering for a while, Ste thought that the teenage boy was treating her like this because Maple and Cinnamon annoyed him.


    But she immediately scratched this idea.


    Seeing how attached her two gluttonous sisters were to him, Ste believed that Zion Leventis was a good person.


    Her sisters had always been urate judges of characters. It was for this reason that they were allowed to move the Multiverse unhindered.


    The two adorable girls stayed away from bad people and would only visit ces they deemed safe.


    Granted, there were no ces in the multiverse that posed much trouble to them.


    After all, if Maple and Cinnamon were both to be pushed into a corner, it was highly possible that they would devour entire cities and mountains. There was nothing that they wouldn''t dare to eat!


    ''Then what''s the problem?'' Ste frowned.


    Since the teenage boy''s interactions with her sisters were good, that meant that she was being avoided for a different reason.


    But no matter how much Ste thought about it, she simply couldn''t think of the reason why. "I got you now!" Derek shouted as he unleashed a sh at the teenage girl, who seemed to be pre-upied by something.


    However, Ste didn''t even need to look in his direction to make a move, casually stepping to the side and using her bow to deflect the swordsman''s blow.


    Her hand then moved to pull the string of her bow, creating a magical arrow in the blink of an eye.


    Before Derek could even regain his bnce, he was sted away by Ste''s power shot, making him cry out in pain before crashing to the ground like a kite that had lost its strings.


    "Are you dead?" Thirteen, who happened to finish his training with Sherry, walked toward the fallen swordsman and poked his body with a two-meter stick.


    "Master, why did you pair me up with this tigress?" Derekined as he propped himself up from the ground.


    "Why else?" Thirteen asked in confusion. "I paired the two of you together, so you can get beaten up to a pulp of course."


    "Master, you''re terrible!"


    "Terrible? Aren''t you even ashamed of yourself? You''re fighting an archer who''s only twenty meters away from you, and you can''t evennd a blow. Tell me, are you stupid, or are you stupid?"


    Derek wanted to refute his Master''s words, but his rebuttal died in his throat.


    He knew that if he reallyined, Thirteen would just make his training harsher, which was something that he didn''t want to happen!


    "Look, I''ll say it in a way that even you will be able to understand," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "You''re going to fight in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament with the identity of my disciple. If you lose to nobodies, that means that I''m going to lose face.


    "When that happens, I will disown you and kick you out of your discipleship. If you still can''t understand, then just go back home. I don''t want to waste my time on you."


    After getting nagged at by his Master, the Swordsman felt his cheeks burn out of shame and embarrassment.


    In the end, he once again stood up and red at Ste as if she was the source of all his problems.


    The youngdy arched an eyebrow and decided to beat the crap out of Derek.


    Although she didn''t want Zion Leventis to do some pep-talk with her, she still felt a bit envious because she could tell that the teenage boy was really concerned about her opponent.


    This only fanned her determination and battle intent.


    Thirteen, who noticed the changes in Ste''s attitude, gave her a casual nce before patting Derek''s shoulder.


    A few momentster, he walked away and approached the Saintess, intending to give her some tips about her training.


    Ste watched him go with a cold gaze.


    She didn''t even bother to look at Derek, who had now taken a fighting stance to attack her. "Oi, let''s start!" Derek shouted. "I don''t want to hear yourintster after I beat you." The youngdy, who was looking at Zion''s retreating back, forcefully shifted her attention to her opponent.


    "Come," Ste said in a taunting tone. "The result will remain the same."


    "Hmph! My Master just gave me some advice on how to defeat you," Derek replied proudly. "I''m not going to lose to a nobody!"


    Five minutester...


    Dereky on the ground, groaning in pain.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Both of his hands were holding his bum because Ste had decided to target that one ce


    and one ce only.


    As a sharpshooter, her aims were true and devastating.


    Derek, who was feeling extremely confident a while ago, felt as if he had lost his breath the moment Ste''s arrow hit the bullseye.


    But it didn''t end there.


    Ste fired three more arrows, all hitting the same spot, which made Derek feel as if he was


    dying.


    In the end, in order to save himself, heid on the ground, and held his bum, twitching like a cockroach that was on the throes of death.


    After this battle, Derek understood that there was always a heaven beyond the heavens, and he no longer dared to fight Ste a second time.

 Chapter 666: By Then, They Won’t Know What Hit Them

    Chapter 666: By Then, They Won¡¯t Know What Hit Them


    ?


    Several months passed as the young men and youngdies experienced Thirteen''s hellish training.


    But just like them, the members of the young generation from all over Pangea were preparing for the greatest battle that could make their names resound far and wide in the entire world.


    The Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, which would be held three months before the Winter Solstice, was almost upon them.


    For this reason, they strove harder in their training, with some even going as far as training by fighting Jinns on their home turf, Solterra.


    Of course, those who wanted to save time and effort simply headed to the North of the Sirius Continent, where countless Jinns roamed thend.


    The reason for this surplus of monsters was the dozens of Dimensional Gates that opened at the north of the continent, most of which were Tier 2 up to Tier 4 respectively.


    Since Tier 1 and Tier 2 Gates were only open in less than half an hour, the number of Low- Ranking Jinns in the Continent numbered in the tens of thousands.


    Tier 3 Gates opened every five days, while Tier 4 Gates opened every month.


    Of course, there were dozens of Tier 5 and Tier 6 Gates as well, which was the reason why even with two Monarchs, from the Central Government and the Osborn Family, protecting the Sirius Continent, the Northern Lands had always been a headache for them.


    Even when they regrly cleaned their backyard, the pests just kept oning!


    That being said, the talented youths of the current generation didn''t hesitate to challenge themselves by fighting against these monsters in order to make their final preparations for the uing tournament.


    Time moved swiftly like the shifting sand inside an hourss.


    Soon, the gs of Dragons and Phoenixes were raised all over the Territory of the Ashford n.


    This was the sign that the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament would soon begin, attracting the attention of everyone in Pangea.


    Somewhere in the Rigel Continent...N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thirteen opened up his eyes and. once again, found himself in the embrace of Erica and Sherry, who would usually sleep beside him every night.


    Seeing the snowy peaks of the Sorceress in front of his eyes, Thirteen moved his hands to help fix the string strap of Erica''s nightgown, tying it properly.


    He then gently pried Sherry''s hand, which was resting on his waist, before propping himself up from his bed.


    In order to let everyone get some proper rest, Thirteen asked his uncle to send some carpenters to build simple houses near their training area.


    Naturally, Thirteen asked for some furniture to be delivered, which made everyone very happy.


    But despite the fact that he had built a bigger house for the girls, so all of them could sleep together, Sherry and Erica would still alwayse to his small home and spend the night with him.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t mind. After all, the two youngdies had always been with him ever since their journey in thends of Fractured Heaven.


    The two girls also knew that the teenage boy was not like other men who would take advantage of them in their sleep.


    In fact, it was the twodies who liked to take advantage of Thirteen in his sleep!


    Tiona, who had noticed that his Master was already awake, crawled to his body until she reached his neck.


    She then nuzzled the teenage boy and flicked her tongue on his cheek a few times, greeting him a good morning.


    "Good morning, Tiona," Thirteen said before kissing the ck snake''s head.


    This was a habit he had long developed after being with her for many years, and for some reason, it made him feel at peace.


    Exiting the small house, Thirteen breathed in the cold morning air.


    It didn''t smell as fresh as the air in his home, which was surrounded by trees.


    In fact, the air smelled of many different things, mainly the scent of monsters who were loitering around in the vicinity.


    ''The time has finallye,'' Thirteen thought with a smile on his face as he checked themunicator on his wrist.


    The Ashford n had sent him an invitation to join the tournament, making him a seeded yer who would only fight during the semi-finals.


    However, Thirteen had no intention of participating in the tournament.


    He was certain that the Ashford n only wished to see his fighting abilities so that they could have an urate measure of his strength.


    As if wanting to make sure that the teenage boy would join the tournament, the Ashford n presented some amazing prizes, including rare herbs, artifacts, pills, weapons, armor, and other misceneous items, all of which would make any Wanderer drool at the sight.


    But Thirteen didn''t put such trivial treasures in his eyes.


    As someone who had ess to the Treasury of the Apocalypse, which contained Mythical, Legendary, and Divine Equipment, Artifacts, essories, and misceneous items, how could the Ashford n''s "treasures" evenpare?


    While it was true that Thirteen had no intention of joining the tournament, he nned to join it using another method.


    As for whether he would seed, it all depended if the Ashford n was willing enough to leave a good impression on him.


    After organizing his thoughts, Thirteen pressed a few buttons on hismunicator.


    Soon, the projection of his Uncle Michael appeared in front of him.


    "I''m guessing that their training is over?" Michael asked.


    "Yes, Uncle," Thirteen replied. "It''s time for you to send someone to pick us up."


    Michael nodded. "The Family''s Private Jet will arrive in the afternoon to pick you up. Make


    sure that everyone has properly packed by then."


    "Thank you, Uncle," Thirteen replied. "Will Grandpa go to the Sirius Continent as well?"


    "No." Michael shook his head. "Father has reached a critical moment."


    Thirteen smirked before nodding in understanding. "How about Grandma?"


    "She says that she needs a little more time." Michael fixed the sses on his face. "As for me,


    I guess I need half a year at most. Hans said that he might need a year."


    "That''s already good," Thirteenmented. "But remember, this is not the time for the four of you to step up. We need to lie low until the perfect opportunityes."


    "We know that." Michael smiled faintly. "Even Father, whose temper wasn''t always the best, understood that now is not the time to change the status quo."


    "I''m guessing that things will change after the threat of the Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent ends," Thirteenmented. "By then, everyone would be itching to bare their


    fangs."


    The corner of Michael''s lips rose faintly. "By then, they won''t know what hit them."


    Thirteen chuckled because he wholeheartedly agreed with his Uncle''s choice of words.


    After the invasion of the Cygni Continent ended, old grudges and new conflicts would rise one


    after the other.


    The continent of Pangea would plunge into chaos, for those who hungered for power, influence, and authority would finally make their move.


    "We still have at least three to four years before the chessboard is flipped over," Thirteen stated. "Until then, continue with the projects I have proposed."


    Michael nodded and did some small talk with his nephew before cutting their connection.


    The teenage boy then nced in the distance and saw the members of the E4 Mafia doing


    their morning run, carrying boulders on their shoulders.


    Behind them, Rnd, Derek, and Joshua were doing the same.


    "Dragon and Phoenix Tournament..." Thirteen smirked. "This is going to be fun."


    The teenage boy was certain that once the people he had trained stepped on that grand and dazzling stage, the Ashford n would pull some strings to arrange the matches.


    However, it didn''t matter.


    They were not the only ones who were capable of doing such things.


    If they could rig the matchings, so could he.


    In fact, he was already looking forward to the expressions of the heirs of the Monarch ns


    and the Prestigious Families, who would find themselves facing each other in the arena at the early stages of the tournament.

 Chapter 667: First Impression Lasts [Part 1]

    Chapter 667: First Impression Lasts [Part 1]


    ?


    "Are you leaving?" Erasmus asked as soon as Thirteen entered the cave where the Death Lord was staying.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "We''ll head to the Sirius Continent in the afternoon."


    The Death Lord nodded before giving the teenage boy a knowing nce.


    "Now isn''t the time for you to make your move," Thirteen said. "We have to wait until the threat of the Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent is dealt with."


    The Death Lord heaved a long and deep sigh before resting his hand on the teenage boy''s shoulder.


    "You can make your ns, but you can''t touch him," Erasmus stated. "He''s mine."


    "As it should be," Thirteen replied. "Don''t worry. He''s yours for the taking. But you need to be patient."


    "I''ve already waited for two centuries. Waiting for a few more years will not be a problem." "Good."


    Thirteen then walked to the exit of the cave with firm steps. However, just as he was about to leavepletely, the Death Lord''s voice reached his ears.


    "Be careful," Erasmus said. "That guy is a snake. I wouldn''t put it past him to have designs on someone like you. No matter how young you are, he won''t bat an eye about personally dealing with a junior."


    "I understand," Thirteen replied without turning back. "I''ve already made my preparations." After saying those words, Thirteen finally left and headed back to the campsite.


    Everyone had already finished packing their belongings and were currently busy cooking their lunch.


    After living together for several months, everyone was already on good terms with everyone. Even Ste, who joined their groupst, had be good friends with thedies, as well as the members of the E4 Mafia.


    She even called them cute, which made Derek, Rnd, Joshua, and the other guys look at her with weird looks on their faces.


    But there was one more person who shared the same thoughts as her, surprising everyone. "Yes, they are indeed cute."


    Those were the words that Thirteen had said when Stemented about the troublesome members of Alcapone''s group.


    It was very rare for them to agree with something. Not to mention, everyone had already sensed that Thirteen only talked to Ste if it was "needed."


    If not, he would not bother to initiate any conversation with her.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    When Erica asked him why he was giving Ste this kind of treatment, Thirteen only said that he was a biased person.


    However, he didn''t exin anything else, leaving Erica wondering why the teenage boy was not warming up to the beautifuldy, who had now be one of her close friends.


    After a bountiful lunch, the group rested for a bit as they waited for their ride.


    Fortunately, the Private Jet arrived earlier than they were told.


    But it still needed to refuel in the Dvalinn Federation''s Main Headquarters before picking up Thirteen''s group.


    Two hourster, the Private Jet headed to the Sirius Continent with their VIP Guests.


    Shana and Rianna had already contacted their family, asking them for permission to let Zion and the others stay with them until the start of the tournament.


    Shana''s and Rianna''s mother, who had always wanted to meet Zion, readily agreed to her request.


    Her daughters, especially Rianna, wouldn''t stop babbling about how great Zion Leventis was. Because of this, Cynthia Summers, who was Rianna''s and Shana''s mother, immediately ordered their Head Maid toplete the necessary preparations before their guests arrived. She made sure that everything was ready so that their guests would have a very enjoyable stay at their residence.


    Zion Leventis was probably the most influential and important member of the current generation.


    Many influential families had sent the Leventis Family countless marriage proposals, desiring to pull this big fish into their basket.


    Of course, this thought also crossed Cynthia''s mind. However, she wished for her daughters to find happiness in their love lives, so she would never force them to do something that would make them unhappy.


    The moment her subordinate reported that the Leventis Private Jet had justnded on the Central Government''s private runway, she immediately called her husband, Tristan, and asked him to prepare some cars to escort the children over to their ce.


    Just like many henpecked husbands, Tristan was a Dom on the streets, but a Sub on the sheets.


    If his wife told him to go West, he wouldn''t dare to go East.


    If she told him to jump, his only question would be how high he needed to jump.


    One wrong mistake, and the powerful and domineering Field Marshal of the Central Government would find himself sleeping on the floor instead of the bed-something that no one knew, except for the inner circle of his family.


    "Lady Cynthia, I have heard many good things about you from your daughters," Thirteen said in a respectful tone as soon as he was greeted by the Lady of the house. "But seeing you personally made me feel that they downyed how wonderful you truly are.


    "Even though you only wore a simple dress, bereft of any essories, your beauty shines through. Despite the fact that you''ve given birth to two beautiful daughters, you still look like someone in her early twenties.


    "I find this unbelievable! If I may ask, may I know what kind of beauty products you use? I''ll make sure to share it with my mother!"


    Rianna''s and Shana''s mouths hung open as the teenage boy spoke of countless praises about their mother.


    The usually strict Cynthia couldn''t help but blush and look at the teenage boy fondly. After all, who didn''t want to receive praise?


    Also, who was Zion Leventis?


    He was currently standing at the apex of the world, and his name was known far and wide.


    His face was even stered on the box and packages of cereals and instant noodles!


    In short, there was no one in the world who didn''t know or hadn''t heard of the name Zion Leventis.


    The only people who didn''t know him were those people who had been living under a rock! Ten minutester, they were still standing at the gates because Thirteen was still not finished


    throwing praise after praise.


    To everyone''s surprise, he didn''t make any repetitions, and his words flowed like silk, making even Rianna and Shana blush due to how eloquent he was.


    In the end, not only did Cynthia wee their group happily, but she even personally held Thirteen''s hand and escorted him inside the house with a smile stered on her face.


    Rianna and Shana nced at each other and smiled bitterly at the same time.


    They felt that both of them were only a step away from being sold off to Zion Leventis as his future brides by their own mother!


    "She''s not going to do that, right?" Shana asked anxiously. "Right?"


    "I don''t know," Rianna replied with a helpless expression on her face. "Let''s just y it safeter. If she mentions something along those lines, pretend that you''ve be deaf, okay? If she gets angry, pretend that you''re still deaf. That''s the strategy we''re going to use!" Shana nodded gravely because this n was indeed the best course of action at this point in


    time.


    They knew that if Zion continued to raise their mother''s impression of him, it was only a matter of time before both of them were presented to the teenage boy as a gift, only short of a red ribbon tied around their bodies.

 Chapter 668: First Impressions Last [Part 2]

    Chapter 668: First Impressions Last [Part 2]


    ?


    In the dining room, Cynthia''s giggles and chuckles continuously echoed across the room as if she hadn''tughed for a very long time.


    Thirteen was telling her stories about her daughters'' funny moments during their training, and the beautiful woman couldn''t help but hold her stomach as sheughed without holding back.


    Shana''s and Rianna''s faces were already beet red, both out of embarrassment as well as from doing their best to hold back the urge to cover Thirteen''s mouth with their hands, preventing him from talking.


    Of course, they already attempted to do so earlier, but Cynthia stopped them.


    She even sat beside the teenage boy to protect him from her daughters'' attacks, as if daring them to even try.


    Because of this, the two youngdies could only look at the teenage boy with pleading gazes so that he would stop talking about their embarrassing moments.


    However, Thirteen ignored their silent plea and continued tattling to Cynthia about the stories he had collected during the months that they were training in the Rigel Continent. The other members of the Hero Party could only look at the two girls with pity.


    But if someone were to look closely, they would notice that their bodies were trembling as they deeply bit their lips.


    Clearly, they were doing their best to notugh like Cynthia, whose sides were already aching due to excessiveughter.


    "Stop! Hahaha! I can''tugh anymore!" Cynthia said as she held her sides. "It hurts so much." Thirteen smiled and nodded in understanding.


    This made Shana and Rianna sigh in relief, thinking they could finally get a breather.


    "You''ll be staying here for a few more days, so I wish to hear more of your stories about my daughters," Cynthia said with a smile.


    "Of course, Lady Cynthia," Thirteen replied. "It will be a pleasure to have a chat with you." The more she looked at the teenage boy beside her, the more he looked good in her eyes.


    Clearly, Cynthia''s first impression of Zion Leventis surpassed her expectations, and she couldn''t help but wonder if any of her daughters caught his fancy.


    ''There''s plenty of time to talk about this,'' Cynthia thought. ''Let''s just take it nice and slow for now.''


    Mikhail, Shasha, Sherry, and the members of the Hero Party were currently in the Summer''s Residence.


    Cristopher, Colbert, and the Squad Captains of Thirteen''s 69th Battalion remained at the Headquarters of the Central Government and went to their respective dormitories.


    They didn''t dare to stay at the residence of the Grand and Field Marshal of the Army. Their skin wasn''t that thick!


    Only Thirteen had the ability to face the two highest-ranking officers of the Central Government without breaking a sweat.


    "This is my brother, Mikhail," Thirteen said with a smile. "And this is my sister, Shasha. This youngdy here is Sherry, and she apanied me and the rest of the Hero Party during ourst mission in Solterra."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet the two of the most outstanding members of the Leventis Family," Cynthia gave the two a nod of acknowledgment. "I have heard great things about the two of you from Rianna."


    Mikhail and Shasha nodded at the same time. There was a mission where they had teamed up with Rianna in order to clear it, so they were acquainted.


    A few minutester, the discussion shifted to the uing Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, which was going to be hosted by the Ashford n.


    "Right now, rk Ashford is the favorite among the Seeded Candidates of the Ashford n," Cynthia said before ncing at Mikhail, who was of the same generation as the Heir of the Ashford n. "Unfortunately, Mikhail and Shasha are not the Seeded Members of the Leventis Family.


    "It is quite unfortunate that they will have to join the elimination matches at the beginning." "I don''t think that''s a problem," Thirteenmented. "I haveplete faith in their abilities, and I''m sure that they will have a good chance of reaching the Semi-Finals."


    Cynthia nodded because she could tell that Mikhail and Shasha were no pushovers.


    "Still, just who is the Seeded Member of the Leventis Family?" Cynthia frowned. "I haven''t heard any news from them. All I know is that each of the Monarch and Prestigious Families was allowed to send one candidate as a Seeded Candidate.


    "Shana and her teammates are part of the Seeded Group. Only Rianna needs to fight in the preliminaries.


    "I heard that this year, they n to change the settings to a Royal Rumble survival-style elimination match," Thirteen said. "They will send three hundred people to different battlegrounds, and thest three survivors of each ground will move on to the next round." "That''s indeed the case," Cynthia nodded. "For the sake of ''fairness,'' the Ashford n discussed this with the Central Government. After all, they will work together in order to prevent casualties from happening and increase the safety of the tournament. What do you think about this?"


    "I think it''s fine," Thirteen replied. "The Ashford n wouldn''t want to lose face in front of the world. They would have to ensure the safety of the participants, or else they would face the ridicule of all Wanderers."


    Cynthia smiled. "The Ashford n also handed the authority to decide on which people would be sent in various groups. This way, they will not be used of rigging the Preliminaries of the Tournament."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thirteen chuckled internally, knowing full well that he was the one who offered this proposal to the Grand and Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    Thirteen used the word "fairness" in order to make the Ashford n agree, and he also went out of his way to create a program that would randomly put together a group, members of which would fight against each other.


    As the creator of this software, he also made sure that none of his people would be fighting against each other during the early stages of the elimination matches.


    Simply put, the Ashford n was innocent because the one rigging the tournament was the teenage boy whom they had invited to be the Seeded yer of the Leventis Family. However, Thirteen politely declined their invitation, stating that he would rather be one of the judges of the tournament instead of a participant.


    The Ashford n was disappointed that they couldn''t put Zion in action.


    However, the teenage boy gave them an offer that made them agree to his request to be one of the judges of the tournament.


    Thirteen had dered that he would give the Champion of the Earth and Heaven Rankings an opportunity to fight him.


    With such a juicy offer in front of them, the Ashford n didn''t hesitate and even prepared to gather all the data of Zion''s fight so that they could give an urate estimate of how strong the teenage boy truly was.

 Chapter 669: I’m Innocent, You Know?

    Chapter 669:  I¡¯m Innocent, You Know?


    ?


    Just as Thirteen expected, the Grand and Field Marshal of the Central Government soon arrived to have dinner with them.


    When the dinner ended, the two men dragged Thirteen to their office in order to discuss important matters that no one must hear about.


    "What do you think about this uing Dragon and Phoenix Tournament?" Lawrence asked.


    "What else?" Thirteen shrugged. "It''s a way for the Ashford n to show everyone how amazing they are."


    Lawrence and Tristan looked at the boy, as if trying to understand his thoughts. Truth be told, they were worried that the Ashford n would take this opportunity to cripple or kill the other outstanding members of the Young Generation.


    The moment they changed the rules of the Elimination Matches was cause for concern.


    However, since they were hosting the event, they had every right to make the rules for the tournament.


    "Aren''t you worried that they will set up traps in the location where the elimination matches will be held?" Tristan asked.


    "Not worried in the slightest," Thirteen answered.


    "Then, are you confident that they will use some tricks to make things difficult for the candidates outside of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families?" Lawrence inquired.


    "Oh, I''m sure they will employ several tricks to deliberately harm some Wanderers," Thirteen answered. "I''d be surprised if they don''t do anything of the sort."


    "So what are we going to do about it?" Lawrence looked at the teenage boy with a solemn expression on his face. "If something happens, they might put the me on us since we are also in charge of the security of the venue.


    "In fact, I think the reason why they approached us is because they want to drag us down and make people criticize the Central Government."


    Thirteen leaned on his chair and smiled at the two adults in front of him. He was talking to the two of them as if they were his equals, not his superiors.


    Of course, Lawrence and Tristan also didn''t bother standing in ceremony with the Supreme Commander of the Alliance behind closed doors.


    In private, they could talk as equals without holding back.


    It was only in public that they acted as per their Ranks, ensuring that the hierarchy of the army would not be jeopardized.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure that they won''t dare to do anything of the sort," Thirteen said. "I''ll employ some tricks of my own and expose their secrets. Once that happens, they will stop sabotaging the participants."


    "Just what kind of tricks are you nning?" Tristan frowned. "You''re not allowed to drag the Central Government''s reputation, okay?"


    "Of course, I won''t do that," Thirteen nodded. "Just trust me, Sir. I''ll put a stop to whatever they are nning before they can even execute it."


    "Can you give us some hints?" Lawrence asked. "I''m very curious about what you n to do. Right now, even the Central Government is not allowed to go to the Testing Areas that would be used for the venue of the Elimination Match.


    "If I didn''t know better, I would''ve assumed that they were preparing to install somest- minute traps and other foul means to eliminate the candidates whom they deemed as threats to their Seeded Candidate.


    "I''m sure you''re aware, but aside from Rnd, Derek, and the other Heirs of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families, the Ashford n will certainly not want anyone else- including your brother and sister, to reach the Semi-Finals."


    "Right." Tristan nodded in agreement. "Mikhail and Shasha are the Rising Stars of this generation. I''m sure that they will be the first ones to be targeted by the Ashford n.


    "Even if they don''t resort to killing them, they would go as far as crippling them so that they will not be able to threaten their Seeded Candidates in the tournament.


    "There''s also a possibility that the Stard, Remington, Griffin, and Elrod n are involved as well."


    Thirteen didn''t deny or affirm Tristan''s statement. While he did have good rtionships with the Griffin, Elrod, and the Remington n, they were, after all, ns who stood at the Apex of the world.


    Aside from the Elrod and Griffin ns, the Remington, Stard, and Ashford ns might think of bringing him down a peg by targeting his family members.


    But the teenage boy also had their weakness in his grasp.


    For these families, their reputation was the most important thing of all.


    If Thirteen could use ckmail against them, then instead of harming his people, they would do their best to protect them instead!


    The teenage boy was willing to use foul and dirty methods to ensure that the people he cared about would not be hurt in the tournament.


    In fact, he had already prepared his ckmail material beforehand with the help of Kamrusepa and Paimon.


    Since Camazotz was still missing in action-probably either in closed-door cultivation or in hibernation to recover from his injuries, he had to rely on the two Majin Princesses who were part of his faction.


    Paimon had the power of Creation, and Kamrusepa dabbled in Divination and Illusions.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, had a cartload of dirty tricks in his arsenal.


    With the three of them working together, the only thing he could say was, "Even if someone is squeaky clean, the moment I make a move, they will be covered in sewage water before they can even blink!"


    His n was simply so sinister that even the two Majin Princesses felt sorry for the Ashford n, who was about to get pped in the face without knowing who hit them and why.


    "By the way, I''ll handle the matchups for the Semifinals as well," Thirteen stated. "That way, the brackets will be fair and not rigged."


    "Oh?" Tristan arched an eyebrow. "Although you say it won''t be rigged, why do I feel that you n to rig it either way?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Sir, please don''t nder me." Thirteen chuckled. "I''m innocent, you know?"


    The Grand and Field Marshal of the Army both snorted at the same time.


    They had seen many shameless people in their lives, but they had to admit that the teenage boy in front of them was a league of his own.


    If not for the fact that they were on the same side, they would not let him anywhere near the matching system of the tournament.


    It was precisely because they knew where Zion''s loyaltyy that they were willing to turn a blind eye to whatever shenanigans he would try to pull. With the young man''s skills, they could be assured that their enemies would be the ones who''d knock each other out during the final matches of the tournament.

 Chapter 670: Time To Continue My Wandering

    Chapter 670:  Time To Continue My Wandering


    ?


    Sherry had one big brother.


    She looked up to him because he was kind, strong, and very responsible.


    He was two years older than her, and she was very happy to have such a dependable brother.


    "Don''t worry. I promise to return safely from my First Wandering."


    Those were the words he told Sherry and his parents before he left.


    More than two years since his promise.


    Until now, they were still clinging to the hope that he was still alive, and every Night of the Fireflies, they would send Flying Lanterns for him, hoping that it would reach him.


    Perhaps due to a moment of weakness when she was feeling down during their journey in the Fractured Heaven, Sherry had opened up to Zion and told him about her brother and her worry that he might have already perished in Solterra.


    That night, Thirteen didn''t say anything to her and simply held her as she cried herself to sleep.


    When she opened her eyes the next day, Thirteen was no longer inside their wagon, which made her feel anxious.


    Zion reminded her of her brother. Like thetter, the young man was kind, strong, responsible, and very dependable.


    Both of them were of the same age, but she always felt that the teenage boy was very mature for his age.


    Fortunately, before Sherry suffered from an anxiety attack, Thirteen entered the wagon, carrying a bowl of food for her.


    Sherry, who was feeling anxious at that time, threw herself at Zion and hugged him tightly, causing him to almost spill the food on the bowl he had brought with him.


    That was one of Sherry''s most embarrassing moments during her First Wandering in Solterra. Perhaps it was also due to that incident that Thirteen paid extra close attention to her, always making sure that she was safe and well-protected at all times.


    Back then, she immediately apologized to him as soon as she regained herposure. However, the teenage boy told her something that made her body tremble subconsciously.


    "Your brother didn''t break his promise to you. Even now, he''s doing his best to return home so that he can be together with you and your family."


    Sherry didn''t know if Zion only said those words to give her hope.


    But for some reason, his words carried a tinge of confidence as if he truly knew that her brother was alive somewhere in Solterra.


    "It''s that dream again," Sherry muttered as she looked at the unfamiliar ceiling above her head.


    That scene of her being held by the teenage boy and being told that her brother was still alive was one of her most dearest memories.


    And whenever she felt lonely, she would dream of that scene from time to time, giving her hope.


    The youngdy then propped herself from the bed and nced at the clock hanging on the wall.


    It was two in the morning, and the sky outside of the window was still dark.


    Looking at her empty room, Sherry couldn''t help but feel lonely.


    Because of this, she picked up her pillow and left her room, intending to head to the room beside hers.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I hope it''s not locked,'' Sherry thought as she turned the knob of the door, hoping that it would open for her.


    Fortunately, the door clicked open, making her sigh in relief.


    Thirteen had stopped locking the door of his room at night, not wanting any extra disruption from Erica or Sherry, who often snuck onto his bed at night.


    At first, he still locked his room, but they would just knock, and knock, and knock some more.


    Tiona was a light sleeper, and she would always open the door for them, for she knew that Erica and Sherry would never harm her Master.


    It happened so often that the ck Snake asked her Master to no longer lock the door, so she wouldn''t have to open it almost every night.


    When Sherry entered the room, she found the young man sleeping peacefully on the bed.


    Deep inside, she was feeling very grateful that Erica wasn''t around.


    The Sorceress had already developed a habit of sneaking onto Thirteen''s bed at night, and the teenage boy would always end up burying his head on her chest and suckling her like a baby.


    It was more like a muscle memory by now, and it was Erica''s fault for not stopping Thirteen''s subconscious habit in its early stages.


    But for some reason, Zion had never done the same to Sherry.


    Instead, he would just hug her and wrap her in a protective embrace as if making sure that she was safe from harm.


    And just like that, Sherryid down on Thirteen''s bed, facing him.


    She then hugged him tight, and soon, he reacted and hugged her back. Even subconsciously kissing her head as if he had been trained to do so.


    Feeling his warmth and protective embrace, Sherry felt safe and once again fell asleep in his


    arms.


    An hour before Sherry visited Thirteen''s room...


    "This storage ring has five months'' worth of food and water," Thirteen said. "It also has a few clothes in it. The weapon I gave you seems to still be in good shape, but I included three more swords in the storage ring as backup in case of emergencies.


    "I also bought soap and shampoo for you to use. There are also three packs of razors that you can use to shave. This time, I didn''t forget to bring you a mirror. But since it might break, I brought four of them.


    "Don''t worry. I also brought magazines that you can read whenever you have free time. I even gave you a bonus service by adding gravure magazines of your favorite idols..."


    "Hold up brother!" a handsome young man with shoulder-length blonde hair stopped the teenage boy from talking. "I didn''t ask you to bring me this stuff!"


    Thirteen looked at the young man with a smile.


    "You''ve been here in Solterra for two years already, so I''m sure that you don''t have time to do THAT. Since that''s the case, I thought you might need something to help you relieve


    yourself."


    The young man''s face reddened a bit because although what the teenage boy was saying was the truth, he still found it embarrassing to talk about such things, especially with another


    boy!


    Seeing his embarrassed expression, Thirteen no longer said anything and nced at the horde of Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters, which was blocking the young man''s path from crossing over to the next mountain range.


    ording to the teenage boy''s calction, the young man would still need two to three months to reach the nearest human kingdom.


    If he seeded, he would be able toplete the survival mission that the God of Wanderers


    had given him.


    Suddenly, a Magma Bal-Boa surfaced from the ground and summoned a horde of monsters that started to massacre the Low-Ranking Monsters blocking the young man''s path. Thirteen looked at the massacre taking ce in the distance for a few moments before shifting his attention back to the young man, who had a grateful expression on his face. "Prioritize your safety, and don''t rush your journey," Thirteen stated. "Your family has still not given up on you, so make sure that youplete your mission no matter what." The young man didn''t reply right away. Instead, he looked at the teenage boy in front of him with a solemn look on his face.


    "I know that you''re already tired of me asking this question, but you still haven''t given me a proper answer," the young man said. "I''ll ask you again. Why are you helping me? What are


    you after?"


    Thirteen held the young man''s gaze for nearly a minute before giving his reply.


    "There''s this girl who''s the same age as me, doing her best to act strong on the surface," Thirteen answered. "But on rare asions, she would show a moment of weakness and break down, crying in a ce where no one would see her.


    "This girl''s circumstances aren''t unique to her. Many brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers


    would always wait for their family members to return from their long wandering. Me helping you is the same as helping those people who wish to reunite with their loved ones sooner.


    "Of course, I won''t deny that I am helping you because the person I am talking about is very dear to me. So, for her sake, you must return home safely and tell her personally that you have


    kept your promise."


    The young man bit his lip as he struggled for words to say. In the end, he bowed to Thirteen in


    gratitude.


    "Are you Sherry''s friend?" the young man asked.


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I''m her nanny." The young man looked at Thirteen in disbelief beforeughing out loud.


    "A nanny? It seems that my good sister has found a good nanny." The young man chuckled.


    "Please tell her that I''ll see her soon."


    "I don''t want to," Thirteen replied as a purple portal appeared behind his back. "Tell her that


    yourself."


    The teenage boy then entered the portal without a second nce, leaving the young man behind with a smile on his face.


    "Time to continue my wandering," the young man muttered as he walked forward.


    His path was now a bloody mess, with countless dead monsters everywhere. Even so, for the sake of the person who had paved a bloody road for his return, he would do his


    best to survive so that, one day, he would see his beloved sister, who had almost stopped believing in the promise that the two of them shared more than two years ago.

 Chapter 671: First Outing After Arriving At The Sirius Continent

    Chapter 671: First Outing After Arriving At The Sirius Continent


    ?


    "Why are you two stopping me?" Cynthia asked. "I just n to wake Zion."


    "T-There''s no need for you to do that, Mother," Shana replied anxiously. "Sister, why don''t you wake Zion up instead?"


    "T-That''s a good idea!" Rianna didn''t even hesitate before rushing to Thirteen''s room.


    They had once stumbled upon Thirteen and Erica sleeping together in the past. If her mother were to see such a scene, things would be troublesome, which was something that they didn''t want to happen.


    In order to prevent a scandal from happening, the two sisters worked together to stop their mother from seeing things she shouldn''t see.


    Cynthia found the actions of her two daughters quite baffling. But Rianna had already gone ahead to wake Thirteen up, so she no longer insisted oning personally. They''d just meet on the dining table, where she''d have breakfast with the young generation.


    When Rianna entered the room, a sigh of relief escaped her lips when he saw that it was only Sherry lying beside the teenage boy.


    The two were hugging each other, and there didn''t seem to be any problem with their posture. Sherry''s pajamas were also properly buttoned, so both of them were safe.


    In the eyes of others, the two of them looked like siblings who had a very close rtionship.


    The only difference was that the teenage boy had ck hair, while the teenage girl had blonde hair.


    After a brief pause, Rianna lightly shook Zion''s and Sherry''s body, waking them up.


    "Rise and shine," Rianna said. "Get up, so we can have breakfast together."


    Thirteen and Sherry stirred at the same time before looking at the person who woke them up. "What are the two of you looking at?" Rianna asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You should thank me because my mom was nning to personallye wake you up.


    "Just imagine if the one sleeping beside Zion is Erica instead of you, Sherry. Just thinking about the consequences is enough to make the hairs on the back of my head stand on end. You better talk to Ericater and tell her not to visit your room at night. Got it?"


    "Mmm." Thirteen hummed before propping himself up from the bed.


    He then raised his arms to do a bit of stretching.


    Soon, a ck snake crawled on his body, and coiled herself on his neck, flicking her tongue at the teenage boy''s cheek.


    "Good morning, Tiona," Thirteen said before kissing the snake''s head.


    He then nced at Sherry, who was right beside him.


    "Good morning, Sherry."


    "Good morning, Zion."


    "Dress up, so we can eat breakfast together."


    "Un."


    Sherry obeyed and left to return to her own room to change her clothes.


    Rianna also left, so Thirteen could get changed as well.


    Half an hourter, everyone gathered in the dining room to have breakfast.


    Thirteen ced two eggs and a few pieces of bacon on his te and ate silently.


    Since they were in the Summer''s Residence, he decided to not do any training for the time being. He wanted the others to rx before the tournament officially started.


    Also, since he was in a ce where he was a guest, the things he could do were very limited.


    After weighing the pros and cons, he decided that it would be best to spend his first day on the Sirius Continent in a rxed manner.


    ''Should I visit the Headquarters to check on Cristopher and the others?'' Thirteen thought. ''Or should I ask Shana or Rianna to take us to the popr attractions of the city?''


    This was Thirteen''s first time in the Sirius Continent, and truth be told, he was a little curious about the things that it had to offer.


    Just as he was thinking about these things, Derek suddenly proposed an idea.


    "Can we visit clubs tonight?" Derek asked. "I heard that nightlife in Sirius Continent is pretty good."


    Derek didn''t dare to visit these ces in the Cygni Continent because his face was well-known to the people.


    However, everyone was present. If he were to go to a club with Zion and the other members of the Hero Party, they could all suffer the consequences together!


    The Swordsman thought that this was a brilliant idea. Not only would he be able to have fun, but he would also be able to do it with hisrades.


    "Clubs?" Cynthia frowned. While she didn''t think that going to such ces was a bad thing, she didn''t allow her daughters to visit them either.


    Shana had just turned sixteen, while Rianna was neen years old. While her eldest daughter could legallye to ces like that now, her youngest was still not allowed to enter such premises.


    "What are you thinking about, you blockhead?!" Ericamented from the side. "All of us are still underage. Do you really think that we''ll be able to even pass through the door of the club?"


    The Sorceress had just turned seventeen, and the others were of simr age to her. Since the legal age in the World of Pangea was eighteen, they were still not allowed to visit such ces.


    "Hear me out," Derek raised his hand. "Although we are still underage, we have Master with us. With him around, I''m sure we will be able to manage."


    Erica almost cast a magic bullet to hit the Swordsman''s face.


    Zion was only thirteen years old, making him the youngest in their group aside from Sherry. Just thinking about the ck propaganda that would spread when someone saw the Supreme Commander of the Alliance inside the club was enough for Erica to grit her teeth in frustration.


    "Erica is right," Rnd, who had always been a righteous person, spoke up. "We''re still too young for this. Also, even if we manage to enter with Zion''s help, it might reflect badly on our


    image."


    Cynthia nodded in agreement. For people like her, the reputation was important.


    Derek sighed and no longer insisted on going to the club.


    However, as if thinking that going outside to have an activity was a good thing, Sherry


    decided to propose an idea.


    "How about we go and visit the zoo?" Sherry asked.


    Thirteen smiled because this proposal didn''t sound so bad, and it fit Sherry''s character.


    "Have you been to a zoo before?" Thirteen asked.


    "No," Erica replied. "All the Zoos in the Cygni Continent were closed when the evacuation order was given. Dimensional Gates often appear inside cities, so everyone had to stayn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    indoors most of the time."


    Erica also didn''t have the opportunity to visit the zoo because her family was very poor several years ago. Now that she had managed to earn a bit of fame and had a ratherrge sry from the Central Government, her family''s life had changed for the better.


    Even so, she still never got an opportunity to visit the Zoo because she was always busy most


    of the time.


    "Let''s go to the zoo," Erica supported Sherry''s idea. "That''s fine, right?"


    The Sorceress gazed at Zion because she knew that even if the others didn''t approve of it, they


    would change their mind if the teenage boy supported the idea.


    Seeing Sherry''s and Erica''s pleading gazes as if they were little children, Thirteen couldn''t


    help but smile faintly.


    "Okay, the three of us can go." Thirteen nodded.


    "Hey! You don''t n on taking us with you?" Riannained.


    "Oh, sorry. I said it wrongly," Thirteen replied. "What I meant to say is that we should all go


    together."


    "Hmph! That''s better." Erica smirked.


    After getting everyone''s agreement, the group prepared their first outing after arriving at the


    Sirius Continent.


    To their surprise, even Cynthia decided to join their group, making Rianna and Shana feel like


    she was up to no good!

 Chapter 672: A Day At The Zoo [Part 1]

    Chapter 672: A Day At The Zoo [Part 1]


    ?


    "Hahaha! Derek, is that you?" Ericaughed out loud, holding her stomach. "What are you doing inside a cage?"


    The girls couldn''t help but giggle as they looked at the monkey looking at them from the cage, holding a toy sword in its hand.


    Erica immediately thought of Derek when she saw the monkey, making her burst out inughter.


    Of course, she was just teasing the Swordsman, but she couldn''t help butugh out loud because she found it really funny.


    Hearing Erica''s words, Derek''s face darkened. He had just beenpared to a monkey, and the restughed along, making his cheeks feel as if they were burning.


    They had entered the park a few minutes ago, and the first area that they visited was the Monkey''s yground, which led to the current situation.


    Even Rnd and Joshua chuckled at the same time, enjoying Derek''s embarrassment.


    Only Mikhail, who was good-natured by heart, didn''t gloat, and he only watched this scene with a faint smile on his face.


    Shasha didn''tugh at Derek either, but her eyes were filled with mirth as she looked at the monkey ying with the sword in its hand.


    Wanting to get back at Erica, Derek alsoughed out loud as he pointed at another cage, which made Erica almost choke on herughter.


    "Is that you, Erica?" Derek said in a teasing tone. "I didn''t know that you''re also red down there."


    The Swordsman was looking at a red-butt Baboon that was scratching its buttocks.


    This time, Rnd and Joshua roared inughter.


    Both of them found this exchange of barbed words so amusing. However, theirughter only grew louder when they saw Erica''s face turn beet red, making Derek follow up his words like "Oh no! Her butt is bing redder by the minute!"


    A secondter, the two started fighting against each other.


    Of course, it was more like a yful fight, with Erica one-sidedly trying to punch and kick the hateful Swordsman, who was avoiding her attacks with ease.


    After experiencing so many hardships from Thirteen''s training, these pitiful attacks wouldn''tnd on Derek''s body even if he had his eyes closed.


    Cynthia, who had apanied the young men and the youngdies to the zoo, couldn''t help but chuckle. Being around them momentarily made her forget about the problems that she had to worry about on a daily basis.


    ''They all get along with each other,'' Cynthia thought.


    Her gaze thennded on Zion and Mikhail, who were calmly watching this yful exchange with faint smiles on their faces.


    ''These twods are good,'' Cynthia thought. ''Either one of them would be a good partner for my daughters.''


    Although it wasn''t official, the majority of people had regarded Mikhail as the strongest Wanderer under the age of twenty.


    His poprity was even higher than rk Ashford, whom many believed to be the strongest in the past.


    But after Mikhail''s sess in Solterra, many looked up to him because of his down-to-earth personality.


    Rianna also had a very good impression of him after she had taken the same mission as Mikhail a few years ago.


    The funny thing was that although Mikhail looked calm when he wasn''t fighting, the moment he wielded an Axe, he was akin to a Wargod of the battlefield that couldn''t be stopped.


    Thirteen had made sure to give him and his sister, Shasha, a training that surpassed the one the members of the Hero Party had undergone under his tutge.


    After Erica and Derek finished their feud, the group decided to divide themselves into groups so that they could visit the ces that they wanted to visit.


    Sherry decided to be with Thirteen, while Erica dragged Shasha to join her group.


    Ste pondered a bit and decided to join Thirteen''s group as well. She also nned to join the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament and apanied them to the Sirius Continent to register herself.


    Erica insisted that Shasha stuck with her, Diana, and Mildred so that they could have some girl''s talk.


    But knowing her, Thirteen believed that Erica just wanted to find some dirt on him, which she could use to tease him at ater time.


    Shana, Rianna, Rnd, and Joshua formed another group. Since the Hero and the Sage both had a crush on their Saintess, it was only natural for them to join her group.


    Rianna, who understood what the two teenage boys felt for her sister, decided to stay with her just in case the two boys tried to do something funny to her.


    As for Mikhail, Derek decided to form a closer bond with him because he was also pursuing Shasha.


    Since Zion didn''t want the swordsman anywhere near his sister, Derek decided to get close to Mikhail so that he could put in some good words to Shasha for him.


    Of course, Thirteen could read what his disciple was thinking. However, he didn''t make any move to stop him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Derek was only one of the many admirers of his sister. If he had to worry about every one of them, he would have no time for other matters.


    Taiga and Kane Stard were at the forefront among Shasha''s countless pursuers. There were even rumors that the prodigy of the Ashford n, rk Ashford, had said that Shasha was a very fine youngdy whom he didn''t mind making his First Wife. Regardless of whom Shasha would fall in love with in the future, Thirteen''s only wish was that the man would be an outstanding person who would love and care for her for the rest of


    her life.


    Cynthia pondered for a while before deciding to join Sherry and Zion''s group.


    She had already seen that the youngest among thedies was especially close to Zion, even holding his hand as if not wanting to separate from him.


    However, a nce was enough to make her understand that Zion also cared for Sherry in his


    own way.


    But this kind of care and affection was simr to that of an older brother taking care of his little sister.


    Sherry suggested going to the Petting Area since she had always wanted to pet some cute and harmless animals.


    Thirteen didn''t oppose this idea, so they made their way to the Petting Area, which was called


    Paradizoo.


    However, the moment they entered the small farm, they saw two familiar little girls. They were petting a piglet whose entire body was shaking uncontrobly.


    A look of surprise appeared on Ste''s face, not expecting that her sisters would appear in the zoo at this point in time.


    Still, she felt happy. It had been a while since shest saw her two adorable sisters, who liked to sneak out of their home and go to ces that even their Papa had trouble going to. "Fufufu! This piglet is so cute," the pink-haired girl said with a smile. "I think some salt and pepper will work wonders for it."


    "Cinnamon thinks that roasted suckling piglet is good," another pink-haired girlmented as she lovingly brushed the piglet''s smooth fur with her hand, making its body shake uncontrobly. "Little piggy, thank you for the meal."


    Thirteen, Ste, and Sherry exchanged a nce before the two of them walked towards Maple and Cinnamon, whom they hadn''t seen in the past few months.

 Chapter 673: A Day At The Zoo [Part 2]

    Chapter 673: A Day At The Zoo [Part 2]


    ?


    "Maple, Cinnamon, you should let that poor little piglet go," Ste said as she crouched down to give her two sisters a hug.


    As soon as the opportunity arrived, the little piglet ran away as fast as it could, making Sherry giggle due to how pitiful it looked.


    "Sister!" Maple hugged Ste back. "I missed you!"


    "Cinnamon also missed sister!" Cinnamon said as she, too, hugged her sister.


    Ste lovingly kissed their cheeks, feeling very happy to reunite with them.


    Cynthia, who also found the two little girls quite adorable, was doing her best to hold back from pinching their chubby cheeks, which looked so smooth and squishy.


    "Did the two of you sneak away from home again?" Thirteen asked with a smile.


    "Noment!" Maple replied.


    "Cinnamon also wants to say noment," Cinnamon replied. "Big Brother can talk to ourwyer."


    "Do you even have awyer?" Thirteen inquired in an amused tone.


    "We do!" Cinnamon replied. "Her name is Mama Ephemera. She''s the Virtue of Justice, you know?"


    Thirteen chuckled and decided to drop the subject for the time being. Knowing that the two girls'' grandfather would pick them up sooner orter, it wouldn''t be a bad idea for Maple and Cinnamon to tag along with their group for the time being.


    "Since we''re already here, look for something to pet," Thirteen urged Sherry, who nodded her head in agreement.


    She then walked towards a chubby marmot, which was standing and chewing on a biscuit.


    Sherry petted the docile animal, who seemed to be already used to people petting it without a care in the world.


    "Oh! Little ducky, how are you?" Maple lightly patted a little duckling, who seemed to have been frozen due to fear.


    "Fufufu, Cinnamon finds you cute," Cinnamon said. "Don''t worry. We won''t eat you... for now."


    The baby animals seemed to understand that they were under the watch of two Apex Predators, so they didn''t dare to move in the slightest.


    Those who had better control of their emotions made themselves scarce, distancing themselves from the two adorable girls who, in their eyes, were simr to a Tyrannosaurus Rex.


    Of course, Ste already knew that her sisters had this kind of impact on animals, monsters, and other beasts.


    She even believed that if the two girls somehow found themselves in the middle of a Monster Outbreak or a Jinn Invasion, the two of them would be perfectly fine.


    In fact, the ones who would be running away would be those fierce monsters, who would usually not bat an eye in devouring little kids like them.


    Since thedies were upied, Cynthia decided to take this opportunity to approach the teenage boy and ask him a question.


    "Zion, what do you think of that girl, Ste?" Cynthia asked.


    "A pain," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat, making sure that his answer was only loud enough for Cynthia to hear.


    Hearing his unexpected answer, Cynthia couldn''t help but ask him to exin why he felt that way.


    "Let''s just say that if it''s only me and her left in the world, I won''t touch her even with a twelve-foot pole," Thirteen replied.


    "I see." Cynthia felt a lot better. Although Ste didn''t show any strong reactions toward the teenage boy, whenever she looked at him, some vague emotions would appear in her eyes that even Cynthia couldn''tprehend.


    After a while, she then asked the question that was on her mind.


    "Then how about Erica?" Cynthia asked. "What do you feel about her?"


    "Her?" Thirteen pondered a bit. "I guess she''s a passable hug pillow."


    "Um? A hug pillow?" Cynthia asked. "What do you mean?"


    "Well, her body is soft and warm," Thirteen replied. "Hugging her at night feels good. Also, she smells good."


    "... You hug her at night?" Cynthia asked in disbelief. "The two of you normally sleep together?"


    "Sherry joins us as well," Thirteen answered because he felt that if he didn''t add Sherry''s name to the conversation, things might get out of hand really fast.


    Cynthia''s gaze softened a bit after hearing that Sherry would also join them on the bed. However, a few secondster, her face turned beet red after realizing something.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''No. I might be just overthinking things,'' Cynthia thought. ''Zion is still young, so he can''t be doing that, right? But the kids of these generations mature faster due to the dangers in their surroundings. It is not unheard of for them to develop an attraction to girls during their First Wandering.''


    Cynthia was also a Wanderer, so she understood that it was easy to fall in love when you were with someone, especially when the two of you were facing a dangerous situation.


    Fondness and affection could grow fast because everyone tended to look for someone to rely on for support, especially when facing the challenges they''d uncontrobly find themselves


    in.


    Even Cynthia had fallen in love with her husband, Tristan, in that manner.


    Fortunately, Tristan loved her so much that he even went as far as to marry into her family, allowing her daughters to have the surname Summers instead of his surname, Seaton. Cynthia thought of herself as a good judge of people. This was why she liked Thirteen very much.


    He was still young, but he already achieved feats that no one had done before.


    From her point of view, the young man was capable and oozed with confidence, which was certainly fatal to the youngdies who were on the lookout for someone strong to protect


    them.


    This was why she was testing the waters if it was possible to y matchmaker for her daughters while the teenage boy was still in the Sirius Continent.


    "Then, do you have someone you like right now?" Cynthia asked. "I''m talking about a romantic feeling for someone."


    "Having a romantic rtionship with someone?" Thirteen shook his head. "That is not part of my short-term and long-term ns."


    He was tempted to say that he nned to be single all his life, but he had a feeling that if he really said something like that, Cynthia would try to convince him otherwise.


    Since that was the case, he decided to not say anything and simply let the beautiful woman assume things on her own.


    "Do you really not have someone you like?" Cynthia decided to pry a little deeper because although she didn''t sense any lies in Thirteen''s words, she felt that asking this question might give her a different answer.


    "Well, does Tiona count?" Thirteen asked back. "I really like her."


    The ck snake coiled on Thirteen''s neck nuzzled his cheek as if telling him that she liked


    him too.


    A chuckle escaped Cynthia''s lips. "Fine. I won''t ask. Sorry for being a gossipy Auntie."


    Thirteen smiled back as he remembered the dream he had the night before.


    In his dreams, his former Host, Tiona, was with him.


    She was humming a luby, while Ziony on herp.


    He didn''t know why, but he had been dreaming of a lot of his previous hosts as ofte.


    The teenage boy would dream about Tiona one day, then Vincent the other day. Of course, while he didn''t dream on a daily basis, he still found the experience of dreaming quite


    interesting.


    As a system, he never had dreams. But as a human, theye and go like the fleeting clouds in


    the sky.


    Little did he know that somewhere in the Sirius Continent, a handsome young man with long blonde hair and red eyes was making his way to the territory of the Ashford n, intending to register for the tournament as a Seeded Candidate of the Osborn Family.


    Fate liked to toy with people, and perhaps, this, too, was part of her arrangement.


    As to what kind of consequences this meeting would have on Thirteen in the future, the


    System God, who was looking down on his son from the heavens, was also looking forward to when two life-long friends finally met at this point in time.

 Chapter 674 A Day At The Zoo [Part 3]

    Chapter 674 A Day At The Zoo [Part 3]


    "Eat up, girls. It''s my treat!" Cynthia smilingly said to the two adorable pink-haired girls, whom they had met at the Petting Zone of the zoo.


    "Thank you, Auntie~" Maple replied sweetly.


    "Cinnamon thanks you too, Auntie~" Cinnamon cooed.


    Thirteen and Ste, who was more than familiar with just how much the two little gluttons could eat, were silently praying for the kitchen staff, who would soon understand what the term "Rush Hour" really meant.


    "Eat as much as you like," Cynthia said confidently. "The sky''s the limit!"


    ""Yay!""


    The two girls happily pped their hands as they started heaping praises upon Cynthia, who couldn''t help but smile because she didn''t expect that Maple and Cinnamon had this side to them.


    She found it really cute and remembered the time when her daughters were the same age as them.


    "Can I take your orders?" the waitress of the restaurant asked.


    "We''ll keep things simple," Maple said. "Please give us everything on the menu."


    "Big Brother, can you move that table over there and connect it with our table?" Cinnamon asked. "I don''t think this table won''t be big enough for our orders."


    "Okay," Thirteen replied without hesitation.


    He simply stood up and pulled the table right next to theirs,bining it into one.


    Cynthia thought that Maple and Cinnamon were just being cheeky but didn''t tell the waitress to cancel their order.


    As an adult, she wanted to teach the two girls that wasting food was bad manners, and she nned to use this as an opportunity to teach them a lesson to ensure they wouldn''t grow up on the wrong path.


    She didn''t mind taking the leftover food back home and asking her servants to reheat it for dinner.


    "Just out of curiosity, how much can your sisters eat?" Thirteen asked Ste in a volume that only she could hear.


    "Let''s just say that, even if a hundred restaurants worked together to feed them, they would still be asking for more," Ste replied. "There was only one time my sisters went home saying they were full and very satisfied."


    Ste didn''t continue whatever she was going to say because she had a feeling that Thirteen would not believe her.


    There was truly one instance when Maple and Cinnamon had sated their hunger. That was when they snuck into the restaurant of the God of Cooking and challenged him to make them feel full with his cooking.


    Naturally, the God of Cooking epted their duel. However, the two gluttons ate everything he made without batting an eye, making the God of Cooking feel good at the beginning.


    Two dayster, the two gluttons were still eating without stopping. In the end, the God of Cooking pleaded with the two girls to end the challenge.


    Maple and Cinnamon, who had eaten a lot of delicious food, agreed to his request and returned home satisfied.


    However, ever since that day, the God of Cooking banned the two girls from entering his restaurant, making them very sad.


    When the dozens of dishes were served on the table, Maple and Cinnamon ate like prim and proper girls.


    Cynthia liked that the two of them were well-mannered and even had good eating habits.


    "Sherry, go and eat before the food disappears," Thirteen urged.


    "Okay." Sherry nodded.


    She also knew Maple and Cinnamon were big eaters, but she had no idea to what extent they could eat.


    Half an hourter, all the food on the table had been cleared.


    To Thirteen''s and Ste''s surprise, Maple and Cinnamon didn''t order more and thanked Cynthia for treating them to the meal.


    The corner of the beautiful woman''s lips couldn''t help but twitch, not expecting that the two could really eat well.


    Of course, Maple and Cinnamon were still not full. However, there were many people in the restaurant also eating with them.


    It seemed the three of them had something very important to talk about, so they decided to separate from Thirteen''s group for the time being.


    The two didn''t want other people to suffer and go hungry just because the staff was prioritizing their orders.


    After going to many restaurants during rush hour, the two girls had learned the trick to avoid being banned from the ces they visited regrly!


    Ste thanked Cynthia for treating her sisters, and she left the restaurant with Maple and Cinnamon.


    It seemed the three of them had something very important to talk about, so they decided to separate from Thirteen''s group for the time being.


    "Now, where do we go next?" Thirteen asked Sherry.


    "I think it''s fine if we look for the others," Sherry replied. "I''m already happy that I got to pet animals."


    There were very few instances where the youngdy acted her age, and petting animals was one of them.


    Thirteen nodded and used hismunicator to ask where the others were.


    Half an hourter, their group reunited with Erica''s group, who had also finished having their lunch in a different restaurant.


    The first thing the teenage boy did was ask his sister whether Erica had asked any personal questions about him.


    And just as he expected, Erica did.


    Shasha answered a few but skipped the questions she believed were too personal.


    The only questions she answered were ones about Zion''s favorite foods, hobbies, and other trivial things.


    Suddenly, the sound of a siren spread inside the zoo, making everyone frown. A few secondster, the staff of the zoo made an announcement.


    "Attention, please!


    "There is a Tier 2 Gate that has appeared in the vicinity of the zoo. Please evacuate in an orderly manner and follow the instructions of the staff!


    "There is no need to worry. We have already informed the Central Government about the Gate, and the soldiers are already on their way to handle the situation. So, please cooperate with the staff for the evacuation.


    "As soon as you exit the zoo, please head to the nearest shelter!"


    "Should we leave?" Cynthia asked calmly.


    As the wife of the Field Marshal, she knew the Central Government had already been informed about the matter.


    However, as a Wanderer, she felt that helping the people evacuate should be their priority. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen didn''t answer right away. Instead, he pushed a few buttons on hismunicator, essing Athena''s satellite imagery.


    When he finally pinpointed the location of the Tier 2 Dimensional Gate, he contacted the members of the Hero Party, as well as his brother and sister, to gather in front of the Dimensional Gate.


    "We will handle the Dimensional Gate on our own," Thirteen replied after sending the location of the Gate to the others. "Auntie, you can go to the nearest shelter and assist in the evacuation."


    "Are you certain you can handle it?" Cynthia inquired.


    "We can," Thirteen replied. "Don''t worry, Auntie. We can handle this."


    Even Sherry, who was right beside him, was filled with fighting spirit.


    While she was still a rookie, she now had two Rank 5 Sovereigns. The first one was her Armored de Panther, which had evolved due to Thirteen''s help.


    The second one was an Adamantine Falcon, which was also a Rank 5 Sovereign.


    With these two monsters, Sherry''s safety was guaranteed.


    However, just to be on the safe side, Thirteen asked her to ride on her Adamantine Falcon and attack the Jinns from the sky.


    The beautiful woman looked at the two teenagers and nodded.


    "Since the two of you look confident, I believe this is not a big issue for you guys," Cynthia said. "Since that''s the case, I''ming with the two of you as well."


    Cynthia was certain her two daughters, Rianna and Shana, would also join the battle. That said, she decided to join the battle to ensure none of their guests would be harmed during this unexpected turn of events.

 Chapter 675: Time To Rumble!

    Chapter 675: Time To Rumble!


    ?


    Cynthia looked at the teenagers, who were standing a few meters away from the Dimensional Gate with an appraising look.


    All of them didn''t have even the tiniest look of anxiety in their eyes. On top of that, everyone seemed to be burning with fighting intent.


    Diana''s and Shana''s Gold and Silver banners fluttered in the breeze, buffing their allies and raising their abilities in battle.


    Even Cynthia was quite surprised, feeling that even she had gotten stronger.


    Sherry was riding on her Adamantine Falcon, while her Armored de Panther was standing right beside Thirteen.


    She had ordered her Avatar to protect the teenage boy, who couldn''t summon Rocky in the current situation.


    Erica and Derek were already betting with each other on who would kill the most enemies once the monsters from the Dimensional Gate crossed over to their side.


    Rnd and Joshua were also chatting idly, while Mildred was carefully cing her quiver of arrows beside her, which she would use once the monsters started their advance.


    Ste had alsoe, and right beside her were Maple and Cinnamon, who looked just as excited as the other Wanderers, who had decided to face the Monster Outbreak from the Dimensional Gate.


    The countdown timer at the center of the portal was ticking away, and a nce was enough to tell them that there were only four minutes remaining before it fully opened.


    Thirteen had already contacted the Central Government and asked the soldiers who had arrived at the scene to form an encirclement two hundred meters away from the Dimensional Gate.


    As much as he was confident that the teenagers he had trained could easily handle the Monster Outbreak, he still didn''t want any variables from taking ce, endangering the ordinary citizens of the city.


    With everyone in ce and ready for battle, Thirteen stood beside Cynthia with the Armored de Panther sitting beside him.


    A few minutester...


    "Ten, nine, eight, seven," Erica said.


    "Six, five, four, three," Derek muttered as he held the handle of his sword firmly in his hands.


    "Two, one!" Diana shouted.


    The Dimensional Gate then expanded, and monsters began to pour out from it.


    "ck Goblins," Derek smirked. "Time to rumble!"


    "Damn, I hate Goblins the most," Erica''s face darkened as soon as she saw the ck Goblins pouring out of the Dimensional Gate.


    ck Goblins were Goblins that usually lived near taintednd, corrupted by miasma.


    They were more vicious and stronger than regr Goblins.


    Unfortunately for them, they had entered a ughterhouse, where none of them would be able to leave alive.


    Derek and Rnd didn''t hesitate to charge forward, brandishing their swords and cutting the Goblins in half.


    Erica floated several meters above the ground and unleashed a bombardment of Magical Bullets, making the Goblins cry out in pain and anger.


    Diana dealt with the monsters that managed to get past Derek and Rnd, stopping their advance.


    Mildred shot arrow after arrow, targeting the heads of the Goblin and killing them with an arrow or two.


    Ste also summoned her bow and fired rapidly, killing as many as she could, preventing the ck Goblins froming close to her and her sisters.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "As expected of the Hero Party," Cynthia said with a smile. "These ck Goblins are just small fries for them."


    Thirteen nodded in agreement.


    In his heart, he was thinking that if the Hero Party couldn''t even handle something like this, he would truly be disappointed in them, especially after what they experienced in the Absolute Heaven.


    The soldiers of the Central Government could only watch in awe as the monsters were helplessly annihted one by one.


    A pile of monster corpses already littered the streets as the teenage boys and girls killed without batting an eye.


    When a Rank 3 ck Goblin Warlord stepped out of the Dimensional Gate, it found itself staring at a ming Spear a meter away from its head.


    Erica had already run out of enemies to kill, so she decided tounch attacks at the Dimensional Gate itself.


    It just so happened that the leader of the ck Goblins had emerged at that time and unluckily got hit by Erica''s me Spear, dying as soon as it came out of the portal.


    In less than fifteen minutes, they hadpletely dealt with the Monster Outbreak. It was an amazing feat, but the members of the Hero Party were still unsatisfied and wished to kill more monsters.


    "Okay, time to pack up," Thirteen said as he pped his hand thrice. "Good work, everyone. You can leave the cleanup to the Soldiers of the Central Government."


    Sherry, who had also killed a few Goblins who had decided to run in the other direction away from the Hero Party, was quite happy because she gained a few items from her kills. Although these items couldn''t bepared to the items that she received from Zion, she was still satisfied because these were the items that she managed to get with her own effort.


    A distance away from the happy teenagers, a Man in ck packed up the camera he had used to record the battle.


    He was one of the agents that belonged to the Ashford n, and he just so happened to be in the area.


    The Man in ck decided to send his video footage to his employer so that they could study the current progress of the Hero Party.


    Since all of their members were part of the Seeded Candidates who would participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, any information regarding their battle style was as


    precious as gold.


    Still, he couldn''t help but be surprised, seeing how much more outstanding they''d be since thest time he saw them.


    ''I''m sure that the Boss will like this very much,'' the Man in ck thought. ''I might even get a bonus this month for this.''


    The man then gave the Hero Party onest nce before leaving the scene.


    Thirteen nced in his direction and smiled faintly.


    He had already told the Hero Party to only use twenty percent of their totalbat strength


    in this battle as part of their training.


    If the Man in ck only knew that the teenage boy had started his information warfare, he wouldn''t be too happy with the footage that he got because it would only make their enemies underestimate the teenagers, who posed a genuine threat to the Heirs of the Ashford n.

 Chapter 676: You Have Ten Minutes

    Chapter 676: You Have Ten Minutes


    ?


    A few days after the Hero Party dealt with the threat of the Tier-2 Dimensional Gate, the registration for the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament finally opened.


    Countless Wanderers from the younger generation all flocked to the Sirius Continent, wanting to participate in this grand event.


    The Capital City of the Ashford n, the Glory City, was jam-packed with people.


    Almost all the hotels and other lodging establishments were fully booked. Wanderers who failed to secure some lodging were left with no choice but to either book one in the nearest city or camp in a designated area meant for such purposes.


    The members of the Hero Party didn''t need to register since they were already Seeded Candidates.


    The only ones who needed to register on-site were Mikhail, Shasha, Sherry, and Ste.


    Cristopher, Colbert, and the other Squad Captains were also going to register with the help of the Central Government.


    "Are you all ready to go?" Thirteen asked.


    The four teenagers nodded their heads, confirming that they were ready to leave.


    Thirteen then took the lead, bringing them to the Military Helicopter provided for them by the Central Government, which would take them to Glory City.


    It would only take them half an hour to reach their destination, which was already quite fast. Given Thirteen''s prestige and influence, he believed that it wouldn''t take long before the registration of the Wanderers rted to him waspleted.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When they arrived at the scene, the staff who was handling the registration politely asked him and his entourage to fall in line like everyone else.


    Clearly, they were making things difficult for Zion, making him understand that within the territory of the Ashford n, he had to do as he was told.


    Thirteen already half-expected that something like this would happen.


    Because of that, he used his secret weapon.


    "Tell your Patriarch he has ten minutes to let me finish my registration," Thirteen said to the staff. "Otherwise, the Mining Operation the Ashford n has in the Rigel Continent will be attacked by three Rank 9 Earth Dragons. If you think I''m bluffing, I''ll make you understand who you''re dealing with."


    The staff''s face immediately went pale the moment he heard the teenage boy''s threat. This kind of situation was something he had no right to handle. If Thirteen''s words actually came true, heads were going to fall, and his head might even be the first to go!


    Suddenly,ughter spread in the registration area as a man with short dark-brown hair walked toward Thirteen''s group with a smile.


    "As expected, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance knows how to have his way."


    The man was the supervisor that the Ashford n had delegated to handle the registration process of all Wanderers.


    This meant that he had the highest authority at the venue, and he would be the one deciding if Thirteen would get his way or not.


    The teenage boy nced at the supervisor and gave him a smile.


    "You have eight minutes left," Thirteen stated, not giving a hoot to the supervisor in front of him.


    Immediately, the smile on the supervisor''s face stiffened, seeing that Thirteen was not giving him any face.


    He had already been informed that Zion Leventis was already on his way to the Registration Area with his siblings, so the Supervisor had ordered the staff to make him line up like everyone else.


    "I didn''t know that the Legendary Zion Leventis would use his influence to bullymon people like us," the Supervisor said with a smile. "Don''t you even feel guilty that everyone else has to line up, while you use your name to get your way?"


    The Wanderers who were all lining up to register also noticed themotion and paid attention to the words that were being said by the Supervisor.


    For them, Zion was a celebrity, so seeing him in real life made them very happy. However, when they heard what the Supervisor was saying, all of them looked at the Supervisor weirdly.


    Originally, the one in charge of the Registration Venue intended to rally the masses in order to ruin Zion''s reputation.


    But instead of the other Wanderers making a ruckus and demanding that the teenage boy line up together with them, they all looked at the Supervisor as if he was some rare species of animal.


    "He actually wants to make Zion Leventis line up?"


    "Hisss... is he stupid? Does he really want to court death?"


    "Brothers, I''ve seen people shooting themselves in the foot. But this one takes the cake."


    "Did the Ashford n assign the wrong person for this job? Maybe this guy got kicked by a donkey in the head."


    The Supervisor was feeling confident that his n to bring Zion down a peg was wless. However, after hearing thements of the Wanderers waiting in line, he started to think that maybe his n wasn''t as good as he thought after all!


    "Last two minutes."


    Thirteen''s words broke the Supervisor out of his daze, making him break into a sweat.


    "P-Pleasee here, Sir," the Supervisor said in a respectful tone. "We have a special


    registration booth for VIP Guests."


    Thirteen nodded and followed the Supervisor inside the building.


    Mikhail, Shasha, Sherry, and Ste followed behind him.


    When they arrived at the venue, the teenage boy pushed a few buttons from his


    communicator, while the staff was helping the others register.


    "Cristopher, are you guys already on your way here?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes, Sir," Cristopher replied. "We''ll be arriving in ten minutes."


    "Good." Thirteen nodded. "I''ll pick you up after you arrive."


    The teenage boy then shifted his attention to the Supervisor and told him that his Squad Captains would be arriving soon, so he better amodate them as well.


    The Supervisor no longer dared to reject the teenage boy''s orders and hurriedlymanded his people to receive the members from the 69th Battalion.


    While this was happening, ude Ashford, who was in his office, frowned after hearing the report of his agent, which he had assigned to monitor the Registration Venue.


    "That brat sure knows how to get his way." ude clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    He still hadn''t forgotten his little incident with Zion at the Auction House several months


    ago.


    That was the first time someone younger than him called him Peasant, and it truly made his liver itch.

 Chapter 677: Someone He Held Dear In His Heart

    Chapter 677: Someone He Held Dear In His Heart


    ?


    Ever since ude experienced Thirteen''s barbed tongue, he always paid attention to the teenage boy''s movements, having recognized the young man as a future threat for his family.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t silence him just yet since thetter still had a role to y in the uing Cygni Invasion.


    "You''ll get your just desserts someday," ude muttered before making a gesture for one of his subordinates to execute the mission he had assigned to him earlier.


    Currently, they were tasked to make sure that everything would go smoothly. Of course, this tournament would not be as simple as the tournament in the previous years.


    While the Ashford n didn''t n to kill anyone, that didn''t mean that there could be no "idents" during the phase of the elimination rounds.


    Of course, whether these idents were real idents, or not, no one would ever know until it happened.


    The Ashford n''s ambition had now shifted from Pangea to Solterra.


    Originally, they wanted to rule the world. But with the current state of things, it was no longer possible.


    Because of this, they had poured their manpower and resources into building their Kingdom in Solterra, where they would be able to do whatever they wanted.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that they nned to leave their foothold in the Sirius Continent. As long as the Sirius Continent stood, the Ashford n would remain.


    They were simply cing their eggs in more than one basket and preparing for any future troubles.


    An hourter, Thirteen''s group had sessfully finished their registration.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Originally, he nned to return to the Summer''s Residence until the Tournament Officially started.


    However, Thirteen changed his mind.


    "Mikhail, Shasha, Sherry, and Ste, all of you can return to the Summer''s Residence," Thirteen said. "I''ll be staying here in Glory City."


    "Eh?" Sherry blinked in confusion. "You n to stay here?"


    "Mmm." Thirteen nodded.


    Mikhail and Shasha exchanged a nce with each other before nodding their heads at the same time.


    "Be careful, Zion," Mikhail said.


    "Make sure to eat on time, and sleep on time." Shasha hugged her little brother for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling back.


    The siblings knew that their brother wouldn''t do anything without a reason. Since he wanted to stay, then that meant that he needed to stay to do something.


    The teenage boy watched until everyone had left before he went to look for a taxi.


    After getting a ride, he asked the Driver to take him to the Camping Grounds the Ashford n had opened for the Wanderers who were unable to find lodgings in the city.


    All Wanderers, especially those who had finished their First Wandering, had their share of sleeping and staying outdoors.


    They wouldn''t find any problems camping in the open, especially in a protectednd that belonged to the Ashford n.


    Compared to Solterra, where roaming monsters could disturb and even attack them in their sleep, this was already considered a very safe environment for them.


    When Thirteen arrived at the Camping Site, his arrival was immediately noticed by many people.


    The first thing he did was to ask the staff where the vacant camping sites were located, so he could build his tent on that plot ofnd.


    The staff, who recognized Zion, immediately escorted him to a prime location, which did not have any tents around it.


    This ce was reserved for the members of the Monarch ns, Prestigious Families, as well as other Factions who carried significant influence in the world.


    Of course, people of those ranks couldn''t possibly have any problems with getting amodations in the Sirius Continent.


    But there were always exceptions, so the Ashford n delegated this spot, so the "nobles" among Wanderers wouldn''t have to mingle withmoners.


    Thirteen scanned the surroundings and decided to camp near the river. With a source of water, he could do many things, making his lifefortable.


    Since he already had the necessary equipment inside his Dimensional Storage, Thirteen started to set up a tent on his own.


    It took him half an hour to finish setting up his tent, and he looked at it with a satisfied look on his face.


    Just as he was thinking of taking out his fishing rod to fish on the river for food, he sensed someone walking in his direction, making him turn around.


    The moment his eyesnded on the person behind him, the teenage boy''s body shuddered as if he had been electrocuted.


    "I''m very happy to know that I now have a neighbor camping in this ce," a handsome young man with long blonde hair and red eyes said with a smile.


    He was pulling a cart behind him, where the materials to build his tent were stored.


    The handsome young man had arrived earlier than Zion, but he didn''t have any camping materials with him.


    Because of this, he went to look at the storehouse of the Ashford n to buy a tent that he could use during his stay.


    When the young man saw the face of his neighbor, a look of shock appeared on his face because he recognized the teenage boy, who was none other than Zion Leventis.


    "V-Vincent..." Thirteen muttered as if he was seeing a ghost.


    "Oh? How did you know my name?" Vincent asked, hiding the surprise in his face. "Have we


    met before?"


    Thirteen lowered his head and bit his lip in order to reign in his emotions.


    His eyes suddenly felt moist, but he fought the urge to tear up and held it back in.


    When he finally regained hisposure, he once again raised his head to look at the young man, who was looking at him with concern.


    "You look like someone that I''ve met in the past," Thirteen said. "His name is Vincent, so I spoke his name without thinking."


    "Your friend must be a very handsome guy." Vincent chuckled before extending his hand for a handshake. "Vincent Osborn."


    "Zion Leventis," Thirteen replied as he shook the young man''s hand. "It''s a pleasure to meet


    you."


    "The pleasure and honor is mine," Vincent smiled. "By the way, can I get your autograph? My sister will kill me if I miss this chance. Also, can I get a selfie with you? I n to send it to my


    girl... friends."


    Thirteen almostughed out loud when the young man mentioned his girl friends. His


    previous Host was someone who loved everyone and was thus loved back by the world.


    But seeing Vincent act this way made the teenage boy feel as if he hade back in time in order to be with one of the people he held very dear in his heart.

 Chapter 678: Where’s My Knife?

    Chapter 678: Where¡¯s My Knife?


    ?


    Thirteen helped Vincent set up his tent, and the two went to fish together.


    The teenage boy didn''t know what he should feel around the young man. Was this Vincent his former host, or someone who just looked like him?


    Although they have a lot of simrities, the name included, Thirteen knew that the


    probability of meeting the reincarnation of his former Host was as low as finding the exact same fish in the wide ocean.


    It was harder than finding a needle in a haystack, and Thirteen didn''t dare to assume things, especially now that he had a human heart.


    Just the thought of him making the wrong assumption was enough to make his heart ache, so he didn''t, he couldn''t, and he wouldn''t assume things just based on facial features.


    "I''m really d I decided to camp here," Vincent said with a smile as he sat beside Zion on a log beside the river. "To think I will be fishing with the famous Zion Leventis.


    "Oh, my sister was also very happy when I told her that I got your autograph. I even sent her a picture of us together. I hope you don''t mind."


    "I don''t mind," Thirteen replied.


    "That''s good." Vincent nodded. "By the way, why are you all alone here? Are your brother and sister not here?"


    "My brother and sister are at a friend''s house," Thirteen answered. "They wille when the time for the preliminaries starts."


    "I see." Vincent smiled. "How unfortunate. Looks like my luck isn''t good enough to meet your sister, Lady Shasha. I''m part of her fan club, and I''m member number 69!"


    Thirteen blinked once, then twice. For a brief moment, the thought of throwing Vincent into the river shed through his mind.


    Fortunately, his self-control was firm, so he just smiled faintly at the young man, who was talking passionately about Thirteen''s sister.


    "Um, does she have a boyfriend?" Vincent inquired.


    "She has many admirers and suitors," Thirteen replied. "But she doesn''t have any boyfriends right now."


    Vincent did a fist pump after hearing the teenage boy''s reply.


    Seeing his reaction, Thirteen smiled faintly before turning around to talk to Tiona.


    "Tiona, where''s my knife?" Thirteen asked.


    As if already prepared for this moment, Tiona''s tail, which was coiled around a kitchen knife, approached Thirteen''s hand.


    The ck snake handed the knife to her Master without any hesitation.


    "... Zion, why are you holding a knife?" Vincent, who suddenly felt that something was wrong, asked while chuckling nervously.


    "Oh, this?" Thirteen stabbed the knife beside the bucket, where he nned to ce the fish that he would catch. "I''m just testing if it''s sharp enough. It''s best to be prepared for everything, right?"


    Vincent once again chuckled nervously before deciding to not mention anything about Shasha anymore.


    A few minutester, the two once again started talking about the uing tournament. "ording to my friends, this elimination round is going to be a survival challenge," Vincent stated. "Since there are thousands of participants, they nned to divide them into ten groups. Each group will then enter the Great Forests and Hidden Valleys that belonged to the Ashford n.


    "The top ten survivors of each group will advance to the next round. It will be a bloody battle with thousands of Wanderers fighting at the same time. I''m sure that the smarter ones are going to hide until the others are eliminated."


    "That might not be possible," Thirteen replied. "The Central Government is going to coborate with the Ashford n, and they are going to give bracelets with tracking devices to all candidates.


    "Every five minutes, a scan of the surrounding area willmence. The candidates will be able to see the location of the other Wanderers. Although they can hide at the start, they won''t be able to hide forever."


    Vincent smirked. "This n is not bad. Whoever thought of it is a genius."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because he was actually the one who devised this n. Also, he is the one in charge of monitoring the candidates.


    He knew that the Ashford n would do something during the tournament, so he nned to do his best in his own way to prevent unnecessary casualties and idents from happening.


    Of course, he understood that the Ashford n might have hired Wanderers in order to target certain individuals like his siblings.


    But he had already made ns for such scenarios.


    ?''


    guess I need to also add this guy to the n,'' Thirteen thought. ''He might be one of the targets of the Ashford n this time around.''


    The Osborn Family was one of the Ten Prestigious Families.


    However, they had close ties with the Central Government.


    Because of this, they were not among the allies of the Ashford and Stard ns, who had formed an alliance in the Sirius Continent.


    If not for the fact that they were afraid of the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, the two Monarch ns would have definitely worked together to force the Osborn Family into submission.


    An hourter, the two managed to catch a few fish for their lunch.


    Thirteen cleaned them up, while Vincent prepared the grill for their barbecue.


    Vincent had volunteered to cook the fish, which disappointed Thirteen greatly. He wished to show his culinary expertise to the young man and make him taste something that would make him go to heaven.


    Soon, the smell of grilled fish spread in the campsite.


    But just as they were about to finish cooking, Thirteen saw two people walking in their direction, which greatly surprised him.


    "What are the two of you doing here?" Thirteen asked as soon as he saw Erica and Sherry.


    "I don''t feel safe leaving you alone to handle your stuff," Erica replied before shifting her gaze to the handsome young man with long blonde hair and red eyes, making him look like some kind of noble vampire. "Who''s this?"


    Before Thirteen could even answer the question, Vincent made a gentleman bow towards


    Erica.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "My name is Vincent Osborn," Vincent said, "It''s a pleasure to meet the Great Sorceress of the Hero party, Lady Erica."


    "You''re THAT Vincent?!" Erica looked at the handsome young man with wide eyes. "That yboy from Freedom City, who was rumored to have hundreds of girlfriends?"


    Thirteen, who was listening to the side stiffened after remembering some shbacks of the distant past.


    If this young man truly had hundreds of girlfriends like Erica had mentioned, it was indeed likely that the Vincent right in front of him might also be the same Vincent that he had known


    hundreds of years ago.

 Chapter 679: The Missing Piece Of A Puzzle

    Chapter 679: The Missing Piece Of A Puzzle


    ?


    Vincent had met many girls in his lifetime.


    Even those who didn''t like him at the start would be his close friends.


    He had a way of worming his way into a girl''s heart, and the process just felt very natural to him. Because of this, he didn''t really mind if the girl was young, old, single, or married.


    For him, being affectionate to the fairer sex was as normal as breathing.


    But for some reason, he was finding it hard to read the twodies, who were now seated beside Zion and eating the grilled fish that had just been cooked.


    However, before they ate the fish, they asked a pretty unusual question.


    "Who cooked this?"


    Vincent answered that he was the one who cooked it, which made the two girls breathe a sigh of relief.


    Their reaction was something that he didn''t expect, which made him wonder if there would''ve been a problem if the one who cooked it was Zion.


    ''Is he a bad cook or something along those lines?'' Vincent thought as he looked at the teenage boy, who was also eating the fish that he finished grilling. ''I''ll ask the girlster.''


    As the young man ate, he made sure to observe Erica and Sherry, who had decided to also camp alongside them.


    However, when he volunteered to help them build their tents, the two girls only said that there was no need for such a thing because they would be sleeping with Zion.


    Vincent, who was no longer ignorant of such things, suddenly had a thought.


    ''Are they perhaps his girlfriends?'' Vincent mused. ''But Zion''s reaction makes me think that they''re not.''


    The young man had already developed something simr to a sixth sense when it came to people who have a significant other.


    Even someone who didn''t have Vincent''s expertise would notice the subtle signs of affection every time these people talked, touched, or even looked into each other''s eyes.


    When Thirteen talked to these two girls, he could tell that they were very close to each other. But there were no signs of him showing them the kind of affection meant for lovers.


    The two girls, on the other hand, were showing the teenage boy some affection. However, this affection wasn''t that of a lover.


    ''A family,'' Vincent thought.


    That was the thing that he could see when he looked at the three of them together.


    He could sense the absolute trust the three had for each other, which made him smile.


    After lunch, Thirteen decided to go to the Ashford n''s storage house to get a table and some chairs.


    Of course, he had them in his Dimensional Storage, but people would be suspicious if he suddenly pulled them out of nowhere.


    The camping gear was a different story since people could store them inside storage rings.


    Tables, chairs, and other simple furniture were too bulky to put into a storage space. Wanderers had limited area in their storage rings to begin with, so it would feel like a waste to put impractical things inside of it.


    After getting some tables and chairs, the four teenagers went shopping for the food that they would eat for dinner and breakfast the next day.


    If Thirteen was alone or even with Erica and Sherry, he could just take out the food reserves inside his Dimensional Storage.


    But Vincent was someone whom he had just met, so he wasn''t too keen on showing some of his secrets to the handsome young man, whom he was starting to think of as his former Host.


    The Supervisor, who had made things difficult for Thirteen earlier, found himself being bossed around by the teenage boy.


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate to ask him to get arge portable cooler powered by Beast Cores, which acted like a refrigerator.


    Since the opening of the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament was still two weeks away, Thirteen would be spending a lot of time within the territory of the Ashford n.


    During this time, he would discreetly summon his Parade of a Hundred Demons and allow them to scout the different battlefields and sabotage any traps that they happen toe


    across.


    "This sunset reminds me of the time of my First Wandering," Vincent said as he watched the sun slowly disappear over the horizon. "When I was sent to Solterra, there were three other people with me, so being with you guys made me feel nostalgic."


    They were all standing on top of a hill, admiring thest rays of light that were turning the clouds in the sky into the color of purple and orange.


    "What happened to your friends?" Sherry asked.


    A bitter smile appeared on Vincent''s face as he remained silent.


    After seeing the bitter smile on his face, Sherry knew that this was a question that she shouldn''t have asked.


    "Oh, they''re not dead," Vincent replied after seeing the apologetic look on the youngdy''s face. "It''s just that... we drifted apart after their sisters and mothers fell in love with me."


    Vincent sighed, wearing a wistful "it''s not my fault that I am drop-dead handsome, you know?" expression on his face.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Erica looked at Vincent weirdly before lightly patting Thirteen''s shoulder.


    "Don''t grow up to be a scum like him, okay?" Erica said. "If you do, I''ll roast you into an open fire."


    "Sister Erica is right," Sherry said as she held Thirteen''s hand. "Don''t be like him when you grow up."


    Thirteen nodded. "Understood."


    Vincent suddenly felt as if he was being cast aside as some weirdo in the group. However, due to his positive approach to life, he justughed it off.


    This wasn''t the first time that thedies had treated him like scum. But what happened in the


    end?


    All of them still became friends with him, and the majority of them became his friends with benefits!


    "Let''s head back before it gets too dark to see the way," Thirteen said before holding Erica''s and Sherry''s hands.


    The three then walked hand in hand down the hill, making Vincent look at them with a smile.


    ''Must be nice to have unconditional love and trust,'' Vincent thought before following the trio down the hill.


    Although he loved manydies and was loved by them in return, for some reason, he felt


    empty.


    It was as if he was missing something or someone very important to him. However, whenever he looked at Thirteen''s face, he felt as if that someone was the teenage


    boy in front of him.


    He was like the missing piece of the puzzle inside Vincent''s heart, and he hoped that one day, that puzzle would finally fall in ce, making himplete.


    (E/N: The author has the most perfect excuse to create an all-gender, all-creature,


    indiscriminate harem for Thirteen but he just won''t.)

 Chapter 680: A Chance Of Survival [Part 1]

    Chapter 680: A Chance Of Survival [Part 1]


    ?


    Vincent did some light stretches outside his tent.


    He had just woken up a few minutes ago, feeling very refreshed after having a good night''s


    rest.


    The sun had just risen from the East, but he had always been an early bird.


    After he was done stretching, he nced at Zion''s Tent, half-tempted to wake the young


    man.


    However, he tossed this idea to the side just as soon as it appeared inside his head.


    He and Zion could now be considered acquaintances, but it was still too early to call each other friends.


    It would be very inappropriate for him to wake him up, especially since he didn''t know if the teenage boy wasn''t a morning person.


    ''I''ll just wait for them to wake up, then all of us can have breakfast together,'' Vincent thought before deciding to take a short jog around the property.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He would not go too far and just circle around their camp. That way, he would notice right away if his neighbors were already awake.


    Fortunately, Vincent decided not to wake up Zion. Otherwise, he would''ve been shocked at the sight of an unusual scene.


    It was the same scene Rianna and Shana had walked in on when they tried to wake Zion up in the past.


    The teenage boy''s head was currently buried in Erica''s chest, with him hugging her and her hugging him back


    Sherry was hugging Zion from behind, like a hug pillow.


    This was already the norm when the three of them slept together.


    Erica and Sherry were both worried that Zion would have the same nightmares he usually had whenever he slept at night, so they both decided to stay with him. This way, they could ensure that he wouldn''t be lonely and dream about dark thoughts.


    The first one to wake up among the three of them was Erica.


    Seeing that the boy was sleeping peacefully with his head buried in her chest, she decided toy for a little while longer.


    However, she fixed the strap on her nightgown so that the incident with Rianna and Shana wouldn''t happen again.


    Whenever Zion was awake, he always looked confident as if he always had things under his control.


    This was why, only whenever he showed signs of weakness would Erica realize that Zion was human just like them.


    He had certainly achieved multiple feats that were superhuman, but it didn''t change the fact that he was a human who could cry, bleed, and die just like everyone else.


    Erica didn''t have any brothers or sisters, so she felt overprotective of Zion and Sherry, who were both younger than her.


    Fortunately, the teenage boy didn''t really need protection when he was awake. In fact, the one doing the protecting was the teenage boy.


    So only during these times, when he would be at his most defenseless state, could Erica help -by making him feel at peace.


    The second to wake up was none other than Sherry. She then lightly rubbed her eyes and greeted Erica a good morning.


    Tiona, who was a light sleeper, was coiled above Thirteen''s head. When the two girls finally woke up, she raised her head, and crawled toward Thirteen''s face, flicking her tongue on his ear as if telling him that it was now time to wake up.


    A minuteter, Thirteen stirred and opened his eyes.


    When he found his face resting on something soft and warm, he already knew what happened.


    In the past, he usually said sorry to Erica because of what happened.


    But the Sorceress always said that she didn''t mind.


    Because of this, Thirteen''s sorry became "Thank you."


    "Thank you, Erica, Sherry," Thirteen said before closing his eyes for a while.


    "You''re wee," Erica replied as she lightly patted Thirteen''s head.


    When the teenage boy finally regained hisposure, he propped himself up and raised his hand to do a few light stretches.


    Several minutester, the three left their tent, fully dressed in proper clothes.


    They then noticed Vincent, who was jogging in the distance and waving at them with a smile on his face.


    "Good morning," Vincent greeted.


    ""Good morning.""


    The three replied and asked Vincent if he had already eaten breakfast.


    "Actually, I was waiting for you guys to wake up, so all of us can eat together," Vincent said. "We can just make bacon and eggs, or something lighter-if thedies prefer something like


    that."


    "Bacon and eggs sound good," Erica replied.


    "I''m also fine with bacon and eggs," Sherrymented.


    "Great!" Vincent smiled. "Then allow me to cook for us."


    Without another word, Vincent took out a portable single burner and a pan. Clearly, he was already prepared to be the cook of their group, so Thirteen and the others allowed him to do


    as he pleased.


    While the young man was cooking, Tiona, who was coiled on Thirteen''s neck, talked to her Master telepathically.


    She was making a report on what the clones had found during their night scouting and just as Thirteen had predicted, there were multiple traps installed all around the forest. Fortunately, none of them were meant to kill, so Thirteen could still turn a blind eye to them. The traps scattered around were fine. A Wanderer needed to be prepared for all asions. Since there was nothing lethal on the traps that were ced by the Ashford n, this meant that the real threat would be among the Wanderers who would participate in the tournament. If it was just a group of Wanderers, he was certain that his siblings and the people he had trained would be able to handle them just fine.


    However, if any adults were to move behind the scenes, that was when things would get very


    ugly.


    It didn''t take long before Vincent finished cooking and ced everything on the table.


    The group ate while chatting with each other, making the ce very lively.


    Since there was nothing going on at the moment, Thirteen sparred with Sherry in hand-to-


    handbat.


    He was making sure that even if she didn''t be an expert brawler, she would at least know the basics, giving her some form of self-defense.


    Vincent watched from the side, looking impressed by Thirteen''s fighting style. He could tell that the teenage boy was good in closebat since his movement technique and fighting technique worked well together.


    It wasn''t only Vincent who was paying attention to the spar between the two teenagers.


    Ever since the teenage boy had set up a camp, they were always being monitored from a distance by the agents of the Ashford n.


    ude had suspicions that Zion Leventis was nning something that might jeopardize their preparations for the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.


    In order to prevent any mishaps from happening, he decided to order some people to look


    after the teenage boy and his group''s movements to make sure that they didn''t go to ces that they weren''t supposed to go.

 Chapter 681: A Chance Of Survival [Part 2]

    Chapter 681: A Chance Of Survival [Part 2]


    ?


    A few hourster, a few more familiar faces arrived at the camp, making Thirteen arch an eyebrow.


    "What are all of you doing here?" Thirteen asked as he looked at the members of the Hero Party, as well as Rianna, who hade pulling some carts filled with camping tools. Clearly, they also nned to set up tents and join Thirteen in whatever he nned on doing.


    "Why not, Master?" Derek answered. "I miss you, you know?"


    "Well, I don''t miss you," Thirteen replied.


    The Swordsman was already ustomed to this kind of treatment.


    "It''s been a while since west camped, so I think this is a good idea," Rndmented.


    Truth be told, Rnd didn''t really n on going here.


    However, after Derek realized that Erica and Sherry had sneaked out of the Summer''s Residence, Thirteen''s disciple knew that the two girls had decided to stay with Zion.


    The Swordsman was worried that the three of them would undergo some private training, which would make Erica leave him in the dust.


    After undergoing the hellish training in the Rigel Continent, Derek was now more confident in his abilities.


    Knowing how much improvement anyone can make under Thirteen''s guidance, he was worried that the young man would feed Erica and Sherry some kind of juice that would make them stronger overnight.


    He had heard in the past that, three members of the Valkyries, who went by the names Vi, Sharon, and Louise, had suddenly be stronger than their peers after drinking some of Zion''s juice.


    Although he felt that his Master preferred to give special treatment todies, he still believed that this was unfair.


    He couldn''t bear the thought that after training hard for months, all it would take was just a simple Zion Juice, and another expert warrior would pop out of nowhere like a mushroom. Of course, Derek didn''t dare to speak up in front of his Master about this matter. However, now that he hade, Erica could forget about drinking his Master''s juice!


    "I can tell that you''re thinking something bad right now." Erica frowned at Derek.


    "Bad? Of course not," Derek replied with a smile. "By the way, did Master make you drink something yesterday?"


    "Drink something?" the frown on Erica''s face deepened. "Drink what?"


    "You know, like some kind of juice?"


    "Oh. We had C C yesterday. Does that count?"


    "Of course not. How aboutst night? Did you drink some milk?"


    "I did not."


    Erica wanted to say that she didn''t drink any milk, but Zion tried to drink some. Unfortunately, that was not possible at this point in time.


    Derek patted his chest in relief. "Good."


    "Hey, can you stop being weird?" Erica red at the Swordsman. "You''re weirding me out."


    While the members of the Hero Party were bickering, ude received a report that Rnd and the others had also arrived at the venue and that they were currently setting up tents in the VIP area.


    This news made him frown because he didn''t expect that something like this would happen. Since the members of the Hero Party were Seeded Candidates, that meant that they didn''t have to join the preliminary matches and simply had to wait until the elimination rounds were


    over.


    "Just what are those kids thinking?" ude muttered.


    The Agent, who had just finished the report, remained standing and waited for his Master''s orders.


    "Double... no, triple the number of Watchers," ude ordered. "I want them to be monitored twenty-four-seven. I don''t believe Zion Leventis will do something like this without a


    reason.


    "He might just be using the Hero Party as a smokescreen for something big. Remember, this brat has been in the limelight for the past few years, so tell the Watchers to not underestimate him. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Master," the Agent replied. "Is there something that they should pay extra attention to?"


    ude pondered a bit before giving out another order.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Observe that kid from the Osborn Family," ude said. "There are rumors that he has some kind of Charm Ability. Thedies in Freedom City seem to have taken a liking for him. While being handsome will allow you to attract women, his strike range is... very wide."


    The Osborn Family had always been a thorn in the side of the Ashford n for decades.


    If Vincent indeed had that kind of ability, then there was a great need to raise his threat level.


    If he managed to charm thedies of their n or their subordinates, he might be able to gain ess to information that he wasn''t supposed to have ess to.


    That would make him a very dangerous person. It didn''t matter that he was young-the Ashford n wouldn''t hesitate to nip this bud before it could grow into a tree that would tower over them.


    Inside the Summer''s Residence...


    "What? Zion and the others decided to camp out in the territory of the Ashford n?" Tristan looked at his wife in disbelief. "Why would they do that? Is our house notfortable for them to live in?"


    "Also, Rianna and Shana had just returned home after many months of training. They have just been here for a few days, and they''re off to leave again?"


    Cynthia sighed. "Originally, Erica and Sherry snuck out and only left a letter behind telling us that they nned to join Zion in camping at the Ashford n''s territory.


    "After that, Derek decided to go as well because he was afraid that Erica and Sherry were going to undergo special training. Rianna thought that it was fun, so she decided to go as


    well.


    "Shana suddenly decided to join Rianna, and soon, Rnd and Joshua also decided to go. Since Mildred is thest one left, she decided to join them as well. I didn''t find any problems with their decisions, so I let them go.


    "Although they''re not in our house, they''re only a city away, so I don''t think it is such a big deal. It''s not like we''re separated by an entire continent, right?"


    Tristan sighed as well before sitting beside his wife.


    "While I''m not a hundred percent certain, I wish to believe that Zion is doing some kind of undercover reconnaissance mission. But with the other kids joining him, he might find it hard to do whatever he nned on doing."


    Cynthia frowned. "Let''s say that you''re right. Do you really think that the Ashfords would just let him do as he pleased? I''m sure that they''re keeping an eye on his every movement right


    now.


    "I heard what happened in the Auction, and knowing how petty ude is, he will definitely find a way to get back to Zion one way or another."


    Tristan nodded. "He can do that, but he knows not to go overboard. After all, Zion holds a special role in the Central Government. Thest thing he''ll want is to make the ns and Families in the Rigel and Cygni Continent burn bridges with them."


    Cynthia nodded in agreement. "You''re right. He will not dare to go that far."


    After pondering for a few minutes, Tristan asked his wife to contact Rianna and Shana from time to time to ask if anything unusual was happening at their camp. Although he believed that the Ashford n wouldn''t go as far as hurting his daughters, it would be best to be safe than sorry.


    "I''ll go talk to father," Tristan said after discussing the matters with the teenagers with his wife. "While it''s not confirmed yet, there was a fluctuation of dimensional energy detected at the North of the Cygni Continent.


    "The readings are off the charts, and if our guess is correct, it might be a hidden Tier 9 Gate that had remained hidden for nearly two decades."


    "T-Tier 9?!" Cynthia''s eyes widened in shock. "The same Tier that destroyed the Antares


    Continent?"


    Tristan nodded gravely. "There is only a Tier-8 Gate in the Rigel Continent, yet it allowed three Rank 9 Earth Dragons to cross over. If this is really a Tier-9 Gate, then..." Tristan didn''t dare to say it because he was afraid that it mighte true. However, Cynthia had known her husband for many years, and although he didn''t dare to say it, she knew what


    he was thinking.


    "If the Cygni Continent were to fall, there would only be two continents in the world," Cynthiamented. "Are we really about to face extinction within a hundred years?"


    "We might or we might not," Tristan replied. "Right now, there''s at least a variable that might stand in the way of this world''s destruction."


    The image of the teenage boy, who had led the troops to fight in the Rigel Continent, shed inside Tristan''s and Cynthia''s head.


    If the world of Pangea had a chance of surviving a cmity, they had a feeling that they would need Zion''s help to give them a chance of survival.

 Chapter 682: A Symbol Of Wanderers

    Chapter 682: A Symbol Of Wanderers


    ?


    After word of mouth spread that all members of the Hero Party were currently at the Registration Venue, those who had been camping nearby decided toe and visit them.


    Unfortunately, the ones they wanted to meet were all in a VIP Zone, so the guards that belonged to the Ashford n barred them from entry at a certain point, making them feel disappointed.


    However, as if wanting to fan the mes, Thirteen invited the Hero Party to take a stroll with him to visit the other Wanderers who were at the venue.


    This caused the guards of the Ashford n a lot of headaches, and ude nearly cursed aloud when his subordinates reported this incident.


    Thirteen did this to pull all the attention of the Ashford n onto him, while his loyal "demons" continued to scout the area where the elimination rounds would be held.


    Of course, he made sure to divide his demons into different groups, with some of them infiltrating the inner areas where the Ashford n''s lineage was living.


    This was the perfect opportunity to gather information, so Thirteen had no ns to miss the opportunity. He intended to know more about the n, whom the traitor, Aaron Ashford had expanded.


    Thirteen had no vendetta against the members of the Ashford Family. His gripe was solely with Aaron.


    However, if the rest of them dared to antagonize him, the teenage boy was more than happy to add them to his cklist.


    "Miss Erica, please go out with me!"


    "Saintess, please marry me!"


    "Miss Diana, please give birth to my child!"


    "Miss Mildred, I love you!"


    Thedies of the Hero Party were very popr, so the moment these beautifuldies appeared, the Wanderers started to call out to them.


    The fourdies were already used to this treatment, so they were no longer fazed by this kind of situation.


    Thirteen asked them toe with him with the excuse of encouraging the Wanderers to do their best in the tournament.


    Of course, the other members of the Hero Party, like Rnd, Joshua, and Derek, were also popr.


    However, they were men so the young men interested indies only gave them a nce before cheering for the beautifuldies who hade to brighten up their day.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, found himself in an unusual situation.


    Those who weren''t cheering for thedies went to him to shake his hand, pat his shoulder, or touch any part of his body.


    At first, he was surprised, thinking that the people would only look at him from a distance like what they were doing for thedies of the Hero Party.


    However, everyone just seemed to want to touch him as if to verify if he was real or not.


    This unusual scenested for an hour before Thirteen and the others returned to their campsite.


    "Looks like you''re very popr, Master," Derek said in a teasing tone. "There were even girls among the Wanderers who wiped the sweat on your forehead with their handkerchiefs and ced it on their chests afterward."


    Although Derek was smiling on the surface, deep inside, he was very envious of what


    happened to his Master.


    There were Wanderers who approached him to shake his hand, but the treatment they gave him was only simr to Rnd and Joshua.


    They didn''t touch him all over like what they did to his Master.


    Derekmented about the fact that there were even a dozen bolddies who kissed Zion''s cheeks, making him truly envious of the teenage boy!


    "I think I have an understanding of why they did that to Zion," Vincent said with a smile.


    "Oh?" Derek arched an eyebrow. "Please enlighten me."


    The other members of the Hero Party also looked at the handsome "yboy" and waited for his reply.


    "In our hearts, the Hero Party are the role models of us Wanderers, who are part of the younger generation," Vincent stated. "In our eyes, you guys are celebrities. You are the Rising Stars that everyone looks up to. However, Zion is different. He is... a symbol."


    "A symbol?" Joshua fixed the sses on his face. "What do you mean ''a symbol"?" Vincent nced at the teenage boy, who was sitting beside Sherry, and started to read a book. "In our eyes, Zion is like a Deity," Vincent replied. "You know, those local Gods that people worship for good luck, happy marriage, and sess in life? Zion is like that.


    "Devotees in Solterra and Pangea like to build statues of the Gods they worship, right? They would then touch them from time to time, asking for their blessings.


    "That''s what happened to Zion earlier. In fact, if he ever built a temple and enshrined himself there, people would visit in droves just to get his blessings."


    Erica found this information funny, so she grabbed Thirteen''s hand and ced it on her forehead.


    "Oh, bless me, Great Zion," Erica said in an exaggerated tone. "Make me rich and powerful!" Thirteen was quite amused with the Sorceress'' antics, so he yed along and said, "bless you," making Erica giggle.


    "Me too," Sherry tugged on Thirteen''s clothes. "Bless me too."


    "Bless you." Thirteen then ced his other hand on Sherry''s forehead, blessing her as well.


    Although it looked funny from the side, Derek and the others understood Vincent''s words in their hearts.


    To them, the teenage boy, who was younger than them by a few years, had yed a major role in their lives.


    Although the majority of them were taller than him, they always felt that Zion was someone whom they all looked up to.


    His mere presence alone gave a feeling of assurance as if everything was going to be fine as


    long as he was there.


    After a minute of silence, Derek nodded his head.


    "You''re right, Vincent," Derek said. "You''re absolutely right."


    Vincent nodded because this was also what he believed in.


    Also, every time he looked at Zion, he would feel his heart ache for unknown reasons. There were times when he wished he could just go and hug him.


    But not wanting to make the other party misunderstand, he always held himself back and kept


    a respective distance.


    He then watched as Rianna also asked for Thirteen''s blessing, but after the teenage boy gave her his blessing, the youngdy gave the teenage boy a quick peck on the cheek, making Erica and Sherry look at her as if Rianna had stolen their golden egg.


    Suddenly, a siren rang, making everyone stop whatever they were doing.


    A momentter, an announcement was made, stating that three Tier-3 Dimensional Gates


    had appeared within the city.


    Since this was the territory of the Ashford n, they were conflicted as to whether they should head help with the monster subjugation or not.


    But, a few minutester, the Supervisor of the Venue came to find the Hero Party.


    He asked them respectfully if they were willing to help deal with the Monster Outbreaks that would be opening within five days.


    That was the time that was needed for a Tier-3 Dimensional Gate to open, which meant that there was plenty of time to help evacuate people.


    Usually, Tier-3 Gates would spawn over five hundred monsters at a time, all of which were


    Rank 3 or Rank 4 Monsters.


    Usually, they would be led by a Rank 4 Overlord or a Sovereign.


    While the Wanderers of the Ashford n could deal with this threat, having more hands


    would be good as well.


    Also, since there were many Wanderers in the venue, they practically had free manpower to help deal with this incident, giving everyone a good opportunity to showcase their talents. Since Rnd was the leader of the Hero Party, he agreed to the request and promised to help deal with one of the Tier-3 Gates that would be opening in five days.


    Thirteen simply listened to the side and didn''t say a word.


    The appearance of the Dimensional Gates was a verymon urrence.


    In fact, a gate would usually open every day in different ces on the Continent.


    Even the Aldebaran Continent had its share of these outbreaks. But as long as it wasn''t a Tier 7


    or Tier 8 Gate, the local forces could handle them just fine.


    ''Still, three Tier-3 Gates opening at the same time in the same city?'' Thirteen mused. ''Is this


    just a coincidence?''


    Thirteen didn''t know the answer to this question.


    However, if more of these gates would appear at the same ce at the same time, then it


    meant that there might be a reason behind it.


    One of those reasons was that higher tier gates would spawn in the area, which would mean that after the Cygni Continent''s Jinn Invasion was over, it would be the Sirius'' Continent next to face such a cmity.


    No one wanted to see this happen, including Thirteen, who didn''t want to see the world of Pangea be another breeding ground for the Jinns.


    So in order to prevent such a future, he would need to help the Cygni Continent ovee


    their greatest fears.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If another continent fell into the hands of the Jinns, it would mean that the world would once again be an even smaller ce for humans to live in.

 Chapter 683: City Rumble [Part 1]

    Chapter 683: City Rumble [Part 1]


    ?


    Rank 3 Monsters were existences that no ordinary Rookies dared to fight.


    Facing such a monster was akin to suicide.


    Only Wanderers who were Apostles and above that rank had a high chance of subjugating them without suffering any serious injuries.


    However, they were not about to face a one-on-one battle with these monsters.


    They would be facing hundreds of them.


    A Monster Outbreak of Rank 3 Monsters could still be fought by ordinary citizens using firearms and modern weaponry.


    However, they need to surround the gate, and the moment a single monster appears, all of them must start their bombardment, not giving them a chance to advance unhindered.


    When the Dimensional Gates first appeared in the world of Pangea, this was how the military dealt with them.


    However, as more powerful monsters arrived, they realized that their firepower was not enough to contain them.


    While using firearms was still the norm when handling a High-Tiered Gate, the most effective method was to send Grandmasters and Champions to deal with such threats.


    A few days had passed since the gates appeared, and an evacuation order had already been imposed in the city.


    Since these gates appeared on their home turf, the Ashford n didn''t want any damage to property, so they sent their elite units to handle the situation.


    However, three Tier-3 Gates still needed a lot of manpower to handle.


    Because of this, they could only ask the Hero Party and the other Wanderers if they were willing to lend a hand.


    Naturally, many agreed to the request of the Ashford n, and they were now gathered before one of the Gates.


    The members of the Hero Party stood dozens of meters away from the Dimensional Gate, while the other Wanderers encircled it.


    They needed to make sure that none of the monsters would be able to escape their killing


    zone.


    While some of the Wanderers who volunteered had experience in facing off a monster outbreak from a Dimensional Gate, the majority of those who gathered in the venue were first-timers.


    They had fought Jinns in Solterra, but not to the extent where hundreds of them woulde charging out of the Dimensional Gate, ready to kill anyone and anything in front of them.


    The sun was just about to set, and yet the streets were very bright because spotlights were aimed at the area of the Dimensional Gate, making people see the monsters that would soone out of it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zion stood a few meters away from the members of the Hero Party.


    If possible, he didn''t want to participate in this battle. However, idents might happen, so he still came, but only as a backup.


    Although he couldn''t summon his Monster Army, he still had ways how to deal with the threat in front of him.


    Also, if things really got out of hand, his Hundreds of Demons, who were lurking under the ground, could grab the monsters by their ankles, holding them in ce to allow the Wanderers to hack them to death.


    "Five minutes left," Rnd said. "Everyone, get ready!"


    Shana and Diana summoned their banners and nted them on the ground, giving all the Wanderers in the area a buff that made their minds clearer and their bodies stronger.


    "As expected of the Hero Party!" one of the Wanderers cried out in shock. "Just fighting with them makes me feel stronger!"


    "I thought I was just imagining things, but it seems that you also felt the same way I did," another Wanderermented.


    Soon, everyone''s morale rose up because this was something that they could brag to their family and friends.


    ''I fought alongside the Hero Party and stopped a Monster Outbreak!''


    That kind of news was something that would truly make them stand out from the rest, making


    the people who knew them look at them in a different light.


    When thest minute of the countdown started, everyone braced themselves for the uing battle.


    Sherry, who had decided to fight alongside Zion, had already summoned her Armored de Panther.


    While she still wasn''t that proficient in closebat, she had been taught by Zion how to use the skills she learned in thends of Absolute Heaven, which were Silk Threads, Camouge, and Wall Crawling.


    The Silk Threads could help bind her enemies.


    While she couldn''t use camouge because she was protecting Zion, her Wall Crawling abilities would definitelye in handy.


    She wouldn''t hesitate to wrap Thirteen in silk threads and then drag him to climb over the building that was right beside them.


    Thirteen chose this ce just for Sherry, allowing her a path of escape if it was truly needed.


    Unless the Jinns that woulde out of the gate had wings and could fly, Sherry would have no problems surviving this battle.


    Suddenly the gate grew bigger, which was an indication that the gate was about to open. "Brace!" Rnd ordered.


    The Wanderers gripped the handle of their weapons firmly, preparing for a great battle. Suddenly, loud roars reverberated in the surroundings, as the Gate finally opened.


    Several Red-Horned Minotaurs, who were Rank 3 Monsters, ran out of the Gate, holding their


    War Axes.


    These nearly three-meter-tall monsters were known for their savagery, making the Wanderers grit their teeth as they prepared to sh with the enemies.


    Rnd and Derek didn''t rush forward. If they did, the other Wanderers would follow them


    and break their formation.


    When it came torge-scale battles, charging alone with a group of people was not advisable. They needed to use tactics to whittle down their enemies from a safe distance.


    "Open Fire!" Rnd ordered.


    Immediately, arrows and spells rained down on the Minotaurs.


    Those who were using military weaponry, stationed on top of the buildings, unleashed a barrage of bullets at the wave of monsters that was pouring out of the Dimensional Gate, providing cover for the Wanderers who would engage them in closebat.


    A minuteter, the sound of war cries, shouts, and curses broke out as the battle was fought in


    close quarters.


    Thirteen was paying close attention to this battle because he wanted to know how a rag-tag group of Wanderers could work together for the first time.


    ''Maybe this is a ploy of the Ashford n to whittle down the number of candidates for thepetition,'' Thirteen mused.


    He was partly correct in his assumption because ude had indeed thought of this idea. Unfortunately, he made a miscalction by inviting the Hero Party because Thirteen would follow them and make sure that none of them got hurt.


    Just as he expected, chaos ensued as the battle became a free-for-all.


    Knowing that casualties might start to pile up if he didn''t do anything, Thirteen ordered the hidden Demons to make their move.


    ''Fortunately, it''s already dark, and the camera recording this battle has already been dealt with,'' Thirteen mused as the hidden helpers of the Wanderers started to join the battle.


    They targeted the Minotaur''s feet, making them fall over, slowing down their advance.


    Tiona, who had also gotten Thirteen''s permission, slithered toward the battle and transformed into a Chakram. She started to spin around, hacking the legs of the Minotaurs that she passed through.


    This sudden turn of events gave the Wanderers some breathing time to deal with the


    monsters in front of them.


    Although those with keen eyesight, especially those on the rooftop, noticed some dark beings


    jumping out of the street and attacking the Minotaurs, they decided to put this matter at the back of their mind for the time being.


    Their priority was to deal with the threat in front of them, so they focused their attention on the invading monsters and sted them with the firearms in their possession.

 Chapter 684: City Rumble [Part 2]

    Chapter 684: City Rumble [Part 2]


    ?


    In the other Dimensional Gate, which was being handled by the subordinates of the Ashford n, something unexpected happened.


    At first, they were able to resist the wave of Pangolin-Type Jinns.


    While these Jinns weren''t known for their powerful offensive abilities, they had very strong defenses.


    This made their scales very expensive, for they were used to craft armor, shields, and other defensive artifacts.


    The army of the Ashford n had been confident that they would be able to handle it. In fact, they were over the moon when they saw that such a big pie hadnded on their home turf.


    With so many Rank 4 Pangolins, the amount of scales they''d collect would definitely bolster the armaments of the Ashford n.


    The elites in the personal troop of the Ashford n, the Grandmasters and the Champion, on the scene were already advanced counting the bonuses they would receive from their employer after this mission was over.


    But something they didn''t expect hit them while they were daydreaming about their bonuses. The Dimensional Gate''s color, which was originally white, suddenly turned red.


    This sight made the faces of the Grandmasters and Champion turn solemn because this kind of drastic change could only mean one thing.


    A Gate Mutation.


    This meant that the current Rank of the Gate could jump anywhere from a Tier 3 Gate up to a Tier 6 Gate.


    As if waiting for that moment, five Rank 5 Overlords rolled out of the Teleportation Gate, catching everyone by surprise.


    "de-Scaled Pangolins!" one of the Grandmasters cried out in shock. "Don''t block them! Move to the sides!"


    But despite his warning, it was already toote.


    The five Rank 5 Overlords, who were like spiked wrecking balls, bulldozed through the Ashford n''s defenses, obliterating everything in their paths.


    Cries of fear, disbelief, and frustration reverberated in the surroundings as the formation of the soldiers broke apart.


    The Champion at the scene gritted his teeth and hurriedly backed away.


    While there might still be a chance that he could handle a single Rank 5 Overlord, he couldn''t possibly handle five of them.


    As such,plete chaos descended on the battlefield.


    From within the Red Portal, a Red-Scaled Warlord Pangolin emerged.


    It was a Rank 7 Sovereign, which typically needed a party of Champions to defeat. The only one who could face such a monster in a one-on-one battle was a Throne or a Monarch.


    However, that only applied to one-on-one battles.


    The Warlord Pangolin was the leader of the Monster Tide, and his minions followed itsmands.


    The five Rank 5 Overlords were his personal bodyguards, which would make defeating it no easy feat.


    While the defenses of the Ashford n crumbled like a castle of cards, news of what happened was immediately spread into the Sirius Continent''swork.


    Thirteen, who was overseeing the battle of the Hero Party, heard the beeping sounds of his Communicator, which was meant for emergency messages.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He immediately checked what was happening, and the moment he saw the news, his face immediately turned grim.


    Three Dimensional Gates appeared within the city, including the Gate they were facing at the Southernmost part of the city. But, the Mutated Dimensional Gate appeared in the North, which was a distance away from them.


    The other Dimensional Gate was at the West of Glory City. It was the closest Gate to the Mutated Gate.


    After hearing what transpired at the North, the Defenders made a tactical retreat, allowing the monsters that they were dealing with to break through from their encirclement.


    Truth be told, Thirteen believed that the Captain leading the group of Wanderers who ordered the retreat had a good head on his shoulders.


    While it might have caused the monsters they were fighting to gain ground, it also prevented their team from being attacked from behind.


    If that happened, they would be wiped out down to thest man.


    Since the other Wanderers on Thirteen''s side of the battle were busy fighting the monsters, they weren''t aware of what was happening.


    But the Hero Party, who usually receive emergency messages from the Central Government, soon heard what just happened.


    As if on cue, Rnd nced in Thirteen''s direction.


    Although he was the Leader of the Hero Party, in his heart, the highest-ranked officer in the field was none other than Zion.


    "Everyone, we will make a strategic retreat!" Thirteen shouted. "Hero Party, guard the front. Everyone else, pull back!"


    The Wanderers were surprised by Thirteen''s orders and hesitated whether they should obey him or not.


    This was the first time that they were fighting alongside him, and while they looked up to him, they didn''t know the reason why they were being asked to make a strategic retreat.


    The situation in front of them was still fine, and no Wanderers had died at the moment.


    In short, they thought that the situation was still under control, so retreating now would only be counterproductive.


    Seeing their reactions, Thirteen decided to rify his order.


    "A mutated Gate has appeared at the North of the City," Thirteen dered. "A Rank 7 Sovereign has emerged from it, and it has already decimated the first line of defense by the


    Ashford n.


    "The Monster Tide is currently headed in our direction. If we don''t leave now, they will be able to overtake all of us in half an hour. By then, escaping is no longer an option!"


    After hearing the teenage boy''s shout, the Wanderers finally realized why a strategic retreat had been ordered.


    "We will hold the front!" Diana shouted. "Everyone, back away in an orderly manner!"


    Thirteen, who had only ordered his Demons to cripple the Monsters, changed his order and asked them to kill as many as possible and as fast as possible.


    When three hundred monsters appeared to block the Monster Tide, Rnd and the members of the Hero Party, who were not aware that this was Thirteen''s doing, couldn''t help but wonder where these reinforcements wereing from.


    However, Erica and Sherry, who knew about Thirteen''s Parade of a Hundred Demons, no longer worried that they wouldn''t be able to handle the aftermath of pulling back their


    defensive lines.

 Chapter 685: Rally To Me!

    Chapter 685: Rally To Me!


    ?


    "Everyone, please evacuate a few miles away from the city," Thirteen ordered. "This is no longer something ordinary Wanderers can face head-on."


    "But if we retreat each time something like this happens, what will be of the human race?" a Wanderer asked. "Will we have to retreat until we no longer have a ce to retreat?"


    Thirteen nced at the young man, who seemed to be in histe teens.


    "You live in this city?" Thirteen asked.


    The young man gritted his teeth before nodding his head.


    It was very easy for Thirteen to figure out why the young man spoke the way he did. For him, Glory City was the ce where he grew up.


    If it disappeared from the world, a good chunk of his past would disappear alongside it. Some of the residents of the Sirius Continent originally hailed from the Antares Continent, which had been the first continent to fall from the Jinn Invasion.


    Although the current generation no longer remembered how it happened, their Grandfathers passed the story to their fathers, and their fathers to them.


    Even the residents of the Cygni Continent had also evacuated to the Sirius and Aldebaran Continent.


    Some of the Wanderers, who were present in the team led by the Hero Party, belonged to the Cygni Continent.


    "The young man''s words resonated in their hearts.


    If they really kept running forever, there woulde a time when they no longer had a ce


    to run.


    When that happened, what would they do?


    Countless eyes looked in the direction of the thirteen-year-old, who was standing in front of them with his hands behind his back.


    They were waiting for him to say something.


    Hoping that he would say the words they wanted to hear.


    "I think you are misunderstanding something," Thirteen replied. "The reason why I asked all of you to make a strategic retreat is not because we are going to let the monsters rampage as they please.


    "I asked you to back away, so you wouldn''t get in the way of the Elite Forces who will deal with this Monster Outbreak."


    Thirteen scanned the faces of the people who were looking at him and looked at them in disdain.


    "If we''re in Solterra, your way of fighting might work because you''ll only have to deal with a monster or two, or probably a small group of them," Thirteen exined. "But this is a Monster Outbreak. You are not a trained unit who can follow orders to that dot.


    "Earlier, I asked all of you to retreat, but the majority of you questioned my order. If this was in the military, all of you would have already been punished by militaryw for defying orders.


    "A headless group of ragtag Wanderers think that they can face a Monster Outbreak led by a Rank 7 Sovereign? Are all of you delusional?"


    The Wanderers looked at the teenage boy, whom they had idolized, and shuddered in horror. They always thought of Zion Leventis as a righteous person, who would encourage them to fight.


    Even if this fight would lead them to their deaths, they would fight willingly!


    But now, not only did he not encourage them, he even looked down and disdained them.


    Those eyes filled with ridicule made them feel anger rising up from their chests.


    If not for the fact that Erica, Sherry, Shana, and Diana immediately stood in front of Zion to protect him, they might have already lunged at him out of anger.


    "Please step aside," Thirteen said coldly, making the fourdies in front of him shudder. However, as if they were programmed to obey him, they indeed stepped aside and allowed the young man to walk past them, facing the angry mob with a look of contempt.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "All of you expect me to say that as long as we work together, we can ovee everything?" Thirteen asked in a teasing tone. "Do you believe in the power of love and friendship? Okay, if you really think so, then that''s fine by me.


    "All of you, who are brave enough, please step forward and charge into the city. I promise you that when you die, I will piss on your graves and write on your tomb the words ''Here lies a stupid person who died thinking he was a hero''."


    Thirteen then made a gesture as if he was inviting them to charge at the city.


    "Go on," Thirteen said with a smile. "The cycle of reincarnation is waiting for all of you. I hope that in your next life, you will no longer be as stupid as you are now."


    Rnd, Joshua, and Derek felt their hearts turn cold.


    They had never seen Zion act like this.


    When they were in the Absolute Heaven, he led everyone to fight against hordes of Jinns and effectively turned a ragtag unit of Wanderers into mean killing machines.


    He even went as far as to go ahead of others, clearing the obstacles that stood in their way. He made sure to injure the Bosses of each floor, giving them a chance to win a fight against them.


    However, even in their injured states, the bosses were no pushovers, and they still had a hard time defeating them.


    But now, that same person, who was the final boss of their mission, allowed them to return to Solterra, despite the fact that all three hundred of them were unable to defeat him inbat.


    "You know, I''m kinda liking this bad boy Zion a bit," Sherry whispered in Rianna''s ear, making thetter nod her head in agreement.


    "Give him three more years. I''d like to see him topless, wearing a bandana and holding a machine gun. That will certainly be a good thing to see," Rianna whispered back.


    Thirteen, who had no idea what the twodies were talking about, scoffed at the Wanderers who didn''t dare to take a step forward.


    However, his next words made them all look at him with burning gazes.


    "I''m going into that city and fight," Thirteen said casually. "It''s just a Rank 7 Sovereign. But I don''t want to bring extra baggage with me. Only those who can follow my orders without questioning it will be allowed to go.


    "If I tell you to jump, you will jump. If I tell you to charge, you will charge. If I tell you to risk your life, you will risk your life. And if I tell you to die, you will die. Only those who are able to do these things will be allowed toe with me.


    "So who among you wishes to follow this Supreme Commander to the battlefield? The Wanderer who survived a faceoff against a Majin Prince, a Majin King, and the Fiend


    Mammon?"


    Thirteen smirked as he made ae over here gesture with his finger.


    "Who among you wants to experience what it''s like to be Legendary? Thirteen asked like a devil, tempting everyone riches. "While a Monster Outbreak will pale inparison to the battles that I have faced before, it will not be a bad opportunity for you guys to feel what it''s like to fight alongside me, right?"


    Thirteen then reached out to the empty space on his left and right side and pulled back two short swords from his Dimensional Storage.


    His body was then covered in red armor, which was made from the Scales of the Majin King


    that he defeated.


    This armor was a Mythical Equipment, but its stats and abilities were useless to Thirteen.


    Because of this, the Rank required to wear it was also negated.


    For him, it was just a piece of armor that was sturdier than others.


    Still, it would be enough to save his life from the attacks of Rank 4-5 Monsters.


    The teenage boy then took out a red helmet and wore it, only showing his eyes.


    A red me rose up from the back of his helmet, which Thirteen installed to make it look cool.


    He was now like a red version of the Pokem*n Ceruledge, looking imposing in front of


    everyone.


    Sherry''s Armored de Panther, whom she named Mors, walked beside Thirteen and lowered


    its body so that the teenage boy could ride its back.


    The two looked incredibly well together, like a knight and his loyal mount.


    "Who''sing with me?" Thirteen asked in a domineering tone, which made some girls


    among the Wanderers feel their spine tingle.


    Vincent looked at the teenage boy with a faint smile on his face.


    He was the first to take a step forward and stand by his side.


    Derek, who had been mesmerized by how cool-looking his Master was, cursed internally


    because Vincent had beaten him to be the first to apany his Master to battle.


    Erica, Sherry, Diana, and Rianna followed.


    Shana sighed helplessly before she, too, took a step forward.


    Rnd gave Joshua a sidelong nce before they too, walked forward.


    Soon, all the Wanderers felt their blood and hearts burning inside their chest as they raised


    their hands to utter a warcry.


    Thirteen smiled faintly from behind his helmet and pointed his sword toward the city.


    "Rally to me!" Thirteen shouted as he urged Mors to charge forward.


    The main reason he said all of those things was to make the Wanderers obey him absolutely, preventing the senseless loss of lives just because they couldn''t follow his orders.


    Now that they had been riled up by his challenge, they would be his sword and cut


    through the Monster Tide like a hot knife through butter.


    The Wanderers, who were now pumped up to fight, summoned their Avatars to carry them to


    Glory City, where the enemies awaited.


    Land and Flying Avatars numbering in the hundreds all surged like an unstoppable wave.


    This time, they were no longer a rag-tag group of people without a leader.


    This time, they were following Zion Leventis to battle, and it would be a battle that they would remember for a lifetime.

 Chapter 686: Thank You In Advance

    Chapter 686: Thank You In Advance


    ?


    Within the residence of the Stard n...


    "I agree to help you, ude," the Monarch of the Stard n, Norman Stard, said. "In exchange, I want the exclusive rights to the Red-Scaled Warlord Pangolin. Also, I get a fifty- percent share of all the Monsters parts from the three Gates."


    ude remained calm on the surface, but deep inside, he was seething. However, if he didn''t agree to Norman''s condition, Glory City might get trampled to oblivion by the Monster Outbreak.


    Right now, he needed to make a quick decision and look at the bigger picture. The price they had to pay was certainly steep, but there was really nothing else he could do given the situation.


    "Fine," ude replied. "Please mobilize right away. If the city is destroyed, I''ll make sure to tell my father that you took your sweet time to help us while he''s away."


    "Resorting to threats, are we?" Norman sneered. "Since when did I be afraid of your Father? How about I just sit by and watch as your city gets trampled? You''ll see if he really dares to antagonize me."


    "Sure, you can do that," ude sneered back. "But we''ll make sure that you regret it. You know what my father is like. While he may not be able to defeat you, he is powerful enough to make your life miserable. Have you forgotten the reason why you sought to ally yourself with us?


    "I already epted your condition. If nearly a quarter of the city is destroyed before you make a move, I will consider this agreement void. Also, we will announce to the world that you didn''t fulfill your part of our alliance. Let''s see if people still trust you then."


    Without another word, ude cut off themunication.


    He had already taken a step back when it came to the split of the rewards. However, he would not allow their n to be looked down on by anyone.


    If Glory City really fell, his father would not hesitate to burn bridges and make the Stard n pay a simr price.


    Norman looked at the screen in front of him, which had already turned pitch ck. He snorted before giving out orders for his Elite Forces to mobilize.


    While he did not fear Aaron Ashford in a frontal confrontation, that didn''t mean that he wasn''t worried about his wrath.


    The Monarch of the Ashford n was a backstabbing snake.


    Aaron might not target him specifically, but that didn''t mean that he wouldn''t target anyone else.


    "Filthy snake," Norman scoffed as he walked out of the elevator.


    The helicopter was already waiting for him on the rooftop of their residence, ready to go as soon as he stepped inside.


    In fact, ever since the news of the three Tier-3 Gates had appeared in Glory City, he had already asked his people to get ready just in case something unexpected happened.


    He knew that Aaron wasn''t currently in Pangea, and thetter''s whereabouts in Solterra was also currently unknown.


    Norman had already been waiting for ude to ask him for assistance and had already prepared his conditions beforehand.


    All that was left was to head to Glory City in order to seal the deal.


    Meanwhile, in Glory City...


    The Wanderers of the Ashford n all regrouped in the Southwest part of the city.


    ude was on his way, bringing six additional Champions of the Ashford n, which was everyone he could summon on short notice.


    The other High-Ranking Members of his n were either in different parts of the Continent or somewhere in Solterra.


    Even after he had sent an emergency call for their help, it would still probably take them a day or two to arrive at the scene.


    By then, the city would have already been turned into rubble.


    It would have been faster if they used their teleportation gates to bring reinforcements. However, whenever a Dimensional Gate appears, it interferes with the Teleportation Gates, making them useless until the threat of the Monster Outbreak was over.


    Their reinforcements could only use the Teleportation Gates of the nearest cities unaffected by the fluctuations of the Dimensional Gate.


    "What should we do, Sir?" one of the Champions asked Andre Ashford, who was currently the highest-ranking member of Ashford n in the field.


    Each team was led by one Champion, and Andre was the leader of the team handling the Dimensional Gate, the Western area of Glory City.


    "We will wait for reinforcements," Andre replied. "ude is already on his way with the Ashford n''s private army. He''ll be here in fifteen minutes or so."


    Andre then frowned when he remembered the third team that was also dealing with one of the Gates in the city.


    "Any news about the Leventis Boy?" Andre asked.


    "Zion Leventis has also ordered a strategic retreat once he came to know about the incident at the North," the other Champion replied.


    "He is decisive, that''s for sure," Andre praised. "Where is he now?"


    "He led the Wanderers two miles away from the South of the City. It seems that they are also waiting for our reinforcements to arrive," the Champion answered.


    Andre knew that one of the reasons why ude had asked the Wanderers if they wished to volunteer in defending the city was to decrease the number ofpetitions in the uing


    tournament.


    Unfortunately, aside from suffering some moderate to serious injuries, none of the Wanderers in Thirteen''s team was in critical condition.


    But the same couldn''t be said for the Defenders of the Ashford n, the ones who directly faced the Monster Outbreak in the North.


    Just as Andre was thinking of what he was going to do next, his Communicator started


    beeping.


    Thinking that it was ude who was on his way to help them, Andre connected the call, which was voice only.


    "This is Zion Leventis, and I am currently leading my team to enter the city from the South," Thirteen said calmly. "We will deal with all the monsters that we will face on the way.


    "If you guys want some piece of the action, attack the Monster Army from the side. My group will attack them from the front. We will use a pincer tactic to whittle down their numbers until the reinforcements from the Ashford n arrive."


    "Boy, are you ordering me?" Andre, who initially thought that the call was from ude, asked in irritation.


    "I''m not ordering you," Thirteen replied. "I''m just telling you in advance that if you don''t help us, we will call dibs on the monster parts that we will acquire through our operation." Andre wasn''t able to hold back hisughter because he thought that the teenage boy had gone crazy. To actually lead his team in a suicidal charge against three groups of monsters from three Dimensional Gates?


    If someone wanted to die, this was the right way to do it.


    "Sure, if you want those monster parts, you can take them," Andre stated. "But we won''t be joining your suicide mission."


    "Understood," Thirteen replied. "Thank you in advance."


    The call ended then and there, making Andre snort and mutter the words, "kids these sure


    know how to run their mouths."


    However, half a minuteter, he suddenly remembered whom he was talking to.


    This realization made him look to the South with his binocrs.


    There, he saw dozens of Flying Avatars, as well as Avatars onnd with people riding on top of


    them.


    At that moment, he made a split-second decision with gritted teeth.


    "Everyone, follow me!" Andre ordered. "We''re going to kill our way into the city with Zion


    Leventis! Don''t let that brat profit from this incident!"


    Andre finally remembered that Zion had been fighting against stronger monsters like a Majin


    Prince and a Majin King.


    There was even a rumor that Mammon tried to kill him but failed in the end.


    That was a Fiend!


    One of the strongest existences in Solterra that none of the Monarchs dared to offend, yet Zion


    Leventis survived an encounter with one.


    A Rank 7 Sovereign was nothingpared to those monsters!


    ''Damn, if this boy is only going to use us as cannon fodders, I''ll haunt him when I turn into a ghost!'' Andre gritted his teeth as he led his people toward the Southeast.


    He nned to use Thirteen''s Wanderer Army as a distraction so that they couldnd the


    killing blow to their enemies.


    But there was one thing that Andre was wrong about.


    Thirteen had no ns to use them as cannon fodders.


    In fact, if the teenage boy heard that Andre was calling himself a Cannon Fodder, Thirteen


    would only tell him that he wasn''t even worthy to be one.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At most, he was just an Extra.


    An Extra who was now rushing to a y that the teenage boy was orchestrating from behind


    the scenes.

 Chapter 687: Let’s Go, And Deal With The Small Fries First

    Chapter 687: Let¡¯s Go, And Deal With The Small Fries First


    ?


    Thirteen''s team finally arrived at the city. The first thing he did was order the Wanderers with Flying Avatars to scout and to not let down their guard.


    ording to his intelligence report, the Monsters that came out of the West Dimensional Gates were Beetle-Type Jinns.


    This meant that there were some of them that were capable of flight.


    Although they couldn''t fly long distances or stay in the air for long periods, they still posed a threat to the Wanderers who were scouting from the sky.


    Truth be told, Thirteen didn''t really need to ask the Wanderers to scout since he had Athena, conveniently located in outer space, giving Thirteen a satellite view of everything that was happening in Glory City.


    This was also the reason why he found out Andre''s location, prompting him to ask the members of the Ashford n to assist them in their operation.


    Of course, he needed the scouts in the air to make people think that he was basing his decision based on the information that they were about to give him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This would make people less suspicious of his actions after the threat of the Monster Outbreak came to an end.


    "Minotaurs at nine o''clock!" Sherry reported from the sky.


    "Team 1, 2, 3, and 4, hold your ground and secure the perimeter," Thirteen ordered. "Feel free to find advantageous locations for you to unleash your ranged attacks. The enemies will be arriving in five minutes.


    "Do not fight them in close quarters. We will whittle them down with range attacks and retreat whenever they are close. Once they''re in your range, fire away and go for the kill!"


    The Wanderers no longer questioned Thirteen''s orders. Those who specialized in closebat like Rnd and Derek protected the Archers like Mildred and the Spell Casters like Erica.


    But, Erica was no ordinary Sorceress.


    She had plenty of ways on how to survive in a chaotic battle after everything that she had been through with Thirteen.


    Erica was about to summon a Fireball to annihte a group of Minotaurs, but Thirteen''s words rang through hermunicator.


    "Don''t use spells that have an area of effect!" Thirteen ordered. "Just use your Magic Bullets. We don''t want to start a fire in the city."


    Erica canceled her spell without a second thought and unleashed a barrage of Magic Bullets that rained down on the Minotaurs, who had discovered the location of their prey.


    Unfortunately for them, they miscalcted. This time, the prey was them.


    The enraged monsters could only roar in frustration, as they tried to dodge the attacks that wereing from the sky.


    Thirteen, who was connected with Athena, was already seeing green dotsing to their location from the west.


    These friendly forces were none other than Andre''s team, who hade to assist Thirteen''s operation.


    The Minotaurs, who found themselves being attacked from two sides, were forced to split their forces.


    This was a decent n. But in reality, it was a very wrong move for the Jinns.


    There were two Champions, eight Grandmasters, and dozens of Masters on Andre''s team.


    These two forces were thebined units from the two teams that were meant to deal with one Dimensional Gate each.


    Now that their forces hadbined into one, their fighting prowess had also increased drastically.


    They cut through the minotaur horde like a hot knife through butter, killing as many as they could to vent out their frustrations.


    Thirteen then ordered the range units to stop attacking and allow the closebat specialists to move in for the kill.


    Rnd and Derek, who finally had the chance to shine, led the charge to face the Minotaurs.


    The battle was won fairly easily, and half of the Minotaur army was annihted. However, Thirteen knew that this was just the start.


    Andre and the others didn''t know that the two other Dimensional Gates had also mutated and turned into red Dimensional Gates.


    A Rank 7 Minotaur King and a Rank 7 Hercules Beetle had emerged from the gates, bringing with them three Rank 6 Overlords each and a dozen Rank 5 Alpha Monsters.


    The main reason why Thirteen asked Andre to assist them was to let the Elite Unit from the Ashford n merge with their own, giving them a higher chance of dealing with the Monster Outbreak.


    For now, Thirteen pushed aside the thought of identifying the cause as to why the three Gates mutated at the same time.


    Clearly, this was no coincidence, and this might be the workings of Higher-Ranking Jinns who were on the other side of the Dimensional Gate.


    Perhaps they were using these Dimensional Gates as an experiment to create more mutated gates in the future.


    If the same thing were to happen in the uing Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent, the battle that they would face might be more deadly than he initially expected.


    "Sir Andre, over here," Thirteen casually waved at the leader of the Ashford n and called him over.


    "You''ve got some guts, kid," Andre said as soon as he arrived in front of the teenage boy. "Do you really think that you can have your wa-"


    "The two other Dimensional Gates have also mutated," Thirteen interjected before Andre could finish whatever he was going to say.


    And just like he expected, Andre reacted strongly to his statement.


    "W-What?! Are you sure about this?!" Andre demanded.


    "I''m sure of it," Thirteen replied. "But we have to move now. Two of the five de-Scaled Pangolins are headed for the Shelter in the East of the city. They are apanied by six Rank 4 Alpha Pangolins and nearly two hundred Rank 3 Pangolins."


    "Damn!" Andre cursed internally. "They''re headed towards the Glory Academy!"


    All cities had at least one to two academies, where children who were about to have their First Wandering would be trained for the sake of surviving their first mission in Solterra.


    These academies were made with shelters under them, which could also be used by civilians to hide during a Monster Outbreak.


    Although the Professors in these academies were Grandmasters, they were not enough to handle the threat that was headed in their direction.


    "Let''s go and deal with the small fries first," Thirteen proposed. "Everyone, follow me!"


    Thirteen didn''t even wait for Andre''s reply before taking the lead to head to the East, where the academy was located.


    Sensing that this was not the time to argue about who was in charge, Andre also ordered his people to head to the academy.


    His wife was one of the Professors there, so even if Zion didn''t say anything, he would bring the entirety of his forces to aid his beloved.


    While all of this was happening, a Magma Bal-Boa was busy digging tunnels underground.


    His Master had given him orders, and Rocky didn''t hesitate to follow his Master''s will. Now that there were three Rank 7 Sovereigns in the City, things would turn incrediblyplicated if these three monsters were to join hands and attack the Defenders at the same


    time.


    Thirteen had already thought of this possibility, so he decided to carry out a n that would neutralize one or two of these behemoths.


    While he couldn''t expose his trump cards in the open, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t use them right under everyone''s nose.


    For now, he prioritized saving the shelter where those who didn''t leave the city went to hide.


    Everyone thought that the members of the Ashford n would be able to deal with the current threat without much problem, so there were hundreds of people who remained and simply stayed in one of the twelve Shelters in the city.


    Of course, Thirteen had also ordered his Demons to protect the other shelters from harm.


    While his Monster Army couldn''t make an appearance, they were also not idle and were preparing to fight the battles that would soon happen.


    However, these battles would take ce in ces that people couldn''t see. The reason why Rocky was busy digging underground was so that his friends could also fight to their heart''s


    content.


    When Thirteen said that the enemies were just Rank 7 Monsters, he truly didn''t think of them


    as a big deal.


    Why? Because Rocky was a peak Rank 7 Sovereign, while Giga and the rest were Rank 6 Sovereigns and peak monsters as well.


    They only needed a catalyst to break through to the next Rank, which would make them


    iparably stronger.


    Norman wasn''t the only one eyeing the Red-Scaled Warlord Pangolin.


    Thirteen had also set his sights on this monster.


    He didn''t mind if the Ashford n and the Stard n were to get the Minotaur King and the


    Hercules Beetle.


    As long as the Warlord Pangolin fell in his hands, he would have already profited greatly in his


    undercover operation.


    He was simply using the chaos to target the monster that had the highest value that appeared


    in Glory City before the reinforcements from the Ashford and Stard ns arrived at the


    scene.

 Chapter 688: Don’t Forget To Say The Catch Phrase!

    Glory Academy was the most famous academy in Glory City.


    The Ashford n had spent a lot of resources to groom the members of the young generation who were very likely to be their subordinates.


    Being affiliated with the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families had many benefits, including a high monthly sry, health insurance, and other perks that were enticing enough for people to join their faction.


    This also gave them ayer of protection since even the retainers belonging to these families couldn¡¯t be easily offended in fear that they might be working for one of the High-Ranking Members of the Families to whom they swore their allegiance.


    Those who were extremely talented were even granted the privilege to marry a descendant of these families, elevating their importance and position in the family.


    This was why the parents and children who lived in the cities under the protection of these families were inclined to send their children to these academies, where they were taught how to survive in Solterra.


    Andre¡¯s wife was one of the Professors teaching at Glory Academy, and she was once a student of the academy.


    Not only was she beautiful, but she was also very talented, which was the reason why she caught Andre¡¯s eyes.


    Fortunately, the two of them hit it off right away and became an official couple without the need to use forceful methods.


    Just thinking of his wife putting herself in harm¡¯s way in order to protect her students made Andre wish that his Avatar could grow eight legs so that it could arrive faster in the academy.


    "Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll get there in time."


    These were the words that Thirteen spoke as he traveled alongside Andre and the Elite members of the Ashford n.


    The teenage boy¡¯s words oddly reduced the Champion¡¯s worries a bit because he found them reassuring.


    Andre finally breathed in relief when he saw that the academy was still intact and hadn¡¯t been ravaged by the Monster Army.


    However, he wasn¡¯t able to feel rxed for long because Sherry, who was scouting from the skies, informed Thirteen that the monsters were only hundreds of meters away from their location.


    "Can your team handle the two Rank Five de Scaled Pangolins?" Thirteen asked. "We will handle the six Rank 4 Alpha Monsters as quickly as possible."


    "Okay." Andre nodded before raising his fist high up in the air. "Men! Get ready!"


    Thirteen¡¯s and Andre¡¯s forces split into two teams, targeting their respective monsters.


    There were nearly two hundred Rank 3 Monsters apanying their leaders, but they currently didn¡¯t pose much of a threat against thebined forces of the two groups of Wanderers.


    Rnd wished to fight against the Rank 5 Monsters, but he could only sigh in his heart and focus his attention on the Rank 4 Alpha Monsters in front of him.


    Thirteen had given them a limitation¡ªthey were not allowed to use the techniques he had taught them in subjugating the monster army.


    These techniques they had painstakingly trained in the Rigel Continent were so powerful that even Rnd had to admit that spending time training with Zion was worth it.


    Unfortunately, with the restrictions thirteen asked of them, their fighting prowess was effectively cut in half. However, they didn¡¯t back down from the challenge.


    Derek and Rnd teamed up to attack the Rank 4 Alpha Monster, who rolled up into a ball and charged in their direction.


    The Wanderers, who were fighting alongside the Hero Party, also attacked these two Alpha Monsters.


    However, the moment their swords hit their target, sparks flew as the sound of metal shing against metal spread in the surroundings.


    The defensive abilities of the Rank 4 Monsters, who specialized in defense, couldn¡¯t be ovee by ordinary means.


    "Switch with us!" Derek shouted, asking the other Wanderers to change their targets so that he and Rnd could attack the rolling armadillo, whose scales were nearly as hard as steel.


    Derek and Rnd didn¡¯t back down, and the both of them charged at the monster rolling toward them.


    "Be careful!" one of the Wanderers shouted as the two members of the Hero Party attacked the Rank 4 Alpha Monster together.


    The others were expecting that the two would suffer the same way they did.


    Contrary to their expectations, the moment Derek¡¯s and Rnd¡¯s swords collided with the tough scales of the Pangolin, everyone heard the crisp sound of something breaking.


    At first, they thought the weapons of the two Swordsmen had been broken.


    But after a few seconds, the others quickly realized that the thing that broke hadn¡¯t been their swords.


    It was the scales of the Pangolin, which had failed topletely block the two young men¡¯s blows.


    Blood spurted like a fountain as Derek and Rnd left two deep cuts on the body of the Alpha Monster.


    Although they couldn¡¯t use the techniques Thirteen imparted to them, the training they had undergone in the Rigel Continent had sharpened their basic swordsmanship and strengthened their bodies to a higher level.


    Their weapons were also personally crafted by Gerald and reinforced by Thirteen¡¯s Rune Magic.


    Clearly, these weapons weren¡¯t the run-of-the-mill weapons that people could buy anywhere in the world.


    They were specialized Rune Weapons, and their sharpness, toughness, and deadliness were heightened to perfection.


    Erica, who was high up in the sky, raised her hand and materialized a long ming Spear.


    Since she couldn¡¯t use Fireballs in fear of friendly fire, she just focused on targeting the Alpha Monsters using one-hit spells that would give them grievous injuries.


    Just as she was about to throw the spear at the enemy, she heard Thirteen¡¯s shout, making her flinch.


    "Erica, don¡¯t forget to say the catchphrase! It makes your attack stronger!"


    The face of the Sorceress reddened because there was no way that she could shout something so embarrassing, especially in front of a lot of people.


    However, since Thirteen was looking at her, she gritted her teeth as she pulled back her hand in order to throw the six-meter-long spear that hovered above her head.


    "Go for the kill!" Erica said with a reddened face.


    "G¨¢e Bulg!"


    The ze of Erica¡¯s ming spear intensified as soon as its name was yelled.


    Although this wasn¡¯t the true Legendary Spear G¨¢e Bulg, that didn¡¯t matter.


    Words held power, and there were beings in the world that reacted to something when their names were called out.


    The same could be said for these weapons, allowing them to briefly manifest a portion of their Epics, empowering the attack power of the weapons that had been granted their name.


    Erica¡¯s spear pierced through the defensive scales of the Rank 4 Monster, making it cry out in pain and shock.


    The moment the tip of the spear made contact with the hard scales, the scales immediately melted, catching the monster by surprise.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, it was already toote.


    The Spear had already lodged itself firmly on the monster¡¯s body, continuing to ze even though it had already hit its target.


    Thirteen had taught Erica the skill called Weaponization.


    And right now, her magical attacks hit harder than ever.


    Suddenly, flower petals rained down from the sky as Shana also activated her ability, Judgment Storm.


    The flower petals looked beautiful. Contrary to their soft appearance, they were in fact razor sharp, able to cut through most defenses.


    These petals fell harmlessly on the Wanderers, but it made the Pangolins incredibly irritated because Shana was targeting their eyes.


    Sparks flew as the razor-sharp petals collided with the Pangolin¡¯s armor, leaving shallow cuts.


    Soon, blood seeped out as the petal storm intensified.


    Thirteen didn¡¯t give Shana any restrictions and allowed her to wield her power as she pleased.

 Chapter 689: The Great Bandit Operation [Part 1]

    Chapter 689: The Great Bandit Operation [Part 1]


    ?


    Thirteen knew that the Shana was soft-hearted.


    She couldn''t bear seeing anyone get hurt.


    Because of this, she didn''t hesitate to provide support from behind, giving the injured Wanderers a chance to safely retreat to the rear of their formation.


    Mildred also shot one arrow after another.


    Her arrows pierced through the defensive scales of the Pangolin, for they were specially made arrows meant for monsters with tough armor.


    But her stock was limited, so she made a mental note to collect these arrows backter after the battle ended.


    Diana and Joshua, on the other hand, helped hold off the Monster Army, allowing the injured to retreat to Shana''s side to be healed.


    Joshua served as a damage dealer, but his true specialty was casting debuff spells, like paralyze, blind, bind, weaken, and other debilitating abilities that greatly lowered a monster''s fighting abilities.


    In the past, he could only deal with a Boss Monster and two other mob monsters at the same time.


    But now, after receiving training from Thirteen, and strengthening his mind from the countless curses and jeering of the Pocopocos, Joshua could now bind over a dozen monsters at a time with room to spare.


    Rianna, on the other hand, wasn''t attacking the monsters with a bow.


    No. She was actually punching them with gauntlets, like a brawler, and moving in erratic ways that were nearly impossible to read.


    If one were to look closely, her ears had transformed into that of a wolf, and a tail could be seen behind her back.


    During her travels to Solterra, Rianna had wandered off to a ruin where she gained an inheritance from the previous Wolf King.


    This allowed her to transform into a Wolfkin while retaining her good looks.


    She could easily pass off as a cosyer, and make those with certain fetishes look at her with bloodshot eyes.


    Rianna had consulted this matter with Zion, and she told him that she wanted to learn his personal battle style, which she had seen during their training.


    Thirteen thought about it and agreed to the youngdy''s request.


    Rianna was a ranger who could wield bows and short swords.


    She was basically an All-Rounder, which made her not truly strong in a specific way.


    However, the Wolf King''s inheritance gave her another option for a more explosive approach when it came to closebat.


    With her speed and dexterous mobility, she was truly incredibly hard to fight, for her moves were unpredictable.


    Thirteen had taught Rianna the Steadfast Brawler and Beast Heart Drunken Fist, both of which fitted her like a glove.


    Since then, she had been leaning more toward fighting in close quarters and would only use ranged attacks when it was appropriate.


    High in the sky, Sherry was not being idle either.


    She used her Silk Threads to bind the arms of the Pangolins and tied them to her Adamantine Falcon, Ace.


    The Rank 5 Sovereign of the skies lifted these Pangolins high up in the air and used them as ils to hit theirrades on the ground.


    Thirteen, who was watching this from the ground, couldn''t help but apud Sherry for being resourceful.


    With everyone working together, the battlested for nearly half an hour before the threat had beenpletely neutralized.


    What happened next made Andre''s mouth twitch. The Wanderers were shamelessly dismantling the monsters and taking the scales of the Pangolins, which they could sell for a high price.


    Seeing their actions, the members of the Ashford Elite Units look at their Leader as if asking him if they could also collect loot as well.


    But instead of giving them permission, Andre red at the Wanderers and raised his voice in anger.


    "The threat is not yet over, and all of you resorted to looting?!" Andre roared in anger. "Put those scales back where they came from!"


    The Wanderers paused for a bit as they all nced at the fuming Champion.


    They then exchanged nces with each other before continuing to loot the monster parts as if the devil was hot on their tails.


    Seeing that the Wanderers didn''t stop their looting and even sped it up made Andre almost unsheathe his sword to hack the bastards into pieces.


    However, before he could even do this, Thirteen approached him and tried to take his mind off the looting.


    "Sir Andre, while we might have managed to stop the Monsters from attacking the academy, there might be some who managed to sneak in earlier," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "Wouldn''t it be best if you check the people at the shelter first to make sure that they are safe?"


    After hearing the teenage boy''s reminder, Andre momentarily forgot the bastards who were looting the monsters that they defeated.


    "Half of you, protect the corpses of the Rank 5 Overlords," Andre ordered. "The Higher-Ups will want to have them, so don''t bother trying to dismantle it. Don''t worry. I''ll put on a good word for you guys, so you can receive benefitster.


    "Remember, we are not part of these plebeians who have no Masters. Since we protected the academy and ensured that the people are safe, we are sure to receive properpensation


    later."


    After hearing their Leader''s words, the Elite Unit of the Ashford n finally breathed in a sigh of relief, assured that they would be rewardedter.


    Andre then hurried to the location of the Shelter with half of his men, intending to check whether his wife and the civilians were safe.


    Suddenly, everyone heard a loud explosion in the distance.


    "He''s finally here," Thirteen muttered as he viewed the scene of the battle where the Monarch of the Stard n, Norman Stard, finally started to fight against the Red-Scaled


    Warlord Pangolin.


    He had imed it as his prize, not knowing that there were two other Rank 7 Monsters who weren''t happy about being ignored.


    The Minotaur King and the Hercules Beetle had already sensed the presence of the powerful individual, and they were also headed in his direction to support theirrade.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen couldn''t help but smile after seeing this scene from Athena''s satellite image, which was projected directly into his consciousness.


    This was one of the agreements that he had with Lace Demon and The One, allowing him


    to interact with one of his strongest trump cards who looked down upon the world from


    space.


    Suddenly, a thought appeared in Thirteen''s head, making him smile evilly.


    Derek, who saw his Master''s smile, shuddered. Having known the teenage boy for several months, he already knew the meaning behind that smile.

 Chapter 690: The Great Bandit Operation [Part 2]

    Chapter 690: The Great Bandit Operation [Part 2]


    ?


    After the Wanderers finished looting, Thirteen gathered them to a ce where the private force of the Ashford n wouldn''t see them.


    "Brothers and sisters, today, we are presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "As you may or may not know, the Monarch of the Stard n, Norman Stard, is currently fighting the Rank 7 Sovereign, Red-Scaled Warlord Pangolin.


    "However, it will not be an easy battle. In other words, he wouldn''t be able to defeat it in a short time. Because of this, we need to use this opportunity to get rich... filthy rich." The moment the Wanderers heard Thirteen''s voice, all of them snapped to attention. Most of them weren''t well off, which was why they didn''t hesitate to start looting earlier. They were hoping to collect some good monster parts that could be sold for a nice sum of money, allowing them to benefit from this expedition.


    "What we''re about to do now is something that you might not experience again, so make sure to make the best out of it," Thirteen said. "You have looted the Pangolins earlier, but that is just a paltry sum of what you can get in this expedition.


    "The Ashford n, the Stard n, and other Elites are now congregating in this city, and they will be busy fighting monsters. That said, they certainly would have no time to pick up things from the ground..."


    Immediately, the expressions of the Wanderers became more serious because they could smell it.


    They could smell money in the making.


    "Your storage rings have a rather limited space," Thirteen said with a smile. "This means that even if you find something better, you have no more space to put it to. However, I have an idea.


    "The Leventis Family has a property here in Glory City. So, this is what you are going to do- dump all the loot that you can find there. I will purchase them all at the market price, and you can all divide it among yourselves afterward."


    Thirteen smiled evilly. "You see, this property is like an embassy. Meaning, the Ashford n cannot touch anything inside of it, or it will cause a political bacsh with the Leventis Family.


    "Since that''s the case, they will not be able to take away the loot that you will ce there. Everyone, what I''m trying to tell you is that aside from fighting monsters, you can just loot them and deposit everything you got on the Leventis Property.


    "Fortunately, nothing is still built in that plot ofnd, so it''s perfect as a dump site. Since all of you are brothers and sisters, isn''t it best if you all share the profits for your hard work?"


    The number of Wanderers who joined Thirteen''s group numbered in the hundreds. However, as long as they could get some important loot, it wouldn''t matter in the end.


    Sherry and the members of the Hero Party looked at Thirteen weirdly.


    Only Erica, who was born poor, found this idea exciting.


    "Of course, I will not force you to join this sacred mission," Thirteen said with a smile. "Those who wish to participate in this mission, I will only guarantee one thing. We will be rich. So, what do you all say about my proposal?"


    One by one, the Wanderers made their decision. While there were many who decided to not participate in this "sacred mission," three hundred souls grabbed this opportunity with open


    arms.


    "All of you who didn''t want to be bandits-err, be members of the scouting teams will follow Rnd and the Hero party," Thirteen dered. "The rest,e with me!"


    Without saying another word, Thirteen urged the Armored de Panther, Mors, to head to the property of the Leventis Family so that his fellow "Scouts" would know where they needed to drop the goods.


    Erica and Sherry followed Thirteen because the three were basically stuck at the hips by this point.


    Three hundred Wanderers followed behind them but left hundreds more behind.


    They only had one thing on their mind, and that was to loot as many monster parts as possible before the Ashford n performed their cleanup operations.


    After bringing them to the Leventis Property, Thirteen then led them to the ces where Norman and ude had passed through.


    Hundreds of dead monstersy on the ground dead, which was the perfect opportunity to collect the parts that were valuable.


    The Minotaurs'' horns, the Pangolins'' scales, and the body parts of the Beetle-Type Monsters, which could be used to craft weapons and armor.


    The Wanderers didn''t hesitate to start dismantling these parts and stored them in the storage rings Thirteen had provided for them.


    These were special storage rings that were empowered with rune magic.


    The storage space of the ring was around fifteen square meters, which was bigger than ordinary storage rings.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In fact, Thirteen decided to permanently give these rings to the Wanderers who joined his banditry-errr, Scouting Mission.


    When the forces of the Ashford n, who happened to move past their location, saw what they were doing, they almost stabbed the shameless bastards for looting.


    However, since Zion Leventis stood guard and red at these people, they were not able to do anything.


    While the Wanderers were busy looting, the sound of fighting was heard in the distance.


    Thirteen wasn''t worried that Norman would be able to defeat the Rank 7 Red-Scaled Warlord


    Pangolin.


    The reason for this confidence was that he knew the other two Rank 7 Sovereigns were approaching the battle between the two.


    Norman might be strong, but he would not be able to bulldoze his way toward the location of the Warlord Pangolin because he had Alpha and Overlord Monsters as bodyguards.


    Now that two more powerhouses were about to arrive, the chances of him killing the Warlord Pangolin in a short time were non-existent.


    Because of this, Thirteen decided to hoard the important monster parts first, so the profits that the Ashford n would get from this incident would decrease by a good margin.


    While others were seriously fighting, the rest were seriously looting.


    Both sides were doing their best, and in Thirteen''s heart and the hearts of hisrades, this was a win-win situation for everyone.


    If ude only knew that the teenage boy was looting the Beast Cores, as well as the important body parts of the Alpha Monsters and the Overlords that they had left behind, he would definitely feel unsigned, which was a plus in Thirteen''s books.


    With Athena''s help, he guided his team to the ces with less fighting and more lootable


    monsters.


    Once their storage rings were full, they helped fill up the storage rings of theirrades.


    After all, all of them would share the profits together.


    The only thing that they didn''t understand was that Thirteen simply asked them to dump the contents of their storage rings inside the hole that had appeared in the Leventis Property.


    The hole was big enough for them to dump everything they had inside of it.


    This way, even if the Ashford n had discovered what they were doing, it would be impossible for them to retrieve the monster parts, because it would already be stored inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.

 Chapter 691: Leave The Rest To The Adults

    Chapter 691: Leave The Rest To The Adults


    ?


    Norman and ude, who were busy dealing with the Warlord Pangolin, weren''t aware of Zion''s Banditry.


    They were also not aware of the fact that two more Rank 7 Sovereigns and their bodyguards were already on their way to their location.


    Right now, they were at a stalemate against the Warlord Pangolin, who was being protected by four Rank 5 Pangolin Sovereigns and two Rank 6 Alpha Pangolins.


    There were also the Rank 3 and Rank 4 Monsters that served as mobs, which made things harder for them.


    Norman tried to bulldoze his way and annihted all the small fries in his path.


    However, when he faced thebined Assault of the Rank 7 and Rank 6 Monsters, even he had to be cautious. In this kind ofrge-scale battle, being isted from his allies would be a bad thing.


    Thirteen, who was paying attention to this battle, had tasked Athena to record the battle from start to end.


    He would then ask her to dissect Norman''s and ude''s fighting style so that he would be able to counter them in the future.


    Thirteen was also gathering the data of all the Elite forces of the Ashford n to have a better grasp of their fighting strength.


    His only regret was that Aaron Ashford wasn''t around.


    He was the subject of Thirteen''s and Erasmus'' vengeance.


    The two of them wished nothing more than to chop him to pieces and feed him to the fish. However, both of them decided to hold back for the time being for the bigger picture.


    Currently, Pangea only had Six Monarchs, including the Grand Marshal of the Central


    Government.


    Even with them taking the lead, the human race had suffered losses time and time again. Just like how the other Monarchs were waiting to see the oue of the invasion in the Cygni Continent, Thirteen and Erasmus were also waiting.


    After the battle in the Cygni Continent was over, it was time for all the forces in the continent to once again set their sights on each other.


    Old alliances might get broken, but new alliances would be made.


    The Monarch ns might start to target the aspiring families who wished to be part of the Prestigious Families.


    There was also a possibility that Monarchs would fight against Monarchs, and the Thrones would fight against Thrones.


    Only the uing invasion of the Cygni Continent prevented them from targeting each other because the first one to do such a thing would be public enemy number one.


    Even the Central Government would move to deal with them because humanity couldn''t afford to stand divided at this difficult time.


    Just as Norman and ude were able to bring down the Rank 5 Sovereigns, the roar of the Minotaur King reached their ears, making their faces turn grim.


    "Retreat!" Normanmanded his own private army to make a strategic retreat.


    All of them were people whom he had carefully nurtured over the years until they stepped into the Champion and Grandmaster Ranks.


    Losing any of them would be a huge blow to his power, so he didn''t hesitate to order them to leave while he bought them some time.


    ude gritted his teeth in frustration after hearing Norman''s orders.


    He wanted to tell him that they could still handle the current situation. However, a deafening screech spread in the surroundings, making his face turn grim.


    The Hercules Beetle was charging right behind their backs, leaving no other path for ude and his forces but to follow the members of the Stard n, who had decisively run to the Eastern side of the city.


    ude knew that staying would mean death, so despite his misgivings, he also gave the order to retreat.


    "Retreat to the east!" ude ordered. "Head to Glory Academy!"


    With a destination in mind, the Ashford Troops left the scene in haste.


    Norman also didn''t bother to stay because fighting against three Rank 7 Sovereigns and their bodyguards was something that he couldn''t do alone.


    He came because he had a deal with ude. However, with the current situation at hand, it seemed that he had to eat a loss for this expedition.


    However, deep inside, he was secretly feeling happy.


    Now that he had an excuse to retreat, the Ashford n wouldn''t be able to say that he didn''t do his part as a member of their alliance.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''You could only me yourself for not being here when your city needs you the most,'' Norman sneered in his heart as he thought of Aaron, whose whereabouts were currently unknown.


    Thirteen, who were watching this scene, weren''t surprised by their actions.


    Self-preservation was important, which was also the reason why the Antares and the Rigel Continent fell.


    Even if the Wanderers stayed and fought with everything they had, the Monarchs would probably leave them behind once they deemed that the situation no longer had any chance of being overturned.


    Once the strongest warriors of the human race decide to retreat, what could the lower- ranking Wanderers possibly do?


    Fighting a horde of monsters led by Rank 8 and Rank 9 Sovereigns by themselves was like throwing an egg on a boulder.


    No matter how many eggs you throw, the one that was going to break would always be the


    eggs.


    Thirteen asked Athena for the possible routes that the Monsters would take and made his n ording to her calctions.


    "It''s almost time," Thirteen muttered before making a hand gesture for his bandits to return to the Leventis Property to dump their hard-earned loot.


    Now that the Stard and Ashford ns had left the scene, it was now time for him to take


    -center stage.


    The teenage boy then used hismunicator to order Rnd to take the Wanderers to the South of the City, where it was still rtively safe, and protect the second shelter from


    wandering monsters.


    He shared that three Rank 7 Sovereigns had appeared, apanied by theirckeys and that the ce they were headed to was east, not south.


    If it were only a Rank 7 Sovereign, he was certain that Rnd would try to challenge it with his


    Hero Party.


    With the Divine Martial Techniques that Zion had imparted to them and the months of training they received in the Rigel Continent, the possibility of them pulling it off was high. However, this was on the condition that it was a one versus the entire Hero Party scenario. If the Rank 7 Monsters have bodyguards, then it would be harder for them to win. "You guys have already done your best," Thirteen said. "Now, leave the rest to the adults. Focus on protecting the civilians in the shelter located in the South. I will send my people


    there as well."


    After saying those words, Thirteen cut off his connection and ordered his Bandits to head to the South, where another Shelter for the civilians was located, and to regroup with the Hero


    Party.


    He ordered them to protect the ce for the time being because the Low-Ranking Monsters were starting to expand outward of the city.


    With their strength, he was confident that they would be able to handle the small fries of the


    Monster Army.


    Lastly, he wanted these Wanderers to gain merits so that the Ashford n would reward them for protecting the civilians.


    At the end of the day, Thirteen couldn''t abandon the helpless people who were currently hiding in the shelters, unaware that the Monster Outbreak that they thought would be easily dealt with had already evolved into something that was already outside of the Ashford n''s


    control.

 Chapter 692: Do You Know What Time It Is? [Part 1]

    Chapter 692: Do You Know What Time It Is? [Part 1]


    ?


    When Thirteen arrived at the Glory Academy, he saw that it had be a small fortress, likely done by the Ashford and Stard n.


    No one stopped him when he approached the two people who could call the shots.


    They were none other than ude Ashford and Norman Stard.


    Seeing the teenage boy draw near, the two adults frowned. But, since Zion was not an ordinary teenager whom they could just brush off, they said nothing and decided to hear whatever he had to say.


    Unfortunately for them, the words that came out of his lips were something that they didn''t want to hear.


    "Call the Central Government for help before it''s toote," Thirteen said. "Otherwise, this city will be destroyed."


    There had been no instances where the Central Government had been invited by the Monarch ns to help clean up their mess.


    The Monarch ns had a reputation to uphold, and they didn''t want to show any weakness to the outside world.


    However, they were aware that the current situation wasn''t something they could salvage by being prideful.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If Aaron Ahsford had been present at the scene, there might still be a chance to turn things around. However, since ude and his subordinates were still unable to contact him, no powerful help could arrive in a short period of time.


    Thirteen had already informed the Central Government about the Glory City''s current situation.


    The Grand Marshal, Lawrence, alreadymanded some of their elite units to be on standby.


    Unlike the other Monarchs, he was someone who genuinely cared for humanity. As long as ude lowered his pride and asked them for help, they would immediatelye to aid them in their time of need.


    ude stared at the teenage boy, who had caused him nothing but headache since he met him.


    His subordinates had just informed him a while ago about Zion''s banditry, which tempted him to p the boy the moment he saw him.


    However, ude held back and tolerated Zion''s existence.


    The words he said just now were also something that he was already considering. Although their family would lose a bit of face and influence because of this incident, it was still better than having Glory City destroyed.


    Even Norman, who was secretly happy with the Ashford n''s current dilemma, couldn''t help but frown. However, if he voiced out any thoughts of opposition right now, it would not look good on him.


    ude wasn''t stupid, and it would be very easy for him to know what Norman was thinking.


    Although they were allies, that didn''t mean that they were secretly wishing for each other''s downfall.


    "Since you proposed this idea, I''m sure you''ve already talked to the Grand Marshal, and the Field Marshal, right?" ude inquired.


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "They''re only waiting for you to personally ask them for help."


    ude was very tempted to tell Zion that he should inform them by himself, but he knew that this was not going to happen.


    Clearly, ude had to personally make that move.


    Thirteen didn''t want to make that choice for him.


    After heaving a sigh, the current Patriarch of the Ashford n pushed a few buttons on themunicator on his wrist.


    A momentter, the line connected, and a small projection of Lawrence Seaton appeared in front of him.


    "Grand Marshal, please lend us your assistance," ude said in a solemn tone.


    "Understood," Lawrence replied.


    He didn''t say any teasing words or speak any nonsense.


    Since the Ashford n had already asked for their help, they would help for the sake of the human race.


    Soon, dozens of helicopters rose to the sky, bringing with them the elite of the army. Since three Rank 7 Sovereigns had appeared, Lawrence decided to join his men and help the Ashford and Stard n with their current predicament.


    Now that his mission was over, Thirteen decided to leave the Glory Academy.


    He was certain that once the Grand Marshal arrived, the situation would be handled properly.


    With two Monarchs, as well as dozens of Champions and Grandmasters, they would be able to clean this Monster Outbreak in no time at all.


    Before that happens, he would need to lure the Warlord Pangolin away so that he could deal with it by himself.


    ude and Norman watched Thirteen go, not doing anything to stop him.


    The thought of nipping him in the bud had crossed their minds more than once.


    However, they couldn''t do it.


    At least, not at this point in time.


    They knew that they would need Zion''s expertise during the Cygni Invasion.


    It wouldn''t be toote to deal with him once that particr cmity had passed.


    Of course, Thirteen knew this as well.


    But the same worked both ways.


    It wouldn''t be toote for him and Erasmus to deal with the Monarchs once the Jinn Invasion


    in the Cygni Continent had passed.


    If only they knew that one of the Kings of the Rigel Continent, who was in control of the Centipede King and the Wyvern King, nned to get revenge on them, they would definitely not step out of their domains and would go into hiding.


    Using Athena''s satellite imagery, Thirteen easily found the Warlord Pangolin, who had separated from his two powerful allies.


    Currently, it was headed to the South, where it sensed the presence of "lesser threats."


    The members of the Hero Party and the Wanderers who had gathered there were considered as delicious delicacies for the Jinns.


    Thirteen asked Mors to follow the route that Athena had provided, allowing him to quickly arrive at the location of the Rank 7 Sovereign and its entourage of strong monsters.


    The Armored de Panther stood calmly as it stopped at the middle of four intersections.


    In the distance, the Pangolin Army was making their way to their destination, and they noticed the ant that hade to observe them from afar.


    Suddenly, the smaller Pangolins, who were Rank 3 and Rank 4 Monsters, curled up into scaled balls and started rolling in Thirteen''s direction.


    The teenage boy sneered as the rolling pangolins suddenly found themselves levitating off


    the ground.


    Before they could even understand what was happening, they were thrown off toward theirrades like balls of steel, making the other Pangolins cry out in shock, anger, and


    annoyance.


    Thirteen''s monster army all had the power of telekinesis.


    Alone, they would not be able to lift the Pangolins, each of which weighed at least a ton.


    However, once they focused their mind on a single target, they could easily do it.


    The Rank 3 and Rank 4 Jinns were tossed off one by one, surprising the Warlord Pangolin. "How about we talk first?" Thirteen asked. "Yes. I''m talking to you, Mr. Warlord Pangolin."


    He had the ability of Universal Language Proficiency, allowing him tomunicate with anyone as long as they had some form ofmunication.


    The Pangolins, who were nning to charge forward, paused for a bit, caught off-guard by


    the teenage boy speaking theirnguage.


    However, the Warlord Pangolin looked at the human with indifference.


    "You don''t have the qualification to speak with me," the Warlord Pangolin replied. "Kill


    him!"


    The Pangolins surrounding the Rank 7 Sovereign all rolled forward like countless bowling balls, intending to turn the human into meat paste.


    But the moment his bodyguards left their leader, something unexpected happened.


    The ground under the Warlord Pangolin gave way, making the monster fall into the dark pit that was already under its feet.


    Rocky had been busy digging a trap for the Warlord Pangolin ever since Thirteen ran off to


    Glory Academy.


    Since they already knew where the Pangolin was going, it was easy for them to set a trap


    beforehand.


    However, the enemies were too numerous, so Rocky didn''t dare to copse the street. Only


    when they all left the Warlord Pangolin alone did Rocky spring the trap that had already been


    prepared beforehand.


    The bodyguards of the Warlord Pangolin stopped in their tracks and hurried to the giant hole, which had sucked up their leader within the blink of an eye.


    All of them wondered if they should follow their leader or not.


    Their hesitationsted for nearly half a minute before they curled up like a ball and rolled


    toward the hole.


    Thirteen saw this and smirked before he, too, disappeared like the Warlord Pangolin. Rocky took his Master inside his Mobile Fortress before digging to the location of the Warlord Pangolin, who suddenly found itself deep underground.

 Chapter 693: Do You Know What Time It Is? [Part 2]

    Chapter 693: Do You Know What Time It Is? [Part 2]


    ?


    A minute ago, the Warlord Pangolin was still looking down on the human boy who had tried to initiate talks with it.


    A minuteter, it found itself in a spacious underground cavern.


    The Warlord Pangolin frowned as it looked at the hole above its head.


    Although it could jump and roll around, it was impossible for it to climb back up from the hole it had fallen into.


    In fact, even if it tried, it would find the path blocked by dirt and hard sediments. Rocky deliberately closed it off to ensure that the Warlord Pangolin would have nowhere to escape.


    The Rank 6 and Rank 5 bodyguards of the Rank 7 Sovereign rolled off into a different tunnel, which Rocky had prepared beforehand for them.


    This passage would lead them to where Giga, cky, Hercules, and the other members of Thirteen''s Monster Army were waiting.


    Giga and the others were already itching for a fight, so Thirteen decided to give them some Pangolins to bully.


    Rocky then finally arrived at the spacious cavern where the Warlord Pangolin was trapped. Fighting intent could be seen in the Magma Bal-Boa''s eyes, but it didn''t attack right away. It simply opened its mouth to show the teenage boy, who had a faint smile on his face. "Now, can we talk?" Thirteen asked.


    The Warlord Pangolin didn''t even bother to respond.


    Instead, it rolled into a spiked wrecking ball and charged in Rocky''s direction.


    "Fight first, talkter?" Thirteen smirked. "Fine. Let''s have it your way. Rocky, he''s all yours."


    Rocky then closed his mouth before immting his entire body, making him look like a zing snake that lit up the darkness of the underworld.


    The two Rank 7 Sovereigns shed, and Rocky found himself being pierced by the Warlord Pangolin''s scales, which were as sharp as des.


    However, Rocky didn''t back down and wrapped its body around the Warlord Pangolin''s body.


    If the Pangolin was only round without any ded spikes, Rocky might have a hard time wrapping itself around it.


    But since its des had already pierced the Magma Bal-Boa''s body, it was easier for thetter to find something to coil on, trapping the Warlord Pangolin in his fiery embrace.


    The temperature inside the spacious cavern immediately rose, and the ground started to turn intova.


    Rocky was nearly an immortal at this point in time.


    The moment the surroundings turned into moltenva, Rocky would be able to reconstruct his body as many times as possible even if he was sliced to pieces.


    The Warlord Pangolin didn''t expect that the situation would change so drastically in a short period of time.


    Although it has high resistance to physical attacks, magic, and other elemental skills to a certain extent, the current situation was beyond what it could handle.


    Soon, the underground cavern had transformed into a pool of moltenva, acting like a quicksand.


    Rocky was using its high temperature to suffocate its enemy, removing the oxygen in the surroundings.


    Unlike other monsters, Rocky didn''t need oxygen to breathe, so this kind of tactic was perfect for him.


    Soon, the Warlord Pangolin had no choice but to return to its normal form. No matter how hard it tried to spin or roll, the Magma Bal-Boa would just press it down into theva, rendering it helpless.


    "Still don''t want to talk?" Thirteen''s teasing tone reached the Warlord Pangolin''s mind, making the monster screech in anger.


    However, no matter how much it struggled or screeched, the end result would still be the


    same.


    At most, in two minutes or three, the Warlord Pangolin would suffocate and lose consciousness.


    If Thirteen wished to kill it, he would have already ordered Rocky to drag it to the deepest part of the Magma Pool, making it impossible for it to survive.


    They had already done this strategy on the 11th Floor of the Temple of Courage when they were fighting against the Chenoo.


    Thirteen had to admit that it was one of the hardest battles that he had fought alongside his monster army.


    Not only was this monster fast, but it could also jump all over the ce.


    If not for the fact that Thirteen and Rocky coborated to make the Chenoo''s home a trap it couldn''t escape from, it would have been impossible for them to defeat it with their current strength.


    Because of this, Thirteen and Rocky decided to always use this strategy against tricky opponents.


    As long as they knew where their opponent was going, they could immediately set a trap for


    it, preventing it from escaping.


    However, Thirteen had underestimated the Warlord Pangolin''s stubbornness.


    It struggled until the bitter end and refused to back down.


    Clearly, it would rather die than be humiliated by the opposing Monster, who was fighting it using a dirty tactic.


    Watching this battle from inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, Thirteen frowned.


    He wanted to capture this monster alive, but it was too stubborn to submit to anyone.


    What Thirteen didn''t know was that the Warlord Pangolin had already faced something simr in the past.


    The Master who had sent it to cross to another world like the Minotaur King and the Hercules Beetle had subjected the Warlord Pangolin to torture and humiliation until he finally sumbed to obey their order.


    However, the Warlord Pangolin made an oath on that day that it would no longer lower its


    head to anyone else.


    It would rather die than once again lower its head to someone who wished to use it as a tool in order to reach their goals.


    ''Too bad, I no longer have a Capture Sphere,'' Thirteen thought as a look of helplessness appeared on his face.


    In the end, he ordered Rocky to finally end the monster''s suffering.


    Rocky obeyed and went for the kill. It dragged the Jinn to the bottom of hisva pool and


    bound it there.


    A few minutester, the body of the Warlord Pangolin finally stopped moving.


    Thirteen ordered Rocky to take it inside the Mobile Fortress as soon as possible.


    When the Warlord Pangolin appeared inside the Mobile Fortress, Thirteen asked 01 and 02 to push it toward the portal that led to the Order of the Apocalypse.


    He was hoping that Metatron could revive the monster. However, he knew that Metatron could only revive monsters that had died inside his personal domain.


    And just like Thirteen''s conclusion, the God of the Apocalypse was unable to grant his request.


    "It''s really a pity that you weren''t able to convince it to serve you," Metatron sighed. "I can see the potential of this monster."


    "I find it a pity too," Thirteen replied. "I guess I''ll take it to Erasmus and have him revived into an Undead Monster. Can I store it in my personal storage for a while?"


    "You can," Metatron nodded. "Should I store it for you?"


    "Yes, please," Thirteen answered.


    After the Warlord Pangolin had been taken care of, Thirteen returned to Rocky''s mobile


    fortress and ordered him to go to where Giga and the others were.


    When they arrived at the scene, they were just in time to hear Pico''s shout which was filled


    with ridicule.


    "Do you monsters know what time it is?" Pico the Pocopoco asked.


    "It''s Gang Bang Time!"


    As soon as those words left the Pocopoco''s lips, Giga and the rest of Thirteen''s Monster Army


    shed with the Pangolins, who hadnded in a ce where they shouldn''t have gone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 694 I Believed In Evolution Until I Met You Guys.

    Chapter 694 I Believed In Evolution Until I Met You Guys.


    Thirteen wished he had popcorn right now.


    The battle between his Monster Army and the Pangolins was well underway, and frankly, he couldn''t see any of his friends losing this battle.


    Giga didn''t even bother to use his Giga Destroyer, simply ramming against the Pangolins, who had curled up into a spiked wrecking ball, with brute force.


    His Monster Army was fully equipped with thetest batch of armor his father had forged.


    Of course, he imbued runes in all of them, making them extremely sturdy¡ªmore than enough to resist the sharp scales of the Pangolins, though resulting in sparks flying every time they collided with his Monster Army''s armor.


    Still, their opponents were strong, so it was inevitable for his Monster Army to suffer injuries as well. However, none of them were to the extent of being life-threatening.


    After all, the opponents were mere Rank 4 and Rank 6 Pangolins, and all of them were already Rank 6 Monsters.


    The exceptions were few, one of which was Stacy, who was still at the peak of Rank 5.


    But all she needed to break through to the other rank was one good battle. After that, she''d definitely be a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    Of course, the two Baby Pocopocos were also not strong enough to fight this kind of battle. Even though Thirteen didn''t mind training Pica and Pico to be strong, they were simply too young and inexperienced to fight in real battles.


    Also, it wasn''t in the Pocopocos'' nature to fight bloody battles.


    They fought in a different way, and right now, Pica and Pico were already fighting with their own methods.


    "Hah! Is that the best you''ve got, you overgrown rat?!" Pica said in disdain to one of the Pangolins as she flew safely above it. "Zion''s Grandma hits harder than all of youbined!"


    Pico was also not one to take things lying down, and he flew over the head of the Rank 6 Alpha Pangolin. "If I had a face like yours, I would sue my parents!" Pico shouted, almost making the Alpha Pangolin wish that he could hack the annoying bird to oblivion. The Little Birds were very ugly themselves, so did that mean that they nned to sue their parents, Vassago, and Poca?


    "I believed in evolution until I met you guys," Pica said in contempt. "All of you looked like something drawn by my left hand."


    "Sister, you don''t have a left hand."


    "That''s the point!"


    The two baby Pocopocosughed together, finding the joke funny. This made Giga and the othersugh as well as they smacked the Pangolins silly until they no longer knew which was left or right. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When the battle finally ended, the Pangolins were in a very sorry state, but none of them were dead.


    The four Rank 5 Pangolin Sovereigns and the two Rank 6 Alpha Pangolinsy down on the ground, with zero strength left to defend themselves.


    "Do you guys want to live?" Thirteen asked.


    One of the Rank 6 Pangolins forced itself to raise its head and looked in the teenage boy''s direction.


    "Where is our leader?" the Pangolin asked.


    "Dead," Thirteen replied. "I asked him to submit to me, but he refused till the bitter end."


    Seeing that the human was inside the jaws of a Rank 7 Sovereign Magma Bal-Boa, the Pangolins knew that the teenage boy was telling the truth.


    "Since our leader refused to surrender, why would we surrender to you?" one of the Pangolins roared. "We will fight till the bitter end!"


    The injured and exhausted Pangolins all tried to prop themselves up from the ground. However, they no longer had the strength to do it.


    They were like turtles that had been flipped upside down, unable to even right themselves up.


    "I knew you guys would say that," Thirteenmented. He could have not told them that their leader refused to be his subordinate till the bitter end. However, it wasn''t in his nature to humiliate someone who died by not breaking their principles.


    Even if it was an enemy.


    With an order from Thirteen, he ordered his Monster Army to end the Pangolins'' suffering.


    Once all of them were truly dead, Rocky stored them inside his Mobile Fortress.


    Thirteen would use their monster parts to strengthen his own army, so their deaths wouldn''t be in vain.


    "Take me back to the surface, Rocky," Thirteen ordered. "I want to see how this will end."


    The Magma Bal-Boa obeyed his Master''smand and brought Thirteen back to the surface.


    Mors, who was also ejected from Rocky''s Mobile Fortress, once again allowed the teenage boy to mount his back so that they could go wherever he nned to go.


    The first thing Thirteen did was connect his senses with Athena to check the oue of the battle.


    Currently, the Grand Marshal, Lawrence Seaton, and Norman Stard were fighting against the Minotaur King and the Hercules Beetle.


    ude, the reinforcements from the Stard n, and the Elite troops from the Central Government were dealing with the bodyguards of the Rank 7 Sovereigns.


    Rnd and the Hero Party were also dealing with the remaining members of the Pangolin Army.


    With the disappearance of the Warlord Pangolin, the threat of the Monster Outbreak decreased drastically.


    After giving it some thought, Thirteen decided to head over to where Erica and the others were.


    Going to Glory Academy to watch the battle between the big shots might be interesting. However, since Athena was recording everything, he would just go over itter.


    When he arrived at the Southern Shelter, the Wanderers were already dismantling the Pangolins they had killed and extracting their Beast Cores.


    Clearly, they were very happy because they managed to profit from this experience.


    "Where have you been?" Erica asked as soon as shended beside the teenage boy. "Oh, just taking a stroll in the city," Thirteen replied.


    "Only you have the guts to say that you''re taking a stroll in a monster-infested city." Erica clicked her tongue in annoyance. But her eyes had a relieved look on them.


    Although she knew that Thirteen wouldn''t be in any kind of danger because he had his Monster Army to protect him, she still couldn''t help but be worried about his safety.


    "The Pangolin Overlord?" Erica inquired.


    "Dead," Thirteen answered.


    Erica nodded in understanding.


    After witnessing the teenage boy''s fight against the Majin King, she knew that a mere Rank 7 couldn''t possibly do anything to him.


    An Adamantine Falconnded a few meters away from them, and Sherry also looked at Thirteen with a relieved expression on her face.


    "This monster outbreak is almost over," Thirteen dered to the Wanderers in the Shelter. "The Dimensional Gate at the North has already closed. Soon, the two other gates will close as well. By then, the Ashford n will definitely start their clean-up operations.


    "Make sure to collect as much loot as you can before then. This is yourst chance to get rich, okay?"


    The Wanderers cheered, and all of them sped up their looting.


    They weren''t certain if they would get a chance like this again in the future. After all, the handling of the different Dimensional Gates was under the jurisdiction of the Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, and the Central Government.


    The Wanderers who had no backing and weren''t affiliated with these groups wouldn''t have the opportunity to loot as many monster parts as they could from a Monster Outbreak.


    Their only other option was to do it in Solterra, but this was something that they weren''t very keen to do, especially those who found themselves alone in a world that was surrounded by danger.

 Chapter 695: Please, Be My Wingman!

    Chapter 695: Please, Be My Wingman!


    ?


    ude finally sighed in relief when he saw the Minotaur King finally fall into the hands of the Grand Marshal of the Central Government.


    It wasn''t really that hard for Monarchs to kill Rank 7 Sovereign Monsters. The problem was that they weren''t fighting a one-on-one battle.


    Norman could have single-handedly dealt with the Monster Outbreak if that was the case.


    Unfortunately, while they did emerge victorious, a huge portion of the city was destroyed by the Monsters.


    Most of the damage could be ounted to the Hercules Beetle, which was at least ten meters tall and was as long as four busesbined.


    It was a walking tank, so everything in its path was crushed.


    But it still died in Norman''s hands once the mobs had been cleared away.


    "There''s only the Warlord Pangolin left," ude stated. "ording to the reports, it was heading to the South."


    "Then let''s go there," Lawrence replied.


    Norman nodded. The Warlord Pangolin was the prize he asked for helping the Ashford n. Now that Lawrence was here, they would have an easier time subduing it.


    However, when they reached the Southern Shelter, all they saw was the dead bodies of the lower-ranked Pangolins.


    The Wanderers were even in the process of dismantling their scales, piling them up like a small hill at the side of the Shelter.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This made the corner of ude''s and Norman''s lips twitch.


    However, this scene only made Lawrenceugh out loud because he found it very amusing. "Where is the Warlord Pangolin?" ude asked Rnd. "Did it note in this location?"


    He could have asked Zion, but for some reason, he didn''t have time to bother with the teenage boy, who was helping the other Wanderers dismantle the scales of the Pangolins that were lying on the streets.


    "It didn''te here, Sir," Rnd replied. "Only the weaker monsters arrived in this shelter." ude frowned, but he knew that Rnd wasn''t lying.


    If the Warlord Pangolin did arrive at the shelter, there was no way for the brats to deal with such a threat on their own.


    This was especially true since it had bodyguards to protect it.


    ude immediately gave his people a signal, and a few of his subordinates took off towards the sky.


    They nned to search for the location of the Warlord Pangolin, which was supposed to be headed to the Southern Shelter of the city.


    However, even after an hour of searching, they failed to find even a single sign of it.


    But they did see therge hole in the middle of the street, which Thirteen didn''t n to cover up.


    He would let the Ashford n investigate the underground tunnels that Rocky had made. This would keep them on edge, thinking that the Warlord Pangolin might have escaped underground and was lurking somewhere in Glory City.


    Naturally, the Ashford n would spend some manpower to scout these underground tunnels to see if any monster was lurking under the ground.


    Of course, no monsters would be found there because all the Pangolins that did follow their leader were already dead and stored inside Rocky''s Mobile Fortress.


    Rocky had his way of hiding underground, so even if the Ashford n were to really send their people, they would not find him.


    Besides, he had covered up his real tracks, hiding miles away from Glory City.


    Norman had an irritated look on his face because even with the help of the Ashford n and the Central Government, they were still unable to find any traces of the Warlord Pangolin.


    In the end, the city was sealed up, and ude asked the people hiding in the shelters to evacuate to the next city, which was still under the control of the Ashford n.


    They would not allow the civilians to return to their homes until they had verified that there were no longer any threats inside the city.


    Also, the construction workers would need time to fix the damages that were done to the city.


    With the current situation, Thirteen had no choice but to return to the Summer''s Residence with the Hero Party.


    However, he brought Vincent along with him and introduced the handsome blonde boy to Rianna''s and Shana''s mother, Cynthia.


    And just as Thirteen expected, the young man''s charm was able to win Cynthia''s good graces. The onlydies who seemed to be immune to his charms were Shasha, Rianna, Shana, Erica, Sherry, Diana, and Mildred.


    When Vincent was around Thirteen''s sister, Shasha, he became a stuttering fool who seemed to be seeing his idol for the first time.


    Two dayster, the Ashford n announced that the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament would be dyed for three weeks because they were still making sure that the venue was safe for


    everyone.


    Of course, no one criticized them for this announcement, especially after what had transpired


    in Glory City.


    Lawrence also did his best to keep the situation under wraps.


    He only made a statement, calling the entire incident a very unfortunate one due to the unexpected mutation of the Dimensional Gates.


    The Grand Marshal also took that opportunity to tell everyone that when humanity faced such


    a threat, people should join hands and work together to protect the peace of their world.


    This earned the Grand Marshal the agreement of the masses, making everyone sympathize with the Ashford n.


    "I sure love good propaganda," Thirteen said before shutting off the television with his remote. "But I guess this is also fine."


    There were very minimal casualties during the operation, so he considered this as a sess


    for everyone.


    The members of his Bandit Group were also properlypensated for their hard work, and they earned millions for the monster parts that they had gathered.


    Naturally, the buyer of the Monster Parts was the Leventis Family.


    Arthur was more than happy to buy high-quality monster parts, which they would definitely


    put to good use.


    The old man even pestered Zion to cough out the body of the Warlord Pangolin.


    Arthur knew his no-good grandson well and was certain that the young man would not allow such a juicy piece of meat to escape his lips.


    Although Zion denied that he had the Warlord Pangolin in his possession, the old man wasn''t


    born yesterday.


    Still, no matter how much he pestered and nagged, Thirteen didn''t budge. However, he did give Arthur the bodies of the Rank 6 Alpha Monsters, which the old man bought at a good


    price.


    All in all, everything was good, except for one thing...


    "Zion, how can I get close to your sister?" Vincent asked. "Please, be my wingman!"


    Thirteen smiled at the no-good yboy before raising his hand.


    "Tiona, where is my knife?" Thirteen asked.


    As soon as he did that, Vincent ran away as if his pants were on fire.


    He still wasn''t sure if the young man was the reincarnation of his previous host or not.


    But one thing was clear-Thirteen would not allow the bastardly yboy to touch his sister because he already knew how Vincent did things in the past.


    Also, Vincent wasn''t the only one who was doing their best to be Shasha''s suitor.


    Thirteen knew of three others-Taiga, Kane Stard, and Derek.


    These four young men would definitely have a bloodbath and make sure to keep each other in


    check.


    Of course, if Shasha truly found someone she liked, Thirteen would be her staunchest


    supporter.


    [E/N: Just give her a harem.]


    But that would only happen once he did a full background check of that person.


    Only when theye out clean would he agree to their rtionship.


    Until then, he would just make sure that Vincent stayed away from his sister, whose beauty


    was already known far and wide in both Solterra and Pangea.

 Chapter 696: Project EXODIA [Part 1]

    Chapter 696: Project EXODIA [Part 1]


    ?


    A week after the battle of Glory City had ended...


    ude sighed for the umpteenth time as he read the report of his subordinates.


    Many parts of the city were destroyed, and some buildings needed to be built from scratch. Because of this, arge amount of funds were needed to be allocated for the construction.


    Naturally, he agreed to use the n''s Treasury for this undertaking. After all, Glory City was their main city in the Sirius Continent.


    If the city wasn''t rebuilt properly, the other ns and Prestigious Families would look down on them.


    He couldn''t remember how many times he wished for this incident to have appeared somewhere else instead of their territory.


    The giant hole was still being investigated, and countless teams of Wanderers were sent to explore the underground tunnels and look for any signs of the Warlord Pangolin, whom they believed to have escaped at thest moment.


    Given the number of tunnels located underground, ude decided to employ the Wanderers who had joined the defense of the city a few days ago.


    They were currently short on manpower, so he had to use whatever resources he could at the


    moment.


    The Central Government also volunteered to dispatch four of their teams for this search operation.


    ude didn''t reject their initiative because, at the end of the day, a Rank 7 Sovereign wandering the underground of the Sirius Continent posed a significant threat to the people. But the real problem was the uing Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.


    Based on the current situation, he was very tempted to host it in another city since Glory City was currently not in the right condition for such a big event.


    But the prestige of the Ashford n was at stake, so ude was thinking of other alternatives on how to deal with the current situation.


    He already dyed the tournament for a month, which he believed was enough time for him to think of a way to salvage the situation.


    Just as he was looking at the map of their domain, the door of his office opened.


    "Didn''t I tell all of you to not disturb me at this time?" ude asked without even lifting his head to see who the neer was. "Get out before I expel you from the n."


    It was at that moment when a voice filled with amusement reached his ears.


    "Oh? I''d like to see you try."


    ude immediately raised his head because he could recognize this voice from anywhere.


    "Father, you''re finally back!" ude said in joy because he had been feeling too much pressure as ofte.


    With the return of his father, he would be able to delegate some of the important tasks to him, lowering his workload.


    "It seems that a big event happened while I was away," Aaron said before sitting on the couch. "It must have been hard on you, ude."


    "It''s been a tiring week," ude replied bitterly. "It will probably take months before the city ispletely restored. The immediate problem is the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament." Aaron nodded in understanding. "Proceed with the elimination rounds as nned. Since the testing area isn''t affected by the Monster Outbreak, there''s no problem with using them.


    "Also, even though some parts of the city are destroyed, allow the people to return to their homes a week before the tournament starts. Many visitors came to watch this tournament, so canceling it is troublesome."


    Aaron thought for a bit before asking about the venue where the important battles would be held.


    "Is the Colosseum still fine?" Aaron asked.


    "The Colosseum is untouched by the Monster Outbreak," ude reported. "Perhaps, that is one of the silver linings of this incident."


    "Good." Aaron nodded. "Don''t care too much about face right now. There''s nothing you could have done at that moment. What we need right now is a resounding victory for our n.


    "So, make sure to increase the rewards for our people to motivate them to do better in the tournament."


    ude felt better after hearing his Father''s advice on how to handle the current situation. Now that he didn''t have to worry about the possible criticisms about the incident, things became clearer inside his mind.


    "Oh, before I forget, what is the deal with Norman?" Aaron asked. "Did youpensate him for his help?"


    "I did," ude replied. "But he''s not too happy since he didn''t get what he came for. Also, Zion Leventis had led hundreds of Wanderers to loot the Monster Parts of the dead monsters.


    "We didn''t get much after the clean up operation. That brat really is very shameless and annoying."


    Aaron snorted. "He can still do what he wants now. But after the Cygni Continent''s Jinn invasion is over, he will be the target of many forces."


    "There''s a saying that the nail that sticks out gets hammered in. No one wants to see the rise of another genius in the Leventis Family. Gerald was already a problem, and now, we have his son making waves.


    "By the way, did our Agents confirm if they are in possession of some of the Majin King


    Scales?"


    ude shook his head. "No. The agents searched Gerald''s Smithy, but they didn''t find any of the scales that had been auctioned."


    Aaron crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at the ceiling.


    "Any possibility that he might be the one who crafted that Mythical Equipment that appeared


    in Solterra?" Aaron inquired.


    "We have sent our people to investigate the Leventis Family residence right after the phenomenon appeared," ude answered. "But Gerald was there when they arrived.


    "The Remington n, the Smiths, and the Lockwood Families were also there. We are not the only ones who thought that Gerald is the crafter of that possible Mythical Equipment." Several years ago, a phenomenon appeared in the skies above the residence of Gerald''s home. The Leventis Family had deployed their elite forces to block anyone from trespassing on the mountainside, preventing the other families from investigating.


    Arthur only said that he was just testing a new skill of his, resulting in that phenomenon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, none of them believed him.


    However, it never urred to them that it might have been caused by the birth of a Mythical


    Gear.


    After all, no one in Pangea had managed to craft a Mythical Gear since the Jinns invaded their


    world.


    However, the timing of the phenomenon in Solterra became the deciding factor.


    Zion Leventis had supposedly defeated a Majin King, and he was rumored to be in possession of several of its scales.


    Since it was a High-Grade crafting material, the possibility of crafting mythical equipment


    was very high.

 Chapter 697: Project EXODIA [Part 2]

    Chapter 697: Project EXODIA [Part 2]


    ?


    The Ashford n was also aware that the Griffin n of the Cygni Continent and the Elrod n of the Rigel Continent were in possession of a few of these scales, which hadn''t been bought from the auction.


    Aaron and ude believed that they had formed some kind of agreement with each other.


    This also meant that it was possible for the Leventis Family to have a scale or two in their possession.


    What did this mean?


    It meant that they also had a chance of crafting a Mythical Gear, which would definitely elevate their Families to great heights.


    But what the Monarch ns and the other Prestigious Families didn''t know was that the Leventis Family was already in possession of four Mythical Equipment.


    If this news were to be spread to the public, it would cause those who stood at the apex of power in the world to join hands and eliminate the Leventis Family before they could be a greater threat.


    However, until they found proof, they couldn''t move so hastily.


    "Where is he now?" Aaron asked.


    Even if he didn''t say any names, ude immediately understood who his father was referring


    to.


    "He is currently at the Summer''s Residence with his siblings," ude replied.


    "You''ve met him twice already," Aaron stated. "What is your opinion of him?"


    "Aside from the fact that I find him very annoying, I think he''s a very capable and talented individual," ude replied honestly.


    "Mmm." Aaron leaned on the couch and closed his eyes. "How is Project EXODIA?"


    "It''s seventy percentplete," ude replied. "If our calctions are correct, we might finish the project anywhere between four to six years."


    This time, ude''s face glinted with pride.


    Project EXODIA was the secret weapon the Ashford n was building.


    Once it was finished, they would have a weapon that was strong enough to contend with a Peak Rank 9 Sovereign and even possibly defeat a Majin Prince or an Archon.


    They had been working on this project for the past decades, and finally, the research had gotten a breakthrough, speeding up the project by several folds.


    "ude, remember this," Aaron said in a serious tone. "Glory City can be destroyed, but Project EXODIA must bepleted without fail. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Father," ude replied firmly. "I will not fail you."


    The two exchanged a smile with each other.


    However, they didn''t notice that there was a small fly resting on one of the leaves of a nt inside ude''s office.


    It had seen and heard everything, and it had already passed this information to its Master.


    Summer''s Residence...


    ''Project EXODIA?'' Thirteen smiled faintly as he looked at the scenery in front of the balcony of his room. ''It seems that the Ashford n is cooking something big. A weapon that can defeat a Rank 9 Sovereign and possibly a Majin Prince or an Archon is indeed a powerful weapon.''


    Truth be told, he found it quite impressive that the Ashford n was actually creating such a weapon.


    Of course, the other ns and Prestigious Families were also pooling their resources to create a weapon that could defeat High-Ranking Jinns, or possibly even each other.


    He wanted to investigate more about Project EXODIA, but after careful consideration, he decided to just let the Ashford n build it topletion.


    If his spy bots were discovered, it might causeplications that might dy the building of the Ashford n''s ultimate weapon.


    In any case, Thirteen wasn''t worried even if Project Exodia waspleted.


    He was already in possession of three weapons that could destroy any High-Ranking Monsters from the face of Pangea.


    One of these weapons was Project Athena, which was currently in outer space acting as a satellite, giving him vital information that he needed.


    The other was Project Nautilus.


    After the battle in the Rigel Continent, Thirteen had already fine-tuned his modifications, amplifying its firepower.


    The Third was Project Hell.


    This was thetest addition to Thirteen''s weapons, which he had tinkered with during the time that he was in Pangea.


    There were also other Projects like Project Apocalypse.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, Project Apocalypse was a long-term project, and it was only ten percentplete.


    It would take years to reach fullpletion.


    When the timees, Thirteen would no longer have to worry about any threats in Pangea.


    While he was thinking about these things, a beautiful sorceress slowly descended from the room above his own and hovered in front of him.


    "What are you scheming at this time?" Erica asked, crossing her arms over her chest while giving Zion the look ''you still smell like milk in my eyes'' stare.


    Thirteen stared back and gave Erica the ''what milk? I didn''t drink any milkst night'' gaze. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Erica blinked, making Thirteen look at her in disdain.


    The Sorceress clicked her tongue because she had never won a staring match with the teenage boy, who only showed his weak side when he was asleep.


    "Do you think the tournament will still continue?" Erica asked as she gently lowered herself on the balcony and sat on top of it, dangling her feet in front of her.


    "It will continue," Thirteen replied. "This minor setback is not enough to topple the prestige


    of a Monarch n."


    "Are you really not joining?" Erica gave the teenage boy a sidelong nce.


    "Do I even have to?" Thirteen asked back. "How can you guys win if I join?"


    "You might defeat the others, but you won''t be able to defeat me," Erica patted her chest


    with confidence.


    Thirteen didn''t reply and simply gave the Sorceress the ''just where is that confidence of yours


    coming from?'' gaze.


    Even if the teenage boy didn''t say it out loud, Erica could tell what Zion was thinking.


    However, after experiencing the harsh training in the Rigel Continent, her confidence had


    grown a lot.


    Thirteen had to admit that Erica had the right to feel confident.


    With her power now, she could even defeat the members of the Hero Party as long as she fought them from the skies.


    Even Thirteen would find it hard to fight Erica with the limitations he currently possessed.


    Though if they really did fight against each other, the teenage boy was still confident that he would be the winner in the end.


    "Get ready because the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament will start in three weeks," Thirteen said. "If you don''t reach the semifinals, I''m going to give you a punishment."


    "Easy peasy," Erica replied with confidence. "If you''re not there, I can easily be the Champion hands down."


    "You''re so naive, Erica," Thirteen shook his head. "Do you really think that the Ashford n will not y dirty in their own home turf? They can easily drug your food and water before the


    fight starts, you know?"


    "Do you really think I''m that stupid?" Erica pouted. "Of course, I already nned to bring my own food and water to the tournament. Also, I''ll be cautious and make sure I don''t go to random ces alone. I''ll always have you or Sherry to apany me at all times."


    "I guess there''s still hope for you," Thirteen smirked.


    "Then why don''t we make a bet?" Erica said. "I won''t settle in just reaching the Semifinals. I


    want to be the Champion. If I be the Champion, you will grant me one wish."


    "Do you really think I''m a genie?" Thirteen replied.


    However, he didn''t reject Erica''s proposal.


    "So, what do you want if you be the Champion?" Thirteen inquired.


    "I''ll tell you after I win," Erica replied.


    "And what if you lose?"


    "I won''t lose."


    "Like I said. What IF you lose?''


    ''Like I said, I WON''T lose."


    Thirteen found the beautiful sorceress''s confidence truly amusing.


    But, he was also looking forward to the start of the tournament, which would officially start


    three weeks from now.

 Chapter 698 Do It Again I Dare You [Part 1]

    Chapter 698 Do It Again I Dare You [Part 1]


    Finally, the day of the tournament hade.


    The Colosseum of the Ashford n was filled to the brim with spectators, as tens of thousands of people came to watch one of the greatest tournaments to ever grace the world of Pangea.


    Standing at the center of the arena were thousands of hopeful Wanderers, all of whom wished to make a name for themselves in the world.


    Aaron Ashford and ude Ashford stood at the elevated tform to show their faces to the people.


    This was their way of telling everyone that despite the fact that their main city had suffered from the Monster Outbreak, their n remained strong and shouldn''t be looked down upon by anyone.


    The representatives of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families, as well as the other powerful Factions all over the world, were also in attendance, watching everything from the VIP Seats.


    Arthur wasn''t able toe, but Michael, alongside his trusted subordinates, hade to represent the Leventis Family.


    Hans was also present,ing to show his support to Zion, who was currently seated at the judges panel, much to the surprise of everyone.


    There were six judges presiding over this tournament.


    One of them was ude, the representative of the Ashford n.


    The representative of the Central Government was none other than the Field Marshal, Tristan Summers, who was also Rianna''s and Shana''s father.


    The other Monarch ns had also sent a representative to be the judges of the tournament.


    Originally, there should only be five judges.


    However, Thirteen wormed himself into the judge panel using his status as the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.


    ude decided to humor him and approved of his request.


    Once sure that everyone''s attention was on the stage, Aaron raised his hand to calm everyone so that he could speak.


    "Wee, everyone, to the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament!" Aaron dered. "Today is not just another day¡ªtoday, these young men anddies would challenge themselves to test their strength, their skill, and their spirit. "Each of them has trained, struggled, and sacrificed to be here, and now is their moment to prove that it was worth it. "Remember, victory is not just about defeating your opponent¡ªit''s about conquering your own doubts, pushing past your limits, and showing the world what you''re made of. Fight with honor, fight with heart, and let''s make this a tournament to remember!"


    The audience cheered as they wholeheartedly agreed to Aaron''s speech.


    The Wanderers, who would be participating in the elimination match, were also very hyped by his words.


    "And now, let me pass the baton to my son, ude Ashford," Aaron said with a smile. "I''m sure he also has something to share with everyone."


    ude epted the microphone from his father, and he was about to start his own speech when Thirteen pushed the button of the remote control he had been holding in his hand.


    Naturally, his hand was hidden under his table, so no one saw what he just did.


    After spying on the two highest leaders of the Ashford n, he came to know a few of their secrets. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This included their meticulous ns on how to eliminate strongpetitors that might threaten the seeded candidates in the tournament, including their own people.


    After giving it careful consideration, Thirteen decided that he would make them understand that all bad deeds had consequences.


    The moment he pressed the button on his remote, the LCD Screen, which was at least 600 feet wide and 200 feet tall, showed two people sitting at an office and talking to each other.


    Naturally, these two people were none other than Aaron and ude, who were both surprised at the sudden turn of events.


    ude, who was holding the Microphone, nced at the staff, and gave him the "what the hell is going on?" gaze.


    Clearly, the video ying on the projector was not part of the speech.


    "ude, remember this¡ªI will only ept our people from bing the Champion of this tournament," Aaron said. "Make sure to eliminate the troublesome candidates, especially Mikhail Leventis, Shasha Leventis, and that yboy from the Osborn Family, Vincent.


    "Although you can''t take their lives, crippling them is also good. I believe that you have already prepared everything, right?"


    But before the staff could even give the answer, Aaron''s arrogant and aloof tone reached everyone''s ears.


    "ude, remember this¡ªI will only ept our people from bing the Champion of this tournament," Aaron said. "Make sure to eliminate the troublesome candidates, especially Mikhail Leventis, Shasha Leventis, and that yboy from the Osborn Family, Vincent.


    "Although you can''t take their lives, crippling them is also good. I believe that you have already prepared everything, right?"


    The moment those words sounded from the projection, Aaron''s and ude''s face darkened.


    While they did talk about these things in private, the scene ying on the LCD Screen was not real.


    Even the clothes they wore were different!


    ude immediately ordered the staff to turn off the LCD Screen. Of course, the staff knew what to do even if his employer didn''t tell him.


    However, no matter what he did, the screen wouldn''t turn off!


    Just as the operator was panicking, ude''s mischievous voice reached everyone''s ears.


    "Father, I have taken everything into consideration," ude stated. "The traps have already been ced at the Forest and Valley where the elimination matches will take ce. Our agents have also been told what to do.


    "They would target the people on our hit list, and make sure that they don''t manage to proceed to the next round of the tournament. As a precaution, I even drugged the water bottles that were distributed to the participants.


    "The effects of the medicine ced there would take effect two hours after they are ingested. Even if the Wanderers find something wrong with their bodies, it will already be toote to do anything. We already have thispetition in the bag."


    The faces of Aaron and ude, who were standing on the stage, were already cold and filled with killing intent.


    Clearly, this scene was fake and someone had probably hired actors, who used skin masks to act like them.


    "Ladies.and gentlemen, please do not believe this farce!" ude shouted. "I don''t know who is trying to frame me and my father, but we didn''t n such a thing!"


    Of course, even if they did, there was no way in hell that Aaron and ude would admit to it.


    However, now that something like this happened, they would need to make changes to their ns.


    If something were to really happen to Mikhail, Shasha, and Vincent, then the ones taking the me would be them.


    They had already formed teams to personally target these three individuals and eliminate them early in thepetition.


    They had even ced homing beacons into the bracelets that were handed to each Wanderer who would participate in the elimination matches, so they could pinpoint the location of the teenagers in their hit list.


    However, Michael, who had watched everything from start to finish, didn''t like what they heard.


    Although his brother, Gerald, refused to be reinstated as part of the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, his son and daughter, Mikhail and Shasha, were already considered as the future pirs of the Leventis Family.


    It went without saying that Zion was also one of these pirs.


    However, Gerald was adamant that he didn''t want to return.


    Instead, he said that he would start a new branch and make it the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, which caused Arthur to re up and smack his no-good son silly until thetter cried out for mercy.


    Even so, Gerald refused to budge, so this caused another rift between father and son.


    But now that his nephew and niece were being subjected to such treatment, he would not take things lightly.

 Chapter 699: Do It Again I Dare You [Part 2]

    Chapter 699: Do It Again I Dare You [Part 2]


    ?


    "I demand an exnation from the Ashford n," Michael stood up and made his opinion known.


    His voice carried far and wide into the entirety of the Colosseum, making Aaron and ude look at him in contempt.


    "Exnation? What exnation?" ude sneered. "We already said that it was a farce. We never said such things!"


    "Really?" Thirteen asked. "Then, how about you prove your innocence?"


    "Prove our innocence?" Aaron asked back icily. "What do you mean, child? Do you really think you have the authority to say such things?"


    "I do," Thirteen replied. "Have you forgotten? I''m one of the judges of this tournament. As such, I want to ensure that everything is fair. Now, let''s tackle the things that are mentioned in that ''farce'' that you are talking about.


    "First, each n will send a team to check the ce where the eliminations will take ce. ording to the recording, you have ced traps there. If you are innocent, then these teams wouldn''t find any traps.


    "I can''t condone starting this tournament when there''s suspicion that the Ashford n had tampered with the terrain of the tournament. This merits an investigation. Of course, you can refuse. But that just proves that you are guilty, don''t you think?"


    Thirteen sped his hands together whileughing internally.


    The video shown to the public was indeed fake. It was something made with the help of Paimon and Kamrusepa, who were part of his Faction in the Order of the Apocalypse.


    Paimon had the power of creation.


    She could create almost anything with her mes, so creating two humans wouldn''t pose a problem for her.


    However, Kamrusepa used her power of illusion and beguilement to transform these mes into the perfect replica of Aaron and ude.


    Thirteen had shown them the recording of what the two men looked like, as well as their voices.


    Paimon and Kamrusepa did the rest, while the teenage boy recorded it.


    He then uploaded it to Athena''s database, and used the powerful supeputer to hijack the database of the tournament, leading to the current scandal.


    "Don''t go overboard, Zion Leventis," ude, who already had a great dislike toward the teenage boy, almost growled.


    "Well, it seems that the Ashford n is indeed guilty," Thirteen, who wasn''t the least bit intimidated, replied with a smile. "I bet that the moment the Central Government sends their specialists to the testing grounds, they will uncover these ''traps'' that your n has set up to eliminate people.


    "Your Father mentioned earlier that each Wanderer has trained, struggled, and sacrificed to be here, and now is their moment to prove that it was worth it. How can they probably prove their worth when you have sabotaged the venue? I admit I am still young and certainly not as shameless as you guys.


    "Still, I find this very funny. Are you guys not confident that your own people can seed with their own strength that you have to resort to such dirty tricks? I guess the Ashford n doesn''t amount to their prestige. I''m very disappointed."


    As the people at the Colosseum silently listened to Thirteen''s words, they were a bit shaken by his statement.


    In their hearts, Zion Leventis held a very high amount of prestige, especially after he led the Alliance to fight against the Jinns in the Rigel Continent and even won that battle.


    His poprity was on the rise, so even if he were facing the two highest members of the Ashford n, he showed no fear.


    "Child, be careful of the things that you say," Aaron stated. "There are consequences for such things."


    "Wow, I''m scared," Thirteen replied. "Imagine a Monarch threatening a Rookie. As for consequences?


    "While I do not know the consequences you are referring to, I do know the consequences that you will face if any of my family members are hurt with your scheme. Trust me, you won''t like


    it."


    Thirteen smiled a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.


    All the representatives from the Monarch ns, Prestigious Families, and powerful Factions at the scene couldn''t help but apud the boy in their hearts.


    Only Zion had the nerve to talk back to a Monarch without batting an eye.


    The other Monarchs and Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families, who were watching this scene from their homes, couldn''t help but shake their heads because Zion Leventis was trying to poke the eye of a bear.


    If Aaron really made a move and crushed him, no one would be able to do anything. Arthur and Lady Callista, who were watching this from the Main Residence of the Leventis Family, couldn''t help but feel anxious because they were too far to protect their grandson. "Zion Leventis, just where is your confidenceing from?" Aaron had finally reached his limit and dispersed a bit of his aura.


    The power of a Monarch surged like a wave and crushed down on the Rookie, forcing him to bow his head.


    However, Thirteen remained unfazed, making Aaron frown.


    The Monarch had been holding back earlier because he didn''t want to cripple the boy and only wanted to teach him a lesson.


    But seeing that Zion was showing no reactions to his attempt, he increased it, doubling its


    effect.


    Truth be told, Thirteen was just holding everything in.


    He could feel the pressure bearing down on him, and he was simply not showing any reactions


    on the surface.


    Soon, a trail of blood flowed down on Thirteen''s nose.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Aaron immediately pulled back his presence because he was afraid that the teenage boy would suffer serious internal injuries.


    His action was merely to threaten and make the young man submit.


    But who would have thought that Zion would refuse to back down?


    "What a low ss move," Thirteen said before taking out his handkerchief to wipe the bloodstain below his nose. "You tried to make me submit to you by using your aura against me. So, are you happy that you managed to injure me? Does that make you feel good? Did it stroke your ego?"


    The teenage boy''s words were filled with ridicule and contempt, and Aaron was very tempted to go all the way and finish the job.


    However, Tristan had already stood up behind Zion and crossed his arms over his chest.


    "Do it again, I dare you," Tristan''s voice was dripping with killing intent. "You really think that you can bully an officer of the Central Government? Do you dare?"


    Aaron red at Tristan, but after remembering who his father was, his re was short-lived.


    In the end, an awkward silence descended on the venue.


    This was supposed to be a glorious event.


    But the only thing they remember now was a Monarch bullying a Rookie, and it didn''t sit well with the people watching the event being broadcast live to the entire world.


    Thirteen, purposely taunted Aaron to make him retaliate to him.


    He knew that Aaron wouldn''t dare to kill him in front of so many people. At most, he would be


    seriously injured.


    But he was fine with that.


    As long as he didn''t die, he would be able to paint the Monarch of the Ashford n as a petty man, which he could use to slowly whittle down his influence.


    While Erasmus nned to fight Aaron in the future, Thirteen nned to fight his own battle


    against him.


    Seeing that both sides might really go to the point of no return, the other representatives stepped in to mediate the situation.


    Michael and Hans hurried to Thirteen''s side, even bringing with them one of their


    subordinates who specialized in healing.


    The representative of the Griffin and Elrod n received an order from the Head of their Families to make sure that Zion didn''t get hurt more than he already was.


    The Monarch of the Griffin n, Dous Griffin, was the most anxious of all because he needed Zion to help him handle the Cygni Invasion.


    He wouldn''t allow the teenage boy to kick the bucket anytime soon because it would be a loss


    to him!


    So when his representative of the Elrod n asked Aaron and ude to let their people examine the venue where the elimination round was going to be held, the representative of the Griffin n seconded his proposal.


    However, Aaron and ude tly rejected their proposal because there was no way they could


    agree to it.


    This made the other ns suspicious, and now, they were convinced that the Ashford n was indeed ying dirty.


    Seeing their reactions, ude immediately gave a secret order to his agents to destroy the


    traps that they had painstakingly built.


    Now that it hade to this, they had no choice but to remove all the traces of their dirty


    work, making sure that their reputation would not be tarnished any longer in the eyes of the


    public.


    This was the exact oue Thirteen was aiming for.


    As long as his brother and sister couldpete fairly, he believed that any elites from the Ashford n would not be able to stand in their way.

 Chapter 700: How To Hijack A Tournament [Part 1]

    Chapter 700: How To Hijack A Tournament [Part 1]


    ?


    Aaron stood a good distance away from Zion, but everyone, whether they were watching from the stands or from their homes, knew that the teenage boy''s nosebleed was caused by the Monarch''s show of power.


    It was then that they heard Zion''s statement, which confirmed their guesses.


    "What a low ss move," Thirteen said before taking out his handkerchief to wipe the bloodstain below his nose. "You tried to make me submit to you by using your aura against me. So, are you happy that you managed to injure me? Does that make you feel good? Did it stroke your ego?"


    Aaron looked at the teenage boy, who was looking back at him with a calm expression on his face.


    If this was any other ordinary teenage boy, the Head of the Ashford n wouldn''t even bat an eye and smash the boy''s head to a bloody pulp.


    However, Zion Leventis was far from ordinary.


    The young manmanded the Allied Forces in the Rigel Continent and secured a victory for the human race.


    If Aaron really killed him in front of everyone, he would be the world''s public enemy number one.


    Lawrence Seaton, who was the Monarch of the Central Government, would certainly retaliate.


    Naturally, the Leventis Family would also wage war against them, with Arthur and Lady Callista leading the charge.


    It would turn into a bloodbath, and this would not only stop in Pangea.


    Even the Ashford n''s territory in Solterra would be in danger if Zion died in Aaron''s hands.


    This was why the Monarch forcibly held back his anger and only red at Tristan, who was now standing between him and the teenage boy currently wiping the blood from his nose with a handkerchief.


    "I guess you really did something huh?" Tristan, the Field Marshal of the Central Government, wasn''t someone who would back down even against a Monarch. "Do you really think you can get away with such things, Aaron Ashford? Is the Central Government a joke to you?"


    The meaning behind his words was simple.


    If you couldn''t give me a proper exnation, then you would have to deal with my father, who was nearly immortal.


    Do you dare to mess with him, huh?!


    Tristan was a Throne, which was on par with the Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families.


    With him and his father holding the sky for the ordinary people, the Monarch ns didn''t dare to try to make everyone submit to them.


    As long as the Central Government existed, none of them could act wantonly and make people submit to them by force.


    "The Ashford n did not do such a thing as sabotaging the venue where the elimination matches are going to be held," Aaron replied in a casual tone. "I only taught that child a lesson so that he would not do something that he will regret for life.


    "There are, after all, people whom he cannot afford to offend. Doing so will have consequences that he can''t fathom."


    However, Tristan only scoffed and didn''t back down.


    "Zion has been promoted as a General of the Central Government and is also the Supreme Commander of the Alliance that liberated the Rigel Continent," Tristan replied with a sneer. "That means that it''s you who offended someone you can''t afford to offend. Are you prepared for the consequences of your actions?"


    As if waiting for that moment, the sound of rotor des spread in the sky.


    Dozens of attack Helicopters from the Central Government surrounded the Colosseum.


    Although these helicopters didn''t pose a threat to a throne like Aaron, the one who ordered them to mobilize was the one person that the Monarchs feared in this world.


    Lawrence Seaton.


    They called him the Immortal.


    Back then, the Five Monarchs tried to eliminate him by working together.


    However, with Lawrence''s Rebirth Ability, he would revive at a random location each time of his choosing.


    When Lawrence retaliated, he massacred the Monarch n''s forces, even killing their family members.


    Naturally, the Monarch ns threatened him that they would do the same.


    However, Lawrence only said two words, and that was, "Do it!"


    With an Immortal Monarch who could revive endlessly, the Five Monarchs were forced to concede defeat and made concessions.


    This was why the Central Government stood as the protector of the people.


    As long as they were around, the Monarch ns couldn''t act rampant, and the world had gained a semnce of peace for the past hundred years.


    Now, that "peace" was about to be put to the test as the men and women of the Central Government near Glory City had started to mobilize.


    Lawrence was also on his way to the venue with a serious expression on his face.


    Clearly, if this matter wasn''t resolved peacefully, things might escte to something that both sides would no longer be able to stop.


    A civil war.


    And all because of a single teenage boy.


    While Aaron and Tristan were having a standoff, Thirteen, who had just finished wiping his nose, took out a microphone from his dimensional storage and started to speak.


    "Since the Ashford n doesn''t n to start this tournament in good faith and actuallyid traps at the venue, I decided to take responsibility and invite everyone to the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament that will be held by the Central Government!"


    Tristan, who was standing between Aaron and Zion, stiffened. This was the first time he heard


    about such a thing.


    The Central Government hosting the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament?


    Did the sun suddenly rise from the West today instead of the East?


    Everyone was confused by Zion''s statement, including those who were actually participating


    in the tournament.


    However, Mikhail and Shasha both exchanged a knowing smile with each other.


    They knew that their younger brother would sometimes decide events out of the blue from


    time to time without rhyme or reason.


    But whenever he did, it usually came out fine in the end.


    The faces of Aaron and ude, who were supposed to host the tournament, contorted in fury, angered by the young man''s audacity.


    However, before they could say anything, Thirteen once again spoke, making his voice spread in the entirety of the Colosseum.


    "The prizes for the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament that will be hosted by the Central Government is grander than the prizes that will be given away by the Ashford n," Thirteen stated. "For starters, the Champion will get two Scales of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent. "The rank of this monster is a Majin King. I happened toe across its scales while traveling to Solterra and casually picked it up. You can put one in the auction, and it will get you over


    ten billion gold coins.


    "Another option is to look for a cksmith and have them forge an equipment from it. With such a high-grade material, there is a high chance for the end result to be a Mythical


    Weapon.


    "Instead of joining a rigged tournament, wouldn''t it be better to join one that doesn''t intend to make their own descendants be the Champion by using foul and dirty tactics? I, Zion Leventis, make a vow that this tournament will be conducted fairly.


    "Those who have registered in this tournament are automatically eligible to join the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament held by the Central Government. Thepetition will be held


    today.


    "Those who are interested, please head to Justice City right now. I guarantee that the prizes will be worth it!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Tristan, who was guarding Zion, suddenly found himself between a rock and a hard ce.


    Deep inside, he didn''t know if he should praise or spank the teenage boy for being so bold as to hijack the tournament that was hosted by the Ashford n.


    Meanwhile, after hearing the Grand Prize, the Wanderers who had gathered in the Colosseum suddenly found themselves bing excited.


    Two scales from a Majin King?


    Such a high-ss material was something extremely hard to get.


    Even if you had the money, you wouldn''t necessarily be able to buy it.


    Not to mention, the snake scales that came from the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent were the


    first of its kind¡ªthe main reason why the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were


    hell-bent on acquiring them.


    What made Monarchs feared by all was their Mythical Equipment, all of which were


    unmeasurably powerful.


    No other weapon in Pangea would be able to challenge it unless it was of the same rank as


    them.


    Even the representatives of the different families, who were gathered in the Colosseum, were on the verge of telling the members of the young generation to ditch the tournament held by the Ashford n and join the tournament sponsored by Zion Leventis instead.


    With such a juicy bait thrown right at their faces, everyone, including the members of the young generation from the Ashford n, was truly tempted to jump ship and take the opportunity to secure the Majin King scales for themselves.

 Chapter 701: How To Hijack A Tournament [Part 2]

    Chapter 701: How To Hijack A Tournament [Part 2]


    ?


    The sudden twist caught everyone by surprise.


    The Dragon and Phoenix Tournament fell intoplete disarray the moment Zion Leventis hijacked the show.


    He even added that the Champion of the Tournament could also choose to be a Battalion Commander of the Central Government regardless of their affiliations.


    His statement nearly made Tristan join hands with Aaron to beat the crap out of Zion. In his point of view, the brat was speaking absolute nonsense!


    Little did he know that the young man had already discussed this matter with the Grand Marshal of the Central Government beforehand.


    "If we host the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, we will be able to poach the promising talents that are not affiliated with any Factions or Families and make them be the pirs of humanity.


    "This is a good time to recruit some new blood for the army, which will also increase its strength drastically. I think it''s a good idea. What do you think, Sir Lawrence?"


    Back then, the Grand Marshal thought that Zion was just joking, but afterying out his proposal in a proper manner, Lawrence understood that they could make it happen.


    The Central Government had a lot of top-tier training grounds, where their elites did their training.


    It wouldn''t be a problem to send thousands of Wanderers to that ce to fight a survival battle.


    They always did drills from time to time to check the quality of their forces, after which they rewarded those who managed to survive until the end.


    The more Lawrence thought about this idea, the more appealing Thirteen''s proposal was.


    The best thing was that all the prizes woulde from Zion himself!


    However, after the teenage boy said that the grand prize was two scales from the Majin King, even Lawrence was tempted to join thepetition just to get those prizes.


    Fortunately, Thirteen bribed him with a Majin King Scale, making Lawrence wholeheartedly agree to this n.


    He even secretly traveled to Glory City in order to support Zion in his endeavors.


    ''Still, he is way too bold,'' Lawrence thought as his helicopter finally arrived above the Colosseum grounds.


    He knew that after Thirteen dropped a bomb right in front of Aaron''s face, the Monarch would no longer be able to hold back himself any longer.


    Because of this, Lawrence jumped down from the Helicopter andnded beside his son, who was protecting the teenage boy behind him.


    "Aaron, it seems that you''ve gone overboard this time," Lawrence said. "For you to do that to my precious General, I guess you think your bones have be harder now huh?"


    "Lawrence, what is the meaning of this?" Aaron red. "This tournament is hosted by the Ashford n. Your Central Government had no right to interfere."


    "Who said that we are interfering?" Lawrence asked. "We just decided to hold a tournament of our own. But you''re right. It can''t be called the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament either. Zion, please think of a new name for the Tournament.


    "I intend to host this event once every three years. So, we will make it an official thing. Make sure toe up with a good name."


    Thirteen smiled faintly because the Grand Marshal was quick on the uptake.


    "Then, let''s just call it League of Myths and Legends," Thirteen replied.


    "League of Myths and Legends." Lawrence smiled. "I like the sound of that."


    Michael and Hans, who were also right by the teenage boy''s side, could only bitterly smile, sensing that Zion had zero intention of stopping his n of taking over the tournament.


    While the two were feeling anxious about the boy''s boldness, the Grand Marshal faced everyone in the arena with a smile.


    "Since it will be a littlete today, and you guys will need to travel, I hereby dere that the start of the League of Myths and Legends will be held in Justice City tomorrow," Lawrence dered. "Those who have registered in this tournament are eligible to participate in it. "However, there is a condition. Anyone who joins the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament will be banned from entering the League of Myths and Legends. Feel free to choose which tournament you want to join.


    "However, I will tell you this-the prizes you will get from our tournament will be greater than what you can get from the Ashford n."


    Lawrence''s mindset was simple.


    Since they were already going to make the Ashford n mad at them, he decided to make them go mad all the way.


    As expected, Aaron was no longer able to hold back his anger and released his powerful aura, making it spread far and wide.


    Lawrence, who was also a hot-tempered person by nature, didn''t even give a warning and lunged at Aaron with the intention of fighting him until he beat the crap out of him.


    The Wanderers in the Arena immediately backed away as the booming explosions of two Monarchs fighting sent shockwaves flying in their direction.


    Even the audience in the stands exited the Colosseum in fear that they might be affected by the battle between the two Monarchs.


    "Let''s leave," Tristan said as he grabbed Zion and took him out of the venue.


    Deep inside, he couldn''t help but sigh. What just happened was outside of his expectations.


    "Did you n all this from the beginning?" Tristan asked in a low tone, which only the teenage boy could hear.


    "The Ashford n was ying dirty," Thirteen replied. "Since that''s the case, I''ll y dirtier."


    "Does my father know about this?"


    "Yes."


    "Did he approve?"


    "Yes."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Then why didn''t you tell me about it?" Tristan asked.


    "I thought that the Grand Marshal would tell you about it," Thirteen replied in an innocent


    tone.


    Tristan clicked his tongue, but he no longer asked any questions.


    This situation has truly spiraled out of control, or so he thought.


    However, things were actually under control.


    It was under Thirteen''s control.


    The booming sounds of two Monarchs fighting could be heard in the background, but it was very easy to tell that both were still holding back.


    If people died from this event, things would really look bad for the Ashford n. So, as much


    as Aaron''s belly was filled with anger, he still made sure that the battle was contained only within the arena of the Colosseum.


    ude watched this scene in helplessness.


    The grand event that his family had painstakingly prepared for was now in ruins.


    ''Zion Leventis,'' ude gritted his teeth in anger. ''You will regret this!''


    He had never hated anyone in his life more than he hated the teenage boy, who acted like he


    was their equal despite his young age.


    What he didn''t know was that Zion already knew their n to eliminate him after the Cygni Continent invasion was over.


    Since that was the case, he decided to flip the entire table to make Aaron and ude realize that he also had the ability to turn their world upside down.

 Chapter 702: Are We Monarchs A Joke To You? [Part 1]

    Chapter 702: Are We Monarchs A Joke To You? [Part 1]


    ?


    Chaos erupted in the Colosseum as people were left not knowing what was going to happen next.


    Everyone had evacuated, and both the Ashford n and the Central Government helped the citizens to evacuate in an orderly fashion.


    No one was injured, thanks to the officers at the site who tookmand, and everyone soon calmed down.


    ude had also stormed off outside the venue and red at Zion, who was being healed by a worried Shana.


    Naturally, her father, Tristan, was there to make sure that the teenage boy wouldn''t suffer anyn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    more.


    The standoff between the Central Government and the Ashford n had be the highlight, and the different mediapanies didn''t hesitate to spin the story into a dramatic tale, with some of them bordering the lines of exaggeration, painting Aaron Ashford and ude Ashford the viins of the story.


    Naturally, they risked having theirpanies lose their license and cease operation if ever the Ashford n decided to retaliate.


    However, they still went for it.


    All of them had already decided to transfer theirpanies to Justice City and make sure that the hands of the Monarch ns wouldn''t reach them.


    "You brat, howe every time we meet, we end up in this kind of situation?" ude asked with a smile that was not a smile. "Did I offend you in your past life or something?"


    "No, you didn''t," Thirteen replied. ''It was actually your father who offended me in my past life.''


    Of course, the teenage boy didn''t say that out loud.


    However, he was feeling a bit drowsy because Shana''s healing power made him feel veryfortable.


    For a brief moment, he felt like resting his head on her bosom because it looked so soft andfortable to sleep on in his eyes.


    But this thought onlysted for a second or two before Thirteen forced it to the side.


    ''I''ll just ask Ericater,'' Thirteen thought, ignoring ude''s nonstop nagging from the distance.


    Seeing that the teenage boy was not paying attention to him, ude felt as if he was about to pop a vein due to how angry he was.


    Whenever Zion was around, he always suffered bad luck.


    If not for the fact that the teenage boy was currently under the protection of Elite Soldiers from the Central Government, he would have already risked his life to kill the bad-luck brat, chop his body into pieces, and feed him to the fishes!


    If only looks could kill, Thirteen would have already died over a thousand times already due to ude''s hate-filled re.


    The candidates of the tournament temporarily vacated the parking lot exclusively for the use of the Ashford n.


    Since this parking lot was meant for big transport vehicles, there was more than enough space to fit over a thousand Wanderers.


    The participants were the most confused out of everyone else. They didn''t know whether they should continue with the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament or join the League of Myths and Legends.


    Frankly, they were leaning to join Zion Leventis'' impromptu tournament because of what they had seen on the giant LCD Screen earlier.


    The fact that the Ashford n had rigged the venue with traps to eliminate those whom they wanted to eliminate made them feel disgusted.


    Their strong denial to let anyone check the ce where the Elimination Rounds would be held also made the Wanderers'' suspicions stronger.


    How could they possiblypete in good faith if the sponsor of the tournament wasn''t doing the same?


    Lastly, the words Aaron spoke on the LCD Screen made them feel cold inside.


    "ude, remember this, I will only ept our people bing the Champion of this tournament."


    Those were very straightforward words.


    It meant that no matter what anyone did, the conclusion was already decided even before the tournament started.


    Michael, Shasha, and Vincent, who were also in the parking lot, stood at the corner, discussing their next course of action.


    "I''m sure the two of you will follow whatever Zion decided, right?" Vincent asked.


    "Of course," Mikhail replied. "Although we would like to test our mettle against other Wanderers, I trust my brother the most."


    Shasha didn''t say anything and simply nodded her head.


    Just like Mikhail, she had absolute trust in her little brother.


    If Zion told them to not participate in the tournament, they would obey without batting an


    eye.


    Seeing that the two teenagers had already made their decision, Vincent felt a lot better. Just like them, he decided to join Zion''s bandwagon and see where it would take him.


    An hourter, an officer from the Central Government and a representative from the Ashford n arrived at the parking area.


    These two people informed them that negotiation between the Monarch ns, and the


    Central Government was being held at the moment.


    They would then be informed of the oue before the day was over, so all of them could return to their temporary lodges to rest for the time being.


    ****


    Inside the Colosseum.


    Seated at a table, Aaron and ude red at the teenage boy sitting between the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    The projections of the four other Monarchs were also present in the scene, and looking at


    them with amusement.


    Norman Stard, Wendell Elrod, Trevord Remington, and Dous Griffin.


    The four of them, Aaron, and Lawrence were the six Monarchs of Pangea.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that they stood at the apex of the world, with the Prestigious Families a level below them.


    Since the representatives of the Prestigious Families were also present at the scene, they would also help in smoothing out the talks that were about to start.


    "Did everyone suddenly be mute, or did I identally press the mute button on my remote?" Thirteen asked since no one had been talking since five minutes ago. "Hello? Are you guys statues or what?"


    The teenage boy''s randomness was the icebreaker that everyone was waiting for.


    "I want you to stop your nonsense, brat," Aaron stated. "Do you know how much time, resources, and manpower is being wasted as we speak right now? Because of you, this tournament that is held once every few years is in shambles.


    "You have single-handedly turned this event into a fiasco. A joke in the eyes of the people. Tell me, are we Monarchs a joke to you?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied without hesitation. "I am now looking at the biggest joke among the Monarchs right now. I''m just waiting for the cue card to tell me that this is the time that I


    shouldugh."


    The other Monarchs looked at this exchange and couldn''t help but sneer internally.


    It was very clear to them that Zion had some kind of beef with the Ashford n. So, they decided to just watch this exchange for a while and pray that Aaron got a stroke or something


    simr.


    Although they were oncerades, and unfortunately stillrades, it didn''t change the


    fact that much love had been lost between them over the passing of hundreds of years.


    This was especially true for Wendell Elrod, who could only watch as hisrades retreated when the Rigel Continent needed them the most.


    For him, Zion was his greatest benefactor.


    So, if he was given a choice as to which side he would stand on, he would choose to side with


    the teenage boy anytime.


    Dous Griffin was in the same boat.


    Now that the Cygni Continent was in danger, he was hoping that Zion would help him protect


    his domain.


    Until the cmity had passed, he would do everything in his power to protect the boy, even if


    he had to offend Aaron Ashford.

 Chapter 703: Are We Monarchs A Joke To You? [Part 2]

    Chapter 703: Are We Monarchs A Joke To You? [Part 2]


    ?


    Aaron reined in his emotions and asked calmly.


    "What do you want?"


    "I want you to stop being a loser. Can you do that?"


    "Can you stop being a brat and take this seriously?"


    Thirteen chuckled before raising a finger-not the middle one.


    "First, you have to admit that you rigged the venue where the elimination matches will be held," Thirteen stated. "You and I both know that I am telling the truth. Don''t worry, you don''t have to make it public. You just have to tell everyone here that you''ve done us dirty.


    "After that, we can move on to the next topic. Of course, you can say that you conducted this tournament fairly. If you are going to insist on this, there is nothing that I can do. However, we will also conduct our own tournament with better prizes that you cane up with.


    "I am Zion Leventis. I may not be handsome, but I killed a Majin King and have two scales that are lying around somewhere. Since that''s the case, I''ll put them to good use."


    Aaron scoffed. "So the rumors that you didn''t take any scales before the Lace Demon took the Majin King''s corpse were false."


    "Are you stupid?" Thirteen rolled his eyes. "That''s a Majin King. If you''re in my ce, will you not try to get something out of it? Talking to you like this makes me realize that a Pocopoco is smarter than you."


    Aaron was so close to pinching Zion to death.


    Almost everyone in Solterra and Pangeabeled Pocopocos as ugly and retarded birds.


    Beingpared to one of them was one of the greatest insults that could be given to someone.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, rested his chin on the palm of his hand.


    "So, are you going to admit it or not?" Thirteen asked. "Please, let''s not waste each other''s time, resources, and manpower by lying to each other. I''m a very busy person, and I have a tournament to oversee. I don''t want to spend the rest of the day looking at your face."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Your father really sired a bastard son," Aaron replied.


    Thirteen was tempted to ask "which father?"


    He had two fathers.


    One was the System God, and the other was Gerald, the biological father of Zion Leventis.


    But as the years passed, Thirteen started to treat his family as a real family, allowing him to enjoy a blessed life, which he didn''t get to experience in the past.


    "Stick and stones may hurt my bones, but your words will never hurt me," Thirteen said casually. "So, are we going to continue wasting our time here? I''ll give you two minutes to decide."


    The representatives of the Prestigious Families, including Michael and Hans, were truly surprised as they watched Zion talk to a Monarch as if he was just talking to a random guy on the street.


    If they were in his shoes, they would feel too anxious, fearing to offend Aaron in the slightest. They would also choose their words carefully to ensure that they didn''t part on bad terms. The Central Government was also doing its best to not burn bridges with the Ashford n. However, Zion was different. He was already pouring gas all over it while humming a tune. Two minutester, he would light it on fire and burn the bridge without any regrets. "Fine, I did set traps in the elimination site," Aaron replied. "But, the scene that yed on the LCD Screen earlier was fake. My son and I didn''t have such discussions." "Sure, keep lying to yourself," Thirteen shrugged. "But since you admitted your fault, I will turn a blind eye to the fact that you nned to target my brother and sister."


    Aaron kept silent, neither affirming nor rejecting the teenage boy''s statement.


    "So, since you''vee clean, and we still don''t know what kind of other tricks you prepared for the candidates, we should make this tournament a joint sponsorship from this point onward," Thirteen proposed.


    "From now on, the Dragons and Phoenix Tournament will be called the League of Dragons and Phoenixes. This will be a joint sponsorship by the Monarch ns, and the Central Government."


    "No way," ude immediately rejected this proposal. "I will not agree to this."


    "Fine," Thirteen replied. "I guess the talk''s over. I still need to inform everyone that


    the League of Myths and Legends will start tomorrow. Thanks everyone foring, I''m out."


    Thirteen was about to stand up when he felt a pressure descend on his body, preventing him from standing up.


    Lawrence arched an eyebrow, but he didn''t stop Aaron because he knew that thetter wouldn''t dare to hurt Zion under his watch.


    "What do you have in mind?" Aaron asked icily.


    Aftering clean and telling everyone that he did y dirty, he was no longer weighed down by many things.


    Also, Thirteen stated that he wouldn''t make it public, and everyone in the venue knew better than to offend him.


    Since the matter had already been swept under the rug, if there was a good way to start things over, he would be more open-minded in hearing it.


    "We can still use your venue with the traps that you have set," Thirteen stated. "But the Central Government will be the ones to keep watch on the Wanderers," Thirteen replied. "No personnel of yours will appear at the venue.


    "The tournament will proceed as per schedule... well, not on schedule, but things will still follow the groundwork that you have made. The Central Government will work alongside your team to make sure that this tournament is conducted fairly within bounds.


    "I''m sure that you still have some dirty tricks that you n to use, but it will be best if you do those things in moderation. Just like you can target my family members, I can also target


    yours.


    "While dealing with a Monarch like you will make people hesitate, dealing with your... son here, and a few of your family members will not be a problem. I can always use a Majin Scale aspensation for killing one or two of your family members.


    "Also, I am good friends with the Earth Dragons. The good news is that I have found a way to let them leave the Rigel Continent. You should know by now that they were also there when I faced the Majin King.


    "I am good friends with Lace Demon, and he sometimes listens to my requests, you


    know?"


    Hearing the name Lace Demon made everyone in the venue look at Thirteen weirdly.


    The mere thought of meeting the right-hand man of the God of Wanderers, "The One," was enough to make people feel anxious.


    However, Thirteen was treating the Lace Demon as if he were some kind of customer service representative, asking for his help to help solve his problems for him.


    All of them believed that Zion wouldn''t have been able to kill the Majin King without outside


    help.


    If he really did it on his own, they would not have the guts to offend him ever again!


    "So, forming a group to eliminate your brother and sister is fine?" Aaron asked.


    "Yep, perfectly fine," Thirteen replied.


    "You''re very confident in their abilities," Aaronmented.


    "I was the one who raised them, so I am indeed confident with their abilities," Thirteen


    stated.


    Everyone looked at him weirdly for the second time because the teenage boy was just saying whatever he wanted to say.


    He was younger than Mikhail and Shasha, and yet, he boasted that he was the one that raised


    them?


    Who would believe such a thing?


    Even so, the talks and negotiations proceeded smoothly.


    After ironing out the details, the League of Dragons and Phoenix was born, which was now a joint sponsorship by the Monarch ns and the Central Government.


    Having achieved his goal, Thirteen left the venue alongside the Grand Marshal and the Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    Although his n to host a tournament of his own didn''te through, he was still happy


    with the results.


    Naturally, Lawrence and Tristan were also very happy with the oue of the negotiation.


    Now that they were part of the tournament, they would be able to scout and poach talented


    Wanderers who had yet to have any affiliations.


    This was the real goal of these negotiations.


    Whenever the tournament started, the talented Wanderers would always be scouted by the


    Monarch sponsoring the tournament.


    With Zion as their mascot, Lawrence and Tristan were certain that they would get some good recruits this year, bolstering the ranks of the Central Government.

 Chapter 704: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 1]

    Chapter 704: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 1]


    ?


    "Wee,dies and gentlemen, to the League of Dragons and Phoenixes!" Thirteen said with a smile, holding a microphone in his hand.


    Everyone didn''t expect that on the next day after the incident in the Colosseum, Zion Leventis would appear as one of its hosts.


    Standing beside him was a stiff-smiling ude, who would be his co-host during the live broadcast of the Elimination Rounds of the tournament.


    After the negotiations ended, Aaron no longer wanted to be anywhere near Zion, so he stuffed the role of hosting the event to ude.


    Now that the Ashford n and the Central Government were working together to make the tournament a sess, ude was forced to smile beside the young man, whom he currently hated the most in the world.


    "Everyone gathered here today are the Dragons and Phoenixes of the current generation," Thirteen stated. "While there may be some chicks and chickens among you, all of you will eventually soar into greater heights, like a carp jumping off the Dragon Gate to be a true dragon!"


    The Wanderers cheered at the same time after Thirteen held a cue card with the words "All Wanderers, Start Cheering Now!"


    ude was very tempted to walk out, ashamed of his Co-Host''s antics.


    Erica, on the other hand, was holding her stomach as sheughed out loud.


    As for Rianna, Shana, and Sherry, they only shook their heads helplessly because secondhand embarrassment was real.


    Mikhail and Shasha simply lowered their heads, not wanting the other Wanderers to see how embarrassed they were on behalf of their little brother, who pulled quite a stunt man.


    "Now, my good friend, ude Ashford, will exin the rules of the elimination rounds, so please, listen to him carefully!" Thirteen said as he presented ude in front of the audience. ude felt his ear ring when he heard Zion''s words, feeling very tempted to kick the teenage boy off the stage and shout out loud, "Who the flying f*ck is your friend?!" Of course, he let it happen, but only inside his mind.


    The current Patriarch of the Ashford n raised the microphone to his lips and exined the details of the first stage of the tournament.


    "There are nearly two thousand Wanderers who registered for this event, and due to their numbers, we decided to divide them into four teams.


    "Each team will have five hundred members, with the exception of the Fourth Team, which didn''t reach the maximum quota.


    However, that didn''t matter. This will be a Battle Royale style elimination round, and only thest ten survivors of each group will proceed to the next round.


    "Since thend of Solterra is very unpredictable, and danger lurks everywhere, we have set many traps within the venue of the battle. If ever you fall into one of these traps and feel like you can no longer continue, just activate the voice feature of your bracelet and say, I concede or I surrender.


    "Immediately after you say that, the Elite Soldiers of the Central Government wille pick you up and take you to safety, where you will receive treatment. Know that these traps aren''t meant to kill anyone, so rest assured that your lives will not be in any danger.


    "Killing is strictly prohibited, and those who willmit this crime will be charged as a Murderer and disqualified from the tournament. Of course, you will also have to go to prison, and depending on the severity of your crime, you can even be sentenced to death.


    "Wounding and cutting your opponent''s limbs are fine since we have specialists who can reattach them perfectly. Just a friendly reminder-don''t be stubborn and activate your bracelets to call for help when you feel like you can no longer battle.


    "On the same note, destroying the bracelets of your opponents will automatically eliminate them from the tournament, so you can do that as well!"


    After saying those words, four areas appeared on the LCD Screen, where the battle would take ce.


    The Forest Area.


    The Valley Area.


    The Marsnd.


    Andst but not the least was the Deathly Canyon.


    "To make sure that these battles are conducted fairly, every one of you will draw ballots. The venue of your elimination round will depend on the ballot you pick!" Thirteen exined. "All Wanderers, you may draw your ballots now!"


    Fiftydies, holding a Ballot Box each, stood in a straight line and remained still as the


    Wanderers drew one ballot from the boxes that they were holding.


    Mikhail and Shasha drew at the same time and found themselves in two different locations.


    "I''ll be in the Deathly Canyon," Mikhail said.


    "I''m in the Forest Area," Shasha replied


    "Good luck to you, Shasha."


    "Good luck to you as well, Brother."


    After the Wanderers had drawn their ballots, all of them headed to the exit where the


    transport helicopters of the Central Government were waiting for them.


    One by one, these Helicopters flew up in the sky, heading to the venue where the candidates would conduct their Battle Royale.


    "And now, time for themercial break!" Thirteen said.


    As soon as he mentioned that, severalmercials appeared on the giant LCD Screens, which were also shown to everyone watching the tournament from thefort of their homes. Thirteen and ude walked toward the resting areas of the hosts, smiling and waving at the audience.


    But as soon as the two entered their resting quarters, certain that they were out of the public eye, the smiles on their faces immediately disappeared, and the two of them clicked their tongue at each other.


    Clearly, the two of them didn''t get along and had no intention of getting along!


    The teenage boy sat down on the couch and drank a bottle of water he had prepared


    beforehand.


    ude, on the other hand, epted the ss of fruit juice given to him by a serving girl who was working for their family.


    No words were spoken between the two of them, and they simply did whatever they wanted to


    do.


    However, an hourter, as they once again walked toward the stage, smiles were stered on their faces, looking as genuine as if the two of them were the bestest of best friends.


    "And now, the time that all of you have been waiting for has arrived!" Thirteen said as the LCD Screen behind him showed the venue.


    The Wanderers had also entered their respective zones and were given a few minutes each to go wherever they wanted to go.


    Those who were confident in their abilities stood in ce as if telling theirpetitors to attack them whenever they were ready.


    The cunning ones decided to wait things out and use the opportunity to eliminate other


    people.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Last but not least were the cowardly types, who preferred to hide and bide their time while everyone else was busy eliminating each other.


    They believed that as long as they survived until the end, they would get a free pass to the next round of the tournament.


    ude, who once again had the opportunity to speak, raised his hand and shouted loud and


    clear.


    "The League of Dragons and Phoenixes will now begin!"


    As soon as those words were spoken, a siren rang within the different venues, telling the Wanderers that the tournament had officially started.


    In less than a minute, many Wanderers had fallen prey to the otherpetitors and were eliminated from the battle.


    Of course, none of them had died since all of them took ude''s warning seriously. Ten minutester, the bracelets of the survivors activated as it automatically scanned its


    surroundings.


    It showed their owners the locations of the other Wanderers, preventing them from hiding.


    A few minutester, Mikhail, who was eliminating the closest contestants to him, suddenly found himself surrounded by six people.


    Thirteen had already warned him that the Ashford n had hired and bribed several groups to target him and Shasha, so the two of them could be eliminated from the tournament.


    Mikhail took his little brother''s warning seriously.


    Although he had no ns to actively seek them, his little brother told him that it was possible


    that his bracelet was rigged, allowing these people to pinpoint his location on the map,


    wherever he was.


    ''I just hope that Shasha is okay,'' Mikhail thought.


    Even in this situation, he was more worried about his sister than himself.

 Chapter 705: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 2]

    Chapter 705: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 2]


    ?


    Mikhail was one of the crowd favorites in thepetition, so many people were watching his battles.


    Specialized drones were released to follow these "Special Candidates," allowing everyone to watch them in real-time.


    This was to ensure that there would not be any unexpected incidents caused by outside forces that might affect the "fairness" of thepetition.


    Alessia, who was switching views between Mikhail and Shasha, couldn''t help but feel anxious when she saw that her son was surrounded by six people.


    Gerald, who was seated beside her, was calmly drinking some fruit juice that Remi had prepared for him.


    But even though he looked calm on the surface, he was cursing the Ashford n internally for being shameless.


    Clearly, this group was not an ordinary group of Wanderers, but a team that had fought many battles together.


    They were the perfect "Assassins" to eliminate certain individuals from the tournament.


    "Mikhail Leventis, if you don''t want to get hurt, surrender now or prepare to fight," a sharp- eyed-looking Wanderer dered.


    ""That''s right!""


    The Sharp-Eyed Wanderer''s subordinates all agreed with their Leader''s warnings. If Mikhail surrendered without fighting against them, that would be for the best.


    However, instead of answering them, Mikhail chose a much better option and that was... To run!


    Yes. Mikhail Leventis chose to run, catching the group who were targeting him by surprise. For the first second, they could only look at him in shock.


    They thought that Mikhail would say something along the lines of, "no matter how many of you are, all of you will fall into my axe."


    But he didn''t say those cheesy lines.


    Instead, he chose to run without even a moment of hesitation.


    "Damn! Why are you running away?!" the Sharp-Eyed Wanderer roared in anger. "Come back here and fight!"


    ""That''s right!""


    Mikhail did no such thing and ran, not forgetting to pay close attention to his surroundings. While he was confident that he could win against the group of six people, Thirteen taught him that, usually, there would be one more hidden person belonging to that group who would strike when he least expected it.


    Unfortunately for that person, he just happened to be in the direction where Mikhail had chosen to run to.


    Thinking that he had been discovered, the hidden person immediately tried to run away, revealing his location.


    Mikhail didn''t let this opportunity slip by and rushed at the young man, who was skinnier than the rest of the Wanderers who ambushed him.


    With a well-aimed kick, Mikhail sent the skinny teenager mming towards a tree.


    Because they were Wanderers, such blows would not be able to kill them.


    However, it was still enough for them to suffer injuries.


    Mikhail then reached out and decisively broke the bracelet in the Skinny Teenager''s wrists, eliminating him from the tournament.


    As soon as this deed was done, Mikhail continued to run away, leaving his pursuers behind. He had already made a n to change locations as soon as the next scan happened.


    That way, even if his pursuers knew his general location through the scan, they would not know which direction he was headed.


    Mikhail nned to do this over and over until his pursuers were eliminated by other Wanderers or he got a chance to eliminate them one by one by himself.


    Meanwhile, in the Forest where Shasha was located...


    The youngdy also found herself in the same situation as her brother, Mikhail.


    She was trapped in an encirclement of eight Wanderers, all of whom were nning to eliminate her and im the hefty reward that the Ashford n had promised them.


    But just as they were about to do that, a few teenage boys appeared and attacked them from behind.


    One of them was none other than Vincent, who was in the same ce as Shasha.


    Seeing the sudden turn of events, Shasha lowered her rapier and observed the battle with a calm expression on her face.


    The moment the battle ended, the Simps-errr, the righteous Wanderers who happened to pass by all greeted the youngdy, who responded to them all with a brief nod of acknowledgment.


    "Miss Shasha, these Wanderers are acquaintances of mine," Vincent said. "It seems that certain groups of people have decided to stick together in order to eliminate certain individuals.


    "Would you like to travel with us until thispetition ends? If we are together, we can guarantee each other''s safety."


    Shasha scanned the faces of the teenage boys who had joined up with Vincent to form a team before reluctantly nodding her head.


    "Thank you for the offer," Shasha replied. "I will dly ept it."


    After hearing the beautiful youngdy''s words, some of the young men did a fist pump, making Zion, who was at the arena, give hisments.


    "Young men should be bold and adventurous," Thirteen said as the screen disyed the scene of Vincent and his group fighting to protect Shasha from the hired goons of the Ashford n. "Ladies like it when guys take the initiative to save them from harm. So, all of you future Wanderers should train hard, especially the boys.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "That way, when you meet a beautifuldy in your First Wandering, they will feel safe with you beside them."


    ude, who was standing beside Thirteen, used this opportunity to interject and made ament on his own.


    "Mind telling everyone how manydies have you saved from peril in Solterra?" ude asked. "Also, how many of them have be smitten with you?"


    Erica, Sherry, and Shana all subconsciously leaned forward as if trying to hear Zion''s answer


    more clearly.


    "I haven''t personally saved anydies in Solterra," Thirteen replied. "So, I can''t answer that question, Mr. ude."


    Thirteen said it with a sigh as if he was regretting not being able to act cool in front of


    beautifuldies.


    "I do not believe you," ude replied. "You''re just being humble. As the Supreme Commander of the Alliance who has performed many miracles, I refuse to believe that you''re


    not in a rtionship with someone."


    "Well, believe it or not, I''m still single," Thirteen replied in a good-natured tone.


    "I heard rumors that you are close with the Hero Party, especially Lady Erica," udemented. "There is also a youngdy named Sherry, whom you have rescued during her


    First Wandering.


    "They even stayed in the same tent with you when you were camping outside the registration venue for the Dragons and Phoenix Tournament. How can they be together with you like this


    if you don''t have any rtionship with them? Even if I believe you, other people won''t believe


    it.


    Everyone, who found this piece of news very juicy, perked their ears as if waiting for Zion to


    admit it.


    Erica had her own fans, and the Ashford Patriarch''s words made them go into an uproar as they red at the teenage boy who might have already managed to run into first base with the youngdy of their dreams.


    Alessia, who was watching all the way from the Aldebaran Continent, had a good impression of Erica and wouldn''t mind the sorceress bing her future daughter-inw. Thirteen, who had been hard-pressed by ude''s strategy, smiled faintly as he raised his microphone to give his reply to the older man''s statement.

 Chapter 706: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 3]

    Chapter 706: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 3]


    ?


    (A/N: I will trante the Zion Language to the best of my abilities! Everyone, please trust me. I am an expert in reading between the lines!)


    ude smiled as he looked at the young man, who had raised his microphone to reply to his


    statement.


    He wanted Zion to lie so that he could further push the young man to the edge of the cliff, which would kill him socially.


    Whatever answer the teenage boy gave him, he had already decided to throw more mud at his face to get back at him for the humiliation the Ashford Family suffered at his hands.


    But when the teenage boy gave his answer, things took an unexpected turn which he didn''t anticipate.


    "Erica, Sherry, and I have a pure rtionship," Thirteen replied. "So we don''t find any hidden meanings when we three sleep together."


    ****


    (Author Trantion: Sleeping with them feels nice because they feel so soft, and they smell very good!)


    ****


    "In our time in Solterra, we have suffered untold hardships. The only people whom we can rely on and hold on to are the people closest to us-ones we''ve gone through life and death with. Through our shared experiences, trust was born between us. Of course, I am talking about Sherry and Erica.


    "With their support, I was better able to carry out my duties as a leader. Together, we helped the other Wanderers aplish the mission given to them-and even to us, so that we can go home."


    ****


    (Author Trantion: They say that I sometimes talk when I sleep, and cry as well. Because of this, Erica made sure to make me feel safe by letting my head rest on her chest. Sherry, on the other hand, would hug me from behind, and make me feel warm even in the coldest of nights.)


    ****


    "The days are long, and the nights are even longer. After facing many life-and-death battles together, the three of us have be close to the point that we felt safer sleeping in the same ce. That way, if something happens, the three of us would be able to fight or escape together."


    ****


    (Author Trantion: I worry for Erica because she can be defenseless at times. Every time I wake up, the strings that hold her nightgown would be undone. At first, I was confused as to why this kept on happening. However, since we are good friends, I make sure to tie them back, so that her breasts wouldn''t be seen by others.)


    ****


    "Such a story is verymon in Solterra, and I''m sure that I am not alone when I say that we tend to rely on those who we are closest to during the darkest moments of our lives. As such, our rtionship, born through oveing grave moments, is very pure."


    "If something were to befall upon us during one of the moments when we are huddled with each other, for strength and safety, I''m determined to live and die with them if we ever find ourselves in a fight that we cannot win."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ****


    (Author Trantion: On one particr night, when I was having a nightmare, I woke up with my lips suckling on something soft, yet firm. For some reason, doing this act helped calm me down. Erica, who was also awake at that time, told me that it was fine to do it if it helps calm me down when I have nightmares.


    Since then, I understood why the strings of her nightgown would be undone in the morning. It seems that I was the one who subconsciously removed them during my sleep.


    I apologized thinking that she was doing it on purpose, and she forgave me for it. Because of this, I made sure to always tie it properly in the morning when I woke up.)


    ****


    Thirteen paused for a bit before looking at ude with a determined look on his face. "Anyone who nders us about having an ambiguous rtionship needs to pull their minds out of the gutter," Thirteen added. "All Wanderers find sce in knowing that they do not wander alone. This is also the reason why all those who wander are not lost."


    ****


    (Author Trantion: she said earlier that she bought a new set of lingerie that she would wear when we slept together. I don''t really understand, but even if the straps of her nightgown are not the string type, I''m sure that everything is going to be fine when I wake up in the morning.)


    ****


    ude, who had nned to throw mud at the teenage boy regardless of his answer, found himself unable to say anything in reply.


    Zion''s words were so righteous, but he had a feeling that there was a hidden meaning to it, which he couldn''t understand no matter what.


    However, since it might reflect badly on him if he continued this way of thought, he decided to change the topic bymenting on the current situation on the giant LCD Screen. "Looks like Mikhail Leverntis is out of luck," udemented. "He is now surrounded by fifteen people. What do you think, Zion? Will your brother be able to turn this situation around?"


    "I don''t know," Thirteen replied with a smile, conveniently ying along with his Co-Host. "I guess we''ll find out soon, won''t we?"


    Erica and Sherry, who had been in the limelight for the past few minutes, sighed in relief because Zion didn''t say anything that might cause a scandal.


    The two of them were well aware that Zion would have some nightmares from time to time.


    Because of this, both of them worked together to calm him down, giving him hugs, and


    kisses, and telling him that everything was going to be fine.


    What Zion didn''t know was that there were nights when Sherry would take the initiative to let Thirteen''s head rest on her bosom and hug him tight as he slept.


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t do the things he normally did to Erica when he was in Sherry''s embrace, which made the youngdy feel relieved and disappointed at the same time.


    While the twodies were having such thoughts, Mikhail, surrounded by fifteen Wanderers, took a fighting stance.


    However, just before he was about to fight, Cristopher and Colbert, who were in the same area as him, sneak attacked the Wanderers, who thought that they had the situation under their


    control.


    As soon as their formation broke, Mikhail moved like a whirlwind, knocking the opponents one by one until no one was left standing.


    Cristopher and Colbert dutifully crushed the bracelets of the unconscious Wanderers, eliminating them from the tournament.

 Chapter 707: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 4]

    Chapter 707: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons [Part 4]


    ?


    Christopher''s Avatar, Brutus, smacked thest Wanderer with his fist, sending thetter mming into a tree.


    The pitiful young man was knocked outpletely, no longer able to stand up after receiving such a blow.


    As of now, Brutus was a Rank 6 Sovereign, all thanks to Thirteen feeding him the flesh and blood of the Majin King.


    It was an Avatar capable of evolving to begin with, so its strength rose drastically, reaching the peak of a Rank 6 Sovereign.


    If Cristopher was lucky, Brutus might just break through and be a Rank 7 after fighting in the Cygni Continent during the Jinn Invasion.


    As for the rest of Thirteen''s Monster Army, he didn''t n to evolve them to the next Rank for the time being.


    Rushing to raise their Rank would make them weaker instead, so he nned to stabilize them first and have them gain more experience first before thinking about Ranking them up.


    This was especially true for Rocky, who was his strongest monster and had strategic value. As long as Rocky gained enough experience from fighting monsters of the same Rank or higher than his own, Thirteen believed that the Magma Bal-Boa would truly be a frightening existence once it became a Rank 8 Sovereign.


    But despite all this, Thirteen had a feeling that Brutus would be able to surpass Rocky when it came to pure fighting prowess.


    ording to Thirteen''s calctions, the Troll Champion seemed to be about to branch out and evolve into a Troll Pdin.


    Trolls were already strong to begin with, but once it became a Pdin, it would have ess to some powerful Divine Abilities that would make it a true Champion of Might and Magic.


    Naturally, Thirteen would also help Brutus learn a suitable Divine Martial Technique, making him more powerful than before.


    Colbert, on the other hand, smirked as his Avatar, a half-snake, half-man who wielded a spear, also dealt with the Wanderers who were watching the battle from a distance.


    These were the Wanderers who were hoping that they could take advantage of the situation and eliminate Mikhail if ever the fifteen Wanderers still failed to eliminate him from thepetition.


    Colbert''s Avatar had undergone a special mutation and became a Cecrops.


    In the beginning, it was only a giant python. But after making it devour a Centaur Warlord and oveing its natural enemy, a Griffin, it had undergone a mutation and transformed into a half-man, half-snake creature.


    The Cecrops were a male version of the Lamia, who were all females.


    In fact, Colbert''s Cecrops was probably the only one of its kind that was alive in Solterra.


    It was a unique creature that had the intelligence and power of a superhuman and the natural abilities of a snake.


    Just like Colbert, it was a very cunning monster and liked to use feints in battle while truly aiming to kill its opponent with a single strike.


    Overwhelmed by the Troll Champion, the Cecrops, and Mikhail, the groups that had banded together to eliminate Mikhail were all eliminated instead.


    "Sir Mikhail, the next scan will happen in two minutes," Colbert said with a smile. "How about we form a team and eliminate the other Wanderers?"


    "Sounds like a n," Mikhail replied. "I''m in."


    Cristopher nodded because this was indeed a good n.


    Mikhail was the older brother of his Master, so it was only natural that he made sure that he was safe from harm.


    Thirteen had already told him and Colbert that the Ashford n would target Mikhail and Shasha, so the two of them should regroup as fast as they could and look for Mikhail together.


    Naturally, Thirteen cheated and had his Demons hide themselves within the venue, telling Cristopher and Colbert where they needed to go.


    With this discreet guidance, they were able to regroup faster despite being sent to different locations within Deathly Canyon.


    ude, who saw all of this happen, couldn''t help but frown at the results.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, took over the role of Host and madements about the other survivors in thepetition.


    He used witty, fun, and entertaining words to rile up the people, making themugh, cheer, and feel anxious about certain battles that happened in the different venues.


    Even ude had to admit that Thirteen could be considered a Master of Ceremonies because he knew what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.


    Thirteen''s Squad captains, Alexis, Paul, Pietro, and Piper, were also doing extremely well.


    They were one of the people whom Thirteen had asked to go to the Rigel Continent so that he could train them personally.


    In fact, his Squad Captains had be so strong that they were almost as strong as the members of the Hero Party.


    Unfortunately, all of them were just Extras, so they couldn''t really surpass the Ranks of the Chosen Ones.


    Even so, they were like sponges, which was why Thirteen had purposely trained them alongside the Hero Party.


    This gave them Heroic Qualities, contributing to a fast growth in their development.


    Alcapone''s team, on the other hand, was also making a killing.


    None of the Wanderers in the Marsnds was able to take Alcapone and the rest of the E4 Mafia down because they were as slick as skater boys and as slippery as shammers.


    With this deadlybination, their enemies couldn''t get the initiative, and would always be the ones getting backstabbed in the end.


    The former Commander of Alcapone and his brothers-in-arms couldn''t help but look in shock as he watched the footage of the people whom he had kicked out from his Battalion. ''Are these really thosezy bums who knew nothing but hide during training?'' the Commander thought. ''Since when did they get this good in gueri warfare?''


    Alcapone and his men had done countless guerri missions in the Rigel Continent before the showdown of the Alliance and the Kings of the Rigel Continent even started.


    Thirteen had been hard on Alcapone and the others because he believed that if they didn''t squeeze their potential, thesezy bums would just chug on energy drinks while munching on


    donuts.


    That would''ve been a waste of their god-given talents, so the teenage boy made sure to pay special attention to them, making these skater boys no longer have time to bezy.


    As a result, they truly became men who were not only cunning but also extremely difficult to fight, especially once they fully utilized the advantages of the terrain they were fighting on. Several hourster, the candidates, who numbered in the thousands, dwindled to a fewn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    hundred.


    The Elimination Round would end at sunrise the next day.


    The moment the sun had set on the horizon, the traps that the Ashford n had set in the field had been activated, making the following night battle a much more dangerous and tricky situation for the remaining survivors on the battlefield.


    Thirteen also retired from being the Host of the show and went to his quarters to rest.


    The young man then sat cross-legged on the ground as he connected with his demons, who were also about to use the darkness of the night as cover to eliminate certain individuals who belonged to the Ashford n''s factions.


    Since they had dared to attack his siblings, he would pay the favor back to them tenfold.


    He intended to eliminate all the members of the Ashford n in the tournament so that only their Seeded Candidate could proceed to the Semi-Finals, where the real battles were about to


    begin.

 Chapter 708: End Of The Elimination Rounds [Part 1]

    Chapter 708: End Of The Elimination Rounds [Part 1]


    ?


    The sky was covered with clouds, blocking the light of the stars.


    It was also a moonless night, so the venues, where the elimination round was being held, were as dark as they could be.


    Gliding through the shadows of the night, the Parade of the Hundred Demons were at their element.


    They only had one goal, and that was to eliminate all the Wanderers from the Ashford n, who were not part of the Seeded Team, from the tournament.


    Since this was their home turf, ude had hired or bribed multiple Wanderers to act as their descendants'' bodyguards, making it easier for them to proceed to the next round of the elimination matches.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unfortunately for them, the moment Aaron and ude targeted Zion''s siblings, their fate had already been sealed in stone.


    Tiona''s clone slithered near the hiding ce of one such young man.


    This hiding ce wasn''t naturally formed but artificially made by the Ashford n, giving their people a ce to take refuge and tide the elimination round without getting hurt.


    Although it could remain hidden in the eyes of others, it was impossible to escape the Death Reapers who obeyed Thirteen''smand.


    The young man, who was sleeping peacefully inside his hiding ce, suddenly sensed something amiss.


    However, he believed that as long as he didn''t move from his hiding ce, no one would see him.


    At least, that was what he originally thought.


    A secondter, he felt a stinging pain on his arm as Tiona''s clone bit into it, making thetter scream in pain.


    The Clone could have just broken the bracelet, eliminating the young man in his sleep. But there was a chance that they would im that their bracelet had some hardware malfunction and broke on its own.


    To prevent them from using such an excuse, Thirteen decided to let his Demons attack first, then break the braceletter.


    After seeding in its sneak attack, the clone deftly broke the bracelet with a single bite before digging into the ground, hiding from view.


    It happened so fast that the young man didn''t know what had just hit him.


    All he knew was that his arm was now bleeding, and the bracelet on his wrist was broken, rendering him unable to continue participating.


    A few momentster, the Grandmasters of the Central Government and the Ashford n arrived, and they escorted him out of the venue to be treated, so he would no longer bother other participants.


    More screams erupted in the night as the members of the Ashford n and their bodyguards were eliminated one by one.


    With fifty overpowered Rank 1 Monsters roaming each venue, it was impossible to survive from their teamwork, which had been honed by many battles during the past few years.


    Even the group of twenty Wanderers hiding inside the Forest and searching for Shasha met a gruesome fate after they were ambushed by the youngdy, who was apanied by fifty of her little brother''s Demons.


    Of course, Thirteen could have ended the tournament using the same method, allowing his people to advance easily.


    But he didn''t do that.


    His targets were only the members of the Ashford n, for the only goal he had was to make sure that Aaron and ude would throw a hissing fit once they woke up the next day.


    The screams in the night were music to Cristopher''s and Colbert''s ears, who had been informed by Thirteen through the Rat Man, Kesari.


    Colbert even coordinated with the Demons to eliminate their enemies, while Cristopher remained as Mikhail''s bodyguard.


    Although the oldest member of his Master''s family didn''t really need his protection, he still tagged along, just in case.


    Soon, as the sun rose in the east, the disgruntled members of the Ashford n were interrogated by the Agents, who were supposed to look after them.


    However, after listening to their stories, the Agents couldn''t help but feel their scalp tingle. Why?


    It was because after informing the other Agents of what happened, all of them came to realize that the majority of people who had been eliminated during the night were the members of the Ashford n and their bodyguards.


    At first, they thought that it was a coincidence.


    However, after listening to their collective stories, it was very easy to assume that this wasn''t a mere coincidence.


    The members of the Ashford n were purposely targeted, leaving none of them behind. When ude heard about this, he immediately thought that Thirteen used his authority to ask the members of the Central Government to target their people during the night.


    However, this was impossible.


    The Grandmasters of the Central Government and the Grandmasters of the Ashford n moved in teams in the venue, ensuring that no foul y was done during the tournament. As such, it was impossible for the Central Government to have done such a thing.


    In the end, Aaron and ude pieced together the stories of their n Members and came to a conclusion.


    It was the work of Zion Leventis!


    Although they didn''t have any proof, there was only one person who had a grudge against them.


    If there had been more factionless Wanderers eliminated during the night, they would have simply thought that there were extremely powerful Wanderers who happened to eliminate those whom they came across during their wandering.


    "It has to be him," Aaron said calmly. "There is just no other exnation."


    "I agree, Father," ude nodded. "I also checked the camera footage hidden in the venues and found all of them destroyed. He must''ve done it to ensure that no evidence of his wrongdoing will be left behind."


    Even if Zion denied it or had an alibi forst night, Aaron and ude still wouldn''t believe any


    of his words.


    Their instincts were screaming at them that this could only be done by Zion Leventis, and they would not ept any other exnation.


    What the two didn''t know was that they were right on the money.


    The perpetrator was really none other than Thirteen, who had just woken up in Erica''s


    embrace.


    Clearly, he had a good night''s rest, knowing that the members of the Ashford n in the elimination venues had been eliminated.


    A few hourster, the Colosseum was once again packed with people.


    They had watched the footage during the night with the help of the Military Drones, which conveniently didn''t go near the locations where the members of the Ashford n were.

 Chapter 709: End Of The Elimination Rounds [Part 2]

    Chapter 709: End Of The Elimination Rounds [Part 2]


    ?


    Nothing much happened during the night, so those who stayedte were very disappointed.


    However, they''d be in an uproar if they knew that many things actually happened behind the scenes, which they didn''t get the opportunity to watch.


    "Good morning,dies and gentlemen, I hope that all of you managed to get some good sleep because I had a very good one!" Thirteen said with a big smile on his face.


    He indeed had a very good sleep, and it was all due to Sherry and Erica sleeping by his side. ude also had a good night''s sleep, but his morning hadn''t been as good as Zion''s.


    After hearing that all the members of the Ashford n had been eliminated, he was forced to drag himself to the arena and keep smiling despite the fact that he wanted to kick his Co-Host so badly and send him flying!


    "Sir ude, did you have a good night''s sleep too?" Thirteen, who was quick to rub salt on his Co-Host asked with a smile.


    "I had a good sleep," ude replied stiffly. "Now, let''s see the names of the remaining survivors of each venue!"


    Not wanting to discuss any more nonsense with the teenage boy, ude just wanted the elimination round to end.


    Since none of his n Members were left in the tournament, he was finding it difficult to continue smiling in front of everyone.


    Thirteen, who decided that it wasn''t worth it to keep kicking a dead horse, smiled and made a gesture for the staff to show the names of thest remaining survivors on each battlefield.


    The teenage boy was pleasantly surprised to see that, not only did his siblings remain in thepetition, but everyone else was also there.


    Cristopher and Colbert, whom he had personally trained, were by Mikhail''s side, acting as his bodyguard.


    Alcapone and his Mafia Members were terrorizing the Marsnds, bing the Kings of then/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    venue.


    Shasha and her loyal band of Simps-errr, admirers, were also going strong. They just finished having a simple breakfast and were nning to eliminate the rest of thepetition by dividing themselves into separate teams.


    Thirteen''s Squad Captains, Alexis, Paul, Pietro, and Piper, who were all in the Valley Area, had mostly eliminated theirpetition.


    Based on the current trend, unless something truly unexpected happened, Thirteen and ude believed that the battle would be over before lunchtime.


    The teenage boy, who was in a good mood, made a livelymentary, keeping the audience entertained throughout the entire battle.


    Thepetition in the different venues ended after two hours had passed.


    The traps that the Ashford n had set up in different ces had eliminated several


    Wanderers during the first day, so their numbers had been drastically reduced.


    After most Wanderers formed teams, the remaining stragglers were quickly eliminated, thus bringing closure to the first round of the elimination matches.


    Thest ten people left from each venue were escorted back to the Colosseum, where they were showered with cheers and apuse.


    Congrattions, all of you, for passing the first round of the elimination matches," Thirteen said with a smile. "However, the forty of you have just begun your journey. Tomorrow, only twenty of you will remain.


    "You will participate in one-on-one battles, and the winner will proceed to the next round, joining the Seeded Candidates in a battle of supremacy!"


    The Seeded Members numbered thirty in total.


    Each Monarch n, with the exception of the Ashford n, had one candidate.


    As the Hosts, they get the privilege of having two Seeded Candidates in their quota.


    The Ten Prestigious Families had one seeded member each.


    As for the Hero Party, they were automatically added as Seeded Candidates.


    The remaining slots were given to the winners of other simr tournaments, including the Champion of the GANDAM Heaven Sword Tournament, which happened a year ago.


    ude hoped that Mikhail and Shasha would get to face each other in the tournament, so one of them would be eliminated.


    However, who was Thirteen?


    He had long rigged the Ballot Boxes, from which the participants would draw their ballots to see who their next opponent was.


    The teenage boy had applied Rune Magic on it, preventing the names that he inscribed from fighting against each other.


    As such, all those who received training under his Guidance in the Rigel Continent were guaranteed to fight outsiders, preventing them from eliminating each other in the second round of the elimination matches.


    "Everyone, please draw your ballots!" Thirteen shouted. "You will fight the person who has the same number as the one you got. Go ahead and test your luck! Will Fortune smile upon you today? Or will Bad Luck make you go away?"


    One by one, the survivors drew their ballots.


    And, just like as Thirteen orchestrated, none of his people was matched against each other.


    Cristopher, Colbert, and Alcapone breathed a sigh of relief because they didn''t really want to eliminate theirrades in battle.


    Thirteen didn''t tell them that the event was rigged and would continue to be rigged until the Semi-Finals.


    "Well then, everyone, I''ll see you all tomorrow!" Thirteen replied. "Sir ude, do you have some final words to say?"


    "Thank you all foring," udemented. "Let''s meet again tomorrow."


    After saying those words, both Hosts of the Tournament waved their hands to bid everyone


    goodbye.


    Then they both walked out at the same time.


    The moment that they were no longer seen by anyone, ude snorted.


    "I don''t know what kind of underhanded tricks you tried to yst night, but you got us good." ude sneered. "Also, don''t bother denying it. I won''t believe whatever excuses you


    have to say!"


    "Tricks?" Thirteen asked in an innocent tone. "What tricks are you talking about, Sir ude?"


    Although ude had said that he wouldn''t believe whatever excuses Zion would say to prove his innocence, the teenage boy still asked.


    There was a difference between silently agreeing to something and outright denying it.


    With silence, ude would confirm that he had nned everything, which would make him hate the teenage boy more.


    But if Zion at least talked and tried to refute ude''s usations, the older man would second guess if his suspicion was wrong and start wondering if a third party was involved.


    In any case, Thirteen would not y along with these silly mind games and would nip all doubts in the bud before they could fester.


    As to whether ude and Aaron would believe him or not, it didn''t really matter.


    The moment he spoke up, a seed of doubt would already be nted in ude''s heart, making him unable to pin the me on the teenage boy wholeheartedly.


    ude didn''t even bother to answer Zion''s question and stormed off without a second nce.


    If only he turned his head around at the right moment, he would have seen the mischievous smile that appeared on the teenage boy''s face.


    There was no doubt that Thirteen was the one responsible for the suffering of the members of the young generation of the Ashford n.


    Despite having theplete advantage in the early stages of thepetition, they were


    forced to take a back seat and enviously watch the people who had now gone into the second


    round of the tournament.

 Chapter 710: Is There Someone Stronger Than You?

    Chapter 710: Is There Someone Stronger Than You?


    ?


    The forty survivors would fight each other until their number was down to twenty.


    After that, the realpetition would begin.


    The Seeded yers would also have to fight until the Semi-Finals.


    As long as his people entered the next stage, Thirteen was sure to see some interesting battles in the future.


    For now, the survivors would rest for a day before they step into the arena to fight it out in one-on-one battles.


    ude, who had seen the names of the Wanderers who''d be fighting each other the next day, couldn''t help but frown.


    He was hoping that Shasha and Mikhail would be clustered with the people whom he believed were in cahoots with Zion Leventis.


    However, none of the people who have some kind of connection with the teenage boy were fighting each other.


    As suspicious as it might be, he was there when everyone drew their ballots, and it was impossible to cheat under his watch.


    He wouldn''t think much even if Mikhail and Shasha didn''t face each other so early in the tournament.


    But coupled with how the entire Ashford n was eliminated from the first round of the tournament, he believed that something very strange was happening.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it.


    ''They wouldn''t be so lucky in the next battles,'' ude thought as he looked at the scenery outside the window of his office.


    Standing on the same stage as the teenage boy he hated took a lot of effort on his part.


    In the end, he decided to abstain from hosting, leaving everything in Zion''s hands.


    After making this decision, he felt a lot better, and the weight pressing on his heart disappeared without a trace.


    Meanwhile, in the Summer''s Residence, a small party was held to congratte Mikhail, Shasha, and Vincent for their victory against the other participants.


    "Remember, this tournament is far from over," Thirteen said in a serious tone to his two siblings. "Don''t let your guard down, and never underestimate your enemies."


    "Yes, Zion," Mikhail replied.


    Shasha nodded. "I''ll listen to you."


    Seeing the scene of the younger sibling lecturing his older siblings made Sherry smile. She had always felt that Zion was more mature for his age, and yet, he was also childish in many


    ways.


    This stark contrast, which Zion allowed only those close to him to see, made them feel that he wasn''t out of reach and was still human just like the rest of them.


    The members of the Hero Party, who saw this, didn''t find this scene unusual.


    After being trained by Zion in the Rigel Continent, all of them didn''t consider him as "young" and had subconsciously treated him as their superior.


    Even Rnd and Joshua, who treated him as their rival, couldn''t help but look up to him as well.


    "Master, who do you think is the greatest threat in this tournament?" Derek asked. "Like, who do you think will be the Dark Horse and has the highest chance of winning?"


    "Alcapone," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "He is the current Dark Horse in this tournament."


    The people in the room thought about one of the oldest subordinates who served under Zion, so they couldn''t help but wonder why he thought that way.


    "Do you mean even I might lose against him?" Erica asked.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied without hesitation. "Right now, you''re too overconfident. You believe that since you can fly and have mastered some powerful offensive techniques, you are now invincible.


    "This tournament will be a good opportunity to make you understand that there is always someone stronger than you."


    Erica pouted, but she didn''t say anything to contradict the teenage boy''s words. If Zion said that Alcapone could threaten her, then she would believe him.


    She even made a vow to drop a meteor at the very start of the match if ever Alcapone was going to be her opponent.


    That way, not only would the man be obliterated, but the entire arena would be destroyed as well.


    Thirteen could guess what Erica was thinking, but he didn''t make any move to correct her. Alcapone''s Divine Ability was special. If he were fighting alone, then Erica would definitely win hands down.


    However, Alcapone wouldn''t be fighting alone in any of his battles.


    As long as the E4 Mafia cheered and supported him from the audience stands, his power would drastically increase.


    The more E4 Mafia members there were, the stronger Alcapone would be.


    "How about you, Zion?" Rnd asked. "Is there someone stronger than you?"


    "Of course," Thirteen replied without hesitation. "I have already lost to this person in the past. However, I am currently doing everything in my power so that I will win in our


    rematch."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He didn''t count his victory against the Avatar of the System God a true victory.


    Thirteen knew that if the System God fought without any limitations hindering him, the teenage boy would have no chance of winning.


    Even if all the restrictions on his body were to be lifted, the chances of Thirteen winning against his father were extremely slim.


    However, he had already found a way to ovee the difference in strength.


    As long as he reached that point, even if the Goddess of Fate joined hands with his father, both of them would stand no chance against him.


    When they heard that Zion had already lost to someone, Mikhail, Shasha, Derek, and Erica immediately asked who that person was.


    They nned to avenge the teenage boy because they believed that he was just bullied by someone stronger than him.


    However, Thirteen said that he would only tell them who that person was when they got strong enough to gain his approval.


    Unless they passed his standards, there was no way for them to challenge the person who


    defeated Zion.


    He only told them that he would tell them the identity of the person who defeated him when


    they were strong enough.


    But the chances of that happening were nearly zero.


    How could they possibly win against one of the strongest New Generation Gods of the


    multiverse?


    In the end, the others were forced to relent and settle with making Zion promise them that he would let them challenge the person who defeated him once they were strong enough. Thirteen had no problem making this promise because he believed that day would never


    come.

 Chapter 711 Did I Perhaps Owe Him In My Past Life?

    Chapter 711 Did I Perhaps Owe Him In My Past Life?


    An hourter, Vincent approached Thirteen and talked to him in private.


    "My father called me earlier and told me that the members of the Ashford n were eliminated during the night by a mysterious force," Vincent said. "Are you the one who kicked them off the tournament?"


    "No," Thirteen replied. "I didn''t do such a thing."


    Vincent stared at him long and hard before nodding his head in understanding. Even though the Osborn n was one of the Ten Prestigious Families, they were hard-pressed in the Sirius Continent because the two Monarch ns were allies.


    Knowing that they couldn''t face these two Behemoths, the Patriarch of the Osborn n decided to ally themselves with the Central Government.


    Despite needing to make concessions in order to gain Lawrence''s protection, it was still better than bing the subordinates of the Ashford and Stard ns.


    In this dog-eat-dog world, anyone should have a dependable ally whom they could count on when things get rough.


    The Leventis Family had a neutral rtionship with the Remington n, who was the Overlord of the Aldebaran Continent. Not only that, but Arthur also had a decent rtionship with the Smith and Lockwood Families, who were also in the Aldebaran Continent.


    The Patriarch of the Leventis n understood that he must bide his time and sharpen his ws before he rose up to take his rightful ce among the powerful people of the world.


    But after meeting his no-good grandson, Zion, Arthur had experienced many unbelievable things that curbed up his arrogance a bit.


    However, it also boosted his confidence. With Zion around, he believed the rise of the Leventis Family was just around the corner.


    Even now, the power that was under hismand wouldn''t lose to any of the Monarch ns.


    Arthur also understood that the bnce of the world would change after the Jinn Invasion in the Cygni Continent.


    Whether they manage to repel these monsters or not, the world would never be the same again.


    As an old fox himself, he understood that when that moment came, the Monarch ns would finally make their move and target the Prestigious Families.


    The Elrod n and the Griffin n might not harm the Leventis Family because of their rtionship with Zion.


    However, the Ashford and the Stard n would definitely make a move.


    Arthur had already made a secret alliance with the Central Government and was even making moves on the Remington n.


    Thirteen asked him to propose a mutual cooperation and defense treaty with the Remington n, as well as the Smith and Lockwood Families, in case of any outside forces that would threaten the Aldebaran Continent, as well as the Families that served as its Protectors.


    Trevor Remington still hadn''t made a decision yet, but the Lockwood and Smith Families were very interested in this idea.


    Arthur had a feeling that Trevor wanted to stand on the fence and not participate in any kind of alliance for the time being.


    But that was fine.


    Even if Trevor Remington decided to join hands with the Ashford and Stard n to eliminate the Leventis Family, Thirteen assured his grandfather that he had nothing to worry about.


    And Arthur believed himpletely.


    Zion had given him Project Nemo, and this alone was enough to serve as a powerful deterrence against outside forces.


    If Nautilus was mobilized, they could also eliminate any threats that came from outside the Aldebaran Continent.


    For threats that were already inside the Aldebaran Continent, Thirteen wasn''t the least bit worried about them.


    The teenage boy had already transformed the mountain where his home was located.


    It was now a powerful fortress that could eliminate even Rank 9 Monsters without problems.


    All Thirteen needed to do was say the specialmand, and the world would understand that they kicked a ho''s nest they shouldn''t have provoked.


    The Monarch ns believed that no one in Pangea was their match, with the exception of Lawrence Seaton, the Grand Marshal of the Central Government, but they couldn''t be any more wrong in that line of thought.


    Thirteen had not only prepared a contingency n for such things, but he was also under the protection of the Death Lord, Erasmus, who would be the first to make a move if Zion was ever in danger.


    Last but not the least, the Earth Dragons were also wavering if they should continue to be loyal to their Master or choose to ally with Thirteen.


    The battle against the Majin King had shaken them to the core.


    The image of the young man beating the crap out of the Ancient Eight-Headed Serpent had left a very deep andsting impression in their hearts.


    They even believed that if their true Master were to fight Zion, the winner between the two of them would be hard to guess.


    In the end, the three Earth Dragons decided to take this matter seriously and were waiting for the oue of the Jinn Invasion that would be happening in the Cygni Continent.


    Vincent drank silently on the balcony, staring at the moon in the sky.


    Although Zion denied that he was the one responsible for eliminating the members of the Ashford n in the elimination rounds, he had a feeling that the teenage boy didn''t tell him the truth. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Maybe he still doesn''t trust me enough to be part of his inner circle,'' Vincent thought with a bitter smile on his face. ''But that is understandable. We have just met, and haven''t known each other for a long time.''


    Vincent didn''t understand, but there was a strong urge that was telling him to make sure that he stayed by Zion''s side no matter what.


    This feeling was so strong, that the thought of not doing it made him feel heartbroken.


    He had never felt such strong desire and longing in his life.


    ''Did I perhaps owe him in my past life?'' Vincent mused with a smile on his face. ''Or did he perhaps save a universe in his past life?''


    The handsome young man had a hobby of reading cultivation novels. He was quite addicted to reading them, and he could continuously read for days on end on some asions.


    He would even forget to eat during those times and would only stop reading when he could no longer stand his hunger. Vincent even had a wild thought that, maybe, he did live in a cultivation world in his past life, and for some reason, he also believed that Thirteen had also been there, apanying him in his journey to reach the pinnacle of the world.

 Chapter 712 Arena Battles [Part 1]

    Chapter 712 Arena Battles [Part 1]


    On the second day of the Elimination Matches¡­


    Thirteen stood on the stage alone, addressing the audience with a smile on his face.


    His Co-Host, ude, had asked him to handle the rest of the hosting for the tournament, citing that he needed to handle important family matters.


    Naturally, this was a valid excuse. Glory City was still technically being reconstructed, and there were many important matters that needed ude''s attention.


    Thirteen did not mind epting the request, well aware of just how much he had pissed the Ashford n. Giving them a break would be good for both sides.


    "And now, the event everyone had been waiting for¡ªthe second round of the elimination matches!" Thirteen dered, and the audience cheered in support of his words. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Now, let''s call our first contestant! Standing on the left corner, one of the Squad Captains of the 69th Battalion of the Central Government, Alcapone!"


    Loud cheers that came from the soldiers of the Central Government weed one of theirrades in the arena, who was more than happy to receive everyone''s support and acknowledgment.


    "And on the right corner, hailing from the Cygni Continent, let''s cheer for the mysterious Mr. JJ!"


    Another round of apuse spread in the arena as Mr. JJ appeared.


    "I''m not getting paid enough for this," Mr. JJ muttered as he begrudgingly walked to the arena.


    The two contestants faced off against each other without saying a word.


    "Before we start, let me just remind everyone of the rules of the tournament," Thirteen said. "Killing is not allowed and will immediately disqualify the contestant from the tournament. However, crippling your opponent or cutting off their limbs is fine. "We have many amazing healers on standby to fix you up really quick. If the opponent surrenders or loses consciousness, it will automatically count as their defeat. With that said, are both of you ready?!"


    Alcapone and Mr. JJ both nodded their heads at the same time, signaling the start of the tournament.


    A ck me appeared on Alcapone''s forehead, making him look more intimidating than ever before. "Then let''s get this show started!" Thirteen shouted. "Battle Start!"


    As soon as the order was given, Alcapone didn''t hesitate to use one of his Core Abilities, which he gained after receiving the Divine Martial Technique called the Phantom King''s Shadow Dominion.


    "Chains of Oblivion!" Alcapone roared.


    Immediately, countless shadowy chains erupted from the ground with the intention of binding Mr. JJ and ending the fight early.


    However, as if sensing this attack beforehand, Mr. JJ took a step back and threw flying daggers at Alcapone as a counterattack.


    "Don''t underestimate people who aren''t paid for their overtime!" Mr. JJ shouted as his flying swords weaved through the air like live snakes that wished to sink their fangs into their prey.


    Alcapone snorted and summoned more chains to deflect the flying daggers, but to his surprise, the daggers evaded these chains with ease.


    When the flying daggers were only a few meters away, Alcapone ran and slid across the arena as if he were skating on ice.


    Chains rose up in his wake, which fended off the pursuing flying daggers, making clinking sounds as they shed against each other.


    Mr JJ, threw more Flying Daggers until there were ten of them in the arena.


    Each of these daggersshed out at Alcapone as soon as Mr. JJ made a waving gesture with his hands.


    It was as if he could manipte the daggers with invisible strings that were attached to each of his fingers.


    This kind of weapon maniption was one of the rarest abilities among Wanderers.


    Fighting against someone with this ability was like fighting against many people at once, for the daggers could move independently or be controlled by its user, allowing them to get the upper hand in one-on-one battles.


    Unfortunately, he was fighting with someone who could nullify these attacks with attacks of his own.


    Thirteen had given Alcapone some restrictions. For one, thetter could only use Chains of Oblivions in the Elimination Rounds.


    Of course, he could use other skills and abilities as long as they weren''t one of the Main Abilities of his Divine Martial Technique, which was supposed to be his Trump Cards and thus shouldn''t be shown in public.


    Alcapone agreed with Zion on this one. Trump cards should only be used as ast resort.


    And he wouldn''t need to use anyst resort in this battle.


    More chains rose up from the ground, and this time, they covered a quarter of the arena, trapping Mr. JJ with no ce to run.


    Alcapone had mastered this trick when he was being trained by Thirteen in the Rigel Continent.


    From the moment the fight started, he had already unleashed his Chains of oblivion at his opponent and on the ground.


    These hidden chains would appear to encircle his opponent, trapping them at the center with no ce to run.


    Mr. JJ tried to use his flying daggers to break through, but it was of no use.


    The chains rose up and bound all the daggers, preventing them from going anywhere.


    With his opponent''s main weapons rendered unusable, Alcapone went in for the finishing blow.


    On top of having nowhere to run, and his legs and arms being held by the chains, Mr. JJ was sent flying off from the arena with Alcapone''s kick, ending the match in a masterful show of abilities.


    "Winner, Alcapone!" Thirteen shouted as he pointed at Alcapone, who waved at his supporters, earning him another round of cheer and apuse.


    "Now, for the second match, we have my brother, Mikhail Leventis!" Thirteen raised his hand. The moment Mikhail appeared, a loud cheer erupted in the stands, and if one were to listen closely, thedies were cheering louder than the guys.


    Mikhail might be a man of few words, but he was very handsome.


    He had short blonde hair, and his eyes were as clear as the blue sky above the Colosseum.


    The young man had many admirers, and there were manydies who wished to melt his seemingly cold personality, which was a mere facade he had trained over the years due to Thirteen''s help.


    Thirteen was worried that his brother would be easily manipted by thedies, so he taught him to act aloof and say as little words as possible.


    Only when Mikhail was with his family would he show his real self, which would have melted the hearts of thedies due to how kind, caring, and affectionate he was.


    When the cheering died down a bit, Thirteen introduced Mikhail''s opponent.


    "Some of you may have heard his name, but he is known as one of the Rising Stars of this Generation!'' Thirteen stated. "Let us all wee, Sam Ting Rong!"


    Cheers once again spread in the arena, but it was not as loud as Mikhail''s entrance. Clearly, the crowd had their own favorites.


    Sam knew that he was the underdog in this match, but he was fine with that.


    He believed that if he managed to win against the popr Mikhail, his poprity would reach greater heights.


    "You already know the rules, so I won''t repeat them!" Thirteen said. "Now, let the second match begin!"


    Sam immediately charged at Mikhail with the intention of ending the battle in a single strike.


    Mikhail, on the other hand, stomped his foot on the ground.


    The moment he did that, the ground under Sam''s feet rose up, catching him off guard.


    He was then propelled in the air, unable to dodge Mikhail''s well-timed kick, which sent Sam flying outside of the arena.


    The battle ended just as quickly as it started. Mikhail then left the arena without a word, making Thirteen smile faintly.


    Half a minuteter, the audience regained theirposure and sent Mikhail off with a round of apuse.


    But when the nextpetitor arrived at the scene, the cheering was so loud, making Thirteen almost be momentarily deaf.


    He could only watch with a bitter smile on his face as his sister''s fans cheered non-stop for theing of their idol.

 Chapter 713 Arena Battles [Part 2]

    Chapter 713 Arena Battles [Part 2]


    The moment the beautiful youngdy stepped into the arena, the cheering exploded like thunder.


    Shasha was immensely popr¡ªnot only with the guys but also with the girls. There were so many people that were captivated by her beauty, and strength, making her one of the most popr among the members of the young generation. She was even in the top 4 Heavenly Beauty Rankings, which was an unofficial ranking made by the Simp Club, who had very high standards when it came to beautifuldies. The three other members of that Ranking were Erica, Shana, and Alexandria Griffin, the jewel of the Griffin n.


    Despite her tomboyish and fiery personality, Erica was still a beautifuldy who had many admirers.


    Shana, who looked pure and innocent, held an irresistible charm that made people want to protect her.


    As for Alexandria Griffin, she had a noble and gant air. She was also very charismatic and always stood at the front of battles, leading everyone in battles.


    Because of this, she was the idol of thedies who aspired to be strong and courageous in battle.


    Thirteen had yet to meet this youngdy from the Griffin n, but he had already seen her pictures.


    However, Thirteen wasn''t really a good judge for beauties. He had already seen literal Goddesses in the past, whose beauty surpassed those of ordinary mortals.


    Because of this, he was numb when it came to beautifuldies, which was the reason why he wouldn''t bat an eye even when he saw Erica and Shana without their clothes on.


    "I no longer need to introduce my sister, so let me introduce her opponent instead," Thirteen said pointing at the youngdy, who had also stepped up into the arena. "Let''s give a round of apuse for Miss Lucy Ferr!"


    Some of the audience also cheered for the youngdy, whom they found very pitiful to be matched against Thirteen''s sister. Shasha''s opponent, who was also a youngdy, could only scowl at her opponent. Although she was pretty, she was far from matching Shasha''s beauty and poprity.


    Just like how men hated the more handsome, more popr guys, girls also hated those who were more popr and beautiful than them.


    The only exceptions to the rule were celebrities, actors, and those who were in the entertainment industry.


    The only exceptions to the rule were celebrities, actors, and those who were in the entertainment industry.


    But even they couldn''t escape haters¡ªthat was just how the world works.


    "Are both of you ready to fight?" Thirteen asked.


    "Ready," Shasha replied. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I am ready!" Lucy dered.


    Thirteen raised his hand and once again dered the start of the battle.


    "Battle Start!"


    Lucy waved her hand, and countless paper cranes flew out of her storage bag.


    "I have no grudge against you, but I have to win!" Lucy shouted as she used her trump card.


    "zing Crane Assault!"


    The countless paper cranes started to ze brightly before flying toward Shana, like Phoenixes that wished to burn their target to ashes.


    Shasha, who was standing perfectly still, coldly watched as the ming cranes approached her from every direction.


    They were like missiles that had herpletely surrounded with nowhere to run.


    However, Shasha wasn''t worried in the slightest.


    A loud explosion erupted in the arena, making it tremble.


    Lucy narrowed her eyes because she didn''t know if she managed to defeat her opponent or not.


    Thepetition stated that killing wasn''t allowed. However, Shasha''s strength was known to all, so Lucy didn''t dare to hold back in the slightest.


    However, after witnessing the grand explosion in front of her, she started to feel anxious. With the smoke blocking the view, who knew if she had gone overboard and identally killed her opponent? If that were the case, it would definitely not be a good thing on her part.


    However, before she could continue this line of thought, she felt something cold press against her neck, followed by a melodious voice right by her ear. "Do you still want to fight?" Shasha asked.


    She could now appear in her opponent''s shadow as long as they were within twenty meters from her.


    However, she couldn''t use this ability consecutively. If only she could use this infinitely, then this skill wouldpletely be a broken ability, allowing Shasha to move unhindered anywhere.


    Fortunately, she could only use it once every half a minute, and she must time it perfectly.


    If her opponent went past the range of her skill, it would not take effect, leaving her vulnerable to attacks or abilities that were simr to what Lucy had unleashed against her.


    Knowing that her opponent had already shown her mercy, Lucy surrendered, ending the match then and there.


    The fourth one toe up to the arena was Vincent, who was also surprisingly popr in the crowd.


    His opponent was wearing something simr to what amazons wear, looking like a warrior who had seen many life-and-death battles.


    "On our left corner, we have Vincent Osborn!" Thirteen stated. "And on our right, we have Ms. Wanda Rinn!"


    Just as Thirteen was about to start the fight, Vincent raised his hand, as if wanting to say something.


    "Can I talk to her for a minute?" Vincent asked. "There is something I need to tell her."


    "Only if she agrees," Thirteen replied before ncing at Wanda, who gave a brief nod of agreement.


    Vincent then approached his opponent and whispered something in her ear.


    Wanda looked as if she was pondering something before she whispered back in Vincent''s ear.


    The young man nodded, and half a minuteter, a devilish smile appeared on Wanda''s face.


    "I concede this match," Wanda said, which not only surprised Thirteen but the audience as well.


    The Amazoness then walked out of the arena, but before she could leave itpletely, she turned around to look at Vincent with a blush.


    "Remember your promise," Wanda said.


    Vincent nodded. "Wait for me in your room tonight."


    "¡­"


    """¡­"""


    Thirteen and the audience became speechless because Vincent''s words could easily be misinterpreted.


    Suddenly, a boo erupted from the audience stand, followed by more boos.


    The teenage boy, who was standing on the stage, nced at the stands and noticed that all the boos wereing from the boys, who seemed to understand the meaning behind Vincent''s words.


    Vincent, who was now being viewed as scum by these people, just chuckled before leaving the arena with a smile on his face.


    Thirteen, who had a vague understanding of what transpired earlier, was also very tempted to join the crowd who was currently booing Vincent.


    The young man only shrugged and walked out of the arena. Since he had made a promise, he would meet up with Wanda tonight and eat some cake, enjoying their time together. Only when Vincent disappeared from sight did the booing die down. The rest of the matches continued untilte in the afternoon.


    Thirteen was d that nearly half of the matches were finished, and he hoped that the rest of the matches would also end just as fast the next day.


    When everything was done, the final survivors would proceed to the next stage of the Tournament, where the Seeded Candidates would finally join the battle until they reached the Semi-Finals of the League of Dragons and Phoenixes.

 Chapter 714 Posed A Serious Threat To The Road Of The Semifinals

    Chapter 714 Posed A Serious Threat To The Road Of The Semifinals


    Two dayster, the second round of the Elimination Matches had finally ended.


    Twenty candidates emerged on top among over a thousand Wanderers, and now, they were gathered in the arena, looking at the stage where Thirteen stood with determined looks on their faces.


    "Congrattions to all of you for getting this far," Thirteen said with genuine praise. "Now, all of you will join the thirty Seeded Candidates of this tournament!"


    The crowd cheered after hearing Thirteen''s deration.


    When themotion died down, the teenage boy began to exin the next phase of thepetition.


    "With the Seeded Candidates joining the tournament, the total number of participants in the League of Dragons and Phoenixes is exactly fifty people," Thirteen exined. "The fifty participants will be divided into four groups¡ªthree with twelve members each and one with fourteen. Each group will fight it out until the one and only winner is left.


    "The four winners would then enter the Semi-Finals, where they would battle it out to see who would be the Champion!"


    The crowd once again started cheering as the thirty Seeded Candidates entered the Colosseum.


    One by one, they stepped up into the arena, joining those who had fought bitterly to reach this stage.


    Rnd, Derek, and Joshua stood side by side, gaining the attention of thedies who admired the Hero Party.


    Not long after, Erica, Shana, Diana, and Mildred walked toward theirrades,pleting the lineup of the Hero Party.


    Their entrance was soon followed by the most talented prodigies sent by the Four Monarch ns and the Ten Prestigious Families, each of them radiating confidence and power that made them stand out from the rest.


    Last but not the least, the Champions of variouspetitions during the past three years also walked up to the arena.


    Rianna was among them because she had won a tournament sponsored by the Central Government in the past.


    The Champions from different tournaments numbered nine in total,pleting the fifty Wanderer lineup that could be considered as the strongest among the young generation.


    Seeing all of them, Thirteen couldn''t help but smile.


    The Champions from different tournaments numbered nine in total,pleting the fifty Wanderer lineup that could be considered as the strongest among the young generation.


    Seeing all of them, Thirteen couldn''t help but smile.


    He had hidden agendas for this tournament as well, so seeing so many talented people made him quite happy.


    ''I''ll make sure to brainwash them well,'' Thirteen mused to himself before exining the other rules of thepetition.


    "All of you will draw from the ballot box, which will decide what group you will be in," Thirteen exined. "You will also receive one more number alongside your group number.


    "For example, you drew the ball 4-1. This means that you are in Group Four, and you will be the first one to fight in the tournament. The one who has the exact same number as you will be your opponent. Easy to understand, right?"


    Thirteen then made a gesture for the meter-tall ballot box to be pushed into the arena so that the Wanderers could start drawing their numbered balls.


    The first one to draw was none other than rk Ashford, who had been hailed as the strongest Wanderer during the Party of the Remington n, where Thirteen, Mikhail, and their Father, Gerald, had attended.


    However, Mikhail''s performance during the party had been quite striking, overshadowing the members of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families.


    Since then, people started viewing Mikhail as the true leader of the young generation instead of rk, which thetter detested.


    As far as rk was concerned, Mikhail was nothingpared to him.


    Although Mikhail had the surname Leventis, his father had been kicked out of the family and was only clinging to his surname out of desperation.


    The Prodigy of the Ashford n didn''t put anyone who wasn''t part of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families in his eyes.


    However, it was uncontroble for him to notice Mikhail after beingpared to thetter almost every time to the point that he was starting to get very irritated by it.


    07:32


    Because of this, he wished that he and Mikhail would be matched in the tournament, giving him the opportunity to finally settle things with thetter and make everyone understand that he was still the strongest member of his generation.


    The ball rk drew had the number 1-1.


    This meant that he was in the First Group and the first to fight in the tournament.


    The young man found this match-up very much to his liking. Since he would be the first one to fight, he would be able to be in the limelight first before everyone else.


    rk then ced the ball on the machine beside the Ballot Box, which would show everyone in the Arena which group he would be ced.


    The Giant LCD Screen revealed rk''s face and the number he drew.


    A momentter, the image of the LCD Screen changed, and rk''s name appeared on the bracket of the First Group.


    After rk finished his draw, the other Wanderers no longer held back and started to draw the balls from the box as well. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One by one, their faces appeared on the LCD Screen, as well as the number that they drew for the tournament.


    Soon, the branches of the different groups were slowly filled up.


    Thirteen, who was watching this scene,ughed internally. Of course, he had also rigged the matches of this fight.


    However, this only worked in the first few matches.


    In the end, those who were truly strong would be the ones to rise up from their own groups, regardless of the tricks he had yed at the start.


    But that was fine.


    Thirteen wouldn''t mind whoever won the tournament because he was also cooking something else, which he would announce in the Semi-Finals.


    When rk realized who his opponent was for the First Round, he couldn''t help but frown. He was matched against someone who could pose a serious threat to his road to the Semi-Finals.


    Rnd, who was holding the ball with the numbers 1-1 on them, nced at rk Ashford with a calm expression on his face.


    When Thirteen rigged the ballot box with his Rune Magic, he made sure that the Prodigy of the Ashford n would face Rnd in the first match.


    When everyone realized that rk and Rnd would be fighting, looks of surprise appeared on their faces.


    However, this was soon reced by excitement!


    ude, who was looking at the LCD Screen, frowned. Just like rk, he understood that Rnd posed a serious threat to their sess in the tournament.


    Contrary to them, Thirteen was gloating internally because his strategy was perfect.


    Whether it was rk or Rnd who would be eliminated first, it didn''t change the fact that one of the thorns that threatened his siblings would be taken out of the picture regardless of the oue.

 Chapter 715 In the Face Of Absolute Strength, All Tricks Are Meaningless

    Chapter 715 In the Face Of Absolute Strength, All Tricks Are Meaningless


    After the drawing of ballots had ended, Thirteen looked at the lineup on the LCD Screen in front of him.


    Mikhail was in Group 2, while Shasha was in Group 3.


    Erica and Shana were both in Group 4.


    It was inevitable for his people to end up fighting each other, so all he could do was make sure that they were properly ced in groups where they would have some advantage.


    Cristopher and Colbert were in Group 2, while Alcapone and his Mafia Members were in Group 3.


    His Squad Captains were in Group 4, and they were matched up against the Prodigies of the Monarch ns and Prestigious Families.


    Believing that Alcapone and the others wouldn''t be able to exert their full might if they fought against the friends that they had trained with in the Rigel Continent, Thirteen rigged it so that they wouldn''t have to eliminate each other in the opening matches.


    After that, it was all up to their luck on who they would face in the next round of the tournament.


    That was the only thing that Thirteen could do for them.


    The teenage boy then nced at Rnd, who was looking at the LCD Screen with a determined look on his face.


    Since he was up against rk Ashford, their match would certainly draw a lot of attention.


    ''I''m sure the Ashford n will y some tricks for this match-up,'' Thirteen thought. ''I just wonder if it''s going to work.''


    For Thirteen, Rnd''s fight against rk would not be fought fair and square.


    There was a possibility that the Ashford n would drug the leader of the Hero Party by spiking his drink or spraying a scent that would weaken him during the time of their match.


    He had no intention of stopping such things from happening, surmising that this would serve as a lesson to Rnd in the future.


    During their training in the Rigel Continent, Thirteen repeatedly told him that only the strong could afford to fight fair and square.


    "You''re not strong, Rnd," Thirteen had said to him straight up. "I''m stronger than you, and even then, I still use every trick in the book to win. If you want to ovee someone like me, then be strong enough to shrug off these tricks.


    "Perhaps, by then, you will get a chance to win against me. But don''t dream too much, okay? You won''t win against me no matter what."


    Rnd merely scoffed at Thirteen back then and told him that he would definitely beat him in the future.


    The Leader of the Hero Party had already treated Thirteen as his rival, so he would do his best to surpass Zion no matter what.


    ''I wonder if his Plot Armor will kick in at thest minute,'' Thirteen mused.


    Heroes were loved by Fate, so when they were close to losing, they would suddenly awaken some kind of power that would help them ovee all obstacles that stood in their way.


    Thirteen and those who were knowledgeable about such matters called that Plot Armor.


    This was also the reason why he was very curious about who would remain standing at the end between rk and Rnd.


    Thirteen had already determined that rk was a viin and that Rnd was a Hero.


    However, when Viins faced off against Heroes, they would automatically win.


    Sometimes, the Viins would win, gaining some of the power of Fate that was exclusive only to Heroes.


    The Viins who seeded in beating Heroes were called Super Viins.


    They were no longer First Rate, Second Rate, or Third Rate Viins.


    They would stand at the apex of Viiny, and be a force that not even Heroes could easily defeat.


    After all the matches were disyed, Thirteen told everyone toe back in two days because that was the time when the first matches from each group would be held in the arena.


    Thirteen didn''t go to the Summer''s Residence and instead stayed at the property of the Leventis Family in Glory City. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After pulling some strings, he got a constructionpany to build a house on the empty lot, which only took them a month to finish.


    Thirteen had already bought furniture and used his squad captains as manualborers who did the heavy lifting or interior designers.


    Mikhail and Shasha also moved into this residence, where they would stay during the remainder of the tournament.


    Guards from the Leventis Family had already been stationed in ce and were all ordered to protect Zion and his siblings twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with their lives. Erica and Sherry also decided to stay in the Leventis House, which didn''t surprise anyone.


    The twodies followed Zion wherever he went, and since he had already shared many of his secrets with them, including Rocky and his Mobile Fortress, the teenage boy didn''t mind having them around.


    This was especially true at night because the number of times that he suffered from nightmares drastically decreased whenever Erica and Sherry slept with him on the same bed.


    ***


    Headquarters of the Central Government¡­


    "You will not leave the Headquarters before your match against rk Ashford," Tristan said in a serious tone. "As long as you are here, the Ashford n''s influence and dirty tricks will not reach you.


    "I will also be here, and I will personally deliver your food and drinks to ensure that none of them will be tampered with. So don''t drink or eat anything given to you by anyone else, okay? "While we have done everything in our power to prevent spies and special agents from infiltrating the core members of the Central Government, I wouldn''t put it past those Monarch ns to have their people wormed their way in."


    Rnd nodded in understanding. "Will they really try to fight dirty against me?"


    "Yes," Tristan replied. "You''re still young, Rnd. While you have seen the darkness within people''s hearts during your journey in Solterra, some people are just more vilepared to others.


    "The Ashford n is one of the Monarch ns who stand at the apex of this world. For them, their names, influence, and standing in Solterra are very important. As such, they would use anyone and anything as stepping stones to make them reach greater heights.


    "Right now, you are that stepping stone. After suffering a blow to their fame when they failed to protect Glory City from the Monster Outbreak, they are desperately looking for something that could help them regain their reputation.


    "You are a very special Wanderer whom many people admire and aspire to be. If rk manages to win against you, then their family would regain some prestige, making people forget their earlier mishap."


    Rnd frowned, but he also understood what the Field Marshal was talking about.


    "Don''t worry, Sir," Rnd replied. "I will not allow them to use me as a stepping stone."


    The Field Marshal smiled and patted the young man''s shoulder.


    "That''s the spirit!" Tristan said with satisfaction.


    After giving Rnd a few more pointers, the Field Marshal finally left the room, leaving the young man behind.


    Rnd sighed as soon as his superior officer left the room and thought of the teenage boy who had trained him in the Rigel Continent.


    "In the face of absolute strength, all tricks are meaningless," Rnd muttered. "Zion, just wait for me. I will not be anyone''s stepping stone. I will use them as my stepping stone instead, so I can reach you."


    The young man thenid down on the bed and closed his eyes.


    Two days from now, he would be fighting in the arena, where almost everyone in the world, including his rival, would be watching his performance and see whether he could win against the Prodigy of the Ashford n, who was considered as the strongest Wanderer in their generation.

 Chapter 716 Aim For His Balls. The Battle Will Be Over By Then

    Chapter 716 Aim For His Balls. The Battle Will Be Over By Then


    "rk, do you know why you''re here right now?" ude asked in a solemn tone.


    "I have an idea, Father," rk replied. "But it is best that I hear the reason directly from you."


    ude nodded. "How confident are you in beating Rnd?"


    The young man immediately frowned when he heard his father''s question. While he was confident in his strength, it wasn''t to the point that he could easily say that he would have an absolute victory over Rnd.


    "I can win against him," rk replied after giving it some thought. ude walked toward the window and sped his hands behind his back.


    "I''ve already sent you the videos of his previous battles and his recently recorded battles," ude stated. "Have you watched them?"


    "Yes, Father," rk replied. "I have already studied his fighting style."


    ude nodded without bothering to look at his son.


    "However, I received information that Rnd and his party have undergone intense training in the Rigel Continent," ude stated. "I asked our people stationed at the Rigel Continent to spy on his training, but the drones they used had been destroyed before they could even reach their destination. The Agents I asked to infiltrate their training area were also never heard from again.


    "Fortunately, we got the recording of their battles in Glory City, so I can say that what you received is thetest data about him."


    rk nodded. "Don''t worry, Father. I will do everything in my power to win."


    "Good. You may leave." ude replied.


    The young man gave his father''s back onest nce before leaving the office with a frown on his face.


    The moment his son left the room, ude asked a question to the air.


    "Where is Rnd?" ude asked.


    "Sir, he''s currently in the Main Headquarters of the Central Government," a man answered, materializing behind the Patriarch of the Ashford n.


    "Is there any way for our spies to make contact with him?" ude inquired.


    "He is currently in a restricted area that could only be essed by the Field and Grand Marshal," the Agent replied. "If we try to sneak in, our Agents will definitely be rooted out of the Central Government."


    A sigh escaped ude''s lips before nodding his head in understanding.


    "It seems that the Grand and Field Marshal knew that we might make an attempt to sabotage him," ude muttered. "Well, they wouldn''t have been a thorn in our side if they didn''t take precautions like this."


    A sigh escaped ude''s lips before nodding his head in understanding.


    "It seems that the Grand and Field Marshal knew that we might make an attempt to sabotage him," ude muttered. "Well, they wouldn''t have been a thorn in our side if they didn''t take precautions like this."


    After pondering a moment, the Patriarch of the Ashford n gave another batch of orders.


    "Tell our spies to keep an eye and ear to anything rted to Rnd," ude ordered. "Also, make them carry the special medicines at all times. If an opportunity arises, tell them to use it without fail."


    "Yes, Sir," the Agent replied before disappearing from the room to carry out his Master''s orders.


    A few minutester, a frown appeared on ude''s face.


    He still didn''t know if the matchup between his son and Rnd was a coincidence or if there was something else at y. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Tapping hismunicator, a projection appeared in front of him, revealing the copy of the matchups of the different Wanderers in their respective groups and brackets.


    "Something smells fishy," ude muttered. "Zion''s people are evenly spread in the four groups, with none of them fighting against each other in the first round."


    From the very start, there was a nagging feeling at the back of his head that the teenage boy might have tampered with the Ballot Box.


    However, since he decided to have a hands-off approach ever since his people had been eliminated from the tournament, ude really couldn''t me anyone but himself.


    ''If this is really a coincidence, then it''s fine,'' ude thought. ''But if it''s not, it seems that I need to reevaluate Zion once more.''


    The Patriarch of the Ashford n sank in his thoughts.


    Right now, they were in a very passive position. If only rk could secure a win against Rnd, then their n would once again regain some momentum in the tournament.


    ***


    "What is it?" Zion asked in a grumpy tone as he raised hismunicator near his lips.


    A momentter, Rnd''s voice spread inside the room.


    "Am I disturbing something important?" Rnd asked. "Did I call at the wrong time?"


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before ncing at Erica''s bosom, where his head was resting peacefully a few minutes ago.


    Sherry was hugging him from behind, and the three of them were sleeping together on the bed.


    Thinking that the call might be important, he subconsciously answered it, only to hear Rnd''s voice on the other side. "It''s almost midnight," Thirteen replied. "You tell me if you called at the wrong time or not?"


    An awkward chuckle responded on the other side of the line.


    Of course, Rnd knew that he called at the wrong time, but he was unable to sleep and was feeling restless.


    "I''m just wondering if you can give me some advice for my battle tomorrow?" Rnd inquired.


    "Don''t eat and drink stuff from strangers," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "Also, wear a Hazmat Suit so that you will be a hundred percent safe from airborne stuff that might make you weak during your battle."


    "¡­ I can understand the part when I must not eat and drink stuff given to me by strangers," Rnd replied. "But must I really wear a Hazmat Suit? Isn''t that a bit overkill?"


    "You don''t have to if you don''t want to," Thirteen replied. "It''s your funeral anyway."


    "Killing is not allowed in the tournament," Rnd interjected.


    "Good job, Sherlock," Thirteenmented. "Now, go to sleep."


    "Wait! Can you tell me how to defeat rk?"


    "Kick and punch him hard. If you can, aim for his balls. The battle will be over by then."


    Rnd, who was on the other side of the line, didn''t know if Zion was joking with him or not. In the end, he decided to end the call because he could tell that the teenage boy was being grumpy.


    "I guess I''ll talk to Shana next," Rnd muttered.


    However, thinking that the youngdy, whom he had a crush on, must already be sleeping, he decided to not bother her, not wanting to interrupt her sleep.


    Sighing, Rndy on the bed and looked at the unfamiliar ceiling above his head.


    With a second sigh, he closed his eyes and used a special method to force himself to sleep.


    For some reason, he was suddenly anxious about his uing battle in the morning. He was not aware that while he was secured behind closed doors, Lawrence and Tristan were busy cleaning up the spies of the Ashford n, who were allpletely caught by surprise.

 Chapter 717 Last Minute Preparations

    Chapter 717 Last Minute Preparations


    As soon as Thirteen finished talking to Rnd, Erica opened her eyes and looked at the grumpy teenager whose sleep had been interrupted.


    "He''s just feeling anxious, you know?" Erica said softly before wrapping her hands behind Thirteen''s head and pulling him close to her chest. "I know," Thirteen sighed as he felt the familiar warmth and softness that calmed him down every night. He was the one who rigged the match, making Rnd and rk face against each other.


    But he didn''t feel guilty about it.


    Heroes have their own trials, and he simply considered this as one of them.


    "Go to sleep," Erica said, lightly patting Thirteen''s head and humming a luby to make him fall asleep.


    Soon, Thirteen felt drowsy, and a few minutester, he fell into sleep''s embrace once again.


    Erica held the sleeping teenage boy in his arms before closing her eyes.


    In the past, the apple of her eye was Rnd. However, how could she not notice that Rnd liked Shana and not her?


    But after being trained by Zion, and traveling with him in Solterra, Erica experienced things she had never experienced while traveling with the Hero Party.


    She felt more free¡­ and liberated when she was around Zion.


    It was like she could do anything and everything without worrying about the consequences of her actions.


    Because of this, she became very fond of the teenage boy.


    However, she didn''t know if what she was feeling was love or not.


    To a certain extent, she still liked Rnd, but it wasn''t as strong as she used to feel in the past.


    She would no longer feel jealous whenever he talked to Shana, Diana, Mildred, or with other girls.


    Back then, the feeling of jealousy was so strong that it made her feel helpless.


    Only after meeting Zion did this feeling subside, and she was now able to get her feelings under her control.


    After making sure that the teenage boy was in deep sleep, the youngdy nted a kiss on his head before closing her eyes to sleep. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although she was still unsure of her true feelings, she was certain of one thing.


    She wished to keep holding onto the person in her arms and make sure that he would no longer have any nightmares at night.


    It had been an hour since the sun rose. Sensing someone entering his room, Rnd abruptly opened his eyes.


    He then summoned his weapon, ready to strike the intruder, when he realized that the person in question was none other than the Field Marshal of the Central Government, Tristan.


    "Very good," Tristan nodded in satisfaction. "Having your guard up at all times is a good thing."


    "Good morning, Sir," Rnd greeted his superior officer and hurriedly stored his sword inside his Dimensional Storage.


    "Good morning," Tristan eyed Rnd from head to foot before smiling faintly. "Did you sleep well?"


    "I wasn''t able to sleep until midnight, Sir," Rnd replied.


    He didn''t bother exining that he had to knock himself out to ensure that he''d be able to get some rest before his match.


    Thinking that nothing was out of ce, Tristan nodded and made a gesture on the tray of food on the table.


    "Eat first, then take a shower," Tristan said. "After that, wearfortable clothes and this as well."


    Tristan took out a Hazmat Suit from his storage ring and ced it on top of the bed.


    Seeing the suit, Rnd almost choked on his saliva because he had just talked about this matter with Zionst night.


    Little did he know that before Thirteen went back to sleep a few hours ago, he sent a message to Tristan and asked him to make Rnd wear a Hazmat Suit on the way to the venue. This was his revenge for waking him up in the middle of his peaceful sleep.


    "Sir, people wouldugh at me if I wore that to the Colosseum," Rnd replied.


    He was the face of the Hero Party, and he believed that wearing a Hazmat Suit on his way to the Colosseum would make him lose some face.


    "Don''t underestimate the Ashford n," Tristan said in a solemn tone. "They will not hesitate to use any methods to win. You might think you have an idea of what they can do, but sadly, you don''t."


    Tristan was very clear about how clean the Monarch ns looked on the surface despite being dirtier than sewage water behind closed doors.


    He wouldn''t put it past the Ashford n to make a move at every opportunity that they could get.


    A day ago, they had captured over a dozen spies from the Ashford n who attempted to gather information about Rnd in subtle ways.


    Fortunately, they had already prepared for this kind of subtle interrogation, so the moment they identified these people, they didn''t hesitate and captured them.


    They would rather capture the innocent than let any of the spies go.


    After using special methods, they found out that four of the people they captured weren''t spies of the Ashford n.


    Regardless, they were still spies¡ªalbeit from different ns, so it was still a good haul for them.


    Seeing how serious the Field Marshal''s gaze was, Rnd couldn''t help but look at the Hazmat Suit on the bed before heaving a sigh.


    "Don''t worry, we will say that you just came from a special mission where you fought a Majin that emitted strong radioactivity from its body," Tristan patted the young man''s shoulder. "However, if you really don''t want to wear it, at least wear this specialized Respirator Mask I prepared."


    After seeing the Respirator Mask, Rnd didn''t hesitate and chose it over the Hazmat Suit.


    Tristan chuckled after seeing the young man''s reaction because this was also part of the message that Zion had sent himst night.


    Two hourster, the two rode a helicopter to head to the venue. When they arrived at the Colosseum, they didn''t enter it right away.


    Instead, they went inside a customized van normally meant for celebrities.


    Rnd sat on the soft couch and looked at the time on hismunicator.


    There were still two hours before the start of his match with rk.


    Frankly, he wanted to get it over with so that he would no longer feel anxious about the match.


    rk, who was now inside the VIP Room inside the Colosseum, sat cross-legged on the floor, meditating before the fight started.


    He had reviewed the footage of Rnd''s battles andmitted the other party''s mannerisms and fighting style to his memory.


    Although he looked calm on the surface, he was actually feeling a lot of pressure because the honor and dignity of his family were at stake.


    The young man wished that he wouldn''t have to use his Trump Card in this battle because he intended to save it for the finals.


    While Rnd and rk were doing theirst-minute preparations, the subtle battle between the Ashford n and the Central Government was still happening behind the scenes.


    As for Thirteen? He was also on his way to the Colosseum alongside his entourage.


    He was probably the most excited about the oue of this match because depending on the result, he might need to adjust his ns in the future.

 Chapter 718 Hero Versus Villain [Part 1]

    Chapter 718 Hero Versus Viin [Part 1]


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, the time you''ve been waiting for has finallye!" Thirteen shouted. "The great battle between two prodigies of the young generation is about to start!"


    Cheers erupted from the audience stands as Thirteen started his opening speech.


    "Without further dy, let me call upon our two fighters!" Thirteen pointed to the left side of the arena. "Not only is he the leader of the Hero Party, but he''s also known for his volunteer work during his free time! He is the idol of the masses, the heartthrob of thedies, the protector of the weak, the Champion of Wanderers, the¡­"


    Thirteen continuously spouted over a dozen more worthy titles, making Rnd, who was wearing a Respirator Mask as he stood in the hallway, feel his cheeks burn from embarrassment, thinking that Zion was glorifying him more than he deserved. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Finally, after finishing his spiel, the teenage boy raised his hand and voice, to the limit. "Please wee¡­ Rnd du Lac!"


    A thunderous cheering erupted, making Rnd feel like the Colosseum trembled for a brief moment.


    Taking a deep breath, he took off the Respirator Mask from his face and stepped into the light, allowing everyone to see him.


    ""Whoa!""


    Rnd raised his hand and waved at the spectators with a faint smile on his face.


    He was already used to this kind of event because he and his party symbolized hope.


    Even after standing in the arena, the cheering still didn''t stop, forcing Thirteen to raise a cue card, which was disyed on the giant LCD Screen.


    "Stop Cheering!"


    Those were the two words that were written on the cue card, making peopleugh the moment they saw it. After watching Thirteen host the event for the past few days, they were already used to his antics, so they found his cue card quite amusing.


    Even so, it worked, and the cheering slowly died down, allowing the teenage boy to once again speak.


    "And now, we call upon the warrior, who was hailed as one of the strongest members of the Young Generation, let''s cheer for¡­ Um? What''s his name again?"


    rk, who was about to step into the light, almost stumbled after hearing the teenage boy''s words, and his face turned beet red.


    It was one thing for Zion to not give him the same introduction he had given Rnd earlier. That was fine in itself, but the fact that the young man purposely "forgot" his name made rk re hatefully at the teenage boy, who was currently scratching his head as if truly trying to remember who Rnd''s opponent was.


    ude, who was watching this from the VIP Seats, couldn''t help but smash his fist on the armrest of his chair.


    ''This brat really takes his antics too far!'' ude thought in anger. The audience couldn''t help but chuckle after hearing Zion''s words. How could the host possibly forget the names of the two people who would be fighting in today''s event?


    The spectators treated it as a form of entertainment, with some of them even chanting the name "rk! rk! rk!" over and over again. Suddenly, two Pocopocos descended from the sky andnded deftly on Zion''s left and right shoulder.


    "Um, Rnd''s opponent is called rk Kent," Pica said to the microphone that was in Thirteen''s hands. "He''s really strong, you know?" "rk Kent? If he really joins thispetition, everyone should just roll over and surrender." Thirteen shook his head to deny Pica''s statement.


    "I think it''s rk Lark," Picomented. "You know, the bird?"


    "You''re a bird too, you know?"


    "Indeed. Maybe rk is our distant cousin?"


    The audience erupted in another round ofughter, finding the two ugly birds quite cute.


    Wanderers recognized the two birds as Pocopocos, who were notorious for cursing and spouting utter nonsense when talking to people.


    Since they look small like babies, they assumed that Thirteen caught them while they were young and trained them to speak like parrots.


    Knowing that ude and rk might pop a nerve if he continued with his teasing, Thirteen once again pointed at the right side of the arena.


    "Please wee, the strongest Prodigy of the Ashford n, and one of the most powerful Wanderers of this generation, make way for¡­. rk Ashford!"


    Cheers once again spread in the arena, butpared to Rnd, it was verycking.


    rk stepped forward with a calm expression on his face.


    But deep inside, he was seething in anger. ''I''ll shut you all up, especially you, Zion Leventis, after I''m done with Rnd!'' rk vowed as he used all the willpower in his body to stop himself from ring at the teenage boy, who was looking at him with a faint smile.


    The moment he stepped into the arena, he focused his gaze on Rnd, who was standing several meters away from him.


    The twobatants sized each other up as if trying to discern how strong their opponent was.


    Knowing that the two were already raring to fight, Thirteen exined the rules of the tournament.


    "Killing is not allowed and will immediately disqualify the contestant from the tournament. However, crippling your opponent or cutting off their limbs is fine," Thirteen exined. "If your opponent surrenders or loses consciousness, it will automatically count as their defeat. Make sure to cease fighting once that happens."


    The teenage boy nced at the two older boys before asking them if they were ready.


    "I''m ready," Rnd said.


    "I''m ready!" rk dered with confidence.


    As soon as the twobatants gave their affirmations, Thirteen raised his hand to officially start the match.


    "Battle Start!"


    The moment the signal was given, Rnd and rk shot out at the same time.


    A few secondster, the sound of two swords colliding reverberated in the surroundings.


    The two fighters exchanged dozens of blows. Even with Thirteen''s trained eye, he couldn''t see who had the advantage since the two were obviously only testing the waters first.


    They were not ordinary Wanderers, and both of them had trump cards that they could use to overturn the situation.


    But just like all Trump Cards, they wouldn''t use it until the right opportunity presented itself.


    As the minutes ticked by, the sound of the weapons shing against each other intensified.


    Although both of them were still testing the strength of their opponent, they were gradually releasing a bit more of their abilities, making the audience start cheering once again.


    Suddenly, rk opened his mouth and blew in Rnd''s direction as soon as their weapons shed.


    A white powder-like substance emerged from rk''s lips, forcing Rnd to hastily back away to avoid it.


    Thirteen arched an eyebrow, but he didn''t make anyment about rk''s strategy.


    There were many abilities in Solterra that had a simr and more sinister effect. Clearly, Rnd''s opponent was willing to do anything to win, making the young man frown.


    rk smiled as he flicked his sleeve, sending a gust of wind to fly in Rnd''s direction, guiding the powder that he had breathed out earlier to fly in the young man''s direction.


    ''Maybe I shouldn''t have removed that Respirator Mask,'' Rnd thought as he hurriedly ran to his right side in order to avoid the substance that rk was desperately trying to make him inhale.

 Chapter 719 Hero Versus Villain [Part 2]

    Chapter 719 Hero Versus Viin [Part 2]


    Rnd didn''t n to test his luck, so he did his best to evade rk''s underhanded move.


    What he didn''t know was that rk wasughing at him internally.


    After their exchanges, the Prodigy of the Ashford n realized that when it came to closebat, Rnd had a stronger edge over him.


    This meant that if they continued to sh, he would be the first one to fall into a disadvantage.


    In order to prevent that, he yed a trick to force his opponent to back away and fool Rnd into thinking that fighting him in closebat would put him in harm''s way.


    Thirteen, who saw this, couldn''t help but smile because he found that this Viin was worthy of his title.


    ''Not bad,'' Thirteen thought. ''However, that will not be enough to beat Rnd.''


    Rnd, who now became wary of rk''s tactics, couldn''t help but frown. Fighting in closebat was his strong point, and he had always fought his enemies head-on.


    The mere thought of distancing himself from his opponent instead of fighting him at close quarters greatly lowered his chances of winning.


    At least, that was how it should have been.


    The past Rnd would havepletely felt helpless against this kind of opponent, but he was different now.


    Taking a deep breath, the Hero reached out to his side and summoned another sword in his hand.


    rk immediately frowned. He never expected that Rnd would switch to Dual Wield, for he had never seen his opponent do so in the footage he watched when he was studying his opponent''s battle style.


    And he was right.


    Rnd couldn''t dual-wield.


    However, he could do something else.


    Channeling the Aether in his body to his weapon, he activated the special runes that Thirteen had transcribed into the sword that had been crafted by the teenage boy''s father, Gerald.


    "Heart of Sword," Rnd said softly before releasing his hold on the sword in his left hand.


    Surprisingly, the sword didn''t fall down. Instead, it hovered in mid-air, with its de pointing in rk''s direction.


    The runes on the de were glowing faintly, waiting for Rnd to put it into action.


    Fortunately, everyone didn''t need to wait for that long before he activated the sword''s power. "Unrestrained Sword!" Rnd roared, and the sword by his side struck toward rk at great speeds, leaving a trail of white sparkle in its wake.


    This was one of the Divine Techniques that Thirteen had imparted to him through the de, allowing him to gain a ''ranged attack'' that was as deadly as Rnd''s close-quarter battle style.


    Originally, he wasn''t supposed to use this ability during the first match. However, he saw the message that Zion had left to hismunicator, telling him that rk was not an easy opponent to defeat.


    Because of this, the teenage boy advised him to not hold back and to use everything he had learned in his training in the Rigel Continent.


    rk felt his scalp tingle after sensing the sheer forceing from the sword flying in his direction.


    When the de was only a few meters away from him, the young man gritted his teeth, and his body blurred for a brief moment.


    The sword then passed through rk''s body as if it was passing through the body of a ghost, not harming the young man in the slightest.


    Just like Rnd, this was one of the secret abilities that rk didn''t intend to show to anyone.


    He knew that if he timed this ability perfectly, he could deal a devastating blow to his enemy, catching them by surprise.


    Unfortunately, he was forced to use it because if he didn''t, the sword would have stabbed his chest.


    Although it wasn''t aimed at his vital part, it would still deal serious injury to him, which he didn''t want to happen this early in their battle.


    Rnd was also surprised because he expected his Trump Card to end the battle with a single strike.


    It seemed that his opponent was truly slippery like an eel.


    Moving his hand to control the sword, Rnd made it turn around to attack his opponent from behind.


    At that moment, rk snorted and summoned a red shield. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He didn''t summon the shield to block Rnd''s attack. He summoned it to deflect it.


    A spark emerged from the surface of the shield as Rnd''s sword scratched its surface.


    After that attack ended, rk stomped his foot, and a gray mist erupted outward, lowering the visibility in the arena drastically.


    In order to protect the audience from stray attacks, a barrier had been erected around the arena, making sure that nothing dangerous would reach the stands, where the spectators were watching the battle.


    Because of this, the gray mist didn''t expand outside of the arena and waspressed inside of it.


    Rnd immediately understood that rk was lowering the visibility so that he wouldn''t be able to attack him with his Flying Sword, which was now hovering by his side.


    ''I''m liking this guy more and more,'' Thirteen chuckled internally. A glint of amusement appeared in his eyes because he could see that rk was going all in to win his fight against Rnd.


    He couldn''t hate such a person because this was more like his style of fighting.


    Rnd, who could only see up to a meter around him, raised his guard and extended his senses.


    He was certain that rk would use this smokescreen to attack him from his blind spot, catching him by surprise.


    Rnd took a deep breath before closing his eyes. He then extended his senses outward, standing very still and feeling everything in his surroundings.


    Thirteen told him that there would be battles where he wouldn''t be able to use his vision to his advantage.


    Because of this, Thirteen tried to train him to ovee this weakness. Unfortunately, Rnd was a slow learner in this regard.


    His vision was very sharp and clear, which allowed him to see better than ordinary humans. But this had also be his weakness.


    He relied too much on his vision, so whenever it became useless, Rnd would find himself in a very passive situation.


    Despite being a slow learner, Thirteen still managed to teach him the basics, giving him some faint hope in his current situation.


    Suddenly, he heard something rolling in his direction, making him focus his attention on whatever was approaching him.


    Since he couldn''t see properly, he decided to back off so that the thinging toward him wouldn''t hit him.


    But even if he changed location, the sound of something rolling, like the sound of a marble rolling on a tiled floor, still persisted.


    A momentter, his eyes widened in shock because he could hear countless more rolling sounds.


    This time, they wereing from every direction, leaving him with no ce to run or hide.


    rk, who was standing a safe distance away from his opponent, sneered.


    The sound that Rnd was hearing was merely an auditory hallucination, which was amplified by his skills.


    Unlike Rnd, who could only see a meter in front of him, rk could see everything perfectly as clear as day.


    Although he couldunch an attack from his location, he didn''t do it right away for fear that Rnd might be able to pinpoint his location using sounds.


    Because of this, he decided to throw some marbles on the ground, heading in Rnd''s direction.


    Once the sound of the marbles rolling registered inside his head, it was easier to cast an auditory illusion, which he would use to disrupt the Hero''s senses before he moved in for the decisive blow.


    Thirteen, who was watching the battle through the eyes of Tiona''s clone, couldn''t help but give rk a thumbs up.


    He was very tempted to take this Viin under his wing so that his First Viin, Taiga''s brother, Anwir, would have someone topete with.

 Chapter 720 Hero Versus Villain [Part 3]

    Chapter 720 Hero Versus Viin [Part 3]


    Feelingpletely and utterly surrounded, Rnd roared, and a powerful aura burst out from his body, sweeping away the gray mist that surrounded him.


    rk was just about tounch an attack but stopped mid-way at the sudden turn of events.


    As if sensing a disturbance from somewhere inside the gray mist, Rnd sent his Flying Sword flying in that direction.


    A momentter, the sound of two weapons colliding reached his ears, and he promptly charged in the direction of where he heard the sound.


    rk almost cursed internally, knowing that Rnd''s Flying Sword was too fast for him to dodge. Left with no choice, he could only raise his sword to deflect it, which exposed his location to his opponent.


    The powerful force that had burst out from Rnd''s body swept the mist in front of him away, allowing him to see a few more meters ahead of him.


    When his sight finally caught rk, a glint appeared at the depths of the young man''s eyes as he brandished his weapon at his opponent, who had initially hidden himself deep within the gray mist.


    Seeing that Rnd was almost upon him, rk didn''t panic.


    In fact, he never felt more calm in his life.


    He had experienced many life-and-death battles in Solterra, and he was indeed one of the strongest Wanderers of the current generation.


    Although he already knew that Rnd was more proficient than him in closebat, he believed that the gap between them wasn''t that big, so he met his attack with his own attack.


    Sparks scattered as their weapons shed against each other.


    The audience, who was unable to see anything earlier, finally saw the action-packed battle between the two Seeded Candidates in thepetition.


    Rnd was on full offensive, while rk blocked, deflected, and counter-attacked in a calm manner.


    And through all of this, both of them never stopped moving.


    One was advancing, one was retreating.


    It might look like Rnd had the upper hand, with rk seeming to be pushed back by his attacks, but the truth was the opposite. Rnd was the one struggling more every time he shed with his opponent.


    The leader of the Hero Party could even sense that each time his sword shed with rk''s sword, he felt as if its weight was bing heavier.


    This surprised him greatly because this had never happened before.


    Thirteen, who was paying close attention to the battle, finally understood what rk''s Core Ability was.


    The young man had the power to mess with his opponent''s senses.


    This meant that he could make them hear, see, feel, and taste, certain things that could disrupt their senses.


    Just like the auditory illusion he used earlier, he applied the same trick to his opponent''s weapon, making Rnd feel as if his weapon was getting heavier.


    Although this was merely an illusion, it felt very real, making Rnd''s brain treat it as reality.


    Gritting his teeth, Rnd pushed on and endured the heaviness he was feeling.


    He already assumed that something was wrong, but he couldn''t point out exactly what was wrong.


    Fortunately for him, rk could only focus on one sense at a time.


    If he could mess with Rnd''s vision and sense of touch at the same time, the battle would have been in his favor since earlier.


    Sensing that his opponent had be sluggish enough, rk''s eyes glinted with determination as he deflected Rnd''s sword strike and unleashed a counterattack. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    His de drew blood and cut across Rnd''s chest.


    The young Hero''s sixth sense had alerted him that something dangerous was going to happen, so at thest second, he kicked off from the ground and jumped backward.


    Even so, rk''s de still shed across his chest, cutting through his armor like a hot knife through butter.


    The Prodigy of the Ashford n nced at his de which was tinged with the color of blood. However, a nce was enough to tell him that the wound that he gave Rnd was shallow, not at all deep enough to cause him real problems.


    ude, who was watching from the VIP Seat, clenched his fist, also initially expecting that his son had managed to give his opponent a serious injury.


    Unfortunately, although Rnd was injured, he treated this injury as a mere scratch.


    Compared to the wounds he received during his training with Zion, where the teenage boy forced him to fight against the Undead Centipede King on his own, his opponent''s attack equated to nothing.


    Thirteen, seeing rk fail in his attempt to eliminate his opponent, smiled faintly.


    He could see that although the Prodigy of the Ashford n looked disappointed at first nce, that was far from the truth.


    ''I''m really liking this kid,'' Thirteen mused. ''If Rnd doesn''t finish this battle early, he''s in for an unexpected surprise.''


    Thirteen alreadybeled rk as someone who didn''t do things half-heartedly and who made sure that he would gain the advantage in everything that he did.


    It was also at this moment that the teenage boy truly acknowledged the young scion of the Ashford n as someone worthy of his title as one of the strongest in their current generation. In the arena, the initially disappointed rk once again prepared to attack his opponent.


    ''I just need to stall for a few minutes,'' rk thought, narrowing his eyes. ''If I can do that, I can win.''


    Just as Thirteen had predicted, rk had already made some preparations beforehand, coating the de of his sword with a special poison.


    Although this poison wasn''t lethal, it could cause paralysis to those who were infected by it.


    But this poison takes time to spread inside the body.


    The more that person moved, the faster the poison would spread, and the faster the paralysis would take effect.


    rk vowed to his father that he would win his battle.


    True to the words of his vow, he stepped into the arena armed to the teeth, with every part of his body hiding some weapons that he could use to gain every advantage that he could against his opponent.


    Rnd was already having trouble lifting his arm, which was holding his sword.


    Right now, he felt as if he was holding onto a weapon that weighed a few tons, barely able to raise it high enough to strike at his opponent.


    On top of that, there was also an indiscernible poison spreading inside his body, which was the real reason why the sword in his hand seemed to be a bit heavier than usual.


    The two young men stared at each other for nearly half a minute before they both took a step forward at the same time.


    Only one would be the victor of their battle, and both of them believed that they would be the one standing after the dust had settled in the arena.

 Chapter 721 Hero Versus Villain [Part 4]

    Chapter 721 Hero Versus Viin [Part 4]


    "Do you think he will lose?" Derek asked Joshua, who was Rnd''s best friend.


    "He won''t," Joshua replied in a heartbeat. But despite his fast response, there was a tinge of uncertainty in his voice.


    The reason why he wanted Rnd to win was because he knew his best friend from the ground up.


    He knew how strong Rnd was. This meant that if rk could defeat him, then rk must be stronger, the mere thought of which made Joshua feel incredibly anxious.


    The Sage of the Hero Party had already simted many battles in his mind, and three out of ten battles, he managed to win against Rnd in a one-on-one fight.


    Because of this, he was very confident that if they really fought against each other, he still had a chance to win.


    This was also the reason why he wanted Rnd to win!


    Thedies, on the other hand, were equally worried. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Diana and Mildred nced at each other with anxious looks on their faces, while Shana and Erica were holding each other''s hands as if trying to assure each other that everything was going to be fine.


    They were allrades, so they wanted nothing more than to see Rnd emerge victorious in his fight against rk.


    A few minutester, Rnd''s sword made a clunking sound as it fell to the ground.


    It had be so heavy that Rnd had no choice but to let it go, or else, it would cause his downfall.


    His vision was also getting a bit blurry because rk had shifted from messing with his sense of touch to messing with his vision.


    The Scion of the Ashford n already knew that the poison had already spread enough to make Rnd feel as if his entire body was heavy as lead.


    As such, he no longer needed to continue casting this illusion on him and shifted his focus to his opponent''s vision, which made things more difficult for Rnd.


    Thirteen, who was currently sitting on a chair on the stage, was drinking some fruit juice with Pica and Pico.


    He knew that this battle would be ending very soon.


    "You fought well," rk said. "But there is always someone stronger than you."


    "I know that there is someone stronger than me," Rnd replied. "But that person is not you."


    The only person whom he would acknowledge stronger than him was Zion¡ªno one else.


    He could admit to being defeated by Zion, but he wouldn''t admit to getting defeated by others.


    The young man even nced at the stage for a brief moment to look at the teenage boy, who seemed to be enjoying the show.


    rk also gave Zion a sidelong nce before shifting his attention to his opponent, who was on the brink of copse.


    However, he didn''t intend to lower his guard.


    He knew that the most dangerous time for any creature was when they were most desperate.


    Even a cornered mouse would bite back. Knowing that principle, he would never lower his guard even when his opponent seemed like he would copse at any moment.


    rk stomped his foot, and gray mists once again spread outward, covering the entire arena.


    This made the spectators groan because they wouldn''t be able to see what was going to happen next.


    "Finish him," ude muttered under his breath as he looked at the arena that was being covered by gray mist. "Secure victory for our n!"


    On the other hand, Thirteen narrowed his gaze as he watched the battle.


    ''At times like this, the Plot Armor of Heroes kicks in,'' Thirteen thought. ''This cheater!''


    In the end, the one whom Thirteen truly wanted to win was rk instead of Rnd.


    Although he trained Rnd to be more powerful, in his eyes, the young man had yet to suffer any hard setbacks in his life.


    He wanted rk to be THAT person to teach him a lesson that would make him understand that all was fair in love and war.


    Being righteous and fighting fair was good and all, but only those who were truly strong could back up this attitude.


    If one didn''t have the strength to support this mindset, then it would be best to not think that everyone would fight ording to your rules!


    The sound of weapons shing could be heard from within the gray mist.


    Although Rnd had already discarded his sword, the Flying Sword hovered around him, deflecting the throwing knives that rk was using from a distance.


    The Scion of the Ashford n was baiting Rnd to make his weapon fly in his direction.


    The moment he did that, rk would finally go for the kill, ending this battle once and for all.


    But what he nned to do didn''t happen.


    Something else happened instead, which caught himpletely by surprise.


    His flying daggersnded on Rnd''s body, embedding themselves deep in his flesh.


    rk hadn''t aimed for any vital parts, but the ces where he aimed were critical locations, which would definitely hurt and make his opponent feel a world of pain.


    Rnd, who had been hit, fell on his back andy on the ground unmoving.


    rk observed his opponent and wondered if he had identally killed Rnd.


    The young man frowned and moved closer to get a better look.


    Once he confirmed that Rnd wasn''t dead and had merely fallen unconscious, he would immediately disperse the gray mist so that he could immediately seek medical help.


    When he was only a few meters away from the young man, Rnd''s closed eyes suddenly opened.


    Rnd''s eyes shone golden, making rk feel that something bad was going to happen.


    He immediately backed away, but just as he thought he had safely distanced himself from his opponent, Rnd had propped himself up from the ground and nced in his direction.


    A momentter, the young man vanished from where he stood and reappeared right in front of rk.


    rk was caught by surprise, but he still managed to regain hisposure in the blink of an eye and shed his sword in front of him.


    His reaction was fairly quick, but his eyes widened in shock at the oue that he didn''t foresee.


    Rnd caught the de of rk''s sword between his thumb and index finger.


    Thirteen, who was watching this from the stage, clicked his tongue in annoyance before muttering under his breath.


    "Cheater."


    rk might not know what was happening, but how could Thirteen not know?


    He had seen it countless times in the past, and this was the one thing that he hated about heroes.


    It was whenever their Plot Armor suddenly activated, allowing them to ovee adversities that should''ve been impossible for them to ovee.

 Chapter 722 My Goodness! What Is Happening To You?

    Chapter 722 My Goodness! What Is Happening To You?


    Most of the time, Heroes would fall into a state where they fall unconscious, with their bodies moving on their own ord.


    This was the miraculous power of Heroes, allowing them to ovee the threats that were too difficult for them to deal with using their conscious powers.


    Seeing that his sword de was stopped easily, rk tried to pull it back. However, Rnd had a vice grip on it, not budging an inch even after trying his hardest.


    Knowing that he had no other choice, rk once again unleashed the same white, powdery breath he had used in his first sh against his opponent.


    This powder had a special effect of temporarily making those who were hit by it disoriented, buying rk a window of opportunity to make his move.


    Rnd, who was unconscious, didn''t even bother to dodge, allowing the breath attack to wash over his body.


    The Scion of the Ashford n then released his grip on the sword handle, then threw a kick toward the young man''s waist.


    However, rk''s foot was caught by a hand, holding it in ce.


    Just as rk was thinking of what he should do next, Rnd pulled his leg with incredible strength, lifting his opponent''s body alongside it.


    Before he could even blink, the Prodigy of the Ashford n found himself getting mmed onto the arena ground face first, unable to offer any kind of resistance.


    A booming sound spread in the arena as rk hit the ground, creating a small crater.


    All Wanderers, especially those who had reached the rank of Initiate and above, had bodies stronger than that of the normal person, making them very resistant to injuries.


    rk was an initiate, and even then, the pain he felt was strong enough that he almost lost consciousness then and there.


    ude stood up, clenching his fists as he looked at his son being repeatedly mmed on the ground like a toy by his opponent.


    Suddenly, just as Rnd was about to m rk''s body for the umpteenth time, a hand grabbed Rnd''s wrist, stopping him from continuing.


    "He is already unconscious," Thirteen said coldly. "Cease your actions now."


    His grip on Rnd''s wrist was firm and unyielding. He was no longer intent on watching at the side and watching as the unconscious young man suffered more from Rnd''s beating. Rnd nced at Zion with nk eyes and was about to defy his orders, his instinct wishing to end the life of his opponent to prevent future trouble from happening. However, before he could break free from Thirteen''s grasp, the teenage boy kicked the back of Rnd''s knee so fast that no one actually saw it happen. A cracking sound was heard, making Rnd lose his bnce.


    A secondter, he felt someone grab his head.


    "My goodness! What is happening to you?" Thirteen asked before he pushed down Rnd''s head and "identally" hit the Hero''s jaw with his knee strike, rattling his brain.


    "Rnd, are you okay?" Thirteen then supported Rnd''s falling form, and using his own body to shield the view of the camera, he "identally" gave Rnd''s jaw an uppercut for good measure.


    "Oh my, you''re also seriously injured," Thirteen said in worry as he carefullyid down Rnd''s body on the ground. "Medic,e!" For a brief moment, Rnd regained his senses and looked at Zion in a daze. But this onlysted for a few seconds before his eyes shut close, falling unconscious a second time. The Medics of the Ashford n and the Central Government rushed to the arena and hurriedly administered treatment to twobatants.


    Thirteen gave Rnd a brief nce before raising his hand.


    "Winner of the First Match, Hero Rnd!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Cheers erupted from the crowd. The members of the Hero Party finally broke out into smiles and also joined the cheering.


    Thirteen had a smile on his face, but deep inside, he wasn''t happy with how the match ended.


    If Rnd won using his own powers, then that was fine.


    However, he was greatly disappointed that the special abilities of Heroes kicked in, leaving a bad aftertaste in Thirteen''s mouth.


    The System of Cannon Fodders couldn''t remember how many times he had seen such scenes from happening.


    He and his Hosts had always been on the receiving end of such "miraculous powers," so he grew to hate it a lot.


    The teenage boy watched as rk was taken away by the Ashford n, with ude personally flying down from the VIP Area to check on his son''s condition.


    After making sure that he was truly fine, he gave Thirteen a nce.


    A moment of hesitation appeared in ude''s eyes, but a few secondster, he gave the person he hated a brief nod, which Thirteen returned with a nod of his own.


    Despite his hate for Zion, ude knew that if the young man hadn''t stepped in to stop Rnd from using rk''s body like a sledgehammer on the arena, his son might have suffered injuries that would''ve been difficult to heal.


    When both fighters had been cleared, several staff appeared in the arena and started to clean it for the next battle.


    As the Host, Thirteen had no choice but to remain on the stage and start talking. His mood affected by Rnd''s plot armor, he was no longer as enthusiastic and left the majority of thementary to Pica and Pico, which made the audience love the two funny birds who easily drew everyone''s attention.


    A few hourster, six battles were finished, ending the first round for Group 1.


    Six Wanderers remained, and they would fight after the rest of the other groups finished their first round of elimination.


    This meant that the next battle for their bracket would be happening after three days, which was enough time for Rnd to recover from his injuries.


    "See you all tomorrow for the battles of the Second Group!" Thirteen said. "Pica, Pico, do you guys have any parting words for our guests?"


    "Somewhere in this world, there is a tree that is tirelessly producing oxygen so that YOU can breathe," Pica said. "Please go and apologize to it."


    A few secondster, Pico imparted the audience with his own words of wisdom. "In a world of diarrhea and constipation, it''s OK to be a normal piece of sh*t sometimes," Picomented. "See you all tomorrow, suckers!"


    Instead of being offended, the audience onlyughed at the Pocopocos, who had hosted the rest of the matches as if they were born for these roles.

 Chapter 723 You Lost To Fate

    Chapter 723 You Lost To Fate


    After Thirteen bid everyone goodbye, he waved at the crowd and walked away.


    The moment when no one could no longer see his face, the faint smile on his face disappeared, and was reced by a brooding look, which made the two Pocopocos, who were perched on his shoulders, quiet down.


    They could tell that Zion was in a bad mood, so they didn''t want to make any noise because he might get angry at them for being rowdy.


    Only the teenage boy''s footsteps echoed within the hallway that was bereft of people. He was thinking about something, and the more he thought, the more determined he became. Whatever was going inside his mind, no one could really tell aside from himself.


    Pica and Pico gave the teenage boy side-long nces, but kept their beaks firmly shut, for they believe that Zion was up to no good!


    ***


    Ashford n''s Healing Ward¡­


    rk abruptly opened his eyes, and immediately propped himself up in a sitting position.


    He gazed around him, trying to discern where he was. His heart sank when he realized that he was inside their n''s infirmary.


    A momentter, he recalled the events that happened during the match, making him clench his fists in frustration.


    "I lost," rk muttered after a few minutes of silence before he sighed deeply.


    "No," someone spoke from the side of his bed. "You didn''t lose. At least, you didn''t lose to Rnd."


    rk hastily looked at the corner of the room, where a teenage boy with ck hair, and green eyes, was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Zion Leventis¡­," rk said with a conflicted look on his face. "Have youe to humiliate me more? Did youe here to mock me?"


    "I don''t have that much free time," Thirteen replied before walking towards the bed.


    Once he was near, he reached out in the space beside him and took out a chair from his Dimensional Storage before nting it next to the bed, so he could sit down on it.


    He then looked at the Prodigy of the Ashford n, who looked like someone that had just fallen from grace, feeling depressed on the oue of his match. "What do you want?" rk, who was not in the mood to talk to anyone, asked in an irritated tone.


    "You," Thirteen replied.


    "What?" rk arched an eyebrow.


    "I want you," Thirteen stated.


    The young man looked at the teenage boy before a bitter chuckle escaped his lips.


    "I''m in no mood for jokes," rk said, barely restraining the anger in his voice. "If you have nothing else to say, get the hell out of here!"


    Thirteen gave the young man a solemn gaze before nodding his head in understanding. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn''t be able to reach out to rk because of his current state.


    Staying, and trying to give him words of encouragement would actually backfire, so Thirteen decided to not use that method.


    Instead, he ced a ck card on the side of the bed.


    "When you have calmed down, call me on that number," Thirteen said. "I said it once, and I will say it again. You didn''t lose to Rnd."


    Thirteen walked away, but just before he left the room, rk heard the remainder of what the teenage boy was trying to tell him.


    "You lost against Fate."


    After hearing those words, rk looked at the exit of the infirmary, but Zion was no longer there.


    For some reason, when he heard the phrase "you lost against Fate", he flet his chest tighten as if his body was reacting to the teenage boy''s words.


    It was as if his entire being was agreeing with Zion''s words, making rk feel confused.


    During thest few minutes of his fight with Rnd, he noticed that something weird had happened to his opponent.


    With the poison that coated his de, and the powder that had managed tond on the young man''s body, Rnd was unable to offer any kind of resistance.


    That would allow rk to easily finish him off, and win the match. Although he could no longer call it an easy victory, it was still victory, regardless of what anyone would say.


    Even if they said that he used dirty tricks to win.


    For him, the end result was what truly mattered, and not the process on how that result came to be.


    While rk was deep in his thoughts, the door opened once again.


    Thinking that Zion had returned, the young man looked at the door. However, the person that came in wasn''t the teenage boy, but his own father, ude.


    "Father¡­," rk said, half apologetic, and half fearful because he could see the disappointment in ude''s eyes.


    The Patriarch of the Ashford n stood beside his son''s bed, and lightly patted his shoulder.


    "That brat, Zion, proposed an interesting idea to me earlier," ude said. "I don''t know what he has in mind, but you still have a second chance."


    "A second chance?" ude asked in confusion.


    ude nodded. "That''s right. So, rest for now and recover. You will hear an announcement from him after three days."


    He gave his son an encouraging look before walking out of the infirmary.


    Zion had sought him out earlier, and offered a proposal, which ude found very hard to refuse.


    Earlier, he thought that all hope was lost, and their n would no longer be able to make waves in the tournament.


    So, when Zion approached him, he thought that the no-good-brat was nning to extort him, so that rk would be given a second chance in the tournament.


    Truth be told, as long as it didn''t go past his bottom line, ude was willing to negotiate.


    But, Zion didn''t make things hard for him.


    He even threw ude an olive branch that was impossible for him to turn down.


    "What do you want?" ude had asked back then. "What are you scheming?!"


    To his surprise, the teenage boy gave him an answer that left him in shock, and disbelief.


    "I don''t hate cheaters, and people who use dirty tricks," Thirteen replied. "What I hate is Fate. I''ll give your son a second chance in this tournament."


    Upon hearing this word, ude immediately thought that Zion would extort him. But, the boy didn''t do that.


    "Three days from now, wait for my announcement. I''ll go and convince The Grand Marshal, and the Field Marshal first."


    He then left without saying anything else.


    He gave no demands.


    And didn''t ask forpensation.


    Even now, ude believed that the teenage boy had a hidden agenda.


    But, whatever his agenda was. The current Patriarch of the Ashford n was willing to take a gamble, and see just what the teenage boy was nning to do to make his son make aeback in thepetition.


    ¡ª------

 Chapter 724 Flipping The Chessboard Of Fate

    Chapter 724 Flipping The Chessboard Of Fate


    "You want to do what?!" Tristan, who was over the moon due to Rnd''s victory over rk, looked at the teenage boy as if thetter was high on drugs. "You want to give the Ashford n a chance to make aeback?! Are you out of your mind?!"


    Thirteen took out a handkerchief from his pocket and calmly wiped his face that was hit by the flying spit from Tristan''s mouth.


    He also made sure to wipe Tiona''s head before ncing at the enraged Field Marshal, who was looking at him in disbelief.


    "Yes," Thirteen replied. "First, we need to pacify the Ashford n. Let''s not forget that we are still in their territory. If we don''t throw them an olive branch, do you really think that they will just allow this tournament to carry on peacefully?


    "Their Seeded Candidate is already out of the picture. That means they now have less to lose. In other words, they can be bolder under the mindset that since they can no longer win anything, no one else deserves to win. You already know how vile the Ashford n is. Do you really think that they will take this lying down?"


    Thirteen rested his chin over the back of his hand as he stared at the Field Marshal, who quieted down a bit as he pondered Thirteen''s words.


    Knowing that it was best to strike when the iron was still hot, the teenage boy once again started to talk.


    "If the Ashford n is given another chance, they will not resort to any foul and vile means to hurt the participants of the tournament. In fact, they would feel grateful and feel like they owe the Central Government a favor.


    "This is a win-win for everyone. No one needs to get hurt, and thepetition can proceed peacefully. Isn''t this the best-case scenario? With their cooperation, regardless of who wins thispetition, they would not be able to say anything because they had been granted a second chance.


    "Besides, the Seeded Candidates of the Prestigious Families also lost to my Squad Captains today. I''m sure they really hate the Central Government right now."


    The more Thirteen talked, the more Tristan realized that this was indeed the case.


    He didn''t expect Zion''s Squad Captains to actually win against the Candidates of the Prestigious Families, which would certainly cause an uproar among them.


    Now that he was able to think calmly, Tristan also realized that giving everyone a chance might not be a bad thing!


    "As I mentioned earlier, everyone will be appeased by this oue. Also, I already sent a message to the Patriarchs of the Prestigious Families, telling them that their representatives still have a chance to fight once more in thepetition.


    "Not only will the Ashford n owe us, but the Prestigious Families will also follow suit. Heck, even the other representatives of the Monarch ns would also have a chance, so they will definitely behave during the duration of the tournament."


    Tristan didn''t reply right away. He was carefully considering the pros and cons of Thirteen''s proposal.


    "You''re taking a gamble," Tristan said in a solemn tone. "Also, even if I agree, Father might not agree to your proposal."


    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about that, Sir," Thirteen replied. "I talked to the Grand Marshal before you, and he already agreed to my proposal."


    The corner of Tristan''s lips twitched as he looked at the no-good brat who talked to himst about his proposal.


    "Why didn''t you talk to me first?" Tristan asked with a frown.


    "¡­ Because I know that you are a man of outstanding character," Thirteen praised. "You will definitely agree because you are wise and can see the bigger picture."


    Thirteen said morepliments, making Tristan smile despite knowing that he was simply being ttered.


    In any case, being praised by Thirteen felt inexplicably nice, so he was now finding his proposal more eptable.


    Of course, Tristan didn''t know that the main reason why Thirteen talked to himst was that, even if Tristan agreed to his proposal, it would still be shot down if the Grand Marshal didn''t agree to it.


    Simply put, the one calling the shots wasn''t Tristan, but the Monarch of the Central Government.


    Thirteen simply didn''t want to offend his Superior Officer, so he made sure topliment him a lot, making him feel embarrassed.


    "Just tell me one thing¡ªare you confident that our people will win this tournament?" Tristan asked.


    "My people will win," Thirteen replied in a heartbeat. "That is guaranteed."


    Instead of agreeing to Tristan''s statement, the teenage boy used the word "My" instead of "Ours."


    Tristan didn''t really pay attention to Thirteen''s wording because he believed that both of them were on the same side.


    In a way, he was right.


    They were on the same side.


    But they didn''t have the same people under them.


    After careful consideration, the Field Marshal also thought that this was the most peaceful way to resolve the conflict between the Central Government, the Monarch ns, and the Prestigious Families.


    "I hope I don''t regret this," Tristan muttered.


    "You won''t regret it," Thirteen replied. ''Besides, your father already agreed. Even if you disagree, the proposal is already set in stone.''


    Of course, Thirteen didn''t say his thoughts out loud and pretended that Tristan''s opinion mattered.


    Even though it didn''t really matter.


    After gaining the Field Marshal''s support, Thirteen left the office and connected with Athena, coborating with her to make his n work out.


    He had no intention of doing things halfway.


    The moment he decided to move, he decided to go all out.


    An hourter, Thirteen sat in the living room of their residence in Glory City.


    His sister, Shasha, noticed that he looked a bit exhausted, so she offered to give him a shoulder massage.


    Thirteen was more than happy to ept his sister''s offer and enjoyed her shoulder massage.


    Usually, his father and mother would ask Shasha to give them a shoulder massage back at home.


    Because of this, she had be an expert in giving shoulder massages, even studying how to give a full body massage so she could do it well if she had to.


    A few minutester, Sherry and Erica entered the living room.


    They had just returned from the short celebration due to Rnd''s victory, which was held in a restaurant not far from Thirteen''s home. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thirteen told everyone that he couldn''t go because he was still busy dealing with matters concerning the tournament. Since this was a valid excuse, no one thought that he was just avoiding the celebration.


    Rnd, who had also regained consciousness, had a small bandage under his chin, which made him look funny.


    Fortunately, he didn''t have a recollection of what transpired after he lost consciousness, or else, he would be cursing Zion for taking jabs at him during his defenseless state.


    "You should have gone to the party," Erica said as she sat on the couch across from the teenage boy, who was currently enjoying Shasha''s massage.


    Sherry sat beside Erica and looked at Shasha with great curiosity.


    Seeing that Zion lookedfortable under her touch, she decided to ask Shashater to teach her how to give shoulder massages as well.


    "Unlike you happy-go-lucky people, I need to do some damage control because not many are happy with the oue of the matches," Thirteen replied as he swiped on the tablet in his hand.


    "What can they do if they lose?" Erica smirked. "Now that they are eliminated from the tournament, they can all just roll over to the side and cry."


    Tiona gave Erica a pitiful gaze because the Sorceress wasn''t aware that Thirteen nned to give the losers a second shot in the tournament.


    Of course, he didn''t n to tell this to anyone.


    At least not yet.


    It was a surprise he intended to unravel on the Fourth Day of the Tournament after all the group matches had ended.


    Suddenly, Thirteen''smunicator gave a notification, making him nce at who sent him the message.


    When his gazended on the name that sent the message, he knew that he had to reply to it as soon as possible.


    ****


    Somewhere in the Rigel Continent¡­


    A notification sound reached the ears of the Death Lord, who was sitting cross-legged inside his cave.


    Erasmus had sent a message to Zion earlier, asking thetter if all the preparations were ready on his side.


    Reading the reply Thirteen had sent him, the glowing mes in the Death Lord''s eye sockets zed brighter.


    As if waiting for that moment, a purple portal appeared in front of him, and the God of the Apocalypse, Metatron, appeared on the other side of it.


    "I just received Thirteen''s message," Metatron said as he beckoned for Erasmus to enter the portal. "I hope that, with your presence, the doors of the Apocalypse will open sooner."


    A faint smile appeared on Erasmus'' face as he propped himself up and walked toward the portal.


    "I don''t know if the Apocalypse wille sooner or not," Erasmus stated. "But I do know of one thing."


    "And that is?" Metatron asked, arching an eyebrow.


    "Thirteen will do everything to achieve his goals," Erasmus answered. "He''s even using me to achieve it."


    A faint chuckle escaped Metatron''s lips, showing that he didn''t mind it.


    He and his partner had the same goal in this lifetime.


    Since the only one who had his absolute trust was Thirteen, he would do everything in his power to y his role.


    He would enter the world of Solterra and prepare for the day when the teenage boy flipped the chessboard of Fate.


    ------------

 Chapter 725 Fast And Furious [Part 1]

    Chapter 725 Fast And Furious [Part 1]


    Second Day of the Tournament¡­


    The First Bracket in Group 4 was well underway. The audience couldn''t help but gaze in awe at the incredible scene taking ce in front of them. Noah Griffin, the Seeded Candidate of the Griffin n and part of Mikhail''s and rk''s generation, was currently cursing inwardly.


    "Come down and fight fair and square if you dare!" Noah roared angrily at the Sorceress, who was giggling above the arena as she unleashed countless homing Magic Bullets, which made it nearly impossible for Noah to do any counter-attack.


    Simr to Rnd, Noah specialized in closebat, making Erica the worst opponent he could face in the tournament.


    Not only did the Sorceress know how to fly, but her attacks also seemed to have a mind of their own, following Noah wherever he tried to run.


    At first, he believed that he still had a way to defeat Erica because he had a Rank 5 Alpha Eagle he could summon, helping him fight aerial battles.


    However, when his Eagle appeared, Erica shot it down from the sky with a ming Spear that was ten meters long.


    The Eagle didn''t die, but its injury prevented it from effectively fighting against Erica in the air.


    In the end, the Sorceress tortured it by casting countless Magic Bullets aimed at its head, sending blood and flesh flying in every direction.


    Worried that his prized Avatar would die like a dog under Erica''s merciless barrage, he was forced to unsummon it and once againnd on the ground.


    The moment this happened, hepletely fell under Erica''s mercy, left with nowhere to run or hide.


    Using everything in his power, he did his best to dodge, block, and deflect the Magic Bullets that seemed unending.


    While he did have a few range abilities in his arsenal, Erica easily subdued them as if she was already used to such tactics.


    Thirteen had trained Erica to the point that she could attack and defend at the same time without problems.


    In fact, among the members of the Hero Party, she was the hardest to defeat.


    Even Rnd would have a hard time fighting against her because not only could he not reach her when she flew in the air, but his only ranged ability, the Flying Sword, was also useless against the Sorceress.


    Simply put, Erica was the Dark Horse in the tournament and had the highest chance of bing the Champion.


    As long as no one could effectively bring her down from the air, she was a menace that was truly hard to defeat.


    The funny thing was that, while this battle was happening, some kind of music was ying in the background.


    This music was simr to the music that was being yed when yers fought against Bosses in their game, making everyone understand that they were up against a powerful enemy.


    Pica and Pico even started to sing, adding lyrics to the Boss Music, which was a bit simr to the song "Something Just Like This."


    Noah was very tempted to stab the two Pocopocos to make them stop singing their sted song, but he was too busy dodging and deflecting Erica''s attacks, which seemed unending.


    The Patriarch of the Griffin n, Dous Griffin, sighed internally as he watched his grandson''s pitiful state as thetter was helplessly being besieged from the sky.


    "When this battle is over, make sure to hire an instructor who will train Noah on how to fight against an opponent that flies in the air," Dous ordered. "I don''t want to see him lose like this in the future. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Sir!" the Butler of the Griffin n replied with his head bowed in a respectful manner.


    "First, rk. And now, my grandson is about to lose. It''s like the world is trying to make the Monarch ns theughingstock of this tournament." Dous sighed.


    A minuteter, Noah finally had enough and surrendered through gritted teeth.


    Erica, who had easily won her battle, waved at the crowd, making them all cheer and shout out her name.


    "Erica, I love you!"


    "Erica, please marry me!"


    "Erica, give birth to my child!"


    "Zion, I love you!"


    Erica''s ears twitched when she heard someone shout Zion''s name. But since so many people were shouting at the same time, she wasn''t able to determine from who or where the sound hade from.


    Soon, she gracefullynded on the arena before walking away to make way for the next battle. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Thirteen watched her go before ncing at this Communicator.


    The representatives of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were calling Erica''s flying ability foul, petitioning for it to be banned for the rest of the tournament.


    The teenage boy knew that they were just worried that their own people would suffer the same fate as Noah if they were unlucky enough to be paired with Erica.


    Although he found all of this silly, he was certain that the Patriarchs would pester him after this match was over so that some rules would be made to restrict the Wanderers from taking flight.


    Of course, Thirteen understood their concerns. He also knew very well that, as long as Erica was allowed to fly, only a handful of people in the tournament would be able to stop her. This included Shasha, Shana, Rianna, and Mildred, who had their own abilities that allowed them to fight in rangebat.


    These people had also sparred with Erica in the Rigel Continent, so they were already familiar with her abilities.


    After Erica''s battle ended, another fan favorite appeared in the Arena.


    She was none other than the Saintess of the Hero Party, Shana. Donning white robes, she looked pure and innocent, making people want to protect her.


    Her opponent was one of Thirteen''s Squad Captains, Pietro, who was looking at the Saintess with a helpless look on his face.


    The young man nced at his Superior Officer, who was standing on the stage, and gave thetter the "Should I win? Or should I let her win?" gaze.


    Thirteen then mouthed something, which made Pietro shudder.


    The teenage boy told him "if the Hero Party would not kill you, the Grand and Field Marshal will skin you alive. Do you really want that to happen to you?"


    Shana, who wasn''t aware of what transpired between Pietro and Thirteen, looked at her opponent with a smile.


    "I hope to have a good fight with you, Pietro," Shana said with a determined look on her face.


    "L-Likewise," Pietro stuttered.


    Deep inside, Pietro was already feeling dead inside.


    If Shana lost, not only would he be enemies with the Hero Party, but he would also be enemies with the Grand and Field Marshal of the Central Government.


    As one of their soldiers, he found this situation very hard to swallow.


    Suddenly, he heard a notification in hismunicator, which was a message Thirteen had sent to him.


    "Just fight seriously, so you won''t have regrets. I will handle the aftermath."


    After reading his superior''s message, Pietro felt as if a heavy load had been taken off of his shoulders.


    He once again nced at the stage where Thirteen was at and saw the young man giving him a thumbs up, signaling that he should do his best.


    ''I''ll fight her seriously!'' Pietro vowed in his heart before facing off against Shana.


    Thirteen had arranged this battle for a reason.


    Shana and Pietro were strong in their own specializations.


    However, both of them countered each other!


    Thirteen wanted Shana and Pietro to both grow by oveing their weaknesses.


    But Thirteen had to admit that it would be quite difficult to guess who would win between the two of them because both of them were very powerful if they fought with their lives on the line.


    Pietro''s Speed and Shana''s Control.


    This was one of the battles that Thirteen was paying very close attention to because he wanted to measure just how much Shana, and Pietro had mastered the Divine Techniques that he had bestowed upon the both of them.

 Chapter 726 Fast And Furious [Part 2]

    Chapter 726 Fast And Furious [Part 2]


    "Are both of you ready?" Thirteen asked.


    "Yes," Shana replied.


    Pietro nodded, confirming that he was ready.


    Thirteen then raised both of his hands to dere the start of the battle.


    "Battle Start!"


    As soon as the signal was given, Pietro''s figure blurred from where he stood, then reappeared a few meters in front of Shana in just the blink of an eye.


    Having seen how Thirteen trained Pietro in the Rigel Continent, Shana also knew how fast he was.


    With determination in his eyes, Pietro unleashed a kick aimed at Shana''s stomach, intending to send her flying out of the arena.


    His foot connected with his target, but for some reason, he felt as if his blow had been dampened by something.


    Shana skidded several meters away, but she didn''t look like someone who was hurt.


    Of course, Pietro''s attack did some damage, but she managed to mitigate its effects because she had prepared for this battle beforehand.


    Several flower petals fell from the ce where Pietro had kicked earlier, making thetter understand why he felt that he didn''tnd a solid hit on his opponent''s body.


    Shana had already coated her entire body with an armor of petals before she even entered the stage, aware of how fast Pietro could move.


    The flower petals that covered her could perfectly mimic the color and shape of the ce they cling onto, making it hard to tell if she was wearing armor or not.


    In fact, Shana could even cover her naked body with petals, using them as clothes if she wished, transforming them into any color and design she liked.


    In order for her to truly master this ability, Thirteen didn''t allow her to wear any clothes during her special training, forcing her to use the flower petals to cover her body.


    Perhaps due to the desperation she felt at that time, it didn''t take her long to master creating the petal armor, which had prevented Pietro from instantly eliminating her from the tournament.


    Pietro, who already had an idea of what Shana''s power was, once again turned into a blur.


    At the same time, Shana embedded her silver banner on the ground, creating a petal storm that swirled around her, acting as a defensive shield against her enemy.


    Her opponent wasn''t fazed by her defenses and simply attacked non-stop, making the flower tornado disperse after a few hits.


    Just when Pietro was about to give the decisive blow, he found that Shana wasn''t inside the Petal Tornado.


    Suddenly, he felt somethinging from above his head.


    Countless razor-sharp petals stabbed Pietro''s body¡ªat least, that was what should have happened.


    As soon as the petals collided with Pietro''s figure, they passed through it as if they had hit a ghost.


    ''An afterimage,'' Shana thought. She had witnessed this ability of Pietro in the Rigel Continent, which made her feel anxious.


    As if to prove that her worries had be a reality, several young men appeared in the arena, all of them standing in ce and looking in her direction.


    Just as Shana had predicted, these were indeed Pietro''s afterimages, each one of them looking very realistic.


    You would only know if they were fake once you attacked them, which would lead you to hit nothing at all.


    This ability might seem easy to pull off, but truth be told, it was not.


    One needed aplete understanding of the Divine Technique called Stridemaster, allowing them to move onnd, water, and even air!


    This high-speed movement would leave after images, confusing anyone who saw them, allowing the one who left them behind to go in for a sneak attack.


    Shana didn''t dare to be slow and unleashed another petal storm, expanding its range.


    "Petal Storm of Judgement!" Shana shouted, and the petal storm surrounding her grew with intensity.


    It was to the point that nearly a third of the Arena was covered by the Petal Storm, each of the petals swirling inside of it as sharp as razor des.


    If one weren''t careful, their flesh would be shredded by this powerful ability, which was a terror inrge-scale battles.


    The audience was surprised to see Shana''s abilities because they never thought that the Saintess was this powerful.


    In fact, it was not only them who were surprised.


    Lawrence and Tristan, who were also watching the battle, couldn''t help but look at the Saintess with a fiery gaze. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They always thought that Shana''s role meant that she was vulnerable and must always be at the rear, where she should be protected.


    But seeing her now, not only did she have the power to protect herself, but she could even use it to attack!


    Even the representatives of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families were shocked to see the scene ying in front of them.


    They had always thought that the Saintess of the Hero Party only knew how to support her friends.


    But now, they had a different opinion of her, making their impressions of her rise to the next level.


    Pietro, who was standing outside of the petal tornado, narrowed his eyes.


    He could see that the petal storm was still expanding and knew that, if he didn''t do something, he would be hit by it sooner orter.


    Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind.


    Without any hint of hesitation, he started to run counter-clockwise of the petal tornado, creating gusts of wind in the process.


    He nned to disrupt the airflow, stopping the spinning power of the flying petals.


    To everyone''s surprise, two tornadoes started to emerge in the arena.


    One of these tornadoes was whitish pink, with flower petals swirling inside of it, spinning in a clockwise pattern.


    Outside of it was a tornado made of wind, spinning in a counterclockwise pattern.


    The two forces hit, and sparks flew as if two spinning saws shed against each other, creating screeching noises.


    The two Wanderers fighting in the arena weren''t pulling their punches and were going all-out to win this battle.


    What they didn''t know was that their impressive show of abilities made others reevaluate them.


    This was especially true for Pietro, whom everyone started to investigate.


    When they all realized that he was one of Zion''s Squad Leaders, they couldn''t help but look at the teenage boy on the stage, who was sitting on a beach bench and calmly sipping a fruit juice.


    To have a subordinate as powerful as Pietro was every organization''s goal, so seeing him perform made these powerful factions feel envious of Zion.


    Of course, Zion already expected that if Shana and Pietro fought seriously, they would get the attention of many people.


    But that was part of his n.


    He wanted them to show off because he wanted to use this battle and the future battles of his Squad Captains to make an impression.


    As long as the audience, the Wanderers, and those who weren''t part of any organizations saw the battle of his Squad Captains, all of them woulde to know that being under him would mean that it was possible for them to reach greater heights.


    In short, this was a "recruitment" propaganda that Thirteen had nned, so the forces under his wing would grow bigger after the League of Dragons and Phoenixes was over.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 727 Things Are Going According To Zion’s Plan

    Chapter 727 Things Are Going ording To Zion¡¯s n


    The two tornadoes caused red lightning to sh across the arena, caused by the two forces colliding.


    Shana and Pietro were both doing their best to overwhelm their opponent with their abilities.


    Neither was holding back, and they put everything on the line to end the battle as soon as possible.


    With a loud boom, a thunderous explosion erupted in the arena, followed by the two tornadoes dispersing outward.


    Countless floating petals drifted down from the sky, temporarily preventing anyone from seeing anything in the arena.


    While everyone was mesmerized by the beautiful scenery in front of them, something stirred, and sparks flew as two weapons shed against each other.


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 Chapter 728 What’s So Good About Killing Weaklings?

    Chapter 728 What¡¯s So Good About Killing Weaklings?


    A few hourster, the battle for the Fourth Group finally ended.


    "Pico, today''s battles have been very exciting, right?" Pica said, enjoying her role as one of the hosts of the tournament. The Pocopoco pondered a bit before leaving ament. "It''s so-so," Pico replied.


    "Only so-so? Then, who do you think is the best?"


    "I''m not saying I''m the best, but I''m definitely in the top one."


    The audience chuckled when they realized that the Pocopoco was not referring to the candidates of the tournament and implied that he was the best of them all.


    "I''d agree with you, but then we''d both be wrong," Pica stated. "You''re not even part of the tournament!"


    "Let''s not argue about who''s right." Pico raised his head in an arrogant manner. "Let''s just agree that I am right."


    Moreughs came from the audience because the two Pocopocos had officially be the mascots of the tournament.


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 Chapter 729 It Is Part Of Human Nature

    Chapter 729 It Is Part Of Human Nature


    In the arena, Mikhail''s gaze locked onto his opponent.


    His opponent was Matthew Stard.


    Matthew was among the top five in the rankings of the strongest Wanderers of their generation. Many believed that he was in Second or Third ce in the Rankings.


    However, Mikhail''s strength couldn''t be ignored either.


    Thirteen''s brother wasn''t part of the top five only because he didn''t belong to the Monarch ns.


    Since the Monarch ns prided themselves as the strongest families in the world, their Scions were also "the strongest" among the young generation.


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 Chapter 730 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 1]

    Chapter 730 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 1]


    After his body hit the barrier, Matthew coughed out a mouthful of blood but tried his best to remain standing.


    ''Sh*t!'' Matthew cursed internally when he realized that Mikhail must''ve already expected him to ovee his attack. Now, thetter was already on his way tond a finishing blow against him.


    This was why he didn''t want Mikhail to gather momentum during the start of the battle.


    The more he attacked, the stronger and deadlier his next strikes became.


    That was the special power of the God of War Axe!


    With a face filled with unwillingness, Matthew shouted the words that would end his suffering.


    "I concede!" As soon as that word was mentioned, the de of the axe that was only a foot away from his head stoppedpletely.


    "Winner, Mikhail!" Thirteen immediately dered his brother''s victory.


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 Chapter 731 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 2]

    Chapter 731 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 2]


    The sight of two beautifuldies fighting against each other made the guys in the audience cheer loudly.


    Shasha was naturally a favorite, but Char didn''t lose out as she was a very popr celebrity. Needless to say, their battle was one of the most anticipated matches ever since the lineup was finalized.


    To Thirteen''s surprise, both girls were quite fast, with none of them having the advantage over the other.


    The sound of their swords shing reverberated in the surroundings, and yet, it was drowned by the excited cheers of the crowd around them.


    After their umpteenth sh, bothdies backed away at the same time.


    It was as if they had finished assessing each other and were now ready to take their battle to the next level.


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 Chapter 732 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 3]

    Chapter 732 For The Sake Of A Wish [Part 3]


    Alessia''s cry of rm made Rhia, who was watching the battle of her sister, start to tear up.


    A momentter, the little girl started crying.


    "Wuwuwuwu!" Rhia''s face was covered with tears because her sister was hurt.


    She was still too young to understand what was happening, and seeing her kind and caring sister getting hurt in front of her made her cry.


    Remi immediately hugged her and assured her that everything was fine. Just like Rhia, she looked up to her sister and treated her as an idol.


    She believed that Shasha would not lose easily, especially after the training that she received from their brother, Zion.


    Back at the Colosseum, Char, who had just managed to stab her opponent''s waist with her sword, frowned.


    Although her attacknded, she felt that something didn''t feel right.


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 Chapter 733 I Like You More Than Him

    Chapter 733 I Like You More Than Him


    "Zion, I received another offer from a cosmetic brand an hour ago," Shasha said. "Should I ept it?"


    "What brand?" Thirteen inquired as he looked at his sister, who still had a few bandages on her body. "EL''Oreal," Shasha replied. "They''re a pretty poprpany." "What are their conditions?"


    "Here." Shasha showed her brother the contract thepany had sent her. The teenage boy took out a magnifying ss to read the small printed letters that had been ced in the contract. Tiona helped feed her Master by using her tail to hold the fried chicken leg that he was munching on just a while ago.


    "By agreeing to these contract terms, you will also be subjected to be a model of the swimsuit brand, Pink Apple," Thirteen read out loud after he finished chewing the food inside his mouth. "You''ll also be given priority to appear on the front cover of the Payboy Magazine for three months after this contract is signed."


    Sherry and Erica, who were listening to this conversation while eating cereal, blinked once then twice before looking at Shasha in surprise.


    Pink Apple was a very popr brand for women''s swimsuits.


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 Chapter 734 A Heaven Beyond The Heavens [Part 1]

    Chapter 734 A Heaven Beyond The Heavens [Part 1]


    "Zion, tell me honestly¡ªwhat are you nning to announce tomorrow?" Erica asked.


    During their pillow talk, Zion mentioned that after tomorrow''s battle, he would make an announcement that would surprise everyone.


    "Can''t you just wait until tomorrow?" Thirteen smiled. "The surprise factor will be better that way."


    Erica sighed because she knew that Zion was a tough nut to crack. "Fine. I''ll wait. But it better be good!"


    "Well, whether it''s good or not, it''s subjective to interpretation," Thirteen replied. "However, I will promise you this¡ªit will definitely spice things up a notch in the tournament."


    Sherry was also wondering what kind of surprise was waiting for the participants tomorrow.


    She and Erica were familiar with the expression Zion had at the moment. It was the expression he wore whenever he was up to something bad, which would definitely be a bad thing for some people.


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 Chapter 735 A Heaven Beyond The Heavens [Part 2]

    Chapter 735 A Heaven Beyond The Heavens [Part 2]


    From the Dvalinn Federation, Hugo Riggs watched the battle with a solemn expression on his face.


    Colbert used to be a nobody.


    Merely one of the bastards whom his son had sired, out of a moment of passion. However, his son manned up a bit and even dared to grant Colbert the surname Riggs. That caused amotion in the Main Branch of the Family, but Hugo genuinely cared for his son, so he let the matter slide and tolerated Colbert''s existence.


    While he didn''t give any special attention to the young man, the fact that he still carried their surname didn''t change.


    Bearing the Riggs surname, Colbert was entitled to a degree of protection and the right to learn a few of the Family''s basic techniques, which were also learned by the subordinates who guarded their family.


    However, his status made it so that he wasn''t privy to the special Martial Technique, the signature moves of the Monarch ns and Prestigious families.


    But the prized Martial Techniques these elites carefully guarded were nothing in Thirteen''s eyes.


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 Chapter 736 Thirteen’s Announcement

    Chapter 736 Thirteen¡¯s Announcement


    Everyone knew that the tournament would showcase the most dazzling Wanderers of the current generation.


    However, none of them expected that they would see something like this in the tournament.


    Vincent''s attack was clearly his ultimate move, and Colbert reciprocated with equal ferocity.


    The moment the two attacks shed, a powerful explosion erupted, sending dust and shock waves rippling across the arena.


    It didn''t end there.


    In just the span of a few seconds, something emerged from the smoke, and it was none other than one of Colbert''s spears that had survived the impact.


    Vincent, who had been blown back by the shockwave, once again mmed on the barrier, making him cough out blood.


    He had staked everything in that attack, and he no longer had the strength to defend himself.


    Just as the spear was about tond on his body, a sh of light wrapped around him and teleported him outside of the arena.


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 Chapter 737 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]

    Chapter 737 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 1]


    A day after Thirteen made the announcement, all the Wanderers who were part of the tournament received a copy of the rules of the Special Event the teenage boy orchestrated.


    Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4 would all be sent to different locations within the world of GANDAM.


    Thirteen had decided to finish the elimination rounds in one fell swoop, with only two people surviving in each group.


    The rules were simple¡ªeliminate as many as you can, and the top two would fight in the semifinals of their respective brackets.


    But, this was not a simple elimination match.


    There was a twist in it.


    The losers would only have one life, while those who won the tournament had two.


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 Chapter 738 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]

    Chapter 738 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 2]


    The corner of rk''s lips was twitching as he listened to the teenage boy''s exnation about his amazing, fabulous, mysterious, one-of-a-kind, and incredible secret organization.


    Vincent''s eyes had zed up, and no one could tell what he was thinking.


    Char, on the other hand, was finding everything Ziuon said so silly, and yet, she wanted to join it for the sake of humoring him.


    She didn''t believe, not even for a moment, the young man''s words as the truth.


    I mean, how could she believe that the teenage boy was best friends with a Majin Prince, two Majin Princesses, and a God-like being who could perform miracles in Solterra?


    "And that is everything that I have to say," Thirteen said with a faint smile on his face. "With so many benefits, I''m sure that the three of you are very excited to join, right?"


    The teenage boy then nced at the three teenagers and observed their reactions.


    But aside from Char, who looked amused, rk and Vincent seemed to have fallen into a daze.


    As if finding the two young men''s reaction funny, Thirteen pped his hands once loudly, making the two regain their senses.


    "Um, that organization does indeed sound amazing," rk replied. "Where do I sign?"


    Truth be told, he decided to just y along with Zion''s farce for the sake of being given a second chance to join the tournament.


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 Chapter 739 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 3]

    Chapter 739 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 3]


    When Vincent, rk, and Char finally processed what kind of creatures were standing in front of them, a look of horror shed across their faces.


    Aside from shock and fright, the three of them were also confused as to how they got to their current location despite not moving an inch after wearing their eye masks.


    "Camazotz, stop scaring them," Thirteen said with disapproval.


    "I''m not scaring them," Camazotz was quick to defend himself.


    "Your face alone is already scary," Thirteenmented. "Speaking only made it worse. Just look at how terrified they are!"


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 Chapter 740 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 4]

    Chapter 740 Knights Of The Apocalypse [Part 4]


    "Zion, did you use some kind of illusion spell?" Char asked after she had regained herposure.


    "I have a Skill Ban, so I can''t use any skills or spells," Thirteen replied.


    "Then did the three of us hallucinate at the same time?" rk inquired. "Did you use vapors or anything to make us hallucinate?"


    "No?" Thirteen blinked.


    "Then was everything we saw just now real?" Vincent looked at the teenage boy with a solemn gaze.


    "Yes," Thirteen answered. "What the three of you saw is real. As real as you and me."


    An awkward silence descended inside the room as the three teenagers tried to get over the fact that they might have recklessly joined an organization that was way out of their league.


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 Chapter 741 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 1]

    Chapter 741 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 1]


    rk wasn''t the only onepletely shaken by what they had experienced. Vincent and Char naturally felt the same.


    But unlike him, the two kept what they saw and heard a secret, and didn''t tell anyone.


    After a restless night, they got ready for the event.


    This time, the participants no longer gathered in the Colosseum. Instead, they headed to the locations where the Special GANDAM CAPSULES were waiting for them.


    Each group would be sent to a deserted ind, where they would battle it out to get as many points as possible.


    The top two of each respective group would advance to the final battle, which would head to the Semi-finals.


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 Chapter 742 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 2]

    Chapter 742 Alliance Formed, Alliance Broken [Part 2]


    Conflict had erupted in Ind Number 1, 2, and 3.


    However, the battles in these inds were not at all in the same league as the battles in Ind Number 4, whose intense events had gathered most of the viewers'' attention.


    Roars of shock, anger, frustration, and indignation could be heard all over the ind as the Wanderers fled as fast as they could.


    The viewers, who were watching from the safety of their homes, couldn''t help but gasp and shudder as they looked at the beautiful sorceress hovering high above the ind.


    Her fiery wings and purple hair fluttered in the breeze, making her look like an angel of war who had descended from the heavens.


    In contrast, a devilish smile could be seen on her face as she unleashed Fireballs at the forest, burning everything within her sight.


    While everyone in the other inds took their time eliminating each other, Erica decided to take a page from Zion''s ruthlessness, which he had shown in thends of Fractured Heaven.


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 Chapter 743 Erica + Forest = Disaster

    Chapter 743 Erica + Forest = Disaster


    "¡­" Sherry speechlessly looked at the burning forest on the TV Screen.


    Zion, seated beside her, fed Tiona some potato chips, seemingly unbothered.


    Sherry''s reaction was more or less the same as most Wanderers who had also seen the burning forest in Ind Number 4.


    Due to Erica''s control, all the Wanderers had perished¡ªthe only exceptions being Shana, Diana, and Mildred.


    Even the winners who had spawned a second time outside of the fiery inferno were swiftly dealt with,pletely eliminating them from the tournament.


    When everyone else was outside the picture, the Sorceress nced at her "friends," who were all ring at her, making her chuckle.


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 Chapter 744 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 1]

    Chapter 744 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 1]


    Their party had been trained to fight against groups of monsters along with Thirteen''s Squad Captains after all.


    Rnd, Joshua, and the rest of the Hero Party had alreadye up with various strategies as to how they could work together if they were ever paired up with each other.


    Five minutester, the sound of an explosion could be heard in the distance, prompting Rnd to increase his speed.


    He knew that his friend was currently being pursued, and fighting against them. Because of this, he didn''t hesitate to run in that direction. After barely a minute, Rnd finally saw Joshua, who was now being pursued by five Wanderers. This sight made his face turn solemn.


    "Joshua!"


    "Rnd!"


    After getting each other''s attention, the two ran away together, with Joshua summoning ck mists as he ran away with his friend.


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 Chapter 745 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 2]

    Chapter 745 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 2]


    Ind Number 3¡­


    Shasha and the E4 Mafia led by Alcapone were naturally the main targets of the members of the Monarch ns and the Prestigious Families on this ind.


    To their surprise, they failed to gain an advantage with their numbers and had even fallen into a disadvantage.


    Chat Lotte, who was leading the allied forces, wasn''t able to target Shasha because Alcapone and the others were like Big Bouncers, preventing them from going inside a club.


    The E4 Mafia was like a wall that they could neither bypass nor break¡ªfighting against them proved to be extremely difficult.


    Two of Char''s teammates had even died under Shasha''s hands thanks to Alcapone and the others handing her the kills on a silver tter.


    Clearly, they wanted her to win, so they didn''t mind letting her take the lead in the rankings.


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 Chapter 746 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 3]

    Chapter 746 Battle Of Brawn And Brains [Part 3]


    Blood spilled from the Wanderer''s lips as he tried to prop himself up from the ground. A pained hiss escaped his lips when he realized that his right arm was broken, rendering it useless in a fight.


    The searing ache made him momentarily nk out, unable to think of what to do next. Suddenly, he saw something from the corner of his eye.


    Looking in that direction, he stared in disbelief as hisrade, who was also watching the battle a while ago, was about to deal him the killing blow.


    "Sorry not sorry," the young man, whose eyes were simr to that of a hawk, swung his de toward his "crippled friend" without mercy.


    "Traitor!" the Wanderer cried out in shock, disbelief, and frustration. Although he''d admit that he would have done the same if their circumstances were switched, he was still feeling bitter. After all, the one on the receiving end of the killing blow was him, not someone else. "Curse you!" the Wanderer shouted with all his might. That was thest thing that the Wanderer had managed to shout before his body was cut in half by the overwhelming strike of the person whom he thought was a kindred spirit.


    After taking his kill, the young man with dark brown hair and green eyes didn''t hesitate to run away.


    His name was Gordon Reagan, and he was one of the Rising Stars of the current generation.


    Some said that his battle prowess was only slightly lower than rk Ashford''s, making him a very dangerous opponent in battle.


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 Chapter 747 A Living Nightmare [Part 1]

    Chapter 747 A Living Nightmare [Part 1]


    "Damn it!" Joshua cursed angrily as he hurled one spell after the other.


    Even Rnd''s anxiety increasingly rose as he ran after rk and his team. Not to mention, his temper was being tested by the trap-filled terrain, for their targets were making sure that they fell for them!


    Rnd and Joshua had already died once because of rk''s borate trap. While the Wanderers on their team might not be as strong as the Sage and the Hero, they were still strong in their own right.


    With rk''s meticulous nning, Terence''s boldness, and their teammates'' support, they were able to bully the two teenagers who were now very desperate to get some kills.


    Rnd and Joshua were now using their ultimate attacks, hoping for even one tond a hit on their opponents. Of course, the other team wasn''t doormats and did everything in their power to thwart and defend against their attacks.


    "They will lose," Erica said in a solemn tone. "If they don''t manage to eliminate an opponent or two, time will run out."


    Thirteen nodded as he casually nced at the timer located on the upper right side of the screen.


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 Chapter 748 A Living Nightmare [Part 2]

    Chapter 748 A Living Nightmare [Part 2]


    Shana, Erica, Diana, Mildred, and Derek, who were watching the battle, gasped in shock after seeing this scene.


    "Y-You," Rnd couldn''t believe that his best friend had stabbed him like this.


    He understood that Joshua needed points, but he would have allowed thetter to kill him if only his best friend outrightly talked to him using reason, allowing one of them to advance to the Semi-Finals.


    However, Joshua hadn''t been transparent and directly went for the kill.


    He knew that Rnd was stubborn and righteous. Because of this, he was afraid that he wouldn''t see reason.


    This prompted him to make this hard decision to eliminate his friend, so at least one of them could survive.


    "I''ll make it up to you, I promise," Joshua said bitterly as he looked at Rnd, who was looking at him with profound sadness and pain.


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 Chapter 749 A Living Nightmare [Part 3]

    Chapter 749 A Living Nightmare [Part 3]


    The Patriarch of the Ashford n shuddered at the thought of Zion manipting things from behind.


    ude only managed to regain hisposure after a few minutes.


    "Am I just being paranoid?" ude muttered. "Am I just overthinking things?"


    ude didn''t know the answer to this question.


    However, if what he was thinking was the truth, then he needed to reevaluate Zion Leventis, who was starting to be a living nightmare inside ude''s head.


    ***


    Erica ced her hand over her wild beating heart and took a few deep breaths in order to calm herself down.


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 Chapter 750 Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 1]

    Chapter 750 Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 1]


    Thirteen had no regrets doing what he had done. However, he felt his heart stir when he saw Erica crying so sadly as if her heart was broken into pieces.


    Before his ever-calctive mind could find the most optimum solution to solve this problem, his body moved on its own.


    When he regained his senses, he had already pulled Erica close to him and was patting her head.


    The words that escaped his lips didn''t really belong to him.


    It came from one of his Hosts who had given advice to one of his friends that got their heart broken due to love.


    Sherry''s eyes also turned moist, so she moved behind Erica and hugged her from the back.


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 Chapter 751: Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 2]

    Chapter 751: Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 2]


    ?


    The sound of two weapons shing reverberated in the darkness of the night, with only the moon bearing witness to a duel that seemed to be long overdue.


    Rnd''s body moved on its own, as if possessed, attacking Thirteen with wanton abandon.


    His handsome face was now contorted with rage, and he no longer cared that he was fighting against the same person who had taught him many things.


    Zion was his rival and his mentor, as well as the greatest bane of his existence.


    Everything revolved around him.


    Ever since Rnd met him, his life had gone through many changes. Most of it was good because he had be stronger than he was in the past.


    However, feelings he had never felt before also surfaced.


    Jealousy, humiliation, anger, sadness, anxiety, fear, and many other myriad of emotions he never thought possible.


    Even now, as he gave his all to smite his foe, the teenage boy''s face remained calm. Even though every collision between their weapons sent sparks flying in every direction, Zion''s face remained unchanged as if saying he had everything under his control.


    This drove Rnd even crazier, and his attacks increased with intensity and strength.


    Truth be told, despite Thirteen''s calm look, the sh between him and the hero wasn''t anywhere simple.


    Rnd''s strength had far exceeded the norm, which was normal when a Hero tapped into the rawest emotions in his heart.


    Whether that be anger, love, fear, hatred, sadness, or any other emotions that allowed him to channel the power of Fate, his blows were anything but ordinary.


    Rnd''s state contrasted with Thirteen, who was like a stillke, for thetter believed that there was no need for him to show his weakness or his hardship.


    Right now, there was only one thing in Thirteen''s mind, and that was to make this Hero understand that the world couldn''t be seen in white and ck.


    He wanted to make Rnd understand that the world didn''t revolve around him.


    Yes, the Hero was special. But, so what?


    Without Viins, he would have no one to fight.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Without Extras to affirm his existence and gain the recognition that he needed, he would be the same as everyone else-nothing special.


    Last but not the least, without cannon fodders, whom he used as stepping stones to be stronger and reach greater heights, he wouldn''t even qualify to fight the strongest of viins. He would have perished in their first sh due to hisck of experience.


    "I really wonder why you''re so naive," Thirteen said as he shed with Rnd for the umpteenth time.


    Wielding two short swords, he both attacked and defended against Rnd''s sword, as well as the flying sword that kept attacking him from his blindspots.


    Currently, he and Rnd were now wearing their full battle Regalias.


    The Hero was now armed to the teeth, wearing the splendid armor forged by the best cksmiths of the Central Government.


    Thirteen, on the other hand, was wearing the red armor he used during the Monster Invasion in Glory City.


    Tiona, whom he asked to watch the battle from the side, looked at her Master with worry.


    There had been a few instances when she had the urge to attack the Flying Sword that was mercilessly attacking him from an angle that was nearly impossible to defend against, which Rnd was purposely doing as he attacked the teenage boy from the front.


    "Naive? Yes, I am naive!" Rnd roared in anger. "I''m not like you who treats people as tools! I''m not like you who toys with the feelings of others! Do you know how I feel right now? Do you know how Joshua feels right now? You cornered both of us, and you forced us to make this choice!"


    For the first time, Thirteen''s expression changed as a sneer appeared on his face. "Forced the two of you to make a choice?" Thirteen asked. "Yes, I forced the two of you to make a choice. But, so what? In the end, both of you could have chosen to just lose with grace instead of attacking each other.


    "Fool, do you really think that I didn''t know that you also thought about eliminating Joshua so that you can get the points that he gained from killing those Wanderers? Do you really think I''m blind?"


    Rnd''s attack faltered for a bit, but he continued to attack after that brief moment of guilt.


    "In the end, you chose not to attack Joshua. That was your choice." Thirteen parried Rnd''s blow and even unleashed a kick that sent the Hero skidding across the sand. "Just like how you made your choice, Joshua made his own. It just so happens that unlike you, he chose to take the initiative to win. That''s all that matters."


    Thirteen did a backhand blow with his sword, sending the annoying Flying Sword that once again tried to attack him from behind tumbling away.


    "Fate is the hand of cards we''ve been dealt," Thirteen stared at the Hero, whose sword was now shining brightly. "Choice is how we y the hand. But what if I tell you that some people don''t have the right to make their own choices? Regardless of the choice they made, the end result would still be the same."


    "Shut up!" Rnd swung his sword, and a de of light shed, momentarily lighting the darkness of the night.


    The moment Rnd had swung his sword, Thirteen had already jumped to the side, barely evading the attack.


    Even so, the force behind it sent sand flying in every direction, making the teenage boy tumble on the sand before righting himself back up.


    Thirteen then nced at his left shoulder and saw a shallow cut that had started to bleed. However, he had no time to worry about such a thing because Rnd was once again upon him, his sword creating afterimages that threatened to cut everything in existence. Thirteen felt as if he had been locked in ce, unable to dodge the iing sword strike.


    Rnd''s eyes were now shining brighter than ever, and it was clear that Fate had once again yed her hand, with the intention of ending the brat who kept on getting in her way.

 Chapter 752 Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 3]

    Chapter 752 Hero Versus The System Of Cannon Fodders [Part 3]


    "They said that cheaters never win," Thirteen said calmly as he watched the Hero''s sword strike, fueled by thetter''s raging emotions, descend upon him like a world-killing blow. He had seen countless versions of this strike, and yet, they only yielded one result.


    Annihtion of their enemy.


    "But, contrary to popr belief, cheaters DO win," Thirteen added.


    A momentter, a gigantic ming tail emerged from the ground and shed against Rnd''s sword strike.


    The young man coughed a mouthful of blood as the force of the impact sent him flying towards the sea, where he skidded a few times before finally making a big ssh.


    Rocky emerged from the ground and nced at Thirteen, as if to make sure that he was alright.


    However, after seeing the blood streaming down his left shoulder, Rocky''s face distorted in anger. "Tis but a scratch, Rocky," Thirteen stated. "Don''t overreact. cky, save Rnd before he drowns. I think he broke a rib or two when he got hit by Rocky''s strike."


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 Chapter 753 You Made The Right Choice

    Chapter 753 You Made The Right Choice


    Was betraying his friend worth it?


    The questions of the people who were trying to contact his Communicator boiled down to that. "It wasn''t worth it," Joshua said bitterly before draining the can of beer in a single drink. After that, he crumpled the can and threw it angrily toward the city, as if this was his form of defiance against those who were currently judging him for what he did.


    This time, Thirteen reacted to his action and looked at the Sage in a disapproving manner.


    "You shouldn''t litter, you know?" Thirteen stated. "What if you hit some poor soul with that beer can that you threw? They might suffer injuries, you know?"


    "I don''t give a flying f*ck!" Joshua replied beforeughing. "I don''t give a f*ck about whatever everyone says about me anymore!"


    The bitterness, despair, and hopelessness were evident in his voice.


    And yet, Thirteen merely shrugged before once again ncing at the city.


    "You''re the smartest in your party, but when ites down to it, you''re the dumbest of them all," Thirteen stated. "Didn''t you ever wonder why things turned out like that? Are you not even going to say that I am the one responsible for your downfall?"


    Joshua''s face ckened a bit because the thought of Thirteen being the mastermind behind everything that happened didn''t even cross his mind.


    He was wallowing so much in despair and grief that he had no strength left to think if there was some kind of conspiracy in the special event on the deserted ind.


    "You nned everything?" Joshua asked hoarsely.


    "Yep," Thirteen replied. "Everything went ording to my n."


    A conflicted expression shed across Joshua''s face.


    But instead of being angry, he just sat back down and opened another can of beer before gulping its contents.


    "You''re not angry?" Thirteen arched an eyebrow as he shifted his attention to the young man who had resumed drinking.


    "Even if you nned everything, so what?" Joshua replied. "The one who made the choice to betray Rnd was me. I was inplete control of my senses back then, and I made the most logical choice. "Also, I do believe that what I thought back then was something that Rnd had thought as well. However, since he is righteous and the awesome Hero of the masses, he chose what he thought was the most logical choice and epted that he had no more chance to win.


    "Just like he made the most logical choice, I also made the most logical choice. The only difference is that I''m not a righteous person. I did what I did, and I won''t me anyone for it. This is merely the consequence of the choice I made."


    "As expected of the Sage of the Hero Party," Thirteen pped his hands. "A true man. At least, you''re not a hypocrite."


    Joshua snorted but no longer made any reply.


    "So, what are your ns?" Thirteen asked.


    "What else?" Joshua asked back. "Go on a mountain or something and be a hermit."


    "You''d make a bad hermit."


    "I agree."


    Joshua then finished the beer in his hand and crumpled the can just like always. He then tossed it aside and took another can.


    However, this time, he handed it to Thirteen.


    "Want a drink?" Joshua inquired.


    "I''m underage," Thirteen replied.


    "Your loss," Joshuamented before opening the can and taking a sip.


    A minute of silence passed over them before Thirteen spoke once more.


    "All it takes is one mistake for someone to fall from grace," Thirteen said as if talking to no one in particr. "But the opposite is also true. "All it takes is one great deed to make others have a change of opinion of you. Regardless of what you did in the past, as long as what you do next exceeds everyone''s expectations, they will have no choice but to change their mind about you."


    Joshua didn''t say anything because he knew that Zion''s words were true.


    A few more minutes passed before the silence was broken. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "So, any suggestions on how to do that great deed?" Joshua asked. "There is only one thing I can suggest," Thirteen replied, staring at the young man with a faint smile on his face. "Say, would you like to join a Secret Organization that will one day rule this world?"


    Joshua looked surprised for a bit. However, after that surprise faded, a devilish smile appeared on his face.


    "I''m in," Joshua replied. "I still haven''t told you the contract details."


    "It doesn''t matter. Only a fool won''t ept such an enticing offer."


    Joshua believed that since Zion could scheme to make him and Rnd be at odds with each other, no one was safe from thetter''s clutches.


    As such, if the teenage boy wanted Joshua to be a Messiah, even if he was covered in filth, he would still be treated as a Messiah by all.


    Seeing how sincere and determined the Sage was, the teenage boy smirked as he handed Joshua the same contract he had given rk, Vincent, and Char.


    After reading the contents of the contract, Joshua stared straight at Zion.


    A momentter, devilishughter broke out from their lips, which echoed in the quiet night.


    Although it would take some time, Joshua had finally taken that step to embrace a new path that he had forged for himself.


    Regardless of where this road would lead him, whether to greatness or ruin, he would not hesitate to step on this road that he had chosen.


    "Rejoice, young man," Thirteen stated. "You made the right choice."


    A portal then appeared behind Thirteen, and he beckoned for Joshua to enter it.


    The Sage of the Hero Party didn''t even bat an eye and stepped into the portal without hesitation.


    Thirteen followed behind the young man and made the portal disappear behind them.


    Now that he had his fourth Knight of the Apocalypse, things would be more interesting in a world that was slowly moving toward its destruction.

 Chapter 754 Awarding Ceremony [Part 1]

    Chapter 754 Awarding Ceremony [Part 1]


    Eight people stood on the stage of the Colosseum.


    They were the top two rankers from their respective inds, who would now advance to the Semi-Finals of their own group brackets.


    The winners of Group 1 were rk and Terence.


    Mikhail and Vincent for Group 2.


    Shasha and Char for Group 3


    Erica and Mildred for Group 4.


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 Chapter 755 Awarding Ceremony [Part 2]

    Chapter 755 Awarding Ceremony [Part 2]


    Vincent was someone who knew when to advance and when to retreat. Seeing that he was at a great disadvantage, he gave Shasha a wink before running away in haste. Shasha found this quite amusing, and curiously watched as the young man ran around, being chased by countless young men.


    Thirteen, who was watching the bastard run away, also noticed a few young women in the group chasing him.


    Whether these girls were fans of Shasha or girls who liked Vincent because of his good looks, the teenage boy didn''t really care.


    Vincent left the Colosseum in haste, knowing full well that he might have offended all of Shasha''s admirers. However, a man needed to do what a man needed to do, so he made his deration known to the world regardless of the consequences of his actions.


    When everything settled down, Thirteen shifted his attention to his brother, Mikhail, and waited for him to tell him his wish.


    However, Mikhail only said that he would ask for his wish another time because he still hadn''t thought of what he wanted at this time.


    Thirteen nodded in understanding before looking at Char and Shasha.


    Before Shasha could even say her wish, Char took a step forward and made a deration.


    "I wish for you to be my fiance, Zion Leventis!" Char said as she pointed at the teenage boy on the stage.


    Thirteen, his siblings, and his family, as well as everyone in the Colosseum and the viewers watching from home, all looked at her in disbelief.


    They thought that Vincent''s marriage proposal was already enough. But now, the beautiful youngdy, who was also a well-known celebrity, just also proposed, asking Zion to be her fiance as a reward.


    Erica, who was still a little upset about what happened a day ago, forgot her grievances with Zion and red at Char.


    Clearly, she didn''t like what she heard, making her hair stand up on end as if something important to her was about to be taken away.


    However, before she could even do anything to the thieving cat, Shasha took a step forward and made her wish known.


    "Zion, my wish is for you to cancel her wish," Shasha said icily. "I will not allow anyone to be your fiance unless she gains my approval."


    "Wish granted," Thirteen, who was more than happy to get away from the sticky situation, replied without hesitation.


    Char, whose wish had been denied, didn''t seem angry. In fact, she covered her lips with her hand and giggled as if she thoroughly enjoyed what had transpired after she made her wish.


    Erica, who was about to erupt earlier, finally calmed down. Her emotions had not been stable as ofte, so she wasn''t confident that she would be able to stop herself from attacking Char to vent the anger and frustration that she was feeling at that time.


    When Thirteen''s gaze finallynded on her and Mildred, Erica nked out. She hadn''t seen Zion since her outburst several hours ago, so seeing him look at her with an encouraging look made her heart skip a beat.


    Seeing that Erica was not saying anything, Mildred took a step forward and made her wish.


    "I want a Mythical Weapon," Mildred said, her tone casual as if Mythical Weapons were cabbages that could be bought at the local market.


    The Monarch ns, the Prestigious Families, the audience, and the viewers, couldn''t help butugh at Mildred''s antics.


    They found this quite amusing and were even looking forward to Zion''s answer.


    There were only six Mythical Equipment in Pangea, and they all belonged to the Monarch ns and the Head of the Central Government.


    At least, this was the information the public had ess to.


    They were not aware that the Leventis Family already had five Mythical Equipment in their possession.


    Four of them were in the possession of Arthur and Lady Callista.


    While the fifth was the weapon that Gerald had crafted in Solterra.


    If everyone knew that Five Mythical Equipment were in the possession of a single family, it might lead to a full-scale war, which would put the Leventis Family in a bad position.


    "Sure," Thirteen replied. "I''ll give you a Mythical Weapon. But, you can only have it once you are at the Champion Rank."


    Currently, Mildred was only at the Peak of the Initiate Rank, close to bing a Master.


    After she became a Master, she would need two more Ranks before she could step into the Champion Rank.


    For most people, being a Grandmaster was their limit.


    While there were thousands of Champions in Pangea, not everyone could be a Champion just because they wanted to.


    In fact, Thirteen''s parents, Gerald and Alessia, had been stuck at the Grandmaster Rank for years.


    If not for the teenage boy''s help, they wouldn''t be able to step into the Champion Rank, making themselves stronger and increasing their lifespan by a few decades.


    While many were surprised by Thirteen''s answer, many thought that he was merely bluffing.


    However, they let this matter slide because they also believed that it would take several years before Mildred became a Champion.


    Perhaps by then, someone in Pangea would truly be able to craft a Mythical Equipment, whom Zion would hire in order to grant Mildred''s request.


    "Make sure to keep your word, okay?" Mildred, who didn''t expect that Thirteen would agree to her shameless request, ced her hands on her hips and looked at him with a smile.


    "I won''t," Thirteen replied. "So, make sure to survive and be a Champion."


    "That''s easy," Mildred said in a casual tone.


    Finally, it was Erica''s turn to make a wish.


    Although she nked out earlier, Mildred''s wish brought her out of her daze, allowing herself to regain herposure.


    With everyone''s eyes looking in her direction, Erica calmed her nerves and ced her hand over her chest.


    She then stared at Thirteen and held his gaze for a few seconds before making her wish.


    "I want you to be my fiance," Erica dered, shocking everyone.


    Vincent, who was watching what was happening inside the Colosseum through the wide LCD Screen in the city, couldn''t help but give the teenage boy a salute.


    "It seems that my charisma had rubbed off on him after spending some time together," Vincent said with a smile. "First, Char asked to be his fiance, and now, it''s Erica. Maybe I should teach Zion some of my moves, so he will have a happy ending."


    The handsome young man couldn''t help but chuckle because he believed that Thirteen would owe him after he learned his secrets on how to make girls happy.


    The members of the Hero Party, including Rnd, who was still under recovery, couldn''t help but look at Erica in disbelief.


    Shana felt a pang of pain in her chest, which made her frown. She couldn''t exin this feeling. However, for some reason, she felt that something that had taken root inside of her heart was starting to grow.


    "Girl, are you serious?" Mildred, who was standing beside Erica, ced her palm on her friend''s forehead as if checking if she had a fever. "Do you need some medicine?"


    "Scram!" Erica, whose face was already as red as a tomato, pried Mildred''s hand off her head and pushed her away.


    Thirteen, who was standing in the arena, blinked once then twice before ncing at Tiona, who was also ncing back at him.


    Clearly, the two of them were just as shocked as everyone else because they didn''t think that Erica would wish for something like this.


    Shasha looked at the Sorceress and smiled faintly.


    Clearly, she and her mother, Alessia, had already secretly approved of Erica to be part of their family long ago.


    Sherry, who was seated on the audience stand, wasn''t as shocked as everyone. She had been around both Erica and Thirteen for some time and understood the situation more than others. "Well, what''s your answer?" Erica asked, her face still beet red from embarrassment. "Stop being wishy-washy!"


    Truth be told, Erica also didn''t know why she wished for such a thing.


    However, Char''s wish earlier made her feel that if she didn''t act now, someone else would steal her golden egg.


    Her feelings for Zion were in disarray, and although he was younger than her by a few years, she understood that given three or four years, the teenage boy''s poprity would make many vixens vie for his attention. A silence descended inside the Colosseum as everyone waited with bated breath to hear Zion''s reply to Erica''s proposal.


    Finally, the young man spoke up.


    "Very well," Thirteen replied. "If that is really your wish then from now on, I''ll be your fiance." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Countless gasps spread not only in the Colosseum but also in countless homes worldwide.


    The award ceremony for the winners of the Special Event was truly shocking, making Joshua''s "betrayal" of his best friend fade away from everyone''s mind.


    It was now reced by the shocking proposal of the beautiful Sorceress towards the teenage boy, whose legendary feats were known to one and all.

 Chapter 756 The Zion Virus Cannot Be Cured

    Chapter 756 The Zion Virus Cannot Be Cured


    Gerald uncontrobly spat the tea he had just drank when he heard Erica''s wish to make Zion her Fiance.


    He coughed repeatedly from choking, not expecting such a thing to happen in a live broadcast.


    On the other hand, Alessia pped her hands happily as she stared at her future daughter-inw with a satisfied look on her face. When she heard Zion''s reply, she immediately looked at her husband as if she wanted something from him.


    "Gerald, it''s time to meet Erica''s parents," Alessia stated. "Make sure to be on your best behavior when we meet them, okay?"


    "Darling, isn''t this a bit too fast?" Gerald, who had just recovered from his coughing fit, asked in an awkward tone.


    "Too fast?" Alessia arched an eyebrow. "They''re already joined in the hips, and you still call this too fast? If you don''t want to go meet her parents, then I''ll go alone. You watch over the kids!"


    Alessia didn''t even wait for her husband''s reply and hurried to her room.


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 Chapter 757 I Have No Use For Worthless People In My Family

    Chapter 757 I Have No Use For Worthless People In My Family


    Inside the Ashford n''s Main Branch¡­


    "rk, exin yourself," ude said, sternly looking at his son who stood in front of him. "Why did you want our n to ally with the Leventis Family?"


    "Father, Zion is not someone our n can offend," rk replied in a solemn tone. "Although he''s a mere Rookie, he has done things no ordinary Rookie should be able to do. In fact, I think even Monarchs can''t replicate the feats he had aplished.


    "Isn''t that enough reason to avoid any conflicts with him? Having an alliance with the Leventis Family is very beneficial. Father, please, listen to me."


    ude frowned but didn''t say anything to undermine his son''s words. ude had his share of being on the receiving end of Zion''s notoriety, suffering defeat one after the other.


    The teenage boy was like a gremlin who would not hesitate to bite them whenever he was given a chance.


    "You''re scared of him?" ude asked, wanting to believe that his son wasn''t afraid of anyone, knowing that thetter once looked down on the Wanderers of his generation.


    However, rk''s answer made him feel as if cold water had been poured over his head.


    "Yes, Father," rk replied. "I''m afraid of Zion Leventis. We don''t stand a chance against him whether in open or underhanded conflicts."


    At that moment, an arrogant voice spread inside the room, making rk feel as if a pressure as heavy as a mountain descended on his shoulder, forcing him to kneel.


    "Are you saying that the Ashford n should submit to a mere child?" Aaron Ashford''s cold voice spread inside the room, making ude worry for his son''s safety.


    "Father, please forgive rk," ude said. "He''s still young and doesn''t understand anything."


    "No," rk said through gritted teeth. "I understand everything. Grandpa, we can''t fight against Zion. We just can''t¡ªarghhh!"


    "I didn''t say you can talk, rk," Aaron said, increasing the pressure, which forced the young man to lower his head on the floor, unable to raise it up. "You disappoint me. To think that I had high hopes for you. It seems that I spoiled you rotten, that you''ve be weak."


    rk wanted to refute his grandfather''s words, but he was worried that if he said more, his Grandfather would lose all reason and smash his head like a watermelon.


    In the end, he bit his lips in frustration until blood spilled from it.


    "Father, please, don''t hurt him too much," ude pleaded. "He''s still young."


    What he got as a reply was a snort, but the pressure weighing down on rk disappeared instantly.


    "Don''t worry about these trivial things," Aaron stated. "The only thing you need to worry about is winning the tournament. If you don''t win, I will disown you. Do I make myself clear?"


    "F-Father, are you serious?!" ude asked in disbelief. "rk is your grandchild. How can you¡ª"


    "Because I can," Aaron interjected, cutting off his son''s rebuttal. "Do not forget, Son. You might be the Patriarch of the Ashford n, but that''s only because I allowed you to take that seat.


    "One word from me, and your other brothers will take your ce. However, since you''ve done a good job in handling the n''s matters, I will turn a blind eye to this once. Make sure not to offend me again. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, Father," ude replied, sighing internally. "The Leventis Family, especially Arthur Leventis, is a thorn in our side," Aaron dered. "Unless he submits and bes one of our retainers, an alliance is impossible between our two Factions. As for that Zion brat¡­ I''ll deal with him after the Jinn invasion in the Cygni Continent.


    "His usefulness would be exhausted by then, and there will no longer be any need to keep him around."


    Aaron then nced at rk, who was still kneeling on the floor, before turning around to leave.


    "Remember, if you don''t win this tournament, you will be expelled from the family," Aaron said icily. "I have no use for worthless people in my family."


    He didn''t even bother to wait for rk''s reply before leaving the roompletely.


    ude hurriedly helped his son to his feet and helped him sit on the couch.


    He then offered him a ss of water, which thetter gratefully epted.


    "No more talks about this alliance with the Leventis Family, you hear?" ude said with a grim expression on his face. "While I sympathize with you, you heard what your Grandfather said.


    "With a word from him, you will be expelled from the family, and my right to be a Patriarch will be revoked. Whatever things that you want to say can wait until you win the tournament. For now, that should be your one and only goal. Do you understand, son?"


    rk smiled bitterly before nodding in understanding.


    "I understand, Father," rk replied sadly. "But don''t worry. I already have Zion''s promise that he will not hurt you, Mother, and my siblings. He is a person of his word, so our family will be safe. Whatever grievance he had with Grandfather has nothing to do with us."


    "Son, are you really nning to get both of us killed?" ude said anxiously, ncing at the door where his father had left. "No more talks about this, understood? "Whatever you have inside your head regarding Zion and the Leventis Family, keep it firmly locked inside your head, and do not let it out. Do you understand?"


    "Understood, Father," rk replied with dim eyes. ''Fine. Since Grandfather doesn''t care about us, I won''t care about him either.''


    rk could vaguely tell that Zion had something against the Ashford n. However, since he explicitly said that he wouldn''t target rk and his family, with the exception of his Grandfather, that meant that they would escape this conflict that had nothing to do with them.


    rk had seen things others can''t. He had heard things that others don''t.


    Those were enough to make him realize that the mighty Ashford n was not as strong as he initially expected.


    Back then, he thought that with his family''s background and influence, he could do anything and look down on anyone, for he belonged to the Ashford n.


    But he had been humbled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Humbled by a teenage boy who was a few years younger than him and was stuck in the Rookie Rank.


    But that "weakling" wielded authority and influence that would make the Monarch ns seem like a joke.


    Fortunately, his eyes had been opened, and he now understood the reality that was hidden behind the faint smile on Zion''s face.


    Right now, rk didn''t care about what would happen in the Ashford n.


    As long as his family was safe, he no longer cared for whatever grievances Zion had against their n.


    However, one thing was clear.


    The moment the teenage boy made his move, everything that the Ashford n had built over the past hundreds of years woulde crumbling down like a house made up of cards.


    So what if they had a Monarch?


    In the face of a Rank 9 Sovereign, a Monarch was nothing.


    Since that was the case, how could they possibly stand against not one, not two, but three existences whose strength surpassed that of a Rank 9 Sovereign?


    A chuckle escaped rk''s lips, making ude, who was beside him, look at his son as if he had gone crazy.


    What ude didn''t know was that theughter that came from rk was actually augh of relief, knowing that they would not be included in the cmity that would befall their family the moment Zion Leventis finally decided to make his move.

 Chapter 758 You Might Really Be A Late Bloomer

    Chapter 758 You Might Really Be A Late Bloomer


    It had been a long day, and there had been many ups and downs.


    Zion had just finished taking a shower, and while he was drying his hair, Erica and Sherry entered his bedroom.


    The teenage boy only had a bath towel wrapped around his torso, the sight of which made Sherry''s face turn red.


    Zion might not seem fit with clothes on, but as soon as they were off, his lean and toned body, which he had trained over the years, would show, and it was definitely a feast for the eyes.


    Erica eyed her "fiance" with approval, liking what she was seeing.


    Thirteen didn''t stop drying his hair even as he gave the two girls a nod of greeting. He then walked toward his closet to pick the pajamas that he would wear for the night.


    With his back facing the two youngdies, Thirteen took off the towel and started to put on some clothes.


    Seeing this, Sherry swiftly averted her gaze, though she would inevitably nce in Thirteen''s direction from time to time.


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 Chapter 759 This Is Not My First Rumble

    Chapter 759 This Is Not My First Rumble


    "Did something good happen to you, Zion?" Vincent asked. "You look very lively today."


    "Do I?" Thirteen asked, not really understanding what Vincent was talking about. "Yes." Vincent nodded. "Just a single nce at you, and I can tell that you are in a good mood¡ªthough you still have that default calm expression, like a poker face."


    Thirteen raised his hand and lightly tapped his left and right cheek, which had been pressed over two soft hills during the entire night. Although he didn''t want to admit it, he did feel a lot better when he woke up, after sleeping in the embrace of the beautiful Sorceress, who was now his Fianc¨¦e. For some reason, he felt that the stress and lingering fatigue, which he had been enduring for the past few days, suddenly disappeared.


    ''Is this the effects of skinship?'' Thirteen thoughts. ''I think I need to do more experiments to confirm whether it has a rtion to my current mood or not.''


    Vincent, who had asked Thirteen to apany him to take a stroll in Glory City, looked at the teenage boy with a smile. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Truth be told, he nned to share a few secrets on how to improve rtionships with thedies because he felt that Zion was not really good at expressing his feelings to others.


    "So, Mr. Popr with thedies, how does it feel to have Erica as your fiancee?" Vincent asked. "Have you seen the Front Page of the Daily Pangea? You and Erica are on the front page."


    As if to prove that he was telling the truth, Vincent produced a newspaper out of nowhere and showed the front page to the teenage boy.


    "Spring hase for the Sorceress and her Knight in shining armor," Thirteen said as he read the headlines. "A match born out of love or interest? Read the full article to know the story behind the scenes!"


    Thirteen continued to read the article because he was really curious about the so-called "stories behind the scenes.


    "They met in thends of Fractured Heaven, and they left it as a match in heaven. After facing off countless tribtions, including fighting off against a Majin King, love bloomed between the Sorceress, and her Knight, who overcame the odds together."


    Thirteen continued to read and was surprised that there were even eye-witness statements added to the article.


    "The two of them slept together all the time," a Wanderer, who wanted to remain anonymous, said. "Of course, there was this other girl named Sherry, who stayed with them. I am guessing that she is another love interest that might be Zion''s next Fiancee."


    Due to the high mortality rate of Wanderers, it was perfectly normal to have more than one wife in Pangea and Solterra.


    As long as the man would be able to support them, he could have as many wives as he wanted.


    "I overheard something when I was passing their tent one night," another anonymous Wanderer said. "I heard a feminine voice saying ''no matter how much you try, you won''t be getting any milk, okay?'' Originally, I didn''t pay any attention to it. "But since you guys are paying me good money¡ªerrr, I mean, since you guys want to know the truth, I decided toe and give my statement."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice because he couldn''t remember hearing those words before.


    ''Did Erica say that when I was asleep?'' Thirteen thought. For the time being, he put this matter to the side and continued to read.


    "As a love expert, I have a feeling that this rtionship isn''t that simple. I saw the Saintess looking at Zion during the tournament. Those were the eyes of ady in love. It seems that there is a love triangle involving the two members of the Hero Party."


    Thirteen blinked once then twice before reading the eyewitness statement a second time because he thought that he had just misread it.


    But after making sure that there was no mistake, he couldn''t help but shake his head helplessly.


    He was only friends with Shana. Although there was an incident when Tiona''s clone reported something interesting during its patrol around the camp.


    It was about the Saintess muttering the words ''Zion Virus'' from time to time, which he didn''t understand even now.


    For some reason, he had a strong feeling that if he asked Shana directly about it, the Saintess would pretend that she had no idea what he was talking about.


    Because of this, he decided to just let things be for the time being.


    There were many other things that were written in the article. Some of them were close to the truth, while the rest were justplete hogwash.


    Of course, this was very normal when it came to the media, who liked juicy tidbits about popr people regardless of their articles ending up being too exaggerated.


    "Zion, since we''re friends, allow me to teach you a few things that will make your rtionship with your fiancee a lot better," Vincent said, as if he was the Great Saint of Love who knew all the ups and downs in any rtionship.


    "First, answer me this¡ªdo you and Erica really sleep together at night?" Vincent asked.


    "Yes, we do," Thirteen answered. "Sherry is also with us."


    Vincent nodded. "Then, are you in the middle when you sleep with them?"


    "Yes," Thirteen replied.


    "How do you sleep?" Vincent smiled. "Do you sleep facing the sides? Or lying face up?"


    Thirteen was about to say lying facing the sides, but for some reason, he felt that he shouldn''t say this to the general public.


    "Lying face up," Thirteen said calmly.


    "I see. Then you should try to do this tonight," Vincent whispered something, which made Zion frown.


    "Are you sure?" Thirteen asked. "Will my rtionship with Erica really deepen if I do that?"


    "It will not only deepen your rtionship with Erica," Vincent smirked. "It will also deepen your rtionship with Sherry. You are also close to her, right?"


    "Well, something like that," Thirteen answered. "But will this really work?"


    "Trust me, Zion." Vincent patted his chest with confidence. "This is not my first rumble."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before reluctantly nodding his head.


    Vincent, who was more than happy to share more about his expertise, even gave the booklet that he had painstakingly written the entire night to the teenage boy.


    He had already considered Zion as his friend, so he didn''t mind helping him out.


    Thirteen read the information written in the booklet and decided to give it a try.


    He understood that he stillcked a bit of human emotions, so he decided to perform some experiments that might allow him to better understand the things that were unknown to him.


    That night, when Erica and Sherry visited him in his room, Thirteen followed his advice and threw caution to the wind.


    A minuteter, Erica''s and Sherry''s faces turned beet red because they didn''t expect that Zion would do something like that.


    In the end, the night passed with Zion waking up feeling stiff due to what happenedst night.


    ''I almost thought that my Soul Core was going to get sucked out of my body,'' Thirteen thought as he recalled what happened during the night while lightly patting Sherry''s head that nestled on his chest.


    Erica, on the other hand, was sleeping while hugging his waist, breathing so softly that it tickled his skin. An hourter, Vincent asked Thirteen if he followed his advice and wanted to know the results of his experiment.


    But instead of getting his answers, Thirteen remained mum on what happened during the night, which made Vincent wonder if his advice truly worked or not.

 Chapter 760 A Bad Influence

    Chapter 760 A Bad Influence


    "So, how did it go?" Vincent asked Zion. "Did you use the tips I gave youst night?"


    "I did," Thirteen replied before drinking his hot chocte.


    The two young men were currently having an afternoon snack together inside a cafe.


    "Then, what happened?" Vincent inquired, his face filled with expectation.


    Thirteen recalled the events that happened the night before, all of which were certainly a first for him.


    Erica and Sherry were both close to him and after what happened, he felt that the two of them had be closer to him more than ever. However, he didn''t show anything on his face as he answered the young man''s question. "Nothing happened," Thirteen answered, his face as calm as the water on the surface of ake.


    "Oh,e on, Zion." Vincent smirked. "I am the Saint of Love. All of my friendse to me for advice, and they alle back with the story of victory in their rtionship. I gave you the top five tips in my arsenal, so it''s impossible for them to not work."


    What Vincent didn''t tell Zion was that, since he already knew that Erica had a good impression of the teenage boy and seemed to genuinely like him, all he needed was a little push to seal the deal.


    This was also why he didn''t believe that nothing happened between Zion and Erica if the teenage boy truly followed his amazing tips on how to reach first base and beyond.


    "Are you just feeling shy, so you''re not admitting anything?" Vincent asked with a knowing smile on his face. "Don''t worry. I promise that my lips are sealed. No soul will know what you tell me today. You can trust me."


    The young man patted his chest as if his oath was unbreakable.


    However, the teenage boy only smirked as he nced at the table beside theirs, where a guy wearing sses and a face mask was reading a newspaper.


    A recording device was conveniently ced on his table, making Thirteen look at him in disdain.


    The young man then shifted his attention to the table in front of them, where ady who seemed to be in her mid-twenties was scrolling on her phone. However, it was ringly obvious that the camera of her phone was pointed in their direction, as if she was recording something she wasn''t supposed to.


    There were multiple other suspicious individuals inside the cafe, and they only appeared after he and Vincent sat down and took their orders.


    Clearly, the paparazzi were in full effect, and all of them were just pretending to be customers while secretly listening to Vincent''s and Thirteen''s conversation.


    Right now, the teenage boy was a hot potato, and any news rted to him¡ªno matter how big or small, would definitely be worth publishing!


    Vincent followed Thirteen''s gaze and quickly realized that they were currently under observation, making him curse the paparazzi internally. Knowing that now was not the time to interrogate his friend, he decided to just chuckle bitterly and change the topic.


    "So, who do you think will be the Champion of this tournament?" Vincent asked. "Definitely not you," Thirteen answered in a heartbeat as if making his irritation known.


    Vincent, whose face was thicker than the walls of a bunker, only smiled and made his thoughts known.


    "In the first group, there''s rk and Terence," Vincent said. "There''s really no suspense there, and I believe that the winner will be rk.


    "In group two, there''s me and your brother, Mikhail. I believe I have a fifty-fifty chance of winning if I fight seriously."


    Thirteen nodded. "That''s right."


    He didn''t reject the possibility of Vincent winning the match against his brother.


    Hearing Thirteen agree with him, Vincent felt happy because he could tell that the teenage boy''s answer wasn''t that of sarcasm.


    "Then, in the third group, we have Char and Shasha," Vincent stated. "I love your sister very much, but I believe that¡ªoi! Why are you holding that bread knife?!"


    "Waiter, can I get a sharper knife?" Thirteen asked. "Instead of a bread knife, can I have a steak knife? A kitchen knife is fine too." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Paparazzi, who were busy recording things, couldn''t help but think that they got a big scoop.


    They were already making notes for the next article with the title, "Vincent Osborn, who loves Shasha Leventis, tried to bribe her brother and got stabbed by a steak knife!"


    "L-Let''s calm down, okay?" Vincent cautiously looked at the steak knife that was now in Zion''s hand and tried his best to keep his smile from breaking. "I was just going to say that even though Shasha is the crowd''s favorite, Char poses a serious threat to her.


    "There''s a possibility that the winner for Group 3 will be Char instead of your sister. Do you agree with my theory?"


    "I do." Thirteen nodded. "There''s a chance that Char will win against my sister."


    "Wow. I thought that you were going to insist that your sister would win hands down."


    "Shasha is strong, but she still has much to learn."


    "Don''t worry, brother-inw. I''ll teach her the ways on how to be a woma¡ªaaah!"


    Vincent hurriedly moved his hand resting on the table to the side just in time to evade the steak knife that was now deeply embedded in the location where his hand was earlier.


    "Um? Did you say something?" Thirteen asked as he calmly pulled out the steak knife from the wooden table. "My hand slipped."


    Vincent was very tempted to say, "you did that on purpose!" but he didn''t have the courage to do that.


    Tiona, who was coiled on Thirteen''s neck, looked at Vincent before shaking her head helplessly.


    If only she could speak humannguage, she would have already told the young man to stop courting death.


    The Paparazzi once again made notes, feeling very happy about the material that they were gathering.


    The majority of them couldn''t wait to get back to their offices and start typing on their keyboard in preparation for the articles that would get published the next day.

 Chapter 761 A Vow To Live Life To The Fullest

    Chapter 761 A Vow To Live Life To The Fullest


    Thirteen and Vincent, oblivious to what was going on inside the minds of the paparazzi around them, continued to chat. "Then,st but not the least is Erica''s and Mildred''s fight¡­" Vincent''s voice trembled as he eyed the steak knife in the teenage boy''s hand. "Who do you think will win?"


    "Erica will win," Thirteen answered firmly before cing the steak knife on top of the table. "Oh! I agree." Vincent started to wipe the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead. "I believe Erica will also win, but it will not be an easy fight."


    Thirteen pondered for a bit before shaking his head.


    After the training that he had given Erica in the Rigel Continent, he knew that her fighting prowess had surpassed Mildred''s. If the two of them were to fight, Erica would win hands down. Mildred could only win if the situation ticked off some conditions¡ªeither Erica was not feeling well on that day, or her food or drink had been spiked.


    After chatting a bit more, Thirteen and Vincent finally left the cafe.


    All the Paparazzi also left them alone as they headed back to their offices to talk to their editors about the scoop that they managed to get.


    When he was certain that the troublemakers were no longer around, Vincent once again tried to ask Zion if anything happenedst night.


    "Come on, Zion," Vincent said. "You and I know that something DID happen. But, you''re not telling me. Is this how you repay the Love Master who taught you his moves?!"


    Thirteen gave Vincent a sidelong nce. But instead of giving him an answer, the reply he gave was one Vincent didn''t expect.


    "Thank you, Vincent," Thirteen said.


    Vincent nked out for a brief moment before his eyes widened in realization.


    A momentter, a devilish smirk appeared on his face as he lightly patted Thirteen''s shoulder. "You''re wee," Vincent replied as he took out another small notebook from his pocket and handed it to Zion. "This is the second installment of my Godlike techniques. Make sure to read it properly, and make your girls happy."


    Thirteen took the small notebook and casually put it inside his pocket.


    He knew that if he didn''t ept it, Vincent would force him to take it no matter what.


    Since that was the case, he would save himself from the trouble of being pestered by the handsome young man, whose good looks were making all thedies walking alongside them nce in his direction.


    ***


    "Uwahh¡­ this¡­ this¡­" Sherry, who was reading the small notebook Vincent had given Thirteen earlier, couldn''t help but blush after reading its contents.


    "So that''s why he did thosest night. That rascal, Vincent, is definitely a bad influence on Zion," Erica, who was also reading the information written in the notebook,mented. "We should let them interact more. If his boldness rubs off on this big baby, I''m sure that things will get more interesting."


    The Sorceress, who was lightly patting the head of the "big baby" in her embrace, lowered her head and nted a kiss on his head. Thirteen was a deep sleeper, so they were confident that he wouldn''t hear the conversation that they were having at the moment.


    "If he really did these things, do you think he would really change?" Sherry asked. "Will he act normally like boys his age?"


    "Maybe," Erica replied. "But it''s a good start."


    Right now, Thirteen was only wearing shorts, with his upper body bare for Sherry and Erica to see.


    Currently, his body was pressed over Erica''s, because the teenage boy seemed to have taken a liking to skinship.


    Naturally, Erica weed this development, believing that this would make Zion more aware of the opposite gender.


    "But, will he really do these explicit things?" Sherry''s cheeks were now a shade redder as she read about the information about the different kinds of kisses. "I can''t believe that there are so many ways to kiss someone. Also, there''s this part about doing¡­"


    The youngdy wasn''t able to continue what she was going to say because she truly felt that her cheeks were now burning out of embarrassment, which made Erica giggle.


    "Don''t worry. Knowing Zion, it will take a while before he does anything more than kissing," Erica said. "But we should be happy because he now kisses us on the cheeks when he bids us good night. Isn''t that an improvement?"


    "Yes," Sherry admitted. A part of her was afraid that Zion would treat her differently after understanding the differences between boys and girls.


    However, the other part of her was also looking forward to these changes because she wanted Zion to feel more¡­ human.


    The next day¡­


    Thirteen stood on the stage and looked at the eight participants, who had managed to proceed to the next round of the tournament.


    "When this day is over, only four of you will remain," Thirteen said. "I wish you all the best of luck, and may fortune shine upon all of you. Now, without further dy, let us start the first match!"


    The Wanderers left the arena until only rk and Terence remained.


    The two stared at each other and drew both of their weapons at the same time.


    ude and Arthur both looked at their family members with solemn expressions on their faces.


    Arthur had a talk with Terence earlier and encouraged him to fight without worries. Regardless of the result of his match, the Leventis Family was already proud of his achievements in battle.


    Of course, Terence knew that he wasn''t a match against rk in battle.


    But he believed that there was still a small chance he could win.


    If he really managed to pull a miracle, his standing in the Leventis Family would definitely soar.


    rk stood tall and proud in the arena, but he wasn''t looking at Terence.


    His gaze was looking at the VIP area, where his father was seated.


    His Grandfather, Aaron, had given him an ultimatum that if he didn''t win the tournament, he would be disowned and kicked out of the family.


    There was also a possibility that his father would be demoted from his position as Patriarch, reced by one of the ambitious members of Ashford n who had long coveted his position. rk understood that his Grandfather''s words were right. He was thew of the Ashford n, and those who had fallen from grace were no longer useful in his eyes. However, after the initial shock had passed, rk''s heart had be calmer. He had started thinking of the world outside of the Ashford n and realized that the world was a very big ce.


    Sure, the Ashford n was a Monarch n and had a special position in Pangea.


    They also had their own Kingdom in Solterra, proving that they were a force to reckon with.


    But just as Aaron was able to disown rk and demote ude from the position of Patriarch of the n, the same could be said for him.


    Those who were stronger than Aaron could easily destroy everything he had built overnight, and make the proud Monarch and his n fall from grace. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In the end, rk realized that he had gained a power and influence that far surpassed his Grandfather''s.


    This made him feel at ease, and he no longer worried about the consequences of losing the tournament.


    ''My father and I can just rebuild the Ashford n from scratch,'' rk thought as he shifted his attention toward his opponent, who was looking at him with a determined look on his face. ''I don''t need Grandfather''s permission to do that.''


    With his mind finally at peace, rk raised his sword and pointed it in the direction of his father while gazing at his opponent, Terence.


    Seeing his son''s motion, ude arched an eyebrow because he didn''t understand what rk was trying to convey to him.


    ''Is he trying to say that he will win this match for me?'' ude thought.


    Thirteen, who saw rk''s gesture, smiled faintly because he understood what the young man''s message was.


    The Scion of the Ashford n had talked to himst night, telling him what had transpired between him and his grandfather.


    When he discovered that Aaron would disown rk and kick him out of the family if he lost the match, Thirteen only snorted in contempt at Aaron''s shortsightedness.


    Of course, after his talk with Zion, rk gained more confidence in the path that he would choose to walk in his life.


    He would not allow anyone to trample on his pride and dignity, even if that anyone was his Grandfather.


    As such, he would no longer care about the family affairs and the honor of the Ashford n.


    He only had one life, and rk vowed to live it to the fullest.

 Chapter 762 I Dont Have A Loser Mentality Like You [Part 1]

    Chapter 762 I Don''t Have A Loser Mentality Like You [Part 1]


    Everyone already thought that rk already had this battle in the bag.


    Terence was definitely skilled in his own way, butpared to the scion of the Ashford n, he still fell short.


    Little did they know that rk wanted to defy everyone''s expectations, and what would work better than conceding the match?


    This was the idea ying inside his head, which he knew for certain would be a blow to the prestige of the Ashford n.


    He could already imagine how furious his father and grandfather would be the moment he threw the towel and walked out of the arena without a fight.


    rk thought long and hard about this moment the entire night, so now, he was already at peace with his decision.


    However, at that exact moment, a notification sound was hearding from hismunicator.


    rk nced at the teenage boy standing on the stage, who was looking in his direction.


    He just received a message from none other than Zion, and it read¡­


    "Fight. So that you will not have any regrets in life."


    rk smiled faintly as he tapped on hismunicator, replying to the message.


    "Is that an order?" rk asked.


    "It is an order," Thirteen replied.


    "I guess it can''t be helped then?"


    "Mmm."


    rk chuckled. After he finished replying to Zion, he oddly felt the loose ends in his heart start to unravel. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although he tried to tell himself that he didn''t mind conceding the match and was already at peace with his decision, deep down in the recesses of his heart and mind, he didn''t want to take the easy way out.


    "Regrets, huh?" rk muttered as he shifted his attention to Terence. "Are you done with your preparations?" Terence asked. "I am done," rk replied. "I concede this match."


    A collective gasp spread inside the entire Colosseum. No one expected rk to answer the question in such a way.


    ude, who was seated inside the VIP Room, who shot up in shock upon hearing his son''s deration.


    And from the Main Residence of the Ashford n, Aaron smashed the wine ss in his hand, spilling its contents.


    Just as everyone was reeling from rk''s statement, the young man heartilyughed and took a fighting stance.


    "I was just joking," rk said in a teasing tone. "Do you really think that I''ll concede this match? You need to work hard for your win, Terence."


    Thirteen didn''t react when rk said that he would concede the match because the young man had sent him a message that said¡­


    "I''m going to give my family a fright. Overlook it once, will you?"


    And he was right.


    The entirety of the Ashford n was indeed given a fright, especially rk''s father, ude, who thought that he was going to die of a heart attack.


    rk felt smug inside, having simted the varying aftermaths of his deration earlier.


    The thought of making a fool of his Grandfather felt liberating. It made him feel as if he was able to pay Aaron back for the threat that the Monarch had used against him and his father, ude. "This damn brat!" ude patted his chest before sitting back down on the couch. "I almost stopped breathing earlier. I''ll make sure to give him an earfulter!"


    Now that he had recovered from the fright, ude started to feel anxious because he didn''t know how his father, Aaron, reacted to his son''s prank earlier.


    However, since he was not receiving any messages at the moment, he believed that things were still under control.


    ''If you win, then things can still be treated as a joke,'' ude thought. ''But if you lose, I''m afraid you might not be able to keep your life. My son, why are you being so reckless? You''re a very smart boy. Why are you suddenly courting death?!''


    ude had many things that he wanted to say out loud but didn''t dare to do so.


    For the time being, he put all these matters aside and focused on the battle that was about to begin.


    "Are both of you ready?" Thirteen asked.


    ""Ready!""


    Thirteen nodded and raised his hand. "Battle Start!"


    As soon as the signal to fight was dered, rk immediately stomped his foot on the ground, creating a mist that expanded outward with him at the center.


    "Oh no, you don''t!" Terence shouted as he charged forward. He had seen rk use this ability against Rnd and knew that it would be very difficult for him to locate him once the mist had fully covered the arena.


    Thirteen nodded in satisfaction because Terence made the right call.


    Sparks flew as the two young men shed within the mist.


    rk was still spreading the mist, while Terence was pushing hard on him, not allowing him to slip away and disappear from his sight.


    Rnd, who had been subjected to the same strategy during his fight, narrowed his gaze as he looked at the arena.


    He could still remember how helpless he felt back then. It was only as he watched that he realized he should have done what Terence had done and stuck to rk like glue, preventing him from using the mist to his advantage.


    However, he caught a familiar face at the corner of his eye, prompting him to turn to his left side.


    Sitting five seats away from him was Joshua, who was munching on some popcorn.


    Perhaps sensing his gaze, the Sage of the Hero Party nced in Rnd''s direction and frowned.


    "I''m not sharing," Joshua said. "Go buy your own."


    Shana, Diana, Mildred, and Erica, who were also seated in the VIP Seats reserved for the Hero Party, looked at Joshua in surprise. Rnd was just as surprised as them. However, the moment he regained hisposure, he red at his ex-best friend and growled. "What are you doing here?"


    "Watching the battle, why?" Joshua answered, not even bothering to give Rnd a second nce as he continued to eat his popcorn.


    "You sure have some nerve toe here after betraying me," Rnd''s voice and body were shaking as he did his best to not lunge at Joshua and smack his face in anger.


    Fortunately, the only one who could block Rnd''s full-powered strike among their party, Diana, was seated between the two. Needless to say, she was only a second away from summoning her shield.


    She didn''t expect that Joshua would appear inside their VIP Room, which immediately raised the tension in the surroundings.

 Chapter 763 I Dont Have A Loser Mentality Like You [Part 2]

    Chapter 763 I Don''t Have A Loser Mentality Like You [Part 2]


    The ugly incident between the two best friends during the Special Event in the Deserted Ind was known to nearly everyone around the world.


    The only ones who probably didn''t know about it were those who were currently in Solterra and those who lived under a rock, all of whom couldn''t be updated regarding the recent happenings in the outside world. Even Derek, who was seated beside Rnd, was already a second away from grabbing hold of Rnd''s arm to stop him from attacking the Sage of their Party.


    "Betray you?" Joshua snorted. "What are you talking about?"


    "You know exactly what I''m talking about!" Rnd''s face was already livid with anger. "I don''t," Joshuamented before eating another popcorn. "I joined this tournament to win. I don''t have a loser mentality like you. You gave up, I didn''t. That''s the difference between us."


    "Why you!" Rnd stood up from his chair but was immediately grabbed by Derek from behind.


    "Calm down, Rnd!" Derek shouted. "Stand down, Rnd," Diana said as she also stood up, facing the young man whose hand was already at the hilt of his sword.


    However, Derek was holding his sword arm firmly, preventing him from drawing the de.


    "Can''t the two of you calm down for cripes'' sake!" Mildred shouted in annoyance. "Stop acting like god-damned kids!"


    "I''m not acting like a god-damned kid, you know?" Joshuamented. "You shut the fuck up!" Mildred pointed at Joshua, making thetter chuckle.


    Shana, who was seated beside Erica, lightly tapped the Sorceress''s shoulder.


    "Aren''t you going to stop them?" Shana asked.


    "Why?" Erica asked, ignoring themotion inside their VIP Room and focusing on the match in the arena.


    "I mean, it would be bad if the two of them really fought, right?" Shana exined.


    "Eh? Let them fight." Erica shrugged. "The two of them won''t go far as to kill each other, so it''s all good."


    "¡­ How can you treat this matter so lightly? What if the one Rnd''s trying to hurt is Zion? Will you just stand and watch from the side?"


    Erica blinked once then twice before shifting her attention to the Saintess.


    "Well, I won''t stand and watch from the side," Erica replied, making Shana pat her chest in relief. However, before the Saintess could truly feel relieved, the Sorceress'' next words made her do a double take.


    "I''m going to call an ambnce," Erica stated. "Are you kidding? The only time Rnd will challenge Zion is if his head has been kicked by a donkey. Have you forgotten what happened in the Temple of Courage?"


    Shana, of course, hadn''t forgotten what happened in the Temple of Courage.


    She was simply testing if Erica would choose to side with Zion over Rnd, which would make her understand their current rtionship.


    However, the Sorceress'' answer was very neutral, which meant that she wouldn''t take any sides if the two fought.


    Though it still didn''t change the fact that Erica believed that Zion would win against Rnd if the two of them were to fight.


    Shana also believed so deep in her heart, which made her feelplicated.


    Just as the tension inside the Hero Party''s VIP Room was increasing, the battle in the arena was also getting intense.


    Zion, who had no idea that Rnd and Joshua were about to butt heads against each other, was focusing on the battle in the arena.


    ''Terence is not half bad,'' Thirteen thought as he watched the young man sh against rk repeatedly, using everything in his power to keep him within his sword reach.


    But there was a difference between the two fighters.


    One was fighting with a determined look on his face, while the other was fighting in a carefree manner.


    At least, that was what rk showed on the surface, seeing that he had the leeway to smile as he exchanged blows with Terence.


    This caused Terence to feel pressured because his opponent seemed to deal with his relentless attacks with ease.


    Knowing that he needed to end the match as fast as possible, Terence activated the special ability of his sword, which immediately burst into mes.


    "me Burst!" Terence roared as he shed against rk''s sword with the intention of detonating his de at point-nk range.


    But instead of blocking the attack, rk seemed to use minor teleportation and blinked a few meters to his right side.


    The moment Terence swung his sword, it exploded mid-strike, sending a powerful st of mes that blew away the mists around him.


    Terence had used this move in actual battles, and he fully understood how deadly this strike was when used at the right moment.


    However, the moment his sword was coated with mes, rk immediately knew that Terence was nning something, so he didn''t hesitate to use the skill imbued on his boots that allowed him to instantly teleport once every hour.


    It was one of his life-saving trump cards, which he usually didn''t use unless absolutely necessary.


    rk hurriedly backed away, but the powerful st had pushed back the mists around Terence, allowing him to see things around him more clearly.


    "You''re not getting away!" Terence shouted as he lunged at rk.


    Instead of replying, rk opened his lips and unleashed a breath attack with the white powder that he had used against Rnd.


    Terence didn''t falter and thrust forward, casting me Burst at the tip of his sword, which dispersed the powdery substance, dispelling itpletely.


    But at that exact moment, three projectiles entered Terence''s vision, forcing him to dodge to his right side.


    The first two projectiles, which looked like shurikens, passed harmlessly. However, the third one managed to graze his shoulder.


    Immediately, Terence felt a stinging pain in the ce where he was wounded. However, this pain wasn''t the pain that wasing from his wound.


    It was a pain that came from something else, which made his face turn grim. ''Poison!'' Terence cursed internally before pressing his de over his wound and searing itpletely with mes. Thirteen, who was watching this battle, couldn''t help but cross his arms over his chest as he pondered what rk''s ability was.


    During his battles, the young man often used tricks like poison, paralyzing powders, and other debuffs that would hinder his opponent from fighting effectively.


    In fact, Thirteen believed that rk''s real ability was the ability to strip his opponents of their senses, making them unable to fight him properly.


    ''Perhaps he is resorting to these tricks in order to prevent others from truly knowing what he is capable of,'' Thirteen thought. The teenage boy believed that rk had other trump cards, which he didn''t n to show during the tournament.


    And he was right.


    rk had hidden his true abilities so well that even his parents didn''t know what it was.


    Seeing that the poison was now starting to take effect against his opponent, rk started to use range tactics against his opponent.


    Darts, shurikens, and throwing knives rained at Terence, giving thetter no time to deal with the poison spreading inside his body.


    The more Terence moved his body, the faster the poison was spreading. The poison wasn''t lethal, but it could paralyze those who were affected by it, allowing rk to give the finishing blow without any danger to himself.


    Five minutester, several darts were sticking out of Terence''s body.


    The young man was only able to stand because he was using his weapon to prop himself up, preventing his body from copsing.


    Truth be told, Terence was betting on rk approaching him to knock him unconscious. If that really happened, he would resort to detonating his sword at point-nk range, dealing damage to the two of them.


    But rk was a very meticulous person.


    Although he didn''t know what Terence was thinking, he knew that a cornered animal would bite back out of desperation.


    Because of this, he continued to throw darts and shurikens, hitting the non-vital areas of Terence''s body, making thetter re at the shameless Scion of the Ashford n who was still ying safe!


    In the end, Terence was no longer able to endure and copsed unconscious in the arena.


    "Winner, rk Ashford!" Thirteen dered before asking the medics to give first aid to his pitiful cousin, who suffered under rk''s relentless attacks.


    rk nced at the teenage boy on the stage and mouthed something.


    Thirteen nodded, informing the young man that he received his message.


    rk smiled faintly before walking out of the arena, feeling as if all the chains weighing him down had melted away.


    He only spoke two words to Thirteen, but it was heartfelt and sincere.


    "Thank you."


    He thanked the teenage boy for telling him to fight, preventing him from having any regrets in his life.


    ude looked at his son, who was walking away from the arena with a conflicted expression on his face. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For some reason, he felt like his son had received some kind of enlightenment because he seemed very different from his usual self.


    There was a spring in the young man''s steps, and he was even humming as he left the arena surrounded by the cheers of the audience, who witnessed an exciting match that held great importance to those who knew what it represented.

 Chapter 764 When Love, and Dreams Collide [Part 1]

    Chapter 764 When Love, and Dreams Collide [Part 1]


    Vincent slowly walked toward the Arena under the apuse of the people who hade to the Colosseum.


    High-pitched screams dominated the air, and it felt like all thedies were cheering for Vincent, to which the young man responded with a wave of his hands to show gratitude.


    As he neared the arena, his gazended on Zion, who was standing on the stage.


    Their gazes met, and the two nodded at each other in greeting.


    Vincent could still remember what happened a day ago when he visited Zion''s house early in the morning.


    Erica told him that the teenage boy was currently training, so he shouldn''t be disturbed.


    Vincent nodded in understanding and waited in the living room of the house. However, he was bugged with curiosity and wondered how Zion trained himself.


    The teenage boy was certainly strong, but Vincent had no idea about the specifics since he hadn''t seen thetter fight in person.


    His only basis was the legendary stories surrounding the Supreme Commander of the Alliance, which sparked his curiosity to begin with.


    When Erica left to get him some refreshments, the handsome young man closed his eyes and sent his consciousness to the basement of the house.


    The Sorceress had mentioned that Zion was training underground, which wasmon among the residences of Wanderers.


    Private Training Grounds were usually built underground, which also served as a shelter and fortified bunker.


    It could be used during emergencies when Jinns attacked on the surface, allowing the nonbatants to hide.


    One of Vincent''s secret abilities was his ability to separate a part of his consciousness and make it scout around him.


    While his consciousness couldn''t travel far, it could still explore around five hundred meters away from him.


    The only condition was that Vincent should remain in ce, not moving an inch during this period of time.


    When his consciousness arrived at the Training Room, Vincent couldn''t help but smirk.


    Zion was seated cross-legged, but he wasn''t alone.


    Sherry was with him, and the youngdy was hugging him from the front, making Zion''s head rest on her chest.


    ''It seems that this kid is doing some different kind of training,'' Vincent chuckled internally. ''I approve!''


    However, at that moment, Thirteen pulled his head back and slowly opened his eyes.


    The teenage boy gazed in Vincent''s direction, making thetter wonder if Zion could see him.


    It was nearly impossible for anyone to detect him in this state, so he was certain that the teenage boy looking in his direction was only an ident.


    However, when Vincent''s gaze met with Zion''s the handsome young man felt his heart and consciousness shudder.


    Zion''s eyes were devoid of any warmth and were filled with killing intent.


    Like a sharp de, his gaze cut Vincent''s consciousness in half, forcibly sending thetter''s consciousness to his body.


    Blood seeped at the corner of the handsome young man''s lips, but he didn''t even notice it.


    He was so shocked at what he had discovered, which made him feel numb to the injuries he received as the result of the bacsh of having his consciousness severed.


    Seeing Vincent''s current state, Erica was rmed and immediately asked what had happened to him.


    "Don''t worry," Vincent replied. "I was just practicing a technique that I recently developed. I still haven''t mastered it, so I received a bacsh after doing it wrongly."


    "I see." Erica nodded. "Fortunately, there''s a Healer among the guards stationed in this house. Please,e with me to receive treatment."


    "Understood." Vincent nodded and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips using the tissue Erica handed to him.


    He was still shaken by that gaze, filled with killing intent, shot in his direction.


    The killing intent was so concentrated that it actually turned into a formless attack that could injure energy and soul bodies.


    What Vincent didn''t know was that Sherry was helping Zion curb the killing intent that would usually re up from time to time, when the young man tapped into the depths of his consciousness as he re-lived the lives of his hosts who had died unjustly.


    Thirteen did it at least once a week, so he wouldn''t lose his goal and his mission to defy fate.


    Erica and Sherry would apany him during these sessions, holding him so that he would be able to recover faster and so that his killing intent disperse quickly.


    Sherry had first discovered Zion''s self-training method when they were in Fractured Heaven.


    Whenever he does this, he would kindly ask Sherry to leave him alone for a few hours, so she wouldn''t be affected by his training.


    However, Erica decided to do an experiment.


    She believed that she and Sherry had a deeper connection with Zion and that they would be able to help him curb his killing intent.


    This was only the first session, and Vincent just so happened to be there to see it for himself.


    Actually, the handsome young man was unable to get a good night''s sleep because the teenage boy''s gaze haunted him in his dreams.


    ''If I lose today, I''ll have an excuse,'' Vincent thought.


    But, he knew that this excuse wouldn''t fly.


    He was going to fight against Zion''s brother, Mikhail, whom he recognized as a truly strong individual.


    Vincent also noticed that the cold and snobbish boy was actually warm and had a very caring inside.


    Of course, he only discovered this side of Mikhail when he visited Zion''s residence.


    He thought that the young man, who was only slightly below him when it came to good looks, had a double persona.


    One that he showed in public, and one that he only showed to his family members.


    ''He''s like Shasha,'' Vincent thought.


    The handsome young man had seen how the beautiful youngdy would show a loving and caring side whenever she was with her family.


    This made him feel envious and proud at the same time. Although he wasn''t her affection''s receiving end, at least he had seen Shasha''s other side. Surely, not many had seen it, making him feel superior to others.


    As Vincent finally stepped on top of the arena and faced Mikhail, who was looking at him with a calm gaze, the cheers of the crowd became stronger.


    Clearly, the sight of two handsome young men together was making their fantasies go wild.


    Taking a deep breath, Vincent slowly unsheathed his de.


    His gaze became determined and focused.


    ''I can''t afford to hold back,'' Vincent thought as he took on a fighting style. ''Good thing, this arena has a special mechanism that will automatically eject those who are about to receive a fatal injury. With this, I can go all out without fear of the consequences.''


    The handsome young man didn''t know that Mikhail was thinking of the same thing inside his mind.


    Mikhail also recognized Vincent as a strong individual, so he didn''t n on holding back on their match.


    "Are both of you ready?" Thirteen asked.


    "I''m ready," Mikhail replied.


    "Ready." Vincent nodded.


    Thirteen raised his hand and announced the start of the battle.


    At that exact moment, rumbling sounds erupted in the arena as the two young men unleashed their strongest attack without hesitation.


    Clearly, both of them had the intention of ending the battle as soon as possible, which was going exactly ording to Thirteen''s assumption.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 771 A Battle Of Wills [Part 1]

    Chapter 771 A Battle Of Wills [Part 1]


    ''How?!'' Rnd thought for the umpteenth time. ''How is he able to predict my moves?! How?!''


    Ten minutes hadpsed since his duel with Joshua started, and right from the beginning to now, he failed tond even a single attack on his opponent''s body.


    He was even the one being pushed back by Joshua''s barrage of spells, each of them seeming able to predict where he would go and what he was about to do.


    For a brief moment, the Hero nced at the stage, specifically the teenage boy who was watching their battle with a calm expression on his face.


    As he looked at the person responsible for the falling out between him and his best friend, Rnd couldn''t help but feel that Zion had once again yed his hand.


    Although he didn''t have any proof, he could feel it with every fiber of his being.


    He even had a vague notion that he was dancing on the palm of the teenage boy''s hand, which made his heart shudder.


    ''I''m just overthinking things,'' Rnd thought. ''Joshua has never won against me in the past, and it will be the same today. I will not lose! I WILL NOT LOSE!''


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 Chapter 766 Desperate Struggle [Part 1]

    Chapter 766 Desperate Struggle [Part 1]


    The arena shook as Mikhail''s and Vincent''s powerful attacks shed with each other.


    In the following few seconds, the two Wanderers shed repeatedly, as if trying to gauge how strong each other was.


    Vincent had already removed his limiter, going all-out to win this battle.


    Mikhail, who had always been serious when he was fighting, had shut out the noise in his surroundings and poured all of his focus into his opponent, who seemed to have be stronger than theirst battle on the deserted ind.


    Sparks flew in every direction whenever their weapons collided, showing just how powerful each of their blows was.


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 Chapter 776 A Special Day [Part 3]

    Chapter 776 A Special Day [Part 3]


    Thirteen''s birthday celebration passed swiftly and smoothly.


    For most of the time, Alessia had chatted with Erica and Sherry, who had apanied him to the venue.


    The three of them were in the corner of the room, talking in hushed voices as if they feared that others would hear their discussion.


    Seeing that Zion was free, Shana approached him and asked to talk in private.


    "Many things happened, so I wasn''t able to get an opportunity to talk to you," Shana, who was wearing a dress that highlighted her innocent beauty, said in a serious tone. "But I just want to know one thing. Did you do all of that to break our party apart?"


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 Chapter 768 Desperate Struggle [Part 3]

    Chapter 768 Desperate Struggle [Part 3]


    When the dust settled, the arena was¡­ no longer an arena but a pile of ruins.


    Mikhail''s and Vincent''s attacks were destructive by nature, so when they collided, everything within fifty meters was obliterated.


    The arena had already been split by Mikhail''s axe earlier, so this final attack served as the final nail in the coffin that brought it to ruin.


    Thirteen and the spectators focused their attention on the two young men who were lying on the ground.


    Both were panting for breath, and blood could be seen flowing from different parts of their body.


    The Medics who were on standby nced at Zion in askance, wanting to know if they should start giving first aid or wait until either Mikhail or Vincent was dered the winner.


    Even Rndnand Joshua, who had been bickering with each other, couldn''t help but be speechless at the sheer destruction that this battle had caused.


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 Chapter 769 The End Of Friendship [Part 1]

    Chapter 769 The End Of Friendship [Part 1]


    Vincent awkwardly chuckled as he lowered his hand. He felt a little embarrassed about his action and wished he could bury himself on the ground.


    However, before he could do that, the Medics rushed in to support his body and give him first aid.


    Mikhail received the same attention, leaving Thirteen to make an impromptu announcement about the tournament.


    "Due to the destruction of the arena, we will hold off the next set of matches until tomorrow," Thirteen dered. "Everyone, thank you all foring! Now, it''s time for amercial break!"


    After giving a thumbs up to the camera, themercials finally aired, leaving only those who were in the Colosseum to see the aftermath of the battle.


    Looking at the ruins caused by those two, Thirteen was thinking hard about who to call¡ªit had to be someone who could fix it within half a day. If the arena was only slightly damaged, it could easily be fixed. Unfortunately, it looked like it was nearly demolished from all angles, so it needed to be reced from scratch.


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 Chapter 770 The End Of Friendship [Part 2]

    Chapter 770 The End Of Friendship [Part 2]


    A day before Joshua and Rnd fought against each other in the Arena¡­


    "Listen up, Joshua," Thirteen said in a solemn tone. "As a Sage, you''re considered an all-rounder when ites to using spells and debuff spells on the battlefield. "Unlike Erica, who specializes in firepower with her destructive spells, you are more versatile because you have many options. However, being versatile is not enough for you to win against Rnd if the two of you fight against each other."


    Joshua frowned. "Why would I fight Rnd?"


    "Because you have to," Thirteen replied. "Right now, you and him are at a crossroads that will decide your path in life. After your¡­ betrayal, you should already understand that your rtionship with him and your friends will no longer be the same, right?"


    Joshua nodded, knowing that this was the truth. It might''ve been Zion who pushed him and Rnd to a corner, but it was still him who made the choice to attack his best friend.


    He might be many things, but he was not someone who med others for the decisions he had personally made.


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 Chapter 771 A Battle Of Wills [Part 1]

    Chapter 771 A Battle Of Wills [Part 1]


    ''How?!'' Rnd thought for the umpteenth time. ''How is he able to predict my moves?! How?!''


    Ten minutes hadpsed since his duel with Joshua started, and right from the beginning to now, he failed tond even a single attack on his opponent''s body.


    He was even the one being pushed back by Joshua''s barrage of spells, each of them seeming able to predict where he would go and what he was about to do.


    For a brief moment, the Hero nced at the stage, specifically the teenage boy who was watching their battle with a calm expression on his face.


    As he looked at the person responsible for the falling out between him and his best friend, Rnd couldn''t help but feel that Zion had once again yed his hand.


    Although he didn''t have any proof, he could feel it with every fiber of his being.


    He even had a vague notion that he was dancing on the palm of the teenage boy''s hand, which made his heart shudder.


    ''I''m just overthinking things,'' Rnd thought. ''Joshua has never won against me in the past, and it will be the same today. I will not lose! I WILL NOT LOSE!''


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 Chapter 772 A Battle Of Wills [Part 2]

    Chapter 772 A Battle Of Wills [Part 2]


    The entire Colosseum shook as the blinding light from Rnd''s all-out attack spread far and wide,sting for nearly a minute.


    Gradually, the light dimmed until it vanishedpletely. Not long after, everyone regained their sense of sight, and their gaze hurriedly shot to the arena, only to see a giant crater estimatedly dozens of meters wide.


    On it, Rnd was on his knees, clinging to his sword although he could barely support his body to keep it upright.


    He was panting for breath, and his face was as pale as a sheet of paper.


    Clearly, thest attack he unleashed took a great toll on him, sacrificing his ability to do anything for a period of time.


    Seeing that the Hero was fine, they shifted their attention to the Sage. And unlike Rnd''s sorry figure, he was actually standing on his feet.


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 Chapter 776 A Special Day [Part 3]

    Chapter 776 A Special Day [Part 3]


    Thirteen''s birthday celebration passed swiftly and smoothly.


    For most of the time, Alessia had chatted with Erica and Sherry, who had apanied him to the venue.


    The three of them were in the corner of the room, talking in hushed voices as if they feared that others would hear their discussion.


    Seeing that Zion was free, Shana approached him and asked to talk in private.


    "Many things happened, so I wasn''t able to get an opportunity to talk to you," Shana, who was wearing a dress that highlighted her innocent beauty, said in a serious tone. "But I just want to know one thing. Did you do all of that to break our party apart?"


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 Chapter 774 A Special Day [Part 1]

    Chapter 774 A Special Day [Part 1]


    Thirteen''s eyes abruptly opened, his biological clock nudging him awake perfectly on time.


    As he attempted to get up, his sudden movement made Erica, who was hugging him, also open her eyes.


    "What''s wrong?" Erica groggily asked.


    "I need to prepare to go to the Colosseum," Thirteen replied.


    The youngdy blinked once then twice before cing her right hand behind Thirteen''s head and pushing him closer to her chest.


    "Have you forgotten?" Erica asked. "The arena is destroyed and is currently under repair. It will take at least three days to repair it and reinforce it to prevent it from getting destroyed again."


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 Chapter 780 Ending The Battle With One Move

    Chapter 780 Ending The Battle With One Move


    "Wee back everyone, to the Semi-Final round of the League of Myths and Legends!" Thirteen said, while facing the camera. Cheers erupted from the stands because everyone was waiting for this moment where thest fights between the survivors would be held.


    Since the schedule had been dyed, it was also decided that the match between rk, and Mikhail would be held, right after thest battle of the day.


    "Today''s first match is a battle between two beautifuldies," Thirteen stated. "Of course, one of them is my sister. I would also like to take this opportunity to make an announcement."


    Thirteen paused for a bit, allowing everyone to focus their attention on him.


    "To anyone who wishes to be my sister''s fiance, all of you must first step over my father''s dead body," Thirteen dered.


    Gerald, who was in the VIP Room of the Leventis Family, choked on his fruit juice after hearing his no-good-son''s deration.


    Alessia lightly patted her husband''s back, as she tried to help him stop his coughing fit.


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 Chapter 782 Hidden Conspiracy

    Chapter 782 Hidden Conspiracy


    Mildred fought tooth and nail with Erica but to no avail. The Sorceress was simply too sly, too far, and too strong for her to effectivelynd her attacks, especially since the former was flying.


    "Just what kind of juice did Zion make you drink for you to be this strong?!" Mildred shouted. "I want some of it too!"


    "Damn! Did you hear that? She wants some juice as well!" A young man in the audience gasped.


    "Now I''m curious. Did Lady Erica drink ''that'' kind of juice from Zion?" another young manmented.


    "Bro, you''re making me imagine things I don''t want to imagine."


    "Same, bro. I guess I''ll use this material tonight."


    On the stage, Thirteen raised the microphone close to his mouth and spoke.


    "How did you know that she drank my juice?" Thirteen asked. "Also, I gave her many kinds of juice. Just what kind of juice are you talking about? What color is the juice? What does it taste like? I need details."


    The corner of Mildred''s lips twitched because she didn''t expect that her random shout was something that really happened. "How should i know what kind of juice it is?!" Mildred answered. "But, I''m guessing that it should be white, or something close to that color!"


    Watching the battle from the audience stands, Sherry covered her beet-red face with both hands.


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 Chapter 777 Life Is Never Fair

    Chapter 777 Life Is Never Fair


    "Then what do you suggest that I do?" Shana asked. "Hide away in a ce where he can''t find you," Thirteen replied. "I''m sure it would make him more pitiful and desperate, but at least, he will not break apart. Perhaps, after a bit of soul searching, he will be able to find a new goal in life, allowing him to stand back up."


    Shana pondered Zion''s words before asking another question.


    "Then where should I hide?" Shana asked. "Do I have to go to Solterra? We are supposed to head to the Cygni Continent after thepetition to raise the morale of the defenders. Does that mean that I shouldn''t go there?"


    Thirteen nodded. "The real invasion will only begin two years from now. At most, Tier 6 and Tier 7 Gates will open. In any case, that is still manageable. The Tier 8 Gates and above will only open two years from now, so there''s still a lot of time before you truly need to go to the Cygni Continent."


    Because of Project Athena, Thirteen was able to monitor all the Dimensional Gates present in the Cygni Continent.


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 Chapter 779 I Will Always Believe In You. So, Do Your Best

    Chapter 779 I Will Always Believe In You. So, Do Your Best


    After asking Tiona, Thirteen finally understood what had transpired during the night.


    He didn''t expect that he would act that way under the influence of alcohol.


    Still, this discovery made him understand that he should stay away from such drinks unless he was in a private ce, like his room with Sherry and Erica.


    Also, after understanding what kind of promise he had said not only to Erica but also to Sherry, Thirteen now knew the reason why Sherry had suddenly be bold all of a sudden.


    Although he had made such a promise during his drunken state, he didn''t find anything wrong with it. To begin with, he already nned to do it in the future.


    Of course, Thirteen asked more questions to Tiona to ensure that he got all the facts right. Only after he was done did he fully understand the situation.


    "Thank you, Tiona," Thirteen said. "I know I can always count on you."


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 Chapter 781 Oi! Phrasing!

    Chapter 781 Oi! Phrasing!


    "Mom, it hurts," Shasha said as she tried to break free from Alessia''s hug, who hade rushing to the infirmary right after the duel ended.


    "You did something very reckless, Shasha," Alessia replied, She then reluctantly pulled back to give her daughter some breathing space. "If you allowed me to help you then you would have won that match."


    "I don''t want to cheat," Shasha stated.


    "That''s not cheating," Alessia tried to use reason.


    "It''s cheating," Shasha insisted.


    "Okay fine, it''s cheating," Alessia, who saw how stubborn her daughter was bing, decided to take a step back and nod her head.


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 Chapter 784 I Will Always Believe In You

    Chapter 784 I Will Always Believe In You


    "Why did you suddenly ask to meet me in the middle of the night?" Thirteen asked Char, who was sitting on one of the benches in the park.


    The teenage boy took a seat beside her and looked at the troubled youngdy. "I need your help," Char replied. "I can''t move my right hand."


    She then raised her hand, hinting at the teenage boy to inspect it.


    Thirteen didn''t hesitate and held Char''s hand with both of his hands. He then used both of his thumbs to press on the palm of her hand and started to move them in a circr motion.


    "Do you feel anything?" Thirteen asked.


    Char shook her head. "No."


    Thirteen frowned and tried to press on the pressure points on Char''s hand, but the youngdy showed no reaction.


    "Was this from Shasha''s attack?" Thirteen asked with curiosity.


    "Yes," Char answered. "And I can tell she still hasn''t mastered that skill of hers. Once she does, she''ll surely be a scary opponent for anyone."


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