Chapter 401 This Is Why You Are Forever-Alone Two days after Thirteen met up with Jalrog, more good news arrived at his doorstep. Out of the 40 monsters he had requested from the Alliance, ten more had been sent his way, which he immediately added to his Divine Artifact. All in all, including Tiona, he now had fifteen monsters that he could summon anytime and anywhere to help him fight his opponents. It also meant that there were now fifteen abilities that his private army could use such as… Kiss of Death. Mirror. Breath of Petrification. Perfect Camouflage. Telekinesis. Enhanced Senses. Enhanced Reflexes Enhanced Speed. Unblocked Passage. Teleportation. Telepathy Aquatic Breathing Barrier Healing Wind Adamantine Body. Even if all the monsters under his command were only Rank 1 Monsters, this set of skills was more than enough for them to fight above their current rank. Once Thirteen had filled up the one-hundred monster quota of his Divine Artifact, his monster army would be a force to reckon with, allowing him to fight against stronger opponents even if he were alone. But, Thirteen still had another option. He could simply capture more monsters in the Rigel Continent and temporarily add them to his collection, maximizing the effects of his Divine Artifact. The teenage boy could easily kick out these monsters whenever he wanted, so he wouldn't suffer any loss from filling up its slots temporarily. This was a win-win situation for him, for it would allow him to fight with his full potential once their mission began. In fact, he planned to go on a hunting expedition with Rocky and Hans right after he finished his meeting with his subordinates. "Two days from now, we will launch the expedition to recapture the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent," Thirteen stated. "I don't need to tell you how important this upcoming battle is. "The entire world is paying close attention to the events happening here in the Rigel Continent. In fact, Battle Reporters will be accompanying our forces to report the battle in real-time." The members of the 69th Battalion and the Valkyries didn't expect that reporters would also come to broadcast their battle, which made them anxious. The teenage boy, who didn't know what his subordinates were thinking, continued his speech after a brief pause. "Our victory will also be their victory," Thirteen declared. "And our loss will also be their loss. But we will not lose—we will win, and it will be a resounding victory. So tonight, eat and drink to your heart's content. "Talk to your families and assure them that you will come back to them safely. When tomorrow comes, prepare your weapons, sharpen your blades, and rest properly. I'll meet you all on the second day, so make sure that all of you are ready by then." Thirteen saluted, and everyone else reciprocated his gesture. "Dismiss!" Thirteen ordered. As soon as he finished giving his order, he approached Hans, who summoned his Giant Hawk and took off to the skies with his Young Master. There were only two days left before the battle started, so Thirteen needed to add as many monsters as possible to his Immortal Parade of a Hundred Demons. Meanwhile, the Dvalinn Main Headquarters was bustling with activity. All the Warships were being double-checked to ensure that all of them had sufficient ammunition for the upcoming battle. Thirteen had relegated Renz to handle the final preparations for the battle, and the latter was doing his best to accomplish the task that had been given to him. He had talked to Zion and made a deal with him. If the teenage boy were able to reclaim the Northern Regions successfully with minimal casualties, he would accept his offer to become Zion's secret agent and follower. Thirteen agreed to his condition, and that was how their talks ended. The Ashford Clan and the Stallard Clan were also paying attention to the battle that would commence in two days. In fact, they were secretly hoping that the Alliance would lose so that Zion's arrogance would be brought down a peg. When that happens, they would generously offer their assistance and help reclaim the lands of the Rigel Continent. By then, they would have the edge in the negotiations when discussion about the division of spoils of war took place. The Monarch of the Cygni Continent was also paying close attention to this large-scale attack as well. Unlike the Ashford and the Stallard Clan, Griffin Douglas wished for Zion's expedition to succeed, for the victory in the Rigel Continent would raise the morale of his troops. In a camp located in one of the Major Cities of the Cygni Continent, a group of six teenagers looked at the television in front of them with great interest. A reporter was currently interviewing Shana, asking for her opinion about the upcoming battle to reclaim the Northern Regions of the Rigel Continent. "Is it just me, or Shana has become more beautiful since the last time we saw her?" a young lady with dark blue hair asked with a smile. "She looks the same to me," another girl, who had long blonde hair, replied. "But there is indeed something different about her." "Perhaps the environment of the Rigel Continent made her experience many things," a teenage boy with dark brown hair and green eyes replied as he sharpened his weapon. "Maybe being in the front lines made her more mature." "Still, the situation there has escalated rather quickly," a young lady with long black hair and blue eyes commented. "And it's all because of one person… Zion Leventis. Hey, Roland—maybe we should invite him to join our party. What do you think?" The Hero of the Hero Party, Roland, didn't say anything and simply watched Shana on the television. "No good. He's too focused on Shana," the teenage girl with dark blue hair shook her head helplessly. "He can't hear us." "I can hear you just fine," Roland replied. "If this mission of theirs succeeds, then I will consider adding him to our party. Is that fine with you, Joshua?" (E/N: LMAO. That ain't up to you, loverboy.) The Sage of the Hero Party, Joshua, fixed the glasses on his face before giving his reply. "I don't mind either," Joshua replied. "But I have a feeling that he will turn down our invitation." "Why would he do that?" the blonde-haired girl asked. "We're the Hero Party. We get a lot of resources from the Central Government, and all of us have a special rank in the Military. How could he not want to join our team?" "Intuition," Joshua replied. "Compared to his achievements, we are greatly lacking. If he succeeds in this mission, the gap between us will only increase more. Also, my informers in the Valkyries have told me that Zion Leventis is now commanding their Division. "Although he and Shana don't spend a lot of time together, they said that she respects him very much and would often ask him for advice whenever he's around. Perhaps her maturity is also thanks to Zion's influence." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎 Roland frowned after hearing his best friend's explanation, while the three girls gave each other a knowing glance. "Do you think the two of them are a couple now?" "Oi! Don't be like that. If I remember correctly, Zion is only thirteen years old. They have a three-year gap between them." "It's just a three-year gap. Besides, isn't it normal for thirteen-year-olds to have a romantic partner? It happens all the time—especially during the First Wandering." "Can you girls quiet down?" the Warrior, who was sharpening his blade, clicked his tongue. "You three are like Aunties always gossiping about juicy gossip. Can you give it a break?" "Shut up, Derek," the blonde-haired girl said. "This is why you are forever alone. You don't know how to talk to girls properly." Derek rolled his eyes at their Sorceress, who had a fiery personality. Roland sighed as he listened to the bickering of his party. However, he was feeling a bit anxious at the thought of Shana fighting on the front lines without them. He had asked for permission for their Party to be relocated to the Rigel Continent in order to assist Shana, but the Grand Marshal told them that they should remain in the Cygni Continent to raise the morale of their troops there. 'Be safe, Shana,' Roland thought as she looked at the young lady whom he had developed a crush on. 'I pray for your success.' Although they weren't together, he sincerely hoped that their Saintess would emerge victorious in this battle, which would impact not only the Rigel Continent but also the entire world.