Chapter 857: Thirteen’s Goal [Part 2] "I have one goal in this lifetime," Thirteen stated. "The downfall of Aaron Ashford. Everything I do aligns with my goal. But that won't be all. I'm also preparing for the aftermath after I'm done with him." Arthur's face turned solemn because he knew Zion was telling him the truth. "So you want to bring down a Monarch while preparing for the possibility of failure, is that it?" Arthur asked. "Failure?" The corner of Thirteen's lips curled up into a smile. "What failure are you talking about, Gramps?" "Aaron alone is not a threat," Arthur replied. "The problem is… there are rumors he's the true leader of the other Monarch Clans, and they will move according to his wishes." "That may have been true in the past, but things are different now," Thirteen commented. "The Elrod Clan and the Griffith Clan are fed up with this arrogance. The Remington Clan has always been neutral. Right now, only the Stallard Clan stands alongside the Ashford Clan. "Even then, cracks are starting to form in their alliance. Just like Aaron, Norman Stallard also wants to become the de facto ruler of Pangea. Gramps, I'm telling you this so you won't have any misunderstanding. "My goal is Aaron Ashford's death. As for the Ashford Clan? I don't really treat them as an enemy as a whole. The moment their Patriarch dies, their family would have no choice but to lower their heads and let the other Families take their place." Thirteen eyed his grandfather, whose expression had become calmer after realizing his true goal. "It wouldn't be too late for the Leventis Family to become the next Monarch Clan after his death. But if you try to break the status quo right now, there's a possibility that Aaron Ashford would discreetly target our family before the invasion in the Cygni Continent starts." Arthur never thought about it that way, believing that as long as he and the Central Government had each other's back, they had nothing to worry about. But Zion, who looked at the bigger picture, understood that this was not the right time to cause ripples across the surface of the lake, especially when everyone was preparing for the Cygni Invasion. "It's not worth it, Gramps," Thirteen stated. "Wait until after the invasion ends." "Will we strike the Ashford Clan after the Cygni Invasion ends?" Arthur inquired. "No," Thirteen answered. "They will strike us first. The only reason they're not doing it right now is because I'm needed for the upcoming battle. But after the Cygni Invasion, I will no longer have any use. "He will then reach out to the Monarch Clans and the Prestigious Families, as well as the other Influential Families, to target us with the promise of great rewards. "The Influential Families who had long been wishing to become part of the Prestigious Families will not let this opportunity pass. That said, they will gladly cooperate with Aaron to destroy us. "Of course, to make amends with the Central Government, they will probably offer an olive branch by letting Mikhail or Shasha marry into their family. But that will only happen after they have killed you, Gramps." A sneer appeared on Arthur's face after Zion finished his explanation. "They can try," Arthur said in contempt. "So, whether we act or not, the status quo will be broken after the invasion ends, right?" "That's right." Thirteen nodded. "So there's no need to hurry, Gramps. Like I said, you're better off sharpening your claws for that battle. Regardless of the results of the invasion in the Cygni Continent, the Leventis Family will face an all-out war from all sides." Erica's and Sherry's faces had turned pale because Thirteen's declaration was like a prophecy that would definitely come to pass. They never thought the relationship between the Monarch Clans and the Prestigious Families was this complicated. In the eyes of normal people, these families get along well on the surface. They would even invite each other during special events, making the outside world think they were on good terms. "The two of you have nothing to worry about," Thirteen said. "The storm will pass, and victory will be ours." He was not only saying this to calm his two lovers but also to assure everyone present inside the house. Gerald, Alessia, Arthur, Michael, and Hans all had grim expressions on their faces earlier. But after hearing Zion's words, the heaviness in the room vanished without a trace. "Gramps, you should upgrade the defenses of the Leventis Residence in preparation for a raid by the other Families," Thirteen advised. "Very well." Arthur nodded. "I will also send people here to add defenses around your house." "There's no need for that, Gramps." Thirteen shook his head. "When our house was destroyed many years ago, I fortified it to be strong enough to fend off a dozen Rank 9 Monsters. They won't even be able to reach the front door before they get obliterated to pieces." Gerald and Alessia glanced at each other, having remembered something Zion had told them in the past. There were red buttons in the kitchen, in their rooms, in their workplace, and even outside the house. Zion told them that in case of emergency, they should press these buttons to activate the defense mechanism of their home. Their son even told them that pressing any of these red buttons would turn the Leventis Residence into an armed fortress, capable of defending against Rank 9 Monsters. Back then, they thought they were just the ramblings of a child and even playfully pressed some of these buttons to see their effects. However, even after pressing these buttons, nothing happened. What they didn't know was that Thirteen was still not finished building those defenses back then. But now, all of these defense mechanisms were completely optimized, ready to defend their home with just a push of a button. "Can you also upgrade the defenses of our residence?" Arthur asked. If their main headquarters could defend against Rank 9 Monsters, an invasion from several families would not hurt them in the slightest. "No," Thirteen replied. "I have no time for that. I'm too busy preparing for the Cygni Invasion. But you are free to evacuate the Leventis Family here as a last resort. After all, this is the Main Branch." Gerald gave his son a thumbs up in his heart because he liked Zion's confidence. Arthur, on the other hand, scoffed before standing up to leave. "I'll listen to you, Zion," Arthur stated. "Just make sure that you don't die in the Cygni Continent. If you die, I'll find your body and kill you a second time." After saying those words, Arthur finally left with Michael and Hans. Now that they knew that Zion's goal was to eliminate a Monarch, they would need to make their own preparations for a different kind of invasion. Sometimes, it wasn't the monsters who posed a real threat to humanity. The real threat was the monsters hiding inside human skin, who would not hesitate to kill their fellow men for the sake of getting what they wanted. Thirteen knew Aaron had already set his sights on him, but he wasn't too bothered by it. He just found it ironic that after the humans of Pangea united against a common enemy, they would turn their back on their allies. This was the fate of Heroes after accomplishing their duties. When the world was at peace, Heroes were not needed. And that would also be the moment when they would meet their ends in the hands of the people whom they trusted, dying unjust deaths because the people they protected were afraid of the power that they wield.