Perhaps no one believed in Zion more than Sherry. She first met the teenage boy during her First Wandering. Back then, Zion had taught her many things, protected her from harm, and ensured that she would survive the first obstacle most Wanderers failed to overcome. The First Wandering was an initiation. Wanderers who could complete their mission would be sent back to Pangea, bringing with them the experience of a harsh world, where danger lurked at every corner. Zion reminded Sherry of her brother, Allan, who only managed to return to reunite with them after spending years in Solterra. Although Sherry and her family always believed that he was alive, they still couldn’t help but feel anxious because there was no news from him. For this reason, she could relate to Shana’s excitement when her brother returned after wandering in Solterra for nearly seven years. Unfortunately, the happiness of their reunion was short-lived after Aiden voiced out that he didn’t recognize Zion as his Superior Officer. Furthermore, he even attempted to curse the young man during their handshake, which his family didn’t know. If they knew what Aiden had done to Zion, their disappointment might have been greater. For Shana’s sake, Thirteen didn’t say anything and simply accepted Aiden’s invitation to a sparring match. Aiden was a Grandmaster, and following logic, he ought to be stronger than Zion. But Zion’s battle prowess surpassed the Rookie Rank. According to his own estimate, he was near the Master Rank, which was why Roland and the members of the Hero Party always struggled when fighting against him. However, Zion still had a trump card he planned to use in the future. He had been recently trying to concoct a special medicinal pill, which would allow him to step into the peak of the Grandmaster Rank. In short, Thirteen would become a Pseudo-Throne once he successfully found the formula for the pill that would give him a great boost in strength. He might be banned from increasing his Rank, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t increase his strength by consuming pills. This was not against the rules, and Laplace Demon and The One could do nothing about it. Unfortunately, gathering the necessary ingredients for the pill wasn’t easy. Even with the help of the Order of Raizel, Thirteen lacked three main ingredients that would complete the Immortal Pill he planned to consume. Still, Thirteen wasn’t worried. He believed that he would get the three last ingredients sooner or later. Because of this, he was more focused on consolidating his strength as the pill would triple his base strength once it was consumed. The Summers Family, Erica, and Sherry looked at the training field where Zion and Aiden’s match would take place. Thirteen proposed to use real weapons in the duel, and Aiden was more than happy to accept his proposal. Tristan and Lawrence looked at the two combatants, ready to interfere in case either life were to be in danger. "At least you’re man enough to face me," Aiden said. "Although the end result will not change, I can at least recognize your bravery." "Oh?" Thirteen smirked. "Then, let me ask you a question. Will you dare to fight a Throne in a battle to the death?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 "What nonsense are you spouting?" Aiden frowned. "Who in their right minds would fight a Throne? Even if a Grandmaster is only a step away from becoming a Throne, there is no way that they will win a fight against them." "I see." Thirteen nodded. "So this means you only fight battles that you can win. This must be why you’re so excited to fight a Rookie like me. I’m sure the world will look down on you if they are watching this battle live on television. "Imagine feeling proud for defeating a rookie in a duel. Just what kind of Grandmaster are you? You really are a disappointment to your family." The corner of Aiden’s lips twitched, but he couldn’t say anything to refute the teenage boy’s words. Everyone knew that Zion was a Rookie and that he, on the other hand, was a Grandmaster. Even if he won against Zion, no one would find fault in the teenage boy because this outcome was already expected. However, if, for some reason, Aiden lost to Zion Leventis, he would become the laughingstock of the world, and such would be an embarrassment he would carry to his grave. "You’re very good with words," Aiden said. "Do you plan to win in a battle of eloquence?" "Nah." Thirteen shook his head before glancing at Erica. "Are the cameras ready?" "Ready," Erica replied. "I’ll make sure to record this fight without fail." "Do you really want to let your shameful display be seen by other people?" Aiden asked. "You talk too much," Thirteen stated. "Did you get bullied in Solterra when you were there? Who hurt you? Do you want me to help you beat them up?" "Silence!" Aiden, who seemed to have remembered something he wished to forget, shouted in anger. "Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. But I’ll make sure to break a leg or two to remind you that you’re at the bottom of the hierarchy of Wanderers!" Thirteen ignored Aiden’s words and instead glanced at Tristan and Lawrence. "Sirs, can I break his legs?" Thirteen asked. "You can beat him up, but don’t cripple him," Lawrence replied. "He’s still the Commander of the 60th Battalion, and his subordinates need him on the front lines." Thirteen nodded in understanding before shifting his attention back to his opponent. "Aren’t you lucky?" Thirteen asked. "Your grandfather doesn’t want me to cripple you, yet you can cripple me if you wish." "That’s the difference in our status," Aiden commented. "Just like the difference in our Ranks. You cannot overcome the gap between us." Read new adventures at freewebnovel Coiled in Erica’s neck, Tiona shook her head because she was now certain that Aiden would suffer a fate worse than death once the duel was over. "Enough talk. Let’s fight!" Aiden took a fighting stance. "I’ve had enough of your nonsense." "I feel the same," Thirteen pointed his two longswords at the ground and stood straight like a sword. "I’m ready when you are." Aiden, who took that as an invitation to start the match, charged in Zion’s direction at a speed that would have made ordinary Wanderers unable to react. Using the dull part of his sword, he slashed toward Thirteen’s knees, intending to cripple him just like he announced earlier. Once the arrogant Rookie had fallen to the ground, he would take his time stepping on his face and making him eat dirt. Those were the thoughts running inside Aiden’s head as he went for the crippling blow. But just as he was about to land his attack, the teenage boy suddenly lunged forward, closing the distance between them, to the point that their bodies practically stuck to each other. This prevented Aiden from unleashing his sword strike in full. Zion returned his short swords to his Dimensional Storage and smoothly raised his fist, smacking Aiden’s jaw hard. Due to his arrogance, Aiden didn’t believe for a moment that Zion would be able to react to his fast movements, which caught him off guard. The impact of the teenage boy’s punch rattled Aiden’s brain, and it made him blank out for a brief moment. However, Thirteen wasn’t done yet. Sliding his leg behind Aiden’s knees, the teenage boy grabbed hold of the young man’s head and slammed him hard on the ground. Erica, Sherry, Lawrence, Tristan, Shana, and Rianna winced due to how painful it looked from their perspective. Just when they thought the battle was finally over, Thirteen unceremoniously kicked the fallen young man, flipping him over like a burger patty that needed to be cooked evenly on both sides.