The mass opening of mutated high-tier gates put the entirety of the Cygni Continent under a state of tension. The Defenders were currently following Renz Elrod's command, who guided their preparations for the upcoming defensive battle. Many felt restless and had been petitioning that Zion Leventis be put in the position of Grand Strategist, putting Renz into a bind. It was only resolved after Thirteen announced that two Commanders were needed to win the war. One commander to focus on defense, and the other on offense. Renz would play the role of Defender, while Zion would play the Attacker. This arrangement alleviated the worries of the Alliance, making them more obedient to Renz's arrangements. "I really can't beat your reputation, Master," Renz said as he looked at the projection of the teenage boy in front of him. "A single word from you, and the opposition all quieted down." "It's why you should perform well in this war, Renz," Thirteen stated. "You need to gain the support of the entire alliance to put our grand plan into action. Don't make me step up unless it's absolutely necessary." "I understand, Master." Renz nodded. "I will hold the line for as long as possible. What about you? What are your plans? Will you finally reveal some of your secrets?" "As much as possible, I'd still like to keep the others in the dark," Thirteen replied. "But I also know it will be extremely difficult. If we want to win—win decisively, some sacrifices must be made." Renz nodded because he, too, felt the same. Thirteen had given him a detailed layout of the battlefield using Athena's satellite imagery. The position of the Jinns and their armies was clearly marked, allowing Renz to have a full grasp of the layout of the battlefield. Although Thirteen said that Renz would play defensively, that didn't mean they would wait for the Jinns to attack them. Sometimes, offense was the best defense. Not to mention, Zion already permitted him to launch preemptive strikes to boost the morale of the allied armies. Renz was also aware of Thirteen's monster army that was hidden in the Planar Mountain Range, which he could take advantage of when the war entered its third phase. "Master, can you tell me your plans so I can coordinate with you?" Renz asked. Thirteen nodded. "The Heads of the different factions of the Jinns are going to have a meeting tomorrow. They will probably form alliances and agree on where their armies would strike on the battlefield. "The real problem is that all of them had brought their strategists and generals in this battle, all of whom are proficient in the art of war. Unlike before, we won't fight mindless hordes of Jinns but actual armies that know military formations. "But what I want you to be wary of are certain groups you shouldn't target with your preemptive strikes. House Pavareth, the Skavari, and the Azrakith Court are off-limits. Also, you will receive a private call in an hour from now from the Velmoria Royal Family. "They are the Succubus Race, and frankly, they are one of the most dangerous threats for Wanderers. However, they are also known for not being greedy, happy enough if they could have a slice of the pie. "It will be best to form an agreement with them. Only let Tristan, Wendell, Douglas, and Trevor know about this under-the-table agreement. The Succubus likes to play both sides, so make sure to not give them too many benefits during the negotiations." "I understand." Renz nodded. "But, Master, why is it so noisy on your side right now? I can hear some kind of interference, which sounds like explosions." "Ah, that?" Thirteen smirked as he glanced at Arthur, the Hero Party, the 69th Battalion, the Elites of the Leventis Family, and the Legionnaires as they unleashed a one-sided massacre against the Jinns that were located at the eastern edge of the Cygni Continent. Their enemies didn't expect that the rearmost territory from the front lines would be attacked, so their security and defenses were not up to par with the sudden invasion. There was simply no way to prepare against something no one had seen coming. "Let's just say I'm launching a preemptive strike right now," Thirteen said. "This will make the Jinns think we could strike anywhere at any time, making them more wary." The teenage boy watched as the Bee Bee Cee Reporter conducted a live broadcast, showing the world that it was humanity who made the first move by striking the Jinns, which would help boost the morale of the Wanderers. He had asked Erica not to hold back and burn the city to the ground, showing no mercy. "As expected of Master," Renz said with a smile. "May fortune shine upon you." Renz bowed before ending the call, which only lasted for a few minutes. "Fortune, huh?" Thirteen muttered as he glanced at the destruction that was happening around him. Rocky, Giga, Blacky, and the rest of his monster army was assisting the Wanderers under his command, overwhelming the enemies on the ground, while Zed dominated the sky. Of course, they only targeted a middle-sized faction, which wasn't as strong as the Skavari and House Pavareth. These factions didn't have any Rank 9 Sovereigns under their command, and the strongest monster ruling them was a Rank 8 Sovereign. Since Rocky and Zed could deal with it, the rest wasn't too much of a problem. Arthur rampaged across the battlefield, killing monsters left and right with his sword. The members of the Hero Party, who haven't participated in any battles as of late, were also putting their teamwork into practice, which was being highlighted by the Bee Bee Cee crew. They had sneaked to this base while hiding in Rocky's mobile fortress, which Thirteen had decided to reveal to his comrade-at-arms. As for the spies of the Monarch Clans and the Prestigious Families? They weren't really a problem. He wasn't afraid of their betrayal. But just to make sure, he asked Evuvug to have a nice and long private talk with them, putting them completely under the Brain Beetle's control. With them being able to attack anywhere, at any time, the elite army under Thirteen's command could showcase their full might. Roland took deep, steady breaths before flicking his sword to the side, flicking the blood clinging onto its blade to the ground. Just like everyone who didn't know about Rocky, he was completely mind-blown about the forces that were under Thirteen's command. He now understood why the latter was able to traverse the Temple of Courage on his own, eliminating the threats that they were unable to defeat. 'Just how many secrets are you still hiding from us?' Roland thought as he glanced at the teenage boy, who was sitting in the distance while sipping a glass of fruit juice in his hand. Sensing the gaze of the Hero, Thirteen looked and waved in his direction, acting very carefree. Clark and Char were standing guard beside him, making sure that no stray monsters attacked their "helpless" Commander, who was enjoying a relaxing time while chaos and destruction happened around him. Siri and Stella, who had also joined this expedition, glanced at their Commander before shifting their gaze to Mikhail and Shasha, who were fighting seriously in the battlefield. "This guy really knows how to put people to work," Siri hissed. "He even treats his family members as additional manpower." "I think you're wrong, Siri," Stella commented. "I think he is letting everyone fight because he is confident that we can handle this level of enemies." Siri scoffed, but no longer made any complaints as she joined the others in wiping out the monsters on the battlefield. Thirteen had only given them one order and one order only. "Kill everyone, and don't let a single Jinn escape this place. The war has not yet begun, but we will light the spark, so all Wanderers can face tomorrow with the certainty that humanity won't go down without a fight.