"First, let's discuss the rewards you have gained for completing your Final Trial," Laplace Demon stated as rows of text appeared in front of the ten-year-old, displaying the details of his final trial.
—————————————————-
< Unique Quest! >
Quest Category: Chain Quest
Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials
< Final Trial >
— Prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.
< Reward >
— Your Destiny Bond Skill will gain an upgrade.
— You will be able to summon your Beast Companions in Pangea
— You will be allowed to impart Martial Skills, as well as Rune Equipment, to three people outside of your Family
— You will finally be able to return to Pangea.
"Your Destiny Bond has now been upgraded, allowing you to pinpoint the exact location of the people whom you have formed strong bonds with," Laplace Demon said. "This ability is not limited to distance. As long as you are in the same world, a string of Fate will connect you and these people."
Thirteen almost scowled in reflex when he heard the word Fate because this was a word that he hated hearing the most.
However, he knew that getting angry right now would not be wise, so he remained calm and listened to Laplace Demon's explanation.
"The number of people whom you can bestow with Martial Skills will increase to six people outside of your family, instead of three.
"They will also be allowed to use Rune Equipment even if they are not part of your family."
Thirteen liked these changes because they increased the number of people who would become the pillars that supported him.
"Just like the skills you acquired from your Trials, which we have approved of, we are also going to give you the option to select three skills of your choice, which will not be affected by the restrictions placed on you by the System God.
"You may choose from this list of skills, which I have compiled as part of your rewards for assisting Wanderers in their missions."
A list of over a hundred skills appeared in front of the ten-year-old, which made him frown.
The majority of the skills on the list were Low-Tier abilities, like Create Light and Magic Compass.
However, there were several Mid-Tier Abilities and a handful of High-Ranked Abilities.
After careful consideration, Thirteen chose three skills that benefited his battle style the most.
The first one was Air Steps.
Just like the name implied, it allowed the boy to create footholds in the air, allowing him more flexibility in battle.
The next skill he chose was Dark Vision.
This was something that Thirteen always wanted to have because having the ability to see in the dark went a long way during night raids and other similar activities.
The last skill he chose was Mage Hand.
It was an ability that allowed Thirteen to create a magical hand, which he could use to perform certain tasks for him.
The skills he chose weren't really exceptional nor did they stand out.
But having them gave Thirteen a lot of choices on the battlefield.
"These rewards are not enough to compensate you for the things that you have accomplished," The One stated. "So, I will give you an opportunity. Name one reward, and as long as it is equivalent to your achievements, I will grant it. However, you cannot ask me to remove any of your restrictions."
Thirteen was surprised by the God's sudden declaration. Because of this, he didn't hesitate to say the first thing that came to his mind.
"Allow me to have a Patron God," Thirteen said firmly.
"A Patron God?" Laplace Demon frowned but didn't say a word to reject Thirteen's request. It was not his place to say anything because it was The One, who had asked the ten-year-old for the reward he wanted.
However, the Demon and the God suddenly realized Thirteen's real intention for asking to have the blessings of a Patron God.
'Is he perhaps planning to choose me as his Patron God, so I can remove his restrictions?' The One thought. 'This guy is really ambitious.'
'What a very smart move,' Laplace Demon mused. 'If he chooses The One as his Patron God, he would be able to gain a massive advantage in Solterra. As expected of a System, he's smart.'
After a few minutes of silence, The One spoke once more, making Thirteen smile.
"I will allow you to choose a Patron God," The One said.
The God was certain that Thirteen was going to choose him and had even prepared his speech for the boy.
"Thank you for granting my request." Thirteen bowed respectfully.
"Then, who are you going to choose?" Laplace Demon asked with a smile.
He and The One were already planning to tell the boy that he had made the right choice in choosing The One as his Patron God.
However, Thirteen's next words were like cold water poured over their heads.
"The God whom I plan to become my Patron is none other than… the Skip God."
"S-Skip God?" Laplace Demon blinked once and twice before shifting his gaze to The One, who was equally surprised by the boy's declaration.
"Are you referring to the New Generation God, Skip God?" The One asked. "The God that was born because people wanted to skip a few things like those long dialogues in games?"
"Yes." Thirteen nodded. "I want him to become my Patron God."
"… Are you sure?" The One asked.
"I'm sure," Thirteen replied.
"You can still change your mind," Laplace Demon commented.
Thirteen shook his head. "I don't plan to change my mind."
"Last chance."
"I'm good."
Seeing that he wouldn't budge in his decision, The One sighed and promised Thirteen that he would talk to the Skip God later.
"Are you now ready to go home?" Laplace Demon asked.
"Yes," Thirteen replied. "So, please, don't pull me to Solterra for the next three to four years. I plan to have a long vacation."
"Very well," The One promised. "You deserve that much rest."
Somewhere in the Aldebaran Continent…
The Wanderers who succeeded in completing their missions in Solterra appeared in the Grand Waypoints located in several places on the continent.
There were only five of them in Aldebaran, and this particular Waypoint was placed in a city called Wayside City.
It was a city under the jurisdiction of the Central Government and also the place where the majority of Rookies appeared after their first mission in Solterra.
Dark clouds were swirling above the Grand Waypoint, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
This abnormal weather phenomenon alarmed the soldiers and the elite members of the Monarch Clans and Prestigious families, who were stationed in the Grand Waypoint.
"Take the Rookies and other low-ranked Wanderers to the evacuation area!" the Commander, who was in charge of keeping the peace and order in the Waypoint, shouted. "Ask the representatives of the Monarch Clans, as well as the Prestigious Families, to be on high alert as well."
"Yes, Sir!" a soldier saluted as he called a few people from the command center to execute his commander's orders.
Soon, something that they had never seen before manifested before their eyes.
Countless lightning bolts descended upon the waypoint, creating booming sounds in the heavens.
This continued for nearly half a minute before the soldiers stationed outside noticed a person standing in the location where the lightning bolts were descending.
A minute later, the heavenly bombardment ended, making everyone's gazes focus on the scene in front of them.
In the center of the waypoint stood a human boy with a black snake coiled around his neck.
From the Celestial Realm, Laplace Demon asked The One a question that had been on his mind for a long time.
"Do you feel like the System God had laid down this plan in order for Thirteen to gain some benefits through us?" Laplace Demon asked. "I'm starting to think that instead of creating hard missions to deliberately kill him, he's actually strengthening him and allowing him to acquire skills in the process."
"It doesn't matter," The One answered. "Whether we are being used by the System God to give the black sheep of his family the ability to grow doesn't change the fact that Thirteen helped us a lot. That is all that matters."
Laplace Demon nodded but still couldn't shake away the feeling that this was all part of the System God's plan.
But, for now, he decided to put these thoughts to the side, for they still had plenty of things to do for the sake of their goal.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Waypoint, Thirteen was surrounded by countless elites who were looking at him with cold gazes.
Their firearms were all pointed toward the boy because they didn't know if he was really a Human or a monster wearing human skin.
But instead of being intimidated, Thirteen only smiled as he looked at the Commander of the Central Government, who had personally come to the scene to ascertain the situation.
"Who are you?" the Commander asked. "What are you?"
"Don't worry, Commander," Thirteen replied. "I'm Human just like you. As for my name… I believe that you have already heard of me. But just in case some of you don't know who I am, allow me to introduce myself."
Thirteen smiled with confidence before using his thumb to point at his face.
"I am Zion Leventis," Thirteen declared. "Also, I plan to join the Central Government. Are you guys perhaps looking for new recruits? If so, can I join?"
The Commander of the base almost choked on his saliva after hearing the boy's name.
The name Zion Leventis had been circulating among the circle of Wanderers for the past three years.
Many believed that this was just some nonsense propaganda of the Leventis Family to gain some clout.
But after seeing the legendary Rookie in the flesh, the Commander didn't hesitate to extend his hand and shake the boy's hand.
"I am Colonel Warren Green," Warren said as he shook the boy's hands firmly. "Welcome back to Pangea, Zion Leventis."
He was naturally elated to hear that a promising Rookie wanted to join their ranks in the Central Government.
Warren could already see his promotion waving in front of him as he looked at the ten-year-old with a big smile on his face.
Meanwhile, news of Zion's appearance started to spread far and wide in the networks of the Monarch Clans and the Prestigious Families.
All of them wanted to learn as much as they could about the boy, who was said to have defeated a Majin Prince when he was just seven years old.
Thirteen smiled as he allowed the Colonel to shake his hand.
Although he was certain that his Grandfather, Arthur Leventis would blow his top if he heard that his grandson decided to join the Central Government, the ten-year-old didn't care.
In order to achieve his goals, he would need a strong backing aside from the Leventis Family.
However, before the day was over, more shocking news would spread throughout Pangea as the artifact that could see a Wanderer's Status Page revealed Thirteen's data for everyone to see.
On that day, countless people came to know that the person whom many Wanderers idolized would forever remain in the Rookie Rank.
This made many people question whether the Central Government's measuring equipment was faulty or whether they were hiding Zion's true information from the general public.
"First, let's discuss the rewards you have gained for completing your Final Trial," Laplace Demon stated as rows of text appeared in front of the ten-year-old, displaying the details of his final trial.
—————————————————-
< Unique Quest! >
Quest Category: Chain Quest
Quest Name: The Thirteen Trials
< Final Trial >
— Prevent the Moon Princess from getting corrupted.
< Reward >
— Your Destiny Bond Skill will gain an upgrade.
— You will be able to summon your Beast Companions in Pangea
— You will be allowed to impart Martial Skills, as well as Rune Equipment, to three people outside of your Family
— You will finally be able to return to Pangea.
"Your Destiny Bond has now been upgraded, allowing you to pinpoint the exact location of the people whom you have formed strong bonds with," Laplace Demon said. "This ability is not limited to distance. As long as you are in the same world, a string of Fate will connect you and these people."
Thirteen almost scowled in reflex when he heard the word Fate because this was a word that he hated hearing the most.
However, he knew that getting angry right now would not be wise, so he remained calm and listened to Laplace Demon's explanation.
"The number of people whom you can bestow with Martial Skills will increase to six people outside of your family, instead of three.
"They will also be allowed to use Rune Equipment even if they are not part of your family."
Thirteen liked these changes because they increased the number of people who would become the pillars that supported him.
"Just like the skills you acquired from your Trials, which we have approved of, we are also going to give you the option to select three skills of your choice, which will not be affected by the restrictions placed on you by the System God.
"You may choose from this list of skills, which I have compiled as part of your rewards for assisting Wanderers in their missions."
A list of over a hundred skills appeared in front of the ten-year-old, which made him frown.
The majority of the skills on the list were Low-Tier abilities, like Create Light and Magic Compass.
However, there were several Mid-Tier Abilities and a handful of High-Ranked Abilities.
After careful consideration, Thirteen chose three skills that benefited his battle style the most.
The first one was Air Steps.
Just like the name implied, it allowed the boy to create footholds in the air, allowing him more flexibility in battle.
The next skill he chose was Dark Vision.
This was something that Thirteen always wanted to have because having the ability to see in the dark went a long way during night raids and other similar activities.
The last skill he chose was Mage Hand.
It was an ability that allowed Thirteen to create a magical hand, which he could use to perform certain tasks for him.
The skills he chose weren't really exceptional nor did they stand out.
But having them gave Thirteen a lot of choices on the battlefield.
"These rewards are not enough to compensate you for the things that you have accomplished," The One stated. "So, I will give you an opportunity. Name one reward, and as long as it is equivalent to your achievements, I will grant it. However, you cannot ask me to remove any of your restrictions."
Thirteen was surprised by the God's sudden declaration. Because of this, he didn't hesitate to say the first thing that came to his mind.
"Allow me to have a Patron God," Thirteen said firmly.
"A Patron God?" Laplace Demon frowned but didn't say a word to reject Thirteen's request. It was not his place to say anything because it was The One, who had asked the ten-year-old for the reward he wanted.
However, the Demon and the God suddenly realized Thirteen's real intention for asking to have the blessings of a Patron God.
'Is he perhaps planning to choose me as his Patron God, so I can remove his restrictions?' The One thought. 'This guy is really ambitious.'
'What a very smart move,' Laplace Demon mused. 'If he chooses The One as his Patron God, he would be able to gain a massive advantage in Solterra. As expected of a System, he's smart.'
After a few minutes of silence, The One spoke once more, making Thirteen smile.
"I will allow you to choose a Patron God," The One said.
The God was certain that Thirteen was going to choose him and had even prepared his speech for the boy.
"Thank you for granting my request." Thirteen bowed respectfully.
"Then, who are you going to choose?" Laplace Demon asked with a smile.
He and The One were already planning to tell the boy that he had made the right choice in choosing The One as his Patron God.
However, Thirteen's next words were like cold water poured over their heads.
"The God whom I plan to become my Patron is none other than… the Skip God."
"S-Skip God?" Laplace Demon blinked once and twice before shifting his gaze to The One, who was equally surprised by the boy's declaration.
"Are you referring to the New Generation God, Skip God?" The One asked. "The God that was born because people wanted to skip a few things like those long dialogues in games?"
"Yes." Thirteen nodded. "I want him to become my Patron God."
"… Are you sure?" The One asked.
"I'm sure," Thirteen replied.
"You can still change your mind," Laplace Demon commented.
Thirteen shook his head. "I don't plan to change my mind."
"Last chance."
"I'm good."
Seeing that he wouldn't budge in his decision, The One sighed and promised Thirteen that he would talk to the Skip God later.
"Are you now ready to go home?" Laplace Demon asked.
"Yes," Thirteen replied. "So, please, don't pull me to Solterra for the next three to four years. I plan to have a long vacation."
"Very well," The One promised. "You deserve that much rest."
Somewhere in the Aldebaran Continent…
The Wanderers who succeeded in completing their missions in Solterra appeared in the Grand Waypoints located in several places on the continent.
There were only five of them in Aldebaran, and this particular Waypoint was placed in a city called Wayside City.
It was a city under the jurisdiction of the Central Government and also the place where the majority of Rookies appeared after their first mission in Solterra.
Dark clouds were swirling above the Grand Waypoint, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
This abnormal weather phenomenon alarmed the soldiers and the elite members of the Monarch Clans and Prestigious families, who were stationed in the Grand Waypoint.
"Take the Rookies and other low-ranked Wanderers to the evacuation area!" the Commander, who was in charge of keeping the peace and order in the Waypoint, shouted. "Ask the representatives of the Monarch Clans, as well as the Prestigious Families, to be on high alert as well."
"Yes, Sir!" a soldier saluted as he called a few people from the command center to execute his commander's orders.
Soon, something that they had never seen before manifested before their eyes.
Countless lightning bolts descended upon the waypoint, creating booming sounds in the heavens.
This continued for nearly half a minute before the soldiers stationed outside noticed a person standing in the location where the lightning bolts were descending.
A minute later, the heavenly bombardment ended, making everyone's gazes focus on the scene in front of them.
In the center of the waypoint stood a human boy with a black snake coiled around his neck.
From the Celestial Realm, Laplace Demon asked The One a question that had been on his mind for a long time.
"Do you feel like the System God had laid down this plan in order for Thirteen to gain some benefits through us?" Laplace Demon asked. "I'm starting to think that instead of creating hard missions to deliberately kill him, he's actually strengthening him and allowing him to acquire skills in the process."
"It doesn't matter," The One answered. "Whether we are being used by the System God to give the black sheep of his family the ability to grow doesn't change the fact that Thirteen helped us a lot. That is all that matters."
Laplace Demon nodded but still couldn't shake away the feeling that this was all part of the System God's plan.
But, for now, he decided to put these thoughts to the side, for they still had plenty of things to do for the sake of their goal.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Waypoint, Thirteen was surrounded by countless elites who were looking at him with cold gazes.
Their firearms were all pointed toward the boy because they didn't know if he was really a Human or a monster wearing human skin.
But instead of being intimidated, Thirteen only smiled as he looked at the Commander of the Central Government, who had personally come to the scene to ascertain the situation.
"Who are you?" the Commander asked. "What are you?"
"Don't worry, Commander," Thirteen replied. "I'm Human just like you. As for my name… I believe that you have already heard of me. But just in case some of you don't know who I am, allow me to introduce myself."
Thirteen smiled with confidence before using his thumb to point at his face.
"I am Zion Leventis," Thirteen declared. "Also, I plan to join the Central Government. Are you guys perhaps looking for new recruits? If so, can I join?"
The Commander of the base almost choked on his saliva after hearing the boy's name.
The name Zion Leventis had been circulating among the circle of Wanderers for the past three years.
Many believed that this was just some nonsense propaganda of the Leventis Family to gain some clout.
But after seeing the legendary Rookie in the flesh, the Commander didn't hesitate to extend his hand and shake the boy's hand.
"I am Colonel Warren Green," Warren said as he shook the boy's hands firmly. "Welcome back to Pangea, Zion Leventis."
He was naturally elated to hear that a promising Rookie wanted to join their ranks in the Central Government.
Warren could already see his promotion waving in front of him as he looked at the ten-year-old with a big smile on his face.
Meanwhile, news of Zion's appearance started to spread far and wide in the networks of the Monarch Clans and the Prestigious Families.
All of them wanted to learn as much as they could about the boy, who was said to have defeated a Majin Prince when he was just seven years old.
Thirteen smiled as he allowed the Colonel to shake his hand.
Although he was certain that his Grandfather, Arthur Leventis would blow his top if he heard that his grandson decided to join the Central Government, the ten-year-old didn't care.
In order to achieve his goals, he would need a strong backing aside from the Leventis Family.
However, before the day was over, more shocking news would spread throughout Pangea as the artifact that could see a Wanderer's Status Page revealed Thirteen's data for everyone to see.
On that day, countless people came to know that the person whom many Wanderers idolized would forever remain in the Rookie Rank.
This made many people question whether the Central Government's measuring equipment was faulty or whether they were hiding Zion's true information from the general public.
