System's POV

Chapter 790 You Can’t Give Me What I Want

Chapter 790  You Can’t Give Me What I Want

Thirteen, Erica, Sherry, and the Leventis Family returned to the Aldebaran Continent not long after the celebration.

The teenage boy had informed Shana, Diana, Derek, and Mildred that he would give them two weeks to make their final preparations before they headed to the Aldebaran Continent.

Once everyone was done with their preparations, all of them would travel to Solterra together, then escort the Saintess and the Crusader to the Temple of Zaphiel.

Aside from Derek and Diana, Zion had asked a few more people to come to the Aldebaran Continent in two weeks' time.

Clark, Char, and Vincent were also invited since they would also undergo extensive training under Metatron's supervision.

Thirteen had already ironed the details with the God of the Apocalypse, who generously lent them a special pocket realm where they could conduct their training.

Thirteen had prepared a wide array of torture—errr, training sessions that would make his Knights of the Apocalypse stronger than ever before.

Of course, he also planned to let them raise their Ranks up to the Master Rank within two years, so they could play a more important role in the defense of the Cygni Continent.

Thirteen spent his days in his workshop, busying himself with modifying his Attack Helicopters.

Erica and Sherry, on the other hand, were training in the virtual world of GANDAM, following the special training course Thirteen had prepared for them.

Mikhail, Shana, and Remi were also taking a similar training, their competitive spirit fueled by their two guests who were striving to become stronger every day.

"I finally found you, Zion. The engagement party will be happening in a week." Arthur, who had come to inform him about the preparation for the teenage boy's engagement party with Erica, looked at his no-good grandson with a frown.

He already told Zion that if he wanted any help, the latter could just ask the engineers and mechanics of the Leventis family to build or modify whatever project he was working on.

However, the teenage boy was not exercising this authority and left the grunt work to his Orc, Trolls, and Ogres.

Arthur could tell with a glance that these monsters were now seasoned engineers and mechanics, given that they were already working on the Attack Helicopters without Zion's supervision.

This made Arthur feel depressed. After all, if his people learned a thing or two about Zion's blueprints, their knowledge would improve by leaps and bounds.

And from that experience, they would be able to make something that would make the Monarch Clans, as well as the other Prestigious Families, think twice before antagonizing the Leventis Family.

'Good thing we still have Project Nemo,' Arthur thought. 'That will be enough for the time being.'

Project Nemo was the "nerfed" version of Zion's Trump Card, Nautilus.

Even so, these nerfed submarines were nothing to scoff at, with their firepower strong enough to instantly kill a Rank 7 Sovereign.

Not to mention, they could also seriously injure Rank 8 Sovereigns, making them a beast in naval and land warfare.

"Thanks, Gramps," Thirteen replied after he finished screwing the bolt on his helicopter, making sure that it was properly fastened. "I hope it will be grander than your Birthday Celebration."

The corner of Arthur's lips twitched, thinking that his no-good grandson sure knew how to take advantage of him.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Arthur said in assurance. "All you need to do is come with your fiancee, and my people will handle the rest. By the way, I have long wanted to ask you—why are you always modifying these helicopters of yours?"

"Why?" Thirteen tilted his head in confusion. "It's because they need modifications."

"And what kind of modifications are you doing?" Arthur inquired. "You're not telling me that these Helicopters of yours will be as strong as your submarine, Nautilus, right?"

Arthur was, of course, just teasing the teenage boy in order to get back at him for being a pain.

However, the teenage boy's expression made Arthur suddenly have a bad premonition.

"How did you know, Gramps?" Thirteen asked. "These helicopters will be as strong as Nautilus. In fact, once I'm finished with all of their modifications, they might even become stronger than Nautilus."

The Patriarch of the Leventis Family immediately looked at the five Helicopters that were undergoing modifications with a gaze that screamed, 'I'm gonna take all of this back home with me!'

However, he managed to control this impulse by closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Zion, give me the blueprint for these helicopt…"

"No."

"Name your price."

"No."

"I'll give you what you want."

"You can't give me what I want."

"Try me."

"Aaron Ashford's head."

"…"

Arthur frowned upon hearing Zion's answer.

He originally thought that his grandson had some kind of vendetta with the Ashford Clan because Zion didn't get along with Claude, its current Patriarch. However, the teenage boy seemed to have a special friendship with Clark Ashford, which made Arthur think that he was just overthinking things.

But now that Zion had blatantly mentioned the thing he wanted the most, Arthur finally understood that his grandson didn't have a grudge with the Ashford Clan, but with Aaron Ashford, who was a Monarch.

"… Didn't you say now is not the time to antagonize the other families?" Arthur said after organizing his thoughts. "Yes," Thirteen replied. "I did mention that. But once the invasion of the Cygni Continent ends, the status quo will change. Gramps, at that time, you know what you're going to do, right?"

Arthur nodded. "I know."

"Remember, no matter how difficult things get in the Cygni Continent, you are only allowed to do it once the aftermath of the invasion is dealt with," Thirteen reminded. "Only after and not before. Okay?"

"Okay," Arthur replied firmly. "But will the preparations you're working on right now be enough?"

"Perhaps," Thirteen answered. "At the very least, I can guarantee the Leventis Family's survival. By then, the balance of power in Pangea will be reshuffled. Families will fall, and families will rise. "So, make sure to make friends with the Pseudo-Prestigious Families who are eyeing our positions. They might not be as strong as the Leventis Family, but there is strength in numbers."

"I've already finished the groundwork for that," Arthur stated. "As we speak, Michael is having a meeting with one of those Pseudo-Prestigious Families that you are talking about."

"That's good." Thirteen nodded. "Uncle Michael is the man for the job."

After doing a bit more small talk, Arthur finally left Zion alone. He always held the teenage boy's words in high regard and took his advice seriously.

Arthur often wondered if his no-good grandson was still human because the ideas that he could come up with could be downright inhumane.

'I'm just glad he's part of the Leventis Family,' Arthur thought as he entered his car. 'If Zion were my enemy, I would not allow him to live past the invasion of the Cygni Continent.'

It was not only Arthur having this thought.

The other Families who felt threatened by Zion's potential also wished to nip him in the bud to prevent him from growing even more powerful.

They were merely holding back due to the special position he wielded as the Supreme Commander of the Alliance.

But once the Jinn invasion was over…

Once his usefulness was used up…

He no longer needed to exist.