Two days after Thirteen returned to Gronar City, all the temporarily enslaved Tigerkin Warriors he brought along from the Sumatran Kingdom realized that their new Master was a devil hiding in human skin.
He worked them all to the bone, and he didn't hesitate to use Giga Chad to make them understand who the real boss was.
In the end, all of them obeyed, even the two Champions, Dixon and Payton.
After making sure that his subordinates were diligently following his orders, Thirteen left the warehouse and met up with Norris.
Cristopher and Rianna followed him, curious about what plans the younger boy was up to.
When they arrived at the Slave Market, they found Norris sorting out the Slaves that still didn't have a buyer.
"Ah, Zion, did you come here because of what we talked about a few days ago?" Norris asked as he glanced at the seven-year-old, whom he hadn't seen for two days.
Thirteen nodded. "Yes. Did you get a reply from that person?"
"I did. In fact, I was about to send a messenger to your place to tell you the news," Norris replied before handing his records to the subordinate by his side. "But since you're already here, then it will make things easier. Follow me to my office."
Thirteen nodded for a second time and followed the Slave Master to his tent so that their talks wouldn't be overheard by anyone.
Along the way, they came across Adira, who immediately joined their group.
"I heard everything from Norris," Adira stated. "You are really a bringer of bad luck."
The younger boy pretended that he didn't hear whatever the Drow said and continued to follow behind Norris, making Adira click her tongue.
Once all of them were in the office, Norris asked Zion and his two subordinates to take a seat.
"I have talked to Netero, and he agreed to meet with you tonight," Norris explained. "The two of you are going to dine in a famous tavern called the Hunter x Tavern."
"Thank you." Thirteen bowed his head with gratitude because Norris had done many things for him.
Norris sighed as he looked at the seven-year-old whom he thought of highly.
"Zion, me and my people will be leaving the Valbarra Archipelago in three days," Norris said. "We don't plan to get involved in this upcoming war. We're just a merchant group trying to make a living and, knowing what is about to happen, I deemed that it is no longer profitable to stay in this place."
Thirteen nodded his head in understanding because even he had thought of leaving the Valbarra Archipelago to escape to the Mainland.
If not for the fact that Cristopher, Rianna, and Harry would be stuck in Solterra if he took them with him to escape, he would have already asked Norris to take them with him on his return trip to the Main Continent.
Perhaps sensing what he was thinking, Norris invited him to come with them and even added that he could bring his subordinates along.
However, Thirteen regrettably shook his head because they had no choice but to stay until they had lit the Beacon of Hope.
"Hah~ I already expected that you're going to decline the offer." Norris sighed in regret. "But, think about it, okay? It will still take us three days to resupply before we set sail towards the Main Continent."
"Understood," Thirteen replied. "Once again, thank you for everything, Sir Norris."
Thirteen stood up and bid his goodbye to the Slave Master and the Drow, who had lent him their support.
Without them and the connections they brought him, it would have been a little difficult for Thirteen to operate in Gronar City.
After leaving the Slave Market, Thirteen didn't head back to the warehouse. Instead, he went to the Duel Arena where the Barbarians gambled their money while watching duels between Slaves.
Cristopher and Rianna thought that their Young Master was going to gamble to raise funds. But, when they arrived, they realized that he was there for a different reason.
"Hello, Mister Raldo," Thirteen greeted the manager of the Duel Arena. "How is Villager A?"
"Oh, it's you." Raldo frowned after seeing the seven-year-old, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. "He's always beaten and battered. Frankly, I stopped sending him to duel three days ago because his injuries are accumulating. Also, people always bet on his opponent when he appears, so we are taking big losses every time he fights."
Thirteen smirked. "Understood. Then, can I take him back?"
"Of course," Raldo answered. "I'd say good riddance to him anytime. Such a useless human—can't even win one fight."
Raldo ordered his subordinate to take Thirteen to the place where the Slaves were being held.
There, they saw several cages. Some of them contained monsters, while others contained Trolls, Ogres, Tigerkins, and even Human Slaves.
Raldo's subordinate pointed at a steel cage, where a teenage boy was seated with his head tucked between his legs.
His body was covered with bruises, making Cristopher and Rianna frown deeply.
"Oi, you have some guests." Raldo's subordinate rattled the steel cage with the stick in his hand, making the teenage boy raise his head.
His unfocused gaze looked at the three humans who were standing in front of his cage. It took him a few seconds to regain some clarity in his eyes, and the moment he saw Zion, Cristopher, and Rianna, he hurriedly grabbed the handle of the steel cage and cried his heart out.
"Please! Save me from this place!" Colbert begged with tears and snot flowing from his face. "I'll do anything. I'll serve you faithfully. Just please, take me away! I don't want to die here. I don't want to die!"
Thirteen looked at the teenager, who once instigated a mutiny after he went through the trouble of saving him, Harry, and the other Wanderers, who were sold by the Orcs to the Barbarians.
"Do you want me to take you away from this place?" Thirteen asked.
"Yes!" Colbert nodded. "I'll do anything! I'll be your Slave! I'll do anything you tell me to!"
"You want to be my Slave?"
"Yes! I'll be your Slave!"
Thirteen chuckled internally because what Colbert didn't know was that he was already the child's Slave.
He had bought him from Norris and asked the Slave Master to send the arrogant boy to the Duel Arena so that he would get beaten up by the other Slaves and learn the reality of life.
Thirteen wanted to break Colbert until he was pushed into a corner with no one to rely on.
Now that his plan succeeded, he was about to extend an olive branch toward the boy, making the latter indebted to him in the process.
With all honesty, Thirteen didn't hate Colbert.
In fact, he liked the teenage boy so much that he wanted him to become his subordinate.
Colbert wanted to be in control of everything, which was why he manipulated others into siding with him, unlike Cristopher who was an honest and simple person. He didn't like to scheme, or command others. The chubby boy was content to follow orders.
Colbert, on the other hand, was just an Extra, who happened to soak the personality of his true Master, whom he believed came from an influential family and probably liked to scheme as well.
In short, Colbert was a bootlicker.
But, he was a very good bootlicker.
He would do his best to make his Master praise him for doing well and manipulating others to do his bidding.
Thirteen needed someone who could do the dirty work for him, which Cristopher couldn't do.
Because of this, he wanted to add Colbert to his party after his body and spirit were broken in the Duel Arena.
"Understood," Thirteen replied. "From today onward, you will become my servant. Serve me well, and I will make sure that you return to Pangea alive. Defy me, and I'm going to send you back here. Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes! I promise to serve you faithfully!" Colbert replied with tears and snot still flowing down his face. "I promise that you won't regret saving me from this place!"
"Good," Thirteen smiled. "I'm sure that we will get along well."
Thirteen wasn't worried that Colbert would go back to his word.
The moment he stepped into the warehouse and saw that the seven-year-old was ordering even Champions around, the teenage boy would realize that getting on his good side would increase his chances of survival.
A bootlicker would always side with the one who they believed held authority and power. For them, it was only by doing so that they would also gain authority and power.
Thirteen understood this very much because he perfectly understood a bootlicker's way of thinking.
After making the necessary arrangements, Colbert was freed from the cage and finally regained his freedom.
He then looked at the seven-year-old whom he once looked down upon and tried to antagonize in the past.
"From now on, you are Villager A," Thirteen declared. "If you want me to call your name, you will have to work hard to earn it. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Young Master!" Colbert replied. "I'll follow you wherever you go."
Thirteen arched an eyebrow after hearing the Slave's words.
"You'll follow me even in hell?" Thirteen asked.
"Y-Yes!" Colbert stuttered. "Even if the Young Master goes to hell, I will still follow you!"
Thirteen smirked before turning around. "Let's go."
Cristopher and Rianna followed behind the seven-year-old, while Colbert walked a few steps behind the two.
He could tell that there was a pecking order in the group, but he had every intention to climb his way up and gain the power, which would allow him to survive in this world.
