Thirteen walked confidently towards the dessert area, while taking in the sights and sounds of everything around him.
He had memorized the faces of the most important people in the continent of Aldebaran days ago by looking up their information on the Internet.
A simple Googal search was enough to see their faces, and the field that they were working in.
Of course, Thirteen didn't know everyone because that would be impossible.
But he knew the most important ones, those who held significant power and influence in the continent of Aldebaran.
Just a glance was enough to see that even the upper class had their own circles, and people that they didn't get along with.
Thirteen was paying close attention to which groups were with who, so that when he needed to expand his operations, he would know which side to pick.
But, there was only one problem.
Leah, the youngest daughter of Elijah and Vivian, was following him like a tail.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Thirteen asked the girl, who was the same age as him.
Leah shook her head. "My mom said that I should look after you today."
"By looking after me, you mean following me?"
"Yes."
Thirteen tilted his head to the side, but in the end, he didn't tell Leah to mind her own business.
"It must be hard on you," Thirteen said with a smile.
"It is." Leah nodded. "But, you're different from your brother. He looks like he is about to cry any moment, but you are calm and at ease."
"Pfft!" Thirteen wasn't able to stop himself from chukling after hearing Leah's positive comment about his brother, Mikhail.
"He's just tense," Thirteen glanced at his brother, who couldn't help but look at the beautiful girls, who were around his age, in the event hall.
The ladies in their family were beautiful, but in the end they were his family.
Even though Mikhail loved them very much, his feelings for them would naturally be different compared to other girls, especially the ones who were just as beautiful as his sister, Shasha.
But, seeing other girls, especially those that came from the Monarch Clans, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families was certainly a different experience.
A glance was enough to tell that they were a different breed from the normal people in the room.
They exude an aura of confidence and strength, which could be seen through their actions.
These children had trained their Family's Martial Arts from a very young age, making them powerful Warriors in their own right.
Although many of them still died during their First Wandering, it didn't change the fact that their survivability was higher compared to the rest of the teenagers, who were not able to receive proper training at their age.
"So, tell me, are you familiar with the children of the Monarch and Prestigious Clans?" Thirteen inquired as he added a small muffin to his plate.
"Yes," Leah replied. "But, not all of them."
"Then, how about you tell me the things you know about them? For example, the blonde boy over there." Thirteen pointed at the teenager boy, whom he believed was around the same age as his brother, Mikhail.
"That's Noah Griffin," Leah replied. "My Brother said that he is one of the most talented children who will be having their First Wandering this winter solstice. He is hoping that the two of them will be sent to the same place to take their trial."
"Oh a big shot, huh?" Thirteen smirked. "As expected."
The reason why he asked for information about Noah was due to the fact that he was surrounded by many young teenage boys and girls.
Clearly, he was someone of importance to have so many people trying to form connections with him.
"The one with silver hair and red eyes is Matthew from the Stallard Clan," Leah said as she took the initiative to tell him about the other important children in the venue. "He uses the spear and, according to my brother, he is very proficient in it."
Leah then moved closer to Thirteen and whispered something in his ear.
"The chubby boy beside him is Isaac Elrod," Leah whispered. "My brother says that he's nothing special. If not for the name of his family, no one would pay attention to him. He is also at the bottom of the hierarchy among the members of the young generation."
Thirteen arched an eyebrow as he looked at the chubby boy with brown hair and green eyes. While he wasn't handsome, he was charming, and the way he smiled was filled with innocence, which made the corner of Thirteen's lips curl up into a smile.
'Either he is as useless as people say he is, or he is a pig that can eat a tiger,' Thirteen thought. 'If he is hiding his true abilities then this guy is probably more dangerous than the other kids from the Monarch Clans.'
While he was deep in thought, Leah then pointed at another person, making Thirteen narrow his eyes.
"His name is Clark Ashford," Leah whispered. "Just like Noah, he is one of the most talented among those who will start their First Wandering. However, my brother said that his personality isn't that good."
'Ashford.' Thirteen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the handsome young man with red hair and green eyes.
He had a grudge against the Head of the Ashford Clan because he was the same person who had killed his former Host.
Thirteen didn't have any quarrel with the entirety of the Ashford Clan because he knew that the children couldn't choose who their fathers or mothers would be.
They just so happen to share the same name, so Thirteen didn't think much of them.
He might be a vengeful person, but he wasn't someone who would target the innocent.
As a System, and as a human, he had his bottom line.
He didn't care if their surnames were Ashford, Griffin, Elrod, Stallard, or Remington. His vengeance only extended to some people, and not their entire bloodline.
Of course, if they antagonized him, that was a different matter. Anyone who dared to hurt him, or his family, would suffer the consequences of their actions.
Suddenly, a loud voice reverberated in the surroundings of the venue.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please," the host of the event, Theodore Remington, said with a smile on his face. "Now that the majority of you have eaten and drunk your fill, it is now time for some entertainment.
"However, since this event was made for the members of the young generation, they will play the role of entertaining everyone here by showing off their amazing skills in front of everyone."
Thirteen smirked because he had already expected something like this to happen.
With so many competitive members of the young generation, it was only natural for them to showcase their skills in order to impress the Five Monarch Clans, as well as the Ten Prestigious Families.
Not all the children here were affiliated, and some of them were looking for Sponsors and possible new Masters, who would help them survive, and grow in Solterra.
'Standing on the shoulders of giants is the fastest way to grow in this world,' Thirteen mused before glancing at his brother, who had a look of curiosity on his face.
Although Mikhail wasn't a battle junkie, he was still very interested in fighting. In fact, ever since he received his Martial Technique, he made sure to train hard everyday.
The seven-year-old exchanged a glance with his brother, and the latter nodded his head in understanding.
'It's showtime,' Thirteen smiled.
He had personally trained Mikhail, so he understood how strong he was.
However, Thirteen wanted to know just how Mikhail would measure up against the talented members of the Monarch Clans, as well as the geniuses of the Ten Prestigious Families.
