Shana watched helplessly as the teenage boy did light stretches in front of her to improve his blood circulation.

After he was done with his stretching exercises, Thirteen lightly shook the sleeping Sorceress to wake her up.

"Oi, Erica. Wake up," Thirteen said. "It's morning already."

"Hng... five more minutes," Erica replied.

"Derek is coming," Thirteen commented. "Do you want him to see you in your nightwear?"

As if hearing something very unpleasant, Erica opened her eyes and propped herself up.

She then raised her hand and also did a few light stretches, making the curves of her chest stand out.

Thirteen then handed her a change of clothes before he turned around to change his own clothes.

Shana watched as the teenage boy took off his shirt, revealing his lean and toned body, which looked incredibly amazing for someone who was only about to become fourteen years old in a few months.

The teenage boy then took out a combat shirt, which he usually wore during training sessions. Erica, who had finished wearing her clothes, stood up and held Shana's hand. She then pulled her out of the tent just in time before the teenage boy removed his shorts to wear the combat jeans.

"Is Zion always like that in the mornings?" Shana asked with great curiosity.

"Yes," Erica replied. "I don't know if I should be happy or not. He totally lacks the shyness that a young man should have over the opposite sex. But if you stay with him long enough, you'll get used to it.

"I'm sure you already noticed that unlike normal teenagers, Zion doesn't have any perverted thoughts in his head. Even if you strip naked in front of him, he'd just probably say something along the lines of 'nine out of ten'."

Shana's face became beet red after hearing Erica's words.

She also didn't know how to feel because Zion was so casual when it came to skinship between men and women.

The Saintess was certain that if Roland, Derek, or Joshua had been in the same situation as the teenage boy, the three of them wouldn't be able to brush it off as if nothing had happened.

While she was thinking about these thoughts, Erica suddenly asked her a question she didn't see coming.

"Hey, Shana, how do you feel about Zion?" Erica asked with a mischievous smile on her face. "What do you mean?" Shana frowned.

"I'm sure you know what I'm talking about," Erica smirked. "He is a boy, you are a girl, can I make it any more obvious?"

"Zion and I are just friends," Shana replied after half a minute had passed.

"I see." Erica nodded.

"Why do you ask?" Shana inquired.

She had a feeling that her friend asked this question without a reason behind it.

"I'm just thinking that Zion needs people around him who can help him break out of his shell," Erica answered. "Aside from when he is with his family or when he is with me and Sherry, he gives off a feeling that he's some kind of machine.

"It's really a bit hard to explain, but I can tell that if the people he cares about aren't around him, he would become this coldhearted individual who would not bat an eye even if he were to kill people that get in his way."

Shana subconsciously shuddered because she remembered what Zion looked like during the Final Stage of their Trial of Courage.

He looked emotionless as he beat them all up.

The Saintess didn't want to admit it, but when she saw the teenage boy in that unfeeling, and indifferent state, she felt very heartbroken.

It was as if a flower seed that she had worked so hard to plant was suddenly pulled out before she could see it bloom.

"I have an idea." Erica grinned. "Why don't you sleep with him tonight? I'll yield my spot to you. What do you think?"

Shana's face, which was already red, turned a shade redder after she remembered the scene she saw earlier.

If Zion were to do something similar to her, she wouldn't be able to look at him the same way as before.

"No, thank you," Shana replied as she hurried away without even looking back.

Erica watched her friend go with a smile before shaking her head helplessly.

"Even if you don't admit it, you're already infected with the Zion Virus you are trying so hard to purify," Erica muttered.

Back then, the Sorceress didn't know what Shana meant whenever she talked about the Zion Virus.

But after spending time with Thirteen in the lands of the Absolute Heaven, she somehow understood what her friend was talking about.

'I hope Sherry arrives soon,' Erica thought. 'With her around, things will become easier.'

The Sorceress looked at the sun that had risen in the east with a smile.

Around them were the most dangerous monsters that had walked the lands of the Rigel Continent.

And yet, these terrifying monsters only gave them a side-long glance before returning to whatever they were doing.

In the past, she could have never imagined a scene like this happening.

But now, it was the reality.

'Still, Zion said that we can only pass our training if we manage to injure the Centipede King,' Erica mused. 'Is that even possible?'

A Rank 8 Sovereign would require the cooperation of three to four Thrones to defeat.

While it was possible for a Monarch to kill it alone, only the Monarch of the Central

Government, Lawrence Seaton, had done it in the past.

However, Erica knew that Zion wouldn't do things without a reason.

Perhaps, he was telling them that they shouldn't rely on the Thrones and Monarchs all the

time.

The Sorceress couldn't rule out the possibility that there might come a time when they had to step up in order to face the High Ranking Jinns during the Cygni Invasion.

While Erica was thinking about these things, two other young ladies were also busy training themselves for the upcoming invasion.

Stella and Siri stared at each other with determined looks on their faces as they exchanged blows with each other.

After being repeatedly defeated in Zion's hands in the Final Trial of the Temple of Courage, the two of them decided to train with each other, working to reach the same goal-surpass the Super Rookie who was currently thinking of what he wanted to eat for breakfast.