The Rise of the Black Plain

Seeing Oswald, Minos stood up from where he sat next to Gavin, eager to get to the battlefield. "Yes, I am ready to attack the enemy headquarters."

"Good! When do we leave?" That bearded old fellow questioned.

"We are already ready to leave." Minos gestured, showing him and Gavin, making his grandfather recognize this individual who had escaped from the Saints Killing Sect.

As enemies, these sects were naturally keeping an eye on each other. So the leaders of the Gray Clouds Sect knew that a young member of the Rowse family had escaped Mortimer's clutches years ago.

Seeing this fellow with Minos, Oswald understood that Gavin had somehow allied himself with his grandson, and he was pleased about that.

He did not like the members of that sect. Still, it was good to see that Minos' enmity against such an organization was more profound than he had imagined. That meant that when he left for the Divine Continent, he would not have to worry about his grandson making peace with a power historically rival to his sect.

With that, Oswald nodded to Gavin and said to Minos. "Very well. We will meet with some elders and leave immediately after that."

The three of them departed from Oswald's house, leaving the women behind, including Patience, who was part of the group of elders who would look after the headquarters during the attack about to take place.

As they moved into conversations with the sect's most influential elders, Oswald took the opportunity to discuss important matters with his grandson.

"Minos, how will the Black Plain look in the coming days? I'm afraid it will take some time to move because of your weapons."

Minos continued to look forward as he flew alongside Gavin and Oswald. "I have gotten some people strong enough to guard Dry City in my absence. So the risk I will take will be minimal."

There would always be risks in whatever things anyone did. Minos knew this and did not think it would be impossible for his forces to suffer, even with those ten experts he hired.

But the possibility of something happening and threatening his territory in this period was remote, small enough for him not to worry.

"Is that so?" Oswald was surprised to hear that.

Minos and the Black Plain had suffered significantly only a few months ago, and this young man did not even know how to continue his plans safely. But in such a short time, Emperor Stuart totally changed his confidence regarding his actions in the Flaming Empire.

That surprised this individual who knew nothing about the ten mercenaries from the Western Empire!

"Yes, everything will be fine," Minos said.

Oswald knew that his grandson had his own secrets and did not press Minos for it. "Hmm, very well, then. In any case, let's act as quickly as possible. When we're done with this war against the Saints Killing Sect, I intend to prepare to go to the Flowers Kingdom to try to settle His Majesty's matter."

"What?" Minos was surprised at this since it was rather dangerous to do that. "Why are you going to do that? I thought you would retire and leave for the Divine Continent."

Minos and Oswald had already talked about quite a few things since this man's first visit to the Gray Clouds Sect. Because of this, Emperor Stuart already knew about several important matters for this organization and was also aware of his grandfather's retirement plan.

So hearing from him about such a plan was somewhat surprising to this young man!

"I have to do that. The emperor is important to the empire and is also an old acquaintance of mine." Oswald said, not wanting to tell his grandson that he would also do this to avoid possible complications for him.

"Are the other masters of the great sects also going to do this?" Minos asked.

"No, after all, only I will be stepping away from my duties."

"You shouldn't do that," Minos said, annoyed that someone else wanted to take a responsibility that was his. "I promised him I would return the gesture of helping me on the Black Plain. Then I will go to that kingdom when I am stronger."

Minos then said in a confident tone after a brief pause. "You don't have to worry about helping me with that."

"How will you do that? Do you even know how things in that kingdom work?" Oswald questioned his grandson.

"I have a good idea."

Minos knew about the Flowers Kingdom as his women and staff had gathered information from that place and passed it on to him.

Such a state did not exist during the era of Henricus Longus, so there was nothing that the heritage of that ancient God could do to help him against that kingdom.

But it did not have to. Minos trusted his talents and combat capabilities. Thus, he was confident in accepting any of the challenges those women made to men who dared to enter that kingdom.

The story said that foreign men who entered the Flowers Kingdom would have a future worse than death or a glorious fate.

They would fail and end up living pathetically or die after being castrated, or they would be victorious, keep their manhoods, and win significant prizes.

The Flowers Kingdom was a high-level state with resources of the most varied kinds.

Not only that, but due to its peculiarities, the kingdom did not have a large population and produced far more than it consumed. The result of this? That was a wealthy state with the capability to generate opportunities even for people from the Divine Continent.

Obviously, the kingdom itself was not that prosperous. But its royal family was so rich that it could bring resources and possibilities from elsewhere in the Spiritual World!

They used this to offer prizes and incentives for talented men to pass through the kingdom's borders.

Knowing this and being confident in himself, Emperor Stuart wished to travel to the Flowers Kingdom and get the right to a prize of his choice.

Harold Edwardstone's freedom!

Oswald then asked his grandson. "And yet you still want to risk yourself? Are you out of your mind? And what will happen to the sect?"

"If I win the bet, the sect won't be without me for more than a few months. Then it won't be a big deal." Minos said, while already thinking about what he would do in the future.

He was upset about the situation Harold had gotten himself into for helping him. But the truth was that even with the problems it would bring him, Minos knew that there were some advantages to having this man away.

He wanted to bring the Gray Clouds Sect to the Black Plain Empire. So the timing would be pretty propitious for that!

The local imperial family probably would not like it. Still, it would definitely be easier to negotiate and get approval for such a thing in Harold's absence than if he were around.

'Even if I stay away for a few years, the sect will probably be fine if it's inside the Black Plain.' He thought as he considered what would happen with his forces if such an organization merged with them and migrated to the Black Plain.

'By joining the Black Plain, perhaps some Spiritual Sage will emerge from this group of elders...' Minos considered immediately after seeing the twelve strongest individuals in that organization.

...