The Rise of the Black Plain

"We really wanted to help, but we would have died if we had done anything. Officer Asaph was a powerful sovereign back then, but even he was killed by Jembei's group.

I'm sorry we were cowards, but as I said, nothing we could have done would have changed that. Jembei even has a general on his side!" Hearing this, Minos' five companions narrowed their eyes, while Ruth looked worriedly at her husband.

Minos realized that Maximilian's last words didn't seem to be a lie, something important for him to know.

This guy could have done something, but he didn't, not for fear of hurting himself, but because he didn't want to take the trouble. But this information is really disturbing...' Minos clenched his fists as he thought about what to do with this group.

After a moment of silence, he opened his eyes and announced his decision. "I understand. You didn't want to get involved against someone who could kill you at any moment. And you took the opportunity to strengthen yourself in silence. That was wise of you.

In that case, to avoid you having to deal with our problems, my group will leave your faction and form a new one."

With these words, Minos rose from his chair and motioned for his people to follow him. "Good luck with your plans. We'll go our separate ways from now on." Maximillian clenched his fists as he also rose from his chair, not liking this at all.

"Come on, Minos! Is that really necessary? Sorry, but you don't have to take it like that, man!" He escorted Minos' group with his four men out of the dining room.

"I understand. But weren't you afraid of the level 114 general? Of being attacked by Jembei's group?" Minos looked seriously into Maximilian's eyes. "I'll do what you want. Don't worry, I won't bring my problems into your life. From now on we go our separate ways."

"That's..." Maximillian and the others stood there with their mouths agape, listening without knowing what they could say to change Minos' mind.

But how could they say anything? They had just used their fear of being killed by Jembei's group to justify their lack of action in the past years. How could they show courage now?

They stayed behind as Minos' group quickly left the fancy restaurant, the four of them pale with worry over what Minos' decision might mean.

"What will we do now? What will he do against us?"

"He just said he's going a different way than we are..."

"Tsk! This is Minos we're talking about! He's wiped out families many times over for much less than what we've done!" One of the men with level 106 cultivation said.

Maximilian clenched his fists in frustration, a mixture of anger and fear in his heart.

What is he going to do? Will he just ignore us, or will he act against us after he deals with Jembei?" the black-haired man wondered.

But while the four of them were having their worst day since arriving at the guild, one of the men from their faction approached Maximilian and whispered something in his ear.

"Oh? Is that true?"

"Yes, we've just confirmed that Minos has returned to the guild with 8 companions. They are currently undergoing an entrance test to join the guild."

Maximillian and the other three immediately left the restaurant upon hearing this.

"Let's find this group. Maybe some of them can help us talk to Minos on our behalf. Some of you may have been her allies during the years we were in the spirit world." Maximilian said to his allies.

"What if it doesn't work?"

"Let's think it will work!" Maximilian said, thinking of something else. If it doesn't work, I'll take this year's guild place in prison! That wretched Minos is too crazy for me to wait for his decision!

...

While Maximillian's group moved on, Minos and his companions left the restaurant in search of an establishment that would exchange merit points for Qilnats and vice versa.

On the way, Minos heard Ruth ask him if he really intended to leave these people alone.

He answered her question. "Yes, I'll let them go. As long as they don't get in our way from now on, I'll forgive this betrayal."

"You seem to be changing, Boss. In the past, you wouldn't have done this." Said one of the level 107 men in their group.

Minos shook his head negatively. "I don't know the whole truth about what they did, but it's a fact that they don't have the power to influence things and change Jembei's plans very much. They might even have made a deal with the enemy, but that would hardly be a high-level betrayal.

Maximilian's betrayal is more of a breach of trust than a stab in the back. They abandoned us, but I doubt they meant to harm us.

In any case, they served me for many years in the guild, and some of them worked for me in the Spiritual World. As the last remnants of our group that came to Zocarro in the first place, I'm going to give them a chance to get on with their lives, even after this mistake.

Minos was a man with a reactive personality. The stronger the reaction on his side, the more intense his movements were in response.

Asafe had died, but Minos didn't think it had anything to do with Maximilian and the others. If he ever found out otherwise, his current decision might change. But since no one seemed to have died because of Maximilian's decisions and their situation hadn't been completely ruined by Jembei, Minos wasn't so angry against his old allies.

Because of this, his companions saw a benevolent side of Minos today that he hadn't shown for a long time.

"But will they stay out of trouble?" Ruth looked back in doubt. "Let them decide their own fate." Minos said reassuringly. "Whatever they decide, I'll help them carry it out, whether it's death or peace."

With that, he entered the shop, where he intended to exchange some of his Qilnats for merit points to begin organizing his group's situation in the guild. After that, he planned to follow his companions to find out the results of the guild entrance test.