The Rise of the Black Plain

In another part of the Kingdom of the Waves...

Two youths were eating breakfast in a particular mansion of one of the strongest noble families in this kingdom while reading the weekly periodicals with interest.

Generally, these two wouldn't do anything like this as they had people that brought the most relevant news to them. However, when something shocking was reported, neither of the two could miss the opportunity to read such news on their own.

That is, although they could not experience most of the news on their own, just reading already immersed their imaginations in the stories told, something exciting for many.

And even though they were not fans of reading, these two also knew how to appreciate a good story!

Hence, they were both reading those publications at this very moment while sitting around a small round table, full of plates with the typical breakfast of this state.

While doing so, they were commenting on such news, full of surprise and curiosity about the motivations behind these remarkable events.

"Unbelievable!"

"It seems that soon a great conflict will break out in the Brown Kingdom!" One of them said as he looked eye to eye with the person across the table.

"But that execution in the Snow Kingdom... I don't know. That seemed pretty violent to me. I doubt King Cromwell would have allowed such a thing!" The young man opined.

"Hmm, true..."

"On the other hand, it's a shame that the Chambers family has come to this. Our family has always had good relations with them..."

"We lost a good partner!"

Hearing the mournful tone of that person, the young woman with tanned skin and curves proportionately perfect to her height consoled him by talking about a relevant point. "It's a shame they fell out, but at least we weren't affected at all by it."

"Our relationships were secreted, so it won't be difficult for us to build new partnerships in that state..."

"Even the enemies who destroyed that family won't know about our history!"

"Oh?"

"Hehehe, you are truly smart, Misty." The level 49 young master of the Reid family said as he smiled, realizing this fact.

It would be better if the Chambers stayed alive since they had a history with this family, which could be helpful in certain situations. But it was not as if Dean's family was irreplaceable.

So, Christian soon put his annoyance aside, although he was still impressed by all this news.

"Speaking of which, because of a Chambers family action before the Persephone Tragedy, I believe we found a lead on that damned Minos."

Hearing this, Tristram Reid's widow looked with interest at Christian. "Is that so? Where is he?"

"Stay calm. When the time comes, you'll be able to see the wretch pay for what he had done!" He promised full of confidence.

...

Meanwhile, at the Snow family's royal palace...

"What?"

"A fleet of 34 Brown family warships was in the Maritime City and was suddenly attacked by ships bearing Collins family symbols?"

"To make matters worse, large explosions in Maritime City itself were seen from afar!"

"What does all this mean?"

"They say that dozens of thousands of people are likely to have died in that city..."

"What is happening in the Brown Kingdom? Why did they have such a strong fleet in that place? And who attacked them?"

"Maybe it was another royal family!"

Various comments echoed in the royal palace office, where the crown prince performed his duties.

Right now, he and his entire staff were in that place reading the news together, already discussing the possibilities behind all this.

Originally they were here to discuss the consequences of the news of Dean's execution. Still, upon receiving the latest edition of the Night News, the focus of their meeting had utterly changed.

The prince then said. "This thing that has happened in the Brown Kingdom is grave."

"I'm afraid it will drag us all into bigger trouble!"

Hearing this, the people in that place fell silent and looked in the direction of that young Spiritual King.

What he had just spoken was not just a feeling empty of foundation. The opposite of that, this young heir was connecting the information he had, more or less predicting what would happen next.

As the crown prince, he already had many responsibilities in the Snow Kingdom government. After all, his father was increasingly distant from the decisions, giving him more room to act while growing up under a level 59 cultivator's protection.

Because of this, Ambrose Snow knew perfectly well that the Brown family had recently summoned representatives of this royal house to the capital of the Brown Kingdom!

That was not a good sign!

In regular times they did not communicate in such a way, as simple letters could solve many communication problems. Moreover, the standard procedure for arranging official meetings did not involve asking for representatives to be sent to the headquarters of the other organization.

What happened was just the opposite of this!

As such, Ambrose already sensed that King Brown wanted to show something to the Snow family representatives, something probably terrible, that they might not like to get involved in!

Gulp!

"Is there a rebellion in the Brown Kingdom?" Someone there asked as he signaled one of the most disturbing things to happen in a local state.

'If it is, our plans will be greatly hindered!'

'How will we gather an army to march against the Scourges of the Devil if the Counter-Revolutionary Statute is invoked?'

"Damn it!"

"I hope that's not it..." Ambrose commented as he saw the expressions of the people in that office. "For now, we'll deal with our affairs as planned."

"If the worst happens, we'll make the necessary changes in the future..."

"OK."

...

On the other hand, on one of the highest peaks in the Endless Snow Mountain Range, an old man and a young man were walking through that snow-covered area, with the younger one there reading to that other person.

"... And with that, an incident of unimaginable proportions has broken out in Maritime City, where a few dozens of thousands of people may have died..."

"Meanwhile, our investigators are already going to the Black Plain, and we will bring you new information on the matter soon." The young man finished reading while he had an excited expression on his face.

He loved reading about these tragedies, something that gave a little action to his quiet life in this place, which almost all the time nothing happened.

On the other hand, the white-haired old man in front of that youth was not at all happy about it, although none of this would affect him.

"It's truly a pity that the pagans on this continent are so irrational..." He said in an indignant tone.

He then closed his eyes and stopped walking, trying to calm himself as he attached to something bigger than himself.

'Ah, give me strength, for I am surrounded by imbeciles.'

'These people of this continent do not deserve to have ascended after your fall...'

'I do not doubt that their future is to make the same mistakes as the lords...'

'The pagans don't understand the simple fact that wars only weaken us as a species...' He pondered as he finally opened his eyes and looked at the spot where a large block of transparent ice lay.

He continued to look in that direction and said. "Cliff, I know you must be excited to read about this. But don't forget what happens to a civilization based on war."

"A civilization that exploits without giving a return. That destroys without reason."

"Don't think that's fun!"

"It may sound exciting to someone who lives peacefully and harmoniously with nature, especially to young people like you."

"But self-destruction is not fun!" He said solemnly, finally looking at his apprentice and making his final comment. "Do you want to end up like them?"

Upon hearing this, that young man looked in the direction of that block of ice from before and swallowed his saliva.

"No." He said promptly, still staring at such a thing.

Those two people could barely see what was inside the block of ice in that place in question. But they both knew what was there since they lived inside the cave where the best places to observe such a thing were.

But even without seeing, that young man could tell that inside the transparent block of ice was a massive humanoid skeleton frozen by the 'infinite' layer of ice of this mountain, one of the highest points in the Spiritual World!