The Rise of the Black Plain

While Maximillian was at the headquarters of the Blood Triangle Pirates, Minos' allies in the eastern and central parts of the continent were reacting to the recent news.

Blackrock, Albano, and Rosser were more confident than ever in the future of the Black Plain Empire, more certain about the wormhole ports that would connect their states very soon.

Amid this, the Flaming Empire was not in a very different situation, with the local powers slowly realizing that even with so much pressure on them, Minos still had cards up his sleeve to play.

At this crucial moment, something important to him had finally been decided after years of delay!

...

In Payton, Isabella was standing in front of her father, going through an official ceremony at this very moment.

After years of her experience of almost becoming the empress of this empire, the Church had finished the process to fully return the position to Emperor Edwardstone.

From this day forward, she would only be an heiress and no longer have many responsibilities keeping her away from Minos!

Also, Harold had already agreed to give his daughter to Minos, and the two were expected to marry once she was free of her responsibilities to the Flaming Empire.

Because of this, this young redhead could soon arrange her marriage with Minos and make her position as Emperor Stuart's fourth wife official.

"Very well, Isabella, as of today, you will become second in line of succession to the Flaming Empire," Harold said as his empress stood not far from him in that imperial throne room.

She had a big smile while her two hands rested on her belly, which was much larger than normal.

Isabella looked at her second mother and smiled, even happier than the empress for this pregnancy that had come about a few months ago and had made everything easier for her.

The whole empire was already aware that Harold would have his first child in a few years!

When Minos had shown how much support his empire had, Harold finally decided to release his daughter to go and live on the Black Plain.

"I hope you have a happy life on the Black Plain, but come visit your family occasionally. Your brother will certainly need your assistance in the future." This red-haired man said as he finished that ceremony.

"I will come whenever possible, Father." She said, thrilled as she would gain a brother but much more eager to go to the Black Plain to join Minos and the Stuart family.

...

While the Edwardstone family was celebrating Isabella's departure ceremony, the group of descendants of the Goddess of Life's relatives had seen enough of Dry City to make up their minds.

They had only stayed a short time in this city, but as Spiritual Sages, this short time was enough for them to conclude that this place was promising.

Not only were the services already close to reaching a level relevant to Spiritual Sages, but the training grounds in this city were also excellent, providing training areas suitable for even 9th-stage cultivators.

At the same time, this state had regular production of high-grade crystals and good relations with various powers on the continent, which is important for future local development.

Yet, given its northernmost position, far away from the most powerful empires, this place was in a privileged position for those who wanted to stay away from conflicts.

In particular, these people were already aware of the meeting of Vico, Henry, and Willow, so hiding in the Black Plain Empire didn't seem so bad anymore.

The option beyond that was to fight Minos and flee to the Divine Continent. Still, neither part of that alternative seemed easy.

Traveling to the Divine Continent would have many dangers and disadvantages, but fighting Minos seemed more complicated than they thought.

From the rumors they had heard locally, Minos had even faced a Demigod and managed to escape, having injured mid- and high-level Spiritual Sages that day.

If such a rumor were true, they would even have trouble facing him!

Thinking about all these points and how joining Minos could give them better benefits than ordinary citizens had, those nobles returned to the imperial palace to give their answer to him.

"Are we really going to join this Minos?" The level 81 woman, the current matriarch of that family, asked her companions, who had voted in favor of them joining the Stuart Emperor.

"That is the best way for us to go..." The level 83 woman commented.

The level 80 nobleman said. "Minos will undoubtedly become a Spiritual Sage, sister. At that time, he will be even stronger than he is now and will have advantages in negotiations with us.

So isn't it better to settle with him now that he is not so strong and get a better deal for us? I see no problem in lending my forces to this state. This place doesn't look bad, and we need a home."

That woman couldn't go against those words and stayed silent, even though she didn't like having to make a deal with someone who manipulated them.

The level 85 man said nothing to them, feeling they had better not continue alone through this world now that things would become chaotic further south on the continent.

"Soon, the Black Plain Empire may become an area of calm for those fleeing the war. This will favor local trade and bring people even stronger than us here.

Whoever arrives first will be able to take better advantage of the opportunities that will arise and be part of the force that will have the best chance to grow in the coming decades." He analyzed the situation, showing his leader the advantages of going with this plan.

This man had studied how the Black Plain had grown so much and seen that the recent past had great chances of repeating itself in the coming decades.

If that were the case, it would become much more difficult for Spiritual Sages to join Minos in the future, just as had happened to Spiritual Kings previously.

In the past, Spiritual Kings had great ease in joining the local army, but currently, someone like that had to pass through several barriers to enter these forces.

No one with that kind of cultivation strength could join Minos by invitation!

Feeling that this would be repeated in the future, this man encouraged those nobles to go ahead with these plans!

"Very well, let's see how Minos will welcome us into his organization." Still in doubt, that woman sighed before they finally entered the imperial throne hall.

...