The Rise of the Black Plain

The next day, Minos' group gathered in front of one of the city's exits, preparing to set off on their mission to The Obsidian Shore.

In addition to them, several other groups were leaving today.

Even though The Obsidian Shore became accessible to Grandmasters or weaker people a few days ago, groups arrived in this city practically every day.

Many of them were already ready to move on with their missions. Still, others took a few days of preparation before moving towards the area, which was about three days of journey from here.

As such, Minos' group and five other teams similar in size to his group were saying goodbye to their superiors at the start of a new day.

While some individuals were already walking towards the road that would take them to their target, Minos' group, made up of him, 7 other Grandmasters, and 4 Sovereigns, stood in front of the level 114 General who had arrived in that city before them and would stay there until the mission was over.

"I made a deal last night, and that team over there will be our allies on the journey to The Obsidian Shore," the level 114 Sovereign said to Minos' group as he pointed in the direction of the group he had tried to approach the day before.

"They're not entirely reliable. But they will help you until something significant comes up and puts us on two different sides. You can work together until then. After that, do whatever it takes to leave The Obsidian Shore successfully." He advised them.

The people in Minos' group looked at the group of aliens not far from them, who were receiving similar recommendations, and so they also looked in their direction.

"Anyway, now go. The longer you delay, the more dangers will be in your paths. Those who entered that area before you have probably already laid traps there. So be careful and good luck. I hope to see you here again in a few years."

With these words from their superior, the group soon left, joining the group for which this high-level Sovereign had managed to forge an alliance.

The people from both groups introduced themselves to each other, before beginning the journey to the point on The Obsidian Shore where Sovereigns could not go any further.

Such a place was three days away from this city, so the Sovereigns from both groups would continue traveling with them for those days until they reached such a place. Only after arriving at the planned point would the groups leave their superiors and head into the area where they would carry out their missions.

...

The most valuable thing for each group arriving in that area of the continent was what was inside The Obsidian Shore. Competing outside that place or even before survivors from the area left that place made no sense.

Consequently, Minos' group and their allies had no problem traveling for three days between the previous city and the division point.

They had just arrived at a place where two grandiose mountains covered a large part of the horizon, almost as if they were walls, and met in a small depression where there was a dirt track.

When they arrived at that point, the group soon saw a large stone gateway about a kilometer ahead, where something that meant 'entrance' was written in the local language.

"We're here," Rhett remarked to Minos as he looked at the place, already feeling an overwhelming sensation coming from the other side of that portal.

The portal looked like a strange construction in the middle of the road they were following. However, all the Sovereigns there could feel as if the rules of cultivation were different between the place they were in and the place after that portal.

The Grandmasters couldn't feel any of this, but they understood this was where they would separate from their supervisors.

The leader of the Armhands group then said to his people. "We'll be camping in this area, so when you get back, we'll be around to escort you to that city.

But be careful the moment you leave The Obsidian Shore area. Others in the surrounding area could attack you as soon as you leave that portal. So be prepared to defend yourself, even if we're here to help you."

"Yes, Officer." All eight individuals said simultaneously while their group of allies chatted similar things.

"Good luck," each of the Officers said to the people in that group as they watched them disembark from the carriage they had used to get there.

Minos took his group's lead, making his way to the front of the large portal, which was 10 meters high, 7 meters wide, and 3 meters long.

There were flights of stairs on both sides of the portal and a small raised area connecting the two sides of the portal.

Stopping there, Minos looked at the group of his allies and waited for them for a few seconds until they followed suit, stopping next to his people.

This other group was basically made up of peak Grandmasters, individuals at level 99.

Every organization would try to send people like that to this place. Why is that? Well, as much as Sovereigns weren't allowed to enter that area, the rules of The Obsidian Shore were a little more complex than they seemed.

One couldn't enter their region while already in the 11th stage. But if they entered there while they were 10th-stage cultivators and advanced during their stay in the area, then they wouldn't suffer from the negative consequences of being a Sovereign in an area that didn't accept Sovereigns.

Consequently, most organizations that sent groups to this place usually sent level 99 individuals there.

Even though their allied group was stronger, the two groups intended to work with an equal division of labor right from the start of their journey there.

The two leaders of each group went ahead of their companions, with everyone there moving into combat positions according to their respective characteristics.

The support specialists and the trackers stood in the middle of the group. Meanwhile, the natural warriors positioned themselves at the front or rear of the group.

Thus, they would enter The Obsidian Shore, a home of opportunities and dangers, where items, resources, and beings devoted to death and other things existed in droves around an area the size of the original territory of the old Brown Kingdom.

Given the size of this area, there was a bit of everything there, from tribes native to the area to different types of terrain and climates, with places with opportunities for different types of beings.

That was the start of Minos' new journey!