The Rise of the Black Plain

Three weeks later...

After Abe's previous attack, the Black Plain Empire accounted for all its losses and held a large funeral in memory of those lost.

Afterward, the local forces continued their usual activities, returning to training and defending important posts against Abe's terrorist group.

That happened even though the enemy did not attack during this period since there was no way for the local forces to know in advance when the subsequent attacks would take place, and it would be better to be safe than sorry.

But while Minos' forces were trying to return to their routine, this sovereign had gone again to the Flaming Empire and finished preparing for the attack against the enemy headquarters.

He intended to attack the headquarters of the Saints Killing Sect with full force soon. So he had already made all the preparations before leaving that state last time.

Minos had taken advantage of the low moment in the terrorist forces on the Black Plain to make such a move, acting when his state was assured that it would not suffer. With that, he had made it back without any problems, and now he was just waiting for the best time to act for one last time in that state.

His next trip would take much longer since he would be attacking a place he did not even know. Thus, he needed to do something to ensure the safety of his city and people before he left, which was preventing him from acting at the moment.

So he had been leading his life on the Black Plain until someone from the Nash family communicated with him!

...

Dry City Mausoleum, the core of the capital of the Black Plain Empire...

In this place built to honor the warriors of the empire, especially the soldiers of the Black Plain Army, Minos was at this moment sitting in front of two tombs.

If one were to see him in that area that looked like a large corridor in the basement of the mausoleum, one would see several imperial guards standing nearby. Each of them was dressed in silver armor, which had the symbol of a golden tree on their right chest.

They held their swords in their grips as they looked around, on guard because the feeling of the place was rather frightening.

Minos had helped build this place during the Black Plain's rise and enlarged it after all the trials his state had gone through. Because of the evolution of his killing intent to the Dark Sea and the fact that he visited this place often, this construction had gained some of the characteristics of this ability.

Minos constantly visited his dead since the formation of the Black Plain as an independent state, both to remember and renew his revenge promises.

He always visited the graves of Pyke, Dumas, Lack, and more recently Virtus, and now Angela, Mirya, and Viola.

Minos had even ordered the construction of a tomb for his father. Unfortunately, Albert had sacrificed himself, and there was nothing to put in that place.

In any case, this emperor did not forget his dead and made it a point to visit the graves of those closest to him every time he had the opportunity.

Because of this, his revenge and the strange sensations of the mausoleum remained intense.

That's why his guards were partially on alert at the moment, while the darkness of this young man's soul skill strengthened this place and intensified his will.

'There will come a day when you can take revenge on your opponents in the other world...' Minos looked at Mirya's name, which was next to a portrait of what she looked like in her prime, something all the tombs in this place had.

As he thought about it, the darkness in the surroundings seemed to tremble as if something might happen at any moment. But that was all, and it caused only an uncomfortable feeling in those besides Minos.

But even though this place was scary, a low-level army soldier suddenly ran down that long dark corridor, lit only by a few torches.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" He shouted as he saw Minos from afar, alerting all the imperial guards to draw their weapons in his direction.

Minos turned to see who was disturbing him and saw that young man slowing down his speed in fear. Still, such a person continued on his way while making a calm gesture to those Spiritual Emperors.

Gavin, who was also with Minos and the guards there, was the only calm one besides this sovereign, as he really liked the atmosphere of this place.

He was not a guard of Minos, but he often walked with this emperor in his spare time when they had time to talk.

He then looked at that level 45 young man carrying a communicator in one of his hands and asked. "What do you want? Who is contacting His Majesty?"

The young man saw that fellow, who was supposedly the second strongest of the empire's forces, and swallowed his saliva. He then said. "Senior, the supreme elder of the Nash family, Richard Nash, is on the other end of the line, asking to speak to His Majesty."

Minos heard this and remembered the face of Elen's father, soon becoming curious about what that man wanted with him. It should be important since Richard had chosen to use an expensive medium-level grade-3 communicator that such an emperor had given to that family.

He continued to sit in front of Mirya and Viola's tombs but showed one of his hands to the young man, indicating that he could approach.

The imperial guards returned to their waiting positions while Gavin stood watching that young Spiritual General, still next to Minos but full of curiosity.

"Hmm, thank you." Minos said to that young man as he took the device in his hands and brought it to one of his ears while holding another near his mouth.

"Richard? Are you still there?" He asked as he kept his eyes closed.

"Your Majesty, I am here." The gruff voice of Elen's father came near one of Minos' ears, coming from that device that had an array capable of maintaining instant communication between Stone Island and the Black Plain.

"What's the problem? Has something come up in your area?" He asked, soon after being answered. "No, Your Majesty. Actually, this connection is not related to the situation in our region, but something that has just come to my attention related to Luke."

"Luke?" Minos made a strange expression and opened his eyes, remembering that fellow he faced on his first passage through Stone Island. "What about him? I heard he's in the Western Empire..."

"Hmm, he's in the Elemental Sect of that empire... Anyway, Your Majesty, we recently received a letter from Luke. In it, he communicates to us regarding some missions he has been in contact with in a guild of that empire."

"According to him, these missions are recruiting high-level Spiritual Emperors and Spiritual Saints to come and do something in our region." Richard said in a suggestive tone.

"Oh?" Minos understood it was about Abe since his forces had already figured out those men came from the Western Empire, the home of old Grant.

But then, this unexpected communication gave him ideas of what to do against the enemy!

...