The Rise of the Black Plain

"At worst, by fleeing to the empire, he could return to the region on a suicide mission in the future!"

"So, think carefully about your decisions..."

"I particularly think you misunderstand Minos because you are considering our own history to judge him. But even if you disagree with me on that, realizing that you are still underestimating him is not difficult."

"It's pretty obvious how much you all underestimate him, even today..."

"Anyway, he definitely has more cards up his sleeve than you of the Counter-Revolutionary Army think!" Kara said, finally finishing her business in this place.

Upon hearing that and seeing Kara quickly disappear from her field of vision, Linette was dumbfounded, thinking about that last point raised by that young woman.

That was the only part of what Kara had told her from the beginning that Linette had no way of refuting.

Minos could escape to the Flaming Empire. That was certainly a truth, and they already considered that possibility in the Counter-Revolutionary Army.

Suppose they devastated everything Minos had built up these past few years, perhaps killing important people to him. In that case, that could create more significant problems if he was a revenge-crazed person that his powerful mother would protect.

Finally, he could definitely grow up safely and quickly in the empire. So, he could eventually decide to take revenge on those families with their descendants in that empire.

All of this was terrible, and these families would not be able to do anything against Minos if this scenario developed!

That frightened this woman!

"Damn it!"

"The rascal is a genius!"

"He's several steps ahead of us!" She muttered this in anger, feeling a little moved by the doubt Kara had put in her mind.

She obviously would not make any radical decision without pondering the matter a great deal, without first having more information at her disposal. But at this point, Linette no longer felt so confident about fighting young Stuart.

'I hope the Spiritual Church will at least give us the freedom to call back our descendants in the empire...'

'That would be enough!' She pondered over the possibility that the regional leaders wanted to take to the church representative of this region.

...

While Linette was thinking about her conversation with Kara, Ford had already left that camp, heading alongside Troy to Dry City.

After finding out about Kara's affair with Minos, he was furious. He decided to meet with young Stuart to demand an explanation, somehow clearing things up in his mind.

But in picking up one of the flying beasts at that camp, he had run into Troy and told that young man where he was going.

Ford had not given Troy any details, but when this individual found out about Kara's brother's plans, he immediately decided to go to Dry City.

Not only because he was worried about the mistakes that the nervous Ford might make by going to visit young Stuart, but because he already wanted to make such a visit.

Troy simply had not done it yet because he was preventing himself from doing what his father had advised him not to do. After all, that advice had been wise.

But with Ford's excuse, he had no longer held back, having set off toward his goal, his old 'rival', Minos.

Anyway, the two went to Dry City on a good mount and did not take long to arrive in the vicinity of such a place!

...

Sometime later...

Ford and Troy were, at this moment, standing a few kilometers from the northern exit of the defensive dome of Dry City, observing the surroundings while in fighting position.

Now, they were surrounded by more than 30 individuals, several of them wearing armor with the symbol of a golden tree, but others with different symbols on their items.

But this was to be expected. After all, not only were the soldiers of the Black Plain Army patrolling areas near the dome, but members of the Austin, Parkinson, and Miller families were doing the same.

That is, these families were living on the outer sides of the defensive dome, near the four exits of the local wall. So, that was one of their responsibilities.

And those two young men could see the many tents outside that protected area, where they could notice many low-level auras.

But this did not draw the attention of the two. On the contrary, what worried them was that so many people had gathered in their vicinity as if they were enemies.

And even if they had shown their IDs as members of one of the great sects of the Flaming Empire, that still had not resolved their situation.

Consequently, each of them was in a fighting stance, prepared to respond to any violence generated by the opposing side.

However, after standing there for about 30 minutes, the two finally saw the figure of the young man they were looking for.

At that moment, Minos came running out of that camping area, coming towards where this patrol group was surrounding these two.

Upon seeing this, the two recognized young Stuart, even though he had greatly improved his appearance after the stage advances he had during these years since the final of the Spiritual Tournament.

"Minos!" Troy said this as he watched that person, feeling a particular itch in his hand, wanting to fight such an opponent.

On the other hand, Ford had a very unfriendly expression at the moment, as if he had seen the most disgusting thing in his life.

"Oh?" Minos looked at those two, probing the levels of these old acquaintances of his. "I wonder if there is something special about today. Every hour someone different comes in wanting to see me..." He joked.

"Minos!" Ford shouted, not giving a damn about young Stuart's small talk.

"Ford, what is it?"

"By the way, what are you guys doing here?"

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of a war? I don't mind talking to you, but it would be nice if you at least warned me before coming here..." He said more seriously after looking at Ford's angry expression.

"I have more important things to do!"

"Tsk!"

"More important things..."

"More important things like manipulating my little sister?" Ford asked angrily, giving Troy no room to suggest a duel.

"Oh?"

'That was fast, huh...' Minos thought about it, realizing the problem. 'And me, innocent, thinking Kara was the least bit discreet...'

"Sigh..."

"Kara and I are friends, as are we, Ford." Minos then began to explain himself. "The difference is that she and I can get together, shall we say, in a much more interesting way for both parties..."

"You will never understand that."

"In any case, like a good friend, instead of simply judging me as an enemy, she came to me, exposed her thoughts, and dialogued in search of a good solution for both sides..."

"She at least tried to understand my side of the story."

"But you... Apparently, you didn't do anything like that..."

"It seems you didn't give me the benefit of the doubt!"

"Ford, I'm disappointed!" He said as he shook his head from side to side while Ford and Troy watched him incredulously.

'Does this dude truly have the nerve to say that?' Troy wondered as his eyes widened in amazement. 'He acts like he just made a small mistake and deserved Ford's support...'

'Crazy!'

"You..."

"What are you saying? Do you think you have the right to say such words, Minos?" Ford roared in a fury.

Minos watched him for a moment and then just ignored these questions. "Ford, what's the matter? Why are you so angry?"

"Your sister was quite relaxed when she came to me..."

"It's a surprise that you are so defensive."

"Tsk!"

"Minos, do you think I don't know what you did to my sister?" Ford finally lost his patience. "I know you have a compelling mental technique..."

"I'm sure you used it against my sister!"

"Otherwise, she would never have slept with an enemy of our family!"

"What?" Troy said in shock while holding Ford back so that this young man would not jump on Minos. 'Such a thing happened?'

"Oh? So, that's it?"

"Ford, if you know about my technique, then your family members must have already told you that I can't manipulate other people..."

"Suppose I could do that. Wouldn't it be more interesting for me to order a level 59 Spiritual King, or even someone weaker, to kill others of the same level? Why would I waste my time trying to manipulate Kara just to sleep with me?"

"You are being incoherent, my friend..." Minos laughed. 'I have at most satisfied her so that she values our relationship more...'

"But don't be offended, Ford. That's just my way of having fun with my female friends... And Kara seems like she intended to do that with me well before she came here..."

"Ahhhh!"

"Bastard!"

...