The Rise of the Black Plain

Another four months had passed since Aarav left the Divine Continent for the Black Plain Empire.

Many things had happened in the Spiritual World, but on this day, it was finally time for Minos to return to the Black Plain Empire with the rest of his party!

It had been almost three years since they had left Dry City to investigate the situation in the North Sea, and they were finally free to return home.

Some of Minos' party had already left in recent months, with a few individuals returning to their tribes alongside more powerful members to bring news of the discoveries at the North Pole.

But those who would go to the Black Plain Empire to join Minos' government after this journey had stayed behind with Minos and Ruth to return together.

Even after everything that had happened, which basically limited Minos' future prospects, some members of his crew had decided to accept his invitation to join the Black Plain Army.

Not only had Minos saved the lives of many of them in past battles, but he had also promised to support them in any way he could.

As much as Minos wouldn't reach his potential in 30 years, they could all become stronger under Emperor Stuart's command than if they returned to their tribes or armies.

On the other hand, as much as Minos would improve in 30 years, that didn't completely define his limits. As those who had spent the most time at Emperor Stuart's side, these people knew that he could surprise everyone when that time was up.

Even after almost a year in the old alien base, together with powerful emissaries from practically every side of the Spiritual World, Minos and his people were still among the most advanced when it came to understanding some alien technologies.

There were things they had outgrown, but when it came to the armor the aliens used to reduce their weaknesses, he and his companions were still the most advanced regarding understanding!

What's more, Minos had the Spatial Kingdom on his side.

As a result, of the 50 or so crew members on Minos' ship who sailed with him and Ruth from Dry City to the North Sea, 10 were preparing to leave the North Pole and join the forces of the Black Plain Empire!

...

At the old alien base in the Spiritual World, when one arrived near the great volcano of the only island left there, you would see a number of ships of different races nearby.

Within a few dozen square kilometers of this area, warships from virtually all of the 10th-stage powers of this world were stationed, with powerful crews watching over the area.

There was a military encirclement there to prevent low-level curiosity seekers from approaching, while inside the volcano itself, more than 2,000 Demigods were currently working on the technologies there.

Some of the groups there were already thinking about barriers to be erected in the area in anticipation of the enemy's arrival in less than 30 years. But the vast majority of people there were seeking progress for the world.

As such, every imaginable sector of that place was bustling, with thousands of high-level Sages there to assist their superiors.

Meanwhile, all the spiritual professions had 4th-grade representatives, sometimes working separately, sometimes together, to try to decipher the things left behind by the enemies.

The two alien survivors hadn't been much help to the Spiritual World investigators. As much as they knew more than the natives of that world, they were not scholars and only knew how to use their people's technologies.

So, all their help had been limited to advising on how best to use their technologies.

Amidst the work of the many people currently living at this base, a group of 13 people were preparing to leave this place on a ship with the symbol of a golden tree.

In addition to these 13 people, there were several high-level Demigods, individuals between levels 97 and 99, from several different races.

Julian looked at Minos as he boarded the ship, sighing as he imagined how unlucky this young man was.

'Sigh... Minos has reached level 88 and will probably reach level 91 before the enemies arrive, but...' He closed his eyes, regretting that such a talent hadn't appeared 50 years earlier.

If Minos had been 50 years older, he would probably be a mid-level Demigod by the time the aliens arrived!

But the reality was cruel, and someone so strong and talented would be far from his peak when the strongest enemies he could face arrived to threaten his life!

Seeing Minos return to the Black Plain Empire without much time to advance was a shame!

While Julian was thinking about this, some of the spiritual professionals that Minos and his group had helped introduce the alien technologies to waved goodbye to the rest of the group and smiled.

"It's a shame they're leaving, but considering Minos Stuart's fighting skills, we'd better not get in his way anymore." An elf said to the others who would stay.

Minos had impressed several Demigods from all over the world who had come to this place to study alien technologies. Even though he was only at the 9th stage, he could understand some things about his enemies more easily than high-level Demigods!

Some of these experts thought that this was a peculiarity of Minos. But only this young man and those who knew him best knew that this was not the case.

One of those who understood why was at Minos' side as their ship prepared to set sail.

"Minos, when do we start? I can't wait to begin our preparations." Titus asked.

"We will begin our preparations when we reach Dry City. But we won't make the final part of our plans until after I become a Demigod." Minos replied, having in mind some experiments with alien technologies using the chaotic energy of the giant bones in the Spatial Kingdom.

'Luckily, I was able to negotiate with Vico and Maximillian and take one of the bodies of the enemy robots with me.' Minos thought to himself as he remembered how he had been forced to return most of the alien things he had obtained before Vico arrived in this place.

But he had kept one item of each kind and received the assurance from two Gods that he wouldn't have to worry about losing what he had been allowed to have.

With that in mind, he watched his contacts in this place drift further and further away from him as his ship began to move south.

It was finally time for them to return home!