The Rise of the Black Plain

Black Plain Army headquarters...

In a large hall of the administrative building of this local organization, people were constantly coming and going from that place, all of them Sergeants.

If one paid attention to these people's faces, one would notice that everyone who entered there left with determined expressions, as if their fighting spirits had been boosted.

But this was not for nothing. After all, in that place were two spiritual paintings painted by Minos!

After Minos had reached level 50 about two months ago, he had already finished his second painting, which he had sent to this place a day ago.

He was determined to help his soldiers get better faster. So, it didn't take long for him to send these items, right after letting the Elite Squad soldiers have them for a few days.

A spiritual painting could continue to have long-term effects, but that wouldn't work on the same person for very long. That was because, after a certain point, the comprehensions of those using such items would reach high enough levels that there would be a resistance to the process.

Therefore, that item would not work continuously on the same person, who continues to improve each passing day. 

So, even if such an effect could last a long time before losing its characteristics, it would be useless for the same person to study it every day. Only a small interval of time, which could vary depending on each person's talent, would be enough for this resistance to appear.

And as such, the soldiers of the Elite Squad hadn't kept these items long after Minos had finished painting each of them.

However, even if this limitation existed, this item could continue to assist Spiritual Generals and even newly promoted Spiritual Kings of the army who had not yet made contact with them. 

So, those items were already available for this organization's most substantial soldiers to take advantage of them.

Anyway, practically all of the army's Spiritual Generals in Dry City had already seen at least one of these items for a few minutes. But even if they needed more time to utilize the advantages these two paintings brought and wanted to devote more time to this, they could not.

After all, they still needed to work on their jobs, cultivate, and live their lives. So, unlike those soldiers in the Spatial Kingdom, each of these ordinary soldiers would need much more time to absorb the benefits brought by these two items.

But that was not bad at all. That is, it wouldn't be good if everyone tried to observe these artworks all at once...

That would cause chaos!

In this way, the very reality of these soldiers made it possible for a little bit of each Sergeant to enjoy this advantage brought by Minos.

With that, many people came and went from this hall practically every hour of the day.

Like at this moment, when two female soldiers were leaving that place, heading towards another part of this headquarters.

"Fern, what did you think of that first painting?" One of the two asked the other.

Fern then replied. "It is very intriguing how the storm in that picture can be used for both defense and attack."

"That substance can be shaped in a way that an armor condensed using it can be as strong as metal!"

"But it can also be used to erode the hardest of rocks..." She explained her notion as she saw in her friend's eyes that her interpretations were distinct.

Fern had perceived the understandings regarding the Natural Laws left by Minos, which were related to defense and attack. But such a perception was unique, and each person would understand it differently since it would suit their own characteristics.

As such, she had understood one of the pictures made by Minos from the use of the substance water since one of her techniques had to do with such a thing. However, the same painting had generated a very different perception for her friend.

"Whereas in my case, I perceived the way the electric..." She then explained her understanding as the two continued to walk through that building.

After exchanging ideas about one of the pictures painted by Minos, the two finally changed the subject to something more crucial to this organization they were part of.

"By the way, did you hear about what happened earlier today?" Fern asked when the two finally reached an open part of the headquarters, where many soldiers were coming and going.

"Yeah, my father told me that a group sent by the Brown family was approaching our town." She said, remembering how agitated her father was earlier today.

This Sergeant's father was one of the administrative soldiers in Minos' army, someone who usually was stressed about local problems while staying at headquarters.

But a few hours ago, news of a Brown family group coming to Dry City had reached headquarters and made all those administrative soldiers a bit nervous.

Such news had been sent to the headquarters by one of those six temporary camps around an area between 100 and 200 kilometers from the local dome.

But since they already knew that such a group from the Brown family would be coming here by now, they had just observed the situation and communicated it to headquarters.

As a result, several administrative soldiers had become very anxious about what was to come next.

This time the warrior soldiers were not going to fight. On the contrary, the administrative people would start the fake negotiation with those people to buy time for Dry City.

So, these people who were not used to facing opponents couldn't help but get a little anxious. And among them was the father of this Sergeant, who had been awakened earlier today with the news that he would be participating in these negotiations...

"Oh? And how will this be resolved? Has your father said anything to you?" Fern asked in curiosity while slightly fearing that something might go wrong.

"I'm not sure of the details. However, it seems that the two sides had already arranged to meet 10 kilometers from the east exit of the wall. There the negotiations will take place in a joint camp of our forces with those of the Brown family."

"I see... Well, it makes sense that they would negotiate outside of here, hehe."

"I wouldn't enter a place protected with medium-level grade-2 defensive arrays, where I couldn't be sure it would be safe." 

"Yeah, that's one of the reasons for such a thing."

"But how much time can we gain from that? I don't understand anything about administration, but I don't think a negotiation can last very long... I mean, won't they quickly realize our intentions?" 

Hearing this, Fern's friend shook her head in denial. "It's not that simple."

"A negotiation like this can last for weeks before the two sides reach a compromise... Even considering real negotiations."

"Then it must last from weeks to a month."

"But you're right, Fern. They will realize sooner or later that we are just killing time. At that moment, they will give us an ultimatum..."

Fern then completed her friend's reasoning. "And then they will send troops to attack."

"Something like that."

"Then we'd better hurry!"

"I'm almost at level 44, I can't delay advancing, or I'll have a lot of trouble!"

"Hmmm." This female soldier said as she looked in the direction of the sky. "By the way, this group is probably already on the outskirts of the local dome, being met by our soldiers."

"Let's wait for a few more hours to find out what will happen in the next few days..."

And then, the two sergeants from Minos' army headed off in separate directions, after saying their goodbyes and going off to train with even more vigor.

War would be much more dangerous for soldiers like them, of the low and intermediate levels of the 5th stage of cultivation. Hence, they wanted to take advantage of the little time left before the period of great local battles against the royal family began!

Only then could they increase their chances of survival!