The Rise of the Black Plain

While Minos and Mendy were preparing for the trip to the City of Waters to finalize the agreement between the Black Plain and the Hayes family, Elen and Elena were on Stone Island preparing for a battle!

On appearances, any unsuspecting person would think that the two enemy sides on that island, House Nash and House Allen, were in a truce, perhaps in an attempt to achieve peace. 

However, those with more profound knowledge about the conflict between these two groups would know that the reality was much more bitter...

There was no truce between such opponents. Hell, there was not even an attempt by either party to seek an agreement that could resolve the conflict.

What had happened recently was a decrease in tensions a few weeks ago, which had created this 'mirage.'

But after weeks of relative peace and easing of tensions for the tens of millions of Stone Island citizens who had to face the consequences of such a conflict, the situation was slowly changing.

That was much more significant for the Nash family's allies, who knew from the start that House Allen's side was only taking one step back, to take two steps forward in the future!

Because of this deep knowledge of their enemies, Elen's side was becoming tenser and tenser with each passing day. Consequently, they were preparing for something big to happen at any moment!

...

At the Nash family palace...

Elen and Elena were in a hall with several other people, talking about the latest information their spies had regarding the moves of the Allen family alliance.

The people in that room were members of several noble families of the Stone Island, organizations that were in alliance with Elena because of the products of the Black Plain that this woman traded on this state.

But besides these people, there were also some critical figures from House Nash, such as Elen's father, the supreme elder of this noble family.

"The spies of the Hoffman family have discovered that the House Allen has been gathering its high-ranking members for the past few weeks." Someone in that place said while having a solemn expression on his face. "In addition, each of the allies of that noble house is preparing for some movement in the coming weeks."

"Hmm, my group also has similar information. We have been notified that the Gibbs family held a military exercise a few days ago, in which only individuals above level 45 participated."

"Also, we have information of several Spiritual Kings from those powers who have been 'missing' for weeks..."

"That's true... My group has no information about the whereabouts of 29 Spiritual Kings of the Allen family allies."

"They could be anywhere!"

While people were actively talking about this matter, Elen and Elena were sitting side by side in that room, talking in low voices to each other.

"I think I'd better stay here in this palace for the next few days... I believe the Allen family will probably act against you before the other organizations in our alliance."

"Hmm, probably... How are your preparations?"

Elena then replied. "I already have everything ready to leave Stone Island... I am just waiting for this move by the Allen family. Then, I will return to Minos' territory."

"I see... I hope I can see you as soon as possible, but I guess for at least the next year, I won't have such a chance." Elen said as she closed her eyes in concern.

"Don't worry, we have several Spiritual Kings around, and the Allen family won't be able to hurt us so easily!"

"I know..."

And as she was about to say something, suddenly one of those individuals in that room finally ended that occasion. "Well, people, prepare your forces as best you can during the next few days."

"Finally, I recommend that each of our families send one of our Spiritual Kings here, Old Stone. We cannot let the Allen family cut off our supply of resources!"

"I agree!"

"Yes, we must do that."

"As our Parker family has always said for the last 5,000 years, good Allen is a dead Allen!

"Then we won't back down right away at this point!"

And it wasn't long before those people dispersed, each of them going off to do their respective responsibilities so that they would be ready for enemy movement.

...

Meanwhile, two days passed...

Meanwhile, Celeste had already adapted to her new reality in the Black Plain Army's naval base, where she had to be ready to fight enemies at all times.

After she arrived at this place and Ernest headed towards the secret base of Yellow City, Celeste had learned that most of the time, this place had to deal with several groups of beasts.

Those beasts were attracted by the large amounts of food, which were stored at this base. 

And as much as the defensive barrier created by the medium-level grade-2 array was enough to stop these beasts, it would not be good if these beings started to crowd into the surroundings...

Because of this, groups of beasts from this region of the Black Plain would constantly arrive at this base, and the soldiers at this post would need to deal with them.

And as much as she would not have to act against these beasts, Celeste still needed to be vigilant. After all, there would always be the possibility that some enemy would be lurking around while the weaker soldiers were dealing with situations related to these beasts.

Hence, she had been working much harder lately than in her last 300 years of life, in which she had lived as the wife of the patriarch of the Parkinson family...

Anyway, at this moment, she was in a room at the top of the highest tower of this base while watching through a window to a large Nash family ship being filled up.

The place she was in had a rounded shape. All the outside walls were large glass windows, something that allowed anyone in that place to see all the surroundings of this naval base.

And while she was looking at the surroundings of this base at her workplace, more than 2000 soldiers of the Minos army were working there. Most of them were people at the 3rd and 4th stage, who were here to keep this place running and do the manual transport services.

As for the warriors in this place, they were only about 750 soldiers, all of them at the 5th stage of cultivation.

Pa! 

As she was looking over the horizon, the door that was in the middle of that place slammed right after a soldier walked in there.

"Lieutenant Celeste, the load from the Nash family ship, has been finalized, and in a few minutes, the crew of that ship will depart from our base." So, the soldier informed as he stood in a formal position in the middle of that place.

"Have you guys done the whole investigation procedure? Is the ship up to specifications? Are there no people other than the ones declared?" She asked as she looked in the direction of that soldier.

"Everything is fine, ma'am. We have already surveyed the ship, and all the declared crew members are already inside that shit, waiting for permission to leave."

"OK. Allow them to leave." She said to another person who was there.

After that, a distinctive sound resounded through that base, as a male voice rang out in a sound array.

"Nash-48, your exit is cleared."

"Run! Run! Get to your positions!"

"Get ready for the barrier to be deactivated!" Several voices around that base resounded through that place, as many soldiers ran from side to side and got into defensive positions.

"Attention everyone, the barrier will open in 5.... 4..."

Zum!

After some time of the initial warning resounding, when all the soldiers were on alert, and the ship was ready to leave this place, the barrier was deactivated.

And it wasn't long before that large uncharacterized ship of the Nash family disappeared over the horizon.

At the same time, the barrier of that base had come back into operation.

"The next Nash family ship will only arrive in the next week..." Celeste muttered in a low voice as she wriggled in the chair she was sitting in, in that same spot from before.

"What's that?"

However, after a few minutes of observing her surroundings, she finally saw several dots glowing in the middle of the sea, a few dozen kilometers from that base...