Minos looked at that place with most of the Spiritual Emperors in the region and said. "... We will soon face these invaders coming from Albano. Then I hope your forces will start preparing to act."
"Are we going to fight them already? So soon?" Lorelei asked in surprise.
Everyone there knew what was happening in the region and the information that Minos and his wives extracted from criminals coming from Albano. But those outside the Black Plain Army did not yet know about Minos' latest plans.
Minos then answered that woman. "Yes, their numbers are increasing extremely fast, so we will have to act in a few months, or it will be difficult to stop them."
Everyone there was silent as they heard this, worried about the future.
"Then why don't we act immediately while the numbers are low?" Hadwin Hayes, level 61, asked.
Abby then answered for her husband. "It would be a waste to demonstrate our full power to our enemies considering their current numbers."
"My husband can handle almost all of them alone at the moment..." She proudly smiled.
Hearing this, some wondered what Minos' capabilities were at this moment, but then someone looked at Gloria and realized they were talking about secretive matters with a member of the Spiritual Church there. "But..." Liam Gill pointed at her.
Minos laughed as he saw the doubtful expression on patriarch Gill's face. "Don't worry about her hearing these things. Gloria is my woman, so naturally, she will not leak such information."
"What?" Several men looked at Minos in surprise.
Meanwhile, the redheaded beauty next to Minos blushed, looking at him, not knowing what to say. 'You could say that less shamefully!'
'Master is truly unbelievable! He has managed to conquer Miss Frost!' Lee, level 56, looked in the direction of the royal family with a smile on his face, expressing admiration.
Seeing this, Alison, level 56, standing next to him, looked thoughtfully at her husband and pinched him on the belly. "Wipe that smile off your face. I don't want you even thinking about praising our master for the growth of his harem."
"Ouch!"
"My love, I wasn't thinking anything wrong! I'm just happy for him!" He swore at her, showing a look of injustice on his face.
"Humph!"
"Who do you think you're fooling? I know you too well, Lee!" She gave a killing look in his direction. 'Don't even think about having more than one woman, or I'll cut your thing off!'
Seeing the look on his wife's face, Lee bowed his head and remained silent while the people in the surrounding area went back to talking about serious matters.
Minos then said. "Anyway, I want you to get ready. In some weeks, maybe a few months, I want most of our forces' high-level Spiritual Emperors and Spiritual Kings to attack the enemy camps before they attack us."
"Unfortunately, I can only attack one of their camps at a time. So, I will need your help."
Vince Miller, level 61, then smiled and tapped one of Eliot's shoulders. "Don't worry, Your Grace, we'll be prepared to handle it. That will be a good opportunity to test our new powers."
"Hmmm."
"Yes, unlike the soldiers of the Black Plain Army, most of us don't have anyone to fight seriously with..."
"Training alone is not enough to temper our strength!"
"Haha, I'm looking forward to returning to the battlefields!"
Several of the strongest people there agreed with the Miller family's supreme elder. As for the other Spiritual Emperors and even Spiritual Kings like Lee, they too were pleased with Minos' arrangements.
Fights like these were opportunities to grow stronger through battles, but also because of the enemy resources that the victors could acquire.
As such, they were not unhappy about having to return to fighting only four years after peace.
On the other hand, unlike the Black Plain's War of Independence that several of them had fought, this situation was completely different. Now they still had the numerical disadvantage, but they had the advantage in terms of cultivation level!
Since Minos' forces had fighting proficiencies far above the ordinary, their chances were much more significant than in the previous war. And since cultivators loved promising chances to get resources, they were pretty excited to go along with King Stuart's proposal.
Anyway, after this moment of meeting, each of the regional experts headed towards their balconies, from where they would watch the opening of this tournament.
Minos, his wives, Dillian, Eda, and Abby's parents did the same, settling down on a large balcony located in the stadium's best position.
From there, they could see much of the local audience in this place with a capacity to hold more than 100,000 people simultaneously. Moreover, the central stage, where hundreds of young people were now divided into many rows, could easily be observed by them even without using arrays.
Their proximity was such that everyone on that balcony could see the details of the faces of the young people on that stage.
Ruth then explained to her group. "These youths are representatives of each of the families and organizations participating in the Black Plain Tournament."
"We couldn't bring every single participant since over 50,000 people were able to register for our tournament successfully. But their representatives are there for the opening ceremony."
As she spoke, the narrator of the competition explained the rules to the representatives of the participants and the audience present.
Such a person said what Ruth had already explained to Gloria about the format of the competition and some critical details of this event.
"... Also, the Black Plain Tournament does not have a specific number of 'winners.' If there is only one suitable candidate, only he will have the chance to join the army. If there are 100, then 100 lucky ones will get that chance."
Shouts of joy and determination burst from the crowds watching the opening ceremony, not only in that stadium but also in the squares of the capital and satellite cities of Dry City.
"Wow!"
"There isn't a limit!"
"So anyone with special skills can join the army?"
"Tsk!"
"That's good, but it's not that easy! Do you think they will call ordinary people? That only makes a difference to the most extraordinary ones!"
"Still, that's already amazing!"
"Yes, at least these people won't be vying for the army slots offered by the selection of soldiers among the locals..."
Many spectators began to debate the matter, while the representatives of the participants had smiles on their faces.
'This is better!'
'With so many participants from all over the region, there are more high-level competitors than I had thought I would find here.' One of the young women who had come with Misty's group clenched her fists in determination, knowing that her chances of getting a spot in the army would be more significant now.
At the same time, Misty was with King Snow's group in one of the VIP areas in this stadium, watching in the direction of the main balcony.
"It looks like His Majesty is getting ready to expand the number of talented people in his organization to the maximum." She commented in a low voice, catching Adam's attention, this man who had not yet managed to advance a stage.
Linette and Jade were not far away from them, discussing the future consequences of this.
"It looks like a generation of young people will soon overtake us..." Linette commented to her harem sister. "Those of us who don't get to the 7th stage quickly will only lose the difference in level to these youngsters."
"Hmmm." Jade nodded in agreement. "That will create hundreds of Spiritual Emperors in just over a decade. We will fall completely behind in the region's leadership if we don't move fast!"
"Sigh..."
"But at least we'll have a chance that some of these young people will be our family members." Linette looked in Minos' direction. "That fellow likes to play with us. He gives us hope, but it also puts more burdens on our shoulders..."
The narrator finally pointed to where Minos was standing and said. "... Now, let's hear some words from His Grace, Minos Stuart, the King of the Black Plain."
Minos then stood up from where he was and stood beside the glass of his balcony. He waved to the people in the surroundings and the array broadcasting the event. "Well, this tournament will determine not only the future soldiers of my army but also the future Spiritual Emperors of our region."
"My wives and I are curious to know who will be the first of this generation to advance to the 7th stage, as well as who will break the current record..." He laughed.
"Well then, I declare that this 'race' to level 60 is on, and I wish all participants to do their best. We will give good prizes to the first to achieve such a feat."
...
