After Minos' words regarding this new regional dream, reaching the 7th stage, the eyes of every person following this event shone with hope.
So many there had dreamed just a few years ago of one day becoming Spiritual Kings, but now the person behind many Spiritual Emperors was promising advancements to those who joined his forces.
It was something exciting for these people!
"Damn! Why didn't this happen when I was younger? Now how will I ever join the Black Plain Army?"
"Forget about it, old man. Your hopes are your children and grandchildren..."
"Yes! We can only rely on the younger generation and, who knows, take advantage of their possibilities. I've heard that the families of local soldiers are very well taken care of..."
"Ah, damn it! I'm already 23 and can't compete in this competition, and I don't have a wife to have a child!" A young man pulled his hair in anger at himself.
"What will I do?"
"Become a citizen of the Black Plain. That's your only chance..."
People of all ages and social groups began to discuss the matter in the stands of that stadium.
At the same time, the competitors scattered around the city were full of desire in their eyes, determined to do their best in this competition.
'7th stage, this is the chance for me to become a Spiritual Emperor in the future!' A level 40 young man clenched his hands tightly as he looked at the screen that still showed the balcony where Minos and his family were.
On the other hand, one of the most talented of this current generation, level 42, was smiling, already imagining his future. 'As long as I'm careful, I might have a chance to take first place and eventually be the first Spiritual Emperor of this group.'
'That will be my big chance to establish myself on the Black Plain!' This young man from the Stone family thought about it silently.
'Besides, I won't have to take any unnecessary risks by going to the Flaming Empire.'
"Perfect!"
Going to the Flaming Empire was a destination of no return for many talented young people who left this region. Not only because of the difficulties generated by the Spiritual Church but because many of them would die shortly after joining those sects!
They would leave the region when they were only at the 5th stage and go to a place with hundreds of millions of Spiritual Kings...
It was a difficult place to grow up without their families' support!
Hence, the opportunity to become a Spiritual Emperor in this region, close to their families, was very tempting for every person there.
So much so that even some of the descendants of organizations significantly weakened by Minos could not help but see this fellow a little better.
"This is a great chance!" A member of the Brown family said in a low voice with his companions.
Most of them had smiles on their faces at the moment, many being subordinates who had grown up a lot after the punishments this royal family suffered in the post-war period.
On the other hand, others there, members of the royalty and children of survivors of the war, had no reason to hate Minos.
After all, they were low-level royalty. Their parents and grandparents were only level 49 Spiritual Generals, so they had not suffered as much from their family's punishments and even gained a lot of ground in the post-war period.
'Very good!'
'That will be the chance for me to elevate my position in the royal succession!' A young brunette woman from the Brown family thought about it as she looked in Minos' direction with a smile on her face.
...
As the hundreds of thousands of people following the opening of the Black Plain Tournament continued to ponder King Stuart's words, the competition finally began!
After a quick draw in which the representatives of the competitors took their group sheets and the order of the individual competitions, the first part of this competition soon began.
This part of the competition judged spiritual professions, but it was not just standard tests, like simply preparing a pill in a comfortable and quiet room.
No, such tests involved using the skills of these professionals in problematic situations, such as dealing with poison in their own bodies, taming wild beasts, assisting in battles, etc.
Each profession had its limiting characteristics, so the tests were different for each group of spiritual professions. However, none of the tests followed the standard protocol of these activities. Instead, it tried to estimate the potential of these young competitors in stressful situations, where they could show their weaknesses.
While they were following that, Abby asked Ruth. "This is very interesting, but how long will we have to be present in this place?"
Gloria then laughed at Abby's question. "Haha, are you bored already? And I who had to put up with your wedding for a whole day..."
"Tsk!"
Ruth then said. "We don't have to stay here all day, but I think it's interesting that we follow this for at least the first 3 hours. It shows the population that we care about this event."
"Oh? Well, that's not so much, so that's fine..." Abby sighed.
"But at the finals, we will have to attend the whole occasion. So, that means we'll be doing this for a whole day on the last day of the tournament." Ruth said with a look of sorry at Abby.
"Sigh..."
Minos saw his queen sigh and massaged the middle of her back. "All right, when we deal with that final, we'll make a special occasion for everyone to relax."
"Oh?"
Minos then picked up some drinks and snacks for his women, offering Gloria a cup of drink. "Drink up. This drink here is specially made on the Black Plain."
"Let me try..." So she went to taste that golden liquid, but when she smelled it, she suddenly felt nauseous.
Seeing the expression on her face, Minos frowned and took the cup back. "Is there a problem, dear? Maybe it's not your taste?"
She nodded at him. "Hmm, strangely, I felt dizzy just smelling this drink. I guess I'd better not consume it."
Abby heard that and continued to drink from her glass, looking strangely at Gloria. 'Don't tell me you're too good to drink our wine? I hope you don't get hard to please with our products...'
Thus, quickly the time began to pass, and in the blink of an eye, the first day of competitions on the Black Plain ended.
...
While tourists and citizens in the capital of the Black Plain were celebrating the beginning of the local tournament, a few hundred kilometers away from this city, a bird landed on a mountain peak.
When this crow landed there, a relatively young-looking black-haired man awoke from his meditation. Then, with a finger gesture, he made the scroll tied to that bird fly into his right hand.
'That is a message from one of the people I paid to enter Dry City...' He pondered as he saw the symbol on that paper.
After that, this man read the contents of that letter, confirming some news circulating in the region.
'So this woman truly moved to this damn place?' He noted Gloria's name on that paper, and his face turned considerably dark.
'What does this mean? What is this woman doing? Don't tell me that the Church sent her to respond to our actions?' This level 70 Spiritual Saint wondered while he had an ugly expression on his face.
"Damn it!"
"I have to report His Highness!" He immediately stood up and wrote a letter, sending it in another crow shortly after.
'For the time being, I will stay in my position, still awaiting the movement of this fellow.'
'I don't think he will stay in his city much longer, considering the numbers of vermins spreading around his territory...' He remembered the camps he had been watching on the borders of the Black Plain.
'That woman probably won't keep up with him if he leaves that city...'
"I guess." He swallowed his saliva. 'If she accompanies him, I will have no choice but to give up my mission.'
'But if she remains in Dry City, I'll have to guarantee his death when he leaves! After that, I will flee to another continent!' He clenched his fists, determined to do his best to ensure the success of his superior.
