The silence lasted for a few moments, with some weaker individuals swallowing their saliva in fear of the tension forming in the surroundings.
At the same time as this, Minos was looking in the direction of the one who had asked this, the master of the Mountain Sect, with whom Oswald had had a disagreement years ago.
"What are my interests? First, peace for my territory. Then the development of it and then the strengthening of my family. That is what I desire and what my actions are for." Minos said after a few moments of thought.
"On rare occasions, I had fought when there was no need. I have always desired peace but have always been prepared to fight."
"But just because my hands are stained with blood, does not mean that I am not a peaceful person... That depends only on those who may or may not stand in the way of my empire." He gestured with his hands as he spoke.
Some there liked to hear Minos' words since there was really nothing wrong in this society for someone to destroy another who came to try to interfere in their life or home.
If one did not want to be bothered, then one should not bother or purposely impede the movements of others. If they did, then they should prepare themselves for the worst!
That was that society's mentality and many there liked to hear that Minos wanted peace and would only act for those who directly stood against him and purposely hindered him.
Everyone there had studied Minos' track record in the northern region and knew that there was always someone crossing the line against him in his conflicts.
In the beginning, he just wanted to develop his territory. But the Brown family had tried to take some of what Minos produced without giving him anything other than unproductive land.
He then fought a war for independence.
After that, he faced attacks from outside his state, with thousands of criminals gathering to try to take that territory from his possession.
He then destroyed those forces and ruined the Vogel family, who were mainly responsible for those troubles.
In sequence, he faced problems with the Saints Killing Sect and Abe Vogel, the first who had already caused the deaths of members of the Black Plain Army and the latter who initiated terrorist attacks against the Black Plain.
He annihilated Abe's group and defeated the Saints Killing Sect in the War of the Two Sects.
Now no one knew what might happen next. Still, those who had studied Minos' history felt that he would not simply attack other powers without first being provoked.
So hearing his words was enough for many there to be reassured.
But some did not like it since for one to grow in this world, others would undeniably have to be sacrificed!
"That's very convenient, sect master Stuart." The leader of that other high-level sect, the Mountain Sect master, said. "You say you're going to do this for the sake of your family and territory. But to develop those entities, you will have to absorb the power of others. So how can these be good justifications? Just be honest and tell us what you want..."
"Do you wish to become the leader of the Flaming Empire?"
Some people looked at that level 79 man and felt he was going too far with his lines.
Meanwhile, that man himself was breaking into a cold sweat. But since someone had threatened him to ask these questions, he had no option but to go through with it all.
He was not as brave as he looked and was quite afraid of Minos even before this young man became so strong. After all, one of his most capable seers had died trying to predict the future of Emperor Stuart, and he had treated Oswald's grandson as a cursed person ever since.
But since someone who could kill him had threatened to force him to do certain things, he could only try his luck in this place.
Minos frowned his eyebrows and said. "Be the leader of the Flaming Empire? I don't need that. The one who should desire such a thing is Mortimer Burgess, who is probably trying to advance to the 9th stage."
"I have already told you, I will not act against those who never stand against me in an underhanded manner." He gestured, looking at the other people there. "Look at the case of the northern region. Stone Island has always been my ally, and I have never tried to dominate them."
"Only more recently have we begun the process of absorbing that kingdom into my empire after several years of the Stone family negotiating their way into my forces."
"On the other hand, I took places like Brown and Cromwell, where their leaders brutally attacked me for years, and even when we achieved peace, they remained in disarray."
"So I overpowered them and brought peace to their populations. But note that all these instances of domination are between my former enemies and me. I never did that with allies."
"The Flaming Empire, for the most part, is a friendly state to the Black Plain." He smiled at the people in the surrounding area before becoming more serious. "Minus the Saints Killing Sect."
"Anyway, I don't covet the Edwardstone family function." He shook his shoulders. "If one day that family decides to join me in a different way than they do now, I will be with open arms. But I will not act rebelliously or disloyally toward my friends and allies!"
Most liked Minos' lines, but the Mountain Sect master felt that Minos' negative words about the Saints Killing Sect were not valid only for that organization.
'Damn it!'
'I bet old Oswald is playing his grandson against me because of our history!' That man thought as he saw the two other sect masters in that hall looking at him strangely as if they were telling him to shut up.
'What's his problem? Doesn't he know that Minos has the Black Hole Bomb and can kill us all?' A woman thought to herself as she looked at that idiot fellow.
On the other hand, the man next to Sibley and Naomi had a suspicious expression on his face. 'This fellow... What is he planning? I don't believe those are questions to ask, even if they are relevant.'
'He's definitely trying to provoke Minos!'
Minos also realized this and cautiously observed that person.
But since he had no major reason to act, he did nothing and went ahead with this fraternization with local leaders.
Such things would go beyond this small initial meeting, and for the next four days, Minos would meet most of this empire's leaders and do a lot of business.
That would become an occasion with so many local leaders that by the end, rumors would spread throughout the empire, talking about the meeting being even more important than the meeting of local leaders about to take place in Payton.
Minos would pay no attention to this. He would just continue with his meetings and occasional displays of power while waiting for the moment to leave for Payton.
Since time passed very quickly when one was busy, it did not take long, and soon he left alongside some elders of the Grey Clouds Sect for the empire's capital!
