"Yes, I'm looking forward to collecting merit points and having some 'fun' outside this place," Minos said as he smiled at Ruth. "I think we'll be away for a few months during the mission. That will be as long as it takes our comrades in the Speckled Bear Wilds to finish their five-year stint in that place and return to our side."
"That's true. I'd forgotten that." Ruth opened her eyes as she thought about it. "Will they succeed in the selection exam this time?"
"Of course. Most guild members who go through what they did manage to get into the guild." Minos nodded affirmatively. "Anyway, let's tell the other group members to leave some merit points so we can help them when they succeed in getting into the guild."
Minos' group had remained close-knit since their entry into Armhands. Even though several of them were confident enough to resolve the War of the Worlds on their own and no longer needed to contribute to each other with the future of the Spiritual World in mind, they continued to act as a group.
Or rather, they had been acting as a faction, one of the many such groups that existed in the Armhands.
Being alone and having a low rank in Armhands was synonymous with difficulties. But a group of low-ranking people united around the same purpose could make things easier for each group member.
Being alone and having a low rank in Armhands was synonymous with difficulties. But a group of low-ranking people united around the same purpose could make things easier for each group member.
That wouldn't put them too far above their ranks, but it would help with contacts, information, influence, bargaining power, etc.
That's why the group was very united around Minos, and the rest of the group would certainly welcome the individuals who were in the Speckled Bear Wilds. That was their chance to increase the size of their faction and their power to collect merit points.
Anyone looking at Minos' group wouldn't see people capable of carrying out missions and competing with opponents but rather a united group that could use their merit points together.
The whole group could, for example, work for Ruth's promotion to become a Rank-and-File Soldier. So Ruth's opponents, for example, would have to look at her whole group if they didn't want to end up more damaging after a dispute with her.
Having more members in the group would invariably increase their power, which would be worth the investment Minos cited.
"Hmm, how long will it take for our whole group to be together again?" Ruth asked him, also thinking of the group members who had been sent to The Blue Field.
"Not before one of us becomes a Junior Officer," Minos commented soberly. "That could even take more than a decade."
"Sigh! That's a long time. I wonder what our family will be like when we return to the Spiritual World?" She asked.
They had so much power now but no way of helping their people.
That was incredibly frustrating!
Minos fell into deep thought when he heard this and couldn't help but look up at the sky and wonder what Gloria and Abby were doing now.
...
At that very moment, in the Spiritual World...
Another year had passed since the Spiritual World experts' recovery ended when they had planned to surprise the enemy Gods in their next big confrontation.
In fact, what had been predicted by the group of Spiritual World Gods had actually come to fruition around 11 months ago!
At that time, Aurae, Willow, Vico, Aarav, and the level 100 dragon united once again to fight against the Gods of the Mechanic Empire.
The results of that battle were far more catastrophic for both sides in that war than anyone expected, with many deaths among peak specialists occurring on both sides.
Abby had once again left the Minos Spatial Kingdom at that time and helped to temporarily revive cultivators between levels 97 and 100 to help the empire's forces.
But even with the help of these experts, their performance was not as good as in other situations because those experts wasted part of their time trying to attend to the current situation in the Spiritual World at the time.
That resulted in a loss of efficiency on the part of the group in defense of the Spiritual World, which resulted in the deaths of the level 100 dragon and Aarav!
Meanwhile, 2 of the 6 enemy Gods had fallen at that time, which, although not much, was also a substantial loss for the forces of The Adamant Land.
The losses of the demigods were the most significant for both sides, and there were currently less than 30,000 cultivators between levels 90 and 99 left in the whole of the Spiritual World, whether they were natives of that world or not.
If the war continued to escalate, it was possible that in another two or three years, not a single Demigod would be left behind!
As soon as all the Gods died or one of them was left behind, the war would probably end with the victory of the forces of the Mechanic Empire, who could count on reinforcements.
No reinforcements had been sent to the Spiritual World during that year, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be new aliens joining the enemies of the local forces in the future.
As such, even though several organizations and states were still standing at this very moment, the situation in the world was serious!
...
In the Spatial Kingdom of the Black Plain Empire...
Gloria was now looking nervously at Callie in anticipation of the woman's success in advancing to level 100.
The other Gods of the Spiritual World were injured, trying to recover with the other two Divine Medicines she had given them.
As only three Gods were left alive, they were each in their respective territories.
Aurae was looking after Elves Island, while Vico was looking after the south of the Central Continent. Willow was the only one in the Black Plain Empire at the moment.
Because of these three individuals, the Central Continent and Elves Island remained largely under the control of the natives of this planet.
But with the deaths of Aarav and the level 100 dragon, the situation on the Divine Continent and the Continent of Beasts was becoming increasingly chaotic.
It would be some time before the native forces of those continents lost their dominance in their homelands. But the aliens were advancing every day across those two continents.
With these advances and the surrender of more and more natives of the Spiritual World, it was only a matter of time before the forces of the Central Continent were isolated and surrounded by enemies.
Once that happened, it would become more difficult for them to continue fighting in the War of the Worlds!
The empire needed Callie more than ever, so Gloria couldn't help but look at her expectantly, aware that this woman wasn't far away, but they didn't have much time left either.
In the next Battle of Gods, perhaps they won't be able to withstand their enemies, and this Spatial Kingdom will be invaded.
If that happened before Callie's advance, that would be the end of all their plans!
'Be quicker, Callie!'
