While the Gill family group was watching that temporary camp, those people sent by House Silva to this side of the Black Plain were also thinking about dangerous things...
After all, they had just arrived at this place where they would have to investigate possible threats to the Silva family.
But coincidentally, a force of about twice as many people as theirs had arrived at this place and was watching them from afar, as normally predators would do before attacking their prey!
So, naturally, those people sent by the Silva family were worried about these newcomers having relations with the organization behind the strange Dry City...
"That's the Gill family symbol!" One of the level 49 Spiritual Generals in that group said aloud as he looked in the direction of those newcomers and then at the woman who was leading that group.
That woman, Margot, level 53, then looked at that group for a moment as she tried to understand what was happening here. 'Why would such a large group from the Gill family come to the Black Plain? Don't tell me they are the enemies that have been attacking our forces?' She wondered as she pressed her jaw.
At first, the Gill and Silva families were not allies, nor were they on good terms. However, they had no history of conflict over the past few thousand years, so they had no justifiable reason to act against each other.
And as Margot thought about it, she soon realized that the Gill family could not be the mastermind behind what happened to Darell, Sarah, and Urban's groups. However, that didn't mean that such a noble organization had no relation to those deaths.
After all, just because someone was not the mastermind of a crime does not mean he was not to blame!
The opposite of that, the Gill family could have been the agent who acted against the Silva family members killed these past four years, at the behest of a higher power trying to destroy House Silva.
'They have allied themselves with a greater power and are against us?' She asked herself in doubt, with an expression on her face growing darker and darker.
That made sense to Margot. That is, why would the Gill family send such a large force to the Black Plain?
It made no sense to think that this was a military exercise since such a thing could be done within the Gill family's own territory. Which, by the way, was not at all small and could certainly host such an event!
On the other hand, the Gill family was only a medium-sized power, which would not have much influence outside the kingdom. So, other than them being on the side of House Silva's enemies, there were not many options left for this group of 2,000 people to show up here.
It was even possible that it was a Gill family action against another mid-sized, but that was simply too unlikely.
That is, all these other organizations in this kingdom were outside the Black Plain, and it would be strange for enemies to simply decide to fight a war on another power's territory...
One side would always have to try to protect its territory. But, on the other hand, even if there were forces numerous enough for guards to be sent into external battles, that would still be unusual to happen.
After all, it would be ridiculous to decide an organization's future with something like, 'let's decide everything in one big fight.' There was no sense in having that kind of challenge.
The fate of an entire organization was simply too valuable for people to decide to compete in such a way!
For all that, Margot slowly thought that there were fewer and fewer chances that these Gill family forces were unrelated to the strange Dry City.
"Those bastards probably have a relation to the strangeness in Dry City reported by Urban!" She said this in a deadly cold tone as she watched the masses of Beatrice's group.
Gulp!
"The lady thinks so?" One of the level 49 individuals asked this while his face slowly turned red with anger. "Don't tell me those bugs are trying to bring us down?"
"Hmm, let's get closer to those people and try to find out why they are here..." Margot said before finally starting to run towards the enemy group.
Even though the Gill family's team had twice as many people as the Silva family's, Margot didn't think they were at a dead end. After all, although the numerical difference put them on the disadvantaged side, their group had many more people near the end of the 5th stage than the opposing party.
With that said, even if they had to fight, Margot didn't think their group would be casually slaughtered. They could definitely fight the enemy group, and there was a chance they would survive such a challenge, even if such a thing were small.
...
Eventually, the two parties got closer and closer until they were only 200 meters apart in that dead zone, where only the bonfires added a little luminosity.
But even if this place were as bright as day, it wouldn't make much difference to these cultivators since they could see well even under these conditions. And as such, it made no sense for one side to suddenly try to attack the other.
That is, both sides had perceived the other almost simultaneously, and there was no way either could use the surprise factor. Consequently, both sides acted a bit cautiously, not attacking as soon as they saw each other.
Anyway, amidst the rising tension, a female voice finally reverberated through that area. "If I'm not mistaken, you are Beatrice Gill... What are you and these people doing on the Black Plain?"
Upon hearing this, Beatrice looked cautiously at Margot, "I am also curious as to why the Silva family would send such a powerful group to the poor Black Plain..."
"Are you people going to the Dry City?"
Upon hearing such a question, Margot suddenly frowned, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the opposite party. She then said. "Dry City? Why would we go to a place that doesn't even have Spiritual Generals?"
"You are going there?"
'That woman definitely knows something about Dry City!' Beatrice thought agitatedly as her hands began to sweat.
She had a greater power on her side, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't be nervous about having to act against a force stronger than her family!
Beatrice then said. "No. It's like you said, there's nothing in Dry City. So, there are definitely no advantages in that place for us."
'It's just as I thought. Those Gill family bastards are associated with that damn place!' Margot clenched her fists even tighter as she finally looked away and said in a low voice. "Send our results to headquarters! Run!"
On the other hand, Beatrice had already removed a zither from her spatial ring and was preparing to begin her attack.
"Attack!" She shouted loudly so that everyone in her group began to activate their spiritual techniques.
"Ah! For the sake of the Gill family! Kill those enemies!" The most vigorous individuals there started shouting. At the same time, they had already begun their attacks.
Boom!
Vuup!
"Ahh! Attack!"
"Kill!"
Several cries broke out from the Silva family's side as both parties started running towards the other, with already many techniques forming in the air and flying towards their respective targets.
And immediately, a deadly battle started on that spot, in the northeastern part of the Black Plain.
Those people involved in this situation didn't know, and many of them would probably never have the opportunity to learn, but this would be the first of many battles with large numbers of casualties that would take place on the Black Plain.
After hundreds of thousands of years of being just an insignificant region, a somewhat peaceful place, this territory had finally begun a new phase of its existence.
From now on, rivers of blood would flow through these dead lands until finally, someone would completely dominate this region!
That was the informal beginning of the Black Plain War of Independence!
