Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Nax pointed out an unavoidable fact: while the combined might of Thrall and Hextech, the two dominant Oasis-level powers, is formidable, the Lost Lands are not limited to just the two of them.

The cursed witch of that mysterious continent was already troublesome, possessing countless Sequencers with extraordinary power, and now she was tied to Cohen.

As for Cohen himself, his achievements and background, and the various legends surrounding him on the human continent, one can't help but feel worried.

If he forcibly intervenes, the situation will become unimaginably complicated.

A deeper silence fell over the hall once again.

Unifying the Lost Lands sounds exciting, but upon closer inspection, the enemies and potential risks are simply too numerous to mention.

The Lost Lands are vast. Besides the five well-known Oases of Order (Chaos Continent, Mechanical Continent, Mysterious Continent, Twilight Continent, and Night Moon Continent), there are countless city-states, floating islands, tribes, ancient ruin guardians, and even unique and powerful forces scattered like stars throughout the land.

These forces may seem unremarkable on the surface, but once their core interests are touched or their survival is threatened, they are fully capable of uniting and unleashing a shocking combined force.

Thanks to some of the legacy left by the Arcane Empire and the unique magical environment of this land, the average level of extraordinary power in the Lost Lands as a whole and the development direction of some unorthodox technologies are indeed unique.

Many native warriors, mages, or those mutated beings who have integrated ancient technology and abyssal knowledge possess fighting styles and power that are often more unpredictable and difficult to deal with than ordinary superhumans of the same level on the human continent.

More importantly, this land has been steeped in chaos, violence, and the naked law of the jungle for far too long. Many creatures living here have long since deviated from "order" and "kindness" in their thinking and behavior.

It is filled with absolute chaos, selfishness, cruelty and destructive desire.

To achieve unification and establish a stable rule in this land full of ambitious people, madmen and outlaws is no less difficult than building a palace on a sea of ​​boiling lava, with every step accompanied by endless betrayal, slaughter and frenzied counterattacks.

Nax's questioning merely reveals a corner of this cold reality.

All eyes once again turned to the Shadow Throne, awaiting the answer from the Demon Lord Thrall.

Facing the growing number of gazes below, filled with doubt, unease, and even a hint of retreat, Thrall, the Demon Lord seated on his shadow throne, did not become angry. Instead, he let out a low, eerie chuckle:

“Philson, your considerations are not without merit.”

The Endless Alliance, Cohen Creon, the Mysterious Continent... these are indeed formidable obstacles.

However, I must tell you that what we are about to launch is not an ordinary war of conquest that relies on the courage of soldiers and the strategy of generals.

The power we possess will completely overturn your understanding of war!

After speaking, he casually raised his hand and pointed to an ordinary guard standing not far behind his throne, wearing standard armor and with a slightly dazed look in his eyes.

Sal's voice clearly reached everyone's ears:

"Not long ago, I had you inscribe 'magic pillars' with special runes in the underground mine base."

It has never had a real use, but now I will reveal the answer to you.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the astonished and uncertain faces of the crowd, finally settling on the guard who had been singled out, and said:

"This is the most ordinary soldier I trained using the power of those magic pillars."

Now, who among you is interested in coming up and testing his abilities? Everyone here is a ninth-tier or higher extraordinary being; feel free to make a move.

Try using the power of a ninth-tier superhuman on an ordinary soldier?
This sounds like an absurd joke.

But under the unquestionable gaze of the Demon Lord Sal, a burly, peak ninth-tier transcendent being soon emerged with a sinister grin.

He was one of Thrall's most notorious and belligerent generals, and was clearly interested in testing this strange soldier and wanted to impress Thrall.

The man licked his lips, a cruel glint in his eyes. He didn't even use weapons or magic; he simply concentrated all his violent power into his right fist, which instantly became like a red-hot iron, radiating terrifying heat and a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air.

This was a genuine, all-out attack from a seasoned, ninth-tier peak warrior, aimed directly at the chest of the guard who remained expressionless and standing motionless in place!

"boom!!!"

A deep, resounding thud echoed through the hall.

The anticipated scenario of guards being blown to pieces into a cloud of blood mist or even vaporized did not occur.

But the guard didn't fare any better. As if struck head-on by a battering ram, he was sent flying backward like a rag doll, crashing heavily onto the rune-covered wall dozens of meters away with a sickening cracking sound, before slid softly to the ground.

Everyone stared intently, and all of them gasped in shock.

The guard's chest cavity had completely collapsed, revealing a horrifying fist-shaped indentation. His limbs were twisted at bizarre angles, and blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and the gaps in his shattered armor. He looked like a man no longer recognizable as a human, and his breath was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.

“Tsk,” the ninth-tier transcendent who had made the move withdrew his fist, a hint of surprise on his face, but more of a look of disdain and doubt. He turned to Sal and said in a low voice, “My lord, this soldier… is a bit strange.”

It took my full-force punch and didn't turn into dust on the spot?

But judging by appearances, he's not far from death. This... seems to be just an ordinary human soldier with a slightly stronger physique than average? But that doesn't make sense either; even a golem forged from refined steel should deform after taking this punch..."

Before he could finish speaking, something unexpected happened!
"Ho...ho..."

A chilling, hoarse panting sound came from the pile of "junk".

Under the incredulous gazes of everyone, the "guard" whose chest had collapsed, whose limbs were twisted, and who should have died instantly, actually used his almost broken arms to support himself on the ground and slowly but surely stood up again!
His body was still mangled, with broken bone fragments piercing his skin and dripping blood, but he seemed to feel no pain at all.

On his face, swollen and deformed from the heavy blow, muscles twitched, revealing a crazed, ferocious smile.

The previously dull gaze in his eyes was now replaced by a murky, dark red light!

Then, something even more chilling happened—this broken body, which had just “stood up,” actually bent down and used its still-intact hand to pick up its fallen standard-issue longsword from the ground.

Then, with unsteady yet stubborn steps, and emitting inhuman hoarse sounds from its throat, it once again staggered and charged towards that ninth-level transcendent!

"This...this is impossible!"

The disdain on the ninth-tier demon general's face froze instantly.

He clearly felt that his punch had completely shattered the opponent's internal organs and most of his bones!

Such injuries would kill even the most resilient magical beasts, let alone ordinary humans. Yet this thing before us…

The main hall was deathly silent.

All the generals and leaders who witnessed this scene, whether they supported Sal or had doubts, turned pale and their eyes were filled with indescribable shock and fear.

And a slight tremor at the unknown power.

This is not a soldier at all; it is a monster that knows no pain, ignores death, and exists only for destruction!

A trembling, incredulous gasp suddenly erupted from the crowd.

A mage with keen eyesight and an exceptionally sharp perception of life energy pointed at the battered but still charging forward sword-wielding "soldier" and shrieked:

"Lord Demon Lord!
His... his life force fluctuations are wrong; they are not purely human soul fluctuations.

This...this is a demon!

These words immediately caused a huge uproar throughout the palace.

The Demon Lord Thrall gently raised his hand and made a "step back" gesture.

The "soldier," dragging his mangled body and still attempting to attack, suddenly stopped moving as if he had received a supreme command, his dark red eyes flashing slightly.

Then, actually dragging that body that could kill any creature instantly, it retreated back into the shadows with an eerie and steady gait, as if the frenzied desire to attack just now was merely an illusion.

Inside the main hall, you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were fixed on the retreating figure, then abruptly turned back to Thrall on his throne, awaiting confirmation, an answer that would completely overturn their understanding.

Sal slowly withdrew his hand, leisurely scanning the faces below filled with surprise, fear, fervor, or disbelief.

He knew it was time to deliver that reassurance that would bind everyone to the cause.

Sal's voice wasn't loud, but it resonated like thunder in everyone's minds:

"Indeed, what you see is no ordinary person."

Within this body lies... the soul of a true demon from the endless abyss!

Demon! This word instantly ignited the oldest fears and taboos deep in our memories.

Those present were all prominent figures in the Lost Lands, who had more or less come into contact with ancient books and legends, or had glimpsed fragments of information from some ancient ruins.

The First Great War Between Gods and Demons—an epic catastrophe that completely reshaped the continent's landscape, caused the fall of countless races, and saw even the gods personally engage in a bloody battle—was caused by the "demons" and the "demonic gods" behind them!
It can be said that the basic consensus on order and survival among the various races on the continent today is largely based on the fight against and ultimately the expulsion of the demon legion.

Demons are the natural enemies etched deep into the memory of civilization, representing pure destruction and chaos.

However, time is the most powerful forgetting agent.

Millennia have passed, and the war between gods and demons has long since become a distant and vague record in textbooks, an exaggerated story told by wandering poets, and even a mystical topic in the study of some mad scholars.

For the vast majority of living beings in the present, "demon" is more of a symbol of evil, a legendary terrifying creature whose visceral pain and hatred of annihilation have long been diluted and faded through generations.

Especially in the Lost Lands, a land that reveres strength, has blurred moral boundaries, and even takes "chaos and evil" as its law of survival, the natural aversion and hatred towards "demons" is far less profound than in the orderly nations of the human continent.

Therefore, when the word "demon" came out of the mouth of the demon lord Thrall, the first reaction of the crowd below was not fear or rejection.

Instead, a complex and strange scene unfolded. Some people's pupils contracted, and they subconsciously took a half-step back, driven by instinctive fear and wariness of the unknown.

Some people's faces showed sudden realization and fervor, as if they instantly understood the strangeness of the "undying soldier" and regarded it as a force that could be driven.

Many others had shifty eyes and complex expressions. They were the elite of the Chaotic Demon Continent, naturally drawn to power itself rather than its source of good or evil.

If the power of demons can truly create such terrifying, fearless warriors as Thrall demonstrated, could that power also be used by them?
The Demon Lord Sal took in every subtle change in everyone's expression and understood.

Greed and the thirst for power are the best fuel that drives these “chaotic evil” individuals.

He pressed his advantage, infusing his voice with even greater seductive power:

"That's right, it's the demon!"

He opened his arms as if embracing an invisible, grand blueprint, "but this is not about us groveling and begging for the devil's handouts!"

Rather—I have established a stable and equal alliance with several enormous demon tribes that reside beneath the endless abyss!
We are not their servants, but their most powerful and reliable partners in the Prime Material Plane!

He pointed to the depths of the main hall, where more figures, also clad in standard armor, stood silently:
"The real name of those 'rune magic pillars' that you were ordered to build should be—'demon god pillars'!"
They are bridges across dimensional barriers, and lighthouses stabilizing the channels of souls!
Through these 'Demonic Pillars', the souls of our loyal allies—those demon warriors who yearn to return to the Prime Material Plane and be bathed in blood and war—will be able to descend safely, steadily, and systematically.

And it fits perfectly into the robust human body we've carefully prepared!

Thrall's tone grew increasingly impassioned, his eyes burning with a fierce, eerie green flame:

"Just imagine! An army driven entirely by the souls of true demons, cloaked in the skin of humanity's strongest warriors!"

They are fearless, indifferent to pain, and have an instinctive and efficient thirst for killing and destruction!
Their individual combat strength far exceeds that of ordinary soldiers, and they can also unleash a variety of bizarre abilities from the abyss!
We will arm an unprecedentedly large demonic army, enough to make any traditional legion tremble!

With such an invincible force, sweeping away the scattered soldiers in the Lost Lands, will the so-called Oasis of Order still be an unattainable dream?

No! That will be a crushing victory, a conquest destined to be recorded in history!

The grand blueprint, the immense power, the seemingly within-the-box victory... Thrall's description was highly inflammatory, and the doubts in the eyes of many generals were replaced by burning ambition, their breathing becoming heavy.

However, not everyone is easily swayed by emotions.

General Secretary Nax Philson, a wise man known for his calm and long-term vision, stepped forward once again.

His face still bore the shock of the demonic power, but even more so, a deep worry. He took a step forward and said in a low voice:

"With the Demon Lord's unparalleled divine might, it is indeed possible that he could sweep through the Lost Lands with the help of the Abyss's allies."

However, even if we keep the alliance with demons a secret, such a large-scale military operation, the existence of the 'Demon God Pillar', and the arrival of the demon army... these traces cannot be hidden for long.

Once it is discovered by the outside world, especially by the five great empires of the human continent…

Nax took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over his colleagues before finally meeting Sal's eyes:
"My lord, demons are the common enemy of the human world; this is a consensus etched in our blood and history."

Once the five great empires confirm that we are colluding with demons, or even summoning demon legions on a large scale, they will never sit idly by!
At that time, the five great empires will join forces to intervene and besiege the lost land... Even with the ancient rule that 'saints are not allowed to enter,' they will not be able to send saints to descend directly.

However, the number of legendary-level powerhouses that the five great empires can mobilize is probably enough to form a despair-inducing expeditionary force!
Not to mention their massive gold-tier army, vast war resources, and potential support from the temple forces…

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly:

"At that time, even with the help of the demon legion, my Chaotic Demon Continent will probably face overwhelming wrath and siege from the entire order of the material plane!"
Beset by internal and external troubles, this grand undertaking of unification... may well turn into a pipe dream, or even bring utter destruction to our Demon Continent!

Nax's concerns were like another bucket of ice water poured on some of the minds that had just been ignited by ambition.

Yes, the power of demons is indeed terrifying, but the size and foundation of the five great human empires are equally unfathomable.

They may have internal conflicts, but on the crucial issue of "fighting the demons," it is entirely possible that they could temporarily join forces and unite against a common enemy.

The unique rules of the Lost Land can stop Saints, but they can't stop a massive army of Legends and Gold-rank warriors!
If it really comes to that, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Faced with Nax Philson's questioning, the Demon Lord Thrall smiled and said:
“Narks, you’re overthinking it. The situation you’re describing is completely negligible.”

The possibility of the five great empires setting aside their past grievances, joining forces, forming a massive coalition, and embarking on a long-distance expedition across the sea is extremely slim.

First of all, the five great human empires are no longer a monolithic entity; in fact, they can be said to be independent, constantly beset by internal and external troubles.

With the recent fall of the Kingdom of Ceylon, the landscape of the Northwest Continent has undergone dramatic changes. Undercurrents are swirling between the Central Empire, the Eastern Empire, and the Southern Kingdoms. The newly rising forces of Efein and the Pirate King of the Endless Sea pose even greater uncertainties.

How could they possibly have the capacity, or how could they possibly be truly united in managing the affairs of our lost land?
The so-called enemy of mankind is nothing more than an old slogan in history books.

Faced with real interests and threats, slogans are always the first thing to be abandoned.

In addition, I have also made arrangements on the human continent. When they want to take action, they will find that their backyard may not be safe and their opinions will be difficult to reach a consensus.

Internal constraints, exchanges of interests, and even troubles arising from their own backyard will make their so-called 'joint intervention' extremely difficult from the very beginning.

Not to mention, times have changed.

Demons? Those are ancient legends. How many of today's younger generation truly remember the terror of demons?
How many people would risk their nation's fate to fight for a grudge from ten thousand years ago?

Putting aside everything else, the noble princess of the Eastern Empire, one of the five great empires, and her highly anticipated fiancé, the Pirate King Yan Hughes.

Its bloodline contains ancient and powerful demonic power, and it may even be a direct descendant of a demon god.

Although this matter was not publicly announced, it was no secret among high-ranking officials and certain old factions.

Even the most noble royal bloodline in the human empire is inextricably linked to demonic power.

This is enough to demonstrate how fragile and vulnerable the so-called fight against evil truly is in the face of power and self-interest.

This news stirred up even greater waves among the crowd.

The Eastern Empire's eldest princess's fiancé is a descendant of a demon god? This is an absolutely revolutionary secret!

If even the elite royal families of humanity can accept demon bloodlines, then what heinous crime is it for them to cooperate with demons in the Lost Lands?

Many people who originally had an instinctive resistance to the word "demon" now have their psychological defenses completely broken down.

Yes, even humans themselves are not clean, so why should we, the fallen people of this lost land, uphold that illusory "righteousness"?
As the Demon Lord Sal watched the changing expressions on the faces of the people below, from initial fear and doubt to sudden realization, greed, and even a hint of relief and excitement at "so that's how it is."

He knew the time was right; it was time to pour the final drop of oil and ignite the raging flames of their ambition.

He slowly rose from his throne, the surging dark magic around him expanding as if it were alive, making him appear like a demon god emerging from the abyss.

The voice suddenly rose in pitch, becoming highly inflammatory:
"I have gathered you here today—the true pillars of my Chaotic Demon Continent, my most trusted confidants and pillars of the state—to reveal all these secrets, and to tell you:

What we are about to wage is not an ordinary battle, but a great war of unification destined to be recorded in history and usher in a new era!

He opened his arms as if to embrace the entire lost land:

"We will sweep away all obstacles and bring this lost land, which has been divided for millennia, back under a powerful and unified will!"
On this land that bears witness to the glory and fall of the Arcane Empire, we will build an immortal empire that far surpasses the Arcane Empire, an empire of our own!

"And you, all of you, will be the founders, pioneers, and creators of this great empire!"
Endless power, vast fiefdoms, ancient treasures, eternal life...

All the glory and rewards you can and cannot imagine will be proportional to your achievements!
The Chaotic Demon Continent will become the core of the new empire, and your names will be forever etched at the beginning of the new empire's epic! (End of Chapter)