Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Shanis's gaze swept calmly over Prime Minister Hayes. After a long silence, she parted her red lips slightly, and her clear, authoritative voice echoed distinctly in the silent hall:
"The intelligence is accurate."

These four simple words, like a stabilizing force or a thunderclap, made everyone's hearts tighten.

After a brief pause, Shanis continued:
"It was His Highness the Emperor Consort of my Central Empire who, in a direct confrontation with the city-state of Bius, slew the legendary high-level transcendent, Emperor Sal Ignarian of the Demon Gold Empire."

Shanis's voice remained steady, but upon closer listening, a strong sense of pride could be discerned.

Her tone carried a hint of complexity that she herself was not fully aware of.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the fact that the Emperor's consort, Cohen Corleone, with his Gold Ninth Rank body, had defied the odds and killed the legendary high-ranking Demon Lord Sal—this fact, confirmed by Empress Xenise herself, exploded like the most powerful shockwave in the power center of the Central Empire.

And it will spread to every corner of the empire in a very short time, shocking every level of the empire.

After a brief silence in the imperial court, there came suppressed murmurs and more intense eye contact.

Those forces that had remained neutral in the power struggles within the empire, or who, while having some reservations about Empress Shanes' iron-fisted rule, were mostly observing the situation, represented this group.

Such as the patriarchs of some ancient families with long-standing traditions, several legion commanders who wield real power but have ambiguous attitudes, and some guild leaders who are influential in the fields of commerce and magic.

These neutrals have had to start re-examining their own positions.

Their expressions became extremely solemn, and their eyes flashed with a thoughtful light.

Cohen Corleone... the Empress's consort, the Emperor's husband, was previously seen more as a political marriage, a variable that could bring in external support.

Although his personal strength is rumored to be astonishing, it has not yet reached the level of a legend. In the continent where saints live in seclusion and legends are revered, the weight of his personal martial prowess has not been elevated to a decisive strategic level.

But now, everything is different.

A high-level, ninth-tier legendary reversal!

What is this concept?
This means that Cohen Corleone personally possesses a strategic deterrent force sufficient to change the course of local battles and even affect the balance of power between empires!

His potential is unfathomable. Once he breaks through to the legendary level, what level of strength will he reach?
Invincible below the level of a Saint? Even... approaching the threshold of becoming a Saint?
With such a terrifying figure as Queen Shanis's most steadfast supporter, what immense boost will the Queen's already formidable background and iron-fisted rule receive?

Those young military officers and reformist officials who had already supported the Queen stood even straighter and their eyes burned even brighter.

A neutral marquis's eyes flickered as he rapidly calculated in his mind:
"With the announcement of the Covenant of the Gods imminent, the continent will inevitably face dramatic changes and turmoil. Originally, I was thinking of waiting for the best price or trying to play both sides."

It now seems that Her Majesty the Queen's bargaining chips are frighteningly heavy.

With the Crown Prince Corleone's powerful rise, Effie's status will inevitably rise accordingly, and the alliance with the Central Empire will become even closer and stronger.

Her Majesty the Queen's authority is probably unshakeable.

Perhaps... it's time to make our stance clear.

Similar ideas have taken root in the minds of many neutral and neutral-to-conservative ministers.

Cohen's incredible fighting prowess acted like a giant magnet, subtly drawing those wavering forces toward Shanis's side.

After all, in the coming chaos, following a monarch with absolute power and strong allies obviously offers a greater chance of survival and profit.

However, some people are happy while others are sad; some are quick-witted while others feel as if they have fallen into an ice cave, and their mood is extremely bad.

In a corner of the court, several old nobles, dressed in rich clothes and exuding a deep aura, as well as several powerful governors who held considerable military power, had extremely ugly faces, so gloomy that they could almost drip water.

They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock, apprehension, resentment, and a deep-seated fear.

These forces are either long-established, deeply entrenched members of the ancient House of Nobles, who have historically been disobedient to the authority of the monarchy.

Or they may be powerful figures in the border regions who have been operating locally for many years, wielding military power and frequently shirking and delaying orders from the central government.

Many of them had long harbored resentment towards the young empress Shanes and were secretly plotting and preparing to make a move.

The announcement of the Covenant of the Gods, in their view, was a "golden opportunity" for the loosening of the continental order and the decline of central control.

This is an excellent opportunity for them to seek greater autonomy, or even go further.

However, Cohen Corleone's sudden emergence was like a thunderclap, shattering their carefully conceived blueprint.

"Damn it! That Cohen... how could he..."

An old duke with gray hair and a gloomy face clenched his fists in his sleeves, cursing inwardly.

The more powerful Cohen becomes, the more secure Shanis's position will be, the higher her prestige will be, and the more resources she can mobilize.

Their previous plan to exploit the turmoil following the announcement of the alliance, unite local forces to pressure the central government, seize benefits, and even secretly support certain "accidents" to weaken the Empress's authority, will become exponentially more difficult.

With Cohen, this god of war, around, any thought of armed provocation needs to be reconsidered.

The close relationship between Cohen and Shanis means that Shanis now has an incredibly powerful ally outside, enabling her to mobilize more resources to suppress internal instability.

These representatives of forces with ulterior motives felt a mix of emotions. While shocked by Cohen's terrifying strength, they were also frustrated and anxious about their plans being thwarted and their path blocked.

Cohen's existence was like an insurmountable mountain, blocking their path to ambition.

The stronger Shanes becomes, the greater the interference and resistance to their future plans, and the slimmer the chances of success.

In the imperial court, the undercurrents triggered by Xenias's words were even more turbulent than they appeared on the surface.

Supporters are standing firmer, the scales of neutrality are tipping, and a thick cloud hangs over the minds of opponents.

Shanis saw all of this clearly.

She was fully aware of the deterrent and impact of Cohen's battle.

She slightly raised her chin, her gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces, especially those of the displeased opponents, a cold smile curving her lips.

Xenias's cool voice rang out again, silencing all the whispers in the hall:

"Order that all departments of the Empire immediately enter a state of first-level alert."

Closely monitor all unusual movements on the borders and within the empire.

The military must intensify its infiltration and surveillance efforts against Serene, the remnants of the Morgen forces, and all other forces that might be hostile to the Emperor and Effie.

She didn't mention Cohen much, but every order subtly revolved around the royal consort who had just achieved a stunning victory.

The court session ended, but everyone knew in their hearts that from this day forward, the fate of the Central Empire had changed.

The source of all these changes is currently in the Northwest, where a shocking counterattack has just been completed, and its impact is only just beginning.

Those nobles and governors with ulterior motives walked out of the hall with grim faces and quickly disappeared into the intricate streets and alleys of the capital.

They need to convene a secret meeting immediately to devise a new plan to deal with the new situation brought about by this suddenly rising, powerful, and despair-inducing "Emperor's Consort".

……

As the earth-shattering spectacle of the Demon Lord Thrall's demise gradually dissipated into the heavens and earth, the battle of the saints above the city-state of Bius also came to an abrupt and chaotic end.

The Third Tomb Master, the de facto ruler behind the Kingdom of Serene and one of the core leaders of the Black Tomb organization, felt his heart sink to the bottom of the abyss.

The plan was leaked, his ally was killed right before his eyes, the carefully laid trap turned into a graveyard for his own elites, and he himself was surrounded by four Saints of the same rank.

A game-winning shot against Cohen?

This idea was completely shattered the moment Thrall fell.

Now, all he can think about is how to retreat in the most dignified way possible, or at least with the least loss.

"Cohen Corleone...good! Very good!"

The three tomb masters emitted a chilling, piercing shriek from their eye sockets, their voices filled with resentment, anger, and a hint of barely concealed frustration and fear.

He took a deep look at the young man below who was closing his domain, and then glanced around at the four saints who had locked onto him.

The three saints of the Starlight Clan shared auras that were connected, creating a vast and boundless starlight domain that carried an ancient and mysterious power.

Saint Emerson, an ascetic of the Holy See, wielded a scepter of light that radiated a pure and intense holy aura, fiercely suppressing his death power.

He knew that things were beyond saving.

If this continues, let alone killing Cohen, even he himself could very well be defeated by the combined attack of these four equally powerful individuals, especially since one of them is a Saint of Light with attributes that counter his own.

The Black Tomb had been operating in the Northwest Continent for many years, and its roots were deep in the Kingdom of Serene. However, after this battle, its elite forces were wiped out, and it was severely damaged.

He couldn't let himself get trapped here too.

"I will remember your kindness today, and I will repay you a hundredfold in the future!"

The Third Tomb Master uttered a harsh statement, and the next moment, his Starry Sky Temple, pieced together from countless bones, suddenly burst forth with a ghastly white and dazzling light.

Countless phantoms of vengeful spirits and vengeful ghosts shrieked out from the light, temporarily disrupting the surrounding space and energy.

He then forcefully tore the already shattered golden spatial barrier open to both sides, creating an even larger crack.

He showed no reluctance to fight, and even disregarded his subordinates who had followed him below. He transformed into a pale white streak of light and plunged into the spatial rift without looking back.

"Want to go?"

A saint from the Starry Sky Clan snorted coldly and raised his hand, sending a dazzling starry river chain wrapping around him.

The ascetic Emerson also waved his scepter of light, unleashing a purifying holy light.

However, the three tomb masters were, after all, Hundred Star Saints. With their only thought to escape and the aid of secret techniques, their speed was extremely fast.

The pale light veered strangely in the void, narrowly avoiding most of the interceptions. It was only grazed by the holy light, leaving behind a few wisps of purified death energy before finally disappearing completely into the depths of the spatial turbulence, its aura rapidly fading into the distance. Clearly, it had used some kind of long-distance escape technique, directly fleeing back to the mysterious and unpredictable headquarters of the Black Tomb.

Seeing this, the four saints did not pursue the matter further.

It's best not to pursue a desperate enemy, especially a Hundred-Star Saint who is determined to escape. Given the unclear situation at the Black Tomb lair, it would be too risky to pursue him rashly.

Their main mission was to rescue Cohen and thwart the assassination attempt; forcing the three tomb masters to retreat is now the best possible outcome.

The battle below, under the combined pressure of the lingering power of Korn's reverse slash against Sal and the panicked escape of the three tomb masters, quickly came to an end.

Having lost their leader and hope of escape, Thrall's legendary subordinates struggled desperately, but were quickly overwhelmed by the siege of other legendary warriors from Effie who arrived one after another.

Thus, this raid, meticulously planned by the Demon Lord Thrall and the three Tomb Masters with the intention of beheading Cohen, ended in a devastating and utter failure.

One of the initiators died and the other fled, and all the high-end combat forces they brought were wiped out; not a single one of them managed to leave the city-state of Bius alive.

The Black Tomb Organization's network of influence, which it had secretly cultivated, infiltrated, and supported for decades in the Northwest Continent, suffered a devastating blow and was almost completely uprooted with the fall of these core experts and the complete failure of its operations.

The Kingdom of Serene, a puppet kingdom controlled by the Black Tomb, suffered heavy losses in this battle due to its last remaining high-end military force. The three tomb masters were seriously injured and fled far away, the foundation of the kingdom was shaken, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before it completely collapsed or was overthrown.

After this battle, the situation in the Northwest Continent has become clear, and the prestige and deterrent power of Effie and Cohen Corleone will be at their zenith.

However, before the smoke of war had cleared from the city of Bius, the shocking storm of Cohen's legendary rebellion had already arrived at a speed many times faster than any magical message.

In a more profound and direct way, it shook a higher level of plane.

……

The World of Gods!

The divine realm, Cavendish Libra's divine kingdom.

This is where the rules of "contract" and "fairness" are manifested.

Within the divine realm, there were neither magnificent palaces nor scenic landscapes, but rather an endless, utterly tranquil, pure white space.

The ground and sky of the space are smooth, mirror-like white planes, with countless delicate lines crisscrossing to form a three-dimensional network that covers the entire divine kingdom.

Each line represents a rule related to a contract or fairness, which operates silently in the divine realm, maintaining absolute order and balance.

At the center of the divine kingdom, an enormous celestial statue floats serenely.

The pans of the balance scale are not solid objects, but two constantly rotating orbs of pure light.

At the very center of the balance beam, a figure dressed in a simple white robe sat upright.

It is the ancient deity who holds the power of "contract" and "fairness"—Cavendish Scales.

As the chief arbiter and presiding deity of the covenant of the gods, Cavendish was responsible for overseeing all the gods' actions before the covenant was promulgated.

That is, no deity may contact the main plane of the universe without authorization.

At this moment, this deity, known for his absolute rationality, paused for a rare moment, muttering to himself:

“Cohen Corleone…”

Before he could finish speaking, another figure appeared—it was Madora, the god of prophecy.

Cavendish's expression shifted slightly upon seeing Madora, and he said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty the Prophet, you have also received the message?"

Madora has always held an extraordinary interest in Cohen, not only because the other party is likely that ancient being.

Furthermore, the complex threads of cause and effect and destiny entangled around him were so intricate that even the God of Contracts found them somewhat perplexing.

Even he hadn't anticipated that the growth rate and the energy unleashed by this variable would be so exaggerated.

However, before Madora and Cavendish could further analyze the intelligence, their peace was shattered.

"Old man with the contract, you received it too, right?"
That commotion was caused by that brat named Cohen!

A voice, seemingly emanating from the depths of all shadows, carrying an endless sense of profound mystery, suddenly rang out in the pure white space.

Immediately afterwards, a dense darkness, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, spread across the edge of Cavendish's realm like ink dripping into clear water, quickly coalescing into a blurry yet majestic figure—the God of Darkness, Erebus Eternal Night.

Erebus had barely finished speaking—

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Outside the Cavendish Kingdom, countless thick, dragon-like electric snakes sprang up out of thin air, dancing wildly, accompanied by deafening thunderous roars, forming a destructive thunderstorm cloud.

A violent gale howled, swirling up fragments of space and transforming them into a terrifying tornado that stretched from the sky to the earth.

At the heart of a destructive storm, a mix of lightning, storms, and spatial debris, a colossal phantom, formed from swirling thunderclouds, blinding lightning, and raging air currents, rapidly took shape, exuding boundless pressure and fury.

"roar--!!!
A legendary comeback?

Who went down and interfered? I don't believe anyone could have gone this far!

A thunderous roar exploded directly in the minds of the gods, filled with rage and unquestionable tyranny.

Sirova Roar, the god of the sky and storms, descends in his most iconic manner.

His divine thoughts, like a raging storm, instantly shattered the large area of ​​the rules surrounding Cavendish's divine kingdom, revealing the extreme turmoil within him.

The storm god had just appeared, and before his rage could be fully unleashed, another scorching, explosive aura followed closely behind.

"Silova, put away your thunder, this is not your Storm Kingdom."

A calm voice, yet containing terrifying heat and destructive power, rang out.

The next moment, a dark red fireball, no bigger than a fist but radiating a power that distorted and melted the very space around it, appeared silently in the arena.

The fireball flashed slightly and transformed into a deity clad in a robe of lava—the god of fire and magma, Fjorn Blaze.

His arrival caused the temperature in the space, which had been eroded by storms and darkness, to soar, with light and darkness and hot and cold clashing fiercely.

"Buzz—Clang!!!"

The ear-piercing sounds of metal clashing and weapons clashing, loud enough to shatter the souls of mortals, suddenly drowned out the roar of thunder and the crackling of flames.

This sound did not travel through the air, but resonated directly at the level of rules, carrying unparalleled killing intent and a thirst for battle.

"The Golden Slash Legend, tsk tsk, this Cohen is truly a born follower of my God of War!"

An aggressive, unrestrained roar suddenly erupted, its power seemingly overshadowing even the god of storms.

The phantom of Ares, the god of war, strode out amidst the illusion of endless clashes of weapons. He had not yet fully materialized, but his overwhelming fighting spirit and bloodlust had already caused several deities present to turn their heads slightly.

The God of War's gaze seemed to pierce through layers of planes, directly "looking" towards the northwest direction of the Prime Material Plane, filled with undisguised admiration.

As soon as the God of War finished speaking, a white, icy current, seemingly from the deepest part of the universe and capable of freezing everything, suddenly erupted without warning.

This cold wave was not directed at any particular deity, but rather it directly and ruthlessly covered the entire area where the thoughts and phantoms of all the deities present were located.

Space solidified, laws froze, and even the flow of divine thoughts and the perception of time seemed to be frozen by this absolute zero cold prison!

The Ice Goddess Daphne was too lazy to get involved in the verbal disputes among the gods caused by shock, doubt, and excitement.

It announced its arrival in the most direct and domineering way, and also expressed its absolute importance to that news.

Although the gods had previously joined forces to close the channels that could directly interfere with the human superplane due to certain consensus or limitations.

But those who were shocked by the horrifying news of Cohen's legendary reversal were all top-level beings in the divine realm.

At their level, each possesses unique and mysterious methods and information channels, making it easy for them to obtain such shocking information about events occurring in the prime material plane as soon as possible.

It was for this reason that, shortly after Cohen killed Sal in the city-state of Bius, these powerful deities, representing different pantheons, wielding different powers, and possessing vastly different personalities, almost unanimously turned their gaze and will toward Cavendish Scales, a deity renowned for justice and contracts.

Within the divine realm, the arrival of the gods' will has caused light and darkness to intertwine, ice and fire to crisscross, storms to loom, and the air to be thick with the chill of war.

After a brief silence, Cavendish glanced at Madora, the god of prophecy, and then slowly said:

"The news is confirmed. King Cohen Corleone of Eifine, in the Prime Material Plane, with his Gold Rank 9 form, has unleashed the legendary domain of 'Unlimited Blade Works' in the face of battle."

A direct kill of the legendary high-ranking demon lord Thrall.

The process involved no shortcuts, no external assistance; it was a pure clash between strength and the rules!

Although the various gods had all learned of the horrifying news to varying degrees through their own channels before their descent, the information was only confirmed when it came from Cavendish, who was in charge of "contracts" and "fairness" and was known for his absolute rationality and rigor.

The shock and the ensuing surge of emotions still stirred up a storm.

Gold Ninth Tier, a Legendary High-Tier Counterattack?

Moreover, it was a head-on, forceful attack, a clash of domains, and a crushing dominance of the rules?

This can no longer be described as a simple "challenge to a higher level"; it is a complete subversion of the insurmountable barrier of power that has been regarded as an ironclad law in countless planes and eras since the gods established the order and divided the power levels.

The difference between the legendary and the non-legendary lies in the understanding and application of the rules, representing a leap in one's level of life.

A legend of a mortal defying the odds and embarking on the path of rules is unheard of and unseen in the long memories of the gods! (End of Chapter)