Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

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Dean Dempado slowly closed his eyes, letting out a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of countless years and helplessness.

This sigh seemed to confirm Roosevelt's exclamation, and it also seemed to tell of the secrets and burdens that Cobalt Soul Academy had known far beyond the imagination of ordinary people through endless years of guarding.

Just as everyone's thoughts were shattered and their minds were shaken by this shocking revelation, Virekis, whose true identity had been exposed by Roosevelt, shifted her gaze from the dying tomb to Roosevelt Harper, who was pale-faced and still in shock in the distance.

She looked at Roosevelt, at his aged and terrified face, and as if through endless years she saw some similar outlines, some figures that had long been lost to history.

Then, she parted her red lips slightly, and her indifferent voice, accompanied by the chill of an ancient icy plain, resounded clearly in everyone's ears:

"Roosevelt Harper...The Middle Empire, the Harper family."

I have a vague recollection of a long, long time ago... in that so-called 'Holy Alliance' that besieged the Elven race, among the many clowns who targeted me, it seems your ancestor was one of them.

A Harper family knight, brandishing a gilded lance and shouting that he would purify the king.

She tilted her head slightly, a hint of amusement appearing on her exquisite face, but her eyes were icy cold.
"I never imagined that after all these years, the Harper family bloodline would still flow, and that they would stand before me again, still with the same greed and folly."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Roosevelt's horrified face, her tone as calm as if stating a trivial matter:

"Now that you're here, now that you've recognized me, you dare to lay your claws on the people I'm protecting..."

"Then, just like your foolish ancestors, leave something behind and get out of here."

Before he finished speaking, and without any obvious movement, a barely perceptible gray-white ripple suddenly appeared in the space in front of Roosevelt Harper.

A more subtle yet deadly sense of impending doom, more subtle than when it was directed at the grave, silently locked onto Roosevelt like the flick of a viper's tongue!

"No!"

Roosevelt was terrified; the warning signs stemming from his life-saving instincts screamed wildly, and he no longer cared about any demigod demeanor or the manners of an ancient nobleman.

He let out a terrified roar, using all his strength to pour the vast demigod power within him into the semi-divine artifact he had been holding tightly in his hand—a knuckle duster covered with mysterious silver patterns—that was inherited from the Central Empire's Noble Academy!

"Buzz—!!!"

The knuckle duster burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling silver light.

Intricate and majestic defensive divine runes rapidly lit up in the void, instantly forming layers of diamond-shaped light shields in front of him, shimmering with a holy luster.

These light shields are not simply condensed magic power; they flow with an ancient and powerful aura of blessing, proof that this semi-divine artifact once received a blessing from a powerful deity, endowing it with defensive power far exceeding that of ordinary semi-divine artifacts.

The silver light and divine patterns complemented each other, exuding an indestructible aura, temporarily blocking the erosion of that invisible yet terrifyingly destructive ripple.

Even so, Roosevelt still felt a terrifying force, as if it wanted to erase him from existence, coming through the defensive light shield, causing his blood to surge and his soul to tremble.

His face was ashen, and his body staggered backward uncontrollably, each step leaving spiderweb-like cracks in the void.

The shadow of death loomed over him so vividly!
This ancient demigod, who had lived for countless years and witnessed the rise and fall of empires, now truly felt the same fear from the depths of his soul that Mu had just felt!

Roosevelt could no longer remain calm. While desperately maintaining the defense of the semi-divine artifact, he shouted in a distorted voice towards Cohen's location, even using honorifics:

"Your Highness, it's a misunderstanding, this is absolutely a huge misunderstanding."

Please ask Her Majesty to stop, I have something to say, something important!

Roosevelt's almost humble pleading, in the face of a life-or-death crisis, completely abandoned his so-called demigod dignity.

What happened next made all the onlookers, including Grenus and Drummond, feel their hearts clench and almost stop beating.

On the city wall, Cohen, who had been observing coldly, merely nodded slightly after hearing Roosevelt's shout.

He didn't even speak; it was just a simple gesture.

The terrifying aura of destruction that had locked onto Roosevelt, making him feel as if he were about to be annihilated by an invisible force, and the gray-white ripples that had caused the semi-divine artifact's defensive light shield to tremble violently, vanished without a trace in an instant.

Virekis, the terrifying being who was just revealed as the "First Elf Queen - Destroyer", possessing the divine power of destruction, casually injuring the Tomb of the Demigod, and frightening Roosevelt out of his wits, actually stopped attacking obediently because of Cohen's slight nod!
A deathly silence once again enveloped the world.

But this silence was completely different from the deathly silence that had arisen from fear and shock before.

This time, countless eyes were focused on Cohen Corleone's young, calm, and even slightly indifferent face.

A complex mix of emotions—shock, bewilderment, disbelief, absurdity, fear, jealousy, and intense curiosity—grew wildly in everyone's heart.

The number one expert on the mainland, an ancient ferocious god who treats demigods as mere playthings and can be destroyed at will, the "Destroyer" who slays emperors and gods and seizes divinity.

How could someone like this be so obedient to Cohen Corleone?
Countless people, including Effie's own people, couldn't help but recall the title that had once circulated in private—"The Master of Romance."

Could it be... could it be that this Cohen Corleone, this young Effie, really has some unknown "special talent"?
Otherwise, how can one explain why Queen Adele Angrain, with her unparalleled talent, stunning beauty, and divine status, was so devoted to him?

Now, another first Elf Queen has appeared, whose power is terrifying beyond measure and whose identity is extremely frightening, and she is so obedient to him.
This can no longer be explained by a simple alliance or a combination of interests!
Cohen Corleone…who exactly is he? What makes him so special?!

Roosevelt, having survived the ordeal, gasped for breath, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

He looked at Virekis, who had stopped and regained her composure after Cohen nodded, and then at Cohen, who stood expressionless on the city wall. The shock and fear in his eyes were gradually replaced by awe.

Grenus and Drummond exchanged a glance, both seeing unparalleled solemnity and a hint of... relief in each other's eyes.

They were glad they hadn't acted rashly like Mu had. This Cohen Corleone was a million times more mysterious and terrifying than they had imagined!
Cohen seemed oblivious to the countless piercing gazes directed at him. He simply looked calmly at the still-shaken Roosevelt, his voice low but clear enough to echo across the silent battlefield:

"explain."

Roosevelt Harper gasped for breath; the fleeting feeling of brushing with death had almost frozen his blood.

Even though the aura of destruction had receded, the chilling sensation of having one's soul forcibly stripped away still lingered.

The silver knuckle duster in his hand, a heirloom from ancient times, had dimmed considerably, and the defensive runes flowing on it appeared weak and listless, as if they had exhausted their power.

Roosevelt, suppressing the lingering pain deep within his soul, took a deep breath and tried to steady his trembling voice as he spoke loudly towards Cohen:
"Your Highness, it's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."

"I was blinded by greed and misled by false information, thus offending His Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen, and even disturbing Her Majesty the Queen!"

He glanced quickly at Virekis beside him, whose calm demeanor chilled him to the bone, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he continued:

"Please...please, for the sake of His Majesty Klein, and for the sake of the long-standing friendly relations between the Central Empire and the Effiin Empire, let's stop here."

All hostile actions by the Central Imperial Noble Council against Effiein are hereby terminated.

I, Roosevelt Harper, swear by the honor of the Harper family and the dignity of the House of Lords!

Cohen listened quietly, his face expressionless, and slowly began to speak:
“Mr. Harper, I don’t like what you’re saying. Please say it another way.”

Roosevelt's heart sank. He understood what Cohen meant—to invoke His Majesty Klein and the diplomatic relations between the two countries, hoping to use righteousness and sentiment as a way to back down.

After demonstrating such terrifying strength that could crush them, these empty "misunderstandings" and "ceasefire vows" seem pale, weak, and even... somewhat ridiculous.

What the other party clearly wants is not this kind of flimsy promise.

Roosevelt gritted his teeth and made a decision almost instantly:
“I, and the Central Empire’s Noble House faction that I represent, are willing… willing to pay the price for this.”

Any cost!

"We are willing to pay appropriate compensation if this misunderstanding can be cleared up and Her Majesty's anger can be appeased!"

Cohen's lips finally curved into a slight upward smile:
"Not bad, that sentence sounds more pleasing to the ear."

Since Mr. Harper is so sincere, then... how about we start with this little trinket in your hand?

Leave it here, and I can consider hearing what else you'd like to say.

Roosevelt's facial muscles twitched suddenly, and the corners of his mouth trembled uncontrollably.

Should we leave behind this semi-divine artifact, the knuckle duster?
This is a sacred relic passed down through generations of the Harper family, one of the symbols of the Central Empire's House of Nobles, and Roosevelt Harper's most important weapon of self-defense. It is also an important reliance that enabled him to survive countless storms and reach the pinnacle of demigodhood.

Its value lies not only in being a powerful piece of equipment, but also in representing the supreme glory and history of the Harper family!
Roosevelt's voice was incredibly hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying an undisguised pain and struggle:

"Your Highness is too kind. This 'Silver Oath' is no ordinary object. It is a sacred artifact passed down through generations of my Harper family and is one of the symbols of the authority of the House of Nobles."

I have neither the right nor the qualification to give it away as a private apology.

I possess something that you and His Majesty Klein absolutely need, something far more valuable than a semi-divine artifact!

As he spoke, he took out a rhombus-shaped crystal, about the size of a fist. With a flick of his wrist, he gently tossed the deep purple crystal into the air towards Cohen.

With a gentle lift of her hand, Virekis caused the space in front of the trajectory of the deep purple crystal to distort slightly.

The next moment, the crystal seemed to be held firmly by an invisible hand, then slowly changed direction and fell precisely into Virekis's outstretched palm.

Virekis lowered her head, her gaze calmly sweeping over the deep purple crystal in her palm. Then, she turned slightly to the side and presented the hand holding the crystal to Cohen.

Cohen held it up to his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the crystal as he read the information recorded within.

What's recorded inside the crystal isn't some powerful cultivation technique or treasure map, but rather... intelligence.

Extremely secretive and extremely deadly intelligence.

The secrets concerning several powerful provincial governors who held real power and controlled vast territories within the Central Empire.

Evidence and evidence of their collusion and secret plots with certain powerful external forces.

Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the empire, they made various secret arrangements and underhanded moves in preparation for the impending turmoil on the continent.

This even included several governors that Cohen had been secretly watching, such as the governor of "Thousand Streams Court," Thorg Chambers, who was known for his immense wealth and shrewd methods and controlled the richest areas of the empire.

The level of detail, the depth of the scope, and the completeness of the chain of evidence in this intelligence far exceeded Cohen's expectations.

It even exceeded the limits that the "House of Nobles Information Agency" could grasp.

It seems that Roosevelt Harper, who has lived for countless years and has deep roots in the House of Nobles of the Middle Empire, has certainly not been idle in his retirement all these years.

He used his status, connections, and the time allotted for planning to accumulate too many secrets to shake the empire and cause headaches for countless powerful figures.

After reading it, Cohen slowly raised his eyes, first glancing at the extremely nervous Roosevelt, then turning his gaze to Villegisie beside him and nodding.

Virekis received Cohen's signal, her beautiful face remaining expressionless. The cold killing intent and destructive aura directed at Roosevelt receded like a tide, disappearing without a trace.

She didn't even glance at Roosevelt again, as if he had completely vanished from her perception, becoming nothing more than insignificant air.

Then she slowly turned around.

Those eerily calm emerald green eyes locked onto the distant black figure in the sky, its aura waning, swaying precariously, barely able to fly due to severe injuries and fear—

墓。

As for the Tomb, the Lord of the Black Tomb, who had just barely managed to catch his breath after the terrifying blow from Vireikis against Roosevelt, had no time to rejoice at his temporary escape when he was once again locked onto by that icy, piercing gaze.

There was no roar, no unwilling howl, and not even an attempt to put up any futile resistance.

Mu could feel that the vast and pure power of the laws of death and annihilation within his body was dissipating and leaking away uncontrollably, like a sand tower collapsing under the erosion of the tide.

The wound at the severed wrist no longer hurt; instead, it was replaced by a strange emptiness and numbness.

Even more terrifying is that his demigod status is beginning to crumble, and that "status," which symbolizes the source of power and is formless yet real, is also on the verge of collapse.

It is being eroded and disintegrated from its very source by a more advanced and irresistible force of termination!
He has fallen from the demigod level!

For someone who stands at the pinnacle of power and overlooks all living beings for hundreds or thousands of years, this is even more terrifying and harder to accept than direct death.

That was a cruel torture that stripped away and shattered his long years, endless efforts, all his pride and meaning of existence, bit by bit!

Virekis seemed unconcerned about the mixture of resentment and despair in the tomb's eyes.

This scene terrified everyone present, sending chills down their spines.

That was a demigod, a pinnacle being standing at the top of the pyramid of power.

At this moment, in front of this first Elf Queen, he was as weak as a helpless infant, unable to even make a move to resist.

They could only watch helplessly as their pride in their power and their lofty status were stripped away little by little, until they were reduced to nothingness.

This dual impact on both sight and perception is far more shocking and terrifying than any bloody scene of slaughter.

The three demigods, Roosevelt Harper, Gnus Don, and Drummond Quinn, felt their scalps tingle and a chill run from their tailbone to the top of their head, making the hairs on their bodies stand on end.

They involuntarily retreated again, away from Virekis, away from that tragically fallen tomb.

Every face was etched with lingering fear and relief, as well as a deep dread of their own fate.

Who are they?

He is the ancient guardian of the Central Empire, the pillar protecting the Southern Empire, a demigod of the dragon lineage, and an existence standing at the pinnacle of mortals!

At their level, there are very few things that can threaten them. Opponents of the same level may be able to defeat them, but to kill them completely, especially to strip them of their status so easily, is almost a pipe dream.

They have long been accustomed to being high above others, accustomed to controlling everything, and accustomed to regarding all living beings as ants.

However, at this moment, the vivid and bloody scene before them ruthlessly shattered all their arrogance and illusions.

Before the first Elf Queen, Virekis the Destroyer, their so-called demigod cultivation and peak power were as fragile as paper.

The fate of the tomb is the best proof.

They had no doubt that if Vilekis had targeted any one of them, the outcome would have been no different—perhaps even worse!

They were filled with regret, regretting that they had been blinded by greed, regretting that they had listened to the intelligence, and regretting that they had come to Florence and gotten involved in this operation against Effie and the goddess Adele.

They originally thought that the four demigods working together would be enough to sweep away all obstacles, seize godhood, and divide the spoils.

They never expected that the Efein Empire, which they considered a newly emerging but still shallow empire, would actually be hiding such a terrifying trump card.

As for joining forces with the Tomb to fight against Vilekis?
The thought didn't even linger in their minds for more than a second before vanishing.

What a joke! In the face of such an absolute power disparity, any so-called alliance would only result in more corpses and more unlucky souls falling from the demigod realm!
That's Virekis, the first queen of the elves, a ruthless woman who, in the mythical era, dared to kill emperors, slaughter gods, and seize divinity.

It is the most terrifying being in the rumors who is most likely to reach that level.

The power she displayed, and her control over the Destruction Godhead, undoubtedly make her the number one expert on the human continent today.

To be an enemy of such a being is simply to have a death wish!
By this moment, they had become fully aware and realized with absolute certainty that their meticulously planned scheme to seize the divine status had completely and utterly failed.

The failure was so complete and so humiliating.

Now, their only thought is how to leave this place of trouble with dignity and safety.

Just as the three demigods were racing through their minds, trying to figure out how to take their leave, how to save face as much as possible, and how not to further provoke the terrifying queen.

Just as the tomb's aura had weakened to its absolute limit, and the demigod's status was teetering on the brink of collapse—

An unexpected change occurred!
There was no warning, no prelude to energy fluctuations, not even the slightest sound.

Above the entire Florence battlefield, the various celestial anomalies caused by the descent and leakage of power of several demigods—the spatial ripples and silver halo brought by Roosevelt, the wind and thunder and dragon might stirred up by Grenus, the deep-sea pressure and starlight emanating from Drummond, the thin and dim death clouds remaining in the tomb, and the soft yet terrifying aura of emerald green and obscure gray-white surrounding Villegisi.

All these strange phenomena, representing demigod power and disrupting the elements of heaven and earth, vanished in an instant.

It wasn't dispersed, nor neutralized, but rather as if it had been erased by an invisible hand in an absolutely domineering and unquestionable way.

In an instant, the sky returned to "normal".

A strange, unsettling kind of "normal".

There were no dark clouds, no thunder, no strange lights, and no oppressive aura.

The sky appeared a deathly grayish-white.

The wind stopped, the clouds dispersed, and even the light seemed dim and cold.

It was as if the breathtaking confrontation between the demigods and the earth-shattering energy collision that had just occurred were all just an illusion.

This sudden, illogical "normality" is more unsettling than any exaggerated anomaly, evoking a deep-seated unease in the soul.

Then, in the center of that deathly gray sky, a point of darkness, seemingly capable of swallowing all color, appeared without warning! (End of Chapter)