Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

As if the curtain had been raised on some grand epic, following the God of War, the figures of many more deities, radiating powerful divine energy and even high-level divine energy, also appeared one after another:

A vibrant green and golden yellow, symbolizing harvest, spread across the horizon. From within the light, a plump goddess emerged, wearing a crown of wheat ears and wearing a kind smile. She was surrounded by the fragrance of earth and grain. She was Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility.

A light, cheerful, seven-colored divine light playfully weaved among the many majestic divine lights, finally transforming into a beautiful goddess with a charming smile and full of vitality. She is the goddess of fortune, Selena Blessing.

Almost at the same time that the goddess of fortune appeared, a dark, grayish-black divine light silently spread out.

They coalesced into a goddess shrouded in a black veil, her face obscured—the goddess of misfortune, Morian Disaster Shadow. These two goddesses, representing different facets of fate, also descended.

The scent of the ocean also filled the air.

Accompanied by the damp sea breeze, the surging tides, and the distant calls of whales, several beams of divine light, some deep blue, some azure, and some with the luster of pearls and coral, descended.

Among them, a female deity wearing a coral crown attracted much attention as soon as she appeared.

She exuded an immense divine power that commanded the four seas and dominated the tides; she was none other than the contemporary sea god, the king who ruled the ocean, and a powerful deity—Octavia Abyss.

Standing beside Octavian, also radiating powerful oceanic might, was a tall, imposing male deity with a weathered face that could not conceal his heroic spirit.

It was the very being who had put Cohen and Claire to a terrifying test deep within the Endless Sea—the ancient pirate king Leonard Augustus.

At this moment, he had ascended to godhood, standing beside the sea god Octavian. (Chapter 57 of the Warring States Volume: The Hero Saves the Beauty is Always the Best Way to Gain Favor!)

Behind them, the figures of several important deities of the ocean pantheon also appeared one after another, including Oceanus Ocean Current, the god of ocean currents and monsoons (an ethereal male deity who controls ocean currents and trade winds), and Amphitrite Gem, the goddess of pearls and corals (a beautiful and gentle female deity surrounded by the luster of pearls and the colors of corals), bringing with them the vast atmosphere of the boundless sea.

The aura of the ocean pantheon had not yet completely subsided, and the divine radiance belonging to non-human races, nature, and ancient wisdom began to permeate the air with a richer intensity:
Several beams of divine light, brimming with vibrant life, elegant rhythm, and a sense of ancient history, gently descended.

One of the rays of divine light, imbued with wisdom and ancient knowledge, transformed into an elder elven deity holding a branch of the World Tree. He was Elon Wise, an ancient sage of wisdom, history, and knowledge.

To his right, pale blue moonlight coalesced into a lithe male elven deity wielding an oak longbow. He was Silvan Shadow Chaser, the god of hunting and moonlight in the elven pantheon.

To the left, a melody of blooming flowers and poetry resonates, followed by the appearance of a female elven deity holding a seven-stringed lyre. She is Leila, the goddess of art, poetry, and music.

Beside these three elven deities, each with a distinct aura, the figures of other elven pantheons also appeared one by one: the god of forests and rangers, Mekari the Forest Speaker (a male deity who is one with nature and seems to be the embodiment of the forest itself), and the god of crafts and creation, Leox (a short, stocky deity with a hammer in hand and focused gaze).

As soon as they appeared, their gazes turned to the independently suspended Vilekis below with complicated expressions.

"hold head high--!!!"

Just as the elven deities turned their gaze to Vilekis, a series of earth-shattering dragon roars, filled with boundless majesty and primal wildness, resounded across the sky like rolling thunder.

The mighty dragon's power, like a tangible tsunami, swept across all directions!

The deities of the dragon pantheon also descended.

Leading the pack was the sacred dragon form of Bahamut, the dragon god, covered in dazzling platinum scales, radiating a breathtaking dragon aura.

Opposite him is a golden dragon covered in glittering gold coins and gemstone scales. It is the king of wealth, guardian, and dragons in the dragon god system, Bahamut Goldwil.

Behind the two, the dragon god was even larger and more ferocious, exuding an aura of sulfur and destruction. This was Tiamat Calamity, the dragon god of destruction, tyranny, and five colors.

There was also a relatively slender dragon shadow, imbued with mystery and the ripples of time, which was Sarast Timescale, the god of magic, time, and gem dragons.

Several other powerful ancient dragons or avatars of dragon deities also appeared in the sky, bringing with them the immense pressure of top-tier extraordinary beings.

Within minutes, the once "spacious" sky over Florence had become incredibly crowded.

Dozens of them!

From powerful chief gods who wield the origin, to medium-powered deities with considerable might; from order-oriented deities who uphold order, law, and contracts, to non-order-oriented deities representing elements, nature, and even some chaos; from human pantheons primarily worshipped in human kingdoms, to non-human racial pantheons representing elves, dragons, and other races…

Normally, the descent of a single deity's incarnation would be enough to shake the continent. But now, in the skies above this small city of Florence, it was as if a market had opened, with so many deities representing different factions, interests, and laws crowding in.

Various divine lights shone brightly, and the divine powers of different attributes stirred, repelled, and barely maintained a delicate balance, rendering the entire sky as if the palette of the gods had been overturned, or as if the gods were holding an impromptu meeting.

Humans, elves, dragons, the ocean, elements, order, destiny, abundance, knowledge, battle... Gods from different pantheons, factions, and races resonate with each other, and even the divine realm rarely witnesses such a gathering of gods.

The oppressive aura of the gods illuminated Florence as if a divine kingdom had descended, yet it also seemed as if it could be crushed into dust at any moment under the pressure of these terrifying forces.

This sudden and spectacular sight plunged all living beings across the entire material plane who observed it through various means into utter shock and bewilderment.

The people who were just moments ago filled with despair and fear at the standoff between the three main gods and the imminent outbreak of divine war were now petrified with extreme shock and bewilderment as they looked at the sky filled with countless figures of deities that usually only existed in mythological texts and religious worship.

Some people opened their mouths wide but couldn't make a sound, while many others had their legs go weak and almost collapsed to their knees.

Many others were completely bewildered, utterly unable to comprehend why this localized conflict—the encirclement and suppression of Efein and the seizure of godhood—had snowballed and transformed in such a short time into the absurd and terrifying scene that resembled a "conference of gods" or a "war of gods."

However, not everyone was as completely clueless as ordinary soldiers and low-level professionals.

The leaders of the major forces who came to participate in the siege and attempt to seize the divine status, such as Roosevelt Harper, Gnus Don, Drummond Quinn, and their core members, immediately realized something after the initial shock, and a look of realization flashed in their eyes.

The Black Tomb is backed by seventy-two demon gods, but let's leave that aside for now.

However, the three major human empires—the Central Empire, the Eastern Empire, and the Southern Empire—have been able to stand firm on the human continent because of their profound foundations.

They have countless connections with the lofty divine realm and the gods who wield the laws.

Their founding ancestors, great sages in history, and heroes who protected the country, many of them succeeded in ascending the steps to godhood and eventually occupied a place in the divine realm, becoming one of the gods.

Their beliefs, their national destiny, and their major decisions are often closely related to the divine faction that supports them.

The Central Empire, with its founding principles, legal system, and social structure, bears the deep imprint of order, law, and contract, and is most closely connected with the order deities led by Madora, the god of prophecy.

Many of the ancient families in the Imperial Senate can even be traced back to the mortal bloodline or apostle of a certain deity of order.

The Southern Empire, bordering the endless sea, is home to people skilled in navigation, trade, and ocean exploration. Its culture, beliefs, and power system are closely intertwined with the divine factions associated with the ocean, storms, and certain water systems.

The Eastern Empire, on the other hand, claims to be a descendant of dragons. It has a large number of dragon vein members and dragon knights within its borders and maintains an ancient alliance and close ties with the Dragon God system, especially the metal dragon gods and gem dragon gods on the relatively orderly side.

At this moment, seeing the gods of their own faith or those associated with them descending one after another, Roosevelt, Grenus, Drummond, and others no longer cared about their previous reserve and pride as "demigods".

Roosevelt Harper, the ancient demigod of the Middle Empire, immediately toned down all the arrogance and majesty that belonged to the House of Nobles of the Middle Empire.

Through a secret treasure he carried that was connected to the fate of the empire, he projected his spiritual will with all his might toward the silvery-white divine light in the sky that represented order, prophecy, and inevitability—the god of prophecy, Madora.

He no longer represented himself personally, or even just the House of Nobles, but rather the entire Central Empire, urgently reporting, communicating, and requesting guidance from one of the highest deities in his own camp!
At the same time, Grenus Tang's dragon aura subtly emanated from him, resonating faintly with the majestic dragon shadow of Bahamut, the god of wealth, in the sky.

His expression was respectful yet urgent, clearly indicating that he was also communicating rapidly with the descendant of the Dragon God lineage through the unique bloodline connection unique to the Dragonborn.

Drummond Quinn, facing a divine light imbued with the spirit of the ocean and the rhythm of storms, conveyed the thoughts of the Southern Empire through some ancient maritime ritual.

In the sky, most of the gods who had just descended, except for a few who came to check on the will of the prophecy god Madora, were related to the major empires. At the moment of their descent, they immediately established contact with their mortal representatives in their respective "territories".

The intertwining of divine thoughts, the transmission of information, and the communication of stances are proceeding at an astonishing speed on a level imperceptible to ordinary people.

The thinking speed of gods far surpasses that of mortals, and the exchange of information can be completed countless times in an instant.

Soon, through Roosevelt's anxious report, and through rapid divine communication between deities and the perception and analysis of residual information at the scene, the situation was quickly resolved.

The ins and outs of this chaotic scene, and the reason why it almost triggered a terrible conflict that affected several main gods and could reshape the continent's landscape, quickly became clear.

When the many phantom images of gods in the sky refocused their gazes, and when Roosevelt, Gnus, Drummond, and others stopped their emergency communication, they breathed a slight sigh of relief but looked up at the sky with even greater tension.

Almost everyone's gaze, whether that of the dozens of gods who had descended or the mortal powerhouses on the ground who had just grasped the general situation, was once again drawn to the very center of the battlefield—

There, the all-consuming dark vortex of Erebus, the god of darkness, and the sacred light and pure ice emanating from Aetherial, the goddess of light, and Daphne, the goddess of ice, still stand in silent and fierce confrontation.

The terrifying force field formed by the three divine powers remained the most conspicuous, dangerous, and captivating eye of the storm, even under the illumination of dozens of other divine lights.

The matter is "probably" cleared up.

But then what?
Will these dozens of deities, representing various factions, who have suddenly appeared, intervene as mediators to stop this terrible war of gods? Or will they choose sides based on their own positions and interests, allowing the conflict to escalate further and evolve into a more widespread "war of the gods"?
Everyone's heart was in their throat.

The air was so still it seemed as if water could drip from it.

……

Above the sky, the avatars and projections of dozens of deities floated silently, their divine lights intertwining and reflecting each other, their immense divine power surging and creating a breathtaking silence.

Below, the city of Florence, like a lone boat in a storm, floats and sinks under the invisible pressure of the gods.

All eyes were focused on the three divine forces that were still fiercely confronting each other—darkness, light, and ice.

A war of gods is about to break out.

At this critical moment when a single move could have far-reaching consequences, potentially triggering a horrific catastrophe that engulfs all the gods and affects countless planes, the one with the ability, the qualifications, and the responsibility to step forward and intervene is naturally the current Speaker of the Council of the Main Gods, the highest coordinating and decision-making body of the divine realm.

Madora the Prophet, the goddess of prophecy, is also the nominal supreme decision-maker of the divine realm.

Madora sighed softly and slowly began to speak:
"At this time and place, a war between gods is absolutely not allowed to happen."

The main force of the seventy-two demon gods is frantically attacking the seal breach in the abyss of the underworld, attempting to tear the barrier apart and completely bring war and chaos to other planes.

The guardian god Heim, the space god Losanda, and many allies are still struggling there, awaiting our support and rotation.

He paused, his calm expression seemingly sweeping over every deity present, especially lingering briefly on Erebus, the god of darkness, Aetheril, the goddess of light, and Daphne, the goddess of ice.

“Any battle between gods here will not only deplete our own power, but will also affect the defense of the entire divine realm and weaken our support for the abyss defense line.”

You should all be clear about the pros and cons involved.

"Therefore, since this matter has occurred under my watchful eye, I will make the judgment."

Now, each of you has clearly stated your position and demands.

As soon as the prophecy was uttered, the goddess of light, Aetherial Dawn, spoke.

Her voice was no longer as imperceptibly gentle as when she spoke to Cohen; instead, it had regained the solemnity befitting the Goddess of Light, even carrying a hint of cold mockery.

"Let the beings of the human continent handle and resolve their own affairs according to their own rules and destiny."

These are the rules you set when you joined forces to stop Daphne and me from interfering too much in Effie and Cohen's fate.

"It was you who emphasized that deities should not excessively interfere with the natural processes of the material plane. Now, it is the Dark God Erebus Eternal Night, not us, who has broken this rule by forcibly descending upon the material plane in his true form, intending to directly attack mortal beings, and even risking a war among the gods."

Standing beside Aetheril, the Ice Goddess Daphne quickly replied after Aetheril finished speaking:

"I agree."

"Absurd! This is sophistry!"

The voice of Erebus, the god of darkness, filled with rage and chilling cold, boomed out from the dark vortex like thunder:
"What's happening on the human continent?"

joke!

That damned elf, Virekis, killed my divine child.

They are the inheritors of my bloodline and my divinity!
She stole the power that belonged to me, Erebus Eternal Night. She stole the most core authority and essence of a chief god!

This is no longer a mere mortal feud; it is a blatant act of blasphemy.

I descended in my true form to reclaim what was rightfully mine, punishing thieves and blasphemers, without violating a single ironclad rule of the divine realm!

His voice grew increasingly louder, filled with violence and a sense of humiliation from being offended:

"If I don't make this Vilekis pay the price today, and if I don't get my things back, where will I, Erebus Eternal Night, the dignified Dark God, put my face?"
From now on, will any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to blaspheme the majesty of a supreme deity?

The Dark God's demands are very clear: Vilekis must pay the price for "killing a god" and "stealing a god."

Just as the Dark Myth's voice faded, and the atmosphere became still again due to his roar filled with hatred and killing intent, an old voice quickly rang out.

The speaker was a representative of the elven deities, the elder wielding the World Tree Staff—Elon Wise, the ancient sage of wisdom, history, and knowledge, a high-ranking deity.

He represents the elven deities who have descended at this moment, and to some extent, the attitude of the entire elven pantheon:

"Your Majesty, Eternal Night".

He first used honorifics to express basic courtesy, but his subsequent words were anything but polite.

"The causes and consequences of that tragedy have long been known through the examination of time and the recollection of fate."

You may not wish to delve into the extent to which your... divine incarnation oppressed the Elven race in the mortal realm, but history and memory will not forget.

While Vilekis's counterattack back then was fierce and caused you unbearable losses, at its root, it was she, and the entire Elven race, who rose up in resistance when faced with a desperate situation.

It was your 'divine son' who first placed the sword against the neck of the elf.

Many years have passed since then. Time is long enough to heal many wounds and allow reason to regain its advantage.

Why, even today, do you still cling to this hatred, at the cost of breaking the subtle tacit understanding among the gods, and even at the cost of starting a divine war and destroying the lives of the continent, to keep this entanglement?
Does this truly reflect the magnanimity and wisdom expected of a great deity?

Elon Wise's words were defending Virekis, but more importantly, they pointed out the fanaticism and excess of the God of Darkness's actions.

The Elven pantheon clearly did not want Virekis to be killed or taken away by the God of Darkness on the spot, as that would be a blow and a humiliation to the Elven race as a whole.

Elon's wise words were met with a mocking laugh from Erebus the Night, the god of darkness:

"Heh...hahaha"
Elon Ruik, I knew you old fogies with long ears would jump out and defend yourselves!
It's all the same old nonsense you spout to excuse your own people.

What coercion, what resistance, what time heals all wounds... it's utterly ridiculous!
When did you elves become so naive and hypocritical?

Or do you think that a few empty words of persuasion and so-called historical truths can erase the hatred of a god who has lost his son and had his divinity stolen?
Do you want to discuss principles, magnanimity, and wisdom with me?
What a pity! The Elf race of today is no longer the powerful pantheon it once was, with its Elf God-King overseeing it, able to stand on equal footing with the chief gods of other races in the divine realm, and feared by all the gods!

You want to reason with me? You want me to let go of this blood feud?
Sure, wait until your Elven race produces another God-King level being capable of aweing the gods, then come and negotiate with me!
otherwise……"

Within the dark vortex, the terrifying divine power of the God of Darkness rose once more, locking onto Virekis below and sweeping over Elon Wise and other elven deities.

"With just a handful of you... Hmph, you should first think about how to preserve your crumbling elven pantheon and prevent it from being completely severed in the upcoming turmoil!"

The expressions of Elon Ruiyu and the other elven deities instantly turned extremely ugly.

The old sage's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the World Tree staff.

Beside him, the god of hunting and moonlight, Silvan Shadowchaser, had a flash of anger and sharp glint in his eyes.

The words of the God of Darkness, though harsh, struck at their deepest pain and helplessness.

Since the fall of the previous Elf God-King, the Elf pantheon has indeed never produced a supreme God-King level being who could unite the faith of the entire race and overwhelm all the gods, and it is not a monolithic entity internally.

This is also the fundamental reason why they lacked confidence and could only respond with "reasoning" rather than force when facing a powerful and vengeful god like the God of Darkness.

The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point once again.

The silence and grim expressions of the elven deities seemed to only fuel the arrogance of the God of Darkness.

The dark vortex churned even more violently, as if brewing an even more intense eruption.

The situation seemed to have reached a stalemate once again, and it had become even more tense and dangerous due to the Dark God's direct contempt and threat towards the Elven pantheon. (End of Chapter)