Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The attitude conveyed by Erebus, the god of darkness, was very resolute.

His goal was so clear it bordered on obsessive—he had to take down, and even completely destroy, Vilekis.

To this end, he did not hesitate to trample on the tacit understanding between the gods, nor did he hesitate to ignite the flames of a war between the main gods, dragging everything before him, along with the possible future of this continent, into the abyss of destruction.

This is not merely out of anger and a desire for revenge for a blasphemous blood feud from the distant past.

There is a deeper reason that drives him to be so resolute, even at the risk of directly engaging in war with the two main gods of light and ice, in order to eliminate Vilekis at this moment.

Back then, after that upheaval that caused him to lose his divine son and have his divinity stripped away, his rage nearly tore the heavens of the divine kingdom apart.

In his fury, he immediately descended in his avatar to find this audacious mortal.

To his shock, however, he couldn't find the person. He soon realized that someone was protecting Vilekis!

There is only one answer: those who have the motivation and the ability to do this.

Without hesitation, Erebus directed his will and fury toward the realm of the Elven pantheon, issuing the harshest questions and the most direct threats to those "long-eared wooden heads."

In his view, the loosely organized elven pantheon would never dare to oppose his own supreme god.

However, his response was not the expected fear, compromise, or shirking of responsibility, but rather an attitude of near-unanimous hatred from the entire elven pantheon.

Those usually carefree, arrogant, and even internally divided elven deities displayed astonishing unity and resilience during that period.

They did not deny Vilekis's actions, nor did they grovel and beg for forgiveness. Instead, they confronted him, the raging dark god, with an almost defensive stance.

They used various secret techniques accumulated by the Elven race over the long years to cleverly conceal Vilekis's traces in the material plane time and time again.

This greatly interfered with his exploration and targeting using the laws of darkness.

The ancient elven magic, the hidden resonance with the World Tree, and the manipulation of the natural world's energy flow created layers upon layers of perplexing mystery, repeatedly thwarting his pursuit.

This is not enough.

What surprised and alarmed Erebus even more was that the Elven gods personally dispatched their most powerful subordinate gods and heroic spirits to descend, avatar, or project onto the material plane to take action.

He helped Vilekis drive away his men sent to the continent to search for Vilekis's trusted subordinates.

The determination shown by the elven deities and the price they paid far exceeded what should be expected of "protecting a member of their race who has committed a grave crime."

This is not normal. Absolutely not normal.

No matter how talented or extraordinary a mortal elf may be, in Erebus's view, she is absolutely not worth the entire elven pantheon protecting her so recklessly and almost fanatically.

The elven gods were not fools; they knew the consequences of thoroughly angering a chief god, especially a dark chief god known for his vengefulness and tyranny.

But they still chose to do it, and they did it so resolutely.

There must be a reason!

After his initial rage subsided somewhat, Erebus Night, the ancient and cunning chief god of darkness, began a calm investigation and deduction.

He mobilized the intelligence network he had woven over the long years in the divine realm, analyzed the unusual trends of the elven pantheon in recent years, and combined this with the miraculous achievements that Vilekis herself had created in the material plane.

Especially in an era when the Elven race was fragmented and had long been in decline, Virekis, with her mortal body, almost incredibly reunited the scattered Elven forces.

A hypothesis that deeply disturbed, even horrified, Erebus gradually emerged in his mind, becoming clearer and more convincing over time.

These spirits and deities most likely received an extremely important prophecy and glimpsed a possible future.

They firmly believed that this elven queen named Virekis would, at some point in the future, very likely become the new supreme god-king of their elven pantheon.

This speculation is not unfounded.

The talent and ability that Vilekis has shown have long exceeded the scope of "ordinary genius".

She was able to accomplish the unification of the material plane, a feat that no one in the elven race had been able to achieve in tens of thousands of years. Her leadership, strength, influence over the various elven races, and even the incredible luck of obtaining a portion of the Destruction Godhood at the Gold rank all pointed to a terrifying direction.

Once she successfully ignites the divine fire, ascends the steps to godhood, and enters the divine realm... with her prestige and ability to unify the elven race in the material plane.

With the support and guidance of the elven deities at all costs, it seems not impossible for her to integrate the currently leaderless and internally divided elven pantheon.

This is something that Erebus Eternal Night absolutely cannot tolerate.

What does it mean to be an Elf God-King?
This means that the Elven pantheon will end its current weak state of lacking a supreme leader and having its power scattered, and will once again have a supreme god-like being who can unify the faith, will, and power of the entire race.

A god-king of the main god level is enough to greatly enhance the Elf pantheon's voice and deterrent power in the divine realm, making it a powerful force that no pantheon can ignore once again.

Who will this new Elf God King be?
It was Vireikis, the one who stole his divinity and had a blood feud with him!

A god-level enemy who is filled with hatred for him, possesses extraordinary talent, and is likely supported by the entire elven pantheon!

Erebus seemed to have already foreseen that terrible future:

Having ascended to the throne of the Elven God-King, Virekis united the entire power of the Elven pantheon and, leading the Elven gods, launched a holy war of revenge against him, the Dark God Erebus Eternal Night.

That would not be just a personal grudge, but could potentially escalate into a full-scale war between two powerful pantheons!

At that time, he will face a united and powerful elven pantheon, instead of a disorganized mess.

And it doesn't stop there.

Erebus's divine sense swept over Aetheril and Daphne, who were standing guard below, and over the gods who had descended and held different positions.

Finally, his thoughts fell on the covenant of the gods that was about to shake the entire multiverse.

After the announcement of the Covenant of the Gods, the material plane will enter a new era in which the way the gods project their influence changes and the forces in the mortal realm collide and reorganize.

In such a turbulent era, what enormous advantages and opportunities would someone like Virekis, who wielded immense influence in the mortal realm and had once unified the continent's elven race, gain?
She is highly likely to seize the opportunity to reunify all the elven races on the continent, and even... establish an unprecedentedly powerful elven empire!

When that time comes, with Vilekis fully grown and firmly established, and integrating the elven pantheon of the divine realm... just imagining that scene makes Erebus feel like he has a thorn in his side.

It was as if an invisible sword was hanging over the dome of his divine kingdom, ready to strike at any moment.

No! Absolutely not!
We absolutely cannot let that damned elf live to see that day!
We must never allow that terrible future to become a reality, not even in the slightest!

Old grudges, mixed with fear of new hatred, apprehension about the future, and deep anxiety about his own power and safety, boiled and fermented in Erebus's soul, eventually coalescing into the murderous intent he felt at any cost.

So today, right here, right now!

Before Vilekis truly ascended to godhood, and with the elven pantheon behind her still relatively weak and lacking unified command of a supreme god-level force, the situation remained unchanged.

Before the covenant of the gods is announced and the situation on the continent is fully settled, she must be dealt with completely!

Even if it means going to war with Aetheril and Daphne!
Even if it means enduring the potential backlash and subsequent troubles from a war of gods!

Even if it offends some gods, or even angers the order represented by Madora, the god of prophecy!

Compared to the potential life-or-death crisis in the future, the risks and costs we face now are bearable.

Looking at the silent and furious elven gods, Erebus wouldn't mind adding fuel to the fire:

"This is my final stance. Today, Vilekis must be handed over to me. You are not worthy to negotiate with me!"

Erebus, the god of darkness, struck at the most painful spot of the elven pantheon with his blatant contempt and threat, instantly igniting the suppressed fury of the elven deities.

The first to erupt was Sylvan Shadow Chaser, the god of hunting and moonlight, wielding an oak longbow.

He was one of the few elven deities who was fierce and sharp-edged.

The Dark God's trampling of the Elven pantheon and their cherished traditions and dignity ignited the flames of rage within him.

Sylvan Chasing Shadow took a step forward, and the divine light around him, which was like moonlight and forest intertwined, instantly became extremely sharp, as if it had turned into thousands of invisible arrows, pointing directly at the rolling darkness in the sky.

His handsome face was slightly contorted with anger, and his once melodious voice now rang out like a taut bowstring, echoing across the sky:

"Erebus, the Night!"
Are you trying to use what you just said to declare war on our entire elven pantheon?

His question was forceful and resounding, carrying the pride and unwavering resolve characteristic of elven deities when it came to matters of racial dignity.

Despite the current lack of a God-King level being within the Elven pantheon, and despite potential internal divisions, Silvan Shadow Chaser, a deity renowned for his bravery and hunting spirit, would not remain silent in the face of such blatant humiliation and threat from an external enemy. "Heh..."

The only response to Sylvan Shadowchaser's fury was a short, contemptuous, and mocking laugh that came from the dark vortex.

Erebus's voice was slow and deliberate, as if he were savoring the word, each syllable carrying a distinct mockery:
"Declare war?"
Sylvan Shadow Chaser, and those behind you... Elon Wise Words, Lyra Chanting, Mekari Sen Whisperer..."

The God of Darkness's crimson gaze swept over the several elven deities, whose faces were ashen, his contempt almost overflowing.

"With yourselves, you are a loose pantheon with no gods at all, the strongest force in your clan is just a few high-level gods, and each of you has your own agenda, like a pile of loose sand."

Do you even deserve to be the one to wage war against you?
"Aren't you... overestimating yourselves?"

An insult, the ultimate insult!

This is not only aimed at Sylvan Chase Shadow personally, but also at the collective dignity and strength of the entire Elven pantheon.

Sylvan Chase's face flushed red instantly, then turned ashen, and the oak longbow in his hand creaked under the strain.

Emerald green divine light and silvery moonlight surged violently around him, as if they were about to transform into arrows that would tear the sky apart at any moment.

A flicker of sorrow and anger flashed in Elon Wise's wise eyes, while Lyra Chant's beautiful face lost all its elegance, leaving only coldness.

The other elven deities were also filled with rage, their divine power surging.

But the words of the God of Darkness, though extremely harsh, cruelly revealed a truth.

Facing a supreme god, and a dark elemental god like Erebus Eternal Night, known for his tyranny and power, the elven pantheon, with only a few high-ranking deities and not a unified entity, was indeed at a significant disadvantage.

The conflict was intensified at this moment, becoming seemingly irreconcilable.

On one side is Erebus, the god of darkness, and the dark pantheon he represents with a firm stance (although there are not many dark pantheons present at this moment, his attitude undoubtedly represents the core will of his pantheon).

On the other side are Aetheril Dawn, the goddess of light who resolutely protects Virekis (in reality, she protects Cohen and his associates), and her light-elemental followers, as well as Daphne, the ice goddess who shares the same stance as her, and her ice-elemental followers.

The elven pantheon, caught in the crossfire and burdened with a blood feud with the god of darkness, now subjected to such public humiliation, has been cornered.

Despite their inferior strength, under the dual pressure of their racial dignity being so trampled upon and the fact that Virekis was indeed an important figure in their race, they had almost no way out and had to show their stance, at least the attitude of not being afraid to fight.

Darkness, light (including ice), and elves—these three forces are sharply opposed because of the focal point of Vilekis.

Any excessive action by either side could become the spark that ignites a devastating war of gods.

And that's far from all.

In the sky, the dozens of gods from different pantheons, representing different interests and factions, were not all just spectators.

Many of the gods keenly perceived the opportunities hidden within this chaotic situation.

An opportunity to disrupt things.

The goddess of light, Aetheril Dawn, and her close friend, the goddess of ice, Daphne, are not without rivals or those with conflicting interests in the realm of the gods.

The rapid rise of the Effie Empire, which they support, and the mysterious Emperor Cohen behind it, has infringed upon the interests of certain deities.

At this moment, the Dark God Erebus has adopted such a tough, war-ready stance to deal with those protected by the Goddess of Light and Ice. This is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to create trouble for Aetheril and Daphne and weaken their influence.

And so, as the elven gods fell silent in anger, and as the goddess of light and ice grew even colder, discordant voices, some even clearly biased, arose from among the "observer" gods.

"Your Majesty Eternal Night's words, though somewhat direct, are not entirely without reason," a mid-level deity from a faction that has a long-standing rivalry with the pantheon of light said slowly in a seemingly impartial tone.

"The fall of the divine child and the theft of his divine status are irreconcilable enemies. Upholding the dignity of the gods and reclaiming the stolen authority are only natural rights."

“Indeed,” echoed another deity associated with maritime trade and the realm of storms, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Aetheril.

"Rules are dead, but blood feuds are alive."

We cannot always use 'rules' as a shield to prevent other deities from upholding their fundamental rights.

“The Elven race… alas,” another deity sighed, his tone tinged with feigned sympathy, but his gaze swept toward Elon Wise, whose face was grim. “The desire to protect one’s people is understandable, but there is always a limit to everything.”

Is it... worthwhile to put the entire pantheon in danger for the sake of a clansman who has committed such a grave crime?

These words, seemingly meant to offer advice, were actually rubbing salt into the wounds of the elven pantheon and implying that they "lack a sense of the bigger picture."

These voices all share a common tendency—to echo the opinions of Erebus, the god of darkness, while simultaneously exerting pressure on the Elven pantheon, either overtly or covertly.

They may not actually support the God of Darkness that much, but they would be very happy to see the Goddess of Light and Ice suffer a setback, and to see the support behind Effie and Cohen falter.

The situation has become more complicated by the statements of these "troublemakers".

There seems to be more voices supporting the God of Darkness, while the Goddess of Light, the Goddess of Ice and Snow, and the Elf pantheon seem to be isolated and under greater pressure.

The prophet Madora's face twitched slightly. He sensed this dangerous tendency, that the conflict had not only failed to subside, but had become even more difficult to manage due to the intervention of more forces and the intertwining of old grudges and new interests.

He attempted to reconcile the situation and suppress it with the "big picture" (the crisis in the underworld), but the obsession of the God of Darkness, the anger of the Elven pantheon, and the instigation of other deities rendered his mediation pale and powerless.

In this suffocating stalemate of gods arguing and divine power surging, Madora, the god of prophecy and the leader of the gods who had been trying to control the situation and find a balance, did something that shocked all the gods.

Madora's gaze passed over the opposing gods, over the churning darkness and the dazzling light, and landed on the dark-haired young man standing calmly atop the city walls of Florence—Cohen Corleone.

Then, under the gaze of countless eyes—some filled with doubt, some with surprise, some with scrutiny, and some with incomprehension—the prophet Madora, the god of prophecy, spoke clearly in his calm and steady voice:

“Your Majesty Corleone, this matter, from its origins to its development and now to its current stalemate, seems to be inextricably linked to you.”

His words caused many deities to glance at him thoughtfully, re-examining the "mortal" emperor atop the city wall.

Madora continued, her tone devoid of inquiry or discussion, more like a statement of facts, and tossed an extremely heavy burden upon her:

"So now, please—tell me a method."

A way to resolve the current dispute, quell the wrath of the gods, and avert a divine war that no one wants to see.

The words fell.

The silence was deathly, even more solid and unbelievable than when the gods had confronted each other before.

Above the sky, dozens of gods, including the angry God of Darkness, the frowning Goddess of Light and the God of Ice, the embarrassed Elf Gods, and other gods with different motives who were stirring up trouble, were all stunned.

Their divine senses seemed to freeze for a moment, and their gazes all turned to the city wall, to the young human who looked to be no more than the peak of the Gold Rank.

On the ground, Roosevelt Harper, Gnus Tang, Drummond Quinn and other demigods, the allied ground forces, the Florentine garrison, the generals and mages of Efein, and even the core members of Efein behind Cohen... everyone stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, their faces filled with utter disbelief.

What... are you kidding me?
This is the thought that resonates in almost everyone's mind at this moment.

Present were dozens of deities who wielded the laws, looked down upon all living beings, and possessed boundless power!

He is the Speaker of the Council of Gods, the chief god who governs the origins of darkness, light, and ice, and the representative of powerful pantheons such as elves, dragons, the ocean, destiny, abundance, and battle!

Also present were ancient demigods like Roosevelt Harper, dragonborn powerhouses like Gnus Tang, princes like Drummond Quinn who ruled the seas, and elf queens like Vilekis who had killed gods and stolen their power and whose strength was unfathomable!

Anyone present possessed power, wisdom, status, and position far exceeding that of a "Golden Rank" mortal, and countless times exceeding that of an emperor of a human empire!
However, Madora, the god of prophecy and the nominal supreme arbiter of the divine realm, after failing to mediate the conflict among the gods and the imminent outbreak of a divine war, actually handed over the final decision-making power to Cohen Corleone.
A human emperor who is only at the peak of the Gold rank?
A mere mortal?!

Countless gazes, filled with shock, doubt, incomprehension, mockery, and even anger, were directed at the black-haired youth who still stood calmly atop the city wall.

What methods could he possibly use?
By what right does he decide the disputes among the gods?
Is this yet another obscure prophecy from the god of prophecy, or a ridiculous joke?
Or perhaps... some deeper, incomprehensible calculation?

Amidst the terrifying pressure unintentionally emanating from the vast divine might of dozens of deities—pressure enough to make even ordinary saints tremble—Cohen's expression remained unchanged.

There was no panic, no surprise, no flattery, and not even the slightest bit of tension.

His young and handsome face, which appeared somewhat pale under the glow of the gods, still maintained an almost indifferent calm.

He even seemed to have anticipated Madora's question.

Then, under the silent gaze of the gods, and amidst the stares of countless powerful mortals who looked at him as if he were a madman, Cohen calmly spoke:
"My method is very simple."

He paused, his gaze seemingly sweeping over the various forms and divinely imposing figures in the sky, before slowly uttering the core:
"Let's resolve this with force!" (End of Chapter)