Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Chapter 329 Noble Rebellion Sparks Civil War!
Just as Daniel was making his assessment of the senior commanders of the Northwest War Zone, Arnold had already led the orc legion that had been teleported there using a spatial teleportation array and hid in a nearby canyon.

A total of 10,000 orcs were teleported over this time. Obviously, not so many would be needed to deal with the enemies at Twin Towers Fortress. Arnold only brought 2,000 of them, waiting for Daniel to take the initiative to attack.

They also brought with them the latest research findings from Queen Adele Angrain's magic array, which could perfectly conceal the presence of the large army.

Above the Twin Towers Fortress, the one in charge of guarding the fortress is Perico Gavin, the younger brother of Antoine Gavin, a key figure in the Gavin family.

Perico led the most elite family guards in the territory to protect the Twin Towers Fortress. They all knew that this battle had a crucial impact on the overall situation.

As long as they can withstand the enemy's attack here, they will be able to receive support and assistance from the major noble families in the country.

Perico had also served in the military in his early years and was considered a competent general. He was followed by several solemn-looking staff officers.

Time passed slowly, and darkness gradually fell, but the opposing army still showed no sign of advancing.

An aide behind Perico asked:
"It's so late, will they still start fighting today?"

Perico's voice carried a hint of determination:
“It will definitely happen. I know Daniel. He never hesitates to carry out Gaius’s orders without question.”

Gaius ordered him to capture the Twin Towers fortress as quickly as possible, promising not to delay any longer. He also told his men to be on high alert and watch out for night raids.

Just then, a horn sounded from the darkness in the distance, followed by a series of arrows piercing the air.

The roar was extremely clear in the dead of night:
"Enemy attack, alert!"

A sudden chill ran through Perico as he quickly left the operations room and went to the watchtower to observe the movements of Daniel's army.

Not far from the fortress, hundreds of heavy cavalrymen, like a black torrent, swept across the wasteland and rushed toward the fortress.

The leading knight pointed his lance diagonally, his roar echoing through the sky.

At the front of the army, towering bronze ballistae lined up in a row, roaring as they tore through the air, leaving scorching marks in the sky with the magical runes wrapped around their tails.

Explosions suddenly erupted from the gates of the Twin Towers Fortress.

Perico's orders began to spread rapidly within the fortress, and two magic towers emitted an orange-red glow as they began scanning Daniel's heavy cavalry.

Daniel was clearly prepared for this. The heavily armored soldiers, who were advancing in unison, suddenly stopped their attack and plunged their tower shields deep into the frozen wasteland. The patterns on the shields suddenly lit up and solidified into a translucent blood-red barrier.

The patterns on hundreds of shields were connected end to end, and before long, the entire army formation was covered by a semi-circular protective shield.

The chaotic lightning that erupted from the top of the magic tower crashed down at that moment, and the exploding arcs of electricity twisted wildly on the surface of the barrier, causing the warriors in the front row to bleed from their mouths and noses.

"keep going!"

Daniel's cold voice was especially clear on the battlefield; his extraordinary strength as a legendary rank was enough for him to observe every detail of the battlefield.

The Twin Towers Fortress's greatest asset is its two magic towers. If they can hold back the magic towers and advance to the fortress, the scales of victory will tip in their favor.

On the fortress, the officers behind Peric looked at him with a mixture of shock and anxiety.
"Daniel and the others were indeed well-prepared; they actually managed to withstand the magic tower's attack?"

Perico's voice remained calm:

"There's a price to pay. They're relying entirely on the physical strength of their heavy infantry to hold out. By the time they reach the city walls, Daniel's heavy infantry will likely suffer heavy losses as well."

The staff officer began by saying:
"Daniel is indeed a madman; he's prepared to do whatever it takes!"

Perico remained calm and said indifferently:

"Send out the cavalry, we'll go out and fight!"

Upon hearing Peric's order, the officers behind him froze in place, and one of them couldn't help but ask:
"Sir, shall we go outside and fight?"
"If we abandon our terrain advantage, our men are no match for the regular army of the Northwest Theater Command!"

Perico's attitude was firm, and the officers, seeing that he was determined to go his own way, could not interfere and had no choice but to carry out the orders.

Daniel's heavily armored troops were slowly advancing when suddenly, the secret door of the fortress Xita opened, and a troop of lightly armed cavalry filed out. Under the cover of night, they circled around to the flank of the royal army and shot down more than a dozen supply soldiers with short bows.

Daniel stared at the scene before him, a look of astonishment on his face. The staff officer behind him couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"These traitors dare to come out of their turtle shells? They're really asking for trouble!"

That wasn't enough. The iron gates of the fortress's east tower slowly rose, and a well-armed troop of heavy cavalry charged out, heading straight for the royal army's formation.

Daniel made no further hesitation and acted decisively:

"Since they want to fight hand-to-hand combat, let them see the formidable strength of the kingdom's regular army!"
Put away the protective shield; once the two sides engage in battle, the magic tower will be useless.

"Give me the entire army and advance! Finish this battle within ten minutes!"

"Yes!"

With a command from both coaches, steel and flesh intertwined in the cold night, turning the scene crimson, and the smell of rust and blood swirled in the air.

The heavy knights' plate armor sparked brilliantly with each impact, and their heavy breathing echoed within each helmet.

The accompanying mages also joined the battle at Daniel's request, their robes already torn to shreds by arrows.

The infantryman, clad in chainmail, was struck in the shoulder by a giant axe; the sound of bones cracking and the screams of agony bursting from his throat pierced the clamor of the battlefield.

The battlefield had reached a fever pitch. Daniel gazed at the horrific scene on the distant battlefield, his face remaining as hard as a sculpture.

Chief of Staff Matteo's eyes turned serious, and he said in a deep voice:
"The fighting strength of the Gavin Territory Guard far exceeded our expectations. They are different from ordinary noble soldiers; they must have received formal military training."

Daniel's voice was cold and sharp:

"There's no difference. We can prepare to report the victory to His Majesty the King..."

As they were talking, Daniel and Matteo simultaneously felt a tremor in the ground.

Daniel's face changed drastically in horror as he stared incredulously at the ridge not far away.

He suddenly felt a powerful aura erupting from there.

ambush!

How can it be?

Daniel was incredulous; he couldn't understand how so many ambushes could evade his legendary-level perception and patrols.

Chief of Staff Matteo, who was standing to the side, was also pale. He was also a legendary-level transcendent and a commander with rich combat experience. Naturally, he had also scouted all possible hiding places before the battle.

It was completely unexpected that an ambush would suddenly appear on that ridge.

Before the two had any more time to think, the earth began to tremble, growing ever closer, like heavy hammer blows striking their hearts.

Daniel immediately realized something was wrong and wanted to order a temporary withdrawal from the attack, but at that moment, the guards of Gavin's territory seemed to have received some kind of order and were relentlessly entangled with the enemy in front of them, making it impossible for Daniel's army to withdraw from the battlefield in a short period of time.

Daniel felt a chill run through him. He realized he had fallen into a trap. The reason the enemy had deliberately abandoned the fortress's geographical advantage to fight them was to entangle him at this moment.

Without further hesitation, he unleashed his magic and spoke to Chief of Staff Matteo:

"Chief of staff, you stay here and direct the troops to withdraw from the battlefield as much as possible. I'll deal with the ambush force first!"

I'd like to see who's so capable as to plot against me!

Dark shadows surged like a tide on the distant mountain ridge, and the heavy breathing of the orcs mingled with the clanging of their armor, weaving a suppressed roar in the night.

They trudged through withered grass and pebbles, each heavy step like a war drum pounding on people's hearts.

The fangs gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and a bloodthirsty excitement burned in the murky pupils.

The orcs brandished fine battle axes and hammers, their muscular arms bulging with veins, and deep roars rumbled from their throats as they charged toward the rear flank of Daniel's army like tigers descending a mountain.

Daniel, arriving at the front lines, stared at the ferocious orc legion before him and felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't help but roar in anger:

"Effie!"

How can it be!

How could you possibly be here!

At the same time, a chill instantly settled over him; the fighting prowess of the Effie Orc Legion had already been proven at the previous Northwest Region Exchange Meeting.

If these orcs were to join the battle, and they were to attack from within, all the main legions he brought today would be wiped out here!

Realizing this terrifying fact, Daniel shuddered and immediately activated his legendary domain. He wanted to use his extraordinary personal strength to hold off the enemy and give his legion time to retreat.

However, his plan was soon disrupted by another legendary aura emanating from the orc legion.

One of the special operations committee members of the Effie Special Operations Committee accompanied Marshal Arnold to the Twin Towers Fortress.

Blood welled up in Daniel's eyes:
"Effie!"

"How dare you disregard the Charter Alliance's covenant and the prohibitions of the five great empires, openly interfering in our internal affairs! Aren't you afraid of sanctions and retaliation?!"

Marshal Arnold Constantine rode out to the front of the battle lines, his deep voice ringing out:
"General Daniel, don't follow that usurper down the same dark path. Can't you see the current situation?"
Gaius's usurpation of power is common knowledge, and Ceylon will eventually return to its rightful place.

You are a talented person. I once served in your legion. I hope you can see the situation clearly in time and abandon the darkness for the light.

Since Arnold's meteoric rise in Florence, a great deal of information about him has been placed on the desks of generals from various countries.

Daniel naturally knew that the genius commander in front of him had once been a company commander in the Northwest Military District of Ceylon, and had even shown some talent in a few limited battles.

Unfortunately, due to his family background, Arnold was not valued and soon retired in disgrace.

Upon hearing Arnold's attempt to persuade him to surrender, Daniel laughed in fury: "Arnold, how dare you admit you're also a Ceylonian? Why would you betray your own country?"

Arnold said calmly:

"I did this to save Ceylon!"

Having failed to persuade him, Arnold stopped wasting words with him, drew his longsword, and the orc legion behind him began to advance again.

The aura of the two legends clashing instantly enveloped the entire arena. Both sides, caught in the heat of battle, were momentarily stunned. Then, the soldiers of the Ceylon Northwest Theater saw the ferocious orc legion surge out of the depths of the mountains like a black tide.

Arnold raised his sword high, and his roar instantly pierced the battlefield.

Hearing the sound, the orcs behind him moved and rushed towards the rear of the enemy formation like a tidal wave.

Before the Ceylon soldiers could react, the heavy spiked clubs had already smashed their shields, and the sound of bones cracking and screams of agony exploded in an instant.

Fresh blood splattered on the withered grass, and the stench of blood mixed with the dampness of the soil filled the nostrils.

The Ceylon soldiers were suddenly attacked from both sides, especially since they were facing an "elite" orc legion from behind. Almost instantly, the Ceylon Northwest Legion began to collapse in an irreversible situation.

……

In Quessaon, at the royal palace, the devastating news reached the core of the kingdom within an hour via a magic array, causing an uproar among the entire Ceylon leadership due to the news of the defeat.

They couldn't understand how a mere Gavin territory could withstand the kingdom's most elite Northwest Legion.

What is Daniel doing? Even if they couldn't take the city, they shouldn't have been completely wiped out!

Not long after, more detailed information came from the front lines.

Orc army!
Marshal Arnold Constantine, Effie!

These two pieces of information haunted the minds of the Ceylonian monarch and his ministers like a nightmare.

Effie has indeed made her move!
How dare they, how dare they violate the bans of the five great empires and the covenants of the Charter Alliance, and brazenly send troops to interfere in the internal affairs of foreign countries?
Ceylon and Efeinko both belong to the God and Demon Charter Covenant Nation.

The atmosphere at the royal council was heavy and cold. King Gaius's face still bore the marks of shock and confusion. After a long silence, Gaius looked at Merrick and questioned him:
"After the Northwest Regional Exchange Meeting, didn't I already strictly order the monitoring of the movements of all orcs, both inside and outside the country?"

How did several thousand orcs cross the border and get into Gavin's territory?

Prime Minister Merrick's face was very grim, and he replied in a deep voice:
"According to my investigation, there have been no reports of orcs crossing the border. I can only think of one possibility: these orcs have been lurking in Gavin's territory for a long time."

Only today have they fully revealed their whereabouts.

Gaius's voice was cold and stern:

"You mean to say that several years ago, Effie had already secretly colluded with the Gavin family and secretly infiltrated a group of orcs?"

Prime Minister Merrick replied:
"Although it seems absurd, it is the only reasonable explanation."

Gaius's expression turned extremely gloomy. His gaze swept over the assembled ministers and high-ranking officials below the hall, and he said in a cold voice:

"Immediately submit a proposal to the Northwest Alliance and the Charter Covenant Organization, requesting sanctions against Efein for blatantly violating the ban, and notify the Border Legion to closely monitor Efein's movements."

Unfortunately, before Gaius's first order could be carried out, another piece of bad news arrived.

Duke Antoine Gavin, who had escaped from the royal prison, appeared in Florence, the capital of Effiin, and presented a treaty of friendship and mutual assistance between the two countries that had been signed previously, in the name of the legitimate royal family.

Furthermore, based on this treaty, he requested Efein to send troops to aid the legitimate royal family of Ceylon in suppressing the rebellious elements and usurpers of Gaius within the country.

The news caused an uproar throughout the Northwest Continent.

In particular, the treaty of friendship and mutual assistance presented by the Duke of Gavin is indeed real, and it was signed between the previous legitimate royal family and the Corleone royal family, so it is fully legally valid.

In this way, Gaius's proposals to the Northwest Alliance and the Charter Agreement Organization became completely untenable.

The sudden turn of events caught even the usually calm and composed King Gaius off guard. Effie's attacks came one after another, each linked to the next, leaving Gaius no room to respond.

After the joint statement from the five great empires was issued, Gaius completely lost all hope of international mediation.

He had already figured it out: not only the ambitious Efein and the neighboring sworn enemy Windbreath Kingdom, but even the five great empires that were high and mighty had designs on his strongest kingdom among humans!
He abandoned all illusions and fully prepared to launch a war that would threaten the entire nation!

……

Just as reports of the Twin Towers Fortress were spreading throughout the country, the Eisenheir, Veritas, Lothermar, and Strauss families, along with some local nobles, all sent official family representatives to the Crown City in Gavin's territory.

This action also signifies their formal submission to Princess Freya and their oath of allegiance.

With the rebellion of various families, the entire Kingdom of Ceylon fell into an unprecedented schism in just a few days.

The king and his ministers of the Kingdom of Ceylon would never have imagined that their third prince's meticulously planned scheme against Efein would not only fail to succeed, but would instead bring retribution upon himself.

Windsordler straightened Cohen's clothes, frowning as she asked:
"Gaius summoning you to the palace at this time probably doesn't mean he has any good intentions."

Cohen chuckled and said:

"Gaius is now completely isolated and abandoned by everyone. I am one of his few remaining allies. If I'm not mistaken, he's going to go all out this time!"

A strange look flashed across Windsor's eyes as she said:

"The situation in Ceylon is indeed developing too fast. Although we anticipated that the nobles would rebel, everything seems to be going too smoothly, which is unsettling."

Cohen nodded in agreement:

"That's right, I also suspect that someone is stirring things up behind the scenes. I guess it's those people from the empire who want to take advantage of this internal turmoil."

The prize of being the strongest kingdom on the continent is incredibly tempting.

A cold glint appeared in Cohen's heart. "I've been plotting against Ceylon for so long, I can't let you reap the rewards!"

After Cohen finished packing, he said to Windsordler:
"Contact Nephthys later and have her send me a report on the recent movements of Xia Zuo of the Eastern Empire and Qiao Lun of the Central Empire."

I suspect my old friends have already entered Ceylon!

Windsordler gently kissed Cohen's lips and replied:
"I understand, be careful."

"I said, haven't you had enough of being lovey-dovey yet?"

The voice of the eldest princess came from outside the door.

Windsordler frowned slightly, about to speak, when Cohen interrupted her:
"Your Highness, that's all."

She then whispered some kind words to Windsordler before changing her appearance and going with the princess to meet Gaius.

Inside the palace, Gaius set an example by no longer wearing his usual fine clothes and brocade robes, but instead donning sturdy armor.

This also demonstrates His Majesty the King's determination to fight the rebels to the bitter end, until death!

Korn suppressed his emotions, smiled faintly at the powerful ruler who had single-handedly led Ceylon to the strongest kingdom among humans, and asked:
"Your Majesty must be very busy these days, and we haven't been able to help much."

Gaius wore a gentle smile, his tone unchanged despite the grim situation:
"I'm sorry to have made Commander Ya'en and Her Highness the Princess laugh at us. There has been some trouble in the country, but it's nothing serious."

Grace parted her red lips slightly and said:

"Your Majesty, my father asked me to pass on a message to you: he is somewhat powerless to do anything about the proposal you submitted earlier."

The treaty of friendship and mutual assistance presented by Effiin was indeed genuine and valid. Coupled with the repeated insistence of the Central Empire and the Western Regions Empire, we had no legitimate reason, nor could we easily oppose it.

Gaius seemed unconcerned, casually waving his hand and saying:
"It's nothing serious. I never expected that crazy King Effie would stop himself because of external interference."

In any case, the outcome will ultimately be decided on the battlefield.

I admit that King Alfiein does possess outstanding personal abilities, but that doesn't mean his Alfiein can stand up to Ceylon head-on!

Gaius's voice was filled with powerful confidence, but it was unclear whether he truly had that confidence or was deliberately showing it off in front of the Eastern Empire's princess and the Pirate King.

Cohen picked up the conversation and said:

"I agree with Your Majesty's analysis. Did Your Majesty summon us here today to give you some instructions?"

Gaius chuckled and said:
"You're too kind with your orders. Here's the thing: the first batch of funds for building the ghost ship has been raised, and I hope that the commander can get started on its construction as soon as possible."

Cohen's expression remained unchanged, but a slight chuckle rose in his heart. Sure enough, Gaius couldn't wait to drag him, his ally, into the fray.

He replied with a smile:

"With the funds in place, there's no problem at all. I can start anytime."

Gaius then asked:

"How long would it take for the first batch of ghost ships to become combat-ready?"

Cohen raised an eyebrow, a thoughtful look flashing across his brow. After a brief pause, he asked softly:

"I wonder what level Your Majesty means by 'forming combat capability'...?"
If it's just dealing with some pirates, it won't take too long.

Gaius remained silent for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of killing intent, before uttering words that even surprised Cohen:
"To the point where we can capture Golden Sail Harbor in the southern border of Effie and Emerald Harbor in Florence!"

(End of this chapter)