Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

On the other side of the arena, equally steady footsteps rang out.

Mills Knight strode over.

Mills was not wearing the ornate and heavy full-body dragon knight armor, but rather a set of black and gold scale armor unique to the Eastern Empire, which combined flexibility and defense, with flexible dragon skin protective gear wrapped around the important joints.

He held a simple and ancient-looking dragon rider longsword in his hand. The blade was shorter than the standard dragon spear, but it looked even more sharp and fierce.

He was riding a giant earth lizard.

Mills's Earth Lizard Dragon is a descendant of the Earth Dragon, dwelling deep within the earth's veins. It is adept at manipulating the power of rock and earth, and its defensive capabilities are comparable to those of a mountain.

The two people's eyes met in the air.

There was no hesitation, no probing, and no polite smile.

Mills' eyes also burned with a light as firm as a rock.

Even deeper in his eyes gleamed a determination to fight to the death.

He is a dragon knight of the Eastern Empire!

The open and covert struggles between the five great empires never ceased.

The struggle for resources and glory has long permeated every aspect of life.

The opponent was from the Central Empire; based on that alone, Mills had no reason to lose.

The deep, resonant tolling of the bells echoed across the arena, as if drawing back the curtain on the stage of destiny.

No temptation, no hesitation.

The moment the battle began, Joren Wertheimer launched the first attack.

His eyes flashed with a cold light, and he stomped his left foot forward heavily, uttering a short syllable.

Sizzle—!

The piercing freezing sound was like the explosion of an ancient glacier breaking apart, not a traditional ice spike or ice wall spell.

The arena floor beneath Qiao Lun's feet instantly became covered with eerie, pale white frost patterns centered on the point where his toes landed.

Countless sharp ice spikes, forged from extreme low temperatures, arched out of the ground at an astonishing speed.

This roaring wave of frost, as if precisely controlled by an invisible giant hand of frost, transformed into a huge and sharp ice chisel.

Its sharpest attack was aimed at the enormous, mountain-like figure beneath Mills—the Earth Lizard Dragon.

The Earth Lizard Dragon let out a deep, rock-grinding roar, its thick left forelimb, covered in rock scales, suddenly raised and then stomped down with even greater force.

Bang! Crack! Crack!

The icy waves crashed against the scales, like fragile glass hitting a mountain rock, sending ice shards mixed with broken frost crystals flying everywhere.

The instant the ice exploded, Qiao Lun vanished like a ghost!
"Phantom Steps"!
Space folded beneath his feet, and in the next instant, he appeared in the shadow beneath the relatively soft belly of the Earth Lizard Dragon.

Before he could regain his footing, he pointed his left hand sharply and precisely toward the Earth Lizard Dragon's left forelimb, the arcane runes at his fingertips flashing brightly!

Om-!
A muffled groan, as if space itself were being distorted, echoed in the air.

Immediately afterwards, an invisible pressure field was generated on the forelimbs of the Earth Lizard Dragon, enveloping its already mountain-like weight, causing it to immediately lose its balance and sink forward.

At the same time, the runic rapier in his hand lit up with intricate purple runes, and a violent, leaping lightning bolt enveloped the blade.

"Secret Strike!"

With a low roar, Joren transformed into a hurricane, his Thunder Rapier, brimming with power, pierced straight at the Earth Lizard Dragon's most vulnerable neck with a shrill sound that tore through the air.

Timing! Angle! Power!

Impeccable!
Triple threat, swift and deadly!

Mills let out a muffled groan.

He didn't attempt to completely dodge, nor did he have time to fully direct Glagus to avoid the deadly sneak attack from below. Caught between the pull of the gravity trap and the lightning thrust, he made the most immediate reaction.

"Sacrifice! Glagus!"

The command resounded like thunder in the ears of the earth lizard.

This was the first time Joren had learned the name of this earth lizard.

With a roar from Mills, the rock scales covering the joint of Glagus's left forelimb suddenly collapsed inward and then burst open!
boom--! ! !
That wasn't an ordinary explosion; it was the instantaneous release of a molten core compressed to its limit!

The hot, viscous magma, capable of melting gold and iron, surged downwards like a directional volcanic eruption, mixed with scorching rock fragments.

This devastating impact not only instantly negated Joren's gravity trap, but also exploded in front of Joren like a giant lava bomb.

A deadly, scorching aura rushed towards him, causing Joren's pupils to shrink sharply. The protective magic around his body flickered wildly, emitting a hum that seemed unable to withstand the strain.

He had to abandon his sure-fire strike. The runic rapier drew a brilliant defensive arc in front of the lava flow, and he was violently thrown dozens of meters by the shockwave of the explosion, his feet carving two deep furrows in the arena.

The first round of confrontation is over.

Ice shards and sparks fell.

Joren was slightly out of breath. A shocking gap had appeared in the armor of Glagus's left forelimb beneath Mills. Dark red flesh was visible beneath the charred edges, and molten lava was dripping down.

But Glagus's enormous head merely swayed, its dark yellow vertical pupils fixed intently on the tiny human.

Mills gave Joren no time to catch his breath, his fighting spirit tinged with excitement. He slammed his fist on the lizard dragon's thick neck:

"The ground cracks!"

"Roar--!!!"

Glagus responded to its master's will and let out a deafening roar.

Those thick, massive feet, like pillars supporting the sky, stomped down heavily!

Boom!
It was like the sounding of war drums at the heart of the earth!

Boom!

The entire arena seemed to be violently torn apart from below by an invisible giant hand!
Originating from the point where Glagus's giant foot struck, the solid arena was brutally torn apart, arched, and collapsed.

The massive cracks, like grotesque wounds, spread at an unbelievable speed, causing rocks to tumble and the arena's foundation to instantly transform into a trap for Joren.

Qiao Lun's expression changed drastically. He had just regained his footing when his footing completely disappeared.

Without hesitation, he activated the Featherfall Technique, his body becoming as light as a feather, as he struggled to maneuver among the turbulent air currents and crumbling rocks.

But Mills' offensive had only just begun.

"quicksand!
"Gracius, bury him!"

Mills' voice was as cold as iron.

Glagus's power to control the earth was once again demonstrated.

A large area ahead of Joren's dodge route instantly liquefied from solid rock.

A massive pool of magma, radiating astonishing heat and terrifying suction, formed in the blink of an eye. Scorching waves of air distorted the atmosphere, and viscous magma churned and bubbled within it.

Qiao Lun was completely blocked. Beneath his feet was an abyss that was constantly cracking and swallowing everything, and in front of him was a pool of scalding lava!

There was no choice; magic surged and burned within Joren's body!

His roar was resolute, and the light of the shield spell was more dazzling than ever before. Layer upon layer of arcane force fields condensed around his body, transforming into a nearly tangible shield wall.

He had to force his way in!
Like a moth drawn to a flame, he plunged headlong into the churning lava pool.

The reinforced shield field rubbed violently against the boiling lava, producing a piercing sizzling sound, and a dazzling light and billowing smoke instantly engulfed him.

The light of the shield spell was rapidly fading and dimming.

Deep within Joren Wertheimer's consciousness, alarms were sounding.

His magical reserves are draining away at an alarming rate, like a flood bursting through a dam.

"This can't go on any longer! We must end it all before our magic runs out!"

The instinct for survival and the will to finish off the opponent are forged into a single belief under extreme pressure.

All the runes on the silver-gray arcane armor simultaneously burst forth with an overload of blazing white light, and scorching energy steam spewed from the gaps in the armor, as if his entire body was burning.

He no longer tried to avoid the burning boulders hurtling down from above!

Take advantage!

His feet landed with perfect precision on the surface of a giant lava boulder that had fallen from above.

"boom!"

The boulder shattered under the immense force, and using this powerful recoil, Joren shot into the air like an arrow.

In an instant, it surpassed Mills and the Earth Lizard Dragon beneath him in height.

In mid-air, Joren's figure hovered, the violent air currents tearing at his cloak.

Those pupils, completely consumed by arcane radiance, were fixed on the figure below, who stood as one with the lizard dragon, like the lord of the earth.

He held his rune-inscribed rapiers high, crossed them in front of his chest.

The sword trembled violently due to the overloaded, violent energy, emitting a high-frequency metallic hum. At the point where the sword tips met, an unstable energy singularity, flashing with destructive lightning, was forming.

Ancient and complex incantations emanated from Joren's mouth, no longer the chanting of human language, but arcane incantations carrying Joren's entire will, life, and fighting spirit, crashing down upon the gloomy sky.

Boom—Crack!
The sky seemed to be torn apart by this ultimate arcane command.

The thick clouds were instantly stirred and spun wildly by an invisible force.

A terrifying vortex, covering most of the arena, was formed, with blinding lightning like billions of raging dragons rolling, roaring, and devouring each other deep within the cloud vortex.

At the center of the vortex, twelve blazing white lightning arrows, each as large as a dragon's spear and capable of piercing the heavens and earth, slowly took shape.

They are not simply pillars of lightning, but rather solid energy structures woven from countless ancient arcane runes.

Each sword arrow tip crackled with black arcs of electricity that tore through space, while its tail drew in endless storm clouds, containing pure divine power of thunder!
The Arcane Knight's desperate move—Thunderous Swords!
On the ground, Mills witnessed this devastating attack, but instead of retreating, he revealed a fanatical smile.

He suddenly grabbed the protruding bone spur on Glagus's back, clenched his other hand into a fist, and slammed it hard into the lizard's nape:

"Gracus!"
In my name, by the covenant of the dragon, by the boundless earth!

"Build the final barrier!" His will was no longer a command, but a symbiotic declaration of complete fusion with the behemoth's soul.

The earth lizard Glagus emitted a strange, low rumble, like the grinding of rocks.

The dark red magma veins on its body suddenly lit up.

The moment the twelve thunderous greatswords fell like divine punishment, the ley lines beneath the entire arena, centered on Glagus, were forcibly activated.

Within a radius of tens of meters, scorched earth, lava, and broken rock debris instantly transformed into a flowing torrent of soil and rocks.

It is governed by a powerful will originating from the core of the earth.

This force defied gravity and common sense, using Glagus's massive body as a base and guided by the suddenly bright, dazzling primordial earth runes on its surface, surging wildly upwards.

Time seemed to be infinitely stretched at this moment.

The torrent of earth and rocks gushing from the ground is not a simple barrier.

They coalesce and take shape as they rise.

In the blink of an eye, a wildly shaped, jagged mountain, over a hundred meters high, rose from the ground, completely enveloping Mills and Glagus at its center.

The surface is covered with veins of crimson lava, exuding an overwhelming and irresistible earth pressure, as if it has existed there since time immemorial.

This is no longer a product of defensive magic, but a war fortress manifested by the will of the earth in the most primitive and brutal way—the "Final Bulwark"!
The Thunder God Sword struck the heart of the earth.

The ultimate destruction of arcane magic collided with the ultimate protection of the mountains.

boom--!
The moment the black tip of the first Thunder Arrow touched the barrier, the arcane runes on the surface of the Thunder Greatsword rapidly annihilated and disintegrated in the confrontation.

One, two, three...

Each impact of the thunderous greatsword blasted a deep crater into the mountain cliffs, leaving indelible energy scars.

But the mountains themselves remained unmoved amidst the tremors, stubbornly standing firm amidst the continuous dissolution of matter and the nourishment and regeneration of the earth's veins.

The light emanating from Glagus's body blended seamlessly with the mountains, drawing upon the earth's power to resist the thunder descending from the sky.

When the last and strongest Thunder Arrow, whose core was engraved with the Joren surname rune, struck the mountain, a sudden change occurred!
The rune core suddenly erupted with a blinding black light far exceeding what it had shown before, and the sword arrow spun wildly.

Swish——!!!
A piercing, tearing sound, exceeding the limits of human hearing, rang out, and a huge, irregular hole was forcibly spun open on the surface of the mountain.

The thunderous arrows struck Mills and Glagus inside.

"Well!"

Mills grunted as his protective dragon rider aura was breached, and a deep, bone-revealing wound exploded on his breastplate.

Glagus also let out a painful groan as several of the hard bone spurs on his back were shattered.

But that's all.

After piercing through the dragon rider's armor and breaking through the lizard dragon's bone spikes, the terrifying lightning arrow seemed to have exhausted its last bit of strength, and its spinning came to an abrupt halt.

One by one, the runes that made it up extinguished and disintegrated, and the condensed arrows of destruction dissipated again into unstable arcs of electricity and chaotic arcane dust.

It throbbed a few times in vain before completely dissipating into the air.

Mills' body swayed violently, and blood gushed from the gruesome wound on his chest, flowing down his armor.

Glagus also let out a heavy, painful gasp; blood continued to flow from the broken thorn, and his massive body trembled slightly from the wound.

However, in that brief moment, after enduring unparalleled pain, Mills' eyes erupted with an even more violent, ferocious, and insane crimson light.

The excruciating pain became the best stimulant; Joren's desperate attack ignited the savagery and fury buried deep within the earth's veins.

"Roar--!!!"

Mills let out a roar that sounded inhuman, and almost simultaneously, his movements were as fast as lightning.

His injured body erupted with incredible power. His left hand gripped the last intact bone spur on Glagus's back for support, and he roared:
"Gracus! Wake up! Crush him!"

"Roar--!!!"

Gragus, who had been slightly listless due to his injury just a moment ago, suddenly had his dark yellow vertical pupils contract.

The primal ferocity of the savage behemoth was fully ignited, and the huge bone spikes on its back that were not hit stood upright like sharp mountain peaks pointing to the sky.

There is only one goal!
That tiny, scarred man, yet still trying to gather the last arcane light—Joren Wertheimer!
attack!

No energy left to breathe!

No rock manipulation!

In that instant when his primal ferocity was ignited, Glagus chose the most direct, savage, and purest way to unleash his power: physical collision!

As Mills roared "Crush him!", Glagus's massive body, moving like a mountain, had already begun to move. The rapier fragment in Joren's hand, which had just begun to emit a faint spark of electricity, appeared pale and powerless in the face of this pure and savage physical force.

Just as they were about to smash Joren to pieces, a gentle golden light shone down from the referee's stand.

They completely separated the two men and the dragon.

The referee's voice slowly rang out:

"Eastern Empire, 'Dragon Knight' Mills Knight wins!"

The referee's voice, amplified by magic, still maintained its rigid, ritualistic quality, sweeping across every inch of space with crystal clarity, and firmly striking the hearts of every citizen of the empire.

Below the VIP seats, in the vast area belonging to the audience of the Central Empire, there was complete silence.

No one from the Silver Group made it to the semifinals.

Right here in the capital, at this noble martial arts festival that brings together the highest martial prowess and symbols of glory on the continent.

Some people turned their gaze toward Effie's direction, fortunately they still had an Imperial Consort, who was also considered half a citizen of the Central Empire.

It could offer some solace to the empire's subjects who harbored simple patriotism.

In the VIP section, Heisenberg's face showed no emotion, but his heart was already in turmoil.

This is an absolute disgrace and a complete failure.

The other high-ranking officials of the empire also wore expressions of undisguised disappointment, their gazes shifting cautiously between Her Majesty the Empress and Chief Heisenberg.

The Noble Martial Arts Festival is nearly halfway through, and Heisenberg bears an undeniable responsibility for the Central Empire's current success.

And of course, the most crucial one is the number one academy on the mainland, the Holy Radiance Academy!
……

The innermost level of the Imperial Noble House is the "Rock Heart Hall".

The heavy velvet curtains were tightly sealed, blocking any possible prying eyes from the outside world.

The surrounding magic array ensured that even the saints could not eavesdrop silently.

Giant embedded magic crystal lamps around the walls continuously emitted a cold, pale light, illuminating every face in the room in minute detail, and also revealing the shadows in their hearts.

Around the vast obsidian table, which resembled a small council chamber, sat the pillars of the Imperial Noble Council—

Heisenberg Wertheimer, the First Lord of the House of Lords, sat in the main seat, his face still expressionless.

He held a half-burnt cigar in his hand, clearly having barely taken a few puffs.

To the left is Manfred Ott, the head of the intelligence agency that has been passed down through generations of the Noble House. He stands tall and straight, like an ancient pine tree, exuding the unique elegance of a nobleman.

Manfred Ott's public identity is that of a cabinet member and Minister of Industry.

No one knew that he also secretly held a position in the House of Nobles' intelligence agency.

Standing behind Manfred was Casimir August, the deputy director of the intelligence agency.

To Heisenberg's right is Fyodor, Chairman of the Education Committee of the House of Nobles and Principal of St. Glory Academy.

Sitting directly opposite Heisenberg was Aureliano Buendía, the administrative director of the "Constantine District".

She was also the highest-ranking intelligence agent that the House of Nobles' Intelligence Agency had placed beside Her Majesty the Empress.

Aureliano was of medium height and rather thin, with a scholarly elegance in his every move.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall was heavy and oppressive.

"cough……"

Aureliano coughed, breaking the suffocating silence:
"The Silver Group and the Bronze Group are, after all, just a competition among young people..."

Things haven't reached an irreparable point yet. As long as Chairman Fyodor appears at the Legendary rank, there's still a possibility of reconciliation between us and His Majesty."

Heisenberg stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray, looked at Casimir, and asked:
"What did Prince Heinz say?"

Kazimir mustered his strength and spoke in a hoarse voice:

"I agreed, but I put forward many conditions."

Heisenberg said calmly:
"Try to satisfy your needs; this gift from God is very important to you."

The soul contract will need to be re-established later, and it's not appropriate for me to handle that personally. I'll have Prince Heinz speak to the Church of War on his behalf.

After finishing Casimir's words, Heisenberg looked at Fyodor and said in a deep voice:
"With so many changes occurring in the Bronze and Silver groups, I suspect that Cohen will also be prepared for the Legendary rank."

Fyodor frowned slightly:

"It has only been a few short years since Effie rose to prominence."

Lower-level extraordinary individuals are easy to cultivate, but once they reach the legendary level, it is difficult to see results in a short period of time.

If his queen were to participate in person, things might change, but since Adele isn't here, I'm still confident."

Heisenberg did not respond, but looked at Manfred, the head of the intelligence agency:
"Among the legendary-level extraordinary individuals participating in this competition, apart from this Emerald Duke, all the others have traceable backgrounds. If Cohen wants to make any underhanded moves in the legendary group, the key must be this Emerald Duke."

Has the identity of that jade prince been clarified?

Manfred sighed:

"Without any clues, it's like it appeared out of thin air."

Aureliano asked in surprise:

"No way, such a beautiful woman, and a legendary one at that, how could there be absolutely no clue?"

Manfred shook his head:

"That's what I thought at first too, that it would be easy to find out her background, but..." (End of Chapter)