Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Lillian is the most trusted and capable maidservant of Princess Grace Tang of the Eastern Empire.

On certain occasions, she acted as the representative of the beautiful princess's will.

Manager Devon concealed all his emotions, and his face regained its professional, polite smile:

Miss Lillian.

"Are you placing this bet... on behalf of Her Highness the Eldest Princess?"

Lillian, expressionless, handed over a magic contract scroll adorned with frost flower patterns, her voice cold and clear:

“Mr. Devon, His Highness’s decree.”

Bet on King Cohen Corleone of Effie to win the title of 'Strongest Gold' in the Gold Division of this year's Noble Martial Arts Festival.

The bet amount is one million.

Devon felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind. He instinctively took a small step back, his eyes widened, and he almost cried out:
“W-what?
"Your Highness...she...she also supports King Effie?"

Lian seemed to have anticipated his reaction; the corners of her mouth twitched up very slightly, but there was no smile in them.
"To repay a favor to the Golden Winged Daughter."

The Fiery Red Lips brand was established with the help of Miss Wen Ze.

Although the two families have had less contact due to Lord Ya'en's matter, the Princess has always remembered the previous assistance she received.

Devon opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Using one million gold coins to repay a debt of gratitude is very much in line with the Princess's style.

Manager Devon suppressed his complex emotions and repeated what he had just said to Baron Zehn to Lillian, who then changed her bet to 100,000.

As Lillian left, Devon felt his back was soaked with cold sweat.

These two sums of 100,000 gold coins felt like heavy blocks of ice weighing on his heart.

Even though I know it's impossible, what if... what if...

This King Aifein has been shocking the mainland time and time again since his debut!
If he really gives it to me... that's a whopping 20 million gold coins! Even Prince Heinz couldn't protect himself!

However, fate's cruel joke did not stop there.

When the third visitor stepped into the room, Devon almost thought he was hallucinating.

This is a woman whose beauty defies description. Her features are exquisite, her skin is like the finest mother-of-pearl, and her long, silver-blue hair is slightly curled, exuding a cool and moist aura.

What's most unsettling are her eyes, like whirlpools containing the ocean, unfathomable, beautiful yet carrying an inhuman aloofness and majesty.

Even though Manager Devon only mingled in human noble circles and rarely interacted with sea creatures, it didn't prevent him from recognizing the beautiful woman before him.

Claire, the most beautiful woman among the sea creatures and the chieftain of the mermaid and tide tribes!

The other party came as a special guest, representing the top power of the Sea Clan. He, a mere agent, would not normally be qualified to say a word to such a person.

When Claire arrived, there was little small talk. Her voice was like an undercurrent surging in a deep sea canyon—strange and melodious, yet carrying a chilling power.

"Human, are you an agent of the 'Golden Eye'?"

Claire has always been straightforward in her actions; the domineering young lady personality from her previous life has always been deeply buried in her heart.

Devon snapped back to reality, his voice respectful:

"Yes, Your Excellency Merman Envoy, I am Devon Klein, the person in charge here. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Claire said coldly:
"What else can I do here besides place bets?"

Devon's heart nearly leaped out of his throat. An absurd conjecture screamed wildly in his mind. He forced himself to stay calm, his voice hoarse as if grinding sand:

"You...you wouldn't be betting on how many rounds King Effie can last in the competition, would you?"

Claire's swirling, star-like eyes swept over him indifferently, as if looking at a speck of dust on the ocean floor, devoid of any extra emotion.

"good.

"One million gold coins, bet him he can win the 'Strongest Gold'!"

With a gentle tap of Claire's fair, jade-like finger, a "pearl" made of a strange aquamarine, its interior shimmering with liquid light, floated before Devon. The surging, pure water elemental magic was almost suffocating.

Devon's soul is crying out, Cohen Corleone, what kind of beings do you actually know?
The empire's wealthy merchants have placed a huge bet on you, the princess is willing to spend a fortune to repay the favor, and now even the mysterious patriarch of the deep sea has personally come to bet millions of gold coins on whether you can win.
Devon suppressed his emotions and told Claire the betting limit, after which Claire changed the betting amount back to 100,000 gold coins.

He completed the final contract worth 100,000 gold coins almost numbly, but couldn't help asking one last question:
"Is Your Excellency an old acquaintance of His Majesty Corleone?"

Claire said calmly:
"Just playing around, odds are 1 to 100, what if I win?"

Having said that, he disappeared silently into the thin sea mist that filled the entrance, just as he had come.

Dai Wencai slumped heavily into the silver-inlaid rattan chair as if his spine had been removed. The cold, dampness on his back clung to his clothes, making him extremely uncomfortable.

The magic crystal in the room still shone with the blood-red low odds of "King Effie eliminated in the first round," but Devon's eyes were filled with only confusion and deep fear.

Zahn of the Pale Wings, Lian, Princess Grace's personal maid, Claire, the most beautiful woman in the sea...

Three entities spanning continental commerce, imperial power, and the endless sea have all unanimously placed their maximum bets on the seemingly doomed King Effie!
Madness? Prophecy? Or some kind of power struggle he simply couldn't comprehend?
Devon's trembling hand reached for another, deeper-level communication crystal. This time, the cautious smile on his face was gone, replaced by unprecedented seriousness and unspeakable fear:

"...It's me, Devon Klein."

Find a way to immediately notify all the leaders that 'Golden Eye' needs an emergency meeting; something terrible has happened!

His voice was low and rapid, carrying a deep chill.

The storm brought about by the name Cohen Corleone has long since transcended the arena and betting games, and is quietly tearing apart the balance beneath the surface of certain parts of the continent.

Devon stared intently at the three contract scrolls, representing different forces but with a strangely consistent goal, cold sweat still dripping from his temples.

This is such a big deal, he can't handle it all by himself!
……

The deafening roar of the waves echoed through the Imperial Arena.

In the VIP section, Samuel Jones walked slowly to Chief Heisenberg's side, leaned down and whispered a few words.

At the same time, many secretaries, assistants, adjutants and other personnel were whispering something in the ears of the empire's high-ranking officials, such as Prince Heinz, Chancellor Hayes, and Prince Atreides.

After hearing this, Chief Heisenberg's eyes flashed with surprise:
"It's not surprising that the Golden Winged Daughter placed a bet, but why is Princess Grace getting involved as well?"
And then there are the sea people. What does this mean? Are they sending money to the empire?

Samuel replied softly:
"It is said that the eldest princess did this to repay a favor to the daughter of the Golden Wing."

As for the merman chieftain of the sea tribe… his reply was simply that he saw the high odds and wanted to take a gamble.

Heisenberg looked at Prince Heinz and the others, who exchanged glances and then nodded in unison.

Heisenberg then said to Samuel:
"I've accepted it. Now, publish the bets."

Samuel bowed and withdrew.

Then, the "Golden Eye" emitted three consecutive strange magical tremors.

This means that three maximum bets were placed on the option that Cohen could obtain the "Strongest Gold".

The news quickly spread to the competition venue, stirring up another invisible storm.

At the eye of the storm, Cohen simply sat there quietly, raising his head slightly to meet the countless gazes from all directions—some malicious, some mocking, some shocked—without expression.

With a deep, resonant "hum," the massive magical projection screen above the arena stabilized completely on the "Mirror of the Sky."

The more than sixty names that shone like stars were no longer flowing, but were firmly fixed under eight distinct bands of light—the eight groups of the Gold Group were officially determined!

The Gold Group has a total of over sixty participants and will continue to be conducted in the same format of group stage and knockout stage.

The group stage is a round-robin tournament with 5 to 8 players in each group, with slight adjustments based on the actual number of players. Each player must play one match against each of the other opponents in their group.

A win earns 3 points, a draw 2 points, and a loss 0 points. After the group stage, the top two teams with the highest scores will advance to the final round of 16.

The round of 16 begins with a single-elimination format, with players battling it out until the sole "Strongest Gold" is determined!
The battles of the Gold Group are no longer ordinary battles, but rather a rehearsal that will determine the future power structure of various countries.

Every person who steps onto this field can be called a legend in the making.

Every clash between them could rewrite their own fate and that of their respective factions.

Sixty-odd people may not seem like much, but this group represents the most elite forty-year-old Golden Ninth Rank cultivators from across the continent, excluding, of course, Cohen, who is at the Seventh Rank.

Its weight is enough to crush the previous Silver Group by a hundred times!
The group list on the screen was like the spindle of fate, with each name's placement drawing countless eyes.

The top prodigies of various empires and kingdoms naturally became the focus of attention.

The brilliance and ferocity emanating from several of the names instantly captured the attention of almost everyone in the room.

They are truly at the pinnacle of their generation, national treasures nurtured by their respective empires, capable of determining the future landscape of the continent.

Gabriel Dela, a ninth-tier "Shadow Assassin" of the Central Empire, known as the "King of Devious Assassins." Gabriel has long since ingrained his family's motto, "Walking in the shadows, judging without a trace," into his very bones.

His title "King of the Devious Assassins" is not just empty talk—when he was at the peak of the eighth rank, he used shadows as blades to mercilessly slit the throat of a ninth-rank gold-level expert who was at his peak.

That was an incredible art of assassination that transcended conventional power systems.

Having emerged from the Central Empire, an environment teeming with geniuses and monsters, where competition was as brutal as a meat grinder, and now standing on the pinnacle of the Gold Group representing the Empire, their combat prowess speaks for itself.

He is the undisputed strongest blade among the younger generation of the entire "Pale Wings"!
Xia Zuo Tang, the ninth-tier "Dragon Vein Sorcerer" of the Eastern Empire, and the "First Prince".

The First Prince of the Mainland!

This glittering title itself represents immense power, unparalleled resources, and the oldest and most domineering force originating from the royal bloodline.

The dragon vein sorcerer bloodline he inherited was several levels higher than that of Fury Zorn, who was fighting in the Silver Group.

His bloodline imbued Xia Zuo with the arrogance and power of a dragon descendant in every gesture.

Unlike ordinary spellcasters, he is the pinnacle of warlocks, requiring no lengthy incantations or complex meditations; his powerful bloodline is the source of his strength.

The dragon's roar is the truth, and the dragon's breath is the flame!
Gregor Jarvis, a ninth-tier "Beast Tamer" from the Southern Empire, also known as "Ocean Calamity".

He is the eldest prince of the Southern Empire, and a terrifying being who controls boundless beast tides and triggers deep-sea disasters.

Despite how badly Greg was tricked by Cohen in the Northwest Continent, his title of "Ocean Catastrophe" was by no means earned because of his princely status.

As a "Beast Tamer" who is very close to the legendary level, Gregor does not simply rely on powerful magical beast partners. He is a master of communication, influence and even manipulation of a vast number of marine creatures.

His power manifests in a massive and destructive manner—he can command raging sharks to break through the waves with a wave of his hand, and can drive giant whales to create eddies with a single thought.

Indeed, Prince Gregor's ability is very similar to the second gem on the artifact "Trigger of Poseidon" obtained by Cohen and Claire, "Wrath of the Abyss".

The real reason is that the royal bloodline of the Southern Empire inherits the bloodline power of the "Abyss Ruler," one of the three powerful subordinates of the first sea god Poseidon, who can command billions of sea beasts.

The second gem, "Wrath of the Abyss," embedded in Poseidon's trident, was crafted based on the power characteristics of the first Poseidon as the "Ruler of the Abyss."

When Greg's gaze swept over Cohen, it was as if an invisible, chilling current and violent lightning were intertwining and surging.

His experience in the Northwest Continent was the greatest shame of his life. As a prince of one of the five great empires, he was blackmailed, extorted, and framed. This overwhelming resentment had now transformed into a cold and piercing killing intent.

Serene Winterhold, a ninth-tier "Chaos Sorcerer" from the Northern Empire, also known as "Frosty Will".

Unlike the three contestants with illustrious backgrounds, Selene's reputation was earned purely through his own talent and strength in the Northern Empire.

She hailed from the Empire's highest-level temple of extraordinary beings—"Eternal Winter Academy"—and was the most aloof and dazzling star within it.

Her title, "Frosty Will," is a perfect testament to the dual realms of ice and soul. Not only does she possess chaotic ice magic powerful enough to freeze souls and solidify spaces, but her spiritual will is also tempered to be as solid as the eternal polar ice.

Ash Lancelot, the ninth-tier "Holy Warrior" of the Western Empire, also known as "Holy Lancelot".

The Holy Son of the Holy See, the captain of the Holy See's Guardian Warriors, his predecessor was—"The Oathbreaker" Garcia Lance!

The title "Holy Lance" is a perfect combination of its will and strength, representing an absolute belief in protecting the light and a thunderous means to sweep away darkness.

He is like an insurmountable bulwark of light, a holy lance of judgment hanging high in the sky!

In addition, there is Kallian, the "Hand of All Laws" from the Kingdom of Ceylon, and Marsos, the "Dark Thunder" from the Kingdom of Windbreak...

These names are like jewels in a crown, each radiating a dazzling light within the group.

However, what truly ignited the more complex emotions in the audience was the name of Cohen Corleone.

As if to let everyone see Cohen's strength sooner, Cohen was assigned to the first group.

The first group has six people in total. Apart from him, the other five are all at the ninth level!
The focus, an unprecedented focus, instantly converges on this!
All the viewers who were previously discussing other powerful individuals now involuntarily turned their attention to the list of the first group, especially the name sandwiched among the five ninth-tier gold-level individuals—Cohen Corleone!

Cohen's seventh-level cultivation was particularly conspicuous, like throwing a clueless lamb directly into the center of a pride of lions.

The discovery that two of the contestants were from the five major empires caused a sensation.

Desperate sighs, gloating sneers, and exaggerated exclamations mingled in the stands.

Off the court, the odds for Cohen's first-round exit plummeted once again.

The odds had plummeted from 0.1 to 1, instantly dropping to 0.05, and were immediately suspended from trading.

All bettors firmly believed that Cohen being assigned to this group was tantamount to a death sentence.

Ordinary ninth-tier warriors were already beyond Cohen's ability to handle, let alone two ninth-tier warriors from the five great empires.

Each group only has two qualifying spots, so Cohen's elimination in the first round is a foregone conclusion.

The only remaining question is how miserably His Majesty the King, who was previously in the limelight, will exit the stage in the first round.
……

Cohen also looked at the group information on the screen. In addition to himself being assigned to the first group, Windsordler was in the second group, Isabella was in the fourth group, Melantha was in the sixth group, and Sancho was in the last group, the eighth group.

The principle of not placing countries in the same group remains unchanged.

Before long, the first round of real-time battle list, like a challenge thrown out, was simultaneously refreshed below the eight group light screens.

Cohen did not play in the first round, while Windsordler and Melantha's names appeared prominently on the first round roster for Effie.

This means that these two will be the first to go into battle.

Eight groups, eight arenas, all started simultaneously. With a loud opening salvo, the eight matches officially began!
Melantha possessed extraordinary strength at the half-step legendary level, and Cohen trusted her completely.

His attention was entirely on Windsordler.

Not only because Windsordler had only recently broken through to the ninth rank, but also because her opponents came from the five great empires.

Darkness Igor, the "Totem Warrior" of the Eastern Empire.

The Eastern Empire is located on the vast Dragon Continent, coexisting with countless strange tribes and ancient creatures.

Totem warriors are battle priests passed down through generations in these tribes, who can deeply resonate with the spirits of their ancestors and the essence of nature.

They draw upon the power of totems, connect with the lifeblood of the earth, and transform themselves into walking battle totem poles.

Its power is wild and pure, carrying a destructive urge to tear apart all obstacles.

"Golden Group, Round 1 of the Group Stage, let's begin!"

As a high-pitched, magical proclamation resounded through the sky, the passion of the entire Imperial Arena was instantly ignited.

boom! ! !
Eight enormous golden arenas were activated, and a barrier, inscribed with countless runes, rose around them, strong enough to withstand the aftershocks of legendary power.

The runes flashing on the barrier were like a sun suddenly ignited, illuminating the entire center of the arena in a brilliant glow.

On ring number two, Windsordler hovered above the ring, her long silver hair swaying slightly, and delicate yet powerful silver wings gracefully unfolding behind her.

A stunningly beautiful, noble, and awe-inspiring winged elf!
Opposite her, Darkness Ego seemed to have stepped out of an ancient tribal mural.

His nearly three-meter-tall, muscular body stood on the ring, like a tower forged from steel and rock.

His bronze skin was covered with intricate patterns drawn with dark green, ochre red, and the blood of some powerful savage beast.

Lion's face, bear's heart, eagle's wings, rhinoceros's hooves... the essence of the power of many powerful creatures seemed to be concentrated in his body.

He was wrapped in tough leather around his waist, and his arms gripped a huge bone club, which, according to legend, was made from the leg bone of a ninth-tier "Earth-Splitting Yak Demon".

Darkness's expression was grim. He dared not underestimate the beautiful winged elf before him. Although she was fighting on behalf of Effie, she was actually a member of the Central Empire.

He was a student of Victor, the Holy Archmage of the Central Empire, and even a cabinet minister of the Central Empire.

I am also a candidate for Queen of the Elf race, and my strength and resources are absolutely no less than any of the top contenders.

Without any hesitation or probing, the moment the starting bell rang, Darkness's roar exploded like a boulder rolling down.

His entire body's muscles, which were twisted and knotted like dragons and snakes, tensed up instantly.

Darkness's tactics were simple and brutal; he slammed his legs into the ground and swung the massive bone club with the force of splitting a mountain.

At the same time, the totem patterns wrapped around his body, drawn from dark green and ochre-red ores and the blood of powerful creatures, burst forth with a dazzling earthy yellow light.

The light, like greedy tentacles, frantically absorbed the earth's energy beneath their feet.

In an instant, a dense, tangible earth elemental energy transformed into a roaring phantom earth dragon, soaring up and down around him.

The phantom of the earth dragon roared to the sky, unleashing a wild and surging energy beam that blasted towards the stunningly beautiful figure in the air.

This was not merely a physical impact, but also carried the powerful suppression of totemic will.

This destructive energy torrent, carrying the wrath of the earth, the roar of totems, and the ability to seal off space, arrived in an instant, instantly blocking all available space around Windsordler.

With an overwhelming, all-consuming force, and under the watchful eyes of countless people—some expectant, some shocked, some worried—it crashed violently into Windsordler! (End of Chapter)