Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

After hearing Cohen's words, Shanis almost lost her composure:
"My bedroom?"
"Why did you place such a large figure as Constantine in my bedchamber?"

Cohen calmly said:

"Your Majesty, the Book of Time and Space generates spatial fluctuations each time it is opened. Although they are not very strong, they can still cause problems for high-level extraordinary beings, especially those of the legendary or saintly level who are spatial beings."

These subtle spatial fluctuations could not be hidden from them at all.

For safety's sake, we can only choose a place that can keep out all prying eyes from supernatural beings.

As Shanis's emotions gradually calmed down, she realized that, in the entire Central Empire, only her own palace was truly the safest place to avoid being spied on.

After Cohen's patient persuasion, Shanis finally nodded in agreement.

However, conditions were set:

"You must tell me in advance before you come."

And you can only come alone; not even your queen or queen consort can come.

Also, every time you leave my palace through the Shadow Dimension, you must not let anyone see you.

After all, he was only her fiancé, and Shanis didn't want any royal scandals to get out.

Cohen readily agreed.

After things were settled, Shanis stood up with a complicated expression.

Without saying a word, he simply gestured with his eyes for Cohen to follow.

The long corridor leading to the palace was silent, with only the echo of their footsteps breaking the silence.

Arriving at the palace, Cohen pushed open the carved door inlaid with the imperial emblem, and the Empress's private space was once again revealed to him.

The air was filled with a delicate, cool fragrance, and the luxurious decor exuded a refined, feminine touch.

This was Cohen's second time entering Shanis's palace, and he would probably have to come here many more times in the future.

Shanis stood by the window, her back to Cohen, the moonlight outlining her slender and graceful figure.

She seemed to be trying her best to maintain the composure of an emperor, not wanting Cohen to see the expression on her face.

Cohen naturally dared not linger in Shanis's private space. Suppressing the turbulent thoughts in his heart, he went straight to a relatively open area in the center of the bedroom.

He took out the "Book of Time and Space" from his bosom, and the pages turned silently in his hands, casting strange light and shadow in the luxurious palace.

"Your Majesty, please look!"

Cohen's voice broke the silence as he demonstrated to Shanis the specific uses of the "Book of Time and Space":

"Simply select a location and infuse it with magic, and the runes on the pages will automatically imprint the spatial coordinates of that place."

Shanis had turned around at some point, her eyes fixed on the mysterious book.

She keenly noticed the pre-existing, luminous markings on the pages that represented other spatial nodes, and asked:

Where have you left your mark on these spatial nodes?

Cohen's fingers paused almost imperceptibly; he couldn't very well say that these were all women's bedrooms or private residences.

He gave a few perfunctory words, glossing over the topic lightly.

He then said no more, chose a spot in the center of the palace, held the Book of Time and Space in both hands, and began to chant obscure and difficult-to-understand incantations.

Waves of magic surged from his palm and flowed into the pages of the book.

At the same time, the corresponding blank area on the page suddenly burst forth with intense light, and countless tiny runes moved and combined as if they were alive.

Ultimately, it coalesces into a complex yet stable imprint, deeply imprinted on the pages of the book.

At the same time, it anchored the invisible spatial coordinates within this palace.

As the light faded, the palace returned to its previous tranquility, though there seemed to be an indescribable, faint sense of spatial ripples in the air.

Cohen let out a long sigh of relief and looked at Shanes:

"Your Majesty, may I try it first and see if it works?"

As Shanis looked at the spatial point that had just been branded, an indescribable feeling welled up inside her.

Starting today, there's another person who can freely enter and leave my most private place.

She nodded, her voice devoid of emotion:
"can."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Cohen bowed respectfully, then opened the Book of Time and Space again without hesitation.

His slender fingers traced precisely across the pages, finally settling on a familiar spot of light—his and Adele's bedroom.

With a slight release of magic from his fingertips, the runes on the pages of the book suddenly lit up, enveloping him in a soft yet distorted halo of light.

Immediately afterwards, the halo contracted sharply, and Cohen's figure vanished instantly as if erased by an eraser, leaving only subtle spatial fluctuations in the air that had not yet completely subsided.

The palace fell completely silent, leaving only Xenia alone.

She stood there, her gaze falling on the spot where Cohen had disappeared, then shifting to the cool moonlight outside the window.

Time ticked by, minute by minute, one minute... five minutes... ten minutes...

Shanis went from calmly waiting to slightly frowning, and then unconsciously tightening her fingertips.

She walked to the window, then paced back to the center, her gaze sweeping over the empty space that should have been lit up again soon, but it remained completely empty.

Just as her patience was about to run out and she began to doubt whether the branding had failed, the communication stone she wore at her waist finally vibrated slightly.

Shanis immediately picked up the communication stone and infused it with a wisp of magic.

Cohen's voice came from within, carrying a barely perceptible hint of urgency:

"Your Majesty, the spatial node is connected smoothly, and everything is normal."

However… there are some urgent matters to attend to in Florence, so I probably won’t be able to return to Constantine tonight.

"Once everything is settled by tomorrow, I will definitely report to His Majesty in advance before proceeding with the transmission."

Communication was then interrupted.

Shanis held the warm communication stone, stunned for several seconds.

Her expression shifted from anxious waiting to subconsciously relaxing upon hearing "everything is normal," and then to a moment of shock upon hearing "unable to return"...

Immediately, a surge of anger—a feeling of being fooled, belittled, and deceived—erupted from the deepest part of his heart like volcanic lava.

"Bastard... bastard!"

She practically gritted her teeth as she squeezed out those two words.

Her once aloof and stunning face was now flushed with anger, and her golden eyes burned with fierce flames.

Without a doubt, that bastard must have gone back to Florence to fool around with his queen!
What's so strange about this? His own palace has become a convenient passage for his secret rendezvous.

……

Florence, deep within the royal palace, in the bedroom of Adele and Cohen.

A not-too-intense but clearly distinct spatial distortion occurred, the light receded, and Cohen's figure appeared out of thin air, landing steadily in the center of the thick carpet.

Almost the instant the spatial fluctuations subsided, the exquisitely carved door connecting the bedroom to the terrace was gently pushed open, revealing a stunningly beautiful figure.

It was obvious that Adele sensed the presence of the person she longed for the moment Cohen returned.

Adele couldn't hide her joy and asked:

Why didn't you tell me beforehand?

Cohen wasn't sure if Shanis would agree to let him brand a spatial node in the palace, so he didn't tell Adel beforehand.

However, he certainly couldn't tell Adeline about this. He opened his arms and naturally embraced Adeline's voluptuous body.

Feeling the familiar fragrance of her hair and the warmth emanating from her through her clothes, he whispered:
"I was just thinking of giving you a surprise."

Cohen buried his head in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling her scent.

Adele looked at Cohen's face, which was approaching with a mischievous smile, and felt his hands beginning to wander improperly around her waist.

A thrilling sensation, like rain after a long drought, instantly surged up her spine, making her breath quicken involuntarily.

After nearly two months apart, Adele had developed a taste for the experience and stopped dwelling on the details...

……

……

……

Adele gave Cohen, who was vomiting all over her, a reproachful look, and got up to clean herself in the bath.

Cohen secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took the opportunity to greet Shanis.

I was planning to tell her as soon as I arrived, but the Queen arrived so quickly that I didn't have time.

He activated his communication stone, whispered a few words, and then quickly hung up.

"Who are you talking to..."

Ada's languid and sexy voice rang out, her exaggerated curves and extremely pale skin almost blinding Cohen.

He casually grabbed a bath towel to dry the water droplets off Adaline's body and calmly said:
"It's nothing. Just tell Isha and the others that I'll go back tomorrow."

Adele extended her slender finger and hooked it around Cohen's chin:

"You dare to think about other women in my bed? Has your charm faded?"

……

……

……

With Xia Zuo defeating Ash to secure the first spot in the semifinals, the civil war in Effie will follow.

Windsordler vs. Melanie.

After a fierce battle, Melantha, with her higher level of transcendence and the advantage of being a Sequencer, ultimately emerged victorious.

Melanza secured the second spot in the semifinals.

Then came the White Wings' civil war, with Isabella facing off against Gabriel Dela.

In previous assessments within the Pale Wings, Gabriel was consistently recognized as one of the best among the younger generation in terms of combat prowess alone.

Isabella is probably no match for him either.

Just before she went on stage, Cohen reached out and pinched Isabella's cheek, chuckling as he said, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you can't win, just admit defeat. Don't push yourself to the point of injury."

Isabella hummed softly.

With the referee's order.

On the arena, two figures, one in black and one in gold, stood facing each other, instantly becoming the focus of millions of eyes.

A civil war from the Pale Wings, the number one business organization on the mainland!

Gabriel Dela wore a set of pure black, tight-fitting soft armor that seemed to absorb all light.

His face was covered by a dark silver mask that had no expression on it, revealing only his hard jawline and eyes as deep as the darkest night sky.

He stood there, his entire body silhouette possessing an ethereal, uncertain quality, as if he might melt into the air at any moment.

Gabriel's profession is "Shadow Assassin," and perhaps even he himself has not deeply considered that the weight of the word "Shadow" is far beyond what a simple extraordinary profession can bear.

This "shadow" can be traced back to the ancient era, which was almost completely submerged by the river of time.

The god of shadows who wields the power of darkness, secrecy, and annihilation!
The God of Shadows was once a being that even the gods took notice of.

At the height of his glory, he commanded a fearsome force known as the Shadow Guard.

These guards are no ordinary warriors; they are beings who walk between light and darkness, extensions of the will of the god of shadow.

Possessing power unimaginable to mortals, they carry out the most secretive and deadly missions across the multiverse.

The ancestor of the Darkwing family was a member of this legendary guard.

However, after the mysterious fall of the God of Shadows, his Shadow Guards gradually disappeared.

Some were buried alive with the dead, some were purged, and many more chose to disappear completely, merging themselves into the dust of history.

The ancestors of the Darkwing family chose the latter.

He concealed the astonishing power and glory of the divine guards, burying the past completely.

To survive, he relied on his exceptional skills and instinct for stealth to navigate the chaotic underworld, eventually becoming a powerful underground gang leader.

The turning point in his fate came when this Darkwing Ancestor encountered four other individuals with similar extraordinary abilities or backgrounds—Wenze of the Goldwing family, Scarlett of the Bloodwing family, Child of the Purplewing family, and Montoya of the Silverwing family.

These five ancestors saw the opportunity behind the chaos and decided to join forces to build a larger and more orderly organization—the Pale Wings!
Compared to Gabriel's cold and low-key demeanor.

Isabella, standing opposite him, was far more dazzling. Her stunning beauty, comparable to that of a femme fatale, and the noble and majestic aura of the Golden Winged Daughter, instantly captivated everyone's attention.

Isabella works as a light-element mage, and the surging light magic within her makes her seem like a goddess of light.

The battle, from the very first engagement, showcased the ultimate art of offense and defense.

Gabriel's attack was like a ghostly melody.

His figure would sometimes disappear completely, and at other times reappear from a completely blind spot behind Isabella, gripping a dagger and stabbing at her.

The speed and the angle were so sharp that they left countless viewers breathless.

Isabella's defense was equally exquisite, a golden shield of light that always appeared precisely where the dagger touched, intercepting every deadly attack.

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

A crisp ringing sound burst forth in the air, and with each contact, the shadow energy annihilated a wisp of black smoke in the holy light.

At the crucial moment of the battle, Isabella condensed a torrent of light that seemed capable of piercing through all darkness and shot it toward Gabriel.

Gabriel's figure instantly elongated, split, and transformed into several afterimages that were difficult to distinguish from reality, weaving through the blinding rain of light.

His movements were incredibly unpredictable, darting along the edge of the light blade like wisps of smoke, seemingly narrowly avoiding fatal attacks each time.

Watching Gabriel's steps, Cohen felt a strange sense of familiarity welling up inside him.

However, before he could ponder where this familiar feeling came from, the situation on the field took another turn.

After dodging Isabella's attack, Gabriel quickly launched a counterattack.

The dagger in his hand was not aimed at Isabella's body, but rather instantly pierced the space between the two of them.

A long, narrow, pitch-black rift, seemingly capable of swallowing light, suddenly opened.

A terrifying suction force emanated from it, attempting to pull Isabella's holy light, along with her shield, into the void rift.

Shadow Vortex!

On the high platform, Cohen's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was all too familiar with this move.

While venturing into the Shadow Dimension, he had witnessed countless naturally formed Shadow Vortexes, whose shape, characteristics, and unique spatial distortion were exactly the same as Gabriel's attack.

"The Darkwing Clan...has also set foot in the Shadow Plane?"
Or……"

Cohen shook his head, suppressing his doubts, and continued watching the game.

However, something even more astonishing happened!

The immense suction force, powerful enough to tear apart and distort even steel chariots, acted on Isabella and the light shield surrounding her, yet it was like a stone sinking into the sea, causing not a ripple whatsoever.

The surging holy light shield stood firmly in place, and Isabella herself did not feel the strange pull that distorted space.

A hint of surprise flashed in Gabriel's eyes; this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

Isabella herself was equally astonished.

She clearly remembered how Gabriel's bizarre vortex had made her look so pathetic in every battle within the family, and how much effort it had taken for her to barely break free.

But at this moment, he did not feel that familiar, soul-tearing attraction from the opponent's attack.

Cohen, sitting in the audience, had a slight glint in his eyes. Could it be that, just like his immunity to ice magic, Isabella's "intimate communication" with him had caused her to also carry some of the aura of the Shadow Dimension?

So this shadow vortex, which originated from the shadow plane, is ineffective against her?
Seeing that his skills were ineffective, Gabriel once again merged into the shadows and appeared directly in front of Isabella. This time, his speed was increased to its maximum.

His entire being transformed into a pitch-black arrow, almost invisible to the naked eye, imbued with the will to end.

Isabella's pupils constricted as she activated her holy light defense with all her might.

boom!
The shadows and the holy light collided with a deafening roar, and a massive shockwave swept outwards.

The violent shockwave, mixed with fragments of shattered energy, spread outwards in a ring, slamming into the arena's protective shield and creating intense ripples.

Gabriel's figure re-emerged in front of Isabella, maintaining the posture of his final thrust. The sharp edge of his dagger appeared steadily in front of Isabella, but then suddenly stopped.

Isabella was confused, but her fighting instincts made the holy sword she held consciously extend forward.

A powerful impact slammed into Gabriel, sending him flying backward as if struck by a heavy hammer, crashing heavily to the ground several meters away.

The entire arena fell into a deathly silence, which was then followed by a huge roar of surprise and bewilderment.

Gabriel lost?
Isabella stood frozen in place, the sword of light in her hand gradually dissipating. If Gabriel were to truly stab her with his final move, the outcome would be uncertain.

Cohen stood high in the audience, his gaze as deep as a pool, and clearly captured Gabriel's final pause as he released the water.

Cohen looked at the Darkwing family members, and the representative of the Darkwing family gave Cohen a subtle wink.

Cohen knew perfectly well what was going on.

This was not a mistake in battle; it was clearly a carefully orchestrated scheme by the Darkwing family.

Most likely, they're trying to curry favor with me, since I'm now highly bound to the Pale Wings.

Whether it's assisting the Pale Wings in controlling the Kingdom of Serene in the future, or his own identity as the Pirate King, it's enough for the Darkwing Family to give up a useless top-four ranking!
……

Regardless, the competition ultimately ended with Isabella's victory, which means that Effie has secured two of the four semi-final spots.

After the match, Cohen took the initiative to approach the Darkwing family.

The Darkwing family's secluded mansion, "The Nest of Shadows," in the VIP area has a slightly eerie atmosphere.

In the huge black council hall, the candlelight flickered without any wind, casting the shadows of several people sitting around a long black wooden table onto the wall engraved with ancient runes, making them appear particularly swaying.

The Darkwing family was led by an old acquaintance of Cohen's, Cruz Dela, whom he had dealt with in the Lost Lands.

Cruz is the Darkwing family's representative to the outside world. He basically handles all public events and can be considered the embodiment of Patriarch Cassius.

Cruz leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped on the table, his sharp gray eyes fixed on Gabriel, a slightly reproachful smile playing on his lips:
"Young Master, I told you to go easy on him, but you're being too fake. Why didn't you even use the Shadow Vortex?"

You are one of the few members of the clan who have mastered this unique skill; most people know you possess this special ability!

Gabriel looked up, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, and spread his hands, his tone full of confusion and a touch of resentment at being questioned:
"Third Uncle, I really used it, but who knew it wouldn't work this time."

Could it be that Isabella's strength has increased recently?

Cruz frowned:
"That's impossible. According to the clan records, very few people can break the Shadow Vortex..."

A deeper silence fell over the hall. Cruz frowned deeply. Clearly, the shock of the mystery surrounding the ineffectiveness of the family's special technique was far more severe than a match he had deliberately lost.

Just then, the butler appeared silently at the entrance to the dimly lit corridor outside the door, his voice extremely low, yet clearly reaching the ears of everyone holding their breath in the council chamber:

"Lord Cruz, His Majesty Corleone has come to pay a visit."

The group stopped talking and welcomed Cohen in.

Cruz greeted them with a smile and gestured for the waiter to serve tea.

After exchanging pleasantries, Cohen took the initiative to ask:
"The skill that young master Gabriel used just now... doesn't seem to originate from the human continent."

Cruz's smile remained unchanged, even becoming warmer and more natural.

But a storm was brewing in my heart.

Can you really perceive so much just by looking at it from a distance?

The silence that lasted only a few seconds felt like centuries.

Cruz picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and let out a soft sound that sounded like he was savoring the moment or perhaps pondering.

Then, as if he had made up his mind, his gaze was fixed on Cohen, and his voice was even lower than before:

"Your Excellency is now an indispensable and important ally of our Pale Wings. Before the patriarch left, he instructed us to fully cooperate with His Majesty in all his work."

Gabriel's final act of holding back was just like that.

Therefore, there are some things I will no longer hide from Your Majesty.”

Cruz seemed to straighten his back even more at this moment, a kind of almost fanatical pride from the depths of his bloodline piercing through his professional appearance and subtly revealing itself.

He no longer looked at Cohen, but raised his gaze slightly upwards, as if staring at the ceiling frescoes depicting ancient stars and shadow runes in the council chamber, his voice carrying an unquestionable reverence for a glorious history:

"Your Excellency Cohen may not know this."

We, the Della family… or rather, we, the Darkwing lineage, do not possess ordinary blood! (End of Chapter)