Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

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A barely audible sob drifted over, accompanied by a murmur that had been suppressed for millennia, traversed endless galaxies, and carried the deepest weariness and boundless joy of the soul:

"I've finally... I've finally found you again..."

Cohen was startled. He instinctively tilted his head, thinking he was hallucinating.

His young, resolute face was filled with pure bewilderment.

He couldn't understand the meaning of the whisper at all, nor could he connect it with the supreme goddess of light before him.

He blinked in confusion, trying to bring his attention back to reality, back to the deal that concerned Effie's future.

He cleared his throat, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of probing, cautiously breaking the unsettling silence:
"My Goddess... what do you think of my suggestion?"

Etherel suppressed all her emotions, and when she looked at Cohen again, her eyes had become gentler than ever before.

Meeting Aetherial's gaze, Cohen felt as if his heart had been struck hard by something.

It was a gaze he had never seen before in the eyes of any god.

It is neither a compassionate gaze upon all living beings, nor a condescending scrutiny.

It is a tenderness that chills the heart.

Aetherel reached out her hand to Cohen, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly:

"Take me inside."

As Cohen gazed at the flawless jade hand before him, the precepts of the Church of Light inexplicably surged into his mind.

Any mortal who dares to look directly at the goddess's face or touch her body will be considered a blasphemer and will be bound to a sacred cross to suffer the extreme punishment of being burned by holy flames and having their soul imprisoned forever.

And now this supreme goddess of light is actually reaching out her hand to him?
If any fanatical follower of the Church of Light were to see this scene, Cohen Corleone would be immediately branded as the most evil blasphemer in history!
Even being placed on the highest and largest cross and burned with the purest holy fire for ten thousand years would not be enough!
Cohen almost instinctively took a half-step back and said cautiously:

"My Goddess, I haven't even stated my conditions yet, what are you doing..."

Aetherel's gaze remained gentle and tender, as if she hadn't noticed Cohen's hesitation and fear.

The outstretched hand showed no sign of retracting, and the voice remained gentle:

"I'll agree to any condition as long as you can take me into the Shadow Dimension."

A strange feeling arose in Cohen's mind.

Before us stands the supreme goddess who wields light, redeems all beings, sits atop the throne of divinity, and commands the awe of all the gods.

At this moment, he is gazing at me with those gentle eyes that could eclipse the stars, inviting me with his flawless hand of holy light, and promising me any condition with an unwavering commitment!

This scene...this setting...the weight of this promise...

Cohen's breathing quickened involuntarily, and a strange heat rose from the bottom of his heart.

Some extremely audacious and filthy thoughts flashed uncontrollably and at an extremely inappropriate time in my mind.

He shook his head violently, forcibly suppressing those absurd and blasphemous thoughts.

Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

He's gone mad! He must be mad! Either he's gone mad! Or... this Goddess of Light has gone mad!
However, when he met Aetherel's gentle yet unwavering eyes once more, a sharp pain suddenly surged deep within his mind.

Cohen suppressed the indescribable heat and distracting thoughts that arose in his heart from the goddess's promise to "agree to any condition".

He took a deep breath, tightened his fingertips slightly, and grasped the perfect jade hand that reached out to him.

Cohen no longer hesitated, and activated the Rule Technique, Control of Shadows.

The two disappeared from the spot.

As the light faded, a solid feeling came from beneath my feet.

We've arrived in the Shadow Dimension.

There was no wind, no sound, and you couldn't even feel the movement of the air.

The sky was an eternal, seemingly solidified, dark gray leaden cloud, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, only a suffocatingly oppressive darkness.

The earth was cold, black rock like charcoal, with jagged rocks resembling the skeletons of giant beasts, silently pointing to the gray sky.

In the distance, the distorted outline of the mountains was faintly visible in the gray fog.

The air was filled with a chilling emptiness that penetrated to the bone and seemed to freeze the soul.

Cohen instinctively wanted to let go.

However, he soon realized that the hand he was holding was trembling violently!

He turned his head to look.

Aetherial Dawn, the goddess who wields light and is pure and flawless, has now completely lost her divine radiance and composure.

That flawless face was filled with an almost frozen, immense sorrow.

There was no sound. No crying. No words.

But Cohen could clearly sense that an overwhelming grief and despair, accumulated over millennia and enough to engulf the stars, was erupting from Aetheril.

Cohen never imagined that a supreme god would show such mundane pain.

As Aetherel gazed at the familiar scene before her, a sudden urge to cry welled up within her.

She stood there quietly, gazing at the land that had buried her lover and all her hopes.

The devastating war of the gods tens of thousands of years ago, the despair when the divine kingdom collapsed... countless frozen fragments of memory come rushing in.

Aetherel tightened his grip slightly, as if muttering in annoyance:

"Why did I have to wait so long? Why, why!"

Korn was startled when he realized that Aetherel had used force in her hand.

He couldn't guarantee that if the other person lost control of their emotions, they wouldn't crush his hand.

He used force to break free.

He took a few steps back warily and said slowly:
"Goddess of Light, you should be able to tell that this is the Shadow Dimension."

Suppressing her inner turmoil, Aetherel fixed her gaze on Cohen's face and said:
"There should be other creatures in the Shadow Dimension."

Cohen nodded slowly, magic surging in his hands.

The surrounding space seemed to ripple like the surface of water tossed with pebbles.

The sense of emptiness in the air intensified suddenly, and from the depths of the earth came a deep, rumbling sound, like a giant beast awakening.

The space not far in front of Cohen seemed to be violently torn apart by an invisible giant hand.

A deep spatial rift suddenly opened.

"Roar--!!!"

A terrifying roar, powerful enough to tear apart souls and shatter the void, erupted from the depths of the rift.

With that roar, a terrifying aura of violence, chaos, and endless destructive desire instantly spread out.

A beast's claw, covered in jet-black scales and flowing with dark red, lava-like patterns, suddenly emerged from the crack.

Immediately afterwards, a huge and ferocious head slowly rose from the crack.

Those enormous eyes, burning with a pure will to destroy, like two blood-red setting suns, swept over this desolate world with a fierce disdain for all things.

Abyss Shadow Beast, peak Gold rank!

Cohen's authority in the Shadow Plane is now equivalent to that of a "Shadow Bishop," and he can summon shadow creatures of the highest rank, the "Abyssal Shadow Beast."

Aetherel stared intently at the colossal beast radiating terrifying power, her lips trembling slightly, a deep sense of reminiscence surfacing in her eyes:
“Abyssal Shadow Beast, you ventured alone into the abyss of the underworld for its sake.”

It was snatched from the hands of Baal, the demon god who wields 'lava and destruction'..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, and the last few words were almost inaudible, yet they carried a deep-seated pride.

Cohen paused for a moment, then asked in confusion:

"What is the goddess saying?"

Aetherel seemed not to hear his question.

She simply closed her eyes slowly.

A crystal-clear tear, like a drop of the purest crystal carved from the morning light, silently slid down from the corner of her tightly closed eye. The moment it touched the dead, cold air, it turned into scattered starlight.

She took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, the emotions in them had become much calmer. She said softly:

"Let's go."

The light flashed again.

One god and one human have returned to the main plane.

He composed himself and looked at the figure beside him, now enveloped in soft holy light once more.

Aetherial Dawn has now resumed her aloof and compassionate divine demeanor, as if the distraught and trembling goddess from the Shadow Plane had never existed.

Cohen took a deep breath, suppressing all the doubts and unease in his heart.

The transaction must be completed.

He bowed slightly, his voice clear and respectful, carrying a subtle hint of probing:

"My Goddess, as agreed."

I desire a semi-divine artifact imbued with your will.

Aetherel leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on Cohen. She remained silent, instead asking a seemingly unrelated question:

"Daphne told me that you have a queen and many princesses, one of whom is an elf, is that right?"

Cohen frowned slightly, alarm bells ringing in his mind.

How could that crazy woman Daphne even tell the Goddess of Light this?
A feeling of unease and vigilance at having one's privacy invaded instantly arose.

He suppressed his emotions, forcing a slightly stiff, bitter smile, and tried to steer the conversation back to the transaction itself:

"Goddess of Light, this has nothing to do with the deal we're discussing, does it?"

As if ignoring his excuses, Aetherel slowly withdrew her gaze, turning to the void, and said softly:
"To make you willingly expose the earth-shattering secret of the Shadow Dimension, which could trigger a storm in the divine realm, and even give up the supreme grace of the gods' blessing, which could lay the foundation for a kingdom for a hundred years... in exchange for a semi-divine artifact containing the will of light. This thing must be very important to you."

Cohen's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm and spoke in a steady voice:

"Efein's foundation is too weak. A semi-divine artifact containing divine power is enough to become an important foundation for Efein to deter villains and protect its territory."

Ah……

Aetherel's laughter was soft, yet it sent a chill down Cohen's spine.

Aether calmly analyzed:
"With Daphne, the supreme goddess who controls winter and the end, behind you, why would you need to scheme for a mere semi-divine artifact?"

Even at such a high price?

The key point is not the semi-divine artifact, but the semi-divine artifact that contains the will of light.

By designating the will of light, you indicate that you are opposing the very opposite of light.

In addition, you have a queen who is from the Elf race and is a student of the Elf Queen.

I can only come up with one reasonable explanation: you asked me for this semi-divine weapon because of a woman.

The first queen of the Elven race, who possessed a portion of the Destruction Godhood and seized the divinity of the God of Darkness, was Vilekis the Destroyer, who had been hiding and lurking on the continent of the Demon Tide.

"You intend to use this semi-divine artifact to cleanse the divine will of the Dark God contained within her divinity, don't you?"

Cohen felt a bone-chilling cold instantly pierce through his soul.

His eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracting violently with extreme horror and disbelief.

He completely underestimated the wisdom and experience of a top-tier elemental god.

All the plans, all the caution, all the wishful thinking seemed so vulnerable before the supreme goddess who held the reins of light.

He thought that with Daphne's protection, the secrets of the Shadow Plane, and a carefully crafted excuse, he could maneuver before the gods.

But he was wrong, terribly wrong.

The Goddess of Light, based solely on her own request and some understanding of herself, easily deduced the whole picture.

This sent a chill down his spine, and his eyes revealed a serious wariness.

You should know that the God of Darkness is right here, right here in this arena surrounded by gods!

Cohen's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat. He was not very clear about the intricate relationships and cruel struggles among the gods of the divine realm, which were often related to life and death.

What if the Goddess of Light sold him and Virekis out of a favor for a chief god...

He doesn't have the resources to directly confront a supreme god right now.

Seeing the renewed wariness and caution on Cohen's face, Aetherel's expression softened considerably.

Just now, it was only because there were so many women around him that she felt a nameless anger and bitterness that she herself was not fully aware of.

Angry? What right do I have to be angry?
Aetherel mocked himself inwardly.

He is no longer the shadow god who allowed me to act spoiled and monopolize his affection.

She knew better than anyone that the Cohen Corleone before her was just a mortal king who had lost all his memories, lost his divine mark, and was even pitifully weak in power.

He had a queen and a princess by his side... This was perfectly normal for a mortal king.

What exactly did you go through? Why didn't you leave even a trace?

Reason held back the overwhelming emotions that drove Aetherel to want to recognize him regardless of everything and to hold him tightly in her arms.

Although I don't know why the other party has become like this, not only have their memories disappeared, but even their divine status has vanished without a trace.

But reason told her that it was best not to disrupt the current situation.

He had too many powerful enemies from his past life!
The number of gods and demons he toyed with, plundered, defeated, and even sent to eternal annihilation by his own hands is countless.

Once his identity is exposed, even if he and Daphne join forces, they might not be able to protect him.

As a mortal king, he was allowed to grow up safely.

Until he regained the strength to protect himself and even to rebuild everything.

This is the only way out.

Aetherel's gaze returned to calm. She no longer looked at Cohen's wary eyes, as if the tenderness and heartache she had felt just moments before had never existed.

Aetherel's tone softened:

"You don't need to be so wary. As I just said, I'll agree to anything as long as you can take me into the Shadow Dimension."

Immediately afterward, under Cohen's still wary gaze, Aetherel did something that would leave all the gods and humans (if they could see it) speechless.

She slowly raised her flawless jade hand and gently stroked her neck, which was shrouded in soft light.

Fingertips moved slightly.

A tiny, pure ray of light, seemingly containing the first rays of dawn, slipped silently from her neck like a spirit breaking free from its restraints.

As the light faded, a necklace with an antique and elegant design was revealed, carved entirely from a strange crystal that emitted a warm, morning glow.

The necklace's pendant is a teardrop-shaped crystal, and deep within its core, it seems to seal a wisp of ever-flowing, ever-renewing dawn light.

The entire necklace exudes a cool, pure, and faint fragrance that seems to cleanse the soul of all dust.

Without the slightest hesitation, and with an almost impatient solemnity, Aetherel gently presented the necklace, still warm and imbued with the divine aura of her neck, to Cohen:
"Heart of Dawn, a semi-divine artifact."

It contains a demiplane that can hold everything.

It also contains the protective power of the dawn, possessing top-tier defensive capabilities.

Cohen was completely stunned.

His facial expression instantly became extremely strange.

This scene looks so familiar.

When he first awakened his memories, his queen sister gave him the necklace she was wearing around her neck in the same way.

This is too...

This is the necklace that the Goddess of Light, Aetheril Dawn, wore close to her body. It is a private item that she has worn for countless millennia, imbued with her divine aura, and may even contain a part of her primordial essence!
This is no longer a transaction.

This is simply an unparalleled blessing from the gods!
Aetherel's gaze seemed to casually sweep over Cohen's neck—where he wore a necklace made of dark blue ice crystals that exuded a faint chill.

She said softly:
"The necklace you're wearing is too low-level. This necklace is enough to help you withstand three attacks from those below the level of a demigod. Change it."

Cohen felt a chill run down his spine, thinking, "Take off the 'Heart of Eternity' that my sister Queen gave me and replace it with someone else's... necklace from God."

When I get back, I'm afraid I won't even have a sofa to sleep on.

He gazed at the priceless necklace before him, which shone with the light of dawn and seemed to have been favored by a goddess.

She subconsciously touched the cold "Eternal Heart" around her neck, a symbol of her sister Adel's boundless love and protection...

To answer or not to answer?
Accepting it brings immense wealth and divine protection, but also the catastrophic disaster of a palace fire.

If you don't accept, the transaction may be voided, or you might even anger the gods!
Cohen stood frozen in place, his outstretched hand hanging in mid-air, his fingertips trembling slightly.

His face was etched with the agonizing struggle between his inner demons and the utter despair of having lost all will to live.

He would rather go out and fight the God of Darkness for hundreds of rounds than face this deadly choice.

Aetherel had already noticed the necklace around Cohen's neck, which contained a faint trace of ice-attribute energy. It was clearly a gift from his queen, the youngest legendary rank queen on the continent.

Under psychological influence, he gave Cohen the same necklace.

Seeing Cohen hesitate, Aetherel's eyes turned slightly cold, and her gentle voice instantly took on a divine majesty:

"What, you don't want it?"

If you don't want it, the transaction is void.

An invisible pressure instantly enveloped Cohen, and he gritted his teeth.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and with his eyes almost closed, he grabbed the 'Heart of Dawn' necklace with a tragic and heroic air of facing death.

It feels warm and smooth to the touch, carrying a faint, cool fragrance belonging to the Goddess of Light, as well as a vast and powerful protective force.

However, instead of removing the Heart of Eternity from his neck, he solemnly explained:
"The necklace around my neck is enchanted, so I can't just take it off. I'll put it back on when I get back."

Aetherel gave a soft snort, knowing that continuing might arouse Cohen's suspicion.

He gave Cohen one last deep look, his gaze filled with complex emotions.

There is a longing that has lasted for eternity, the ecstasy of something lost and found again, the pain of being forgotten, and the bittersweet feeling of the women around him.

It was as if I wanted to imprint his image in my heart forever.

Then there was no farewell, no words spoken.

There wasn't even the slightest spatial fluctuation.

The gentle, holy light that enveloped her vanished silently, like morning mist blown away by the wind.

She vanished without a trace, along with her figure.

The barrier of light dissipated, and Cohen instantly felt countless gazes directed at him.

Immediately afterwards, the divine thoughts of the Ice Goddess Daphne resounded in her mind:

"What are you talking about for so long? I'm warning you, she's a married woman, so don't do anything rash."

"If you offend the Goddess of Light, I can't protect you."

Daphne, of course, wanted to find out whether Cohen knew about the possible relationship between him and the Goddess of Light.

After all, it is still undetermined whether Cohen is the reincarnation of the God of Shadows, and Cohen has taken the initiative to meet with the Goddess of Light.

Although Cohen said he was negotiating a deal with the Goddess of Light, the fact that the two talked for so long made Daphne want to know more.

Cohen said helplessly:

"It's nothing, just a few hiccups during the transaction, but overall it went smoothly. By the way, Ice God, why did you tell the Goddess of Light about my personal matters?" (End of Chapter)