Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Led by the injured Lava Scale Guardian, who limped along but was unusually respectful, Cohen, Belmody, and Freya ventured deeper into the scorching areas of the Lava Sea.

They trod on the dark red rock that seemed to pulsate slightly as if it were alive, and each step required extreme caution.

Because dangerous, viscous magma bubbles would occasionally emerge from the cracks in the ground with a "gurgling" sound.

If you're not careful, each bubble can seriously injure a Silver-tier Transcendent.

The scorching smell in the air was almost tangible, the high temperature distorted vision, and even breathing felt like being burned.

The Lava Scale Guardians led them through a maze of lava passages and natural caves, eventually arriving at a relatively open area, where the heat was even more astonishing.

What came into view of the three was the entrance to a nest, haphazardly constructed from a massive block of cooled, solidified black lava and the pale skeleton of an unknown giant creature.

The cave entrance emanated a heat wave and an ominous dark red light that was even stronger than the outside world, resembling the throat of some giant beast.

Cohen's expression hardened slightly, and he gave Belmody a wary look.

The latter nodded slightly, and a faint yet astonishing aura quietly emanated from his body.

He positioned Freya slightly behind him, then slowly stepped into the cave entrance that emitted an astonishing heat wave and red light.

The interior of the nest is far more spacious than what can be seen from the outside.

The ground wasn't the dark red rock outside, but rather covered with a thick layer of dark scales and various crushed, enormous bone fragments, making a crisp "crack" sound when stepped on.

Dozens of scorching lava streams meandered through the center of the nest like blood vessels, emitting a red glow that illuminated the entire space and temperatures high enough to melt steel.

Beside one of the largest lava streams, lay a truly enormous creature.

Its size far exceeds that of the guiding lava scales, resembling a small mountain constructed of cooled lava and steel scales.

Its entire body was covered in sharp, dark red scales, with lava flowing slowly between the scales, giving off a terrifying golden-red luster.

Its slow, heavy breathing alone generated bursts of scorching wind pressure, causing the air inside the nest to tremble.

Beside this behemoth lay several smaller, but still ferocious and powerful lava scale lizards.

The fighting ability of lava scale lizards is directly proportional to their size.

Therefore, without any introduction or markings, Cohen could immediately recognize this colossal creature that occupied the most central position and exuded the most powerful, ancient, and majestic aura.

He is the absolute ruler of this Lava Scale Lizard tribe, the Lava Scale Lizard Lord.

The Lava Lord is equivalent to the Transcendent level of the Legendary rank for humans.

When it sensed the intrusion of an unfamiliar presence into its territory, the enormous body covered in scorching magma slowly writhed.

The enormous head rose from the boiling lava pool, its scorching gaze fixed on Cohen and his group as if it were a tangible object.

Of course, his attention was mainly focused on Belmody.

His pupils involuntarily contracted, revealing a rare hint of apprehension and hidden fear.

The oppressive aura emanating from this woman was so similar to that of the molten dragons that hovered atop the volcano and ruled this land, stirring an irresistible urge to submit deep within its bloodline.

This greatly puzzled him—his fear of the Molten Dragonborn stemmed from the innate bloodline suppression of the dragon race, an instinct imprinted deep within the souls of all living beings.

However, Vermouth is clearly a pure human form, so why does she evoke the same or even stronger sense of oppression?

The Lava Lord sensed that Belmod's body contained a power that transcended the ordinary legendary realm. It was not a simple crushing of energy levels, but a more fundamental difference in life form, almost at the level of rules.

The Lava Lord was unaware that Belmody's legendary domain had already extended to a sub-plane of the Hellish plane, the Abyss of the Underworld.

This pure aura from hell is enough to crush the will of most living beings.

The Lava Lord let out a low, doubtful roar, and the magma around it churned and surged, as if echoing the turmoil and unease in its heart.

A silent stillness permeated the scorching lair, broken only by the slow gurgling of the lava stream and the heavy breathing of the lava scale lizard lord.

After a while, it seemed that the Lava Lord had finally suppressed his fear, and a mental fluctuation with hissing noise directly entered the minds of Cohen and the other two.

This is the Lava Lord's usual way of communicating, which can avoid language barriers.

However, his mental fluctuations carried a clear sense of doubt and a hint of barely perceptible wariness:

"I remember your Director Allen saying when he left last time that it would take at least seven more years before you could reopen the passage and enter this burning land."

Why the sudden need to act ahead of schedule?

The Lava Lord's mental fluctuations paused slightly, as if carefully sensing their condition, before the hissing sound intensified:
"Has something unexpected happened in your country?"

The Lava Lord's words directly confirmed Cohen's earlier guess.

A thought flickered in his mind, and his thoughts raced. The Director Allen mentioned by the Lava Lord must be Ryan Allen, the powerful Director of the Interdimensional Resources Coordination Department of the Central Empire's Noble Council, who was in charge of exploring and plundering interdimensional resources.

This person is a staunch confidant of Chief Heisenberg and one of the de facto top leaders of the Dragon Plane development project.

Sure enough!

The House of Nobles had indeed secretly reached some kind of agreement with the Lava Scale Lizard clan in the Lava Sea.

Because opening a portal across dimensions is extremely costly and subject to numerous restrictions, even the House of Nobles requires a long preparation period, resulting in a pattern of "once every ten years."

This time, Cohen and his group's early arrival clearly took the Lava Lord by surprise, causing it to have doubts.

Even Chief Heisenberg probably never imagined that Cohen and his group would be directly teleported to the Lava Sea, or even to the vicinity of the Lava Scale Lizard territory.

Cohen's mind raced, processing the information and instantly grasping the key points. He felt more confident and, meeting the Lava Lord's slightly anxious vertical pupils, spoke in a tone that was both serious and authoritative:

"Indeed, the empire has experienced some changes."

The Lava Lord clearly took the secret agreement between the two sides very seriously. Upon hearing the word "unexpected change," its massive body involuntarily leaned forward, and the surrounding lava streams surged faster, revealing its inner tension.

With a hissing, crackling mental fluctuation, he immediately pressed on, his voice filled with urgency:

"What happened?"
Will this affect our agreement?

Its emotions became visibly agitated, even tinged with a barely perceptible hint of panic:

"You previously promised to provide us with a full ten thousand portions of Earth Core Rock Ore. For this, I have already shown my sincerity to several allied tribes in the surrounding area, and even promised them a portion of the share in advance."

If something goes wrong at this moment, my prestige, my tribe…”

Earth core rock ore!

Upon hearing the exact name, a look of understanding and deep thought flashed in Cohen's eyes.

Sure enough!

This completely confirmed his guess.

Earth Core Rock is a rare mineral unique to the Prime Plane, containing extremely stable and pure geothermal energy. It is a coveted treasure for any fire-attribute creature or extraordinary individual with cultivation-related systems.

It can significantly accelerate energy accumulation, strengthen affinity with earth and fire elements, and even have miraculous effects on bloodline purification and physical enhancement.

For these lava scale lizards, who live in lava environments year-round and rely on consuming lava energy and minerals to strengthen their scales and power, the core rock is nothing less than the ultimate "training accelerator" and "evolution catalyst".

This attraction is deadly.

No wonder they were willing to risk being completely wiped out by the Molten Dragonborn to secretly collude with human forces from the Prime Material Plane.

Once you understand the ins and outs of the matter, things become much easier!
Cooperation doesn't matter who you cooperate with.

Cohen's mind raced, instantly weaving a lie in his head that was both bold and able to explain the current situation while putting himself in a favorable position.

He suppressed all his emotions, his face calm, as if he were merely stating a given fact, and responded steadily through telepathy:

"The change is that... the Imperial Noble Council, which has been cooperating with you, including the Director Ryan Allen you mentioned, has been ordered by His Majesty the Emperor of the Central Empire to be imprisoned and thoroughly investigated on suspicion of treason."

He paused deliberately, letting this explosive information explode in the Lava Lord's massive mind.

Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the entire lair instantly became tense.

The Lava Lord's pupils revealed disbelief and rage.

Its massive body shuddered violently, and the molten lava flowing around it suddenly intensified, causing the lava stream beneath its feet to boil and roar.

The smaller lava scale lizards beside them instantly went into battle stance, emitting threatening low growls, their icy killing intent and betrayed rage pressing down on Cohen and his companions like a tangible force.

The business partner suddenly became a prisoner?

This would be unacceptable to any negotiator, let alone an important agreement concerning the future of the community!

Just before hostility erupted within the lair, Belmody let out a very soft, cold snort.

Without her making any significant movements, a terrifying aura originating from the deepest part of the underworld, capable of freezing souls, instantly spread out like an invisible tide, enveloping the entire lair.

This aura is not simply an energy pressure, but a death declaration targeting the very essence of life.

In an instant, the scorching air inside the nest seemed to freeze.

The lava scale lizards, which had assumed an attack stance, were frozen in place as if bound by invisible chains of ice, their roars stuck in their throats, their eyes filled with primal fear.

Even the legendary Lava Lord couldn't help but tremble under the terrifying aura of facing the abyss.

Its body, composed of lava and hard scales, felt a bone-chilling cold, and its pupils filled with horror and disbelief. It now clearly understood that the human woman before it possessed the terrifying power to instantly destroy it and its entire lair!
Taking advantage of Belmody's intimidating presence, Cohen revealed a condescending smile and continued:

"Allen and those traitors from the House of Lords hastily destroyed a lot of classified information before their execution, including the details of their agreement with you."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming seductive and forceful:
"I have come here not to deny the previous agreement."

On the contrary, I have come here on His Majesty's orders to renegotiate with you!

His Majesty has decreed that whatever conditions those traitors promised you beforehand, you shall be punished.

"Talk to us now, and you'll get better terms!"

Cohen's gaze was sharp as a knife, as if it could pierce through the Lava Lord's soul:

"Because this time, your partner is no longer a certain institution or official, but His Majesty the Emperor of the most powerful empire in humankind—the Central Empire!"

His Majesty will personally take over the cooperation between the two parties and will provide you with unprecedented support.

The prerequisite is that your loyalty and cooperation must completely align with the imperial will represented by His Majesty!

Cohen's words made the Lava Lord, who was still in shock and anger, become excited again.

These lava scale lizards have no interest in the internal political struggles and power shifts among humans; what they truly crave are tangible benefits.

It is a valuable resource that can promote the reproduction and growth of the species – the core rock.

As long as someone can consistently provide these, it makes no difference to them who sits in that position.

What's more, the potential partner has now jumped directly from "an official in a certain department" to the emperor of the most powerful empire in human history.

This means that the weight of the commitment, the resources that can be mobilized, and the stability of future cooperation will all be far greater than before.

How can we not make them excessively excited?
The Lava Lord's face flashed with a mixture of excitement and caution.

He suppressed his turbulent emotions, and with a lingering sense of awe and immense anticipation, tentatively sent out a mental wave:

"Your Excellency, are you a special envoy representing His Majesty the Emperor?"

He paused, then asked the most crucial question, one that concerned the future of the entire tribe:
Do you have any proof of your identity?

The Lava Lord needs solid evidence to ensure this is not yet another trap or empty promise.

Cohen was not surprised by its reaction.

He slowly raised his hand, and a soft yet indescribably majestic golden light appeared in his palm.

Amidst the light, a scroll made of a special material, radiating a sacred glow, slowly unfurled.

It was the marriage contract between him and Shanies!

The scroll not only bears the name written by Xenias herself and the emblem symbolizing the imperial family, but also several divine imprints of different natures, yet all equally vast and powerful.

It was an invisible seal of law that was bestowed upon it by the gods, including Madora, the god of prophecy; Daphne, the goddess of winter; Etheril, the goddess of light; and Ares, the god of war, during the martial arts festival.

This symbolizes that the marriage is witnessed and blessed by many deities.

At the same time, at the end of the scroll, the imperial seal, which was covered by the imperial inheritance artifact, radiated a purple-gold light and contained supreme imperial power and national destiny, was even clearer. Its pressure even made the surrounding fire elements pause slightly.

This marriage contract has long transcended the scope of ordinary documents, becoming a wondrous artifact that blends imperial power, divine grace, and covenant.

Holding the radiant marriage contract, Cohen's voice carried an unquestionable authority, clearly conveying it through telepathy:
"Yes, I am not only His Majesty the Emperor's special envoy, but also the Imperial Consort of the Central Empire."

His Majesty has granted me full authority to handle all matters relating to this place.

This marriage contract, witnessed by the gods and blessed by the imperial seal, is my proof of identity and an extension of His Majesty's will.

Empress's Special Envoy!

Imperial Consort!

The gods bear witness!

Imperial Seal!

Each word struck the Lava Lord's heart like a heavy hammer.

The sacred aura and imperial authority flowing from the scroll cannot be faked, especially the imperial seal, which one can even faintly sense the power of "order" contained within it.

All doubts vanished at that moment.

The Lava Lord lowered its massive body with utmost solemnity, a gesture of the highest respect.

A surge of excitement and awe resonated once more, this time filled with utter surrender:

"So it is His Highness the Imperial Consort who has come in person. Please forgive us for our previous negligence."

"The Lava Scale Lizard clan is willing to obey the will of His Majesty the Emperor and you. Please provide the new terms of cooperation!"

Cohen put away the engagement and calmly said:
"Tell me the gist of your previous negotiations with the House of Nobles."

What are the specific negotiation terms, the delivery timeline, and how do you plan to assist them in subduing the Molten Dragonborn?

The Lava Lord lowered his massive head, a dull, rock-grinding sound emanating from his throat, and recounted in detail the agreement he had previously reached with the House of Nobles.

Cohen listened attentively, his expression gradually becoming calm and composed.

He then learned that the House of Nobles had never truly intended to "subdue" the Molten Dragonborn from the very beginning.

Several costly failures had long since extinguished their illusions, and their current plan seemed to reek of short-sighted greed.
Their plan was to launch a surprise attack while the Molten Dragonborn were fighting their sworn enemy, the Thunder Dragonborn, leaving their rear vulnerable, to abduct a few young dragons and steal more dragon eggs.

The alliance with the Lava Lizards was also intended to better create chaos within the organization.

The Lava Lord further revealed that their Lavascale Lizards are not an isolated tribe.

Scattered throughout the vast lava sea are nearly thirty tribes of similar size, each typically led by three to five powerful scaled lizards at the lord level.

As for the weaker settlements, there are countless of them, some of which don't even have a lord and are just scattered survivors.

He growled, emphasizing that this scorching sea of ​​lava had been their inhabitant since ancient times.

In their distant heyday, their numbers were comparable to those of a human empire.

However, all of this changed after the black dragon was banished to the Dragon Plane.

When they were banished by the gods and demons of hell, some of the black dragons were deeply corrupted by the hellfire, resulting in a terrifying mutation that eventually evolved into the powerful and domineering Molten Dragonborn race we know today.

Subsequently, the Molten Dragonborn, with their overwhelming power, forcibly seized the Scaled Lizards' ancestral home.

The House of Nobles' plan is also quite clear.

They promised rare "core rock minerals" as a reward and bait, attempting to consolidate the power of the tribe in front of Cohen, as well as five or six other scaly lizard tribes in the surrounding area.

The core of the plan is to use the scaled lizards as cannon fodder, and at the most critical moment when the Molten Dragonborn and Thunder Dragonborn are locked in a fierce battle, to launch a direct attack on the Molten Dragonborn's weakly guarded lair and carry out the plan to plunder the cubs and dragon eggs.

Cohen was not surprised by the House of Nobles' cruel and ruthless ways, but the crudeness and shortsightedness of their plan made him secretly sneer.

This is not just about exploiting the Lavascaled Lizard; it's about pushing a potentially vital force to the brink of destruction in exchange for a few dragon eggs that take a long time to hatch and a few untamable young dragons.

His gaze swept over the lava lord before him and the restless kin behind it.

He saw not only a group of natives forced to reclaim their homeland, but also the power they possessed that originated from the same source as this lava sea, as well as their deep-seated understanding of the Ember Dragonborn and the hatred accumulated over countless generations.

These are resources far more valuable than a few dragon eggs.

Cohen was certain that the Lavascaled Lizard would not be the only victim in the process of the Ember Dragonborn taking over the Lava Sea.

Besides the Lavascaled Lizards, there must be many other indigenous races within the Lava Sea that are oppressed by the Ember Dragonborn.

Those cave crab tribes who struggled to carve out their homes in boiling magma, the subterranean dwarves who relied on collecting rare crystals for a living but were forced to pay heavy taxes, and many more tribes hidden in the abyss, silently enduring hardship.

Their generations of suffering and silent struggles constitute what Cohen sees as a "silent volcano" that can be ignited and coalesce into a torrent.

He was planning a storm that would fundamentally overturn the Molten Dragonborn's hegemony.

He planned to first use the Lava Lizard as a fulcrum and example, sending people to secretly contact various tribes, listen to their demands, promise future autonomy and fairness, and gradually build an underground alliance network based on common interests and goals.

He then personally intervened, uniting the Shadow Dragonborn and the Mourning Dragonborn to build an alliance powerful enough to restrain and intimidate the main force of the Ember Dragonborn from the outside, creating an overwhelming advantage for the final battle within.

They eventually completely subdued the Molten Dragonborn race.

However, Cohen understood that such a grand strategy, from networking and defection to building trust, from resource integration to preparation for joint military operations, could not be accomplished in just thirty days.

This requires years of patient management, continuous investment of massive resources, and precise control over details.

His current task is to get started; he will need to assign someone to take charge of the follow-up work.

This person must be close enough and capable enough.

After thinking it over, Cohen concluded that the best person to be in charge of executing this long follow-up plan was none other than Isabella.

Miss Wenze's approachable and resilient diplomatic skills, along with her impressive track record of successfully leading alien development projects on multiple continents, make her the perfect choice to take on this important task.

Only her experience and wisdom can ensure that this meticulously designed strategic blueprint will not be aborted due to Cohen's departure, but will steadily become a reality step by step! (End of Chapter)