Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Having finished his plan, Cohen signaled to the lava leader to disperse all the scaled lizards in the vicinity.

Having reached this point, the latter had no further doubts and dismissed the remaining scaled lizards.

Without any roundabout tactics or probing, Cohen's gaze was sharp, and his voice was steady and clear as he began to slowly unfold the grand strategic blueprint in his mind.

He began by analyzing the widespread oppression of the various tribes of the Lava Sea, and then discussed the specific steps for integrating these scattered forces in stages—how to establish a secret network of communication, how to eliminate long-standing feuds through common interests, and how to gradually train and arm a coalition army belonging to the natives themselves.

In the end, Cohen himself articulated an even more astonishing external alliance strategy.

He will personally travel to the Dark Rift to unite with the Shadow Dragonborn, and to the Bone Wasteland to unite with the Mourning Dragonborn.

His words revealed a deep understanding of the habits and needs of these two dragon-descended groups, and the proposed solutions sounded highly feasible and practical.

Finally, he frankly pointed out the long time and massive resources required to achieve all this, making it clear that this was by no means a short-term raid, but a long-term war aimed at completely rewriting the landscape of the lava sea.

As Cohen narrated, the Lava Leader was also undergoing an exceptionally dramatic ideological transformation.

At first, he was deeply wary and suspicious. Cohen's plan was too amazing, far exceeding the narrow-minded scheme of stealing eggs and children that the Noble House had used before, making him instinctively suspect that this was yet another carefully woven trap.

However, as Cohen elaborated in detail, especially the point that "the emperor and his consort of the most powerful empire in the human world will be their backing," they gained unprecedented confidence.

The humiliation and hatred suppressed for thousands of years urgently needed an outlet.

Overthrow the rule of the Molten Dragonborn!
"We've waited too long for this day!"

The lava leader finally emitted a heavy, hoarse mental wave, filled with the sorrow accumulated over millennia and the trembling of finally seeing a glimmer of dawn:

"The Lava Scale Lizard... and all the bullied races I can contact will follow your guidance!"

Seeing that the other party had finally agreed to cooperate, Cohen breathed a sigh of relief.

After agreeing in detail with the lava leader on the time, place, and method of communication for the next secret meeting.

Cohen didn't linger. He took Belmody and Freya, turned around, and left the scorching lair, stepping back into the boundless, crimson wasteland of the lava sea.

……

After leaving the boiling nest, the suffocating heat and pungent sulfur smell did not diminish in the slightest; on the contrary, they became even wilder and more ubiquitous because they were far from the relatively stable nest structure.

The scorching heat distorted the view, and the rocky ground beneath one's feet seemed to be perpetually in a state of thawing, requiring extra caution with every step.

Without the slightest hesitation, Cohen activated the sacred belt on his waist once again—"Eternal Ring: Dragon Blood Pact".

A soft, pale golden halo instantly unfolded, like an inverted glass bowl, steadily enveloping the three of them.

Above the light shield, faint, ancient dragon-like patterns of pressure flowed, quietly dispelling the most direct erosion from the surrounding environment.

Meanwhile, with the help of Belmody's magic, the three of them sped toward the "Dark Rift," marked on the map, located deeper in the Dragon Plane and closer to the bottom shadow area.

With the help of the Eternal Ring and the aura of Belmod, the journey went smoothly this time.

The aura of ancient and powerful dragons emanating from the "Eternal Ring" is like an invisible declaration.

The perceptive native creatures of this plane could easily recognize that this was not an ordinary, easily bullied prey, but rather an existence bearing the mark of a strong among their "kin," causing them to subconsciously choose to avoid it.

The chilling aura emanating from Belmodi, emanating from the legendary realm of the underworld, instilled fear and dread in any potential attacker, making them utterly incapable of even considering probing.

In this dog-eat-dog world, strength is the passport, and deterrence is more powerful than a thousand words.

During his journey, Cohen also sent his general plans, ideas, and cooperation with the Lava Scale Lizard tribe to Adele and Isabella.

Isabella will be primarily responsible for this matter, while Adele will be mainly responsible for domestic resource allocation.

Of course, you should also let Shanis know in advance.

……

After traveling at high speed for a period of time, the surrounding environment began to change significantly.

The dark red lava ground beneath their feet was gradually replaced by a strange, deep purple rock that seemed to contain the power of lightning.

The smell of sulfur in the air gradually faded, replaced by a refreshing freshness, like that after a rain.

But beneath this refreshing exterior lies a chilling, restless energy.

They finally left the "Lava Sea" territory ruled by the Molten Dragonborn for good.

Before their eyes, the scenery suddenly changed, as if they had stepped into another world—the territory of the Thunder Dragonborn, "Storm Peak".

Looking around, one no longer sees a continuous expanse of land, but rather enormous, broken mountain ranges.

Even more bizarrely, these mountains are not rooted in the earth, but defy common sense and float high in the sky, supported by countless raging thunderbolts and thick black clouds.

Amidst the clouds, the outlines of magnificent palaces, formed from lightning and constructed from thunderstone, could be faintly seen. Like the abodes of gods, they appeared and disappeared amidst the dazzling lightning, exuding a majestic and awe-inspiring aura.

The black thunderclouds churned and collided violently, each impact unleashing a blinding flash of white lightning that illuminated the entire sky, followed by deafening thunder.

Amidst the churning sea of ​​clouds and raging lightning serpents, one can occasionally glimpse the silhouettes of enormous dragons, their scales displaying dazzling blue-white or ancient bronze hues, perfectly blending into this ocean of lightning.

The dragons moved gracefully and powerfully through the storm, as if the devastating environment were merely a whimsical playground for them.

Thunder Dragonborn!

This unique branch of the dragon bloodline can be traced back to the rare union of the ancient thunder dragon and the black dragon ancestor.

This means that from the moment they are born, they inherit part of the black dragon's physique and a natural affinity for lightning.

Being banished to the Dragon Plane, a prison of raging energy, is a disaster for many races, but for the Thunder Dragonborn, it is like returning to their origin.

The omnipresent and abundant violent lightning energy throughout the plane acted as the perfect catalyst, completely activating and nourishing the ancient thunder dragon power dormant in their bloodlines.

Through countless generations of breeding, adaptation, and enhancement, the Thunder Dragonborn has long since developed this talent to its fullest potential.

Their power to wield thunder is no less than, and in some aspects even surpasses, that of their pure-blooded thunder dragon ancestors.

With their unparalleled offensive power and near-perfect affinity and control over lightning, the Thunder Dragonborn have become the most powerful and awe-inspiring of the six dragonborn races in the Dragon Plane.

Their territory, "Storm Peak," has thus become one of the most dangerous forbidden zones in the eyes of all intruders.

For thousands of years, the House of Nobles has been so adept at its strategies that it has never dared to venture into the heart of the storm.

Freya lay on the edge of the light barrier, her eyes wide, staring at the huge and elegant dragon shadow that was faintly visible in the clouds in the distance.

This was the first time she had ever seen so many dragons in person, especially the thunder dragons known for their ferocity and power to control the heavens.

Completely different from the dragon-type mechanical beasts and ancient golems she had studied before, this was a living, breathing, and immense power that could summon the might of heaven and earth with a single breath.

The little princess's eyes gleamed with barely suppressed excitement and the light of a pure tech enthusiast. Almost forgetting the danger of her surroundings, she murmured unconsciously:

"A perfect energy conductor, a natural bio-lightning focusing array, sir, I bet any bone from these dragons could be used to create a perfect lightning mechanism."

Cohen affectionately stroked Freya's hair, a hint of a smile in his eyes:
"Don't worry, I guarantee you'll ride a dragon and conquer all of Ceylon!"

Despite the double shield of the dragon's oppressive aura emanating from the "Eternal Ring" and the unfathomable legendary presence of Belmody, ordinary dragonborn dared not approach easily.

Saint-level dragons usually reside deep within the Thundercloud Palace and do not easily reveal themselves, but Cohen remained unfazed.

He scanned the churning thunderclouds in the sky warily, lowering his voice:
Let's get through quickly.

The Thunder Dragonborn are used to being powerful and have a very strong sense of territory.

We came from the territory of their sworn enemies—the Molten Dragonborn. Although our presence was concealed, it's hard to guarantee that some perceptive individuals won't notice anything amiss.

Don't cause any unnecessary trouble.

Belmody tapped her chin, and magic surged like an undercurrent, enhancing the light shield maintained by Cohen in a more subtle way.

The three of them suddenly increased their speed, like a shadowy figure speeding along the edge of the undulating mountains and thunderclouds, making the most of the terrain to avoid danger and try to pass through this dangerous airspace in the shortest time and with the least amount of noise.

Three days passed in a flash, spent on high alert and moving at breakneck speed.

When the deafening, unsettling roar of thunder that had been hanging overhead for three days and three nights finally subsided behind them, the three of them couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The stinging static electricity in the surrounding environment gradually faded away.

They successfully left the oppressive area of ​​"Storm Peak" and gradually approached the territory of the Shadow Dragonborn. ...

The Dragon Realm, a land scarred by countless wounds, was itself an unfortunate victim caught in the ancient war between gods and demons.

The aftershocks of that catastrophe tore apart the plane's fundamental structure and distorted its laws, ultimately leading to its selection as a prison for the unruly black dragon race.

The terrifying remnants of this epic war also created an extremely strange and dangerous location in the plane—the "Shadow Rift".

The "Shadow Rift" is not a naturally formed landform, but rather the remnant divine power of a fallen shadow demon lord from the ancient war of gods, which violently collided and merged with the corrupt primordial power from the deepest part of the abyss.

Finally, it left a huge, terrible scar that stretched across multiple dimensions in the plane of existence.

It constantly exudes the purest shadow energy and twisted abyssal aura, polluting and reshaping the surrounding environment.

Among the black dragons who were banished at the time, one branch happened to be obsessed with bizarre and powerful shadow magic.

After arriving in this plane, instead of weakening due to the drastic changes in the environment, they thrived.

They almost without hesitation occupied the "Shadow Rift," regarding it as an unparalleled gift and a source of power.

With their immense power, the dragons enslaved the native creatures near the rift, which were composed of pure shadow energy, and began to devour and assimilate the shadow and abyssal energy surging from the rift.

Over the long course of time, their bodies, souls, and even the very essence of their existence have undergone tremendous changes, ultimately evolving into the "Shadow Dragonborn" who are now adapted to darkness and walk between the real and the illusory.

As Cohen and his group ventured deeper into the territory, the terrain beneath their feet clearly marked the changes in land boundaries.

The rugged mountains, once belonging to the Thunder Dragonborn and scarred by lightning, were gradually left behind, replaced by darker, more rugged areas that seemed to have been brutally torn apart by a tremendous force.

Deep, crevices are everywhere, seemingly bottomless, like entrances to hell.

From the depths of these cracks seeped gusts of cold, bone-chilling wind, carrying an aura of decay and nothingness.

The wind blowing on the skin carries away all warmth, leaving only a chilling cold.

The entire area was shrouded in a depressing gloom.

The already scarce light sources at higher altitudes are almost completely blocked here, as if an invisible force has swallowed up all the light.

The only faint light came from some strange mosses that emitted a pale blue or ghastly green glow, growing on the rock walls and the edges of cracks, as well as a few eerie mineral crystals embedded in the rocks.

These things, instead of illuminating the way forward, made the jagged rocks and distorted shadows appear even more eerie and bizarre.

Silence is the dominant theme here, with only the whispering whistles of the cold wind as it passes through the narrow cracks adding to the eeriness and unknown fear.

They had officially entered the territory of the Shadow Dragonborn—a kingdom woven from pure shadow and icy despair.

Cohen walked through this dark region that swallowed up light, and far from feeling uncomfortable, he seemed to be in his element, extremely at ease.

The shadowy aura emanating from him seemed to resonate with the land, making him appear even more profound and unfathomable, as if he were an integral part of this dark place.

In contrast, Freya seemed somewhat nervous.

The eerie shadows that surrounded her and the occasional faint friction sounds that came from an unknown source in the deathly silence made this princess, who was used to bright workshops and logically clear mechanical creations, feel instinctively uneasy.

She instinctively moved closer to Cohen, clutching a luminous charm that emitted a soft white light in her hand.

Cohen's warm hand tightened slightly, gripping her slightly cold fingers more firmly, his voice extremely soft:

"Don't worry, I feel like I've been here before."

Belmod's eyes swept over the jagged rocks and bottomless crevices around him. His senses, derived from the Nine Hells, clearly detected the similarity between this place and the unique shadowy aura emanating from Cohen.

She added in a low voice:

"To be honest, this place does resemble the Shadow Plane that you control."

Cohen did not reply, because at this moment a stronger and more eerie sense of familiarity was crashing against his perception like a tidal wave.

He vaguely sensed that something long buried in his mind was violently loosening, trying to break through the soil.

The brain was accompanied by a throbbing pain, like the prelude to an explosion of endless fragments of memory that had been forcibly compressed.

He seems to have actually been here before!

It wasn't the kind of déjà vu feeling of controlling a character to explore a map in a game from a past life, but rather a deeper imprint from the depths of the soul.

The strange structure of the surrounding rock walls, sculpted by years of shadow energy, a blend of smoothness and sharpness; the distribution pattern of the moss emitting a ghostly blue and pale green light; even the faint yet unique aura of shadow and arcane energy carried in the cold breeze...

All of this gave him a strong, chilling sense of familiarity.

It was as if, long, long ago, he had walked through similar passageways countless times, touched similar glowing moss, and breathed the same cold air.

Suddenly, Cohen stopped abruptly and let out a suppressed groan of pain.

Immediately afterwards, fragmented pieces, chaotic images, and sounds surged into his consciousness like a flood bursting its banks:
A tall, blurry figure shrouded in deep shadows stood before a massive rift that seemed capable of swallowing all light, and reached out his hand to him!

Dragons, these naturally powerful creatures, should have soared above all living beings, their majesty and strength enough to command the worship of mortal kingdoms, enjoying a status of veneration almost on par with that of gods.

However, this particular black dragon clan has faced a completely different fate due to the choices it made throughout its long history.

They were ultimately driven out by a rare joint effort from two powerful forces that should have been mortal enemies: the world of gods and the demons of hell.

What's even more chilling is that their ancestral home and spiritual symbol, Dragon Valley, has tacitly approved, or even endorsed, this verdict to some extent.

The root cause lies in the fact that during the last great war between gods and demons that swept across the multiverse, the Black Dragon Clan adopted an extremely dangerous strategy of constantly shifting course for their own benefit and so-called "survival wisdom."

Sometimes they assist the gods in vanquishing demons, and sometimes they forge secret pacts with demon gods to betray their allies, attempting to seize the greatest benefits in the gap between the two camps and maintain a dangerous balance.

However, this betrayal, devoid of any moral compass and purely based on self-interest, ultimately exhausted the last shred of patience and trust from all factions.

When the smoke of the great war subsided and the time for reckoning arrived, the Black Dragon Clan was horrified to discover that they had offended the gods, the demons, and their own kind (Dragon Valley) who regarded them as traitors.

The three forces reached a rare consensus and jointly signed an exile decree, banishing them to a remote, desolate sub-plane that was on the verge of collapse and whose laws were in disarray due to the aftermath of a great war—the later Dragon Plane.

The order of exile has been issued, like a final judgment, irreversible.

The entire Black Dragon Clan was plunged into an unprecedented state of fear and panic.

His former arrogance had vanished, replaced by despair for the unknown, desolate land and a deep fear of eternal imprisonment.

Among the black dragons, there is a rather unique group. Unlike most of their kind, they do not pursue ultimate physical strength or world-destroying dragon language magic. Instead, they are obsessed with studying the mysterious and secretive shadow energy.

They conduct various experiments that seem incomprehensible to outsiders, buried deep underground for many years. They are regarded as strange and marginalized beings in the entire Black Dragon Society.

The leader of this tribe, an ancient black dragon who also devoted himself to the mysteries of shadow, reacted very differently from the other dragon chieftains who were as anxious as ants on a hot pan and tried to pull strings to get Dragon Valley to retract its decision after learning of this devastating news.

He remained unusually calm, and then without hesitation, he ventured into the secret laboratory located deep within the earth's crust, heavily guarded and covered with forbidden runes.

This leader was keenly aware of a harsh reality:

The decision was made jointly by the gods, demons, and Dragon Valley. The unity of their will and the strength of their power are so great that probably no other being in the entire multiverse could change or defy it.

Begging for mercy, bribery, or even war are all meaningless and will only hasten our demise.

The only, slim chance of survival does not lie in praying for forgiveness from the forces that have already sentenced them to death.

Hope can only exist in one person, or rather, in one god—

Under the almost desperate and devout prayers of the tribal leader, the space deep within the laboratory, at the core of a complex magic array constructed of pure shadow energy, slowly bulged out.

Finally, a deep, dark shadow with no fixed shape, constantly twisting and changing, seemingly capable of devouring all light and sound, separated from it and hovered before the massive dragon head of Zharhei.

There was no human form in the shadows; the hoarse, deep voice acted directly on the soul, carrying a cold indifference that seemed to pierce through time and space.
“Zarhei, my prediction was correct, wasn’t it?”

Zarhei the Darkborn, the ancestor of the future Shadow Dragonborn, a dragon god with moderate divine power, was now experiencing a slight, involuntary tremor in his massive black dragon body.

He wasn't afraid of what was before him, but rather of the other person's chillingly accurate prophecy.

All pride and defiance in the dragon's eyes had vanished, leaving only utter submission and pleading:

“Great God of Shadows, your humble servant Zarhei is willing to grant you any of your conditions!”
"If you can unleash your supreme power and preserve a glimmer of hope for my race, preventing our complete annihilation in this shattered land!" (End of Chapter)