Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The dragon seal on Cohen's hand flashed, and the water in the wooden bucket in front of him quickly boiled.

He turned around, came behind Grace, and gently massaged her forehead.

He chuckled and said:

"Your Highness has worked hard these past few days."

But don't underestimate your best friend.

In these short few months, Isa has been quite busy in the Dragon Plane.

She has made the place incredibly successful, far exceeding our initial expectations.

Besides the two main factions, the Shadow Dragonborn and the Mourning Dragonborn, with whom we have already established a solid partnership.

Having suffered oppression from the Molten Dragonborn, all the subordinate races in the Lava Sea region have been successfully united by Isa.

This has created a force that should not be underestimated.

When Reynolds arrives in the Dragon Plane, we won't need to waste any more words.

All we need to do is have Gabriel summon the leaders of these three factions in our name and have them show up before Reynolds.

These unruly dragonborn leaders are able to obey our commands, appear on time, and show obedience.

With Reynolds's sharp eyes, he could naturally see the meaning behind it at a glance.

He will understand that what we possess in the Dragon Realm is not just powerful military force, but also real dominance and influence.

This is far superior to those short-lived conquerors.

Reynolds is, in the end, a businessman, and businessmen know best how to make the most advantageous choices for themselves in the face of obvious trends.

By then, we won't need to say anything more; this shrewd arms dealer will know what to choose.

To ensure the absolute secrecy of the strategic infiltration and conquest of the Dragon Plane.

Isabella conducted an extremely careful selection process when assembling her core team.

The vast majority of her power comes from the Pale Wings.

The main force in this elite team consists of the two core families within the Pale Wings: the Darkwing Family and the Bloodwing Family.

They not only possess a long and powerful heritage, but are now one with Cohen and Effie.

A particularly prominent example is Gabriel Dela, the first in line to inherit the Darkwing family.

This young shadow assassin, who had already reached the ninth level, once distinguished himself in the Gold Group competition of the Noble Martial Arts Festival, which brought together the top young elites of the continent.

His elusive movements and sharp, precise assassination skills left a deep impression on many spectators.

Although in the subsequent match, he chose to concede defeat in order to show goodwill to Cohen.

But this did not affect his reputation for strength in the eyes of others.

As the heir carefully nurtured by the Darkwing family with a great deal of resources, Gabriel Dela's personal abilities and overall qualities are beyond doubt.

He not only possesses top-notch personal combat skills, but also outstanding strategic vision, meticulous thinking, and excellent diplomatic and coordination abilities.

This is why the new battlefield of the Dragon Plane is full of both opportunities and challenges.

Isabella entrusted most of the key tasks to Gabriel for leadership and execution.

From contacting and negotiating with various Dragonborn factions to the concrete implementation of strategic plans, Gabriel has demonstrated reliable capabilities.

All that is needed is for Gabriel Dela to personally demonstrate to Reynolds the true situation of the Dragon Plane, which they have secretly taken control of, and the immense power they have amassed.

With Reynolds's shrewd and experienced eye, he could immediately glean enough information from it and clearly judge the prospects and risks of the cooperation.

He would naturally know how to make the choice that best serves his own interests, and he would never give up the golden opportunity to establish close cooperation with a rising overlord force that is about to emerge in the Dragon Plane!

As Cohen explained, the misty steam slowly filled the room.

The air was filled with the faint scent of rare spices.

Grace removed her luxurious outer robe and wore only a silk undershirt.

She gazed at the carefully prepared bathwater in the tub and let out a satisfied cheer.

However, seeing the undisguised anticipation and eagerness in Cohen's eyes, she bit her plump lower lip gently with a hint of helplessness.

A soft voice, tinged with weariness and a hint of pleading, whispered:

"I'm really tired from running around with you these past few days, negotiating and socializing. Please don't bother me tonight."

Cohen blinked and said in a serious tone:

"Your Highness, you are mistaken."

It's because you've been working too hard these past few days that you need to relax, both physically and mentally.

That's why a professional and meticulous massage is even more necessary to relax muscles and bones and improve blood circulation!

Rest assured, I guarantee it with my integrity.

This is absolutely nothing more than a simple massage to help you relax. I promise I won't move around or do anything inappropriate.

His righteous and stern demeanor made it seem as if he were reciting some sacred oath.

Of course, if it weren't for that almost barely suppressed mischievous smile on his lips, it would probably be quite convincing.

Grace looked at his hypocritical demeanor and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Believe it or not, there is a ghost!"

As he spoke, he began to unbutton the first button of his shirt.

A small patch of fair and delicate collarbone was revealed, making it hard to look away, then the second, the third...

Finally, she stepped into the warm bathtub and slowly sank her tired body into the water.

Seeing this, Cohen quickly took off his bathrobe.

Like a nimble fish, it slipped silently into the water.

He swam towards the alluring figure that captivated him.

Soon, the room was filled with the soft sound of water and Grace's half-hearted, half-joking whispers...

……

……

……

It was already the third day since they left the Tower of Contracts. Cohen and Grace boarded the multi-level cruise ship that Mephisto had arranged for them, heading to the first level, Aphonas.

This is also the end point and main task of this journey through hell.

Meet with Grand Duke Zariel and persuade him to join forces with Grace to fight against Shazo's succession-grabbing group.

On Styx, a hellish luxury cruise ship sped along the gateway to the Nine Hells, heading towards Aphonas, the first level.

After five days and five nights of sailing, the luxurious cruise ship adorned with the emblem of hell, carrying Cohen and his companion, finally pierced through the eternally shrouded dark red mist above the River Styx.

As we slowly entered the ferry crossing on the edge of Afonas, a chilling and oppressive atmosphere, completely different from that of the Dis Layer, swept over us, as if even the air itself had become heavier.

The first thing that catches the eye is the towering, massive defensive fortifications on both sides of the ferry crossing, which are not constructed of stone or metal.

Instead, it was forged directly from countless pale, giant skeletons and pitch-black hellish iron ore.

Bone spires and steel bastions stand side by side, with battle banners made of demon hide hanging from the towers.

The banner bears the emblem of Grand Duke Zariel—a burning greatsword piercing a skull—drawn in congealed blood.

The water at the ferry crossing had an eerie dark purple hue, a result of the mixture of the Styx River's waters and the unique abyssal energy of Afona.

The surface of the water was filled with churning, vengeful mist, from which one could faintly hear countless painful wails and murmurs.

This is the edge of the Nine Hells plane. The main channel of the Styx becomes relatively flat here, forming several ferry crossings, which are guarded by powerful bone demons and deep pit demons.

On the left are rows of deep pits that resemble mobile fortresses, each over five meters tall.

Covered in thick, dark red scales, its ferocious head had only a pair of eyes burning with cruel light.

He stared intently at every approaching ship, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.

On the right were groups of bone demons, whose figures were even more slender, but who exuded a chilling aura.

The body was forcibly pieced together from countless pale, twisted bones, standing silently like a group of sculptures from the land of death.

These two distinctly different demons form the first line of defense at the Aphrodite Gate.

They have a clear division of labor: the Demon Refiner is responsible for the intimidation and crushing power, while the Bone Demon is good at bizarre spells and soul-level interrogation.

The combination of these two elements is enough to ensure that any intruder with malicious intent will not leave alive.

As the first level of the Nine Hells plane, Aphonas's entire vast territory was designated as a top-level military control zone.

Therefore, the strictness and complexity of entry and exit controls here are the most stringent of all the prisons.

It is far superior to other business- or pleasure-oriented sectors.

At the heart of each Styx crossing, a colossal magical eye hangs high.

Looking down at all the ships and pedestrians coming and going, this artifact, powered by both abyssal magic and hellish pacts, can easily see through most illusions, disguises, and transformation spells.

Anyone who tries to deceive others with a false identity will find it difficult to escape its watchful eye.

All passengers arriving in Afonas by ferry must first undergo a scan and screening by the Eye of Magic before disembarking.

The authenticity of their soul essence and form must be verified to ensure that no hostile forces from the Nine Hells plane, such as spies from the Abyss or destroyers from other dimensions, have infiltrated this military stronghold. This is followed by a rigorous review of the access contracts.

Every entrant must present a legally valid contract officially recognized by the Ninth Prison.

Such contracts are usually signed in advance between the applicant and the demonic agents scattered across various prime material planes or other outer planes.

The contract not only details the entrant's identity information, purpose of visit, and duration of stay, but also includes a series of stringent behavioral clauses and penalties for breach of contract.

Any missing or unclear terms will result in rejection.

In addition, every passenger entering and leaving the area must be questioned by the Bone Demons and clearly state their purpose for entering the first level. Any vague or illogical answers will be immediately confiscated.

They were then transferred to a specialized interrogation department for further "torture".

Only after all the above checks have been successfully completed will legal entrants be allowed to set foot on the land of Afonas.

But that's not the end; they will also have a temporary magical brand placed on the back of their hand or forehead in a conspicuous location.

This brand acts like an invisible surveillance system, not only identifying the entrant's identity and level of authority but also strictly limiting their activities within Afonas.

Any attempt to trespass into unauthorized areas will immediately trigger the alarm mechanism in the brand, incurring the relentless attack of the patrolling demons.

However, the multi-class cruise ship that Cohen and Grace were traveling on, decorated with secret emblems, was completely exempt from any of the aforementioned stringent regulations.

Those who can travel on this multi-level cruise ship often represent one of the most elite groups of forces in the Nine Hells plane.

They might be core members of an ancient demon family, or important figures with intricate connections to a demon lord.

Each one possesses enough energy to influence the entire Nine Hells.

With the backing of such power, even Afonas, known for his ruthlessness, could not escape it.

They wouldn't easily offend these "distinguished guests" with unfathomable backgrounds, as that would be tantamount to asking for trouble and could even trigger unnecessary diplomatic incidents and power conflicts.

Therefore, when Cohen and his crew's cruise ship slowly approached the Styx ferry crossing, they were not required to stop and undergo tedious inspections like other ordinary ships.

On the contrary, a high-ranking bone demon clad in dark gold bone armor was already waiting by the main dock. Upon seeing the approaching ship, he raised an arm made of finger bones and made a simple gesture towards the upstream direction.

The cruise ship's helmsman understood immediately and steered the ship to continue upstream along the River Styx.

After traversing a canyon shrouded in thick blood mist, they finally arrived at a private ferry crossing that was significantly larger and far more luxurious, hidden behind cliffs.

Clearly, this is the "VIP" passage specifically used to receive the most distinguished guests.

Following the sparse crowd down the gangway and onto the land of Afonas, Cohen stopped, squinted slightly, and surveyed his surroundings.

As far as the eye could see, there was an extremely desolate and lifeless scorched wasteland, the earth covered with huge, crisscrossing cracks, as if it had been repeatedly torn apart by some indescribable force.

Dark red magma and toxic steam seeped continuously from the depths of the fissure.

Broken weapons, rusty armor fragments, and enormous, terrifying, stark white skeletons of unknown creatures are scattered across the wasteland.

The wreckage of some massive war machines lay half-buried in the scorched earth, like dead steel behemoths, silently recounting the fierce battles that had taken place here.

Without a doubt, this is a land steeped in the most vicious curse.

Kindness and hope of any kind wither and die here, and on the contrary...

Violence, ambition, betrayal, and slaughter, like poisonous weeds that have drawn nourishment, have proliferated wildly on this scorched earth, becoming the only law and norm here.

……

The outermost layer of Aphrodite, one of the Nine Hells, is completely different from the dark and damp underground world people imagine.

It is a vast, broken plain where the sky is always blood red.

As the front line of the Nine Hells plane facing external threats, everything here has existed for only one purpose since its inception—war, eternal war.

The indigenous people here are born with only one mission: war!

Here, you will not find any household registration system or administrative divisions commonly found in secular countries.

The entire region has only one unified and fearsome name in the outside world: the Devil Legion.

The social structure and power hierarchy here are also divided entirely according to the purest militaristic model, which is simple, strict, and cruel.

The lowest-ranking inferior demons and the deep-pit demons are all ordinary infantry and junior officers of the demon legion.

Imps are the cheapest consumables in the Legion, usually reshaped from the sinful souls of mortals or low-ranking demons who die on the battlefield.

They are intellectually deficient, physically distorted and ugly, and equipped with crude weapons.

Their sole purpose is to form an endless sea of ​​cannon fodder, using their own deaths to deplete the enemy's stamina and ammunition.

Their lives were no different from a stone that could be discarded at will in the eyes of the commander.

The Demon Refining in the Deep Pit is the true backbone of these cannon fodder waves.

They possess stronger physiques, tougher scales, and the talent to wield hellfire.

They typically serve as squad commanders, responsible for directing a small group of lesser demons to perform basic tactical maneuvers on the chaotic battlefield.

They are the most basic tactical units of the Devil Legion, and also the key nodes to prevent the front line from collapsing completely.

Secondly, there are the fearsome Bone Demons, who do not directly participate in the front-line battles.

Instead, they played the ruthless role of military police and battlefield judges within the legion.

These beings, composed of cold bones and venomous energy, are the most ruthless and merciless maintainers of order in the entire legion.

They were responsible for overseeing military discipline and executing deserters and cowards with the cruelest methods to serve as a warning to others.

They are also interrogation experts, possessing an extremely rich repertoire of torture and interrogation techniques, specifically designed to deal with captured enemies.

Extract every drop of valuable information from their bodies and souls.

The existence of the Bone Demons ensured that this vast army of chaotic and evil creatures could operate efficiently under a terrifying order.

They are like an ice spike stuck in the heart of every devil soldier, making them dare not easily disobey orders from their superiors even in the most frenzied killing.

Above that are the terrifying barbed devils.

They are the true offensive force and killing vanguard of the legion.

These colossal creatures, covered in sharp bone spikes and metallic armor, were born to charge into battle and destroy city defenses.

Each of their violent attacks is like a small natural disaster, capable of easily tearing apart the enemy's lines.

This is why the Barbed Demon can always be seen in the most dangerous and easiest-to-gain assault missions and siege battles on the front lines of bloody warfare.

They pave their path to advancement with the bones of their enemies and comrades, so a large number of mid- to high-level combat commanders in the legion are from this race known for their bravery and brutality.

Standing atop this pyramid is Grand Duke Zariel's kin—the Ice Demon.

These are elegant yet deadly entities, primarily composed of millennia-old ice and dark blue sapphires.

He exuded an extreme chill that could freeze the soul at all times.

They typically do not participate in frontline combat themselves, but rather strategize from behind the battlefield or in command fortresses.

With his innate ruthlessness, rationality, and strategic vision, he commanded the entire legion's combat operations.

They were Grand Duke Zariel's most trusted confidants and deputies, reporting directly to him.

They control the most crucial military secrets, and their will is an extension of the Grand Duke's will.

As the only layer among the Nine Hells to engage in large-scale, regular, direct combat with the Endless Abyss, Aphonas's political landscape is therefore extremely unique.

There are no intricate noble councils or cumbersome bureaucratic systems like those in other realms. The entire realm, from top to bottom, is a massive and highly efficient war machine.

From the lowest-ranking soul slaves who toil to death in the mines, to the cannon fodder of the lesser demons charging at the front, and finally to the high and mighty ice demon commanders.

Every resident on the layer is a cog in this enormous machine, and regardless of size, they must turn for the victory of the war.

Here, war merit, absolute loyalty, and ruthless efficiency are the only ladders to the pinnacle of power.

Any form of failure, cowardice, or incompetence means being ruthlessly eliminated—either destroyed or demoted to a lower form of existence.

They were even dismantled and reassembled, becoming stepping stones for other demons to advance.

On this scorched earth, eternally ravaged by war, Aphrodite's most direct and ferocious enemies are three terrifying demon races from the endless abyss: the Berserker, the Temptress, and the Frodo.

They crashed against the outermost defenses of the Nine Hells like a destructive torrent.

Berserkers, these fleshy behemoths driven by a pure lust for slaughter.

They know no fear, no fatigue; they only use their sharp teeth and claws and savage strength to tear everything in their path to shreds. They are the most ferocious waves at the forefront of the chaotic tide.

Enchantresses are even more cunning and dangerous beings, adept at weaving lies and twisting minds.

They can silently turn weak-willed guards against their will, or sow suspicion and betrayal within a solid defensive line.

The Fromon, these plague messengers soaring through the blood-red sky, brought another level of terror.

Wherever they go, they not only spread deadly diseases and curses, but also shatter the morale of an entire army with their piercing shrieks.

These claws of the abyss would constantly swarm out from the unstable fissures connecting to the bottomless abyss, crashing against Afonas's border defenses like a never-ending tide.

These demon tribes, representing absolute chaos and destruction, are the eternal enemies of the demon legion.

The only mission entrusted to Grand Duke Zariel by Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells and King of Hell, was to guard this gate.

At all costs, they will resolutely block this destructive wave from the gates of the Nine Hells.

This is a war without end, and an eternal trial concerning the survival of the Nine Hells.

However, even with a formidable enemy at hand and immense external pressure, Afonas's internal structure is far from monolithic, still rife with intriguing political struggles! (End of Chapter)