Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The solemn and oppressive atmosphere of the bronze fortress council hall, which had been filled with whispers of intrigue and power struggles, suddenly froze.

All the devilish councilors, clad in magnificent robes and with faces that were either dignified or cunning, were frozen in place as if encased in invisible ice.

Their gazes were fixed on the sky not far away.

His pupils reflected the crimson spectacle in the sky that had not yet completely dissipated, a sign of the legend's demise.

And the three lines of glaring, scarlet text that just popped up on the screen:

[The commander of the First Special Operations Team single-handedly killed the mature demon, the seductive temptress 'Face Thief', the war leader of the tribe, Eschbacher.]

[The First Special Operations Team has achieved its strategic objective: to hunt down a powerful, mature demon with legendary-level strength, either alone or leading a small squad.]

[The commander of the First Special Operations Team has obtained "Abyssal Essence"!]

These three lines struck the very soul of every devilish senator like three invisible thunderbolts.

"Solo kill!"
"The Demon in Its Mature Stage!"
"Legendary War Commander!"
The meaning behind these words when combined made these devils, who usually looked down on others and treated everyone as pawns, experience a cognitive collapse for the first time.

They certainly understood what this meant!
This means that a human who is only at the eighth level!

They accomplished a feat rarely seen even in the history of warfare, a feat almost impossible—

He single-handedly killed a legendary demon in his prime!

"How can this be?"

Especially the demon Aranie and the horned demon Knatu!
Their faces turned deathly pale at that moment.

Their pupils trembled violently, filled with disbelief and horror, and a hint of fear that they themselves were unwilling to admit.

They can't understand!

They found it even more unacceptable!
Why is it that a lowly eighth-level human can accomplish something that even many demon warriors find difficult to do?

That was a mature, cunning, and seductive Warlord!

On the main seat in the hall, Grand Duke Zariel's eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance.

He muttered to himself, his voice tinged with barely concealed admiration:

"No wonder Grace has such great faith in this human. This human named Cohen is truly creating miracles all the time!"

A new storm seems about to sweep across this bronze fortress and this battlefield because of this human.

……

The abyss of the underworld, also known as the endless abyss.

In this vast plane of existence, chaos and darkness are the eternal themes.

This place is home to thousands upon thousands of demon tribes of varying sizes.

Like hungry wolves lurking in the shadows, they are ready to pounce from their cages in the abyss and spread destruction and chaos to other planes.

Every demon tribe that manages to establish itself on this cruel land has a towering and eerie "Demon God Pillar" standing at its core.

These are not ordinary stone pillars, but rather a projection of the power of one of the "Seventy-Two Pillar Demon Gods" and a communication device.

It is the bridge between the demon gods and the mortal world, and the embodiment of the will of the abyss.

The tribe interacted with the totem pole by holding various bloody and fanatical sacrificial rituals—offering souls, lives, and even the essence of their entire civilization.

In exchange, they could receive the infusion of power from the corresponding demon god, the bestowal of knowledge, or divine guidance concerning the survival of their tribe.

In fact, the entire demon tribe of the Endless Abyss can be traced back to those seventy-two ancient beings who were given the title of "Pillar Demon God".

After that distant and tragic "war between gods and demons," King Solomon's seventy-two demons were sealed away by the combined forces of the gods and imprisoned in the "Silent Prison" at the bottom of the endless abyss.

This is an absolute prison where even light and time seem to freeze.

Under the close surveillance of Losanda, the God of Space who governs the origin of space and weaves the warp and weft of order, and Heim, the God of Protection who swore to safeguard the existing order and construct an absolute barrier.

Under the close surveillance of these two powerful deities, the true forms of the seventy-two demon gods were indeed unable to break free of the seal.

However, they did not completely disappear.

They use various covert means to release their aura to tempt the native creatures of the underworld into corruption, or to transmit whispers through the "Demon God Pillar".

It can still continuously radiate its influence throughout the endless abyss.

Over time, the entire abyss of the underworld was assimilated and eroded by this chaotic power originating from the very source of the demon god.

This place gradually transformed into a twisted paradise belonging exclusively to demons, filled with bloodshed and violence.

It can be said that tens of thousands of demon tribes now thrive and fight in this abyss.

In terms of bloodline and source of power, they are all descendants and servants of these seventy-two demon gods.

Their very existence is an extension and manifestation of the imprisoned will of the demons outside their cage.

Guided by the secret will of the seventy-two demon gods, the demon tribes of the Endless Abyss launched a frenzied attack on the Nine Hells Plane that lasted for countless epochs.

This seemingly chaotic and disorderly invasion actually contains the profound strategic intentions of the demons.

On the one hand, this is an important step for them to try to weaken the power guarding the seal through external war and find an opportunity to break free.

On the other hand, it is also an extremely cruel natural selection process that covers the entire abyss.

In the bloody battles against the Nine Hells Demons, only the most powerful, cunning, and war-adapted demon tribes survived the brutal attrition and continued to grow stronger.

This mechanism, resembling a dark form of "eugenics," ensures that the overall combat power of the Abyss remains at an extremely high level.

This will allow the demons to cultivate the most powerful demon army in the future, one capable of tearing apart the seal of the gods.

Throughout this long process, the aura emitted by the demons was like a slow-acting yet pervasive poison.

It is constantly infiltrating and eroding the originally diverse and complex ecosystem of the underworld abyss.

It was completely distorted into a monotonous and dangerous demon paradise that only worshipped power and destruction.

At this moment, in the northwest corner of the deep, lightless abyss of the underworld, there is an area shrouded in distorted light and whispers.

This is the gathering place of the "Face Thief" seductive demon tribe.

In the center of the tribe, a strange stone pillar, its surface covered with reliefs of constantly writhing faces, suddenly emitted a muffled tremor, as if it came from the depths of the earth.

"Om-"

The bas-reliefs of pained, greedy, and ferocious faces on the surface of the stone pillar seemed to come alive, twisting and twitching, emitting silent wails.

Immediately following, a piercing, soul-wrenching scream reverberated directly from inside the stone pillar.

The sound wasn't loud, but it instantly spread to every corner of the entire "Face Thief" tribe.

All demons that felt this mournful cry, whether slumbering in their lair, fighting in battle, or performing evil rituals.

Their movements all froze at the same time!
A throbbing sensation deep within their blood made them instantly realize a terrifying truth:

One of their tribes, a powerful legendary demon who had imprinted his mark on the tribe and the Demon God Pillar, has fallen!
"Roar--!"

"hiss--!"

After a brief silence came even more ferocious roars and shrieks.

Endless rage instantly engulfed the entire territory of the "Face Thief" tribe.

The sky was stained an ominous dark red, and the earth cracked under the angry trampling.

Every demon's eyes burned with the flames of madness and destruction.

They roared to the sky, cursing the being who dared to kill their leader in the most vile abyssal language.

The fall of a legendary demon is a tremendous loss for a tribe, and an inviolable disgrace.

This was especially a resounding slap in the face for the "Face Thief," a demon tribe that revered strength and cunning.

The Temptress lineage is considered one of the most powerful races, even among the many powerful demons in the abyss.

The "Face Thief" tribe is one of the most outstanding among them, having survived countless bloody battles and still standing strong.

Within the tribe, there are as many as five war commanders who have stepped into the legendary realm.

This is a terrifying force capable of unleashing bloodshed on the front lines of battle, and also a vital cornerstone upon which the tribe depends for its survival.

But now, a legendary war commander has inexplicably perished in a non-large-scale war.

This is nothing short of a blatant provocation to the "Mask Thief" tribe, who regard glory and power as the foundation of their survival!
Although a demon's lifespan is long enough to witness the rise and fall of mortal races, breaking through the barrier of legend is still incredibly difficult.

It requires talent, opportunity, resources, and unimaginable, brutal accumulation.

The "Face Thief" tribe has only managed to maintain the legacy of these five legendary leaders through centuries of accumulation and plunder.

To ensure that the tribe's military strength and status do not decline.

Before the next generation of legends could be born, one has been lost.

This is a devastating blow to the entire tribe, one that could even shake its very foundations.

It is important to know that within the abyss of the underworld, in addition to the bloody battles against external forces, the infighting, devouring, and conspiracies among the various demon tribes are equally severe.

In a relatively "peaceful" period without large-scale conflicts, the fall of a legendary-level transcendent being is enough to instantly shatter the long-standing balance of power.

Once this delicate balance is tipped, it could trigger a series of chain reactions, and even directly change the future fate of the entire "Face Thief" tribe.

Ironically, despite the entire tribe being engulfed in raging fury, their revenge was destined to be nothing more than a powerless rage.

Because Eschbacher's trip was to satisfy her personal desires by finding male lovers, she did not report her whereabouts to the tribe.

The location where she fought Cohen was deep in the Bloodbath Land, where the situation was complex, fraught with danger, and chaotic (relative to the demons).

Even with the "Face Thief" tribe exerting all its efforts, it was difficult to accurately locate the real culprit in that land shrouded in countless forces and bloodshed.

The fall of this legendary demon may forever remain an unsolved mystery, and the "Face Thief" tribe can only silently swallow this bitter pill. Under the cruel laws of the abyss, they lick their wounds alone, wary of the covetous gazes from all directions.

……

"You actually took down a legend?"
I said, "You're not some old geezer in disguise, are you?"

The communication stone carried the undisguised astonishment of "Old Mo".

Faced with this almost accusatory question, Cohen's response was rather calm:

"What old geezer could possibly hide from your eyes?"

"You were born alongside gods and demons; there shouldn't be any being in this world whose true nature you can't discern."

Old Mo shook his head:

"At least neither you nor I can see through it."

However, it's somewhat plausible to guess that he's most likely the reincarnation of some deity.

Cohen immediately interrupted Old Mo's speculation and calmly said:

"Who I was in my past life seems to have nothing to do with our cooperation."

Old Mo let out a mysterious laugh:

"Hehehe, of course it doesn't matter, that's good, I agree."

"I can provide you with all the intelligence at the Dis level, in return..."

Cohen wore a warm smile, but his words sent chills down one's spine:

"The vivid memories of ten thousand high-ranking demons, plus the fascinating memories of a saint-level 'Arms Lord'!"

A series of undisguised smacking sounds, a mixture of greed and excitement, rang out, as if a glutton had discovered an unparalleled delicacy:
"make a deal!"

With those two words, a dark pact was sealed, one that would shake the Nine Hells.

……

To be honest, even as a seasoned player in his previous life, Cohen rarely actually set foot on the first level of the Nine Hells, "Aphonas".

This is the front line of the eternal bloody battle between demons and devils, a cruel scorched earth where even breathing is filled with the stench of blood.

Aside from top players who seek the ultimate thrill or have special missions, few normal people would willingly venture into this meat grinder-like land.

Cohen's understanding of Avernus mostly came from snippets of strategy guides and background information shared by top players on game forums.

Therefore, when he saw the towering bronze fortress standing on the blood-red horizon in the distance, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of unfamiliarity and vigilance.

However, what surprised him even more was that he hadn't actually gotten close to the fortress yet.

Two rows of impeccably armed honor guards, with impeccable military bearing, stood silently on either side of the gate.

It was as if they were waiting for the arrival of some important person.

The somber and solemn atmosphere seemed somewhat out of place with the scorched earth battlefield.

Just as Cohen was feeling slightly surprised, a red figure with endless allure flew out from the depths of the fortress like a burning flame.

It was Grace.

She had clearly been waiting for Cohen's return, and a radiant smile bloomed on her breathtakingly beautiful face, a smile that could eclipse the heavens and earth.

Without the slightest hesitation, Grace flew directly to Cohen's side.

Under the watchful eyes of all the devil soldiers, she stretched out her jade-like arms and tightly embraced Cohen's neck.

At the same time, she raised her long legs and wrapped them tightly around Cohen's waist.

Before Cohen could react, she tilted her head back and kissed him deeply.

This was an extremely tender and alluring kiss, filled with undisguised passion, as if it wanted to incorporate all the longing from the time they had been apart.

Cohen was taken aback at first, then smiled helplessly and gently embraced Grace's soft and hot body.

His gaze swept over the solemn honor guard around them, and the figures casting their gazes from above the fortress, and he whispered with a wry smile in Grace's ear:
"It's just a small test, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"

Upon hearing this, Grace buried her head in Cohen's shoulder, let out a soft chuckle, and said:
"The old devil was overjoyed this time. If I hadn't repeatedly told him that you don't like being too high-profile, he would have been even happier."

He even planned to use the "Voice of the Nine Hells" to broadcast it throughout the entire Nine Hells plane.

"We hereby announce that our beloved son-in-law of Afonas has, at the eighth rank, slain a legendary-rank Temptress!"

Although these words were spoken with a smile, the amount of information contained within them made Cohen's eyes twitch slightly.

He could imagine how excited and pleased the Grand Duke of Zariel would be upon hearing the news.

After all, this was not just a victory of individual force, but also a resounding slap in the face to those opposition lawmakers.

A glint of light flashed in Cohen's eyes:
"So it seems our cooperation with Grand Duke Zariel can proceed smoothly?"

Grace looked up at the man before her, who seemed like a god straight out of mythology, with his deep eyes, upright posture, and the aura that could decide the fate of legends with a smile.

Every little thing about this man captivated her, filling her with overwhelming love.

Grace could no longer suppress her burning emotions. She stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around Cohen's neck, and kissed him deeply once again.

The kiss was tender and possessive, as if she wanted to imprint her mark on his soul.

After a long while, their lips parted, Grace was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glistening with tears, and she murmured softly:

"Well... I haven't revealed too many details to the old devil yet. It's best if you handle these important negotiations with him personally."

Feeling the burning gazes of countless devil soldiers around him, even though Cohen had been through thick and thin, he was still incredibly thick-skinned.

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, he coughed lightly, trying to hide his embarrassment, and said in a low voice:

"Well... we're in public here, so why don't we go into the city first?"

Grace let out a melodious laugh, like the tinkling of silver bells, and her long, strong legs reluctantly slid off Cohen's waist.

She stood firmly on the ground, raised her hand to tidy her slightly disheveled hair, and threw Cohen a charming and slightly mischievous wink:
"What are you afraid of?
We succubi have always expressed our love in such a direct and passionate way!

After speaking, she gracefully turned around, took Cohen's arm, and smiled brightly, as if announcing her choice to the whole world:

"Let's go, darling."

From this day forward, you are now Afonas's rightful and respected son-in-law!

Under the extremely respectful, even slightly fearful gazes of the demon soldiers on both sides, Grace, arm in arm with Cohen, walked side by side toward the slowly opening, massive bronze city gate.

Beyond the city gates awaited them an even more complex power struggle and unpredictable storms, but at this moment, their figures against the backdrop of the blood-red sky created a romantic and beautiful scene.

This heralds a new chapter in the history of Avernus.

……

The atmosphere inside the magnificent main hall of the bronze fortress was solemn and dignified.

Grand Duke Zariel, with his mountain-like stature, stepped forward first and gave Cohen a hug that symbolized approval and welcome.

He then began to introduce to Cohen, in a loud voice, the prominent devilish senators present, as well as the powerful leaders of Avernus's various core departments.

Each person introduced cast a complex look at Cohen, one of awe, scrutiny, or even a hint of jealousy.

The highlight of the ceremony was about to begin.

In the presence of all the high-ranking demons, the demon Aranieh stepped forward with a grim expression and began the handover ceremony of command of the "Heavenly Punishment Legion".

With the confirmation of a series of complicated magical contracts and resource lists, the final and most crucial step has arrived.

After hesitating for a long time, Aranie reluctantly took out a soul crystal that was sealed with a faint green light. Inside it were the soul contracts of all the combat units of the entire Heavenly Punishment Legion.

He held the crystal in his hands, but did not hand it over immediately. Instead, he turned to Grand Duke Zariel and said in a tone that seemed serious but was actually full of sarcasm:

"Your Excellency, although the abyssal behemoths and ancient war machines in the Heavenly Punishment Legion have been tamed, the soul impact generated by the remaining violent imprints in their soul origins is still extraordinary."

Your Highness the Prince Consort has not yet reached the legendary rank and lacks the protection and reinforcement of the legendary realm.

If something unexpected happens during the receiving process, it might not be good.

Since most of them have already been handed over, and only the soul contracts remain, there's no rush.

"How about we wait until His Highness the Prince Consort breaks through to the Legendary rank before we talk about it..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cohen chuckled softly, stepped forward, and said with a smile:

“Member of Parliament Aranie, I appreciate your ‘concern’.”

Please rest assured.

If I really can't even withstand this kind of soul-shaking impact

"Then I will return this precious 'Heavenly Punishment Legion' intact!"

The room fell silent upon hearing this!
Aranie's expression instantly turned even more grim. He hadn't expected Cohen to accept this invisible challenge so readily and make such a weighty promise.

A barely perceptible glint of admiration flashed in the eyes of Grand Duke Zariel, who sat regally in the main seat.

Cohen said no more and reached out to grab the soul crystal in mid-air.

A powerful surge of soul energy erupted like an ancient dragon awakening.

The soul crystal seemed to be summoned, transforming into a stream of light and landing steadily in his palm.

The anticipated soul impact and backlash did not occur; the crystal remained as docile as an ordinary work of art in Cohen's hands.

Without the slightest hesitation, Cohen instantly pierced through the outer seal of the crystal and established a clear connection with the thousands upon thousands of violent soul imprints within.

The entire hall was deathly silent, save for Cohen's tall, proud figure, who stood there as if silently proclaiming the arrival of a new era. (End of Chapter)