Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

"The aura of the abyss!!"

"A demon! It's the power of a demon!!"

"Those soldiers...they are being transformed into demons!!"

"The Demon Gold Empire... They've colluded with the Abyss! They're no ordinary force; they're the vanguard of demons!!"

"My God... How is this possible?! Weren't demons banished and sealed away tens of thousands of years ago?!"

When the chaotic and corrupt abyssal demonic aura was clearly transmitted through the imagery retraced from the sacred artifact.

Everyone in the entire Crimson Hall, including Blood Lord Lucius and the two legendary elders, was struck dumb, their faces drained of color.

It was as if an ancient memory rooted deep in my soul had been triggered, and an indescribable fear enveloped my heart.

While the passing of veteran Simmons is undoubtedly heartbreaking, the truth behind what we are witnessing is far more shocking and terrifying than the fall of a legend!

This is no longer a simple power struggle or territorial war; it is an invasion from the abyss! A forbidden calamity capable of overturning the entire order of the prime plane!
An elder muttered to himself absentmindedly, his voice trembling:
"The Demon Legion... No wonder... no wonder they are so fearless, their combat power is so bizarre and formidable, and their regenerative abilities are so astonishing..."

They weren't ordinary soldiers at all; they were demons from ancient times, demons that required a massive alliance of gods and races, paying a heavy price, to barely drive away!

Another deacon was deathly pale, as if he had witnessed the end of the world:
"Tens of thousands of years of peace... they've returned... and this time in a more covert and terrifying way... They're masquerading as an empire, secretly accumulating power and transforming their army!"

Lucius stared intently at the grotesque demon pillar in the scene and the dense abyssal aura emanating from Thrall, his crimson eyes flashing with icy coldness and determination.

He knew better than anyone what this news meant.

This is not only about the survival of the vampires, but also about the safety of the entire Lost Land and even the entire Prime Material Plane!

The threat posed by the Demon Gold Empire instantly escalated from "a powerful emerging hostile force" to "must be stopped immediately, or the world will fall into an abyss!"

Without any hesitation, almost the instant the scene vanished, Lucius abruptly stood up straight, his voice echoing throughout the hall:

"Immediately! Utilize all means of communication, with the highest priority, to make public the scene of our clan's sacred artifact rewinding!"
Pass it on to Nightmoon Continent, to the Supreme Council of Endless City, to all the forces in the Lost Lands, and to those nations and churches on the human continent that are still watching!
Tell the whole continent, the entire Lost Land!

His gaze swept over the elders and deacons below, who were equally stunned by this earth-shattering truth. His voice was firm and resolute, carrying an unquestionable will:
"The Demon Gold Empire, they are not ordinary conquerors, they are the lackeys of the abyss, the vanguard of demons!"
Their goal is not simply territory and resources, but to open the gates of the abyss and bring destruction and chaos to the entire world!
Elder Simmons, a hero of my vampire clan, died fighting to uncover this truth!
This is not a war between our vampire clan; it is a holy war concerning the survival of all living beings!

"Everyone must know Thrall's true nature! All forces must unite to stop him before he transforms the entire Lost Lands into the Abyss! Destroy him!"

The vampire elders instantly understood the Blood Lord's intention—revealing the truth was not only to seek allies and sympathy, but also to push the Demon Gold Empire to the opposite side of the entire world.

This is the only way to survive in PUBG, and also the best way to avenge Simmons and vindicate the vampires!
They knew that from this moment on, the nature of the war had been completely changed.

Soon, the truth about the hidden demon legion of the Demon Gold Empire, spread rapidly throughout the Lost Lands and towards the human continent, thanks to the vampires' relentless efforts to spread the word.

Initially, many people scoffed, believing it to be a shocking lie fabricated by the vampires to gain sympathy and win over allies after suffering a crushing defeat and the fall of their legend.

After all, for the vast majority of contemporary beings, the word "demon" is already a terrifying legend sealed in ancient epics and forbidden books, too far removed from reality.

However, as more and more fragmented information was pieced together, no one could believe this unbelievable truth.

The Lost Land was the first to erupt in chaos.

In Nightmoon Continent, Wolf Lord Tolwald remained silent for a long time after repeatedly examining the image crystal sent by the vampires.

He summoned all the werewolf tribal leaders and played the video in front of everyone.

As the abyssal demonic aura etched into the memories of the werewolf bloodline spread, all the werewolf powerhouses let out a hostile roar.

Tolwald immediately issued the order:
"Prepare for war! Highest level alert! Simultaneously... secretly contact the remaining forces of Twilight Continent, and the Endless City!"

At this moment, the millennia-old hatred between werewolves and vampires no longer seemed so irreconcilable in the face of a more ancient and terrifying common enemy.

The smaller factions and independent city-states in the Lost Lands were plunged into immense panic.

Their previous fear of the Demon Gold Empire stemmed more from its powerful military and aggressive nature.

Now, this fear has been imbued with the terrifying abyss.

Requests for asylum from the Supreme Council poured in, and many previously wavering factions quickly made their choices.

Other remote oases and hidden tribes also learned of this news through various channels.

Whether they believed it or not, an unprecedented sense of tension and crisis began to permeate the entire Lost Land.

For every faction, the threat posed by the Demon Gold Empire was considered to be at the highest level.

The reaction from the human continent was more complex.

Royal families and councils of major human kingdoms, high-ranking officials of major religious courts, powerful mercenary groups and merchant organizations all received shocking news from the Lost Lands at almost the same time about "the reappearance of demons and the disguised empire".

At first, the arrogant human nobles and bishops mostly dismissed it, thinking it was just mutual slander between the Lost Lands, or a clumsy excuse made by the vampires after their defeat.

After all, demonic invasion? That's an old trick of bards and charlatans.

But as more details were revealed, especially after certain powerful forces verified them through their own special channels, the rulers of the human continent could no longer sit still.

The Holy See was the first to issue a strongly worded statement condemning "the corrupt tentacles of the abyss reaching out to the Lord's plane again," calling on all believers to be vigilant, and hinting that a new round of "holy war" may be necessary.

The top leaders of the five empires also held an emergency meeting.

However, thanks to Cohen's earlier warning and their joint efforts in expelling the demon pillars scattered across the human continent, they did not appear too panicked.

When the vampires revealed the truth, it caused a huge uproar across the continent. The high-ranking officials of the Demon Gold Empire, especially the key figures involved in the ambush plan, were quite surprised.

Emperor Thrall sat on his black iron throne, listening to the intelligence officer's detailed report, a thoughtful look on his face.

He truly hadn't expected that the vampires would still possess the bizarre secret technique of replaying the dying moments of the deceased.

This exceeded his expectations of the vampires' normal abilities.

The atmosphere at the imperial council meeting was somewhat heavy. Although the exposure of this secret was bound to happen sooner or later, its public announcement in this way and at this time had indeed disrupted the flow of events.

This could create even greater resistance for the empire's future expansion plans.

Just as the atmosphere became somewhat tense, Cohen stepped forward and took the initiative to apologize:

"Your Majesty, the responsibility for this matter lies with me. I underestimated the depth of these ancient, immortal vampires and failed to discover beforehand that they possessed such mysterious inherited artifacts and secret techniques."

Unexpectedly, they were able to bypass conventional information blocking and directly observe the core of the battlefield.

This was an oversight in my intelligence work, leading to the premature exposure of the core secret of the 'Demon Legion,' which may cause unnecessary trouble for the Empire's future strategy. I beg Your Majesty's punishment.

Cohen adopted a humble stance, taking the blame upon himself before Sal could even speak.

Emperor Sal looked down at Cohen, who was bowing and pleading for forgiveness, and his voice carried a hint of comfort:
"Mr. Maine, there's no need to blame yourself too much."

Vampires have existed for a long time, so it's not surprising that they have some hidden and bizarre methods.

Even I didn't expect this. You were able to successfully lure Simmons out of the Eternal Night City in your previous plan and cooperate with Keles and Anderson to surround and kill him. That's already a great achievement.

As for the existence of the demon legion, it was impossible to hide it forever.

We accumulate strength and transform our legions so that we may conquer, not forever hide in the shadows.

Our army has now breached the Eternal Night City-State, the eastern barrier has been opened, the vampires have suffered heavy losses and their morale has collapsed.

The timing of this exposure, though somewhat unexpected, has limited impact.

It simply forces those wavering fence-sitters to make a choice more quickly—either submit to the power of the empire and the abyss, or await destruction in fear.

Soon, an aide spoke up:
"Your Majesty, should we be on guard against any movements on the human continent?"

"Now that our secret has been exposed, those empires probably won't just sit idly by!"

Sarton paused, his tone carrying a hint of meaning:
"Don't worry too much about the human continent."

They'll soon have an even bigger 'show' going on over there, and then they probably won't have much time to care about our Lost Lands.

At least, with their homeland directly threatened by demons, those selfish, distrustful kings and emperors couldn't spare much power to interfere here.

Cohen understood; he knew that Thrall was referring to the imminent announcement of the "Covenant of the Gods," which would plunge human nations into a period of internal power reshuffling and mutual distrust.

Human nations are short-sighted and selfish, constantly embroiled in internal strife, making it difficult for them to form a united force. Even if they learn of the demons, they will likely only pass the buck and hesitate until the threat truly descends upon them.

Cohen paused briefly before continuing:
"Now that the secret has been exposed, it may not be entirely a bad thing for us."

At the very least, it can completely shatter the wishful thinking of certain forces and make them see the consequences of being an enemy of the empire.

Fear can sometimes drive people to make choices more than self-interest.

We can use this to further deter neutral forces and accelerate their division and defection.

Upon hearing this, Sal let out a low laugh:

“Yes, Maine, you see things very clearly. Fear is one of the most effective tools of domination.”

Now that they know we come from the abyss, we must make them understand even more deeply just how despairing the power of the abyss can be!
The order is to pass down that the Eastern Legion need not rest for too long, and, riding the momentum of their great victory, continue their advance into the heart of Twilight Continent!
I want to see how long those arrogant vampires, and those fickle opportunists, can hold out against absolute fear!

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the crowd responded in unison.

Cohen accepted the order, a look of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

Everything was going according to his plan. The "rule of terror that hastened" that Sal had hoped for was exactly what he wanted.

This accelerates the polarization of the various factions in the Lost Lands, driven by fear, leading them to either completely side with the Magnum Empire or be forced to unite under the banner of the Supreme Council in dire straits.

The fact that the human continent was temporarily preoccupied with other matters actually gave him more room and time to maneuver.

He now considers the Lost Lands, the legacy of the ancient arcane empire, as his own private domain!
……

Just as the Demon Lord Thrall predicted, and just as Cohen had foreseen the normal state of human politics, the shocking secret of the Demon Gold Empire colluding with the Abyss Demons to mass-produce demon legions was revealed.

Although the major nations of the human continent were all shocked and surprised, their reactions were mostly limited to verbal expressions.

No substantive measures were taken at all.

Following Cohen's advance warning, the five major human empires cleared the demon pillars from their respective territories and confirmed that there was no imminent demonic threat in their core areas. After that, they began to stand by and watch.

In public, heads of state, foreign ministers, and high-ranking church officials issued strongly worded statements condemning the Demon Gold Empire for "blaspheming life," "colluding with the Abyss," and "intending to subvert the order of the Prime Material Plane," declaring it a "provocation against all mankind" and an "evil that must be stopped."

However, behind these powerful words lies a lot of talk but little action.

Almost no one mentioned sending a large-scale expeditionary force, nor did anyone provide any substantial military assistance to the Twilight Continent.

As for the Holy See's proposal to jointly form the "Anti-Demon Holy Alliance".

Despite the loud slogans and several multinational conferences, negotiations immediately stalled when it came to specific issues such as troop deployment ratios, command authority, cost-sharing, and spoils distribution.

The long-standing geopolitical conflicts, religious disputes, and trade frictions between countries have not disappeared in the face of a "common threat," but have instead intensified due to each country's own self-interest.

More importantly, it is the "Sword of Damocles" hanging over the heads of all human nations.

There are less than three months left until the final announcement and implementation of the covenant of the gods.

This momentous change, which concerns the fate of nations, religious authority, and even the rise and fall of countless noble families, has absorbed the vast majority of the attention and resources of the top leaders of various countries.

Compared to dealing with the turbulent and even open infighting situation within the country caused by the impending announcement of the alliance, the demon crisis in the distant lost lands seemed less important.

"Make sure your own temple doesn't collapse before worrying about whether your neighbor's house has been broken into by robbers."

This has become an unspoken rule among decision-makers in many human kingdoms.

Only those small border states and principalities bordering or connected by narrow land bridges, such as the Shattered Star Islands Federation and the Ash Pass City-States, truly felt the pain and fear of annihilation.

The rumors of the demon legion kept them up at night, and the rapid advance of the Demon Gold Empire in the eastern part of the Lost Lands made them feel as if they could see their own future.

They sent a steady stream of messengers to the capitals of the five great empires, pleading earnestly, even humbly, that the powerful empires would “uphold justice” and “protect the frontiers of humanity,” intervening militarily or at least providing shelter and military aid.

However, the responses they received were mostly diplomatic sympathy and appeasement.

Like shrewd businessmen, the five empires were unwilling to easily make huge bets that could result in total loss unless their core interests were directly threatened.

In stark contrast to the indifferent observation of the human continent, panic had already been ignited within the Lost Lands.

When the hope of external reinforcements faded, the major forces in the Lost Lands, especially the neutral forces that had not yet been directly threatened by the Demon Gold Empire's military might but had clearly felt its terrifying oppressive aura, could no longer remain calm.

They understood that with the human continent preoccupied with its own problems, the fate of the Lost Lands had to be decided by the creatures of the Lost Lands themselves.

The collusion between the Demon Empire and the demons shattered their last shred of illusion that they could "negotiate, become dependent, or remain neutral."

Faced with an enemy whose power comes from the abyss and whose purpose is conquest and transformation, compromise means being swallowed up, and neutrality is tantamount to waiting for death.

Thus, the Lost Land, a chaotic place that has always valued fists and violence, has surprisingly seen an unprecedented wave of diplomacy and alliances.

Countless messengers, large and small, set off from every corner of the Lost Lands, heading towards those two behemoths that still stood in the shadow of the Demon Gold Empire, demonstrating both the will and potential to fight against them.

One is the werewolf royal court located in Nightmoon Continent.

As an ancient overlord of the Lost Lands, comparable to the Vampire Clan, Nightmoon Continent possesses formidable individual combat power, a unique totem shaman system, and vast territory.

In addition, the wolf lord Tolwald's tough stance and rapid mobilization gave many neutral forces a powerful military force to rely on.

In particular, those forces that have traditional ties with Nightmoon Continent, such as the Frost Trolls of Winter Tundra, the Harpy Clan of Howling Canyon, and some nomadic orc tribes in the northern wastelands, have all sent envoys to Nightmoon Continent.

Besides, the Supreme Council located in the Endless City is the most popular choice for most neutral forces.

This newly formed alliance has, in a short period of time, integrated the forces of the Mysterious Continent, Unicorn Trading Company, Fallen Church, Taiwo Family, Solari and other established noble families, as well as the Nilsson arms tycoon, demonstrating convincing and formidable strength.

It has attracted a large number of neutral forces seeking asylum and cooperation.

Especially those city-states and organizations that heavily rely on trade and information and are closely linked to economies such as unicorn trading companies, including free city-states, the Mage Council in the knowledge capital "Ivory Tower", and the large mercenary group "Iron Will" that spans multiple oases.

In addition, there are some shadow guilds that make a living through smuggling, intelligence gathering, and trading in special goods, as well as many scattered settlements of humans, halflings, and half-elves with small populations but possessing special resources or strategic locations.

Among all the forces that sent envoys, the one that reacted most strongly, was most urgent, had the highest-ranking envoy, and was likely to carry the most substantial "sincerity" was undoubtedly the Twilight Continent, which was currently at the forefront of the Demon Gold Empire's military campaign and was facing a life-or-death crisis.

The fall of the Eternal Night City, the death of Elder Simmons, the collapse of the eastern defense line, and the revelation of the truth about demons finally brought down the proud heads of this ancient race that had been so proud for thousands of years.

……

Inside the Crimson Palace, the vampires, with the help of the sacred artifact, uncovered the horrifying truth behind Simmons's fall and made it public.

They attempted to push the Demon Gold Empire to the opposite side of the entire world, but the sense of crisis hanging over Twilight Continent did not dissipate in the slightest. On the contrary, it became even heavier and more desperate due to a clear understanding of the enemy's true nature.

Blood Lord Lucius sat high on his throne, his pale and majestic face bearing a deep weariness and solemnity.

His crimson eyes slowly swept over every elder, every deacon, every castle lord from various families, and every chieftain of an important vassal tribe in the hall.

These faces, usually proud and composed, were now mostly filled with unease, anxiety, and even a hint of barely concealed fear.

"Gentlemen, the truth has been revealed: the Demon Gold Empire, or rather Thrall and the Abyss Will behind him, are the mortal enemies of my vampire clan and even all living beings in the entire Prime Material Plane."

However, these greedy and hypocritical humans shout slogans loudly, but take absolutely no real action.

Expecting them to immediately send a large army to their aid is nothing short of wishful thinking.

If the opponents are only Thrall, the Demon Lord, and Hextech, the Alchemist Baron.

I am confident that, with the foundation of my Twilight Continent built over thousands of years, relying on the bravery and skill of my vampire brethren, and taking advantage of the terrain and magic arrays that I have cultivated over time, even if the war is difficult, I may still be able to manage it.

"But what we are facing is demons! A demon army from the endless abyss, feeding on destruction and chaos, which once nearly devoured the entire prime plane!"

Those soldiers of the Demon Gold Empire were no longer human; they were demons in human skin, war machines that knew no pain, were unafraid of death, and could even be continuously transformed into reinforcements through that evil 'Demon Pillar'!

"To wage a war of attrition and positional warfare against such an enemy..."

Lucius didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

The rapid fall of the Eternal Night City and the demise of Simmons are stark examples of this.

Faced with the demon legion's unreasonable fighting spirit and terrifying regenerative abilities, everything was in vain! (End of Chapter)