Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Upon hearing the suggestion of a joint attack, Sal immediately felt a sense of unease and said in a deep voice:

"Is it necessary to join forces to deal with Nightmoon Continent?"
"Nightmoon Continent isn't Twilight Continent; it doesn't have any organized army, just a bunch of scattered soldiers. You Mechanical Continent can't even take it down?"

Hextech's lips twitched slightly. He knew that the series of defeats had caused him to lose Thrall's trust. Suppressing his emotions, he patiently replied:

"The Mechanical Continent alone can certainly work, but it will inevitably delay things. What if these wolf cubs learn from those bats and all defect to Cohen? Wouldn't that mean all our efforts would be in vain?"
Only by joining forces with His Majesty's demon legion and the puppet forces of my Mechanical Continent can we achieve a swift victory.

If our allied forces can quickly defeat the main force of the werewolves and occupy Nightmoon Continent, we can use it as a new logistics base and supply base.

The massive resources hoarded by the werewolves are enough to alleviate our current logistical predicament.

Moreover, Nightmoon Continent has a unique terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it can serve as a new strategic foothold for the empire.

Sal remained silent. Hextech's proposal was undoubtedly an attempt to extricate himself from the mess on the Eastern Front.

Instead, they picked a seemingly softer persimmon—the werewolf.

This may seem like he's avoiding the main issue and trying to preserve his strength, but... he hit Thrall's sore spot: logistics.

The biggest weakness of the Demon Gold Empire is its severed, slow-to-repair, and fragile logistical line.

If he could obtain a large amount of supplies in Nightmoon Continent, or even establish a stable rear base, it would undoubtedly greatly alleviate his pressure and allow him to focus more on dealing with Cohen in the southwest.

Hextech seemed to sense that Thrall was already somewhat interested, and continued:

"Moreover, this move can also demonstrate to the Supreme Council and even the entire Lost Lands that the Empire has not backed down because of a minor setback on the Eastern Front."

We still have the capability to open new fronts and acquire resources, which can curb their arrogance and deter those wavering neutral forces.

Despite lingering doubts about Hextech's motives, the resources and strategic location of Moonlit Continent are too tempting for Thrall at this moment.

Instead of fighting to the death with strengthened enemies in Twilight Continent, it would be better to join forces with Hextech and sweep through the relatively loosely organized Nightmoon Continent with lightning speed to solve the immediate crisis.

After weighing the pros and cons, Sal slowly nodded in agreement:

"...Okay, but this expedition to Nightmoon Continent needs to be led by my Chaotic Demon Continent, and the distribution of spoils also needs to be renegotiated based on contributions."

Your legions from the Mechanical Continent must demonstrate their true strength. If you continue to behave as you did in the Twilight Continent, don't blame me for disregarding past favors!

"I will obey Your Majesty's military orders!"

Hextech calmly agreed, a glint in his eyes.

He was willing to accept any concessions and Thrall's warning, as long as he could escape the quagmire of Twilight Continent and gain new resource areas.

Thus, under internal conflicts and external pressure, the War Beast of the Demon Gold Empire temporarily halted its frenzied expansion in all directions, began to shrink its tentacles, and prepared for new actions.

After receiving accurate intelligence from Cohen, the Supreme Council astutely seized the opportunity and began to push forward in a big way.

The Mojin Empire gradually eroded its sphere of influence and power by winning over neutral city-states, tribes, and settlements that had been coerced or temporarily occupied by the Mojin Empire through diplomatic maneuvering, displays of military force, or promises of protection.

The Supreme Council also began to expand rapidly, almost on par with the five great empires of the human continent!
……

Seemingly inspired by the Supreme Council's blitzkrieg attack on Chaotic Demon Continent, the attack on Night Moon Continent was extremely swift.

From the moment the plan was set to the moment it officially began, it took no more than seven days, emphasizing speed.

Thrall deployed the "Bone Eater" demon legion, known for its ferocity and brutality, as the main force, while Hextech mobilized the "Hunter" mechanical units adapted to complex terrain and heavy siege units.

They even dispatched a special team of rune assassins skilled in nighttime operations to assassinate the leader of the Wolf Thieves.

Werewolves are essentially a scattered group of soldiers, accustomed to being under the unified command of their leaders. Killing their leader is tantamount to paralyzing their command system.

Two forces, vastly different yet equally powerful, merged, driven by a desire for plunder and conquest, and stepped into the eternally dark realm of Nightmoon Continent.

Despite the swift start of the war by the Demon Gold Empire, the werewolves of Nightmoon Continent were not unprepared.

The infamous reputation of the Demon Gold Empire's expansion had already spread throughout the Lost Lands. When the Empire's vanguard appeared on the border, the werewolf tribes and large wolf bandit groups in Nightmoon Continent, who usually plundered and fought each other, immediately formed a resistance coalition under the orders of their wolf lord, Tolwald.

Led by their respective tribal chiefs and wolf bandit leaders, they tenaciously resisted the invaders.

The werewolves were individually extremely powerful and fearless in battle. They used their familiarity with the terrain to launch fierce surprise attacks, causing considerable trouble for the Imperial vanguard.

The ordinary soldiers, in particular, suffered considerable losses in the werewolves' frenzied close-quarters combat.

However, this primitive bravery quickly revealed its enormous disadvantage against the highly organized and technologically advanced allied forces of the Demon Gold Empire, which combined demonic power with mechanical technology.

On the demon legion's side, mid- to high-ranking demons are not only physically powerful, but also wield various evil spells.

The Fear Aura weakens the werewolves' fighting spirit, the Corruption Liquid melts their fur and flesh, and Hellfire burns the forest and the werewolves' hiding places.

The demon soldiers of the "Bone Eater" Legion are natural killing machines. They work in perfect harmony and form tight formations, often inflicting huge losses on the werewolves at a small cost.

The forces of the Mechanical State are even more ruthless and efficient. Their mechanical hounds move freely through complex terrain, and their keen magical senses render the werewolves' infiltration meaningless.

The heavy siege golems strode forward, ignoring the werewolves' attacks and easily destroying their makeshift fortifications and settlements.

Rune Assassins lurk in the shadows, precisely targeting and eliminating the werewolf commanders and shamans.

Lacking unified command, the werewolf alliance fought independently with simple and crude tactics. Faced with the multi-unit coordinated attack of the imperial alliance, they quickly fell into chaos.

The initial fierce resistance in Nightmoon Continent was quickly dismantled.

The Imperial Allied Forces advanced rapidly across the territory of Nightmoon Continent, breaching several large werewolf tribal settlements and destroying the lairs of several wolf bandit groups.

They plundered the werewolves' accumulated wealth, food, furs, and magical materials, transporting them continuously to the rear, greatly relieving Thrall's logistical burden.

The werewolf alliance suffered defeat after defeat and had no choice but to abandon large tracts of territory and retreat deeper into the core area of ​​Nightmoon Continent, where the environment was even harsher.

When the news reached the Magnum Empire, both Thrall and Hextech breathed a sigh of relief.

The victory in Nightmoon Continent seemed to prove the correctness of their strategic shift and temporarily masked the internal rifts.

After suffering setbacks on the eastern front, the behemoth that is the Demon Gold Empire seems to have found new prey and nourishment in Nightmoon Continent. It has begun to lick its wounds and prepare for the next, more ferocious attack.

……

Reports of the devastating defeat in Nightmoon Continent were placed one after another on the desk of Wolf Lord Tolwald Kayya.

Thorward, the wolf lord who ruled over many wolf packs with strength and wildness, initially reacted with rage and disdain.

He tore apart the parchment scroll brought by the messenger from the front lines, roared deafeningly at the dark dome, and vowed to water the land of Night Moon with the blood of the invaders of the Demon Gold Empire and to adorn his throne with their bones.

He summoned the leaders of his most powerful wolf bandit gangs and tribal chiefs, gathering the most elite and wildest forces available in Nightmoon Continent, and launched several fierce counterattacks.

However, the reality is cruel.

The werewolf warriors' bravery appeared tragic and powerless in the face of the demon legion's tireless and frenzied attacks and the mechanical puppets' cold and efficient slaughter.

One by one, the wolf dens passed down through generations were breached, and the winter provisions, looted treasures, and magical ores imbued with the power of moonlight all fell into enemy hands.

The once fearsome wolf bandits, who struck terror into the hearts of caravans, are now like stray dogs, hunted down by the enemies of the Demon Gold Empire in the familiar dark forests and rugged mountains.

Inside the main tent, the once wild and domineering gaze of the Wolf Lord was now replaced by bloodshot eyes and deep weariness.

Looking down at his equally wounded subordinates, and hearing the devastating news of tribes being wiped out and their lairs destroyed, he finally had to confront the reality he had once scorned.

Nightmoon Continent, the independent, wild, and free Nightmoon Continent, has reached the brink of life and death.

He finally understood why those proud vampire nobles would lower their noble heads and seek refuge from a human, Cohen Corleone, even going so far as to sign a vassal contract.

With no other option, Tolwald made the same choice as the Twilight Continent: he sent his trusted messenger, carrying his wolf fang token and a letter of appeal, across the perilous war zone to the Endless City to seek the protection of the Supreme Council.

Faced with the Wolf Lord's plea for help, the Supreme Council's attitude was exactly the same as it had been towards the vampires, with only a draft of an alliance presented in the form of a magical contract as a response.

The draft's content is identical in its core framework to the one signed by the vampires of Twilight Continent: the Supreme Council will provide military protection and material support to help Nightmoon Continent resist the Demon Gold Empire until it is driven out.

In exchange, Nightmoon Continent must acknowledge the Supreme Council's supreme leadership in the Lost Lands, and all werewolf tribes and werewolf bandits must accept the Supreme Council's military reorganization and command.

All important mineral veins and strategic materials within the territory of Nightmoon Continent will be under the unified coordination and management of the Supreme Committee.

Simply put, Nightmoon Continent was completely incorporated into the Supreme Council, becoming a part of it.

Even the Wolf Lord Tolwald's position is exactly the same as the Blood Lord Lucius's, both being the Deputy Minister of the War Department.

With a roar, Tolwald slammed the thick draft of the contract onto the stone seat, his golden vertical pupils burning with wild fury. He knew perfectly well that once this alliance was signed, the werewolf's fate would be tied to the wheels of the human war machine.

Inside the hall, the other werewolf leaders also let out hostile howls, and some of the young werewolf warriors even bared their fangs.

However, the weight of reality was more powerful than any alliance. One devastating battle report after another left Toldard with no other choice.

After several days and nights of fierce arguing, the wolf lord, known for his unruly nature, finally walked alone to the edge of the cliff and let out a long, mournful howl at the eternally hazy, pale moon over Nightmoon Continent.

……

The news that Wolf Lord Tolwald had led Nightmoon Continent to submit to the Supreme Council was like a thunderclap, instantly shaking the entire Lost Land and quickly spreading to the human continent beyond.

"Night Moon submits! Wolf Lord Tolwald signs the alliance pact, and all werewolf tribes swear allegiance to the Supreme Council to fight against the Demon Gold Empire!"

"Following the Twilight Vampires, the Nightmoon Werewolves have also joined Cohen Corleone's ranks!"

"The Supreme Council's sphere of influence has expanded rapidly, now controlling 80% of the Lost Lands! Cohen Corleone has become the uncrowned king!"

Shocking! Absolutely stunning!

In less than a month, the situation has changed dramatically.

The once chaotic and fragmented land, constantly at war with its own factions, was integrated by Cohen's Supreme Council at an astonishing speed and in an almost unbelievable way.

The Endless Alliance, the Mysterious State, the Twilight State, the Night Moon State... Of the original six oasis-level forces in the Lost Land, apart from the Chaotic Demon State and the Mechanical State, which have been merged into the Demon Gold Empire, the other four forces have all fallen into the control of Cohen Corleone as vassals.

This was not merely a military victory, but also a pinnacle of political skill, strategic vision, and timing.

While the Demon Gold Empire was launching attacks on all sides, making countless enemies and getting bogged down in a quagmire, Cohen appeared as a savior and protector, bringing powerful forces driven to the brink of despair by the empire under his wing at a relatively low cost.

In addition, during this period, the Supreme Council took advantage of Thrall and Hextech's focus on Nightmoon Continent and swiftly brought a large number of neutral city-states, floating islands, and tribal settlements that were wavering or temporarily occupied by the Magnum Empire into its sphere of influence.

Today, when you unfold a map of the Lost Lands, the flag representing the Supreme Council covers more than 80 percent of the territory.

Its actual control over land, population, and resources is no less than that of any ancient and vast empire on the outside human continent!

The name Cohen Corleone once again swept across every corner of the continent with unstoppable force.

In the tavern, bards began to sing new epics, the protagonist of which was always the young king with black hair and black eyes.

In the aristocratic salon, the whispers of the ladies and socialites were a mixture of amazement, fear, and envy.
Military intelligence agencies and analysts around the world worked through the night, while countless ambitious individuals and speculators turned their attention to the man who seemed destined to make history.

Cohen's "legendary status" is an ethereal yet real attribute that influences the world's will, the course of destiny, and even the level of individual power.

Driven by these successive events, he once again broke through the limits and reached a peak that is unimaginable to ordinary people.

[Cohen Corleone, your fame once again shakes the entire continent. The Lost Lands will soon be unified under your leadership, and the once glorious empire will be restored in your hands!]

Legendary status +999, reaching the pinnacle of the mortal world!

Upon hearing the familiar mechanical voice, a hint of surprise flashed in Cohen's eyes.

He never imagined that legendary status had a maximum value limit. In his current state, once his magic power and other stats reach the peak of the ninth rank, he could directly break through to the legendary rank.

With the submission of Nightmoon Continent, the entire Lost Lands became a battlefield for the struggle between the Demon Gold Empire and the Supreme Council.

The delicate situation where the six major oasis-level forces checked and balanced each other, and many neutral forces wavered, no longer exists.

The Lost Lands, a chaotic land that benefited from the fall of the ancient arcane empire, have now been reduced to a standoff between two factions.

On one side is the ambitious Demon Gold Empire, which seeks to unify the lost lands and bring demons back to the human continent.

On the other side are the Supreme Council and its allies, whose territory and resources have expanded many times over.

The scale and intensity of the war escalated to a point that suffocated all onlookers.

Just when many outside observers believed that, facing the Demon Gold Empire, which had been operating for many years with the backing of two oases and its defenses tightened, the Supreme Council, despite its great power, would be plunged into a protracted war of attrition, with mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Cohen Corleone and his war machine shattered all speculation in the simplest, most brutal, and most chilling way.

The Supreme Council, or rather Cohen Corleone and his forces, had only now truly revealed their terrifying fangs.

Just three days after Nightmoon Continent declared its allegiance, the Supreme Council's war machine roared with the urge to launch a full-scale attack.

This time, the power it displayed was completely different from the restrained and strategic attitude it had shown when supporting the vampires and attacking the Chaotic Demon Continent.

This is a destructive torrent unleashed with all its might, an undisguised display of hegemony.

The paladins and battle priests from the Holy See of Light, carrying their glorious banners and chanting hymns to cleanse evil, appeared in organized formations at the front lines.

Their holy magic has a natural advantage against demonic creatures; the pure holy light scorches the demonic legion's lines, tearing gaps in the allied forces' defenses.

The Ceylon Kingdom's heavy infantry phalanx and magical artillery units, like moving steel mountains, slowly rolled over the hastily constructed defenses of the Demon Gold Empire.

These elite soldiers from the First Kingdom of the continent were highly disciplined, well-equipped, and worked seamlessly with the elite troops of the Supreme Council, becoming the most powerful hammer on the front lines.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Elven archers, dwarven runesmiths and city breakers, northern barbarian berserkers, and even battle mages from some clandestine mage organizations... all sorts of elite forces, operating under the banner of the Supreme Council or fighting alongside the Council's army, poured onto the battlefield.

What made the Demon Gold Empire even more desperate was the overwhelming advantage of the Allied Forces in terms of equipment.

Star Guardian Armor!
Phantom Dragon Wing Cape!

Shadow Annihilation Crossbow!
The emergence of three different divine and demonic equipment items shook the entire Demon Gold Empire and even the human continent.

It wasn't just a couple hundred sets, but tens of thousands, appearing in organized groups!
The formidable military production capabilities demonstrated by Cohen shocked the entire continent.

Even the five great empires have never seen such a large number and variety of divine and demonic equipment!

The equipment of gods and demons is a product of the great war between gods and demons ten thousand years ago, and was originally intended to be powerful weapons to deal with the demon legion.

The demon legion's pride in its physical strength and numerical superiority was utterly useless against this army equipped with all sorts of divine and demonic gear!

The legions of the Machine State also suffered greatly, with their rune golems and war machines suffering heavy losses under the Allied forces' various anti-magic and armor-piercing special equipment and targeted tactics.

The engineers and mages of the Supreme Council always seemed to find weaknesses in their defense systems.
The collapse of the Mojin Empire was as dramatic as its rise.

From the remaining strongholds in the eastern part of Twilight Continent to the wasteland of Nightmoon Continent, which had only recently been occupied by the Demon Gold Empire.

Then there's the long border line bordering the Endless Alliance and the Mysterious State...

The Supreme Council's allied forces launched a massive offensive simultaneously along a front of nearly 10,000 kilometers.

It was no longer a step-by-step tug-of-war, but rather a matter of finding a single point and then smashing open a breach with overwhelming force and firepower.

Then, armored units and fast cavalry made a rapid advance, dividing and encircling the enemy, followed by infantry to clear out and consolidate the position.

The Demon Gold Empire's defenses retreated again and again.

Countless fortresses were captured, newly mined mines were reclaimed, and important magical nodes were destroyed.

Sarr attempted several counterattacks, but they were quickly thwarted by the coalition's multi-dimensional defenses and swift counter-attacks.

Hextech's mechanical legions attempted to resist using pre-set fortifications and terrain, but the Allied forces were always able to deploy appropriate units and equipment to counter them.

Or simply use unstoppable frontal force to smash the steel defenses to pieces.

In the command center of Shanghai, Thrall roared in fury:

"How is this possible? They weren't this strong before!"

Thrall couldn't understand why the enemy seemed to have been transformed overnight.

He was of course unaware that Cohen had been deliberately suppressing his power, partly to digest the newly occupied territories and integrate the newly attached forces, which would take time.

On the other hand, it's about waiting for Thrall to make enemies everywhere and drive those powerful oasis forces to the brink of despair.

Then, assuming the role of a savior, he brought these forces under his control, integrating most of the power in the Lost Lands with relatively little effort.

Now that the time is ripe, Cohen naturally has nothing left to hold back.

The victory in the war not only brought about territorial expansion and increased power, but also had a direct impact on Cohen personally.

As the supreme commander of the Supreme Council and the Allied Forces, and as the core driving force behind this upheaval sweeping across the continent, every victory and every fallen demon soldier became experience points for him to break through to the peak of the Gold Rank.

He could clearly feel that the power within his body, which had already reached its limit, was undergoing a violent upheaval before a qualitative change, guided by some higher-level law.

Every muscle, every wisp of mental energy, even the connection with this world, cheered and trembled in the triumphant song, launching an assault on some invisible barrier.

Finally, on a night when news arrived of the allied forces' renewed victory in capturing another crucial strategic stronghold of the Demon Gold Empire, Cohen slowly opened his eyes! (End of Chapter)