Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Of course, in recent decades.

As the Kingdom of Ceylon grew stronger under Gaius's rule, its power became increasingly stable.

The importance of this escape route was gradually marginalized, and related maintenance and operation matters were also affected by its sensitivity and dependence on the capital's defense system.

Gaius entrusted all authority to the eldest prince, Orlando, who was in charge of the defense of the entire city of Quessaron and the safety of the royal family.
Now, this long-buried secret has become the Cromwell family's last hope for survival.

This is precisely why Cohen went to such great lengths, sparing no effort to utilize the most elite forces of the Military Intelligence Bureau to set up such a meticulously planned scheme.

The fundamental reason why they had to replace Prince Orlando with one of their own, no matter what.

The goal was certainly not just to reduce resistance during the siege and avoid turning the ancient capital of Quesaon into ruins.

The deeper intention was to have absolute control over the precise coordinates of the large, secret island that served as the last refuge for the Ceylon royal family.

Furthermore, at the last moment, one must have the ability to silently modify the coordinates of the teleportation destination.

After all, the Endless Sea is vast and boundless, comparable to the starry sky, and hides countless unmarked dangers and deserted islands.

If Gaius were to successfully escape via the teleportation array, Cohen wouldn't have the time to send a fleet to conduct a massive, needle-in-a-haystack search of the perilous Endless Sea.

Soon, the eldest prince, Orlando, dressed in royal guard armor stained with smoke and blood, strode into the throne room with a group of solemn-looking trusted guards.

Kneeling on one knee, he reported clearly to King Gaius in a voice identical to Orlando's:
"Father, the teleportation array in the underground vault has been fully activated."

The final teleportation coordinates have been verified, and the energy core is operating stably.

In ten minutes, the teleportation channel will reach its most stable state, at which point we can depart immediately.

Gaius, seated on his throne, was completely unaware of this. He simply saw his "son" arrive as scheduled to report back, and everything seemed to be going according to plan.

He took a deep breath and uttered a single word with force:

"it is good!"

……

Grace gently put down the still-warm communication stone in her hand and glanced at Saint Garin, who was enveloping her and Cohen with gentle yet powerful holy energy as they flew at high speed under the night sky of the Endless Sea.

In Grace's eyes, this woman, with her aloof demeanor and the starlight emanating from her, looked like a deity descended from the stars.

Grace's lips moved slightly, as if she hesitated, unsure whether she should discuss such a sensitive topic in front of such a strange saint.

Cohen noticed her hesitation, cleared his throat, and introduced the situation in a natural tone:

"Your Highness, there is no need to be so formal."

This is Saint Garin, a close relative who watched Isabella grow up and is like family to us.

Please just say what you need to say.

Upon hearing this, Grace's expression softened slightly, and she then turned her gaze to Cohen:
"That was a message from Father."

He hopes... no, he demands that I arrange a time as soon as possible to take you back to the Eastern Empire.

In name, it is necessary to complete some necessary ceremonies before our marriage is formally concluded, as well as the process of meeting with members of the royal family and important officials.

But another thing that the Emperor specifically emphasized was that he hoped you could personally come forward and explain it clearly to the Imperial Grand Council and the cabinet ministers.

Why did the complete blueprints for the 'Phantom Dragon Wing Cloak' appear in Eifine and be widely used by the military?

Upon hearing this, Cohen couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his forehead, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on his face.

This is indeed an unavoidable issue.

He hesitated for a moment, rapidly weighing the pros and cons in his mind, and finally nodded:
"Alright, reply to Emperor Eberlon that after things are completely settled in Ceylon and Princess Freya is successfully crowned as the new Queen of Ceylon."

I will then accompany you back to the Dragon Continent and personally travel to the Eastern Empire.

A hint of worry flashed in Grace's eyes, and she lowered her voice to say:
"How about... I try to cancel it, or find an excuse to delay it?"
I can still negotiate with my father.

How can you explain yourself in a way that will convince them, since you're going as Ya'en?
Those veterans and military leaders aren't so easily fooled.

Grace's worry was palpable, fearing that Cohen might encounter unforeseen difficulties on this trip.

Cohen smiled calmly, gently patted Grace's hand, and comforted her:
"Don't worry, my princess."

We can't hide forever. Some things just need to be discussed face-to-face.

Now that I've decided to go, I naturally have ways to handle it.

I'll handle it.

Cohen's calm and composed demeanor dispelled most of Grace's unease.

After flying for about half a day, the surrounding sea fog gradually thickened, and the dark black seawater below became increasingly turbulent.

The Saint Jialin, who was leading them, slowed down, and the starlight flowing around her body subtly diminished.

A cool, clear voice slowly rose to the occasion:
"Here we are."

The three of them slowly landed on a seemingly inconspicuous, desolate island covered with jagged rocks and low shrubs.

The moment their feet touched the damp, gravelly ground, an invisible yet chilling aura of killing intent surged in from all directions like a tide, instantly enveloping the three of them.

The air was thick with the stench of rotting seaweed, and deeper within seemed to lurk some kind of dangerous energy poised to erupt, as if countless eyes were watching them intently from the darkness.

Grace instinctively took a step closer to Cohen, her magic subtly circulating within her.

Cohen remained expressionless, simply giving her a gentle squeeze to reassure her.

Just then, a familiar voice, tinged with a languid yet magnetic charm, came from behind a huge rock:

"Relax, these are our own people."

With that sound, the chilling killing intent that permeated the air vanished instantly, as if wiped away by an invisible hand.

Immediately afterwards, a respectful response faintly came from different directions on the island:
"Yes, patriarch."

The next second, in the interplay of light and shadow between the hazy moonlight and the pervasive sea fog, a pair of long, straight legs with skin so white it seemed to glow appeared in Cohen's field of vision, stroding with elegant yet wildly powerful steps.

She wore a deep purple gradient fishtail dress, and her long, azure hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall, adorned with sparkling pearls.

Her breathtakingly beautiful face is unforgettable at first glance.

It was Claire Salgado, the chieftain of the Merfolk Tide Tribe.

This seemingly desolate island was certainly not a location chosen randomly.

This was the final resting place that Cohen had carefully chosen for Gaius Cromwell, and also the last deadly trap that he had laid for this long-time adversary, a trap with no way out.

News came from the Military Intelligence Bureau that Akdemon had successfully infiltrated Quesaon, replaced the real Crown Prince Orlando, and completely taken control of the ancient teleportation array.

Cohen then sent a signal to Chief Claire, who was closest to the deserted island, according to the pre-arranged plan.

Therefore, Claire personally led a group of the most elite legendary-level powerhouses in her clan, and through the mermaid race's unique deep-sea diving channels, arrived ahead of time at this deserted island located at a specific coordinate, and silently laid a trap.

Meanwhile, Cohen, along with Garlin and Grace, as the final executors, came here to meet the big fish that was destined to walk into their trap.

Grace's tense expression visibly relaxed when she saw Claire.

This wasn't the first time Grace had dealt with this eccentric mermaid chieftain; the two had met before on Crimson Island.

However, for Jialin, Chief Claire was a complete stranger.

When the graceful mermaid chieftain approached Cohen with undisguised friendliness, Jialin's eyes narrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.

He let out a soft snort, clearly tinged with displeasure; though the sound was low, it clearly reached the ears of the powerful figures present.

"Ha, he really does accumulate romantic debts wherever he goes."

He had a constant stream of female confidantes around him.

Upon hearing this, Chief Claire's azure eyes narrowed instantly, a dangerous glint flashing across them.

If it weren't for her keen perception, which clearly captured the vast, star-like, and undeniable saintly aura emanating from the other party, she would have been completely different.

Given her domineering and fiery personality among the merfolk, she would have already unleashed a barrage of sharp retorts in deep-sea slang.

Caught in the middle, Cohen felt a chill run down his spine and immediately stepped forward, perfectly inserting himself into the silent yet spark-filled clash of auras between the two powerful women.

He first turned to Jialin, a slightly ingratiating wry smile on his face, and explained in a gentle voice:
"Auntie, you've misunderstood."

Chief Claire is a crucial ally for us; the successful execution of this plan is entirely due to her and the Tide Tribe's invaluable assistance.

Then he quickly turned to Claire, giving her a reassuring and apologetic look, and said in a low voice:

"Aunt Jialin is just... concerned about me, and she speaks a bit directly, but she means no harm."

Cohen managed to calm the tension that was about to escalate, allowing the tension in the air to dissipate slightly.

However, just as the awkwardness eased and everyone relaxed a little,

A very faint spatial fluctuation suddenly emanated from the pre-set teleportation area at the center of the island.

Everyone's expression instantly turned serious.

Cohen, Garlin, Grace, Claire, and the elite members of the Tide Tribe hidden in the darkness all held their breath and entered the highest level of combat readiness.

All eyes were fixed on the core area where space began to distort and light gradually rose—the prey was finally about to be caught in the net.

……

The blinding light gradually faded, and Gaius squinted, adjusting to the sudden dim light.

A salty sea breeze swept over me, carrying the fishy smell of rotting seaweed.

He looked around, and his heart sank – what lay before him was not the well-stocked, heavily guarded refuge island he had imagined.

Instead, it was a desolate and lifeless unfamiliar coastline with jagged rocks, devoid of anything except the howling wind and the waves crashing against the reefs.

He frowned, his voice hoarse with suppressed panic:
"Where is the army? Where are the supplies and provisions?"
How could this be a deserted island with nothing at all?
Orlando, Orlando!

Prime Minister Merrick's face drained of color instantly. He staggered around and grabbed "Orlando's" arm, his nails almost digging into the man's leather armor.

His voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Your Highness!"

What exactly is going on!

Is the spatial coordinate system... is it set incorrectly?

"Say something!"

However, "Orlando," whom he had captured, did not react at all. His face was an unnatural sallow color, and his eyes were empty and wooden, as if he were a shell whose soul had been taken away.

The next second, to Merrick's horrified gaze, "Orlando's" body fell straight backward, crashing heavily onto the sharp rocks with a thud. "No—something's wrong!"

The eldest prince!
"His Highness the Crown Prince...he's dead!"

A nobleman following closely behind let out a heart-wrenching scream, like a death knell, shattering everyone's last hope.

Gaius felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his mind went blank, and he had not yet recovered from the series of blows.

A voice he least wanted to hear in his life, yet was all too familiar, echoed like a ghost from behind a massive black reef:

“Your Majesty King Gaius, oh, and dear Prince Saxon, it’s been… a long time.”

The third prince, Saxon, shuddered violently as if bitten by a venomous snake, his face instantly turning ashen.

He stared intently at the figure slowly emerging from the shadows of the reef, his teeth chattering as if he had seen a demon crawling out of hell:

"K...Korn!"
Cohen Corleone!
"You...how did you get here?! This is impossible!"

Gaius was jolted violently, as if struck in the chest by an invisible hammer, and staggered back a step.

The surviving nobles and guards behind him, upon seeing the newcomer's face, seemed to have all their strength drained away, and bursts of desperate wails and chattering teeth rose and fell.

The entire scene was plunged into utter panic and despair.

They simply couldn't understand why their Kingdom of Ceylon was devoting all its national strength to fighting their number one mortal enemy.

They would appear like ghosts on this last escape route, which was theoretically known only to the kings and their heirs.

However, what made Gaius feel as if his blood had frozen was...

Beside Cohen Corleone, another figure stepped out leisurely—the woman dressed in the magnificent royal robes of the Eastern Empire, exuding a noble and graceful air, was none other than the eldest princess of the Eastern Empire, Grace Tang!

Gaius's body began to tremble uncontrollably, and he pointed a trembling finger at Grace.

His voice cracked and trembled from the extreme sense of absurdity and betrayal.
"You... Princess Grace!"

How could you... how could you be standing with Cohen Corleone?
Could it be... could it be that the Pirate King Yann Hughes, that madman, actually... gave you away as a gift to this nouveau riche king in exchange for Cohen's support?

This guess came out of his mouth, and even he himself felt it was incredibly crazy, yet it seemed to be the only reason that could explain this unbelievable scene.

Upon hearing this, Grace's beautiful face revealed a faint smile of contempt and pity.

Her clear voice carried a hint of mockery:
"Your Majesty Gaius, with your wisdom and experience as a king, you have arrived at this moment."

Can't you figure out the key to this?

Do I really need to point out this cruel truth to you?

Gaius was struck as if by a cold bolt of lightning, freezing in place, his pupils suddenly shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

An absurd yet terrifying thought, capable of destroying all his cognition, suddenly burrowed into his mind like a venomous snake, frantically gnawing at his reason.

Do not!
Absolutely impossible!
How can this be? !
Yann Hughes is the son of the demon god!
It is a being that has lived for countless years, whose fearsome reputation shakes the endless sea!
Long before that damned Cohen Corleone was even born, Yann Hughes, as the leader of the Scarlet Raiders, was already stirring up endless waves on this sea.

How could they be the same person?

However, just as he was internally screaming and trying to deny this terrible conjecture, the next second...

Cohen Corleone's voice rang out again.

But this time, the voice was no longer the usual lazy and mocking tone; instead, it suddenly changed into a voice that Gaius would never want to recall.

That was the unique voice of One Piece King Yann Hughes:
"Tsk, my dear King, we just recently reached a 'pleasant' cooperation agreement on that deserted island in the Weeping Trench."

What? It hasn't been that long, and you've already completely forgotten your old friend's voice and face?

As soon as Cohen finished speaking, Gaius was completely stunned.

The emotions I felt were beyond words.

Suddenly, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his life force rapidly diminished.

Cohen said to his aunt, Jialin, who was standing beside him:

"Auntie, Gaius's memories are very valuable for us to maintain our rule over Ceylon in the future."

You are the soul singer; please extract as many memories as possible from his.

Jialin nodded slowly:

"I will try my best. Gaius is not a legendary-level being, and his soul is not solidified. If he insists on self-annihilation, it will be difficult for me to preserve his complete memories."

"Just do your best, there's no need to force yourself."

As soon as the words were spoken, the elite merfolk who had been lying in ambush all rushed out.

Under the overwhelming power of Saint Jialin, the final siege of Gaius's side began.

……

The sea breeze, carrying a salty tang and a faint hint of blood, swept across the rugged rocks of the deserted island.

The outcome of the encirclement was never in doubt from the beginning.

When Cohen appeared on this land that should have been the Cromwell family's last hope, the outcome was already decided.

Inheriting an ancient bloodline from the era of the war between gods and demons, the Cromwell royal family, which once ruled the strongest kingdom on the continent, had its last embers extinguished by Cohen on this isolated overseas island.

The family's name, along with its past glory and ambition, has since been completely lost to the dust of history.

Of course, Freya will temporarily be crowned with this ancient surname, becoming the new queen of Ceylon, maintaining a semblance of legitimacy.

But years later, when everything has settled down and the new order is fully established.

The royal family that rules that land will surely change to—Corleone!

Cohen turned to the elegant Claire beside him.

In his hand was a deep blue crystal that emitted faint spatial fluctuations, its interior seemingly sealing a miniature starry sea.

He said to Claire:

"These are the coordinates of a secret base that the Cromwell royal family has been cultivating for many years, hoping to make a comeback."

According to our intelligence, the resources and wealth stockpiled there are enough to support a medium-sized kingdom for decades.

In addition, a group of elite troops loyal to the Cromwell family should be stationed at the base.

How to deal with them, and everything else within the base, is entirely up to you.

This is as a way of thanking the Tide Tribe for their great help this time.

Claire didn't stand on ceremony with Cohen either. In order to return to the Mermaid Royal Family, the Tide Tribe was indeed at a critical moment of accumulating various resources and seeking powerful external assistance.

The value of this "reward" far exceeds that of gold and silver. It represents the last vestige of a kingdom's resources, enough to give the merfolk an unimaginable advantage in the power struggles within the deep-sea kingdoms.

With the matter resolved, Claire turned around and her gaze lingered on Cohen's face for a moment before sweeping over the aloof Garlin with an indescribable provocation.

He let out a soft, ambiguous hum, then took the lead and walked towards a rocky area deep within the island.

Cohen gave Jialin an apologetic look and followed Claire to a secluded area on the island.

Claire said in a low voice:
"Based on my inside intelligence in the Southern Empire."

Their ambitious eldest prince, Gregor Jarvis, has persuaded the old emperor and the military elders.

A formal, large-scale military operation to exterminate our merfolk will likely begin soon.

At least a fully-equipped main force naval fleet of the Empire will be deployed, and it may even be equipped with magical warships specifically designed for deep-sea environments.

Cohen's expression immediately turned serious, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Do you know why we suddenly launched such a large-scale attack?"

A look of worry welled up in Claire's eyes, which finally turned into a heavy sigh:

"They want more than just plundering the merfolk's resources."

They want our entire merfolk race to completely kneel down, becoming a subordinate race under the Southern Empire's imprint, serving them for generations to come.

To put it more bluntly, we merfolk are merely the first stepping stone to their ambitions.

Gregor and the Southern Empire behind him are using the pretext of annihilating us to achieve their true goal.

The empire's iron hooves trampled across the entire endless sea, causing all sea creatures to tremble and submit beneath their battle banners.

They want to become a true maritime empire!

A look of seriousness flashed across Cohen's eyes, and he said in a low voice:

"What a huge appetite... It seems that the Southern Domain royal family must have also obtained prophecies about the dramatic changes in the future continental landscape through some secret channels."

They're preemptively positioning themselves to turn the Endless Sea into an inexhaustible logistical treasure trove and strategic rear for their future continental conquest!

Claire's voice unconsciously lowered:

"Fortunately, you found the long-lost Trident of Poseidon for us."

The return of this artifact not only greatly enhanced the strength of the Tide Tribe, but also allowed us to regain prestige and influence among the entire Merfolk.

Recently, the tribe's situation has visibly improved a lot.

If all goes well, it might not be long before we can regain our rightful leadership position within the merman royal family.

Cohen leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed sincerely on Claire's dreamy, beautiful eyes:

"Then tell me."

"Is there anything I can do for you now?"

Claire's lips twitched a few times, and a rare blush of embarrassment appeared on her face.

Seeing this, Cohen directly picked up where she left off, his tone resolute:

"Chieftain, don't forget the blood oath we made together."

I promised to do everything in my power to help you restore the glory of Tide.

The war in Ceylon has now come to an end, and the elite of the Crimson Raiders no longer need to wage war on all sides.

I'm transferring half of our forces, including the commanders most skilled in naval warfare and their fleets, to you for command.

They will assist you in more quickly integrating the various mermaid factions, uniting your forces, and jointly facing the impending storm from the Southern Empire!

Claire stared blankly at Cohen, and replied softly:
"Thank you..." (End of Chapter)