Chapter 675
Virekis's Heartbeat, the Gods' Plans!
Vireikis gazed at the handsome emperor before her, her mind filled with a myriad of emotions.
On the arena of wager witnessed by all the gods, he, with his mortal body, directly defeated the embodiment of the god's will, forcing the opponent's true form to swallow the bitter pill and swear an oath in front of everyone.
This scene far exceeded Villegis's initial expectations, and even surpassed her boldest imagination.
She had thought that the best outcome would be for Cohen to use the delicate balance among the gods to buy her a moment's respite, a bargaining chip.
She had even prepared herself for failure.
But Cohen... he chose the most direct, domineering, and unbelievable path.
He proved the weight of his promise with absolute power.
Virekis felt as if something had gently tapped her heart, which had long been frozen in the long chase and fear.
For ten thousand years, since her people perished and her homeland fell, she has struggled to survive alone in the darkness, burdened by hatred and responsibility. For the first time, someone has gone to such lengths for her, not for profit or scheming, but simply because of a promise.
A strong urge surged within her; she wanted to go to that man immediately and say something to him.
However, when her gaze involuntarily fell on Cohen's side, she dismissed the idea.
The goddess of light, Aetheril, is like the most loyal guardian, radiating holy light and never leaving her side.
Queen Adele Angelion, the woman who inherited the title of the most beautiful woman on the continent, was gently holding Cohen's hand and whispering something.
Isabella Wenzer, the daughter of the Golden Wing, looked at Cohen with undisguised concern and affection, as did her good student, Windsordler.
Several other beautiful girls with different looks and temperaments also surrounded him, forming a circle called "family".
Virekis lowered her eyelids slightly, her long silver eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her cheeks, obscuring the extremely complex glimmer in her eyes.
Who is she?
An ancient elf burdened with a blood feud, who barely escaped the pursuit of the main god.
He was the emperor of the Efein Empire, a monarch surrounded by many outstanding women, and bearing the fate of the empire and many more people on his shoulders.
There may have been promises and deals between them, but with the assurance of the God of Darkness, that's the end of it.
Virekis took a soft breath, and when she looked up again, her face had regained its usual calm, which carried a faint sense of aloofness and classical elegance.
The elven deities not far away were unaware of the complex turmoil in Vilekis's heart.
Their attention was now entirely focused on the first Elf Queen, who had just escaped her millennia-long fate of being hunted down.
With the final judgment of the prophetic god Madora and the humiliating admission of the dark god Erebus, the tense atmosphere in the arena eased slightly.
The elven deities exchanged glances, no longer holding back, and all restrained their overly dazzling divine power, transforming into several streams of light of different colors, each carrying a rich natural and elven aura, which gracefully landed in front of Virekis.
Faced with this being who was most likely to become the future Elf God King, even as gods, they restrained their usual indifference and distance from all living beings.
Elon Wisdom, a wise man of the past, history, and knowledge, with his silver beard and white hair, his eyes reflecting the wisdom of time, nods slightly, his posture elegant and dignified.
Sylvan Shadow Chaser, the god of hunting and moonlight, was as agile as a cheetah, surrounded by the tranquility of the forest and the coolness of the moonlight. He performed an ancient elven greeting to Virekis with swift and decisive movements.
Leila, the goddess of art, poetry, and music, walks gracefully, as beautiful as a dream under the moonlight, her eyes filled with undisguised curiosity and an almost artist-like admiration for a masterpiece.
Clearly, the beauty of this former most beautiful woman on the continent was enough to impress even the most beautiful goddess of art among the elven deities.
Mekari the Forest Speaker, the god of forests and rangers, also gave Virekis a gentle smile, as if the forest were welcoming its queen.
Leox, the god of craftsmanship and creation, is a deity revered by both dwarves and elves, but his image is closer to that of a top-tier elven master craftsman.
He stroked the symbolic tool in his hand and cast a respectful glance at Villegisie.
It lacks the arrogance that gods show to mortals, stemming from the difference in their level of existence.
On the contrary, their attitude contained a clear, even "earnest," concern, as well as a heavy expectation.
Because they were well aware of the significance of the elven woman before them—she was a special being who had inherited the powerful divine title of "Destruction" before achieving legendary status.
She was the first queen who unified the various elven races of the main plane in ancient times and established a glorious elven empire.
She has endured ten thousand years of relentless pursuit and remains unyielding. In the future, she may very well unite the shattered elven faith, rebuild the authority of the elven pantheon, and even... ascend to the long-vacant position of "Elven God-King".
In a time when the elven pantheon is waning, her appearance is like lighting up the brightest star in the silent night sky.
As Virekis watched these elven sages and deities, who had provided her with secret protection or indirect guidance to varying degrees during her years of exile, approach her, she understood.
But right now, in this place where the divine duel has just ended and the atmosphere remains delicate and tense, it is clearly not the right time for in-depth conversation.
Virekis suppressed her wandering thoughts, her face displaying just the right amount of elegance and composure. She curtsied slightly, performing an ancient elven royal salute to the deities:
"Thank you all for your protection and guidance in the past. If it weren't for your secret mediation in the divine realm and your cover-up of my whereabouts, I would probably have been persecuted by the minions of darkness long ago."
Vireikis will forever remember this kindness and gratitude.
This is true. If it weren't for the influence and protection exerted by the elven pantheon, it would have been virtually impossible for her to hide for ten thousand years under the full-scale pursuit of the God of Darkness and his forces.
The elven deities nodded slightly, accepting her gratitude.
At this moment, Lyra, the goddess of art, poetry, and music, a goddess with a romantic and straightforward personality, blinked her beautiful eyes, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Cohen, who was surrounded by a crowd in the distance, before returning to Virekis.
Her voice was as melodious as the strumming of a harp.
“Veigh, my sister, we are overjoyed to see you at peace.”
That His Majesty Corleone… isn’t he a truly astonishing figure?”
Virekis was taken aback. Putting aside the fact that she addressed the goddess Lyra as her "sister," the fact that the other party suddenly mentioned Cohen made her heart skip a beat. She had a feeling that the other party was about to say something earth-shattering.
The goddess Leila paused, her tone softening further, and with an artist's unique longing for beautiful things and a desire to bring things together, she smiled and said:
"For you, he dared to face the dark god Erebus the Night. This courage and commitment is enough to illuminate many dark poems."
There is an ancient connection between you, and now there is a new bond... If you can build on this foundation, you can develop it further.
Whether for the future covenant of the gods or for enhancing the status and influence of our elven pantheon in the divine realm, this will be an immeasurable and powerful boost.
He, and the potential and influence he represents, deserve the sustained attention of any discerning eye.
Lyra Chant's words were direct and frank, making no attempt to hide her high regard for Cohen and her certain expectations of his relationship with Virekis.
This is not simply gossip, but a pragmatic consideration from the perspective of the interests of the entire Elf pantheon.
A powerful figure who rules over a mighty empire, who has just defeated the God of Darkness with his mortal body, who has a close relationship with the Goddess of Light, and who was once the mysterious and powerful God of Shadow in his previous life, is a figure whose weight cannot be ignored by any deity.
Virekis felt a jolt in her heart. She truly hadn't expected that Cohen Corleone, the human emperor who now stood at the pinnacle of mortal power, would have such a significant influence in the eyes of the gods.
This influence stems not only from the incredible combat prowess he has just displayed, but also from his mysterious and complex background in his previous life, as well as the vast network of people gathered around him at this moment.
However, before she could respond, Elon Wise, the wise, historical and knowledgeful sage who had been listening silently all along, gently stroked his long, silvery-white beard.
In his aged yet wise voice, he added slowly, his tone much more subtle than Leila Chant's, yet still carrying a clear sense of reminder:
"His Majesty Corleone is indeed extraordinary, but, Villegise, walking along the threads of fate and history, you must see clearly every connecting node."
As you just saw, in his previous life, His Majesty had an extraordinary connection with the most esteemed lady of the God of Light pantheon.
When considering any option that might lead to a closer relationship with His Majesty, prudence is always the first lesson of wisdom.
After all, we elves can no longer afford the cost of simultaneously angering two chief gods.
Elon Ruiyu didn't spell it out, but the meaning couldn't be clearer—Cohen and the Goddess of Light, Aetheril, have a special relationship, and if you really want to "develop" anything, you should also be aware of the Goddess of Light's existence.
After hearing the reminders from the two gods, a very subtle pause appeared on Virekis's beautiful face.
She looked at the gods before her, who represented the highest levels of the elven pantheon. These gods, who were usually high above and held solemn authority over nature, wisdom, art, and hunting, were now discussing and worrying about her "relationship problems" in such a serious tone.
This feeling... is really surreal.
Throughout her long and arduous life, she spent most of her time struggling to survive, protecting her race, evading persecution, and contemplating revenge and the future of her race. When had she ever experienced being surrounded by a group of gods "urging her to get married" or "guiding her in love"? Even though this "urging to get married" was driven by clear political and racial interests, it still left her speechless and even made her want to laugh.
It turns out that even gods, in some ways, are just like mortals... "Gossip"?
She took a deep breath, suppressing the sense of absurdity in her heart, and her face returned to its usual calm.
He nodded slightly, indicating that he understood Elon Rui's reminder, but did not give any explicit response:
"Thank you for your concern and advice, Your Excellencies. However, this is not the place for a detailed discussion. Perhaps we can discuss this later?"
The elven deities exchanged glances and understood what she meant.
Now is certainly not the best time to discuss the future of the Elf pantheon or the position of "Elf God King".
Although the God of Darkness has retreated, his resentment has not subsided, and other deities are also watching this area closely. Too much contact could arouse unnecessary suspicion.
Thus, under Elon Wise's leadership, the elven deities all nodded in agreement.
They didn't say anything more, but each extended a finger and gently touched the air, leaving a soul imprint on Virekis.
This means that once this matter is settled and things are cleared up, they can use this unique soul imprint to conduct in-depth and detailed discussions in a safe and secluded place, away from the eyes and ears of the gods, regarding the future of the Elven race, the integration of the pantheon, and... Emperor Corleone, who has now become an indispensable piece in the game.
After exchanging their marks, the elven deities did not linger. They nodded slightly to Virekis once more before transforming into streaks of light and returning to the radiant region of the elven pantheon high above.
While the elven gods were communicating with Virekis, the dragon god Bahamut Goldbright, a powerful chief god who held the divine authority of wealth, protection, and the king of dragons, was fixed on Cohen.
He wanted to approach the human emperor who had just performed a miracle and ask him to confirm some things.
Some secrets concerning the oldest and most core bloodline inheritance of the dragon race.
But seeing the protective goddess of light, Aetherial Dawn, he changed his mind.
Aetherel turned slightly to the side, completely shielding Cohen behind her. Although most of her attention was focused on the Dark God in the distance, her eyes were still full of vigilance when she occasionally glanced in other directions.
It's not just about protecting allies; it's more like guarding one's treasures and not allowing others to get close.
The goddess's posture at this moment couldn't be clearer: now is clearly not the time.
Aetheril's attitude was clear: he had just ended a fierce conflict with the God of Darkness, and Cohen himself needed to recover. There were also so many gods around him eyeing him covetously.
Approaching at this moment, regardless of the reason, could be seen as an offense or threat by the Goddess of Light, who is known for her protectiveness and "unreasonableness."
Although Bahamut was not afraid of Aetheril, his purpose in coming here was not to provoke conflict, especially since the target was Korn, who had just shown amazing potential and might have a great connection with the dragon race in the future.
Bahamut decided to wait until he had thoroughly figured out the past of the girl named "Asuna" and confirmed his suspicions before finding an opportunity to communicate with Cohen.
In fact, when Bahamut saw Cohen unleash the "Dragon Kingdom" domain, especially when he saw the phantom of the progenitor dragon appear proudly and confront the phantom of the dark god with an undeniable force, thus winning Cohen the final opportunity to counterattack, Bahamut's initial guess of only seven or eight points had soared to ninety-nine percent.
The phantom of the primordial dragon... This cannot be explained by ordinary dragon blessings or dragon vein resonance.
Those non-dragon god core deities, even those known for their extensive knowledge such as the god of books and knowledge, Ain, and the ancient sage Elon Wise, might be surprised when they see the phantom of the progenitor dragon. They might think of some dragon bloodline connection or some powerful dragon heritage that Cohen might possess.
They might marvel at the antiquity and power of this force, but that's about it.
They could not comprehend the deeper meaning behind that phantom, nor could they grasp the core secrets of the dragon race's bloodline.
But Bahamut is different. He is a dragon god, the king of wealth, protection, and dragons, and one of the most core and oldest beings in the dragon pantheon.
The phantom of the progenitor dragon that appeared in the legendary realm of Cohen is no ordinary creature.
That pure, ultimate dragon might, that resonance and suppression of all dragon bloodlines at a life-level, means that after achieving the extraordinary profession of [Dragon Seal - Weapon Master], Cohen must have a deep, soul-deep connection with a dragon descendant who possesses the pure bloodline of the progenitor dragon.
Moreover, this connection must be long-term, stable, and deeply intertwined.
Only in this way could Cohen bear such a profound and pure mark of the progenitor dragon, and use this as an opportunity to break through the legend and build a domain—a transformation involving the essence of soul and rules.
This imprint is activated and sublimated, eventually forming the "Dragon Kingdom" capable of manifesting the phantom of the ancestral dragon.
Then, recalling what happened before, when the dragonborn named Shazo revealed that Cohen and Asuna were "lovers".
Having spent so much time in close proximity to such beings, their auras mingling, and even... (Bahamut promptly stopped himself from making any specific associations that didn't quite fit his identity), Cohen would naturally have absorbed the aura of the progenitor dragon.
This perfectly explains why Cohen, a human who seems to have no direct or profound connection with the dragon race, was able to construct such a powerful and essential "Dragon Kingdom" at the legendary level and summon the phantom of the progenitor dragon.
Because one of his closest people, the girl who accompanied him and shared the most intimate moments of his life—Asuna Iliad—is very likely a pure-blooded dragon with the blood of the progenitor dragon flowing through her veins.
In fact, the purity and antiquity of their bloodline may be beyond imagination.
This deeply moved Bahamut.
The bloodline of the progenitor dragon had become diluted over the long course of time. Even the ancient dragons slumbering in the deepest part of the Dragon God Kingdom had a bloodline purity far inferior to that of the progenitor.
A progenitor of dragon blood who has been lost and may not even be fully awakened... The significance behind this is far too great for the dragon race.
He needed to find an opportunity, away from the "overprotection" of other deities, especially the Goddess of Light, to communicate with Cohen, or better yet, directly with Asuna.
……
As the thrilling duel between Cohen and the Dark God Erebus Eternal Night came to an end, the heavy atmosphere that permeated the Florentine Plains, a mixture of divine pressure and the tense atmosphere of hundreds of thousands of living beings holding their breath, seemed to ease slightly.
The crowd below began to murmur amongst themselves, while high above, the thoughts of the gods were also communicating rapidly and silently.
Assessing the far-reaching impact of this battle, speculating on the future fate of the mortal emperor who had just created a miracle, and the subtle changes that might occur between the Dark Pantheon, the Light Pantheon, the Elven Pantheon, and even more other forces.
However, this brief respite did not last long.
Just as the light of most of the divine incarnations began to flicker slightly, preparing to dissipate.
A clear and distinctive rhythmic fluctuation suddenly emanated from the area that was always shrouded in a faint mist of time—the place where the prophet Madora, the goddess of prophecy, resided.
The fluctuations were not violent, but they were precisely transmitted in several specific directions.
Immediately afterwards, under the gaze of countless eyes, some bright and some dark, several figures of different colors, each imbued with immense divine power, received the message almost simultaneously.
The deities paused slightly, then transformed into streams of light and converged on the area where Madora was located.
The figures summoned include:
That deep darkness, still churning with cold fury, yet slightly dimmed and withered by the backlash of the artifact—Erebus, the god of darkness.
That dark red light, churning with the scent of blood and fire, iron and rust—Ares the God of War and Battle.
That indigo eye of the storm, shrouded in thunder and gales, with flashes of lightning—the roar of Sirova, the god of the sky and storms.
That crimson region, like an eruption of underground lava, eternally burning with raging flames—Fjorn the Fiery, the god of fire and magma.
And, that warm, pure, and still firmly protecting Cohen—the Goddess of Light, Aetherial Dawn.
There is also another icy blue radiance that exudes extreme cold and seems to freeze even space itself—the ice element and the ice goddess Daphne Ice.
There are six in total, plus Madora himself, the prophetic god who initiated the summons, making a total of seven.
These seven, plus Losanda Space, the Space God responsible for sealing the Pillar Demon God on the front lines of the Underworld Abyss.
These eight are the eight elemental gods who hold the most powerful and core divine positions among the gods of the main plane and together form the "Council of Gods"!
Of course, Ares the God of War and battle is not a traditional elemental god.
This was solely due to the fall of the ancient god of time, and to ensure the absolute military suppression and authoritative representation of the main god council over the other pantheons.
Madora, who succeeded to the position of Speaker, then appointed Ares Beacon, the most powerful god of battle and war, to fill the vacancy.
These eight deities are the creators and maintainers of the divine order, and the highest decision-makers in the divine realm for resisting void invasions and handling major affairs involving multiple planes.
This scene immediately drew the attention and puzzled the other deities present who were unable to participate in the meeting.
The ordinary gods who were not members of the council, as well as some gods from powerful pantheons, including the dragon god and the ocean god, all showed expressions of confusion. (End of Chapter)