Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

As Lorne and his father Elan exited the chieftain's tent, Orion's gaze sharpened slightly, like the piercing eyes of an eagle.

Back in Stormrage City, Orion and his forces had encountered an Alpha-level harpy named Thunderwing—a flying powerhouse who had proven to be a formidable opponent. And now, another Alpha-level harpy, Aella, had emerged.

It was undeniable that Lord Ariel's resources and foundation far surpassed those of Lord Gareth.

"The appearance of Aella suggests there are things happening between Lord Gareth and Lord Ariel that we're unaware of."

"With the beast tide approaching, this means…"

Orion paused, thinking for a moment before issuing his orders.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll patrol the southern Black Forest with Rayden."

"Delilah and Lilith will oversee the horde, keeping watch over Blackstone City and the Underground Fissure."

"The cannon fodder troops working on the city walls will temporarily withdraw. Rendall and Onyx will lead them to hunt the beast tide."

"Onyx, Rendall, your role is to maintain order. The actual handling of the beast tide will be delegated to the eight council elders."

Delilah, Prophet Onyx, and Rendall all nodded, accepting their assignments.

"Thundar, keep a detailed record of the council elders' performance during this beast tide. Anyone who performs poorly will be stripped of their position."

Orion was determined to use this beast tide as an opportunity to identify and cultivate true talent for the horde. Only through rigorous selection could the best rise to the top.

---

Meanwhile, in the northern Abyssal Chasm.

The Abyssal Chasm was Lord Gareth's stronghold. Deep within its depths lay a sealed tributary leading to the deepest abyss.

In the darkness, Lord Gareth opened her eyes, her body radiating Abyssal energy that lingered and refused to dissipate.

"Ridi, summon Arden for me."

"At once, my lord!"

Ridi left the Abyssal Chasm and returned shortly with Arden in tow.

"My lord, you summoned me?"

Lord Gareth glanced at Arden and got straight to the point.

"Lord Ariel has sent her people to drive the beast tide again."

"Arden, take the Storm Vulture and redirect the beast tide back."

"Ensure that the Black Forest, Desert Oasis, and Poison Dragon Swamp suffer minimal losses during this beast tide."

After issuing her orders, Lord Gareth fell silent for a moment before speaking again, her voice slow and deliberate.

"Reynard of Thunderhawk City is dead, but the Skytalon Tribe that served him should still have an Alpha-level thunderhawk."

"The Skytalon Tribe has now submitted to the giants. When you go to the Black Forest, keep an eye out to see if that thunderhawk has bonded with Orion."

This revelation shocked both Ridi and Arden.

Arden, in particular, was stunned. When he had delivered the retreat orders in Thunderwood Forest, he hadn't seen the thunderhawk.

If the thunderhawk had fled at the time, there was nothing more to say. But if it hadn't fled and he hadn't noticed it, there was only one possibility: the thunderhawk had contract with Orion and was being hidden, ready to strike at his enemies when least expected.

The thought sent cold sweat dripping down Arden's back.

"Understood, my lord!"

Arden accepted the task. Just as he was about to leave the Abyssal Chasm, Lord Gareth's voice rang out again.

"Inform Soraya, Orion, and Slagor that once the dark beast tides of winter end, we will face an invasion from the northern lords. Tell them to prepare in advance."

The Abyssal Chasm fell into an eerie silence. After a long pause, the sound of Ridi and Arden swallowing nervously broke the stillness.

"My lord, are you certain the northern monsters will invade us next year?"

It was Ridi who spoke, his expression grim. As one of Lord Gareth's most trusted aides, he wanted to confirm the severity of the situation. It was clear that an invasion from the north would not be easy to repel.

"This time, Ariel and I fought fiercely, and we both sustained injuries. She will undoubtedly spread the news."

"The northern enemies will seize this opportunity to raid us."

"Prepare yourselves. It's best not to leave the Abyssal Chasm."

"When the time comes, I can at most hold off the Icebound Lord Jorik. As for his icefield monsters, they will be free to rampage through our territory."

Hearing this, Arden froze in place, stunned by the gravity of the situation.

"Go now. Redirect the beast tide as quickly as possible to minimize our losses. Perhaps next year will be a little easier."

---

At the southern border of the Black Forest.

Orion, riding atop Thunderhawk Rayden, had arrived two days ahead of schedule. The border region was still calm, with no signs of the beast tide yet.

Orion's purpose here wasn't to redirect the beast tide. For the Stoneheart Horde, the beast tide was a vital source of food. Orion would never cut off his own supply chain.

Instead, his goal was to intercept and kill the Alpha-level harpy, Aella.

A flying Alpha-level opponent would be the perfect test of Orion's coordination with Thunderhawk Rayden.

However, it seemed that Orion's plan might not come to fruition. After some thought, he directed Thunderhawk Rayden to fly westward.

The western region was the desert, Soraya's territory. Orion was curious to see what kind of beasts could invade such a harsh and unique environment.

Two days later, at the border between the desert and the forest, Orion spotted a group of massive sand serpents fleeing toward the desert. Both above and below ground, the serpents moved in droves.

Sensing Thunderhawk Rayden's presence, the sand serpents grew even more agitated, quickening their pace as they fled into the desert.

"Something's not right. These sand serpents are fleeing northward, which means they were being driven before this."

Orion quickly realized what was happening.

"Rayden, gain altitude. We're heading back toward the Black Forest!"

The lack of beast tide activity in the Black Forest earlier, combined with the movement of the sand serpents, revealed something crucial: Aella was driving the beast tide from west to east.

This meant that Orion could wait for Aella to arrive within his territory.

Based on the current situation, he estimated that he would encounter Aella within the next two days.

"No, I can't intercept Aella in the Black Forest. I need to hunt her in the Poison Dragon Swamp!"

The Stoneheart Horde needed the beast tide to secure food supplies. Orion couldn't disrupt Aella's efforts; he needed her to successfully drive the beast tide into the Black Forest.

Only after the beast tide reached its destination would it be the perfect time to strike.

"Rayden, head east. Our target is the Poison Dragon Swamp!"

===

Three days later, in the area where the Poison Dragon Swamp bordered Thunderwood Forest, Orion stood atop Thunderhawk Rayden, hidden within the clouds, drifting silently with the wind.

Below, near the ground, the target Orion had been waiting for—harpy Aella—was already locked in battle with the approaching Arden.

Arden's expression was grim, his mood sour. The opponent before him was someone he knew all too well.

Lord Gareth and Lord Ariel had been at odds for years, and Arden and Aella had crossed paths and clashed numerous times. In all their previous encounters, neither had managed to gain the upper hand.

This time was no different. Arden had the assistance of his Storm Vulture, which kept him from falling behind. However, Aella's speed and agility gave her a significant advantage.

"Hahaha… Arden, you useless fool! After all these years, you've made no progress at all!"

"If I were Lord Gareth, I'd pluck every feather off that pathetic Storm Vulture of yours and roast it for dinner!"

Harpy Aella laughed wildly, her words sharp and cutting, each one aimed to mock and provoke Arden.

"Damn harpy! I'll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!"

Arden raised his staff, chanting an incantation. A cloud of black mist poured from his mouth, transforming into a bat-like abyssal creature that flew straight toward Aella.

"A mere hero-level abyssal bat? You think that'll scare me? Die!"

Aella spread her wings, unleashing a razor-sharp wind blade that sliced the abyssal bat cleanly in two.

"Arden, you're such a disappointment!"

Aella's taunts didn't anger Arden. They had fought too many times for him to be provoked so easily. Instead, he continued chanting, pointing his staff at Aella.

"Abyssal Chains, rise!"

Clang… clang…

The sound of chains clashing echoed through the air. The abyssal bat, which had just been cut apart, dissolved into two masses of Abyssal energy. These quickly reformed into a chain that shot toward Aella, coiling around her.

The chain was covered in glowing runes, radiating energy that made Aella frown.

This Abyssal magic was something Arden had never used before. Clearly, it was a trump card he had kept hidden.

"Aella, today I'll make sure you die here in the Poison Dragon Swamp!"

The chain twisted and coiled like a massive serpent, spinning rapidly. In no time, Aella was surrounded by the shadowy chains, forming a cage around her. She was now like a bird trapped in a cage.

"Thunderstorm Cyclone!"

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Aella stopped underestimating her opponent. She channeled the full power of the lightning and wind elements within her body. In the blink of an eye, a storm crackling with lightning formed around her, expanding outward in an attempt to shred the Abyssal chains.

The clash of crackling lightning and grinding chains created a deafening cacophony.

In midair, the Abyssal chains tightened, while the thunderstorm cyclone expanded outward. The collision of these two forces caused the surrounding weather to shift dramatically.

Even Orion, hidden high above in the clouds, felt the effects of the battle. Thunderhawk Rayden ascended to its maximum altitude to avoid the turbulence.

Orion looked down at the battle between Arden and Aella, captivated by the spectacle. He had never witnessed a fight like this before.

It was clear that both Arden and Aella were Alpha-level mages. Arden was an Abyssal summoner, which Orion already knew. Aella, on the other hand, appeared to be a dual-element mage specializing in wind and lightning.

"I wonder what a battle between Legendary-level beings would look like," Orion muttered to himself as he continued to observe.

Arden stared intently at the clashing chains and storm, his eyes fixed on Aella within the cyclone. He believed this was his chance—a rare opportunity to kill Aella.

Determined, Arden made his next move.

He raised his staff and plunged it into the body of his Storm Vulture.

In an instant, Arden's magic flowed through the staff and into the Storm Vulture. The creature let out a piercing screech, its feathers bristling as a ring of black plumes sprouted around its neck.

The black feathers detached, transforming into countless blades that shot toward Aella's thunderstorm cyclone.

Thud, thud, thud!

Inside the storm, Aella had no room to maneuver. The black blades struck her directly, embedding themselves in her body before exploding.

Despite the devastating attack, Aella didn't fall. Instead, a bolt of lightning erupted from her forehead, shattering the black blades and breaking free from the cage of chains and storm.

Without saying a word, Aella turned and fled at full speed.

Arden, standing atop his Storm Vulture, didn't give chase. He had recognized the aura of that lightning—it was a projection of Lord Ariel's will.

Simply put, Arden lacked the courage to confront Lord Ariel's will projection.

Watching Aella's retreating figure, Arden sighed heavily. With a dark expression, he guided his exhausted Storm Vulture back toward the Black Forest.

---

High above, Orion, perched on Rayden, was unfazed.

Orion had no qualms about angering Lord Ariel once again.

Without hesitation, he directed Thunderhawk Rayden to pursue Aella.

*Cry!*

As they neared the Thunderwood Forest, a piercing eagle cry echoed through the skies. Thunderhawk Rayden folded its wings and dove like a meteor.

"That's… a thunderhawk?"

"Reynard?"

"No, the aura is unfamiliar. Who is it?"

Boom!

Thunderhawk Rayden unleashed a bolt of lightning that struck Aella mid-flight. Already gravely injured, Aella was hit hard and plummeted toward the ground.

Even so, Orion hurled a trident after her, ensuring she wouldn't escape.

*Crash!*

The impact created a massive crater in the ground. Orion leapt from Thunderhawk Rayden's back, cautiously approaching the site where Aella had fallen.

"Giant, you've angered me once again!"

Sure enough, the unmistakable voice of Lord Ariel echoed from the crater, filled with fury.

At the same time, Aella's body slowly rose to its feet.