Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Abyssal Chasm – An Unknown Location

A fierce wind howled through the icy expanse as Gustalon emerged from the storm, his translucent form materializing from the swirling air.

"Paradise… hahaha… Damn it, this isn't paradise!"

"Why… why did I come here?"

"Am I lost?"

"Was that an illusion… or a dream?"

Gustalon glanced around at his surroundings, realizing he had drifted further north.

In his dream, he had found a paradise—a haven for wind elementals. But upon waking, the harsh reality of snow and cold greeted him instead.

"The Black Forest has too many powerful beings. What should I do now?"

"Three Wolf Kings? What was that about?"

"And yet, two of them were killed so quickly. Perhaps that's something my lord didn't anticipate."

"I must go to the Abyssal Chasm and report this immediately!"

---

Black Forest – Barren Mountains

When Chillrend and his horde of snow monsters arrived at the Trolls' gathering place, they found it completely deserted.

"Damn it! Where are those cursed Trolls?"

"Where did they go?"

As Chillrend roared in frustration, one of his kin stepped forward to ask a question.

"Chieftain, where should we go next?"

"A slave reported that the chieftain of the Poison Dragon Swamp led his tribe toward the Black Forest."

"Should we pursue them?"

Chillrend stopped his roaring, his white fur rustling in the wind.

"Pursue them? Why wouldn't we?"

"But, Chieftain, the Black Forest is the territory assigned to the icefield snow wolves. If we chase them there, won't we…"

"Humph! What's there to fear? Those mangy wolves are only dangerous because of their numbers. What else do they have?"

"Chieftain, shouldn't we consult the Lord first?"

Smack!

Chillrend slapped the speaker, sending him flying. His voice was filled with venom as he growled:

"Our great Lord only cares about the amount of spoils we deliver. He doesn't care where they come from!"

"Follow me! I will hunt down the Trolls and avenge my father!"

Orion's earlier prediction had been spot on. The eastern Chillrend had begun moving toward the Black Forest.

---

To the West – Desert Oasis

Snow Wraith Lumi wandered through the snow-covered desert, her figure solitary amidst the endless white.

The Scorpion Queen Soraya had chosen to avoid confrontation, leaving Lumi with nothing to do.

It seemed the desert had already become Lumi's domain.

---

Deep beneath the desert, in the underground palace, High Priestess Selenis lowered her head in thought.

"Your Majesty, how long do you think this invasion will last?"

Soraya, draped in a thin red veil as if oblivious to the surrounding cold, leaned lazily against her throne. Her gaze was distant, and she didn't respond immediately.

After a long silence, Soraya murmured softly:

"The elemental energy in this region is growing thinner. The direction of the Black Forest is especially noticeable."

"That giant chieftain… what exactly is he planning?"

---

Black Forest – Second Ambush Point

Orion sat atop the Thunderhawk, watching as countless icefield snow wolves swam across the wide river.

When the wolves reached the middle of the river, the Stoneheart Horde's bloodline warriors, led by Onyx, Thundar, and Slagor, launched their attack.

Arrows and boulders rained down, and the river was soon filled with the bodies of dead wolves, their corpses carried away by the current.

In the shallows, swamp crocodiles and lizardmen lay in wait, killing any wolves that managed to swim across.

It was a brutal combination of a defensive and offensive battle, with the river becoming a graveyard for countless snow wolves.

Orion guided the Thunderhawk, searching for the last Wolf King.

Despite circling the battlefield several times, neither Orion nor the Thunderhawk could pinpoint the Wolf King's location.

However, both could sense an Alpha-level aura hidden within the wolf pack, confirming that the Wolf King was still present, observing the battle.

"This Wolf King is something else," Orion muttered.

"First, it could split into three. Now, it's hiding so well we can't find it. What a troublesome foe."

Orion knew that visible enemies weren't the real threat—those could be dealt with head-on.

It was the hidden enemies, the ones lurking in the shadows, that were the most dangerous.

---

Half a Day Later

When the Horde's stockpile of boulders and arrows was depleted, they had no choice but to retreat.

The sheer number of snow wolves was overwhelming. Staying to fight them head-on would only result in heavy losses, something Orion and the elders were determined to avoid.

Victory would be meaningless if it came at the cost of too many bloodline warriors.

As the retreat horn sounded, most of the Horde began withdrawing to the third ambush point, leaving only a small group of elites to cover their retreat.

Orion, riding the Thunderhawk, flew low over the battlefield, bombarding the wolves in the river.

The Thunderhawk, Rayden, seemed to be enjoying itself. It grabbed wolves from the water, flew high into the air, and dropped them, killing them on impact and sometimes crushing other wolves below.

Despite their efforts, the river, combined with Slagor's swamp-dwelling forces, only managed to kill around 50,000 snow wolves.

Even after this battle, the wolf pack still numbered approximately 130,000, leaving Orion feeling slightly relieved but still under pressure.

---

Third Ambush Point

When Orion dismounted from the Thunderhawk and entered the third ambush point, the weight on his shoulders returned with full force.

"Chieftain, we've received intelligence from the east!"

Delilah approached, her expression anxious.

Orion narrowed his eyes and gestured for her to follow him into the temporary command tent.

Inside, Orion, Onyx, Thundar, Delilah, and Slagor—five Alpha-level powerhouses—sat at the head of the table.

Below them, the council elders—Earthshaker, Desdemona, Vespera, Rockwell, Dirtclaw, Slate, Samson, and Ursa—sat as observers.

Once everyone was seated, Orion nodded for Delilah to share the report.

"Chieftain, our scouts in the Barren Mountains have reported a large number of icefield snow monsters moving toward the Black Forest."

This was something Orion had already anticipated.

"What about the west?"

This was the critical question. If enemies from all three directions converged on the Black Forest, the combined forces would be overwhelming.

Even if Orion managed to win, it would be a pyrrhic victory, leaving the Stoneheart Horde crippled.

"So far, no new reports have come in."

"However, earlier reports mentioned that the western desert has been covered in a thick layer of snow and ice."

"There was also a female voice heard in the storm, calling out to Scorpion Queen Soraya."

Orion fell silent, deep in thought.

The tent grew heavy with tension as the others waited for him to speak.

---

Slagor, meanwhile, felt a sense of relief. He had always known that icefield monsters would eventually ravage his former territory.

"Good thing I left when I did. Otherwise, my tribe would've been wiped out!"

But as Slagor silently celebrated his foresight, he realized that several icy gazes were fixed on him.

It wasn't just Orion—every elder of the Stoneheart Horde was staring at him.

Their expressions were cold and unyielding, as if silently accusing him of bringing this calamity to their doorstep.

---

The Stoneheart Horde elders shared a common thought: the current predicament was largely caused by Slagor's inaction and his decision to redirect the threat toward the Black Forest.

Their cold, angry stares made Slagor feel deeply uncomfortable.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Slagor protested, his voice tinged with both frustration and defensiveness.

"If my tribe had stayed in the Poison Dragon Swamp, we'd have been doomed when the swamp froze over. We wouldn't even have had the chance to burrow into the marsh to hide!"

"Besides, at the second ambush point, we worked tirelessly to dig traps and fought just as hard against the icefield invaders."

"Our two forces working together is mutually beneficial—it's good for everyone!"

Slagor's tone was a mix of embarrassment and cunning. He played the victim card while also emphasizing the common enemy, managing to win some sympathy from a few of the elders.

Orion, however, wasn't particularly angry with Slagor. Instead, he was more interested in extracting useful information.

"Slagor, do you know what species invaded the Poison Dragon Swamp?"

Slagor nodded, his expression darkening as he recalled unpleasant memories. His voice grew heavy as he replied:

"If I'm not mistaken, the invaders were Frost Giants, who live in the icy mountains of the tundra."

"They're massive creatures. It's said that the largest among them can grow up to 300 feet tall, freezing everything in their path."

"Of course, that's just a legend. But Alpha-level Frost Giants are definitely over 100 feet tall."

"In addition to the Frost Giants, there are likely other icefield species, such as frost bulls and mountain snow apes, though their numbers are much smaller."

Slagor's tone betrayed his bitterness. If the invaders had been something like the icefield snow wolves, his tribe wouldn't have needed to migrate. They could have simply hidden in the swamp to avoid the worst of the invasion.

But the Frost Giants were a different story. Wherever they went, they brought freezing temperatures and ice, turning the swamp into a frozen wasteland. For swamp-dwelling species, they were the ultimate nemesis.

This was why, as soon as Slagor heard about the impending invasion last year, he had begun planning his migration.

The information Slagor provided about the eastern invaders caused the elders of the Stoneheart Horde to frown deeply.

"Slagor, have you fought them before?"

"How strong are they in battle?"

"Are their strongest warriors more powerful than our giants or obsidian golems?"

"…"

The elders bombarded Slagor with questions about the Frost Giants' combat capabilities.

Slagor remained silent, unwilling to answer each question individually.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Enough. Quiet!"

Orion's voice cut through the noise, his commanding tone and icy gaze silencing the tent.

"The icefield monsters are undoubtedly strong," Orion began.

"But their strength is partially dependent on the environment."

"Furthermore, we have the advantage of terrain. We are not at a disadvantage."

Orion's words caused Slagor to glance at him with newfound respect.

"This guy may be small for a giant, but he's incredibly sharp," Slagor thought to himself.

He realized that Orion's words were carefully chosen. The elders' questions, if answered poorly, could have had a negative impact on morale.

If Slagor had downplayed the Frost Giants' strength, the elders might have grown overconfident and underestimated the enemy, leading to costly mistakes in battle.

Conversely, if he had exaggerated their power, it could have demoralized the Horde.

Orion's approach struck the perfect balance: acknowledging the enemy's strength while emphasizing their own advantages and the importance of preparation.

"Strengthen intelligence gathering in the Desert Oasis and Poison Dragon Swamp. If necessary, deploy the Sentinel Corps," Orion instructed, turning to Delilah.

Delilah nodded in agreement.

The Sentinel Corps, equipped with flying mounts, was one of the Horde's most valuable assets. Aside from the Thunderhawk, the Horde only had three other flying mounts, making them incredibly precious.

Normally, these mounts were only deployed in safe conditions. The fact that Orion was willing to risk them for reconnaissance showed how seriously he took the threats from the east and west.

"Thundar, Slagor, deploy your forces to build more defensive structures. Set as many traps and barricades as possible before the wolf pack arrives."

"Understood!"

"Got it!"

The meeting didn't last much longer. Everyone left with their assigned tasks.

---

The third ambush point was located at the mouth of a mountain pass.

Flanked by two large mountain ranges, the pass was a natural chokepoint. If the wolves tried to bypass it by climbing the mountains, they would expend significant energy and time.

This made the mountain pass the ideal location for an ambush.

Additionally, the pass was elevated, forcing the wolves to climb a slope to reach it. This slope was the perfect place to set traps and barricades, as well as the best position for the Horde to launch their ambush.

The wolves would have limited visibility as they approached, and any attempt to charge through the pass would come at a heavy cost.

Orion stood at the mouth of the pass, gazing northward, lost in thought.

---

Blackstone City – Underground Fissure

Rendall led his people as they delivered another batch of beast carcasses to the cave spiders' lair.

"Lorelia, I've brought all the supplies you requested!"

"Thank you. My newly hatched children are starving!"

Lorelia, accompanied by four massive cave spiders, emerged from the passage leading to the bottomless abyss, her expression one of satisfaction.

Rendall squinted as he studied the four giant spiders behind her. Each one was at the peak of hero level.

"Elder, aren't my four guards beautiful?" Lorelia asked, a hint of pride in her voice.

Thanks to the abundant resources provided by the Horde, she had selected the most promising cave spiders and nurtured them into her personal guards.

These guards, all at the peak of hero level, were even more formidable due to their beastly nature.

Of course, their potential was limited, and hero level was likely their ceiling.

"They're very impressive, both in appearance and strength," Rendall replied, nodding with approval.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

In the past, aside from Orion, only he and Clymene had reached hero level within the Horde.

Now, Lorelia had easily produced four peak hero-level cave spiders.

"Can more cave spiders like these be nurtured?" Rendall asked, his ambition showing. He genuinely hoped the Horde's strength would continue to grow, ideally without limit.

Lorelia shook her head, her expression tinged with regret.

"Not for now. Their development depends heavily on their innate potential."

Hearing this, Rendall felt a pang of disappointment but quickly brushed it aside.

"Have you completed the task Orion assigned to you?"

"Don't worry, Elder. The number of spiderlings Master requested has already been met!"

"That's good to hear."

"Elder, have I overproduced spiderlings? Is the Horde running low on resources because of me?"

"Don't worry about that. Keep hatching them. Leave the resource management to us!"