Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Moonshadow Valley, west of the ridge.

The northern and southern sides of the ridge had been carefully planned by Orion, designating them as special zones for the horde. The summit of the ridge became the territory of Elan, where the Skytalon Tribe raised their flying beasts. It was also one of the roosting grounds for the Thunderhawk Rayden.

When the Skytalon Tribe followed Orion to the Black Forest, they brought along two hero-level flying beasts. Naturally, raising flying beasts required cultivating magical plants that served as their primary food source. The areas on both sides of the ridge, adjacent to the Skytalon Tribe's territory, were allocated to the Garland Tribe for growing these magical plants.

Orion believed that the collaboration between the Skytalon Tribe and the Garland Tribe would eventually allow Blackstone City to establish its own magical plant plantations.

However, the Garland Tribe was small, with only three members.

Aside from Violet, the Saintess of the Garland Tribe, there was the mature yet graceful Lady Jasmine, who served as Violet's guardian elder. The third member was Ivy, Violet's maid, who was loyal and adorably naive.

Although Lady Jasmine and Ivy had been enslaved by Delilah, they were ultimately sent to assist Violet in cultivating magical plants and completing enchantment tasks.

Speaking of enchantments, a few days ago, Orion had assigned Violet a massive project: leading Lady Jasmine and Ivy to enchant the walls of Blackstone City. This was no small task, as the city walls were not only tall and long but also constantly under expansion.

"Saintess, is the giant chieftain treating you well?"

At one corner of the city wall, Lady Jasmine, having just completed an enchantment on a section of the wall, approached Violet with concern.

Violet, her face veiled, looked up at the Blackstone City walls, which had been raised another 20 feet. She couldn't help but sigh in awe.

"Elder, this will be our home from now on."

For some reason, as she said this, Violet thought of Orion's fierce passion during their lovemaking. She found herself growing increasingly dependent on him, looking forward to their nights together. Yet, when she thought about Orion's inevitable confrontation with a powerful being like Lord Ariel, a trace of worry crept into her heart.

"Saintess, have you fallen in love with that giant?"

Lady Jasmine's question caught the attention of Ivy, who turned her gaze toward Violet.

Violet stared at the scorched, blood-stained walls, and didn't immediately respond.

After a long silence, during which she successfully inscribed runes onto the wall, Violet finally sighed and spoke in a calm tone.

"I'm no longer a virgin. I've already become his woman. My pussy has been molded to fit his cock."

"What's the difference between hating him and loving him?"

"If loving him makes life a little better, a little freer, and a little happier, then why not love him?"

Lady Jasmine and Ivy stared at Violet in disbelief. If they hadn't heard it with their own ears, they would never have believed such words could come from the once-pure and holy Violet.

"Saintess, are we really just going to…"

The word "submit" never left Lady Jasmine's lips. She couldn't bring herself to associate such a term with the Saintess.

"Elder, we of the Garland Tribe are a peaceful race. Our existence holds great value for every faction."

"Where flowers bloom, bloodshed and slaughter are sure to diminish."

As Violet spoke these words, her expression was one of devout sincerity. This was the faith of the Garland Tribe. Lady Jasmine and Ivy lowered their heads and bowed to Violet, their gestures equally reverent.

Every move made by the three members of the Garland Tribe was observed from afar by Lilith, who stood atop the city walls.

Lilith believed her husband, Orion, was a wise giant. Every woman Orion brought into his tent had something special about her.

Take Lysinthia, for example. Not only did she possess a guardian beast and mastery of petrification magic, but she was also skilled in close combat. Ever since Lysinthia transformed into a Gorgon, even Lilith felt she could no longer fully understand her.

As for the Garland Tribe's Saintess, Violet, beyond her stunning beauty, she possessed the rare ability to perform enchantments. Most importantly, Violet was tasked with cultivating the Blood Mushroom.

Lilith didn't need Orion to remind her of the Blood Mushroom's immense importance to the Stoneheart Horde. This was why Lilith personally left her tent to secretly protect Violet.

Of course, while it was officially for protection, it was also a form of surveillance. After all, Violet hadn't willingly slept with Orion—she had been taken by force.

As for Orion, he was currently busy with other matters.

The tunnel connecting Moonshadow Valley to the Underground Fissure had finally been completed after significant effort from the horde. Orion took the opportunity to transport some of the beast carcasses stored in Moonshadow Valley to the Underground Fissure, providing Lorelia with a large supply of meat.

Accompanied by Lorelia, Orion conducted a thorough inspection of the Bottomless Abyss but found nothing unusual. Afterward, he traveled through the secret passage to the construction site outside the Underground Fissure.

"Chieftain, the progress on the city walls is faster than we anticipated!"

The cannon fodder troops, consisting of large numbers of gnolls and geckos, had been conscripted as laborers, significantly shortening the construction timeline. This delighted Prophet Onyx, who was overseeing the project.

"Prophet, I can't shake the feeling that something's off this year."

Standing on a newly completed section of the wall, Orion gazed into the distant horizon, his expression heavy with thought.

A few days ago, gnoll scouts had reported signs of a beast tide. At the time, Orion hadn't paid much attention, but now, upon reflection, he sensed something unusual.

"Chieftain, isn't a beast tide almost an annual occurrence? What's so strange about it?"

"On the surface, it seems normal, but it doesn't hold up under scrutiny. Besides, this year's beast tide has come earlier than usual."

Orion's gaze grew distant as he began piecing things together.

"Back then, Slagor received intelligence from Arden that Lord Gareth and Lord Ariel had clashed in battle, with Gareth retreating in defeat."

"Slagor speculated that Lord Gareth might have been injured."

"If that's true, then Lord Ariel must have been wounded as well."

Orion shared the details of his conversation with Slagor, causing Prophet Onyx to fall into deep thought.

But Orion wasn't finished. What he said next completely upended Prophet Onyx's understanding of the situation.

"Moreover, during our recent southern invasion, Lord Ariel suffered significant losses, with her territory greatly diminished."

"Logically, she should be focusing on recovery. So why would she provoke a beast tide and risk antagonizing Lord Gareth?"

"Or perhaps it's not provocation but an attempt to further weaken Lord Gareth's forces?"

"What could be Lord Ariel's motive for doing this?"

Sometimes, the weight of leadership forces one to think deeply about every situation.

Sitting in the position of chieftain, Orion couldn't help but analyze and speculate on every piece of information that came his way.

As his thoughts expanded, Orion began to see the bigger picture.

===

Black Forest, the southernmost part.

Lorne rode atop the Wind Eagle, flying northward at full speed. The Wind Eagle had already left Thunderwood Forest and entered the Black Forest, but Lorne's heart was still pounding with fear. Two harpies were relentlessly pursuing him from behind.

"Circe, we've already left Thunderwood Forest. Should we keep chasing him?"

One of the harpies hesitated, unsure about continuing the pursuit now that they were outside their territory.

"The chieftain's orders were to hunt down the Skytalon Tribe traitor. He's right in front of us—why wouldn't we chase him?"

"But…"

"No buts. In Lord Gareth's faction, there's only one Alpha-level Storm Vulture. As long as we don't go too far north, we'll be fine."

"Alright."

The two harpies reached an agreement and decided to continue their pursuit of Lorne.

However, two hours later, a piercing eagle cry suddenly echoed from the skies above.

"That's a thunderhawk's call! Why is there an Alpha-level thunderhawk here?"

"Could it be Reynard? But isn't he already dead?"

"Run! The thunderhawk is coming for us!"

"Ahhh—!"

The two hero-level harpies tried to flee, but in the next moment, they were overwhelmed by the crushing pressure of an Alpha-level aura. Losing their balance, they began plummeting toward the ground.

Whoosh!

A dark shadow descended from the sky, tearing the two harpies to shreds.

Thunderhawk Rayden let out another triumphant cry, its voice ringing high and clear. It was exhilarated after killing the intruders who had dared to trespass into its territory.

Orion had once told Rayden that the skies above the Black Forest were its domain, and it was not to allow its authority to be challenged. Of course, the trembling, unsteady Wind Eagle in midair was an exception.

Thunderhawk Rayden recognized the Wind Eagle and its rider, Lorne. It remembered that Lorne was Elan's son, who had once tried to form a contract with it. However, Rayden had dismissed him as unworthy.

With a sharp cry, Thunderhawk Rayden ignored the Wind Eagle and Lorne, ascended higher into the sky, and disappeared into the clouds.

Lorne was overjoyed. The appearance of the thunderhawk meant that his father must be nearby. He hadn't expected that, in the end, it would be the thunderhawk that saved him from the harpies' pursuit.

"Dad, where are you? I've returned!"

---

In Blackstone City, inside the chieftain's tent, Orion sat at the head of the table, flanked by the four senior elders. The gathering was significant because Lorne, the young chieftain of the Skytalon Tribe, had managed to escape from the Fireraven Tribe.

While this wasn't a major event in itself, what made it important was Elan's claim that his son Lorne had critical intelligence to share.

Moments later, Elan and Lorne were escorted into the tent by the guard, Dace.

"Honorable chieftain, may the glory of the horde always be with you. This is Lorne."

Orion didn't respond immediately. Instead, he scrutinized Lorne.

"Elan, is this the son you've been so eager to reunite with?"

"Yes, chieftain!"

For Elan, Lorne's escape from Thunderwood Forest was nothing short of a miracle.

"So, what is this intelligence you've brought?"

Seeing that Orion was getting straight to the point, Elan quickly signaled to Lorne with his eyes, urging him to speak.

From the moment he entered the tent and saw Orion and the four senior elders, Lorne hadn't dared to lift his head. The overwhelming presence of four Alpha-level powerhouses made it difficult for him to even open his mouth.

"Relax. Since your father has chosen to serve the Stoneheart Horde, that makes us allies."

"And since you've come here to find your father, I assume you've made your choice as well."

"Lorne, we welcome you to the horde."

Orion's voice was calm and steady, carrying a warmth that was disarming. It lacked the sharpness he displayed in battle, making him seem approachable.

Lorne cautiously raised his head, stealing a glance at Orion. Forcing himself to speak, his voice trembled as he began.

"Honorable chieftain, I… I only managed to escape after offering Reynard's sister, Rowena, to Seth of the Fireraven Tribe."

"Rowena is now Seth's woman. She's nothing more than a sex slave, used by anyone who pleases. She'll never gain her freedom, nor will she ever escape."

Before entering the tent, Elan had specifically instructed Lorne to be honest about Rowena. Trembling, Lorne recounted how he had knocked Rowena unconscious and personally handed her over to Seth.

The tent fell silent. Everyone listened intently.

Perhaps because he had been speaking for a while, Lorne's voice gradually steadied.

"Honorable Orion, I can guarantee that by the time we launch our next invasion, Rowena will still be trapped in the Fireraven Tribe. Her life will be one of endless suffering—worse than death."

"When the time comes, I'm willing to personally kill Rowena."

Orion remained silent, his gaze fixed on the downcast Lorne. He found the man to be ruthless. Not only had Lorne handed Rowena over himself, but now he was volunteering to kill her later.

Reynard had killed Orion's sister, and the ultimate act of revenge would be to kill both him and his sister.

As for Lorne, he struck Orion as someone with a treacherous nature.

Still, Orion was curious to see if such a man could be controlled.

"Very well, Lorne. I'll leave the task of killing Rowena to you."

"Now, aside from Rowena, do you have any other intelligence to share?"

Realizing that Orion wasn't dwelling on the matter of Rowena, Lorne breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He quickly continued.

"Honorable chieftain, Lord Ariel of Thunderwood Forest has sent her people to consolidate the territories you invaded."

"A harpy named Aella is driving beasts through Thunderwood Forest. She's Alpha-level."

"Honorable chieftain, the beast tide from Thunderwood Forest will reach the Black Forest in less than seven days."

"Please prepare accordingly!"

This news caused Orion and the four senior elders to exchange glances, their eyes lighting up. It confirmed the suspicions of the gnoll scouts and the succubus intelligence agents.

"Do you have any specific information about the Alpha-level harpy, Aella?"

Lorne shook his head, indicating he didn't know, which left Orion slightly disappointed.

Orion then asked Lorne for details about his escape northward. Lorne answered clearly and methodically, without hesitation.