Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Nico and Kadir finished their exchange of questions and answers quickly, and both fell silent after their brief conversation.

The third proposal also carried low risk. They could earn plenty of Blackstone coins without leaving the city or risking their lives.

However, for two people who had ventured far from home, it wasn't the best option. If they wanted to rise to prominence, they couldn't choose the third method.

"We'll just have to work a little harder and purchase goods directly from those mercenaries," Nico said. "Even though we'll earn less, there's no danger, and we can still maintain our own operating space."

Kadir nodded; he agreed wholeheartedly with Nico's opinion.

More than anything, he needed to settle down securely in Stoneheart City and build a solid foundation. Now that they had a store and a way to make money, it was time for them to take root in this land and expand their network of contacts.

…

Valkorath Realm, Western Battlefield.

Compared to Delilah's leisure, Orion was kept far busier. His last fight against the broodmother evolution made him realize his own strength. With Orion's current combat capabilities, it was easy for him to kill a Legendary-level foe.

Moreover, because he himself exuded Legendary-level aura, he could catch his opponents off guard in battle.

Boom!

Orion charged out of the slime molds layer, clutching a bundle of life essence in his hand.

"The Titan Emblem is powerful, but activating Gigantic Form requires a sacrificial offering. Last time, I sacrificed three bundles of Legendary-level life essence just to kill that arch lord broodmother evolution. I need to collect more sacrificial items!"

As his strength grew, Orion found it easier to obtain Legendary-level resources, but his ability to consume them and the speed at which he did so also kept increasing.

"With more of these on hand, I'll have that much more confidence," he murmured. Turning into lightning, Orion prepared to race westward.

Just then, the skies churned, and the realm formation that had appeared once before descended again, enveloping the entire Valkorath Realm.

"What's going on? Is there an enemy invasion?" Orion looked skyward, eyes vigilant.

"I should ask the Deputy Commander!" he thought.

Ascending a bit higher, Orion set his mirrored guardians to protect him, then focused his mind on the Survivor's Platform.

Kraken: "Deputy Commander, the realm formation has been activated. Did something happen?"

Edward: "It's nothing. There's no enemy attack. I'm just repairing the realm formation."

Upon stepping into the public channel of the Champions Alliance, Orion spotted Kraken and Edward's conversation and quickly figured out the situation. Without saying anything, he left the public channel.

Moments after Orion exited the Survivor's Platform and withdrew his mirrored guardians, a sudden storm burst forth. The storm avatar of Deputy Commander Edward emerged from the vortex and appeared before Orion.

"Something has happened. I need your help," Edward said bluntly, locking eyes with Orion as he continued.

"Remember what you promised me?"

"I do," Orion replied.

He had once requested teleportation arrays from Deputy Commander Edward—two arrays that would connect Blackstone City and Stoneheart City. At that time, Edward had told Orion to help him invade a Godforsaken Land.

"That divine domain has run into some issues. Now that I'm at demigod level, I can't manifest my true body there. Moreover, that Godforsaken Land can't accommodate an arch lord–level fighter. I need you to go and find an item for me."

Orion nodded. He agreed to the request immediately.

"Deputy Commander, what item do you need?"

"The Heart of the Undying. It's a phoenix egg hidden in the World Tree of that Godforsaken Land."

Edward handed him three scrolls, and Orion accepted them without hesitation.

"The first two are large teleportation scrolls. The last one is information on that Godforsaken Land. Get ready and head out as soon as you can."

"What about the Valkorath Realm and those fungal creatures?" Orion asked.

"My storm avatar will handle clearing them out, and I'll set aside the resources we gather for you."

Orion nodded, fully satisfied with this arrangement. Besides, it was a commitment he'd personally made before—time to fulfill it.

"I'll be sending a mage to assist you. He's skilled at carving the Source Siphon Array."

At the mention of the Source Siphon Array, Orion's eyes gleamed with recognition. Memories came flooding back: Leonidas and Arthas had once used that formation to siphon the world essence from a Godforsaken Land.

"All I want is the Heart of the Undying," Edward clarified. His meaning was obvious: any gathered world essence would belong to Orion.

"Thank you, Deputy Commander!"

"Head there as soon as you can. Things aren't looking good on that end."

With those words, the storm avatar transformed into a gale, surging skyward and vanishing almost instantly.

Watching the Deputy Commander depart, Orion lingered in midair, thinking for a long while before directing himself toward the southern front.

This trip into the Godforsaken Land would include Gustalon. With Gustalon's strength and concealment abilities, there was no better candidate for reconnaissance.

Three days later, Soraya City.

Inside the palace of Dusk Castle, Orion sat upon the throne, gently stroking Lilith's and Soraya's hair.

"Eliminating the slime molds will be a long-term task; the fighting here won't end anytime soon. According to the plan, replace every fallen small scorpion with another," he said to Soraya.

By Orion's design, she wouldn't be accompanying him to the Godforsaken Land. He had a more suitable candidate in mind—Spider Queen Lorelia.

Now that Lumi, a Legendary-level combatant, guarded the underworld beneath the bottomless abyss, Lorelia was essentially free.

Orion planned to bring Lorelia and the entire tribe of cave spiders along. Under his supervision and protection, Lorelia could finally see more of the outside world.

"As for you," he added, turning to Lilith, "take good care of yourself. This is the Valkorath Realm. It's even safer here than in Blackstone City."

Security was exactly why Orion had brought Lilith to the Valkorath Realm. Otherwise, he'd never have let Lilith and Soraya meet, especially not in Soraya City.

Lilith was his wife, and both Soraya and Lumi had entered the Legendary level ahead of her. Letting her interact with them was bound to make Lilith uneasy under normal circumstances. But for the sake of the unborn child, Orion had no choice.

As for taking Soraya along to the Godforsaken Land, that simply wouldn't work. Once she left, should the small scorpions perish, there would be no replacement forces. If they lacked reinforcements, the Stoneheart Horde's bloodline warriors would surely suffer massive casualties.

"Don't worry," Lilith and Soraya assured him. "We'll be fine."

Learning that Orion was headed to the Godforsaken Land, they behaved themselves and got along quietly.

"That's best."