Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"Orion, you're absolutely right!"

Rendall nodded, fully agreeing with Orion's reasoning.

He also approved of Orion's decision to reserve a dark source crystal for Lorelia.

"Last year, when we headed south to participate in the Myriad Races Invasion, I instructed Lilith to focus on nurturing Lorelia."

"When I returned and saw how few dark source crystals were left in our reserves, I knew then that Lorelia's attempt to ascend would require an unimaginable amount of resources."

"Rendall, you've seen it yourself. We've spent an enormous number of dark source crystals to raise Lorelia from the early stages of hero level to its peak."

As they walked, Orion shared his observations and research on the Spider Queen with Rendall.

Half an hour later, in the chieftain's tent.

The council members had gathered.

With Orion presiding, the four senior elders sat in their places.

This was a monumental achievement and a cause for celebration in the Black Forest.

Thundar, the newest Alpha-level powerhouse, sat beside Prophet Onyx.

Perhaps influenced by Onyx's calm demeanor, Thundar also appeared composed, though a hint of pride shone in his eyes.

The other council elders couldn't help but glance at Thundar, their gazes filled with a mix of admiration and envy.

After all, Thundar had ascended to Alpha-level right before their eyes.

For Orion and the senior elders, this was nothing new.

But for the other council members, who dreamed of advancing further, it was a profound and tangible reminder of what was possible.

It was as if Thundar's ascension was telling them: You can do it too.

If they could enter the Alpha-level resource sequence, they too could ascend.

At that moment, many of the elders' eyes turned red with longing.

Orion scanned the room, and what he saw was a pack of hungry wolves—warriors eager to fight the dark creatures for their chance at glory.

"Everyone, let us raise our goblets to celebrate Giant Thundar's successful ascension to Alpha-level!"

"For the prosperity and strength of the Stoneheart Horde, cheers!"

Orion raised his goblet, inviting everyone to toast Thundar and the horde.

At Orion's gesture, Thundar stood and returned the gesture, offering a few words of gratitude in his usual straightforward manner.

"Elders, thank you for your congratulations!"

"I believe that under the leadership of our great chieftain, the Stoneheart Horde will grow stronger and produce even more Alpha-level powerhouses. Our future is bright!"

"I've heard that Elder Dirtclaw has already entered the Alpha-level resource sequence, and I look forward to seeing his progress!"

"At the same time, I will do my utmost to hunt more dark creatures for the benefit of us all!"

The meeting ended on a high note, with the horde's morale soaring.

---

The days pass by swiftly, time flies.

The dark creatures attacking Blackstone City didn't disappear entirely, but their numbers were small and scattered.

These minor skirmishes weren't even enough to satisfy the bloodline warriors, let alone pose a real threat.

One day, after a long night, Orion lay in bed, having just conquered Lilith, Violet, and Lysinthia in succession.

As his arm wrapped around Lysinthia's slender waist, he spoke.

"Good job. You've already reached the late stages of hero level!"

Lysinthia didn't respond with words. Instead, she lay on Orion's chest, panting softly, letting out a faint hum through her nose.

Moments ago, Orion had been pounding her with his massive cock, and she had pushed herself to the limit to please him, nearly exhausting her strength.

"Dear Orion, your maid is quite diligent," Lilith teased from the side.

"Her Twilight Viper has already reached the peak of hero level!"

"What? The Twilight Viper is at the hero peak already? That fast?"

Lilith's words caught Orion by surprise.

The Twilight Viper, as a beast, was naturally stronger than most creatures of the same level.

Unfortunately, Orion didn't have any Alpha-level dark source crystals on hand to help it ascend further.

"Since the start of the dark beast tides, the Twilight Viper has been hunting dark creatures outside the city," Lilith explained.

"That little thing is clever—it's been staying close to the abyssal dragon, ensuring its safety."

"Not only has the Twilight Viper reached the hero peak, but it's also earned plenty of dark source crystals for your maid."

"At this rate, your maid will soon reach the hero peak herself and qualify to attempt an Alpha-level breakthrough!"

Orion playfully slapped Lysinthia's firm buttocks with his cock, a private gesture of encouragement between lovers.

"What about you, Violet? What's your current strength?"

Hearing about Lysinthia's progress made Orion curious about Violet's abilities.

Violet's aura was at hero level, but her demeanor was always soft and gentle, more like a priestess than a warrior.

Her secret techniques not only concealed her appearance but also masked her true power, leaving Orion with only a vague sense of her capabilities.

Seeing Orion's interest, Violet dispelled her concealment magic, revealing her stunningly beautiful face.

"Respected Orion, I'm at mid-tier hero level, but my studies focus on enchantments and magical formations."

"The Garland Tribe isn't skilled in combat. We're a peaceful people."

Violet made an effort to highlight her unique abilities and contributions.

"I know, I know… You're a peaceful tribe. You don't fight. You're all about support and logistics," Lilith interjected, her tone tinged with jealousy.

Violet hesitated, wanting to defend herself, but before she could speak, a sharp hissing sound echoed from the direction of the underground fissure, startling everyone.

At the same time, a wave of unfamiliar Alpha-level pressure swept through Moonshadow Valley.

Orion and Lilith immediately got up, quickly dressing before rushing out of the tent toward the fissure.

In Blackstone City, three figures approached from different directions: Delilah, Onyx, and Thundar.

"Chieftain, what's happening?" Thundar asked, his massive greatsword strapped to his back, his expression one of eager anticipation.

"Where's Rendall?" Orion asked instead of answering.

"He's stationed at the underground fissure," Delilah replied, explaining the rotation schedule for the night's Alpha-level defenders.

"Let's go. We'll check it out together," Orion said.

He didn't think it was an enemy attack—Rendall hadn't sounded the alarm.

If it wasn't an attack, there was only one other possibility.

Realizing this, Orion's eyes lit up, and his pace quickened.

---

"Master, Lorelia has made you proud—she's successfully ascended!"

Before Orion and the others could reach the underground fissure, Lorelia, sensing Orion's arrival, joyfully crawled out to greet him.

Following behind her was Rendall, his face beaming with satisfaction.

The appearance of the Alpha-level Spider Queen Lorelia immediately caught the attention of Onyx, Delilah, and Thundar.

They all understood the significance of having an Alpha-level Spider Queen in the Stoneheart Horde.

With Lorelia's ascension, the spiders she hatched would see a significant boost in strength.

Some of her offspring would even reach hero level, a dream come true for the horde.

"Good, very good!"

Orion laughed heartily, his joy evident.

"This is excellent. Now I can entrust you with the task of guarding the bottomless abyss without worry!"

"Lorelia, the horde will continue to provide you with resources. I want you to expand your brood without limit."

"Don't worry about whether the Stoneheart Horde can support them. The more of your children we have, the more resources we'll be able to plunder!"

Perhaps due to his excitement, Orion spoke his thoughts without reservation.

Hearing this, Lilith and the four senior elders all smiled.

From this moment on, unless a Legendary-level powerhouse appeared, the Stoneheart Horde would no longer fear any faction in the surrounding regions.

Lorelia and her spiders would become the foundation of Orion's confidence in facing the northern invaders.

Even the icefield monsters from the far north no longer seemed as daunting. Continue reading at empire

"Spread the word: Lorelia has ascended to Alpha-level and is now the Stoneheart Warden. We'll celebrate for three days!"

After issuing the order, Orion reached out to stroke Lorelia's face as she leaned in close.

Strangely, after her ascension, Lorelia's body hadn't grown larger. Instead, it had become smaller and more refined.

"Lorelia, your body…"

Lorelia rubbed her face against Orion's palm, closing her eyes in contentment.

"Master, you noticed, didn't you? Lorelia has become more… elegant!"

The word "elegant" coming from Lorelia's mouth felt oddly out of place to Orion.

"Elegant?"

"Yes! Lorelia has become elegant!"

As she spoke, Lorelia spun her spider body in two playful circles, showing off her new form to everyone.

"Master, you may not know this, but we cave spiders have a choice in how we ascend."

"If I had chosen to grow larger, my body would have become tougher but also more cumbersome. I would've had to fight on the front lines, tearing enemies apart with my fangs."

"But by choosing to refine my body, I've become more agile and smarter. Now I can continue using the bow and arrows you gave me to snipe enemies from afar!"

To emphasize her point, Lorelia removed the elegant bow from her back and mimed drawing and firing an arrow.

The sight was both adorable and amusing—a childlike Spider Queen showing off her skills.

"This…"

Hearing Lorelia's explanation, Orion felt as though his horizons had been broadened.

It was as if he had grasped a faint inspiration, though he couldn't quite put it into words.

If what Lorelia said was true, and cave spiders had different evolutionary paths, could other races have similar choices?

And if so, could these choices be made consciously?

It was a profound question, one that Orion's current knowledge and experience couldn't fully answer.

Exchanging a glance with the four senior elders, Orion decided not to convene a council meeting for Lorelia's ascension.

The celebration for Thundar had been necessary because his ascension had been witnessed by everyone, and as the Elder of Combat, it was important to establish his authority through a formal council meeting.

Instead, Orion assigned Lorelia two tasks:

1. Guarding the walls near the underground fissure.

2. Sending her spiders to explore the bottomless abyss.

The latter task was particularly critical.

The bottomless abyss was like a ticking time bomb, and Orion had long wanted to neutralize it.

Previously, Lorelia had sent her spiders to explore the abyss, but their low strength and stamina meant most never returned.

To prevent further losses, Orion had ordered Lorelia to halt the exploration.

Now that Lorelia had ascended to Alpha-level, it was time to resume the mission.

"Don't worry, Master. Lorelia will complete the tasks you've given me!"

Orion nodded and gently nudged the lively Lorelia toward Lilith.

"Mistress, Lorelia has missed you so much!"

Lorelia and Lilith shared a deep bond.

Lilith had raised Lorelia from a young age, essentially acting as her mother.

With the situation resolved and no enemy attack to worry about, everyone was in high spirits.

"Elder, your injuries haven't fully healed. Go back and rest. Lorelia can handle things here," Orion said, addressing Rendall.

Truthfully, both Rendall and Onyx had been overworked recently.

With Orion excluded from the rotation schedule, the entire Stoneheart Horde relied on Onyx, Rendall, Delilah, and Lilith to patrol in shifts.

After the last major battle, both Onyx and Rendall had sustained injuries.

Although the shamans had assisted with their recovery, some internal wounds required time to heal.

"Alright!"

"Elder Rendall, leave this to me. I'll have my children patrol the walls!" Lorelia chimed in enthusiastically.

"Not only that, I'll send my children to explore the darkness beyond the city!"

Lorelia's final statement made Orion's eyes light up.

In truth, passively defending Blackstone City wasn't Orion's ideal strategy.

Taking the initiative was the mark of a true powerhouse.

"Lorelia, if you discover anything out there, report to me immediately."

"As you wish, dear Master!" Lorelia replied with a bright smile, looking for all the world like a child with eight legs.

With a smile on his face, Orion gestured for the four senior elders to accompany him back to the chieftain's tent.

The development of the cave spiders had reached a satisfactory stage.

With the dark beast tides soon to recede, it was time to start planning for the northern invaders.

As for Lilith, she stayed behind at the underground fissure to continue bonding with Lorelia.

Orion also assigned her the task of advising Lorelia on spider deployment and tactical applications.

The cave spiders relied on overwhelming numbers, but Orion didn't want Lorelia to limit herself to mindless swarming tactics.

If the cave spiders were to become a true force to be reckoned with, they needed strategy, not just numbers.