Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"Lord Ariel!"

The exclamation didn't come from Orion, but from Prophet Onyx, his voice filled with shock.

Orion remained silent, his mind swirling with questions. He didn't immediately respond or make a choice.

Prophet Onyx, however, quickly followed up his outburst with a warning.

"Chieftain, that's not Lord Ariel himself—it's just a fragment of his will, a projection!"

Hearing this, Orion's eyes narrowed, his confusion deepening.

Meanwhile, the Beast Raxt, now driven by Lord Ariel's will, turned its lifeless body toward Prophet Onyx.

Though Raxt's body was devoid of life and its eyes remained closed, Prophet Onyx could feel an invisible, piercing gaze scrutinizing him.

"An Alpha-level Obsidian Golem," the voice of Lord Ariel's will mused, "you remind me of one I killed centuries ago."

"You know about will projections? Impressive. You must be well-informed."

Prophet Onyx didn't respond, his focus locked on Raxt's reanimated body, ready to fight with everything he had.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But then, Raxt turned away, ignoring Prophet Onyx entirely.

"Giant, kneel before me!"

"Whatever Lord Gareth has promised you, I'll double it!"

"You must understand—my domain lies further south, where there are more beasts, more magical plants, more races, and more resources."

"When I regain my full strength, I'll lead you on a campaign even deeper into the south!"

Whether it was genuine admiration or simply a desire to recruit a rare talent, Lord Ariel's will projection began to openly solicit Orion's allegiance.

Hearing this, Orion's heart unexpectedly settled.

The fact that Lord Ariel was trying to recruit him meant that, for now, he and his forces were safe.

Lord Ariel's will, however, noticed the faint smile on Orion's face, and its tone grew colder and more commanding.

"You're a clever giant. My offer is sincere."

Orion nodded, his voice loud and cheerful.

"It's a very generous offer, and I must admit, I'm tempted!"

Lord Ariel's will grew agitated at Orion's response but pressed further.

"So, you agree to submit to me?"

Orion shook his head, his tone calm but resolute.

"Sorry."

Since the appearance of Lord Ariel's will projection, the chaotic battle on Half-Moon Island had come to a halt.

All the bloodline warriors on both sides were now watching the exchange between Orion and Lord Ariel.

For Orion, submission was never an option. To kneel would mean the collapse of the authority and respect he had painstakingly built as a chieftain.

A submissive chieftain would not inspire awe but contempt among his subordinates.

Thus, not only could Orion not submit, but he also had to confront Lord Ariel's will head-on, just as he had done with Lord Gareth.

Orion raised his trident, pointing it directly at Lord Ariel's projection. His voice was bold and unyielding.

"This is my second time facing a Legendary-level being. Ariel, I humbly request your guidance!"

By addressing Ariel directly by name, rather than with the title "Lord," Orion made his ambitions and defiance clear.

"Giant, you'll regret this!"

Orion didn't respond. Instead, he activated Swift Charge, his body surging forward with unstoppable momentum.

Screech!

But to everyone's surprise, Orion wasn't truly charging.

Midway through his advance, he hurled his trident with all his might, then abruptly stopped in his tracks.

Roar!

At the same time, the Abyssal Dragon appeared, its massive form materializing behind Orion.

An Abyssal Flame Bomb began to coalesce in the dragon's maw, and in the blink of an eye, it was launched directly at Lord Ariel's will projection.

Boom!

The attack was completely unexpected. Even Lord Ariel's will projection failed to react in time.

While the trident was intercepted, the Abyssal Flame Bomb was not. The devastating blast struck Raxt's reanimated body and engulfed the will projection in its fiery explosion.

Without a physical body to anchor it, the will projection dissolved like a fleeting dream, vanishing into nothingness.

"Giant, I will personally see to your death!"

These were the final, defiant words of Lord Ariel's will projection, a bitter acknowledgment of its humiliation.

Orion stepped out from behind the Abyssal Dragon, his expression cold and unyielding.

He approached the broken, lifeless body of Beast Raxt, pulling out his Bloodthirsty Trident and severing Raxt's barely intact head.

Raising the severed head high, Orion's voice rang out across the battlefield.

"Lay down your weapons and surrender, and you will live!"

"Resist, and your entire race will be exterminated!"

Orion's tone was calm, but it carried a chilling indifference that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard it.

This giant chieftain had dared to challenge Lord Ariel's will projection—and had destroyed it.

Gradually, the geckos on Half-Moon Island began to lower their weapons.

The defeat of Lord Ariel's will projection had completely shattered their will to fight.

"King of Giants!"

Somewhere in the crowd, an unknown voice shouted the title.

Moments later, the chant spread like wildfire among the bloodline warriors.

"King of Giants!"

"King of Giants!"

"King of Giants!"

Orion smiled, his expression one of genuine satisfaction.

It wasn't the title of "King of Giants" that pleased him, but the sight of a golden light merging into the survivor's chest dropped by Beast Raxt.

Though Lord Ariel's will projection hadn't left behind its own chest, it had transformed into a golden light that fused with Raxt's chest.

This was a new discovery for Orion, one that filled him with anticipation.

He was eager to see what treasures the survivor's chest would yield.

The surprises didn't end there.

When Orion cracked open Raxt's skull, he found an S-rank crystal core nestled within.

---

With the battle over, Orion entered the central wooden hut on Half-Moon Island, his every move watched with reverence by Slagor, Prophet Onyx, and the others.

The task of tallying the casualties and dividing the spoils was left to his subordinates.

---

Thunderwood Forest, Thunderpeak Mountain

This was the homeland of the harpies and the heart of Lord Ariel's domain.

In a grand palace atop the mountain, Lord Ariel sat on his throne, gazing northeast.

"An Alpha-level giant… his strength is truly remarkable."

"I can sense it—his bloodline is unique. Could it be that he has awakened some ancient, high-tier lineage?"

"Without using my transcendent power or domain will, dealing with him would indeed be troublesome."

Lord Ariel was genuinely surprised by Orion's strength.

But that surprise didn't translate into fear.

To Lord Ariel, Orion was merely a particularly exceptional Alpha-level being.

After all, once one ascended to the Legendary level, they gained access to transcendent power and awakened their personal will of dominion.

Against such power, even the strongest Alpha-level bloodlines were insignificant.

In truth, the clash between Orion and Lord Gareth had been nothing more than a test.

Lord Gareth hadn't even used her transcendent power or dominion will during their encounter.