Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1413: God-Devouring Larvae

Moments later, Earthshaker, Ursa, and the others unleashed their bonded beasts.

Within a quarter of an hour, the heavens teemed with dozens of draconic forms, diving and spiraling in the wake of the lead behemoth. It was a feast for the Stoneheart Horde, and a grand revelry for the dragonkin themselves.

atop the outer ramparts of the Horde Hall, a prime viewing table had been set for the distinguished guests: Princess Delphine, Ariselle, and Elyndar.

"Auntie Princess, Brother Prince, look! Real dragons! So many of them!"

Ariselle gazed upward, her eyes reflecting a scene she would carry with her for the rest of her life. She was not alone; every citizen and guest in Blackstone City was equally captivated.

"In some realms, dragons represent ultimate authority—beings of terror and majesty."

In a quiet corner of the city, the bard Cloudsong worked furiously with brush and easel, capturing the spectacle before adding elegant calligraphy to the margin.

"Now," he mused, "what title befits the saga of the Giant King? And this... the Feast of Dragons."

On the far side of Blackstone City, gathered around a bonfire in the public square, the members of the Bloodfire Mercenaries sat in stunned silence. The roasted meat and fine wine in their hands were forgotten as dozens of dragons swept overhead.

"It’s true... by the gods, the rumors were true!" Brundar, the giant, muttered incessantly, looking as though he had been ensorcelled.

"Have the dragons truly allied with the Stoneheart Horde?" Bloodear, the gnoll, was baffled. In his experience, dragons were reclusive creatures of the southern isles.

"Hah! This sight is as beautiful as the smoke from a master forge!" Stoutgut the dwarf laughed, pouring ale down his throat with carefree abandon.

"Dragons... Dragon Riders..."

For Godfrey the knight, the sight struck a chord that the others could not fully comprehend.

"It... it is unbelievable."

In the plaza outside the Horde Hall, Garrett, Lambert, Klythia, and the others—guests by virtue of being Ava’s followers—sat around their own fire. As knights, they shared Godfrey’s awe. The shockwaves rippling through their hearts were no less intense.

"Do you think," Klythia, the tower-shield bearer, whispered, "that one day, we might also..."

She looked down at her massive shield; in the presence of dragons, it suddenly seemed insignificant. With Ava and Kronos returning to the Stoneheart Horde, they had effectively joined the faction as well. If they were now kin, perhaps such a future was not impossible.

Expectation, longing, and unconcealed envy filled their eyes.

"Kronos, look! Yours is over there!"

On a western tower—the best vantage point Kronos had found during his years in Blackstone City—Lola pointed at the sky. To the left lay the packed Horde Hall; to the right, the roaring center of the bonfire festival.

The Twelfth Princess spotted Kronos’s dragon immediately.

"By the way," Kronos said, breaking the moment with a question that earned him a dramatic eye-roll, "you’re of draconic lineage too. Do Sea-Drakes have wings?"

"Hmph. I’m not telling you!"

East of the city, upon the mountain ramparts.

Lorelia was present, though she wasn’t craning her neck like the others. Instead, she lounged on a massive, bed-like shell lined with her favorite silks and furs. To her, the soaring dragons were little more than a traveling theater troupe.

"You see that? If you were just a little stronger, if you could let out a proper screech, those lizards wouldn’t dare ignore you."

Lorelia shot a glance at Rayden, the thunderhawk, who was trembling beside her. She shook her head, disappointed.

In the past, the skies above Blackstone City had belonged to Rayden. Now, the thunderhawk was forced to the sidelines. The creatures above were not just beasts of Legend; many were Alpha-tier dragon beasts. Any single one of them would rival, if not surpass, Rayden in power.

This was especially true for the mounts of the scions—Caelus, Kronos, Pallas, Elara, and Rolan. Their dragons possessed superior bloodlines and, sensing the status of their masters, paid Rayden no heed whatsoever.

Simply put, the airspace of the Stoneheart Horde was no longer Rayden’s domain.

Unknown Space, Unknown Realm.

While the Stoneheart Horde celebrated, shadows gathered in a blurred, indistinct dimension. A dozen nebulous figures of varying shapes convened to strategize.

"The permeation of the world laws is nearly complete," one entity rasped. "However, the indigenous insectoids of that world are too weak. Without our support, they cannot raise a proper tide."

"I propose we initiate the Wormholes Protocol."

The speaker, a spectral figure appearing half-human, half-insect, moved to advance the convergence of worlds.

"I second Xirun’s proposal."

"The insectoids in the opposing realm lack survival resources," another shadow added. "They need fragmented space. Only then can they break their limits, accumulate power, and become worthy of being our subjects."

The speaker had studied the Titanion Realm through their control of the local hive minds. The major powers of the Titanion Realm were ruthlessly purging insectoids. If they did not intervene, their forces would hold no geographical advantage upon arrival.

"I agree to the use of Wormholes, but I suggest a staggered deployment."

"For the first wave, I recommend five to ten Wormholes. If the results are favorable and do not attract excessive attention from their Demigods, we will deploy more."

These Wormholes were essentially fragmented pocket dimensions containing vast territories and abundant resources tailored for insectoid growth—breeding grounds constructed by the Void Insectoids using their own biology as a blueprint.

"Furthermore, I propose seeding these Wormholes with a batch of Larvae. Let them use the Wormholes as a beachhead to begin the invasion prelude."

These Larvae were of the God-Devouring race, possessing a complete evolutionary system and pathway. Given enough resources, they could evolve step-by-step into existences surpassing the rank of Legend.

If these Larvae could infiltrate the Titanion Realm ahead of the main force, it would provide a massive advantage in the coming war between worlds.

"I agree with Shakkor’s proposal. The deployment of Larvae serves as both invasion and reconnaissance."

"Although my intelligence suggests that world lacks high-tier Demigods, sending Larvae to scout is a prudent precaution."

"If the Larvae detect anomalies, we can withdraw early and sever the fusion between the two worlds."

"Indeed. Intelligence from our own kind is the only truth we can trust."