Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1436: Sword Song

Gustalon sensed the difference, too. But the change was ephemeral, a shift in the metaphysical wind that he couldn’t quite put into words.

Dirtclaw glanced at the elemental, seeing him close his eyes in concentration. He didn’t disturb him. Instead, he turned back to gaze quietly at the breathtaking view of the mortal world outside his "kennel."

If Orion were here, he would have instantly recognized what was happening. Inside Gustalon’s ethereal form, something was coalescing.

It wasn’t obvious, and Gustalon wasn’t consciously directing it.

It was a Body of Faith—the precursor to Archlord status.

In truth, Dirtclaw was wrong.

The wind in Blackstone City hadn’t gotten warmer. The people of the Stoneheart Horde had.

As more clans and races integrated, their collective spirit forged a stronger, more resilient will. The warmth Dirtclaw and Gustalon felt was the radiation of pure Faith energy.

Dirtclaw couldn’t identify it, but Gustalon, bathed in it, was already teetering on the edge of a breakthrough.

Unknown Realm, Sword King City.

As Gustalon unwittingly took a massive stride forward, Orion’s most devoted fanboy was doing the same.

Caesar finally understood what it meant to be Legendary.

His perception swept across his territory like a gale. He could "see" the mercenaries and adventurers flowing in and out of Sword King City. He could see the grain caravans from the Silverwood Realm trundling toward the City of Triumph in the Forest of Nature.

For the first time, Caesar had a crystal-clear cognitive map of his domain’s boundaries.

His consciousness snapped back to his body. The newly minted Legendary warrior opened his eyes.

"The current me could defeat a hundred of the old me."

"Is this the gap between Alpha and Legendary?" Caesar marveled, clenching his fist. "Hard to believe the jump from 10 to 100 is this vast!"

Only now did he truly grasp the chasm that had separated him from Tangere. At least now, he could see Tangere’s back in the distance.

As for Orion? In Caesar’s heart, the Big Boss remained a blur—a figure so far ahead that no matter how fast Caesar ran, he couldn’t even see the dust of his footsteps.

In reality, Caesar’s comparison was skewed because his circle was too small. He knew very few Legendary powerhouses. Tangere was at the peak of the Legendary rank, so comparing a fresh breakthrough to him was naturally dispiriting.

A better benchmark would have been Scarecrow.

"This is good. Finally, I have the power to help Aina seek justice!"

The invasion of Eldoria was no secret to their inner circle; they had been notified well in advance. Caesar was overjoyed that his new strength would allow him to contribute more to the team. He had received so much territory in the Silverwood Realm—it was time to pay it back.

"But before that... Sword King City deserves a celebration. Let the four corners of the world come to pay respects."

Caesar stood up and took a single step forward.

Hummmm—

The sound of sword-song resonated throughout the city.

At that exact moment, every blade worn by every mercenary and adventurer in Sword King City began to tremble in its sheath.

A Legendary-rank pressure swept out from the Castellan’s manor, rolling over the city like a physical wave. Caesar’s voice, calm yet undeniable, echoed in every ear.

"From this moment forth, the area within one thousand kilometers of Sword King City is my sovereign territory."

"All villages, tribes, and cities within this range must pay tribute to Sword King City."

"Those who resist will be expelled!"

This was the difference between Caesar and men like Orion or Tangere.

If it were Orion or Tangere, "expulsion" would be seen as a waste of resources. To them, rebels were just corpses waiting to happen. Killing them was the most efficient path. Caesar still had a trace of mercy.

Shock. Confusion. Disbelief.

These emotions rippled through the populace. How had a small settlement like Sword King City nurtured a Legendary powerhouse? It defied logic.

Yet, as the news spread, reality set in. Mercenary bands and adventurers flocked to the city, seeking the protection and prestige of a Legendary lord, adding a surge of vitality to Caesar’s domain.

Eldoria, the Grimm Continent.

In the Windmill Keep of the Princess.

The Cursed Tree Aina had planted had finally borne fruit.

The first harvest yielded exactly one hundred fruits. Aina gathered every single one into her personal storage.

"Little darling, oh, my little darling... Mama is getting you something delicious!"

"You must bloom quickly. Bear fruit quickly. Mama has so many things she needs your help with!"

Aina stood beneath the Cursed Tree, pouring buckets of blood onto its roots. Occasionally, she would bury high-quality monster cores into the soil around the base.

It was a jarring sight. The coldest, most ruthless Saintess of the Hellscream organization was smiling with the purity of a child, cooing affectionately at a tree that drank blood.

"Little darling, soon I will scatter your seeds across the entire world."

"..."

As she murmured to her "child," Orion’s voice suddenly resonated in her mind.

"Aina. What is the status of the four Rite of Fatebound Offering arrays?"

Four arrays. One for the ocean. Two for the main armies of Orion and Leonidas. And one specifically for the Undead.

For this invasion, Orion was bringing his sister Clymene’s Skeletal Knight Legion, as well as an Undead Legion that Arthas had stationed in the Emerald Dream Realm.

War meant death. And death meant recruits. The Skeletal Knight Legion was poised to feast.

"Sir Orion," Aina replied mentally, "the locations for all four arrays have been selected. We are merely waiting to capture enough sacrifices to activate them."

The Rite of Fatebound Offering was fundamentally different from a standard Cross-Realm Teleportation Array.

Eldoria was guarded by a Holy Order and protected by a Realm Barrier. If Orion tried to brute-force a standard teleportation tunnel for a massive army, the Realm Barrier would detect the anomaly and attack the conduit.

But the Rite of Fatebound Offering was a workaround. It was a special magical array that the Deputy Commander had obtained from the Saint Gran Council.

By sacrificing native lifeforms of Eldoria, the portal would be cloaked in the "scent" of the world itself, effectively bypassing the Realm Barrier’s surveillance. It allowed Orion and Leonidas to smuggle their armies in through the back door without triggering the alarm.

"In one month, I will personally oversee the activation of one of the arrays," Aina promised, giving a precise deadline.

Orion was pleased. That was the attitude of someone ready to do big things.

"And the map I asked for. Share it on my private channel so everyone can prepare."

"Understood. I will do it shortly!"

Given Hellscream’s current reach, the map would undoubtedly be incomplete. Orion didn’t expect perfection. The real cartography would be done by specialized units and artifacts once his and Leonidas’s armies were on the ground.

What he needed now was a blueprint—a rough sketch to help his intelligence division formulate a strategy.

"Very well. In one month, my avatar will descend upon this world."

"Then, the war begins."

Aina nodded slightly, the smile on her face blooming into something dark and ecstatic.