Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1585: Predators and Parasites

The Primordial Source was an ocean of absolute law. Here, before time and space even existed, lay a realm both utterly empty and undeniably real—the cradle of all matter and the genesis of all souls.

Countless laws drifted through the void like glowing spiderwebs, scattering nebula-like brilliance through the Ethereal Conduits.

Suddenly, the depths of this ocean erupted, tearing open a swirling vortex in the Source. A shadowy fish slipped from the violent currents. To this creature, the surrounding waters felt both intensely familiar and entirely alien.

This fish was Orion.

This piscine form was a spatial technique Orion had devised himself after watching the feeding frenzies of blade-fish. In this state, he could treat any dimension as his home waters, adapting to hostile environments almost instantly.

Incredible. Orion shifted. The shadowy fish rapidly expanded, flesh and bone reforming until he stood as a towering Stoneheart titan, possessing four heads and eight arms.

Pure euphoria washed over him. It was a visceral, intoxicating hunger—his very body yearning for The Weave of Reality and the raw World Essence. Submerged in the Essence here, his divine power surged, steadily pushing his combat strength to new heights.

No wonder so many demigods choose to devour worlds. When the Planetary Hive first crashed into the Titanion Realm, Insect Queen Moriphara’s sole objective had been to consume the realm entirely, sparking the brutal wars that followed.

"Your strength surprises me."

The Currents of Reality churned in the distance as Moriphara manifested within the World Essence. She loomed larger than before. More tentacles writhed from her skirt-like lower half, anchoring directly into The Weave of Reality. Her physical form had grown denser, though she remained a shadowy silhouette compared to Orion’s tangible presence.

"Seeing you now, I am entirely certain," Moriphara said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Whoever guided my swarm to the Titanion Realm harbors a deep hatred for you. This was a trap designed for us both."

"If you knew it was a trap, why descend upon the Titanion Realm?" Orion asked. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the blinding rage he had felt before entering the realm. He strode toward her, his massive titan frame towering over the queen.

"As an apex predator, if someone drags fresh prey directly to your feet, do you walk away?" Moriphara replied. "The swarm never abandons a meal."

For the first time, Orion sensed a ripple of emotion beneath her icy exterior—absolute, unwavering arrogance. He understood it perfectly. The Stoneheart Horde maintained several broodmothers of their own; he was well-acquainted with the swarm’s insatiable hunger.

A swarm never had too much food. As their numbers swelled, they only ever feared starvation, existing in a perpetual, agonizing state of starvation.

"Then we have nothing left to discuss."

It was a statement of fact. Orion’s tone carried the absolute resolve of the Stoneheart Horde: they would never surrender the Titanion Realm.

"Before we settle this," Orion suggested, his voice dropping to a freezing register, "shall we exterminate the rats scurrying around our feet?"

"Agreed," Insect Queen Moriphara nodded. Once their battle for dominance over the Titanion Realm truly began, neither would have the luxury of watching their own backs. Purging the hidden entities lurking in the shadows of the realm was a tactical necessity.

"Let us start with him, then." Orion turned, his massive form vanishing from The Primordial Source.

Deep beneath an uncharted island, east of the Stoneheart Horde’s territory in the Titanion Realm.

The cloaked figure, Vaelian, had retreated to this sanctuary after delivering the rule-invading Divine Art and the Fel Fruit to the Stoneheart Horde. He had chosen to remain in the Titanion Realm simply to enjoy the show, eager to watch the swarm and the Horde tear each other to pieces.

Crack. Submerged within a pitch-black subterranean pool, Vaelian snapped his eyes open. He raised his right hand, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

"The phalanx bone the Master granted me... it shattered. What happened?" Panic quickly replaced his confusion. Danger. Sensing the impending threat, he vanished from the cavern in a blink.

BOOM! Before Vaelian could even materialize on the surface, a titanic hand plummeted from the heavens. The sheer force of the impact obliterated the island, sinking the shattered landmass straight to the bottom of the ocean.

Moments later, Vaelian’s demigod phantom burst from the churning waters. He stared in absolute horror at the colossal figure blotting out half the sky. It wasn’t just a giant; it was a Stoneheart titan. It was Orion.

Empowered by the World Essence, Orion’s towering form blocked out the sun. A mere flick of his wrist held the power to shatter mountains and part the seas.

"Giant King, what is the meaning of this?" Vaelian screamed. "Are we not allies?"

It wasn’t that the cloaked demigod feared death, but he needed to know why Orion had turned on him before his phantom was completely destroyed.

"Allies?" Orion’s voice thundered like a breaking storm. "You offer vile poisons like The Chapter of the Profane and the Fel Fruit, and dare call yourself an ally? You are entirely unworthy of standing by my side."

Orion raised his hand. The sky warped, the very fabric of space collapsing inward. Vaelian’s phantom was instantly crushed into nothingness.

With the rat exterminated, Orion shifted his gaze toward the southern reaches of the Titan continent.

"Hiding in plain sight," Orion scoffed. "Bold of them to nest within my own territory."

He let out a cold snort, his massive form instantly vanishing as he teleported back to the Stoneheart Horde.

In the south lay the Gossamer Reach.

The Reach was one of Kaelen’s sovereign domains. He had just returned from the deep south after pushing back the swarm, flanked by a retinue of elite guards—the finest warriors the Stoneheart Horde had to offer.

"Your Highness, with the amount of battle merit we’ve racked up, we need to raid the Horde vaults during this rotation break," one of Kaelen’s guards boasted. He had fought fiercely at Kaelen’s side through countless bloody skirmishes, proving his absolute loyalty.

His name was Steeltower. Born of a branch family to Rendall’s bloodline, he had been personally recommended for the guard by Rendall himself.

It was a shame that this Steeltower was no longer the man he used to be.