Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1671: A Ruler’s Foundation

Valkorath Realm, Blade’s Edge Peak.

While Orion stealthily devoured the essence of over a hundred worlds, his Insect King avatar arrived at the base of the mountain and began its ascent of Blade’s Edge Peak.

Morning dew dampened his clothes, and mist veiled the path. With the wind whispering through the pines, Orion heard the faint chittering of insects across the mountain. It was a profound sensation—a synchronization of heartbeat and breath, as if he were merging with the world itself.

When he reached the summit, the Commander was already waiting by the cliff’s edge.

"An Arch Lord rank Insect King avatar. You have grand ambitions," the Commander said, glancing at Orion before returning his gaze to the swirling clouds in the distance.

"Is the impact severe?" Orion asked, ignoring the remark.

"You want to know if I can keep this situation under control?" The Commander smirked, reading his mind.

"I lack the foundation right now." Orion shook his head. He didn’t deny the Commander’s strength, but no matter how powerful, the Commander was only one man.

Without personal strength to back it up, relying on external power felt precarious. True confidence had to come from within. The Commander had escalated things too quickly. With so many demigod powerhouses making their moves, Orion felt it was too early. The timing would only be right once he reached the demigod sixth stage.

"Good. Thinking like that proves you have the mindset of a true ruler," the Commander said, turning to face Orion with a smile. "Besides, I don’t think you lack the foundation to control the board."

Outside of himself, Orion was the strongest member of the Champions Alliance and the most likely to catch up to his level. Moreover, Orion and the Titanion Realm were vital to their future prospects. From every angle, the Commander wanted Orion to grow stronger as quickly as possible.

"Of course, your concerns are valid. More demigod powerhouses will place their pieces in the Titanion Realm. I am only a man, not a god. If too many peak sixth stage experts arrive, I won’t be able to hold them off. That is why you must grow."

As he spoke, the Commander raised his hand. The recently acquired God-Slaying Ballista materialized in his grasp. To Orion’s astonishment, the weapon shifted forms—from a bow, to a heavy cleaver, and then to a longsword.

"It’s yours."

Before Orion could react, the Commander tossed the God-Slaying Ballista to him. Orion caught it reflexively. The moment it touched his hands, the weapon shifted from a bow into a war spear, perfectly adapting to his combat style.

"This..." Orion was caught completely off guard, struggling to find the words.

"Spare me the stammering. It doesn’t suit you," the Commander said, his tone and smile holding a strange edge. "With this, I highly doubt you still lack the confidence to control the board."

"This is a Demigod Artifact. Don’t you need it, Commander?" Orion wasn’t foolish enough to refuse. He stored the war spear away without hesitation.

"It’s just a Demigod Artifact. You say that as if I don’t already have one."

The Commander reached into the void, pulling forth a sphere of light. A chilling glint flashed, freezing the air like solid lightning. Hiltless and sheathless, it appeared to Orion as an endless blade aura—an arc of light capable of tearing through time and space.

"Here is some common sense for you: most peak sixth stage experts possess their own exclusive Demigod Artifacts. At our level, we can forge Demigod Artifacts simply by slumbering."

The Commander looked immensely pleased. In truth, very few entities were qualified to witness his bonded weapon. Orion was now one of them.

"With your new Demigod Artifact, ordinary sixth stage experts in the Titanion Realm won’t be a match for you. You can act boldly and do what you must." The Commander reached out and patted Orion on the shoulder.

In the past, he had viewed Orion as a younger brother. Now, Orion was a comrade capable of fighting by his side. The dynamic had shifted.

"I won’t let you down," Orion said, meeting the Commander’s gaze. He saw no jealousy in the man’s eyes—only anticipation.

"Don’t celebrate just yet. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The Demigod Artifact in your hands belongs to the Four Gods. They will eventually come looking for it. Furthermore, shape-shifting isn’t enough. You need to thoroughly refine this Demigod Artifact and make it yours. Otherwise, a simple summons from its true masters will send it flying back to them."

The Commander wasn’t joking. The God-Slaying Ballista was forged and nurtured using the faith energy of the Four Gods. If Orion wanted to claim it, he needed to put in the work.

"I understand. I’ll suppress it within my Divine Kingdom and cleanse it daily with divine power and faith. I will forge it anew, inside and out." Orion was no amateur. Countless methods to refine foreign faith energy instantly sprang to mind.

"And there’s this. Kaidric asked me to pass it on to you." An ornate crystal box appeared in the Commander’s hand, and he tossed it to Orion without a second glance.

"Lord Kaidric... did he return?" Orion caught the box. As an ally, he held a favorable impression of Kaidric.

"He advanced to the sixth stage recently, so he went back. He also placed a piece on The Primordial Continent. He asked me to convey his apologies. The box is his way of making amends."

Kaidric was the Commander’s close friend; his actions were entirely expected. The Death-Soul Race had always been generous to their friends.

"Oh, right. He wants you to reserve a plot of land for him on the Titan Continent. He plans to build a city in your territory."

Orion nodded, agreeing to the request. Kaidric didn’t even need to ask. Orion intended to grant fiefdoms—large or small—to any demigod powerhouse aligning with the Stoneheart Horde. It was a necessary tactic to secure allies. As the Titanion Realm continued to grow, the Titan Continent would expand alongside it. As the Master of the continent, Orion’s territory would only grow vaster.

"This is..." While listening to the Commander, Orion casually opened the crystal box, curious about its contents.

"Banshee Crystals," the Commander noted. "No wonder he had that strange look in his eyes when he mentioned the succubus demigod from The Lifeless Expanse. So this is what that was about."

The Commander clearly hadn’t peeked inside the box.

"These are trinkets to Kaidric and his Race. But to you, they are exactly what you need."

Orion nodded. Demigod-level Banshee Crystals could only be harvested by slaying a demigod Weeping Banshee. They were the supreme treasure for enhancing a succubus’s strength and talents. Kaidric’s apology was tailor-made for Lilith and Delilah. It was a thoughtful gift, and a significant favor.