Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1682: A Display of Dominance

The Hall of Stars stood in Stoneheart City. Built beside the Horde Hall after the continent’s unification, it served as the Stoneheart Horde’s primary venue for receiving lords, nobles, and elders of all races.

Tonight, the hall blazed with light. Bathed in the divine radiance of Orion’s statue, the building shone like a solitary star in the dark.

Nearby, the Horde’s official teleportation arrays flared to life. Figures stepped out of the portals, anxiety etched into their faces.

"Your Highness." Theodore greeted the Elven Prince Rommath, who had just stepped from an adjacent portal, with a polite wave.

"It’s been a while, Lord Theodore," Rommath replied.

Though both were once princes, their titles now differed. The Tian King Orion had officially recognized and crowned Rommath as the Elven King, acknowledging his royal bloodline within the Stoneheart Horde. Theodore, the former human prince, was now merely a lord—the master of The Northern Bastion of Menethis.

Even though The Northern Bastion of Menethis had expanded massively, Theodore possessed no royal glory.

"Your Highness, did the City of Blessings also suffer the catastrophe?" Theodore asked. He already knew the answer. The Horde wouldn’t have hastily summoned the regional lords unless the disaster was widespread.

"We lost over a dozen royal bloodlines and thirty percent of the palace guard. Casualties among the citizens and mercenaries are countless. We don’t even have an exact toll yet," Rommath sighed. A lingering terror gripped his heart. If his broodmother hadn’t jolted him from the nightmare at the critical moment, he would have perished as well.

"And you?" Rommath asked, eager to know if other territories fared as badly.

"The North took a heavy hit. Our casualties are far worse," Theodore replied, his gaze heavy with sorrow. When the human kingdom fractured, only his personal guard remained on the Titan continent. The bulk of the kingdom’s military strength was gone.

Compared to the elves, the North was too fragile. The humans’ rapid population growth had slowly rebuilt their strength over the years. Yet, this disaster wiped out defenseless civilians indiscriminately. Theodore’s territory was ruined, thrown back to the dark ages.

"I have no idea what caused this. I can only hope the Horde has answers, and that His Majesty can guide us," Rommath said. He glanced toward the distant Horde Hall. Even standing outside, he could feel the Chieftain’s suffocating pressure—an aura that crushed any thought of resistance.

"Let’s head inside," Theodore said, gesturing for Rommath to lead.

Rommath didn’t decline. As royalty, even a surrendered one, he commanded respect.

Moments later, they reached the inner sanctum of the Hall of Stars. A heavy silence hung in the air. The gathered dignitaries of various races moved soundlessly down the aisles.

Theodore and Rommath parted ways to find their assigned seats.

Soon, the assembly was complete. Lilith entered first. Archelder Rendall and prophet Onyx flanked her, followed by the Horde’s brain trust—Vixen Sylvana, Princess Ava, and others. The most striking figure, however, was the Gnoll Dirtclaw, who brought up the rear.

When the disaster struck, Orion ordered Dirtclaw to return immediately to maintain order.

Once Lilith took her seat on the throne, Dirtclaw stepped behind her and unleashed his demigod aura, shocking the entire hall.

It was a show of absolute dominance—and a display of the Horde’s true foundation.

The vassal lords stared fixedly at Dirtclaw. A legendary demigod stood right before their eyes. Most importantly, Dirtclaw was a Gnoll. He was an apex powerhouse raised within the Stoneheart Horde itself, not an outsider or a borrowed ally.

The implication was profound. You could hear a pin drop in the Hall of Stars. The only sounds were the ragged breaths of the lords, the crackling of magic candles on the walls, and the silent, desperate roars echoing in their hearts.

I want to become a god!

If Dirtclaw could reach the demigod realm, it meant the Tian King of the Stoneheart Horde allowed his subordinates to ascend. If Dirtclaw could do it, why couldn’t they?

"Long live My lord! May His glory illuminate all realms!"

The current Chieftain of the Gnoll Race—a Gnoll named Garm, Dirtclaw’s own flesh and blood—stared up at his demigod father. He screamed the words, his voice trembling with a frantic, absolute devotion.

A second later, everyone in the Hall of Stars rose to their feet. They pressed their hands over their hearts and chanted in unison.

"Long live My lord! May His glory illuminate all realms!"

In that instant, the combined faith of the racial leaders surged with blinding purity—so pure that it drew Orion’s gaze.

Behind Lilith, the towering Stoneheart Titan statue of Orion radiated blinding divine light. The holy brilliance washed over the hall, cleansing their minds and purging the lingering darkness the nightmare had left in their bodies.

After a long moment, Lilith raised her hands, signaling for silence.

"My lords. The dreamscape has invaded reality. We are facing an unprecedented cataclysm—a direct challenge from another Ascendant Plane. Just moments ago, everyone in this room, along with every living soul on the continent, was dragged into the nightmare. All life slumbered. The world fell silent."

"The threat is dire." Dressed in a formal black gown, Lilith sat upright on the throne. Her expression was grave, and she radiated an oppressive Arch Lord aura befitting Orion’s wife.

Aside from the vassal lords, delegates from various allied factions were present to observe. Yet, neither the Arch Lords nor the demigod experts resisted Lilith’s pressure. In this hall, she spoke with Orion’s voice.

Only Lilith’s aura commanded the room, projecting the absolute authority of Orion and the Stoneheart Horde.

"Anyone failing to break free from the nightmare will sink into an eternal slumber until their bodies wither and die," Lilith continued. "Worse yet, the dream will assimilate them. They will become mindless thralls bound to the other Ascendant Plane. Be warned. Those who cannot survive the first wave of nightmare monsters will die instantly."

Lilith wasn’t fear-mongering. She based this grim fact on immediate intelligence gathered from the survivors of various races.

"Gentlemen, we must face the truth. The Titan continent, the very world we live in, has been irreparably changed."