Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Orion didn't answer Delilah's question. Truthfully, he didn't know what to do next either.

"Did Lord Gareth anticipate this situation? Does she have a backup plan?"

Orion's thoughts grew heavier as he tried to take a broader view of the current predicament, considering the challenges from a strategic perspective.

"Maybe even Lord Gareth didn't expect Greenstorm, Darkbolt, and Silvershock to be this strong," he muttered to himself.

And he was right.

Lord Gareth had indeed underestimated the Thunderstorm Bear brothers. Stormrage City's defenders were like an unbreakable wall of steel.

After a long silence, Orion finally snapped out of his thoughts. He glanced at Delilah and shared his conclusion.

"For now, there's nothing we can do. We'll stay here and wait for news."

Delilah blinked, confused.

"Wait for news?"

"Yes, wait for news. Either Lord Gareth will send reinforcements, or we'll receive orders to retreat. If that happens, the Invasion ends here."

"Dear chieftain, what if Lord Gareth blames us for this?"

"Blame us? Heh…"

Orion chuckled softly. Would Lord Gareth blame him?

Of course, she would.

But Orion had his reasons. If not for his exceptional physical resilience, he would have ended up like Thunderwing last night—reduced to nothing but a bloodstain, a casualty of Greenstorm's final attack.

Speaking of Thunderwing, she was perhaps the most unfortunate of them all.

From the earlier battle and the exchanges between Thunderwing and Greenstorm, Orion had deduced that Thunderwing had likely been sent to assist Stormrage City.

But she could never have anticipated being obliterated by Greenstorm's energy blast when he lost his sanity.

In short, if Lord Gareth truly wanted to conquer Stormrage City without personally leading the charge, she would need to sacrifice at least four Alpha-level powerhouses.

The cost was simply too high.

---

"Prophet, Rendall, are you both alright?"

Onyx and Rendall shook their heads, their expressions filled with gratitude. If not for Orion's warning, they would have either died or been gravely injured in the chaos.

Orion's gaze shifted to Slagor, who quickly shook his head and put on a sincere look of appreciation.

"Orion, from now on, I'll follow your lead!"

Slagor wasn't foolish enough to suggest another assault on Stormrage City. Only a madman would charge back into that death trap.

Slagor was more than happy to wait things out until the Myriad Races Invasion officially ended.

"Taking Stormrage City isn't as simple as we thought," Orion said, his tone heavy.

"After this battle, their defenses will only grow tighter. And there's a chance Lord Ariel might send reinforcements."

Orion's words made Slagor jump to his feet in alarm.

"Orion, we should retreat immediately! If Lord Ariel's reinforcements arrive, we won't even have a chance to escape!"

Orion glanced at Slagor and shook his head.

"If we delay too long, Lord Gareth will notice as well. Who knows? We might even receive reinforcements from her."

---

At that moment, a sharp cry echoed through the forest canopy.

It was the screech of a thunderhawk—a sound everyone in the camp was used to.

Since Orion's forces included members of the Skytalon Tribe, no one paid it much attention.

But Orion, who could understand the thunderhawk's language, narrowed his eyes as his thoughts deepened.

The thunderhawk he had recently tamed had not been used in battle. Orion had kept it as a hidden card, a trump for emergencies.

Now, that trump card was delivering a message: a Storm Vulture was approaching.

This could only mean one thing—Lord Gareth's messenger was on the way.

The messenger could be bringing one of three things: a demand for progress, reinforcements, or an order to retreat.

These possibilities flashed through Orion's mind in an instant.

After a long pause, Orion turned to Slagor and said, "Retreating now isn't an option. If Lord Gareth blames us later, will you take responsibility?"

"Also, send out all your scouts. I want to know the movements of our enemies in Stormrage City and ensure our retreat route is clear."

Orion's plan was simple: stay vigilant while preparing for a potential retreat.

Slagor and Delilah both nodded in agreement.

Orion's orders made it clear that he was already considering a withdrawal, which Slagor wholeheartedly supported.

---

By nightfall, Arden arrived at the camp, riding his Storm Vulture.

"By Lord Gareth's command, Orion, Slagor—you are to retreat immediately!"

"This southern invasion ends here!"

Orion narrowed his eyes but said nothing, ignoring Arden entirely.

Slagor, on the other hand, hurried forward, bowing and scraping as he struck up a conversation with Arden, exchanging information.

Orion turned to his subordinates and issued his orders.

"Spread the word. Break camp immediately. We're going home."

The word "home" carried a magical weight, bringing smiles to the faces of everyone who heard it.

---

With the retreat underway, there was much to do.

"Take stock of all supplies, slaves, and captives. We're taking everything with us," Orion instructed Delilah.

Delilah nodded but hesitated, as if she wanted to say something.

"Speak your mind," Orion said.

"Dear chieftain, we have a lot of supplies, but I don't have enough people to manage it all."

Orion nodded and turned to Rendall.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Elder, now that our cannon fodder troops have been significantly reduced, it's time to reorganize them."

"Rank the members of the cannon fodder troops based on their contributions, from Level 1 to Level 9. Level 1 is the lowest, Level 9 the highest."

"Those who reach Level 9 and show exceptional talent will be absorbed into the Stoneheart Horde's regular forces."

"As for the rest, any useless captives will be added to the cannon fodder troops. We can't afford to waste food on those who don't contribute."

Orion paused for a moment, then turned to Prophet Onyx.

"Prophet, you work with Rendall. I need the cannon fodder troops reorganized as quickly as possible."

Onyx nodded, his expression serious.

"Once the troops are reorganized, they'll assist Delilah in transporting all our supplies back to Moonshadow Valley."

This was Orion's true goal.

A reorganized and disciplined cannon fodder force would ensure the safe transport of their hard-earned spoils.

"Also, about the maps—Prophet, make the necessary arrangements."

---

Black Forest, Moonshadow Valley

Lilith directed the battle while casting Illusions: Mind Confusion, disrupting the senses of the underground worms crawling up the fissure walls. The disoriented worms hesitated, unable to advance further.

Taking advantage of the moment, Thundar and the bloodline warriors hurled spears and fired arrows, killing the worms one by one.

This defensive counterattack had become a routine over the past few days.

Three days ago, the underground fissure had begun spewing out waves of worms, and the situation had only grown worse.

To prevent Moonshadow Valley from falling, Lilith had organized a defensive force to kill every worm that emerged.

Fortunately, Lilith had ordered stone walls to be built around the canyon beforehand. Without them, the situation would have been far more dire.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Spears flew through the air, pinning the worms trying to crawl out of the fissure. Furious hisses echoed from the depths of the underground fissure, filled with frustration and rage.

"Finally, we've pushed them back again!"

As the worms retreated, Lilith let out a long sigh of relief. For three days, her nerves had been stretched to their limit, and she hadn't had a moment to relax.

"Lilith, you should rest. I'll keep watch here," Thundar said as he approached from the edge of the fissure, his tone filled with concern.

Lilith nodded, then paused to think.

"I'll leave little Lorelia here. If anything happens, have her notify me immediately."

"I'll rest for half a day and come back to relieve you, Elder Thundar."

Thundar nodded in agreement. He hadn't slept in three days and nights either, but his condition was slightly better than Lilith's.

"Little Lorelia, send out your hatched children to monitor the fissure closely!"

"Mistress, don't worry. I'll make sure nothing gets past us!"

Spider Queen Lorelia, now resembling a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl in her upper body, had recently advanced to hero-level. Her hatched spiderlings now possessed combat capabilities.

Over the past two days, her spiderlings had been instrumental in defending the fissure. Without them, holding the line would have been nearly impossible.

"Still no news from the south?" Lilith asked.

Thundar shook his head. There was no word from Orion.

"If only the chieftain, the prophet, or Rendall were here," Thundar muttered, finally realizing just how crucial an Alpha-level presence was to the horde.

---

Thunderwood Forest, Somewhere in the Dense Woods

Before leaving, Arden met with Orion face-to-face.

Through his exchange of information with Slagor, Arden had come to understand that the giant before him was not only powerful but also brimming with potential.

As the Storm Vulture carrying Arden disappeared into the distance, Orion glanced at Slagor.

"So, what did Arden tell you?"

Slagor frowned, his voice heavy as he watched the Storm Vulture shrink into a black dot on the horizon.

"Lord Gareth and Lord Ariel fought fiercely at Thunderpeak Mountain. The result? Lord Gareth announced a retreat."

"The scorpions to the west also encountered a powerful enemy. They're pinned down and unable to advance."

Orion lowered his head in thought. Both pieces of news pointed to one conclusion: Lord Ariel's faction and personal strength were superior to Lord Gareth's.

"Anything else?"

Slagor shook his head, his tone tinged with frustration.

"That guy's tight-lipped. I couldn't get much out of him."

"Orion, I suspect Gareth might be injured," Slagor added, lowering his voice and glancing around to ensure no one else was nearby.

Orion raised an eyebrow, surprised by Slagor's boldness.

"You're not afraid of dying anymore?"

"Aren't you worried Gareth will punish you for saying that?"

Slagor looked up, feigning confusion.

"What are you talking about, Orion? I don't understand a word you're saying."

Pfft!

Orion couldn't help but laugh. Slagor was too clever for his own good, immediately denying his own words.

"Alright, whatever happens, it's none of our business."

"I didn't hear anything today," Orion said, tossing out the words as he turned and headed back to his tent.

Slagor watched Orion's retreating figure and thought to himself, * This giant is smart. We'll work well together in the future. *

With that, Orion and Slagor's forces quickened their pace, moving northward.

---

Thunderwood Forest, Thunderpeak Mountain

"Lord, Greenstorm of Stormrage City is dead. Elder Thunderwing was… also killed by Greenstorm."

"The giant you wanted to hunt has escaped. They're moving toward Half-Moon Lake."

"Should we pursue and eliminate them?"

Lord Ariel sat on her throne, her eyes closed.

After a long moment, she calmed her turbulent emotions and spoke slowly.

"Let them go."

"They'll invade the south again. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

"Have our people focus on reconnaissance. Once the enemy leaves Thunderwood Forest, send our forces to guard key areas."

"And one more thing—prepare to drive the beast tide northward before winter."

The harpy elder bowed and left to carry out her orders.

Lord Ariel's complexion was pale. Her battle with Lord Gareth had left both of them injured, making it unwise for her to move.

"Hmph… Gareth, this winter will be hell for you."

"Beast tides, dark beast tides, and invasions from the north—those icefield monsters are even more savage and hungry than you…"

"And you're injured, too… hahaha!"

The thought of Gareth struggling through the winter made Lord Ariel laugh uncontrollably.

"And that damned giant… I hope you survive the onslaught of those monsters!"

The Myriad Races Invasion, a tradition passed down for countless years, was far more than just a name.

Every year, northern lords organized invasions into the south to seize resources.

This wasn't unique to Gareth's territory—other regions did the same.

For lords, invading the south was a necessity to secure resources, faith, and power. It was an unspoken rule.

Just as Gareth could invade Thunderwood Forest to the south, enemies from the far north could invade Gareth's lands.

For years, the northern enemies had been quiet, likely gathering strength.

Next year, they would begin their invasion.

---

Orion, of course, had no idea about any of this.

At the moment, he was meeting with Dirtclaw, who had recently been promoted to an eighth-level slave leader.

"Dirtclaw, prepare yourself. When we pass through the gnoll territory, we'll take your women and children with us."

"Their safety and management will be your responsibility."

"You're still the chieftain of the gnoll tribe."

Dirtclaw was stunned. Over the past few days, as he followed Orion's forces in retreat, his greatest fear had been abandonment.

Dirtclaw feared that Orion would discard him and his tribe.

With the war ending, the cannon fodder troops' purpose was nearing its conclusion.

As the former leader of the gnoll tribe, Dirtclaw knew all too well that in peacetime, cannon fodder troops were nothing more than a drain on resources.

The most likely outcome for such troops was abandonment.

Abandoned gnolls wouldn't survive in Thunderwood Forest. They would be slaughtered by other races.

"Great chieftain, your generosity and vision are unmatched!"

"Honorable master, thank you for your mercy. Dirtclaw will serve you until death!"

Orion raised a hand, cutting off Dirtclaw's flattery.

"Dirtclaw, eighth-level slave leader of the cannon fodder troops, hear my command. For your contributions, I hereby promote you to the seventy-third elder of the Stoneheart Horde. You will lead the gnoll tribe and enjoy the privileges of a regular elder."

"Your branch of the gnoll tribe will be integrated into the Stoneheart Horde and exempt from cannon fodder duties."

Dirtclaw trembled, tears streaming down his face.

Since being enslaved, he had worked tirelessly to prove his worth, pushing his tribe to the brink to earn recognition.

Now, his efforts had paid off.

"Honorable master, Dirtclaw will fight for the Stoneheart Horde until his last breath!"

This time, Dirtclaw knelt, his voice filled with unwavering loyalty.

Orion nodded and said calmly, "You should thank your master. It was Delilah who spoke on your behalf."

"Remember, do everything she asks of you."

"Now, go."

As Dirtclaw left, Orion fell into deep thought.

Dirtclaw was a test—a model for integrating other races into the Stoneheart Horde.

As the horde grew stronger, more members from different races would join.

How should they be managed?

Dirtclaw was the first step in finding an answer.

By elevating Dirtclaw, Orion hoped to inspire the other gnolls, showing them a path to advancement.

This would motivate the cannon fodder troops to fight harder.

And it wasn't just for the gnolls—this example was also meant for the surviving geckos.

The future Stoneheart Horde would only accept the elite from the cannon fodder troops.

...

As Orion's forces continued their journey north, the Black Forest drew closer with each passing day.