Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Zzzzzzz…

The dense, chilling sound of the underground worms resonated once again from the fissure, signaling another assault.

"Quick… quick… to your positions!"

"Pour the burning oils! Light them up! Burn them to death!"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Thundar's voice was hoarse from shouting, but he continued to bellow orders with all his strength.

Soon, the edges of the underground fissure were ablaze once more, the roaring flames engulfing the worms at the forefront of the attack.

However, just as Lilith and Thundar began to breathe a sigh of relief, a wave of Alpha-level pressuresurged from the depths of the fissure, freezing every bloodline warrior of the Stoneheart Horde in place.

"Thundar, go! Evacuate our people! I'll hold them off here!"

Lilith was the first to react. With unwavering resolve, she assigned tasks and chose to stay behind to buy time.

"Chieftainess, you… I…"

Thundar hesitated, torn between his duty and his concern for Lilith.

"Go now! Evacuate the horde members, or it'll be too late!"

Finally, Thundar gritted his teeth, turned, and sprinted toward Moonshadow Valley, shouting orders as he ran.

Lilith drew the dagger Orion had given her and, with all her remaining strength, shouted to the warriors:

"Stand up, my people! Buy time for our families to escape!"

"When the burning oils run out, push all the boulders down and crush these disgusting worms!"

"For our families, for Moonshadow Valley, for Blackstone Town—hold the line!"

Lilith's rallying cry reignited the bloodline warriors' fighting spirit.

Yes!

Their families were still in Moonshadow Valley, and they needed time to evacuate.

"Hold them off!"

"It's the only way our families will survive!"

One by one, the bloodline warriors forced themselves to their feet, defying the crushing Alpha-level pressure.

Lilith's leadership shone brightly. As she shouted, she unleashed her illusions, bolstering the warriors' morale and giving them the courage to face the swarm.

But then, from the depths of the fissure, a massive Alpha-level terrifying spiked wormemerged, its body covered in sharp, menacing spikes. It pushed through the flames, its enormous form rising slowly.

The moment its four uneven, green eyes scanned the warriors, it was as if death itself had arrived.

A wave of terror swept through the horde.

This was the end.

Lilith finally understood the horror Orion had once described.

Despair gripped the hearts of the bloodline warriors as they watched the terrifying spiked worm and the countless underground worms crawling out of the fissure behind it.

It was a nightmare made real.

Lilith tightened her grip on her dagger, her gaze fixed on the terrifying spiked worm. She wasn't afraid—only regretful.

"My dear Orion, my husband… I'm afraid I won't be able to walk this path with you any longer."

---

SCREEEEE!

A piercing eagle's cry tore through the air, sharp and high-pitched, as if it could rip through the very souls of those who heard it.

At the same time, a streak of lightningand a flaming trident shot down from the sky.

BOOM!

The lightning and trident struck the terrifying spiked worm in quick succession, blasting it back into the underground fissure.

Every bloodline warrior looked up, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"That… that's a thunderhawk!"

"It's Chieftain Orion!"

"And Rendall!"

"…!"

The warriors with sharp eyesight quickly recognized the figures on the thunderhawk's back—Orion and Rendall.

Lilith, staring at the massive shadow in the sky and the familiar figure atop it, collapsed to her knees, her strength finally giving out.

"You little brats, what are you standing around for?"

"Push those boulders down and crush these damned worms!"

Rendall's booming voice snapped the bloodline warriors out of their daze.

"The chieftain is back!"

"Rendall is back too!"

"We're saved!"

"…!"

Joy spread like wildfire among the warriors. Their morale, which had hit rock bottom, soared once more.

When Lilith opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was Orion's strong, chiseled face.

"My Lilith, I'm back."

"Orion…"

Lilith threw her arms around him, holding him tightly and saying nothing.

To her, this felt like a dream.

Not long ago, she had believed she would never see him again.

"One day ago, we returned to the Black Forest and met Samson at the border. He told us everything."

"So Rendall and I rushed back as quickly as we could."

"You've worked hard, Lilith."

Orion gently patted her back, about to say more when a crisp, childlike voice interrupted him from behind.

"Master, little Lorelia worked hard too!"

Orion turned to see the now-grown Spider Queen Lorelia. He reached out and lightly patted her head.

"You did well. I'll reward you later."

Orion released Lilith and took a closer look at Lorelia. She now bore a striking resemblance to the spider queen she had once been.

"Keep watch here. Rendall and I are going down to see what's happening below."

Lilith nodded softly, regaining her composure.

"If anything happens, ask that guy up there for help," Orion said, pointing to the thunderhawk circling overhead.

"And remember to reward it with a bottle of Pet Pills before asking for anything."

The thunderhawk let out a sharp cry, as if in agreement.

"An Alpha-level flying beast?" Lilith asked, surprised.

Orion didn't respond to her astonishment. What caught his attention was how the underground worms retreated even faster after the thunderhawk's cry.

"Hmm… are they afraid?"

"Worms… and eagles… interesting."

Orion gripped his trident and motioned for Rendall to follow him as they descended along the fissure's rocky walls.

"Guard this place well. Don't let a single worm climb up and scare the horde members!"

Rendall gave a final order to the warriors before slinging a bundle of spears over his back and following Orion down.

---

It took only half an hour for Orion and Rendall to reach the bottom of the fissure.

The underground landscape had changed significantly since Orion's last exploration.

The ground was now covered in a strange, leathery substance. Orion guessed it was the shed skin of the underground worms.

"Elder, stay alert. These creatures are masters of stealth."

"Don't worry, I understand."

Orion led the way, heading toward the bottomless abyss deeper within the fissure.

But after only twenty meters, the eerie sound of worm chirping—Zzzzzzz…—echoed around them.

Orion stopped in his tracks, and Rendall's expression grew tense.

"Elder, guard one side. Don't turn your back."

"That thing is fast."

Rendall nodded, gripping his spiked club tightly as he scanned the surrounding boulders with vigilance.

The aftermath of previous battles had left the area littered with rocks, providing perfect cover for the terrifying spiked worm to hide.