Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"Damn it! That giant Orion—how does he have an Abyssal Dragon?" Slagor muttered to himself, his mind racing with questions. "Could he be connected to Lord Gareth? Did Gareth give him that dragon?"

Frustration and anger twisted Slagor's face as he continued to speculate. As the chieftain of the Poison Dragon Swamp, Slagor wasn't just powerful—he was also a cunning lizardman (poison dragon). The moment Orion summoned the Abyssal Dragon, Slagor had lost the will to continue fighting.

Now, in hindsight, Slagor regretted his actions. If he had known that the Black Forest truly had two Alpha-level warriors, he would never have dared to steal the spoils Clymene had claimed in battle. And now, for a few magical potions, he had lost an arm.

The cost of this encounter had been far too high.

---

Meanwhile, Orion sat atop his Abyssal Dragon, leading the way back home. The bloodline warriors of the Stoneheart Horde followed behind, filled with excitement and reverence. This cross-regional war, initiated by Orion, had been a resounding victory.

However, seven days later, as they were about to cross the Barren Mountains and re-enter the Black Forest, something unexpected happened. A powerful pressure descended upon them, forcing all the bloodline warriors to the ground, trembling in fear.

Even Orion, despite his strength, felt the crushing weight of the aura.

With a roar, Orion activated Titan's Rage once more, boosting his attributes tenfold. Only then did he feel some relief from the overwhelming pressure.

Roar...

"You're quite impressive. Stronger than your sister Clymene," a deep, draconic voice echoed from the dark forest ahead. A massive Abyssal Dragon, nearly the size of Orion's own, emerged from the trees, knocking down several giant trunks as it approached.

Roar...

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The two Abyssal Dragons began growling at each other, issuing warnings and challenges as they sized each other up.

Orion's entire body tensed, his senses heightened to the maximum.

On the back of the approaching Abyssal Dragon sat a warrior—a woman with horns protruding from her head, her face sharp and chiseled like a blade.

She wore a half-armor that left much of her muscular shoulder exposed, her breasts prominently elevated, as if they were forged from steel.

Orion narrowed his eyes, studying the powerful woman. He cautiously asked, "Are you Lord Gareth?"

The female warrior stood up, revealing a short battle skirt. Her laugh was rough and unrestrained. "Looks like you're not just strong—you've got a good head on your shoulders too!"

Orion's focus sharpened, his brow furrowing as his body remained taut, ready for battle. Despite the masculine-sounding name, it was clear that Lord Gareth was indeed a woman—and one who also commanded an Abyssal Dragon.

More importantly, Gareth herself was a half-dragon. Judging by the horns on her head, Orion guessed she was likely a hybrid of a orc and a dragon, inheriting the bloodline of the Abyssal Dragon lineage.

"Honorable Lord Gareth, may I ask why you've come?" Orion asked, bowing slightly, his tone respectful and courteous.

"My companion here has a special ability. It sensed the presence of another of its kind, so we came to take a look," Gareth replied, her voice casual. "Didn't expect to witness a cross-regional Alpha-level battle!"

Thump, thump, thump...

Orion could hear his own heartbeat quickening as his wariness grew.

"Honorable Lord Gareth, I was merely responding to Slagor's invitation to retrieve something that belongs to me," Orion explained. "My sister Clymene died in battle, and her spoils were stolen. I've come to reclaim what is rightfully hers."

Orion's words were respectful, but there was an undercurrent of resentment and accusation.

"So, you're blaming me, then?" Gareth asked, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Orion, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"No," Orion replied, shaking his head, maintaining his humble demeanor. He didn't continue the conversation.

"You need to understand something," Gareth said, her voice growing more serious. "The Myriad Races War wasn't just about expanding my territory. It was also about securing more space for your people to survive."

Boom!

Just as Orion thought the tension might continue to build, Gareth suddenly threw a punch from a distance. The terrifying pressure and force of the punch tore through the air, creating a storm-like shockwave that barreled toward Orion.

Orion's eyes widened as he raised his trident, thrusting it forward with all his might.

Boom!

A muffled explosion echoed through the air as Orion and his Abyssal Dragon were knocked back fifty meters by the sheer force of Gareth's casual strike.

So this is the power of a Legendary-level warrior? Orion thought, his body still reeling from the impact. It's unbelievably strong!

"Heh... not bad," Gareth said, her tone amused. "Even though you relied on your bloodline's power, you managed to withstand one of my casual strikes. You've earned the right to be a little arrogant."

Orion had already been prepared to use Blood Sacrifice, a desperate move that would cost him half his life force in exchange for a chance to kill Gareth. Even though he knew there was only a fifty percent chance of success, he had been willing to take the risk.

But after throwing that punch, Gareth seemed to lose interest in fighting. She withdrew her hand and sat back down on her Abyssal Dragon, her eyes narrowing as she studied Orion.

"Will you be participating in next year's Myriad Races Invasion?" Gareth asked.

Orion exhaled slowly, relieved that the immediate danger had passed. He nodded and replied in a deep voice, "I will. I intend to reclaim my sister's head, along with the heads of the elders."

Gareth nodded, her eyes gleaming with approval as she looked at Orion, who was filled with a mix of madness and bloodlust. She suddenly chuckled.

"I like you. So, I'll allow you to claim a piece of land during the Myriad Races Invasion as your own territory," Gareth said. "You won't need to pay tribute, but you must follow my orders. Do you understand?"

Orion frowned, deep in thought. Gareth's offer was puzzling, and he couldn't quite figure out her motives. Still, he responded, "I understand. I will follow Lord Gareth's orders."

Gareth burst into laughter, her voice and posture completely at odds with her appearance as a woman. Perhaps this is why she chose such a masculine name.

"Hahaha... great!" she said, clearly pleased. "Prepare yourself well this year. I'll send a messenger to notify you when the time comes."

With that, Gareth lightly patted her Abyssal Dragon, turning it around as they disappeared into the towering trees of the forest, vanishing into the darkness.

"Your Abyssal Dragon is impressive. Take good care of it!" Gareth's voice echoed from the forest, fading into the distance.

Orion let out a long breath, finally relaxing. Only then did he realize that his entire body was drenched in sweat.

The pressure from a Legendary-level being was overwhelming.

Even with his attributes boosted tenfold, Orion understood that he was still far from reaching the level of a Legendary warrior. The power of a Legendary-level being wasn't something that could be measured by raw stats alone.

Orion deactivated Titan's Rage and sat back down on his Abyssal Dragon.

"Get up. Lord Gareth has left," Orion called out to his subordinates.

He glanced around at his warriors, all of whom were still lying on the ground, trembling in fear. Even Prophet Onyx, with all his unique abilities, had been unable to withstand the pressure of Gareth's presence.