Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Black Forest, Southern Dense Woods.

When Orion stepped out of his tent, Rolan was already drenched in sweat from his morning training.

"Honorable chieftain!"

The youngling immediately noticed Orion and greeted him in his youthful, enthusiastic voice.

"Come here," Orion called, motioning for Rolan to approach. The boy had been running and jumping around near the guards, Dace and Otho.

"From now on, when you come to train outside my tent, address me as 'mentor,' not 'chieftain.'"

"Yes, chieftain!" Rolan replied, his tone mimicking the formal speech he had clearly picked up from the guards.

"Hmm?"

Orion's low grunt carried a hint of displeasure.

"Yes, mentor!"

Rolan quickly corrected himself, his sharp reaction dispelling Orion's irritation.

"Rolan, let me emphasize this again. During training, I am your mentor, and you are my disciple. Understood?"

"I understand!"

Orion nodded, his gaze sweeping over Rolan, who was wearing a simple leather vest.

"Now, Rolan, tell me—what do you want to learn?"

"Mentor, I want to learn how to use the trident! I want to become the strongest bloodline warrior in our horde!"

Orion chuckled and lightly tapped Rolan on the forehead.

"To become the strongest in the horde, you've got a long way to go!"

"Start by becoming the strongest among the younglings first."

Here, "younglings" didn't just refer to giant children but included all the juvenile members of the horde—succubi, obsidian golems, and others.

As he spoke, Orion pulled out a standard level trident and handed it to Rolan.

"Watch closely and mimic my stance."

Orion stepped to the left, assuming a wide, bow-like stance with his legs firmly planted.

Rolan imitated him, copying the posture as best as he could.

"Keep your head up, chest out, and hold the trident firmly in front of you with both hands!"

Orion continued to guide Rolan, adjusting his posture.

"Good. Hold this position for an hour. After that, switch to the other side."

Rolan looked confused. In his mind, training with a mentor should involve learning how to wield the trident in combat, not standing in strange poses.

Orion's gaze sharpened, and his tone turned serious.

"Rolan, remember this: if you want to master weapon techniques, you must first strengthen your entire body."

"What I just taught you is called the Wide Bow Stance."

"Every day, before practicing with the trident, you must alternate between your left and right legs, holding this stance for two hours."

---

To be honest, Orion was taking Rolan's training very seriously.

Unlike Orion, who had the advantage of a Survivor's Platform and a system to guide him, Rolan had no such tools. Everything had to be built from the ground up.

The Wide Bow Stance, when practiced consistently, would not only stretch and strengthen Rolan's muscles and tendons but also make his body sturdier than the average giant.

Additionally, it would improve Rolan's balance and stability—essential foundations for mastering weapons and combat techniques.

Training had to be done step by step.

For today, Orion only taught Rolan the Wide Bow Stance.

Two hours later, when Orion finally gave the command to stop, Rolan's legs were trembling so much that he had to lean on the trident to stay upright.

"That's enough for today!"

"Rolan, come with me into the tent. Today, we'll have a feast to celebrate your apprenticeship!"

Rolan didn't fully understand what a "feast" for an apprenticeship meant. All he knew was that the table was piled high with meats he had never tasted before.

And there was more than enough—so much that he couldn't finish it all.

---

After eating a modest portion of beast meat, Orion left the tent early to inspect the southern city walls.

His patrol eventually brought him to the eastern underground fissure, where the construction of the walls was still underway.

At the base of the walls, a large number of obsidian golems and cave spiders were hard at work, significantly speeding up the construction process.

Just as Orion was about to enter the underground fissure through a hidden passage, a succubus approached him with unexpected news.

---

Chieftain's Tent, Blackstone City.

Orion sat at the head of the table, with Delilah seated beside him.

Before them stood a lizardman messenger.

"Honorable Orion, this is a sealed message from my chieftain. He instructed me to deliver it to you personally."

Guard Dace stepped forward, taking the rolled beast hide from the lizardman. After carefully inspecting it for any signs of tampering, he handed it to Orion.

Orion unrolled the beast hide and scanned its contents, his eyes narrowing slightly as his brow furrowed.

After a moment, he wordlessly passed the message to Delilah.

Delilah read it carefully, her expression turning contemplative.

After a long silence, Orion addressed the lizardman.

"I've received the message. Stay in Blackstone City for a few days. I'll have a reply for you to take back."

With that, Orion gestured for Dace to escort the lizardman out and keep an eye on him.

Once the lizardman had left the tent, Orion turned to Delilah.

"What do you think of Slagor's proposal?"

Delilah shook her head, remaining silent.

Orion understood that Delilah wasn't without opinions—she was simply uncertain about her thoughts or felt they weren't fully formed.

The message from Slagor, the lizardman chieftain, proposed an alliance with Orion.

After the dark beast tides, Slagor wanted to migrate his people into the Black Forest and merge his forces with Orion's to jointly resist the icefield monsters from the far north.

"Slagor is a clever lizardman. He wouldn't propose an alliance with us without a reason."

"He wants to move into the Black Forest and merge our forces, but that's not his true goal."

"Slagor's real objective is likely to seek our protection."

Delilah didn't respond, so Orion continued, voicing his thoughts to spark discussion.

"In other words, Slagor lacks the confidence and strength to fend off the icefield monsters on his own."

"Those monsters from the far north must be incredibly powerful—or terrifying."

Orion's fingers traced the rim of his goblet as his gaze grew distant.

"What I can't figure out is why Slagor isn't seeking Gareth's protection. Why choose the Black Forest instead?"

This question puzzled both Orion and Delilah.

The root of their confusion lay in their lack of knowledge about the icefield monsters.

If anyone in the Stoneheart Horde knew about these creatures, it would be Prophet Onyx.

"When will Onyx and Rendall return?"

"In the next couple of days. The beast tide is already receding, and the hunting activities will soon conclude," Delilah replied, her voice soft and alluring.

Despite her tone, Orion wasn't in the mood for intimacy.

"Then we'll wait. Once Onyx and Rendall are back, we'll convene a council meeting and make a decision."

"As you wish, my dear chieftain," Delilah said with a gentle smile.

---

Three days later, the lizardman from Poison Dragon Swamp departed Blackstone City, carrying Orion's sealed reply.

"Chieftain, why did you insist on rejecting Slagor's proposal?"

Prophet Onyx, who had returned to Blackstone City the previous night with his people, had shared everything he knew about the icefield monsters during the council meeting.

He had also offered his perspective: Slagor likely possessed more intelligence about the icefield monsters than they did. Accepting Slagor's proposal to merge forces wasn't necessarily a bad idea.

Yet, Orion had decisively rejected the offer.

"Prophet, whether Slagor joins us in the Black Forest or not, we'll still have to face the icefield monsters, won't we?"

Standing atop the southern city wall, Orion gazed at the darkening horizon, his expression contemplative.

Prophet Onyx nodded. It was an inevitable reality.

Just as the Black Forest could invade Thunderwood Forest, the Icefield Monsters could invade Black Forest.

"Slagor offers us nothing in return, yet he wants to migrate into our territory. Why should I save him?"

Orion's blunt words left Prophet Onyx momentarily speechless.

"Besides, I'm increasingly convinced that Slagor is trying to shift the danger onto us—using us as a shield."

"Rejecting him is the logical choice."

"For the Black Forest to survive in this region, we must rely on ourselves."

"Lord Gareth is unreliable. To her, we're nothing more than pawns for her southern invasions—cannon fodder, even."

"If the Stoneheart Horde is to rise, we must be self-reliant."

For reasons he couldn't quite articulate, Prophet Onyx felt that their chieftain's demeanor and approach had grown sharper, more resolute.

It was a fearless determination—a boldness that radiated from within.

"Chieftain, regarding the large-scale hunt, the eight council elders performed with varying results. The data has been compiled. Should we remove those who underperformed?"
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Orion hesitated.

His gaze returned to the dark horizon, and after a moment of silence, he sighed.

"Not this time. Keep the data on record. With the dark beast tides approaching, it's not the right time to stir up internal conflict within the horde."

"Understood."

Orion turned to see Delilah ascending the wall, walking toward him.

"Have the resources from the hunt been tallied?"

"They have," Delilah replied with a soft smile, handing a piece of beast hide to Orion.

Orion glanced at the hide briefly before handing it back.

"Set aside 30% of the beast meat for the horde's daily consumption. Send the rest to the underground fissure."

"Tell Lorelia to ensure her spiders reach a population of 30K before the dark beast tides arrive."

Delilah froze, staring at Orion in disbelief. She thought she must have misheard him.

After a moment, she softly reminded him, her tone gentle but cautious.

"Chieftain, after the dark beast tides, it's highly likely we'll face an immediate invasion from the icefield monsters."

"If that happens, we won't be able to hunt outside. Shouldn't we keep more reserves?"

Delilah, as the one managing the horde's resources, was acutely aware of their current stockpile.

The horde's food supply was stored in the caves of Moonshadow Valley, primarily consisting of preserved beast meat.

If the spoils from this hunt were sent to the underground fissure, the remaining reserves might not last through the icefield monsters' invasion.

After all, no one knew how long the invasion would last.

Orion gently lifted Delilah's chin, his gesture playful yet restrained. He didn't follow through with anything more, instead turning his gaze toward Moonshadow Valley.

"There's a cave deep in Moonshadow Valley. You should go take a look. I've stored some food there."

Deep within Moonshadow Valley, several areas and caves had been designated as restricted zones by Orion.

No one but him was allowed entry, as the areas were guarded around the clock.

"Remember, only you can go."

Orion withdrew his hand and laughed heartily, his voice carefree and bold, carrying a hint of roguish charm.

"Prophet, let's head to the underground fissure together!"

"As you command, chieftain!"

Delilah watched as Orion strode away, her heart pounding in her chest.

At that moment, she found Orion more captivating than ever.

---

An hour later, deep within Moonshadow Valley.

When Delilah entered the cave Orion had mentioned, she was utterly stunned.

Inside, countless sacks of grain, sealed in some kind of magical straw bags, were stacked as far as the eye could see.

Delilah stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape, unable to process what she was seeing.

"This… this is food?"

"Grain from the southern regions?"

"When… when did Orion acquire this?"

"This much grain… it's enough to sustain the Stoneheart Horde for at least five years of stable growth."

"Am I… am I hallucinating?"

Her whispered words echoed softly in the cave, unheard by anyone else.

The grain stored here was the 100,000 tons Orion had purchased from Scarecrow.

---

That evening, Delilah summoned Orion under the pretense of having something important to report.

When Orion arrived, he found Delilah dressed in an incredibly revealing short skirt—and no panties. The skirt was so short that her bare vulva was visible.

Here, Delilah was bold and seductive, taking the initiative.

Her admiration for Orion had grown into something deeper, and now, all she wanted was to please him with her body. Of course, she thoroughly enjoyed it herself.

After all, Orion's cock was massive, and the pleasure he brought her during sex was beyond imagination.

---

After their passionate lovemaking, Delilah lay nestled in Orion's arms, silent and content.

Delilah was a clever succubus. She knew there were some things she shouldn't ask about or bring up.

"Are you surprised?"

Delilah looked up, her enchanting eyes meeting Orion's as he broke the silence.

Before she could respond, Orion continued.

"I'll handle the food supply from now on. But that doesn't mean we can slack off on our reserves. Do you understand?"

Delilah nodded, resting her head against Orion's chest and planting a soft kiss on his nipple.

"The food problem that's been holding back the Stoneheart Horde's growth is solved. Now, we need to focus on resources."

"Our bloodline warriors need better equipment. We need sharper weapons. We need more minerals."

"After the icefield monsters retreat next year, start preparing for an expedition to explore the Black Forest and the Barren Mountains for mineral deposits."

"I've heard from Dirtclaw that there are a few gnolls among the cannon fodder troops who are skilled at locating minerals. Identify them and give them special treatment."

"And about reviving my sister and finding my parents…"

Orion trailed off, lifting Delilah from his chest.

Despite her tall, 6.6-foot frame, Orion held her as effortlessly as if she were a doll.

"Stay by my side, and I'll show you mountains and seas."

"Remember, there are birds in the sky, clouds in the wind, mist on the mountains... and I want you to always be with me."

Delilah was utterly captivated, Orion's words plunging her into the depths of love from which there was no escape.

Of course, Orion meant every word.

At this point, Delilah had proven to be his most reliable ally, the one who had supported him the most.

She was, in every sense, the perfect partner—though she lacked the official title of wife.