Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1309 The Chain of the Death-Soul

"Listen up, every citizen of the Foundry Citadel!" The magically-enhanced shout of Standard-bearer Vex thundered across the lands, slicing through the chaotic noise of ruin. "Fall back to the volcano's base at once! Pour your Qi into the defensive ward! We either stand united against this doom, or we perish as one!"

While Vex managed the evacuation, the sky continued its brutal orbital strike. Flaming meteors crashed into the soil, transforming the terrain into a boiling soup of fire and soot.

Massacre? Carnage? Hopelessness?

Such terms seemed too mild, almost too clinical, to describe the agony the Foundry Citadel was suffering.

This was the absolute destructive intent of an Abyssal Ruler. Julius wasn't merely seeking Orion’s life; he intended to wipe Orion’s entire territory from the map of the Abyss, slaughtering every soul that lived under his rule.

"Deputy Commander, Brother... things are getting a bit too spicy for my taste," Leonidas yelled, glancing at the fractures spreading across the firmament. "We’ve got to move. Once the ward’s Divine Power is spent, we’re dead meat!"

Leonidas was a man who loved to show off and lived for the spectacle. However, attempting to out-muscle an Abyssal Ruler within his own realm? That wasn't courage; it was a death wish.

Edward remained silent. Orion offered no word.

They were simply waiting.

Before the start of this operation, the Deputy Commander had conferred with Orion. He had already consulted the Commander.

The Commander’s instructions had been blunt: Proceed. Do what is necessary.

CRACK-BOOM!

A pillar of lightning, as wide as a skyscraper, smashed against the shield. The Deputy Commander’s barrier let out a groan of strain, its light flickering precariously.

Suddenly, at that very second, the fabric of reality was torn asunder.

A massive chain, blacker than night and bleeding an ancient chill, whipped out from the Void. It pierced clean through the gargantuan Demon visage that ruled the sky.

A voice—unfamiliar, dark, and completely commanding—echoed throughout the entire Sixth Layer. The tone was deep, arrogant, and possessed undeniable authority.

"Julius. Face me. I’ve developed an interest in the Sixth Layer."

As the final word echoed, the massive Demon face in the heavens shattered into fragments and disappeared. Nothing remained but that strange black chain, hanging in the Void like a jagged scar across the sky.

The apocalypse came to a standstill.

The gales died down. The lightning vanished. The falling fire froze in mid-air before dissolving into nothingness.

"That... that doesn't sound like the Commander," Leonidas whispered, looking dazed.

He had been certain the Commander would step in at the breaking point. But that voice? That specific Qi? It didn't belong to him.

"No, that is not the Commander," Edward agreed, his eyes fixed on the Void with a look of realization.

"Then who in the world is it?"

Three days prior. Champions Alliance. Skysplitter Peak.

Commander Thresh stood at the cliff's edge, his hands folded behind his back. Nearby, his disciple, Caelus, was focused on a single, repetitive sword strike, his face drenched in sweat.

Without warning, Thresh raised his hand and sliced at the air.

A six-foot rift opened in space. Through the tear, a dark silhouette emerged—a figure bound in heavy chains, radiating a mysterious and haunting aura.

"Old friend. It is rare for you to be the one to call," the Shadow remarked. Upon noticing Thresh, the suffocating aura vanished, replaced by a tone of warmth and familiarity.

"Kaidric, I heard you were in the market for an Abyssal Ruler title," Thresh remarked casually, ignoring Caelus, who had stopped to look at the visitor. "The Sixth Layer is quite pleasant this time of year. What are your thoughts?"

"An Abyssal Ruler? The Sixth Layer?" Kaidric paused, then let out a dry, metallic chuckle. "Heh heh... my friend, which poor fool was stupid enough to get on your bad side?"

Kaidric’s ambition to hunt an Abyssal Ruler was merely a private thought he had shared with his inner circle—a plan to bolster his power. But if Thresh was handing one to him on a silver platter, Kaidric was more than willing to take it.

"Hey, old man," Kaidric said, peering past Thresh. "That boy practicing the sword... is he your disciple?"

By moving past Thresh's question, Kaidric had effectively said "Yes." He had taken the contract. Now, he was curious about the youth.

"Yes. I recently took him in. He has a long road ahead before he can fly on his own," Thresh answered.

Kaidric was one of the few people Thresh truly trusted, so he didn't hide the connection.

"I expect great things from him," Kaidric mused. "When he is prepared, bring him to my clan's Proving Grounds. Let him clash with the youngsters of my family. Rivalry is the best way to speed up growth."

It was a significant invitation.

The Proving Grounds of the Death-Soul Race were famous. Passing them offered incredible rewards, but access was strictly limited. Such an invitation meant Kaidric viewed them as kin.

"Eventually," Thresh nodded. "But for now? He isn't even close to being ready."

Thresh liked the proposal. Factions weren't built on paper treaties; they were forged through people—through generations of shared blood and bonds.

"What about the other one? The one who possessed a body from my race during the Crucible of the Gods? Is he dead?" Kaidric inquired.

Thresh shook his head, glancing toward a confused Caelus.

"He is currently in the Sixth Layer."

"Eh? The Sixth Layer?" Kaidric paused, putting the pieces together. "Wait... you don't mean..."

"Fascinating. Very fascinating," Kaidric laughed, his chains clinking loudly. "Someone at his level actually has the balls to challenge an Abyssal Ruler already? I admire his spirit."

"Heh heh heh... I'm going to pay him a visit right now."

In an instant, the shadow vanished into the rift. Thresh waved his hand, closing the tear as if it had never existed.

"Master, was that a friend of yours?" Caelus asked, lowering his blade.

"Yes."

"Who was the 'little guy' he spoke of? Is he another student? Is he powerful?"

To Caelus, the term "little guy" suggested a peer—someone around his own age.

Thresh opened one eye, looking at his student.

"The 'little guy' he was referring to... is your father."

Caelus nearly choked on his breath.

His father, Orion? That beast who fought Demigods while still climbing the ranks?

"When you reach the strength your father possessed when he entered the Crucible of the Gods, I will take you to the Death-Soul Race's Proving Grounds," Thresh stated calmly.

"In that place, geniuses are as common as blades of grass. You can find a dozen 'invincible' Young Masters with a single glance. If you can prove yourself there... I will grant you a gift."

Thresh understood his disciple’s nature. Caelus was born with a unique destiny—two souls in a single body, possessing terrifying potential.

However, Orion had not yet truly achieved the status of a Demigod. Once Orion made that breakthrough, the resonance of their bloodline would activate, and Caelus’s potential would explode.

This was why Thresh was keeping Caelus at the Legendary level for now. He wasn't just strengthening Caelus's Foundation Establishment; he was waiting for the bloodline feedback from Orion.

Caelus was sharp. He realized that his Master and his father saw the road ahead much clearly than he could.

He didn't protest. He simply tightened his grip on his sword. His task was clear: follow his Master's orders to the letter. Do it perfectly, then exceed those expectations.

That was the only path. Build the foundation. Temper the will.