Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1325 Guardians of the Stoneheart

Half a year passed by.

With a heavy groan, the gates of the Stoneheart Temple swung wide, and three thousand Stoneheart Giants marched out from the gloom. Massive and intimidating, every single one was a combatant at the Alpha-level.

As they emerged, they dropped to their knees in a thunderous, unified display of reverence toward Orion.

In their eyes, he was far more than a simple leader; he was their Creator God.

"Starting today, you shall serve as the sentinels of this domain," Orion declared, his command resonating throughout the inner sanctum.

These three thousand giants had been engineered for a specific task. As the Ground Zero for the Stoneheart race, this temple served as the primary vessel for Orion's distinct bloodline power.

Moving forward, any member of the Giant Tribe wishing to undergo the transformation into a Stoneheart Giant would merely need to survive the temple's Mountain and Sea trial.

Since this power belonged exclusively to Orion, the evolution was not restricted solely to giants. While other races were free to attempt the ordeal, their lack of genetic compatibility meant their chances of survival—let alone successful transformation—were nearly nonexistent.

"Your command is our absolute law, Great Father!"

Three thousand voices roared back as one. They possessed innate intelligence, having been born with pre-loaded memories and fundamental knowledge bestowed by Orion. They were not products of natural evolution; rather, they were biological manifestations of his will—divine servants forged for the sole purpose of protection.

"Stand up. Depart for your designated posts."

Orion watched the giants retreat back into the shadows of the temple, a brief shadow of dissatisfaction flickering in his gaze.

Three thousand Alpha-level giants. In his past life, such a force would have made him overjoyed. But now? To a Demigod, an army that failed to reach the Legendary level seemed little more than decorative.

"It all boils down to available resources," he whispered to himself. "This world is still in its infancy. The World Essence I can afford to distribute is far too scarce."

"Nevertheless," he contemplated, "growth is possible. Time is the only nutrient they require."

He brushed aside his disappointment. With the ability to observe every corner of his domain, he noted that the overall trajectory was still pointing upward.

The Asura Stratum remained anchored in the Primordial Void, drawing nourishment and expanding. If given enough time, his Divine Kingdom could eventually give rise to Demigods, or perhaps even true Gods.

Turning his thoughts toward expansion, Orion considered the Abyssal World waiting outside.

Because his Divine Kingdom was constructed upon the foundation of the Heart of the Abyss, it stood to reason that the Abyssal World would not reject his internal realm. He could potentially sink the roots of the Asura Stratum directly into the Abyss, utilizing that massive plane as nutrient-dense soil to fuel his own world's development.

I wonder how much time has slipped by while I was under. Orion expanded his consciousness. It is time to wake.

Abyssal World, Foundry Citadel.

At the summit of the Citadel’s four-sided tower, five individuals sat around a modest circular table: Orion, Edward, Alexander, Leonidas, and Arthas. All five remained in a state of profound meditative sleep.

Ten years had elapsed since the start of the territory invasion.

It had been a decade defined by utter turmoil within the Sixth Layer of the Abyss.

For ten long years, the presiding Abyssal Lord had been unable to eliminate the challenger. That fact alone was a testament to the shift in power. This vacuum had caused a massive reorganization of the hierarchy, with Demigod territories changing hands as easily as flipped coins.

House Julius, the Chaos Demon clan supporting the current Abyssal Ruler, had even dispatched reinforcements. Demigods of the Second and Third Stages arrived, not to conquer new lands, but to preserve their puppet, Julius.

It turned into a slaughterhouse. Those Demigods entered the fray and were never heard from again.

Eventually, House Julius realized they were throwing away lives for a lost cause and retreated. The flow of reinforcements dried up.

Because the chaos was so intense, Orion's "brothers"—Edward, Alexander, Leonidas, and Arthas—had not dared to depart. Orion's lands were far too tempting a prize to be left without defenders.

Thanks to their vigilance, Orion’s grip on the region had solidified. He had successfully absorbed half of the territory ceded by Brodin, along with the entirety of Moonprison, the domain once held by Grefiel.

During that decade, Orion’s subordinates had constructed the Wraith Bastion and the Temple of the Conquest Legion. Alongside the Foundry Citadel, these three strongholds created a defensive triangle that locked down his entire territory.

BOOM!

A sound resembling the very heavens splitting apart shook the entire Sixth Layer.

Around the table, eyes snapped open instantly. Orion and his companions looked toward the sky in unison.

The firmament had been replaced. A gargantuan, prideful face stared down from above, its gaze freezing and detached.

"I am Kaidric. The Abyssal Ruler of the Sixth Layer."

The voice was more than just loud; it carried an immense, crushing weight.

"Within the realm under my dominion, conflict is allowed. However, any action that jeopardizes the stability of this world is strictly forbidden."

"Defy this, and I shall wipe you from existence."

The face twisted into a smirk, a terrifying sight that stretched across the entire horizon. "Naturally, if you take issue with this... you are invited to come and challenge me. Heh heh heh..."

The massive projection dissolved, but that mocking, arrogant laughter continued to ring in the ears of every Arch Lord and Demigod in the territory.

A heavy silence settled over the round table.

"Holy shit," Leonidas muttered, breaking the quiet with wide eyes. "Who is that monster?"

His voice betrayed his excitement—thrilled that Julius was gone and fascinated by the power of this newcomer, Kaidric.

"The crisis has passed," Edward said with a long exhale, his shoulders finally relaxing. It was a rare sight to see him so visibly relieved.

In the Commander’s absence, the weight of the group had fallen on the Deputy. Every choice to hold the line or retreat had been his responsibility. Even while meditating, he had been tracking the geopolitical shifts, ready to act if their position became untenable.

"The depths of this Abyss are far greater than we anticipated," Alexander remarked bluntly. "I suggest we put Leonidas’s invasion plan on the shelf. At least for a few hundred years."

Alexander was a man of logic. They had just witnessed the fall of an Abyssal Ruler, a sobering reminder of their place in the food chain.

"Perhaps not centuries," Arthas added, "but we must wait until one of us is capable of facing an Abyssal Ruler. Currently, as Demigods of the First Step, we have enough strength to survive, but we lack the power to claim the lion's share."

"Fine, we wait," Leonidas said with a shrug, seemingly unconcerned. "We can always go pillage the Godforsaken Land or some minor worlds while we pass the time."