Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1338 The Clockwork Signature

Note: Chapters 1336 and 1337 have been revised. Please reread Chapters 1336 and 1337.

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Passing through the frozen magical projection of the ritual, Orion moved toward two aged gravestones tucked away in the cave's shadows.

Rowena’s name was etched on one. It was a name Orion had tucked deep within his memory banks. He had slain her brother, Reynard, years ago. It was unexpected to find she had linked her fate with Lokiviria—the Insectoid lord he had also crushed in the past.

Then there was the smaller burial mound... the fruit of their union. That hybrid offspring had been the key to unlocking the apocalypse.

With an unreadable expression, Orion contemplated the stones for a brief moment before turning away. He left the dead undisturbed, walking back toward the cave entrance where the Chrono-Bubble remained in effect.

Though Kairon, Seraphina, and Evander were visibly perplexed, they followed in his wake. In this group, Orion functioned as both the tank and the commander; his path was theirs.

Stopping a few yards ahead, Orion knelt down. His gaze fixed on a tiny object resting in the cavern dust.

It was a mechanical beetle—a puppet.

The item was a unmistakable signature. The Clown had gifted this to Lokiviria under the guise of "protection," though its true purpose was that of a corruptor and a tracking beacon.

Orion made no move to touch it. Because this was a visual reconstruction born of Seraphina’s magic, the beetle was merely a ghost. However, the craftsmanship was undeniable.

The Clown.

That treacherous dog from the Champions Alliance, Orion mused, a freezing smirk playing on his lips. He’s attempting a backdoor assault on my primary base.

The pieces finally clicked together. The catastrophe strike the Titanion Realm wasn't a stroke of misfortune. It was a calculated hit.

Both the Clown and the Witch had suffered a devastating defeat in the Silverwood Realm. Orion had obliterated the Clown’s Demigod-level Avatar there. This was their retaliation.

He is aware that the Titanion Realm serves as my base of operations, Orion concluded. He wants to tie up my resources here so the Cult of Four can breathe easier in Silverwood.

It was a competent strategy. A textbook diversionary maneuver designed to fracture the enemy's focus and force a defense on two separate fronts.

Unfortunately for the Clown, he had overlooked one critical factor: Orion hadn’t just gained levels; he had completely rewritten the rules of the game.

"Interesting," Orion muttered under his breath. I once viewed you and the Witch with caution. But now? Let the games begin.

He rose to his feet and brushed off his hands, the logic of the situation now fully transparent.

"What did you discover?" Seraphina inquired, gliding toward him. She knelt by his side, her aura a dangerous blend of lethal power and captivating fragrance.

Orion pulled her up, his hold steady. He turned his attention to Kairon and Evander.

"The individual in the vision, the one who gave his life... that was Lokiviria," Orion clarified. "During the first Civil War I fought in, I was an ally of his father. Don't ask how I know—the Insectoid bloodline possesses high genetic stability. The brat was a mirror image of the father."

The three ancient Demigods leaned forward, eager to learn more about the history of Orion’s ascent.

"In the most recent Civil War, the Alpha of the opposing side was also named Lokiviria," Orion went on. "The rumors suggested the Insect Lord vanished from the field. Now his fate is clear. He came here to meet his end."

"As for that enigmatic Arch Lord who was obliterated by the Human Saint..." Orion glanced toward Evander.

Evander gave a somber nod. The Human Saint served under him. "I kept watch over that conflict. The death of that Arch Lord was... unnatural. When the Relics shattered his Body of Faith, no corpse remained. There was no loot, no lingering residue. It was as if a file had been deleted."

"His behavior was also bizarre," Evander noted further. "He had no name and no record. Every action he took seemed intended only to buy time."

"There is no need for further speculation," Kairon cut in, his previous animosity replaced by cold analysis. "That Arch Lord was a scout. A vanguard sent from the opposing world. His sole purpose was to act as a guide for the collision."

Kairon was precisely correct. Unknowingly, he had identified the Insectoid Avatar belonging to the Clown.

"To be honest, I no longer care about the 'who'," Seraphina declared. She linked her arm with Orion's, leaning against him with a possessive weight.

"I care about the 'how'," she whispered, her tone seductive yet her eyes alight with a desire for slaughter. "How do we destroy them? Are we simply going to stand by and watch them seize our lands?"

She gazed at Orion, her eyes shimmering with pride. She knew she had placed her bet on the right man.

Kairon and Evander stayed quiet, waiting for Orion to dictate the strategy. Despite their vast experience, the power dynamic had shifted.

Drawing Seraphina closer, Orion took one final look around the cave.

"Do not be deceived by the surface information," Orion stated, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "The 'World Tunnels' are merely a distraction. This is nothing like the crisis in the Emerald Dream Realm."

Kairon and Evander went rigid. Even Seraphina looked at him with a startled expression.

"In what way is it different?" Kairon demanded.

"Regarding the Emerald Dream Realm, our worlds merely grazed one another," Orion elobrated. "We made contact, traded some energy, and faced a few Dark Beast tides. However, the fundamental source code of our reality stayed whole."

Having spent time within the Primordial Void and crafting a world from nothing, Orion understood the underlying operating system of existence in a way these three could never grasp.

"And this time?" Seraphina asked, her breath hitching. She was enamored by his tactical mind. It confirmed her gut feeling—he was a sovereign in the making.

"This time, we are facing a hostile takeover," Orion said darkly. "The opposing world is gargantuan, and its laws are higher than ours. Because a traitor on the inside performed that sacrifice, their laws didn't just impact us today."

He gestured toward the shimmering remains of the ritual circle.

"They began injecting their code into our world a decade ago. We aren't merely dealing with an invasion, my friends. We are facing total assimilation."

An oppressive silence filled the cavern.

Kairon, Seraphina, and Evander were indeed Demigods. However, their strength was rooted in manipulating the current system. They were utterly lost on how to combat an antagonist that was rewriting the very operating system of their world.