Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1353 Good answer

Mirelune, Silverwood Realm

A shimmering masterpiece of architecture, the city sat like a misplaced gemstone amidst the poisonous muck of the Venomfen Swamp. This was Tangere's crowning achievement.

Tangere’s status across the entire region had been solidified by the construction of Mirelune. His reputation even reached the distant shores of the Moonlight Continent. It served as the ultimate waypoint; any mercenary group or adventuring squad aiming to farm experience or hunt elite monsters within the swamp eventually sought sanctuary behind Mirelune's defensive walls.

Orion viewed Tangere as a kindred spirit—a solitary wolf. He was the sort of individual who avoided the company of strangers and maintained a very exclusive inner circle. To Orion, this was acceptable; truly skilled experts rarely required a crowd to validate their worth.

"Why didn't you just name the city 'Tangere' and be done with it?"

At the summit of the city's Mage Tower, Tangere was pulled from a state of profound meditation. Recognizing the voice, his eyes snapped open to behold a figure standing before him—a familiar silhouette, though one that seemed altered. Orion stood there, emanating a presence that felt both primordial and intensely vibrant.

"The name 'Tangere' was already taken in the world I came from," Tangere answered, rising to perform a formal gesture of welcome.

Tangere was more than a name; it was his handle and persona. Among the Survivors, it was the identity he carried with immense pride.

"Boss," Tangere said, his manner turning professional. "You didn't travel all this way just to admire the scenery. What do you need?"

The two men took their seats. Eschewing empty pleasantries, Tangere immediately laid out a spread of delicacies and premium spirits. He understood Orion’s nature; the man never made social visits without a specific objective in mind.

"Quick question," Orion said, getting straight to the point. "Do Plague Pathogens count as an insectoid race?"

Having just departed from his meeting with Lilith, Orion had come directly to the Silverwood Realm. His goal was to evaluate Tangere—a final character assessment before endorsing him for the Champions Alliance—while also seeking intelligence on potential counters to insect swarms.

"Strictly speaking, I wouldn't classify them as Insectoids," Tangere replied while pouring a drink. "However, biology remains biology. Even a massive swarm isn't protected from disease. If the Plague Pathogens infect them, they will rot just like any other living thing."

While not a guaranteed solution, it offered a viable path for an attack. Whether such a plague possessed the potency to eradicate an entire swarm was a question for the future, but the underlying logic was sound.

Satisfied for the moment, Orion nodded. He lifted his glass, and the two shared a brief moment of companionable silence as they drank.

"Give me your read on the others," Orion requested, placing his glass down. "Caesar, Aerin, Scarecrow, Aina. No filters."

Tangere hesitated briefly. He realized this wasn't mere small talk; it was a tactical briefing. Attempting to deceive a powerhouse like Orion was not only a waste of energy but also extremely dangerous.

"Caesar is dependable. I've witnessed his combat prowess firsthand," Tangere began. "The man is a grandmaster of the blade. He possesses an old-school code of honor—a 'Sword Heart,' if you will. There are certain lines he simply won't cross. If it's a righteous conflict or a crusade, he's the leader you want at the front. He functions as both a tank and a DPS."

This was significant praise, but Tangere’s focus on "righteousness" was the vital takeaway. Caesar was not the man for covert operations or morally gray tasks.

"And Aerin?" Orion inquired, mentioning the former slacker.

Tangere looked conflicted. "Aerin... she's difficult to evaluate. Considering the growth potential and resources of the [Forest of Nature], she is practically guaranteed to become an Arch Lord, provided no disasters occur. But in terms of actual combat?" Tangere made a face. "With all due respect, she's hot garbage."

Orion nodded in agreement. That matched his own assessment. While the mystique of the Wood Elf Queen blinded most observers, Tangere looked past the title to the underlying stats. Sometimes, a starting build is more important than a person's potential skill ceiling.

"Honestly, Boss, given her temperament and setup, just let her farm," Tangere advised. "If she manages the logistics and keeps the granaries overflowing, that's far more useful than her trying to fight. An endless supply of food is the ultimate buff."

"What about Scarecrow? Don't your abilities overlap?"

"Yes, we've crossed paths. He's... an outlier," Tangere said, shaking his head with a faint smile. "Boss, you really should inspect his army at some point. He commands these Hero-tier Scarecrow units—they have magic immunity and resist all debuffs. Only raw physical damage can bring them down. It’s honestly broken."

Since both Tangere and Scarecrow were Legendary level entities, they moved in similar circles. Scarecrow had visited Mirelune a few years prior, and Tangere had seen him go absolutely feral in the heart of the swamp.

"What is he like as a person?"

"Reliable and generally laid back," Tangere said, picking his words with care. "But he possesses a dark side. He's capable of going to extremes."

Orion understood Tangere's meaning perfectly. Scarecrow was the kind of hardcore grinder who stayed offline for eleven months of the year on a rigid schedule, only playing during the winter. That level of self-restraint eventually creates immense pressure.

"And Aina?"

Tangere gave a shrug. "A total wild card. A mysterious kid who hardly ever interacts with the rest of us."

Orion nodded once more. Aina remained a chaotic enigma. Her previous request to destroy the world still haunted the back of his mind.

"Last one," Orion said, his gaze fixed intently on Tangere. "How do you rate yourself?"

Tangere didn't flinch. He had anticipated this question. Having analyzed the rest of the team, he knew it was time for his own appraisal. He opted for total transparency.

"Boss, I am a man who understands his engagement range," Tangere said softly. "I know precisely where my limits lie. If I approach that red line, I don't take risks. I retreat. I survive."

It was a subtle but effective boast. He was informing Orion that he was cautious and prudent. He wouldn't be a liability who caused a team wipe because of his own ego.

"Good answer. You've built a solid foundation here," Orion remarked, standing up. "That's all I needed. I'll see you later."

Before Tangere could even rise to escort him out, Orion vanished from the Mage Tower in the blink of an eye.

Tangere stared at the spot where Orion had just been sitting, his heart racing with excitement. He had missed the rush of adrenaline. He hoped that Orion's reappearance signaled the start of a brand-new campaign.