Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1368 Dragon Rider’s Arrival

While Godfrey stood frozen in a state of anxious bewilderment, Brundar’s expression shifted instantly. As soon as he realized who was causing the stir, his fear was replaced by a surge of pure excitement.

"The Raptor Cavalry Regiment?" Brundar gasped, his hands tight against the stone battlements. "What brings them here?"

"Is this an attack? Are they coming for—"

Godfrey’s question was cut short by a sharp, ear-splitting shriek echoing from the palace at the heart of Soaring Bird City.

A colossal Silver Dragon took flight from the royal grounds, spiraling above the city’s high towers. It let out a warning cry, releasing its aura in a desperate attempt to cow the advancing force.

ROAR!

The answer from the horizon came swift and merciless. This second cry didn't just hurt the ears; it vibrated through the very skeleton. It was a guttural, low sound, heavy with ancient malice.

"Do you hear that? That raspy, deep vibration... that is an Abyssal Dragon!"

Brundar was no scholar of draconic lore, but as a descendant of the Stoneheart Horde, the terrifying roar of an Abyssal Dragon was woven into his very being.

To the Giant Tribes, taming such a predator was the ultimate mark of prestige. Every young giant fantasized about the day they might form a bond with a war pet of such caliber. They were raised on stories of Orion and Xalathar, the living legends who had transformed the Abyssal Dragon into a symbol of peerless talent and absolute power.

"Who is leading them?" Godfrey inquired, squinting against the bright sun.

"Few can ride an Abyssal while holding a high command in Stoneheart City," Brundar whispered, his thoughts spinning. "It has to be him. It must be Rolan."

While many within the Horde possessed dragons, only a handful had authority over the elite Raptor Cavalry.

As the regiment crested the final ridge and approached the city gates, the identity of the rider became unmistakable. Mounted upon the nightmare creature was a figure of formidable martial poise, clutching a massive trident. His eyes burned like torches, and his sheer presence seemed to dominate the entire field of battle.

It was the renowned Rolan of the Blood Trident.

The Raptor Cavalry came to a halt just beyond the range of archers. Rolan pulled back on the reins, casting a cold, indifferent look at the Silver Dragon hovering above. He made no move to draw his weapon or issue a challenge. Instead, he projected his voice, utilizing a magical transmission aimed directly at the palace—specifically for Kronos and Ava.

Rolan leading this escort in person was a message far more potent than any war horn. It was an official proclamation from Lilith herself.

By dispatching one of the Horde’s greatest warriors, the Stoneheart leadership was publicly endorsing Ava. They were declaring to the world: She belongs with us. She possesses status.

Within the palace walls, the weight of this gesture struck Ava with physical intensity.

"Oh..."

Hearing Rolan’s message, Ava hid her face in her hands, her frame trembling as she collapsed into quiet, overwhelmed weeping.

Rolan was a household name across the continent. Before Orion’s biological heirs had matured, Rolan served as the Giant King’s apprentice—the primary representative of the Horde. His arrival here to serve as her personal protector was the equivalent of Orion himself standing before the nations and claiming her as his own. To a stranger, it appeared to be a mere VIP escort. But for Ava, who had spent years suffocating under a cloud of insecurity, terror, and the shame of being the "other woman," this was her redemption.

The appearance of Rolan was a pillar of light that burned away the shadows of her disgrace. From this moment on, no one would view her with doubt or mockery. They would look upon her with envy.

"Mother, Rolan has arrived," Kronos said gently, moving toward her. "He is a man of honor. A good man."

Kronos was equally stunned. He had never expected the Succubus matriarch—a woman he respected and feared from a distance—to provide such a prestigious escort. It was a sign of genuine acceptance.

He pulled his mother into an embrace, allowing her to cry against his chest. As he comforted her, his thoughts wandered back to his youth.

He recalled the day he first departed for the Stoneheart Horde. Ava had stood outside Rose Manor, her hands shaking as she fixed his clothes, repeating endless rules and cautions. At that time, her gaze was full of dread. She felt she was sending her child into a world where she didn't belong.

She had endured a lifetime of waiting for this single moment of validation.

"Mother," Kronos murmured, soothing her while maintaining a firm tone. "We cannot keep Rolan waiting. And the citizens of Soaring Bird City... they need you to lead them. They need to see your strength."

Ava drew a shaky breath. Wiping the moisture from her face, she looked up at her son, seeing a true ruler instead of a boy.

My son has truly grown, she thought, a small, proud smile appearing through her tears.

***

Far to the north, within Stoneheart City.

While Ava was a storm of sentiment, Orion remained like bedrock—unyielding and frigid.

Sitting upon his throne, the Giant King slowly opened his eyes. Held within his massive palm was a solitary seed.

It was a [Bloodline Seed], an item Orion had obtained just moments prior within the Tower Defense World.

Orion moved the seed toward his finger, allowing a single drop of his golden-red blood to be absorbed by it. If the seed he had used to reach his Demigod rank was a [World Seed], then this object, saturated with his vital essence, was a [Curse Seed].

Its function was not to create life, but to spread corruption.

Orion put the seed away and shut his eyes, his mind entering the Survivor's Platform. He began a trade with Aina, moving the item across the void between dimensions.

"Mister, what is this?" Aina’s voice resonated in his mind.

She could tell it was a [Bloodline Seed], yet the aura it emitted was distorted. It had been fundamentally altered.

"This is a [Curse Seed], nurtured by my own blood," Orion clarified, his mental tone cold and commanding. "Locate a hidden, secure spot and plant it. It shall grow into a fruit-bearing tree."

"And after that?"

"When the tree yields fruit, give them to your followers. Anyone who eats the fruit will be tainted by my bloodline," Orion stated. "They will surrender their free will and become fanatical zealots for your [Hellscream] faction."

He kept no secrets from her. If Aina was capable of aiding his conquest of the Eldoria world, she was clever enough to realize the value of such a tool.

"You possess such a wicked mind," Aina answered. She didn't sound repulsed; she sounded enchanted. "How are you so brilliant?"

Orion’s strange methods of conquest continued to surprise and please her. The Hellscream faction was in dire need of troops, and she required a way to quickly bolster her strength.

"After I plant the seed," Aina asked with excitement, "does it require water? Fertilizer? How long will it take to grow?"

"Flesh and bone are its preferred nutrients," Orion answered, his voice as chilling as a tomb. "Once the sprout emerges from the dirt, nourish it with fresh blood. It will grow with incredible speed."