Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1389 Shadows of the Throne and the Abyss

"So long as I remain upon this throne," Orion went on, his words echoing off the dark obsidian surfaces, "the vital elements of the Stoneheart Horde stay unaltered. Shadows might hide vermin—betrayers, faint-hearts, opportunists—but before my blazing presence, they submit or face destruction."

Such was Orion's creed, shaped by harsh trials.

That's precisely why he passed his waking hours, along with his resting phases, planted on the throne instead of hidden away in some isolated room. In this realm, vanishing from sight invited forgetfulness. Should a leader fade from the public eye, his authority's burden slipped from memory. Through constant visibility, Orion turned himself into an enduring pillar—a steadfast pillar for the Horde.

The Horde had grown swiftly, swallowing up myriad races and groups. It defied all odds that no rebels or schemers lurked among them. Yet Orion paid no mind to the petty ones. His immense, dominating strength kept the vermin confined to the cracks.

"Governance means mastering the flames," Orion reflected, his gaze shining brightly. "When someone truly obstructs you, there's no debate. You reduce them to ashes."

Elara inclined her head, her thoughts whirling as she absorbed the wisdom.

"Therefore," she declared, her tone strengthening with determination. "We welcome aid from the Saint Gran Council and the Order of the Dandelion alike. We seize every bit they provide."

She raised her eyes to her father. "I shall welcome them both inside. I will drain their supplies and maneuver them into mutual stalemate. They'll be too occupied vying for sway over my Association to spot how I'm leveraging them to solidify my base. And as they squabble, I'll grow powerful enough to smash them if they overreach."

Orion tilted his head skyward and roared with laughter, a booming endorsement. "Quick study. That's my daughter."

He bent closer. "Share what you require to launch this."

Elara started outlining her needs—territory, capital, manpower. Orion approved each one instantly, no questions asked.

In the end, the base for her fresh Mage Association rose in a opulent manor inside the Inner City. It stood as a stunning, isolated property, picked for its majestic design. It also served as the exact villa where Orion and Delilah once held their secret rendezvous, a fact that tickled Orion endlessly.

The Abyss. Foundry Citadel.

As Orion pondered his old romances, the focus of those recollections had just reached her assigned station.

Delilah, the Succubus Queen, shifted from Vigil's Point to the Foundry Citadel. The relocation proved essential; Orion had led the Wraith Knight forces into the Minor Hell realm, creating a leadership void in the Citadel. With administrator Ashreign vanished, the stronghold demanded reliable guidance.

"Ah..." Delilah breathed in deeply, her wings fluttering. "This marks the Sixth Layer. The Abyssal essence hangs so dense here that I could sip it straight from the atmosphere."

"Hail the Giant King! And glory to Aldous's unending appetite!"

Beside her, roaring toward the foul, sulfur-filled heavens, loomed the Ogre Lord, Aldous. He had also been posted to the Citadel.

"Well, if it isn't what the darkness hauled up," a low, rough voice growled from the gloom. "The Ogre that devours scraps, and the Succubus craving the Master's shaft."

Delilah and Aldous spun around.

Striding toward them came a colossal figure. Towering almost twenty feet, hairless, and bulging with muscles like sculpted stone, he advanced with the force of an avalanche. An essence of raw ferocity poured from him—the clear weight of an Arch Lord. He made no effort to hold it back; he allowed it to surge over them like a scorching gust.

"Xalathar?" Delilah inquired, undisturbed.

Unlike the Ogre, Delilah oversaw the Sentinel Corps. As the Stoneheart Horde's spymaster, she knew Xalathar had risen to Arch Lord rank, even if they'd never crossed paths in this shape. The force he projected rang familiar—savage and unrestrained.

"Hmph. Flesh and blood," Xalathar snorted, halting several paces off. He folded his enormous arms. "Delilah. You once tempted me with prime cuts long ago. For that, I'll guard your flank here in the Foundry Citadel."

Delilah offered a brilliant, composed grin.

The Xalathar now before her differed vastly from the creature she recalled. In humanoid guise, he carried a strut blending threat and absurdity. When she fed him morsels in the past, it was to tame him for wartime mounts. Now, he seemed almost civilized, and quite arrogant to boot.

"I arrive by King Orion's command, Xalathar," she stated, her tone smooth yet commanding. "I demand your complete support. This land belongs to the Horde. Errors won't be tolerated. We won't disappoint the Master."

She hadn't journeyed here for leisure.

"Escort me to the Grand Wardens," she ordered. "I must meet Eparus, Holrivus, and Thronlis. And notify the military leaders—Vex, Phorzak, Bidalun, and Bolvar. Summon them all to the war chamber at once."

To Delilah, these remained mere entries in reports. To master the Citadel, she had to match faces to those entries and assert control.

To Xalathar, though, they were fellow carousers. Bolvar especially, the third army head elevated by Orion following the defeat of the enemy Abyssal Lords.

"Come along," Xalathar muttered.

He peered beyond her, scanning her followers. She traveled with company. Trailing her was a force of a thousand picked warriors—Succubi, Shadow-fiends, Ogres, and Abyssal Sirens. She brought her personal guard detail.

As for Orion's avatar, the Deathly Soul-Reaper, he was nowhere near. He had set off already for the Death-Soul world, embarking on the grueling climb toward Demigod rank.

Three days passed, and the mood in the Abyss transformed.

Across the Stoneheart Horde's three key bastions—Foundry Citadel, Wraith Keep, and the Temple of the Conquest Legion—fresh commands appeared. Delilah acted without delay.

[Priority Directive: Total Eradication]

[Target: Weeping Banshees within territorial borders]

[Objective: Secure Banshee Crystals]

This served as Delilah's hidden scheme, disguised as routine maintenance.

She entered the Sixth Layer not merely to oversee, but to advance. She recognized her boundaries; her innate gifts had reached their limit. To close the divide and reach Arch Lord, she required outside strength. The Banshee Crystals would unlock the potential of the "God-touched" seal Orion bestowed on her.

It represented the sole path for her and her sibling, Lilith, to safeguard their standing. To hold their place beside Orion, Delilah stood ready to wipe out every Banshee in the Abyss.

Aldous burned with a parallel drive.

He had already crested the Legendary tier's summit. The Abyss granted him boundless fights and a domain brimming with vitality. Through sufficient clashes and ample Abyssal essence to devour, he envisioned his rise to Arch Lord.

Aldous set himself apart from the rest in the Stoneheart Horde, stuck at the Alpha tier. His capabilities knew no bounds.

Long before Orion attained the Legendary Level, Aldous ranked as a solid mid-level Legendary on his own. In sheer base strength and gathered might, the ogre trailed only the Titan King.

Orion had wagered on him deliberately.