Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1407 Tempering the Prince

When Lilith mentioned "we," she meant the tight-knit group of Orion's consorts.

Led by Lilith in person, these formidable women each held significant strength yet remained just short of reaching Archlord level. They hungered for paths to progress, viewing the Stoneheart Titan lineage as an enticing route toward superior might.

"You can," Orion replied, his tone flat and emotionless. "But grasp this: should you embrace the change, bearing my offspring will forever be out of reach."

A chill settled over the chamber.

"Turning into Stoneheart Titans makes you my kin," Orion clarified. "You'd carry my bloodline straight from the source. On a biological level, breeding between us would prove impossible. Any prior possibility evaporates the instant the ritual concludes."

Lilith's and Soraya's faces lost all color.

To them, the prospect—or even the mere hope—of producing Orion's successor served as their strongest bargaining tool. It represented a right they dared not surrender.

"Yet," Orion went on, lightening the atmosphere, "consider the Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy."

He indicated the second scroll with a touch. "This method lets a Legend-rank fighter form a draconic figure. The strength it unleashes matches that of an Archlord's Body of Faith."

"I plan to add this to the Horde's stores," Orion declared. "Any Tribe member at Legendary rank can claim it."

Lilith and Soraya gaped at him, rendered speechless by shock. Only after a drawn-out pause did the weight of his statement truly register.

"Orion," Soraya faltered, gesturing toward the scroll. "Do you mean this skill lets a Legend match an Archlord?"

"Not match," Orion amended. "It enables them to manifest one's aura. The Effigy draws together your personal faith power, unlocking abilities typically limited to the upper echelon. Facing a genuine Archlord, it won't secure victory, but it could buy time for retreat."

His words rang true without exaggeration. Archlords seldom unleashed their complete Body of Faith in minor clashes. A Legend employing this art could feign superiority or withstand offhand assaults with ease.

Despite the limitation, Lilith and Soraya gulped nervously.

"You'll grasp its details upon studying it," Orion stated, securing the scrolls. "Our partners hold this technique too. Should you face it from an opponent later, they're probably with us."

His attention shifted to the Scorpion Queen.

"Soraya, the coalition supporting the Stoneheart Horde is widening its reach. We're forming a fresh branch known as the Platinum Authority."

"I want you to move briefly to Soraya City within the Valkorath Realm. Building on your Sea of Sand, produce hordes of tiny scorpions and instruct the leaders who command them."

No one rivaled Soraya's talent for churning out troops from the dunes. Her pace outstripped Lorelia's by far.

"At first, we'll cover the costs from our own stocks," Orion noted. "See it as an outlay. When the Platinum Authority runs smoothly, the Alliance will repay us, plus extra."

Soraya grinned, hiding her lips behind a graceful palm. "Have no doubts. If the Alliance's honored figures find a role for me, I won't let them down."

She had witnessed the Demigods encircling Orion in the Emerald Dream Realm. She understood the level of forces he commanded. Above all, she valued his approach—treating her as an equal in discussion, not dictating as if she were mere breeding stock. Such regard strengthened their alliance.

Orion inclined his head, then fixed his stare on Lilith. Any prior warmth fled his words.

"Gather a stockpile of goods. It must support three complete, active armies for a full decade."

Lilith's eyes widened, convinced she'd caught it wrong.

The Stoneheart Horde's typical standing force once numbered a hundred thousand. These days, it stood at five hundred thousand, inching toward a million in each unit.

Was Orion demanding a decade's worth for almost two million warriors?

He can't be serious, Lilith fretted inwardly, alarm surging. Draining that from the vaults would slash the Horde's holdings by a third in a flash.

She hadn't yet protested when Orion pressed on.

"Choose three elite armies. I'm dispatching them, supplies included, to the Alliance's headquarters. They'll fall under the Platinum Authority's direct oversight."

His features grew somber. "Inform the troops: after departure, their fates leave my control. Survival demands their own battles."

Icy tension gripped the space. Orion's declaration carried the somber weight of a death sentence.

Lilith assumed the directives had ended, but Orion struck the decisive note.

"Once the armies muster, Pallas joins them. He'll act as Legate."

"Pallas has come of age," Orion intoned, gazing beyond her. "He must be hardened."

Dispatching the Giant Prince formed a deliberate strategy. Beyond honing Pallas, it aimed to inspire the departing forces. Orion demonstrated equality in sacrifice—no exceptions, not for his lineage. With the Prince entering the fray, no warrior could grumble.

Lilith's sight blurred. She staggered, on the verge of falling.

Tears brimmed as she gazed at him, begging wordlessly. Yet Orion remained enthroned, his visage as unyielding and deep as the void. The choice stood firm. Pallas's path was set.

At her side, Soraya parted her lips to console but silenced herself. Pallas belonged to Lilith as son. Soraya lacked standing to meddle, and any words now risked Orion's wrath.

"Moreover," Orion added, his tone easing a touch to ease the unspoken dread, "after Kronos builds his domain, I'll dispatch him and Rolan to the Abyssal World. They require that trial."

"As their senior," he instructed Lilith, "steel yourself for their going too."

Bringing up Kronos offered subtle solace. He targeted no one solely with Pallas. Absent self-achieved Archlord status, every child of his would endure such ordeals. None could linger in his shadow indefinitely.

"The massive turmoil approaches," Orion exhaled, reclining. "We stand as barriers for the youth. Their era lies ahead. The Stoneheart Horde relies on them to claim fresh lands, not merely claim the past."

For an instant, uncommon ease touched him. Following endless brutal wars, he escaped leading every assault with trident raised.

A grimmer reality stayed unspoken.

Against Caelus and Kaelen, his boys Pallas and Kronos fell short in natural talent. Even as Stoneheart Titans, their resolve and flexibility trailed their siblings. Without confronting peril and struggle soon, they'd never close the divide.

The flames of trial would shape them.