Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1418 Dead Sea

"This would spell disaster," Seraphina murmured, as the truth finally struck her. "A scourge that ravages every being in the lower levels of the ecosystem."

Immense in scope, the continent stretched endlessly. How could one hope to probe each jagged mountain gap, each hidden underground lair?

"Conflict is unavoidable, and it will only worsen over time," Orion stated, his tone heavy with foreboding. "Yet, Zerin's approach to us hints at a method. It's not purely chance."

Seraphina grasped his meaning right away.

"Are you suggesting... that the God-Devourers, or these Wormhole Realms, draw toward zones rich in insectoid life?"

"Should that hold true," Orion replied with a shrug, "it shrinks our search area considerably."

"I have to leave," Seraphina declared, rising to her feet suddenly. "I'll head back to the oceans myself. Absent my direct oversight to push them, my followers will slack off. The fate of my kind hangs in the balance."

She bent forward, pressing a deep kiss to Orion's lips. Moments later, a burst of sorcery carried her away from Blackstone City.

That night, upon Lilith's return to the main chamber, Orion filled her in on the crisis. Commands for a full-scale patrol of the lands went out without delay.

Orion opted against keeping the knowledge to himself. He directed Lilith to share the details with the continent's other factions, even reaching out to the Sea-Drake clan along the southern edge.

"Orion," Lilith inquired, her gaze gleaming with zealous fervor, "the inter-realm portal is ready. When does the Divine Kingdom arrive?"

For Lilith, the Divine Kingdom's arrival marked a sacred milestone. It promised to hoist the Stoneheart Horde to divine heights. Though the Horde hadn't yet dominated the global arena, this remained their supreme ambition.

"The portal can only handle so many at once," Orion clarified, cooling her ardor. "We'll relocate our folk in stages, starting from the leaders. Urge them to hold steady."

In truth, the realm Lilith hailed as the "Divine Kingdom" was Orion's Abyssal World, still anchoring in the turbulent void and requiring further development. Yet, to the Stoneheart Horde's ranks, stepping into Orion's private domain felt like rising to paradise.

"Got it. I'll handle the preparations."

Silverwood Realm, Beyond Azurehold.

Kraken, Atlantis's Third Marshal, had entered the conflict.

His direct involvement meant Atlantis had fully aligned with the Cult of Four in their assault on the local sea-dwellers.

With Kraken deep in the action, Orion and Leonidas edged nearer to the fight, positioning themselves on the outskirts to guard their sibling's well-being.

The strife had transformed the ocean bed into a seething pot of fury. Orion observed the strange, grand display of submerged combat with true wonder.

Far off, sleek sea-kin harnessed their innate velocity, darting through the depths like flashes of brilliance. Without prior knowledge, Orion might have mistaken the sight for an expert bladesman commanding a flurry of airborne swords.

Along the bottom, sturdy foot soldiers clutching enormous shell barriers arrayed in a tight formation, their innate plating deflecting the Cult knights' assaults. From behind this shield line, Cetus Giants commanded the flows of water, hurling blasts of liquid force, piercing streams, and whirlwinds of compressing might.

It formed a savage back-and-forth of attack and counter.

Deeper in the vast waters, colossal marine creatures battled the Cult's enchanted vessels, stirring shadowy flows and massive waves that shook the surface realm.

"The Cult of Four commands more resources than I expected," Orion noted, eyeing the destruction.

The Cult fielded their water-adapted troops, yet their core strength lay in Guardian Knights. These warriors donned gear that enabled fluid motion below the waves while boosting their Divine Arts. Even more striking, they employed linked formations—fusing their powers to deliver ruinous collective strikes.

"Brother, you're coming off like a novice," Leonidas teased with a snort. "Which great force lacks a handful of hidden aces? This Pontiff Valerius clearly excels in sea assaults."

Leonidas scanned the chaos. He coveted the Cult's equipment, but his insights pierced beyond Orion's surface view.

"Pay attention. The display here is merely the surface layer. Consider it—they've subdued myriad ocean domains in the past. Do you suppose they've overlooked special techniques or hidden methods from those victories?"

Leonidas turned his focus from the troops to Kraken.

"The Cetus Giants' Demigods stay concealed for now, so the Cult of Four holds back their real might. They're not rushing into a decisive strike. Caution defines these folks."

Leonidas muttered some sharp oaths—unclear if aimed at the Cult, the Clown, or the Witch.

Orion stayed quiet, his stare locked on a huge swirl emerging afar.

The ferocity of the clash had stirred the seafloor silt, clouding the waters. The collision of aquatic spells and outlawed techniques had disrupted the streams, spawning a gigantic maelstrom poised to engulf the whole field of battle.

Orion sensed it—the underwater landscape quaked.

It seemed the seabed drank in the dread of the fallen, quivering with horror. The conflict balanced on the brink of utter chaos.

Azurehold, Far Below.

It served as a hidden vault, or truly a sepulcher, nestled at the terminus of a prohibited path twisting into the depths under the settlement.

Here rested the forebears of the Cetus Giants.

The trio of Demigods from the lineage—Morveth, Ishraena, and Amon—gathered at the last barrier. A towering slab of rock sealed their way, etched with thick, archaic runes.

Morveth, their chief, advanced and voiced the words etched there.

"To my offspring: Standing at this slab signals the Cetus Giant kin teeters on the divide of existence and oblivion. You seek salvation. As a Giant King, I bear the responsibility to forge one last safeguard for my lineage."

"Yet, prior to breaching this portal, grasp this: Opening proves simple, sealing it arduous."

"This gateway cuts both ways. It shields us, yet it may trap us."

"Save for utter desperation, leave it shut."

"Beyond waits the Dead Sea. A genuine, unyielding Dead Sea."

"Heed well, each decision yields harsh consequences. Before shattering this barrier, steel your will."

"If our kind hasn't met complete doom, retreat. Spare the Moon Sea boundless torment."

Morveth concluded the recitation. A heavy quiet fell over the three Demigods.

They had guessed the Dead Sea hid past this threshold. With confirmation, a peculiar ease blended with apprehension in their hearts.