Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1461 A Meal of Light

"Since you won't strike first, I guess it's time for me to make my move."

Makareth stuck out his lengthy, blood-red tongue, slobbering over his lips in a hideous imitation of ravenous desire. The very next moment, his body shimmered and distorted wildly. From his skin, a dark figure peeled away—a flawless, shadowy twin of the fiend.

That dark form had no distinct traits except for two blazing red orbs that emitted an overwhelming aura of dominance.

It vanished in a flash, reappearing right behind Albrecht and encircling the Grand Inquisitor with its limbs in a twisted parody of a hug.

"Welcome to the Shattered Realm," Makareth's voice grated, deep and merciless.

Albrecht had no chance to respond before existence twisted. He got dragged into an eerie realm devoid of any vitality—no peaks, no streams, no flying creatures. Sky and ground were absent. It seemed to Albrecht like he'd been confined within a mere drawing, a colorless plane lacking depth.

The moment he tried to sense his environment, the realm began to splinter.

And so did Albrecht.

His solid form felt squashed flat like parchment, with countless unseen grips ripping him from all sides.

Agony. Utter, lethal torment.

Barely as Albrecht clung to a fragment of awareness, thankful for enduring the initial assault, the next splintering struck.

Torment, followed by blackness. His mind broke apart. Death claimed him.

As his thoughts crumbled, his Body of Faith fell apart.

A strike from such an elite Demon carried terror equal to the might Orion once commanded.

Returning to the physical plane, with Albrecht's demise, the shade attached to him dissolved. Makareth beat his bat-like wings, touching down next to the remains. His mouth gaped open to a nightmarish 180 degrees, and he gulped down the entire body of Albrecht.

Burp.

Makareth rubbed his belly, his gaze foggy with an intoxicated, blissful haze. He appeared on the verge of collapsing into sleep.

"Ugh... that Holy essence truly upsets my stomach."

The fight concluded, and with the elite scouts of the Holy Order slain, the signal for war had rung out clearly.

"The allied troops haven't shown up yet. We should head to the following landing spot."

Protected by Makareth and Elara, Aina experienced a profound feeling of security. Their immediate goal remained to allow the undead army to expand rapidly into an invincible horde while ensuring their reinforcements arrived without harm.

"Sis, keep an eye on the surroundings. I need to rest a bit," Makareth muttered to Elara, then dwindled into the Demon army's formation and sank into profound sleep.

Titanion Realm, Stoneheart City.

Seated upon his throne, Orion awoke his eyes and directed his sight northward.

Having united the continent under the Stoneheart Horde, every inch of the terrain fell under his control. No major anomaly could slip past his perception.

He had sensed a brief trace of an odd Archlord in the heartlands.

"Far too swift," Orion pondered aloud.

Despite the assets and lands from the Wormholes Realm, the Insectoid species couldn't organically produce an Archlord so quickly. Something felt off about it.

Being a Demigod, Orion relied on his instincts.

Limited explanations existed. Perhaps the invaders from beyond had a hidden art to boost power by force. Yet that seemed improbable; not even a fighter like the Commander held such a skill.

This pointed to a single conclusion: The Broodmother or Insect King arriving alongside the Wormholes Realm was already at Archlord level or beyond. The version they encountered there was just a projection or rebirth.

"The untamed lands grow dangerous."

"Dace," Orion ordered the vacant space. "Relay the command. Name Gustalon Vice Commander of the Third Legion. Instruct him to purge the insect hordes from north to south, beginning in Blackstone City."

Kaelen's Second Legion pushed southward from Stoneheart, yet despite the relentless efforts of two forces, huge voids persisted.

At present, the chaotic central area hosted the fiercest Insectoid activity.

Theodore's domain, the Northern Bastion of Menethis, bordered this area, exposing the city to endless bug assaults.

"The purge lacks sufficient coverage. The Fourth Legion... must hold off."

Orion chose his Vice Commanders carefully. Kaelen and Gustalon both showed promise for reaching Archlord status. He planned for Dirtclaw to command the Fourth Legion, though the gnoll remained in isolation at the Stoneheart Temple.

Dirtclaw's nature—reliable, exact, and merciless—fit ideally for these cleanup tasks.

Orion shifted his attention away from the north, cast a quick look south, and gradually shut his eyes, drifting back into rest.

South, Soaring Bird City.

After the Insectoids seized the city, most of the former bandit overlords and rogues who dominated it couldn't flee. The bugs consumed them, not sparing a single bone fragment.

Positioned along the straightest path linking the Human Kingdoms to the Stoneheart Horde, Soaring Bird City's capture severed a crucial supply line.

Lately, the concealed dens of the "local emperors"—rogue lords who escaped kingdoms to govern tiny domains—were unearthed and overwhelmed by the expanding swarm. Numerous refugees seeking refuge in the Stoneheart Horde perished under the insects' talons within Soaring Bird City.

The Second Legion's approach wasn't to save those lords. It served a tactical purpose. Soaring Bird City lay too near the Stoneheart Horde; Orion refused to let the infestation multiply freely so close to home.

Ten miles from Soaring Bird City, under the thick forest cover, three figures huddled with Kaelen inside a strategy pavilion.

They included Thundar, Godfrey, and Aldwyn.

Thundar, a battle-hardened member of the Giant Tribe, was detailed by Orion to offer Kaelen expert advice. Godfrey and Aldwyn served as knights; Godfrey held a senior post in the volunteer forces, and Aldwyn was the explorer delivering swarm reports. The pair understood the urban landscape thoroughly.

"Your Highness, Soaring Bird City splits into Inner and Outer sections," Godfrey described, indicating a chart laid out on a crude wooden surface. "The Inner City mainly features grand halls and ancient fortresses, built with hidden passages and cellars. Such places are prone to being missed."

"Horde reports indicate these as ideal hive sites."

He marked the crucial zones.

"Still, the Horde's information hasn't verified an Insect King's existence."

"He might be deeply concealed, or perhaps nonexistent."

Godfrey turned to Aldwyn. Though he held no suspicion toward him—sharing knightly bonds, he fully believed in Aldwyn's integrity—the inconsistency troubled him.

"Your Highness, I swear it's true," Aldwyn affirmed. "On the evening of my flight, I witnessed the Insectman. He perched on the walls, brandishing a trident and howling at the heavens."

To the present Stoneheart Horde, wiping out a swarm should be a standard procedure in principle.

With their organized troops, enchanted relics, and advanced oil-fueled fire devices at hand, the Second Legion stood fully prepared to eradicate the plague by flames.