Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1338 The Clockwork Signature

Note: Chapters 1336 and 1337 have been revised. Please reread Chapters 1336 and 1337.

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Moving past the motionless projection of the ritual, Orion walked toward two aged gravestones tucked away in the cave's shadows.

The first marker belonged to Rowena, a name Orion had tucked away in the deep recesses of his memory. He had slain her brother, Reynard, many years prior. It was a surprise to find she had joined Lokiviria—the Insectoid lord who had also fallen by his hand.

Then there was the smaller mound... the grave of their offspring. This hybrid child was the very key that had unlocked the gates of the apocalypse.

For a moment, Orion gazed at the markers with an inscrutable expression before turning away. He left the resting places undisturbed, walking back toward the cave mouth where the Chrono-Bubble remained in effect.

Though Kairon, Seraphina, and Evander were visibly perplexed, they followed in his wake. In this group, Orion functioned as both the leader and the tank; they moved wherever he led.

A short distance away, Orion came to a halt and knelt down. His eyes fixed on a tiny object resting in the cavern dust.

It was a mechanical puppet in the shape of a beetle.

The item was a clear signature. The Clown had gifted this to Lokiviria under the guise of "protection," but its true purpose was that of a corrupting influence and a tracking device.

Orion made no move to touch it. Because this was merely a visual reconstruction summoned by Seraphina’s magic, the beetle was nothing more than a ghost. However, the craftsmanship was unmistakable.

The Clown.

That treacherous dog from the Champions Alliance, Orion mused, a frigid smirk playing on his lips. He is attempting a backdoor assault on my primary stronghold.

The pieces finally fit together. The catastrophe striking the Titanion Realm was no mere coincidence or stroke of ill fortune. This was a calculated, surgical strike.

Both the Clown and the Witch had suffered devastating losses in the Silverwood Realm. Orion had personally annihilated the Clown’s Demigod-level Avatar in that theater. This was their retaliation.

He is aware that the Titanion Realm serves as my base of operations, Orion concluded. His goal is to pin down my assets here so the Cult of Four can recover in Silverwood.

It was a competent strategy—a textbook diversion meant to fracture the enemy's focus and force a defense on two separate fronts.

However, the Clown had committed one fatal error in his calculations: Orion hadn't just gained levels; he had fundamentally moved beyond the original rules of the game.

"How interesting," Orion muttered under his breath. I once viewed you and the Witch with caution. But now? The game is on.

He stood up and brushed his hands off, the full picture of the conspiracy now clear in his mind.

"What have you discovered?" Seraphina inquired as she drifted toward him. She knelt by his side, her aura a potent blend of lethal Cultivation and alluring fragrance.

Orion took her hand and pulled her up, his touch commanding. He turned his attention to Kairon and Evander.

"The individual in the vision, the one who offered his life... that was Lokiviria," Orion clarified. "I was an ally of his father during the first Civil War I fought in. The source of my knowledge isn't important—the Insectoid bloodline possesses high genetic stability. The offspring was a mirror image of the father."

The three ancient Demigods leaned forward, eager to learn more about the history of Orion’s ascent.

"In the most recent Civil War, the leader of the opposing side was also named Lokiviria," Orion went on. "The stories claimed the Insect Lord simply vanished from the field of battle. Now his fate is clear. He retreated here to meet his end."

"And regarding that mysterious Arch Lord who was destroyed by the Human Saint..." Orion glanced toward Evander.

Evander gave a somber nod. The Human Saint served under him. "I kept a close eye on that engagement. The passing of that Arch Lord was... unnatural. When the Relics shattered his Body of Faith, no remains were left behind. No spoils, no essence. It vanished as if a file had been wiped from existence."

"His behavior was also peculiar," Evander noted. "He lacked a name or a past. Every move he made seemed calculated solely to buy time."

"There is no need for speculation," Kairon cut in, his previous enmity replaced by a focus on strategy. "That Arch Lord functioned as a scout. He was a pioneer from the opposing world whose sole mission was to navigate the collision."

Kairon’s intuition was perfect. Without realizing it, he had correctly identified the Clown’s Insectoid Avatar.

"To be honest, the identity of the culprit no longer concerns me," Seraphina declared. She hooked her arm through Orion’s, leaning against him with a possessive weight.

"I am interested in the 'how'," she purred, her tone seductive while her eyes burned with a lethal light. "How do we execute them? Are we expected to just stand by while they seize our lands?"

She gazed at Orion, her eyes shimmering with pride. Her confidence that she had chosen the winning side was stronger than ever.

Kairon and Evander stayed quiet, waiting for Orion to dictate the plan. Despite their vast experience, the power dynamic had clearly evolved.

Pulling Seraphina closer, Orion took one final look around the cavern.

"Do not be deceived by what appears on the surface," Orion said, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "The 'World Tunnels' are merely a distraction. This situation is nothing like the crisis in the Emerald Dream Realm."

Kairon and Evander tensed up. Even Seraphina looked at him with a startled expression.

"In what way is it different?" Kairon demanded.

"During the Emerald Dream Realm incident, our planes merely grazed one another," Orion clarified. "There was contact and an exchange of energy which led to the Dark Beast tides. However, the foundational source code of our reality remained untouched."

Having spent time within the Primordial Void and crafting a world from nothing, Orion grasped the underlying mechanics of existence in a way these three could never fathom.

"And what about this time?" Seraphina asked, her breath hitching. She was captivated by his tactical brilliance; it confirmed her belief that he was a burgeoning sovereign.

"This is a hostile takeover," Orion stated grimly. "The invading world is gargantuan, and its laws are of a higher tier than ours. Because a traitor within our ranks facilitated that sacrifice, their laws didn't just arrive today."

He gestured toward the shimmering remains of the ritual circle.

"Their code was injected into our world a decade ago. We aren't merely facing a standard invasion, friends. We are facing total assimilation."

A heavy, suffocating silence filled the cave.

Kairon, Seraphina, and Evander were indeed Demigods, but their strength relied on navigating the current system. They were utterly lost on how to combat a foe that was rewriting the very laws of reality.