Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1345 Greed and destruction

Orion vanished from his throne shortly after, leaving behind nothing but a slight ruffle in the air where he had once sat.

When he materialized again, a globule of shimmering, void-black liquid rested in his palm. It pulsated with its own internal current, swirling like a storm while completely ignoring the laws of gravity.

Known as the [Bloodline Awakening Pool], this tribal relic was once the most sacred treasure of the Giants. It had served as the foundation of their strength for countless ages. However, for the Stoneheart Horde—a melting pot of succubi, obsidian golems, gnolls, and various other races—the relic was becoming obsolete. It was a tool designed for a singular race, and it no longer fit the diverse empire Orion was forging.

The time for an evolution had arrived.

"Hold on tight," Orion’s voice rumbled deep.

He tapped his shoulder, a silent signal Elara understood instantly. With a practiced leap, she landed on his collarbone and braced herself, ready for the coming movement.

A vortex tore through the air behind Orion before she could even blink. To Elara, the sensation was more than just a blur; the very world seemed to invert. It felt as if she and Orion were being squeezed, pulled through a needle’s eye and into a colossal internal universe.

They had crossed into the Divine Kingdom: the [Stratum of Asura].

As the spatial disorientation faded, a massive structure of terrifying majesty and ancient malice loomed before them—the [Stoneheart Temple].

"Hail the Prime!"

"Glory to the Prime!"

The thunderous shouts of the Stoneheart Titan guards caused the very earth to tremble as they dropped to one knee. Their armored bodies formed a corridor of steel, showing their absolute devotion.

Orion gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before gesturing toward the small girl perched on his shoulder.

"This is Elara," Orion declared, his voice booming through the sanctum. "The First Daughter of the Stoneheart Horde."

This was more than a mere introduction; it functioned as a command code. The magical aura of the Temple shifted instantly at his words, recognizing Elara’s presence not as an interloper, but as a member of the royal kin.

Orion turned his head slightly, his expression softening as he met her eyes. "Sweetheart, this is the Temple. Once inside, you will have to cross a [Mountain of Bones] and a [Sea of Blood]. If you can make it through, you will gain what you desire."

He went quiet for a moment, letting the weight of the choice linger. "Are you still certain you want to go?"

When Orion first took Elara in, it had been a cold calculation—a test to see if a World-Spirit could bring prosperity to his lands. But over time, that logic had transformed into a deep, genuine love. He cherished this little spirit even more than his biological sons, Pallas and Kronos. While Pallas carried the burden of duty, Elara carried his heart.

Allowing her to inherit his bloodline was the final step in making their bond permanent. If she succeeded, she would no longer just be his adopted child; she would truly be a Titan.

"Daddy, just wait right here," Elara chirped, her smile radiant and devoid of fear. "I'll be back before you even miss me."

She leaned over to plant a loud, messy kiss on his cheek. Then, in a shimmer of light, she teleported from his shoulder to the Temple’s entrance. Without pausing for a single second, she walked into the darkness.

Inside, the true nature of the [Stoneheart Temple] was revealed. It was a terrifying hellscape where mountains were built from calcified bones and oceans consisted of thick, boiling blood.

To unlock the ultimate combat form—possessing four heads and eight arms—one had to master both of these realms.

While this power was a natural birthright for Orion’s direct bloodline, the Temple was the only gateway to such ascension for the rest of the Stoneheart Horde. It served as a lethal filter. Any gnoll or golem seeking to become a Stoneheart Titan had to survive this ordeal. Success was a matter of sheer will, physical toughness, and bloodline compatibility. To fail was to die.

The transformation took place over twelve distinct stages. With every stage completed, the seeker earned a new arm or head.

Orion wasn’t merely granting Elara a favor; he was using her journey as a benchmark. He needed to observe how a non-giant entity would handle the mutation. As a World-Spirit, Elara was a being of pure elemental essence. Orion believed her genetic standing was superior to most organic life, perhaps even rarer than pure elementals.

His own bloodline was forged within the Primordial Void, possessing the power to create worlds. Elara’s form should be the ideal vessel for such power.

As Elara vanished into the shadows, Orion looked down at the dark liquid in his hand. He tossed the [Bloodline Awakening Pool] into the entrance of the Temple.

The result was total destruction.

The ancient relic didn't last even three seconds. The overwhelming power of the Temple dismantled it instantly, reducing the pool to a fine mist before extracting its core essence and merging it into the [Sea of Blood].

Orion’s rise to Demigod status had done more than just provide the Horde with a leader; it had fundamentally rewritten their evolutionary path. The Temple would now refine the bloodlines of his followers, but it favored only the strong. The weak would be discarded.

He would force no one to enter. However, for the next few generations, the opportunity remained open. After that period, becoming a Titan would be a reward reserved for specific Battle Achievements. The era of free power was coming to an end.

As Orion began to calculate the logistics of this mass conversion, Elara took her first step into the blood.

***

In an era long forgotten, in a realm far removed from the current one, there existed a magical world called Elementhia.

In its early days, it was a true paradise. The concentration of mana was immense, and the ecosystems thrived with life. From lush green forests to oceans as clear as crystal, the world was filled with ancient ruins and massive underground veins of magical ore.

This wealth of mana led to the creation of five great power nodes: [The Source of Life], [The Heart of Fire], [The Soul of Water], [The Force of Earth], and [The Wings of Hurricane].

Civilizations rose around these nodes, eventually developing into the Five Great Schools of Magic.

The chronicle of Elementhia was defined by these five groups. It was a long history of competition, ideological wars, and blood feuds that lasted for centuries. They waged war over resources, land, and the "true" way to harness mana.

By the final era of Elementhia, the ceaseless warfare between the Five Schools had soaked the earth in blood. The collective trauma and psychic weight of billions of deaths began to gather and rot.

From this pool of resentment and death, a sixth power was born: [The Vessel of Souls].

This marked the beginning of Necromancy.

This new path was the perfect opposite of the natural world. It stood in direct opposition to Life, Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. Its techniques were dark, violent, and terrifyingly efficient.

However, the emergence of Necromancy did not cause the other five schools to unite against the threat. Instead, it pushed Elementhia into a state of total anarchy.

In its infancy, the [Vessel of Souls] was quite weak. It could not stand against the established schools in open combat. But the necromancers found a loophole. The vengeful ghosts of Elementhia did not simply vanish; they flowed toward the Abyss, toward the depths of Hell.

The necromancers learned to ride that dark tide. By using souls as a form of payment, they established a line of communication with the Infernal Planes.

That was the moment everything changed. It was also the start of their downfall.

Fueled by forbidden secrets, those within the [Vessel of Souls] grew prideful. In their most insane plot, they built a massive ritual formation, intending to summon and enslave a Lord of Hell to use as their ultimate weapon.

They were successful in the summoning.

They failed completely in the enslaving.

The formation collapsed. The protection shattered. And thus, Elementhia fell under the gaze of a Hell Lord.

Greed and ruin arrived hand in hand.