Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1356 The Crossroads of Survival

Titanion Realm: Soaring Bird City

An initial tremor in the ground served as the first omen. It was soon followed by a chaotic blend of thundering hooves and the rhythmic, heavy ringing of bells fastened to the necks of beast-blood mounts.

From their positions on the battlements, sentries observed as a massive cloud of dust transformed into a visible caravan. It was an immense sight—a serpentine procession of riders and wagons snaking its way toward the entrance of Soaring Bird City.

The exhaustion of the group was obvious even from a distance. With heads hanging low, the mounts were covered in sweat, while the wagon wheels groaned under the pressure of a relentless forced march. However, the seasoned soldiers guarding the walls sensed something more than mere fatigue emanating from the line.

It was pure terror.

"Does that look like a typical merchant group to you?" a sentry whispered, using his hand to block the glare of the sun. "They look more like survivors fleeing a forest fire."

"Quiet," his sergeant barked, though his own eyes remained fixed on the approaching crowd. "Look at those banners. That is the Golden Apple Chamber of Commerce."

"Within the Human Kingdoms, they are considered untouchable," the sergeant added, lowering his voice. "They have the Royal Family in one pocket and the bandit lords in the other. No one dares to strike them."

To an ordinary soldier, the Golden Apple was far more than a simple merchant guild; it was a pillar of the world. The notion of them being victims of a raid was nearly impossible to believe. The soldiers assumed that the only explanation for their bedraggled state was the massive weight of the treasures they must be transporting.

"Send word to the palace immediately," the sergeant commanded, spitting over the rampart. "If the Golden Apple has arrived, we must ensure a portion of that stock remains here in Soaring Bird City."

The Palace

Princess Ava didn't spare a second glance for the report placed upon her desk. The arrival of the wealthiest merchants on the continent meant nothing compared to the parchment currently shaking in her grip.

It was the most recent intelligence file from the Rose Knight Regiment.

"They have been under constant harassment since departing the Kingdom's central regions," a gravelly voice shattered the quiet. "It wasn't bandits. It was swarms."

The man speaking was Godfrey, a member of the Eight Great Knights. He lacked the appearance of a standard court official, looking more like a man of the wilds. As a leader of a Mercenary Corps based in the Stoneheart Horde, he was only in Soaring Bird City for a brief period of rest and replenishment before heading back to his base.

While technically human, Godfrey’s allegiance had long since migrated toward the Stoneheart Horde territories. Having participated in the defense of Stoneheart City, he had been granted a [Flame-Tiger] mount as a prize—a creature that elevated his status to royalty among the mercenary ranks.

"Losses were minimal," Godfrey remarked as he leaned over the tactical map, "but the mental toll is devastating. There are maimings and neurotoxic poisonings. Princess, I recognize that scent. It is the smell of a Beast Tide."

Ava stared intensely at the document.

Insects. Swarms.

She understood the implications perfectly. She also realized the reason behind the Golden Apple Chamber of Commerce’s desperate pace. This wasn't a trade mission; they were offloading assets. They were running for their lives.

The presence of Roderic, the eldest son of the Grand Duke, inside that caravan confirmed her darkest suspicions. If the successors to the highest thrones were in flight, it meant the capital no longer believed it could defend itself.

So, the leadership of the Kingdom has already surrendered, Ava thought, a bitter taste like ash filling her mouth. What does that leave for the rest of us?

The heavy question lingered in the air, reaching the ears of her assembled council: Garrett, Godfrey, Lambert, and Klythia.

"My Lady," Lambert, the city’s diplomat, moved toward her. His voice was soft and inquisitive. "Is the state of affairs truly so catastrophic?"

Ava took a deep breath, feeling the heavy burden of the crown she didn't technically wear and the duty she owed to the city she governed. She turned to look at them, her gaze searching every face in the room.

"Before I provide an answer," Ava stated, her tone turning to steel, "I must know. Can I truly trust you?"

Their responses were instantaneous.

"I swear by the blade I carry and the honor of my blood," Garrett declared, dropping to one knee.

"Until the very end," Godfrey added, his rough mercenary exterior replaced by a grim solemnity.

"We shall not falter," Klythia promised, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

This was no mere display of chivalry. These were battle-hardened veterans who could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Ava wasn't seeking loyalty for a political dispute; she was asking for their commitment in the face of a total collapse.

"A decade ago, during the final Civil War, the very heavens changed," Ava began in a low voice. "That wasn't a natural phenomenon. It was a breach. A different world began its invasion of the Titanion Realm."

The chamber fell into a deathly silence.

"The anomalies we have witnessed? The Demigods awakening after centuries of death-like sleep? Everything is linked," she continued. "Factions across the oceans and the three continents have been preparing for war in secret. But the veil has now been torn open."

"The insect swarms harrying the Golden Apple caravan aren't just local pests. They represent the vanguard of a shift that will alter the world."

This was more than just a theory. The Kingdom’s intelligence networks and strategists had compiled every strange beast, every anomaly, and every fluctuation in mana. While the Giant King, Orion, had felt the transition through his bond with the world's laws, the ancient human organizations had figured it out through millennia of surveillance and records.

"The raid on the caravan is merely a symptom, not the source of the rot," Ava said, pushing the report away. "I require your counsel because Soaring Bird City has reached a crossroads."

"The looming war is a conflict between worlds. It will consume entire nations. In the grand scale of this war, the Human Kingdom... is insignificant."

This harsh truth, inherited from King Harold himself, seemed to drain the air from the room.

"A choice must be made," Ava declared, her eyes locking onto her commanders. "Staying here is not an option. We will be crushed. Therefore, we must move."

"There are two possible paths. We can retreat to the capital of the Utessar Kingdom."

She paused, allowing the weight of the name to settle.

"Or," she went on, "we travel to Stoneheart City. To the lands of the Stoneheart Horde."

Ava fell silent.

She already knew the correct path. Her link to Harold, and by extension to the newly ascended Demigod Orion, provided a safety net that the failing human monarchy could never match.

Yet, she could not simply command this.

Leading a city of humans into the territory of a 'monster' faction is considered heresy by the public, she thought grimly. I cannot force them into this.

The choice had to originate from her council. They needed to take ownership of it and believe it was their only chance at survival.

"My Lady," Lambert spoke up, his brow creased with worry. "Is there truly no third path? Can neither the Kingdom nor the Stoneheart Horde send troops to defend this city?"

Ava looked at him with an unreadable expression. The diplomat sought a shield, but Ava knew that the approaching storm was powerful enough to shatter any shield.

They didn't need a shield; they needed a fortress.