Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1361 The Dragon’s Pact

"To tell you the truth, your mother could have taken her rightful place the very moment you arrived in Stoneheart to begin your training with Lilith."

Orion spoke with a steady composure, his voice carrying no malice, yet it was saturated with the gravity of the past.

"The Stoneheart Horde accepted her the moment they accepted you. It was Ava’s own hesitation that stopped her. She allowed her terror of me to construct barriers where none existed. She lived in a world of excuses and concealment."

He shifted his weight, causing the colossal stone throne to emit a low groan beneath his massive frame.

"Even during my ascension to Arch Lord, when the various factions arrived to offer their tribute… she remained within the city walls but refused to set foot inside the castle. She could not bring herself to face Lilith. Time after time, the path was cleared for her, yet she chose to stay behind."

With a sweep of his enormous hand, Orion seemed to physically clear away the lingering shadows of bygone years.

"Regardless, that is all ancient history now. Those matters belong to my era, not yours. Your own legend is waiting to be written; do not permit the ghosts of our past to haunt your journey."

The message was unmistakable: in the eyes of Orion and Lilith, Ava’s position was a non-issue. The only individual who had ever viewed it as a problem was Ava herself.

"You possess a rare loyalty, Kronos. You are a fine son," Orion added, his voice losing some of its edge. "However, there is no need to bargain away your military merits for your mother’s protection. Family does not operate that way here. She is safe—consider it done. Now… tell me what you truly desire."

Orion gazed down at the youth—his own blood and his future legacy. He sought to close the distance between them.

"With your word, Father, I have all that I require," Kronos answered, his voice trembling with a sense of profound relief. The crushing weight that had plagued him and his mother for years had been lifted by a few simple words.

"You are stubborn," Orion remarked with a deep, vibrating chuckle. "Very well. I shall decide your reward for you."

Suddenly, Kronos felt the grip of gravity vanish. He drifted upward, pulled toward the giant seated upon the throne.

"Strong bones. A sturdy constitution," Orion murmured, scrutinizing the boy who now floated at his eye level.

Kronos looked directly into Orion’s eyes—eyes that were a mirror of his own. In that instant, the Demigod’s stare was surprisingly soft, devoid of the searing divine light that usually incinerated those who were unworthy. It was safe to look. Nevertheless, being suspended in mid-air like a doll left Kronos feeling a chaotic blend of reverence and primal dread.

"Is there truly nothing you yearn for? No source of power? No treasure beyond your reach?" Orion questioned, tapping Kronos’s chin with a finger that resembled a thick tree limb.

He couldn't help but compare the boy to Pallas. Had it been Pallas, the child would be rattling off a list of demands, bartering for toys, sweets, or magical artifacts. Yet Kronos remained poised and silent. He had arrived with a single objective, and having achieved it, he harbored no further greed.

Orion peered deeper, looking past the physical shell and into the boy’s spiritual core. Within the swirling currents of energy, he detected the distinct mark of a draconic contract.

"Ah. I have the perfect gift."

Opening his palm, Orion revealed a rune that glowed with a piercing amber radiance. A ghostly dragon wound itself around his fingers, letting out a silent, powerful roar.

It was the [Dragon's Pact].

To a Demigod of Orion’s stature, it was a mere bauble. But to Kronos, who had recently reached the Legendary tier, it was a monumental treasure.

"This is a [Runestone of the Ancients]," Orion remarked casually. "It carries the testimony of the Dragon Demigods. Incorporate this, and lesser drakes will tremble in your presence, while the greater ones will be much more inclined to listen to reason—or submit to your strength. It will merge with your equipment or your very soul, granting you authority over their kind."

Orion pressed his hand against Kronos’s forehead. The rune erupted in light, sinking into the boy’s flesh and anchoring itself deep within his being. It was now a part of Kronos; it could only be removed by someone possessing greater power than Orion himself.

"Go now. Go and bring your mother home."

Orion ruffled the boy's hair, and with a soft gesture, Kronos was transported outside the palace gates. As the massive doors rumbled shut, Orion closed his eyes, returning to the deep, restorative Cultivation sleep of a Demigod.

Standing alone in the courtyard, Kronos touched his brow, a wide and uncharacteristic smile appearing on his face.

"You were there," he whispered toward the sealed entrance. "You were there the whole time."

Throughout his childhood, Orion had been nothing more than a myth—a terrifying entity born from the tales of Brom and James. He had seemed as distant as Soaring Bird City was from the Ogre Territories.

But now, that vast chasm had disappeared.

Kronos had felt the truth. The formidable Giant King, the Demigod of the Continent… was simply his father. He occupied that throne not merely to command, but to protect his kin.

Is this the true meaning of being a Lord?

Kronos glanced at his palms, suddenly understanding the heavy burden of leadership. He thought of his mother, the fragile human who had shouldered the weight of an entire city on her own.

I have much to accomplish.

The World of Eldoria, Uncharted Region

The settlement was shrouded in silence.

It was a town lost to history, devoid of the mechanical roar or the clamor of commerce. It was a rustic, isolated, and quiet place.

On this night, the sky was a deep, bruised violet, with dark clouds obscuring the moon. A chilling breeze swept through the alleys, dragging dried leaves across the cobblestones.

To Aina, this was not peace. It was the eerie stillness that preceded a slaughter.

Perched high above the town on the limb of a giant ancient oak, Aina looked down upon the sleeping inhabitants.

"Commence Project Paradise," she whispered into the darkness. "Let this fairy tale be written in blood."

Spread out beneath her was the town of Nightfall.

Only a month prior, it had been called Astravale, the ancestral seat of Grand Duke Astravale. But after the Duke and his entire bloodline were eliminated in their sleep, the scavengers moved in. New lords had claimed the land, wiped away its history, and renamed the territory.

They believed they were the hunters. They had no inkling of the predator watching them from the shadows of the trees.