Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1407 Tempering the Prince

When Lilith said "we," she was talking about the tight-knit group of Orion's consorts.

With Lilith leading them, these women each wielded considerable strength on their own, yet they lingered just shy of Archlord level. Hungry for paths to break through, they eyed the Stoneheart Titan bloodline as a seductive way to unlock superior strength.

"You can," Orion replied, his tone flat and emotionless. "But know this: once you transform, bearing my children will be impossible for you."

A chill settled over the chamber.

"Turning into Stoneheart Titans makes you my kin," Orion clarified. "Your bloodline merges directly with mine. On a biological level, breeding between us turns unfeasible. Any prior possibility fades the instant the ritual ends."

Lilith's and Soraya's faces lost all color.

To them, the chance—or even the hope—of bearing Orion's heir served as their strongest bargaining tool in politics. It was a right they dared not throw away.

"Yet," Orion went on, lightening the atmosphere, "consider the Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy."

He pointed to the second scroll. "This method lets a Legend-rank fighter form a draconic idol. The force it unleashes matches an Archlord's Body of Faith."

"I'm putting this into the Horde's stores," Orion declared. "Any Tribe member at Legendary rank can claim it."

Lilith and Soraya gaped at him, too shocked to speak. It took time for the weight of his statement to hit them.

"Orion," Soraya stuttered, gesturing at the scroll. "Does this mean a Legend can match an Archlord with this technique?"

"Not match," Orion adjusted. "It lets them summon the aura of one. The Effigy gathers your faith energy, opening up skills typically locked to the upper ranks. Facing a real Archlord, it won't secure victory, but it could buy time to flee."

He spoke no lies. Archlords seldom unleashed their complete Body of Faith in minor clashes. A Legend armed with this could feign power or block ordinary attacks well enough.

Despite the limits, Lilith and Soraya gulped deeply.

"You'll grasp its details after studying it," Orion noted, sealing the scrolls. "Our partners hold this technique too. Spotting it in use later means they're probably with us."

His eyes shifted to the Scorpion Queen.

"Soraya, the Alliance supporting the Stoneheart Horde is growing its reach. We're forming a fresh branch named the Platinum Authority."

"Head to Soraya City in the Valkorath Realm for now. Build on your Sea of Sand to spawn hordes of tiny scorpions and drill the leaders who command them."

No one rivaled Soraya's skill at churning out troops from the dunes. Her forces grew quicker than Lorelia's ever could.

"At first, we'll cover the costs from our own stocks," Orion noted. "See it as a stake. When the Platinum Authority runs smoothly, the Alliance pays us back—with extra."

Soraya grinned, hiding it behind a graceful hand. "Have no doubts. If the Alliance's great figures need my talents, I won't let them down."

She'd witnessed the Demigods around Orion in the Emerald Dream Realm. She understood the level of might he commanded. Above all, she valued how he consulted her like an equal, not commanded her like a mere breeder. Such regard deepened their alliance.

Orion gave a nod, then fixed his stare on Lilith. The kindness fled his words.

"Gather a stockpile of goods. Stock enough to feed three complete armies at full strength for a decade."

Lilith's eyes widened, convinced she'd heard wrong.

The old Stoneheart Horde standing army numbered a hundred thousand. These days, one ran to half a million, and they aimed for a million each.

Did Orion want supplies for ten years feeding almost two million warriors?

Is he serious? Lilith wondered, alarm surging. Pulling that from reserves would slash the Horde's holdings by thirty percent in a flash.

She hadn't protested yet when Orion pressed on.

"Pick three top armies. I'm dispatching them—with the provisions—to the Alliance's main hub. They'll fall under the Platinum Authority's direct orders."

His look grew stormy. "Warn the troops: after they depart, their fates leave my control. Survival depends on their own battles."

Icy tension gripped the room. Orion's words carried the heavy doom of a burial chant.

Lilith figured the commands ended there, but Orion struck the last note.

"Once the armies form up, Pallas goes with them. He'll act as Legate."

"Pallas has come of age," Orion stated, gazing beyond her. "He must be hardened."

Dispatching the Giant Prince was a deliberate step. It went beyond Pallas's growth; it inspired the departing forces. Orion proved no exceptions existed—not for his own kin. With the Prince entering the fray, the ranks had zero grounds to gripe.

Lilith's sight blurred. She teetered, on the verge of falling.

Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at him, begging without words. Yet Orion remained on his throne, his features as unyielding and deep as the void. The choice stood firm. Pallas's path was set.

Next to her, Soraya parted her lips to console but shut them silently. Pallas belonged to Lilith. Soraya had no claim to meddle, and chiming in risked Orion's wrath.

"On top of that," Orion added, his tone easing a touch to ease the unspoken dread, "after Kronos builds his domain, I'll dispatch him and Rolan to the Abyssal World. They must gain real experience there."

"As their senior," he said to Lilith, "gear up for their leaving too."

Bringing up Kronos aimed to soothe her. He targeted no one specially with Pallas. Without hitting Archlord through their efforts, every child of his would endure such tests. No one could shelter beneath his shadow endlessly.

"The massive storm approaches," Orion breathed, reclining. "We stand as the barrier for the young ones. Their era lies ahead. The Stoneheart Horde demands they claim fresh lands, not just take the worn ones."

For an instant, an uncommon ease touched him. After endless brutal wars, he escaped charging at the front with trident raised every time.

One brutal fact stayed unsaid.

Against Caelus and Kaelen, his boys Pallas and Kronos fell short in natural talent. Even as Stoneheart Titans, their resolve and flexibility trailed their siblings. Without meeting peril and trials now, they'd never close the divide.

The flames had to shape them.