Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1444 Mint and Fish

"Don't stare at me in that manner. It's turning things awkward," Leonidas huffed, raising his chin with his signature haughty poise. "Refining Faith Energy happens to be merely one of my countless abilities."

That much rang true. The power they were granting to Orion consisted of unrefined Faith that they had processed but hadn't integrated into themselves yet.

They understood the situation fully. Orion served as the key anchor. His manifestation required swift stabilization if they hoped to secure the Ever-Burning Volcano. Even more crucially, Orion's formidable battle prowess had lifted a huge burden from their backs.

They had driven back a Third-Stage Demigod. Once news of that spread, any would-be attackers would hesitate before approaching the Ashenheart Domain.

Divine Kingdom. The Firmament.

When the abyssal vortex pulled the Mirror of Theras into his domain, Orion's actual form stood ready.

He seized the item as it dropped. It appeared as a basic, round disc, utterly dark and polished, resembling a segment broken from enormous shades.

Orion infused his Divine Power within it. No reaction occurred. It remained lifeless.

"Could there be an activation barrier I'm unaware of?" he grumbled, his brow furrowing. "Don't say I've landed on a treasure trove I can't tap into."

Magical seals represented his weak area. Yet if this truly qualified as a Demigod Artifact—or part of one—then a certain individual would possess the knowledge.

Orion clutched the disc and disappeared.

Valkorath Realm. Blade's Edge Peak.

This spot marked the continent's core, the world's loftiest elevation. Normally, Caelus lingered here, sharpening his sword techniques against the gales. However, since the Champions Alliance started building the Platinum Authority, the Commander had conscripted him for bureaucratic duties.

At present, the summit lay silent.

Upon Orion's arrival, the Commander—Thresh—dozed inside his modest shelter.

Orion chose not to disturb him. Rather, he collected some parched branches and ignited a modest blaze. From his storage, he retrieved a pair of freshly caught deep-sea fish and set about cooking them over the flames.

As the fragrance of searing flesh and ocean brine wafted through the sparse atmosphere, Thresh stirred awake on his own. He emerged from the shelter, extended his limbs, and settled across from Orion.

"You don't learn the important stuff from those idiots, just their bad habits. Trying to bribe me with food now?" Thresh muttered, even as his gaze fixed on the fish. "Your technique is sloppy. You lack seasoning. How can you eat fish without mint?"

He grabbed the partially cooked fish right from Orion's grasp and assumed control. From his waistband, he drew a small sack of herbs, sprinkling out bits of dried mint leaves. He rubbed them in his palm, scattering the delicate emerald dust over the fish.

The scent shifted right away, growing crisper and more vibrant.

"Everyone says you love fish," Orion remarked. "I need a favor. I can't promise you strength or wealth, but at least I can provide lunch."

"I'll handle the favor, but quit speaking to me like I'm your grandpa," Thresh replied, chomping down. "Do I seem aged? Do I sport a snowy beard like Edward?"

Thresh devoured his portion with alarming speed. He guided the fish to the left corner of his mouth, and moments later, a spotless frame emerged from the right. It resembled less a meal and more a factory operation.

Watching Thresh complete his, Orion hastily crammed his own fish between his lips, gulping it down intact without mastication.

"You're just like Leonidas," Thresh sighed, shaking his head. "Swallowing it whole disrespects the meal. You possess no refinement."

Orion brushed aside the criticism and revealed the Mirror of Theras.

"In the Minor Hell, I claimed this from a foe. He named it the Mirror of Theras," Orion explained, offering the ebony disc. "The Deputy Commander mentioned it produces a magnetic field. He suspects it could be a Demigod Artifact, or perhaps a fragment from one tied to a Demon King..."

Before Orion wrapped up, a drinking horn pressed into his palm, while the mirror got yanked away.

"Theras," Thresh pondered, flipping the disc in his grasp. "Overlord of the Abyss's 199th level. I crossed paths with that sly serpent several millennia back. He had already reached the Demigod Artifact level then."

In Orion's hold, the mirror had seemed like inert stone. Within Thresh's fingers, it burst forth with shadowy radiance. A round magnetic aura surged out, warping the atmosphere encircling the summit.

"This," Thresh declared, flipping it into the air and snatching it back, "is merely a shard. It's roughly a hundred thousand miles from qualifying as a full Demigod Artifact."

"Yet it can produce a partial aura, suggesting it was intentionally detached from its core with precision. That ancient reptile Theras must prize it greatly."

Thresh flung the mirror back to Orion and retrieved his drinking horn.

"I've erased the spiritual mark for you. Now you can command it."

He gulped down some ale. "Theras earns renown for his plots. Possessing this means he's likely keeping tabs on you."

Orion stiffened. The mirror, which had felt like a prize moments earlier, now resembled a primed explosive.

"What? Afraid?" Thresh grinned. "You're a top Sixth-Stage expert. Should old Theras appear, just call upon your Divine Body. It'll send him fleeing."

It served as a humorless quip. Orion managed a faint smile.

"Commander, please don't tease the vulnerable."

"Ease up," Thresh advised, reclining. "From what I recall, Demon King Theras got pounded into unconsciousness a few millennia ago. He's in slumber. Make use of the mirror. It's superior to a typical Relic, regardless."

Orion exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd held. Should Theras awaken and pursue his possession, Orion resolved to draw him toward the Valkorath Realm and leave Thresh to manage the trouble.

"Commander, one more matter," Orion stated, his face growing grave.

Thresh motioned with his horn. Out with it.

"In the Silverwood Realm, the Sea Folk invoked a Dead Sea. It's a Divine Kingdom governed by its unique principles. Is there a method for me to absorb it?"

The notion had sprouted in his thoughts since escaping the Silverwood Realm. Devouring that Dead Sea would vastly enlarge his own Divine Kingdom, allowing the Champions Alliance to seize control of the seas at last.

"If I intervened, I could consume it," Thresh stated plainly.

"But you?" He shook his head. "Likely not."

Orion's posture sagged a bit.

"A Divine Kingdom forms the heart of a Fourth-Stage Demigod's strength. It enforces its own regulations," Thresh clarified, his voice adopting a teaching edge. "In rare instances, as a Demigod weakens or perishes, they merge their essence into the kingdom. This prepares for rebirth or safeguards their lineage."

"No matter the motive, such a Divine Kingdom stands as the most indestructible entity in creation to dismantle or ingest."