Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1548 Tegon Calthor

With a roar, the fish-bodied, serpent-tailed Avatar of Faith broke free from the suffocating grip of Kraken's tentacles. It darted through the submerged ruins like a predatory shark on a destructive path.

"He's afraid! He's attempting to flee!" Leonidas immediately discerned the Black Triton's desperate maneuver. However, the Avatar collided head-on with Orion's divine barrier, the immense force of the impact disintegrating a portion of its spectral form.

"That's an Arch Lord-tier vassal. At a moment of such dire consequence, shouldn't its master manifest?" Leonidas's eyes narrowed as he observed the Black Triton being cornered by Kraken.

Had that been his own vassal, he would have intervened without a moment's hesitation. High Lords served as the critical pillars supporting any demigod's dominion. The loss of a disciple of such caliber would represent a catastrophic breach to a demigod's foundational strength.

Precisely as he voiced this thought, Kraken had the Black Triton's Avatar of Faith trapped, unhinging his colossal maw to engulf it entirely.

Abruptly, a middle-aged man's voice resonated from the inky depths. "Esteemed lords, do you perhaps intend to cease your actions?"

The voice offered no elaboration and lacked any hint of subservience, such as one might expect when requesting a favor. As a High Lord, Kraken found himself in a state of hesitation. He lacked the authority to proceed impulsively, for the owner of that voice was unequivocally a demigod. He halted his assault, awaiting the decision from Leonidas and Orion.

"Kraken. Devour him."

Orion's voice was as frigid as the abyss itself—neither hurried nor enraged, merely utterly impassive.

Upon receiving Orion's directive, Kraken didn't pause for even a second. With a sharp, violent inhalation, he consumed the Black Triton's Avatar of Faith. Disregarding the Sea Folk still blindly scrambling throughout the devastated city, Kraken vanished, teleporting back to the vicinity of Orion and Leonidas, resuming his humanoid form.

"Lords, have you not transgressed too far?"

A short distance away, the water parted, revealing two figures: a man clad in obsidian robes and an elder adorned in draconic vestments. Witnessing his underwater metropolis reduced to utter ruin, the black-robed man's heart ached profoundly. This was his ancestral home, a place he cherished above all else.

Yet, as his gaze shifted to the dormant volcano erupting with molten rock, even the demigod's irises contracted in astonishment.

"How is this conceivable?" To reawaken a dormant volcano and summon the earth's core fire was a feat of terrifying magnitude, far exceeding the capabilities of an ordinary demigod.

"Nothing is beyond possibility!" Leonidas's voice pierced the water, imbued with fury and an unnerving chill.

In the subsequent instant, a deafening, draconic roar echoed, causing the very seabed to tremble. The formidable predator had finally taken the bait. Leonidas harbored no inclination for debates on justice or morality. Kuray had dared to conspire in the murder of his cherished younger brother, Kraken; Leonidas intended to show him absolutely no quarter.

As Leonidas unleashed his overwhelming offensive, Kuray—emboldened by the presence of his confederate—refused to yield. His form became a blur, transforming into a colossal, hundred-foot-long serpentine phantom that surged forth to confront Leonidas directly.

Observing from his position as a detached spectator, Orion perceived every detail with absolute clarity. Kuray's true form was that of a gigantic, ebony Sea Serpent. Its head bore resemblance to a horned bull, equipped with dangerously sharp fangs. Its body was entirely serpentine—scaled but lacking claws—strikingly reminiscent of a legendary flood-dragon. Although it was merely a demigod phantom, its projection was so substantial that it was nearly tangible, a testament to Kuray's profound mastery as a veteran among First-Stage Demigods.

Given that the serpent was only at the First Stage, Orion felt no apprehension regarding Leonidas's safety. Instead, his attention shifted to the elder who was maintaining a similar distance. A peculiar luminescence flickered within Orion's eyes.

"A Second-Stage Demigod," Orion mused aloud. "Do you intend to intercede on his behalf?"

In response to Orion's probing inquiry, the elder in the draconic robes offered a subtle, respectful bow before nodding his assent. "Tegon Calthor offers his greetings to Your Excellency."

"My Lord, while Kuray's previous actions may have been imprudent, they stemmed from basic human instinct," Tegon continued his discourse smoothly. "Surely, even Your Excellency would not desire a foreign High Lord to ascend to prominence within your own domain, would you? Moreover, your associate remains entirely unharmed, does he not?"

Tegon Calthor's gaze flickered across Kraken for a fleeting moment before concentrating entirely on Orion. He could not precisely ascertain Orion's true cultivation level, but a single glance at his aura sufficed to confirm that this individual was at least his equal.

"Tegon Calthor..."

The name itself was unmistakably Draconic. Orion, who commanded an Abyssal Dragon and had several heirs with dragon mounts, possessed profound knowledge of the Dragonflight. The instant Tegon announced himself, Orion understood his origins perfectly.

"It is undeniable that my brother possesses dragon blood as well," Orion declared, indicating Leonidas, who was currently engaged in a fierce battle with Kuray. A mysterious smile graced Orion's features. "I am intrigued. Given you both share the heritage of the Dragonflight, will you stand with your kin, or with your friend?"

Tegon Calthor paused, momentarily taken aback by the inquiry. He then shook his head, his response firm and clear.

"The same blood, yet flowing through different veins."

"Your Excellency, do you truly believe two individuals from vastly different realms would form bonds of friendship or enmity based merely on matters of profit?"

It was a brilliant retort. Tegon acknowledged Leonidas's draconic ancestry while simultaneously highlighting the inherent conflict of interest that existed between them. By drawing a parallel to humans, he skillfully turned the question back on Orion, compelling him to make the ultimate decision.

This was far more than mere philosophical discourse. The choice Orion made would directly determine the subsequent interactions between their respective factions. The ancient dragon, Tegon, had elegantly placed the decision for war or peace squarely in Orion's hands.

A cunning old wyrm, Orion reflected, forming his initial judgment of Tegon Calthor.

"I fear I shall have to disappoint you," Orion stated openly. "My brothers and I have journeyed here with the express purpose of forging a path for Theris's future."

Orion let out a predatory grin and advanced a single step, suddenly appearing just inches from Tegon's face. Maintaining his smile, Orion observed the old man's pupils widen erratically—a primal, instinctive reaction of shock and dread.

"The Abyss gazes back."

From behind Orion, the immense spectral form of a Stoneheart Titan materialized. As the Titan unleashed a thunderous roar, a swirling Abyssal Vortex began to coalesce in the space surrounding Orion and Tegon. A ferociously destructive gravitational force radiated from the vortex, pulling Tegon inexorably towards the void.

"Forbidden Art: Dragon of the Void!"

In truth, the draconic shriek that erupted from Tegon's throat was even more deafening than Leonidas's. Battling against the relentless pull of the Abyssal Vortex, Tegon's form became a blur as he transformed into an enigmatic, spiral-etched horn. The immediate vicinity around the horn instantly imploded into an absolute vacuum. Even Orion's divine might was violently repelled by the artifact's potent aura.

To Orion's astonishment, the mystical horn sliced cleanly through the Abyssal Vortex, breaking free from the gravitational entanglement of his Divine Kingdom. This marked the very first instance Orion had witnessed a Second-Stage Demigod forcibly shatter the confines of his own domain.

Orion slowly turned, his gaze meeting Tegon's, who had reappeared at a safe distance. The old man was already back in his draconic robes.

While Orion's expression registered only mild surprise, the ancient dragon's face was a mask of genuine, profound horror.

"What... what manner of power was that?"