Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1565 Siege of Sophia

The South. City of Sophia.

Following the conclusion of the war council, Kaelen made immediate use of his teleportation abilities to return to the city. Standing positioned on the ramparts, Kaelen, Sophia, and Melissa gazed out at the seemingly endless expanse of insectoids before them, completely devoid of any apprehension.

The trio comprised an Insect King and two Broodmothers. Their assessment was clear: unless an entity of the Archlord rank or higher entered the fray, this apocalyptic swarm posed no true threat to them. Instead, it represented an abundant source of resources, a veritable all-you-can-eat buffet.

"Did your Father provide any specific directives?" Butterfly Mother Sophia inquired, standing adjacent to Kaelen, a flicker of eagerness coloring her beautiful eyes.

Kaelen, however, merely offered a shake of his head. Before Sophia could voice her bewilderment, he elaborated, "My Father departed midway through the council. For him to personally intervene, it signifies that an insectoid Demigod has already made landfall."

With that, Kaelen shifted his gaze backward, directing it toward Melissa, who maintained her position precisely one pace behind them. His look conveyed a clear, unspoken question: Do you have absolutely nothing at all to tell me concerning this?

"Mother Lilith commanded me to pacify the southern swarm with utmost speed and to erect coastal defenses in preparation for any potential incursions from the sea," Kaelen continued, omitting nothing from his mother. "Once those objectives are met, I am to proceed north, link up with the Third and Fourth Legions, and proceed to conquer the newly established northern territories in the name of the Horde."

Sophia responded with a subtle nod. She chose not to delve further into the matter of his Father's abrupt departure, instead redirecting her focus to the immediate crisis. "The swarm arrayed outside the walls is entirely unresponsive to my aura, and Melissa's is similarly ineffective. Our innate suppressive abilities are yielding no results. This indicates the presence of a Broodmother or an Insect King of comparable or superior strength orchestrating them from concealment."

It was a tactical inevitability. To orchestrate a siege of such formidable scale, an intelligent apex predator must be in command.

"I am aware. I can already perceive him," Kaelen declared with icy calmness.

In a sudden movement, a pair of magnificent butterfly wings unfurled from his back. He ascended into the sky with the velocity of a ballistic missile, hurtling directly towards the distant enemy swarm. Concurrently, a deafening, rage-infused insectoid roar erupted from Kaelen's throat.

Kaelen was, indeed, an Insect King. Orion had officially bestowed upon him dominion over the City of Sophia; this was his sovereign territory. As the ruling Insect King of these lands, enduring a siege by a rogue swarm constituted the ultimate affront. The sole method to expunge such humiliation was to saturate the battlefield with blood.

As Kaelen traversed the skies above the battlefield, a shower of luminous, ethereal stardust descended from his wings. The instant this stardust made contact with the ground, it ignited a chain reaction of explosive fury, carving a path of roaring inferno through the enemy formations. Under Kaelen's devastating aerial assault, the oppressive pressure bearing down on the City of Sophia finally began to alleviate.

"Do you truly possess absolutely no insight regarding our present predicament?" Sophia diverted her gaze from Kaelen's retreating form, turning her head to once again question Melissa.

This very question had been posed no fewer than ten times previously.

"Mother, I am but an inconsequential Broodmother. It is beyond my capabilities to possess extensive knowledge, nor have I ever been permitted to acquire it," Melissa replied, shaking her head. Her expression remained as serene and unwavering as ever. "Mother, my position remains unchanged. If there is any possibility, you and the Master should evacuate at your earliest convenience. Given the Master's exceptional talent, we can always rebuild elsewhere. The swarms originating from the Insectoid Realm are simply too formidable!"

When confronting the matter of the grand swarm, Melissa's conviction never faltered: strategic withdrawal was the only rational course of action.

"You must perceive the oppressive auras saturating the atmosphere," Melissa urged. "Every single one emanates from an entity by which we can only be overshadowed in utter despair."

In reality, following the complete integration of the realms, an invisible, intangible cosmic law had descended upon the entire Titanion Realm. Governed by this law, every insectoid within the world was intrinsically linked, both physically and spiritually, to a vast, unseen network.

From Melissa's perspective, this suffocating network had already enveloped the entire world—with the singular exception of the territories under the control of the Stoneheart Horde. And now, that identical network was commencing a slow, deliberate process of constricting its grip around the Horde's domain.

Butterfly Mother Sophia remained silent. As a Broodmother herself, how could she possibly fail to sense the encroaching, overwhelming, invisible net? Candidly, the sheer, apocalyptic magnitude displayed by the insectoid civilization left her profoundly disquieted.

Even though her biology dictated a certain path, she resolutely chose to defy it. She was actively engaging in a conflict against the most dominant predators of her own species. The unwavering pillars of Sophia's absolute conviction were her beloved, Orion; her cherished son, Kaelen; and her people, the Dark Butterfly Race.

"I have no other option," Sophia stated softly, standing with unwavering posture upon the blood-soaked ramparts. Amidst the crimson winds of war, the deafening cries, and the ferocious roars of the swarm, her voice remained eerily tranquil.

"And Melissa..." Sophia turned her gaze back towards the younger Broodmother. A few stray strands of hair danced in the wind, framing her face as she offered a gentle, serene smile. "You, too, are out of choices."

This was the first time Sophia had ever bestowed such a smile upon her. It radiated warmth and maternal care, much like a gentle breeze in springtime. Melissa gazed back, completely taken aback.

The Sixth Stratum of the Abyssal World.

Within the Conquest Legion, the Tetra-Spire stood as the ultimate emblem of supreme authority. Only the true heart of the Legion—the absolute apex predators—were granted residence within its imposing walls.

At this very moment, from the highest point of the spire, Witch Queen Delilah reclined upon Orion's throne. She was clad in a sophisticated, off-the-shoulder black gown, its skirts flowing around her like a pool of midnight, exuding darkness, allure, and an infinite sense of mystery.

This was an entirely transformed Delilah.

The Divine Sigil nestled between her brows emanated a constant, captivating radiance. Any being that dared to meet her gaze would inevitably be ensnared in a sensory illusion. Her allure was an inescapable abyss. Whispers of her breathtaking, deadly beauty had permeated every dominion of the Conquest Legion.

Here in the Abyss, presiding over Orion's domain, Delilah had been bestowed with a new, formidable title:

The Prime Empress.

Unrivaled in her beauty, and absolute in her command.

Over the preceding years, Witch Queen Delilah had skillfully employed her terrifying charm and unyielding competence to ascend to the highest seat of power, second only to Orion himself. She had even managed to subdue the perpetually dormant Scourge Wardens.

Occupying the absolute pinnacle of this expansive abyssal realm, sustained by vast quantities of resources and oceans of devotion, Delilah's foundation had become profoundly deep. Her true might was now truly immeasurable. Even the Abyssal Dragon Xalathar, after a brief and strictly managed sparring session with her, had promptly evacuated the Foundry Citadel and relocated his garrison to Wraithguard Keep.

"My dear sister, surely you will not falter in holding onto a mere insignificant sandbox like the Titanion Realm?" Delilah murmured, her eyes half-lidded as she leaned back against the throne, her delicate collarbones fully visible.

As the true architect behind the Sentinel Corps, she possessed complete knowledge of the devastating war currently engulfing the Titanion Realm. Yet, she harbored no inclination whatsoever to descend and participate in the conflict.

In her perspective, the Abyssal World was her territory; the Titanion Realm belonged to her twin sister, Lilith. As the consort of Orion, the supreme ruler of the Stoneheart Horde, if Lilith proved incapable of defending her own realm, she would have no right to occupy that exalted throne.

This was not born of envy. It was not jealousy. It was the lofty expectation of an elder sister observing from the summit, anticipating whether her twin possessed the fierce competence required for survival amidst the storm. She harbored a genuine desire for Lilith to triumph and unequivocally prove her absolute dominance.

"With me present, it shall remain secure."

Suddenly, a colossal, calloused hand was placed upon Delilah's exposed shoulder, gently toying with the dark sapphire necklace adorning her throat. The gemstone pulsed with a deep, abyssal luminescence, creating a stark contrast against the raw power emanating from the hand.

"My dearest Orion," Delilah looked upward, her eyes softening like spun silk, her smile blossoming like a deadly, midnight flower. "You have returned."