Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 1692 Pawns in a Holy War

46. Pawns in a Holy War

The Mirage Void. The Council of Mirrors.

The Council met upon platforms suspended over the abyss—the very edge of dreams, a dimensional pocket born from the Mirage Void.

Twelve twisted, monolithic pedestals hovered in the emptiness. Like radiant stars, they illuminated every corner of the Mirage Void. Whenever a world-shattering event occurred, the supreme powers of this Ascendant Plane gathered here.

The twelve pedestals, previously silent and cloaked in stardust and shadow, suddenly flared to life. Indistinct silhouettes materialized upon them. They flickered and blurred, defying solid form, projecting an aura of unstable unreality.

"The realms intersect. Reality and illusion fold upon themselves. My lords, the Holy War has begun."

The figures were so ethereal that the speaker's identity remained hidden. None cared. In a council concerning a Holy War, formalities were meaningless. A response came immediately.

"The boundary between the void and reality was shattered by that divine light falling from the heavens. We all saw it clearly. It was an arrow."

"We did not initiate this war. Does this not reek of a conspiracy against us?"

The disembodied voices echoed between the pedestals, striking directly at the minds of those present.

"Before their slumber, the great Sovereigns decreed that we must not instigate a Holy War until they awaken."

"Yet war has been forced upon us. What is our course?"

Another voice asked. None of the gathered demigods dared question or defy the Sovereigns' will.

A heavy silence fell over the council. Some figures turned, bowing reverently to the mirrors standing behind them on their pedestals.

Above each of the twelve pedestals stood a unique mirror. One burned with eternal flame, another crackled with lightning, a third churned with living shadow... and some remained terrifyingly blank.

These twelve mirrors represented the twelve Sovereigns, the true masters of the Mirage Void. Each wielded a Divine Mantle, and it was the overwhelming power of these very Mantles that forced them into slumber.

After a long pause, the mirrors offered no response. The Sovereigns remained asleep. The burden of this Holy War fell to these demigods of the sixth stage.

"Regardless, the war is upon us."

"Judging by the convergence of the realms, we hold the advantage. The physical world on the other side is a newly ascended Ascendant Plane; its Will of the Realm is still weak. Furthermore, our intelligence suggests that the true target of this scheme is likely the Ascendant Plane known as Titanion."

"Yet too many mysteries remain. We must tread carefully before committing our forces."

The first speaker seemed the most informed.

"If our enemies are the victims of a plot, what does that make us? A borrowed blade?"

"Who seeks to use us to strike their foes?"

They could not blindly march to war without answers. Orion and his allies remained oblivious that it was only the extreme caution of these entities that had spared their materialized cities from immediate annihilation.

"I remember clearly. Eras ago, the Sovereigns erased all traces of the Mirage Void. None should know of us, past or present. None should have the coordinates of our world."

"Who is the entity that shattered the veil between reality and the void?"

"Does anyone know the origin of that arrow?"

"I advise we contain the scale of this war until the truth is laid bare."

None seated at the council were fools. They knew they were being played as pawns.

"Do you not wonder what kind of monster could so easily break the veil between reality and the void?"

"Lord of the Boundless Expanse, you are at the apex of the sixth stage. Do you possess such power?" One entity directly addressed the first speaker.

"I do not. Such power humbles me."

"I am certain the mastermind behind this scheme rivals the Sovereigns themselves."

Moraeon, Lord of the Boundless Expanse, sounded faintly ashamed. He had spoken first because one of the battlefronts had erupted within his own domain. Worse, the Boundless Expanse had just suffered an absolute cataclysm. A devastating arc of a blade had swept through, reducing everything in its path to World Essence, which was then entirely devoured by an unknown entity.

Such a terrifying display of power undoubtedly belonged to a supreme master. Facing such a formidable invader, Moraeon needed allies. This Holy War was not his alone to fight.

"Latest intelligence. The war fronts are located at the Tower of the Dead, the Boundless Expanse, the Dragon's Grave, and the Spirit Prison. A materialized city has appeared in each of these four domains. They have drained the dream mist and dispersed the laws of the void in their vicinity. We have lost control of those territories."

"My lords, we are not just influencing reality. Reality is bleeding into us."

"If we do not uproot these four cities, the consequences will be dire."

This sudden interjection brought another chilling silence to the council. They knew the severity of the Holy War, but they hadn't realized the enemy had already established anchors within their own world.

"The war is inevitable!"

One entity sighed softly.

"Should we petition the Sovereigns one last time before mobilizing?"

Hesitation lingered. The Sovereigns were the true anchors of the Mirage Void. Despite their own vast power, the domain lords were nothing compared to them.

"Petition them."

"If the great Sovereigns do not answer, we will act on our own."

"No matter what, we cannot lose this Holy War."

On this, the twelve lords were united.

"Furthermore, to the Lords of the Tower of the Dead, the Boundless Expanse, the Dragon's Grave, and the Spirit Prison: until the Sovereigns awaken, you must mount a counterattack. Prevent the enemy from materializing further into our domains."

"Control the scale of the conflict. Do not let yourselves be easily manipulated!"

It was both a warning and a command. The Mirage Void did not fear the Titanion Realm, but they refused to commit fully until they uncovered the true mastermind behind the war.

Moraeon remained silent, feeling thoroughly cornered. It was glaringly obvious: the other lords wanted the four of them to act as a vanguard, testing the waters and bleeding the enemy. Whoever orchestrated this, the war was here. They couldn't lose, which meant someone had to step onto the frontlines first.

"An apex master has appeared in the Boundless Expanse," Moraeon asked after a moment of thought. "What of your territories?"

"The Tower of the Dead has one as well. Its aura reeks of the Abyss."

"The Dragon's Grave faces a powerful foe. Judging by its appearance, it belongs to the Asura Race from Hell."

"The Swarm has descended upon the Spirit Prison. A massive hive has taken root. It will be problematic."

The three lords reported in turn. The remaining eight fell silent, their thoughts their own. Some detached themselves from the brewing storm, while others prepared to watch from the sidelines.

"Hold the line for now. Once we complete the rites and commune with the Sovereigns, we will respond as one."

"A reminder, my lords: this is a Holy War. Do not grow complacent. The flames of battle could spread to your domains at any moment."

"To watch from afar is to watch our forces bleed. Inaction is the greatest sin."