Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"I need to think about it!"

With those words, the Thunderhawk flapped its massive wings and soared away from Thunderhawk City.

Orion watched its retreating figure, unbothered by its departure.

Pet Pills were a delicacy for beasts, an irresistible treat. Once they tasted it, they would never forget the flavor. Orion was confident that the Thunderhawk would eventually return on its own.

Not far away, Prophet Onyx and Rendall had been drawn to the scene by the Thunderhawk's powerful aura.

Orion strode toward them and explained what had just transpired.

"Chieftain, you should've killed that Thunderhawk," Rendall said, his tone tinged with regret. "If we had, we might've gained another Alpha-level warrior."

Prophet Onyx remained silent, but it was clear he didn't entirely disagree with Rendall's sentiment.

Orion shook his head, a knowing smile on his face. "An Alpha-level flying beast is far more valuable to us than an Alpha-level warrior."

Having made contact with the Thunderhawk, Orion wasn't about to walk away empty-handed.

He could understand the Thunderhawk's thoughts, offer it the irresistible Pet Pills, and had Elan, a skilled beast tamer, at his disposal. As long as the Thunderhawk wasn't completely foolish, it would return.

Once the contract was signed, the Thunderhawk would be his to command.

With the Thunderhawk under his control, Orion's horde would gain a mobile scout, a living radar that could make their operations far more efficient.

After giving Elan a few instructions, Orion led Prophet Onyx and Rendall back to the temporary command center.

---

Inside, Delilah was waiting, standing beside a restrained Poison Dragon (lizardman).

"Chieftain, he claims to be a messenger from Chieftain Slagor. He arrived riding a swamp crocodile," Delilah reported, handing Orion a piece of animal hide.

"This is the letter we found on him."

The Lizardman, upon seeing Orion, immediately adopted a respectful tone.

"Honorable Chieftain Orion, my chieftain has sent me to deliver a message. He hopes you will assist us in attacking the Geckos Tribe."

"My chieftain says that once the city falls, half of the spoils will be yours."

Orion glanced at the lizardman but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he carefully read the contents of the letter.

After finishing, he spoke in a calm, measured tone.

"Tell me about the difficulties you're facing. What's the situation with the Geckos Tribe? Where are they located? Is their leader strong?"

The lizardman bowed respectfully.

"Honorable Chieftain Orion, our tribe has encountered fierce resistance from the Geckos Tribe. Their Alpha-level leader is as strong as Slagor."

"To complete Lord Gareth's mission, we need your assistance!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"The Geckos Tribe is located about 500 kilometers southeast of here, near a shallow lake."

Hearing this, Orion's thoughts grew heavy.

Five hundred kilometers. That was no small distance. Even with a well-organized march, it would take at least half a month to reach the location with the main force.

Orion gestured for a giant warrior to escort the lizardman out.

"Dace, go summon Dirtclaw and Elan from the Skytalon Tribe for me."

---

Fifteen minutes later, Dirtclaw and Elan entered the command center. Orion wasted no time and had Prophet Onyx spread out a map.

"Dirtclaw, Elan, are you familiar with the locations of the Geckos Tribe and the Fireraven Tribe?"

Orion's sharp gaze swept over the two, hoping for a definitive answer.

"Master, I don't know," Dirtclaw admitted, lowering his head. His status was too low to have access to such information.

"That's ok. Go back to your duties. Return here before dusk and give me a detailed report on the cannon fodder troops."

"Understood!"

With that, Dirtclaw was dismissed to handle his tasks.

"Master, I know the locations of both tribes," Elan said, drawing the attention of Orion, Rendall, Onyx, and Delilah.

Orion gestured for Elan to continue and pointed to the map.

"Master, the Geckos Tribe is located here, near a place called Half-Moon Lake. It's several hundred kilometers away. If we march there, it will take over half a month."

Elan marked Thunderhawk City's location on the map, then pointed southeast to indicate the area around Half-Moon Lake.

"As for the Fireraven Tribe... they're located within Lord Ariel's direct territory."

"Master, that area is extremely dangerous!"

Orion's lips curled into a faint smile as he looked at Elan. "Elan, I think you know what I'm asking about."

"Master, are you referring to Reynard's sister, Rowena?"

Orion nodded silently, his smile unwavering.

"Master, my son used a flying mount to help Rowena escape back then. She's likely already reached the Fireraven Tribe by now."

"Additionally... two Harpies escaped from here. Lord Ariel probably already knows what happened in Thunderhawk City."

Elan's voice trembled with unease. Not only did he have to face Orion's scrutiny, but he was also deeply worried about his son's fate.

Orion stared at Elan for a long moment before speaking in a calm, detached tone.

"Elan, I'm assigning you the task of capturing Rowena. How you accomplish it is up to you."

Elan's face paled, but he had no choice but to accept the mission.

After Elan left, Orion turned to the others and said, "Reynard's sister, Rowena, can also communicate with Thunderhawks. She seems to be quite talented. But her brother killed my sister, so she must die."

Orion briefly explained Rowena's situation before shifting the focus back to the Geckos Tribe.

"What do you think? Should we help Slagor?"

Orion didn't immediately share his own opinion, instead throwing the question to the group.

"Chieftain, I think we should first confirm the authenticity of this information before making a decision," Prophet Onyx suggested.

Orion nodded. Onyx's point was valid.

However, Orion's tone shifted as he continued.

"The information is likely true."

"It's not that I trust the messenger or the letter, but because Lord Gareth warned us about this before we set out."

"At that time, Lord Gareth had already anticipated the situation Slagor is facing now."

Hearing this, Onyx, Rendall, and Delilah recalled Lord Gareth's earlier warning.

Back then, Lord Gareth had instructed Slagor to seek Orion's help if he encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat.

"If the information is accurate, I think we should help Slagor," Delilah said, breaking the silence.

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and locked eyes with Orion for a few seconds before voicing her thoughts.