Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Bottomless Abyss.

The darkness seemed endless, stretching infinitely in every direction.

"Clymene, this Bottomless Abyss is ridiculously deep!"

"Yeah, I've lost track of how many days we've been climbing down!"

"It's pitch black, no sense of day or night, and so eerily silent. It's even more oppressive than when the dark beast tides hit!"

The three giant elders—Vargrum, Mordak, and Zorn—followed behind Clymene, grumbling as they descended deeper into the abyss.

They had been climbing down for what felt like an eternity, with no end in sight.

Even though they had been transformed into Skeletal Knights, their bodies adapted to the deathly energy of the abyss, the oppressive silence still weighed heavily on them. Their complaints were a way to ease the tension.

"When we were alive, we never managed to fully explore this place. Now, in our current state, we're perfectly suited to this environment. So stop whining—you're getting on my nerves!"

The speaker was Grendel, another giant elder and the strongest of the Skeletal Knights.

"Just endure it a little longer. If we want to grow stronger, we have to go through this."

Clymene's voice cut through the complaints, silencing the group.

Squeak, squeak, squeak…

Just as Clymene was about to offer some words of encouragement to her five subordinates, a series of sharp, urgent squeaks came from the spiderlings ahead.

"Stay alert—something's coming!"

Clymene gripped her warhammer tightly and carved out a foothold in the stone wall, bracing herself as she stared intently into the abyss below.

The five giant elders followed her lead, each carving out their own footholds in the rock.

Rumble… rumble…

From the depths of the Bottomless Abyss, two eerie blue flames suddenly appeared, flickering in the darkness as they rapidly approached.

At the same time, a wave of Alpha-level pressure swept through the cavern, pinning the spiderlings in place. They squeaked in fear, unable to move.

"It's an Alpha-level monster!"

Clymene reacted instantly, leaping into the air with her warhammer raised.

As the blue flames drew closer, Clymene finally saw the creature's form—a black-armored salamander.

The two blue flames weren't its eyes but a pair of glowing, fan-shaped appendages used to lure prey.

"Charge!"

With a roar, Clymene swung her warhammer and dove toward the salamander.

The black-armored salamander was climbing upward, greedily devouring the spiderlings clinging to the walls as it ascended.

These spiderlings were a gift from Orion, and Clymene cherished them deeply. She wouldn't allow any creature to harm what Orion had entrusted to her.

Boom!

Her warhammer didn't land on the salamander. Instead, its massive black tail swept her attack aside, sending both the hammer and Clymene flying.

As she tumbled through the air, Clymene got a closer look at the creature.

It was a mutated salamander, its body covered in thick black armor. It had no eyes, only sharp claws and rows of razor-like teeth in its gaping maw.

The glowing blue appendages weren't eyes but lures designed to confuse and attract prey.

Frustrated but uninjured, Clymene planted her feet against the wall and grabbed hold of the rock, preparing to pursue the salamander.

But the creature showed no intention of stopping. It continued climbing upward, quickly disappearing into the darkness above.

"Clymene, are you alright?"

The five giant elders gathered around her, their faces filled with concern.

"I'm fine!"

"My body is far tougher than you think."

Clymene pulled her warhammer from where it had embedded itself in the rock and stretched her limbs. She felt no pain or injuries.

Unbeknownst to her, her transformation into a Shade Valkyrie had significantly enhanced her defense and regenerative abilities.

The five elders, while not as powerful as Clymene, were still formidable as Skeletal Knights.

Once they acquired mounts, their combat effectiveness would increase even further.

"What should we do next, Clymene?"

"Yeah, that thing went up. Should we head back the way we came?"

Clymene shook her head. She glanced upward into the darkness before speaking in a low voice.

"We keep going down. As for that black-armored salamander, we'll leave it to Orion to deal with."

Clymene's decision was well-reasoned. The Stoneheart Horde had plenty of Alpha-level warriors. A single black-armored salamander wouldn't pose much of a threat.

Besides, the entrance to the Bottomless Abyss was constantly patrolled by cave spiders. Clymene trusted that Lorelia and Orion would detect the salamander's presence immediately.

If the salamander were killed, it might even provide an opportunity for the horde to gain another Alpha-level warrior.

This was the reasoning behind her decision.

"Now that we know Alpha-level monsters are here, we need to stay on high alert."

"And make sure the spiderlings are more cautious!"

---

Blackstone City – Underground Fissure.

Orion frowned, his expression puzzled as he stared at Lorelia.

Lorelia, meanwhile, was acting strangely. She paced around him in circles, occasionally sniffing the air near him with her small nose.

"Master, you smell so good! Lorelia loves it!"

"Master, do you have a gift for Lorelia?"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Master, what are you hiding on you?"

Lorelia's behavior was unusual. She seemed both restless and intoxicated, unable to control herself.

And it wasn't just Lorelia. The cave spiders in the underground fissure were also acting erratically, squeaking incessantly and creating a cacophony of noise.

---

Screech!

A sharp cry echoed from above. Orion looked up to see Thunderhawk Rayden circling overhead, its piercing eyes locked onto him.

"Lorelia, can you control yourself in this state?"

Orion's gaze was sharp, his tone cold as he studied Lorelia.

"Master, Lorelia can control herself! But… you smell so good!"

Orion said nothing more. He turned and began walking out of the underground fissure. Explore hidden tales at empire

"Keep the spiderlings in check. Don't let them run wild or make too much noise."

By now, Orion understood what was happening.

The source of the beasts' agitation in Blackstone City was undoubtedly the pink seed Violet had left behind.

"Dace, bring me Thundar!"

Orion climbed the city walls and ordered his guards to find Thundar.

Thundar's cavalry unit included three thousand icefield snow wolves, and it was likely in complete chaos.

Orion needed to confirm the extent of the beasts' agitation.

If the seed's fragrance was truly this potent, it would be a massive problem—one so severe that Orion didn't dare keep the seed on his person.

The consequences could be catastrophic.