Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

*Error Correction: Thorak → Thundar*

"I understand, Orion!" Thundar nodded, his expression growing slightly more serious, tinged with a hint of disappointment.

Orion withdrew his gaze, looking ahead as he spoke calmly.

"This isn't just about the Ironbone Giants. The same rule applies to our Blackstone Giants."

"Of course, the tribes that will soon submit to us will also have to earn their status through battle merit."

With those words, Orion took a step forward, climbing onto the back of the Abyssal Dragon. He wrapped his arms around the waists of Lilith and Lysinthia, chuckling softly.

"We're not far from Moonshadow Valley now!"

"Lilith, once we return and rest, lead us to the Succubi's territory."

Lilith, embracing Orion in return, kissed his chest, her eyes filled with seductive charm.

"As you wish, my dear Orion!"

At the rear of the group, Slate and Samson, two Blackstone elders, flanked Thundar, their excitement palpable.

"Thundar, can you believe it? The light of the giants' glory has fallen upon our Blackstone Tribe, and not just once, but twice!"

Slate and Samson, both elders of the same generation as Thundar, were familiar with him. Their hunting grounds bordered each other, and they had crossed paths many times over the years.

As such, the major figures in both tribes were well-known to each other.

"Slate, how is Rendall doing these days?" Thundar asked, curious.

"Haha… he's doing great, really great! Just a bit unlucky, though."

"Unlucky? What do you mean?"

"Well, Rendall has reached the peak of hero-level, but he's hit a bottleneck. Right now, he's stationed at Moonshadow Valley, keeping watch."

Thundar was taken aback once again.

*Hero-level peak, at a bottleneck?* The speed of Rendall's growth was astonishing, almost unbelievable.

"I can't say much more. You'll have to ask him yourself when we get to Moonshadow Valley," Slate said, his tone carrying a hint of mystery that left Thundar feeling even more intrigued.

Fortunately, Moonshadow Valley was just ahead, and they would soon arrive.

...

From a distance, the rumbling of the Abyssal Dragon's footsteps echoed through Moonshadow Valley.

Elder Rendall personally stepped out of the valley to greet Orion and his returning forces.

Seeing the massive group of giants approaching, a broad smile spread across Rendall's face.

There was no need to ask—just from the sight of the procession, it was clear that Orion had successfully subdued the Ironbone Tribe.

At last, the weight on Rendall's heart lifted.

With the addition of the Ironbone Tribe, the giants now had enough bloodline warriors to defend Moonshadow Valley and enough to follow Orion in his campaigns against the other tribes.

"Praise the Titan God, Orion! You truly are the pride of the giants. Welcome back!"

Orion leaped down from the Abyssal Dragon and embraced Rendall.

"Rendall, mission accomplished!"

"Hahaha… well done!"

Amid the cheers of the tribe, Orion, with Lilith and Lysinthia by his side, slowly made his way into Moonshadow Valley.

Meanwhile, Rendall approached Thundar, the former chieftain of the Ironbone Tribe.

"Praise the Titan God, Thundar Ironbone. The Blackstone Tribe welcomes you!"

"When the Black Forest is fully under the giants' control, you'll be proud of the decision you made today!"

Thundar embraced Rendall in return, but as he felt the immense power radiating from Rendall, a sense of loss crept into his heart.

He hadn't expected that even Rendall's strength had surpassed his own.

---

That night, countless bonfires were lit throughout Moonshadow Valley. Large quantities of meat were taken from the stores to reward the returning warriors and to feed the hungry Ironbone Giants.

Around one of the bonfires, Thundar and Rendall sat across from each other.

"Rendall, aren't you worried about running out of supplies, giving out food so freely like this?"

Thundar knew well that tonight, every giant was eating to their heart's content. And the appetite of giants was nothing short of terrifying.

Calculating the amount of food consumed, Thundar couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. If they kept eating like this, the Blackstone Tribe's food reserves would be depleted in no time.

If the snow hadn't fully melted by then and they couldn't hunt, everyone would go hungry.

"Hahaha… Thundar, don't worry! Eat your fill!"

"Rest assured, you and your tribe won't go hungry!"

Rendall laughed heartily, tearing into a piece of roasted meat and swallowing it with confidence.

"Thundar, you're lucky!"

"Just watch—this is the dawn of a new era for the giants!"

"Clymene and Orion will be the two brightest lights in the Black Forest!"

"With the chieftain and Orion leading us, we'll never go hungry!"

"Thundar, the entire Black Forest isn't enough for us to hunt?"

"Hahaha…"

Rendall was making an effort to bond with Thundar, hoping to integrate the Ironbone Tribe into the larger community of Moonshadow Valley.

The other giants of Moonshadow Valley were also mingling with the Ironbone Giants. After all, integrating a tribe of 2,000 giants was no small task, and it required coordination from the elders to ensure that everyone's needs were met.

---

Meanwhile, inside Orion's tent, he had already begun a passionate and wild lovemaking session with Lilith and Lysinthia.

This time, both women were serving Orion together, allowing them to take turns resting.

Orion's stamina was simply too overwhelming. Even with the two of them alternating, it was difficult to keep up with his strength and vigor.

Lilith even had a thought—her husband was so wild and powerful that perhaps Orion's tent needed more women...

---

The next morning, Orion gently moved the two sleeping women off his chest, dressed in leather armor, and stepped out of the tent.

He headed straight for Rendall's tent, ready to discuss the matter of the Succubi.

The Succubi were allied with the giants through marriage, so they were considered part of Orion's extended family and required special attention.

...

Inside the tent, Orion and Rendall sat across from each other.

"Orion, tell me what you're thinking," Rendall asked.

Orion hesitated for a moment before responding with a question of his own.

"Elder Rendall, the Succubi are different from us giants."

"Hmm… how so?" Rendall asked, puzzled.

Orion sighed, taking a sip of fruit wine before speaking slowly.

"The Ironbone Giants and our Blackstone Giants are of the same race, so it was easy for them to integrate into our tribe without any conflict or resentment. Our people readily accepted the Ironbone Tribe as their own."

This was undeniable. Since last night, the women and children of the Ironbone Tribe had already begun to blend into the community.

"But the Succubi are different. They're Succubi, and their entire tribe is almost exclusively female."

"If the Succubi submit to us, how should we handle them? Should we bring them to live in Moonshadow Valley, or let them remain in their own territory?"

"And if that's the case for the Succubi, what about the other tribes?"

Orion's questions left Rendall momentarily speechless.

During the previous council meeting, Lilith had analyzed the pros and cons, but she didn't have the authority to make decisions.

Now that the issue was at hand, Rendall realized that things weren't as simple as he had initially thought.

The other races in the Black Forest couldn't just be conquered and made to submit. If the giants wanted these races to serve them, they would need to find a way to manage them properly and integrate them into their society.

"Orion, what do you suggest we do?"

Orion raised three fingers, speaking with determination.

"There are three things we need to start doing immediately."

"First, designate Moonshadow Valley as the inner valley, reserved for the giants' living area."

"Second, plan out a large area outside the valley entrance and begin constructing dwellings to house the other races."

"Third, start building walls to prepare for the next winter!"

Orion's plan was simple, and Rendall immediately understood.

"Orion, you're suggesting that we relocate the other tribes near Moonshadow Valley?"

Orion shook his head, then nodded, explaining seriously.

"We'll only bring over a portion of them. We need to house the families of the high-ranking members of each tribe, as well as their most talented young bloodline warriors."

"The rest can stay in their original territories."

"This way, they can continue hunting, provide us with resources, and even serve as guards for our territory."

Rendall slapped the table in approval.

"Good, that's a brilliant plan!"

"Three birds with one stone, Orion—you're wise beyond your years!"

Orion shook his head, not accepting the compliment.

In truth, what he really wanted was to take hostages from each tribe. Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

And when winter came, the various tribes would undoubtedly seek refuge in Moonshadow Valley for safety.

At that point, the valley would become crowded, and the demand for resources would skyrocket.

So, no matter what, Moonshadow Valley had to expand.

If the tribes of the Black Forest had once been scattered villages, Orion intended to turn Moonshadow Valley into a thriving town, the center of the Black Forest.

As Orion laid out his vision, Rendall's eyes grew brighter, as if a new door had been opened for him.

"And one more thing—three days from now, I'll be taking most of the Ironbone Giants' bloodline warriors with me on my campaign."

"I'll need to bring Thundar and the Ironbone elders with me. They'll have to earn their place in the tribe through battle merit."

"Elder Rendall, during this time, you need to fully integrate Moonshadow Valley, ensuring that the Blackstone and Ironbone giants merge seamlessly."

Orion's tone was serious and firm.

If this wasn't handled properly, there was a risk that the Ironbone Giants could rebel at any moment.

This was also why Orion planned to take most of the Ironbone Tribe's leadership with him—without his presence to keep them in check, it wouldn't be safe.

Orion's foresight was impressive, far more so than Rendall's.

"Hahaha… Orion, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were a Succubus with how clever you are!"

Rendall laughed heartily, fully trusting Orion's judgment.

"Alright, Orion, I'll do as you say!"

Orion nodded, raising a cup of fruit wine and downing it in one gulp.

"Elder Rendall, let's aim to fully unify the Black Forest before my sister returns!"

"Let's give her a big surprise and show her a transformed Moonshadow Valley!"

Hearing Orion's words, Rendall grew more and more excited, filled with anticipation for the future.

*Boom!*

"I refuse! Why should I?"

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the bloodline warrior tent area, followed by a deep, angry roar.

Orion and Rendall exchanged glances and immediately stood up, heading out of the tent.

This was a critical time for the integration of the Ironbone Giants into the tribe. Who would dare cause trouble now?

Could it be that tensions had already flared up in less than a day?

Orion's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing in his gaze.

At the bloodline warrior tent area, Thundar was holding back a young Ironbone Giant, preventing him from charging forward to fight.

On the other side, Slate and Samson were restraining a Blackstone bloodline warrior, keeping the two sides from clashing.

"What's going on here?"

Orion's authoritative voice rang out, accompanied by the oppressive force of his bloodline. The ancient Titan blood within him exerted absolute dominance over the giants.

Even Thundar, along with the other giants involved in the scuffle, were forced to kneel, struggling to breathe under the pressure.

"Elder Thundar, can you tell me what happened?"

"Well… uh…"

Thundar stammered, unable to form a coherent response.

"I refuse! Why should he get to take the female giant from my tent?"

Orion's expression hardened as he turned to the Blackstone giant being accused. To his surprise, it was his friend, James.

"James, tell me what happened."

James, flustered by Orion's question, quickly stammered out an explanation.

"Orion—no, chieftain—it was him who started it!"

"Last night, an Ironbone female giant stayed in my tent, and today he came looking for trouble, claiming that she belonged to him."

Orion looked at Thundar, his gaze questioning.

"Chieftain Orion, that's exactly what happened. It's just a minor dispute between young men, nothing serious."

Orion shook his head, glancing at the young Ironbone Giant he didn't recognize. After a moment of thought, he asked Thundar.

"Thundar, how would this situation have been handled in the Ironbone Tribe?"

"Uh… whoever is stronger gets the female giant."

Orion nodded, then addressed the young Ironbone Giant.

"The rules of the Ironbone Tribe and the Blackstone Tribe are the same. Whoever is stronger and more capable wins the right to the female giant."

"But the winner cannot force the female giant to stay in his tent. Do you agree to this?"

The young Ironbone Giant nodded, showing no fear.

"Good, then it's simple."

"There's a combat area in the plaza. You and James will fight there. The match will be to the point, but no killing."

The young Ironbone Giant's eyes lit up, his impression of Orion improving.

"That's how it should be!"

"If it weren't for my chieftain—oh, I mean, Elder Thundar—holding me back, I would've knocked his teeth out by now!"

The young Ironbone Giant raised his right hand, pointing at James with gritted teeth.