Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

The deep sea is vast and mysterious; at high tide, the surface may appear calm and placid, but beneath it, monstrous waves churn.

"Zale is dead!"

"His vengeful spirit last appeared in the territory of the Stoneheart Horde on the east coast!"

"Revenge! I will avenge my twelfth brother!"

Within a trench in the Trident Sea region, there existed an ethereal, dream-like undersea city named Azurecrown Royal Harbor.

This was the fiefdom of the Seventh Prince of the Waveborn seadragon race, and the one roaring for his twelfth brother's revenge was none other than its lord, Aurelian.

The Twelfth Prince Zale, killed in an ambush by a Dragon race powerhouse, had died within Aurelian's fiefdom.

"Aurelian, calm down. This matter isn't as simple as you think."

"Third Brother, do you even realize? Twelfth Brother is dead! He died within my fiefdom!"

The Third Prince Voryn's attempt to console him did nothing to calm Aurelian's emotions; instead, it only fueled his agitation and fury.

The deceased Twelfth Brother Zale and the Seventh Prince Aurelian were full brothers, and their relationship had always been very close.

Aurelian had already prepared a gift for his twelfth brother's upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.

"Seventh Brother, I too am grief-stricken and furious about what happened to Twelfth Brother."

"But think about it. We have no past grievances or recent enmity with the Stoneheart Horde. Why would they attack Twelfth Brother?"

The Third Prince Voryn's tone softened somewhat. He attempted to use reasoning, however tenuous, to persuade his seventh brother, who was currently blinded by rage.

"The Dragon race only recently launched a war against our Sea Race in the neighboring Starfall Sea. If we now go to war with other land-dwelling races, we'll be attacked from both front and rear, which is extremely disadvantageous for us."

"I have reason to believe this is a frame-up orchestrated by the Dragon race, precisely to incite a war between us and the Stoneheart Horde."

The Third Prince Voryn was much older than Aurelian and very rational.

Voryn had come to Seventh Prince Aurelian's fiefdom on this occasion, partly accompanying his twelfth brother, and partly to oversee matters here, assisting Aurelian and guarding against any potential aggression from the Stoneheart Horde.

According to intelligence obtained by the Sea Race high command, the humans, dwarves, blood elves, and Stoneheart Horde would all declare war on their Sea Race, subsequently aiming to expand their maritime territories.

Although the intelligence indicated this, the timing of these declarations of war, and whether the ensuing conflicts would be genuine, hard-fought battles or merely perfunctory gestures—all these aspects contained many opportunities for manipulation.

The Sea Race and these land-based races did not necessarily have to engage in a life-or-death struggle.

Considering the current situation, all Sea Race high command members believed that the wars with the four major races could be resolved through negotiation.

The true factors influencing the course of the war were the Dragon race and the Reverse Whalerace in the Starfall Sea.

If the seadragon race and the Stoneheart Horde also went to war, then a true, large-scale conflict between the Sea Race and the land-based races would be one step closer.

"Third Brother, I don't care if this is a frame-up or not! I only know that Twelfth Brother's vengeful spirit appeared in the territory of the Stoneheart Horde!"

"No matter what, the Stoneheart Horde must give me an explanation!"

The Seventh Prince Aurelian was a Legendary-level powerhouse; he was not foolish. To have reached this stage, he possessed considerable wisdom.

However, this matter involved his deceased twelfth brother. Regardless of the circumstances, he had to demand justice for his own sibling.

"Seventh Brother, I have already relayed the news to Father. I believe a directive will arrive soon."

"Just wait a little longer. Be patient!"

The Seventh Prince Aurelian rose from his throne. An exquisitely crafted lance appeared in his hand, and he stared coldly at the Third Prince Voryn.

"Voryn, I'm warning you. If you try to stop me again, I'll beat you up too."

The Third Prince Voryn and the Seventh Prince Aurelian were only half-brothers; their relationship was not as close as that between Aurelian and Zale.

The Third Prince Voryn's repeated attempts to dissuade him had already filled the Seventh Prince Aurelian with indignation and dissatisfaction.

"You have two choices now: either shut up, or come with me to avenge Twelfth Brother."

The Third Prince Voryn looked at the grief and fury on his seventh brother's face, words failing him. He ultimately shook his head helplessly, realizing he might be compelled to assist. He knew that stirring up a great tsunami could indeed create a favorable combat environment for any Sea Race expedition that might follow.

Voryn sighed, only hoping that his father's orders and opinions would arrive quickly; otherwise, the seadragon race would truly be plunged into war.

East of the coastline, Ironveil Escarpment.

While the Sea Race stirred the ocean waters, whipping up wind and waves, Delilah continued to drive the slave groups, excavating the planned grand canal.

With the arrival of the horde's water lizards, the rainwater that had accumulated in the artificial lake was also being progressively drained.

"Elder, the seawater has risen again; it has already surged past the coastline."

Dace and Drakthul stood behind Delilah. The three of them were on the escarpment, looking down at the throngs of people digging the canal.

Delilah had been aware of the rising tide all along, as she had been continuously monitoring it.

For Elder Drakthul to bring it up now, he was certainly worried.

After all, if the Sea Race were to attack and flood the area, the excavation plan for this grand canal would likely be ruined again. Dealing with the seawater would delay things until at least next year.

"Do you know why humans and dragons are the dominant powers on this continent?"

"Because humans have Saints, and dragons have Dragon Emperors. They are all powerhouses at the Arch Lord level." Delilah did not answer Drakthul's question directly, instead speaking of seemingly unrelated matters.

Drakthul glanced at Dace, who shook his head, indicating that he too was puzzled.

"Do you know the true strength of our Lord, the King of Giants?"

"He is at the peak of the Legendary level—the strongest giant, the greatest lord, an existence comparable to an Arch Lord." Delilah seemed to be asking and answering herself, and also perhaps admonishing the two behind her.

"This is our pride, and also our glory."

"But peak Legendary level is not Arch Lord. It does not gain true acknowledgment."

"For Orion to advance to Arch Lord, our Stoneheart Horde needs more territory." Delilah's voice became somewhat deeper, somewhat lower, yet her tone was gradually growing more fervent.

"I only recently came to understand something. Those northern lords, who appear chaotic and disorganized, actually have the shadows of humans and dragons behind them."

"So, do you understand now? This is why our Lord dares not rashly launch wars of invasion."

"On one hand, there is the peace of the horde; on the other, its future prospects."

"Our own limitations, the humans, and the dragons have all become obstacles to Orion's further advancement."

"The appearance of the Sea Race is an opportunity—an opportunity for him to break through."

In truth, regarding this war with the Sea Race, even if the Sea Race hadn't come to invade, Delilah would have initiated an invasion herself after the grand canal was completed.

The fact that the three major races—humans, dwarves, and blood elves—could be drawn into the conflict by the dragons was not merely because the benefits offered by the dragons were sufficiently great, but because these three races all shared the same line of thinking as Delilah.

As long as a race produced an Arch Lord powerhouse, that race could not possibly decline for a very long time to come.

It might even usher in an unprecedented golden age of prosperity.