Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"Of the nine Champion-tier gladiators, my Lord," Nico began, his voice dropping conspiratorially, "five were sold to us by the Assassin's League."

Orion understood instantly. The Colosseum, for all the resources he had poured into it, could not have acquired so many Alpha-level fighters in just a few short years. Such warriors were the backbone of any faction.

But the Assassin's League, backed by Alexander's own organization, Blade Hall… they had other means.

Orion was certain that Blade Hall's agents were now spread across the continent like a spider's web. It was only logical that they would sell their captives—be they slaves or defeated targets—to the Colosseum, extracting one final drop of value from them.

It was a perfect, symbiotic relationship, a win-win that benefited the Colosseum, Stoneheart City, and the Horde as a whole.

"You two will prepare," Orion commanded, his voice now carrying the weight of his new station. "In the coming weeks, envoys from the great powers will arrive. I intend to host them here, in the Colosseum. When they arrive, I expect to show them the finest performance this establishment has to offer."

Fatty Nico's heart hammered in his chest. "My Lord, truly?" he stammered, his jowls trembling with excitement. "Nico guarantees it! We will put on a spectacle worthy of the occasion!"

He was no fool. He knew that a banquet for the esteemed patrons of the continent's great powers was an unprecedented opportunity for him and Kadir to expand their own networks, to elevate their own standing in the world.

"Flattery is pleasant to the ear," Orion said, cutting him off with a wave of his hand, "but a task done well is far more pleasing to the eye. Give me the details of the Colosseum's operations. And do not merely recite numbers."

If the first part had been a command, this was an examination.

This time, it was Kadir who spoke, his demeanor as calm and steady as Nico's was excitable. "My Lord, since its inception, after accounting for all operational costs and networking expenditures, the Colosseum has generated a net profit of 3,730,000 gold Blackstone coins."

"Sixty percent of the initial five-million-gold startup fund was spent on construction, furnishing, staff acquisition, and the initial purchase of slaves. The other forty percent was used to establish our supply channels, with the majority of that going toward securing patronage and smoothing negotiations."

The initial investment had been enormous; without Orion's backing, building such an enterprise would have taken decades.

"Our current profitability," Kadir continued with sober honesty, "is only possible due to the resources and priority channels supplied by the Horde. If we were relying solely on the networks we've built ourselves, we would still be operating at a loss."

"The good news, however, is that the Colosseum is now on a stable footing. The combat events generate a consistent daily profit of thirty to fifty thousand gold Blackstone coins. Additionally, our acquisitions department earns a secondary profit from the sale of body parts and souls from the slaves who fall in the arena."

Kadir paused. These were the two main revenue streams, but they were not the most important part of his report.

"My Lord, over the past few years, we have built our own channels, our own networks, and our own operational systems. The Colosseum can now function independently of any one person. And we have established our own Slaver Bands. In the future, wherever the armies of the Horde march, our bands will be there to follow in their wake."

Orion was satisfied. A daily profit of fifty thousand gold coins seemed small, but it was stable. As long as the Colosseum stood, it would contribute to the Horde's coffers.

"Send out the order," Orion declared. "The Grand Princess of the Stoneheart Horde, Elara, has graced the Colosseum with her presence. As a gift, she bestows two silver Blackstone coins upon every person in attendance. Tell them to enjoy the games!"

He would use this to spread his daughter's name throughout the city and the Horde.

Moments later, the entire Colosseum erupted. Tens of thousands of spectators who received the gift turned their eyes to the royal box, their gazes fixed on the mighty Giant King, and the small, pink-haired girl sitting on his neck.

"Grand Princess!"

"Elara!"

"ELARA!"

Little Elara beamed, thrilled by the unique sensation of thousands of people chanting her name. It was a feeling she could not describe, but one she knew she liked very much.

"Daddy, Elara is very happy!"

Orion smiled, rubbing the girl's head affectionately. He then signaled for her to release Pallas from his floating orbit, and the three of them left the box.

In the stands, Brundar tossed his two new silver coins in the air with a joyous whoop. "Praise to my Lord! Praise to the Grand Princess Elara!" he roared.

"My friend," he said, turning to Godfrey, "I tell you again, you should formally join the Stoneheart Horde. With the Lord's eye for talent, you would surely be given a high station."

Brundar felt he knew the knight well. Godfrey was broad-minded, a man whose loyalties were not confined by the borders of the human kingdom. He also possessed what Brundar considered a noble soul, for a human.

Godfrey just smiled, saying nothing. He had considered Brundar's offer, but he had other duties to attend to. He could not yet join.

He knew that if he did not integrate himself into the human kingdom's system of nobility, he would never be granted the territory and a flow of faith required to ascend to the Legendary tier. It was the great wall that stood before many of the human kingdom's greatest warriors, including the eight great knightly orders from which he hailed. They were knights, not lords. They had no lands of their own.

"My friend," Brundar said, changing the subject. "Tell me, this Ashenveil Grove-Warden and that berserk boarfolk. Who is the stronger?"

Brundar had never seen an Ashenveil creature before. He loved the Colosseum not just for the thrill of bloodshed, but because it was a place to learn, and to win a bit of coin on the side.

"The Ashenveil," Godfrey said without hesitation. "I've bet on it twice. Won a hundred and twenty gold Blackstone coins in total."

Brundar immediately placed his own pocket money on the Grove-Warden. "Damnation," he grumbled, returning to his seat. "Ten-to-one odds. It seems everyone already knows who to bet on."

"Be grateful they're taking bets at all," Godfrey chuckled. "That thing is a monster. The Colosseum is practically giving money away."