Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 351 Are you ready?

"We humans are already short on manpower as it is, so I'm really not sure I understand this letter," Princess Ava said, glancing at Arthur and Galahad for their opinions. "Why would my brother, knowing we're at a disadvantage, send us along with twenty thousand imperial troops to help the Blood Elves?"

Arthur, who had met King Harold, stepped forward to share his viewpoint. "His Majesty is a wise man—I'm sure he has his reasons. Besides, Grand Duke Richard will be accompanying us this time. They've probably thought through every detail far better than we have."

Arthur knew King Harold was a composed ruler blessed with great insight. Most of the kingdom's top advisors were traveling with him, and Arthur felt confident these nobles would have everything planned out, big or small.

"The two divisions—twenty thousand troops—are already waiting in the western camp. When should we set off?" Coal Knight Galahad was new to these matters, so he made no suggestions, only asked the practical question.

"Let's pack up," Princess Ava said decisively. "We'll head out in two hours. When it comes to providing support, sooner is better than later." It was a royal command, after all. Even though she was the princess, she couldn't disobey.

In truth, King Harold was acting with her best interests at heart. He believed that, whatever happened, the western or eastern fronts were bound to be less volatile than the central warzone.

Sending Princess Ava west to help the Blood Elves was his way of making sure she had a better shot at survival. And as a top representative of the human kingdom, Princess Ava would undoubtedly be granted extra protection by the Blood Elves.

King Harold clearly cherished his sister very much.

…

Meanwhile, on the western front.

Starveil City.

Half a month slipped by in a blink. Blood Elf Faelar had arrived from the Blood Elves' City of Blessings with sizable reinforcements. An entire legion of Blood Elf archers and Gnome crossbowmen had taken their positions atop Starveil City's walls.

Far off in the distance, the northern allied vanguard had already reached the outskirts of Starveil City. Rather than launching an assault, these advance forces waited patiently for Orion, Jorik, and the other lords to arrive. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire

"The hour of the Giant King is at hand!" Balor, the Giant King, proclaimed from high upon the walls. "I'll show them what real giant power looks like!"

He wore a armor, with a monstrous spiked club slung across his back. Its base was fitted with a long chain, coiling around his waist in multiple loops.

Balor let out a burst of excited laughter.

In the depths of the northern allied ranks, Orion sat astride his abyssal dragon, face and eyes calm as still water, betraying no emotion at all.

"Hey there, friend," Aldous said, suddenly turning to Orion after glancing toward Starveil City. "I can sense a restlessness in the air, and it's aimed right at you."

Orion had already felt the stirrings of Legendary-level power. He gave a faint smile. "My friend, that Blood Elf named Elanor is gorgeous. I want her for my woman—you promised, so don't you go back on your word."

Aldous grinned in return. "Ogres don't judge beauty the way elves or humans do—trust me, we have our own brand of aesthetics."

In the upcoming clash, Bluehide would be going up against Blood Elf Elanor. Orion's half-joking remark about wanting Elanor was as much a mood-lightener as it was a subtle reminder to Aldous about the plan.

"My friend, you have no idea how brutal this big lug can be," chimed in Bluehide's smaller head, casting a confident nod toward the larger, snoozing head.

Orion glanced at the drooling, half-asleep head and shook his own with an indulgent laugh. Befriending an ogre—especially a two-headed one—was an odd experience indeed.

Unlike Leonidas or Arthas, Aldous(Bluehide) was the first person in this world with a status like Orion's whom Orion felt truly comfortable with.

Having that kind of friend felt wonderful, making Orion sense he was sinking deeper into this world.

Just then, Jorik, Lokiviria, Gareth, and Ironhoof arrived together, forming a small group around Orion.

"Lord Orion," Jorik said, "we'll reach Starveil City in no more than half a day. Are you ready?"

Orion didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gave his abyssal dragon a reassuring pat to steady its nerves. Even though all five of these lords were doing their best to restrain their auras, the combined pressure still bothered the poor dragon.

"I don't need any special prep," Orion said. "From the moment I left the Black Forest, I've been prepared for battle. Isn't that how you operate, too?"

His calm tone caught the five off guard, including Bluehide.

The deeper their invasion pushed into southern lands, the more victories they won—and the more they risked falling prey to complacency, seeing only their success and forgetting to stay vigilant.

Orion's words were a wake-up call: in the final run-up to the big fight, they had to stay focused and keep the enemy's other lords fully occupied so Orion could meet his foe without distractions.

A pensive silence fell, lasting until half a day later. Then the colossal northern alliance arrived under Starveil City's walls, tens of thousands of forces rolling in like a black tide, blotting out the sunlight. For an instant, it seemed no ray of light could pierce into the city.

Suddenly, an eagle-like screech rang out, and a squadron of Hippogryph Riders soared from Starveil's walls—the Blood Elves' airborne cavalry.

After returning, Blood Elf Faelar hadn't just come with elven archers and gnomish crossbowmen; he'd also brought several thousand Hippogryph Riders.

The moment they took flight, it was as if a rip opened in the storm clouds, letting in a shaft of sunlight. The sky became a stark divide of swirling darkness on one half and brilliant white on the other.

A resounding roar tore from the northern horde, followed by the rising shapes of an airborne cavalry that Jorik had dispatched: dragon beasts.

There were only around a thousand of them, but among their ranks was an Alpha-level wyvern and a thunderhawk, their morale easily a match for the hippogryph riders above.