Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

"Go to hell!"

Orion's purpose in pursuing Aella was clear: to kill both her and the will projection of Lord Ariel. He had no interest in wasting words.

Gripping his trident tightly, Orion activated Titan's Rage and Swift Charge, launching himself forward like a thunderbolt.

Boom!

Aella, her expression cold and emotionless, slowly reached behind her back and tore off her tattered wings. Holding them like weapons, she swung one of the wings, deflecting Orion's trident.

"Damn giant! You've cost me two of my kin!"

Orion stared at Aella's battered body, scorched and broken by the earlier lightning strike. Or rather, he stared at what was left of her. It was clear that Aella had already died during the thunderhawk's attack. What now controlled her body was Lord Ariel's will projection.

A bloodthirsty glint appeared in Orion's eyes. He was determined to destroy Lord Ariel's will projection. The last time he had defeated one, it had dropped an Alpha-level weapon.

What would it drop this time? Orion couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.

"WAAAGH!"

Orion charged again, exhilarated by the challenge of fighting a Legendary-level will projection. The thrill of potentially defeating an opponent far above his level filled him with a savage joy.

But just as he was about to strike, Orion froze mid-charge, his momentum abruptly halted.

Crackle! Crackle!

Aella's body disintegrated into a burst of lightning, dissolving into nothingness. The crackling electricity coalesced into a shimmering, ethereal figure—a projection of Lord Ariel's will.

"Though Aella's body didn't contain enough lightning energy, it will suffice!"

"Die, you ignorant and insignificant giant!"

The projection flickered and dispersed, transforming into six spheres of lightning that shot toward Orion from different directions.

In that moment of life and death, Orion had no room to retreat.

His Ghostbone Armor and Ice Armor materialized instantly, encasing him in layers of protection. Raising his trident, he swung it at the incoming lightning spheres.

But the next moment left Orion stunned, his face etched with disbelief.

The trident passed through the lightning spheres without resistance. There was no explosion, no sound—nothing.

Even as the spheres made contact with his body, Orion felt no pain.

But then, before his eyes, his Ice Armor shattered instantly.

Next, his*Ghostbone Armor** began to decay, crumbling away at a visible rate.

And then it was his own body. The six lightning spheres merged into him, tearing his flesh apart. His skin and muscles peeled away, as if dissolving into the air like fragile bubbles.

The Titan's Heart within Orion's chest began to beat furiously, attempting to counteract the damage. But before it could take effect, the Curse of a Hundred Blossoms etched on Orion's body activated. The curse's intricate floral patterns spread rapidly across his skin, pulling his disintegrating flesh back together and anchoring it in place.

"What… what kind of power is this?"

"Damn it, this is a divine curse!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"You lunatic! What filthy thing did you do to provoke a deity and get cursed by one?"

Lord Ariel's voice was shrill and hysterical. The curse's power was so overwhelming that it began to pull her will projection into Orion's body. The six lightning spheres, along with her projection, were absorbed into Orion's flesh.

In an instant, Lord Ariel's will projection was obliterated.

The process was swift and bizarre, leaving no trace of her presence.

No one could say how much time had passed before the Curse of a Hundred Blossoms finally calmed. The floral patterns receded, shrinking back to their original form near Orion's heart.

Orion regained control of his body, his movements no longer restricted. Looking down at the curse's markings, he noticed that four more flowers had bloomed within the pattern.

"What… just happened?"

Orion had witnessed the curse's power firsthand, watching as it pulled in and destroyed Lord Ariel's will projection. The strange and terrifying nature of the curse left him shaken, a cold chill running through his entire body.

"Those lightning spheres… was that the attack of a Legendary-level being?"

"And the Curse of a Hundred Blossoms… it actually protected me from that?"

"But… does this mean I'm now even closer to death?"

Orion tightened his grip on his trident, feeling its familiar weight and power. Yet, in the face of such an incomprehensible attack, that power felt insignificant—like dust in the wind.

Scanning the ground, Orion saw no sign of a survivor's chest or any loot from Lord Ariel's will projection. Nothing had been left behind.

This pursuit had been a loss. Not only had Orion gained nothing, but he had also come dangerously close to death.

Summoning Thunderhawk Rayden, Orion climbed onto its back and circled the area one last time. Finding nothing, he finally gave the order.

"Rayden, let's head back."

Thunderhawk Rayden let out a low cry and turned toward Moonshadow Valley.

As they flew, Orion couldn't stop examining his body. He scrutinized every inch of his skin, searching for any abnormalities.

But there was nothing. No visible changes, no lingering effects.

In the end, Orion's attention returned to the Curse of a Hundred Blossoms on his chest.

"A curse from a deity… why does it have the power to pull in and destroy a will projection?"

"And from Lord Ariel's reaction, she seemed to fear this curse…"

Orion stared at the floral pattern near his heart, his unease growing.

Anyone with a ticking time bomb inside their body would feel uneasy, and Orion was no exception.

Previously, when the curse had bloomed a single flower, Orion hadn't paid it much mind. He believed that within a century, he would ascend to become a Titan God, rendering the curse irrelevant.

But this time, the curse had bloomed four flowers at once, reducing his lifespan by four years.

This meant the curse's hundred-year limit wasn't fixed. It could accelerate under certain uncontrollable circumstances.

Although the curse had indirectly saved Orion's life this time, it left him deeply worried.

The fear of not being in full control of his own body was indescribable, leaving Orion restless and uneasy.

---

In Thunderwood Forest, atop Thunderpeak Mountain.

A streak of lightning flashed across Lord Ariel's forehead, leaving a blood-red wound.

"What is this?"

Lord Ariel's expression was one of confusion, but realization quickly dawned.

"Aella is dead?"

"And the will projection I left in her body… it's gone too?"

Lord Ariel stood, her face filled with disbelief.

"Strange. Why didn't my will projection send back any information?"

"Could it be that Lord Gareth personally killed her?"

"Gareth isn't injured? That's impossible!"

"But…"

Lord Ariel couldn't make sense of it. Even if Lord Gareth had personally killed Aella, she was confident her will projection would have transmitted some information back to her.

But this time, there was nothing. It was as if her will projection had vanished into thin air.

This was something Lord Ariel had never experienced before, and it left her with a faint sense of unease.