Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

This time, the Thunderhawk still didn't sign a contract with Orion.

However, their relationship had grown significantly closer—a small but meaningful step forward.

"I'll give you a gift in return!"

The Thunderhawk spread its wings and soared into the sky.

Half an hour later, it returned, clutching a figure in its sharp talons.

"This impure-blooded creature was wandering around my territory. He must be your enemy!"

Orion smirked and tossed another bottle of Pet Pills to the Thunderhawk.

"Thank you. He is indeed my enemy."

The Thunderhawk let out a few triumphant cries, clearly pleased. To the Thunderhawk, trading an unwelcome intruder for more Pet Pills was an excellent deal.

Thud!

The figure was dropped to the ground, rolling to a stop at Orion's feet.

"If you find more enemies like this, bring them to me. I'll reward you with more treats!"

Leaving those words behind, Orion grabbed the figure and descended the mountain.

---

Thunderhawk City, Temporary Command Center

Inside the command center, Prophet Onyx, Rendall, Delilah, and Elan were gathered, their expressions grim as they stared at the figure Orion had thrown onto the floor.

The Thunderhawk's "gift" was a harpy, one of the scouts from Lord Ariel's Tribe.

Harpies, members of Ariel's faction in Thunderwood Forest, were naturally gifted with the ability to fly.

However, this particular harpy was already dead, having used a method so subtle that even Orion hadn't noticed it had committed suicide.

"This harpy was caught near Thunderhawk City by the Thunderhawk," Orion explained briefly, then left the matter to the elders.

For a moment, no one spoke, each lost in thought.

"Elan, is this a harpy?" Orion asked.

Elan nodded, pointing at the corpse. "Yes, master. Harpies have wings on their backs, beak-like mouths, and legs resembling talons."

Elan's confirmation deepened the heavy atmosphere in the room.

After a long silence, Prophet Onyx finally spoke.

"Chieftain, it seems the lack of news from Thunderhawk City has drawn Lord Ariel's attention. I suggest we leave Thunderhawk City as soon as possible!"

Prophet Onyx's sense of danger was sharp, and he had already realized the gravity of the situation.

Orion didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to Rendall.

"Chieftain, the cannon fodder troops have been fully reorganized. We're ready to move at any time!" Rendall reported.

Orion nodded and shifted his attention to Delilah.

"The logistics and supplies were prepared three days ago," Delilah said confidently. "I've also sent scouts along our planned route, and so far, no bad news has come back."

Finally, Orion looked at Elan, who shook his head, indicating that there were no issues on his end either.

"Good. Prepare everything. We'll depart tomorrow and head east as planned."

"Understood!"

---

As Orion began mobilizing the cannon fodder troops to leave Thunderhawk City, events were unfolding in the Fireraven Tribe's territory.

The Fireraven Tribe resided in a forest of red maple trees, with their homes built high in the branches.

Inside one of these wooden houses, Rowena and Lorne sat with troubled expressions.

"Damn it! Those filthy ravens are forcing me to marry that disgusting, vile Seth!" Rowena fumed, her anger palpable as she clenched her fists.

She was furious at the unfair treatment she was receiving, her voice trembling with rage.

A few days ago, news of Reynard's death had reached her. Devastated, Rowena felt as though her entire world had collapsed.

If not for Lorne's comforting presence, she wasn't sure how she would have endured the past few days.

"Lorne, what should we do now?" Rowena asked, her voice tinged with desperation. "Should we try to escape and seek help from the lord?"

Lorne, the only son of Elan and heir to the Skytalon Tribe, had been equally shaken by the news of Reynard's death.

However, the absence of any news about his father's death had given him some relief.

After careful thought, Lorne had concluded that his father, with the help of the three heroic-level flying beasts in their tribe, should have been able to escape. Unless, of course, his father had chosen not to abandon their people.

"Even if we manage to escape, reaching Lord Ariel's territory won't guarantee us any help," Lorne said pragmatically.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

His words were harsh but truthful.

Lorne, with his hero-level flying beast, still had some value.

But Rowena, who had failed to form a contract with a Thunderhawk, was essentially useless—a weakling with no leverage.

Without a Skybond with a Thunderhawk, Rowena was far inferior to others of her kind.

It was the same reason why Reynard, despite his strength, had been forced to rely on hit-and-run tactics when fighting Prophet Onyx, unable to engage in close combat.

"Rowena, your only option now is to form a contract with a Thunderhawk as soon as possible," Lorne advised. "Without one, we won't survive in the Fireraven Tribe."

When Rowena and Lorne had first sought refuge with the Fireraven Tribe, they had been treated with respect. The tribe's chieftain had even personally welcomed Rowena.

But the day after news of Reynard's death arrived, their attitude toward Rowena had shifted dramatically.

"It's not that I don't want to," Rowena said bitterly, "but there aren't any Thunderhawks in the Fireraven Tribe's territory!"

"Not even an elite-level one. If there were, I'd sign a contract with it in a heartbeat!"

For the first time, Rowena felt the full weight of her helplessness.

Her brother was dead, leaving her stranded and powerless. Now, the Fireraven Tribe was pressuring her to marry Seth.

Seth, the chieftain's son, was the epitome of everything Rowena despised.

And it wasn't just the marriage that disgusted her. In the Fireraven Tribe, women were considered communal property.

To put it bluntly, marrying Seth meant becoming the plaything of the entire tribe. She would be used and abused by every male in the tribe, with no respite.

This fate was something Rowena would rather die than accept.

Lorne, who had always harbored feelings for Rowena, wanted to comfort her but found himself at a loss for words.

Just then, a series of strange bird calls echoed through the surrounding forest.

Lorne's body stiffened slightly at the sound.

To others, the calls might seem ordinary, but Lorne recognized them as his tribe's secret signals.

He glanced at Rowena, who was still muttering curses under her breath, and said softly, "Rowena, you must be hungry. I'll go find something for you to eat."

"Thank you, Lorne," Rowena replied, her voice softening.

Lorne nodded and left the wooden house.

Once outside, he quickly slipped into the dense forest, moving with practiced ease.

"Lorne, this is a secret message from the chieftain!"

A shadowy figure handed Lorne a sealed letter.

Lorne took it but immediately asked, "Is my father still alive?"

"The chieftain is safe. He instructed you to read the letter and act accordingly."

"And the tribe? Are they alright?"

"The tribe is fine. We've suffered minimal losses."

Hearing this, Lorne finally felt the weight in his chest lift. The anxiety that had been gnawing at him for days began to fade.

"I can't stay here long. If you need me, come to this location," the figure said, leaving behind a hidden address before disappearing into the forest.

Lorne opened the letter, his brows furrowing deeper with each line he read.

After a long moment, he crumpled the letter into a ball and swallowed it whole.

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