Titan King: Ascension of the Giant-Chapter 782: Do You Recognize Me?

Dawn Continent, the Greyridge Mountains.

At the roof of the world, all was ice and stone, a frozen realm where the peaks were permanently crowned in snow. Yet here, in this frigid landscape, was a miracle: a crystal-clear tarn, its surface wreathed in a gentle, life-giving mist.

"The Spring of Life is a great mystery," Alexander said, standing at the water’s edge. "It is pure vitality, an artifact of creation itself, compelling all things to grow and multiply. Under normal circumstances, only the masters of a world, or those with a truly pure heart, can pierce the veil of rules and gaze upon it."

He raised a hand, and a single drop of water leaped from the surface to land on his fingertip. With a flick, he sent it flying, where it dissolved into a fine spray. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

If the sun were out, there might be a rainbow, Orion thought absently.

A palpable aura of life bloomed in the icy air, a vibrant, melodic presence that felt like a hymn to creation.

"Is this it, then?" Orion asked. "The Spring of Life?"

"You think too small." Alexander shook his head. "The life you feel in this tarn is merely the faintest echo of the Spring’s power, the barest runoff that has trickled its way to the surface. It is not even a scrap from its table."

The words struck Orion with the force of a physical blow, his mind reeling at the thought of such a potent artifact. Alexander pointed toward the center of the mountain lake, to a spot deep beneath the water.

"That is the tarn’s wellspring. The Spring of Life should be hidden somewhere below it. As for its precise location, that is for you to discover."

He turned to face Orion fully. "I will wait here for half a month. If you do not return by then, I will come down to find you."

It was clear Alexander would not be accompanying him. The place where the Spring was hidden was undoubtedly shielded by powerful wards, the kind that could cut off all sensation from the outside world. If he were to enter and Isabella’s forces were attacked, he would be unable to aid them. And so, having guided Orion to the threshold, his duty as commander compelled him to go no further.

"I understand. Thank you for waiting for me here, my friend."

Orion did not ask for more. Alexander had already gone to great lengths. Besides, he was the mind of their army; without his presence acting as a deterrent, the northern enemies might be tempted to launch an all-out war.

Orion gave a respectful nod, then his form flickered. In the blink of an eye, he was hovering over the center of the tarn. He looked down into the wellspring, a dark, gaping maw some ten feet in diameter that seemed to swallow the light.

Without hesitation, he plunged into it.

On the shore, Alexander watched him descend until he was gone, his expression thoughtful.

He still carries one of the Commander’s blade-wards. Even if he finds trouble, he should be able to see himself through it. May his journey be swift.

The world below was a sensation beyond description.

It was not the simple fear of drowning—the pearl gifted to him by Marina allowed him to breathe freely in the crushing depths. It was the power emanating from the wellspring itself that was so deeply unsettling.

At first, as he descended, the current pushed violently outward, forcing him to use his transcendent power just to fight his way down.

But then, as he reached what felt like a subterranean river, the force abruptly reversed. The outward pressure vanished, replaced by an irresistible pull that threatened to tear him apart.

Even with his immense strength, the current tumbled him head over heels, his senses spinning. The pressure of the deep water became immense, creating the horrifying illusion that his body was being flattened, his bones ground to dust.

For a time that he could not measure, a feeling of utter despair and helplessness washed over him, his breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps.

He didn’t know if it was half a day or three. In the disorienting chaos of a racing heart and a spinning mind, time had no meaning. Then, with a dull thud, he collided with something solid, and all at once, the pressure, the current, the fear—it all vanished.

Plink.

He landed in a pool of water. The sound was as clear and gentle as a springtime bell.

The water was perfectly transparent, the pool itself like a flawless, liquid gem shimmering in an unseen light. He looked up. The sky was a featureless, absolute black, without a single star or wisp of cloud. The pool lay beneath it like a perfect mirror, reflecting nothing.

"Where am I?" he wondered. "Is this the Spring of Life? Or am I inside it?"

As a thousand questions bloomed in his mind, a voice spoke at his ear.

"How did a lowly giant like you find your way here?"

Orion whipped his head toward the sound. On the shore to his right stood a strange man. Strange, because his eyes were tightly closed, and his body was entwined in the coils of a giant black serpent.

The man’s hands were locked on the serpent, one gripping its throat, the other its heart. The serpent, in turn, was a living prison, its powerful coils wrapped around the man’s legs, torso, and neck, constricting with relentless pressure.

The bizarre, static tableau left Orion momentarily stunned.

"That vacant expression cannot hide the cowardice in your heart," the voice hissed again. "You have stumbled into a miraculous world, giant. Submit to me."

"Even the lowly can be made to grow. Even the weak can one day breach their limits. The rank of Archlord need no longer be a dream."

This time, Orion saw it clearly. It was not the blindfolded man who spoke, but the great black serpent coiled around him. He stared at the creature, a prickle of uneasy familiarity running through him. He frantically searched his memory, and after a few seconds, his pupils constricted in shock.

"Giant. Your eyes betray you. What have you remembered?" the serpent’s voice was sharp, curious. "Have you seen me before? Do you recognize me? Impossible. I remember every insignificant creature that has ever crossed my path."

Orion’s mind snapped into focus. He smoothed his features, forced his heart to be as still as the water beside him. In the presence of a demigod, he could not afford a single wasted emotion, a single flicker of weakness.

The essence radiating from the great black serpent... it was the same. It was the will of the demigod that had tried to possess him in the Wind Ward.

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