Titan King: Ascension of the Giant-Chapter 431 : This is a real surprise

Princess Ava lowered her head, unable to witness the fate of her guard knight.

Behind her stood Coal Knight Galahad, his hands gripping his sword, then releasing, then gripping again. Sadness and grim fury alternated on his face, he was on the brink of madness once more.

Meanwhile, in the colosseum, the Orc who had paid the price of losing a leg was granted his freedom. The iron manacles around his wrist were unlocked, and he was released on the spot.

Orion withdrew his gaze and turned to Blood Elf Lycanor, Prince Theodore, and Aldous the Ogre.

"Were you pleased with this performance?"

Before anyone could answer, Orion immediately added, "If it's still not enough, we'll move on to the next match."

Orion waved his hand, and the horn sounded again. Another Orc and another human slave emerged from beneath the colosseum. At the sight of this human warrior, Princess Ava again cried out in alarm. Clearly, he too was once part of the Rose Knight Regiment.

Prince Theodore looked at his aunt and shook his head. Reason told him it was not worth angering Orion over a few guard knights—especially since everyone had long believed those knights to be dead.

Their reappearance stirred no mercy in him. Wars invariably leave casualties, a lesson Prince Theodore had learned all too well during the North-South War.

Moreover, neither Blood Elf Lycanor nor Aldous the Ogre showed any reaction; they merely watched, unmoved. Prince Theodore studied Orion for a moment and then said nothing.

At that moment, the cheers from the colosseum rose once more. The new human knight who had come out was once again slain by the Orc slave.

To truly display their abilities, human knights need weapons, armor, and mounts all in place; and in terms of raw physique, humans simply have no advantage against Orcs, something that applies even to Prince Theodore himself. He had previously fought Aldous the ogre and relied on sacred armor to withstand Aldous's brutal strikes.

Princess Ava felt powerless. The ones dying were all the knights who once protected her. Lowering her head, she silently wept. This scene was clearly visible to Coal Knight Galahad standing behind her. Ava's sorrowful face, helpless eyes, and grief-stricken expression cut deep into Galahad's heart—and also into the heart of the knight named Godfrey beside him.

Just then, the horn resounded again in the colosseum, ushering another human knight onto the field.

"Kill him!"

"Cut off his head!"

"Run him through!"

"…"

Cries like these echoed from the stands, like the voice of death waiting to harvest a life. Orion watched with a faint smile, calmly observing the colosseum, indifferent to the carnage below.

Many races lived in Stoneheart City besides Giants—Beastfolk, Gnolls, Minotaurs… They were mostly warlike and relished violence. The bloodshed and mortal duels of the colosseum thrilled them and aligned with their temperament, which made the arena especially lively.

As Orion wondered how long this third human knight would last, footsteps broke the silence in the reception hall.

A knight in black armor with a sword at his waist came into view before Orion. Immediately, Orion realized he was a human knight who had accompanied Prince Theodore.

"Honorable King of Giants," Galahad said, performing a knight's salute. "Galahad is willing to fight in place of the remaining human knights—I ask for your permission!"

He spoke sincerely, yet his request did not move Orion in the least.

Inside, Galahad could no longer restrain his fury and resentment. He refused to keep watching Princess Ava weep, refused to see more of his former comrades butchered, and refused to remain as powerless as when Arthur went to his death.

But Orion, facing the colosseum, ignored him without so much as a glance. Standing off to the side, Drakthul, Marnok, Onyx, and Earthshaker came forward to usher Galahad out of the hall.

In truth, despite Galahad's hotheadedness, he still clung to a sliver of reason. He did not resist and did not draw his sword in Orion's presence. Drakthul and Marnok stretched out their huge hands and dragged Galahad off with as little effort as lifting a rabbit.

Just then, the colosseum erupted with fresh cheers and jeers.

"Damn it, that human is too weak—it's like he hasn't eaten in days!"

"What a pity. He did have some decent skill."

"Pity, my foot! He's got no strength at all. He deserves to get sliced in half by that Orc!"

"Well done!"

"…"

The slaying of the third human knight whipped the colosseum into a frenzy.

"Honorable King of Giants!"

As the crowd noise dipped slightly, Prince Theodore finally spoke up.

Orion raised a hand, halting Drakthul and Marnok, who were about to throw Galahad out the door. Before Prince Theodore could continue, Orion demanded, "Your Highness, is your dog disobedient? Do you need me to chain him up for you?"

This remark snapped everyone out of their stupor, making them realize how surprising Galahad's impulsive act had been.

In the reception hall, Godfrey's face was grim, Ava seemed inconsolable, and Blood Elf Lycanor narrowed her eyes in thought. Prince Theodore, however, froze momentarily at Orion's words—he had intended to speak, but now the words stuck in his throat.

"But since Your Highness has spoken," Orion went on, "I suppose I should grant you this little favor. Prophet Onyx, why don't you entertain our human friend?"

Turning the conversation on its head, Orion agreed to Galahad's request.

"Honorable—" Prince Theodore began, but Orion cut him off with a wave of his large hand. Surging with transcendent power, Orion teleported both Onyx and Coal Knight Galahad to the colosseum below.

"This is a real surprise!" Orion said. "I didn't expect a human knight to step forward for our entertainment."

Ignoring Prince Theodore's subtle shift in expression, Orion rose to his feet. The prince had apparently wished to express regret for Galahad's boldness, but Orion had sent Galahad into the arena before the apology could be spoken.

Once again atop the platform, Orion's lips curved in a mocking smile. He raised his hand, and the colosseum fell silent.

"In accordance with the colosseum's guiding rule—'victory means life, defeat means death'—the knight from the human kingdom has volunteered to fight on behalf of the four remaining human slaves.

"His opponent is our Stoneheart Horde Elder of Prophecy, Onyx of the obsidian golem tribe.

"If the human knight wins, the remaining four human slaves will walk free.

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"But if the Elder of Prophecy wins, then let your cheers and shouts honor the human knight for the magnificent show he has given us with the forfeit of his life."