Thundar was clearly injured this time.
As he crawled out of the crater, he coughed violently, his chest heaving, and blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
"Chieftain!"
"Thundar!"
The bloodline warriors of the Ironbone Tribe cried out in alarm, but none dared to step forward and intervene.
This was a bloodline duel, a sacred tradition among the giants that had been passed down for thousands of years. Anyone who interfered would face death.
To be honest, Orion wasn't trying to show off. The truth was that Thundar was simply too weak compared to him.
At this point, Orion's base strength was already terrifying. His stats were off the charts.
---
Name: Orion Stoneheart
Race: Giant
Level: Alpha
Age: 11 years
Height: 8.6 feet
Weight: 790 pounds
- Strength: 1500/5000 (+3200) (Upgradeable)
- Agility: 1250/5000 (+205) (Upgradeable)
- Intelligence: 1200/5000 (+200) (Upgradeable)
- Constitution: 2000/5000 (+200) (Upgradeable)
- Resistance: 20% (against all negative states)
- Bloodline Purity: 72% (Titan)
---
Even though some of his other attributes were still relatively low, Orion's strength was overwhelmingly dominant, especially with the power of the Titan's Heart enhancing him.
...
"Thundar, are you still not going to surrender?"
Seeing Thundar coughing up blood, Orion's voice turned cold, trying to use words to make Thundar submit.
After all, according to the plan, Orion needed a tribe of strong, capable giants—not a broken, crippled leader or a tribe full of enemies.
"I haven't lost yet! Come at me again!"
Thundar was stubborn and unyielding, refusing to admit defeat.
This was the nature of giants, especially Thundar, who was the chieftain of the Ironbone Tribe. His pride wouldn't allow him to fail or surrender so easily.
"Blood Fury Spirit, gather!"
Thundar's body began to change once more.
His flesh shriveled, and a vague, indistinct figure of a Blood Fury Spirit formed around him, roaring defiantly at the sky.
Thundar raised his fist, channeling all his remaining strength into the Blood Fury Spirit, and charged at Orion with all his might.
Rumble...
Orion's expression remained cold, his eyes narrowing—not because Thundar's Blood Fury Spirit was particularly powerful, but because Thundar was still determined to fight to the death.
This meant that, no matter the outcome, Orion would end up with a bloodline warrior who needed time to recover from his injuries.
"If that's the case, let's end this quickly."
Orion's voice was icy, chilling to the bone.
Boom!
With a single kick, Orion shattered Thundar's Blood Fury Spirit and stomped Thundar into the ground.
Orion's foot pressed down on Thundar's face, his cold voice echoing through the forest.
"By the Titan God's oath, I, Orion Stoneheart, claim victory in this duel!"
"Thundar Ironbone, do you surrender?"
"Or does the Ironbone Tribe surrender?"
As he spoke, Orion increased the pressure on Thundar's face, distorting it under his foot.
The atmosphere in the surrounding area was tense. None of the bloodline warriors from either side dared to speak.
The reason was simple: Orion's power was terrifying.
After a long silence, Thundar, pinned beneath Orion's foot, finally moved.
He spread his hands, tapping the ground three times with his palms, then grasped Orion's foot and made a gesture of lifting it.
In giant tradition, this was a sign of complete submission.
Seeing this, Orion snorted inwardly but extended a hand to help Thundar to his feet.
Thundar knelt on one knee and, in a voice loud enough for all the giants to hear, declared:
"I, Thundar Ironbone, submit to Orion Stoneheart!"
"I, on behalf of the Ironbone Tribe, submit to the Blackstone Tribe!"
"May glory descend upon the giants!"
"May the light of the Titan shine upon all giant kin!"
"WAAAGH!"
"WAAAGH!"
The cries of the giants echoed through the forest.
Gradually, both the Blackstone Giants and the Ironbone Giants began chanting Orion's name, praising the glory of the Titan God.
In the back, Lilith and Lysinthia stood together, watching Orion stand in the plaza outside the cave, bathed in the cheers and admiration of the giants. Even his silhouette seemed to radiate brilliance.
"That's my husband, the great giant warrior!"
Lilith's rose-colored eyes grew hazy, lost in the glow of Orion's strength and majesty, completely captivated.
"Master, you are the strongest being in Lysinthia's heart!"
Lysinthia's admiration for Orion had reached a fever pitch, bordering on fanaticism.
Orion released Thundar, pulled his trident from the ground, and raised it high, signaling for the cheering giants to fall silent.
"Brogan, come out and face your death!"
Orion lowered the trident, and the first words he spoke after the silence sent a shockwave through the crowd, freezing the atmosphere.
"Orion, you can't possibly mean…"
Thundar tried to speak, but Orion cut him off.
"Let him speak for himself."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Brogan stepped out from the crowd, crawling on his hands and knees toward Orion, sobbing as he spoke.
"Great Orion, I beg for your forgiveness. It was all Kael's fault! It was Kael's idea!"
"I should never have followed Kael across the border to hunt in Blackstone territory, and I should never have attacked you when we were discovered!"
Brogan's words made Thundar frown.
It was clear that what Brogan was saying now was very different from what he had told Thundar earlier.
Thundar took a step forward, intending to question Brogan.
But Orion's cold voice interrupted him.
"No matter what you say, you will die today."
As he spoke, Orion raised his trident.
However, at that moment, Brogan suddenly sprang up, locking his arm around Thundar's neck.
"Honorable Orion, I can guess your purpose in subduing the Ironbone Tribe."
"I imagine you want a living, strong Thundar to fight for you, not a cold, dead giant corpse!"
"Orion, if you promise to spare my life and let me leave the Black Forest, I'll release Thundar."
"What do you say?"
This sudden turn of events shocked both the Blackstone Giants and the Ironbone Giants.
No one had expected Brogan, an elder of the Ironbone Tribe, to pull such a stunt!
Even Orion hadn't anticipated that Brogan would dare to take his own chieftain hostage at a time like this.
Brogan's actions were despicable. He was tarnishing the honor of the Titan God. He was unworthy of being a bloodline warrior!