The Rise of the Titan

"Miles, have you located the ones who dared to offend me?" Muria asked, looking at the middle-aged man beside him, who wore a gentle and refined smile. Among Muria's subordinates, only Miles and the storm giant commander, Terence, remained calm, showing no eagerness to prove themselves before Muria.

Having been through countless battles alongside Muria, Miles had nearly sacrificed his life for him. He felt assured of his stable position in Muria's eyes, as long as he didn't make any grave mistakes. There was no need to worry about his survival like before.

"Your Highness, I have thoroughly investigated and identified all the locations of the intruders. I was just waiting for you to wake up," Miles responded respectfully. In the Kingdom of Lockman, he had served Muria for over a decade, understanding his preferences and temperament well. Being a cunning devil, Miles knew how to cater to Muria's tastes to solidify his standing.

"Show me. What kind of scoundrels have dared to invade my territory?" Muria took the intelligence report from Miles, a cold smile forming on his lips. "Pirates, mermen, deep-sea nagas—again with these creatures."

"Your Highness, part of their attack might be out of revenge."

"Revenge? Because we raided them before?" Muria frowned slightly. "These criminals should stay put and accept their punishment from my army. How dare they retaliate!"

"Ahem, Your Highness, that's not the main reason." Even as a devil, Miles was momentarily stunned by Muria's domineering words before continuing, "Your existence is a significant factor. The mermen, nagas, and some sea monsters have attacked us because their gods have fallen, and they want to exact revenge on the Titans."

"Is that so?" Muria nodded. "Since they harbor resentment, let's annihilate them! Terence, prepare three hundred storm giants and two thousand cloud giants to follow me into battle."

"Yes, Your Highness." A glint of excitement flashed in Terence's eyes. Fighting alongside a Titan and growing under their leadership was a lifelong pursuit for many giants. Although Muria wasn't a pureblood, they were more than satisfied.

...

On an island made entirely of various wrecked ships, the sound of clinking glasses, the rough shouts of men, and occasional soft moans of women created an atmosphere of revelry.

"Brothers," announced a massive figure with light blue skin, sitting at the head of a large wrecked ship. He was an enormous humanoid, standing eight to nine meters tall. "I have news: in three days, I plan to attack Synapse again."

The rowdy island fell silent at the pirate king's declaration. All eyes turned to their leader, the legendary pirate king who ruled over the Thousand Waves Sea, their faces filled with apprehension.

"What's the matter? No comments? Does anyone disagree with my decision?" The giant pirate king, with unassuming scales at vulnerable spots, laughed as he took a huge gulp from a cup that, to a normal human, was the size of a bathtub. "Speak up if you have objections; let's hear it and discuss."

"Boss, maybe we should reconsider attacking Synapse. We aren't afraid to die, but fighting those monsters, giants, and dragons feels pointless—we get nothing out of it," one pirate voiced, and murmurs of agreement followed.

"Yes, dying for nothing and gaining nothing in return isn't worth it," echoed the pirates. Most were reluctant to attack Synapse again, as the previous battles had been too costly.

"We gain nothing because we haven't broken through their defenses! If we could breach their lines and seize even one cloud island, it would more than compensate for our losses. Giving up now would be the real waste."

"Initially, we might have had a chance, but Synapse now has more and more legendaries. We know of at least three, and there might be a fourth. With our current strength, it's impossible to break their defenses."

"Haha, you're worried about that?" The giant pirate king finished his drink and laughed heartily. "Do you think I've made it this far by being a brute? In three days, we won't be the only ones attacking Synapse. I've arranged for four other pirate kings to join us. Together, we will have five legendaries. No matter if they have four, we will crush their defenses."

"You've contacted four other pirate kings? Who are they?" A gentle voice cut through the stunned silence of the pirate gathering, standing out sharply in the half-open ship's hold.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"Does anyone know him?"

"No."

"How did this guy sneak in?"

"If no one knows him, kill him."

Muria, dressed in elegant attire and exuding a strikingly handsome appearance, stood among the pirates, a stark contrast to the filthy, dark surroundings. His presence instantly drew the attention of most pirates.

"Isn't it better to stay alive?" Muria stood still as four pirates lunged at him. With a swift motion, he decapitated them, and blood sprayed from their necks, filling the air with a pungent metallic smell. These pirates, each with the strength of a gold-ranked warrior, were instantly killed, their vital energies snuffed out.

"Who are you?" The blue-skinned pirate king's rough face turned serious as he saw the young man with black hair and golden eyes effortlessly slay his four subordinates. He couldn't gauge Muria's strength.

"Let me introduce myself. I am the fourth legendary you mentioned." Muria smiled gracefully, like a noble about to attend a royal banquet, exuding a calm, self-assured aura that made others feel inadequate. "I am the master of Synapse."

"The master of Synapse?" The blue-skinned pirate king slowly stood up, sensing a deadly threat.

A thick chain appeared in his hand, and a massive anchor, familiar to any seafarer, crashed at his feet. This was the pirate king's weapon—a ship's anchor, its dark, rusty surface a testament to the countless lives it had claimed.

"There's no need to be so tense." Seeing the pirate king ready for a life-or-death battle, Muria's smile remained gentle. "I won't kill you. Legendaries are rare."

"What do you want?" The blue-skinned pirate king felt a chill as he looked at Muria's seemingly ordinary human frame.

"I'm not giving you a chance," Muria said as a long sword with an ancient aura materialized in his hand. "You just need to withstand this one strike from me, and I'll let you go."

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] [[email protected]/INNIT]