Chapter 71: Challenging a Titan

"Cassio, since you're connected to the database, do you know all the titans in the clan lands?" Muria asked his spirit, noting that she, like J508, had immediately recognized Heloise without an introduction, indicating she had access to information on all beings in the clan lands, including the titans.

"Yes, master. I have access to the public information of all titans in the clan lands, including their strength and the coordinates of their residences."

"Great." Muria waved his hand excitedly in the air. With this information, he wouldn't have trouble finding a suitable opponent. He could simply teleport directly to them for a duel.

"Master, would you like to challenge other titans now?"

"Right now?" Muria looked at his spirit, surprised and delighted. "Of course, I've got nothing else planned."

"Please select the titan you wish to challenge."

As Cassio spoke, a long, pale blue arc of magical light screen appeared before Muria, displaying images of titans wielding various weapons. Beside each image were their strength levels and a brief introduction to their preferred weapons. The information was quite basic, but sufficient for Muria's purposes.

"They're all golden-level titans." Muria noted the strength levels and the number of titans listed. "So few."

"Twenty-seven golden-level titans." Muria frowned as he reviewed the information on the screen. "Cassio, is this all the golden-level titans in the clan lands?"

"Yes, master."

"That's too few. What about soul-level titans?"

"Master, your current strength is at the third tier of the golden level. It's not advisable to challenge soul-level titans."

"I'm asking about the number of soul-level titans. How many are there?"

"Thirty-two, master."

"And legendary-level titans?"

"Sorry, master. You do not have the rights to access that information."

Muria fell silent for a moment before asking somewhat persistently, "What about epic ones?"

"Sorry, master. You do not have the rights to access that information."

"Why don't I have the right?" Muria asked, somewhat irritably. "Because I'm not a pure-blood titan?"

"No, master. It's because you are too weak to have the right to know."

After a long silence, Cassio's words felt like a cold knife to Muria, chilling him to the bone.

"Can you at least tell me how many titans there are in the titan clan?" Muria was very curious about the number of titans in the clan lands. This figure was not mentioned in his dragon heritage memory. He wondered how many members of this so-called strongest race, close to gods, actually existed.

"Sorry, master, you..."

"I do not have the rights to know," Muria finished Cassio's sentence, looking at his spirit blankly. "But Heloise said I could ask you anything and you would provide the answers."

"Master, I know the answer and would like to tell you, but you lack the strength to have the rights to know the answer."

"Okay, okay, I get it," Muria said, rubbing his head in frustration. "I'm just too weak."

"However, I can tell you approximately how many titans live in the clan lands. There are over a hundred titans."

"I could have guessed that much," Muria said, waving his hand irritably. "Fine, display the information for soul-level titans for me."

"Master, given your current strength..."

"Cassio, I'm just looking. I won't challenge them," Muria said helplessly. After being trounced by Heloise and witnessing Atreyen's battle, Muria was well aware of the gap between him and soul-level titans.

At Muria's request, the display seamlessly switched to show the information for soul-level titans.

"Heloise, soul-level..." Muria immediately spotted the slender, armor-clad titan girl, Heloise, focusing on her strength level. "First tier?"

"The gap is too big!" Muria muttered to himself upon seeing the stark "first tier," recalling how Heloise had easily smashed him into a wall. Even the storm giants on Tai Chi Island, also soul-level first tier, were easily defeated by Muria, yet Heloise could handle him with a single slap.

To the titans, giants of the same level were considered mere fodder, not even worth a glance.

"Atreyen, soul-level fourth tier." Muria's gaze then moved to the young titan who had profoundly impacted him. "Not even the peak of soul-level, yet so strong."

"Will I ever be as strong as them?" Muria looked at his own palm, envying the power to cleave mountains with a single strike and desiring it for himself.

"Definitely, master." For once, Cassio, who usually had sharp words, spoke up. "Your lineage is no weaker than theirs. With dedicated cultivation, once you reach their level, you will be even stronger."

"Hey, Cassio, so you do say nice things after all."

"Master, I only speak the truth."

Muria clicked his tongue, feeling unexpectedly comforted by Cassio's words, and asked, "List all the golden-level titans. I want to pick someone to challenge."

"As you wish, master." Cassio displayed the information for all twenty-seven titans.

"Hmm, Gerard, golden third tier." Muria considered the first titan he had fought but quickly moved on. "

I've fought him already. Let's choose someone stronger."

"Cleist, golden fifth tier, specializes in heavy swords." Muria focused on the image of a young titan carrying a sword as tall as himself on the screen. "Cassio, him."

"Master, I must remind you that your chances of winning against a fifth-tier golden titan are less than one percent."

"That's okay. I just want to see the strength of a peak golden titan and how far I am from that level. I'm prepared for defeat."

Upon hearing Muria's words, Cassio momentarily closed her eyes before opening them again. "I have sent the challenge request to Cleist."

"Challenge request!" Muria stroked his chin. "Such requests can be refused, right?"

"Yes."

"Being only a third-tier golden, might Cleist think I'm too weak and refuse my challenge?"

"That is very likely, master."

Muria stared at Cassio, feeling once again that talking with his spirit was an exercise in self-flagellation.

...

"Master, there's a titan who has sent you a challenge request."

In a courtyard, a muscular titan practiced his sword skills, his spirit, unlike Muria's feminine Cassio, appearing as a male titan in battle armor, quietly relayed the news.

"Someone wants to challenge me? Who is it?"

"Muria."

"Muria?" Cleist paused his sword practice. "I've never heard that name before. Can you find out who this titan I don't know is?"

"According to the results, this titan named Muria lived outside the clan lands on an island until recently, when Lady Heloise brought him into the clan lands."

"I see." Cleist resumed swinging his great sword. "What's his strength like?"

"Lord Muria is at the third tier of golden level."

"Third tier? Too weak. Reject him. I have no time to fight weaklings."

"Master, there is something special about Lord Muria."

"What's special about him?"

"He is not a pure-blood titan; he is the offspring of Lord Ansol and a legendary gold dragon."

"Is that so! He inherits Lord Ansol's bloodline, but the other half is from a dragon? A shame. If he were a pure-blood titan inheriting Lord Ansol's bloodline, even at the third tier, I would agree to fight him."

"Master, the dragon bloodline in Lord Muria is not simple. The being that invaded our titan territory a few years ago, his grandfather, is a Dragon King."

"Agree to the challenge from Muria. I want to see for myself how special a being with the blood of two epic creatures, a titan and a dragon, really is." Upon hearing his spirit's words, Cleist stopped his sword practice and agreed to Muria's challenge.

"Yes, master."

...

"Master, Cleist has agreed to fight you."

"That's great." Muria, who had been pacing impatiently in his residence, pumped his fist in excitement.

"Construct a teleportation circle to Cleist's residence. I want to fight him now."

"Master, there is an arena built specifically for titan battles in the clan lands." Cassio informed Muria of another detail he was completely unaware of. "Once a challenge is accepted, both parties are transported to the arena to fight."

"Then construct a teleportation circle to the arena." Muria took a deep breath, eagerly anticipating the upcoming battle, feeling his blood begin to boil with excitement.

"May you return victorious." After the teleportation circle was completed, Cassio spoke softly to Muria.

"I'll do my best." Muria waved and stepped into the circle.

"Buzz!" After a slight disorientation from teleportation, Muria found himself on a huge stone platform seemingly suspended in the void. There were no other beings around, just a vast, eerie darkness—except for his opponent across the platform.

There stood a titan, bare-chested, showing off his muscular upper body. He was clasping his arms, with a great sword as tall as himself planted next to him. His golden pupils scrutinized Muria.

"You don't have a weapon?" Cleist asked, frowning at the unarmed Muria.

"No."

"Then I won't use a weapon either." Cleist, towering thirty-six meters tall, looked down at Muria. "Are you ready to fight?"

Thunder and hurricanes swirled around him as golden dragon flames ignited. Dragon scales materialized on Muria's body, swiftly transforming him into his dragon titan form.

"I'm ready!"

"Good!" Cleist smiled with satisfaction as he watched Muria transform. With a force that shook the air itself, Cleist charged at Muria with a speed that Muria could barely track, the air booming with the sound of his approach.

Fists wrapped in wind and thunder smashed towards Muria, the sheer power causing the air to scream as if it could not bear the ferocity of Cleist's power...