The Age of Titans (3)
After hearing that much, there was no way I could keep hunting. I logged out of the dungeon right then and headed straight to Dumein Castle, where Hellfire was.
The kingdom of Reverse had established a titan production lab in Dumein Castle, one of the safest spots for sieges and the highest tax earner. That's why.
Hellfire greeted me in front of the lab inside the castle.
"Congratulations, Hellfire. Successfully creating a titan—what an incredible feat!"
"Haha! Just got lucky. Come to think of it, I've always been the guy people say has good luck. But this time, I hope the bad luck stays away."
"Luck? You need luck to make a titan?"
"Yeah. The final step has a failure chance. Fortunately, I nailed a Soldier Grade titan on my third try."
Was there anyone else in Tayen to whom the words "Phoenix" and "Reverse" suited so perfectly? He'd personally seized the greatest items in the game—a Demon Sword and a Lord Grade titan—only to lose them in the most humiliating way. Yet here he was, crafting his own titan and reclaiming one with his own hands. So what if it was just Soldier Grade? This man inspired absolute confidence in everyone that he'd steadily climb to Knight Grade and even Lord Grade in time.
"I didn't call you here just to brag, Sandro. I really wanted to discuss something."
"Discuss?"
"Yes. We barely succeeded this time, but I don't think Phoenix is the first to pull it off."
"What? Ah... right."
I'd momentarily forgotten, but there was a nation founded before Reverse.
"Taeseong built their kingdom of Tiese a full month ahead of us. Considering their head start, their resources, and their deep pockets, they must have tried it first. It's safe to assume they've already succeeded."
"Then why haven't we heard any news about it yet?"
"You've used one yourself, so you know—titans aren't practical everywhere. I figure a single titan doesn't mean much, so they're probably holding off until they have a few, saving them for key moments like sieges."
Titans were indeed cheat-level, capable of taking on hundreds alone—but that was mostly thanks to Lord Grade power. They had clear weaknesses too: short summon durations, and if the summon ended, you were highly exposed to danger.
"So, for this upcoming siege?"
"Exactly. It's Darius's first siege since getting Dainess, this weekend. I'm certain they'll debut their titans and go all-in. That's why I have two proposals for you, Sandro."
"Proposals?"
"Yes. With titan numbers becoming a key factor in future sieges, we need thorough intel analysis. I hear Burning Star got a titan called Levendus. Correct?"
"You even know the name. Yes, luckily one of our guildmates owns it now."
"Then, could you share its info? In return, I'll keep sharing specs on our Soldier Grade titan and any future developments."
Hellfire, the pro gamer, thought differently, alright. Above all, he prioritized acquiring information. Anyone with his skill had the confidence that as long as they didn't fall behind on intel, they'd never lose.
"Levendus is Knight Grade. And Knight Grade will probably be tough for users to craft anytime soon. I checked the history in its info window—even in the mage era, they were treated like national treasures. Meaning, they're not something you mass-produce. As for Lord Grade, you probably heard during the seal release: only seven exist."
It was a no-lose deal for me. And because it was Hellfire...
I shared Levendus's info first. In return, he immediately sent over the Soldier Grade titan's details.
"I see. So Soldier Grade is the limit for now... Thanks. Very helpful."
Sure enough, a user-made Soldier Grade was different. Unlike Knight or Lord Grades summoned via weapons, this used a non-equipment item called Titan's Essence.
I clicked the linked Titan's Essence info, and a window popped up showing the sealed titan inside.
HP: 280,000/280,000
MP: 65,000/65,000
Attack Power: 2,550
Physical Defense: 3,020
Magic Defense: 1,880
Melee warrior-type titan produced by Reverse kingdom's titan production lab. Reverse's first titan.
• Summon ends when time expires or HP reaches zero. (Summon duration: Level × 1 second)
• Resummon cooldown varies by remaining HP at unsummon. (1% HP consumed = 1 hour cooldown, min. 24 hours)
• Summon restricted in narrow terrain or instanced dungeons.
• Summon material: 1 Shining Mana Stone
• Exclusive titan skill: Output Enhancement
— Output Enhancement (Unique Skill): Consumes 8,000 MP for 10 seconds: +25% attack power and speed, +35% movement speed. Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Strong. Even a Soldier Grade titan was a titan.
But at the same time, I couldn't shake this thought.
Is this... really that strong?
Soldier Grade seemed impressive now, but its HP and attack weren't sky-high, and it had just one middling skill. Titans didn't level up, so specs stayed static—while users kept growing. Plus, as titans became common, it might not shine like this forever.
Considering that, Soldier Grade didn't seem game-changing. But maybe I was overthinking. Tayen had titan labs and mage towers, so customization or upgrades might patch in later.
For now, though, two or three Soldier Grades at siege barricades could shatter formations and decide the battle. That was what mattered.
"You mentioned something else to discuss about the siege?"
"Yes, my second proposal. You know there are still two abandoned castles in Tayen? High-level zones no one visits, so users avoid them."
"Right. Probably Giwel Castle and Aver Castle... yeah?"
Capturing a castle—even empty—took more than dozens of players. These empties were in high-level monster zones, so defending NPC soldiers were tough. Sure, a full guild push could take them, but who wanted a high-level castle with no taxes and split forces during sieges? Only guilds gunning for five-castle kingdoms bothered.
"Yes. Anyway, after taking Kaljen Castle last time, I learned something new about titan production. Midway through research, with an extra castle, the production time suddenly shortened."
"What? So..."
"Yep. More castles = faster titan production = more titans. In the fight against Taeseong ahead, titan count will be key—and castle count will matter too."
This was huge intel. Only Hellfire and Darius knew it now. Leading guilds with more castles would snowball titans, leaving laggards in the dust.
"So, my second proposal: Help us siege a new castle this time. Giwel Castle in the Gartwell Mountains!"
I'd planned a solo field boss tour this siege, but it looked like it'd be a busy one.
Afterward, I got a few more key pieces from Hellfire. His playstyle differed from mine in key ways. He secretly summoned his titan daily for endless tests.
• Deliberately died once in normal state, once summoned. Incurred 4-day cooldown, but gained valuable data.
• No drop of this Titan's Essence item in either death. Unlike Divine items, it doesn't always drop on death. Probably higher drop chance than normal gear, but not guaranteed—huge implication.
The big one: Titan's Essence didn't drop on death like higher titans. Hyunjung and I lost ours instantly to enemies on death, forcing ultra-cautious use. Enemies, even with Soldier Grade, could spam summons freely unless murdered.
Greater the power, greater the penalty...? Damn Illusion devs—nothing's ever free!
I had no plans to die anyway, but this was a stealth nerf for me. My prediction that Taeseong wouldn't summon titans freely in open fields was wrong. Without losing ownership on death, they'd spam them against me.
As titans proliferated, my movement would get restricted. No time left. I had to outpace their growth and crush them first. That's why, despite grinding levels, I squeezed in time for this private auction.
The special item Pink Rabbit mentioned—Merlin's cooldown reducer—was up for bids. And the auction was today.