Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 269: This isn’t going to be a friendly visit

From his perspective, given the current situation, even if they managed to lure that Leviathan-class hero onto a nearby island or a small continent, it wouldn’t really make a difference.

First off, with that kind of power, if the Leviathan wanted to leave, there’d be no stopping them. They simply didn’t have the means to hold someone like that back.

Besides, this whole region was mostly ocean. Even if they were on land—be it an island or a small continent—it wouldn’t matter much. With the strength of a Crimson Ultimate hero, the terrain wouldn’t change the outcome. It’d probably end up just like before.

"Yeah, it’s definitely not gonna be easy," Auremax said quietly. "We’re talking about a Crimson Ultimate hero here—practically a demigod. And this one’s already awakened a second time. But, my lord, when I say we need to change the natural environment, I don’t mean tricking him onto land. I mean actually altering the environment itself."

"Actually change the environment?" Ethan stiffened, staring at Auremax in surprise.

"I know a few ways we might be able to pull it off," Auremax said slowly.

"Like what?" Ethan asked.

"First," Auremax began, "we could use the power of a Crimson Ultimate hero’s Sacred Realm to forcibly reshape the environment and suppress the enemy’s innate abilities. At its core, it’s a clash of Sacred Realms—pure power versus power. But the problem is, the three young lords we have right now are still too young. This route’s not viable for the time being."

He paused, then continued, "Second option: magic. Tier 4 Magic, to be specific. Any Tier 4 spell has the potential to reshape the natural world, even create incredibly powerful magical domains."

"That’s why Tier 4 Magic is one of the few things that can go toe-to-toe with a Crimson Ultimate hero. If we can target and neutralize their Sacred Realm with a domain spell, their overall power would take a serious hit."

"Most Tier 4 spells in any elemental school include at least one or two domain-type spells—some even more. If we can get our hands on one of those, we could actually change the battlefield to our advantage."

"Tier 4 Magic..." Ethan’s eyes flickered. "Any other options?"

"Besides magic and Sacred Realm clashes, there are also rare Strategic Artifacts held by the major factions," Auremax explained. "Some of them have the power to alter the environment too. The top-tier ones include the Draconic Haven, Gate of Heaven, Palace of Storms, Behemoth Lair, Phoenix Rebirth Pool, and the Soulbind Shackles, among others. There are also some Level 4 Strategic Artifacts that can do the job."

"But if we’re talking about the most effective one," Auremax added, "it’s probably the Soulbind Shackles from the Necropolis faction."

Auremax clearly had a vast and deep knowledge base. Once he started talking, the information just flowed—detailed, relevant, and incredibly useful.

"Soulbind Shackles?" Ethan blinked, then suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, that one?!"

He knew that artifact well.

Back when he used to play the game, it was hands-down his favorite Strategic Artifact. No contest.

He still remembered its reputation: the bane of AI opponents, the nightmare of fleeing heroes, and the holy grail for players with OCD.

Because once you had the Soulbind Shackles equipped, forget about running away—surrendering wasn’t even an option. You fought to the death, period. It completely shut down the annoying "run if you’re losing" tactic. It was insanely satisfying.

"Exactly. The Soulbind Shackles," Auremax nodded, eyes gleaming.

"Once it locks onto a target, both sides are pulled into a chaotic void realm. In that space, there’s no natural environment, no elemental or psychic rules."

"In other words, once the Soulbind Shackles are activated, the Crimson Ultimate hero’s Sacred Realm buffs get massively nerfed. If we can find this artifact and use it against the Leviathan hero, our chances of winning go way up."

But then he sighed and shook his head, a bit helpless. "The problem is, the Soulbind Shackles belong to the Necropolis faction."

"And not just that—it’s one of their core Strategic Artifacts. Most of the existing Shackles are in the hands of high-ranking Necropolis elites. Even if a few have gone missing or changed hands... the odds of us getting one are still pretty slim."

"So, realistically speaking," Auremax concluded, "our best shot right now is probably to focus on finding a Tier 4 domain spell. That’s where we have the most hope."

"Yeah... you’re right."

Ethan gave a quiet nod, his expression thoughtful.

Strategic Artifacts were already insanely rare to begin with.

And the kind they were talking about—those faction-defining, game-changing relics? There was no way any of those would just fall into someone’s lap. Not unless you were already a major player in one of the big factions.

More importantly—

He didn’t even have the faintest lead on where to find one.

And even if he did... what was he gonna do? Steal it?

Any Strategic Artifact worth a damn was already claimed. And the high-tier ones—Tier 4 and up? You didn’t even need to guess. Those were definitely in the hands of top-tier powerhouses from the major factions.

Try to take something from someone like that?

He might as well go toe-to-toe with the Leviathan hero directly. Honestly, that might even be the safer option.

But Tier 4 domain magic... now that was something he actually had a shot at.

He remembered—back when he completed that mission, he’d been rewarded with an S-rank special building: the Forest Library.

Once constructed, the Forest Library would randomly generate two Tier 4 spells. Sure, there was no guarantee they’d be domain-type spells, but even if they weren’t, he could just wait for the next refresh.

The Forest Library had a built-in refresh mechanic that triggered after a set amount of time.

As long as that mechanic was in place, even if his luck was absolute garbage, eventually he’d roll a domain spell. It was just a matter of time.

Worst case scenario? He’d have to wait.

Sure, the longer he took, the lower his final mission rating might be...

But come on—this was an SS-rank hidden chain quest.

Spending a few years—or even a few decades—grinding it out? Totally reasonable.

No one would call that excessive.

So, looking at it from that angle...

He actually had time to play with.

The only real hurdle now was gathering the materials to build the damn thing. And those were no joke—ultra-rare, stupidly expensive, and a pain in the ass to find.

One minute it was Elemental Crystals, the next it was Gold Dragon Scales or Magic Logs...

Yeah, it was a headache.

But Ethan had an idea.

He wasn’t sure if it would work—but it might.

As the thought took shape in his mind, he raised a hand and gave the order to pull back.

"Let’s go. We’ll shelve this for now and take our time figuring it out."

"Master, weren’t we planning to weaken that bastard’s forces? The Leviathans, the Deep Sea Leviathans?" Kyros growled, clearly not ready to leave. "We can’t take them head-on, sure—but a few sneak attacks, pick off some of their beasts? That shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

He was clearly itching for a fight, his temper flaring.

And honestly, after everything that had happened, he had a lot of pent-up rage to burn. The Leviathans and Deep Sea Leviathans made for perfect targets.

But Ethan just shook his head, his voice low and calm. "Forget it. It’s pointless."

"If I’m right, there’s probably a Leviathan or even Deep Sea Leviathan Creature Dwelling somewhere beneath these waters. Unless we take out that Leviathan hero, killing a few of his beasts won’t matter. Give it time, and they’ll just respawn."

"So yeah... let’s head back for now."

"...Fine," Kyros muttered, clearly frustrated, but he didn’t argue further. He just grumbled under his breath, his fists clenched tight.

But just then, Ethan’s expression shifted.

A sudden magical transmission hit him—long-distance, high-tier, and expensive as hell to cast. That alone made his face tighten. He knew full well: no one used this kind of spell unless it was something urgent. Really urgent.

The voice that came through was formal, respectful, and unmistakably tense.

"Honored Lord Ethan, please forgive the intrusion. I have something extremely urgent to report," said Queen Thalassa of the Stellamaris Kingdom.

"Go ahead," Ethan replied, his tone steady but serious.

"An envoy from Sea King Maelthorak has arrived—Naga Swordmaster Kairos. He... he says he’s come bearing a divine oracle from the Sea King himself. He’s requested an audience with you. Personally."

Ethan blinked, caught off guard. "An envoy from Sea King Maelthorak?" freewёbnoνel.com

"A divine oracle?"

His eyes narrowed, a strange look flickering across his face.

If it were just an envoy, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. But an envoy bringing a divine oracle? That was a whole different beast. That meant this wasn’t just diplomacy—it was a message from a god-tier power. And those never came without strings attached.

After a pause, Ethan asked, "Thalassa, where is he now?"

"He’s already here, my lord," Thalassa replied quickly. "He’s in Stellamaris. I—I don’t know how to handle this. What should I do?"

"Just tell him I’m on my way," Ethan said after a moment’s thought. "Ask him to wait."

"Yes, my lord!" Thalassa sounded like she’d just been handed a lifeline.

"Alright, that’s it for now. Contact me again only if it’s urgent." Ethan cut the transmission.

"Something happen?" Seraphina asked, sensing the shift in his mood.

"Sea King Maelthorak sent someone to see me," Ethan said, his voice low. "And not just anyone—he brought a so-called divine oracle. If I had to guess, this isn’t going to be a friendly visit."

"Sea... Sea King?!" Seraphina’s eyes widened, and the others around them visibly tensed.

That name carried weight. The Sea King was a powerhouse on par with the Dungeon King or the Inferno Demon King—an apex-level entity. If he was sending envoys and oracles, something big was brewing.

"What the hell do they want now?" Kyros muttered, his earlier frustration now replaced with unease.

"Let’s go," Ethan said calmly, already turning the ship around. "We’ll deal with it when we get there. You’re all with me—should be enough to handle whatever this is."

And just like that, without another word, he waved his hand and gave the order to set sail—leaving the deep sea behind.

...