Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 84: S-level quests

"E...Ethan, is that Tier 11 Unicorn really yours?" Isabella could barely get the words out.

She stammered, feeling as if a herd of stampeding buffalo had just trampled through her mind.

Everything was a chaotic mess.

A Tier 11 Unicorn—did he even realize what that meant?

This was one of the highest-tier units any player had ever gotten their hands on worldwide!

Even in North America, no one seemed to have one—not the Lich’s Covenant guild, not even the military!

Yet here it was.

Right in front of her eyes.

In Ethan’s possession...

"I’m not dreaming, am I?" Isabella felt like her brain had completely short-circuited.

"Of course it’s real!" Ethan chuckled, pulling Isabella close and gently ruffling her hair. Then he suddenly asked, "Hey, remember that Green Dragon from before?"

"Green Dragon..." Isabella froze for a second, then suddenly snapped her head up as realization hit her like lightning. She stared at Ethan, trembling, "That Green Dragon... don’t tell me it was actually you... you..."

This time Ethan didn’t bother hiding it.

He directly summoned Cicero out.

"Cicero, come say hi! This is Isabella, your future mistress!"

"Chirrup chirrup!" Hearing Ethan’s words, Cicero’s eyes lit up immediately. He jumped straight into Isabella’s stunned arms, giggling and cuddling affectionately.

"This...this...it really was him!" Isabella’s mouth hung open in shock, wide enough to swallow a hotdog whole. Even though Cicero was still in his juvenile form, the dragon features were unmistakable. Anyone could tell at a glance—

This was definitely a genuine Green Dragon!

But wait—this was a Tier 13 Legendary Unit, a Green Dragon!

And Ethan actually had one?!

Was this really the same Ethan she’d known all along—the ordinary guy who lost his parents and had nothing special about him?

Why did it suddenly feel like the entire world had flipped upside down?

After standing there dumbfounded for a long moment, Isabella hugged Cicero blankly and turned to Ethan, asking, "Did that mysterious organization behind you—the Draconic Pact—give you all this?"

At her words, Ethan and Emily exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.

"Isabella, the Draconic Pact was just something my brother made up. Don’t believe a word of it!" Emily shook her head, giggling.

"Made up?" Isabella was even more stunned.

Then it clicked. Of course—what kind of organization would casually hand out a Tier 13 Green Dragon? It was impossible!

"My current situation isn’t suitable for exposure yet. Besides, there’s really no need. With my current strength, no player can even come close to challenging me. Staying among regular players won’t help me grow anymore," Ethan explained calmly.

"So, what are you planning now?" Isabella asked curiously.

"My main base is now deep in the Sylvanwood region. I’ve got two castles there, and I’ve just accepted an SS-level quest. The goal is to conquer the entire Sylvanwood," Ethan said casually.

"An SS-level quest?!"

Hearing this, Isabella and Emily both froze in shock.

Ethan hadn’t mentioned this to Emily before.

"Bro, are you serious? An SS-level quest?! How is that even possible..." Emily blurted out, completely stunned.

Did he even realize what an SS-level quest meant?

Even the world’s top-tier players were still getting their asses handed to them by A-level quests. Out of a hundred attempts, they’d fail miserably ninety-nine times!

And the one success was usually just dumb luck or because the quest was easier than average. Even then, those lucky breaks were incredibly rare!

But above A-level quests, there were still A+ quests.

Above A+ quests, there were S-level quests.

Above S-level quests, there were S+ quests.

And above S+ quests—only then—came SS-level quests!

The gap between them was enormous—four entire tiers!

Was this even something a player from Earth could realistically complete?!

"Yeah, it’s definitely an SS-level quest... but I’m still in the early stages. There’s a long road ahead before I can actually complete it," Ethan admitted honestly.

Pausing for a moment, he looked at Emily and Isabella, then continued slowly, "Still, I have to give it my best shot. So from now on, my main focus will probably be on Sylvanwood."

Emily and Isabella exchanged a glance.

Without hesitation, Isabella nodded firmly. "Ethan, you should focus on your own goals. Don’t worry about us."

"And besides..." Isabella’s cheeks flushed slightly as she lowered her voice shyly, "We can always meet offline whenever we want, right?"

"Oh, right..." Ethan laughed, suddenly realizing how silly he’d been. He’d been so caught up in the game lately, he’d almost forgotten about real life.

Sure, the world of Glory Lords X felt incredibly real, but Isabella was right—they could always see each other offline whenever they wanted.

Feeling much better, Ethan smiled warmly at Isabella. "Oh, Isabella, I still have another Unicorn here. You can have it."

Because he already had the Tier 12 Cyclops King and Wyvern Monarch, he’d brought two of the three Tier 11 Unicorns he’d recruited earlier. He’d already given one to Emily, and the other was still with him.

"No, I don’t want it..."

Surprisingly, Isabella shook her head gently, refusing his offer.

"Huh? Why not?" Ethan blinked, clearly confused.

"After the scene you made today, who would dare mess with me now?" Isabella smiled gently, looking warmly at Ethan. "Besides, you’re at a critical stage of your own development. Having an extra unicorn by your side will definitely boost your strength. If you gave it to me, it wouldn’t reach its full potential—and might even attract unwanted attention."

Ethan paused, quickly realizing the deeper meaning behind Isabella’s words.

For players, although a Tier 11 Unicorn was incredibly powerful, it wasn’t invincible. Strategic artifacts, high-level heroes, NPC champions, or powerful magic could still pose a serious threat.

Thinking this through, Ethan rubbed his chin thoughtfully and muttered, "Maybe I should just get you two some Tier 12 units instead?"

Hearing this, Isabella and Emily both twitched slightly.

Isabella shook her head helplessly, half laughing, half sighing. "I already told you, that’s really not necessary. How about this—just get me a few Tier 10 Thunderbirds instead. Those would be more than enough to keep me safe."

As soon as Isabella said this, Emily immediately traded all her Tier 10 Thunderbirds over to Isabella without hesitation.

"Isabella, my brother gave me all his Thunderbirds earlier. Here, take them all!"

"Wait, that’s too many. What about you?"

"It’s fine! Ethan already gave me a unicorn, remember?"

"...Alright then."

Seeing Emily insist, Isabella finally accepted all the Thunderbirds.

Watching this exchange, Ethan secretly gave Emily a thumbs-up behind Isabella’s back. He then smiled and said, "Next recruitment cycle, I’ll bring you both more Thunderbirds. Do you want any other Tier 10 units? I’ve got Dungeon faction’s Minotaur Kings and Fortress faction’s Mighty Gorgons too."

"Minotaur Kings?" Emily’s eyes lit up instantly. "You mean those legendary melee powerhouses? Yes, please! Bring me some next time. But forget about the Mighty Gorgons—they’re way too ugly..."

"Too ugly..." Ethan felt his face twitch slightly, wisely pretending he hadn’t heard that.

Turning to Isabella, he asked gently, "Princess, what about you?"

"I’m fine with whatever you decide," Isabella replied softly, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Then..." Ethan began to speak, but was suddenly interrupted by an unexpected system notification:

"Congratulations! Your hero ’Seraphina’ has triggered a storyline quest: Infernal Outpost Battle."

"Quest Details: Infernal Legions are preparing to invade Sylvanwood’s main world through the Hell Gate. You may choose your quest path."

"Option 1: Prevent the Infernal Legions from invading the main world. Quest Difficulty: S-level."

"Option 2: Ignore the invasion. Quest Difficulty: None."

"Quest Duration: Unknown."

"Special Reminder: S-level quests are extremely challenging. Please prepare accordingly!"

"Whoa!"

Ethan froze for a second, startled by the sudden system notification.

Infernal Outpost Battle?

An S-level storyline quest?

What the heck was going on?

"Ethan, what’s wrong? Did something happen?" Isabella asked immediately, noticing his sudden change in expression.

"My hero just triggered an S-level storyline quest," Ethan replied honestly, not hiding anything.

At the same time, he was still trying to piece together what exactly this quest was about.

"Infernal Outpost Battle... Infernal Legions... Infernal... Wait a second—it’s gotta be related to the Hell Gates in the Doom Mountains!" Ethan’s eyes suddenly lit up as realization hit him.

Around Emerald Castle, the only thing remotely connected to the Infernal faction was the pair of Hell Gates located in the Doom Mountains.

"Looks like I’ll have to head back right away..." Ethan muttered, furrowing his brows slightly.

If it were just a regular S-level quest, he wouldn’t be too concerned. After all, compared to the previous S-level quest he’d completed, Emerald Castle’s current strength was more than enough. Seraphina alone, with her dragon, could handle most threats easily.

But the problem was—this quest involved the Infernal faction.

That was something he couldn’t afford to underestimate.

Inferno was one of the strongest factions across all known realms—infamous for their brutality and cruelty. They were even considered mortal enemies of the entire Light Alliance. Their strength was terrifyingly immense. If this quest escalated into a full-scale conflict, Emerald Castle would be far too weak to handle it. He had to prepare carefully and plan ahead.

"An S-level storyline quest?!" Isabella and Emily both gasped, their eyes widening in shock. For them, whether it was an SS-level or an S-level quest, both were practically impossible to even imagine completing.

Hearing Ethan mention it so casually made it hard for them to stay calm.

"Yeah..." Ethan nodded, standing up. "I need to head back immediately."

"Alright... Be careful, Ethan. Stay safe," Isabella said softly, unsure of what else she could say.

"You’ve got this, bro!" Emily cheered, pumping her fist encouragingly.

"Relax, it shouldn’t be too big of a deal," Ethan reassured them with a casual smile. "Honestly, an S-level quest isn’t that tough for me anymore. I’ve already completed one before."

"Wait... seriously?!" Isabella and Emily exclaimed simultaneously, staring at Ethan in disbelief.