Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory
Chapter 362: Invade the Dungeon？

Chapter 362: Invade the Dungeon?

"Looks like the waters run way deeper in this parallel world’s version of Glory Lords X than I ever imagined..."

Ethan muttered to himself, his voice low and thoughtful.

But he didn’t dwell on it any longer.

Sure, ultra-high-tier units were amazing—but if they were out of reach, then there was no point obsessing over them. Nothing stings more than knowing something exists but not being able to touch it. Better to focus on what he could get.

And right now, that meant figuring out how to spend the 200-unit reward for Tier-14 Mythic Units.

"The safest bet... would probably be the Gold Dragon," he mused.

"Solid melee, fast, super mobile, magic resistance, and it can cast spells too. No real natural predators... it’s just a damn good all-rounder."

"But if we’re talking land-based combat, then the Ancient Behemoth is definitely worth considering. Their raw melee power? Easily on par with the Black Dragon. Honestly, even the Gold Dragon can’t match them in a straight-up brawl."

"And then there’s the Storm Dragon—the one Cicero mentioned before. If he picked it as his evolution target, then it’s gotta be strong. No way he’d aim for something weak."

...

Ethan thought it through carefully, weighing each option.

Eventually, the pieces clicked into place.

"I’ll take 30 Sacred Kirin, 27 Ancient Behemoth, 48 Gold Dragon, and 95 Storm Dragon."

Here’s how it broke down:

He already had 20 Sacred Kirin, 3 Ancient Behemoth, and 52 Gold Dragons. By adding 30, 27, and 48 respectively, that brought him to a clean 50 Sacred Kirin, 30 Ancient Behemoth, and 100 Gold Dragons.

And with 95 Storm Dragons added to the mix?

That was a hell of a lineup.

Ding!

"Player Valkarion has selected specific unit rewards: 30 units of Tier-14 Sacred Kirin, 27 units of Tier-14 Ancient Behemoth, 48 units of Tier-14 Gold Dragon, and 95 units of Tier-14 Storm Dragon. Please wait... Ding! Selection complete! Please check your inventory."

"Done and dusted."

Ethan clapped his hands together, finally feeling the weight lift off his chest.

Sure, these standard unit rewards had given his power level a massive boost—but damn, the process of choosing them had been a rollercoaster. A mix of excitement and agony.

Why?

Well... decision paralysis is real.

When you’ve got options—good options—you want them all. Who wouldn’t?

And now that it was over?

Yeah. No regrets.

Totally worth it.

"Elynn..."

He turned, his gaze settling on her.

"At your command, my Lord," Elynn said respectfully, bowing her head.

Ethan nodded. "Go fetch Kyros, Elyra, Seran, and Lilith. I need all four of them here."

"Yes, my Lord."

With a flash of understanding in her eyes, Elynn turned and left. It didn’t take long before she returned, leading the four named individuals into the room. As soon as they saw Ethan, they all dropped into respectful bows.

"My Lord!"

"My Lord!"

Ethan’s gaze swept over them, his tone turning serious. "Kyros, Elyra, Seran—this next task is going to be a tough one."

"I’m assigning you command of the Kirin and Sacred Kirin units, the Arcane Colossus, the Gem Dragons, and the Unicorn legions. Your mission is to head to the coastal regions near the Crimsonstar Kingdom and Stellamaris Kingdom. You’ll be holding the line at sea."

"Any objections?"

He looked each of them in the eye—Kyros, Elyra, Seran—his expression firm, his voice steady.

"No objections!"

"We’ll carry out your orders, my Lord!"

Elyra’s eyes lit up the moment she realized she was being given a solo assignment. She nodded eagerly, practically bouncing with excitement.

And she wasn’t the only one. Kyros and Seran were just as fired up.

For Kyros especially, this was everything. The sea was his domain—his true battlefield. Sure, he could fight on land, but it always felt like he was holding back, like he couldn’t fully stretch his wings.

But out there, on the open ocean?

That was where he belonged.

He was the King of the Sea, after all.

"Elyra, Kyros, Seran—this is your mission, yes. But it’s also your opportunity," Ethan said, his voice low but firm. "Growth isn’t a game. War isn’t a game. Watch, learn, think. Don’t let me down."

He looked at the three of them—faces still glowing with excitement—and shook his head slightly, though his eyes gleamed with something deeper.

Hearing that, the trio paused. The weight of his words settled in. They exchanged glances, and the mood shifted. The excitement didn’t vanish, but it matured—tempered by understanding.

They nodded, solemn now.

"We won’t disappoint you, my Lord," Kyros said, his voice steady and resolute.

He was the only Crimson Ultimate Hero among them. Before, that title had just been a name. But now? Now it felt like a mantle—something heavy, something real.

"Go on, then. Make it count," Ethan said with a smile.

With that, Kyros, Elyra, and Seran turned and left, leading their forces—the Kirin and Sacred Kirin, the towering Arcane Colossi, the gleaming Gem Dragons, and the proud Unicorn legions.

Their destination: the twin-way teleportation gate inside Emerald Castle.

Their mission: defend the sea.

"Lilith."

"I’m here," she answered immediately.

"I remember... you came from the third layer of the Dungeon, right?" Ethan asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, voice calm but probing.

Lilith froze for a moment. A flicker of something dark—pain, maybe—flashed deep in her eyes. She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she lowered her gaze, silent for a few seconds, before slowly lifting her head again. Her expression was complicated—part relief, part reverence, and maybe... a trace of gratitude.

"Yes, my Lord," she said softly. "I did escape from the third layer of the Dungeon."

Ethan caught the shift in her mood and paused, surprised. Then he smiled gently, his tone turning warm and reassuring. "Lilith, don’t overthink it. I’m not trying to dig up your past. I’m just wondering... with the strength we’ve built up here at Emerald Castle, do you think it’s possible for us to push into the Dungeon and start developing there?"

"You want to invade the Dungeon?" Lilith hadn’t responded yet, but Elynn’s eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?"

"I’m considering it," Ethan said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his gaze distant. "Right now, the sea’s off-limits. And even if we manage to take some territory from the Eight Grand Duchies, it doesn’t really get us much. Not to mention, doing that would basically mean declaring war on the Castle faction behind them."

"Not that we’re afraid of that," he added with a smirk. "Emerald Castle’s strong enough to handle it. And eventually, we’ll have to face them anyway. But right now? It might not be the smartest move."

"So I’m thinking... what if we take this chance to break into the Dungeon instead? Wouldn’t the payoff be way better?"

He wasn’t just throwing ideas around. Ethan had done his homework on the Dungeon.

In theory, the Dungeon’s resource density far outstripped anything on the surface.

Even the ocean couldn’t compare.

And what did that mean?

It meant that per square mile, Dungeon territory was worth several times more than land aboveground. That was a massive advantage.

Add to that the sheer, uncharted size of the Dungeon—its vast, unknowable depths—and it was clear: compared to the slow, politically tangled grind of surface expansion, the Dungeon was a goldmine.

And there was one more thing.

The Dungeon was hidden.

Just like no one really knew how deep the Dungeon faction’s power ran, no one would know how strong Emerald Castle had become if they built their base down there. They could grow in secret, out of sight, out of mind.

"Honestly... it’s a solid plan," Elynn said, nodding slowly, her eyes gleaming with interest. "If we can break into the Dungeon and establish a foothold, it’d be way more efficient than trying to conquer the Grand Duchies. Lilith..."

She trailed off, turning to look at Lilith.

After all, Lilith was the only one among them who had actually lived in the Dungeon. She knew it better than anyone. If anyone’s opinion mattered here, it was hers.

...