Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory
Chapter 376: Thoughts

Chapter 376: Thoughts

"General Grant, where are we headed?" Drake asked.

"To... Boston!" Nathaniel took a deep breath, eyes blazing with determination.

"B...Boston?!"

"You mean... could it be—?!"

Drake froze, his whole body tensing up. His face shifted to shock as he stared hard at Nathaniel.

Now that it was just the two of them, Nathaniel didn’t bother hiding anything. He burst out laughing—loud and triumphant. "That’s right! Boston. I just got the word. Emily says her brother—Mr. Ethan from the Draconic Pact—has finally logged off the game. He’s ready to meet us!"

"If we want any shot at standing up to the Russian Empire... if we want to take on the White Bear Tsar... then Ethan from the Draconic Pact is our only hope right now. So get moving—I need to be in Boston ASAP!"

By the end of his sentence, Nathaniel’s face had turned deadly serious.

But deep in his eyes, a flicker of hope had begun to burn.

"Understood!"

...

A few hours later—

Inside a five-star hotel in Boston.

Nathaniel and Drake arrived, worn out from the trip but buzzing with anticipation.

And then—they saw him. Ethan.

"Mr. Ethan, it’s been almost a year. Feels like forever!" Nathaniel couldn’t help but exclaim the moment he saw him. Then he gestured toward Drake and added, "Let me introduce someone—this is Drake. He’s the top of our military’s Big Four. One of the few remaining elite forces in The Free Federation."

"In the world of Glory Lords X, Drake plays a Tier 8 hidden unit from the Castle faction—Holy Crusader."

"His hero tier? SSS-level, Epic-grade, purple."

As soon as Nathaniel finished, Drake stepped forward with energy and warmth. "Mr. Ethan, it’s an honor to finally meet you. I’m Drake Whitaker."

He extended his hand.

"Ethan Parker. Pleasure’s mine..." Ethan smiled, his usual cool demeanor softening in the face of such genuine enthusiasm. He reached out and shook Drake’s hand firmly.

Then, with a chuckle, he added, "General Grant, Drake—you’re already here, no need to stand on ceremony. Sit down, relax."

"Well, if you insist—ha ha ha..." Nathaniel laughed and took a seat. He didn’t waste time getting to the point. "Mr. Ethan, I have to ask—are you up to speed on everything that’s gone down over the past year?"

"You mean the three major factions and the Russian Empire’s White Bear Tsar?"

"I’ve heard bits and pieces. My sister filled me in on some of it ahead of time," Ethan replied casually.

"And what’s your take on it?" Drake asked, unable to hide the urgency in his voice.

"Thoughts?"

Ethan paused for a second, then shook his head with a wry smile. "If you’re asking me... honestly, I don’t really have any."

"But—" Drake started to press further, but Nathaniel cut him off sharply.

"Drake, shut it! One more word and you can get the hell out!"

Drake gave an awkward laugh and quickly apologized. "I’m sorry, Mr. Ethan. I spoke out of turn..."

Seeing the tension, Nathaniel turned to Ethan with a slightly uneasy look and said apologetically, "I’m really sorry, Mr. Ethan. Drake’s been in the military his whole life—he’s not exactly the most tactful guy. He didn’t mean anything by it. If he said anything out of line, I’ll take responsibility."

"Don’t worry, General Grant. My brother’s not that petty," Emily chimed in, glancing at Ethan. "Right, Ethan?"

Ethan looked at her, then smiled and nodded. "General Grant, we’ve known each other a long time. No need to walk on eggshells. We’re just talking here—relax. I’m not that thin-skinned."

Nathaniel blinked, then finally let out a breath, his shoulders easing. He gave a bitter chuckle, like he was finally letting some of the weight off. "Mr. Ethan, I won’t lie to you—this past year’s been rough. Really rough."

"Ever since the White Bear Tsar became an orange-tier Legendary hero, the Russian Empire’s been eyeing global domination. Sure, his hero level hasn’t fully matured yet, so they haven’t made any major moves... but as time goes on, they’re getting bolder. More aggressive. More reckless."

"But isn’t there still The Pantheon? The alliance between Europe and Oceania?" Ethan asked calmly. "If you teamed up, couldn’t you stop them?"

"Maybe... but those guys in The Pantheon? They’re not really on our side. Hell, even within The Free Federation, every member country’s got its own agenda. There’s no unity," Nathaniel said, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

"Then what’s the point of forming a federation at all?" Ethan asked, his tone suddenly sharper. "If you can’t even manage basic unity, then this so-called federation is just a house of cards. It’s meaningless."

Nathaniel looked stunned. "But if we didn’t form the federation, and all those smaller nations just started siding with the Russian Empire... wouldn’t our situation be even worse?"

"General Grant, let me ask you—why do you think the Russian Empire’s been able to act so brazenly?" Ethan sighed.

"Because of the White Bear Tsar?" Drake blurted out before Nathaniel could answer.

"Exactly." Ethan nodded. "Let’s be real—just one White Bear Tsar, and the entire world’s already shaking in its boots. Doesn’t that tell you something?"

"In this era, the real battlefield isn’t Earth anymore. It’s Glory Lords X. That’s where the power is. That’s where the future is. Whoever dominates that world... dominates everything."

He paused, then looked directly at Nathaniel, his voice calm but pointed. "General Grant, think about it. Was the creation of The Free Federation really just about survival? Or was it also about certain people’s egos—trying to play savior, trying to look important?"

Nathaniel froze for a moment, then gave a sheepish smile. "You’re right. If we can’t even hold together as one, then the federation really is just dead weight..."

"But like you said, we want to build power in Glory Lords X. We really do. It’s just... wanting it doesn’t make it happen. You need timing, opportunity, and the right people. And honestly? We’ve been short on luck."

"Especially this past year... the faction wars in Glory Lords X have been brutal. Everything we spent decades building—gone in a flash. All our plans, all our groundwork, just... wiped out."

"To be honest, it’s been devastating for us."

...