Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory
Chapter 411: This is… way too complicated

Chapter 411: This is... way too complicated

"Fiesto? Blazeblade Kingdom?" Ethan frowned, still not quite getting it. "Alright, break it down for us. Just saying it like that—we’re not following."

"Yes, My Lord," Astharel nodded, then began slowly. "But before I explain that, I need to give you a clearer picture of how the Five Sea Kingdoms actually work. That’ll make everything easier to understand..."

He paused for a beat, then continued, "Out of the Five Sea Kingdoms, Blazeblade Kingdom is the strongest overall. It’s also the farthest from the Greenwave Empire. But ironically, they’re the most loyal lapdogs Greenwave has—at least on the surface. Now, why is that?"

"Ally with the far to strike the near?" Ethan said instinctively.

"Exactly." Astharel nodded without hesitation, his eyes gleaming.

"Blazeblade Kingdom is too far from Greenwave Empire to control directly. Whether they wanted to attack or fully dominate them, it’d be a logistical nightmare. Plus, Blazeblade borders the Forbidden Sea—too many unknowns, too many risks. So Greenwave decided to prop them up instead. Give them benefits. Let them act as a proxy to keep the other four kingdoms in check—squeeze them from the middle, suppress them completely."

"So technically, yeah, we’re called the Five Sea Kingdoms. But in reality? We haven’t been on the same side for a long time. And with all the perks Blazeblade’s gotten over the years, their loyalty to Greenwave is practically carved in stone. Getting them to turn on Greenwave? Damn near impossible."

At that, Ethan and Cicero exchanged a glance—finally starting to piece it together.

Now it was starting to make sense.

...

"Second, there’s the matter of personality," Astharel went on. "Grand Duke Zurei of Thundervale Kingdom is hot-headed and reckless—no subtlety at all. Regnar XI is petty and vengeful, easily blinded by hate, and honestly? Not the sharpest tool in the shed. But Grand Duke Fiesto? That guy’s got a stomach full of poison. He’s just as devious as Grand Duke Opriston—if not more."

"Opriston couldn’t fool him even if he tried."

"And then there’s the matter of geography. Blazeblade Kingdom is right up against the Forbidden Sea, and with Greenwave’s backing, they’ve become insanely powerful. Meanwhile, Thundervale Kingdom is right next door to them—so yeah, they’ve been getting crushed. As for us—Gemspire Kingdom—and Storm Kingdom, we’re not doing as bad, but we’re stuck near the coastal zones of the Sacred Continent. Honestly? We’re boxed in."

"So everyone’s desperate for change."

"Maybe that’s exactly why Grand Duke Opriston—or rather, Maelthorak—set their sights on us," Astharel murmured.

Ethan’s eyes widened as the full picture clicked into place. He opened his mouth, stunned. "You’re saying... their real targets are the other four kingdoms?"

"I think it’s more of a mutual benefit situation," Astharel replied calmly. "Sea King Maelthorak picked Grand Duke Opriston as his ally. In return, Opriston wants to swallow up the other four kingdoms. That’s not surprising."

"What he didn’t count on... is that I’ve already defected."

Astharel gave a small shrug, his eyes glinting with amusement.

After a pause, he added, "Also, I think the Greenwave Empire already knows what they’re up to... but they’re waiting."

"Waiting?" Ethan blinked, then blurted out, "You mean they’re watching to see if Maelthorak lives or dies? Or whether he can recover his Primordial Force?"

"Exactly." Astharel nodded again, his gaze sharp. "There was a rumor going around recently—apparently, the Emerald Emperor Oislor has been getting real close with another Sea King, Byolarn."

"I think that’s no coincidence."

"He’s putting pressure on Maelthorak."

"Think about it—Oislor is the Emperor of the Greenwave Empire, one of the most powerful rulers in all the seas. If word got out that he backed a traitor? That would be a stain on his name."

"So he’s forcing Maelthorak to make a move."

"If Maelthorak pulls it off, Oislor can pretend none of this ever happened. But if he fails? Then Oislor can pivot to Byolarn, stabilize Greenwave’s position, and come out clean. It’s a win-win."

"And that’s probably why Grand Duke Opriston didn’t even bother trying to rope in Fiesto. Greenwave might be willing to cut ties with the rest of us—but not with Blazeblade Kingdom. They’ve invested too much in them. No way they’re letting that go to waste."

As Astharel finished, Ethan and Cicero just stared at each other for a long moment.

Finally, Cicero let out a helpless laugh and shook his head. "This is... way too complicated."

"That’s just how it is when you’re in this kind of position," Astharel said with a bitter smile. "If you’re weak, the only way to survive is to constantly think of ways to turn the situation in your favor. But if you’re strong enough... then you can smash through everything. Use raw power to break every chain. It’s the simplest solution—and also the hardest."

Ethan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then asked, "So what’s your suggestion now?"

He was starting to feel pretty damn lucky he’d brought Astharel in early. Without him, all this political maneuvering would’ve been a nightmare to navigate. He was still new to the game—green, really—and if he’d gone in blind, those old foxes would’ve eaten him alive.

Astharel gave him a long, meaningful look. "That really depends on what you want, My Lord... or rather, how bold you’re willing to be."

"If you just want to protect yourself, that’s easy."

"Right now, we’re not the ones who should be panicking—they are. The longer we drag this out, the better it is for us. They’re not going to make the first move. They lost, they’re licking their wounds—it’s only natural they’d keep their heads down."

"Besides, it’s not just Inferno anymore. Even the Fortress faction is starting to eye the seas. The Tidesworn can barely manage their own mess right now. They’re in no position to come after Castle territory."

"And even during peacetime, they wouldn’t dare provoke the Castle faction. So now? No way. They don’t have the guts."

Ethan fell silent for a moment, then looked up at Astharel again, his gaze sharp. "But what if... I want to kill Maelthorak?"

"Then there’s only one path forward—get stronger. That’s the only way," Astharel said without hesitation.

Then he turned to Cicero, his eyes gleaming. "Their plan right now is actually pretty solid. But it has one major flaw—they’ve definitely misjudged Emerald Castle’s true strength. In other words, they’ve underestimated us."

"Prince Cicero, Princess Seraphina... and if we include Prince Kyros as well..."

"That’s three Crimson Ultimate heroes. And not just any Crimson Ultimates—three who’ve undergone second awakenings."

"I’m thinking, with that kind of firepower, even if we were facing Sea King Maelthorak before the faction war, we could still hold our own. No way they saw that coming. And besides..."