Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory
Chapter 436: Fatal weakness

Chapter 436: Fatal weakness

Given the current situation, there was absolutely no way they could pull anyone from the battle against Maelthorak to send reinforcements.

Doing that would be the beginning of the end.

They’d lose. Instantly.

"Damn it... If I’d known it would turn out like this, I should’ve brought Elyra and the others too... I was way too confident," Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.

Back then, he figured with Seraphina, Cicero, and Kyros—three Crimson Ultimate heroes—on the field, they’d be more than covered.

That should’ve been enough...

Besides, even if this was a major operation, they couldn’t just leave Crimsonstar Kingdom completely undefended.

That’s why he’d left Elyra, Seran, and the rest back home—to guard against any surprise attacks.

But he hadn’t expected this.

Even a dying beast still has fangs.

He’d underestimated Maelthorak—both his power and the forces he had hidden away.

Seraphina, Kyros, Cicero... all three Crimson Ultimate heroes were already in play.

And yet, they were still under this much pressure?

Damn... no wonder he’s one of the Sea Kings. And not just any Sea King—one of the top ten in the entire Tidesworn faction.

That kind of strength... it was terrifying.

"...Screw it. If that’s how it is, I’ll just have to step in myself."

With a sigh, Ethan rolled up his sleeves, ready to jump into the fray.

After all, he was a Crimson Ultimate hero who had undergone a second awakening.

Once he joined the fight, he could tip the scales in their favor.

"Alvariel, I’m going to need your help—and the help of everyone here. I’m counting on you," he said, turning to Archangel Alvariel with a calm but resolute voice.

Alvariel gave a slight nod, his eyes gleaming with divine light. "Lord Valkarion, we will give it everything we’ve got."

Shing!

Before his words had even fully landed, Alvariel drew his Angelblade, raised his head high, and shouted with righteous fury, "Brave warriors, with me! Clear the path ahead—slay every enemy that stands before us!"

"Light... eternal!"

"For the Light!"

As his voice rang out—

All 300 Archangels behind him drew their weapons in unison.

Their voices thundered across the battlefield.

"Light eternal!"

"Light eternal!"

"For the Light!"

...

"W-What the hell?! Are those... Archangels?!"

"Why the hell does he have Archangels from the Castle faction?! And that guy—he’s not... he’s not a Mythic Ace Unit Archangel, is he?!"

"No way! That’s impossible!"

The moment the Archangels entered the battlefield...

Regnar XI’s pupils shrank to pinpricks, his face twisting in shock.

First it was a Gold Dragon.

Now Archangels?!

And not just any Gold Dragon or Archangels—these were Mythic Ace Units?!

How the hell was this happening?

Could it be... that Emerald Castle actually had ties to both the Castle and Forest factions?

He could barely wrap his head around it.

"Opriston, what the hell is going on?!"

"Say something, damn it!"

Regnar XI was starting to panic.

"What are you yelling for?!"

"Enough with the whining! So what if they’ve got Archangels?"

"Open your damn eyes and look—we’re still the ones with the upper hand! What are you so scared of? As long as we win, who cares? Castle faction, Forest faction—none of them can touch us!"

Grand Duke Opriston’s voice was cold and sharp.

He sounded calm, but in truth, he’d already gone all in.

There was no turning back now.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the divine-level clash between Seraphina, Cicero, Kyros, and Maelthorak... was just getting started.

"Fools," Maelthorak growled, his eyes locked onto the three of them with icy contempt.

"In the face of absolute power, numbers mean nothing."

"If any of you had ascended to Intermediate Deity, maybe—just maybe—you’d stand a chance. But right now? The three of you? Heh... you’re still far too weak."

BOOM!

Without hesitation, Maelthorak struck. The massive claw beneath his belly, sharp as a sea-splitting spear, slammed into Seraphina with devastating force. The impact echoed like thunder across the sky.

Seraphina was sent flying, crashing through the air in a blur of silver and crimson.

She looked battered—barely holding it together.

RUMBLE!

But just then—

A blinding pillar of dark green light erupted in the sky. Cicero had teleported behind Maelthorak in a flash, unleashing his innate ability: Venomous Dragon Breath!

And yet...

Maelthorak didn’t even flinch.

He tanked the full blast head-on.

Then, with a furious roar, he spun around and shattered the attack like it was nothing.

"Not bad..." Maelthorak’s blood-red eyes locked onto Cicero, his voice low and menacing. "You’re close—almost at the threshold of Intermediate Deity. But that’s all it is. Close."

"You still can’t beat me."

"Damn it!" Seraphina shouted, her voice cracking with frustration. "Is the gap between us really that huge?! Are we seriously going to lose?!"

"No..." Cicero shook his head, his gaze steady as he stared Maelthorak down. "Right now, we can’t beat you. But the longer this drags on, the better our chances get. Isn’t that right, Sea King Maelthorak?"

As a Sea King, Maelthorak’s power was undeniably overwhelming.

But he had one fatal weakness—

He was fighting them while already seriously wounded.

The longer the battle went on, the more that injury would wear him down. And when that happened, the tide would turn. The ones with the real advantage... would be them.

Maelthorak’s expression shifted slightly at Cicero’s words.

Then his eyes twisted with fury—pure, unhinged rage.

"Then I’ll kill you before that happens."

"That’s all I need to do!"

"You dare challenge the might of a Sea King? You all... will die!"

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

As his voice thundered across the battlefield, the ocean itself responded.

Tidal waves surged upward like mountains, crashing into the sky before slamming down toward Seraphina and Cicero with unstoppable force.

But just then—Kyros made his move.

VMMM!

A surge of powerful will burst from him, radiating outward in waves. Wherever it spread, the raging sea was forced back—suppressed by sheer force of will.

"Don’t think you’re the only one who can command the sea!" Kyros roared. "I can too! And in front of me, your power means nothing—got it?!"

With that, he charged straight at Maelthorak, engaging him in brutal close combat.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Each clash between them sent shockwaves ripping through the battlefield—like stars exploding in miniature, bursts of light and destruction lighting up the sky.

The scene was nothing short of apocalyptic.

But it didn’t last long.

Kyros, too, was eventually sent flying by a devastating blow from Maelthorak.

He let out a sharp, pained scream as he crashed into the ground.

Truth be told, he was still a bit outmatched. Even Seraphina and Cicero were getting wrecked in one-on-one fights—Kyros didn’t stand a chance alone.

But the good news?

They could afford to drag this out.

Maelthorak... couldn’t.

And so, the battle raged on.

But the balance of power?

It was starting to shift.

...