Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 234: Let it burn

"We... we lost? Why?! Someone tell me—why the hell did this happen?!"

"The entire Sacred Kirin Legion is gone! Thirty Tier-14 Sacred Kirins—dead! Our Crimsonstar Kingdom’s invincible navy... completely wiped out?! Someone explain this to me! How is this even possible?!"

At that very moment, King Elandor XVII of the Crimsonstar Kingdom had just received the devastating news—and he was losing it.

He was pacing like a madman, his rage boiling over, his heart bleeding with every word. His whole body trembled, his face pale and ashen, like he was about to pass out from the shock.

It felt like someone had carved chunks of flesh straight off his body.

The pain was searing. Unbearable.

An entire Sacred Kirin Legion—gone.

Thirty Tier-14 Sacred Kirins—gone.

Just... gone?

How could this happen?

Why? Why the hell did this happen?!

Everyone in the throne room stood frozen, watching their king unravel. No one dared to speak. The air was thick with dread, like the whole palace was suffocating under a dark, heavy cloud.

It didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be real.

The Sacred Kirin army—wiped out?

Our Crimsonstar Kingdom’s unbeatable navy—completely annihilated?

What the actual hell is going on?!

How could something this insane actually happen?!

"BANG!"

Elandor XVII kicked over the chair in front of him, sending it crashing across the marble floor. He roared, "What, all of you lost your damn tongues?! Say something! Now’s the time to talk, and you’re all just standing there like statues?!"

"Y-Your Majesty," one trembling voice finally spoke up—a clearly clueless noble who probably should’ve kept his mouth shut. "This... this is too much. Emerald Castle and the Unicorn Duchy have gone too far! Maybe... maybe we should just go to war with them!"

"Are you out of your damn mind?! Fight them? With what army? You gonna lead the charge yourself?!"

That was Tarneth, the legendary Naga Swordsman—an orange-ranked Hero Unit, and one of the kingdom’s most powerful warriors. He exploded with fury, his voice echoing through the hall.

"Idiot! The entire Sacred Kirin Legion is gone! General Thalric is dead! And do you even know how long it takes to bring back a Hero Unit? A year—maybe two! You want revenge now? That’s not bravery—that’s suicide!"

Unlike regular troops, Hero Units had insanely long resurrection times.

Six months, a year, sometimes even longer.

Which meant, right now, Crimsonstar Kingdom had just lost two of its most critical pillars of power. If they tried to retaliate now, it wouldn’t be a counterattack—it’d be a death march.

It’d be suicide.

Tarneth’s outburst seemed to snap Elandor XVII back to his senses. His face was still grim, but the wild fury in his eyes dimmed just a little. He turned to Tarneth, voice low and tight.

"Tarneth... what do we do now?"

"We have no choice but to wait."Tarneth’s face was grim, his jaw tight with frustration, but he forced himself to stay composed as he spoke slowly. "Given our current situation, unless we pull back the other Sacred Kirin Legion from the border, we don’t stand a chance. But that’s not even an option."

"Your Majesty, you know as well as I do—if we withdraw that legion, our border defenses will collapse. And if that happens, Gemspire Kingdom, Storm Kingdom, and Blazeblade Kingdom will jump at the chance to strike. We’ll be caught in a pincer attack, and the consequences would be catastrophic. And that’s not all..."

Tarneth’s tone shifted, growing heavier, more serious. "Emerald Castle has officially allied with the Unicorn Duchy. If war breaks out now, even with me and Brannor—our only remaining orange-tier Legendary Heroes—we’re no match for Roland, plus Emerald Castle’s two Crimson Ultimate Heroes and their two Mythic Ace Units."

Elandor XVII’s face went stiff, his expression darkening like a storm cloud.

"So what, you’re saying we just let this go?!"

"Of course not..."

Tarneth let out a cold, bitter laugh. His eyes narrowed, a glint of ruthless calculation flashing in them. "Your Majesty, we’ve confirmed it—the Kirin Egg from Stellamaris Kingdom is still intact. Now, let’s be honest: we can’t handle that thing ourselves. But there’s someone out there who’d be very interested in it..."

He pointed upward.

Elandor XVII froze for a second. Then his face twisted, as if he’d just swallowed poison. "You mean..."

"Exactly."

Tarneth nodded without hesitation. "The Tidesworn faction."

Just like the Unicorn Duchy had the Castle faction backing them, Crimsonstar Kingdom had its own patron: the Tidesworn.

Sure, among the major factions, Tidesworn ranked near the bottom in terms of influence. But a faction was still a faction.

Compared to Crimsonstar Kingdom, Emerald Castle, or even the naval powerhouse Greenwave Empire, the Tidesworn were on a whole different level—an overwhelming force that could crush any of them without breaking a sweat.

They were the kind of power that didn’t just loom over kingdoms—they could erase them.

And Tarneth’s plan was simple: redirect the storm.

Unless they were suicidal or ready to go down in flames, there was no way Crimsonstar Kingdom could take the Kirin Egg from Emerald Castle now.

Wait a year for Thalric to resurrect and try again?

That was even more unrealistic.

Emerald Castle was only getting stronger by the day, while Crimsonstar Kingdom was stagnating—maybe even weakening. Even if, by some miracle, they managed to defeat Emerald Castle a year from now and seize the Kirin Egg, the cost would be devastating.

And once word got out?

It wouldn’t just be about losing territory.

It would be the beginning of the end—a feeding frenzy of greedy powers descending on them like vultures. A full-blown extinction-level event.

That’s why, from Tarneth’s perspective, the Crimson Ultimate Hero wasn’t worth the risk anymore. He was ready to let it go.

But...

Elandor XVII clenched his fists, his voice low and bitter. "But still..."

This was a Crimson Ultimate Hero they were talking about.

If they could get their hands on one, it would completely transform Crimsonstar Kingdom’s foundation. Once that Hero matured, their national power would skyrocket. It would be a game-changer.

And now Tarneth was telling him to give that up?

Damn it... was that really the only option?

"Your Majesty, that Kirin Egg... it’s out of reach now. There’s no way we can take it."

The voice came from an old man in a deep blue robe, his long beard tucked into his belt, and a wide-brimmed mage’s hat shadowing his eyes. His tone was calm, but heavy with finality.

"The situation now is nothing like before. The Inferno faction has made its intentions clear—they’re preparing to invade the Prime World."

He paused, letting the weight of those words settle over the room.

"That means chaos is coming. Soon, the entire Prime World will be thrown into turmoil. All the rules, the balance, the order we’ve relied on—they’ll collapse. Everything will be rewritten."

"In that kind of world, even if we did manage to steal the Kirin Egg, it would be far too dangerous to keep. The moment word gets out, we’d become a target for everyone. One slip, and we’re not just talking about defeat—we’re talking about total annihilation."

Unlike Tarneth’s more measured approach, the old mage didn’t sugarcoat it. He laid it out plain and brutal.

This wasn’t just politics anymore. It was survival.

Once the Inferno faction made their move, the fragile peace between the major powers would shatter. The old pacts, the unspoken rules—they’d all be meaningless. And in that chaos, Crimsonstar Kingdom would be exposed, vulnerable, and surrounded by enemies.

Could they really afford to take that kind of risk?

Probably not.

"...Fine."

After hearing it from both sides, Elandor XVII finally gave in.

But his surrender wasn’t peaceful.

He clenched his jaw so hard it looked like his teeth might crack. His face twisted, dark and venomous, as a cold, cruel smile crept across his lips.

"If that’s how it is... then I’ll report this to Lord Maelthorak myself."

Maelthorak.

A name that carried weight like a tidal wave.

A Crimson Ultimate Hero of the Tidesworn faction—one of the Sea Kings who ruled the endless oceans. His power and status rivaled even the Demon Kings of Inferna.

He wasn’t just Crimsonstar Kingdom’s patron—he was their shield, their sword, their godfather in the shadows. He commanded fleets, ruled over multiple maritime kingdoms, and his influence stretched across the seas like a stormfront.

But more than that... Maelthorak was a Kirin Hero.

Just like little Kyros, he was born from the legendary 13-Tier Kirin bloodline. A being of immense power and ancient legacy.

Years ago, during a brutal clash between Crimson Ultimate Heroes, Maelthorak had been defeated. His Primordial Force—the very essence of his power—was damaged. He’d been recovering ever since, but the wound had never fully healed.

And now... a Crimson Ultimate Hero born from the same Kirin lineage?

That kind of essence would be the perfect remedy.

A feast for his broken soul.

"Heh..."

Elandor XVII chuckled darkly, the sound low and twisted, like something slithering through a graveyard.

His entire presence shifted—no longer just a king, but a man consumed by spite, by vengeance, by the need to destroy what he couldn’t possess.

If he couldn’t have the Kirin Egg... then no one would.

Let it burn.

Let them all burn.

Better to turn it to ash than let it fall into someone else’s hands.

If he couldn’t rise, then he’d drag everyone else down with him.

End it all...