Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 251: Gem Dragon Isle

"Lord of Emerald Castle, I really owe you one for this!"

Just then, The Tidebreaker, Paxton, walked over with a relaxed smile, speaking to Ethan in a low, friendly tone.

Sure, Ethan had walked away with most of the spoils from killing the Infernal Lord—but Paxton wasn’t exactly coming out empty-handed either.

Truth was, chasing down Infernal Lord Malphas hadn’t been some spur-of-the-moment decision on Paxton’s part. It was actually a mission handed down by the Greenwave Empire—the power behind Paxton’s own Gemspire Kingdom—to the Five Sea Kingdoms.

With the Inferno and Dungeon factions growing more aggressive and their intentions clearer by the day, war had already begun to spread across the main world like wildfire. Especially in the territories of the top-tier overlords—those places had become the frontlines of this massive faction war.

So, taking out a major enemy hero like Malphas? That meant rewards from the Greenwave Empire, maybe even from the faction itself.

In other words, this whole thing had been a win-win for both Paxton and Ethan.

"I should be the one thanking you," Ethan replied with a modest smile. "If you hadn’t backed me up, I probably wouldn’t have been able to take down Malphas on my own."

Paxton chuckled. "Heh, there’s something I’m not sure you’ve heard yet..." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "The Sea King Maelthorak from the Tidesworn faction has put out a secret bounty. They’re actively hunting for you—word is, it’s because of that Kirin egg you’ve got... though I doubt they realize you’ve already managed to hatch it."

Since the Five Sea Kingdoms were backed by the Greenwave Empire, it didn’t seem like Paxton had any intention of selling Ethan out.

"I’ve heard," Ethan said with a nod. "But thanks for the heads-up."

"Good. Just... don’t take this the wrong way," Paxton added, his tone turning a bit more serious. "But if I were you, I’d get out of these waters as soon as possible. Back in peacetime, Maelthorak might’ve hesitated to go after one of his own kind. But now? Things are different. With the Inferno and Dungeon factions launching a full-scale invasion of the main world, everything’s chaos. He might see this as the perfect chance to make a move."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly at that. After a moment, he asked quietly, "It’s gotten that bad already?"

Paxton gave a grim nod. "Yeah... you haven’t heard? The Inferno and Dungeon factions have officially declared war on the Light Alliance."

Ethan’s pupils contracted. "They’ve actually declared war?"

That wasn’t just some political posturing. A formal declaration of war meant the point of no return had been crossed. The age of peace was over—war was here.

"Yep," Paxton said with a bitter smile. "The seas are in chaos. Infernal legions are pouring out of Hell Gates, burning, killing, looting—total devastation. Things are so bad, I’ve already heard of several smaller nations being completely wiped out in this faction war."

Then his tone shifted, a hint of relief in his voice. "Luckily, the Dungeon armies suck at naval combat. You barely see them out at sea. If they were any better on water, things would be even worse."

"So what you’re saying is... the real disaster’s happening on land," Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples.

"Exactly," Paxton said without hesitation. "Word is, the Inferno faction’s comeback is all about revenge against the Light Alliance. They never let go of a grudge. In the last faction war, tens of thousands of years ago, they took a serious beating from the Light Alliance. This time, they’ve been planning for ages—and they’re going all in."

"And the Light Alliance’s three main factions—Castle, Forest, and Tower—they’re all land-based. Same with the Dungeon armies. So now that full-scale war’s broken out, you can imagine how bad things are getting on the mainland. Total chaos."

"..."

Ethan let out a quiet sigh and rubbed his temples, which were starting to throb.

So basically... nowhere was safe now.

Still, he didn’t dwell on it too much. What was done was done—no point panicking. If trouble came knocking, he’d deal with it head-on. Besides, the Inferno and Dungeon factions weren’t even targeting him specifically. No need to freak himself out over something that might not even happen. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

With that thought, he reached into his inventory and pulled out the orange-grade tome, Gemstone Isles. Holding it up, he turned to The Tidebreaker Paxton.

"Hey, Paxton, mind helping me out with something? Do you recognize the location marked in this book?"

After scoring big from the last orange-grade tome quest, Ethan was fired up. Now that the Inferno and Dungeon factions had officially declared war on the Light Alliance, there was no doubt about it—Glory Lords X had entered its war era. Total chaos.

And in times like these, what mattered most?

Power. Always power.

That last orange-grade tome had practically made him rich. If he could complete another one? Who knew what kind of rewards he’d get?

Sure, there was a looming threat out at sea... but he decided to put that on the back burner for now. One step at a time.

After all, fortune favors the bold.

As long as he stayed sharp and cautious, he could finish this second orange-grade tome quest—Gemstone Isles—and then get the hell out of here. No need to rush.

According to Cicero’s analysis, the location referenced in Gemstone Isles was likely somewhere within the Gemspire Kingdom, one of the Five Sea Kingdoms. And if anyone would know something about it, it’d be Paxton—the kingdom’s top-tier hero.

As for whether Paxton might get greedy?

Ethan had been watching him closely. So far, the guy didn’t seem like the type to make a dumb move like that.

"This is..." Paxton took the orange-grade tome and gave it a quick glance. His pupils immediately contracted, and his voice dropped into a serious tone. "Where did you get this?"

Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t answer.

"...Sorry. That was out of line," Paxton said after a beat, realizing he’d slipped. He looked back down at the book, eyes flickering with something between awe and curiosity. "This... this looks like a map to Gem Dragon Isle."

"Gem Dragon Isle?" Ethan echoed, puzzled.

Paxton nodded, a rare look of reverence crossing his face. "Yeah. It’s a sacred place in the Gemspire Kingdom. Home to a whole population of rare and incredibly powerful Gem Dragons. They’re our kingdom’s totems—our spiritual guardians."

Hearing that, Ethan’s mind started racing.

If even someone like Paxton—who’d undergone a second awakening and was easily one of the strongest heroes around—was this moved by the mention of Gem Dragon Isle, then this place had to be way more than just a Tier-13 hidden creature dwelling for Gem Dragons like he’d originally assumed.

"This sounds like another goldmine..." Ethan muttered under his breath. Then he looked up at Paxton. "So, can you actually get into this Gem Dragon Isle?"

"Under normal circumstances? No," Paxton said, shaking his head. "It’s a sacred site. Outsiders aren’t allowed in unless they’re summoned by the Gem Dragons themselves."

But then he paused, staring at the tome in his hands with a strange expression. "That said... I can feel the presence of the Gem Dragons in this book. Their power. This might be some kind of token of recognition."

Ethan’s eyes lit up.

That meant Paxton definitely knew where the island was. And if he could take Ethan there directly, it’d save him a ton of time and effort.

"This..." The Tidebreaker Paxton hesitated for a moment, clearly torn. Then, after a brief pause, he clenched his jaw and made up his mind. "Alright, fine. I’ll take you there. But listen, Lord of Emerald Castle—you need to promise me something. If I’m wrong, and this isn’t actually a token from the Gem Dragons, then you leave with me immediately. No arguments. If you refuse... don’t blame me for turning on you."

"Deal," Ethan agreed without hesitation.

This was a system quest—there was no way it was wrong.

"Then let’s not waste any time. Let’s go," Ethan said, already fired up.

"Alright..."

...

Meanwhile, back on Blackwake Isle, just outside the interdimensional portal—

Prince Corvan of the Storm Kingdom was in the middle of a heated argument with another man.

"Second Prince, listen to me! Emerald Castle isn’t as simple as you think. They’re strong—really strong. And that Kirin egg? It’s already hatched! You seriously still want to capture him and hand him over to Lord Maelthorak? If the Kirin clan finds out, we’re screwed! The entire Storm Kingdom could be wiped out!"

"Hmph."

The man he was speaking to let out a cold snort. He was clad in gleaming, ornate armor, his golden hair slicked back, and his sharp, hooked nose gave him a hawk-like air of arrogance. His whole presence radiated superiority.

"Coward. Don’t project your weakness onto me," he sneered. "So what if Emerald Castle is powerful? Lord Maelthorak is a Sea King. You think they can stand against a Sea King?"

He waved a dismissive hand, as if the very idea was laughable.

"Besides, I’m not the one stealing his Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force. I’m just delivering him. Once he’s in Lord Maelthorak’s hands, it’s no longer our problem. And with the Sea King’s protection, what do we have to be afraid of?"

"But—"

Corvan tried to protest again, but the golden-haired man cut him off sharply.

"Enough! You spineless coward. Watch your mouth. I’m your older brother. I don’t need your permission—or your opinions—on what I choose to do."

...