Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 280: You’re like a god walking among us!

Even though he could technically do the same thing as Cicero—summon seawater and shape it into an ocean to unleash the power of the Sacred Realm—Ethan had already prepared a counter for that.

Kyros was standing by, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

The second that Leviathan tried to conjure seawater or create an ocean, Kyros would destroy it with everything he had.

To put it bluntly, Kyros belonged to the Kirin race—true rulers of the sea, beings revered as kings of the ocean. Just like Leviathan, Kyros had the power to create and erase seawater at will. That meant Leviathan had just lost his last, desperate shot at turning the tide.

Sure, he was a Crimson Ultimate Hero.

Sure, he’d undergone a second awakening.

But without the Sacred Realm’s power, he’d lost that near-godlike dominance he once had. And just like that, the outcome of this battle became crystal clear.

"Looks like we’re gonna win this..." Ethan murmured, eyes locked on the battlefield. His heart was pounding with excitement.

This was a Crimson Ultimate Hero after a second awakening, for crying out loud!

Taking him down—even if it was with a bit of strategy and luck—would still be a huge milestone. At the very least, from now on, whenever he faced enemies of this caliber, he wouldn’t feel that same crushing sense of helplessness.

"I’m jumping in too. The sooner we wipe out the grunts, the sooner this fight’s over." Ethan narrowed his eyes, then charged straight toward the enemy’s regular troops.

On the other side of the battlefield, the Leviathan Hero’s forces were already getting steamrolled by Balthazar, Auremax, the Bronze Golem Karnak, and Kyros.

Sure, the Leviathan Hero had a ton of 13-Tier Leviathans and even some 14-Tier Deep Sea Leviathans under his command. But that was all they had—numbers. And not even enough to make a real difference.

Meanwhile, over on the Emerald Castle’s side?

They were fielding Hero Units and Mythic Ace Units as their main force.

Honestly, that kind of lineup was ridiculously extravagant—enough to make anyone green with envy.

Because let’s be real: in any faction, when war breaks out, it’s always the regular troops who go in first, serving as cannon fodder. Hero Units and Mythic Ace Units are usually held back, deployed only when it’s time to land the killing blow or flip the entire battle on its head.

That’s because both Hero Units and Mythic Ace Units are incredibly rare—prized assets in any army. Their scarcity alone speaks volumes about their value, their importance, and their sheer power.

Any top-tier Hero Unit or Mythic Ace Unit has the kind of strength that can change the course of a battle, decide the outcome of a war, or even stand alone against an entire nation—or an entire world.

Which is exactly why Emerald Castle’s current battle formation was so outrageously luxurious—and why it had everyone else watching with envy.

...

"Lord Ethan, please be careful... These Leviathans and Deep Sea Leviathans are being empowered by their Hero’s aura. They’re way stronger than the wild ones you’ve fought before!"

As soon as Ethan charged into the battlefield, Lilith appeared at his side, speaking with respectful urgency.

To Hero Units like her, seeing their lord personally step into battle was never a good sign. It only meant one thing: they’d failed. A true lord—especially one of Ethan’s stature—should never have to fight unless it was for sport or amusement.

Fighting was their job. The job of Hero Units and regular troops.

And Lilith, being one of Ethan’s earliest Hero Units, had a pretty good sense of his strength. In her eyes, this level of battle was dangerously beyond what he should be handling.

Which is exactly why she didn’t want to see him risk his life.

If anything happened to him...

They’d all be held responsible.

"Don’t worry, Lilith," Ethan said with a calm smile, clearly reading her thoughts. "I think I can handle them with the strength I’ve got now. Let me give it a shot. Just keep an eye on me—if things get dicey, if I’m clearly outmatched, I’ll pull back immediately."

"Well... alright then..." Lilith exhaled, still uneasy but unable to argue further. "My lord, I’ll stay by your side and protect you with everything I have. Even if it costs me my life."

Ethan’s eyes softened, touched by her words.

Honestly, he’d always thought Lilith’s loyalty didn’t run as deep as Seraphina’s or Elynn’s. But now, hearing the sincerity in her voice and seeing it in her actions, he felt something shift. ƒreewebɳovel.com

He was genuinely moved.

"Lilith, I’m going in!"

With a grin, he turned his gaze toward one of the 14-Tier Deep Sea Leviathans.

At his current level—an S-rank, orange-tier Legendary Hero—13-Tier Legendary Units were no longer a challenge. What really caught his interest now were the 14-Tier Mythic Units under the Leviathan Hero’s command: the Deep Sea Leviathans.

BOOM!

Wings of radiant light burst open behind him.

A thunderous force exploded from within Ethan’s body as he launched himself into the air, streaking toward the nearest Deep Sea Leviathan like a blazing comet.

"Hoo..."

Lilith sucked in a breath, her body tensing.

She was ready to jump in at a moment’s notice.

But what happened next made her eyes go wide—and her jaw drop.

CRACK!

As Ethan closed in on the Deep Sea Leviathan, a sword appeared in his hand—wreathed in blazing holy fire.

He raised it high, then brought it crashing down with terrifying force.

The impact sent the massive Deep Sea Leviathan flying through the air like a ragdoll.

BANG! BANG! BANG—!

The Deep Sea Leviathan Ethan had struck was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into several other Leviathans and Deep Sea Leviathans before it finally managed to steady itself in midair. But when it rose again—

Lilith’s eyes widened in shock.

The creature was a wreck.

A massive, gaping wound stretched across its chest, nearly cleaving it in two. Blood poured from the torn flesh, and holy flames crackled and hissed across the exposed muscle, burning with a relentless fury.

Gulp.

Lilith swallowed hard, her voice trembling with disbelief. "That... that was insane!"

She could tell immediately—just that one strike from Ethan had already surpassed the strongest attack she herself could unleash. In other words, his current power level was far beyond hers.

But instead of feeling discouraged or inadequate—

She was thrilled.

Absolutely fired up.

"As expected of our lord... You’re like a god walking among us!"

Ethan chuckled, glancing her way. "Let’s not go that far."

Then his expression turned serious. "Lilith, you can relax now. These Leviathans and Deep Sea Leviathans can’t touch me. Go help the others—minimize our losses and end this fight as fast as possible."

"Yes, my lord!" Lilith nodded sharply, then turned and dashed off to support the rest of the army.

Meanwhile, inside the Soulbind Shackles, the number of Leviathans and Deep Sea Leviathans was dropping fast. One after another, they fell beneath the relentless assault of Emerald Castle’s forces.

And in the end, it was a total victory.

A clean sweep.

But even with the battlefield nearly cleared, one massive threat still remained.

"That’s the power of a Mythic Unit after a second awakening, huh? Even after all this, he’s still holding off both Seraphina and Cicero at the same time... So this is what a Crimson Ultimate Hero looks like after awakening twice. If he were still at full strength, I guess calling him a god wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration..."

Ethan stood among the fallen enemies, gazing toward the last remaining fight—where the Leviathan Hero was still locked in a brutal clash with Seraphina and Cicero.

He muttered the words with a mix of awe and respect.

Honestly, he hadn’t expected the Leviathan Hero to be this powerful.

Others might not realize it, but he could see it clearly.

Both Seraphina and Cicero had already lost more than half their health. Seraphina, in particular, was dangerously close to the one-third threshold—what they called the "red zone."

Which said everything about how intense and deadly this battle had been.

And the scariest part?

Even now, after being weakened by their combined assault, the Leviathan Hero was still holding his ground. If he’d still had access to his Sacred Realm powers...

Well, things might’ve gone very differently.

But now, the tide had turned.

The outcome was no longer in question.

Ethan’s eyes flashed with determination. Then he raised his voice, his tone sharp and commanding.

"Everyone—move in! Stay sharp. Let’s finish this bastard off and end it!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Understood, Master!"

...