Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 176: Stirring?

"Master, I want in on this battle too."

Just then, Elyra spoke up.

"You do?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah! I want to fight alongside Seraphina! And those ugly bastards from the Dungeon—I’ve had it with them. This is the perfect chance to teach them a lesson!"

Elyra pumped her tiny fists, practically bouncing with excitement.

Magic particles shimmered and danced around her, radiating a powerful energy that made the air around her buzz.

Ethan could only let out a helpless chuckle.

Elyra might look quiet and sweet on the outside, but deep down, she was just like Seraphina—battle-hungry and always itching for a fight. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been pestering Seraphina every other day to take her to the Behemoth Lair just to pick fights with the Behemoth clan.

No exaggeration—if you asked the Behemoths to rank the Emerald Castle heroes they were most familiar with, Seraphina would be number one.

And Elyra? She’d be number two.

Even Cicero, with his Crimson Ultimate-tier Green Dragon title, didn’t leave as strong an impression. That alone said a lot about how wild things had gotten between Elyra and Seraphina during their recent rampages through the Behemoth Lair.

"Elyra, sit down for a sec. Let me finish what I was saying," Ethan said, his tone shifting slightly—like he had something else on his mind.

"Oh... okay..."

Elyra looked a little disappointed, but she didn’t argue. She plopped down obediently, eyes still sparkling with anticipation.

Ethan took a breath and continued. "You all remember the sub-base expansion plan, right? Well, I’ve got two treasure maps in my hands right now. Both point toward the ocean. And from what I can tell, they’re not just any maps—they’re high-value targets. So I’m debating whether we should head out to sea first..."

"To the sea?"

Everyone blinked, caught off guard.

"Master, are you suggesting... a split operation?" Cicero asked.

"Yeah..." Ethan nodded. "The Dungeon army isn’t going to launch a full-scale attack right away. And even if they do, you guys are way more capable of handling it than I am."

He was being honest with himself.

When it came to small skirmishes, he could wing it and still come out on top—mostly because they were steamrolling the enemy anyway. But when it came to something as serious as defending against the full might of the Dungeon army, the best thing he could do was trust his team and delegate.

Truth was, he had no clue how to lead a real battle. Better to leave it to the pros than screw things up trying to play commander.

And fortunately, Emerald Castle had not one, but two seasoned tacticians.

Cicero.

And Elynn.

"I think it’s a solid plan," Cicero said with a nod. "The Dungeon army might look intimidating, but they’re really just here to stir up trouble. In the end, they’ll crawl back to the Dungeon. The surface world holds no real appeal for them."

"What we need to do is hold out until they burn themselves out. And for that, we don’t need to tie up all our forces here."

"So what’s the plan?" Seraphina asked, turning to Ethan. "Master, I want to go with you. Out to sea."

"I thought you wanted to fight?" Ethan shot back.

"I—I—I..." Seraphina stammered, then blurted out, "I want both!"

Ethan couldn’t help but laugh.

Yep. She was definitely an adult now.

Adults don’t make choices—they want it all.

But this time, Ethan couldn’t grant Seraphina her wish.

"Seraphina," he said, looking her in the eyes, "I want Cicero to come with me on this sea expedition."

He spoke calmly but firmly. "Even if we don’t need everyone here, we still can’t underestimate the Dungeon army. You’re our strongest force in Emerald Castle. I need you here to hold the line."

Seraphina’s shoulders slumped a little. "Alright... if you say so."

She was clearly disappointed, but she didn’t argue. If Ethan had made up his mind, she’d respect it.

Ethan turned to the rest of the group. "Cicero’s the only one coming with me. Everyone else stays here, just in case."

"Elynn."

"Here!" Elynn stood up immediately, her posture straight and ready.

"You’ll be in charge of the eastern front reinforcements. While I’m gone, everyone follows Elynn’s orders. Got it?"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Understood, Lord Ethan!"

"Got it..."

Everyone responded in unison—well, almost everyone.

Balthazar looked a little puzzled. He hadn’t expected the overall command to fall to an Elven Pegasus Knight, and a purple-tier Epic hero at that. But no one else seemed surprised. In fact, they all accepted it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And honestly, it kind of was.

Even top-tier heroes like Cicero and Seraphina—both Crimson Ultimate-tier Green Dragon heroes—often followed Elynn’s lead in battle. That said a lot.

Aside from Ethan himself, Elynn was basically the second-in-command of Emerald Castle.

Sure, her hero tier wasn’t anything flashy—just Epic—but her tactical mind and leadership were undeniable. Everyone respected her. No one questioned her authority.

Ethan turned to Elyra next. "You’re staying too. Stick with Seraphina, and make sure you listen to Elynn."

He gave her a meaningful look. "And when the fighting starts, be careful. Don’t do anything reckless."

A soft warmth flickered in Elyra’s eyes. "Don’t worry, Master. I’ll be careful."

"As for the rest of you, your assignments stay the same," Ethan continued. "Lilith, keep monitoring the Dungeon entrances. Eldorin, Bromir—you’re on castle defense. Balthazar... wait for Elynn’s orders."

"Understood," Balthazar nodded, though he still looked a little unsure.

BOOM—!

Suddenly, a gust of wind howled outside the war hall, shaking the walls with a low rumble.

Everyone froze for a second, instinctively turning toward the sound.

The doors swung open, and in strode Auremax, the Gold Dragon, his massive form casting a long shadow across the chamber. He walked up to Ethan and spoke in a deep, steady voice.

"My lord, the Night Elves in the west... they’re stirring again."

"Stirring?" Ethan’s expression darkened.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Tell me. What’s going on?"