Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 202: Why are you staring at me like that?

"You want to defect to me?"

Ethan blinked, caught off guard. He stared at Draven, puzzled. "Why?"

"It’s actually pretty simple..." Draven gave a bitter smile. "No matter who wins this war, I’m screwed either way. I’ll be stuck in the middle, hated by both sides. So I have to make a choice—either I join you before the final battle, or I betray you before it even starts. Otherwise, I’m dead no matter what."

Before Ethan could respond, Draven pressed on, his tone earnest. "My lord, I may be a pirate, but I, Draven, still have a damn line I won’t cross!"

"Yeah, I’ve raided merchant ships, collected protection money, harassed coastal towns, and warned the Unicorn Duchy not to mess with us—but I’ve never done anything that made me lose sleep at night!"

"And what about the Devils?" Ethan asked coolly. "How do you explain that? You do realize anyone who sides with the Devils can’t be trusted, right?"

It wasn’t that Ethan was some bleeding-heart saint. But if someone was willing to throw in with the Devils, that meant they were either desperate or dangerously unpredictable. Either way, not someone you want close—especially not in your inner circle.

Draven’s face stiffened. He gave a strained laugh. "My lord, to be honest, I didn’t have much of a choice when it came to the Devils."

"They sent ten—ten—Tier 14 Mythic Units. Arch Devils. Just to ’negotiate’ with me. But let’s be real, it wasn’t a negotiation. I never had the option to say no."

Ethan didn’t reply right away. His eyes narrowed, thoughtful.

After a moment, he said flatly, "We’ll see how you perform."

"Yes, sir..."

It wasn’t the answer Draven had hoped for, but it was enough to make him breathe easier. As long as Ethan didn’t shut the door completely, there was still a chance. And for Draven, that was all he needed right now.

They continued sailing through the fog-shrouded waters for the better part of the day, zigzagging through the treacherous sea routes.

Eventually, a formidable Tier 2 warship came into view—its presence commanding and unmistakable.

As soon as they got close, Ethan spotted the Tideborn Spirit hero Draven had mentioned.

[Sevrin]

Gender: Male

Level: 47

Tier: 9

Race: Tideborn Spirit

Grade: Orange – Legendary Hero

Class: Water Mage

Attack: 33

Defense: 42

Spell Power: 171

Knowledge: 144

HP: 14,800

Magic Damage: 264–315

Damage Type: ...

...

Overall Rating: d-rank Orange Legendary Hero

"D-rank," Ethan noted. That meant Sevrin was the weakest among the Legendary-tier heroes.

His low attack and defense stats, paired with high spell power and knowledge, made it clear—Sevrin was a glass-cannon mage, through and through.

Ethan’s eyes flicked with interest as he reached out mentally to Cicero in the system space. "Cicero, how long would this guy last against you?"

"If I ambush him? I could one-shot him," Cicero replied without hesitation. Then he added, "But Master, I don’t think this guy’s a real Legendary-tier hero. He feels... artificially boosted."

"Artificially boosted? That’s even possible?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"It is," Cicero said. "But the cost is massive. You’d need something like a Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force... or a priceless artifact. Either way, it’s not worth it."

"A Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force?" Ethan looked at him like he’d just suggested selling your soul for a sandwich. "That’s insane. Who the hell would do that?"

The Primordial Force was the core essence of a unit hero. If it was destroyed or weakened, the hero’s tier would drop accordingly—just like that Diamond Golem hero described in the orange-tier tomes.

So trading a Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force just to boost someone to orange-tier Legendary? That was straight-up lunacy. No one in their right mind would make that kind of trade... right?

"But Master... I think I’m sensing a faint trace—just a sliver—of a Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force on him..." Cicero suddenly said, his voice low and cautious.

"What?!" Ethan’s eyes widened, pupils contracting. "Are you sure?!"

"I think so... I feel it too," Gold Dragon Auremax chimed in, his brow furrowed in disbelief. "Could it be... he really used a Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force to boost himself to Orange Legendary tier?!"

Ethan fell silent, his gaze flickering intensely as his mind raced.

This revelation hit him like a thunderclap. The presence of a Crimson Ultimate Hero’s Primordial Force could only mean one thing—there was a Crimson Ultimate Hero involved. Was it possible that this guy... was hiding a secret tied to one?

Shit...

Just the thought made Ethan’s breath catch in his throat. His chest rose and fell faster, and a subtle tremble ran through his body as he fought to keep his excitement in check.

Because he knew exactly what a Crimson Ultimate Hero meant.

Ever since he’d gotten Cicero and Seraphina, he’d understood their value better than anyone.

No exaggeration—Crimson Ultimate Heroes were worth far more than even Tier 14 Mythic Unit Creature Dwellings. Not just a few times more—dozens of times more.

Because no matter how powerful Mythic Units were, no matter how many you had, they were still just troops.

But a Crimson Ultimate Hero? Once fully developed, they were gods.

Troops versus gods.

That kind of gap wasn’t just big—it was a chasm. A canyon. A whole different plane of existence.

And naturally, the difficulty of obtaining such a being was off the charts—Inferno-level hard.

That’s why, up until now, Ethan hadn’t even dared to dream about Crimson Ultimate Heroes. It felt like chasing a fantasy, a pipe dream. Compared to that, hunting down Tier 14 Mythic Unit Dwellings seemed way more practical and achievable.

But now?

Now, by sheer accident, he might’ve stumbled onto a lead—a real lead—on a Crimson Ultimate Hero?!

Even if it was just a clue...

Even if it turned out to be a dead end, a wild goose chase that led nowhere...

It was still enough to make Ethan’s heart pound with excitement, his blood practically humming with adrenaline.

Because the problem was never about the odds being slim.

The real nightmare was having no chance at all.

A slim chance still meant there was a chance.

And that made all the difference in the world.

So as Ethan’s gaze locked onto the Tideborn Spirit hero Sevrin, his eyes practically burning with intensity—

Sevrin suddenly stiffened, as if he’d felt something.

His expression darkened instantly.

Swish!

His eyes snapped toward Ethan, sharp and cold as blades.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Then he turned to Draven, voice laced with suspicion. "And who the hell is this? Why haven’t I seen him before?!"