Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory

BOOM!

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE...

Ethan jumped at the sudden noise, heart pounding. Without thinking, he bolted out of the room.

Up in the sky, a massive dragon hovered, its presence crackling with raw, violent energy. Lightning surged around it, and every pulse of its power shattered the air itself, warping space like glass under pressure.

"That's it... the aura of a Primordial Celestial Dragon," the creature growled, its voice booming across the heavens like thunder. "I didn't expect a backwater place like this to produce something so rare. Hand it over—now. Or I'll reduce this entire place to ash."

The voice wasn't just loud—it was oppressive. Ethan's ears rang from the sheer force of it.

A system alert flashed in his mind:

Target identified. Thunderstorm Dragon. Tier 16, S-Class (Early Stage).

Even at the early stage, the power radiating from this thing was off the charts.

And it wasn't just any dragon—it was a Thunderstorm Dragon, one of the elite bloodlines. It wielded both lightning and storm energy, two of the most destructive elemental forces in this world. Combined, they created a terrifying synergy that could level cities.

Ethan took a steadying breath, then stepped forward, eyes locked on the beast above. His fingers gently brushed over the Celestial Dragon Egg cradled in his arms.

"You looking for this?" he said coldly. "Tough luck. This egg chose Emerald Castle as its birthplace. You want it? Then come trade your head for it."

The dragon's eyes widened in disbelief. It clearly hadn't expected Ethan to talk back, let alone threaten it. Just as it began to move, a surge of violent energy exploded into the sky.

Seraphina had risen into the air, her wings unfurled, her eyes blazing.

"Doesn't matter where you crawled out from, you arrogant bastard," she snarled. "You dare disrespect my master? I'll tear you apart."

She didn't wait for a response. Her power erupted outward in a wave of venomous energy, shaking the clouds above.

Since evolving into a Primordial Venom Dragon, Seraphina had ascended to a whole new level. After their last dungeon run, she'd hit mid-stage Tier 16—solidly S-Class.

In terms of raw Tier and power, she had the edge over the Thunderstorm Dragon. The outcome of this fight seemed obvious.

But then, the enemy dragon spread its wings wide.

FWOOSH!

CRACK-BOOM!

A storm of lightning and wind exploded from its body. Its wings weren't just massive—they were elemental. One wing crackled with pure lightning, the other churned with hurricane-force winds. The fusion of the two created a force that even Ethan hadn't anticipated.

Even though the Thunderstorm Dragon was technically weaker than Seraphina in Tier and stats, those wings... they might just tip the scales.

"Seriously?" Ethan muttered, frowning. "This is gonna be a pain."

Seraphina was strong, no doubt. But her power was now purely venom-based. Since her evolution, many of her old abilities had faded, replaced by a more focused, toxic energy. It was potent—deadly, even—but lacked the raw, explosive aggression she used to have.

And in a head-on clash like this, that could be a problem.

She might struggle to land a decisive blow.

Ethan's gaze lingered on the Thunderstorm Dragon's wings—those monstrous, elemental appendages tearing through the sky with lightning and wind. The sheer pressure radiating from them made his breath catch in his throat.

Without hesitation, he triggered the system's scan function, locking onto the wings.

Ding!

[System Scan in Progress…]

Rare Component Detected: Target Unit "Thunderstorm Dragon" – Wings Identified as "Thunderstorm Wings."

Analysis: These wings exhibit dual-element resonance—lightning and storm. Classified as an extremely rare Strategic Artifact.

"Strategic Artifact?!" Ethan's eyes lit up. "So that means… I can take them?"

He leaned in, voice low and eager. "System, can those Thunderstorm Wings be equipped onto Seraphina?"

[Compatibility Check in Progress…]

Detected Host: "Primordial Venom Dragon" – Seraphina

Compatibility: 87%

Warning: Forced extraction and grafting may result in a new symbiotic form.

Potential Effects: Massive boost to mobility, battlefield dominance, and acquisition of lightning and storm elemental powers.

Caution: Forced transplant carries extreme risk!!!

Ethan stood frozen, the words hanging in front of him like a glowing omen. He forgot to breathe for a second.

"…You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered, eyes flicking between Seraphina and the Thunderstorm Dragon. "This is actually a thing?"

Seraphina caught the shift in his expression. Her pupils narrowed, and a cold, hungry smile crept across her face.

"So you're telling me… if I rip off its wings, I can make that power mine?"

The system didn't answer, but the warning still blinked in front of them, pulsing with a harsh red glow.

Ethan swallowed hard. The world of Glory Lords X never failed to surprise him. Even something as insane as "wing transplantation" was just another line in the rulebook.

Seraphina licked her lips, her gaze locked on the Thunderstorm Dragon like a predator eyeing prey. "Then there's nothing left to discuss. I'm taking those wings."

Ethan's lips curled into a sly grin. He turned toward the city and shouted, "Elira!"

Moments later, a figure appeared atop the castle wall—Elira, calm and composed as always.

"You called, Master? What's the rush?" she asked casually, clearly unfazed by the massive dragon looming overhead. She could sense its power, sure—but to her, it was barely worth noticing. In Emerald Castle, anyone above Tier 16 could squash this thing.

"That dragon's wings are a perfect match for Seraphina," Ethan said, pointing skyward. "Go rip them off."

Elira glanced up at the Thunderstorm Dragon, then vanished in a flash of light.

In the blink of an eye, she was hovering above the dragon's head. A surge of energy exploded from her body, forming a glowing sphere that instantly engulfed the Thunderstorm Dragon.

"What the—?!"

"You dare?!"

"AAARGH—!"

The dragon's pupils dilated in shock. It tried to unleash its power, but it was completely immobilized.

Seraphina didn't waste the opportunity. She gathered her venomous energy into her mouth and fired it like a cannonball, slamming it straight into the dragon's body.

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the sky.

The Thunderstorm Dragon's body began to wither rapidly, its massive form shrinking under the assault. But its wings—those wings—remained intact. In fact, they seemed to grow even larger, resisting the venom with a will of their own. A self-defense mechanism had kicked in, shielding them from the corrosive energy.

Ethan's eyes gleamed. "Damn… those wings really are something else."

...

"You fools have no idea what you're doing!" the Thunderstorm Dragon roared, voice trembling with desperation. "I'm an envoy of the Sky Citadel! If you kill me, this place will be wiped off the map!"

Elira and Seraphina didn't even flinch.

Empty threats. They'd heard them all before—from enemies who now lay buried and forgotten.

BOOM!

CRACK-KA-BOOM!

Moments later, the dragon's body shattered into pieces, disintegrating into the wind. All that remained were the Thunderstorm Wings, suspended in the air, pulsing with raw elemental energy.

But even now, the wings rejected everything around them. When Seraphina tried to approach, a violent shockwave blasted her back.

"These things… they've already bonded with a host," Elira said, frowning. "You won't be able to graft them that easily."

She could feel it too—the terrifying power radiating from the wings. They weren't just artifacts. They were alive.

Just then, Ethan stepped forward.

A strange ripple of energy began to pulse from his body…