Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory

HUMMMM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

RUMMMMMMBLE...

A wave of terrifying power rippled through the sky as the Frostwyrm Sovereign's body crystallized into pure ice—then shattered in a thunderous explosion.

The shockwave swept across the battlefield, and everything nearby was instantly coated in a layer of frost. Even the soldiers of the Emerald Castle army behind Ethan shivered in unison, their breath catching in their throats.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

In the exact moment the Frostwyrm Sovereign exploded, he'd sensed it—a spatial rift, hidden deep within the collapsing energy. The entrance to the Whitefrost Expanse.

"Namyanna, Elira," Ethan said calmly, his voice cutting through the cold. "Take the troops back to Emerald Castle. I'm going in alone. I'll return soon."

Without waiting for a reply, he launched himself into the air.

With a flick of his hand, he tore open a spatial corridor mid-flight and vanished into it.

He didn't know how many times he jumped through space—

But eventually, he emerged into a world of endless snow and ice.

The landscape was barren, desolate. Nothing but white as far as the eye could see. But if you paid attention—really paid attention—you'd feel it. The air was thick with elemental frost, so dense it was almost alive.

"Damn, it's cold," Ethan muttered, sucking in a sharp breath.

The freezing air rushed into his lungs, and for a moment, even his blood felt like it was turning to ice.

But strangely, the cold didn't weaken him.

It strengthened him.

The moment that frost entered his body, his power stirred—rising, just a little.

"This place is incredible…" he murmured.

"Father, this place feels amazing!" Idra's voice chimed in as she floated beside him, her eyes glowing with excitement.

She'd followed him in, of course. There was no way she was letting him go alone.

Ever since she'd taken on her human form, her ability to absorb energy had skyrocketed. Most of the Frostwyrm Sovereign's power from earlier? She'd devoured it.

And now, Ethan could see the difference.

She'd grown—literally. Her body had matured slightly, her figure more graceful, her aura more refined. She was evolving fast.

"Father," she said, eyes narrowing as she looked ahead, "I can sense something. Not far from here—there's a large army. And near them… there's a source of power. It feels just like the Draconic Ascension Pool."

Ethan's interest spiked instantly.

The last time he'd soaked in the Draconic Ascension Pool, his strength had exploded. If there was another one here…

He might be able to push his Tier even higher.

No hesitation.

"Let's go," he said.

With Idra at his side, he shot forward, cutting through the icy winds like a golden comet.

Moments later, they arrived.

A shimmering spring sat nestled in the snow, glowing faintly with a pale blue light. But they weren't alone.

SWOOSH!

As they landed, dozens—no, hundreds—of Frost Dragons turned their heads in unison.

Each one radiated a terrifying aura, their eyes locked onto Ethan with cold, lethal focus.

"Who goes there?!" one of them growled, his voice like grinding glaciers.

The two sides stared each other down for a tense moment.

Then, a tall, broad-shouldered Frost Dragon stepped forward, his icy gaze locked on Ethan.

"This one… he carries the scent of our Sovereign," the dragon growled. "Looks like he's the one who killed him."

The words hit like a thunderclap.

Every Frost Dragon present immediately rose to their feet, their bodies crackling with surging frost energy.

CRACKLE!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The entire frozen realm seemed to respond to their fury. The very air thickened with biting cold, and the elemental power of the Whitefrost Expanse surged toward them like a tidal wave of ice.

But Ethan didn't flinch.

He stood tall, eyes cold, his aura flaring with raw, unshakable power.

"So your Sovereign's dead. Good. I killed him," he said, voice sharp as a blade. "And you think a bunch of second-rate lizards like you can take me on?"

Just as he was about to call Idra over to fuse again, he glanced to the side—and froze.

The little girl had already leapt into the Frostwell spring, splashing around like she was on vacation, completely ignoring the army of dragons ready to tear them apart.

Ethan's eyes widened. "Idra?!"

Seriously?

Now?

He could feel the pressure building. There were too many of them. And a few of these Frost Dragons… they were just as strong as the Sovereign he'd just killed.

He didn't have time to hesitate.

The Frost Dragons roared and charged all at once.

Ethan's instincts kicked in. He unleashed a massive burst of energy, hurling it at the incoming wave, then bolted straight for the spring.

He dove in, landing beside Idra. "What the hell are you doing?! We've got a fight on our hands! Handle them first, then you can soak all you want!"

But Idra didn't even look at him. She just floated there, eyes closed, a blissful smile on her face, soaking in the energy like it was the best thing in the world.

The Frost Dragons didn't wait.

They surged toward the spring, but as they neared, something changed.

A strange, ancient resonance filled the air.

The Frostwell responded.

The spring's energy exploded outward, reacting to the presence of so many powerful dragons. The water shimmered, then surged upward, forming two massive crystalline dragon constructs—Frostwell Crystal Dragons—hovering in the air, their bodies pulsing with raw, ancient power.

BOOOOOOM!

ROAAAAAR!

ROAAAAAR!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The sheer pressure from the two Frostwell Crystal Dragons was overwhelming. Even Ethan felt it—deep, primal fear crawling up his spine. These things weren't just strong—they were ancient, sacred, and devastating.

He was about to brace for impact when—

WHUMMMMM...

A wave of Dragon God energy erupted around him.

He turned.

Idra was floating above the spring now, suspended in midair, her body glowing with divine golden light.

The Frostwell… was responding to her.

No—more than that.

It was submitting to her.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The spring's energy surged toward her in torrents, flooding into her body like it had found its rightful master. Within seconds, the once-glowing waters of the Frostwell began to dim.

Then dry.

The two Frostwell Crystal Dragons let out one final roar—

And shattered into a million shards of ice.

Silence fell.

The Frost Dragons stood frozen in place, stunned.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

The Frostwell—sacred, ancient, passed down through generations—was gone. Drained dry.

"Th-That's impossible…"

"She… she absorbed it all?!"

Many of them had grown up near the spring. They knew how dangerous it was. Even absorbing a tiny fraction of its power could skyrocket a dragon's strength—or kill them outright if they got greedy.

But this girl?

She took it all.

And she was still standing.

Before they could even process what had happened, Idra's body shimmered—

And in a flash of golden light, she transformed into pure energy and shot straight into Ethan's chest.

FWOOSH!

Ethan's body trembled as the fusion completed.

...