Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 813: Before the Shield Breaks

Ethan didn't waste another word.

The moment the command was given, the mine's deep structure began to tremble—like some invisible hand was prying it loose from reality itself.

The mountain, the mineral veins, the blood-red crystal deposits, and the golden lake—all of it began to compress, fold, and seal layer by layer. In the end, it condensed into a dense, stable spatial core, which Ethan dragged directly into the borders of Emerald Castle's domain.

When the last trace of golden light vanished, the once-suffocating forbidden zone was reduced to a hollow scar in the land—like someone had ripped a chunk straight off the map.

…

At the same time, far away in the Crocaster Empire—

The throne hall was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent nobles wore best: the sour stench of anger dressed up in etiquette.

A tall, broad-shouldered man sat on the throne, fingers tapping slowly on the armrest.

So slow, no one dared breathe.

Below him, the empire's leaders argued like a pot on full boil—everyone shouting about "national interest," though every word reeked of personal stakes.

"Your Majesty, they took the entire mine!"

"Countless nobles and legions relied on that ore to advance! Now it's gone—completely gone!"

"And Emerald Castle's getting too bold."

"They've wiped out several kingdoms in a row, like they're clearing the board. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before we're next."

Someone shifted the tone, lowering their voice—but making it cut deeper.

"There's one more thing… The Desert Queen, Kaelira—the one Your Majesty pursued for years—she's with Emerald Castle now."

"Rumor is… she's with their lord."

That line was like tossing a spark into oil.

BOOM—!

The emperor shot to his feet, raw power erupting from his body. The stone pillars of the hall groaned under the pressure, dust raining from the ceiling.

The attendants dropped to their knees, not daring to lift their heads.

"Damn them," he growled, like chewing through bone.

"They didn't just steal our mine—they took her. They took the whole damn world."

He looked up, eyes so dark they seemed to snuff out the torchlight.

"Send the order."

His voice wasn't loud—but it hit like a hammer.

"Mobilize the army."

"I'll lead the campaign myself."

He paused, making sure every word sank deep into the ears of everyone present.

"This time—we erase Emerald Castle."

The hall fell silent for a beat.

Then all the leaders responded in unison.

They turned and left, cloaks sweeping behind them, boots striking the stone floor in a rising rhythm.

And with them, the shadow of war finally began to stretch across the land.

…

Meanwhile, Emerald Castle had plunged into a frenzy—one that teetered on the edge of control.

Inside and out, energy surged like crashing waves.

Nearly every core member held a blood-red gem in their hands—no longer just ore, but something that pulsed like a living heart.

They weren't cautiously channeling it.

They were absorbing it—instinctively, hungrily.

Power flooded through their veins. Some gasped under the pressure, others burst out laughing, unable to contain the rush.

Their levels didn't rise step by step.

They were being shoved upward—violently, relentlessly.

At the same time, the scientists from Kormaldor hadn't slept in days.

In the castle's workshop district, Powered Combat Armor was being dismantled, rebuilt, and reassembled nonstop.

The blood-red crystals were cut with surgical precision and embedded into the core nodes of the armor.

Each time a suit was completed, a dangerous red glow would flare across its surface—

Then stabilize, as if tamed by some higher-order law.

"Output limit increased by 37%."

"Energy response speed more than doubled."

Line after line of data was logged.

These weren't prototypes.

They were weapons—ready for war.

And deep within the castle, Ethan stood alone inside an energy-isolated chamber.

Before him floated a small pool of golden liquid—like a piece of the lake had been carved out and suspended in midair.

The golden light drifted slowly through the air—quiet, but impossible to ignore.

Just standing near it, the energy seeped into his body on its own.

His level had already climbed again in a short span—not in a wild surge, but in steady, layered ascension.

Like being lifted, one platform at a time.

Ethan didn't rush to absorb more.

He was watching.

Feeling how this golden energy resonated with the systems already inside his body.

Not far off, Auri and Idra were immersed in it too.

Their affinity with the golden power far exceeded anyone else's.

The energy flowed around them like it had found its true home.

But what really caught Ethan's attention—

Was the shift in their racial traits.

Not just a stat boost.

It was something deeper. A sign of evolution.

And just as everything seemed to be progressing smoothly—

BOOM.

A deep, gut-punching sound echoed from high above.

Then—

RUMMMMMBLE—!

Like some massive force was slamming against reality itself.

The space around Emerald Castle shook violently. The air compressed, then snapped outward like a rubber band stretched too far.

The castle's outer energy barrier flared with blinding light.

Cracks began to spread.

"Enemy attack?!"

Ethan's head snapped up, brows tightening instantly.

This was the worst possible moment.

Emerald Castle was at its most vulnerable—and most critical—state.

Dozens of core members were mid-absorption, their bodies undergoing structural rewrites. If they were interrupted now, the backlash could be catastrophic.

He didn't hesitate.

In the next instant, Ethan shot into the sky, flanked by hundreds of elite combatants.

Beneath them, the defensive barrier surrounding Emerald Castle was trembling violently.

Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface. Each shockwave felt like a countdown—like the shield was being peeled open, layer by layer.

This shouldn't have been possible.

Ever since the blood-red ore had been brought back, Ethan had integrated its power into the castle's outer defenses.

The barrier wasn't a simple energy field anymore—it was a self-reinforcing composite shield, constantly fed and repaired by the ore's energy.

Normal attacks couldn't even make it flicker.

But now—

The force hammering from outside was different. Wild. Precise.

Every impact landed right at the barrier's structural limit.

Ethan's eyes went cold.

"This isn't probing."

"They're here to break the city."

He knew.

If this kept up—

The barrier would fall. It was just a matter of time.

Hovering in midair, Ethan rested his chin on one hand, scanning the entire castle below.

Almost every core member was still deep in absorption or mid-transformation.

If they were forced out now, the damage would be irreversible.

"We can't fight yet," he muttered.

Even if he could go all out, the castle wouldn't survive the collateral damage.

There was only one option—

Buy time.

He raised his hand.

From his storage space, he pulled out a massive batch of blood-red gems and hurled them toward the barrier without hesitation.

The gems shattered midair, dissolving into streams of crimson light that surged into the shield's structure.

The cracks began to close.

The barrier stabilized.

But Ethan's expression didn't ease.

He knew this was just a stopgap.

The force outside wasn't just some siege tactic—it was something far beyond conventional warfare.

Even if he kept feeding the barrier with blood-red ore, it would only delay the inevitable.

"It won't hold for long…" he exhaled.

Then, suddenly, he raised his hand again.

A pool of golden liquid appeared in his palm.

The moment it surfaced, the space around him subtly warped—like the laws of reality were instinctively backing away. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Even Ethan had never fully deciphered its structure.

Which was exactly why—

He hadn't dared use it until now.

But now, there was no choice.

"Let's try it."