As John walked out without a care, seemingly unaffected by the presence of anyone around him, the leader of the Australian Ninja League—and even the entire group of high-level Ninjas—felt their pride bruised. They had been entirely disregarded.
The tension in the room escalated.
Several high-ranking members of the Ninja League immediately moved to stop him, their eyes cold with anger and readiness. However, before they could act…
A trembling voice interrupted, demanding:
"Stop!"
Everyone turned in surprise. It was the leader of the Ninja League, his eyes wide with a look of fear that no one had ever seen before.
Fear?
He was afraid of John?
Mandel's confusion mirrored everyone else's. He couldn't help but ask, still trying to understand what was happening:
"Leader, do you know him?"
The leader swallowed hard, struggling to control the tremble in his voice. His eyes were wide with unease as he finally answered:
"Yes… but not really."
He paused, trying to steady his breath, before continuing:
"Let's just say… all of you must've heard his name."
This only deepened the mystery.
None of them had a clue what the leader meant. Not even Mandel, who had just been introduced to John today, could make sense of it.
The leader met Mandel's eyes with an expression of caution and sighed.
"Mandel, it's lucky you let go of your son's hatred in time. If you hadn't… things could've turned disastrous."
Mandel blinked in confusion, still trying to piece it together. He didn't know what the leader meant, and he certainly didn't know why the leader seemed so frightened.
"Leader, what is it about this man that terrifies you so much?"
The leader's expression hardened, and he said slowly:
"Because… he is the Oracle King."
"The Oracle King?!"
The words echoed through the room, and a chill seemed to grip the hearts of everyone present.
The Oracle King?
The man they had nearly attacked was the Oracle King?
This realization hit them all like a tidal wave. The Oracle King was not just any powerful figure—he was a legendary figure.
Mandel's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't believe it.
"Leader, is… is he really the Oracle King?" he asked, his voice almost cracking with disbelief.
The leader nodded grimly, confirming what everyone was too stunned to fully comprehend:
"Yes. It's him. He is the Oracle King."
The leader's own memories seemed to flood back. Three years ago, the Oracle King had stormed into his room at night. The two of them had crossed paths—briefly, but enough for the leader to feel the overwhelming power in the air. Within seconds, he had been defeated.
What terrified the leader the most, however, wasn't just the speed of the defeat, but the sheer grace and lethality of the Oracle King's methods.
He had used an impossible technique—standing ten meters away, the Oracle King pointed a single finger, and a cold light flashed in the night.
The leader had tried everything: dodging, using his substitution technique… but it hadn't mattered. The cut had appeared on his face anyway—deep, chilling, and precise.
To this day, the cold memory of that attack lingered, so vivid that he could still feel the sting on his skin.
The leader's voice became darker:
"Now do you understand why I said you were almost in danger?"
Mandel's heart sank. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
It all made sense now. John's confidence, his arrogance—he wasn't just an ordinary man. He was the Oracle King.
Mandel was struck by a sudden, overwhelming mixture of feelings. Grief, that he had lost his son in this manner. But also relief, that at least now he understood why John had been so powerful. There was nothing random about it.
He had no idea, of course, that John had also claimed him as his master.
But that revelation would have to wait.
Back in New York…
John returned to the Feazer Medical Clinic, where he had been staying for a while.
Things were tense between him and Tracy. She hadn't spoken a word to him for days, and John was starting to learn something new about her: no matter how gentle a woman was, she could still hold a grudge.
Holbrook, ever the perceptive one, could tell something was off. He knew John hadn't done anything to fix things with Tracy. Not wanting to let the situation fester any longer, he came up with a plan.
"Mr. Lopez, how about I call my grandson over tomorrow? Maybe he can help you break the ice with Tracy."
John looked at him, puzzled:
"Call your grandson over for what?"
Holbrook's eyes twinkled mischievously as he replied:
"I'll show you."
The next day, a strange patient arrived at the clinic. The man appeared half-dead, groaning as he complained about various aches and pains. He would moan about his head, his stomach, his heart, but when Tracy examined him, she couldn't find anything physically wrong.
Tracy was confused. She decided to give him acupuncture, but nothing changed. The patient continued to groan dramatically.
Holbrook shrugged, looking at Tracy helplessly:
"In this case, I guess we have no choice but to call Mr. Lopez for help."
Tracy frowned, clearly irritated. She asked, puzzled:
"He's in a bad mood and doesn't want to treat a patient?"
Holbrook sighed, pulling out his phone and dialing John's number.
As he spoke to John on the phone, he said:
"Mr. Lopez doesn't want to come. He said he's in a bad mood and doesn't feel like treating anyone."
Tracy was getting more annoyed by the second. She muttered under her breath:
"The patient's illness is severe, and he doesn't want to help? What a mess."
Her frustration grew when the patient, sensing an opportunity, began to act out. He dropped to the floor, clutching his chest and rolling in agony.
"Ouch! Ouch! It hurts! My heart! My stomach! Doctor, am I dying?" he wailed, throwing himself around.
Holbrook exchanged a knowing glance with the patient, and the man immediately understood the signal. He began to exaggerate his pain even more.
"Miss Linch," Holbrook said with a grin, "Looks like it's time for you to call Mr. Lopez yourself. He's always been obedient to you."
Tracy sighed, her expression a mixture of exasperation and hesitation. She had sworn to ignore John until he told her the truth, but now… seeing the situation unfold, she was starting to feel the weight of her silence.
She was stuck. Would she call him or not?