Bill's heart was still racing, fear seizing him as cold sweat dripped down his back. He had never imagined that, by mere chance, he would come face to face with Oracle King.
The realization hit him like a freight train. He had dared to mock Oracle King—to think of him as nothing more than an ant. Now, he wanted nothing more than to tear his own mouth off.
But the question still gnawed at him—Where had the vital energy in his body come from?
Bill's mind raced as he tried to piece it together.
Then, it clicked.
It must have been the slap Oracle King gave him on the shoulder when they parted. At the time, he hadn't felt any discomfort; in fact, he had arrogantly demanded that John remove his "dirty hand."
But now? The truth hit him hard.
The control Oracle King had over his vital energy was terrifying. He could hide it, manipulate it, and release it at will.
No wonder John was so powerful. No wonder he could stand alone as the King of Horizon—a force far greater than any individual backing him.
As soon as Bill finished speaking, the White Dragon King's scalp tingled, the fear spreading like wildfire through his veins. It wasn't just an emotion—it was a force, rising inside him and crashing over him like a monstrous wave.
Every cell in his body trembled in terror.
"Laura, you bitch!" White Dragon King roared, his internal energy erupting like a volcano. The door, already cracking, shattered into pieces under the sheer force of his anger. The two figures outside trembled as they saw the chaos unfold.
If John's backer had been Master Bertha, then White Dragon King might have issued a warning to Laura—advising her to abandon her mission. After all, he couldn't afford to antagonize the Martial Arts League on behalf of the Swift family.
But now?
John didn't need anyone's protection. He was the Oracle King himself—more terrifying than the Martial Arts League.
The fear within White Dragon King was palpable. It overshadowed everything else. He feared that if the Swift family and Laura continued provoking John, the wrath of the Oracle King would fall upon him, and there would be no escape.
In that moment, White Dragon King was more shocked than angry. He wished, more than anything, that he could erase Laura from existence.
"Bitch! You want to die? Don't drag me into it!" he hissed, fury radiating from him.
He looked at Laura, his eyes ferocious. Without warning, he pushed his palm forward. The internal force surged, transforming into a monstrous hand that grabbed Laura by the hair and lifted her off the ground, dragging her more than thirty feet across the room.
Laura was frozen with fear, too terrified to react.
Alger watched in stunned silence, his face ashen. He had never seen the White Dragon King so unhinged before. Usually, he was arrogant, untouchable, a man of immense control. But now?
What had happened?
He dared not speak. All he could do was watch in horror as Laura was yanked across the room by a force beyond human comprehension.
The White Dragon King's anger was far from spent. After Laura had been punished, his piercing gaze shifted to Alger.
Alger's knees buckled under the weight of that stare. He collapsed to the ground in fear, his voice shaking. "My Lord, please spare me!"
He kowtowed in desperation, but his plea was met with icy silence.
Finally, the White Dragon King spoke, his voice low, dripping with venom. "Alger, your family will fall because of you. From this moment on, any and all cooperation between us ends. Your family's fate is sealed."
The words hit Alger like a physical blow. His mind went blank. He couldn't comprehend what he was hearing.
The White Dragon King had been the pillar of strength for the Swift family—their most powerful ally. But now, that support was gone.
The White Dragon King continued, his voice like ice. "Don't think I've broken my word. When your father begged me to take charge of your family, I promised to help you three times. I've already fulfilled one of those promises, and now, I won't kill you or Laura. That's the second opportunity used up."
Alger was dumbfounded. He couldn't process the idea that they were being spared—not because of mercy, but because the White Dragon King was using up one of his three chances.
He couldn't believe it. His mind reeled as he tried to find some way to fix this.
But he knew what he had to do. Desperation clouded his thoughts as he quickly made a decision. He looked up at the White Dragon King, his voice trembling. "Please, my lord, leave us one more chance. Take Laura's life. She's yours. Please spare the Swift family."
In his mind, it was simple—Laura's life was worth the Swift family's survival. Without the White Dragon King's backing, the Swift family would be destroyed. But Laura? She was expendable. His family's legacy was worth far more than her life.
Tears filled Laura's eyes as she heard his words. "You can't do this to me!" she cried out, her body trembling from the pain and humiliation.
She had been dragged more than thirty feet, her knees and palms scraped raw, blood trickling down her skin. But when she heard Alger's cold words, she knew the truth.
Her life didn't matter. The Swift family did.
Alger stood tall, his face set with grim determination. "You always promised to stand by me. Now is the time for you to fulfill that promise for the family."
With a ruthless kick, he sent Laura sprawling across the floor. She rolled, her body bruised and broken, before she glared at him with eyes full of anger and betrayal. "You're cruel," she spat, voice hoarse from the effort.
Alger didn't care. He turned back to the White Dragon King, kneeling once again. "My lord, take her life. Please give our family another chance."
But the White Dragon King sneered, his tone cutting through the air like a blade. "It's not for you to decide whether you get another chance, nor is it up to you whether I take her life. You've lost everything already."