The moment Chad’s declaration echoed through the council chamber, the silence that followed was immediately shattered by several furious voices. Chairs scraped against the floor as a number of elders rose from their seats, their expressions ranging from disbelief to outright anger. Even those who had privately questioned Kade’s qualifications were stunned by Chad’s audacity. There was a difference between disagreeing with the King and openly demanding that he surrender the throne, and Chad had crossed that line without hesitation.“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Chad?” George Hale demanded, his voice reverberating through the chamber. “Have you completely lost your mind? You called this meeting without His Majesty’s permission, openly questioned his authority, and now you’re demanding that he step down? Do you even understand the consequences of what you’re saying?”Chad didn’t flinch.He remained standing at the opposite end of the table, his expression firm as he looked aro

Kade’s private quarters were unusually quiet.The events of the council meeting had left a heavy atmosphere hanging over everyone who had followed him back to his room. Zia stood near the large windows with her arms folded across her chest, staring out at the city below without really seeing it. Reign remained near the center of the room, his expression thoughtful, while Elder George sat across from Kade with a troubled look on his aged face.For several moments, nobody spoke.It was Zia who finally broke the silence.“I don’t like this.”Kade lifted his eyes toward her.Zia turned away from the window and looked directly at him. “I have a very bad feeling about what happened in that council chamber. Chad didn’t call that meeting simply because he wanted to complain about your strength. He had already thought everything through before he walked into that room. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, and he clearly expected resistance.”George slowly nodded.“She’s right.”The old elder

Michael’s expression tightened as he finally gave Kade the answer he had been waiting for. “It was the Black Serpent Organization,” he said carefully. “We confirmed it before they escaped. They took Miss Elara to Skull Island. That’s where their main base is located.”For several seconds, Kade said nothing.The room suddenly became unbearably quiet.The moment the words Skull Island left Michael’s mouth, the atmosphere around Kade changed so drastically that both Victor and Michael instinctively stiffened. A terrifying pressure slowly spread from his body, cold and suffocating, causing the air around him to tremble faintly. His expression remained calm, almost unnaturally so, but the darkness in his eyes was enough to make even experienced warriors uncomfortable.Kade slowly clenched his fist.The audacity.He had already dealt with countless enemies who had tried to challenge him, but those people had at least understood the consequences of provoking him, like the crimson syndicate a

Elara’s lips parted in disbelief.“Kade?”For a moment, she could only stare at Jackson, trying to understand how the man’s words could possibly make sense. How had Kade become involved with an organization like the Black Serpents? She had always known there was something unusual about him, especially after watching him effortlessly deal with people far beyond the reach of ordinary society. Ever since the incident with Don Victor Crane, she had understood that Kade was hiding something enormous behind that calm expression of his, but this was different. Being connected to an organization powerful enough to make Jackson Skull personally target her was something she had never imagined.Her mind raced through everything that had happened between them.Technically, she and Kade were engaged, but their engagement had never been a normal one. It had been arranged years ago by her grandfather and Kade’s master when they were both still young, long before either of them understood what marria

Elara’s eyes burned with hatred as she stared directly at Jackson. Despite the fear tightening her chest, she refused to lower her head before him. Her hands were still bound behind her back, her knees aching from being forced onto the cold floor, yet the disgust on her face was unmistakable. “You’re crazy,” she spat, her voice trembling slightly but remaining firm. “And you’re disgusting. I would rather die than agree to something like that.”For several seconds, Jackson simply stared at her.Then, unexpectedly, he placed a hand over his chest and made an exaggerated expression of pain.“Ouch.”He shook his head slowly as though her words had genuinely wounded him. “That actually hurts. I was offering you a chance to make this easy for yourself, and you rejected me so cruelly.” A sinister smile slowly spread across his face as he leaned forward in his chair. “But unfortunately for you, I don’t actually need your permission to do whatever I want.”The amusement disappeared from his ey