"Hahaha, Alders, why aren't you getting up?"
Seeing Alders lying on the ground, unable to rise, Herman burst into laughter.
Beside him stood the previous Patriarch of the Gletley Family, and its only remaining Magic King—Yaregos Gletley!
As the Gletley Family's only current Magic King, Aregos wielded absolute authority within the family.
But more than that authority, what Aregos cared about most was the magic book in the Gladstone Family's possession, the one recorded by Teli.
He had been hiding in the shadows earlier because he feared Alders might have a trump card that could leave them both gravely wounded.
But after watching for a while, he decided Alders had no trump cards left, so he struck.
That single attack had severely wounded Alders.
Now, looking at Alders, Aregos said coldly, "Alders, I'll give you one chance. Hand over that magic book, and I'll leave your Gladstone clan a path to survival!"
"Dream on!"
Alders refused without a moment's thought, even looking at him with open contempt.
Aregos's gaze instantly turned icy. "Very well. In that case, your entire Gladstone clan can go to hell!"
"Rest assured, I, Aregos, promise you that every last one of you will taste unimaginable agony. I'll torture each of you slowly!"
As he spoke, Aregos began walking slowly toward Alders.
His words made even Herman shudder, a chill creeping into his heart.
Aregos was one of his great-uncles, and an utterly cold, merciless man. Even as the Gletley Patriarch, Herman dared not defy his orders.
But none of that mattered. What mattered was that the Gladstone Family would finally be destroyed at his hands.
That filled Herman with delight.
At that moment, Alders felt nothing but utter despair. There was no hope left.
But just then, Aregos, who had been approaching Alders, suddenly seemed