Chaos Heir

Chapter 1270: Threat

The attack hadn’t been nearly as fast as Khan’s previous demonstration, but Muhsin struggled to study it anyway. Part of it was due to the absence of additional scanners, but most came from the sheer improbability of the event.

Muhsin had built that defensive wall, knowing exactly what it could endure. The alien never stopped processing data about Khan, either. In theory, that barrier should have perfectly countered Khan, dealing with any unexpected new ability, but the hole on its surface disagreed.

It didn’t help that the hole was perfectly circular, with no dents or imperfections around its edge. The wall should have cracked or trembled against any incoming attack to disperse part of its power, but a small chunk of it had disappeared, letting the strange technique spread its effects to the other side.

Muhsin also knew that the technique’s effects hadn’t stopped at him. His passive scanners had sensed how far those had stretched, flying for a few meters past him before losing power, applying something that could only be described as terrifying.

The wall’s fabric wasn’t the only material that had disappeared. The same had applied to some of Muhsin’s scales and the very air. Khan had merely kicked forward, but everything on his attack’s path had vanished without a trace.

That went beyond mere kicking techniques. Khan didn’t push anything. He didn’t even hit anything. The attack had given a new meaning to the word “piercing”, evolving it into proper obliteration.

Moreover, Muhsin knew that Khan only had to aim his attack a few centimeters to his right to obliterate his head. The hole’s size confirmed that nothing would remain of it, and the Kros probably wouldn’t survive that wound. He had protocols in place but had never been able to test them. After all, getting beheaded wasn’t exactly a common occurrence.

“Are you alive out there?” Khan’s voice resounded past the wall, and Muhsin soon saw one of his glowing eyes peeking through the hole.

The Kros dismantled the wall, refraining from creating additional machines and gathering all the available metal toward his chair. His seat became far thicker and larger, but Khan pretended not to understand the veiled sense of defeat behind the act.

“I truly apologize,” Khan gasped, a fake smile remaining on his face. “My element makes me so unstable, and these techniques are quite hard to control.”

Muhsin didn’t care whether Khan was being honest. He was more curious about processing the new data and preparing for the imminent negotiations, but Khan felt the need to add another point.

“As unfortunate as it is,” Khan continued, “I’m glad I’m in the Kros’ debt. I might have gotten emotional otherwise and done something I would have regretted.”

As literal as the Kros were, that veiled threat didn’t go unnoticed. Still, Muhsin couldn’t address it after such a near-death experience. Khan had finished making his point anyway, so it was better to move to the next order of business.

“The Kros are ready for the negotiations, Prince Khan of the Nognes family,” Muhsin announced.

“Of course,” Khan exclaimed. “Please, reunite with your fleet and let my troops show the Kros my force’s hospitality. I’ll be with you in a moment.”

Muhsin began to take his leave without complaining about those terms, but his chair suddenly stopped to allow one last friendly exchange before the inevitable politics.

“Prince Khan,” Muhsin called, dropping the political pleasantries, “Was that the limit of your current abilities?”

The Kros also turned his reptilian head toward Khan, forsaking scanners and holographic screens to inspect him with his yellow vertical eyes. Khan exchanged a glance with the alien, and his smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.

“No,” Khan responded.

That could easily be both a lie and the truth. After all, Khan only had to gain from improving his evaluation, so the admission didn’t give Muhsin any certainty.

However, Muhsin had asked that question because his simulations had already provided a partial answer. As incredible as Khan’s techniques had been, something had been missing. Khan had never reused his lightning bolts or sharp scarlet energy again, and something told the alien that they could join those fearsome kicks.

Muhsin departed after that short interaction, pieces of his chair transforming into engines that propelled him into the distance. His figure quickly disappeared, and Khan heaved a sigh when he couldn’t see or sense him anymore.

“[Come out],” Khan said in a perfect Niqols’ accent.

Cracks opened in a piece of the sky above Khan, followed by a noise similar to shattering glass. Cold shards fell from the clear landscape, revealing a dark figure accompanied by a white glow.

“[You have it too easy now that our minds are connected],” Liiza pouted, walking down, ice crystals materializing under her feet with each step she took.

“[You should have thought about it before making it],” Khan commented. “[Not that I complain].”

Liiza scoffed, and her pout deepened when she saw Khan’s smirk. Still, her pretense vanished when she reached him. Liiza stepped on his feet, using them as footholds while clinging to his shoulder with one arm, using her free hand to caress the right side of his chest.

That was the spot where Muhsin had hurt Khan. Liiza had almost watched the battle from its very beginning, so she had seen that injury. Yet, Khan’s skin showed no trace of it.

“[Weren’t you supposed to stay with my family and watch out for the Nele]?” Khan teased, trying to distract Liiza.

“[When could you ever tell me what to do]?” Liiza asked. “[Did you believe my pregnancy would have changed anything]?”

“[Was my family that scary]?” Khan laughed, not letting Liiza trick him.

Liiza met Khan’s glowing eyes, glaring at him while her voice gained cute, coy tones. “[The first meetings with the husband’s family should be in his presence].”

Khan laughed even more, annoying Liiza until she turned his head to deliver a sudden kiss. The gesture distracted him from his teasing mood, making way for far different urges, but Liiza pretended not to notice, keeping her head down to avoid staring at his eager gaze.

Nevertheless, Liiza’s playful satisfaction was short-lived since serious topics popped into her head. She had heard Khan during his spar, noticing what he had tried to do.

“[You don’t have to worry about my species],” Liiza muttered, her fingers tracing the tattoos on Khan’s right shoulder. “[I told you where my loyalty lies now].”

“[I love the Niqols],” Khan stated, “[And nothing can stop me from giving you all the happiness I can find].”

Liiza peeked up, and Khan’s genuine expression instantly defeated her. In a different situation, she would have already jumped on him, but he had negotiations to handle now, so she limited herself to laying her head on his chest.

“[I’m already as happy as I can be, dummy],” Liiza chuckled, and Khan caressed the head on his chest before following her gestures. She was still tracing his blue tattoos, and the few available minutes allowed him to give in to his curiosity.

“[You have yet to teach me what they mean],” Khan reminded.

“[They aren’t an alphabet],” Liiza explained. “[Each line, curve, and edge have intrinsic meanings. Even if it’s you, they will take years to learn].”

“[I still want to learn],” Khan said. He would have to fly away soon, but spending a few moments like that sounded blissful enough.

“[This one is life],” Liiza revealed, tracing a long blue line that reached Khan’s arm. “[This curve hints at responsibility, vow, and loyalty].”

“[I’m yours for life],” Khan voiced. “[I knew as much].”

“[This one],” Liiza continued, giggling while tracing a more intricate line, “[Is love. These nodes, sharper curves, and spikes represent the difficulties we have faced, the time we suffered, and how tight our bond is].”

“[It’s pretty tight, I bet],” Khan commented.

“[Very, to the point that can’t be broken],” Liiza confirmed, moving her fingers to a curved, intricate spike. “[This one is my name, though with edges and corners that distinguish me from others who might share it].”

Khan actually felt that one. It wasn’t something strictly connected to the mana, but his mind somewhat recognized it, as if the symbol spoke directly to his subconscious.

The realization warmed Khan’s heart, but part of his mind tried to study the topic from a scientific standpoint. His version of the Thilku runes had grown stale for a while, but the universe still had much to teach him.

If Khan could add those profound Niqols’ symbols to his technique, he could bring it to a superior level, especially since Muhsin had given him an idea for a new spell.